Chapter 128

During the reign of Sejo, there was a small village. This village was inhabited by simple-minded people, yet tragically, they were incredibly harsh to outsiders. With many stones around, farming proved difficult, and there wasn’t even a well in the village, forcing the residents to fetch water from afar.

However, the nearby mountains were free of tigers, so they had that small consolation.

One day, as the villagers struggled to survive by relying on each other, a monk arrived in the village.

On a hot summer day, the monk, having walked for a long time, was extremely thirsty and asked the villagers for a glass of water. The villagers happily agreed to his request and welcomed him into their home.

But strangely enough, no matter how much time passed, the villager did not return.

“Did he forget? Or has something happened?” The monk, filled with curiosity, waited in the room, and after several hours, the villager finally appeared, drenched in sweat, bringing a bucket of water to the monk. Surprised by how much the villager was sweating, the monk asked, “Why are you so drenched?” To which the villager replied,

“There is no spring in this village; I had to walk quite far to fetch it.”

When the monk asked in astonishment how far he had gone, it turned out to be more than 10 kilometers!

Touched by the villager’s dedication, the monk thought that such a person should be rewarded, so he resolved to give back to the villager who had walked such a long distance in the scorching heat just to offer him a drink. He decided to use the magic he had mastered to repay the kindness.

However, the monk, who had learned about geomancy at the temple, found the village’s geography rather unsuitable. There was no place for water to flow nearby, and even finding a spot for rainwater to collect was hard. Though the mountainous terrain was decent, it wasn’t suitable for farming.

Thus, the monk used his magic to look for a place where water might spring forth.

“I believe if I dig into this rock, water will come out.”

“Water beneath the rock? Oh dear, monk! How can you expect water to come from a rock? We don’t have anyone in the village strong enough to move it!”

“Don’t worry. I shall handle it.”

The monk, using a staff-shaped artifact he carried, drilled a hole into the rock. Then, he inserted a wooden stake into the hole and repeated the process of freezing and thawing it, creating cracks in the rock.

After five days of such work, spring water began to flow out from the crack, and that spot became a well for all the villagers to use.

“Typically, such a massive and ancient rock may possess spiritual energy, requiring offerings, but I will substitute my staff for that, so do not hesitate to use the water freely.”

Saying this, the monk tossed his staff into the rock crevice. Instantly, the muddy water coming from the crack transformed into crystal-clear water.

Grateful for the monk, the villagers presented him with a piece of lightning-struck willow that had been stored in their warehouse.

“Years ago, lightning struck and burned a gigantic willow tree at our village entrance. I managed to obtain a piece of that tree that retained the shape of the lightning. Since you lack a staff, it would be good to accept this and use it as one.”

The monk accepted the villagers’ offer of the lightning-struck willow. However, instead of using it as a staff, he carefully crafted it into a frame for the well.

“Your kindness is truly commendable. I have empowered this well so that it will yield hot water in winter and cool water akin to ice in summer. Furthermore, no matter how many people come, it shall never run dry, and no matter how high the water rises, it will not overflow easily.”

However, the monk cautioned the villagers:

“Nonetheless, this well will overflow three times. Not from storms, nor from the heavens, but when great upheavals occur in the nation. When it overflows, you must hide. And when the third overflow occurs, the Last Days will come, so you must leave the village.”

With those words, the monk vanished mysteriously.

Since then, the well has overflowed twice.

The first time was during the early days of the Imjin War.

The second overflow occurred in the year of Gyeongsul, the year when the country was snatched away.

This well was also a harbinger of national calamities through changes in the water level. On June 24, 1950, the water began to rise, threatening to overflow, and again in 1999, it appeared poised to spill over.

Due to such wonders, people regarded this well as a treasure.

—

“Truly a well-crafted divine object.”

The Last Days Well was revered as a divine object that was once considered a national treasure before the rewind. Before the war, it was common for one or two to exist in large countries related to prophecies, deemed “important yet not requiring excessive concern.” However, with the onset of the Third World War and the emergence of countless madmen, the world seemed ready to collapse, making divine objects possessing prophecy and warning abilities regarded like holy relics.

A treasure that could prevent the absolute catastrophe of humanity being obliterated without any knowledge.

The ultimate stronghold that could ensure the continued existence of humanity.

An alarm bell providing opportunities to avert global crises.

This could not simply be viewed as national assets.

It was humanity’s treasure.

A treasure necessary for the survival of humanity.

Thus, even amid chaos, it was absolutely untouchable—the divine object possessing prophecy and warning abilities.

However, being treated as such a precious thing was not entirely favorable.

Before the rewind, even a person like Jinseong, with low societal status, could not even approach it.

Only those with high social status…

For example, someone representing the face of the nation or the armed forces of the country could not get near it. They protected the divine object with all sorts of magic, employing capable persons who had reached the heights of skill, often altering the terrain itself for its safeguarding.

No one could even dream of sneaking in, and breaking through with force was impossible—no matter how many nuclear weapons they might bring.

Even now, stringent security measures remain in place, yet compared to before the rewind, it feels like a mere drop in the ocean.

“Let’s see. A magical barrier, periodic satellite surveillance, CCTV, sensors; I can even see a TOD (Thermal Observation Device) on that distant mountainside. The police likely patrol regularly, and there are probably people on standby in nearby houses, prepared for any unforeseen events.”

Only now.

Now is the only opportunity.

If a war breaks out, top-tier capable persons would be glued to guarding the well, and anyone approaching would be reduced to pieces by animals and machines. No, before even reaching the well, they’d be shredded by a hail of bullets or blown to smithereens by bombs.

Now is the moment where I can approach the well, resolve my curiosity, and have a satisfactory encounter.

“I noticed the CCTV is pointed my way; I’ve already been detected. There’s no time left.”

Jinseong transformed his mask, making his mouth stretch wide. As it did, the jaw split apart, creating a hole, from which glimmering objects streamed out in droves. The insects made from folded banknotes flapped their wings and took to the sky, while those made of gold dropped to the ground, unable to bear their own weight.

The golden insects crawled slowly across the floor, making their tracks. Their sagging bellies, unable to withstand their own weight, left behind long trails, and their six sharp legs poked into the ground, creating small holes.

The flying insect, flapping its wings made of banknotes, darted around like a pest before grouping together as if drawn to a light.

And only once Jinseong confirmed that the insects had taken flight did he start to move.

Sizzle!

As he stepped near the boundary of the magical barrier, it activated.

The metal in the stone lantern glowed red hot, and the antenna began to buzz and rattle. Along with that, devices hidden in nearby trees and soil sprang to life, sending electric shocks his way.

An immense amount of electricity sparked everywhere, coursing through the gold enveloping Jinseong’s body and illuminating it. Furthermore, a corona effect emitting a blue light shaped like a crown appeared all around.

But Jinseong trusted in the golden armor he wore, using teleportation to reach the well in an instant.

Then, he threw himself into the well.