episode_0166

***

After burning all the bandits who had attacked, Soyou ran towards the direction where the living quarters were.

In-ho, who had been staring blankly at his teacher, came to his senses too late and followed after her.

Because he started late, Soyou had already disappeared from sight, but since he was walking on a path he already knew, Inho was able to quickly catch up with her.

Of course, when we arrived at the mountain lodge, people’s screams were already echoing everywhere.

Soyou threw her power on the heads of the bandits, and the bandits hit by her devastating attack died on the spot.

As she was raiding the living quarters, a handsome bandit who appeared to be the leader appeared in front of her holding a huge greatsword.

“How dare you tell me where this is!!”

The bandit, whose face was red, probably because he had been drinking, shouted energetically.

But that was it.

Soyou’s kick, which flew like lightning, shattered the bone and sent his large body flying.

“…It’s a little quiet now.”

Soyou said as he stood in a daze at the cruel scene where he could not feel the energy of life.

“I thought you wanted to come here, so I arranged it in advance.”

Didn’t I do well? I saw Inho followed by Soyou with a look on his face.

Inho just smiled awkwardly.

“……”

While Soyou looked around the mountain quarters, Inho herded the corpses of the bandits to one place.

Looking at the bodies piled up like a mountain, Inho recalled the memories of that day buried in his heart.

Mountains of battered, cut, and mutilated corpses.

And the flame burning from below.

He unconsciously gritted his teeth and burned the bodies of the bandits, just like Namgung So-yeon did back then.

The human tower, named Firewood, burned.

A huge flame emanating a foul smell.

Inho did not take his eyes off the flame.

The fire, as always, was doing its job diligently.

If left like this, it would eat up that huge tower of corpses and disappear.

“……”

He thought of those who could not be properly commemorated.

Chonggwan, Yeonhwa, Maehwa and the people of Heukcheongyo.

In-ho closed his eyes and tried to remember those faces, but his eyes became blurred as if they were covered in fog.

“What are you thinking?”

Behind him, who was staring blankly at the flames, Soyou, who had been looking around the living quarters, came up.

“I was just watching.”

Inho answered mechanically.

Soyou came close to Inho’s side and naturally held hands.

“Lie.”

“Yes?”

“He said it was a lie. It was definitely a look in his eyes that reminded him of something.”

Soyou’s eyes narrowed.

Her red eyes sparkled with flame.

“It’s really nothing. I was just thinking about people.”

“People? What kind of people?”

“There is such a thing.”

Inho’s vague words made Soyou want to ask more questions, but he held back.

***

In-ho and Soyou spent a week at the mountain lodge.

This was because there was no designated place to go, and there was no shortage of supplies brought by the bandits.

For those who did not have immediate travel expenses, the supply ran out at an appropriate time. Also, Soyou noticed that In-ho secretly liked this place.

Soyou planned to become closer to Inho here.

Inho’s heart seemed wide open, but was tightly closed.

Even though Inho was infinitely close, he acted unfamiliar.

So I stayed in a place with few people and increased the time I spent with him.

We sparred in the morning, and in the afternoon we talked to each other and asked questions.

We also cooked meals together and repaired worn-out parts of the mountain vegetables.

But still, Soyou was dissatisfied.

‘I don’t know you.’

Soyou thought so.

She wanted to know everything about In-ho from head to toe.

I wanted to trace the lines of his strong body with my fingers and bring my nose close to breathe in his body scent.

What is he thinking and who is he thinking of?

She was so curious.

I had his past, present, and future all in my hands and didn’t want to show it to anyone.

Little by little, over time, she thought, she would possess all of him.

However, her plan was ruined by Jeon Seo-gu, who suddenly flew in.

One day, Jeon Seo-gu came to In-ho with a piece of paper tied around his ankle.

“Jeonseo-gu? Did you ask for information on Hao Moon?”

Soyou asked while Inho untied the letter tied to the pigeon’s leg.

“I asked the person who delivered the news about the Ambassador last time.”

Inho answered.

“What?”

“Please investigate the death of the Ambassador. It was clear that Master was so anxious that he would not be able to take care of it.”

“So, the answer has arrived.”

“Yes. plural. You’re going to do it, right?”

When Inho asked if it was natural, Soyou could not give a straight answer.

It was natural to avenge Yeomjin, but Soyou wondered whether it was right to take Inho with him to the place of revenge.

In-ho opened the letter and, unable to read, showed it to So-yu.

“Inho.”

“What does it say? Is their home base written down?”

“That’s not it.”

“Really?”

“They….”

As Soyou became restless, Inho sensed something was wrong.

“They… are coming here.”

The group that killed Yan Jin was coming for them.

Whining

A chilling wind passed over the living vegetables.