The first task I was assigned after becoming a courier for the Sagon Express was to transport household goods to another village. To be precise, a wealthy man living in Wangha had bought a house in another village, and it seemed his son was going to live there. My job was to escort the household goods and ensure that no unnecessary bandits interfered.
'Completely easy.'
I had taken on many escort missions over the past few decades, so I could start the journey with the cargo without any tension. A total of three couriers were assigned to this mission, and the head of the express did not accompany us. This was because the cargo was not particularly valuable, and there were almost no bandits in the area.
After a few hours of travel, the transport cart stopped for a short rest. The horses seemed a bit tired, so the intention was to let them rest in the shade. While the couriers and workers were sitting down, eating snacks, and resting, one of the couriers asked me a question. He looked to be in his early thirties and was a typical low-ranking courier. He probably, like me, had been working in the courier industry for over a decade to make a living. I gazed at his ordinary appearance and replied.
"I have no other way to make a living."
"With your level of martial arts, you could join a military camp and aim for a government position."
There was a hint of regret in his voice.
As he said, I could participate in the annual martial arts examination or tournament hosted by the royal court. Although many strong experts would participate, it wasn't impossible to pass. Indeed, his words might have been right; my martial arts skills were being wasted on courier work.
However, for me, getting a government position was not a priority. First, I needed to eat the thousand-year snow ginseng, then solve the secrets of the Chanyam Secret Book, and as a bonus, take revenge on the village chief. With so much to do, I didn't have time to worry about such things.
I smiled and said, "I don't think being a courier is bad. As long as I do my job properly, I can earn a steady income, right?"
"That's true."
The courier seemed to agree.
No express company in this world could treat their couriers poorly or abuse them. There are many express companies, and they compete fiercely within the commercial sphere. Even though couriers are low-ranking martial artists, those with courier-level martial arts skills are not that common.
In any case, a courier is a martial artist who has learned basic martial arts. They are considered assets to the express company, so it is customary for the company to ensure they earn a decent living.
After the conversation, the express convoy set off again. We needed to move quickly to avoid the morning dew damaging the household goods. Thanks to the diligent movement of the cart, we managed to deliver the cargo to the destination before midnight. I and the other couriers worked with the workers to move the household items into the house.
By the time everything was done, it was dawn. It was pitch dark except for the areas illuminated by torches. The senior courier, who was the leader of this mission, came out with a torch and shouted, "We're tired today, so we'll stay at an inn for four hours! We'll set off in the morning, so get plenty of rest."
"Yes!"
We could have quickly returned to the express company by crossing the mountains, but the senior courier probably thought it was too dangerous to cross the mountain paths at dawn. Soon, the workers and couriers went to an inn in the village, unpacked their belongings, and started to rest. As expected, not everyone could get a room, and some of the workers spread out sleeping bags on the floor of the inn.
I couldn't sleep, so I went to the second floor of the inn and watched everyone prepare for the night. I noticed the workers resting and taking naps to recover from their fatigue.
'No wonder I didn't want to be a laborer.'
Being a laborer means you don't have to face bandits and fight like a courier, but you are generally treated worse. Even now, the three of us couriers, including myself, secured our own rooms at the inn, while the other workers had to sleep on the floor.
'I'd like to have a drink.'
I don't dislike alcohol; rather, I enjoy it. When I worked as a courier, drinking a glass of alcohol and sleeping soundly helped me forget all my troubles. However, after my regression, I haven't had the chance to drink. Now, as a child, drinking would be suspicious, so I have been restraining myself.
Instead, I returned to my room and started practicing my internal energy. As I circulated the Brain Dragon Daily Energy, my fatigue was relieved, and my stamina recovered without needing to sleep. Additionally, the more I practiced, the stronger I became, making it a win-win situation.
With tasks to accomplish, I can't afford to rest or play now.
After this mission, I returned to the express company, and Sagon Pai, who is Sagon Lin's older brother and a senior courier and executive of the Sagon Express, acknowledged me. I couldn't ignore him because of his position.
"Courier Baek Woong! How was your first mission?"
"It wasn't difficult."
"Ha ha ha. You're a promising young man for our express company."
Sagon Pai chatted with me for about ten minutes. He asked about my background and recent activities, and also mentioned trivial things like what he was doing lately and how Sagon Lin was beautiful. I was puzzled by why he was saying these things.
"See you next time."
"Yes."
I could tell that Sagon Pai had a good opinion of me. He probably saw me as a useful addition to the company and wanted to be friendly. It was a somewhat unfamiliar feeling, but I soon accepted it.
'When you have power, many things change.'
This was the same feeling I had when I took revenge on the village chief. Having power changes the world significantly. Conversely, not having power means a miserable life.
This is just the beginning.
I will wait for my body to grow while working here and look for the thousand-year snow ginseng in Huangshan when the opportunity arises.
For the next three years, I continued my life in the express company without any major incidents. At first, my fellow couriers were doubtful of me because of my young age, but my martial arts skills, which surpassed those of a regular courier, often helped them. Over the three years, I saved the lives of over a dozen couriers, and they eventually recognized me as a peer.
We fought bandits, robbers, and river pirates about twenty times. Although it wasn't as frequent as I expected, each time we fought with our lives on the line. Since killing bandits during a mission was not considered a crime, the couriers had no hesitation in killing them.
I also killed at least thirty people over the three years. I tried to avoid killing when it wasn't necessary, but sometimes it was unavoidable.
By now, my body had grown enough to use advanced martial arts techniques. On a snowy winter day, I sat by the fire and looked out the window, thinking.
'This express company is a combination of the Sagon family. Unlike ordinary express companies, the members have high martial arts skills and a family-like atmosphere.'
This was evident from the fact that the executives of the express company were blood relatives of the Sagon family. The couriers were treated more like low-ranking martial artists of the Sagon family rather than just contractual workers. Perhaps Sagon Pai continued to be friendly to me because he considered me a fellow member of the same boat.
What I couldn't understand was why a family with the martial arts skills of the Sagon family would directly enter the express business. The Sagon family could produce military officials or intervene in commerce and warfare to receive tributes, which would be a much easier and more convenient way to accumulate wealth. Yet, they chose to run an express company.
And Sagon Lin was on my mind.
The problem wasn't just that I had fallen in love with her; the real issue was that [I didn't know her].
It might sound strange, but this was a big problem. In my decades of memory, I had never heard of the Sagon family or Sagon Lin being famous in the martial world. While the Sagon family might be unknown, Sagon Lin's case was clearly unusual.
She was a disciple of Taishan Laoweng, one of the greatest figures in the orthodox school, and her talent rivaled that of Jin Suqing. How could she not become a renowned expert in the future? Even as a female expert, with her exceptional martial arts skills, she should have gained fame in the martial world.
'Before I leave the express company, I should find out what I'm curious about.'
I was starting to think about leaving the express company. My mastery of the Brain Dragon Daily Energy had improved significantly, and my combat experience had deepened, making my martial arts skills more advanced. I probably wouldn't be at a disadvantage against a first-class expert. I had also saved enough money as a courier, so I thought it was time to start searching for the thousand-year snow ginseng in Huangshan.
To find out what I was curious about, who should I talk to?
After some thought, I decided to go to Sagon Lin. I had become close enough to Sagon Pai to ask him directly, but I wanted to see her face one more time.
"Courier Sagon Lin, do you have a moment?"
"Come in."
Sagon Lin was quietly reading a book in her private room, which was reserved for couriers. In the white snow falling outside the window, she looked like a painting as she read calmly.
'She's beautiful.'
I stood there for a moment, lost in the illusion that the painting had come to life, then regained my composure and spoke.
"I came to ask you something, Courier Sagon Lin."
"What is it?"
"Why does the Sagon family run an express company?"
Sagon Lin closed her book and looked at me intently. She blinked her deer-like eyes and smiled gently.
"Ahaha, have you been curious about that for the past three years?"
"Something like that."
"It's not really a secret. We don't want to conflict with the Huangshan Sect."
"Huangshan Sect..."
I frowned.
'So that's it.'
Huangshan Sect!
A new sect that recently entered the ranks of the Nine Sects and One Gang, known for its excellent swordsmanship. The original position of the Huangshan Sect was held by the Gongtong Sect, which suffered a catastrophic disintegration when its leader and elders suddenly disappeared. The Huangshan Sect then took its place and rapidly expanded its influence in the Huangshan area.
Although the Sagon family's martial arts are first-class, they are still inferior to the Huangshan Sect, which has top-notch martial arts and experts. If a conflict or argument were to arise, the Sagon family would be at a significant disadvantage, so they decided to earn money directly through the express business rather than getting involved in commerce or finance.