WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ The Martial Genius who Remembers Everything ◈
Chapter 323: The Black Forest (3)
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Spiritual medicine.
Beneficial substances that form where the energies of heaven and earth gather.
Medicinal ingredients that can extend an ordinary person's lifespan and grant martial artists strength beyond common sense.
Life is the most precious thing to everyone, and strength is something everyone desires. That is why spiritual medicine is worth more than treasure.
Martial artists who will stop at nothing to grow stronger sometimes even risk their most precious possession, their lives, to obtain it.
To Yang Japyeong, that was an utterly foolish thought.
‘The problem is that they never imagine they might truly have to trade their lives for it.’
It was for no other reason that the Black Forest had been designated a forbidden ground by the Martial Alliance.
Too many martial artists entered without caution.
Too many martial artists died easily.
Most of the plants, animals, and insects living in Mukrim carried vicious poisons. Having grown in such an untamed environment, even creatures chosen by a spirit vein were liable to become monsters.
The arrogance of martial artists who believed they could overcome anything if they found spiritual medicine and became experts shattered the instant they set foot in the forest.
Poisonous insects everywhere.
Natural formations that confused one's sense of direction.
Poisonous creatures that attacked day and night.
Martial artists became Mukrim's prey before they could even find spiritual medicine.
That was why Yang Japyeong's Namgwon Sect received tens of thousands of nyang in annual support from the Martial Alliance for managing Mukrim.
Wasn't that exactly what had just happened?
A Three-Fanged Serpent, which never appeared near Mukrim's entrance, had suddenly emerged and scared Yang Japyeong half to death.
“...There are no records of Three-Fanged Serpents producing elixir pellets.”
Whatever Jin Sowoon had seen in the Three-Fanged Serpent, seeing the Academy Representative hold it while talking about spiritual medicine made Yang Japyeong think Jin still did not understand how frightening this forest was.
“...Then what about a poison core? Something this large must be quite old.”
“Creatures in Mukrim have different standards of size from those in the Central Plains. These creatures do not hibernate in the first place. They grow all year round.”
The Academy Representative looked dejected.
What was his name again? Something Jin, he thought.
“Then what about its venom? Doesn't it have a poison core?”
He had heard Jin was a disciple of a Taoist sect. Why was he so interested in poison when he was not even a poison practitioner?
Surely...
“You don't think a poison core is spiritual medicine too, do you?”
Yang Japyeong had no idea why such nonsense had spread.
The absurd claim that one could gain more internal energy by consuming a poison core and enduring it.
Whenever he toured Mukrim, eight out of ten corpses he found had melted from poison cores.
‘If they possessed enough internal energy to dissolve a poison core in the first place, they wouldn't need to enter this place.’
Even if someone did digest a poison core, all they gained was a slight amount of internal energy and poison resistance.
The risks far outweighed the rewards.
“Don't ever entertain such a thought. Rather than gaining internal energy by dissolving a poison core, you're more likely to die. In the first place, the Three-Fanged Serpent's venom only causes brief paralysis. It swallows its prey whole right away.”
At Yang Japyeong's words, Jin Sowoon, who had looked dejected until then, smiled.
Why? Why did seeing someone smile make him feel this uneasy...?
“Paralysis, huh...”
When Jin removed the thread binding its mouth shut, the Three-Fanged Serpent opened its jaws wide, venomous energy brimming from it.
“W-Wait, what are you doing?!”
What was that bastard's name again?
Yang Japyeong was terrible at remembering men's names, so he could not recall it at all.
...Even if he was a man, he should have remembered the name of an idiot like this.
That idiot whose name was something Jin was bringing the Three-Fanged Serpent's jaws toward his own arm.
“J-Jin, what are you doing?!”
Seong Moran shouted.
Saryeon cried out sternly.
“Jin Sowoon! Put that down! Now!”
Right. That idiot's name was Jin Sowoon.
“Jin Sow...!”
As Yang Japyeong called out to stop him, he saw it.
“Don't want to.”
With an innocent smile, Jin Sowoon let the Three-Fanged Serpent bite his arm.
Crunch!
#
Paralytic poison.
People often considered paralytic poison one of the safer poisons.
After all, paralytic poisons were sometimes used in medicine to reduce pain.
Yet when a poisonous creature possessed paralytic venom, it meant that the creature could survive in nature without venom powerful enough to kill outright.
Just like now.
Shrrrk.
The Three-Fanged Serpent's paralytic venom was not especially strong, but that was only by Mukrim's standards.
Compared to poisons that melted the body as soon as they spread, a poison that left someone unable to move for half a day could seem harmless.
Having injected its prey with paralytic venom, the Three-Fanged Serpent began coiling around Jin Sowoon's legs.
Crack, crack, crack.
Capable of easily breaking a person's bones, the Three-Fanged Serpent wrapped around Jin Sowoon's body and opened its jaws wide.
Venom dripped from its mouth, which had opened wide enough to swallow a human head.
“Damn it!”
“Stop it!”
Jin Sowoon's companions rushed at the Three-Fanged Serpent all at once, but they could not keep up with the creature as it moved on instinct.
Gulp!
The Three-Fanged Serpent swallowed Jin Sowoon's head in one bite, and Seong Moran fainted.
Yang Japyeong hurriedly shouted at everyone around him.
“D-Don't move!”
He had spoken informally without realizing it.
This was no time for politeness.
“...Don't move. If you provoke it now, it'll tear that lunatic's... no, Representative Jin's head off in an instant.”
This was Mukrim's terror.
When snakes from the Central Plains were attacked while swallowing prey, they often became unable to spit it out or swallow it down, then died.
But the cunning Three-Fanged Serpent would tear apart the prey in its mouth with terrifying bite force the moment it was attacked, then continue hunting.
“W-What do we do, then?”
“...”
What did they do?
For Yang Japyeong, who had never found himself in a situation where he had to rescue someone from a Three-Fanged Serpent, it was far too heavy a question.
“First, we need... a sturdy iron bar to hold its mouth open.”
Wood would not do. It would be crushed far too easily.
Even if they had an iron bar, though, the next problem remained.
Who would force the Three-Fanged Serpent's jaws open?
‘...We have no choice but to watch him die.’
In the end, the only choices before them were whether to watch him die slowly or quickly, a cruel choice between two horrors.
Yang Japyeong mentioned the iron bar only because he could not bring himself to tell them that despairing truth.
Where could they possibly find an iron bar in the heart of Mukrim...?
“Will this do?”
An iron bar slid into view before his eyes.
It looked exceptionally sturdy at a glance.
Why was this here?
“Ah, my bow is an iron bow. It looks like this when I remove the string.”
“...”
No, this was not supposed to be here...
“What do we do next?”
Then someone carrying an iron shield stepped forward.
Yang Japyeong stammered.
“...First, if you pry open its mouth and secure the iron bar...”
The words would not come out.
Rescuing someone swallowed by a Three-Fanged Serpent was an act that required the rescuers to risk their lives.
A serpent whose hunt was interrupted would become more vicious than ever.
“Secure it... then, secure it...”
Had he sensed Yang Japyeong's thoughts?
The one who had introduced himself as the second of three brothers stepped forward with a sigh.
“...We have to clean up the mess our senior brother made.”
He was going to do it himself?
Yang Japyeong was about to stop him, believing it to be reckless courage born from ignorance of the Three-Fanged Serpent's terror.
“Brother, Senior Sister, please each hold one side of its mouth open. Dongryong and I will secure it with the iron bar. If anything goes wrong, everyone else, please step in.”
The man gave orders as if he were used to it, then approached the Three-Fanged Serpent.
“Wait! The Three-Fanged Serpent is far more dangerous than you imagine...”
“Yes. I understand what you're saying. Your reaction alone tells me enough, Great Hero Yang.”
“...”
“But that doesn't mean we can leave him there.”
He shook his head, casting an irreverent look at Jin Sowoon, who was visible only from the neck down.
“...He's a damned bastard, but he's still our senior brother.”
Being paralyzed did not mean Jin could not hear them...
The four of them sighed deeply and were about to rush at the Three-Fanged Serpent.
Crack, crack, crack.
The sound of leather straps snapping rang out.
At first, Yang Japyeong thought the Three-Fanged Serpent had tightened around Jin Sowoon and broken his bones.
Instead, the serpent's body, which had been constricting Jin Sowoon, began to loosen.
‘The paralytic venom already wore off?!’
The Taeul Sect disciples approaching the serpent stopped short.
Then they stared blankly at the Three-Fanged Serpent.
Crack, crack, crack.
Through the gaps opening in the serpent's body.
Swoosh.
...Two hands reached out and seized both sides of the serpent's jaws, which had swallowed Jin Sowoon's head.
“...How dare you... call your senior brother, who is as high as the heavens... a damned bastard?!!!”
Crunch, crunch.
Then Jin began pulling the Three-Fanged Serpent's already-open jaws even wider.
At first, the serpent had tightened itself further around Jin Sowoon. Now it desperately thrashed, trying to escape his grip.
The more it struggled, the wider Jin Sowoon tore its jaws apart instead of releasing them.
Crunch, crunch.
Flap, flap!
As bones broke, the massive Three-Fanged Serpent's body whipped in every direction.
Yang Japyeong and the other members of the vanguard twisted wildly to avoid being struck by its tail.
A moment later.
Thud.
The Three-Fanged Serpent, its mouth torn to shreds, lay limp on the ground.
Jin Sowoon, who had entered and emerged from the serpent's mouth on his own, glared sharply at the man who had been giving orders.
“Eunho! I heard that voice of yours loud and clear!”
Eunho casually changed his tone.
“I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't say a word.”
“Get over here, you bastard!”
The Taeul Sect disciples returned to normal as though nothing had happened.
Those around them also let out long sighs, yet not one of their faces showed any lingering aftereffects from their brush with death.
‘...What are these people?’
Yang Japyeong and his people had lived rough enough to seem like barbarians to those of the Central Plains, but even to them, the Taeul Sect disciples looked completely insane.
#
“...What did you say?”
I've been seeing that expression a lot lately.
I turned slightly away from Saryeon.
“We can't do this in the Central Plains...”
“What did you say?”
“I mean, we can't do this in the Central Plains...”
“What. Did. You. Say?”
She had definitely heard me.
The fact that she kept asking meant she had no intention of letting this go.
Fine. Then I'd change tactics.
“What dangers do you think kill martial artists most often?”
“Why are you suddenly changing the subject?”
“Poison and concealed weapons. You know that too, don't you?”
“...Even so.”
I hurriedly cut Saryeon off.
“I need to survive longer than anyone. Reviving and protecting the Taeul Sect is more important to me than anything. To do that, I absolutely can't die easily.”
“...”
“Concealed weapons can be blocked somehow, but poison isn't so easy to guard against. Besides, it's not as though we can afford to take the Hundred-Poison Pellet sold by the Tang Clan!”
The Hundred-Poison Pellet was a poison-resistance pellet sold by the Tang Clan.
It was a special poison pellet that built resistance against a hundred poisons most likely to kill martial artists. Since it built poison resistance relatively safely, it was absurdly expensive.
Saryeon knew that well, so she could not say anything.
I deliberately cried out as if in anguish.
“I'm desperate above all else. I may never achieve immunity to all poisons, but I need at least immunity to a thousand poisons to protect my junior disciples and the people of the Taeul Sect!”
“...”
Saryeon's fierce gaze turned sad.
Seeing her bite down on her tightly pressed lips, she seemed to have nothing more to say.
As expected, understanding was easier than persuasion.
“Haah... Just buy a Hundred-Poison Pellet. This is... too dangerous.”
What, what was she talking about?
“Do you know how expensive a Hundred-Poison Pellet is?! This is free!”
Saryeon messed up her hair in frustration.
“Argh! I don't know! Do whatever you want! Get soaked in poison and die for all I care!!”
I did need to change my method somewhat.
I had deliberately let living creatures bite me because I thought their venom would be fresher, but unexpected situations like earlier could happen again.
Besides, the experience of being inside a Three-Fanged Serpent's mouth... had not been pleasant.
Then...
“R-Representative Jin... Did you really let it bite you on purpose to build poison resistance?”
Yang Japyeong asked, his shoulders somehow slumped.
What's with this guy?
He seemed quite proud of his large build.
I casually shrugged.
“Well, that's part of it. I also needed to test how dangerous it was before my junior disciples trained.”
“Your junior disciples too?!”
Burly Yang Japyeong's face turned strangely pale.
I pulled one of the Three-Fanged Serpent's fangs free.
Crunch.
A long venom sac came out with the tooth.
I looked at the Geum-Eun-Dong brothers.
Saryeon probably would not be willing in her current mood.
Of course, Geumpyo and Eunho were shaking their heads as if they wanted nothing to do with it.
I smiled brightly at them.
“Should I come to you? Or are you coming to me?”
Then Dongryong, who had been staring blankly from the side, bravely stepped forward.
“S-Senior Brother, I'll go first.”
I knew Dongryong was the sharpest of the three.
If he had to do it anyway, it was better to do it before I dragged him over, wasn't it?
Just as I was about to jab the Three-Fanged Serpent's fang into Dongryong's forearm, he started.
“S-Senior Brother!”
“I haven't stabbed you yet.”
“N-No, behind you...”
“Hm?”
When I turned around, Saryeon was glaring at me with a face like an evil ghost.
“You're not even doing this alone anymore... Now you're dragging your junior disciples into it too?!”
I tried to dodge away.
“Where do you think you're going!”
It was already too late to avoid Saryeon's hand, now that her martial arts had grown so much more refined.
Smack.
Pain like a branding iron scorched my back.
#
The main force arrived a day after the vanguard.
Leaving the main force behind, our vanguard entered the forest once more.
Our destination was the garrison located at the center of Mukrim.
Since we were only tidying up a garrison used by earlier classes, the vanguard had little trouble.
According to Yang Japyeong, who had somehow started wearing his shirt again after the first day, training had always taken place in the same location ever since Mukrim was first opened to Academy students.
“Moving carelessly through Mukrim is... dangerous, after all.”
“I see.”
“But do you intend to keep doing that?”
Yang Japyeong swallowed hard as he looked at the purple poisonous mushroom in my hand.
“I haven't even really started yet.”
So far, I'd eaten only a little over ten poisons.
I had not been able to properly search for poison because we had to secure the garrison.
After taking the Three-Fanged Serpent's paralytic venom, I had not yet encountered anything more dangerous.
I shook the poisonous mushroom and smiled.
“Still, it's a relief. It doesn't seem as dangerous as I expected.”
“Is... that so?”
“You won't let us roam around freely, though, right?”
That was the part I found most regrettable.
Unlike the Fire Desert or the Ice Sea, Mukrim only allowed us to move within designated areas.
“That's... right.”
Yang Japyeong's response was strangely lukewarm.
For some reason, since then, I've had fewer and fewer chances to speak with him.
Well, it was probably just my imagination.
The garrison we reached after a week stood in a much broader clearing than the one we had seen near the entrance.
Someone had put some effort into making it. Gravel covered the ground, and no large trees grew there.
With nothing else to do, we waited for the main force. Exactly one day later, it arrived at the garrison.
While the Academy students raised tents in their assigned areas and prepared to spend the next three weeks there, the leaders of each group gathered in the lecturers' tent.
After confirming that all the group leaders had assembled, No Jinha began telling them something interesting.
“The Great Journey has, at times, been little more than a formality. That was a complaint people made even in our day.”
After laying that groundwork, he continued.
“In the previous class, Yong Soa even subjugated the Takun Tribe.”
He stirred their competitive spirit.
Then came his suggestive voice.
“Since you’re every bit as capable as the previous class, you shouldn’t just sit around, should you?”
Finally, he got to the point.
“How about making a map of Mukrim? You can explore it while hunting monsters.”
Every group leader's face stiffened, but I had a different reaction.
‘He came up with such a great idea?’
Wow, this... no, this lecturer usually only said things that got him beaten, but sometimes he said something right.
It felt like I had just been invited to go treasure hunting.
Footnotes:
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