Chapter 235
The Essence of the Spirit Corridor
Basement Level 1, Boundary Chapel.
The rescue team faced Song Ha-gyun, the Watcher.
“You returned faster than I expected. Why did Mr. DiMarco let you into the underground ark?”
Song Ha-gyun asked politely. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t figure out the answer, and eventually, his curiosity got the better of him.
Then Jang Mok-hwa smiled.
“Mr. DiMarco took a considerable interest in the forbidden temple on the island in the middle of the lake. I suppose he knew that unless we met him in person, he wouldn’t share anything about that place.”
“I see,”
Song Ha-gyun replied. He hadn’t expected the reason to be so simple, but nothing unusual happening regarding a sleeping spirit would be surprising.
‘Could it be that DiMarco wants to become something similar to it?’
Jang Mok-hwa also mentioned the spy inside the Redstone Market.
“Oh, by the way, I asked Mr. DiMarco whether he had betrayed Redstone Market and told the fact that Bishop Renato returned to headquarters to the merfolk and the mountain yokai. He neither denied nor confirmed it. He only said that he would talk about it when a new bishop was appointed.”
Song Ha-gyun slightly nodded, as if lost in thought.
“Then there’s no need for further investigation. Your mission is complete. Go upstairs and continue your discussion. That would be better than standing here talking.”
He smiled and pointed upward.
Seong Geon-woo noticed that Song Ha-gyun intended to pay what he had promised and to share knowledge about Awakened Ones, and he replied a step ahead of Jang Mok-hwa.
“Very well! By the way, do you need someone to give you a massage?”
Seong Geon-woo kept looking at Yong Yeohong while speaking.
‘Damn it…’
Yong Yeohong muttered a curse internally, unable to hold it in.
“Excuse me?”
A confused expression appeared on Song Ha-gyun’s face.
Seong Geon-woo immediately explained,
“Because it’s the courtesy you deserve as a teacher.”
“That’s fine, that’s fine,”
Song Ha-gyun said, briefly realizing the generation gap with the young people.
Back in Song Ha-gyun’s room at the chapel, the rescue team took their seats. Jang Mok-hwa, clearly unable to wait any longer, asked directly:
“Watcher Song, roughly how many islands and traumas must one overcome to cross the Sea of Origin?”
Although she wasn’t an Awakened One, she had a strong research-oriented mind.
Song Ha-gyun smiled at the question and replied:
“You know quite a bit already. I’m beginning to worry whether I can demand an adequate price for my knowledge.”
After a brief pause, he continued thoughtfully:
“If you already know such basic knowledge, it will save time. The traumas and fears that reside in each person’s heart are different and have unique characteristics. Therefore, the number and nature of the islands one must overcome vary.
Some people only find themselves after overcoming eight or nine islands, while others reach the end after four or five, even just two or three islands. The number of islands one must pass before reaching the endpoint differs for each individual.
In simple terms, those full of courage with few traumas can cross the Sea of Origin at a very fast pace.”
Jang Mok-hwa restrained her urge to glance at Seong Geon-woo and asked, puzzled:
“I thought so too. But here’s the problem—as you know, each time an Awakened One overcomes an island, their abilities also improve to some extent. Wouldn’t someone who overcame eight or nine islands become stronger than someone who only crossed two or three?”
If someone had gone through eight or nine enhancements and another had only two or three, there might be a considerable difference in their abilities by the time they reached the Spirit Corridor.
Song Ha-gyun slowly surveyed the four of them with a smile.
“There may indeed be a skill gap between two Awakened Ones who have just entered the Spirit Corridor, but it’s very small. The difference mainly comes from how one applies their abilities, how they control situations, and their actual combat experience.
Whether an Awakened One has overcome eighteen islands or just two, after finding themselves and supplementing their spirit, their skill level rises to a similar height. The one who has gone through many enhancements may see slightly less growth upon spirit supplementation, while the one with fewer enhancements may experience a significant boost when supplementing their spirit.
Think of it like traveling from Redstone Market to the Union Industrial Headquarters. Whether you go by car, bicycle, or on foot, the ultimate outcome is the same: reaching your destination. The main difference is the time spent and the experiences gained along the way.
For Awakened Ones, the traumas represented as islands exist to cross the Sea of Origin. No matter the method, reaching the Spirit Corridor after crossing the Sea of Origin is the most important result for all Awakened Ones.”
Seong Geon-woo slammed his right fist onto his left palm.
“Understood. It’s like a race. Some must jump over many hurdles, others just a few shallow pits, but the winner is whoever reaches the finish line first.”
Song Ha-gyun nodded.
“Exactly. The difference is that later, when facing obstacles, those with prior similar experience will overcome them more easily.”
“Is it possible to face hurdles even after finishing the race?”
Jang Mok-hwa sharply grasped the underlying meaning of Song Ha-gyun’s words.
“That relates to the essence of the Spirit Corridor.”
Song Ha-gyun answered while taking a sip from the water glass beside him.
The four of them felt slightly uneasy. Baek Saebyeok and Yong Yeohong weren’t Awakened Ones nor especially curious, but they couldn’t completely suppress their curiosity. This was a type of power both mysterious and peculiar that humanity could experience.
Song Ha-gyun slowly began to speak after drinking the water:
“The Sea of Origin reflects one’s own spirit. The islands above it are each a fear or trauma buried deep within one’s heart. However, in the Spirit Corridor, the spirits of all Awakened Ones are interconnected.
According to the fearful bishop who initiated me, there are countless doors inside the Spirit Corridor, each corresponding to a different spirit world.
Among these many doors, some belong to powerful Awakened Ones who explored the corridor deeply, some contain spirit worlds connected to the dreams of the Moon-runners with strange forms and vibrant colors, and some even reflect the traumas overcome by the spirit world’s owner, containing scenes beyond reality.”
‘So it’s not just your own fears, but even the islands others have crossed…’
Jang Mok-hwa muttered to herself as a sudden realization struck.
At that moment, Seong Geon-woo asked with a slightly excited voice:
“So you’re saying we could enter the doors connected to other people’s spirit worlds?”
Song Ha-gyun looked blank for two seconds, then replied:
“In theory, yes. But you cannot open doors corresponding to ordinary Awakened Ones’ spirits—at least not before exploring the deeper parts of the Spirit Corridor. Whether one could open a door belonging to someone like Yeomho, I’m not sure.”
Jang Mok-hwa’s eyebrows twitched slightly. At the same time, the bizarre entity cultivated within the body of the merfolk gentleman came to mind again.
‘If we open a door from the inside, could we return from someone else’s spirit world to reality? If we merge our energy with another’s body and know the exact location…?’
After pondering this new theory, Jang Mok-hwa asked:
“Then what is the purpose of exploring the Spirit Corridor?”
A slightly sad expression appeared on Song Ha-gyun’s face.
“Many in Ashland believe there is a single New World in this realm, and that passing through the gates deep within a ruined city will lead to a world without hunger, infection, or war. Similarly, powerful Awakened Ones believe they can reach a new world through one of the many doors in the Spirit Corridor. A New World that will qualitatively change their lives.”
The four recalled the words carved by Yeomho with his nails on the coffin wall:
“A New World.”
It was similar to what Idohyung had mentioned before.
Seong Geon-woo, curious, asked:
“What happens if you enter the wrong door?”
Song Ha-gyun warned:
“You would face a bizarre and strange world. If you fail to resolve the dangers within, you could even lose your life. Failures in the Sea of Origin are just failures—no matter how many times you fail, it only makes you a bit more tired. Success yields significant rewards. But failure in the Spirit Corridor often reflects in reality as well.”
“That sounds extremely dangerous,”
Yong Yeohong muttered with a sigh.
Song Ha-gyun chuckled softly.
“Yes. Awakened Ones must face more to gain more. A coward like me can only remain where I am.”
‘A coward…’
For some reason, Yong Yeohong recalled Biele’s words that Song Ha-gyun’s true self might be different.
‘Could this be the price he paid?’
As Yong Yeohong pondered, Song Ha-gyun spoke again:
“That’s all I know about the Spirit Corridor. Ask another question.”
“Is there a reliable way to awaken a person?”
Jang Mok-hwa asked boldly, as if laying bare a church sect’s core secret.
Song Ha-gyun smiled and shook his head:
“There isn’t. But if you join the church, attend mass regularly, and receive Aidorun’s watchful gaze, the chance of awakening increases. If Aidorun personally bestows grace, the success rate rises even further.”
‘So they want to draw us into the sect this way? Haha, trying to tempt Geon-woo without a sacrament? It seems the Moon-runners know methods to enhance awakening.’
Jang Mok-hwa realized further questioning wouldn’t yield useful answers and held her tongue.
Seong Geon-woo then asked several more questions regarding the Sea of Origin, receiving quite satisfactory answers.
After bidding farewell to Song Ha-gyun, the four boarded the jeep.
Jang Mok-hwa, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced back at the Boundary Chapel.
“The new bishop will arrive soon. We should leave before that. Once we return to the inn district, let’s inform Riman about Lars and have him verify it directly. After that, our task is to investigate Helvik’s death until we obtain materials related to Machine Heaven. Oh, and we also have to wait for the company’s response.”
She had already sent a telegram to Vango Bio last night, including the temple exploration report and Han Myungho’s recommendation.
