Chapter 74

“I recalled asking about the events of this place last time, so I was strolling nearby… but I truly didn’t expect to meet you again like this.”

“Did you come looking for me?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, I was able to recover the Black Whip Staff. As a bonus, I was able to settle an old tie.”

Hwang Gae seemed to feel a considerable amount of gratitude toward Yerin, continuing his words with a very welcoming expression.

Unlike the occasional aura of a beggar emanating from him, his voice was permeated with heavy Inner Power.

‘Even if I play all my cards, I can’t guarantee a victory against an expert of the Flower Realm. If it hadn’t been Hwang Gae, I would have faced great difficulty.’

“Allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Hwang Gae, the Dragon Head Chief of the Beggar’s Clan. Though I am but a mere beggar, I do not forget the favors I have received, so I wish to give you a fitting reward.”

“A reward?”

“Yes. I could lend my strength to your journey to find that Heavenly Secret Manual or whatever it was you mentioned, or I could watch your backs so that useless scoundrels don’t swarm you like they do now. Tell me whatever it is you desire.”

After finishing his sentence, Hwang Gae cast his gaze toward Taewoon, who was standing a few steps beside Yerin.

Through the clash with the man in black, Hwang Gae had already recognized the extent of the power Taewoon possessed.

While Taewoon’s appearance seemed ordinary at a glance, he had sufficiently demonstrated that he possessed immense potential and strange abilities.

Taewoon pondered Hwang Gae’s proposal and exchanged a brief look with Yerin. This was because he felt that every single ally was crucial in unraveling the secret of this ‘Heavenly Secret Manual’ Theater.

‘If it’s Hwang Gae, he must have a wide network of connections, so we’ll be able to easily obtain information regarding both the orthodox and unorthodox factions.’

As if guessing his thoughts, Yerin also nodded and gave her answer to Hwang Gae.

“In that case… could you share our goal with us for the time being?”

Through the events of a short while ago, she had already built sufficient trust in Hwang Gae.

Furthermore, if he was indeed the Dragon Head Chief of the Beggar’s Clan, he would be a reliable companion even amidst the treacherous political climate.

“Of course. As for the rest of the story, it would probably be faster to ask over there first.”

Hwang Gae gave a short nod, looking toward the Divine Physician. There was a strange atmosphere between them, as if they were once acquaintances who had shared drinks together.

“You rascal, Jo. It’s been a long time.”

“You, on the other hand, still look like a beggar. Was it you who leaked word about this pit, after all?”

“That’s right. I heard the young lady over there is looking for the Heavenly Secret Manual or something, so I told her. Now, I should hear what happened after that today.”

As if the real main point was only just beginning, the Divine Physician let out a quiet sigh and recalled past memories.

Perhaps because of the request from an old friend, he didn’t seem inclined to refuse.

“Well, where should I begin…”

The Divine Physician’s explanation was far more concise than expected, and simultaneously, shocking. The scenery of that day, which he recalled nonchalantly, was clearly outside the boundaries of common sense as defined by the Martial World of the Central Plains.

“There were three of us gathered there that day: myself, the ‘Spear Ghost,’ and Ma Widong, who is called the Strange Machine Person.”

“Three people?”

When Yerin tilted her head in confusion, the Divine Physician nodded gently.

“We all happened to meet by chance while leisurely wandering the geography of the world. Then, we witnessed the sight of a star falling from the sky together.”

This part was the catalyst that brought the name ‘Heavenly Secret Manual’ to mind.

According to the Divine Physician, a mysterious chest of unknown origin remained at the place where the star had fallen.

“The three of us looked into it as if we had made a promise, but there was nothing that could be called a trace of a star. All that existed was a giant pit with a chest placed beside it, and three items contained within.”

The “gifts from heaven” referred to those three items.

It seemed that the Divine Physician and the other two had divided the items among themselves after a discussion.

“What I chose was this square-shaped Metal Plate. The other two didn’t covet it, thinking it was just a thick piece of iron, but I was more curious than they were.”

“….”

“Unfortunately, until now, through the passing years, I haven’t been able to uncover the slightest bit of what its identity is. However, my old intuition tells me that you all might be able to gauge it today.”

Then, the Divine Physician carefully pulled out a square plate that glowed with a slight bluish light from his robes.

At a glance, it looked like an unremarkable iron plate, but the material of the metal, the cross-section, and the fine patterns faintly engraved on the surface caught the eye.

‘…Something feels alien.’

As Taewoon focused his Magical Power to examine the Metal Plate closely, his pupils shook violently for a moment, revealing a flash of agitation.

“Th-this is not a Metal Plate.”

“Hmm? What do you mean by that?”

“If my thinking is correct, this is…”

At that moment, Taewoon felt a strange surge of nausea.

This was definitely not an object that should exist in the Martial World of the Central Plains, or in this era.

‘It’s not a pattern! A systematic circuit is regularly engraved here!’

It was something similar to a modern semiconductor, yet the level of technology was incomparably more advanced.

“…I can tell it’s a strange object, but what on earth is it that makes you react like that?”

“I don’t know its exact purpose. But the fact that the ‘technology’ to create such an object exists is the problem.”

‘Heavenly Secret Manual.’ Taewoon felt as if he could now roughly grasp the meaning of that term and the identity of this Theater.

‘Damn it…’

Yerin, who had been thinking deeply, also seemed to reach a conclusion; she covered her mouth and spoke with a hesitant air.

“Ah, in the advice, it was clearly mentioned.”

“Yes. The premise was wrong from the start. The genre of this Theater isn’t a simple Martial Arts Novel, but…”

SF.

At the very least, there was no doubt that something similar to that had been added.

“You said the person called the Spear Ghost and Ma Widong, the Strange Machine Person, took the other two items?”

“That is correct. I took this Metal Plate, the Strange Machine Person took a rather long cylindrical object, and finally, the Spear Ghost picked up a box containing a marble the size of a fist.”

“Do you happen to know where those two are staying?”

“Unfortunately, the Spear Ghost is famous for wandering aimlessly, so I have no way of knowing. However, the Strange Machine Person, Ma Widong, is a troublemaker who is unnecessarily conspicuous and famous for leaving his traces everywhere. If you inquire through Hwang Gae or the connections of the Beggar’s Clan, something might turn up.”

When Taewoon brightened at the unexpected possibility, Hwang Gae also nodded immediately, as if that much was not difficult.

‘I don’t know what the other objects that fell from the sky are…’

But one certain fact was that they had to find the Spear Ghost and the Strange Machine Person as quickly as possible.

The key clues toward the Conclusion of the Theater would surely be in their hands.

“….”

That night, Taewoon carefully slipped away from the group and opened a book he had been treasuring and hiding, beginning to read its contents.

‘Now that I’ve confirmed the essence of the Theater, there’s no point in worrying about the eyes of the orthodox factions or the Martial Alliance.’

His aptitude had already been verified by Biryeong, and although there were some risks, he needed to take them now.

Strangely, every time he turned a page, unknown knowledge and Heart’s Attainment began to overflow in Taewoon’s mind, and when he finished reading the book as if possessed, Taewoon realized that he had mastered all the basics of the Star Absorption Great Technique.

‘This is… the Star Absorption Great Technique.’

He wouldn’t be able to use it proficiently from the start, but if he continued to train, it would surely become another powerful card in his hand.

Firmly resolving himself for the future, Taewoon returned to his spot and stayed awake for another night.

Under the sunlight shimmering like a haze, a horse and a wolf were galloping side by side down the road.

The increasing weight of their footsteps was not merely due to the hot weather.

Taewoon and Yerin also instinctively felt that the things they had to face ahead would be by no means easy.

‘Still, we’ve gathered quite a few clues. Compared to the beginning, our situation is much better.’

Lost in thought, Taewoon let out a faint sigh while touching the Metal Plate wrapped tightly in cloth.

“It’s a shame… it would have been nice if the Elder Divine Physician could have joined us. But from here on, it’s entirely up to us.”

Unfortunately, the Divine Physician could not join them as he had patients to care for, but instead, he gave the two of them the Metal Plate, one of the key clues.

Regardless of what its identity was, there was no harm in having it for now.

“What do we do now?”

“I’ve given a heads-up to a few branch chiefs, so they’ll gather information soon. Don’t worry too much.”

Hwang Gae, answering Yerin, gave a nonchalant, hearty smile.

“My words might sound like mere chatter, but whenever a few men gather, there are always those who get carried away by their temperament and try to cause a great commotion. That scoundrel Ma Widong is the prime example, so at a time when the entire Central Plains is shaking like this, he will inevitably raise his head and reveal himself.”

“You mean if we don’t rush and wait for the right moment, an opportunity will come?”

Hwang Gae nodded at Yerin’s words.

The current state of the Martial World was becoming extremely unstable. Even giant sects like the Iron Martial Union and Kunlun were growling at each other, in a phase where it was unknown when they would enter a full-scale war.

The Strange Machine Person is someone who doesn’t just welcome such chaos, but is obsessed with it.

Therefore, they concluded that if they wanted to chase him, it would actually be faster to head toward the heart of the intensifying conflict.

“This should be about right; we’re almost at the meeting point.”

Before long, the three arrived at a street in Chu Xiong to meet the branch members of the Beggar’s Clan.

Glancing around, a few members of the Beggar’s Clan, who looked like beggars in charge of luggage, had come out to greet them.

They approached, smelling foul, and immediately reported the collected news to Hwang Gae, who then beckoned Taewoon’s group to stop.

“They say a trace of the Strange Machine Person was captured in Gan De. They said it was quite peculiar, seeing someone wearing a characteristic cloak with pieces of iron plastered all over… wouldn’t that be the person in question?”

No matter how wide the Martial World of the Central Plains was, there couldn’t be two such eccentric beings in the world.

At the finally discovered new clue, the eyes of Taewoon and Yerin began to shine.