The Terrifying Pursuer (4)

Byeon Bong took his subordinates and returned to the place where they had been camping. And there, he had to see an absurd sight.

“Huh!”

“Ahh!”

His subordinates jumped in shock. Absurdly, the blankets they had slept under were placed on top of the campfire and burning fiercely. At those tremendous flames, they all stared blankly at the fire as if their souls had left them.

“Uaaaah! You son of a bitch, come out!”

Byeon Bong’s frenzy, which had briefly subsided, began again. The opponent was toying with him and his subordinates. Unless he had thoroughly decided to provoke them, there was no way he would do something like this.

What was even more absurd was that the meat they had hunted and obtained last night was burning together with the blankets.

In the end, they set out again with empty stomachs. They wanted to hunt and fill their stomachs, but because Byeon Bong had shouted and gone berserk, no matter how much they searched, they could not see anything nearby that could be hunted.

After that, what remained for them was a continuous ordeal. During the day, they did not notice because they were running, but at night, a chilly cold swept in. Since they had inner power, it was not enough for them to freeze to death, but it did not mean they could completely block out the cold.

Moreover, perhaps because of some trick, even the beasts they could hunt were nowhere to be seen. As if someone had gone ahead in advance and driven the animals away, they could not even catch sight of them. Lightness skill consumed not only inner power but also a considerable amount of physical stamina. Since they had nothing to eat, they grew exhausted even faster.

“Territory Lord!”

One of Jieun Territory’s warriors called to Byeon Bong.

“Why?”

“How about changing our route? Instead of blindly running toward Seon-yeong, if we go north or south from here, that bastard will not be able to drive away the animals in advance, will he?”

“Yes, let us try that.”

It was a useful idea. Rather than endure hunger and run while looking only toward Seon-yeong, they would move in a way the opponent could not predict. Perhaps they might be able to obtain food, and they might also be able to fluster the opponent and make him reveal himself.

“When day breaks, we will go south. If we go south for just one day from here, Yeonjang Lake will appear. Surely that wretch cannot drive away every fish in the lake too.”

Byeon Bong belatedly realized that there were many lakes nearby. Until now, in the state of being pursued, he had only run blindly as if fleeing, and had not thought of counterattacking.

But now, he had come to his senses. Not moving according to the opponent’s intention was precisely the beginning of a counterattack.

After enduring another night’s cold, they clutched their hungry stomachs and ran not east, but south. It was a completely different direction from Seon-yeong. Imagining the opponent’s surprised expression made even strength they did not have surge up.

Neung Je-gang silently watched Byeon Bong and his subordinates run south.

“Idiots. I was about to start planting real fear in them anyway, and now they are giving me more time.”

If they went around to the south, the road to Seon-yeong would only become longer. That much more time would be added for Neung Je-gang to play his tricks.

“Yes, go wherever you like and eat until your stomachs burst. Perhaps that may be your last meal.”

He muttered that, climbed down from the tree, stretched widely, then took a piece of dried meat from his clothes, put it in his mouth, and chewed.

At first, it felt hard and had no particular taste, but as he kept chewing, sweetish meat juice seeped out. What he was eating now was something he had stolen from Byeon Bong’s group.

Since there was still enough food stored inside his clothes for him to eat alone for a while, he was in a somewhat relaxed position even while following them.

“Wahahahaha!”

Byeon Bong and his subordinates, having arrived at the lake, jumped into the water. After relieving their hunger and thirst with water, they bathed with their clothes on. If they stripped naked, what if something went wrong like the blanket incident last time?

When they came out of the lake, each of them was holding one fish in each hand. They had not learned martial arts in vain. If they could not even catch a single fish, they could not say they had learned martial arts.

They lit a fire and skewered the fish on branches to cook them. The scent of cooking fish fragrantly stimulated their noses and stomachs.

“Huuup!”

One impatient person put his face near the fish and acted pathetically, as if trying to inhale as much of the smell as possible.

“Hahahaha!”

“Haha!”

It felt as if all the hardships they had endured until now were disappearing.

As soon as the fish were cooked, they devoured them ravenously, and even that was not enough, so they caught more fish. There were no particular seasonings, but the mere fact that they could eat something made it the greatest delicacy under heaven.

“It is thanks to you having a good idea.”

Byeon Bong praised the subordinate who had suggested changing direction. The simple act of telling someone they had done well when they had done well was a way to raise the morale of subordinates.

They had solved the matter of food, but there was no way to deal with the cold of night. They could only light many fires and drive away the cold. They circulated their energy in shifts, then pressed close together and tried to sleep.

Like that, another day seemed to pass safely.

When sleeping at night, the most troublesome thing was needing to urinate. Yeongcheon, one of Jieun Territory’s members, endured and endured even in his sleep, until finally, he opened his eyes. His lower abdomen was pressing as if his bladder would burst.

In his mind, he even considered simply relieving himself where he was, then bathing once more with his clothes on after day broke. But if he did that, he had to be prepared to be teased by his comrades as a bed-wetter for a long time.

When the night watchmen saw Yeongcheon get up, they soon turned their heads. They too knew there was only one reason to get up at this time.

Yeongcheon went to a place slightly away from the group. It was because if he did his business too close, it would smell.

However, he did not go so far that he would be out of the night watchmen’s sight. In a situation where an unknown enemy was aiming for them, moving far from the group’s eyes was like suicide.

Yeongcheon raised his qi. Even though he needed to urinate, he did not forget to examine his surroundings. Of course, just because he looked around did not mean he could catch the presence of a fellow who had freely come and gone from the place where they slept.

At least to Yeongcheon’s senses, there did not seem to be anyone nearby. He untied the cord of his waistband and exposed his lower body.

Shaaa.

A refreshing stream of urine spurted out. Along with it, Yeongcheon’s tension also loosened completely. Before doing one’s business, it was bothersome and irritating, but once one had done it, there was nothing more refreshing in the world.

After Yeongcheon finished and adjusted his lower body, he turned around. Then he returned to the place where the group was.

“Huh?”

Something was strange. There had been a change in that short time. Was someone not lying down and occupying his place? His place had people on both sides, so it was at least a spot where he could avoid the wind.

“Damn it!”

According to his temper, Yeongcheon wanted to stomp hard on the bastard who had stolen his place, but he endured it, considering the group’s recent atmosphere. If he caused a commotion at night for no reason, he would only be scolded by Byeon Bong, the Territory Lord.

“Damn bastard. Just wait until morning.”

Yeongcheon went elsewhere, made himself a place, and lay down. Perhaps the night watchmen heard him grumbling, because he could hear them snickering.

Even so, Yeongcheon did not get up again. If he paid attention to every little thing, when would he sleep?

He fell asleep again. And he could not know how much time had passed. Feeling someone shake him awake, Yeongcheon forced his eyes open.

“What?”

“It is your shift.”

“What?”

“Night watch shift. Hurry and get up.”

Yeongcheon sprang up. Then he looked around. It was still not dawn.

“Damn it! How long has it even been since I fell asleep?”

He grumbled, but it could not be helped. The other three had already finished changing shifts and gone to find seats.

“Ah, damn it!”

Yeongcheon got up, went to the campfire, warmed his hands for a moment, and briefly circulated his energy. He expelled the cold energy that had made his body tremble.

He sat standing at night watch for a while, and then his lower abdomen began to feel hot. Was it because he had eaten too much fish before sleeping? This time, it seemed he had to do the big one, not urinate.

Yeongcheon got up and approached another night watchman.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”

Ordinary Kunlun Taoists used respectful speech toward Jieun Territory members.

“I am going to go do my business.”

“Yes, please do. Immeasurable Life Buddha!”

The Taoist recited a Taoist invocation.

“Damn it. What Taoist invocation in this situation…….”

Yeongcheon glared once at the Taoist, then went in the opposite direction from where the wind was blowing, entered the bushes, exposed his backside, and sat down. It was basic courtesy to keep the smell from going toward the group.

The Taoist glanced once at the place Yeongcheon had gone to do his business, then inwardly recited Immeasurable Life Buddha once more.

Recently, as he had moved as if being chased, he had suddenly wondered what he was doing right now. His status was that of a Taoist, yet he ate meat and was making a fuss about founding a new country. He had only watched from behind as countless people died.

Even so, unable to endure hunger, he had caught fish last night and eaten them deliciously. He was already no longer a Taoist. And he would likely never be able to return to being one.

An emotion similar to regret quietly filled his heart. And he thought he envied the comrades who remained in Kunlun. It was a thought he had because he did not know that the Taoists who had remained in Kunlun had already departed in search of Tushita Heaven.

“But why is he taking so long?”

Yeongcheon was not coming back for too long. He rose from his seat and approached the place where Yeongcheon had gone.

But there was no sign of anyone. No matter how much of an expert Yeongcheon was, he would not hide his presence while doing his business.

The conclusion was that he had disappeared. He had vanished without a trace while doing the big one.

“T-this is terrible!”

The Taoist hurriedly turned around.

“Something terrible has happened!”

At the shout he let out, everyone who had been sleeping woke up.