Chapter 378
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 378
Chapter Title: The Mysterious Horse Thief
The downpour finally ceased as evening approached.
Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang had to traverse the treacherous mountain path once more, their hands bound tightly behind them.
Walking a steep slope turned slick by injury and rain was no easy task.
After about half a shichen, their breaths grew ragged, and excruciating pain surged through their bodies. Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang gritted their teeth and endured.
How much farther did they go? Ahead, an even narrower and steeper path came into view.
Sheer cliffs rose on either side, the width barely enough for two men to pass.
Beyond it lay the very cliff from which Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang had leaped to escape the Qingpao men—or rather, pretended to leap.
By a twist of fate, they had circled back down the same path.
It was then.
"Halt."
Baek Woo-kyeong suddenly stopped the others. Baek Yeon’s eyes sharpened in turn.
"Someone's following us."
Baek Yeon scanned the surroundings and nodded at Baek Woo-kyeong's words.
"Yes. I sensed it too."
‘They’re pursuing us after all.’
Do Geom let out a quiet breath. He schooled his expression and addressed Baek Woo-kyeong.
"They must be the ones sent to kill us. From the start, we were fleeing them when you captured us."
"What?"
Baek Yeon’s gaze turned fierce.
"Try any tricks, and one of you dies here. Don’t forget we only need one alive."
Do Geom pressed on undeterred.
"Among the Blood Demon’s followers I mentioned earlier, these are top-tier experts. Aside from you two, no one here could last even a few exchanges against them."
"Shut your mouth!"
"Wait."
Baek Woo-kyeong intervened, calming the outraged Baek Yeon.
"Anyone who can tail us this stealthily must possess exceptional skill. It’s true. If they ambush us in this narrow pass, the others might not cope. So you take the lead and guide the rest. I’ll bring up the rear and stay vigilant."
"Wouldn’t it be better to stop and search for them?"
"We can’t afford to waste time blindly—the weather could turn again at any moment."
"……Understood."
Reluctantly, Baek Yeon took point, and Baek Woo-kyeong moved to the rear, putting distance between himself and Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang.
Qin Kingdom experts still flanked them, but none compared to the Baek brothers. For Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang, the odds of escape had improved.
‘We break out there.’
Do Geom sent a transmission to Dong Ja-ryang, resolve firm.
[When I say jump, don’t hesitate—leap.]
[With this body? I’ll shatter every bone.]
[Life or death rests with heaven. Better to trust our fate than be dragged off for a dog’s death.]
[Got it.]
Do Geom glanced left. A few more steps, and they’d reach the exact spot of their prior "fall."
[Get ready.]
[You sure this’ll work?]
[If captured, it’s torture and death anyway. That what you want?]
[Fine. Damn it…….]
A few steps later?
The path curved slightly, and Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang edged naturally toward the brink.
One warrior spoke.
"The path’s slick—you could fall. Move inward…… Huh!"
Thud! Thud!
Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang shoved a warrior each with their bodies and hurled themselves off the cliff. The two warriors barely clung to the edge with their hands, averting disaster, but Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang plummeted.
Baek Woo-kyeong and Baek Yeon rushed forward, but it was too late.
"Damn……."
"I’ll go down the cliff!"
"Hurry!"
A raging river flowed below. With luck, they might survive—but without it, death was likely.
"Couldn’t the trees on the cliffside cushion the impact?"
Baek Woo-kyeong shook his head at Baek Yeon’s suggestion.
"Too risky."
Escorting an assassin who targeted the emperor was vital, but gambling warriors’ lives was not.
In the end, Baek Woo-kyeong and the Qin warriors took a long detour toward the cliff base.
A desperate man’s judgment clashed with the relatively secure.
* * *
Crack! Crash!
Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang poured all their qi into their feet, bounding from branch to branch.
Snap!
Immense shock jolted upward through their legs, but for survival, they endured.
Moments later.
Splash!
They landed in a swift current.
"Pwah!"
Do Geom, who had sunk to the bottom before surfacing, searched for Dong Ja-ryang. Spotting him drifting ahead, he kicked hard with both legs.
"You alright?!"
"Feels like I’m dying of pain! Damn it! We alive?!"
"Heaven aided us."
"Hahaha!"
"Quiet!"
"……!"
Splash!
They surrendered to the current.
Do Geom gazed at the darkening sky like pitch black and gritted his teeth.
‘I’ll go confirm if it aligns with my lord’s will.’
Splash!
* * *
Thud thud thud!
Yi Hwan, departing the Imperial Palace for Hubei Province, rode ahead as always—thirty zhang in front on Red Hare.
"Slow down a bit!"
Only after Hwa Ryeong shouted did Yi Hwan ease his pace.
Drawing alongside, Hwa Ryeong vented.
"Shouldn’t you rest twice a day? This is too much."
"We rest briefly, then go."
"Yes!"
They took rations and rested.
Yi Hwan quenched his throat with liquor from Go Mi and stared at the towering peak ahead.
Wudang Mountain, stronghold of the Wudang Sect.
Like Mount Hua Sect, Wudang had shunned the secular world, defying court pressures.
Yet when the court requested aid against bandits, unlike Mount Hua’s refusal, Wudang cooperated—showing they didn’t blindly reject the court.
This had greatly pleased Yi Hwan at the time.
‘Soon, I’ll need to arrange a meeting…….’
When capturing Cha Ryong, Yi Hwan had ordered Go Mi to send letters to major sects and clans in Yeon Kingdom.
To revive the Orthodox Alliance, a long-dormant union of righteous martial artists.
But Zhao Kingdom’s sudden invasion of Guizhou in Qin territory had delayed it.
Now, with turmoil settled, Yi Hwan planned to proceed.
Resuming shortly after.
Half a shichen later?
Clash of weapons and screams echoed from afar.
"I’ll check."
Ju Tae dashed like the wind. Kim Mu-gwan followed.
"Pick up speed."
"Yes!"
Thud thud thud!
Soon, Ju Tae and Kim Mu-gwan emerged from the woods.
Yi Hwan reined in Red Hare.
"Two Wudang sword guards were slain by someone."
"Definitely Wudang sword guards?"
"Yes. No doubt."
Eerie. Wudang sword guards killed near Wudang itself.
Then.
"Great Prince, look there."
Go Mi pointed left.
Yi Hwan turned to see a group of Taoists racing like the wind—Wudang sword guards.
Spotting Yi Hwan’s group, they drew swords in unison.
Sching sching sching!
Amid the chilling aura, Yi Hwan stared calmly, unflinching.
Ju Tae stepped forward.
"Hey, this is the Great Prince of the imperial house, Great General of the realm. Sheathe those swords quick."
"……!"
The sword guards paled, then sheathed and bowed.
Yi Hwan fixed on one.
"I saw the slain Wudang disciples in those woods. What’s happening here?"
"Days ago, a mysterious fiend appeared in the market and brutally murdered two of our sect brothers. Our sect pursued, but the fiend’s no ordinary master—pursuers have……."
Yi Hwan read seething rage in the sword guard’s trailing gaze.
"Coincidence?"
"Our disciples witnessed the fiend stealing a horse from the stables and intervened."
"Then the court must have acted."
"Yes, Great Prince."
Yi Hwan turned to Go Mi.
"How many days to Songzi?"
"Two, on schedule."
"We delay one day."
"Then……."
"No mere horse thief could evade Wudang pursuit while slaying their disciples. Needs investigating."
Yi Hwan eyed Ju Tae.
"Begin the track."
"Understood."
Ju Tae asked a sword guard.
"Description?"
"Black robes and bamboo hat—that’s all."
"When was the sighting?"
"Two days ago."
"Ehey……."
Ju Tae grimaced, troubled. Hat off, clothes changed—no way to identify.
"We’ll start."
"Hurry."
"Yes!"
Ju Tae, Kim Mu-gwan, and Park Ji-mun advanced.
Ju Tae actually excelled at tracking, though few knew, having rarely used it.
Yi Hwan followed, asking the sword guards.
"Have your sect elders joined the hunt?"
"Yes! They’re searching from multiple directions!"
"Then summon them here swiftly. The fiend was just there."
"……Understood!"
Moments later, a signal flare burst in the sky.
Boom!
Yi Hwan watched the brilliant flame fade, his gaze subtly hardening.
‘Wudang sword guards always wear Taoist robes. The killer knew that and slew them anyway…….’