Chapter 301
Chapter 301
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 301
>Chapter Title: Grasslands (1)
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Il-mok and his group, fully prepared, left Nanju and headed northwest.
As always, Jin Ha-yeon, Jeong-hyeon, and Joo Seo-yeon followed him, along with about fifteen others.
Ten among them were martial artists, while the remaining five handled slightly different roles, with the physician Seo Jae-pil being a prime example.
A doctor was needed for this journey, of course.
"Now that my research on the plague and aconite poisoning symptoms is mostly complete, please let me join you, Young Master!"
It was because Seo Jae-pil had stubbornly insisted on tagging along to conduct new research with Il-mok.
Having joined without even hearing the full details of their purpose, Seo Jae-pil grinned and asked a question.
"I heard we're heading north, but what exactly do you plan to do in the northern grassland region?"
In response to his question, Jin Ha-yeon answered on Il-mok's behalf.
"Our mission is to open a trade route from Gansu Province all the way to the Western Regions, Healer Seo."
As Jin Ha-yeon said, this was originally the plan the Heavenly Demon had commanded.
Through the Heavenly Mountains North Road, or the Grassland Path, to the Western Regions.
They had simply used the desert route in the previous journey because opening trade with the west had been the priority.
However, Il-mok had no intention of using the Grassland Path entirely.
"The Grassland Path takes too big a detour. The reason we're heading north now is purely for the sake of camouflage."
Jin Ha-yeon, having sorted out her thoughts for a moment, replied as if she understood.
"You mean this journey is to deceive the orthodox faction?"
"That's right. We'll start by opening a path from the nomadic tribes near Gansu Province and go only as far as the vicinity of the Heavenly Myriad Mountains."
From there, they planned to cross into Xinjiang via the end of the Heavenly Myriad Mountains and then use the previous desert route.
At Il-mok's explanation, Jin Ha-yeon posed another question.
"If we proceed that way, there's a risk of being exposed later—have you planned some countermeasure?"
It wasn't a tone of doubt.
She was simply saying that she lacked the insight to grasp Il-mok's grand plan and asking him to enlighten her, all for the sake of executing it flawlessly.
But she was mistaken.
Il-mok wasn't confident they wouldn't be found out.
"There are no eternal secrets in this world. No matter how hard we try to hide it, if someone digs just as hard, we'll be exposed."
As the saying goes, no one is completely clean if you shake them hard enough.
No matter what they did, exposure was inevitable eventually. It could come from Central Plains merchants who arrived in the Western Regions by sea, spreading the word bit by bit, or from Heavenly Demon Divine Cult warriors traversing the Grassland Path who got caught using demonic arts.
"But right now, the Central Plains lack the capacity to probe us, so we just need to hold out until then. Even if we completely deceive them under the name of the Maitreya Cult, it would be meaningless."
"???"
Seeing the puzzled looks on Jin Ha-yeon's and Seo Jae-pil's faces, Il-mok clicked his tongue lightly and spoke.
"When the conflicts in the Central Plains are all over, do you think those hypocritical orthodox faction bastards will leave the Maitreya Cult—who opened the trade route to the Western Regions—alone?"
"Ah...."
No matter how convincingly they disguised it, it was obvious they'd attack the Maitreya Cult to seize that trade route.
In that case, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would have only two options.
Surrender the Maitreya Cult's territory and trade route to hide their identity, or reveal themselves and fight.
Naturally, they'd have to choose the latter.
"Once the Central Plains conflicts end, the sparks will fly our way no matter what. So we must trade with the Western Regions as much as possible to prepare for the future—while the Central Plains sects, from minor ones to giants, are busy fighting over every inch of territory like dogs scrapping over a scrap of land."
That was why they planned to trade with the Western Regions while pulling the wool over eyes just enough.
Rather than making the journey unnecessarily long and convoluted to fool someone, they intended to maximize trade volume over short distances with minimal insurance.
'It would be a loss if the path to the Western Regions via the Grassland Path dragged on, reducing trade frequency and doubling costs.'
Absolutely not because traversing that long Grassland Path sounded like a hassle.
* * *
Following the main road northwest, they restocked necessary supplies once more in Jiuquan County before turning north.
How long had they ridden toward the northern grassland region teeming with countless nomads?
'This feels familiar somehow?'
Upon actually leaving the Central Plains and arriving in the northern grasslands, Il-mok felt a strange sense of familiarity.
"It's called the grassland region, but it looks just like the west."
A barren sea of sand stretched like a desert, with open vistas revealing distant tiny mountains or patches of green foliage far off.
This place seemed to alternate between desolate desert-like expanses and grasslands, much like the west.
After traveling far through the yellow, barren sandy sea.
They reached the distant grassland area and spotted several yurts clustered together.
Near the yurts, some nomads were herding livestock, while others, having noticed them, whispered among themselves.
"N-Nomads in sight, Young Master."
Jeong-hyeon, with her keen senses, also spotted the distant nomads and reported to Il-mok.
"We'll have to get closer first. To avoid startling them, we'll move slowly."
As they headed straight toward the nomads, the nomads began bustling about.
Those herding livestock returned to the camp, and some prepared as if bracing for possible combat.
When they had closed to a certain distance.
Il-mok spoke to O-hallak.
"From now on, translate for me."
Il-mok had brought O-hallak all this way specifically for dealings with the northern nomads.
"We are merchants from the Central Plains heading to the Western Regions. If you provide food and shelter, we'll reward you accordingly."
Soon, O-hallak translated Il-mok's words into the nomads' language, and Jin Ha-yeon opened a box of silver taels she had prepared in advance.
But for some reason.
The elderly man who appeared to be the nomads' leader shouted something, and O-hallak stammered back a response, even gesturing wildly to continue the conversation.
Only then did the elder nod belatedly, and O-hallak turned to Il-mok.
"Different tribe. Language a bit different."
"Hmm. So conversation is completely impossible?"
"It should be possible to some extent."
"That's a relief at least."
They had nearly wasted bringing O-hallak along.
'Well, his tribe's territory is thousands of li from here, so dialects differing makes sense.'
Il-mok figured it was something like a dialect.
He had no idea which was standard and which was the dialect.
Since the other side seemed to grant permission, Il-mok took a few silver taels from the box Jin Ha-yeon held and handed them to O-hallak.
O-hallak took the silver and approached the nomads alone. The elder pocketed it, nodded, and spoke.
"Guests. They welcome you."
At O-hallak's translation, Il-mok and his group approached the nomadic tribe.
Likewise, the elder shouted something to his tribesmen, and O-hallak translated.
"They're preparing a meal. They say to enter the yurt."
Il-mok brought only the maidservants and O-hallak as he entered the yurt the elder guided him to.
Just like when he had visited O-hallak's tribe, the elder offered a cup filled with some thick, white liquid—likely mare's milk or sheep's milk.
Out of courtesy, Il-mok took a sip, and the elder conveyed something.
For some reason, O-hallak made a subtle expression before translating.
"The path west. Many dangerous tribes, he says."
As he translated the elder's words, O-hallak thought to himself.
Anyone who tried to attack these people would be the ones in danger.
From O-hallak's perspective, having witnessed the Huihui Cultists getting utterly crushed firsthand, the elder's warning couldn't help but sound ridiculous.
"Hahaha. Thank you for your concern. That aside, are there any places along the path west where we might obtain water or food?"
Il-mok responded appropriately to the warning and steered the conversation onward.
They talked for a good while, starting with important matters and descending into trivial chatter.
"You mainly use bows for hunting, I see. Actually, one in our group is exceptionally skilled with the bow—how about a little match?"
Il-mok subtly led the conversation toward something the nomads would enjoy.
It was drawing from his experience with O-hallak's tribe.
The elder gladly accepted Il-mok's proposal, and soon they exited the yurt to prepare for an archery contest.
A middle-aged man, reputed to be the best archer among the nomads, stepped forward, and Il-mok gave Jeong-hyeon a look.
"I'll leave it to you."
At Il-mok's encouragement, Jeong-hyeon looked reluctant.
What Il-mok meant by entrusting it to her wasn't just her archery skills.
It was about what would come after.
Several rounds of the match between the nomadic man and Jeong-hyeon followed.
Just like in the contest with O-hallak's tribe, Jeong-hyeon easily defeated the nomadic man.
"Hahaha. She says that if it's all right with you all, she'd like to discuss archery techniques with you."
Jeong-hyeon hadn't said a word, but Il-mok spoke as if he could read minds.
"We are truly grateful!"
"To give us such a wonderful opportunity."
As the tribesmen, skilled in hunting, rejoiced, the elder couldn't refuse the proposal.
Naturally, those interested in bows gathered around Jeong-hyeon, and her lecture began.
"Wh-When aiming the bow, like th-this...."
After briefly explaining how to shoot better, her voice trembling.
Jeong-hyeon swallowed hard and mustered her courage to carry out Il-mok's instructions.
"But everyone. Do you know... about the Way?"
The task Il-mok had assigned Jeong-hyeon was proselytizing.
"Ahem. If you be-beli-eve in our M-Maitreya Cult, Mi-Maitreya will bless you, and your sh-shot will improve."
* * *
Having finished proselytizing, Jeong-hyeon returned with a noticeably haggard face.
"Young Master. Is this re-really ne-necessary?"
She harbored a sliver of doubt. The suspicion that Il-mok was just tormenting her.
Il-mok grinned at Jeong-hyeon and replied.
"Think of the western nomads, Junior Jeong."
While Jeong-hyeon looked puzzled, Jin Ha-yeon, realizing something, answered in her stead.
"You're referring to how they were divided between those upholding traditions and those who accepted the Huihui Cult?"
"Exactly."
For some reason, at Il-mok's response, Joo Seo-yeon beamed as if to say, "As expected of Senior Ha-yeon!"
Regardless, Jin Ha-yeon gazed at Il-mok and asked.
"Instead of opening the path through trade or combat with the nomads, Young Master, you intend to open it through proselytizing?"
"That's right. If we recruit through trade or violence, there's always the risk of betrayal. Especially since we're not truly using the Grassland Path, if these people sell us out to the Central Plains, things could get messy. But if they become our believers, doesn't that change everything?"
Most Huihui Cultists were zealots, so proselytizing risked backfiring, but Il-mok calculated it had a high chance of success with the nomads.
It was a thought born from his experiences in the west.
Bringing O-hallak along was to smooth this proselytizing effort. If they were just going to kill their way through, there'd have been no need.
Pondering Il-mok's intent, Jin Ha-yeon soon wore an uncharacteristically moved expression.
"Ahhh. This too is part of the grand picture you're painting, Young Master. As one who serves you, I apologize for failing to keep pace with your vision."
"...What grand picture?"
Feeling an inexplicable unease, Il-mok asked back, and Jin Ha-yeon met his eyes squarely.
"To spread our teachings widely among the northern nomads, thereby propagating the Divine Cult's doctrine across the world, right?"
"......"
No...?
'It was just a convenient shortcut because punching through the Grassland Path sounded annoying...?'
While Il-mok was at a loss for words.
"As expected of you, Young Master!"
"I-I'll do my be-best for such a re-reason."
Joo Seo-yeon and Jeong-hyeon looked at Il-mok with expressions of utter admiration.
Under their gazes, Il-mok felt an inexplicable chill.
No matter what he did from now on, it seemed it would be interpreted as some scheme for world conquest.