Four-Sided Siege (8)
“It's best to sort the ones worth killing from the ones worth using properly.”
“Using them, you say?”
“Sometimes, letting them live burdens the enemy more than death ever could.”
“You're saying there's profit in sparing them? I don't get it.”
“The ancient sages' books of strategy address questions like that.”
“What question?”
“In war, where do you strike to weaken the enemy's forces?”
“The heart, to end it in one blow? Or the head, so they can't even think?”
Seolhwa seemed to picture it in her mind, pointing to her own chest and head.
Hanbin waved her off at the sight.
“That's not the answer those strategy books give.”
“Then what is it?”
“The part that hits hardest: the legs.”
“Legs……”
Seolhwa blinked, trailing off.
Hanbin continued in a low voice.
“They can't abandon their comrades, so they'll carry them. How well can those carrying fight? What about their stamina? One soldier's broken leg ties up three men's feet—two to carry, one to stand guard.”
“Ah, I see.”
Seolhwa's eyes lit up with understanding.
At the same time, she drew her Uhyul Ranggeom.
Shing.
“Stay here a moment, Young Master. I'll be right back.”
With that, Seolhwa vanished before Hanbin's eyes.
Hanbin stared in the direction she'd gone, utterly dumbfounded.
She reappeared after just enough time for a few coughs.
Hanbin didn't ask what she'd done.
The bloodstains on her Uhyul Ranggeom told the tale.
Probably the legs of one of the black-clad men Hanbin had dealt with……
As Hanbin imagined her sword work, Seolhwa spoke up.
“Why aren't you asking?”
“You used the Uhyul Ranggeom, didn't you?”
“Ah, how'd you know?”
“So the patrol's legs……”
“Not people—rats. I was gonna use a rabbit from an empty house, but……”
Seolhwa trailed off.
Her confident expression faded, and she bowed her head.
Hanbin tilted his head at the unexpected turn.
Rats? Rabbits? What?
After a few steps, Hanbin murmured softly.
“I'm not scolding you. Just speak freely.”
At his gentle tone, Seolhwa finally looked up.
“I was gonna wound the rabbit, but it looked so pitiful. It couldn't even eat, and now wounds too? So I found rats instead.”
“Rats?”
“Yeah, quite a few. I wounded them and let them scatter everywhere.”
“Hm, rats…… Why's that?”
Hanbin eyed her curiously, and Seolhwa continued uncertainly.
“I just felt like…… what you wanted, Young Master, wasn't simply burdening the enemy.”
“Seolhwa, do you know what I want?”
“……”
“Just say it plainly.”
“Chaos, right?”
Hanbin chuckled silently at her answer.
Seolhwa, the ultra-elite assassin, had perfectly grasped the point of this opening gambit.
“Thanks for the garnish.”
“Garnish?”
“Know what separates a one-nyang dish from a ten-nyang one?”
“Taste?”
“Of course taste, but that's basic. What sets the price is the garnish.”
“Garnish?”
“A master chef floats a flower in clear water, and the price jumps dozens of times.”
“So you knew what I was thinking, Young Master.”
“Wounded rats scurrying everywhere, spreading blood scent—the enemy'll be frantic. What you did is perfect garnish for this mission, Seolhwa. A bit extravagant, maybe……”
Hanbin trailed off with a smile.
He skipped saying time mattered more.
He liked Seolhwa's creative flair.
She might just become the perfect assassin.
But as he pondered, Hanbin tilted his head.
Could someone pitying a rabbit truly be perfect?
Seolhwa stared blankly, awaiting his next words.
Hanbin continued with a kind smile.
“Anyway, you did well. That's the verdict, Seolhwa.”
“Hehe.”
Seolhwa beamed innocently, and Hanbin murmured low.
“Let's start again.”
Sasasak.
Hanbin vanished swiftly.
Now came the real harvest.
It took considerable time to silently dispatch the enemy.
Assassins or poisoners organizing in groups typically split into patrols and kill teams.
The patrols consisted of first-rate poisoners, while the kill teams were made of experts.
They required more delicate handling.
But none escaped Hanbin's touch.
And the results lay before him now.
Confirming formulas with Dragon Eye.
Acquired Human-grade formula: Geuk (shell).
Human-grade - Gold (gold), Geuk (shell).
With the basic compilation complete and one Human-grade formula acquired, Seolhwa was handling the first-rate poisoners. Now Hanbin faced just two super-peak poisoners.
Hanbin eyed the black-clad man he pegged as super-peak.
He struck without hesitation.
His body shot forward like an arrowhead.
The blue sword aura on Wolah pierced the man's heart.
“Gah!”
The foe toppled with a stifled scream.
Thud.
The other black-clad man whipped his head around.
Hanbin slashed Wolah horizontally without pause.
The man's head flew from his body.
Thud.
Roll roll.
As the head tumbled, a chilling wind carried the blood scent outward.
Hanbin calmly gazed into the air, checking the formulas.
Confirming formulas with Dragon Eye.
Acquired Human-grade formula: Seon (seon).
Human-grade - Gold (gold), Geuk (geuk). Seon (seon)
Three Human-grade formulas gathered, but the road ahead was long.
Hanbin showed no mercy this time.
The criterion was simple: the type of blood scent on their bodies.
Judging by it, these two had slain plenty of Jangun-hyeon's people.
No rivers-and-lakes warrior was bloodless, but those turning the defenseless into bloody pulp weren't worth sparing for use.
He had enough already subdued at acupoints.
Hanbin scanned the surroundings.
He'd released his presence moderately while eliminating foes.
A super-peak wouldn't sense it; a Hwagyeong would have.
Yet no Hwagyeong appeared.
One of the Pal Seon should be Hwagyeong-level.
But staying hidden?
Handing things off to underlings for some vital task elsewhere?
Or a trap?
Either way, fine by him.
Now to finish the experts save one Pal Seon member.
Hanbin suppressed his presence again.
Sasasak.
As he crept toward his target, a presence flickered from afar.
Feeling he'd gain something more vital than formulas tonight, Hanbin smirked.
Finally, the head shows itself…… Good luck.
Rejoicing inwardly, he dropped stealth and strolled toward his goal.
Cheongyeon, waiting at the inn for the enemy to emerge, tilted her head.
Blood scent had wafted on the wind.
As suspicion rose and she reached for her signal line, a rabbit hopped past.
A bleeding one, like a house pet—lost its owner, got hurt somehow.
The scent was probably from it.
Cheongyeon sighed.
“Hoo……”
Today felt dull.
Far off, inside the inn's fence, the drinking party raged on.
Cheongyeon couldn't fathom it.
Even unaware of her watch, they'd heard of Jangun-hyeon's plague.
Yet partying like this?
And the Red Blood Mangho Squad's leader, Hebei Paengga's Fourth Young Master, mingled right in.
A mad bunch, dissolving in poison for all she cared.
Their song reached her—the Sword Song every rivers-and-lakes denizen knew.
Ridiculous yet tragic: the sword raised to pacify the Central Plains claims its wielder's neck.
Soldiers sang it to ease war's tension.
Ignoring it, Cheongyeon gazed skyward.
Eyeing the moon, she gauged the time.
Half a shichen till dawn.
Then widen the encirclement and watch.
Why the Black Water Squad leader obsessed so? Simple: show results to Master Cheon Dok before his return.
He'd stepped out of Jangun-hyeon briefly.
Three days till back.
Three days……
Long if long, a blink if short.
Cheongyeon gripped her signal line to relay orders.
Twisted silken threads: tug once for shift change, twice for enemy spotted—the distant post's bell would ring.
As she pulled once—
A whistle pierced the air.
Wheee, whee!
Short like calling a horse, then shifting to a tune.
A haunting melody.
Oddly harmonizing with the inn's Sword Song.
“What……?”
Narrowing her eyes, scanning about—two night-robed figures approached.
Their aura was off.
Suddenly, Cheongyeon felt besieged—despite her being the encirclement.
She yanked the line fast.
It came free without resistance.
Snap!
Cheongyeon's eyes widened.
The line was cut.
Twisted heavenly silken threads—Black Water Squad gear no ordinary blade could sever.
How many super-peak experts had lost their heads to it?
Sharper and tougher than fine swords, that rope.
Yet severed!
And the bell on her end hadn't stirred.
Realization dawning, terror crept up Cheongyeon's spine.
Fear hijacks the mind into flight or blind charge.
Cheongyeon chose the latter.
She stripped her gloves and lunged.
Blue poison bloomed darker on her hands, wafting faint toxin scent.
A normal person would faint from the aroma alone.
But her foe was Hanbin.
Instinctively, she shouted.
“Who are you?!”
“Not a friend, that's sure. Not quite an enemy either……”
The night-robed Hanbin waved lazily.
His demeanor was picnic-casual.