The Watcher from Afar
A pair of eyes had been watching Namgung Woo and his companions from a considerable distance. "Quite the spectacle. Even Lee Ja-ryong would have been terrified." The uninvited guest who had been secretly observing them was a woman. Lee Ja-ryong, who had caused the Beijing Rebellion, had referred to her as Samunryeong. She wore a loose-fitting robe over a form-fitting martial outfit that accentuated her curves. Without the outer robe, her attire would have been quite provocative. Yet the rest of her clothing followed the style of a female crown. She gave off an ambiguous impression—part martial artist, part spellcaster. As if to prove she belonged to the latter, Samunryeong released her Far-Sight Technique and clicked her tongue. 'I wanted to see at least once the man who killed Lee Ja-ryong. He certainly lived up to the reputation.'
Considering she had traveled over two thousand li merely out of curiosity to see him once, it was an absurd whim. Yet distance meant little to Samunryeong. She recalled her unpleasant encounter with Lee Ja-ryong in Beijing. She had been wary of him right up until he incited the rebellion, and in the end, the very man he had feared most had crushed his ambitions. Lee Ja-ryong had called Namgung Woo an impurity, a heaven-defying one, but to Samunryeong, Lee Ja-ryong himself was no different. 'He was the one twisting the cycle of life and death and deceiving the eyes of heaven, yet he dared to call others heaven-defiers.'
She had cooperated with him because there was something to gain and because of her connection to her master, but looking back, he had been thoroughly unpleasant. Though she acted without restraint and appeared rootless, Samunryeong was in fact the successor of an exceptionally pure dao lineage. She even harbored a faint goodwill toward Namgung Woo for severing Lee Ja-ryong's bloodline. 'Perhaps I should observe him a little longer?' Her mind was already leaning in that direction, yet she deliberated once more. She was not pressed for time, but neither did she have so much of it that she could afford to waste it meaninglessly.
"Huh?!" She had assumed no one was around. Samunryeong, who had been lost in thought, suddenly sensed an approaching presence and sprang to her feet. Though she had dispelled the Far-Sight Technique, she had prepared a barrier just in case—and it had been destroyed in an instant. The identity of the destroyer was obvious. Namgung Woo. He was charging straight toward her location. "How? More importantly, he's too fast!"
At this rate, they would meet within mere minutes. Perhaps her presence had already been detected within his sensory range. After all, he possessed an unparalleled pair of eyes! "Tch… No choice, then." Samunryeong retrieved a pill from her robes and immediately chewed it down. As expected of a pill she had crafted herself, its medicinal energy spread the moment she bit into it. She gathered the energy flowing through her body and directed it toward the Tianzong Acupoint near her shoulder blade. True to its name—the shrine that houses the divine—a spirit resided there. "Ling Nie Xuan Xu. Phoenix, embrace me and take flight."
The moment she finished the incantation, a crimson light erupted from her shoulder blade near the Tianzong Acupoint. The spell manifested through the spell tattoo shaped like a phoenix's wings enveloped her body. Shwaaaak! A sword qi arrived at the perfect moment, slicing through the empty space where Samunryeong had been. Namgung Woo appeared shortly after. Seeing no trace left where his flying sword qi had passed, he spread his senses. Whether it had been an ultra-high-speed movement or spatial transference, hastily prepared spells had their limits. Even Lee Ja-ryong, whom Paeng Hu-sang had called a top-tier spellcaster, had only been able to perform such miracles after constructing an altar that claimed the entire area around Mount Wanse as his domain, drawing upon its vast spiritual veins. No matter how skilled the spellcaster, spells—unlike martial arts—required meticulous preparation. Unless, of course, one had refined their body into an altar the way a martial artist tempered their dantian.
"Not far. But… is she flying?" Namgung Woo's own path had been nearly straight, though he had occasionally veered left and right to avoid obstacles. Yet the presence he sensed was retreating in a perfectly straight line without the slightest deviation. 'If I truly wanted to catch her, I could.' At that speed, the Thousand-Li Steed would have no trouble keeping up. But Namgung Woo decided against it. The opponent might still be hiding something, and straying too far from his companions weighed on his mind. 'If she's targeting me, she'll come back eventually. As for Cheongsumun… there's nothing I can do.'
Namgung Woo had no obligation to protect the people of Cheongsumun after the commission ended. If they were unjustly harmed right before his eyes, he would help, but he was not close enough to follow them or travel together. "Time to head back. I should relieve the night watch soon." Namgung Woo sheathed his sword smoothly and turned away without hesitation.
§
The rest of the journey proceeded smoothly. Paeng Ha-ryeong, who had displayed her skills to the fullest, and the Yang brothers both wore smiles. The latter, in particular, seemed more pleased by the extra income than by the fighting itself. "To think the side income would be this lucrative… Captain, didn't I pick an excellent commission?" Yang Kvae shook the Bokmanghoe plaque in his hand, making it jingle. As public enemies of the martial world, the Bokmanghoe had bounties on their heads. Especially for identified members like Hyeolmaengno, there were additional rewards.
"But why hasn't the Bokmanghoe been eradicated? With bounties like that, the wanderers should be targeting them." "Because they're useful." "I see. So there are people disguising themselves as the Bokmanghoe to attack rival factions. Both sides' leaders, no less." "Something like that. Besides, the Bokmanghoe only hunts those weaker than themselves. They don't touch the major powers." "If they provoked a major sect, they could be completely wiped out, after all."
Thus, the Bokmanghoe operated as classic bullies—targeting only small sects and factions with minimal repercussions, while the great powers used the Bokmanghoe as a convenient scapegoat for covert assassinations and saw no need to actively eliminate them. "Above all, the Bokmanghoe is composed of individuals with considerable martial prowess. The sects and factions that suffered losses banded together to attempt eradication, but they failed every time." "Public enemies tend to have long lifespans. They know how to treasure their own necks." "Exactly. So this incident will likely greatly elevate the Changcheon Squad's reputation."
While the Yang brothers and Paeng Ha-ryeong discussed the Bokmanghoe and their achievements, Namgung Woo thought about the person he had missed. 'Could she be affiliated with the Bokmanghoe?' The fact that she had used spells suggested some connection. After all, the plaques carried by Bokmanghoe members were themselves enchanted items. 'The Bokmanghoe is structured as a typical cell organization. To coordinate such people, spells would be essential. She might not be part of the leadership, but she likely belongs to the operational side.'
Namgung Woo's contemplation ended there. The current Namgung Woo was a wanderer, not a chivalrous hero. He had no intention of eradicating the Bokmanghoe at all costs. After moving diligently, the group finally arrived at their destination—Gyeonghyeon. From afar came the faint sound of metal being hammered. "We've come to the right place…" Wi Ji-ryang murmured, overcome with emotion. It had been a journey where he had nearly lost his life twice. Though the second time had hardly been a crisis. If he hadn't hired Namgung Woo's group, he would surely have died. 'The Dragon's Eye would have been stolen as well.' Thinking that, the worries that had plagued him now seemed laughable.
At the entrance to Gyeonghyeon, Wi Ji-ryang called out to Namgung Woo. "Young Hero Nam." "Hm?" "Here. Ten taels of silver, as promised for the successful completion." Namgung Woo accepted the silver ingot Wi Ji-ryong offered. A tael was a unit of weight, not a count of coins. With his superhuman senses, Namgung Woo immediately realized upon receiving it that the ingot weighed slightly more than ten taels. "That's a bit much. I'll give you the change." "It's fine. Even after refining, there will be some impurities. Please just accept it." "If you insist." The difference was negligible—less than a single tael. As Namgung Woo pocketed the reward, Yang Kvae called them over, declaring the accounting complete.
Gyeonghyeon was a small town. Newly built structures blended among the old ones, as if showcasing the passage of time, while a tall pagoda and a large shrine marked the town center. Following a clear stream, they approached the rhythmic sound of hammering iron. Fitting for a village of artisans, they crossed an elegant yet sturdy bridge. Atop the bridge stood a small building with a reddish hue, from which wafted the rich aroma of tea. "It seems to be a tea-drinking pavilion." "It's called Hongnugyo… apparently." Paeng Ha-ryeong and Wi Seong-ha, perhaps because they were fellow women, chattered while pointing here and there as they looked around Gyeonghyeon. At first, Paeng Ha-ryeong had seemed quite guarded, but seeing that things had worked out, Namgung Woo smiled faintly.
"Captain? Shall we head straight to Guyajang first?" "The winter solstice hasn't arrived yet." "Well, if we go early, they might treat us a bit better. Besides, it's a small county—finding lodging shouldn't take long." The one who refuted Yang Kvae was Lee Gong-seo. "The Sagyesuju is held only on the day of the winter solstice itself. Going early will be a waste of effort." "Ahem, cough… You should have mentioned that sooner." "Shall we find lodging first?" Namgung Woo chuckled at Yang Kvae's antics and called out to Paeng Ha-ryeong and Wi Seong-ha, who were walking ahead.
Several days passed. Finally, the day of the winter solstice dawned. "In celebration of the winter solstice, we shall accept external commissions!" The Sagyesuju, the winter solstice commissioning, had begun. And until that moment, the Jegal Sega had not arrived in Gyeonghyeon.