Episode 236: The Test of Loyalty

Jinram followed Gyobuhwa’s orders and headed out of the cave. For the first time, a flicker of unease crossed his usually stoic face.

Until now, Jinram had never disobeyed Gyobuhwa’s commands, nor had he ever failed to complete a task.

But this time, something felt different.

Jinram found himself reluctant to carry out the order.

”…But what choice do I have?”

Even if he didn’t want to, defying an order was not an option. A bodyguard must follow commands, even those they find distasteful. A bodyguard is less an independent person and more an extension of their superior.

Quietly, Jinram made his way to the shabby hut where Mok Wana was staying.

As he entered, Mok Wana, who had been dozing lightly, stirred awake.

She tensed slightly as she sat up, but upon seeing Jinram’s face, she relaxed with a sigh of relief.

Jinram was taken aback.

‘Why is she so calm?’

A man entering a woman’s quarters should at least cause some tension, if not suspicion.

Yet Mok Wana showed no such signs.

It dawned on Jinram why he found her so peculiar.

She was the first person to genuinely trust him.

Even Gyobuhwa, his master, didn’t fully trust Jinram as a person. Gyobuhwa trusted the missions Jinram had completed and the skills he possessed, but not Jinram himself.

The thought of betraying Mok Wana’s trust unsettled Jinram.

His right hand hovered near his waist, unable to grip the sword hilt.

‘It’s only been a couple of weeks since we met. Why am I hesitating?’

Mok Wana spoke in a playful voice.

“Can I guess why you’re here? Couldn’t sleep, right?”

“No.”

“Why so shy? It seems like that’s the case. I’m pretty good at reading people, you know.”

She confidently made her guess, mixing in a bit of self-praise.

“Sit down. I’ll keep you company until you feel sleepy. Is there anything you’re curious about? Ask me anything about life in the Central Plains.”

Finally, Jinram’s hand grasped the sword hilt.

But it felt heavy.

The thought of striking her clashed with the desire not to harm her.

Then, a thought struck him.

“Mok Wana, you said you know how to use poison, right?”

“Of course. Even Tang Mujin isn’t as familiar with poisons as I am.”

“Show me the strongest poison you have.”

“That could be dangerous.”

“I’m a warrior of the Odok Clan. No matter how skilled the youngsters of the Central Plains are with poison, they can’t harm me.”

Mok Wana’s eyes sparkled with interest.

It was the first time Jinram had spoken so much, and his tone was oddly provocative.

She smiled confidently.

“Alright. Don’t regret it.”

Though Mok Wana was well-versed in poisons, she didn’t use them in combat like Tang Mujin. Her methods were crude, like exuding a faint poison through her pores or letting poison gather at her fingertips.

Eager to show off, she let a drop of thick poison form at her fingertip. It looked like a clear droplet of water, but the subtle scent of poison filled the hut, indicating its potency.

“Is that all?”

“Of course not.”

She let more poison drip onto her left palm, feeling both nervous and proud to demonstrate her skills.

“Let me show you how strong this poison is. Stand back; it’s dangerous.”

As she tilted her hand to let the poison drip onto the wooden floor, Jinram suddenly reached out and caught it with his left hand.

Though he could repel poison with his internal energy, he wasn’t trained in poison arts. His palm turned a raw, angry red, and his skin began to burn.

Jinram showed no sign of pain, not even a groan.

Mok Wana was shocked.

“What are you doing?”

Jinram didn’t stop there. He smeared the poison on his jaw, forearm, and even his clothes. Smoke rose faintly from his clothes, and his skin bore the marks of severe burns.

“Uh… uh…”

As Mok Wana stood stunned, Jinram spoke sternly.

“I warned you a few days ago. Why haven’t you left?”

“Why should I leave? Besides, if I go, it should be with Tang Mujin.”

“That’s your mistake. You brought this on yourself, so don’t blame me.”

Finally, Jinram’s grip on the sword hilt tightened.

In a flash, he drew his sword and pierced Mok Wana’s shoulder.

“Aaah!”

Slowly, he withdrew the blade, blood spurting from her shoulder and trickling down the sword.

Jinram looked at her, but there was no malice in his gaze. He didn’t seem poised to strike again.

Mok Wana, suppressing her pain, asked, “Why are you doing this?”

Jinram didn’t explain. He simply stated coldly, “We’re taking Tang Mujin.”

“Taking him where…?”

“Leave.”

He cut her off with a curt command.

“Leave now and never return. If you come back, I’ll kill you.”

With that, Jinram fell silent, his gaze piercing.

It was a look that left no doubt he meant every word.

Mok Wana, her voice trembling, asked, “Is Mujin safe?”

“If you cooperate.”

The implication was clear: non-cooperation could mean death. As she opened her mouth to speak, Jinram’s sword stopped just short of her heart, this time with a deadly intent.

“Get out.”

Clutching her bleeding shoulder, Mok Wana stumbled out of the hut, her legs shaking.

Jinram watched her retreating figure for a long time.

It felt like a parent watching their child walk towards danger, unable to intervene.

After some time, Jinram returned to the cave and reported to Gyobuhwa.

“It’s done.”

Gyobuhwa’s eyes scanned Jinram’s appearance.

His expression was as cold as ever, his eyes steady. But the burn marks and the raw skin beneath them were conspicuous. His left hand was stained a dark red, clearly a wound from poison.

“What happened to your hand?”

“She realized what was happening and tried to escape. I caught up with her, and she used the poison she’d been hiding.”

“A cunning woman. Did you kill her?”

“Yes.”

“The body?”

“I cut her a few times, and the wild animals were drawn by the scent of blood. I left her to be devoured alive. Her screams were deafening until they stopped.”

Gyobuhwa glanced at Jinram’s sword, still marked with blood. The scent of poison lingered on it.

“Hmm.”

Jinram had never failed to carry out an order, nor had he ever refused one.

He wasn’t in a position to refuse.

So Gyobuhwa didn’t doubt him.

Pointing to the unconscious Tang Mujin, Gyobuhwa said, “Well done. Reapply the pressure points and get some rest.”

“Yes, sir.”

After that, Gyobuhwa frequently visited Tang Mujin, trying to persuade him.

Tang Mujin, barely able to speak, was confined to a corner of the cave.

“I’m sorry for the rough treatment. But I had no choice; my situation is urgent.”

“If you’re sorry, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you. I need your skills.”

Tang Mujin didn’t know the full story, but he remained steadfast.

He was confident Gyobuhwa wouldn’t kill him.

‘Gyobuhwa didn’t subdue me to harm me.’

Tang Mujin had no intention of leaving behind everyone he knew to be dragged to an unfamiliar land.

Unlike other entanglements he’d had, Gyobuhwa’s plan wasn’t something that would end in a few months.

It would take years, if not a lifetime.

“Where’s Mok Wana?”

“I explained everything and sent her back. She’s returning home to deliver the news.”

Tang Mujin fell silent.

Gyobuhwa continued to coax him, offering all sorts of rewards and assurances to gain his trust.

But no positive response came.

After a long, drawn-out attempt at persuasion, Gyobuhwa’s voice turned cold and threatening.

“Don’t think I’ll keep bowing my head forever, Dang Mujin. I have my own last resort.”

“A last resort? I’m intrigued. Give it your best shot.”

Dang Mujin scoffed, turning his head away with a dismissive smirk. He looked every bit the enigma he was known to be.

Mok Wana clutched her shoulder, pierced by Jinram’s sword, as she wandered through Nogunsan. Finding a suitable spot, she tore the hem of her skirt and tightly bound her wound. Blood seeped through, staining the fabric a deep crimson.

Her time assisting at the clinic had its advantages.

“At least the bone’s not hit. Did he avoid a fatal blow on purpose?”

She tried to piece together the situation. While the full story eluded her, a few things were clear.

“Dang Mujin is in trouble.”

“Jinram spared me on purpose.”

She knew there was a hint of goodwill in Jinram’s actions. He had even warned her to avoid this predicament. Yet, every throb of pain in her shoulder stirred a mix of resentment and gratitude.

To distract herself from the pain, Mok Wana leaned against a tree, steadying her breath.

“I have to save Mujin somehow.”

But with her abilities, breaking through Jinram and his allies to rescue Dang Mujin seemed impossible.

“Maybe asking the villagers for help is my best bet?”

She inhaled deeply and stood up, but a serious problem loomed. She had no idea how to get back to the village.

It was her first time in Nogunsan, and she had simply followed Dang Mujin here. She had no clue how to navigate the dense forest. Even if she did, there was no guarantee she’d reach the village in time.

People lose consciousness from blood loss, but Mok Wana didn’t know how much blood it took. She already felt lightheaded.

She tugged at the fabric around her shoulder, pressing the wound. The sharp pain jolted her back to full awareness.

Mok Wana decided to leave her fate to the heavens.

“This way, I think.”

Trusting her instincts, she chose a direction and started walking. There was no logic to it, just the belief that moving was better than standing still.

Unfortunately, her path led her deeper into the heart of Nogunsan, a place even the locals avoided due to its dangers.

As she walked, a more pressing issue arose. The scent of her blood had attracted wild animals.

A low growl echoed from all directions. Mok Wana tried to climb a tree to escape, but her injured shoulder made it impossible. She couldn’t even lift her arm.

“What do I do?”

There was no time to ponder.

Crunch—

The sound of leaves, long settled on the forest floor, being crushed underfoot reached her ears. Something too large to be a stray dog charged at her.

“A wolf!”

She twisted her body just in time to dodge. Its long snout grazed past her neck, leaving behind the pungent stench of a carnivore. The smell of death.

“I have to run.”

Desperately clutching her trembling legs, Mok Wana sprinted. Behind her, the cacophony of wolves barking and unknown beasts growling filled the air.

They weren’t fighting over her or chasing her out of hunger. The creatures of Nogunsan were battling over who would claim the fresh prey.

She ran for her life, her breath ragged, her head spinning. She ran, stumbled, fell, and got up to run again.

At some point, the pain in her shoulder faded into the background.

When she was with Dang Mujin, nothing like this ever happened. Wild animals never dared approach him, and if they did, he easily drove them away.

She felt his absence keenly.

“Please!”

How long had she been running? The wolves’ howls, which had seemed to vanish, began to echo faintly once more.

No matter how fast she ran, she couldn’t escape their keen sense of smell.

Her mind went blank with fear.

But then, she caught a familiar scent, faint but unmistakable.

Poison. There was a trace of poison in the air.

Instinctively, Mok Wana dashed toward it. Whatever lay at the end of that trail couldn’t be worse than her current predicament, so she didn’t hesitate.

At the end of her desperate sprint, she found a massive snake.