Days of Growth (1)
Im Yeon-jeong never changed her mind in the end.
She decided to stay with the organization. She said she would report that the incident happened while she was out, and that the organization needed her, so she would be safe. If I couldn’t take her with me, I had to leave the rest to her.
I let her go without protest.
“Go on.”
“Are you really letting me live?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
I looked at her quietly and then smiled faintly.
“That fruit you can’t have, you’ve only had a taste, haven’t you?”
She chuckled at my unexpected words. It wasn’t a situation for laughter, which made it all the more amusing.
“Hahaha.”
She laughed heartily. Her laughter clearly held a sense of relief that this research was finally over.
After her laughter subsided, she looked at me as if trying to memorize my face.
“When the fruit ripens, sometimes it falls from the tree.”
Understanding the meaning behind her words, I felt my face flush slightly.
“Thank you for sparing me.”
With those words of gratitude, she left first. She would survive. She had something worth protecting, even at the cost of her life.
The estate began to burn half a shichen later.
All traces of the place were erased. The facilities inside the lab were completely destroyed, and all documents were burned.
The evidence of the battle with the swordsman was also gone. The walls that bore the marks of the fight were reduced to rubble, and the swordsman’s body was burned beyond recognition.
Three people watched the burning estate from a distant hill.
They were Chilho, Gwaemangryang, and Chuirang.
In the distance, they saw the figure of the nameless hero walking away from the scene.
Chilho, who had been watching quietly, spoke.
“I’m canceling the mission and heading back.”
Gwaemangryang asked in response to her words.
“Is it okay to just let it go like this? We might face repercussions.”
Chilho replied confidently.
“There won’t be any.”
“Why are you so sure?”
“Do you know who was there?”
“Who was it?”
“I can’t disclose it because it’s classified, but there was a formidable master. Even if we hadn’t intervened, the higher-ups would understand.”
“Still, if the two of us joined forces, we could kill him.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Gwaemangryang’s eyes glinted coldly.
“You’re underestimating us.”
“Yes, today it seems I must. Anyway, consider it as me saving your lives.”
Gwaemangryang and Chuirang exchanged incredulous looks. It was the first time Chilho had taken such a stance.
Gwaemangryang asked again.
“Fine, but shouldn’t we at least track him to know his whereabouts?”
“I won’t allow that either.”
“Well, you’re the one in charge anyway.”
Chuirang, who had been silently listening, turned to leave and said,
“Don’t fall in love. It’s not for people like us.”
Chilho bristled at the suggestion that her decision was driven by love.
“Love? Absolutely not!”
In her outburst, she realized she had overreacted, which would only fuel more misunderstandings.
Sure enough, Gwaemangryang laughed and said,
“Go ahead and love. Our lives won’t be long, and the end will be dirty and miserable. So love all you can while you can.”
The two of them spoke different words and left in opposite directions.
Chilho watched them both leave, then turned back to look at the estate.
In the distance, she saw the nameless hero walking away. If this feeling was truly love, she should follow him.
But she walked in the opposite direction.
She thought love was never meant for her life.
I returned to Mu Han.
At the same time, the presence of the nameless hero faded away. Since everything that happened at the Golden Pavilion was related to him, I decided not to act as him for a while.
Guangdu was genuinely happy to see me return safely. He had been worried sick, especially since he didn’t know about the messages I had sent from the inn in Jeongju with Gong Suchan.
When I finally told him, his resentment turned towards Gong Suchan.
“How could you be so heartless?”
Gong Suchan laughed and replied,
“Didn’t I say you’d return safely?”
“Who do you think I am, a child of darkness with no dreams or hopes? Even knowing you’d be safe, I couldn’t help but worry. You could have given me a hint.”
It was clear they had grown closer through this ordeal. Despite their different personalities, they seemed to have influenced each other a lot.
I said to Guangdu,
“You worry too much.”
“It’s not worry, it’s affection.”
“Let’s call it affection then. What will you do when you have kids? This harsh world, would you even let them step outside?”
Guangdu sighed deeply, unable to deny it.
“Exactly. I guess I’ll live alone.”
“I can’t imagine you as an old man, nagging and worrying. So marry Dosun.”
“How can I marry someone I haven’t even met? Besides, you should marry first, then I’ll follow. By the way, Miss Song visited.”
I was surprised by his words.
“Hwarin did?”
“She said she came for business, but I think she came to see you.”
He added with a smile,
“She was as beautiful as ever.”
Her pure and beautiful image came to mind. I was a bit moved that she had come all the way here to see me.
Suddenly, I thought of Im Yeon-jeong. Thinking of her naturally led me to think of Chilho. Chilho never showed herself until the very end. Neither did the assassins. When I left Jeongju, I was cautious about being followed, but there was no pursuit.
One woman came to find me, another left me, and yet another never appeared.
To think of three women at once! Such a thing never happened in my past life.
I quickly changed the subject.
“What about Baek Mu-in?”
“He’s been out of sight since then.”
Baekpyo was tasked with building a powerful organization. He was probably engrossed in that work now.
I wasn’t worried about him or his mission. He was the perfect example of ‘no news is good news.’
Gong Suchan was the same. He had handled the tasks I assigned him excellently. The Taeseong Trading Company was established, and small branches were set up in Gokbu, Mu Han, and Jeongju.
“I’ll manage the trading company.”
“I trust you, Chief Gong.”
“Still, this time, it was easier thanks to Guangmu.”
Gong Suchan sincerely thanked Guangdu.
“No need for empty compliments. I just followed along.”
Guangdu’s face lit up with a smile like cherry blossoms, pleased to hear praise in front of me.
“You have no idea how helpful that is.”
“What do you mean?”
“Knowing someone has my back gives me the confidence to do my job better.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
Guangdu turned to me with a triumphant smile.
“That’s what he says.”
Of course, I didn’t miss the chance.
“Sometimes having someone reliable is great. But most days, it’s probably annoying and a hassle. Waiting outside, even considering them when eating.”
Guangdu looked at Gong Suchan with a ‘surely not’ expression, repeating his earlier words.
“That’s what he says.”
Gong Suchan, who should have denied it, nodded easily.
“Of course, there were days like that. Hahaha.”
Everyone laughed along with him.
After the laughter subsided, Guangdu asked seriously,
“How was it?”
His playful demeanor was gone, replaced by a serious expression.
I answered honestly.
“It was tough.”
I had learned a bit about their true nature this time.
They were the ones who recruited the Demon Spirit and the Sword Master. They were trying to reform the long-gone Blood Heaven Sect’s Demon Spirit Group.
And this was just the tip of the iceberg. I couldn’t even imagine who else was on their side or what they were planning.
One thing was certain: they were far more powerful and formidable than I had imagined.
“It will be even harder from now on.”
Guangdu smiled and said,
“Because of you, they’ll have a much harder time.”
He showed no fear or hesitation. Neither did Gong Suchan.
I changed one word in his statement.
“Not because of me, but because of us.”
Baekpyo returned ten days after I did.
As soon as he arrived, he said to me,
“Come with me.”
Without a word, I followed him.
We arrived at Pyeongjeong Mountain in Henan Province, located between Mu Han and Gokbu.
After walking deep into the valley of Pyeongjeong Mountain, we came to a cliff.
Crossing a rickety wooden bridge that looked ready to collapse at any moment, we found a mountain stronghold.
“It used to be a hideout for the Green Forest. After being wiped out by the Martial Alliance, it changed hands several times, but now no one uses it. The only way in is across that bridge, making it an excellent defensive position.”
In the wide courtyard of the stronghold, thirty-three martial artists were engrossed in training.
Even at a glance, it was no ordinary training. It was grueling, as if their breath might stop at any moment.
“These are the ones I’ve gathered so far.”
Judging by their exposed energy and training movements, their skills were not ordinary. They were at least as skilled as the Tiger Squad warriors, and many were even more exceptional.
“Everyone, gather!”
Baekpyo called them to stand before me.
Their breathing was as rough as their energy. Intense gazes and strong spirits. What I liked most was that despite their roughness, they weren’t vulgar.
“This is our lord.”
“It’s an honor to meet you!”
Their voices boomed with enthusiasm. Despite my young age, not a single one of them showed any sign of dismissing me. It was clear that Baekpyo had already established a sense of discipline among them.
“Who are these people?”
“There are many stories. Some have returned after leaving the martial world, some are here for money, and others came because of their friendship with me.”
Baekpyo added that even now, Yangcheong and Myeongdo were scouring the central plains, searching for more recruits. Yangcheong and Myeongdo were subordinates from the Mengho Group that he had previously accepted.
“What criteria did you use to select them?”
I assumed Baekpyo had been very selective.
“The ability to dream together.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at how typical of Baekpyo that was.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Because I really like that criterion.”
“I plan to nurture them from here. Do you have a name in mind for the group?”
“I’ll call it the Black Panther Brigade.”
The character “pyo” in Baekpyo’s name means “panther,” so I explained that I named the group after him, calling them the Black Panthers. Baekpyo was deeply moved, as it was rare for a martial arts organization to be named after an individual.
I addressed the newly formed Black Panther Brigade.
“But for now, you’re still just kittens.”
Their expressions hardened, their pride clearly wounded.
“Do you disagree?”
“We do!”
They shouted in unison, their voices resonating with determination.
“Who among you is the strongest?”
One man stepped forward.
“Come at me.”
The man glanced at Baekpyo, silently asking how far he could go.
Baekpyo nodded and said, “You can use your best technique. In fact, you must.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the man drew his sword and charged at me with incredible speed.
Swish!
Whoosh.
Thud.
The man lay on the ground, blinking up at me in disbelief.
”…What just happened?”
The others were equally stunned. It had all happened so quickly that they couldn’t even tell how he had been defeated.
They were skilled enough to understand one thing: if I hadn’t held back, the man would have been seriously injured or worse.
I extended a hand to the fallen man, helping him to his feet.
“You’ll understand how it happened once you become a panther, not a kitten.”
Their gazes toward me changed instantly, and it was a positive shift.
When leading strong individuals, it’s crucial to demonstrate strength. This was the moment that established the authority of the place they belonged to.
Finally, I turned to Baekpyo.
“Please, raise them into magnificent panthers.”