Chapter 522
“Damn it. Another mountain after the last one.”
It felt like getting smacked hard in the back of the head.
There are no absolutes in this world, but I thought at least the situation in Hubei had been properly wrapped up…
‘The one affected by the magic wasn’t just the Water God Dragon.’
Did a gate open somewhere else? Or did the magic that the Water God Dragon failed to fully absorb leak out and affect something else?
Just looking at the drawing made my mouth feel dry, as if I were chewing sand.
I wasn’t the only one who recognized the gravity of the situation.
“What… what is that thing?”
“One thing is certain—it’s something that cannot be called human.”
Thunderblade King and Azure Sky Sword King. As the two old masters muttered, Ma Jong-hak spoke up.
“According to the information from the Wudang Sect, that grotesque entity is the very ‘Murderous Ghost’ that has been terrorizing Hubei recently.”
“Murderous Ghost?”
Jeok Cheon-Gang furrowed his brows and turned his gaze toward me. Understanding the meaning in his eyes, I nodded.
“Yes, it’s the one you’re thinking of.”
“Damn it. So much for the saying ‘the darkest place is under the lamp.’”
Exactly. This was a perfect example of that proverb.
But in this case, it was impossible to recognize it. The light from the lamp was too bright, making it impossible to see properly.
Hundreds of people were dying across Hubei. Paying attention to the Murderous Ghost that Wudang was already pursuing seemed like a secondary concern.
And if the true identity of this abomination turned out to be a magic-corrupted Imoogi, then it made even more sense why no one had noticed.
‘I never had time to think that far ahead.’
Another monster. Right. I never even considered that a new Monster would appear.
I had assumed the Murderous Ghost was just another lunatic, the kind commonly seen in Murim—nothing more, nothing less.
‘But what kind of monster is this thing?’
The drawings from this era were hardly better than what you’d find in a history textbook. The bamboo scroll painting was no exception.
Whoever had drawn it had tried their best to make it as realistic as possible, but it was clearly lacking in depth and perspective.
There was only one thing the drawing conveyed with certainty.
As Azure Sky Sword King said, it wasn’t human.
A single sharp horn protruding from its forehead. Unnaturally long and thick arms and legs.
Its blood-red eyes were unlike anything that could be dismissed as just another heretic or demonic being.
‘It’s definitely a Monster. But did it mutate due to magic, like the Water God Dragon?’
Tap. Tap.
I drummed my fingers against the wall impatiently and asked,
“Are there any other drawings?”
Thousand-Faced Fox, who had been watching me closely, nodded.
“Regrettably, no. This was the best Wudang could provide.”
“That’s unfortunate. But this can’t be all there is, can it?”
“You’re quite perceptive. Two days ago, Wudang sent a second letter.”
At Thousand-Faced Fox’s glance, a middle-aged scholar pulled a cord once more.
Shiiing—Thump!
A cylindrical wooden container slid down and landed with a hollow sound. Inside was a letter filled with tightly packed script.
“Read it yourself. You were at the center of the incident in Hubei, so you might catch something that Yin Shadow Pavilion and I missed.”
“I was planning to do that anyway.”
“Then this old man will also take a look.”
Jeok Cheon-Gang and I leaned in and read the letter together.
Once wasn’t enough, so we read it twice, then a third time.
Only after some time had passed did we lift our heads from the letter.
“Well?”
At Thousand-Faced Fox’s question, Jeok Cheon-Gang frowned.
“I’m not sure.”
“I see.”
“…Why aren’t you asking me more?”
Because I didn’t have high expectations to begin with.
But I also didn’t have anything to add.
Based on the contents of the letter, Thousand-Faced Fox and Yin Shadow Pavilion had already identified the general circumstances behind the creature’s emergence.
“As the letter states, this monster was originally a fisherman who lived at the mouth of the Yangtze River.”
I pointed to the opening lines of the letter as I spoke.
“His name was Jang Sam. In his fifties, with a family.”
Even Wudang hadn’t believed that this creature had just fallen from the sky.
They had meticulously examined the remains of the dead Monster and identified various features.
Using that information, they launched an investigation and discovered that the creature had once been an ordinary fisherman living less than a hundred li from Mount Wudang.
“He went out to sea alone over a month ago and disappeared. His children eventually reported his absence to the local authorities.”
Of course, the authorities wouldn’t have been able to find him.
Fishermen going missing wasn’t common, but it wasn’t unheard of either.
At that time, Hubei was gripped by fear and chaos due to a series of consecutive incidents.
People of high status were dropping dead left and right, as if they were mere minions in a nameless gorge.
Who would have had the time or resources to care about a missing fisherman?
‘Even if they had tried to search actively, it would have been impossible.’
Even Wudang’s top experts had spent a considerable amount of time tracking down Jang Sam.
The authorities wouldn’t have stood a chance.
But what truly mattered wasn’t the circumstances—it was how a random old fisherman, a mere Jang Sam among countless others, had transformed into such a horrific creature known as the Murderous Ghost.
“What do you think caused this?”
Thousand-Faced Fox posed the question, and I opened my mouth to answer.
“It seems most likely to be the Bloodfish.”
“I’ve already been briefed about the Bloodfish. In fact, I’ve already dispatched a few agents from Yin Shadow Pavilion to Hubei to capture a live specimen.”
“You made the right call. The mon—no, the creature that Jang Sam became was originally a fisherman, and the tributaries of Dongting Lake and the Yangtze River are connected…”
Ma Jong-hak, who had been quietly listening, muttered while nodding.
“It’s possible that Jang Sam ate a Bloodfish that drifted down those tributaries.”
“Or… was eaten by one.”
“In any case, that seems to be the most plausible explanation for now. His grotesque transformation and his ability to evade Wudang’s pursuit for days—it all suggests he became stronger because of it.”
At that moment, Thousand-Faced Fox, his expression hardened, added,
“What about the possibility of the same thing happening elsewhere? The Rift, as you call it.”
“Tell me. I’d like to hear it from you directly.”
In Murim terms, it was called a Rift. In my world, it was known as a Gate.
This was something I had already considered.
But the mere thought of such a situation unfolding again was something I hated even thinking about, let alone saying out loud.
I wasn’t one to believe in superstitions, but words had a way of becoming reality. And I wanted to deny even the slightest possibility.
Still, avoiding the question wasn’t an option. With a reluctant expression, I opened my mouth.
“I can’t say for certain, but I believe the possibility of what you’re suggesting is rather low.”
“And why is that?”
“If the same thing had happened elsewhere, it wouldn’t have ended with just this.”
A second Gate had not yet opened. That was my conclusion.
That should have been a relief.
But those of us who understood the situation didn’t look the least bit reassured.
Because we knew the true meaning behind my words.
To put it simply—
It hasn’t happened yet. But if a Gate does open again, we’re completely screwed.
“A powder keg. A damn powder keg waiting to explode.”
Thousand-Faced Fox muttered under his breath.
A powder keg was safe as long as no flame reached it.
But that also meant that the moment someone did light a fire, it would be more dangerous than anything else.
Who in their right mind would do such a thing?
Unfortunately, Dark Heaven had already lit that fire once in Hubei.
The current state of Murim was no different from a massive powder keg on the verge of ignition.
And the second or third Gate would be the spark that set it all ablaze.
‘There is at least one silver lining.’
I still didn’t know the true identity of Cheonju or how Southern Demon Empress had managed to open the Gate.
But I could make an educated guess.
‘Opening a Gate isn’t something easy for them either.’
A Gate wasn’t some roadside inn’s entrance.
If those bastards could just open them at will, Murim would’ve been in complete chaos long ago.
Orcs would be forming martial sects. Lycans and Ogres would be strolling down the main streets of Henan, arms slung around each other.
Before the Murim Alliance could even form, people would’ve looked up, gone ‘Oh, what the hell is that?’, and everything would’ve gone to ruin.
But Dark Heaven hadn’t done that.
Why? Because it was difficult.
That was why we had to act quickly.
Before another powder keg exploded, we needed to stop them.
And the second silver lining—Murim had the power to stop them.
Under the banner of the Murim Alliance, a force strong enough to oppose them had already gathered.
“…Murim is facing a catastrophe. One far greater than I initially thought.”
Ma Jong-hak muttered, almost as if sighing.
Thousand-Faced Fox, his face stern, spoke firmly.
“There is something we must look into immediately. Lord Alliance Leader, my apologies, but would you and the others mind moving to another location?”
“So be it.”
“We shall report back later. Until then, let us all reconvene when the time is right.”
Those were Thousand-Faced Fox’s last words before parting.
Before we even stepped out of the hall, urgent shouts echoed from all around.
The people, exhausted just moments ago, snapped into action, their eyes wide and alert.
Even after the dissolution of the Murim Alliance, Yin Shadow Pavilion had carried on its legacy.
And now, it was moving once more.
But they weren’t the only ones getting busy.
“I must also be on my way. A mountain of work is about to crash down on me.”
Ma Jong-hak’s words prompted Azure Sky Sword King to nod.
“The same applies to me. May I share what we’ve discussed here today with my insufferable son?”
“Have you forgotten who brought you here?”
If this were a secret that couldn’t be shared, the Murim Alliance Leader and Yin Shadow Pavilion wouldn’t have led them here in the first place.
Realizing the implication, Azure Sky Sword King cupped his fists in gratitude.
“Thank you.”
“It’s something they will learn soon enough. Just make sure it doesn’t spread before then.”
“Of course. I will be careful.”
Thunderblade King, too, seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation as he spoke, his face stiff.
“Hey, Sword Saint. I have something I’d like to ask you.”
“If it’s about the Hebei Pang Clan, I don’t min—”
“No, not that. I mean, what the hell were you all talking about in there?”
Was this Hebei Pang Clan’s Supreme Elder for real?
I swear, his intellect was staggering.
The rest of us all turned toward him with deadpan stares.
Thunderblade King, perhaps realizing our reaction, muttered an excuse.
“How about explaining things in a way that makes sense? I understand Murim is in peril, but—”
“Pang.”
“O…huh?”
“Then shut up. That’s how you can help.”
“What did you say?!”
Jeok Cheon-Gang let out a deep sigh and turned to Ma Jong-hak.
“I’ll handle this idiot. You go. You have more important matters to attend to.”
“Thank you. By the way, Grandmaster Jeok.”
“What is it?”
Ma Jong-hak grasped Jeok Cheon-Gang’s hand firmly before speaking.
“Have you truly never considered becoming the Alliance Leader?”
Come on, be honest. You and Cheongpung are definitely related, aren’t you?
