Chapter 266
Chapter 266
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 266
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Grrrrr…
Kwachiiik…
A massive foot with claws sharp as blades—barely recognizable as human—crushed the earth.
Kuduk…
“They vanished! They were right here just moments ago.”
“…….”
“What do we do? Where the hell did they go?!”
Monstrous beings with fangs sprouting endlessly from their maws.
Towering several times the size of a man, they exuded a venomous aura beyond measure.
The creatures that had appeared on the plateau were the ghost-like horrors from the East, known as the Gwigam—beings of monstrous strength and divine calamity.
There weren’t many of these ghosts, but each one radiated overwhelming power.
They stamped their feet furiously near the spot where Kang Seol and Hye-myeong’s group had been until moments ago.
“Kill them! I want to kill!”
“We need blood… their blood!”
Srurururu…
A colossal figure approached them then. Yet despite its grandeur, the ground didn’t quake.
It was merely a subtle motion, tinged with an ominous shadow that sent chills down the spine.
This was the being who had fired the black meteor at Kang Seol. An intense ghostly energy emanated from its very presence.
“But Geusondae! They vanished. What now?!”
Seuuk…
His name was Geusondae, one of the three generals of the ghost legion under the Evil Dragon Hwagumu.
Geusondae gazed down at his subordinate ghosts for a moment.
“…It doesn’t matter. I can sense their energy.”
Hwiriririk-!
Geusondae reverted to the form of a small child.
“We’ll catch them here.”
“Catch them? And then what?”
The ghosts stared at Geusondae with eyes brimming with anticipation.
They lusted after the flesh of the living. Their faces were alight with gluttonous greed as they awaited his answer.
“…….”
“Huh? Come on, Geusondae!”
Though Geusondae led the ghosts, he was a distinct, exceptional being.
His emotions barely stirred at gluttony or other desires.
The three ghost generals were superior entities precisely because of this. Even so, as their leader, it was his duty to bolster the morale of his troops like chess pieces on the board—and Geusondae had no intention of shirking that role.
“We’ll feast to our hearts’ content… a massacre… a ravenous meal.”
“Ehehehehehehe…”
“Alright! Let’s hunt them down!”
At that moment, a ghost with a face boiled raw and mushy kicked something aside and spoke.
“What the hell is all this crap?”
The containers toppled by the ghost’s kick were filled with scrolls.
Some of the paintings Mia and Hye-myeong had been carrying. They hadn’t had time to grab them in the chaos.
To Mia, they were irreplaceable treasures. But to the ghosts gathered here, they held no value whatsoever.
“Burn it all.”
“Ehehehehehe!”
Hwarrrrrruk-!
Flames erupted from the ghost’s body, engulfing the spot where Hye-myeong’s group had stayed.
And then.
- In 3 days, the ruins will face calamity.
Even as Kang Seol stared silently at the golden statue, no further words came.
The statue of Watara had said its piece and clamped its mouth shut.
With no choice, Kang Seol reviewed the information he had.
Adventure 33-(Special) ‘Watara’s Legacy’
Drawn by the eerie power of Mia, the Spirit-Eyed woman, you entered her paintings.
But the very next night, as you set out to search the Mysterious Bell Wilderness Spirit in the wasteland, you encountered an unexpected situation upon entering Watara’s ruins.
The day before Watara’s ruins were set to open, you were ambushed by an unknown group.
That wasn’t all.
Perhaps to counter the external threat, the golden statue obtained from Watara’s ruins opened the site a day early, and you and your party fled inside to escape.
Amid the escalating chaos, there is a way to overcome it all.
Find the Wilderness Spirit.
Goal: Obtain the Wilderness Spirit or eliminate the threat
Warning: This adventure is extremely dangerous.
Warning: This adventure’s situation changes by the moment.
Remaining time 「Unknown」
‘Damn it….’
The remaining time was shorter than expected.
‘I thought we’d have at least a few visits to the ruins….’
Things going awry like this was par for the course, so it didn’t faze him much.
At best, he was glad they’d stayed vigilant.
‘That power—it’s definitely Geusondae. But why is Geusondae here already…?’
In the past, among the ghost legion’s three generals, Geusondae had vanished without a trace.
Rumors swirled among gossips of some deal between Hongcheon and Geusondae, or that he’d hidden his power and retreated to the ghost realm—but all were wrong.
Geusondae had died here, in Watara’s ruins.
Hye-myeong had used the Wilderness Spirit to incinerate and erase him.
That had been the flow of history until now.
‘We don’t have the Wilderness Spirit yet, and Hye-myeong hasn’t gained his power. Worst-case scenario.’
Mia’s warning had been spot on.
- The world in the paintings is literally a new one. You can’t assume past events will repeat. Choices branch into myriad paths, for better or worse.
- So… events different from the original past could occur there?
Different events from the past had already happened. Critically important ones that could determine success or failure.
‘3 days….’
They had to conquer more than half of Watara’s ruins within three days.
Only then could they secure the Wilderness Spirit to counter the threat.
- Snowman just busts the door open! Boom! And slaughters them all? Can’t we?
- Fr, that’d work ㄹㅇ
- Idk what’s coming but lol yeah that’s the play.
Kang Seol hesitated to confront Geusondae directly for two reasons.
First, Geusondae possessed mid-tier might even among Immortals. Direct comparison with Adukshini, another Immortal, was tricky, but recalling how the Adukshini he’d faced in the Sodong Mine was weakened by resurrection aftereffects, a fully powered Geusondae would be far stronger.
Second—and this was the real issue.
‘Geusondae and I right now… worst possible matchup.’
It stemmed from Geusondae being a ghost of a different essence than Adukshini.
If Adukshini was a swordsman defined by sharpness, Geusondae was a sorcerer defined by unyielding hardness.
Kang Seol’s matchup against sorcerers wasn’t bad per se, but Geusondae being a ‘ghost’ sorcerer created the problem.
“Kang Seol, what now? Who the hell are they?”
His thoughts halted there.
The party trembled in unease.
Only Kang Seol knew the full sequence of events.
He had to convey just enough anxiety for them to handle.
“Seems like others after the ruins.”
“Ghostly energy… Ghosts, you mean?”
“…Probably.”
Chiwu clicked his tongue.
“Hmm… What do we do? Wait here and ambush them?”
“Impossible. They’ve got a powerhouse.”
“…One even you can’t handle?”
“Can’t say for sure.”
“That’s ominous. Any other options?”
Seuk…
Kang Seol pointed ahead with a finger.
“Break through the ruins.”
“What? How’s that an option….”
How is that even a plan? Chiwu started to ask, then remembered how they’d reached this place and shut his mouth.
Mia had grown into an adult and lived into the near future. Meaning she hadn’t died in these ruins.
If she’d overcome this crisis, it was likely by breaking through the ruins, as Kang Seol suggested.
The only difference was the swollen party size.
Chiwu nodded.
“Got it. What about Seolhong?”
“No other way. Let’s follow Kang Seol’s lead.”
Seolhong’s group placed absolute trust in Kang Seol.
On that trust, the party swiftly decided their course—same for Mia and Hye-myeong.
With Hye-myeong essentially Mia’s guardian, they had little choice.
“Alright, I’ll guide us using my memories.”
Hye-myeong began leading the way.
* * *
Jeobuk… Jeobuk…
The ruins were far more labyrinthine than expected. They descended stairs, climbed slopes, and looped in circles back to the start.
“We’re back where we started?”
“…There used to be a brutal trial around here. That’s why we got turned around.”
Recalling Hye-myeong’s ordeals to obtain the golden statue, Kang Seol nodded.
‘Moving coffins, flaming nightmares, pitch-black jars. He somehow cleared them all… Hye-myeong did.’
Even the first trial for the golden statue had been brutally tight, yet Hye-myeong conquered them all before gaining its power.
Siiiiiit…
Tok…
“Kyaaaaak!”
A venomous viper with a jagged head—clearly poisonous—dropped from the ceiling.
But by the time it fell, its head was already severed.
Kang Seol had struck preemptively.
Mia shuddered and clung to Hye-myeong’s back.
“Scary…”
“Don’t be afraid, Mia. The relic hunters here are as strong as me.”
“Still…”
“Stick close, and you’ll be safe. Let’s proceed carefully.”
“…Okay.”
Hye-myeong soothed Mia and pressed on, Kang Seol’s group at his side.
Kang Seol glanced sideways.
A wall inscribed with massive, indecipherable script.
Suddenly, the golden statue spoke.
- Realize that mind and body are not divided.
“…What? What was that?”
- …….
The golden statue fell silent once more.
- Lmao starting to piss me off ㅋㅋㅋ
- Says his piece and ghosts again ㅋㅋ
- Pulls the ahssa style ㅎ
The ruins were vast.
After a long trek, they finally reached the chamber where Hye-myeong had obtained the golden statue.
It felt like stepping into a grand hall.
Hye-myeong touched the statue and spoke.
“When I got the golden statue.”
“Yeah.”
“Someone’s memories suddenly surfaced. Probably Watara’s, right?”
“…….”
Hye-myeong continued fluidly.
“Watara hit a congenital limit with his body. Realizing he couldn’t surpass it, he turned to another path…”
Tok tok…
Hye-myeong tapped his temple with his index finger.
“Namely, the mind.”
“Hmm…”
“Using mind over deficient flesh. Hmm… Too vague?”
“No, go on.”
“Watara mastered mental cultivation. Spent his life battling evil, and before dying, sealed it all here.”
Watara’s ruins held the cultivation he’d attained in life.
Hye-myeong caressed the statue.
“This golden statue holds Watara’s authority too.”
Kang Seol replied nonchalantly.
“I see.”
“…Not tempted? Higher realms?”
“I’m not immune.”
Hye-myeong’s eyes wavered.
He harbored thoughts beyond Kang Seol’s expectations.
“Maybe… this statue was meant for you.”
“…….”
“It showed me no path. If you unleashed its power, surely even the coming calamity…”
“Hye-myeong.”
“I might’ve stolen your chance by a hair. Yeah, the statue’s true owner…”
“Don’t pass the buck.”
“…What?”
Kang Seol met Hye-myeong’s wavering gaze.
“You’re the owner.”
“…….”
“It’s already in your hands. That fact doesn’t change.”
“…Hahaha! Right you are. I might’ve been trying to dump everything on you using the statue as excuse. Hearing that clears my head.”
The golden statue was Hye-myeong’s.
An unchangeable piece of the past.
Kang Seol and Hye-myeong smiled faintly and moved ahead.
* * *
Jeobuk…
Jeobuk…
A short walk later, they arrived at a space far grander than the last.
“This is…”
“Yeah, where your bell slumbers, probably. Another trial awaits, no doubt.”
“…Right.”
Kang Seol was taken aback.
‘The trial I know… it’s different?’
Watara’s ruins, second gateway.
Its trial had begun in a pitch-black chamber.
Back then, at least.
‘Damn it….’
Kang Seol bit his lip, staring at the golden statue. Script adorned these walls too.
The statue spoke.
- Infinite mind resides even in a handful of dust-like flesh.
“…So?”
- Watara does not decry the body’s imperfections. The vessel of flesh makes the mind a stream or an ocean.
The statue revealed this trial’s purpose.
- Watara shall test your flesh.
Kang Seol, Hye-myeong, and Chiwu exchanged glances. A trial demanding direct bodily confrontation.
The first to step up risked grave injury.
Seuk…
Hye-myeong stepped forward first.
“I’ll go first.”
Nod.
Kang Seol and Chiwu nodded, and Hye-myeong kicked off.
Taat-!
“Hyah-!”
Dalgrak…
As he entered the deep trench beyond, the platforms stirred.
Whoong-!
Whoooong-!
The trial’s nature revealed itself.
‘The platform patterns are mixed.’
Lotus and egret, turtle and pine—jumbled chaotically.
Taat.
Kwaaaang-!
Stepping on turtle shot the platform up like a pillar.
“Urk…”
Hye-myeong jerked his chin back to barely evade.
Whooong…
Golden radiance flowed from Hye-myeong’s body—a precaution against severe injury.
The choice proved wise.
Off-balance, he trod egret then lotus consecutively.
Taang-!
An iron orb flew.
And the shaking floor.
“Taaaaht-!”
Busy regaining balance, Hye-myeong couldn’t counter the orb.
Ppeok!
Struck on the arm, he flew back to the start.
“Owww…”
“…….”
Hye-myeong grimaced.
Even braced in qi, the impact stung fiercely.
He looked to Chiwu.
Chiwu met his gaze and nodded.
“Yeah, Kang Seol’s next.”
“Me?”
“Fewer trial runs the better. Go!”
- Chiwu ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
- Chiwu’s the MacGuffin. Shit resolves anticlimactically if he steps up. Sigh… Classic Chiwu!
- MacGuffin Chiwu! Power never unleashed! Epic!
Kang Seol tensed—this trial was new to him too.
“Alright.”
Taat-!
‘Not turtle.’
There had to be a rule.
‘Then… you!’
Kang Seol stepped on pine.
Tooung-!
Iron orb launched.
‘No?’
Did rules change per attempt?
Kang Seol tilted to dodge.
‘Trial and error it is.’
Ta, ta, taat!
Lotus, egret, turtle.
Hududuk…
Piiing-!
Cheolkuk…
Lotus platform sank, arrows flying from somewhere.
With superhuman balance, he spun, bracing on turtle to deflect them.
Kwajik-!
‘Turtle platform?’
He’d ruled out turtle—what was the rule?
Pat-!
He leaped again.
Turtle this time.
No cheolkuk.
Whooooooong…
“Ah…”
An iron pillar smashed him head-on.
“Kyaaaaak!”
Mia clutched her head in terror.
[The Bone of the Origin devours the impact.]
[The Bone of the Origin is in a hungry state.]
[The Bone of the Origin digests all impact.]
Kwaaaaang-!
Piiing…
Kang Seol flew back from the blow.
Chwaaaak…
Chiwu swallowed hard, watching Kang Seol slide to a halt.
Gulp….
“Uh… so next… me…”
“Wait.”
Kang Seol cut Chiwu off.
Chiwu’s face visibly brightened.
Ududuk…
Kang Seol tilted his head and said.
“I think I’ve got it.”