Chapter 108 : Guiding the New Recruit (3)
Chapter 108: Guiding the New Recruit (3)
Namgung Jun's group headed south.
Their mission was to eliminate the bandits occupying Mount Seok, which lay along the border between Anhui Province and Jiangxi Province.
Ordinarily, bandits merely collected a reasonable toll before allowing travelers to pass.
However, the bandits of Mount Seok murdered and plundered as casually as eating a meal.
If travelers chose to bypass Mount Seok, however, their journey would be delayed by about seven days.
The losses suffered by merchant caravans and escort agencies were therefore considerable.
“Why do they have to rob everything and kill everyone?
Wouldn't people gradually stop using this road like they have now?”
When Namgung Jun looked at her, Man Ye-won shook her head.
“Ah!
I'm not defending banditry.
I'm just saying that's what would make sense from a practical perspective.”
Namgung Jun nodded as though he understood.
“In cases like this, they're usually wandering martial artists or practitioners of the unorthodox path pretending to be bandits.
They make one big score on a useful route, then disappear at the right time.”
Looking around at the surrounding terrain, Namgung Jun added,
“People like them are usually quite skilled.
They won't be easy opponents.”
“So what?
You've got me, and you've got yourself.”
Man Ye-won looked back at Yu Geun-su, who was following behind them.
“And Uncle Geun-su doesn't look like someone who'll go down without a fight.”
“Don't let your guard down.”
Namgung Jun looked toward Mount Seok at the edge of his vision.
At their current pace, they would arrive after another half day's travel.
“It would've been easier if Senior Heo had come with us.”
If Heo Il had been here, he would have found the hidden bandit stronghold immediately.
They could have finished the mission in a very short time.
However, since Heo Il was not among them, they needed another plan.
“Man Ye-won.
Any ideas?”
Man Ye-won merely kept walking with her mouth shut, pretending not to know.
The primary purpose of this mission was to observe Yu Geun-su.
Naturally, they wanted to create an opportunity for the recruit to take the lead.
The recruit, who had quietly listened to the seniors' conversation, finally spoke.
“What about meeting them the conventional way?”
“Go on.”
“We disguise ourselves and wander around the areas where the bandits usually appear.”
It was a perfectly ordinary method, but neither Namgung Jun nor Man Ye-won objected.
Not only was it a reasonable choice, they also wanted Yu Geun-su to take charge of the mission.
“Then let's prepare immediately.”
“This is ridiculous.
Seriously.”
As they climbed the mountain path, Man Ye-won grumbled.
She could hardly help it.
Since everyone had to disguise themselves according to suitable roles, Yu Geun-su had suggested that she play the role of a maidservant.
Yu Geun-su had taken the role of a servant, while Namgung Jun became a young nobleman.
Naturally, Man Ye-won had wanted to disguise herself as a noble young lady.
But the indifferent look Namgung Jun gave her completely suppressed any objection.
Moreover, her disguise looked so natural that she could not find anything to criticize.
“I'm sorry, Senior Man.”
“Forget it.
This isn't children's play.
It's a mission, so it can't be helped.”
While Man Ye-won and Yu Geun-su quietly talked behind him, Namgung Jun climbed the mountain path with his hands clasped behind his back.
As he led the way, his pace gradually slowed.
Man Ye-won did not miss the subtle change.
His movements had become slightly more deliberate.
He had clearly sensed something.
Then what about Yu Geun-su?
Without even turning his head, Namgung Jun lightly examined the recruit through his perception.
‘Not bad.’
Yu Geun-su's left hand, carrying the group's baggage on his back, twitched ever so slightly.
He had likely sensed the presences surrounding them.
“Hm.”
The moment Namgung Jun paused as though simply admiring the scenery, a hand axe spun fiercely out from the bushes.
Bang!
The axe embedded itself directly in front of Namgung Jun's toes.
Had he continued walking, his toes would have been severed clean off.
“You're one lucky bastard!”
Beginning with the hand axe, bandits started pouring out from all around them.
It took only a glance at their nimble movements and the aura they emitted to understand.
Every one of them had practiced martial arts.
Furthermore, they were not merely a ragtag collection of men each using different techniques.
Their clothing, weapons, and even the aura surrounding them all carried a unified style.
Having instantly read the atmosphere of the bandits, Namgung Jun muttered,
“I thought they were wandering martial artists.
Apparently not.
So they're Green Forest.”
The sect of bandits—the Green Forest.
Originally known as the Seventy-Two Strongholds of the Green Forest, thirty years ago everything had changed when Cheonak Jewol ascended as the new Chief Stronghold Master.
He had completely reformed the Green Forest.
He trimmed away its unnecessarily bloated size and transformed it into an elite force.
The systematic spread of martial arts by the Chief Stronghold Master.
The constant competition among strongholds as they merged and disappeared one after another.
Ten years after the reforms began, the number of strongholds had been cut in half.
The Green Forest became known as the Great Axe Green Forest and claimed one of the positions among the Eight Great Powers.
‘Every one of these men has learned the martial arts of the Great Axe Green Forest.’
The bandits of the Great Axe Green Forest paid no attention to Namgung Jun's unwavering gaze.
“Looks like they've got plenty of money.
Kill all the men first.
Take only the woman.”
“She looks about the right age and isn't bad looking either.
She'll fetch a fine price at a brothel.”
The bandits did not even attempt to speak with Namgung Jun's group.
After appraising them among themselves, they immediately raised their axes and released killing intent.
Watching the bandits slowly closing in from every direction, Namgung Jun spoke quietly.
“Subdue them.
It doesn't matter if some die.”
Namgung Jun stared at the axe hurtling toward him.
The murderous intent behind it made it clear the bandit intended to split his skull in one blow.
Namgung Jun struck the flat of the axe with his right palm, which carried lightning qi.
With a casual motion, as though swatting away an insect, the axe was violently knocked aside.
The bandit's eyes widened as the powerful rebound forced the axe from his grasp.
The axe blade had been dented into the distinct shape of a palm print.
“What the—!”
The startled bandit tried to say something.
Namgung Jun did not listen.
His palm, still overflowing with force after deforming the axe blade, came back and crushed the bridge of the bandit's nose.
Crack!
He simply returned the killing move the bandit had intended for him.
After killing the bandit in a single strike with the Heavenly Thunder Palm Art, Namgung Jun turned his attention to the other two.
By then, Man Ye-won had already drawn the sword from Yu Geun-su's pack and was simultaneously fighting three bandits.
Having experienced her fair share of real combat since joining the Heavenly Sword Hall, she remained calm even against their combined assault.
Several streams of sword wind swirled around her.
As though protecting her, the swirling sword wind made it difficult for the bandits to swing their axes.
‘She's handling sword wind quite well now.
Has she realized that sword wind doesn't have to be limited to offense?’
Since Man Ye-won had never truly been a cause for concern, Namgung Jun focused his attention on the recruit.
Surprisingly, Yu Geun-su was fighting well.
When he first drew the sword from the baggage, he had looked visibly flustered.
Yet the moment his left hand gripped the sword, his uniquely solid sword stance immediately returned.
Although two bandits attacked him together, he calmly defended himself with the Lesser Expansion Sword Art before seizing every opening to counterattack.
Even in real combat, Yu Geun-su's steadfastness remained unchanged.
Rather, because he never wavered, his composure became even more pronounced.
He was the type who controlled the flow of battle through an exceptionally solid defense.
‘He fights well.
He has considerable real combat experience.’
Namgung Jun did not actively join the battle.
He merely killed a few foolish bandits who charged him recklessly with a single palm strike.
Instead, he calmly observed the life-and-death battle of Man Ye-won and Yu Geun-su.
Though it took some time, every bandit who had attacked them was eventually subdued.
Six died.
Five survived.
The captured bandits knelt in a row.
Even in such circumstances, they continued glaring fiercely at Namgung Jun's group.
“You bastards!
Do you really think you'll leave Mount Seok alive after this!”
“You little brats dare!
Do you even know who we are!”
“If the Stronghold Master hears about this, you—!”
Slash!
The head of the bandit who had spoken first fell cleanly to the ground.
Yu Geun-su had decapitated him in a single stroke.
The cold, unannounced execution caused the remaining bandits to immediately fall silent.
With the same honest expression he always wore, Yu Geun-su rested his sword against another bandit's neck.
Feeling the cold blade behind his neck, the bandit's shoulders trembled.
“The location of your stronghold.”
“Ugh...”
The moment the bandit showed even the slightest hesitation, the recruit swung his sword without delay.
Watching him, Man Ye-won blinked in surprise.
‘He had a side like this?
It doesn't match his face or the way he talks at all.’
Yu Geun-su was far more decisive than expected.
Just like his solid and clean swordsmanship, there was not a trace of hesitation in his actions.
After finally obtaining the location of the stronghold, Yu Geun-su reported back to Namgung Jun.
“Well done.
We'll head there immediately.”
As they climbed the mountain trail toward the stronghold, Namgung Jun asked,
“You were rather ruthless.”
“I've learned that people like them don't deserve mercy.
I came to realize it naturally.”
“Did something happen?”
A faint shadow crossed Yu Geun-su's kind eyes.
“If you spare them, they'll always find a way to take revenge later.
One of the underworld thugs I let go because I was afraid of killing later poisoned the well of the martial academy.”
Had he not gone to a neighboring village on an errand for the academy master, he would not have survived either.
Yu Geun-su chose not to mention that it was after that incident that he committed his first killing.
Speaking with his head lowered, the recruit's voice was far stiffer than usual.
Man Ye-won did not dare interrupt.
She simply rolled her eyes quietly.
Namgung Jun slowly nodded before resuming his steps.
“Pointing a blade at another person and actually swinging it are both difficult things.
You did well.”
Soon, the stronghold the bandits had described came into view.
In truth, it could hardly even be called a stronghold.
Before them stood a tiny village with fewer than ten houses.
Judging by its appearance, the original villagers had likely all been killed before the place was seized.
“So your guess was right, Namgung Jun.
Looks like they only planned to stay here long enough to make a fortune before leaving Mount Seok.”
Namgung Jun nodded before carefully studying the layout of the village.
Judging from how the bandits had treated Man Ye-won earlier, there was a high chance that captured women were being held somewhere inside.
If they recklessly charged through the main entrance, the hostages' lives might be endangered.
“Man Ye-won and I will approach from the front and draw their attention.
Yu Geun-su, circle around the back, locate the hostages, and protect them.”
“Wouldn't it be better if you handled that part instead, Senior Namgung?”
For the first time, Yu Geun-su voiced an objection to Namgung Jun's orders.
“Why?”
“I don't have the ability to safely rescue and protect the hostages.
Isn't rescuing them the most important part of this mission?”
Still looking toward the stronghold, Namgung Jun turned his gaze to Yu Geun-su.
“This mission is to eliminate the bandits.
Why do you believe rescuing hostages, which wasn't even listed in the mission, is the highest priority?”
“Isn't this what the Azure Sky Society stands for?
That's what I believed when I joined.”
After looking directly into Yu Geun-su's eyes, Namgung Jun nodded.
“The recruit is correct.”
Standing beside them, her eyes busily darting back and forth as she listened, Man Ye-won let out a chuckle.
“Namgung Jun.
You were testing Uncle Geun-su on purpose, weren't you?”
“Accurately understanding one's own capabilities and maintaining the proper priorities as a Cloud of the Azure Sky Society.
That was something he absolutely needed.”
“You really are considerate.
If it had been another senior, they'd have let him make the mistake first and then chewed him out afterward.”
At Man Ye-won's grumbling, Namgung Jun smiled faintly.
“I can imagine how your first mission must have gone.”
“What?”
As Man Ye-won's face flushed slightly and she pretended not to hear him, Namgung Jun immediately issued a new order.
“We'll change the plan slightly.
Man Ye-won, you'll draw all the attention at the front of the stronghold by yourself.”
“Huh?
By myself?”
“Yes.
By yourself.”
With Man Ye-won's doubtful protest, the assault on the bandit stronghold began.