novelraw Chapter 67 : Chapter 67
Chapter 67 : Chapter 67
Chapter 67 The Yangtze Flows Endlessly (4)
The group, having come down to the lower part of the government ship, looked around.
Fitting for its purpose as a government transport ship, the inside of the ship was optimized for loading goods.
Jaun, who was looking around at the luggage stacked neatly in the large space, had a sparkle in his eyes.
[Demonic Energy is flowing from the deepest part of the left side.]
Hearing Jaun’s Telepathic Message, Ice Rakshasa naturally moved toward the left corner.
“Let's check from the floor over here. If it got caught somewhere, there must have been an impact on the floor...”
Pretending to examine the bottom of the ship, the group approached the boxes in the deepest part of the left side.
The closer they got, the more distinctly the Demonic Energy could be felt.
‘The shape of the box is a bit peculiar?’
The boxes placed in the very corner of the left side had very ornate shapes, and upon checking the largest box among them, Jaun signaled Ice Rakshasa with his eyes.
The box was about the size of Jaun’s torso.
Furthermore, much more elaborate patterns were carved on the outside compared to other boxes.
‘It would be great if I could examine the inside of the box...’
As Jaun was pacing around contemplating, Ice Rakshasa poked his side.
“I'll cover you slightly with my body.”
At Ice Rakshasa’s softly whispered words, Jaun nodded.
Ice Rakshasa slightly blocked the gazes of the soldiers looking this way with her body and spoke to them.
“It's pitiable that you have to go through such trouble even while working hard for the government every day. Hoho. Was there any impact when the ship stopped, perhaps?”
While Ice Rakshasa held the soldiers' attention by asking questions, Jaun slightly pierced the corner of the box with his finger and examined the inside.
Inside the box was an object tightly wrapped in black cloth.
‘Black cloth... This seems to be the Anti-Magic Cloth of the Divine Cult that blocks Demonic Energy.’
Since it was completely wrapped in cloth, he couldn't check the contents.
However, seeing this much Demonic Energy flowing out even though it was wrapped in Anti-Magic Cloth, it was definitely not an ordinary object.
Jaun took a coin from his bosom, slipped it into the box, and then turned the box so the pierced hole wouldn't be seen.
Then, he sent a Telepathic Message to Ice Rakshasa, who was mesmerizing the soldiers in front.
[I put a coin imbued with my energy inside the box, so for the time being, even if we are far apart, I can figure out where that box is moving. It doesn't seem like something to be ignored, but it's hard to confirm because it's wrapped in cloth. Let's get off the government ship for now and pursue it.]
Ice Rakshasa, looking at Jaun once, nodded.
Jaun, hiding behind Ice Rakshasa once again, stepped lightly on the floor and shot energy toward the river bottom. Jaun shot energy toward the river bottom three or four times in the same manner, and after a short time passed, the ship tilted and began to shake.
“Uh? The ship seems to be moving now?”
The soldier felt the vibration of the ship and placed his hand quietly on the wall.
“Ohoho. That's a relief. It seems it was caught on something briefly... I feel embarrassed for stepping up to help when it was something that would be resolved so quickly.”
As Ice Rakshasa smiled brightly in front, the soldiers blushed slightly and cleared their throats.
“Ahem. Anyway, thank you. You are people with hearts as kind as your appearances. Sorry for suspecting you.”
“Don't mention it. There doesn't seem to be any particular damage to the ship either. Then we'll be going up now.”
“You've worked hard. I was worried because it was the first time bringing non-government personnel onto this ship, but I'm relieved it's resolved well.”
The soldier nodded with a bright expression.
****
After exchanging short farewells, the group crossed over to the merchant ship, and Jaun removed the plank.
The government ship, having dropped off the three people, increased its speed and began to move toward the lower reaches of the Yangtze.
‘Just what was that box? Why would an object containing Demonic Energy be on a government ship...’
Ice Rakshasa tapped the shoulder of Jaun, who was lost in thought.
[What was it?]
[Well. Still, one thing is certain: it is an object of the Divine Cult. Only the priests of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult can create objects containing Demonic Energy, and the cloth wrapping the object is definitely from the Divine Cult.]
At Jaun’s words, Ice Rakshasa opened her eyes wide.
[There must be some purpose... Judging by the size of the box, it's not an altar, but highly likely a ritual tool for a ceremony.]
[That means the hands of the Blood Cult have already reached the jurisdiction of the Sado Alliance.]
Ice Rakshasa, looking once again at the government ship moving away with bitter eyes, turned to Jaun.
“Young Hero Jaun. What will you do?”
“I'd like to pursue that object for now.”
At Jaun’s words, Ice Rakshasa, lost in thought for a moment, nodded.
“Well, let's do that. Thanks to the two Great. Heroes. of the Yangtze Waterway Fortress here, we bought some time. Even if we check where that object is going and then move to the Sado Alliance, there shouldn't be any problem with time.”
The two men, who had come out from among the merchants' luggage and were loosening up their bodies, scratched their heads at Ice Rakshasa’s words.
“However, Sister, that government ship uses a different dock. There is a separate dock only usable by government transport ships. It's located quite far from this merchant ship's destination.”
“Ah, really? Then we'll have to go by another ship, not this one?”
The two men, feeling an ominous premonition for a moment, turned pale.
“Can't be helped. You guys call one of your ships and we'll have to ride that.”
“...Eh?”
“What are you doing? Shouldn't we follow quickly before it gets farther away? Hurry up and call a ship.”
“No, Sister... We definitely agreed to only take you as far as Hunan Province...”
Ice Rakshasa looked at Yuk-ryong with cold eyes.
Yuk-ryong, swallowing dry saliva at that gaze, poked the Red Faced Ghost with his elbow.
Then the Red Faced Ghost cleared his throat with a Keum-keum and spoke.
“Yuk-ryong, what are you doing right now! Hurry up and call a ship. Since our ship is an Ironclad Ship, it doesn't pick up speed well... Calling your ship is the best plan.”
Yuk-ryong, looking back at the Red Faced Ghost with a look of disbelief, sighed deeply. After muttering something for a long time, Yuk-ryong took out a signal kite from his bosom with an expression of resignation and shot it toward the sky.
─ Peo-eong.
Above the endlessly flowing Yangtze, the white smoke shot by Yuk-ryong scattered thinly like a cloud.
****
The group, having transferred to Yuk-ryong’s ship, moved quickly following the government ship's route.
Since the speed of the government ship wasn't very fast, the ship the group was on could catch up to the government ship in an instant.
The group, tailing from a distance to avoid detection, stopped their ship a little away from the dock as soon as they saw the government ship arriving, and everyone disembarked.
“Is that the government ship's dock?”
“Yes, Sister. Beyond this point, there's no place to hide, so we can't go further by ship. Let's approach slowly on foot.”
Yuk-ryong, confirming that everyone had disembarked, gestured and lowered his body into the thicket, and the group followed behind him.
Slowly pushing through the thicket and moving forward, the group took positions around the dock and hid themselves.
“Watch out over there! We need to move a bit more this way!”
“Move quickly, quickly! Don't you know we have to make one more trip today!”
The voices of soldiers unloading goods from the transport ship filled the surroundings.
Luggage taken out from the ship one by one began to pile up, and before long, the dock was filled with goods unloaded from the ship.
Jaun, watching the soldiers gesturing here and there and sorting the luggage, asked.
“Does all that luggage go into the government office?”
Yuk-ryong glanced at Jaun and whispered quietly.
“Not necessarily, Little Brother. If the government can't fill the transport ship completely, they often take entrusted goods in the empty spaces and transport them.”
At Yuk-ryong’s words, Jaun nodded.
After a little time passed, boxes, including the ornately decorated box Jaun had checked, began to pile up one by one on the dock along with other boxes unloaded from the transport ship.
For some reason, the soldiers were sorting and stacking those boxes separately on one side.
After some time passed, a carriage was seen approaching the government dock.
“Uh? That's the carriage of the Ghost Blood Sect , isn't it?”
Yuk-ryong, who was quietly examining the carriage, turned his head toward the group and said.
“If it's Ghost Blood Sect... isn't that a pharmacy?”
“That's right, Sister. It's a clinic quite famous in this vicinity.”
“Why would a clinic take that object...”
Ice Rakshasa frowned slightly and looked back at the carriage.
[What should we do?]
At Ice Rakshasa’s Telepathic Message, Jaun answered.
[Let's follow. We need to check what's inside the box.]
Ice Rakshasa nodded and whispered softly to the group.
“Wait a moment.”
Shortly after, the Ghost Blood Sect's carriage, having loaded all the luggage, began to move slowly.
“Are you sure that carriage belongs to the place called Ghost Blood Sect?”
“I'm sure. The only place in this vicinity that uses such a unique carriage is the Ghost Blood Sect.”
At the Red Faced Ghost’s words, Jaun nodded.
“Understood. Then it would be better to go to the place called Ghost Blood Sect first rather than following behind the carriage.”
At Jaun’s words, Ice Rakshasa nodded.
“That's a good idea. Rather than following the box, let's go to the destination first and wait for the box.”
Ice Rakshasa raised her hand and poked Yuk-ryong’s side.
“Let's go to the Ghost Blood Sect, Yuk-ryong. You guide us.”
“...Let's go.”
Yuk-ryong, resigned, nodded slowly, came out of the thicket, and began to move.
****
Juhan, where the Ghost Blood Sect was located, was about two hours away from the dock.
The group, having reached Juhan quickly using lightness arts , decided to enter the Ghost Blood Sect.
Passing through the gate of Juhan, Yuk-ryong scratched his cheek.
“Strange. Juhan isn't originally a city with this many people.”
As Yuk-ryong said, inside and outside the gate of Juhan were full of people.
Yuk-ryong, pushing through the crowd with difficulty and entering inside, asked an old woman who had spread out a stall and was selling odds and ends.
“Grandma. Do you know why it's so chaotic today?”
“What do you mean 'what day'? Seeing your looks, you must be outsiders? Isn't today the 60th birthday banquet of the Ghost Blood Sect Leader? People who received treatment at the Ghost Blood Sect all came to congratulate the Sect Leader, so it's this crowded.”
“Ah, was that today?”
Looking around at the people filling the surroundings, Yuk-ryong frowned, calculated the date, and spoke.
“Come to think of it, it's already that time. As Grandma said, this time of year was the Ghost Blood Sect Leader's birthday.”
“Hmm. The Ghost Blood Sect seems to have a good reputation around here?”
“Of course. There aren't any proper medical families in Hunan Province, you know. Living in this region, there probably isn't anyone who hasn't received help from the Ghost Blood Sect at least once when seriously ill?”
Looking around carefully, many people were walking in one direction carrying gifts big and small.
As the old woman said, they seemed to be people heading to the Ghost Blood Sect to congratulate the Sect Leader on his 60th birthday.
Ice Rakshasa, who was lost in thought for a moment watching that scene, turned her steps and approached the old woman.
And after looking down at the odds and ends the old woman was selling for a long time, she pointed to a small wooden box and a toad sculpture made of jade and said.
“Could you give me these two?”
At Ice Rakshasa’s words, a smile bloomed fully on the old woman’s face.
“You're a young lady with a good eye.”
Ice Rakshasa, bowing slightly to the old woman who put the jade toad in the wooden box and handed it over, put the received item in her bosom.
“Where are you going to use that?”
“They say it's the Ghost Blood Sect Leader's 60th birthday banquet. To not look suspicious, we should carry at least something like this.”
“Ah. Then could the box we are chasing also be a gift going to the Ghost Blood Sect?”
At Yuk-ryong’s words, Ice Rakshasa shrugged.
“Who knows? It's not exact, but wouldn't that possibility be high?”
Jaun, who was listening to the two with his eyes closed, opened his mouth with a stiff expression.
“...Is that direction correct for where the Ghost Blood Sect is located?”
“That's right, Little Brother. The Ghost Blood Sect is over there.”
“From that direction, I feel another Demonic Energy.”
At those words, Yuk-ryong frowned and looked back in the direction Jaun pointed.