Into the Creations-Chapter 66: [] World of Vampire Detective [39]

After the Halloween passenger ship incident, the influence of the Korean Black Cross Society plummeted.

Until now, the Korean Black Cross Society had received considerable support and backing from the South Korean government. The society had been recognized internationally for its mission to hunt vampires for the sake of humanity, earning the support of the United Nations.

In reality, the Korean Black Cross Society had achieved significant accomplishments. For a long time, they had consistently hunted vampires in Korea, protecting the nation's nights. At least, until recently.

'...Trust in the Korean Black Cross Society has collapsed.'

Lee Moon-hyun, the head of the society, gritted his teeth. Previously, he could contact the president directly. Now, he had to go through the Blue House chief of staff. This alone was enough to make him feel the decline in the society's influence.

The South Korean government was now deeply concerned about Jeokgwang. Jeokgwang had to be eliminated. He was a dangerous figure who disrupted the existing laws and order of society.

The problem was how to kill Jeokgwang. The Black Cross Society, which was supposed to be the expert in vampire hunting, had failed. Moreover, this incident made it clear that the police alone couldn't handle Jeokgwang.

However, mobilizing the military just to capture one individual was out of the question. The South Korean public would react sensitively to any military movement. Furthermore, using the military for Jeokgwang would be a humiliation and insult to the nation.

'The South Korean government can't act aggressively. At most, they'll only mobilize the police.'

This was because public opinion in South Korea supported Jeokgwang.

Jeokgwang was seen as a dark hero with supernatural powers.

This was the image the public had of him these days. Of course, there were also many who criticized him. After all, it was true that the vampire hunters, disguised as police special forces, had been annihilated by Jeokgwang. However, the fervent support of the younger generation drowned out their criticism.

At the same time, the incompetence of the police was highlighted during the Halloween passenger ship incident.

The fact that a Chinese human trafficking ring had been operating openly in Korea, yet the police had not only failed to investigate but hadn't even noticed it.

The distrust in the police, which had been building up due to incidents like the Kim Chun-suk scandal involving high-ranking police officials, had now exploded all at once.

'The Black Cross Societies of the UK and the US have refused to provide support.'

The official reason was that they were dealing with vampires in their own countries.

'...They must know. That Jeokgwang is different from ordinary vampire progenitors.'

They were aware of Jeokgwang's danger. Sending vampire hunters half-heartedly would be no match for him.

'In the end, it's someone else's problem. Damn them.'

Jeokgwang was only active in Korea. There was no sign of him moving to another country. Ultimately, the foreign Black Cross Societies had decided to leave Jeokgwang alone.

'Even contacting the Black Cross Society headquarters yielded the same result.'

The only response was that they had no capacity to provide support.

'Did they think Jeokgwang would stay in Korea forever? Idiots.'

Lee Moon-hyun walked along the mountain path, trying his best to maintain his composure. The person he was about to meet was one of the few he revered. No matter how bad the situation was, he didn't want to show a pitiful side to this man.

At the end of the mountain path was a temple.

Hudansa.

A temple located deep in the mountains of Gangwon Province. However, there were no monks here. The last monk passed away ten years ago. The only person living here now was the monk's teacher and close friend.

Lee Moon-hyun took a deep breath and stepped inside Hudansa.

'...Every time I come here, it feels like entering another world.'

Hudansa was silent. Not even the sound of insects could be heard. Only the moonlight illuminated the interior of the temple. At first glance, it looked like an abandoned house.

Lee Moon-hyun paused for a moment, then walked toward the garden instead of the main building. There was a pavilion there.

On the old pavilion sat a man who appeared to be in his early to mid-20s. Dressed in a black robe, he was quietly gazing into the void. Beside him was a sheathed hwan-do (a traditional Korean sword).

Lee Moon-hyun deliberately made his presence known as he approached the pavilion.

"It's been a long time, Elder Baek."

Baek Sang-gi slowly turned his head toward Lee Moon-hyun. Lee Moon-hyun quickly bowed his head to avoid meeting his eyes.

Lee Moon-hyun had always felt a chill whenever he looked into Baek Sang-gi's eyes. His eyes didn't seem human—they felt like the eyes of something else entirely.

"Moon-hyun, it's been a while. You've aged. How many years has it been?"

"Eight years, Elder Baek."

"...Hmm. Has it already been eight years? When you do nothing, time passes without you even noticing."

Baek Sang-gi's tone was gentle. However, upon closer listening, his voice was incredibly monotonous.

Baek Sang-gi.

A man who had lived for 300 years.

After accidentally consuming an artifact known as the "Orb of Life" 300 years ago, he had stopped aging and lived until now. He was known as an exorcist or a Taoist immortal and was a legendary vampire hunter who had hunted down vampires in Joseon wherever he found them.

However, he retired 30 years ago and had been living in seclusion in the mountains.

Lee Moon-hyun had no idea what he was thinking. No, could a man who had lived for 300 years even be considered human?

"...We need your help, Elder."

"My help? If it's about hunting vampires, you've been doing well on your own. I don't need to step in, do I?"

"...The Korean vampire hunters have been annihilated."

"Annihilated? That's surprising news."

Baek Sang-gi's voice remained unchanged.

Was he truly surprised? Lee Moon-hyun forced down the rising questions.

"It's a vampire progenitor named Jeokgwang. We couldn't handle him alone. We need your help, Elder."

"Wouldn't it be better to ask the government for help instead of me?"

"The relationship between the South Korean government and the Black Cross Society has been ruined. The foreign Black Cross Societies have no capacity to support us. You're all we have left, Elder."

"...It seems this Jeokgwang is no ordinary vampire progenitor."

"If you don't step in... he will dominate Seoul... no, the nights of Korea. We must hunt him down as soon as possible."

"..."

Baek Sang-gi gazed at the night sky for a moment, lost in thought, before speaking.

"What kind of being is this Jeokgwang?"

"I have a video. Please watch it and judge for yourself."

Lee Moon-hyun took out his smartphone and played the video, handing it to Baek Sang-gi. It was footage he had watched countless times while researching Jeokgwang.

Baek Sang-gi awkwardly took the smartphone. He did own one, but even after years, he hadn't gotten used to it. It was a gift, and he rarely used it.

"Hoh!"

Baek Sang-gi's eyes lit up as he watched Jeokgwang's combat footage. Unlike the indifferent gaze from before, his eyes now looked almost human.

"This guy, his name is Jeokgwang? Interesting. The ridiculous clown mask aside... his swordsmanship is extraordinary."

"His supernatural abilities are also bizarre. We suspect he's the first progenitor to possess more than two abilities."

"Is that so?"

Baek Sang-gi responded casually. He was too engrossed in watching Jeokgwang's combat footage.

"...Do you have more footage?"

"Yes."

Visit fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm for the best novel reading experi𝒆nce.

"Show me. I'm intrigued by him."

Lee Moon-hyun played the footage as requested. Baek Sang-gi's interest was a good sign for him.

"Using a sword instead of a gun in this era... I'd like to cross blades with him."

Baek Sang-gi asked Lee Moon-hyun to replay Jeokgwang's combat footage several times.

Eventually, Baek Sang-gi turned to Lee Moon-hyun with a question.

"Is this guy really a vampire progenitor?"

"Huh?"

"I've slain thousands of vampires in my time. Most of them preferred combat styles that relied on their superior physical abilities. But this guy is different. His physical abilities are exceptional, but he relies on technique rather than brute strength. He fights like a human."

"Isn't that... just his preference?"

"It could be. But listen. I've seen the swordsmanship he uses before. Well, something similar, to be precise."

"We've investigated his swordsmanship but couldn't identify it."

The Korean Black Cross Society had thoroughly investigated Jeokgwang. They had tried to trace the origins of his clown mask, his clothes, and even his swordsmanship.

None of it yielded results. They couldn't even find out who made the clown mask, and the brand of his clothes didn't exist. The same went for his swordsmanship. They had consulted experts in China and Japan, but no one recognized it.

"I see. It must be a forgotten swordsmanship. Moon-hyun, do you know about the 'Sword Association'?"

"...The armed group from the Joseon era, right? I also know that behind the scenes, they were a group of vampire hunters. In a way, they could be considered the predecessors of the Korean Black Cross Society."

The Sword Association. An armed group from the Joseon era. Historical records show they weren't exactly a benevolent organization.

"Yes. I was once part of the Sword Association. Back then, I had the chance to witness the swordsmanship of some of its leaders. I thought the lineage had completely died out... but it seems it still exists."

"...Don't tell me. Is Jeokgwang's swordsmanship related to the Sword Association?"

Baek Sang-gi nodded.

"It's not exactly the same. It must have evolved over time."

A smile then appeared on Baek Sang-gi's lips.

"The Sword Association's killing sword... It's been decades since I've felt my blood boil like this."

"Killing sword...?"

"Originally, our swordsmanship was meant for combat, self-defense, and the cultivation of mind and body. But the killing sword is a swordsmanship solely for killing. The principles behind it are all about killing efficiently."

"...How does it compare to your swordsmanship, Elder?"

"It's the complete opposite of my 'Philosophical Sword.' Moon-hyun, you can't determine the superiority of different swordsmanship styles until they clash. If we were to fight, it wouldn't be an easy victory. My swordsmanship... has stagnated, just like my aging."

Lee Moon-hyun knelt before him and bowed his head. The coldness of the dirt floor seeped through his knees.

"Please help us, Elder. Only you can stop Jeokgwang."

"Very well."

Baek Sang-gi responded decisively. His straightforward answer caught Lee Moon-hyun off guard.

"Before you showed me this footage, I was going to refuse. But after seeing his swordsmanship, I realized I must be the one to stop him. If not me, no one else can. For the sake of future generations... no, to be honest, I will kill him for my own end."

"Your end...?"

"I will kill him, and then I will die as well. I'm glad to have found a place to die."

Lee Moon-hyun and Baek Sang-gi's eyes met in the air.

Lee Moon-hyun felt a chill run down his spine.

"Moon-hyun, immortality is not a blessing."

***

During this time, I had been quietly monitoring Kang Wook-sung, the broker. I used hidden cameras and wiretaps I had acquired from the Code: XTK world.

'These are items that are hard to detect with modern technology.'

Kang Wook-sung was affiliated with Kantra, a vampire organization.

And the person who would bring the Flower of Life to Korea was a high-ranking member of Kantra.

There was a connection, so they would likely communicate. In fact, in the original drama, there was a passing mention of a Kantra executive meeting Kang Wook-sung.

I had been meeting Kang Wook-sung frequently lately.

Under the pretext of money laundering and receiving payment for the art sales I had previously requested, my real goal was to monitor him and hack his smartphone.

'Haha. Bingo!'

After much effort, I finally obtained the information I wanted.

November 21st.

The day Doris Zigler, a high-ranking member of Kantra, would illegally enter Korea. She planned to enter via a ship from Japan to Busan.

'As expected, she's arriving earlier than in the original.'

In the original, she didn't enter Korea until after December.

The reason I didn't rely on the original plot and monitored Kang Wook-sung myself was because the story had already diverged from the original.

'The Korean vampire hunters... the Korean Black Cross Society has suffered near-total losses. If they're going to enter Korea, now is the perfect time.'

I chuckled to myself.

***

Hey readers!

Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance Chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.

🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹

Thanks for being awesome! ❤️