“I am the greatest in Murim, the greatest of past and present, and the greatest under heaven. With no enemies left in the world, I have surpassed the deities that needed your help. I do not seek the power of your insignificant strength.”
drumroll
Cheonma answered.
whoosh
Despite being a painted androgynous man, his face was filled with pride. He was not a liar.
insert gasp
Lying is surprisingly difficult. You have to grasp reality, predict the future, and concoct a fictitious event to deceive.
whoosh
This is why perfect lies are hard to achieve.
pop!
It’s much easier to bury the difficult reality.
laughter
However, it’s funny that many choose to sink rather than apologize or take responsibility.
chuckles
No, the important fact isn’t whether Cheonma’s response is a lie.
wink
“Why did you summon me?”
He lived well for a harvesting period before he died. In this world ruled by strength, he solved his problems uniquely, unlike any other world.
wink
So, he thought there wouldn’t be any reason to return here until someone fell back into the surface.
boom
Then it’s likely not connected to Eunjai. Looking around, it’s completely different from the techniques I know of Yasle.
shock
He called me in a wholly different manner.
gasp
Maybe he summoned me with malicious intent?
cackle
Unlike that witch, does he have any technique that can call me this time?
smirk
Hehe.
clap
Then it’s worth the effort. There’s a huge value in twisting my brain.
twirl
I stared at Cheonma. He gazed back at me intently, then slowly opened his mouth.
whoosh
“Can you perform the ‘Transcendence of Form’ and ‘Qi Infusion’ that you did for the deity for anyone?”
whoosh
Transcendence of Form? Eunjai mentioned something like that right after becoming a harvesting period. I rummaged through the Faded Man’s memories, and it appeared in the martial arts genre.
whoosh
Gaining a new body. Qi Infusion is pouring Qi into others. Although the Faded Man is hopping madly, I don’t care!
smirk
In short, those two terms refer to the harvesting period.
snap
“Yes. That’s right. I blessed three people a day upon the request of the one who summoned me last time.”
klunk
I don’t know if the contract document is usable yet or not. And it’s troublesome if it spreads too much like last time due to reckless use.
pop
This time, I’ll control the number while increasing it.
whoosh
So, I described it as if it were my own ability. In fact, there’s no limit to the number. I know because I once read the contract document in a vast area and turned thousands of people into harvesting periods at once.
slide
But limited resources like a lottery are important. That creates desire, doesn’t it?
pop
And when the desire grows, I can also make demands, right?
nudge
Like the method in which I was summoned here.
smirk
Hehe.
whoosh
“I have only one thing to say.”
whoosh
I stretched out my hands, signaling no harm, as I spoke about the contract document.
swish
“I’ll offer myself to you. In exchange, once you complete everything, I want all that you possess. How about it?”
scuffle
Upon hearing my words, Cheonma stared at me for a long time.
stare
“Is there a price?”
gulp
Oh! That’s right. This is a trade. Quick on the uptake, aren’t you?
wink
But I’m not planning to receive an offering. Increasing uncontrollable monsters is a headache.
rolling eyes
“I’ve said everything.”
whoosh
The contract document already stated that I would take everything later.
nod
Of course, I don’t need anything else but warmth.
whoosh
However, I will still use the contract document as I don’t know what will happen in the future.
swish
If I alter it, I have a fear that something might go wrong.
whoosh
Well, maybe a cleaner sentence could come out, but I feel like I still lack something to take a risk.
nod
Let’s play it safe. Safely.
clink
As I considered this, Cheonma turned his body.
whoosh
Behind him, many people stood in his line of sight. Judging by their various outfits, it seems they unknowingly have summoned me.
whoosh
Are they ordinary subordinates?
whoosh
“Who would make a contract with this?”
chuckle
We could just refer to him as ‘this,’ but saying ‘this’ is indeed odd because he’s not even human.
wink
So let’s go with that.
pop
The decision of my attitude rests only with them.
whoosh
At that moment, someone ran from quite a distance.
whoosh
Seeing up close, it was evident. Their outfit was distinctly different from the people around. More practical, perhaps.
whoosh
The one summoning me had completely stripped any individuality from themselves. Dressed in black, wearing a hood that covers their face.
whoosh
“Is it just one Guardian?”
whoosh
When Cheonma asked, two others burst out from behind. Given that the taller one called, the other must be the youngest.
whoosh
Cheonma looked down at the three before pointing to me.
whoosh
“Contract with her.”
whoosh
The three shouted “We pledge!” loudly before standing in front of me. Their faces were filled with anxiety and fear, but there was a faint glimmer of hope, too.
whoosh
Hope is always a good sign.
smirk
So I joyfully recited the contract document, and they agreed.
whoosh
Now, I don’t need the violet mist anymore.
pop
Imagine there’s a drawing of a person in 2D. He can only see two dimensions: up, down, left, and right.
whoosh
If a pencil pokes from above him, he would suddenly feel as if he was pierced through.
pop
The principle is similar.
whoosh
Accessing a three-dimensional space from the fourth dimension will make it invisible. It doesn’t allow stepping back in time. It’s just another axis.
swirl
I feel like concepts of stopping time or moving forward stem from this. If I get stronger later or learn methods, can I also rewind time?
think
Let’s store that thought in a memory corner.
boom
I contracted with them.
whoosh
Then, as always, their skin cracked apart, revealing pristine white skin, and their previously black or brown hair suddenly turned violet.
whoosh
I touched the light, and it turned violet. At the same time, I gained their memories.
whoosh
First off, these ‘Guardians’ are like soldiers.
whoosh
In order of hierarchy, they are called Gapjae, Eunchun, and Byeongil.
whoosh
Cheonma Church is just Cheonma Church. There’s no separate name like the One God Church or the Divine God Church.
chuckle
Surprisingly, Eunjai isn’t the first Cheonma. He’s the third generation Cheonma.
whoosh
The three of them didn’t know much information. Born in a village ruled by Cheonma Church, they at least had talent in martial arts and tried to rise to high positions.
whoosh
There were some intriguing memories too.
pop
From being simple believers to becoming Guardians, they had bugs implanted in their bodies. Surprisingly, they didn’t seem to care at all since everyone else was doing it. I wonder what kind of brainwashing they went through…
shiver
It sounded like how nobody questions recording fingerprints of adults in the country where the Faded Man was from.
whoosh
Having lived carelessly, they ended up among the Guardians, reaching a high position.
whoosh
Then they followed to summon a monster called Chaos that grants special powers to the deity, and now they are here.
squee
The warmth is significantly less compared to the light.
whoosh
Yet suddenly, the warmth skyrocketed at the moment I became a harvesting period.
whoosh
What could this principle be?
head tilt
No, it initially was quite small in comparison to the light, but at least it’s surged to a certain degree now. Is it because the bugs in their bodies completely disappeared?
nod
Light is almost certainly connected to the soul.
whoosh
Warmth is suspected to be humanity or desire. Something along those lines.
whoosh
So despairing and resigned people have almost no warmth. Reflecting on the light that fell on me, if that state lasts long, it’s highly likely the light will shrink as well.
whoosh
If I gained power, does it mean my options expanded, therefore increasing warmth?
wink
I see a path on how to act moving forward.
woosh
I need to think a little more, but it implies that pouring a lot of freedom will increase the light.
smirk
Hehe. The warmth is increasing.
whoosh
I chuckled as I looked at Cheonma.
smirk
“I’ve fulfilled what humans desire.”
whoosh
Then I examined my body. There’s a possibility of revival for the one using the physical form like Rebecca.
think
In that case, I could be slightly lenient.
wink
To ensure that people won’t forget, I’ll have them call out her name.
whoosh
“As you know, my name is Choseol. Please call me that.”
sparkle
Choseol is the name of the body I’ve entered, like Rebecca Rolfe.
whoosh
I was quite tall, but my chest was flat and my body was entirely youthful because of my age. Just like Rebecca Rolfe, I’m using a child’s form.
whoosh
Could it be that a child can contain more?
whoosh
But this girl wasn’t taken as a commoner like Rebecca. She was raised for a particular role from the start.
whoosh
Much of her life seemed transient, often remembering training in the cloth-like space where I was dragged in the beginning.
whoosh
Even if it was training, it was just deep thoughts soaked in drugs and struggling to articulate words spoken outside while in a dazed condition. At the last moment, eyes were plucked out and some kind of spell was cast before being wrapped in cloth.
whoosh
And this time not with drugs, but in a state of daze from wet cloth searching for me.
whoosh
Choseol appears to have been raised to become an offering.
whoosh
If so much effort was involved, it might be tough to spread her widely.
pop
No, rather, it could be the perfect method for me. Once again, I’ll seize the chance to gain knowledge as I did previously.
whoosh
Upon stating my name, Cheonma gazed at me intently as if trying to uncover my intentions.
pop
But my intentions aren’t complex at all.
whoosh
Just give me warmth.
wink
As I smiled back at him, Cheonma pointed at me and yelled.
whoosh
“Seal this!”
pop
Oh dear.
whoosh
Is that how it is?
whoosh
The people around began chanting. Gapjae, Eunchun, Byeongil, Choseol. The four of us shared a language I didn’t understand.
whoosh
This means there is a specific language to utilize this magic. I suppose I can learn it by licking the light of those who can perform it later.
jingle
As I pondered, a multitude of cloths hanging from the ceiling swept down, wrapping around me.
whoosh
Unlike Yasle, they are not using a watching method. But this works just as well! If I think of it as a blessing wrap, I can endure.
whoosh
And I still haven’t heard Cheonma’s true intentions.
wink
Hehe.
pop
Cheonma tested my abilities.
whoosh
In other words, he needs the blessings. Without further questions, it’s not about sealing or tearing apart to prevent the second deity from appearing.
whoosh
It’s for future use.
smirk
Before the cloth completely wrapped me, I greeted Cheonma.
wink
“See you next time, lady.”
whoosh
I wanted to see his expression, but before I could, the cloth entirely covered my face.
whoosh
However, with the eyes of the three men who are Guardians, I can still observe the world.
whoosh
Ah!
whoosh
The three of them bowed their heads, so I couldn’t tell what kind of expression Cheonma wore.
wink
Had I seen his expression, I could have garnered many clues about his thoughts but what a pity.
whoosh
But time is plentiful. And this seal will definitely be undone from their side.
grin
Waiting doesn’t bother me.
whoosh
Now, let’s observe what Cheonma wishes for.
whoosh
Surely, while experimenting on these three, he’ll reveal his desires to me.
