Ep413 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

Thud, thud, thud, thud! The sound of the thundering hooves echoed across the plains as the cavalry charged forward. And countless swords met them in battle. Clang! Clang! Each time a sword shattered and scattered, one or two of the charging steeds collapsed, their momentum broken, falling and vanishing into dust. It was a war of attrition, filled with breaking, shattering, collapsing, and rolling bodies. As their internal energy diminished unrelentingly, the color drained from the faces of the two men. Thud! The knee of one man, who had been standing firm against the earth, buckled. "Gulping... cough, cough!" Bayan gasped for breath, blood of a deep crimson hue spilling from his lips. The mighty horses of the prairie, a proud force of ten thousand strong, lay vanquished, not a single one left standing. In contrast, while there were fewer swords left from Baek Woo-jin’s mindscape, they still remained, targeting him. "Heh heh heh...!" Bayan laughed heartily, wiping the blood from his lips. "Hahaha-! Truly amazing! Cough, cough...!" Despite coughing up blood, his laughter continued unabated, his expression full of relief. There was not a hint of resentment or fear toward the one who had defeated him. Only those who genuinely relished in battle itself could wear such an expression, prompting a bitter smile from Baek Woo-jin. "You were quite remarkable yourself, old man." His words were not mere consolation or humility towards the vanquished. Bayan had indeed been extraordinary. The prowess and spirit befitting the title of 'Hero of the Plains, Bagatur.' Baek Woo-jin instantly understood. ‘She must have deemed him worthy of life.’ The Celestial Demon. That was why she hadn't slain Bayan but spared him. Despite fighting fiercely to the death, he bore no malice or negative emotions. Instead, only the satisfaction of having fought with all his might lingered, leaving him feeling refreshed. Perhaps she, too, had felt a similar kinship and chose to spare his life. For in such matters, she bore a striking resemblance to him. Baek Woo-jin asked, "I'd like to exercise the victor's right now, what say you?" Bayan halted his laughter, nodding solemnly. "Hmm... you’ve certainly earned that right." Surveying the surroundings, Bayan gave a wry smile. "My warriors have fared poorly as well." The vast plains stretched wide. The battle between Jo-won's men and Bayan's warriors had already reached its conclusion. The victors were Jo-won's forces. Their skill levels were nearly identical, yet Jo-won’s men possessed the iron stamina forged through rigorous training and life-death experiences. Not to mention, they had another advantage. Jo-won's men excelled at utilizing each other’s strengths more effectively than Bayan's warriors. Such small disparities led to this outcome. Struggling to his feet, Bayan knelt before Baek Woo-jin. The defeated submit to the victor. This was the utmost law that even the Bagatur, the warriors of the plains, and his tribe could not escape. "From now onwards, this tribe is yours." At Bayan’s declaration, the fallen warriors gathered, despite their injuries, knelt behind him, and cried out: "We greet our new chieftain!" It was the moment of conquering the mightiest mountain of the plains. * * * Returning with the subjugated Bayan and his warriors to the Jagaltai tribe. Seeing them approach, Jagaltai flung open his well-stocked storerooms wide. The festival had begun. "Ahahaha! Drink up, drink up! There’s plenty of wine, so drink until you drop... no, drink until just before you drop!" Standing before a roaring fire, he danced jubilantly, downing his liquor. An unexpected turn of events had unfolded. Even a man like Baek Woo-jin, many thought he would struggle against Bayan's tribe, yet he had subjugated them and returned in just half a day! "Kahahaha!" Laughter came naturally. Subjugating Bayan meant there was no longer anyone on the plains who could challenge Jagaltai. "To think, the unified plains are mine after a hundred years...!" For a century, the tribes had been divided, coveting each other's lands, only to be plundered by the strong. At last, he would sit as the grand chieftain unifying all the tribes of the plains. Of course, he knew too. It was not a position earned solely by his power, but only a half-realized seat. And above him, Baek Woo-jin, the true ruler, still existed. ‘Yet it doesn’t matter!’ But what of it? The position, one where he was second to one yet above thousands, was a place anyone would covet. Besides, Baek Woo-jin was from the Central Plains, not the plains. Once his business concluded, he would naturally disappear, leaving the power entirely in his grasp. As Jagaltai moved around, drinking like water and mingling amongst the tribespeople gathered in groups, a voice called out to him. "Hey, Jagaltai." Baek Woo-jin had come over from the special area where he was seated with Jo-won's group to join the festivities. As soon as he noticed, Jagaltai quickly wiped the spilled liquor from his lips and scurried over, rubbing his hands together. "Yes, honored hero!" "With the plains unified now, it's almost as if everything has calmed down, right?" In response to Baek Woo-jin's query, Jagaltai nodded vigorously as if his head would fall off. "Absolutely, absolutely! It’s as good as saying it all belongs to you now, Baek the Hero!" Baek Woo-jin chuckled bitterly and shook his head. "Regardless of whose it is, I’d like to start working on something by tomorrow." "Ah...! You mean finding the King’s Tomb?" "Yes, that's right." "I understand. Starting tomorrow, I’ll gather all the tribespeople to search for the tomb!" Baek Woo-jin frowned as soon as the words left his lips. "No need to go that far. Exclude the weak, like children and the elderly, and only get the fit ones involved." "Eh? Ah, yes! Understood." "And make sure they are compensated properly for their work." Perplexed, Jagaltai tilted his head in confusion at Baek Woo-jin's insistence on compensation. "Compensated... how do you mean?" "I mean, provide enough food so they're well-fed and reward them." "Oh... yes, yes! Of course, that’s the way it should be." Baek Woo-jin cast a cool gaze at Jagaltai, who had been clueless about such intentions. It seemed he had never considered it at all. * * * After the boisterous festival, as flamboyant as a blazing firework, quieted down when the flames were extinguished, Baek Woo-jin and Geum Yeoul finally faced each other in a secluded spot. The atmosphere was somewhat awkward. Despite the time they had spent growing close, they had also been apart for quite a while. Baek Woo-jin was the first to break the silence. "How have you been?" A simple and ordinary greeting. Geum Yeoul shyly smiled and nodded. "Y-yeah..." Surprised, Baek Woo-jin slightly parted his lips. "You’ve changed a lot." She had changed significantly since the last time he saw her. From a carefree, bright, and cheerful girl to a beautiful woman with a resilient spirit. Responding with confidence, Geum Yeoul said, "If I stayed the same, I wouldn’t be able to help you." Her expression and tone were filled with an unmistakable deep affection. Baek Woo-jin shivered at this. ‘What’s with the chill...?’ A sudden chill ran down his spine. Geum Yeoul, noticing his reaction, asked curiously, “Why are you acting like that all of a sudden?” “Oh, no, it’s nothing.” Baek Woo-jin quickly changed the subject. “By the way... why are you on the plains?” “Oh, that’s because...” She responded sincerely to his curiosity-driven question, aimed at changing the mood and stemming from genuine interest. She explained how she ended up there after Baek Woo-jin left. Listening, Baek Woo-jin gaped even wider in surprise. “So, you mean to say you're the owner of the merchant group supplying food to the plains?” “Yup, that’s me!” “Huh.” This time, he couldn’t contain his astonishment. “You’re quite impressive yourself.” The Northern Ice Palace and the plains. Both were perilous places, each in its own right. One was feared for its freezing winds that could engulf everything in cold. The other was a region where human conflict was a way of life, invoking terror. However, she navigated these areas, places where most merchants wouldn’t dare set foot, and made profits comparable to some of the top trading groups. ‘It seems the blood of the Golden Merchant is strong in her too.’ Even she, who once seemed like a carefree child, possessed the seasoned blood of a merchant. “Wait a moment.” Suddenly, the name of her merchant group flashed through his mind. The Baekgeum Merchant Group. It felt oddly familiar. “Did you name it Baekgeum Merchant Group by any chance...?” His words trailed off, and she nodded, her face even redder than before. “Y-yes. I took each of our names to create it....” “Ah, I see.” Though he had vaguely suspected, it turned out to be true. “I was planning to come to you after this last transaction anyway.” “To... me?” “Yeah... I think I can be of help to you now.” She gracefully stood up from her seat across and approached Baek Woo-jin. Her strides, unhesitant, stopped just shy of touching him. The distance between them was tantalizingly close, their breaths nearly mingling. Taking a small breath, she then made an astonishing confession. “D-do you think the Baekgeum Merchant Group is suitable as a part of my dowry?” The most expensive in the world, at that. --- **Author's Note** Hello, dear readers. This is Noonjak. Due to some health issues, I've decided to take a short break. After a visit to the emergency room at dawn, I woke up this afternoon only to find myself still unwell... I've become quite resilient to most comments lately, but there are some uniquely unsettling ones. Some people curse as if they'll never read again, yet keep coming back for the next chapter. I really don't know how to interpret this... I'll work harder to make up for the content gaps caused by this break and fill them in slowly. I look forward to bringing you the next chapter. Thank you, as always, for reading. Have a restful night. (_ _)