What unfolded upon escaping Muwi was an endlessly stretching expanse of gray, parched land.
Along the roadside, not a single tree could be found; only waist-high thickets of wormwood and brambles grew wild.
The women, hearing that Ogyo was departing for Nanzhou, had prepared long outer coats to block the sandstorms, and mili—veiled hats to cover the face and body.
Thanks to them, she could block the yellow sand sweeping across the plains.
Ogyo had never been one to travel main roads, being an unregistered vagrant without status.
Without proof of identity, she couldn't pass inspections, and with poor luck, she might even be apprehended.
Besides, even setting aside her lack of identity, Ogyo was a wanted criminal.
Enough time had passed since wanted posters were distributed that her infamy wasn't so widespread that people would recognize her everywhere, but the distinctive scar on her face still carried the risk of exposing her identity.
Hexi in particular, being near the border, often had armies stationed at its post stations, making inspections all the more thorough.
Normally, she would have taken a detour through treacherous mountain paths.
For Ogyo, that was routine.
This time, however, a travel permit from Uisin and various items for altering her appearance proved invaluable.
So long as she endured the itch, she could apply fine powder to mostly conceal her scar, but most importantly, the travel permit let her prove her identity.
"Halt."
As she arrived at the post station, the garrison soldiers blocked her way as expected.
A young girl traveling alone through such barren land couldn't help but seem suspicious.
Ogyo calmly produced the travel permit.
The moment the soldiers saw the permit, their expressions changed.
Because stamped upon it was an official seal.
"I am a medicinal merchant belonging to the Datong Merchant Company. I'm on my way to deliver medicine to the Nanzhou government office."
As Ogyo recited her prepared lie with composure, the soldier examined the permit front and back, humming in contemplation.
The seal was unmistakably genuine, and the physical description written on the back matched her appearance.
It was odd for such a young girl to be traveling alone for trade, but there did not seem to be any particular cause for suspicion.
"May we see your luggage for a moment?"
"Very well."
When Ogyo opened the bundle she carried on her shoulder, inside were women's clothes, cosmetics, and small bottles filled with various poisonous herbs and toxic liquids.
A soldier opened one bottle and sniffed, then wrinkled his face.
While many poisons were odorless and tasteless, it seemed she had deliberately selected ones with particularly foul stenches.
For a moment, the soldier hesitated, unsure how to take this, but Ogyo spoke with a calm expression.
"It's medicine."
"......I-I see."
In the end, to a layman's eyes, medicinal herbs and poisonous herbs looked exactly the same.
The soldier nodded as if no further inspection was necessary.
"Very well, Young Miss. You may pass."
"Yes, thank you."
To think it would work this well.
Ogyo held back a laugh welling up inside. It was enough to make her feel grateful to Yang Uisin for the first time.
Thanks to being able to use the post stations, she could secure food and a place to sleep with ease.
The journey to Nanzhou was roughly over seven hundred li.
Had she used mountain paths to bypass the checkpoints, the actual distance would have been much greater.
No matter how skillfully she could traverse mountain paths using the Jangsayuhaeng movement technique, there was no need to go out of her way to do something so tiresome.
After that, the journey remained comfortable.
Around the halfway point, a high, rocky mountain range appeared beyond the plains.
It was Wuchaoling, the pass from the Central Plains into Hexi.
"Hmm...?"
Ogyo tilted her head, gazing at the distant mountain.
Because the sky above it was thick with storm clouds.
Around the time she had left Muwi, the sun had been blazing for days on end.
This region was originally barren, desolate land, and especially since it had not rained for the past several years, drought had taken hold, and the local people were said to be suffering from famine.
Each time Ogyo stopped at a post station, she heard merchants or travelers telling such stories.
In particularly severe areas, farmers were abandoning their villages and fleeing, or unable to bear their hunger, transforming into bandits with disturbing frequency.
And yet, to see such storm clouds full of rain...
It was entirely different from what she had heard.
When she ascended the high pass, the weather became even more bizarre.
Suddenly the air turned cool and humid, and a light drizzle began to fall.
It was as if a different world lay beyond the mountain.
In the hills visible in the distance, there was still no vegetation, only steep cliffs and cracked earth.
The rain falling upon such a bleak landscape somehow looked unfamiliar.
*
"Thanks to the Jinyu Youxian."
After passing Wuchaoling, when she stopped at a certain small village.
An old man answered Ogyo's question thus.
"Jinyu Youxian?"
Taken literally, it meant a young goldfish immortal.
When Ogyo tilted her head, the old man smiled and nodded.
"She is an immortal said to dwell deep in the valleys of Gongdong Mountain. Since ancient times, there has been a tale that when drought strikes this land, the Jinyu Youxian descends the mountain and brings rain to the surroundings. Surely the female immortal has looked upon us with mercy this time as well."
"Hmm."
The weather was certainly too strange to dismiss as a wild tale.
Since passing Wuchaoling, the rain had not stopped once.
It was a faint drizzle that didn't even require an umbrella, yet the air had cooled considerably, and everywhere she went, the ground was damp.
"To be able to endure another year because of this—is this not truly a great blessing?"
The old man gripped his cane with both hands and looked up at the sky.
Ogyo looked around, as if she had lost interest in the old man's story.
It was a tiny village without a single inn.
Behind it stood a blunt, rocky mountain, and before it flowed a tributary of the Yellow River.
But the river was so dried up that its bottom was visible.
Though rain had begun to fall, it wasn't enough to make the parched river flow again.
Originally, the people of this village had farmed the small plots along the river to survive.
But as famine dragged on for years, the young people who could no longer bear the taxes left one by one, leaving only the elderly in the village.
In truth, looking around, there were hardly any middle-aged people, let alone children.
"You said you are a traveling merchant, Young Miss? You are still so young; truly admirable. There are many outlaws in these parts, so you must be careful."
"I know how to look after myself."
"Then, might you have learned martial arts?"
"Well, a little."
"...I see."
For some reason, hearing that, the old man's expression darkened slightly, as if lost in thought.
But it was only a brief change.
Soon, the old man smiled again.
"If you don't mind, please stay the night. Many houses stand empty since all the young people have left."
"May I?"
"Yes, of course. Though we are not well-off, we will offer you dinner."
To think she would receive kindness from such a destitute-looking village.
Was the world still a warm place?
Or had they seen her travel permit stamped with an official seal and were trying to curry favor, hoping for some gain?
Ogyo took out a silver coin from her luggage.
"If you're providing food as well, I'll pay."
"There is no need. We are not running a business."
"Just take it. I hate owing anyone."
At Ogyo's firm words, the old man finally accepted the silver coin.
"Thank you, Young Heroine."
The house she was guided to was empty of furniture, yet not a speck of dust remained, as if someone had stayed there until recently.
Did travelers often come here?
Dinner was too meager to praise even as empty flattery.
But she could sense they had done their best, boiling soup with what little meat they had.
After the meal, there was nothing to do.
Though spring had lengthened the days somewhat, once the sun set, the surroundings turned pitch-black in an instant.
Unlike the city with its lights and noise at night, the village was steeped in deep darkness, silent as the grave.
Only the thin sound of rain filled the air.
Ogyo retired early, but since it was still too early, her mind remained sharp for a while.
At such times, Ogyo always thought of Yohwa.
On rainy nights when thunder struck, the two of them used to chatter away beneath a shared quilt until dawn.
Yohwa knew countless bizarre and wondrous tales under heaven.
From thrilling stories of battles in the martial world, to heartbreaking tales of tragic lovers, to legends filled with mysteries.
Listening intently to such fascinating tales, she would feel as if she had entered those worlds; and if she fell asleep, she would become a character within the stories and wander yet another world in her dreams.
Perhaps the reality she was experiencing now was merely one such dream.
Perhaps she was still in Qilian Mountain beneath a quilt with Yohwa, merely having this dream in her sleep.
How wonderful that would be.
Thud. Thud.
At the sound of human presence outside, Ogyo opened her eyes.
But she did not take it seriously.
It was not yet the dead of night; there was nothing strange about people moving about.
However, these footsteps were somewhat strange.
There was a clumsy attempt to suppress their presence, and there were many of them.
They gradually drew closer.
A considerable number of people were surrounding the house.
To assess the situation, Ogyo curled up and pretended to be asleep.
Soon the door opened.
Several people entered the house one by one, stifling even their breathing.
Among them were some carrying ropes and axes.
"She's asleep, right?"
"Shh, keep your voice down."
"It's fine. They said she finished all her dinner. She must already be drugged and unable to move."
"Be careful. She's young, but she's a martial artist. We need to tie her hands and feet before she wakes."
Perhaps realizing Ogyo showed no signs of waking, those who had initially whispered with bated breath gradually began to speak louder.
"Hey, look at this girl's luggage. So many silver coins."
"What a shame. I saw her face during the day; she was fairly pretty. If only she had grown a bit more and filled out a little..."
"Shut up, you lecherous dog."
"Old man, what's with you? Last time you had your fun too."
"What are you talking about? When?"
"You know, when that young couple came..."
...That was enough.
These men were bandits.
A group that drugged travelers and stole their belongings, committing vile acts.
From their words, it seemed they had put something in the dinner, but Ogyo had been completely unaware until now.
Ogyo's mastery of the Myriad Poison Ghost was nearing completion; she had reached a level where even most lethal poisons that threatened one's life would not affect her.
A paralytic poison was no different from plain water.
"Now, let's see..."
The moment a man approached carrying a rope, Ogyo sprang up like a rebound.
She plunged a throwing knife into the man's throat, then moved like a shadow, kicked off the wall, and perched on a ceiling beam.
"What's happening!"
"S-someone's been stabbed!"
"What? But you said she was asleep!"
"Catch her!"
In the darkness, the men panicked and raised a commotion.
Swinging their weapons wildly in the narrow house as they searched for Ogyo, they ended up cutting one another; a pitiful sight to behold.
Ogyo was about to draw her threads but stopped.
Her opponents were rustic villagers who had never even learned martial arts, let alone fought properly.
Using the martial arts Yohwa had taught against these wretches would be a waste.
Moreover, Ogyo was furious that they had dared to attack her.
If she showed them any mercy, it wouldn't quell her rage.
"You aimed for my life first. Do not expect mercy."
Ogyo drew a throwing knife coated in Duanchang Suan.
As its name suggested, this poison brought pain as if one's intestines were being severed.
If the potency is strong, death is instantaneous; conversely, if the potency is reduced, even after being poisoned the victims will not die immediately, but will suffer agony for a long time.
Ogyo descended from the rafter and wove through the crowd, wielding concealed blades.
She deliberately avoided inflicting fatal wounds.
“Aack!”
“Wh-where?!”
They had not brought even a single torch to hide their presence, and thus could not track Ogyo with their eyes.
Of course, even if it had been bright, these men would not have been able to touch so much as the hem of Ogyo’s clothes.
After cutting each person once, Ogyo moved to the window.
By then, none were still standing; everyone was writhing on the floor.
“Uuaaaaack!”
“M-my stomach...! Save me...!”
Screams filled the narrow house.
Ogyo watched them with a deeply troubled expression.
Yohwa had asked this of her as well, so she wanted to avoid killing people if at all possible.
Having treated Cheongdam’s illness, she had also come to appreciate the preciousness of life.
That was precisely why she felt disgusted.
These men had cowardly tried to deceive and murder others.
From what they had said, there was no doubt such things had already been happening frequently.
Showing mercy would only lead to someone else suffering the same fate, so in the end she had no choice but to kill them.
Still, her heart was not at ease.
After some time had passed, the screams began to subside as well.
Those still clinging to life writhed like earthworms, whimpering.
Ogyo did not hesitate to kill, but she took no pleasure in tormenting others.
In her fury, she had used methods she normally would not, only to be left with nothing but a queasy feeling in her own heart.
Ogyo approached those still alive and ended their lives.
Blood pooled on the floor, soaking her feet.
Letting out a long sigh, Ogyo gathered her things and stepped outside.
Wondering if any survivors remained, she looked around the village, but every house stood empty.
It seemed the entire village had gathered to capture her.
The moment she entered a certain shabby house, Ogyo’s expression turned grim.
It looked no different from the other houses on the outside, but the stench of blood inside was foul.
Looking around, it appeared less like a dwelling and more like a warehouse for storing belongings.
Opening a nearby cabinet, she found the shelves packed with various garments and stolen goods.
Another small chest was filled to the brim with waist tokens.
These were the belongings of travelers.
It seemed the stolen goods had been stockpiled here.
The clothes ranged from children’s to adults’, with women’s and men’s garments mixed together.
Just how many people had they killed?
Ogyo looked around once more.
If they had merely gathered belongings, there was no reason for such a stench of blood.
And if they had killed all these people, where had the bodies been disposed of?
Examining the house carefully, Ogyo soon discovered a hidden door leading underground.
Opening it, she found a ladder in a long, vertically dug passage.
It seemed to have been fashioned from a dried-up well.
After climbing down, she found a space larger than expected.
Ogyo’s expression had already been grim since descending the ladder.
For her, with her sensitive nose, the stench of this place was unbearable.
Without a doubt.
They had been using this place as a slaughterhouse.
The outer walls were made of white bricks, bleak like a prison.
On one side stood a large wooden worktable seemingly used for butchering, its surface caked with old bloodstains.
Many wooden barrels stood on both sides of the table, and every one of them was full of bone fragments.
Even Ogyo was rendered speechless for a moment at the sight.
They had not simply been thieves. They had cooked and eaten the bodies of the travelers they killed.
She wanted to stay no longer.
It was at that very moment that she turned to leave.
From deep within, a young girl’s voice drifted forth.
It sounded almost like a hallucination.
Had someone been alive? A captured traveler?
Ogyo hastily grabbed a torch near the entrance and headed inside.
Going deep inside, she found cells capable of holding people lining both sides of the corridor.
Most stood empty, but there was someone in one.
Beyond the iron bars was a pitch-black cave where no light reached.
Inside, a young girl was seated.
The girl’s hair was a brilliant silver, like the moon hanging in the night sky.
The girl had tied her long hair into several ring shapes atop her head, a style called the biseongye, rarely seen in this day and age.
She wore splendid five-colored silk garments entirely unsuited to the cold prison.
Moreover, the girl’s eyes gleamed with a complex radiance like jewels, and her features were as beautiful as a heavenly maiden.
The girl’s bearing was extraordinary.
She hardly seemed human at all.
Though imprisoned with shackles on her ankles, the oppressive aura she exuded still felt overwhelming.
It was much like when Ogyo had first met Yohwa.
The girl smiled upon seeing Ogyo appear beyond the iron bars.
“Is it suppertime? Or morning? The sun neither rises nor sets in this place, so this one knows not the hour. If it is a meal, this one is content. This one is full, so if there is food, you all should eat first. Wait, but who might you be? Was there still a young child like yourself in this village?”
“Y-you are......”
Seeing Ogyo too startled to speak, the girl’s smile deepened.
“Do not be afraid. This one is no monster.”
“...Who are you?”
“This one is called Seohong.”
The girl introduced herself with a dazzling smile.
“The disciple of Jaya the Chwibyeongwongun, Eunhan Yugeumeo Seohong—that is precisely the name by which this one is known.”