Chapter 40 |
Im-dong was a region located about 400 li to the northwest of Luoyang. Needless to say, it wasn’t a distance one could cover overnight. For approximately three days, Captain Ryu and I switched horses and slept in lodgings as we headed toward our destination. With about 50 li remaining to the border of Im-dong, Captain Ryu spoke.
“Do you know what kind of place Cheoljeon Village is?”
“It would be a place easily isolated from the outside world.”
At this, Captain Ryu looked somewhat surprised.
“Heh. You’re quick-witted. You understood what I meant without me having to explain.”
“Well, if we have to maintain confidentiality, we can’t consider a place with active interactions with other regions.”
“True. Just by cutting off two bridges, the place becomes completely isolated. It’s the optimal location for carrying out this mission.”
Clip-clop-clip-clop.
We had just galloped on large horses, so we were taking a brief rest. I slowly urged my horse forward and spoke.
“Hmm… Normally, I shouldn’t tell you, but you’re a special case. You were deployed immediately without going through the Embroidered Uniform Guards new recruit training due to the timing… What I’m about to say must never be disclosed to anyone else.”
It seemed that under normal circumstances, the newly recruited would go through an orientation where they would be reinforced with the secretive information of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. The “timing overlapping” probably meant that they needed manpower urgently and deployed me immediately upon my recommendation to the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
“Yes.”
“He is an indispensable figure for this plan. He suppresses the spirits of the villagers and plays the flute for three days and nights to put them into a ‘stillness’ state. Then he disseminates doctrines to those who wake up, turning them into loyal followers. Afterwards, the process of offering sacrifices to summon enough monsters is repeated.”
His words were very straightforward, devoid of any emotion. Captain Ryu must have witnessed human sacrifices for years, as evidenced by his lack of remorse or hesitation. Pretending to know nothing, I asked further.
“Where did he learn such mysterious sorcery? Is he a sorcerer from the legendary religious unorthodox faction?”
“I doubt it… He doesn’t say anything, but the incantations and rituals he uses are extremely alien. And his appearance…”
“……?”
“Don’t be shocked when you see him. He’s hideously ugly.”
A momentarily disgusted expression flitted across Captain Ryu’s face. For someone who talks about human sacrifices and slaughter so nonchalantly, the appearance of the Grand Sorcerer must be a monstrosity.
I asked once more.
“So you’re saying monsters can be summoned? They just appear from empty space?”
“Heh, you’re really curious, aren’t you? Well, so is everyone else.”
“I apologize.”
“It’s alright. Um… Monsters actually burst out from the ground.”
“… Excuse me?”
“Exactly as I said. They don’t just spontaneously appear from nowhere, they dig through the ground and burst out. Based on this, it’s likely that the Grand Sorcerer performs a [ritual] to summon them.”
“……”
I felt my mouth slightly open in disbelief.
So, if what he says is true, the monsters aren’t otherworldly beings but have been living somewhere in this world all along? Moreover, they seem to travel by burrowing deep into the ground. The creepy thought that such monsters could be out there hunting prey was unsettling. I openly shared my thoughts with him.
“Is the power of these monsters intended to annihilate White Lotus Sect? I don’t understand why you would summon monsters.”
“You don’t need to understand. We just need to follow orders.”
“……”
“But… probably not. Monsters play an important role in the second phase of the ritual, so they aren’t directly utilizing their combat abilities. I can only guess that only the Grand Sorcerer and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor know the exact details.”
Captain Ryu freely divulged sensitive information. Probably because my questioning didn’t seem particularly suspicious and he was confident that I was becoming indoctrinated. Besides, unless I was insane, there was no reason for me to betray Embroidered Uniform Guards.
‘If I dig any further, I might raise suspicion.’
I decided to act within reasonable limits.
“Understood. So is my duty to escort the sorcerer?”
“Escort? That could be it… Anyway, with your level of martial arts, whatever you do shouldn’t be difficult.”
He too was a martial arts expert of a high caliber, and he seemed to have assessed my skills.
“That’s very flattering.”
“Not at all. It’s been a while since such an exceptional talent has been recommended to us. This must be my lucky day, eh? Hahaha.”
“Hahaha…”
I laughed weakly.
Throughout this joking exchange, Captain Ryu’s face showed no signs of malice or evil intent. He was someone proud of his duties, striving to build a humane relationship with his subordinates. Just listening to his tone, you could tell that this man wasn’t inherently wicked.
Even so, he had a history of driving thousands of people to death for the sake of the imperial family, with twisted patriotism. It’s an evil act that no one would have any objections to if they were immediately pointed out as a demon and beaten to death. Not even any dark cult leader or villainous boss could have lived doing such wicked deeds as Captain Ryu. When I realized that a person’s nature and actions could be so incompatible, I felt strange.
Who turned Captain Ryu into a demon?
“We’re almost there. Once we cross this mountain, we’ll see the bridge leading to Cheoljeon Village.”
“Didn’t the advance team cut it off?”
“No way. The operation will start only after my arrival. The bridge will be the last thing to cut.”
As he said, the bridge was intact.
Although the bridge was making a creaking sound, it was perfectly fine. It would be safe even if we crossed it on horseback.
Captain Ryu stood in front of the sky bridge. Below the sky bridge, which connected about ten lengths, there was nothing but air. It was a precarious bridge that connected two cliffs. He was muttering something, his eyes twitching.
“Hmm. I was thinking of using explosives, but if it’s this shabby, just cutting it off will do… The fewer traces, the better…”
As I crossed the sky bridge, I got chills hearing his muttering. It seemed that he had started focusing on the plan to massacre the villagers, as if all the smiles up to now had been lies.
About half an hour later, Captain Ryu and I were able to arrive at the base in front of Cheoljeon Village. It was a hut in the middle of a field of grass, camouflaged so as not to attract people’s attention. A guard of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, who had arrived earlier, was waiting for us there.
“Have you arrived!”
“Yes. What’s the situation? Are you the only one here?”
Inside the hut, there was only one guard. He reported to Captain Ryu.
“We’ve just arrived, too. Currently, the remaining members are infiltrating the village and gathering information on key figures.”
“When will they return?”
“It will take about three hours.”
“Alright. We’ll start the village suppression operation as soon as they arrive.”
I looked around the hut and then spoke.
“Captain, the Grand Sorcerer is not here.”
“Don’t worry about it. He’s probably already in the village. He uses mysterious techniques, so there’s no need for us to worry.”
“Hmm…”
“Once the suppression operation is over, he will come to us.”
I realized that this was also important information.
The Grand Sorcerer and the Embroidered Uniform Guards don’t always move together, huh. Their relationship seems to be more about mutual exploitation than camaraderie… And the so-called Grand Sorcerer has some special spells besides just playing the flute.
Could it be possible to thwart their plans in advance by suppressing just one of either the Embroidered Uniform Guards or the Grand Sorcerer? I realized that I had more options in strategizing. Lost in thought, I spoke to Captain Ryu.
“Captain, I’d like to infiltrate the village as well. I want to help my seniors.”
“No, you can’t. You don’t know anything about disguise arts or Muscle-shrinking Technique, do you? Even the slightest suspicion from the villagers will mess up the plan. Just wait here for now.”
“Understood.”
I felt the need to learn disguise arts and Muscle-shrinking Technique. Not only could they be useful here, but they’d also likely be helpful in the future. The question was who could teach me such techniques. Especially because Muscle-shrinking Technique required mastering a special form of martial arts that commoners couldn’t know.
Captain Ryu spoke again.
“If you’re restless, then keep watch within a one-li radius from here. Check if anyone suspicious approaches.”
“Understood.”
I thought this worked out well. I had reached my limit in managing my expression in front of Captain Ryu and, above all, I needed space to think. I left the cabin and climbed a tall tree to survey the area. Naturally, I didn’t think anyone would wander aimlessly in the woods of such a remote village.
However, that thought lasted only a moment. Soon, a mysterious figure appeared in my line of sight. I dashed towards the being about seventy yards away like a bolt of lightning. It didn’t take me long to reach them.
“Kyaa!”
It was a slightly high-pitched scream. I immediately covered their mouth so the sound wouldn’t carry. I signaled for them to be quiet while they looked at me with terrified eyes. It would be easy to kill them, but I couldn’t do that.
“Be quiet.”
A typical rural girl.
She looked to be on the cusp of her mid-teens. Struggling against my hand for a moment, she eventually stayed still. I spoke to her calmly.
“Don’t scream, got it?”
“……”
Upon closer inspection, she was slyly licking my palm and applying saliva.
“Ew, that’s gross.”
I removed my hand from her mouth and muttered. The girl made a playful expression and spoke.
“What are you doing here, big brother? Are you from another village?”
“Yes, I lost my way and ended up here.”
“Come to our village! I’ll give you something to eat.”
Her cheerful smile was adorable. She was a spirited child.
“……”
I managed to deceive the girl into thinking I was a passerby, but I felt heavy-hearted.
Here’s the translated text with explanations for certain terms and nuances:
Once the plan starts, are you saying that innocent children will be torn apart and violated by fanatics? And that naïve villagers will engage in a massacre only to be sacrificed themselves, and eventually, the whole village will be burned down and annihilated? The stench of blood from the altar where the Grand Sorcerer used to carry out human sacrifices still lingers in my memory. At that time, I thought I was indifferent, but looking back, it seems I was quite emotionally shocked.
‘Ah, a guard is coming out.’
I sensed an Embroidered Uniform Guard walking out of the hut, perhaps to relieve himself. Needless to say, if he discovers this girl, he’ll execute her on the spot. I quickly said to the young girl,
“Hey, go back to your village from here. Understand?”
“Did you lose your way?”
“It’s fine. Just go back the way you came. See you later.”
“Okay~”
The girl scurried away through the bushes.
And after a while, the guard walked up to where I was standing. He seemed to have intended to talk to me from the beginning.
“Hey, rookie. Nice to meet you.”
“Are you my senior?’”
He was tall and handsome, looking a few years older than me. Probably older in actual age, but he looked young due to his good looks. He grinned and said,
“Yes. I also come from Great Sword Gate. In the past, I was quite a renowned swordmaster in Luoyang, known as Janghyun.’
“I see.”
Janghyun suddenly showed a strange expression.
“But I heard that you, coming from Gwanjung’s Azure Dragon Martial Hall, entered through Great Sword Gate’s recommendation.’
“……”
It seemed that Captain Ryu had told Janghyun about me in that brief moment. Thinking Captain Ryu was a gossip, I said,
“It was a decision made by the head of Great Sword Gate.”
“Who said what? Just a bit regretful. Great Sword Gate couldn’t handle a countryside guy like you? If I were there, it would have been different.”
“If you’re being sarcastic, I won’t listen any further.”
“Haha. Well, there’s nothing to be done. If we weren’t on a mission, I would’ve given you a taste of your own medicine.”
I was already feeling complicated, but Janghyun kept picking a fight, which annoyed me. So, I didn’t hold back and retorted spontaneously.
“You sure like to bark a lot. Perhaps barking and then leaving is the best option for you? That way you won’t reveal how weak you really are.”
“What… what did you say!”
Janghyun was provoked immediately. His face flushed, and suddenly, he unsheathed his sword, performing a .
Whoosh!
His attack was skillful enough that I had to muster my strength to dodge it reflexively. The skill was so precise and quick that any average martial artist would’ve lost their head with just that one move, an ultimate technique..
Thud!
“Ugh…”
However, I dodged it quite effortlessly and used Silent Thunder Steps to close the distance, punching him in the stomach. Janghyun had too many openings exposed after his failed ‘opening move,’ which he could do nothing about, even though he was aware of it. Struggling in immense pain, he mumbled,
“You… you… your speed is… too fast…”
Janghyun’s face bent forward. It was natural for him to pass out as I had hit him hard enough to damage his internal organs.
This guy is much stronger than the three chief disciples of Great Sword Gate that I’ve faced before. But still, he’s nowhere near my level. Once again, I could affirm that I’m much stronger than an ordinary ‘Embroidered Uniform Guard’. My master, Lee Gwang, was almost certainly correct in rating me at the ‘Vice Commander’ level. I laughed at Janghyun.
“This is what you call fast? At this rate, you won’t even last a second against Jin So-cheong.”
I grabbed the unconscious Janghyun by the collar and sat him down under a tree. Then I contemplated my next steps.
Should I proactively step in and prevent a tragedy?
Or should I calmly observe the situation?
Is there a third option?
After much thought, I reached a conclusion.
‘I won’t make a move until the real massacre begins.’
The reason I reached this conclusion was thanks to Mang-ryang. If his wisdom could provide an alternative solution that I couldn’t think of, different results could be achieved. As Mang-ryang said, now is the time to collect more clues rather than acting hastily. I took it as a warning that acting in haste would result in disaster.
The villagers will be completely brainwashed in three days. Until then, I must observe. There’s too much I don’t know about the ‘Grand Sorcerer’, and I must find out more about Embroidered Uniform Guards’ actions. You never know when some shocking information might come up.
I pressed down on Janghyun’s acupoint to wake him up from his fainting state. Then, squatting in front of the anxious-looking Janghyun, I softly threatened him.
“Senior. I have neither resentment nor affection toward the Great Sword Gate. If you project your inferiority complex onto me, who’s a simple country bumpkin, my solution will be a fist. What does the sect matter now that we’re already in Embroidered Uniform Guards?”
“…Uh…”
“Let’s pretend this never happened and get along, guard Janghyun-nim.”
“Ah, understood.”
Janghyun seemed to instinctively realize—realize that it would only take three seconds for me to kill him and that I would likely have no hesitation in doing so.
To avoid looking suspicious, Janghyun and I walked in together. Captain Ryu, who happened to be reading, didn’t seem to suspect anything.
Thump Thump
“We’ve returned!”
Exactly around 3 PM, when it was getting dark, all the Embroidered Uniform Guards members who had been out scouting returned to the village. They were each in disguise. Moments later, they saw Captain Ryu and simultaneously knelt, and Captain Ryu coldly scanned the room before speaking.
“Report the results.”
“Yes.”
Then the Embroidered Uniform Guards members began to discuss each important figure and building in the village, and any information they had gathered. Captain Ryu, with closed eyes, seemed to be sorting out the information in his head.
“Good. We’ll wait here until we hear the sorcerer’s flute, then proceed with the operation. Eliminate any potential obstacles and block all communications. Make sure the operation goes smoothly!”
“Yes!”
The sound of the flute came a day later.
Tweeet—
Just after noon, a low, eerie, and unsettling sound of a flute was heard. I was the first to hear it, and it seemed to have a mentally suppressive effect. Almost simultaneously, the other Embroidered Uniform Guards members hastily prepared for battle.
The preparation didn’t take long. Captain Ryu ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guards members, who were kneeling.
“Begin the suppression operation! Go!”
I followed the other Embroidered Uniform Guards members into the village.
Soon enough, as I jumped from rooftop to rooftop, I could see that ordinary villagers were clutching their heads, shivering, and unable to move. The flute sound seemed fatal to those without Inner Qi or weak mental strength. Among them, some were staggering but moving properly—they were likely those who had mastered martial arts or breathing techniques.
A senior Embroidered Uniform Guards member said,
“Leave the moving ones alone. They are not our targets. Focus only on the assassination subjects.”
I voiced my opinion,
“Shouldn’t we find the Grand Sorcerer?”
“True. Baek-woong, locate the source of that flute sound.”
I felt like they gave me this task since I was a newcomer. Making a mistake on an assassination mission as a rookie would be burdensome.
“Yes.”
Swoosh!
I left the Embroidered Uniform Guards group to act independently.
A faint killing intent was hovering in my eyes.
‘I must find him.’
First, I needed to locate the Grand Sorcerer and remove him.
And extract as much information as possible.
Even torture was on the table for that.