111. Merge

It was the night before the storm, which meant it was calm. However, the statement didn’t fit their situation perfectly. The atmosphere in Korea had been quite tense lately. Maybe the storm had already begun. Around August of last year, the first Monster Wave occurred on the Korean Peninsula. At that time, the public’s anxiety hit new peaks, and the phenomenon of hoarding and shortages of daily necessities followed like thread and needle.

The present appearance of the streets seemed to be a recreation of the time in the past. People were hell-bent on buying rice or canned ramen. There was no cut-off in the line from supermarkets to the small shops in the neighborhood due to the Monster Wave incidents reported every day. Ko Byeong-gap received the impression that the news was creating drama again. Their articles were so blatant, provocative, and eerie. Couldn’t they be a little quieter?

But if this was the true role of the media, he didn’t have much to say. It was said that more than 70 percent of Argentina’s land had already been declared unrepairable. Its neighboring countries Chile and Uruguay, were also suffering from the spreading monsters. If the monsters moved north with this momentum, they would soon eat Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil.

“Yes, sir. I’m the one who texted you. Yes, then I’ll visit you around 1 o’clock. Yeah.”

“Are you going out again today?”

When the call ended, his mother, Park Young-ok, spoke.

“Oh, yeah. I’ve got some business to do.”

“In a situation like this, just stay at home. It isn’t bad to stay at all.”

“It’s okay. Mom, don’t go out and stay home.”

“You know your mother. I don’t even know where to go…”

Ko Byeong-gap smiled faintly and fixed his shoes.

“Then, I’ll be back. Call me right away if anything happens.”

“Be careful.”

Ko Byeong-gap, like everyone else, was prepared for any possible emergency. However, his preparation was a little different. The items he was looking for weren’t emergency food supplies such as rice or canned ramen of seedlings and livestock. Such things could be easily obtained even in difficult times with enough money. Fortunately, the money he earned was enough now that he didn’t have to pay hospital bills anymore.

“It’s better to use it than to waste it.”‘

He converted almost all of his fortune to cash. Now, the cash he held was about to run out. He might be criticized for trusting Seo Si-hee and spending his money irresponsibly. However, Ko Byeong-gap had a different idea.

‘I can make money again, but I can’t pick up spilled water.’

If Seo Si-hee’s predicted disaster hit, a bundle of banknotes would be useless as anything other than toilet paper. In other words, it was better to use it now than to hoard it. Ko Byeong-gap was kept busy that day, roaming all over the country to buy crops and livestock. The vendors he met acted as if Ko Byeong-gap was their benefactor. They were grateful that he grew their sales in this terrible situation. It was Ko Byeong-gap who was thankful for them.

“Oh, thank you, boss!”

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“No, thank you.”

He stopped by the ranch and bought as many as 200 sheep. He even bought a five-ton mega truck and a trailer to carry them. Earning his license for large vehicles while he was in the military was a godsend. He paid the balance and transferred the livestock to the trailer. Then, he left the ranch and drove to a deserted road. After that, he moved the vehicle over to Ashvilam.

The Goblins weren’t surprised when a huge truck popped out of the air. They just figured Ko Byeong-gap had arrived.

“Lord, did you bring animals with you today?”

Kiriyan, who was just around the corner, guessed so right away. Ko Byeong-gap answered with a cigarette in his mouth.

“Oh, it’s sheep. Hey, you furry guys. Come here, everyone.”

“Yes!”

The Beast Goblins came. Ko Byeong-gap skillfully opened the trailer door and set up a foothold. The sheep were frightened by the Beast Goblins and stood completely frozen.

“Do you know the place where they put up a barrier yesterday? Bring them there and let them roam.”

“I see!”

“Separate the male and females and feed them.”

“Yep! Come on, let’s go! Kerreuk!”

“Meh…”

As the Beast Goblins roared, the sheep moved neatly in three lines. It was a convenient ability.

“It seems like you’ve been moving a lot of things lately.”

Kiriyan looked at the sheep and spoke softly. Ko Byeong-gap breathed out smoke as he answered.

“Well, maybe.”

“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”

“Come on, man. What’s wrong with that?”

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“It would be good if you don’t work too much.”

Kiriyan’s concerns were fair. After spending a few days buying in a row, his bank account balance had been reduced to less than half. It was bittersweet since he felt like his cherished barn was now empty. He smoked to soothe himself.

‘…If the world goes to war, I wouldn’t be able to smoke again, right?’

Suddenly, such a concern crossed my mind. Ko Byeong-gap thought about whether to stockpile about 50,000 packs of cigarettes or quit. Unfortunately, he couldn’t decide.

“What about the wall? Is everything alright?”

“At around noon, a few dozen Gruggles attacked, but we killed them all.”

“Was anybody injured?”

“One of the guards suffered minor injuries during the battle, but nothing else.”

“That’s a relief. Did you handle the corpses?”

“Yes, we took them to the forest and scattered them.”

“Good job.”

He tapped Kiriyan on the shoulder. Kiriyan grinned and opened his mouth.

“Also… it seems that Ashvilam is at peace only when the Lord is present. Back when you weren’t around…”

“Hey, Kiriyan. I told you not to talk about it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all in the past. You’ll only get heartburn if you look at what’s passed.”

“Well, I just wanted to say that everything now is good.”

“Yes, I know, I know. By the way, weren’t you going to the wall?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

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“Go ahead.”

“I will!”

Kiriyan bowed and left. Ko Byeong-gap took another bite and enjoyed the view of Valtadren. The Goblins moved busily like cogwheels, but their faces weren’t exhausted. Everyone was smiling brightly, and he felt good to see them moving about energetically.

‘Yeah, let’s not worry about it.’

Ko Byeong-gap recalled his last meeting with Seo Si-hee. She dared to say, “I want you to be the fourth dagger.” She said she would assassinate Go Geon-ryong, undoubtedly the strongest man in the world. He didn’t mean to rebuke or ridicule the plan itself. Rather, he wanted to give her a round of applause.

As he listened, her plans didn’t sound all that futile. However, he didn’t intend to come forward and become a part of it. She might risk her life for her cause and beliefs, but he wasn’t about to. Ko Byeong-gap had many people to protect. He had to protect his mother as well as the Goblins that trusted and followed him.

“I promise to fight on the same side with you if something does happen. But I can’t do what you want me to do. I will move on my own.”

It was what he said to Seo Si-hee. She replied, “If the assassination fails, there is no future anyway!” but failed to persuade him. To be honest, even if the Earth was turned into a mess, it was enough for him to live in Ashvilam. His mind had already been prepared.

‘I’ll do what I can.’

He was going to do what he could.

***

Ko Byeong-gap raced through Ashvilam for the first time in a while. The time was around 4 am, still before dawn had broken.

“Why don’t you get some sleep?”

“No, I can’t sleep when the Lord is awake.”

Dorma was in the passenger seat, and they were currently headed to Chitosan.

‘It’s just like that day with Marilyn in the backseat.’

It reminded him of bad memories. Dorma seemed to think the same. The two men had nothing else to say, so he diligently stepped on the accelerator pedal. They traveled for about 11 hours without a break and arrived at Chitosan around 3 pm. Kunta, the Lord of Chitosan, made an expression that was neither happy nor angry when he saw Ko Byeong-gap.

“Why did you come so late?”

“Haha, seeing that you are waiting here, I think the letter arrived properly.”

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“…Yes.”

Ko Byeong-gap glanced left and right.

“How’s the messenger we sent?”

Kunta pointed at a building with a tired expression. It was the restaurant.

“I’m struggling with Chitosan’s finances.”

“Don’t be so hard on them. They must’ve had a hard time flying.”

Ko Byeong-gap entered the restaurant first, where the little Harpy was gulping down a whitish porridge. Suddenly, their eyes met.

“Oh, Lord!”

The Harpy shouted, looking at Ko Byeong-gap. He was still young, and he seemed to have picked up the Goblins’ habit of calling him ‘Lord.’ He wasn’t the Harpy Lord, but he decided to let it go.

“How did you manage to find them?”

“I followed the direction Lord pointed out. I went straight.”

“Oh, good job.”

The Harpy’s life was also miserable for a moment. It was used as a target when Landriol briefly occupied Ashvilam. His legs were tied with chains to prevent him from running away, and they practiced throwing spears by targeting the Harpy struggling in the sky. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the Harpy was quite useful as a moving target, so they treated his injuries afterward. Thanks to that, he was able to survive.

After Landriol retired, Ko Byeong-gap found the struggling Harpy in a steel cage. At the time of his discovery, he was completely ruined by the monster’s brutality. Just looking at something like a Goblin was enough for him to cause a scene and squawk. He thought he was unsalvageable, so Ko Byeong-gap tried to kill him. But fortunately, Ea offered to erase the Harpy’s memories, saying she felt sorry for him. Only then did the Harpy regain his former gentleness.

“Stop eating and get up. Let’s go back now.”

“Go?”

“Yes, we’re going.”

Ko Byeong-gap took the Harpy out of the restaurant. Lord Kunta gathered the residents of Chitosan in a large open square, each of them holding light packages in their arms.

Ko Byeong-gap approached and asked, “Are you all here?”

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“Yes, all 819 of us. We’re all here.”

“The method of transportation is as written in the letter. I’m sure you’ve understood everything I’ve said.”

“Isn’t that just telling us to stay still and wait?”

“Yes. So, we will begin.”

Ko Byeong-gap opened the door to Earth. The Spirits’ eyes widened when they saw it. Kunta had been warned, but he couldn’t hide his surprise.

“Is this what the correspondence said?”

“That’s right. Let’s move on. Please control your people.”

“I see! Now, go over there from the front row!”

The Spirits obeyed Kunta’s instructions. Beyond the gate, what appeared was an abandoned factory located in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do. The site was in a very remote place, and since it had been neglected for decades, no one came to visit it. Just in case, he went to check it out for days in advance, and he confirmed that no people visited the abandoned factory except himself.

It was perfect for hiding the Spirits for a few hours. All the Spirits were guided into the abandoned factory alongside Dorma and the Harpy.

“Just wait here for a half day. I’ll pick you up around midnight.”

“Okay, we’ll trust you and wait.”

“You must never go outside. Please control your residents well.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Dorma, you stay here and help lead the people. No one will come, but you have to hide just in case.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll do that.”

“Yes, I left water and food over there, so you can eat it in moderation.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll see you later then.”

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Ko Byeong-gap hurried back to Ashvilam, and then, he rushed to Valtadren. At first, he thought of renting a bus to carry the Spirits. However, the method was too inefficient, no matter how much he thought about it. So, he devised a way to transport people through the door. After driving for several hours at 180 kilometers per hour, he reached Valtadren. He had been driving all day, and his body was exhausted. Still, he couldn’t fall asleep yet.

He went back to Earth and was able to bring out the Spirits safely.

“Woo… wow!”

“This is Valtadren?”

The Spirits saw the majesty of Valtadren and couldn’t keep their mouths closed. Compared to Valtadren, Chitosan was like a rural village. The Goblins waiting helped guide the Spirits. They moved them to a small area next to Valtadren. Their houses and amenities had been built in advance, so all they had to do was go in and start living.

“You will now be staying here in Insula. It’s only for the Spirits, so please feel free to relax.”

“Woo… is it okay for you to give us such a good place?”

“What did you say? From now on, we will live in mutual support.”

Ko Byeong-gap reached out to Kunta.

“Didn’t you say it was called a relationship? Whatever it is, I hope everything goes well.”

Kunta shook hands with Ko Byeong-gap.

“Thank you for inviting us here. We will try not to cause trouble.”

“Yes, that’s great.”

On that day, 819 Spirits settled in Ashvilam. Their kingdom’s national power grew stronger.