Chapter 21: White Spirit Holy Spear
I froze like a statue at Aiz’s completely unexpected action.
It wasn’t my lips, only my cheek, but that first contact with a woman’s lips still gave me quite a shock.
And at that exact moment, the Ghost Domain completely disappeared.
“Whoa! Aiz is kissing some guy on the cheek!”
“Kyaa! Aiz is kissing him!”
“Oh my! What’s going on? Has Aiz lost her mind? Why would she kiss that old guy?!”
Shouts erupted from the crowd.
The place was still in chaos, but apparently, the sight of Aiz kissing my cheek right in the middle of the hall was enough to attract everyone’s attention.
Click. Click. Click.
People began pulling out their phones and taking pictures while loudly murmuring among themselves.
“Aiz, I’m leaving first. I really hate noisy situations like this.”
“Okay. Be careful on your way, Taebaek... no, Hyunwoo-nim. I’ll come find you later.”
‘Come find me? What is she talking about...?’
I didn’t even have time to think deeply about her words.
I hurriedly tried to escape the place, while Aiz smiled and waved at me.
‘This is driving me crazy. These people are like evil spirits.’
Even while I pushed through the crowd, the sound of camera shutters continued nonstop.
Some people even grabbed my clothes and tried to stop me from leaving.
Getting involved with an idol really was troublesome and exhausting.
The moment I finally escaped the building, I used Heukryeong Haenggong and flew onto the rooftop of another building.
Looking down from above, I saw countless people pouring out of the building I had just left, chasing after me like a swarm of ants.
‘Those hardcore fans are terrifying. How am I supposed to meet Aiz from now on? I can’t exactly avoid her either since she’s the Demonic Spear... This is seriously troublesome.’
With yet another problem added to my life, I used Seungryongbi and flew between the buildings toward home.
“Ugh... my whole body hurts...”
The next day, the moment I got out of bed, it felt like every muscle in my body was aching.
I had been so exhausted yesterday that I fell asleep in the evening and slept like the dead until the next morning.
Well...
Considering I had almost actually died, it wasn’t surprising.
Judging by how high the sun was already hanging in the sky, it seemed to be around noon.
Pick up the damn phone!
My phone rang.
For some reason, even hearing my own arrogant voice that I had recorded as my ringtone was starting to annoy me.
I checked the caller.
It was Detective Park.
I answered.
“Senior, have you watched TV?”
“Hey, you know I don’t own a TV. I can do everything with my phone these days, so why would I need one?”
“Wow... Senior, I think I need to look at you in a whole new light.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Since when did you have that kind of relationship with Aiz from Seven Fairies?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
I hated people who beat around the bush.
Just imagine how tired the horse would get if you kept turning it around.
“Aiz held a press conference and officially admitted that you two are dating. She even announced that she’s leaving Seven Fairies.”
“Whaaat?! Cough! Cough!”
I was so shocked that I choked.
I shot upright from the bed.
“Hey! I’m hanging up. Sorry, I’ll call you later.”
I ended the call and immediately searched the news.
Just as Detective Park had said, there were already articles about Aiz’s press conference.
I played one of the news videos.
[This morning, Aiz, leader of the famous idol girl group Seven Fairies, suddenly requested an exclusive interview. Let us now watch the interview.]
[Aiz, is it true that you suddenly announced your withdrawal from Seven Fairies?]
[Yes~!]
[What is the reason? Is it perhaps because of the man you met during yesterday’s fan meeting incident?]
[Yes~]
[Then are you currently in a romantic relationship with that man?]
[Yes~ That’s right~!]
[Hmm... Seeing how easily you admitted it with such a simple answer, it certainly seems to be true. Then when exactly will you leave the group?]
[Right now!]
[Then do you have any future plans after leaving the group?]
[I’m going to live with him.]
[Excuse me? Are you serious? Living together before marriage could be considered far too reckless and hasty according to social standards.]
[Yes~ I don’t care.]
[You could even become socially ostracized. It might also become extremely difficult for you to return to the entertainment industry.]
[Yes~ I still don’t care.]
[Lastly, do you have any intention of reconsidering your decision?]
Aiz didn’t answer.
She simply glared at the reporter.
[Ahem... Then this concludes our shocking exclusive interview with Aiz, leader of the famous girl group Seven Fairies. This has been reporter Bae X-ho of YXN, reporting from the scene.]
And with that, the news ended.
“Ah, my head... That immature girl caused one hell of a disaster.”
Why were all the people from the Heavenly Realm like this?
Just thinking about it made my head hurt.
I hurriedly changed clothes.
Bad feelings had an annoying habit of coming true.
When I looked outside the window, I saw broadcasting vans and people who appeared to be reporters gathering outside my officetel.
At this rate, they would soon charge straight into the building.
I was about to jump through the window using Heukryeong Haenggong when I suddenly turned back and grabbed my wallet.
‘No matter how urgent things are, I still need money...’
It looked like I wouldn’t be able to come home for a while.
Then I activated Heukryeong Haenggong, jumped out the window, and flew toward another building.
For now, running as far away as possible seemed like my only option.
‘Why is my life suddenly getting so complicated...?’
I genuinely had no idea where I should go.
There was a remote area located outside Seoul.
Even after leaving the outskirts of the city, it still took another hour by car to reach the place.
The property was more than twice the size of Jamsil Stadium.
Its enormous grounds were neatly covered in green grass like the garden of an expensive mansion.
At the center stood a long, rectangular, modern two-story building.
A tall steel barrier surrounded the entire property, blocking outsiders from entering.
Signs stating that it was private property had been placed at regular intervals along the barrier.
From far away, two luxurious imported cars approached the entrance along the road.
They stopped briefly at the gate, apparently undergoing an identification check.
Then the thick steel gate automatically opened.
The cars smoothly entered the property and drove toward the building in the center.
At the building entrance stood a white-haired elderly man wearing a research coat.
Two or three researchers who appeared to be his assistants stood beside him.
When the two luxury cars arrived, four men wearing black suits and sunglasses stepped out of the first car.
They lined up on both sides of the entrance.
Then a woman stepped out from the passenger seat of the second vehicle and opened the rear door.
She was a beautiful woman wearing glasses and a tightly fitted business suit that emphasized her voluptuous chest, narrow waist, and curving figure.
A young man wearing a khaki-colored suit sat in the back seat.
Only after the woman opened the door and bowed slightly did he naturally step out of the car.
“Director, it’s been a long time. You must have been very busy.”
The elderly man bowed politely toward the young man.
“I have been busy. Dr. Kim, I hope you’ve been healthy as well.”
His voice sounded warm and gentle, naturally putting others at ease.
The man appeared to be in his late twenties.
He had a flawless, handsome face, a tall stature, and a solid, well-built physique.
His name was Cheon Jin (天眞).
He was the third son of Cheon Hwansu, chairman of Daemang Group, which ranked fifth among Korea’s ten largest conglomerates.
Cheon Jin currently served as the Director and Senior Vice President of Daemang Group’s Global Future Strategy Office.
The public widely believed that he had already been chosen as the group’s future chairman.
As they entered the building, Cheon Jin asked Dr. Kim,
“I assume the research hasn’t been progressing well?”
“Well... it hasn’t been easy.”
Dr. Kim answered with an awkward expression.
“I never expected it to be easy either. However, I have to admit that the research report you sent me yesterday was extremely disappointing.”
When the group reached the elevator, one of the researchers placed a security card against the scanner.
The elevator doors opened.
Dr. Kim wiped the sweat gathering on his forehead.
“That object I’m researching... what exactly is it?”
Dr. Kim was a world-renowned authority in particle physics.
Cheon Jin laughed lightly.
“Hahaha. Isn’t it simply a spear? We spent ten billion won bringing you here from America, Dr. Kim. I’m disappointed that you’re asking me such a question.”
“No... It certainly is a spear, but...”
Dr. Kim trailed off.
Dr. Kim had previously researched particle physics at MIT in the United States.
Last summer, he received an incredibly attractive proposal from Daemang Group.
The proposal offered him the position of overall director of a newly launched energy project.
His salary would be ten billion won per year for five years.
And on top of that, he would receive unlimited research funding.
Dr. Kim had found the offer almost impossible to believe.
However, the company offering it was one of Korea’s leading conglomerates.
So he immediately accepted.
A yearly salary of ten billion won and unlimited research funds were attractive enough to make him jump into Hell itself.
The elevator doors opened.
An enormous space, almost like a plaza, appeared before them.
Dozens of researchers were moving busily around complex machines and monitors.
Cheon Jin, Dr. Kim, and the others walked toward the center of the laboratory.
There stood a cylindrical glass chamber resembling a stone monument.
Inside the transparent chamber floated a white spear connected to dozens of wires.
The white shaft was carved with ancient patterns.
Its long spearhead had overlapping, cloud-shaped blades protruding around its edges.
A white ribbon was tied around the spearhead.
It looked almost exactly like Inhwang’s Heukryeong Machang, except that everything had been painted pure white.
Dr. Kim pointed at the spear with a trembling hand.
“That thing is not simply a spear, Director Cheon. It completely ignores every law of nature. That object... does not belong to this world.”
That spear was exactly what Daemang Group...
No.
What Director Cheon had brought Dr. Kim here to investigate.
Cheon Jin had told him that some mysterious form of energy seemed to be radiating from the spear and asked him to study it.
Dr. Kim had been immediately fascinated by the mysterious spear floating in midair.
His specialty, particle physics, dealt with high-energy physics—particles existing at the highest energy levels found in nature.
Dr. Kim believed that if he could uncover the true identity of the energy radiating from this spear, it might become possible to fully understand every type of particle existing in nature.
And if that happened...
Perhaps, just as Director Cheon had claimed, they might even develop a dreamlike source of energy that could never be exhausted.
Dr. Kim became obsessed with that fantasy.
He devoted himself completely to the research, working night and day.
However, after an entire year, the results were disastrous.
Forget discovering the true nature of the energy.
They couldn’t even identify a single particle being emitted from the spear.
Eventually, Dr. Kim had no choice but to conclude that this spear belonged to an unknown field completely beyond the reach of mankind’s current scientific capabilities.
Cheon Jin looked at him.
“Then, just as you wrote in yesterday’s report, are you planning to abandon the research?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
Dr. Kim deeply regretted recklessly accepting the project.
Nothing in this world was clearer than money being exchanged for results.
When Daemang Group had offered him ten billion won, he should have realized there had to be a reason.
“Understood. It is disappointing, but what else can be done?”
“Thank you... Director Cheon.”
Dr. Kim spoke weakly.
He felt deeply ashamed of his own helplessness.
Having to abandon the research like this humiliated him.
“Then I’ll be leaving.”
Cheon Jin entered the elevator with the woman and the men who had accompanied him.
The woman beside him adjusted her glasses.
“What should we do with that old man, Taerang-nim?”
Cheon Jin’s expression instantly turned cold.
“Secretary Yang, do you want to die?”
“What...?”
Secretary Yang’s face turned pale when she realized that the murderous expression on Director Cheon’s face was no joke.
“If you carelessly speak that name again, I’ll tear that mouth of yours apart.”
“I-I’m sorry... Director.”
Secretary Yang trembled in fear beneath Cheon Jin’s murderous gaze.
After leaving the elevator and stepping outside the building, Cheon Jin looked up at the sky for a moment.
‘Beyond that clear blue sky... those disgusting bastards are watching the living world.’
His true identity was Taerang, the Iljik Chasa who had rebelled against the Heavenly Realm and possessed the body of Daemang Group’s third son.
“Secretary Yang.”
“Yes, Director.”
“You were right about one thing. Eliminate that old man. Destroy both his body and his soul. If you truly are the second of the Three Evils of the Underworld, that should be possible for you, shouldn’t it?”
Secretary Yang looked at Cheon Jin in surprise.
“His soul as well?”
“Yes. We can’t allow the Underworld to discover the existence of the Baekryeong Seongchang (白靈聖創) because of that old man’s soul. Leave the other researchers alone. They’re still useful to us.”
“Understood. Then I’ll dissolve both that old man’s body and soul completely inside my stomach.”
Secretary Yang licked her bright red lips with an equally red tongue.
Cheon Jin continued.
“And retrieve Baekhee (白姬). Until I find someone to replace Dr. Kim, I intend to keep her by my side.”
Baekhee was the true name of the Baekryeong Seongchang.
It was one of the two treasures Taerang had stolen when he betrayed the Heavenly Realm.
Cheon Jin climbed into the luxury foreign car he had arrived in.
Secretary Yang remained behind at the research facility to finish the task Cheon Jin had given her.
Cheon Jin leaned back in his seat and stared bitterly through the car window.
“Trying to use the power of the Baekryeong Seongchang through the science of the living world isn’t going to be easy... Perhaps this result was inevitable.”
Outside the window, Secretary Yang happened to be greeting Dr. Kim, who had just stepped out of the building while pulling a suitcase behind him.
