Wedding Gift (3)
Bok Sangdanju tilted his head at my words.
"You mean you?"
"Yes. How could I, sworn brother to Vice Unit Leader Bok-yoon, just stand by while the Bok Merchant Group faces such hardship? I want to lend my strength too."
Bok Sangdanju nodded readily.
"Do so."
"Thank you."
"No need. I'm the one grateful—you're helping my son."
Then Vice Unit Leader Bok-yoon grabbed my hand, his eyes welling up with tears.
Aigoo.
Why make it so burdensome?
I quickly changed clothes and headed to the stables.
"Sorry for deciding on my own."
The escorts shook their heads at my apology.
"Don't say that."
"We are your lord's guards. Our duty is to follow without question, wherever you go."
Seo-u Warrior said.
"Of course, we follow only because we judge it safe for you. If we deem it dangerous, we'll stop you without hesitation."
"I'm pretty good at looking out for myself, so no worries."
"Really...?"
I flinched involuntarily at Seo-u Warrior's piercing gaze.
Okay, that stings a bit.
This time, there wasn't even a hint of personal gain mixed in.
I was purely stepping up to help a friend.
Then someone approached me.
"I'm Foreman Bok-deok."
Judging by the Bok surname, he must be from the Sangdanju's household.
"Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group. Pardon my rudeness, but what's your relation to the Sangdanju?"
"I'm the second son of his grandfather's brother's eldest son."
Uh...
Close if you say close, distant if you say distant.
"I see. Nice to work with you."
"Likewise. Ready?"
"Yes."
"Then let's depart."
And so we mounted up and left the Bok Merchant Group.
We followed the markers left by the advance team that had started the pursuit first, galloping on and on.
The Yoryeong plains really are vast.
Heading to the North Sea Ice Palace, we'd gone northeast, but this time we were heading the exact opposite direction.
Before long, the white snow gave way to vast grasslands stretching before us.
While giving the horses a brief rest, I asked Foreman Bok-deok,
"Has something like this happened before?"
"Horses bolting is fairly common, of course. But most are just strays. Cases like this, where they fully escape? Extremely rare."
"I see."
"And this time, we can't even figure out why."
Is that so. I'll look into it later.
First things first—recover the horses.
We rode on for over half a day more.
They'd gone really far.
Since it was urgent, we rode through the night and finally reached the camp.
This was the camp of the first pursuers.
"Whoa, whoa!"
As we approached, someone guarding the camp ran over.
"Foreman Bok-deok?"
"That's me. Who are you?"
"I'm Gu-eul, under Foreman Sim. I'll inform him."
Soon a man emerged from the tent.
"Foreman Bok-deok."
"The Sangdanju sent reinforcements. What's the situation?"
"I'm sorry. We lost the trail during pursuit."
"Lost the trail? You, Foreman Sim?"
He nodded gravely.
"Yes. Something feels off. Like someone deliberately tampered with the tracks."
I asked him upon hearing that.
"You said it seems like someone tampered with the tracks?"
He looked at me quizzically.
"Who might you be?"
Bok-deok introduced me, and he bowed hastily.
"I see the sworn brother of the Vice Unit Leader."
"Nice to meet you. First, answer my question."
"Ah, yes."
He continued.
"I've tracked horse trails for over thirty years. No matter where they flee, I can follow."
His words brimmed with pride in his skills.
"Unless they vanish into thin air or sink into the earth, they always leave traces. Iron horseshoes mark the ground easily."
I nodded.
"And in these grasslands, traces preserve well. That's the problem."
He went on.
"There are too many tracks. Scattered every which way..."
"Then..."
"Yes. Someone did this on purpose."
I pondered deeply.
Horses suddenly bolting, someone tampering with tracks.
This stinks.
"May I take a look?"
"This way."
I followed him forward to where the tracks were.
Under torchlight, they were indeed chaotically scattered everywhere.
And the energy I sensed.
"...!"
This energy... faint, but unmistakably black path qi.
Someone from the black path is involved. No doubt.
I don't know who yet, but their cowardice made my blood boil.
Doing this just days before a wedding!
I'll find the culprit.
"Rest now. We'll search again at dawn."
"Yes."
At Bok-deok's command, they all cupped fists in unison.
A tent was assigned to me too, but given the situation, our group shared one.
I quietly called Seo-u Warrior and Jin Yu Warrior.
"I have a request."
"Speak."
"From what I saw, this seems deliberate—to harm the Bok Merchant Group."
"We think so too."
"Any suspects?"
"Not certain, but we have guesses."
I continued.
"Possibly another merchant group hiring black path thugs."
"Black path?"
I nodded at Seo-u Warrior's question.
"I mentioned before—my martial arts let me sense black path qi keenly."
"Yes, we remember."
"I felt it here. And black path groups don't usually target big merchant groups."
Large groups have their own forces, wealth, and connections for revenge.
So they avoid them.
"But if bought off by rivals, that's different."
I looked at the two warriors.
"That's why I ask you two: return to the Bok Merchant Group. The culprits might still be there."
"Worried for your friend."
"Yes."
"What to prioritize?"
"First, guard Vice Unit Leader Bok and his family. If you find black path collaborators, subdue them."
I added,
"If you do that, I can focus on tracking the horses worry-free."
"Understood."
The two warriors headed back to the Bok Merchant Group immediately.
Now, time to seriously hunt those horses?
"Geum-ryeong."
"Kkwi?"
Geum-ryeong poked its head from my sleeve.
"Time for an errand."
Its eyes sparkled at my words.
"You sniffed the horses' scent on the way? Find where they are."
At my request, Geum-ryeong shot off like a bullet.
Soon it returned.
Judging by the time, they're close.
But I noticed red on Geum-ryeong's body.
Blood?
I scooped it up in alarm.
"Geum-ryeong? Hurt?"
It shook its head at my call.
"Kku! Kkwi! Kkwi-kkwi!"
"Huh? Not your blood? We gotta go now?"
"Kkwi!"
I hurriedly prepared and dashed out with the escort warriors. I told Palgap to inform the others.
"Hyah!"
At my shout, the horse surged forward.
Geum-ryeong led ahead. It was pitch dark, but its glowing body lit the way easily.
How long did we ride?
Soon I understood Geum-ryeong's urgency.
Bonfires lit the area, and the lost horses were gathered there.
But...
Something was off.
A few horses were rampaging wildly, attacking people.
Probably the black path thugs who'd taken the Bok horses.
"Hiiing!"
"What the hell are these mad horses!"
"Where'd they even come from...?"
They were in total panic from the assault. Utter chaos.
But they weren't taking it lying down—horses were bleeding too.
Ah, that's the blood on Geum-ryeong.
"Kkwit! Kkwi! Kkwi!"
Geum-ryeong was crying out.
Help those horses now—what are you waiting for?
"Was just about to."
We drew swords and charged. We began subduing the black path group one by one.
The strongest among them was barely peak-entry level, so it wasn't hard.
"Who the hell are... guk!"
I ignored his question and kicked him in the face.
Meanwhile, the escorts handled the others.
The situation cleared. We bound the black path warriors and removed any suicide poisons.
I glanced back.
About ten bleeding horses.
The lead one faced Geum-ryeong.
"Hing!"
"Kkwi! Kkwi!"
"Prung."
"Kkwi!"
Hm, conversing.
I counted the horses.
Fifty total.
Minus the ten bleeding ones: exactly forty.
So what's with those ten?
Geum-ryeong cleared it up.
"Kkwi! Kkwi! Kku-wi!"
It finished talking and explained to me.
"So those aren't the escaped horses?"
"Kkwi."
"Those are... spirit beasts?"
I looked up properly at them.
Sweat... milky white? No way!
People's top horse is the Han-hyeolma—a thousand-ri steed.
But there's a higher, lesser-known class.
Han-yu-ma (汗乳馬)—Milky Sweat Horse. True name: Ju-gang-ma (走江馬).
Meaning "horse that runs over rivers."
That fast.
If a thousand-ri horse covers a thousand ri a day, Ju-gang-ma does three thousand.
Thus, classified as spirit beasts, not ordinary horses.
Ten of them?
"Kkwi, kkwi-i."
Geum-ryeong explained my doubt.
"Ah, you saw them being taken and stepped in to help? They asked for aid?"
"Kkwi."
The forty realized too.
That the black path hadn't brought them with good intent.
I approached the ten Ju-gang-ma and cupped fists, bowing.
"Thank you for the help. You saved my friend's assets."
"Prung."
As if it were nothing.
"Want to treat those wounds? Okay?"
They nodded, so I pulled a vial from my bosom and applied the liquid.
Using this a lot lately.
It was Geum-ryeong's saliva.
As expected, miraculous—wounds healed instantly.
"Good karma. Farewell."
The lead horse tilted its head, puzzled.
"Hing? Prung?"
"Kkwi!"
Geum-ryeong translated.
"Why not covet us?"
I realized soon enough.
"Of course I want to. But I'm content with my current horses. Riding an unwilling one? Way too risky. I don't do dangerous things."
I continued.
"Go on. Others coming would be trouble."
I waved them off. But they approached me.
And...
Huh?
The horse knelt.
As I tilted my head, Geum-ryeong spoke.
"Kkwi! Kkwi-i."
"Uh... so you're entrusting yourselves to me?"
"Kkwi."
"Why?"
"Kkwi-i."
"Ah... they said you have money, so good food and warm bedding?"
Fair enough—even spirit beasts need to eat.
Not like Geum-ryeong, eating money, right?
Sensing my doubt, it added,
"Kkwi! Kkwi!"
"Hay's fine? Sweet candies occasionally are a bonus?"
Not money-eaters, then.
From its attitude, urging me to take them.
Well, they are Ju-gang-ma.
"Alright."
Suddenly, a great idea hit. I'd brought a Wol-cha as gift, but this was better.
"One request: any want to go to my friend's home?"
"Prung?"
"He's rich—plenty of food, warm stalls."
They nodded.
Perfect.
Now I can give Vice Unit Leader Bok-yoon a real gift.
But a doubt crept in.
Even with food and warmth, would Ju-gang-ma spirit beasts submit so easily?
I asked Geum-ryeong,
"Geum-ryeong."
"Kkwi?"
"You didn't threaten them, right?"
"......"
Geum-ryeong, why avoid my eyes?