Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Great King Namsaeng 18
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I waved a hand at Geom Mojam as I gazed down at the southern sea.
It wasn't clearly visible, but I had a feeling there was something down there to the south.
"Looks like there's something over there?"
Geom Mojam tilted his head as I peered southward and asked.
"I don't see anything."
In the meantime, the headache in my head had completely vanished. It felt like this meant something, so I brought up a different topic from before.
"Let's wait."
Just as Geom Mojam, who'd been hesitating, nodded in agreement, Ham Bok-saeng approached.
"It happens from time to time, so don't worry too much."
"You mean the Silla navy showing up?"
"This is their territory, after all."
The sailors gradually slowed the ship's speed. Ham Bok-saeng stood at the railing, watching the approaching Silla warships, and spoke up.
"I'll tell them you're escort warriors hired by the Maemul Merchant Guild. There shouldn't be any issues, so just stay quiet."
As Ham Bok-saeng moved around the deck giving instructions, hooked ropes flew from the approaching Silla warship.
The ropes hooked on tight, drawing the two ships slowly closer. A plank was laid across from the Silla warship that pulled up alongside the merchant vessel.
The Silla warship was lower and smaller than our merchant ship.
It almost looked like they were scaling a castle wall.
Seeing Silla people for the first time made me tense. But they looked similar to Geom Mojam or other Goguryeo folk—their speech was just heavily accented but intelligible.
After a group of Silla sailors crossed over, a Silla officer in silver armor followed. A Silla soldier beside him shouted.
"Everyone with weapons, gather them in the center!"
Starting with Geom Mojam, the escort warriors unbuckled the hwandu greatswords from their waists and tossed them into the middle of the deck.
I unfastened the longsword from my belt and threw it in as well.
As the Silla officer climbed aboard, Ham Bok-saeng, who'd been standing in the corner, bowed deeply.
"Oh, it's been a while."
The other man recognized Ham Bok-saeng too and acknowledged him.
"You're from the Ham family. We spotted your ship moving fast and came to check. What's the cargo?"
"Ceramics and jewelry ordered from Wa."
"We'll inspect the goods first."
"Of course. The hold door's open—go ahead and look."
At the officer's nod, soldiers descended the stairs. While inspecting the railing, the Silla officer eyed our group in the corner.
"Who are those over there?"
"Ah, with all the pirates plaguing Wa seas lately, we hired some escort warriors."
"Warriors?"
Ham Bok-saeng quickly replied as the officer's voice sharpened.
"Outlaws who were hanging around the Chang'an Castle area."
"That pale-faced one doesn't look like an escort warrior."
Go Jeong-ui, directly called out, hid his trembling hands behind his back.
"He's a National Academy student heading to Wa. These days, lots want to study there, so he's on his way."
Not satisfied with the explanation, the Silla officer walked over.
I signaled Geom Mojam, who'd tensed up, to calm down.
The Silla officer strode right up to me and glared with sharp eyes.
"Your skin's soft, hands clean. You don't look like someone who wields a sword."
Go Jeong-ui beside me hiccuped from shock. I glanced at him casually before answering.
"I was from a well-off family."
"And?"
"Fell out of favor with the Great King, family went bankrupt. Relatives scattered—climbed aboard to make a living."
I spoke calmly with the most pitiful expression I could muster.
It worked; the Silla officer dropped his suspicious gaze.
Just then, soldiers returned from the hold, reporting nothing unusual.
Ham Bok-saeng handed the officer a heavy pouch. Everything seemed smooth. But as the officer pocketed the silver lump and approached us, his eyes turned red. I widened my eyes in alarm, and Geom Mojam gripped my sleeve.
The Silla officer drew his sword abruptly and swung.
"Damn it!"
I thought it was over, but Geom Mojam blocked the blade with a longsword pulled from his sleeve.
That was the signal—the escort warriors roared and charged the Silla soldiers.
"Fast."
In the meantime, Geom Mojam took down the Silla officer who'd targeted my neck.
His heavy armor kept him pinned motionless on the deck.
The rest was similar. The Silla soldiers, uncoordinated, couldn't even draw their swords.
It turned into a bare-handed brawl, but the escorts floored opponents with Geom Mojam's jujutsu—armbars, neck grabs, takedowns. Amid the chaos, Go Jeong-ui shouted.
"Burn their warship or remove the plank! Otherwise, more will cross over."
Merchants moved fast in crises. Ham Bok-saeng and the traders rushed to the plank between ships, but the iron hook at the end was wedged into the railing, hard to dislodge.
I joined in, and we barely lifted and tossed it into the sea. Then Ham Bok-saeng yelled to the rowers in the hold.
"Turn left! Ram them!"
Moments later, the massive merchant ship swung its bow. Arrows flew from the Silla ship; Go Jeong-ui and I flattened ourselves to dodge.
Soon after, the turned bow slammed into the smaller Silla warship.
A horrific crack of splintering wood mixed with screams.
Sweat-drenched, Ham Bok-saeng leaned on the railing and peered down.
"She's sinking. Turn south. Pass Hyeolgu Island as fast as possible."
Tension released, he slumped right there. By then, the fight was mostly over.
With merchants and sailors joining, it ended one-sidedly. Geom Mojam pummeled the downed Silla officer, raising his longsword to stab—then I raised a hand.
"Stop!"
The earlier headache felt like a warning. Geom Mojam halted like a robot.
I approached, knelt on one knee, and asked the officer.
"Why attack us?"
He stared back with red eyes, silent.
Geom Mojam stabbed his thigh with the longsword.
As the officer screamed in agony, I asked again.
"Last chance. Talk, or we'll dump you alive in the sea."
This threat worked. The prone officer stammered.
"Th-the fortress lord gave separate orders."
"Fortress lord—Danghang Fortress?"
He nodded, so I pressed.
"What orders?"
"Search Maemul merchant ships passing Hyeolgu Island this afternoon. Kill you if found."
"They knew my name?"
"Of course. Yeon Namsaeng, eldest son of Eastern Division Leader Yeon Gaesomun of Goguryeo."
"How'd you recognize me?"
"Showed a portrait. Told us not to tell other subordinates."
I couldn't fathom their plan, but it saved me—attacking right after disarming would've overwhelmed even Geom Mojam.
"What after killing me?"
"Bring your head. Handle the rest ourselves."
Someone targeted me, like the market ambush. Without spotting the red eyes, I'd be dead.
Gazing at the gasping officer, my head ached again. Something lingered, like before.
At my signal, Geom Mojam stabbed the other thigh. Waiting out the scream, I asked.
"Hiding more? Truth, or my man rips your head off alive."
Glancing at Geom Mojam, the officer said.
"White flag."
"What?"
"Raise white flag if not your ship. Two fast ships ambush south of Hyeolgu Island—to attack Goguryeo merchant ships without one."
Ham Bok-saeng, overhearing, yelled.
"Hoist a white flag on the mast! Highest, most visible!"
Sailors raised it high. Heading south, two Silla warships hugging Hyeolgu Island came into view.
Geom Mojam sighed.
"Breaking through blindly would've been disaster."
"Why?"
"Merchant ships are slow. Warships have many oars, light hulls—much faster."
"Lucky."
"Thanks to you, Master."
Only then could I exhale.
Remembering the sudden headache, I wondered if it was coincidence—or my ability to see enemies' eyes turn red when about to strike.
'This too?'
Head ached briefly at the confusion, but I decided to watch.
Geom Mojam grabbed the officer's collar.
"Toss in sea after killing? Or just drop?"
"Don't kill. Take him, treat him."
"Pardon?"
"Without him, we'd all be dead. Promised to spare—keep it. Treat surviving Silla soldiers too."
"Understood."
"Our casualties?"
"Two stabbed badly. One sailor hit in shoulder by arrow, looks like."
"You okay?"
Geom Mojam nodded instead of answering, eyeing the officer.
"Our master's got heaven-sent powers. Signaled me before your attack—blocked it. Don't try anything stupid."
I watched him rally his men, then entered the cabin and lay on the bunk.
Drifting off, a familiar voice echoed from before.
After passing the Silla warship inspection and catching good winds, the ship gradually picked up speed. Two days later, we entered Baekje waters. The recovered Silla officer and soldiers were loaded onto a small boat and sent off.
Before boarding, the officer knelt on one knee and bowed.
"Thank you for sparing me and my men."
"Don't meet on battlefields again."
"Thank you."
Watching them depart, Ham Bok-saeng looked conflicted.
"In my youth, I fought in the battle assaulting Silla's Umyeong Fortress."
He rolled up his sleeve, showing a faint scar on his forearm from a sword cut, then continued.
"We won, but Silla dogs were vicious. Explained why Baekje kept losing."
"They seemed that brave?"
"Like they'd all die if they didn't win—utterly desperate."