Chapter 47
Chapter 47
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Unnecessary Trouble
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Crescent Lake, a crescent-shaped body of water nestled in the heart of the desert.
Only a few skilled guides and the desert bandits who had made it their home knew its exact location. And now, a group of sinister figures had appeared there.
They wore black hats and black cloaks.
Clad entirely in black, they stood not amidst the desolate yellow of the sand, but in a scene of nauseating, blood-soaked cruelty.
Corpses, with not a single part left intact.
Fragments of flesh, hacked so brutally it was impossible to tell if they were arms or legs, littered the area around the lake.
“...They left?”
“Y-Yes, sir. It’s already been ten days.”
On a wooden bench by the lakeshore.
Kneeling before the only man whose face was visible—a man with cold, sharp eyes—was Daesik, the leader of the Crescent Lake bandits, trembling uncontrollably.
His state was so gruesome he could have been called a man of blood, yet the emotion reflected in his eyes was not the pain of his wounds, but fear of the man before him.
There had been no stealth, no silent approach under the cover of night.
They had arrived in broad daylight and, without a single word, slaughtered everyone except Daesik.
They paid no heed to the screams echoing all around. As if competing to see who could kill more cruelly, they simply swung their swords with indifference.
Then, they asked.
- Where is Neung Un-bi?
How was Daesik supposed to know a name like that?
But he had to pretend he did.
If he wanted to save his own skin, it was his only option.
The thief-like man suddenly came to mind.
The one who had taken all his horses, food, and treasure.
He asked if the description matched, and when they nodded, he told them the truth.
That they had left.
Sensing they were not on good terms, he had shouted the news, lacing his words with every curse he could think of.
“Hmm... which way?”
The voice, as cold as the man's expression, sent shivers down his spine.
“South. To the south.”
The man’s head turned to follow Daesik’s gaze.
But all he saw was desert, and his expression hardened.
The trail to Neung Un-bi had gone cold.
The man’s name was Sa Il-hwa. He was one of the five 'Special' assassins from the Black Sands, an assassination group serving the Sinwol family of the Demonic Cult.
Fifteen days had passed since he began his pursuit with ten subordinates, under his master’s order to kill Neung Un-bi.
He thought he had finally closed the distance, but after leaving Sangnak near Yumen Pass, their trail led into the desert.
If it was a thoughtless act, that was one thing, but if it was intentional, it was a brilliant decision.
However, it was also incredibly dangerous. Without knowledge of the paths, even the most skilled martial artist would exhaust their stamina, suffer from endless thirst, and eventually face death.
But they had succeeded. He had never imagined they would use a bandit stronghold as a resting place.
Sa Il-hwa’s eyes glinted coldly as he stared out at the desert.
The time it took to inquire about guides and find Crescent Lake was longer than the entire pursuit up to that point.
To think he had wasted an additional ten days.
He had finally found the place, only to learn they had already left.
To resume the chase, he needed a trail, but in a place where the ceaseless wind changed the terrain daily, it was impossible for any tracks to remain.
Given the circumstances, he had to follow their destination, not their trail.
“Cheonbo.”
“Yes.”
The man called Cheonbo produced a map, as if he had prepared it in advance, and spread it before Sa Il-hwa.
“What are the likely routes?”
“Their purpose is inspection, so their first destination will be Dancheon Gate.”
Correct.
Dancheon Gate, the Demonic Cult’s branch in the Qilian Mountains. Neung Un-bi would have made that his first destination.
His master had ordered him to bring Neung Un-bi’s head before anyone else.
However, since the stage was the Central Plains, he could not commit the murder where people could see.
Thus, he had to choose a deserted place.
There couldn't even be a rumor that someone had died.
“There are two paths they could have taken.”
“...”
“If they intended to go straight to the Qilian Mountains, they would have headed south. If they wanted to escape the desert as quickly as possible, they would have gone toward the Great Snow Mountains.”
“The area around the Great Snow Mountains... is that where the Unorthodox Faction’s power is strong?”
“That is correct.”
“Hmm...”
As Sa Il-hwa seemed to ponder for a moment, Cheonbo stepped back to wait, so as not to disturb him.
The deliberation was not long, and soon Sa Il-hwa spoke.
“Alright. We will split into two groups.”
“...”
“Cheonbo, take four men and search for the Third Young Master’s tracks near the Great Snow Mountains. I will head directly south and sweep the area around Dancheon Gate.”
“Yes.”
“However, as this is a mission in the Central Plains, you must not cause any friction or reveal our identities. Find their trail and report back. Observe only; do not act rashly. We will decide on the location for the assassination after that.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Depart.”
“Yes.”
Sa Il-hwa watched Cheonbo and his subordinates leave, then slowly rose to his feet.
“P-Please, spare me.”
Realizing the man was about to leave, Daesik prostrated himself, pressing his forehead to the ground and begging.
His survival instinct was screaming danger signals at him.
“I can help you. I know the desert well and can guide you. I also have a deep grudge against that bastard Neung Un-bi. So please, allow me. I will capture him and bring him to you.”
Daesik tried his best to present himself as an ally, but Sa Il-hwa’s gaze as he looked down at the back of his head was nothing but cold.
“You said your name was Daesik?”
“Yes! The ‘Dae’ for great and the ‘sik’ for eat. My father gave me the name so I would never go hungry.”
“I see.”
Thinking he was getting through, Daesik slowly raised his head, only to see the reflection of Sa Il-hwa’s face in his eyes—smiling faintly, his sword drawn.
“Neung Un-bi... is a man we must kill, but he is still the Cult Leader’s disciple.”
“Huh? Wh-What does that mean...?”
“It means his name is not so low as to be spoken by a bandit like you.”
“...!”
A cold killing intent filled the blade. And then, the sword swung in a hazy arc.
“W-Wait! It wasn’t him...”
Desperate to live, Daesik wanted to say it wasn't Neung Un-bi but someone else, but he could not finish his words.
Thud. Roll, roll, roll.
His head, its eyes still open, was rolling across the ground.
“...”
Sa Il-hwa glanced impassively at Daesik’s severed head, then turned away without a second thought.
Crescent Lake, existing in the middle of a desolate desert.
The scent of blood would be erased by the wind, and the slaughter would be buried by the sand.
It wouldn't matter even if someone found the bodies.
Wouldn't there be countless people who would rejoice at the death of a band of bandits?
But one question remained.
Who was it? Who had chosen the desert route in anticipation of their pursuit?
It must have been someone with vast experience. The desert was not a place to be trifled with.
Then who?
As a figure flashed through his mind, a cold smile touched Sa Il-hwa’s lips.
“I see. Was it you, Mad Dog?”
Neung Un-bi’s guard captain, Wang Cheon.
It had to be him. No, he was the only person it could be.
The son of the Snow Mountain Manor.
A man who held a status equal to the other four disciples, and possessed more than enough talent, yet abandoned everything to become Neung Un-bi’s guard captain.
So Seol-ok-su had recommended him, and the Cult Leader must have placed him in that position, judging him capable enough to protect Neung Un-bi from his many enemies.
Neung Un-bi’s survival through all the assassination attempts until now was likely due solely to him.
Was there not a precedent of several members of the Black Sands, who had set out to kill Neung Un-bi, dying at his hands?
Even without that incident, Sa Il-hwa knew of Wang Cheon.
Now, living as a guard captain, his name had faded as if forgotten, but among martial artists of a similar age, his fearsome reputation was once spoken of like a legend.
The Mad Tiger, no, the Mad Dog, Wang Cheon.
He must have been the one to choose the desert.
He would have anticipated a pursuit and headed into the desert to evade it.
To erase their tracks.
“If it’s him... it’s certainly possible.”
If not him, then who could it be?
The greenhorn Third Young Master Neung Un-bi, who had just risen from his sickbed?
Not a chance. He might have been able to hide his martial arts, but it would be difficult to accumulate this kind of experience.
“Mad Dog, were you proficient not only in martial arts but also in strategy? I never thought you’d be so well-versed in the geography of the Central Plains. To even know about a bandit den in the middle of a desert like this.”
Sa Il-hwa muttered grimly as he wiped the blood from his sword.
“From now on, the real enemy I must face... is you, Mad Dog.”
* * *
“You idiot!”
Inside the inn.
An untimely shout echoed throughout the restaurant.
“So? You beat them up?”
“No, it’s just...”
“What do you mean, no! Do you have a brain or not? Is that thing on your neck just for decoration? Huh?!”
Neung Un-bi was yelling, furious, and before him stood Wang Cheon, his eyes downcast with a sullen expression.
“I tried to endure it...”
“Endure? What did you endure? Is that what you call enduring? People saw you! The rumors have already spread!”
“...I’m sorry.”
As Neung Un-bi raged, Wang Cheon’s neck shrank into his shoulders like a turtle’s.
Normally, he would have talked back. But knowing his crime, he couldn’t say a word.
“Chief Escort, please calm down. Escort Ok wouldn't have done it on purpose.”
“What are you talking about? What were you doing, not stopping him!”
“Huh?”
“You should have stopped him! I told you over and over!”
“Well...”
Ju Seung, who had gotten himself into trouble by intervening, immediately shrank back and shot a glance at Wang Cheon.
He maintained a minimum of loyalty.
Guard Captain, my apologies.
When you're being swept away by a rapid current, you can't hold hands, can you?
“...It happened in the blink of an eye.”
“...?”
“Escort Ok rushed out before I had a chance to stop him...”
“Hey! You bastard!”
As Wang Cheon glared at Ju Seung for his betrayal, Neung Un-bi shrieked.
“Both of you, shut up!”
“...”
“To think I trusted these guys... Ugh.”
“...We’re sorry.”
That was the only thing Wang Cheon and Ju Seung could say in unison.
The reason for Neung Un-bi’s anger.
As their titles suggested, their first cover identity on their way to Jiuquan was an escort agency.
A small, unknown agency, but one brimming with a sense of justice: the ‘Okcheong Escort Agency’.
Escort Ok was Wang Cheon’s new cover identity.
A name? Why would a mere escort need a name?
He was simply an escort with the surname Ok (玉), made by adding a dot to the character for his real surname, Wang (王).
Ju Seung’s surname used the character for ‘vermilion’ (朱), so his alias was Escort Cheong, using the character for ‘azure’ (靑).
Hence, the ‘Okcheong Escort Agency’.
Ah, what a simple and clear cover identity!
As expected of Sin Ye-rang.
In any case, they had made a small, modest flag to match their new identity and had loaded up a cart hitched to their horses with plenty of luggage.
Neung Un-bi, disguised as Chief Escort Yi Jung-gil, along with Escort Ok and Escort Cheong—it was perfect. It was also convenient for raiding mountain or water bandit strongholds along the way to amass wealth.
Sin Ye-rang had provided perfect notes, down to their attire and the goods they were handling, so no one would suspect a thing.
Furthermore, Neung Un-bi had practically brainwashed them according to the additional instruction that they should be righteous, even if they lacked skill.
But...
That brainwashing was the problem.
The place they were staying was a small village called Hyangeup, a short distance from Jiuquan.
Neung Un-bi had instructed them to get a room at an inn and wait while he went around the main roads gathering various rumors. After all, collecting the latest information was the top priority in an unfamiliar place.
But in that short time, trouble had erupted.
A group of ruffians happened to come to the inn to extort protection money.
Although a major sect called the Heavenly Pillar Gate was based in Jiuquan, it didn't mean there were no ruffians on its outskirts. Such gangs thrived even in the back alleys of the Imperial City.
And the Heavenly Pillar Gate didn't concern itself with a few thugs extorting protection money.
In any case, it was a familiar occurrence for the innkeeper. Paying the protection money was a way to prevent the ruffians from interfering with his business.
But... when he should have just quietly watched the amicable exchange of money, Wang Cheon had to step in and beat them to a pulp before chasing them out.
To show that he was righteous.
I mean, the innkeeper wasn't being harassed, nor did he cry for help, so why the hell did he have to step in and be so damn righteous?
A guy who’s lived his whole life without knowing the meaning of justice...
This must be where the saying 'a novice shaman kills people' comes from. Just as a man who's eaten meat knows how to cook it, a man who's practiced justice knows how to wield it.
“Sigh, do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“Um, a righteous deed?”
“...Judging by the mood, I don’t think that’s it.”
Ju Seung shook his head with a grave expression at Wang Cheon’s carefully considered words.
Was he naive, or just thoughtless?
I have no idea where to even begin teaching this guy how to live wisely in the Central Plains.
It's like he doesn't even know the meaning of the word 'undercover'.
What Wang Cheon had done was nothing more than attract unnecessary attention.
Just as Neung Un-bi, overcome with frustration, pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.
KABOOM!
The inn’s door exploded spectacularly.
“Which son of a bitch beat up my boys!”
The ruffian leader, his eyes menacing, stormed in with a whole gang of his cronies and bellowed.
Look, you damn bastard brimming with a sense of justice.
The guys you beat up went and got their big brothers.
Staying here quietly is out of the question now. And quelling the rumors is even more impossible.