Chapter 673

For the first time since the Great Faction War, the world had entered a period of upheaval.

It reached the Central Plains, the so-called center of the world, and distant Nanman, thousands of li¹ away.

“Gasp, pant… Did everyone hear the news?”

“Catch your breath first. What happened this time?”

New rumors spread every day, and the people of Nanman no longer reacted with the shock they had at first.

Or rather, they thought nothing could surprise them anymore.

They had reason to think so. In the past month or so, they had endured one shock after another—more than every incident in Nanman since the end of the Great Faction War combined.

A Miao village massacred by Han Chinese.

The sudden attack of a Thousand-Year Spider from Ailao Mountain, which had been quiet for decades.

And a young Han Chinese man who had not only entered the Inner Palace—a first in the history of the Nanman Beast Palace—but had attended the Tribal Grand Council, where only thirty-two tribal chieftains were permitted to sit.

If it had ended there, perhaps things would have been bearable.

But just three days ago, more than a hundred Yao warriors had been brutally killed at the Western Yao Estate, and two Great Chieftains of immense symbolic importance had gone missing. After that, events began to move with the force of a torrent.

The culprit! The culprit behind the Western Yao Estate incident has been revealed! It was that young Han Chinese man! Jin Taekyung!

Wait. Have you forgotten that Jin Taekyung saved the warriors at Ailao Mountain the day before? Nothing’s been proven yet. We shouldn’t rush to judgment…

Too soon? Ever since those Han Chinese bastards came here, nothing but bad things have happened. There’s no reason to wait any longer!

He’s right!

Only reason could overcome anger, but the voices of those few people were helplessly buried beneath the shouts of many Nanman people whose reason had already gone numb.

Drag the Han Chinese into the street and tear them limb from limb!

Great Chieftain Baeksang! Make sure those bastards are punished!

The music and laughter that filled the streets whenever the Tribal Grand Council convened were gone.

Angry shouts rang out on every side, and two names came up again and again.

Jin Taekyung. And Baeksang.

Their standing differed as much as their origins, ages, and names. To the people of Nanman, that was only natural.

One was an outsider from the distant Central Plains—a criminal who had committed a tragedy that could never be forgiven. The other was the Great Chieftain who led the Bai people, the strongest tribe in this land after the Miao people.

The Nanman people still respected and loved their Palace Lord. His martial prowess was renowned throughout the world, and he was an unpretentious man. But after what had happened at the Western Yao Estate, their trust in him could not help but falter.

After all, it was none other than the Palace Lord, Yayul Cheok, who had brought the Han Chinese responsible for every recent misfortune into the Inner Palace.

Yet even those who had cheered for Great Chieftain Baeksang could not help but become flustered when they heard the new rumors that emerged at daybreak.

“W-What did you say?”

“Did I… Did I hear that wrong?”

Their pupils trembled, and their faces were filled with bewilderment.

Everyone who heard the news could only keep repeating the unbelievable story in their minds, wearing the same expression and the same look in their eyes.

The Palace Lord… tried to harm Great Chieftain Baeksang last night, failed, and then fled?

At first, they all thought it was a ridiculous false rumor. The Palace Lord they knew—the Great Chieftain of the Miao people, Yayul Cheok—was not that kind of person.

Before he was a fine Palace Lord, he was a good man, born in this land and more devoted to Nanman than anyone.

But the news that followed was enough to plunge the beliefs and questions of the Nanman people into an abyss.

“Baeksang is taking over as temporary Palace Lord? What does that mean?”

“I-I don’t know. But the Inner Palace put up a notice. It says just what we heard.”

“That’s absurd! How could it be true?”

“That’s not all. Apparently, the Palace Lord even mobilized the Young Palace Lord and dozens of elite warriors under his command to raid the underground prison and release the culprit, Jin Taekyung, along with the other Han Chinese.”

“……!”

“I can hardly believe it either, but the circumstances are remarkably clear. It’s an undeniable fact that the Palace Lord has been friendly toward the Han Chinese for a long time. And the whereabouts of Jin Taekyung, the Young Palace Lord, and the other Han Chinese are unknown. The Tribal Grand Council was convened last night, and they apparently declared this a betrayal against all of Nanman and issued a general mobilization order.”

“What? A general mobilization order?”

“That’s right. I heard it was decided along with the matter of the temporary Palace Lord. They must intend to hunt down and execute the rebels who have thrown Nanman into chaos. Naturally, the highest-priority targets are the Han Chinese Jin Taekyung and the Palace Lord. No—the former Palace Lord.”

“Former Palace Lord? What are you saying?”

“I don’t know. I’m still trying to make sense of it. But how would ordinary tribespeople like us know what really happened? All we can do is follow the Tribal Grand Council’s decision.”

The notice, bearing the unmistakable seal of the Inner Palace, spread through Nanman in no time. Its people split into three groups.

Those who believed the Beast Miao King had betrayed them. Those who refused to believe it.

And those who made no effort to question it or seek the truth, accepting the new reality as it was presented to them.

Amid the confusion, some fifty warriors returned through the West Gate to the Outer Palace. Every one of them was injured, some worse than others.

They trembled like aspens, terror etched into their faces. In their unsteady eyes lingered the image of the enormous fire they had seen from ten li¹ away.

“Mon… monster…”

The voice that escaped someone’s lips sounded frozen despite the fierce sunlight pouring down overhead.

It was around noon.

Baeksang studied his reflection in a large mirror.

He was handsome and youthful, with a balanced build that belied his more than seventy years. His clothes were made of pure white fox fur. A stranger might have admired his bearing and taken him for the ruler of a kingdom.

But Baeksang’s gaze remained fixed on his own coldly hardened face.

Have I looked like this all along? For so many years?

He searched the past several decades and could not remember the last time he had laughed from the heart.

All he could do was draw out a memory long covered in dust and look at it once more.

Yes. That was the last time.

The chill in his eyes softened as a particular day came back to him.

They had won a hard-fought battle and been given a few precious days of rest.

The bold boy who had set out after his father, determined to defeat the Demonic Cult, had already grown into a handsome young man. And the girl who had been lively since childhood—and therefore always covered in scrapes and bruises—had grown into a beautiful woman.

The young man was Hwi. The woman was Hyang.²

The two of them were as radiant and fragrant as their names. They were a pair of flowers that had bloomed amid a battlefield overflowing with blood and death. Though they called each other dog-and-monkey enemies despite having grown up together, they would sometimes walk together while avoiding the eyes of others.

They probably never knew that someone had been watching on the night they quietly left the others, who were drunk on victory and wine, to walk together along a hill under faint moonlight.

…You’re here again?

…Why are you here again, hyung?³

Why do you think? I’m keeping an eye on Hwi. That wolf might try something with my delicate, beautiful Hyang.

I have to ask—do you honestly believe that?

Of course I’m serious.

Then you know Little Tide Demon died in the battle three days ago.

Little Tide Demon? That bastard who could slap the Heavenly Demon across the face if lust were martial arts?

That’s the one.

As a father with a daughter, I’d been meaning to deal with him myself someday. Good riddance. But why bring him up?

That bastard. Hyang killed him.

……

Hwi was fighting him and took a sword wound. Hyang came out of nowhere with a pair of axes—heaven knows where she found them—and split Little Tide Demon’s head open.

……

And apparently, that still didn’t satisfy her. She crushed the dead bastard’s balls, hurled every curse imaginable at him, and hacked his corpse to pieces. In Hwi’s words, it looked like an imperial palace chef mincing meat with uncanny skill.

…You’re lying. My Hyang would never do that.

Five people saw it besides Hwi. Three of them still can’t speak from the shock.

Good. Tell them to keep their mouths shut. Otherwise, I might have to shut them myself… Oh. No.

You sound like a fiend… Gasp.

That day, the sworn brothers crouching far away in the darkness had unintentionally witnessed it.

The sight of the two children they cherished more dearly than their own lives slowly tilting their heads toward each other.

Turn your head. Quick!

Lower your voice, hyung! I’ve already turned!

Oh, heavens. What did I just see?

What else? Did you leave your eyes in Nanman? They were kissing—mmph. Mmph!

Baeksang, you conniving bastard. You put that wolf of a son up to this, didn’t you? Do you want to be Palace Lord that badly?

Mmph! Hah! Me, Palace Lord? What kind of insane nonsense is that? Maybe after you or I die, but not now.

Ah, I see. You’ll fulfill your dream through your son. Hyang could be the next Palace Lord, so you’ll snatch her up and make her do nothing but housework. Is that it?

You’re driving me mad.

Last chance. Admit it.

No! I said no!

Really? Swear to the heavens.

I swear to the heavens!

Fine. I believe you. Then prepare for them to hold their wedding this year.

How many times must I tell you I don’t— What? What did you just say?

“Don’t ‘what’ me. Just get ready to marry off those two love-struck youngsters.”

……

Why are you just staring at me with that blank expression? You had already figured it out too. Unless you dislike it?

O-Of course I don’t. You’re right, I’d guessed. But… how do I put it? Huh.

“Then that settles it. No need for a long discussion. If the Western Front stabilizes before winter, let’s have them marry and send them back to Nanman. And although the thought makes me feel strange… if they have a child, those two will give up their stubbornness and return willingly, won’t they?”

A child. Ha… Haha. Has that much time passed already?

You’re younger than I am. Stop acting like an old man. Promise me one thing.

What is it?

That girl Hyang. To me, she is more precious and pitiful than anyone. Because of her worthless father, she lost two older brothers and suffered terribly.

Hyung…

Damn it. What I mean is… Shit.

You can stop. I know what you mean. She’s precious to you, and you want us to treat her that way.

……

You have nothing to worry about. Hwi will certainly do that. He’ll grow old with her not merely as a woman, but as a companion—and sometimes as a friend.

I suppose I can trust Hwi.

And if you can’t trust Hwi, trust Hyang.

What?

You know her temper. If Hwi disappoints her in the slightest, he’ll end up like Little Tide Demon. I’d bet—!

Baeksang, you bastard! How dare you think of my Hyang as—!

That last shout had been a mistake.

Hwi and Hyang broke apart in the middle of their shy first kiss, and the two sworn brothers fled as fast as their legs could carry them.

Then, when they reached a quiet stream and were about to hurl a word at each other…

Yes. We laughed. Loud enough to shake the world.

Baeksang could no longer remember what had made them laugh so hard. It could not have been only the sight of each other’s panic-stricken faces.

Perhaps they had been happy that the two children who had grown up together would be joined at last—and that they, sworn brothers who had spent their lives side by side, would finally become one family.

Hyang… If she hadn’t gone like that. If only…

Everything might have been different.

But Baeksang knew that the thought was nothing more than a futile wish.

That winter, as they waited for a wedding all Nanman would have celebrated, the Western Front failed to stabilize. Ten thousand Demonic Cult troops swept in with the cold wind.

And then… the flower withered.

After Yayul Hyang—the woman who had been as beautiful as a flower and as strong as steel—withered on the battlefield, the light vanished from Baekhwi’s face.

That must have been why, during the final battle at the Great Snow Mountain, he had cut down enemy after enemy as though possessed, stepping into ever greater danger.

In the years that followed, Baeksang sometimes wondered whether the boy had seen a single flower blooming somewhere in that narrow ravine.

Was that really what happened?

As always, there was no answer.

Baeksang looked at the mirror, now blurred before him.

No. The whole world looked that way.

Drip. Drip.

Not a cloud marked the clear sky. Yet raindrops fell from somewhere.

And then, in the next moment, someone’s voice pierced Baeksang’s ears.

“Oh my. Should I come back later?”

Baeksang turned slowly. In his bloodshot eyes, he saw a woman who had appeared like a ghost.

“…Southern Heaven Demon Empress.”

At Baeksang’s words, the Southern Heaven Demon Empress smiled broadly. It was a smile as radiant as a flower and as wicked as a viper.