The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 301

—————
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 301
A crack is not truly anything special.
Merely a gap.
A gap that can form anywhere, at any time—that is what a crack truly is.
And such a thing can form from something infinitesimally small and minute.
Even the strongest, most unbreakable steel can fracture from a single leaf brushing against it.
A massive boulder that has stood for centuries will crack beneath a gentle drizzle.
That is what a crack is.
Something that can crumble and form even from the most useless and fragile things.
Such is the nature of a crack.
If even solid, rough things are like this,
‘Mere human relationships?’
Cracks forming in such things would be no surprise even if born from a passing breeze.
And so.
I chose the simplest and easiest method.
To infiltrate enemy lines while ensuring they cannot easily kill me,
And simultaneously create cracks within their ranks.
That was the means I had chosen.
-…A double agent, you say?
A double agent.
Among Patcheon-gung’s spies, I have one who serves as my double agent. Upon hearing this, the Maehua Daeju’s expression showed complete bewilderment.
-That cannot be….
-Why? Is it so surprising?
I spoke to him with a face that feigned confusion. In truth, if there is one most important thing in conflicts between factions, it is not martial prowess.
No, martial strength is certainly important. But what matters more is—
‘Information.’
Ultimately, it is information. Overwhelming information can overturn even insufficient martial power.
Therefore, spies are vital.
It is not strange for an organization to have spies.
‘Double agents are no different.’
So this should be considered perfectly normal.
‘You should not react that way.’
The Maehua Daeju’s reaction was perfectly suited to arouse suspicion.
-…No. I was merely surprised that you possessed such intelligence capabilities.
-It is nothing. If Patcheon-gung can do it, there is no reason we cannot.
Of course, I have no spies at all.
Damn it. Even as I speak, this is absurd.
‘That is my point exactly.’
Why should we not do what they do?
Some righteous faction creed? Such a frozen reason would have demanded I abandon this sect and flee immediately.
‘What else could it be?’
There was a possibility that Patcheon-gung truly had no openings.
‘No, surely not.’
Every faction had weaknesses. Even the Hwasan Sect, said to have the deepest bonds of loyalty and affection among the Gupaibang, had fallen to this state.
‘It could be something I don’t know about.’
There were already spies planted within Patcheon-gung, so it was entirely possible I was unaware of them.
But that wasn’t what mattered right now.
-Thus, here is the information we extracted from them.
-…I see. The spies….
-Yes. Thanks to them, we also obtained information about the spies themselves.
-….
-Why do you ask?
-No, it’s fortunate. We can learn more about those Patcheon-gung thugs this way.
-Yes.
Hearing the Old Man’s subtly trembling voice transmission, I laughed.
I agreed with what he said.
-It truly is fortunate.
You don’t seem to be such a thorough person after all.
That was genuinely fortunate.

* * *
We descended below the cliff. For those who had reached a certain level of mastery, such a steep cliff was nothing.
‘Except for me.’
Honestly, I was terrified. Damn it. How was I supposed to get down this?
Everyone descended easily as if the wall were ground, but I had no idea how to do it.
‘Where did that Old Man go?’
He should teach me these things. Yoo Cheon-gil had disappeared somewhere too, which was frustrating.
“Wol-hyeop. Aren’t you coming down?”
Since I wasn’t descending, Yeo Hyeok asked me a question.
“Ah, yes, I should. There are just some things I need to check around here. Please go ahead.”
“…Ah! As expected…. You’re trying to find something even in this situation.”
The way he looked at me with admiration was unbearably burdensome.
“…Yes. That’s right.”
But having nothing else to say, I simply agreed.
Yeo Hyeok descended. Seeing that, I immediately spoke to Sochul Daeju.
“Disciple.”
“Yes…?”
“Help me down.”
“…What do you mean?”
Sochul Daeju frowned. His expression said he was now being asked to run errands like this.
“That’s not it.”
So I simply spoke the truth.
“I don’t know how to climb down.”
“…?”
“So carry me down.”
Sochul Daeju’s expression twisted into something utterly absurd.

* * *
Thud-!
Sochul Daeju’s feet touched the ground. We had arrived at the dungeon carved into the cliff face.
“Ah, thanks.”
I set down the heavy burden I’d been carrying and landed on the floor.
Sochul Daeju’s scowl remained unrelenting. Under normal circumstances, I would have chided him to open his eyes properly, but I held back this time.
‘Let’s see.’
Inside, the Hwasan Sect members had already begun their investigation slowly.
I followed them cautiously into the interior.
Whoosh.
Sparks ignited. Someone ahead had lit a torch.
“We’ll conduct the investigation divided left and right.”
At Maehua Daeju’s words, the disciples moved in unison.
“Yeo Jeong.”
“Yes, Daeju.”
“You take charge of the left side. Yeo Son, you handle the right.”
“We accept your orders.”
The second disciples called Yeo Jeong and Yeo Son, the Plum Blossom Sword Masters, nodded and moved into position.
-Will it be acceptable to proceed with the investigation this way?
I heard Maehua Daeju’s transmission seeking permission.
How absurd.
‘Already issued all the commands, and now asking belatedly?’
To have them conduct the investigation on their own and then seek permission—it was ridiculous.
-Yes. I would appreciate it.
After granting this meaningless approval, I observed them.
‘Their movements seem normal enough.’
They appeared to be conducting a genuine investigation. They moved carefully, methodically examining their surroundings.
What mattered now was this:
‘Whether there’s truly anything inside.’
What could be hidden within this place? That was what needed to be determined.
I opened my eyes wide.
Whooom-!!
My heart resonated faintly as power flooded my vision. This was different from opening the Wol-an. This was the Ear Eye.
I focused my eyes with subtle force, and a wealth of information flooded in.
‘The spiritual traces are shallow.’
The traces visible here were shallow. It meant considerable time had passed.
‘Human traces are even fewer.’
Something had been done here, but what was this place used for?
I raised my guard.
Clang.
The sound came from Sochul Daeju. He must have gripped his sword in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances.
“There’s nothing on this side.”
“Nothing on this side either.”
Voices came from both sides. The first chamber had ended.
Something was absent. That detail nagged at me.
‘There’s still more space ahead.’
The path continued forward. We had to head in that direction.
“Yeo Hyeok.”
Maehua Daeju called out to Yeo Hyeok.
“Yes, Daeju.”
“Scout ahead at the front.”
“Understood.”
Yeo Hyeok stepped forward without hesitation.
Seeing that, I furrowed my brow.
A chilling sensation swept through me.
Whoosh.
My ears transformed into Wol-an. Something caught in my azure gaze.
The moment I saw it, I spoke to Yeo Hyeok.
“Yeo Hyeok. Stop.”
“Pardon?”
Yeo Hyeok hesitated at my words.
His gaze turned toward me. Ignoring it, I grabbed a stone fragment from the ground.
‘What is this?’
Something was there. Something connected between the wall and floor.
Seeing it, I tossed the stone lightly.
In that instant.
Whoooosh—!!
Crash—!
“…!!”
Blades erupted from the floor.
“Heh.”
“…A trap…?”
It was a mechanism.
The moment I saw it, Yeo Hyeok’s eyes trembled as he examined the blade.
“It appears poison has been smeared on the sword.”
“…Poison, then.”
The sword itself posed no problem. It was a dangerous trap, certainly, but at Yeo Hyeok’s level, he likely wouldn’t have suffered grave injuries.
‘If it’s poison, that becomes problematic.’
Whatever poison it was, there would undoubtedly be consequences.
They might have coated a lethal toxin from the very entrance.
‘…What troubles me here.’
I glanced sideways at Maehua Daeju.
‘Is that he deliberately sent Yeo Hyeok to the front.’
Was it intentional?
While I pondered this, the Daeju’s gaze turned toward me.
Our eyes meet.
We harbored different thoughts. His eyes asked whether I believed this was information from a spy.
‘Is that even important right now?’
His own disciple nearly fell victim, yet he concerns himself with that?
I activate Wol-an and survey the surroundings.
“Nothing else appears immediately visible, but we should proceed with caution regardless.”
Crash——!! Yeo Hyeok obliterated the sword entirely.
I advance down the now-cleared path.
‘What could it be.’
What lies in this dungeon that warranted such traps? Yet the presence of people or spirits here is sparse.
‘What are they attempting?’
What exactly is their objective?
Something feels amiss. Irritatingly so, at that.

* * *
I ventured deeper into the dungeon, passing through its corridors. As I had confirmed earlier, there were no more mechanisms ahead.
Yet, having witnessed one trap already, my vigilance had heightened considerably from when I first entered.
I sensed it the moment I stepped inside.
‘Damp.’
The dungeon wasn’t merely humid—it was thoroughly saturated with moisture.
Not just ordinarily damp, either.
‘Repulsive.’
It was unpleasantly, disturbingly damp.
What was this sensation?
As I was turning this over in my mind—
“Wol-hyeop….”
“Yes.”
Yeo Hyeok addressed me.
-Are you truly certain about this? Ah, you needn’t answer.
I said nothing and focused my senses.
-The exit is sealed. Should combat break out here….
Ah, hearing that, I understood what troubled Yeo Hyeok. With the Maehua Daeju and other masters present, he deemed the situation perilous.
However.
‘I wonder.’
Though I maintained my guard, I paradoxically did not share his assessment of danger.
Partly because Sochul Daeju was with us.
‘From what I can sense….’
This place felt like somewhere long abandoned after its purpose had been fulfilled.
Leaving Yeo Hyeok behind, I bent my knees.
Swiftly.
I grasped the soil from the floor. While the damp sensation was palpable—
“….”
I perceived a subtle vitality emanating from the earth. This was—
‘Blood.’
Human blood lingered in the floor. Though the distinctive metallic stench was absent, the vital essence of humanity trapped in the soil revealed the truth.
It was nearly dissipated, yet sufficient to perceive.
‘Something transpired here.’
The dampness was so thorough it saturated the entire floor and beyond. Yet—
‘There’s no metallic odor.’
The sensation felt as though it were merely soaked in water.
How could there be such a watery feeling when vital essence remained?
‘…Hmm.’
This was ominous. I pressed my hand to the floor once more, concentrating intently.
Shhhhhhh——!!!!
I probe deeper, sensing the vital energy flowing through the ground.
In my current state, I couldn’t perceive it too deeply.
But.
‘It’s connected.’
I discovered the anomaly almost immediately.
The vital energy is connected.
It extends somewhere beneath the earth.
‘This is….’
My eyes widened.
I found it—what lay at the end of this vital energy.
This is.
‘…a stake.’
That stake I discovered earlier.
Something identical to it was driven into the ground. And.
‘It’s absorbing the vital energy.’
Filled to the brim with the scattered life force of humans across this land.
‘Ha.’
I held back a breath. The reason was simple.
‘How do these bastards know this method…?’
This was a technique I knew all too well.
My previous life.
Something I witnessed when I was Kim Min-cheol.
It was a form of curse magic used by those called Heretics.

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