Chapter 29: Finding a Way, No Matter What
'What's going on?'
Yu Gyeongseong and Beopjin, who were sitting around the fire, suddenly looked in the same direction at the exact same time. It might have been a trivial action, but the Guild Master managed to capture that fleeting moment shared between the two.
A chilling wind swept through the camp, as if warning them of the trial that was about to come crashing down on them. The campfire flickered ominously in the gust.
Just then, one of the merchants who'd been tending to the camels came running over in a panic.
The Guild Master was already on edge from that moment of unease and immediately questioned him.
"What's wrong?"
"The twin-humped Bactrian camels are acting strange, sir! The older ones are stretching their necks out and bellowing loudly, and they keep shoving their noses into the sand. I think..."
The crowd's faces hardened as they realized what was coming.
"A sandstorm is heading our way!"
The merchants and guards moved with haste.
"Take down the tents, now!"
"Tie down the supplies! Make sure everything's secure!"
"Bind the camels together!"
The wind that had been blowing suddenly began to accelerate at an alarming rate. Dust filled the air, growing thicker by the second.
Although it was a pitch-black night where nothing could be seen, Yu Gyeongseong could see it clearly.
Far in the distance, a massive storm was sweeping across the entire surface of the earth as it approached them. It looked like an entire mountain range was bearing down on them with unstoppable momentum.
Beopjin spoke to the Guild Master.
"This is no ordinary sandstorm!"
Eyes widened in alarm at his words. They'd already felt something was seriously off, but now a master monk was confirming their worst fears.
"We're moving positions! Hurry up!"
Following the Guild Master's orders, the merchants and escort warriors quickly put distance between themselves and the large sand dune. They'd originally positioned themselves there to hide from potential scouts, but staying there now would mean getting buried alive.
The storm hadn't even fully reached them yet, but grains of sand were already blasting on their faces. Everyone frantically wrapped cloth around their mouths, noses, and ears. If they didn't, they'd suffocate to death. Despite their efforts, sand still found its way through the gaps, piling around their eyes and ears.
Though the night was dark, everyone could now sense it clearly.
That massive force was right at their doorstep.
"Brace yourselves!"
People scrambled to tie themselves to heavy objects, checking the knots over and over again, and then they threw large sheets of cloth over themselves.
"......!!"
Soon, a deafening roar that made it impossible to distinguish between human screams and nature blanketed the space between heaven and earth.
The sandstorm tore through everything with the force of something that would swallow the world whole.
Humans and camels alike pressed their bodies into the ground, curled up as tight as possible.
In the midst of this, only one person stood upright and unyielding.
The sand flying at him like it had gone mad couldn't even leave a scratch on him.
Yu Gyeongseong faced the massive force calmly.
His vision was murky, as if thick fog had settled over everything, and the world was filled with nothing but sand.
This was truly a catastrophic force of nature. The scope of the storm's reach was absolutely vast.
[It’s a really extreme place. It makes you painfully aware of human limits. You could say it’s where you clearly see the gap between the realm of the Divine and the Human.]
Is this power in the realm of the Divine?
It certainly felt that way.
If so, then...
'Can humans fight against a force of nature like this?'
Yu Gyeongseong looked down at the people curled up tightly around him. They were so weak, but he could feel a tough will to survive in them.
'...They'll make it through.'
If all that power was focused on one spot, he wouldn't have thought so. But the force was spread out widely enough to cover the entire horizon. That's why it was possible.
'...?'
Just then, as if mocking that very thought, the energy suddenly spiked.
Is this what it feels like if a giant takes a swing at you?
A wind so strong that words couldn't describe it slammed into them.
"......"
The tall sand dune in front of them crumbled and collapsed in an instant.
A tidal wave of sand rode the wind, crashing toward them.
It looked like it would sweep away the entire merchant caravan in one go. Despite all their efforts to move to a safer distance, none of it would matter.
How many of them would survive being buried under that?
[For what purpose did you learn martial arts? If something is easy for you but changes someone else’s whole life, then what reason is there not to do it?]
Yu Gyeongseong's eyes flashed.
Whoosh
Even in this chaos, his mind remained perfectly focused. And in response to that focus, an invisible massive barrier formed instantaneously right in front of the merchant group who were curled up and trembling and too scared to even think of doing anything.
CRASH
The giant’s hand smashed into the wall and broke apart.
Sand rained down everywhere and got picked up by the wind again, but it no longer had the same devastating force as before.
No one could see what had happened.
Yu Gyeongseong simply stood there like that, in the center of all the huddled people.
***
"Ptoo! Looks like it's passed now, huh?"
One of the warriors spat sand from his mouth as he spoke. Even though he'd wrapped his face completely in cloth, sand had still wormed its way inside.
People began lifting their heads one by one.
The Guild Master and the head of the escort warriors immediately started giving orders.
"Start the headcount!"
"Inspect the camels!"
"Check the supplies!"
They spent just as much time running around checking things as they had spent hiding on the ground.
But surprisingly, there wasn't much damage at all. All the camels were fine too.
"Ugh... I thought we were gonna die! That was fucking terrifying..."
"No kidding. I thought we were totally screwed right at the end of the trip!"
They looked like beggars covered in sand, but they were grinning because they were alive.
But the veteran merchants and warriors who had more experience with the desert tilted their heads in confusion.
“How come... there’s barely any damage?”
Given how fierce it had been just moments ago, it wouldn't have been strange if most of the people and camels had been buried in sand or blown away. They felt incredibly fortunate, but it just didn't make sense.
That's when the Guild Master noticed their confusion and shouted out.
“Isn’t it obvious? It’s all thanks to the Zen Master’s sacred spiritual powers!”
Ears perked up at that.
Everyone looked at each other.
Oh... that must be it.
There was no other way to explain this situation.
Everyone gazed at Beopjin with eyes full of admiration and respect. The Guild Master felt the same way and was secretly quite pleased with himself. He was patting himself on the back for having recognized the monk's greatness and inviting him to join their journey.
In the midst of all this, Beopjin was searching for someone.
His eyes met with Yu Gyeongseong, who'd been standing there quietly.
Beopjin’s gentle look seemed to say something.
Well done. Isn't it nice to help the weak?
Something like that.
So Yu Gyeongseong nodded his head slightly in acknowledgment.
Beopjin grinned like a mischievous kid, and Yu Gyeongseong shook his head gently, signaling not to mention him.
The Guild Master had a point, after all.
Beopjin was the one who brought him here and convinced him to help, so Beopjin was the one who deserved their gratitude.
***
“Hey, you made it! So what did you think? How was it, experiencing the desert's true nature for the first time?!"
The merchants were now acting like it had been no big deal.
Yu Gyeongseong turned his gaze from Beopjin and played along with exaggerated dramatics.
"Terrifying! I really thought we were done for."
"Yeah, yeah. It’s normal to feel that way your first time. You’ll get used to it after a few storms!”
That seemed a bit rich coming from people who'd all been curled up in balls of terror, but Yu Gyeongseong responded with a bright smile anyway.
"I'm just glad everyone's safe."
***
They couldn't set out immediately since they had been through hell without even getting proper rest.
So they rested for a bit and waited until after sunrise to start packing up.
The merchants patted their camels as they loaded their cargoes.
“These guys are miraculous, I tell you. Not a single one died in that storm.”
You could hear how relieved and happy they were.
"They really are amazing."
The merchants seemed pleased by Yu Gyeongseong's agreement and continued talking. "Camels have long and thick eyelashes. They can close their nostrils too. Plus, their ears are small and full of hair, so they can block out sand."
That's why they'd been fine without covering themselves with anything like the humans had to.
“Camels don't get tired easily. They can go a long time without food or water thanks to the nutrients in their humps. And that's not all, their skin is so thick that they're fine even in the desert's extreme temperature swings."
Which meant they required less care. Much more convenient for those raising them.
"Their legs are much longer compared to other animals. Some say they evolved that way to keep their bodies farther from the hot ground. Same with their feet, they're thick like shoe soles, so they don't sink into the sand easily. They’re basically built for the desert.”
Now that he heard it, it really did make sense.
There was a good reason why the Righteous Alliance had switched entirely to camels as their mode of transportation partway through. The fact that those camels had been driven so hard they collapsed from exhaustion really said something about the Sword God's attitude toward the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
'Why is he trying so hard to wipe out the Divine Cult?'
***
"Alright everyone, let's finish up and head out!"
They chatted while they worked, but they were fast. They were ready to go in no time.
"We're moving out!"
Following the Guild Master's command, the caravan began to move.
The merchants didn't ride the camels this time but walked across the desert on their own two feet.
“We have to ride during the day to stay away from the hot ground. But in the morning, the ground isn't hot yet, so we get off and walk. That way, we can go further.”
So that’s why they were rushing.
But...
'Is walking fast really the most important thing right now?'
The sandstorm changed the whole landscape.
Shouldn't they figure out which way to go so they don't waste their efforts?
Actually, wasting effort would be the least of their problems. If they weren't careful, everyone here could end up dead.
Yu Gyeongseong glanced at the Guild Master.
The man was scanning the horizon with narrowed eyes.
During the night, they hadn't been able to see the sky because of all the sand in the air, so they had no way to determine direction by looking at the constellations.
And right now, all they could figure out was the general direction from which the sun had risen.
Driven by curiosity, Yu Gyeongseong approached him and asked. "Can you find the way?"
The Guild Master turned to look at him. He seemed to think it was a good question as he nodded with a serious expression.
"Humans will find a way somehow. No matter how harsh the environment."
The Guild Master then raised his voice so everyone could hear.
"Don't worry! We'll definitely find our way to the next oasis."
A refreshing smile, one that didn't match their dire circumstances, hung upon the Guild Master's face. He just oozed confidence and calm.
Maybe that's why the merchants and guards didn't seem worried.
They saw this as just another problem they could solve.
"Thanks."
The Guild Master said quietly to Yu Gyeongseong. He had been wanting to boost morale, and Yu Gyeongseong had come at just the right time. Thanks to that, he'd been able to reassure everyone that the journey was fine.
That must be why he felt generous enough to explain further.
“The terrain changes all the time in the desert. Even without sandstorms, the wind is always blowing. That’s why they call it 'Flowing Sand.'”
He had a point.
When Yu Gyeongseong first entered the desert, what struck him was how the terrain seemed still but was actually moving constantly.
“When you're looking for the way, you can't look at things that keep changing. If you do, you start doubting yourself. 'Wait, is this the right way?' Do that and your confidence starts crumbling. Once your certainty crumbles, uncontrollable fear sets in. Fear paralyzes reason, and then the situation spirals into catastrophe. That's why one of the most important qualities for someone leading a caravan is the ability to maintain cool judgment and find the right path. And you have to give your companions confidence in that path. You need to make your people believe in you."
It was a role that had a massive impact on everyone's lives. The weight of that responsibility was hard to fully digest at once.
"Then, what must one look at?”