For the Sake of the World - 1
The horrific chimera incident at Guyongguan wrapped up, leaving a lingering unease. At least thanks to Jung San Wang's relentless swordwork, we managed to deal with the chimeras. The more we sliced into those fused beasts, the more they split back into their original hundreds of individual animals. Only after fully separating did they start dying like ordinary beasts under the blade. Of course, even in their death throes, some tried fusing in groups of dozens or detonating themselves.
Still, that was better than the grotesque, unkillable hybrids that just wouldn't die.
'I hope this is the end of it.'
But this chimera crisis wasn't something that ended with just taking down a single monster. It was the Mongols who had created these maddened, self-destructing beasts—and now these fusion horrors. This wouldn't be a one-off event. Second, third, fourth waves of chimeras would likely keep appearing on the front lines.
Each time, soldiers would cower at the sight of those bizarre forms. Martial artists would hesitate to charge in, fearing the massive explosions. And the high-level experts capable of dealing real damage would be tied down. Killing them required hundreds of strikes at minimum, and even reverting them to their pre-fusion state left them prone to fleeing or exploding if you let your guard down.
'What a nightmare.'
The Central Plains' advantage lay in overwhelming numbers, but even here, we couldn't endlessly deploy peak or super peak realm martial artists—especially not regular troops. These were strategic assets we had to use wisely. Forcing them to standby for potential monster hunts and exterminations was pure waste. No other waste compared.
The Mongols had beasts in abundance, yet they were burning through our peak experts and above—folks who weren't even second- or first-rate.
"We suspected they were artificially creating spirit beasts, but who could've guessed they'd produce something this grotesque?"
As the Guyongwei leadership handled the cleanup after we'd dealt with the chimeras, Jung San Wang—who'd been patrolling near Guyongguan with me—finally spoke up, frustration evident.
"They're wicked scum defying the natural order and trampling heaven's will. It's only natural they'd unleash disasters we couldn't foresee. No one could prepare, so the first strike caught us off guard."
I responded to his words with fitting agreement and what passed for comfort. No sane person could've imagined this madness, so getting blindsided was inevitable.
Unlike me, who just needed to hold position in Kaepyeong, Jung San Wang was the expeditionary force's de facto supreme commander. He was the one who'd suffer most from this bizarre variable, so a bit of consolation and well-wishes were in order.
"If they were going to defy the natural way anyway, they should've just made something valuable like spirit beasts."
Jung San Wang gave a wry smile at my words and glanced at Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i.
The Mongols were indeed specialists in beasts. Their knowledge and achievements there outstripped even the Central Plains' overwhelming tech and talent. After all, hadn't their human sacrifices at Hengshan birthed no fewer than two spirit beasts? Sure, they got chased out of the Central Plains shortly after, so it probably wasn't their intent—but it showed their potential.
'The process and results both taste foul.'
The problem was that potential relying on supreme evil sorcery like human sacrifice—and using it to make chimeras was an even bigger issue. If they'd sacrificed hundreds of beasts to create one spirit beast, we could've shrugged it off as "survival of the fittest in the beast world."
'These two could've been born as chimeras too.'
I glanced at Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i. Back at Hengshan, there were no demon beasts around, but after seeing the real thing, their precious, miraculous existence hit me anew. If things had gone wrong, these sacred white deer could've become monsters nesting in Hengshan instead.
- Kki-ing?
- Kki-oong~
The two white deer, sensing our gazes, tilted their heads and let out clear cries.
Thanks for being born as spirit beasts, white deer. Well, technically, they only turned fully white after picking up something weird at Baek Gi's tomb—but whatever.
"Take good care of them, Deputy Censor-in-Chief. They're the one good and beautiful thing the Mongols ever made."
"The energy came from the Mongols, but absorbing and mastering it was these children's own doing. Why not say they were born of their own will?"
"Indeed. That's the right way to see it."
Jung San Wang's smile brightened, unlike his earlier wry one. Saying these divine-looking white deer spirit beasts were born by their own will, not the hands of barbaric invaders? For a man who despised the Mongols, that was music to his ears.
"More importantly, Deputy Censor-in-Chief. To assess the situation—"
Jung San Wang paused, stroking his chin, then continued, "No one's around, so speak freely. Did you get the information you wanted?"
Not a roundabout query, but direct. The info I wanted—confirmation of the sa-hung's involvement.
'Grandfather told him everything.'
Not just that the qilin was one of the sa-ryeong, but that I'd come all the way to Guyongguan to verify the sa-hung's hand in this. Grandfather must've briefed him fully when asking him to guard me.
Made sense. No need to hide it from Jung San Wang of all people. The sa-ryeong and sa-hung's existence had already been revealed to the Iseongwangs during the Sercho Paegwang tomb excavation; he just hadn't been there. No deliberate secrecy.
Besides, as the Mongol expedition's supreme commander, he had to know about the sa-ryeong and sa-hung. Imagine the shock if one presumed to be on the Mongol side popped up out of nowhere.
"No hard evidence, but the sa-hung's involvement is certain."
"No hard evidence, eh. Well, no need to impose human standards on mythical beings."
Sage words. I nodded. Evidence mattered for humans obsessed with presumption of innocence and needing pretext to avoid backlash. What did it mean to the mere eight sa-ryeong and sa-hung combined? Conviction was enough to smash them.
For the sa-ryeong, they probably didn't even need that against the sa-hung—just beat them on sight. But since this involved human affairs deeply, we were at least seeking that conviction.
"However, Your Highness. From what the qilin said, the beasts swept up in the Mongols' demon beasts couldn't behold its majesty or heed its commands."
Hundreds of beasts meeting tragic ends at Mongol hands. The compassionate qilin was wandering Guyongguan, holding its own memorial for these pitiful subjects.
Letting it roam alone was a tad worrying, but with Guyongwei soldiers everywhere, it'd be fine. Plus, the qilin had wandered solo for millennia before Grandfather "kidnapped" it.
"Not as useful as hoped, then."
- Kki-ing! Kki-i-ing!
- Kki-ong!
Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i bristled at Jung San Wang's words, as if outraged he'd called the qilin incompetent and useless. Loyal retainers, through and through.
They cowered before Hwagyeong masters after nearly dying to Gu Gangwang, yet here they were protesting their king's insult.
"Fine beasts indeed."
Jung San Wang, knowing this, smiled despite the sudden protest and patted their necks.
- Kki, kki-i-ing...
- Kki-oooong...
They shrank back the instant his hand touched them.
Are you loyal retainers or cowards? Can't you pick one...?
"Fearful yet devoted vassals. As spirit beasts, they're inherently good and just."
Thankfully, he even approved of their two-faced nature.
We left Guyongguan as soon as cleanup finished. I'd seen the Mongols' new tech—their latest bioweapon—up close, and achieved my goal in coming. No reason to linger; time to head back.
- Something's off.
Crossing the Yellow River on a boat, alone with just us—no Jung San Wang, no escorts. Do-ol finally spoke up.
This guy, who'd maintained strict silence amid watchful eyes—preferring muteness over grunts like "Kruuung"—suddenly piped up.
"What's off?"
- That grotesque beast mass we saw. No matter how I think about it, it doesn't seem like the sa-hung's doing—
"What did you say?"
Before Do-ol finished, the qilin cut in.
- Are you defending the sa-hung now? It'd been quiet lately, but your vile nature hasn't changed!
- Hear me out! I'm not defending them—I'm saying it doesn't match their abilities!
- That's defense! You black furball!
Do-ol's body shivered at the qilin's words. Sorry, but shaking like that, it really looked like a furball whipping in the wind. From now on, my mental nickname for Do-ol was black furball.
- ...It's true sa-hung and sa-ryeong have unique powers. Living millennia, they could've mastered abilities we don't know.
"I know that."
Old news.
- But there's a limit. Even idlers don't become carpenters or merchants; sa-hung don't master everything either. They learn what fits their nature and aptitude.
A certain little brother turning all-master back at Songshan flashed in mind, but I moved on.
- I admit the sa-hung's powers seem bizarre and destructive to humans. But whether Chaos or Gonggi, they lack the finesse for free fusion and separation like that. If it ended in self-destruction, sure—but that beast lump isn't their work.
"Too dumb for that kind of creation? Chaos or Gonggi?"
- Not dumb, just crude... roughly, yeah.
I sighed softly at Do-ol's explanation.
Damn it. If even a fellow sa-hung said this much, something was definitely up.