Chapter 243: Life is Not Always Smooth-Sailing (3)

Jongri Mu-Hwan eyed Jin Mu-Won, who had arrived late, with suspicion. Everyone else had escaped and regrouped at the designated location long before. Jin Mu-Won was the only one who was late.

“You’re late. Where have you been?”

“I got lost on the way. I apologize.”

“No, it’s fine. Thanks to you, Master Dan, we had fewer casualties. I thank you for that.”

A complicated mix of emotions flashed in Jongri Mu-Hwan’s eyes. He had clearly seen Dan Cheon-Woon subdue Po Yeong-Hwi in an instant. Together, Chae Yak-Ran and Go Cheon-Hu couldn’t put Hong Ak-San down, yet despite Po Yeong-Hwi being a full caliber above Hong Ak-San, Dan Cheon-Woon had defeated such an opponent in the blink of an eye.

The ability to instantly subdue Po Yeong-Hwi, the Commander of the Supreme Demon Squad’s Second Company and a byword for terror, was extraordinary. Dan Cheon-Woon was the single reason the Demon Slaying Army and the mercenaries could escape with minimal losses.

Power on that scale would not be out of place among the top masters of the current jianghu, and considering the man looked to be only in his late twenties, it was extraordinary.

Dan Cheon-Woon of the Peacock Sect? Has another genius appeared in the world, following Jin Mu-Won and Dam Soo-Cheon?

Of the two, Jin Mu-Won had been missing for a long time. The leadership of Heaven’s Summit considered his death a foregone conclusion, as did Jongri Mu-Hwan, since the circumstantial evidence made it highly probable. Meanwhile, Dam Soo-Cheon now rocked the jianghu as the Azure Sky Martial Emperor, and his fame rivaled the Nine Skies.

They were the two greatest talents Jongri Mu-Hwan had ever seen. He didn’t think Dan Cheon-Woon could stand beside them yet, but he was clearly a talented individual who could follow in their footsteps.

We must recruit him. Failing that, we must at least build a friendly relationship. This man will make a name for himself in the murim.

Convinced, Jongri Mu-Hwan turned away. Now that Jin Mu-Won had returned, it was time to retreat again.

He led the Demon Slaying Army and mercenaries down the main road. He worried the whole way that the Supreme Demon Squad would come after them, but the squad never appeared, not even by the time they reached the border of Shaanxi Province.

Little did he know, this was because Jin Mu-Won had severally injured Cheok Cheong-Yeong, the General of the Supreme Demon Squad.

“Did those demons give up the chase?”

“We’re saved.”

The boys and the mercenaries finally allowed themselves to relax.

The life-or-death battle had made them grow. They were no longer the disorganized mob they had been.

Of course, this didn’t mean they had conquered their fear of death. Now that they had arrived in Shaanxi Province, they knew another deadly battlefield awaited them. For now, though, all they wanted was to live another day.

At last, they crossed the river marking the border between Shanxi and Shaanxi. Many of them collapsed where they stood, relief written across their faces.

Yu Geon-Yeop stared blankly at the scene. The mixture of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure on the survivors’ faces sent strange ripples through his heart.

Jin Mu-Won watched him in silence. Over the past several days, while caring for Ah-So and the other boys, he noticed that the boy had begun to change. Most notably, Yu Geon-Yeop had started opening up and empathizing with others. Henceforth, he would be able to control his killing intent on his own.

The group arrived in Shangnan, Shaanxi Province. The Heaven’s Summit branch here was the original destination of the supplies that the Demon Slaying Army and the mercenaries were hauling.

The Shangnan Branch Manager rushed out with his subordinates the moment he heard of their arrival. He had already been anxious about their five-day delay, and the news of the Supreme Demon Squad’s appearance terrified him.

“Heaven’s Summit won’t forget the Iron Sect’s help. Thank you, Strategist Jongri.”

“It was nothing.”

“We shouldn’t be standing around out here. Please come inside.” The Branch Chief took Jongri Mu-Hwan by the hand and pulled him inside.

Any help at all was welcome at this time. Never mind a brilliants strategist, he was desperate enough to borrow a cat’s paw. The war in Ganquan had spread to Fu County, threatening the nearby Zhongnan and Mount Hua sects. If those two sects fell, the Shangnan Branch and Heaven’s Summit itself would be in peril.

Jongri Mu-Hwan accepted the invitation. “Let’s do that. We have much to discuss anyway.”

“Thank you.”

“Just a moment.” Jongri Mu-Hwan asked the Branch Chief to wait and approached Jin Mu-Won’s carriage. “Master Dan.”

“Master Jongri.”

“If you don’t mind, come inside with us. You played a big role in stopping the Supreme Demon Squad, so you’re sure to receive a great reward.”

“Thank you for the offer. I’m short on time, though, so I have to leave now.”

“Is that so...”

Jin Mu-Won clasped his hands politely. “I won’t forget your kindness, Master Jongri. I wish you good fortune until we meet again.”

“Until we meet again,” Jongri Mu-Hwan said, smacking his lips in disappointment. Unfortunately, he had no good reason to hold the man back.

“Please give my regards to the others. Well then...”

Jin Mu-Won turned away without a trace of attachment.

Back inside the carriage, Yu Geon-Yeop was saying his goodbyes to Ah-So and the others. Thanks to his devoted care, Ah-So’s complexion had improved considerably.

Ah-So gripped Yu Geon-Yeop’s small hand tightly. “Let’s definitely meet again. If you ever come here, be sure to find me.”

“You have to survive too, hyung.”

“I’ll survive. I promise.”

Ah-So thanked Jin Mu-Won as well. “Thank you, sir. If I see you again, I’ll repay you for saving my life.”

“Okay.”

A flicker of pity passed through Jin Mu-Won’s eyes. Ah-So would be sent back to the battlefield soon.

What were his chances of surviving it? Thirty percent at best, and likely less. Such was the reality of the battlefields where Ah-So and the Demon Slaying Army were deployed.

If he could, he would have taken the boy to the Northern Army. However, taking Ah-So would require taking the rest of the Demon Slaying Army as well, which would draw the attention of Heaven’s Summit and lead to a pursuit. The time wasn’t right for that yet.

Thus, Jin Mu-Won quietly left the Shangnan Branch with Yu Geon-Yeop, with only Jongri Mu-Hwan paying any attention to their departure.

A large ship sailed up the Yangtze River. It was a massive horse ferry, capable of carrying dozens of horses and carriages at once.

The sailors working its decks all walked with a light spring in their step. They were not ordinary sailors, but rather warriors trained in martial arts, though few could have guessed as much just by looking at them.

They kept a sharp watch on their surroundings, eyeing every passing merchant ship and fishing boat.

In a cabin deep inside the riverboat, a large map covered with small flags was spread across a table.

“Hmm!”

A woman with her face half-covered by a silk veil looked down at the map, her back perfectly straight. She radiated an unapproachable dignity, and her visible eyes sparkled like starlight.

Feeling suddenly stifled, she removed the veil. Even under the dim lamplight, her beauty shone dazzlingly, as pure and graceful as a water lily.

She was none other than Seomoon Hye-Ryung.

Three years had brought her beauty into full bloom. Her gaze had deepened, and she carried a composure she had lacked before. Her alias, the Crimson Primrose Fairy, fit her perfectly.

Nevertheless, her expression as she studied the map was anything but bright. Numerous messages carrying information from every corner of the world were scattered on the table beside the map.

The riverboat she stood on was an intelligence ship operated by the Seomoon Clan. Although it looked like any other horse ferry, its sailors were elite warriors of the clan.

The Seomoon Clan had long used such boats to efficiently gather information without arousing suspicion. Each time the boat docked, they gathered more intelligence, and by the time it reached its destination, they knew the situation in the Central Plains as well as the lines on their own palms.

“The Supreme Demon Squad appeared in Shanxi Province?”

An urgent report had come in that morning. Even in wartime, failing to identify an enemy force before it entered Shanxi Province was a huge problem.

More importantly, the Supreme Demon Squad was a small, elite, and troublesome force. Allowing them to run rampant in Shanxi was as good as telling them to cause as much chaos as possible.

“But how did the Demon Slaying Army, a group of young boys and mercenaries, escape the Supreme Demon Squad’s pursuit and flee to the Shangnan Branch? How am I supposed to believe this nonsense?”

The Demon Slaying Army was cannon fodder, and the mercenaries were a disorganized mob. No matter how many of them gathered, they were nothing but food for the Supreme Demon Squad. However, the letter said that the Supreme Demon Squad had broken off its pursuit for an unknown reason.

“Jongri Mu-Hwan of the Iron Sect is without a doubt a remarkable talent. He’s skilled in strategy and possesses enough authority to take command. He’s capable of leading both the mercenaries and the Demon Slaying Army. Still, something doesn’t add up. General Cheok Cheong-Yeong of the Supreme Demon Squad is not someone Jongri Mu-Hwan can defeat. It would be a different story if Sect Leader Yong Mu-Sung had stepped in, but he wasn’t there, was he? That means there’s definitely something here... a variable I don’t know about...”

Seomoon Hye-Ryung could simply let it go, pass the information to Heaven’s Summit, and let them handle it. Although the Supreme Demon Squad was formidable, Heaven’s Summit had organizations that could deal with them. It might take a long while, but rooting them out was not impossible.

Still, an uneasy feeling remained. She couldn’t tear her eyes from the letter or the map, as if something was nagging at her.

She spoke in a low voice. “Hwa-Yeong.”

“Yes, Young Lady?”

Chae Hwa-Yeong opened the door and stepped into the cabin. She had remained at Seomoon Hye-Ryung’s side all these years.

“You said this letter came from Shanxi Province, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Relay a message to our people there. Have them investigate the Supreme Demon Squad’s movements in detail. We need to know why they broke off the pursuit and discover their reason for entering Shanxi Province.”

“I understand,” Chae Hwa-Yeong answered without question. Given Seomoon Hye-Ryung’s serious expression, she knew better than to ask why.

“How long until we reach Fu County?”

“If we switch carriages regularly, about five days.”

“Five days?”

“Young Lady, is something wrong?”

“When did you say Soo-Cheon would arrive?”

“He said ten days at the earliest.”

“Then we have about five days to spare, don’t we?”

“Yes!”

Seomoon Hye-Ryung thought for a moment, then said, “Before we go to Fu County, let’s stop by the Shangnan Branch first.”

Chae Hwa-Yeong frowned. “The Shangnan Branch? Why there?”

“I need to meet with the Demon Slaying Army and the mercenaries. There’s something I have to confirm.”

Seomoon Hye-Ryung gently bit her red lips. I can’t allow any more variables, she thought resolutely to herself.