Chapter 499

Chapter 499
## Chapter 499. The Beginning of the Night (4)

—

**Ju Chang-seo** was a native of Seohwa within Gansu Province who possessed no notable martial skills and eked out a living as a simple laborer, or **Jaeng-ja-su**. His routine consisted of moving between Shaanxi and Sichuan Province alongside traveling merchants. However, upon catching wind that a Sword Tomb had been uncovered within the Great Snow Mountain of Gansu, he chose to gamble his life’s savings for the very first time.

*‘Countless martial artists will head there completely unprepared for the brutal winter of Gansu Province!’*

Pouring every single coin he owned into purchasing a massive stock of heavy cotton robes and protective capes, he managed to peddle an immense volume of winter gear to the crowds journeying toward the Great Snow Mountain by way of Lanzhou. This venture brought him a sudden, massive fortune, though his monopoly did not endure. Before long, as major commercial networks arrived to provide supplies in bulk, the market price for winter clothing plummeted. Recognizing the shift, **Ju Chang-seo** immediately abandoned the trade to seek out his next venture.

*‘The Sword Tomb… an endeavor like that won’t wrap up in just a few days, will it?’*

Historically, whenever an ancient sepulcher was unearthed, the process of navigating and investigating its depths usually required upwards of six months. Relying on this logic, **Ju Chang-seo** reinvested his newly acquired wealth entirely into dried meat and preserved food provisions. He then enlisted a crew of his fellow laborers and journeyed directly toward the Great Snow Mountain.

His calculation proved flawless. The martial artists, accustomed to traveling light with minimal baggage, plunged onward without bothering to gather survival gear for the Sword Tomb. Consequently, at the base of the Great Snow Mountain, they willingly paid whatever exorbitant rates he demanded. With the coin purse tucked inside his tunic growing heavier by the hour, he labored unceasingly through the day and night, completely oblivious to his own exhaustion.

“Listen, Old **Ju**, don’t you find this situation a bit peculiar?”

**Ju Chang-seo**, who was meticulously auditing his silver coins, quickly concealed his wealth within his clothing and responded with deliberate nonchalance.

“What do you mean?”

“The Sword Tomb itself. Why is it that crowds of people keep marching inside, yet not a single soul has returned?”

“……”

When he actually reflected on it, the laborer was correct; crowds entered continuously, but those returning to the surface were nonexistent.

“That is true……”

In truth, **Ju Chang-seo**’s long-term business strategy relied on selling goods to the explorers emerging from the depths of the Sword Tomb. The majority of the martial artists who had purchased dried beef and rations from him only took enough supplies to last a week, or at most, a fortnight.

“Could there be provisions available within the depths?”

The only sustenance one might find inside a subterranean cavern would be dripping groundwater or cave moss. It was highly improbable that those prideful martial artists were sustaining themselves by scraping moss off cave walls.

“Well, hunger will surely drive them back out eventually.”

Anticipating another massive windfall from those returning explorers, **Ju Chang-seo** promptly brushed the unease aside. The supply wagons that had set out from Lanzhou were scheduled to arrive in Jiuquan shortly; if he intended to claim those goods and ascend the Great Snow Mountain once more, he could not afford a single moment of idleness. Yet, just as he finished packing his merchandise and prepared to depart the threshold of the Sword Tomb……

“**Ju**, Old **Ju**! L-Look over there! Look!”

“*Mmm*? What is it?”

A shadow was stumbling unsteadily out from the mouth of the cavern. The moment the figure emerged from the deep shadows and was illuminated by the moonlight, the surrounding laborers, including **Ju Chang-seo**, gasped in horror. The man had suffered the loss of a whole arm and was in a state of utter ruin, staggering toward them as though his life force was on the verge of extinguishing completely.

“……Wa—water……”

The mutilated warrior collapsed right at **Ju Chang-seo**’s feet, gasping out a desperate plea. **Ju Chang-seo** quickly grabbed a canteen and rushed to his side.

“A-Are you alright?”

*Gulp, gulp, gulp. *Kua-ak!**

As the man desperately gulped down the liquid, he coughed up a torrent of dark blood mixed with the water he had just swallowed. While **Ju Chang-seo** reached into his garments to search for a healing salve, the dying man suddenly locked his fingers onto **Ju Chang-seo**’s collar.

“……Wh-what are you doing!”

“De—deliver a warning. The, the Sword Tomb is…… an abyss…… do not. Do not enter…….”

The speaker’s frame began to convulse violently as if seized by an intense fit, before going entirely limp, resembling a sodden rag.

“I-Is he gone?”

“……”

What message had the traveler been desperate to convey? It was evident he intended to warn the world that the Sword Tomb was an absolute living nightmare. Was that cavern truly a threshold that no mortal should cross?

As that terrifying thought took root, he remembered the cargo wagons currently en route to Jiuquan. An immense quantity of provisions, into which **Ju Chang-seo** had poured his entire fortune once again, was sitting in those transports.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Give me a hand for a second.”

“Wh—what for.”

Silently, **Ju Chang-seo** took hold of the dead man’s arm and gestured toward his boots.

“Wh—what are you planning?”

“He is already dead. We must clear the path so that other customers can pass through without obstruction. Or would you prefer to lug this dead weight all the way down the peaks?”

“……?!!”

Hearing **Ju Chang-seo**’s cold logic, his companion stood frozen in sheer bewilderment.

“Help me out quickly. Do this, and I will add an extra ten silver coins to your pay.”

Offering that incentive, he moved closer to the remains. Seconds later, the one-armed corpse plummeted down into a bottomless ravine, vanishing completely from sight.

“A-Are you truly okay with this?”

While his associate stood there with trembling hands, overwhelmed by the reality of what they had just done, **Ju Chang-seo** felt completely unbothered.

“Move quickly. We still have an immense amount of work ahead of us.”

Despite participating in what was essentially his first covering up of a death, **Ju Chang-seo** discovered, rather strangely, that he felt absolutely no remorse.

The newly assembled **Yoseong-dang**—which currently included several provisional hall members—departed from the headquarters of the Murim Alliance and made their way toward a local shipping agency.

“**Saju Jin**, are we not utilizing mounts for this journey?”

Riding horseback would typically offer greater speed, but when factoring in the varying equestrian skills of the group, an alternative transport would ultimately prove more efficient.

“I require the swiftest transport available to reach Gansu.”

“The rate is thirty silver coins per traveler. The next departure is scheduled in three days.”

“We depart this very moment. I will pay five hundred silver coins.”

“Excuse me?”

“I expect the horses and the transport to run without interruption, pausing only to swap teams and vehicles at the stations along the route. Can this be done?”

The stunned clerk quickly retreated into the back rooms and emerged with a mature gentleman.

“I am the Vice Bureau Head, **Geum**. You intend to travel to Gansu Province?”

“Correct. Can you accommodate this request?”

“For a party of six, that totals three thousand silver coins. Is such an amount ……readily available?”

The Vice Bureau Head appeared far more concerned with whether the funds were legitimate. In response, I presented the blank draft provided by the Murim Alliance. Recognizing the official mark of the **Man-tong-bu**’s Chief Strategist, the Vice Bureau Head shifted his gaze between the document and my countenance.

“If this is beyond your capabilities, please inform me immediately. I will simply secure another agency.”

“Ah, by no means. It can be arranged immediately. I shall have the transport readied at once.”

The entire agency was thrown into a frantic rush as vehicles and fresh horses were rapidly assembled. Spying the woven nets intended to serve as makeshift hammocks suspended inside the reserve vehicle, **Geum Pyo** clutched his forehead as if struck by a wave of nausea.

“To think I am forced to endure this madness once more.”

“**Saju Geum**, what do you mean by that statement?”

“Ah, you have yet to learn. This…… let’s just say, this is absolute proof that we are f—…… that we are in severe peril.”

“Severe peril?”

**Il-gak**, completely unable to comprehend the warning, merely cocked his head in confusion. **Geum Pyo** shrugged it off as if it were a minor grievance.

“Well, you will fully understand the meaning once the journey begins.”

With that, the grueling trek of the **Yoseong-dang** toward Gansu commenced.

“But at what point do we make camp for the evening?”

As the dark hours settled heavily upon them, **Il-gak** questioned the lack of deceleration from the vehicle, prompting a response from **Geum Pyo**.

“In all likelihood, we will not stop at all.”

“Pardon?”

“I am telling you it is an absolute certainty that we will ride straight through the night.”

“No, that is completely absurd……”

**Geum Pyo** extended a hand to rest on **Il-gak**’s shoulder, a bright grin spreading across his face.

“It is simply the way it is.”

“What?”

“It truly is.”

Exactly as **Geum Pyo** predicted, the vehicle never halted. Whenever they arrived at a settlement, there was no opportunity for repose; they paused only long enough to swap out the exhausted horses and service the vehicle. By the time the third day arrived, **Il-gak** was rapidly nearing his absolute physical breaking point. Confined inside the carriage for days on end, he could only utilize the fleeting maintenance stops to hastily swallow food and engage in internal cultivation. It was solely due to this meditation that he managed to hold himself together, though his physical state was deeply deteriorated.

Furthermore,

“Ah, starting today, we shall practice the coordination of the **Baek-ho** Sword Formation during every single maintenance stop.”

Even that brief, precious window of rest was abruptly snatched away.

“**Saju Jin**, the **Baek-ho** Sword Formation now?”

“We have no inkling of the dangers awaiting us within the Sword Tomb. We must align our tactics and movements perfectly before our arrival. Or do you possess the absolute confidence to face it without preparation?”

The logic was undeniable, yet being forced to train during the sole moments meant for recovering from exhaustion was brutal.

“On your feet immediately. We have no time to squander.”

His eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand *geun*, and his limbs felt completely drained of energy. **Nam Hwa-seong**, **Ya-yul-geuk**, and **Il-gak** were all enduring a nearly identical level of fatigue. Only **Geum Pyo**, positioned at the head of the group, somehow managed to appear entirely unaffected.

“Now, visualize an assault by multiple adversaries simultaneously. Treat this as an actual battle to the death.”

The moment those words left his mouth, **Jin So-un**’s blade dominated the area, unleashing an overwhelming barrage of blade strikes. Because the capabilities of every member had progressed significantly since their academy days, their capacity to counter and redirect attacks had vastly improved.

*Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!*

Blades, sword *qi*, and striking *qi* clashed violently, producing sharp rings of impact as they deflected the strikes aimed at their fatal points. Though his physical responses were sluggish, **Il-gak** momentarily believed their defensive posture was holding firm.

“The assault is not finished. Who authorized you to lower your guard!”

Concealed within the shadow of the blade strikes, fist-sized stones suddenly tore through the air with lethal velocity.

*‘Dang Seo-hee!’*

Having focused entirely on deflecting the sword strikes, he failed to detect the secondary threat, and the projectiles slammed heavily into his frame.

*Thud, thud-thud-thud, thud-thud-thud.*

The defensive formation crumbled completely within seconds.

“*Ha*… truly miserable. To think the elites I handpicked are performing at this abysmal level. *Tsk*. We will be executing this exercise at every single stop from here on out, so pull yourselves together!”

“*Shi-bal*……”

He swallowed his boiling frustration, certain that had he been granted a modicum of rest, or if his body weren’t so utterly depleted, he could have easily deflected the assault. Regardless, the sting of failure could not be easily brushed aside.

“**Il-gak**-seunim.”

Just then, **Geum Pyo** sidled over quietly. He was the sole individual who had avoided getting struck by the concealed projectiles even as the entire formation collapsed.

“You questioned the purpose of those nets earlier, did you not?”

“……”

Wondering why this topic was being revived now, **Il-gak** watched as **Geum Pyo** guided him toward the transport fitted with the webbing, demonstrating how to position oneself within the netting.

“By securing your limbs in this fashion, you will remain perfectly stable regardless of how violently the vehicle jolts.”

**Geum Pyo** explained the technique with the air of someone revealing a profound secret.

“Once secured, you simply apply pressure to this specific sleep-inducing meridian point, and you will drift right off.”

“……???”

The method was completely bizarre. Why was he explaining such an eccentric survival tactic with absolute seriousness?

“I am showing you this because your exhaustion is critical. Rest assured, there is absolutely no scenario where the **Dae-sa-hyeong** halts this carriage for a break.”

“……”

Facing the harsh reality that any hope for a proper rest was entirely futile, **Il-gak** felt his spirit sink like a stone. Even so, as a dedicated practitioner of the Shaolin Temple, submitting to base physical needs by contorting himself inside a net to sleep felt deeply undignified. Would it not be wiser to resist the fatigue for as long as possible, then rest properly if the vehicle suffered a mechanical failure?

“Should the transport break down, he will simply purchase a replacement on the spot and push forward without a pause. Do you truly doubt that?”

**Geum Pyo** countered, reading **Il-gak**’s internal deliberations flawlessly.

“……”

Just as described, a vivid mental image of **Jin So-un** materialized in **Il-gak**’s mind, sporting an unnaturally wide grin that stretched from ear to ear, mocking him with twisted amusement.

*[Do not fret! A carriage is merely a expendable tool! We can easily discard it and purchase another, kyaha-ha]*

The mental image was so stark that he could barely discern whether it was a product of his delirium or actual words uttered by his leader.

“We are sharing this insight purely because we have already survived this ordeal, Seunim.”

His shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Is it not a common proverb that when caught in a violent torrent, yielding to the current is the wisest course of action?”

**Il-gak** stared intently at **Geum Pyo**. It was a silent, desperate inquiry asking if this was truly the only option, and whether he truly had to cast aside his basic human dignity. **Geum Pyo** gave a slow, deliberate nod of affirmation.

“The individual who manages to secure even a few extra moments of slumber before our next exercise is the true victor.”

“……!!!”

Yielding to the advice, **Il-gak** climbed into the webbing under **Geum Pyo**’s direction. Following the instructions precisely, he bound his hands and feet to the ropes, encasing his entire body like a silk cocoon.

“Now, have a peaceful rest.”

With those parting words, **Geum Pyo**’s fingers struck the sleep-inducing meridian, and **Il-gak** instantly plunged into unconsciousness. It proved to be the most profound, blissful slumber he had experienced since entering his twenties.