Chapter 84. Morning of the Uprising (2)
"Ugh!"
"You're awake?"
When Seok Taejun opened his eyes...
The first thing he saw was Lee Jukheon's face.
"Ah..."
"Lee Jukheon."
"Where are we?"
"Inside the cargo truck Lee Hyeonje called."
Now that Lee Jukheon mentioned it...
The floor beneath them was constantly shaking.
Looking around...
It seemed they were inside the rear compartment of a box truck.
"They originally called it to transport Daji."
"Things sure turned out strangely."
Lee Jukheon wasn't the only one there.
Kang Yujin.
Joo Minha.
Lee Hyeonje.
And...
Daji.
"...!"
Seeing Daji sitting calmly among the others...
Seok Taejun flinched.
"Don't worry."
"She's on our side."
"What happened?"
"And..."
That was when Seok Taejun felt something was wrong.
"Wait."
"Where's the Chimera?"
"That..."
"W-Wait."
"I remember..."
Only now did the memory return.
The baby Chimera...
Who had been by his side all this time...
Had been taken by Cheon Sangwoon.
"Ugh...!"
"Hey."
"Calm down."
Lee Jukheon spoke in a worried voice.
"We're still sorting out the situation."
"We also need to discuss the Chimera."
"Just listen for now."
"...Okay."
With a heavy heart...
Seok Taejun sat up.
"Apparently..."
"They're going to communicate directly with Lee Hyeonje's Constellation soon."
"What?"
"With a Constellation?"
"Yeah."
"Costs a ridiculous number of Coins..."
"But apparently a Contractor can directly speak with a Constellation."
"They said they need it to decide what to do next."
Come to think of it...
Cheon Muhyeok had done something similar once.
Lee Hyeonje's Constellation...
Was the S-rank "Grand Preceptor of the Golden Whip."
What would he say?
Grand Preceptor Wen Zhong.
In Investiture of the Gods...
He was a loyal subject of the Shang Dynasty...
Who led Shang's armies and the immortals of the Jie Sect...
Against Taigong Wang's forces.
He rode a black qilin capable of flying through the sky...
And wielded a golden whip made from a captured Jiaolong.
After his death...
He was deified as the extremely high-ranking thunder deity...
Nine Heavens Responsive Primordial Thunder Universal Transforming Heavenly Venerable.
Lee Hyeonje's ability to wield such powerful lightning...
Was connected to this.
Originally...
Princess Longji and the forces of the Chan Sect were his enemies.
But after they were all deified...
They became Daoist gods regardless of their former factions.
Wen Zhong currently served as leader of the Mountain-Sea Alliance...
A group of Constellations related to Investiture of the Gods.
Taigong Wang had been a real historical figure in the Material Realm...
So he couldn't exist as a Constellation.
Other immortals probably had little interest in worldly matters.
So it wasn't strange for Wen Zhong to become the leader.
"I've heard the story."
After listening to my explanation...
Wen Zhong slowly nodded.
"Using the fact that four beasts appeared sequentially in prophecy..."
"You prepare substitutes for the first through third beasts..."
"Then use a magical ritual to disguise them as the real ones..."
"Causing a chain reaction that summons the fourth beast."
"It sounds entirely possible."
Fortunately...
Wen Zhong seemed to believe me.
"The problem is..."
"How powerful is that fourth beast?"
"Is it really that extraordinary?"
"At least according to the Book of Daniel..."
"It possesses enough power to rule the world."
"Hmm..."
Back when I worked under Cheon Sangwoon...
A European organization had entered Korea...
Planning to perform this magical ritual.
Cheon Sangwoon destroyed them...
But he must have taken all of their research afterward.
"According to what I know..."
"It will take time before the fourth beast fully manifests."
"..."
"We need to settle this as quickly as possible."
After I said that...
Wen Zhong silently stared at me for a while.
Then he spoke.
"Let me tell you one thing, Nameless Constellation."
"..."
"The Mountain-Sea Alliance will not involve itself in this matter."
His voice was cold.
"We became involved with Daji because it was unfinished business from the war three thousand years ago."
"We have no intention of becoming involved in this kind of problem."
"Wait!"
Lee Gyu suddenly pushed his face into the conversation.
"Honestly, I don't understand all the details..."
"But isn't something huge about to happen?"
"And you're saying you won't get involved?"
"Isn't that irresponsible?!"
"That's a strange thing to hear from you..."
"Murderer with Two Axes."
Wen Zhong answered coldly.
"Have you been acting as a responsible Constellation all this time?"
"It certainly doesn't seem so."
"Ugh..."
"To begin with..."
Wen Zhong continued slowly.
"Immortals are beings who traditionally observe humanity from afar."
"Directly intervening and determining the fate of the human world..."
"Only happens in exceptional circumstances..."
"Like what occurred three thousand years ago."
"That hasn't changed just because we became Constellations."
"..."
"Of course..."
"Some Constellations in the Mountain-Sea Alliance actively interfere in the human world."
"But most of them operate in their homeland of China."
"Wait, Wen Zhong."
Princess Longji interrupted.
"So you're saying the Mountain-Sea Alliance won't get involved?"
"Not as an organization."
"That much is certain."
"Then why did you tell me to establish friendly relations with the Nameless Constellation?"
I learned something new.
Princess Longji approaching me...
Hadn't only involved the Count of Monte Cristo.
Wen Zhong had played a role too.
"Calm yourself, Princess Longji."
"I am perfectly calm."
"What I want to say is..."
"Grand Preceptor Wen isn't saying he won't help."
"What?"
Princess Longji's eyes widened.
"He said the Mountain-Sea Alliance as an organization cannot get involved."
"That is correct, Nameless Constellation."
A smile appeared on Wen Zhong's lips.
"But as an individual..."
"I intend to intervene actively."
"Wen Zhong!"
"Besides..."
"If I tried to mobilize the entire Mountain-Sea Alliance..."
"It would take too long just to coordinate everyone's opinions."
"It will be faster if I act personally."
Wen Zhong was Lee Hyeonje's contracted Constellation.
He had also been watching Kang Yujin and supporting him since early on.
There was no way he would simply pretend nothing was happening.
If an S-rank Constellation like Wen Zhong joined our side...
That would be an enormous advantage.
"Nameless Constellation."
"You asked me for cooperation."
"So I'm assuming you already have a plan in mind."
"Of course."
Wen Zhong smiled in satisfaction.
"Then I can't help but look forward to it."
"I'll say this now..."
"I'm interested not only in Kang Yujin..."
"But in you as well."
