Chapter 240
Chapter 240
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 240
>Chapter Title: Descent into the Abyss
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This was the Sodong Mine, located a bit apart from the other mines in Tumaku.
On the first floor of a rundown inn nearby.
A handsome young man with wolf ears instead of human ones sat there alone with a man whose face was plastered with irritation.
"Where's the Dragonstone?"
"Chiwu is the strongest Dragon Flame. If Chiwu's the strongest, why do we need a Dragonstone?"
The wolf-eared man referred to himself as the strongest. The man across from him didn't particularly argue.
No one knew the reality, but it seemed close to the truth that Chiwu was the strongest.
The wolf-eared Chiwu was the son of Choyeonn, a woman of the Lang tribe, and the Dragon Emperor Hongcheon.
One of the beastkin races, the Lang tribe awakened their feral nature under a full moon and turned into werewolves.
Of course, as a half-human, Chiwu's blood was diluted, so he didn't transform even under a full moon.
But he was born with power unlike others. A body most suited to martial arts and robust stamina made him something beyond an ordinary human.
His wolf ears, and the eyes and fangs that appeared when excited, were the obvious signs of his Lang tribe heritage.
"Chiwu, I heard you got top scores in previous evaluations with your overwhelming force?"
Chiwu replied indifferently.
"Smashing things is easy."
"Hmm... Is that so? This time might not be so easy. It looks like we'll be handling something related to the Sodong Mine contract. You can't just smash this one."
"Mind your own business, Bangjae."
The man called Bangjae frowned and said,
"Wha—I mean, what I'm trying to say is, whoever the next Dragon Flame is, how about we team up?"
"...Cooperate?"
"Yeah! Combine your force with my influence to overcome the trial! What do you think? Not just this trial, but ahead, there'll be things your force alone can't—"
"Ah—shut up."
"Can't what...?"
"Then we can part ways when that happens. You're boring."
"Urgh..."
Chiwu was thoroughly mood-driven. And with his immense power, everyone avoided clashing with him.
"Anyway... think it over. I'm the generous type."
"Is this edible?"
Chiwu bit into the fruit in front of him.
Crunch...
"Nom..."
Even as Chiwu thoroughly ignored him, Bangjae endured desperately.
"By the way... why aren't they coming? It's already been two days since you and I arrived."
Bangjae shouted.
"Hey, Recorder! How much longer do we have to wait?"
"......"
With no response, Bangjae threw a pointless fit.
"Arrogant... When I become emperor, you lot better watch out."
"Wow! What's this? The taste..."
At that moment.
BOOM-!
Rumble rumble...
A sudden explosion rocked the inn, and Bangjae dove under the table.
Chiwu poked his head under the table.
"What are you doing there?"
"What was that just now? You heard it, right?"
"Yeah."
Bangjae quickly went outside to check.
Someone came running from the village, shouting.
"The mine collapsed! The Sodong Mine tunnels caved in!"
Leaving the indifferent Chiwu behind, Bangjae gaped.
"The mine... collapsed?"
* * *
Kang Seol's group finally arrived at the Tumaku mining village.
They joined Chiwu and Bangjae before even properly unpacking.
'Wolf ears...'
Kang Seol eyed Chiwu.
Bangjae and his Dragonstone were ordinary, but the aura from Chiwu was anything but.
'The same aura as from Jangdu.'
Chiwu also tilted his head, looking at Kang Seol.
Chiwu and Kang Seol recognized each other at a glance.
But no clash occurred between them.
"What, it's Seolhong?"
"Bangjae oppa..."
"Hmph, come sit. Do you know how long we've been waiting because of you?"
"Sorry, it took time coming from Yocheon."
It wasn't really something to apologize for, nor a reason to fight. As Seolhong spoke obediently, Bangjae quickly changed his attitude and called the Recorders.
"Hey, Recorders! Seolhong's here!"
Soon, the Recorder's voice rang out.
"Bangjae, Chiwu, Seolhong. Your third Dragon Struggle trial was originally related to the Sodong Mine recontracting."
"I figured. Wait... 'originally'?"
Chiwu kept staring at Kang Seol, uninterested, while Seolhong closed her eyes, as if anticipating something.
"No way... right?"
"I suspected on the way, but is the trial set like that?"
The Recorder spoke.
"The Sodong Mine has collapsed in an unexpected state. Contract issues are now secondary, so we give you a choice."
"A choice...?"
"Given the changed situation, one option is to receive a different trial later instead of the Sodong Mine trial. The other is to rescue the miners buried in the Sodong Mine."
"Wait... are you all crazy? Do you even know how long the tunnels are? And we don't even know where or how it collapsed!"
Everyone clamped their mouths shut.
Then, a group of people entered the inn. An elderly man with white hair spoke among them.
"I'll explain that from now on, Dragon Flames."
"...Who are you?"
"I'm Seongchi, owner of the Sodong Mine. And these are the people helping me run the mine."
Creak...
The people gathered around the Dragon Flames.
Bangjae eyed them coldly and said,
"You've already talked to the Recorders?"
"Precisely, we heard through the Khan's local officials on site after the incident. That Dragon Flames were here for recontracting, so they might help."
"Speaking out of turn when it's not his business."
"Please don't punish him. It was urgent, so I begged him."
Bangjae snapped at Seongchi, who looked like a criminal.
"Time's precious, so can I ask sensitive questions right away?"
"Ask anything, as long as we can get the miners out sooner."
"How is the Sunni Kingdom, negotiating recontracting for the Sodong Mine, responding to this?"
"We sent word, but they say it's hard to prepare immediate measures. It's distant, and not a routine matter..."
"Just excuses for delayed response. What about the Khan?"
"......"
Seongchi paused before speaking.
"How much do you Dragon Flames know about the Sodong Mine?"
"It's the mine that produces special ores only here and has the most advanced equipment, right?"
"Correct. The main product of the Sodong Mine is Guiyo Ore."
"Guiyo Ore?"
"It's a wondrous ore that contains ghostly energy. Only produced in the Sodong Mine."
Everyone there had heard of Guiyo Ore.
An ore with national uses, but always in short supply.
"I get that the Sodong Mine is important. So?"
"Because it constantly emits ghostly energy, no one can enter the Sodong Mine recklessly."
"Exposure to ghostly energy causes problems?"
"You go mad, or in severe cases, bleed from the nose and die."
"That's serious."
"So the Sodong Mine uses a special method to mine Guiyo Ore. All miners wear protective suits, and mining golems descend into the tunnels."
"...Golems? You mean those golems I know?"
The pinnacle of mechanical engineering, military weapons owned by the Khan.
In simple terms, massive bipedal riding devices. The Khan used them for military purposes and more.
"Yes. Exactly those golems, filled with fuel for the protective suits, descend into the tunnels."
"Hmm... why bring that up?"
"The Khan promised to send mining golems along with shamans to aid purification. We're grateful for the swift response... but the problem is, even at best speed, it'll take about two weeks."
"Can't be helped with that mountainous terrain and huge golems. Plus, golems are mostly controlled from the central areas."
Seongchi nodded.
Seolhong asked,
"Will the buried miners survive until then?"
"...That's exactly our problem. With everyone's lives at stake, every moment counts..."
Unlike the grieving Seongchi, Bangjae asked indifferently,
"No other golems?"
"Actually... there was a recent issue with the golems."
"With the golems?"
"Yes. The ones we used became uncontrollable, so most were sent to the capital Hongyeon for repairs. Currently, only two golems are deployed for mining. To make matters worse, the pilots and maintainers are all in Hongyeon..."
"Figures it'd happen now."
"Please, we can't put miners' lives on the scales. The ones buried underground are someone's father, husband, son. If anyone can save the miners from the mine..."
Bangjae leaned back in his chair.
"...Damn it."
Contrary to expectations, the third trial wasn't negotiation—it was rescue.
Seolhong asked,
"If we can't go in bare-handed... can't we go in wearing protective suits?"
"The fuel runs out midway, and the suits stop working."
"Seolhong, you don't even know that?"
Ignoring Bangjae's mockery, Seolhong stroked her chin and asked next,
"I saw a golem in the village on the way. Isn't it moving?"
"That's an old model. The controls are too complex; only the maintenance chief can handle it, and he's in Hongyeon..."
"I'm asking if it can move. Does the old golem work?"
Seongchi tilted his head at Seolhong's words and replied,
"Repairs are done. But why..."
Early golems were crude, as Seongchi said. Huge and powerful monstrosities, but overly complex with miscellaneous functions, making them hard to operate. Now, almost no frontline personnel could handle them.
Those who could were already summoned to Hongyeon for research work.
"It's decided, then."
Creak...
Bangjae stood abruptly and said,
"I'm out. Give me another trial."
"P-Please reconsider. The lives of imperial citizens..."
"It's not savable. Don't force it. Chiwu, what about you?"
Yawn...
Chiwu yawned and replied,
"I'll see."
"Tch... suit yourself."
Bangjae left.
With the first dropout, Seongchi despaired.
"Is there truly no way..."
"If it's the old golem, is it Towang No. 1?"
"...Pardon?"
All eyes turned to Seolhong at her question.
"Can I test-run it?"
"What do you..."
"I know how to pilot it, Towang."
* * *
Tap tap tap!
Whirr...
Lights came on in the golem's cockpit.
Kang Seol chuckled in disbelief.
"I didn't know Lady Seolhong had this skill."
"Why, surprised because it's so unexpected?"
"Isn't it natural to be?"
A woman not yet twenty, handling such a massive mechanical device with her small frame—it was beyond imagination.
"This is the one skill Seolhong can boast about, so don't overhype it."
From the back seat of the cockpit, a voice spoke at Seolhong's words.
"Learned mechanical engineering?"
It was Chiwu's voice.
"Eek!"
"Heh... why the scare?"
Seolhong looked at Kang Seol.
Nod...
Kang Seol had already known Chiwu boarded the cockpit silently.
Seolhong turned and asked,
"Lord Chiwu?"
"We're going down, right? I'll tag along. Bored."
Entering a collapsed mine tunnel because he was bored was insane.
"Well... what does the reason matter? Danger's danger, whatever the excuse."
"But why learn mechanical engineering? Didn't the Dragon Emperor teach you anything else?"
The Dragon Emperor showed no interest in Dragon Flames, but guaranteed one right.
The highest education.
Not in all fields, of course—focused on talents.
Seolhong said,
"No talent in martial arts or sorcery, but luckily, I got lucky."
Tap tap...
Whirrrrr-!
The golem rose.
- Towang, operational.
- Hello, world. I am Towang.
- Hello, wo—
- He—
"They said it was fixed, but parts are still busted."
Whirr...
For a while after, Seolhong tested the golem's movements. She seemed set on descending into the tunnels.
"Lady Seolhong..."
"Cheonju? Haha! Tiny Cheonju!"
Cheonju spoke from the golem's foot, so she looked small to Seolhong.
"...Must you go?"
"What if not?"
"......"
"Don't worry, Cheonju. Kang Seol's here. Right?"
Kang Seol nodded.
Cheonju said, voice trembling,
"Why do you always rush into danger!"
"What can I do? Dangerous places always need me."
"That's..."
"Cheonju, I like hot water."
"...Pardon?"
"Tumaku's famous for hot springs besides mines. I like hot water."
Cheonju surrendered to Seolhong's innocent smile.
"I'll prepare a nice spot... and wait. So come back safe."
"Yeah."
Whirr...
Clank...
Clank...
In front of the Sodong Mine, cargo was loaded onto the golem.
"Fill it with fuel tanks! We can handle food!"
With Kang Seol, no need for food. He wanted to stuff personal items into the fuel tanks, but their size limited him to one or two.
"Well then... now..."
As she closed the cockpit ceiling, people swarmed from the village. Women and children leading like a herd of cattle.
"...What's that?"
Seolhong looked startled, but soon people crowded under the golem.
Word spread that a Dragon Flame was personally descending to rescue the buried miners.
"Dragon Flame... please bring back my husband."
"Daddy... Daddy's down there!"
"Dragon Flame! Please..."
"Do something!"
Seolhong's expression hardened.
Then, a voice pierced the noise, creating silence.
"Honestly, you don't have to do this dangerous thing, right?"
"......"
"Why step up? This kind of..."
People hadn't questioned out of blind faith. They'd pushed away thoughts of Seolhong failing.
But now a question demanded an answer.
Sigh...
Seolhong said,
"Who honestly wants to do this? High chance of death."
"......"
Everyone knew. Seolhong would risk death in their place.
They could grieve here, but not die for them. Different from Seolhong.
"Coincidentally, the mine collapsed the day I arrived. Coincidentally, I'm the only one who can pilot the old golem here. In this situation, being a Dragon Flame means nothing. Or is being a Dragon Flame the coincidence?"
Unintentionally, Seolhong spoke like a speech from on high. Unlike demagogues, her sincerity shone through.
"Do you believe in me?"
"We do! Please... our family..."
"We believe in you, Dragon Flame!"
"...Don't believe in me."
"...Pardon?"
"What do you..."
She quelled the murmurs with a few words.
"Don't安心 just handing loved ones' fates to others."
"......"
"Pray. Loud enough for those buried below to hear."
Whirrrr...
Clank...
Clank...
The vast entrance to the Sodong Mine.
The terrain dropped like a sheer cliff bottom, so there was a lift.
Seolhong's golem stepped onto the lift platform.
The golem turned, cockpit sealed.
Seolhong covered half her face with the golem's respirator.
Soon, her voice flowed through the golem's resonator.
"I'm not your god. A Dragon Flame is just human too. So..."
Clank-!
The golem raised an arm in salute.
"I'll do my best. Descend!"
"Descend!"
Rattle rattle rattle-!
The golem carrying Seolhong, Chiwu, and Kang Seol descended into pitch darkness.
Into the endless abyss.