Chapter 19
Chapter 19
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Persistent Stranger
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Night in the mountains falls abruptly, and the temperature plummets in no time.
Deep in the mountains, visibility drops off sharply. In the pitch-black darkness where even moonlight is blocked by trees, groping around blindly can leave you hopelessly lost before you realize it.
With the temperature crashing like that, you have to light a campfire to fend off the cold.
But that firelight always carries the risk of drawing in wild beasts or bandits.
So the campsite has to be chosen with utmost care.
"This place looks good."
They finally found a spot that passed muster, and everyone started unpacking and settling in for some rest.
A few people headed off to gather firewood and scout for drinking water nearby, getting everything ready for the night.
Hah... hah...
But one person in the group was struggling more than the rest.
A burly-looking man leaned against a tree, gasping for breath.
It was Yoo Yeong-mok, the second son of the Willow Escort Bureau.
"Are you alright?"
A woman handed him a waterskin.
Yoo Yeong-mok took it gratefully.
"Thank you, Escort Ga."
The water sliding down his throat was lukewarm, but he'd never tasted anything so good.
"If I'd known it'd be like this, I should've trained up a bit beforehand."
Yoo Yeong-mok gave an awkward laugh.
This escort mission was nothing like the usual ones.
It had to be kept so secret that no one could track their movements, and fast enough that no one could catch them.
Never in all his years of escort work had he faced anything this grueling.
He'd tagged along on a few missions as a kid, but this was his first real one in ages.
Normally, his father or older brother would have handled this.
But for some reason, both had vanished without a trace on the previous job.
He was the only one left to take charge of the bureau.
The woman, Ga Jin, shook her head.
"You're doing just fine."
It wasn't empty flattery—even seasoned escorts would struggle with this forced march.
Proof of that: some of the escorts were sprawled out on the ground, utterly spent.
For someone with little experience like Yoo Yeong-mok to keep up this far was impressive in itself.
"I'll handle watch duty. Take it easy for a bit."
Ga Jin stood up.
Once she was gone, Yoo Yeong-mok let out a deep, weary sigh.
The Willow Escort Bureau was in shambles right now.
The bureau chief and his eldest son had both gone missing on that last mission.
With the key people gone, the cargo hadn't made it through, and they'd taken a massive hit.
This mission was them scraping together every last resource after paying off the penalties.
It was all-or-nothing for a bureau handed down three generations.
"I have to make this escort a success."
Even ten successful runs could be undone by one failure.
Not only did they have to compensate for the lost goods, but all the trust built up over the years came crashing down too.
At least they'd gotten this one last shot.
This mission was the lifeline woven from all the Willow Escort Bureau's past reputation and hard work.
"If only things stay this peaceful until the end."
Sure, the mountain paths blistered his feet and gave him blisters, but he could endure that much.
The real problem was unforeseen variables like bandits.
"Who goes there!"
That hope shattered before even half a moment had passed.
This stretch was infamous for its treacherous terrain.
The problem was, it was also the only way through.
Where there's money flowing, thieves are sure to follow.
Bandits were known to prowl here constantly.
The local garrison had sent troops multiple times to wipe them out, but even they couldn't keep up with bandits who treated the rugged slopes like their own backyard.
The soldiers couldn't camp out here indefinitely, so the nearby magistrates had long since written the area off.
Still, merchant caravans and escort missions braved the route anyway.
Time was always of the essence for them.
Their profits varied wildly depending on when they arrived.
Even a place with a notorious rep sometimes had to be crossed, tears and all.
That's why they had to move with extra caution.
One slip-up, and the bandits would make them pay dearly.
Strangers got no leeway here.
"Just a traveler passing through. Saw your firelight and came like a moth."
What nonsense.
That was reason enough for everyone's faces to harden.
This clearing was surrounded by dense trees—the escorts hadn't picked it randomly.
Multiple people had already confirmed no stray light would leak out.
They brought torches closer.
A young man stood there with a dumb grin, hands empty save for a single bundle.
Even charitably assuming he was just some traveler, why move at night?
Daytime was safer and easier to navigate.
"Mind if I join you? I'm starving."
There wasn't a hint of threat in his demeanor.
Maybe he really was just a passerby.
As doubts crept in that it wasn't impossible...
"No can do. Sorry, but you'll have to leave."
Ga Jin stepped forward to shut him down.
And rightly so—this job allowed no variables.
Even if it came off as rude, they couldn't let him near.
The young man nodded like he had no choice and turned to go.
Ga Jin watched him leave to the end, until someone approached her.
"What happened?"
It was Yoo Yeong-mok, who'd been gathering branches nearby.
Fortunately, he seemed oblivious to the disturbance.
"Nothing at all."
And she desperately hoped it stayed that way.
Crunch... crunch...
As dawn began to break, the sound of footsteps crunching through leaves approached slowly.
The night watchmen's faces stiffened at the noise.
It was blatant, like whoever it was wanted to announce their arrival.
"...What the hell?"
They grabbed their weapons and fixed their eyes on the sound's direction.
A few already started shaking awake those still deep in sleep.
The footsteps belonged to none other than the young man from last night.
This time, he approached step by deliberate step in plain view, leaving the group speechless.
"...You."
Their reactions were mostly baffled disbelief.
"We saw you yesterday."
"...Don't come any closer."
Once again, it was the woman who stepped up.
Her hand rested on her sword hilt as she warned him.
"I figured we wrapped up the talk yesterday."
Lee Seon wagged a finger.
"Sorry about last night. Didn't think about the hour."
She furrowed her brow.
"State your business, short and sweet."
Lee Seon scratched his head.
"I want to travel with you folks."
The response was a flat refusal.
"No. Like I said, we're on an escort mission."
The escorts scowled at his casual familiarity.
They'd even told him it was an escort run.
Outsiders weren't supposed to get close during one—it was an unwritten rule.
Lee Seon grinned like he got it.
"This time, I'm here as a physician."
"What?"
Lee Seon glanced around.
Everyone looked rough around the edges.
Fatigue had blackened their under-eyes, and their feet looked swollen even at a glance.
Wherever they'd come from, it was a hell of a distance.
Traveler yesterday, huh?
Reading the suspicion on their faces, Lee Seon sighed.
"Felt like you might need a doctor soon."
The woman's face twisted.
"None of your business."
Hm. She didn't look so hot herself.
It wasn't obvious, but her posture was off-balance.
Escort mission, was it.
"Can't help but worry. At this rate, you won't make it."
Was he mocking them now?
The escorts weren't top-tier martial artists, true.
But they took pride in their duty.
No wonder Ga Jin was pissed.
"You little—"
"Escort Ga. Hold on."
Turning, there was the bureau chief, Yoo Yeong-mok, already standing there.
"Let's hear him out."
Green as he was, he was still in charge of this mission.
Ga Jin stepped back, and Yoo Yeong-mok turned to the young man.
"Who are you to offer us help?"
From the shift in mood and reactions, this guy was definitely the leader.
Lee Seon chose his words carefully.
"Name's Lee Seon."
Yoo Yeong-mok introduced himself too.
"Yoo Yeong-mok. Embarrassing as it is, I'm running the Willow Escort Bureau right now."
Willow Escort Bureau. Never heard of it.
"Impressive."
"We were somebody once. Now we're just fallen leaves in the wind."
Yoo Yeong-mok gave a bitter smile.
But it faded quick—his eyes sharpened.
"So, what exactly can you do for us?"