Chapter 87: Infiltration (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 87: Infiltration (1)
Golden Emperor Ju Yang-seon.
He was the sixth emperor of the Yan Dynasty.
Since the time of the Great Progenitor who founded the dynasty, he was the emperor who had declared war on the martial world. It was a period that could be described as the absolute nadir of relations between the Murim and the government.
During the Golden Emperor’s reign, any organization even slightly related to the martial world faced the threat of having three generations of their kin exterminated. It was during this era that the Orthodox and Evil factions first joined forces.
It was also during this time that the Flying Crane Moon Family, which had served in official government posts for generations, was ousted and sought refuge in Peerless Fortress, eventually becoming the Flying Moon Hero Sect.
In a way, this imperial dynasty was nothing short of a mortal enemy to my maternal line.
To think I’d ended up in this specific era of all times.
...So that’s why Ja-gyeong-jeong hated the imperial court.
It was an age regarded as the worst in the history of the martial world. While the Great Orthodox-Evil War, known as the worst conflict of my original time, was at least a fight between martial artists, I had heard that during this era, the entirety of the Central Plains was swallowed by the vortex of war.
-Then that Ja-gyeong-jeong fellow is trying to kill the Golden Emperor.
At the moment, that was the only logical deduction. However, it didn't seem like an easy task.
According to what I’d heard from Ho Jong-won, the personal guard protecting the Golden Emperor numbered over seventy thousand, and eight thousand of them were trained in martial arts. Furthermore, four of the Twelve Peaks of the World—the twelve masters called the pinnacles of this era—had entered the Golden Emperor’s service.
-No wonder he’s being so cautious.
To be honest, I couldn't accurately gauge the level of their martial prowess. However, I felt I knew at least one of them: Ghostly Bow Chosa. He had accurately sniped a target that appeared as a mere dot from a staggering distance of over two li. It was certain that the masters of this era were not to be trifled with.
-What are you going to do?
First, I have to infiltrate.
My goal isn't to kill the Golden Emperor. Even if he is a tyrant of this age and an enemy to my mother’s family, it isn't my place to interfere.
-Catching Ja-gyeong-jeong is the top priority.
Exactly. I have to catch him and recover the Dharma Tool. Only then can I return to where I belong.
Now, shall I wake these guys up?
I approached the imperial soldiers lying on the ground and spoke.
"Hey! Wake up!"
The voice that came out of my mouth was not my own. One of the soldiers, who regained consciousness the fastest, looked at me and jumped in surprise.
"C-Commander? What happened?"
Right now, I looked exactly like the Thousand-Man Commander. I was wearing his armor and my voice was identical, so there was no room for doubt. Now, I just had to lead them and infiltrate the imperial army.
Before long, I saw the imperial army marching toward us.
It had looked impressive from above, but seeing it from the front was truly a spectacle. The earth seemed to vibrate every time the cavalry and tens of thousands of soldiers marched in perfect formation.
However, the expressions of the soldiers following me were grim. Their faces were pale with fear. They had been like this ever since they heard the story that the prisoners had been snatched away by a mysterious master's ambush. They seemed to be terrified of the punishment they would face upon returning to the army. This alone allowed me to guess just how strict the military discipline was.
-Isn't this going to go wrong before we even get close?
Who knows?
According to military law, soldiers who fail their mission face disciplinary action. But before that, there must be a report. If a military only handed out punishments without receiving reports on why a mission failed, it wouldn't be able to maintain itself. That’s why I disguised myself as a Thousand-Man Commander, despite the risks.
-You’d better hope you can reach the higher-ups.
A Thousand-Man Commander would be under the command of a Five Thousand Commander or a General. At the very least, it would be easy to make contact with the upper ranks. It would be great if I could immediately approach those house-sized carriages being pulled by dozens of horses, but regardless, I’ll have to look for an opportunity.
-Your experience as a spy is really going to shine here.
As long as I don't get suspected, I'm halfway there.
-We’re here. Someone’s coming out.
Just as the Lesser Conversation Sword said, as we neared the front of the advancing army, a middle-aged man in ornate yellow armor with a magnificent beard like Lord Guan rode out on a horse. The officers who appeared to be his aides followed him like bodyguards on both sides.
"Ah... General Yeom has come out personally."
The soldier beside me whispered as if we were in deep trouble. As I thought, if you're going to disguise yourself as someone, you have to pick someone with rank. People will just blabber information right next to you.
"Everyone, dismount."
I naturally commanded the soldiers. When I dismounted first, the soldiers followed suit with miserable expressions. General Yeom, who had been approaching as if to meet us, frowned when he saw me get off my horse.
"General!"
I prostrated myself on the ground with lightning speed. Then, feigning as if I were banging my forehead against the earth, I shouted in an appropriate voice.
"We were ambushed by the enemy and lost all the prisoners we captured!"
"What? Is that true?"
General Yeom spoke in a troubled voice. Seeing his gaze flicker toward the rear, it seemed that although he was a general, he wasn't at the very top of the hierarchy. Or perhaps he was just wary of the Golden Emperor.
"I am deeply sorry. I wished to take my own life on the spot for defiling His Majesty's honor, but as an officer of the military, I had to complete my report. Thus, I have returned despite my shame."
The Lesser Conversation Sword marveled at how fluently the words flowed from my mouth.
-Wow. If someone saw this, they’d think you’d actually spent over ten years in the army.
With my level of experience as a spy, this kind of acting is just the basics. I was trained to infiltrate any organization, after all. Furthermore, fortunately, although this era is in the past compared to where I came from, it’s still the same Yan Dynasty, so I’m quite familiar with the rank structures and customs.
"Hmph. This is quite the situation."
I spoke to General Yeom, who was letting out continuous sighs.
"My subordinates are not at fault. Everything is the fault of this officer for his poor command, so please, let them off with light disciplinary action."
"Commander Kang!"
"How can you say that..."
The soldiers, who had been terrified of punishment, looked at me with moved expressions. Seeing some of their surprised reactions, it seemed the Thousand-Man Commander I was impersonating wasn't usually a man of such high repute. Regardless, I wasn't doing this to get on their good side; I was doing it for the benefit of the superiors. Taking responsibility looks much more impressive than shifting the blame onto subordinates.
"That is not for this General to decide. The Grand General will have to report it to His Majesty for a decision."
"I have made an overstepping request."
Thud!
I banged my forehead against the ground again. Actually, since I was wearing a helmet, it only sounded loud. However, every single one of these actions is effective on superiors.
"Ahem. Stand up. First, report exactly what happened."
At this, I told the story as if I were the one who had actually experienced it.
"A master ambushed us as if he had predicted our movement route."
"A master? You mean just one person?"
"Yes! That is correct."
At the mention of a single person, General Yeom’s expression became quite serious. He gestured for me to continue.
"The man who suddenly appeared had a face I’d never seen before. Just by performing a True Awakening step, he created a wind pressure that knocked down my subordinates, and he even knocked us all unconscious with a simple flick of his finger."
"He flicked his finger and you all lost consciousness?"
General Yeom’s eyes widened. He had been wondering just what level of master it was, but hearing this, he seemed greatly shocked, as it was clearly no ordinary level. General Yeom stroked his long beard and muttered.
"Could it be the person the Ghostly Bow saw?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"It’s nothing. We are still on the march, so have your subordinates join the rear of the Left Army. You shall come with me to report to the Grand General in the Central Army."
-Oh!
Things were moving faster than I expected. I thought there would be a long waiting process since the government and the military are usually bogged down by complex procedures. However, it seemed the march was influencing things.
Do they have no intention of stopping?
Looking at the sky, it was already stained red with the sunset. Usually, preparations for a campsite would begin before this time. The fact that they were still marching meant they intended to keep moving through the night without rest.
...Did I give them cause for alarm?
Was it because I was spotted by that peerless archer, presumably the Ghostly Bow? But even so, marching through the night would only accumulate fatigue for the entire army unless there was a clear objective.
-What would that clear objective be?
What other reason would an army have for moving at night?
-Don't tell me, war? But if they keep marching, they’ll just hit the forest. And it stays like that for dozens of li.
I find that strange too. I had probed my subordinates while coming here. They also had no idea why the Emperor had personally set out on this campaign. However, seeing the entire army continuing south, everyone was speculating that the target might be the Evil Faction sects in Guangxi Province or the Blood Cult.
"What are you doing? Commander Kang. Follow me."
"Yes, General."
In any case, if it’s the Central Army, I can get close to those house-sized carriages. Even before arriving here, the needle of the Needle Board had been trembling. If I get closer, I’ll be able to find him.
Clop! Clop!
Following General Yeom past the marching troops, I saw three massive carriages. They had looked large from above, but up close, they were practically small mobile palaces. On top of huge wooden platforms pulled by dozens of horses, tents embroidered with gold and silk were pitched, and smoke was rising from them.
-Do you think that Golden Emperor and Ja-gyeong-jeong are in there?
Who knows? I’ll have to find a way to get inside. I thought someone with the rank of Grand General might be able to enter naturally, but the security around here was incomparable to anywhere else.
...To think there are so many Supreme Peak masters.
The people surrounding the tents all wore the armor of high-ranking officers, and every single one of them was a Supreme Peak master. Their numbers reached nearly a hundred and fifty.
No wonder he feels confident enough to push for the conquest of the Murim.
It wasn't for nothing that all the sects of the Orthodox and Evil factions had joined forces. The two men riding horses near the entrance of the central mobile tent were even masters who had reached the peak of the Supreme Peak Realm. Masters of the level of a sect leader or elder were acting as mere gatekeepers. Judging by this, the Emperor was likely in the central tent.
-Can you sense any energy inside?
No. A barrier has been set up with profound True Qi.
The interiors of the central and left tents were saturated with True Qi. It seemed to be to prevent voices from leaking out, and the energy was so substantial that I couldn't gauge the inside with my Qi Sense. There was a master who had broken the wall inside that tent. If I raised my energy further, I might be able to tell, but if I did that, my effort to conceal my presence would be immediately exposed.
"Wait here on your horse for a moment."
General Yeom entered the right tent, which didn't have a Qi barrier. There were a significant number of people inside the right tent as well, and I could sense the energy of masters within. There were even two masters at the peak of the Supreme Peak Realm.
Is this really the government?
I knew that there were martial arts masters in the imperial court. In fact, they were in a better position than Murim people to cultivate masters, as they could simply invite reclusive experts or provide top-tier Spirit Medicine. But seeing the reality of it from the inside like this was something else.
...Even a master who has broken the wall would find it hard to escape from here.
-Is it that bad?
I was suddenly reminded that I was in the middle of enemy territory. Tension began to rise. If Ja-gyeong-jeong currently enjoyed the trust of the Golden Emperor, catching him here would be quite difficult. I might even have to lure him outside.
Just then, the saturated True Qi in the left tent vanished. I glanced over. Two people stepped out from the tent.
-Huh? That guy?
I could see why the Lesser Conversation Sword was surprised. The first to come out was a middle-aged man of massive, muscular build. On his back, he carried a huge bow that couldn't be compared to ordinary ones, and a quiver packed with long, thick arrows.
-That’s him, right? That Ghostly Bow guy?
It certainly seemed so. The energy I felt from him was undoubtedly that of someone who had broken the wall. Peculiarly, his left and right eyes moved independently, as if he had trained in a special ocular art.
-Gross.
His eyes moved like a reptile's, making anyone who saw him feel a sense of aversion. Behind him, a woman walked out. She was a stunning beauty with flowing silver hair that reached down to her waist. Judging by her appearance alone, she looked to be in her mid-twenties, but the energy she radiated was even stronger than the man presumed to be the Ghostly Bow.
It was a woman.
This was unexpected. When I heard the name Seol Baek of the North Sea Ice Palace, I had assumed it was a man. Regardless, she was the strongest female master I had seen since the Wicked Heart Granny.
-She looks very exotic.
As the Lesser Conversation Sword said, she looked different from the people of the Central Plains. She was said to be from the North Sea Ice Palace, which was outside the Central Plains and closer to the northern tribes, and it seemed to be true. Glancing at her hands, they were as white as jade.
She’s emitting cold energy.
Even though she was concealing her energy to some extent, the white powder on her sleeves, looking like frost, suggested that her martial arts involving Cold Energy had reached an extreme level.
-Uh, Un-hwi. That woman is looking at you.
At me? That can't be. I’ve perfectly concealed my energy. Right now, it should be difficult for anyone who hasn't broken the wall to sense my true strength.
The man, Ghostly Bow Chosa, shook his head and spoke.
"Don't overdo it."
"Don't interfere in my business."
With those words, she approached me as I sat on my horse near the right tent. At that, Ghostly Bow Chosa sighed and entered the central tent where the Emperor was presumed to be. Seeing him pass through with just a few words, he seemed to be quite trusted.
-I think she’s coming for you.
I know that even without you telling me. What should I do? Could it be that the Commander Kang I’m disguised as actually knows this woman? Seeing her approach slowly, it didn't seem like she had realized my true martial prowess. What do I do? This is a complete variable. I don't know if I should greet her or not.
When she was about ten paces away from me...
"Ahem."
A cough sounded from the side. A white-haired veteran general walked out of the right tent. General Yeom followed him cautiously, as if attending to him. Instinctively, I realized who he was.
"Greetings, Grand General!"
Without dismounting, I turned my upper body, clasped my hands, and bowed my head. The white-haired veteran nodded slightly.
I was right.
I seemed to be lucky. The Grand General appeared at the perfect moment. Unlike General Yeom, who had barely any martial training, the Grand General was a master at the peak of the Supreme Peak Realm. Judging by the calluses on his hands and the scars all over his body, he was a battle-hardened veteran with immense experience.
The Grand General spoke to me.
"You say you took down first-rate masters with only two moves?"
It seemed General Yeom had reported the situation. At this, I replied with my head bowed.
"That is correct, Grand General."
"To take only the prisoners without killing a seasoned Thousand-Man Commander like yourself and the hundred-man commanders under you... this is not a matter to be taken lightly."
As expected of a Grand General, his insight was considerable. He seemed to think that my survival was due to some kind of scheme.
"Grand General."
Then, the woman’s voice came from behind me. It was an emotionless voice, like a cold wind blowing across the northern plains. The Grand General looked at her behind me and spoke.
"This is perfect timing. A person of your caliber, whose martial arts far exceed this old man's, would likely know better."
"What do you mean?"
"Commander Kang here says he was ambushed while escorting prisoners."
"An ambush?"
A strange emotion could be felt in her voice. If she had been cold until a moment ago, now she sounded somewhat worried. When I stole a glance back, she was looking at me with a concerned gaze.
What is this? While I was wondering, the Grand General continued.
"He says the attacker created wind pressure by performing a True Awakening step and knocked down the hundred-man commanders, who are first-rate masters. What level of master do you think that would be?"
At that question, the woman presumed to be Seol Baek frowned and replied.
"...If that's the case, it would be difficult for anyone who doesn't have the capabilities of the Twelve Peaks of the World."
"As I thought, my opinion is the same. I am about to report this to His Majesty. Would you like to come along?"
"I have a brief matter to attend to before that."
At her words, one of the Grand General’s eyebrows shot up. I wondered why, but it was because her gaze was fixed on me. No way, does this guy really know this woman? If that’s the case, I picked the wrong person to impersonate.
Damn it.
What do I do? While I was feeling flustered, the Grand General spoke.
"His Majesty might call for Commander Kang after I report to him, so I hope you don't take too long."
"..."
She didn't give any answer to that. At this, the Grand General let out a cough with a disgruntled face and then headed toward the central tent with General Yeom. General Yeom remained at the entrance, and the Grand General went inside.
What am I supposed to do? I was wondering if I should wait with him, but then she called me.
"Commander... Kang."
I didn't know what their relationship was, but seeing the Grand General, the commander-in-chief of the army, treat her with respect, I felt I should do the same. I clasped my hands, bowed my head, and replied to her.
"Yes. Did you call for me?"
At that, a strange light flickered in her eyes. Then, with an expressionless face, she gestured for me to follow.
-Why is she telling you to follow her?
I don't know either. If the Grand General went in to see the Emperor, he might call for me soon. But where is she telling me to go? When I hesitated without moving, she spoke to me.
"Does my order as the Vice-Governor of the Special Force sound like a joke to you?"
Vice-Governor of the Special Force?
I’d never heard of such a rank. But if she was called a Vice-Governor, she must have been granted a fairly high official post. I couldn't afford to cause unnecessary trouble. I hurriedly said to her.
"No, not at all. How could I ever think that?"
At that, the corners of her mouth curled up as she said, "Then follow me."
"...Understood."
Why on earth was she telling me to follow? The place she was heading to was the left tent she had just come out of. As we passed the central tent, which I presumed to be the Emperor's, General Yeom looked at me and clicked his tongue. I had no idea why he was reacting like that. For now, I followed her into the left tent.
Snap!
As we entered, I felt a flow of True Qi, and the entrance of the tent closed.
"What are you doing? Come in."
At her words, I hesitantly stepped further inside. The interior of the tent was incredibly spacious, nearly twenty pyeong. No wonder it took dozens of horses to pull it. It looked quite cozy, and rooms had been partitioned off so that several people could reside within.
It was right then.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Seol Baek lunged at me. I was startled, thinking she was trying to subdue me, but her face was bright with a smile. She had looked emotionless before, but this was the complete opposite. The lunging woman suddenly threw her arms around me.
"My dear Kang."
My dear Kang?
The term she used was one for a lover. Only now was the mystery solved—why she had shown interest in me.
"Vice-Governor... right now is..."
"Don't call me that. We're alone right now. Call me Seol-mae."
Seol Baek said to me with a beaming smile. When a beauty rivaling Sama Yeong intentionally spoke with a voice full of affection, I didn't know what to do. I was at a loss whether I should play along or find some excuse to escape.
-The guy you’re disguised as... he’s quite the lady-killer.
The Lesser Conversation Sword marveled. On one hand, I had the same thought. A Thousand-Man Commander wasn't a low rank in the army, but there was a huge gap between that and a Vice-Governor. Furthermore, wasn't this woman known as one of the Twelve Peaks of the World in the Murim? As the sword said, he was quite the capable man.
Damn it. What do I do?
She was clinging to me, her body pressed against mine from chest to legs. At this point, they must really be lovers.
-What do you mean, what do you do? You have to act if you don't want to be caught.
I suppose I have to. Anyway, the Grand General will be looking for me soon, so I just have to hold out until then. I’ll play along for a bit and then find a way out.
Slide.
Just as I was thinking that, she suddenly touched my cheek with a hand that shimmered with cold energy.
She stood on her tiptoes and leaned in for a kiss.
‘!!!’
For a split second, I froze, paralyzed by panic.
But in the end, I had no choice but to let her kiss me.
As her lips met mine, a frigid chill washed over me, making my lips go numb. Of course, a chill of this level was no threat to me.
I don't care how beautiful she is; there’s nothing enjoyable about being kissed by a complete stranger.
Besides, she might look like she’s in her mid-twenties, but as a master who has broken the wall, her actual age is likely much higher.
It was at that moment.
Her soft, cold tongue slipped past my lips.
In all my years as a spy, I had never encountered a situation quite like this.
Wait!
An idea suddenly flashed through my mind. It was the oral formula for the unique divine art of Zhu Sarlen, the Palace Master of the Fragrant Flower Pleasure Palace.
I summoned Zhu Sarlen’s spirit fragment and began reciting the formula.
"Mmm..."
A soft moan escaped her lips.
As our tongues met and tangled in a frantic blur, a faint crease appeared between her elegant brows.
Push!
She pushed me back slightly, then immediately seized my wrist.
"Who... are you?" she asked.
‘!!!’
Did she figure it out?
Yet, her face was slowly flushing a deep crimson.