"Grandfather! Grandfather!"
"Ugh."
Jeok Yorap forced his eyes open as Cho Myung shook him.
"Don't die! Grandfather!"
"Cho, Cho Myung..."
Jeok Yorap struggled to stay conscious, forcing strength into his eyes that kept trying to close.
'N-no. If I lose consciousness like this, it's the end. Cho Myung... No! Until I find someone to entrust Cho Myung to... stay conscious! Stay...!'
Even in his fading consciousness, he could hear Cho Myung's crying voice.
"Grandfather! Herbs! I brought herbs, so don't die! Grandfather!"
"Herbs... give them to me."
"Here. Here they are!"
As Cho Myung placed the herbs he had dug up into his hand, Jeok Yorap put them in his mouth, dirt and all, and chewed.
A bitter juice flowed down his throat.
"Cough! Hmph."
He tried to cough it back up, but Jeok Yorap forced himself to swallow.
"Grandfather, here's the Stone Spirit Moss."
Cho Myung placed the blue moss in his hand.
Jeok Yorap also brought it to his mouth and forced himself to chew and eat it.
With the thought that he had to live, with the single-minded determination that he had to endure until he could entrust Cho Myung to a trustworthy person, he chewed and swallowed the herbs in his mouth.
He couldn't even taste what it was.
"Grandfather, Jade Fragrance Herb."
"Ugh."
Jeok Yorap almost reflexively reached out and brought the Jade Fragrance Herb to his mouth.
And he chewed and swallowed.
It was all he could do now, but he did it tenaciously, as if fighting a battle of life and death.
His abdomen became bloated, as if he were full.
It felt like it was boiling.
Even that feeling seemed like proof that he was alive.
An hour passed like that.
"Does it hurt?"
"It's bearable."
He said that, but he was still not well.
He had only caught his breath for a moment thanks to the herbs.
He didn't know when he might lose consciousness and go straight to the afterlife.
"Myung, we've rested enough, so let's go quickly."
"Okay."
Cho Myung answered weakly and carried Jeok Yorap on his back.
***
Lop Nur Lake.
A low-lying area in the northeast of the Taklamakan Desert, which means that once you enter, you can never come out again. It is a lake located where Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu meet.
Lop Nur Lake is a place where merchant caravans heading to Turpan or Urumqi from Qinghai Province must rest just before they officially set foot in the desert, or conversely, where merchant caravans returning to Qinghai Province must rest just after they leave the desert.
In May, when the cold winds of the north retreat due to the vibrant spring energy, and the scorching summer heat begins to sprout in the distance, Lop Nur Lake is teeming with numerous merchant caravans.
At this time, the majority are merchant caravans entering Xinjiang in search of the Western Regions. This is because the trade of the merchant caravans is just beginning to become active.
The Eun Family Merchant Caravan was one of them.
The Eun Family Merchant Caravan sold the silk called Shu brocade, which is produced in Sichuan Province, to the merchants of Turpan, and with the money they earned, they bought luxury goods such as amber and jade from the Western Regions, and then returned to Qinghai Province and Sichuan Province to sell them at high prices to the wealthy.
They made a profit by buying and selling at a higher price as they went back and forth.
The problem is that there are more than one or two merchant caravans engaged in such trade, so the competition is fierce, and the fact that there are many merchant caravans engaged in such trade is widely known, so they are often attacked by bandits who are looking to plunder.
"Everyone has worked hard. This is a place where even bandits can't run wild, so rest well tonight."
At the words of the caravan leader, Eun Yijeong, the workers of the Eun Family Merchant Caravan moved even more busily.
It was because the sooner they finished preparing for the camp, the more they could rest.
"Dad, why can't bandits run wild here?"
The question came from right next to Eun Yijeong.
Eun Yijeong turned around with a warm smile.
A girl of about eight years old was visible.
Eun Soso.
Although half of her face was covered with a white cloth to block the sand and wind, the remaining parts, including her eyes, gave off a strong impression that she was quite cute.
"Look around. What do you see?"
At Eun Yijeong's words, Eun Soso looked around.
"There's a lot of water. There are also grasslands and sand."
"If you were a bandit and you were to attack our caravan here now, what would be the problem?"
"Um..."
Eun Soso looked around again.
And soon, she made a face as if to say "Huh?", ran to one side, looked far into the distance, and then quickly returned.
"I know."
"You do?"
"Yes. It's people. There are many other merchant caravans here. That's why bandits can't run wild."
Eun Soso looked at him with sparkling eyes.
Eun Yijeong smiled until his eyes crinkled and patted Eun Soso's head.
"That's right. There are many merchant caravans here. So if they run wild, they could be attacked by the combined forces of the merchant caravans here. Merchant caravans that handle similar goods are competitors, but when bandits appear, they become more reliable allies than anyone else."
"I knew it!"
Eun Soso smiled bashfully, as if she had gotten it right.
Eun Yijeong patted his daughter's head and then turned his head.
In the meantime, the workers were finishing their preparations for the camp.
Eun Yijeong carefully checked the location of the carts loaded with silk and the location of the caravan's martial artists who were guarding them, and then sat down on the sandy ground.
"A wise person knows when to rest. This is a place where we can relax a little, so let's do that."
"Okay."
Eun Soso came and sat next to him.
But she soon got up and shouted towards one side.
"Hey! Who are you?"
When Eun Yijeong turned his head, he saw a child.
It was a boy who looked to be about four or five years old, and he was wearing the clothes of the children in the desert city.
"Are you from another caravan?"
Eun Soso asked.
But the child did not answer.
"Are you from the city? Where are your mom and dad?"
Eun Soso asked again.
Still, the child did not answer.
Eun Soso ran over.
"Be careful."
Eun Yijeong warned and quickly got up and approached.
When Eun Yijeong approached after Eun Soso, the child flinched and stepped back.
"I'm Eun Soso. What's your name? Where are you from?"
The child did not answer the question and glanced at Eun Yijeong, who had come right behind Eun Soso.
"If you need help, shouldn't you reveal who you are?"
Eun Yijeong, seeing the child who was wary but not running away, said so.
Seeing the child's clothes, he spoke in the language most commonly used in the nearby desert city.
Then the child was startled and tried to run away.
But just then, Eun Soso rushed in and grabbed the child's arm.
"Let go!"
The child shouted.
"He speaks our language."
Eun Soso said, looking at Eun Yijeong.
"Let him go."
Eun Yijeong said.
Eun Soso hesitated for a moment and then let go of the child's arm.
Then the child ran away.
"You can't get what you want just by running away."
When Eun Yijeong spoke in Han language, the child, who had run some distance, stopped and slowly turned around. Then he looked back and forth between Eun Yijeong and Eun Soso and hesitated for a long time.
"It seems he doesn't need our help. Dad, let's go."
Eun Soso turned around.
She had acted that way on purpose, and the child who fell for it said urgently.
"Please help me. My grandfather is sick."
Eun Yijeong followed Cho Myung with Eun Soso.
Jeok Yorap was not far away.
Sleeping as if dead.
"He's been sleeping since yesterday."
At Cho Myung's words, Eun Yijeong hurriedly checked on Jeok Yorap.
'Externally, it seems he's not injured...!'
Just in case, he slightly removed his shirt.
His chest was abnormally sunken.
And a clear palm print.
'This is the mark of a palm strike!'
A look of bewilderment appeared on Eun Yijeong's face.
It was for two reasons.
One was that the injury was so serious that his medical knowledge would be of little help, and the other was that in the martial world, you shouldn't carelessly help an injured person. If you got caught up in a grudge, you could see blood.
"Dad, is that grandfather okay?"
Eun Soso asked.
When he glanced at her, she had a worried expression.
She was a kind-hearted child, just like her mother.
If he had been alone, he might have pretended not to see. But since Eun Soso was watching, he couldn't do that. It was because he wanted to be a father who was acknowledged by his daughter.
"I can help a little, but since your father is not a doctor, I can't heal him."
Eun Yijeong reached out and pressed several of Jeok Yorap's acupoints.
Then he placed his palm on the area where the palm strike had hit and used his internal energy to pull with a suction technique.
A cracking sound was heard.
It was the sound of the broken and dislocated bones in his chest returning to their place.
"W-who are you?"
Jeok Yorap opened his eyes due to the sudden pain in his chest.
When a stranger was in front of him, he put aside the pain and asked for his identity first.
"The child asked for help, so I came."
"The child... where is Myung?"
"Grandfather, I'm here."
Cho Myung showed his face.
When Cho Myung seemed fine, a look of relief appeared on Jeok Yorap's face.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Are you not in pain, Grandfather?"
"Yes, this person has helped me, so I feel much better."
"Okay."
A bright smile appeared on Cho Myung's face.
Jeok Yorap smiled back and then turned his gaze to Eun Yijeong.
"This old man is a body that hunts and digs for herbs in the big mountains. May I ask who you are, sir?"
Eun Yijeong hesitated for a moment and then answered.
"I am Eun Yijeong of the Eun Family Merchant Caravan."
"Ah! You are the master of the caravan."
A look of pleasure appeared on Jeok Yorap's face.
Eun Yijeong, not knowing the reason, was puzzled, but Jeok Yorap's gaze turned to Cho Myung.
"Myung, please step back a little with that beautiful young lady over there for a moment."
"Okay."
Cho Myung answered and looked at Eun Soso.
At that, Eun Soso looked back at Eun Yijeong, and Eun Yijeong nodded.
"Do as he says."
"Okay, Dad. Hey, let's go over there."
Eun Soso suddenly grabbed Cho Myung's hand and pulled him.
Cho Myung was taken aback and followed Eun Soso's lead. When they were about ten zhang away, Eun Soso stopped and turned to Cho Myung.
Then she stared at Cho Myung's face and then ran off somewhere in a flash.
"Wait here for a moment."
Eun Soso, who had run towards the caravan's carriage, returned quickly.
In her hand was a cloth soaked in water.
"Stay still."
Eun Soso, who had said that, began to wipe Cho Myung's face with the wet cloth.
Cho Myung flinched a few times and then stood still.
When his dirty face became a little clean, Eun Soso stared at him again and then clapped her hands in delight.
Cho Myung, not knowing why Eun Soso was doing that, just stared blankly.
"What's your name?"
"Cho Myung."
"My name is Eun Soso."
"Eun Soso..."
When Cho Myung muttered the name, Eun Soso made a pleased face.
"That's right. Eun Soso. Don't ever forget it."
"Okay."
When Cho Myung answered right away, Eun Soso became even more pleased.
When she smiled broadly, she couldn't be prettier.
Cho Myung stared blankly at that pretty smile.
"Thank you for your help. Thanks to you, sir, my breathing has become much more comfortable."
Jeok Yorap said politely to Eun Yijeong.
Since he was not in a state to get up, he just clasped his hands to show his respect.
"I'm glad I could be of help. But nothing has changed much. It would be best to find a skilled doctor as soon as possible."
Just because his breathing was more comfortable didn't mean his condition had improved.
It was possible that the internal bleeding had worsened due to the crushed bones returning to their place. He had sealed the acupoints, but he couldn't guarantee how much it would help.
"I know my condition well. Thanks to my benefactor, it seems I have a few more days."
Eun Yijeong just nodded silently.
There was nothing more he could do or say.
"It seems there is nothing more precious than children."
Jeok Yorap's next words were out of the blue.
But Eun Yijeong couldn't help but agree with those words.
"That's right. A child is incomparable to anything else in the world."
As Eun Yijeong turned his head to look at Eun Soso, an unconcealable happiness filled his face.
Jeok Yorap glanced at Eun Yijeong's face.
'This person might be able to help us.'
Jeok Yorap said calmly with a hopeful face.
"Sir, I have a favor to ask."
(End of Chapter)