HG Ch 27

<27>

The only reason Eunho was able to endure the excruciating pain and confusion inflicted by the system was, ironically, because of the help the system provided.

Breathe. You’re okay. It doesn’t hurt.

Taking a deep breath, Eunho planted his feet shoulder-width apart.            

[SYSTEM] You have used the skill “Keen Sense.” [SYSTEM] Aligning the body’s left and right balance, you focus on the target. [SYSTEM] All skill accuracy increases by 40% for 60 seconds.

He took aim at the Taejagwi, which was darting back and forth erratically. A bright yellow target appeared on its head, visible only to Eunho.

Holding his breath, he waited until the color of the target deepened… then fired.

But again, his body faltered. Staggering, the vivid yellow target instantly vanished.

What the hell am I supposed to do…?

Eunho clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned bone white.

That was when the scent of delicious food wafted in from somewhere. Along with it came a strange, earthy aroma—something woody.

His hazy gaze shifted left and right as he tried to locate the source. When he shook his head, the fresh scent of wood only grew stronger.

It wasn’t a scent he was unfamiliar with.

Bamboo?

Dizziness struck him again. Eunho bit down on another healing herb, trying to stay conscious.

[SYSTEM] You have consumed a healing herb. HP increased by 700.

Get a grip. Focus and think. Why would it smell like bamboo in this rock cave that doesn’t even have a single weed?

Don’t let exhaustion trick you into strange delusions. This isn’t reality. I’m going to escape from here. This is a game. A raid inside a game, which means the boss room has opened.

In a raid, even the smallest detail could be a clue. 

The food aroma mixed with the bamboo scent. The Taejagwi. The starving infant ghost. The overwhelming hunger.

And then, something flashed through Eunho’s mind.

Yeommae^[1] (Forbidden Curse Ritual).

Though his vision wavered once more, Eunho did not collapse.

Annals of King Sejong, Volume 45, 11th Year of Sejong’s Reign, 7th Day of the 8th Month, Entry 5

The Chief Censor Kim Hyoson and others submitted a memorial stating:

“The crime of Yeommae (Forbidden Curse Ritual) is listed among the Ten Heinous Crimes in the 《Great Ming Code》, and anyone who commits this crime is not to be pardoned or given amnesty.”

According to Seongho Saseol^[2], it was written that a strange sorcery known as Yeommae was once widespread in Joseon. They would abduct a young child, starve them until they were on the brink of death, then place delicious food inside a bamboo container to lure the child in. While the starving child was entranced by the food inside the bamboo, they would kill the child and immediately seal the lid before the soul could escape. The ghost, both unjustly killed and trapped within the bamboo container, was none other than the Taejagwi (Prince Ghost).

Then… is this place inside the bamboo container?

Maybe the sealing sigil Eunho had disturbed wasn’t the lid of the container after all. If it had been fully opened, the Taejagwi, who’d been trapped all this time, would have simply fled to a different place.

What if it’s not that the Taejagwi escaped, but rather that I was pulled into the boss room, into the bamboo container itself?

[SYSTEM] You have uncovered the secret of the dungeon!

The rock cave surrounding Eunho began to distort and shift, its color turning a deep, dark green. The scent of bamboo grew even stronger.

Eunho mumbled with a dazed expression.

“Why do I have to be hungry?”

Why am I the one trapped in here?

And then, he rolled across the ground, wrapping his arms around the Taejagwi that charged toward him.

[SYSTEM] The one cursed by the Taejagwi has become one with the ghost’s heart. [SYSTEM] The Taejagwi’s energy returns to its rightful place. [SYSTEM] Status effect “Hunger” has been removed.

Before long, a small child lifted his tear-streaked face from Eunho’s arms. The infant ghost, who had been dripping violet ooze, was gone without a trace.

“Uuung.”

When their eyes met, the ghostly pale child burst into tears again and nestled tightly into Eunho’s chest.

Though the child was already a departed soul, devoid of the usual warmth or scent that children carry, Eunho held him without the slightest hesitation.

With tiny fingers, the child clutched at the hem of Eunho’s robe. Like someone starved for affection after being apart for too long, he clung on, seeking comfort.

The child in Eunho’s arms, who had been constantly squirming, suddenly hiccuped.

And moments later, a loud, heart-wrenching wail followed.

“Waaaah! Mommmmyyyy!”

And Eunho, who was gently patting the child’s back…

“No, what’s wrong? I-I also want to go home, you know. Uhuhuhh…”

“I was hungry… I didn’t mean to be bad, I was just so hungry… Heueueueung…”

“You meow-like guys… How could you starve such a tiny kid…? And you still call yourselves Korean after doing that?! Ughhh sob…”

“Waaaahhh!”

“Ughuhuhhh…”

His tear ducts burst open.

It was because he suddenly realized that the fate of the Taejagwi, who had died inside the bamboo container without ever seeing his parents again, was no different from his own.

Just when Eunho, still clinging to the Taejagwi, was wailing instead of comforting him—

The child in his arms began to fade, becoming more and more transparent, until he vanished without a trace.

At the same time, as if on cue, the system’s sound effect rang out.

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

[SYSTEM] Unlike the Taoist who sealed the “Taejagwi Bamboo Container” in the rock cave, you have successfully guided the “Taejagwi” to peacefully pass on. [SYSTEM] You have gained 181,300 experience points. [SYSTEM] The world praises your kindness, which touches even the hearts of vengeful spirits. [SYSTEM] You have gained an additional 120,100 experience points. [SYSTEM] You have gained enough experience, and your spiritual power increases. [SYSTEM] HP and MP have been restored, and all status effects have been removed. [SYSTEM] By guiding Taejagwi to rest, you have acquired the title “Guardian of Seoraksan.” [SYSTEM] By guiding Taejagwi to rest, you have acquired “Prophecy Interpretation, Volume II.”

And then, a dazzling fanfare unlike anything Eunho had heard before resounded around him.

[SYSTEM] You have reached Spiritual Power level 70. [SYSTEM] You have unlocked the level 70 Spiritual Power Gunner ability: <Combust>. [SYSTEM] Enjoy your cultivation journey with your sworn companion!

Even though the auto-clean system had activated, sparkly flower petal effects fluttered down over the still-disheveled head of Joo Eunho.

That was the moment Eunho’s dazed, blank expression, shocked by the whirlwind of events, began to crumble. In a voice that sank deeper with each word, he muttered, “Cultivation… journey… with my sworn companion?”

As if he had never just been bawling his eyes out, hugging the Taejagwi, Eunho’s eyes filled with quiet rage.

It wasn’t meant to provoke him.

And as if pouring oil on the fire, Yoon Iseo casually approached him.

The sound of Taesahye^[3] drew near. Each time he moved, the purple tassel hanging from his waist swayed gently.

Just the sight of it made something start to boil inside Eunho.

Still sitting on the ground, he tilted his head slightly upward with a crooked motion.

Yoon Iseo looked down at Eunho.

Unlike Eunho, who was completely exhausted from everything he had just gone through, Yoon Iseo’s face was spotless and smooth, and that only made Eunho angrier.

“First of all, congrats on the level up.”

And to top it off, he had the audacity to speak as if nothing had happened. Eunho finally snapped.

With a hard, cold expression, Eunho asked, “Why did you do that?”

“Sorry. What I planned… didn’t work.”

But there wasn’t even a hint of remorse in Yoon Iseo’s voice. In fact, he looked more frustrated than anything.

Why the hell is he the one feeling frustrated? Unbelievable.

With his health fully restored from the level-up, Eunho rose to his feet, visibly furious. He stepped in close, so close that his breath nearly touched Yoon Iseo’s.

“……”

Yoon Iseo kept his neck straight but lowered his gaze. The tension in Eunho’s clenched jaw was unmistakable, the muscles taut beneath his sharp jawline. One wrong move, and he looked ready to bite. With clear reluctance, Yoon Iseo flicked his tongue lightly across the roof of his mouth.

That was when Eunho pressed Yoon Iseo.

“Planned? You mean, the plan of getting me killed?”

Eunho’s breathing grew ragged with anger. Yoon Iseo furrowed his brow.

“Calm down. Your breathing is—”

“I’m a human.”

“……”

“I’m not some NPC in a virtual reality game. You said time was running out, right? Then if you wanted to try something desperate, you should’ve talked to me first.”

Eunho’s words, long suppressed, now burst out in a torrent.

Then Yoon Iseo, with a weary expression, asked back, “Not an NPC in a virtual reality game?”

“I told you, I transmigrated—”

“Joo Eunho. Do you know why the filtering shows up?”

‘Because you’re not complete.’

Yoon Iseo continued speaking after that, saying something more, but it hit Eunho like a hammer to the head. The shock slammed into him, and he collapsed with a gasp.

Yoon Iseo grabbed him firmly just as he was about to fall.

Ding!

[SYSTEM] Warning: Contact with this individual is prohibited. [SYSTEM] Contact will result in penalties.

“Stop pretending to be ■■. You’re not even in the same category.”

“Ugh… What… ngh…”

“Stop making me get my hopes up.”

Looking down at Eunho, who was streaming tears from pain too great to bear, Yoon Iseo let out a deep sigh. Contrary to the exasperated look in his eyes, the hand that caressed the corner of Eunho’s eye was nothing but tender.

“Yeah. It would have been better to do it like this from the beginning.”

Ding!

[SYSTEM] Warning: Contact with this individual is prohibited. [SYSTEM] Contact will result in penalties.

Then, Yoon Iseo kissed Eunho.