May Peace Be With You - 2
I'd heard the peculiar news that Grandfather was heading to see Nang-jung Wang, but in the end, I brushed it off and pressed on steadfastly toward Namyeong. Truth be told, Grandfather's eccentric antics weren't exactly a rarity. If I reacted to every single one, my sanity wouldn't hold up. It was easier for both of us to just let it slide. If something major happens, word will reach me right away.
If something enormous went down between Grandfather and Nang-jung Wang, I'd hear about it eventually. And if no news trickled down to me at all, that meant nothing serious had occurred. I could afford to stay put. Besides, I trusted Grandfather. Sure, he was the pinnacle of eccentricity, but he wasn't the type to run rampant. He wouldn't stoop to robbing Nang-jung Wang of his ginseng or anything like that. And crucially, back when we were purging the mountain bandits in Fujian, hadn't Grandfather formed a penal brigade out of the surrendered ones—for my sake? A man that thoughtful and caring toward his grandson wouldn't do anything to harm me.
Trust him. Yeah, let's trust Grandfather. If his own grandson didn't believe in him, who would?
"Grab it! It's fleeing that way!"
"Don't let it escape! If we lose it now, who knows when it'll show up again!"
"That damn beast—it's slimy as hell!"
What the—? As I solidified my faith in Grandfather, urgent voices faintly echoed from the east. Then came an even more thunderous beastly roar.
- KRAAARRGH!
The unexpected cry left me blinking in a daze. We were still on the outskirts of Namyeong, where people were scarce, but this was still Namyeong—the biggest city in Guangxi. And instead of folks greeting our arrival, a beast beat them to it?
Did one that slipped through Sunghyeon-hyeon make it all the way here? That seemed plausible. Just as Sunghyeon-hyeon was close to the border, it wasn't far from there to Namyeong either. If the real-time beast defense at Sunghyeon-hyeon goofed and let one through, it could reach here in no time. So these sounds of hunters and the beast were basically my karma.
"Wi-cheo."
"Yes, my lord."
"Capture it unharmed and hand it over to the hunters. The pelt has to be intact to fetch a good price."
"Understood."
At my order, Jo Wi-cheo dashed east with Kki-ong-i. Deploying a spirit beast and a chojeoljeong expert just to snag one animal was massive overkill, but it felt wrong for me or Ak I-yeon to step in ourselves.
- Krr... KRAAARGH!
Not long after, the beast's death rattle echoed out—they'd subdued it quick.
"M-my lord, who might you be?"
Oh. Instead of bellowing about their stolen prey, the hunters approached Jo Wi-cheo with polite deference. Good thing they had the eye and skill to recognize a top-tier master. I'd been worried they'd snap at him like, Who the hell are you, stealing our kill? Not that many would dare yell at someone riding up on a white deer anyway.
"Namyeong must have had it rough."
"But with Sunghyeon-hyeon's defenses strengthened, things should calm down here now."
Ak I-yeon added with a playful chuckle, Just like the name Namyeong—peace in the south. I couldn't help but smile at her. Fair point. Beast stampedes must have turned it into "South Chaos" until now. Thanks to our tactical Kkieak, Namyeong could finally live up to its name.
"Let's move. The hunters might bolt if Wi-cheo scares them off."
"Hee-hee, they might if it's their first time seeing him."
Honestly, Jo Wi-cheo didn't look fierce, but his sturdy build and perpetual poker face gave a rather stern first impression. Add in the feat of one-shotting a wild beast, and yeah, hunters might freak. Better join before they scattered. It was a rare chance to chat with regular folk away from officials—once we hit the city proper, approaching commoners as inspectors would terrify the local bureaucrats. No censor wants their boss grilling the masses directly.
We headed toward Jo Wi-cheo and spotted one (former) tiger amid five hunters. A big brute like that, chased by just five? These weren't your average hunters.
"We handled the finish, but heaven knows you lot caught it. No claims from us—take it."
"Th-thank you, my lord!"
"Thank you!"
When I, the apparent superior to Jo Wi-cheo, clarified ownership, they prostrated themselves in gratitude. They were on edge, huh. Their fervor was almost embarrassing. It was your kill anyway—no need for such thanks. Still, I got it. Rogue parakho sometimes swooped in for the last hit and snatched the prize. But we were officials, not bandits; no classy censor would stoop that low. We weren't hurting for cash to shake down the people.
"That's one hefty beast. For it to flee rather than fight shows just how valiant you all are."
"You're too kind! It was only possible with our other comrades too!"
"Exactly, my lord! Five of us alone couldn't have taken it!"
They waved off the praise modestly—or was it genuine? Their consistent stories suggested more hunters were involved.
"Other comrades, eh? As brave as you lot, I take it."
"Far too generous! We were just a big rabble before, but lately we've had more chances to hunt beasts and gotten the hang of it!"
I nodded at their talk of hard-earned skill over innate valor. I knew about the uptick in hunts too—I'd been knee-deep in wild spawns just days ago.
"More hunting opportunities, you say. Just how many?"
"Worst case, three a day. It's quieted down the last few days, but then this guy pops out..."
He glanced at the (ex-)tiger, frowning faintly. That reaction told me plenty: Namyeong was stabilizing, and this was a last gasp from a dying surge.
Good. Kkieak's effects were wearing off, but Sunghyeon-hyeon was holding the line. Namyeong could breathe easy.
"My lord, if it's not too bold, we'd like to express our thanks properly—would you honor us with a visit?"
"A visit?"
"Yes. To our Baekpi Gate."
The word "gate" made me flinch instinctively.
"Murim folk?"
I'd pegged them for plain hunters, but they belonged to a sect. Like biting into what you thought was chicken only to find it's codfish—that betrayal...
"Oh, no, not at all. It's just a hunters' fellowship in Namyeong. Been around a century or so, from what I hear, but details..."
"That works."
My tension melted fast. Not a real sect—just a social club with a murim-y name. Hell, one worth encouraging for local security.
...Baekpi Gate. Hundred Skins Gate? A bit on the nose, wasn't it? Baeksu-mun would have a fit. Dark evolution of Baeksu-mun? Wild how Yunnan had beast-harmonizers while neighboring Guangxi loved their hides. Big country, all sorts of groups.
Unlike other sects' compounds, Baekpi Gate's base was an inn. Instant likeability +1. Most sects lorded it up in manors.
"Our leader-in-name handles Baekpi duties. Hurt his knee a few years back, bought this inn with savings. We help boost his sales and use it as a hub."
"No base before that?"
"Hunters don't need fancy setups! We'd crash any old inn, plan the next hunt, celebrate kills with drinks!"
Likeability +2. The more they explained, the more it sounded like a casual hunters' club, not a sect. I felt satisfied. They stabilized local peace through hunts, sold pelts and meat for honest coin, then retired to inns boosting the economy. Worlds apart from parakho fleecing innocents.
If only all sects were like you. Hunters living off the land? No complaints. It was the extortion and freeloading on their strength that irked folks.
Thus warmed to Baekpi Gate, I pushed open the inn door—and a bellow pierced my ears.
"Get out, you damn bastards! Before I cripple you!"
What the—? Aimed at me? I wasn't itching to limp yet—should I bail?
"Aigoo. Trouble again."
But the hunter with me just scratched his head like it was routine.
"What's going on?"
"Looks like murim thugs picking a fight inside. Newest inn around—maybe that's it, or they think the boss is easy since his bad knee. Weirdly, they flock here."
Murim-certified dive bar? I sighed. Not a big spender spot, but a sword-swinging one. Horrific.
"Boss has a brother-in-arms helping out, though—a bit of a martial artist. Never escalated big."
As if on cue, a body flew from the inn's depths. Face swollen like he was asleep, out cold from punches.
Self-defense holds up. Fitting for a hunters' hub—tough as nails.