Chapter 7: Interlude – Weird Woman

Perhaps she should have never prayed to gods. Perhaps she should have never married in the first place. Perhaps she was being guided by someone. Perhaps she was just a puppet being controlled by someone.

Japanese invaders had landed on the shores of Busan, Ryu Hae-won a married women bade farewell to her husband, who had been drafted to fight the war seven years ago.

Just like all women of Joseon, Hae-won prayed for her husband's well being to the local gods, before he had left, Hae-won gave her husband a buddhist talisman, which would protect him in times of danger.

Everyday at night Hae-won would gaze at the moon from her room, and pray for the war to be over soon, but war continued on for years and years.

Almost every morning someone would bring a terrible news to the families of Hahoe village. But fortunately Hae-won's husband was still alive fighting the war on the frontlines with Admiral Yi.

'He's going to die soon.'

Hae-won turned around, and she saw a pale man sitting on the steps of the monastery.

'Are you talking to me?'

'Your husband is going to die in about 48 hours 12 minutes and 34 seconds.'

'You're lying. He can't die, he promised me he would return.'

'Now see right there, that is a death flag. People who promise they would return, end up dying first because there's a universal law of accountability, tragic endings gets more sympathies from the people. I'm sorry but that is the truth.'

'The Protection talisman, it would protect him from death.'

'Hae-won the monk you got that talisman from, has been having an affair for months with your village's local spinister. He's no enlightened being, he's bound to the vices just like you and me. That talisman won't work. But you can keep on believing that it would work. The moment you see your husband's dead body, that exact moment you would realize that I was right and you were wrong.'

Ryu Hae-won was a woman her intitution was always on the mark. Her mind was telling her that the stranger was right. She needed to pry more secrets from his mouth, so she could find a way to save her husband.

'I know what you are thinking, don't try to manipulate me, it won't work, tears have little effect on me, Hae-won.'

'I was never going to do that, you are making things up.'

'I can hear your thoughts, so don't try to be a smartypants, and just listen to my words.'

Hae-won nodded in affirmation like a frightened rabbit.

'I could save your husband if you really want me to, you don't need to pay any price. I'm not after your money, body, heart or soul. I'm only here to help you.'

The stranger's words surprised Hae-won. She was delighted, jumping up and down in joy, only inside her mind because she grew up on the regular diet of Confucian principles.

'Do I have your permission to save your husband?'.

'Yes please save my husband.'

She bade farewell to the stranger and moved away. An old lady who had been watching the entire exchange was bewildered. Park family's daughter-in-law was having a conversation with air, maybe she was possessed, the old lady was ready to spread this hot gossip to every house in the Hahoe village.

Meanwhile the stranger was finding it too difficult to find Hae-won's husband because he had forgotten to ask Hae-won about her husband's facial features.

The stranger was embarassed but he sneaked into Hae-won's house while she was sleeping, and drummed on her forehead with his fingers to go through her memories.

Ryu Hae-won's mind was only filled with her husband's memories. This girl had stalked her husband from the young age of five. She had plotted every event and meeting of their life. In one word Hae-won was a planner.

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The stranger was surprised to find this information about Hae-won. He had no idea who he was dealing with, probably a stalker he realized at that moment.

The stranger apparated from the house, and he cleansed himself by diving into the lake to erase the obessive memories of Ryu Hae-won from his head.

After a bath the stranger was ready for his mission, he found out through his sources, that Hae-won's husband was defending a castle with his 500 fellow brothers from Hahoe village.

The Japanese fired bullets from behind the mountains, while the koreans shot Arrows from behind the walls of the castle. The arrows never reached their mark but bullets sure die hit their targets, one by one everyone died except for Park Man-Young.

He was kept alive by the stranger, as the bullets aiming for the head and heart of Park Man-Young changed the direction in mid-air and killed his fellow villagers.

The Japanese invaders burned the castle as a revenge for their back to back naval defeats.

The fire razed on for hours, the stranger loaded all corpses on horse carts, and along with a sleepy Park Man-Young he departed towards the local garrison because the war was already over.

When Park Man-Young woke up he found himself in an unfamiliar territory, he wasn't inside a castle. Park Man-Young was inside a smelly horse cart sleeping on the belly of a corpse.

After the initial shock, realization and survivor's guilt, Park Man-Young was able to get his nerve under control by remembering about his wife, Hae-won.

Park Man-Young guided the horse carts toward the local garrison, while the Joseon and Ming armies were celebrating, they were unaware about the arrival of cartful of corpses at their front doors.

Park Man-Young used his blade to make some wounds on his body. To give an illusion to all that he was severely injured.

While Park Man-Young was busy retelling the fake story of his escape from the burning castle. Hae-won was walking towards the monastery because she intuitively knew that the mysterious man was at the Monastery.

'Ah... you are finally here. Don't make that accusing face. Your husband is still alive and well. He would be welcomed back as a hero by all your villagers. Your life would improve too, because they are gonna reward him for his bravery.'

'He's alive... he didn't die. Thank you... Thank you very much.'

'Although every single men from this village died including your cousins.'

Ryu Hae-won was at the Mount Everest of Happiness but she soon fell down into hell after a sudden push from the stranger.

Before she could ask for the details, the stranger vanished into oblivion. Like every other women Hae-won could only cry while gazing at the night sky.

After Park Man-Young's arrival with the corpses, the residents of Hahoe village welcomed him in a somber mood.

While the women and children wept like usual, the old fellows asked Park Man-young for the details.

By now Park Man-young had come to believe his own lies, and he repeated the story again and this time he made himself to be an avenger, who took revenge for his comrades by killing every Japanese gunman who had attacked them.

A few years passed but the sad look on Hae-won's face never faded away, she cried everyday because she believed it was her wish that took away the lives of 500 people.

The stranger could only stare at her face and mutter to himself,

'I don't get women. Her husband is alive. Her wish was fulfilled but she is still unhappy. There must be worms crawling inside her brain. Because she is totally insane'

The stranger apparated from Hahoe village, and he was never seen again in Joseon for hundreds of years.

All her mortal life Ryu Hae-won begged for forgiveness by apologizing to the dead whenever she could. The dramatic ways in which she apologized tickled the humorous bones of many local gods.

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