Pirates don’t merely survive on plunder alone. Even if the slopes are steep, humans are creatures of possibility. For pirates brimming with strength, the task of cultivating land isn’t particularly difficult.
On the feast set before us now, the crops harvested through such efforts have been prepared as dishes.
Though the fresh vitality of the greens has faded, they have been replaced by a rich, greasy flavor mixed with mountain game meat or the finest-quality plundered meats, emitting a sumptuous hue. It certainly looks delicious.
This wasn’t what I wanted in terms of treatment, yet I feel the excessive hospitality pressing down on me. I should probably enjoy it with gratitude.
There is a mountain group called Gwaeakchae. It ranks as the second greatest mountain group in the realm, wielding influence as great as any of the famous Nine Great Factions.
One might think such a group isn’t a bandit organization but more like a puppet group, but Gwaeakchae stands one tier below the very top among all bandits in the realm. So, its large scale isn’t unreasonable.
“Truly, I was startled! How could the Headmaster of Kunlun visit our humble camp?”
The chief of Gwaeakchae, Lim Joon, offered a glass of liquor while speaking. It was a fairly high-quality glass, ill-suited to a pirate.
“…”
Jade Flower did not take the glass, leaving Lim Joon somewhat flustered and forcing an awkward laugh.
Despite everyone drinking and chattering, Jade Flower hadn’t touched the food they offered. She merely stood firmly behind me, with a single sword at her waist.
It’s because she’s guarding me.
I understand her intent. The atmosphere at this banquet is diametrically opposed inwardly and outwardly. The pirates smile with their lips but constantly keep us under watch through their eyes, clearly aware of our overwhelming strength.
– Someone who knows this still enters a pirate’s lair? Such audacity.
“Isn’t it a bit much to ask women to sleep on the mountain slopes?”
– Then, going to the Green Forest isn’t an issue?
“Isn’t everyone in the martial world the same? Even if I meet someone from the Blood Cult, I wouldn’t be hostile. It’d be hypocritical to have a problem with the Green Forest.”
– Ugh, truly annoying. I, who always walks the righteous path, am unsettled.
While conversing with Jin Woo-yong, I sampled a bit of side dish. A fresh taste lingered.
I wasn’t aiming for this kind of treatment, but their hospitality now makes me feel good. Regardless of the pirates’ inner thoughts, the food before me tastes good.
“Byul Rak, I’m still worried.”
Jade Flower softly whispered near my ear. I replied in a voice that wouldn’t reach others.
“What about?”
“This is Gwaeakchae. The person sitting opposite us drinking liquor is none other than Lim Joon. There’s no telling what they might have done to the food.”
“That’s something you don’t need to worry about. There’s no poison here.”
It’s true. There’s no poison in the food or drink. If that were the case, they wouldn’t have consumed it either.
In the first place, there’s no reason for Gwaeakchae to be hostile towards us. To them, we’re an uninvited typhoon. They merely wish for us to quickly pass by. Their faces show this intention clearly.
Still, Jade Flower never took her place at the banquet. Perhaps, due to her advanced martial arts skills, she isn’t hungry, but opportunities to eat such a sumptuous banquet might be rare in the future.
“Go ahead and eat without worry. I’ll guard you.”
“Then I shall.”
While Jade Flower, who doesn’t touch the food, contrasts starkly with Hong Ryun and Gayoung Jin, the latter two are engrossed in a frenzied meal. To be precise, they’re focused on a ‘match’ between themselves.
“By the way, Mister White Blade Wanderer, who are these two individuals? Are they people recognizable to this chief?”
“One is Moon Blossom, the head of the Taewon Jin Clan, and the identity of the other is a secret. Your understanding is requested.”
“Ah, that’s fine. Everyone has secrets. However…”
Lim Joon glanced sidelong at Gayoung Jin and Hong Ryun, who sat facing each other and shared drinks. His eyes flickered.
“Seems I need to bring out more alcohol for the sake of these two.”
The emotion briefly revealed on Lim Joon’s face was ‘fear.’ A fear that their alcohol might run out.
Gayoung Jin opened her mouth with a threatening tone.
“Hm? Quite a drinker?”
“Good heavens, you actually believe you can compete with me in drinking?”
“Tch! Don’t be so arrogant! I’ll break that pompous nose of yours!”
“Haha, how foolish.”
Initially, their conversation was about how much alcohol they could consume, but it quickly moved past “who is a better drinking companion” to a more prideful contest—”who among us is stronger at drinking.”
They had already emptied three barrels of liquor, so Lim Joon’s gulping saliva isn’t without reason. They should really be handled adequately. If the banquet is fully opened, what would happen?
“Ugh… using internal energy is not allowed! That’s a foul!”
“You’re saying something obvious. Does it look like I’m using internal energy right now? Oh, perhaps you’re intimidated?”
“N-no, who says I’m intimid-ated? It’s not over yet!”
“Sure, sure. Drink to your heart’s content. Being Moon Blossom’s drinking companion isn’t easy, so I shall test your qualifications tonight.”
Should I inform Gayoung Jin that Hong Ryun is subtly using internal energy in a way hard for even me to detect to disperse the intoxication?
…No, it’s fine. It’s rare to see the two get along and it’s unnecessary for me to ruin the mood by intervening.
– Hmm, do you consider this ‘getting along’…?
‘Isn’t this enough to count as ‘getting along’? There’s no use of force, and they’re forging camaraderie through alcohol.’
– Ah, what can you expect from someone who knows nothing about having fun.
Ignoring Jin Woo-yong’s absurd remarks, I savored the appetizing dishes.
I also had some drinks. Though not as much as Hong Ryun and Gayoung Jin, I drank enough that my glass wouldn’t remain empty. It’s a bit regrettable that the intoxication naturally dissipates without the use of internal energy.
“May I inquire about the White Blade Wanderer’s place of origin? Everyone in the martial world is curious.”
With no one else to converse with but me, Lim Joon repeatedly tried to engage in a conversation. With the influence of alcohol, I went along with his flow.
“I come from Anhui. However, there are circumstances preventing me from revealing more. Instead, I’d like to hear your story.”
In any drinking session, conversation is essential for the atmosphere to flourish. I also wanted to ease the rigid tension among the pirates.
“Are you asking about my past?”
“Surely, you weren’t born a pirate from the day you started.”
“Ha ha ha! That’s true! Ah, this is a story from my childhood that’s almost forgotten….”
Lim Joon also seeks peace. He doesn’t wish to be against us.
Thus, to eliminate any possible hostility, he began reminiscing about his past with a distant gaze. Loudly, for the surrounding pirates to hear.
“I was born in a poor rural village, a naive little kid. My family was so destitute that we’d dig up tree bark and roots without hesitation to eat.”
Lifting my glass and tipping it, I nodded to show I was listening.
“It was only my mother and me in the family. My mother, a good person, always fed me first when she obtained food, even though we were perpetually poor and emaciated.”
“Indeed, a great person.”
“Compassionate, though unfortunate.”
A parent who has no confidence in raising their child… As the father of two children, I feel I understand somewhat.
Quietly lifting the liquor bottle, I offered him a refill.
Glug glug glug—.
The sound of liquor flowed sorrowfully.
“The widow who bought me was extremely wealthy, but she wasn’t a good person. Initially, she treated me very well for a few days after I was sold… But that was all a pretense.”
“Tell me, did she… abuse you?”
“Not exactly abuse. I was treated better as time passed. The problem was that she didn’t see me as a child but rather as a man. Someone several decades younger than her.”
“That wretched woman.”
“Imagine, every night, a woman twice your size and many years older coming towards you with arms spread wide. How terrifying would that be for a child? In fear, I grabbed whatever was within reach and swung wildly… Bad luck struck, and I managed to hit her square on the temple with a sturdy washbasin.”
The picture is clear. This is how Lin Zun became a pirate.
“One hit, and she was gone. From then on, I lived on the run from the authorities, doing odd jobs and menial labor to survive. When fortune smiled, I worked in lawful jobs like cleaning or apprenticeships, but when it didn’t, I resorted to stealing, robbery, and plundering just to survive. Eventually, I met my current mentor.”
“Mentor?”
“Our main chief. Master Shen. Afterward, life was smooth sailing. Under his tutelage, I learned martial arts… Accumulated combat experience… Gradually grew as a disciple of the Green Forest Master until I reached this lofty position today. Ha ha, reflecting on it now, it was quite a journey of hardship.”
Lim Joon chuckled in despair as he swallowed the liquor. His eyes were noticeably red.
“Incidentally, I reunited with my mother a few years ago. Miraculously, she was unharmed even during the war. Although she passed away a few months ago… I believe I provided her with proper care. She peacefully closed her eyes amid wealth worth tens of thousands of liang.”
When he finished speaking, some of the pirates who had been eavesdropping wiped away tears. Lim Joon roared at them.
“You imbeciles! What are you grown men doing, blubbering like little girls!”
He himself had moist eyes as he spoke.
He probably told this touching story deliberately to ease the sharp tension. Mission accomplished. The banquet is more harmonious than ever.
“Ah, and due to lingering memories from back then, embarrassingly, I’ve never been with a woman.”
“Ah! That’s why the boss always just stares off into the distance when we’re all carousing! I thought the boss was just aloof!”
“Bah, there are guests present. What do you mean by ‘aloof’? Speak with some dignity!”
Whether his story is truth or fiction is unknowable due to his exceedingly polished expression management at an advanced level.
Still, I want to believe it’s true. It’s rare to hear such a heartwarming, good story.
-Ha, they say there isn’t a bandit without a story in this world.
“Even though you criticized entering the bandits’ hideout before.”
-Grr, anyway, the guy who leads seems to be the first under heaven. Rarely broadening my horizons like this makes me feel good, so I’ll let it slide this time.
Gayoung Jin and Hong Ryun were still engrossed in their personal duel, completely ignoring Lim Joon’s words. However, Jade Flower, who hadn’t even partaken in the banquet, listened silently from behind, falling into deep thought.
“Ah… I see. I have been like a frog in a well, locked away in Kunlun. Labeling bandits like these as absolute evil….”
Finally, Jade Flower, who seemed to be sinking into self-reproach at the slightest mishap, tugged at my heartstrings.
Bandits fundamentally subsist on plunder as a criminal organization. That’s true for this mountain group too. It’s just that their chief, Lim Joon, possesses a slightly touching backstory.
Well, even though it’s a place where people live… Jade Flower is a person so morally pristine that she doesn’t compare with them. I hope she doesn’t wallow in self-deprecation too much.
“Come now, our host will serve, please have more. This mountain group always welcomes heroic warriors.”
Perhaps having opened up through storytelling, Lim Joon handed me more liquor with a more relaxed face.
I wanted to drink it for the sake of the atmosphere, but politely declined and stood up. Lim Joon looked at me with a questioning gaze.
“Just for a moment, I’ll take a short walk outside.”
“Outside… Ah, you’re probably going to relieve yourself!”
“…Don’t follow me. I’ll be right back. Jade Flower, you take care of Hong Ryun and the boss instead of me.”
In fact, it’s just time for a nighttime stroll, but since it’s a good misunderstanding, there’s no need to clarify.
After exiting the tent where the feast was held, I wandered around the perimeter of the mountain group. The refreshing night air always feels invigorating.
It’s quite a pleasant night. The bandits were unexpectedly extremely hospitable, making me feel nice. Our relationship, not bad, makes me feel good too. Of course, I have no intention of becoming close friends with the bandits.
Everything has its kind of positive influence, even pirates. Most pirates charge merchants passing through the mountains a toll. Either the merchants pay it or hire a martial arts sect to protect them.
For martial arts sects that lack income sources, guarding merchant caravans provides a decent source of livelihood. Thus, it’s also common to deliberately leave local pirates alone instead of wiping them out. This is an implicit agreement for coexistence.
Clomp, clomp.
While wandering around silently with such thoughts,
“…Uh…uh…”
a very faint groan came from one side. It was an childish voice.
“What?”
There was no one around. Only a few warehouses were visible.
Whether it was human or animal, I couldn’t just pass by after hearing it. Already, the sound was audible to my ears.
I strode forcefully towards the warehouse where the sound had come from. As I took every step, my heartbeat thudded ominously.
“Eh? Sir, you can’t go there!”
Just then, a guard shouted and stopped me.
“Can’t go?”
“That’s the treasure warehouse! Even as a guest, you cannot enter without permission!”
“…Treasure?”
Clearly, it was a sound of life, but he said it was treasure? If he’d said it was an animal pen, I’d have accepted it.
The guard was lying to me, something I couldn’t comprehend. I immediately unleashed the Qi that I had temporarily retracted to enjoy the liquor.
Vooom…
“…”
Then, from the warehouse he had described as a treasure house,
tens of presences.
I stormed towards the warehouse without hesitation. The guard drew his spear and blocked me.
“Sir, even as a guest, this is forbidden ground! If you continue to insist on entering, we won’t just stand by… guk!”
With one hand, I grabbed the guard by the head and lifted him into the air. His dull spear, despite his flailing, couldn’t scratch my clothing, let alone my skin.
With my empty right hand, I pushed open the warehouse door. The wooden door creaked as it opened.
“…Ugh…”
“…”
The scene that came into view immediately made me
Crack!
crush the guard’s head in my left hand.
Something snapped in my mind.
An important something that held onto my sanity.
“…It’s repugnant.”
Standing before the long unconscious Jin Gayoung, Hong Ryun smirked softly and murmured.
Hearing that, Lim Joon was startled and asked,
“Repugnant? Does the liquor taste bad? Could it be sour? It’s only been recently made…”
Hong Ryun grinned widely with her mouth stretched to her ears and shook her head. An out-of-character smile had crept onto her face.
“No, not the liquor.”
Instantly, a chilling sensation shot through Lim Joon’s entire body. A cold drop of sweat trailed down his nape.
“The air here is repugnant.”
“Mistress… What do you mean…?”
The rustling sound of Hong Ryun’s standing up from her seat. Jade Flower, who was standing behind her, instinctively placed a hand on the scabbard of her sword.
Hong Ryun spoke.
“Can’t you smell the blood in the air already?”
