Chapter 65
“…I was planning to catch it once I’d saved up enough money and gathered my own people. I’m determined to grow the Yugok Merchant Guild into the top merchant group in Yunnan. By then, we’ll even have our own private force!”
“But what if someone else finds the spirit beast before that?”
“I’ll just make sure no one can get close.”
“How?”
“See this?”
Imugeol stopped walking and pointed to a nearby tree.
On its trunk were several small scratches.
“Bear marks, huh.”
“A bear?”
“Bears usually mark their territory. And unless a herb gatherer is completely insane, they’d never step into a bear’s domain.”
Dang Jinak explained that there were other types of territory markings too, and Imugeol nodded.
“That’s right. But actually, I made these. In other words, they’re fake.”
“So your plan was to fake bear markings to keep people away?”
“Yes, exactly. And as you can probably tell from the path we’ve been walking, it’s not a typical trail. No one comes through here unless they’re a herb gatherer.”
Danggoryong and Dang Jinak were already drenched in sweat—proof enough of how rough the terrain was.
‘So this is how he came to possess the spirit beast’s core in the original story.’
In the original novel, Imugeol was already the head of the Yugok Merchant Guild and had expanded its influence. He’d hidden the existence of the spirit beast through complete secrecy.
“I can’t do it myself yet, but I think you can, Young Master. You even defeated Pungnyanggwi!”
Imugeol looked at Dokgoryong with admiration. Dokgoryong snorted and held Eun Sowol more securely in his arms.
“We’re almost there now!”
At Imugeol’s encouragement, everyone pushed aside their complaints and pressed forward.
As the humans climbed higher up the rugged terrain…
Rustle—
A bush they had passed shook slightly, and from within, a pair of beady black eyes glinted like black pearls.
The eyes watched the humans, then silently followed after them.
*
“This is the place.”
Having practically climbed up a cliff, they finally reached their destination.
Though it wasn’t as steep as Cheonjangdan-ae, the cliff was treacherous enough that no one had ever set foot here.
Naturally, the surrounding scenery was breathtaking.
“Do you see that cave over there?”
While everyone was catching their breath and admiring the view, Imugeol spoke up.
At the tip of his finger was a cave entwined with thick vines.
“I’ve seen the spirit beast go in and out of there multiple times.”
“Really? What kind of spirit beast?”
“I believe it’s a Yin-Yang Twin-Headed Serpent.”
‘Wow, it really is a Yin-Yang Twin-Headed Serpent!’
The fact that Imugeol only obtained its core ten years later in the original makes his persistence all the more impressive.
“Unbelievable… Brother, we have to catch it. We need that core as medicine for Sowol!”
Though he felt slightly guilty about stealing the original protagonist’s lucky encounter…
‘I’ll die without it.’
Besides, that guy comes from a noble family—he has plenty of other opportunities to get stronger.
“Uncle! You have to catch that thing!”
Eun Sowol, shaking off her growing guilt, shouted at Dokgoryong.
Dokgoryong squinted at her and muttered.
“…Weren’t you the one saying yesterday that animals were pitiful?”
“Th-that’s true, but I really need it! Right, Uncle Aki?”
Feeling her conscience sting, Sowol quickly looked at Dang Jinak for backup.
“Of course. The Yin-Yang Twin-Headed Serpent’s core is one of the few elixirs that can harmonize two opposing energies. There are many substitutes for other ingredients, but not for this one—you know that well, Brother.”
Recalling the list of elixirs, Dokgoryong silently pulled the axe strapped to his back.
His sword had broken during yesterday’s fight, so he had taken this axe from a Mukhyangbang member.
“Hopefully it’s a big, old one. What did it look like to you?”
“It was at least a hundred years old! If it were just a regular snake, I’d have caught it already. Last time, I saw it dragging a wild boar this big into that cave!”
Imugeol waved his hands enthusiastically to emphasize how massive the boar had been.
It didn’t seem to be as big as an imugi (dragon serpent), but it was clearly no ordinary creature.
‘I really can’t even imagine what it might look like.’
Just as she leaned out slightly to check if it might come out of the cave—
Rustle—
Something flickered through the bushes.
Eun Sowol, staring at the area, caught sight of shiny black scales glinting in the sunlight.
“Uncle, Uncle! Over there—huh? Where’d he go?”
She reached out to grab her uncle, but her hand found nothing. She looked around quickly, but Dokgoryong was nowhere in sight.
Just as she tilted her head in confusion—
SCREEEEEE!
A strange screech echoed.
And then it appeared—the Yin-Yang Twin-Headed Serpent, with black scales streaked with white patches.
It raised both heads high, baring its fangs threateningly.
And right above one of its heads—
“This thing’ll make some good snake wine…!”
Dokgoryong was precariously perched, axe raised.
CRASH—!
SCREE! SCREEEEE!
“Two heads are such a pain.”
True to its name, the serpent had two heads—one black, one white.
The black head screeched and bled after being hit by Dokgoryong’s axe. The white head lunged at him with its mouth wide open.
But Dokgoryong dodged expertly, darting between the two heads.
As the fierce battle continued, Eun Sowol murmured:
“He said it was the size of his torso… but it’s even bigger.”
Imugeol was fifteen years old—still a bit boyish and skinny, but his height was close to that of an adult.
“…One of those heads is bigger than my uncle.”
The serpent’s head was big enough to swallow Imugeol whole in one gulp.
Eun Sowol stared at Imugeol with a suspicious look—had he lied again?
Flustered, Imugeol stammered:
“I-it really wasn’t this big last month!”
His eyes were full of confusion. Even Lee Jaeha was taken aback by the sheer size of the serpent.
“Geol! How could you say that thing is a hundred years old? That thing’s at least three hundred!”
“What?! Three hundred?!”
“Yeah. Otherwise, it couldn’t be that big. Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?”
“N-no! It definitely wasn’t this size before!”
“…So it grew this much in a short time?”
“Maybe it ate an elixir and had a growth spurt…”
Dang Jinak, joining the conversation, glanced at the spirit beast—now wounded all over from Dokgoryong’s attacks—and smirked.
“That core’s going to be top-quality.”
As if spotting a delicious meal, he licked his lips and reached into his sleeve.
Moments later, his hands emerged bristling with hidden throwing daggers between each finger.
“Brother! I’m joining in!”
SCREEEEEE!
Together with Dokgoryong, he began beating—not fighting—the beast.
The Yin-Yang Twin-Headed Serpent thrashed and howled.
RRRRRRRRGH! SCREEEEEE!
As if saying:
“You disgusting humans! Get lost!”
Whenever Dang Jinak stabbed a needle into the black head, Dokgoryong would leap onto the white one and smack its crown with the flat of his axe.
They moved together as if they’d practiced a hundred, a thousand times.
CLANG! CLANG!
The rhythmic sound of metal striking skull made Eun Sowol rub her own head.
It felt like her own forehead—often flicked by Dokgoryong—was starting to ache.
“…Poor thing.”
Eventually, even the ferocious spirit beast began to look pitiful.
“Father… Is that how spirit beasts are usually hunted?”
“…No. Normally, you can’t even get close to one. Usually, two or three people get badly injured at the very least.”
Even Lee Jaeha and his son found the scene unfamiliar—proof that this was not a normal method.
