Book 22 Chapter 7

Don't touch my body

-General Entertainment Complex

"In a nutshell……."

Intelligence officer Bie Yeon-tae, who is a trusted advisor, summed up where they're headed in a single word.

"It's called the General Entertainment Complex."

The eyes of Namgungsang and Baekmu-young, Yongcheon-myeong and Maha-ryung widened at the unfamiliar concept. They didn't quite understand.

"Excuse me?"

It was not unreasonable for half-sentences to pop up. I could hear the words, but I couldn't make out the meaning. I wondered if they were even speaking the same language.

"Explain that to me in plain English, Mr. Senior."

Hearing Baek Moo-young's question about non-consummation, Namgungsang secretly swept his hand across his chest. Fortunately, he wasn't the only one who didn't understand. Baek Moo-young, the chief of staff, was also unable to understand.

"Um……."

Bi Yantai was at a loss for words; he wanted them to understand intuitively. But that seemed unlikely. Perhaps it was inexperience. He had come to his own conclusions.

"Was this really that much to worry about?

Baek Moo-young was merely asking what the "Comprehensive Recreational Complex" was, which is just another way of saying "Kang Ho Rando.

"Well, …… is a great place to hang out, in layman's terms."

It was a pretty shitty answer for something that took so much thought to come up with.

"A good place to hang out?"

"That's right. It's a great place to play, and they provide everything you need to play. Liquor, cigarettes, gambling, flowers, jewelry, trinkets, food, women, men, you name it, but you have to pay for it."

The explanation finally made sense to me, but at the end, what?

"Oh, there are men?"

Maharishi exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yes, it is. Women are everywhere, but a place with men is rare, even in this great country. I hear they're quite handsome, though I'm not interested in them unless they're smokers. I'm not one to second-guess other people's tastes."

Of course, such a thing doesn't have to be common. No, I could do without them, but apparently some people don't.

"Oh, really?"

It must be a male illusion that the eyes of the Maharishi seem to glow.

'Never mind, never mind…….'

It was a mood thing, a mood thing. The men, with the exception of Bi-Tae, composed themselves. It was almost as if the Maharishi was asking for details about the exact location of the place, but he decided not to listen.

It was clear that they were preparing for, um, just in case, um, you know, in case our boys - I don't know what the criteria was - in case they were kidnapped unexpectedly. I don't feel comfortable not thinking about that, it's just a subtle difference in culture.

"Sure, it's not free, but……."

I can also hear you saying. What's not free, your fee or the information you provide?

"Be all things to all people."

"Of course you do.

I had long since given up expecting anything for free. Luckily, he'd been trained by his big brother, so he was easily convinced.

"So do you even know what this is?"

Namgungsang held out the box that came with the invitation to Yeontae, and her eyes widened when she saw what was inside.

"Ho! That's it, hmmm, hmmm……."

He looked at me like I had a heart of gold.

"Judging by the look on your face, it must be pretty expensive."

"Hmm, was that written on my face?"

Biyeon-tae realized that her thoughts had been plainly visible on her face, and she hastily tensed her loose facial muscles. It was too late, though.

"So let's hear it, shall we?"

Namgungsang looked him squarely in the eye and asked.

* * *

"Is the King of the North Sea out of town today?"

King Seohae asked, looking at the empty seats in the north.

"A messenger has come to tell me that he can't make the meeting because he has some urgent business to attend to."

Click! Click! Click! Click!

King Namhae replied, his fingers still tapping the abacus as he studied the papers, wondering if there was ever a time when he wasn't working.

"I heard a rumor that you've been seeing a girl lately."

For a moment, the South Sea King's fingers stopped bouncing off the abacus.

"The North Sea King, that guy? No way."

The South Sea King dismissed the rumor with a single word. Then he snapped his fingers again and began to bounce the abacus.

"Rumor has it she's quite the beauty. I hear she's the new girl in town."

"Well, I can't really imagine that happening."

"Is she beautiful?"

As soon as the subject of women was brought up, the East Heavenly King, who had been distracted by other things, stood up. His interest was always the same.

"I also heard a rumor that you proposed to someone."

"Oh, that's true."

Jagun admitted it out of the goodness of his heart.

"I hear you're a woman from the Temple of Heaven?"

"That's true, too."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Of course, that's sane, too. Immediately after the slap, I felt my soul shake beneath her slap. It was, like, 'fate'!"

With a wistful look in his eyes, Jagun said.

"Fate, you're out of your mind."

The King of the West Sea exclaimed in disbelief. He was deeply saddened and angry that he should be called King of the Four Heavenly King with such a wretch.

"And yet you are so curious about another woman's beauty?"

"That's that, and this is this."

"Really? I can see why you were rejected for proposing."

The question was answered, said King Turo Namhae.

"I'm not getting kicked out!"

Jagun exclaimed sharply, looking wounded.

"Then what?"

"Gas guzzlers are like that, they're like that… yeah, they're just embarrassed!"

The moment he said it, it became true in his mind. No matter what anyone said, it was true for him. Yes, it was. The Yeonbi didn't hate himself; he was just embarrassed. It was a common occurrence. It's times like these that men need to be more assertive. That's what the Yeonbi would want you to do. Being the owner of a convenient mental construct, he actually believed it.

"Was she really that shy? I don't think a woman that shy would have slapped you across the cheeks……. You're not listening."

Jagun was already immersed in his own world.

"Now, let's get this silly meeting over with and fly off to the side of my Yeonbi Sojae, who is anxiously awaiting me. Alas, time is running out, time is running out. Yeonbi, don't be so lonely and wait for me. In a little while, I will fly to your side as a bird!"

The King of the South Seas knew from experience that when he was in his own world like that, he couldn't hear anything you said to him. It was best to ignore them.

"Can I cut that?"

King Seo asked, his voice thick with irritation.

"If only I could ring it."

"Chet!"

Releasing the handle of his long, fishing-rod-like sword, King Seohae sank back in his chair and said.

"By the way, they should be arriving any minute now."

He was King Seohae, a long-haired man with a longsword slung over his shoulder.

"I'm sure. They're probably just entering the southern harbor now."

"Who did you send to pick you up?"

Focusing back on the paperwork, the South Sea King spoke the name of a man.

"Platinum."

Then King Seo's eyes widened.

"Platinum, why did you send him?"

There was something strangely rebuking about those words.

"What's wrong with him?"

King Namhae replies with a nonchalant tone.

"I'm uncomfortable with that skinny dude, and it's suffocating to watch him stand there."

King Seo frowned, uncomfortable at the mere thought of it again.

"He just likes things a little cleaner than we do."

"Ha! A little bit? That's unbelievable. Is that a little bit? That's a bottle, a bottle."

He really didn't like that white guy.

"Perhaps, but what about the bottle? I'm not sure about the skill. I'm all for using what you can, especially if it's something useful."

"I'm surprised you could use a guy like that as a lieutenant."

In hindsight, this person who is always anxious if he doesn't work was also a disease. Chronic workaholism.

"His whiteness is such that he thinks the whole world is dirty, even me, and it's offensive, and if it weren't for your company commander, I'd leave him alone. Offensive."

"That's what you hate about him, but that's what makes him so strong. He has to protect his clean body from this dirty world, and that's a hard thing to do."

"I agree with you," I said, "I feel sorry for the guys at the Academy of Heaven and Earth, having to be welcomed by him."

He genuinely pitied the invitees. He didn't want to be in the same room with him, even at half a degree.

* * *

In the shadow of Lake Tongzheng, where night falls on the water. In the midst of the deepest darkness, there was an island in the middle of the night that was more dazzlingly bright than any other. That island, Kanghorando, was only half a day's boat ride from the Temple of Heaven. It was rumored to be run by the Temple of Heaven, but the truth was never revealed. In any case, it was clear that it was paying tribute to Machengak to some extent.

From what Bi Yantai has been able to find out, the Heavenly Palace grants each member a two-night stay out of town starting on the evening of the fifth lesson. During that time, they are free to go anywhere. They just have to return on the evening of the fifth day. Of course, it didn't matter if you didn't, you'd immediately be labeled a fugitive or a coward, and your rank would be lowered, so unless you were stabbed in the back by a grudge match along the way, everyone tended to return.

And the day the envoys were unexpectedly invited to attend was the regular free day of the Kishil Temple. In other words, under the guise of a polite invitation, the envoys had stolen an autonomous holiday.

To their colleagues on the boat at the dock, the members of the Heavenly Martial Academy were forced to scatter and hastily disseminate a brief description of the Kanghorando. It would be insufficient, but far better than going in completely defenseless.

"This is a whole other world."

The sound in Na Yerin's voice was more one of disbelief than admiration. It was a mysterious island that we were all forced to visit, but it seemed to be a rare experience that we could indulge in to our hearts' content. The island glowed in every direction, as if it were exulting in the accomplishment of driving the night away with human power.

"Rather, it's a crucible of human desire."

He said the dreaded words with a smirk.

Like Yunbi's horse, the people coming and going from the island were all making noise mercilessly, as if they were desperate to be heard. The sounds of music, laughter, shouting, cursing, and hollering mingled together to create a chaotic duet.

"It's a carnivorous paradise where desire eats away at reason and robs you of your money. It's a paradise of carnivorous plants that gobble up humans who are captives of their desires."

Na Yerin's expressionless brow furrowed slightly. A crowded red-light district might be a rare experience, but it was her least favorite kind of neighborhood.

As the delegation from the Heavenly Martial Academy began to disembark from the ship, a man who had been waiting for them approached them.

"It's snow white."

That was the end of his greeting.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Namgung."

When Namgungsang approached and attempted to bow, the man took a couple of steps back without returning the greeting. This was very rude.

"He's covering his face with a mask when he says he's there to greet you, and he's backing away when he says hello. Don't you think that's pretty rude?"

Namgungsang asked.

"This white cloth is not to cover your face."

Baekyeon pointed to the white cloth covering his mouth.

"Then what?"

"It's just a treatment to keep the dirt from getting inside me."

Namgung Sang looked his visitor up and down, dumbfounded by the absurdity of his answer. Certainly his attire was morbidly peculiar.

From the white cloth covering his mouth, to his collar, pants, and shoes, he was all white. Even his gloves were white, as if he couldn't bear the thought of any other color intruding on the white.

'You are indeed obsessed with the color white.'

The only parts of his body that weren't white were the long black wand he held and his hair.

"You seem to really like the color white, don't you?"

"Because white is the cleanest of all colors, I just don't like dirty, and that's why I don't like people coming near me, because I don't like the air that goes in and out of them touching me, because that's intolerably disgusting."

His white robe, white boots, and white gloves were immaculate, not a single stain on them. It seemed impossible for even the most advanced pidgin cultivators to maintain such a state without cultivation. It was clear that he had a very serious defect.

"Whew, that's great! What do you think, Whew? I think you'd make a good match for a clean freak."

"Even I, who like my things clean, don't go that far, Mr. Zhang."

Mo Yonghui politely declined Jang Hong's comparison. As soon as Jang Hong left the Heavenly Pavilion, he seemed to have regained his strength.

"FUCK!

Gong Gongzhihui couldn't help but feel a twist in his stomach. He thought back to the past few days when he had to clean the room under Mo Yonghui's scrutiny. And he wasn't the only one who was unhappy with Bai Xiaochun's behavior. There was another person in the group who hated cleaning even more than Bai Xiaochun, and that was the beggar Nohak, who was a promising candidate for the opening.

"What's the point of pretending it's clean? It's dirty on the inside, and the stench is coming all the way up here. Gross."

Nohak, who had been unhappy with the white from the moment he first saw it, complained loudly, as if to be heard.

"What is that filthy beggar?"

Baekye glared at Luo Hak, then asked.

"I am the Little Gull King Nohak, immediate disciple of the Gull King Rojibae, Savior of the Open and Ark of the Open."

The title of "King of the Bargain" was given to him after his recent exploits on the volcano. Of course, after receiving this title, he had to make fun of his big brother, Bi Ryuyeon, for a long time, but he was in good shape. However, he was still called a falconer by his peers. It meant "the one who buys hawks.

"Huh, king, that's a title for a filthy beggar."

"What… what, you fucking asshole, are you done, are you done?"

On board the ship, a gnome ran amok.

"It is unacceptable for such an unholy creature to set foot on this powerhouse without any action."

"What action? What action?"

The smile was gone from his face as he asked the question. Instead, an intangible aura emanated from it, pressuring Bai Xiaochun's mind and body.

"…… should be sanitized."

Bai Xiaochun spoke up to counter the momentum of the Southern Palace, which was not easy.

"Maybe I'm underestimating interest.

But he was also the commander of a unit. He wasn't weak enough to resign.

"Disinfect?"

"Well, it'll be harmless to you, it's just some kind of medication to get rid of the dirty energy and fleas, and if you stay quiet, it'll be over in no time."

The last one in particular struck a nerve with Namgungsang.

"What if you won't stay quiet?"

"Then……."

White's words went no further.

"Who says you're trash, you son of a bitch!"

The gnome screamed at the top of his lungs. He couldn't stand it, it was as if he saw himself as filthy garbage.

"I never said you were trash, but you do have a good grasp of your disgusting subject matter."

Baekyeon said in an emotionless voice.

"What!"

"You bastard!

The pent-up anger of the old man exploded in an instant.

"Disgusting? Are you done talking?!"

The newest member of the old school, who had been standing in the back, jumped out at me. I couldn't wait to punch that wretched face that looked at everything as if it were dirty filth.

"Stop it, Nohak, you shouldn't have attacked first!"

It was a clear provocation. Realizing that crossing over would give his enemy legitimacy, Baek Muyoung hastened to stop him, but it was too late. However, it was not Baekye who lay in the dust on the ground, but Noh Hak.

The old man's fist punched empty air, and he spun once in the air before landing on his back on the floor.

Wudang wudang!

Fallen. Rolled over.

"Boom!"

A short groan escaped me.

He looked up at the sky without touching a single hair on his white skin. Even though he hadn't used the Ascension Martial Art, it was still a tremendous shock.

Chuck!

A black ebony staff was pointed in front of the fallen scholar's eyes, and he used it to deflect her attack and flip her over. It was like sweeping up dirt with a broom. In fact, it was a broom, not a staff. It just didn't have a tassel on it now.

"I warned you, don't touch me."

Baekyeon said with a hint of displeasure in his voice.

"Hey, Mr…….!"

But Lao Tzu was unable to finish his sentence. It was the flesh that exploded out of him, threatening to pierce his mouth.

"Don't swear. You'll get your ears dirty."

The black staff in White's hand was very long. The black staff was meant to exclude all contaminated things that came his way. It did not have a blade because blood was also unclean, and the mere thought of someone else's unclean blood being splashed on him was so horrifying that it sent shivers down his spine.

"I warn you again, don't touch my body, and you'll be fine."

Pure gold, it seemed, was all he wanted.

"Who's the concept-less asshole who had that guy pick up people?

It was not unreasonable for such feelings of resentment and anger to have sprouted within the envoys of the Heavenly Martial Academy.

At that moment, the South Sea King felt a strange itching in his ears, as if someone was cursing him, but he didn't stop his abacus to scratch it.

He was that kind of human being.