The Hunters' Street. In these parts, large predators have all but disappeared (likely our doing), and small game is so abundant that the place has grown into a bustling market and intelligence exchange.
The stench of cured hide saturates the air.
If I tried to pick out the scent of wild raspberries here, it would be agonizing. Yet they show no sign of discomfort.
"Well, what have we here? A kid in a place like this?"
"Um, is there a hunter around here who marks himself with a blue feather stamped with two circles and a single rod?"
"Blue feather with… two circles…? No, everyone's using that white feather nowadays. They're made from local birds, durable and catch the wind well."
"Ah-ha~ Brother, you're handsome, and damn, you fetch details like nobody's business. You must be quite the hotshot."
"So this tyke knows a good man when he sees one?! Hey, what did I just say? That I'm more handsome than you?"
"What? What kind of lunatic tells you you're handsome? Are you drunk?"
Good, good. These veterans must have a hunting buddy or two. That means I'll get more intel.
"Let's see… what kind of kid is this? One from a well-off family?"
"Heh-ho! What do you mean a hunter can't see? Don't you see these clothes? I was sold, sold off, you see! My ancestors may have been nobles and all that, but that's fate! I was starving, too proud to beg, but I sold them all—my noble pride and everything! For three years, three years, I've been sold so I could get a scrap to eat!!"
"What's the trouble here??"
"That kid, I think he was sold off by some noble family.."
"Ugh, those nobles are rotten to the core, tsk tsk.."
Good, good. That's the hook. Even in front of the highborn, we bow our heads, but behind the mask, we tear them down—that's in our blood. Naturally, a kid begging 'I was sold by nobles!' would attract a crowd.
"Oh, my wretched fate! Calling me a lucky charm because my hair's black and white, dragging me from house to house… waddling on these short legs… was I really that cute?!"
Eolsu—!
Right. The pansori singer caught wind of money. With that, stirring the pot will be easier.
"My seat was the place of honor; they served only the choicest game from field and mountain. But those nobles—do they know? The men hiding in those hills like tigers spent the entire night—counting each kill—and barely touched a thing! Seriously, what kind of nonsense is that—am I right or what?!"
"That's right, yes!"
"What? They pay barely enough to cover baiting and catch the game, then barely eat? Damn, that's infuriating!!"
As expected, sarcasm gets a good response.
"But yesterday I had the strangest encounter. Any takers for a story?"
"Well, well! Anyone there—"
"What's that kid jabbering about?"
"I'm curious, I'm curious!"
"Yesterday, I went up the mountain to harvest wood, and I ran into a mountain spirit whose horn was larger than mine! Its legs were like a bull's, its face like a tiger's; I swear I met it!"
"When did mountain spirits vanish? Are you sleep-talking?!"
"I'm telling the truth! That spirit had a bamboo cylinder in its mouth, and from within I heard a baby's cry, tearing at my eardrums! I was so terrified I scrambled down like a madman! I saw it with these two eyes!"
"A baby in a bamboo drum… a shaman must have cast a curse-ritual!"
"There are still shamans like that?"
"They say the Black Cloud Society has been poking around lately; it has to be their handiwork!"
"Yeah. Timing's perfect."
"But what did it look like—what was it!"
"An arrow—blue feather, two circles! A rod with a fancy tuft, lodged clean in the mountain spirit's thigh! If you think I'm lying, go check it yourself!"
"Blue feather… two circles… rod…?"
"Ah! Isn't that the old man who was badly wounded and came down from the mountain recently?"
"That rambling old man?!"
"I thought he saw a ghost, but he met a mountain spirit!"
"Do you know where that old man lives?"
I pull a flask smelling faintly of grapes from my pocket, dab some on my hand, and ask for directions.
"He's down there in the innermost house of the alley, nursing medicine. But are you sure that old man shot the arrow?"
"I'm not certain. I'll go ask and see, so kindly wait."
"This kid… turns out you're a pansori singer?"
"Well, let's say I'm multitasking."
Time to make my move..
"Found him?"
"Whoa, what the—who's this hulking fellow?"
Well, anyone would be shocked if a man covered in slash scars just appeared.
"You there! Aren't you the one who captured that beast? Huh?"
"What? Really?"
"Hmm? Me? No—"
Pinch!
"Moejang… keep the beat."
"…Yes. But it was so powerful and fierce, I had to drop boulders from a cliff to bring it down. This horn is proof."
"Hiiieek! Is that really a horn? Even broken like that, it's easily three feet long!"
"Now I'll just verify that this horn is from that mountain spirit, and we'll be off! Shall we, Uncle?"
"…All right."
Phew… this is working.
"He said he lives in the very, very back of that alley."
"Surprisingly, that kid has a knack for drawing attention."
"Really? I just scratched the highborn's backs and got straight to the point."
"Lee Sang or Faust wouldn't have managed that method. Don Quixote might have—"
"Honestly, you don't think it would work, huh?"
"Ahem. Sir. Are you there?"
No response. The [Moejang] is cold.
"Who are you…?"
"I came to ask if you are the owner of this arrow, sir."
"Blue feather, two circles, one rod. Right?"
"Yes… now only I use this feather. Those of my generation are either retired or no longer among the living."
Seems this man is the one.
"You've seen a beast with this horn, haven't you?"
"…! That horn! Are you saying you captured that creature?!"
"It wasn't me. It's this child's accomplishment."
"What? Moejang, don't suddenly hype me up."
"Call me Uncle."
"Moejang… you lot… you're of the [Sword Sect]."
—!!!
"Shall I kill you?"
"Gasp! This kid is of the [Sword Sect]'s blood too… damned brat."
How did he recognize us? Because Moejang is covered in scars?
"Meursault… I believe that was the name of the one who became the youngest commander in the Sword Sect back when I was still in active duty…?"
"Active duty? Which means…?"
"I too… was once part of the Sword Sect. Now I'm just a washed-up hunter growing old."
"Sir. As for our situation…"
"I know. That you're being pursued. I'll keep it as a secret to carry in the little life I have left."
"Yeah. Since I'll probably die soon anyway… die now or die later, at my age it's natural."
"…these youngsters have no manners… Is this how your mother and father taught you?"
"I'm an orphan."
"Gasp! Ahem… right. But why are you so curious about that beast?"
"You're dodging the question! That's cheap!"
"The thing is, that creature isn't native to these mountains; it crossed a barrier to get here."
"A barrier… meaning somewhere it was breached… If you go right from the village entrance, you'll find Mount Gyejok. I spotted the creature there. With this decrepit body, all I could do was take aim with my arrow."
"Mount Gyejok… that's on the exact opposite side of here."
"One more thing. Did grandfather inflict that wound on its leg too?"
The wound in its leg was clearly a deep gouge.
"No. When I took aim, its leg was already crippled. Someone had cut it long before I did… The deliberate mutilation marks are strange."
So that's the case? Then who was it?
"Everyone on our side claimed they weren't responsible. So…"
"It's too early to conclude, but we can't rule out the Black Cloud Society."
Black Cloud Society… the organization of the unknown… what link could they have?
"We should get going now, sir. Let's be on our way."
"Ah, yes. Farewell, grandfather."
"Damn kid. What's your name?"
"Hmm? Baekhyun. Just call me Hyun."
"Baekhyun… Hyun… Fine. I'll remember you as the impudent Sword Sect brat."
"Don't remember me for that!"
"Now are we to head up?"
"Wait a moment. If we don't buy some provisions, Otis will be furious."
"Hmm… it's true we've been eating too much lately…?"
Otis sighs every time she spies the empty rice box.
"Still! We earned a tidy sum, right?"
Since we'd established the horn's provenance earlier, its price shot through the roof.
"Indeed. We managed to sell it at a price 25.7% above the typical estimate."
"With this, we should be able to afford meat, right?"
"Very well. It's your earnings, so if you want, you may."
"Excellent! Today we feast on meat until we burst!"
Heh heh… money is the best!
"Aaaah!! Someone!! Are there no hunters here?!"
"Huh? There's a ruckus. What should we do, Moejang?"
"The Sword Sect's true purpose is to wield the blade for others. Though our aim has grown cloudy, we must not forget it."
"All right! Shall we go? It might be wise to empty our stomachs first!"
Meat tastes even sweeter after a day's work, right?