RDM (Novel) Chapter 407


C 407



Not long after, Pyo Wol and ghost king regained their consciousness.


The ghost king's face was filled with exhaustion.

 

It was because the aftermath of the spell from Gyeongmusaeng still lingered.

 

An invisible spirit was connected between him and Gyeongmusaeng. Although it had faded as he switched bodies, the connection was not completely severed.

 

For now, Gyeongmusaeng had retreated, but he would return after making thorough preparations.

 

He couldn't be sure that they would be safe then.

 

'I need to get to that place quickly.'

 

The place where he had opened his eyes.

 

He didn't remember anything before that.

 

However, one thing was certain.

 

Only by going to the place where he had opened his eyes could he completely sever the connection with Gyeongmusaeng's spirit.

 

What the ghost king wanted wasn't something extraordinary.

 

He simply sought freedom.

 

By breaking free from the master of life and death's oppression, he would achieve his goal.

 

It wasn't a rational judgment.


His instincts told him to do so.

 

To achieve his goal, Pyo Wol's help was essential.

 

The ghost king turned to look for Pyo Wol.

 

Pyo Wol was also getting up after finishing his internal energy practice.

 

As he opened his eyes, Hong Ye-seol's face came close.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

"Are you all right?"

 

"I'm fine."

 

"That's a relief."

 

"What happened while I was unconscious? And what was that giant monster?"

 

Hong Ye-seol asked incessantly.

 

Pyo Wol raised a hand to stop her for a moment and then glanced into his arms.

 

Gwia was lying with its tail curled around the inner pill of the Imoogi, eyes closed.

 

The fact that its body was breathing indicated that it was alive. Fortunately, it hadn't been affected by Gyeongmusaeng’s lightning.

 

Pyo Wol got up, pulling his collar closed.

 

"What is it?"

 

"Nothing."

 

"Well, you're a man with many secrets."

 

"Seeing you talk so much, it seems you've recovered."

 

"It's because of you, thank you."


Hong Ye-seol smiled slyly.

 

Pyo Wol stared at her face for a moment and then turned his gaze to the ghost king.


"Are you okay?"


"You helped me, I'm fine."


"Can you move?"


"Yes."


"Then let's move our location first."


"Understood."


The ghost king nodded and followed Pyo Wol's suggestion.


Before moving, Pyo Wol took one last look at the corpse of the giant Imoogi.


Decay had already begun on the Imoogi's massive body.


At this rate, its flesh would be completely gone in just a few days.


It was an inexplicable phenomenon, but Pyo Wol thought it must be the Imoogi's intention as well.


A final sense of pride, not wanting to leave its miserable flesh in this world.


That determination must have accelerated the decay process tens of times faster than usual.


No one who came here later would see the Imoogi's body.


After giving a final pat to the Imoogi's corpse, Pyo Wol soared into the sky.


Ghost king and Hong Ye-seol followed him.


The three of them left the forest and soon found a small village.


The village was so small that the only inn was quite shabby.


However, none of them were picky about where they slept, so they were satisfied with having a place to wash and rest.


Ghost king went straight into his room without looking back.


Hong Ye-seol left her room and entered Pyo Wol's room without hesitation.


Pyo Wol asked,


"Why?"


"I have something to check."


"What is it?"


Hong Ye-seol smiled mischievously and said,


"I think I can confirm that I've fully recovered after checking this as well."


Her dirt-covered clothes fell to the floor.


She boldly embraced Pyo Wol.

***

Pyo Wol and Hong Ye-seol made love several times.


With her face flushed, Hong Ye-seol lay on Pyo Wol's chest and looked at him. She said,


"I think I've definitely gotten better."


"It seems so."


Hong Ye-seol giggled and stroked Pyo Wol's chest with her long, white fingers.


Pyo Wol enjoyed her playfulness as he rested his head on her arm.


Hong Ye-seol stared into Pyo Wol's face and said,


"Wow! You're so beautiful."


"......"


"I'm sad that I won't be able to see this beautiful face for a while."


She looked genuinely disappointed.


Pyo Wol asked,


"Are you going to the Hundred Wraith Union?"


"I have to."


"Isn't it dangerous?"


"I still have to go."


"You're resolute."


"It's better to be certain with the Hundred Wraith Union."


Hong Ye-seol smiled.


Places like the Hundred Wraith Union, a band of assassins, were harsher and more brutal than any other martial arts group.


Hong Ye-seol was a top survivor among them.


In a group like the Hundred Wraith Union, one could never survive by being underestimated.


This time was no exception.


She had been thoroughly exploited.


The client had used her to cause chaos in Kangho.


If it were just simple chaos, she might have let it go, but the situation was so bad that it could turn into a martial arts war if mishandled.


She had to find out who intended this situation.

 

Suddenly, Hong Ye-seol pressed her lips against Pyo Wol's.


She explored Pyo Wol's lips even more passionately than when they were making love.


After a moment, she pulled away with a regretful expression.


Hong Ye-seol, who had been gazing at Pyo Wol with a sultry look, got up.


As she put on the clothes that had fallen to the floor, she asked,


"Do you have any thoughts of coming with me?"


Without a word, Pyo Wol shook his head.


Hong Ye-seol asked again,


"Will you go with the ghost king?"


"That's the price I have to pay for saving you."


"I can't argue with that. Fine."


Hong Ye-seol gave up neatly.


She knew Pyo Wol was even more stubborn than herself.


Once Pyo Wol made a decision, he never looked back, and neither did she.


Hong Ye-seol had never dreamt of living an ordinary life.


She was an assassin to her core.


She had no intention of giving up her life as an assassin.


Hong Ye-seol tightened her waistband.


"I'll go."


"Alright!"


"See you next time."


Hong Ye-seol left her final words and closed the door.


Her presence faded away and then disappeared completely.


Only then did Pyo Wol get up from the bed.


With the two of them gone, the room felt somewhat empty. Pyo Wol thought that such emotions were a luxury.


Pyo Wol put on his clothes casually and went out to the backyard of the inn. There was a well in the backyard of the inn.


The innkeeper had put up a partition around the well so that guests could undress and wash.


Pyo Wol took off his clothes, hung them on the partition, and scooped water from the well to pour over his head.


Splash!


The cold water drenched his entire body.


Pyo Wol poured water from the well several times, washing off all the dirt from his body.


After finishing his bath, he returned to the inn's dining room, where he saw the ghost king.


The moment he saw the ghost king's face, Pyo Wol felt a strange sensation.

 

Although the core might have changed, it was because his shell was Do Yeonsan.


The child who had burned everything for the sake of avenging his younger sibling and parents.


That boy had become the ghost king and was now traveling with him.


'Is this fate?'


As they say, fate is unpredictable, and this was just that.


The ghost king raised his head and looked at Pyo Wol.


"Has the woman left?"


"Yes!"


"Is it okay to let her go alone?"


"She's fully capable of taking care of herself."


"Is that so?"


"Let's talk now."


Pyo Wol sat down in front of the ghost king.


The ghost king gazed at Pyo Wol curiously.


Pyo Wol asked,


"You said you're looking for a path?"


"Yes."


"What's at the final destination?"


"The origin. The origin that opened my eyes lies there."


"That's too broad. Any other explanation?"


The ghost king shook his head and replied,


"I don't remember."


"How do you switch to another person's body?"


"I don't know. It's just possible."


"Possible? Can anyone do it?"


"No. It's only possible for those with a certain feeling."


"Are there many of those people?"


"No! Very few."


"What happens to the previous memories when you switch bodies?"


"They become diluted."


"You mean they fade?"


"A more accurate expression would be that they become murky. The memories of the previous body and the new body collide and mix, eventually becoming indistinguishable."


"Is that happening now? Are Yeonsan's memories mixing with yours?"


"Yes."


At the ghost king's answer, Pyo Wol furrowed his brow.


The more he talked with the ghost king, the more he felt as if all the common sense he had known was being denied. But with such evidence before his eyes, he had no choice but to believe.


"Then, do you remember your very first personality?"


"I only remember when I first opened my eyes."


"What was the scene like?"


"It was in a forest. There were many collapsed buildings. And the stars were incredibly numerous."


"And then?"


"I don't remember."


"None?"


"Nothing."


"We need more information."


At Pyo Wol's words, the ghost king pressed his lips together.


It was an expression that meant he couldn't remember anything else.


Pyo Wol sensed that helping the ghost king would be more difficult than he had thought.


No matter how great Pyo Wol's ability to find a path was, he couldn't fully utilize it without sufficient information.


"It won't be easy."


"That's why I'm asking for your help. You won't give up, will you?"


"We made a deal, so I'll keep my promise."


"I trust you."


With those words, the ghost king got up from his seat and went to his room.


Pyo Wol, left alone, silently looked out the window.


Darkness had already settled heavily outside.


The sight of not being able to see even an inch ahead seemed to foreshadow his own future. 


However, Pyo Wol neither despaired nor gave up.


No matter how hard and difficult it may be, there is always a way out.


Even though he hadn't found it yet, it often felt difficult, but once he found the way, it was usually no big deal. Pyo Wol thought it would be the same this time.


That's when it happened.


"Excuse me, would you like to eat?"


A hunched old man cautiously approached and asked.


The old man was the owner of the inn.


"I'll eat, so bring it."


"Understood."


"By the way!"


"Yes?"


"Where is this place?"


"What do you mean?"


"The name of the village."


"It's called Baektab-ri (百塔里)."


"Baektab-ri?"


Pyo Wol tilted his head.


It was a name he had never heard before.


He had followed the ghost king without any plan, so Pyo Wol didn't know the exact location of this place.


The basis of all tracking begins with accurately recognizing where you are.


The name Baektab-ri was no help to him at all.


"What's the biggest city nearby?"


"Oh, if you follow the road out of the village for about half a day, there's a city called Giyang (祁陽)."


Giyang was a city located in the southern part of Henan Province.


It was more than 1,500 li southwest from the original Poyang Lake.


He was curious about the news from Poyang Lake, but it was impossible to hear anything about it from Baektab-ri.


'I wonder what happened?'

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