Ch.299299. Forbidden Mountain (2)

Across all worlds and eras, animal carcasses have always been precious or highly valuable commodities.

First, they are the only means to obtain meat, which is an excellent source of calories and protein, as well as a delicious food.

Additionally, animal fat, which not only contains high calories but is also an excellent fuel and a necessity used in various aspects of daily life, further increases the value of carcasses.

Animal intestines are not only used for food but can also be processed into pouches and other items, while bones provide marrow for consumption and materials for crafting simple tools.

The most crucial part is undoubtedly the animal’s hide. In a world where the social structure of common people resembles that of the medieval era (albeit with some mixed elements from different periods), the value of beast hides is inevitably high.

Fur is essential for protection against the bitter cold of winter, leather serves as material for various daily necessities, and some animal skins are even used as substitutes for paper.

The beautiful fur of certain beasts also holds additional value as a luxury item.

Even ordinary animal carcasses hold this much value, so can you imagine how valuable the carcasses of magical beasts with inherent magical powers might be?

It’s no wonder that across all times and places, investing in livestock is said to be the wisest financial strategy, and why nobles and other privileged classes forbid the unauthorized hunting of beasts within their territories.

Particularly in the western continent’s domains, it’s not uncommon to find specially designated hunting grounds that both control animal populations in forests and prevent poaching, with trusted hunters appointed as gamekeepers to oversee these areas.

While the inherent value of beasts is certainly one reason lords put so much effort into managing hunting grounds (animal populations), the reality is that the prevalence of poachers cannot be ignored as another significant factor.

Unlike the potentially life-threatening forests of other realms, poachers target these safer hunting grounds managed by gamekeepers. Such individuals make up the majority of typical poachers, but…

In truth, there are also those in this world who seek that one big score that could change their lives.

Logically speaking, if someone wants to hunt magical beasts for substantial profit, they could simply join an adventurer’s guild in a frontier region and accept quests.

In these relatively undeveloped frontier areas, magical beast appearances are frequent, making subjugation quests both numerous and prominent. In such quests, the ownership rights to the subjugated beast’s carcass naturally belong to the one who completed the task.

Since “subjugation quests” focus specifically on the act of eliminating certain creatures, it’s only natural that after receiving the reward, the ownership of the carcass belongs to the one who did the subjugation.

Nevertheless, those who stubbornly continue to work as poachers generally fall into two categories:

Petty poachers who sneak into small hunting grounds to catch rabbits with snares for survival, and “big-time” poachers who, blinded by greed, target magical beasts that are considered national or domain-level resources.

And those who have boldly entered the Forbidden Mountain to poach belong to the latter category.

“Hey, you lot! Move quickly!”

“Yes, boss!!!”

So, the Hong Gil-dong gang—self-styled as the “Hwalbindang” (Band of Righteous Thieves)—who had entered the Forbidden Mountain to poach despite it being protected by the royal family itself, were truly slaves to money.

Hong Gil-dong, the leader of this poaching gang, was born as an illegitimate son of the Damjeong Hong family. He became a twisted individual, bound by his status as an illegitimate son who would always be marginalized by his family no matter what he did.

The problem, however, was that Gil-dong had gone beyond the typical rebelliousness of adolescence and had deliberately descended into becoming a criminal.

He gathered other illegitimate sons and poor people in similar circumstances to form a gang called Hwalbindang, but contrary to their name suggesting “righteous bandits,” they were simply thieves who lived by stealing.

What made matters worse was that this gang was led by Hong Gil-dong, a highly skilled practitioner of mystical arts, who had enough political influence to avoid being easily placed on wanted lists, making him a truly dangerous criminal.

Gil-dong had a particular weakness for gambling and card games, often squandering his ill-gotten gains at a gambling den called “Yuldoguk.” As this pattern repeated, his circumstances naturally worsened.

Even his prestigious family name eventually lost its protective power in the face of his serious misdeeds, becoming meaningless. Having lost even his family’s protection, he became a nationally wanted criminal.

Despite this, he remained unable to break free from his gambling addiction and maintained his extreme mindset. Thus, Hong Gil-dong sought to obtain money for gambling through poaching.

And not just anywhere, but in the Forbidden Mountain protected by the royal family of the Kingdom of Corea.

※ ※ ※

In the Kingdom of Corea, the Forbidden Mountain was primarily famous as an emerging attraction, but among connoisseurs interested in current affairs, it was known for something else.

Specifically, the indigenous magical beasts that lived there.

The climate and mysteries of the Forbidden Mountain were unique, with four seasons existing simultaneously in the same otherworldly space. Life forms influenced by these mysteries evolved independently from the outside world, becoming indigenous species.

The Four Seasons Deer, whose antlers change form according to the seasons of the surrounding terrain, and the “Four Seasons Wolf,” whose fur color and patterns change according to the terrain, are the most representative examples of these adaptive magical beasts…

Even beyond these special beasts adapted to various seasons, the magical creatures of the Forbidden Mountain, filled with the mysteries of nature imbued with the essence of specific seasons, were truly unique.

From bipedal white bears (polar bears) whose presence here was inexplicable, to turtles carrying green vegetation resembling hills on their backs, to giant frogs with flowers on their backs, and lizards that seemed to have integrated with fruits—

These magical beasts could only be seen in this location within the Kingdom of Corea, creating significant demand. Hong Gil-dong, having lost his judgment to gambling addiction, eventually invaded the Forbidden Mountain to engage in mass poaching.

“You there! What are you doing?!! Stop right—”

“…How noisy. Shut up.”

After capturing the Forbidden Mountain Guardian Corps (provisional name) who tried to stop him, he and his gang seized their firearms and, with the obstacles removed, began poaching in earnest.

While enthusiastically moving about to poach diligently, they also began searching the Forbidden Mountain for any scholars who might have come as tourists.

Since he was already a wanted criminal, Hong Gil-dong, a fool with unnecessarily extensive knowledge, thought that taking hostages for ransom would be as profitable as poaching, so he wandered through the forest looking for scholars to capture when…

“F-found it!”

Hong Gil-dong discovered a sub-adult specimen of the sacred beast “Kirin,” something he never imagined finding in this place.

The sacred beast, Kirin. Far different from the Earth animal of the same name, this divine creature has a deer’s body with a dragon’s head, horse-like hooves, mane, and tail.

Its back features a mixture of the five colors commonly known as the “five cardinal colors,” and it has a golden-yellow belly. From its hooves, which have white clouds growing on them, mist rises like cloud manes.

Typically, adults (high-rank) have a single pointed horn on their forehead and exceed 5 meters in body length, but this one had no horn. Based on its presence alone, it was undoubtedly a mid-rank sub-adult.

“Th-that one! Catch it at all costs!”

Even a sub-adult’s carcass could fetch a price equivalent to its weight in gold on the black market, and capturing it alive could potentially earn enough to have all his crimes pardoned. Hong Gil-dong’s eyes went wild as he attempted to capture the sub-adult Kirin.

After a persistent hunt, Hong Gil-dong and the Hwalbindang finally succeeded in shooting the Kirin with their seized cannon.

-BANG!!!

“We did it! We did it!”

Considering the natural recovery ability and tenacity of the Kirin species, such an attack wouldn’t be enough to kill it, but that didn’t mean the attack wasn’t critical.

As a result, Hong Gil-dong and the Hwalbindang, realizing their hopeful future, moved cheerfully together and threw their prepared capture net to restrain the Kirin, but…

“W-what?”

At that moment, the Hwalbindang were bewildered to find the scene before their eyes completely transformed in an instant.

They had suddenly been transported from the beautiful landscape of the Forbidden Mountain to some unknown forest.