전생검신 84권 20화

“The Lord of Luoyang has given a special order. All Chugma Army units are to advance to Gaebong and clean up the demon beasts as much as possible.”

“……The Master of the White Lotus Sect is really going out of his way for us, heh.”

“I’ve been ordered to guard the Lord if we happen to meet, may I accompany you?”

“Before that, let me ask you something: can you see the ugly human next to me?”

“……? I see nothing.”

It seemed that Woo Seol-chao could not see me at all. Seeing his reaction made it finally sink in.

‘……I’m practically invisible in this world.’

Is it really true that only Zhuge Sa can recognize me, as he said?

What kind of crazy situation is this?

As thoughts swirled in my head, Zhuge Sa glanced at the armored Chugma soldiers and said.

“Everyone, get in the rear vehicles. There’s enough space.”

“Thank you for your grace!”

Clang!

As the Chugma soldiers sheathed their bloodied weapons and moved, Zhuge Sa looked at the corpses of the shark men sprawled on the ground. Then he reached out his hand.

“I’ll make do with these guys.”

Crackle…… Crackle…….

Thanks to Zhuge Sa’s powerful telekinesis, the already mangled corpses started to squish together, making grotesque sounds like ground meat. I frowned at the horrific sight.

“Zhuge Sa. What are you doing? Why are you…….”

“I want to make an offering to you, but with your philosophy, I doubt it’d be appropriate, so I’m thinking of eating them myself.”

“What?”

“Can’t pass up this chunk of magical energy.”

Boom!!

Moments later, the corpses lost all form and turned into a round meat ball, as Zhuge Sa began chanting an incomprehensible sinister ancient spell. As he cast the spell, dark magical energy flowed out from the meat ball and started to get absorbed into his body. Once finished absorbing the energy, Zhuge Sa released his telekinesis, and the meat ball fell to the ground with a thud.

Zhuge Sa turned suddenly and said, “Let’s go.”

“…….”

“What’s wrong, Baek Woong?”

I stared silently at the meat ball, then opened my mouth.

“Could it be…… those shark men were…… originally human?”

From the way they used human weaponry techniques and movement styles, it was clear they were not ordinary monsters. Plus, the organized group actions, and the fluctuations of their emotions gave me no choice but to suspect that those guys were originally human.

“Ha.”

Zhuge Sa smirked at my deduction and replied.

“You’ve picked up on things pretty well.”

“……!!”

“Right, the humans who failed to escape the city became exposed to magic for too long, leading to their transformation. In a way, it’s the same as humans becoming monsters. They were all originally human.”

“Are you serious?!”

I expected it, but this hellish scenario is truly shocking!

If that’s the case, then an enormous number of humans must have turned into monsters overnight across this Central Plains!

As I clenched my eyes shut, Zhuge Sa casually continued.

“In a world facing the brink of destruction, this level of tragedy is hardly worth discussing. When you think about it, it’s not much different from purging monsters.”

“But still……!!”

“Baek Woong. Listen carefully.”

Zhuge Sa pointed upwards with his finger.

“As long as Tsukuyomi’s [Night] hangs in the sky, nothing will be resolved…….”

“What?!”

“Human transformations due to magic are events occurring because of Tsukuyomi’s [Night].”

I eventually understood Zhuge Sa’s words and felt my face harden.

“We have to take down Tsukuyomi.”

“That’s the point.”

“Leave it to me. I’ll return to this world and catch that guy.”

“It’s something that has to be done.”

Zhuge Sa chuckled and added an ominous remark.

“Probably no one else can find him…….”

Clank! Clank!

Soon, the steam-powered train began to move again along the track. Most of the Chugma soldiers loaded into the other cars behind Zhuge Sa, while only 12 leader Woo Seol-chao joined him in the same compartment. Zhuge Sa faced Woo Seol-chao and said.

“Woo Seol-chao. That’s a name I haven’t heard before, which sect are you from?”

Woo Seol-chao took a sip of the tea Zhuge Sa provided and replied.

“Clear Stream Sect.”

“I see. A member of the Nine Great Sects? You must feel proud.”

Zhuge Sa’s mocking tone prompted a wry smile from Woo Seol-chao.

“What does it mean to be from the Nine Great Sects in a world like this…….”

“Haha.”

“Also, since the world has been destroyed once, many hermits have emerged across the land. Among them, there are those far surpassing the reputations of the Nine Greats and Five Great Families, so it’s difficult to brag about past glories in this current world, especially in front of someone like you…….”

Zhuge Sa seemed indifferent as he responded.

“Has Jin So-cheong returned to Luoyang?”

Startled!

At Zhuge Sa’s words, Woo Seol-chao looked slightly flustered and replied.

“I heard that the Fighting Spirit has gone on an expedition far away. I’ve never been close enough to meet him…….”

What? Fighting Spirit?

As I expressed my surprise, Zhuge Sa seemed to find it amusing and said to me.

“Haha. This world has changed a lot in twenty years. Jin So-cheong, who was just a local military officer, now has the title of Fighting Spirit.”

“Not many people can refer to the Fighting Spirit so casually. He is the absolute peak expert and the most prominent figure in the Central Plains.”

“So I hear…… heh.”

Listening to their conversation, I was astonished but also thought it made sense.

‘Jin So-cheong was already at a level I had exerted great effort to help him grow.’

I had provided significant assistance to help him break through, subjecting him to rigorous training a hundred thousand times and inviting masters of martial arts to Soeul Village to stimulate his growth. If Jin So-cheong had matured over twenty years, it’s completely reasonable for him to be acknowledged as the Fighting Spirit in the martial world now.

Zhuge Sa continued as if he wanted me to hear.

“The Master of the White Lotus Sect and Jin So-cheong clashed in the past. Back then, they were equals, but if they fought again now, who would win?”

“Hmmm…… that’s tough to predict. Those are true transcendent beings.”

“Hmm, it’s not much fun talking to someone as insignificant as you.”

“…….”

Woo Seol-chao’s face scrunched up, but he didn’t have a solid comeback for Zhuge Sa, so he seemed to endure it. Zhuge Sa looked out the window and continued speaking.

“When I resolved to save the world from the Great Flood, I knew just protecting the East wouldn’t suffice, as a greater evil would rise in the West, impacting this place as well. So, I had no choice but to send an expedition to the West. Many capable companions, led by Mangnyang, headed west, while Jin So-cheong went as part of the late-comer team.”

“Ah…… I see.”

“They succeeded in mitigating the damages caused by the Great Flood in the West, but the ancient rulers were beginning to awaken due to the offering ceremonies of heretical sects. In a continent already plagued by demonic chaos, it was only natural. To suppress the rise of these sects, Jin So-cheong stepped in.”

“…….”

“Thanks to Jin So-cheong actively taking down the demon kings and apostles in the West, countless humans were saved.”

Woo Seol-chao’s face turned pale.

“W-Why are you sharing such confidential information with someone like me……?”

“Don’t worry. I’m not telling you to make you a killer.”

“…….”

“Anyway, most of the early companions are currently in the West, rather than the East. The East has stabilized considerably, and we can say that the main conflict is now in the West. Understand?”

“Yes, yes!!”

Woo Seol-chao exclaimed loudly, bowing his head, but I knew that Zhuge Sa’s explanation was meant for me, not him.

Once I understood the situation to some extent, I addressed Zhuge Sa.

“Zhuge Sa. So does that mean Miho and Seo Mun-hye are also in the West?”

“……Hehe. Such a bothersome guy. Still pathetic, huh?”

What?!

Naturally, it was Zhuge Sa’s words that misled Woo Seol-chao, causing his face to turn white.

“Yikes! Lord, please save me…….”

Zhuge Sa waved his hand dismissively and replied to me.

“The Nine-Tailed Fox is training in the Celestial Realm, and Seo Mun-hye is overseeing Liaodong City with the Sword Demon.”

“…….”

“Currently, none of our Soeul Village companions have met significant misfortune or death. It implies we managed the early difficulty well enough to prepare adequately before any global catastrophe arose.”

“I see.”

Woo Seol-chao looked confused by the situation, and Zhuge Sa shot him a cold glance before speaking.

“……This is what I mean by pathetic. To pretend to help while secretly watching.”

Swish

Suddenly, Zhuge Sa’s hand shot toward Woo Seol-chao. Confused, Woo Seol-chao blinked, but a moment later, he trembled all over and screamed.

“Ugh, Aaaah!!”

Thud

In that instant, it seemed as if Woo Seol-chao was gripped by an unseen force, and his eyeballs bulged alarmingly near his eyelids. After a moment, Zhuge Sa gestured with his finger inward, and in sync, Woo Seol-chao’s eyes popped out.

Plop

“……!!”

As Woo Seol-chao fainted from blood oozing from his eye sockets without even being able to scream, Zhuge Sa placed one of his eyeballs in his palm and said.

“Master of the White Lotus Sect. I know you’re spying with sorcery on the entire Chugma Army. Isn’t it just like writing characters in front of Confucius to use the evil magic of vision-sharing before me?”

Whoosh

Then, after a brief moment, the figure of the Master of the White Lotus Sect appeared before Zhuge Sa. Appearing dim, the figure uttered in a thunderous voice.

[Don’t misunderstand. I was merely trying to ensure your safe arrival.]

“Haha! Do you think I’m so weak that I need to be guarded by a bunch of Chugma soldiers? What a load of nonsense…….”

[I didn’t think you were unaware of your ascension. Demon of Landlord Doctrines.]

“…….”

[I was simply cautious because even a small matter can escalate.]

Zhuge Sa let out a snicker.

“Let’s call it that. Either way, we’ve both known for a long time that we can’t trust each other.”

[…… Don’t get sidetracked and come directly. Time is of the essence.]

“Have you truly found a solution?”

[I can only tell you when we discuss one-on-one.]

Boom!

The figure of the Master of the White Lotus Sect vanished. Zhuge Sa became deep in thought, and I stared at him in awe, saying.

“Zhuge Sa. What are you doing? You can’t just take someone’s eyeballs like that. Put them back.”

“If I put the eyeballs back, the Master will be able to keep tabs on me, you know?”

“Hmmm…….”

“Don’t worry. Later, I’ll make even better eyeballs through demonic engineering and put them back for him.”

As he spoke, Zhuge Sa snapped his fingers.

Phew!

Immediately, a gray mist of sorcery swirled around Zhuge Sa, and as it touched Woo Seol-chao’s body, he rapidly turned to stone. After solidifying his eyeballs as well, Zhuge Sa kept the eyes close to him and murmured.

“This guy should feel lucky. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve just dumped him anywhere.”

“Why did you turn him to stone?”

“To stop the bleeding and freeze time.”

“Ah…….”

“Now, let’s wrap things up.”

With that, Zhuge Sa opened the door and went into the rear car.

“Lord?”

“What is it?”

Whoosh

As the Chugma soldiers looked at Zhuge Sa, he snapped his fingers again and cast the petrification spell, turning the soldiers into lifeless statues.

I felt a shiver as I witnessed ten peak experts fall to Zhuge Sa’s sorcery in an instant. If Zhuge Sa’s petrification spell could take out a great demon in one shot, it was clear he’d grown significantly in these twenty years.

‘Zhuge Sa, you’ve really gotten a lot stronger.’

The level I remembered from Zhuge Sa back in Jangryeong Valley was nowhere near this. It’s quite possible that he was an existence far exceeding my imagination now.

Zhuge Sa turned toward me and said, “Baek Woong. We’ll soon pass through the dimension passage and arrive at Luoyang within moments. We’re about to meet the Master of the White Lotus Sect.”

“Dimension passage?”

“The excess magical energy in the land isn’t necessarily bad. It has made it easier to warp time and space and use spells.”

Grrrr!!

A moment later, the train’s tracks led into a dark hole, and the entire carriage entered it. As we emerged from the hole, I found myself staring at a massive, majestic castle up ahead.

At the same time, I was shocked by the sight of the castle.

“I-It’s floating in the air?!”

Indeed, Luoyang had become an expansive castle more grand than ever before, and unlike before, its inner city was entirely suspended in midair! The sight of that airborne city reminded me of the Kalpa civilization from Tianzhu that existed in the Divine Age, yet it felt notably different.

Zhuge Sa remarked.

“Baek Woong. Before we enter Luoyang, I’ll say one last thing.”

As Zhuge Sa spoke, I sensed that something ominous was about to happen.

“I might kill the Master of the White Lotus Sect.”