The Max Level Hero Has Returned!
chapter-575

The Village lay surprisingly quiet and beautiful—a stark contrast to Davey's expectations.

"Davey, doesn't this timeframe in the Central Plains feel like a distant past compared to your previous life?" Perserque inquired.

"Much has changed with the decline of dimensions," Davey replied.

Scientific development, martial cultivation levels...nothing remained untouched by the readjustments.

"A lot has indeed changed, and people themselves don't really notice it."

In the past, the sanitation standards of the Central Plains had been really poor, with primitive sewer systems and rudimentary hygiene. It was understandable, given the absence of magic and the low scientific level.

Now, unique mechanical devices transported water, and special installations maintained cleanliness. And with the evolution of the human physique, the natural beauties that used to be considered heavenly maidens in the old Central Plains had now become commonplace.

"The outfits are different too."

As Davey was gazing at a woman whose outfit revealed her shoulders, Perserque shot him the glare. "Davey, how long have we been married again? Are you so bored already that you're looking for other girls?"

"Don't worry. Neither you nor I would die from a couple of sleepless nights."

Perserque seemed to understand what he meant, as her face flushed red.

Davey was equally surprised by the changes in this place. Vibrant colors replaced dull ones, and clothing exposed much more than he would have expected in murim. Were the people here aware that their consciousness had subtly changed?

The only one privy to what exactly had changed and why was Dokgo Jun. He was the first human to reach the newly formed dimension known as the Spirit Realm. Making contact with the Spirit Realm, something that should not have existed, he became aware of the world's anomalies thanks to the beings there.

A Hero did not just appear out of thin air.

"However, the fundamental lifestyle hasn't changed much."

Watching the bustling crowd, street stalls, and buildings, Davey grinned and said something that made Perserque curiously scan her surroundings. For her, everything here seemed unfamiliar. Though she had glimpsed at this world through Davey's memories, the actual sight was much different.

"Wow..."

Although the silk clothes she wore were undeniably beautiful, it was only natural to feel a twinge of greed when confronted with something even more splendid.

"I know a thing or two about tailoring. Once we settle in, I'll make you some."

Perserque chuckled. "Why not just buy one?"

"It's the thought that counts, no? But first, let's get these two taken care of."

The black aura that had invaded the two youngsters had been suppressed, and their injuries had been treated. All that remained for the girl was to rest and wake up fresh. However, Han Ja-Seong, who had been exposed to the black aura for an extended period and was also far more injured, was in a much worse condition compared to Cheon Ji-Hee.

"He's practically a walking corpse. Unless we take special measures, practicing martial arts would be challenging for him."

His weakened body would consume more energy from the rest of his system the more he exerted himself in martial arts.

Although people with colored hair and eyes appeared here from time to time, the presence of Davey and Perserque still attracted attention. In the case of Davey, it was the cart he drove with two "corpses" on it. For Perserque, it was her beauty, capable of stealing the heart of any man.

Naturally, if someone's beauty or handsomeness was too stunning, it emitted an aura that made it difficult for others to approach casually. Consequently, no one approached them until they reached the clinic.

The aroma of medicinal herbs clearly distinguished a physician's sanctuary or a pharmacy from the surrounding buildings, and Davey could smell it from far away.

After soothing his neighing horse with a gentle pat on its neck, Davey secured it in the stable before turning to address the unexpected visitors. "Could you help me bring these two inside? I gave them first aid, but they will need some help when they wake up."

"Yes... Yes, of course."

Mistaking Davey and Perserque for children of noble lineage, the servants swiftly picked up the two unconscious youngsters and carried them into the physician's office.

Having fulfilled his duty, Davey thought he should talk to the doctor first, so he went into the doctor's room just as an exasperated voice echoed.

"No?! What do you mean, no?!"

"I said, no! Please return home. I'm too busy treating patients here as it is."

"Didn't I tell you, I'll pay whatever you ask! How hard can it be to come for a house visit?!"

"It's not hard. It's just not the right time."

An elder, presumably the doctor, gestured toward the queue of people.

"Young lord Kwak Joon-Seong, as the second disciple of the great Gongdong Faction...there is no way you are suggesting that I should dismiss all these patients, are you?"

The man's irritated expression deepened when the doctor mentioned affiliations.

"Elder! This is an emergency!" cried the servants, coming in with Davey's patients.

The busy doctor was about to drive them away but paused when he saw the girl. "Hmm? Isn't that Hee-Ah?! You, bring her in immediately!"

The doctor sprang up and rushed over, causing Kwak Joon-Seong's expression to instantly sour. "What are you doing, doctor?! What's this all about?!"

"Is there a problem?"

"Are you going to discriminate among patients now?!"

"Yes, yes I am! Discriminating among patients based on the gravity of their condition is good practice, and I feel that whatever happened to her is worse than someone having a damn tummy ache!"

Observing the doctor examine the unconscious Cheon Ji-Hee, Davey couldn't help but let out a snicker. "Pfft."

His chuckle drew the attention of both Kwak Joon-Seong and the doctor.

"What a refreshingly blunt fellow you are," Davey commented.

"And who might you be?"

A servant butted in. "He is the gentleman who brought in the patients."

The doctor's eyes sparkled, and he nodded in Davey's direction. "I'm not sure who you are, young lord, but you've bestowed a great favor upon us. Many thanks."

"It was nothing. I merely saw them along the way and brought them here. We'll be on our way now."

"It would be rude of us to let you go without offering something in return..."

"I don't need anything, but it'd be nice if you could tell us about a scenic spot for sightseeing nearby."

"A sightseeing spot?"

"Do you know of any good places?"

The doctor looked puzzled for a moment but soon nodded in understanding. "Yun-Young! Bring a map over here!"

"Yes, elder!"

Following his call, a modest-looking woman hurried over and nimbly presented a map.

"Hmm. You seem to be a noble young master, are you all by yourself?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, I am quite capable of traveling without an escort."

"Hmm..."

The doctor did not seem convinced.

This only made sense. Even in this realm known as the world of martial arts, most people's capabilities fell below the standards set by the legendary heroes of their past. While their physical strength increased, the weakening of their spirits severed their connection to their ancient heritage.

To the doctor, Davey appeared nothing more than a flashy gentleman.

"Are you a martial artist?"

"Something like that."

Davey's response did not seem to satisfy the man, but he nonetheless nodded and proceeded to mark several spots on the map with a brush. "The Cloud Rock here is scenic, and here's the Rainbow Bridge with its picturesque lake. It might sound a little cliché, but this Village of the Beginning is actually famous for the scenery."

"Thank you."

Pleased, Davey accepted the map with a satisfied expression. It was time to embark on a journey with just Perserque.

The physician, however, went a step further. He unclasped his bracelet and handed it to Davey. "If you need help, show this bracelet to a member of the Self-Defense Forces. Say that Elder Oh Bak-Sae sent you, and they'll provide you with earnest assistance."

"Thank you."

After leaving Han Ja-Seong and Cheon Ji-Hee at the clinic, Davey entrusted his horse and cart to the servants there and left with Perserque.

"So, where shall we start?" Perserque asked.

"Let's begin with the first place he marked. I can't wait to see some good places."

"That Knife-Edge Cliff seems quite nice."

"Sounds good to me too."

Knife-Edge Cliff—a titanic landscape where giant rocks, sharply chiseled like rising knife blades, soared into the sky, creating a breathtaking view. Of course, a slight misstep could lead to a fall that no one could survive, but from a distance, the site was undoubtedly gorgeous.

"Wow..."

Watching Perserque let out a gasp, Davey silently took out a device from his Pocket Plane.

Click!

As he pressed on a button, the hologram-like image captured her and the landscape she was admiring.

"Photo?"

"Something similar that I developed. I gave the idea to Aeonitia, and she managed to make something quite decent out of it."

This invention provided the Heins Estate with another unique product to market. After striking various poses and taking pictures for a while, Perserque appeared dissatisfied, as if something was lacking.

"It would've been nice if there were others here to take our picture together."

Hearing her suggestion, Davey nodded in agreement, but there was no one else around.

"Could this place be off-limits or something?"

"Didn't we come across some members of the Self-Defense Forces blocking the way?"

"So we're actually in a restricted area right now?"

"It would seem so."

As he said that, Davey nodded and looked forward.

A grotesque monster had appeared in front of them as if rising from the ground. It was standing there silently, eyeing Davey as if it was ready to pounce at any moment. Its gaze might have sent any ordinary person running or screaming in terror.

"Looks pretty sturdy."

"Is that a jiangshi[1] or some kind of golem?"

"You ask me, but who should I ask?" Davey shrugged as he observed the monster staring back at him.

“Grrrrrrr...”

Groaning, the hellish-looking monster that seemed to be a jiangshi darted at them.

"I have a good idea."

As he watched the creature run toward them, Davey snapped his fingers in realization and strode toward the jiangshi.

“Grrrrrrr...”

As Davey approached the creature, it swung its sharp claws at his neck.

Thwack!!!

However, its arm was effortlessly caught in Davey's grasp.

"Here. Take this."

Davey firmly seized the arm poised for an attack and handed the creature his hologram image recorder. He blinked, and in the next moment, his red eyes began to glow with necromantic mana.

A jiangshi was, after all, some kind of reanimated corpse. If his conjecture was correct, this magic would undoubtedly have an effect.

As soon as it locked gazes with Davey, the hideous jiangshi instantly stopped moving. It also stopped growling and instead stared at Davey in utter confusion.

"Alright, you stand right there and look at this magic crystal. When you see us in the center of it, press this button, okay?"

The jiangshi meekly nodded, still somewhat confused.

"That's right. Good boy."

Now that the perplexed jiangshi was in charged with taking photos, Davey wrapped Perserque in his arms and instructed the corpse, "Alright, shoot."

With her back to the scenic vista, Perserque flashed a reluctant grin. "This jiangshi definitely seems like it was targeting us, doesn't it?"

"That doesn't matter. The important thing is that we found a photographer."

Kissing Perserque on the cheek, Davey ordered the jiangshi to press the button.

Bzzz… Click!!

Light flashed from the hologram device, capturing both Davey and Perserque against the Sunset Edge Cliff. After taking a few more shots and feeling content, Davey noticed the faint glow of the Absolute Gem piece that Kain had given him.

"Hmm... Could there be a trace nearby?"

"Let's check it out on the way. Davey, it's alright if we take the photos later."

"You know what? Let's go ahead and explore! We have our own personal photographer now, don't we?" Davey turned to the monster. "Hey, you're pretty good. Follow us. Make sure to take lots of pictures."

The jiangshi, which had already harmed who knew how many people, followed Davey and Perserque with a dumbfounded expression on its face.

* * *

"Are you in your right mind, Elder Oh Bak-Sae?!"

"Cough... Cough! I... I did not know!"

"Didn't I say?! The times are dire! We've found a White Wraith Jiangshi! A White Wraith!"

Even a regular jiangshi could strike dread into the hearts of martial artists with its undying flesh and superhuman strength and agility. As for a White Wraith, it was a killing machine that far surpassed human beings. And one was found near the Village of the Beginning, just as villagers had been disappearing!

To think that the elder had sent someone to a location known to house a jiangshi! Self-Defense Force Captain Han Ji-Wook slammed the table in front of the shocked Oh Bak-Sae.

"If my subordinate had not found that trail, what might have happened?!"

"This... This shouldn't have happened! We need to find them immediately! I may not be a martial arts master, but I can tell that those two are just ordinary nobles, so there's no way they can defend themselves!"

Upon Oh Bak-Sae's outcry, Han Ji-Wook sighed. "I've dispatched the Self-Defense Force members. We can only hope they don't encounter that damned man-eating monster..."

Nearby disappearances were occurring, albeit quietly. However, concerned that the truth might spread chaos, Self-Defense Force Captain Han Ji-Wook had concealed the truth, only using his authority to seal off the dangerous area. His obstruction of information had caused this issue.

Realizing someone had entered the area, Han Ji-Wook traced the origins back to Oh Bak-Sae, the one who carelessly recommended the scenic areas to outsiders. This was the reason why the captain had come here, fuming. And it was such a sad twist of fate that the benefactors who brought the Heavenrend Sect survivors to safety were caught up in this mess!

"The Martial Alliance is also deploying an investigation team here. This has been far too rash."

"Ugh... I'm without words... But have you found any trace?"

"Who could've slipped past the Self-Defense Force members and entered... Tsk tsk. Let's just wait. News should come soon. I just hope there's no trouble..."

"Argh! This is giving me a headache! How did my big mouth get me into this..."

Naturally, there was no way for them to know that Davey and Perserque were using the infamous White Wraith as a personal photographer.

It was then that Kwak Joon-Seong stepped forward, with a disgruntled expression on his face. "Hmm! I'll take care of this!"

After coming to fetch Oh Bak-Sae for his faction's sick elder and experiencing that harsh rejection, he was determined to at least make the most out of this visit.

'That lovely lady is in danger, and I, as a righteous member of the Martial Alliance, cannot ignore her plight! I'll go myself!' He licked his lips, recalling the face of the girl.

Although he had not had a chance to speak to her, given the current circumstances, he could not shake her off from his memory. She was so incredibly beautiful that she reminded him of a celestial nymph.

Kwak Joon-Seong, who prided himself on his high standards and had never believed in love at first sight, had his entire philosophy overturned by just one girl.

‘Love at first sight does exist!’

He remembered clearly the answer that the young man gave to Oh Bak-Sae when the elder jokingly asked if they were lovers; he said they were not.

Of course, they were not just lovers, but a married couple. However, Kwak Joon-Seong was ignorant of that fact. He thought that, given her unbound hair, she was surely unmarried.[2] Thus, by showing her his impressive heroism, he could perhaps forge a connection!

With this thought, he declared boldly, "Leave it to me!"

1. A jiangshi is a kind of reanimated corpse in Chinese folklore. ☜

2. Traditionally, married women in East Asia braid their hair or style it into some kind of bun very different from how unmarried girls wear it. ☜