Chapter 130
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Nangong Hye's Bewilderment
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Nangong Hye couldn't suppress her bewilderment.
Yu Hyun. It was a name she'd heard countless times already.
At first, as her unknown betrothed. Then, as a symbol of laziness, living off her parents' wealth without lifting a finger...
She had always despised those who gained things without effort, so even when she read the letter sent directly by her grandfather, Nangong Chang-seon, she could only scoff.
What did it matter if he was a promising talent who would raise the Nangong Clan's name in the future?
Born as the daughter of a prestigious family, was she supposed to walk the predictable path of becoming a pawn in a political marriage? Ridiculous.
She didn't want to be just someone's woman or a member of some clan. She wanted to be a martial artist known solely by the name Nangong Hye.
So when she heard that the Righteous Alliance was forming the Latent Dragon Squad, she volunteered immediately and left her clan. It had taken endless persuasion of her father, Nangong Han-su, to finally earn that permission.
But back then, the Latent Dragon Squad was still in the planning stages, so she applied straight to the Manifest Dragon Unit instead. Without any help from her family, she survived on skill alone and, at just nineteen, proudly became one of the three squad leaders.
Of course, that lucky bastard of a betrothed who'd hit the jackpot by birth had long since been erased from her mind.
But then, the name Yu Hyun started cropping up more and more often.
The man who had a private audience with the Supreme Dragon King and saved Haenam Island from mysterious infiltrators.
The feat he'd accomplished at just seventeen sparked a bit of curiosity. It was far too different from the pathetic rumors she'd heard before.
And finally, they met.
On the battlefield...
"You're going to rescue the Zhuge Strategist? And you'll take responsibility?"
"Yeah."
It was so absurd it left her breathless, on the verge of choking, and there he was with that bright, brazen smile—what the hell!
And why were these guys next to him just standing there, not saying a word, gauging the mood?
From her brother, who somehow earned the title Sword Dragon, to the Little Beggar Dragon who annoyed her with his cheeky attitude, that slimy Tang Clan creep—er, Dark Dragon—who'd pestered her since they were kids, and the Immortal Dragon from Wudang, judging by the Taoist robes, even if she didn't know his face.
Lining them up like this, they all seemed utterly useless one by one, but weren't they all strutting around as dragons?
"None of you find this outrageous? Hearing such irresponsible talk?"
"Huh?"
"Hmm, well..."
"Amitabha."
"..."
Suddenly the Death Dragon became the target, flinching as they each pretended to look away.
Damn it...
"Hey."
"...?"
Nangong Hye glared at the Death Dragon with fierce eyes, and Yu Hyun tossed out casually.
"Why glare at them? Anyone can see I'm the one calling the shots."
"What?"
"I'm the one deciding, and I'm the one taking responsibility."
"..."
His indifferent words felt nothing but arbitrary, and she narrowed her eyes at him. Yu Hyun didn't care and opened his mouth again.
"How? How exactly do you plan to take responsibility?"
He stared steadily at Nangong Hye as she pressed him.
"Are you in charge? I heard the Manifest Dragon Unit leader got captured."
"We're not debating who's in charge right n—"
"If you don't have decision-making authority, then quit nitpicking."
"What? How dare you!"
As Nangong Hye tried to retort, a horde of martial artists rushed noisily onto the mountain peak.
It was the main force of the Righteous Alliance, pushed to the rear, arriving late after receiving Nangong Hye's messenger pigeon.
"Vice Leader!"
Nangong Hye, mid-argument with Yu Hyun, spotted the man leading the martial artists and hurried over to brief him on the situation.
"Manifest Dragon Unit Vice Leader Baek Yeopyeong."
"...Yu Hyun."
His greeting was restrained, but his face clearly showed deep displeasure.
And... Yeong? Out of nowhere?
Heard they'd been fighting a long war, but had they all started bantering like old pals? So many half-familiars on first meetings?
"May I ask what's happened here?"
At Baek Yeopyeong's sharp tone, Yu Hyun's lip curled slyly.
"The enemy attacked first, so we fought and won. That's it."
"..."
Baek Yeopyeong's face twisted at the curt reply.
"By whose permission?"
"Permission? Why should I need that?"
"What?"
"Are you my superior?"
"..."
"Hah, the more I see, the worse it gets. Hey, Vice Leader Baek."
"V-Vice Leader Baek? Have you ever seen such an impudent punk!"
"You're the one lacking manners."
"..."
"What is this, not even a ronin? You're part of the Righteous Alliance and don't know the chain of command?"
"What?"
"You seem confused about something, but age doesn't matter between us right now. We should be polite enough as it is—where do you get off with the half-familiar talk? No way you thought 'the incoming words are harsh, so the outgoing ones must be sweet.'"
"You punk!"
As Baek Yeopyeong glared and fumed, Yu Hyun chuckled mockingly.
"Calm down. You'll tip over backward."
"..."
"Get your manners straight before debating right and wrong, yeah? A mere vice leader half-familiaring the Latent Dragon Squad Leader under the Alliance Leader himself."
"You bastard! Watch your mouth!"
The Manifest Dragon Unit squad leaders following Baek Yeopyeong bellowed in fury, and the Death Dragon stepped forward with a resolute expression to shield Yu Hyun.
Yu Hyun nodded with a pleased smile.
Good job, my boys.
Sure, right and wrong mattered among family, but first you back your own. Yeah, that's right.
With his heart satisfied, his mocking tone grew even bolder.
"Wow, not content with half-familiar, now it's 'bastard'? You must really look down on the Latent Dragon Squad, huh? Oho, feeling punchy? Want me to show you who's above who before we talk?"
"..."
Yu Hyun shook his head exaggeratedly, and Baek Yeopyeong glared murderously before calming his subordinates.
"Stand down."
"Vice Leader!"
"Hey! You want us grabbing each other by the collar?"
"..."
After sending the squad leaders back, Baek Yeopyeong steadied his breathing and glared at Yu Hyun.
"Hoo, fine. I'll admit my earlier rudeness. But there must be a reasonable explanation for the Latent Dragon Squad's unauthorized action."
"..."
His eyes were still hostile, but with the opponent yielding a step, Yu Hyun saw no need to keep fighting.
"What kind of explanation?"
"The Strategist and Manifest Dragon Unit Leader are currently captured by the enemy. You should have considered how your actions affect their safety."
"..."
Yu Hyun gazed silently at Baek Yeopyeong and smirked.
"That's unexpected."
"What?"
"Didn't think a vice leader would say something like that."
"What do you mean by 'something like that'? What are you implying!"
"You seem mistaken, but this is a battlefield."
"...What?"
He sounded incredulous, and Yu Hyun's eyes cooled sharply.
"A war where we kill or get killed, take or get taken. A war of schemes and stratagems, where everything is on the line to seize victory."
"..."
"Inevitably, some die, some get hurt. Just because two got captured, should we retreat?"
"Listen! Latent Dragon Leader! Those two are..."
"Even if it were the Alliance Leader himself captured, that wouldn't be reason to retreat."
"What?"
"When a spot opens, you fill it—not retreat. Why? Does the Alliance fall without them?"
"..."
"Were their safety all that mattered to you? No regret for those who held the line and died or got wounded?"
For a moment, Baek Yeopyeong was speechless.
Yu Hyun's words weren't unconditionally right. They might just be sophistry from his own perspective.
But it did prick at him.
Hadn't they already lost many who'd fought alongside them?
He'd shed tears for the dead and pitied those scarred beyond martial life.
"Of course, I acknowledge those two are vital to the Righteous Alliance. But that still doesn't justify retreat."
"..."
"The enemy holding this peak had a force we five from the Latent Dragon Squad could easily crush."
"..."
Baek Yeopyeong knew it too.
After the kidnapping, they'd been caught off-guard and pushed back at first, but the force that attacked Cheonyang—the Northern Faction Union—wasn't that strong.
Yet he'd chosen to retreat and watch. Fearing for the Strategist and Leader's safety.
"I don't know why you made that call, but the moment you retreated, you fell for the enemy's scheme. You ignored the sacrifices of those who staked their lives to hold this place."
"I..."
He couldn't find words to counter. Baek Yeopyeong's face twisted in anguish.
In sparring or debate, if you can't counter the opponent's play or find a response, you lose.
"Then! Are you saying we should've fought the enemy without a thought for those two's safety?"
"...?"
Nangong Hye, who'd been watching the exchange, stared straight at Yu Hyun and demanded shrilly.
"I never said that."
"...What do you mean?"
Her eyes widened at the unexpected response.
Weren't his words contradicting themselves? Just moments ago...
"You asked for an explanation of the situation, so I gave it—and blamed you for falling for the enemy's ploy. I never said to abandon them."
"...?"
Everyone wore blank expressions at Yu Hyun's words. Come to think of it, he'd never said that.
"Tsk, do I have to spell it out?"
"..."
"Think about it. If the Northern Faction Union only cared about victory in battle, they should've killed them outright and thrown everything at us."
"...?"
"But they didn't. They left a token force at Cheonyang's front—barely enough to matter. Why?"
Watching Yu Hyun dissect the situation like a master schemer, the Death Dragon puffed out his chest with pride.
As expected of the Leader... He wouldn't charge in blindly.
He had a plan all along.
"The Northern Faction Leader chose kidnapping, meaning they'll demand something. My guess is..."
"Your guess?"
Not just Baek Yeopyeong and Nangong Hye, but even the other Manifest Dragon squad leaders gulped and fixed their eyes on Yu Hyun.
"They want leverage in future alliances. Names like Zhuge Murin and the Manifest Dragon Leader aren't lightweights. And your retreat from the front convinced them their hand is strong."
"Ah! That's it?"
"Damn, we didn't even realize..."
Even gasps of admiration burst out.
"So what about those two? If your judgment's right and they hold them hostage for demands, we'll have to listen."
As Baek Yeopyeong asked, Yu Hyun crossed his arms with a snap.
"Rescue them before they make demands."
"R-Rescue them?"
Baek Yeopyeong blinked dumbly, and Nangong Hye cut in with a shrill voice.
"That's impossible. How do you plan to rescue them? If they kidnapped for leverage, security will be tight. They'll be deep in their lair under heavy guard— you gonna punch through that line now? Declare all-out war?"
"Hey! Hye-ah, you still don't know your uncle?"
As Nangong Hye protested incredulously, Nangong Seong scolded sternly.
"Your brother's right. How can a mere bird fathom a crane's thoughts? Our Leader sees three, four moves ahead—unlike us. I've seen it myself on Haenam Island, yeah!"
"I haven't experienced it yet, but I acknowledge the Leader's skill."
"Just what he showed at Wudang... Our sect leader said to treat the Leader's words like the founding ancestor's will..."
Gae Du-sin, Tang Sa-dog, and Un Hyun each chimed in supportively, and Nangong Hye scowled.
Have these bastards been brainwashed as a group or what...
"Tell us. What's the method?"
Brushing off the beggars' words boldly, Nangong Hye demanded an answer from Yu Hyun.
"See? Tsk tsk. That's why you can't believe our Leader without seeing it yourself."
Gae Du-sin clicked his tongue and turned to Yu Hyun.
"Leader. Lay it out straight. What's the strategy this time? How do we breach their defenses?"
Everyone watched Yu Hyun with eager anticipation at Gae Du-sin's pumped-up question.
"Breach what?"
"Pardon?"
Yu Hyun grinned slyly at their cocked heads.
"You think they'll just roll over? How do you deal with evil faction scum with textbook thinking?"
"...Th-Then?"
"Kidnap someone useful and trade."
What? Why? Don't you know equivalent exchange? Equivalent exchange?
Eye for an eye! Tooth for a tooth!
Giving back as good as you get—that's the rule since ancient times!