Chapter 94: Change-1
Chapter 94: Change-1
As soon as we returned to the Thirteen Squads with Cheol-gwi's body, an emergency meeting of the squad leaders was convened.
Originally, the meeting had been scheduled for the following morning to welcome back the returned Seol Pung, but given the gravity of the matter, it simply could not be postponed.
And at that meeting, Seol Pung was utterly startled to see the face of one of the assembled squad leaders.
"...Squad Leader Je?!"
At that, the man laughed heartily and extended his hand to Seol Pung.
"Hahaha! We meet again! Didn't I say we would meet again soon?! Hahahaha!"
It was none other than the Jeomchang Sword Tiger, Je Won-yeong, who had fought alongside them against Jeonghyeopbang at Sangeommun.
He who had been the First Squad Leader of the Eleven Squads was now attending a squad leader meeting of the Thirteen Squads.
Seol Pung stared at him with a dumbfounded expression and asked.
"No, how?"
"Hahaha! The moment I got back, I put in a transfer request to the Thirteen Squads, of course. Well, the authorization hasn't come through yet, but since it's going to anyway, what's the point of waiting? So I came right away. Hahaha!"
At those words, Seol Pung's jaw dropped open.
"No, then that's why you went back in such a hurry?"
"That's right. It was for this. Call me the Fourth Squad Leader of the Flying Dragon Thirteen Squads from now on. Hahahaha!"
Seol Pung could only let out a dumbfounded laugh at the sheer absurdity of it.
After repelling the invasion of Jeonghyeopbang, Je Won-yeong had hurried back to the Eleven Squads while the members of the Thirteen Squads were waiting for Seonwoo Jin and Bi Sa-yeong.
But it seemed that had been to request a transfer to the Thirteen Squads.
Still, even taking that into account, the fact that he had already arrived at the Thirteen Squads before the members of the Seventh Squad had even returned showed he was a man of truly unparalleled boldness.
Je Won-yeong nudged the Second Squad Leader, the Jeomchang Sword Dragon Sa Gun-il, who was standing beside him, and spoke.
"I'd wanted to serve alongside this fellow Gun-il originally anyway. The reason I couldn't come before was because of that bastard Ma Yu-gyeom. But this time, with that bastard Ma Yu-gyeom gone and an important reason compelling me to be here, I couldn't delay even a moment."
"...An important reason?"
While they were talking like that, the vice-leader of the Thirteen Squads, Heon Yeong-bo, cleared his throat and spoke.
"Now, let's begin the meeting. I was going to introduce the new Fourth Squad Leader to Seventh Squad Leader, but it seems that won't be necessary."
He then looked at Grand Master Poong Yang and asked.
"Before we discuss the new demon, since we're on the subject, may I first inform Squad Leader Seol Pung about the personnel transfers?"
To his question, Pung Yang gave a taciturn nod, and Heon Yeong-bo turned back to Seol Pung and said.
"While you were away, many changes took place thanks to the Sword Saint Elder. Other things can be discussed slowly, but first I should tell you about the personnel replenishment. There was a large-scale recruitment during that time. Thanks to that, every other squad was able to be fully filled out to ten members each."
He then glanced sidelong at the Fifth Squad Leader Dok Su-gwang before continuing.
"Well, though another large-scale vacancy has occurred this time, of course. Ahem. Anyway, amidst all that, there were two new recruits who stubbornly insisted they absolutely had to be assigned to the Seventh Squad. So we've been holding them without squad assignments until now."
At Heon Yeong-bo's words, Seol Pung asked with a puzzled expression.
"They said they absolutely had to be assigned to the Seventh Squad?"
"That's right."
"Who on earth are they?"
At that, Heon Yeong-bo called out toward the door.
"Come in!"
And those who entered were two women — no, a man who looked like a woman and a beautiful woman with a languid expression.
For a moment, as Seol Pung looked at them, his eyes suddenly widened greatly.
"Ah, you are?"
At that, the pretty young man came running over with a delighted smile.
"Squad Leader Seol Pung! Have you been well?!"
That young man was none other than Ma Maeng-un.
He was the son of the Life-and-Death Obsession physician Ma Jong-hwan, whom Seonwoo Jin had coaxed (?) them into rescuing during a past leave.
Seol Pung, having recognized him, smiled gladly while asking with a surprised expression.
"It's Maeng-un! What brings you here? What about Elder Goe-ui?"
"I volunteered for the Flying Dragon Corps with my father's permission. My father also told me to be of strength to my benefactors. And he said I needed to become a bit more manly, too."
"Ha, I see. It's good that you came."
Seol Pung gave him a bright smile and welcomed him.
His martial arts might still be a bit lacking, but there was no way his addition — having inherited the Eccentric Physician's medicinal arts — would not be helpful.
After briefly exchanging greetings with Ma Maeng-un, Seol Pung turned his gaze to the woman standing off to one side with a languid expression, watching him.
She was a woman not present in Seol Pung's memory.
No, there was no way any women could remain in Seol Pung's memory in the first place.
The number of women he'd ever exchanged words with in his entire life could be counted on one hand.
But she seemed to know Seol Pung.
With her characteristically languid expression and dreamy eyes, she looked at Seol Pung and spoke thus.
"I finally found you. Gale Flying Dragon Seol Pung."
Those words flustered Seol Pung.
Finally found him? Me?
Seol Pung asked cautiously with a puzzled expression.
"You know me...!"
In that instant, the face of a woman he had met in the past suddenly surfaced in Seol Pung's mind.
With a languid and dreamy expression, she had been swinging a black whip like a black dragon....
Startled, he cried out in shock.
"No way?!"
At that, she smiled faintly and asked.
"Have you remembered now?"
Her languid and dreamy expression now came back to him with sharp clarity.
She was definitely Ya Un-hyang, the woman who had fought Seol Pung at Heuksangbang.
The peak-level expert whom the black paths called Yeomjak, the Hyeolpyeonseosi, Ya Un-hyang.
The very person Seol Pung had been unable to kill as he broke through Heuksangbang's Thunder Prison....
A flustered Seol Pung stammered as he asked.
"H-, h-, how could you be here?"
At that, Ya Un-hyang smiled languidly and answered.
"I came looking for you, Seol Pung."
That languid smile was an enchanting thing so steeped in seductive allure that Heon Yeong-bo, standing nearby, audibly gulped.
Seol Pung, who had already gone pale at her mere appearance, did not yet know.
That the things which would startle him at this meeting were far from over....
***
We were gathered in the Seventh Squad waiting room, awaiting the return of Squad Leader Seol Pung from the meeting.
While we waited, I was explaining Cheol-gwi to the squad members.
At that, the squad members spoke up.
"That's concerning. The increased number of demons alone is dangerous enough, but now a monster that even energetic force doesn't work against. Everyone, be careful. When moving through the forest, try to always go with the Squad Leader, Seonu Gongja, or Cheongyeon."
As soon as she heard about Cheol-gwi, the person who worried for the others first was, as ever, Na So-jeo.
"Skin that even energetic force can't pierce? That's amazing! That's practically the Diamond Body Invulnerability, isn't it?!"
Despite the topic being about our enemies, the one who got excited first about the hard skin was Bae Jong-gwan, of course.
Cheon Ju-eun Sojeo and Bi Sa-yeong were lost in thought with worried expressions.
It seemed the existence of Cheol-gwi made them deeply uneasy.
I spoke soothingly to calm their anxiety.
"Still, isn't it fortunate that we know how to counter it? If we prepare well, we can stop it without much harm. Don't worry too much."
At that, Bi Sa-yeong let out a sigh and said.
"The more I think about it, the more I realize meeting Elder Seok was truly a heaven-sent fortune. If I'd known, I would have at least shown him more respect."
At his words, I could only nod with an awkward smile.
"Indeed."
I had told the others that learning Cheol-gwi's weakness was thanks to the old man Seok Gyeong-dal.
Naturally, I could not say it was because of memories from my past life, but the issue was that the Squad Leader, Miss Cheongyeon, and Bi Sa-yeong had been with me when we met Elder Seok.
I had roughly explained it away by saying I had woken up first while the Squad Leader and Miss Cheongyeon were fighting the enemies and Bi Sa-yeong was still in meditation....
'To be honest, it's a ridiculous story.'
That simple fellow Bi Sa-yeong seemed not to think deeply about it, but with a moment's thought, one could quickly realize just how absurd that explanation was.
How could I have selectively picked out only the methods to deal with Cheol-gwi amid such an urgent situation?
So, while Bi Sa-yeong might not know, there was no way Miss Cheongyeon hadn't sensed something strange.
When I glanced surreptitiously at Miss Cheongyeon to check her reaction, she was lost in other thoughts alone.
For someone who could not possibly be unaware to say nothing, I suspected she had simply decided to pretend not to know.
Once again, I was grateful for her consideration.
At that moment, Squad Leader Seol Pung opened the door and entered.
"Squad Leader!"
"Did the meeting go well?"
"Is there any new information?"
At that, the Squad Leader nodded, his expression seeming somewhat complicated for some reason.
At that moment, I could feel his gaze passing over me and Miss Cheongyeon with a bitter look.
It was a bit puzzling.
"Indeed, there were several things to discuss. Some good news, and some disheartening news as well."
At his somehow subdued expression, everyone focused their attention on him.
Then the Squad Leader began to speak.
"First, the intelligence regarding Cheol-gwi has been urgently transmitted to the other Flying Dragon Corps. It seems there have been no reports of Cheol-gwi from the other Corps yet. It would be best if we were the first to encounter it, but that's something we cannot know. For now, our unit has decided to secure Hwagolsan as quickly as possible and form search parties centered around the squad leaders. Once I relay the meeting's details, I will join them immediately and depart."
At those words, I silently nodded.
In my past life as well, our Thirteen Squads had been the first place Cheol-gwi appeared.
So, if there were no other changes, we might be able to stop Cheol-gwi with far fewer sacrifices than in my previous life.
Having said that much, the Squad Leader hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"And... there's also some good news."
"Good news?"
"Yes, for the first time in a long while since Jin, Lady Hae, and Lady Cheon, we have new recruits. Two of them, at that."
At the Squad Leader's unexpected words, the squad members burst into cheers.
"Kyaaak! New recruits, you say?!"
"Wow! We're finally getting more people. What kind of people are they?"
"Is it a man? A woman?"
At the squad members' heated reaction, Squad Leader Seol Pung gave a slightly bitter smile and answered.
"One man, and one woman. And the man among them is someone several of us have already met."
"Pardon?"
"Someone we've met?"
"Who is it?"
But Squad Leader Seol Pung did not answer that.
"We'll discuss the details when you meet them in person."
Seeing the Squad Leader unable to make a bright expression even at the good news of new recruits, I abruptly asked.
"By the way, you didn't bring the new recruits here straight away?"
As was the case when I joined, it was customary to bring new recruits right away once their squad was decided.
So ordinarily, the Squad Leader should not just be telling us that new recruits had arrived, but bringing them here directly to introduce them.
It seemed the heavy expression he had been wearing for a while was related to the reason for this.
At that, the Squad Leader let out a small sigh and nodded.
"Yes, there's something we need to decide amongst ourselves first, so I arranged to bring them a bit later."
He then looked at me and Miss Cheongyeon and spoke.
"Currently, the new Fourth Squad Leader of our Thirteen Squads is the Jeomchang Sword Tiger Je Won-yeong, the former Squad Leader Je."
The Squad Leader's words were completely unexpected and abrupt.
"...Pardon?"
"Who did you say has come?"
"Je Won-yeong, that man?!"
At our bewildered reactions, the Squad Leader gave a bitter smile and nodded.
"Yes, it's that Squad Leader Je who was with us at Sangeommun. They say he requested a transfer as soon as he went back. And...."
The Squad Leader's eyes turned toward the expressionless face of Miss Cheongyeon.
"He has requested Lady Hae as the new vice squad leader of the Fourth Squad."
"...Pardon?!"
"What did you say?!"
We were even more shocked than when we heard Je Won-yeong's name.
He had requested Miss Cheongyeon as his vice squad leader.
Didn't that mean Miss Cheongyeon would be going to the Fourth Squad?
But that was not the only surprising thing.
The Squad Leader continued speaking.
"And... the Third Squad's Lady Dang has requested Jin as the new vice squad leader of the Third Squad."
"...P-Pardon?!"
I was so stunned my mouth dropped open.
Lady Dang had requested me as her vice squad leader, so I had to go to another squad too?
At that, Bi Sa-yeong asked hurriedly.
"Do we absolutely have to comply with those requests?"
To his question, Squad Leader Seol Pung answered with a deep sigh.
"We don't absolutely have to. But it's also true that we have no justifiable grounds to refuse. The fact that excessive combat power is currently concentrated in our Seventh Squad is undeniable. Not to mention Jin-i or Lady Hae, who have already reached the peak realm, even Na So-jeo or Sa-yeong, you yourself, possess skills more than sufficient to serve as squad leaders of other units. And the current Jong-gwan and Lady Cheon are also talents easily qualified to be vice squad leaders in other squads."
"Ah...."
At the Squad Leader's words, we could find no rebuttal.
It was certainly true.
"In cases like Jin-i or Lady Hae, even if they don't go as vice squad leaders this time, they might soon be appointed as squad leaders of another squad or even transferred to a different Flying Dragon Corps. In any case, talents who have reached the peak realm are rare, after all."
At the Squad Leader's words, we could only look at each other's faces with bewildered expressions.
I, too, stared at Squad Leader Seol Pung with a complicated expression before my gaze suddenly turned to Na So-jeo.
To have to be separated from Squad Leader Seol Pung, my benefactor and mental anchor, and from Na So-jeo, whom I had held affection for since my previous life.
My heart was growing far too heavy.