Chapter 9 (4)
Chapter 9 (4)
"We camp here!"
"Prepare for camp!"
"Prepare for camp!"
Phew~ So we're resting here for the day?
As it started to get dark, the warriors of the Jeongmumae, who had been forming a loose perimeter, began setting up camp with the supplies they had prepared, following the shout of that old geezer, the Vermilion Bird Unit Leader, who had ordered the camp.
Even for martial artists, it was the right decision, as one shouldn't underestimate the darkness of the forest.
What am I doing, you ask?
I'm in the middle of taking out my folding iron bow from my bag and assembling it.
"What are you doing?"
Seol-rin, the very person who got me into this position, must have been curious about my actions because she just walked right up without even turning on her blinkers.
"More importantly, don't you need to prepare for camp?"
"I ordered my team members to do it. And the female warriors are setting up a separate campsite."
"...That's a reason that doesn't quite make sense, yet somehow it does."
If I were back in the modern world, I would've said something like, 'You bitch, are you eating off the blade just to be treated like a lady, you fat pig?', but looking at Seol-rin's face, I can accept why it has to be that way.
If it were me, I would've tackled her first thing to relieve my morning wood.
"Pfft. What's that supposed to mean?"
She must have taken my words as some kind of joke; Seol-rin's smirk was so alluring that I wanted to pin her down right then and there.
"......."
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, it's just that you look softer than before. When I first met you, you were so stiff I thought you were a block of wood."
If Hong Seol-rin felt like an FM soldier when we first met, now she gives off the vibe of a woman of a similar age.
"Do I look that different?"
"A lot. Very much so."
As proof, look.
"Damn it. What is that guy's identity?"
"Why is Team Leader Hong... to a guy with no background like that..."
They think they're whispering as quietly as possible, but it comes through loud and clear to my ears.
The reason they're venting their complaints is simply because Seol-rin is that beautiful.
After all, anyone who receives the love of a beautiful woman or man is bound to be the target of jealousy from their own sex.
"By the way, what are you doing now?"
"Preparing to hunt. Gotta get dinner ready."
"Hunting? When it's about to get dark?"
"I'm used to hunting in the dark."
As I explained before, the Fire Artisan trained in external martial arts to keep blacksmithing even in his old age, and I, having inherited his legacy, learned that external martial art as well.
I gained skin like iron armor and powerful physical abilities, but the amount I have to eat increased accordingly.
The more I trained in external martial arts, the more I had to eat, and since I hadn't anticipated that, I ended up eating all my emergency rations and had to hunt even at night.
"But what if you get lost?"
"It's fine. They're lighting bonfires to chase away nocturnal beasts, right? That's enough."
"Then I'm coming with you."
Huh? What is she talking about?
"What? But you..."
"I told the Unit Leader that I'm in charge of managing you. So there's no problem with me tagging along just in case."
Come to think of it, I had worked hard to convince that old geezer to let me follow this group.
If I had just said, 'I wanna come too~', from the perspective of that old geezer, the Vermilion Bird Unit Leader, the only reaction would be, 'What is this guy?'
But Seol-rin was able to get me into this spot by using the fact that I know medicine, and that Eun So-hye had left due to the shock.
Kgh~ Still a waste~ Eun So-hye, if that bitch had followed, I would've found an opportunity to gobble her up.
She was trained by me, but externally, I couldn't refute the reason that she's staying in the city due to the shock of almost being raped and her worry for that guy, Kang Cheon-ung.
Of course, there are guides from the Yakwangmun for navigation, so there's no problem with the journey itself.
"Tsk. But don't get in my way. If you do, I'll send you back immediately."
"Yeah, yeah."
Anyway, hoping she wouldn't get in the way of the hunt, I unfolded my collapsible iron bow, grabbed some arrows, and headed into the forest to hunt.
Naturally, a few Vermilion Bird Unit members blocked me, but,
"I'm going to follow him, so don't worry. And by the Unit Leader's order, this guy is under my management."
Hong Seol-rin cleared the way easily, so I was able to enter the forest without any major issues.
Thus, Seol-rin and I entered the dark forest.
Chirp- chirp-
Kku-uk- kkuu-uk-
The sky was just starting to turn into night, but the forest was already dyed in darkness where you couldn't see an inch ahead.
"Jin......."
"Shh."
Just as she was about to say something, I spotted a black object that looked like a deer, so I quietly silenced my footsteps, took out an arrow, and nocked it on the string.
Kkiririk-
The sound of the iron string, which I had twisted myself, being drawn focused my attention solely on the target.
The deer-like object must have heard the sound too, as its head, which had been buried toward the ground, came up and looked toward us, the source of the sound.
Tung! Puk!
Good shot, good kill.
"Kkaeeeang!"
Judging by the sound, it's roughly a roe deer.
Huh? You asking if it's a wolf or canine?
Deer originally cry like Ppaweaek! Kkiik-kkiik! Kkaeaeng! like that.
Especially roe deer; the sound was almost similar to a dog with a cold.
I was pretty surprised when I first heard it too.
"Still clean."
"Of course. This is what I lived off of."
Even when I was traveling to Chang'an with Seol-rin, I procured food like this.
"It's pretty big, isn't it?"
"Well, it's decent."
I gathered the dead roe deer's feet and tied them with a rope to make it easy to carry, and finished off the ends for easy handling.
"I'll carry this."
"Yeah? Then carry it and follow me."
For reference, the minimum condition to be my woman is not to act entitled just because she's a woman.
Women who say 'I can't because I'm a woman' or 'I won't because I'm a woman'—I wouldn't take them even if they paid me to fuck them.
The women I want aren't pretty dolls, but women with ability and initiative.
That's the only way it's fun to train them.
I handed the roe deer to Seol-rin and went back into the forest.
"Aren't we going back?"
"Who's that going to feed?"
"Huh? Wasn't it just for us to eat?"
"Since we're hunting, we should do it properly and feed everyone until they're full."
"Why?"
"Do you even know what position I'm in right now? I have no reputation, and I'm an unexpected tag-along... no, an outsider who cut in. If I get shit on, you, who persuaded them to let me join, will get shit on too."
So, it's a situation where I have to be recognized for at least minimal usefulness by making some delicious food.
"...Sorry. Because of my stubbornness..."
Seol-rin realized belatedly what kind of problem had arisen because of her stubbornness and looked dejected.
"Don't make that face. Even if you hadn't wanted it, I was planning to follow anyway. I had a bad feeling, so how could I leave you and go alone?"
I grumbled, acting like a nonchalant, chic man, while dragging out the words, 'I'm worried about you.'
"Jincheon......."
Kgh~ I can hear the favorability rating going up!
As I went deeper into the mountains and hunted, I was able to get a large haul.
"Three roe deer, one wild boar, four rabbits, two pheasants. There must be no hunters around here; it's a bountiful harvest."
"That's a lot. With this much, the entire Vermilion Bird Unit can eat their fill."
The entire Vermilion Bird Unit consists of hundreds of people, but having hundreds of them swarm together for a mission like this is inefficient and irrational.
Because of this issue, the Vermilion Bird Unit Leader only brought teams 1, 2, and 3, so if we combine this with the food they have, they'll be able to eat their fill.
And.......
"The Doyeong Unit too."
"Huh? The Doyeong Unit? Why are you bothering with them?"
"Grudges over food run deep, you know. Do you want to see them acting petty, dividing into Righteous and Evil factions over just one meal?"
"Hmm....... That would be a bit much."
"Right?"
Unless the goal is to intentionally piss them off, isn't it too childish to power-trip over food against the entire Doyeong Unit just because of that old geezer, the Doyeong Unit Leader?
I'm considering the Evil faction route too, so it's important not to go too far.
After tying up all the game I caught to make it easy to carry, I bent my waist backward to stretch it out.
"Phew. Then let's head back......."
"Um...Jincheon......."
"Hm?"
"Are you going back already......?"
Seol-rin's appearance, fidgeting with a flushed face that I could see even in the darkness, was quite alluring.
Look at this?
I thought she was a quiet cat, but she's trying to get on the stove first?
But obviously, this development is very nice!
I dusted off my hands and strode toward Seol-rin.
Grab!
"Ah......!"
And when I grabbed her chin with my fingers and lifted it, she became completely defenseless.
She must have learned; now it's an automatic reflex whenever I grab her chin.
I leaned my face toward Seol-rin, who had already become a served prey, and pushed my tongue into her mouth, which was opened for a kiss.
"Mmm....... Mmm......."
Every time I moved my tongue here and there to stimulate her, a pleasant throat sound could be heard.
Jjik-heuk!
"Uuuung~~!!"
From there, I put my hand into her pants, pushed aside her undergarments, and inserted my fingers into her pussy to stimulate her, and the dignity of being the 2nd Team Leader of the Vermilion Bird Unit completely vanished, leaving only a female animal.
"Puhaat......! Haa...haa......!"
As I pulled my tongue away and lowered my face, I could see Hong Seol-rin, who had already turned into the face of a female animal, gasping for breath.
Hehehe. As expected, it was good to follow on this mission.
If I train her a little more, a female ready to fall as far as needed for me will be complete.
Maybe I should just take her with me to find some fortuitous encounters.......
Rustle! Rustle!
Huh? What's that sound?
Seol-rin and I naturally turned our gazes toward the direction the sound came from.
"Who is there?"
"This voice... it's the Sword Empress-nim......!"
Hong Seol-rin, who knew who the owner of the voice approaching while clearly targeting us was, hurriedly pulled my hand out and straightened her clothes.
Damn it! That damn big-breasted bitch!
Why does the interruption come at such an important timing!
At least turn on your blinkers before coming in!
"You two were here."
"W-we were just preparing to take the game back. But why is the Sword Empress-nim here......?"
"I heard you two went into the mountains and came because I was worried. And Hong Seol-rin, the Vermilion Bird Unit Leader is calling, so go back quickly."
"The Unit Leader? Ah, understood!"
Seol-rin, who turned into an FM soldier in front of the Sword Empress-nim, hurriedly grabbed the promised game and ran off.
Damn it. The mood was good.
The Sword Empress-nim came saying the Vermilion Bird Unit Leader called, so it can't be helped.
As I secretly sighed and bent my waist to take the game, the moment,
Puk!
"Keuk!?"
W-what!?
I didn't even know what was flying at me, but something hard hit my stomach!
"You're wearing something under your clothes. In that case, I can swing a bit harder."
"Cough!?"
A familiar voice clicks its tongue as if it's a pity.
This voice is... the Sword Empress-nim......?
"W-what on earth is this... doing!?"
Through the moonlight faintly shining into the forest, I could discover that the Sword Empress-nim was taking a stance to swing her sword while keeping it in its scabbard.
"It's useless to shout. I've already set up a Qi barrier so the sound can't get out."
What is this?
What on earth happened?
Why did the Sword Empress-nim attack me?
Could the Sword Empress-nim be from the Heaven-Breaking Association?
No, the Sword Empress-nim isn't the type to do something like betrayal.
"Hong Seol-rin. That child is talented and is running around busily to raise her family."
"......?"
Puk!
"Kuheok!"
D-damn it!
She definitely swung the sword, but I can't see it!
By the time I know she swung it, it's too late!
Puk! Puk! Puk!
"Keuk! Kkeuk!"
What's even more fucked up is that the strike from the scabbard is piercing through my armor!
Just how hard is she hitting me!!
Thinking I couldn't take it anymore, I hurriedly stepped back.
"Why on earth are you doing this......!"
"The path that child will take will be a rough and rugged one. The only beings who can walk that path with her will be companions with equally strong mental fortitude."
"Damn it! Speak so I can understand!"
What on earth are you trying to say!
"Stay away from that child."
"...What?"
"A guy like you who is frivolous, has no respect for superiors, and only lusts after women's bodies is nothing more or less than an obstacle on the path she is taking."
I couldn't hide my absurdity at the Sword Empress-nim's words.