Episode 403
A month has passed.
The members of Cheonan Gambu, including myself, used the injury as an excuse to stay at Jegal Sega and get enough rest.
Although he could have returned to Maeng’s headquarters, there was one reason why he did not.
Because right now, Maeng is in a very messy situation.
When it became known that the Murim lord, Hwabaek Joo, had lost one of his feet, the entire martial arts world was turned upside down.
Maengju was the face that represented Baekdo Martial Arts.
Since such a person was maimed by the Demonic Cult Leader, how big was the impact?
It wasn’t just that.
To say that the results of the battle that took place in Banghyeon (房縣) were terrible would be an understatement.
The King of Swords, an absolute master who held the throne of the Ten Heavenly Emperors, has died.
The Changgung Swords, the main force of the Namgung family, was almost completely annihilated.
The commander of the main unit, Yan Yun-geom (煙雲劍), was killed, and nearly thirty members of the main unit were killed or injured.
The damage suffered by the Zhuge family, the Shaman faction, and the Cheonan Gambu was also at a level that could not be ignored.
The person who immediately turned the favorable war situation around was the Demon Cultist.
It goes without saying how much fear the world must have felt at the presence of an individual who could even change the outcome of the battlefield.
Of course, this was not the first time that the transcendent inaction of the Demon Cultist was revealed.
In the past, when a religious leader appeared in the midst of a quest to catch the White Bone Demon Emperor and Sima Seohwan, the overwhelming power he showed was already known to the public.
But why are you making such a fuss now?
It was a simple reason.
Because the scale of damage is different from then.
Even those who had a vague perception that the leader was a great expert had a completely different perspective on this incident.
Currently, meetings were taking place every day in the cafeteria to discuss the future.
Among the agenda items that emerged in the process were contents regarding the reorganization of each organization.
‘It’s funny that we’re leaving Busan just to come up with a plan now.’
This was the reason why I stayed at Jegal Family and wasted my time.
Currently, among the divisions of the headquarters, the one with the greatest power is none other than the Cheonan Inspectorate.
If Wu Ji-jin and Meng Gyeong, who played a great role in this battle, were to officially join the division, it would be reborn as the strongest division in name and reality.
It was clear that the high-ranking members of the Maeng would somehow want to drive Cheonangambu to the battlefield.
Under the justification that great power comes with responsibility.
‘But the Cheonan Inspection Department is basically an internal inspection organization. Their arguments are gaining strength now due to the boiling public opinion, but once the heat dies down to a certain extent, the position will be reversed.’
So, I was planning on being treated like a VIP and sitting comfortably in the Zhuge family for a while.
He received permission from Zhuge Seo-jin, the head of the Zhuge family, to stay as long as he wanted.
There was absolutely nothing to be concerned about.
“The speed of recovery is unbelievable.”
Eui-ui and Hyuk Ryeon-wook said as if it was absurd.
He let go of my wrist and pointed to the bowl on the table.
“Drink.”
“······The color of the decoction seems to have become darker than before. Is it because of my mood?”
“It’s not my mood. Because I slightly increased the amount of herbs used in decoction. “It may taste a little bitter, but recovery will be faster, so take that into account.”
“I don’t know much about medicine, but I do know that excessive medicinal energy is not good for the body.”
“You are the exception. It is natural that prescriptions vary depending on the patient. Stop talking nonsense and quickly pick up the bowl. “You must empty it without leaving a single drop behind.”
Unable to resist God’s encouragement, I took the decoction to my mouth and frowned.
It wasn’t just a little bit bitter.
The taste and aroma were so strong that my senses were paralyzed.
It was a moment when I understood the feelings of the King of Swords, who was complaining to Sinui for not adding licorice to the decoction.
“Big.”
After barely finishing the decoction, I cursed under my breath and shook my shoulders.
Shinui looked at me with a happy expression as I wiped my mouth with my sleeve and put down the bowl.
“I expected the time needed for recovery to be three months, but if this trend continues, it could be shortened by about 15 days.”
“It’s good news to hear. “There’s no need to drink this horrible thing for two more months.”
“It’s terrible, is that something you would say in front of someone who worked hard to give you medicine?”
“Aren’t you secretly smiling every time I frown? “Did you think I wouldn’t know?”
“Kuhm. You’re saying something that will be misunderstood if anyone hears it. “I won’t deny that I laughed, but I didn’t intentionally overdo it with shady intentions.”
“I never said it was an excessive prescription.”
“······.”
Thieves say their feet are numb.
With a visibly embarrassed expression, Sinui hurriedly took the examination tools and left the room.
I clicked my tongue and stood up, stretching.
‘I guess God’s permission has fallen. Let’s go to the training ground for the first time in a while and relax my body.’
Now my body has recovered enough to do light exercise.
Herbalists, who need to use internal energy simultaneously, are still prohibited from training, but just by refining their posture and form, they will be able to regain some of their dulled senses.
It was a time when I was about to leave the lodgings with my large sword on my waist.
Cheon Ga-ryeong, who happened to be down on the first floor, saw me and approached me to talk to me.
“It just so happened. “I had something to tell you.”
“······?”
She handed me a neatly folded letter and walked back to the table with uneasy steps.
She was seriously injured in the last battle.
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Comparing the severity, I was in more critical condition, but her basic recovery ability was different from mine.
It would probably take at least half a year for her to fully recover.
[sister!]
The image of her risking her life and jumping in to save Dang Seo-yeon, who was in danger, instantly flashed through my mind.
Also, the story that Seoyeon Dang told me before.
[Sega’s lawmaker said that the wound was so deep that it would leave an indelible scar for the rest of his life.]
I owe a great debt to Cheon Ji-ryeong.
If it weren’t for her, Tang Seo-yeon would no longer be a person of this world.
“thanks.”
“what?”
“For saving Tang Sojeo.”
“Come now?”
“It’s a little late to say thank you.”
It was only a few days ago that Cheon Ga-ryeong regained consciousness.
Of course, even taking that into account, it is true that it is too late to visit her.
“If there is anything you want from me, tell me. “I will grant you any wish.”
“Will you grant my wish?”
“okay.”
Cheon Ji-ryeong’s eyes opened wide.
A promise to grant any wish.
Normally, I would never have made such a dangerous statement.
However, compared to the price of Tang Seo-yeon’s life, even this could be said to be cheap.
I wanted to be sure to repay my loved ones for protecting them.
“Think carefully and then decide. “This is an opportunity that will never come again.”
“······.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Leaving behind Cheon Ga-ryeong, who had frozen like a stone statue, I left the dormitory and headed to the training hall.
I opened the note I received, checked its contents, and a smile appeared on my face.
“It was worth sending to Sacheon.”
The information sheet delivered from Haomun contained information about Qu Yunlong’s activities on the front lines.
He rescued the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect who were in danger through mysterious strategies and the power of Jinbeop, and even drove the Iron Armored God, one of the eight great demons, into a corner.
There are already some who call him a genius who is on par with an earth dragon.
Having been watching for a long time, I was familiar with the character Sima Yun.
Even his current fame was far short of his abilities.
The day would soon come when his star name would shake the entire midfield.
‘After confirming that the Demonic Cult’s forces have retreated, they are leaving the front line and returning to the Murim Alliance’s headquarters.’
Now that I think about it, quite a long time has passed since I haven’t seen Sima Yun’s face.
I thought that when I returned to Mang, I would have a drink with him to reflect on what had happened so far.
* * *
Another fifteen days passed.
Finally, the day arrived to leave Zhuge Dynasty and return to Honam.
All members of Cheonan Gambu, including me, got on the horse and carriage.
The family members of the Zhuge family waved their hands to see them off.
Zhuge Hui, who had temporarily taken on the role of adjutant, boarded the same carriage as me and sat across from me.
“thank you. Sozer.”
“What does that mean all of a sudden?”
“A manuscript of a book believed to be a record left by Reporter Cheon. “I heard that the person who delivered it to me was Soger.”
“I just gave what I had to give. “As it is a record of the item that caused this incident, we plan to deliver the same manuscript to the military department of the Meng.”
If Zhuge Hye had decided to do so, he could have returned to Meng’s headquarters first with Zhou Huabaek.
Otherwise, I could only think that the reason he had stayed at Zhuge Family until now was because he was waiting to move with Cheonan Ganbu.
‘Well, even if it’s temporary, he’s taking on the role of my deputy.’
There is no great meaning to such bravery, but he was a person with a more humble personality than he looked.
The journey to Maeng’s headquarters was smooth.
No one dared to block the Cheonan Gambu’s journey.
The group did not move in a hurry but took sufficient rest in between.
Seven days and seven nights passed before we reached the main altar of Maeng.
“welcome!”
“Open the door! “Cheonan Inspector General has arrived!”
The warriors guarding the main gate welcomed me and my group with frozen expressions.
As I looked out the window, I felt a little nostalgic.
A familiar scenery came into view.
I felt like I had returned from a long mission.
As soon as I reached the department’s temporary base, Peng Mun-hwan, commander of the military unit, came to me and delivered a call-up order to me.
“Are you saying the Lord called me?”
“I see.”
I smiled and headed to Maeng Jubu’s conference room with Pang Mun-hwan.
I thought that would be the case, but they were really impatient people.
There must have been a lot of things he wanted to say to me, who had been away for such a long time.
In the last fight, the Murim Alliance suffered enormous damage.
However, there was no reason for me to hear harsh comments from people around me because of that.
I volunteered to take on a job that everyone else avoided, and I performed the role brilliantly.
At least in this case, no one would be able to throw stones at me.
If I had a chance to stumble, it would be that I destroyed the ritual vessels found in the ruins with my own hands.
Some people may point out the hastiness of making an object unusable without checking its purpose and value.
‘But it was an unavoidable choice.’
That was the best method at the time.
Even if I could turn back time, I would make the same decision.
I could tell.
If the religious leader had not destroyed the flag in front of him, he would never have been able to stop the fight.
Wouldn’t it have been enough to break the cult leader’s will to fight just by informing him that the interception team had secured the goods?
‘well.’
Considering the obsession the leader showed at the time, it seemed unlikely that things would have turned out so easily.
Due to the nature of the cult leader, he would have tried to rob Jegi even if it meant continuing the fight until the end.
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
I entered the conference room with a soft smile on my face.
Dozens of pairs of eyes turned towards me at once.
My skin tingled under the pouring gaze.
‘I don’t know what he’s going to say.’
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