The Small Ball Shot Over the Border - 3
From Ji Hyeon's explanation, it seemed I wasn't the only one who thought of the human-faced boar. As I rolled my trembling eyes around, they locked with Jo Wi-cheo's, who had frozen just as stiffly as I had.
'Keep quiet for now.'
'Yes.'
And with that, we ended our conversation through glances. For battle-hardened comrades who'd roamed the land together, this level of communication was a given.
Anyway, in this gathering, only Jo Wi-cheo and I knew about the chaotic human-faced boar capture operation. As long as we two kept our mouths shut—
'More are coming.'
Sure enough, Ji Wi-pyeong—the very man who'd proposed the human-faced boar capture op—was rushing toward us. I didn't know who the elders coming with him were, but if they were elders, they'd surely know we'd caught the beast.
'Can't hide this one.'
I realized it on instinct. No way to cover this up.
The beast stampede had started with our illegal border crossing. If only Jo Wi-cheo and I knew, I was confident we'd take it to our graves. Even if Ji Wi-pyeong were looped in, we could probably manage it somehow. He loved beasts, sure, but as leader of his group, he was the right man for the job.
But with the elders involved? No chance of keeping it under wraps. Baek-su-mun elders were lunatics even Ji Wi-pyeong couldn't control. And as beast enthusiasts, they'd brag about capturing the human-faced boar themselves sooner or later. Something like, "We caught the human-faced boar from Vietnam alongside the Left Vice Inspector General!"
'Gotta come clean first.'
I sighed inwardly and eyed the map Ji Hyeon had pulled out. Damn human-faced boar. If only it'd been deep in Vietnam instead of near the border, none of this would've happened.
If I got reincarnated again, I'd live deep inland for sure. An uninhabited island would be even better.
"Ji Hyeon."
"Yes, my lord? What is it?"
"...Nah, it's not important. We'll talk later."
"Ah, yes. Just let me know whenever you're ready."
I'd been about to spill the truth but held back for now. Might as well wait till Ji Wi-pyeong arrived. Embarrassment lessens when shared, after all.
'Better three than two bearing the load.'
Jo Wi-cheo got the hint and gave a subtle nod. We were beyond soulmates—we'd reached the realm of eye-mates, understanding each other with a single glance. Our long pilgrimage across the Central Plains had forged us into two-as-one, one-as-two.
'Now it'll be three.'
Today, I actually missed Ji Wi-pyeong.
Days blurred into routine: handling beasts crossing the border, deporting the illegal immigrants tagging along like strays.
"Greetings to the Left Vice Inspector General!"
"""Greetings to the Left Vice Inspector General!"""
Finally, amid the tedium, Baek-su-mun arrived.
- Buo! Buooo!
- Buooo!
And not just people—they'd brought spirit beasts too.
- Buo?
Buong, nestled in Ak I-yeon's arms, spotted the parent Maek and two calves that had come with Baek-su-mun. Its eyes went wide at the sudden family reunion. Buong started wriggling excitedly, and Ak I-yeon, grasping the situation, gently set it down.
- Buooo!
Buong toddled straight to its family, snout twitching eagerly as it sniffed their scents. The sight was adorable yet heartbreaking, drawing a wry smile from me.
Sure, Buong had chosen to follow me, and the family had agreed. But a calf going off alone was still a big deal. From Buong's view, it must miss them terribly.
Of course, as its owner, I spoiled Buong as much as possible, and it had five spirit beast pals now—but family was irreplaceable.
- Buooong...
- Buooo!
- Buo~
Buong's eyes grew misty, surrounded by the four Maek. Watching the scene, I patted Ji Wi-pyeong's shoulder—he was still formally bowing.
I hadn't asked for the Maek family, but his judgment had gifted Buong something huge.
"Must've been sudden and confusing, but thanks for coming. Didn't expect you'd prepare a gift for Buong too."
"You're too kind, my lord. I didn't bring them—they followed on their own."
"On their own?"
I tilted my head at the puzzling words. On their own? What did the beasts know to follow him all the way to Guangxi?
"Seems your letter carried your scent, my lord. They wouldn't leave my side after I got it."
"Ah, got it. They were worried you'd head off alone without them nearby."
"Haha, hearing you say it, yeah—that must be it."
The cute reason made me chuckle. A pet sticking to its caretaker like glue out of abandonment fears. Even spirit beasts were animals at heart.
At the same time, their sharp instincts and smarts befitted spirit beasts. Sticking to Ji Wi-pyeong like gum over a mere letter from me? They hadn't even read it.
How'd they figure it out and tag along?
"Uh, my lord."
"Yeah?"
"If my eyes don't deceive me, those beasts behind you..."
Ji Wi-pyeong's eyes trembled oddly, and I smiled again. Yeah. Knew you'd notice new beasts before new people.
"A millennium turtle and a poison bird."
"Milli—!"
"Ooooooh!"
"My lord! A millennium turtle? And a poison bird too!?"
"Wait, poison birds leak deadly toxin just by being nearby, right?"
"Who cares about that! The poison bird is the point!"
Before Ji Wi-pyeong could react, the elders erupted. Exactly as expected—somehow reassuring.
Elders acting polite would've been scarier.
"This poison bird has no venom. It gave it up to live with humans."
I let the frenzied elders calm a bit before clarifying Kkieak's status. No good if they started delusions like "We survived near a poison bird—we're immune to all poisons!"
Needed to make clear: Kkieak was venom-free.
"No venom? In a poison bird?"
"Gave it up willingly? A poison bird?"
"Like a beast yanking out its own fangs and claws."
The elders murmured briefly, but soon:
"Guh! To abandon venom for human companionship—how noble!"
"With venom, it'd reign aloof. But it descended to join us all! Who else could choose that? Even the era's great sages couldn't!"
They howled even more fervently. Surprising. I'd figured beast lovers like them would debate "Is a venomless poison bird still a poison bird?" But no—to them, a poison bird was a poison bird. Cooler and more beautiful than any ordinary one.
Maybe not so surprising. Baek-su-mun sought harmony between humans and beasts, method be damned. A poison bird choosing humans? They'd lose their minds.
"My lord! If it's not too rude, could we lowly ones have the honor of touching the poison bird?"
"No reason not to."
The five elders swarmed Kkieak.
- Kki, kkiiik?
"Haha, this plumage! So purely white, it dazzles the eyes!"
"These red eyes—like ripe apples!"
"And the beak! Tough yet soft, like fine copper!"
- Kkiiiieek...
Kkieak reeled from the intense petting but didn't dodge. Seemed starved for human attention.
"By the way, Left Vice Inspector General."
"Yeah?"
"Who's the lady beside Inspector Jo?"
I turned to Ak I-yeon at Ji Wi-pyeong's question. She was a peak realm master and royal scion—atmosphere alone set her apart. But these guys were beast fanatics, so Ppiae and Kkieak stole the show.
Pity—royalty meant less to Baek-su-mun than royal spirit beasts.
"My fiancée. Ak I-yeon of the Ak family."
Only then did Ji Wi-pyeong bow ninety degrees to her.
***
When the Left Vice Inspector General summoned me to Guangxi, I hadn't thought much of it. A request from him of all people? I'd go, but honestly, we wouldn't change a thing whether we showed or not. Might as well make a token appearance to save face—something like that.
But then the Maek joined our journey, leading to a surprise family reunion. And at our casual destination, we beheld spirit beasts among spirit beasts: a millennium turtle and a poison bird—one you'd never see, or maybe glimpse once in a lifetime.
Truly moving.
With events unfolding like this, I was genuinely grateful to the Left Vice Inspector General for calling me.
So when he pulled me aside for a private word, I followed without suspicion.
"The beasts swarming from Vietnam? It's the human-faced boar's doing."
"Pardon?"
"The one we captured—it was king of the border beasts."
"Ah..."
But if I'd known this was coming, I'd have hesitated. Who could've guessed the human-faced boar we nabbed—the one now with His Highness Nang-jung Wang—was the border king?
Wild spirit beasts influenced lesser ones immensely just by existing, but I never imagined this much. Figured some random beast would fill the vacuum eventually.
"S-so, my lord... what now? Return the human-faced boar?"
"No. Tell His Highness Nang-jung Wang that? He'd spit blood from every orifice for months."
Now it was His Highness's. Coveting his possession came with a venomous warning. Chilling—I swallowed hard.
"Nature's affairs belong to nature. We wait for a new king."
'We live-captured it—not natural, right?' The retort bubbled up, but I held it.
"But you and I have work."
"Tell me."
"We'll admit we captured the human-faced boar and caused this."
Say he led it at His Highness Nang-jung Wang's request; I'd just lend my name. But his addendum barely registered.
One stray from nature's balance, and chaos ensues. I'd underrated nature all this time.
Time to reflect. We'd preached unity with nature, neighbor to beasts—yet I'd been ignorant. Reflect on my folly. Live as one with nature, neighbor to beasts.