“Uh? Are you really going like that, Cheonma?

The exclusive training ground of the Mosanpa, where we gathered again, was different from before. This time, we all had backpacks, unlike before.

Since it has completely collapsed once, there might be no inns or scarce food over there. And we might have to wander around far away, so we can’t just walk around without any luggage.

That’s why everyone is carrying backpacks with their belongings… But Hong Yeonhwa’s backpack is unusually large.

I wonder what she put in there, it’s even bigger than her own size.

She said a regular backpack wouldn’t be enough and had a special custom-made one ordered.

With that kind of backpack, how could she not stand out?

It made me think of a snail in a strange way, and Moonwoljin couldn’t help but be surprised.

But as always, Hong Yeonhwa was confident.

She straightened her chest and spoke with her self-assured voice.

“They are all necessary things!”

“Necessary things, you say?”

“That’s right! Inside here are clothes to change into, various storage containers, valuable gold and well-crafted jewels!”

“Well, it might be a bit excessive, but if that’s what it is, then they are definitely necessary things…”

“And there are books to read when I’m bored, a night-time toy to play with, a fox headband and tail that my husband likes, dumplings to eat right away, two pieces of candy to eat every day, and some beef jerky to chew on while reading!”

“….”

Moonwoljin stared at Hong Yeonhwa without saying a word. I understand his feelings. When someone wants to say something but can’t think of what to say, they end up with that expression.

So, I have to speak up for him.

“Yeonhwa!”

“What’s the matter, my lord?”

“You agreed to only eat one piece of candy a day!”

“Whaaat… It’s a good day, isn’t it? Let me have two.”

“No, you can’t. Even if your body is in perfect condition, your teeth will still rot!”

“That’s not true! I am now in perfect health, so my teeth won’t rot! …Probably!”

“Probably? Probably?! No, it’s not happening. Give me the bag right now! I’ll be in charge of the candy!”

“No way! I am now a grown woman! I can’t live under such control!”

Actually, she’s right. Hong Yeonhwa can eat as much as she wants. It’s not like she’s lacking money.

And even if she has tooth decay, she said that burning away the impurities in her teeth will solve the problem.

So, this is partly a joke.

When I ask her why she eats so much candy and pay so much attention to it, Hong Yeonhwa seems to enjoy it… It’s like some kind of role-playing.

Well, in this case, there’s also a hint of scolding her for being so greedy.

“Sigh. Fine. Let’s do it this way then. Try not to eat before bed, and if you do, make sure to brush your teeth.”

“Then can I eat two pieces a day…?”

“Yes. Promise?”

“It’s a promise.”

After linking our pinky fingers and pressing our thumbs together, I glanced back at Moonwoljin.

“….”

He was looking at me with a gaze that seemed to convey something that couldn’t be put into words.

…Why? Why is he looking at me like that?

Anyway, with that feeling, we crossed over into Hong Yeonhwa’s world, as if going on a little excursion.

And the world was in a state of rough destruction.

***

I understand that Mosanpa has become a ruin. Hong Yeonhwa personally destroyed it during the Cheonma War, so there’s no intact place left.

Unless there are survivors from Mosanpa that Hong Yeonhwa missed, who would bother coming all the way to Mosan and clearing away this ruin to rebuild the buildings?

Even if it’s called Yeongsan, in the end, it’s still a mountain.

It’s not a particularly good place for people to live, so I can understand why this side of Mosanpa has been left abandoned and in ruins for a long time.

The problem was what came next.

As I wandered around Mosan and its surroundings, I came across several empty villages. Completely deserted, with no one in sight.

Has it been a while since anyone has managed this area? Some houses were covered in vines, and in severe cases, they were even partially destroyed.

What kind of wuxia apocalypse is this…

At first, I didn’t pay much attention, thinking that the villages that developed around Mosanpa could have fallen into ruin after Mosanpa disappeared.

But when I encountered a village that was quite far from Mosan and found it in the same state, everyone started to feel uneasy.

“Um… Yeonni? Are we really in the right place?”

“Hmm?”

Amidst all this, Hong Yeonhwa, who was excited on her own, turned her head in response to Pang Soso’s question.

“We are indeed in the right place. It seems like some time has passed, but the scenery in my memory is still the same.”

“But there’s no one here! What if it’s been a really long time or something, and that’s why there’s a problem?!”

“Ah, I see. That’s why everyone is so tense. Don’t worry. This area had the same feeling when I invaded Mosanpa.”

“What? We’ve only passed by four villages so far. They may be relatively small, but even when you invaded, there was no one?”

“That’s right. Have you forgotten? How the weak are treated in this world.”

I know because I’ve heard it many times. Slaves, livestock, tools, and so on. They said they were treated like non-humans.

“At the beginning of the Cheonma War, the alliance of the martial world was stronger than expected, so there were no places that were completely sealed off or completely destroyed. But it was when the famous martial artists of that time started falling at the hands of Yeonni one by one that she truly earned the title of Cheonma.”

All those renowned martial artists ended up dying at Hong Yeonhwa’s hands, and that’s when she truly became known as Cheonma.

“I can somehow handle martial arts, sorcery, and tactics… but the art of alcohol is quite tricky. Seeing my subordinates unable to respond properly and dying in vain, I made up my mind.”

Even if it’s a bit of a stretch, I decided to delve deep into Mosanpa and destroy it.

Upon hearing this news, Mosanpa saw it as an opportunity to kill Hong Yeonhwa.

They joined forces with Hwasanpa and created the martial art weapon, Danhon Dohwageom, which harmonizes with their alcohol techniques.

They gathered the spiritual energy of Mosan and created a barrier with various functions.

“And they used the people around them as sacrifices to enhance their own power.”

“Those bastards will receive divine punishment!”

“….”

“….”

“….”

Everyone looked at the sudden outburst from Myeongwoljin with bewildered eyes.

“Don’t look at it with those eyes. Mosanpa, led by frequency and emptiness, would never let that happen.”

“I already know that much. From the beginning, the martial world on my side and the martial world on the other side may have the same name and use the same martial arts, but they are completely different places.”

With such a difference, Hong Yeonhwa smirked, saying there was no need to show that she was different.

Myeongwoljin scratched his head in confusion.

“Ahem. If that’s the case, then it’s settled. Anyway, the reason there are no people around here is because of that.”

“Probably.”

Even after Hong Yeonhwa completely destroyed Mosanpa, rumors spread that the vengeful spirits of the unjustly killed commoners appeared, or that remnants of the alcohol techniques absorbed the life force.

“I don’t know exactly how many years have passed, but it’s a bit eerie that there are still no people… but it’s not something I can’t understand.”

As the evil deeds of the martial world continued, the number of people decreased, while the martial world itself shattered under Hong Yeonhwa’s hands.

There is plenty of land, but few people?

There’s no reason to settle in a place where bad rumors are circulating.

Looking at the lush grass on the road we were walking on, it doesn’t seem like anyone has passed through here.

“Well, that’s it for now. Once we cross that hill, there’s a big city waiting for us. There should be people there.”

“Then let’s walk faster.”

Well, even though it’s broad daylight, there’s no need to linger in such a creepy place.

Everyone nodded in agreement with Sama Mang’s words and quickened their pace.

And before long, we could see the city in the distance.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a ghost city, but a place where people were actually living.