Chapter 36
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Ambush (1)
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Seok Yang-ho's hesitant request was to set up some very basic formations around the family grounds.
"If I've made an unreasonable demand, please forgive me."
"Not at all. It's hardly unreasonable, so don't worry about it."
Zhuge Ji let out a small sigh as she left the family head's room.
Haah...
The head of the Seok Family had probably asked for the simplest possible formations out of guilt.
But there wasn't a single simple formation among those that could delay an enemy's intrusion.
If formations were that straightforward, the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families would all be turned into impregnable fortresses.
Even the Zhuge Family, renowned for their formations, had spent a decade and countless taels of silver to install theirs for the family.
'The Seok Family doesn't have silver to spare, so all I can do is the bare minimum.'
Zhuge Ji, who had been preparing to depart the next morning, unpacked her things and returned to her room.
"Miss. We've finished preparing for departure. I'll come see you in the morning."
A servant reported from outside the door.
"We'll stay another ten days or so before heading back. Unpack your things."
"Pardon? Just an hour ago, you said we were leaving tomorrow morning. Delaying the return will anger the family head."
"Something came up. I'll speak to Father myself, so don't worry."
"Understood."
After unpacking and organizing her clothes, Zhuge Ji stepped outside and inspected the walls here and there.
To set up formations, she first needed to survey the terrain and walls.
'Part of this wall needs to be torn down and rebuilt.'
She wanted to install the formations with as little expense as possible.
But most of the Seok Family's walls were straight lines, so some sections would have to be demolished and rebuilt.
"Sister. What are you doing?"
Namgung Hye approached as Zhuge Ji pondered the walls.
"Ah... I'm going to set up some formations."
"What do you mean? Formations? Weren't we leaving tomorrow morning? I was getting ready to go with you."
Zhuge Ji turned her head from her deliberations and replied.
"You go ahead, little sister. I'll return in about ten days."
Namgung Hye couldn't answer right away.
In truth, with her brother Namgung Hu already back at the family, she needed to return as well.
But if she left now, she might not be able to venture into the martial world for years.
Her brother who had returned home might even come back out to find her.
If that happened, she planned to convince him to wander the jianghu with her.
"I'll stay too, Sister."
Zhuge Ji gave a gentle smile.
"You don't want to go home, do you?"
Gwang-u dug diligently at the earth.
I sat by the riverbank, quietly watching him.
"Brother. Forgive me just this once."
"Shut up! What did I tell you? I said hurry back to prepare dinner. You used going to the market as an excuse—where the hell did you go?"
Gwang-u made every aggrieved face imaginable.
"Really... I really only went to the market, Brother. I was buying rice, but there were so many customers ahead that I got delayed."
"That many people at the rice shop? Should I go check right now? You little punk—you were sneaking around the Seok Family to catch a glimpse of that young lady Seok, weren't you?"
Gwang-u flinched and trembled, then clamped his mouth shut and resumed digging.
He dug a deep hole and sat inside it.
I shoveled the excavated dirt back in to cover him.
Gwang-u's body was completely buried, only his head sticking out.
"Stay like that until morning."
"Bru...ther..."
I ignored Gwang-u's pitiful expression and returned home to start on the late dinner.
By the time I'd cooked the rice, grilled the meat, and seasoned the vegetables, it was nearly midnight.
I ate alone.
I considered bringing food to Gwang-u but quickly dismissed the idea.
"Bru...ther! I'm starving!"
Gwang-u's distant cry reached me.
After rinsing my mouth with saltwater and bathing, I lay on the veranda and went to sleep.
Having not slept since beheading myself, I fell asleep immediately.
"You've come."
I thought the Great Heavenly Demon would come at me with fists or sword the moment he saw me.
But he treated me as usual.
"It's been a while."
"Indeed. Six days, to be precise."
"If you pull that stunt again, I'll kill myself without hesitation next time too."
I wanted to seize this chance to regain control from the Great Heavenly Demon.
Kekeke...
But he just laughed mockingly.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Why not stay awake a few more nights?"
Hmph.
"If I can't sleep at night, I'll sleep during the day."
Kahahahaha!
The Great Heavenly Demon burst into laughter at my sneer.
My mood soured.
Something was off—something I didn't know yet.
"Why are you laughing?"
Kekeke.
"Do you think night sleep and day sleep are different? It makes no difference—you can't control your body either way."
I was so shocked I doubted my ears.
'What? What did I just hear?'
The Great Heavenly Demon laughed again at my stunned face.
Kahahaha!
"Do you know why I didn't appear during your daytime nap? Your body was exhausted—I didn't want to suffer the consequences."
Ah... damn it.
I hadn't known.
Not even suspected.
His words meant he could come anytime I slept, day or night.
"You could... do it from the start?"
I desperately hoped for confirmation.
Hearing it became possible later would be unbearable.
"A year ago, didn't you nap and find yourself in a forest of pitch-black trees? Who do you think created those?"
Ugh... Aaaargh!
I clutched my head and wailed.
Kekekeke.
The Great Heavenly Demon just laughed down at me.
My body was being steadily overtaken by the Great Heavenly Demon.
After a long bout of sobbing on the ground, I gritted my teeth and stood.
"Killing you will end this damned dream."
"Perhaps. Try it. See if I take your body first, or you kill me first."
Aaaargh...!
Blinded by rage, I charged at the Great Heavenly Demon recklessly.
Slash.
But one arm was severed instantly.
"How can you kill me with that mindset?"
He was right—my head cleared in an instant.
"Come."
The moment the Great Heavenly Demon raised his sword, mine was already slicing his waist.
But this demon couldn't be killed so easily.
"We'll arrive at Huanin County in about a day if we keep up this lightness skill."
Am-sa listened absently to his subordinate's report while gazing at the sky.
Sunlight filtered through the green leaves.
"We'll rest here for three hours, then depart."
The Jo Family head, sitting in the shade with Am-sa, ordered the servants.
"Rest here for three hours."
At the family head's command, the forty-odd servants found shade and lay down.
They were elite experts handpicked by the family.
No matter that Seok Yang-ho was making a name as the Soul-Seizing Sword these days—these men could cut down him and every servant without fail.
Besides the servants, five more experts were present—Am-sa's direct subordinates.
All young men, they hadn't spoken once except during meals.
Am-sa, resting against a tree, suddenly asked,
"Family head, do you know why I want to capture the Five Great Families' servants alive?"
"I haven't given it much thought."
"I want to hold them hostage and incite war among the Five Great Families."
Jo Sang's eyes twitched in fear.
If prized blood kin were hostages, even the Five Great Families wouldn't sit idly by.
They were poised to fully enter the jianghu.
A century of peace would shatter.
But for their family, it could be an opportunity.
"The Henan Jo Family will remain loyal to you, Lord Am-sa."
Hahaha.
"Of course. Betrayal's price would be horrific."
Gulp.
"It'll never happen."
He had no intention of betraying, threat or not.
"Rest now, Family head."
"Yes."
Jo Sang leaned against the tree and reclined.
But his pounding heart kept sleep at bay.
'Calm down. The fight will be one-sided anyway.'
The Seok Family servants, following Zhuge Ji's instructions, tore down walls and rebuilt them.
They even transplanted trees from elsewhere to the front.
The Zhuge Family servants assisted her, working alongside the Seok ones.
"Raise the left wall by two chi more, and the right by one chi."
Zhuge Ji meticulously directed as she moved about, then looked up to check the sunset and shadows.
The Seok servants followed her orders diligently but had no idea why.
"Should we call it a day?"
Seok Yang-ho approached and bowed, his face ashen with exhaustion.
He knew formations were complex but not this grueling.
He knew nothing of formations and had never witnessed one being set up.
Such work was highly secretive—outsiders weren't allowed near.
"Shall we? That's enough for today."
Whew...
As Zhuge Ji turned away, the servants sighed in relief and collapsed where they stood.
Even warriors found digging, transplanting trees, and wall-building unfamiliar and taxing.
Namgung Hye, who had been quietly observing the formation from the side, entered the room with Zhuge Ji.
She knew little of formations but had learned the basics.
Formations didn't activate just by sticking sticks in the ground.
Skilled terrain use could make it work with a few, but such spots were rare.
"You're truly exceptional among prodigies, Sister."
"Don't say that, little sister. I only know a bit about formations, but your martial arts are profound."
Zhuge Ji disliked excessive praise from others.
Constant flattery led to arrogance, laziness, and laxity.
Namgung Hye was no different.
"Compared to my brother, my skills aren't that great."
Namgung Hye truly admired her brother Namgung Hu.
He was peerless in every field, worthy of the title genius.
His martial prowess was acknowledged even by their father, one of the Five Kings.
"What do you think of Brother Hu as a husband, Sister? There's no finer match in the world."
Zhuge Ji smiled instead of answering.
Who wouldn't like the jianghu's most handsome man?
But her heart had never fluttered that way.