CHAPTER 46: DRINK WITH ME, PLEASE?

Dan Yuseong’s POV

A person she’d been searching for over ten years. Honestly, if it were me, I’d have given up long ago. At this point, it’s practically uncertain whether they’re even alive or dead. Not to mention, the Central Plains aren’t exactly small, and the world itself is pretty harsh, so it’s only natural to feel that way even more.

"Congratulations. Ten years of effort are finally bearing fruit."

"Haha... I suppose so..."

Her expression and voice were still somewhat stiff, but I offered my genuine congratulations. I hoped the meeting she was anticipating would turn out well.

Naturally, as night fell, the drinking began again.

"But weren’t you sick? Are you sure it’s okay to drink?"

"For me, alcohol is medicine."

"You’re young, and it doesn’t seem like you’re alone—shouldn’t you drink in moderation? A person can be gone in an instant, you know."

"In an instant..."

...That’s right. A person can be gone in an instant.

"Doesn’t that mean we should enjoy it even more?"

"Ugh, I shouldn’t have said anything."

I raised my glass again and downed it in one go. The sharp taste of alcohol spread through my body, warming me from the inside out.

"No one knows what the future holds. If I skipped drinking today thinking of some distant tomorrow, only to die in an accident tomorrow, I’d probably regret that missed drink even in death."

"Haha, that’s quite an extreme example. And saying no one knows the future—shouldn’t that come from someone else, not you?"

"Well, if you’re curious about your future, come find me with a silver coin each. It’s a fixed rate."

With that, I poured another drink.

Gulp.

Seeing the future isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes, there are futures you’d rather not know. Of course, not being able to see my own future isn’t exactly a blessing either.

"Is there a seat next to you?"

"Lady Shin?"

While I was lost in thought, Lady Shin had come up beside me.

"You can sit here."

"Excuse me for a moment."

Her voice sounded oddly subdued—probably a sign she’d been wrestling with a lot lately. Ever since I read her fortune earlier, she’d been quietly lost in thought.

"Are you feeling a bit calmer now?"

"...I think so."

"I find drinking helps me calm down. Shall I pour you a glass?"

It was a playful remark to lift her spirits. I knew she was a Taoist who didn’t touch alcohol.

"...Could I have one?"

"...Huh?"

"...My thoughts are a bit tangled. Please."

"Uh, sure..."

Caught off guard by her unexpected response, I filled the glass halfway and handed it to her.

"...Is it okay for a Taoist to drink?"

"It’s technically forbidden, but... honestly, quite a few disciples drink on the sly. Even a Taoist is still human, after all."

"Haha, what if you can’t ascend to immortality because of this?"

"...Well, I suppose I have too many attachments to the mortal world..."

When I first met her, she seemed stronger, more resolute, but now she looked fragile somehow.

"I’m no martial artist, so I can’t say much, but I think the mortal world has plenty of good things too."

"Pfft. Is that something someone who lived in the mountains should say?"

"...Now that you mention it, you’re right."

As I gazed at her face, flushed red in the firelight, I thought anew—though it felt obvious—that she was truly beautiful. Though my master still held the top spot.

+

Vampires

Vampires. The undying. A type of magical beast classified as "undead." Unlike other undead with distinctly noticeable forms, vampires closely resemble humans in shape—so much so that they’re often strikingly handsome or beautiful.

They possess intelligence nearly on par with humans, but increasing their numbers requires a cumbersome process, so they aren’t particularly numerous compared to other undead. Additionally, they have a fatal weakness: even brief exposure to sunlight causes their body parts to melt irreparably.

Because of this, as the Third Legion of the Undying, they operated differently from the overwhelming numbers of the First and Second Legions. Instead, they relied on small, elite groups to sow chaos among humans during wars.

Their primary abilities include powerful magic and illusions fueled by blood—such as brainwashing and hypnosis. Another critical weakness is their pride, bordering on arrogance—a racial trait that can be exploited to induce foolish mistakes.

There’s a tale that they can’t cross running water, but since it’s not definitively verified, it’s not officially included in this record.

Record for Future Heroes

"Damn it... No matter how I think about it, it’s such a waste."

A man entered a suspicious underground facility near Anhui Province. Just a few days ago, the chaos he’d stirred up in Henan was quelled far too easily by a woman who appeared out of nowhere. He couldn’t even recover the materials he’d invested in creating his new kin.

"If I’d known it’d end that easily, I should’ve made two weaker ones instead...!"

Releasing one into the docks and another into the marketplace might’ve been more profitable. Not regretting the past is the wise way to live, but living that way wasn’t easy.

"Damn it! At this rate, I’ll fall behind the others!"

His mission was to use the corpses of this world’s martial artists to create stronger kin. However, since his rank before his revival wasn’t high, his task was limited to mass-producing mere foot soldiers.

The creation of higher-tier kin was left to those above him, so the corpses he worked with were mostly Sword Beginners, with the occasional Sword Expert—roughly third-rate to first-rate martial artists in Central Plains terms.

There were others tasked with infiltrating major sects to gather intelligence, spread chaos, and procure the corpses of high-level martial artists, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to stoop to mingling with filthy humans, so he chose this path.

Kicking the wall in frustration as he descended deeper, he was greeted by another pale-faced man.

"You’ve returned, Master? How did it go?"

"It got crushed before I could even get started! Bad luck—I ran into a Sword Master."

"A Sword Master... That’d be a peak master, right? Or perhaps the Harmony Realm? Either way, that’s unfortunate. Someone of that caliber isn’t common."

"This world is weird to begin with. Knights wandering around without armor or squires—what are the kingdoms or empires even doing?"

"If you mean the imperial court, the government and the martial world have a non-interference pact. Neither side meddles in the other’s affairs."

"That’s exactly the kind of ridiculous rule—ugh, forget it. What can I expect from barbarians?"

The man, now a vampire’s kin, didn’t feel any displeasure at the insult to the entire Central Plains unfolding before him. He simply relayed knowledge as his master desired.

"Then shall we try to deduce who it was? A master of that level surely has a nickname or two. Were there any distinctive traces of martial arts?"

"Swordsmanship... but I don’t know. By the time I came to, I’d been cut down."

"Well, you don’t have an eye for martial arts, Master, so it can’t be helped. Any other notable features?"

"...She was a beautiful woman."

"There are plenty of female masters in the Central Plains. Anything else? Her attire, perhaps?"

"Oh. There were white flowers drawn on her clothes."

"White flowers and a sword... It’s likely the Huashan Sect. They specialize in illusory and swift sword techniques, so that fits."

The man opened a book and marked a few sections with his brush.

"By the way, I’m curious about something."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Do Sword Masters in this world use flying swords?"

"...What’s that?"

"Ugh... A technique where you infuse a sword with energy and control it at will."

"Oh, you mean Sword Control?"

The man’s face filled with doubt as he grasped what his master meant.

"You saw someone use Sword Control?"

"Yes. That Sword Master I just mentioned."

"..."

Huashan Sect. Sword Control.

The man’s expression hardened.

"Are you sure you didn’t mistake it? Maybe she just threw the sword—"

"Who do you think I am?! Do you think I’d misjudge that?! It wasn’t mere throwing! It was clearly guided by will!"

"...Listen carefully, Master. If what you saw is true, and if that woman is who I think she is, this could get serious."

"What? Why?"

"There’s a monster in Huashan."

Sword Control. A technique where one imbues a sword with will, moving it without physical contact—a feat beyond most masters. Only a handful in the entire Central Plains could achieve it. Since those capable of Sword Control rarely have reason to use it, actual sightings are even rarer, making it a near-mythical skill.

But there were accounts from those who fought in the war against the Blood Cult or witnessed it from afar.

The Sword Empress was there.