The Enduring Black Path
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.
"..."
What came into view was an unfamiliar ceiling. No, by now it was a somewhat familiar bamboo ceiling. Jin-cheol stared blankly at the crisscrossing lines of horizontal and vertical bamboo strips.
Then he felt a damp sensation on his chest and lifted his head. Tobi was there, head resting on it, snoring softly in his sleep. The wetness was drool leaking from the kid's mouth.
"This little shit's filthy..."
Jin-cheol grumbled, but he carefully lifted the boy's head so as not to wake him and moved it aside. In doing so, his gaze naturally fell to his own chest. There was a scar smaller than a coin. It had been a wound just yesterday.
"...My skin gotten thicker or something?"
The first thing he'd checked after rescuing Tobi and the others and returning to the village was that wound. Right in the center of his chest—a gunshot. But the mangled bullet hadn't pierced his muscle, stopping just under the skin. And even the torn flesh had half-healed overnight into a scar.
He could obviously tell it was a bullet wound. If he couldn't even recognize that, all his time rolling through warzones would've been wasted.
But this recovery speed, this muscle layer that repelled bullets—it made no sense. Wait, actually, there had been guys like that. Berserkers turned into super soldiers by drugs, rampaging like mad. Monsters charging through rifle fire bare-handed, ripping comrades apart.
"...Fuck. What the hell's going on with me."
Digging too deep into it brought shadows he couldn't shake, so Jin-cheol sat up. As he did, he saw puppies sprawled everywhere in the dining hall. Empty liquor bottles scattered among them. A scene hinting at last night's madness.
Surprisingly—or maybe predictably—the Kampoeni knew how to brew booze. Not for everyday, but for big events or good news, they'd haul out the aged stuff from deep underground and drink. He'd imagined sweet fruit wine given their image, but one sip revealed thick, potent liquor. The Kampoeni guzzled it straight from the jug, turning into drunken louts that belied their cute looks. They banged small drums and pipes, belting lively songs as they got wasted.
Jin-cheol sat there, gazing at the Kampoeni reeking of booze. For some reason, a grin crept onto his face.
"Oh, you're up early."
Then a Kampoeni appeared from the doorway, backlit by sunlight. An older face compared to the others—Atukai.
Jin-cheol gave a casual nod.
"Morning. Shame you missed last night."
"Heh heh. I've got my dignity. Can't have the elder hollering like those pups. Us old-timers drank moderately among ourselves, so no worries."
"Good to hear."
Jin-cheol rubbed his dry face with a hand. A yawn escaped naturally. Atukai sighed, eyeing him and the still-out-of-it young Kampoeni.
"These fools still out cold... We need prep done by today or tomorrow's trouble."
"Prep? What for?"
"What else? Trade prep."
Jin-cheol's hand paused mid-rub, half-asleep. Trade. Baika merchants coming downriver. His ticket to the city.
"Those merchants coming?"
"More like we go to them. We use a ferry for the trade."
"Ferry?"
Atukai explained with gestures.
"A dock? You've got a dock for boats?"
"Yeah. Wait there overnight, Baika merchants dock. They take crops or booze, give salt and sundries in trade."
Jin-cheol shot to his feet. Tobi tumbled off the bed with a thud. Hitting the floor, he yelped in confusion, looking up dazed.
"Wh-what?"
"Time to get up."
"Huh? Already?"
"Yeah, pup."
Leaving the groggy boy, Jin-cheol approached Atukai, who smiled.
"Rest up. Can't task our village savior..."
"Nonsense. Let's knock it out quick together."
"Hm. If you insist."
"Elder? What's up so early..."
Tobi trailed behind, still bleary-eyed. Atukai flicked his forehead hard. As the boy flailed in pain, Atukai led the way. Jin-cheol grabbed a shirt and strode after.
Exiting the hall and descending wooden stairs slowly, he saw piles already forming at the tree base. Busy Kampoeni waved greetings.
"Hey, yeah. Good to see you."
Jin-cheol waved back vaguely, then followed those hauling from storage into the underground.
The deepest level was storage. Kampoeni hefted sacks their size onto backs or shoulders, climbing stairs.
"Just carry these up?"
The old Kampoeni nodded with a smile. Jin-cheol gauged a sack's weight, tucked two under each arm, and started moving. The Kampoeni clapped in amazement. He hauled four or five persons' worth at once. Longer legs made him three, four times faster—effectively ten-plus men's work alone.
Atukai's eyes widened.
"Not tiring?"
"Manageable. Kampoeni-sized loads, after all."
"True. You're sturdy."
Sized for small Kampoeni or not, four or five sacks wasn't light. But Jin-cheol didn't brag, just grabbed more. Bragging about unexplained strength felt lame.
"That's enough out."
"Carry one by one?"
"Nah. Whole village'd need to move."
Kampoeni fetched frames like backpack harnesses. Jin-cheol muttered,
"A jige?"
"You know it?"
"Shape's off, but use is clear."
"Heh. Hard to surprise you. Let's see if this does it."
"Huh? No, what..."
You're the weirdest shit here. Walking Malteses.
He swallowed the rest as Atukai fiddled in a corner bush. Curious, Jin-cheol peeked—then a low hum, and the ground lifted.
"Whoa."
"Esai cities have beasts of burden called 'cows'—strong, but need feed, care for illness. Our cow needs none. Mother Tree's grace—no feed, no sickness."
"...Bit stretch calling that a cow."
Atukai proudly showed their "cow": less beast, more floating plank. Truck-sized, hovering unsupported. Not just any plank. A control rod jutted from the "head." Atukai tinkered; it drifted after him slowly.
"Most cargo here. Rest on backs."
They loaded food, booze atop, lashed with rope. By end, lunchtime. Tobi, who'd joined midway, panted with tongue out.
"Tired?"
"Heh, yeah. You?"
Not tired. Heat and sweat from nonstop, but refreshing.
"No, fuck. Am I built for manual labor?"
"Whoa, Jin-cheol said fuck again."
"Hey. Fuck's bad. Good Kampoeni don't say."
Tobi nodded goofily, ignoring. Penalty for corrupting pure pup? Later. Lunch first. Jin-cheol scooped Tobi overhead like an airplane, heading to hall.
Post-lunch, back to room for gear. Nothing much—arrived empty-handed. Bundled Kampoeni clothes in simple pack. Sword hilt at belt, out. Below, Kampoeni gathered.
"Head out now?"
Atukai, in more active garb, nodded.
"You ready?"
"Yep."
"Us too, Jin-cheol!"
Tobi and friends among geared-up. Two days post-ordeal, faces bright. Maybe forgetting hardship easy was Kampoeni strength. Wish my head worked like that.
Floating plank loaded center, harnessed pups marched. Short caravan left Kampoeni Village.
First, dense bamboo grove—source for village homes. Thick but small. Then deep, gloomy primeval forest.
Pushing grass, rotting leaves awhile. Suddenly, ground evened.
"...Well, shit."
Kicking thick leaf litter revealed hard black, smooth stone floor. Asphalt? Closer to concrete.
"Amazed?"
"Uh? Yeah, kinda."
Atukai chuckled beside him.
"Sidalia River flows endless, Kogant Forest trees grow inch by winter... but Forgotten Empire's black earth unchanged my lifetime."
"...What's that mean?"
"Esai poet Tukin's words. Heard as kid—black stone roads scattered worldwide."
"Left by unknown makers?"
"Known. Forgotten Empire, as said."
Jin-cheol eyed exposed black road. Tobi and pals brushed leaves, oohing.
"What's Forgotten Empire?"
"Pup, how'd I know? Just old tales of ancient folk—time unknown. Built great cities, black roads. Mysterious. Anyway, Black Path means journey half done."
Atukai ambled ahead.
"Follow straight to your 'dock.'"
Jin-cheol alternated between Atukai's back and black ground. Ancient empire relic. Timeless road. Curious, but after pseudo-tyrannos, walking pups, tree farms—not shocking. Leaf-covered, more forest path sans trees.
"Jin-cheol, coming?"
"...Yeah."
Tobi's nudge got him moving. City, dig history if possible. Fleeting thought.
The Black Path snaked straight through dense forest, shaded valleys, gentle hills—curving smoothly. Mostly leaf-buried, few dark surfaces visible, but no breaks in vast length.
"Black Path's magic."
"Magic?"
Jin-cheol's interest prompted Atukai.
"Yes. Defies leaves, dust, rain, wind, sun, time. Never seen more leaves than now. Natural decay should bury it, yet apart. Beasts avoid too. Strange magic."
"Oh..."
Real magic. More mystical than smart farms, tree panels. Asphalt cracks sans maintenance; this repels rot, scares beasts. Beyond Jin-cheol's common sense.
"True magic..."
Gazing at Black Path, eyes drifted to hill ridge below. Sunlit green forest sparkle, winding river tributary, dark valley gloom, white clouds on blue sky. Vast nature filled his view. Felt magical. Compared to burning homes, rubble, wrecked tanks, casings, rolling corpses—yes.
"What now?"
Tobi prodded his daze. Jin-cheol ruffled fur instead. Boy barked indignantly, scampered ahead. Gaze followed pups' leisurely train—serene as landscape. Beautiful purgatory. Jin-cheol felt it.
"Let's go."
Atukai nudged his arm, leading. Deep sigh, Jin-cheol followed.
As western sky pinked, they reached the dock Atukai mentioned.
River spanned 100 meters wide, meandering from upstream. One bank: artificial structure jutting mid-river—Kampoeni dock.
Jin-cheol muttered,
"Fuck, concrete structure again..."
Smooth gray, mismatched to wilds. Cracked, pitted, but boat-ready. No deep thoughts. Atukai said generations used it—nothing more.
They unpacked, fired camp, ate as dusk fell. Hot stew started dinner. Tobi slurped enthusiastically, then stared blankly at Jin-cheol, spoon dripping.
"Leaving?"
"Huh? Didn't I say?"
"No!"
"Told Atukai before."
"Not me! First time!"
Jin-cheol shrugged, slurping.
"Now you know. Going with Baika merchants tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Find friends."
Really, unravel this mess—but fill belly first.
"W-we're friends too... me too..."
Couldn't ignore those clear eyes gazing up.
"...Course you're friends. First I made here, saved each other's lives."
"Yeah! So—"
"But I don't fit. Forest's Kampoeni's."
Firm words shut Tobi's mouth. Eyes welled, staring—then whirled away, silently shoveling stew. Pouting obvious.
"Aigoo..."
Headache brewing, Jin-cheol eyed Atukai pleadingly. Elder just smiled, focused on food.