Chapter 155: Ghost City (19)
At the sailors training ground.
One, two, poke! Again, one, two
The three Hwarangs, who hadnt completely outgrown their youthful look, were guiding the trainees.
Baek San, the head of the White Tiger Troops, took care of orphans who had no place to go. While taking in the trainees, he taught them with all his heart, and if he found them a good house, he would send the kids for adoption.
The trainees who had gathered here to train suddenly glanced to one side.
Here again!
Baek-Song-Wol also glanced to the side.
A shadow of a child could be seen behind the pillar. He was secretly looking their way, with just half of his face exposed.
Seol Young!
Hyo Wol called out, but Seol Young disappeared like the wind.
It wasnt just during the training.
When the trainees shared snacks and laughed. When they try on the newly made clothes for the trainees.
There was always a shadow watching them from behind the pillar.
However, if anyone found him, he would disappear like a ghost.
Seol Young!
Seol Young left when he was called and ran away.
He had been brought back from the lair, but he was only able to wake up thanks to the care of the people here.
As soon as he recovered, he set out to explore the place.
He was curious about what Baek Eon, Song Ok, Hyo Wol, and the trainees were doing. But it was a bit embarrassing to get too close to them.
Seol Young!
As soon as he heard that, he would run away.
Seol Young
Even saying that, he ran away.
Seol
Even if they just opened their mouths, he would run away.
Then one day, Baek San had some work to do at home, so he went out. On that night, the door to the study room opened, and the three, Baek-Song-Wol, burst inside.
After encircling Seol Young so that he wouldnt escape, they put something down.
It was a large drinking jug.
Baek Eon said,
This is a chrysanthemum wine made from yellow ones. It is a medicinal herb that protects your insides and brightens your eyes. To celebrate our new youngest, let us share a drink.
Ah, yes
Seol Young accepted the alcohol that the three poured out for him.
However, after drinking one cup, Song Ok said,
It doesnt look like he drank much. Hyung, lets pour another.
Sure, Seol Young, take this.
Yes.
Seol Young accepted it and drank again. When it came to alcohol, he started when he was just a kid.
Thinking that the sacrificial wine that was offered to the graves was water, he gulped it down without examining it properly.
Even after learning about alcohol, if there was no water, he would drink the alcohol right away.
Among the demonic beings, there was a belief that those who were good at drinking were considered the best, so they would deliberately make him drink despite being young.
But he never got drunk
As he exchanged drinks with Baek Eon and Song Ok, they began to get more confused.
The empty liquor jars continued to grow.
One, four, five, seven
Hyo Wol! Wake up!
Song Ok called out to him in a low voice.
He seems to be drunk! He is now sleeping! Lean on me and sleep!
What?
Hyo Wol, who had fallen to the ground, jumped up. And he heard the three of them talking.
Are you sure he is sleeping? His eyes are open, though?
They shook Seol Young and even touched his face, then they laughed until their stomachs hurt.
Seol Young! You are really drunk!
That was it.
After that, he lost consciousness. He remembered that there was something enjoyable about it.
But he couldnt remember anything else.
When he opened his eyes, it was morning, and everyone was sprawled out in the room. Then Seol Young realized that he was lying on Baek Eons leg.
His left arm was under Hyo Wols body, and his right hand was inside Song Oks mouth. It seems like he mistook it for a chicken leg.
He had to get up
His head throbbed, and at that moment.
You people were here?
The door burst open. A huge shadow fell into the messy room.
Baek San was at a loss for words. Four disciples were sleeping, and entangled like bandits. Alcohol jars were lying and rolling around next to them
Kids!
Everyone jumped up in surprise at the sound.
What have you been doing? To drink all the chrysanthemum wine that we were supposed to use on the Double Ninth Day!
He shouted. Then Baek San brought out the disciples, who were still asleep.
They were made to kneel down, fill the jugs with water, not alcohol, and drink them. Of course, Seol Young was no exception.
Id rather be hit! Hit me until I pass out!
Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol begged.
They thought that the alcohol, which was good for the body, would be good for the young boy. So to be punished like this for something they had never received when they were kids made them feel ashamed.
But apart from that
It was so funny to see them all do the same thing.
In addition, thinking back to last night, Baek-Song-Wol had to hold back their laughter by biting their cheeks on each side as they looked into each others eyes.
Seol Young also smiled, but there was a problem.
My arm hurts.
The odd feeling in his arm grew, and Seol Young finally opened his eyes.
He saw the familiar yellow ceiling. Sunlight was shining through the window.
And his arm was laid under a pile of blankets, which made him pull it out.
It must have been a dream.
For a moment, he thought he was back in his childhood.
He still smiled at what happened then. They wanted him to be with them, but as soon as he got better, he ran away. How stupid was he back then?
Still, they would all go to him first.
At that time, their teacher was like an angry tiger, but how much was he also laughing inside?
The alcohol smell of that day still felt so vivid to him.
Come to think of it, isnt it over?
Seol Young got up. This wasnt his place. However, the place was familiar, and there was a reason he was there.
After the twists and turns, he escaped the Devil Lair Lord and found Se Geom too.
He was so anxious that he couldnt even lift a finger now. Zaha also seemed to be the same.
The two just sat there in silence.
Then a merchant who went out to work early found them. The two sitting on the beach seemed familiar to him, so he went closer to them.
And he was surprised.
Arent you the young lords who I guided last time? What are you doing here? And why is this young lord lying down? Are you drunk?
Through him, they learned that three days had passed since they entered the Ghost City.
And did they only eat one meal in three days? It was natural that their bodies wouldnt move.
So they went to eat first, then sent a person to contact the Blue Dragon Hwarangs, who were training in the river close by.
They had been looking for Seo Geom too, so they came running right away.
When they all returned to the capital, they were all so exhausted.
The only thing that came to Seol Youngs mind was Mount Seondo.
I need to go there. Whether Im a white-robed Hwarang or not, I need to go there now.
Baek Eon, Song Ok, Hyo Wol, and their troops must not have returned yet from their training in the mountains.
Meanwhile, Yeon Hong, who had turned fifteen years old this year, took the trainees who were too young to Mount Seondo.
Like an injured animal barely crawling to its home, Seol Young went there and passed out.
The kids will be so surprised.
When he woke up, he saw that the kids had taken off his robe and treated the wound on his right arm. Then Seol Young went out.
You woke up!
Then little Myung Kyung and the other ones rushed towards him.
Sa-rang, no, Seol Young-rang, did you get a nice sleep? We thought you would wake up late, so we had breakfast first. We will serve it right now.
Yeon Hong said confidently.
Seol Young looked at them. Perhaps it was because he almost died and came back to life, but each one of them looked so new.
Even when he was young, he was never good at dealing with people, but he really cared about these kids.
And for some reason, that made him miss his teacher.
So he said to Yeon Hong,
I will go greet Teacher first.
Yes.
Since he collapsed immediately yesterday, he wasnt able to talk to Baek San.
Seol Young went to the shrine.
He bowed to the shrine tablet on the altar.
Thanks to your care, I came back safely this time.
As he was looking at it, a thought came to mind.
It was said that the three Baek-Song-Wol made a decision as they were carrying Seol Young, who had become a wreck and escaped from the lair.
No matter who this child is, let us become his sworn brothers and support him for the rest of his life.
After Seol Young regained consciousness, he told everyone the story of the tomb ghosts. And he turned out to be the child of his lost friend, so Baek San was also happy.
Since his son and his two disciples accepted Seol Young as their brother, his joy was even greater. Thanks to their devoted nursing and treatment, his injury healed.
He only had one concern.
I remember it now.
Seol Young looked down at his right wrist.
Despite killing the Lord at that time, blurry stains kept appearing and disappearing on the young Seol Youngs hand. The image looked like a chain.
It seems that his evil powers are still there. Even though your soul is free after entering this place, he still persists in finding you
Baek San told him with a worried look.
I guess I have to do something.
What something?
Listen. We have disposed of your things to compensate for the past damage as much as possible, but the other four Hwarang troops still oppose our decision. For the reason that a child who uses sorcery cannot be accepted as a Hwarang
So do not use sorcery in the meantime. And the protests will be put to rest, and that guy wont be able to find you. It seems like he can find you using the sorcery that you use as clues.
Saying so, Baek San covered Seol Youngs small hand.
From my point of view, you need to be careful for the next ten years. It will be difficult because it is like forcibly sealing it, but you can endure it, right?
Yes, Teacher.
Seol Young nodded.
Anything was good. If he could be together with the White Tiger Spirit Troops
And so Baek San made sure to seal it.
Through the spiritual meridian, he prevented Seol Young from using sorcery.
He had already heard it beforehand, but it was painful to have it done. As he suffered day and night, his mind became more blurry.
About the Devil Lair Lord and the reason why his teacher banned him
Only vague memories remained, and he had forgotten about the details.
Right. This is better. Dont even think about those things now.
Baek San couldnt sleep as he sighed and nursed Seol Young, who was in pain.
Actually, there is someone who can take care of the evil energy left inside of you. But all of a sudden, that person left the capital last year and went into solitary confinement. Still, if I can find him, something can be done.
After recalling that point, Seol Young realized it.
Wait.
He didnt know it then, but was the person that Teacher was talking about Zaha?
If he was still here, he would have helped you completely get rid of that guy.
Teacher said.
Unfortunately, after seven years, it actually happened.
And that fact made him feel strange.
Even if it doesnt look like it, doesnt everything go around in the world?
With that thought, he looked at the shrine tablet of his teacher. How long was it? All of a sudden, a muffled sound came from outside. He could hear the voices of his three hyungs.
They are back?
Then Seol Young quickly went out.
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