Chapter 99. Shadow War (3)
As Han Bin approached, Yun Yong-ho paused in his work.
"Do you have something to say, sir?"
"No need to worry about it. Just set up a rough spot to sleep."
Han Bin pointed to the tools his fellow escorts were laying out.
They were pulling out braziers to place in the middle to prevent the fire from spreading, mugwort powder to ward off insects, and hides to block the chill.
Han Bin was saying none of that was necessary.
Yun Yong-ho replied with an awkward expression.
"Still, sleeping outside means we have to prepare thoroughly."
"No. With the cargo we're transporting right now, we need to be cautious."
"Even so..."
"No. We should be ready to depart at a moment's notice. The Henan Jeong Family is right around the corner now."
"Hm."
Yun Yong-ho scanned Han Bin up and down.
His view of Han Bin had completely changed during this escort mission.
If he reported Han Bin's martial prowess to the Rogue King Yi Se-myung, would he even believe it?
Where on earth had he learned such near-divine swordsmanship?
Because of that, Yun Yong-ho could no longer treat Han Bin casually.
As Yun Yong-ho narrowed his eyes, Han Bin snapped his fingers.
At the same time, Seol-hwa dashed toward the carriage where the pigeons were kept.
Yun Yong-ho's eyes narrowed at the sight.
Seol-hwa's actions seemed odd.
Those pigeons were used to deliver letters threatening enemies.
But heading to the carriage with the pigeons without writing anything was strange.
From their perspective, they'd skipped the part where Han Bin wrote the note with a brush.
That was when it happened.
Seol-hwa drew a dagger and swiftly opened the birdcage holding the pigeons.
Coo-coo-coo! Coo-coo-coo!
A flock of white pigeons soared into the sky over Yeongdan Mountain.
As at least twenty of them took flight, the other birds resting in the trees scattered with a flurry of wings.
About half circled in the sky, as if trying to get their bearings.
The commotion was brief, and the mountainside soon fell silent again.
Yun Yong-ho asked Han Bin.
"Why release all the messenger pigeons?"
"We don't need them anymore."
Han Bin grinned, and Yun Yong-ho tilted his head.
"Weren't you babying them just yesterday?"
"That was yesterday. We don't need them now, so we should send them all back. Leaving them would just be extra baggage."
"Then why bring so many if you didn't need them all? You could've just brought what was necessary..."
Yun Yong-ho trailed off.
He'd just witnessed something bizarre.
A pigeon in the sky had stopped flapping its wings and was plummeting down.
It hit the ground.
Thud!
Upon closer inspection, the trembling pigeon had a message tube attached.
"What is this?"
"As you can see, a group is surrounding us to intercept the messenger pigeons. The tubes on the pigeons have notes I prepared in advance."
"Gasp! Then we need to flee right now!"
"No need to rush."
"Why not?"
"Because their target isn't us—it's the Qingming Pill."
"Then we still need to get out of here..."
Another pigeon fell.
Thud.
Yun Yong-ho's eyes widened.
Judging by the direction they were falling from, there weren't just one or two enemies.
With this momentum, they'd clearly set up a heaven-and-earth net.
A chill ran up his spine.
Yun Yong-ho looked back at Han Bin.
Han Bin was calmly chewing on a piece of dried radish.
Another pigeon dropped.
Thud.
There weren't many left, but to Yun Yong-ho, it felt like a downpour.
And that downpour was proof they were in crisis right now.
The best course was to avoid the rain.
But Yun Yong-ho had no umbrella.
Of course, neither did Han Bin. Yet how could he be so nonchalant?
Yun Yong-ho eyed Han Bin, signaling with his gaze.
Given everything Han Bin had done so far, he surely had a plan—but it only made Yun Yong-ho more anxious.
Thud.
His heart pounded with each falling pigeon.
Then Han Bin spoke.
"First, get the escorts moving. Slip away quietly. Geom-o, you go with Escort Leader Yun Yong-ho."
"Y-yes, understood."
Geom-o replied in a trembling voice.
Even after years as a pirate, he was stuttering in fear.
Han Bin told Yun Yong-ho.
"Leave the baggage and horses behind—just go with what you're wearing. Absolutely do not take any conspicuous luggage."
"Why is that?"
"The moment you pick up anything bigger than a Cold Iron Box, you'll become their target."
Han Bin traced the shape of the Cold Iron Box in the air with his finger, and Yun Yong-ho nodded quickly.
"Got it."
Yun Yong-ho hurriedly gathered his fellow escorts and drivers.
"Let's get out of here first."
"Escort Leader Yun, how can we just leave without them?"
"This is an order."
"An order?"
"It's an order from the cargo's owner and from our branch leader!"
"Yes, we'll follow."
The escorts nodded reluctantly.
Yun Yong-ho turned and let out a sigh.
"Whew."
Everything was unfolding just as the Rogue King Yi Se-myung had said.
If danger arose, abandon everything and protect your life first—that was the command from the head of Cheonri Escort Agency and the Rogue King himself.
And now was the time to obey it.
The one silver lining was that they didn't have to abandon Han Bin's group.
Since Han Bin had spoken first, he'd surely escape somehow too.
Han Bin said.
"If you get the chance, please send Geom-o to the Hebei Paeng Family."
"Yes, understood."
Yun Yong-ho clasped his hands deeply in respect, and Geom-o followed suit.
"Thank you for saving us."
Han Bin smiled back at Geom-o's teary expression.
"See you later."
The Cheonri Escort Agency members and Geom-o left even their bundles behind, descending the mountain slowly and empty-handed.
Step by step.
As their footsteps faded, Han Bin smirked.
He sensed no presences pursuing them.
The presences remained around them.
All eyes seemed fixed on the carriage and Han Bin.
Han Bin quietly headed to the carriage, drawing the dagger strapped to his leg.
At the sight, the Three Evils of Shaanxi flinched.
They worried he might pull another stunt.
Thud! Thud!
Sounds like wood splitting came from inside the carriage, and Han Bin emerged carrying a long wooden box.
Step by step.
Han Bin approached the Three Evils of Shaanxi with oddly deliberate footsteps.
He set the long wooden box down in front of them.
Thump!
The Icy Blood Scholar asked Han Bin.
"What is this?"
"Oh, it's nothing important. I'll just show you."
Han Bin opened the wooden box.
Creak.
Everyone gaped at the contents.
Inside were eight identical Cold Iron Boxes.
The Icy Blood Scholar asked.
"Eight Cold Iron Boxes? What are they for? Don't tell me..."
"Not eight."
Han Bin placed the Cold Iron Box he held into the wooden box and spoke again.
"Now it's nine."
"What on earth are you planning to do with these?"
"You know Cold Iron Boxes fetch a high price, right?"
"Yes, I know."
"I'll leave everything to you..."
"Pardon?"
"Handle it yourselves. Nice meeting you..."
Han Bin trailed off and glanced at Seol-hwa.
Seol-hwa backed away slowly upon receiving his signal.
Now Han Bin's group and the Three Evils of Shaanxi were more than five steps apart.
Han Bin shouted loudly.
"Great hero! Please spare us!"
"W-what are you talking about?"
As the Icy Blood Scholar asked in confusion, Han Bin yelled even louder.
"All the Cold Iron Boxes are right there! I don't even know which one's real. Please spare us!"
"Why are you..."
The Icy Blood Scholar's eyes widened.
But Han Bin raised his voice higher.
"My money and the Qingming Pill are all yours, Three Evils of Shaanxi!"
As Han Bin backed away, the Icy Blood Scholar picked up a fallen pigeon and opened its tube.
His eyes widened at the tiny writing inside.
-Clashing at Yeongdan Mountain, Qingming Pill left behind.
"Gasp."
Seeing the Icy Blood Scholar's reaction, the Black-Clothed Tempest Blade asked.
"Second brother, what's wrong?"
"We've been had."
"Had? What do you mean, Second Brother?"
The Braised Meat Rogue chimed in urgently.
Glaring at the slowly retreating Han Bin and Seol-hwa, the Icy Blood Scholar shouted.
"Those bastards used us and then ditched us! We've been thrown away like dogs after using them up!"
"What do you mean?"
In response to the Black-Clothed Tempest Blade, the Icy Blood Scholar continued.
"A heaven-and-earth net is spread out here right now. Escaping it is simple."
"How?"
"Just don't be the target."
"What does that mean?"
"The target is right here, isn't it? All these Cold Iron Boxes we don't even know are real or fake. And they left without taking any baggage. So where do you think the Qingming Pill is?"
"Then..."
"Even if all these are fakes, they'll chase us to the end."
"Hm."
"After they kill us, the Sapa forces will fight each other over the real one."
"..."
"And if the Jeongpa gets involved, those guys too. This is a scheme to wipe out the Sapa."
That was when he noticed a note scribbled hastily on the wooden box.
-Sab-il-gwi-jeong (Things must be rectified).
It was unmistakably Han Bin's handwriting.
Grinding his teeth at the words, the Icy Blood Scholar spat.
"That devilish bastard!"
The Icy Blood Scholar gnashed his teeth.
How could they dump them after making them do all the dirty work?
That guy from the Jeongpa? Even Sapa didn't have anyone that vicious.
But he quickly shook off the thoughts amid the rising killing intent around them.
Now, the goal was for at least one of the three to survive and escape.
* * *
As Han Bin and Seol-hwa backed away,
Someone pressed a blade to Han Bin's neck and murmured quietly.
"Don't move."
"Y-yes, got it."
Han Bin forced a trembling voice.
"Hm, just a novice."
As the foe scoffed,
Prick! Prick!
Two sounds of acupoint strikes rang out, and the warrior holding the sword to Han Bin collapsed like a log.
At the sight, Han Bin said.
"Seol-hwa, don't touch them. They're all mine."
"Tch, Young Master, you're no fun. I wanted to get a feel for it after so long..."
Seol-hwa pouted.
In truth, if it were just Han Bin and Seol-hwa, there'd be no need for such theatrics.
No one could track them if they erased their presence and vanished.
The problem was Yun Yong-ho's group.
Han Bin had secured their escape route step by step.
But instead of heading downhill, Han Bin went uphill.
Han Bin and Seol-hwa climbed to the summit of Yeongdan Mountain.
Han Bin glanced around.
A massive boulder entered his view.
Han Bin walked slowly toward it.