Flour soaked in liquor, then dried, could be stored for a long time, but to the duo, the liquor was merely a source of entertainment.

The stolen liquor, consumed in small amounts nightly, was sweet.

Moreover, its high alcohol content meant only a little was needed to feel heavily drunk.

Gapdol took out a bottle and began filling it with liquor.

Then, pausing, an idea struck him.

“Wait… Chuncheol. Tomorrow’s the march, right?”

“Uh? Yeah.”

“And it’s confirmed the trainees are going?”

“Sure is.”

“Oh-ho.”

Gapdol leisurely shook the liquor-filled bottle.

The sloshing sound inside seemed exceptionally sweet to him.

“Hehehe. I just had a brilliant idea.”

“What’s the idea?”

“Just watch. Tomorrow you’ll see something entertaining.”

Gapdol laughed, revealing his yellow teeth.
The sinister laughter spread ominously inside the food storage.

Morning at Gwangho’s troops.

After a night of rain, the sky boasted a cloudless clarity.

It was fortunate that the rain ceased, as it would have greatly hindered the march.

The soldiers, having finished their marching preparations, lined up in rows for departure.

Gun, whose interest in the trainees had noticeably increased, decided to join this march.

He inquired daily about the training progress from Byung, curious if any soldier had fallen behind or couldn’t keep up.

Byung found it strange that Gun, usually indifferent, suddenly showed such interest in the trainees’ training.

However, he dismissed his doubts, assuming it was a good sign for a ruler to show concern for his soldiers.

Byung quietly called Yeonwoo, who was standing in line.

Yeonwoo, clad in armor, hurried over.

Byung looked at her, burdened with heavy gear, with a look of sympathy.

“Today’s march is 30 li.”

Even for a strong man, a long march was arduous.

Thus, Byung’s voice carried a deep concern for Yeonwoo.

“If it’s too hard or you feel dizzy, don’t overdo it.”

“Don’t worry. Among all the trainees here, I have the best stamina.”

Yeonwoo confidently replied, rolling up her sleeves.

Thanks to Byung’s special training, her strength had increased remarkably, making her confident about her stamina.

“I’ve even been specially trained by you, so I’ll be fine.”

“That’s good to hear. Let me know if anything happens.”

Yeonwoo nodded resolutely, trying to reassure Byung, and returned to her place.

Yet, even as she walked away confidently, a nagging worry remained in Byung’s heart.

She was already an adult, and her physical strength had indeed improved.

Still, Byung couldn’t help but feel anxious, as if Yeonwoo was a child left by the water’s edge.

The march of Gwangho’s troops then began.

The weather’s fickleness continued even after the start of the march.

Yesterday’s downpour was replaced by today’s intense sunlight.

The army decided to take a break as continuous marching could lead to exhaustion among the soldiers.

The troops found shade to rest their weary bodies.

Yeonwoo, who had boasted about her stamina to Byung, struggled with the heat piercing through her armor.

Already overheated due to wearing more layers than others, the scorching heat seemed to strangle her entire body.

To cool off, Yeonwoo took out her water bottle and gulped down the liquid.

“Choke!”

But the sharp, unfamiliar smell made her spit out the liquid in haste.

“What, what is this? This isn’t water?”

It was too strange to be mere confusion caused by the heat.

Bringing the bottle to her nose, the pungent aroma stung her nostrils.

“Is this… liquor?”

Having never been close to alcohol, it was strange to find liquor in her water bottle.

Then, Daebok, who was nearby, approached her.

“Is there a problem?”

“I went to drink water, but there’s liquor in my bottle.”

“Liquor? How did you get that?”

“I didn’t get it. I’ve never even drunk alcohol before.”

“Maybe your bottle got switched with someone else’s? But it’s still odd to have liquor in a water bottle.”

“No, it’s definitely my bottle.”
Yeonwoo showed Daebok her name written on the bottom of the water bottle.

“That’s really strange. For now, share my water. We’ll come across a stream soon and can get more water there.”

“Yes, thank you, brother.”

Yeonwoo quenched her thirst with the water Daebok offered.

Just then, she heard laughter and turned to see Gapdol again, wearing a nasty smirk.

He seemed to relish Yeonwoo’s discomfited expression.

With the rat carcass and now the liquor incidents, Yeonwoo had a gut feeling they were connected to Gapdol.

However, without evidence, it was difficult to confront him.

Yeonwoo decided to discuss these matters with Byung after the march and turned away from Gapdol.

Soon after their brief respite, a stream appeared ahead, just as Daebok had mentioned.

Normally shallow, the stream had risen and become turbulent from last night’s rain.

The march included a water-crossing drill, so the soldiers had to traverse the raging stream.

Soldiers, lined up in a row, held onto ropes stretched across the stream, the water reaching up to their chests.

With the strong current from the previous day’s downpour, they clung to the ropes like lifelines.

Suddenly, Yeonwoo felt an overpowering lethargy.

Her body felt light as if walking on clouds, not an entirely unpleasant sensation.

However, soon this drowsiness turned into a foggy confusion.

It seemed the alcohol from the liquor she had accidentally consumed was kicking in.

Unfamiliar with alcohol’s effects, Yeonwoo didn’t realize she was getting drunk.

Struggling to maintain balance, she staggered, her head repeatedly drooping forward, resembling someone with narcolepsy.

Daebok, watching Yeonwoo anxiously from behind, shouted out.

“Don’t doze off! Walk straight! It’s dangerous to let go of the rope here!”

Roused a bit by Daebok’s voice, Yeonwoo shook her head to ward off the sleepiness.

But soon, the overwhelming drowsiness dragged her head downwards again.

Yeonwoo barely managed to respond.

“My body feels strangely lethargic.”

Hearing this, Byung, who was ahead, turned back to look at Yeonwoo.

Her condition was unusual.

Her eyes were half-closed, and her body kept leaning to one side.

Byung grew increasingly anxious as Yeonwoo looked like she might fall into the water at any moment.

He wanted to go back and support her, but being in the middle of the stream and in line, it was difficult to turn around.

Moreover, as the leader of the soldiers, Byung couldn’t leave his post.

He could only anxiously watch her precarious state.

Yeonwoo, too, felt increasingly alarmed as her body refused to obey her commands.

Despite her desperate situation, her strength seemed to be ebbing away.

It was almost as if the turbulent water was sapping her energy.

Trying to tighten her grip on the rope only seemed to weaken it.

Yeonwoo’s vision began to blur.

‘No, this can’t happen…….’
As darkness enveloped Yeonwoo’s vision, her consciousness abruptly faded.

Her frail body, having lost grip on the rope, was helplessly swept away by the rapid current.

“Augh!”

“Yeonwoo!”

Daebok and Byung called out frantically upon witnessing her plight.

―Splash!

With a sound like a thunderous crash, Gun plunged into the turbulent water.

Like a starving predator, the violent waves instantly engulfed both of them.