Ch.116Sword Demon

The reason movie filming takes so long is because it’s not just about shooting—there are many factors involved.

From pre-production preparations to the complexity of filming locations and coordinating actors’ schedules, movies are a mixture of various complex elements.

‘Endless Frontline was a special case.’

It was finished almost like additional filming near the end of production. But Traitor: The Root of Corruption was different.

‘I was perfectly involved from the very beginning.’

Perhaps that’s why I truly realized how long it takes to make a movie.

“For two months, I can relax comfortably doing various things?”

“Really?”

Late December.

Hearing what Seokho hyung said while adjusting the schedule,

I scratched my cheek.

‘I have nothing to do during that time.’

The Golden Bell overseas trip already had a designated purpose.

‘Since I’m going to Japan for Traitor dubbing, I decided to stay for about a month.’

I planned to take a month-long vacation under the pretext of experiencing the culture.

Because of this, about two months of time floated away,

and before I knew it, it was suddenly 2014.

“…What, what did I do?”

I clearly didn’t do anything, yet it was already the new year.

And not January, but February.

In the midst of time that flew by like an arrow.

“Donghu, they say the script has been modified a bit?”

“What? So suddenly?”

“Yeah, I’m a bit surprised too.”

With the sudden news that the script had been modified,

Seokho hyung handed me the revised script.

“There’s nothing additional to film, it’s probably because of the final shooting scene, you know?”

Does that mean the ending has changed?

Muttering that, I immediately picked up the script.

There was nothing difficult to think about.

After all.

‘Immersion.’

I just needed to check it directly.

+++++

I had never been understood by others.

Not when I killed speechless beasts as a child.

As I grew older and my hunting skills improved,

not when I trampled those worse than animals.

No one ever properly praised me.

Just hollow words and eyes soaked in fear.

“You’re really amazing. You will become a phoenix!”

My father’s words couldn’t have sounded more empty.

The eldest son of a family that owned all the land in Gongju.

Despite being in a position everyone should envy, the emptiness couldn’t be filled.

If that’s the case, I decided to go all the way to the end.

That’s the path I chose.

‘I heard there was someone named Jo Seonghak in Naju who excelled in martial arts.’

And as if by true coincidence,

the slaves I killed knew that man’s name.

Feeling something strange and pressing them for answers, what do you know.

I heard a story about worms gathering and squirming together.

Lee Taeseong immediately packed his belongings.

As for luggage, all he needed was money,

and money was overflowing.

If there was one thing that bothered him, it was his parents’ permission.

But even this was easily resolved.

“Waaah, waaah, waaah!”

Because he wasn’t the only son.

In a noble household with two sons,

normally the one born later would be at an overwhelming disadvantage.

But Lee Taeseong’s actions so far were enough to overturn that disadvantage and more.

Once the face of the family was determined,

there was no barrier to stop Lee Taeseong.

On the way to Naju.

“Hahahahaha!”

Lee Taeseong was convinced he was on the right path.

Look at the feast of maggots

visible in the distance.

Look at that beautiful sight where

you can swing your sword freely without consequences.

No matter how much you swing,

you’ll only receive praise for killing traitors.

After killing a series of traitors, Lee Taeseong headed straight to Naju,

where he encountered Jo Seonghak.

As rumored, Jo Seonghak possessed outstanding looks and surprising martial prowess,

so Lee Taeseong thought it wouldn’t be bad to become his sword for a while.

‘After all, all the traitors will try to kill Jo Seonghak.’

Despite being born as an illegitimate child,

Jo Seonghak had overcome his limitations and seized control of his family.

A position gained by violating the laws of heaven.

It was nothing short of impressive.

‘If I could become like him, I would fear nothing.’

When all this amusement ends,

I too will return home and emphasize my right to succession as the eldest son.

While Lee Taeseong was thinking this,

for the first time in his life, a moment came when things didn’t go as planned.

“…How could I kill a lotus flower blooming in the mud with my own hands?”

It was when Jo Seonghak hesitated upon seeing his own flesh and blood.

It was impossible.

To have his attention stolen by a mere infant

while worms were right before his eyes.

Moreover.

“I will open my granary, so please spare me and my child.”

He was begging for his life from his inferiors.

They were barely a hundred in number.

After raiding the enemy’s stronghold,

exponentially reducing their forces,

why beg for your life now?

“My lord, this is troubling.”

How could you do this?

Then what does that make me, who came all this way looking up to you?

I thought we were the same kind.

I felt we were more similar than anyone else.

Though our origins were different,

I felt our situations were remarkably similar.

“Isn’t this betrayal?”

Lee Taeseong laughed deeply.

Only then did he realize.

Yes, in the end, no one will remain by my side.

The moment he perfectly understood that fact,

his heart felt lighter.

“Yes, after all there can only be one phoenix. I was momentarily confused.”

As Lee Taeseong’s dance begins,

at that moment, the immersion breaks.

Whoosh!

My vision returns.

‘…The ending has changed.’

Originally, the ending was a three-way battle between the traitors, Jo Seonghak, and Lee Taeseong,

where Jo Seonghak dies, and in the process, Lee Taeseong flees disgracefully.

The traitors, victorious in Naju,

attempt to spread their will further upward,

and with that, the story completely ends.

But in the changed script, Jo Seonghak had completely become part of the traitor group.

‘Could this be included in the rating?’

With a doubtful heart, I checked the rating.

<Traitor: The Root of Corruption, B, B>

The rating remained unchanged despite the altered ending.

Perhaps it was a rating that had anticipated the change.

‘It’s not unreasonable.’

Considering the future messages sent by Sims,

it was a plausible hypothesis.

Why would they do this?

After pondering, I reached one conclusion.

‘Are they trying to emphasize the action scenes more?’

Instead of an ambiguous three-way battle,

establishing a clear confrontation structure.

They probably want to include spectacular action between Jo Seonghak and Lee Taeseong.

Honestly, I was confident about that part, so it didn’t matter.

Even if the content changed, the preparation I needed to do remained the same.

Spectacular sword action,

‘Are they trying to make it more intense than Swordsman Baek Dong-soo?’

That’s something to look forward to.

+++++++

When Kim Donghu performed the sword dance on a snowy day,

Kiryu Sota wasn’t the only one surprised.

It was just overshadowed by Kiryu Sota’s exclamation of astonishment.

‘…Is this really the same person who was smiling and greeting us earlier?’

Director Yoon Seongbin was equally shocked.

In script terms, it was just a light single line.

<On a snowy day, he demonstrates martial arts.>

Who would have expected such a scene from this sentence?

It was speechless.

So he immediately modified the screenplay.

The original script?

Giving such a bland script to an actor like that?

It was unthinkable.

After months of repeated revisions,

the ending was changed.

And there was an actor who welcomed this change very gladly.

“…Donghu and I will be putting on a complete acting power show?”

It was Jin Yuseong, who played the role of Jo Seonghak.

Jin Yuseong was delighted to find his intuition was correct when he received the script.

That day when Kim Donghu demonstrated martial arts.

Determined not to fall behind,

he immediately started one-on-one sword fighting PT.

Being outperformed by someone else in acting was unacceptable.

To prevent the impossible from happening,

Jin Yuseong had been diligently honing his sword skills.

And now the moment to reap those rewards had arrived on its own,

he couldn’t help but be pleased.

‘It’s also snowing heavily the day before filming.’

On a snowy day,

the image of them facing each other, exchanging blades.

Just thinking about it was thrilling.

And so, early February finally arrived.

With the previous day’s heavy snowfall making crunching sounds with every step.

Jin Yuseong arrived at the filming location in peak condition.

‘…What’s this?’

As if static electricity had occurred,

he felt a tingling sensation on his skin.

Come to think of it, the atmosphere at the filming location felt strangely different from before.

Previously, it was certainly warm and lively, with people complaining about the cold,

and a subtle human warmth was normal.

Now there was only a chilling feeling.

Even though today was a major action filming day,

was it necessary to make the atmosphere feel like a battlefield?

‘Isn’t this too much….’

Thinking that, Jin Yuseong moved toward the filming area, and,

‘….’

He realized why such an atmosphere gripped the filming location and wouldn’t let go.

Always arriving earliest, the embodiment of diligence, Kim Donghu.

Coming early meant getting makeup done earlier.

‘He’s the Sword Demon.’

Wearing a white dopo,

with long hair from a wig, Kim Donghu appeared.

Holding what looked like a real sword in one hand,

quietly sitting in a chair reading the script—the appearance of the Sword Demon.

Everyone was holding their breath, overwhelmed by his presence.

‘…Can I really stand against him?’

The doubt that suddenly arose

took root in his mind like fear.