Chapter 184. Besieged from All Sides (4)
Se Jaeo’s bewilderment was only natural.
He sensed that things were going off the rails.
A sinister chill crept up his spine, leaving him at a loss for words.
Unthinkingly, he averted his gaze.
But Kang Yuchan’s piercing stare still bored into him.
The moment he glanced sideways, their eyes met.
Kang Yuchan’s look urged him on: You’re staying here too, of course.
Between the plague and extra punishment—which was scarier?
It was obvious which way the scales tipped: toward the deputy steward’s added reprimand.
But staying in Jangun-hyeon, where people would soon start dying, seemed impossible no matter how he sliced it.
As Se Jaeo stood there dumbfounded, at a loss for words, Kang Yuchan peered back into the leather pouch.
“Hmm, there’s a note inside.”
“A note, sir?”
Se Jaeo asked with a flicker of surprise, and Kang Yuchan unfolded it as he replied.
“It seems to be from the Hebei Paeng Family’s fourth young master.”
“What does it say?”
“……”
Kang Yuchan read on in silence, ignoring Se Jaeo’s question.
Se Jaeo watched him, somewhat relieved.
Kang Yuchan’s expression was softening by the moment.
Then, abruptly, Kang Yuchan’s gaze locked onto Se Jaeo as he checked the note.
Sensing something ominous in that look, Se Jaeo asked again.
“Is something wrong, Deputy Steward?”
“I’ll accept your patriotism.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Paeng young master wrote about you here.”
“About me?”
“You wanted to stay here for the sake of the nation, didn’t you? Said it was to uphold the honor of the Volcanic Sect……”
“Ah, well…… that’s……”
As Se Jaeo stammered, Kang Yuchan fixed him with a stern glare.
“So, is what the Paeng young master said a lie?”
Se Jaeo’s eyes went blank for a moment.
His ominous premonition had never failed him once.
As anxiety turned to reality, the fabled life-flashing-before-his-eyes vision unfolded before him.
Scenes from his birth to entering the Volcanic Sect and becoming a Plum Blossom Swordsman flickered by like pictures.
And then…… his grudge against the Hebei Paeng Family.
Thinking of Hanbin halted the reel.
Instead, an image of a smiling Hanbin floated up.
‘You told me to take it easy…… you bastard.’
This was a perfect trap.
Clearly Hanbin’s scheme to feed him to this mess.
Grind!
He gnashed his teeth, but with the Volcanic Sect’s honor invoked, Se Jaeo had no retort.
Awkwardly smiling, he nodded.
“Yes, Deputy Steward. I did say that.”
Kang Yuchan’s twitching brow relaxed.
“Just as I thought. The Paeng young master told you to flee since it’s dangerous here—is that right too?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“And despite his warnings, you chose to stay! A true Plum Blossom Swordsman of the Volcanic Sect. Have you learned loyalty from the Paeng young master after spending time with him?”
“Well, that’s……”
Se Jaeo trailed off.
Loyalty? What loyalty?
Well, he had picked up a thing or two.
Like how to draft a contract, hanging around him.
Kang Yuchan, seeing Se Jaeo hem and haw, looked pleased.
“I’ll report your noble deed to the sect elders.”
“Th-thank you, Deputy Steward.”
Se Jaeo reflexively cupped his fists in respect.
But should he be happy about this or not? He couldn’t decide.
At that, Kang Yuchan’s smile deepened.
“Take care, then. The imperial court and the Volcanic Sect will remember you.”
With that, he patted Se Jaeo’s shoulder lightly.
Se Jaeo tilted his head in puzzlement.
It felt like a farewell to someone departing for good.
Like crossing the River of Three Roads, never to return.
The thought made his shoulders shudder.
At the same time, an inexplicable chill crawled up his spine.
‘Ah, Paeng Hanbin!’
Se Jaeo inwardly cursed the culprit behind it all.
Why did it feel not just like he’d been had, but utterly defeated?
Was this what the jangho was truly like?
Did that make him a mere frog in a well?
Se Jaeo bombarded himself with questions.
One leading to another, endlessly.
Unconsciously, he closed his eyes.
In the pitch-black void, the questions swirled before him.
Then, a single ray of light descended.
Se Jaeo knew instinctively: this was the edge of enlightenment.
A clue to surpassing his current realm.
Or perhaps to the Tao he pursued as a Daoist.
Grasping that light would reveal the answers.
It was then.
A cold wind blew from behind.
Whoosh!
This time, the chill felt all too real.
Se Jaeo’s eyes snapped open.
The shimmering light before him vanished.
Next came the sound of footsteps crunching grass by his ear.
A long shadow stretched across his vision.
Unthinkingly, Se Jaeo turned.
The shadow’s owner was smiling there.
A familiar face—but his brief gladness faded fast.
With a wronged expression, Se Jaeo cried out.
“Martial Uncle! Why now of all times?”
It was Hong Chilgae standing before him.
“You look like you just missed enlightenment.”
“H-how did you know?”
“Hanging with my disciple’s rubbed off—your jokes are getting better.”
“It’s not a joke……”
“So, what brings you here?”
“I……”
As Se Jaeo hesitated, Kang Yuchan stepped forward from the side.
“He’s chosen to stay in Jangun-hyeon for the sake of the people.”
“Hoho, a true Plum Blossom Swordsman of the Volcanic Sect. Fits the old saying perfectly: the greatest sect is Volcanic, the greatest faction is the Beggars.”
“Haha, thank you for the kind words, Elder.”
Kang Yuchan couldn’t hide his grin, his mouth twitching up and down.
Everyone knew the top righteous powers as one sect, one temple, one faction.
One temple was Shaolin; one faction, the Beggars.
But the top sect varied by era.
These days, Volcanic lagged slightly behind Wudang and Jongnam.
Yet here was a Beggar Clan elder—one of the strictest, Hong Chilgae himself—calling Volcanic the top sect. Kang Yuchan couldn’t contain his joy.
Then Hong Chilgae spoke.
“They’re on the move.”
Kang Yuchan asked urgently.
“Where?”
“Let’s look at the map first.”
They left Se Jaeo outside and entered the tent.
Kang Yuchan guided Hong Chilgae to the table with the military map.
Scanning it, Hong Chilgae marked spots decisively.
“Right now, strangers are heading to these spots: here, here, and here.”
“Thank you, Martial Uncle. We’re grateful for your help despite the danger.”
Kang Yuchan bowed deeply with cupped fists.
“What’s this? It’s for the murim world and the nation. Who else would beggars beg if the people suffer?”
“Your mindset is inspiring. Seeing you, it’s clear why the Beggars are hailed as murim’s top faction.”
“When this is over, treat our beggars to some hot soup and rice.”
“Soup? That’s nothing. I’m handling this on the emperor’s special orders. No Beggar Clan disciple in Hebei will go hungry on my watch.”
“Can’t have that.”
“What do you mean?”
“Can beggars feast every day? Gotta starve sometimes to stay true beggars, right? Haha.”
Hong Chilgae laughed like an enlightened Daoist.
Kang Yuchan found himself bowing his head unconsciously.
In his eyes, Hong Chilgae was an enlightened Daoist.
He even glimpsed an overlap with the Volcanic founder, who’d attained insight gazing at plum blossoms.
* * *
Se Jaeo waited outside the tent, gazing quietly at the sky.
“Ah, my enlightenment……!”
But his cry scattered into the heavens, unanswered.
His mind brimmed only with regret and longing for that insight.
To him, the edge of enlightenment was like the sweet aroma of liquor.
If you’d never tasted it, you’d give up—but once that scent hit, it lingered inescapably.
Then a question arose: where had that glimpse come from?
As he pondered, a face surfaced in his mind.
Of course, it was Hanbin.
Come to think of it, he’d faintly felt it back at Cheonsu Manor too.
“Should I really go back……”
Just then, Hong Chilgae emerged from the tent.
Eying Se Jaeo standing awkwardly out front, he said,
“Heading back to the inn? Walk with me.”
“Ah, I……”
“Don’t be shy. We’ll be thick as thieves for months—what’s with the awkwardness?”
Hong Chilgae grinned and tugged him along.
Se Jaeo trailed limply after him, then tilted his head at the sight of troops mobilizing urgently.
“What’s going on?”
“The Beggars are on surveillance duty.”
“I heard you were the ‘spear’ last time……”
“Spear’s right. We poke; the officials chop.”
“Ah, that’s what the spear meant?”
Se Jaeo nodded.
Poke with a spear, chop with a blade—the basics.
But not taking lives, just pointing out positions to the officials?
Wordplay, sure—but a spear’s role, in a way.
Reading Se Jaeo’s face, Hong Chilgae elaborated.
“Why would we tangle with unknown forces? No need.”
“……”
Se Jaeo gazed silently at Hong Chilgae.
It all rang true.
Hong Chilgae nodded and continued.
“The nation handles those tormenting the people. From now on, anyone fleeing becomes an enemy of the state.”
“Anyone?”
“Of course. No one on our side’s running, so any group with deserters is clearly suspect. Ten thousand troops make escape tough for anyone. It’s my disciple’s plan, of course.”
“Ah, the Paeng young master’s plan.”
Se Jaeo nodded reflexively.
But soon, he cocked his head.
Not tying enemies to murim, or even his own clan?
No young man could scheme this meticulously.
Yet why did it feel so natural coming from him?
As questions piled up, Se Jaeo’s head tilted further.
“But honestly, I’m curious.”
“Ask away.”
Hong Chilgae smiled encouragingly, and Se Jaeo asked gravely.
“Why block escapes instead of entries? What strategy is that? Especially if it’s for the people’s sake?”
“Herd ’em into Jangun-hyeon and nab ’em.”
“Who?”
“Who else? My disciple.”
“Ah! The Paeng young master’s plan again.”
As Se Jaeo exclaimed, Hong Chilgae’s smile turned sly.
Was it coincidence that Hong Chilgae’s grin overlapped with Hanbin’s?
Se Jaeo shuddered unwittingly.
To him, Hanbin’s scheme boiled down to one phrase.
Borrow a knife to kill.
Using another’s blade against foes.
Turn them from his enemies into the state’s?
For a jangho man, the ultimate terror.
The unwritten rule was that the imperial law didn’t touch murim—but only if you bowed to state power.
Plunge the people into misery and defy the nation? You became the enemy.
A whole sect against the state?
Unthinkable.
In a way, the easiest way to erase foes.
Se Jaeo genuinely wanted to peek inside Hanbin’s head.