Many Hills Yet to Cross - 3

There is an old saying: man proposes, Heaven disposes. Plans may be laid by men, but it is Heaven who grants their fulfillment.

And if those who created the world of Cheonsang Myeongwol were to be called Heaven, then by Heaven's will, Hongseong Gate had already fallen once.

But back then, no one had laid any plans.

So what of now? Now that people—countless people—had planned and prepared? How, I wondered, would Heaven respond?

"You've been through a lot."

"Not at all, sir. Those bastards—brazenly waving gold right in the Magistrate's face, and didn't they get themselves smashed for it? Ha. Honestly. That's murim folk for you."

I had been going about my usual business when the Magistrate's subordinate came by to report. The Go Hwa Dan had shown up mid-training, and when those bastards addressed the Magistrate with unbearable insolence—even attempting to buy him off—the troops had beaten every last one of them to death on the Magistrate's orders.

He hadn't seemed the sort to say one thing and do another, but he had truly kept his promise to me, and for that I was genuinely grateful.

"I'll have to thank the Magistrate separately for this. Those troops are meant to fight the Demonic Cult, after all..."

"Well, the unit is currently under the Magistrate's command, so he'll likely take some flak later. But an official did an official's duty—who's going to fault him for that?"

Naturally, someone would.

So I would have to speak to Cheon Il-hwa about it later and ask him to go easy. They were elite troops belonging to the military, after all.

"Understood. Truly, well done."

"Ahem. Well, we only did what had to be done, didn't we? Those bastards could have used a raid on Hongseong Gate as cover and struck Seomhwachon instead. Not a single death, either. A few injuries, but nothing serious."

"I see. I should have a pig slaughtered for everyone's trouble. And I'll provide the medicine for the wounded from my side."

"Ah, truly, Innkeeper, you're practically a bodhisattva... In any case, thank you. I'll take my leave now."

The officer gave a crisp bow and departed with a satisfied smile, and as I watched him go, my thoughts turned to the discussions of the Sayun Faction—threads I had pored over in every spare moment, imagined into this world, and even double-checked before ever entering it.

I hadn't remembered every opinion perfectly, down to the last letter.

But I remembered the gist, and this had certainly been the spirit of it: even if we let the Iron Blood Dan come as they pleased, the interference of other enemies could be blocked any number of ways.

That was why we had brought in the government.

According to our research, those two sell-sword bands were no match, in a straight fight, for the troops the Magistrate now led. Granted, come parts two or three, once they formally converted to the Iron Blood Dan's demonic arts, no rank-and-file soldier trained in the martial arts the military and government taught could have stood against them.

But heavy armor, long spears, and thick shields—new-issue equipment at that—plus elite training honed against the Demonic Cult itself: with all that, our analysis concluded, the regulars could simply crush them. And that judgment had proven exactly right.

In the end, the Go Hwa Dan had failed to kill so much as one government soldier and been annihilated in their place.

"Innkeeper! We're here! Haha! Do you know what went on earlier?"

Two men came through the door, beaming from ear to ear: Thousand-Li Solitary Walk Gi Cha-jo, and the Flashing Spear of Seomhwa, Wi Yeol.

Unlike the taciturn Wi Yeol, Gi Cha-jo launched into the story in high spirits.

The gist was this: while out on patrol, they had run into the Ju Gyeong Dan and beaten every last one of them to death.

Truly music to my ears.

Wi Yeol, for his part, scowled fiercely, as though he'd rather not have told it at all.

"...So that's just what I told them. 'Allow me one word of counsel: in the murim, beware of women, of children—and of old men.' That's what I said, I did."

"You've done hard work. Thank you."

"Haha. Think nothing of it. Those ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bastards didn't know the first thing about respecting their elders, and they had the look of born bandits about them. If they'd slipped into Seomhwachon by that road, they'd have been a real headache, no?"

"Still, you've exerted yourselves, and that calls for something good on the table. I must treat you both properly."

"Hehe. That wasn't what I was hoping for, mind you... mmh, mmh. Then may I look forward to it?"

"Of course."

Gi Cha-jo strolled out whistling, and Wi Yeol gave a small bow and followed. Once they were gone, I recalled the opinion of another Sayun Faction member.

That was why I had forged ties with the Cheonghoe Merchant Guild—and as a result, I had been able to call on not just one of them, but both.

Certainly, if it was them, they would turn back any outside force coming at us from another direction.

And in fact, they had.

In line with that widely-agreed opinion, we had given them Fasting Pills and laid out the method in the letter we sent.

And our research, hypotheses, and scenarios had gone far beyond this.

Rewriting Hongseong Gate's funding structure, which seemed designed to run them into the ground. Replenishing the medicines they lacked. Letting the weaker disciples train harder than ever before.

And beyond that. And beyond that still.

Everyone had agonized. Everyone had schemed. Everyone had fought.

And now, the time had come to see the results.

I rose from my seat.

As I stepped outside to the sound of Gi Cha-jo's singing drifting up from below the inn—

"Innkeeper. Did you hear the news?"

"Which news would that be?"

Chae Jin's voice, back from patrol, caught me. She had hurried in, and standing before me now, her tone was taut with tension.

"Hongseong Gate was attacked!"

"Was anyone hurt? Is anyone dead?"

Cold sweat traced down my spine.

What if we'd gotten something wrong? What if I had made a mistake? What if we'd missed something about Hongseong Gate?

Tension dragged my voice low. Chae Jin stared at me as though worried for me, then shook her head.

"...Would there be? The Sword Saint is there, of all people. Not a single person was injured, they say. I went to see for myself ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just in case, and everyone looked perfectly fine... And I saw Hong Ryeon for the first time in ages—she seems to have gotten even stronger."

Grousing as she was, Chae Jin—utterly incapable of managing her own expressions—was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠plainly relieved. Whatever front she put up, she too must have been frightened when word came that Hongseong Gate had been attacked.

"Anyway, don't set foot outside—stay right here. I hear there were madmen who even attacked government soldiers... There could be a follow-up strike. I'm going to wash up real quick, so tonight we're training together. Deal? Deal?"

I hadn't said a word of yes, but she was already beaming, and she swept inside.

I went to the backyard and sat down.

And with my eyes closed, I savored a joy that was mine alone.

Ah. My efforts. Our efforts. They had been rewarded.

So there was only one thing left for me to say.

"Well, thank goodness for that."

I wanted to make a quick trip to Hongseong Gate, but not only Chae Jin—even Gi Cha-jo fixed me with blazing eyes and barred my way.

I considered asking him to come along, but Hongseong Gate would be in an uproar regardless, and if the matter was truly settled, they would come down to us. Waiting quietly seemed the wiser course, so I resolved to keep working instead.

And so, dragged off to train by Chae Jin, then shut up in my room working all day, I finally slipped out as dusk quietly settled.

Outside, several officers stood before the inn, grinning ear to ear.

"Oh! Good evening, Innkeeper Yu. We've come to buy some alcohol."

"Alcohol I could simply give you."

"Aw, how could we let you? You already sent over a pig—and a whole ox on top of it."

I remembered the errand I'd sent the servants on earlier. Word was an old ox had come up at the market, and since I was buying anyway, I figured I'd do it properly and sent for that too.

"Being an old ox, I do worry whether it'll be fit to eat."

"At that age it's practically a medicinal tonic, sir. A tonic. Ah—if you have no other plans, will you join us, Innkeeper? Everyone would be thrilled."

I shook my head at their smiling invitation. I could have gone, of course, but there was the evening trade to mind, and the person I was waiting for hadn't arrived yet. Though, granted, they might not come today at all.

A short while later, I watched the wine barrels come out of the storeroom and go up onto the cart the officers had brought, and I turned away.

Seeing everyone so happy did warm my heart, but—

"Oh! Innkeeper!"

That was when it happened. A clear voice rang at my ear.

I turned to find Sa Yun—a face quite familiar to me by now—and beside her, Hong Ryeon.

"Hello! Have you been keeping well?"

She had been in direct training under the Sword Saint, so it had been quite some time since I'd last seen Sa Yun.

I made no effort to hide my gladness and smiled back at her.

"I heard the news. Hongseong Gate was attacked, I'm told?"

"Ahaha... so you did hear? Yes. But we held them off just fine."

"That's a true relief."

"It's all thanks to my master and the senior sisters! And to you, Innkeeper, and... heeheehee..."

No shadow of pain showed on Sa Yun's beaming face.

To her—once an orphan—Hongseong Gate had been a new family.

Perhaps it would have been different had she never held it at all. But from a girl who had grasped the very hem of happiness, Heaven had callously torn it away.

The eyes that had learned the pain of loss and could only wither for it—those eyes could not be found in the Sa Yun standing before me now.

"Good. Truly a relief. So, what are you here to buy?"

"Ah, well, you see—the attackers left the sect broken in all sorts of places, so... here it is."

Sa Yun fished a slip of paper from her pouch. Written on it were materials for repairs.

"Wait just a moment, then."

We had this much in stock. I called the servants over and had them fetch the materials, then said to her:

"If it weren't for the Fasting Pill trial, I'd put a proper batch of Dang-gwa in your hands..."

"That's quite alright! Besides, this helps you too, Innkeeper, doesn't it?"

"True enough."

"Then I'd better work hard, shouldn't I."

Her bright energy made me shrug. A short while later, as the servants began hauling the load, I spoke to Hong Ryeon, who had yet to say a word.

"If there's that much to repair all over the sect, there must have been real damage. No one was hurt?"

"...Huh? No, no one was..."

"Then why so listless? Your face is all red—you look like you might have a fever."

I took a step toward her, and Hong Ryeon flinched, shoulders jerking. Hm... don't tell me she'd been poisoned? Or had she crossed blades with the Iron Blood Water Emperor?

When I gazed at her with concern, Hong Ryeon let out one long, deep breath before she could speak in her usual tone.

"I'm really fine. And... um. Thank you."

"Hm? For what?"

"Just... everything. The Fasting Pills, the medicine... other things too... If it weren't for you, I don't know how hard things might have gotten."

With an embarrassed smile, Hong Ryeon spoke while slyly avoiding my gaze.

"Did it, now? Then I'm glad it helped."

"...Yeah. Honestly, I don't know how I'm supposed to repay this... Hehe. Just you wait. I will pay you back, without fail."

"I didn't do any of it thinking about repayment."

"Still. Ah—um, and could I take a look at the Dang-gwa?"

"Of course. Come this way."

I'd have liked to bring Sa Yun along, but she stayed behind, insisting on checking the materials being loaded onto the cart herself.

Inside the trading house, Hong Ryeon browsed the premium Dang-gwa I'd carried with me on my last visit to Hongseong Gate, then asked:

"This is expensive, isn't it?"

"It's premium, after all. Why do you ask?"

"My master's been feeling down lately... I wanted to comfort her."

"Then once the Fasting Pill trial ends, I'll have a finer batch made and send it to her."

"Huh?"

"Sweets for a heavy heart, no? Think of it as a gift."

"No—I'm always taking and never giving, it makes me feel guilty... And I was planning to buy it anyway? I can pay that much!"

"It's a gift, so don't let it weigh on you. If the ones who attacked Hongseong Gate had succeeded, do you imagine they would have stopped at Hongseong Gate alone?"

"Ugh..."

"I've given gifts to others besides Hongseong Gate. So please, don't refuse my sincerity."

Yes. I truly did want to express my gratitude to the Sword Saint.

If not for her, Hongseong Gate would have been annihilated—or shattered beyond any hope of recovery.

So this was nothing more than the same reward I had paid out to the government troops, to Gi Cha-jo and Wi Yeol. There was no debt in it, nothing of the kind.

"...I really can't win with you."

Flicking her tongue out playfully, Hong Ryeon shot me a shy, fond smile, eyes crinkling. Just then Sa Yun waved from outside—apparently the cart was fully loaded.

"Off you go, then. And the Fasting Pill trial ends soon, doesn't it? When it's over, come down together, all of you. I'll put on a proper feast."

"Hahaha. Got it. Thank you. We'll be off, then."

She strode out with a lively grin. I followed to see them off and watched her hoist the cart as lightly as a basket and start walking. Beside her, Sa Yun stole a glance back at me, and Hong Ryeon, too, sneaked a look my way.

The moment our eyes met, Hong Ryeon jolted as if scorched, froze stiff, then managed an awkward smile.

And Sa Yun was no different—except that, unlike Hong Ryeon, she simply wore a bright, unclouded smile.

On their faces, there was no unhappiness.

Ah. I—we—had wanted to see exactly this.

I stood watching until they were too far away to make out, then headed for the backyard.

Sinking into a chair, I set my pipe between my teeth and drew in the head-clearing smoke, letting the feeling wash over me.

Ahh... sweet. This feeling. Unbearably, boundlessly sweet...

Could I be satisfied now, and pass on in peace... No. Not yet. We were still far from the end.

Blocking the destruction of Hongseong Gate had been, at most, the first gate.

The Iron Blood Dan's purpose was to send the spiritual energy of Mount Hongseong berserk and plunge the world into chaos.

They would never give up—and beyond them, any number of other problems still waited.

But...

"...Neither have we."

Because what I wanted—what we wanted—was never merely to block the prologue's attack.

Drinking in the hazy pipe smoke, I called the Sayun Faction's discussions back to mind. Every one of us had known it wouldn't be a case of 'stop the sect's fall, and happiness begins!'

That was why, even after building the optimal scenario for stopping the prologue, we had kept researching and written countless further scenarios.

And now, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of all those many scenarios, the one with the highest likelihood rose to mind.

"...First, we keep Seomhwachon from burning."

First, there was Seomhwachon being attacked and wiped from the map, exactly as it had been in the first chapter of Sayun's main story.

We had to stop the event that now stood the greatest chance of occurring, then raise Seomhwachon into a stronghold strong enough to support Hongseong Gate—and Sa Yun.

And for that, what was needed was...

"...I may have to make a trip to Cheongho."

A city about a week's carriage ride from here. A place with a great lake, fertile land, and mines.

I was murmuring this, picturing the place, when I heard someone stir behind me.

"Hm? Cheongho, you say?"

The voice came right then. I turned my head to find Chae Jin grinning from ear to ear.

"You do remember Moon Lotus Pavilion is at Cheongho, don't you?"

She winked one eye at me. I shrugged.

Of course I knew.

'I doubt you'll say yes, but I may as well ask. Care to come along?'

"Yes."

Her answer came so briskly I lost my words.

"Er... why?"

Weren't you the one saying you wouldn't go until you'd had your bout with Hong Ryeon?

"I'd only lose if I fought Hong Ryeon right now anyway. I've got things to pack in preparation for that. And..."

With her trademark grin—all confidence and arrogance—she clamped a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm your bodyguard, after all—and your master, if you'll recall. Of course I'm coming with you. Why are you asking something so obvious?"

Well, how very reassuring.