Requiem of Subdued Souls

Chapter 98: Flute Of Foreboding (18)

There was a flute-playing demon that suddenly appeared in the capital and disturbed the peace of the public.

As the Hwarangs investigated this phenomenon, it was revealed that it was the ghost of Bidam.

Bidam was a Hwarang. He rebelled against the reign of King Seondeok and got executed.

He played the flute in his lifetime. In addition, the rebels were stationed around Mount Myung Hwal, which became noisy recently because of goblins appearing.

The ghost of Bidam wandered aimlessly and was dealt with by the Hwarangs. And it was decided that they would hold a ritual so that his ghost wouldn’t appear again.

…that was the official announcement.

All of the Hwarangs who belonged to the Hwarang troops gathered at the old ancestral ritual site near Mount Myung Hwal.

On an altar not visible to the outside, Seo Jun’s ancestral tablet was placed in the middle of it.

The wound on his body caused by the red sword disappeared. However, since the stigma of harming his colleagues had been cleared, they had to perform the ancestral rites properly again.

“Among the duties that the Hwarangs have to do, the most important thing is to make their name shine even after death…”

Amidst Jin Rim’s resounding voice, who was reading the rites, all of the Hwarangs, including the Blue Dragon True Troops, had solemn faces.

And Seol Young was among them. After listening to the rites, he moved to a corner and then undid the fragrant pipa that he was carrying on his back.

“…”

All five strings of the pipa were cut. He stared at it for a while and then threw it into flames. The pipa was immediately engulfed in flames.

Zaha, who looked at it, said,

“Are you trying to make your wishes heard?”

A long time ago, in the spring, there was a person named Baeka. When his friend, who was the only person who liked his music, died, he cut off the strings of his instrument and never touched it again.

“It is nice to see someone who can use the pipa… Is it really necessary for you to do that?”

“I am not quitting music. I am just burning this one pipa.”

Seol Young replied bluntly.

No matter how many times he heard it, he felt tired of it. His hyungs were all doing fine.

“So?”

“I thought that it would be better not to use that pipa to play any other song again. Maybe it’s a courtesy to the dead.”

“Courtesy…”

The pipa burned, and Seol Young stared at it as he said,

“But I don’t think that the words you said were wrong. Although I have never met him when he was alive, I can understand Seo Jun-rang’s heart through what I saw. Isn’t that also a special friendship in its own unique way? I wonder if that is what the relationship between the deceased and…”

He mumbled to himself as he drew a talisman for peace. He infused spiritual energy into it and threw it into the fire.

A blue glow enveloped the pipa and disappeared.

‘Please be reborn.’

Blue smoke spread from the incense burner on the altar.

There was a small jade box on it that should have contained ashes, but it was empty.

Seol Young looked at it.

Now that the truth had been revealed, he had thought about it again, and everything that seemed strange now made sense.

“Even though the Hwarangs hoped for Seo Jun-rang to find peace after his death, they couldn’t accept it… It must have been because that human-faced sore took over his body and turned him into a monster.”

“Right.”

Zaha nodded his head.

“The reason he didn’t let other people get close was probably because he didn’t know when his face would change.”

“And the reason why he ran away every time or stopped us from seeing the vision was to prevent us from looking at the human-faced sore. It was so powerful that it could be transmitted even through a drawn report.”

.

Seol Young organized the thoughts in his head.

“This seems to have solved the mystery… but a question still remains.”

“What is it?”

“Why did Seo Jun-rang choose this place as the meeting point? What is the meaning behind it?”

“I think I know the answer.”

A deep voice answered.

The two of them looked at each other, and Zaha asked,

“The Governor knows?”

“Yes.”

Jin Rim nodded and replied,

“I heard it directly from Seo Jun-rang.”

“Directly? You two were close?”

“Not like that, but everyone sometimes wants to talk to a wall or a rock, right?”

He was calling himself a rock, and he continued,

“From what I heard, the siblings actually got along quite well despite their different personalities. But after that day, he said the dynamics had changed. The day they came here on the orders of their father to catch a demonic being.”

“What happened?”

“I was told that they met a giant snake monster. His power was so strong that it seemed to have a Great Evil rank, so the siblings had a tough time.”

“So? Did the older brother abandon the younger one and run away?”

“It is the opposite. He said he handled the snake with all his might, exhausted himself, and then came out with his younger brother in a state of horror.”

Seol Young couldn’t understand it.

“Then why did their relationship turn sour?”

“Because they are brothers.”

Jin Rim answered.

“In Seo Geom’s eyes, such an older brother looked cool. After that day, he trained himself because he wanted to be as strong as his older brother.”

“Seo Geom had such thoughts?”

“Yes. However, Seo Jun realized from the incident that he wasn’t good at sword techniques, and after that day, he clearly gave up.”

“To be out of…”

Zaha mumbled.

“It is natural that their relationship broke.”

“Yes. Still, wasn’t that the last memory the two of them shared? So that seemed to be the reason why Seo Jun-rang called his younger sibling here. To meet him alone and tell him the truth.”

Was that so?

Despite understanding it, Seol Young felt odd.

‘It is really difficult for the living and the dead to understand each other.’

Inside the flames, the pipa fell sideways, and black smoke rose. He stopped thinking and used tongs to put it back into the flames.

“Well, I am glad that the truth is finally out like this…”

Seol Young opened his mouth, watching the Governor turn back.

“All the mysteries have been solved, so he can now go back.”

“But how did Seo Jun-rang even come back alive?”

Zaha asked.

“It is strange. Although Seo Jun-rang’s story did not spread widely enough to be passed down as a legend…”

“It is a ghost story that only the Hwarangs know. The story of a Hwarang who turned into a Deformed Spirit and killed his comrades. It turned into a reality.”

Seol Young mumbled as he cleaned the ashes.

“If someone woke up Seo Jun-rang…”

“The God of Cataclysm has begun to move again.”

“I’m still not sure if that is the truth or not.”

Seol Young put the tongs down.

“If that is the case, we can’t just wait. Because it will be different from last time.”

He lowered his voice and looked at the altar, which had a solemn look.

Several Hwarangs were bowing their heads to say goodbye.

Seol Young looked at his three hyungs and then at Seo Geom.

A thought suddenly came into his mind.

‘Asura Flames.’

The technique of the Blue Dragon Troops that required them to use their innate qi to destroy their enemies, but it would also kill the caster.

The technique that Seo Geom tried to use to kill his brother.

‘A technique to lure the demons and imprison them in one’s body.’

As he thought of the explanation for those two techniques, one stuck with him.

‘Come to think of it…’

Seol Young looked back at Zaha.

“I am curious about…”

But when he said it out loud, he didn’t feel like asking it.

‘It is none of my business even to ask.’

Someone might hear him, and above all, the people were praying for someone here.

“We can talk later.”

Seol Young lowered his head.

Soon, drums rang out.

The Hwarangs paid their last respects to Seo Jun.

“High Governor.”

Baek Eon, Song Ok, and Hyo Wol headed their way.

All of the Hwarangs cooperated in the search for Seo Jun this time.

The White Tiger Troops didn’t even rest as they searched night and day for Seo Jun.

“Everyone did well.”

At Zaha’s words, Baek Eon shook his head.

“No. Actually, we wanted to find Seo Jun-rang before Seo Geom-rang did, but that didn’t happen…”

And then he smiled brightly.

“Anyway, it is fortunate that Seo Jun-rang’s situation came to light in front of everyone.”

As they talked, they turned around, and then another group approached them.

Hwarangs in blue.

They were the Blue Dragon True Troops.

Seo Geom stepped forward, and said,

“Seol Young-rang, I have something to say.”

Something to say?

Seol Young was curious.

“Things have ended…”

The words came out.

“What ended?”

Seo Geom opened his mouth with a firm face.

“You should listen until the end.”

“…”

This made Seol Young speechless.

Everyone looked at Seo Geom, but he didn’t care, as he said,

“It is useless. You will act in a pathetic manner anyway, so do not get involved with our troops… Even though I said all of that, you were stubborn and did whatever you wanted.”

“…”

“Even in the situation where the answer couldn’t be found, you didn’t give up, managed to find a way, and eventually uncovered the truth behind the death of my hyung. I honestly think it is great. And…”

He continued with a stiff face,

“Thank you very much.”

And he knelt down, making everyone surprised.

“…?”

Seol Young was so shocked that he went stiff like a stone. This was the most embarrassing moment for him.