Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Blood on the Wind
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After traveling about 50 km along the river for 12 hours, Hwan-in's group set up camp by the riverbank.
The surrounding scenery hadn't changed.
The river, which had been muddy from the heavy rains, had regained its original clear hue and flowed majestically. Dense forests clustered around it.
As soon as the campsite was decided, the women sprang into action, securing sleeping spots and gathering wood for the fire.
By the time they finished preparing the camp, the sun was about to set.
"Sis, I'm hungry~."
"It's almost ready, just hold on a bit."
Dinner consisted of leftover jaguar roast from lunch, potatoes and sweet potatoes found along the way, whole roasted skunk, and Ryuhi's special spicy meat stew.
Being by the river, the night turned quite chilly, but the hot soup warmed their bodies right up.
Squawk, kek.
Emergency Ration seemed to love the fluffy-fleshed potatoes and sweet potatoes, devouring its share and then eyeing Hwan-in's portion.
As Hwan-in shared his portion with Emergency Ration, snippets of the women's conversation drifted into his ears.
"Hey, hey. What about the night watch?"
"Our benefactor needs to rest, so... us in two-hour shifts?"
"Huini and I don't know how to fight. If we're ambushed, we might not even wake up in time and get killed."
"Like Efnis says, one person is too risky. So Ryuhi and Huini first shift, Efnis and Ennil second shift, alternating every four hours."
Hwan-in watched the women sorting out the watch schedule over dinner. He set down the potatoes and sweet potatoes in front of Emergency Ration and spoke up.
"Ryuhi and Huini, please take the first watch for two hours each. Efnis and Ennil, the last watch. I'll handle the middle four hours."
"Uh..."
"You've all carried dozens of kilograms of gear and walked for 12 hours. You're exhausted and need proper rest."
The women had wanted to handle the watches themselves to help Hwan-in, but his firm refusal left them no choice but to agree.
With plenty of food, cooking taken care of, and gear carried for them, it was unbelievably comfortable compared to crossing the jungle alone, fording the river, and traversing the forest.
Even ordinary beasts no longer thrilled Hwan-in. Hunting them had become a dull routine of slaughter. If he slept soundly too...
'My senses will dull.'
Hwan-in filled his belly just enough to stave off hunger, drew his spear, and began training.
Thrusts, diagonal slashes, horizontal sweeps, vertical chops—the simple routine. But Hwan-in believed fundamentals were key, so he swung silently and steadily.
"..."
Huini glanced at her sisters, then quietly picked up her iron spear and mimicked her. Hwan-in ignored her, focusing solely on his form.
About two hours later, with his body heated up, Hwan-in washed in the chilling river water that raised goosebumps on his skin. Then, as if it were the most natural thing, he called Efnis over and they joined in intimacy.
Doing it with three onlookers embarrassed Efnis greatly at first, but soon the waves of pleasure overtook her. She forgot her surroundings, cried out in ecstasy, and melted into Hwan-in's embrace.
After Efnis, Huini, Ennil, and even Ryuhi approached with subtle hope in their eyes.
"Outdoors, only one per day, please."
Realizing where they were, the women flushed and retreated.
The first night passed smoothly without incident.
The second day brought the same scenery as they followed the winding river. That night, he held Huini. The third day was the same routine; that night, Ennil.
The women began voicing unease around lunchtime on the fourth day.
"Benefactor..."
Ryuhi approached hesitantly, worry etched on her face about whether to speak. Hwan-in asked what was wrong.
"I feel like we're circling the same spots... N-not that I'm doubting you! It's just... that place from yesterday looks familiar again..."
Her manner was as cautious as handling a baby.
The other women shared the sentiment, their faces mirroring Ryuhi's anxiety.
"..."
Hwan-in had memorized every detail of the surroundings as they traveled. His father had taught him during bushcraft that grasping the environment was the quickest path to survival.
In his memory, their path had never overlapped once.
Similar terrain, sure—but inevitable when following a river.
'Come to think of it...'
Listening to the women, certain keywords he'd noted resurfaced: labyrinth, wandering.
He'd initially thought they'd simply gotten lost in the forest like novices.
Underestimating woods often led to straying off course.
He asked the others if they felt the same as Ryuhi.
"Yes... I've felt it since yesterday."
"Stuff keeps reappearing..."
"That rock! I saw that rock yesterday!"
Hwan-in gripped Huini's shoulder as she pointed anxiously at a common boulder and asked in a calm, low voice.
"Stay calm, take deep breaths, and think carefully. Did you really see that rock yesterday?"
"..."
"Most rocks look alike. Remember not just the rock, but the river nearby, the forest edge. Asking again: did you really see it yesterday?"
"...I-I don't know... But it feels like I did..."
They vaguely insisted "it seems like" or "I feel like" to their lifesaver, but weren't experiencing déjà vu—they truly believed they were looping locations.
'Did some gathered plant cause hallucinations or delusions?'
He shook his head. Everyone ate the same food; if it affected them, it'd hit him too.
Ultimately...
'Assuming this is a labyrinth, prolonged exposure dulls judgment and cognition due to its unique aura.'
His soul-manipulating superpower granted resistance to such status effects.
This explained the shipwrecked women's long wandering and the odd feeling escaping the jungle.
Explaining in detail, realization dawned in the women's eyes.
"Whoa, so we wandered the forest back then because of the labyrinth?"
"Ah, I remember reading that in a book."
"What did it say?"
"Labyrinths bewitch and devour people. Awakened classes resist, but jobless folk are doomed."
Efnis's words solidified their trust in Hwan-in.
Ennil's story made them shiver, then look to Hwan-in like chicks to a mother hen.
"We were doomed from the start. Meeting you changed that."
"Labyrinths are scary..."
"Sorry for worrying you with silly talk, Benefactor. We'll keep quiet and follow from now on."
Whether calmed or rallied, their anxiety visibly faded.
Hwan-in noted concerning terms but decided...
'I can guess, but I'll investigate personally later.'
He chose to hide labyrinth-related info tied to his identity, not fully trusting them yet.
Afterward, he quizzed Efnis on labyrinths whenever time allowed.
"Sorry. Books to our village focus on fun tales; nothing to satisfy your curiosity."
She'd learned plant identification from rare books begged from her parents.
Still, he gleaned some info.
Efnis had sharp memory and comprehension, recalling merchants', adventurers', and explorers' chats.
"Labyrinths come in all kinds, apparently."
Specialists explored them. Fertile land nearby fostered villages and cities.
Clearers became heroes and rich.
Unique materials fetched high prices.
Ryuhi chimed in.
"Adults teach kids labyrinths are deadly. Ignore one, monsters drag you in. Play near, it swallows you whole..."
"To curb curiosity. Blindly entering such dangers is fatal."
"I think so too. It breeds taboo, so folks know little. Even adults avoid the topic."
"But sis, our village survives on the labyrinth's power. We should study it, not sneak scraps."
"What can we do? The elders decided."
Hwan-in glanced at the whispering duo and resurveyed.
Oriented by sun, they headed steadily toward the Great Lake of the Horned Scale Whale.
The meandering river meant days away still.
Five days of 12-hour treks along it sought Ryuhi's post-shipwreck landmark: a peculiar mountain seen from the riverbank.
Follow the river; it'd appear. If the lake came first, skirt its edge for tributaries, then repeat for the bald-topped yellow peak.
He recalled the cave talk.
—The mountain was tall. Four times your twin peaks, twice the crescent rock one. Lone, treeless summit, oddly yellow soil and rock.
—Merchants use it as a signpost. Find it, village is easy.
—How'd you lose it then?
—Big sis said straight-line through forest...
—Reasonable, poor outcome.
Shame memories blurred from trauma.
The steady river trek hit a snag.
The seemingly endless river bent sharply, gaining slope. It narrowed, vanished. Forest parted to reveal a jade lake and mountains.
"..."
Hwan-in was dumbfounded. Tall trees had hidden the approaching range.
Narrow width, long jade lake. Opposite: mountain range blocking the view. Western peak veiled part of the shore.
'River continues behind those mountains?'
"The other side looks so different."
"No trees at all."
Huini and Ennil were right.
This side: flat, forested. Beyond: white-capped mountains like a screen. Bushes blanketed slopes, summits bare amid clouds.
Spectacular like Swiss or Norwegian vistas, but Hwan-in ignored beauty, scanning tactically.
"..."
No match for Ryuhi's mountain.
As Hwan-in prepared to cross with the women...
Squawk! Kek!!
Alerted, spear in hand, man-sized green apes emerged from nearby woods.
Seven, monkey-gorilla hybrids.
Territorial fury in their eyes.
Efnis trembled at the long-armed brutes.
"F-Forest raiders."
"Fall back. Huini, Ennil—face the lake, watch our flanks."
"Yes!!"
"Got it."
Hwan-in gripped his leather-gloved spear, knuckles creaking. Vegetation shifts since day three hinted at this.
'Didn't expect apes.'
Developed fingers. Cautious approach suggested reason over instinct.
Before the lake, he'd hunted a tapir-like beast. He channeled its low-grade soul orb via Spirit Possession.
Heart pounded huge, heat surged.
Tapir effect: water scent intensified, detecting lake lifeforms.
'Territorial dispute zone.'
Two soul shields up, battle stance. The creeping semicircle halted.
"...?"
Grunting gravely among themselves, Hwan-in sensed...
Too coincidental timing.
To test, he clutched the pearl pebble on his armband, stacking three Soul Arrows.
Ughhh...
Slender ethereal arrows formed; apes tensed sharply.
Confirming soul detection, he fired at their feet.
Pew-pew-pew!
Invisible shots kicked dirt and gravel; apes yowled, retreating.
Hwan-in's gaze sharpened.
'Faster than expected.'
Retreat matched beast sprints. Seven charging at that speed...
Apes eyed him warily; Hwan-in backed slowly.
"We retreat."
"Y-Yes?"
"Alone, I'd handle them. But one targeting you... I couldn't protect."
Lake at back. Shorter than orangutan fur, but long. Wet fur slows; numerical edge covered.
Full arsenal: seven doable.
Women? Crushed instantly by those arms and bulk.
Apes watched retreat.
Group backtracked swiftly.