Chapter 51
A small gift, you say?
And suddenly, at that?
It made sense that the Underworld Envoy recognized me, considering the trouble I had caused the Hwasan Sect in dealing with him.
But there was no reason for me to receive a gift from an Underworld Envoy I had met for the first time in my life.
At first, I was suspicious of his intentions.
But after thinking it over carefully, I wondered if such suspicion was really necessary.
I had come down to the living world to handle matters on his behalf as part of a deal with Yama.
An Underworld Envoy, who could be considered a loyal subordinate of Yama, wouldn’t harm me without cause.
Not unless he was insane.
“Maybe he really just wants to give a gift…?”
The possibility was slim, but still.
So, I accepted.
“Then I’ll accept it with thanks.”
I even added my gratitude.
The Underworld Envoy smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth, seemingly pleased with my response.
It was a fierce smile, matching his intimidating appearance.
Really… this is a gift, right? Not some sneaky stab?
Fortunately, my doubts were quickly put to rest.
The Underworld Envoy gestured toward Yama’s treasury and revealed what the gift was.
“It’s nothing particularly grand. The person in question had amassed quite a bit of wealth during their lifetime, so I merely intend to show you where it is.”
Ah, so that’s it.
“There is the saying that excess is as bad as deficiency…”
In reality, it rarely mattered if there was too much. On the other hand, if there was too little or none at all, problems—large or small—were almost inevitable.
So, I gladly accepted, but then a rather absurd problem arose.
“What do you mean? You want me to give all my life’s wealth to the person who killed me? I would never do that, even if I died!”
Apparently, the real owner of the wealth hadn’t been consulted.
Yet the Underworld Envoy spoke to me as if it were no big deal.
“It’s not a major issue. Please wait just a moment.”
I agreed.
There was no urgent matter now that Doosanbaek had been dealt with.
“Thank you. I’ll excuse myself then.”
The Underworld Envoy bowed politely to me and then looked at Yama’s treasury, showing a completely different expression from the kind one he had shown me—a grim, fearsome one.
“Eek!”
“Shall we talk for a moment?”
Even his tone had changed.
Watching their conversation begin, I couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at a thought that came to mind.
“So he’s not giving me something from the Netherworld after all.”
When he said “gift,” I had embarrassingly imagined something from the Netherworld, like the “Registry” the Underworld Envoy had once given me.
Even the Registry alone was a relic that could no longer exist in the living world.
The Underworld Envoy, while slightly lower in rank, was still a formidable entity.
So I had wondered what kind of Netherworld object he might give.
In the end, it was just my imagination.
“Actually, that’s for the best.”
At first, I felt a bit disappointed, but soon I realized it was good.
Even the Registry alone was already quite burdensome.
Adding more Netherworld objects might be impossible for me to use properly.
In that sense…
“I should at least learn to make proper use of the Registry.”
I hadn’t even opened the Registry since receiving it from the Underworld Envoy.
“Not that I had forgotten about it.”
I simply hadn’t felt a pressing need to use it.
But thinking carefully, that was an extremely arrogant thought.
“Life is unpredictable, after all.”
Even looking at Yama’s treasury and Doosanbaek, that much was obvious.
Who would have predicted that those two would die today?
Life and death can change in an instant.
So it never hurts to be cautious.
People around me could suddenly die or meet an untimely end—without warning.
“If you live among the martial world, such possibilities can never be ruled out.”
If someone harbored a grudge and sent assassins after my acquaintances, there would be little I could do in the absence of information.
That’s why I had contacted Haomun.
Yet I had ignored the Registry simply because I hadn’t felt its need.
That was undeniably my fault.
So I resolved to make full use of what I had in the future.
“I’ve unexpectedly learned something.”
It was funny how one could gain insight while disposing of trash.
“Now that I think of it, I had a similar experience the first time I visited the Golden Coin Guild.”
Even when handling the gatekeepers left by Heukjeonbang, I had gained a lesson.
Perhaps I work well with trash after all.
“I’ll continue to dispose of any trash I see in the future.”
At any rate, reconsidering the Registry was definitely advantageous.
While there’s a similar ability called the “Clairvoyant Eye,” its utility can’t match the Registry.
The Clairvoyant Eye requires the target to be present, but the Registry gives me information on the life and death of those I know no matter where I am.
With that in mind, I thought to open the Registry.
By then, the Underworld Envoy and Yama’s treasury had likely finished their conversation.
“I have to hand over my entire fortune to the person who killed me…”
Yama’s treasury looked truly reluctant.
But perhaps the negotiation—or threat—had worked, because he didn’t delay and revealed the location of the hidden wealth.
“If you climb the mountain next to it… halfway up… there will be two large twin rocks. Dig beneath the rock surface that emits a particularly red aura there.”
Even in death, he seemed protective of his wealth.
After finishing, he let out a deep sigh and looked at the Underworld Envoy.
“Is this alright?”
The Underworld Envoy nodded and spoke to me.
“Though the individual seems untrustworthy, they are not lying. You can verify it when you have the time.”
As if he could see whether it was true.
Not surprising.
An Underworld Envoy would be expected to have such abilities—or at least the necessary relics.
It seemed like the former this time.
“Clairvoyant Eye?”
I saw it—just for a moment, the Underworld Envoy’s eyes flickered.
If the Underworld Envoy did something with his eyes, it was likely the Clairvoyant Eye.
But it seemed different from the Clairvoyant Eye I had experienced.
Could it be…
“Mind Eye?”
Until then, I had been observing Saheun holding onto Doosanbaek.
And I asked directly with my own eyes: I thought only Yama and I possessed the Mind Eye?
Fortunately, Saheun’s false accusation was quickly cleared.
“It’s not as powerful as the Mind Eye. This is called the Communicative Eye, which can merely detect the tricks and lies of lower-level spirits.”
He downplayed it, but I thought differently.
To immediately perceive the opponent’s tricks and lies? Is there a better ability in the world?
“I’d like to learn this ability instead of a gift. Is that possible?”
I hadn’t learned how to fly from Saheun, but perhaps this could work.
Because I had experience mastering the Clairvoyant Eye.
“If it works on a similar principle…”
I thought it was entirely possible.
And I wasn’t wrong.
“If your Clairvoyant Eye opens, you should be able to learn it.”
Exactly!
I silently rejoiced for a moment.
“But you must have Yama’s permission and learn from him—are you alright with that?”
The same problem I faced when asking Saheun about flying: the method exists, but it’s nearly impossible to obtain.
“So I must go to the Netherworld first.”
Which meant I had to die once.
Even if I got Yama’s permission and learned the Communicative Eye before returning to life, I might not wake up at the Golden Gate.
“It’s certainly a tempting ability…”
But I wasn’t willing to go that far.
Perhaps sensing my thoughts, the Underworld Envoy proposed a new way.
“Is it necessary for you to learn it directly?”
Then he glanced subtly at Saheun.
The moment I understood, I couldn’t help but marvel.
“I had forgotten Saheun was here.”
I didn’t know if Saheun knew the Communicative Eye, but even if he didn’t, he could travel to the Netherworld and learn it.
Whether Yama would easily allow it remained uncertain, though.
“If someone is needed to carry out a task, Yama won’t refuse to provide him.”
And the Underworld Envoy smiled at my reaction.
Fierce as expected, but with a faintly friendly undertone.
“If it is needed, Yama will grant it. There’s no need to worry.”
How would a mere Underworld Envoy know that?
I let the question go.
“He’s clearly not an ordinary Underworld Envoy.”
The aura he gave off was completely different from any Underworld Envoy I had encountered, including Saheun.
“It’s as if he’s not an Underworld Envoy at all.”
I wasn’t exaggerating; my body had been signaling it for some time.
It wanted to face him in combat.
I hadn’t felt this way when facing Yukuk, Yama, or Doosanbaek.
Meaning…
“Pure combat-wise, he may even surpass the three of them.”
I couldn’t be sure.
I had never experienced anything like this.
Honestly, I couldn’t gauge him properly.
“But I can’t just challenge him.”
Even if I were crazy, I couldn’t blindly attack an Underworld Envoy.
If he were a martial artist, maybe, but here I had no justification to attack him like I did with the Hwasan Sect.
Back then, at least I had the excuse of protecting myself.
“But now, I can’t even make an excuse.”
I was about to give up cleanly, not dwelling on it, when…
“Until you cross the Three-Legged River, you’ll be safely protected, right?”
Yama’s treasury asked the Underworld Envoy anxiously.
It seemed that this had been part of the deal in exchange for revealing the location of the wealth.
But that fact was relatively unimportant.
The real issue came next.
“What’s that?”
I turned my head, sensing something strange, and saw it at the cave entrance.
“Evil spirits?”
The entrance was filled with evil spirits.
Not only filling the entrance, but they crowded up the stairs as well.
There must have been dozens of them.
Their gaze was fixed on one spot: Yama’s treasury.
“So that’s why he made such a deal… he’s greedy.”
