Chapter 62: At the end of fall

“Okay. I don’t care what you do with it. I guess it’s better for both of us. I think I get it. Did you see those videos on the internet where they fired at it for fun? I heard those kids from wealthy families do those kinds of things here too.”

“How much will it be?”

“It will be more expensive than regular guns and ammo. It fires over 3000 to 4000 rounds in a minute. Just to make sure, don’t even fire it in your video unless you’re in a foreign country and in a permitted area.”

“Understood.”

Joonbum nodded. Taesoo then rose from his seat.

“I’ll let you know once I get it.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Joonbum let out a sigh when he walked out. He was very nervous as he knew this trade would involve the mafia. He was worried they might turn their back on him like from some movie and he was also not too happy about getting others involved besides Taesoo. Yet he knew it was inevitable with such a big trade.

‘Mom should be here soon.’

It was already 10 o’clock when a sound was heard outside of the store. Sunsook soon entered.

“Joonbum.”

“You’re back.”

“Is that what it is?”

“Yes.”

“The car you told me about before?”

Joonbum smiled at the thought that their lives would become a little safer with it.

“Right. It will protect us at all times.”

*

“Whoaa!”

“WOW!”

It was the kids who gathered around with shouts of excitement as Joonbum and his mother drove through the Gate in the Marauder. They were shocked to see such an enormous vehicle roaring with a fearsome noise after making an appearance.

“This is so cool!”

Joonbum pressed down on the accelerator, making more sounds from the exhaust. The kids were shocked and excited at this new machine that they had never seen before. Pretty soon, the entire Ainos tribe gathered to gawk at the new vehicle.

Doral, who had been on guard duty on the watchtower, whistled in amazement as he noticed the appearance of the Marauder.

“Heeyah!”

“It’s Sabu!”

“Sabu!”

“Sabu!!”

“Wow. Sunsook, what is this? Is this a house?”

The kids and women approached Joonbum and Sunsook as they got off the car and promptly bombarded them with questions. Joonbum turned back to look at the Marauder, which was displayed proudly in front of all of the people in the fortress.

It was a monster in the disguise of a car. Joonbum figured he would be safe against any kind of monster that existed in this mountain range.

‘Just the sight of it makes me so happy,’ Joonbum thought. The vehicle was like a work of art to him.

“I know you warned me, but this is something else. What is this anyway?”

Doral, who had approached, started asking. The kids were also running around, touching the tires that were bigger than themselves.

“It’s a vehicle. It’s like the one I brought before.”

“Is it? It does look similar to that I guess. But this looks like an adult in comparison.”

The shape of the vehicle was similar, so it was easy to see why it would be compared as such. Other adults who had been examining the vehicle were also very surprised.

“Is this all made out of steel? And look at this glass! It’s so durable!”

Gazlow, who smacked at the glass at Joonbum’s offer, mumbled with a frown. It was not like the glass they were familiar with.

“So this glass is similar to that of the Humvee?”

“Right.”

“I guess it really is going to be safe if you’re in there. You said it can even protect you from the rifle you brought?”

Gazlow was astonished.

“Oh, and have other tribes decided yet?”

“About the rifles?”

“Yes.”

“I believe there will be messengers informing us of what’s been decided. I think most tribes will buy at least 100 each.”

“That’s good to know.”

“They saw the power. We use poison, but sometimes it just takes too long to take effect. It would be helpful to have rifles in that case. I think the elders are thinking about melting it to use for arrowheads when it breaks. Haha!”

Joonbum was surprised at the idea. It seemed like a sound idea when the rifles really became useless.

‘It will serve them well for at least the next thirty, or maybe even a hundred years.”

The rifle was durable enough to last them a very long time.

“Let’s move!”

Sunsook and the women had already begun unloading the things that were inside the Marauder.

“Wow, what is this?”

“That’s the silk linen I told you about. It’s very soft.”

The women were excited by the sight of the silk that Sunsook brought. There was a large number of silk linen in various colors. It was a good gift as it was also very popular only second to the dishes.

“It’s a great material to make clothing out of. The linen we buy from the humans are really bad and those that are better in quality are too expensive…”

“The paper and pencil are amazing too. Parchment is also very expensive. And heavy.”

“Right. If we make the picturebook Joonbum brought with parchment instead, it will be stupidly heavy.”

They talked to each other as they commented on the stuff that Joonbum had brought over. There was no need to hurry while working, so they were all very relaxed. Joonbum loved this atmosphere where no one was rushing through every single thing.

“We’ll go hunt for Bodua in the afternoon.”

“Bodua?”

Joonbum brightened at Gazlow’s words. He felt his mouth filling with saliva as he thought about the Bodua meat he ate before. Gazlow grinned.

“It’s going to be our last hunt for the fall. We need to make some jerky with two Bodua kills. Also, it tastes much better after you make it into jerky. I give you my word.”

Joonbum swallowed as he thought about the delicious meat.

*

“Get ready!”

The warriors gathered around with their belongings. All of them seemed excited.

“This will be our last hunt for fall! Let’s try to come back without any casualties. Pree-an, Gazlow, Behit, Romic, and Joonbum will take the lead. Let’s move out!”

Howen shouted and people smiled at Joonbum.

“Wow! Joonbum!”

“You made it!”

“Congratulations!”

“You’re now considered a true warrior.”

“Keep it up, okay?”

“Don’t give up. It’s not easy to be an Ainos warrior.”

Joonbum blushed at the continued compliments and congratulations from the other warriors.

‘Finally, I am on my last test to become an Ainos warrior.’

The leading group had to look out for any dangers for the group and they had to dispose of the danger before it reached the main group. They also had to move back and forth to report what they found to Howen. It was the most dangerous and the most important position at the same time.

“Wow, Sabu will become a warrior!”

“Whoaa!”

The kids who came out to see the warriors leave shouted in excitement. Others who had gathered because of the cheering kids joined to cheer for Joonbum.

Joonbum was happy. He was a good friend to the Ainos but was always considered an outsider until now. There was still one test left, but these people had already accepted him into their tribe as a true warrior.

“Go now!”

“Yes, sir!”

The leading group of five left, quickly passing through the forest. They moved through the forest with a brisk jogging pace, but nobody seemed to be short of breath. It was amazing to run about in such a mountain forest with many hills.

‘I guess this is why they’re called the Ainos of the Forest.”

Joonbum followed the fellow warriors while minding his breathing. This was why humans feared the Ainos and never thought to fight with them within the forest.

His breath roughened even with all of the training he had. It was very hard to keep up.

“You’re holding on well!”

“I think I’m going to collapse here.”

“Keep it up. It’ll be a lot easier once we get through this area. Don’t give up now.”

Romic encouraged him as Joonbum answered Pree-an’s comment.

“Okay!”

“Joonbum, I didn’t expect the Chieftain would promote you to a warrior.”

Everyone nodded as Doral spoke. It seemed like everyone had the same thought.

“We can move like this because we were born and raised here and we spent our life in these mountains. Yet those humans from below can barely even breathe here.”

“They’re usually fatigued or spiritless by the time they arrive here.”

Joonbum nodded without saying anything in order to not lose his breath.

‘Altitude sickness… This place does have a high altitude.’

The other warriors were doing their best to help Joonbum by talking to him. The test to become a warrior continued.

“Looks like you’ve caught your breath. Let’s move!”

“Ugh.”

He let out a small groan and began moving again.

After one day, the group arrived at the Bodua gathering and feasting area.

“Our last hunt begins! Herd the Bodua!”

The hunt began with Howen’s shout.