Part 1 Chapter 8 26

I went up to Beijing with Xiaolin. I had awakened Hwanryong and dealt with the Martial God, so there was nothing holding me back now. I moved my steps to find the aura of the spirit waiting near Beijing.

“You worked hard.”

“What did I even do?”

Gaeul shrugged her shoulders and smiled confidently. I immediately noticed her change, seeing that her always awkward posture had transformed.

“Congratulations on reaching S-rank.”

“What about a congratulatory gift?”

“Should I give you JDB?”

“What’s that?”

“Jo Deok-bae.”

“Get lost.”

Gaeul frowned, and I subtly checked behind her. As expected, the problematic thing wasn’t there. As she awakened to a true S-rank phantom attribute, the remnants of the tentacle toad had vanished from Gaeul.

“It’s completely subsided now.”

“I can bring it out if I want to.”

Gaeul slightly raised her hand. As the S-rank phantom-attribute mana rose from Gaeul, nine strands of grayish-white tentacles sprouted from behind her. I knew they were tentacles, so I saw them as such, but someone seeing them for the first time would probably think they were translucent tails.

“So, you’re a true Nine-Tailed Fox now, aren’t you?”

“Still, I’d like to keep my code name as Phantom.”

“Do as you please. If the association tries to change it, I’ll make sure it’s changed, even if I have to smash their heads in.”

“Thanks for the words, at least. Then, it seems we should have a talk with each other on this side too, shouldn’t we?”

Gaeul pointed to Hwanryong, who was clinging tightly to her side. I also pointed to the masked warrior in a blue-white robe standing by my side.

“This is Hwanryong. The phantom-attribute spirit you mentioned.”

“…….”

Hwanryong clung tightly to Gaeul and growled. As expected, it seemed Gaeul had successfully persuaded Hwanryong.

“Well done, Gaeul. It seems my hint worked after all.”

“No. I didn’t use any of that.”

“…….”

Succeeded in the capture without cheats? My lips twitched involuntarily.

“How did you do it?”

“I just badmouthed someone. We really formed a strong bond of empathy. They were a very bad person. Right?”

Nod, nod. Hwanryong nodded violently. The direction of its murderous glare was aimed at me, and I twisted my veil and sighed.

“……Alright. I’m the one who deserves to die.”

“Then die.”

Hwanryong caught my words and provoked me. Laughter burst out of me involuntarily.

“What’s an entity that can’t do anything but possess others talking about?”

“I know a lot, okay? I’m better than you, okay?”

“Well, now. ……Really?”

I flicked my tongue with a meaningful expression. I don’t know what it meant by ‘better,’ but at least there are countless things I’m better at than Hwanryong.

“Shall we test it out?”

I placed my hand on Hwanryong’s shoulder and met its gaze. I deliberately parted my lips and moistened them slightly with saliva, and Hwanryong turned pale at my provocation, yet also blushed.

“…P-Pervert!!”

“Oh my. I was talking about a fight.”

I patted Hwanryong’s shoulder, who had shrieked, then turned my gaze to Gaeul. Gaeul was also looking away.

“What’s wrong with you too?”

“…No, don’t look at me for a moment.”

Perhaps her complexion was returning as she became S-rank, Gaeul’s neck was slightly reddened below. I wondered why the two phantom-attribute duo were flustered, but soon found the reason.

‘Phoenix is indeed a bit seductive.’

And with my technique added, it would have been enough to stimulate lust. After inwardly thanking the goddess who made me the strongest in that field, I cleared my throat and changed the atmosphere.

“Ahem. Anyway, Hwanryong, nice to meet you. Congratulations on awakening as a complete spirit.”

“……What’s that ice block?”

Hwanryong immediately questioned me. It was naturally curious.

“She’s Rusalka’s daughter.”

“…….”

“Twenty years ago, she fell in love with a human and had a child, and somehow, the spirit’s power was passed on to that child. Now Seok Harang is the Water Spirit.”

“Whoa, whoa….”

Hwanryong shivered, crossing its arms as if getting goosebumps.

“How could she do *that* with a human, ah, no. Then where is Rusalka?”

“In Korea. It’s dangerous if she comes to China, so I had her wait there.”

“Why?”

I continued, glancing at Xiaolin.

“Because a certain married female hunter might target her. Fortunately, I’ll make sure that person can’t do anything now. Then, a gift for the awakened spirit.”

I took out a small pouch I had been keeping in my inner pocket. Inside the pouch, mostly gray Cores were sparkling. Hwanryong’s eyes widened.

“This…?”

“Do you think I’d be crazy enough to try to make an enemy of you? ……That, I’m sorry for deceiving you. All the Cores I broke back then were fakes.”

“…….”

Hwanryong stared at me with its mouth agape.

“You’re a fake, aren’t you?”

“……What nonsense are you spouting?”

My heart sank. My true identity, which even Rusalka hadn’t noticed, so easily? Cold sweat ran down my back, but I forced myself to maintain a displeased expression.

“No. There’s no way you’re Changyeom. Because…”

Hwanryong asserted with a voice full of conviction.

“Changyeom doesn’t apologize for anything! She’s a bitch who never admits her own mistakes!”

“……People are bound to change as they live.”

“You’re a spirit!”

“It’s a metaphorical expression. What do you want me to do if you’re going to argue about it here? Honestly. Enough. Just hurry up and revive everyone.”

I pointed to Xiaolin.

“And fix her up too.”

“Fix what?”

“I made a bit of a hole in her chest.”

Xiaolin subtly lifted her robe. Beneath the robe, there was only her naked body, without a single piece of underwear.

“……Did I not make underwear?”

“……Oh my.”

“……That’s severe.”

I saw the lack of underwear, Gaeul saw Xiaolin’s well-proportioned figure, and Hwanryong saw the wound near the Core. Hwanryong made a tearful face, approached Xiaolin, and reached out a hand.

“Did it hurt?”

“I am fine, my Lord. Although I was defeated, I am satisfied. I just need to win next time.”

“My Lord?”

What is this new relationship dynamic? I had thought about it, but hearing it directly made it feel new again.

“……Hwanryong must be happy. Cheon Gaeul and Xiaolin, flowers in both hands.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

Gaeul ruffled my hair with her hand.

“Why am I its flower?”

“…No, I meant it in a mythological sense…”

“Hmph! Hey, then hand Gaeul over to me!”

“Don’t be a dick. ……Oh my.”

Without realizing it. I was surprised, Gaeul was surprised, Xiaolin was surprised, and Hwanryong was surprised. I cleared my throat for a moment and said with a gentle smile to Hwanryong.

“Don’t be a dick.”

“Oh, whyyy?! If you give Gaeul to me, I’ll really work hard, okay?”

“……What on earth did you use to persuade this kid?”

Faced with Hwanryong’s difficult-to-understand mental state, I dropped Phoenix’s mannerisms-my pretense. Gaeul scratched her cheek, yet with a triumphant expression, pointed alternately at Hwanryong and me.

“She told her that I was too good for you.”

“…….”

Although I couldn’t refute it because it was true, I cleared my throat to correct Hwanryong’s misunderstanding.

“I can’t give you Cheon Gaeul.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s not an object to be given away in the first place.”

I pointed to the Core near my chest.

“Cheon Gaeul is an executive of the Azure Syndicate. Even before she was a monstrous human, she was a member of the Azure Syndicate since her human days. She’s not an object to be given and taken. She’s a distinct person.”

“……What’s the difference?”

Hwanryong seemed genuinely unable to understand. It was a misunderstanding that arose from judging humans with the mindset of a spirit, not a human.

“Enough. If you can’t understand, then just don’t understand. If you truly want to have Cheon Gaeul…”

I subtly glanced at Cheon Gaeul.

“Kill me and take her. Cheon Gaeul is my person.”

“Oh? Then it’s simple. Right now, with my true form…. Huh?”

Hwanryong’s embarrassment was evident. It tried to bring out its true form as a spirit, but unfortunately, its true form didn’t appear. I glanced at Xiaolin and cleared my throat. If it were just Hwanryong, I would have wanted to speak rudely, but since Xiaolin was there, I felt a bit self-conscious.

“It’s no use. We need a procedure to return to our true forms right now.”

“Procedure?”

“It’s making love.”

“Pwoooph!”

Hwanryong spat. The saliva splattered all over my face and clothes. After conjuring flames to remove the dirty saliva, I tilted my head.

“Puhaha, haa, haa. Ah, now I get it. So that’s why you’re still in that state?”

“Think what you want. Anyway, I can’t give you Cheon Gaeul. If you truly want her, win her love yourself.”

“Oh, is that okay? What if I completely fall for her?”

“……Are you thinking of doing that?”

I suddenly felt uneasy and looked up at Gaeul. I hadn’t intended to create a ‘fishpond’ (harem), but I had suddenly become someone who managed a fishpond for heroines, and Cheon Gaeul was the first guest in that fishpond.

Following were Eun Yuha, Seok Harang, Hikari, Hwanryong, and now, seeing me trying to reel in Xiaolin right next to her, it wouldn’t be strange for her to have other thoughts.

“……Well. Wouldn’t that depend on what you do from now on?”

Gaeul stroked my head with a meaningful expression and smiled. I had to struggle to suppress the boiling heat within me, and Gaeul looked at me like that and smiled victoriously.

“Hoo-hoo.”

“Me, me too!”

Hwanryong clung to Gaeul, wanting the same treatment as me, and Gaeul stroked Hwanryong’s head with her other hand, as if to say she could do that much.

‘To have a heroine NTR’d by another heroine.’

From an efficiency standpoint, this is the best match. Cheon Gaeul and Hwanryong. If an eternal combination like tteokbokki and sundae were to get along well and reach Myth-SSS, it would be an extremely welcome development for me.

‘But somehow, it feels really unpleasant.’

But what is this restless and dirty feeling? Clearly, the people in this world are distinctly different beings from those I knew, yet past memories keep projecting, making me feel uneasy.

Moreover, there’s even a ‘fried food-like’ kid attached to Hwanryong. To change this ambiguous atmosphere, I called out to ‘Fried Food’.

“Xiaolin.”

“It seems you just had some strange thoughts about me.”

“That fried batter… no, it’s time to take off your Unjang cosplay.”

“Are you in your right mind?”

Gaeul suddenly snapped at me.

“Are you thinking of making her do a strip show in front of people?”

“No. Of course, I just meant taking off the mask. …Ah, seriously.”

I thumped my chest to calm the heat. Perhaps because of the Cube, it kept clamoring to burst out. And I was certain that the moment I let out this anger, it would be the end in many ways.

“……Xiaolin.”

I lowered my voice and called Xiaolin. Xiaolin also straightened her posture at my changed voice.

“From now on, you will be the hero who rescued me from Mao Zeping. Understand?”

“……Hmm.”

Xiaolin stroked her chin with her hand, trying to understand my meaning. I revealed my plan to make sure the other two also understood.

“Beast Tamer Cheonghwa was kidnapped from an airplane, and the airplane exploded. Unjang, who was undergoing secluded training, awakened to SS-rank and urgently returned to the country. After pursuing the kidnappers, he rescued Cheonghwa. How does that sound?”

“Secluded training…?”

“It’s a plan I hastily inserted because you rose to SS-rank.”

“Good. Debuting by rescuing a captured hostage isn’t bad.”

Fortunately, Xiaolin said she would follow my hastily concocted plan. I pointed to the Core Hwanryong was holding close to its chest.

“Revive them.”

“Why?”

“We need to make kidnappers, don’t we?”

“……Why are you trying to use my children as you please?”

“That’s how you make your children free.”

“……W-Wait a moment.”

Hwanryong took out one Core and revived it again. It was Bonghyo.

“It seems the operation failed?”

“Yeah. For now, this is the situation.”

Hwanryong recited the situation it was in and my plan to Bonghyo. Bonghyo didn’t seem to have much resentment about the previous operation’s failure and listened attentively to my plan as Hwanryong spoke, nodding its head.

“That sounds plausible. Although completely discrediting them might be difficult.”

“But Unjang will disappear, right?”

“That much should be enough. The rest can be handled later.”

Bonghyo’s eyes gleamed as he cupped his hands and bowed to me.

“Then, Azure Syndicate’s Leader-nim. I would like to add one comment for a perfect operation, but…”

Perhaps it was because of the name Bonghyo.

His plan gave even me goosebumps.

* * *

Beijing.

Seolhwaryeong and Seok Harang were formally invited, recognized for their merit in defeating an S-rank monster and an SS-rank monster. The puppet youth who awakened as an ability user, the rabbit-eared ability user assisting him, and even Mao Zeping, with a face full of annoyance.

“On behalf of 1.3 billion citizens, I thank you. If it weren’t for you, Beijing would have been in great trouble.”

“Not at all. I merely did what a Hero should do. However.”

Seok Harang set the mood with a stiff voice.

“Regarding the SS-rank monster that appeared later, Oracle is currently analyzing it. However, I have a hunch about why the S-rank monster from Seoul, the Black Flame Dragon, flew to Beijing.”

“……What is it?”

The rabbit-eared woman perked up her ears. Even he noticed that Seok Harang kept glancing at Mao Zeping. Seok Harang stroked her hair and lightly touched a hairpin.

“Beast Tamer Cheonghwa was kidnapped. By ‘Dongchang,’ an internal organization of the Monster Management Bureau.”

“……!”

The Chairman’s eyes widened. The eyes of all those present turned to Mao Zeping. Mao Zeping calmly raised his teacup.

“…It’s embarrassing to say, but currently, there are defectors from Dongchang. What I tried to handle on my own has turned out like this. It’s my inadequacy.”

“Lying with a straight face…!”

“Yes. That’s why our Round Table rescued Cheonghwa-yang.”

Mao Zeping’s lips twitched slightly. And at Seok Harang’s ensuing words, he squeezed his eyes shut.

“Unjang, that is, rescued Cheonghwa-yang, who was imprisoned in a certain mansion.”

Seok Harang pressed her watch to display a screen.

On it was Cheonghwa, unconscious as if drugged, and Unjang in a blue robe, carrying her out of the mansion and walking down Beijing’s main road.

Beast Tamer, Cheonghwa. Rescued.

The incident that had thrown the Chinese continent into chaos had, for now, come to an end.