Chapter 407

Pyo Wol and the Ghost King came to their senses not long after.

The Ghost King’s face was filled with exhaustion.

The aftereffects of Gyeong Musaeng’s mystic art still lingered.

An invisible psychic link connected him and Gyeong Musaeng. It had faded when he switched bodies, but the connection wasn’t completely severed.

The Ghost King had retreated for now, but he would return after making full preparations.

He couldn’t be sure if he would get away so safely next time.

‘I have to get to that place quickly.’

The place where he had first opened his eyes.

He had no memory of what came before.

But one thing was certain.

Only by going to the place where he had first awoken could he completely sever the psychic link with Gyeong Musaeng.

What the Ghost King wanted was not so grand.

It was simply to find freedom.

Just escaping Gyeong Musaeng’s pressure would be achieving his initial goal.

It was not a rational judgment.

His instincts were making the judgment and giving the order.

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

The Ghost King turned his head to look for Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol, too, had finished his Qi Circulation and was getting up.

As he opened his eyes, Hong Ye-seol leaned her face in close.

“Are you okay?”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

“That’s a relief.”

“What on earth happened while I was unconscious? And what is that giant monster?”

Hong Ye-seol asked relentlessly.

Pyo Wol briefly raised a hand to silence her and peeked inside his robes.

Ghost Fang was coiled around the Horned Dragon’s Inner Core, its eyes closed.

Judging by the rise and fall of its body, it was clearly breathing. Fortunately, it hadn’t suffered any shock from Gyeong Musaeng’s lightning.

Pyo Wol straightened his collar and rose to his feet.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Hmph, you’re such a man of many secrets.”

“Seeing you chatter like that, it seems you’ve really recovered.”

“It’s thanks to you. Thank you.”

Hong Ye-seol smiled brightly.

Pyo Wol gazed at her face for a moment before turning his eyes to the Ghost King.

“Are you all right?”

“I received your help. I’m fine.”

“Can you move?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s move from this spot first.”

“Understood.”

The Ghost King nodded, agreeing with Pyo Wol’s opinion.

Before leaving, Pyo Wol looked one last time at the Horned Dragon’s corpse.

The Horned Dragon’s massive body was already beginning to decay.

At this rate, it seemed all its flesh would rot away in a few days.

It was a phenomenon that couldn’t be understood with common sense. But Pyo Wol thought this, too, must be the Horned Dragon’s will.

Its final pride, not wanting to leave its wretched body in this world after death.

Such a will must have accelerated the decay tens of times faster than the normal rate.

In the future, no one who came here would see the Horned Dragon’s remains.

Pyo Wol gave the Horned Dragon’s corpse a final caress, then launched himself into the air.

The Ghost King and Hong Ye-seol followed behind him.

After leaving the forest, the three of them soon moved to find a dwelling.

After crossing several high mountains, they found a small village.

The village was so small that its only inn was shabby beyond measure. But since none of the three were particularly picky about their sleeping arrangements, they were content just to have a space where they could wash and rest comfortably.

The Ghost King went into his room without a backward glance.

Hong Ye-seol, ignoring her own room, boldly entered the room Pyo Wol was in.

Pyo Wol asked.

“Why?”

“There’s something I need to confirm.”

“What is it?”

Hong Ye-seol said with a coy smile.

“I think I need to check this to be sure I’m fully healed.”

Her dirt-stained clothes slid to the floor.

She threw herself into Pyo Wol’s arms without hesitation.

＊＊＊

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

With a flushed face, Hong Ye-seol lay on Pyo Wol’s chest, looking at him. Then she spoke.

“I think I’m definitely better now.”

“It seems so.”

Hong Ye-seol giggled, caressing Pyo Wol’s chest with her long, white fingers.

Pyo Wol, using his arm as a pillow, enjoyed Hong Ye-seol’s playfulness.

Hong Ye-seol looked into Pyo Wol’s face and said.

“Oh my! So pretty.”

“……”

“It’s a shame. The fact that I won’t be able to see this beautiful face for a while.”

She wore a genuinely regretful expression.

Pyo Wol asked.

“Are you going to the Hundred Wraith Union?”

“I have to.”

“It will be dangerous, won’t it?”

“I still have to go.”

“You’re determined.”

“I’m the type to be clear about favors and grudges.”

Hong Ye-seol smiled.

Assassin groups like the Hundred Wraith Union were harsher and rougher than any other group in the Jianghu.

Hong Ye-seol was the toughest of the tough who had survived in such a place.

In an assassin group like the Hundred Wraith Union, you could never survive if you were looked down upon even once.

This time was such a case.

She had been thoroughly used.

The client had used her to stir up trouble in the Jianghu.

If it had been a simple disturbance, she might have let it go, but the situation was so bad that it could have easily escalated into a Martial World War.

She had to find out who had intended for this situation to happen.

Hong Ye-seol suddenly pressed her lips against Pyo Wol’s.

She devoured his lips more fiercely than when they had made love.

A moment later, she pulled her lips away with a look of regret.

Gazing at Pyo Wol with a deep look, Hong Ye-seol got up.

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

“By any chance, do you have any thoughts of going with me?”

Pyo Wol silently shook his head.

Hong Ye-seol asked again.

“Are you going with the Ghost King?”

“That’s the price for saving you.”

“You leave me with nothing to say. I understand.”

Hong Ye-seol gave up cleanly.

She knew that while she was stubborn, Pyo Wol was even more so.

Pyo Wol was a man who never looked back once he made a decision. The same was true for herself.

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

She was an assassin to the very marrow of her bones.

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

Hong Ye-seol tied her belt tightly.

“I’m leaving.”

“Alright!”

“See you again next time.”

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

Her presence grew distant and then disappeared completely.

Only then did Pyo Wol get up from the bed.

Perhaps because he was alone after being with someone, the room felt strangely empty. Pyo Wol considered even such feelings a luxury.

Pyo Wol threw on some clothes and went out to the inn’s backyard. There was a well in the inn’s backyard.

The innkeeper had set up a partition around the well so that guests could take off their clothes and wash.

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

Chwaaaahak!

The cold water drenched his entire body.

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

After finishing his bath, he returned to the inn’s dining hall and saw the Ghost King.

The moment he saw the Ghost King’s face, Pyo Wol felt a strange emotion.

The core might have changed, but his shell was that of Do Yeon-san.

The boy who had burned everything he had for the sake of revenge for his younger brother and parents.

That boy had become the Ghost King and was now accompanying him.

‘Is this also fate?’

They say that fate is unfathomable and one cannot dare to predict what lies even an inch ahead, and this was exactly that.

The Ghost King raised his head and looked at Pyo Wol.

“Has the woman left?”

“Yes!”

“Is it alright to send her off alone?”

“She’s a person who can take care of herself just fine.”

“Is that so?”

“Now, let’s talk.”

Pyo Wol sat down in front of the Ghost King.

The Ghost King stared blankly at Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol asked.

“You said you were looking for a path, right?”

“That’s right.”

“What’s at the final destination?”

“The origin. The origin that made me open my eyes is there.”

“That’s too broad. Any other explanation?”

The Ghost King shook his head and answered.

“I don’t remember.”

“How do you switch into another person’s body?”

“I don’t know. It’s just possible.”

“Possible? Is it possible for anyone?”

“No. I get a feeling from those who are compatible.”

“Are there many such people?”

“No! Almost none.”

“When you switch bodies, what happens to the previous memories?”

“They are diluted.”

“You mean they fade?”

“‘Muddled as they mix’ would be a more accurate expression. The memories of the previous body and the new body clash and get jumbled, and in the end, they become indistinguishable.”

“Is that happening now? Are your memories mixing with Yeon-san’s?”

“Yes.”

At the Ghost King’s answer, Pyo Wol furrowed his brow.

The more he talked with the Ghost King, the more it felt like all the common sense he had known until now was being denied. But with the evidence right before his eyes, he had no choice but to believe.

“In that case, 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 there were a great many stars.”

“And?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Nothing at all?”

“Nothing at all.”

“I need more information.”

At Pyo Wol’s words, the Ghost King pressed his lips together firmly.

It was an expression that said he couldn’t remember anything more.

Pyo Wol sensed that helping the Ghost King would be harder than he had thought.

No matter how great Pyo Wol’s ability to find paths was, he couldn’t display his full potential without sufficient information to back it up.

“This won’t be easy.”

“That’s why I’m asking you. You won’t give up, will you?”

“We made a deal, so I’ll keep my promise.”

“I’ll trust you.”

With those words, the Ghost King stood up from his seat and went to his room.

Left alone, Pyo Wol stared silently out the window.

Outside the window, darkness had already fallen thick and heavy.

The sight, where not even an inch ahead was visible, seemed like a preview of his own future. But Pyo Wol did not despair or give up.

No matter how arduous and difficult, a way out always exists.

It only feels difficult because it hasn’t been found yet; once the path is found, it often turns out to be no big deal.

Pyo Wol thought it would be the same this time.

It was then.

“Sir, what would you like for your meal?”

A stooped old man approached cautiously and asked.

The old man was the owner of the inn.

“I’ll eat, so bring it.”

“Understood.”

“Wait!”

“Yes?”

“Where is this place?”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“The name of the village.”

“It’s called White Pagoda Village.”

“White Pagoda Village?”

Pyo Wol tilted his head.

It was a name he had never heard before.

Having followed the Ghost King blindly, Pyo Wol did not know the exact location of this place.

The basis of all tracking begins with accurately recognizing one’s own location.

The name White Pagoda Village was of no help to him.

“What’s the biggest city nearby?”

“Ah, if you follow the road out of the village for half a day, you’ll reach a city called Qiyang.”

Qiyang was a city located in the southern part of Hunan Province.

It was about fifteen hundred li southwest of Poyang Lake, where he had been.

He was curious about the news from Poyang Lake, but it was impossible to hear any news of that place from White Pagoda Village.

‘I wonder what happened?’