The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 264

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

The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 264
Wheeeeze.
Wheeeeze.
Shallow, irregular breathing. Two eyes wrapped tightly in gauze, as though lost to unconsciousness.
A massive frame nearly eight feet tall lay upon the bedding, breathing only shallow and feeble breaths.
An old man bearing a jagged scar across one eye.
The current League Leader and candidate for the Heavenly Supreme—the Celestial Demon.
Shin Chang.
“….”
Gazing upon him, I found myself momentarily at a loss for words. I had known Shin Chang’s condition was dire, but I had not anticipated such devastation.
‘This is….’
To the eye, it appeared he merely slept peacefully beneath the bandages.
‘But his vital essence is leaking away.’
His condition was far worse than anticipated. Whether a physician would perceive it differently, or rather, what those with ordinary sight might observe—
I saw it clearly.
Wheeeeze—!
From Shin Chang’s body, a faint aura gradually seeped outward. It differed from the qi a martial artist would emit.
Spiritual essence and vital force.
The fact that spiritual essence churned so violently and vital force mingled within it meant—
‘Standing at the threshold of life and death.’
It was proof he stood somewhere between them.
[Heheheh—]
Yoo Cheon-gil laughs upon witnessing this.
[This bastard, if things go wrong, he’ll die, won’t he?]
Yet this is his close friend, and he speaks so matter-of-factly upon observing his state.
Perhaps because he himself is already a dead man. Or perhaps his emotions were simply that shallow.
Yoo Cheon-gil’s attitude grated on me somewhat, though I did not dwell upon it deeply.
Without uttering a word, I simply gazed upon the Wol Seon-geom who had brought me here.
What could his purpose be? There must be a reason he brought me to this place.
Thinking thus, I regarded the Wol Seon-geom.
“The League Leader’s condition is grave.”
The Wol Seon-geom speaks to me in a tone as expressionless and detached as his face.
“According to the physicians, there is no treatment available. They say we must entrust his fate to miracles.”
“….”
It seems the physicians sensed what I perceive as well.
Yes, that is typically the case.
‘Even by my assessment, it is no different.’
His vital force has already begun to scatter from his body. That alone is sufficient to deem it the end.
‘His soul stands on the verge of departure.’
Should his spirit depart alongside his vital essence, Shin Chang would be no different from a corpse.
“This is….”
Only then could I voice my confusion.
“Why are you showing me this?”
Why would you show me Shin Chang’s condition?
This is unprecedented.
‘The current pillar of the Martial Arts Alliance.’
The League Leader could be called the very embodiment of it.
For such a League Leader to show me that he’s on the verge of death—that couldn’t mean anything good.
‘Even Dojol’s reaction just now proved it.’
Once the League Leader can no longer function, a new one must be appointed.
For the honor and profits that come with the position of League Leader, those vying to be candidates would engage in fierce struggles, and political maneuvering would ensue.
So from the Martial Arts Alliance’s perspective, maintaining silence until things are certain would be the better course.
‘Yet he shows me?’
I couldn’t fathom why he would deliberately show me the League Leader’s condition.
“It was the Scholar’s intention.”
“…The Scholar’s?”
Wol Seon-geom showed me Shin Chang’s condition at Cheon Rijin-an’s request.
“Why?”
I couldn’t understand the reason. What possible meaning could there be in showing me this?
“I couldn’t say.”
To my question, Wol Seon-geom offered an ambiguous answer.
“I don’t know his intentions. Nor do I seek to. However.”
Wol Seon-geom spoke to me with a quiet gaze.
“The Scholar said that should you come to see this, you would understand it yourself.”
“….”
I would understand?
The reason he showed me this?
My brow furrowed at Wol Seon-geom’s words. I’m no oracle, so how could I discern anything just from seeing Shin Chang is ill?
I pondered for a long while.
‘I would understand?’
I would come to know it.
Or perhaps I would understand upon seeing this.
Cheon Rijin-an was certain of it, it seems.
‘….’
I gazed upon Shin Chang. Simultaneously, my mind raced.
Shin Chang, suffering.
What would unfold if Shin Chang fell ill.
The reason Shin Chang had fallen ill.
The intention of Jegal Jin, who believed I would understand.
What I would come to know from witnessing this.
The reason only I could know.
The circumstances the physician said he couldn’t save.
And so on.
I fitted them all together in one breath. My mind, working better than in my previous life, spun rapidly.
And then.
“Ah.”
I realized something.
“Ha.”
I let out an empty breath. At the same time, I collapsed into a seated position.
Not so much collapsed as simply sat down.
Wol Seon-geom watched me and his eyebrows twitched slightly.
Seeing his bewilderment, I spoke.
“…It seems I’ll need to wait until the Scholar arrives.”
I understood.
It felt oddly unpleasant that things had turned out as Jegal Jin had thought.
‘…Damn it.’
It was the correct answer just as he’d said.
I knew the answer.
More precisely.
‘It was an answer only I could know.’
Only I, and Jegal Jin, could grasp it.

* * *
Some time passes. About half a shichen, to be precise.
Only then does the closed door open, and Jegal Jin enters.
He looks far more exhausted than before.
It seems his conversation with the Sword King wasn’t particularly fruitful.
“I apologize for making you wait.”
“Not at all.”
When I offer an apology to Wol Seon-geom, he shakes his head.
Seeing that, I can’t help but speak up.
“Why won’t you apologize to me?”
We both waited, so why doesn’t he apologize to me? I voice my slight frustration, and those behind Jegal Jin flinch.
[What an audacious fellow.]
Even Yoo Cheon-gil is taken aback.
[Does he really want to jest with someone who looks so fierce?]
Jest? Who said anything about jesting?
‘If you make someone wait, you should say something.’
I’m being sincere.
At my words, Jegal Jin glances toward me.
Then.
“You’re right. I apologize.”
He offers an apology without hesitation.
“Yes, I understand.”
I nod, satisfied with his apology.
In that moment.
“…Huh?”
“…The Scholar…?”
Those behind him react with even greater shock than before.
Even Wol Seon-geom’s eyes widen slightly, a rare occurrence.
Why are they so surprised? I don’t understand and tilt my head in confusion.
“Please leave us for a moment.”
Jegal Jin ignores them and sits on the floor, issuing a command.
“…Scholar….”
“…But….”
The two guards, both Daeju-level martial artists, stammer in bewilderment.
“Wol Seon-geom stands guard here. Is further protection necessary?”
When Jegal Jin speaks firmly, the Daeju-level warriors reluctantly nod.
Wol Seon-geom is present. That alone seems to convince them.
‘…Remarkable.’
I knew Wol Seon-geom was formidable, but I didn’t realize his reputation was this profound.
To think he receives such treatment even from Daeju-level martial artists.
After the Daeju departed like that.
“Moonju of Cheongwol.”
“Yes.”
“Could you set up a barrier for us?”
At Jegal Jin’s words, energy immediately swept through the space.
Whoooooosh–!!!
The air grew slightly heavier. It was the sensation of atmospheric pressure being created.
Sound was blocked off around the room.
Only then did Jegal Jin stare intently at Shin Chang.
After observing Shin Chang for a moment, Jegal Jin opened his mouth without moving his head.
“What are you trying to do?”
At those words, I tilted my head.
“…What do you mean by that?”
Speaking as if I didn’t understand, Jegal Jin finally looked at me.
His eyes, filled with exhaustion, had grown even sharper.
“I have no desire to waste time on pointless probing. I’m quite tired today.”
“…”
“If it were you, I believe you would have already grasped why I summoned you here. If not…”
Jegal Jin turned his gaze from me back to Shin Chang.
“Then I’ll have to reconsider my assessment.”
I didn’t ask what he meant to reconsider. There was no need to.
‘This time…’
It would be right for me to step back.
Thinking so, I spoke along with a sigh.
“…Who should I be looking for?”
At my blunt words, Jegal Jin’s lips suddenly curved upward.
“So you’re accepting it.”
“No. It means I’ll listen to an explanation first and then consider it.”
I won’t accept without explanation. In the midst of such conversation, Yoo Cheon-gil speaks to me.
[What are you talking about?]
What conversation are we having right now? That’s what Yoo Cheon-gil asks.
I was puzzled.
‘I thought he would understand.’
A man—no, a ghost—who acts crude and rough yet is sharper than anyone else. I had expected he would realize the same thing I did from that earlier exchange.
But it seemed he hadn’t.
‘The essence is simple.’
What Jegal Jin said I would understand from this conversation. And what he thought only I could do.
It was simple.
‘Jegal Jin intends to save Shin Chang.’
His intention is to save Shin Chang, who is dying now.
By showing me Shin Chang in this state, Jegal Jin was helping me grasp the situation quickly, while also conveying something else.
‘He doesn’t want the Alliance to be shaken.’
He didn’t want the Alliance destabilized because of Shin Chang’s condition.
And furthermore.
‘There’s a way to save him even in this state.’
He was telling me something different.
I could discern this from the conversation shown during the conference.
If Jegal Jin had thought he could replace or change the League Leader after Shin Chang,
‘He would have subtly let it slip to Dojol and other martial artists.’
Prepare yourselves, as a generational transition is expected.
He would have spoken such hidden intentions.
‘But he didn’t.’
Jegal Jin did not do this.
He doesn’t want things to change.
And there is a way to fix it.
Knowing this, he chose not to act.
‘There’s someone who can heal Shin Chang in this state.’
Whether such a person truly exists or not, I cannot say.
But Jegal Jin has judged that one does exist, and the reason he showed me this here reveals his intention to ask me for something.
‘It’s connected to why he doesn’t want a generational transition to occur.’
Right now, conspirators are making their moves.
Even among the Five Great Families, called the Dae Namgung Clan, a direct bloodline has become entangled with the Demonic Cult.
Seeing that even martial artists of Daeju rank were conspirators, this is a time when no one can be trusted.
So Jegal Jin cannot hand over the Alliance to anyone.
‘If he were to save Shin Chang, or perhaps….’
If he wanted to safely navigate through the current situation.
‘He needs me.’
From Jegal Jin’s perspective, he would need my help.
More precisely.
‘He needs my eyes.’
My eyes, which I said could discern the conspirators of Patcheon Gung.
That is what Jegal Jin needs.
“…What exactly should I do?”
Jegal Jin was hoping I would find someone.
And in that process, he likely also wanted me to determine whether they were a conspirator of Patcheon Gung or not.
Whether my words were correct, Jegal Jin gazed at me silently.
Without speaking in roundabout terms or elaborate explanations, he spoke simply.
“You need to find Physician Uiseon.”
“Physician Uiseon?”
It sounded like I’d heard that name somewhere before….
Ah.
‘I know.’
It came back to me. The Central Plains’ Greatest Physician.
A mysterious figure known to have saved even the dead—that was Physician Uiseon.
But then.
“…Isn’t he someone whose whereabouts are unknown? How am I supposed to find him?”
It was said he had vanished decades ago.
He had disappeared even before the Righteous and Demonic War broke out.
How was I supposed to find him?
Unable to comprehend, I pressed for clarification.
“There’s no need to search.”
Jegal Jin spoke.
“What you must do is not search, but persuasion.”
“Pardon?”
“…Persuade Physician Uiseon and bring him back. He is in Shaanxi, specifically on Mount Hua.”
“…Mount Hua?”
An unexpected location emerged.

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