Chapter 22: Light on the Blade

The worry became reality.

Although part of Hwaseong Haenggung Palace was under control for the filming, Sinpungnu Gate was located between the vast plaza in front of Hwaseong Haenggung Palace and the palace itself.

Families flying kites, couples with snacks, and passersby began to gather.

The staff asked the crowd to watch quietly as filming was in progress, but prevented them from getting too close by forming a human barrier.

I was thinking it was fortunate that the filming was almost finished.

“Lee Young, you have that sword, right? The shining Four Evil Beheading Sword.”

I almost said no out of a bad feeling. Besides, a shining Four Evil Beheading Sword? 

It’s not a magic wand.

“Shall we clash swords a few times here? Let’s just pose, so the sword doesn’t get damaged. Okay?”

“But Lee Young, you didn’t bring your sword.”

I thought, ‘This is it,’ at the staff’s words.

There were too many people gathered, and it was too much of a burden to wield a sword in this outfit, so I was about to say I left it at home.

But Baek Mungi shouted in my head.

{Jaga! If Kim Woo-jin and I clash swords while I’m inside it, it’ll look fantastic.}

Seeing that Jaga was even mentioning Kim Woo-jin when he wasn’t the director, it seemed like he wanted to film somehow.

See? 

He has a bit of a… public figure vibe.

{No. I just thought Jaga would stand out more…}

I nodded reluctantly.

“Yes, I’ll do it. I happen to have brought the sword.”

Jang Ha-woon was so happy, so Baek Mungi must have wanted to do it too.

When Kim Woo-jin and I went to the car to get our respective Four Evil Beheading Swords, a martial arts director I didn’t even know existed appeared.

After practicing a few moves with Kim Woo-jin under the martial arts director’s guidance, we returned to the set, where the stage was already prepared.

The Muyedopbo Tongji performance team sat in a large circle on the ground, and Kim Woo-jin and I stood facing each other in the center of the circle, each holding our Four Evil Beheading Sword.

“Duel scene, take one. Three, two, one, shoot!”

Kim Woo-jin and I raised the tension, moving our feet to the side as if sizing each other up.

Of course, we were just imitating scenes that often appear in historical dramas. 

And when the moving feet stopped, we both simultaneously raised our swords and clashed them together.

White light poured out from the entire blade of the Four Evil Beheading Sword I was holding.

“Ooh!”

Involuntary exclamations escaped from the mouths of the onlookers.

We withdrew our swords and then performed the scene we had rehearsed in advance, where Kim Woo-jin attacked me first, and I dodged and swung my sword.

And when the two swords clashed again, a faint light began to emanate from Kim Woo-jin’s sword.

‘Why is that sword emitting light now!’

As light came out of Kim Woo-jin’s sword as well, the audience exclaimed once more. 

However, Kim Woo-jin looked as bewildered as I was.

“Wow!”

Surprised by the loud shout, I looked around. 

Fortunately, it wasn’t because of a Demon, and the shout seemed to be loud because so many people had gathered.

There were too many people. 

The performance team, as well as the gathered crowd.

Tap, tap tap, tap

At that moment, black figures appeared on the roof of the Sinpungnu Gate ticket office. 

Five people in all-black clothes and masks were looking this way.

“Wow! Are they villains?”

“But aren’t you not supposed to step on that when you’re performing? It’s a cultural asset.”

No, I don’t think this is a performance right now.

Jang Ha-woon, who had been sitting with the performance team, ran to my side. 

The performance team looked bewildered, alternating between the camera and the newly appeared people.

“Was there any talk of filming this?”

The masked men on the roof, unconcerned by the commotion, had four of the five jump down from the roof.

Then they ran towards the direction where Kim Woo-jin and I were standing.

They were holding short swords in reverse grip.

Kim Woo-jin stood in front of me, but he couldn’t block four people alone. 

I also gripped my sword firmly with both hands and confronted their blades.

After repelling the rushing blades with the power of Baek Mungi contained in the sword, another blade flew in.

While Kim Woo-jin and I were blocking the masked men, Jang Ha-woon, who couldn’t attack people, swung his sword at the shadows of the masked men.

“Your Highness!”

Lee Geon’s voice seemed to be heard nearby, and he was seen running in the direction where Jang Ha-woon was. 

Fortunately, he was wearing black training clothes.

I was relieved by Lee Geon’s attire, but I didn’t see two blades heading towards me.

I hurriedly swung my sword, but I missed one. The missed blade grazed my arm.

“Ugh…”

“Huh! What?”

“Is this really filming?”

The performance team, who were nearby, seemed to have finally noticed that the situation was strange.

The director of photography and the director were also flustered.

“S-should we film this or not?”

“Wait a minute. Don’t cut it off yet.”

The performance team, sensing something was wrong, approached and shouted.

“Who are you?”

“Who are you guys?”

“What are you doing!”

At this moment, as if waiting for it, Lee Geon shouted.

“Protect His Highness!”

At those words, the performance team, as if possessed, raised the performance weapons they were holding and aimed them at the masked men.

Of course, the masked men ignored the performance team and continued their attack on me.

– Swish

One of the performance team members swung a long spear at the blade heading towards me.

The masked man flinched at that, and another person struck the masked man’s wrist.

– Clang!

“Eek!”

The attacks towards Kim Woo-jin and me began to be blocked by the performance team, who had gained momentum.

– Thwack!

Kim Woo-jin grabbed one of the faltering masked men and slammed him to the ground.

It was then.

– Whistle!

When the masked man, who had been standing on the roof watching, blew a whistle, the masked men stopped attacking and began to run towards the inside of the palace.

– Thud thud thud

“Stop there!”

From beyond Sinpungnu Gate, where the remaining masked men had fled, the sounds of numerous footsteps and voices chasing the masked men were heard.

“It seems the Figurine team has arrived.”

Ah, so that’s why they ran away. 

They retreated too easily.

“Are you alright with your arm?”

At Kim Woo-jin’s words, I looked down at my arm where the knife had grazed.

The luxurious hanbok was torn straight in a line, and the spot was stained red.

Did it graze it a bit too much?

Jang Ha-woon and Lee Geon ran towards me.

“Are you hurt?”

“I’m okay. Was it stage 3?”

“That… there was only one person who felt like a Demon, but he’s one of the ones who escaped.”

Only one person? Then the person Kim Woo-jin caught wasn’t possessed by a Demon.

“Your Majesty’s body is harmed. We must call a doctor.”

Jang Ha-woon and Lee Geon’s eyes were teary.

I was about to say it wasn’t that bad.

“Cut!”

The director’s sudden cut sign was heard loudly. 

The words I was about to say were swallowed because of it.

“Very good. Our stunt team’s acting has improved. It felt real.”

The performance team, bewildered by the director’s unusually loud shout and applause, clapped, and the gathered crowd also began to clap.

“Wow!”

“It feels so real.”

“That’s right. Look at that blood! It looks real.”

“Okay, now let’s pack up the equipment and withdraw!”

At the director’s subsequent words, people began to disperse, saying things like, “Is it over?”, “I wanted to see more,” and “It was fun.”

The director looked around and approached me.

“Lee Young, are you okay?”

The director asked in a lowered voice. 

Beyond Sinpungnu Gate, it seemed that things had not yet been resolved, and rough noise crossed the wall.

“I pretended it was filming for now, is that okay?”

“Yes, thank you. I’ll go inside.”

“Oh, I’ll take care of the aftermath, so don’t worry.”

If there was only one person who felt like a Demon, that person was probably stage 3 or higher.

Even if the Figurine team subdued the other three who were not possessed by Demons, I had to catch that person.

“What’s going on? Are there really guys trying to kill Lee Young?”

As I ran, leaving behind the director’s muttering, the light of the Four Evil Beheading Sword in my hand repeatedly grew stronger and weaker.

Baek Mungi seemed to be panting inside the sword.

Lee Geon and Jang Ha-woon followed behind me.

*    *    *

When I entered the inside of Sinpungnu Gate, there was a large space, and there was a large door on the opposite side.

The door was wide open, and the Figurine team was seen subduing the masked men beyond it.

I ran towards that side, raising my sword high to find the one who felt like a Demon. 

I thought Baek Mungi might see better from a high place.

Jang Ha-woon and Lee Geon were also moving while looking around.

At that moment, the Four Evil Beheading Sword suddenly changed direction to the side against my will.

{Jaga, I feel a Demon over there.}

The direction Baek Mungi pointed to with the sword was towards the low wall.

“That way!”

As soon as we changed direction and ran, a masked man jumped onto the wall as if waiting for us.

In the meantime, Lee Geon and Jang Ha-woon stood between the masked man on the wall and me.

“You villain! How dare a Demon run rampant in the human world like this!”

The talisman that Lee Geon threw at the masked man lost its power and fell to the ground as it flew.

“Wooshik, we must weaken that Demon’s power.”

At Lee Geon’s words, Jang Ha-woon threw himself at the shadow under the masked man’s feet, and I also swung the Four Evil Beheading Sword at the shadow stretched out under the wall.

But,

Bang! Ting!

A loud friction sound was heard next to my ear, and the Four Evil Beheading Sword, which had been moved on its own, deflected something.

Surprised, I saw the masked man pointing the muzzle of a pistol at me.

Possessing a gun in South Korea, that’s really crossing the line.

It would have been really dangerous if Baek Mungi hadn’t controlled the Four Evil Beheading Sword to block the bullet.

Just as I was about to swear in shock, the Four Evil Beheading Sword began to emit light like crazy.

It was such an intense light that I was worried it was broken from blocking the bullet.

In that light, Baek Mungi revealed his true form.

And the white, large monster Baek Mungi threw himself towards the wall of the palace.

– Thwack!

With the sound of something breaking, the masked man’s body flew into the air. And fell with a thud beyond the wall.

“Don’t let him get away!”

At my shout, Baek Mungi and Jang Ha-woon leaped over the wall. But I couldn’t jump over the wall in one go.

While I was wondering if there was a path through the side door, Lee Geon simply passed through the wall and went over.

I envy that.

But as a human, I went through the side door. 

But that wasn’t the place where the masked man had fallen. In the end, I decided to climb the wall.

“Hello? I’m the leader of the Figurine team.”

As I clung to the wall, I heard an unfamiliar voice from behind. A man in a black suit greeted me.

“We are chasing the person with the gun, so let’s go to a safe place for now.”

*    *    *

In the end, the Demon who shot the gun got away.

“He definitely fell over the wall, but when we followed him over, no one was there.”

“Yes, I didn’t feel any demonic energy either.”

Lee Geon added to Baek Mungi’s words.

I was frustrated.

I couldn’t even get over the wall in one go, so I couldn’t chase after the masked man. The Demons are getting stronger and stronger, and I can’t keep up with them, so I missed him again.

The four masked men who attacked Kim Woo-jin and me at first were not possessed by Demons. So Jang Ha-woon’s attack didn’t work.

The Figurine team said they would investigate further, but Kim Woo-jin said they seemed to be mercenaries who had been paid.

“It’s not the level of those who are active in overseas conflict zones, but they seem to be from Korean organized crime.”

It’s not important how skilled the mercenaries are.

The problem is that not only Demons with powerful strength but also people who are paid by Demons to attack me have appeared.