002. The Mourner
Clang—clang—clang.
A boy dressed in a crimson robe embroidered with a black grid pattern, and a large, broad-shouldered man wearing a wide-brimmed bamboo hat trudged down a bumpy levee road. The man carried a large wooden box with a small bell hanging from it on his back.
At the end of the path lay a small village. A group of about a dozen people dressed in mourning clothes stood near the entrance, clearly having been waiting for the two travelers.
As the pair finally approached—
“…Is this for real?”
One particularly sharp-featured young man in the group of mourners glared at the boy in mourning attire and turned to the others.
“Seriously, he’s just a kid.”
“How old are you?”
“Geez, this little guy’s supposed to prepare a corpse? He looks like he’d scream at the sight of a dead frog on the road…”
The rest of the group chimed in, echoing the man’s doubts, all staring down at the boy, who simply looked back with his big, dark eyes.
“Hey, is this kid really a mourner? You look more qualified than him.”
“I’m not a kid. I just… look young.”
The young man turned a suspicious eye toward the large man behind the boy, but the boy finally spoke.
“How old are you, then?”
“Twenty.”
The sharp-featured man blinked in disbelief.
He looked so young—no way he was twenty. The boy clearly didn’t even have peach fuzz on his cheeks.
“You little punk, trying to mess with adults…”
“Maybe I came too far out. Folks in Jinju didn’t complain like this.”
Ignoring the rising tension, the boy mumbled to himself with his chin in his hand.
Just as the man seemed ready to explode—
“You’re from Jinju?”
An elderly man from the group stepped forward and cut in.
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard rumors—something about a young mourner from Jinju traveling to nearby villages. Are you from the Eon family?”
“I am.”
“Then I suppose we can trust you.”
The boy, Eon Seojeong, nodded.
“It’s hot today. If we wait much longer, things could get worse. And you said it was a beast attack, right? The condition’s probably not good. A weak-hearted mourner wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
Hearing this, the sharp-featured young man yelled again.
“Uncle! You’re really going to let that kid handle my brother’s body?”
“We don’t have a choice. Your brother’s corpse is already decaying, and it takes a full day and a half to bring someone from Seokgajang. Can you fetch one yourself?”
“Uh…”
“Then we have no choice. And if that boy really is from the Eon family of Jinju, then your brother will be receiving a level of care he never had in life.”
With the elder’s firm words, the man named Gyeong fell silent and looked down.
Seojeong spoke.
“Don’t worry. I always do my job properly.”
“…Right. This way, then. But I warn you, the condition of the body is terrible. Torn apart by beasts.”
“I’ve seen worse. Bones crushed and turned to mush—I’ve dealt with that.”
“…So young, yet already dealing with this kind of cruelty.”
“I’m used to it.”
And with that, the boy and the elder walked off, followed silently by the large man in the bamboo hat.
As warned, the body was a mess.
But to Eon Seojeong, it was nothing unusual.
Chunks of flesh were missing, the neck torn like an old rag. Bones were out of place, the belly completely hollowed out, likely eaten.
“…Not much salvageable here, huh?”
Seojeong turned to the large man behind him.
“Would you expect anything decent here? It’s just rotting meat.”
“Exactly.”
“Why didn’t you stay longer back there?”
“There were some good finds, sure, but once I got you, nothing else seemed worth it. I’m starting to regret that now.”
“Tch.”
Thud.
The big man set down the wooden box from his back, and Seojeong chuckled.
“Let’s just get this over with.”
Crack. Snap.
Seojeong carefully realigned the corpse’s twisted bones. The man opened the box, took out a large jar and some cotton, and placed them beside the boy.
Seojeong scooped out thick, sticky gel from the jar and packed it into the missing patches of flesh. Then he filled the hollow abdomen with cotton and stitched the belly shut.
The gel hardened quickly, sealing the damaged flesh cleanly.
Now, for the torn-up neck.
“Paper.”
The large man handed Seojeong a rolled scroll. Though called “paper,” it looked more like thinly-sliced hide.
Seojeong wrapped it around the neck and slowly poured in more gel.
“Almost done.”
The man took out a flask from the box and handed it over. A cool, fragrant blue liquid flowed from it, covering the body. Seojeong used a cloth soaked in the liquid to wipe the entire corpse.
Once the neck gel hardened, he removed the wrap and gently reshaped the neck with his hands.
Everything else was easy—clean, groom, and dress the body in the clothes it used to wear.
When the work was done, Seojeong clasped his hands in prayer.
“Rest well. And if you see my father, tell him I said hi. We look exactly alike—you’ll know him right away.”
After a brief prayer, he called the family over.
The mangled corpse was now peaceful and tidy, as if sleeping.
The mourners looked amazed.
“…Unbelievable.”
“He looks like he’s just sleeping. His color even looks good…”
“Thank you. Truly, thank you!”
As they expressed their gratitude in awe, Seojeong turned to the elder.
“Where will you bury him?”
“We haven’t decided… probably on the hill near the village.”
“Hmm…”
Rustle.
Seojeong pulled a folded paper from his robe and handed it over.
“If you walk about half a day from here following this map, there’s a sunny hill. It’s a good spot. You can bury him there if you’d like.”
“Are you sure? What if someone owns the land…?”
“It’s fine. That land belongs to the Eon family.”
“…You’re too kind, mourner.”
As the elder walked off to discuss it with the family, the man named Gyeong—who had caused trouble earlier—approached Seojeong.
“How much?”
“One silver.”
“What? One silver?! For just wiping a body for half a day?!”
“If you were wealthy, I’d be charging gold.”
“Tch. Let’s call it half. Ten iron coins.”
He tried to bargain, but Seojeong silently shook his head.
“No bargaining.”
“Tch, acting all high and mighty. Here, take this!”
Clink!
He tossed the ten iron coins to the ground and turned to leave.
Gasp.
A massive shadow fell over him, and he froze.
The large man removed his bamboo hat and glared.
A pale, scar-covered face. Dull gray eyes full of killing intent.
A presence so overwhelming, it felt like facing a demon.
“I did my job. Why should I take half the pay?”
Seojeong’s voice, young and calm, echoed beside him.
“W-what…?”
A faint smile formed on the boy’s lips.
“Why the hell should I take half, you bastard?”
“……!”
Like a dagger, the boy’s words stabbed into Gyeong’s mind.
The overwhelming pressure made the ground beneath him feel like it was collapsing.
“I… I…”
At that moment, Gyeong realized the boy was far more terrifying than the large man beside him.
“I—I’ll pay! Wait—!”
Panicked, he fumbled through his pockets.
Clatter!
Silver and iron coins spilled out onto the dirt.
The big man crouched to pick them up, and Gyeong turned pale.
“That’s all we have—our entire fortune—please…”
Ping!
The man flicked one of the silver coins into the air, and Seojeong caught it with ease.
Then, facing the terrified man, he said,
“I just finished the rites. That’s the only reason I’m letting you live.”
“Y-yes—! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
Leaving the groveling man and confused family behind, Seojeong and his companion turned and walked back along the levee road.
Jinju County, Eon Family Estate.
Crumbled walls, choked with weeds and vines.
Dusty signboard, tilted gate, rusted handles.
A once-glorious estate now reduced to ruins.
The Eon family, once as powerful as the mighty Paeng clan of Hebei, now barely clung to existence.
Two men wearing the yellow martial robes of the Murim Alliance stood in front of the entrance, comparing a map with the faded signboard.
“…Is this the place?”
“Looks like it.”
The man folded the map and stepped toward the door.
“This place looks haunted. Doesn’t seem like anyone lives here…”
His fingers hovered over the rusted doorknob, reluctant to touch it.
Still, he took a deep breath and knocked.
