"And as for Mun Gyeongnam."
In a bright tone—hoping she wouldn’t take it as a threat or coercion—Mun Seunghee said:
"Record it as an accidental death."
Did I make it sound too cheerful? That feels off.
Thankfully, a neutral reply came back from Mun Seunghee.
"An accident?"
"Yes, an accident. It was a horrific accident, wasn’t it?"
I stretched out a hand to indicate the surroundings. Though, no matter where you turn your head, you can’t actually see that .
Because the accident scene has been swallowed by this gigantic Ulsanbawi we’re standing on.
"Because of Director Mun Gyeongnam’s foolish actions, the project is ruined. Forget excavation— even the planned construction is now impossible."
Saying so, I carefully channeled mana down through Ulsanbawi.
I sensed something writhing beneath the rock.
Down there lie Mun Gyeongnam half-turned monster, the massive shoggoth, and the ruin imbued with the [Great Source]’s influence.
Plus, there’s also <that... beast from Tindalos> bound under my restraints.
Hey now, stay put.
I sent a stronger surge of mana to halt “their” movements, then looked at Mun Seunghee.
"..."
She stared back at me in an overly upright, rigid posture.
Nothing specific had changed.
Even in normal times she was beautiful, but faced the world with a somehow inhuman— statue-like— unnaturalness.
"Haa..."
At last, as if giving up, Mun Seunghee sighed and spoke.
"Director Mun Gyeongnam showed excessive obsession with this site. He ignored field experts’ advice and even demanded reckless blasting."
"That story works. You opposed it, but Director Mun Gyeongnam came all the way out here and forced the blasting— and in the end, the accident everyone foresaw happened."
It’s a clumsy alignment of accounts, but not entirely a lie.
Mun Seunghee turned her head toward the temporary shelter set up a bit away from Ulsanbawi.
"In the temporary office you ‘rescued’ for me, there should be documents to support that."
With a dubious look, she mouthed a moment, then continued.
"...Don’t tell me that’s why you pulled that container out in the middle of all that chaos?"
No need to answer.
I gave a little shrug and went on.
"For those who died or were injured after getting caught up together with the Director, I trust you’ll compensate them properly."
Many of the outlaws Mun Gyeongnam brought were killed or hurt.
Others ended up surprisingly unscathed, thanks to Curtain Call, Gwak Daeyong, and the rest moving well.
Ah— the people suffering mental shock may need convalescence for a while.
While I was thinking that, Mun Seunghee stepped closer and said:
"This isn’t that simple."
Right— it isn’t.
Compared to Mun Gyeongnam, the cultists I usually took down were mostly wild-west outlaws.
With those sorts, whatever happens in the fight can mostly be smoothed over.
But not with Mun Gyeongnam.
'I wanted to keep him alive if at all possible.'
He was tagged as third in line to inherit the major conglomerate, Yeonam Group.
For a moment I recalled the message that had flashed before my eyes hours ago.
[You have defeated ‘Heir of Yeonam Group — Mun Gyeongnam’.]
[You have interfered with Yeonam Group’s succession rights. ‘Faction — Yeonam Group’ is taking an interest in you.]
A forced trigger fired.
In some ways, the [Heir of Yeonam Group] scenario is even more of a headache than [Split of the Triumvirs].
On paper you might bury it, but soon someone will want more than that. Say, the old men at Yeonam Construction who were tied to Mun Gyeongnam?
They might send an assassin with superhuman ability— or a madman ready for a suicide bombing.
"You know Mun Gyeongjun, right? The fourth."
It doesn’t mean fourth son.
He’s an executive director at Yeonam Trading, and fourth in Yeonam Group’s succession line.
"He’ll contact you shortly. Promise him full support in the name of Yeonam Construction. Then you’ll soon become a director at Yeonam Construction."
Mun Seunghee’s already statue-like face hardened further. Not metaphorically— she looked like a literal mineral statue.
"I don’t want to."
A very Mun Seunghee answer.
If she’d wanted that, she wouldn’t have been a mere chief under Mun Gyeongnam; she’d have worked under someone who knew how to make better use of her.
"But it’ll be better. Otherwise— not only will you be blamed for failing to protect Mun Gyeongnam, you’ll be made to shoulder the sins he committed."
"Sins—?"
"You know, the embezzlement."
"How do you—"
"You’ll lose the position you have now. Isn’t it better to just take Yeonam Construction?"
"But before Executive Director Mun Gyeongjun moves, someone else will move faster."
We’ve shifted from "I don’t want to" to "It ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) won’t work, it’s impossible."
"Don’t worry about that. One of my people is already talking to Mun Gyeongjun."
"Your... person?"
Smiling, I turned my gaze toward Paju.
A luxurious interior finished in marble tile.
Opulent ornaments placed on all sides.
A heavy, high-end sofa designed to make the sitter feel burdened rather than comfortable.
It’s a place built not to converse easily, but to press down and intimidate the visitor’s body and mind.
Even so, Tudor looked at his counterpart with a lively smile.
"How do you find it?"
Red hair swept up neatly for once, horn-rimmed glasses of a slightly overdone design.
And the small woman serving as his secretary behind him had a large lamp where her head should be. Panida, whom Kim Sinhwa had met before.
He looked more like someone playing at business than a businessman, yet the man in the black suit across from him spoke to Tudor with a grave face.
"I’ve confirmed it. A report did come up that an accident occurred on site."
Mun Gyeongjun’s deep, dark pupils held a steady light as they fixed Tudor.
He does have his charms.
Tudor thought so, meeting Mun Gyeongjun’s gaze.
Serious. Ascetic.
Yet ready to bare inner savagery at any time— a man with the air of a noble wolf.
Mun Gyeongjun spoke again.
"This kind of deal is a first, but quite interesting."
"I’m glad it pleases you."
Mun Gyeongjun ran long, delicate fingers slowly along his jawline and said meaningfully:
"Of late, many unpleasantries have befallen Yeonam."
For example: the chairman who rules Yeonam Group has fallen gravely ill; and the designated successor thereafter suddenly dies crushed under a rock.
"At such times, it’s good to have a trustworthy friend at one’s side. May we continue our friendship?"
Tudor, with a snake’s smile and a voice too kind by half, replied:
"As I said at the start, what we can do is more limited than you might think. Even so, if that’s acceptable, we can be your friend anytime, Executive Director."
Saying that, Tudor flicked his gaze— far— to the east.
Naturally, all he saw was a smart marble wall, but if you ignore physical barriers— at the end of that line of sight, facing back toward Tudor, stood Kim Sinhwa.
As if he could actually see Kim Sinhwa, Tudor gave a sly wink.
'Well? How’s that?'
['Heir of Yeonam Group — Mun Gyeongjun' has been adjusted to rank 3.]
['Heir of Yeonam Group — Mun Gyeongjun' will remember your name.]
[Your relationship with 'Heir of Yeonam Group — Mun Gyeongjun' has changed to 'Friendly'.]
Looks like Tudor wrapped it up nicely.
At that point, Mun Seunghee spoke, face serious.
"Mun Gyeongjun is a hungry wolf. Besides, given my position... no matter what I bring him, he won’t trust me."
She trailed off, but I know her position well.
"It’s only temporary. Mun Gyeongjun won’t last long in this insane succession fight anyway. What we need now is, for a while, you and me, and..."
Saying this will make me sound petty and underhanded— but there’s no helping it.
"Someone to protect Seonbin."
A flicker of anger and a brief shadow of worry crossed Mun Seunghee’s face.
"You can’t live as you have up to now. Again— for the moment, take Yeonam Construction under Mun Gyeongjun’s protection. And I’ll supply whatever funds you need."
I’ll have to make some money when I get home.
"What are you doing this for, Mage?"
Her voice held a trace of wariness.
The question: there’s no way you’re doing this without gain or purpose. Her sharp gaze stabbed for my inner motives.
"Mmm—"
What do I say?
To avert the world’s ruin, I had no choice but to kill Mun Gyeongnam— but I don’t want to get dragged down by the [Heir of Yeonam Group] scenario that spun out from that.
Therefore, just like I handled [Split of the Triumvirs], I intend to lock this scenario before it progresses too far.
For that, certain pieces are needed— and one of them is you, Chief Mun.
...Can’t say that, can I?
"I took a contract, that’s all."
"A contract...?"
In the end, I chose to skate by with some convenient nonsense.
"At the top of this job’s protection list— your name was written there, Chief Mun Seunghee. So I’m protecting you."
Bewilderment flitted across her sculpted face.
It’s something I learned later, but it turns out I was on the same level as Curtain Call there— and had to be a little sad about it.
After escorting Mun Seunghee back to the others, I climbed Ulsanbawi again.
"In the end, this one’s on me."
I’d hoped that if I waited it out, there’d be an easier way— but we’re out of time.
From my coat I took an old, worn book.
[Sealed Rock Codex]
[Sealed Rock Codex (封巖記書)
Category: Grimoire
Author: Unknown
Date of Make: 13th–17th century (est.)
Language: Middle Korean & Classical Chinese
A book written by special shamans who sealed evil beings seeped into this land under the influence of elder gods. It records rites that borrow a god’s power and techniques related to sealing.
Research is required to verify the book’s true value.]
Shrrrrrrrrrip—
Here and there it recorded bombast grounded on absurd theory, but the people who made it must have been relatively sane.
Thanks to that, it’s not hard to parse. Yes— writings like this should be done by sober minds.
Shrrrrrrrrrip—
Ten minutes? No— maybe thirteen?
[System: Research on 'Sealed Rock Codex' is complete.]
[System: You have learned six unique spells recorded in 'Sealed Rock Codex'. To fully master them, the 'Medium' trait is required.]
It wasn’t that the book only had six spells, but I knew all the others already.
[Soul-Return Rite], [Demon-Sealing Array], [Immovable Talisman], [Adamantine Invulnerability]...
Except for the Soul-Return Rite, they’re all in the sealing/warding family.
"Good, good."
All this is just the bonus anyway.
What I need is the [Demon-Sealing Array].
I immediately sat cross-legged atop Ulsanbawi and drew up my mana.
Vvvvvvvvvv—
Using Ulsanbawi as the medium, I’ll cast [Demon-Sealing Array] and seal the [Great Source]’s ruin.
"And as a bonus, I’ll shake off that disgusting thing for a while too."
This won’t handle it perfectly, but it should buy some time.
Without the [Medium] trait, you can’t even cast this— in the game.
But now that I can finely manipulate the structure of magic and mana, I can bypass some constraints.
Just before I triggered [Demon-Sealing Array], a mild annoyance rose, and I muttered:
"By the way, where did our Medium run off to?"
I’m starting to worry.
Once this quest is wrapped, Mun Seunghee will need time anyway; better to go find Jang Hyundeok in person before anything else.
Right, decide that later— now focus. Focus.
Vvvvvvvvvvvvv—
Han characters floating around my body.
Figures with an East-Asian look.
A rainbow of five colors.
[Demon-Sealing Array]
[Spell Boost: Maximize]
Skreeeeeeeeee—
The five-colored rainbow that had been orbiting me spread its range and wrapped the whole of Ulsanbawi.
