Chapter 35: The Passing Wind Is Not Always Warm (1)

After their meal, Bang Jin-bo returned to his room, and Dam Ho went outside.

Fwoo!

When Dam Ho approached the stable, the black horse poked its head out as though pleased to see him. Dam Ho lightly patted its neck.

The horse blew out a plume of hot breath.

"Just wait a little longer. Soon you'll be able to run to your heart's content."

The black horse scratched the ground with its forehoof as though it understood.

Though they had not known each other long, the black horse seemed to share a tacit understanding with Dam Ho, responding well to his words.

While Dam Ho spent time with the horse—

"That must be your horse."

A stranger's voice accompanied an unfamiliar presence.

Dam Ho turned to see Heuk-no, the old man who had arrived with Sim Ok earlier. He stood with both hands tucked into his sleeves, looking at Dam Ho.

When Dam Ho looked at him, Heuk-no approached with quick, short steps.

"I noticed it when you arrived. That's a remarkable horse. They're not easy to come by these days."

"……"

"Where did you find it?"

"The horse market."

"Ho! You found something of that quality at the horse market? Impressive!"

Heuk-no gazed at the black horse with admiration. In his eyes lurked an undisguised greed.

For a martial artist, a fine horse was as coveted as a fine weapon. This was especially true for those who operated in vast grasslands like these.

Heuk-no was a martial artist who made the grasslands his domain. His desire for a fine horse burned brighter than most.

The black horse, pure black without a single stray hair, was clearly a magnificent steed. But his purpose in coming was not the horse.

Heuk-no stopped before Dam Ho. He was diminutive, barely reaching Dam Ho's chest. Yet his gaze was intensely piercing.

"Who are you?"

"……"

Dam Ho did not answer. He felt no obligation to do so.

Heuk-no's gaze intensified, as though it could pierce a man's very soul.

Ordinary people could not withstand such a stare. Within the organization Heuk-no belonged to, only a handful could meet his gaze directly.

Yet Dam Ho did not look away. He met the old man's stare head-on.

Within his deeply sunken dark eyes, there was not a trace of agitation.

'This man!'

In that instant, Heuk-no felt a chill run down his spine.

It was like gazing upon an enormous boulder. So vast that its end was utterly beyond comprehension, like a mountain range.

Dam Ho's eyes carried precisely that kind of weight. And so, paradoxically, Heuk-no felt he was the one being overwhelmed.

Heuk-no nearly drew his weapon involuntarily. But with superhuman restraint, he held himself back.

Though Dam Ho's gaze contained an overwhelming weight, it carried no killing intent.

Heuk-no asked once more.

"Who are you?"

"Dam Ho."

"Is that your name?"

Heuk-no's eyes flashed. Conversely, an expression of annoyance appeared on Dam Ho's face.

"Does that matter?"

"It does. Very much."

Heuk-no had recognized it from the first moment he saw Dam Ho. That Dam Ho was a master who had trained in martial arts.

Beneath the black robe, Dam Ho's physique was remarkably developed. Heuk-no had seen many external martial artists, but he had never seen anyone with such perfectly developed musculature.

A large build or bulging muscles did not necessarily mean one possessed strong external martial arts.

As with all martial arts, harmony was paramount.

Well-developed arm and leg muscles, supported by the waist and back musculature in concert—only then could true power be unleashed.

Judged by this standard, Dam Ho possessed an optimal physique for external martial arts. Heuk-no had never seen a martial artist with a body so well-developed.

Though his build was not particularly large, every muscle fiber seemed to contain volcanic power that could erupt at any moment.

That was why Heuk-no had prevented Sim Ok from approaching him.

Sim Ok possessed strong martial arts but was extremely poor at interpersonal relationships. Having been coddled from childhood, she had a tendency to speak casually.

With ordinary people, this did not matter. But if she behaved that way toward someone like Dam Ho, conflict was inevitable.

Heuk-no did not fear Dam Ho, but at a time like this, there was no need to provoke unnecessary enmity.

"Are you connected to them in some way?"

"Them?"

Dam Ho tilted his head in puzzlement and walked toward Heuk-no. In that moment, Heuk-no noticed that Dam Ho favored his left leg slightly.

'A pity! He's lame.'

What good was a perfectly developed body if one was lame? A lame person's physical balance was compromised, severely hindering movement.

Heuk-no dismissed his thoughts.

Dam Ho's reaction made it clear there was no connection.

"Seems not. Then I have just one request."

"……"

"Whatever happens here, go about your business. That will be best for both of us. I'll take your silence as agreement. Remember my words."

Without waiting for Dam Ho's reply, Heuk-no turned and walked away.

Dam Ho watched the old man's retreating figure in silence. His gaze had grown even deeper.

***

The following day, Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo prepared to depart at dawn.

Bang Jin-bo meticulously organized his ingredients.

"What do I do?"

He had bought too many. No matter how he stuffed them, some items would not fit in his bag. The guo, as large and wide as Bang Jin-bo's own torso, had no place.

The guo was a cook's lifeline. It could never be parted from. After a moment's deliberation, Bang Jin-bo tied the pot with rope and strapped it to his back. The sight made him look exactly like a turtle.

"There!"

Bang Jin-bo wore a satisfied smile.

No matter how it looked, as long as it did not impede movement, it was fine. That was enough.

"Brother, let's go."

"Right!"

Unlike Bang Jin-bo, Dam Ho had little to prepare. Sleeping outdoors and meals were all Bang Jin-bo's responsibility.

Dam Ho needed only his black robe.

Having completed their preparations, Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo left the inn. Though it was early morning, the dining hall was already crowded. Most were merchants embarking on long journeys.

"Haha!"

"Look at that one. He looks just like a turtle!"

The merchants burst into laughter at the sight of Bang Jin-bo with the guo strapped to his back. The round pot made him resemble a turtle exactly.

Bang Jin-bo's face reddened with embarrassment.

At that moment, Dam Ho spoke.

"Stand tall."

"Yes!"

Straightening his back, Bang Jin-bo stood upright.

"A martial artist wields a sword to fight. You wield a cooking pot to battle the flames. Take pride in that. What matters is not the superficial appearance that others see, but what lies within."

"I understand."

Bang Jin-bo nodded.

He believed whatever Dam Ho said. Dam Ho was the only person he trusted.

Bang Jin-bo looked around. But his expression quickly fell. Sim Ok was nowhere to be seen.

Dam Ho ruffled the boy's hair.

"Disappointed?"

"N-no, not at all."

Bang blushed and ran to the empty seat. Dam Ho followed.

When the two sat down, the waiter approached.

"Are you leaving now?"

"Yes! Brother, please bring us some food."

"Just wait a moment. I'll bring it right out."

The waiter smiled and headed to the kitchen.

Dam Ho sat and surveyed his surroundings.

Some faces were missing. Most were merchants, and among them was Sim Ok, in whom Bang Jin-bo had taken interest.

Sim Ok and Heuk-no seemed to have left the inn before them.

Bang Jin-bo was still glancing around for Sim Ok. Dam Ho watched him silently.

The waiter arrived carrying a tray of food. It appeared to have been prepared in advance. Looking around, all the merchants were eating the same thing.

Stir-fried lamb, flatbread, and white rice—that was all.

"Hehe! Breakfast is the same for everyone. Enjoy your meal. You eat well too."

"Thank you, brother."

"Don't mention it! Well then…"

The waiter smiled and withdrew.

When Dam Ho picked up his chopsticks, Bang Jin-bo began to eat.

As he had noticed the day before, the food at the Qingjiang Inn was exceptionally delicious. It seemed especially so to Dam Ho.

Dam Ho picked apart his food with his chopsticks, savoring each bite carefully. This was a habit he had developed since entering the world.

Even eating little, he chewed thoroughly before swallowing. He had learned that this eased the burden on the body.

In this, Dam Ho resembled a monk on a spiritual quest.

In contrast, Bang Jin-bo ate with great enthusiasm.

"Wow! They used the Five Spice Powder to perfection. There's no gamey taste from the lamb at all."

The Five Spice Powder was a blend of fennel, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, clove, and dried tangerine peel—a fundamental seasoning in cooking.

How one used the Five Spice Powder determined the flavor and aroma of a dish. Renowned chefs each had their own secret ratios.

"What is this slightly bitter taste? Licorice root?"

Bang Jin-bo could identify the spices and seasonings used simply by tasting the food. Yet this did not slow his eating in the slightest.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

"Hehe!"

He smiled.

His bright smile somehow looked forlorn.

Dam Ho and Bang Jin-bo left the inn and headed to the stable.

The black horse stamped its feet joyfully.

Dam Ho patted the black horse's neck and mounted. Bang Jin-bo first loaded the bag of ingredients onto his own horse. Then, with considerable effort, he climbed aboard.

With ingredients loaded on the horse and the guo strapped to his back, Bang Jin-bo presented quite a comical picture. Yet his expression was surprisingly solemn.

Once they left Hami, they would enter the Central Plains within a few days. An entirely different world awaited them there.

He felt both fear and anticipation.

Bang Jin-bo glanced at Dam Ho.

Dam Ho rode ahead, his expression as stoic as ever.

Though they had known each other for some time, Bang Jin-bo had rarely seen Dam Ho smile.

'Does brother even know how to smile? What kind of life has he lived to have lost his emotions so completely?'

Having somewhat recovered from the grief of losing his father, Bang Jin-bo now had the capacity to observe his surroundings.

He realized he knew nothing about Dam Ho. And yet, the man had helped him without conditions.

"Let's go."

Dam Ho's flat voice carried a roughness, as though his throat were clogged with phlegm, that had the power to make the listener shudder.

While Bang Jin-bo indulged in his thoughts, Dam Ho had already ridden far ahead.

"Brother, wait for me! Yah!"

Bang Jin-bo kicked his horse's flanks.

Only after catching up to ride shoulder to shoulder with Dam Ho did a smile appear on Bang Jin-bo's face.

The two left Hami at a brisk pace.

Once beyond Hami, the road was clear. They urged their horses on.

The black horse ran as though releasing all the pent-up instinct to gallop that had been suppressed for so long. The horse Bang Jin-bo rode struggled to keep up and eventually foamed at the mouth.

Still, it showed tenacity and managed to keep pace. But as time passed, the gap between them widened.

Dam Ho and the black horse dwindled to a distant dot and vanished.

"Brother, wait for me!"

Finally growing anxious, Bang Jin-bo shouted.

Whether he heard or not, Dam Ho halted. Bang Jin-bo's face lit up with joy as he galloped toward Dam Ho. But as he drew closer, his expression hardened.

The wind was blowing. It carried an unfamiliar scent. But Bang Jin-bo remembered that he had smelled this scent recently.

"A bloody smell?"

The acrid stench that stung his nostrils was unmistakably the smell of blood.

When he reached Dam Ho's side, a shocking scene unfolded before his eyes.

"Ah!"

The earth stained crimson, countless corpses strewn across it, and crows and wild beasts feeding upon the dead.

A memory he wished not to recall surged to mind.

Bang Jin-bo squeezed his eyes shut.

Jin Ja-gang’s split sole finally stopped bleeding and scabbed over after two days.

Considering that Jin Ja-gang’s skin regeneration was several times higher than that of ordinary people, this healing was quite delayed. Wounds inflicted by a martial arts master’s sword energy typically don’t heal easily.

It was an important experience where he learned the terrifying power of sword energy firsthand.

Jin Ja-gang realized that it was dangerous to expose himself carelessly when facing martial arts masters. Especially when exposed to killing intent, he truly thought he would die.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t simply rest indefinitely, so Jin Ja-gang gathered fruits to eat and slept on the road as he continued walking back to the Extreme Poison Sect.

Since he had injured the sole of his good leg, it took longer than expected to return to the Extreme Poison Sect.

In the end, he returned to the Extreme Poison Sect three days after his escape.

To escape with such difficulty only to return…

Anyone who saw Jin Ja-gang would surely think he was insane.

However, from the moment Jin Ja-gang decided to return, he had been completely focused on methods to annihilate the Extreme Poison Sect and exact his revenge.

‘If everything goes as planned…’

The method Jin Ja-gang had in mind was to poison the well.

The most common yet most effective method since ancient times. Especially since the Extreme Poison Sect used well water to cook rice every dawn, the effect would be substantial.

Jin Ja-gang believed it was entirely possible. He knew where the well was. During his previous escape, he had taken note of the well’s location.

The problem was how to reach the well inside the Extreme Poison Sect. That’s what he had been considering during his entire journey back.

Jin Ja-gang stopped walking and took a deep breath.

In the distance, he could see the first gate, which was the only entrance and exit to the Extreme Poison Sect.

It was a small fortress gate constructed with earthen walls topped with rafters to form a roof. The wall’s height was easily five times Jin Ja-gang’s height, making it nearly impossible to climb over secretly.

Jin Ja-gang paused and entered the nearby grass thicket.

It was still midday, so the main gate was wide open.

Jin Ja-gang wandered through the grass, gathering a few pieces of dry bark that looked flammable. He drew poisonous energy to the Xiaochi acupoint in his little finger and bit it to create a wound. Then he coated the bark with the poisonous fluid.

He found thorny vines and applied poison to the thorns as well. Without any proper weapons, these served as Jin Ja-gang’s armaments.

After making these two preparations, Jin Ja-gang moved through the thicket as close as possible to the main gate and waited.

Two warriors were guarding the main gate.

When he listened carefully, he could hear the warriors’ conversation.

“Is there still no word from the pursuit team?”

“They’re supposed to report once a day, but apparently there’s been no contact for three days already.”

“Huh? Surely nothing has happened to the pursuit team?”

“Well, it seems they’ll wait until tomorrow and then form a second pursuit team.”

Jin Ja-gang felt relieved. He now knew he had until tomorrow.

‘I’ll finish everything and leave today anyway.’

Jin Ja-gang continued to listen to the warriors’ conversation.

“They’re not saying it, but the higher-ups must be quite anxious. That little brat has quite a record, after all.”

“Indeed. He’s already killed several masters. I still can’t believe he poisoned even Great Desert Saber.”

“By comparison, Elder Mang was crippled but not killed, so he was extremely lucky.”

“Lucky? Since he lost the brat, he’s been relegated to the back room, stripped of his authority to mobilize troops and conduct investigations directly. He’s just treated as a has-been now.”

“That’s all his own doing. That’s what happens when you’re so greedy.”

“It’s best to just live like us, doing what we’re told. Kill when ordered to kill, beat when ordered to beat, steal when ordered to steal. See how easy that is?”

“Ah, don’t talk like that in public. Show some dignity. Soon we’ll be proper members of the Martial Arts Alliance.”

“People like us in the Martial Arts Alliance. The way of the martial world has truly fallen, indeed it has.”

“Hee hee.”

Jin Ja-gang felt cold anger rise within him at the warriors’ words.

‘Just kill whoever you’re ordered to, you say?’

The victims were precisely Hundred Flower Valley and the Medicine King Sect.

Grinding his teeth, Jin Ja-gang thought:

‘You will certainly pay the price.’

Jin Ja-gang listened to the warriors’ words a little longer, then quietly retreated into the thicket to wait.

* * *

As the sun set, several torches were hung at the gate, and the warriors began to change shifts.

The warriors who had been guarding the main gate during the day chatted as they went inside to change shifts with the new arrivals.

“Nothing unusual?”

“Nothing at all.”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t miss this opportunity. Though he was limping, he crawled to the main gate as quickly as possible.

A large bronze brazier was placed in front of the main gate. At night, they would light a fire in it to illuminate the front.

Jin Ja-gang tossed the bark into the bronze brazier, which hadn’t been lit yet, then returned to the thicket.

Though it was a distance of barely ten steps, his entire body was soaked with sweat from tension.

‘Whew.’

Now he just had to wait.

Two warriors who were changing shifts came out from the main gate. One carried wooden kindling, while the other held a torch to light the brazier.

One placed the wood inside, and the other lit the brazier with the torch.

The brazier quickly caught fire and blazed up.

Whoosh.

“Ah, that’s warm.”

“It’s already getting a bit cold at night.”

The two warriors didn’t leave immediately but briefly warmed themselves at the brazier. Then, as if sensing something strange, they looked around.

“Do you smell something odd?”

“Yes… something like a sulfur smell…”

The warrior stopped mid-sentence and swallowed a groan.

“Keuup!”

“…Kkeok!”

The two warriors who had inhaled the sulfur fumes let out stifled groans one after another.

The bark that Jin Ja-gang had placed in the bronze brazier had caught fire, vaporizing the poison.

The two warriors had unwittingly inhaled the sulfurous fumes through their noses and mouths, causing their airways to swell.

“Kkeuk!”

Unable to breathe, the two warriors rolled on the ground, not understanding what was happening.

Thud!

A warrior who had fallen to the ground saw Jin Ja-gang crouching in the nearby thicket. The warrior’s eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Jin Ja-gang. However, he was in no condition to do anything.

“Keok, kkeuk, kkeuk.”

The warrior, with bloodshot eyes, clutched his throat with one hand while stretching the other toward Jin Ja-gang, trembling. His face, unable to breathe, turned bright red, then gradually darkened.

The other warrior was in the same condition. He staggered a few steps before collapsing and being unable to rise. After a while, the warrior’s body went limp.

‘Success!’

Jin Ja-gang rose to enter through the open gate. Now, until the morning shift change, no one would come to the main gate.

However, that was just Jin Ja-gang’s assumption. One of the warriors who had finished his shift and was about to leave happened to return and witnessed the scene outside.

“Huh? What’s this! What’s wrong with you all!”

The warrior, sensing something was amiss, entered the gate to ring the bell.

If the warrior went inside and called for others, everything would go wrong.

It was a critical moment.

Instead of hiding, Jin Ja-gang dashed out into the open.

The warrior who was about to ring the bell hesitated momentarily when Jin Ja-gang sprang out from the thicket.

Since Jin Ja-gang was not an adult but a young boy, the warrior felt both reassured and puzzled.

Wearing fire-scorched clothes and covered in dirt, Jin Ja-gang looked like a beggar boy, not threatening to anyone.

But why had he jumped out from there?

The warrior hesitated without entering, then drew his sword.

“Who are you!”

Jin Ja-gang didn’t answer but retreated, pretending to run away.

“Uh, uwaaaah!”

Since he was limping and his sole was injured, he couldn’t run properly. He pretended to be scared and running, then fell down.

Jin Ja-gang slowly crawled on the ground, trying to lure the warrior to follow him.

The warrior seemed to think Jin Ja-gang had seen something important.

The warrior looked around. Seeing no one else but Jin Ja-gang, he mustered his courage and ran toward Jin Ja-gang.

“Stop right there!”

However, as he passed through the lit bronze brazier, the warrior staggered.

“Ugh! Urgh!”

Thud!

The warrior dropped his sword and fell forward.

He didn’t seem to be severely poisoned. Instead of dying immediately, the warrior clawed at his face and neck, expressing his agony.

“Keu, keu.”

Fortunately, his throat was swollen, preventing him from making proper sounds.

Blisters formed on the face of the warrior who had inhaled the poisonous fumes. From rubbing so much, the blisters broke and oozed fluid.

“Uuuu.”

The warrior who had been rubbing his face suddenly looked up. The corpses of his colleagues rolling on the ground caught his eye. The horrific sight of corpses covered in blisters, oozing blood and pus!

“Uwaaaah!”

The warrior hurriedly stood up and met eyes with Jin Ja-gang, who was staring at him.

The warrior fell backward in terror.

“Kkeuyk! Kkeuyk!”

The warrior let out a stifled groan and scrambled to get up. He stood on trembling legs and looked at Jin Ja-gang again.

Then suddenly, he turned his body and began to walk-run toward the gate, away from Jin Ja-gang.

‘No!’

Jin Ja-gang jumped up. He picked up the sword the warrior had dropped, drew poisonous energy to his little finger, and coated the blade with poison.

Then he chased after the warrior.

However, with his painful sole and limping leg, it was not easy to chase an adult warrior, even one who was poisoned.

Seeing Jin Ja-gang running after him while dragging his leg, the warrior’s face filled with terror.

“Kkeuyk! Kkeuk!”

The warrior, though staggering, moved even faster. Despite foaming blood at the mouth, he wasn’t dead yet.

Jin Ja-gang grew desperate.

‘Stop right there!’

Jin Ja-gang’s hair stood on end.

Would the revenge opportunity he had worked so hard for disappear so futilely?

Whether by heavenly fortune or not, the warrior ahead stumbled and fell. Though fallen, he crawled desperately on the ground.

Jin Ja-gang, not wanting to miss this opportunity, ran with all his might.

‘Just a little, just a little more!’

If he could just take one running start, he could plunge the sword into the fleeing warrior’s back!

At that moment, as Jin Ja-gang desperately wished and planted his foot—

Pop!

The sole of his foot, which had barely begun to heal, burst open.

And then, thread-like energy flowed from the Baihui acupoint at the crown of his head, around the major meridian in his waist, and down to his right foot.

A momentary opening of the blocked energy channels occurred due to the explosive bleeding.

Energy surged in Jin Ja-gang’s leg. It was similar to the feeling he had when escaping from Mang-ryo’s laboratory.

The effect didn’t last long. Just one breath. For that moment, Jin Ja-gang could push off the ground and leap into the air more powerfully than ever before.

‘What did I just do?’

Jin Ja-gang didn’t even understand what he had done himself. Though not comparable to martial arts masters, it was similar to using lightness skills.

But.

‘Oh!’

Not expecting to jump so far, Jin Ja-gang misjudged the distance and overshot the fallen warrior. Jin Ja-gang landed near the warrior’s head.

Thud!

In the end, Jin Ja-gang became entangled with the warrior.

Before Jin Ja-gang could recover, the warrior roughly mounted him. No matter how much poison he possessed, his body was still that of a child. He couldn’t withstand an adult’s raw strength.

The warrior, with a terrifying face and eyes spread wide apart, foaming blood at the mouth, strangled Jin Ja-gang’s neck.

“Keuaaa!”