To Hometown (7)
Pa-pa-pang!
Dang Sang-a, who had advanced slowly like a snake before unleashing an explosive palm strike in an instant, gasped for breath.
'This is tough.'
The poison qi surging from her palm heart felt like it might backflow at any moment. Her internal meridians were frayed from excessive inner energy consumption. If she focused on recovery, she'd be back to normal in three or four days, but there was no need to push her body to this extent with such intense training from the start.
Of course, Dang Sang-a didn't believe her martial arts would advance just by overdoing it either.
'It's hard, but I have to endure.'
What she sought was a way to maximize efficiency in extreme situations.
Dang Sang-a recalled that time.
The madness of the gray wolves who had built up malice over years in the wasteland—individually not that high in realm, but formidable as a pack.
'They were strong.'
Her face tensed.
'I thought they were nothing, but they were overwhelmingly strong.'
Uncharacteristically for someone from the Tang family, Dang Sang-a was innately kind and bright. But the unique poison and tenacity of the Tang blood undoubtedly flowed in her veins.
And in that battle, she had unleashed the ferocity of her lineage without restraint.
However.
'I was incompetent.'
She had killed dozens with poison and hidden weapons alone. She didn't regret it. Regardless of combat experience, they were enemies and villains. Moreover, if she hadn't killed them, she would have died.
The problem was their response.
'Because of me, our allies died.'
The Hwarang Group had thoroughly avoided Dang Sang-a while ravaging the Tang Ma Army. It made sense. Her poison and hidden weapons were lethal even on a graze. Unless the Hwarang Group were fools, they wouldn't approach her needlessly.
Dang Sang-a had plunged into their midst until the end, fighting fiercely, but they cleverly only engaged her surrounding foes.
In the end, piles of enemy and ally corpses had mounted around her.
Naturally, the deaths of her allies weren't her fault. But Dang Sang-a couldn't see it that way.
Because she was the only one who survived.
Paaang!
Even with her whole body drained of strength, she executed resilient fist-palm strikes. Her muscles ached down to the bones.
Still, she didn't stop.
'The scariest part is...'
Dang Sang-a, swinging her arms vigorously, bit her lip.
'That they collapsed like idiots.'
It was the first time.
The first time she'd gritted her teeth to kill enemies after her stamina and inner energy were depleted.
The first time she'd pushed to utter exhaustion, beyond even what willpower could sustain.
In the end, more comrades had sacrificed themselves to protect her in that state.
Dang Sang-a's eyes bloodshottened. Faces of the soldiers who died because of her flashed in her mind.
Kwaang!
The tree bark cratered deeply under her forceful punch.
Drip, drip.
Blood trickled from her fist. Unstable inner energy circulation had failed to protect it.
"Huff! Huff!"
Dang Sang-a, panting raggedly, collapsed on the spot. Tears streamed from her eyes.
'I'm sorry.'
During the entire memorial rite, she hadn't slept a wink, just wept ceaselessly. Eventually, even tears ran dry. So she began training.
She thought torturing her body with brutally harsh practice would free her from this grief.
Of course, the results weren't good.
"Haa."
Covered in sweat, tears, and blood, Dang Sang-a flopped onto the ground right there. She felt like nothing mattered anymore.
'To think I'm this powerless.'
Suddenly, she recalled her grandfather's words.
'In my view, the main family needs a fresh wind. And you could be a great strength to it. So don't turn from reality just because your heart is troubled—train relentlessly.'
Her grandfather was right.
A fresh wind for the family? That was a problem for later.
She needed to train more fiercely, respond more viciously.
If necessary, she had to become more ruthless than anyone in the Tang family.
To live as she wished, such resolve was essential.
Dang Sang-a closed her eyes. Her ragged breathing gradually steadied. As tension left her body, every joint creaked.
How much time passed?
"Snot."
"Gasp!"
Dang Sang-a startled awake. A young man looked down at her with an odd expression.
"Face a mess of tears and sweat, and now snot too? Total disaster."
Dang Sang-a bolted upright.
"Wh-who are you?"
The young man—Yeon Hojeong—grinned.
"Long time no see, Soldier Dang Sang-a."
Ah, right. I'm a Tang Ma Army soldier?
Dang Sang-a scrambled to her feet and bowed. Her back ached like it might snap.
"I see the Myeol Sa Army Leader."
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
"Your discipline is razor-sharp. My kids could learn from you. They treat me too casually, even off-duty."
"...Pardon?"
"Anyway."
Yeon Hojeong surveyed the clearing.
"What a mess. Doesn't look like normal training—blowing off steam?"
Dang Sang-a didn't answer. She wasn't in a state to.
"But what brings you here...?"
"Struggling?"
"Pardon?"
"Not physically, but mentally. You look worn out."
Dang Sang-a bit her lip.
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"...What do you want?"
Yeon Hojeong cut straight to it.
"I've taken on a special mission. Pretty dangerous, so small team seems best. Been picking talent."
"...?"
"Thought you might fit, but in that headspace, probably not."
Dang Sang-a's eyes wavered.
Yeon Hojeong turned.
"Rest up. See you around if fate allows."
"What mission?"
"Hm?"
"What mission needs me?"
Yeon Hojeong answered honestly again.
"Infiltrate the black path Murim to uncover something."
"That dangerous?"
"Yang Cheon’s involved."
"Yang Cheon?"
Dang Sang-a tilted her head briefly, then eyes widened.
"Wait, Yang Cheon—the Tu Wang, Iron Bone Evil Buddha Yang Cheon?!"
"Hence the danger."
"Gasp!"
For a brief moment, Dang Sang-a escaped her deep self-loathing and sorrow.
Yeon Hojeong shrugged.
"Thrilling, right? Rare chance, but mess up and you face one of the strongest in the world."
"...!"
"Well, you've seen your grandfather a lot, so maybe no big thrill."
Tu Wang Yang Cheon was undeniably dangerous, but the prestige of the Poison King Tang Hyeong, the Tang family's greatest, was another level. In Murim, Poison King Tang Hyeong ranked with the God of Death.
The king of death who wielded poison and hidden weapons like limbs—where he passed, not a blade of grass grew.
And Dang Sang-a was the genius he'd personally taught.
"Anyway, I'm off."
"... "
"...Hm, advice before I go?"
"Pardon? Ah, yes!"
Yeon Hojeong said gravely.
"Whatever's bothering you, if you feel lacking in power, look to the world."
"...?!"
"No need to tie yourself to the Tang Ma Army. If you want to grow strong on your own, quit and venture out. Might be better."
Dang Sang-a panicked.
"Qu-quit the Tang Ma Army?!"
"Why not? You can. Though not my place to say, since I bound you here."
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
"In armies or Murim groups, max efficiency comes when all devote to the organization. But your state? No gain for you or them."
"...!"
"Live wisely. Once is enough for a powerless group with no connections."
Yeon Hojeong turned.
Watching him walk casually, Dang Sang-a asked.
"Do you have conviction, Army Leader?"
"Conviction about what?"
"That you're doing well."
"Plus knowing how to live, where to focus efforts."
"...!"
"Not hard. Hardest is the process to conviction. Derive answers there, rest follows naturally."
"Process..."
Dang Sang-a asked again.
"You came because you need me, right?"
"Obviously."
"But if I don't go, it's not 'optimal'."
"Can't drag someone unstable. Puts everyone at risk."
"...!!"
"Body breaks heal with medicine, but troubled hearts? Only you know how. So I drop it. Don't know how to fix you."
Dang Sang-a unwittingly bit her lip. "Everyone at risk" stabbed like a dagger.
Yeon Hojeong glanced back.
"How you take my advice is up to you. But remember one thing."
"...?"
"If you lacked talent, would I come here making excuses?"
With that, Yeon Hojeong left the clearing.
Dang Sang-a's eyes shook. Her already stifled heart grew more tangled.
But her still-bloodied hand had clenched into a fist.
Walking through the woods, Yeon Hojeong said calmly.
"Come out now?"
No sooner said, Mo Yong Woo emerged from behind a great tree.
"I think this sometimes."
"Hm?"
"Maybe Alliance Lord's strongest weapon isn't martial arts, but words."
"All mouth?"
"You know that's not it."
Yeon Hojeong burst laughing.
"Can sell Yangtze water if needed. Even I admire it sometimes."
Mo Yong Woo chuckled at the cheek.
"That silver tongue fell short this time."
"This is fine."
"Sorry. As leader, I'd order her, but her state... couldn't recommend easily."
Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
"The worse the growing pains, the firmer beliefs. Don't worry. She's just starting."
"Is that so."
Mo Yong Woo sighed.
"Anyway, must be frustrating for you. Any qualifications needed? I'll find good ones."
"What're you saying? All set."
"Eh?"
"Just recruited the last one."
Mo Yong Woo panicked.
"Recruited? But Lady Dang..."
"She'll come."
Yeon Hojeong grinned wickedly.
"Think I babbled to console her?"
"...What?"
"I need talented Tang blood. Can't take Tang Gwan, so her it is."
"...?!"
Mo Yong Woo gaped.
"Not consoling Lady Dang, but making her volunteer?"
"For someone drowning in incompetence, what better lure than 'you're essential'?"
"Guh!"
"Crude, but recruiting talent means enduring some cringe."
Three days later.
Dang Sang-a arrived at Pa Gun Pavilion, haggard but with far clearer eyes than before.
"I see the Army Leader."
Yeon Hojeong barely kept his eyebrows from rising like a clown's.
"Welcome, Soldier Dang Sang-a."