Light Novel: Volume 17 Episode 11
Manhwa: N/A
“A familiar smell? Does that mean they are people you know?”
“No, a familiar smell is wafting from them.”
“Really?”
If anyone else had said it, he would have moved on and let it slide, but this was the Ghost King. He might be suffering from memory lapses, but he wasn’t one to lie.
Yong Seolran cautiously asked,
“Is it possible to smell them from this distance?”
“It’s possible.”
“Really? How can you be sure?”
“I can smell it too.”
“……”
Pyo-wol’s response answer left Yong Seolran at a loss for words.
She knew that he had long ago surpassed human limits, but she really didn’t expect him to have the same level of senses and perception as the Ghost King.
Pyo-wol stared and observed the thirty or so martial artists.
They were scattered and resting, but they didn’t let their guard down for a single moment.
Their eyes were sharply scanning their surroundings, and their senses were wide open.
It was clear that they were elite warriors who had undergone rigorous training.
Pyo-wol asked Yong Seolran,
“Can you identify who those people are?”
“Not at all.”
Yong Seolran shook her head.
Even though she had settled down in a slash-and-burn village, she did not know anything about the nearby martial sects and clans in the region. She had completely lost interest in them.
Also, as far as she knew, the area was too secluded and remote for any major and strong martial sect to decide to move in.
If it were a bustling city, it would be another matter, but there was no reason for a proper sect to be in such a remote place.
So, the fact that a group of martial artists of this level had come to this remote area which people usually avoid was unusual and special in itself.
The Ghost King stared intently at the martial artists.
The flicker in his eyes made it seem as if he would pounce on them at any moment.
Pyo-wol restrained the Ghost King.
“Hold your ground for now.”
“Why? Isn’t it better to crush them right away?”
“Look at the atmosphere. They’re well-trained wolves. Threatening them won’t make them speak.”
“So, what should we do?”
“We should secretly follow them. The odds are high that their destination is the place you’re searching for. That’s also probably where they picked up the scent.”
“Understood.”
Satisfied with Pyo-wol’s explanation, the Ghost King nodded.
This time, Pyo-wol looked at Yong Seolran.
“You should go back.”
“I can’t. This is also my matter.”
“If you get involved, it could destroy the quiet life you’ve worked so hard to find.”
“It’s already too late. A person in my village has already been killed. How could I pretend not to know?”
Yong Seolran spoke firmly.
Pyo-wol stared at her face for a moment.
Stubbornness was written all over it.
It was clear that no matter what he said, she wouldn’t listen.
“Alright. I accept your decision.”
“Thank you.”
“But you have to listen to me.”
“Don’t worry. I know your capabilities better than anyone. I’ll make sure not to get in your way.”
“Mmm!”
Pyo-wol nodded.
He was well aware of Yong Seolran’s martial arts prowess.
Even though she had been away from the sword for a long time, there was absolutely no way she would be a hindrance.
Pyo-wol closely examined the men.
* * *
At the center of the group was a middle-aged man in his early forties.
His leopard-like features and tightly pressed lips showed just how stubborn the middle-aged man was.
A damaged sword hung at the middle-aged man’s waist. The seemingly long-broken sword dangled loosely from his waist, without even a scabbard.
Suddenly, the middle-aged man called out to someone.
“Hey, you guys!”
“Yes?”
“Is he… talking to us?”
The men who had been pointed out were startled.
The middle-aged man snapped his fingers. Then, three men cautiously approached him.
“You smell like blood. Did you kill someone?”
“Yes.”
For a moment, a look of astonishment crossed the three men’s faces.
It’s because it had already been days since they killed someone. Even if the scent of blood had lingered on their bodies at the time, it should have disappeared completely by now.
Yet, the middle-aged man had accurately detected the scent of blood on them.
The middle-aged man asked,
“Why?”
“We noticed that he was gathering the Fire Heart Herb.”1
“How could that be? Very few people know of the existence of the Fire Heart Herb.”
“He was a resident of a nearby village. Apparently, he was exposed to many medicinal herbs from his childhood.”
“How convenient.”
“Yes. That’s why we were left with no choice but to kill him.”
“How did you dispose of the body?”
“We disposed of it perfectly. We threw it far away from the road, so there’s no chance it will be found.”
Despite the men’s responses, the middle-aged man’s expression remained unchanged.
The middle-aged man knew the men well.
They were individuals whose cruelty caused many problems. When they kill someone, they are not satisfied with doing it painlessly. They would torment and torture their victims until they died, much like a cat playing with a mouse.
Each and every one of those who met their end at their hands died in agony.
“Until we reach our destination, everyone should restrain themselves.”
“Yes!”
“Understood.”
The men nodded their heads in response.
The fear on their faces was palpable. This was because the middle-aged man in front of them was no ordinary person.
Jang Sa-chun, the Phantom Demon Sword.2
His name might be old-fashioned, but his martial arts skills were terrifyingly formidable.
Especially the sword technique he executed with his damaged sword— it was so terrifying that it struck fear into the hearts of many.
The number of people who had lost their lives to that damaged sword was countless. Anyone who had ever witnessed how he killed his opponents could not help but fear him.
Jang Sa-chun was not the kind of person to be deployed on a mission like this, but a confluence of circumstances had brought him to this place, forcing him to lead these men temporarily.
Even the men who prided themselves on being tough could barely breathe in his presence.
Jang Sa-chun spoke to the men under his command.
“Three days! Only three more days and we’ll reach our destination. I hope no one acts rashly until then. Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
“Understood.”
His men responded energetically and mounted their horses.
Jang Sa-chun also mounted his horse and looked around.
Once he confirmed that nobody was around, Jang Sa-chun lightly kicked the horse’s side, and the horse darted off at high speed.
His men followed him.
* * *
Pyo-wol and his group were following Jang Sa-chun and his men from a distance.
At a glance, it was clear that Jang Sa-chun’s momentum was extraordinary. That’s why Pyo-wol deliberately kept his distance in case Jang Sa-chun noticed their presence if they got too close.
Tracking the traces of nearly thirty horsemen was not a difficult task.
There were clear tracks on the ground where the horses had galloped. No one would be able to miss them not unless they deliberately try to do so.
They rode for two days.
Jang Sa-chun and his party went deeper and deeper into the rainforest.
The trees and grass grew denser and denser, making it harder and harder to move around on horseback.
The deeper they went into the rainforest, the stranger the Ghost King’s behavior became.
He spent more time in silence, zoning out.
It was fortunate that he was still connected to Pyo-wol through the silver thread; otherwise, he would have fallen behind or lost his way.
Pyo-wol asked the Ghost King,
“Are you okay?”
“The familiar smell is getting stronger.”
“Is that so?”
“I’ve definitely been here before.”
There was conviction in the Ghost King’s voice.
Pyo-wol looked at him and thought,
‘It seems we’ve come to the right place.’
He didn’t know what was here, but it was clear that this was the place the Ghost King was looking for.
It was then.
Swooosh!
Without warning, rain started pouring down.
Yong Seolran couldn’t hide her puzzled expression.
“The traces are being erased.”
The traces left by Jang Sa-chun and his men were being washed away by the rain.
The torrential downpour quickly turned the ground muddy, covering any signs of human passage.
The turn of events happened so suddenly that even Pyo-wol was at a loss for action.
Yong Seolran said,
“We must chase them quickly.”
“Forget it.”
“Why?”
“Breaking through this heavy rain to move isn’t easy for them either. They’re likely resting somewhere. If we act recklessly, we might reveal our whereabouts to them. It’s better for us to rest as well.”
“What about the traces? They’re all being erased.”
“We can find them even without those traces.”
“Well, okay…”
Yong Seolran was easily convinced.
She realized once again what kind of person Pyo-wol was.
Yong Seolran said,
“We should also take shelter from the rain. That spot looks good.”
What she pointed at was a large rock on higher ground.
The space underneath the rock, which was as large as a temple, was hollowed out, preventing the rain from pouring in.
The three of them moved directly under the rock.
The area beneath the rock was cozier than they had thought.
The floor seemed to have been a dwelling for beasts, as it was covered in dry branches arranged like a nest. But there was no current inhabitant.
Pyo-wol gathered the branches on the floor and started a fire.
The warmth of the campfire brought a relieved expression to Yong Seolran’s face.
Though they could easily dry their wet clothes with their inner energy, the comfort offered by the heat of a campfire was incomparable.
The campfire itself was nothing special, but it had a strangely calming power.
Yong Seolran circulated her internal energy to dry all the moisture on her body, then squatted in front of the campfire.
As always, the Ghost King was hunched up in one corner. The warmth of the campfire seemed to have no effect on his mind.
Suddenly, Yong Seolran realized that Pyo-wol was nowhere to be seen. He had vanished, leaving only the campfire behind.
‘When?’
Yong Seolran’s eyebrows quivered slightly.
She was shocked that she had not noticed Pyo-wol’s disappearance, even though she had been focused on circulating her internal energy.
‘He’s become even more stealthy than before.’
He had already been impressive against the Emei sect. She couldn’t imagine how much more impressive he might have become now.
Yong Seolran waited for Pyo-wol’s return, warming herself by the fire.
Just then, she saw a figure approaching through the trees.
It was Pyo-wol, who had mysteriously disappeared.
In his hand was a fairly large rabbit.
Its skin had already been peeled off.
Pyo-wol, entering from below the rocks, skewered the rabbit meat on a stick and placed it over the fire.
“Did you go hunting?”
“Resting well includes eating well.”
Pyo-wol sat down in front of Yong Seolran.
He also circulated his internal energy to dry the moisture off his body.
He watched the water vanish into steam for a moment before returning his gaze to the campfire.
The rabbit meat was sizzling, cooking in the hot heat.
It seemed like it would be ready to eat in just a little more time.
Since they hadn’t eaten anything all day, everyone was quite hungry.
When the rabbit meat had finally finished cooking, Pyo-wol divided it into three pieces and gave them to Yong Seolran and the Ghost King.
“Thank you.”
“Eat well.”
The two thanked him and began to eat. But Pyo-wol couldn’t do the same.
Because he felt a strange sensation in his arms.
Squirm!
Gwiya, who hadn’t moved until now, began to stir.
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