Chapter 202
0202 ———————————————-
Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
I finally got to hear from Belov about our army’s strategies and operations. It’s been almost three years since Moscow was taken by Ivan IV, and Belov managed to mobilize troops with the help of King Fyodor, Ivan IV’s son. It seemed he had also gathered exceptional warriors, knights, sorcerers, and clergy from various regions. The total number of these talented individuals was about 100, each one seemingly handpicked.
‘Knights are kind of like martial artists, huh?’
Knights are also fighters who can use Qi. The difference is that they actively use strong metal armor and shields. However, unlike martial artists, they seem to struggle with profound techniques like the Return to Essence technique.
Belov said, “Once, we tried a simple military approach to retake Moscow. However, the 30,000 troops we sent were wiped out. It seems Moscow cannot be captured by numbers alone; we need the help of strong spiritual beings or sorcerers,” and everyone agreed.
“You’re rambling too much. What’s the main point?”
“Even if we have 100 skilled individuals, defeating Ivan IV is tough. It’s because we lack the ability to counter the power of myth. So we came up with one secret strategy.”
“What is it?”
Belov paused for a moment, then his eyes glinted. “It’s the power of a dragon.”
“……!!”
“I’ve procured the corpse of a dragon trapped on a mountain peak in Romania. We plan to resurrect the dragon to face Ivan IV.”
A dragon, huh!
Both I and Miho, who was beside me, were taken aback. A dragon is the pinnacle of illusory beasts, possessing incredible power. Since dragons are such noble beings, they seldom descend from the Celestial Realm, and their divine abilities are said to overturn heaven and earth. Of course, I don’t know if Eastern and Western dragons are the same, but if Belov’s words are true, it could be a big deal.
I composed myself and asked Belov, “You said it’s a corpse? How do you plan to revive a dead dragon?”
“I may have said ‘dead’, but he isn’t truly dead. He seems to have been trapped by ice magic for hundreds of years. If we can break that magic, the dragon may awaken again.”
“Is there a way to break it?”
As I fired off my questions, Belov hesitated for a moment before answering.
“That’s the biggest issue. I don’t know who cast it, but the ice magic sealing the dragon is very advanced, so we haven’t found a way to break it yet. So even after bringing the dragon’s corpse, we’re still searching for the method.”
“Hmm…”
After some contemplation, I said to Belov, “Let me take a look. Maybe we can help.”
“Sure.”
I realized why Belov was sharing this secret with foreigners like us. He had been stuck without a method to revive the dragon and was now placing a thread of hope in the hands of a mysterious traveler from the Ming Dynasty. Miho and I followed Belov past the tents to a secluded cave.
As we stepped into the dark cave, a bright white icy aura poured out. There, I could see a gigantic reptile, large enough to be about twenty bodies, trapped inside the ice wall.
“……!!”
Is this a dragon?
It’s massive and exudes formidable power!
Its enormous wings looked like they could soar freely through the skies with a flap, and it had the face of a ferocious reptile along with powerful front legs and two strong limbs. I had never seen anything this gigantic except for magical beasts, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to fight such a creature face to face.
However, as Miho observed the dragon, she muttered, “This is different. It doesn’t resemble the dragons I’ve seen at all.”
“What do you mean, Miho?”
She just shook her head. Then she said, “So Woong, let’s talk for a moment.”
“Hmm… Alright.”
I excused myself to Belov and went to an isolated spot with Miho, using the Golden Lamp technique. We appeared in the secret library of the otherworldly tribe, deep beneath the Kremlin Palace, a place even Ivan IV could not reach, as it is undoubtedly the safest place in the world.
Miho carefully spoke, “That dragon gives off a very malevolent energy, unlike any dragon from the East. Its power may be something else entirely, but it’s obvious it would bring calamity; do we really need to revive it?”
“What do you mean? How is it different from a dragon?”
“The dragons I saw from the Celestial Realm were all incredibly powerful beings with immense divine abilities, and they were all righteous. They wouldn’t end up sealed like that.”
I understood the implication behind Miho’s words and hardened my expression. “So it was sealed because it’s a malevolent being?”
“Exactly. Someone powerful probably recognized its evil and sacrificed their life to seal it away.”
“Hmm.”
“Though it seems like a cousin of the Eastern dragon, this Western dragon is definitely not friendly to humans. Moreover, it doesn’t seem like Belov, that monk, has the ability to control such a powerful being.”
“……”
I was utterly taken aback. The Ivan IV we had to defeat was now a mythical existence close to a divine spirit, while the dragon presented as an opponent was a brutal and malevolent being! Belov and the Eastern Orthodox Church’s choice was nothing short of a huge mistake. As I pondered, Miho said, “Wouldn’t it be better not to get involved with those guys any further? There’s no need to stick your nose into a battle that seems unwinnable.”
“You’re right, Miho. I wanted to learn about their firearm techniques and sorcery or the fighting tactics of the knights, but it can’t be helped…”
I trailed off. “But just leaving like this feels a bit lacking. Isn’t there anything worthwhile we could take?”
“I don’t know. It seems too uncertain to find anything valuable.”
Miho wanted to cut ties with Belov’s group as soon as possible. I instinctively felt that I had to be careful when visiting Belov next time, so I wasn’t entirely keen on this choice. However, I felt that pressing my argument further might sour my relationship with Miho, so I nodded reluctantly.
“Fine. For now, let’s search this library for anything useful before we head back to Jinrang Valley.”
Along with Miho, I picked out whatever books and maps from the library that I could interpret and stuffed them into my wooden armor. Then, using the Golden Lamp technique, we returned to Jinrang Valley, where Mangnyang was.
Krak!
When we got back to Jinrang Valley, it was already nighttime. Mangnyang was nowhere to be seen around the thatched house; it seemed he had gone out on a job. As Miho and I sat in the great hall waiting, it was some time before Mangnyang returned.
He greeted us warmly upon seeing us. “Oh, you’re back! How was your journey?”
“I see you’ve been training hard while we were away.”
“Haha. I couldn’t just sit around while opportunities poured in!”
Though Mangnyang responded cheerfully, I was genuinely amazed by his progress. His skills had increased significantly, and even though barely a few months had passed since we parted, he was already at a first-class level. At this rate, the leaders of the martial arts sects would surely be astonished.
“What’s been going on during that time?”
“Hmm… We…”
I recounted the story of how I went to Hwa Seong-myeong for plastic surgery, how we headed to the North Sea Ice Palace to gather information north of the Great Prairie, and how I met a sage at the great temple in Astana while on the way to Moscow, as well as the confrontation between Ivan IV and Belov, and the dragon trapped in ice.
Mangnyang listened carefully and then fell silent, seemingly lost in thought. I cautiously asked him, “You recognized me as Baek Woong even though my appearance has changed?”
“That’s because Miho is beside you. And another reason is that your medical skills lead me to believe you would have undergone plastic surgery.”
Mangnyang chuckled. “Although I had no idea you would turn into such a beautiful boy.”
“Ugh… Stop teasing me.”
I regretted bringing that up. Mangnyang was quite the jokester when given the chance, much worse than normal people. While I was wearing a disheveled appearance, Mangnyang said, “To summarize, you focused on gathering information rather than directly heading to the North Pole. Well done.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ve thought it all through.”
Saying that, Mangnyang asked me, “Baek Woong, do you wish for Belov to win this confrontation against Ivan IV?”
“I’m not sure. To be honest, it feels like a complete mess with those Western foreigners squabbling, so I can’t empathize at all. I just wanted to get as much information as I could, but the risk seems too high, so I came to consult with you.”
Mangnyang grinned. “The reason you feel that way is because you’re worried about firearms.”
“Firearms?”
“You’ve been so impressed by their power that curiosity makes you want to learn more about the firearms and combat equipment used by those foreigners. It’s the psychology of trying to turn their strong points into your own.”
“Hmm… That could be,” I thought. I had felt the potential value from the firearms showcased by the Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace, so I figured this might be a significant help in the future. Hence, I had pretended to assist Belov while attempting to learn about firearms and relevant military techniques.
Mangnyang flicked his sleeves around. “By the way, the Ming Dynasty doesn’t lack firearms either. Of course, they exist.”
“Really?”
“Do you know what the biggest restriction set by the Ming Dynasty on the martial arts world is? It’s the ban on firearms. It’s not because they view thunderbombs or cannons as dangerous, but rather they fear the thought of firearms being recklessly manufactured and spread.”
“……!!”
“The Ming Dynasty is a powerful empire globally. Because of that, it may not be known to the public, but Western kings or Middle Eastern rulers are sending tributes while engaging with the Ming Dynasty. During my time as an astrologer, among the tributes the envoys presented, of course, there were the latest firearms.”
I nodded to Mangnyang’s words. It made sense; otherwise, how could relics from the magical world like the golden lamp travel so far to the Central Plains? Moreover, it stood to reason that envoys would want to gain favor with the Ming Dynasty by showcasing their latest firearms.
Mangnyang chuckled bitterly. “In the past, even knowing the power of firearms, the Ming Dynasty didn’t cultivate them much. Even now, they hold over 20,000 basic firearms in the imperial armory, but they aren’t deployed in actual combat. Do you know why?”
“Why?”
“Because there’s no enemy.”
What does that mean?
I stared blankly, and Mangnyang explained. “The reason for acquiring firearms to bolster military strength is to gain something from defeating enemies. However, currently, there are hardly any powerful nations that could be considered enemies near the Ming Dynasty. It will take another fifty years for the Arasa Empire to stretch its influence nearby, the steppe people have completely fallen, and even the southern or eastern nations are merely observing the Ming Dynasty.” In this situation, there was no need to develop firearms and worsen the internal chaos.
I couldn’t help but exclaim, “How could that be? Even right now, Western countries are advancing their firearms technology…”
“The Middle Kingdom is like a well. We’ve acquired a powerful and fertile territory, so once we no longer need to fight outside, we simply lock the door tight and enjoy the peace. That’s the limit for the Ming Dynasty and the empires built within the Middle Kingdom.”
Mangnyang said bitterly, “Of course, as you’ve foreseen, if things keep going this way, in about 200 years, the gap compared to the West could become insurmountable. But what ruler would be worried about events that far in the future?”
“……”
At that point, Mangnyang’s eyes became sharp. “However, it seems things are a bit different now. The current emperor seems particularly interested in gunpowder and various firearms, and is investing heavily in the latest technologies. It’s a radically different perspective from the former Emperor.”
“Does this mean they might cultivate gunners in the future?”
“It’s merely a possibility. Technology doesn’t develop that easily, so it seems they’re still in the process of nurturing their industries and technicians.”
After a moment’s contemplation, I said, “So you obtained that info through Hwang Yeon by getting involved in the political sphere this time?”
“Exactly. Truth be told, the latest firearms and cannons of the North Dragon Troops, which are under the direct command of General Hwang Yeon, could also be seen as a result of such efforts. In that sense, General Hwang Yeon is in the easiest position for reading the government’s trends.”
Mangnyang grinned slyly. “Hah, it’s hard to believe. Right now, you’re having a decent conversation with me, and you’re supposedly the idiot of the world? It’s clear you possess quite a bit of insight.”
I could only manage a bitter smile.
After dying 14 times in total and desperately accumulating wisdom, power, and experience, it was indeed shameful to finally hold a conversation with Mangnyang. I shouldn’t be satisfied with this; I must continue to grow even more. I composed my expression and said to Mangnyang, “Anyway, what should we do? By the way, I brought the books and maps here.”
“Hmm.”
“These are books from the library of the otherworldly tribe, so they should be useful.”
I pointed at the books and maps I took out from my wooden armor. The area was already illuminated with the flames I had summoned using fire magic, so it was easy to see what they were. Mangnyang picked up one of the books and examined them, saying, “This is ancient runic writing. There’s also some ancient Cyrillic mixed in.”
“Runes… what’s that?”
“We call them Westerners, but even among them, the tribes are quite separate. Just so you know, this rune writing is said to be from the Divine Age, where the one-eyed god gained it after a deep penance. It’s comparable to oracle bone script in age.”
“……”
Not understanding what that meant, I decided to keep quiet.
While I remained silent, Mangnyang began examining the map next. He stared at it carefully, then said, “This map can’t be used as is.”
“Can’t be used?”
“Since it’s an ancient map, it probably doesn’t reflect geological changes. We need to learn proper reading techniques and redraw it. Of course, I hope that those reading techniques are among the books you brought.”
“If we redraw the map, will we be able to go to the North Pole?”
Mangnyang turned the map upside down once again and examined it, responding, “If we find the reading method and reflect it, I can create a new map for you within a week.”
“That’s great!”
Mangnyang then looked at Miho beside him. “Miho, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Since you say that the dragon trapped in ice is an evil entity, do you think it could be under the command of the otherworldly tribe?”
“Well… I don’t think so, I just think it became wicked after not ascending to heaven and lingering on the surface for too long.”
For a moment, I almost teased Miho with “Like you?” but realized it wouldn’t fit the situation, so I dropped the idea. After hearing Miho’s answer, Mangnyang pondered and then said to me, “Baek Woong, for the time being, you should stay here. We need to see if the map gets completed before deciding on our next steps.”
