episode_0005

“Follow me carefully. Because there is a trap.”

“If we just follow the path we took, we will be safe.”

The conclusion they reached was to take me to the captain. Maybe they were trying to tie me up and present the whole thing to the captain, but these thieves are always thirsty for talent. Rather than trafficking someone who has even dipped their toes in martial arts, they tend to want to actively use them.

“Oh my.”

As they said, the road to their base was dotted with traps. If you recklessly ran out after stealing money, you could be crippled by something like a poisoned arrow or thorn trap set on a tree. Even the guy with a bounty of only 5 nyang was so heavily guarded, so what if it was 30 nyang?

You probably haven’t seen anything good.

I asked myself this question and followed their footsteps. The bandits were advancing straight on, yawning or discussing what to eat for dinner tonight, and as the outline of a fence emerged through a gap in the trees, one stretched out his hand and said,

“Over there.”

The place was like a small castle.

It looked like a clumsy wooden fence built by giants while playing soldiers, and it also looked like a part of a forest grown in an artificial form. To clearly camouflage the fence, tree branches were stuck between the walls, and the thieves standing on the watchtower were also looking around with leaves stuck in their bodies.

“Who are you!”

The night-sighted person shouted in a low voice. The blade sparkled as it reflected the moonlight from the direction of the watchtower. Just in case, I hid behind a tree and waited for the next action, while the robber waved his hands and said.

“It’s us. I brought a newbie.”

“Newbie?”

“It looks like you have some martial arts skills? I brought it because I thought Chaeju would like it.”

Even the assassination group would not assume this situation and make such conversations into ciphertext.

“Come in.”

The green forest was beckoning me. The inside of the wooden fence was lit by torches, making it look like another world.

When I actually came inside, I saw a world that was a little different from the one I knew.

“What is that guy?”

“I’m a newbie. Newbie. Since he’s trained in martial arts, he won’t bump into his face.”

“Oh my, how did a guy who even learned martial arts creep in here?”

There were people walking around everywhere dressed like barbarians and replicating the vulgar cabal. Since each person’s face looked like a monster from a Japanese folk painting or an illustration of a mountain and sea god, I grimaced and looked away, while those showing off their yellow and black teeth were busy making faces without thinking about their own body odor.

“Hey! Try the sword dance!”

Because of their absurd demands, I let it go in one ear and out the other, and decided to focus my attention on looking into their internal geography rather than their behavior. The size of the bandits was approximately 20 to 30 people, and judging from their numbers and experience, it was impossible for me to exterminate them.

There were watchtowers and wooden fences erected, but the height of the fences was not very high and they were sloppy, so there were many holes through which they could escape.

There were two large tents positioned near the entrance, and there were two separate buildings with tents lined with wood. And there were two other tents that were smaller and cleaner than the other tents, as if they were for personal use.

One of the clean tents I had noticed bulged, and a man who looked like a bear crawled out from inside. Even at first glance, he had a size that overwhelmed other people, and the knife marks were clearly visible in his eyes.

He had no body hair, including facial hair, giving him a bizarre appearance. The man looked around with his prominent white eyes and looked straight at me and said.

“You’re a newbie?”

Noklim nodded and said.

“Yes, debtor! First, I would like to meet Chaeju and then talk about what to do next.”

The manager looked offended by what his subordinate said. As he took a step closer, the smell of alcohol wafted into the air.

“What is it? Get out of debt stocks. Is this it? Huh?”

“Oh, no! Debt lord! Of course, the debtor too! You have permission to talk to this friend!”

When the subordinate screamed in confusion, the manager looked satisfied with what he said. He raised the corner of his mouth and let out the burp that was coming up from inside between his teeth, then nodded and said this.

“Yes. That’s how it should be. When you’re done talking with our chaeju, bring him to me. I’ll have to talk about it.”

It looked like he was having a fight with Chae-ju. Subconsciously, he kept looking at the tent where Chaeju was, and his drunken appearance showed a hint of arrogance.

“Oh my honey. Go in quickly and rest.”

And behind the debtor was an ordinary-looking woman. She smiled brightly and hugged the fanboy’s waist, and as if he couldn’t resist, he was led by the woman’s hand and went inside. When she saw me, she smiled for a moment and then smiled.

She didn’t seem to be an ordinary bitch, flirting with a newbie so casually.

I ignored her gaze and followed the robber toward the most luxurious-looking tent.

*******

“What is it?”

Unlike the debtor, the debtor had a stocky physique, but was not a giant. He was shorter than me, but his body was full of muscle and his eyes looked like they had killed someone. He also smelled of alcohol in the tent, and there was a large hammer hanging behind him.

Although the handle was dirty, the blade was clean, indicating that he was a person who usually took good care of his weapon. He said, holding his glass and looking at me.

“What are you?”

I hit his question right on the head. First of all, it was to make a good impression.

“After hearing about Chaeju Unho’s reputation! I came here because I fell in love with the dance! My name is Park Do-cheol!”

When I looked up, both Chaeju and the guy who brought me were looking embarrassed. Chaeju was extending his finger towards me and nodding to the robber, while the robber was shaking his head.

Chaeju put down his drink, cleared his throat, and spoke to me.

“…Okay, I understand. Green Forest is always short of people. Anyone who has learned anything is a much-needed talent. But you. He seems like a guy who learned some martial arts. Is there a weapon you are good at?”

I shook my head.

“No! doesn’t exist! I even paid a membership fee to join a third-rate sect, but for several years, they taught me some strange gymnastics and things like Geumnasu! I couldn’t stand it anymore and left!”

Chaeju giggled at my words. I looked to the side and saw the robber nodding and smiling.

“I wonder if there are any other people like the Hongryun faction down here. Yes, because there are people like that, people like us are acting like that. Life in this world is like that. Those who talk about Tao and cooperation, if you look deep inside, they are no different from us.”

It seemed like there were people doing similar things around here. I nodded, agreeing with what Chaeju said.

“That’s right. They are all pure thieves.”

He said, taking another sip of his drink.

“Yes. Still, you came as a member of our green forest, so I can’t tell you to fight with your bare fists. Hey.”

When Chaeju gestured, the subordinate who brought me stood at attention and said,

“Yes! Chaeju!”

“Go to the warehouse and take a look. Throw me an axe. I’ll teach you how to use it properly tomorrow.”

“A tour of the warehouse?”

I tilted my head and asked back at Chaeju’s unexpected suggestion. Chaeju nodded and smiled, and the subordinate showed his teeth and said.

“There is something very rare to see in the warehouse.”

Sights to see?

I couldn’t understand what he was saying so I just tilted my head. There were so many things in this central area that could be called sights to see.

“But, the debtor said he would take me there and talk about it… .”

“Ask them to do it tomorrow.”

Chaeju cut off the story his subordinate had secretly brought up and picked up the bottle again. The subordinate shrugged and motioned to me.

******

The wooden tent I saw earlier was a warehouse. As I stood in front of the entrance and looked around, the subordinate slapped me on the back and said,

“This is the warehouse. Go in, grab a weapon you like, and come out. Take some time to look around.”

I was more concerned about the sights in the warehouse than he was about him nudging me. Have you ever submerged a person in a formalin solution? What kind of spectacle is this that everyone is making such a fuss about seeing it?

I shrugged and opened the warehouse door. My subordinate yawned and sat down on a chair far away, and I looked inside the warehouse. When viewed from the outside, there was nothing in the large warehouse that could be worth money.

All there is is an old weapon and a somewhat sturdy looking weapon. And there was only a broken weapon.

There was also a large iron bar, but it was dark inside the tent, so it was hard to see what was inside.

I looked at the bars, then looked away and turned to the weapon.

They said they would teach you how to use an axe, so it would be right to pick up an axe first.

I grabbed the ax that seemed the most useful among them and looked around.

“Looks like you’re new.”

“Oh fuck!”

I was startled and turned around. Because a woman’s voice rang out in the darkness. The voice I had never heard before resonated clearly in my ears.

“What good is this wild vegetable with no future, why would a moth attack it? Hey. Why did you come here? I don’t have much money for these wild vegetables.”

The voice wasn’t ringing in my head.

“What, what is it? Who are you?”

Iron bars.

A shadow was talking to me from behind the dark iron bars.

At first, the shadow was hiding so that its shape could not even be guessed, and then only a slim silhouette was vaguely visible, and finally it showed its appearance by getting close to the iron bars.

“Me? Are you curious about my name? you? What is your name?”

Beyond the iron bars was a woman with a shabby appearance, her red eyes shining.

His hands were handcuffed, and his eyes were fierce. Although she looked like a poor person, there was no feeling of poverty or depression in her tone. She spoke in a tone as if she were out of touch with the situation.

I told her.

“I am Park Do-cheol. Docheol.”

The woman asked again, her eyes shining. When she heard my name, she seemed to suddenly become interested. I flinched.

“Docheol? How do you write Chinese characters?”

Maybe it was some kind of iron used in ceramics when it came to morals. Because I couldn’t remember very well, I tilted my head and said.

“What kind of Tao and iron do you think of?”

She explained in a soft tone, adding rhyme to her words.

“Cheol (餮) to be coveted in Tao (饕) to be coveted. It is said that it is a devil who is greedy and greedy and eats up to the bottom. Docheol.”

“Do you like it?”

It was a name I liked.

Because it was the way of life I wanted most.

If you come to a world where strength proves everything,

It’s natural to take everything, steal it, destroy it all, and make it all yours.

So, rather than discussing morality from the name, wouldn’t it be right to incorporate my life philosophy into the name?

I destroy it all, and I keep it all.

I sat down and laughed at the sense of purpose that emanated from the name.

“Then, from now on, my name will be Tao-cheol, using the name Tamhal Tao and Tamhal Cheol. Because I like it more.”

The more I smiled, the more the woman’s eyes sparkled.

She looked intently at my face and asked this question.

“Do you believe in heavenly destiny?”

I nodded.

“Uh. I am a fatalist.”

Then she brought her body closer as if trying to break through the bars and said:

“My name is Sanyeo.”

There was some kind of earnestness in that voice that hoped I would respond.

I nodded and said this.

“That’s a cool name.”

The two voices intertwined in the air.

We were calling the same name.

“Mountain.”