Chapter 94

Chapter 94

While the other workers descended, Jin Ja-gang continued laying tiles in the rain. The roof was extremely slippery.

His feet slipped several times on the rain-soaked tiles, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. If he fell, a broken leg would be the least of his concerns.

But a small smile appeared on Jin Ja-gang’s face.

He had figured it out. A way to use poison.

But he still needed one more thing…

Jin Ja-gang suddenly noticed ginkgo fruits rolling across the roof, blown by the wind and rain.

Around Poison Valley’s halls grew ginkgo trees that must have been at least hundreds of years old. Kunming Lake had clusters of ginkgo trees, and the area where Poison Valley was located was no exception.

Jin Ja-gang put a ginkgo fruit in his mouth.

The soft outer skin burst with a pop, releasing a foul smell. The fruit contained poison. His mouth felt tingly and numb.

Crunch. He bit through the soft outer skin to the hard shell inside. The ginkgo nut inside the shell also contained toxins.

After thinking for a moment, Jin Ja-gang spat out the hard shell and the ginkgo nut inside.

Then he looked up at the sky.

Was it coincidence?

The conditions for using poison had aligned.

Except for one thing.

This time, he would need heaven’s luck to succeed with that one missing element.

Having found his method, Jin Ja-gang worked diligently laying tiles without a moment’s laziness. The workers watching from below were even concerned about his health, given his intensity.

* * *

Nearly ten days had passed since Jin Ja-gang began working.

Having spent eight years hammering in the mine shaft, he was particularly good at nailing and could easily carry heavy loads.

Jin Ja-gang worked continuously from morning until night with a ginkgo leaf in his mouth.

Next to the main hall was a temporary shelter made of straw mats where the workers stayed. Most workers would drink or rest there after finishing their day’s work.

But Jin Ja-gang would do something until it was completely dark. He would either collect ginkgo fruits or continue working.

Even seasoned construction workers were amazed. Jin Ja-gang seemed particularly fond of laying roof tiles, climbing up to the roof day and night to work on them. His limp didn’t seem to hinder him much.

Finally, two days before the Yunnan poison sects’ general assembly.

The construction was barely completed.

Though not abundant, food and alcohol were provided at the temporary shelter.

The foreman gathered the workers and praised them.

“Good work, everyone. Fortunately, it didn’t rain yesterday or the day before, so we managed to finish the construction on time. Today, have a drink and then go home and wait.”

The workers felt relieved that the work was done, but their faces showed concern about not getting paid.

“Hey, is this your first time working with me? I’ll make sure to collect your wages and distribute them, don’t worry.”

The workers tried to shake off their anxiety and picked up bottles of alcohol.

“Well, worrying won’t change whether we get paid or not. Let’s drink!”

“That’s right. Let’s eat and drink first.”

The shelter became lively as the workers drank and ate.

The foreman looked around and spotted Jin Ja-gang sitting alone in a corner. Jin Ja-gang had a yellow ginkgo leaf in his mouth, sitting quietly.

“You worked the hardest. Here, have a drink.”

“Thank you.”

The foreman poured Jin Ja-gang a drink and downed a bowl himself.

“I’ve been doing this work for over twenty years, but I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as you. The job is pretty much done, and we need to take down the shelter tomorrow. Do you have somewhere to go?”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

“If you don’t have anywhere to go, come to my house. You’ll need to stay a few days to get paid anyway.”

“Thank you for your consideration, but I don’t want to impose…”

“Why is a young man like you so reserved? When an elder tells you something, you should just accept it. What are you going to do without money? Sleep on the streets?”

The foreman pressed down on Jin Ja-gang’s head, ruffling his hair.

“What? What?”

The foreman even put his arm around Jin Ja-gang’s shoulders.

“Jin Ga, are you interested in carpentry work? I can let you stay at my house, so think about it. If you follow me and learn, you’ll at least be able to feed yourself.”

“Haha… I’ll think about it…”

It had been a long time since he’d experienced someone’s friendly gesture.

Jin Ja-gang was so flustered that he even broke a sweat.

* * *

The next day, the shelter was dismantled as construction wrapped up.

After the cleaning was finished, most of the workers prepared to leave by mid-morning.

Only Jin Ja-gang and the foreman, who had nowhere to go, remained.

“Aren’t you leaving, Foreman?”

“I am. Come with me.”

“No, I thought I’d give the floor another coat of paint if there’s time.”

“Hey, this is a real sickness. No one’s going to pay you more for working that hard. It’s enough, so stop and come here.”

The foreman practically dragged Jin Ja-gang along.

The foreman pointed to a village visible in the distance.

“My house is over there. It takes about two hours to get down there. Let’s go have lunch and come back. We can finish the rest of the work together in the evening.”

“If you’re coming back, I’ll just stay here…”

“Why are you so stubborn? An elder is asking you to share a warm meal for once.”

Jin Ja-gang was uncomfortable socializing with others. The foreman was simply showing kindness, but that kindness could cost him his life. The kinder someone was, the more Jin Ja-gang needed to keep his distance.

“I’ll stay.”

“I said come with me.”

“I still want to stay.”

“Hey! Are you trying to make me raise my voice? Do you think I’m a joke? Huh?”

The foreman’s anger was drawing attention from others.

With no choice, Jin Ja-gang had to follow the foreman.

“Let me get my belongings first, and I’ll meet you at the main gate.”

“F-fine. You’d better come. I’ll wait for you.”

The foreman kept looking back as he descended from Poison Valley.

Forceful kindness.

Harmless mischief.

It was somehow sad that Jin Ja-gang couldn’t simply accept such situations comfortably.

Jin Ja-gang had no belongings to collect. He was just trying to hide the foreman from any watchful eyes.

There were still many people coming and going. Jin Ja-gang wandered around killing time, then slipped out of Poison Valley among the crowd.

He then joined the foreman, who was waiting at the main gate, and together they went to the foreman’s house.

The foreman’s house was at the edge of the village.

Being a carpenter, his house wasn’t fancy but was built solidly and practically.

“Honey! I’m home.”

A middle-aged woman came out to greet the foreman. She was his wife, with the warm appearance of any kind-hearted village woman.

“You’ve brought a young man with you? My goodness, you’re both filthy. Go wash up quickly. I’ll have the meal ready by the time you’re done.”

The foreman took Jin Ja-gang to the stream behind the house. Being a modest household, they couldn’t afford the luxury of heated water.

“Splash, splash!”

The foreman quickly washed just his face and got up.

“You should take a proper bath since it’s been a while.”

“What? I can just wash my face too.”

“You smell. You need to wash properly. I’ll bring you some clothes.”

Jin Ja-gang felt embarrassed at being told he smelled.

“Haha…”

He had been careful about the ginkgo smell, but apparently it hadn’t worked.

The foreman grinned.

“You smell because you’re always eating those ginkgo nuts. Most people get sick from eating those, but you seem fine. Anyway, that’s why you need to wash.”

With that, the foreman left Jin Ja-gang behind.

Jin Ja-gang thought the foreman had a point.

Tomorrow, many people from the poison sects would be gathering. If he appeared smelly or dirty, he would likely draw unwanted attention.

The smell of ginkgo fruits was quite strong, after all.

Jin Ja-gang thought it would be better to wash up for tomorrow.

So he was undressing to get into the water when… suddenly he sensed someone approaching.

Startled, Jin Ja-gang pulled out a poison needle from inside his clothes.

“Um…”

A simple country girl who appeared to be around Jin Ja-gang’s age approached. The girl’s face turned red seeing Jin Ja-gang half-undressed.

“Dad asked me to bring you clothes to change into.”

Looking closely, her face resembled the foreman’s.

“Thank you.”

The girl left the clothes and quickly ran away.

Jin Ja-gang also felt awkward and promptly dunked his head underwater.

* * *

“…”

The foreman and his wife were so shocked they couldn’t even eat, just staring with their mouths open.

With them gaping at him across the dinner table, Jin Ja-gang felt embarrassed.

“My goodness…”

“Hey, was that your real face all along?”

The foreman and his wife couldn’t hide their amazement.

“How does a laborer have such smooth skin?”

“How are you more beautiful than the lady from the lower village? What’s your secret?”

Jin Ja-gang’s skin, after being thoroughly washed, was beautiful. It was white and translucent, with a natural glow.

When he was dirty and grimy, they had no idea he looked like this.

“Were you perhaps the son of some high official that we commoners couldn’t even approach?”

Jin Ja-gang laughed awkwardly at the foreman’s question.

“No. I’m not.”

“Hmm… But you have such a noble air about you. You don’t seem like someone who should be doing this kind of work.”

Jin Ja-gang stated firmly:

“You shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.”

“That doesn’t really fit the current situation, does it? Hmm… really.”

“Foreman, let’s stop talking about this and eat.”

“What’s with the ‘foreman’? Just call me Mr. Jang.”

Mr. Jang called his daughter over and pointed at Jin Ja-gang.

“Rangrang, isn’t he handsome?”

The daughter’s cheeks turned red again.

“Haha, look at how red her face is.”

“Oh my! I’ll go get some water.”

Mr. Jang finally picked up his chopsticks. While eating, he subtly asked Jin Ja-gang:

“What do you think of my daughter?”

Jin Ja-gang nearly choked on his food.

“Cough! …What?”

Having apparently discussed this with his wife beforehand, Mrs. Jang didn’t seem surprised at all.

Jin Ja-gang looked at Mr. Jang’s expression. There was no hint of joking; he was completely serious.

“Let me be honest. I really like you. You’re more diligent and hardworking than anyone I’ve ever seen. That’s why I’m interested. When I asked if you wanted to learn carpentry, it wasn’t just a casual suggestion.”

Mrs. Jang added:

“I heard from my husband that you have a slight disability. In today’s world, that kind of flaw is nothing to worry about.”

“Well, I’m not asking you to decide right away. You can stay with us for a few days and get to know each other. To be honest, now that you’re cleaned up, you look even better than I expected, which is a bit concerning.”

Mr. Jang smiled good-naturedly.

Jin Ja-gang was taken aback, having no idea that Mr. Jang’s persistent invitations to his home had such implications.

Jin Ja-gang quietly ate his meal.

The table was neatly set. Steaming rice, stir-fried mushrooms, potato strips, eggplant dishes… and a large bowl of meat soup that seemed specially prepared.

It was a simple but warm meal filled with genuine care.

A long time ago, from memories so faint they were barely there… the kind of warm meal his mother used to make.

Jin Ja-gang felt a surge of emotion.

It had been eight, no, almost nine years.

A home-cooked meal he thought he would never eat again.

Eating this meal brought back memories of his happy past. Memories of his childhood days when he knew nothing and thought everything would last forever.

Jin Ja-gang felt a lump in his throat.

Perhaps… perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad.

An ordinary life.

Waking up at dawn every day, going to work with ordinary people, coming home at night to cook and eat with a wife… having children one by one and watching them grow up… that kind of life.

Not having to live in constant tension as if walking on thin ice, being able to enjoy life at a leisurely pace. If things went well, he might even have a prosperous old age.

In his later years, his children and grandchildren would hold celebrations wishing for his longevity. He would meet a peaceful death surrounded by many family members and descendants.

He would never again have to live trapped in that dark, damp mine shaft where no light entered…

The emotion that came from imagining such an ordinary, simple life made his heart swell.

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While the other workers descended, Jin Ja-gang continued laying tiles in the rain. The roof was extremely slippery.

His feet slipped several times on the rain-soaked tiles, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. If he fell, a broken leg would be the least of his concerns.

But a small smile appeared on Jin Ja-gang’s face.

He had figured it out. A way to use poison.

But he still needed one more thing…

Jin Ja-gang suddenly noticed ginkgo fruits rolling across the roof, blown by the wind and rain.

Around Poison Valley’s halls grew ginkgo trees that must have been at least hundreds of years old. Kunming Lake had clusters of ginkgo trees, and the area where Poison Valley was located was no exception.

Jin Ja-gang put a ginkgo fruit in his mouth.

The soft outer skin burst with a pop, releasing a foul smell. The fruit contained poison. His mouth felt tingly and numb.

Crunch. He bit through the soft outer skin to the hard shell inside. The ginkgo nut inside the shell also contained toxins.

After thinking for a moment, Jin Ja-gang spat out the hard shell and the ginkgo nut inside.

Then he looked up at the sky.

Was it coincidence?

The conditions for using poison had aligned.

Except for one thing.

This time, he would need heaven’s luck to succeed with that one missing element.

Having found his method, Jin Ja-gang worked diligently laying tiles without a moment’s laziness. The workers watching from below were even concerned about his health, given his intensity.

* * *

Nearly ten days had passed since Jin Ja-gang began working.

Having spent eight years hammering in the mine shaft, he was particularly good at nailing and could easily carry heavy loads.

Jin Ja-gang worked continuously from morning until night with a ginkgo leaf in his mouth.

Next to the main hall was a temporary shelter made of straw mats where the workers stayed. Most workers would drink or rest there after finishing their day’s work.

But Jin Ja-gang would do something until it was completely dark. He would either collect ginkgo fruits or continue working.

Even seasoned construction workers were amazed. Jin Ja-gang seemed particularly fond of laying roof tiles, climbing up to the roof day and night to work on them. His limp didn’t seem to hinder him much.

Finally, two days before the Yunnan poison sects’ general assembly.

The construction was barely completed.

Though not abundant, food and alcohol were provided at the temporary shelter.

The foreman gathered the workers and praised them.

“Good work, everyone. Fortunately, it didn’t rain yesterday or the day before, so we managed to finish the construction on time. Today, have a drink and then go home and wait.”

The workers felt relieved that the work was done, but their faces showed concern about not getting paid.

“Hey, is this your first time working with me? I’ll make sure to collect your wages and distribute them, don’t worry.”

The workers tried to shake off their anxiety and picked up bottles of alcohol.

“Well, worrying won’t change whether we get paid or not. Let’s drink!”

“That’s right. Let’s eat and drink first.”

The shelter became lively as the workers drank and ate.

The foreman looked around and spotted Jin Ja-gang sitting alone in a corner. Jin Ja-gang had a yellow ginkgo leaf in his mouth, sitting quietly.

“You worked the hardest. Here, have a drink.”

“Thank you.”

The foreman poured Jin Ja-gang a drink and downed a bowl himself.

“I’ve been doing this work for over twenty years, but I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as you. The job is pretty much done, and we need to take down the shelter tomorrow. Do you have somewhere to go?”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

“If you don’t have anywhere to go, come to my house. You’ll need to stay a few days to get paid anyway.”

“Thank you for your consideration, but I don’t want to impose…”

“Why is a young man like you so reserved? When an elder tells you something, you should just accept it. What are you going to do without money? Sleep on the streets?”

The foreman pressed down on Jin Ja-gang’s head, ruffling his hair.

“What? What?”

The foreman even put his arm around Jin Ja-gang’s shoulders.

“Jin Ga, are you interested in carpentry work? I can let you stay at my house, so think about it. If you follow me and learn, you’ll at least be able to feed yourself.”

“Haha… I’ll think about it…”

It had been a long time since he’d experienced someone’s friendly gesture.

Jin Ja-gang was so flustered that he even broke a sweat.

* * *

The next day, the shelter was dismantled as construction wrapped up.

After the cleaning was finished, most of the workers prepared to leave by mid-morning.

Only Jin Ja-gang and the foreman, who had nowhere to go, remained.

“Aren’t you leaving, Foreman?”

“I am. Come with me.”

“No, I thought I’d give the floor another coat of paint if there’s time.”

“Hey, this is a real sickness. No one’s going to pay you more for working that hard. It’s enough, so stop and come here.”

The foreman practically dragged Jin Ja-gang along.

The foreman pointed to a village visible in the distance.

“My house is over there. It takes about two hours to get down there. Let’s go have lunch and come back. We can finish the rest of the work together in the evening.”

“If you’re coming back, I’ll just stay here…”

“Why are you so stubborn? An elder is asking you to share a warm meal for once.”

Jin Ja-gang was uncomfortable socializing with others. The foreman was simply showing kindness, but that kindness could cost him his life. The kinder someone was, the more Jin Ja-gang needed to keep his distance.

“I’ll stay.”

“I said come with me.”

“I still want to stay.”

“Hey! Are you trying to make me raise my voice? Do you think I’m a joke? Huh?”

The foreman’s anger was drawing attention from others.

With no choice, Jin Ja-gang had to follow the foreman.

“Let me get my belongings first, and I’ll meet you at the main gate.”

“F-fine. You’d better come. I’ll wait for you.”

The foreman kept looking back as he descended from Poison Valley.

Forceful kindness.

Harmless mischief.

It was somehow sad that Jin Ja-gang couldn’t simply accept such situations comfortably.

Jin Ja-gang had no belongings to collect. He was just trying to hide the foreman from any watchful eyes.

There were still many people coming and going. Jin Ja-gang wandered around killing time, then slipped out of Poison Valley among the crowd.

He then joined the foreman, who was waiting at the main gate, and together they went to the foreman’s house.

The foreman’s house was at the edge of the village.

Being a carpenter, his house wasn’t fancy but was built solidly and practically.

“Honey! I’m home.”

A middle-aged woman came out to greet the foreman. She was his wife, with the warm appearance of any kind-hearted village woman.

“You’ve brought a young man with you? My goodness, you’re both filthy. Go wash up quickly. I’ll have the meal ready by the time you’re done.”

The foreman took Jin Ja-gang to the stream behind the house. Being a modest household, they couldn’t afford the luxury of heated water.

“Splash, splash!”

The foreman quickly washed just his face and got up.

“You should take a proper bath since it’s been a while.”

“What? I can just wash my face too.”

“You smell. You need to wash properly. I’ll bring you some clothes.”

Jin Ja-gang felt embarrassed at being told he smelled.

“Haha…”

He had been careful about the ginkgo smell, but apparently it hadn’t worked.

The foreman grinned.

“You smell because you’re always eating those ginkgo nuts. Most people get sick from eating those, but you seem fine. Anyway, that’s why you need to wash.”

With that, the foreman left Jin Ja-gang behind.

Jin Ja-gang thought the foreman had a point.

Tomorrow, many people from the poison sects would be gathering. If he appeared smelly or dirty, he would likely draw unwanted attention.

The smell of ginkgo fruits was quite strong, after all.

Jin Ja-gang thought it would be better to wash up for tomorrow.

So he was undressing to get into the water when… suddenly he sensed someone approaching.

Startled, Jin Ja-gang pulled out a poison needle from inside his clothes.

“Um…”

A simple country girl who appeared to be around Jin Ja-gang’s age approached. The girl’s face turned red seeing Jin Ja-gang half-undressed.

“Dad asked me to bring you clothes to change into.”

Looking closely, her face resembled the foreman’s.

“Thank you.”

The girl left the clothes and quickly ran away.

Jin Ja-gang also felt awkward and promptly dunked his head underwater.

* * *

“…”

The foreman and his wife were so shocked they couldn’t even eat, just staring with their mouths open.

With them gaping at him across the dinner table, Jin Ja-gang felt embarrassed.

“My goodness…”

“Hey, was that your real face all along?”

The foreman and his wife couldn’t hide their amazement.

“How does a laborer have such smooth skin?”

“How are you more beautiful than the lady from the lower village? What’s your secret?”

Jin Ja-gang’s skin, after being thoroughly washed, was beautiful. It was white and translucent, with a natural glow.

When he was dirty and grimy, they had no idea he looked like this.

“Were you perhaps the son of some high official that we commoners couldn’t even approach?”

Jin Ja-gang laughed awkwardly at the foreman’s question.

“No. I’m not.”

“Hmm… But you have such a noble air about you. You don’t seem like someone who should be doing this kind of work.”

Jin Ja-gang stated firmly:

“You shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.”

“That doesn’t really fit the current situation, does it? Hmm… really.”

“Foreman, let’s stop talking about this and eat.”

“What’s with the ‘foreman’? Just call me Mr. Jang.”

Mr. Jang called his daughter over and pointed at Jin Ja-gang.

“Rangrang, isn’t he handsome?”

The daughter’s cheeks turned red again.

“Haha, look at how red her face is.”

“Oh my! I’ll go get some water.”

Mr. Jang finally picked up his chopsticks. While eating, he subtly asked Jin Ja-gang:

“What do you think of my daughter?”

Jin Ja-gang nearly choked on his food.

“Cough! …What?”

Having apparently discussed this with his wife beforehand, Mrs. Jang didn’t seem surprised at all.

Jin Ja-gang looked at Mr. Jang’s expression. There was no hint of joking; he was completely serious.

“Let me be honest. I really like you. You’re more diligent and hardworking than anyone I’ve ever seen. That’s why I’m interested. When I asked if you wanted to learn carpentry, it wasn’t just a casual suggestion.”

Mrs. Jang added:

“I heard from my husband that you have a slight disability. In today’s world, that kind of flaw is nothing to worry about.”

“Well, I’m not asking you to decide right away. You can stay with us for a few days and get to know each other. To be honest, now that you’re cleaned up, you look even better than I expected, which is a bit concerning.”

Mr. Jang smiled good-naturedly.

Jin Ja-gang was taken aback, having no idea that Mr. Jang’s persistent invitations to his home had such implications.

Jin Ja-gang quietly ate his meal.

The table was neatly set. Steaming rice, stir-fried mushrooms, potato strips, eggplant dishes… and a large bowl of meat soup that seemed specially prepared.

It was a simple but warm meal filled with genuine care.

A long time ago, from memories so faint they were barely there… the kind of warm meal his mother used to make.

Jin Ja-gang felt a surge of emotion.

It had been eight, no, almost nine years.

A home-cooked meal he thought he would never eat again.

Eating this meal brought back memories of his happy past. Memories of his childhood days when he knew nothing and thought everything would last forever.

Jin Ja-gang felt a lump in his throat.

Perhaps… perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad.

An ordinary life.

Waking up at dawn every day, going to work with ordinary people, coming home at night to cook and eat with a wife… having children one by one and watching them grow up… that kind of life.

Not having to live in constant tension as if walking on thin ice, being able to enjoy life at a leisurely pace. If things went well, he might even have a prosperous old age.

In his later years, his children and grandchildren would hold celebrations wishing for his longevity. He would meet a peaceful death surrounded by many family members and descendants.

He would never again have to live trapped in that dark, damp mine shaft where no light entered…

The emotion that came from imagining such an ordinary, simple life made his heart swell.

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