Ep465 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

"Young Master Baek, over here!" Jeagal Yeonji's urgent shout drew Baek Woojin's attention as he swiftly made his way towards her. The object she held out to him was a charred piece of wood. Seeing his puzzled expression, she quickly provided an explanation. "I discovered the aura of an enchantment inside this. It's almost completely faded as it burned and its purpose was fulfilled, but I have no doubt about it." "An enchantment...? Are you saying the enchantment influenced their emotions?" Baek Woojin widened his eyes in surprise, probing further. Jeagal Yeonji shook her head in response. "I'm not sure exactly how the enchantment worked, but this is undeniably evidence." "I see." A satisfied smile spread across Baek Woojin's lips. Though clueless about the precise mechanism, they had uncovered the tool that affected the people. This supported Baek Woojin's claim that there was indeed a monstrous influence at play. Some might wonder at this point. Is it truly possible to prove such a claim with nothing but a burnt piece of wood? 'Of course, it's possible.' The reason is simple. The person who discovered it and claimed it to be an artifact of enchantment was none other than the daughter of the Jeagal family. What kind of place is the Jeagal family? They are a clan renowned as masters of enchantments, mechanisms, and strategy, nearly monopolizing the martial alliance's military positions. When it comes to enchantments, her words carry immense weight. Elated at finally breaking the gridlock of their investigation, Baek Woojin embraced Jeagal Yeonji, who was looking up at him expectantly with a hopeful smile. "You did well, you really did!" "Hehe, oh, it's nothing..." Jeagal Yeonji, nestled in his embrace, beamed as if she were malfunctioning. Once their lively emotions had calmed down, Seol Suyeon, who had been observing them with cool eyes, inquired. "Are you going to report this to the alliance immediately?" Baek Woojin considered for a moment before responding. "Hmm, no, I think it's better not to." Initially, he intended to do so. The alliance, once barely holding together, was now slowly fracturing. If they announce these findings before the rift deepens further, they could redirect their antagonism away from each other and towards the monstrous influence. 'Doing so might solidify the Cult of the Twelve Demons as an even clearer common enemy, allowing us to unite.' However, he had a change of heart. "Our aim isn’t simply to reveal the existence of a monstrous influence, is it?" "That's... right?" Now was merely the beginning of acknowledging the existence of this influence and creating an opening in their investigation. Rushing to announce it might prevent internal fractures within the alliance, but the perpetrator would likely escape. Once the presence of the influence becomes public knowledge, they would probably flee before the net tightens. Baek Woojin found this deeply unsatisfactory. He couldn't allow them to get away after causing so much chaos, not to mention the deaths of many. "Moreover, we absolutely need to understand what effects the enchantment has." Another concern was the enchantment itself. What effects did the secretly deployed enchantment have that caused such behavior in people? If they don't uncover this, they would inevitably fall victim to it again. Before that happens, understanding the functionality and preparing a countermeasure is crucial. "So let's report it after we've caught them." Hearing this, Dang Sunyoung, who was leaning against the porch column with arms crossed, asked inquisitively. "I get your point. But... how do you plan to catch them?" "Of course, I've got a plan." Baek Woojin smirked slyly. * * * To capture the monstrous influence, the first thing to determine is the effect the enchantment has on people. Baek Woojin chose a rather direct method to do so. "Their goal is to exacerbate chaos within the alliance. Dissolving the alliance in the process would be even more advantageous for them." "So?" "To dissolve the alliance, the division between the orthodox and unorthodox sides must deepen, and for that to continue..." "Oh, more incidents need to occur." "Exactly." The previous three incidents weren't the end of their preparations. If dismantling the alliance is their goal, similar incidents must recur in periodic intervals. Creating an enchantment isn't something that happens overnight. This means that enchantments are already set up in places frequently visited by members of the alliance. "So, let's find them." Thus, Baek Woojin decided to methodically search the entire alliance area to locate where the enchantment had been deployed—a rather direct approach. "You mean to search this entire vast area with just us...?" Jang Sam asked, bewildered. "Not everything, of course." Baek Woojin used the process of elimination to pinpoint the possible locations within the alliance premises where enchantments might have been set. "When we examined the profiles of people from both the orthodox and unorthodox factions involved in the incidents so far, we found one commonality." There had been three incidents. Though they seemed independent, they shared a surprising common thread. "What is it?" "Whether the person was a perpetrator or a victim, there was always at least one individual in the group who frequently voiced criticisms or slander against the opposing faction." Even if the enchantment heightened people's emotions, it couldn't create feelings or emotions out of thin air. It could only amplify what was already there. To verify this, they checked the records provided by the Hao Moon on the individuals involved in the incidents. As expected, among them were people who habitually made derogatory remarks about the opposing faction, whether jokingly or seriously. "In other words, the influence knew this in advance and set traps around these individuals." Baek Woojin intended to turn this fact to their advantage. "I've compiled a list through the Hao Moon of individuals who frequently demean the opposing faction or tell tasteless jokes about them. If another incident occurs, it's likely to happen in one of the places frequented by these people." He placed thick stacks of files, as heavy as the torso of an average woman, in front of his team members. With a sly grin, he asked, "Doesn't this make it possible to find them?" "......" Though none of them felt convinced, they zipped their lips and left the office. They knew all too well that stopping Woojin was out of the question once his mind was set on something. Their immediate goal was to locate the components of the enchantment, doing so discreetly and naturally. They were to report immediately upon finding any unusual or conspicuous objects or multiple identical items placed at regular intervals, potentially indicating the presence of enchantments. Their expert, Jeagal Yeonji, would then visit these places to conduct a secondary verification for any flow of enchantment energy. And what did Baek Woojin do during this process? "This isn't the place, either." "Hmm, not here, either." "I'm a bit thirsty." "Here's some water for you." "And a little hungry too…." "I brought dumplings. Want some?" "Sounds good." He had taken on the role of Jeagal Yeonji's aide. Not out of his own volition, but rather due to Jeagal Yeonji realizing her newfound importance after discovering the use of enchantments. "Are you tired?" "Heh, I'm okay. Actually, I like that it's just the two of us for the first time in a while." A simple wish. She simply wanted to spend some time alone with Baek Woojin. "We used to go on missions together... remember?" "Ah, yes, those days." The two of them briefly reminisced during a break. It was shortly after Baek Woojin had regained consciousness in his current body. They had met while choosing a mission and decided to undertake it together. "When I think of back then, Jeagal Miss has become much bolder." "Well, that was because... I wanted to be by your side." She didn't regret her past self. Though misunderstood by others, she thought it was enough to avoid meeting people. But Baek Woojin's presence compelled her to change. Watching his brilliance day after day, she intuited that she wouldn't have a place by his side if she stayed as she was. "I wanted to be with him, no matter what." An emotion that went beyond affection, bordering on obsession. Without that strong emotion, she probably wouldn't have transformed as much as she did. With a faint smile, Baek Woojin queried, "And how about now?" "Now… to be honest, it's bittersweet." That was her genuine feeling. It was an unavoidable sentiment. No matter how much a polygamous society might sanction it, what woman would be happy to share her man? For someone like her, harboring affectionate possessiveness towards him, it was particularly frustrating. However. "But it's not all bad…." Women she initially found unpalatable had become like family over time. The regret of not having his exclusive affection transformed into affection for her new family. "So now I am happy!" Ultimately, what remained after the bittersweetness was contentment. She genuinely cherished her life now and the people beside her. So much so that she wanted to be with them for the rest of her life. "So… I hope no one gets hurt, and we can all have a future together." Her warm-hearted wish concerning the upcoming challenges moved Baek Woojin, prompting him to place his hand gently on her head, "I'll make sure it happens." His words, resonating with both a promise and a vow, brought a smile to Jeagal Yeonji's face as she nodded. "Yes… I trust you." After indulging in shared memories and love, the two resumed their tasks, invigorated for the challenges ahead. As the team members moved through the locations they had previously narrowed down, Jeagal Yeonji began to sense the presence of enchantment energy. At one specific spot, she detected a peculiar flow. Though it was an incomplete and unfinished aura, it was unmistakably the energy of an enchantment. The flow was much clearer than what she had sensed from the charred piece of wood, causing her eyes to widen in recognition. "I've found it." Finally, she had located the place. Moreover, she identified the specific enchantment employed there. "Soul-Burning Ghost Killing Formation...!" This was the true name of the enchantment used in the incident. --- Author's Note I'll see you in the next chapter. Thank you for reading as always. Have a peaceful night. (_ _)