Chapter 402
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 402
Chapter Title: Do Geom's Choice
Yu-byeok returned the next evening.
While Do Geom greeted him, Dong Ja-ryang kept watch outside.
"Don't act like that in front of people. It's unpleasant."
"It's a matter of life and death, so understand."
Dong Ja-ryang, having found no suspicious signs, returned to his seat.
Do Geom asked.
"Did you meet him?"
Yu-byeok nodded silently and said.
"The Lord said he knew nothing about it. It seems the Crown Prince decided on his own."
"What did the strategist say?"
"The strategist said he knew nothing about it either."
Yu-byeok calmly refilled Do Geom's cup and brought it to his lips.
At that moment, the waiter came up with two bottles of liquor.
Yu-byeok said.
"It's been a while since we met, so I ordered some before entering the palace."
"Is there anything else you need?"
"I'll call if I do, so go on down."
"Yes. Have a pleasant time."
The waiter went back down.
Yu-byeok opened the bottle.
"By the way, how have you been? It couldn't have been easy coming all the way here."
At that exact moment, Do Geom seized Yu-byeok's throat like lightning.
Crunch!
"Gurk!"
They were so close, and Yu-byeok had never anticipated Do Geom would act this way, leaving him no choice but to surrender his neck.
Dong Ja-ryang shouted in shock.
"Hey! What are you doing!"
"We need to get out of here now. He deceived us."
"……!"
Crunch!
Yu-byeok's neck snapped.
He was no weakling, a follower of the Blood Demon. Yet this was his pathetic end.
Dong Ja-ryang stared at Do Geom in stunned disbelief. Do Geom downed the remaining liquor from the bottle and stood.
"I'll explain on the way. Let's get out fast."
Dong Ja-ryang glanced once at the dead Yu-byeok, eyes bulging, then followed Do Geom. Instead of the main gate, Do Geom and Dong Ja-ryang slipped out through the back window.
Moments later, they escaped the market streets and headed into the northern mountains.
Only after climbing deep into the mountains did Do Geom catch his breath and stop. Dong Ja-ryang shouted coldly.
"Tell me why now. Convince me why you killed that bastard!"
"He lied."
"What lie?"
"When he opened the bottle, there was no sound at all."
"……."
Normally, when first opening a sealed bottle, compressed air escapes with a faint hiss.
But when Yu-byeok opened it, there was no sound whatsoever. Of course, Dong Ja-ryang hadn't noticed.
Do Geom continued.
"Did you see the waiter's hands?"
"Why his hands?"
Do Geom flipped over his own hand and continued.
"His palm edges were as callused as mine. No mere inn waiter could have hands like that."
Dong Ja-ryang's expression slowly changed.
"The fake waiter brought up liquor already opened in advance. What do you think that means?"
"If they're in cahoots, the liquor could be poisoned."
"Exactly."
"That Yu-byeok bastard……."
Tremble……
Dong Ja-ryang's face twitched with spasms.
"Now it's certain. We can never go back to how things were……."
"Damn it! I knew it."
Dong Ja-ryang collapsed backward, his face hollow. Do Geom lay down beside him.
The two stared silently at the starry night sky for a while.
Dong Ja-ryang broke the silence first.
"What do we do now?"
"I don't know."
"Should we defect to the Yeon Kingdom? Revenge is impossible with just us two, so don't we have to do something like that?"
"No matter how important revenge is, I don't want to go that far."
"Are you saying we give up revenge?"
"Would you?"
"I could never give it up. Even if I die and become a ghost with sealed eyes, I have to at least take that Crown Prince bastard's head, if not that man's. Ptui!"
Dong Ja-ryang spat roughly, then continued with a hollow expression.
"But with just us two, it's impossible. Damn it."
"There is one way……."
He sat up abruptly.
"What is it?!"
"As you said, revenge is impossible with just our strength. So we either build our own force or join an existing one."
"That's why I said defect to Yeon Kingdom."
"Do you think Yeon Kingdom would welcome us, who've been that man's—er, the Lord's—hunting dogs? We'd just be used politically and meet a miserable end."
"Then what do you suggest?"
Do Geom's eyes flashed for a moment.
"Dark Heaven Cult."
"……What?"
"They'd greatly aid our revenge, wouldn't they? They're far removed from any nation, and with our skills, they'd never refuse. They've lost many experts in the two uprisings and the battle at Mount Shiwan."
"……."
Thud!
Dong Ja-ryang lay back down.
Do Geom asked.
"Not appealing?"
"You, who always acted so lofty and superior, want to become a fanatic everyone points fingers at? Why would I jump at that?"
"If you don't like it, I'll go alone. Revenge is all I have left in life."
"……."
Do Geom stood.
Dong Ja-ryang grimaced while lying down. Do Geom walked south without looking back.
How far had he gone?
Dong Ja-ryang caught up beside him.
"Don't betray me. If you do, I'll chase you even as a ghost."
"That's my line."
"What do you take me for?"
"That's my line too."
Heh.
The two looked at each other and laughed. But how could it be called a smile of joy?
"Let's go. Something will work out once we're there. Damn it."
* * *
Jo Yun gazed at the stars in the night sky.
Woo Mun-sul approached from behind.
"Yu-byeok has been taken out."
Twitch.
Jo Yun's eyebrow curved.
"Did you lose them?"
"……Yes."
"Did you send pursuers?"
"By the time we discovered Yu-byeok's death, so much time had passed that we judged it pointless."
Silence fell for a moment, sweat trickling down Woo Mun-sul's back.
Jo Yun spoke.
"Dong Ja-ryang maybe, but Do Geom won't let it slide. Strengthen security around the Crown Prince."
"Understood."
"Go now."
Unexpectedly, no rebuke came. Woo Mun-sul bowed and left Jo Yun's residence.
Moments later, he headed to where Yu-byeok's body lay. Several Blood Demon followers gathered around the corpse bowed to Woo Mun-sul.
One asked.
"Why didn't you allow pursuit?"
"You all know chasing them would be meaningless."
"……."
"You three, depart immediately for where His Highness the Crown Prince is."
"You think they'll target His Highness?"
Woo Mun-sul turned without answering.
His mind was deeply conflicted now. He'd sensed unease in Jo Yun's attitude just now.
'Has he lost faith in me?'
That demeanor differed from Jo Yun's usual self. If only he'd raged and scolded as always, Woo Mun-sul's heart would have been lighter.
He couldn't help feeling anxious, having repeatedly failed and failed to prove his worth as strategist.
As Woo Mun-sul's gaze grew infinitely heavy—
Crunch.
Suddenly, a bone-grinding sound echoed from Yu-byeok's collapsed body. Then he opened his eyes.
As astonishing as the bizarre sight was Woo Mun-sul's reaction.
"Are you compos mentis now?"
"What of them?"
"We lost them."
Yu-byeok sprang up. As if nothing had happened, he bowed to Woo Mun-sul.
"I'm sorry. I underestimated them."
"It's not your fault, so don't worry. Can you move right away?"
"My neck's a bit stiff, but I'm fine."
Yu-byeok rolled his neck around. No trace of the break remained.
"The power of the Evil Spirit Demon Soul is truly formidable. I thought I was done for, yet here I am revived."
Evil Spirit Demon Soul (邪靈魔魂).
The ancient demonic art said to prevent death until the head is severed flowed from Yu-byeok's lips.
"Even if you don't die, it's meaningless if you can't kill the enemy. Grind your bones in training harder. Understood?"
"Yes."
With that, Woo Mun-sul headed back to his quarters.
Yu-byeok, staring at his retreating back, twisted his neck once more and smirked.
"You scared me, Do Geom. I thought you knew my weakness. Heh heh heh."
* * *
Time flowed like running water.
In the swiftly passing days, some faced chaos, others found peace—various events unfolded.
Then came a day when the winds grew chill.
Yi Hwan headed once more to Haemun, seat of the Naval Command. He'd received word that construction of the new warships was largely complete.
He eagerly anticipated the results of the immense funds and manpower invested.
"It's snowing!"
Hwa Ryeong exclaimed.
The first snow fluttered down like flower petals. Far earlier than usual.
Everyone pressed on to Haemun through the snow. As always, Yi Hwan's Red Horse galloped far ahead, while the others struggled to keep up.
Thud thud thud!
After days of riding, the command's outskirts came into view.
As Yi Hwan finally slowed, the pursuers caught up beside him.
A thick oil scent rode the wind. To prevent water seepage, oil coated the warships' surfaces—and so many ships there were, the smell reached even here.
To Yi Hwan, it was a most pleasant aroma.
Moments later, entering the command, Naval Commander Wang Jeon greeted him.
"Welcome, Great Prince."
"Take me to the warships first."
"I'll guide you."
They followed Wang Jeon south through the command.
How far had they gone?
Warships gradually appeared. Lined across a bay without even a ripple, they stretched endlessly.
Construction continued in places.
"The number of completed warships so far is one hundred twenty. We should reach two hundred before year's end."
"I'll trust they were done meticulously."
"No need for concern. The completed ones have been thoroughly checked multiple times for issues."
"No defects?"
"None. Thanks to the perfect design."
Everyone turned to Park Ji-mun. He looked embarrassed.
"Any intel from the Qin Kingdom?"
"We were just about to send an express report on confirmed info from this morning."
Wang Jeon continued immediately.
"We confirmed over two hundred warships, presumed to be Dong-yeong's navy, entering the Qin Kingdom's southern Cheollyeong Island. As you predicted, Great Prince, it seems Qin and Dong-yeong have allied."
Before departing for the capital, Yi Hwan had instructed Wang Jeon to vigilantly monitor Qin's seas. This morning brought the shocking news.
Park Ji-mun asked.
"No info on the warships' sizes?"
"All reported as large vessels."
Park Ji-mun turned to Yi Hwan with a grim look.
"Two hundred large warships is tremendous force. And if large ones entered, escort ships surely did too—likely undetected."
Wang Jeon's face hardened.
"I'm sorry. We couldn't confirm that far."
Yi Hwan nodded silently and leaped onto the largest warship. Wang Jeon's flagship.
The flagship's scale was immense. But its gun ports stood empty.
"When will the cannons be mounted?"
"Oil coating to prevent rust is underway; it should finish in days."
Yi Hwan went to the bow and gazed at the distant sea. Beyond the cliffs guarding the bay's entrance lay only the horizon and a flock of birds.
'If Yang Mu deludes himself that the power balance has evened…….'
The entire Qin Kingdom might shift posture. From passive to active—or aggressively beyond—and the future landscape could differ utterly from before.
'This should get interesting.'