The Blue Woman #3
"Ugh, I'm beat."
I'm so exhausted my energy's completely drained. Up until now in the Murim world, all I've done is swing a sword in a few brawls, and now here I am defending a fortress? Does this even make sense? Me, actually living out one of those epic siege battles from the movies? And against zombies, no less. There's no way the Murim world could be this insanely wild.
"Hoo."
I'm on the verge of collapse anyway. Today, I spent the whole day sprinting around the battlements, hacking down those corpse ghosts trying to climb over. The work itself was straightforward, but constantly moving like that just sucked my inner energy dry. At least they gave us breaks.
"Too bad it's just a shift change."
They couldn't pull all the Murim fighters at once, so we're rotating in shifts, heading back to designated lodgings to rest. That's why I'm dragging my weary ass back to the dorm alone right now.
"Where the hell are my wives...!"
My side aches, making my whole body shudder. Our usual routine was washing up together, fooling around to shake off the day's fatigue, then chatting about this and that on the bed, having some fun before cuddling up to sleep. But with these shifts, that's off the table. Man, it's been ages since I've had to spend a night alone.
Splash!
Pushing aside the disappointment, I scooped water from the well, washed up, and flopped onto the bed in the lodging. The corpse ghost horde is still trying to scale the walls even now. I've gotta recover my stamina hard and chop more of those bastards tomorrow. That was my last thought as I closed my eyes to circulate my qi.
Shiii...
Suddenly, a chill swept over my entire body, like a window had flown open. "Damn, it's cold." But when I sat up to check, the window was shut tight. Shut? In this freezing cold?
"What the...?"
The chill kept blasting me. And in the dim light, everything looks off—didn't this room seem weird? The lodging I came into was just a standard inn room, right?
"..."
It's different. Something's changed. This isn't some cheap roadside inn room. The bed I'm lying on, the floor, the wallpaper color, the ornate decorations and antique furniture... This sure as hell isn't where I came in. The space shifted in an instant—just the few seconds my eyes were closed.
My mind snapped alert. I sprang up like a coiled spring and snatched the Thunderclap Sword leaning nearby. "Where the fuck am I?" Even the fancy room where I stay with my wives at Sangru Pavilion isn't this luxurious. This looks like a chamber for high-ranking nobles... What the hell? Some illusion technique? But when? Or did someone drug me and kidnap me? Nah, that doesn't add up. Who'd leave a captured martial artist unbound in a room this nice, with my sword right there? Unfathomable. Something's seriously wrong here. Realizing that, my heart pounded, and a sticky wave of terror crashed over me.
"..."
As I suppressed the fear, sweat beading on my skin, and leveled my sword at every corner—
Creeeak.
The door in front of me swung open with a screech, scaring the shit out of me...! My heart damn near stopped!
"Ah, fuck it! Let's see what you've got!"
Whatever this is, I'll deal with it! If shit hits the fan, I just fight back! "Who the hell are you!" I bellowed boldly, glaring at the door. Let's see what kind of bastard pulled this crap. Anyone sneaky enough to do this ain't ordinary, but cowering won't save me—I'll just die.
"Come out! What kinda punk drags the Howling Nachal into this midnight bullshit, huh?!"
Shiii...
With the chill came a woman—stunningly eerie, with flowing blue hair—gliding in gracefully.
"Uh."
The moment I saw her, my brain froze. And no wonder: she was inhumanly beautiful, irresistibly seductive. Her mysterious blue locks shimmered like a fairy's. But those sinister, crimson eyes below proved she was no saint. And beneath them... porcelain skin and a body that'd stir any man's lust. Draped in a translucent fairy robe, half her flesh peeked through, every soft curve on full display. Long legs, slim waist... my type: tall, slender, and stacked where it counts. How are her tits that huge? I couldn't look away.
The blue woman smiled at me alluringly. "Hello?" Her voice was crystal clear.
"Wh-who are you...?"
No clue. But given the situation, she's probably the one who brought me here... Wait. Blue hair, fairy robe. A bad premonition bloomed in my mind. Isn't this the signature look of the most vicious witch in the Central Plains?! No way...!
Is she really Saseon-nyeo Cheongmiin?
"Oh? You don't recognize this girl?"
At that instant, I felt an ethereal hand—formed of some spiritual force—caress my face. A jolt shot down my spine, terror exploding from my heart. The invisible hand gripped my jaw, forcing it open, making me speak. "Saseon-nyeo Cheongmiin!!!"
"Correct."
It was her! "Hahk, hahk!" The moment I said her name, the hand vanished. Did that bitch just use sorcery to make me say it myself? This is insane...! Why the hell would Saseon-nyeo come for me?! I'd suspected she was behind the zombie outbreak—everyone was leaning that way. But I'd never seen her, and I never imagined the mastermind would show herself like this. Why me, of all people?!
"Could you lower that sword? That sharp thing might hurt this girl, and I'm worried."
Bullshit...! As if this public enemy of the realm fears a nobody like Kim Geun-hyeop's blade! She's even playing weak, hand delicately on her cheek. I lowered my sword immediately. I don't know why she's here, but one thing's clear: piss her off, and I'm dead.
She smirked, satisfied. Pat pat. Then she approached with fairy-like grace and sat on the bed. Prim and proper, despite her see-through robe making her basically naked. No shame, just staring at me. Cold sweat poured down.
Steeling myself, I asked cautiously, "...Lady Saseon-nyeo. May I ask what brings you to me?"
"Hmm?"
Hmm? "Why do you think I've come?"
"Well."
"Ah, you're dying to know. Want to guess?"
Clap.
She clapped once, like this was a game—like toying with a lowly martial artist like me was pure delight, quizzing me.
"..."
What the fuck does she want? My brain's about to explode. Too scared to think straight.
"I-I have no idea, Lady."
"Dear me. No prize must be why participation's low. Hmm, what prize should I offer?"
Prize? She pondered, finger to her lips, then grinned mischievously. "Guess right, and you might live a bit longer...?"
"Hahk!!"
"Time limit, by the way?"
"Gahhh! Gahhh! Please! Give me a chance! I'm too scared to think straight! Just a little more time, Lady!!!"
I dropped to my knees, squeezing out tears, begging like a fly!
"Oh my, how cute. First time anyone's begged like this... Hmm, I like the enthusiasm. Good attitude. Since you begged so nicely, more time it is?"
"Thank you! Truly, thank you!"
"Now, the question: why did this girl come?"
The reaper's quiz. The answer is...! What?! No clue! Did I piss her off by wiping out those Yuan cavalry? Or killing Geuk-hyeon? Wait, is she his mom...?! As I agonized, she patted my back.
"Hiding it kills the fun. Tell me the answer."
"Eek!" Hiding? Then...!
"M-my power! That's it, right, Lady?!"
"Correct."
"Wheeee!"
Yes! A! More! Champion! "Raaawr!"
I writhed in the ecstasy of survival, clenching my fists! "I'm alive! Aliiiiive!"
"Ufufu, like the prize?"
"Love it! For real!"
"Seeing you so thrilled makes this girl happy too. Pride as the quizmaster."
Crazy bitch! "But celebrating survival... hmm, a bit premature?"
"Huh?"
My racing heart iced over. Did she just troll me?
"Y-your nickname?"
"Th-they call me the Howling Nachal... Name's Kim Geun-hyeop."
"Ooh, Howling Nachal. Cool title! I like it—+1 survival point."
"Whoa! A whole point! Thank you! I'll treasure it!"
But how many points to live? "This score's my keepsake...!"
"Hehehe, keepsake? Fun giving points. So, Nachal-ssi? Shall we chat?"
"I'll answer anything with all my heart!"
Heart pounding in terror, but one thing matters: keep this psycho pleased.
"That power you used... yes, it piqued my interest. Can you show it? +1 point if you do."
"Right away! But I need my sword—is that okay?"
"Of course."
I gripped the Thunderclap Sword. Tempting to blast her with Ghost Slash, but no dice. Saseon-nyeo's a monster even Emperor Taizu fears. Proof: only two on the Central Plains' most-wanted list—Heavenly Horse Koke Temur of Yuan, and her.
Hummm.
I squeezed my inner energy, summoning ghost qi. "Oh my."