Eun Jin-ho, Gone Missing (2)
There was a single bracelet on my wrist.
"This is why. This bracelet is called the Blood Response Bracelet. With it, we can find Brother Jin-ho."
I continued.
"Do you remember the elder who captured the assassin who crashed Brother Jeong Ho's announcement as sub-branch leader?"
"Of course."
"He lent it to me. Of course, please keep this a secret from others."
"Understood. But how exactly can this bracelet find Jin-ho?"
"This bracelet reacts to the blood kin of the person wearing it. Within thirty feet in all directions, if blood kin is present, the bracelet..."
I showed the bracelet directly to my father and said,
"turns red."
"It's red now."
"That's because you're standing in front of me, Father. Normally, it's silver."
I recalled the moment I received it from the old man at the sundries shop.
As I was digging into the ground, the old man's scolding made me realize what I needed to do.
What I had to do wasn't dwell on regrets.
What had happened was done.
I would continue changing the future, and mountains of changes would pile up because of it.
I wasn't the type to just sit there crushed and suffocating under them.
I wasn't overconfident in my abilities, but I had the power to resolve them.
Besides, I had the weapon of knowing the future.
So, I would fix it.
The next day, after sorting my thoughts, I visited the old man at the sundries shop.
Seeing me, the old man grinned.
"You've finally come back with eyes worth looking at."
"I troubled you yesterday."
"Trouble? ...Thanks to you, I earned a good mandu fee."
The old man stood, took a bracelet from the wall cabinet, and handed it to me.
"I'll lend you this."
"What is it?"
"It's called the Blood Response Bracelet. It turns red if blood kin is within thirty feet."
"Thank you."
I slipped it onto my wrist. Seeing that, the old man said,
"But there's a slight issue with it."
"Pardon? An issue?"
"Once you put it on, no matter what you do, it won't come off for a month."
"......"
.
.
.
Back to reality, I told my father,
"It won't come off for a month, apparently."
"Heh......"
"But honestly, even if you think about it, I'm the only one in the family who can go search for Brother Jin-ho."
At my words, Father let out a sigh.
"I see. I'm sorry to burden you with this."
"What are you saying?"
I countered.
"Brother Jin-ho is my brother. It's only natural for a younger brother to search for his older one. Don't apologize for something like this, Father."
"Understood. I permit you to join the search party. But Seo-ho."
"Yes, Father."
"You'll have to convince your mother yourself."
"......"
.
.
.
The search party was set to depart in three days.
The biggest hurdle I faced was getting Mother's permission.
As expected, she refused at first.
Even when I showed her the Blood Response Bracelet, she wouldn't budge. Madam Hong Geum-so advised me then.
"It's only natural she won't allow it. With one son already missing, what mother would let another walk into danger?"
"......"
"If you must go, tell her you'll return safely. That's her biggest concern right now."
Thanks to Madam Hong Geum-so's advice, I realized my folly.
Mother was worried about my safety, yet I'd only emphasized finding my brother...
That evening, I demonstrated my martial arts for Mother.
She was the first to see my skills since my return from that previous life.
Mother had been born into a martial family.
So she could gauge my prowess.
Only then did she permit me to join the search party.
Having cleared the biggest obstacle, I focused on Hyunpung-guk affairs.
I had to ensure things ran smoothly in my absence.
And the evening before departure.
An unexpected visitor arrived: Seo-u Warrior, Madam Hong Geum-so's husband.
"How is your health?"
"Thanks to you, I've fully regained my original strength. I am truly grateful."
"I'm glad."
He looked perfectly healthy, even to my eyes.
The Revival Spirit Pill is impressive, indeed.
In the future I experienced, a Blood Cult expert must have gone on a rampage against the martial world right after consuming it.
"But what brings you here?"
"I have a request for the Country Lord."
"A request?"
"I heard you're going to search for Young Master Jin-ho. I'd like to accompany you."
"What do you mean? You know what kind of place Yun-nam is..."
"I want to repay the favor."
"No. If something happened to you, I couldn't face Madam Hong."
"This is also her wish."
"Pardon? Madam Hong's wish?"
"She said that even if a man can't achieve great things, repaying a debt of gratitude is the way of the world. I feel the same."
Seo-u clasped his fists and bowed his head.
"So I beg you. Please give me the chance to repay it."
I looked at him.
Come to think of it, Seo-u Warrior was a first-rate escort leader from Daejeong Escort Agency.
He'd be a great help this time. And...
"Seo Warrior."
"Yes."
"Do you plan to return to the escort agency?"
"I originally intended to, but now I want to stay by my wife's side."
"Wise choice."
The reason Seo-u had been sidelined was that high expert known as the Poison Blood Palm.
Even if it ended in mutual destruction, the fame from beheading that black path rogue was considerable.
He had the skills, and plenty of experience as an escort leader.
Wait, now that I think about it, the place where Seo-u Warrior slew that black path martial artist using Poison Blood Palm was...
"Oh, I forgot to mention. I was actually the escort leader in charge of Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yun-nam routes."
Yun-nam.
I said to Seo-u,
"You're hired."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, slipped out. Come with me to Yun-nam."
"Thank you for granting my request."
.
.
.
The day of the search party's departure arrived.
I picked up the luggage Palgap had prepared.
This wasn't a merchant trip—it was a search. Meaning no leisurely carriage ride.
We'd ride horses, and sometimes continue on foot with just a single pack.
"Young master, all prepared?"
"Let's go."
My group consisted of Palgap, two guard warriors, and Seo-u Warrior, who joined later.
We headed to the carriage depot together.
There, we'd link up with our merchant group members and proceed to Chaengin Escort Agency.
At the depot, Jeong Chung Team Leader of the Silver Wind Corps and his group awaited.
The Eunhae Merchant Group's search party consisted of Jeong Chung Team Leader and ten warriors.
Father had told me Jeong Chung volunteered for this.
In my previous life, it was the same—the bond between Brother Jin-ho and Jeong Chung Team Leader was special.
Jin-ho was twenty now, Jeong Chung thirty.
Yet a friendship transcending age existed between them.
"Has the Country Lord arrived?"
"Yes. I look forward to working with you."
"Likewise."
No need for lengthy words.
Then Father and Brother Jeong Ho approached to see us off safely.
And we headed to Chaengin Escort Agency.
.
.
.
It took about an hour to reach Chaengin Escort Agency.
Upon arrival, the Country Lord came out to greet us.
"You've had a hard journey."
"Not at all."
Jeong Chung Team Leader stepped forward.
"I'm Jeong Chung, representing Eunhae Merchant Group's search party. And this is Hyunpung Country Lord Eun Seo-ho, the merchant group's third son."
"I'm Mak Chung, leader of Chaengin Escort Agency."
As we exchanged greetings, Escort Leader Mak Chung spotted Seo-u and was startled.
"Could you be the great hero Seo-u, White Butterfly Sword, who served as escort leader at Daejeong Escort Agency?"
"There was a time I was called by such an undeserved name."
"I heard you'd recovered."
"Yes. I had a fortunate encounter and miraculously healed. To repay that grace, I've joined the search party."
"With White Butterfly Sword here, we feel secure."
"I'm embarrassed."
Seo-u Warrior was more famous among escort leaders than I'd thought.
Mak Chung was one thing, but even the talent-hungry Chaengin Country Lord was drooling like that.
Did my master get recruited by that Country Lord too?
Master had left on an escort mission, so he didn't know I was heading to Yun-nam.
What would he say if he knew?
He probably wouldn't try to stop me.
We reorganized the ranks and set off for Yun-nam.
.
.
.
We could ride horses to Yun-nam, but ship was faster and more comfortable.
We'd follow the Yangtze's main course through Chongqing, skirt the edge of Sichuan, dock near Jenchang Mountain in Yun-nam, and disembark.
From Eullim Inn, the search would begin.
Truth be told, Yun-nam was a land of bizarre extremes.
Hot by default, but not always.
The south was lowlands thick with jungles, the north hills and mountains.
Some peaks so high they bore eternal snow.
All four seasons coexisted.
The search wouldn't be easy. Still, I wouldn't stop until I found Brother Jin-ho.
We boarded the ship and began sailing up the Yangtze.
Meanwhile, Seo-u Warrior briefed us on Yun-nam precautions.
"One absolute no in Yun-nam: eating mushrooms."
"Mushrooms?"
"Yes. The climate breeds many, including deadly poisonous ones. Miaojiang sects harvest toxins from them for their poisons."
"Fatal, then."
"Exactly."
He shared other warnings, like not entering water carelessly.
I already knew these things.
But I pretended ignorance for my companions' sake—they didn't know.
Besides, in this life, I hadn't been to Yun-nam yet, so I couldn't act like I knew.
Though I had in my previous life.
About half a month sailing upriver, we arrived in Yun-nam.
Three days riding horses after disembarking.
Finally, we reached Eullim Inn.
The last place Brother Jin-ho's traces were found. Strange feeling settled in.
"Welcome."
Three men from the inn greeted us.
Eunhae Merchant Group staff stationed here handling Pu'er tea.
"You've worked hard, elders."
"Young Master Seo-ho—no, Country Lord Seo-ho, you're here too?"
"Yes."
"We heard Young Master Jin-ho went missing and figured you were worried."
"More than me, our parents are anxious. I'm here not just for my brother, but because all the missing Eunhae members are family."
I continued.
"With family missing, it's only right I come myself."
Brother Jin-ho was blood kin, so naturally more worrying than others.
But the other staff mattered too—they were precious comrades from Eunhae.
Moved by my words, they said,
"We're deeply touched."
"No need to be moved by the obvious."
They replied,
"Please, come inside. We'll share the intel we've gathered."
A moment later.
We settled on the inn's first floor.
No other guests, so we practically chartered the place.
Of the three Eunhae staff stationed here, two returned home, one stayed: Seong Jun-baek.
"Actually, more people vanished from here."
"More?"
"Yes. We found witnesses to their last moments—all said they walked into thick fog."
Fog? Could it be... that?