“Defilement…”
Defilement.
A term used to describe something that is not right.
However, the defilement Jinseong was talking about was a bit different from that dictionary definition.
“Defilement means something negative.”
Defilement brings harm.
Defilement is not beneficial.
Defilement is something people avoid.
People won’t recklessly approach places where terrifying incidents have occurred.
They feel uneasy about locations that have been abandoned and neglected.
And they tend to avoid shops located in dark, damp alleys.
No matter how clean a place is that witnessed the death of thousands or tens of thousands of lives, people’s instincts will feel discomfort because the residue of defilement stems from their last cries, and the curse settling onto families that continue to commit evil deeds arises from layers of such defilement.
At first glance, defilement may seem similar to calamity, but its essence is not easily discerned, and if it has not accumulated over a long time, it doesn’t exhibit its power effectively.
Yet conversely, when defilement accumulates, it could unleash exceedingly malicious powers.
Just like the divine object Jinseong had sealed away in his room.
Simply existing in that space could destroy items, cause mold to grow, decay living beings, and unleash swarms of various pests with its horrifying influence.
“And when such defilement layers upon layers accumulate, it can influence fortune in itself. It becomes misfortune lingering in nature, a divine object imbued with curses in materials, and a nightmare that disrupts a person’s fortune and deteriorates their spirit when it settles within them. Thus, causing harm is classified as evil deeds, so it would be proper to act in a land where there is neither habitation nor use for people.”
“No, what I mean is…”
Lee Yang-hoon, upon hearing Jinseong’s explanation, tried to say something but then closed his mouth tightly.
“Yeah. Since you’re so obsessed with gathering magic, it’s possible you might obtain such magic. But… Huh. Do you really have to do that?”
“I must.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s how I can imbue myself with a symbol and significantly amplify the power of magic.”
In short, he was saying he needed it to enhance the power of magic.
Lee Yang-hoon pressed a hand against his temple as if he had a headache.
Then, with a sigh, he asked.
“Can’t we just do the adult ceremony next year?”
“No, we need to do it as soon as possible.”
“How long do you have to wait…”
Lee Yang-hoon tried to persuade Jinseong to wait.
However, Jinseong’s insistence was not easily swayed, and eventually, he succumbed to Jinseong’s stubbornness and agreed to his request.
“Fine. I guess since you’re stubborn and insisting on doing it now, I have no choice. All right, I’ll help you. So, since we need to go to North Korea, can I ask for some help?”
“Certainly.”
Lee Yang-hoon spoke with an expression that clearly showed his reluctance, a look of concern on his face.
“I understand. I’ll contact an acquaintance of mine, a general, and see if we can arrange a way. An excursion to the DMZ, or perhaps a tour of the safe zone should be possible…”
“Thank you.”
*
Jinseong’s request was granted in no time.
Using his connections, Lee Yang-hoon legally allowed Jinseong to cross over the DMZ.
He formed a group for the purpose of “Examining the Conditions of Soldiers in Frontline Areas,” cleverly inserting Jinseong under a reasonable excuse.
As a result, Jinseong wouldn’t have to break through the tightly guarded borders heading north.
Without needing to continually use teleportation or stealth magic, nor having to wander through the mine-filled DMZ, he simply had to sit comfortably on the bus.
Very comfortably, indeed.
“Hmm, who on earth is that young man…”
“Don’t mind him. I heard he’s from a major conglomerate…”
“Why does it seem like he’s not going for tourism…”
“Doesn’t his outfit look too strange for tourism?”
“Not just his clothes, but what he brought along is way too much…”
Jinseong was lounging comfortably in the rearmost seat of the bus with his luggage placed beside him.
However, the issue was that this comfortable position involved leaning back against his arm in a manner that resembled a statue of a Buddha.
He wasn’t just occupying one or two seats; he was taking the entire back row so as to lie down.
Naturally, it was impossible not to notice.
Moreover, had he at least exchanged a few words to create some familiarity, or sought permission, it would have been different.
But Jinseong had just plopped down like that without uttering a word to the people from the military human rights center.
It’s no wonder people found it ridiculous.
However, the personnel from the military human rights center could not voice their displeasure directly towards Jinseong.
Rumors circulated that he was a parachute appointment due to the influence of a major corporation.
Since he wouldn’t be someone they’d be interacting with for long nor would he cross their paths again in life, they thought there was no need to sow resentment.
Additionally, his appearance was extraordinarily bizarre.
Wearing tight leather clothing paired with ragged cloth draped over him, he had a golden pyramid perched on a metal pack. Plus, as if that wasn’t enough, he was also wrapped in multi-colored cloth used by shamans.
As if that weren’t all?
Had he been planning a camping trip? He had filled the bus’s cargo space with firewood and even brought along a sack of salt.
Why on earth?
Why on earth does he need that?
Firewood could be understandable.
One might think he was going to enjoy a campfire in some deserted area.
But salt, a pack, and a pyramid? What in the world could that mean?
It was a bizarre combination.
If he were filming something strange for a broadcast, it would still be nothing compared to this.
So why was he bringing such things, dressed in such a peculiar way, heading north?
It was behavior that could only be described as strange.
A peculiar acting out of absurdities.
A person who couldn’t be understood by common sense.
Thus, while people whispered about Jinseong, they never tried to strike up a conversation with him, nor did they intervene in his every movement but merely observed him from a distance. No, they speculated about his actions, yet absolutely did not consider approaching him with questions.
They didn’t want to get entangled.
Thanks to this, Jinseong was able to reach his destination without any bothersome conversations with others.
As the bus passed “Unification Gate,” he found himself entering a lush land filled with moths the size of human heads and alive with deer and wild boars.
On each side of the poorly maintained road, barbed wire fences loomed like walls, rusting over time, adorned with gold threads. Perched along the boundaries were statues symbolizing various religions at intervals.
Beyond the fences was a wide, deep concrete moat, filled with briny water.
And within the encampment, there trickled a tiny stream so thin it was embarrassing to call it a creek, its waters entirely composed of blessed holy water.
Everywhere, sprinklers were installed, ready to spray holy water should evil spirits or malevolent ghosts appear.
Clunk.
As the bus rattled, Jinseong continued gazing out at the scenery.
As he heightened his eyesight with his magic, he caught sight of a concrete structure in the distance.
A building that had likely served as a GP back in the day.
But now, it housed only mechanical devices for intercepting evil spirits and ghosts, void of any inhabitants.
If evil spirits and ghosts were to emerge near that building, it would immediately launch fireworks or spray holy water all around. Then, it would unleash powerful magnetic fields or utilize the wires spread like nets to emit high-voltage electricity to subdue the spirits.
“This is intense.”
The Republic of Korea is known as a barren land for magic.
Thus, to prevent evil spirits and ghosts without relying on magic, they were in a position where they cared little about means or methods.
Electricity.
Magnetism.
Explosives.
Holy water.
Magical fields.
Formation techniques.
And that wasn’t all; there were summons wielding exorcism or dispelling powers waiting nearby, and spiritual capable individuals like shamans were also stationed in places like Goseong or Paju, ready to head to the DMZ at any moment.
And in case they didn’t manage an interception, self-propelled artillery would be on standby to rain shells onto the DMZ at any given time, while satellite weaponry and magical science armaments would be prepared to obliterate the DMZ and safe zone in the event of the worst-case scenario involving great evil spirits or ghosts.
Could this be why?
To Jinseong’s eyes, evil spirits and malevolent ghosts were nowhere to be found.
He only saw deer joyfully bounding through the woods, wild boars rolling joyfully in the mud, and Danbi leading her family around.
So ended the tour of the DMZ, and the bus arrived at the “Retrieval Gate,” crossing over into what had once been North Korean territory.
“Oh.”
As soon as Jinseong crossed the gate, he straightened his posture and looked outside.
It felt like crossing a single gate marking the border had landed him in an entirely different world.
The landscape, too, mirrored Jinseong’s sentiment, showing him sights entirely different from just moments ago.
A desolate space.
A barren mountain devoid of trees, with cracked, trash-like soil that lacked any moisture, and the ruins of buildings reduced to debris from bombshell impacts. The symbols of Christianity and metallic sculptures of deities littered the area.
It was as if the landscape was listlessly murmuring that once civilization crumbled, it would all be left like him.
And after passing through this barren land for quite some time, the destination known as the “Safe Zone” came into view.
A small area that seemed to be comprised of half, if not seventy percent, religious facilities.
There, military chaplains in their uniforms stood on guard, while soldiers were carrying out their duties inside. The bus barreled down the salty road and halted before the entrance of the safe zone.
At that moment, the awaiting soldiers stepped forward, spraying holy water on the bus with hoses, and using oddly shaped equipment to scan the entire vehicle. Only after confirming several times that there were no anomalies did they allow the door to open, subjecting each passenger to a thorough scan with strange devices.
Finally, it was Jinseong’s turn.
“No anomalies detected.”
The soldier holding the equipment meticulously examined each item Jinseong had brought and, upon determining there were no issues, allowed him to enter the safe zone.
