Invitation to the Chatroom of the Gods - Chapter 97



Only Krnovel

Episode 97 – The End of the Jangpyeong River (1)

An ominous feeling rising from somewhere in my chest.

In fact, when the plague first broke out in Guizhou Province, I had no idea.

I didn’t know if the plague was caused by human error, and of course I didn’t know if it was the work of the Demonic Cult, and even more so, I didn’t know that the Blood Heavenly Goddess, an elder of the Demonic Cult, was behind this incident.

I thought it was just a normal plague. Of course, how can a plague be normal? But, to quote the writer, I thought it was just a normal plague based on a ‘pathogen’.

And it was an epidemic that was rampant in ‘Gwijuseong’. Our rewarder, Ju Gwan-cheon, was the ‘Inspector General of Jiangxi Province’.

Even though Ju Gwan-cheon was the emperor’s second cousin, he could not interfere in the affairs of other surnames.

Therefore, the Lord of Guizhou, Feng Ziming, said that he had nothing to give me when I asked him for a favor. This is truly a merit without reward, a merit that does not need to be turned away.

However, once it was revealed that the plague was the work of the Demonic Cult, there was a need to ‘prepare’.

The existence of the Demonic Cult was associated with ‘rebellion’, so even if it wasn’t Ju Gwan Cheon, the ‘royal family’ had no choice but to step forward.

You could tell just by looking at the Yongbongjihoe. The unwritten rule that the government and the military do not interfere with each other, the inviolability of the government and the military, etc. were thrown out like a dog next door, and the emperor himself ‘processed’.

Moreover, this plague in Guizhou Province had nothing to do with the martial arts world. It was the work of a demonic cult that targeted innocent people who had nothing to do with the martial arts world.

That’s why.

Even though my optic nerves were all burned out and I couldn’t see properly, I asked them not to tell anyone that I had done it.

Even though my head was on the verge of exploding from the sudden onslaught of cognitive information, I somehow managed to say just that.

Fortunately, not many people witnessed me defeating the Blood Goddess.

First of all, there were Dang So-hyang and Eung-seon right in front of me.

The two of them were checking the condition of the folding chair again······.

“Miss Tang.”

“······Yes, four?!”

At my words, Dang So-hyang was startled and shook her body violently. Then, she rolled her eyes left and right to check my expression.

I asked Dang So-hyang in a casual manner.

“Was there an official dispatched from the imperial palace while I was unconscious?”

“Oh, yes. The officials from the inspection center have arrived.”

The Imperial Inspectorate is an inspection agency directly under the imperial family.

As expected, it seemed that the imperial family would not stay still when it came to the Demonic Cult. And as expected, the Inspector General of Jiangxi Province, Zhu Guanqian, did not intervene.

“You didn’t say I did it?”

“Yes, yes···?! What, what······?”

“I’m talking about the Blood Heavenly Goddess.”

“Oh, no. You told me never to say anything······.”

Fortunately, Tang So-hyang didn’t seem to say anything. And judging from Tang So-hyang’s expression, it seemed that the second witness, the swordsmen, didn’t say anything either.

Then there were the children who were almost sacrificed as a third witness, but fortunately, the children were completely evacuated after they got out of the cave.

That is, the children did not witness the moment when I defeated the Blood Goddess.

So the secret would be kept forever.

I was firmly convinced that Dang So-hyang and the Hyupgaekdan would never speak of me at any time.

What I asked Tang So-hyang just now was only for confirmation. I didn’t ask because I thought Tang So-hyang would really say it.

I firmly believed that even if the Emperor were to threaten them in front of them, Tang Xiaoxiang and the knights would never say anything.

But one person.

The fourth witness, the lord of Guizhou, had a different name.

If I remember correctly······. Pungjamyeong was there with me until the very end. Pungjamyeong was there until the very last moment when I defeated the Blood Heavenly Goddess.

Pungjamyeong witnessed the entire process and results of me defeating the Blood Heavenly Goddess.

Above all, Pungjamyeong came to Hyemindang ‘in person’. He explained all the circumstances in front of me and asked for help.

He······knew everything.

He could be said to be the only person who knew about the Guizhou Province epidemic from the beginning to the end.

Of course, the satirical name also seemed to have heard and kept what I had asked it never to say.

But would it be the same in front of the Emperor?

If the Emperor presses him in front of his face, will Pungjamyeong keep his secret?

It has been two months since the current satirical name was transferred to the imperial call.

The distance from Guizhou Province to Beijing, where the imperial family was located, was quite a distance, but two months would have been enough time to get there.

To be exact, there was still time left after we arrived······.

‘no way······.’

Only then was I able to confirm the identity of the ominous feeling that was creeping deep into my chest.

* * *

The lord of Guizhou Province, Feng Ziming, was experiencing something extraordinary.

It all started with a message from the Emperor asking him to come to the palace immediately because he wanted to hear detailed information about the epidemic in Guizhou Province.

As soon as he heard the message, Pungjamyeong headed straight to Beijing, but where was it···?

Oh, yes. I think it was when I was passing through Wuhan in Hubei Province.

It was more than half the distance to Beijing, so it was a distance that would have required a solid preparation of a month.

At that time, I was looking for a suitable inn to rest my body before I had to go on a long journey.

“Are you the lord of Guizhou Castle?”

Suddenly, I thought strangers were looking for a satirical name, but when I looked closely, I noticed that their outfits were a bit strange.

A martial arts uniform with a ‘yellow dragon’ embroidered on gold silk. As far as Pungjamyeong knew, there was only one person in the world who could wear such a uniform.

“Why is he on the golden throne······?”

The imperial guard, the Golden Guard.

The Golden Guard slowly approached, surrounding Pungjamyeong.

“His Majesty is waiting for the Lord. So from now on, we will quickly lead you.”

Then, he kidnapped Pungjamyeong and tried to do bossam with her. Even if I wanted to resist, there was nothing I could do because the other party was the King.

Feng Ziming was helplessly captured, and the Jinuiwei warriors took the captured Feng Ziming and flew off to Beijing in a flash, performing light maneuvers.

“Hey, wait a minute… Wooweeeeek!!”

······I really thought I was going to die.

Since he was a man of few words who had never learned martial arts, he could not withstand the lightness of the Jinuiwi.

It was so fast that my stomach turned and it was really chaotic, but at that moment, I thought I was going to die without being able to move.

“Take one. You’ll be fine.”

Aren’t the warriors on the Golden Guard handing out elixirs?

And of course, the elixir of the Imperial Secretariat was definitely more effective.

“Then let’s set off again.”

If you’re about to die, give me an elixir. If you’re about to die again, give me an elixir.

The satirical name was able to have an extraordinary experience of dying and coming back to life.

So, I was able to have the extraordinary experience of shortening a distance that would have normally taken over a month to just ‘ten days’.

It was truly the most extraordinary experience of Pungjamyeong’s entire life.

And Pong Ja-myeong thought that nothing more extraordinary than this could ever happen again······.

“Then I will go straight to see His Majesty.”

The satirical title left me speechless.

Originally, the audience with the emperor was not conducted right away.

The Emperor was watching over the affairs of the whole world, so to speak, he had no time to spare, and there were many people in the world who wanted to see him on various matters.

Even if he received a waiting ticket for an audience right away, it would take two months, Pungjamyeong knew. That was why he could not tell the emperor directly about the epidemic situation in Guizhou Province, but now what?

“Are you the lord of Guizhou Castle?”

······The Emperor was before my eyes.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise and the Emperor was sitting in front of me.

“Gwi, the lord of Gwiju Castle, Feng Ziming! I greet His Majesty the Emperor!”

The satirist hurriedly prepared a courtesy to the emperor.

“Raise your head. It is I who should be lowering my head, not you.”

“How could you say such a thing…! Ma, please stop saying such things!”

“No. I was so ignorant that I turned a blind eye to the suffering you and the people of Guizhou Province were experiencing. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere apologies.”

The Emperor was sincerely apologizing to Feng Ziming. He was also apologizing to the people of Guizhou Province.

Not only Pungjamyeong, but also the people in the royal guard could not hide their surprised eyes.

“I don’t intend to end it with just this one apology. Even though it’s not enough, I want to set things right now.”

As the emperor nodded, a handsome official stepped forward.

Soon he unrolled a long scroll and began to recite a list of rewards······.

“······!!!”

The two eyes of the poet were truly ‘astonished’.

It was a truly unbelievable amount. I’m not joking, but that amount was enough to raise the economic level of the entire Guizhou Province by two levels.

That is, that alone was a huge amount that could relieve the sadness and resentment that had been neglected for so long. But what happened?

“Although the epidemic has been completely resolved, it must have been difficult for those who were worn out by the epidemic to recover. Therefore, we will set up relief centers and feeding stations throughout Guizhou Province to distribute daily necessities and food.”

The emperor, as if that were not enough, added reward upon reward.

“ah······.”

The satirical title made it difficult to tell whether this was truly a dream or reality. The misunderstandings, resentment, and hatred directed at the royal family and the emperor simply melted away.

“Your Majesty, I am so grateful!! Your Majesty!!!!”

“No. Originally, you were the people I should have embraced, so I feel sorry towards you and the people of Guizhou.”

At the emperor’s words, Pungjamyeong was simply moved to tears.

Tears continued to well up in Pungjamyeong’s eyes. And just when he was about to burst into tears, unable to hold it in any longer,

“By the way, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

The Emperor asked with a serious look in his eyes.

“It’s something to do with the epidemic situation.”

“I will listen with my ears wide open!”

“Who is it?”

······huh?

Pungjamyeong’s mind, which had been wide open, suddenly went blank. The tears that had been welling up disappeared and the crying stopped.

Who would be that?

Are you talking about the person who spread the plague?

“He is the one who defeated the elder of the Demonic Cult.”

The emperor spoke as if he was reading Feng Ziming’s mind. And for a moment, Feng Ziming’s body froze.

When he realized his mistake, he quickly changed his expression, but the emperor did not miss that moment.

“I see you know.”

“Oh, no-.”

“Oh my! How dare you lie about safety!”

Suddenly, a handsome official’s shouting could be heard loudly. At the same time, the soldiers of the Royal Guard began to press Pung Ja-myeong with a chilling air.

Fear overtook him and he fell flat on the ground. The emperor’s words came crashing down on his head.

“I’m not trying to harm him.”

As he slowly raised his head, the benevolent face of the emperor filled Feng Ziming’s eyes.

“It’s just a matter of giving a proper reward to someone who has made a contribution.”

······Now that I think about it, that’s true.

Why would the Emperor harm his benefactor?

Defeating the elder of the Demonic Cult was a tremendous feat, and it was something that deserved to be ‘congratulated’.

That’s why it didn’t matter if I revealed my identity, but I couldn’t open my mouth easily because my benefactor had ‘strongly warned’ me not to tell anyone.

The satirist was at a loss as to what to do about it.

“If you know who someone is but don’t open your mouth, how is that any different from pretending not to know someone after receiving a favor?”

The emperor’s subsequent words greatly shook Pungjamyeong’s heart.

As the saying goes, the favors that Pungjamyeong received from his benefactor were truly immeasurable. However, he had no way to repay that favor.

The name Pungjamyeong and Gwijuseong had nothing.

The benefactor insisted that it was okay, but the recipient of the favor was never like that.

It was a series of days where I was anxious because I had nothing to give, and I reproached myself for being a shameless person who did not know gratitude.

“I would like to award you a fitting reward on your behalf, so just tell me who it is.”

But since the Emperor himself was giving the award, Feng Ziming’s heart couldn’t help but waver.

But I couldn’t say it.

His benefactor had repeatedly warned him never to speak of it. He had even continued to warn him while he was dying, so Pungjamyeong had to keep his benefactor’s orders.

“Double.”

The emperor’s voice was suddenly heard.

“I will reward the one who defeats the elder of the Demonic Cult with double the reward I just gave you.”

“Th, that means… If I just say what I want, wow…! No, are you saying that you will give double the reward to my benefactor?”

“That’s right.”

The emperor nodded seriously, and Feng Ziming’s heart swayed wildly like a reed.

Rather······ if he had offered to give double the compensation to Feng Ziming and Gui Zhucheng, Feng Ziming could have refused outright.

I couldn’t just turn down my benefactor’s request just to get more compensation.

However, the emperor said that he would double the reward for the ‘benefactor’, thus giving Feng Ziming and Gui Zhoucheng a chance to repay their benefactor.

The compensation that Pungjamyeong received right away was incalculable.

But doubling that compensation… was truly enormous, and words alone could not fully express it.

These are the words and promises of the Emperor that can never be false, and there is no better way to repay a benefactor.

Is this a request from a benefactor?

Is this a way to repay a benefactor?

At a crossroads where he had to choose between two, the only thing he could think about was the name of the poem.

‘What is this······?’

What on earth is this ridiculous worry?

No, really, what the hell is this!

Usually, these concerns were only raised when trying to hide a criminal who had committed a crime.

Even though he was a criminal, he risked his life to keep his mouth shut in order to protect his benefactor. That was the normal, sensible, proper, and natural thing to do.

But what they were trying to hide now was not the criminal, but the ‘contributor’.

So, what the emperor was about to hand down now was not a ‘punishment’ but a ‘reward’.

So, he was asking to know the identity of his benefactor, but Pungjamyeong was in a crazy situation where he couldn’t tell the identity of his benefactor.

······What the heck is this nonsensical situation?

As far as the outrageousness goes, it couldn’t be more outrageous than this.

So, the pun was just a blank expression. But did the emperor think that it was to preserve his spirit?

The emperor’s words were heard again, as if to tempt the satirist.

“Three times.”

“······.”

“quadruple.”

“······!”

“Five times.”

“······!!”

“Six times.”

“that······.”

“Seven times.”

“That······.”

“Eight times.”

“line······.”

“Nine times.”

“Actually······.”

“Ten times.”

“The Great Swordsman of Hwalong has arrived, Your Majesty!!”

No matter how much I thought about it, I always came to the conclusion that this was the right satirical name.

Then the emperor nodded lightly as if he had expected that. And then he gave a sidelong glance······.

“The Inspector General.”

“I’ve already made all the preparations. I’ll go and get him right away.”

The handsome official quickly slipped out of the palace.

* * *

The identity of the anxiety that has bloomed, slowly, in my chest.

It grew darker and darker, spreading into an increasingly ominous and very unpleasant foreboding.

With a very ominous premonition that I might die here.

As soon as I came to my senses, I asked Dang So-hyang.

“My lady, where am I now?”

“Here? I don’t remember the name of the place, but it’s a hideout.”

“A hideout?”

“The former general said that we had to hide Prince Yun, so we prepared a separate hiding place.”

somehow.

I wondered why the officials from the inspection center didn’t find me even though they came. But now that I look back, it seems there was a reason for everything.

The former general was amazing not only for his wit but also for his handling of affairs. Thanks to the former general’s wit, the officials at the provincial office did not find me unconscious.

That means the royal family doesn’t know where I am······.

“Then, Lady Dang. Perhaps the Lord does not know the location of this place?”

“That can’t be right. The one who recommended this area, saying that it was sparsely populated, was none other than the lord.”

But not anymore. I had to assume that my position had been completely exposed.

So all the circumstances were leading to one conclusion.

‘I have to run away.’

The only good thing was that time wasn’t that pressing.

It was about two months ago that Pungjamyeong was summoned. It was a distance that would have easily reached Beijing, but the emperor could not meet him right away.

I heard that it would take at least two months to meet the Emperor. Even if the matter was urgent, it would take at least ten days.

Even if I were to meet him, there would be times when I would be questioned, and there would also be times when I would have to come back to Guizhou Castle.

If it were Ju Gwan-cheon, he would have anticipated all of these cases, but this incident has nothing to do with Ju Gwan-cheon, the inspector general of Gangseo Province.

That means there is plenty of time to escape.

“My lady, from now on, please listen carefully to what I say.”

Dang So-hyang also seemed nervous at my suddenly serious expression.

“If later on the Golden Guard-.”

······That was when we were talking.

Shudder.

Suddenly my body and mind froze.