Time of the Hunt (5)
"Confirmed. It's a boat they rented wholesale from the Changgung Merchant Group."
The man in his mid-thirties reported, and the young man who looked just past twenty nodded.
"Then deploy warriors around this area. You said it's a day's journey, so they should be arriving soon."
The man nodded at the youth's words and began positioning his warriors at one of the docks along the Jin River.
"Hoo..."
"Feeling frustrated, Gi-pung hyung?"
Yi Gi-pung nodded at Jang Un-je, who had come out on patrol with him.
"Of course, with our eyes and ears completely blocked."
"That's what I'm saying. Why does our home sect have to struggle like this, of all times?"
Yi Gi-pung wasn't as naive as Jang Un-je. Did it make sense for sponsorships to suddenly dry up at their home sect, with troubles hitting businesses they ran across the country? And from the mighty Jeomcheong Sect, no less?
"From what I heard from Huashan, it seems we're not the only ones. Even they aren't getting the support their seniors used to."
"Hmph! They must've picked the wrong side too."
Huashan and Jeomcheong. Who in the world would dare touch the throats of those two powers? This was just the price of losing in their sect's power struggles.
It was bad enough having to take the exam with lay disciples from secular sects instead of their home sect seniors, but not even getting proper funding made it feel like the sect had abandoned them. On top of that, the Murim Alliance—tied to the Nine Great Sects—was treating them so harshly over money.
"Damn beggar bastards."
The messenger pigeons from the Beggars' Sect, which they'd relied on for so long, had stopped coming ages ago. Because of that, they couldn't properly handle the first and second gates.
At this rate, they might not even get into the Murim Academy.
"......"
The thought of failing to enter the Murim Academy made his head spin for a moment. If that happened, the gap with his home sect's fellow disciples would grow enormous.
"At least Myeonghyeon Dojang-nim is helping us out. How fortunate is that?"
"You're right!"
Thank heavens Myeonghyeon Dojang-nim from the Murim Alliance was personally sending them information, allowing them to barely scrape through the crisis.
"He's always favored you, hyung. He must be so worried."
Yi Gi-pung nodded at Jang Un-je's words. It was a vague memory from so long ago he could barely recall, but before Myeonghyeon Dojang-nim was elevated to Murim Alliance elder, he'd received a few words from him.
"But, hyung..."
Yi Gi-pung tilted his head at Jang Un-je's hesitant words.
"This might sound off, but... can we really trust Myeonghyeon Dojang-nim's info?"
"......"
Yi Gi-pung hesitated briefly before shaking his head.
"Would Myeonghyeon Dojang-nim spread nonsense?"
"True, but isn't it a bit much to take it at face value?"
"......"
According to Myeonghyeon Dojang-nim, a Tae-eul Gate disciple was taking the exam with just three juniors. He'd secured nine gate badges in the first gate and six in the second. So, team up with Huashan and Wudang to take them down.
The report was hard to believe, but since it came from Myeonghyeon Dojang-nim, he couldn't dismiss it. Songbaek from Huayang Pyoguk—even the richest among lay disciples—had filled in the gaps, so they had no choice but to trust and follow.
Of course, he ignored the part about teaming up with Huashan and Wudang. If they joined forces with those sects just to catch a Tae-eul Gate disciple, what would the Jianghu think of Jeomcheong? Sharing spoils from capturing Tae-eul Gate disciples was worth considering too.
Right now, Yi Gi-pung was moving with two juniors. If Huashan and Wudang joined, his juniors might get shut out of the spoils.
"Is the boat ready?"
"Yes, but... do we really need to go that far?"
According to Songbaek, those they were tracking had endured constant ambushes without sleep or food for the past ten days. They must be completely drained by now. This was more than enough preparation against Tae-eul Gate.
"Didn't you hear Songbaek? Namgung family and Iron Sword Sect warriors are moving together. In the worst case, they might only take the exam-takers on the boat."
"Then after the third gate... no, they'd fail before even reaching it."
"That's why we prepare thoroughly. We can't give away rice we've cooked to the dogs."
He'd cleanly ignored the message from Huashan en route to Henan Province asking why they were heading to Jiangsu Province. If they waited in Henan, the moment they sent them off on the boat, they'd end up in Huashan and Wudang's mouths.
"Can't let that happen."
Around Jin River weren't just Jeomcheong Sect members—exam-takers dotted the area. But none seemed a match for Jeomcheong.
"They should be here any moment now..."
Jang Un-je looked up at the sun and murmured. At that exact moment, a sharp shiiik... boom echoed.
"......What?"
It was definitely a signal firework.
"A signal for what?"
Yi Gi-pung scanned around, but no one reacted specially to the firework.
"Hyung! The boat! The boat's leaving!"
"What!"
The Changgung Merchant Group's boat raised anchor, unfurled sails, and rowers began paddling.
"We had it completely blocked off..."
Then, beside the moving boat, two drenched women climbed aboard gripping a rope. The people on deck bowed deeply—they weren't ordinary.
"Damn...! They ditched the warriors and took off!"
"What!"
"No time! Split the warriors in two! Chase their boat and get ours moving too!"
"Yes!"
A stupid choice. Ditching the warriors. They might escape now, but how would they survive the long journey after the third gate?
"If they even make it out of here."
But the Changgung boat started something odd. Led by the two women, crew tossed planks and barrels into the river.
"Lightening the load?"
Yi Gi-pung's thought didn't go further.
Thud thud thud thud thud...
A group of cavalry charged madly, kicking up white dust.
"H-Hyung!"
Jang Un-je, preparing to board, called out in shock.
"What the..."
"N-Namgung family!"
"What? Didn't they ditch the warriors!"
When the Demonic Cult began its conquest of the Jianghu, one group gave them the biggest headache.
The Iron Horse Black Wind Corps. They fought in a style unfamiliar to Jianghu folk and even the imperial army. If anything similar, it was the mounted combat of distant northern tribes.
From the Murim Alliance's perspective, they were tricky because no one knew how to counter them.
Swords and sabers used by most martial artists didn't pierce armored horses, while the demonic riders' long spears on horseback plunged deep into warriors' chests.
Above all, the horses' monstrous breakthrough power. That immense weight humans couldn't match, in an unforeseen horse-charge strategy, overwhelmed flustered warriors.
"A strategy ten years too early for them."
The warriors following me galloped along, but all wore puzzled expressions.
"Young master! Are we just keeping this pace?"
"Keep going! Don't stop—think of it as galloping right across the river!"
"......"
Sometimes, showing sweet results matters more than rational process.
"Then we can reach the Murim Academy with the young ladies."
""""Yes!"""
Namgung family and Iron Sword Sect warriors roared in unison.
"H-Hyung, they're not slowing down!"
"What?"
Planning to cross the river on horseback?
Shing shing shing...
Led by a black-clad youth his age at the front, over a hundred mounted warriors drew swords in unison.
"Full charge!"
""""Waaaaah!"""
The lay sect warriors, their formation already broken, scattered in panic at the cavalry's momentum, unable to clump or spread.
"N-No, don't scatter! B-Block them!"
Yi Gi-pung instinctively yelled to block the cavalry, but no one listened.
In the end, he kicked off the ground.
One move. Just one to shatter their formation.
The Four Shadows Sword Technique that once earned Myeonghyeon Dojang-nim's praise scattered forth, targeting the vital points of the black-clad swordsman with a black sword at the front.
"Not even reaching Jongbyeok-gi's level."
"What?"
His unimaginable mention of a great senior's name shook Yi Gi-pung's sword form.
The black-clad warrior's sword slipped precisely into the gap.
Thud!
"Kuhk!"
"Hyung!"
Yi Gi-pung's body flew back faster than it had lunged.
Shing shing shing...
The cavalry brushed aside nearby warriors with single strokes and charged straight for the river.
What were they planning?
The question resolved instantly.
Led by the black-clad youth, the riders leaped from their horses.
Splash—splash—splash—
They stepped on the planks and barrels scattered from the boat, boarding it.
All those targeting Namgung family, Iron Sword Sect, and Tae-eul Gate along the Jin River just stared dumbfounded.
I thought it was an absurd plan.
"Abandon the horses?"
"Yes."
"Wouldn't circling back through Hongtaek Lake be better?"
Namgung Seonhwa recalled her initial detour idea upon hearing many, including Jeomcheong, awaited them at Jin River.
But Jin Sowoon shook his head.
"We'd miss the third gate deadline."
"......But even so, what's the point of ditching the horses?"
"That's why we'll use a lure tactic."
Namgung Seonhwa and Seong Moran arrive first at Jin River, head to the boat via water. As they arrive, the boat departs, disrupting Jeomcheong's camp.
The main group boards the departing boat.
It sounded plausible at first, but theory and execution were worlds apart.
But.
"It's working."
Watching the plausible plan unfold made known common sense fly out the window.
"......Yeah."
Seong Moran blankly watched Jin Sowoon leap onto the river planks like flying.
Landing on the boat, Jin Sowoon grabbed prepared planks and tossed them.
They landed perfectly under warriors nearly falling into the water without planks.
"Can't believe it even seeing it."
Namgung family and Iron Sword Sect warriors were elites among elites. In attainment, past first-rate, at peak's threshold.
With Jin Sowoon's simple aid, most boarded safely.
"Young master Jin! The juniors!"
The problem: Tae-eul Gate's gold-silver-bronze brothers.
For some reason, Jin Sowoon positioned them last.
Geum Pyo and Eunho exerted lightness skills on planks, but splashed ankle-deep each time. Dongryong was already swimming, soaked.
"I'll go!"
Namgung Seonhwa moved.
"No need."
With his words, Jin Sowoon tossed rope to Geum Pyo and Eunho, extending his left hand to Dongryong.
Silver bird-claw-like things shot from his hand, snatching Dongryong.
"Hup!"
He pulled simultaneously.
Geum Pyo, Eunho, and Dongryong boarded, drenched.
"That's why I told you to practice lightness skills in advance."
"Hyung! Even you wouldn't demand funeral rites from 15 years of cultivation, right? That's robbery!"
"Tch."
They grimaced, but smiles played on the gold-silver-bronze brothers' lips.
Not just them. Namgung family and Iron Sword Sect warriors grinned foolishly, unable to believe boarding injury-free.
Shooook—shooook—shooook—
Then arrows rained toward the Changgung boat.
"They're launching boats too."
Those who'd kept Songbaek and others sleepless, led by Jeomcheong, launched from docks en masse. Some rowed small ferries.
Boats docked along the docks poured into the river competitively.
"At this rate, they'll catch us."
Maybe circling back was right, she thought.
"......Huh?"
The surrounding air vibrated tensely.
Boom boom boom.
Jin Sowoon's black uniform ballooned as if bursting.
A tremendous aura he'd never felt radiated from him.
"J-Jin... young master."
Rumble rumble rumble...
Like the sky collapsing.
A destructive force to topple Mt. Tai and blanket the earth writhed in his hand.
As the overwhelming aura choked him,
A massive wave of palm wind surged from Jin Sowoon's hand.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa boom.
Small ferries shot forward using the storm's propulsion, their light bodies flying.
Large boats not yet out of the docks shattered on direct hit.
Kwa kwa kwa kwa boom.
Amid clustered boats like ants at the docks, a dragon surged—boats and people tangled, flying everywhere.
Boom boom boom thud.
Only wreckage remained where the storm passed.
"Young master Jin..."
"They won't catch us now, right?"
"True, but... why not use that power sooner..."
All their past hardships felt pointless.
"That's the flaw. Collapse after use."
"Pardon?"
"Me a bit..."
With that, Jin Sowoon slumped like someone pricked by an IV.
Namgung Seonhwa instinctively caught him in her arms.
"S-Someone help..."
First time holding a man, she didn't know what to do.