Chapter 53:

Joonbum reached into his backpack and started taking out what he brought. He first started chopping down a tree with an axe. It was about twenty feet tall tree the thickness of a human thigh. Doral approached him curiously as Joonbum suddenly started chopping down the tree. In fact, it gathered all of the warriors’ attention.

“Joonbum, why the tree all of a sudden?”

“I need it. I need one more, help me!”

“One more?”

Doral shrugged and began chopping down another tree to help. Two trees soon fell to the ground.

“Doral, can you clean it out?”

“Sure.”

Doral started chopping down the branches as Joonbum requested. Soon, the other warriors came to help. Joonbum then began digging a two deep holes where the birds used to gather around near the lake. Using his tape measure, he then placed an L-shaped iron stake on the top of the tree and placed two more on both trees before also placing one in the hole. The warriors watched curiously.

“Joonbum, care to explain what this is?” Doral inquired as Joonbum grinned.

“It’s my secret weapon. It’s a net to catch the birds. We catch birds with this net back at my place. It’s not good during the day, but it’s amazing at night. I’ll show you later,” Joonbum explained and began putting down grain as bait. He then pulled out an iron box with some kind of mechanism in it. He took it to a grassy area where the birds gathered and placed it on top of the branches he’d set up. He then tied a fishing line to the box and backed away. He did not forget to put down the grains in front of it also.

“What is that?” Doral asked when he got back.

“…and that’s it for now.”

“Now? With that?”

“Yeah, just wait and see. Birds are birds.”

Doral seemed doubtful as Joonbum grinned.

“Is that another one of your weird tools?”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

The birds began gathering after a while, resuming hunting from all over the place. A bunch of birds dropped to the ground from the arrows.

‘That sure is scary,’ Joonbum thought as he saw all the arrows piercing through the birds. There were old sayings that said that one needed to use the bow for five years and seven more years to get good at it. Yet the Ainos people started using bows when they were only five or six years old. Most used their bows in perfection when they were over fifteen. But what about the ones that wielded the bow for decades? That was what was happening in front of Joonbum.

Just a pull resulted in two or three birds pierced with the arrow, dropping to the ground. Almost none of the arrows missed their targets.

‘It’s like the movies.’

It was amazing sight for master shooters to hunt with the group.

As the torrent of arrows died down, the warriors began gathering the fallen birds in front of the box that Joonbum placed down. The number started growing as the attack stopped. Joonbum grinned and Doral and others looked at him, not aware of the outcome.

A sudden pop from the box startled the birds, but the net launched from it stopped them from flying away. About thirty birds were caught by the trap.

“Wow.”

“Ugh!”

“Ouch.”

“What!”

Many were startled by the sound. The other Ainos watching from the distance also stood up, surprised.

“Haha, this is it! How is it? It’s good right? We can send it to the village alive so they won’t rot. I think we can raise them in the village for the meat too.”

Joonbum laughed at the sight of the birds screaming under the net.

“Help me.”

“Oh, yes sure.”

Warriors began gathering to watch. Howen, the chieftain, was among them.

“This is amazing.”

“Can we make a cage?”

“Pav, go make a large cage.”

“Yes, sir!”

Pav called the other warriors to craft a temporary cage and they threw live birds inside it. Joonbum then set up another trap and caught more. Joonbum then thought of an idea. He gathered five birds that he caught and tied them down near the bait. They tried to fly away, but they soon gave up and began eating the grain.

‘Birds are so dumb. Hehe.’

It seemed as if it forgot that it was captured. The sight of birds eating the bait lured the other birds to quickly gather around. The warriors were astonished at the scene.

No one laughed at Joonbum as he continued hunting. The other warriors from different villages came over to watch him as he continued throughout the day.

“Make more cages! Hurry!”

Howen ordered his warriors to make more cages as Joonbum continued hunting.

“We’ll need more. That will get us more at night.”

Joonbum’s actions changed the nature of the fall hunt entirely.

“Joonbum, can you get more of those nets? And the machine?” Howen asked. Joonbum nodded and answered with big smile.

“Of course. You gave us enough for it. I think my mother can bring in more.”

‘Oh.’

She let out a soft gasp. The person was wearing expensive-looking traditional Korean dress. The beautiful decoration was charmingly stitched on as the skirt had beautiful autumn flowers on it. The woman looked like she was in her mid-thirties, and she also had a sort of noble beauty with the golden hair pin in her hair. She also had beautiful gold earrings and a gold necklace that shone on her neck. There was also a gold bracelet and a ring with unknown engravings on it that showed its age.

‘She must be some sort of upper-class woman.’

She definitely looked like a noble from the ancient times.

“Welcome!”

Younghee approached her quickly as she bowed. Sunsook Lee smiled at her.

“Hello. I came to sell some gold. Who do I need to talk to?”

“Gold? Are you here to sell gold?” Younghee asked again unexpectedly. Sunsook nodded with a smile.

“Oh, right. This way please.”

Sukhyun Kim, who was waiting inside, glanced at Sunsook as Younghee brought her over to him. A similar impression to Younghee’s entered Sukhyun’s mind.

“Welcome.”

“Hello.”

Sunsook bowed lightly as Sukhyun greeted her. Younghee spoke up.

“She’s here to sell gold. Then if you’ll excuse me.”

“Oh, okay. Sit down please.”

Sukhyun offered Sunsook a seat. She nodded as she sat as offered.

“So, you’re here to sell some gold? How much do you have?”

Sunsook grinned at the question.

“I wish to sell the ox I inherited from my father.”

“Oh.”

He nodded. There were some who came to sell their golden pigs, turtles, or oxen that were usually given to them as presents.

‘I wonder how big this is?’

Sukhyun eyed the woman in front of him while he was filled with thoughts.

‘It’s all gold. I guess her family’s into gold or something?’

There were some families that were like that. She looked like she was one of them.

Sunsook took out a box and put it on the table. The box was well-decorated itself, proving that it was made by an artisan. Even the box itself seemed to have some worth. Sunsook opened the box herself.

“What!”

Sukhyun gasped in shock as he saw what was inside. It was more than surprising.

“This-this is an ox?”

“It’s bit big, right? It’s still the smallest one we have at home.”

Sukhyun swallowed his empty throat.

‘This isn’t an ox. This is more like a buffalo!’

He watched in awe before he could continue.

“Is, is this real gold?”

“I heard it’s 99.5% pure gold.”

“A-and you’re selling this?

“Yes, I need some cash for a real estate investment…”

“Uh, erm, let me measure it first…”

“It’s 9.25 pounds.”

“L-let me calculate… hold on please!”

Sukhyun rose up frantically. Sunsook smiled silently as the man seemed to be distraught.

‘I was surprised too.’

She thought she was looking at herself when she first saw this gold. This was offered to her as a trade item when the Ainos began moving in. It was shaped as an animal which was named the Duran.

“W-we checked the price. The price of gold has gone up quite a bit lately, so we can offer a payout of 200 million won! That’s after taxes and other fees.”

“Hmmph. That’s a bit less than what I need.”