The Granddaughter of Manhyang Escort Bureau Hides Her Magic - Chapter 122
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 122
Shin Ah and Mugyeol returned to the campsite without reaching any particular conclusion about the Black Market.
The two of them stood night watch while quietly talking about the events that had occurred.
During this time, So Cheondo woke up.
“Shin Ah, rest now. I’ll take over the night watch from here.”
In the night when the courier workers slept, he returned to being an affectionate older brother.
“Thank you, brother.”
The two who knew So Cheondo’s abilities went to sleep with peace of mind.
The night in the forest passed in an instant.
.
.
.
“Mugyeol and the Escort Warriors stood watch all night? Without waking me? I absolutely won’t sleep tonight.”
Dolsoe and Malseok were quite upset from morning until midday, saying Shin Ah hadn’t woken them up.
“Branch Manager, you can’t take our work away from us.”
Chilseon, standing beside them, chimed in.
“You said you’d wake us up, so I slept… but then…”
Dolsoe, who had trusted Shin Ah’s words completely and slept soundly, seemed particularly shocked.
“Everyone stop bothering the team leader.”
“Isn’t that something the Escort Warrior who stood watch with the Branch Manager and didn’t wake us shouldn’t be saying?”
“Ah, no, that’s…”
Chilseon playfully glared at So Cheondo who was trying to stop them. Naturally, the blame shifted to So Cheondo, and Shin Ah finally caught a break.
If So Cheondo hadn’t taken the blame instead, she would have been nagged until tonight.
‘Finally, my ears can rest a bit.’
They should have been happy to get comfortable rest, but everyone was eager to work. Shin Ah found the courier workers’ attitude both delightful and grateful.
“I didn’t know you all were such light sleepers. Goodness, don’t get any clever ideas starting today. I’ll make you stand that damn night watch until you’re sick of it.”
Shin Ah laughed while saying things she didn’t mean. Then the others laughed along, saying that sounded good.
And so their journey was going very smoothly… or almost was. Until midday of the fourth day of the escort mission.
“Stop right there!”
The peaceful atmosphere was shattered in an instant.
Due to bandits who suddenly appeared, Dolsoe, who had been carrying Manhyang Express’s flag at the front of the group, came to a halt.
The bandits had occupied the area in front of a cliff deep in the gorges of Mount Taehang, where wind sounds like screams could be heard, waiting for the escort party.
The only way to cross this place was to use the narrow suspension bridge visible behind them, barely wide enough for a single horse to pass through.
Or to cross using Air Walking.
In gorges with the only suspension bridge over thousand-foot cliffs, where even a slight misstep meant death, groups inevitably formed to make a living by collecting tolls.
Green Forest Bandits.
Those who blocked the Manhyang Express escort party were exactly that.
Roughly twenty people stood blocking the escort party’s path.
“It’s, it’s Green Forest Bandits!”
Dolsoe’s face turned pale white as he turned around.
Having only traveled on escort missions within Seomsu until now, Dolsoe had seen many porters chattering about the Green Forest bandits.
He thought all those stories about how cruel they were, how fierce they looked, how your knees would shake when you met them… were all exaggerations.
But it wasn’t exaggeration—it was fact.
“Porters, please move to the back, and Escort Warrior So Cheondo, absolutely do not leave the package’s side.”
Since Shin Ah was the leader of this escort mission, Cheondo swallowed his worries and followed her orders.
“I’ll follow the young lady.”
As Mugyeol stood close behind Shin Ah, Cheondo supported him from the side.
“That would be good. Go with Mugyeol.”
Most Green Forest bandits would clear the way if you just paid the toll, but he couldn’t feel at ease sending fifteen-year-old Shin Ah alone.
Even though he respected Shin Ah as an Escort Warrior, as a branch manager, and as a leader, these were unavoidable thoughts as her older brother.
“Understood. Let’s go, Mugyeol.”
Shin Ah dismounted her horse and handed it to Dolsoe, glancing at Mugyeol who was gripping his sword handle tightly.
“We won’t need to use swords.”
“Why not?”
“Our escort agency has a good relationship with the Taehang Mountain stronghold.”
The escort agency’s warriors readily paid reasonable tolls for smooth escort missions.
They occasionally showed goodwill to strongholds on frequently used routes.
It was just alcohol that the Escort Warriors drank, but even that was enough to avoid serious conflicts.
So Shin Ah planned to pay the usage fee and quickly pass through the gorge.
“Well, well, isn’t this an Escort Warrior from Manhyang Express?”
A middle-aged man walked forward from the group blocking the path.
It was Taehono, the leader of Taehang Stronghold, a mountain stronghold of Taehang Mountain that held a place at the bottom of the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds.
The old tiger of Taehang Mountain—Shin Ah noticed the three-section staff stuck behind his back.
His build and gait were extraordinary.
According to rumors, nearly a hundred martial artists had died to his three-section staff, and seeing him directly, Shin Ah thought he was certainly capable of such feats.
“It’s been a while since I’ve met a full Manhyang Express escort group. I must have struck it lucky today. But who might you be? From how you’re handling me, I assume you’re the leader of this escort group.”
The stronghold leader’s eyes narrowed as he looked Shin Ah up and down.
Among the Manhyang Express Escort Warriors he knew, there was no one this young.
Shin Ah stepped forward and gave a cupped fist salute.
“I am Manhyang Express Escort Warrior So Shin Ah. We need to hurry on our way, so let’s save deeper greetings for later.”
“So Shin Ah, So… Oh my, are you the Lord of the Escort Agency’s granddaughter?”
Even though he lived stuck in a forest stronghold, he was someone who had long protected Taehang Stronghold, one of the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds. If he lacked this much perception, he would have died long ago.
“Yes.”
“Where are you headed? Seeing how small your escort group is, it doesn’t seem like you’re going far.”
Since there was no need to tell him their exact destination, Shin Ah kept her mouth shut and stared directly at the stronghold leader.
She was concerned about the Green Forest bandits behind the stronghold leader who hadn’t put down their weapons since earlier.
‘This is a bit strange.’
While Shin Ah was lost in thought for a moment, Taehono smiled slyly and bluntly said,
“Since you’re from such a noble family, do you dislike even talking with the likes of us?”
“We’re just short on time, there’s no other meaning. We’ll show our sincerity, so please clear the way.”
Shin Ah spoke with reasonable politeness.
“Well, if you insist that much, we should step aside. But what’s this? We’re in the middle of repairing the suspension bridge.”
Shin Ah’s eyebrows twitched.
The suspension bridge was narrow in width, but it looked sturdy at first glance. There was no sign of any repairs being done anywhere.
‘Are they trying to charge extra toll fees?’
Since resolving things with money was the easiest way, and knowing that there were always those who picked fights with new Escort Warriors like some kind of initiation ritual, Shin Ah made a generous offer.
“I’ll pay double the toll fee.”
Pahaha, Taeho burst into hearty laughter.
“Is it because you’re young that your generosity is so small? Just double? What if the suspension bridge breaks? What are we supposed to live on from now on?”
If the suspension bridge broke in the middle, the problem wouldn’t be the mountain bandits starving to death, but everyone crossing would die.
That would be a much bigger problem, wouldn’t it? Really, the level of their thinking.
‘What’s this?’
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
