Chapter 18: Chapter 18

* * *

Jang Geon sat on a tree stump beside the tent, basking in the bright noon sunshine.

Over there, the figure of Bi-rang playing together with children was visible. At first she acted as if forced to play with them, but now she herself was hopping around even more excitedly. Bright sunlight illuminated the children playing between grass and riverwater, and in that shimmering figure, pastoral calmness and vigorously pulsing vitality coexisted.

For some reason, it was a scenery one ended up gazing at in a daze.

“A truly bright child.”

At that moment, Red Wind approached beside Jang Geon and spoke. Jang Geon smiled faintly. Seeing him smile, Red Wind also laughed hearty ‘Hahaha’ and continued speaking.

“Right, did you hear the story from Elder?”

“I heard. To teach them how to deal with martial artists…”

Jang Geon muttered quietly without taking his eyes off Bi-rang and the children. Meanwhile, he recalled the story he had heard in One-Eyed Cloud’s tent.

“…One day, several Central Plains people came to this valley bringing a tribe youngster who had been sent to the lower village. Out of nowhere, they asked to buy this land and promised many Central Plains silver coins. However, this valley and village are the region our tribe has lived in for over a hundred years. Though we moved little by little according to seasons, in the end this valley is our tribe’s home. How could we sell such a thing? Where would we go if we sold it? No, before that, is land something we can buy and sell as we please?”

Then those Central Plains people promised even more money. Furthermore, the tribe youngster who had led them insisted that there couldn’t be a better opportunity, trying to persuade the tribe members. It was words to hand over the valley on this occasion and go live in the Central Plains people’s city.

“I sent that fellow to the lower village for too long. Strange influences got into him so he spouts nonsense, making me want to beat him up. At any rate, those Central Plains people heard our firm answer and left quietly. No, I thought they left quietly.”

The tribe youngster who had brought them treated the other tribe members as outdated fools and left together with the Central Plains people. And after a while, the Central Plains people who had left returned this time ballooning their numbers to twenty-five or six.

“…They claimed they had already paid money and purchased this land, telling us to get out of here. When we asked what kind of absurd talk that was, they thrust out a scrap of paper…”

It was a document stating that the tribe youngster, Swift Crow, had sold the rights to this valley and taken five hundred silver coins. That youngster who insulted the tribe members had thus sold out the entire tribe and fled.

Jang Geon could roughly tell how things had developed. They had targeted these natives’ lack of property rights awareness regarding land.

To them, land was a common thing shared by the entire tribe and belonging to ancestors, and at the same time, not something completely owned, but merely borrowed from nature. Someday upon death they would return to that nature, returning even what they had borrowed for a while, so they didn’t easily understand the meaning of who owned a spot of land.

The Central Plains people utilized precisely that point to create a document making Swift Crow the owner of the land and immediately transacted it. Then, from the perspective of the tribe members who were here, though absurd, on paper the tribe members had to leave. Because the Central Plains people had paid money to the owner of this land and bought the rights.

Jang Geon asked if he remembered which organization had recognized that document and stamped it.

“That, what was it? Probably some association or something.”

“Merchant Guild?”

“Ah! Right. It was a Merchant Guild. Some tribe that protects merchants’ rights and distribution of goods, was it?”

Though they thrust out the document like that, there was no way the tribe members would recognize that document. Naturally, the Central Plains people had no choice but to leave again just as they had rushed in. First of all, the tribe members numbered close to several dozen, and there were many sturdy adults.

However, One-Eyed Cloud felt definite greed and an intention never to give up in the eyes of the chief Central Plains person leading his subordinates as he left. Back then his leaving was merely an action to build justification. Naturally, predicting that the day they rushed in again would be a day of blood was no difficult forecast.

The reason One-Eyed Cloud hadn’t driven Jang Geon away was also because he thought that even if he didn’t know how great his martial prowess was, he might at least learn how to deal with martial artists.

Returning from his thoughts, Jang Geon spoke without taking his eyes off the playing children.

“Unfair transactions like this are banned by the Merchant Guild, the Martial Alliance, and far off by the Empire as well. Probably that Central Plains person and some members of this local Merchant Guild colluded to trick you. Send someone to the Martial Alliance branch.”

Looking at the same spot as Jang Geon, Red Wind slowly folded his arms and answered.

“The Martial Alliance Branch Head closest from here is neither a particularly good nor evil person. However, even if he takes bribes from that Central Plains person, in the end he’ll take our side. Because that’s his job. The problem is that bribe will buy him time to delay moving. And that time is plenty of time for our tribe to be completely wiped out.”

Jang Geon turned his head and looked up at Red Wind.

“…Besides speaking Central Plains language well, you seem to know a lot about Central Plains people.”

“Originally, before that fellow Swift Crow, I did the work of watching Central Plains people’s trends in the lower village. That fellow observed others’ faces well and was sharp, so I handed over the work, but… things turned out like this. I must blame myself for lacking eyes for reading people.”

He wore a bitter face. If he lived in a foreign land struggling for the tribe, his affection for the tribe members ought to be immense, yet being betrayed by that very tribe member was a truly pitied detail. Turning his eyes back to Bi-rang and the children, Jang Geon spoke.

“It would also be good to prepare proper documents on this occasion. Even if you get over this matter well this time, such things may continue to happen in the future.”

Hearing those words, this time Red Wind looked at Jang Geon.

“…Aren’t you going to ask?”

“About what?”

“The reason that Central Plains person wants this valley.”

“Well. Seeing what that fellow does, it doesn’t seem like much.”

Red Wind hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

“It seems there might be a gold mine somewhere in this valley. To find that gold mine, they have to dig and overturn everything, so they’re trying to drive us out.”

Jang Geon let out a chuckle.

“If it’s gold, that’s more than not much.”

“I heard you have to gather fifteen of those silver coins you gave to barely exchange for one gold coin. Then isn’t gold extremely precious to you people? Then it ought to be more than not much.”

At Red Wind’s puzzled question, Jang Geon didn’t answer for a moment. In his eyes, the figures of the children and Bi-rang playing joyfully were captured. Laughing cheerfully, Bi-rang suddenly felt that gaze, met his eyes, and smiled brightly. Looking at those golden eyes, Jang Geon smiled back faintly.

“Some gold is more valuable than other gold. At least to me, it is so.”

At his answer, Red Wind looked at the same spot as him. The two quietly watched the figures of the children playing for a moment. Red Wind felt he could somehow understand the meaning of the gold he mentioned.

“By tomorrow I’ll be able to move my arm without much discomfort. Then let me see if I can do anything.”

“…Understood. I’ll let the tribe members know as well. Thank you. I will definitely repay you.”

Without much word, Jang Geon merely gave a light nod. From that small movement, Red Wind couldn’t know his martial arts skill, but at least he could sufficiently feel that he was trying to help them.

The two watched the children again for a moment, receiving the noon sunshine.

* * *

The next day, following Red Wind, Jang Geon was able to meet ten of the sturdiest warriors here at a vacant lot on the outskirts of the village. The oldest person was Red Wind, and the others were all young people with solid bodies. Among them, Bi-rang was included as well.

Matching eyes with Jang Geon, she smiled stealthily and acknowledged him. Jang Geon responded with an eye greeting, then scanned the lined up tribe warriors.

Inspecting them for a moment, Jang Geon turned to Red Wind and asked.

“Are these all the ones who can fight?”

“We are all the warriors.”

“…Rascals hired for money in such a remote area won’t be very outstanding swordsmen. But even so, they will easily exceed fifteen.”

Red Wind nodded his head.

“If these ten are all, it means each may have to handle two or three. But we are confident. Truly.”

Listening to that answer, as Jang Geon pondered for a moment, the fellow with the largest build among the ten gathered spoke abruptly.

“If you’re worried about that, try a round with me first. Let’s get a taste of that great martial art of yours.”

He stepped forward boasting an ambling movement and elastically twitching muscles. Looking at the fellow’s lopsided expression, Jang Geon let out a chuckle. Starting like this wasn’t bad either.

“The taste might be a bit spicy.”

“Heh. Sad Wolf carried a carcass over so I wondered, but your bluffing is immense, friend.”

Seeing Jang Geon and Red Wind arrive at the vacant lot, the warriors who were somewhat scattered quickly widened the distance when Jang Geon didn’t seem to back down, and sat on the ground. In a single breath, a round fighting ring was created. Seeing even Red Wind among them, it seemed they had intended to check Jang Geon’s skill in this manner from the start.

Watching that and letting out a light laugh again, Jang Geon drew the sword strapped to his waist together with its scabbard and leaned it against a tree at one side of the vacant lot. Then lightly moving his right shoulder, he turned his body toward the opponent warrior. It seemed better not to overexert his right arm.

“I am Mountain-Riding Bear. In our valley tribe, except for Red Wind, I am the strongest. What’s your name, martial artist?”

“Jang Geon.”

“Good, Jang Geon. Show us that great martial art.”

Mountain-Riding Bear threw off the top garment he was roughly wearing, lowered his knees, and bent his body. Seeing his flashing eyes and stealthily rising hands, it seemed if an opportunity showed, he would charge in and cling right away. It was a tactic using his own weight and strength well.

However, compared to his combative stance, Jang Geon stood obliquely, and except for raising his left hand to his chest, there was nothing special.

Seeing such a sight, Mountain-Riding Bear snorted ‘Kheng-‘ loudly as if thinking he looked down on him, and sprang out like an enraged bull. Raising both arms quickly to cover his head appeared to protect his vital spots from counterattacks. The distance between Mountain-Riding Bear and Jang Geon closed rapidly.

And Jang Geon’s thunderous back kick brushed past Mountain-Riding Bear.

The arms blocking his head were of little significance. Jang Geon’s foot drew a flexible line as if turning into a whip, penetrating downward to avoid his arms blocked left and right, and struck his jaw. Falling sideways, Mountain-Riding Bear thought: Is an iron weight attached to that guy’s foot?

Clearly hit by the tip of the foot, a ringing ‘Piii-‘ sound was reverberating in his head as if struck with a hammer. However, whether he hadn’t gained the name Bear for nothing, rolling over and over, he pushed the ground with both hands and stood up quickly.

And even while his head was dizzy, he ran at Jang Geon again. Thinking there would be an opening since he made a large movement.

Smoothly receiving the charging heavy build, Jang Geon grabbed his waist and flipped him backward. Mountain-Riding Bear’s touch trying to grab Jang Geon’s body lost its target due to his body subtly swaying slightly. In the end, Mountain-Riding Bear tumbled forward in midair and fell again.

Rolling on the ground once more, Mountain-Riding Bear panted with a reddened face on his dust-covered body. In his eyes, Jang Geon was visible in the same calm stance as at first. Mountain-Riding Bear spat out saliva tasting bitter to the side.

And looking toward Jang Geon, he assumed a low posture like a track athlete starting, then struck the ground with both fists.

At that moment, Jang Geon felt a strange tingling sensation riding up the soles of his feet. It felt as if this ground was being dragged toward Mountain-Riding Bear’s two fists over there.

“Mountain-Riding Bear!”

The moment Red Wind watching shouted like that, Mountain-Riding Bear, three times faster than a moment ago, penetrated into Jang Geon’s waist.

And instinctively loading internal energy, Jang Geon raised his knee and struck his solar plexus upward.

A drum-beating sound ‘Toong-‘ resounded, and centered on Mountain-Riding Bear who was struck, a hazy dust wind drew concentric circles. For a moment, the vacant lot fell silent.

“…Jang Geon?”

As Red Wind called Jang Geon with a surprised expression, Mountain-Riding Bear who had lost consciousness slumped down. Dusting off his clothes, Jang Geon looked at him and spoke.

“It’s an interesting technique. Could you explain what it is?”

“…Mountain-Riding Bear?”

“See for yourself. That power just now seems to have protected his body.”

Red Wind quickly approached and checked Mountain-Riding Bear. Just as he said, except for being unconscious, there was no particular abnormality. Checking him, Red Wind looked up at Jang Geon with an admired face.

“You’re quite something.”

Without a word, Jang Geon merely smirked.