Chapter 185
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Waveskimming Steps (3)
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After devouring the Evolution Stones like a madwoman, changes began to gradually emerge in Cheon Luri's body.
…Leveling up by chowing down on spirit pills felt a bit like cheating, but whatever.
She had taken her first step toward connecting with nature, ascending to the stage where one begins to comprehend the will of nature itself.
Just like that.
Cheon Luri's body started undergoing subtle transformations, bit by bit.
With desperate hope.
And a sliver of fear that perhaps her evolution path had gone astray.
All I could do was gnaw anxiously on my fingers and watch powerlessly.
If it had been during cultivation, maybe, but.
I couldn't touch her while she was in the midst of complete physical reformation.
And as I held my breath in tension.
The artificial construct—her clothes—couldn't withstand the erupting true energy and began melting away like paper.
…….
Just in case something went wrong.
I couldn't tear my eyes away for even a second.
Finally.
Her pale skin, now wrapped in light, cracked with a sharp creeeak.
Her bones and muscles aligned neatly with a series of soft pops.
Would I ever witness another person undergoing this miraculous physical reformation in my lifetime?
I savored the spectacle alone—one that would make Darwin break into a tap dance and Richard Dawkins cry out, "How can its appearance be so selfishly perfect…!"
"Phew."
I let out a sigh of relief.
Cheon Luri's body, restructured into the optimal state for understanding nature's will and manifesting it upon the world.
Aside from becoming even softer and whiter—minor changes at best.
It remained the same.
The same…!
Soon after.
"Mm."
Cheon Luri opened her eyes.
And the first thing she did.
Was grope around.
Grope, grope.
To borrow a Civilization analogy, she was feeling the contours of food 3, hammers 0, science 2 terrain.
"Good job."
As I watched the scene with a fond gaze, Luri's eyes finally turned toward me.
Then, her nose tilted proudly toward the ceiling.
"Me, strong now."
Even to my eyes, she seemed to have successfully reached the entry to the transcendent peak realm, so yeah, she had gotten stronger.
But.
Her speech was kinda short…
No, had it gotten longer?
"Cool, confirmed."
"…You didn't, did you."
"Luri, super grown!"
"Boobs same size though."
"Unforgivable!"
Luri's punch, wrapped in qi energy, came flying at me.
But for someone barely at the entry of transcendent peak.
It was obviously not enough to pierce my protective aura…
"Ack!"
Or so I thought.
Perfectly blocking the attack with my eyes closed was a bit much.
"…Put this on for now, at least."
Well.
In the martial world, it's canon that.
Your clothes disintegrate completely after physical reformation.
I could take a punch, but squarely blocking her Heavenly Demon Soft Kick sweeping in coolly was another story.
.
.
.
"Hee. Geum Sihyeon clothes."
"My cherished robe…"
My cherished robe—which I'd carefully folded and stored in my pack even during my nomadic cosplay—was once again snatched by Luri.
And like a repeat offender, no less.
Riiip──!
"Th-that expensive thing, treated so cruelly…"
Rip!
"Too long. Uncomfy."
Riiiip!
"Even so…"
"Then, take off again?"
"…"
Using logic against me, huh.
This seductive little devil.
In the end, I couldn't muster a single retort.
And could only watch in horror as my cherished robe was torn to shreds on the spot and reborn in Luri size.
"Hee. Smells good."
"…Of course it does. I washed it. H-hey, wrap your lower parts tighter there."
"Geum Sihyeon, pervert."
Despite my gentlemanly advice, getting labeled a pervert filled me with sorrow at the state of the world.
* * *
Despite the student council president's sudden flight.
Thanks to the flawless plans Geum Sihyeon had laid out in advance, which meshed together like perfect gears, the school trip proceeded without a hitch.
Myo Narang barely had to lift a finger beyond handling the minor tasks of leading the students.
If anything, that fact.
"Sigh…"
Only made Myo Narang's heart ache more.
She'd left in such a hurry she hadn't packed properly— was she starving somewhere right now? Or wandering aimlessly?
Her insides burned with worry, yet she'd flawlessly fulfilled her duties as acting president to the very end.
Even.
[Unhak: All done as ordered, sister-in-law.]
Her ability to communicate with animals had even cured Unhak's gynophobia—he who usually clammed up around women.
A special countermeasure.
- Unhak, just don't even think about opening your mouth. Keep clutching that smartphone. And type in chat instead.
Unlike Geum Sihyeon's Helen Keller-style training to force open his mouth.
Myo Narang had devised and implemented an instant-utilization method.
"Good work!"
[Unhak: Thank you, sister-in-law.]
…There was the minor annoyance of enduring responses via message when they were in the same space, unable to hear voices.
But anyway, repurposing Geum Sihyeon's self-proclaimed useless beggar punk in key spots proved Myo Narang's administrative prowess.
And.
"At this rate… if I shape public opinion just a bit more, it should be enough…"
Myo Narang reviewed the documents Unhak had compiled.
From piecing together the fragmented info she'd gathered, her conclusion was.
Excluding a tiny minority uncomfortable with modern tech itself, anyone not using smartphones was highly suspicious of Azure Heaven Society ties.
Of course, on her own, it would've stopped at suspicion.
But combining it with the Beggars' Sect's intel network?
[Unhak: Indeed, most were hardliners and conservatives within their sects.]
"Not sure how long you'll keep up the formal speech… but let's organize it properly. Pin down exact numbers of suspects and non-suspects."
[Unhak: Got it.]
In truth, Unhak needed no convincing.
He was the type of man who could lay everything on the line for a friend.
Plus.
She'd secured Tang Family cooperation via Dang Narin.
And Moyong Family cooperation via Moyong Seol.
But that wasn't enough.
So she planned to contact junior disciples or heirs from sects where Azure Heaven Society's influence was weaker, laying groundwork in advance.
Of course.
The more allies, the better.
"…Myo Narang."
"Instructor. You're here?"
The visitor, having heard from Moyong Seol in advance, arrived suppressing murderous intent.
Myo Narang forced a bright smile to greet Seo Dohee, leader of the organization spanning the Central Plains to maintain paths.
* * *
The law of the strong: obey the strong, but always grind your teeth to become the strongest yourself.
Not everyone followed it to the letter, though.
Among the Seven Elders, the Fierce-Faced Asura Sek Chungmyeong thought differently.
He'd followed the Demonic Cult Leader back then because Cheon Yuri was the stronger one.
And now.
Compared to Cheon Yuri.
The current Demonic Cult Leader, Cheon Siwoo, was stronger.
So naturally, following the man closer to the Heavenly Demon—was that betrayal? No, it was the law of the strong.
By that logic.
Sek Chungmyeong pledged immediate loyalty to Cheon Siwoo.
"The Young Lord has appeared?"
"Yes. Confirmed. Report from Dunhuang."
And now.
Sek Chungmyeong's mind raced.
According to the spy in Xi'an, the Cult Leader was still lingering there.
Why would the Young Lord return alone to Heavenly Mountain?
No way the news hadn't reached him.
Judging by the Young Lord's temperament so far, there was no reason to return to this leaderless place.
"Is it really the Young Lord?"
"Well, it's a bit ambiguous. His hair…"
Clang!──!
Sek Chungmyeong hurled an ashtray at his subordinate.
"You fucking idiot. Hair changes when you let it down, you brainless moron? Get your shit together?"
"S-sorry!"
Of course.
Even Sek Chungmyeong himself had never seen the Cult Leader or Young Lord with their hair down, so he felt a twinge of doubt.
His mind spun rapidly.
If this was fake intel, reporting to the other elders—especially the Fiend Demon currently leading the cult—could spell trouble.
But he couldn't just ignore it either.
A bit of hassle, but…
"Mobilize the Blood Sword Squad. I'll go check myself."
Best to meet and judge personally.
.
.
.
"…Why is this the real Young Lord?"
Sek Chungmyeong muttered unwittingly.
The girl approaching Heavenly Mountain, clinging cutely to some man's arm in the distance, certainly seemed to be the Young Lord.
But who the hell was that guy next to her?
No way it was that husband the Ghost Killer Squad was obsessed with?
"…Surround them. Capture alive."
Whatever.
That didn't matter anymore.
His position had been shrinking because he hadn't defected with the hardliners.
But this opportunity—perfectly tailored to expand his influence again—Sek Chungmyeong had no intention of letting slip.