Chapter 168. The Reclining Buddha (1)
On the map spread out over the fan, several dots were marked.
Those dots indicated places that Han Bin absolutely had to check in Jangun-hyeon.
What if he carried that map around?
It would be as good as announcing his presence.
For that reason, Han Bin had shed his red martial robe and dressed neatly in white attire.
Seol-hwa was no different.
Her striking appearance would draw too much attention otherwise, so he had disguised her as a boy and was taking her along.
What was Han Bin planning right now?
He considered preventing the damage that would occur here to be a last resort.
If he only blocked the harm in this place, it would suffice to pull out the merchants connected to the Hebei Paeng Family.
So, what did Han Bin truly want?
It was to uncover what the enemy desired.
Han Bin judged that the enemy desperately wanted something.
Whether to eliminate what the enemy wants or seize it for yourself—that's the basic principle of strategy.
The reason he believed that something the enemy desired was here was simple.
According to his memories from his past life, rumors of a plague would spread in half a month, followed by the appearance of patients.
After that, events unfolded swiftly.
The state enforced strict, merciless quarantine for plagues.
The Hebei Province army, under imperial orders, surrounded Jangun-hyeon.
The airtight siege was so tight even martial artists struggled to escape.
This situation dragged on for a while.
Six months later, when the blockade was lifted and they inspected Jangun-hyeon, the Hebei soldiers were shocked once more.
There were more deaths from starvation than from the contagious disease.
Quite a few had collapsed fighting each other over food.
Amid this, they discovered traces of digging in various spots around the village.
At first, they speculated it was for burying bodies, but the pits were empty.
This was the extent of the incident as Han Bin knew it.
The culprits behind it were surely watching this village right now.
At the same time.
Jin Semi of the Baeksa Gate paused briefly at the entrance to Jangun-hyeon.
As she slowly moved to enter, she glanced back.
Her guard asked cautiously at the sight.
“Miss, is something wrong……?”
“No. I just felt a strange presence.”
“A strange presence?”
“It's nothing.”
Jin Semi turned her head and resumed walking toward the entrance.
She had the distinct feeling someone was watching her.
But when she heightened her senses and focused, the faint presence melted away like snow under spring sunlight.
It was adjusting its presence based on her senses—something that shouldn't be possible.
Besides, a master with such ability wouldn't hide in the first place.
Shaking her head, Jin Semi looked at her guard.
“You're keeping safe what Ma Hwi the strategist gave you, right?”
“Of course, Miss. I'll guard it with my life.”
The guard pointed to the load on his back.
Jin Semi nodded knowingly and took the lead.
The guard hurried after her, followed by about ten warriors exuding the fierce aura typical of Sapa.
As their procession scattered into the village, a figure with gleaming eyes watched from the forest of Jangun-hyeon.
“Hehe, the prey keeps multiplying.”
A woman in a white martial robe with long hair muttered to herself, and a black shadow slithered into view beside her.
“Sister, don't get ahead of yourself. Remember, our target isn't people.”
“Why so serious if we're just having a little fun? Romance blooms even on battlefields. You kids these days don't know romance.”
“That's not something you should say.”
“Hehe, what sister? Have you seen a sister this young?”
“Think makeup makes you young?”
“Exactly. I need some vitality.”
The woman in white extended her hand toward the shadow, which vanished in an instant.
Sasasak.
The woman in white snorted toward where the shadow had been.
“Hmph. Working with a charmless guy like that is annoying.”
With that, she too vanished from the spot.
Sasasak.
Only rustling leaves remained where they had been.
As they walked, Seol-hwa asked Han Bin.
“Whose doing is it? Sapa maybe?”
“Not Sapa.”
Han Bin cut her off sharply, and Seol-hwa narrowed her eyes before asking again.
“Then the Demonic Cult?”
“The Demonic Cult that hasn't responded since the Residual Blood Demon incident pulling something like this? Doesn't seem likely.”
Han Bin shook his head slightly.
This was sincere.
It wasn't the Demonic Cult's style.
They never snuck in through the back door, at least.
Given the Demonic Cult's emphasis on strength.
If invading the Central Plains, they'd hit the nearest Kunlun Sect first.
Wiping out a village with poison wasn't their way.
At least, not from Han Bin's exhausting battles with them.
So who was behind this?
Even Han Bin was curious.
Noticing his gaze, Seol-hwa pressed on.
“Not the Righteous Factions, right?”
“Of course not the Righteous Factions.”
Han Bin shook his head.
But this was half a lie.
He was certain it was the work of the bizarre group he'd encountered at the Huangbo Family.
Those freaks were surely linked to some Righteous Faction.
The prime suspect was the Wi Family, tied to his past grudges.
His intuition screamed there was a connection between the Wi Family and that mysterious group.
To onlookers, Han Bin and the boy-disguised Seol-hwa looked like an older brother showing his younger sibling around Jangun-hyeon.
No one could imagine their casual chat turning Righteous, Sapa, and Demonic factions into drinking games.
Their expressions were that bright.
As they scanned the streets considering possibilities, Seol-hwa pointed to one side.
“Look over there.”
“Where?”
“There. People are swarming like bees.”
Turning his gaze, Han Bin spotted the crowd on the main street.
Seol-hwa's eyes widened, and she cried out urgently.
“Looks like they're selling something delicious!”
Han Bin nodded too.
A Buddha statue as tall as a three-story building loomed, with people gathered below.
Even to him, it seemed a prime spot for a food stall.
“Man, they picked a great location.”
Ignoring him, Seol-hwa plunged into the crowd.
Han Bin followed.
Finally reaching the front, Han Bin tilted his head in confusion.
No food stall as he'd expected.
Seol-hwa sighed in disappointment.
Scanning just in case, someone tapped Seol-hwa's shoulder.
Turning, they saw an old woman with a cane staring blankly.
“What's wrong, Granny?”
Seol-hwa cocked her head, and the granny asked.
“You're outsiders, right?”
“Yes, so?”
“Aigoo, knew it.”
“What do you mean, Granny?”
“You gotta line up.”
“Line up?”
“Look behind you.”
The granny pointed back.
A villager glared fiercely at Seol-hwa.
Seol-hwa looked puzzled at the granny, but Han Bin swiftly tugged her sleeve.
Hudarak, they emerged from the crowd, and Han Bin looked around.
His eyes caught an empty second-floor window at a daru with a clear view of the statue.
He led Seol-hwa there.
Sitting, Han Bin sighed.
“Phew……”
“What was that about, Young Master?”
“We'll find out from now on.”
Just then, a server approached for their order.
“What'll it be?”
Han Bin ordered tea and caught his breath.
As the server left, he pointed outside.
“Looking closely, they really are lining up.”
“Yeah, Young Master.”
Seol-hwa alternated between the people and the statue, fascinated.
A golden Buddha?
Han Bin narrowed his eyes quietly at it.
Up close, it wasn't real gold—just a wooden Buddha coated in golden paint.
People lined up before it.
Too many for a single line, so they zigzagged like the character "zhi."
No wonder the villagers grumbled when they pushed through.
The question was why the crowd there.
What was going on?
The server bringing tea provided the answer.
“Here's your tea, sir. Staring so intently at the Wabul—you must be from out of town.”
The server smiled, and Han Bin pulled five iron coins from his bosom and handed them over.
“Take it.”
“Oh, thank you!”
“You said Wabul just now?”
“Yes, that's right.”
“It's sitting upright—why call it reclining?”
Han Bin pointed to the statue outside.
It sat in serene meditation.
Perhaps thanks to the coins, the server grinned and continued.
“This statue used to be reclining originally.”
“You're saying it was lying down, server?”
“I've worked here over ten years—no one knows this statue better than me. So……”
The server proudly recounted the tale as if it were his own.
It had been a reclining Wabul, but one morning they woke to find it sitting in meditation.
Since then, villagers called it the Wabul or living Buddha.
After hearing it all, Han Bin gazed wonderingly at the statue and the line.
“But why line up to offer prayers? Just bow and be done.”
“Ah, forgot to explain that.”
“Please do.”
“Make a wish to the statue and offer an iron coin—it mysteriously vanishes. So people write their names on coins, place them on the statue's palm, and check the next day.”
“Oh, such a marvel……”
Han Bin trailed off, enhancing his inner sight to observe.
As the server said.
People neatly placed coins on the statue's palm and prayed.
Oddly, never stacking them.
Han Bin continued.
“What happens to the coins left the next day?”
“The Buddha's never left any behind.”
“Huh. Then all wishes come true?”
“This is a secret……”
The server leaned to Han Bin's ear.
“Tell me.”
Han Bin nodded, and the server whispered.
“Wishes coming true? Pure luck. Don't tell outsiders—bad for business.”
“I see.”
Han Bin nodded and unfolded his fan.
Chalruruk.
After the crisp sound, he alternated between the statue and the dots on the map.
The statue's location matched one of the marked spots.
One down—others to check.
Then Seol-hwa spoke.
“Aren't we making a wish?”
“Want to, Seol-hwa?”
Han Bin asked, arms crossed, and she clasped her hands.
“Yes, I do!”
“Hm. Then let's do this.”
“What, Young Master?”
Seeing her eager face, Han Bin fiddled with the iron coins in his bosom.