Book 22 Chapter 1

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, even a delusion.

— The Hammer of Austerity

The hammer strikes the nail with all its might.

Bang!

The sharp metallic sound shatters the deep night's silence in one breath. The nail, battered by immense force, trembles as if spasming. Nails are made to be driven into something, but given the late hour, the atmosphere was undeniably grim.

Bang!

The brutal hammer strikes the nail again with full force. Tremendous power, tremendous dynamism. With each strike, the force in the hammer grows.

The protagonist wielding the hammer was even more chilling. A woman with her hair long, striking the hammer with all her might in the dead of night. The force in each blow is more ferocious than that of an average man. Furthermore, what she pressed firmly against the wall with her left hand was no ordinary object.

A peculiar doll made of twisted, yellowish straw. It was clearly made carelessly, with only the four limbs roughly distinguished. It certainly wasn't a fine ornament. Moreover, two large nails were already deeply embedded in the straw doll's chest, impossible to remove. The woman with the hammer watched as the doll's chest became increasingly crowded with nails, nodding with a pleased expression.

Though this doll looked utterly crude and grotesque, it was, in fact, a rare treasure in the Central Plains, difficult to find. Its usage was also not widely known. She had secretly purchased this precious item through Kuroki, of the Black Cross, who proclaimed himself a devoted servant of love.

"This, you see, is a magical tool that perfectly fulfills love. It's imported, you know! From across the sea! Doesn't it look adorable? And it's incredibly easy to use."

These were Kuroki's words. She marveled at how he managed to procure such a rare item from across the sea. Perhaps that's why the price was exorbitant. To acquire this item, she had to give Kuroki two pairs of her magnificent ruby bracelets. Still, it was fortunate that she had acquired such an item in advance; these were not times to quibble over money.

"Yeonbi, you wait!"

That worthless wretch, whose origins she didn't even know, received *his* proposal… She could no longer let this slide. Because her beloved was so outstanding, scoundrels always hovered around him, but he had never proposed to anyone before. What wicked sorcery had that woman employed! She ground her teeth again, so hard that they could have crushed stone.

'But if I have this too…!'

An eye for an eye, sorcery for sorcery! She had considered using domestic items, but imported goods felt more reliable. The very strangeness of its appearance made it perfectly suited to her tastes. Things that look normal are often shoddy, so this crude-looking item must be genuine! Moreover, it was ten times more expensive than others, so it was bound to be more effective.

"Place your beloved's hair inside the doll and drive large nails into its heart!"

They said that the arrow of love, imbued with such sentiments, would strike directly into your beloved's heart like a nail. Furthermore, it was said to act as an insecticide, eliminating rivals.

"Many people have seen results, so it's sure to work. They say it gets truly fiery when properly driven in."

She remembered Kuroki's confident smile as he pressed the doll into her hands. It was undoubtedly a potent item.

'Believe! Believe! I believe!'

In matters like this, blind faith was paramount. A heart without doubt, a heart without doubt, concentration, concentration, single-minded focus, single-minded focus!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Again, angry sparks fly from the nail.

In the eerie room lit only by two candles, she, the daughter of Janggangsu, Goryongmi Hae-eohwa, was sweating profusely on her forehead as she forcefully hammered large nails into the heart of the straw doll for love.

Of course, Hae-eohwa hadn't wanted to resort to such a cumbersome method from the start. She had a simple and immediate method that she frequently employed. She would summon one of her trusted subordinates and drop a hint. For example, yesterday afternoon, with a meaningful expression, she pointed her index finger and said:

"Yeonbi is to be cut off. Understood?"

As part of her firm resolve to make that woman utterly incapable of recovering, she added an unusual remark.

"Because it's you, I trust you'll handle it well."

The subordinate, who had silently received the order, contorted his fierce face and let out a strange, dry chuckle. He was a man notorious for his peculiar cruelty towards women. Thus, Hae-eohwa, who had consistently treated him with coldness, now deliberately summoned him and told him he'd handle it well because it was him. Her intentions were beyond doubt. He swallowed the saliva that threatened to dribble from his lips and rejoiced. After all, none of the women who had earned her wrath were lacking in beauty. Hae-eohwa smiled with satisfaction as she watched her terrifyingly grinning subordinate.

However, just this afternoon, her face was etched with horror.

The subordinate, who had run off enthusiastically, returned in a bizarre state. The fact that the word 'pervert' was written on his forehead was not the main issue. He, whose only characteristics had been ferocity and cruelty, had returned with vacant eyes, transformed into a docile lamb. As soon as Hae-eohwa saw his face, looking at her with unfocused eyes and a gaping smile, she shivered with an inexplicable chill. It was truly a dreadful smile.

The physician, who had rushed over upon being summoned, examined his pupils and pulse, completed a brief examination, and shook his head.

"In technical terms, he has fallen into a state of 'Trauma-Induced Toroma'. Essentially, it's as if he's been possessed by a demon after experiencing an extremely terrifying situation, like encountering a Rakshasa from hell."

"……?"

"Well, to put it simply, it's like a friend of 'Qi Deviation'."

"Are there any cures?"

"…Time is the medicine, ho ho ho."

Her plan had thus failed. Yeonbi was indeed a sorceress who employed dark arts. If so, she had to counter with dark arts! Fortunately, she had been working on some magical tools for the past few days.

'This time, I will definitely succeed!'

Screeeeeeeech!

Taa-dang!

The hammer, imbued with firm resolve, shot forward like a gale and struck the nail once more.

Pah-bat!

Sparks flew again.

* * *

"Cough!"

The man fell to his knees, clutching his chest in pain that felt like his heart was being gouged out.

"Kyaaaaaaak!! What's wrong, my lord?"

The women surrounding him shrieked.

"I-I'm fine. My heart suddenly felt like it was stabbed by a nail…"

His complexion, kneeling on one knee on the floor, was ashen.

"Kkyak! Are you really okay? Your face is as white as a sheet!"

A master of his caliber could control his biological metabolic functions to some extent, yet his forehead was covered in a cold sweat. He was enduring it out of dignity, but he was clearly in great pain.

"Y-yes. He looks like a delicate young master with a terminal illness. Sitting on a white bed, shedding tears as he gazes at the falling leaves outside the window with every gust of wind."

"Ah, delicate sickness…"

The woman who said this seemed strangely flushed. Her imagination was clearly running wild.

"Kyak! Even in that state, he's so incredibly charming."

The women erupted in adoration again. It seemed they didn't care if he was in pain as long as he showed them something to be ecstatic about. Jagun, in his own way, was also enjoying the situation.

"Hmph!"

Ah, indeed, he was a sinful man. Even his pain and frailty were sublimated into an aesthetic masterpiece that instantly captured the hearts of women. Sigh, what a sinful life this was.

"Aaaaah…!"

Some suddenly clutched their noses and staggered, collapsing. Others quickly rushed to help those who fell. Had they secretly gathered to practice at night? Their synchronized movements suggested they had done this before.

If Jagun truly passed out, they would all likely faint and collapse. They might even consider mass suicide. Their cause of death, recorded in red ink, might include "The Pinnacle of Delusion." Was this what they meant by reality being invaded by fantasy? Whether there was a basis or not, whether it was realistic or not, delusion had already become their reason for living.

Lies, it seemed, had the power to affect reality as much as, or even more than, truth.

* * *

"Hah! Hah! Hah!"

The woman panted, her hammer dangling limply. How many times had she struck? Her shoulders ached severely. It was the result of pouring all her might into each blow. But was it really effective? The inability to confirm it visually was maddening.

"Ugh, why is this so difficult!"

Overcome with irritation, Hae-eohwa threw the hammer to the ground. She had no idea that the effects were just beginning to manifest. Whether it was a dream or a spell, persistence and effort were required to achieve anything.

Having to do this for days on end made her arms ache even more at the thought. Besides, according to Kuroki, the results couldn't be confirmed immediately.

"It varies from person to person. But if you diligently follow the instructions, most people see results within two weeks to a month."

For her impatient nature, nothing was more annoying.

"Most people see results, so what happens to those who aren't in the 'most'?"

She erupted in anger, stomping on the fallen hammer. She had tried her best to endure it with the power of love, but by the fourth day, her patience for love had sunk to the bottom of the ocean, miles deep, entangled with a boulder.

"I won't do it! I won't do it! I won't do it!"

She decided to use her own tried-and-true method, one she knew how to employ perfectly. It was named the 'Daddy! Help Me!' operation!

Her father, a being of immense power, wealth, and strength, would rush to her aid at the slightest tear and a single plea. When else would she use his omnipotent power if not now?

She immediately sat down at her desk and began writing a letter with a single stroke. She was surprisingly diligent when it came to unproductive tasks.

Of course, she didn't forget to add a tear of falsehood as the final touch, smudging her signature.

* * *

Even if it was false, the power of a tear-stained letter was formidable. The Black Dragon King, known as the ruler of the Yangtze River, was enraged and immediately summoned his elite subordinates.

These were the so-called 'Ten Warriors of the Yangtze,' whose formidable power was unrivaled both in and out of the water. Those who were caught off guard by their visit while resisting Janggangsu were no match for them. They were the symbol of Janggangsu's power. Recently, there had been no need to summon all of them, but a single tear-stained letter made it possible.

"There is a place we must go."

"Where is it?"

They were ready to rush and destroy wherever it was.

"Macheon Pavilion."

The Ten Warriors stirred at the unexpected name. Even for Janggangsu, Macheon Pavilion was a place they were reluctant to touch. For the sake of Macheon Pavilion's reputation, they had even refrained from any business activities in Dongting Lake.

"Take care of one person and return immediately."

Sighs of relief erupted from various directions at the Black Dragon King's words. Fortunately, it seemed their master's mind hadn't gone irreversibly insane. However, one question remained.

"Do we all ten of us need to go for this one person?"

"I don't know!"

"What?"

Such an absurd statement.

"If my daughter needs it, then she needs it."

"……"

"What is it? Those looks! Are you dissatisfied?"

The Black Dragon King's eyes glinted. He was not magnanimous enough to indulge disobedient subordinates.

"Go quickly, resolve it swiftly. As thoroughly and rapidly as possible."

He seemed not to consider the possibility that their dominance over the Yangtze River might weaken because of this. He was a perfect example of someone who couldn't distinguish between public and private matters. However, these Ten Warriors knew from their long years of service that talking back would only earn them a beating. What could a subordinate do? They had to obey their superior.

So, they immediately boarded the 'Sea God,' the fastest boat from Janggangsu, and headed for Macheon Pavilion.

The twenty oars, rowed by sixty men in perfect unison, fluttered like wings.

The 'Sea God' crossed the Yangtze River with the speed of a gale.

The Black Dragon King, gazing at the disappearing wake of the Sea God, finally turned around after the boat was out of sight.

"Now, let's handle the commission I received after a long time."

He recalled the client he had met just before receiving his daughter's letter. The request was simple: block the shipping routes of the Zhongyang Express Company by any means necessary. In that case, the best method to achieve a double benefit would be 'plunder.' The client had replied immediately upon hearing his words:

"Very well, very good."

An interesting person, an interesting client. Although his face was hidden, the Black Dragon King already knew who he was. He was a client he had encountered several times before. Although he pretended not to know, he had long since completed his background checks for business security. He was one of the Four Sword Masters of Zhongyuan Express Company, which boasted of being the foremost express company in the martial arts world. He called himself a person of the 'righteous path.' And this place, Janggangsu, was originally a place where people of the righteous path like him should not set foot.

'Whether it's Zhongyang or Zhongyuan, all we get is the crumbs, but the destination of the cargo is Macheon Pavilion of all places.'

The Black Dragon King frowned and picked his ear. He didn't care about petty express companies like Zhongyang, but he really didn't want to offend Macheon Pavilion. Despite being the ruler of the Yangtze River, safety was paramount in business, wasn't it?

Taking care of one girl might be excusable with some plausible deniability, but plundering cargo from a ship was strictly 'business,' making cleanup complicated. However, Zhongyuan Express Company was one of their regular clients, not to mention their considerable fees…

'I'll just make a secret, quick strike with one large vessel and then disappear.'

After finalizing his grand plan to quickly finish the job, collect the hefty commission, and spend it lavishly, he summoned his favored subordinate.

"Summon Captain Sagak!"

When it came to hit-and-run tactics, no one could match his seamanship on the water. Furthermore, his discretion made him ideal for such tasks.

'Those Zhongyang rascals will soon become fish food… I should tell my daughter not to eat fish at meals for a while. This collective feeding system is problematic. Giving children fish without verifying what they eat. Ugh, bad people!'

Before even starting the job, the Black Dragon King's imagination had already traveled a thousand miles.