Becoming Sohyang's Hiding Place
It was a long-distance transmission letter. Yeon-hoo checked it and headed straight to the annex.
Baek Mu Yeong, who had confirmed the transmission letter from Akso that Yeon-hoo handed over, furrowed his brow and said,
"If Cheol Gun-ak's envoy has stepped in personally, it seems there's definitely something to Jujakjeon. But I doubt Cha Jeonju will answer honestly just because we ask."
"We have to at least try."
"Akso and Baekun have already left Baekya-beol, so there's no way to inform them that Jujakjeon is here. I'm worried we might end up clashing with the Elder Council for no reason."
Yeon-hoo shared that concern. Given Akso's personality, if Cheol Gun-ak had made the request, he would charge in without regard for consequences. If that led to a confrontation with the Elder Council's experts, it could escalate into a major problem.
"Mu Yeong."
"Yes, my lord."
"For now, send a transmission letter to Geomga. Ask them to relay that if Akso and Baekun head to the camp at Cheokbyeok, they should come straight here."
"Understood."
Baek Mu Yeong returned to the intelligence division. Moments later, Yeon-hoo arrived at the main gate of the annex.
"I need to see Jeonju."
"Please wait a moment."
As the female warrior opened the door to go inside, Cha So-ryeong happened to step out. Spotting Yeon-hoo at the door, she hurried over.
"I've come to see Gajoo."
"I have questions for Jeonju."
"Ah, then please come inside."
Yeon-hoo entered and sat facing Cha So-ryeong. No sooner had he taken his seat than he cut to the chase.
"I received word from my subordinates out in the cartel. The Elder Council has issued an order to arrest and escort you all here... I need to know what's going on."
"......!"
Cha So-ryeong's eyes widened in shock.
Yeon-hoo continued, "It seems Cheol Gun-ak's envoy asked my subordinates to find you before the Elder Council could. I intended to hold off on questions until our trust was built, as we discussed before, but with my subordinates' safety now at risk, I can't wait any longer."
Yeon-hoo was certain this was connected to the secret Cha So-ryeong had mentioned earlier.
"......!"
A faint twitch ran across Cha So-ryeong's eyes. Yeon-hoo waited impassively for her response.
The silence stretched on. Finally, Cha So-ryeong steadied her gaze and spoke.
"What the Elder Council... no, what the Elder Council Chairman is after isn't me or Jujakjeon. It's the young lady."
Yeon-hoo had half-expected as much. Cha So-ryeong lifted her head to meet his eyes directly. He could read the desperation and urgency in her gaze.
"Does your previous promise still stand?"
"For the sake of Iron Blood Family and the North, there's nothing I won't do. That also means I won't forgive anyone who threatens Iron Blood Family or the North."
Yeon-hoo had promised to keep Cha So-ryeong's secret, but that promise held only under the condition it didn't harm Iron Blood Family. He had no intention of losing his precious people to protect a stranger's secret.
Cha So-ryeong's eyes trembled.
...I misjudged him.
His cold demeanor crushed her resolve. Then Yeon-hoo added,
"Even the cartel’s Elder Council Chairman is no exception. If he threatens me, Iron Blood Family, or our North, I will eliminate him without mercy."
Cha So-ryeong's eyes trembled again, but for a different reason this time.
To declare before me that he could kill Elder Council Chairman Seomun-hoe...
Crunch.
Her ivory-white teeth gently bit her lower lip. Then, words that even surprised Yeon-hoo spilled from her lips.
"The young lady is the blood kin of the previous Dae Ji-jon. Of course, I'm the only one who knows that. Though now the Elder Council Chairman knows too..."
"Even Dae Ji-jon doesn't know?"
"Yes. Her birth was a secret from the start. Even the late young master didn't know of her existence."
Stunned by the revelation, Yeon-hoo drew a quiet breath and narrowed his eyes.
"I need to know why the Elder Council Chairman is pursuing her with an arrest order."
"It's obvious."
A chill suddenly emanated from Cha So-ryeong's entire body. Deep enmity toward someone settled in her eyes.
"There are still many in the cartel who haven't forgotten the late Dae Ji-jon and young master. The Chairman hasn't revealed his ugly greed until now because he hasn't fully won their hearts."
Yeon-hoo felt the pieces falling into place.
"So when I stepped forward, he feared they would follow me and stirred this up?"
"To be precise, he's afraid of our political enemies putting the young lady front and center."
"Isn't the current Dae Ji-jon still the blood of the previous one, even if born of a concubine?"
"Many in the cartel don't acknowledge the current Dae Ji-jon. Those who followed the late one see him as nothing more than a proxy the Chairman propped up. Frankly, I'm no different..."
Yeon-hoo had anticipated the political dynamics in Baekya-beol to some extent, but realizing Somubaek was in even deeper trouble than expected stirred both pity and rising anger. That even someone like Cha So-ryeong didn't recognize Somubaek as Dae Ji-jon was the biggest shock.
"Please help. Don't let this poor girl, who was born into the world yet lived as if she never existed, become a sacrifice to the Chairman's greed. I, Cha So-ryeong, swear before the heavens to repay Gajoo's grace with my life..."
"Enough."
"......!"
"I can't guarantee I'll protect Sozhe, but I promise to keep the secret. Before that, there's something we need to settle first..."
Yeon-hoo trailed off and took a sip of cold water. Cha So-ryeong braced herself for whatever he would say.
Thud.
"The moment I accept Jeonju's request, we're in the same boat. So, I must place Jeonju and Jujakjeon under my command. Of course, I'll treat Sozhe with the respect her status deserves."
"......!"
His unexpected words shifted Cha So-ryeong's expression. But she soon replied with resolute eyes.
"As long as it doesn't go against reason, I'll follow Gajoo's will."
"Of course it won't. From now on, address me not as Gajoo, but as my lord. Calling me Gajoo while staying in my household will naturally raise suspicions."
"Yes. I swear to follow this as well—my lo... my lord's will."
"Good. Then I'll protect Sozhe."
Tears streamed down Cha So-ryeong's cheeks. It was relief that Sohyang finally had a safe hiding place.
Thanks to Yeon-hoo's stratagem, Gwan Baek, leader of the Red Wolf Corps, had driven Hwangha Suryeon's forces from the northwest without spilling a drop of blood. He had divided his 30,000 Red Wolf Corps troops into three groups of 10,000 each, stationing them in three cities, with two under Gwan-ryang and Jeok Yong.
This too followed Yeon-hoo's orders.
Whoosh!
Gwan Baek ascended the ramparts, breathing in the cold wind as he gazed west. An aide handed him a bamboo tube filled with hot tea.
Gwan Baek warmed himself with the tea and furrowed his brow.
"It's about time those bastards showed up..."
"Hwangha Suryeon?"
"Yeah. By now, they should've realized they got played with eyes wide open and come charging back bloodshot to retake this place."
"Wouldn't it be better if they didn't?"
"It's more satisfying when things go exactly as planned, isn't it?"
Gwan Baek spoke with a faint smile. Even days later, he marveled at Yeon-hoo's ingenious scheme.
Just get some wind in your face.
With wind like this, I'd gladly take it for a hundred or a thousand years. Heh heh heh.
"Huh? Look over there."
The aide pointed left. Gwan Baek turned naturally, and his eyes caught the snow-covered plain's horizon turning black.
"Looks like they've finally arrived."
"I'll notify them to prepare for battle."
"No need."
"......Pardon?"
"No matter how many there are, once they realize the Red Wolf Corps is holding this place, they'll retreat."
Pride shone on Gwan Baek's face as he spoke. He drained the tea from the bamboo tube and sat on the ice-cold chair. The aide quickly placed a thick cushion made of beast fur beneath him.
Meanwhile, Hwangha Suryeon's vanguard had drawn quite close. Roughly two thousand, by his estimate.
Gwan Baek stared at the plain behind the vanguard and smiled coldly.
"Raise the Red Wolf banner."
"Yes!"
"Raise the Red Wolf banner!"
Until now, only the banners symbolizing Northern Murim and Iron Blood Family's Iron Blood Great Banner had fluttered around the walls. As the Red Wolf Corps banner rose beside them, the Hwangha Suryeon vanguard, which had approached near the walls, showed massive agitation.
Gwan Baek fixed his gaze on what appeared to be their leader, clad in yellow robes. An elderly man in his sixties, twin swords slung over his shoulder, wielding a massive axe as broad and large as a grown man's back.
Gwan Baek finished his tea and slowly rose, stepping forward on the ramparts.
Did he recognize Gwan Baek? The yellow-robed man widened his eyes and let out a sharp gasp.
"Gah!"
"It's Red Wolf Leader Gwan Baek!"
"Damn it..."
Commotion erupted from the rear as well. Then the yellow-robed man glared with bloodshot eyes and bellowed.
"You bastard Gwan Baek! I didn't know you'd become the North's dog! Aren't you ashamed before the fools following you?!"
"That mangy cur!"
"Has that punk lost his mind?!"
Gwan Baek's aides bristled. But Gwan Baek only laughed.
"No need to get worked up. They're turning tail soon anyway—let's send them a parting gift."
"Pardon?"
"We got those new weapons from the lord's house this time, right? Bring one."
One aide fetched a bow and arrows, handing them to Gwan Baek. He inspected the arrowhead this way and that, then nocked it and drew the string.
Kreeeeak...
Whatever it was made of, drawing the string produced a metallic screech. Gwan Baek aimed at the yellow-robed man.
Seeing this, the man sneered.
"Hah! Go ahead, shoot a hundred or a thousand times!"
"One should do it."
Twang!
Screeeee!
The arrow flew straight toward the yellow-robed man. Everyone around him burst into mocking laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"Shooting an arrow from that distance? All those rumors about the world-famous Red Wolf Corps must be bullshit! Uhahaha!"
The yellow-robed man didn't even bother drawing his sword, sneering coldly as he casually swung his right hand to swat the incoming arrow.
That was when he saw Gwan Baek smiling. A sneer far deeper than the one he'd shown moments ago.
"......!"
But his hand was already striking the arrow.
Boom!
The arrow exploded, obliterating the yellow-robed man's head without a trace. A gruesome, horrific death without even a scream.
"Jeonju-nim!"
"Gasp! J-Jeonju-nim is dead!"
Hwangha Suryeon's vanguard fell into chaos at their leader's death. Then, horn blasts echoed from the rear.
Bwoooong!
Bwoooong!
"It's the retreat signal!"
"Retreat! Retreat!"
Gwan Baek's aides laughed in unison.
"Running away just 'cause their head's dead. Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
"No. The retreat order came independently of his death. If I'd shot a bit later, even he might've lived."
"Ah..."
Gwan Baek narrowed his eyes, watching Hwangha Suryeon's vanguard hastily retrieve the corpse and wheel their horses around to flee.
"If not for my lord's order not to pursue..."
Gwan Baek felt intense regret at being unable to give chase.