Shadow Pursuit (3)
Thump.
The first time he was thrown into battle came rushing back to him.
The squelching ground soaked in blood and filth. Warriors left untreated, groaning in agony. Curses flying every time someone hesitated, and incompetent superiors who turned their violence on allies.
The superior who had barked at him to just follow orders had vanished in the middle of the war. Whether he'd died or fled, he had no idea.
There was no spare moment to worry about such things.
He'd checked for other superiors, just in case, but there were none. The entire chain of command that had demanded absolute obedience was gone. Dead or fled—who knew? He could only hope for the former.
Yeah, better the former.
Enemies surged from all sides, and they had no clue what to do. Up until now, they'd just been meat shields who never needed to know.
Demons charging with blood-slicked swords. Beneath the setting sun, the whole world seemed dyed in crimson. Everything felt submerged in blood.
Thump thump.
Thump thump thump.
"……Sa……."
Thump thump.
Thump thump thump.
In the chaos of not knowing what to do, frozen amid the sea of blood, someone grabbed his shoulder hard and shouted.
"Senior Brother!!!"
"……!!!"
What was that? Just now…….
He turned to see Eunho gripping his shoulder, face etched with worry.
Right…… he'd been spacing out?
Thump. It felt so real, his heart wouldn't stop pounding.
This situation was clearly different from his past life. He wasn't that "him" from before anymore.
"Senior Brother, are you okay?"
And he wasn't alone here.
Slap.
"……!!!"
He slapped both his cheeks hard. They stung, but his mind cleared.
"It's nothing. Just got sleepy."
"……."
He patted the wide-eyed Eunho's shoulder to reassure him, just as the trackers approached.
"……Representative. Traces of the tracking scent remain……."
A question on whether to keep pursuing or verify.
Even with their strained relations with the instructors, they'd tried to join the main group to prepare for the worst. Instructors from the Alliance's divisions, not the academy's. Even if relations were bad, they'd be useful swords here.
'I never imagined they'd be this awful. My mistake.'
They'd hoped, since he cared for his juniors enough to step down as division head. But how could they be so different?
"We won't go."
"Pardon? The weather's turning bad now. If a shower hits, we won't be able to track the scent anymore……."
"Don't you know what that signal flare at sunset meant?"
The red signal flare that had bloomed with the sunset—now faded. No coincidence.
"So, what're you planning?"
A Jeongdohoe member who'd overheard chimed in.
"If there's tracking scent, we should follow the instructors now!"
Without looking at him, Jin Sowoon murmured low.
"We won't follow the instructors."
"What? Jin Sowoon, are you insane……."
"Get your head straight!"
"……."
When faced with hardship, the easiest path for people was denial. Everyone fresh to the battlefield couldn't resist that sweet escape.
But it was never the right answer.
"Still don't get it? Even after that flare? The instructors aren't coming. Chasing them now is pointless."
Forcing them against foolish choices bred rebellion. This was life-or-death, after all.
"Jin Sowoon, who do you think you are, ordering us around?"
Predictable. He let out a light scoff.
In true wartime, he could force it. But nothing was certain now.
"Not ordering. Go if you want. Won't stop you. But if you stay, follow my orders from here on."
"……!"
"Academy Rule Four: In emergencies without instructors, students follow the representative."
"Th-that……."
"Last chance. Go if you want."
He turned away. The rebel spat curses, then huddled with his friends. They talked with the trackers, gathering people.
Meanwhile, he returned to his team.
"We'll camp here. Set rotating watches. Treat the wounded for basic first aid—get them walking by morning."
"Yes."
"Got it."
"Rest a bit too, Young Master Jin."
Baseless words, but with Namgung Seonhwa taking charge, tasks were divvied up. They moved quickly.
By then, the instructor-chasers were sorted—about twenty, following the trackers.
'Picked the able-bodied.'
Figures. They wouldn't drag wounded into the night.
"This okay?"
He turned. Horse Nose was tending wounded, eyeing the departing group.
"If even they leave…… half here are injured."
Their thinking was obvious: minimize numbers, chase instructors—best plan for the inexperienced.
He eyed Horse Nose.
"Horse Nose, why didn't you go?"
"……You said it back then?"
Horse Nose met his gaze squarely.
"That you'd do your best."
He nodded back.
"Those guys aren't."
Jin Sowoon chuckled. A good one.
"Right. Moving now isn't best. But forcing them to stay isn't either."
"……."
He glanced at distant wounded, asking Horse Nose.
"Can you get them walking by morning?"
"Don't underestimate Cheongsung first aid, Jin Sowoon……."
"Representative."
Hesitating, Horse Nose murmured.
"……Representative Jin."
Won't say the honorific, huh.
"Fine. Do it right, Horse Nose."
"My name is……!"
"I know, Jong Chuoak."
"……!"
Seeing his frozen face, Jin Sowoon smirked.
"Call you by name if he walks tomorrow."
"……."
With a glance, he headed to the new joiners. Much to do, even late.
#
"Why'd the instructors leave you behind?"
"……."
Most crucial question. Instructors knew numbers mattered for spirit hunts—yet ditched students? Not for spirits.
Fetch reinforcements from camp? Ditching academy kids mid-Magyyeong was riskier. Unless plotting to weaken the Alliance with stupidity—no, they'd face Execution Hall probe.
One answer.
"Why'd they go alone?"
"……."
Something else. They dodged eyes, hostile glares vowing silence.
Still clueless?
"Know how many student corpses we've seen?"
"……."
"Some stronger than you. Wanna wait for instructors and end up like them?"
"……."
"Emergency rule: follow rep. Saw those red flares?"
Threats cracked their resolve. Elites or not, first chaos like this.
Plus, able ones left with trackers.
Minds crumbled first. Reaction came.
"Jin Sowoon. You really gonna abandon us?"
"Representative."
"……Representative. You planning to leave us?"
Half-polite, half-not. He snorted.
"Why drag subordinates who won't listen?"
"……."
Faces paled further. He dropped the smile.
"But obey orders, and I'll do my utmost to keep you alive."
"……!"
"That's all I want."
Jeongdohoe huddled, one speaking up.
What big secret?
"Instructor No Jinha, well……."
"Instructor f…… No, what about him?"
Swallowed, then spat it.
"……Kidnapped by a spirit."
Damn, no wonder unspeakable.
#
No night ambush as feared. Not restful, though.
Tense woods. Unknown beasts. Red flares from allies.
No one slept easy.
Snore.
Gurgle.
Munch munch.
……Except Tae-eul disciples and team on one side.
"……That thick-skinned?"
"Grew up rough—no fear."
"Namgung Seonhwa and Moyong Jaehwa slept deep too."
"Saw 'em use sleeping acupoints……."
"Sane?"
Jeongdohoe whispered hollow-eyed as Hong Saryeon approached.
"Sleep okay?"
"No."
"What're you thinking? Letting others sleep with points."
"Waiting for something. Didn't come."
"What?"
Red flares. Rescue signals from departed Jeongdohoe with trackers.
None all night.
Meant joined safely—or…….
"What?"
No need to show Saryeon everything.
"……Nothing."
No guilt halting him. Past life regrets enough.
"Fetch squad leads. Time to move."
"Already? Sun's not up."
Exactly why now. While foes lax.
#
"Really moving with wounded? ……Representative Jin?"
"Representative…… whatever you're thinking, separate scouts better with numbers."
"Yeah. All moving's pointless suffering. Representative Jin."
Tch. Insolent bastards.
Honorifics that hard? Or just rebel outright. Half-assed mix annoying.
"Don't want? Stay."
"……."
No takers with wounded.
"Then shut up and follow."
"……."
Agreed, they prepped.
Many wounded—no proper formation planned anyway.
Arm/leg wounded carried others, secured with cloth. Gave hidden weapons/stones to one-handers for watch.
Strongest uninjured vanguard. Wings by strength.
Sole guide Yang Japyeong behind vanguard—for when he dashed ahead.
"Keep steady pace. Endurance over speed."
"Where to, Representative Jin?"
"Garrison. There."
"Not joining instructors?"
"Their goal's garrison too."
"……."
No more talk. Beasts appeared.
"White-Faced Blood Lord!"
Dawn beasts mostly these. He drew sword aura, lunged.
Spiderweb cannon. No poison, but sticky.
Flashed bright, stepped Tae-eul Eight Myriad Divine Steps. Dazzling afterimages spun its eight eyes; web slammed empty ground.
As it sought him, he split its belly.
Kieeeek!
Confirmed dead, back to line—vanguard gawked.
"Sword aura……."
"When'd he……."
Mouths agape in disbelief.
"Focus. Not time for that."
"……R-right."
"Got it, Representative Jin."
Sun rising, blocking beasts increased.
'Definitely different.'
Unlike prior wary beasts staying territorial, these charged like humans were foes—or prey.
Vanguard soon blood-soaked.
"Damn…… should've taken rear."
Rear no safe. Ambushed weak spots post-passage.
"Filthy beasts……!"
One hour out, all weary. None suggested rest.
They sensed: beasts mounting over time.
Two hours in, first halt.
"These bastards……."
"Why here……."
Vanguard rushed to ground corpses.
"Twenty-one total…… how none escaped?"
Jeongdohoe stared blankly; he checked wounds.
'Not hiding beast work anymore?'
Cuts clearly manmade weapons.
And.
Rrrumble.
Azure Dragon Ring trembled again.
Not certain before, but now yes.
"Damn."
Demonic Cult in these woods.
And they planned to kill them all.