Swift Resolution (1)
Inside the cave, an old man gazed down at a child.
The child, just regaining consciousness, blinked up at the old man.
“Grandpa?”
“You’re awake?”
“Yes.”
The child seemed different from before. Previously, he had appeared more like an adult, but now he was unmistakably a child.
He sat up, rubbing his forehead with a grimace.
“My head hurts so much.”
“Here, take this medicine.”
The old man offered a vial, but the child refused.
“No, if I take that, I’ll just fall asleep again, won’t I?”
“You don’t want to sleep?”
“No. I’d rather endure the headache.”
The child gritted his teeth, trying to bear the pain.
The old man watched him with an impassive gaze.
“Grandpa.”
“What is it?”
The child hesitated, gauging the old man’s reaction. Despite his casual tone, he felt an instinctive fear.
”…When can I see my mom?”
“Soon.”
“Can’t I see her, even just for a moment? Please, Grandpa?”
“If you must, write her a letter.”
“Can I?”
“Of course.”
The child climbed off the bed and sat at a nearby table to write.
“Tell her you’re having a good time with the Little Blue Squad, so she won’t worry.”
“Yes, I know. I wrote that last time too. By the way, Grandpa, how long have I been here since leaving the Little Blue Squad?”
“Why do you ask?”
“It feels like I’ve been away too long. Shouldn’t I tell her I’m here instead of with the squad?”
The old man replied coldly.
“Do you not trust me?”
“No, it’s not that. I just think… she should know I’m here… I’ll just write that I’m having fun with the squad.”
The old man softened his expression and spoke gently.
“You’ll see her soon. You can tell her yourself then.”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
The child resumed writing the letter.
How many lines had he written?
Suddenly, he slumped forward, hitting his head on the table and losing consciousness.
The old man quickly lifted him and laid him back on the bed. Fortunately, the child wasn’t hurt, just a bump on his forehead.
As the old man looked down at him with a hint of concern, he turned to leave.
Grip.
The child grabbed the old man’s arm.
Startled, the old man turned back to see the child’s eyes open again.
But they weren’t the innocent eyes from before.
”…Got any liquor?”
The old man nodded.
“I do.”
The child sat up, assuming the same posture as before, but his demeanor was entirely different.
“Can’t you do something about this damn headache?”
“Sorry, there’s nothing I can do. Just drink this and bear it.”
The old man handed him a bottle of liquor.
The child drank deeply, trying to dull the pain with alcohol, but the headache persisted.
“Want some medicine?”
“Later. I want to stay awake for a bit.”
The child looked at the old man.
“You look tired.”
“I haven’t been sleeping well lately.”
“Sleep less as you age, but you should rest more.”
“Isn’t eternal rest what awaits us in death?”
The child chuckled softly.
“Don’t speak so lightly of death.”
He got off the bed and walked over to the table, looking down at the unfinished letter. His expression was unreadable.
“What about the grand plan?”
“First, we must deal with Ma Cheol-gun.”
“He won’t accept it willingly, will he?”
The old man smiled faintly.
“Probably not. But when does anything ever go as planned?”
Perhaps I had anticipated her saying “son.”
Even during the Golden Era incident, she risked everything to stay with the organization, never fearing for her life.
Someone worth protecting, even at the cost of her life.
That’s why I wasn’t surprised when she mentioned her son.
I didn’t ask who the father was or where the son was held. I didn’t promise to rescue him.
I simply said to her,
“Let’s deal with Seo Hak-sa first. We’ll talk more after that.”
Addressing the immediate problem first. That’s the proper way to handle things.
A flicker of worry crossed Im Yeon-jeong’s face. She must have had many thoughts.
But she didn’t say much.
“Alright.”
She hadn’t made any decisions. It wasn’t a refusal. She couldn’t come to me because of her son. To make her a proposal, and for her to decide, I had to rescue her son first.
“Where is Seo Hak-sa now?”
She told me where he was, detailing the alleyways and the exact room in the building.
“Many experts are guarding him. The most dangerous one is Seo Hak-sa himself.”
“Thanks for the information.”
“What should I do?”
“Just act as usual and wait.”
Confident in my response, Im Yeon-jeong glanced at Chil-ho, who nodded in agreement.
Im Yeon-jeong shook her head and said,
“How can you take this so lightly?”
It wasn’t a serious remark. Half-joking, really.
Chil-ho shrugged and replied,
“Sometimes, living simply isn’t so bad, is it?”
After parting ways with them, I returned to my quarters.
I planned to eliminate Seo Hak-sa as soon as possible.
This wasn’t something to drag out. The grand plan was about to commence. Once it started, more experts would be involved. I didn’t know what kind of plan it was, or what might happen.
In other words, killing him before the plan began was the wise choice.
“Where have you been?”
Song Hwa-rin asked as I entered my quarters.
“I met with Baek So-jeo.”
“Baek So-jeo? Oh, her.”
Song Hwa-rin was slightly taken aback by my unexpected answer. Still, I told her everything.
“I asked her to join our side. She agreed.”
I had no intention of lying to her in the future.
Perhaps she sensed my sincerity.
Song Hwa-rin smiled.
“That’s good to hear.”
I noticed how much she had changed. It was a growth worth calling progress. She must have realized that relationships aren’t just about emotions running wild.
“The inauguration is over, and I should be heading back.”
There was a hint of regret in her voice. I knew she hadn’t come just for the inauguration.
“Stay a bit longer.”
“Really?”
I nodded.
“But I have urgent matters to attend to… For now, stay at the island estate with Gwang-du.”
“Is it dangerous?”
I nodded.
“Gal Gun-sa is setting up a formation there. You can learn it if you go now.”
“Oh, someone you sent set up a simple formation at home. It was fascinating to experience it firsthand.”
I had sent materials and people to set up simple formations at the main house and Song’s estate.
“Now’s your chance to learn it properly.”
“Should I give it a try?”
I smiled and nodded.
“I’ll come for you as soon as I’m done.”
“Alright.”
She beamed. At that moment, tears glistened in her eyes.
I was startled and asked,
“Are you crying?”
“No, just dust in my eyes.”
She quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve.
She did it so swiftly and acted normally afterward that I couldn’t tell if it was dust or tears.
After she went inside, Gwang-du approached me.
“You’re making women cry these days.”
He must have seen her crying as he came out of the building.
“She said it was dust.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Did it look like she was crying?”
I asked seriously, and Gwang-du scratched his head.
“How would I know? You were closer.”
“I can’t tell either.”
Honestly, it was fifty-fifty. If she cried, what could have been the reason?
Gwang-du squinted at me.
“Hmm, so the first tearful lady is on our side now?”
“You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?”
“Why not just date her too? Since you rejected living freely with me in a world without women, why not date all the women in the world?”
“Where did your noble and pure resolve to love only one woman go?”
“That pure resolve went down the drain when Do-sun started seeing another guy.”
“Do-sun cheated on you? No way.”
But judging by Gwang-du’s expression, it wasn’t a joke. I never imagined they broke up for such a reason.
Gwang-du sighed.
“I couldn’t believe it at first either.”
“Why did she do it?”
“She said… she was lonely. I hadn’t seen her for a while because I was training. I was training hard for her, too.”
How should I comfort him?
“I’m fine.”
“Of course, you should be. It’s not like… the woman who left…”
I patted Gwang-du on the shoulder.
“Let go of the past and find something better. Let go of the sword energy and gain swordsmanship. Stop jumping on the ground and soar with air steps.”
“Right? That’s right, isn’t it? I’ll meet someone better tomorrow, right?”
Gwang-du looked at me with hopeful eyes.
I sighed and shook my head.
“No.”
“Ugh!”
“You won’t easily find someone as good as Do-sun.”
“Ugh. I think so too.”
Gwangdu let out a deep sigh, his head hanging low as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.
“Don’t make the same mistake again. Women live in the present, not the future.”
“For someone who knows so much, why do you make them cry?”
“That’s a good question.”
I sighed and stood up from my seat.
“Stay on the island with Song Sojeo.”
“Where are you going?”
“I have something to do for another woman.”
“Oh my! Are you trying to win over every woman in the world?”
I strode away, calling back over my shoulder, “Take care of Galgun and Song Sojeo.”
“Yes!”
Leaving behind Gwangdu’s reassuring reply, I exited the quarters. The playful banter we’d shared was already a distant memory.
On a dark night with the moon hidden behind clouds, I found myself walking through a narrow, filthy alley that seemed ready to spew out a rat at any moment.
Up ahead, I spotted a man. Im Yeonjeong had mentioned him, saying he had guided her to the building.
His shabby clothes and the way he leaned against the wall marked him as a typical back-alley thug. Yet, his stance betrayed a skilled fighter.
As I approached, he glanced at me, tension evident in his posture.
I continued walking, meeting his gaze with calm eyes. Unable to detect any threat from me, he remained where he was.
Just as I brushed past him and turned the corner—
Swish.
My sword flashed out like lightning, slicing through the air.
Slash!
The Suramyungwang Sword severed the man’s neck.
He collapsed, still clutching the hilt of his own sword, unable to draw it before my swift strike ended his life.
I moved forward with purpose.
Thud.
The doors of the houses on either side burst open, and two martial artists sprang out simultaneously.
Swish! Swish!
Their ambush was swift and sudden, but my sword rendered their attack meaningless.
Thrust!
I quickly pierced the neck of the man on the left, then in a fluid motion, slashed upward through the chest of the man on the right.
Splat!
Both men crumpled, blood spurting from their wounds.
I continued my stride, my senses heightened to the extreme, missing nothing in my surroundings.
A few steps later, I leaped into the air.
Swish! Thud!
My sword pierced the curtain of a second-floor window.
The man hiding behind it tumbled forward and fell.
I jumped down from the second floor, driving my sword into the ground. It sank in smoothly, like cutting through tofu.
“Ugh!”
A cry of pain rose from the ground.
This seemingly ordinary alley was a web of vigilant defenses.
I was more cautious than ever.
This battle wasn’t just mine. The lives and fates of two women and their son depended on it.
I swung my sword swiftly as I walked.
Slash!
My blade carved a long line into the stone wall, as if slicing through paper. Blood trickled from the cut, belonging to the one hidden within.
I continued forward, the Suramyungwang Sword dripping with blood, ready for whatever lay ahead.