Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Proof (3)

Along with the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s flute sound fleeing beyond the open window the bizarre things move.

As if teleporting, faster than blinking those that charged covered me from all sides.

‘Ordinary people would not know what hit them it is that fast.’

The movements of reaching hands and teeth, blades, nails, hair and the like are clearly visible.

Consciousness accelerates and in the compressed time I extended a hand for the first time.

‘Because not human the lower limit of suppression cannot be known, so I will not place mercy in the hand techniques.’

I drive a fist into the head of the dog trying to bite me and crush the skull. Flicking the bone fragments inside the flesh scattering in all directions with a finger and blowing internal energy in, it flies like a bullet and pierces the eye of a giant snake and bursts the back of the head.

Grasping the long hair being entangled and pulling hard the ghost’s head is pulled out. Swinging that like an iron mace and matching the dwarf swinging a dagger sends it flying and it falls with the sound of bones breaking.

Surprise spread on the expressions of the ghosts and yokai. Putting strength into the thigh in a cross-legged position I bounce off the floor and float the body in the air.

I twist the body and dodge the attacks of the ones only now about to reach by a hair’s breadth. I strike the neck of the spider human with eight limbs with a hand blade, and kick away with both feet the one with a child’s body and only the face of an old man and the one with the mouth torn to the ears.

“Is it the end?”

Checking the surroundings upon returning to the floor again, no living yokai or ghosts remained.

“Looking with such eyes is burdensome.”

The Provincial Administration Commissioner too.

The black-clothed people too.

All pupils shake as if an earthquake occurred.

“Are you ready to converse again now?”

The response was replaced by the flute sound.

The dead ghosts and yokai turned to dust and gathered into one, forming the shape of one giant ghost.

『Joy when shared becomes double, so the world also becomes a favorable wind to my joy and seems about to fly away.』

The disheveled ghost looks at me and smiles contentedly.

The surrounding energy fluttering like wind and covering is unusual so I struck it all out with a hand blade concentrating internal power.

‘Heavy and sharp. There is no separate invisible sword.’

The ghost’s face turns to the side.

The face that heated red glares at me with reddened eyes.

『Anger the more it is harbored the more it burns, so the world also becomes karmic fire to my anger and swallows itself.』

The surrounding energy becomes a fire demon and covers me.

Concentrating internal power on the raised nails and swinging the flame tears to shreds and goes out.

『Sorrow the more it piles the deeper it becomes, so the world also becomes a vast sea to my sorrow and the bottom is not visible.』

The face that turned again sheds tears and glares at me.

The surrounding energy changed to water and confined me, and shouting containing internal power it lost form and scattered.

『Pleasure the more it stays the more it fills, so the world also becomes thick earth to my pleasure and embraces all things.』

The face that turned once more smiles brightly.

The surrounding energy changed to soil and tried to bury me so striking with a fist concentrating internal power the pile of soil collapsed.

“...”

The flute sound that was blowing again stops. The silence that settled again deepened further, now quiet enough that even the sound of swallowing saliva could be heard.

‘Was it a bit much?’

I expected it but at the gaze as if looking at a monster one corner of the heart stings and there is nothing that can be done.

“Even so... can you claim that you are human?”

The Provincial Administration Commissioner asked in a trembling voice.

“That is not human power. Cutting what cannot be cut, breaking what cannot be broken—how is that human power!”

Accordingly I said boldly.

“Then I will ask, how do you think you all appear in the eyes of ordinary people?”

“...”

“In their eyes you all are also not human. How can an ordinary human handle ghosts and yokai and manipulate energy and make a person’s body heavy.”

The important thing is not power.

“However, no matter how bizarre an ability is handled if one thinks of oneself as human and does not violate human principles I think of them as human.”

Even saying this the wariness was not released so I continued.

“Well, even among the same humans harming each other is human nature so I will not ask to believe right away. Nevertheless one thought I hope you give is, if a tiger in front of a human trying to harm itself sits still and only strikes away the swinging weapon this is wanting conversation, and please know that it is by no means an object to fear.”

And I slightly leaked killing intent.

“Even though the nape could be bitten at any time.”

Hearing the sound of some black-clothed people flinching and retreating I withdrew the killing intent again.

“I highly evaluate the Heavenly Net. Even though ignoring and looking down on humans without spiritual power, how can one disparage those who do not hesitate to sacrifice for such people and wish for the peace of under heaven and work day and night.”

The atmosphere seeming to become a bit strange, I smiled and asked.

“Even now is it not so? The ones who used a scheme and fell me into a trap openly reveal their forms and confront without retreating in one room? It seems like saying please kill me, is there a technique that lays a curse at the cost of life?”

Finally the Provincial Administration Commissioner lowered the flute.

“There is a strange force and turbulent spirit sealed underground. I will only say it is a curse to kill you. Looking at the current situation it seems to have failed.”

“Terrifying.”

“Yes, I acknowledge. You are human. However you possess power that is not human-like, so I cannot help but be wary of you.”

“That is, I have been pondering since before anticipating how trust can be obtained. So I will ask lastly is there a strange force and turbulent spirit you wish to deal with?”

Rising from the seat I stretched my waist and loosened the body.

“Eliminating that, I will prove my innocence.”

* * *

Early morning, the Provincial Administration Commissioner who finished organizing the room that had become a mess with subordinates looked out the window.

‘The sunrise is beautiful.’

Because it was a scene thought impossible to see again until a few shichen ago it was even more valuable.

“Righteousness Rank General, is it really okay to send him like this?”

“Then what to do? Shall we go block even now?”

“No, that is...”

The Provincial Administration Commissioner understood and accepted the subordinate’s attitude that would normally have been rebuked.

“I also know. That by informing him of information I violated a taboo. However did you not see? That power we cannot do anything about?”

“But precisely because of that even at the cost of life!”

“There is no need to do so. I accepted his proposal for three reasons.”

The Provincial Administration Commissioner raised three fingers.

Because it is a frequent matter the subordinate showed no particular reaction.

“First, if he deals with a strange force and turbulent spirit that we have not dealt with, information extremely scarce and dangerous, that alone is sufficient.”

With this matter several precious strange forces and turbulent spirits disappeared, but if Lee Shin deals with ‘that place’ it can be lost as much as wanted.

“Second, if he cannot deal with it and dies there, a frightening power that cannot be controlled disappears so it is a matter to be relieved.”

That place is a place where numerous Heavenly Net agents lost their lives.

Even dispatching while giving special-grade tools and strange forces and turbulent spirits lives were lost, so considering the insufficient information and danger raising to Heaven-grade would not be strange.

“Third, if he has the ability to resolve that place, and it is proven to some extent by this matter that he is on the side of humanity that alone is a great benefit under heaven.”

“But he is a person who cannot be accepted into the Heavenly Net. If his words are true does it not mean that even now the one who severs the way and disorders the world is watching from somewhere?”

“If knowing the fact that the Three Disasters are watching the superiors would have a fit.”

Probably if saying Lee Shin comes to the Heavenly Net’s main office would they not try hard to block?

‘When reporting this matter, the appearance of the superiors fainting is imagined.’

Will he succeed?

If succeeding...

‘At that time I will escort not with a trap but with sincerity.’

* * *

『Gyaaak! To dare inflict harm on this seat! The impudence pierces the heavens!』

On the way to the region heard from the Provincial Administration Commissioner, the Three-legged Crow burst with anger.

“How many times already. Forget it.”

『Even though knowing this seat’s preciousness did they not try to kill this seat together!』

“Yes, yes, I understand so calm down.”

Soothing the Three-legged Crow I boarded the boat path. Fortunately the Provincial Administration Commissioner granted my request to continue carrying the Three-legged Crow around.

-The spell that bound it has been released, and the materials needed for that spell can no longer be obtained so we cannot handle the Three-legged Crow.

Closer to releasing than to the side that granted.

“But you, didn’t you know those people were the Heavenly Net?”

『They disguised energy as extremely ordinary people so I did not know!』

“It was not particularly disguised so why didn’t you know? It was the same Heavenly Net? Didn’t you familiarize with faces at least?”

『Does the boss memorize and go around the faces of all passing people! This seat was always dragged around like a tool, so only knows the faces of humans who used this seat as a tool.』

Riding the boat path five days passed and arrived at Hangseong County of Henan.

“If Suri Mountain then it is that mountain visible over there.”

“The mountain terrain is rugged and complex so it is a dangerous mountain. Every year herbalists and hunters die or go missing there.”

The same content as heard from the Provincial Administration Commissioner.

-Somewhere on the cliff of Suri Mountain there is a path leading to an unnamed ruin. If dealing with the problem there I will believe you.

They say, the Heavenly Net that found the frequent disappearances of herbalists strange searched Suri Mountain and found the ruin.

‘A ruin where no one who entered has come out.’

No one has come out yet how do you know it is a ruin to the question they say if seeing directly one can know.

‘This, is it something that can be resolved with force?’

If entering the ruin and going around breaking as pleased with force won’t the ruin collapse and bury?

‘Strange forces and turbulent spirits do not need to be resolved with force. Just find the weakness.’

Just as even a powerful strange force and turbulent spirit like the Child-Luring Ghost had a weakness, the strange force and turbulent spirit here will also have a weakness.

『All strange forces and turbulent spirits from Human-grade to above Earth-grade recorded by the Heavenly Net had one or more weaknesses so the strange force and turbulent spirit here will not be different.』

“What is your weakness?”

『This seat has no weakness!』

Trying to find this out I went around asking villagers ghost stories or legends, but there was nothing other than obvious stories that could be heard anywhere.

“Cool hyung! Play with us!”

“Isn’t it a pretty unnie?”

“Pretty hyung! Let’s play hide-and-seek!”

It didn’t come out even when the Heavenly Net investigated so would it come out for me.

Still just in case after investigating for a few days, I ended up drawing the interest of the neighborhood children and playing with them.

‘Reminds me of the hometown kids and it’s nice.’

With a just-in-case mind I also asked the children.

“Do you all know any legends or ghost stories about Suri Mountain?”

“I know! Mom said if you whistle in the mountain a snake comes out!”

“They said if you go to the mountain late at night a ghost takes you!”

The children of this neighborhood liking these kinds of stories is the same.

Soon stopping hide-and-seek they poured out various stories.

“You must not put snacks under the blanket! The mold ghost eats them all!”

“They said if you lie down right after eating you become a cow so I lay down but stayed the same! I wanted to become a cool cow!”

“I am the tickle yokai! I will tickle you! Hehe!”

Then, one child told a story.

“Did you know? In Suri Mountain there is a hideout of the persecuted?”

“What is that?”

“It is a hideout built when people who made the whole world their enemy were still strong. There are very many sparkling treasures there, but now one cannot enter.”

“Why!?”

“Treasure!”

The children’s interest gathered.

“They hid there but in the end all died. Those who died resentfully could not attain Buddhahood and became resentful spirits and even now sometimes draw people in.”

“Hieek! R-really!?”

“Don’t worry. At first the resentment was strong so even distant enemies were drawn in, but now having lost themselves the power does not reach well to the outside. At best a level of bewitching four or five people a year?”

“I-if bewitched what happens!”

The setting sun casts a long shadow.

“You enter inside and can never come out again. And suffer forever.”

“S-scary!”

“Really pitiful, right? Now everyone has forgotten, and there is no one to soothe the souls.”

Somewhere a sense of déjà vu arises.

“I hope someone soothes them.”

The sun completely set and the children also returned home.

Remaining alone and thinking, I laughed without knowing.

“Wasn’t it the Child-Luring Ghost?”