Last Dance (Final) - 2
When I flashed my official plaque, the stern, dignified soldiers turned meek as lambs. The man who had sent Guangxi's highest military commander—the Dojihwisa himself—to Namyeong was standing right in front of them. In a situation like that, it would be weirder if they didn't soften up. Of course, rank-and-file soldiers might not know the details of what happened in Namyeong, but the name Jwa-cheom Do-eosa was one they couldn't block anyway. Unless the Dojihwidongji himself were here.
"I never expected to see Great Song soldiers in a place like this."
The soldiers bowed their heads but sneaked glances at me. It was uncanny—like I could see their expressions from the backs of their heads, even though their faces were hidden.
"If even the Dojihwidongji is issuing direct orders, it must be no ordinary matter. Is something happening inside this cave?"
"Th-that..."
The one who seemed the senior among them stammered on. "W-we're sorry, my lord, but we don't know the details. Just that the Dojihwidongji ordered strict access control... and that there's something inside we absolutely mustn't touch..."
"I see."
It was within my expectations, so I nodded appropriately. Yeah, grunts like these wouldn't know. If even the soldiers were in on a matter requiring access controls, it wouldn't be a secret anymore. Still, even if the troops knew nothing, the on-site commander should. But no one who looked like an officer was in sight. Were they seriously guarding the controlled zone with just privates?
"Are you the one in charge here?"
"No, my lord! Jeongcheonho is inside the cave!"
"Jeongcheonho?"
I was surprised to hear a higher-ranking officer mentioned than I'd anticipated. Jeongcheonho, rank 5. Head of a Cheonho-so unit—the level after Oho Dudokbu (field army), Dojihwisa (corps), and Wiji hwisa (division). Roughly equivalent to a modern regimental commander. Even with the vice corps commander's orders, having a regimental commander personally handling on-site control? This was drifting further from anything normal.
"A Cheonho-so commander must have his hands full, yet he's inspecting the site himself. Jeongcheonho's dedication is commendable."
I gave him suitable praise, then patted the shoulders of the still-bowing soldiers.
"I'll go meet Jeongcheonho myself. Mind if we head inside?"
"...O-of course! Please, go ahead!"
The soldier hesitated briefly before readily clearing the path to the cave. A wise choice. Blocking a Jwa-cheom Do-eosa during a control operation would invite backlash. Central inspectors outranked provincial troops, after all.
Kki-ing.
Kki-ong~
Meanwhile, the moment the soldiers parted, Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i bolted into the cave. My unease was mounting. What the hell was inside to make the spirit beasts react, prompt the Dojihwidongji to impose controls, and put Jeongcheonho in charge?
'A spirit herb field or something?'
I even thought that far. If it was just a hilarious mishap like discovering a spirit herb patch, how great would that be?
"Wh-what the hell! How did this get in here?!"
"It's a Baeknok! Don't touch it!"
"Baeknok...? D-does that mean he's here?!"
'Damn.'
Voices echoed from deeper in the cave, drawing a wry smile from me. I had to hurry, or Jeongcheonho and his men would get even more agitated.
As Ak I-yeon, Jo Wi-cheo, and I appeared, the man I presumed was Jeongcheonho immediately cupped his hands in salute.
"Greetings, Jwa-cheom Do-eosa! I am Gang U-deok, in charge of site management!"
Thanks to Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i arriving first, he'd already guessed who I was—even introducing himself as he realized I was the Jwa-cheom Do-eosa. It was common knowledge that the Jwa-cheom Do-eosa rode Baeknok, after all. And someone of Jeongcheonho's rank would've heard about the sword dance in Namyeong. Failing to notice would've been the real issue.
"I hope our sudden visit hasn't caused confusion."
"Not at all! No place bars a Jwa-cheom Do-eosa serving His Majesty's will! The Dojihwidongji himself instructed full cooperation if you arrived!"
"I see."
For a place supposedly cooperating, the outer guards had been pretty jumpy. But I didn't voice it. No need to nitpick something that could slide smoothly.
"Looks like an ordinary cave at a glance. Care to tell me why it's under control?"
"Of course, my lord!"
Jeongcheonho bellowed his response, whispered to his adjutant, who then led nearby soldiers deeper in.
"Truth be told, strange traces have been found near Gyeirim lately."
He spoke the moment the soldiers vanished.
"Strange traces?"
"Yes. Tracks from some beast we'd never seen before."
My mind flashed to Kki-ing-i, Kki-ong-i, Samshik, Buong, Ppiae, and Kkieak. Another spirit beast? Pokemon trainers only carry six at a time—even if I added one more, it'd be seven. And I had no Professor Oak to offload them to.
'Well, there's Ji Wi-pyeong.'
Come to think of it, I had someone even better than a Pokemon prof. The guy who'd fatten them up like balloons and send them back—
"But the aura left by that beast was so vicious and ominous."
His next words furrowed my brow instinctively. Vicious and ominous? No one describes spirit beasts that way. Not even for poison-packed three-headed snakes, man-faced spiders, or poison birds. At worst, you'd warn: dangerous if provoked, handle with care, avoid if encountered. Yet Jeongcheonho used "vicious" and "ominous." As a soldier, this was likely the Dojihwidongji's judgment, not his own.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. Consensus of Gyeirim's monks and Taoists."
Even backed by experts in the field.
"And it turned up right after that horrific incident in Gyeirim—the common folk are in an uproar."
My brow creased deeper. Horrific incident, vicious and ominous beast aura. How many spine-chilling words in just a few sentences?
"I'll need more details."
"Well..."
Jeongcheonho glanced around, confirmed no eavesdroppers, then continued.
"A major merchant house in Gyeirim went bankrupt recently. Businesses rise and fall all the time, but this was anything but ordinary."
"How so?"
"Merchants on caravan died in accidents, their warehouses burned, and the house head's family all passed away. All within weeks."
Speechless at the sheer abnormality. Bad luck happens—accidents claim lives, fires gut warehouses, families grieve. But all that in weeks? No way it was coincidence. Someone's hand was in it.
"The house wasn't well-liked, either. They'd crushed rivals for expansion, so some say it was revenge. Others whisper heavenly punishment or yokai curse."
He sighed heavily. I got the picture. A notorious firm collapsed spectacularly—enough to spark talk of divine retribution or curses. Add vicious beast tracks, and Gyeirim would flip out.
... 'Yokai curse?'
Odd. First time facing this, yet it felt strangely familiar.
"Truly lamentable. The head boasted of Do-cheol's protection, only to fall—so some even say Do-cheol lost interest and took his life—"
"Wait. Do-cheol?"
"Ah, yes. Hence theories the tracks are Do-cheol's."
His polite confirmation made me glance at Ak I-yeon and Jo Wi-cheo. They mirrored my shock, eyes turning to me.
'They were rioting in Taesubu that Do-cheol cursed them too.'
A caravan from Guangxi, no less. One whose head bragged of Do-cheol's favor.
"Of course, just fringe opinions. Do-cheol's a legend, after all. Frustration talking, since we can't pin down the culprit."
I bit my lip subtly. I knew sa-hung like Do-cheol were treated as myths here. Unlike spirit beasts with sightings, no sa-hung tales stuck—people dismiss what they don't see. Spirit beasts appeared over centuries; sa-hung never had.
But in a world of real spirit beasts and martial arts, did sa-hung not exist? Ppiae was a dragon's minion—in a world with dragons, no sa-hung? 'No way.'
They existed. My spirit beasts proved it, my martial arts, my reincarnation. With gods and monsters abound, sa-hung had to be out there. Just undiscovered till now.
"Jeongcheonho."
"Yes, my lord. Speak."
"Do-cheol tracks were found in this cave?"
"Presumed Do-cheol, but yes."
His unhesitating reply drew an inner sigh. No wonder Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i reacted from afar. Unlike auspicious spirit beasts, they'd sensed the wicked sa-hung aura and charged in.
'Damn it.'
Collecting six spirit beasts, and now a sa-hung shows up. Not like my party was full so toss me a legendary battle. 'And it seems like the real curse-slinging bastard.'
What now? Cursed right before heading back to Kaepyeong? I'd die of injustice. Good thing I only had six beasts—but facing a sa-hung still unnerved me.