The Search Narrows
Although suspicious signs were starting to appear, for now, we needed to see how the search operation would unfold.
Oh Waja, wearing a dull mugwort-green rag instead of his usual grey tattered robes, spread out a map of Hyangsan and its surrounding areas.
"The northern side of Hyangsan is already surrounded by the Beggar Sect disciples of Hebei. The eastern and western cordons will be completed soon as well."
"...Is it an inescapable dragnet?"
"It's not quite an inescapable dragnet, but it's a siege of that caliber."
When I asked, Oh Waja pointed directly at the map. The siege operation he described was simple enough to understand.
They would form a massive circle around Hyangsan, and then the Beggar Sect disciples, the Tiger Brigade, and our group would gradually tighten the noose. Since the Beggar Sect disciples, who were relatively uneducated, were mixed in, they seemed to avoid complex tactics as much as possible.
Of course, while the search method itself was simple, executing it was a different story. Since we might encounter enemies of unimaginable strength, high-ranking masters were stationed at key intervals along the line.
This was also the reason Oh Waja had arrived late. He had been delayed because he had to gather every instructor and gyodu at the academy, as well as the Hebei branch leader of the Beggar Sect.
"It seems like a solid plan. Hyangsan isn't that large or sprawling of a mountain, so if we tighten the perimeter like this, we're bound to find them."
As Seonwoo Seol spoke, her hands trembled slightly. She was trying to act as if nothing was wrong, but she was only human. In truth, she must have been sick with worry over Gongson Yeongji's safety.
Seeing her like this, I gently took her hand.
"We'll find them in no time."
"...She's a good, smart girl."
The moment I held her trembling hand, the shaking stopped, but her worried expression remained unchanged. Beside us, Man Hanseok let out a heavy sigh, so I patted him on the back. It was rare to see him so downcast.
Having finished explaining the siege operation, Oh Waja turned to the gathered Beggar Sect disciples to drill them one last time.
"What did I say today's password was?"
"The challenge is 'Octopus and Alms,' and the response is 'Dog Meat'!"
Leave it to the Beggar Sect to put dog meat in their password.
At any rate, receiving orders from Oh Waja and the leader of the Tiger Brigade, the guards and Beggar Sect disciples split into small groups and headed toward Hyangsan. We did the same. Holding lanterns with anxious faces, we began our ascent of Hyangsan alongside Oh Waja.
However, if any of us moved faster than the person next to them, a gap would open in the carefully constructed perimeter. Thus, we had to march much slower than usual.
Unlike his usual self, Oh Waja exuded a heavy, serious aura. While our anxiety stemmed from our worry for Gongson Yeongji, why was Oh Waja being so solemn?
"This boy, Yoo Jeoksan—where exactly is he from?"
"He's the son of the leader of the Four Seas Sect, a sect formed by lay disciples of the Wudang Sect at the foot of Mount Wudang."
I had heard of the Four Seas Sect in passing. It was a sect founded by four lay disciples who all had the character for 'sea' in their names. Because of this, the position of sect leader rotated among four families, and he was likely the son of one of those families.
"Then he must be a child who carries the high expectations of both the Four Seas Sect and Wudang."
"Indeed. He is a child loved by many, regardless of his talent."
Oh Waja's choice of words was peculiar. Normally, I would have let it slide, but there was a certain friction to his phrasing. When someone says 'regardless of talent,' it usually implies one of two extremes. Either the child possesses such monstrous talent that it transcends the very concept of 'talent' in an academy teeming with geniuses, or he is utterly hopeless.
I doubted it was the latter. As eccentric as Oh Waja was, he wasn't the type to belittle a child's abilities. In that case... was Yoo Jeoksan the most exceptionally gifted child among the first-years, possessing a talent so remarkable that Oh Waja remembered his name and abilities despite being from a different hall?
I glanced at Seonwoo Seol, and she seemed to be thinking the same thing. I immediately whispered to her.
"How are Yoo Jeoksan's grades?"
"I believe he's the top student. He struggles a bit with the written exams, but he never misses first place in the practical physical tests."
Her words suddenly brought to mind a passage about physical constitutions from a medical text. A legendary, once-in-a-century constitution destined for the path of martial arts.
"...The Heavenly Martial Body?"
At my involuntary mutter, Oh Waja glanced at me and let out a deep sigh.
"Good grief. I really can't hide anything from Chef Yoon."
"Are you saying Yoo Jeoksan really possesses the Heavenly Martial Body...?"
"You there, big guy, and you, Chef Yoon—watch your words."
Shh. Oh Waja pressed his index finger to his lips, signaling us to be quiet, and Man Hanseok promptly shut his mouth.
The existence of a Heavenly Martial Body was a state secret, and it had to remain that way. No matter which faction he belonged to, the ramifications of his existence were far too massive. In the Murim, a single well-trained martial artist could vanquish dozens or hundreds of men. If there was someone who could effortlessly master any martial art and reach the Peak or Transcendence Realm, they would naturally become Public Enemy Number One.
"Is his constitution confirmed?"
"One of the people who verified it was the Dragon Head Sect Leader himself, so yes, it's certain."
That meant the three unidentified kidnappers had abducted Yoo Jeoksan to exploit his Heavenly Martial Body for some purpose...
"If what Hall Director Oh says is true, then Yeongji is likely just an unfortunate bystander," Seonwoo Seol said.
"That seems to be the case," I agreed with a heavy nod.
Gongson Yeongji had probably spotted the three men trying to abduct Yoo Jeoksan, blew her whistle, and ended up getting dragged away with him. A classic case of collateral damage.
"But shouldn't only a very select few know about his constitution?"
"We are currently investigating the source of the leak. I don't know who the bastard is, but when I catch them, I'm going to tear them limb from limb," Oh Waja ground his teeth as he replied.
Whoever it was, they possessed information that only someone of a Hall Director's rank should know, and they had timed their abduction perfectly with the outdoor training. It could be those unorthodox bastards with 'Blood' in their sect name, but it might not be.
What they wanted didn't matter. Why those three bastards had kidnapped Gongson Yeongji didn't matter either. And whether Yoo Jeoksan possessed the Heavenly Martial Body or the Nine Yin Blocked Meridians was completely irrelevant.
"......."
I would make them pay. I would find Yoo Jeoksan and Gongson Yeongji, and the three faceless bastards who dared lay a hand on them would die by my hands. That was all that mattered.
When Gongson Yeongji finally managed to shake off the heavy shroud of sleep and opened her eyes, her surroundings were pitch black. She couldn't move her body at all; the only thing she could do was roll her eyes around.
"Ah..."
Fortunately, her mouth could move, and her voice came out properly. Gongson Yeongji's last memory was of a man striking her sleeping acupoints. Though her mind was in a state of chaotic panic, her immediate priority was figuring out where she was.
She was lying on a stone floor covered with a straw mat. A faint light seeped in from somewhere, but it didn't look like firelight; it seemed to be moonlight. And the air was damp, musty, and heavy with moisture.
Is this a basement with a window or a ventilation shaft...?
She had a rough idea of her location, but her problems were far from solved. The dim moonlight only told her that not much time had passed. Faced with a crisis she couldn't possibly resolve on her own, fear began to grip Gongson Yeongji's heart.
Chef Yoon... Sister Seol... Senior Hanseok... I miss you all so much...
Although everyone praised her for being clever, Gongson Yeongji was still just a first-year. Moreover, just last semester, she had been a bullied child who couldn't solve her own problems. The tower of self-esteem that Yoon Gomyung, Seonwoo Seol, and Man Hanseok had painstakingly helped her build was beginning to crumble.
"Sob..."
Just as the terrifying wave of helplessness was about to overwhelm her—
"Who's there?"
"...Jeoksan?"
"G-Gongson Yeongji?"
Gongson Yeongji flinched at the sound of Yoo Jeoksan's voice coming from behind her. Yoo Jeoksan, realizing the crying voice belonged to Gongson Yeongji, was equally startled.
"S-Since when were you there? No, when did you wake up?"
"I don't know what time it is, but... since before we even got here?"
"Since before we got here?"
"Yeah. One of those men struck my sleeping acupoints, but for some reason, it didn't work on me."
It was the miraculous trait of the Heavenly Martial Body, which easily shrugged off acupoint sealing, though Yoo Jeoksan didn't understand the exact mechanism behind it. However, he at least had a rough idea of where they were.
"I think this is... the basement of Yuinwon."
"Yuinwon?"
"A small temple on Hyangsan. I heard there are usually no monks staying here."
"Ah. I-I've heard the seniors talk about it. They said they sometimes visit when there's a fish-releasing ceremony... Then we must still be on Hyangsan."
Hearing Gongson Yeongji sniffle, Yoo Jeoksan hesitated for a moment. He remembered that the reason he had spoken up in the first place was because of her soft whimpering. After a brief hesitation, Yoo Jeoksan spoke from the heart.
"I'm sorry."
"...Why all of a sudden?"
"Those strange men in black were targeting me, but you got dragged into this because of me, Yeongji."
As Yoo Jeoksan spoke in a dejected tone, Gongson Yeongji reassured him, her voice genuinely warm.
"No, it's not your fault. Besides, I blew my whistle, so the duty gyodu and instructors will be searching desperately for us."
"That loud screeech? You made that sound, Yeongji?"
"Yes. Sister Seol... I mean, Gyodu Socheonma gave it to me."
"Right! Then won't they be coming too?"
"They?"
"You know, the Head Chef and Gyodu Socheonma. They've defeated two legendary arch-demons already."
The duty gyodu and instructors would have reported this to the academy, and Yoon Gomyung, Seonwoo Seol, and Man Hanseok would undoubtedly be searching high and low for them. As that realization washed over her, a small smile broke across Gongson Yeongji's face.
"Yes, they will come for us. Absolutely."
Hearing the hope in her voice, Yoo Jeoksan nodded and asked,
"So, what should we do now?"
Just having someone in the same boat brought immense comfort to Gongson Yeongji. Having regained some of her usual composure, she looked down at her stiff body with a troubled expression.
"Right now, I can't move my body... I think my paralyzing acupoints were struck."
"Paralyzing acupoints... Hang on, I'll release them for you."
Hearing the sound of Yoo Jeoksan getting up, Gongson Yeongji was taken aback.
"Weren't your paralyzing acupoints sealed?"
"If the sleeping acupoints didn't work, there's no way the paralyzing ones would."
"...I've never seen anyone like you before."
"Well, I've never had my acupoints sealed before either."
This, too, was the miraculous power of the Heavenly Martial Body. Standing up carefully, Yoo Jeoksan approached Gongson Yeongji and reached out to strike her shoulder area to release the seal. Or rather, he tried to.
Tap! Yoo Jeoksan struck the point, but Gongson Yeongji blinked her wide eyes and asked,
"Don't tell me... you don't actually know where the acupoints are?"
"I-I do know!"
"It's not there. It's about an inch higher."
"Here?"
Tap! Yoo Jeoksan struck again with a clueless look, causing Gongson Yeongji to furrow her brow.
How can he be so good at martial arts but so terrible at finding acupoints...?
"I think you need to go half an inch lower."
"Ah, here?"
Tap! He tried once more, and only then did Gongson Yeongji's stiff body finally relax.
"I... I shouldn't say this after you just helped me, but... I think you need to take a basic course on acupoints."
"Actually, my father did tell me to take some general education classes on that."
As a sheepish Yoo Jeoksan scratched his head, Gongson Yeongji let out a soft laugh.
"Well, at least you're willing to learn."
"Um... maybe you could tutor me sometime, Yeongji."
"Me?"
"I heard from the other kids that you do really well on the written exams...?"
"Then you have to help me with the practical exams in return."
"Huh? Oh... of course I will!"
"I'll hold you to that."
When Gongson Yeongji beamed at him, Yoo Jeoksan nodded dumbly in response.
"By the way... how are we going to escape?"
"I overheard them when they were carrying me. They said only one of the three men would stay behind here."
"So if we can just take care of that one guy, we might be able to get out...?"
"Exactly."
Gongson Yeongji pondered Yoo Jeoksan's reply for a moment before speaking to him in a hushed whisper.
"Do you... know how to lie?"
"Lie?"
"If we can catch him off guard... I think we might have a chance."
With those words, Gongson Yeongji leaned in close and whispered into Yoo Jeoksan's ear. Though Yoo Jeoksan initially blushed at her sudden proximity, as he listened to her plan, it actually sounded quite plausible.
"Will that really work?"
"I don't know if it will, but..."
Let's at least try our best. That was what Gongson Yeongji had learned from Yoon Gomyung.
Seriously, why do I have to be the one babysitting these brats?
The tallest of the three men, who also happened to be the lowest in their hierarchy, sat in a chair, looking thoroughly disgruntled. His sole task was to watch the corridor and make sure the two kids didn't escape. Naturally, with nothing to do but stare, the tall man was bored out of his mind.
Of course, the reason he had been assigned to guard duty was because he had been knocked out after being kicked in the groin by Gongson Yeongji. His companions had mocked him, asking if he had no shame getting bested by an eleven-year-old girl. Naturally, the tall man felt wronged, yet he had no excuse to offer.
Just then, Yoo Jeoksan's voice echoed from down the hall.
"Mister! I need to use the bathroo-o-om! I really need to go-o-o!"
"What?"
"The bathroo-o-om! I'm gonna wet my pants! I can't move my body, what am I supposed to do-o-o?!"
That little brat.
True to his age, his whining was incredibly grating to the ears. Huffing in annoyance, the tall man marched down the corridor and entered the room.
"......?"
Gongson Yeongji, leaning against the wall, looked up at the tall man with an incredibly apologetic face.
"I'm sorry for tricking you."
Before the tall man could even process her words—
CRACK!
A pain so white-hot it blanked out his mind exploded from his lower half.
"G-Gah...!"
In the tall man's blurry vision, Yoo Jeoksan came into view. Specifically, Yoo Jeoksan, who had been hiding right next to the door, had unleashed a straight punch directly into his groin the moment he stepped inside.
"Oof, that's gotta hurt."
Yoo Jeoksan shook out his clenched fist and clicked his tongue. No matter how young he was, this was a punch from the Heavenly Martial Body. With a destructive power incomparable to Gongson Yeongji's kick, the tall man's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed like a felled tree.
Yoo Jeoksan immediately grabbed Gongson Yeongji's hand and pulled her out of the room.
"I know the way out!"
"O-Okay!"
Just as Yoo Jeoksan and Gongson Yeongji were climbing the ladder leading to the surface—
"...Where are you going in such a hurry?"
When Yoo Jeoksan, who had emerged first, raised his head—
A masked man radiating an overwhelming aura stood there, staring down at him and Gongson Yeongji.