Chapter 284
Chapter 284
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 284
>Chapter Title: Silk Road (1)
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After the head of the Hyeok-ryeon family had come and gone, guests occasionally visited Wind Rock Pavilion.
Whether to hear news of the youngest, Gu-yang Mun, the head of the Gu-yang family, Gu-yang Pae, stopped by. To hear about Baek Cheon, the head of the Baek family, Baek Un-hak, also came.
For some reason, the Protector Yuan Lord visited once to exchange greetings, and the Eight Trigrams Hall Lord came to recommend a spell.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the eldest senior brother and sixth senior brother, busy with affairs at the Demonic Path Pavilion, visited only sporadically.
“Brother!”
The only one who came steadily every day was Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a.
Except when receiving guests, he spent a few days preparing for training or departing on the Silk Road.
Then, an unexpected guest came looking for Il-mok.
“Young Master, the Black Tiger Squad Leader has arrived.”
A man from his days at the Demonic Path Academy, ambushed together by fanatics of Alla. The leader of the Black Tiger Squad and a member of the Gu-yang family, Gu-yang Hyeok.
“It’s been a long time. I’m truly glad to see you, Black Tiger Squad Leader.”
“Hahaha. It’s been a year and a half. You’ve changed so much you’re unrecognizable, Young Master Il-mok.”
The middle-aged man with a scar under his eye greeted Il-mok with a hearty laugh.
A year and a half. Short if short, long if long.
His appearance hadn’t changed much, but the aura he exuded was entirely different.
‘The deputy squad leader was right.’
Right after massacring Alla’s fanatics. Regarding Il-mok, then just a lowly Demonic Path Academy cadet, the Black Tiger deputy squad leader had evaluated him thus.
A promising talent who would become a new star of the Divine Cult in the future.
And now, a year and a half later. The youngest young master, once a mere academy official, had reached a realm that even he, a squad leader of the martial force unit, could no longer easily gauge.
It was a growth speed that naturally brought to mind the words “overwhelming talent.”
“Has my face changed that much?”
When Il-mok smiled and joked, Gu-yang Hyeok burst into laughter again.
“Hahaha. Your face is still as handsome as ever. Ah, come to think of it, I heard from the family head. Thanks to you, Young Master, Mun had his wedding.”
“It wasn’t thanks to me. It was just fate that brought it about.”
They chatted briefly about Gu-yang Mun’s wedding, which overlapped their connections.
After appropriately loosening the atmosphere with small talk, Il-mok got to the main point first.
“I heard from Master. You’ll be joining me on this mission.”
“That’s right, Young Master. Our Black Tiger Squad hasn’t ventured deep into Huihui cultist territory, but we’ve guarded the Heavenly Myriad Mountains and mingled with them often, so we know them to some extent.”
The reason Gu-yang Hyeok had come to Wind Rock Pavilion was for Il-mok’s mission.
Among the Divine Cult, those who knew even a little about the Western Regions. Added to that, some connection with Il-mok, so naturally Gu-yang Hyeok and the Black Tiger Squad were chosen.
And so, the two discussed geography and power structures near the New Frontier toward the Western Regions, Huihui cultist culture, and the like, preparing for the journey west.
They spent a few days thus preparing to depart for the Western Regions.
As usual, Il-mok welcomed Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a, who visited Wind Rock Pavilion, with a smile.
“I heard the news. Congratulations on passing the entrance exam for the Demonic Path Academy dormitory.”
At Il-mok’s praise, for some reason Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a wore a sulky expression.
“…But if I enter the Demonic Path Academy, I won’t be able to see you for two years, Brother.”
Il-mok approached and stroked her head at the sight of her, like a younger sister missing her brother enlisting.
He had no experience with actual younger sisters, so it was a common misconception.
Most younger sisters couldn’t care less whether their parents’ son enlisted or not. It was a blessing if they didn’t sell off valuables on secondhand markets while he was away.
Unaware of the truth about younger sisters, Il-mok stroked Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a’s head and said.
“Didn’t you wait well even when this brother was at the Demonic Path Academy? This time, this brother will wait for you, so don’t worry.”
“…Will you really wait for me?”
Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a slightly lifted her head, asking with moist eyes.
Her face somehow resembled a cat’s.
“Of course. So, Seon-a, after graduating from the Demonic Path Academy, were you planning to go somewhere else?”
“No! I’m definitely going to enter the Silver Wing Pavilion and come back to you, Brother!”
At Seon-a’s startled reaction, Il-mok smiled softly and extended his pinky finger.
Just like when he first met Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a in the past.
“Right. Let’s promise to be together again in two years.”
Remembering her childhood as well, Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a smiled brightly and hooked her pinky.
Having successfully reassured Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a, Il-mok shook their hooked hands and added.
“Ah. And when you enter the Demonic Path Academy, make sure to join the meditation club.”
Il-mok hoped that Seon-a, growing too quickly, wouldn’t go mad at the Demonic Path Academy.
‘Hm? Come to think of it, Instructor Chu at the Demonic Path Academy asked me for some favor.’
Since he couldn’t recall precisely, it probably wasn’t anything important.
* * *
About a month after Il-mok returned to the main headquarters.
With Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a’s Demonic Path Academy entrance just days away, the Heavenly Demon summoned Il-mok.
Welcoming Il-mok to the Heavenly Demon Hall were a single letter and several chests.
“These came from the Central Plains. The Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord is full of praise for you, saying he could handle things easily thanks to you. Heh heh heh.”
The Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord had currently departed for the Central Plains.
At Il-mok’s request, to procure what was needed to open trade with the Western Regions.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s Central Plains branches were under Dark Shadow Pavilion’s management to begin with, and with Maitreya Bright Cult’s influence growing, he had simply sent the Dark Shadow Pavilion Lord to the Central Plains.
“It’s all thanks to Master’s grace.”
As Il-mok prostrated and humbly deferred, the Heavenly Demon smiled softly and pointed to the chests and letter.
“Take a look.”
“I shall.”
Il-mok rose and approached the letter and chests.
The letter’s contents were simple.
According to those who had sailed to the Western Regions, the Western Region’s Semu people went mad for Central Plains porcelain or silk.
Naturally, huge profits could be made in the Western Regions, but returning from there wasn’t easy, it said.
The Silk Road because of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. The steppe road because of northern nomads. And the sea road, because of wokou and Western Region pirates, made round trips difficult.
With a journey where ten lives wouldn’t suffice, Central Plains porcelain and silk fetched astronomical prices, and success promised immense profits.
‘…Certainly, if we succeed in opening trade, we could earn more than enough to feed the Divine Cult’s followers.’
Having checked the letter fully, Il-mok opened the chests one by one to inspect the contents.
There were some herbs and other goods, but as expected, porcelain and silk took up the greatest portion.
‘From Gansu, Shaanxi, and Sichuan, as I heard.’
Regions where Maitreya Bright Cult had already taken root or was expanding influence recently.
Merchants and artisans among them had converted to Maitreya Bright Cult, so procuring goods wasn’t too difficult, the letter noted.
“Il-mok, if you hadn’t laid the groundwork with Maitreya Bright Cult, it would have taken months just to gather these items. Heh heh heh.”
The Heavenly Demon praised him as if truly impressed, and Il-mok concealed his inner thoughts while showing propriety.
“I merely did what needed doing.”
‘If it weren’t for Maitreya Bright Cult, I could have rested for months more!!’
He could only curse himself for spreading Maitreya Bright Cult far and wide.
* * *
The next day.
Il-mok finished preparations and left Wind Rock Pavilion.
Jin Ha-yeon, Ju Seo-yeon, and Jeong Hyeon, who had attended him during his month at Wind Rock Pavilion, accompanied him.
Having bid farewell to Hyeok-ryeon Seon-a and Wi Jin-hak yesterday, they headed straight for the main headquarters entrance without delay.
There, Gu-yang Hyeok and forty warriors awaited Il-mok. Black Tiger Squad members.
Some among them carried chests filled with trade goods.
“We see the Eighth Young Master!”
The Black Tiger Squad members shouted thunderously and showed respect, and as Il-mok responded with appropriate clasped hands.
A familiar face caught Il-mok’s eye.
“Eighth Young Master! How about a spar with this Dokgo Pae after so long!”
His Demonic Path Academy classmate and sparring addict, the madman.
‘Come to think of it, he said he joined the martial force unit.’
While Il-mok let out a hollow laugh at the ever-the-same Dokgo Pae. A man who seemed to be a squad leader smacked Dokgo Pae on the back of the head.
Thwack!
“Hey, you useless bastard who’s only good for fighting. You think we’re off to play?”
“As long as a Divine Cult follower is helpful in battle, what does it matter!”
“Sigh. Never mind.”
As the man shook his head, Il-mok let out a hollow laugh.
‘Man. What on earth has he been up to this past year that the eldest son of one of the Five Great Clans gets treated like that.’
Putting aside the reunion with his long-lost lunatic classmate, Il-mok and his group began descending the mountain.
After coming down the Heavenly Myriad Mountains, they stopped at the nearest village to procure wagons to load the baggage.
Oddly, wagons were available, but no horses or camels.
“Take turns pulling the wagons as we move!”
It was a human-pulled wagon to begin with.
A product born from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s education reforms.
For the education of young followers, it was the wagons martial force unit members used to ferry children between their hometowns and the newly built Initial Demon Academy villages.
Thus, Il-mok and the Black Tiger Squad members pulled wagons while deploying lightness skill to cross the New Frontier.
True to its moniker of desert road, they pierced through desert sandstorms for several days.
They arrived at Keshi, the border between the Western Regions and New Frontier.
There, they rested for a day, making final preparations to depart for the Western Regions.
Several days’ emergency rations and water. On top of that, they needed camels to ride.
Lightness skill would be faster than riding camels, but from now on, they needed to conserve internal energy and stamina.
The moment they stepped west from Keshi, it was no longer Heavenly Demon Divine Cult territory.
They drove camels along a barren yellow sea where no paths were visible for a long while.
“Y-Young Master. There are things like wooden stakes over there.”
Jeong Hyeon, whose five senses were sharpened from training Ghost Spirit Divine Bow, pointed to the distant sight.
Thanks to old records and talks with Gu-yang Hyeok, Il-mok, who knew a bit about the desert road, recognized what she had spotted.
“Graves of people who passed through here long ago.”
“…….”
At Il-mok’s matter-of-fact explanation, Jeong Hyeon alternated surprised looks between him and the distant stakes.
“Y-You mean they a-abandoned the b-bodies in a place like this?”
“It’s a desert, isn’t it? Already burdensome just crossing the desert, transporting corpses would be hard. Those who died of illness or wounds were buried in the desert like that, given grave mounds, and the rest departed to continue their journey.”
In a way, they were truly pitiful.
Not because their bodies were abandoned here. Because this place was near the end of the desert road.
The main reason the Heavenly Mountains South Road was called the desert road was the Taklamakan Desert in the New Frontier area.
In the New Frontier region too, such graves might have existed in the past.
Over the two hundred years since the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult settled the New Frontier, except the uninhabitable desert heart, most had been given proper funerals and cleared.
Moreover, perhaps somewhere in the New Frontier, ruins or graves buried in desert sands still existed.
Il-mok wasn’t an archaeologist, so he had no intention of seeking such relics.
And the reason only those graves remained was because from here, it was territory not ruled by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Furthermore, a region where no one lived.
Toward Jeong Hyeon, who wore a complicated expression, Il-mok spoke.
“Still, you spotted them well. Those graves mean this is the path old merchants took.”
The graves of those who met death unable to escape the desert oddly served as signposts for those escaping it.