Chapter 56: The Five Venomous Siblings-2
Chapter 56: The Five Venomous Siblings-2
"Why did you hide it?"
That was the first question I asked after barely managing to regain my senses, having been entranced by Cheong Miss Yeon's beauty for a while.
At that, she looked around and spoke.
"Because I hate this sort of thing."
"Ahhh."
I could understand immediately.
I didn't know for sure, but if every man around her reacted this way, a normal life would have been impossible.
When I looked around, the male squad members were still staring blankly at Cheong Miss Yeon, while only Na So-jeo and Cheon So-jeo were giggling.
Among the men, I was the one who recovered my senses the fastest.
The condition of the 11th Squad members was even more serious.
Unlike us, who had been tempered by Dang Yeoeun Sojeo, they had no immunity to beautiful women. Losing their minds was the baseline, and some were even drooling.
Shockingly, that vulgar individual was Je Won-yeong, the Jeomchang Sword Tiger and leader of the 11th Squad's 1st Unit.
While the others were recovering their wits, Cheong Miss Yeon and I were able to roughly plan our course of action.
Then, in front of those who had regained their senses, I made a declaration.
"We will disguise ourselves as ronin and enter the Mountain Sword Sect. I will take questions now."
At that, Na So-jeo immediately raised her hand and asked.
"You said the Mountain Sword Sect was definitely not Blood Cultists, didn't you? Then why are we going to the Mountain Sword Sect?"
I answered with a gentle smile.
"An excellent question, Na So-jeo. That is precisely the reason we are going to the Mountain Sword Sect. We intend to use Cheong Miss Yeon as bait to lure them in. If we go elsewhere, we have to watch both within and without, but if we go to the Mountain Sword Sect, we only need to guard against the outside. Moreover, as the Mountain Sword Sect's current situation is said to be very dire, we will likely receive good treatment, too."
There was also the reason that, in such a situation, there likely wouldn't be many men doing anything foolish toward Cheong Miss Yeon or the other ladies, but I decided not to mention that.
Je Won-yeong raised his hand and asked.
"So, are all of us entering the Mountain Sword Sect as ronin?"
I shook my head at his question and replied.
"No. We will be divided into three roles. The three young ladies here will take the role of bait, so the remaining people will split into the escort squad and the infiltration pursuit squad."
"Escort squad and infiltration pursuit squad?"
"Yes. The escort squad will enter together as ronin and play the role of protecting the three young ladies. On our 13th Squad side, Seolpung Squad Leader and Bae Jong-gwan will take on that role. I was thinking that the 11th Squad members, including Squad Leader Je Won-yeong, should also enter as ronin, pretending not to know one another, and perform that role."
At that, Je Won-yeong's face brightened.
"Ah, I see. Understood."
Whether his face brightened because he understood my words or for some other reason was a bit suspicious.
Just then, Bi Sa-yeong raised his hand and asked.
"Then I'm part of the infiltration pursuit squad? Where do we infiltrate and who do we pursue?"
"Right. Sa-yeong, you and I will take on the infiltration pursuit squad. We won't enter as ronin but will lie in ambush nearby. Then, when the Blood Cult's demon heads who came targeting the young ladies are routed by the escort squad, we will secretly pursue them and identify their base of operations."
Sak Mu-heun hyungnim would also be with us, but since the 11th Squad members were present, I didn't bother to mention him.
At that, Cheon Ju-eun Sojeo asked with a slightly worried expression.
"But will we be able to enter the Mountain Sword Sect as ronin? No matter how desperate they are, I doubt they'd hire people with unverified identities as ronin."
At that question, I locked eyes with Cheong Miss Yeon and grinned.
Then I immediately had to regret it.
Laughing while looking at her when our minds connected was a habit from the past, but seeing her smile now was far too devastating.
I felt as if my heart might stop at any moment.
Calming my pounding heart, I barely managed to answer.
"Ah, Cheong Miss Yeon has settled that matter. It seems her father has some personal connections with people in the Mountain Sword Sect."
At that, my squad members, who knew who her father was, burst out in exclamations of "Aha!"
Indeed, the connections of the Heavenly Robe Sword Saint were remarkable.
Just then, Bae Jong-gwan somewhat timidly raised his hand and asked.
"Uh, so what do I have to do when we get there? If I'm in the escort squad, do I just have to guard the young ladies there?"
I grinned and answered.
"Not a chance. To publicize the bait as widely as possible, we have to draw as much attention as we can."
"D-draw attention? How?"
"How, you ask. When we go into battle, we'll have to smash the enemies to pieces. When we're not in battle..."
"When we're not in battle?"
"We smash our own side to pieces."
"...Huh? What did you say?"
Looking at Bae Jong-gwan, who asked back with an innocent face, I smiled meaningfully.
Jong-gwan, I'm expecting a lot from you, buddy.
***
The training grounds outside the Mountain Sword Sect's main gate.
Dozens of ronin had gathered in small groups and were murmuring amongst themselves.
They were all men who had come to the Mountain Sword Sect without much thought because the pay was high, and were now panicking as everyone else began avoiding the sect.
"Wouldn't it be better to run away right now? In the last fight, the Mountain Sword Sect lost their Western Branch to Jeonghyeopbang, so next they'll be coming for the main headquarters."
"That's true, but... we already received the advance payment, didn't we? If word gets out that we ran off like this, it'll be hard to get a foothold in any major operation from now on."
For ronin to receive high treatment, trustworthiness was, surprisingly, more important than skill.
That was because no one wanted to give large sums of money to ronin they couldn't trust.
So, if a rumor spread that they had taken advance payment and fled without fighting, it would be no exaggeration to say they'd be completely blacklisted from major missions, though they might still get minor requests.
"Trustworthiness is important. But it's not more important than your life, is it? If we stay like this, there's a near ten-out-of-ten chance we'll die."
"We can't necessarily think of it that way, can we? Because of this incident, the Mountain Sword Sect is moving desperately enough to form an alliance with their old enemy, the Un Clan. If the two sects join forces, then no matter how strong Jeonghyeopbang is..."
"You're really frustrating, my friend. Haven't you heard the news of how the Mountain Sword Sect lost in the previous two battles?"
"Huh? How did they lose?"
"In the first battle, it's said that over a thousand warriors appeared before the Mountain Sword Sect, who had marched out with all two hundred of their elite troops. And that was just the warriors from Jeonghyeopbang's Eastern Branch."
At his comrade's words, the ronin's face went pale blue.
It was easy to say 'a thousand,' but a force of that scale was only possible for sects that dominated an entire province.
It was unimaginable that Jeonghyeopbang, which was only ranked fourth in Sichuan Province, could mobilize such a force.
"A-a thousand?"
"That's right. So, wasn't it because of that that the Mountain Sword Sect couldn't do anything and had to flee? And do you think that's all? In the second battle, didn't they attack a Jeonghyeopbang delegation of only about fifty men with two hundred elites, and still end up completely annihilated?"
"Huh? They ambushed fifty men with two hundred and were completely annihilated? How is that possible?"
"They say there were three peak-level masters in the delegation. Originally, the Mountain Sword Sect's Vice Sect Leader, the Burning Swordmaster Heo Jung, led the elites in an ambush after receiving intelligence that only the Iron Palm Great Hero Hwang Jang-gon would be coming. But as it turned out, that wasn't the case. So, of course, they were all slaughtered."
"Heh, so the Mountain Sword Sect was completely played in the palm of Jeonghyeopbang's hand."
"That's how it was. What's even more surprising is that the peak-level masters who moved with Hwang Jang-gon at that time weren't the previously known figures of Jeonghyeopbang. It seems there were new individuals whose identities haven't been revealed."
The ronin's jaw dropped at those words.
Jeonghyeopbang was originally known to have seven peak-level masters in its ranks.
Even that was more peak-level masters than any other sect in Guizhou City possessed. But if those words were true, it meant that in reality, they had even more than that.
"T-then, does that mean Jeonghyeopbang possesses as many as nine peak-level masters?"
"That seems to be the case for now, but who knows the details? There might be other masters who haven't been revealed."
Just then, another ronin who had been listening interjected.
"No! Does that even make sense?! How can Jeonghyeopbang, which is supposedly only ranked fourth in Sichuan, be that powerful?! Not even the Black Crow Sect, known as the number one in Guizhou, would be like that! Isn't all of that just baseless rumors?!"
At that, the ronin who had been explaining sighed as if it were pathetic and replied.
"You really know nothing, my friend. Of course, if this were Guizhou City, they would have become the number one in Guizhou. But isn't this Sichuan Province? Have you forgotten what sects are in Sichuan Province?"
"No matter that it's Sichuan Province...!"
But the ronin who had been about to protest suddenly recalled something and could no longer continue speaking.
Then, with a horrified face, he asked.
"N-no, surely not?"
"Yes, that 'surely not.' The sects occupying the top positions of Jeonghyeopbang are none other than Mount Qingcheng, Ami, and the Sichuan Tang Family. Do you now understand why Jeonghyeopbang, with all that strength, is only fourth in Sichuan Province?"
The ronin who had raised the doubt nodded absentmindedly.
Mount Qingcheng Sect and the Ami Sect, two of the Nine Great Sects, and the Sichuan Dang Clan, a member of the Five Great Families.
Rather, the very fact that they had grown their power between such giants made it feel possible to grasp just how powerful a sect Jeonghyeopbang truly was.
"This... it's utterly impossible. To think they were people with such incredible potential. I should flee at once."
It was when the atmosphere among the ronin was growing restless, as if they were about to flee from the Mountain Sword Sect at any moment.
Suddenly a loud voice rang out.
"What in the world is all this commotion?!"
It was a voice laden with considerably profound internal energy.
As the startled ronin ceased their clamor and looked toward it, they saw Heo Jeon-sam, the external steward of the Mountain Sword Sect, already leading two groups of people.
Heo Jeon-sam was a fairly famous first-rate master in Guizhou City.
Thus the ronin, unable to speak of leaving the Mountain Sword Sect before him, shut their mouths for the moment and gazed at Heo Jeon-sam and the people he had brought.
And in that moment, they froze.
"Allow me to introduce them. These are the ronin I went to great trouble to recruit from divine Zhejiang Province. They are the Five Siblings of Doksu, who come from the Doksu of Zhejiang Province, and the ones called the Ghost Mountain Four Swords, who come from Goesan. Though still young in age, they are people famed for their outstanding martial prowess... Now, for Jeonghyeopbang... only victory..."
Heo Jeon-sam continued to introduce the two groups of ronin, but it was a pointless act.
For the ronin' ears could hear nothing now.
In their eyes at this moment, only the figure of Hae Cheong-yeon, standing in the middle of the Five Siblings of Doksu, was fully occupying their vision.
They could see nothing else, hear nothing else.
It felt as if they were in a dream.
Even though her blue eyes were covered by a thin film carved from black crystal, the mystery surrounding Hae Cheong-yeon could not be hidden in the slightest, it seemed.
"...So, refrain from causing any further disturbance and stand by!"
It was when Heo Jeon-sam finished speaking and left the training grounds again.
The ronin, their faces blank, slowly began to step toward Hae Cheong-yeon.
Then their pace quickened, and in an instant they began to sprint with all their strength.
"Woaaaaaah!"
"Sojeo! Please look at me! My name is...!"
"As if the young lady would deign to know the name of a cur like you!"
"Out! To hell with you all, you bastards!"
Dozens of ronin were charging at Cheong-yeon like starving wolves finding prey after three days.
Their momentum was like a great wave.
But that wave suddenly crashed against a giant boulder that had stepped forward before Hae Cheong-yeon and shattered into pieces.
Peo-eok!
"Euo-eok!"
"Wh-what the, Lee Geon?!"
"Uwaaah! Where'd this boulder suddenly come from?!"
Bae Jong-gwan, who had sent the charging ronin flying merely by standing still, looked down at the ronin sent sprawling before him and those who had stopped, and spoke in a heavy voice.
"I warn you. Without my permission, I will kill anyone who approaches my younger sister carelessly."
Only then, finally registering Bae Jong-gwan, the ronin stared blankly at his words and began looking back and forth between Bae Jong-gwan and Hae Cheong-yeon.
"...Younger sister?"
But discovering a resemblance between the muscular giant Bae Jong-gwan and the heavenly maiden Hae Cheong-yeon, as if descended from the sky, was nearly impossible.
The ronin with indignant faces shouted.
"Don't talk nonsense! Who'd believe a monster like you could be the young lady's oppa?!"
"Right! Stop spouting drivel and step aside at once!"
"If you don't step aside, I'll cut you down!"
At those words, Bae Jong-gwan's eyes twitched.
"...Monster?"
When planning this affair, Seonwoo Jin had ordered Bae Jong-gwan thus.
If anything at all bothers you, never hold back.
From now on, you are to be a ruffian of the unorthodox faction who cannot control his anger.
And that Bae Jong-gwan faithfully followed Seonwoo Jin's words was something already proven during the past Heuksangbang Incident.
Bae Jong-gwan uncrossed his arms and looked down with bleak eyes at one ronin who was screeching before him.
"Step aside at once, you monster! Or else...!"
Then, like a thunderbolt, he brought his palm down.
Peo-eok!
"Guwaaak!"
The ronin was left slammed into the ground, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.
It was the result of Bae Jong-gwan's giant palm, swung as though swatting a fly.
Having very simply turned one man into a flattened frog, Bae Jong-gwan looked down at the ronin with bleak eyes and spoke.
"You dared to call me a monster?"
At that, another ronin who just then realized the situation shook his head and spoke urgently.
"N-no. I never said such a...!"
But Bae Jong-gwan had no intention of listening to that excuse.
"How dare you!"
Buaaaang!
As Bae Jong-gwan's thick, pillar-like forearm swung horizontally, every ronin within that distance was lightly swept away.
Peo-peo-peo-peo-peok!
"Uwooo-eok!"
"Gueoo-eok!"
"Guwe-e-eok!"
"Kki-e-eok!"
At the monstrous sight of Bae Jong-gwan casually blowing away four ronin before him with a single swing of his arm, the ronin who had only had eyes for Hae Cheong-yeon finally turned their attention to his body.
And only then did they see it.
A height that looked two heads taller than an average man, yet a colossal build that appeared thicker instead of lanky. And even the rock-like muscles that bulged and filled his entire frame.
He was a man, as they said, close to a beast.
Moreover, this beast's rage was not yet ended.
Bae Jong-gwan roared.
"You dare call me a monster?!"
Then he charged toward the ronin clustered before him.
It was a tremendous speed that the panicked ronin could not even dodge.
"Uh-uh-uh?!"
"W-w-w-wait!"
"Owaaaaah?!"
The ronin, who had been only screaming 'Uwo-eo!' at the illusion of a massive boulder flying at them, had to experience a new sensation the moment they made contact with his body.
Kwaaaaaang!
"Uwaaaaaahk!"
"Guaaaaaahk!"
"Save meeeee!"
Their own bodies were flying lightly through the sky.
With the pain that turned their vision white and the distant floating sensation they felt in the next moment, the ronin felt as if they were dreaming again, but in a different sense than before.
However, the ronin who had scattered around and luckily avoided Bae Jong-gwan's charge watched the scene with their mouths agape.
The sight of some twenty ronin bouncing away as lightly as pebbles upon the impact of Bae Jong-gwan alone could only be called a spectacle.
It was the Diamond Flying Star, demonstrated for the first time outside the frontline.
Then, from beneath the shade of the roof atop the training ground's outer wall, Bi Sa-yeong, who had been watching hidden in the shadows, murmured.
"Still, they're on our side... Is it really okay to go that far?"
But Seonwoo Jin watched with satisfaction as Bae Jong-gwan crushed the ronin as if beating up a pack of Liver Demons, and answered.
"He didn't kill them, did he? It's all going as planned."
"Really? He might not have killed them, but they look to be at death's door..."
"It's fine, it's fine. It's not as if Jong-gwan has no experience beating people up, he'll know how to control it himself."
But Bi Sa-yeong, about to ask back, was it not true that most of Bae Jong-gwan's beating experience was against Liver Demons, and finally shut his mouth, thinking it meaningless to argue now.
In the training grounds, a true spectacle was now unfolding, as ronin who felt their lives threatened aimed their weapons, only for Bae Jong-gwan to charge through with his body and shatter them.
Bi Sa-yeong shook his head side to side.
Having been only on the frontlines full of true monsters, the demonic humans and peak-level masters, he hadn't realized it well, but to martial artists who hadn't reached the peak, Bae Jong-gwan, with first-rate intermediate martial skill and a body tougher than a demonic human, was indeed no different than a beast.
Looking at Bae Jong-gwan, who was now chasing down and beating the ronin fleeing in all directions, Bi Sa-yeong quietly murmured.
"That bastard was actually a demonic human too."