Chapter 174
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Retaliation (1)
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Thud thud thud thud~
The three of them, including Flying Tiger, mounted the horses they'd prepared at the village outskirts and galloped away. They pushed at full speed until the horses tired, then switched to a trot before ramping back up to a gallop, repeating the cycle. After two full shichen of nonstop riding, the horses were just shy of foaming at the mouth. Only then did the group pull into an inn at a nearby village, both to rest the mounts and grab some breakfast.
Flying Tiger and So Myeong-rang kept it simple with bowls of noodles, while Hyeong U-saeng ordered mutton stew paired with three massive flatbreads. As he prattled on, he griped about tossing and turning all night from excitement, insisting that the more tired you were, the heartier the meal needed to be.
Flying Tiger could see right through it—he was just fishing for a chat. Not especially curious, he asked anyway.
"What kept you up all night?"
"Excitement."
Hyeong U-saeng's eyes sparkled as he replied.
"Heard you told my little brother yesterday, 'Let's have some real fun!' Heh heh heh. Got me all hyped up—couldn't sleep a wink. So, what's your plan?"
So Myeong-rang perked up at that, clearly curious too. Flying Tiger paused mid-twirl of his noodles.
"Mm, sorry to disappoint, but I don't have one yet. We'll see how things look once we're there."
"Aw, c'mon, spill something. Pretty please?"
Watching Hyeong U-saeng whine like a kid, Flying Tiger thought, Ah, that's why they handed this whole gig to me. Just the three of them, but he was squarely in charge.
When Master O-rim first tried handing Flying Tiger full command of the operation, he'd balked.
Take Hyeong U-saeng—even setting aside his twice Flying Tiger's age and solid skills, Flying Tiger was still an outsider at the end of the day.
So he'd suggested sticking close as an advisor and putting Hyeong U-saeng in charge. O-rim had shut that down flat, face stern. Muttering under his breath about "rather entrusting it to a kid," which was when Flying Tiger gave up trying to argue.
"Fine then, what about So Myeong-rang?"
"Leading a charge into the fray or holding the last line with jade-shattering resolve? No one's better. But for something this fluid, adapting on the fly..."
O-rim shook his head.
"Doesn't fit. Wrong man for the job, entirely. Guy's way too rigid."
"You know him that well?"
"Not personally. Bits from Elder Sanggunbo... Hm, you must've picked up on it by now?"
"Me? I just met the guy yesterday."
"You sparred, didn't you? Notice anything?"
"That overhead smash?"
"Spot on. He's all-in on attacks, fixated on that one downward chop. Calls it the manliest, most heroic way to swing. Asked him what if it gets him killed, and he says that's a glorious death, isn't it? Word is, he even throws rock in rock-paper-scissors every time. 'Real men use fists,' he claims."
"Nutcase?"
"Call him a real man's man."
O-rim hastened to clarify—no misunderstanding. For all that, Lone Fang Tiger So Myeong-rang had survived the thick of brutal battles time and again.
When Flying Tiger asked where he'd fought, O-rim explained: the coasts around Zhejiang and Fujian had long trembled under Japanese pirate raids. The Golden Gate Islanders, led by their island master and warriors, made their calling card smashing those inhuman scum.
Flying Tiger was stunned on two counts.
First, the Golden Gate folk were the true heroes.
Endless pirate swarms, blades forever bloodied—no rest. Over a decade of it, impossible without ironclad conviction and grit. They'd saved at least ten thousand lives. If not them, who?
And So Myeong-rang led the vanguard. Flying Tiger felt a pang of regret for dismissing him as a simple nut.
Second surprise...
"So Myeong-rang's blade is battle-forged. Meaning he needs blood in his veins to unleash real power."
"Exactly. What you faced was just a taste. Add killing intent to that overhead? Even Elder Sanggunbo calls it the 'Tiger's Roar'."
Flying Tiger sighed.
His two partners packed serious heat—Hyeong U-saeng went without saying, and So Myeong-rang was top-tier. Good news. But one was scatterbrained and flighty, the other rigid as steel. Directing that power right? On him.
Flying Tiger set down his chopsticks.
"First things first. I'm running this op. Any objections?"
"None here."
"Agreed."
"Good. Then if I say 'that's it,' we stop cold—no matter what you think. Pull back immediately. Same goes the other way."
"But if your call's wrong?"
"Raw or cooked, you follow. Or I bail solo."
"Hahaha, talk tough. Why so serious? Right, little brother So?"
"A commander's order is absolute in war. Obvious stuff—don't worry about me."
So Myeong-rang drew that line, shooting Hyeong U-saeng a look. Hurt, the man glanced between him and Flying Tiger.
Flying Tiger pressed Hyeong U-saeng.
"So Myeong-rang's on board. You?"
"Ugh, fine."
"No. Say it clear."
"Tch, your word's law—even into boiling water. Happy?"
"Perfect."
Flying Tiger paused, then got serious.
"Like I said, we'll judge on-site. But for what it's worth, if it feels off, we touch nothing and withdraw. Half-assing it beats touching it at all."
"But... mm... yeah... guess so?"
Hyeong U-saeng eyed So Myeong-rang to speak up.
"Got it. And if it feels right?"
"We crush 'em proper. Might not follow jianghu fight traditions, either."
"No holds barred?"
"Not crude. Can't sully Zhao Family Manor's event with cheap tricks—no itching powder here. Just efficient. We'll spill blood if needed... but remember, fighting's a means, not the goal."
"Then what's the goal?"
"Punishment!"
Hyeong U-saeng and So Myeong-rang savored "punishment," then nodded at each other.
Half a shichen later, Flying Tiger's group reached the edge of Mianyang County near Chang'an. There, they linked up with a Zhao Family Manor warrior.
His name: Gu Yong. No fancy title, but "All-Rounder" for handling any job solidly. A sturdy middle-aged man.
Two nights prior, at dawn, Zhao Family Manor had smashed Cho Eo-jin's main force.
But their own ranks, already thin, halved from casualties. Enough of Cho Eo-jin's men slipped away. With spare hands, they'd have netted most as POWs—but no dice.
Still, Zhao Family Manor hadn't just watched them flee. Once victory locked in, they'd deliberately released a few whose status they gauged.
To track their tails.
Three such marks. Zhao Family Manor tailed them all—Gu Yong was one. One of the targets had holed up in Mianyang County's Victory Martial Hall.
As for the other two?
One croaked from wounds before ten li—his tail returned empty-handed.
The last hunkered down with most escapees in a hideout fifty li from Ye Mountain. Likely Cho Eo-jin's rally point. Jackpot.
Zhao Family Manor had a strike team en route. In short: hitting two spots at once.
The main team's goal: wipe remnants. Flying Tiger's? Trickier. The hideout guy's status, plus acting solo without linking up the group.
"Han Zhong-bo's third disciple, Lightning Staff Im Wan-baek, holed up here?"
"Yes. But complication."
"...?"
"Past midnight last night, a band of warriors rolled up in a carriage. Gone south in under a shichen."
"Damn, late by a step. So Im Wan-baek left roughly four shichen ago?"
"Sorry, couldn't confirm. Guards were tight, orders were observe from afar—no heroics."
Gu Yong added excuses, clearly irked by the loose end.
Flying Tiger reassured him.
"You held back smart. Getting spotted? Real problem. Any other orders from Zhao Family Manor?"
"None, but if you need hands..."
"Nah, we're good. We'll take it from here—head back easy. Heard you're sharp. Plenty to do without us hogging you."
Flying Tiger thanked him off, then called over Hyeong U-saeng and So Myeong-rang.
Hyeong U-saeng asked cautiously.
"So, your read?"
"Too soon for vibes. But if I had to say, solid start."
"Huh? They might've bolted already—that's good?"
"Better than squeezing a silent bastard. These ones volunteer the path? Easy street."
"Er... yeah?"
So Myeong-rang queried.
"What if those hauling Im Wan-baek aren't Cho Eo-jin? Or no superiors at their destination?"
"We'll sort it step by step. Meanwhile, sync up—first, confirm Im Wan-baek really left Victory Martial Hall."
Flying Tiger stood, eyes glinting murderously. Hyeong U-saeng and So Myeong-rang knew exactly how he'd "confirm"—no need to ask.