Shadow War (5)
“Ah, I see.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Thank you. I nearly missed my path otherwise.”
“Not at all. Since Lord Yeon holds such an important position, we always keep tabs on his movements.”
“Heh, is it really that big a deal?”
“Of course. The Martial Alliance currently has countless combat units and organizations. And among them, the Tangma Myeol Sa remnant army is the freest.”
“I see.”
“The remnant army itself is an independent unit free from the Alliance’s direct control to a certain extent. In other words, it’s a unit the Alliance trusts enough to delegate to. Lord Yeon enjoys that level of confidence.”
“Impressive. I knew he was making a name for himself, but I didn’t realize it was to this extent.”
“This might be a bit sudden—and perhaps rude—but may I ask one question?”
“Sure? Go ahead.”
“You’ll turn eighteen after this year, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“……”
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. In that case, I’ll notify the Hubei branch as well. We’ve prepared a carriage, so please travel comfortably.”
“No need for the carriage. I’ll run there as training for my lightness skill.”
“Th-that long distance?”
“Haha, compared to my brother, it’s nothing. Well, I’ll be off then.”
“Yes. I hope we meet again.”
“Me too. Farewell.”
Watching the young man’s receding figure as he dashed into the distance, the head of the Beggar Sect’s Jiangxi Nanchang branch clicked his tongue in amazement.
“At eighteen, that absurd level of… Heh heh, the family head’s the same, and now the eldest young master too. The next generation of the martial world will be led by the Yeon family.”
* * *
Two days passed.
“Your external injuries have healed nicely.”
“Yeah.”
“But the real issue is the internal damage. Looking back, it was truly reckless. Cannons are cannons, even if outdated—charging straight at them head-on.”
Yeon Hojeong snorted.
“If I hadn’t smashed them one by one, your heads would’ve been gone.”
“I know. That’s why it’s so unbelievable. Bringing out cannons, of all things.”
“Right… Huh? You seem to know a bit about cannons.”
Muk Bi smirked.
“I may not know how the world turns, but I know what I need to. In Gwanil Valley, we learned everything about projectile weapons beyond bows—excluding hidden arms, of course.”
“Is that so?”
It felt like learning something new. At least during his past life in the Five Divine Generals era, Muk Bi had never mentioned this.
Muk Bi’s eyes gleamed.
“But isn’t it strange?”
“What is?”
“Even for a gathering of physicians, deploying cannons is overkill. Aren’t cannons secret weapons that require top military approval even within the army?”
“You’re right.”
“That means the Uiseon Society has connections reaching the military head…”
Yeon Hojeong nodded.
“Physicians aren’t clueless about the world. They approached the heads of Alliance-affiliated organizations and urged them to abandon their duties.”
“Hm.”
“It takes real guts. Even if arrogant, they believed they could get away with touching the Alliance up to that point. They’re convinced they have the power to cover it up if problems arise.”
Muk Bi’s eyes wavered.
“So it really is…?”
“We don’t know yet. And it’s not something we can handle right now anyway.”
“Pardon?”
Yeon Hojeong glanced at the inn.
“Our mission is to escort the Western Divine Maiden. Nothing takes precedence over that.”
“……”
“Without Hwagae here, investigating would be tough anyway. We’ll finish our mission first, then deal with it if needed.”
“And once the mission’s done, reporting to Alliance leadership means even Young Master Yeon can’t step in easily, right?”
“Exactly.”
“So that’s what you meant by ‘hands off.’”
Yeon Hojeong smiled.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
Muk Bi, gazing quietly at Yeon Hojeong, shook her head inwardly.
That’s not the reason.
She knew him well. Yeon Hojeong never forgave those who touched him. Especially types like the Uiseon Society, who crossed lines for absurd reasons—he crushed them thoroughly.
But now, he was saying it wasn’t for him to handle. That the Alliance should deal with it.
Was that truly because he saw no need to intervene?
No, it means there’s something more important. And that something is…
The Western Divine Maiden.
Muk Bi looked at Yeon Hojeong with confused eyes and spoke.
“Young Master Yeon.”
“I don’t know what you want to say, but if it’s not urgent, can we talk later?”
“Huh? Why? Where are you going?”
“To see the Western Divine Maiden.”
Tension flashed across Muk Bi’s face.
“Young Master Yeon.”
“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.”
“……”
“But we do need to shift this awkward atmosphere a bit.”
Yeon Hojeong recalled his conversation with Mo Yong Woo two days ago.
‘Just… since we didn’t meet on the battlefield, I’ll try to learn more about her.’
Mo Yong Woo hesitated to treat the Western Divine Maiden as an enemy.
Yeon Hojeong understood. He hadn’t experienced the war with the Three Sects, hadn’t breathed that blood-soaked battlefield air. He knew it in his head, but not in his heart. That allowed caution.
Conversely, it meant Yeon Hojeong could never be truly detached from Three Sects matters. He tried, but couldn’t.
Brother’s not wrong.
Cautiousness wasn’t bad. And to Yeon Hojeong, the Western Divine Maiden didn’t seem inherently evil. Though, as he’d told Mo Yong Woo, good or evil didn’t matter when it came to Three Sects scum.
Yeon Hojeong took a deep breath.
“Ruining the mood isn’t my style. I’ll meet her first and decide.”
At that moment, Muk Bi smacked his back.
Thwack!
“Gah!”
Yeon Hojeong nearly rolled on the ground. It stung enough to bring tears.
He grimaced and growled.
“What the hell was that?!”
“Loosen up your shoulders.”
“What?”
Muk Bi chuckled and waved her hand.
“No matter who she is, just be yourself, Young Master Yeon. Like you always have.”
“……”
“Don’t get all stiff. If you’re gonna do something, go make a mess of it properly.”
Yeon Hojeong stared at her blankly, then rubbed his back.
“After I’m done talking, your back’s next.”
“Go train your lightness skill more.”
“I’ve got Blood Wing Swing Heaven.”
“I’ve got my bow.”
“Think you can’t dodge?”
“Think I can’t hit?”
“……I’ll kill you.”
“Hah.”
Gi U-hui let out a soft sigh.
The Uiseon Society.
She lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a long while. Exhaustion weighed heavy, but her tangled emotions kept sleep away.
She recalled Jam Yeong-il-ho’s words.
‘Moreover, infiltrating the Martial Alliance isn’t the Saintess’s role. Yet you endure this ordeal because of original sin.’
Yes. She had sinned.
But it wasn’t a sin of her free will.
A sin thrust upon her from birth. Half the blood in her veins was, to ‘them,’ an unforgivable impurity.
“Impure…”
Sadness clouded Gi U-hui’s face.
“What determines nobility or baseness? Is it noble if from a rich bloodline, base if poor? Noble if skin matches, base if different?”
Gi U-hui couldn’t comprehend.
That’s why, from childhood, she delved into medicine. Taking ‘different blood’ literally, she childishly sought to understand human anatomy.
But as time passed, mastering medicine and seeing the world, she realized.
There was no nobility or baseness in this world.
Only people who drew those lines.
But.
“……No matter how I cry out, they won’t try to understand.”
Tears welled in Gi U-hui’s eyes.
Perhaps now wasn’t the time for such thoughts.
Whether by choice or not, she was heading to the Martial Alliance. And there, she must do as they wished.
Lamenting that her will, the world’s values went unrecognized changed nothing.
A physician who heals bodies, reduced to a spy for an organization.
Gi U-hui sighed deeply.
I had no right to curse the Uiseon Society from the start. I’m no different from them.
Then.
“Myeol Sa Army Leader Yeon Hojeong here.”
She jolted up in surprise.
“May I enter?”
“Y-yes?!”
“……”
“……Ah, yes. P-please come in.”
“Understood.”
Creeeak.
The door opened, and Yeon Hojeong entered.
Gi U-hui’s eyes shook. The room’s atmosphere shifted the moment he stepped in.
Flustered, she maintained her awkward posture.
This is weird.
She knew she didn’t need to act this way, yet couldn’t shake the tension.
Why am I like this?
Facing Yeon Hojeong—or even hearing his voice—made her heart pound.
Attraction? No.
She felt intense pressure from his gaze and voice. In a way, it carried enmity surpassing the Church’s protectors.
Yeon Hojeong shook his head.
“Lady Gi is under my protection. No need to be so tense.”
“Yes……”
“May I sit?”
“Yes! P-please do.”
They sat across the table.
Yeon Hojeong crossed his arms, staring piercingly at Gi U-hui.
Overwhelmed, she bowed her head and fidgeted.
Suffocating silence stretched.
Yeon Hojeong broke it first.
“You’re tense.”
“Pardon?!”
“No need for that tension, yet you’re unusually on edge.”
“Ah! Th-that’s……”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes deepened.
As he opened his mouth again.
“Is your body… alright?”
“……?”
“Your external injuries seem healed, but the internal damage looks severe still.”
Why? At her words, Yeon Hojeong felt the tension deflate oddly.
“Eh, I’m fine. Guts ache a bit, but I’m used to wounds like this.”
Gi U-hui’s eyes flashed intensely, startling even Yeon Hojeong across from her.
“No! Leaving internal injuries untreated can damage your organs later…!!”
“……”
“……D-damage them?”
Shocked at her own outburst, Gi U-hui bowed her head again. Her pale skin flushed red.
Yeon Hojeong frowned.
What the hell is with this woman?
Gazing at her, he sighed.
“Damn, you’re really deflating the tension.”
“Gasp! D-did I do something terribly wrong…?!”
“What’s your game?”
“……Pardon?”
“You came here to spy, right?”
Gi U-hui nearly foamed at the mouth.