Chapter 141

Chapter 141

All monsters that exist in this world live by feeding on the fear of living beings.

There are monsters that grow by eating the fear of other monsters, monsters that grow by eating the fear of beasts, and monsters that grow by eating human fear. A structure where they gain power the more someone fears them.

They are monsters because they eat fear. If there were something that grew by eating worship or trust rather than fear, it wouldn’t be called a monster.

However, no living being other than monsters exists in this world that grows by eating emotions.

—Everyone believed so, and I also knew it that way.

[Blood Cult’s Plan for Monsterfication of Divine Beasts – Overview]

Until I saw the letter before my eyes.

I read through the letter from top to bottom once with speed reading, then let out a deep breath at the unbelievable facts and closed and opened my eyes. Even for me, who had seen everything there was to see and things there weren’t while active as the Muryeokdae Commander, this was content I couldn’t easily conceive.

“Blood Cult…”

The cultists who had proclaimed they would wash the world in blood and caused the Jinan Bloodbath.

Though they say they’ll wash the world in blood, no one except Blood Cult members properly knows how their doctrine is structured. It was difficult to capture Blood Cult members operating in the shadows alive, and even if captured, it was impossible to make them open their mouths.

“The Blood Cult’s purpose is to shed human form and transform into monsters…?”

Moreover, as part of that plan, they transplanted the blood of divine beasts, similar to but different from monsters, into humans to make them half-divine half-human?

I pressed my brow tightly at the shocking facts written before my eyes. Content impossible to accept.

‘The truth of this…’

If someone else had said this, I would have dismissed it as delusion. How absurd a story is it that humans can become monsters and that they actually try to do so?

However, the sender of the letter is someone I know well. Baek Riseon.

The name of the older brother who taught me ‘how to see.’

‘He’s not someone who would… speak falsely.’

Brother has been extraordinarily knowledgeable about all matters from long ago. Until the day he left the family to wander around, he succeeded in everything he touched even without studying strategy or commerce separately.

This is a letter that brother sent specifically to me. Though he’s someone with a playful side, he wouldn’t have written it if the truth wasn’t certain.

“…Whew.”

I can’t predict this.

After sighing for a moment and reading through the entire letter, my gaze went to the writing at the end. Neat handwriting showing leisure unlike the urgent situation.

[I heard you established a sect. I’ll visit sometime.]

“…Should I say this is like brother?”

Chuckle.

After finishing reading, I folded the letter and wore a bitter smile. Not writing worrying sentences even though he probably knew it would turn out roughly like this is because he trusts I’ll resolve it well.

“What to do…”

The matter has already occurred.

Rescuing the disciples and getting out is routine, but what comes after is the problem. According to brother’s letter, a hellscape may unfold beyond this vicinity to Anhwa County, perhaps even beyond that.

‘Do I retreat to seek safety for the lives of my disciples and myself? Or…’

Do I trust my disciples and bet on a possibility not even worth a handful?

Which is the correct answer?

Shing!

After looking at the red energy filling my vision for a moment, I quietly half-drew my sword. Two characters written on the blade.

[Uicheon]

“…Not compromising. I see.”

Those I want to go with.

I’ve seen Jinwoong’s character, and I’ve seen how the residents treat Gyoryongpa. Though we’ve been together for less than a few days, they are now Uicheonmun’s branch sect and also Uicheonmun’s disciples.

If I retreat to protect our safety as is, Anhwa County will perish, and Gyoryongpa will suffer the disaster of sect annihilation. They are people with deep attachment to the region. They’ll choose to fight rather than retreat.

Then there’s only one thing to do.

“I’ll trust them.”

Don’t judge everything by looking only at the phenomenon before your eyes. One cross-section is the source for inferring other cross-sections.

Thinking of what I taught Seohwa, I quietly drew my sword. Monsters gradually beginning to reveal themselves from beyond the forest.

“I’ll have to buy time.”

What for?

Catching miscellaneous monsters is something I’ve been doing for over ten years. It won’t be difficult now, will it?

“Come. Wandering spirits.”

As I slowly aimed my sword tip, red eyes filled the forest thickly. And after a moment.

—!!!

With strange cries.

The forest rushed in.

The anomaly came suddenly.

“Why is that, Fourth Disciple?”

“No, I just have a strange feeling like something’s watching me.”

After sending Choil back and while circling the outskirts, at a peculiar sensation brushing her neck, Seohwa looked around and hunched her shoulders. Though it should be a quiet night for everyone, the forest felt strangely unsettled.

‘Is it just my imagination?’

Probably just imagination.

Seohwa, who had been thinking for a moment, shook her head. She wasn’t an outstanding martial artist enough to detect a person’s gaze with her energy sense.

“We’ve been going along the wooden fence but don’t see other people.”

“They’re probably on the opposite side or everyone finished looking around and went in. Quite some time has passed.”

“I suppose.”

The mission assigned to the two bandits and Gyoryongpa disciples who headed to the village outskirts was patrolling the exterior. Investigating and reporting if there were any special circumstances.

Conversely, when there are no special circumstances, there’s nothing to investigate and report. In fact, the probability of special circumstances outside the wooden fence is low, so you could say they were assigned a mission of low importance. A situation where it wouldn’t be strange if it was already finished.

“We really don’t see any monsters.”

“They said they haven’t been attacked for five years. It’s certain they’re avoiding monsters by some method.”

“That’s true but… it’s still equally dangerous. We can’t be certain that method is safe. Yet is there a reason to insist on this place?”

“Rather, isn’t it safe because of that?”

“Safe?”

“As long as there are monsters, the government troops’ pursuit won’t come in deeply, will it?”

For slash-and-burn farmers, what’s most fearsome is the government. Those caught doing slash-and-burn farming often fall to slavery for abandoning their duties as subjects. But what if monsters block the government troops?

Wangpal, who continued his reasoning, answered heavily.

“If they definitely have a method to block monsters, there’s no better position than this for slash-and-burn farmers. Rich enough soil fertility to farm sufficiently without moving the land, and safe to boot.”

“…About that, isn’t it strange?”

“What do you mean?”

“Everything. That land fitting the situation this perfectly exists, and that there’s a method to block monsters.”

A method to definitely block monsters.

If such a thing existed, the government troops, Murim Alliance, and Sado Alliance wouldn’t be struggling like this. The reason government troops can’t properly exert power on the martial world right now is to block monsters appearing in various places.

The existence of land where soil fertility doesn’t dry up is also like that. She’d understand if there were some innovative method, but Choil said he’d never seen them do anything to the fields. Meaning it’s a natural characteristic of the terrain.

Can such terrain exist easily? And what’s the probability of it overlapping with this situation?

“The conditions are too good. To the point of being suspicious.”

Seohwa, who had been walking and placed her hand on the wooden fence, looked at the fence for a moment. A fence sturdy but woefully inadequate to block monsters.

‘If this environment wasn’t naturally created but artificially constructed…’

Then it’s somewhat understandable. Though she doesn’t know why monsters don’t attack, anyway the probability would be higher than cases where small probabilities overlap simultaneously.

Then what’s the reason for artificially constructing such an environment? What are they aiming for…?

‘…Wait.’

Food, people, and monsters.

Something flashed through Seohwa’s mind as she thought for a moment. A similar scene came to her eyes.

“A trap, no, bait…?”

“What?”

“Right. You said it’s a position slash-and-burn farmers can’t pass up.”

Just as a hungry tiger can’t pass up a deer limping and easy to catch, this land must have been land slash-and-burn farmers couldn’t pass up. The more they believed they were safe, the more so. Moreover, judging from Choil’s case of being brought in two years ago, this slash-and-burn village is hostile to outsiders but doesn’t exclude them, doesn’t it?

“Was the village’s scale this large from the beginning?”

“It wouldn’t have been. Slash-and-burn farmers flowing in from here and there must have consolidated and merged to take this form.”

A village expanded unusually large for a slash-and-burn village. A position that looks safe at first glance. And village people desensitized despite always keeping danger before their eyes.

I’ve seen this scene somewhere. It’s just like.

Prey just before the hunt, letting down their guard and coveting food.

Piiiiiiii—!!!

“…Fourth Disciple!”

“Yes!”

Simultaneously with her thoughts, at the sound from the right, the village outskirts, Seohwa and Wangpal who reflexively turned their heads hardened their complexions and immediately kicked off the ground. The sound of a signal whistle they agreed to blow if something was wrong.

It’s not far. Seohwa and Wangpal, who drew up their qinggong learned not long ago to the maximum, headed toward where the whistle sound came from. And soon the scene they saw.

—There were monsters.

“Ahhh! D-don’t come!”

“T-these bastards! Don’t panic! If you panic, they’ll rampage more!”

The bandit Jeoksam, who had considerable experience, was blocking one monster, and the rest were dealing with one monster together. However, unlike Jeoksam who was dealing relatively well, the people being toyed with by one monster.

“Move aside!”

Cheonggong Basic

Second Form Vertical Severance

“Krrrk!”

From left to right.

Sensing a blue line tearing through the air, the monster leaped back to avoid the attack. However, as if expecting that, another attack extending from behind.

Yeokgigong Basic

Third Form Reverse Path

Crrrack!

The extended grip changed the direction of force and twisted all of the monster’s neck and joints. A monster dealt with in an instant.

“Ki, kiiiii…”

Slash!

The other monster fighting with Jeoksam while glancing at that scene with the corner of its eye hesitated and stepped back to flee. And at the moment it tried to escape, the monster’s head flew off from Jeoksam’s strike that didn’t miss the opportunity.

“Whew. Thanks.”

“Thanks?”

“…Grit. Thank you.”

At Wangpal’s story of raising his eyebrows, Jeoksam who corrected his speech looked down with a pale face while Seohwa opened her mouth.

“What on earth is… this about? Why with monsters?”

“We don’t know well either. These bastards just attacked.”

“Attacked? Here? You didn’t get pushed back here while fighting outside?”

“Haven’t even gone outside. I know my life is precious.”

Watching Jeoksam answer bluntly, Seohwa calculated the distance from the wooden fence. A distance not even a hundred bo.

“To this distance…”

Five hundred bo.

The village chief said you have to go five hundred bo outside the wooden fence to encounter monsters eye to eye. He also said monsters don’t come inside that range. But what is this scene now?

‘Monsters are… coming in.’

The radius is narrowing.

Though the village hasn’t been directly attacked yet, it’s certain an anomaly is occurring. And what that signifies is one thing.

“…This is serious.”

Too late to escape.

The hunt may have already begun.