Surviving as a Genius on Borrowed Time

It was an age of chaos.

Accurate information was incredibly rare. When dozens of rumors circulated about an event, the truth often consisted of just a few facts.

Even the portrait of Great Lord Ma Gwang-ik, which was widely distributed throughout the central region of the country, was no exception.

The appearances in the portraits were literally all over the place, and even those few versions were considered less varied than the reputation would suggest.

If high-ranking officials in Ipwang Fortress were caught sharing private information about their personnel, it could lead to reprimands from the government.

‘This feeling...’

Jeong Yeon-shin had looked at twelve different portraits of various appearances, each with a different style of painting. He couldn’t afford to take the documents personally handed to him by Cheongmyeong, Baek Mi-ryeo, Ak Su-rim, and the Grand General lightly.

Their actions had broadened his understanding. He had learned a fair amount of stories related to the person he would soon face.

The details of the opponent’s appearance matched several pieces of the puzzle.

“Interesting. I heard they are about three years younger than me... but they’ve certainly grown.”

Still holding his fishing rod loosely, the figure who had glanced at Jeong Yeon-shin spoke.

The clear enunciation of the words mixed with a harsh tone. The voice sounded like it was being scraped with an unseen rake, instead of the clear resonance it should have.

Their appearance was striking. The heir of the Bloodflame Sect, who was said to have deceived the heavens.

The silver mask that covered just the forehead to the tip of the nose, leaving only the lower face exposed, was a clue.

Even without special engravings or patterns, a faint sheen flowed like waves. It matched the habitual, twisted smile that always seemed present.@@novelbin@@

Meanwhile, the figure was wrapped entirely in an extravagant white cloak. Long strands of black thread that hung like decoration traced down the edges but didn’t approach too closely.

It was likely the overwhelming aura emanating from the eyes under the mask, glowing with a ghostly light. The white beast-fur scarf wrapped around their neck felt almost like the mane of a mythical dragon.

“Your curses don’t sound like curses.”