The Tiger's Den
The three vice-commanders could scarcely believe their ears.
A squad leader!
Within the Five Banners of Northern Heaven, the title of squad leader carried staggering weight. It signified a preeminent warrior representing the Northern Heavens Alliance itself—a master who could hold his head high anywhere in the Central Plains. To proffer such a mantle so readily was an unprecedented breach of convention.
I suspected they might go far, but to offer a squad leader's post right out of the gate?!
Madness!
Even Dokgo Jin showed a flicker of surprise across his composure. I didn't expect them to put a squad leader's seat on the bargaining table.
The Dragon Tooth Squad Leader pressed his advantage with an easy, confident air. "You may not be aware, but the post of Dragon Wing Squad Leader under our Azure Dragon Banner currently sits vacant. We intend to confer that position upon you."
A stunned stillness settled over the pavilion.
Unable to contain himself, Jin So interjected, "Surely you jest! Entrusting a squad leader's command to a green recruit who only set foot in the alliance yesterday?"
The Dragon Tooth Squad Leader scoffed. "It merely proves how ardently we desire the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master—unlike certain others in this room."
Jin So's face twisted into an unsightly scowl. I knew the Azure Dragon Banner Leader was ambitious, but this…
Not long ago, the former commander of the Dragon Wing Unit had stepped down. By standard protocol, the vice-commander should have inherited the mantle. Yet for reasons unspoken, the vice-commander had only been designated an interim leader. Jin So knew why without asking: the Azure Dragon Banner Leader had judged the vice-commander's martial prowess insufficient to command. Though the young man had promise and would surely grow into the role given time, the banner leader lacked the patience to wait. He could not stomach the thought of his banner falling behind the other four pillars in military might, even for an instant.
The Dragon Tooth Squad Leader did not doubt for a heartbeat that Dokgo Jin would accept. The prestige of a squad leader's rank was simply too intoxicating to refuse. The other scouts in the hall seemed resigned to the same conclusion.
Dokgo Jin, however, said nothing. Instead, his gaze shifted deliberately toward Yoo Seol-ah.
She was sitting with her head lowered, looking thoroughly defeated.
She gives up rather easily, Dokgo Jin thought. That won't do. Only when rival bidders pressed each other did the true worth of a prize rise.
Dokgo Jin addressed her directly. "Does Vice-Commander Yoo have nothing to say?"
"…What?"
"Did you not come here to recruit me?"
"W-Well, yes, but…" Yoo Seol-ah bit her lip, then raised her voice. "We… we can't promise you a squad leader's post. We can't even promise you command of a single team. In our unit, rank is something earned only after winning the acknowledgment of every single soldier under your banner."
The Dragon Tooth Squad Leader let out a hollow snort. "Ha! One has to wonder if you came here with any genuine desire to recruit the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master at all."
"Perhaps," Yoo Seol-ah said, slowly lifting her chin. The crushed air that had weighed on her shoulders vanished without a trace. Her eyes blazed with a fierce, resplendent light. "Yet one thing remains absolute."
She caught her breath, looking straight into Dokgo Jin's eyes.
"Our squad leader is the strongest among all who lead the Five Banners. Nowhere in the entire Northern Heavens Alliance will you find a back more dependable to stand behind."
She paused for a brief beat before continuing with unwavering conviction.
"And our men… yes, they're a coarse, unrefined bunch of brutes. But when you are standing in the middle of a slaughterhouse, they are the only bastards in this world to whom I would entrust my life without a shred of hesitation. That sacred trust is the bedrock holding us together."
A burning pride resonated through every word she spoke.
"That is why I hold my head high when I say this: the strongest combat unit in the entire Northern Heavens Alliance is our Iron Soul Unit." Her fists clenched tightly. "If you judge solely by martial cultivation, others might contest the claim. But even in the face of death, we never abandon a brother. We stand together to the bitter end. That is why we are the strongest."
A heavy hush descended upon the hall.
Even those who disagreed with her boast could not deny the incandescent truth of the pride and loyalty radiating from her voice. Involuntarily, every gaze in the room turned toward one man.
"Hmm." Resting his chin on one hand, Dokgo Jin spoke with deliberate slowness. "It is true that…"
The sound of someone swallowing dryly echoed through the stillness.
"…Compared to the other offers, your conditions are frankly abysmal."
At Dokgo Jin's cold assessment, Yoo Seol-ah's shoulders flinched visibly. By contrast, a faint look of relief and triumph washed over the faces of her competitors.
Yet Dokgo Jin was not finished. A subtle, intriguing smirk touched the corner of his lips as he took in the gathered crowd.
A brief, breathless moment stretched out like an eternity.
"And yet, curiously enough…" Dokgo Jin's gaze came to rest squarely on Yoo Seol-ah. "Yours is the one that calls to me most."
Yoo Seol-ah gasped.
"My decision is made," Dokgo Jin declared. "I shall join the Iron Soul Unit."
The next morning arrived with a crisp breeze.
"Thank you," Yoo Seol-ah said, her face flushed with excitement as they set out. "Thank you for choosing our squad."
Dokgo Jin shook his head lightly. "There is no need for gratitude. I merely followed what drew me."
"That's precisely why I'm grateful! Ah, now I can hold my head high in front of the squad leader." Unable to suppress her bounce, she quickened her stride. "I give you my word: you will never regret this choice."
"I certainly hope so."
Dokgo Jin followed quietly behind her, bound for the Iron Soul Unit's quarters. To an outsider, it might have appeared as though he had been swept away by Yoo Seol-ah's impassioned speech, but the truth was far more calculating. From the very beginning, the Iron Soul Unit had been his primary target.
There were several distinct reasons for his choice.
Though he had entered the Northern Heavens Alliance intentionally, lingering idle within its fortress walls would never allow him to catch the tail of the assassins who had slaughtered his clan. If the alliance itself harbored the conspirators, that was one matter; if not, remaining cloistered here would merely squander precious time. Among all the combat units, the Iron Soul Unit was notorious for being dispatched on the most perilous external assignments. Operating in the field under their banner would grant him natural opportunities to gather intelligence across the realm.
The Flying Shadow Banner conducted external missions as well, but their operations revolved around secrecy and infiltration, which would constrict his freedom of movement.
The second reason was Yeom Baek.
Dokgo Jin's evaluation of the man differed somewhat from Yoo Seol-ah's romanticized view, yet he held the commander's reputation in high esteem. That Yeom Baek was the mightiest squad leader among the Five Banners was an indisputable truth. An overwhelming martial prowess paired with an unpretentious, magnanimous character naturally made him an idol of reverence among the alliance's warriors. Standing beneath the shadow of Yeom Baek's immense prestige would make Dokgo Jin's ascent through the ranks far smoother.
The final reason was Yoo Seol-ah herself.
It was an open secret that she was the only daughter of the Heavenly Mechanism Hall Master. By maintaining close ties with her, securing access to the classified archives of the Bright Mirror Pavilion would prove significantly easier.
Yoo Seol-ah might have been disappointed to hear it, but the romantic brotherhood she preached had played virtually no role in his calculation.
Though I admit offering a squad leader's post on the spot was unexpected.
Truthfully, the Azure Dragon Banner's proposal had possessed merit. Starting from such a lofty vantage would have expedited many things. Yet Dokgo Jin found it impossible to trust the Azure Dragon Banner Leader. Being handed the seat of the Dragon Wing Squad Leader would have likely reduced him to a gilded figurehead, tethered by invisible strings and bound by bureaucratic shackles. At the very least, Yeom Baek was an open book compared to that conniving banner lord.
If I distinguish myself within the Iron Soul Unit, rising to the rank of squad leader will be no great difficulty.
Following Yoo Seol-ah past the heart of the fortress, Dokgo Jin headed westward. With every step, the surrounding landscape shifted dramatically. The immaculately pruned gardens and elegant, ancient pavilions receded into memory, replaced by raw dirt roads and austere structures fashioned from rough-hewn stone.
Dokgo Jin instinctively realized they had crossed into the territory of the White Tiger Banner.
The very air carried a different weight. If the atmosphere near Cloud Guest Pavilion resembled the faint, refined aroma of tea, the air here was thick with the scent of hot iron, pungent sweat, and sweltering heat.
Clang! Claaang! Craaaash!
The violent clash of steel and the guttural roars of men echoed from afar. Just as the din began to hammer against his eardrums, a massive stone archway loomed ahead. Chiseled into the rock with raw, powerful strokes were two characters: White Tiger. Flapping atop the archway was a colossal white tiger banner, identical to the ones mounted at the fortress's grand gates.
"This is the White Tiger Camp," Yoo Seol-ah said, gesturing inside with her chin. "Lacks refinement, doesn't it? Stinks a bit, too. But this is the true scent of a warrior."
Dokgo Jin gave a silent nod and stepped past the threshold. The moment he crossed over, a wave of blistering heat washed over his skin.
Before them lay an enormous martial drill ground. Hundreds of men, stripped to the waist and drenched in torrents of sweat, were throwing themselves into relentless training. Not a single one practiced rehearsed forms or rigid katas. They tumbled through the mud, grabbing each other by the collars, shattering wooden training blades against one another, brawling with bloodlust as if locked in genuine life-or-death warfare. It was less a training regimen and more a primal struggle for survival.
"Die, damn you!"
"Hold the line! If you break, you're dead!"
Watching the chaotic spectacle of roaring men and violent intent, a faint smile surfaced on Dokgo Jin's lips. A world of raw, unvarnished power, untainted by hollow etiquette or petty political intrigue. To someone who had crawled his way out of the monochrome hell of the Death Forest, the stench of sweat felt remarkably welcome.
They call this place a tiger's den. It seems the moniker was well earned.
"Quite a crowd, right? But these men aren't official squad members yet," Yoo Seol-ah explained. "Strictly speaking, they're the reserve pool."
Under the White Tiger Banner, all reserve fighters underwent collective training, and individual combat squads recruited talent from this proving ground as vacancies arose.
"Did I mention it before? The White Tiger Banner suffers vacancies far more often than the others."
"You didn't tell me personally, Vice-Commander Yoo. But I have heard the rumors."
"Oh… is that so?" A sheepish look crossed her face, but she recovered quickly. "Still, our Iron Soul Unit has the lowest casualty rate!"
"So I've heard. Though I also heard… occasionally, half the squad is wiped out all at once."
"Well, that's because our creed is to live together and die together! But don't you worry. Even if disaster strikes, a talent like you will be pulled out of harm's way by the squad leader no matter what."
It was hardly reassuring comfort.
Right then, a spirited grin broke across Yoo Seol-ah's lips. Striding up to the elevated command platform overlooking the training ground, she drew breath and bellowed at the top of her lungs, "Listen up, everyone!"
The deafening noise of the drill ground vanished in an instant. Hundreds of pairs of eyes snapped toward the platform simultaneously, each burning with a feral, combative madness. Yoo Seol-ah hooked a thumb toward Dokgo Jin standing beside her and beamed.
"This is the newest brother joining our family! Dokgo Jin, Master of the Dragon Tiger Plaque!"
A thunderous roar tore through the yard.
"Woooaaah!"
"Welcome, Dragon Tiger Plaque Master!"
"I knew you had the stones to choose the White Tiger Banner!"
"Aye! This is where real men belong!"
Basking in the boisterous reception, Dokgo Jin crossed the drill ground. Following Yoo Seol-ah deeper into the White Tiger Camp, they arrived before a rugged, weathered three-story hall of timber and stone. Engraved onto the plaque hanging over the main entrance were the bold characters for Iron Heart Hall.
"This is the home of our Iron Soul Unit." Yoo Seol-ah rapped her knuckles against an aged wooden pillar. "What do you think? Not bad, right?"
"It is adequate."
"It looks worn on the outside, but it's built solid as iron. You'll grow fond of it soon enough."
Raucous shouts and laughter spilled from within the hall. It lacked even a fraction of Cloud Guest Pavilion's luxury, yet beneath its coarse exterior lay an unmistakable, earthy warmth.
"Come on inside. The squad leader is waiting."
True to form, Yeom Baek was once again in the subterranean training chamber.
Inside the sweltering room, the commander stood stripped to the waist, methodically thrusting a heavy iron spear through the humid air.
Looking at him, Dokgo Jin could tell instantly that the man practically lived down here. To already stand at the pinnacle of all squad leaders, yet still train without a moment of complacency. Perhaps Yeom Baek's sights were set on a horizon higher still. Indeed, choosing the Iron Soul Unit was the right decision.
Yoo Seol-ah shook her head in exasperation. "Squad Leader, today is the day our new recruit arrives! Couldn't you have put on some proper robes and received him in your office?"
"You know I came to the White Tiger Banner precisely because I loathe such superficial nonsense," Yeom Baek rumbled.
"Still, you could have—"
"Besides, it's not as if we're strangers."
Thud. Planting the butt of his iron spear into the floor, Yeom Baek turned and flashed a broad grin. "Welcome, Dokgo Jin. Or should I call you the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master?"
Dokgo Jin shook his head respectfully. "Since I have resolved to join the Iron Soul Unit, please speak comfortably, Commander."
Yeom Baek burst into hearty laughter. "Hahaha! Hearing polite deference from a fellow who looked like a block of ice just yesterday feels strangely delightful." He wiped a sheen of sweat from his brow. "So, what are your thoughts on the White Tiger Camp?"
"It suits me well."
"Good. That's all that matters." Yeom Baek's smile broadened. "I believed in you. I knew in my bones that a man like you would choose our unit."
Yoo Seol-ah pouted playfully. "It was entirely thanks to my brilliant persuasion, you know."
"Yes, yes, our vice-commander deserves all the credit." Yeom Baek chuckled before turning serious. "Now then, we must assign him. Which team do you propose we place him in?"
"Team 1, of course," Yoo Seol-ah answered without missing a beat.
Yeom Baek blinked in surprise. "Oh? How did you know?"
"Reading your thoughts is child's play after standing by your side for five years."
It was an outcome Dokgo Jin had anticipated as well. Currently, the Iron Soul Unit numbered ninety-nine warriors divided into ten teams. Each team consisted of ten men, with only Team 1 sitting at nine.
"Team 1 is the elite vanguard of our unit," Yoo Seol-ah said. "It's the only place fitting for the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master."
"Don't feel slighted that you are starting as a standard soldier," Yeom Baek cautioned gently. "In our unit, whether it's a team leader, a vice-commander, or the squad leader himself, no one holds command without earning the respect of the men first."
Dokgo Jin shook his head calmly. "I hold no grievances."
Merely possessing high rank was an empty victory. Only when one ascended upon a foundation of unshakeable trust could true command be wielded. It may appear the slower road, but it is the swiftest in the end.
"Excellent," Yeom Baek said, slapping his thigh. "Shall we go introduce you to your new brothers?"
Yoo Seol-ah led Dokgo Jin to a large round table tucked into the deepest corner of the ground floor of Iron Heart Hall. Seated around it were nine men with ferocious countenances.
Every single one bore crisscrossing scars across his flesh, and their eyes carried the cold, sharp glint of killers tempered on battlefields. These were the vanguard elites of the Iron Soul Unit: Team 1.
"Attention, boys! Drop what you're doing and greet our newcomer!" Yoo Seol-ah slammed a hand onto the wooden table. "You've heard the rumors that the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master was coming, right? He's been assigned to Team 1."
Nine pairs of predatory eyes locked onto Dokgo Jin.
A brief, tense hush settled over the corner.
Suddenly, the burly warrior seated at the head of the table shoved his chair back and stood up. Tall and broad-shouldered, he strode over with heavy, deliberate steps. A thick, jagged scar ran violently across one of his eyes—an imposing sight that commanded instant dread.
This was the leader of Team 1: Gwak Hyo, known across the battlefront as the "Black Wolf."
Gwak Hyo closed the distance until his face was inches from Dokgo Jin's, exhaling a coarse breath. "So you're the one?" His rasping, gravelly voice vibrated through the air. "The lunatic who kicked away the sweet promises of the Black Tortoise and Flying Shadow, spat on the Azure Dragon's offer of a squad command, and chose to be a low-ranking grunt in the Iron Soul Unit?"
Dokgo Jin offered a faint, unbothered smirk. "I am."
"Why?"
"Because the Iron Soul Unit called to me most. Do I need another reason?"
Gwak Hyo's scarred eye widened slightly, and then—
"Bwahahaha!"
A booming, thunderous laugh erupted from his chest, shaking the timbers of Iron Heart Hall. That bellow acted as an immediate spark. The remaining eight veterans, who had been glaring with grim severity, broke into raucous chuckles as the tension dissolved into thin air.
"Hey, did you hear that? He said it called to him!"
"Just look at his face! That's no ordinary rookie. The kid's got fire in his eyes!"
Gwak Hyo slammed a massive, calloused hand against Dokgo Jin's shoulder with enough force to shatter stone. "Aye! A real man moves by his blood, not by petty calculations! Damned right!"
Reaching down, Gwak Hyo filled a chipped, ancient earthenware bowl to the brim with cloudy, unrefined rice wine. He thrust the sloshing vessel directly into Dokgo Jin's chest.
"I don't give a damn if you're the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master or the Jade Emperor himself. If you watch my back on the battlefield, I'll guard your life with my own. That is the one and only rule of Team 1."
Around the table, the veteran soldiers hoisted their own cups and stood.
"Welcome aboard, rookie!"
"They said he's the Dragon Tiger Plaque Master! We got ourselves a monstrous comrade!"
There was no groveling reverence for his plaque; only genuine, boisterous joy that a brother had arrived to share life and death in the trenches. Dokgo Jin received the heavy bowl. The pungent, rough aroma of cheap alcohol stung his nostrils.
Without a word of hesitation, Dokgo Jin tipped his head back and drained the entire bowl in a single, unbroken draught.
Roars of drunken approval erupted from every throat in Team 1.
Standing back with her arms crossed over her chest, Yoo Seol-ah watched the spectacle with a thoroughly satisfied smile. Aye. This is what the Iron Soul Unit is all about.