Chapter 1260: Scorched World

Right after calming the barrier. Leaving the dumbfounded sorcerers behind, I headed towards Mi Hyoran’s location.

The state of the deployed formation was reasonably satisfactory. As soon as I saw it, I cleared out the parts that bothered me, and it couldn’t have been better.

‘Though, I’m not exactly thrilled with that either.’

It was the best I could do in a short time. In reality, it seemed good enough at that level.

But.

‘Why were they struggling so much, unable to even do that?’

I couldn’t understand those who called themselves formation masters. It was just a matter of tying it up loosely and tidying it, but seeing so many people gathered and struggling was incredibly frustrating.

In the end, I stepped up and did it, and the looks I received then still remain in my memory.

‘Like they’d seen something strange.’

Eyes that had seen a bizarre entity. The Palace Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace looked at me with those exact eyes before.

Or maybe Shin-ui looked at me that way too. I don’t know why they look at me like that.

Anyway, leaving that formation behind, I headed to Mi Hyoran’s quarters with the others.

As soon as we arrived, Mi Hyoran greeted us with a serious expression.

“……You met Gu Gongzi-nim.”

Perhaps having already received the news sent by the Iron Dragon Unit Commander, Mi Hyoran immediately asked about my father upon arrival.

“Yes… I encountered Shinryong outside the designated area.”

“What happened? Are you saying he went outside the base?”

“…That’s correct.”

“…Unit Commander!”

Mi Hyoran said, contorting her face.

“How could the person who knows best how dangerous it is to go outside the area…! “

“…I believed it was necessary. I apologize…”

“Haa…”

Mi Hyoran sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of her nose.

“…But he returned without any harm, right?”

“…That’s correct.”

Answering, the Iron Dragon Unit Commander gestured with his eyes. At the end of his gaze was Am-wang, disguised.

Seeing that look, Mi Hyoran narrowed her eyes as if grasping the situation.

“…First, please compile and submit the information from the others. Baek Gongzi and the Iron Dragon Unit Commander, please remain for a moment.”

“Understood.”

“Yes.”

Hearing this, the rest of the group stepped back. Meanwhile, Poison Phoenix glanced at me. I nodded as if to say I was okay.

After sending them away, the remaining people exchanged glances. A brief silence passed, and the Iron Dragon Unit Commander spoke first.

“…Thank you for saving me, Daehyeop.”

He offered his thanks to the disguised Am-wang. Am-wang reacted impassively to the gesture. No, it would be more accurate to say he showed no reaction at all.

This time, Mi Hyoran, seeing that, spoke to Am-wang with a peculiar expression.

“You said you wouldn’t interfere in any affairs, so why did you act?”

Her eyes were full of questions. She seemed puzzled that Am-wang had gotten involved.

Only then did Am-wang open the lips he had kept closed.

“A whim.”

“…A whim?”

“Yes, I just acted on a whim. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“…I understand.”

Mi Hyoran seemed convinced, despite the rather crude answer. Or rather, she was closer to pretending to be convinced.

Then, she looked at me and said.

“Baek Gongzi.”

“Yes?”

“…The fact that Am-wang Daehyeop is here is a secret even in this region. Please keep silent about it.”

“Ah, yes. I will do so.”

Judging by Am-wang’s appearance and actions, it seemed likely.

‘No wonder.’

That strange sensation I felt around Mi Hyoran. I had wondered who was hiding, beyond my senses.

‘It was Am-wang.’

That makes sense. He could certainly do something like that.

“On another note… the fact that Gu Gongzi appeared here directly is the problem. What did his objective seem to be?”

“I don’t know. He attacked immediately upon leaving the area. I suspect hunting might have been the objective.”

“That won’t be it.”

Mi Hyoran was firm.

“Gu Gongzi has never set out to hunt others before, except for that first time.”

“…”

“It won’t be different this time either. However… if he attacked, it means he had some objective. And that is likely…”

“Poison Phoenix’s hideout is the issue, isn’t it?”

“…!”

When I interjected, Mi Hyoran looked at me with surprised eyes. Eyes asking how I knew. How could I not know?

‘Looking at the situation, it’s obvious.’

I have a feeling.

Even if I don’t know the reason or circumstances behind my father becoming an Apostle. I could have figured out the situation long ago.

‘Isn’t that right?’

If this is an unusual event, the cause must be found in recent anomalies. No matter how I thought about it, there was only one problem.

‘The death of an Apostle.’

Chu Yeongyeon. I figured his death at my hands was the cause. Based on the information obtained from Mi Hyoran and the Iron Dragon Unit Commander, Apostles were beings difficult for martial artists to kill. If the number of Apostles who died over time could be counted on one hand. Chu Yeongyeon’s death would be a significant anomaly for them. Therefore, it was understandable that they would send another Apostle to investigate this.

The problem is.

‘If it’s like this…’

It also means they have a means to perceive the death of an Apostle.

‘If this isn’t the case…’

I do have to consider other possibilities. But in my view, this part seemed the most likely right now.

‘It seems Mi Hyoran thinks the same way.’

I could tell from her expression that she shared the same thought.

“The problem is that, isn’t it?”

“You…”

Mi Hyoran reacted with surprise. Seeing her expression, I shrugged.

Just then, the Iron Dragon Unit Commander chimed in.

“So… does that mean we were noticed because of the group that came back after dealing with the Apostle?”

Hearing that, I frowned.

“What nonsense is that?”

“What?”

It’s absurd.

“If we’re tracing the cause, it’s not Poison Phoenix’s group who came here after dealing with the Apostle, but the fact that they unnecessarily crossed the designated area. Why are you blaming the innocent kids?”

Who told them to go outside the area without permission?

“Wouldn’t things have turned out like this if you hadn’t unnecessarily dragged me along to check something? If you had just quietly done what you were doing, would this have happened?”

“…You punk!”

“Stop…!”

Mi Hyoran stopped the Iron Dragon Unit Commander before he could retort.

“Both of you, stop. This isn’t the time for us to fight amongst ourselves. We need to come up with countermeasures.”

“…”

Hearing Mi Hyoran, the Iron Dragon Unit Commander bit his lip.

“Gu Gongzi… Our location wasn’t discovered by the Apostle either. Fortunately, thanks to Am-wang Daehyeop’s efforts, our location likely wasn’t revealed. However.”

His expression was troubled.

“They probably realized something was done around here. We might need to strengthen the formation.”

I considered defense and retreat, rather than a full-scale war with the Apostle. I seemed to understand the position the Apostle held among the martial artists.

“Tomorrow… I’ll gather the Wind Dragon Brigade and other personnel for a strategy meeting. Unit Commander, please announce this matter.”

“Understood.”

“And.”

Mi Hyoran’s eyes turned towards me.

“For this matter… I hope Baek Gongzi will attend as well.”

“Me?”

Me, joining the meeting? Why, specifically?

Although I had my doubts.

“Yes. I will do so.”

I agreed for now.

---

After finishing the conversation with Mi Hyoran, I stepped out of the quarters. We concluded that the important matters would be discussed tomorrow, after the night passed.

As night fell, the lights around the hideout went out. Even the few lanterns that were lit were extinguished, leaving only darkness. Perhaps it was because leaving them lit might attract the attention of demonic beasts. Seeing this, I looked around.

The presence of people also disappeared. It was the time when everyone seemed to have started sleeping, as if not wanting to make a sound.

Just then. I slowly started walking. The end of my steps was the lodging assigned to me, but… It wasn’t my destination.

“Shall we continue the conversation we were having earlier?”

As I whispered quietly, I sensed a presence next to me. Glancing over, the disguised Am-wang was standing there.

“…”

Am-wang stared at me blankly.

“Can I take it that you’ve accepted my proposal?”

“…What do you want?”

Am-wang asked. Gu Gongzi has agreed, it seems. Hearing that, I said with a grin.

“What I want hasn’t changed from the beginning. It’s a deal.”

“A deal.”

“Yes. Please help me with what I need to do here. Then… once we get outside, I will help you achieve your goal, Seonbaenim.”

“That means it can only be granted after we leave, doesn’t it?”

Ah, is that so. At Am-wang’s words, I decided to change the condition immediately.

“Then, let’s make it so that you fulfill my request immediately after mine ends.”

“…How confident. Are you sure of yourself?”

“Of course. What’s so difficult about it?”

“…”

The way Am-wang looked at me sent an odd chill down my spine. There was definitely no killing intent or anything similar. Just making eye contact did that.

As we continued to exchange glances like that.

“What exactly did you say the request was?”

Am-wang asked me, and at his question, I smiled.

“It’s nothing major.”

The task I need to accomplish in this world. And regaining the energy that disappeared and vanished. The method for that was truly simple. Didn’t I find out as soon as I arrived? This was something that didn’t require much thought.

Recalling this, I said to Am-wang.

“I need to kill some Apostles. Please help me with this.”

Hunting Apostles. No matter how I thought about it, that was the task I had to accomplish in this world.