When the Northern Sea Runs Dry (1)
Gal Sa-Ryang read the Ghost Gate Concealment Manual until dawn.
He had known it was an incredible book, but he had not imagined that it would contain such incredible content. As he read the profound and extensive contents covering formations in general, he truly felt an intellectual satisfaction that sent a thrill through his whole body.
Even in this process, Gal Sa-Ryang’s practical personality was reflected.
After reading through it from beginning to end, he began intensely studying one formation that he thought was absolutely necessary.
No matter how tremendous a formation was, what use was it if one could not use it? Increasing the number of formations one could use, one by one—Gal Sa-Ryang judged that to be the wisest method. It was also a practical way of thinking that had become ingrained in him over many years as Chief Strategist.
“Phew.”
Gal Sa-Ryang stretched. Outside the window, day was faintly beginning to break.
When he looked back, Byeok Ri-Dan’s bed was empty.
“Where did he go?”
He had been so immersed in reading that he had not even known Byeok Ri-Dan had gone out. Because it was a book with so much to think about, he had been even less able to examine his surroundings.
Gal Sa-Ryang rose from his seat and went outside.
Byeok Ri-Dan was standing in the front yard, looking up at the distant sky.
“Did you sleep well?”
At Gal Sa-Ryang’s greeting, Byeok Ri-Dan turned his head.
“I slept very well.”
“I am worried that I may have disturbed your sleep for no reason.”
“Haha, not at all. I slept very deeply.”
“That is a relief. I did not even know when you woke up.”
Byeok Ri-Dan looked at Gal Sa-Ryang and spoke worriedly.
“Are you not tired?”
“I am fine.”
Byeok Ri-Dan took a small pill from his robe and handed it to him.
“It is medicine that removes fatigue from the body and clears the mind. Here, take it.”
Though he said he was fine, Byeok Ri-Dan urged him again. In the end, he took the pill. Perhaps it was just his mood, but his body seemed to feel refreshed.
“Medicine is good, but eating well and moving your body are important.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Byeok Ri-Dan looked back at the sky again.
“By the way, where have you been looking since earlier?”
“Do you see that tree over there?”
Beyond several walls, a tree could be seen far away.
“Yes, I see it.”
“I was looking there.”
“Why there?”
“Because it seemed like someone was hiding between the branches and looking this way. I was not sure, but now that you have come out, Strategist, I am certain.”
“Certain? What do you mean?”
Byeok Ri-Dan seemed to grin.
Tap.
He kicked off the ground and soared upward. He truly flew, literally. After stepping once on a wall and flying forward, he stepped on the next distant wall and leaped, then stepped on the next wall and leaped again.
From Gal Sa-Ryang’s perspective, he was flying far away in what felt like a flash.
Byeok Ri-Dan reached the tree he had pointed at in an instant.
Something flew toward Byeok Ri-Dan from between the branches.
Swish! Swish!
What flew quickly were two daggers.
As Byeok Ri-Dan twisted his body while spinning once in midair, the two hidden weapons brushed past his shoulder and waist.
The person who had thrown the hidden weapons was Secret Kill.
Paaaaak!
Secret Kill brushed off a branch and soared into the air. He had never imagined this.
The place Byeok Ri-Dan had flown from was so far away that, in truth, there had been no need to hide among the branches. Among the four assassins, Secret Kill had the best eyesight. That was why he had been able to monitor Gal Sa-Ryang from this far distance.
Even when dawn came, Lone Night had not returned.
Next, he had been sent in. Originally, assassins did not move together. Unless they were assassins who acted as a team from the beginning, moving together instead reduced efficiency, so assassins were always alone.
Since they were in a position of competing with each other, he did not like Lone Night. But at the very least, he knew well how tremendous Lone Night’s movement arts and assassination skills were.
The fact that he had not returned meant he had been defeated.
He had been watching from here to find out exactly what had happened.
But someone far away had flown toward him.
Moreover, he had even avoided his hidden weapons in midair. He was shocked to see him avoid something difficult to dodge even with feet on the ground while he was in the air.
Even more shocking was that after avoiding the hidden weapons, he had flown all the way to the tree, kicked off from the branch, and soared after him.
Secret Kill scattered hidden weapons in the air. He aimed them at the opponent who was flying toward him in a fierce rush.
Chararararachwachwachwak!
It was the move he was most confident in. Moreover, since it was an attack thrown from above to below, he was certain it could never be avoided. The reason he had exposed himself by flying into the air came from that confidence.
Tadadadadadadang!
The dozens of hidden weapons that had flown out were deflected in all directions. Even if someone practiced deliberately, he thought they would not be able to deflect hidden weapons so perfectly.
“Truly magnificent!”
The opponent’s sword reflected the sunlight and shone dazzlingly.
The sword that had deflected the hidden weapons flew straight forward and pierced his heart.
Puuuk!
Only then did he see the face of the opponent who had flown together with the sword. It was an extremely young face.
Only then did Secret Kill realize it. This young expert had not rested even for a single instant, from that distant place where he could barely be seen all the way up into this sky. Truly, he had flown in one continuous movement, avoided the daggers, deflected the hidden weapons, and then driven his sword into his heart.
“Yes, if he is an expert of this level……”
Like that, Secret Kill died without regret.
Gal Sa-Ryang was standing in the yard, waiting for me.
He asked with a startled face,
“What exactly happened?”
“It was an assassin.”
“Good heavens!”
The fact that there had been an assassin was surprising, but the fact that the assassin had been visible from here was even more surprising. Of course, what was even more surprising was that I had flown over lightly as if going for a walk, dealt with him, and returned.
“I may leave others alone, but assassins must not be left alive.”
I spoke firmly. It was the wisdom of survival I had learned after experiencing countless assassins in my previous life.
Assassins are people who exist solely to kill the opponent. The only way they can prove their existence is when they kill the opponent. If I left one alone just because he was not threatening at the moment, he would assassinate Gal Sa-Ryang at a moment I did not expect. If I did not want to leave behind regret for a thousand autumns, I had to eliminate them when I had the chance.
“My lord, you are a far greater expert than I had thought.”
“That is probably true.”
I had deliberately shown my skill while Gal Sa-Ryang was there. I had to let him know that I was higher than the skill he knew.
At the same time, I gave him a warning.
“The real one will come soon. Prepare your heart.”
Gal Sa-Ryang answered with eyes full of resolve.
“Yes, I will make my own preparations.”
“Lone Night and Secret Kill have not returned.”
At Iron Knot’s gloomy report, Black Stone was not surprised. She looked as if she had expected such news might arrive.
“Do you understand now? Why I said we had to be so cautious?”
“Yes. However……”
Iron Knot swallowed the rest of his words.
“If I go, it will be different.”
But he could not say those words. It was not only because Black Stone’s expression openly revealed the thought, “It will be the same even if you go.” Iron Knot was also greatly shocked. He truly had not expected Lone Night and Secret Kill to fail. And consecutively, in a single night at that.
“What will you do now?”
Black Stone rose from her seat and walked to the window. The place where the two of them were was a guest room in an inn near the Grand Martial Alliance headquarters.
“We secure Gal Sa-Ryang.”
If the opponent was this strong, it was time to change methods.
“We have been deceived until now. We thought it was our hunting ground, but it was that bastard’s fishing pond. Damn it! Now we have to drag that damned fisherman away from the water.”
Iron Knot spoke with a determined face.
“I will go.”
It was not loyalty, but fighting spirit. He had a personality that made him fight when he saw a strong person. He was addicted to the pleasure of breaking the strong. And now, that desire kept being restrained.
Black Stone looked back at him and coldly snapped,
“Do you really want to die that badly? Why not just die by my hand instead?”
“Then what exactly are you planning to do?”
“Request the Northern Sea Unit.”
At the words Northern Sea Unit, Iron Knot was startled. This Northern Sea Unit, whose name meant the great sea of the north, was one of the organization’s elites. Not only was it strong, but it also strongly carried the nature of the organization’s regular troops. In other words, it was a force to be used when war broke out.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Permission will not be granted.”
“Ask for it. If we explain the situation here, they will grant permission.”
“But……”
“Tell them that if it fails, I will take responsibility.”
Iron Knot could tell. She was staking life and death on this matter. Well, she had been driven into a corner by successive failures. This time, no matter what, she had to produce results.
“Even if permission is granted, there is a problem. Gal Sa-Ryang has not been leaving the Grand Martial Alliance inner court. Surely you are not planning to push into the Grand Martial Alliance with the Northern Sea Unit?”
“Of course we cannot start a war with the Grand Martial Alliance.”
Black Stone’s gaze turned back outside the window. Her eyes became intense as she looked at the Grand Martial Alliance buildings in the distance.
“There is a way to draw Gal Sa-Ryang out.”
Ten days later, at dawn, one carriage secretly left the Grand Martial Alliance.
The carriage was none other than the carriage used by the Chief Strategist.
Bright Moon Unit Leader Zuo Tie-Long had contacted him, saying that it was an urgent matter and asking to see him briefly outside.
Dudududu.
When the carriage left the main road and entered a secluded area, a group of people blocked its path.
The men blocking the way were all dressed in red martial robes.
Warriors in red martial robes also appeared to the left and right of the carriage, and behind it. Their number reached one hundred, and because the color of their martial robes was truly red, it seemed as if fire had broken out on all sides.
These were the Northern Sea Unit.
The Northern Sea Unit’s commander, Jong Hwon, walked forward. He was truly a man who suited red clothing, and he was cold and sharp beyond description.
The Northern Sea Unit warriors also each had a bearing different from ordinary warriors. Just by looking at the venom in their eyes, one could tell that they were warriors who had received tremendous training.
Jong Hwon quietly opened his mouth.
“Get down.”
He had spoken quietly from far away, but the sound was heard clearly all the way to where the carriage was. One could tell that his internal energy was not ordinary.
However, no one got down from the carriage.
When Jong Hwon jerked his chin, several red-clothed warriors launched themselves toward the carriage.
After approaching carefully, they examined the carriage.
One of the men shouted,
“There is no one in the carriage.”
Jong Hwon frowned and said,
“Rat-like bastard. It seems he noticed in advance.”
Though he could have been more irritated at having come up empty, he did not linger on it.
“Kill the coachman and burn the carriage.”
“Yes!”
He turned around and had taken two steps when it happened.
Puh-eok! Puh-eok! Puk!
Dull sounds rang out one after another.
Jong Hwon stopped walking. An inexplicable sense of discomfort.
“If my subordinates killed the coachman, they would have cut him down with swords. So what is that sound?”
Jong Hwon slowly turned around.
A surprising sight unfolded before his eyes.
On the coachman’s seat, one red-clothed warrior was sliding to the ground. Two warriors had already collapsed beneath him.
Another red-clothed warrior thrust out his sword and flew in.
Swish!
The sword narrowly missed the coachman’s face, which it had targeted.
On the other hand, the coachman’s elbow struck the attacking red-clothed warrior’s jaw.
Puh-eok!
With one blow, the man flew away and crashed into the ground. Normally, with this level of strike, he should have sprung back up, but the fallen man did not move at all. His life had been cut off. Considering the skill of his subordinates, something absurd was unfolding.
Only then did the coachman look at Jong Hwon and say,
“If the person you are targeting is not here, you should just return. Why kill an innocent coachman?”
It was also a quiet voice, but it was heard clearly by the man.
Jong Hwon was startled.
“It is you!”
He had never imagined that the hidden expert helping Gal Sa-Ryang would be the coachman driving an empty carriage.
Indeed, the coachman driving the carriage was none other than Byeok Ri-Dan. He had pulled down the bamboo hat used by coachmen, so his face could not be seen.
Jong Hwon let out killing intent and threw out strange words.
“Do you think you can protect Gal Sa-Ryang by pulling such a trick?”
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At the same time, two people were entering the Grand Martial Alliance inner court.
Shockingly, they were none other than Black Stone and Iron Knot.
Through Bright Moon Unit Leader Zuo Tie-Long, they had been able to enter all the way into the inner court without any obstruction.
They possessed permits that allowed them to pass freely through various places in the inner court, excluding the Alliance Lord Hall.
They stopped in front of the emergency operations room inside the Justice Pavilion. Since it was deep inside the inner court, there were no separate guard warriors here.
“As you expected, Gal Sa-Ryang did not ride in the carriage.”
“Of course not. There is no way that clever bastard did not realize it was a trap.”
He had probably set a trap in reverse. He would be hiding here, while the main force was deployed over there.
“He probably thought we were fools because he eliminated a few of us, but I am not that stupid. Go and capture Gal Sa-Ryang.”
“Yes.”
As if he had been waiting for this very moment, Iron Knot strode into the building.
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