Into the Fragrance of the Sword (1)
Early the next day, Gal Sa-Ryang and I met Jong Cheon-Rak, the leader of the Heavenly Palace Unit.
Jong Cheon-Rak was startled when he saw Gal Sa-Ryang.
“I truly did not know that the strategist for this operation would be Strategist Gal.”
“It has been a long time. Have you been well?”
Gal Sa-Ryang’s attitude was more respectful than before. Since he had been demoted to an ordinary strategist, his rank was now lower than Jong Cheon-Rak’s.
Even so, the gazes they directed toward each other were gentle. Originally, Jong Cheon-Rak respected Gal Sa-Ryang, and Gal Sa-Ryang was also grateful to Jong Cheon-Rak, who had supported his will to the very end among the three major units.
Jong Cheon-Rak climbed into the carriage with Gal Sa-Ryang.
“The mission is urgent, so let us discuss the details as we travel.”
“Yes, let us do that.”
The two of them climbed into the carriage first.
At that moment, one martial artist from the Heavenly Palace Unit came to me. He introduced himself as Yang-Ho.
“I will be personally assigned to guard the two of you.”
Usually, when a strategist went out on an operation, dedicated martial artists were assigned separately to protect him. Their role was to protect the strategist and help him escape if things went wrong.
“If a situation occurs, please make sure to follow my words.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
“Then please get into the carriage.”
When I climbed in, the carriage immediately set off. Behind it, the martial artists of the Heavenly Palace Unit followed on horseback. The Heavenly Palace Unit was originally a large organization numbering close to a thousand.
The people mobilized for this operation were Jong Cheon-Rak, leader of the Heavenly Palace Unit, and thirty elite members who followed him.
In the moving carriage, Gal Sa-Ryang asked,
“I heard this operation is top secret.”
“That is correct.”
Jong Cheon-Rak’s answer was originally something that should have belonged to Gal Sa-Ryang. In ordinary cases, the ones who knew the contents of an operation were the strategists of the Justice Pavilion, who directed the operation. In that sense, this operation was not ordinary.
“I apologize, but I cannot tell you the contents of the operation yet. Once we reach the destination, I will tell you then.”
“Understood.”
A trace of pity passed through Jong Cheon-Rak’s gaze toward Gal Sa-Ryang. He knew Gal Sa-Ryang’s situation well through the rumors he had heard.
‘Why did you not leave the Alliance?’
It was what Jong Cheon-Rak wanted to ask. He could not understand Gal Sa-Ryang. If it had been him, he would absolutely not have remained in the Grand Martial Alliance while enduring such humiliation.
Although Gal Sa-Ryang had lost his power and influence within the Alliance, Jong Cheon-Rak was not the sort of person whose attitude changed just because the other person’s circumstances had worsened.
Jong Cheon-Rak was glad to meet Gal Sa-Ryang again, even like this, and he tried as much as possible not to wound his pride.
Because Gal Sa-Ryang understood that effort well, he also treated him carefully. But he wanted to hear the answer to this one thing.
“If I know where we are going, it will be of great help to the operation.”
“Originally, this too is confidential, but in consideration of my past friendship with Strategist Gal, I will specially tell you. The place we are going is the Sword Fragrance Forest in Chongqing.”
“The Sword Fragrance Forest!”
One of the three great holy sites of the Blood Sky Cult in the past was precisely the Sword Fragrance Forest of Chongqing.
“Thank you for telling me.”
“Not at all. You have no idea how reassuring it is that Strategist Gal came on this operation.”
“You praise me too highly.”
As I listened to the conversation between the two of them, I too felt deeply moved.
I remembered the first time I saw Jong Cheon-Rak. I met him before I became the Alliance Lord. At the time, he had very deep attainments in archery. What I liked was not his archery skill, which was said to be the best among the rising talents, but his gaze, which had been as clear as a well-maintained arrowhead.
That young man with shaggy hair had said to me while carrying a large bow on his back,
“With this bow, I will become number one in Jianghu. And someday, I will defeat you, the Strongest Under Heaven.”
The bond from that time continued, and he rose all the way to the position of leader of the Heavenly Palace Unit.
Thank you for keeping your loyalty until the end, Cheon-Rak.
After speaking with Gal Sa-Ryang for about fifteen minutes, Jong Cheon-Rak got down from the carriage and rode on horseback.
Gal Sa-Ryang and I spread out a map and began analyzing the route to Chongqing and the surrounding situation. Although what we knew about the operation was only the destination, there were still things we could do. We found the shortest route to the destination and confirmed the Grand Martial Alliance branches along the way that could provide support if a problem occurred. There was a considerable difference between knowing in advance and scrambling to find them after a problem had occurred.
Gal Sa-Ryang, who had been staring at the map for quite some time, suddenly asked,
“This will be your first operation.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“And yet you do not seem particularly nervous?”
“You are with me, Strategist, are you not?”
“You are good at saying pleasant things.”
“I was sincere. When I am with someone who once led the entire Grand Martial Alliance, what is there to fear? Ah, was that answer also one that could be misunderstood?”
Though his head was lowered, so I could not see it, I could tell Gal Sa-Ryang let out a small laugh. Building even a little favor or trust with him was very important.
This time, I asked,
“You must have experienced many operations like this.”
“I did.”
“Which operation remains in your memory the most?”
I was honestly curious. Which battle did he remember the most?
Was it one of the fights against the Union of the Thirteen Dark Paths? Or was it a battle against the Blood Sky Cult? Perhaps it was the operation on the day we found the cult leader’s whereabouts and killed him.
But an unexpected answer came out.
“Operation New Dragon.”
It was a phrase I was hearing for the first time as well.
“What kind of operation was that?”
He only smiled and did not give me any answer.
Operation New Dragon?
No matter how much I searched my memory, I could not recall it. If a place name had been attached to the operation name, I could at least have roughly guessed, but when it was named like a code word, I could not know.
What kind of operation in the world had it been?
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That night, we camped outdoors.
Several campfires rose, and a perimeter watch spread out in all directions.
I personally prepared Gal Sa-Ryang’s bedding. I spread soft leaves on the ground and placed the blanket we had brought on top of them.
“The night air is cold, so please make sure to sleep covered with the blanket.”
“You should cover yourself with this blanket.”
“No. I have learned Martial Arts, so this level of cold does not affect me. I brought it for you, Strategist.”
“Thank you.”
I was happy that I could now take care of what I had not been able to take care of in my previous life.
“Are you not tired?”
“No. Since it has been a long time since I came outside, I actually feel good.”
In the past, when we were at war with the heretical and unorthodox forces, he moved together with me and devised operations. I had taken that for granted and had not thought that he might be tired.
Thinking about it now, it seemed he must truly have had a hard time. A person who did not know Martial Arts had to move together with Murim people. No matter how much he rode horses and carriages, it must have been truly exhausting. The war had continued for a very long time.
At that moment, Jong Cheon-Rak approached with a bottle of liquor.
“Would you like a drink?”
“That would be good.”
The two of them shared cups.
Jong Cheon-Rak looked at me and asked,
“I heard briefly earlier that you learned Martial Arts?”
“Yes, I learned my family Martial Arts.”
“If a fight breaks out with the enemy, do not pointlessly step forward.”
“Understood.”
I, of all people, hoped that such a thing would not happen.
Leaving the two of them to drink, I moved a little distance away. Even so, their conversation reached my ears.
Through the stories that passed between them, I could tell that Jong Cheon-Rak had not changed at all from his youth. He was truly the typical martial artist with strong loyalty.
He was someone I needed, but he was not someone who would come easily.
Rather, he was an even harder opponent to draw in than Gal Sa-Ryang. Because his loyalty was not directed toward a person. It was directed toward the Grand Martial Alliance, and it was for this Jianghu. If possible, it would be reassuring if he became my ally, but I had no intention of forcibly pulling him in.
As I sat like that, Yang-Ho, who had been our assigned guard earlier, called me. Several martial artists who were not on watch duty tonight had gathered and were having a drink.
Because they were such elites and their discipline was firm, this kind of freedom was instead possible.
They offered me a cup of liquor as well.
“The day is cold. Have a drink.”
“Thank you.”
They also handed me hot broth. Perhaps because they camped outdoors often, the spicy broth tasted quite good.
“Ah, it is delicious.”
“I am glad it suits your taste.”
The martial artists of the Heavenly Palace Unit were people with true expertise in the bow. Of course, that did not mean they used only bows. They had also learned basic swordsmanship, so all of them wore swords too.
“Have you learned swordsmanship?”
“Yes.”
“It is very rare for a strategist of the Justice Pavilion to have learned Martial Arts.”
Everyone nodded at those words.
“I am only a new recruit to whom the word strategist still feels unfamiliar.”
Then each of them threw in a remark.
“Even so, a strategist is a strategist.”
“Of course, that is right.”
“Someday, the day may come when you command us, may it not? When that time comes, please look favorably upon us.”
They said it like a joke, but their sincerity was contained in it. Being able to feel what was in the hearts of martial artists active in the field made some unknown emotion surge within me. Until only a year ago, these people had been my subordinates.
“Yes, I will not forget.”
“Do not just say it! Make sure you don’t!”
“Haha. I will definitely remember.”
The drinking occasion with them was enjoyable.
Gal Sa-Ryang glanced at me from far away as I acted that way.
Once we had completely left Hubei Province, Jong Cheon-Rak gave an order to his subordinates.
“Everyone disperse and gather at the destination!”
If more than thirty people moved all at once, no matter how careful they were, they were bound to attract attention. So in ordinary cases, it was common to disperse and move separately, then gather at the promised place.
At that moment, Gal Sa-Ryang stepped forward.
“Unit Leader Jong.”
“Please speak, Strategist Gal.”
“I recommend moving without dispersing.”
Perhaps it was an unexpected suggestion, because Jong Cheon-Rak wore a somewhat surprised expression.
“If this many people move at once, we will draw attention. Information may leak, and the target may notice and flee.”
“That may happen.”
“May I ask the reason?”
“I do not know the contents of this mission, but if it is a mission related to the Demonic Cult, I judge it would be better to be more careful.”
“Are you saying this operation may be a trap?”
Of course, Jong Cheon-Rak must have meant that the side setting the trap would be the Demonic Cult.
Gal Sa-Ryang deliberately did not mention the possibility that the trap might have been set by the Grand Martial Alliance.
“Yes. If so, we will be defeated individually.”
“Hmm.”
“I have a bad feeling. Please trust my intuition.”
Jong Cheon-Rak fell into thought. He knew better than anyone what kind of person Gal Sa-Ryang was. There had not been only one or two battles won through operations he had made.
“Even if it is a trap, if we move together, we will be able to minimize the damage.”
“Understood. I will follow the strategist’s will.”
Fortunately, Jong Cheon-Rak did not insist stubbornly.
We moved without dispersing our forces.
A day passed, and then another day passed.
The incident occurred at dawn on the fourth day.
I woke from sleep. My instinct, sensing danger, had awakened me.
Ahead of me, I saw a campfire that had almost completely burned out.
It was just before sunrise, the time when the tension of the martial artists on watch loosened the most.
I raised my energy sense as much as possible and examined the surroundings. Extremely covert movements were being detected from all directions. There were not just one or two of them.
This time, I looked at the martial artists standing watch on our side.
One stood in each direction, and two stood watch in the center.
Because the movements were so stealthy, they had not yet noticed the existence of those approaching.
They came a little closer. Just before the bastards took the initiative.
“Enemy!”
At my shout, everyone sprang to their feet. The first to react were the martial artists who had been standing watch. They pulled their bowstrings in an instant and shot arrows.
Ping, ping, ping, ping, ping!
As expected of elites from one of the three major units of the Grand Martial Alliance, they were matchlessly quick. They were not flustered by the sudden ambush, and the arrows that flew struck the enemies accurately.
The same was true of those who had been sleeping.
The time it took for them to wake from sleep, raise their bodies, nock arrows, confirm the enemy, and shoot was truly the blink of an eye.
Ping, ping, ping, ping, ping, ping, ping, ping, ping, ping, ping!
In an instant, dozens of arrows embroidered the air.
It was a hair’s breadth difference, but the difference between attacking first and being attacked first was very large. In particular, our side mainly used bows. If we gave up distance, we would become absolutely disadvantaged.
The ambushers, who had lost the initiative, fled after leaving behind a dozen or so corpses. Although the ambush had failed, their movements as they withdrew were not ordinary.
“Do not chase them! Strengthen the perimeter!”
The martial artists spread out in all directions on their own and formed a guard posture.
Fortunately, thanks to the quick response, no casualties occurred on our side.
There were nine enemy corpses in total.
We examined the corpses, but could not find any traces. There were no tattoos, and there were no possessions of any kind. The weapons they used also had no distinguishing features.
That meant one thing.
“They are martial artists from an elite organization.”
Whether assassins or some other organization.
I also joined the martial artists and examined the corpses. What I paid attention to was whether they might have taken the Bulhoe Ma-Ryeongdan. Fortunately, they had not. If those who had taken that drug began rampaging madly right before death, the martial artists of the Heavenly Palace Unit would not be able to handle them.
Gal Sa-Ryang approached Jong Cheon-Rak and asked quietly,
“What kind of mission is this?”
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