Ambush at Yueyang Tower
Disciple. Our master's presence spread across the vast blue waters of the lake like a dense fog that seemed almost tangible, turning the cloud-choked sky upside down until it was impossible to tell where the heavens ended and Dongting Lake began. The world was filled with blues and whites, and it was breathtakingly beautiful. The soft, damp touch of the thick water-mist felt lovely against the skin, and the fishy chill that filled my nose and mouth was strangely sweet. Dongting Lake, Yueyang, and everything that made up this world was simply too beautiful.
"If you keep that up all day, won't your mouth get sore?" Dang Ju-yeon said. Even her prickly voice felt like the perfect amount of stimulation today. Or had it been like that yesterday too? Either way, I was in such a good mood that I answered her honestly.
"It does hurt. My cheeks feel numb."
At that, Dang Ju-yeon furrowed her brow and shook her head, and even that sight struck me as amusing.
"Is beating Wavewind Blade Tyrant really something to be this happy about? You didn't look this pleased when you defeated my father..." Yeom Ho-yun remarked with a lukewarm expression.
Of course, defeating Wavewind Blade Tyrant was worth celebrating. At least from my perspective, she had been an even more difficult opponent than Great Strength Cannon Troop. If she had known as much about me as Great Strength Cannon Troop did, or if luck hadn't favored me at the very last moment, she would have been the victor. Yet what delighted me more than the crowd's cheers, more than the splendid title "Manhwageom" she herself had bestowed upon me, and even more than the duel itself that I had won by a hair's breadth, was a single piece of news delivered by someone from the Nangong family.
Master had come down into the world to find me.
I hadn't really heard anything else after that. What could I do? Those few words—"Your master is looking for you"—had drifted into my ears like a gentle breeze, then pierced straight through my heart like a bolt of lightning. To be honest, even someone as optimistic as me couldn't help but feel a sliver of anxiety. My master was so indifferent by nature; perhaps my disappearance had simply felt like severing an annoying tie, prompting her to abandon the world entirely and vanish somewhere even deeper. Or perhaps she had simply continued living on that cliff as she always had, regardless of whether I was there or not. Every time such thoughts crossed my mind, I had wanted to disappear from the world without even leaving a corpse behind. But now that I had heard this news, how did I feel? Master didn't merely consider me better than nothing—she valued me more than the thatched hut on the cliff where she had lived for so long. The thought made the smile refuse to leave my lips. In truth, it might have been possible to erase it, but since I hadn't even tried, there was no helping it. I was reluctant to speak of Master to others, as it felt like sharing her with them, so I said nothing of these circumstances. It was only natural that the two young ladies found me strange, but perhaps because they had grown somewhat accustomed to being around me, they simply let it pass.
"...Still, the food here is really to my liking. Since we've come all this way, why don't we stay a while longer? We could crush Lightning Sword Hero of the Breaking Sword Gate as well and watch the Top 100 Masters stopping by Yueyang Tower on their way through."
Dang Ju-yeon spoke while picking the flesh from a fish head drenched in bright red seasoning. The plate was piled so high with green and red chili shreds that it looked ready to overflow. Yeom Ho-yun narrowed her eyes slightly and asked,
"What does it taste like?"
"Salty, spicy, and the flesh is firm. Would you like a bite?"
"...It's exactly as it looks. I'm fine."
Watching Yeom Ho-yun raise a hand in refusal, Dang Ju-yeon asked with a puzzled expression,
"Do you not like spicy food? I heard Guizhou cuisine is quite spicy as well..."
"It's not that I can't eat it. I enjoy food with spices, but... this isn't just adding fish to a chili dish."
"You're joking. Then at least try a piece of the flesh."
"...Hm."
Expectations were steadily growing. What would Master say to me? What should I say to Master? Since I had never imagined she would come down into the world to find me, I couldn't even begin to guess what she might say.
"...I take back what I said about it being a chili dish."
"See?"
"The seasoning has soaked in thoroughly. My mouth is clearly eating fish, yet my tongue feels like it's chewing on several pieces of salt-cured chili. My throat is dry—do you have any cold water?"
"We have hot bokjeoncha."
"Why on earth would you—"
"If you dip your tongue in hot black tea before the numbness fades, the heat returns and you can enjoy a rich aftertaste."
"...You there, bring some cold water."
But no matter what was said, it certainly wouldn't be something like "Did you sleep well?" She might be angry. She might be puzzled. She might even feel sorry. Whichever it was, I was simply glad. Though she had taken me in nine years ago, this would be the first time I truly conversed with Master in any meaningful sense...
While I was lost in thought, a metallic sound ringing from afar caught my attention.
"Lady Yeom."
"Hm? What is it?"
Lady Yeom set down the water bottle and answered. I asked,
"Do you hear that sound?"
"A sound?"
"What sound do you mean?"
Almost at the same moment Dang Ju-yeon asked, the sound ceased. Gripping the scabbard with my left hand, I rose from my seat. Seeing this, Dang Ju-yeon and Yeom Ho-yun seemed to sense something as well and stood up, turning their gazes toward the stairs. When I focused my hearing, I could faintly make out the sound of footsteps on dirt. Having noticed us rise, people began directing their attention our way. As the sound grew louder, even Yeom Ho-yun, who had been listening intently, finally heard it and relaxed her shoulders. The footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the rustle of sleeves and the sound of breathing. The tower had fallen almost completely silent, and everyone was now staring at the stairs along with us. The footsteps were now louder than thunder. Soon the sound stopped, and after several noisy voices rose from below, there came a sound like a drum bursting before everything fell quiet again. Looking around, I saw that everyone bearing a sword had already risen, and the tower was silent. A brief stillness hung in the tense air, and in the next moment, I hurled my body with all my strength.
The floor where I had been standing exploded outward, sending sawdust and wooden splinters flying in all directions. I executed a falling technique, rolled once, and rose to my feet. Just as I regained my stance, a person burst through the hole and stood facing me and my companions.
"Not bad."
He was a middle-aged man of similar height to me. His gaunt cheeks and sharp eyes might have given a nervous impression, but the roughly torn beard and fierce gaze made him seem less like a person and more like a starving beast. I bowed my head toward the man beyond the table and extended one arm slightly.
"I greet you, senior. May I ask your name?"
"I am..."
A sharp sound of air being cut rang out. A pair of chopsticks coated in seasoning flew from my hand, carrying the subtlety of the Tang family's hidden arts, straight toward the man's philtrum. Of course, that wasn't the end of it. I kicked the table over with my left foot, drew my sword, and kicked the airborne table once more. Then I pushed off hard with my right foot planted on the floor, using the flying table as cover to thrust my sword forward. At that moment, an eerie sensation brushed the back of my neck. I drove my sword into the floor and threw myself to the right. After rolling and rising, I saw the table split in two and rolling behind the man, along with a golden meteor hammer wrapped around his black-gloved hand.
"...I am Sama Geon, Lord of Wugeuk Castle. You're Yu Baek, aren't you?"
"That is correct."
Only after our brief exchange did several men and women in yellow robes ascend into the tower, each holding different weapons. The name Wugeuk Castle, which I had never heard before, seemed to carry considerable weight; the earlier tension among those in the tower dissolved like salt in water, leaving only confusion. Even Yeom Ho-yun and Dang Ju-yeon, who had looked ready to join me, hesitated at the weight of that name. Sama Geon's eyes swept over the room before returning to meet mine.
"I like those eyes."
"Thank you."
I swallowed quietly. From that single exchange and our eye contact, I could read him clearly. Sama Geon was a master. His technique held deep understanding and delicate precision, bordering on the miraculous, and the profound mental image built upon that insight and experience felt grand and imposing. His skill and mindset were not something I could touch with any half-hearted resolve; while reading them was possible, attempting to imitate them would be worse than doing nothing at all. Yet my own technique and experience were equally shallow compared to his, and my mental strength was even more lacking. Still, as Master had once said, combat was a matter of methodology. Even in the most unfavorable circumstances, there was always an optimal path. I was desperately racking my brain to find that optimal path when the man spoke.
"Still trying to figure out how to win?"
"Of course."
"It's pointless. But I do have expectations for this master of yours."
I froze, forgetting we were even in the middle of a fight.
"My master?"
"I'll capture you and use you as bait to lure out your master. Should be entertaining, don't you think?"
The man curled his lips into a smile, then suddenly furrowed his brow. It was because I had burst into laughter. I laughed until I could hardly breathe, then lifted my head with difficulty to meet his eyes once more. He asked in a displeased tone,
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing. It's simply the best plan I've ever heard. It's magnificent. A truly excellent idea. Let's do that."
"...You mean you'll come along quietly?"
"No."
That wouldn't do. It absolutely wouldn't do. It would be like spitting in the finest dish.
"I won't take a single step out of this Yueyang Tower on my own. If you want to take me, you'll have to beat me first. Beat me until I'm unconscious, until I'm half-dead—only then will you be able to drag me away."
The man's brow furrowed even deeper. He seemed to ponder my true meaning, but soon gave up and simply shook his head before raising one hand.
"A peculiar fellow. Well, it won't be difficult."
And then, the sound shattered.