Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 64

 

I had said it many times.

 

In a situation where you’re at war with some force, expanding the front lines is suicide.

 

They had made their choice.

 

By distributing 600 geun to the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace, they were saying that since the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace was also involved in Divine Ginseng Valley, anyone who wanted to covet this place would now have to deal with the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace as well.

 

Only then did Manager Seong, who had caught on to the inside story, speak quietly.

 

“…This is difficult.”

 

It is difficult. Whoever it is, this must be the result of using their head to the maximum. Whether it’s the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace or Yang-ryeong, there’s nothing bad about it.”

 

“That’s true, but…”

 

Manager Seong, who had paused for a moment, continued speaking while looking at Woon-hwi with a strange expression.

 

“Why do you look like that? As if you have something bothering you.”

 

“It’s not that nothing’s bothering me.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Don’t you think it’s strange?”

 

“…If you’re talking about Divine Ginseng Valley suddenly approaching us, it is a bit strange, but it doesn’t seem incomprehensible.”

 

“I suppose so.”

 

To anyone, it would look like a rational move.

 

But from Woon-hwi’s perspective, it wasn’t.

 

Someone had placed a stone.

 

What kind of stone it was, what intention it held.

 

He needed to understand the inside story.

 

Only then could he make the next move.

 

Woon-hwi, who had been thinking about something, spoke quietly.

 

“First, let’s find out which group was targeting Divine Ginseng Valley.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Just as Manager Seong was about to go outside, Han Mu-rin, who had finished his patrol, happened to be approaching from the entrance.

 

Woon-hwi had given him an order.

 

Quite a lot of people had been gathering in Yang-ryeong for the past few days.

 

And they weren’t leaving Yang-ryeong, as if they were waiting for something, which was really strange.

 

No matter how much it had become new territory of the Ten Thousand Year Snow Palace, the fact that they stayed so long likely meant there was another reason, and Woon-hwi had sent Han Mu-rin to find out what it was.

 

He spoke.

 

“I looked into what you asked me to investigate… A Secret Realm is supposed to appear.”

 

“A Secret Realm?”

 

“Yes. Around noon tomorrow, on the transport route connecting to Sa Ryang… that is, rumors are secretly spreading that a Secret Realm will appear near the White Horse Ancient Road.”

 

“What’s the source of the information?”

 

“I heard it from the highest-class courtesan at Yang-ryeong Hall.”

 

What exactly is a Secret Realm?

 

It’s a place where treasures from the Primordial Era appear.

 

The Primordial Era referred to here means the original Murim that was once dominated by the Nine Sects and One Gang and the Thousand Year Demon Cult.

 

To talk about the Primordial Era, one must first discuss the Thousand Year Chaos that occurred seven hundred years ago.

 

The greatest event in Murim history that occurred seven hundred years ago, where a thousand years of history was lost.

 

No one knows the cause, and not even records remain.

 

Everything of the Nine Sects and One Gang disappeared, and after that, Secret Realms began to appear.

 

Naturally, martial arts and treasures from the Primordial Era would appear in Secret Realms, and these Secret Realms, which appeared in unpredictable locations throughout the Central Plains – whether below gorges, along main roads, or in hard-to-predict places – could be somewhat located using an item called the Heavenly Mechanism Compass.

 

But that didn’t mean the Heavenly Mechanism Compass was reliable.

 

The highest-grade Heavenly Mechanism Compass could detect a range of about several dozen zhang, while lower-grade compasses had a maximum range of a few chi or a few zhang.

 

Naturally, if a Heavenly Mechanism Compass reacted, that location would be kept as secret as possible.

 

There were no restrictions on who could enter Secret Realms, and since more people meant fiercer competition, it was naturally right to keep quiet about it.

 

But the world is wide and people’s mouths cannot be controlled.

 

In the case of Secret Realms appearing tomorrow, rumors would start spreading from the underground like now.

 

A strange smile formed on Woon-hwi’s lips.

 

Whatever it was, treasures from the Primordial Era were precious.

 

It wasn’t bad after a long time.

 

* * *

 

Not all the memories in my head are perfect.

 

It’s not that I have amnesia or anything like that, but I’m also human.

 

Among the countless experiences I had in my previous life, I remember all the major events, but insignificant memories are still hazy even now.

 

Still, if possible, I try to make even those hazy memories clear, but even I have memories I can’t help.

 

Things I’ve never heard of or seen.

 

I can’t be expected to remember even those things. I have no memory of them to begin with.

 

Especially a Secret Realm appearing in a backwater place like Yang-ryeong? This is the first time I’m hearing about it.

 

I silently lifted the Heavenly Mechanism Compass in my hand.

 

The compass pointed north, then west, then south, east, spinning round and round like that.

 

Where I am now is the peak of White Horse Ancient Road.

 

I’ve been walking around this area with this compass, and now it’s reacting.

 

The fact that this high-grade Heavenly Mechanism Compass is spinning like this means a Secret Realm will appear soon.

 

“So it was real.”

 

Manager Seong, who was beside me, glanced over and said.

 

“…Indeed. It really is a Secret Realm.”

 

I put the compass straight into my storage bag.

 

How strange.

 

“Young Master.”

 

I turned my head at Manager Seong’s call.

 

“Your reaction is a bit strange. Is this Secret Realm appearing in Yang-ryeong your first time?”

 

“It’s my first time.”

 

“Including your previous life?”

 

“Including everything.”

 

It was truly bizarre.

 

Just as weapons and martial arts have grades, Secret Realms also have grades.

 

Divine Grade, Mysterious Grade, Heaven and Earth Grade, Martial God Grade.

 

Tomorrow around noon, and the compass reacting this much means.

 

“It’s at least a mid-level Heaven and Earth Grade Secret Realm…”

 

Manager Seong tilted his head as he watched me trail off.

 

“What’s bothering you?”

 

“It bothers me. No matter how much it’s a Secret Realm I’ve never experienced, even if it was a Secret Realm that had no connection to me in my previous life, if it was a Heaven and Earth Grade Secret Realm, I should have heard about it in passing, but I’ve never heard of this Secret Realm.”

 

Manager Seong’s expression instantly became serious.

 

Even if it’s a Secret Realm not in my memories, I should be able to make some guesses through experience.

 

And when Manager Seong and I thought about it, this current situation meant only one thing.

 

And we didn’t voice that meaning out loud.

 

Manager Seong just asked.

 

“…You’re not thinking of going in, are you?”

 

I smiled broadly.

 

“It’s a Secret Realm appearing in our front yard, so I can’t just hand it over to others, can I?”

 

“Really… Why are you like this?”

 

It’s nothing surprising anymore.

 

Manager Seong’s excessive worry has now become routine. I can just accept it as such.

 

“Among the martial artists currently gathered in Yang-ryeong, there are over fifty warriors at the Flame Qi Four Stages alone. We haven’t seen any Four Stages of Heaven and Earth warriors yet… but it’s only a matter of time. Even if we thoroughly control the mouths of the courtesans at Yang-ryeong Hall, rumors spread in the blink of an eye.”

 

“So?”

 

“What do you mean ‘so’? Young Master. It’s one day. There’s a whole day until the Secret Realm appears, and that’s enough time for martial artists who caught wind of it to overflow the place. And you’re going to enter that chaotic mess? Really?”

 

A smile forms.

 

“Aren’t you curious?”

 

“About what?”

 

“Why I might never have heard of it.”

 

“…”

 

“What could have been inside that its very existence was hidden.”

 

I clasped my hands behind my back.

 

This.

 

As I keep saying, it’s too strange.

 

There’s only one case where the existence of a Secret Realm is hidden.

 

When truly unimaginable treasures emerged from within.

 

The unimaginable treasures I’m talking about are the kind that would certainly cause all martial artists in Murim to swarm like a pack of dogs the moment their existence became known.

 

I tried to think.

 

If one wanted to hide the appearance of a Secret Realm, what would be needed first?

 

First, all witnesses must be eliminated.

 

Second, all those who know that the witnesses entered the Secret Realm must be found and killed.

 

Third, one’s own identity must be perfectly concealed.

 

If that happens, people will suspect that a Secret Realm appeared, but no one will know what treasures emerged or what happened inside.

 

As time passes, it will be forgotten from everyone’s memory. Even so, there might be those who try to find out.

 

If even those are found and eliminated.

 

If all these processes are perfected, it can be perfectly hidden.

 

Really.

 

“This absolutely won’t do.”

 

It really seems impossible.

 

“…Young Master. Setting aside entering… you’re not planning to go in alone, are you?”

 

I didn’t bother to answer.

 

I was naturally planning to enter alone, and Manager Seong, sensing this instinctively, pounded his chest in frustration.

 

“No, this is really driving me crazy. Then at least take me with you.”

 

“I’ll consider that much.”

 

I turned around.

 

There’s much to do.

 

Much to prepare as well.

 

“Let’s return.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

* * *

 

The next day around the fourth hour (9-11 AM), Woon-hwi left the Branch Office alone, wearing only a light long robe.

 

His outward appearance looked very light, but internally it was not at all.

 

First, on Woon-hwi’s wrist was something like a small mirror that hadn’t been visible before.

 

This was the Cave Heaven Mirror that would prevent him from getting lost inside the Secret Realm.

 

Since Secret Realms are very special places, there’s no knowing what dangers might exist inside. There could be traps, the ground might suddenly collapse, or Formation Techniques might be deployed.

 

This Cave Heaven Mirror changes color according to the strength of the energy felt in the surroundings.

 

Normally white, blue if the surrounding energy shows signs of change, red if the changed energy contains killing intent, and black if something begins to unfold with powerful energy at the level of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.

 

Usually, when it turns black, running away without looking back is the rule inside Secret Realms.

 

And at Woon-hwi’s waist were four hidden daggers brought from Han Bing Gate, and in his storage bag he had prepared ten spare hidden daggers and five swords.

 

And several Spirit Pills to eat inside, plus wound healing medicine.

 

This could be considered proper preparation.

 

He had already made up his mind.

 

He would enter the Secret Realm alone.

 

While none of those present objected to Woon-hwi’s decision, they couldn’t help but show worried expressions.

 

This much is fine.

 

Woon-hwi’s experience is so abundant it overflows.

 

What works and what doesn’t.

 

How to succeed or fail when doing something.

 

He has firm standards for these things.

 

Whether he’s pushing too hard or not, how to overcome it.

 

He had already finished calculating all of this in his head, but he had no desire to explain it in detail.

 

It would only make his words longer and his mouth hurt.

 

Above all, entering this Secret Realm isn’t something he’s doing thoughtlessly.

 

He might get injured.

 

But Woon-hwi had confidence that he could claim the Secret Realm’s treasures.

 

As he had done countless times, he planned to prove it through the path he walked.

 

Woon-hwi turned his head to look at Manager Seong.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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