NOVPUBThat night, when Unsa was certain of the betrayal of Pungbaek and Usah, there was an opportunity to reveal the betrayal before the sun rose.
Unsa spent the night deep in thought.
“If I see the weapon that Pungbaek and Usah made and still don’t change my mind, can I not convince them?”
So far, Pungbaek and Usah had not harmed anyone.
In fact, they had contributed more for the Shin-in and the Ho-jok.
Considering that, there might still be room for them to change their minds and make a different choice.
Unsa thought back to the moments when they fought side by side with their friends on the battlefield, laughing together.
“I’ll check the weapon with my own eyes and persuade them. If that doesn’t work...”
Just as Unsa made up his mind, he felt a presence.
The chill of the wind had died down, and he saw Baekho walking toward him, holding a large sword. It looked like he had been training late into the night.
Unsa, still lost in thought, couldn’t help but smile when he saw Baekho’s trustworthy face, someone from the Ho-jok.
“Baekho, you’ve worked hard. The best fighter in the Ho-jok is still training like this. This war is practically already won. And...”
Baekho, with his stoic face, only watched Unsa, making him falter in his words.
Feeling uncomfortable, Unsa was about to speak when Baekho interrupted.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Baekho’s short words carried concern.
Baekho, just as known for his aggressiveness as Jeokho, treated those he respected differently once they stood alongside him.
Unsa hesitated.
If he mentioned his suspicions about Pungbaek and Usah here, Baekho would surely listen and likely try to help him convince them.
Baekho trusted his own strength more than anyone, so there was no way he would be swayed by the power Pungbaek and Usah showed.
“...I can’t share my worries.”
Perhaps Unsa could still succeed in persuading Pungbaek and Usah, and the whole thing could be avoided.
So, there was no need to stir up trouble unnecessarily.
With that thought, Unsa attempted to hide his true feelings.
“We’ll need to attend to the Shin-in tomorrow. I must be nervous.”
“...”
Baekho, looking dissatisfied, muttered a few more words but then backed off when he realized there was no point in pressing.
Even after Baekho left, Unsa couldn’t easily fall asleep and greeted the morning with his eyes wide open.
When the day broke, the Ho-jok camp moved busily.
Today was the day for a great mission.
“Today, we will pray to the Heavenly God and work to strengthen the veins of energy to prevent the contamination of the Korean Peninsula. This is something only the Shin-in can do, so we must be extra careful about safety.”
Usually, the Shin-in stayed in the center of the Ho-jok camp for safety, but there were times when he could not avoid going into battle.
The enemy sought to destroy the veins of energy on the Korean Peninsula, aiming to drain the power of those living on this land.
Moreover, they tried to summon darkness and cover the skies to sever the connection between the Heavenly God and this land.
In response, the Shin-in prayed in places with strong spiritual power, maintaining the blessings given to the Korean Peninsula by the Heavenly God and clearing the darkness.
This was an important role that only the Shin-in could perform, and with it came great danger.
“We’ll split into four groups to deceive the enemy’s eyes. Everyone, including the Shin-in, must cover their faces and move accordingly.”
Eunho looked at the faces of those standing next to the Shin-in—Cheongho, his disciples, Pungbaek, Usah, and Unsa.
Before covering their faces, Eunho gave them a look, as if declaring that he wouldn’t forget their faces.
Since the number of people had decreased compared to before the enemy’s invasion, the process didn’t take long.
“The three selected to act as the Shin-in’s stand-ins will use this cloth.”
Eunho handed over a fine piece of cloth, something the Shin-in would likely wear.
Most of the stand-ins who had worn this cloth in the past had died wearing it.
Despite knowing this, they took the cloth from Eunho willingly.
“We’ve decided on four locations for the veins. To save time, I’ve drawn a map for easier reference. Please check it as you move.”
Eunho explained these basic procedures, but Unsa felt a slight unease.
Eunho only briefly explained the general directions to those splitting into four groups but didn’t provide the exact locations.
No one else found this strange, but Unsa felt something wasn’t quite right.
Normally, he would never have thought about it, but because of the Pungbaek and Usah situation, it seemed like Eunho was trying to hide something from those here.
It felt like Eunho was intentionally concealing where the Shin-in was headed from the others.
“Unsa, please be safe.”
Before they departed, Eunho spoke to Unsa.
Today, Unsa had been selected to accompany the Shin-in, and Eunho handed him the map.
Unsa felt the weight of Eunho’s trust in him.
“If Pungbaek and Usah cause any trouble, I’ll stop them. With the Shin-in and Cheongho around, it will be fine.”
Unsa was deeply nervous.
He was so nervous that Cheongho, who was supposed to focus on protecting the Shin-in, even started to care about his emotional state.
Pungbaek and Usah jokingly called Unsa a coward.
“Half of it is a joke, but the other half is sincere. I probably seemed like a coward to them for not making a decision easily.”
Swallowing his bitter feelings, Unsa noticed that Pungbaek and Usah quickly changed the subject.
As if they had forgotten the conversation from yesterday, they casually spoke to the Shin-in.
“The contamination of the veins seems to have worsened. Wasn’t it the role of the shaman to purify this land originally?”
“That’s right. The Ho-jok’s shamans are weak, but there was one really exceptional shaman.”
As Pungbaek said, the Ho-jok’s shamans were few and weak.
The Heavenly God was very fond of the Shin-in, and wanted to pour his blessings and mercy on him alone.
Thus, the Heavenly God had little interest in picking shamans, and was half-hearted in granting mercy.
Because of this, not many people sought to become shamans.
However, just before the war with the enemy began, an extraordinarily capable shaman appeared, and the Ho-jok welcomed her.
The Shin-in responded to Pungbaek and Usah’s questions.
“The power of a shaman cannot purify this contamination. However, it’s true that there is an exceptional shaman. That shaman is specifically carrying out an order given by Eunho.”
“What order? Is it more important than purifying the contamination?”
“It seems like you thought she was doing something grand, but she’s simply following Eunho’s command.”
What seemed like casual chatter suddenly made Unsa feel a chill down his spine.
He felt uneasy thinking they were prying into the Ho-jok’s precious shaman.
It felt like a betrayer gathering information about the enemy’s movements.
“These people, who once called the Ho-jok ‘just a bunch of beasts’, don’t seem like they’d be interested in a human shaman, no matter how strong she is. Why are they asking about her? Did someone send them to find out about the shaman?”
Unsa hoped that the Shin-in had not divulged any critical information.
If Unsa had been more at ease, he might have skillfully changed the subject, but at the moment, he was simply bewildered.
The Shin-in responded without suspicion.
“According to Eunho, she is working hard to train the next generation of shamans. One exceptional shaman’s power will quickly reach its limit, so the number must be increased.”
“Oh, I see? You’re trying to increase the number of shamans because one isn’t enough to do much.”
“Seems like you thought she was doing something impressive, but no, the Heavenly God’s direction of favor doesn’t change, so you should rethink your thoughts.”
After hearing the Shin-in’s answer, Pungbaek and Usah withdrew without any further objections, and Unsa greatly relieved.
Luckily, the shaman hadn’t been entrusted with any major tasks, and it seemed like the Shin-in knew this as well.
Even if this conversation were to leak later, it would cause no harm.
The sun had already passed its peak and was beginning to set.
Time hadn’t passed much, but with Cheongho’s guidance, they quickly reached a point along the veins of energy, far from the Ho-jok’s camp.
Cheongho spoke.
“I’ll watch the east. Unsa, you keep an eye on the north. I’ll also look that way. Pungbaek and Usah, take the west and south.”
Pungbaek and Usah nodded and headed to their respective positions.
Their actions only seemed to show them as respectful officials, moving to protect the Shin-in.
Unsa’s mind grew uneasy.
While the Shin-in was praying to the Heavenly God, he would be vulnerable.
Unsa continued to keep an eye on Pungbaek and Usah, even as he followed Cheongho’s instructions and kept watch to the north.
They seemed to be casually observing their surroundings, but Unsa couldn’t shake the tension.
Whiiii...!
At that moment, a warm breeze surrounded Unsa.
It felt like a force trying to calm him down.
Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t the wind—it was the power embedded in the Shin-in’s words.
While praying to the Heavenly God, he was also wishing for the safety of those around him.
“Every time the Shin-in prays, the land and sky take away much of his strength, yet he still thinks of us!”
The Shin-in’s prayer filled the air, spreading with power throughout the world.
As the prayer continued, the contamination that had been swallowing the earth and the darkness attempting to cover the sky gradually faded.
The land regained its original color, and the sky, which had been cloudy despite no clouds, cleared up.
When the Shin-in was halfway through his prayer, Cheongho suddenly signaled.
‘...Someone is coming!’
Unsa tensed up.
He wondered if the person appearing could be related to the power Pungbaek and Usah had shown.
He immediately prepared to rush to the Shin-in’s side.
However, when he saw who Cheongho had pointed to, he felt his strength drain.
It was Baekho.
“Baekho, why are you here? You were supposed to be hunting the invaders today.”
“I’ve done my part. I was sent by Eunho to come here.”
Baekho spoke as though nothing unusual had happened, but it clearly wasn’t an ordinary situation.
Having handled his assigned tasks, it had clearly taken significant effort to get here.
Yet, Baekho didn’t seem the least bit winded and carried himself with the aura of a true warrior.
‘But why did Eunho send Baekho here?’
Had Eunho sensed something?
Either way, with Baekho’s arrival, Unsa felt as though they now had an army at their side.
Even if Pungbaek and Usah harbored ill intentions, they would have no chance with Baekho around.
However, Unsa’s expectations quickly crumbled.
In the distance, a cloud of dust rose, and Baekho’s sharp gaze pierced through it.
Baekho silently gripped his large sword.
From the distance, the invaders were charging toward the Shin-in.
‘What about Pungbaek and Usah?’
Pungbaek and Usah, while preparing to fight the approaching invaders, seemed far more concerned about Baekho’s arrival.
Although on the surface, they seemed startled by his sudden appearance, they also appeared to be contemplating what to do in the face of an unexpected situation.
‘...They’re not just testing the Shin-in’s strength with that weapon, are they? Did they... make a deal with the invaders?’
Unsa was devastated.
He had suspected that Pungbaek and Usah had harbored resentment toward the Shin-in and Ho-jok, and had teamed up with the Woong-jok.
He thought their goal was to overthrow the Shin-in and Ho-jok, elevating the Woong-jok to power after defeating the invaders.
But he hadn’t considered the possibility of them allying with the invaders.
‘Does that mean the Woong-jok also joined forces with the invaders...?’
Just as this thought formed, the invaders released something into the sky.
It was a gigantic scale.
