Tang So-yeol had purchased enough Spirit Herbs to fill an entire cart and still have plenty left over.
Aside from one bag to use as feed, I asked that the rest be transported to the inn where we were staying.
“I’ll carry it with my life on the line!”
Leaving behind the unnecessarily dramatic merchant, Gul returned.
What caught his eye was the standoff, a not-so-standoff situation, between our group and the Iron Blood Rat.
Sniff.
Did it catch a whiff of the scent or Qi wafting from the bag?
Iron Blood Rat perked its ears and raised its head, eagerly twitching its nose, clearly responding sensitively.
“Hmm. Can I feed this? After all, it is something my master bought.”
“Why are you assuming I would want to feed it directly? Stop babbling and feed it yourself.”
Definitely, that’s the plan.
After all, Iron Blood Rat had even gotten up to put its nose closer to the bag.
I pulled out the largest chunk from the bag.
Ten-Year-White-Sewoo.
Squeak!
As Iron Blood Rat sniffed excitedly, it glanced at me.
It must be wondering if it could actually eat it. After all, it had been losing strength for a long time due to human handling, so it seemed wary of the fact that a human was offering it Spirit Herbs.
So, I directly placed the long Ten-Year-White-Sewoo into its mouth.
Chomp!
Iron Blood Rat started munching without hesitation. Watching it gobble it up, I opened the bag’s opening and placed it down in front of it. Iron Blood Rat cautiously glanced my way again. I gently stroked its nose and nudged its face toward the bag.
Only then did it seem to realize that what was inside the bag was entirely its food, stretching out its front paw to rummage through the bag.
Seeing it push everything into its cheeks without even chewing made me chuckle. After storing everything in its cheeks, it looked at me with its eyes wide, almost adorably cautious.
Unbelievable luck, perhaps— it seemed to think I might take it back.
To reassure it, I gave its head a few pats.
Squeak!
Finally feeling at ease, it sat down right there, savoring the Spirit Herbs stored in its cheeks.
It seemed the first thread of training Iron Blood Rat was a success.
* *
Squeak!!
Iron Blood Rat feasted vigorously every day. Considering the price of the Spirit Herbs in that bag, it felt like I was feeding it gold…
“Even if it’s just a few years, long enough might fill whatever damage it’s taken, so I’ll have to prepare to keep supplying Spirit Herbs for a while.”
“Hmm. Do you think we can handle that?”
“I don’t know. Let’s just see how long we can go until what we bought runs out.”
“I’m sorry, Master. I’ll pay this back later.”
“Planning to gamble at the gambling house? Don’t even think about it.”
Under Tang So-yeol’s lukewarm gaze, I felt rather wronged. Compared to the gold coins raining down on Tang So-yeol’s battlefield, I wasn’t even in the same league, but I had my financial health too.
The money was all tied up in Gwang Jae-ryeon’s workshop, which was the problem.
Once the refining process was developed, I’d be swimming in cash as an investor!
…Well, right now, I only had around several dozen gold coins.
As time passed, the attitudes of the group toward Iron Blood Rat became friendlier. The person closest to Iron Blood Rat was Hyeok Gi-rin, who petted it with the expression of a kid who just got a pet for the first time.
The rest of the group still interacted with Iron Blood Rat a bit awkwardly.
Well, in this Central Plains, it is what it is.
Considering the positive perspectives on pet mice, it was certainly better than the attitude towards pet mice like hamsters nowadays, but the perception was still rather lacking.
Hyeok Gi-rin’s fondness for Iron Blood Rat was likely due to his personality, but also due to having grown up in the Imperial Family without having had any negative experiences with mice.
“Oh, ohhh!”
When Hyeok Gi-rin gasped, I turned to see what was happening. Iron Blood Rat, cheeks stuffed full of Spirit Herbs, wrapped its tail around Hyeok Gi-rin and pulled him onto its back.
Squeak!
“Look! I’m riding an entity!”
Hyeok Gi-rin looked at us with an expression full of emotion. He sprawled over Iron Blood Rat, happily petting its fur as if he might die of joy right then and there.
Meanwhile, Iron Blood Rat, with Hyeok Gi-rin on its back, was munching on herbs stuffed into its cheeks.
I wondered if it was trying not to be distracted during mealtime.
For a brief moment, that thought flicked through my mind, but saying it in front of joyful Hyeok Gi-rin was out of the question.
Yeo Il-ye, who had been watching the scene, chuckled softly.
“At least it’s not an animal that would hurt a person, so we should accept it.”
“Right? I feel like I’m being foolish to be cautious. The longer I look at Iron Blood Rat, the cuter I think it is.”
“Yeah. I’m not sure if this is fitting, but its eyes are so bright and lively.”
“How about giving it a new name? ‘Iron Blood Rat’ feels a bit too threatening.”
“Hmmm. Yes, giving it a new name might have meaning.”
“What name would be good? Squeaky? Rat Boy?”
“No, that’s a bit…”
The two of them were deep in conversation when Hyeok Gi-rin chimed in.
“How about Seo Gong? Even though it’s a rat, it’s an entity and quite civilized, so it fits perfectly!”
The two turned to look at me without a word.
Seo Gong, huh.
The name itself didn’t sound bad, and more than anything, seeing Hyeok Gi-rin’s eyes glimmering with excitement made my resistance fade away.
Go ahead, Hyeok Gi-rin, do what you want.
“Sounds good.”
“Yay! Iron Blood Rat, your name is now Seo Gong! Seo Gong!”
Squeak?
And so, Iron Blood Rat got its new name, and the real training began.
“Seo Gong, sit.”
Squeak?
Seo Gong picked up on cues quickly but didn’t understand the words. It seemed to realize I was directing something at it, but the command “sit” didn’t get much reaction.
However, it tended to follow the gestures well when I gave instructions accompanied by movement.
Is it hard of hearing? For that, its ears perk up constantly.
I was disappointed it didn’t understand instructions, but maybe the ability for entities and humans to communicate freely was too much to ask.
The problem lay in other areas as well.
“Uh, Seo Gong, sit.”
While Hyeok Gi-rin sat down and mimicked the action, Seo Gong stared blankly at Hyeok Gi-rin and showed no intention of sitting down.
Hyeok Gi-rin was diligent in feeding it, so the bond should have been enough.
As Hyeok Gi-rin coaxed, Seo Gong begrudgingly sat.
It followed my commands instantly, but it seemed like it was thinking, “Do I really have to do this?” regarding the commands from others.
Nonetheless, Hyeok Gi-rin seemed pleased enough, rushing to hug Seo Gong.
I needed to hint that others had authority to command too.
At night, we conducted movement training.
Since we couldn’t take Seo Gong in the Bicheongmacha, we had to train it to follow the Bicheongmacha.
Honestly, this was the biggest challenge.
We couldn’t just have Iron Blood Rat trailing behind the back of the Bicheongmacha, so we needed to train it to follow along. But…
Was it even possible to keep Iron Blood Rat following the Bicheongmacha while navigating unfamiliar environments and populated areas?
Although training it to chase after me at a decent distance was easy enough, walking through forests was entirely different from racing on a journey spanning thousands of miles.
There were anxieties, but the training of Iron Blood Rat went smoothly.
It appeared to have registered that those with Hyeok Gi-rin held the secondary command authority, and it seemed to comprehend it had to be with the group.
Most everyday gestures had been taught to it, as well.
I can’t claim my efforts in taking care of Seo Gong while Hyeok Gi-rin had fun weren’t insignificant, but mostly Seo Gong’s high intelligence was to thank.
“Seo Gong! Let me ride!”
Maybe due to the repetitive training or perhaps Hyeok Gi-rin’s dedication paid off, Seo Gong’s tail swished as it grabbed Hyeok Gi-rin, lifting him onto its back.
While watching Hyeok Gi-rin laugh in delight while riding on Seo Gong, Yeo Il-ye murmured softly, only audible to me and Black Cat.
“Great Hero enjoys it so much; I fear what might happen if he couldn’t travel with Seo Gong.”
Listening to Yeo Il-ye’s whisper, I pictured Hyeok Gi-rin sadly crying, holding Seo Gong.
Black Cat probably felt the same. Shaking her head, she made a wry smile.
“Hmm… Let’s do our best first and talk about it later?”
“Phew, I suppose there’s no other choice.”
With that indecisive dilemma weighing on us, when we returned to the inn after calming down Hyeok Gi-rin, who wanted to sleep with Seo Gong,
“Brother.”
Moyong Mo was waiting for me.
Had they arrived at the conclusion from the Moyong Clan?
It seemed like the time to tie up loose ends had come.
* *
What conclusion would the main house of the Moyong Clan have reached?
“It’s been a long time, Great Hero.”
“Indeed, it has.”
Ordinarily, one might engage in typical pleasantries, but I swallowed those words.
Anyone could see that Moyong Yeon-hwa was clearly exhausted from overwork.
Knowing the reason for that made it hard to bring up casual greetings.
“Moyong Seo uncle stepped out briefly to visit other sects in Shengsu.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“The main family has reached a decision. They will publicly announce the death of Moyong Jin-gyeong and reveal the true nature of the Great Law. If the Blood Sect is employing a similar Great Law elsewhere… it may prevent further casualties.”
In fact, the Moyong Clan could have opted for the choice of concealment here.
After all, aside from one outside person, it was ultimately the members of the Moyong Clan involved.
Since my intentions were clear, it wouldn’t have been a bad move for them to close my mouth while promising me additional rewards.
But the Moyong Clan chose a frontal confrontation.
“During that process, we will certainly highlight the contributions of the Brain Knife Outcast. We will also officially announce our friendly relationship with the Brain Knife Outcast.”
“Thank you.”
“How can you thank me? The Outcast worked hard for the benefit of the Moyong Clan. I ought to be the one thanking you.”
We then discussed the details of the announcement regarding the current situation and the alliance between the Brain Knife Outcast and the Moyong Clan.
How to publicize my contributions and how much assistance we could provide through the subsequent friendly relations.
How much would we disclose about the events in Shengsu and how we would do it. Etc.
The once-quiet Martial World would soon become noisy.
And amidst the ruckus, my name would undoubtedly be mentioned, so I’d have to prepare accordingly.
After the discussions concluded and while we sipped tea, a brief silence fell between Moyong Yeon-hwa and me.
The information I had gathered through various discussions with Moyong Yeon-hwa had not been favorable for her at all.
According to the directive from the main family, the mine was to be sold, and they clearly intended to dismantle Shengsu Faction entirely, eliminating it from any connection to the Blood Sect.
Naturally, the branch clans of Shengsu Faction would be dispersed as well, which likely meant Moyong Mo would leave Shengsu too.
For someone like Moyong Yeon-hwa, who wished to offer a second chance to the members of Shengsu Faction, this was the worst-case scenario, making it difficult to speak freely.
“You don’t have to worry about the punishment toward me. I’m still free to move about even now, while the other branch clans are fully detained. That’s clear evidence of my lack of guilt.”
“I see. That’s good news.”
“Yes. Now all that’s left are Shengsu Faction and the mine.”
Seeing Moyong Yeon-hwa speak matter-of-factly, I raised my gaze. Despite the unfavorable situation, her determination appeared steadfast.
Did she sense my lingering gaze? Moyong Yeon-hwa smiled awkwardly.
“Ha ha. I don’t know how to explain this, but I’ve begun to feel a bit of stubbornness. There are still those in the original family who display rigid attitudes, and some branch clans have not fully reflected upon their extreme situations, so it seems there’s still a long way to go.”
I had worried her spirit might break under the pressure of such a dire situation; perhaps she merely expected this level of resistance.
“So what are your thoughts moving forward?”
“I will persuade them. I plan to leave the Faction to Moyong Seo uncle for a while and head back to the main house. If a letter won’t work, I’ll have to go in person.”
In the depth of her eyes, I saw a firm resolve.
“Since I must depart urgently, today will likely be my last chance to see the Outcast.”
Is that so?
Hearing her words, I unintentionally let out a remark.
“…That’s quite unfortunate.”
The events that transpired in Shengsu Faction could be summed up in a single word.
Chaos.
Was it all the fault of Shengsu Faction for succumbing to darkness while flourishing through the mining operations?
Was there no fault on the main house’s part for not intervening in the situation Shengsu Faction faced?
Those who had cast envious glances when the mine unearthed great fortune?
For those who might not have known, how far did the branches share in the blame for the current circumstances?
Ultimately, how ought one to evaluate the decisions of the fallen Shengsu Faction that has given up on the mine entirely?
If the seniors who joined hands weren’t part of the Blood Sect, would Shengsu Faction’s choices have been justified?
Even amidst such a tumultuous situation, there had been those who walked the right path and persevered.
That was none other than Moyong Mo.
I had watched Moyong Mo’s struggle. Hence, he had moved my heart, the hearts of the miners, and also stirred the hearts of the abandoned branch clans.
And now, standing before me was Moyong Yeon-hwa, someone intent on walking the righteous path alongside Moyong Mo.
To ensure the efforts of the Faction wouldn’t go in vain. To give the members of the Faction who can reflect a second chance, Moyong Yeon-hwa had swung her sword with all her might.
Now, she must head back to persuade the main family.
I felt deep regret over that fact.
If only I could see a good outcome unfold before my eyes and leave with the happy farewells of both Moyong Yeon-hwa and Moyong Mo.
But regret could not change the situation.
My role ended at this juncture, and the matters of the Moyong Clan were for its members to resolve.
“…I, too, feel quite regretful.”
It seemed Moyong Yeon-hwa felt the same about the current scenario, echoing my sentiments.
“It is indeed most regrettable.”
…But how come.
The way she repeated those words felt very close.
