The Martial Genius Who Remembers Everything Novel - Chapter 170

Chapter 170
## Chapter 170. A Sea of Blood Spreading through Sichuan (6)

The contingent from the Victory Tiger Hall, accompanying Jin So-un’s group, at last made their entrance into Chengdu.

Upon arrival, the Victory Tiger Hall along with the Twelve Peak Citadels and the rest of the martial artists immediately dispersed to find rest and recuperate from their journey.

Yet, this luxury of rest was not granted to every individual present.

Nam Hwa-seong, finding himself excluded from those permitted to relax, exploded in a fit of rage.

“What on earth do you mean by that!”

Nam Hwa-seong’s features contorted into a mask of pure fury.

He had anticipated a brief period of respite upon reaching Chengdu, so when Jin So-un casually declared that their departure would be instantaneous, a wave of bitter resentment welled up inside him.

“The members of the Victory Tiger Hall and all the other groups are being given at least half a day to recover before pushing onward. Why must we be the sole individuals forced to march ahead without pause!”

Jin So-un replied with complete nonchalance, as if the matter were of no consequence.

“Our objective requires us to keep pace with the leading vanguard. Do you truly believe we have the luxury of wasting time on rest?”

Nam Hwa-seong’s lips quivered with indignation, but Jin So-un merely gave a dismissive shrug of his shoulders.

“Are you dissatisfied? If this displeases you, you are free to turn back.”

That detestable wretch never missed an opportunity to utter those infuriating words, telling him to turn back.

He was undoubtedly speaking with the full awareness that Nam Hwa-seong could not possibly abandon the mission and return on his own while the rest of his comrades from the Twelve Peak Citadels remained committed here.

“……If my body gives out from moving at such a relentless pace.”

Hearing the uncharacteristic gravity in Nam Hwa-seong’s voice, Jin So-un tilted his chin upward slightly.

“Is a disciple like Nam Hwa-seong of the Three Origins Sect truly so fragile?”

“……Confound you.”

“Are you coming with me, or are you staying behind?”

If he were to act solely on his impulses, he would have abandoned this entire endeavor on the spot and made his way back to the academy.

However, circumstances forbade it.

The previous evening, upon discovering that Nam Hwa-seong was designated to travel alongside Jin So-un, Cheol Sun-jik had covertly transmitted a message directly into his mind.

-Observe his every action and technique with absolute scrutiny. This unfolding situation will ultimately serve to place him in bindings.

Nam Hwa-seong remained ignorant of the specific scheme Cheol Sun-jik was concocting, but it was bound to yield a highly advantageous outcome for the Twelve Peak Citadels.

For that sole reason, he had no choice but to swallow his pride and comply.

“Lead on then!”

Watching Jin So-un guide his mount forward with a subtle smirk playing on his lips, Nam Hwa-seong ground his teeth together in silence.

‘You cannot possibly be completely fine; you must be nearing your limit as well.’

He vowed to persevere through the grueling journey and thoroughly humiliate Jin So-un before it was over.

While he might not surpass others in the mastery of internal cultivation arts, he possessed an unwavering confidence in his sheer physical endurance, having never been bested in that regard.

Though Cheol Sun-jik had instructed him to watch closely, his personal desire to shatter that arrogant bastard’s conceit just once far outweighed the mission.

—

Even after exiting the gates of Chengdu and transitioning onto the primary thoroughfare bound for Badang, Jin So-un maintained a fierce pace for hours on end, showing not the slightest hint of fatigue.

Feeling a burning sensation in his lower body as if his flesh were being rubbed completely raw by the saddle, Nam Hwa-seong finally lost his patience and spoke up once more.

“……Listen, do you have absolutely no intention of halting for a break?”

“Have you exhausted your strength already?”

Did he truly have to phrase his response in such a deliberately mocking manner……!

At Jin So-un’s words, which felt like a deliberate assault on his nerves, Nam Hwa-seong’s eyebrows knit together tightly.

“If we persist in pushing forward at this velocity, we will inevitably collapse from exhaustion before long!”

“My stamina will not fail me.”

“Then at the very least, reduce our speed. The surrounding territory is known to be infested with Green Forest Strongholds!”

The route linking Chengdu to Badang served as a branch of the primary highway heading into Tibet.

Because this path was constantly traversed by wealthy merchant caravans originating from both the Central Plains and the Western Regions, it was only logical that established Green Forest Strongholds, rather than petty bandit camps, dominated the region.

Nevertheless, not a single glimmer of apprehension manifested on So-un’s features.

“Save your breath. I possess a method to bypass them entirely.”

“……Have you completely lost your senses? Are you suggesting we can effortlessly slip past three distinct Green Forest Strongholds that are openly monitoring the main highway?”

Nam Hwa-seong could scarcely credit what he was hearing.

The bandits of the Green Forest Strongholds were notorious for their obsessive vigilance regarding transit taxes.

They harbored far greater malice toward the wealth that managed to slip past them than appreciation for the coins they actually managed to extort.

“Nam Hwa-seong, what was the explicit condition I laid out prior to our departure?”

That miserable demand for unquestioning subservience once again…….

This was hardly an active war zone, so what justification existed for demanding absolute obedience simply because they shared a path?

“If you harbor grievances, you are entirely welcome to curse me. Such trivialities have never concerned me. However, if you refuse to execute my directives, then take your leave this instant.”

“…….”

“Cheol Sun-jik tasked you with keeping a watchful eye on me, did he not?”

Stunned by those sudden, precise words, Nam Hwa-seong flinched involuntarily.

“Watch me as closely as you like, and ensure your subsequent reports are flawlessly detailed. I find no fault in that. But should your presence hinder my operations, I will personally shatter your legs to guarantee you can no longer follow.”

Despite the turbulent motion of their racing steeds, Jin So-un’s tone remained chillingly composed.

In the face of that serene voice, an icy trepidation washed over Nam Hwa-seong.

‘Wh-What is this oppressive sensation?’

Jin So-un had deliberately refrained from projecting any overt murderous intent, yet Nam Hwa-seong felt an intense shiver, as though a razor-sharp edge had been pressed directly against his throat.

Without conscious intent, Nam Hwa-seong found his gaze dropping toward the ground.

From above him, an unyielding voice issued a final ultimatum.

“What is your choice? Will you continue behind me, or will you retreat?”

To turn back in a fit of pique would utterly destroy his dignity, yet to follow meekly with his spirit broken was equally humiliating.

Miserable wretch.

Nam Hwa-seong realized he had spent more time grinding his teeth since crossing paths with this individual than in the rest of his life combined.

Yet, under the crushing weight of the aura radiating from the man, no alternative presented itself.

“I will continue forward.”

In response to Nam Hwa-seong’s solemn declaration, Jin So-un offered a slight grin and a nod of approval.

“Excellent. It is widely claimed that the Deer-Horn Wind-Cloud Step mastered by the Three Origins Sect is an extraordinary movement art, is it not?”

Undeniably, the Deer-Horn Wind-Cloud Step of the Three Origins Sect was recognized far and wide as one of the preeminent agility techniques within the entire Jianghu.

But for what reason was he suddenly referencing it now?

A sense of profound, inexplicable dread began to twist within Nam Hwa-seong’s gut.

“From this point onward, we abandon our mounts.”

“……Are you implying we intend to travel directly through the wilderness?”

His dark premonitions immediately manifested as reality.

“Precisely.”

Nam Hwa-seong was struck with absolute horror.

“Did you not just declare a moment ago that we were going to circumvent the Green Forest Strongholds!”

The bandits of the Green Forest Strongholds kept far stricter watch over the rugged mountain crests than they did over the open highway.

Travelers arriving via the main road were viewed as potential sources of revenue, whereas anyone traversing the mountain ridges was instantly presumed to be a hostile force targeting the Green Forest Stronghold.

“We shall indeed circumvent them.”

Jin So-un directed his gaze toward Nam Hwa-seong, a broad smirk stretching across his face.

“Though the path ahead promises to be somewhat turbulent.”

“…….”

Turbulent was an understatement.

Nam Hwa-seong felt a sudden, inexplicable weakness invade his joints.

—

Piiiii────

A piercing, high-pitched whistle reverberated across the surrounding valleys and peaks.

A Green Forest Stronghold perched high upon the mountain slope erupted into frantic motion; observing their rapid deployment, it was evident they had already acknowledged the sentry signal and completed their combat preparations.

“Our presence has been detected.”

Hearing Jin So-un’s entirely unbothered assessment, Nam Hwa-seong unleashed a torrent of silent curses.

‘How could we possibly avoid detection under these circumstances?’

In the full clarity of day, with sentries maintaining a vigilant watch from observation towers erected across the entire ridge, two prominent martial artists—devoid of any specialized camouflage attire—were blatantly ascending the steep incline.

At this rate, even an untrained gatherer of wild herbs would have spotted them instantly.

“We must increase our pace.”

“……What did you say?”

Had they not already been pushing themselves to the absolute limit of their capabilities until this very moment?

Disregarding whether the bewildered Nam Hwa-seong replied or not, Jin So-un surged forward into the lead.

Yet, the trajectory he chose was entirely baffling.

“Hey, hold on, wait! Where do you think you are going!”

Completely forgetting their original objective of evading the attention of the Green Forest bandits, Nam Hwa-seong screamed at Jin So-un.

The reason was clear: Jin So-un was sprinting headlong toward the main watchtower erected on the ridge.

“That absolute lunatic…….”

Jin So-un, navigating the treacherous and nearly vertical mountain terrain with the ease of someone strolling down a gentle incline, unleashed a powerful strike straight toward the lookout structure.

With that solitary exertion of his fist, over a dozen distinct Fist Forms manifested in the surrounding air, hammering violently against the foundational supports of the watchtower.

CRACK!

“Aaaaagh!”

“Hostile forces!”

“We are under attack!”

As the wooden watchtower splintered and collapsed, a massive cloud of pale dust billowed outward in all directions.

“T-This is madness!”

Spurred by the rising dust, the bandits who had been stationed at various outposts across the slope began converging rapidly on the ruined tower.

By the time Nam Hwa-seong managed to sprint near the wreckage, Jin So-un was already bolting back down toward him from the center of the chaos.

“We descend immediately through this route.”

“What?”

“Now that we have successfully gathered their focus to one spot, we must pierce through their outer line.”

“What sort of absurd…….”

“Are you unfamiliar with the concepts behind the ‘Flash East, Flicker West’ strategy?”

Did he truly believe that merely attaching the term “strategy” to the idiom for misdirection transformed his reckless behavior into a brilliant tactical maneuver?

Nevertheless, Nam Hwa-seong lacked the opportunity to voice his objections to Jin So-un’s nonsensical claims.

With their watchtower brought down, the furious Green Forest Bandits were already descending upon them with weapons drawn and eyes filled with murderous rage.

Utilizing the full power of the Deer-Horn Wind-Cloud Step, Nam Hwa-seong ran for his life, barely managing to keep pace with Jin So-un’s stride.

“Blast it all, I should have known the moment you uttered that ridiculous name!”

“What exactly is the source of your discontent?”

“Why would you willingly execute a scheme that was clearly doomed to fail from the very beginning!”

The sheer volume of outlaws charging down upon them with heavy scimitars and massive battleaxes was overwhelming to behold.

“What nonsense are you spouting? So long as we successfully cut our way through, it cannot be defined as a failure.”

You raving lunatic, you explicitly stated that our purpose was to avoid them entirely!

Clang.

Unsheathing his blade, Jin So-un plunged directly into a cluster of ten approaching bandits without a moment’s hesitation.

The momentum of the outlaws was formidable in its own right.

“Slaughter them!”

“How dare these arrogant fools trespass upon our domain!”

“Encircle them completely!”

Confronted by the bandits rushing him from every conceivable angle to block his path, Jin So-un struck them down with a velocity that easily doubled their own movements.

“Gah.”

“Ugh.”

“Too swift…….”

In the briefest flash of an eye, Jin So-un had already moved past them; only after he had traversed the distance did the outlaws belatedly collapse to the earth where he had stood, creating a surreal and terrifying spectacle.

‘What manner of monstrous power is this?’

The mere fact that he had emerged victorious in his duel against Il-gak had already triggered an immense sensation within the walls of the Murim Academy.

Yet, the martial prowess and agility he was displaying right now existed on an entirely different plane compared to that encounter.

It was almost impossible to comprehend how, within a mere span of two months, his capabilities had evolved so drastically that he appeared to be an entirely different entity.

“Nam Hwa-seong, clear your mind and focus on the enemy!”

Shaken by Jin So-un’s sharp command, he snapped his gaze forward to find four bandits descending upon him, their heavy scimitars tracing lethal arcs through the air.

Nam Hwa-seong swung his arms with desperate ferocity, his hands reinforced by his specialized fist guards.

Pang, pang, pang, pang!

Explosive torrents of refined Qi erupted outward, sending the attacking outlaws hurtling through the air like discarded stones.

At that display, a voice filled with irritation echoed from Jin So-un.

“How utterly foolish. By generating such an immense din, do you not render the entire Flash East, Flicker West strategy completely useless?”

“Are you serious? Your initial approach was fundamentally flawed from the very start……成功”

Without offering the slightest consideration to Nam Hwa-seong’s protest, Jin So-un surged ahead once more, throwing a final remark over his shoulder.

“Move. Since the execution of the strategy has been compromised by your actions…….”

An icy, piercing stare darted backward, locking onto him.

“You had best ensure your legs keep up with me.”

You absolute madman, the failure of this plan lies entirely on your shoulders, not mine!

Jin So-un hurled a small object toward the reinforcement bandits pouring down from the upper slopes of the watchtower, then accelerated his pace.

‘A flower bud?’

The metallic, brass-tinted bud that settled into the dirt amidst the rushing outlaws began to unfurl with a distinct mechanical click.

Whirr—

The intricately crafted metallic flower bloomed open and began to rotate at an incredible speed upon the ground.

Nam Hwa-seong, who had paused to stare in bewilderment at the bizarre sight, felt his entire body freeze with sudden dread.

“Aaaaagh!”

“Ugh!”

“Gaaaaah!”

Dozens of outlaws who had been charging down the mountain ridge simultaneously gripped their countenances and throats, collapsing to the earth in agonizing convulsions.

“Nam Hwa-seong, move your feet!”

The devastating phenomenon was clearly caused by the mechanical bud Jin So-un had deployed.

Yet, he could not even begin to comprehend the nature of the mechanism at work.

-An artificial flower of brass bloomed, and in that instant, scores of Green Forest Bandits fell incapacitated simultaneously.

What sort of expression would Cheol Sun-jik make upon receiving such a ludicrous account?

Would he even credit it as reality in the first place?

‘If someone told me that story, I wouldn’t believe a word of it either.’

For reasons he couldn’t quite define, Nam Hwa-seong sensed that he would find himself unable to report this occurrence.

“Nam Hwa-seong!”

“I am moving, blast it! Your shouting is what is truly giving away our position!”

Nam Hwa-seong pushed his physical limits to the absolute maximum once more, managing to catch up to Jin So-un’s flank.

“If this was to be our method regardless, would it not have been vastly superior to simply utilize the main highway?”

He had already expended twice the energy required for a normal journey by ascending all the way to the mountain ridge only to immediately descend.

“Dismiss your anxieties. This next time, we shall bypass them without fail.”

“…….”

“Why do you wear such an expression? Do you harbor doubts regarding my capabilities?”

How could I possibly place any trust in you?

Nam Hwa-seong was utterly baffled as to where Jin So-un derived such absolute certainty.

Yet, despite his skepticism, his legs continued to follow the man’s lead.

—

‘Let me see…… Was I not originally supposed to be an esteemed representative affiliated with the Orthodox Path Association?’

Murong Jae-hwa, halting in his tracks while balancing a platter laden with portions of food, tilted his head in deep confusion.

He was undeniably a direct descendant of the Five Great Clans, and regardless of any perceived shortcomings, he remained the legitimate successor destined to command the future of the Murong Clan.

Granted, he possessed a rather eccentric demeanor, but he was nonetheless the sole grandson of Wind Earl Sword-Breaker, recognized as one of the ultimate supreme masters across the entire Jianghu.

To put it plainly, had he not chosen to align himself with Brother Jin So-un, he would have integrated into the ranks of the Orthodox Path Association long ago, securing a position of leadership with absolute confidence.

‘Let me think…… Then what exactly is my current situation?’

He simply could not fathom why an individual of his standing was participating in a gathering organized not by the Orthodox Path Association, but by the rival Righteous Path Association, performing menial labor and errands.

He scratched at his head in frustration.

“Hey! What are you loitering for! The Elder has expressed that his hunger grows urgent!”

Hearing the harsh voice summoning him, Murong Jae-hwa quickly replied, “Right away, right away!” and hurried forward to present the meal.

Suppressing the irritation rising within his chest, he delivered the platter with a polite smile, yet the disciple of the Diancang Sect who took the food immediately contorted his face into a scowl.

“What trash is this! The dishes have grown completely cold, have they not?”

“We are currently situated within a high-altitude mountain range and surrounded by dense forest, are we not? It is only natural for heat to dissipate rapidly.”

Murong Jae-hwa attempted to placate the man with a reasonable explanation, but the Diancang disciple violently cast the food aside, shouting in anger.

“You useless fool, you cannot even manage a simple task successfully! Did you truly believe it appropriate to serve such garbage to the Elder?”

Murong Jae-hwa stared in silence at the food scattered across the dirt path.

The Diancang disciple continued to hurl threats at him.

It was bizarre. The entire scenario felt profoundly wrong.

“Remind me again, why exactly am I performing these worthless chores?”

Murong Jae-hwa tilted his head, voicing his sudden confusion aloud.

“What did you say?”

“I am the firstborn son of the Murong Clan, a direct descendant of the main bloodline, and the grandson of Lord Sword-Breaker himself. For what reason am I reduced to serving you?”

“……You were the one who insisted on performing these duties!”

“I insisted?”

“Indeed! Did you not explicitly demand to take over these tasks to spare Eun Seol-ran from doing them!”

Only then did the fog clear from Murong Jae-hwa’s mind, prompting him to strike his own forehead repeatedly in recollection.

“Ah! Ah! Of course! You are entirely correct! Yes, that was indeed my doing.”

The moment he had returned from his reconnaissance patrol intending to rest, he had discovered Eun Seol-ran preparing to serve these individuals; overwhelmed by an impulse to protect her, he had aggressively seized the platters from her hands.

“Go and prepare a fresh batch immediately! If you fail to deliver it in proper condition this time as well…….”

“Listen to me.”

The temperature of the air between them plummeted instantly.

The Diancang disciple knit his brow, questioning whether his ears had deceived him.

“Did you just address me as ‘listen to me’?”

“Do you possess some grand significance that I am unaware of?”

“……What?”

“I am asking if you are truly anyone of consequence. Are you next in line to inherit leadership of the Diancang Sect?”

“…….”

In comparison to Jin So-un, these individuals were mere mediocrities who had entered their positions without undergoing any rigorous testing process.

Murong Jae-hwa had long harbored a deep distaste for the condescending manner in which they regarded Jin So-un.

And now, they were arrogantly borrowing the authority of their elders without understanding their own insignificance.

Murong Jae-hwa flexed his knuckles, feeling a sudden, intense urge to strike something.

“You are not, correct? In contrast, though I harbor no desire for it, I am virtually guaranteed to inherit an entire clan. Do you intend to vanish into obscurity once your academy days conclude? Do you truly believe you possess the standing to carry yourself with pride before the Murong Clan?”

“…….”

“You do not, correct? In that case, cease your pathetic posturing.”

“…….”

The Diancang disciple opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it, turning on his heel to head toward the encampment’s cooking fires himself.

Murong Jae-hwa watched his retreating form with an icy glare.

‘Rest…… I desperately require rest…….’

He had lost all track of how many consecutive days had passed since he last enjoyed a full night of slumber.

Even during the brief moments his eyes were closed, his mind felt awake, and while awake, he felt as though he were trapped in a dreamlike haze.

‘Curse it all. Had I possessed the foresight to see what awaited me here, I would have simply accompanied the group to Yueyang instead…….’

Had he chosen that path, he would at least have avoided traveling to this remote wilderness to endure such misery.

“I offer my sincere apologies, Young Master Murong. I was entirely capable of handling those tasks myself.”

Upon returning to his designated resting area, Eun Seol-ran greeted him with a deeply apologetic expression.

The fault lay entirely with those arrogant fools, so there was no logical reason for Eun Seol-ran to harbor feelings of guilt.

“Think nothing of it. It is those insolent bastards who ought to be delivering sustenance to the elders of their respective sects. More importantly, Miss Eun, are you not suffering from this chill?”

As their ascent brought them deeper into the high mountain territory, the remaining students, unable to endure the biting cold, had wrapped themselves in multiple layers of heavy blankets and outer cloaks.

“I am perfectly fine. My place of birth is characterized by severe cold. Furthermore, the specialized cultivation art I practice is deeply rooted in yin energy.”

“Ah, I recall now. You mentioned your origins trace back to Bukhae.”

At this stage, even memories he considered solid were beginning to elude his grasp.

“Setting that aside, are you holding up well?”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

Eun Seol-ran directed a worried look toward Murong Jae-hwa, noting the prominent broken blood vessels that left his eyes completely bloodshot.

“You appear to be on the verge of total exhaustion…….”

“Who, me? No, I am quite alright.”

Despite his dismissive response, Murong Jae-hwa’s physical appearance told a vastly different story.

Because he had relentlessly conducted scouting missions throughout the night while depriving himself of sleep, he had failed to properly nourish his body, let alone recover his strength.

“Young Master Jae-hwa. Do you truly believe it necessary to exert yourself to such an extreme degree? The other students are merely putting on a superficial show of conducting reconnaissance.”

“……Even if that is the case, one can never be entirely certain of safety……成功”

As the final words left his lips, Murong Jae-hwa’s head began to drop as sleep overtook him.

Yet almost instantly, his eyes snapped wide open, and he forced his posture straight in alarm.

“…Young Master Jae-hwa.”

“……Haha.”

Murong Jae-hwa offered an embarrassed scratch to the back of his neck, then spoke in a quiet, hesitant voice.

“Would it be permissible for me to close my eyes for just a brief period?”

“Of course. Please, allow yourself to rest.”

Eun Seol-ran swiftly draped the blanket she had been allocated for her own use over Murong Jae-hwa’s shoulders and added fresh wood to the crackling fire.

“You have my…… gratitude…….”

The words had scarcely drifted from his lips before Murong Jae-hwa slipped into a profound slumber.

“……You truly were pushed past your limits.”

Eun Seol-ran observed the sleeping Murong Jae-hwa with genuine pity.

They had been essentially coerced into joining this campaign orchestrated by the Righteous Path Association, but in reality, the gathering possessed little substance despite its grand title.

The vanguard force was dominated primarily by the interests of the Diancang and Shaolin sects.

Their focus seemed entirely occupied by ensuring that the lower-ranking affiliate sects provided them with the highest standard of luxury and service.

Though they claimed their objective was to investigate the anomalies surrounding the Regular Exam, they had refrained from venturing anywhere near the actual location of the incident.

‘What an absolute farce this entire endeavor is.’

Her thoughts were consumed entirely by a deep yearning to return to the academy and finalize her mastery of the Plain Hand Divine Art.

Following the profound insights she had unlocked while trapped within the Soul-Destroying Formation, she had discerned a revolutionary progression path for the Plain Hand Divine Art, yet she remained vastly distant from manifesting the catastrophic power described in ancient lore.

‘I must find an opportunity to seek Brother Jin’s counsel on the matter.’

With that thought anchoring her mind, she stared absentmindedly into the dancing flames of the campfire.

—

“Is the cold…… deepening?”

The temperature within the high-altitude peaks was plunging rapidly.

Likely due to the freezing air, the academy students—who had previously been chattering with the lighthearted enthusiasm of tourists on an excursion—had all ensconced themselves tightly within their heavy blankets and drifted off to sleep surrounding the embers.

Amidst the biting frost, shattering the absolute stillness of the night.

Rustle.

A crimson centipede slithered into the light of the campfire.

Though the sight of the repulsive insect caught her attention, as Eun Seol-ran watched its progress, a sudden sense of anomaly struck her.

‘Do centipedes not typically thrive exclusively in humid and warm environments?’

The winter snow had not yet entirely departed from these high ridges, and the frozen, unyielding earth was devoid of even a single loose leaf.

“Huh?”

The centipede, having emerged directly from the frozen ground, began a slow, deliberate crawl toward one of the sleeping academy students.

Rustle, rustle, rustle, rustle.

A second one appeared.

Then a third.

Scores of identical crimson centipedes materialized from the darkness, advancing in unison toward the unconscious gatherers.

Struck with panic, Eun Seol-ran attempted to surge to her feet to crush the approaching vermin, but her limbs refused to respond to her will.

‘What is happening to me?’

As Eun Seol-ran directed her gaze downward, she discovered to her horror that an innumerable swarm of centipedes had already completely blanketed her flesh without her awareness.

A-Agh—Ugh—

She strained her throat to unleash a desperate scream, but no sound escaped her lips.

Instead, the crimson centipedes began to burrow aggressively into her open mouth, her nostrils, and her ears.

In that horrific instant, as her entire frame convulsed from the absolute terror of the sensation.

-……ran, ……Miss, ……open your eyes.

An urgent, yet profoundly comforting voice pierced through the darkness from an indeterminate location.

She fought to offer a reply but found herself entirely paralyzed; just as tears of desperation seemed poised to spill from her eyes.

“Miss Seol-ran!”

Eun Seol-ran jolted awake from the nightmare, her consciousness snapping violently back to reality.

Directly before her, Murong Jae-hwa, who had awoken at some unknown point, was gazing at her with an expression filled with deep apprehension.

Recalling the memory of the endless crimson centipedes that had swarmed over her body, Eun Seol-ran leaped frantically from her position, violently brushing at her garments to clear them.

“Kyaaak!”

“Are you unharmed?”

“Huff, huff! Hah! Hah!”

The illusion had felt entirely absolute; there had been thousands of crimson centipedes covering her entire form.

‘Th-They have departed?’

The ground and her clothes were entirely vacant; the insects had vanished without leaving a single sign of their presence.

Ziiiiiiing──────

A agonizing, sharp sensation, resembling a freezing needle piercing directly into the core of her mind, caused Eun Seol-ran to swiftly clap her hands over her ears. Yet, the maddening vibration persisted in drilling into her brain, entirely indifferent to her efforts to block it.

“Recite the Demon-Subduing True Mantra immediately! Miss Seol-ran!”

Sensing the urgency in Murong Jae-hwa’s command, Eun Seol-ran closed her eyes and rapidly began to chant the verses of the Demon-Subduing True Mantra.

Following her recitation, the agonizing pressure drilling into her mind began to recede significantly.

However, a new and deeply unsettling sound began to drift through the mountain air, reaching her ears.

Jingle. Jingle.

“Wh-What is that sound?”

“An assault…… from an adversary, I believe.”

“An adversary?”

Jingle. Jingle.

The ominous, rhythmic chiming of a bell echoed from every direction through the darkened forest.