Chapter 119: Chapter 119

“…Y-you bastard! Central Plainsman! What have you done!”

The Sharp Stone warriors, who had worn blank expressions seeing Blunt Horn trembling in agonizing pain, soon snapped to their senses. And aiming their weapons toward Jang Geon, they shouted. However, for some reason, that shout lacked vigor, and the spears and axes aimed at Jang Geon were trembling faintly.

Flexing his grip, Jang Geon approached Blunt Horn.

“I have no desire to look down on you people. But watching from behind, this fellow’s conduct was simply too pathetic.”

“Wh-what?”

The Sharp Stone warriors could recognize the words Jang Geon spoke, but could not understand their meaning. Blunt Horn was the leader of their band. It was not easy for them to grasp Jang Geon’s heavily abbreviated speech.

Thus, seeing Jang Geon approach Blunt Horn, they tried to seize him. But before they could, River Rock blocked their way.

“Step back, warriors. Do you still not understand the situation after seeing Blunt Horn’s appearance just now?”

“That is…”

At River Rock’s words, the warriors turned to one another. Blunt Horn transformed like a monster. The energy blooming from his body, the instinctive fear and anxiety felt the moment they witnessed it, and even his movements like a beast.

It was the appearance of the Central Plains slaughterers heard from the survivors of exterminated tribes.

“…Blunt Horn is a Central Plainsman?”

“I know Blunt Horn’s childhood! He is no Central Plainsman!”

“Then what was that just now…”

While Jang Geon approached Blunt Horn, the onlookers buzzed among themselves in fierce debate. Just then, a Sharp Stone warrior shouted.

“That Central Plainsman! Didn’t that man do something! Blunt Horn was perfectly fine before being attacked by him!”

“If he was concealing a secret, isn’t that only natural? His true colors were merely exposed by Jang Geon’s attack.”

“That is…”

At the calm words spoken by River Rock blocking the front, the shouting warrior shut his mouth and stepped back awkwardly. Meanwhile, Jang Geon crouched beside the violently shivering Blunt Horn and looked down at him.

“Can you handle it?”

Sprawled on the ground, Blunt Horn was leaking white foam between his tightly clenched teeth, glaring at the earth with wide-open eyes. It didn’t seem like he understood Jang Geon’s words. He was merely writhing in agony.

Wiping his nose once while watching him, Jang Geon soon reached out his hand.

“Heuck! Huuugh… Ugh…”

As Jang Geon’s fingers pressed several acupoints, Blunt Horn slumped limply with a noticeably relieved demeanor. From his eyes and mouth as he panted raggedly, tears and saliva dripped copiously.

Jang Geon snapped his fingers before his eyes as if telling him to wake up.

“Get a grip. Shall we start again?”

Startled by that gesture, he shrank back. Only then confirming Jang Geon’s appearance, Blunt Horn trembled as if unable to believe the current situation.

“…Who are you?”

“Jang Geon. And I ask the questions.”

Jang Geon thrust his right index finger before Blunt Horn’s eyes. Trembling as though that finger were some dreadful weapon, Blunt Horn showed gestures of wanting to pull away by any means.

Jang Geon asked.

“Where did you learn demonic arts?”

“…The Palace, from their emissary.”

Jang Geon’s finger moved like lightning and struck Blunt Horn’s body. Having barely caught his breath, Blunt Horn could not even think of dodging that touch. He froze stiff once more just like before, convulsing while drooling saliva and shedding tears. Inside his body, a chilling crunching sound echoed once again.

“Why, why…? Kuuugh…”

“Do not hesitate. Speak the exact words coming from your mind.”

Having said so, Jang Geon raised his head and looked around. In the encampment where torches and bonfires were the only light sources, the people standing motionless sent wary and hostile gazes toward Jang Geon, and incredulous looks toward Blunt Horn. Even while blocked by River Rock, the Sharp Stone warriors strained their eyes, glaring at Jang Geon.

Leisurely scanning the people once, Jang Geon returned his gaze to Blunt Horn, whose eyes had rolled half back. And he lightly touched his body.

“Hueeeck! Heuck…”

“Looking at you, it doesn’t seem like you changed your face. That means you are indeed a tribal person. Why did you learn demonic arts?”

Panting as if about to expire, Blunt Horn shouted urgently when Jang Geon’s question arrived.

“I wanted to become the tribe’s greatest warrior! Going further, the Great Warrior of the alliance! I wanted to become the greatest among warriors!”

“By mastering demonic arts?”

“I am a warrior who fought for the tribe more than anyone, and could even die for it! But the spirits only permitted me trivial power! No matter how much I trained my body and performed rituals, the power allowed to me was insignificant!”

Watching that shout with subdued eyes, Jang Geon continued to ask.

“There must have been a price those demonic practitioners wanted.”

Blunt Horn hesitated for a moment, then startled by Jang Geon’s finger pointing sharply at him, answered in a spasm.

“The locations of the t-tribes serving spirits, and the direction nomadic tribes moved…”

Even without looking, Jang Geon felt the gazes of the onlookers turning icy cold. Sensing that as well, Blunt Horn continued like making an excuse.

“…E-even without me, that was information that could be easily uncovered! Because it was information well known among tribes of the plains! Nothing so remarkable…”

“Enough of that. Then what were you doing here?”

Unlike Jang Geon, Blunt Horn, who was facing the people’s gazes, wore a despairing expression as if finding the current situation impossible to believe. He answered in a further subdued tone.

“The public opinion of the alliance’s… people, and the orders handed down by the Great Warrior… I compiled and transmitted the internal situation… But that too was unremarkable information…”

“Where and with whom did you make contact to deliver the information?”

“…At a place called Cheonglim Tea House on the southern outskirts of Plateau City. There is a man named Scholar Im who always sits there passing the time…”

Just then, an abrupt shout cut in furiously.

“What is the meaning of this—!”

Jang Geon’s eyes turned toward the direction where the shout was heard. Confirming the owner of that shout, Blunt Horn’s complexion turned deathly pale.

“F-Father…”

The newly appeared figure was an old man of sturdy build wearing a feather-decorated hat. Around him, warriors far more heavily armed than Blunt Horn or his young warriors were looking this way with solemn eyes. The old man looked across the situation, then met eyes with Jang Geon.

The old man’s eyes were like ancient boulders. Massive and solid, yet ultimately stone pillars of the wilderness that had lost their original form after being weathered by time. Staring for a moment into Jang Geon’s calm eyes gazing back at him, he soon turned his head to River Rock.

“What is this matter, River Rock? Why is a Central Plainsman inside the encampment, and why has he even attacked a warrior of the tribe?”

“…The one who attacked first was Blunt Horn. And I do not know if you heard, but just now Blunt Horn admitted with his own mouth that he betrayed the Tribal Alliance—”

“Betrayal? Are you trying to frame my son as a traitor based on testimony forced under the threat of that Central Plainsman!”

The old man roared, cutting off River Rock’s words. However, River Rock continued as if not even angry.

“It was revealed just now that Blunt Horn learned the same arts as those who slaughtered the tribes, Chieftain. I know he is your son, Chieftain, but defending him is…”

The old man called Chieftain didn’t even listen to the end of River Rock’s words and turned his eyes to Blunt Horn.

“You rascal! How long do you intend to lie down! Stand up!”

At that roar, Blunt Horn tried to stand up even while his legs trembled violently from the pain wracking his whole body. However, Jang Geon’s Muscle-Bone Separation was an acupoint sealing method that twisted and reversed qi and blood, literally severing muscle fibers and crushing bones. Although he had not suffered pain long enough to be completely irreversible, rising immediately was an ordeal difficult for an ordinary mind.

In the end, Blunt Horn collapsed back down and looked up at the Chieftain with unsteadily trembling eyes. Seeing him collapse, the Chieftain’s eyes turned cold. As Blunt Horn dropped his head upon seeing those eyes, the Chieftain’s gaze turned toward Jang Geon crouched beside him.

“You insolent Central Plainsman! Where do you dare intrude and cause such chaos!”

As the Chieftain’s roar continued, the heavily armed warriors lined up behind him placed their hands briskly upon their weapons. The Chieftain spoke loudly, as if intending to suppress Jang Geon and River Rock with his voice.

“I shall speak of this matter directly to the Great Warrior! From daring to breach the alliance’s agreement by bringing in a Central Plainsman, to insulting a warrior of the tribe and pinning false charges on him! Until then, you Central Plainsman shall obediently lay down your weapon and confess your crimes yourself!”

Listening to what he was saying through the Chieftain’s continued scolding, Jang Geon smirked and scratched the back of his ear.

“Good grief. They say everywhere people live is similar…”

Afterwards, dusting off his clothes and rising to his feet, Jang Geon spoke to the Chieftain in a calm tone.

“This man’s crimes were spoken directly from his own mouth. It was not something I asserted.”

“Insolent bastard! Weren’t those words produced by your threats!”

“A person who has practiced martial arts cannot possess a wide-open Danjung acupoint like native warriors. If qi and blood are opened beyond that level into the shape of a pierced hole, the internal energy that should be gathered in the dantian cannot coalesce and leaks away.”

Not only the Chieftain, but all the onlookers watching the situation momentarily failed to understand Jang Geon’s words. Because none among them had learned martial arts. Only Blunt Horn, who had lowered his head, flinched in shock.

“Here, a wide-open Danjung acupoint is equivalent to what you people commonly call the spirit opening one’s chest. A martial artist cannot obtain the power of spirits unless they abandon martial arts, and the reverse is also true. Furthermore, because this man practiced low-grade demonic arts, if he exerts power beyond a certain limit, he cannot help but become the state shown earlier due to the awakening demonic qi. If you wish to confirm it directly, you need only inspect this man’s Danjung, namely the acupoints around his chest.”

Saying so, Jang Geon nudged Blunt Horn beside him with his foot. Kneeling, Blunt Horn staggered at that nudge, then looked up at the Chieftain with a pale face. Seeing those eyes, the Chieftain almost contorted his face in surprise, but barely composed his expression and spoke again.

“…I have never heard that a warrior can confirm the opened chest of another warrior. That is something only shamans or spirits can know. Are you saying that foolish Central Plainsman possesses such wisdom? The secrets of the plains and the night sky? And someone so young? I cannot believe it! This is merely nonsense from that Central Plainsman trying to slip past this crisis! Warriors, seize that bastard right—”

“It is not nonsense, Crouching Rock.”

At the voice that suddenly cut in, the head of the Chieftain called Crouching Rock turned. Standing there were a benevolent-looking short old man with deep wrinkles curving down from the corners of his eyes, and a solid-looking middle-aged man who was bare-chested. Seeing them, River Rock hurriedly bowed his head in greeting. The other people, regardless of warriors, adults, or children, all bowed lightly as well.

“Elder. I apologize, I caused a commotion.”

“What commotion is there to speak of. It is my fault for failing to properly come out and welcome the guest. Though thanks to that, we were able to lance rotten pus.”

The benevolent-looking old man wore a smile deepening that kindness, turned to Crouching Rock, and continued speaking.

“Crouching Rock. I understand your desire to protect your son, but this time the guest’s words are correct. Your son has currently forgotten the breath of the earth. He concealed it well all this time, but shed his mimicry earlier because of the guest’s touch.”

“…Are you taking the Central Plainsman’s side right now?”

“This guest is no ordinary Central Plainsman. The scent of spirits emanates from him. The scent of trees, water mist, and rock.”

At the old man’s words, not only the Sharp Stone chieftain but everyone else wore stunned expressions.

“Right now… a Central Plainsman received the grace of spirits…”

“Why? Are Central Plainsmen not human? To spirits, there would be little difference between us and Central Plainsmen. Merely that thoughts are slightly different. Accordingly, different gifts can be received.”

Speaking, the old man’s eyes turned to Jang Geon. Even amidst the dim surroundings, Jang Geon could meet the glittering pupils between the old man’s wrinkled eyes. It was like looking at stars in a clear night sky.

“The guest currently has work to do. Is that not so?”

“…Yes. There is something I must return.”

At Jang Geon’s answer, the old man raised his head and looked up at the night sky. Rather than the surrounding torches and bonfires, the starlight and moonlight descending from the sky seemed to illuminate his face more brightly.

“Mm. Then you must go do what you have to do. For there is a proper time for all things.”

Gazing quietly at such an old man for a moment, Jang Geon spoke softly.

“My hands were somewhat hasty this time. I apologize.”

“Why apologize? Thanks to you, I was able to lance pus I didn’t even know existed. So let us consider your haste and my foolishness a draw. Go swiftly and attend to your business. We will clean up the commotion here. In return…”

Lowering his eyes that had been gazing at the night sky, the old man looked at Jang Geon once more.

“When your business is finished, please stop by once more. It seems we will have things to discuss.”

Meeting that gaze, Jang Geon soon raised both hands, cupped his fists, and spoke.

“I am Jang Geon.”

“I am called Flowing Bone. Go swiftly. Do not forget to visit when your task is done.”

Bowing slightly while keeping his fists cupped, Jang Geon greeted him and turned around. A Central Plainsman who had caused a commotion in the center of the Tribal Alliance’s camp was simply walking out, yet not a single person stopped him. They had all assented to the words of Flowing Bone.

“W-wait, wait up! I should go with you too!”

Dark Dragon No. 5, who had quietly stepped back toward the crowd until then pretending not to be part of Jang Geon’s group, snapped out of it in shock at his departing figure and hurriedly followed behind.

As they moved far off, the solid-looking middle-aged man who had remained quiet stepped forward and began organizing the crowd. Crouching Rock could say nothing even as his son was dragged away, and the people quietly buzzed about the unfamiliar Central Plainsman named Jang Geon, the decision of Great Shaman Flowing Bone, and Blunt Horn’s actions.

While taking in the faint murmurs reaching his ears, Flowing Bone quietly watched Jang Geon striding far into the dark night path, and Dark Dragon No. 5 trotting along behind him.

Around the corners of his eyes, something akin to anticipation was harbored.