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“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.”

“Is it that you don’t trust me?”

“I do trust you. But you know, right? Revealing top-secret operations is a serious offense.”

“There’s a clause that allows disclosure in emergency situations.”

Gal Sa-ryang knew the Alliance rules better than anyone. But even with such words, Jong Cheon-rak remained immovable.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not possible.”

Gal Sa-ryang didn’t push any further.

“If that’s the Regiment Leader’s decision, I understand. Instead, I suggest we depart immediately. I also recommend changing our original route.”

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

Jong Cheon-rak walked over to the martial artists and said in a loud voice.

“Who was it that shouted to alert us of the enemy’s appearance earlier?”

I stepped forward.

“It was me.”

Jong Cheon-rak was surprised. He had naturally thought it was one of those on guard duty and was about to commend them.

“How did you know?”

“I woke up thirsty at dawn. As I was about to get up for water, I saw something moving in the distance. I was lucky.”

Jong Cheon-rak approached with a pleased face and patted my shoulder.

“If it weren’t for you, we could have suffered a great loss. Thank you.”

“Not at all. I only did what I should have done.”

Jong Cheon-rak looked at his subordinates and said,

“Well then, we depart immediately.”

The Thousand Bow Regiment martial artists hurried to prepare for departure. Especially the martial artists I had drunk with on the first day sent grateful looks my way. Being experienced in real combat, they all knew how important my warning had been.

Gal Sa-ryang asked me,

“Did you really notice by chance?”

“How else could I have known?”

The reason he asked this question was probably because of the skill I had shown during the interview.

I decided there was no need to leave him with any doubts.

So I spoke quietly, just for him to hear.

“My martial arts are better than theirs. If something happens, please trust me.”

Gal Sa-ryang, who had been staring at me for a moment, turned away.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

We set off again towards Zhongqing.

Although we couldn’t know the content of this top-secret operation, we could guess one thing. That this operation was a trap to kill us all.

***

The atmosphere in the Alliance Leader’s Hall was cold.

Ma Bong-gi, sitting on the Grand Preceptor’s seat, was looking down at Bright Moon Regiment leader Ju Cheol-ryong with a displeased gaze.

Ju Cheol-ryong had his usual expressionless face.

“I’ve done everything you wanted. Yet you still won’t let me meet the ones behind this?”

Even though two years had passed since he became the Alliance Leader, Ma Bong-gi still hadn’t met the masterminds. They only conveyed their intentions through Ju Cheol-ryong.

‘They’re really incredibly cautious.’

Wouldn’t it be human nature to want to show off your power in front of someone you’ve made your puppet?

But he was hiding completely, putting Ju Cheol-ryong forward.

‘What on earth are you plotting behind the scenes?’

He had secretly investigated Ju Cheol-ryong too. But he couldn’t find out anything. He couldn’t even figure out why Ju Cheol-ryong had sided with them, let alone how they communicated.

‘Could this bastard be the mastermind?’

He really had such thoughts every time he saw Ju Cheol-ryong.

But Ju Cheol-ryong wasn’t the mastermind. He wasn’t a figure who could carry more meaning than being the Bright Moon Regiment leader. Although he was called a lustful maniac who chased after women, he could be confident in his ability to judge people.

“Didn’t I send out the Thousand Bow Regiment leader as you wished?”

“That’s because the revival of the Blood Heavens Divine Cult was detected, isn’t it?”

The corners of Ma Bong-gi’s mouth turned up coldly.

“Do you really take me for a fool?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think I would believe in the revival of the Demonic Cult?”

“Weren’t credible signs detected?”

“That’s-!”

He was about to say ‘That’s what you fabricated,’ but stopped. It would be pointless to argue with this opponent anyway.

Ju Cheol-ryong calmly said,

“And this matter is for the Alliance Leader’s benefit, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“The Thousand Bow Regiment leader is a central figure in the anti-Alliance Leader faction.”

Ju Cheol-ryong didn’t say more. His silence implied, ‘Wouldn’t it be good for you if he were eliminated?’ But as always, he only hinted and didn’t speak explicitly.

“He’s a very capable person, so he’ll return safely.”

Ma Bong-gi was dumbfounded by Ju Cheol-ryong’s words, which seemed to express concern. To say such things so nonchalantly after sending him on a death mission.

On the surface, Ju Cheol-ryong was perfectly normal. Rather, it was to the point where he himself might be treated as an old Alliance Leader falling into conspiracy theories.

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

Ju Cheol-ryong left the Alliance Leader’s Hall. Watching his back, Ma Bong-gi gripped the Grand Preceptor’s seat.

Crack.

The sound of the Grand Preceptor’s seat breaking must have been heard, but Ju Cheol-ryong walked out pretending not to hear it.

Shortly after, Sima Cheon entered. Pretending not to notice the broken Grand Preceptor’s seat, he said,

“Did something unpleasant happen?”

“No. What’s the matter?”

Sima Cheon’s face suddenly turned urgent as he spoke quickly.

“A messenger bird has arrived from the Thousand Bow Regiment that went on the mission. They report being ambushed, but fortunately, no one was injured.”

Ma Bong-gi just nodded, as if he didn’t want to mention that matter.

“And they informed us that they will continue to carry out the mission.”

“The Regiment Leader will handle it well on his own.”

“Yes. He’s a reliable person.”

Sima Cheon carefully observed Ma Bong-gi’s mood and casually said,

“You look tired, why don’t you rest? It seems some nice girls have newly arrived.”

“Should I?”

Ma Bong-gi rose from his seat. Sima Cheon guided him.

They went down to an underground secret room together.

A table with drinks was set, and newly arrived women clung to the Alliance Leader, displaying their charms. Wherever they had been found, they were even more beautiful than the previous women.

Ma Bong-gi’s face brightened as if it had never been dark.

Sima Cheon laughed loudly, matching Ma Bong-gi’s mood, and sat beside him with one of the women Ma Bong-gi hadn’t chosen.

He had long sensed that someone existed behind Ma Bong-gi. But he intentionally pretended not to know about that existence.

A mastermind capable of making Ma Bong-gi the Alliance Leader must undoubtedly be an extremely dangerous existence.

A corrupt Commander-in-Chief who clings to Ma Bong-gi and supplies him with women.

Although he might look like trash, his lifeline would be tough. The one who survives the longest is the victor. He was maintaining this life principle.

Anyway, this Demonic Cult revival matter must be the work of the person behind the Alliance Leader.

When the order came down from above, and especially when it said to send the Thousand Bow Regiment leader directly, he instinctively knew this mission was a death mission.

Knowing this, there was a separate reason why he sent Gal Sa-ryang along. Recently, he had received and pocketed a hundred thousand taels in bribes through him.

Isn’t that enough, you ask? Not at all. He had now fully learned how to use the Righteous Thought Pavilion to investigate others and extort money. There was no need to share with Gal Sa-ryang anymore.

Also, there was no need to keep alive someone who knew his weaknesses, and the fun of tormenting him had disappeared. So he came to a conclusion. To dispose of Gal Sa-ryang this time as well.

‘Since it’s a path we all must take eventually, go out gloriously.’

At that moment, Ma Bong-gi, whose face was buried in a woman’s chest, said to Sima Cheon,

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

Sima Cheon downed his drink in one go and embraced a woman.

“Nothing! We only live once, so we should enjoy it to the fullest!”

***

The second ambush was carried out three days later.

This time, it wasn’t an ambush targeting the dawn hours. As if to take revenge for the last time, they came with a frontal attack. But this attack was even more meticulously prepared than the ambush.

First, they attacked from a place surrounded by trees that could avoid arrows.

The critical problem wasn’t that. The decisive factor was that the man at the very front was charging with a large iron shield.

A man with a shield stood at the front, and five martial artists lined up behind him and charged forward. Their number reached as many as one hundred.

Arrows rained down on the enemies.

Shing shing shing shing shing shing shing shing!

Tung tung tung tung tung tung tung tung!

The arrows bounced off, unable to penetrate the shields.

The internal energy of the shield-bearing martial artists was extraordinary. Moreover, as they ran back and forth between the trees, it wasn’t easy to stop them.

They closed the distance in an instant.

Swiiing!

Kwang!

The arrow shot by Jong Cheon-rak was different from ordinary arrows. The moment the arrow infused with internal energy hit the shield, the man holding the shield was thrown back with his arm broken.

But the shield wasn’t penetrated, and another man following behind picked up the shield and ran.

Swiiing! Kwang! Swiiing! Kwang!

Jong Cheon-rak fired internal energy-infused arrows in succession, but there were too many enemies.

I drew my sword and ran out. It was clear that if left like this, once close combat began, the casualties among the Thousand Bow Regiment martial artists would be too great.

“I request support.”

“You can’t!”

Yang Hao shouted to stop me, but I was already rushing towards the shield-bearing martial artist.

Swoosh!

Slash!

I slid and cut the ankle of the man holding the shield. As the man tumbled forward, I threw my body to the side and shouted,

“Now!”

Ping ping ping ping ping ping ping!

Arrows rained down on the men behind the shield who were trying to attack me. Although they had the skill to deflect ordinary flying arrows, these weren’t ordinary arrows. When the powerful and accurate attacks from the Thousand Bow Regiment elites were concentrated, they couldn’t block them.

Puk puk puk puk puk puk puk!

The martial artists in the back fell, turning into porcupines.

I didn’t look at the result and was already rushing towards the second shield.

This time too, my target was the shield-bearing martial artist. As the shield-bearer fell, another rain of arrows poured down.

Ping ping ping ping ping ping ping ping!

I slid to avoid the sword and again cut the legs of the shield-bearing martial artist.

The third shield-bearer seemed to have seen how his comrades had been dealt with earlier. He tried to strike me down with his shield while protecting his legs.

But I wasn’t aiming for his legs. I jumped off the ground, leaped over the shield. As I did a front flip in the air, I swung my sword.

Swish.

Paak!

The man’s head was cut off and he fell.

This time, because I immediately jumped over the shield, I got entangled with the martial artists behind.

Ping! Ping! Ping!

The next moment, arrows flew past me. The accurately flying arrows attacked the men behind. Two out of the five men fell.

The Thousand Bow Regiment martial artists in charge of sniping had started to fire arrows accurately.

I rushed at the enemy who had deflected the arrows. I trusted the skills of the Thousand Bow Regiment martial artists. At least they wouldn’t hit me.

Chang chang chang chang chang!

His attacks were sharp and fierce, but he was no match for me demonstrating the skills of having mastered the White Moon Sword Arts.

Slash!

I cut him down in five moves.

The next moment, a sound from the side.

Ping. Puk!

An arrow pierced the neck of another man who was rushing to cut me.

Ping ping ping ping!

He fell, turning into a porcupine from the arrows that flew in afterward. The arrows hit with perfect accuracy. The archery of the martial artists in charge of sniping, who were elites even among the Thousand Bow Regiment, was truly fantastic.

The enemies were already retreating far away.

By then, the frontal attack had also been repelled. No matter how much they used shields and terrain, they couldn’t break through Jong Cheon-rak with just a one-sided attack.

Hearing of my exploits, Jong Cheon-rak wore a surprised expression.

“Your martial arts skills are quite impressive.”

“As you can see, I only killed one enemy directly. It was all done by the people here.”

When I gave credit to the martial artists who had supported me, they smiled with pleasure.

“I thought we just needed to eliminate the shields. Fortunately, the shield-bearers’ movements weren’t free, so we could easily eliminate them.”

“It’s not easy to think of rushing out in such a critical moment to eliminate the shield-bearers.”

As he said this, Jong Cheon-rak looked at Gal Sa-ryang. He probably thought Gal Sa-ryang had instructed me. I didn’t say anything. It was more natural to let him think that way.

The Thousand Bow Regiment martial artists examined the corpses. Like those who attacked earlier, no clues could be found.

Meanwhile, Yang Hao looked at me and said,

“You saved us again.”

There was a kind of trust in his expression towards me.

“I was lucky.”

“When luck repeats, we call it skill. Anyway, thank you.”

The other martial artists had similar expressions. They probably thought of me not as a military officer, but as a special martial artist sent from the Righteous Thought Pavilion to protect Gal Sa-ryang.

Since Gal Sa-ryang was formerly the Commander-in-Chief, regardless of recent rumors, it was possible that a master might be protecting him.

I approached Gal Sa-ryang and asked,

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

What’s important is Gal Sa-ryang’s heart. I had been trying to gain his trust from our first meeting until now.

“What kind of mission could it be for them to try to stop us so desperately?”

Gal Sa-ryang shook his head and said,

“I don’t know. One thing’s for sure, we’re in great danger.”

We should have turned back even now. But Jong Cheon-rak had no intention of giving up. What kind of order could have been given for him to take such risks?

As Gal Sa-ryang walked towards the carriage, he turned to look at me and said,

“I wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t recruited you.”

It was Gal Sa-ryang’s way of saying thank you.

A few days later, we entered Zhongqing and arrived within half a day’s distance of our destination, Sword Fragrance Forest.

Fortunately, there were no more attacks on the way here.

But no one felt at ease. Rather, everyone was tense, feeling that an even stronger attack might be waiting.

Gal Sa-ryang took me and walked towards Jong Cheon-rak. It was time to hear about this mission.