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| Reaper of the Drifting Moon Chapter 411 |
Type- Light Novel, Web Novel
Manhwa- N/A
Translation-MTL
"A familiar smell? Does that mean you know them?"
"No, it's just a very familiar smell."
"Really?"
If it were someone else speaking, they would have just moved on, but the person speaking was the Ghost King. He may be experiencing confusion in his memory, but he is not the one to lie.
Yong Seol-ran cautiously asked.
"Is it possible to detect their smell from this distance?"
"It's possible!"
"Really? How can you be so sure?"
"I can smell it too."
"..."
At Pyo Wol's response, Yong Seol-ran was at a loss for words.
She knew that he had surpassed human limits long ago, but she never imagined that he would have the same level of senses as the Ghost King.
Pyo Wol stared intently at the thirty or so martial artists.
They were each taking a break, but they were not letting their guard down for a single moment.
Their sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, and their entire bodies' senses were wide open.
It was clear that they were elites who had undergone harsh training.
Pyo Wol asked Yong Seol-ran.
"Do you know who they are?"
"Not at all."
Yong Seol-ran shook her head.
Although they were settled in the Slash and Burn village, she knew nothing about the local martial arts sects. It was because she had completely lost interest.
Furthermore, as far as she knew, the area was too remote for martial arts sects to enter, as it didn't meet the necessary conditions.
It was one thing if it were a crowded city, but there was no reason for a proper martial arts sect to be in such a remote place.
The fact that martial artists with this level of power had entered such a remote area was a very special event.
The Ghost King glared intently at the martial artists.
His flickering eyes seemed ready to burst out at any moment.
Pyo Wol stopped the Ghost King.
"Endure it for now!"
"Why? Isn't it better to take them down right away?"
"Look at the atmosphere. They're like venomous snakes. They won't tell the truth just because we threaten them."
"Then?"
"We'll have to follow them quietly. There's a high probability that their destination is the place you're looking for. The smell probably came from there."
"Understood."
The Ghost King nodded, convinced by Pyo Wol's words.
This time, Pyo Wol looked at Yong Seol-ran.
"You should go back."
"I can't do that. This is my responsibility."
"Getting involved in this matter may shatter the peaceful life you've worked hard to find."
"It's already too late. How can I pretend not to know when someone in the village has been killed? I can't do that."
Yong Seol-ran spoke firmly.
Pyo Wol looked at her face for a moment.
Stubbornness was written all over her face.
It was clear that no matter what he said, she wouldn't listen.
"Alright, I'll accept your decision."
"Thank you."
"But you have to listen to me."
"Don't worry. I know your capabilities better than anyone. I'll make sure I never get in your way."
"Hmm!"
Pyo Wol nodded.
He knew Yong Seol-ran's martial arts skills very well.
Although she had been away from the sword for a long time, there would never be a situation where she would be a hindrance.
Pyo Wol carefully observed the men.
＊＊＊
At the center of the men was a man in his early forties.
His strong, leopard-like features and tightly closed lips clearly showed how stubborn he was.
A broken sword hung from the man's waist. The sword, seemingly broken long ago, hung loosely from his waist without a scabbard.
Suddenly, the man called out to someone.
"You guys!"
"Yes?"
"Uh... us?"
The men who were singled out were surprised.
The man snapped his fingers, and three men cautiously approached him.
"You smell of blood. Did you kill someone?"
"Yes!"
For a moment, a look of horror appeared on the men's faces.
It had been a few days since they killed someone. Even if there had been a lingering scent of blood on them at the time, it should have been gone by now.
Yet, the man accurately detected the scent of blood on them.
The man asked.
"Why?"
"He found out that we were gathering the Fire Heart Herb (火心草)."
"How is that? Very few people know the existence of the Fire Heart Herb."
"He was someone living in the Slash and Burn village. He seemed to have known about it since he had been exposed to many herbs since they were young."
"What a coincidence."
"Yes! So we had no choice but to kill him."
"And the disposal?"
"We did it perfectly. We left the body far away from the main road, so there's no chance it will be discovered."
Even with the men's responses, the middle-aged man did not change his expression.
He knew the men's true nature very well.
They were excessively cruel, causing many problems. They couldn't simply kill someone without pain; they were the kind of people who needed to torment their victims like a cat playing with a mouse until they died.
All of the victims who met their end at the hands of these men suffered terribly before losing their lives.
"Behave yourselves until we reach our destination."
"Yes!"
"Understood."
The men replied, bowing their heads.
Fear was evident on the faces of the men who bowed their heads. It was no surprise, because the middle-aged man in front of them was no ordinary person.
The Ghost Demon Sword, Jang Sacheon.
His name might sound rustic, but his martial arts skills were truly terrifying.
In particular, his sword technique with a broken sword was chillingly frightening, causing fear in many people.
Countless people had lost their lives to that broken sword. Anyone who had witnessed him killing martial artists who stood on the other side of him could not help but have great fear of him.
Jang Sacheon was not the type of person to be involved in such a mission. However, various circumstances had led him here, and he temporarily led the men.
Even the men who took pride in their rough lives couldn't breathe easily in front of Jang Sacheon.
Jang Sacheon spoke to his subordinates.
"In three days! We'll arrive at our destination in just three more days. I hope no one acts recklessly until then. Let's get going."
"Yes!"
"Understood."
His subordinates energetically replied and mounted their horses.
Jang Sacheon also mounted his horse and looked around.
Seeing that no one was around, Jang Sacheon gently kicked the horse's side. The horse then took off at a fast pace.
His subordinates followed him.
＊＊＊
Pyo Wol and his party tracked Jang Sacheon and his subordinates from a distance.
It was obvious at a glance that Jang Sacheon's momentum was extraordinary. They deliberately kept their distance to avoid being noticed by him.
It wasn't difficult to follow the traces left by the passage of nearly thirty horses and men.
The ground was clearly marked by the galloping horses. It was impossible to lose their trail unless they tried to.
They continued like this for two days.
Jang Sacheon and his party went deeper and deeper into the forest.
The trees and grass grew denser, making it difficult to travel by horse.
As they went deeper into the forest, the ghost king’'s reaction became strange.
He spent more time in a daze.
Fortunately, he was connected to Pyo Wol and the silver thread; otherwise, he would have been left behind or lost.
Pyo Wol asked the ghost king,
"Are you alright?"
"The familiar smell is getting stronger."
"Is that so?"
"I'm sure I've been here before."
There was certainty in the voice of the Ghost King.
Pyo Wol thought as he looked at him.
'It seems like he found the right place.'
They didn't know what was here, but it was clear, this was the place the Ghost King was looking for.
Then it happened.
Swoosh!
Without warning, rain suddenly began to pour down.
Yong Seol-ran couldn't hide her confused expression.
"The traces are being erased."
The traces of Jang Sacheon and his followers were being washed away by the rain.
The pouring rain quickly turned the ground muddy and concealed the traces of people passing by.
The event happened so quickly that even Pyo Wol couldn't do anything about it.
Yong Seol-ran said,
"We need to follow them quickly."
"It's okay."
"Why?"
"Moving through such heavy rain won't be easy for them either. They must be resting somewhere. It's better for us to rest as well, we might be discovered if we move recklessly."
"What about the traces? They're all being erased."
"We can find them without those traces."
"Well..."
Yong Seol-ran was easily convinced.
It was then that she realized once again what kind of existence Pyo Wol was.
Yong Seol-ran said,
"Let's avoid the rain too. That place seems good."
She pointed to a large rock on high ground.
The area under the rock, which was as big as a temple, was hollowed out, so no rainwater entered.
The three of them quickly moved under the rock.
The space under the rock was cozier than expected.
The floor was covered with dry branches, arranged like a nest, as if it had been an animal's den.
However, there were no signs of recent use.
Pyo Wol gathered the branches on the ground and started a fire.
Yong Seol-ran showed a relieved expression at the warmth of the bonfire.
Although she could easily dry the dampness on her body with her internal energy, it didn't provide the same comforting feeling as the heat from the bonfire.
There was something strangely calming about the bonfire itself.
Yong Seol-ran used her internal energy to dry her body completely and sat down in front of the bonfire.
As always, the Ghost King sat in a corner, seemingly unaffected by the warmth of the bonfire.
Yong Seol-ran suddenly realized that Pyo Wol had disappeared, leaving only the bonfire behind.
'When?'
Yong Seol-ran's eyebrows trembled.
She was shocked that she hadn't noticed Pyo Wol disappearing, despite her use of the internal energy.
'He's become even more discreet than before.'
He was already impressive when facing Emei Sect, but now she couldn't even fathom how much more skilled he had become.
Yong Seol-ran waited for Pyo Wol to return while warming herself by the bonfire.
In her field of vision, she saw someone approaching through the heavy rain.
It was Pyo Wol, who had vanished without a trace.
In his hand was a fairly large rabbit.
The skin had already been removed.
Pyo Wol entered the space under the rock and skewered the rabbit meat on a branch before placing it above the bonfire.
"Did you hunt that?"
"You should eat well when you rest."
Pyo Wol sat down in front of Yong Seol-ran.
Like her, he used his internal energy to dry his entire body.
He briefly watched the moisture disappear as steam before turning his gaze back to the bonfire.
The rabbit meat sizzled as it cooked in the intense heat.
It seemed like it wouldn't be much longer before it could be eaten.
Everyone was quite hungry since they hadn't eaten anything all day.
Finally, when the rabbit meat was fully cooked, Pyo Wol divided it into three pieces and gave them to Yong Seol-ran and the Ghost King.
"Thank you."
"Eat well."
The two of them began eating, expressing their gratitude. However, Pyo Wol couldn't do the same.
He felt a strange sensation in his arms.
Wriggle!
Gwia, which had not moved at all until now, began to move quietly.
Important updates from my mtl novel translations
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