Chapter 102: Traveling Is Easy For The Poison Demon (2)
The deep of Paris night.
I didn't find separate lodgings—I slept in the Poison Herb Field.
I'd long since grown accustod to spending my nights there running the Energy Circulation, so it felt more like ho than any actual house.
The reason I'd told Omar to find a place was simply because I didn't want to arouse unnecessary suspicion later when I t Bo-reum or Min-jeong—showing up with no lodgings would look strange.
"Huuu."
I finished the Energy Circulation and opened a book.
It was the Two Principles Limitless Divine Art I'd retrieved from the Sacheondang Family tomb.
'Life is a thread, and death its needle.'
Difficult right from the start.
'Existence yearns for nothingness, and nothingness covets existence. Reason dissolves within emptiness, and fulfillnt is brimming with void. The cycle of rebirth is limitless—neither extre nor convergence……'
"Incredibly difficult."
It was clear the Two Principles Limitless Divine Art was less of a martial art and more of a compiled set of ntal insights.
"Similar to the Taiji of Wudang as well."
[As life and death are intertwined, do not take death lightly.]
……It aligns with Master's teachings, too.
I read through it several tis, turning the aning over in my mind.
"They really are similar."
There were parts that resonated strangely with the Reversal Secret Art—the reward from 14th floor.
The Reversal Secret Art had been applied instantly because it was a reward, but the Two Principles Limitless Divine Art was different.
This required reading and understanding.
A vague sense of comprehension began to take shape.
【Understanding of the Reversal Secret Art increases.】
"As I thought."
Grasping the thread of the Two Principles Limitless Divine Art's mysteries, I simultaneously circulated the Heavenly Poison Blood Divine Art and the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Origin Divine Art.
【Understanding of the Heavenly Poison Blood Divine Art increases.】
【Understanding of the Ten Thousand Streams Return to Origin Divine Art increases.】
So ti passed.
I opened my eyes, drenched in sweat.
"Now let's take a look at the sword."
I drew out Iron Instrunt God's Sword.
"So it's ended up in my hands again."
It truly seed like the sword and I had a connection—distant yet close.
Laying it side by side with Iron Instrunt God's Dagger, I was struck by a wave of feeling.
I found myself thinking of the story of Ou Ye-zi.
The legendary blacksmith Ou Ye-zi had forged many famous blades—Fish Gut, Pure Hook, Great Que, and others—but among them, Gan Jiang was said to be fit for possession only by a righteous king, and if that king committed acts contrary to moral virtue, the sword would leave him on its own and seek a king of virtue.
"Haaa……. Iron Instrunt God's Sword is exactly like Gan Jiang. No wait, the complete opposite?"
From Jang Ae-guk to Park Je-hwang, and now to .
It keeps passing to those without qualification.
"Right. Your na is Ro-dam."
The reverse of Gan Jiang.
A silver sword whose na—aning deep and clear black luster—suited it not at all.
"You dared leave a wound on my hand. Even made bandage it, you wretch."
I talked to the sword as if mad.
"Don't think we'll get along. Stay here alone in this corner until you find a worthy master!"
I let out a bitter smile to myself and tossed Ro-dam into a corner of the Poison Herb Field.
"Ti to head out. And visit Bo-reum while I'm at it."
I dusted the dirt from my clothes and got to my feet.
"I wonder what's happening back in Korea."
Pfft.
A laugh escaped .
I rembered a book I'd read in the library.
The 5 Stages of Grief.
1. Denial 2. Anger 3. Bargaining 4. Depression 5. Acceptance
They were probably at the denial stage right about now.
* * *
After the Golden Tower incident in France, all of South Korea was in an uproar.
The difference from France was this: while France was in a festive mood across the entire country, South Korea had the atmosphere of a house of mourning.
President Park Jae-yeol questioned Pyeon Jae-yeong.
"What on earth is happening? Are you truly saying Ghost and the Naless Hero have left Korea?"
Even though the content was all but confird, Pyeon Jae-yeong inwardly clicked his tongue as Park Jae-yeol asked again.
And he gave him the answer he wanted to hear.
"We cannot be certain just yet."
"France has already made an official announcent!"
"They made an announcent, yes, but that doesn't necessarily an it was Ghost who did it."
"The Murim Tower clock of the Republic of Korea has been reduced by a full year!"
"It is still difficult to conclude prematurely that Ghost is capable of manipulating ti itself."
"Hrmmm."
Park Jae-yeol deliberated, then issued his directive.
"For now, release a statent. That Ghost and the Naless Hero have not naturalized as French citizens."
* * *
Minister Han submitted his resignation from his position as head of the Gukmubon.
His resignation was processed with unusual speed.
After being released from detention, the whereabouts of Minister Han and Chief Han were unknown.
The agents of the Gukmubon held a retirent ceremony for Minister Han, even in his absence.
Every agent gathered in the lobby of Gukmubon's first floor and piled it high with bouquets of flowers.
Then, standing before that mountain of flowers, they offered a salute and held a silent demonstration for 1 minute.
"……"
The mont hundreds of people saluted in unison and fell silent—
Click, click!
The press competed to cover the solemn scene.
The 2nd Director of the Gukmubon, newly appointed, was Kim Mu-ok.
He was a forr four-star general—and the father of Kim Do-han.
One Gukmubon agent saw the personnel announcent and asked another,
"Who is Kim Mu-ok?"
"Apparently he's a forr four-star general. His nickna in the military was 'Kim the Major General'"
The agent made a puzzled face.
"Major General is two stars. If he's a four-star general, that'd make him a full general, wouldn't it?"
"Guess he wasn't much. They say when he made two stars, everyone doubted he was even cut out for it. Too young, too."
"Hard to understand—so how did he ever make four stars?"
"No matter how far he climbed, he was only worth 2 stars, yet he ended up with 4. They say there was no shortage of criticism in the military."
"Must have so serious backing?"
"Direct line to the VIP."
"Oh?"
"He's practically President Park Jae-yeol's personal servant. Tis were turbulent. Had to seize control of the military, so they planted a loyalist deep inside to take hold of it. Anyway, that's how he made two stars, then four, and now landed the minister post."
"……So he's an unqualified parachute appointnt."
Kim Mu-ok wasn't even a tower climber, so he had absolutely no experience with tower climbing.
Public criticism was intense.
But Kim Mu-ok strode into the Gukmubon building with a brazen expression.
"Hahaha! They've even piled up bouquets like this to welco my arrival."
At that, his son Kim Do-han, who appeared to have taken on the role of Chief Han and was dressed in a suit, quietly whispered in his ear.
"……Those are not for you, Father."
"Then whose are they?"
"They belong to the previous Director. It was even in the news."
"What?"
Kim Mu-ok glared at the pile of bouquets.
"Remove all of this at once!"
Kim Do-han gestured to the Gukmubon staff to clear the flowers.
But no one moved.
"What are you doing? Clear them away."
"Ahem. Ah, I'm busy right now."
The agents and staff mbers who had been scattered here and there quietly began to vanish one by one, leaving Kim Do-han and Kim Mu-ok flustered.
"Father……. Let us proceed to today's inauguration ceremony first."
"Hmm, hmm. Very well."
The main auditorium of Gukmubon, where the inauguration ceremony was being held.
But in the auditorium, only a podium and a banner hung there, utterly empty.
Even the invited reporters seed taken aback.
"Where is everyone! It's the Director's inauguration."
Kim Mu-ok threw a fit.
Kim Do-han hurriedly looked into the situation and returned to report.
"Father, about that……"
"What is it?"
"Everyone has gone out on tower climbs, apparently."
"What!"
"Tower climbing takes precedence over all other duties—that is the ironclad rule of the Gukmubon."
"That includes the support staff as well?!"
"They've all gone out to provide backup, apparently."
"Blast it all!"
Kim Mu-ok and Kim Do-han, furious.
And the reporters pressed their cara shutters at the two of them.
"Tell the reporters to get out this instant!"
"But the dia response—"
"Tomorrow the papers will only run photos of an empty auditorium! Quickly!"
"Yes sir."
Kim Mu-ok clutched his head in his hands, but in the end, the next day's newspaper headline read:
[Incompetent New Director And An Empty Gukmubon]
* * *
"Hehehe. Serves them right."
I laughed, reading the articles on my phone.
【Kim Tae-yang says they brought it upon themselves. 5,000 Happiness】
This world is not the stronghold I once lived in.
The politics of the stronghold prioritize bloodline and are proven through strength.
But the politics of this real world amount to nothing more than a popularity contest.
The people's support.
That was directed solely at .
The power struggle between Park Jae-yeol and .
I sensed victory—and looked forward to tomorrow's articles.
"By now, there should be new articles up as well."
[South Korean Governnt Announces Ghost And Naless Hero's Naturalization Is Not True.]
└ Can we even trust the governnt's statent?
└ Well, the announcent did co unilaterally from France, so nothing's confird yet.
└ Ah, I want to believe it's not true.
"Right. Just as I expected."
Then what about the other articles?
[(Breaking) A Parcel Arrived At France's Murim Tower Administration Under The Naless Hero's Na!]
Monts later.
[(Breaking) Naless Hero Gifts Antidote For 37th floor Of The Murim Tower To France!]
[Ghost And Naless Hero's French Naturalization All But Confird!]
└ Whoa.
└ So it was real.
└ What? You've really left?
└ Co back, Hero!
└ This is all the fault of the South Korean governnt.
└ It's Park Jae-yeol's fault.
└ Step down! Impeach him!
└ One president is ruining an entire country.
└ What more is there to say, they even fired a gun.
└ Naless Hero. Please think of us, the citizens. I beg you.
【Kim Tae-yang laughs, saying let's see how they manage without us. 5,000 Happiness】
The reaction to the parcel I'd sent in advance was explosive.
Seeing them rush to make an announcent without even confirming whether it was the real antidote—
It seed the South Korean governnt had leaked information, or France already had a rough idea that I was the one who'd made the antidote.
【French citizens cheer that the day to rebuild a great empire has co. 2,000,000 Happiness】
"Alright, for now let's leave that as it is. Let's go find Bo-reum."
I took a thick wad of cash and headed for the address Bo-reum had given .
* * *
"What is that girl doing?"
I spotted Bo-reum.
She had a gimbal mounted on her phone cara and was filming everything in sight.
A flowy dress, a wide-brimd hat.
Dressed as though she'd co out for a vacation.
"Today I'll be strolling through the streets of Paris."
Bo-reum was filming a vlog.
It's winter right now—wasn't she cold?
"Oh my, here we have a fruit stall in Paris. My goodness! These apples are just so beautiful."
They look the sa to , though?
"It feels as if the fruit is whispering to . Hmm? What's that? 'Bo-reum, I am a Parisian apple'. Oh my, lovely to et you, Parisian apple. I'm Bo-reum. Apple-like my face, is it not lovely~"
……Has our dear little sister finally lost her mind?
【Kim Tae-yang nods in agreent. 1 Happiness】
"Now here is a Parisian bakery. The sll of bread is so rich. France really is the ho of bread. Today I'm going to try a baguette."
Bo-reum walked into the shop and ca out with a baguette in a paper bag.
Then she rustled around with the bag for a while outside the shop, arranging it so the baguette poked out visibly.
"There we go."
"……"
Finding it both absurd and hilarious, I watched in silence.
Bo-reum turned the cara toward herself, baguette in hand.
"I've got my baguette. How's it look, doesn't it suit ? Walking through the streets of Paris with a baguette like this—you can forget every worry in the world. Hmm? What are you saying, baguette? You're happy to have t ? Yes. too, Monsieur Baguette. So healing. Heee~ling~"
【Kim Tae-yang says she needs to be hospitalized imdiately. 1 Happiness】
It was quite a spectacle.
And yet, on the other hand, I couldn't help thinking—how long must she have wanted to do sothing like this.
I'd once caught a glimpse of a YouTube video Bo-reum had been watching at ho—university girls strolling through the streets of Europe filming vlogs.
"Let her be for a bit, Kim Tae-yang. She's having fun."
Bo-reum walked around for a good while longer, filming this and that.
"I have a eting today. There's a director who's been helping settle into my Paris life, and they've asked to see . We're eting at a café, let's see……. Ah, it should be the café just around that corner over there."
Bo-reum walked on.
I followed along behind her.
"The streets here are really so lovely too."
Bo-reum suddenly turned around and fild the street.
"Oh! A handso man over there. Kyaaah, shit!"
She'd finally spotted .
"Hey, no need to swear at your own brother."
"Wh-what?! What are you doing here!"
"Is it wrong for to co?"
"I'm going insane!"
Bo-reum was so shocked she even dropped the baguette she'd been holding.
I picked it up and handed it back to her.
"Baguette, what are you saying? 'Boohoo! Napoleon Bo-reumparte dropped . Bring out the guillotine!'?"
"You……did you hear all of that?"
Bo-reum's face went pale.
"No."
"Then?"
"'Heee~ling~! Apple-like my face. So stately~' That much, I heard."
"You bastard!"
There she goes with the swearing again.
【Kim Tae-yang says he's found material to tease her with for the rest of his life. 500 Happiness】
It was a very welco stream of curses.
The two of us settled into a café.
"Oppa, how did you get here?"
"Walked."
"Are you crazy?"
"The one who seems crazy is you."
"You couldn't even let know you were coming?"
"Unannounced inspections, by nature, give no prior notice."
"Haa……. Seriously."
"Order sothing. Coffee and dessert too."
Bo-reum placed the order.
Then she looked at my hand and asked,
"Oppa, what's that wound on your right hand? You've even bandaged it."
"Ah, this? It's nothing."
It was the wound from grabbing Iron Instrunt God's Sword when Park Je-hwang wielded it.
"It looked like the Naless Hero got hurt right there."
"Hm?"
"I watched the match between the Murim Alliance Leader and the Naless Hero."
"Wasn't it the left hand?"
"It was the right hand. What are you……"
She shot a sideways glance and spoke again.
"All of Korea is in an uproar, apparently. Ghost and the Naless Hero suddenly coming to France."
"Paris is in an uproar too. About so crazy woman going around talking to apples and bread."
"Shut up. Seriously."
Bo-reum stared intently at .
She looked like she had sothing to say—a serious expression.
"What are you staring at?"
"Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"Are you the Naless Hero?"
……Hm?
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