Lightning Flash
Outer city of the Moyong Family, the defense tower.
A rebel scribe was frantically composing a cipher message.
Faster…! Faster…!
The hand gripping the fine brush trembled violently. In his haste he had loaded the brush with too much ink; a black droplet splattered onto the paper.
“Damn it…!”
There was no time to change sheets or rewrite.
“Push them back!”
“Wipe them all out!”
With the appearance of that monster called Tal-myeong-gwi-geom and the black-clad warriors, the tide of battle had turned in an instant. The inner city had been seized in the blink of an eye. Cornered as they were, the rebels held only a scrap of the outer city now.
“I—I surrender!”
“We surrender!”
Bang!
Surrender meant nothing. Moyong Un-jeong had gone utterly mad. She refused even to accept the surrender of those who had once been her own retainers, slaughtering them all without exception—butchering them like livestock.
“Over here!”
The screams and clamor drew closer. They were coming.
Faster…! Faster…!
An elbow knocked the cipher book to the floor, but he did not even think of retrieving it. Encryption itself would have to be abandoned. Time was desperately short.
I have to get word of the situation here to the outside…!
Whether to a branch of the Moyong Family, to the Terror King, or to anyone at all—it no longer mattered. Contrary to the rebel leadership’s confident judgment that they could easily hold out for days, they had been defeated far too quickly. That fact had to be known.
I have no idea how useful this information will prove…
At the very least, it was certain that no rescue for them would arrive in time. Even so—
I will not allow the family to fall back into the hands of Moyong Un-jeong, who has ruined the Moyong Family like this!
His resolve was iron. Some might call it blindness; others, brainwashing. He himself firmly believed it was justice.
Done…!
Screams and the crack of firearms from every direction made the carrier pigeon thrash anxiously inside its cage, yet somehow he managed to seize the bird and tie the slip of paper detailing the main house’s situation securely to its leg.
Flutter!
At last the pigeon slipped through a narrow arrow slit and spread its wings into the sky.
“Long live the revolution!”
In that moment he cried out without thinking.
“May the Moyong Family endure forever!”
Then—
“Ha…!”
A dry, incredulous laugh rose from behind him. A chill raced down his spine and through his entire body; the hot tears of revolutionary fervor that had been streaming from his eyes seemed to freeze solid in an instant.
“Revolution, my ass.”
The rebel scribe could not tell which had come first: the cold sneer from behind, or the carrier pigeon being torn to shreds mid-flight as it soared toward the heavens. With not even a scrap of inner power, he had no way of knowing.
“Ah…”
And so he never even realized that the sword which had shredded the pigeon wheeled through the empty air and severed his own neck.
Thud. Roll…
The headless body collapsed like a sack of grain; the head itself rolled to the feet of Tal-myeong-gwi-geom as he recalled his sword.
“……”
Alive, the man had shouted inflammatory slogans with the air of one ready to die. In death, the only expression left on his face was pure terror, and the tears that continued to fall held nothing but fear.
He could not have been older than twenty. The face still marked with clear acne scars looked painfully young.
“……”
For a moment Tal-myeong-gwi-geom stared silently into those wide, unblinking eyes. Then he turned and walked away without closing them.
If, even in death, the man could still watch… if even after dying he might grasp something, Tal-myeong-gwi-geom thought. His footsteps were no heavier than usual.
Waaaaaah!
The moment Tal-myeong-gwi-geom appeared atop the battlements, cheers poured toward him.
“Tal-myeong-gwi-geom!”
“Tal-myeong-gwi-geom!”
Hearing the warriors raise their weapons high in triumph and chant his name, he immediately straightened his neck and swelled his shoulders with pride. His formerly heavy steps turned arrogant in a heartbeat.
“Magnificent!”
“To face two unit commanders at once and crush them both!”
Respect and praise rained down on him as he strode along the wall.
“Haha! It was nothing much.”
Modesty, but only in moderation.
“The blades of the Moyong Family were indeed sharp. Their reputation was well deserved.”
Meaning, of course, that he—who had faced two such masters—was the greater master still.
“Tal-myeong-gwi-geom!”
“Tal-myeong-gwi-geom!”
He clapped the shoulders of cheering warriors just so, slapped the backs of bright-eyed soldiers, and savored every second.
Heh heh… so even in these distant northern lands my name now resounds.
What was more—
“……”
Even the penitents of Hyeongsan Bukryu, with whom he had rarely spoken and always felt awkward, were now dipping their heads slightly toward him.
“Mm-heh-heh.”
By the time he reached the temporary field headquarters tent, Tal-myeong-gwi-geom was in such high spirits he looked ready to break into a little dance.
“It is Elder Tal-myeong-gwi-geom!”
“Please, come right in!”
The Moyong Family warriors guarding the entrance hurriedly flung the tent flaps open.
“My lord! Did you see?!”
The instant he stepped inside, Tal-myeong-gwi-geom thrust out his chest toward the Eldest Young Master and bellowed for all to hear.
“I ask if you witnessed this Tal-myeong-gwi-geom’s exploits!”
Even his speech had grown a touch haughty.
“While this body was performing such feats, what exactly was my lord doing?”
The Eldest Young Master raised a hand, pausing the council, and looked at him. Tal-myeong-gwi-geom shrugged.
“Well, my lord no doubt had his own duties. I understand that, of cou—”
“Well done.”
…Huh?
Tal-myeong-gwi-geom’s face went blank.
“…What?”
Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon spoke again in the same calm tone.
“I said well done.”
“……!”
Had the Eldest Young Master eaten something strange? A sudden queasiness settled in Tal-myeong-gwi-geom’s gut, and a faint chill ran over his skin.
“…Uh, heh-heh.”
Better to take good news as good news. Simple as he was, Tal-myeong-gwi-geom decided to accept it gratefully.
“Is that so? Even in my lord’s eyes, this body’s skill was excellent?”
At last. At last the stingy lord was acknowledging him. So this day had come. Unbidden tears of emotion welled in Tal-myeong-gwi-geom’s eyes.
“No.”
“…Hm?”
The Eldest Young Master shook his head firmly.
“I said well done. I did not say excellent.”
Tal-myeong-gwi-geom’s face crumpled.
“Well done but not excellent?!”
He cried out with an expression of pure injustice.
“What kind of wordplay is that supposed to be—?!”
At that moment the Eldest Young Master casually produced a severed head from beneath his desk and set it down with a heavy thump.
“Th-that is…?!”
“The head of Moyong Tak, Sword Corps Commander and leader of the rebels.”
No wonder their chief never showed himself…!
While Tal-myeong-gwi-geom had been tangled in the chaotic melee, the Eldest Young Master—elusive as a ghost—had struck down the enemy commander.
“E-even so…!”
He still had something to say. Stammering, he pressed on.
“Even so, my lord took one enemy master, while I took fully two! That can hardly serve as proof that this body was not excellent…!”
“Is that so?”
The Eldest Young Master gave a short laugh.
“If the Sword Corps Commander had remained alive and continued to direct the battle, do you think our rear assault would still have succeeded?”
“W-well…?”
“Do you think your crude method of simply shoving the front line forward with raw strength would have worked?”
“Th-that—!”
“And if the Sword Corps Commander himself had joined the fighting?”
The Eldest Young Master pressed relentlessly.
“You were given the Ironclad Fortress, a powerful means of breakthrough—yet why did you not target the enemy leader from the very beginning? The fastest way to collapse an enemy is, of course, to take their commander, is it not? And you are a user of Igi-eogeom, a technique specialized for breakthrough, are you not?”
“Th-that is…”
“That is?”
The Eldest Young Master folded his arms, inviting him to speak freely.
“Well, you see…”
Before he knew it—
“That is to say…”
His speech had turned polite.
“The reason for that is, you understand…”
The cocky stance with one leg cocked vanished into respectful posture; the soaring arrogance evaporated without a trace.
“……”
“……”
When Tal-myeong-gwi-geom said nothing more, the Eldest Young Master also remained silent, as if waiting for an answer.
“……”
“……”
The silence was excruciating.
“…This one…”
“This one?”
Tal-myeong-gwi-geom’s body shook with humiliation.
“This one’s thinking was shortsighted, my lord…”
As usual, the Eldest Young Master nodded as though it were nothing.
“Good. So long as you understand.”
Then he raised a hand and pointed toward the tent entrance.
“Do not interrupt an important council. Go outside and guard the door.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Crestfallen, Tal-myeong-gwi-geom was halfway out when something seemed to occur to him; he stopped and turned back.
“No, wait…!”
He faced the Eldest Young Master again.
“Tactical planning is not something I do on the field in the first place—it is done here, and orders should have been given to me from the start, should they not?!”
His voice rose with growing excitement.
“If you wanted me to target the enemy general, you should have said so! Then I would have—”
“And that,”
the Eldest Young Master cut him off,
“is why I told you well done, is it not?”
Had he?
Yes… he had.
Tal-myeong-gwi-geom’s eyes swam in confusion.
“Huh…?”
The Eldest Young Master met his gaze and spoke once more.
“Well done, gatekeeper.”
His tone grew heavier, more deliberate.
“I saw how you alone shoved the front line forward. I will continue to rely on you.”
“…Th-thank you, my lord.”
Scratching the back of his head, the gatekeeper stepped outside. Watching him go, the Eldest Young Master smiled soundlessly and gave a small shrug.
A simple fellow.
Once he was certain Tal-myeong-gwi-geom had fully left, the Eldest Young Master called one of his aides.
“Yes, Eldest Young Master!”
In a low voice that would not carry beyond the tent, the Eldest Young Master issued his orders.
“Keep a quiet eye on the gatekeeper outside. When he seems to be in high enough spirits, tell him to prepare for the next sortie.”
“……!”
For a moment the aide was speechless.
“Given the situation, we must squeeze every drop we can. Ah, and one more thing.”
The Eldest Young Master added,
“Instruct the soldiers outside to keep chanting Tal-myeong-gwi-geom’s name for a while longer, just as they are doing now. Let his motivation soar.”
“…Y-yes, sir.”
Clicking his tongue inwardly in awe, the aide withdrew. The Eldest Young Master turned back to those gathered.
“A brief disturbance.”
When every gaze had fixed on him, his expression grew markedly more serious.
“As you all know, the fact that the internal rebels have been suppressed does not mean the matter is finished.”
Moyong Un-jeong agreed.
“That is so. The main house is the center of the Moyong Family’s power, but it is not the whole of it.”
The Moyong Family possessed numerous branches worthy of the name, as well as vassal houses that had sworn loyalty.
“Among the Moyong Family’s external forces, many will seek to join hands with our enemies the moment they grasp the current situation.”
“Indeed.”
The Eldest Young Master nodded.
“Therefore we shall completely secure this city before our enemies can properly assess what has happened.”
“Mm…”
“…Your words are correct.”
The senior retainers nodded in provisional acceptance, yet they were not fully convinced.
“Eldest Young Master.”
As ever, Reception Hall Mistress Moyong Su-ryeon was the one unafraid to voice doubts in such moments.
“I understand your intent, but is it realistic to formulate a plan that can actually be executed?”
The Eldest Young Master answered her readily.
“If we were to begin drafting a plan only now, it would be impossible.”
“Then…?”
“However.”
A smile touched the corner of his mouth.
“What if the plan is already being executed outside?”