Chapter 87: Sun Demonic Spirit Part 4

The outline of the Hwalseong District office building was gradually taking shape.

In the middle of it, Ha Si Hwa sat quietly in the office.

In fact, there weren’t enough proper furnishings yet, so it was hard to even call it an office. There was just a makeshift wooden table placed in the room, surrounded by piles of blueprints and construction plans.

Such was the nature of Hwalseong District’s work.

Bright Moon General’s subordinates were people who were more concerned with practicality than formalities. They were people who favored speed in everything they did.

Both Black Moon Leader Cheong Jin Myeong and Adjutant Bi Cheon were naturally talented people.

With a good lord to serve, they would surely spread their wings and soar high.

“Hwalseong District… will do well…”

Though Ha Si Hwa hadn’t spent much time there, her deep understanding of organizational life made it easy for her to recognize the signs.

Only those who had experienced it firsthand could understand the difference between a creaking dysfunctional organization and one that moved forward smoothly as if it were oiled.

This Hwalseong District was an organization destined to advance as if it had wings.

However, there would be no place for Ha Si Hwa in it.

What a truly laughable situation.

Late at night, the rain was falling steadily.

As she packed her belongings alone, Ha Si Hwa let out a self-mocking laugh.

After living my whole life as a member of the Inbong clan and enjoying countless benefits from the clan’s name… Now, I consider it a burden. If the Emperor of Heaven does exist, he might very well punish me.

There was still a sentimental part inside her that hadn’t been cut away.

She still had some attachment to the title of engineer and to the honor of being a capable official.

Was this something to be happy about, or something to regret? She couldn’t quite decide.

After gathering up most of the belongings she needed, Ha Si Hwa took one last look at the many blueprints laid out on the wooden table.

These were things she had painstakingly drawn while working through countless nights.

It had been a long time since she had designed something this detailed, so she had to dig through all the academic records she had nearly forgotten in order to complete the plans.

She wasn’t sure which lucky person would succeed her, but she worried whether they would fully grasp the design elements she had intended.

If only she had a couple more days, she could have been able to annotate each and every one of them and properly hand them over.

“…….”

Ha Si Hwa bowed her head as she looked down at the blueprints.

In the quiet office at midnight, the sound of rain striking the roof echoed through the room.

Only the flickering lamp seemed to reflect her emotions.

It was then.

Boom.

A heavy explosion-like sound… could be heard from afar.

***

Crash!

The head of the Inbong clan Ha Gang Seok was thrown into the middle of the courtyard.

Now that he was covered in mud, he had almost no hint of his usual authority.

“Gah! Huff!”

Squelch, squelch.

The one who had thrown him into the middle of the courtyard, Bright Moon General Seol Tae Pyeong, approached with a terrifying presence.

His eyes which were visible through the curtain of rain were chillingly cold.

Whoosh

Even the Cold Iron Heavy Sword he drew emitted a cold aura.

The sharp icy air that surrounded him reached Ha Gang Seok’s spine and made him fully grasp the fear of death.

“Bright Moon General! Why, why are you doing this? I don’t know what you’ve heard or where you’ve come from, but… There must be… There must be some kind of misunderstanding!”

“Misunderstanding my ass.”

Ha Gang Seok tried desperately to talk his way out of the situation, but logic only works on those who are willing to listen.

The person standing in front of Ha Gang Seok now was more of a beast than a man.

He had crossed a line that should never have been crossed. For Seol Tae Pyeong, the safety of his older sister Seol Ran was far more important than his own life.

“W-Wait! I, I was wrong. Whatever it is, I’ll do as you ask, just put away the sword first!”

But the cold sharp blade of Seol Tae Pyeong’s Cold Iron Heavy Sword continued to glint in the moonlight.

A single strike would be enough to sever his head. Bright Moon General’s swordsmanship was so exceptional that it was said he could cut down someone standing dozens of steps away in just one move.

I can’t die like this…!

He didn’t expect that the Bright Moon General would be this much of a madman, but if he could just keep his wits about him, there might still be a way to survive.

All that mattered now was getting through this situation.

Since Seol Tae Pyeong had caused such a scene, if he could just manage to save his own life, he would surely be severely punished.

“What are you all doing? Hurry! Hurry, get out here! Protect me!”

Tatadak

Ha Gang Seok quickly got to his feet and bolted outside into the courtyard.

Some of Ha Gang Seok’s subordinates rushed out at his command, but all of them were trembling.

They had heard of Bright Moon General Seol Tae Pyeong’s strength. Though they knew they couldn’t possibly match him, they still stepped forward with a desperate resolve to block his path.

Even the Inbong clan had its loyal subjects. It was just that the family head was using them as disposable pawns.

Seol Tae Pyeong chased after Ha Gang Seok as he fled into the courtyard. Though a few soldiers tried to block his way, they couldn’t hold him back for even a second.

Ha Gang Seok ran and ran through the rain; his fingers were trembling.

No matter how fast he ran, he thought that the Bright Moon General would quickly catch up and cut him down, but surprisingly, he didn’t.

It was as if he was deliberately holding back and letting him escape… Though he was striding closer, he wasn’t closing the distance.

As long as… I survive this…! His Majesty won’t take his crimes lightly…!

No matter what, if he could just survive this moment, he’d be fine.

The head of the Inbong clan continued to run and run. His bare feet kept slapping against the muddy ground.

He fell into the mud so many times that he looked like a beggar, but he paid no mind and kept running.

He ran through the midnight streets, tried to hide among the bushes, and even made his way to the mountains behind the mansion. Yet no matter what he did, he couldn’t shake off Seol Tae Pyeong who followed him like a ghost.

“Ugh…!”

A branch pierced his foot like a thorn, and blood gushed out. Ha Gang Seok gritted his teeth and pulled it out. He endured the excruciating pain as he ran.

However, even after running for nearly half an hour, Seol Tae Pyeong showed no signs of tiring.

It was to be expected. The Inbong clan head was an old official, while Seol Tae Pyeong was a military officer in his prime.

The difference in stamina between them was as vast as that between an infant and a young man. If things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before he was caught and killed.

So, the Inbong clan head ran and ran until his strength was completely spent. At last, he collapsed in the middle of a muddy patch deep in the forest.

“Huff, huff…”

The grim reaper pushed through the bushes.

Cold air radiated from the Cold Iron Heavy Sword, and the mad wild beast approached him with great strides to kill him.

“P-Please… don’t do this…!”

Cold sweat drenched his body as he felt the killing intent.

But no matter how much he begged, Seol Tae Pyeong seemed to have no intention of sparing his life.

When Seol Tae Pyeong raised his sword, the Inbong clan head squeezed his eyes shut.

Clang!

At that moment, someone deflected Seol Tae Pyeong’s sword and stepped between them.

“General Seol.”

The man standing there, who was drenched in rain and panting…. was warrior commander Jang Rae of the Red Palace.

It was a thing of the past that Seol Tae Pyeong had once been looked after by Jang Rae when he was an apprentice warrior, and now that he had become a general, his status was much higher.

“This won’t do.”

Jang Rae swallowed dryly as he spoke.

There was a time when he had spoken down to him, but now he had no difficulty in treating him respectfully.

He was simply a man who followed the rules of the military. Because of that, he was not swayed by personal feelings.

He was always someone who spoke the truth.

“I understand your emotions are in turmoil, but if you kill the clan head here, you’ll die too, General Seol.”

No matter how powerful a warrior might be in his prime, if he let his emotions get the better of him and killed the head of a noble family, he would not escape unscathed.

Jang Rae knew this all too well, so had no choice but to stand in Seol Tae Pyeong’s way.

“General Seol.”

“…….”

“You may have prioritized your emotions when you were an apprentice warrior, but you know that’s not acceptable now.”

“…….”

“Weren’t you always someone who understood that? So why are you doing this?”

Thud!

“Well done! Keep him… keep him back!”

At that moment, Ha Gang Seok who had jumped up quickly stumbled away. His pitiful figure limping away after barely regaining his strength was truly pathetic.

Seol Tae Pyeong could have easily cut him down at any time when the other party ran away with a sinister grin while thinking he had escaped a great danger.

But Jang Rae stood firmly in his way. He spoke to Seol Tae Pyeong with a resolute expression on his face.

“For your own sake, General Seol, you must sheathe your sword here.”

No one knew why Seol Tae Pyeong had lost his mind, but as the warrior commander of the Red Palace, Jang Rae’s top priority was to stop him.

Jang Rae drew his sword and steadied his breath.

He knew all too well that this was not an opponent he could handle with half-hearted effort. He had to give it his all when swinging his sword.

Just as Jang Rae raised his sword toward Seol Tae Pyeong… it happened.

Boom! Boom!

Jang Rae’s eyes widened.

A huge and unexpected explosion sound… was spreading throughout the entire Hwalseong District.

He was so surprised that he had to regain his balance.

“W-What…?”

Rumble! Crash!

The source of the thunderous sound was outside the Hwalseong District, in the direction of Cheongdo Palace.

Even though the distance between the Hwalseong District and Cheongdo Palace was very long, the explosion resounded as if it had happened right next to him.

Jang Rae swallowed dryly and looked toward Cheongdo Palace.

Perhaps because they were now on higher ground, he could see a distant corner of the palace. One of the grand buildings of Cheongdo Palace was collapsing, with a huge cloud of dust rising as if it would engulf the entire world.

Sun Demonic Spirit Pyeong Ryang.

That infamous monster, known for its unparalleled strength, was said to uproot the main pillars of buildings with its bare hands, crush bricks into dust, and overturn the very ground beneath it.

With a single punch that was unleashed with all its might, it had brought down one of the large buildings of the main palace as soon as it appeared.

If it was the Sun Demonic Spirit Pyeong Ryang, that level of destruction was more than possible.

Jang Rae who didn’t know this fact could only watch in disbelief at the spectacle unfolding in the distance.

What on earth was happening at the main palace?

“As expected, it was waiting for me to lose my mind?”

The cunning Plague Demonic Spirit would always target Seol Tae Pyeong at his most distracted moments. It would unleash the special demonic spirits at the perfect time.

However, Seol Tae Pyeong knew this well because Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun had told him in advance.

He had to remain constantly on edge and worry about when the Sun Demonic Spirit might appear. If he let his guard down, it could easily catch him off guard.

Therefore, if possible, it was better to lure it out first and subdue it.

To do so, some deception was necessary.

Seol Tae Pyeong needed to create a situation where it seemed as if he had lost his mind and could no longer control himself.

“….…”

The rage from moments ago had faded away.

Jang Rae could hardly believe his ears.

Seol Tae Pyeong who had been staring at the main palace through the rain now spoke to Jang Rae with his usual calm gaze.

“We need to return to the palace.”

“…What…”

“The Sun Demonic Spirit Pyeong Ryang has likely entered the main palace. If we leave it be, thousands of people will die.”

Only then did Jang Rae notice the sword Seol Tae Pyeong was holding.

The Cold Iron Heavy Sword.

This was the treasured sword of Bright Moon General. A sword that was passed down to him by his master, White Immortal Lee Cheol Woon.

The sword was so excessively heavy that an ordinary warrior couldn’t even swing it.

It wasn’t suitable for fighting people, as it was just too heavy and impossible to wield.

Knowing this well, Seol Tae Pyeong rarely carried the heavy sword unless it was absolutely necessary.

If he were just going to kill Ha Gang Seok, he could have easily grabbed any light sword lying around.

So why did he choose to bring that Cold Iron Heavy Sword of all things?

──It wasn’t suited for cutting people, but there was no better sword for cutting down something else.

“Commander, please help me.”

Seol Tae Pyeong who was now composed spoke calmly through the pouring rain as if he were a different person.

Jang Rae’s pupils trembled slightly.

There was an indescribable air of something extraordinary surrounding that rain-soaked general.

***

Boom!

“Hah… Hah…”

He had fallen off his horse.

For the first time in his life, chief secretary Wang Ha had been thrown from a horse.

As he raced toward the Peaceful Moon Pavilion where Seol Ran would be, a sudden huge earthquake struck the main palace.

Wang Han was an excellent strategist but his physical abilities were lacking.

He rolled across the muddy ground in the rain and started coughing as he struggled to catch his breath. It took several moments for him to steady his breathing.

And then… his eyes took in the sight of a large building collapsing.

The western end of Cheongdo Palace. The main hall of the outer palace.

That grand building, which was visible even from far away in the Imperial Capital, had completely crumbled.

The scale of the collapse was so great that even in this chaotic downpour, the rising dust remained visible.

“Crazy… What in the world…”

From within the rubble… demonic spirits began crawling out one by one.

Sun Demonic Spirit Pyeong Ryang was a special demonic spirit that was directly created by the Plague Demonic Spirit, embodying the spirit of a famous general.

The spirit that once led a great army had the talent to command countless demonic spirits like soldiers.

As proof of this, wherever Sun Demonic Spirit Pyeong Ryang appeared, a horde of demonic spirits that were as vast as an army would follow.

“What… what is… how can this be…”

It was at that moment, while Wang Han stood trembling at the sight, that he heard someone call out to him.

“Secretary Wan, are you alright?”

He quickly turned his head to see Seol Ran, the special attendant maid of the Crown Prince.

She was accompanied by seven other maids under her charge.

She had just left the Peaceful Moon Pavilion with her entourage when she noticed the fallen Wang Han and spoke to him with concern under a large silk umbrella held by one of her maids.

“M-Maid Seol …”

“You were thrown off your horse from the shock of the ground shaking. Please, come into Peaceful Moon Pavilion and rest for a while.”

“Th-This is not the time for that. Look at the situation. Demonic spirits are emerging from the Red Palace…”

“Yes…”

Wang Han, whose mind was working quickly, sensed that something was off about Seol Ran.

Normally, Seol Ran was prone to overreact and always raise her voice when something bad happened, yet here she was, unusually calm in this urgent situation.

As if she had somehow anticipated that things would turn out this way.

“Maid Seol …”

“…….”

“You and Tae Pyeong-ah…. you’ve been in contact with each other …”

The moment Seol Tae Pyeong saw the leaked letter from the Inbong clan, the first thing he did was contact Seol Ran.

And it made sense. Upon hearing that his sister had been poisoned, his first priority was to check on her health rather than storming in with a sword.

And during that process, some exchange took place between the Seol siblings.

Although Wang Han didn’t know the details, his instincts told him one thing.

These Seol siblings had some kind of connection with the demonic spirits that were jumping out as if they were going to devour the heavens and earth.

As Seol Ran led the maids forward, out came White Taoist An Cheon shaking the hem of his robe.

“There’s no time to waste. We must act quickly.”

“Let’s keep that monster at bay until the Bright Moon General arrives. If we leave it alone, a great disaster will occur.”

***

At the Heavenly Jade Pavilion.

In the midst of the chaos caused by the sudden earthquake, the headmaid of the Heavenly Dragon Hall rushed out to ensure the safety of the Heavenly Maiden.

As always, Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun, who had been listening to the sound of the pattering rain under the pavilion, took a sip from her teacup and gave a complicated smile.

“Time sure flies. Anyway.”