Into the Fragrance of the Sword (2)
Jong Cheon-rak was a man who valued principles above all else. His response was as expected from someone often labeled as inflexible.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose that.”
“Do you not trust me?”
“I do trust you. But you know the rules. Revealing a top-secret mission is a grave offense.”
Galsaryang, who knew the regulations better than anyone, tried to reason with him. Yet, Jong Cheon-rak remained unmoved.
“I’m sorry, but it’s not possible.”
Galsaryang didn’t press further.
“If that’s your decision, I understand. But I suggest we depart immediately and consider altering our route.”
“Very well, let’s do that.”
Jong Cheon-rak approached the warriors and called out loudly.
“Who was it that alerted us to the enemy’s presence?”
I stepped forward.
“It was me.”
Jong Cheon-rak was taken aback. He had assumed it was one of the sentries and was about to commend them.
“How did you know?”
“I woke up thirsty at dawn. As I got up to drink some water, I noticed something moving in the distance. It was pure luck.”
Jong Cheon-rak approached with a pleased expression and patted my shoulder.
“If it weren’t for you, we might have been in serious trouble. Thank you.”
“It was nothing. I just did what needed to be done.”
Jong Cheon-rak turned to his subordinates.
“Let’s move out immediately.”
The warriors of the Cheongungdan hurried to prepare for departure. Those who had shared drinks with me on the first night gave me grateful looks. They were seasoned fighters and understood the importance of my warning.
Galsaryang asked me quietly, “Did you really notice by chance?”
“If not, how else would I have known?”
He was likely referring to the move I had shown during our interview. I decided there was no need to leave him suspicious.
I whispered so only he could hear, “My martial arts skills are superior to theirs. Trust me if things go awry.”
Galsaryang studied me for a moment before turning away.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
We set off again towards Junggyeong.
Though I didn’t know the details of this top-secret mission, I had a hunch. It was a trap meant to kill us all.
The atmosphere in the Mengju Hall was icy.
Mabong-gi, seated in the Taesa chair, looked down at Ju Cheol-ryong, the leader of the Gwangwol Group, with disapproval.
Ju Cheol-ryong maintained his usual impassive expression.
“I’ve done everything you asked. Yet, you still refuse to let me meet the one behind it all?”
Even after two years as the Mengju, Mabong-gi had yet to meet the mastermind. They communicated only through Ju Cheol-ryong.
‘He’s incredibly cautious.’
If someone is pulling the strings, wouldn’t they want to flaunt their power? But this person remained hidden, using Ju Cheol-ryong as a front.
‘What are they plotting behind the scenes?’
He had secretly investigated Ju Cheol-ryong but found nothing. He couldn’t even determine why Ju Cheol-ryong sided with them or how they communicated.
‘Could he be the mastermind?’
The thought crossed his mind every time he saw Ju Cheol-ryong.
But Ju Cheol-ryong wasn’t the mastermind. He wasn’t significant enough to be more than the leader of the Gwangwol Group. Though known for his womanizing, Mabong-gi trusted his judgment of people.
“You sent the Cheongungdan leader as they wished, didn’t you?”
“That was because the revival of the Blood Heaven Demon Sect was detected, wasn’t it?”
Mabong-gi’s lips curled into a cold smile.
“Do you really think I’m that naive?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think I believe in the revival of the Demon Sect?”
“Weren’t there credible signs?”
“Those were!”
He stopped short of accusing them of fabricating evidence. It was pointless to argue with them.
Ju Cheol-ryong spoke calmly, “This is for your benefit, Mengju.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Cheongungdan leader is a central figure in the anti-Mengju faction.”
Ju Cheol-ryong didn’t elaborate. His silence implied that eliminating him would be beneficial. But as always, he only hinted, never stating it outright.
“He’s highly skilled, so he’ll return safely.”
Mabong-gi was taken aback by Ju Cheol-ryong’s seemingly concerned words. How could he speak so nonchalantly after sending him on a deadly mission?
On the surface, Ju Cheol-ryong appeared perfectly normal. It was Mabong-gi who seemed like a conspiracy-obsessed old leader.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Ju Cheol-ryong exited the Mengju Hall. Mabong-gi watched him go, gripping the Taesa chair tightly.
Crack.
The sound of the chair breaking must have been audible, but Ju Cheol-ryong pretended not to hear as he walked away.
Shortly after, Samacheon entered. He glanced at the broken chair but feigned ignorance.
“Is something troubling you?”
“No. What is it?”
Samacheon quickly shifted to a serious expression and spoke urgently.
“A message has arrived from the Cheongungdan. They were ambushed, but fortunately, no one was injured.”
Mabong-gi, unwilling to discuss the matter, merely nodded.
“They also reported that they will continue the mission.”
“Jong Danju will handle it well.”
“Yes, he’s trustworthy.”
Samacheon, gauging Mabong-gi’s mood, suggested, “You look tired. Why not rest? I hear some new girls have arrived.”
“Shall I?”
Mabong-gi rose from his seat. Samacheon led him away.
They descended into a secret underground chamber.
A feast was laid out, and the new women flirted as they nestled against the Mengju. They were even more beautiful than the previous ones.
Mabong-gi’s face lit up, as if his earlier gloom had never existed.
Samacheon, matching Mabong-gi’s mood, laughed heartily and sat a leftover woman beside him.
He had long sensed the presence of someone behind Mabong-gi. But he chose to feign ignorance.
Anyone capable of making Mabong-gi the Mengju was undoubtedly a dangerous entity.
Samacheon, the corrupt general who supplied women to Mabong-gi, might seem like trash, but he was resilient. Survival was victory, and he lived by that creed.
In any case, the revival of the Demon Sect was undoubtedly the work of the Mengju’s shadowy backer.
When the order came from above, instructing them to send the Cheongungdan leader, he knew it was a death mission.
He had a separate reason for sending Galsaryang along. Recently, he had pocketed a bribe of a hundred thousand nyang through him.
Isn’t that enough? Not at all. He had learned how to use the Justice Pavilion to investigate and extort money. There was no longer a need to share with Galsaryang.
Nor was there a need to keep someone who knew his weaknesses alive, and the fun of tormenting him had faded. So he decided to eliminate Galsaryang as well.
‘Since you’re going anyway, go out in a blaze of glory.’
At that moment, Mabong-gi, nestled against a woman’s chest, spoke to Samacheon.
“What are you thinking about?”
Samacheon downed his drink in one gulp and embraced a woman.
“Nothing! Life is short, so we should enjoy it to the fullest!”
The second ambush came three days later.
This time, it wasn’t a pre-dawn surprise attack. It was a frontal assault, as if seeking revenge for the last time. But this attack was more meticulously planned than the ambush.
They attacked from a location surrounded by trees, providing cover from arrows.
The real problem wasn’t the location. The man at the forefront charged with a massive iron shield.
The shield-bearer led, followed by five warriors in a line. There were a hundred of them.
Arrows rained down on the attackers.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The arrows bounced off the shields.
The shield-bearers were no ordinary fighters. Their martial arts skills were formidable, and they maneuvered through the trees, making it difficult to stop them.
They closed the distance rapidly.
Whoosh!
Bang!
Jong Cheon-rak’s arrows were different. Infused with internal energy, they shattered the arm of the shield-bearer, sending him flying.
But the shield remained intact, and another man took it up and charged.
Whoosh! Bang! Whoosh! Boom!
Jong Cheon-rak fired more energy-infused arrows, but there were too many enemies.
I drew my sword and charged. If we let them get too close, the Cheongungdan warriors would suffer heavy casualties.
“I need support.”
“No, you can’t!”
Yangho shouted to stop me, but I was already rushing toward the shield-bearer.
Whoosh!
Slash!
I slid and cut the shield-bearer’s ankle. As he fell forward, I rolled to the side and shouted.
“Now!”
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Arrows rained down on the men behind the shield. They were skilled enough to deflect ordinary arrows, but not these. The concentrated, powerful, and precise attacks from the Cheongungdan elite were too much.
They couldn’t fend them off.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The men behind us fell like porcupines, bristling with arrows.
Without pausing to see the result, I charged toward the second shield-bearer. My target was once again the man holding the shield. As he fell, another volley of arrows rained down.
Whizz, whizz, whizz!
I slid past the incoming arrows, slicing the legs of the shield-bearer with precision.
The third shield-bearer seemed to have learned from his fallen comrades. He struck down with his shield, protecting his legs.
But I wasn’t aiming for his legs. I leaped off the ground, vaulting over his shield. In a swift somersault, I swung my sword.
Swish.
Thud!
The man’s head was severed, and he collapsed.
This time, my leap over the shield landed me amidst the men behind him.
Whizz! Whizz! Whizz!
Arrows flew past me, striking the men behind. Two out of five fell, hit by the precise shots of the Heavenly Bow Squad.
The archers had begun their deadly work, their aim impeccable. I trusted their skill; they wouldn’t hit me.
Clang, clang, clang!
The enemy’s attacks were fierce, but they were no match for my mastery of the White Moon Sword Technique.
Slice!
In just five moves, I cut him down.
Then, from the side, I heard a sound.
Thwip. Thunk!
An arrow pierced the neck of another man charging at me.
Whizz, whizz, whizz!
The arrows that followed turned him into a human pincushion. The archers were elite, their marksmanship nothing short of extraordinary.
The enemy was already retreating into the distance.
By then, we had already repelled the frontal assault. No matter how they used their shields and the terrain, they couldn’t break through with just one-sided attacks.
Hearing of my exploits, Jong Cheon-rak looked at me in surprise.
“Your martial skills are impressive.”
“As you can see, I only killed one enemy myself. The rest was thanks to everyone here.”
I credited the warriors who supported me, and they smiled with satisfaction.
“I figured if we took out the shield-bearers, the rest would follow. Fortunately, their movements were restricted, making it easier.”
“Charging out to take down the shield-bearers in such a critical moment isn’t something just anyone can do.”
Jong Cheon-rak glanced at Gal Sa-ryang, perhaps thinking he had given me the idea. I said nothing, letting him believe what he wanted.
The Heavenly Bow Squad examined the bodies. As with the previous attackers, they found no clues.
Yang-ho looked at me and said, “You’ve saved us again.”
There was a newfound trust in his expression.
“I was just lucky.”
“When luck repeats, we call it skill. Thank you, regardless.”
The other warriors wore similar expressions. They seemed to think I was a special operative from Jeong-ui-gak, assigned to protect Gal Sa-ryang.
Given Gal Sa-ryang’s past as a former military leader, it wasn’t surprising they thought a master might be guarding him.
I approached Gal Sa-ryang and asked, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
What mattered was Gal Sa-ryang’s trust. From our first meeting until now, I had been working to earn it.
“What kind of mission are we on that they’re so desperate to stop us?”
Gal Sa-ryang shook his head. “I don’t know. But one thing’s certain: we’re in grave danger.”
We should have turned back, but Jong Cheon-rak showed no signs of giving up. What kind of orders had he received to risk so much?
As Gal Sa-ryang walked toward the carriage, he looked back at me. “I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t chosen you.”
It was his way of expressing gratitude.
A few days later, we reached the outskirts of Jung-gyeong, just half a day’s journey from our destination, Geomhyang Forest.
Fortunately, there had been no further attacks on the way.
But no one was at ease. Everyone was tense, expecting an even stronger assault.
Gal Sa-ryang led me to Jong Cheon-rak. It was time to learn the details of our mission.