Chapter 29
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Vanished Watchman
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The escort caravan crossed Anhui in one swift push, Henan now within sight.
Wei Soso spoke to Yi Ho-chang.
"In just a day or two, this long journey will finally be over."
"When I think about the road back home, it still feels far off."
"Hee-hee, you're right about that."
Yi Ho-chang and Wei Soso had grown close enough to exchange idle banter like this.
As they chatted for a while longer, the caravan suddenly came to a halt.
It was for the porters to rest.
The two of them stepped down from the carriage to get some fresh air.
"Whoa."
"The outdoors really is nice."
The cool mountain breeze dried their sweat, feeling utterly refreshing.
Then Yi Ho-chang spotted a familiar face.
"Grandpa Hwang!"
"Oh my, if it isn't our benefactor."
"Haha, benefactor? No, no, nothing like that."
"It is, though. Is there anyone among the escorts who doesn't know what you did... Urk."
"Are you hurt?"
"Haha, embarrassing as it is, I took a bit of a wound. The gash on my right arm from that enemy raid the other day got infected. Lucky for me I'm left-handed, though."
Hwang Chae-jung gave an awkward chuckle.
Just then.
"Old man! Don't wander off on your own—get over here."
It was that same man who had caused a huge ruckus with Mu Cheol-gae before.
His speech lacked any trace of manners.
Yi Ho-chang naturally frowned at it, and only then did the man, spotting him late, clear his throat awkwardly and turn away.
Seeing this, Hwang Chae-jung laughed and said,
"You've seen him before, right? His name's Seo Wan-cheol. Rough around the edges in speech and action, but he works hard at his duties and has real skill. Don't hold it against him too much."
"Does doing your job well make someone a good person?"
"Heh-heh, fair enough."
"Well, if Grandpa Hwang puts it that way, I get it."
"Heh-heh, thanks."
After that, the caravan set off again, and before long, the sky was dyed in twilight hues.
That's when Bok Jung-ho, leading at the front, signaled a stop.
Wei Soso looked puzzled.
By schedule, they should enter Henan Province tonight, so stopping this early was odd.
Wei Soso asked,
"Dragon Pearl Leader, what's going on?"
"Take a look over there."
In the direction Bok Jung-ho pointed, a herd of at least a hundred horses kicked up clouds of dust as they moved in formation.
The fortunate part was that they were heading in a different direction, not toward the caravan.
Bok Jung-ho said,
"They look like bad news, so no need to cross paths on purpose."
"I see."
It made sense.
They couldn't rule out the possibility that the group was from the unorthodox sects or black path factions.
And so, camp preparations began a little early.
Yi Ho-chang gathered some dry twigs nearby for kindling and, on his way back, witnessed a curious sight.
Bok Jung-ho and Seo Wan-cheol were deep in conversation.
Once Seo Wan-cheol left, Yi Ho-chang approached Bok Jung-ho.
"Leader."
"Mm, Squad Leader Yi."
"That was Seo Wan-cheol, right? What were you two talking about?"
"Oh, when did you learn his name?"
"Heard it from Grandpa Hwang. More importantly, did that jerk show any disrespect to you...?"
"Haha, nothing like that. Remember that prisoner we captured before, Gu Yeong-tae? I was planning to hand his watch over to him for tonight."
"Ah, I see. For a second there, I thought..."
"Heh-heh, that worried you?"
"Of course it did."
"I don't like the guy much either, but he's got skills, so we have to divvy up the work. Business is business."
"Understood."
He was right.
No matter how much you disliked someone, a true professional knew to separate personal feelings from the job.
Night fell soon after, leaving the surroundings so quiet that only the chirping of crickets filled the air.
True to his word, Seo Wan-cheol kept watch over Gu Yeong-tae.
Chewing noisily on jerky he'd brought, he grumbled,
"Ugh, can't even sleep because of this bastard. What a waste of time."
Gu Yeong-tae scowled and shot back,
"Quit your yapping—it's annoying as hell. Can't you shut that mouth?"
"Ha, listen to this punk."
At Gu Yeong-tae's words, Seo Wan-cheol stood up.
He kicked Gu Yeong-tae in the chest, knocking him over, then sneered.
"A half-cripple who can't do shit, but your mouth sure works."
"......"
The fallen Gu Yeong-tae silently got back up.
Seo Wan-cheol sneered again, but Gu Yeong-tae deliberately ignored him.
You avoid shit not out of fear, but because it's filthy.
Bored by the lack of reaction, Seo Wan-cheol stood and headed toward some bushes.
Seeing this, Gu Yeong-tae panicked.
"H-Hey, where are you going?!"
"Taking a piss. Why? Want a show?"
"D-Don't go far—do it where I can see."
"Tsk-tsk, big guy scared of the dark... Why should I?"
With that, as Seo Wan-cheol ventured deeper, the panicked Gu Yeong-tae called out desperately.
"W-Wait! You can't!"
"Jerk off or whatever."
"You son of a—!"
Gu Yeong-tae's anxiety was simple.
The faceless assassin might come while Seo Wan-cheol was away.
Gu Yeong-tae trembled in fear, and Seo Wan-cheol didn't return for quite some time.
When he finally did, Gu Yeong-tae sighed in relief.
"......Took you long enough for a piss."
"Wasn't just pissing."
"What?"
In that instant.
Puuk!
A sharp piercing sound.
And with it, Gu Yeong-tae collapsed.
*
The next morning.
Bok Jung-ho couldn't hide his shock, staring in disbelief.
Gu Yeong-tae lay dead, eyes wide open in冤屈.
"What the hell...!"
Bok Jung-ho clenched his fists.
He'd come to check on Seo Wan-cheol, who was supposed to hand off the prisoner, but Gu Yeong-tae had been killed in the meantime.
But the problem didn't end there.
"Where's that bastard Seo Wan-cheol?!"
"We can't find him anywhere!"
Not only was Gu Yeong-tae dead—Seo Wan-cheol had vanished too.
This made it look like Seo Wan-cheol had killed him.
"Damn it all!"
Boom!
Bok Jung-ho stomped the ground hard.
A heavy thud echoed, shaking leaves from nearby trees.
After venting, Bok Jung-ho regained his composure and ordered,
"Keep searching!"
"Yes, sir!"
As the escorts fanned out, Bok Jung-ho examined Gu Yeong-tae's body again.
'Stabbed through the chest—dead in one blow.'
He hadn't even resisted.
With his internal energy sealed and body unbound, no chance.
But what puzzled him most was the motive.
Why would Seo Wan-cheol kill Gu Yeong-tae?
Then a hypothesis flashed through Bok Jung-ho's mind.
'...No way?'
What if Seo Wan-cheol was a spy planted by the faceless one?
He couldn't dismiss the possibility.
According to Gu Yeong-tae, that faceless bastard was capable of anything.
'Damn it, I never should've handed this off...!'
It was his mistake.
Just then, Wei Soso arrived, having heard the news late.
"Dragon Pearl Leader!"
"You're here."
Wei Soso and Yi Ho-chang, informed on the way, appeared.
Yi Ho-chang said,
"What happened? Chief Escort Bok gave us the rough story on the way."
"Then I'll keep it brief. Chief Escort Wei, I think pushing on with this escort is too risky."
"Why's that?"
"They slipped someone right under our noses without detection. That means they've likely colluded with someone deeply tied to this caravan. They'd know our route too—far too dangerous."
"So what do you propose?"
"We can't abandon the escort, so turning back to Anhui for Nangong protection and scouting a new path seems safest."
It made sense.
This wasn't just any caravan—it was Great Hero Escort Bureau's, led by the chief's cherished granddaughter. The Nangong clan would help for that connection alone.
But Yi Ho-chang thought differently.
"Leader, if I may overstep, could I offer a word?"
"Speak."
"I believe we should head straight to Henan right now."
"Why?"
"Could I see the map first?"
The chief escort unrolled the map, and Yi Ho-chang pointed to a spot—the narrow pass on the way back to Anhui.
"See how it bottlenecks here?"
"Yes."
"We must pass through there to return to Anhui. What if they ambush us there?"
"......!"
Bok Jung-ho's eyes widened.
Yi Ho-chang was spot on.
An ambush there would mean total annihilation for the caravan.
Yi Ho-chang continued,
"I think killing Gu Yeong-tae was bait to lure us that way. Their goal is still seizing the cart, after all."
"I agree with the young hero."
"Mm......"
With both siding the same, Bok Jung-ho swallowed hard.
It was undeniably logical.
Yi Ho-chang pressed on,
"The faceless one would have forces behind us too, but also ahead. The longer we delay, the more we're surrounded on all sides. To break out, we push forward and seize the front first. Plus, with Shaolin behind them, they can't retreat or scheme freely."
"True enough. We have no choice but to advance. But... what if the faceless one realized our plan, killed only Gu Yeong-tae, and pulled back?"
"Then we'd reach Henan even safer. But I doubt that's the case."
"Why not?"
"If we survive and return, he'd be exposed to him."
"Him?"
"Great Benevolence Leader Yi Chan-seong."
Bok Jung-ho stared blankly at Yi Ho-chang for a moment.
Even a seasoned chief escort might not read this deep.
Few could.
Most would panic like Bok Jung-ho initially and choose retreat.
Was that why?
Bok Jung-ho now felt awe toward Yi Ho-chang.
Wei Soso felt the same.
"......I reasoned similarly, but you see several moves further than me. Are you always this familiar with the terrain?"
"Just studied the map when I was bored."
"That's even more impressive. If you ever want, join Great Hero Escort Bureau as an elite escort..."
"Ahem. Sorry, but this squad leader's planning to start his own sect with me, so no."
Bok Jung-ho quickly draped an arm around Yi Ho-chang at Wei Soso's words.
But didn't we already settle that?
Yi Ho-chang smiled awkwardly, and Wei Soso sidled up beside him.
"Oh? Isn't that not set in stone?"
"I think it is."
Amid their sparking rivalry, Yi Ho-chang inwardly sighed and slipped away first.
'Gonna nag me about Great Hero Escort Bureau nonstop again.'
Yi Ho-chang shook his head, leaving the two behind.
Soon after, the caravan mobilized once more.
"We'll pass Mount Pingding soon!"
A scout from the front shouted.
This meant Shaolin's Song Mountain was less than a day away.
They'd made better time than expected by moving fast.
That was when it happened.
Shuwaa!
"Gahk!"
An arrow whistled from somewhere, piercing the scout's head clean through as he returned.