Kang Sogun

A light rain fell. Raindrops hitting the water's surface drew circles that rippled outwards.

Dongting Lake was as vast as the sea. A man sitting in a pavilion on a hill overlooking the rainy lake lifted his cup. He appeared to be in his mid-twenties.

As the man slowly drank his wine, a chilling coldness washed over him.

"Are you the one they call Kang Sogun?"

The voice was eerie. Three men wearing bamboo hats stood in the rain below the pavilion, having appeared out of nowhere.

Kang Sogun didn't seem to hear, his lips still on the cup.

"They said you had guts of steel. It seems they were right."

"To think we came over ten thousand li to chase after a brat like this. The name Xinjiang Samrang is wasted on you."

"Let's just get this over with and go."

After each of them had their say, they kicked off the ground and flew towards the pavilion. Their momentum was quite rough and fierce.

However.

Thud. Thwack!

The three men were thrown back before they could even set foot on the pavilion. They tumbled onto the very ground they had just launched from.

"Ugh."

One of them writhed and let out a groan before his head fell limp. The other two were already gone from this world.

'Gasp!'

A sharp intake of breath was heard from the cliffside that overlooked the pavilion at an angle.

Kang Sogun glanced towards the cliff. Perhaps due to the alcohol, his eyes were slightly red.

The owner of the eyes, standing between the trees on the cliff, was frozen as if struck by lightning.

Kang Sogun's gaze met a pair of large, clear eyes.

"..."

A moment later, Kang Sogun looked away and poured wine into his empty cup.

The raindrops grew stronger. Rain fell on the lake and on the corpses of the Xinjiang Samrang.

***

One year later.

Rain poured down as if the sky had collapsed. The main road into Yueyang had turned into a muddy mess, making it impossible to tell where the road ended and the fields began.

Two horses galloped through the downpour, which made it difficult to see even ten feet ahead. The horses, splashing through the muddy water, were breathing heavily.

"We need to rest for a bit. I don't think the horses can take much more."

The person in the lead reined in their horse.

It was a young man wearing a wide bamboo hat and a raincoat. A fair, slender face, round, clear eyes, and full lips suggested that this was a woman in disguise.

The man following behind also stopped his horse. He too wore a bamboo hat and a raincoat. He looked to be just over twenty, with a sharp jawline and piercing eyes.

The two rested for a moment, still on their horses.

As the rain subsided, their view cleared. To the right of the road was an endless field, now covered in muddy water, looking like a sea.

To the left, a wetland stretched on, and in the distance, a river could be seen. The river flowed fiercely, as if an angry dragon were writhing.

"It looks like the riverbank is going to collapse. To have such heavy rain when summer is almost over."

The woman in disguise muttered as she looked at the swollen Yangtze River, which seemed ready to overflow. Then she spoke to her companion.

"Jungrang, how much further do we have to go?"

The man called Jungrang was looking behind them.

"I think we only have about an hour left."

With the cloudy sky, darkness was already falling.

The woman in disguise also followed Jungrang's gaze and looked back the way they had come.

With the growing darkness and the rain, her vision couldn't reach far.

'Am I being paranoid?'

There was no sign of any pursuers. And yet, her instincts were screaming a warning.

The unease that followed them like a shadow was by no means due to paranoia.

Jungrang was a man who trusted his instincts.

"It can't be the Heavenly Martial Faction."

The woman in disguise muttered as if to convince herself.

It had been four days since they left the Three Blade Sect.

They had slipped out in the middle of the night and taken a roundabout route. They had moved stealthily to shake off the Heavenly Martial Faction's surveillance, but they couldn't be sure.

Jungrang looked at the woman in disguise. Her anxiety was palpable.

"Don't worry. I'm just being cautious."

Even as Jungrang spoke to reassure her, his heart was heavy.

The woman in disguise was Yeon Hwasim, the treasured jewel of the Three Blade Sect.

If anything happened to her, he wouldn't be able to face the Three Blade Sect Master. No, before that, he would never be able to forgive himself.

"Jungrang, I'm sorry. But I had no choice. This might be the only hope to protect the Three Blade Sect from the Heavenly Martial Faction's ambitions."

Jungrang looked at Yeon Hwasim.

She was only eighteen.

A flower raised with utmost care within the sect, she still didn't know the ways of the world.

When Yeon Hwasim had suddenly insisted on going to Yueyang, Jungrang had tried to stop her. But he couldn't break her stubbornness and ended up following her.

The Three Blade Sect Master, Yeon Seongyeol, might blame him for his irresponsible actions. But right now, that wasn't Jungrang's concern.

Returning alive was the immediate task at hand.

The fear of not being able to protect Yeon Hwasim weighed on him more than Yeon Seongyeol's reprimand.

'I can only hope my premonition is wrong.'

Jungrang muttered to himself and looked back again.

"Hoo! Let's go."

Yeon Hwasim let out a deep breath as if frustrated and spurred her horse. The horse let out a cry and galloped forward.

In the spot the two had just passed, the deep hoofprints were soon washed away by the muddy water.

Darkness slowly descended over it.

***

Late at night, the two entered Yueyang. The rain had stopped, but there were no people on the streets.

The nights in Yueyang, a city that attracted tourists from all over the world, were always brilliant, but tonight was exceptionally quiet.

Only the lanterns hanging on both sides of the main street swayed in the wind and rain.

The two rode their horses into a street lined with taverns and inns.

The brothels, taverns, and inns all had splendid lanterns hanging outside. Laughter and the smell of wine flowed out from within.

The empty street was no different from a waterway, with the gutters overflowing.

Splash! Splash!

The two slowly made their way through the alley, wading through water that came up to their horses' ankles.

When they reached the middle of the street, Yeon Hwasim stopped her horse.

Crimson Dusk Inn.

The first and second floors seemed to be a tavern, with bright lights and a noisy clamor coming from within. The third floor appeared to be guest rooms, but most of the windows were closed.

"Welcome! You must have had a hard time in the rain. Give me your horses and please come inside."

A young waiter who looked to be about fifteen years old ran out and took the reins.

As the two entered the door, another waiter ran up.

"Welcome. We have just one room left."

The waiter chattered as he quickly sized up the two.

"We need two rooms."

Jungrang said as he took off his bamboo hat and raincoat and shook them out.

Yeon Hwasim looked around the establishment. The rather spacious place was packed with people. They were all stranded by the downpour.

The waiter showed a troubled expression.

"The annex in the backyard has two rooms, but... it's a bit expensive."

"We'll take it."

Yeon Hwasim took out a silver coin and handed it to the waiter. The waiter quickly took the silver and bowed.

"Please follow me."

The waiter led them to the backyard annex.

'Huh! Is this person a man or a woman?'

The waiter who brought dinner to the annex was surprised to see Yeon Hwasim in her male disguise and muttered to himself.

Having washed up and changed into new clothes, Yeon Hwasim was a beauty who immediately caught the eye, even in her male disguise.

"What is it?"

The waiter jumped in surprise and turned around. Jungrang had entered and asked, his gaze sharp.

"Is there anything else you need?"

The waiter bowed repeatedly, seeing the hilt of a sword sticking out from behind Jungrang's back.

Yeon Hwasim said to the waiter.

"Could you tell the owner to hang three lanterns in front of the gate?"

"Lanterns? Why three lanterns?"

The waiter tilted his head and looked at Yeon Hwasim, then nodded as if he understood.

"Ah! Right. It is dark, isn't it? Yes. Yes. I'll tell him."

The waiter left.

"It would be better not to attract attention."

Jungrang couldn't understand Yeon Hwasim's order to hang three lanterns.

"I heard something from my father. He said if you find the Crimson Dusk Inn and hang three lanterns, someone will come to find you."

Jungrang nodded. There was a reason why Yeon Hwasim had insisted on the Crimson Dusk Inn.

Jungrang looked out the window.

"They are not to be underestimated."

Jungrang's expression was heavy.

Yeon Hwasim frowned. Jungrang had gone out for a moment to check the surroundings. Seeing his expression, she knew without asking that there were pursuers.

"The Heavenly Martial Faction?"

"I don't think they'll make a move right away. Let's eat first. It's going to be a long night."

They had even skipped lunch in their haste. Whether they fought or fled, they needed to eat properly.

Jungrang didn't go so far as to say that the Heavenly Martial Faction had surrounded the inn. If she knew that, Yeon Hwasim wouldn't be able to eat properly due to worry.

"I'm sorry. Because of me."

Yeon Hwasim was sincere.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. I don't know what's going on, but you must have your reasons for doing this."

"I need to find someone. If that person helps the Three Blade Sect..."

Yeon Hwasim's words trailed off.

"Who is he?"

"I can't tell you right now."

In truth, Yeon Hwasim herself wasn't sure if she could meet him again.

Jungrang didn't ask any more questions. His mind was about to explode trying to figure out a way to get out of the inn.

The two stayed up all night with their eyes open.

The enemy did not attack.

Yeon Hwasim only managed to get a little sleep at dawn.

When she woke up, the day was bright.

There was a presence outside, and then the waiter's voice was heard.

"Guest! Shall I prepare breakfast?"

"Bring it."

Jungrang's voice answered. Yeon Hwasim went out to the living room. Jungrang didn't seem to have slept at all.

"Did anyone come looking for me?"

Jungrang shook his head. Yeon Hwasim paced the living room anxiously.

A moment later.

There was a presence outside.

"Who is it?"

Jungrang asked, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I've brought breakfast."

The door opened and the waiter came in.

"Hehe. Did you sleep well? I've brought breakfast."

Jungrang's gaze was fixed on the person who followed the waiter in, carrying a large tray.

He looked to be over forty, a giant of a man at six feet tall. He had a thick, short beard and a long scar running from his right forehead to his eye.

At a glance, he had a very menacing impression.

The giant was incongruously wearing an apron and holding a tray with a large soup bowl.

"Chef Jang has prepared a special dish for the annex guests and brought it himself. This is Chef Jang's famous chicken porridge."

The waiter made a fuss.

Jungrang's eyes glinted sharply as he saw the large kitchen knife tucked into Chef Jang's waist.

Jungrang's hand was already on the hilt of his sword.

Chef Jang glanced at Jungrang and then said to the waiter.

"You can go now."

Chef Jang sent the waiter away and placed the tray he had brought on the table.

"Who asked for the three lanterns to be hung?"

His voice was very deep, not the tone of a simple inn chef.

"Do you know of the Three Lanterns Pact?"

Yeon Hwasim took a step forward. Chef Jang looked Yeon Hwasim up and down.

"Who are you and where are you from?"

"Before we reveal who we are, I would like to ask if the Three Lanterns Pact is still valid."

Chef Jang looked back and forth between Yeon Hwasim and Jungrang, then frowned as if a thought occurred to him.

A moment later, Chef Jang nodded.

"Only one person knows of the Three Lanterns Pact. It is possible if you have that person's token."

Yeon Hwasim took out a small knife from her bosom.

The words Three Blades were inscribed on the hilt.

"You haven't forgotten the Three Blade Sect?"

"Let's just say I haven't forgotten Sect Master Yeon."

Chef Jang reached out a hand as large as a pot lid and opened the soup bowl.

"My name is Jang Mugang. I don't know why you're looking for me, but let's eat first. I haven't eaten yet either, so I'm hungry."

(End of Chapter)