Chapter 65
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Chapter 20. Snake and Hawk Hunt (2)
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Flying Tiger started to hurry, but Wang Baek-gun held him back.
"No need to rush like that. Catch your breath first."
"……?"
Flying Tiger was baffled. It felt like advice directed at him, yet he had already steadied his breathing.
Wang Baek-gun clicked his tongue at the sight, muttering to himself as if in soliloquy.
"Is it because he's young? He doesn't know how to conserve. You have to cherish even a single grain of rice to become wealthy."
"……!"
Flying Tiger felt it hit home. He closed his eyes, shut out the outside world, and examined his inner self.
Sure enough, he could still sense the faint warmth of the energy that had been surging through his meridians, playfully bounding about. It was naturally cooling down.
Was that why he compared it to a single grain of rice?
"Savor it once."
It seemed Wang Baek-gun regarded this lingering heat as one would a delicacy.
Flying Tiger accepted the metaphor readily. He circulated the scattering handful of warmth through his limbs and hundreds of meetings, settling it into his dantian. It was akin to finishing a bowl of rice and then scraping off even the last grain stuck to the bowl to eat it.
And the taste of it was……!
When Flying Tiger opened his eyes, Wang Baek-gun was watching him with amused eyes, smiling.
"How is it?"
"It's profound."
"Ho~ So you really tasted it? Indeed, it's a rare treat. Some even eat a whole bowl of rice just to savor that one grain. They believe it's the essence of the flavor."
Flying Tiger was taken aback.
Wang Baek-gun had spoken indirectly, but those words encapsulated the core principle of a certain internal energy cultivation method—the martial truth. Not a incantation, but perhaps an even higher concept. It was something truly precious, not to be shared lightly with just anyone.
Even Flying Tiger himself had been letting it scatter without a second thought until now. And now that he'd tasted it, he wouldn't be able to stop in the future.
"Why me?"
"Just fate, that's all. What else could it be? Let's get going."
"……."
Flying Tiger followed Wang Baek-gun into the annex where Jin Ga-yong was staying, and the other squad members were already seated.
The Face Pursuit Unit Jeong meeting began immediately.
The agenda was how to deal with the hundred bandits now coming to hunt them down.
The initial proposal was to slip past them and strike their main base directly. If possible, it would reduce the enemy forces by a hundred, a clear advantage.
Reports had estimated the Yellow Worm Brigade's total at up to three hundred. With their relocation preparations underway, some manpower would already be diverted. By calculation, around a hundred and fifty bandits remained at the base.
Tempting, wasn't it?
The conclusion was no.
First, guide No Song-seo voiced opposition. He spread a map on the table and pointed as he explained.
"The Loess Plateau is their home turf, so to speak. Even with me guiding, we're not one or two but eight strong—hiding and moving won't be easy. Where's their base? Even on horseback, it's half a day's ride across the same plateau. Sneaking there undetected would take at least three or four days."
"Hm, traveling hidden like that would drain our stamina immensely, and the longer it takes, the exponentially higher the chance of detection. If we're careless and get surrounded, it'd be disastrous. Tsk."
Wang Baek-gun clicked his tongue. He was reluctant because he wanted to clash with the White Horse Lantern vanguard as soon as possible.
Then Jin Ga-yong drove the nail in.
"There's more bad news. According to the letter from Great Black Cat, even excluding this hundred, over three hundred bandits remain at the Yellow Worm Brigade's base."
"What? How many are at the main base total?"
"They said exact numbers will take time. It's noted they'll confirm by the next contact."
"Tch, if they have that many, losing a hundred isn't much of a blow. Wait, didn't the War Department predict no more than three hundred max? Hey, Dan Geum, what do you think?"
Ye Dok-du asked accusingly, incredulous, turning to Dan Geum from the War Department.
Dan Geum replied irritably.
"You'll see when we get there. Why we judged three hundred too many for the base. That's all that matters—did we need to interpret differently?"
"Urgh."
As Ye Dok-du clawed at his nonexistent hair, Jin Ga-yong intervened.
"Assuming, they might've originally had under three hundred but, feeling threatened after the War Department intel, gathered their scattered forces. They'd need to mobilize for relocation anyway."
"Got it. So, long story short, bypassing those coming for us is tough? No real gain. Fine, set aside their numbers exceeding estimates—we deal with these first. So, Squad Leader, any plans?"
As Wang Baek-gun posed the question, Flying Tiger inwardly recalled defensive warfare.
Defending a fortification suited facing superior numbers. Besides, these were horsemen skilled in mounted combat from the start.
'But a hundred against eight? Too many. And if they don't take the bait, how do we lure them?'
Jin Ga-yong seemed to share similar thoughts. His second proposal was broadly similar yet different—bold beyond measure.
Debate ensued, but Jin Ga-yong's method was adopted, and they moved to specifics.
From here, guide No Song-seo took the lead. The operation's key elements relied on his knowledge of the Loess Plateau's terrain.
…….
The meeting ended, and No Song-seo departed first.
By midnight, the rest of the Face Pursuit Unit Jeong assembled fully armed in front of the inn.
Moments later, Jin Ga-yong emerged last, surveying the squad.
"Disappointed the rest got cut short?"
"With mosquitoes buzzing like that, who could rest properly? Annoying—let's go smash them quick."
Flying Tiger spoke up, and some chuckled with 'Right on.' Smiling or serious, all shared burning resolve in their eyes.
"Good."
Jin Ga-yong mounted and led the way. The others followed suit on their horses.
Thus, the seven warriors of Face Pursuit Unit Jeong, led by Jin Ga-yong, set out to meet Yu Oro-go's vanguard.
Thud thud thud—
The quiet of the sparse, arid, dark scrubland was broken by the hooves of several horses around the end of the fourth watch (1-3 a.m.).
Startled by the sound?
A hawk's cry echoed from the sky: 'Kee~ yak.'
In response, the lead rider gradually reined in his horse.
It was Squad Leader Jin Ga-yong of the unit.
The following members slowed, gathering around him. Jin Ga-yong, staring at a point in the sky, pointed with his finger and spoke.
"Flying Tiger, do you see it?"
Flying Tiger widened his eyes, gazing at the night sky where Jin Ga-yong pointed. A bird's shadow, no bigger than a finger joint, circled in the air.
Flying Tiger donned the leather falconer's glove and raised his arm in an L-shape. As taught by guide No Song-seo, he blew a long whistle.
Wheee~ eek.
The hawk swooped down, landing on Flying Tiger's gloved arm. A cloth strip was tied to its leg.
It was the hawk sent by No Song-seo, who had left an hour ahead.
"Amazing. Training hawks to deliver messages like this."
Ye Dok-du marveled, eyeing Flying Tiger enviously—not him, but the hawk. Specifically, untying the cloth from the leg, handing it to the squad leader, feeding jerky to the beak, and stroking the head in praise. He wanted to try it himself.
"Truly. If I could, I'd pay a fortune to raise one."
Na Mok-do admired too, but Wang Baek-gun chuckled, bringing reality crashing down.
"Forget it. Not just anyone can. Those beasts are near-spiritual creatures—harder to get than stars from the sky. Even if you do, raising them requires a trainer with innate rapport. No wonder Haomen proudly recommended him."
"But this hawk obeys Warrior Flying Tiger, right? If raising is exclusive, couldn't they train multiples and transfer?"
"Who'd gut the goose that lays golden eggs? Even the boss coveted one, offering an astronomical sum and asking just that."
"Ho~ As Lion Hall Master's daughter, she could swing it. And?"
"Only with the owner's permission. If the owner leaves, the spirit follows. Didn't you see yesterday? It has firm tastes—even picks who touches it."
"True enough."
Na Mok-do nodded.
The previous night, when No Song-seo released 'Chu Hyang' before the squad, it scanned around, circled over Flying Tiger's head, then returned to No Song-seo.
Flying Tiger had been 'selected.'
Ye Dok-du recalled it, groaning enviously.
"Definitely female. A male would've picked manly me over pretty-boy Flying Tiger."
'At least he admits women ignore him. But baldy, you know one but not two. If it chose by your logic, it'd be me, not Flying Tiger.'
Na Mok-do snorted inwardly, cursing. Clearly, this one was equally clueless about his place.
Meanwhile, Jin Ga-yong intently read the message on the cloth from Flying Tiger. Wang Baek-gun, puzzled, asked.
"Squad Leader Jin, bad news?"
"No, just thinking. Let's all see."
Jin Ga-yong passed the cloth to Wang Baek-gun, and the squad gathered.
A short message was written:
<They're at Yeo-gu. Meet us at Cheon Pyeong-dae.>
"O~ Prediction spot on."
"Lucky."
Jin Ga-yong said flatly, but heat flickered in his eyes—unconcealed anticipation for what was coming.
Wang Baek-gun gazed at him approvingly.
"Can we chalk it up to luck alone? It's because Squad Leader Jin boldly seized that fortune."