A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 206

206. Young Okryong

Having left the Tang Clan, Son Bin and his group traveled south in their carriage, witnessing firsthand the Tang Clan’s extensive influence throughout Sichuan Province.

In every major town they passed, branches displaying the Tang Clan’s flag were easily found. Even the bustling Jang Jiang [Yangtze River] ferry ports and northern Guizhou Province, across the Jang Jiang, had Tang Clan outposts.

It was a clear demonstration of the Tang Clan’s dominance in Sichuan and the vastness of their reach.

Clatter, clatter.

The carriage carrying Son Bin and his group slowly made its way along the main road to Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, after crossing the Jang Jiang.

The reason for their more relaxed pace, compared to their previous haste, was partly due to their less urgent schedule, but mainly because there were five children on board.

“Do you think they’re doing alright?”

Son Bin asked Shin-ui, glancing at the children.

“Spending all day in a carriage can’t be easy for them.”

The five children were huddled in the back of the carriage, intently watching the passing scenery. Even the mundane and somewhat boring landscapes were objects of interest and fascination for them.

It was obvious they were excited about riding in the carriage, and even more so about the boat, but thankfully, they listened well to Dang Wol-ah.

Even now, they were faithfully following Dang Wol-ah’s instruction to ‘stay seated’.

“They’re fine.”

Shin-ui said.

“Even though they look like that, they’re as tough as any martial artists. The weakest among them is probably…”

Shin-ui glanced at Son Bin and clicked his tongue. Son Bin, fully understanding the unspoken words, gave an awkward smile.

Once again, Son Bin looked at the children. Although their heads were covered with hoods, their bright eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Come to think of it, are they all boys?”

At Son Bin’s question, Shin-ui frowned.

“What are you talking about? There are three girls and two boys. You can tell just by looking at their *oral structure*. Didn’t you know that until now?”

There was no way he could know. They were all wearing hoods and dressed similarly.

Besides, they were still young, making it difficult to distinguish them by their facial features alone. Not to mention their *oral structure* [likely referring to subtle differences in facial bone structure around the mouth, a traditional method of gender identification].

“Hong-ah, Cheong-ah, and Nok-ah are girls, and Hwe-ah and Hwang-ah are boys.”

Listening to Shin-ui’s explanation, Son Bin nodded. He repeated the children’s names in his mind, trying to memorize them. Suddenly, he noticed Cheong-ah staring into the air.

‘What is she looking at…? Ah, a butterfly.’

Cheong-ah was following a yellow butterfly fluttering above the carriage with her eyes.

Fascinated by the fluttering butterfly, Cheong-ah and the other children were intently watching it.

Whoosh.

Cheong-ah reached out her hand, but couldn’t reach the butterfly. She could stand up, but she was obeying Dang Wol-ah’s instruction not to get up.

Once again, Cheong-ah waved her hand. The loose sleeve of her clothes cut through the air, but she was still too far away.

Just then.

Tap.

Someone’s hand lightly caught the fluttering butterfly. The children looked at the owner of the hand. It was Seo-rin.

Seo-rin proudly held up the butterfly. The children’s eyes sparkled with admiration. They seemed amazed that Seo-rin had caught the butterfly without even standing up.

Seeing this, Son Bin smiled involuntarily. The children’s gazes remained fixed on Seo-rin and the yellow butterfly.

Swish.

Cheong-ah’s eyes widened. Seo-rin was offering the butterfly to Cheong-ah.

“Here. Take it.”

Seo-rin said. Cheong-ah looked back and forth between Seo-rin and the butterfly, then quietly reached out her hand and took the butterfly.

The yellow butterfly wiggled in her hand. A smile spread across Cheong-ah’s face.

Seo-rin smiled contentedly, and a smile also appeared on Son Bin’s face as he watched.

But that smile soon turned to surprise.

Chomp.

Cheong-ah put the yellow butterfly in her mouth. It happened so quickly that there was no time to stop her.

‘Oh!’

Son Bin was startled, but he didn’t make a sound, worried that the children might get scared by a loud noise.

“What’s wrong?”

Sa Su-yeon noticed Son Bin’s reaction and asked.

“Well, Cheong-ah just ate a butterfly…”

Son Bin said cautiously. He was wondering if he should make her open her mouth and take it out, when he heard Dang Wol-ah’s voice from across the carriage.

“She’ll spit it out soon.”

Dang Wol-ah said nonchalantly.

“Because it tastes bad.”

“Huh?”

Before Son Bin could finish his question,

“Ptooey.”

Cheong-ah spat out the butterfly. The remains of the butterfly quickly disappeared outside the carriage.

“It tastes bad, right? Don’t eat it next time.”

Seo-rin said teasingly. Seo-rin was smiling, but Cheong-ah was still in a bad mood, licking her tongue.

“Sacrificing a life for another life is a sacred ritual.”

Dang Wol-ah said in a low voice. Despite her quiet voice, all five children turned their attention to Dang Wol-ah.

“So, if you’re not going to eat it, don’t put it in your mouth. And don’t let anyone take mine.”

Even though they probably didn’t understand, the children nodded.

Son Bin felt a little dazed for a moment. From what he heard, it seemed that Dang Wol-ah and Seo-rin had both eaten butterflies before.

“A butterfly…”

Old Gun, who was driving the carriage, muttered to himself.

“Taste aside, there’s hardly anything to chew on despite all the fluttering. I don’t like them.”

Even Shin-ui, who had been quiet, chimed in.

“It’s better to find other bugs than butterflies. Once they emerge from the pupa stage, they don’t have much nutrition left.”

At this point, Son Bin was completely confused.

‘Are butterflies originally something you eat?’

Confused, Son Bin suddenly looked at Sa Su-yeon.

“Um, perhaps Miss Su-yeon also eats butterflies…”

“T-that’s impossible.”

Sa Su-yeon said, her face reddening. Realizing it wasn’t something to ask a young lady, Son Bin apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

“I-it’s okay.”

Sa Su-yeon turned her head, either embarrassed or angry.

Clatter, clatter.

The children soon found other things to be interested in, their eyes sparkling.

Son Bin chuckled as he looked at the children. Perhaps he was overreacting.

“Well, babies put everything in their mouths anyway…”

Son Bin muttered. Although they looked to be around twelve years old, the children’s mental age was still close to that of toddlers. Thinking that way, it wasn’t something he couldn’t understand.

Clatter, clatter.

The carriage, carrying the group, hastened its journey to Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province. And Sa Su-yeon couldn’t look Son Bin in the face for a while.

*

*

*

As they went deeper into Guizhou Province, the surrounding scenery changed dramatically.

The weather became increasingly cloudy and humid, and the mountain peaks rising abruptly from the plains created a unique landscape amidst the fog and clouds.

It wasn’t ideal weather for a long journey, but the children were fascinated by it, busy looking around.

The clothing and food at the inns were also very different, as it was an area with many ethnic minorities. Although Sichuan Province also had its own unique customs.

After several days, the carriage carrying the group approached Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province. And countless red flags fluttering along the main road welcomed Son Bin and his group.

Flutter, flutter.

Son Bin and his group stopped the carriage and looked ahead.

The red flags stretched endlessly along the long main road. The sight alone was spectacular.

“What’s going on?”

Son Bin asked Old Gun. He had never seen so many flags along the main road, especially red flags without any patterns.

The children, Seo-rin, Dang Wol-ah, Sa Su-yeon, and even Shin-ui couldn’t hide their surprised expressions. So, he had no choice but to ask Old Gun, who had the most experience.

“I don’t know. But…”

Old Gun said gruffly.

“I don’t know what crazy bastard did this, but I don’t like the feeling.”

There was no one on the main road where the red flags were fluttering. No passersby, no carriages. Considering it was the main road leading to Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, it was truly strange.

“Should we take another route?”

Son Bin asked with a serious expression. If there was a procession of high-ranking officials, it could be troublesome.

They hadn’t seen any soldiers blocking the road, but perhaps they had missed them without realizing it.

“Why should we?”

Old Gun said curtly.

“Did we commit a crime? We’re just passing through.”

As always, Old Gun didn’t back down. He strongly lashed the reins.

“Haa!”

The sturdy horses of Bukhae powerfully kicked off from the main road. The carriage soon began to race along the wide-open road.

Flap, flap, flap.

The sound of the flags fluttering in the wind echoed in their ears.

The number of red flags lining the main road was countless. The long, stretched-out sight was so unfamiliar that it didn’t seem like a scene from this world.

Clatter, clatter.

How long had they been riding? In the distance, Guiyang City came into view, and they could see several people standing in the middle of the main road.

“Whoa, whoa.”

Old Gun skillfully slowed down the carriage. The people blocking the road were a group of warriors wearing red uniforms. The red dragon emblem on their chests was clear.

Clatter.

The carriage stopped. A sturdy warrior, who appeared to be the leader, approached the carriage.

“Excuse me.”

The warrior said politely, bowing respectfully. His eyes and aura were extraordinary.

“Are you perhaps the group of Young Master Son Bin?”

“Yes.”

Old Gun answered. He didn’t hide his discomfort as he said,

“Which bastard pulled this prank?”

The sturdy warrior’s eyebrows twitched.

“I did.”

A clear voice came from behind the warrior.

Step, step.

The person who appeared was a young man dressed in the attire of a nobleman, his face hidden behind a jade fan.

“My lord!”

The sturdy warrior immediately knelt on the spot and lowered his head. It wasn’t just the warrior who reacted instantly to the appearance of the young nobleman.

Thump.

The moment she saw him, Sa Su-yeon jumped up from her seat. Her eyes were filled with disbelief, as if she had seen something impossible, and one hand was already on the hilt of her sword, Myeongmi.

“It’s alright.”

Son Bin said in a gentle voice.

“It’s not him.”

“It’s not, you say?”

Sa Su-yeon asked in a trembling voice.

“Yes. It’s not him.”

Rustle.

Son Bin got up from his seat and lightly bowed to the young man dressed as a nobleman, his face hidden behind a jade fan.

“Thank you for the invitation. My name is Son Bin.”

Whirr.

The jade fan folded, revealing the young man’s face. He was so handsome that he seemed to have stepped out of a painting. It was an understatement to call him just handsome; he was beautiful.

Old Gun’s already stiff expression became even more rigid, and Sa Su-yeon clenched her teeth.

The young man’s appearance was a perfect replica of someone who was all too vivid in their memories.

“You’re welcome. I’m the one who should be thanking you for accepting the invitation.”

The young nobleman replied with a gentle smile. Even his light smile seemed to shine brightly.

“These flags were prepared to welcome you, but I apologize if they made you feel uncomfortable.”

At his apology, Old Gun frowned. Sa Su-yeon also couldn’t hide her surprised expression.

The ‘that person’ they knew was someone who would sooner stain the world with blood than offer an apology.

“Who are you?”

Dang Wol-ah asked. The young nobleman smiled again.

“Oh dear, I haven’t even introduced myself yet.”

He put his hands together and bowed to the group.

“I am the leader of the Blood Dragon Clan and the successor to the previous leader’s seat. The leaders of the Blood Dragon Clan have traditionally inherited the name ‘Okryong’, but you may call me the ‘New Okryong’. Especially Young Master Son, since we are already acquainted.”

He turned to Son Bin and smiled.

“Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Son Bin replied in a quiet voice.

“We already met once in the Snow Mountain. I remember you had the name Soryong back then.”

“That’s an old story.”

Swish.

The young nobleman, the New Okryong, said, covering his face with the unfolded fan.

“Many things have changed now. Just like Young Master Son.”

A moment of silence passed.

Sa Su-yeon calmly examined the one who called himself the New Okryong.

He was definitely different from the Okryong of the past. He was much younger and had a different aura. But his eyes were exactly the same.

“Come this way. I have prepared a small banquet for you in the city.”

As soon as the young Okryong finished speaking, the warriors stepped aside to the left and right. The main road leading to Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, was completely empty.

Before long, a warrior brought a white horse, ornately decorated. The young Okryong lightly mounted the horse and slowly began to ride.

“Shall we go?”

It seemed he intended to guide Son Bin and his group himself. Old Gun lightly lashed the reins without saying a word.

“Giddy up.”

Clatter, clatter.

The carriage of Son Bin and his group and the horse ridden by the young Okryong slowly began to move. Even then, the kneeling warrior did not raise his head.

“Hmph, I didn’t know the Blood Dragon Clan had swallowed Guizhou in the meantime.”

Old Gun said mockingly as he drove the carriage.

The Blood Dragon Clan was originally an indigenous force based in Yunnan. But here in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province, the leader of the Blood Dragon Clan was acting as if it were his own backyard.

The young Okryong smiled.

“How could that be? In the past, Jin Sagang [a famous river in Yunnan] was said to have covered Gangnam [a wealthy region in southeastern China], but the previous leader was so engrossed in entertainment for his friends that he devastated the main forces of the clan. Now, this is the limit.”

That meant that the Blood Dragon Clan’s power in the past was enough to cover Gangnam.

“Entertainment? What new things did he do again?”

Old Gun asked, frowning immediately.

“Don’t you know? Ah, perhaps not. But it’s a famous story in Yunnan. Even crying children stop when they hear ‘The Return of the Blood Demon’.”

“The Return of the Blood Demon?”

“It refers to the previous Okryong welcoming Miss Sa’s father.”

Son Bin answered. That’s what Okryong told Sa Ja-hyeok when he entered Yunnan.

“He said he would dye the road to the Snow Mountain red.”

“Tsk.”

Old Gun clicked his tongue. But it didn’t even occur to him that it was strange, as it was something Okryong would do.

“It was a small entertainment to welcome a friend.”

The young Okryong on horseback continued.

“But thanks to that, the main forces of the clan were almost destroyed. All the key members of the Secret Hundred and Eight Assassins died, and three of the Yunnan Five Jun [elite warriors], who had reached the pinnacle of their skills, became guests who would never return. Now, I’m the only one left of the Three Kings of Command. The other damages, both large and small, are countless.”

He continued to speak in a playful, clear voice, then suddenly turned to Son Bin.

“Come to think of it, did Sword Hee perhaps visit Young Master Son again?”

“She did.”

The young Okryong’s eyes shone sharply.

“Is that so? Then… did you kill her?”

Son Bin gave a bitter smile.

“Of course not. Sword Hee actually helped me. And after we parted ways in Hangzhou… I haven’t seen her.”

“Is that so?”

A complex emotion flashed across the young Okryong’s eyes. But it was only for a moment.

“I see. That Sword Hee helped Young Master Son…”

He shook his head.

“The her I know was someone who didn’t care about favors or grudges, but she has changed as well.”

“Favors and grudges?”

Son Bin asked. The young Okryong looked puzzled instead.

“Isn’t she repaying the favor of Young Master Son saving her life?”

“How do you know that?”

Sa Su-yeon asked with a sharp gaze.

The young Okryong smiled. It was a smile so beautiful that anyone would fall for it, but to Sa Su-yeon, it was a chilling sight that sent shivers down her spine.

The smile of the previous Okryong, who held Son Bin’s life in his hands and mocked her, vividly came to mind.

“I was also in Hangzhou’s Yewon [a famous garden] that day.”

Sa Su-yeon’s expression changed at the young Okryong’s answer. But the young Okryong said in a calm tone.

“Compared to the prominent figures of the outer world, I probably didn’t catch your eye. Ah, the question I asked earlier was whether Sword Hee had visited Young Master Son after that day.”

The young Okryong looked at Son Bin with an interested gaze as he spoke.

“But how did you know? That I asked that question?”

“I assumed so because you said ‘again’.”

Son Bin replied calmly. The young Okryong chuckled.

“I see.”

Clatter, clatter.

The conversation was briefly interrupted.

“But could you tell me what you mean by returning what belongs to me?”

Son Bin asked.

“Ah, that?”

The young Okryong nodded.

“It’s a single blade. A huge blade of black color. I think the name was ‘Pahwol’ [literally ‘Destroying Moon’]?”

Thump.

Sa Su-yeon jumped up from her seat. She didn’t even care that she was on a moving carriage. And Old Gun, who was driving the carriage, also widened his eyes.

“What did you say?”

A powerful aura erupted from Old Gun’s body as he asked.

But the young Okryong, facing that aura, was simply smiling.