Surviving in the 121st Century - Chapter 94



Only Krnovel

The fire crackled and sparked. The sky was turning dark blue, and the earth was black in shadow. In the far east, the early stars were already twinkling. And the Gar of Olog was quiet.

Jincheol quietly looked up at the early evening sky in the wilderness and enjoyed the silence. He drank the croquette without thinking much, but he couldn’t help but feel drunk.

Still, I liked the smell of alcohol rising from my throat, and I liked the silence where all I could hear was the sparks. The flames that always blared deep in my chest and the gunshots that rang out loud were not audible at this moment. It’s funny, but I liked this wilderness after a glass of alcohol.

Then the Olog woman who had just opened a new jar of komrak opened her mouth.

“What are you guys doing? Bring the hunting father inside.”

The Ologs, who had been silent at her words and staring at Jincheol, got up in a rush and dragged the fallen tattooed Olog, who was called the hunting father, into a large tent.

The Olog woman naturally moved to the spot where her hunting father had been sitting and looked at Jincheol. Jincheol felt her gaze, but sat cross-legged and quietly looked up at the sky.

The woman who had been looking at Jincheol opened her mouth.

“You have a huge warmth in your chest. I’ve never seen a warmth as dark and sticky as yours.”

Insulation? Jincheol recalled the explanation Doljumeok had given him earlier. He had roughly said that it was something bad that could be washed away with alcohol. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

“Well. I guess I feel cleansed after drinking some Komrak just now.”

“That level of warmth cannot be washed away with just a blanket. Light and heat. Fire and smoke. Ash and sorrow. How can you live with that kind of warmth?”

Jincheol laughed hahaha. How are you alive? How are you alive? Why are you alive? Why does it have to be me?

The woman who saw Jincheol smiling tilted her head.

“Is this the anger and hatred of the Hakons who stole the sky? How can such warmth be sleeping inside one person’s body?”

“What’s wrong with that? Where is there a person who doesn’t have a lump in their chest?”

“···Your warmth is like the oil that sets the whole world on fire. If that warmth didn’t kill you, it was because they were trying to use you to destroy the world.”

Jincheol’s gaze, which had been looking up at the early evening sky, came down. He looked at the Olog woman with a smile as if he found it amusing. Then he blurted out.

“You don’t even know who you are. I’m Kang Jin-cheol.”

“Goalin. It’s a bit awkward, but I’ll tell you the fortune.”

“Really? So does that mean I’m going to set this era on fire?”

Golin shook his head slowly.

“I have never seen your fortune. I only met you this evening, so how could I have had time to read your fortune? I am just talking about the warmth that is sleeping inside your heart and the fire that is inside it.”

“Is that insulation something you’re trying to use me to burn down the world?”

“The warmth is a dark wind and a rotting swamp. It is an evil spirit that will blacken and rot your insides. But your warmth is so great that it will burn and rot not just one person, but the whole world.”

What the hell is this lady talking about all of a sudden? Jincheol laughed. His low laughter quietly drifted between him, the campfire, and Golin.

Jincheol, who had been laughing like that for a while, turned his gaze to the campfire and said.

“Why am I burning the world? I’m just so happy with the current times. And I’ve already seen enough of the burning world. I don’t want to see that shit again.”

“···You’ve already seen the world on fire?”

“Yeah. I’ve seen it enough. Just like you said, the fire and the heat, the black smoke and the gray sky. Who wants to experience that twice?”

Golin tilted his head for a moment as if he had difficulty understanding. Then he smiled faintly as if he found it amusing.

“At least it doesn’t seem like you’re being swayed by Bo-on. A warrior who carries a darker Bo-on than anyone else, yet lives on without a care… What brings you to this wilderness?”

It was a question that Olog, the hunting father, had asked a little while ago. Instead of listening to the answer, he just drank a lot of alcohol.

“I came here looking for something.”

The flames of the campfire sparkled in Jincheol’s eyes. It seemed as if small sparks were burning inside his black eyes.

“The only things that are common in this barren land are dust and wind. Whatever you find won’t be easy.”

“I didn’t come here with any great expectations. I just needed something to chase.”

“I came to this wilderness just because I needed something to chase···”

Golin, who had been quietly watching Jincheol, quickly turned his gaze to the stone fist next to him.

“Do you need something to chase too?”

“What? Me? I···”

Doljumeok, who had been sniffing with his reddened eyes, couldn’t hide his embarrassment at Golin’s sudden interest in him. However, when Jincheol, who had been looking at the campfire, also turned his gaze toward him, he quickly answered.

“I, I have come to fulfill my teachings.”

“Garrl? You want to be a hunting father?”

“Yeah, yeah. I want to be a hunting father.”

Stone Fist’s expression was one of being prepared to be ridiculed or ignored. The prodigal son who had left the wilderness brought an unfamiliar armored tank and set out to form a new garrison, so perhaps ridicule was natural. In fact, the other Ologues around the campfire were snickering as they listened to Stone Fist’s words.

But Golin didn’t laugh.

“What a great resolution. A wonderful dream worthy of a descendant of Tolkan.”

“Huh? Oh, oh… Oh, thank you.”

After Doljukkeun’s bewildered answer, Golin looked at Jincheol again. Jincheol also looked at her.

Her soft voice rang out.

“In the darkest night sky, the brightest star shines. It is the deepest and darkest Bo-on, but because of that, there will be a brighter light than anything else in that deepest place. It is up to you to decide whether to bring that light out of the darkness or not. I just hope that the southern warrior who drinks the best Komrak will not die from being trapped in Bo-on, and see the light.”

After saying this, Golin stood up from his seat. Then he left and went into his tent.

As she entered the colorful tent, the bonfire banquet naturally became a spectacle. The Ologs began to clean up what they had been eating and to put away the cushions and other things they had laid out.

After a while, Shogi, who had followed Golin into the colorful tent, came out again and approached Jincheol and his group.

“I’ll tell you a good place to stay.”

Jincheol and Doljumeok, who were thinking about her last words, stood up from their seats. However, they had to stop following Shogi, who was leading the way, because Snow, who had been quiet until now, did not stand up. When Jincheol turned around, she was staring blankly at the campfire, her white skin reddening, and her eyes blinking.

“Hey. Don’t sleep here. Go inside and sleep.”

“···?”

Snow raised her head at Jincheol’s words. She looked at Jincheol with a blank stare, then suddenly giggled.

“···What is it? What’s so funny?”

“My ears are ringing.”

“What? What’s wrong with your ears?”

“Short ears.”

She didn’t even think about getting up and reached out to Jincheol. As if telling him to come closer, she leaned in and her hand quickly touched Jincheol’s ear.

“That’s so funny. That’s hilarious.”

“···”

No, that’s a drink and a slurp. Jincheol felt a little shaky and grabbed her hand to help her up. But Snow fought back, using all her strength to not get up.

“Ugh.”

But her strength was not enough to defeat Jincheol. Jincheol followed Shogi, who was waiting, carrying Snow on his shoulder as if he was carrying a load. Main Snow on his shoulder flapped her arms and legs, bothering Jincheol.

Sho-o-gi guided Jin-cheol and his party to a fairly large tent. The inside was as spacious as the outside, but judging from the furniture and luggage inside, it seemed like it wasn’t a separate tent for guests, but rather a tent that had been used by people.

“Grow up here.”

After saying that, Sho-o-gi left the tent. Jin-cheol threw Snow into a corner of the tent and then went to bed himself. After eating his fill of meat soup and drinking a few glasses of alcohol, he felt like he would be able to sleep well.

Then the stone fist lying next to him spoke quietly.

“···thanks.”

Jincheol closed his eyes without answering.

* * *

The next day, the hunting father, or Olog, the leader of this group, called Jincheol and his party to his tent. When they got there, he was sitting with a haggard expression, slurping meat soup, and Shogi, who had called Jincheol and his party, sat next to him.

The tattooed Olog, who had been groaning, opened his mouth when he saw Jincheol.

“Come to think of it, we didn’t even say hello to each other yesterday. I’m a shoggiant.”

“Kang Jin-cheol.”

Shogiant nodded.

“Yes. Komrak Ghost Kang Jin-cheol. I’m sorry about yesterday. I couldn’t treat you properly.”

“I had a good time. I drank good alcohol and the meat was delicious.”

“I see. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Shogiant frowned as if he had a headache and touched his temples. He seemed to have quite a hangover. It was a stark contrast to Jincheol’s calm demeanor.

“···Let’s stop talking about eating and playing. How did a southerner end up here?”

“Didn’t Golin tell you? I came to find something.”

When Golin’s name was mentioned, Shogiant looked at Shogi. Shogi shrugged and said.

“We didn’t really talk much other than saying we were looking for something.”

Aren’t you going to talk about things like insulation or something? It seemed like Sho-ogi didn’t think that was very important.

Shogiant’s gaze turned to Jincheol again.

“What are you looking for?”

“If I tell you, will you help me?”

“It depends on what you’re looking for.”

Jincheol, who had been thinking for a moment, slowly opened his mouth.

“I don’t know if he revealed his identity to the Ologs. He introduced himself as a ‘special envoy’ and wore a helmet that covered his entire face. He probably had other equipment like this attached to his body.”

Jincheol raised his left arm and showed the armour he was wearing. It was made by adding artifacts he had obtained from Shiol in the past to items he had obtained from the remains of the special envoy. Although he had not used it properly yet, it was equipment that gave Jincheol strength.

Shogiant and Shoogi craned their necks and looked closely at the armor Jincheol held out. But soon Shogiant shook his head.

“I don’t know. If you’re talking about a helmet, you’re probably talking about something like a helmet. Anyone can wear a helmet, so it’d be hard to find someone with just that.”

“To be exact, we’re not looking for him, we’re trying to find out what he did here.”

“Why? Why not just grab them and ask?”

“He’s already dead.”

Shogiant tilted his head.

“You came all the way here to find traces of someone who is already dead? What did he do on this earth?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure he did something.”

A greater question appeared on Shogiant’s face.

“What the… are you chasing ghosts or something? It looks like you’re looking for Uhur’s fur in the wilderness.”

“Really? Well, I wasn’t expecting much. But I appreciate you thinking of me.”

As he said that, Jincheol took out a small piece of gold from the small bag on his belt. It was the gold he had received from Ramien on the Eastern Continent, broken up into pieces for easy use.

Shogiant opened his eyes wide when he saw the gold piece that Jincheol had handed him.

“Oh. You were a rich customer. You’re giving me this?”

“The cost of yesterday’s drinks and one night’s stay.”

Shogiant, who had received the gold piece, looked around it as if it was new, then handed it back to Jincheol.

“Why? Is this not valuable here?”

“No. Gold is as valuable here as it is in the South. It’s just that we can’t ask for payment from our guests. Don’t ignore our kindness and put it away.”

As Shogiant spoke like that, his expression became serious, so Jincheol took the gold piece again. Shogiant nodded as if he was satisfied.

At that moment, Shogi, who had been deep in thought until then, opened his mouth.

“I’ve seen that.”

The tent’s gaze was focused on her. She continued speaking while looking at Jincheol’s left arm.

“I’ve seen something similar from a merchant in Karakol.”

“Caracole?”

“It’s a place where a few Gards always reside. It’s like a city in the eyes of the Southerners. But did you say that the guy you were looking for was already killed?”

“That’s right.”

Shougi tilted his head.

“Then I guess not.”

“Why again?”

“I saw that merchant the last time I went to Karakol.”

“When is that?”

“It was six days ago.”

Jincheol’s face hardened. Six days ago. It was a long time before Special Envoy William Lambert died. If that was the case, the merchant that Sho-ogi saw was most likely not William Lambert, but someone else.

Another Ophesis humanity.