Chapter 88

Hwang Gae announced his presence first with a light cough.

“Ahem, you rascal Honggi. It has been a long time.”

“…Hwang Gae? What brings you here so suddenly?”

Jo Honggi stopped his hands from treating the patient and slowly looked up. After staring at Hwang Gae in bewilderment for a moment, a look of gladness appeared in his eyes.

“Please wait a moment until the treatment is finished.”

“I understand. I was worried that something might have happened, but it seems you are still preoccupied with caring for people.”

“I am always like this. When there are those in pain, is a physician still a physician if he does not see his patients?”

Though Jo Honggi grumbled, his hands continued to feel the patient’s pulse.

After confirming that the patient’s complexion was gradually returning to normal, Jo Honggi took a small breath and gestured toward the patient’s family.

“This should be enough. Give them the medicine daily and let us check the progress again in nine days.”

“Thank you, Elder!”

After leaving the house, Jo Honggi looked at the two of them again and smiled softly.

“Ark Leader Hwang, go ahead and introduce her. Who is the young lady beside you?”

“This is Lady Yerin of the Wudang Sect. I owe her a personal debt, so I am accompanying her to provide assistance.”

“Of Wudang… I see.”

Jo Honggi looked at Yerin slowly, then nodded with a smile.

“So, what is it that you are curious about that brought you to me?”

“It seems this child is looking for objects from beyond the heavens. She is interested in the story you told before regarding the chest that fell from the sky.”

Since it was something she had already experienced once, it wasn’t very difficult to get the Divine Physician to bring up the story of that day.

“Those gathered there that day were myself, the ‘Spear Ghost,’ and Ma Widong, who is called the ‘Strange Machine Person’—three people in total…”

Once the conversation ended, in a flow similar to before, Yerin received the rectangular Metal Plate from the Divine Physician.

With this, they had successfully completed their respective missions, and it felt as though they could finally take a breather.

“Well then, travel safely.”

“I shall visit again when I have time. You, on the other hand, live a long and healthy life, you rascal.”

That evening, as Yerin set out once more, she felt the cold, smooth texture of the Metal Plate tucked inside her clothes with her fingertips, quietly catching her breath with complex emotions.

The strange pressure emanating from that Strange Object likely wasn’t due to the mere weight of a piece of iron.

Walking beside her, Hwang Gae lightly stroked his beard and nodded.

“Indeed, I am glad that rascal Jo Honggi is doing well without any trouble. Whether it is because he calls himself a physician or not, he is a fellow who never cares for his own body, so I couldn’t help but worry.”

“I can certainly tell that you two are very old friends. The Divine Physician’s expression brightened the moment you appeared, Elder.”

As Yerin added with a light smile, Hwang Gae lifted the corners of his mouth, looking satisfied.

“Haha, did it look that way? Still, seeing him wander all over the Central Plains his whole life caring for patients is just so frustrating. I told him he should rather join the Beggar’s Clan and settle down…”

Unlike his rough tone of complaint, Hwang Gae’s words were imbued with deep understanding and affection for his old friend.

Yerin smiled slightly and looked around. The small village near Mount Bongryeong was still peaceful, and under the evening glow, warm lights were being lit one by one in every house.

“With this, the second…”

“Hmm? Did you say something?”

“Grandfather, would it be alright if I brought up something a bit serious?”

“Yes. Speak.”

According to the agreement she had made with Taewoon beforehand, she decided that in this 2nd Cycle, she would share minimal information with helpers like Hwang Gae.

She believed that doing so would allow her to obtain more reliable help.

“You might have felt it too, Grandfather, but this Metal Plate is by no means an ordinary object. If handled incorrectly, it might shake the Central Plains or change the fate of the entire Martial World.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“My companions and I have a clear purpose. And to achieve that, we absolutely need your strength, Grandfather.”

As if she were saying something obvious, Hwang Gae burst into a hearty laugh and patted Yerin on the shoulder.

“You are stating the obvious. Since I have decided to accompany you out of gratitude, there is no way I would abandon you halfway, so do not worry. Besides, finding out the secret of the objects that fell from the sky—it wouldn’t be bad to enjoy an adventure once more at my age.”

At Hwang Gae’s calm voice, Yerin let out an awkward laugh.

It was because she lacked confidence in how he would receive the words she was about to utter.

“Actually… I already had some information regarding the three objects that fell from the sky. Right now, my companions are likely searching for the traces of the Spear Ghost Elder.”

“Is that true?”

“Yes. We intend to gather all three Strange Objects in one place to uncover their secret. So, from now on, would you be willing to go with me to meet the other two Elders?”

Hwang Gae seemed to think for a moment, then nodded without hesitation.

“I noticed you were no ordinary person from the moment you returned the Black Whip Staff to me. Do not worry. Regardless of the reason, I will help you.”

At Hwang Gae’s confident voice, Yerin smiled lightly again. The fact that he trusted her completely was incredibly reassuring.

It was at that moment.

Suddenly, Hwang Gae’s smile vanished, his face hardened, and he began to shift his gaze toward one spot.

“Elder, is something wrong?”

“Shh.”

Hwang Gae gestured and placed a finger to his lips. Then, with a sharp gaze, he began to closely monitor a Presence beyond the forest.

Yerin also immediately drew up her Magical Power and remained alert to her surroundings.

Along with a faint rustling sound from the brush, a shadow quickly revealed itself.

The person who appeared under the chilly moonlight was a man wearing a long black robe, holding a long sword at an angle. His gaze was fierce and sharp, and the surrounding air turned cold as if it had become an edge.

Yerin instinctively realized that this person’s level was by no means trivial.

‘Scouter!’

▶【Scouter: ★★★】【Remaining Time / 03:47】

• For today, you possess the magical eyes that penetrate the essence of living beings. You can view the danger of all living creatures in your sight converted into numerical values!

【Threat Level – 876】

“Gasp!”

The Scouter—the ability for today obtained by using Yerin’s Trait, Random Roulette.

Although she hadn’t used it on many people, considering that Hwang Gae’s value had barely exceeded 1,000 points, it was correct to view the man’s realm as being on a similar level.

“Who are you? For what purpose have you been following us?”

“…A message from the Divine Sect. If you wish to meet a man named Taewoon, you are told to head toward Jinzhou as you are.”

“Huh? The Divine Sect?”

“I have delivered the message clearly. Hear the detailed story in person when you meet.”

As soon as the man finished speaking, he turned around and vanished into the forest.

His Presence receded instantly, as if he had never existed there from the start.

Hwang Gae sighed and looked quietly at Yerin.

“If it is Taewoon, then it is the name of your companion. Somehow, things are becoming increasingly complicated.”

Yerin was lost in deep thought, her slender eyebrows furrowed. Complex emotions flickered subtly across her clear eyes.

Breaking the brief silence, Yerin quietly opened her lips.

“He didn’t… look like he was lying, right?”

“However, the possibility that it is someone’s scheme cannot be ruled out. What will you do?”

At Hwang Gae’s question, Yerin nodded without hesitation.

“Let’s go. Even if we just stay here worrying, the situation won’t improve on its own.”

“I understand. Let us do so then.”

Hwang Gae let out a small cough and then carefully stepped forward.

After being lost in thought for a moment, Yerin steeled her heart and began to walk behind Hwang Gae.

And while walking for a while, she suddenly felt an intense sense of dissonance from the corner of her vision.

‘Huh…’

It was as if something like black ink was blocking her vision and hindering her steps. Unable to bear it, Yerin instinctively turned her head, and the identity of the dissonance disturbing her sight revealed itself clearly.

“What is the matter?”

“Uh, uh…”

What was fluctuating dizzily and capturing Yerin’s gaze were none other than numerical values drawn in light.

Because she had not retracted the power after using it on the Martial Artist of the Divine Sect, the still-active ‘Scouter’ ability was incessantly measuring something before her eyes.

‘What is this? Where on earth…’

As her suspicion deepened, Yerin held her breath and stared intently at the numbers.

Eventually, where her gaze landed was not a person or a beast, but the inside of the bundle containing the Metal Plate.

【Threat Level – 28,324】

Feeling a sudden chill, Yerin threw the bundle away and stepped back with a look of horror.

‘What is this… this makes no sense.’

28,324 points. It was a value that lacked any sense of reality.

Even Hwang Gae, a pillar of the Central Plains’ Martial World who was a Martial Artist of the Flower Realm and the Ark Leader of the Beggar’s Clan, had only barely exceeded 1,000 points; he had not shown such an overwhelming value.

An unknown shiver ran down Yerin’s spine at the sight that was too difficult to accept as reality.

“…What on earth is happening?”

When Hwang Gae looked back at Yerin with a puzzled expression, Yerin hurriedly hid her pale face and mumbled vaguely.

“O-oh, it’s nothing. A bug suddenly popped out, so I was just…”

If Yerin’s understanding was correct, the Scouter was definitely an ability that operated on ‘life,’ not objects.

That meant only one thing.

“M-my god…”

The identity of the Metal Plate was a living organism. And one with a monstrously high threat level!

‘….’

For some reason, worry and anxiety surged up from beneath her feet like a shadow.

She didn’t know exactly what it was, but if possible, she had to inform Taewoon of this strange and ominous truth as soon as possible.

It was the moment her steps toward Jinzhou to meet Taewoon began to grow even more urgent.