Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Would such a thing happen at the hands of an individual or a small group?
Would the person who orchestrated such an event overlook the escape of the Clan Head’s direct descendant?
People cautiously avoided meeting the First Division Leader’s eyes.
The First Division Leader, too, had somewhat expected things to turn out this way.
He looked at each person, wondering if not even one would volunteer.
Then, when he met Pyo Inhaeng’s gaze, he thought, ‘Strange things do happen.’
But he also remembered that Pyo Inhaeng had often withdrawn from missions without making any special effort to avoid attention.
So his reaction made sense.
Just as the First Division Leader was about to look for a suitable candidate to persuade, Pyo Inhaeng spoke.
“Our Tenth Division will take it.”
“...”
The First Division Leader looked at him, wondering if he had heard correctly.
“Did you say the Tenth Division will take the mission?”
“Yes. The Tenth Division will do it.”
“Do you fully understand how critical this is and the danger it entails?”
“Yes. I understand that the Ak Clan is under attack from an unknown group, and that this group is not to be taken lightly. I also understand that they will not simply let the Clan Head’s direct descendant escape. Even if we succeed, there’s nothing to gain from it. But if we fail, we may face severe repercussions from the Ak Clan.”
Even the First Division Leader hadn’t thought of that.
But now that he heard it, it seemed entirely plausible.
Some people forget kindness but never let go of resentment.
The Clan Head of the Ak Clan could be one of those people.
The Guardian Ten Division was offering to escort the Clan Head’s daughter out of goodwill, but if something were to happen to her along the way, what then?
That’s why it was better not to get involved in such matters from the beginning.
Yet because of the Sect Leader, they were now entangled in a complex situation.
“And even knowing that, the Tenth Division is volunteering?”
“Yes, but I will personally select the people required for this mission.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Just as I said. The Tenth Division alone might not be enough, and the mission must succeed, so I’m making the request.”
The First Division Leader couldn’t understand why Pyo Inhaeng was complicating things.
If he just stayed quiet, the mission would be assigned elsewhere.
This wasn’t a task that could be resolved by using human shields—it had to succeed no matter what.
Such a mission did not suit the Tenth Division.
“Captain Pyo, do you not understand that this mission must absolutely succeed?”
“I do.”
Though it could have been a blow to his pride, Pyo Inhaeng showed no sign of being offended.
Others didn’t seem to know how to interpret this situation.
Among those seated as division leaders, there wasn’t one who didn’t know of Pyo Inhaeng’s abilities.
Which made the situation even trickier.
Even those who usually looked down on Pyo Inhaeng for being from the Tenth Division didn’t like the idea of having to face him directly.
There were many reasons, but one major factor was that everyone knew the First Division Leader privately supported and admired Pyo Inhaeng.
Though the First Division Leader pretended not to like Pyo Inhaeng outwardly because he had once been rejected by him, he respected his spirit.
The First Division Leader looked at Pyo Inhaeng for a long moment before finally nodding.
“Understood. Since you insist, I’m sure you have your reasons.”
At those words, the expressions of the others hardened.
Allowing Pyo Inhaeng to proceed meant he would be permitted to select personnel from each division.
Regardless of what others thought, Pyo Inhaeng sat expressionless in his seat.
Then, as soon as the meeting adjourned, he was the first to leave.
Those curious about his intentions could only stare blankly at his retreating figure.
Some gathered and speculated about what scheme he might be plotting, but since none of them knew the answer, it was pointless.
Back in the Tenth Division, Pyo Inhaeng immediately summoned his people.
Normally, he would have called different officers, but this time he summoned Won Jirim, Ho Jo-yeong, and Seo Mugyeom.
Seo Mugyeom had already been on edge, curious about the meeting’s outcome, and rushed over as soon as Pyo Inhaeng called.
“How did it go, Captain?”
Seo Mugyeom had come with Ho Jo-yeong, but Won Jirim had not arrived yet.
Pyo Inhaeng scolded Seo Mugyeom.
“The Vice Captain isn’t here yet. I don’t like repeating myself, so wait until he arrives.”
“Yes, Captain.”
He said “Yes, Captain,” but kept urging with his eyes.
Eventually, Pyo Inhaeng sighed.
“Staring at me like that in silence is enough to bore holes into my face. You cheeky brat.”
“I was only looking at you with admiration, Captain. It’s sad you see it that way.”
When Seo Mugyeom said that, Ho Jo-yeong inhaled sharply.
Who else would dare speak to the Captain like that?
Ho Jo-yeong was all set to beg for forgiveness if the Captain scolded Seo Mugyeom.
But instead, the Captain burst out laughing, clearly amused.
Watching this, Ho Jo-yeong thought relationships between people were truly strange.
It seemed the Captain wasn’t at all angry with Seo Mugyeom’s words.
Ho Jo-yeong relaxed and looked at Seo Mugyeom.
Come to think of it, it was odd.
He got along well with everyone, so treating Seo Mugyeom nicely wasn’t unusual.
But even those like the Captain or Vice Captain, who didn’t interact well with others, treated Seo Mugyeom kindly.
That wasn’t the case before, but once someone had a deep conversation with Seo Mugyeom, it seemed inevitable.
Seeing how elders trusted Seo Mugyeom made Ho Jo-yeong happy, as if it concerned him personally.
By then, Pyo Inhaeng had begun explaining that he had accepted the Ak Clan mission.
He relayed everything the First Division Leader had said.
While he was talking, Won Jirim arrived in a hurry.
Although annoyed, Pyo Inhaeng repeated what he had said.
Won Jirim nodded with a tense expression.
He, too, noticed that the Captain was acting differently from usual.
After hearing the details, he realized that they had volunteered for a dangerous mission to escort Lady Ak.
“In that case, I should go too.”
Won Jirim said, but Pyo Inhaeng shook his head.
“No. You may be smart, but your martial arts are weak. Stay and protect this place while I’m gone.”
“You’re going personally, Captain?”
Won Jirim asked, and even Seo Mugyeom was surprised.
“Of course. I’ve just started enjoying teaching this brat. What if Seo Mugyeom dies over there?”
Ho Jo-yeong nodded as if it made sense, but then accidentally met Pyo Inhaeng’s eyes.
Realizing he might also be taken along, he swallowed nervously.
“Ho Jo-yeong, you feel the same, don’t you? You’re worried about Seo Mugyeom, so you want to go too, right?”
Ho Jo-yeong’s eyes wavered anxiously.
“I… I don’t think I’d be much help yet. How about I focus on training this time and join the next mission instead? That might help Mugyeom more.”
Worried the Captain might get angry, he spoke carefully.
But Pyo Inhaeng laughed heartily.
“Good. That’s the right attitude. Even if you’re scared, you have to make rational decisions and stick to them. I like it. I really do know how to pick people.”
Pyo Inhaeng, in good spirits, was interrupted by Won Jirim.
“Ho Jo-yeong was assigned to the Tenth Division because his duel results after completing the Martial Arts Academy were poor. None of the other Captains chose him, so he ended up here. So, really, Captain, you didn’t pick him.”
Ho Jo-yeong looked at Pyo Inhaeng, feeling sorry for him.
Seo Mugyeom always spoke his mind, but the Vice Captain seemed even worse.
“Enough. What does it matter? For this mission, Seo Mugyeom and I will go from the Tenth Division, and I’ll pick a few more. We’ll also bring Vice Captain Ju Jirang from the Ninth Division. If we only bring Ju Jirang, it’ll look suspicious, so we’ll pull one or two from other divisions as well. Since Lady Ak is a woman, it won’t seem strange to bring a female warrior. It’s standard practice.”
Won Jirim and Ho Jo-yeong nodded, thinking it was a good idea.
They uncritically accepted that Ju Jirang had a close relationship with Un Jongak.
Since the Captain spoke with such confidence, they figured he must have checked thoroughly.
The strange one was Pyo Inhaeng.
He seemed to trust whatever Seo Mugyeom said without verifying it.
That’s why Seo Mugyeom wanted to prove this time that he was right.
It was natural to want to repay the trust of someone who believed in you.
“If Un Jongak and Ju Jirang are that close, Un Jongak might try to intervene first, Captain. He must know this journey could be dangerous. Wouldn’t he dislike Ju Jirang joining such a risky mission?”
Won Jirim’s point seemed plausible to everyone.
Pyo Inhaeng looked at Seo Mugyeom.
“Why… are you looking at me?”
“Just wondering if you had a good idea.”
“I believe in you, Captain. You’ve been hiding your strength, but once you reveal who you are, won’t everything be resolved at once?”
Seo Mugyeom said that sincerely.
Even if he himself didn’t fully know what kind of person the Captain was, hearing Ho Jo-yeong’s words had strengthened his belief.