Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 1055

“Cough!”

The cough sounded ominous.

There was no blood, nor any phlegm. Yet, each cough, as if scraping his throat, turned his face pale before returning to its normal color.

After a few coughs, Hwa Jin-Cheon, dizzy, lay still, staring at the ceiling.

Wheeze… Wheeze…

He couldn’t believe it.

Hwa Jin-Cheon was aghast at how sickly his own breathing sounded.

‘A man who once boasted of being the Dragon Head of the Beggars’ Union, the master of ten thousand beggars, reduced to this miserable state.’

There were no regrets. He had lived so diligently, never wasting a moment on self-pity. He had run and run throughout his life.

From the moment he could remember, he had been a beggar. By luck, he caught the eye of a Beggars’ Union elder, joined their ranks, and was later recognized by the previous union head for his talent. He became his successor, achieved great feats, and became the Dragon Head at forty.

A beggar who became a respected figure in the martial world, roaming the land—his life was a success. Looking back, each day had been glorious.

‘Born a beggar, I’m just returning to the dust from whence I came.’

Hwa Jin-Cheon’s eyes grew dim.

‘That’s just how life is.’

Humans are meant to sleep.

Darkness is the true essence of humanity. That’s why we sleep, and that’s why we die.

However.

Even if the comforting darkness is the essence of humanity, without a shining life, one would not know the value of the pitch-black curtain.

Humans must live brightly to better understand the darkness, to make the place they will eventually go more comfortable.

Hwa Jin-Cheon had lived brightly.

He had made countless mistakes and tasted countless failures.

Yet, even in those frustrations and pains, he had pursued the light. He had run across the continent more diligently than anyone, his hair turning white before he even reached forty.

He had used his body, mind, and soul to the fullest.

Having lived well past seventy, it was a blessed life indeed.

‘Good.’

Hwa Jin-Cheon was alone.

It was good to be alone when dying. Having lived such a passionate life, he felt no regrets about a successor, nor worries about the future of the Beggars’ Union.

Just peaceful and serene.

His body was singing with pain, but waiting for death with a smile was a privilege of one who had truly lived.

‘Come to think of it, there is one thing that bothers me.’

Though he had lived without regrets, there was still something he felt sorry about.

It was the well-being of the common people.

So many people would die without ever living their lives to the fullest, as he had.

He pitied them.

Not because they were poor, sick, hungry, or unable to get what they wanted. It wasn’t even because they didn’t know that each of them could be a great light in their own lives.

He pitied the potential of so many people who would live aimlessly without even trying, only to return to the darkness.

If he had more time, he could have done something more for them.

‘It’s greed.’

Only those who have truly lived their own lives can genuinely care about the lives of others.

Hwa Jin-Cheon only felt confident that he had lived without regrets just before dying, and only when the river of the afterlife was shimmering before him did he feel pity for the countless nameless people.

‘It can’t be helped.’

Though he realized it late, even that was not a regret.

If this was a piece of his life, then this too was a facet of his shining life.

Swoosh.

Was it a hallucination, or a phantom sound?

He saw someone cloaked in dark robes, shrouded in a hazy mist, appear.

‘Is this the messenger who will guide me to the King of the Underworld?’

Then it happened.

Whoosh.

A soft golden glow emanated from the messenger’s body.

It was a light so beautiful and comforting. More sacred than any light, more stern than any energy.

That light, which could not be defined by any single quality, gave such a strong impression that it was mesmerizing just to look at it.

‘Take me now.’

Then it happened.

The golden light suddenly surged like a wave, engulfing Hwa Jin-Cheon’s body.

“Hah!”

Sizzle!

The foul energy that had accumulated in his body began to pour out.

His depleted life force wasn’t returning, but the foul energy that had been tormenting his body was disappearing.

His vision became clearer, and strength returned to his limbs. It was only enough to walk and stand, but even that was an amazing recovery for Hwa Jin-Cheon.

Hwa Jin-Cheon’s murky pupils returned to those of the Dragon Head of the ten thousand beggars.

The cough that had been constricting his lungs, and the discharge from his eyes, had stopped.

Thus, Hwa Jin-Cheon realized that the dark figure shrouded in golden light was real.

And he had waited for that figure, fallen into the swamp of death, and soon forgot that he had even been waiting for someone.

Still, Hwa Jin-Cheon was calm.

“You’ve come.”

A composed voice.

The dark figure spoke.

“It’s been a while.”

“Your position is secure, so I should treat you with respect, but I’ll speak plainly, using the excuse that there isn’t much time left.”

“Do as you please.”

Hwa Jin-Cheon smiled.

“You look well.”

The dark figure shook his head.

“I’m busy. Every day is hard and chaotic beyond words.”

“I once thought you were an extremely dangerous person. I still think so to some extent.”

“I’ve heard it so much that it doesn’t even faze me anymore.”

“However, I’m glad there’s someone like you in this world right now.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

It was a dry voice.

Hwa Jin-Cheon leaned against the wall.

It was a wooden wall so old it was barely a wall. Even with Hwa Jin-Cheon, who had lost so much weight that he was lighter than a woman, leaning against it, it creaked.

“It’s quite a distance, yet you managed to come all the way here.”

“Indeed. It would have been much easier if the Union Head hadn’t acted so rashly.”

“You’re always complaining.”

“That’s what the Union Head is to me. Someone I can complain about endlessly.”

“Puh! What did I do so wrong to you?”

“I just don’t like you.”

Hwa Jin-Cheon chuckled.

He was saying such things in front of a dying man. But he knew it wasn’t out of malice. Rather, this man’s attitude was ten thousand times better than the worried and sorrowful faces of his disciples.

The dark figure sat down across from Hwa Jin-Cheon with a thud.

“So, why did you call me? Did you call me because you were a little sad to leave alone?”

“If I was sad about that, I would have called my foolish disciple or the elders, why would I call you?”

“You should have done that instead? What is this rashness? To meet my end in a dilapidated house, the reputation of the master of the greatest union in the world will weep.”

“Reputation be damned when you’re dying. Union Head or whatever, I’m still a beggar. A dilapidated house is good enough for a beggar.”

“Well, you’re not wrong.”

A silence fell between the two men.

The one who broke the silence was the young man wrapped in darkness.

“You who wanted to go alone, even leaving a letter with the jade staff to the elders, why did you call me?”

“I envied you.”

It was an unexpected remark, but the young man responded immediately.

“It’s natural for older people to envy youth.”

“When I first saw you, and when I saw you again, you were the same. You seemed extremely dangerous, and seeing such a dangerous person stepping up for the world, I doubted your sincerity.”

“……”

“When I saw you after the events in Sichuan, I finally realized. You truly know life. Without any ulterior motives, you were someone who could fight the world for the people in your care.”

“Anyone would do that.”

“Everyone thinks that way. But not everyone can act on it.”

“……”

“You are someone who knows that the people of the world are as precious as your own people. That’s why you acted that way.”

“That’s a great misunderstanding. I just hated the Three Evil Sects.”

Hwa Jin-Cheon smiled.

“Are you embarrassed?”

“Honestly, a little?”

“Puhahaha!”

Hwa Jin-Cheon burst into laughter at the young man’s easygoing reply. He was surprised that he had the strength to laugh that much.

The young man also chuckled and said,

“Whether it’s grudges or whatever, those guys are trying to conquer the continent. Many will die. But is that acceptable? They’re not the type to reconcile with a smile, so all that’s left is to get ready and blow them away.”

“Yes, that’s enough.”

“So, why did you call me? Besides praising me, I mean.”

Hwa Jin-Cheon sighed and said,

“You must know that the people from the Northern Ice Palace have entered Shanxi.”

“I know.”

“…Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve told the elders, but I felt I had to tell you separately, so I called you here. I also wanted to see you.”

“What is it?”

“No matter how much the Beggars’ Union excels in information, it’s hard to get information from beyond the borders. Especially the Ice Palace. It’s so far away that we don’t even know where it is.”

“That’s true.”

“However, we were lucky enough to get top-secret information about the current Palace Lord.”

Hwa Jin-Cheon took out a letter from his pocket.

The young man took the letter and said,

“If you had passed away before I arrived, it would have been a wasted trip.”

“I know you would have searched my pockets.”

The young man silently unfolded the letter and read it.

After a moment.

“Is this true?”

“It is.”

“The Ice Demon King…”

“At this point, we don’t know what she’s thinking, or what happened there that made her come all the way here. Getting this much information is a miracle in itself.”

“Anyway, the contents of this letter are true?”

“We believe it’s at least eighty percent likely.”

If the Beggars’ Union said eighty percent, it was almost certainly true.

“And what’s this last part about?”

“It’s about Tongcheon. Show that letter to the successor. He’ll know what to do.”

“Intriguing.”

“The more variables there are, the more of a headache it becomes. You say that so easily.”

“It’s a headache for them too.”

“Well, I guess that’s true.”

Hwa Jin-Cheon gasped for breath.

All the foul energy had been expelled, so his body felt lighter, but his limbs were gradually becoming heavier. It was because his life force was slowly fading.

“Before I go, let me ask you one favor.”

“Go ahead.”

“My successor, Ga Deuk-Sang, is a guy who knows how to care for the world much more than I do. He’s talented and has great insight. But for the head of an information organization, he’s too kind.”

“…I know.”

“You’re close friends, so I hope you’ll be there to support him when he wavers.”

“Don’t worry. The Union Head may be who he is, but the successor is my first true friend.”

“Heh, that’s a relief.”

These were words that could not be written in a letter. They were words that had to be spoken face-to-face with sincerity to be reassuring.

‘Come to think of it, even though I have no regrets, there were quite a few things I was sorry about.’

Hwa Jin-Cheon smiled and closed his eyes.

“We come empty-handed, and we go empty-handed… A beggar should live like a beggar, and disappear like a beggar.”

With those words, all life force left Hwa Jin-Cheon’s body.

The young man, who had been watching the dead Hwa Jin-Cheon for a long time, stood up and respectfully clasped his fist.

“See you in the next world.”

After a while.

Hwa Jin-Cheon, who had returned to the dilapidated house where he had lived his first memories, ascended to the heavens with his home, in a heartfelt cremation by the hero of the new era.