Along the River, Along the Wind - 2
Thanks to Gi Gangwang's generous wind arts, we arrived in Chongqing ahead of schedule.
"Han Un! See you next time!"
The moment I disembarked, he set sail without so much as a backward glance. It felt downright bizarre, like watching a gym rat terrified of muscle loss.
Muscle loss, huh?
Gi Gangwang wasn't just commanding the water bandit subjugation—he was swinging his sword and fists right alongside his men. Every action fed those legendary muscles of his, so the longer the campaign dragged on, the more at risk he was for atrophy. Thinking of the bandits as protein sources fueling the king's physique made my chest swell with grandeur.
If the bandits had one redeeming quality in this world, it was serving as Gi Gangwang's living protein supply.
"My lord."
"Yeah, let's get moving."
I tore my eyes from the rapidly vanishing fleet at Jo Wi-cheo's call and started walking.
Chongqing. The name means "layers upon layers of auspicious omens," given when the Southern Song's crown prince was crowned king here and ascended to the throne as emperor just a month later. But that emperor went mad and was forcibly deposed, and this was also where Liu Bei—the man who burned it all at Yiling—breathed his last in Baekje Castle. Far from its beautiful name, it was a strangely cursed city that invited misfortune.
Better not linger too long, or I'll catch some bad juju.
Of course, any city with a long history might carry a mishap or two, but losing two emperors? No thanks. Just hanging around Chongqing felt ominous enough.
Besides, Chongqing was merely the gateway to Sichuan. The real focus lay beyond, in the inland regions.
First things first: Chengdu.
Chengdu was Sichuan's heart, packed with high officials like the Prefectural Governor, the Provincial Inspector, and the Area Commander. Nearby stood sacred sites of Taoism like Cheongseong Mountain and Buddhism's Ami Mountain. To gauge and check the state of Sichuan's murim, basing operations around Chengdu made the most sense.
Sichuan was relatively peaceful. Ringed by rugged mountains hostile to outsiders, it was isolated from the world, yet its vast internal basins allowed self-sufficiency. No wonder so many had tried to set up shop as kings or emperors here alone.
"We enfeoff Ok Jin as Nang-jung Wang; Nang-jung Wang Ok Jin shall, in Our stead, protect the people of Nang-jung and Sichuan."
That was why the Founding Emperor had planted a heavyweight like Nang-jung Wang here. Leaving Sichuan unchecked risked its officials and local powers scheming rebellion, so he used this loyal founding merit subject to keep it firmly under control. Even as a remote backwater, imperial influence ran deep here. Abundant resources kept the populace content, isolation spared them foreign meddling, and with a monster like Nang-jung Wang holding the fort, no traitors dared stir. What a beautiful, ideal land.
Yes, truly beautiful and ideal...
So why the hell is it so rowdy here too?
On the road from Chongqing to Chengdu, we stopped in Ziyang County for a bite and stumbled into an uneasy scene. Muttering commoners, scurrying soldiers, shops with half-empty shelves like someone was hoarding goods.
This is just like Yangyang.
The atmosphere was so familiar I bit my lip without thinking. Back when rumors flew of conflict between Mudang Sect and the Je-gal family, Yangyang's people had created exactly this vibe in their anxiety. Having witnessed it so recently, there was no mistaking it.
"Wi-cheo."
"Yes, my lord."
"Straight to Chengdu. No detours."
I meant skipping the meal, but Jo Wi-cheo just nodded instead of complaining. He'd seen Yangyang's unrest firsthand, so he instantly clocked the similarity. Situation assessment trumped lunch.
Damn it all.
I let out a short sigh and mounted Kki-ing-i. Yangyang had Yangyang Wang to cut through the noise, but this was just a county seat. Local gossip would be all we'd get here—incomplete rumors at best. Better rush to Chengdu, grill the bigwigs, and get solid intel.
...Don't tell me there's conflict here too?
A chilling thought flashed by. If the vibe matched Yangyang, maybe the incident did too—a horrifying possibility, but not impossible.
The Central Plains had hotspots clustered with major sects and families: northern Habuk with Hang-san-pa, Peng Clan, and Un Clan; Shaanxi's Zhongnan Sect and Huashan Sect rivalry; Hubei with Mudang Sect and Je-gal. Sichuan had two heavyweights too: Taoist sword sect Cheongseong Sect and Buddhist sword sect Ami Sect.
Both were founding merit sects flexing their presence side by side.
If those two clash, it's a headache.
Small wonder the populace was rattled if Cheongseong and Ami were at it. Rivals of the same stripe like Zhongnan and Huashan got quiet fan support; total opposites like Mudang and Je-gal had no room for friction. But Cheongseong and Ami were awkwardly similar yet different. Both sword sects, but divided by Taoism vs. Buddhism. Taoists would back Cheongseong, Buddhists Ami—splitting public opinion down the middle.
As an official, I couldn't stand by for that. Worst-case scenario we had to avoid.
Fuck...
Tears welled up. I'd fled water bandits for Sichuan's peace, only to find two merit sects colliding? Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
It was just a hunch, but if folks were this agitated, something big had blown up.
"Han Un! See you next time!"
Gi Gangwang's farewell echoed suddenly. Could I still catch him on the Yangtze? Bandit hunting suddenly seemed better for my sanity.
Chengdu was even more chaotic than Ziyang.
"Welcome, Left Vice Inspector General!"
Sichuan's Prefectural Governor practically kidnapped me the moment word arrived. I was flustered. I'd have sought him out anyway, but this desperate welcome was unexpected.
"...Are you all right?"
Dragged to his office, teapots littered the floor—who knew how many. Pitiful. How tormented must he be to chug tea like a camel? At least he hadn't touched the liquor; that was his last shred of sanity.
"Still got my wits, so yes."
He chuckled half-madly and sank into his chair. That sealed it: in days or weeks, he'd snap completely. Truly tragic.
"What the hell happened? Everyone knows Sichuan's peaceful—yet what I saw was anything but."
No time to waste; I cut straight to it. What blew up to make Sichuan this tense? Why are you half-dead?
Who the fuck trashed the symbol of peace?
"Peaceful, eh? Outsiders might think so."
The Prefect gave a hollow laugh, caught his breath, and shoved a scroll across his desk.
"Read this first. It'll make more sense."
He nudged it like it was cursed, then gulped cold tea. Seeing him down the stale brew—barely better than water—tugged at my heartstrings.
I unrolled the scroll he'd passed, and what the— The bizarre contents explained his bitter chuckle.
[A weirdo calling himself Munwon was found on Ami Sect's private grounds inside Ami Mountain. Ami Sect assumed he was a lost outsider and guided him down, but two days later, he was spotted there again.]
[Munwon claimed to be a scholar recording flora and fauna across the Central Plains. Ami Sect allowed it under escort by their nuns, but five days later, they caught him wandering solo on private grounds.]
[Ami Sect repeatedly warned Munwon against acting alone, but he kept appearing. They finally banned him from Ami Mountain.]
...
[Munwon detected for the 27th time on Ami Mountain. Enraged, the sect leader imprisoned him inside, but he escaped at dawn—only to be found on private grounds next morning.]
...
[A weirdo calling himself Mungyeong was found on Cheongseong Sect's private grounds inside Cheongseong Mountain. Like Ami, they guided him down, but he bolted mid-descent and infiltrated again.]
[Mungyeong spotted descending while capturing venomous spiders, centipedes, and other bugs from the grounds. Pursued by Cheongseong warriors, but escaped.]
...
[A Cheongseong elder encountered Mungyeong and tried talking, but hornets burst from his sleeve. Stung elder faltered; Mungyeong fled.]
[Sect leader sealed Cheongseong Mountain temporarily. But three days after the announcement, Mungyeong was seen descending—infuriating the leader.]
Whoa.
The more I read, the more I sighed in awe.
What kind of lunatics are these?
Sichuan wasn't in turmoil from Cheongseong and Ami clashing. Just two weirdos toying with both sects.