Chapter 60
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: 19. Bandits of the Northern Plateau (2)
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"What's the specific plan?"
"It depends on the situation. That's why I've prepared for several scenarios, and we'll pick the best one based on how things change on the way to the target."
"Hmm."
"That's all for now. As you might have guessed, from here on out, it's a race against time. We'll depart in one hour, so get yourselves sorted by then."
Jin Ga-yong ended the meeting like that. He then took Wang Baek-gun, the advisor for this operation, and No Song-seo, their guide, and left the room.
Na-mok, who had just joined the Face Pursuit Unit Jeong, seemed awkward in his seat and cleared his throat before following Wang Baek-gun out. Dan-geum tossed out a casual "See you guys later" and left right after.
That left just three members: Flying Tiger, Ye Dok-du, and A Jeok-gang. They were the ones who'd been with the unit from the start.
Ye Dok-du asked Flying Tiger, looking frustrated.
"This feels off, right? Doesn't sit well with you?"
"What do you think, brother?"
When Flying Tiger tossed the question to A Jeok-gang, he replied,
"No thoughts. I just do what I'm told."
"Doesn't it feel dangerous?"
"When has our job not been? Gotta trust him."
A Jeok-gang spoke flatly, and Flying Tiger mulled over his words for a moment.
Trust was more important than anything. Especially when things got tough.
But what about now?
Flying Tiger nodded.
"Point taken. Brother Ye, I'm not entirely comfortable either, but let's trust him for now."
"Huh? Since when are you like this?"
"Not always. I'm pretty suspicious by nature. But once I decide to trust someone, I stick with it. And the leader's shown us enough so far."
"He's good to work with, sure. Skilled, decisive, knows his stuff. Only issue is he keeps volunteering for the risky jobs."
"Heh heh, show your skills to the boss, and you'll get rolled hard. But from our side, even if it's a flaw, we can't complain. He handles things cleanly and makes sure rewards are fair."
"Can't argue with that."
"So let's give it a shot. You think he'd lead us to our deaths like this?"
"Ugh, maybe you're right?"
Flying Tiger patted Ye Dok-du's shoulder and stood up. As he slipped out of the meeting room, his expression had turned icy cold, a stark shift from moments before.
Blindly following like this wouldn't do.
He didn't think it would come to that, but regardless, he needed to prepare. And that kind of preparation worked best in secret. If needed, he'd loop in Ye Dok-du later. But not here.
There were ears listening.
Looks like A Jeok-gang trusts the higher-ups a lot. Not sure if it's the leader or even higher, but it's not the attitude of a hired mercenary like me or Dok-du.
As shadows lengthened, the eight warriors, geared up, mounted their horses and left Hong Deung Temple.
Their path led deep into the loess plateau of northern Shaanxi, to the Yellow Worm Group's stronghold. Even riding all day, it would take at least three days.
The Face Pursuit Unit Jeong hit the main road as dusk fell.
That's when they really pushed the horses.
They galloped on as darkness deepened, the moon rose in the sky, and clouds drifted to obscure it, blurring the light.
That night, they camped.
They ate a simple meal of rations, wrapped themselves in blankets, and slept, taking turns on watch.
Flying Tiger had the last shift.
Dan-geum woke him to switch just before dawn, sometime in the fifth watch (3-5 a.m.).
Flying Tiger ambled around, patrolling the perimeter.
During his rounds, he climbed a large tree he'd eyed earlier, hooked his hips on a branch, and leaned back against the trunk.
He relaxed his body as much as possible, half-lidded his eyes, and scanned the surroundings carefully.
More and more carefully, letting time slip by.
...
Flying Tiger nodded off like he was dozing, then his right hand slipped into his bosom at some point. When it emerged slowly, he gripped the Mandarin Duck Ring.
The next instant.
He dropped from the tree like a stone, circled behind it, and slashed at the tree trunk's bark with the Mandarin Duck Ring.
Shrrk—
The camouflage that looked like bark tore open on both sides and flapped.
But inside, nothing.
Jumped? Where to?
Flying Tiger landed with a grim face, his left ear twitching. Without looking, he whipped his arm back first, hurling the Mandarin Duck Ring in his hand.
This four-bladed hidden weapon from the Secret Gate could be thrown like this.
Whirrr~
The Mandarin Duck Ring spun like a wheel toward one spot.
Flying Tiger drew his sword and charged after it.
There stood a ragged freak of a man, the assassin who'd crept up like a maggot for a full quarter-hour, climbing the tree to ambush Flying Tiger, now frozen in shock.
Flying Tiger had sensed something off and waited to turn the ambush against the foe.
So when his deliberate counter failed, he felt a jolt but didn't lose his cool from excitement.
He figured the enemy would be too frantic dodging to counter.
Right call.
In that brief moment, Flying Tiger caught the foe's faint presence again and threw the Mandarin Duck Ring first, following right up.
If the enemy dodged again, he'd finish with the sword for sure.
As he leaped in, Flying Tiger read panic in the assassin's eyes peeking through the mask. This strike had landed true.
But the next moment, everything flipped.
Grab?
Flying Tiger skidded to a halt in shock. The assassin had snatched the flying Mandarin Duck Ring barehanded.
A blow that could slice thin iron plating, caught like that?
Looking closer, the assassin's hand holding it gleamed white like marble. No mere Iron Wire Fist from the jianghu—this was a hand tempered by special qi cultivation.
And someone with that skill won't have sloppy martial arts?
Flying Tiger and the assassin stood frozen, eyeing each other in mutual shock.
The assassin had nearly gotten hit twice in a row, exposing his hand.
Flying Tiger, for his part, couldn't muster an attack with that white hand in play. Smarter to fall back, wake the others, and fight together? But he couldn't do either, stuck in place. He'd recognized who was targeting him.
No Song-seo of the Four Directions Eight Paths.
The guide who'd joined the Face Pursuit Unit Jeong in disguise.
—Hah~ Embarrassing. Don't we need to talk now, just us? Follow me.
After a tense standoff, No Song-seo sent that via transmission, then tossed the Mandarin Duck Ring back at Flying Tiger's feet. He turned and vanished first.
Flying Tiger picked it up and quietly followed.
No Song-seo stopped at a spot a safe distance from the sleeping unit members. As Flying Tiger approached, he said,
"You skip watch to nap, so I prank you, but wasn't your hand too heavy? Thought we were buddies by now."
"Ah, don't misunderstand. I was pranking back, but you got so startled I flinched too."
Flying Tiger lied smoothly without a hint of shame. Maybe that's why No Song-seo shot back incredulously.
"Pranking?"
"Yeah, a prank. But it felt too much for you? Sorry about that."
Flying Tiger wasn't sorry at all and made no effort to hide it.
No Song-seo calling it a prank was unverifiable. They weren't close enough to joke with lives on the line, so even without intent to kill, it was rude and dismissive.
Shouldn't he own up to his actions?
That was the vibe.
Anyway, it worked.
No Song-seo glared like Is this guy nuts? while Flying Tiger stayed calm.
Truth be told, Flying Tiger only seemed that way outwardly—inside, he was wary. The man before him looked like a scrawny, shabby middle-aged guy. He remembered the decadent, dangerous glint in his eyes sometimes, which tipped him off. Otherwise, he'd never guess this was someone else disguised as No Song-seo.
It was beyond disguise—true transformation.
After a beat, the disguised No Song-seo switched tactics, flashing a broad grin that didn't suit his face. In the sweet voice Flying Tiger remembered, he chided,
"Little brother, that's too much. They say a night builds walls taller than the Great Wall—it's only been days since we parted, and you're treating your big sis like this?"
No Song-seo of the Four Directions Eight Paths was none other than "U-i" of Seo Guk-dang.
The assassin known as Hidden Moon's blade.
She'd gotten blackout drunk with Flying Tiger one night, left at dawn, and astonishingly showed up that afternoon as No Song-seo, joining the Face Pursuit Unit Jeong.
That explained why Flying Tiger had stared like a goblin-struck fool back then.
"Ha—now they're building Great Walls with booze bottles? Cut the awkward talk. What's with showing up here? Does the leader know who you really are?"
"Of course not. I got the gig because the Face Pursuit Squad really requested a guide from the Hao Network. They wanted the best for the loess plateau terrain."
"And it had to be U-i, the blade of Seo Guk-dang?"
"No. The Hao Network sent Four Directions Eight Paths No Song-seo, their guest. The middle-aged guy you're seeing."
"So where's the real No Song-seo?"
"I'm the real one."
"Hey, senior, you're a guy?"
Flying Tiger asked awkwardly.
U-i snapped irritably.
"Bullshit. I disguised as No Song-seo and joined the Hao Network. You might not know, but their guest spots pick only for talent—no questions on real identity or past."
"Ah, so U-i of Seo Guk-dang infiltrated as a fake identity? Does the Hao Network lord know?"
"Dunno. Never told him outright, but a sect leader probably does. They're in the info game too, even if not like us. Hao Network's always been open about that."
"So they take anyone like a ragtag bunch?"
"Don't overthink. They fill core spots with their own, obviously. The rest are like contractors. That's their style."
"But how do they expect loyalty from disciples?"
"They don't. Expands their reach instead. That's how they snag talents like No Song-seo. Just think of them as different from other jianghu sects in goals and vibe. Anyway."
"Yeah?"
"When did our junior lose half his tongue? Your casual talk's so natural, folks might think we're pals."
Flying Tiger cursed inwardly.
Ever since you snuck up with killing intent, whether testing or trying to off me. After seeing each other's ugly sides, why bother with formalities?
But he couldn't say that, so Flying Tiger gave an awkward smile.
"Who knows?"