The Face Genius Actor

Episode 144

Part 7, Scene 38.

Having finally located Jeoqui, Yeon quickly moved riding on Wi-rang, who had transformed into a wolf.

During this process, he thought about the unidentified charm paper he had accidentally acquired the night before.

‘That was clearly Ma-yeok-ryeong’s item.’

Ma-yeok-ryeong was originally a talented exorcist who studied under the same master as Yeon.

He was purer than anyone, respected the master, and cherished his fellow students.

Then one day, the master’s body was taken over by an evil spirit and eventually fell into corruption.

It came to a situation where Ma-yeok-ryeong had to kill the master with his own hands.

After personally beheading the master he respected more than anyone, Ma-yeok-ryeong’s heart weakened and an evil spirit took over his body.

Ma-yeok-ryeong, corrupted by an evil spirit like the master.

For years, Yeon searched for Ma-yeok-ryeong’s whereabouts to heal him before it was too late.

But until now, he hadn’t found any proper clues.

He was barely tracing his trail.

Having organized his thoughts this far, Yeon took out the charm paper he had obtained yesterday and gripped it tightly in his hand.

Thinking about it again, this charm paper was definitely Ma-yeok-ryeong’s item.

Only exorcists could use charm papers.

‘Window Ghost, Red-Bearded Ghost, Jeoqui… You didn’t do all of this, did you? Ma-yeok-ryeong?’

Yeon felt uneasy as he headed towards where Jeoqui was.

He couldn’t deny the connection between the incidents so far and Ma-yeok-ryeong.

‘If all of this is your doing, what should I do with you…’

As Yeon’s worries deepened, he finally arrived at the location.

Yeon discovered Jeoqui, which had grown to the size of an adult male.

“How much grain it must have eaten… With that size, there’s nowhere left to hide now.”

Yeon muttered this as he moved his hand to the scabbard to draw his Ghost-Cutting Sword.

But he discovered a sight that shocked him so much he couldn’t draw the sword.

A black shadow floating behind Jeoqui’s back.

Surprisingly, it was…

“…Ma-yeok-ryeong.”

* * *

“Cut! Okay!”

The filming of Part 7 of “Toema Hwan Ya Dam” concluded with the scene where Yeon locates Jeoqui and finally confronts it.

The key point of Part 7 was Yeon confirming the appearance of Ma-yeok-ryeong floating like a shadow behind Jeoqui.

However, it wasn’t the real Ma-yeok-ryeong.

It was ‘Ma-yeok-ryeong’s shadow’ controlling Jeoqui.

Thus, Part 8 depicted the process of Yeon confronting both Jeoqui and Ma-yeok-ryeong’s shadow simultaneously.

* * *

Part 8, Scene 4.

“Where did Ma-yeok-ryeong go, leaving only his shadow?”

The shadow doesn’t answer my question.

“Kuhahahahahaha.”

It only bursts into maniacal laughter and attacks.

I cut down the shadow’s fake charm paper with my Ghost-Cutting Sword.

The Ghost-Cutting Sword can cut not only evil spirits but also charms.

After cutting down the fake charm paper with the Ghost-Cutting Sword, the shadow flinches.

“As expected, you’re using that sword well.”

“…Have you finally decided to talk?”

“Kuhahahahahaha.”

The moment the shadow bursts into laughter again.

I sense something amiss and roll on the ground.

As expected, Jeoqui launches a claw attack at where I was.

A few strands of my hair are cut off and scatter in the air.

Wi-rang bares his sharp teeth at Jeoqui and attempts a body slam.

Wi-rang and Jeoqui roll on the ground.

“…It was a trap.”

“Kuhahahahahaha.”

The shadow bursts into laughter once more and scatters fake charm papers in the air.

The charm papers start to expand in red.

I immediately realize what it is and shout while swinging my Ghost-Cutting Sword.

“Ghost-Cutting Crescent!”

A crescent-shaped sword energy cuts through the charm papers that were expanding in red.

Then the charm papers explode on the spot.

As expected, it seems the shadow used ‘Explosion’, Ma-yeok-ryeong’s unique technique.

Explosion is a technique that maximizes the energy of charm papers to inflict damage on a certain area.

The shadow intended to eliminate Wi-rang and me by causing an explosion in this area.

‘I thought I might gain something… but this won’t do.’

If the shadow uses Explosion, Wi-rang’s and my lives are in danger.

Also, a massive forest fire will surely cause great damage to the area.

There are still people nearby who couldn’t escape from the epidemic.

I must prevent the forest fire from spreading at all costs.

‘To do that… I have no choice but to eliminate the shadow.’

While I’m firming my resolve.

The shadow scatters fake charm papers once again.

Some of the fake charm papers fly towards Wi-rang and me.

Another part starts to turn into Explosion, expanding in red.

Feeling urgent, I swing my Ghost-Cutting Sword.

“Ghost-Cutting Crescent Flash!”

The Ghost-Cutting Crescent Flash, said to be able to cut down a hundred evil spirits in one swing.

An enormous number of crescent-shaped sword energies cut through the shadow’s fake charm papers.

At that moment, Wi-rang, who was avoiding the fake charm papers while battling Jeoqui, notices the Ghost-Cutting Crescent Flash and lunges towards the Explosion.

Jeoqui, thinking Wi-rang is trying to escape, follows closely behind, and at that moment, the crescent-shaped sword energies reach the charm papers turning into Explosion.

Boom!

Wi-rang and Jeoqui are engulfed in tremendous flames.

The shadow looks triumphant, seemingly thinking Wi-rang couldn’t have survived.

But soon it widens its eyes in shock.

It can’t help but be shocked.

Because Wi-rang appears completely unharmed without a single scratch.

A transparent membrane covering Wi-rang’s body.

This is the ‘Wi-rang Armor’.

Wi-rang is originally a spiritual beast that fights to protect exorcists.

For this reason, he has mastered an ability called Wi-rang Armor that can withstand attacks on behalf of others.

Thanks to this, only Jeoqui lost its life to the Explosion.

While the shadow is surprised by the current situation, I jump from my spot and swing my Ghost-Cutting Sword.

As the sword tip is about to touch its neck, the shadow grins maliciously and speaks.

“The Ghost-Cutting Sword and Wi-rang… Master was always like that. Even though we were both disciples, he only bestowed the best upon you.”

“…What?”

While I hesitate, the shadow shoots fake charm papers.

As I reveal an opening while blocking them, the shadow seizes the opportunity and starts to flee.

“Wi-rang!”

I quickly mount Wi-rang’s back and chase after the shadow, but ultimately lose it.

* * *

The overall content of Part 8 of “Toema Hwan Ya Dam” was Yeon chasing Ma-yeok-ryeong’s shadow.

Naturally, the well-hidden shadow didn’t reveal itself easily.

Even when finding traces belatedly and giving chase, it was all in vain.

Then, Yeon accidentally realized there was a pattern to the shadow’s movements.

It was that the shadow left traces in villages where only burned corpses remained.

‘It’s creating something new.’

Yeon was convinced of this and found decisive evidence in the next village.

This was because a ‘Jomagu (monster bird)’ was discovered in the burned village the shadow had visited.

That’s right.

The shadow was creating an army of evil spirits by gathering resentful souls.

Using charm papers to control the minds of government soldiers and make them set fires was also part of the plan to create resentful souls.

Thus, several pieces came together to complete one picture.

Yeon and Wi-rang dealt with the Jomagu and urgently moved to the next village.

Fortunately, they were able to arrive before Ma-yeok-ryeong’s shadow could awaken a new evil spirit.

* * *

Part 8, Scene 22.

As soon as I spot the shadow, I leap off Wi-rang’s back.

As I swing my sword, the shadow, which had been chanting with closed eyes, is startled and dodges.

The sword tip barely catches the shadow’s clothes.

I point the sword tip at the shadow and ask.

“Is this Ma-yeok-ryeong’s will?”

But the shadow only bursts into maniacal laughter again without giving a clear answer.

“Kuhahahahahaha.”

It doesn’t matter.

This time, I intend to cut down the shadow with all my might.

I plan to hear what I want to hear from the real Ma-yeok-ryeong.

“Wi-rang!”

As I shout this, Wi-rang charges fearlessly towards the shadow.

The shadow shoots fake charm papers, but they have no effect on Wi-rang, who is covered in a transparent membrane.

Wi-rang, having arrived right in front, disables the transparent membrane and bares his teeth at the shadow’s nape.

But not missing the moment the Wi-rang Armor disappears, the shadow shoots fake charm papers once again.

“Keeeeee!”

Wi-rang flies through the air with a scream.

But he regains balance and lands on the ground.

I don’t watch this scene to the end and charge towards the shadow.

Because I know Wi-rang won’t be defeated by just this level of attack.

“Ghost-Cutting Crescent!”

Ma-yeok-ryeong narrowly avoids the crescent-shaped sword energy.

Then, as if realizing something, it bursts into laughter and provokes me.

“Kuhahaha! It seems you have no charm papers! Then you’re just a shadow like me!”

“It doesn’t matter. I can deal with mere shadows with just the Ghost-Cutting Sword.”

“Shall we see about that?”

The shadow shoots fake charm papers wildly like before.

It intends to attack Wi-rang and me simultaneously while casting Explosion like last time.

“Futile effort! Ghost-Cutting Sword Crescent!”

Once again, an enormous number of crescent-shaped sword energies cut through all of the shadow’s fake charm papers.

The fake charm papers that were turning into Explosion are no exception.

Boom!

While the fake charm papers explode and the body is hidden by smoke.

The shadow moves towards where the resentful souls are.

But I’ve already figured out the shadow’s intentions.

It wouldn’t have repeated an attack that wouldn’t work unless it had an ace up its sleeve.

“Not a chance! Ghost-Cutting Sword Strike!”

As I thrust the Ghost-Cutting Sword into the ground, crescent-shaped sword energy rises from the floor where the shadow is standing.

The shadow, surprised by the unexpected attack, tries to quickly dodge but its left leg gets cut off.

“Urgh.”

But even in this situation, the shadow reaches out towards the resentful souls.

It’s thinking of absorbing their power for a reversal.

But Wi-rang, who had already seen through the shadow’s thoughts, crashes into the resentful souls.

As a result, the resentful souls are pushed far away and scattered to where the shadow’s hand can’t reach.

I don’t miss this moment and thrust my sword into the ground once more.

“Ghost-Cutting Sword Strike!”

This time, the shadow’s right arm is cut off.

Now all the shadow can do is barely support its body.

I approach the shadow while brushing off the dirt on my sword.

The shadow, terrified, shouts.

“Wait a moment! I’ll tell you anything you want to hear! Aren’t you curious about Ma-yeok-ryeong’s condition?”

But I have no intention of repeating the same mistake.

I immediately swing my sword and take the shadow’s head.

Thud, roll.

The shadow’s head rolling on the ground.

Although it was eerie to see the head with the same face as Ma-yeok-ryeong fall off, I don’t show any emotion on my face.

As I look at that sight indifferently, the disembodied head bursts into laughter once again.

“Kuhahaha! Finally showing your true colors. But it’s useless to kill me. The main body has already arrived there.”

With those words, the shadow disperses into smoke in the air.

But the shadow’s last words still remain in my heart.

“No way… Has Ma-yeok-ryeong gone there?”

For a moment, the image of the real Ma-yeok-ryeong leading an army of evil spirits towards Hanyang flashes before my eyes.

I clench my fist without realizing it.

“Cut! Okay!”

* * *

After finishing filming Part 8, in December of the same year.

Finally, the editing of “Toema Hwan Ya Dam” was all completed.