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She came to realize that China was deeply entangled in this matter.

She also discovered that this issue had been ongoing for quite some time.

Moreover, she found out that quite a number of people were involved in this affair.

Chinese politicians.

The factions of the Communist Party of China losing power with the emergence of a powerful dictator.

The sects of Chinese warriors proving their loyalty by sending their disciples to the army.

The intentions of the Chinese government, which started to spare no effort in nurturing talent.

All of that intertwined is the current situation.

“But…. originally, it was extremely… secretive….”

Do you know what the more interesting fact is?

Originally, their movements were so secretive that they couldn’t even compare to the current situation.

Even now, the secrets can only be glimpsed when she uses her ability to delve deeper, and it was certain that without her powers, she wouldn’t even know if such things were occurring at all—yet back then, they were even more concealed.

Indeed, it was something that could aptly be described as a ‘sudden rise’ (堀起).

After curling up for some time, it would suddenly rise to reveal a grandeur like a massive mountain, so if this isn’t called a sudden rise, then what can be?

Had things continued with a careful and secretive manner, Iserin would have learned this secret much later. Even after graduating from school—perhaps it would have taken several more years before she realized the existence of this secret and began her investigation.

Or perhaps she could have remained unaware of it until some point when the current situation would no longer be a secret.

It’s a plausible story.

The grimoire had tightly sealed its lips about risky secrets so that she could not approach them.

To prevent even curiosity, they likely hid the very existence of the secret so that it wouldn’t become dangerous—until perhaps the moment before Iserin could become openly curious.

At the thought that Iserin might not have realized this secret until then, her cheeks puffed up unintentionally.

It felt as if she might just sulk at the mere thought.

Puff.

But those puffed up cheeks soon deflated.

The small Grimoire stretched out her legs and pressed down on her cheeks, letting the air out.

A silly sound of air escaping.

And along with that sound, the emotion that felt like it was about to burst also dissipated into the air.

Iserin smiled slightly at Grimoire’s actions and plopped down on the bed.

Then, as if wrapping Grimoire up like a cocoon, she rolled the blanket around herself, transforming into a Iserin-Kimbap form, and rested her head on the memory foam pillow she’d bought not long ago.

‘Turning point….’

She continued to think while staring blankly at the ceiling.

Staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars that Iarin had pasted up by skillfully using the throwing star technique… like glow-in-the-dark ninja throwing star stickers, she relaxed her eyes. The focus blurred, and the gentle light of the stars filled her vision. However, her mind sank deeply, continuing the thoughts she had just been having.

‘There has to be a turning point… something that would cause China to move urgently….’

What she thought of was that turning point.

An event that caused those who had been operating so secretly in Korea to take on a slight danger.

Originally, China would have spared no effort to avoid being discovered.

A foolproof plan.

A method that, while seemingly difficult, proved successful.

There surely was something like that.

‘Central Asia….’

China succeeded in taking hold of some special ability schools in Central Asia.

They approached the warlords and dictatorial groups controlling those countries, as well as capable individuals who held significant influence over the nation. Collaborating with them, they amplified China’s influence, while also strategically creating pro-Chinese factions centered around Confucian academies to subtly exert influence over the special ability schools.

Only after gaining enough influence over the special ability schools could they install ‘facilities’ like the one discovered beneath Seoul Specialization High School for Ability Users.

Considering that these special ability schools were related to the country’s talents—talents that could significantly impact everything from national defense to industry—it was as if China had practically wrapped those countries halfway in its grasp.

From the perspective of those countries, it was undoubtedly a chilling affair.

So far, everything seemed fine, but after some time had passed since China took control of the special ability schools, they would surely come to learn clearly what it meant for China to possess their nation’s elites, their capable individuals.

‘But Korea… did not go that route….’

China also intended to infiltrate Korea using this ‘model of success.’

No, they planned to operate much more meticulously and stealthily—if necessary, they intended to invest a hundred years.

Korea, being geopolitically crucial, a considerably strong country unlike nations that had successfully implemented such plans, and possessing an exclusive ethnic identity, along with its historical significance… they would have surely done their utmost to procure such a nation.

Yet at some point, this policy underwent a drastic change.

As if it didn’t matter whether they would be discovered and reduced to nothing.

As if there were a reason to push things forward at the earliest opportunity.

Yeah.

That was the turning point.

An event that, even now, its contours could not be guessed.

‘It’s not long….’

And that turning point was not something from long ago.

Very recent.

Really, very recent.

‘What event could it be…?’

What on earth happened that made China start to hurry?

Why the urgency.

And….

‘Mmm… it feels like I might be being chased… ?’

…Could it be a feeling somewhat similar to fear?

* * *

The tales say.

In the late days of the Shang dynasty, there was a tyrant named King Zhou. He easily surpassed all the heroes in bravery and enchanted many people with his eloquence.

But once he sat on the throne, he gradually revealed his brutal nature, reveling in tormenting and harassing those who did not obey him. His punishments were so cruel that even the strong would be afflicted just by witnessing them, indeed, his cruel temperament was no different from that of a tyrant.

Additionally, his lustfulness was excessive, as he pursued women relentlessly, often forcing them into lascivious acts that were hard to refuse. When his wife pointed this out, King Zhou became enraged, killing his daughter and his father-in-law to pickle them, among other brutal acts. Furthermore, when someone came to advise him, he would arrest them and make them a prisoner, showcasing a cruelty that could certainly be recorded in history.

By King Zhou’s side was a wicked beauty named Daji, who, indulging in all manner of luxury and pleasure with her, intensified his cruelty and plunged the entire nation into turmoil.

Then one day, when Daji whispered to King Zhou that she desired to possess the stars in the sky, King Zhou eagerly agreed and began to construct a platform to pluck the stars.

With a circumference of three Li and a height of 1,000 Zhang, the star-picking tower built for Daji boasted a splendor that seemed to cradle the stars, embellished with strange symbols and precious materials.

Daji climbed up to the star-picking tower King Zhou had built to reach for the stars, but remarkably, at that very moment, a star streaked across the sky and fell somewhere. The meteor that fell was an egg, from which a celestial being finally emerged, leading to the downfall of the Shang dynasty and punishing those who dared to challenge the heavens, as it is indeed the way of the universe that tyrants are punished.

Thus it is said.

Do not forgive those who seek to disturb the world like the tyrant of the Shang dynasty and the wicked woman. It is right to act within one’s means and dare not challenge the heavens. The heavens are sacred in themselves and deserve to be revered; hence, it is no surprise that calamity descends upon those who dared to reach out and pluck the stars that govern life and death.

* * *

People would often attach meanings to the stars.

Connecting them to form pictures and weaving stories into those pictures.

Or, they would imbue meanings within the stars themselves.

China, too, was no exception.

They had valued the heavens since ancient times and never neglected the observation of the cosmos.

And this continued even in modern times—under the governance of the Communist Party of China.

Certainly, they had shattered myths and old beliefs, burning records and creating a significant void—but somehow, they managed to patch things back together to observe the heavens.

But could it be that the void was the problem?

Was it because the restoration was incomplete?

Or was it poorly managed?

『 Great Misfortune 』

No matter how many times they gazed at the heavens, only omens of ill fortune emerged.

Stars radiating ominous light were observed, and their movements became chaotic as if thirsty for blood, continuously warning those who gazed upon them. Moreover, even when they couldn’t trust it and offered prayers and carried out rituals, the results did not change easily…

Oh, the logic of the heavens.

Bestow mercy for the sake of the Middle Kingdom.

May the heavenly sovereign be born to stabilize the world, ensuring peace at its center.

 

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