Thus, Rise was finally able to relieve all her accumulated fatigue with a deep sleep after a long time.
Was it thanks to that?
Upon waking, Rise enthusiastically moved about, gathering information. Through the connections of the head of the security company, the wealthy individuals, and the politicians tied to the Shiheng Style, she was able to collect numerous valuable pieces of information.
“Indeed, I am satisfied.”
Fortunately, the information Rise had diligently gathered was exactly to Jinseong’s liking.
“Especially the knowledge you’ve uncovered about the training grounds of the Shiheng Style and Yatadoarangkryu warriors is truly satisfying.”
Jinseong praised Rise, who knelt before him, handing over the paper inscribed with the information. In response, Rise transformed her physical state, revealing fox ears that twitched excitedly, expressing her joy.
“Yes. Warriors often train in natural settings.”
Jinseong glanced at the paper in his hand.
The paper was densely filled with characters; at the very top were three bold Chinese characters.
黑劍峰
Pronounced ‘Kurotsurugi Mine’ in Japanese. In Korean, it’s ‘Heukgeom Bong’.
“So, the mountain of the black sword.”
‘ A mountain that spans Kagoshima and Nansatsu. Height: 1,760m. It features a sharply pointed peak resembling a sword, surrounded by dense forests on its gentle slopes. According to records, this mountain did not originally exist but suddenly sprang up around the third year of Shoan (正安). ‘
‘Legend recounts that it was formed by a colossal dragon swimming across the sea from the continent, which struck the land with its tail. Yet another tale suggests it was the corpse of a colossal sea creature capable of devouring an entire island, upon which earth and trees grew after its death.’
‘The locals named the sharp, black rock peak “Kurotsurugi Mine” (黑劍峰) because it resembled a sword. They believed its sharp emanation (銳氣) to be ominous, as if a sword were raised against the heavens. Some say this posture appeared blasphemous, as if raising a sword against their lord. Based on this, living within Kurotsurugi Mine was seen as an act of drawing a sword against one’s lord, receiving the mountain’s spiritual energy with ill intent.’
…
‘Only when the Empire of Great Japan began to dominate the world was formal residential settlement permitted within. However, shortly after the village’s establishment, the empire was defeated by the Americans, and it was believed that the “spirit” of Kurotsurugi Mine affected His Majesty the Emperor, leading to the village’s abandonment. The residents dispersed to Kagoshima and Nansatsu.’
‘Following this, statues of the Buddha were installed throughout Kurotsurugi Mine to suppress its ominous energy. Additionally, numerous trees were planted to suppress its earth energy, and wooden utility poles were erected.’
‘Today, it is managed by practitioners of the Shiheng Style and its offshoots, also serving as a training ground. Entering without permission or attempting to harvest resources from within may result in legal penalties.’
‘Given the dense tree coverage, it resembles a primeval forest, making it difficult to maintain a sense of direction. It’s easy to get lost and encounter danger. Wild boars and other fierce animals may also reside within, and it is not recommended to enter. There have been continuous incidents of people seeking to prove their bravery venturing in and getting lost, sometimes with no trace of their bodies ever being found.’
…
Jinseong looked at the photo of Kurotsurugi Mine printed on the paper Rise had presented.
The mountain’s form was quite peculiar.
It looked as if a mound had been piled up roughly and then topped with a large rock resembling a sword to meet the standard of a mountain.
Only its slopes, covered by trees, appeared gentle; the sole exception being the black-rock peak that jutted oddly from the middle. It might seem eerie like a tomb pierced by a sword or absurd like a hill with a pointed stick thrust into the sand.
But despite its bizarre outward appearance, its interior was a true primeval forest.
The forest floor, choked by so many trees that sunlight barely reached it, was home to all manner of shade-loving organisms. Packed earth photos showed centipedes and nameless insects. Mold clung to the rotten trees due to the dampness, and mushrooms flourished densely. In one shadowy shot, animal eyes glimmered as if flames.
Turning the pages of the document revealed many images of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva statues.
Once crafted with earnest effort, they now bore the marks of neglect. Some were covered in mold, moss clung to others, and others were half-broken, rendering them unsettling to behold.
Flipping the page further exposed what appeared to be a training ground.
It was a concrete building, possibly erected around the early 1900s, bearing the scars of time poorly. Despite its worn exterior, the facilities inside appeared quite well-maintained for the warriors’ training.
Turning the page again revealed…
“Solar energy facility?”
A face of the mountain filled with solar panels was visible.
It looked as if a bald patch had appeared in the middle of an otherwise dense forest, where solar panels had taken root extensively.
“At the time, it was the largest solar energy facility in East Asia… hmm.”
A brief explanation was jotted below the photo.
Japan had been keen on environmental issues and leveraged this trend to secure the solar energy installation. Despite local opposition, the government proceeded with construction, fully covering one side of the mountain with panels.
“Failed to recover the investment, but somehow managed to silence the discontent… right?”
Jinseong chuckled and asked Rise.
“Given it was already built, an atmosphere of not unnecessarily stirring things up must have emerged, correct?”
“Yes.”
Rise nodded, agreeing.
“In fact, not everyone opposed the construction at the time. Many indeed opposed due to concerns over environmental destruction, fearing calamity would strike the village if the mountain was tampered with… however, many others welcomed the prospect of using cheaper electricity.”
“Besides, practitioners of the Shiheng Style helped prevent violent protests.”
“Hmm.”
“There were indeed attempts at violent demonstrations. Some threw Molotov cocktails, others brought heavy machinery to halt the construction, and citizens united to create barricades to block roads. However, the government had learned from the Narita struggle, where the Narita International Airport construction was opposed. With the help of the Shiheng Style, who owned the mountain, they subdued those intending violence and swayed public opinion against protesters, branding them unpatriotic.”
Rise said with a wry smile.
“Thanks to this, the construction was completed successfully, and those central to the protests were ostracized, becoming targets of “Murahachibu,” and had to leave for other regions.”
Listening to Rise, Jinseong continued flipping the pages.
In the back section of the documents, there were expose articles claiming that the solar panels were of Chinese origin and reports of an extravagant embezzlement fest involving the politicians and contractors responsible for the project.
Jinseong smiled as he heard Rise’s explanation.
“Indeed, a good idea has come to mind. Excellent, you’ve given me a wonderful material here. Magnificent.”
Praising Rise extravagantly, Jinseong stood up and walked lightly out of the shrine.
*
“Hmm, certainly ominous.”
Jinseong smirked upon sighting the solar panels.
The facility was exactly as he had seen in the photos.
However, one difference stood out: the soil.
What was brown in the photographs was now a dry, crumbly, almost barren patch of dirt. It was so arid that the soil easily crumbled in Jinseong’s hand, and with each touch, it dispersed lightly into the air. Even without much effort, Jinseong could break through the surface as if it weighed nothing.
“Good, good.”
Jinseong smiled satisfactorily, turned his body about, and stepped lightly into the forest.
As soon as he entered the woods, the bright sun was shielded by a canopy of trees, replaced by the heavy, damp air, a stark contrast to the arid atmosphere of the solar energy facility.
The scents filled his nostrils:
Mold scents.
The smell of decaying leaves.
Mushroom scents.
The smell of insects.
The stench of rotting wood.
The sharp odor of animal excrement.
All these smells, hidden within the forest’s shadows, welcomed him, embracing the wetness that came from all decaying life.
Jinseong took a deep breath of the damp air, stepping confidently forward where no paths existed, deeper into the shadowy heart of the forest.
