Chapter v11c15

Tang Cheol Ak of the Sichuan Tang family had a companion. Seeing the silence inside the inn after Tang Cheol Ak’s dramatic entrance, the companion, filled with curiosity, decided to go in and see what had happened.

“Mr. Tang? Is something wrong? Mr. Ta… Gah!”

The young man, who entered the inn after Tang Cheol Ak, was horrified by the sight that awaited him. He couldn’t understand why Tang Cheol Ak, who bragged about being a hidden weapons expert, was pinned to the wall with dozens of chopsticks piercing his clothes.

He also couldn’t understand why a large plate, usually reserved for food, was stuck to Tang Cheol Ak’s mouth, overflowing with spilled dishes.

Moreover, he couldn’t fathom why Tang Cheol Ak’s face, pinned to the wall by chopsticks and seemingly losing his soul, was bruised blue and green.

However, what truly puzzled him were the dozens of cold gazes directed at him, as if ready to devour him whole. He didn’t know why his legs were trembling without his command. Just then, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

“Huh? What are you doing here?”

He recognized the voice from this cauldron of fear. Unfortunately, it was a voice he would rather erase from his memory, a voice he never wanted to hear again.

‘W-Who is it?’

His instinct screamed at him, warning him not to turn his head and look. But curiosity, a weakness of all humans, got the better of him. As he turned around with a smile, his face instantly drained of all color.

“It’s been about two years, hasn’t it?”

The person who had called out to him was none other than Bi Ryu Yeon. Given Bi Ryu Yeon’s limited social circle, meeting someone he knew in this foreign land was a remarkable coincidence.

“Aaaaaaaaagh!”

A scream, loud enough to shake the inn, ripped through the air. The young man, no matter how hard he tried, couldn’t recall anything that happened after that moment. He was Jang Woo Kang, the son of Jang Woo Yang, the leader of the Zhongyang Escort Agency, who was making a name for himself in the martial world. Namgung Sang rushed over and helped him up.

“Hey! What’s wrong? Wake up! Look at you sweating! I said wake up!”

Namgung Sang slapped his face repeatedly, hoping to bring him back to his senses. It seemed he had pent up frustration from the past few days.

Slap! Slap! Smack! Smack!

Tang Sam, who had been watching from the sidelines, suddenly pushed Namgung Sang aside and took his place, checking on Jang Woo Kang.

“His pulse and blood pressure are dropping! We need to wake him up quickly!”

Slap! Slap!

Tang Sam slapped Jang Woo Kang’s face with a gleeful expression, then stepped aside for another Jujakdan member.

“This is bad. He’s losing consciousness!”

Smack! Smack! Smack!

The other delegates, who were watching in disbelief, wondered when the Jujakdan members had become so sinister.

“Hey! Wake up! Snap out of it!”

Despite being slapped repeatedly, Jang Woo Kang felt no pain.

‘Ah, so warm…’

He felt a bright, warm light enveloping him. It was paradise. He wanted to stay in this paradise of light forever, filled with happiness.

“He’s only smiling. What do we do?”

“Quick! Give him a revival pill and first aid! Hurry! Move!”

He felt something touching his body, some sort of treatment being administered. But it felt like a distant dream, a scene from a faraway world. His consciousness drifted further from reality, escaping to a world of peace and tranquility.

‘Ah… so warm…’

***

**Has God Stepped Out?**

“Gasp! Y-You are…!”

The man’s jaw dropped open so wide it was a wonder it didn’t dislocate.

He was Jang Woo Yang, the leader of the Zhongyang Escort Agency and wielder of the Eighteen Swords.

‘Oh Buddha! Jade Emperor, Heavenly Gods! Are you truly up there in the heavens?’

What kind of fate was this? There was a theory that destiny was a form of cause and effect, orchestrated by the divine. Today, Jang Woo Yang started to doubt the existence of the divine. Why bother believing in gods if they weren’t helpful? He was still a man who sought benefits in his faith. But this applied to most people, so he couldn’t be blamed.

People believed in a higher power because they had hopes and desires, leading to the creation of religions. Without wishes or desires, there might not have been any religion in this world.

“Well, it’s been a while.”

Bi Ryu Yeon casually raised a hand in greeting. However, Jang Woo Yang was in a daze, unable to properly respond.

‘Ugh!’

Heartburn hit him. He rummaged through his pockets, looking for his secret stash of digestive medicine that he hadn’t touched in months. The onlookers couldn’t understand why Jang Woo Yang, the leader of the booming Zhongyang Escort Agency, which was challenging even the dominant Zhongyuan Escort Agency, was behaving so submissively towards a young man with no apparent background or fame.

It was as if he was a servant fawning over his master. It was an incredible sight. Regaining his senses, Jang Woo Yang exchanged greetings with Bi Ryu Yeon and then greeted the Jujakdan members he recognized. They had once shared life and death together as comrades.

Noticing the excessive attention they were attracting, Bi Ryu Yeon signaled to Yeomdo, who then dismissed the disciples, telling them to go to their rooms and rest. Neok Gi han and Goyakhan also left for their rooms without a word.

Only four people remained in the dining hall: Bi Ryu Yeon, Yeomdo, Binggeom, and Jang Woo Yang.

“What brings you here? It’s unusual for you to come in person.”

Needless to say, Jang Woo Yang was here for a delivery. But for the leader of the Zhongyang Escort Agency, which had rapidly expanded over the past two years and now had 18 branches across the Central Plains, to personally make a trip meant the shipment was incredibly important. That’s why Bi Ryu Yeon was so intrigued. His financially-oriented senses were tingling with excitement.

“Did you arrive today?”

Despite the casual nature of the question, Jang Woo Yang’s face darkened noticeably.

“Actually, I’ve been staying here for three days.”

“What?”

“Huh?”

“Oh my.”

The three men reacted with surprise. It was a delivery that required urgency and speed. Safety and speed were crucial. For a delivery leader to stay in one place for three days meant something serious had happened.

“Is there anything worth mentioning?”

“I have to cross a large, dangerous mountain tomorrow.”

Based on his tone, it was clear he wasn’t talking about the difficulty of climbing a mountain. Bi Ryu Yeon looked surprised at his answer.

“Hmm! It’s unlikely the mountain path itself is the problem. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of bandits?”

Bandits were a common part of any escort mission, as familiar as a nagging wife. Yeomdo scratched his beard, chuckling.

“Are you shaking in your boots because of a bunch of bandits? The Zhongyang Escort Agency, known for its integrity and commitment to safeguarding its deliveries with their lives, is all talk, I guess. You can’t trust rumors after all.”

“Sigh… Ordinary bandits aren’t a problem. You can get past even large bandit strongholds with a bit of negotiation. But the owner of the mountain I need to cross doesn’t negotiate.”

“Why? Is the Green Forest King waiting for you?”

Yeomdo asked jokingly.

“Yes, he is.”

Jang Woo Yang nodded without hesitation.

“What?”

Yeomdo raised his voice involuntarily.

“As I said, the Green Forest King has declared it to be his hunting season. With the green wolf flag, his symbol, raised on the mountain, we can’t cross it without considerable risk.”

“What’s that? And who’s this Im Deok Seong?”

Bi Ryu Yeon asked, remembering that he had studied this during his lessons on the current powers of the martial world.

“The Green Forest King, Mad Wind Demon Wolf, Im Deok Seong, is the overall leader of the Seventy-Two Strongholds, and stands at the top of the 100,000 Green Forest bandits. He usually stays in his headquarters, not bothering anyone, and only acts during his designated hunting season. Unfortunately for us, we’re caught within his territory during his hunting season. This has never happened before. But we can’t turn back, and we absolutely must cross that mountain tomorrow. That dangerous mountain where a wolf is baring its fangs.”

Jang Woo Yang was visibly burdened by worry.

“What about compensation?”

Bi Ryu Yeon asked bluntly.

“What?”

Jang Woo Yang couldn’t comprehend his words.

“I’m asking how much you’re willing to pay for safe passage across the mountain. A fee for our protection.”

A hopeful expression crossed Jang Woo Yang’s face. He had been preparing for the past three days, but he wasn’t confident in his arrangements. If Bi Ryu Yeon and the Cheonmu Academy delegation accompanied them, he wouldn’t have to fear the Green Forest King.

“Well…, in that case… Don’t worry about the cost. If you can safely escort us across the mountain, I will handsomely reward you. We must cross tomorrow. There’s no more time to waste. However…”

Jang Woo Yang trailed off, looking at Yeomdo. He wasn’t sure if Yeomdo, their leader, would agree. It was an understandable reaction considering Jang Woo Yang wasn’t aware of the secret relationship between Bi Ryu Yeon and Yeomdo. However, Yeomdo nodded in agreement without any hesitation.

“It’s on our way. A few more companions won’t hurt. Besides…”

He had heard that the Green Forest King, Im Deok Seong, was an expert in the Mad Wind Demon Wolf Saber Technique. A saber technique used by the ruler of 100,000 bandits…. It was an intriguing encounter for a saber user like him.

“Then it’s a deal.”

Bi Ryu Yeon smiled. Jang Woo Yang felt as if he had just been saved. His despair instantly transformed into happiness.

“But how did it come to this?”

Jang Woo Yang recounted the story. It went something like this…

“So the current top escort agency in the Central Plains is the Zhongyuan Escort Agency. The Zhongyang Escort Agency is in a fierce competition with them, and it’s a matter of survival for them to reach the destination before Zhongyuan Escort Agency does. Their aim is to become the best escort agency in the Central Plains.”

“That’s correct.”

Jang Woo Yang nodded in admiration of Bi Ryu Yeon’s concise explanation.

“And the destination is?”

“Mount Hua.”

The reason the escort agency was heading to Mount Hua was because of the upcoming Mount Hua Sect’s Hundred-Year Agreement Conference. The once-a-decade event was attracting an enormous influx of people and merchants seeking profit. Money flowed with people and goods, and it was only natural for the escort agencies to target such a lucrative opportunity.

* * *

In a dark room, shrouded in shadows.

It was a secret location not far from the Shunping Inn.

“Any news?”

“The preparations are complete. The trap is set.”

“And the cleanup?”

“Impeccable. They won’t be able to hear any witnesses’ testimonies.”

Red Blood nodded in satisfaction.

“Good. Continue the pursuit. Do not intervene under any circumstances. That’s all!”

As soon as he finished giving orders, numerous shadows vanished into the darkness.

“Any news?”

The Grand Prince asked when he saw Chi Sa Han entering his office.

“We received a report that they will soon encounter the white deer and the wolf. Everything is proceeding as planned.”

“I hope they aren’t completely wiped out. A stage needs actors.”

A cold smile played on the Grand Prince’s lips.

“There was an additional report. A minor variable.”

“A variable?”

The Grand Prince disliked unforeseen variables. They were obstacles to his perfect plans.

“Yes, a cute silver fox has joined the deer’s herd. How would you like the silver fox fur?”

The Grand Prince flinched at Chi Sa Han’s suggestive smile.

“……”

The Grand Prince remained silent. A deep silence filled the room. Chi Sa Han felt uneasy seeing the Grand Prince’s unexpected reaction.

‘Damn… Did I make a mistake?’

His back was drenched in cold sweat. It would be very unfortunate.

“Should we hunt it down?”

The Grand Prince shook his head.

“Hunting the fox is postponed for now.”

“Understood. We’ll focus on gathering intelligence.”

Chi Sa Han sighed in relief inwardly. As he left, the Grand Prince quietly stared into the empty darkness, his eyes glowing coldly from the abyss.