Dreams of the Past (4)
I was taken aback when Galsaryang said he remembered.
“How can you recall something from so long ago?”
“Do you remember the Hyunhyun Sect?”
“The Hyunhyun Sect? Ah! Yes, I remember. Weren’t they a cult that deceived people with promises of immortality?”
“Exactly. That’s them.”
“Ah, now that you mention it, it was around that time.”
The memories came flooding back. The Hyunhyun Sect had once caused a major stir, spreading across the Hebei region. Followers donated their wealth, and many people went missing.
“So that’s why I went to Qufu.”
“Yes, at the time, we received intelligence at Jeonguigak that their base wasn’t in Hebei but in Shandong.”
“Now I remember clearly. I went down there determined to wipe them out myself.”
“Indeed, you did. You eliminated their leaders and key figures. The sect was destroyed then.”
“It was a significant event, yet I forgot.”
“With so many incidents back then, it’s understandable. I remembered because something about it still bothers me.”
“What is it?”
“After you eliminated them, I found something odd while disposing of their documents.”
“Something odd?”
“Yes. There were signs that someone was behind the sect leader. I found some clues, but without concrete evidence, I didn’t report it.”
Of course, Galsaryang, being meticulous, didn’t let it go.
“I investigated further through Jeonguigak but couldn’t uncover anything. There haven’t been any related incidents since, but it still nags at me.”
That was why he remembered the purpose of my trip to Shandong.
For me, it was a name long forgotten.
Hyunhyun Sect.
Suddenly, a scene flashed in my mind. Just before the sect leader died by my sword, he said, “Cheonhajin! You know nothing.”
At the time, I dismissed the last words of a cult leader dreaming of immortality.
But hearing Galsaryang’s words, they now seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
Did we miss something? Could the figure in my dreams be connected to the Hyunhyun Sect?
“Why did you suddenly bring this up?”
I told Galsaryang everything about the Dream Lotus Technique. Since he knew I was in Byeoklidan’s body, there was no need to hide it. My principle is always to be truthful with the chief strategist.
Galsaryang was shocked by my words. The idea of training in dreams was surprising enough, but learning that the dream belonged to Byeoklidan was beyond shocking.
“This has significant implications.”
“I think so too.”
The core issue related to the Hyunhyun Sect is this:
Could it be connected to Byeoklidan as well?
I went to the inn at the appointed time.
Cheonsoseon was sitting in the same spot as yesterday, drinking.
Though her expression was hidden under a bamboo hat, I could sense her inner turmoil. She was still hesitating.
“You’re early.”
“Have a drink.”
As I sat down, she poured me a drink.
Given the changed circumstances, our attitudes and the atmosphere between us were different from yesterday.
“Have you ever imagined becoming a woman?”
“No.”
“Then you can’t understand how dreadful it is.”
“That’s right.”
“At first, it wasn’t so bad. I didn’t think of it as a curse. I was fascinated, staring at my reflection all day. As you can see, it’s quite a beautiful face. But the real struggle began when I realized I was content with my female appearance.”
She lifted her hat slightly. Even as she spoke of her distress, she was using her beauty as a weapon. It was a face worth trying to charm someone with.
But as long as I had Song Hwarin, a peerless beauty, such attempts were futile.
Seeing my calm expression, a hint of disappointment crossed her face.
She emptied her glass, and this time, I filled it for her.
“I considered running away overnight. Living in the deep mountains, gathering herbs.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“It seemed more miserable than dying. I couldn’t live comfortably in the mountains, and the thought of surviving on mere plants made death seem preferable.”
“I would have felt the same.”
“Do you think I can survive if I try?”
“Who knows.”
Cheonsoseon stared at me intently. Her deliberation wasn’t long. If she intended to refuse, she wouldn’t have come in the first place.
“Fine, I’ll join you. Let’s kill him together.”
“Good decision.”
“What do you want from me?”
“First, I’m curious. Why do you need so much money? Is it for what’s happening beneath the leader’s hall?”
“So you know about that too.”
Answering that question meant she was definitively betraying the Heavenly King Army. It was a moment of fate.
“Have you heard of Cheonran?”
“Cheonran? No, I haven’t.”
“It’s the device that enabled the Great Law. He’s using it to mass-produce something called the Dark Heavenly Weapon.”
“Dark Heavenly Weapon?”
“Put a martial artist into Cheonran, and when the Heavenly King Army infuses it with dark energy, it becomes a Dark Heavenly Weapon. It retains absolute loyalty, enhanced martial skills, and even memory and reason. Plus, it feels no pain and has powerful regenerative abilities.”
“Why make such things? Doesn’t he already have enough power?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he’s afraid of you, or perhaps he plans to destroy the martial world.”
Her casual mention of destroying the martial world didn’t sound light. The situation was unpredictable.
“I need money immediately.”
I readily answered her.
“I’ll get you the money.”
“Really?”
“In return, take me to the underground where Cheonran is.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Find a way! Then you’ll be taking a step towards life.”
With that, I stood up.
With her life on the line, she would find a way.
Chirping, chirping.
I awoke to the sound of birds. Once again, I found myself in a new place.
It was a quiet, distant corridor, dimly lit by the red glow of a lantern.
The scent of incense and alcohol told me I was in a brothel. The walls on either side of the corridor were adorned with lavish paintings.
Just then, a door in front of me burst open, and someone rushed out. It was Byeoklidan, his face pale.
He dashed past me into the next room, not even bothering to knock in his haste.
I entered the room Byeoklidan had come from.
A naked woman lay on the bed, already dead. Judging by the bruises, it seemed she had been strangled.
Soon, Byeoklidan and a man entered the room.
The man examined the woman on the bed and asked in shock, “What happened here?”
“I-I don’t know. I woke up thirsty and found her dead beside me.”
“Did you kill her?”
“No! Absolutely not.”
Byeoklidan looked as if he might cry at any moment.
“I don’t remember anything. I remember drinking, singing, having fun… but I don’t even remember coming into this room with her.”
For a nobleman, especially one with a fiancée, spending the night with a courtesan was scandalous enough. But with the courtesan dead, it was a catastrophe.
“The problem is your lack of memory.”
“What?”
That one ominous remark turned Byeoklidan’s face ashen. The fear of possibly being the killer overwhelmed him.
But I, watching from the side, knew the truth.
This was all the man’s doing, a trap to ensnare Byeoklidan completely.
Byeoklidan must have been fascinated by his first visit to a brothel. With a pretty courtesan pouring him drinks, he would have kept drinking until he was insensible.
“It wasn’t me!”
“I believe you. Get dressed and leave this place. I’ll handle the aftermath.”
Unsure of what to do, he hesitated, and the man urged him again.
“Leave before anyone comes.”
At the mention of someone coming, Byeoklidan hurriedly dressed.
Before leaving, Byeoklidan looked at the man.
“Don’t worry, just go. We’ll meet again at the inn tonight.”
“Yes.”
Byeoklidan ran out.
A smile crept onto the man’s lips.
He lay down on the bed. Despite the woman’s corpse beside him, he didn’t care. He began to hum a tune.
I stood there, watching him with cold eyes.
That evening, the man and Byeoklidan met again at the inn.
Byeoklidan was tense and rigid, like a criminal. He was still in shock, tormented by anxious thoughts all day.
“Have a drink.”
The man filled Byeoklidan’s glass to the brim.
Byeoklidan downed the drink in one go. He had wanted to drink alone but couldn’t bring himself to do it. Fear had kept him holed up in his room until he came here.
“What happened to the woman?”
“I took care of it discreetly. I gave the brothel owner a hefty sum.”
“I…”
He started to say he was innocent but stopped. The guilt over the whole incident still weighed heavily on him.
The man prodded at Byeoklidan’s vulnerability.
“Are you afraid your parents will find out? Or perhaps the woman you promised to marry?”
Byeoklidan’s eyes trembled.
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. You can trust this friend.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, get up.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m thinking of visiting another tavern.”
“What?”
Byeoklidan was taken aback.
The man spoke with a serious expression.
“If you let this incident slide, it’ll haunt you forever. You might never be able to look a woman in the eye again. There’s only one way to heal: go out, have fun, and forget about it.”
Without waiting for a response, the man strode off.
Byeoklidan stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
At the entrance, the man turned back.
In the end, Byeoklidan followed him, as if being dragged along. With his weakness exposed, he had no choice but to go along with the man.
I watched the whole scene unfold with a calm expression, though inside, cold anger simmered.
Byeoklidan would eventually resign himself to whatever happened. The first time is always the hardest; after that, it gets easier. I knew all too well how quickly someone could fall apart when despair joined hands with escapism.
I wondered why that man was so intent on ruining Byeoklidan.
Late at night, I looked down at Byeoklidan, who had passed out drunk.
Tears stained the corners of his eyes. He had cried before falling asleep, after a night of heavy drinking and revelry. He had sent away the courtesan who wanted to stay, pleading with her not to tell the man.
Looking at Byeoklidan’s youthful, sleeping face, I couldn’t help but sigh.
If I could, I would wipe away his tears.
I wanted to tell him not to fall victim to the ways of the world, where the strong prey on the weak, and the wicked exploit the good. Not to cry. To overcome it all.
I didn’t know how much of the future the dream would reveal.
But one thing was certain: Byeoklidan would continue to spiral downward. To forget this incident, he would increasingly indulge in debauchery, growing more violent as he wrestled with his actions. Then, blaming himself, he would dive back into the revelry.
This cycle would repeat until he became the rogue Byeoklidan. The outcome was already set.
Just then, the man entered the room.
With an indifferent expression, he quietly looked down at Byeoklidan.
I watched him.
I couldn’t fathom the source of the vile malice emanating from him.
Why?
At that moment, there was a sound in the hallway outside.
As if expecting it, the man gently pressed Byeoklidan’s pulse.
Byeoklidan sank into an even deeper sleep.
Then, someone appeared in the room.