I Hate These Linked Quests - 1
The moment we learned that the Western Chu Overlord's tomb was out there somewhere, the King of Huainan's tomb plummeted from exalted relic to just another ordinary grave—not even a proper king's at that.
That didn't mean the King of Huainan's burial goods were meager or underwhelming, of course. Even just glancing at the treasures being hauled out by Gu Gangwang's soldiers, they were every bit as impressive as Bai Qi's—maybe even more so. Bai Qi had been a general of one of the Seven Warring States, after all, while the King of Huainan was a founding merit subject of the empire that unified the Central Plains, one of the Iseongwangs to boot. Both had been branded rebels and executed, so naturally, the King of Huainan's goods outshone the rest in splendor.
The next tomb's gotta top this, right?
I gave a wry smile, watching the endless stream of burial items being carted out. If the King of Huainan was an Iseongwang of the unified empire, the Western Chu Overlord had been a contender for supremacy over the Central Plains—a king in his own right. And not just any king; he'd come closest to claiming the world. Status alone put him beyond comparison with the King of Huainan. Plus, the Western Chu Overlord had hailed from a prestigious family even before his uprising. Assuming the Xiang clan's wealth was buried with him, how vast and opulent must that tomb be? It'd probably rival a whole region's budget.
Or maybe not.
Honestly, if we took the King of Huainan's testament at face value, the Overlord's martial arts manual mattered far more than any pile of trinkets. Even if the tomb held nothing else, snagging that one scroll would make the excavation a roaring success. The Western Chu Overlord had been that powerful—a monstrous warrior whom scholars dubbed the Hwagyeong beyond Hwagyeong, his prowess defying comprehension. A manual from such a man could elevate even an ordinary civilian to at least the super peak realm.
"Thanks to you, I survived."
- Shiiik!
- Sieak!
- Shiuuuuk!
My heart still pounded—for all the wrong reasons. If Samshik hadn't spotted those bamboo slips, if I hadn't secured them first, I didn't even want to imagine the catastrophe.
Of course, the Gu Gangwang troops here were his elite guards, fiercely loyal. But humans have that saying: seeing sparks desire. The allure of the Western Chu Overlord's arts right before their eyes could ignite any martial artist's greed.
"I'll send a letter to Baek Su Mun and ask them to send over some feed."
- Shiiiiiik!
At the mention of a specific reward, Samshik's body whirled like a dazzling pinwheel. Good, he was thrilled. I'd have to request a generous amount.
"Han Un."
"Ah, Your Highness."
- Shiiik?
I was just about to tuck Samshik back into my sleeve when Gu Gangwang approached and slung an arm around my shoulders.
"You've worked hard. This excavation was basically all you. Without you, who knows what would've happened—it's terrifying to even think about."
"You're too kind, Your Highness."
"Kind? It's just the truth."
Gu Gangwang chuckled, glanced around, then pulled a small box from his bosom.
"Take this. A little token of appreciation."
"Your Highness, what's this?"
"Excavations are a gamble—no one knows what you'll find. I brought it in case the King of Huainan's tomb was empty. Can't summon a newlywed official all the way to Gu Gang without compensating him properly."
This was separate from the burial goods we'd secured, of course. Before I could respond, he stuffed the box into my robes.
"I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness, Your Highness. I'll put it to good use."
"Heh, it's yours now—spend it however you like. Feed it to Samshik if you want."
That revealed what was inside. Something usable by humans and spirit beasts? Had to be an elixir. And one personally prepared by Gu Gangwang? Definitely high-grade.
I'll have to keep it safe.
If Kki-ing-i or Kki-ong-i caught wind of it, it'd vanish in seconds. Those two were huge and had noses like bloodhounds for treats.
As Grandfather had instructed, I kept the Western Chu Overlord's tomb under wraps. My report to the Right Censor-in-chief only mentioned excavating the King of Huainan's tomb—no word on the testament. Not that I distrusted her; she was glued to her office, with no leaks possible. But secrets are safest with fewer knowing.
"We'll excavate the Western Chu Overlord's tomb after that Jo clan kid's wedding. Starting now might overshadow his big day."
After the wedding, huh.
Instead of us spilling the beans, Grandfather would report directly to the Emperor. And the earliest start? After Jo Wi-cheo's marriage. That bought me one or two months of normal life in Kaepyeong. No surprise outings like this Huainan fiasco.
If another trip popped up in that time, I'd flop to the floor and bawl. Ugly, snotty sobs.
...Nah, it'll be fine.
At least ancient tombs didn't pop up every day. No way we'd find another in just a couple months. If they did, Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum and Cao Cao's tomb would've been dug up ages ago.
So, relax and wait. Clap for Jo Wi-cheo's wedding, then bring all six spirit beasts to raid the Overlord's tomb.
Giwang had brought some truly bizarre intelligence.
"Grandfather. You mean the Western Chu Overlord's tomb?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. In the King of Huainan's tomb excavated at Gu Gang, we found his testament. It states that the Overlord's martial arts manual lies in a tomb somewhere in Zhejiang."
"Zhejiang."
Zhejiang—the old name Jiangdong. The place where, amid the chaos of the late Qin, the Western Chu Overlord had risen with his uncle. It made sense for his tomb to be there. Or in his base at Pengcheng, his uprising's heartland. Where else could the Overlord rest?
"What do you think, Grandfather? Is the testament genuine?"
"We've already unearthed General Bai Qi's tomb in Shaanxi, and now King Ying Bu of Huainan. I can't say for certain, but it's worth investigating."
Solid reasoning—I nodded. We'd succeeded twice already. Dismissing a third after two hits would be folly; ignoring it after two would be sloth. No certainty, but no grounds to scoff either.
"And in this excavation, like with Bai Qi's tomb, the Right Deputy Censor-in-chief shone?"
"Yes. Spirit beasts are sensitive to auras, so thanks to the ones Un tends, we found the goods swiftly."
Mentioning Un's merits casually, Giwang's face lit up. No hiding his pride—I chuckled too. A grandson excelling across fields? Worth boasting.
"Wonderful news. Tombs are labyrinths of traps, yet the Right Deputy navigates the hardest paths with ease."
"Just luck."
Luck, he said, but Grandfather beamed brighter.
The Western Chu Overlord's tomb.
Stroking Do-cheol in my arms, I mused. If we found and excavated it successfully, half the credit went to the Right Deputy. Bestowing the full manual might be excessive, but a derivative version? Fitting reward.
"For Zhejiang, entrust it to Dong-gu Wang. And since Gu Gangwang brought this to light, have him assist too."
"A wise decision, Your Majesty."
"Will you join as well, Grandfather?"
"If you permit, gladly."
I burst out laughing. A peak Hwagyeong at Daesong's pinnacle—how could he resist the Overlord's arts?
Alone in Gonghuwon after Grandfather left.
"Do-cheol."
- What's up.
Do-cheol replied indifferently from my bosom.
"Have you ever seen the Western Chu Overlord yourself?"
Pure curiosity. As a myth-era survivor who revived endlessly, he'd likely witnessed the overlord who shook the realm.
- Western Chu Overlord... Oh, that Xiang clan punk?
"You knew him?"
- Saw him a few times passing by. Do-ol hung out with the guy.
My hand froze mid-pet. Unexpected.
- Xiang punk overpowered Do-ol by force, so Do-ol carried him around. Ashamed, he disguised as a horse instead of his true form.
"A horse."
Could it be Ochu? The loyal steed famed as the Overlord's beloved mount.
Ochu was Do-ol? Who knew.
Shocking. The symbol of loyalty, dying with his lord—Do-ol? Was the death faked, or had bonds formed in service, leading to chosen demise? Either way, as a reviver like Do-cheol, he'd returned.
"Qilin."
- Kiriring?
"Any friends of yours who mingled with humans?"
- Kiring!
Qilin at my feet nodded. So, some of the Four Auspicious Beasts had walked among men.
- He's talking about Bonghwang. They hated Do-ol, so Bonghwang subtly aided the Liu clan.
Quietly petting Do-cheol and Qilin amid the revelations—from the Overlord's tomb to Ochu's identity, Bonghwang's involvement. Too much for one day.