Ma Taryong, who ranked second among the Seven Messengers.
If Seol-Hwi was offered a better position because he did unexpected things during his fight with Seo Mugwi, then he would have to do something even more than that.
Be it as a subordinate or something else, having Ma Taryong with him would help Seol-Hwi in the future.
“But, is it even possible for a member of the Seven Messengers to be my subordinate?”
It was something Seol-Hwi wasn’t too sure of, because he had never heard of such a thing happening in the Sect. Still, he thought it could be possible.
Seol-Hwi decided to leave this matter for later, and opened his toolbox.
There was still time until morning, so he wanted to check the rewards he earned from his fight. In particular, the prize that had intrigued him when he first saw it.
Seol-Hwi took out a golden belt, and placed it on the desk.
The appearance of the belt itself wasn’t too flashy. It was a soft golden color, with hints of jade. At first glance, it looked to be made of some kind of leather.
Seol-Hwi pondered for a while on how to use the belt.
“Do I tie it like this?”
He wrapped the belt around his waist. The belt was more comfortable than Seol-Hwi thought. As if it was made to fit his body right from the start, it didn’t feel too tight, nor did it slide down.
Huh…?
But most of all, it was the text which appeared in front of him that shocked Seol-Hwi.
<Insert a pill or potion into the empty spaces.> [Empty] [Empty] [Empty] [Empty] <Note: During battle, you can immediately use items that you've stored in your belt.>
Seol-Hwi quickly took out two of the other prizes he had received, from his toolbox.
South Pole Alchemy Pill * Description: The seed of a flower which overcame the cold for hundreds of years, in an iceberg at the end of the South Sea. * Effect: Increases health by 100,000. Sixty Year Holy Water * Description: Sacred water flowing from within the deepest canyons, untouched by humans. * Effect: Increases internal energy by 100,000.
Seol-Hwi placed both items into the belt’s empty spaces.
“…!”
[Alchemy Pill] [Holy Water] [Empty] [Empty]
“This is…!”
It was similar to when he’d store and take out things from the toolbox during fights.
“Immediate recovery…”
Only then did Seol-Hwi grasp the full functionality of this golden belt.
It was equipment that made it easier to use such items in battle, without having to open the toolbox. Seol-Hwi could immediately replenish his health or internal energy after he lost them.
Depending on how Seol-Hwi uses this belt, it could turn a difficult situation around.
Before Seol-Hwi laid down in bed, he put his Windwalker Demon Sword into the toolbox. This was to prepare for an extreme situation such as death.
<Do you want to save?> □ 95th Heavenly Year. Chapter 2-1. Three lives presented by the Earth Demon. ■ 98th Heavenly Year. Last week of 1st month. Completed warrior training (Geum Man-jung's trust). □ 95th Heavenly Year. Chapter 8-3. 1st year of Bonus Story.
Seol-Hwi saved to the second of the three options. Now, only one month remained to set a schedule for.
<98th Heavenly Year, the last day of the 7th month.> [Geum Man-jung] “Greetings! At this time, we have a lot of products in stock. What would you like to purchase?”
As soon as morning came, Seol-Hwi was met with the sight of the system’s Geum Man-jung.
[Pills and Potions] * Sweet Nectar Water (+15 million health) - 500G * Heaven and Earth Snow Leaf (+15 million internal energy) - 1000G * Taixiyuan Fire Spirit (+20 million health/internal energy) - 1500G * Ten Thousand Year Pill (+50 million health/internal energy) - 2000G
This is…
When Seol-Hwi looked at the product list, he thought it was strange.
If he bought these items, he would end up spending all of the 5000G he won from his fight with Seo Mugwi.
Just like with the Divine Weapons, it was so precise that it felt purposeful.
Still, it would be better to buy them all.
Seol-Hwi shook his momentary thoughts away. For his subordinates, he needed to buy whatever was in the shop now, not later.
[Geum Man-jung] “You have made a great decision! These are items which are very hard to find.”
Geum Man-jung vanished after saying these words.
“Alright, let’s put them away…”
Seol-Hwi placed the pill and holy water from the previous night into the toolbox, and the things he just bought into the golden belt.
[Snow Leaf] [Fire Spirit] [Ten Thousand Year Pill] [Sweet Nectar Water]
“These will be very useful when the time comes.”
Seol-Hwi looked away and focused on his next task.
<Please set the schedule for the 8th month of the 98th Heavenly Year (36/36)> ▷ Perform missions with subordinates [Receive Earth Demon’s mission] ▷ Schedule for subordinates ▶ Receive mission <You have selected ’Receive mission’.> <Would you like to receive a mission from Heukgu?> <Will you move with your subordinates?> ▶ Yes ▷ No
Seol-Hwi selected yes, and bright light swallowed his surroundings.
[Heukgu] “I heard the news! You defeated one of the Seven Messengers in the competition held by the Earth Demon? That is amazing!”
The first thing Heukgu did was heap praise on Seol-Hwi. However, his tone soon became more serious as he discussed the mission.
[Heukgu] “The Detention Corps is a place where Kangshi are made. Usually, those who make Kangshi use corpses, but they have been trying out crazy means on people who were still alive. But a little while ago, we received a notice from them that a huge problem had occurred.”
The Detention Corps - although it was usually directed by a group called the Guidance Unit, it was known to be an independent research facility which didn’t like interference from others in the Sect.
“By huge problem, do you mean…”
[Heukgu] “It means that some of the 'soulless people' who were made are refusing to follow orders. It's a situation in which the ones with strong instincts are running wild. The problem is that those runaways affect not just the ones around them, but the Kangshi too.”
“Then what can we do?”
[Heukgu] “Destroy the ones which cannot be controlled. These are the ones who were first rate warriors when they were alive, so they will be strong. The Detention Corps have sent in a request to others as well. However, since we are the closest to them right now, we were asked to respond first.”
“I understand.”
[Heukgu] “Good. The location is not too far away.”
Bright light flashed in front of Seol-Hwi’s eyes, and his surroundings changed again. Before he knew it, Seol-Hwi was already with his subordinates.
“Captain, do you think it’s that place over there?”
As they walked further, one of his men pointed at it. Strange buildings entered Seol-Hwi’s sight.
An old man and a child were waiting near what appeared to be the entrance to this area.
The unknown symbols drawn on their clothes attracted people’s attention.
“Where are you from?”
“Hidden Truth. We’re here because there was a call for help.”
“Oh, thank you. I have urgently sent the request to various parts of the Sect, but I haven’t heard back from anyone else.”
The old man’s face was turning red. Meanwhile, the child next to him spoke in a concerned voice.
“Are there only six of you?”
“Yes.”
“Ah…”
After hearing this, the old man’s face stiffened.
“What is it?”
Seeing his reaction, Jeok Song asked him.
“That…”
The old man relaxed his expression, as he explained,
“It’s just that the situation is getting more and more dangerous. The ‘soulless people’ are running wild. We are using the Nine Ghosts Illusion Circle to keep them from coming out, but it won’t be able to hold them for very long.”
Yorim hurriedly questioned the old man,
“Isn’t that the high level Circle that can bind the hands and feet of anyone? And even that cannot stop them?”
The old man answered,
“The ‘soulless people’ which were made are too strong. And they seem to be able to use martial arts.”
“What?!”
“This is…!”
“Ah!”
All of Seol-Hwi’s subordinates were shocked by the news. Seol-Hwi himself didn’t express it outwardly, but on the inside, he was surprised as well.
The old man waved his hands.
“Don’t listen too much to this old man. Perhaps I didn’t see it correctly. However, if I did, the one who uses it will be the greatest threat, and there are eight ‘soulless people’ in total…”
So this was why the old man was looking behind them to check if more reinforcements were coming.
The situation was much more serious than what even Heukgu described.
This fight didn’t seem favorable to them so far. Moreover, their opponents were ‘soulless people’, stronger than regular Kangshi. 1
Their stamina was endless, and Seol-Hwi couldn’t even begin to guess the effects on their bodies because of the methods which were used to create them.
This was the reason why the Second Disciple of the Heavenly Demon took people who could control Kangshi and such under his command, in the struggle for dominance within the Sect.
Hold on, is that…?
Seol-Hwi saw something which he had missed before.
There was text floating above the child’s head.
Accept mission for <Turn-Based Lv2>
Turn based Lv2?
Seol-Hwi knew what this meant.
‘Lv2’, such a thing appeared after Simulation and AI as well. The Simulation became much more useful after it.
But how do I get that?
Seol-Hwi wasn’t sure what ‘mission’ he should accept.
This was resolved easily, not by Seol-Hwi, but someone else.
“I am Imugi, a disciple of Captain Seol-Hwi. Old man, we will do our best to stop it.”
“Disciple…? Oh, you will?”
“Don’t worry. The person here right now is the strongest captain in the Hidden Truth. Before others come, we can solve this by ourselves.”
“I-Is that so! Then, thank you!”
The old man immediately bowed deeply at Imugi’s words.
<You have received the mission.> <Turn-Based upgraded to Lv2.> <Turn-Based Lv2 now in effect.> <You can measure the damage of yourself and the opponent.> <When your subordinates experience a crisis, you temporarily become one with their body. > <The ability of mind reading will improve further.>
What is this…?
“Captain! Let’s go!”
Seeing his subordinates who had already gone to take action, Seol-Hwi had to move with them.
