Chapter 280
Chapter 280
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 280
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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A soldier whose retreat was blocked turned to look at his pursuer and asked,
“…How did you know?”
“It reeks of it.”
Puuuuk…
Puk…
“Keeek….”
A commotion broke out as several ghosts that had infiltrated the city over the past few days were exterminated. Enemies had truly existed within.
Even among the central army, ghosts impersonating soldiers who had actually died were captured in large numbers.
After that day, the transmigrators staying in Songjo made their stances clear.
Roughly a third of the transmigrators left Songjo, while the rest cooperated with the central army.
They could be seen as having participated enthusiastically in training, but in truth, it was just training in name only—they had barely adapted to the ranks.
Even so, for the transmigrators who remained, it was laughable, but minor benefits came their way.
They had been granted various adventures related to city defense, so as long as they survived this ordeal, it wouldn’t be a loss for them.
Paaak!
Whoooosh!
Kotaro attacked Kang Seol ferociously. The sword in his hand was a wooden practice blade.
Kang Seol leaned back to dodge the wooden sword, then hooked Kotaro’s ankle with his leg, collapsing his stance.
“Ugh….”
Slaaash-!
Kang Seol’s hand chop reached Kotaro’s throat but went no further.
“Huff… huff… Good work, sir.”
“Good work!”
The transmigrators bowed their heads politely.
In a short time, the transmigrators’ attitudes toward Kang Seol had changed dramatically. Like disciples at a dojo, they trailed after him eagerly, trying to learn even one more thing.
- Hey, I got nothing to teach lol
- That’s why he’s a summoner, right?
“Wow… did you see that?”
“How does he move like that? It didn’t work for me.”
“You think it would? Isn’t he the highest-ranked transmigrator in points?”
“Nah, probably not. The other groups are fighting non-stop… ours gets breaks, right?”
“Yeah….”
In Pandea’s worldview, there were mages who used martial arts and swordsmen who used magic.
All related abilities were derivatives of derivatives, so if one wanted them, they could be obtained.
Since every ability followed a basic formula, there was no need to despair. As stats rose, ways to utilize them would come first to mind—it was a path they’d reach eventually.
Kang Seol thus took short moments to interact with the transmigrators.
He gained nothing particular from them, but for the central army and transmigrators to blend smoothly, the link named Kang Seol had to exist, so he steadily made time for it.
* * *
Afternoon break time ended, and the regular meeting held every day since being dispatched here began.
The central army staff officer led the meeting, with various agendas discussed based on the defense situation.
“A total of forty-two… So that many ghosts had slipped into this small castle. That explains the bustle.”
Chui yawned as he spoke.
The staff officer addressed the related matter.
“We’ve placed the warning talismans you sent everywhere.”
Jamad had firmly shown his prowess as a grand sorcerer in this incident. Not just as a battle maniac skilled only in combat, but with wisdom and sorcery combined.
Perhaps it was all thanks to that bizarre scripture, Life of Darkness. Feeling it himself, Jamad kept tempting Kang Seol to check the sorcery scriptures.
Seolhong asked,
“Additional support?”
“The center says it’ll take time to dispatch more sorcerers.”
“The incident has grown a bit, so… unavoidable?”
As Seolhong said.
The hypothesis that ghosts might be behind the monster uprisings across Kan region.
Seolhong had reported it to the Dragon Palace via record keepers and received updates on the situation through prompt handling.
“The ghosts seem fully committed. Traces of them keep being found in other cities too.”
“Hmm… not good….”
They discussed a few more agendas.
“Can the castle’s culverins be repaired?”
“As ordered, repairs are underway. However, the damage is too extensive; they won’t be suitable for defense.”
“The walls?”
“We’re reinforcing them, but… the citizens are exhausted.”
“That’s understandable…. Not only did they suffer heavy losses from the air raid, but now they have to prepare for the next one….”
One might think just defending was advantageous, but reality was far from it.
The enemies had scouted them thoroughly, while they didn’t know when or where the enemies would strike.
In short, maintaining constant high tension.
Trained soldiers might manage, but for ordinary citizens, it was a terror hard to endure.
“Resources are limited… and dragging it out long isn’t feasible….”
“They took heavy losses in the air raid too, so our forces are probably evenly matched….”
Mid-sentence, the staff officer spotted Viran sitting next to Kang Seol, seriously sipping something.
“Viran, what are you drinking on duty?”
“Lord Yongseok bought it and insisted, so I had no choice….”
Viran winked at Kang Seol repeatedly.
“…Don’t people usually hide that from others?”
“I’ll correct it.”
“No, don’t correct that… uh… never mind. The interrogation?”
“They didn’t crack in the end.”
“Wasn’t the torture enough?”
“You’d be horrified if you saw it, sir. I threw up right away. The torture experts from Kan are truly something… their stomachs are made of steel….”
“To save even a few more citizens’ lives, it’s unavoidable.”
Kang Seol quietly listened to the meeting, lost in thought.
‘Where did they come from?’
The meaning here had two layers.
With ghosts appearing suddenly enough to trouble all of Kan, first: where did they come from? Second: how did they infiltrate Songjo?
“Not over the walls?”
“They’d have been spotted. We’ve kept substantial guards before and after the air raid, and fatigue has built up from that.”
“Then through the gates openly… impossible.”
“…Yes.”
Listening blankly to Chui and the staff officer, Kang Seol suddenly recalled something and spoke directly to the staff officer.
“Sewers.”
“…Pardon?”
“What if they infiltrated through underground?”
“Sewer maintenance is done daily. If the person in charge noticed anything odd, surely… ah!”
“They fooled even the transmigrators. Definitely….”
The staff officer’s eyes spun wildly.
He rifled through documents to check the list of identified ghosts.
“There is one….”
The staff officer pointed to the ghost’s impersonated identity.
“A ghost disguised as the person in charge of the sewer purification facility!”
“We need to check.”
Chui said,
“Meaning they could be crawling right under our feet now? Ugh… then if we use explosives to blow the sewers….”
“Songjo would collapse.”
“Right? So we have to find and flush them out without damaging facilities….”
Kang Seol said,
“Even if they used the sewers, that doesn’t guarantee it’s their base.”
The staff officer nodded.
“Just the surviving monsters from the supply alone would fill the sewers. That’s not their base.”
“Anyway, first confirm if they used the sewers.”
“Yes. Then who….”
Everyone’s gazes naturally turned to Kang Seol.
* * *
The next day, Kang Seol reported to Seolhong that he’d found traces of monsters in the sewers during reconnaissance.
A thick stench clung to his body, but it would fade in a few days.
More importantly, the whereabouts of the monsters and ghosts.
“To think they were right under our noses and we didn’t know….”
“There are signs of use, but it’s definitely not the base. The path led somewhere.”
“Hmm….”
While the staff officer answered Seolhong’s questions, she seemed to have decided on the next action inwardly.
“Then, let’s do this.”
The words pouring from her mouth weren’t a simple plan.
“We strike first. Finding the base comes first.”
“That’s a dangerous idea!”
“Why?”
The staff officer listed reasons plainly for Seolhong to understand, opposing the sortie. He eyed the others hoping they’d back him.
But Kang Seol and Chui’s reactions were exactly opposite his wish.
“Good.”
“Excellent idea.”
- Look at the staff officer’s face lol
- Don’t bully the civil servant, you guys!!!
- Let’s do it now!
- Staff officer promoted two ranks pending.
The staff officer cut in immediately.
“N-Narrow space, if that many get trapped, casualties will be immense! If it collapses….”
“That many? We’ll maintain defense forces.”
“Pardon? Then how do you mean sortie?”
Seolhong silently looked at Chui and Kang Seol.
“…Genius?”
Chui enthusiastically agreed with Seolhong’s idea.
- lolololololololol
- Sending just those two makes it a ‘sortie’.
- Infantry guards home, tanks go to the battlefield!
“Th-That’s insane. Lady Seolhong, this is far more complex than you think!”
Seolhong smiled.
“To untangle the complex simply is true victory.”
Though said so, a few followed Kang Seol and Chui. Viran and three transmigrators skilled in pursuit.
Triple the initial number, but still just six.
Viran, nose pinched, followed into the dank, trickling sewers.
“Ugh… disgusting smell.”
“It’s a sewer.”
“Th-That smell beyond words, even worse….”
“That’s monster excrement. This scent… closest to Ticobi dung.”
Ticobi was a slick-skinned lizard monster.
“How do you know that?”
“Interested in this stuff.”
After that, Viran walked a bit apart from Kang Seol.
One transmigrator touched a suspicious liquid droplet at his feet.
Poke…
Then brought it to his mouth.
“Stop… I was wrong, let me go back….”
Viran panicked at the sight.
- S-save me…
- Weirdos….
The transmigrator smacked his lips, savoring the taste, then said,
“Astringent. Bodily fluid. Definitely went this way.”
“We’re on track.”
“Let’s keep going.”
The transmigrators stepped up more than expected. Kotaro greatly regretted not joining but said those he recommended would be far more helpful.
These were they.
Step…
Step…
No presences nearby.
“They all slipped out. Did they notice?”
“With infiltrated ghosts all caught, contact’s cut. If suspicious, they’d flee immediately.”
“Hope they left traces….”
“Let’s hope.”
Kang Seol quietly trailed the pursuer, deep in thought. Words leaked by a captured ghost in camp haunted him.
- Yaksha shattered the barrier, so the Ghost King will fall.
‘Did a hole open in the Ghost Realm?’
Like the spirits’ homeland was the Spirit Realm, ghosts had theirs too.
Called the Ghost Realm.
Ordinary ghosts lived there.
To avoid extinction without invading human realms.
Their organized movements across Kan troubled him.
‘Hmm… how deep is Yaksha’s involvement?’
Even if Yaksha shattering the barrier was true, it likely wasn’t intentional.
‘…Yaksha lacks reason.’
Why else escape Kang Seol’s control.
Anyway, nothing could be judged rashly until the truth surfaced.
Fwaaah…
The group emerged from the sewer.
The pursuer frowned.
“Hmm… traces are spotty, breaking off.”
“Wait!”
Huuuup…
[Viran uses That Day’s Wind.]
[Draws out the memory of desired air in a range.]
Whiiiiiish-!
Air-formed silhouettes froze in place, revealed.
“You have such a trick?”
“Not blowing in your ear on purpose. Breathing’s heavy.”
“Understood.”
Traces led deep into mountain paths.
To a spot away from the city—essentially a valley.
“My god….”
Grrrrowl…
Krooong!
Krooooong!
Valley filled with monsters.
Hundreds at least.
Even for Kang Seol, sweeping them without losses could be tough at this scale.
Hundreds of monsters. Considering varied sizes, enough to threaten Songjo.
Kang Seol relayed via clone beside Seolhong. Reply came soon.
- Closer than thought. Then… what do you see around?
Shaaaah…
A few abandoned houses with odd doorknobs, and a waterfall cascading thrice. Monsters drank from its streams.
Seolhong passed via aides.
- Northwest valley, triple cascade waterfall, odd-doorknob house—find any citizen who knows even one! Quick!
Brief commotion.
After about ten minutes, Seolhong said,
- Coordinates pinned. Backtrack five minutes from there, Kang Seol.
“Within culverin range?”
- Barely. Good fortune.
* * *
Ghosts infiltrating the valley herded monsters like shepherds with sheep.
“Thought they’d self-destruct, but they’re a pain now.”
“Heh heh… just a delay. Swallow slow. With Yaksha breaking the barrier, we can target humans anytime.”
“Still hate waiting… want something in my mouth quick.”
“Giggle… wait till they tire, then invade.”
Hundreds of monsters and over a hundred ghosts—invincible force.
Long ago, part of the ghost legion.
Remnants of a fallen legion, essentially.
They hadn’t tasted human blood in ages. Starved, yet learned patience over long years.
And that greater pleasure followed long thirst.
“Idiots! Just trembling in place, no better ideas? Shall I lead humans instead? Offer me humans daily, I’ll lend cunning.”
“Hee hee… then give me one arm each, I’ll lead for you.”
Not all ghosts drowned in pleasure.
They followed wiser ones too.
The group leader was better than most.
“No commotion. What if someone hears?”
“We ate everything in these mountains, fine!”
“Tch… quiet anyway. Still scouting situation.”
“But why quiet? Just kill all?”
“Idiot, humans yes—but Yaksha.”
“Ah!”
“Can’t catch Yaksha’s eye. Yaksha kills all it meets.”
“Right! Yaksha scary….”
“Yaksha strong….”
For some reason, even these ghosts feared Yaksha.
Why fear Yaksha, clearly following it?
Just then.
Sky flashed ominously.
Fwaaaash-!
“…What?”
“Ugh… eyes….”
Light poured down.
No, not light.
Fire.
It was fire.
“What’s… that….”
Kwaaaaaang-!
Kiaaaaaah!
“Arrrgh!”
Firebolts rained from sky.
Flames launched from Songjo.
Seolhong, igniting rockets in culverins, murmured quietly,
“Burn to ash, invaders.”
Roooar-!
Valley became sea of fire.
Surviving monsters and ghosts screamed—hell unfolded.
Then, through flames, hazy shadows emerged.
Kwachiiik-!
Pusht-!
Kang Seol and Chui.
“Th-Them!”
“Run!”
Any will to fight had long fled. Half the force incinerated—no morale left.
“Huff… huff….”
The barely surviving group leader fled from Kang Seol and Chui.
Swiik…
Chilling sensation—a hand snatched the ghost’s throat.
“Kek….”
Kang Seol lifted the ghost by the throat and asked,
“…Where is it?”
“Kek… human… what… what….”
His golden eyes demanded truth.
“Yaksha.”