Impregnable (3)
Se Jaeo looked up at Seol-hwa.
What she was pointing to was none other than his own belongings placed on the nameless table.
Se Jaeo asked.
"Seol-hwa, do you want this sword? This is my beloved Plum Blossom Three Realms. If you want this sword, I'll have an even better one made for you. Lighter and sharper."
"That's not it, mister."
"Then... surely you don't mean the Plum Blossom Token?"
"Yes, exactly. I'll hold onto it while I'm here."
"Gasp!"
Se Jaeo let out a scream.
That meant as long as Seol-hwa stayed at Cheonsu Manor, he couldn't leave either.
Se Jaeo knew it wasn't about her coveting the Plum Blossom Token—it was about keeping him tied down.
Why?
Doubts piled up in his mind.
Should he throw away his pride and bolt now?
As Se Jaeo hesitated, Hong Chilgae patted his back.
"You're the Plum Blossom Swordsman, right?"
"Ah, elder. Yes, I am. But why do you ask?"
"A Plum Blossom Swordsman wouldn't break a promise, would he?"
"Of course not, but what Seol-hwa said..."
"Maybe I should send a messenger pigeon to the Volcanic Sect's leader?"
"A messenger pigeon? What do you mean?"
"Just to pass on regards. And mention how the Plum Blossom Swordsman broke a promise in front of everyone."
"E-elder."
Se Jaeo looked up at the ceiling with eyes full of despair.
Then he muttered to himself.
"Has he been possessed by a ghost or something?"
After his mutter, Seol-hwa quietly replied.
"Yes."
"What? Possessed by what?"
"That ghost. It stuck to me too."
Seol-hwa smiled brightly and nodded toward Han Bin with her eyes.
Se Jaeo found himself nodding unwittingly.
At that moment, from the back, Escort Leader Yoon approached Han Bin.
"Young Master Sa, have you been well?"
"Ah, Escort Leader Yoon."
"You have to come pick up what you left with us."
"Did I leave something? I was just about to come find you to ask a favor anyway."
"Hm, this friend might be more disappointed than me."
Escort Leader Yoon of the Thousand-Li Escort Bureau pointed behind him.
A familiar face was there.
Han Bin tilted his head, and the man politely cupped his hands.
"Young master, have you been well?"
Hearing the voice, Han Bin finally clapped his knee.
The man was none other than Geom-o.
He had been the right-hand man of the Yangak Army leader they met on the way to the Henan Jeong Family.
Han Bin had released everyone else but left Geom-o with Escort Leader Yoon.
With a friendly face, Han Bin draped an arm around Geom-o's shoulder.
"Geom-o, right? Let's get along from now on."
Seeing that, everyone looked at Geom-o with pity.
Three days later, at the main gate of the Hebei Paeng Family.
Han Bin, the Red Blood Alliance Tiger Squad, and the Thousand-Li Escort Bureau's carriages were lined up.
Coming to see off Han Bin, who was heading to Jangun-hyeon, was Great Young Master Paeng Hyeokbin.
He glanced around and asked Han Bin.
"Little brother, what on earth is all this? Planning to fight a war in Jangun-hyeon?"
"A war? Nothing like that will happen."
"Then what's all that?"
"Provisions and necessities, just in case."
Han Bin thumbed at the carriages behind him.
Growing even more curious, Paeng Hyeokbin leaned in and whispered.
"Weren't you just going to look around briefly? Why prepare so much?"
"Better to be thoroughly prepared, right?"
Han Bin smiled, and Paeng Hyeokbin waved it off.
"Fine, handle it your way. But if something's too much to handle, reach out anytime."
"Yes, got it, brother."
"And one last bit of advice?"
"Go ahead."
"I see some subordinates who look unwell. Better to leave them out of a long journey."
"Unwell?"
"Those guys."
Paeng Hyeokbin pointed to Jang Ja-myeong and Geom-o.
Their lips were parched as if they hadn't slept for days, and their eyes were bloodshot.
"They're naturally frail. No need to worry."
"Alright. I'll head out then."
With those final words, Paeng Hyeokbin turned away.
Having overheard, Jang Ja-myeong and Geom-o exchanged glances.
Jang Ja-myeong whispered.
"Were we originally in poor health?"
"Physician Jang, I don't think so. Keeping us up without sleep for work is too much."
"Right? By the way, what's your contract term?"
"Contract term?"
"Yeah, the duration."
"Oh, lifetime."
"I see."
Jang Ja-myeong smirked slightly. Seeing someone more miserable made him feel oddly happy.
But then his shoulders trembled.
With the workload of the past few days, he wouldn't last the remaining time.
Without Geom-o's help, he'd have collapsed already.
Then Han Bin's voice rang out.
"We're departing for Jangun-hyeon now."
With a hand signal, Han Bin quietly boarded the carriage.
Gazing south toward Jangun-hyeon out the window, he outlined his plans in his mind.
Soon, events centering on Jangun-hyeon would turn Hebei and even Beiping upside down.
"Well, if it goes to plan, I'll get the pheasant and the egg. Got the shield already—time to snag a spear?"
Seol-hwa tilted her head at Han Bin's mutter.
"Young master, when did we get a shield?"
"Cheolno got it a few days ago."
"You don't mean..."
"That very one. Heuksa Gate will make an excellent shield."
"Not destroying Heuksa Gate, but using it as a shield? What are you planning?"
"That's still a secret."
Han Bin grinned, and Seol-hwa asked no more.
She just nodded quietly.
Seol-hwa thought she was learning about the world of jianghu here, something she never learned in Heukcheon.
Unlike the assassin's world of kill or be killed, jianghu was far more complex.
Seol-hwa clenched her fist out of sight.
She felt something in her tight grip.
It was tanghwa candy on a stick.
Pushing aside her worries, Seol-hwa bit into the candy.
An hour later, at Heuksa Gate.
A messenger pigeon flew to Seol Muik.
Confirming the message, Seol Muik rushed to his father, Seol Gyeong-chu.
Thud.
"Father, the Hebei Paeng Family's Fourth Young Master has finally moved!"
Shouting loudly, Seol Muik widened his eyes at the odd atmosphere.
Heuksa Gate's experts and Jin Semi from Baeksa Gate stared at him in disbelief.
Seol Muik quietly approached Heuksa Gate Lord Seol Gyeong-chu.
"What happened, Father?"
"Sigh..."
Heuksa Gate Lord Seol Gyeong-chu let out a heavy sigh.
Seol Muik looked around, baffled.
His eyes met Jin Semi's.
She stepped toward him.
"Your intel is too slow. We got it half an hour ago."
"Half an hour ago? It says he just left..."
Seol Muik showed the note.
Jin Semi pulled out her own.
"This is what I got half an hour ago. Since Young Master Seol seemed unfocused on the task, I sent out my own men."
"What do you mean, Lady Jin?"
"Exactly that. My subordinate's pigeon arrived half an hour ago; yours just now. Half an hour is enough time to drop a sect's signboard, Young Master Seol."
Jin Semi turned away, speechless.
She shouted to her men.
"Everyone, prepare to depart!"
With that, half the warriors in the room filed out.
Seol Gyeong-chu slammed the table, watching them go with a bitter expression.
Bam!
The table cracked and split in half.
Heuksa Gate's experts stepped back.
They sensed their lord's twisted mood.
Heuksa Gate Lord Seol Gyeong-chu approached his son Seol Muik.
"Muik, do you know how important this is to our Heuksa Gate?"
"Yes, I do."
"Knowing that, you still..."
Seol Gyeong-chu trailed off, stroking his scabbard.
He looked ready to behead his own son.
Seol Muik saw his father's hand trembling on the hilt.
Now was the time to soothe his anger.
Seol Muik quietly pulled a trophy from his bosom.
Seol Gyeong-chu asked.
"What's that?"
"This is, well..."
Seol Muik faltered.
The document, thought to be a single note, had a slight gap.
A chill ran down his spine. He quickly changed tack.
"Never mind. I'll withdraw and reflect."
"One more mistake, and I'll take your head."
Seol Gyeong-chu flashed fierce eyes and raised his scabbard to Seol Muik's neck.
Seol Muik cupped his hands and fled the hall.
Suppressing his pounding heart, he examined the document again.
As he walked slowly, scrutinizing it, he screamed.
"Argh!"
Two days later.
Han Bin's group arrived at Jangun-hyeon and unpacked at the inn run by the Hebei Paeng Family.
Thanks to prior notice, no other guests were there.
Han Bin gave the Red Blood Alliance Tiger Squad a strange order.
Build a fence around the inn.
It was tall and thick, nearly an impregnable fortress.
But had any of Han Bin's orders so far been unnecessary?
Every one tied directly to their survival.
So Daeseop deeply cupped his hands.
"Understood, my lord."
"Oh, and distribute these to the men."
Han Bin handed over necklaces made by Geom-o and Jang Ja-myeong.
So Daeseop quietly passed them out.
Everyone's reaction was the same.
"What's this?"
"Some necklace? Doesn't look valuable."
As they murmured over the necklaces, Jo Ho couldn't contain his curiosity and ran to Han Bin.
"My lord, what's this?"
"Blood poison amulets."
Han Bin answered casually, and the squad's unrest grew.
"Blood poison amulets?"
"This is a blood poison amulet?"
Blood poison amulets blocked poison.
But it just looked like an ordinary oval necklace, mere jewelry.
In the murmurs, Jo Ho asked again.
"My lord, blood poison amulets? Are the Sacheon Dang Family coming?"
"Why would Sacheon Dang come here? They're busy making poisons and hidden weapons in their own turf."
"Then why do we need them?"
"I'll explain after I step out. Just make that fence sturdy."
Finishing, Han Bin walked to Hong Chilgae.
"Master, about what I mentioned earlier—please."
"Oh ho, got it. Let's go, disciple."
Hong Chilgae grinned and led the way, with Han Bin and Seol-hwa following.
Jo Ho watched them go, fiddling with his necklace in confusion.
Newcomer Geom-o approached.
"Jo Ho."
"Ah, Geom-o? What's up?"
Geom-o was the same age as Jo Ho.
They treated each other like old friends.
"That necklace—Physician Jang and I made it. Wear it without worry."
"Oh, you and Physician Jang made it? Then I'm reassured."
Jo Ho nodded and put it on.
The rest did the same upon hearing it was from Jang Ja-myeong and Geom-o.
The squad trusted the physician and the newcomer deeply.
Han Bin arrived at a small shack under a bridge.