The Heavenly Gate
Brother. High Mountain, Deep Valley (2)
The mountain called Cheonmun—the Gate of Heaven—lived up to its name with its magnificent scenery. Every peak and valley rose or fell in its own striking way, yet none was more famous than the cliff that had given the mountain its name. A narrow, towering hole pierced the middle of the sheer cliff face, as if the Buddha himself had drilled it with a finger. From below, it looked so majestic that one could almost believe the celestial realm where the Jade Emperor dwelt lay just beyond.
But to the bandits gathered at its base, it must have seemed more like the gate to paradise itself.
"Hurry up and climb. What, scared?"
"This damned—"
Looking down, a hulking, hairy brute who could only be a bandit ground his teeth. Dozens of his men still lingered around him, yet none dared approach the cliff. After all, the five or six who had charged up moments ago now lay as corpses at my feet. Anyone who came next would surely die, so who would volunteer to be the next?
Truthfully, the situation was not entirely in our favor. Their forces were stronger than expected—more than ten Peak-level masters among them. The hairy giant wielding an iron mace and leading the pack was none other than Apneungtoe Yongho, one of the Top 100 Masters. The only saving grace was that the preparations we had made over the past two days were working perfectly.
Spreading poison, iron caltrops, and nails across the cliffs flanking the wide valley had been far more grueling than any training ground. If the bandits had simply laughed and charged straight up, we might have died from sheer frustration before their blades even reached us. Now, with the added poison mist—harmless enough not to kill but painful enough to blind and choke those without poison arts—we could hold our own against far greater numbers.
"So, Lady Dang, how much longer do you think we can manage?"
When I turned and asked quietly, Dang Ju-yeon, a black pipe clenched between her teeth, answered not with words but by holding up two fingers. Two sijin, then.
As I turned back, a rock came flying. I stepped aside, and the fist-sized stone clattered loudly across the stone floor. More followed in quick succession. I dodged what I could and struck down the rest. Below, some bandits were gathering stones while others hurled them upward. It was a decent strategy, for bandits.
Yongho bared his sparsely toothed grin. "Let's see how long you last, brat. You'd better keep a tight grip on that sword."
"As long as it takes," I replied with a smile of my own.
His grin faltered, and the stone-throwers hesitated. By now, the sun hung directly overhead.
* * *
"Boss, something ain't right. We should—"
"Shut your mouth! You trying to sap the men's spirit?"
They spoke as if in whispers, yet without covering their mouths, so even from twenty jang away their words were clear. Apneungtoe had launched four assaults so far. Each time they sent five Peak-level bandits clinging to Yongho, but the valley was narrow and the cliffs soon became a field of thorns that shredded feet. At most, two or three men including Yongho himself could reach us at once.
Yongho had extra hands to help, while my arms grew heavier with every stone and mace I deflected. Still, he could not press the attack freely—every time he and his men advanced or retreated, they had to hold their breath. Each time Yongho charged, Dang Ju-yeon intensified the poison mist. The first assault ended with little more than clashing weapons. The second saw one fool inhale the mist; the man behind him paid the price when his partner could no longer cover him. The third was sharper, and I nearly made a fatal mistake before they were forced to withdraw. The fourth came with Yongho overextending; the cut on his left arm was not fatal, but it eased the burden on my exhausted limbs.
Now, as the fifth assault loomed, Yongho hesitated, his confidence shaken by the wound. With their leader faltering, the bandits' stone-throwing lost its earlier vigor.
"If we keep hammering at him like this, he won't last much longer."
"But Boss, that brat looks too calm. He must know something. Why would he suddenly appear if he couldn't even find us in the first place?"
"He's just crazy, you idiot! Why do you keep overthinking everything?"
"No, Boss, look at all the traps he's set! He's clearly trying to stop us from leaving!"
"You only see one thing and miss the other. He's bluffing because fools like you fall for it."
"If it's not a bluff, then what? Boss, even if we kill him we won't get a fortune, and if more of our men die we can't handle it."
"Quiet! If you've got time to talk, throw more rocks!"
After their exchange, Yongho glanced my way. I met his eyes and smiled brightly. His brow furrowed. The sun had begun its descent past noon.
* * *
"Haa… haa…"
I sank to the ground, breathing heavily. Glancing back, I saw Dang Ju-yeon already collapsed, head bowed. Ahead lay a dozen or so corpses piled like steps, and in the distance the backs of fleeing bandits disappeared over the ridge.
They had attacked twice more. In the final charge, Yongho and another Peak master grabbed my sword while the rest tried to leap over our heads. It was a clever move—unfortunately for them, Dang Ju-yeon still had enough inner force and hidden weapons left for one last strike. Dodging unseen projectiles while airborne proved impossible.
"Lady Dang, are you still alive?"
From between strands of disheveled black hair came a voice like wind through a cracked flute. "...Don't talk to me. My mouth hurts."
"You barely spoke all day. How can it hurt?"
At that, Dang Ju-yeon slowly lifted her head. Her eyes were bloodshot, dark circles heavy beneath them from overusing her inner force. She glared at me for a moment, then coughed and spat a mouthful of blood-tinged phlegm onto the ground. Opening her mouth, she revealed a mottled mess of black and red.
"My, is that what happens when your training is lacking? I only showed you once and never used it myself, so I didn't know. I suppose I shouldn't teach it again."
Dang Ju-yeon clenched her right fist, tapped her wrist with her left hand, then collapsed backward. I had never seen the gesture before, but I doubted it was complimentary.
Come to think of it, I had essentially passed on the Black Fog Poison King's signature art to the direct descendant of the Sichuan Dang Clan. I wondered what the old man—dead or alive—would think if he found out. He probably wouldn't be pleased, but martial arts always sought their rightful owner. I had taught her only because I thought it would be useful, and seeing her master it in just two days proved she had real talent.
The thought of the old man's expression made me chuckle. Then, in the distance, I spotted a group approaching. Moments later, a party led by Daeryeokpogun and Yeom Ho-yun climbed toward the Heavenly Gate.
Daeryeokpogun surveyed the corpses at my feet and the cliff above, then addressed me. "We’re a bit late."
"Not at all. You arrived at the perfect time."
"So where did the bandits go? I doubt that was all of them."
He nudged a corpse with his foot. I answered, "They fled. They must have thought we had some hidden support, seeing how long we held out."
"Pity. We’ll pursue as best we can, but everyone’s been running day and night without rest. I doubt we’ll catch many."
"Please don’t pursue them."
Daeryeokpogun’s brow creased. "Then what do you suggest?"
"Return quietly to your camp and claim you were out on training maneuvers. Since you already told everyone you were training, just call it a marching exercise."
Daeryeokpogun’s face twisted into a strange expression. It was so amusing that I burst into laughter.
"At least give me a reason. If that’s all, why did you call us here in the first place?"
"If the bandits had been more persistent, Lady Dang and I would have been in real danger."
"Well, yes."
"So I asked you to help."
"…Then why forbid pursuit?"
"The more bandits survive, the farther the story will spread."
Daeryeokpogun still looked bewildered. Then Yeom Ho-yun, who had been catching her breath, stepped forward. "I’ll explain."
Her eyes were dark, her limbs limp, her voice hoarse—nothing like her usual self. After running nonstop for two days, it was only natural.
"Which sounds more impressive: three young prodigies requesting aid from a friendly clan, fighting a hundred Green Forest assassins, and winning—or three people bluffing and driving off a hundred men with nothing but wit?"
Daeryeokpogun frowned, then shouted, "This is fraud!"
"No one loses anything. The bandits keep their lives, we gain fame, and the world gets an entertaining tale. Everyone benefits."
Daeryeokpogun opened and closed his mouth several times before falling silent, wearing the expression of a man who wanted to argue but could find no words. I smiled again.
After fidgeting for a while, he finally composed himself and asked, "...Couldn’t you have simply bluffed without the real fight?"
"My life is too precious for that."
"You say that so confidently…"
Though I was good at reading people, that didn’t mean I could control them at will. How could I be certain that nearly a hundred bandits would fall for a bluff, or predict exactly when they would flee? Gambling with my life in such a situation was unthinkable. I had learned from my master; dying to mere bandits would be too shameful to even appear in dreams.
"In any case, when you return, please act as though you were simply training. Aside from the Guizhou Yeom Clan, no one in Guiyang could reach this place in a single day, so suspicion will be minimal."
Running day and night—two full days for Yeom Ho-yun—was no ordinary feat, even for martial artists. Only the Yeom Clan, with their Yeokgeun-gong and the support of their family’s profound arts, could manage it.
"…Are you really not interested in becoming our clan’s son-in-law? How do you find Ho-yun after spending time with her?"
"I’m sorry."
After answering, I noticed that the person who should have protested first was strangely quiet. Turning, I saw Yeom Ho-yun already asleep, leaning against a rock.
I looked up at the sky. The sunset was beginning. The mountain air was cool and pleasant. I lay down as well.
And so another day came to an end.