When the First Snow Falls Again (2)
“Stop them! No matter what, they must be stopped!”
Baekpyo shouted until his throat felt like it would tear, but his voice was lost in the chaos. Everything moved in slow motion, like a surreal dream where sound had been stripped away.
Enemies surged from all directions, and the warriors of the Maengho Clan fell one by one.
Baekpyo swung his sword with a desperate fury. There were too many foes. For every one he cut down, two more took its place, and for those two, four more came.
Beyond the fallen enemies, he could see his comrades being slaughtered.
He couldn’t go to their aid. The enemies were closing in from all sides.
“Where is the leader? Where is the leader?”
He screamed in madness, but the sound echoed only in his mind, never reaching the outside world.
He fought his way through the throng, searching for Cheonhajin.
Hundreds were locked in combat, yet an eerie silence pervaded. The scene was so unreal that it made the horror even more vivid. Limbs of his comrades were severed in slow motion before his eyes.
How long did he wander like that?
Finally, Baekpyo spotted Cheonhajin.
In the distance, there was an altar, and Cheonhajin lay upon it.
Another sight caught Baekpyo’s eye.
A dark shadow, shaped like a man, was moving toward the altar.
“No! Stop! Protect the leader!”
He screamed until his voice broke, charging toward the altar.
Enemies blocked his path. He cut them down, one after another.
“No! Please! Get out of the way, you bastards!”
But the enemies kept coming, an endless wall. Meanwhile, the dark shadow climbed onto the altar.
“Leader! Wake up! Please, wake up!”
But Cheonhajin lay there, asleep.
The shadow drew a dark, ominous sword.
“No!”
Thud!
The shadow’s sword pierced Cheonhajin’s chest.
Blood sprayed, droplets scattering in slow motion.
“Leader!”
Cheonhajin slowly turned his head to look at him.
In that moment, their eyes met.
Suddenly, everything that had been moving slowly sped up.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Swords from all directions pierced Baekpyo’s body.
“Aaah!”
With a scream, Baekpyo awoke from the nightmare.
Beside him, his wife, Jeongyeong, sat up with him.
“Honey! Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
She poured water from a jug beside the bed.
“Here, drink.”
“Thank you.”
Jeongyeong watched him drink with concern.
Her husband had been plagued by nightmares every night.
When he decided to leave the Maengho Clan, she hadn’t opposed him. She had encouraged him to rest, to do what he wanted.
They had bought a tavern and a house attached to it with the money he had saved during his time with the clan.
She thought they could live happily ever after, but her husband was tormented by nightmares every night.
“It’s all in the past now.”
Jeongyeong hugged Baekpyo from behind. She wanted to be his strength, to be calm and supportive, but she couldn’t hide the tremor in her voice.
“You don’t have to protect the leader anymore.”
She knew he felt guilty about the leader’s death. Some feelings fade with time, but others grow sharper. For her husband, the leader’s death was the latter.
“I’m sorry.”
Baekpyo sighed softly.
“It’s not your fault, so don’t apologize. Not to me… or to the leader.”
All she wished for was for her husband to heal from his past wounds.
Her arms tightened around him.
The next day, I didn’t go to the tavern.
I hadn’t made up my mind yet, and seeing Baekpyo would only confuse me more.
Gwangdu also refrained from mentioning the tavern or Baekpyo.
Gwangdu went out to help Gong Suchan with the trading company, and I wandered the market alone.
If it were Galsaryang, I wouldn’t hesitate. I had already made up my mind.
When the time comes, I will make Galsaryang my ally.
But why do I hesitate with Baekpyo?
Perhaps it’s because of his family.
The thought of him living happily with his wife and children makes me pause.
What would my past self have done?
I would have acted on impulse, without much thought. I wouldn’t have even considered these dilemmas.
Back then, I valued my own feelings over others.
It might seem selfish, but it was unavoidable.
In my youth, I lived with a single goal: to become the strongest in the world. I couldn’t afford to look back. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. The path was too dangerous and difficult. Looking back would have meant never reaching my goal.
Becoming the leader, waging war against the Sima faction, fighting the hidden powers within the sect. I spent so long fighting that my life was anything but normal.
I didn’t realize it then. I just assumed that was the life of a leader.
But now, things are different.
I’m not just following my own emotions. I’m thinking about Baekpyo.
Would he be happier living the rest of his life as a tavern owner? Or would he find happiness in joining me again, roaming the martial world?
Is my desire to have him by my side clouding my judgment, or is my worry preventing me from making the right decision?
It’s still hard to find an answer.
Just as I realized many things only after dying in my past life, perhaps the answer to this dilemma will only become clear with time.
I paused and looked at the sunset beyond the distant mountains.
Baekpyo, I just don’t know.
Far away, someone else was also watching the setting sun.
It was Macheolgun.
Standing alone on a vast plain, his resolute gaze and tightly set lips exuded determination. His stance alone revealed the qualities of a strong candidate for the successor of Cheondomun.
How long had he been standing there?
A figure approached. Surprisingly, it was Mabonggi, the leader of the martial alliance.
“You’ve come, Father.”
“Why did you ask to meet me here?”
“In the alliance, we have to be mindful of prying eyes and ears, don’t we?”
“Then why not send a message?”
“I wanted to speak to you directly. I’ve already checked the surroundings. No one will hear our conversation.”
The guards stood at a distance, unable to hear the exchange between the two.
“Father, please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say.”
“Go on.”
“Why did you send our siblings across the central plains?”
“Didn’t I tell you when I sent you down?”
“Is it truly a test for the successor?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you send me?”
“Someone has to guard Cheondomun, don’t they?”
“Then am I also being tested?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
Mabonggi was lying. He had already chosen a successor in his heart. Sending his children across the central plains wasn’t to test them but to strengthen Cheondomun’s power.
To counter the forces that had made him the leader, he needed to bolster Cheondomun. Strengthening the martial alliance was meaningless. He couldn’t tell who among them was in league with the enemy.
Of course, the enemy would know his intentions. They would know he was using the pretext of a successor test to build power.
‘Let them know.’
What could they do about it? Stop him? How? By killing him? If they intended to kill him so easily, they wouldn’t have made him the leader in the first place.
He was the one wielding the powerful weapon that was the martial alliance. They might have made him the leader, but that didn’t mean they could control him at will.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Is there someone behind you, Father?”
Mabonggi’s expression hardened instantly.
“What nonsense is this!”
“I’m asking if there’s someone behind you. You should tell me. No matter what, I’m on your side.”
“Why do you think that?”
Mabonggi’s anger flared at his son’s hesitation.
“Do you think I couldn’t have become the leader without someone behind me?”
“No. I just can’t understand why the important figures in the martial alliance supported you. You had no prior connections with them.”
Mabonggi’s sharp demeanor softened slightly.
“In other matters, connections might be important. But choosing a leader for the martial alliance requires a much greater cause than personal ties.”
The son’s eyes, seeking truth, and the father’s, offering lies, tangled in the air.
Finally, Macheolgun bowed his head.
“I spoke out of turn. I’m sorry.”
Their gazes intertwined in the air.
“I tell you again, there’s no one behind me!”
“I believe you, Father. I’ll take my leave now.”
Macheolgun turned and walked away.
Watching his son’s retreating figure, Mabonggi muttered with a troubled expression.
“Damn it!”
Meanwhile, Gosen, who had been waiting at a distance, asked Macheolgun.
“How did it go?”
Macheolgun sighed.
“He still hides the fact that there’s someone behind him.”
Macheolgun was certain there was someone behind his father.
His sigh was contagious, and Gosen sighed as well.
“What will you do now?”
Macheolgun bared his teeth like a beast, a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor.
“I’ll have to come up with something. I can’t let all this effort go to waste.”
The next day, a spy sent by Jeongyeo arrived.
“I’m Jin.”
“I’m Su.”
Jin appeared to be in his forties, while Su seemed to be in his twenties.
Their ages and appearances were different, yet there was one thing they had in common.
They both looked utterly ordinary. The kind of familiar faces you might think you’ve seen somewhere before, making you wonder if you’d met them in the past.
But they were strangers. If they were to mingle with the group at the other table after talking with me, they would blend in as if they had always been there.
“Will you follow me from now on?”
“We’ve heard everything from Master Jeong. We pledge our loyalty to you as our lord.”
“Good. I trust you.”
The fact that Jeong-yeo sent them to me meant they were skilled and trustworthy.
Whether we would work well together, both professionally and personally, would be revealed in time.
I handed each of them a thousand nyang.
“Use this for the mission and to ensure your safety. If you need more money, just let me know.”
Their faces lit up with gratitude. It wasn’t just the unexpected sum; they seemed touched by the concern for their safety.
“Thank you.”
I gave them their first task: gather information on the Martial Alliance. Specifically, I wanted them to focus on anything related to Sima Qian for the time being. They were also to look into the handling of the secret records concerning Jo Byeok.
“Since you’re dealing with the Martial Alliance, don’t take unnecessary risks. I prefer small but safe information over big, risky intel.”
“Understood.”
I sent them off. If they continued to prove their loyalty, they would become central figures in the new intelligence network.
Of course, the leadership position would be reserved for Galsaryang.
“Is something troubling you?”
Gwangdu snapped out of his thoughts at Gong Suchan’s question.
The two were having a meal at an inn, but Gwangdu had paused mid-bite, lost in thought.
“No, nothing.”
Gwangdu resumed eating and asked, “Where did you say you were going after this?”
“I need to stop by the Manchun Trading Company.”
“Let’s finish up and head out, then.”
In his efforts to establish a trading company, Gong Suchan was constantly on the move. He visited battlefields, various trading companies in Wuhan, escort agencies, estates, and even information brokers. He was truly all over the place.
It was clear that building a trading company was no simple task.
“You’re really something. How do you manage all these complex tasks?”
Gwangdu’s admiration brought a faint smile to Gong Suchan’s lips.
“Once you get used to it, it’s not much. I think you’re the impressive one, Gwangmuin.”
“Please, just call me Gwangau.”
Gwangdu still felt awkward being called a warrior.
“Then why don’t you call me hyung?”
“Well…”
Gong Suchan refrained, not wanting to make Gwangdu uncomfortable.
Gwangdu understood why he hesitated. It was a mutual feeling of awkwardness.
Gong Suchan smiled and said, “True greatness isn’t about handling tasks you’ve done since childhood. It’s about facing new challenges without fear.”
Gong Suchan had been surprised to learn that Gwangdu was once a servant. Even after knowing, it was hard to believe because Gwangdu carried himself like a seasoned warrior.
Gwangdu shook his head modestly at the compliment.
“I don’t deserve the praise. If it weren’t for you, I’d still be sweeping courtyards.”
“You’re both remarkable.”
“This is surprisingly nice, sitting here and complimenting each other.”
Gwangdu’s self-deprecating joke made Gong Suchan chuckle. For someone who usually only smiled, this was almost a hearty laugh.
Initially, he had been curious about how a mere servant became a warrior. Such cases were rare.
But traveling from Gokbu to Wuhan with Gwangdu, he began to understand. He saw why Byeoklidan valued Gwangdu so much. Gwangdu had a certain charm that justified it.
“Chief Gong.”
Gwangdu casually remarked while looking out the window, “I feel like I’m about to cause some trouble soon. What should I do?”
The sudden and unexpected comment prompted an immediate response from Gong Suchan, without even asking for details.
“Go ahead.”
Gwangdu looked at him with wide eyes.
“Really?”
“You want to, don’t you? You can’t cause trouble if you’re worried about the aftermath.”
It was a statement that required complete trust in the other person.
“Were you always this reckless?”
“No, I’m actually very calculated.”
“Then why?”
“It’s not my business, is it?”
Gong Suchan added with a smile to the bewildered Gwangdu, “Besides, a pre-announced mishap isn’t really a mishap. So go ahead.”
Gwangdu stood up after a moment of contemplation.
“Let’s get to work.”
“Yes.”
As Gong Suchan rose to follow, he sensed it.
Gwangdu had just made a decision about something.