Ep510 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

As Baek Woo-jin and his group made their way into Mount Kunlun, Outside the fortress, Jang Min paused as he watched the divided factions of the Zheng-Sa Alliance fleeing in two separate groups. The sun, half-hidden, cast an ever-growing darkness over the world. In the dense, leafy mountain forest, the shadows would soon deepen significantly. "Halt the pursuit for now." Rushing in blindly could play right into the enemy's hands. Preparations were necessary. At the very least, they wouldn’t be taken by surprise due to the enveloping night. "Light the fires and prepare the torches! Drive away the darkness!" Flames began to rise, one by one. As he confirmed the retreat of the encroaching shadows, a cold smile formed at the corners of Jang Min's lips. "Fools." It seemed the enemy planned to use the mountain's heights and maze of paths for a surprise attack, but this was a blatant misstep. Where were they situated? Mount Shiwan, infamous for its treacherous terrain. Those gathered here had lived in these rugged mountains for decades. Thus, he was confident. "Your plans will not go as you hope." It was time for them to strike ruthlessly at their foes. Having ensured ample lighting, he shouted boldly, "Slay them all!" "Waaaaah!" Roving like a wave, their forces began to ascend the mountainside. * * * By the time Baek Woo-jin and the martial artists reached the vicinity of the Kunlun Sect, the sun was more than half hidden by the moon, casting growing darkness over the area. Preparations to face the Demonic Cultists were complete. Disciples of the Kunlun Sect, stationed throughout the mountain, lay in ambush awaiting the enemy. In addition, deadly traps devised through the cooperation of the Jegal and Tang families were ready. With Mount Kunlun serving as their natural fortress, the Demonic Cultists would not easily ascend. Baek Woo-jin verified that their formations were properly aligned. Finally, it was time. A moment to part ways with these companions. Facing the women looking anxiously up at him, Baek Woo-jin spoke. "I'll be back." "Master Baek…." Soon, the sun would be completely shrouded in darkness. At that time, the Heavenly Demon would finally make its appearance. He was certain of this as he had repeatedly intercepted the Demonic Cultists. ‘I care not for war.’ She held no interest in the current conflict embroiling the Central Plains. To her, the Demonic Cultists were merely expendable pawns. Tools to draw attention and sow chaos to achieve her own aims before ruthlessly discarding them. Hence, Baek Woo-jin too could not remain entangled in this war for long. Now, he must trust in them and step off the battlefield to confront the Heavenly Demon. "……." Before departing, Baek Woo-jin looked into the eyes of the women gazing up at him. Their eyes reflected fear and anxiety. They worried about their beloved kneeling before the overwhelming might of the Heavenly Demon once more. All were enveloped in such worries and apprehension. Unless he returned safely, dispelling those emotions was impossible. Yet, even knowing this, he wished to plant a new seed in their gaze. "When this is all over." Within the fear, anxiety, and dread, He wanted a tender bud of hope to sprout and thrive relentlessly. "Let's get married." "……!" "What…?" "Hmm…?" The women displayed various startled expressions at words he had never spoken aloud before. Contrary to Baek Woo-jin's expectations of a strong reaction, they remained quite composed. No, overly composed. "Um…, what do you think? A proposal in this situation," Dang Sun-young asked, and the women began responding one by one. "I don't think it's bad…!" Jegal Yeon-ji. "Well…, I've never really thought deeply about proposals…." Do-gyeong. "It's a bit disappointing. I wanted a proposal amidst blooming flowers." Seol Soo-yeon. "Isn't there a certain charm to it? A proposal in the face of death…, haha." Yong Seol-ran. "Mmm…, as long as you come back alive, anything's fine by me." Geum Yeo-ul. "A, proposal…, with the master…?" Song Hee-yeon. "…Hmph, you haven't bested me yet." Even the Blood Demoness, feigning disinterest, subtly hinted that she wasn’t completely opposed to marrying him. "Well…, it seems they all more or less agree," Dang Sun-young summarized, poking Baek Woo-jin in the chest with her forefinger. "Return safely first. I'll give you a definite answer to your proposal then." "Oh, um." Baek Woo-jin was taken aback by the unexpected response. Watching them from afar were Yoo Hwa-yeon and Shin Ye-hwa. Both harbored similar thoughts. If he hadn't died. If they had somehow lived to finish this journey with him. Perhaps they would be the recipients of that proposal. It was a futile thought. An unrealizable dream, something even their imagination struggled to picture. No longer wanting to be mired in such illusions, Shin Ye-hwa spoke to Yoo Hwa-yeon. "Lady Yoo." "...Yes." "When all of this is over, shall we... make a grave for Woo-jin?" "A grave...?" "Yes. A place only we know, so only we can remember him." Baek Woo-jin's body was still alive. Therefore, they couldn't officially commemorate his death. Thus, Shin Ye-hwa planned to build a secret grave only they knew of. In a sunny and breezy spot, where they could lay items and memories of him, to be revisited whenever they wished. Yoo Hwa-yeon, head bowed low, responded with difficulty. "...Alright." It might not be a bad idea. Instead of clutching onto him daily with sorrow, having a place dedicated to him that they could visit to ease their hearts felt more appealing. Simultaneously, a sense of relief washed over her. "I'm glad Lady Shin is here." To know she wasn’t the only one who remembered him. To have someone to reminisce about his always gentle and kind demeanor, even if their memories were slightly different. Isn't life truly unpredictable? When he was still alive, they had seen each other as thorns in their sides, and now they had become irreplaceable to each other. Smiling bitterly at the thought, Shin Ye-hwa responded to her. "I feel the same." With forlorn smiles, the two gripped their weapons tightly and turned to face the approaching lights flickering in the darkness. Though their hearts longed to abandon life and join him, they had already promised him once. So for now, they had to survive here. * * * He arrived at the altar, ascending invisible stairs. There, a breathtaking scene was unfolding. A solar eclipse. The sun was being swallowed by darkness, and the darkening sky came into full view. Pausing his admiration of the spectacle, "Isn't it beautiful?" He asked the air, and an unexpected answer came clearly. "It's not a bad sight." The Heavenly Demon descended slowly from the sky. To the two of them, the sun caught in darkness appeared quite different. "Like dawn," he observed. "Like twilight," she countered. Dawn, the morning when the sun rises after the long night. Twilight, the evening when the radiant sun sets and darkness arrives. Their feelings, both similar and opposing, reflected their inner wishes. To save the Central Plains, or to care not what becomes of the world for her own aim. Baek Woo-jin turned his back on the sky drowning in darkness and asked, "Isn't it time you told me?" "……." He queried again, looking at the woman who silently gazed up at the sky. "What do you want?" The Heavenly Demon thought the question was quite pointless. "What I want?" From the beginning to the end. There was only one thing she desired. "It's you." Simply that. Even if it meant breaking the world, what she desperately longed for was him. However, it wasn't merely his existence she craved. "Specifically, I want you from then, and myself from then." A time when their desires for each other were pure and untouched by coming fates. When the other was as good as the whole world. "I want to return to that time." To achieve that, everything had to be erased. Every moment of venomous hatred directed towards him, and the sight of his back as he turned and left. Every chance she had missed, every moment that went wrong. All had to be excised from this world. "The god told me." Whispered sweetly by the god. And then made an offer as she began to agree with his will. "There's a world made wrong, and asked if I could destroy it." This place was that world. A world that deviated entirely from his intentions and spiraled into chaos. Unsure where to correct things, overwhelmed by confusion, he made a choice. "In order to start from the beginning, the existing contents must be erased." Not a revision, but a deletion. To completely wipe clean the world drawn by his brush and rewrite it anew on a blank canvas. And their story, as well. "In that place, you and I will be rewritten." A smile formed at the corners of the Heavenly Demon's lips. A chilling smile that made every nerve in one's body stand on end just by looking at it. "Bound and tangled in a fate where we must love each other, finally sharing a flawless love…!" The madness she had barely kept restrained began to erupt at last. Author's Note: I'll be back with the next installment. Thank you, as always, for reading. Have a restful night. (_ _)