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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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Chapter 10
After capturing Bae Seo and returning to the General Store, we had a late lunch with Shin Ramen.
Yi Sunsin and Ahn Wi, between the two of them, devoured a whopping eight packs of ramen and still weren’t satisfied.
They even mixed rice into the leftover broth, showing an incredible appetite.
“Ahh, the taste of rice is exquisite. What kind of rice is this?”
“It’s called Hetban.”
“Hetban?”
“It’s pre-cooked rice made from a blend of different grains.”
“Ohh, a mix of various harvests? That’s quite surprising.”
To be honest, I had no idea where exactly Hetban’s rice came from.
I only knew it was domestic.
“What kind of tool do you use to cook this rice?”
Ahn Wi seemed fascinated by how the rice was ready in just two minutes in the microwave and bombarded me with questions.
I answered each one without holding anything back.
“It’s called a microwave. It uses electromagnetic waves called microwaves to heat food.”
“Ma… Mag? That’s difficult to grasp. The sorcery of sages is indeed profound.”
Even if I explained properly, they wouldn’t understand, so there was no reason to hide anything.
“This will be our last time eating this… ramen.”
Yi Sunsin gazed at his now-empty ramen bowl with clear regret.
At that moment, he wasn’t dressed in the white robes of a disgraced officer but in the crimson military uniform of Joseon, known as Yungbok.
Even while serving in disgrace, he had always carried his arms, prepared for reinstatement at any time.
His attire was exactly how I had seen him depicted in historical records except for the Coca-Cola can in his hand.
“Other food just won’t taste as good now.”
“You’re right. Knowing we won’t be able to eat such delicious things again… makes me want to stay here forever. Hah!”
Ahn Wi, too, expressed deep regret about having to leave the General Store.
Having tasted modern food packed with MSG, the two found it hard to pull themselves away.
[PR/N: Monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as sodium glutamate, is a sodium salt of glutamic acid. Here the MC is mentioning MSG because it has been associated with various forms of toxicity like obesity.]
But since they had received Seonjo’s decree, they had no choice but to depart for Jangheung.
“Master Choi, we are truly in your debt.”
“Wait just a moment.”
Stopping Yi Sunsin before he could bid farewell, I stepped outside with a gas burner.
I then pulled out a 1,000-won bill from my wallet and set it on fire.
“Ohh, are you performing a ritual?”
“The form of this talisman seems different from those of shamans.”
Mistaking the banknote for a charm, Yi Sunsin and Ahn Wi silently observed my actions.
In Joseon, where shamans and divine rituals were commonplace, this kind of scene wasn’t unusual.
Once the half-burnt bill had turned to ashes, I stood up.
“They say you should take me with you.”
“With you?”
“Yes, that’s what they said.”
Of course, I was just making things up. There was no reason for me to go with them.
==
—Assist Yi Sunsin in winning the Battle of Myeongnyang!
Reward: Legendary Relic
==
‘If I let them leave here, I’m screwed. No way I’m letting that happen.’
I had to stick by Yi Sunsin’s side until the Battle of Myeongnyang broke out.
That was the task my status window had assigned me.
So, I decided to just act crazy and pretend to be a Taoist hermit. Whether it would work or not I honestly had no idea.
If I tried something like this in the real world, I’d rightfully be labeled a lunatic.
As I wavered between doubt and hope…
“You can even read the will of the heavens.”
“Master Choi, let us travel together.”
…That was surprisingly easy.
‘Good thing I stuck to the sage act.’
No matter what I did, the two of them assigned their own meaning to it.
No wonder cults never went out of business.
***
Since the General Store had been summoned in the mountains, far from any villages, our first night was spent camping out in the wild.
Chirp, chirp—
The forest buzzed with the sounds of insects, and the occasional distant cry of a beast echoed through the cold evening air.
Crackle, crackle.
We sat around a campfire, warming our chilled bodies.
“If we want to eat dinner, we should hunt before the sun sets.”
“I will take care of it.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
I stopped Ahn Wi just as he was about to grab his bow and rise.
“What do you mean, not necessary? Do you already have food?”
Yi Sunsin and Ahn Wi gave me puzzled looks.
After all, the only thing I had with me was a small backpack from the General Store.
“Yes, I brought some supplies.”
I pulled a mat from my backpack and spread it out, then placed a gas burner and a grill plate on top.
“…The techniques of sages are truly convenient.”
“The bag is small, yet it holds so much.”
The two watched in amazement as I continued pulling out items.
Well, that was only natural.
The backpack I had wasn’t ordinary; it was a subspace backpack.
A magical tool with an interior far larger than its exterior is a highly sought-after item among hunters, often called an "inventory."
Its capacity was 500 liters roughly the equivalent of five military backpacks.
From within, I took out pork belly, lettuce, Korean water parsley, and pine mushrooms.
“Master Choi, what kind of meat is that?”
“It’s pork belly.”
“Ohh, the cuts are incredibly precise.”
Ahn Wi admired the uniform slices, impressed by the clean, machine-cut edges from a butcher’s shop.
“Well then, let’s start grilling.”
Once the grill was hot enough, I placed the pork belly on it.
Sizzle—
As soon as it hit the surface, the meat began to cook with a mouthwatering sound and aroma.
“Gulp.”
“Hm.”
Yi Sunsin and Ahn Wi swallowed hard.
I waited for the meat to cook properly before flipping it over.
Sizzle—
The golden-brown seared surface of the pork belly was revealed.
“Ahh.”
This was it.
The color was absolutely perfect.
Once the other side was cooked, I took a pair of scissors and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Then, I placed a slice of pork on a lettuce leaf, added a pine mushroom and some Korean water parsley, and offered it to Yi Sunsin.
“Admiral, please have a taste.”
“Thank you.”
Though he maintained a composed expression, his appetite got the better of him. He quickly grabbed the wrap and took a bite.
“Mm…?!”
Yi Sunsin’s eyes widened in shock.
“Incredible! The taste is simply divine!”
“Give me one as well. Is this how you eat it?”
Hearing his exclamation, Ahn Wi couldn’t resist. He wrapped a piece for himself, took a bite, and let out a gasp of admiration.
‘Who was that scholar who claimed Joseon people didn’t like pork?’
They’re eating just fine.
Watching the two enjoy their meal, I finally made a wrap for myself and took a bite.
“Mmm.”
A satisfied hum escaped me.
The rich, juicy pork paired perfectly with the fragrant water parsley, creating a delightful harmony in my mouth.
The cool night breeze, the full moon hanging in the sky, and the vast, open mountain landscape and now, a delicious meal to top it off.
My first night camping in Joseon was a success.
***
As we prepared to leave for Jangheung, one concern lingered in my mind: I wouldn’t be able to access the General Store.
As long as I traveled with Yi Sunsin, returning to the mountain where the store had appeared would be impossible.
‘Not having a proper place to rest is going to be a problem.’
Back in the Napoleonic era, I had stayed in one place for long periods, so I never really felt this kind of inconvenience.
However, my worries disappeared the very next day.
“Let’s stay in that abandoned house for the night.”
Unable to find any villages, we came across an old, deserted house and decided to take shelter there.
I went ahead and pushed the door open only to be greeted by a sight that was all too familiar.
‘Huh? Why is the General Store…?’
Beyond the doorway, my shop was waiting for me.
“Master Choi, you can even summon your dwelling at will?”
“Truly remarkable!”
“…”
As Yi Sunsin and Ahn Wi showered me with admiration, I awkwardly scratched my cheek.
===
◆ Dimensional Connector
—Allows the installation of a doorway leading to the General Store.
—Mana consumption: 1000
—Uses remaining: 3/3
—Warning: After all uses are consumed, a cooldown of 3 days will apply.
===
‘So it had a feature like this.’
I was surprised, but it made sense.
After all, the way the General Store appeared was never logical to begin with.
Back in Napoleon’s time, it was linked to a small alleyway house.
And now, in the middle of nowhere, it had turned the entrance of an abandoned shack into its doorway.
With the entrance changing every time, I probably shouldn’t have been surprised anymore.
‘Well, this is convenient.’
Meanwhile, Admiral Yi Sunsin began recruiting soldiers as we made our way to Jangheung.
And I had the chance to witness firsthand just how beloved he was and how many commoners were willing to lay down their lives for their country.
“If I can fight by the Admiral’s side, I will gladly offer my life!”
“Admiral! I may be old and have never held a sword before, but if I can fight against the enemy, I will join you without hesitation!”
Everywhere we went, the people welcomed Yi Sunsin with admiration, and volunteers eagerly stepped forward to follow him.
“I, Assistant Commander Bae Heungrip, will stand with you, Admiral!”
“Song Yeojung reporting in!”
Our force, which had started with just 60 men in Jinju, grew to 120 by the time we reached Gurye. In Suncheon, the number swelled to 200.
The next day, 300. The day after, 500. Then 700…
Day after day, more and more soldiers gathered under Yi Sunsin’s banner.
By the time we finally arrived in Jangheung, over 2,000 men stood behind him.
Watching the journey unfold, I was filled with awe.
He had started with nothing but a lone Admiral, abandoned by the king, with not a single soldier under his command.
And yet, he had risen once again, leading a fleet of thousands.
It was the legacy of his undefeated record throughout the Imjin War, the myth of Yi Sunsin, the invincible.
For six long years, across countless battles, Yi Sunsin had never lost.
‘No wonder he inspires such loyalty. Even someone like me is feeling patriotic.’
Seeing the volunteers pledge their lives to follow him, I truly understood the power of a hero’s presence.
If a leader like Yi Sunsin had existed in 21st-century Korea, perhaps Seoul wouldn’t have fallen so easily to the monsters.
But even for such a great Admiral, the reality of his forces left him in silence.
“Admiral! We have only 12 panokseon warships left.”
[PR/N: Panokseon was a class of Korean oar and sail-propelled ship that was the main class of warship used by Joseon during the late 16th century.]
“Admiral! The entire fleet consists of just 21 scout ships.”
Twelve warships and twenty-one scouting vessels.
That was all Yi Sunsin had left.
The last remnants of Joseon’s naval power.
“……”
The 300 warships and 4 turtle ships he had built throughout the war all of them had been destroyed while he was stripped of command.
“Admiral, at this rate…”
“We will regroup the panokseon fleet and move to Ijinpo!”
Ahn Wi hesitated, trying to voice his concerns, but Yi Sunsin simply gave the order and led his fleet to a larger port.
There, he managed to secure one more panokseon and twelve additional scout ships.
But his efforts were overshadowed by the disturbing reports brought back by his reconnaissance teams.
“The enemy fleet covers the sea like a black tide!”
“They’ve already advanced as far as Haenam!”
A massive Japanese armada was approaching.
The sheer terror of facing hundreds of enemy warships began to weigh heavily on the soldiers.
That night, I visited Yi Sunsin in his quarters.
He was reading a royal decree from King Seonjo.
“The king commands me to abandon the navy and return to Hanyang to prepare for the future.”
As he gazed into the reflection of his face in the polished twin-dragon sword, he turned to me.
“Master Choi, what do you think?”
“Follow your own will, Admiral.”
“And what makes you think you know my will?”
“No matter what I say, you won’t choose to retreat, will you?”
“……”
“Then fight.”
Yi Sunsin gave no reply.
Instead, he calmly ground ink on the inkstone, dipped his brush, and began writing on hanji paper.
I read over his shoulder.
‘Your servant still has twelve ships remaining. As long as this humble servant draws breath, the enemy shall never—’
Under the flickering candlelight, Yi Sunsin penned his reply.
I quietly left the room.
Fifteen days later, the Japanese fleet appeared, covering the sea of Myeongnyang.
September 16th, Jeong-yu Year.
The fateful day dawned.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator – Seraph]
[Proofreader – Draxx]
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