The generously cooked porridge was gone in an instant.
Among the people of the Dongbang Bureau, some even shed tears as they ate.
Amid the relief of survival, even a single bowl of porridge must have been more precious than anything else to them.
After finishing their meal, everyone found a spot and tried to catch even a brief moment of sleep.
They applied wound medicine to the injured, covered them with sheepskin sleeping bags, and helped them rest as comfortably as possible.
Exhausted as they were, the sound of low breathing soon drifted from various spots.
Gangchan added more of the prepared firewood to the campfire, feeling a sense of warmth from the people sleeping peacefully.
At that moment, Dongbang Hwi, who was about to lie down after checking on his daughter’s sleeping arrangements, caught sight of Gangchan guarding the campfire.
He quietly stood up and approached him.
“I will take the watch, so go get some rest.”
“No. I am fine, so you should be the one to close your eyes for a while, Master of the Bureau.”
“They say sleep leaves you when you grow old, and it seems to be true. I cannot fall asleep no matter how much I lie down.”
“You may speak comfortably with me.”
“How could I do that to my life’s savior?”
Gangchan looked at Dongbang Hwi and smiled.
“I am asking because I think it would make me feel more at ease.”
“Well, I certainly shouldn’t make my benefactor uncomfortable.”
“Please do so.”
“Understood. And truly, thank you.”
A smile also appeared on Dongbang Hwi’s face.
The two men sat side by side in front of the campfire, watching the flames in silence for a long time.
Gangchan picked up a branch, threw it into the fire, and spoke.
“If it is not too much trouble, could you tell me what happened?”
“Since I cannot sleep anyway, I shall do that. I wonder where I should begin…”
And so, Dongbang Hwi’s story began.
As his words continued, the members of the group who had been lying down stood up one by one and gathered around the campfire.
Without anyone noticing when she had woken up, Dongbang Seollin also slipped in and sat beside Dongbang Hwi.
As the flickering campfire light illuminated her, everyone instinctively fell silent.
A mysterious aura that seemed out of place in the desolate Plains surrounded her.
Now, everyone could understand why Dongbang Hwi had tried so hard to hide his daughter from the bandits.
Dongbang Hwi, who had been slowly unraveling the story, stopped for a moment and looked around as if his throat were dry.
As if he had been waiting for this, Gok Jeong handed him a bottle of Mare’s Milk Liquor.
“Drinking this will make you feel a bit more at ease.”
“Thank you.”
Dongbang Hwi took a sip of the liquor and continued his story.
When he finished, everyone sank into deep thought with serious expressions.
Du Ilchung was the first to break the silence.
“Something is definitely strange.”
“Thinking about it carefully, the entire process feels a bit off.”
Gwak Sugi added, following up on his words.
Dongbang Hwi and Dongbang Seollin listened intently.
“This is just my opinion, so please do not take it too seriously,” Gwak Sugi continued cautiously.
“First, the payment for this escort was too high.”
“Well… if the deadline is tight and the items being transported are important, the shipping cost can be high, can’t it?”
“True. However, it is also true that the payment was excessively large. In the end, the biggest factor that led to the decision to take this job was that very payment.”
“That is so.”
“The deadline is also a problem. Because of the deadline, there was no other choice but to pass through the Plains. And the fact that the bandits attacked the Dongbang Bureau so accurately in this vast territory, as if they were waiting, is not easily understood. It is as if someone informed them in advance.”
At that, Gok Jeong, who had been listening, spoke up.
“But isn’t that also not so strange? Since it was a difficult escort, the cost was naturally high. And since bandits have their own information networks, they could have found out about the escort and timed their attack.”
“That is why it is strange. On the surface, it seems like there is no problem, but if you look at it with suspicion, doesn’t everything feel awkward from start to finish?”
Gangchan, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, looked at Dongbang Hwi.
“In any case, we cannot be certain of anything with only the information we have now. You will likely find out once you return to your Noble Family and investigate thoroughly. More importantly, what matters right now is whether you can recover the escort goods. Master, is it correct that you lost a total of thirteen wagons?”
“That is correct. Thirteen wagons.”
“What are your plans for the future?”
“Since we met you all and saved our lives, shouldn’t we head back to Changchun?”
“I have not mentioned this yet, but we came here to eliminate the Blood Wolf Band.”
“What?”
Dongbang Hwi jumped to his feet.
“Are you saying you intend to fight the Blood Wolf Band with only this many people? I do not know the circumstances, but please reconsider. The opponent is no mere group of bandits!”
“We came here knowing that, so do not worry too much. More importantly, if things go well and we recover your escort goods, what do you plan to do then?”
Dongbang Seollin, who had been silent, suddenly chimed in.
“I will go with you.”
Surprised by his daughter’s words, Dongbang Hwi instinctively raised his voice.
“You cannot!”
“Father! Even if Master Gang recovers the escort goods, what use will they be if we just leave now?”
“But you could be in danger again.”
“I might not be. And if I had no intention of taking risks, I should not have accepted this request in the first place.”
His daughter’s words were not wrong.
If the escort had not been dangerous, who would have paid money to request it?
However, having barely saved her life, he could not send her into danger again.
Noticing her father’s heart wavering, Dongbang Seollin sent a pleading look toward Gangchan.
However, Gangchan deliberately ignored her desperate gaze.
“Lady Dongbang, your father is right. And what we are about to do is too dangerous to attempt while protecting someone.”
“If you are referring to me, do not worry. I can protect myself.”
At Dongbang Seollin’s bold words, both Dongbang Hwi and Gangchan were momentarily speechless.
Dongbang Hwi could not help but be inwardly surprised to find a hidden strength in his daughter, who had always been quiet and calm.
‘Was she always this headstrong?’
It was Gangchan who broke the awkward and embarrassing atmosphere.
“We will leave for the Blood Wolf Band’s base in 2 hours. The Dongbang Bureau will rest here for a day to discuss what to do. You must decide by this time tomorrow whether to follow us or head to Changchun.”
He continued.
“If we eliminate the Blood Wolf Band as planned, there is a high possibility the bureau’s escort goods will remain intact due to the timing. However, if we fail to eliminate them, no one can guarantee your lives.”
“So, discuss it thoroughly for a day and make your decision. The Blood Wolf Band’s base is at Samjeok Mountain, located about 500 li northeast of Seollim-hoteuk. Of course, we will leave markers along the way as we go ahead.”
Having finished speaking, Gangchan looked at Dongbang Seollin and quietly sent a secret transmission.
‘Lady Dongbang, you are currently the most skilled martial artist among the remaining members of the bureau. Whatever decision is made, shouldn’t you stay with them to prepare for any potential danger?’
After a moment of thought, Dongbang Seollin looked at Gangchan and gave a small nod.
After 2 hours, Gangchan and his group handed over all their remaining food and sheepskin sleeping bags to the Dongbang Bureau.
They also provided a horse just in case.
A moment later, once his group’s preparations were finished, Gangchan looked at the people of the bureau and spoke.
“I will say it once more. No one knows what the result of this choice will be. One thing is for certain. Winter is coming soon. I hope you discuss it carefully and make your decision. We will be leaving now.”
Finally, Gangchan and his companions gave a light bow and headed north.
A red sun was rising in the east of the Plains.
Having finished breakfast with porridge made from the jerky and rice flour left behind by Gangchan’s group, the people realized that the time to decide their future had arrived.
Dongbang Hwi gathered the people of the bureau.
“As you all know, we must now choose between two paths. Bear in mind that this choice involves our very lives, and think carefully while you rest. After dinner, we will gather everyone’s opinions and make a decision.”
“Yes, we understand.”
Dongbang Hwi’s explanation ended.
Now, all that remained was each person’s choice.
Dongbang Seollin sat beside her father with a dissatisfied face.
“Even if they decide to return to Changchun, I will follow those people.”
“Sigh, how many times must I tell you to stop?”
“It’s not as if there is a solution just because we return to the family estate now, is there?”
“But we could preserve our lives for now and buy some time.”
“What use is buying time in a situation with no possibilities? And strictly speaking, can we even reach Changchun in this state?”
In fact, that was the biggest problem.
In the Plains where winter was approaching, going to Changchun empty-handed and without preparation was no different from choosing death.
“I know what you mean. But when people choose for themselves rather than being told what to do, they find greater strength. For now, respecting their opinions might be the best course of action.”
Dongbang Seollin understood her father’s intent.
However, she had no intention of simply following it.
Moreover, had she not seen the martial arts of those who identified themselves as being from the Heavenly Mandate Hall?
She was convinced that their only way to survive was to follow them toward the Blood Wolf Band’s base.
“I understand, Father.”
As he watched his daughter’s retreating back, a look of apology lingered in Dongbang Hwi’s eyes.
Gangchan and his group moved quickly toward the north.
At this rate, it seemed they could arrive near the enemy base before the sun set.
Just then, Du Ilchung approached Gangchan and spoke.
“Will they follow us?”
Gangchan answered quietly.
“If they think about it even a little, they will have no choice but to come.”
“They barely survived; wouldn’t they want to return home?”
This time, Baek Geombi chimed in.
“Of course they would want to. But they will soon realize they cannot.”
“Right. Winter is coming. Going across the Plains all the way to Jilin while having nothing, let alone money, and even having injured people is a miracle.”
“Just make sure to leave the markers clearly.”
“Understood.”
The sun set, and after a simple dinner, the people of the bureau gathered around the campfire.
Among the people sitting around, Dongbang Hwi first asked the Jaengjasu for their opinions.
They seemed to have gathered their thoughts in advance, as they all chose to return home.
On the other hand, the warriors were of the opinion that they must recover the escort goods.
Ultimately, the decision was made to follow Gangchan according to the wishes of the warriors, who were greater in number.
Dongbang Hwi approached the Jaengjasu, who had gloomy expressions.
The Jaengjasu who accompanied this escort were not members of the family but externally hired laborers.
However, they were people who had consistently been prioritized for escorts, so they were practically like family.
“Mr. Heo, I am truly sorry.”
A man who looked to be over 50 years old stood up and bowed as Dongbang Hwi approached.
“It cannot be helped. If that is what the warriors wish…”
His words were full of disappointment.
And why wouldn’t they be?
Dongbang Hwi fully understood his feelings.
But even so, he could not follow their wishes.
“Do not resent them. In fact, in our current situation, choosing to return home is an act of suicide.”
These words were directed at Mr. Heo, but they were also meant for all the Jaengjasu nearby.
“What do you mean by that…?”
“The weather is getting colder. Even if we leave immediately, winter will arrive before we reach Jilin. Moving across the Plains without any preparation is the same as inviting death.”
At his words, the Jaengjasu silently bowed their heads.
“If there is someone who wishes to return home even if it means death, I will not stop you. But please, do not do that. If I cannot stop you even though it is clear you will die, I would feel too sorry toward you. If we can just recover the escort goods, I will surely reward you generously.”
And so, the Dongbang Bureau decided to follow Gangchan.