Chapter 39
The place we followed Liu Cheon-ho to was some remote palace among the 99 buildings of the imperial palace, I had no clue where we were. I had a rough idea of the structure from the palace map that Mangnyang gave me, but trailing Liu Cheon-ho made me realize I couldn’t trust that map at all.
Sure, I understood the big picture, but the details were different. There were many secret paths and uneven corridors, making it feel like a maze, and if this complex were to move alive like the techniques of formation, an intruder wouldn’t stand a chance.
‘Even if I receive a palace map, unless I memorize it completely, it’ll be useless…’
I was glad to have learned Qimen Dunjia. Right now, Liu Cheon-ho was sticking to the main path, but just a few steps away, it shifted to a more closed terrain. I was pretending to act casual while walking. But even if someone memorized the paths, without knowledge of the formation techniques, they’d quickly get trapped in a dual-layered trap—a perfect fortress.
Probably, the warriors and palace maids working in this palace were only allowed to walk on certain paths.
Strangely enough, this palace had not a single guard warrior around. Liu Cheon-ho entered a staircase leading down and there were ten experts waiting there, all clad in black like him.
Liu Cheon-ho introduced me to them.
“This is Baek Woong, the new member of the Golden Eagle Guard. He’ll become the youngest member of the six groups, so take good care of him.”
“Understood, Captain.”
They were from the six groups, and Liu Cheon-ho was their captain. A straightforward organizational structure where one captain leads one group.
“I look forward to your guidance.”
“Sure.”
I bowed, greeting each member of the six groups. They didn’t seem to have any particular fondness or hostility towards me. While I was saying my hellos, I noticed something odd.
“……?”
Something feels off. Regular Golden Eagle Guards sport a unique martial outfit with a white base and sparkling gold threads. But isn’t everyone here, including Liu Cheon-ho, wearing black outfits?
I thought earlier that the higher-ups had the liberty to choose their attire, but it seemed that the entire six groups were required to wear black.
Moreover, this black outfit somehow felt familiar. I had a terrible inkling but tried not to show it. Acting suspiciously here could turn this place into my grave. A moment later, the introductions wrapped up and Liu Cheon-ho began to explain our mission.
“Our mission this time is the same as last time. We will escort a ritual and prepare in advance. Everyone’s mentally prepared, right?”
At that, the members of the Golden Eagle Guard responded in unison, albeit with a somewhat drained but determined tone.
“Yes!”
“Of course.”
Escort a ritual? Preparing in advance?
I was not sure what that even meant and stared blankly at them. Then Liu Cheon-ho explained to me.
“Our six groups have a somewhat special mission. Each group takes turns holding special tasks, and this half-period, it’s our turn. This mission is very unique, which is why strong mental preparation is necessary.”
“I can handle any task.”
“Hah… Everyone here thinks that at first. But it’s genuinely not ordinary, so before we proceed, we’ll provide you with preliminary training.”
Liu Cheon-ho smiled bitterly and commanded the other six groups.
“Everyone, head to Imdong. The target village is Cheoljeon, so prepare for infiltration.”
“Understood!”
With that, the six members of the Golden Eagle Guard left the palace without looking back. They certainly had a clear target, so hesitation was unnecessary. As I watched their departing figures, Liu Cheon-ho told me,
“Sit here.”
“Okay.”
He seemed about to share something serious. Sitting face-to-face across the table, Liu Cheon-ho said earnestly,
“Baek Woong. What is the most valuable and important thing for you?”
This was what I had learned earlier. The Golden Eagle Guard only allows one answer to this question in any situation.
“The safety and eternal glory of His Majesty the Emperor and the Imperial Family.”
“Good. You’ve learned well.”
Contentedly murmuring, Liu Cheon-ho continued,
“Then what do you think poses the greatest threat to the Imperial Family’s safety?”
“Wouldn’t it be external enemies like the Northern and Eastern tribes?”
“Heh… That might be true. The barbaric tribes of the north have been a tremendous threat ever since the history of the central plains began. However, they have never truly ruled over the Central Plains, and protecting the Imperial Family from them is primarily the job of generals leading hundreds of thousands of troops. Although we are the Golden Eagle Guards, we don’t engage directly in battles with the barbarians.”
“Then it must be the powerful ministers in court, right?”
“It’s the Emperor’s job to manage and control them. Certainly, keeping them in check is also one of our main duties, but there’s something even more crucial.”
I found it fascinating. What could be more threatening to the Imperial Family than barbarian invasions or court rebellions? So I asked.
“Then what is it?”
The answer that followed was shocking.
“The Martial Arts World.”
“……!!”
What does that even mean? Are the captains of the Golden Eagle Guard allowed to think like this? But Liu Cheon-ho spoke without any hesitation.
“Do you know the historical tale of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, and Chen Youliang?”
I nodded. I had studied enough to know my history well.
“Chen Youliang was the most formidable opponent when the founder established the Ming Dynasty, and I know he ultimately lost to Zhu Yuanzhang.”
“That’s right. There’s a bit of a backstory to it.”
Liu Cheon-ho poured more tea into his cup. Then he refilled mine as well, which I accepted respectfully with both hands. After sipping the warm tea, he continued.
“There were times when the founder nearly lost his life because of Chen Youliang. Especially, the warriors from Hubei following Chen Youliang were like thorns in his side. Originally, the founder planned to take all the Hubei people who followed Chen Youliang and put them on a red boat, making sure they could never set foot on land again. If that had happened, the Hubei people would have lived their lives in the lowest social status, with the men becoming beggars and the women resorting to prostitution.
“By displaying such a strong example, the safe and immense Ming Empire was formed. By showing that no one should challenge the imperial authority, countless rebellions could be prevented, and peace could be established where we could rest easy.”
“……”
I had a lot to say but didn’t. Because my life was at stake. Even though I could argue until the next day with all the knowledge I had, right now I had to prioritize keeping my life safe.
“However, the founder could not follow through with the red boat entirely. The rebels who should have been on that boat got their restrictions lifted after a while and came back to the mainland as commoners, most of them heading south. Do you know why?”
“I’m not sure.”
“The White Lotus Sect. A mere faction in the Martial Arts World and a religion managed to restrain the founder’s actions and further lured the displaced people to their doctrine. The reason that was possible was that the Master of the White Lotus Sect possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, making even an army of a million meaningless to him. The Master came directly to the founder and asked him to lift the red boat’s restrictions, and the founder had no choice but to accept that proposal.”
The thought that martial skills could render an army of a million meaningless was beyond my imagination.
Could that really be a human?
The power of the White Lotus Sect seemed even more immense than I had thought.
‘The Thunder God Lineage might have given up on vengeance against the White Lotus Sect after all.’
I felt that every word Liu Cheon-ho was speaking could be considered treason against the imperial family. The thought that the emperor relied on a mere martial arts faction was a secret in itself. But perhaps it was normal for a captain of the Golden Eagle Guard like Liu Cheon-ho to share this depth of story for educational purposes. To work for the darkness of the imperial family, one needed to understand this much.
Liu Cheon-ho continued.
I thought it made sense. Fundamentally, even the lowest-ranking member of the Golden Eagle Guard was a late-stage elite martial artist in the Martial Arts World. Moreover, if the Vice Captain or the leads were peak experts, saying their strength was formidable wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Moreover, I estimated the strength of the Captain was likely supreme-level. With such a high average level of power united as a single organization, they were unparalleled in the Martial Arts World.
If the Golden Eagle Guard decided to, they could probably annihilate two or three of the Nine Great Sects in no time. Even the Nine Great Sects could not handle such a massive military force alone.
“Is it to protect His Majesty the Emperor from the White Lotus Sect?”
“That’s right. I don’t know what kind of martial power the current Master of the White Lotus Sect possesses, but just the existence of someone with national-level military prowess is terrifying.”
I could somewhat understand that.
No matter how formidable an army of a million might be, trying to take down the White Lotus Sect would be futile. If a transcendent being capable of breaching Zhu Yuanzhang’s army during its prime were to appear, could it even mean anything? Moreover, if this being could indiscriminately kill the emperor, the royal family, and the nobles at will, it would create a terrifying deterrent in itself.
Come to think of it, I remembered hearing about the Sacred Lotus from the Samjeol Lee Kwang. The Sacred Lotus was a special spiritual pill uniquely produced by the White Lotus Sect, and it was said that those who consumed it gained immense martial prowess. If the White Lotus Sect was flooded with peak experts who had consumed this Sacred Lotus, it could undoubtedly be a terrifying faction.
Liu Cheon-ho added,
“But at last, our Golden Eagle Guard—no, the imperial palace—has found a way to counter the White Lotus Sect. This plan is a Great Scheme and must be pursued until the end of our lives. That is the special mission we’ll undertake.”
“What kind of mission is it?”
At his next words, I drew a sharp breath.
“To summon demons from another realm and use that to ultimately gain the power of the Demon God.”
“Huh?”
“Thanks to the Great Sorcerer assisting us, it’s a feasible plan.”
I couldn’t help but be shocked.
It became clear.
‘This… this means they are the ones leading the human sacrifices! The Golden Eagle Guards, who are supposed to protect the imperial family, are committing massacres?!’
When my worst fears turned out to be correct, I felt the world go dark.
I hoped it wasn’t true. Although I had almost guessed it when speaking with Mangnyang, I had come to Luoyang, wishing it was just my imagination.
But unfortunately, facts were facts. The imperial family and the Golden Eagle Guards were the demons leading the human sacrifices.
At the same time, I was relieved that I hadn’t acted to stop the tragedy in this lifetime. If the Golden Eagle Guards were indeed the main offenders, my life would be on the line for sure.
“Not that surprising. It’s all to be expected.”
Fortunately, Liu Cheon-ho seemed to think my shock was reasonable. He said bitterly,
“In this process, some commoners will be sacrificed, but that’s just the cost of the greater good. We must be prepared to go to hell for the imperial family. Our actions will aid the happiness and well-being of millions of citizens of the Great Ming Empire.”
“That’s…”
“Now! Steady your heart. I’ll explain the details once we arrive at the mission site, but you are already a member of the Golden Eagle Guard, dedicating your life for the imperial family. Leave behind the useless ethics and morals of the world if it’s for His Majesty!”
My stomach churned… I felt something strange. Liu Cheon-ho’s words seemed ridiculous, and any sane human would merely scoff at such persuasion. Yet, there was a bizarre power emanating from his words, making my head spin and a fog cloud my mind. I knew it was nonsense, yet somehow it still sounded plausible.
If I hadn’t witnessed the tragedy firsthand, I would probably be half convinced by Liu Cheon-ho’s words by now. But having seen the human sacrifices and demons for myself made it impossible for me to sympathize with him. There was no way I could justify the non-human behavior of human sacrifice.
‘What is this? Something’s off. There’s a strong power emanating from those words.’
I pretended to feel dizzy.
“I’m sorry. I’m feeling a bit lightheaded…”
“Sit still! My words are not finished yet. Are you saying you don’t intend to serve His Majesty? Do you think it’s okay for the enemies to threaten His Majesty?”
“……”
His tone had changed from the friendly demeanor to one mixed with severe reprimand. It seemed he was about to get serious about the carrot-and-stick approach.
“Listen closely. Everything is allowed in the name of His Majesty. We are the sword, and there’s no need to think beyond that. What you need to do is eliminate harmful elements and carry out your mission.”
Only then did I realize what was causing my dizziness.
It was brainwashing through a command spell.
Having learned Qimen Dunjia for a long time, I understood. Liu Cheon-ho’s words flowed in such a strange intonation, and throughout this palace, strange patterns were etched around.
‘This guy can use command spells. Well, command spells don’t need special divine abilities; it’s quite possible.’
The very essence of command is imbued with power, and when spoken in a certain way, it activates to bestow strength through conversation. Liu Cheon-ho was subtly weakening my spirit by casting a command spell and repeatedly forcing me in this confined space. It was essentially a reinforced form of suggestion.
If one endured this for long, even the strongest-willed martial artist would eventually rationalize it. It seemed that Cheon-ho and the others were responsible for continuously brainwashing newcomers.
I intentionally appeared to comply, staring vacantly as if entranced.
“Y-yeah… understood…”
“I’ll say it again. Listen well…”
Afterward, I endured Liu Cheon-ho’s endless repetition of his words for a good half a moment, while he attempted to lay down the mental suggestion. Luckily, as I acted as if I was getting brainwashed, it didn’t last longer than that, and he seemed satisfied once he confirmed his own version of ‘education’ was complete. Liu Cheon-ho smiled brightly.
“I’m not entirely satisfied yet, but you’ll soon understand our grand ambition, Baek Woong. We’ll be departing for the mission site at Imdong, Cheoljeon village, so follow closely.”
As I followed him, I thought, ‘Damn it… what am I supposed to do?’
I had witnessed the horrific reality, so I would not be falling victim to that kind of brainwashing. If it were anyone else, the command spell would have likely taken hold, but having quietly recited the Thunder Spirit Classic in my heart, the command spell would be rendered useless.
What bothered me now was how to act moving forward. While Liu Cheon-ho’s words were undoubtedly nonsense, if I followed him, I’d end up participating in regular massacres and human sacrifices.
Was that the right thing to do?
Yet, refusing to follow Liu Cheon-ho’s orders would immediately brand me as a traitor, or I might face instant execution. Since all I had heard about the secrets of the imperial family and the demons involved were classified, they wouldn’t let me go easily.
Perhaps there were other Golden Eagle Guards who were able to see through the brainwashing and simply pretended not to notice what was going on. After all, their lives were precious, and they couldn’t afford to throw away their status in the Golden Eagle Guard.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
“……”
I rode my horse, following Liu Cheon-ho, still lost in thought. Suddenly, a memory of Mangnyang popped into my mind.
[Baek Woong. The tragedy you witnessed will surely strike the masses someday. And it won’t even be on the same scale as that village’s tragedy. When that time comes, will you run away, leaving your fate to chance? Or do you intend to become a dog for the powers that be and take on filthy tasks?]
Dog of power.
Filthy tasks.
“……”
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
As I rode my horse, the moonlight glided over the lake. In that moment, Liu Cheon-ho turned to speak to me.
“You’re a lucky man.”
“What?”
“Getting assigned a special mission right after joining… There’s a huge reward for the group once the special mission is completed. Along with 20 taels of gold, you’ll be granted land near Luoyang. Many members of the Golden Eagle Guard subtly hope to take on special missions again.”
I was momentarily flabbergasted and asked back,
“Hoping to do it again?”
“Since we’re not the ones executing it—it’s the sorcerer who does that. We mostly just supervise and watch.”
Liu Cheon-ho spoke without a hint of guilt or hesitation. Someone who doesn’t know the parameters of the job might brush it off, but I knew all too well the nature of the tasks involved human sacrifices, fanatics, heart extractions, cannibalism, and mass killings. It was absolutely chilling that the members of the Golden Eagle Guard wanted to partake in such demonic acts again.
If it was solely the work of the Great Sorcerer, Hyuncheon could have stopped him with me. But now that the Golden Eagle Guard was secretly watching over it, nobody could prevent the slaughter of villages. I paused to think and asked,
“Isn’t there going to be some sacrifices of commoners? I’d imagine that would bring guilt.”
Liu Cheon-ho laughed instead.
“Hahaha! Guilt? None of us feel that! Other Golden Eagle Guards are doing the same. Moreover, this is for the greater good. They’re all making the necessary sacrifices for His Majesty.”
“……”
At that moment, Mangnyang’s words flashed through my mind again.
[There is no one who understands the character of the imperial family better than me in this world. While acting as an astrologer, I’ve figured it out. They see this world as just a lid to be removed. If they preside over such matters, a terrifying disaster will undoubtedly strike in due time. It is only right to stop it while we can!]
His words made sense.
A terrifying disaster was already approaching.
Seeing that he referred to it as ‘half-term’, it was clear that every half year, one village was sacrificed as a scapegoat. Given that I had been reincarnated for about five years now, it meant at least ten villages had been set ablaze during that time. That was an unmistakable distortion of reality, and the fact that no one throughout the realm knew of it showed that the Golden Eagle Guard was multiple layers deep in concealing everything.
What on earth was I thinking?
What exactly is a happy life?
“… Hahaha.”
I let out a low laugh. Liu Cheon-ho was grinning broadly.
“Alright! If we’re going to do it, let’s do it positively!”
“Well, that’s what I must do. I need to approach this positively.”
I proclaimed with fake enthusiasm.
“Let’s do this with our lives on the line.”
Lowering my head and riding my horse, Liu Cheon-ho probably couldn’t see my face clearly. Thank goodness for that. I couldn’t reveal to him the twisted look on my face, determined like a god of slaughter.
