170
‘It’s old and small.’
That was the old man’s first impression of Zhangjiakon.
Sitting on the slowly shaking cart, looking at the scattered houses, he added in a voice so low that no one could understand.
“… … And peaceful.”
It seems that the years have passed. Even in trivial scenery, the body becomes loose and a corner of the mind tickles.
Just like that day twenty years ago.
‘It was like that when I harvested him.’
Suddenly, a child I met a long time ago passes by.
If it was like usual, I would have thrown a little iron or ignored it, but that day was different from usual.
Is it because it was right after he realized that he had suffered from old age?
Looking at the owner of the hand that was eagerly extended, he said a word without even knowing it.
‘Shall we go together?’
“Old man. They are all here.”
The voice of Mr. Jang, the woodcutter, brought the old man to his senses.
Suddenly they stopped in front of a small house. Something small popped out of the fence made of clumsy bundles of wood.
“dad!”
“Oops, my daughter!”
Perhaps six or seven years old at most, a young girl jumps up and clings to her father’s leg.
The old man who had lightly jumped off the fork looked at him blankly.
“Is this your child?”
“Ah, yes. you’re right. Hang-ah, say hello. this person is… … Come to think of it, I still don’t even know the old man’s name.
The old man waved his hand at Mr. Jang, who was blurting his horse.
“Tong Seong-myeong has nothing to do with moose.”
Just when Mr. Jang laughed awkwardly, Hang-a, who was looking up at the old man with twinkling eyes, walked over and slapped his bony thigh.
“Payment in installments!”
“huh?”
“What is the name of the installment plan?”
“I do not know. I forgot too.”
It was an answer he gave to the old man to avoid bothering him, but it was different for Mr. Jang.
‘Your mind is so out of control that I can’t even remember your name.’
A simple mountain man, he felt very sorry for the old man.
Abandoned by his children, he couldn’t just walk the streets like this, wearing clothes that were no different from a jacket.
“Elders, please have a meal first. We will prepare a table for you soon.”
“All right. What I got earlier is enough.”
“still… …
“There is someone to find. Please forgive me for the delay.”
The old man stopped talking.
excuse? The words that came out of my mouth were unfamiliar.
He is the one who has lived without roughness all his life. Everyone was afraid of the old man and looked up to him. Even the famous Myeongsuk of Murim rolled their tails in front of him.
However, these words come out easily to this villager who has not even met half of the time.
‘Old, definitely old.’
Someone pulled the hem of the embarrassed old man’s sleeve.
Looking down, my plump breasts twitch.
“Looking for someone? You’re good at finding people.”
“… … Is that so?”
“yes! Yesterday, too, I found an installment plan for Jang, who lives in the house next door.”
“You did well.”
“I found it and they gave me something delicious. I ate until my stomach burst.”
He said something incomprehensible and put his hand on his waist. That expression is even quite solemn.
“And people use their strength to eat. At the age of installment, you can chew and eat cast iron.”
“Ha, hanga!”
“Hahahaha!”
The old man laughed softly.
When was the last time I laughed like this, I wonder if it has been more than ten years.
He stopped laughing and stroked the round head.
“Yes, you are right. The old man can even chew and eat cast iron.”
“yes. I am always right.”
Hang-a with a proud smile took hold of his sleeve and led him into the house, and the old man pretended not to win and followed.
He was the one who wouldn’t budge even if the king of the world attacked him, but today is an exception. More than anything… … .
‘Not too bad.’
I really liked this situation.
It seemed that he had become an ordinary old man after a long time.
As soon as we entered the room, Jang’s wife brought out a table.
“Chan doesn’t change.”
As she said, the food was simple.
A few herbs and multigrain rice. The meat soup served as a treat was pale in color and boring in taste.
But it was a well-prepared meal.
At first glance, they are not well off, but they welcomed the shaggy old man who occupied the head of the table as a guest, not an uninvited guest.
‘That’s true.’
The old man finished his meal in a strange mood. Chang’e asked, her eyes twinkling.
“Payment. it was tasty?”
“Yes, it was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten.”
“right? My mom is the best cook in our town.”
“… … Is that so?”
“huh!”
It’s not quite like that. The old man swallowed his words and shook his head.
The meal now was not eaten for taste. I ate with sincerity.
Hang-a, on the other hand, was unaware of this and kept talking excitedly.
“Jang, who lives in the house next door, sometimes comes to my house and eats, although I got it yesterday. lol.”
Mr. Jang, who was watching his daughter happily, said.
“Hang-ah, did this guy go to the old man’s house again?”
“Yeah, the installment plan gave me something delicious yesterday. Other older brothers too.”
“How many times have I asked the elders not to be a nuisance… … But what about older brothers?”
Zhangjiagang is a small village. A few young people went abroad or devoted themselves to the Moorim sect with dreams of fortune.
The rest of them have to start their own families and see that there are few people that Hang-a can call his brother. But, Oh, come on.
“This is the first person I see?”
“Yes. He was tall, handsome, and gave me as much to eat as later. So I found an installment plan.”
“Find me? Were they looking for you?”
“I don’t know. Just looking for an installment? They were cool older brothers with sticks on their waists.”
“A stick on your waist…a sword?”
Murim people, definitely Moorim people.
The faces of the Jang couple who thought of the same thought became serious.
For ordinary citizens like them, Moorim people are feared.
How scared were you even during the war between Taewon Jinga and Hangsan Checkpoint that took place just a few months ago?
However, unidentified Murim people are approaching. And their only daughter was entangled with them.
Jang opened his mouth with a nervous face.
“So what happened?”
“I took it and my installment screamed.”
“Did you hear who those older brothers were?”
“I heard, but I forgot!”
It was a clear answer, but a dark cloud hung over the parents’ hearts. Zhang suddenly got up from his seat.
“I must go. I don’t know if the old man has suffered something.”
“Hang-ah father!”
“You stay here with Chang-a.
Don’t worry, I’ll just take a quick look.”
Unlike the horse, it picks up an ax leaning in the corner of the room. It was the moment her frightened wife tried to dissuade.
“Sit down.”
“yes?”
“Ah, are your ears blocked? Sit down.”
An old man who had been sitting quietly gets up. A crunching sound could be heard from his bony knees.
“I must have eaten well. I’m going to go for a walk or something. At this point, I’m paying for the meal.”
Mr. Jang, who had been staring blankly at the old man, smiled dejectedly.
“There is no place for the elderly to go.”
“The opposite. That is no place for you to go.”
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
“Can I come back?”
The old man stared at Jang with an unknown expression.
Faced with deep, sunken, heart-warming eyes, he seemed to stop breathing.
“If they’re just a little bit, even a little bit, bad quality, you won’t be able to come back. Are you going to raise your child without a father?”
His eyes shone like a fleeting flash, then faded.
As if nothing had happened, the old man patted his back and stretched out his hand toward Mr. Jang.
“Give it here.”
That was all. However, Mr. Jang passed the ax to the old man like someone possessed.
“You took good care of it. It’s good to use this only when cutting trees.”
The old man, who was quietly looking at the sharp ax blade, grinned at Hang-ah. Sensing the atmosphere, the child’s big eyes were moist.
“Why are you crying?”
“I think Hang-a did something wrong. Chang’e was wrong.”
“Okay, you are right this time.”
Just when the sad cry was about to burst out, a soft and soft voice continued like a cotton blanket.
“So, from now on, be extra careful so that something like this doesn’t happen again.
Did you listen carefully to what your parents said?”
“Yes… … But it’s installment.”
“Tell me.”
“Can installments come back?”
The old man couldn’t hold back the laughter that leaked out.
“of course. I am at an age where I can chew even cast iron, what can I do?”
At that time, Mr. Jang, who had been lost for a moment, came to his senses.
No matter how much it is, handing over an ax to an old man suffering from old age. Even if something was possessed, it seemed to be firmly possessed.
You have to get it right now.
“Old man, please give me the axe. This is really nonsense…”
The next moment, Mr. Zhang was speechless and opened his mouth. Because he could hardly believe it, because a spectacle unfolded before his eyes.
misread. misguided.
The ax blade was breaking. Every time his yellow teeth moved, which seemed like he couldn’t chew even soft chicken bones, the blade of the ax that he had painstakingly sharpened every day snapped.
“What is this?”
“Your child, you have eyes for people. It was very accurate.”
A conversation with an old man that he had recently passed through the astonished mind of Mr. Jang.
‘Why are there so many jipseongchon here? Even before half-time, there was Honggachon or something.’
‘Honggachon? Hongga Village must be a good 300 li away from here. Aren’t you mistaken for another place?’
‘Do I look like an idiot who can’t even remember what happened half an hour ago?’
Only then did Jang realize.
That everything the old man said so far wasn’t a lie.
He is no ordinary old man. An old man who can walk 300 li in half an hour and chew and eat cast iron cannot be ordinary.
They are the only ones who can perform such feats.
“The Murim people… … “
The old man asked Jang, who was shaking his legs.
“Okay, where are they?”
A voice full of joy came out from between Jang Tae-bo’s lips.
“I’ll make you the best recruit in the world.”
belt ring.
– The quest mission was successful.
– You have successfully completed the quest [Find the Artisan].
– A linked quest has been created.
Shiva, if I knew it would be like this, I would have shown it earlier. Even Hyuk Moo-jin’s face was absurd. No, if you look closely, it’s a look of astonishment.
“Um, that’s all in the middle of the year?”
I scratched my chin. what do i know It’s just that the system says it’s the end of the year, so it’s like that.
“Oh, I guess.”
“No, it’s not like that!”
“I know.”
In fact, I’m also confused.
Earlier, when Jang Tae-bo heard that there was a permanent season, there was no reaction, so those who play in the upper water must have a permanent season. I thought so.
But I found out… … .
‘Add 10 percent apple flavor to your drink. What is it?’
They say it’s the best mineral in the world, but if you take it off little by little and attach it to the blade, it must be extremely precious.
It is also a great advantage that only I can use 100% when everyone uses 5% and 10% additives throughout the year.
It’s because I’m going to eat it with tempal.
“With this, with this, I will be able to create the masterpiece of my life.”
Jang Tae-bo trembled with emotion.
It’s almost to the point where I wonder if it’s the old man who was bouncing around just a moment ago. Of course, things went well, so it’s good for me.
“Where on earth did you get such an enormous amount of perpetual season?”
“It’s a secret.”
“Ho, did you find a mine where a large amount of perennials were buried!”
Jang Tae-bo’s eyes flashed like high beams. He said he didn’t need anything more, and now he’s very… … .
“Let me know!”
I shook my head coldly. Not only do they not know the location of the mine, they can’t tell you the truth.
“It’s not possible.”
“please! I will ask you this!”
“Uh, uh, why are you like this?”
Now I hold on to the crotch of my pants and hang on. The soul of a master craftsman who has walked a single path for decades is burning in his eyes.
“Look-!”
“Oh, really!”
The moment he hurriedly removed Jang Tae-bo’s hand.
“This is Jang’s grandfather who lives in the house next door… … Nimiral. just moved Anyway, is this old man’s house?”
A high-pitched voice pierced my eardrums.
