The 31st Piece Turns the Tables
chapter-283

Dududu…

There were a small number of cavalrymen charging toward Gi Seom.

"Get ready…"

Dududu…

"Fire!"

At Tae Yul's command, a volley of arrows was fired all at once.

Pshoo!

The arrows soared through the air and over the walls of Gi Seom.

BOOM!

BOOM—!

Although there weren't many arrows, the effect was tremendous.

The Khan Empire was a pioneer in mechanical engineering, which is why numerous engineering techniques were incorporated even into primitive weapons—arrows included.

With the explosion, a great commotion erupted, naturally alerting the ghosts and monsters that had overrun Gi Seom.

Grrr…

"The monsters are rampaging!"

"I-is it Yaksha? Has Yaksha returned?"

"Lies! I don't feel Yaksha's presence!"

"Then… this sound…"

"Humans! It's humans! The humans have come of their own accord!"

"There are even horses! It seems we will be having a feast!"

BOOM—!

The monsters and ghosts recklessly destroyed the walls and rushed the cavalrymen.

Strangely enough, the cavalrymen displayed awkward movements as if they were trying to maintain a certain distance.

As a result of that, some monsters quickly caught up with them.

"Hihihi! What will you guys do if we block your path?"

The huge, swollen ghosts were blocking the cavalry’s path.

"Lord Tae Yul!"

"I'm watching!"

[Tae Yul used Command: Advance.]

[Mounts temporarily become immune to collision damage.]

[Collison damage increases by 300%.]

"Break through!"

BOOM-!

The cavalry drew attention and successfully broke through the encirclement.

Although precarious, the cavalry steadily performed their role as bait, creating a gap in the vigilance of the monsters and ghosts swarming Gi Seom.

"We won't be able to drag this out for too long… Everyone, make sure to accomplish the goal."

WHOOM…

The ceiling of the sewers vibrated, likely due to the commotion caused by the monsters and ghosts of Gi Seom going out. It was also proof that Tae Yul was fulfilling his role properly.

"Ugh…"

"Ugh… It smells horrible…"

The idea of using the sewers was one the ghosts of Seong Jo had previously used.

This time, however, it was the humans who were using this method to rescue the survivors.

'Their defenses are even weaker than I feared.'

Although they encountered a few ghosts after entering the sewers, the sheer strength of the people in their party ensured the ghosts' necks were twisted before they could alert those above.

It seemed that the ghosts hadn't considered the possibility that they might be the ones to get ambushed.

After all, they likely believed that with so many ghosts and monsters, Gi Seom wouldn't be lost unless a large-scale army was deployed.

"The vigilance hasn't increased compared to before. That's a relief!"

Jin Ryeo, who was in charge of leading the way, spoke in a voice full of hope.

Her excited voice didn't fit the desperate situation, but it was better than a gloomy tone.

The sewer looked like hell—corpses of murdered humans and filth entwined together.

"Seol Hong."

"Shin Yo unni, this… this sight…"

Shin Yo said to Seol Hong, who was speechless at the horrific scene, "We might be witnessing Khan's downfall right now."

"What do you…"

"I've contacted Master."

Shin Yo's master was someone special.

"According to what Master found out, a gap has appeared in the Eastern boundary. The ghosts have crossed over freely through that gap."

"Is there a way to solve this?"

"The only way is to eliminate the cause… Master only foresees the future but never intervenes, so it’s up to us to solve it."

Seol felt troubled listening to Shin Yo's words.

'The cause is definitely Yaksha, but…'

Yaksha was far stronger than any other enemy Seol had encountered so far.

Agony was knocked unconscious during their first clash. Moreover, the two ghosts accompanying it appeared stronger than Immortal-rank.

'It might not be enough even with Shin Yo or Tae Yul's help…'

Neither Jang Du, Shin Yo, nor Tae Yul could handle the other two ghosts.

To put it simply, it was as if Phantom and Shade had appeared at the same time.

Of course, Phantom and Shade might be much stronger in terms of actual combat power, but their energies felt similar.

'And that sword… Yaksha's sword…'

Seol was certain.

The power that took down Agony came from the energy that flowed out of that sword.

If they couldn't do anything against that sword's energy, the outcome of the next clash would most likely be the same.

'We lack information and power…'

They might have a chance if they could find a way to counter Yaksha's sword.

'Fortunately, Yaksha's energy isn't currently present in Gi Seom. I wonder if it has gone back.'

- Hurry! Let's return to the Ghost Realm!

Just as the fox ghost had said, it seemed they had returned to the Ghost Realm.

Yaksha was truly a special being—having the power to travel freely between the Ghost Realm and the mortal world.

'To think I would meet Yaksha in the middle of such a twisted situation…'

Jin Ryeo had already mentioned this during the meeting.

Yaksha might have summoned the ghosts in Gi Seom, and there could still be a door remaining somewhere.

If that suspicion turned out to be true, reclaiming Gi Seom might be nearly impossible.

"I'll scout ahead…"

There weren't many tasked with the mission of rescuing the Empire's citizens.

It was just Shin Yo, Jang Du, and Seol's group, along with a few of Tae Yul's trusted subordinates, including a man named Song Noh.

While fiddling with his mustache, Song Noh muttered something.

[Song Noh used Mutter: Squeak Squeak.]

[A group of non-hostile rodents are put under your control.]

Song Noh's special ability.

The power to communicate with animals wasn't only useful for combat.

'He must not be from around here.'

This kind of power was traditionally passed down in the Northern or Western regions. They were the so-called guardians of nature—the Druids.

Squeak…

Squeak…

The rats, each the size of an adult’s forearm, swarmed the sewer and scattered in all directions to gather information.

"Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be any ghosts nearby. We should be able to go up, but…"

"What's wrong?"

Song Noh seemed startled by something he saw through the eyes of the rats on the surface. He remained silent for a while before answering Jang Du's question.

"Let's go up and see it for ourselves."

Nod…

The group moved to the pre-determined location.

As they went up to the surface, they were startled by the unpleasant air.

Gi Seom had been utterly ravaged, the entire area permeated with the stench of blood and decaying corpses.

"That…"

"What the…"

The group hid themselves and stared at a single point.

They stared at a fissure. Though it was hard to describe it accurately, there was a noticeable distortion in the air.

The fissure twitched as if it were a beating heart.

'Could it be that from there…'

The door from which the ghosts poured out might be that very fissure.

That suspicion lingered in everyone's minds.

"Let's go. Right now, saving the citizens is our priority."

Song Noh's words were right.

"He's right. Lady Shin Yo, please use your Daoist Spell."

"Everyone, hold your breath for a moment."

Swoosh…

[Shin Yo used Higher Knowledge: Dawn Mist.]

[You spread a mist that disrupts perception over a wide area.]

[Ambushes or surprise attacks do not work within Dawn Mist's range.]

Shin Yo spread a barely noticeable mist in all directions.

Once inside, it was surprisingly hard to sense the presence of someone who was standing right in front of you.

"Come."

[Song Noh used Mutter: Chirp Chirp.]

[A group of non-hostile birds are put under your control.]

Numerous types of small birds flew onto the shoulders of Seol and the others.

"Oh…"

Shin Yo was impressed.

"Moving while holding onto each other would be the normal method… but this isn't bad at all."

Song Noh bowed respectfully at Shin Yo's words.

"If anything happens, just mutter something, and I'll be able to hear it. Please be cautious while moving in the mist."

Nod…

The perimeter had been breached because of Tae Yul's cavalry.

- Everyone, stop. There's a monster nearby…

Creak!

Before Song Noh could confirm the enemy's movement through a bird's eyes, Seol had already moved.

Seol's heightened senses were faster than Song Noh’s sight.

- Let's proceed…

Translator - SCM

Proofreader - Karane

* * *

They followed a hidden path that led to an underground shelter.

"Wh-who…"

"Humans… They're humans!"

"Shh… The monsters outside will hear us. How many times must I say it?!"

The people there were startled by the group's sudden appearance.

"I said I would return, hehe…"

"Thank you… Truly, thank you…"

"We're saved…!"

The number of people in the shelter had dwindled a bit—corpses covered by clothes lay everywhere.

'A plague…? The other people might be in danger too.'

The survivors deliberately avoided looking at the area where the bodies were laid. Perhaps it was their own form of defense mechanism.

"I-I don't want to go outside… There are monsters everywhere."

"I want to go home…"

The children who had lost their parents backed away in fear.

"We must go. There's no time now."

"But…"

Shin Yo was concerned about the ghosts that could return at any moment.

Seol Hong, on the other hand, said, "It's okay. If you come with us, you won't have to see anything scary."

"Really…?"

"Yes. On our way here, we didn't see anything scary."

The children hesitantly stepped forward at Seol Hong's words.

It wasn't just the comforting words; it was also the gentle energy she exuded.

Those who could still move carried those who were struggling. The small amount of food they had brought seemed to help the survivors regain some energy, and color returned to their faces.

However, the expressions of Shin Yo and others darkened a bit.

"The ghosts are coming back. We must quickly get out."

"We could get surrounded if we aren't careful. Let's hurry!"

The group began leaving the underground shelter.

Shin Yo's team was at the front, while Seol's group took care of the rear.

It was a formation in which those skilled in reconnaissance were at the front and those with strong combat abilities provided protection.

- Be careful. The ghosts have already returned and are blocking the path.

They couldn't see ahead. They could just hear Song Noh's voice through the small bird.

Then, an ominous sound followed.

- Damn! We've lost it!

If Geok Bi had been there, they would have been able to mask their sound. But unfortunately, Geok Bi was bedridden.

"It's them! Humans!"

Soon, ghosts and monsters swarmed from all directions in response to the sound.

"Where! Where are they?!"

"Clear the mist! Capture them all!"

"Hihihi! There's a lot! I can smell the meat!"

They had almost reached the entrance of the sewers.

"AAHH!"

"Run!"

The people who had been hiding silently in the shelter dashed to the sewers.

There wasn't much of a threat left in the sewers. It was time to switch to combat.

"Song Noh! Go ahead! Lead them!"

"Yes!"

"Jang Du!"

"I'll block the way!"

Crash-!

[Jang Du used Vitality Surge.]

[When striking, a shockwave spreads over a wide area, dealing damage equal to 50% of the attack power.]

BOOM–!

The ghost that had been struck by Jang Du's fist was sent flying backward.

Seol couldn't stand idly by.

'Jamad.'

- This is chaos.

Fwoosh…

Wrapped in shadows, Seol clasped his hands together.

Clap-!

Tap, tap-!

The image of the skull he had seen before came to mind.

The skull opened its mouth.

[Become a sea of fire…]

[You have applied Sulfur Primal Power.]

[You used Primal Power: Wildfire.]

[Wildfire will continue to expand as long as you support it with Sulfur Primal Power.]

[The caster is immune to Wildfire’s damage.]

[Wildfire creates immense amounts of heat and smoke.]

[Opponents within range of the heat have a high chance of being afflicted with Abnormal Status: Burned. Burned deals 1% of the enemy’s current health as damage per second and lasts for 5 seconds.]

[There is a chance for Abnormal Status: Burn to change into Abnormal Status: Scorched after its duration ends. Scorched deals 1% of the enemy’s current health as damage per second and lasts for 5 seconds.]

[Additional effects are applied based on the size of Wildfire.]

- We don't have much leeway. Let's finish this as quickly as possible.

Fwoosh-!

Flames erupted, engulfing Gi Seom in a massive blaze.

"Ugh… What the…"

"Where did these flames come from…?"

Jang Du and Shin Yo looked at Seol in shock. What surprised them wasn't just the immense power of the flames that had erupted in an instant but the fact that Seol was using spells.

"Have you been hiding your ability to use spells all this time? Hahaha! Seol! How much more do you intend to surprise us?"

Knowing that spells were more effective than swords in this situation, Jang Du was pleased.

"Amazing…"

Paf!

Seol kicked a ghost's head.

"Lady Shin Yo! Create a wall of flames!"

Shin Yo responded to Seol’s shout.

Clap-!

[Shin Yo used Higher Knowledge: High Wind.]

[A narrow range of wind can be controlled for a short time. The wind's intensity is limited to a gentle breeze.]

Whoosh…

The blowing wind began spreading the fire around the sewer's perimeter.

Fwoosh…

"Agh!"

"Hot!"

Grr…

The monsters and ghosts charging at them were now struggling due to the flames.

It was a good response to the dire situation.

WHOOM…

Perhaps because of this, the ghosts suddenly started to flee.

"Run! Escape!"

"No… I don't want to!"

Even Shin Yo, who rarely showed any emotion, let a brief smile slip, pleased with how things were unfolding.

"We did it! The ghosts are retreating…"

Jang Du, who had been holding the flank, suddenly shouted, "Lady Shin Yo! Run!"

What Shin Yo hadn't yet realized was that the ghosts weren't fleeing from the flames. They were running from something that was about to happen.

"What…?"

"I-it seems like something's collapsing!"

BOOM!

"The barrier is breaking!"

"No! I don't want to go back!"

Fwoosh…

A massive force began pulling everything in.

'Could it be…'

The fissure that they had seen when they came up through the sewers.

That mysterious thing was now pulling in everything around it.

"NOO!"

The ghosts were being sucked back into their original world.

Monsters, along with the debris of the buildings, weren't spared.

"Ugh…"

Seol and Chi Woo, who were the closest to the fissure, were also pulled in.

"Seol Hong!"

Jang Du pulled Shin Yo's arm while she stretched her arm to reach Seol Hong.

"Seol Hong, don't let go!"

Whir…

However, Seol Hong’s hand slipped.

"The greater cause! Shin Yo…"

"Seol Hong!"

WHOOM…

In an instant, a storm devoured everything.

Most of the ghosts and monsters that had filled Gi Seom were sucked into that storm.

And then.

"Seol Hong… Seol… Why…"

Seol’s group, which had been central to this plan, couldn't escape the storm either.

"This can't be…"

"Lady Shin Yo!"

Shin Yo staggered in shock.

How did she have to process this?

With hollow eyes, she stared at the spot Seol's group had been sucked in.

Seol Hong, Seol, and even Chi Woo.

Although Shin Yo hadn't noticed, Jin Ryeo had also been sucked in.

"Have they died… like this?"

The storm spared no answer.

* * *

Crows flew over a desolate landscape, casting an air of sorrow over the scene before him.

A circle that would soon be filled.

There was a gallow in front of him.

'What is going on…?'

As soon as Seol realized he was in a dream, he woke up.

"Oof… Oof…"

He had been swept away by a sudden storm before he could even react.

Seol had a sense of what had just happened.

'As I thought… that was a fissure in the boundary.'

It was a bridge between the Ghost Realm and the mortal world.

It must have been something created by Yaksha.

He wasn't sure why it had collapsed. Perhaps it was because Yaksha had returned to the Ghost Realm.

Pant…

Pant…

A small golden-furred dog was tugging at Seol's boots.

"What's this?"

At that moment, he heard a voice come from somewhere nearby.

"Hello! My name is Jin Ryeo! Are you a gh-ghost by any chance…? You look like a human on the outside…"

"Jin Ryeo…?"

Although her voice was the same, Jin Ryeo looked different—she looked about 10 years younger.

She had turned into a little girl.

'Her appearance has changed… Could it be…'

Grr…

Seol looked at the dog who had been tugging at his boot for a while.

"Chi Woo…?"

"Aah… I can finally talk again."

Jin Ryeo approached and looked at Chi Woo.

"A dog?"

"A wolf."

"Paw."

"I'm going to kill you."

While Chi Woo and Jin Ryeo bickered, Seol realized where they were.

"Damn…"

"Where are we?"

"And why do I look like this?"

"Isn't being a puppy fine?"

"I'm a wolf."

"Paw… Ah! Don't bite me!"

Seol smiled wryly and said.

"We're in the Ghost Realm."

"What? The Ghost Realm?"

"Then, a-are we in the place where all those ghosts live?"

Seol had some knowledge about the Ghost Realm.

After all, Yaksha was born from events that took place here.

In the Ghost Realm, everyone reveals the deepest imprints on their souls. That's likely why Chi Woo had transformed into a dog—no, a wolf–and why Jin Ryeo had turned into a little girl.

The appearance of Yaksha.

Seol's group had now arrived at the place where its essence was.

"But… Seol."

"…"

"Your appearance…"

Naturally, Seol's appearance had also changed upon entering the Ghost Realm. He looked at his unfamiliar reflection in Jin Ryeo's eyes.

[You are trapped in the Ghost Realm due to having been drawn by the collapsed boundary.]

[Sudden Adventure 'Ghost King's Land' is now active.]

[This Adventure is very dangerous.]

…