MB Ch 15

Boom! The carriage door opened, and that ‘thing’ was standing outside.

Everything was surprisingly the same. It was so similar to the fateful day ten years ago when Bari had first been released from the carriage. The wispy smoke of incense, the mysterious ‘thing’ gazing at her, the corpses lying all around them, the crowd of humans looking at them. Everything was the same.

Ah!

The people released a cry all at the same time. They were looking down at Bari as if they were seeing something extraordinary. After seeing all this, Bari came to a shocking realization.

Time had not flowed at all.

During the ten years she had lived in the underworld, the time here had not passed at all.

The reason why everyone was so surprised was because the young child who had been trapped inside this carriage had suddenly come out as a full-grown woman.

“Bari.”

The ‘thing’ called to her in its terrifying voice.

“Have you brought the yaksu from Mount Dongdae?”

Bari looked at the ‘thing’. She moved to step out of the carriage, and the floating bell rang in the air. Bari did not miss the way the ‘thing’ twitched when it heard the bell.

Bari slowly got out of the carriage. The hem of her black cloak fell with her footsteps. Having arrived at the land of the living, Bari raised her head and looked around.

The Bari who had left this world and the Bari who had returned were completely different.

“Did you bring the yaksu from Mount Dongdae?”

The ‘thing’ asked again. Bari lifted her head and looked at it. The mask-like, white face that used to cause Bari to tremble in fear. The black eyes that held no light. Its black lips.

Bari realized that this face that had brought her so much pain for the past ten years was merely a sign that had marked the beginning of the path she needed to walk in her life.

Ding, the bell rang.

The white face stirred.

And behind that face, Bari saw a beautiful maiden’s face as well as the face of a hideous monster. The person born into perpetual suffering, the person who endured the heavenly gods’ ridicule and persecution, the person who took care of those who were more pitiful than her in the disgusting pits of Wani, and the person who had lived in an unbearable hell.

“Muyi.”

Bari unconsciously called out the thing’s name. As soon as she did this, everyone around them seemed to mysteriously disappear. The thing’s face trembled.

How…?

How was Muyi standing here?

How did this all start?

No way…? Was all of this part of someone’s plan?

A shiver ran down Bari’s spine as she gazed at Muyi.

Muyi, the girl who had been abandoned by her parents since birth due to her disfigured face.

Muyi, the girl who had fallen into hell for a crime she did not commit.

Muyi, the girl who needed the yaksu to become whole.

Muyi and Bari were similar. Many aspects of their lives were similar.

Bari didn’t know how Muyi had made it to the land of the living from the terrifying pits of hell, but she was currently a person who was hellbent on vengeance. Back when she was living in Wani, she had been good-natured and generous. Such a pure person had transformed into something so wicked.

Ding.

The bell rang again. Bari turned around and looked at the crowd surrounding the carriage. The crowd had grown. People were watching them with curious eyes. Among the swarm of impoverished people, someone caught Bari’s eye.

It was an old woman with a hunched back and ragged clothes. At first glance, she looked like a normal grandmother. However, strangely, her eyes were a beautiful navy blue. Eyes that could not be found among humans. Don’t tell me…?

“Mother?”

Was it Mago?

Suddenly, the old woman’s lips stretched into a bright smile. Like an illusion, Bari saw something. The pitch-black swamps of Wani. Within this swamp, there was an ill grandmother. And then Muyi, who carried food to this grandmother and took care of her…

No way… That grandmother was really Mago all along?

She felt that the smiling old woman was saying, ‘That’s right.’

Wani, the sewer of the heavens. Muyi, the girl who had no choice but to live here. However, Muyi was not the only one. Within this miserable place, the god of all gods, the mother of all gods, Mago was with her.

But to Muyi, she was Grandma Imae, a sickly, raggedy woman. Muyi had earnestly cared for and loved Imae. Therefore, how could the goddess overlook Muyi’s suffering? How could she ignore the sins of the gods who held her in contempt and threw her into hell?

No. Was this perhaps all a test?

Was this all orchestrated by you?

The hidden things came to light. Ignorance transformed into realization. Pain bloomed into love. Was this all intentional?

“Muyi has already committed many wicked deeds. In the end, she cannot be forgiven.”

Mago’s voice rang in Bari’s heart.

“And the heavens have also been tainted with evil and committed crimes, so its collapse is inevitable. However…”

A mysterious smile formed on the grandmother’s lips.

“I am the mother of all gods. Therefore, I want to give them another chance. Bari…”

What was she saying?

No one else could see it, but the old grandmother had transformed into the beautiful goddess Mago. The purple silk clothes wrapped around her body touched the ground, and hydrangeas bloomed in its place.

Mago’s face was smiling gently at her, just as it had done when Bari had woken up in her palace for the first time. It was the smile of the Mother Goddess whose personality was merciful and cruel, the one who had everything.

“Bari, Muyi is a child I have specifically chosen. Therefore, can you be a good mother to her?”

Bari placed her trembling hand on her belly. She now understood why Mago asked them to give her this child. The child that was yet to be born was the Hwan for the heavenly goddess who had become so broken.

Bari looked back to Muyi. She recalled how she had burned and killed the townspeople in the nation of Bula. This was the kind of god she was. How many people had she killed in this way? Even if she were born anew, it would take a long time for her to wash away these sins. And ultimately, she was…

Bari’s eyes widened. She didn’t know why she had come to understand all these things. However, Muyi could.

Muyi… What kind of person would she become after suffering so much pain and injustice…

Ultimately, Mago’s request had been something like this. Ultimately, it wasn’t because she wanted eternal life. This realization made Bari bewildered and angry, but it also gave her a sense of relief.

What a wicked goddess! She had orchestrated all of this and played us for fools!

However, she was relieved. She was glad this wasn’t cruel and terrifying. If this was for the goddess’s noble cause, there was no reason to reject her request. Additionally, Muyi was the beloved little sister of Mujang, who had searched for her so desperately. If she could gain another chance at life, if she could wash away this curse and pain and be born anew, there was no reason to reject this request. With tears in her eyes, Bari lowered her head.

“I am not worthy. However, I will do as you say, Mother, and raise her to be benevolent and wise.”

A satisfied smile finally appeared on Mago’s face. It was unbelievably warm and gentle.

“Bari, you who have been abandoned since birth by your parents. The girl who has taken a long journey from the land of the living to the underworld. The woman who endured all hardships and loved the heartless god Mujang. You will become a goddess who guides souls on the path to reincarnation. The souls in hell whose names are called by you will gain another chance to receive forgiveness for their sins. This is the reward for all the hardships you have suffered in your life.”

Bari’s eyes widened, and she dazedly stared at the goddess.

However, she realized one important thing and lowered her head.

“O Mother Goddess, then please grant me one more act of grace and show some mercy on my husband Mujang.”

She remembered Mujang’s body, frozen in the field of red flowers of the underworld. His soul had guided her on her final journey and was currently in front of her eyes.

Bari closed her eyes.

She now knew that death did not mean eternal separation.

However, just once more. She wanted to live with him as a properly married couple.

Mago gave her a gentle smile. She nodded to Bari and disappeared instantly. Time began to flow once again.

“Have you brought the yaksu from Mount Dongdae?”

Muyi asked again. Bari turned her head and looked at her.

“Muyi.”

When she called her name, Bari’s belly slightly twinged.

“What did you say?”

Ran groaned out from behind Bari’s back.

“What did you just say, Bari?”

The crowd finally saw a handsome man with an aura of blue descend from the carriage. The man looked at the ‘thing’ in disbelief.

“That’s Muyi? Who are you saying is Muyi?”

Bari turned around and gazed at Ran. For some strange reason, Bari was now able to look into Ran’s past as well. Ran had also been in Wani. He was a famished little kid. She watched as a cruel man beat Ran. She saw a maiden run to the child and pull him into her embrace. The maiden getting beaten instead of the child was Muyi.

The boy never left her side, and Bari saw him transform into a handsome teenager. The boy watched as Muyi departed for the heavens. He lowered his head and bit his lips. Bari then watched as Muyi often came down from the heavens to see him.

She could see how much these two loved each other, how much they treasured each other. She saw how devastated he was when Muyi had been thrown into hell. She saw how he eventually ended his own life.

Ran, the one who loved Muyi was you.

The person Muyi was looking for. The person who can fix her. The person Muyi was longing for and yearning for. The yaksu was you, Ran.

Bari smiled and spoke to Ran in her heart.

Bari turned her head and gazed at Muyi.

“Bari, did you bring the yaksu from Mount Dongdae?”

Muyi asked again. Bari finally answered her.

“Yes, I brought it.”

Ran began to walk towards Muyi. As he got out of the carriage, the sunlight shone down on him. He looked completely different now than when he had been in the underworld. His blue hair flowed like water. The deep blue eyes transformed into clear water.

The purest light, the purest water. Water that held immense life and power.

“That’s Muyi?”

Ran’s eyes trembled as he stared at her. His feet began to walk towards her. He stood in front of Muyi. The thing began to shake. Gradually, Muyi’s true form began to appear.

Muyi, filled with vengeful spirits. Muyi, neither alive nor dead. However, Muyi earnestly wanted to be redeemed. Half of her face was extremely beautiful, the other half looked like that of a terrifying monster.

“Muyi!”

Ran pulled her into his arms. His tears dripped onto Muyi’s shoulder. A love that had waited and waited for so long. Even if thousands of years had passed, Muyi and Ran’s yearning could not be forgotten.

“Muyi! Damn it, Muyi! Why are you here? How did you get here? Do you know how much I’ve been searching for you? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you? Muyi? My Muyi…”

Ran’s entire body shook. His face twisted.

“I missed you! I really missed you! I missed you so much I could hardly take it! I missed you so much! Muyi! Muyi!”

Tears fell. Each drop fell onto Muyi’s shoulder. After falling into hell and suffering for thousands of years, she transformed into the incarnation of evil. But Ran’s tears were falling onto her shoulder. And gradually, as if her forgotten memories were returning, Muyi raised her hand and embraced Ran.

Her stiff black lips opened, and she called his name.

“Ran…”

Ran’s hold tightened around her. He embraced her with his entire body as if he didn’t want to let her go ever again.

The crowd began to murmur and drew closer, unaware of what was going on. Muyi looked at Bari. Her eyes had returned to the way it was before. They were as beautiful as Mujang’s eyes, like the moonlight.

“Bari…”

Muyi whispered. Tears filled her eyes.

“Thank you.”

And then she shattered. Ran’s body seeped into Muyi’s like water. The blue droplets glimmered and mixed with her body. It was as if two bodies were melting into one, and then they disappeared. Muyi’s body shattered as if it had splintered into thousands of stars. The shards flew up into the sky and fell on top of Bari. Bari closed her eyes. The child in her belly twitched gently.

“Uwaaaa!”

The crowd cried out. Suddenly, the two lights traveled down the silk threads in Bari’s hand.

The white light surrounded the carriage and touched the corpses around it.

The broken and wounded corpses that had been burned by fire began to revive. Muscles reattached to bones, and blood began to flow. They got up and looked at each other. The elderly couple who had raised Bari and the rest of the townspeople had revived. The evil spirits that had dragged Bari from the living world to the underworld, the black souls that had tormented Bari… Ultimately, they had been dragged to the living world by Bari. Their souls turned into gray smoke and returned to their bodies.

Bari cried as she watched.

She had helped the grandfather and grandmother who had raised her. They dazedly looked at Bari before calling her name. Bari ran to them and hugged them.

There was an uproar in the nation of Bula after the people had witnessed such things. They all ran towards the light. The Supreme King of Bula came down and shouted as he pushed them away, trying to find the yaksu. However, by the time he got there, everything was gone. The light and the yaksu had already disappeared.

That ‘thing’ was gone as well as the young man who had glowed blue. The maiden Bari who had descended from the carriage had disappeared. In the middle of the royal palace, the people embraced and rejoiced.

* * *

Within the deep, deep darkness, Bari spent three days searching for Mujang. To put it more accurately, two days had passed since Yeomra had thrown her into Mount Dongdae. 

“Mujang!”

When she saw Mujang strewn across the ground, Bari cried out and ran to him. She had used the map, so finding her way back didn’t take long. She was lucky the ever-changing Mount Dongdae had appeared right in front of the gate of the underworld.

The war was still at large, but Bari heard from the returning spirits that Yeomra had caught and confined the Heavenly Emperor and that Mago was going to supervise the upcoming trial.

“Mujang…”

He was still covered in wounds, but he was breathing. Mago had given him one more chance. After tormenting them like this, if Mago hadn’t saved Mujang, Bari would have barged into her palace.

“Mujang, wake up. Mujang!”

When he heard her voice, Mujang barely managed to open his eyes. He looked a mess, but seeing as how he was breathing, Bari felt that he would survive. She lowered her head and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“Is this a dream, Bari?”

“Dream? What dream?”

“I keep dreaming of you.”

Mujang did not seem to be in his right mind. Bari quickly laid him back down and looked around to find something to treat his wounds.

During the short time she was away, Mount Dongdae had transformed. The gray fog that seemed to surround the mountain was now gone. The sky was clear and blue. Green grass rustled in the wind, and the sharp Magenta Forest had turned lush and green.

The more surprising thing was the small, clear stream flowing near their house.

“There’s water here?”

Perhaps this was the yaksu?

“Bari!”

Suddenly, she heard a voice coming from the forest. But the voice sounded a bit strange.

“Ran?”

“Bari!”

Ran had returned to the form of a young child. However, his eyes did not look like they belonged to a child as they had when they first met. His eyes did not belong to the terrified child who had clung to her. They were deep and warm.

“My goodness! What happened to you?”

“What do you mean…”

Ran plucked a leaf on the riverbank and plunged it into the water. Then he walked towards Mujang.

“Muyi has returned, so I have also returned.”

Bari looked at him in awe and followed him back to Mujang. Ran carefully poured the water onto Mujang’s wound. Every time he did this, the grotesque cut that was oozing blood began to close up.

“It truly is the yaksu.”

Bari watched with amazement. But the more shocking thing was that Ran was taking care of Mujang. Ran’s behavior towards Mujang had either been that of terror or hatred. But now, had his feelings for Mujang melted away?

“Aren’t you hungry?”

While Bari continued to clean and treat Mujang, Ran circled around Bari as he asked.

“I’m fine.”

“But it’s not good for the child.”

Haa… Seriously.

Bari looked at Ran in disbelief. It was her child in her belly. She found it funny that he was fretting about the child by her side.

“Alright. I’ll eat something.”

With that, Ran ran off to find some food. Bari turned her focus back to treating Mujang’s wound.

“I remember following you to the living world.”

She thought he had been asleep, but Mujang suddenly opened his mouth. Bari lifted her head and swept back his hair.

“You do?”

“Yeah.”

“You made my bell ring and guided me.”

“I thought I had turned into a butterfly…”

“No. You turned into the bell.”

At that time, she felt calm whenever she heard the bell.

Bari swept back his black hair and placed a kiss on his forehead. Mujang raised a hand and stroked her face. He remembered how painful it had been when Bari had left Mount Dongdae the way she had.

He couldn’t believe she was here. He couldn’t believe the little sister who had caused so much heartache had returned. Ultimately, they were merely puppets in Mago’s hand, but he could forgive her now that the three of them were together.

“Bari, kiss me.”

Bari smiled when she heard this. It was a lot more surprising than when the god of the underworld had asked her to bear his child. She never imagined he’d change like this. 

“You’re acting more childish now.”

When he heard this, Mujang chuckled.

“Thanks to somebody.”

He grabbed her cheek and pulled her down before whispering against her lips.

“My Bari…”

Their lips merged into a warm kiss.

Light shone down on Mount Dongdae. It was a bright, beautiful light. Wherever the light touched, the dark, devastated land began to spring forth with life once again.