808 Episode 39 Rumor (7)

I felt anxious. If the 'comments' I just saw were true, something terrible would happen to Yoo Jonghyuk from now on.

Surprised by the disappearance of Yoo Jonghyuk, who was escorted with me, I hurriedly ordered someone to search the area.

"Yoo Jonghyuk!"

I called Yoo Jonghyuk's name several times.

Yoo Jonghyuk could die. No, maybe he's already dead. If that happens-

"Yoo Jonghyuk?"

And after a while, the guy's head appeared between the crowd.

Yoo Jonghyuk, who appeared with one of his escorts, was glaring at me with his characteristically sullen eyes.

"What?"

"No, what if you suddenly disappear like that?"

"There were some Murim dumplings nearby."

When I looked closely, I saw a small dumpling in the guy's mouth.

No, really, because of that?

"This restaurant's Murim dumplings have inherited some of the original recipes. It's my favorite restaurant."

In the main story, Yoo Jonghyuk disappeared because of dumplings.

The reason Yoo Jonghyuk eats Murim dumplings every time he visits Murim is probably because of his memories of Pacheon Sword Master.

Every time he swallows one of those dumplings, Yoo Jonghyuk must be constantly reminiscing about those days.

In short, that ritual is a necessary procedure for Yoo Jonghyuk to live while remembering the past rounds.

"Even if you look at it that way, I don't think I'll give it to you."

"I won't eat it."

I don't know. It seems like he just eats because he has to eat eight meals.

The guards guarding him also seemed somewhat surprised at the sight of little Yoo Jonghyuk eating. It made sense since he was eating two dumplings in one bite.

"Yoo Joonghyuk, it's difficult if you disappear like that so suddenly."

It was clear what they were thinking just from the looks the guards exchanged.

After a while, we arrived at Cheongryongseong Square. In the center of the square, a huge banner with the words '191st Terror Expedition' was fluttering.

The Namgung Sega's unmanned personnel pointed to the entrance of the venue and said.

"The head of the family is waiting inside."

The inside of the venue was already crowded with people. Participants in the 'Terror Expedition'. And the incarnations who came to see them off or watch them.

"The leader of this expedition is from Namgung Sega?"

"So the leader of the expedition is Namgung Myeong, the head of the small family?"

"That's the rumor. How could that be? There's no way that a promising star of Sega would participate in a scenario where they're going to die..."

I tried to ignore the ominous words. In any case, entering the 'main scenario' was the priority right now.

We stepped into the venue without hesitation. To be exact, that was what we were going to do.

What?

It was a disconcerting message.

It's not another scenario, but 'proof of identity' is required for the 'Terror Expedition'?

Did they find the spark flowing through my body? I saw the gatekeepers guarding the venue running towards me.

Fortunately, the guards of Namgung Se-ga came forward.

"Step back. He is a distinguished guest of Namgung Sega. The guards were ordered by the Sega family to allow him to participate in the competition!"

The guards did not back down easily despite the threats of the guards.

"Even if he is a guest of Namgung Sega, we cannot allow 'exiles' in. That is the rules of the venue."

I realized once again how exiles are treated in the 'scenario area'.

"Can Namgung guarantee that this person is not an extremely evil criminal?"

"Even if you are a criminal, you know that you can participate in the 'Terror Expedition' if you have the permission of the Five Great Segae, right?”

"If the target is an 'exile', then it’s a little different. If an exile has flowed in here, then he is definitely not an ordinary being. What if he is a great villain who has incurred the wrath of the constellations?"

The gatekeepers, who were glaring at me with sharp eyes, showed no sign of yielding.

Meanwhile, a shout was heard from inside the hall.

"The inaugural speech has begun!"

If this were to continue, I would miss all the scenario participation orders.

I quickly nodded to Yoo Jonghyuk.

—Go in first.

—Then you,

—I’ll find a way to get in somehow. You should go in first and get a feel for the atmosphere inside the hall.

Yoo Jonghyuk, who had been thinking for a moment, nodded.

—Don’t be late.

Following that, the Namgung Segae’s warriors bowed to me and disappeared into the hall with Yoo Jonghyuk.

One of them said to me,

"I will inform the lord of the situation. Please wait a moment."

I nodded, but I felt strange inside.

Could it be that the Emperor Sword Namgung Jincheon had not anticipated this situation?

In the first place, the 'Gongpyeongyeong Expedition' was an event that he and the Five Great Sega had planned together.

But he knew that I was an 'Exiled One', yet he couldn't prevent my entry control in advance?

Suddenly, I had a bad feeling.

What if the Emperor Sword's purpose was to separate me and Yoo Jonghyuk?

I shook my head vigorously.

Even if it was a trap, there was nothing I could do. Even the incarnation that the god had fixed wouldn't last long. It would be a waste of time to wander around looking for another 'main scenario' now.

I had to find a way to enter the venue.

"Is there no way for the Exiled One to enter?"

The gatekeepers looked at each other as if they were troubled by my question, and answered in a somewhat sharp voice.

"If there is a constellation that can vouch for you, an exile."

Constellation?

Judging from the expressions on the gatekeepers' faces, they seemed to think there would be no constellation that could vouch for me.

A constellation's vouch.

I looked up at the pale sky and thought of constellations that could help me. There were modifiers that came to mind, but I wasn't sure if they would see me, who had been kicked out of the scenario.

In addition, most of the constellations in that sky were hostile to me. If they knew I was here, there would be more of them who would come down to kill me, not to mention vouch for me.

However, I couldn't delay any longer.

I had to enter the stadium using [Incite] or some other trick.

Finally, I made up my mind and was about to activate [Incite].

"Those guys—"

The entrance to the stadium was tumultuous. It was a crowd of unmanned people who had just started to enter. They seemed to be martial artists from the old village.

"I'm looking forward to this expedition."

"Is 'that' going to go too?"

"Wow, is it the old days? Well, this is a chance to restore the status of the fallen sect."

I watched the martial artists wearing splendid robes as they entered. Judging from their attire, they seemed to be masters of the Jeongpa.

"It's Shaolin!"

"There's a shaman too!"

Shaolin, Hwasan, shaman... Masters of sects I'd only heard of through rumors were entering the competition hall one by one.

But at the end of the line, there was a man in a familiar outfit.

At first, I couldn't tell who he was. But when I looked at him once, twice, three times, I vaguely knew who he was.

His face was different, but it was unmistakable.

More than anything, the story inside me was testifying to him.

At that moment, a middle-aged man who recognized me opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth.

"You are..."

There was.

In this desolate First Murim, the one and only constellation that would guarantee my identity.

The air of the 'Scenario' has finally returned.

I was moved anew as I felt the refreshing breath of the story. This was the feeling of being alive—the feeling of clearly standing on my feet and living in the story.

I wanted to check the scenario content right away, but I had to express my gratitude first.

"Thank you very much."

The middle-aged man who waved his hand with a friendly smile on his face. The story inside me reacted again.

The middle-aged man who sensed the story nodded as if he was impressed.

"It seems it is listening to you now."

"You have been very helpful."

The 「persistent martial arts master」 was once this middle-aged man's story.

"This is the first time we met since Seoul Station."

He was the former head of Seoul Station, and the 'last ark' of the Beggar Sect, the constellation.

The dragon's head ark 'Cheon-gae'.

The events that happened at Seoul Station flashed through my mind like a panorama.

A constellation that wanted to step down from being a constellation and start the 'scenarios' from the beginning again.

That constellation, along with its incarnation, appeared before my eyes.

"Your divine power has been revealed."

"It's thanks to you."

He said that, but in fact, the feeling I got from Cheon-gae wasn't as good as before.

That was natural.

At that time, Cheon-gae was caught up in the aftermath of the probability related to the 'god of the other world' and paid a huge price.

"It seems you've been through a lot without me knowing."

I answered with a bitter smile.

Perhaps Cheon-gae and I were in a position to understand each other better than anyone else right now.

In a sense, we were both 'fallen constellations'.

"Didn't the Ark come to participate in this scenario?"

"I said so, to keep the agreement of the Beggar Sect. I came back to where I have an agreement to keep."

Cheon-gae, who was once one of the best in the 'First Murim', was pushed out of Murim after losing to 'Paradox Baek-cheong' and 'Pacheon Sword Saint' in succession.

"I have decided to rewrite the history of my heaven from here. In the world where I fell and escaped."

"You have made a big decision."

A decision that only a constellation who has acknowledged his own failure can make. Nevertheless, his expression was brighter than ever.

"I thought that in order to understand my opponents, I needed to know the trials they overcame."

"So you participated in the 'Gong-ho-ryeong Expedition'?"

After hearing the explanation, I understood why he had no choice but to participate in this expedition.

That 'Gong-ho-ryeong' was the only entrance to the 'Dark Dimension' in this Murim. And the transcendentalists known in Murim were mostly from that 'dark dimension'.

The same goes for the paradoxical Baekcheong Kyrgios Rodgraim and the Pacheon Sword Master Namgung Minyoung.

"That's right. By the way, since you came all the way here, I guess your circumstances are also difficult."

He seemed to have guessed why I had participated in the 'Fortress Expedition'.

"There are many constellations that support you, including me."

"That's something to be thankful for."

"Of course, there are more constellations that want to kill you."

I replied with a bitter smile.

"I've heard the general rumor. That you defeated all the zodiac signs at the 'Recycling Center'."

"It seems a bit exaggerated."

"I also heard that you summoned otherworldly deities with just your three-inch tongue and had a big fight with the constellations."

Those 'otherworldly deities' were probably from <Kim Dokja Company>.

But they weren't called by me; they just came looking for me.

"I also heard that you poked holes in the stomachs of the constellations that were obsessed with you."

And it wasn't me who did it, it was the stabbing monster, Jaehwan...

"You made a resolution with the naked man who shouted destruction….."

That's right, we went together…

"When I heard that you summoned the archangels and demon kings and tried to recreate the 'Holy Demon War' and destroy the <Star Stream>… I was really shocked."

Some strange rumor is spreading.

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