Chapter 270
Chapter 270
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 270
Chapter Title: The Two Vanguard Detachments
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In one of the Murim Alliance's annex halls.
"You want me to take charge of both vanguard detachments?"
Deputy Strategist Seolgeom struggled to hide his surprise at Military Strategist Jegal Gong's abrupt words, delivered without any prior notice.
It was quite astonishing.
And rightly so, for these were vanguard detachments created at the strategist's own proposal.
Even if hastily assembled, they were set to operate at the Murim Alliance's forefront, and their renown was certain to grow in time.
He had assumed the strategist would personally oversee their operations, yet here he was, handing them over?
Anyone else would have welcomed it with open arms, but Seolgeom's first instinct was suspicion rather than acceptance.
His counterpart was none other than the man who rivaled the sharpest minds in the world.
There was no way he'd simply relinquish his own pieces.
'What scheme is this?'
Seolgeom gazed at Jegal Gong before him.
Despite his outrageous proposal, the man maintained his usual detached demeanor.
His eyes, expression, aura—everything.
It was a serene composure as clear and still as a mirror.
And that only fueled Seolgeom's suspicions further.
"...Is there a reason?"
Seolgeom cut straight to the point.
Beating around the bush would only expose his own intentions.
At that moment, the strategist's lips parted.
"What reason would there be?"
A dry voice emerged.
"I lack the time and capacity to command the alliance's entire force alone, so I'm borrowing the deputy strategist's strength."
Seolgeom narrowed his eyes.
It made a rough sort of sense.
The alliance's personnel numbered far beyond a handful.
Of course, the strategist could manage them all, but in this urgent wartime scenario, even he would find it burdensome.
Tracking detachment movements, allocating personnel.
Monitoring the Evil-Black Alliance's maneuvers and schemes.
The sheer volume of information was overwhelming for one man.
And in war, it was absolutely critical.
Delivering and acting on intelligence even a fraction faster was the path to victory.
"If you're not interested, I'll look elsewhere."
At the strategist's low murmur, Seolgeom snapped out of his reverie.
"I'll take them."
Suspicion lingered, but refusal was impossible.
The offer was far too enticing.
"Splendid."
As if he had anticipated the response, the strategist rose smoothly from his seat.
"Leaving already?"
"I came solely for this discussion."
"At least have some tea before..."
The strategist turned away, ignoring Seolgeom's hand drifting toward the teapot.
"Next time."
With that, he opened the door and departed without hesitation.
Thud, thud.
The footsteps echoing beyond the closed door faded, then vanished entirely.
"...Vanguard detachments."
Seolgeom muttered as he reached for the documents on the table.
An unexpected boon.
"I need to review them closely first."
Muttering to himself, he began perusing the documents methodically.
Dense lines of text filled the pages.
This slim stack brimmed with waves of intelligence on the vanguard detachments.
The pages turned swiftly.
Having devoured the entire contents in short order, Seolgeom set them down and took up his fan.
Tap, tap.
He lightly tapped his neck with the fan as his gaze shifted to two particular documents.
"Jade Qilin and Plum Blossom Divine Hero."
His eyes locked onto the two names inscribed at the top.
"This will be tricky."
Seolgeom tapped the table with his fan.
They were profoundly awkward presences.
Both were currently blazing their names across the jianghu.
Moreover, the nature of the vanguard detachments precluded issuing arbitrary orders.
"A double-edged sword."
Seolgeom's eyes narrowed.
Difficult to wield, but if he could bend both to his will, the dynamics would shift dramatically.
"Yet truly peculiar."
Seolgeom muttered, alternating between the two documents.
"How can they be so utterly opposed?"
Jade Qilin had shone since childhood, his fame spreading as one of the world's three great young prodigies. Plum Blossom Divine Hero, by contrast, had been unknown until his recent meteoric rise as a new master.
That was hardly all.
Wudang Sect, the Nine Great Sects' longtime hegemon, versus Mount Hua Sect, ever vying for that throne.
Like fate's cruel jest, every aspect was polar opposites.
"And their approaches to commanding detachments differ vastly too."
As he whispered, lost in thought.
"Deputy Strategist!"
An urgent voice rang from outside.
Seolgeom frowned, tilting the document in his hand as his lips moved.
"What is it?"
The sharp query pierced the door straight to his ears.
"Plum Blossom Divine Hero and the vanguard detachment have completed their mission and are arriving at the Murim Alliance shortly!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Extermination Squad reached the outskirts of the Murim Alliance exactly three days later.
Recalling how it had taken barely half a day to reach Red Tiger Stronghold on the outbound trip, this was a belated return.
But there were valid reasons.
Perhaps because it was their first real combat.
No mortal wounds, but most of the squad was injured and unable to deploy lightness skills as they had at the start.
'Plus handing the Green Forest bandits over to the officials and hauling the loot.'
Cheonhwi recalled the post-mission cleanup before departing Red Tiger Stronghold as he touched his side pouch.
He felt the bulky weight.
Cheonhwi's eyes curved for a moment.
Bandits though they were, Red Tiger Stronghold had amassed considerable treasure and silver.
And Cheonhwi had led the squad to liquidate it swiftly.
The result was this pouch.
'Sold at a discount for time's sake, but not a bad haul.'
Cheonhwi smiled, envisioning the bills inside, then glanced back.
"Huff, huff."
Ragged breaths and plumes of white vapor rose from all around.
The Extermination Squad sweated profusely despite the biting cold.
"Exhausted over this much."
Cheonhwi muttered, eyeing them.
A few squad members shot glares, but dropped their gazes upon realizing it was him.
It was the second day of forced march.
Walk, run, walk, run.
Cheonhwi pressed on relentlessly unless someone collapsed.
It was grueling.
Yet perhaps because of it.
The squad members, mentally rattled from their baptism of combat, found their minds cleared by the physical torment.
The ordeal naturally fostered mutual care, tightening bonds and steadying hearts.
Thus, the Extermination Squad soon reached the gates.
The gate guards faltered at the squad's bedraggled state but nodded at Cheonhwi's report of mission accomplished and swung the gates open.
Rumble—
The heavy gates parted.
And in that instant.
"Woooah!"
Cheers erupted from every direction.
'Huh? What's going on?'
Cheonhwi furrowed his brow at the raucous welcome and scanned the gathered throngs.
Their numbers were beyond counting.
Normally, a detachment's return wouldn't draw such crowds, but circumstances were exceptional.
This was the first mission since declaring war on the Evil-Black Alliance five days prior—naturally, all eyes converged.
The exploits of the newly minted vanguard detachment? How could they resist?
The rumored Plum Blossom Divine Hero.
And the unit under his command.
Awe had drawn this multitude to await their return from the war's inaugural foray.
But Cheonhwi, oblivious, eyed the crowds in bewilderment.
"That's the Plum Blossom Divine Hero!"
"Just as rumored!"
The masses, locking eyes with him, buzzed excitedly, their gazes sparkling.
True to rumor.
Tall and striking, with sharp features.
An arrogant expression unbecoming a Daoist, yet irresistibly charismatic.
The women gazed dreamily, hands clasped in adoration.
Then their eyes shifted to the squad filing in behind him.
"...The vanguard detachment?"
The buoyant mood plummeted.
The followers straggling in after Cheonhwi were ragged beyond measure.
Clothes torn here and there, bandages peeking through.
And with each step, the pungent stench of salve wafted everywhere.
As the crowds struggled to mask their dismay at the squad's state.
"Why are there so many people..."
"How did this..."
The squad members voiced their own fluster.
Then, belatedly feeling shame, their faces flushed red.
Under normal circumstances, they would have puffed out their chests in delight at such acclaim, but their current dishevelment precluded it.
As the atmosphere grew awkward.
"It's been a while, young hero."
A subdued voice approached.
Seolgeom pushed through the crowds and stood before Cheonhwi with a faint smile.
"I've been assigned to oversee your vanguard detachment from now on."
"Oversee...?"
"Indeed."
Seolgeom continued with his smile.
"Though it's really just exchanging mission reports."
Cheonhwi briefly furrowed his brow before turning away.
"Head to the hall first."
The Extermination Squad members offered awkward smiles and hurriedly responded.
"Understood."
"We'll see you later."
They then bolted like arrows.
Not merely for long-overdue rest, but to flee the piercing stares.
Seolgeom glanced at the departing squad before addressing the crowds.
"Well then, shall we?"
Cheonhwi followed in his wake.
Gazes swarmed them.
The onlookers, witnessing the deputy strategist meeting the detachment leader, buzzed with eager whispers.
This was no ordinary affair.
Moments later, the pair—practically jogging—breached the crowds and arrived at the hall.
'It's been a while.'
As Cheonhwi reminisced about his prior visit, when he had come to claim Mount Hua Sect's hall.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself."
Seolgeom spoke politely.
"Henceforth, I am Seolgeom, tasked with overseeing young hero Cheonhwi's vanguard detachment."
Cheonhwi nodded.
"Yeah, got it. But before that, one question."
"What is it...?"
"That spectacle earlier—you orchestrated it, right?"
"I have no idea what you mean..."
Cheonhwi shot a sidelong glance at Seolgeom's evasive profile and narrowed his eyes.
Seolgeom flinched under that gaze.
The glint in those eyes was chillier than the winter air.
"...Correct."
Finally yielding to that stare, Seolgeom explained the situation.
"But it was all for the young hero and the detachment. Your first mission in the war against the Evil-Black Alliance—couldn't just let it pass unmarked, could we?"
"That's all?"
"..."
"Feels like there's more."
"Heh, can't fool you, can I."
Seolgeom chuckled and shook his head.
"I wanted to draw eyes, imprint the young hero and the detachment in people's minds."
This was Seolgeom's true aim.
A brand-new unit demanded swift publicity.
Who was Cheonhwi?
Who comprised the detachment?
"Though I never imagined you'd return in that state."
Recalling the squad's earlier sprint, Seolgeom scratched his cheek with his fan.
He had envisioned a triumphant return in glory.
Yet reality had been far less smooth.
'With him there, I assumed a safe return without incident...'
Harboring the thought inwardly, Seolgeom spoke again.
"Judging by the squad's injuries, Red Tiger Stronghold must have been formidable."
He murmured cautiously, lest it scrape a warrior's pride.
Yet Cheonhwi replied impassively, unperturbed.
"They lacked experience."
In a single phrase, Seolgeom grasped the full picture.
"You deliberately held back?"
"They need to gain experience in real combat."
Seolgeom's eyes gleamed.
'Forging strength through live battle rather than training?'
A ruthless approach.
But the most efficient.
'...Nerves of steel. Had even one perished, I'd have held him accountable.'
As Seolgeom inwardly tsked.
"Oh, and it's not the vanguard detachment anymore—Extermination Squad."
Cheonhwi grinned as he spoke.
"'Vanguard detachment' felt off, so we settled on a proper name. Authority's mine anyway—naming rights included, right?"
Seolgeom let out a chuckle.
"No objections. Though it's a rather aggressive moniker. Extermination Squad..."
Extermination was a term more common in unorthodox circles than the orthodox sects.
Yet somehow, it fit perfectly.
After a brief pause, Seolgeom drew a paper from his bosom and spoke in a low voice.
"Then, shall we discuss this mission?"