Chapter 67
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: The Ones Who Caught the Scent (2)
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“Dammit! The more I think about it, the more pissed off I get. I don't know why I have to come all the way out here and waste my time with those stinking things.”
“Commander.”
“What.”
“But they are an allied organization. You should be more careful with your words…”
“What did you say?”
“I-I apologize.”
“You insolent fool! Do you want to go back to being stuck in that shit-stinking pit, chewing on rat meat? Who do you think you are, lecturing me about being careful with my words?”
“…”
“You'd do well to remember why I made you, who's barely competent with a sword, my vice-commander. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good, now go get me some wine.”
“…”
“What? You want to spout some nonsense about regulations forbidding drinking while on standby for a mission? If you're so good at following the rules, where did you find the courage to plot a rebellion?”
“That was…”
“Shut up and bring me the wine!”
The middle-aged man bowed his head and retreated.
Leaning against a rock, the old man watched the man’s back with irritated eyes.
“Idiotic bastard. No wonder he got caught for treason, running his mouth without even knowing who his master is.”
After grumbling for a while, he glanced to the side.
He could smell the pungent scent of blood from the dark forest far away. The sound of something being ravenously torn apart was deeply unsettling.
A look of disgust crossed the old man’s face.
“Just like the beasts they are, causing a ruckus even out here. A leopard can't change its spots, not this one, not that one.”
He was truly sick of it. He found fault with everything and everyone.
And he was also displeased with the leaders of the Fortress who had dispatched him on such a task.
‘Seizure? What a joke. They call it a seizure, but it's no different from common robbery.’
It was hard to believe he’d been assigned such a petty mission, far from being thrilling.
If he had his way, he’d line up the necks of the leaders who gave this order and hang their heads on the fortress gates until they rotted away.
‘Hmph.’
At least it was a relief that the ones he was supposed to rob weren't just some nobodies. If they had been insignificant, he wouldn't have bothered, even with a knife to his throat.
‘Has it been about ten years since I last ran into those folks?’
His eyes curved into small crescents.
“I hope this turns out to be some decent entertainment.”
* * *
Juhwa opened her eyes.
Seo Ryang asked bluntly.
“Sleep well?”
*Crack!*
Her upper body shot up like a lightning bolt. She moved so fast that a gruesome sound echoed from her waist.
Seo Ryang’s face instinctively contorted.
“If you throw out your back like that, I’m the one who’ll get an earful from Lord So.”
“Y-Young Master?”
“What is it?”
Juhwa, flustered, looked out the window. The sky, where the sun had set, was stained a deep red.
“I was unconscious for half a day.”
“Add another day to that.”
“…Pardon?”
“It was a day and a half.”
Juhwa was stunned.
“For that long…”
“It was a good thing I forced you to sleep. You pushed yourself too hard right after recovering from Qi deviation, so your body was completely drained.”
“Even if your internal arts are profound and you're skilled at circulating your energy, your body is still just a body. Unless you're a supreme master, you have to rest when you need to rest.”
“…”
“Well, you got a good rest in the end, so it’s all good.”
Juhwa lowered her head.
She hadn’t imagined her body was in such a depleted state.
Come to think of it, she had only focused on restoring her body by circulating her energy, never looking into the minute details.
‘I’m a failure.’
Was it because of the joy of survival, or an excessive sense of responsibility? Or was it simply arrogance?
She had thought that since she’d overcome the Qi deviation, all that was left was to move forward.
She knew recovering her body was the priority, yet all she could think about were the past troubles she had caused.
‘How could I even think of helping anyone when I can't even take care of myself…’
Noticing the self-reproach on Juhwa’s face, Seo Ryang, who had been watching her quietly, shrugged.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked if you’re hungry. You’ve been lying down for two days, so you must be.”
At his words, she felt a pang of hunger. Only then did she notice how dry her lips were.
Seo Ryang pulled out a bundle from under the carriage seat.
“Rice balls and beef jerky made by the transport unit members. Eat as much as you like, but don’t overdo it.”
“What about you, Young Master…?”
“I ate earlier. I’m not particularly hungry.”
“…Thank you.”
“Nothing to thank me for. It’s thanks to you that I’m even here.”
Juhwa flinched.
Come to think of it, she didn’t know why the Young Master wanted to leave the Cult’s grounds in secret.
It was rare for a successor candidate to leave, but was there really a need to go to such lengths?
The thought was fleeting. She decided not to be curious, at least not for now.
“Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Go on, enjoy.”
Juhwa nibbled on a rice ball.
It was made with various finely chopped vegetables to be easy for a patient to eat. The Lord of the Garden of Joy had probably given special orders to the transport unit.
Things like this made her feel just how much she still lacked. She would have worried, yes, but she wouldn’t have been able to attend to such small details.
She was grateful for the kindness and overwhelmed by the affection. Waking up, she was keenly aware of her many shortcomings.
“Finished?”
“Yes.”
“You ate less than I thought. You’ll be punished for wasting food.”
“Ah, then I’ll save this for…”
“They say we have plenty of food.”
“…I’ll eat it all.”
“Are you sure you’re full?”
“Pardon? Ah… yes.”
“Then give that to me.”
With a puzzled look, Juhwa handed the remaining food to Seo Ryang. Was he going to force himself to eat even though he said he wasn't hungry?
Seo Ryang spoke.
“Geumho. Come here.”
*Slither.*
Juhwa flinched. A small fox with golden fur had suddenly appeared from under the seat.
Though it was a cub, its legs were quite long. Its tail was almost as large as its body, looking incredibly fluffy.
Geumho quickly hopped onto Seo Ryang’s lap, lay down, and lifted its head.
Seo Ryang offered the beef jerky to Geumho.
“The teeth that chewed on my fingers should be able to crush beef jerky like it’s cooked rice, right?”
*Chomp, chomp, chomp!*
Geumho chewed diligently on the jerky. Just as Seo Ryang had guessed, it devoured the jerky in an instant.
Juhwa’s jaw dropped.
“Y-Young Master, that fox is…?”
“Hmm? Oh, this friend is Geumho.”
Geumho.
What a literal name. Geumho, for a fox with golden fur. Whoever named it had a truly terrible sense of style.
After Geumho finished two pieces of jerky in a flash, Seo Ryang held a rice ball to its mouth.
‘Ah.’
Was it okay to give a rice ball to a fox? It even had vegetables in it.
Her worries were unfounded.
*Nom, nom!*
It chewed each bite with great relish.
Even predators chew on grass from time to time, usually when their stomach is upset and they need to throw up.
But Geumho was different. It ate the rice and vegetables as if they were a gourmet meal.
Watching it, one might think it could devour anything edible.
*Burp.*
Geumho let out a conspicuous burp and lay down next to Seo Ryang. It licked its lips and squirmed for a moment before quickly falling asleep.
Seo Ryang chuckled.
“Eat and sleep, sleep and eat. You don’t have a care in the world, play when you want to play. You’ve got it made.”
“Young Master.”
“Hmm?”
“This fox… are you raising it?”
“Well, rather than raising it, it just started following me. After feeding it a few times, I grew fond of it.”
“I-I see.”
Not a dog, not even a cat. This was the first time she had ever seen someone keep a fox.
As Seo Ryang looked down at Geumho with a fond expression and put away the bundle, his face suddenly hardened.
‘Dammit.’
It was the second day since they had left the Cult.
It would take about ten days by carriage to reach the area bordering Jiangxi. Two days had passed, meaning about eight remained.
‘This is suffocating. Should I just make a run for it now?’
*Squeeze.*
Veins bulged on the hand clutching the bundle.
Patience, patience. This was still Guangdong Province, a region where the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon’s influence was incredibly strong.
Not only that, but the Cult’s influence extended powerfully into Guangxi, as well as Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan.
If he had regained his past skills, it might be a different story, but with his current abilities, he would definitely be caught.
No, even if he had regained his past skills, it would still be dangerous. In the past, he was the King of Slaughter, but now he was a member of the Demonic Cult.
Unless he possessed absolute martial prowess that could overwhelm everyone, or could create a situation so convincing that it fooled them all, escape was impossible.
‘For now, I’ll just watch the situation. I wasn’t planning on gaining my freedom in one go, was I? Don’t be impatient, you fool.’
The transport unit wasn't going straight to Jiangxi, either. It would stop at two branches in Guangdong.
Since he was stopping by the branches anyway, he should take a good look.
What was the strength of the branches, how systematic was their communication network, how quickly could they control the region if they moved with purpose, and so on.
If it seemed too difficult, he’d give up. If it seemed manageable…
“Young Master.”
“Hmm? Ah, did you call?”
“…”
“What is it? If you called, speak up.”
Juhwa hesitated for a moment. But it was something she had to confirm, so she mustered her courage.
“By any chance, where will you be sleeping…”
“I’ll sleep here. Where else?”
“…”
“Ah, could that be a bit uncomfortable for you?”
“N-No, not at all!”
Juhwa was greatly flustered.
Of course, it would be uncomfortable. They were of the opposite sex, and he was of high status. It could start unpleasant rumors that would be bad for her, and for the Third Young Master as well.
But how could she say it was uncomfortable to his face? Moreover, as a disciple chosen by a god, she should have been overcome with joy, even if she felt burdened.
“Sorry, but please bear with it even if it’s uncomfortable. I have to keep an eye on your condition anyway.”
“I… I’m fine.”
“It won’t be for long. In about five days, the wheels will be in motion. After that, I’ll sleep somewhere else.”
“I-It’s fine, Young Master! If you are uncomfortable, I can sleep somewhere else…”
“So, you don’t need to ask if it’s okay or thank me for every little thing. I’m a pretty stoic person, so I don’t really care. Got it?”
“…I understand, Young Master.”
“Good.”
Just then, Seo Ryang’s ears perked up.
“I’m going to get some fresh air for a bit, so you rest.”
“Please be careful.”
*Clunk.*
After Seo Ryang left, Juhwa closed the carriage door and sighed softly. Her eyes fell on Geumho, lying on the soft seat opposite her.
“…You look so comfortable.”
Geumho’s ears twitched, and it licked its lips quietly. Its reclining posture remained unchanged.
Juhwa closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat.
She felt strangely tired.
* * *
“You’ve arrived, Young Master.”
“You called for me?”
Ma Dongpil scratched his head awkwardly.
“My apologies. I know I shouldn’t have, but I rashly summoned you to the forest…”
“Please.”
“Pardon?”
“Please, at least you shouldn’t talk like that. I’m already stressed out as it is.”
“…?”
“Never mind. What’s going on?”
This was the first time the Young Master had stepped out of the carriage during their journey. It was the first time they had faced each other since the Hong Wi-mun incident, yet there was no awkwardness at all.
Ma Dongpil almost smiled, thinking how typical this was of the Young Master, but he quickly hardened his expression.
“I thought it best you knew beforehand, so I took the liberty of bringing you here.”
“Knew what?”
Ma Dongpil took a neatly folded letter from his robes and handed it to him.
“What is it that you’re hiding so… huh?”
“…”
“Is this true?”
“It is. It’s likely the reason headquarters sent the Hall of Protectors along… Y-Young Master?”
*Saaah.*
An eerie light emanated from Seo Ryang’s eyes as he stared intently at the letter.
“So, that bastard, the Grand Elder of the Righteous Heaven Alliance, is in southern Jiangxi.”