Chapter 353
Chapter 353
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 353
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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A considerable amount of time had passed since Kang Seol vanished after the battle with the Yaksha.
In the East, the embers of dragon strife were reigniting once more, while search parties scoured every corner of the continent in pursuit of the missing Kang Seol.
“Lord Juhong! I’ve got a feeling! Sniff sniff! My gut says we’ll meet him here….”
“That’s the thirty-seventh time now.”
“Huh?”
“You’ve said that exact line thirty-seven times, including just now.”
“Why are you keeping such precise count of that?”
“Because I’ve been disappointed thirty-six times already.”
“Ah! Sorry!”
“Then don’t get ahead of yourself.”
They were a search party dispatched on Seolhong’s orders, scattered thinly across the entire East with minimal gear.
Having searched the East thoroughly without finding a trace of Kang Seol, they had now expanded their scope to the borders between the North and South.
“But have we really moved around thirty-seven times already?”
“Well… something like that.”
“Then how about we take it a bit easier? Maybe act with a little more leisure….”
“Remember whose orders we’re following.”
“…….”
“Seolhong’s orders—the one who might ascend as the next Dragon Emperor of the Khan. How could we treat the search for her missing dragon stone lightly!”
“…Still, this place is too far. We’ve had no news for ages. Come on, how are we supposed to find a guy when we don’t even know where he is?”
“…….”
“Honestly, even saying he’s alive is just a guess. He’s probably….”
“Enough! How could you….”
“Whoops! My bad! I went too far. Anyway! I’m exhausted. We’ve been marching nonstop, right?”
His subordinate’s words held some merit.
Thanks to Juhong’s rigid personality, their two-person team had dwindled to one.
After embarking on this long journey without any rewards, complaints were understandable, and Juhong had little to say in rebuttal.
The subordinate grinned and continued.
“Ah… it’d be so nice to rest here.”
“Didn’t you hear? A labyrinth appeared here, and villagers died….”
“That was ages ago! It’s back to normal business now. People come for the hot springs from time to time….”
“Hmm….”
“Come on, why not relax in the hot springs? We’d bring some life to this quiet mountain village.”
Juhong shook his head.
“The Northern Federation sent reinforcements over the labyrinth issue. Even the Transfer Guilds have swarmed in.”
“Yeah, they’re fighting over some kind of token or whatever. That’s why no one can even approach the labyrinth. The villagers are the ones suffering because of those bastards.”
“Just so we’re clear—don’t clash with them under any circumstances.”
“Huh? Clash? There’s no reason to. We’re looking for different things. Or… wait, are you interested in the labyrinth too? Ah! Don’t tell me you’re planning to strike it rich there and bow out of Dragon Palace duties….”
“Enough with the jokes!”
“Ugh… you’re so uptight. Fine, just say yes. Let me get in on it too… Ah! Speaking of which, if we act like this, we might end up clashing with those guys anyway, right?”
“What? Why?”
“Come on, who comes to a hot spring village and skips the springs? There are only two reasons to come here: the labyrinth or the hot springs. If it’s neither, who’d believe us? They’ll suspect we’re after the labyrinth!”
“…….”
“And we’re shady types from the East on some secret mission! Our origins alone make us suspicious….”
“Fine, fine!”
“Huh?”
The subordinate’s eyes widened, waiting for what came next.
Juhong sighed and gave in to his words.
“If it’s in line with the mission….”
“Hehe… it’s all mission-related enjoyment, right? That’s what public funds are for.”
“Urgh….”
“Great, book us a place with hot springs.”
“Yeeesss! Wait, there’s enough in the public funds, right?”
“We’ve been frugal. Don’t worry.”
“As expected! Hitching our wagon to Seolhong was the best move!”
“You brat! Don’t phrase it so flippantly!”
“Hot springs, hot springs! The best!”
* * *
Juhong found himself lodged in a suspicious inn where the prices had been jacked up, dragged there by his subordinate.
“Lord Juhong, not hitting the hot springs? Hot springs!”
“Go first.”
“Tch! No fun.”
“What?”
“Hot springs are the best! Hot springs!”
A short while later, the subordinate returned to the inn with a languid expression.
The bedding was separate, so even with different genders, there’d be no issues.
It had always been that way.
“Hehe… I’m off to bed. Hot springs are the best….”
“Hmm….”
At dawn, Juhong headed to the hot springs.
Wary of prying eyes and preferring quiet, he chose this hour deliberately.
He carried simple sake to wet his throat and a cloth to cover vital areas as he made his way.
“Hm?”
Despite the early hour, a man sat in the opposite bath, back turned, enjoying the springs.
With a cloth draped over his head and eyes, seemingly asleep, Juhong paid him no mind and settled into his spot, sinking into the water.
Plop…
The scalding heat dulled gradually, soon leaving his body limp and relaxed.
Slurp…
Gulp…
“Guh….”
Downing a cup of the sake he’d brought, his body loosened like that of a soft-bodied sea creature.
Haaaah…
Haaaah…
“Hm?”
“Hm?”
Amusingly, a sigh echoed from the opposite side as well. A large rock blocked the view, transmitting only sound, but what a coincidence.
Perhaps because of it, he mustered the courage to speak to the stranger.
“Brother, you don’t seem like a local… here for the labyrinth? From the North?”
Oops, too many questions at once.
Juhong thought so, but the reply came fittingly.
“I suppose you could say that… And you?”
“Me….”
On second thought, revealing his identity could cause problems. Regardless of internal circumstances, it was a secret mission, and this wasn’t Khan territory.
“Hm… it’s complicated to explain. Ah, was that too weird? Sorry.”
“You’ve got your reasons. I understand.”
Fortunately, the man was understanding.
“You’ve been sighing since earlier… something bothering you?”
“You too… sighing deeper than me….”
The man was right.
Truth be told, Juhong wasn’t satisfied with his current life.
“Haa… honestly….”
He shared his story here without revealing identities or statuses.
“I’m searching for someone on my lord’s orders… but there’s no trace anywhere. Been at it a long time, no results.”
“No trace? An enemy?”
“No, nothing like that. If anything, more like a benefactor.”
“Yours?”
“My lord’s benefactor.”
The man across chuckled and asked.
“Why seek him?”
“Because… my lord still needs him.”
“Hm, did the benefactor run off?”
“…You might not believe it, but he vanished into thin air one day.”
“Hard to believe.”
“I wouldn’t either if I hadn’t seen it myself.”
“To come to this wasteland searching for him… your loyalty is impressive.”
It might sound sarcastic in text, but the man’s tone held none of that.
If anything, it felt admiring.
Feeling an unexpected affinity, Juhong scratched his head sheepishly.
“Haha… loyalty, or maybe just wishful thinking.”
“Wishful thinking?”
“I just hope my lord grows even stronger. If it helps, as her subordinate, I’d crawl into hell itself.”
In response, the man replied with respect.
“I don’t know who your lord is, but with a subordinate like you, even without finding that benefactor, she’ll navigate the future just fine.”
“…Those are words worth their weight in gold. The situation hasn’t changed, but they make it feel resolved somehow. Mind if I hear your troubles now?”
“My troubles are minor. You really want to hear?”
“Well, even minor troubles shared are easier to solve, right?”
“…….”
“Hard to talk about?”
Juhong’s words drew a negative reply.
“No. It’s abstract… hm….”
“Even simply….”
“I feel lost.”
“Lost?”
“I thought I was sailing straight as planned. Met storms aplenty, but course held. But suddenly… that certainty vanished. Makes me doubt if I even set the right direction from the start.”
“Hm! Definitely abstract.”
“I have much to do. Can’t waste time on this….”
“Fortunately, this is something I can answer.”
“Huh?”
“You seem to need time, brother.”
“…Time?”
Tipsy on sake and feeling like a life senior, Juhong offered advice to the man across.
“Spending time on the road won’t make the path sprout legs and run away.”
“…….”
“The initial direction isn’t always spot-on, right? Paths sometimes loop back… or need a rest stop. Er… what I mean is… don’t obsess over the destination. Keep eyes open around you, and you won’t lose the way again.”
A moment of silence.
Juhong grew awkward, replaying his words, wondering if he’d overstepped.
But the man thanked him instead.
“That rings true.”
“Er… helped?”
“Plenty.”
“Where I’m from, there’s a saying. The one who reaches the mountain’s peak fastest isn’t the quickest or the least tired.”
Juhong shared an age-old truth.
“But the one determined to climb it.”
“…….”
Splash…
The man stood abruptly and said.
“…Thank you. That helped a lot.”
“Hahaha! Glad it did. Nothing more to add, then. Hope you make the right call, brother.”
Turning to leave, the man replied.
“You too—hope you find that benefactor.”
“I will. If he appears before me, I’ll tie him up tight and drag him back.”
As the man departed, Juhong sipped the remaining sake with a pleased smile.
“Good talk. Feels like I’ll really find that obsidian now.”
* * *
Kang Seol agonized repeatedly, not rushing straight into the Jet-Black Labyrinth.
He stood at a crossroads.
‘Skip the labyrinth and head to Seolhong. But….’
That certainty had faded.
Confidence scales with ability.
Self-assessing now, he hadn’t changed much since arriving in the East.
‘Even using the ability tree wouldn’t help.’
Boosting efficiency wouldn’t equate to realm breakthroughs.
Perhaps meeting Mirei—who awakened his night raven secret arts—too early was the issue.
Having grasped it prematurely, the next step felt distant.
He analyzed himself precisely.
‘As is… if trouble hits the East….’
Say, something massive like Hwagmu’s revival…
‘I’d die. Definitely.’
Jamad had reached a new realm, but Hwagmu had surpassed that.
Tantuinu was a young dragon; Hwagmu, an ancient evil one.
Different breeds, questionable to compare, but in raw power, yes.
- There are no shortcuts; the wise know this already. Thus, they simply run the set path faster.
- Rigid thoughts will sometimes guard your order. You who have no process, only results… that may safeguard your coming future.
Kang Seol mulled over the sleepyhead’s words.
“No process, only results….”
Their meaning dawned on him later.
‘That’s me exactly.’
To grow strong required time and effort. Yet he’d bulldozed major adventures via variables and summons’ might.
Reaping oversized rewards unbalanced him.
Like draping top gear on a frail frame.
Still ahead of other Transfers, but his benchmarks shouldn’t be them.
“Decided.”
Mulling last night’s hot springs words, Kang Seol finally resolved.
“I’ll head into the labyrinth.”
Jamad laughed at his words.
“Finally made up your mind? What about the East?”
“We’ll detour a bit.”
Kang Seol smiled wryly at the two arrows pointing to the labyrinth.
‘Thought I’d step here later….’
Lian Kuruos’s compass.
Mission-related indicators had spun wildly before.
When the Jet-Black Labyrinth appeared here.
‘They’re in there.’
He recalled passing through the Jet-Black Labyrinth once.
Two entered; one emerged.
He avoided calling it a clear because it was half-success.
‘Can I do it now….’
Murmurs drifted from afar.
A cloud of people blocked the Jet-Black Labyrinth’s entrance.
“No one approaches until the token’s owner is decided!”
“What right does the Federation have to claim the labyrinth?”
Unrelated, Kang Seol merely gazed at it.
Jet-Black Labyrinth—two arrows converged there.
Two died inside; one escaped.
And even the survivor wasn’t unscathed.
Lost an arm.
Lost in reminiscence, Kang Seol recalled that hell where the One-Armed Sword Saint barely escaped armless.
‘Been a while….’
All reasons slumbered there.