WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 804: Episode 39: Rumors (3)

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* * *

We were locked in the Namgung Clan's prison.

Honestly, I wondered if it made sense to throw someone in prison just because they insulted your dumplings. The Five Great Families were clearly no ordinary group.

The existing prisoners greeted us the moment we entered.

"Kuhaha! Looks like we've got another newcomer."

From Great Demons of the old Murim generation to criminals of the New Murim, the prisoners pressed against the bars and licked their lips when they spotted Junghyeok.

"That's one soft-looking little brat."

"Bad luck, kid. Now that you're here, your life is as good as over."

"He's so plump. Should we boil him, roast him..."

Junghyeok looked at the prisoners with indifferent eyes, then picked out the two men who appeared to be the strongest.

"Blood Human Beast Jeon Geuk. Sloth Sword Lee Cheolg-un."

The men whose epithets had been called out widened their eyes.

"H-how do you know our epithets...?"

"You will die during the Fear Realm Expedition in twenty-eight days."

A sudden silence spread through the prison at Junghyeok's death curse.

A middle-aged man locked in the cell across from us belatedly sprang to his feet in outrage.

"You insolent little brat! You've lost your mind!"

"Hundred-Killing Sword Ma Hyeong."

Ma Hyeong, the Hundred-Killing Sword, glared at Junghyeok with bulging eyes.

Junghyeok watched him for a moment before declaring,

"You will die now."

"What? Kuhahahaha..."

Ma Hyeong laughed for a long time as if he had heard some petty joke. Then, moments later, he clutched his heart and fell to his knees. He vomited blood and died.

"W-what happened?!"

"Brother Ma?"

"What the hell happened? This is a joke, right?"

"Guard! Where's the guard?"

A guard rushed over shortly afterward and confirmed Ma Hyeong's death. The cause was an unexplained heart attack.

"If anyone else wants to know their lifespan, come forward."

That ended the prisoners' mockery.

I asked inwardly in admiration.

―How did you do that? Did you kill him with a battle cry?

―I just saw someone whose time had come to die. That is all.

As expected of a regressor from the forty-first round. Terrifying.

Of course, not everyone found Junghyeok terrifying.

"Are you really the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint's disciple? How remarkable."

The guards seemed fascinated by Junghyeok's talent and praised him without restraint.

"Did you really foresee Ma Hyeong's death? I heard the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint possesses foresight as well..."

"More importantly, what a handsome little boy."

Watching the guards marvel at Junghyeok's looks, I remembered reading a study that said handsome prisoners were more likely to receive shorter sentences in court.

"Just endure this place for a little while. Meals will come on time. The food in our prison is better than you'd think."

"..."

"Don't worry too much. If you apologize properly, the Clan Head will let you go soon enough. The Namgung Clan isn't such a heartless place."

Was Junghyeok repeating life on Easy Mode just because he was handsome?

Well, regardless.

―It's fine. Now that we've come this far, we'll be safe today.

Just in case, I used the Fable Fragment "Birds Hear What Is Said by Day" once more, but I couldn't sense any beings watching us as before.

The Namgung Clan had a few masters who had reached Transcendence, as well as Incarnations that appeared in higher Scenarios.

Even this prison had been designed so that even average Historical-grade Constellations could not easily enter or leave it.

As long as we were in Murim, it would be hard to find anywhere safer.

I took advantage of a moment when no guards were watching and quietly deactivated Thought.

―You're doing something dangerous.

―I have no choice. There's a time limit on my transformation.

The cramped private cell had suddenly become home to two prisoners, but I couldn't maintain Thought forever.

Besides, I had a measure prepared in case we were discovered.

[Item Odor Removal Spray has been used.]

[Item Camp Bed has been used.]

[Item Someone's Old Blanket has been used.]

[A Hidden Item combination has been completed.]

[Special Option Outside the Blanket Is Dangerous has activated.]

It was a combination of useful homeless-survival items Dokja had once told me about.

The completed blanket tent naturally blended into the prison's surroundings.

I warned Junghyeok, who was looking at me with disbelief.

―I'm going to do something important now, so don't speak to me.

I crammed myself beneath the blanket and immediately turned on Dokja's constellation artifact, the smartphone.

「Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World.」

[There is an unread Bookmark in this file.]

[Would you like to move to the Bookmark page?]

As expected, there was a Bookmark left by the Demon King of Salvation.

It was probably a page containing information we needed for the current situation.

I swiftly turned through the pages and reviewed the tasks before me.

First, find a way to repair my Incarnation body.

If I didn't repair my Incarnation body within three or four days, I would die.

Second, enter a new Main Scenario.

Even if I repaired my Incarnation body, I would still die unless I entered a Main Scenario and escaped my status as an Exile.

Fortunately, both problems could be addressed somehow if we met the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint.

The third problem was the issue.

Third, find the "Second Kim Dokja."

The Demon King of Salvation had said there was a "Second Kim Dokja" somewhere in this universe. However, contact had been lost for some reason.

Fortunately, the Demon King of Salvation knew the last place where the "Second Kim Dokja" had been detected.

The problem was that there were extremely limited "entrances" in the Star Stream through which we could reach that place.

「Read the 999th round. You might be able to get help from it.」

I checked the note left by the Demon King of Salvation and slowly turned the page.

A journey of a thousand miles began with a single step. I couldn't set out to meet the Second Kim Dokja right away. For now, the best option was to reread the TWSA I'd been given and review the roadmap.

I began reading TWSA calmly, one sentence at a time.

I knew a single installment of TWSA was absurdly long, but I was still startled all over again.

Neither the person who wrote this nor the person who read it could have been sane.

「The items obtainable in the First Martial World are as follows.」

Sentences so boring that even someone stranded on a deserted island with nothing else to read might refuse them.

「The method to obtain Extinction Emperor's Martial Arts Manual is...」

Excessively expansive settings and descriptions listed in painstaking detail.

「Thus, the Transcendents finally decide to choose the King of the Transcendents.」

「The base materials for crafting the Dark Heaven Moon Halberd are as follows.」

As I read those dry sentences, I couldn't help thinking of the person who must have carefully written every word.

Han Suyeong really had wanted to save Kim Dokja.

―Is that important?

I looked up to find little Junghyeok lifting the blanket and looking down at me as if I were pathetic.

―It is.

―What are you doing?

After a moment of consideration, I decided to be honest.

―I'm reading a novel.

I expected a sharp rebuke, but Junghyeok unexpectedly let out a quiet sigh and sat down.

―You should rest as well. We rarely get a chance to rest comfortably like this.

Bathed in moonlight filtering through the prison bars, Junghyeok began Circulation and Breathing.

Calling Circulation and Breathing rest made him seem a little strange, but it was also very like Junghyeok.

In a situation where we could die tomorrow, one person practiced Circulation and Breathing while the other read a novel.

「"When do you rest, Captain?"」

It was a scene where Lee Hyeongseong asked the Yu Junghyeok of the 999th round a question.

「"When the Oldest Dream stops."」

Watching Yu Junghyeok endlessly strive onward, I wondered.

Would someone born as "Yu Junghyeok" ever truly be allowed proper rest? Once he reached the end of this forgotten worldline, would his Oldest Dream finally end as well?

I didn't know.

Dokja and Han Suyeong probably didn't know either.

In a sense, the forty-first round was only now being written.

What we could predict was not that distant future, but only tomorrow.

―That beating's going to hurt like hell.

* * *

The next day, Junghyeok was not beaten with a cudgel. He was even released from prison.

I had a bad feeling.

Could it be that Namgung Jincheon, the Emperor Sword, was trying to pretend Junghyeok's insult had never happened?

If so, the plan I had laid until now would collapse.

More importantly, our safety couldn't be guaranteed if we left the Namgung Clan estate.

"Attend to him with utmost care. He is an honored guest."

As maidservants guided us away, I couldn't understand what was happening.

We had been promoted from prisoners of the Namgung Clan to honored guests overnight?

―Did the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint come looking for us?

―I didn't sense anything like that.

The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint had not come, yet the way they treated us had changed?

Anyone could see there was an ulterior motive.

―It seems your plan has succeeded.

―I don't know whether this can be called success.

The Namgung Clan's guest quarters were said to be reserved for elders of the Nine Schools and One Gang, or famous Murim masters.

Food prepared by skilled cooks was being arranged on the dining table before us. Whenever I thought of Murim, I only thought of chicken broth, thin noodles, and Murim Dumplings. It was surprising to realize there were so many other foods.

Dongpo pork that melted in the mouth. Five-spice pork. Even Beijing duck.

The one regret was that, in my tiny Thought form, I couldn't enjoy the food to my heart's content.

On the other hand, Junghyeok was stuffing himself just fine.

―Can you eat that?

―What?

―You don't eat food made by others.

―What are you talking about?

Junghyeok glared at me as if I were spouting nonsense, both cheeks crammed full of food.

Ah, this bastard.

Had he even forgotten the setting that he couldn't eat food made by others?

―No, please eat plenty.

It was better this way. If it had been like before, I would have had to feed him dirt again.

The situation was unfolding strangely, but either way, chances to eat well and rest comfortably did not come easily.

[Fable Fragment Man Who Eats Eight Meals a Day begins its story.]

The Fable Fragment seemed excited as well and encouraged Junghyeok's binge eating. Watching little Junghyeok's stomach swell in real time, I occasionally picked at some food too.

A full day passed as we enjoyed eight abundant meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint did not come for us.

Instead, the one who visited us was Namgung Jincheon, the Emperor Sword.

"It pleases me to see that young hero eats well."

Namgung Jincheon arrived with his characteristic kindly smile and nodded in satisfaction at Junghyeok's puffed-out cheeks.

"My heart hurt quite a bit when young hero spat out our dumplings."

"That was garbage."

"I admit it. We did not bring out the true flavor of Murim Dumplings."

Unexpectedly, Namgung Jincheon admitted it readily.

In Murim, one had to be careful whenever the other party humbled themselves. It meant they clearly wanted something.

"Young hero, are you truly a disciple of the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint?"

"What if I am?"

"Can you prove it?"

As I had mentioned beforehand, Junghyeok wrapped his hand around a pair of chopsticks and slowly recreated a form from the Sky Splitter Sword Art.

Perhaps because no Mana flowed through it, and because it was a form swung by a little boy with a round stomach, it looked like swordsmanship that could not even break a rice bowl, let alone split the heavens.

Wait.

Had this man forgotten the Sky Splitter Sword Art too?

"Do not reveal that martial art to outsiders. There will certainly be an uproar."

Namgung Jincheon nodded, but his expression gave no clue as to what he was thinking.

Did he really believe that?

Did I have no eye for martial arts?

"This is the first time a disciple of the Sky-Splitting Sword Sect has visited the Namgung Clan."

The Emperor Sword continued, looking solemnly at Junghyeok.

"The Murim, including our Namgung Clan, has owed the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint a great debt for generations. Tell me if there is anything you desire."

What was that supposed to mean?

While I thought for a moment, Junghyeok spoke first.

"We need a physician who can repair an Incarnation body."

Junghyeok's judgment was not bad. I did not know their scheme, but using the Namgung Clan was the best course of action for now.

"I will summon the Divine Physician through my clan."

The Divine Physician. If we could call them, it was one of the best options available to us.

After all, the Divine Physician was one of the few Fable Experts in the First Martial World capable of Story Repair.

"And also..."

"Why do you need a physician? Young hero does not seem to have any internal or external injuries."

For a moment, I thought we had given away too much information. Just as Junghyeok's expression hardened and he was about to speak,

"Does the one who needs a physician happen to be you, or the friend hiding in your bag of tricks?"

I had to admit it.

We had underestimated the Emperor Sword too much.

The Namgung Clan was a group of Incarnations capable of holding off even Historical-grade Constellations, yet I had thought they would not notice my presence.

Before Junghyeok could make a mistake, I slipped out of his pocket and deactivated Thought.

"Forgive my rudeness."

The Emperor Sword slowly rose from his seat as I bowed deeply.

A strange glint crossed his eyes.

Normally, this would have been a welcome situation, but not now.

"I know you."

Damn it. As expected.

"Your story is famous even in this Murim."

Honestly, I was afraid of what kind of stories had spread. Yet the Emperor Sword's expression was not too unpleasant when he began speaking.

"The martial world was in an uproar over the story of how you persuaded Cheon Gae of the Dragon Head Ark and sent Cheon Gae back to the heavens."

Cheon Gae of the Dragon Head Ark.

It had been a long time since I heard that name.

Had the Scenario at Seoul Station already spread all the way here?

"It has not become a rumor yet, but I also know that you recently fought a fierce battle with the Master of the Spear at the Recycling Center."

Something came back to me belatedly.

The Master of the Spear had once been the Namgung Clan's sponsoring Constellation. And I had killed that bastard at the Recycling Center.

Yet the Emperor Sword seemed happy about that fact instead.

"I offer you my thanks."

It made sense. The Master of the Spear had been one of the first Constellations to flee when the Outer God Incident broke out.

The Namgung Clan had still not forgotten that grudge.

I nodded and answered.

"I will accept your thanks. However, I do not think you came here merely to say that."

"Just as I heard, you are a sharp one."

The Emperor Sword's expression grew more serious as his faint smile disappeared.

"I know that Constellations of giant nebulae are looking for you."

I narrowed my eyes and swallowed my tension.

Honestly, if the Emperor Sword reported us to Asgard or Olympus right now, there was nothing we could do.

"I have something I wish to ask you."

But if that were his goal, the Emperor Sword would not have come to find us separately.

"Is the one before my eyes the Incarnation 'Kim Dokja,' or the Constellation 'Demon King of Salvation'?"

Footnotes:

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