Kang Sogun

Jungrang drove the carriage.

The fields passing by in autumn were peaceful. The movements of the farmers in every field were bustling. As it was the harvest season, smiles flowed from every face he encountered.

However, Jungrang was anxious.

In the carriage was a person hovering between life and death, and he didn't know when the enemy would attack.

'This man's enemies will also come after him.'

The Heavenly Martial Faction alone was too much to handle, but there were also Kang Sogun's enemies.

Gu Yangun had said that the Yocheon Pavilion Master was dead. But the three men who came after that had talked about avenging the Pavilion Master.

'Could it be that this man killed the Yocheon Pavilion Master?'

According to the words of those who fought with Kang Sogun, it was certainly so.

If that was true, then the Yocheon Pavilion would be coming after them in addition to the Heavenly Martial Faction, so Jungrang's heart could not help but be anxious.

"Giddy-up!"

As he whipped the horse and drove the carriage, a memory from long ago suddenly came to mind.

It was about seven years ago.

He had been chased endlessly like this back then too. The memory of being chased to the brink of death was something he could still not forget.

Yeon Hwasim came out of the carriage and sat next to Jungrang on the driver's seat.

"Has he regained consciousness?"

"Not yet..."

Yeon Hwasim's complexion was dark.

When Jungrang came to a four-way intersection, he chose the southern road.

It was the road that led to the Yangtze River.

"Why? We should go straight."

Yeon Hwasim asked in confusion.

The straight path was the fastest. Going north, the road was wide and good, but it was quite a detour. To the south, the river would appear, so they would have to abandon the carriage.

"The enemy will be chasing us soon. Even if we have to abandon the carriage, we must avoid them as long as we can. We will be able to find a boat."

Jungrang said as he whipped the horse.

They could not handle the enemy if they came. The best thing to do was to shake them off unconditionally.

"Right, they'll chase the carriage. We might be able to avoid them if we go by boat."

Yeon Hwasim nodded.

She didn't know when she was at the manor, but on this trip to Yueyang, she realized that Jungrang had a wealth of experience in the martial world.

Moreover, he had protected her at the risk of his own life. Yeon Hwasim knew that not all escorts did that.

"Anyway, thank you."

Jungrang had followed her without asking a single word about the trip to Yueyang.

Yeon Hwasim's gratitude, apology, and reliance on Jungrang deepened.

The carriage ran along the main road. The road stretched on endlessly.

The two silently looked ahead at the road the carriage was on for a while.

It was Yeon Hwasim who broke the long silence.

"Jungrang. Tell me your story."

Yeon Hwasim realized that she didn't know much about Jungrang.

She only knew that her father, Yeon Seongyeol, had saved the seriously injured Jungrang, and that he had stayed at the manor and escorted her since then.

Jungrang rarely talked about himself.

Even when the young Yeon Hwasim asked, he would just calmly say that there would be a day when he would tell her later.

She thought it would be the same this time and asked without any expectation, but Jungrang opened his tightly closed mouth.

"I grew up in a mountain village. We lacked food and clothing, but it was a peaceful village."

Was it because the memories of the days he was chased came to mind?

Jungrang told his story.

A storm of blood had swept through a small mountain village in Guangdong Province.

It was because the village was located in a place where bandits frequently appeared.

The county magistrate, blinded by his achievements, branded the villagers as a gang of bandits and subjugated them.

Jungrang's parents and sister died in the process.

It was the bandits who saved Jungrang.

Jungrang grew up in the bandits' stronghold. He learned how to use a sword from the bandits. After about ten years, when his sword had gained strength, he went out into the martial world and lived as a ronin.

After gaining worldly experience as a ronin, Jungrang set out for revenge.

Jungrang went to find the county magistrate who had massacred the village.

The county magistrate had been promoted to a prefect in the meantime and was still living a life of tyranny.

After much hardship, Jungrang avenged his parents and revealed the county magistrate's crimes to the world. But that was not the end.

It turned out that the county magistrate was from a powerful family in the court.

The family released assassins to cover up the county magistrate's crimes and eliminate the source of the trouble.

Just as Jungrang, who had been chased for a thousand li, was on the verge of death, Yeon Seongyeol saved him.

After that, Jungrang took refuge in the Three Blade Sect, and Yeon Seongyeol entrusted him with the escort of his young daughter.

"So that's what happened."

Yeon Hwasim felt sorry for him.

She had thought that the reason Jungrang was quiet and couldn't get along with people was because that was his original personality.

Anyone would have become like that if their parents and sister had died in front of their eyes and they had lived in the mountains for over ten years only for revenge.

After telling his story, Jungrang silently drove the carriage, lost in thought.

The memory of his parents was gradually fading.

He had lived only for revenge, so after punishing the county magistrate, he had lost his purpose in life. His only reason for living now was Yeon Hwasim.

When he first saw Yeon Hwasim, she was the same age as his sister when she died.

Moreover, Yeon Hwasim somehow resembled his sister who had died at the hands of the government soldiers. He didn't know if she really resembled her or if he was mistaken, but that wasn't important.

When he was young, he didn't have the strength to protect his sister, but now it was different.

"There are many people in the world with stories more tragic than mine. As you live, everyone goes through hardships at some point. No matter how noble a family you are born into, life is unpredictable. Who would have known that Gu Yangun would die such a violent death?"

There was a reason why Jungrang told his story. It was because of the storms that Yeon Hwasim would face in the future.

He wanted to tell the treasured jewel of the Three Blade Sect about the harshness of the world and to hold her heart firm.

A direct descendant of the Heavenly Martial Faction had died while chasing Yeon Hwasim.

If the Heavenly Martial Faction was a vast sea, the Three Blade Sect was a stream. It would be difficult for the Three Blade Sect to avoid disaster.

Furthermore, the Heavenly Martial Faction would pursue Yeon Hwasim to the end.

No one would question who was at fault in the first place.

Because it was a world where the one with power was the law.

"Thank you for telling me your story."

Yeon Hwasim, whether she knew of Jungrang's concerns or not, suddenly said thank you.

Yeon Hwasim got down from the driver's seat and went into the carriage.

"Ah!"

Yeon Hwasim let out a low exclamation. Jungrang was surprised and stopped the carriage.

Yeon Hwasim stood there with the carriage door open.

Jungrang also got down from the driver's seat and approached Yeon Hwasim's side.

Kang Sogun, who had been laid down, was leaning against the carriage wall with his head bowed.

"You're awake."

At Yeon Hwasim's words, Kang Sogun slowly raised his head.

"Where is this?"

"You were seriously injured and lost consciousness. We are fleeing from the enemy."

Kang Sogun's eyes changed from moment to moment. It seemed he was thinking about something.

"Is it alright to keep going? The road is not good, so it will be a bit shaky."

Jungrang asked.

Kang Sogun nodded. It was a very natural nod.

Jungrang went up to the driver's seat, and Yeon Hwasim went into the carriage. Although men and women were different, it was not the time to be concerned about that.

Yeon Hwasim came into the carriage and sat silently on one side.

No, she had nothing to say.

There was actually nothing to talk about between her and Kang Sogun.

She had asked, and Kang Sogun had refused. Nevertheless, there was only a lingering attachment.

Kang Sogun just leaned against the carriage wall without a word. He didn't even ask where they were going.

Kang Sogun was lost in his own thoughts.

Yeon Hwasim was secretly sad. On the other hand, she was also angry.

In any case, if he had saved her, couldn't he at least say a word of thanks?

Thinking about it, whether it was his will or not, Kang Sogun had also saved her and Jungrang from the hands of the Heavenly Martial Faction.

'I guess you could say we're even.'

If Kang Sogun asked why she had saved him, she would answer that. But Kang Sogun didn't ask anything.

'Hoo. He's really an incomprehensible person.'

It felt like her head was going to explode.

Yeon Hwasim stopped thinking, opened the carriage door, and went out.

Her movements as she hung onto the moving carriage, closed the door, and flew to the driver's seat were as graceful as a swallow's.

Jungrang didn't ask why she had come out. In fact, he had also been listening to the sounds from inside the carriage, and he was curious because there was no conversation.

It seemed that Yeon Hwasim had come out without even being able to say a word.

She looked pitiful, as if her heart had been hurt.

'Did she say his name was Kang Sogun? Are you that great?'

Jungrang didn't like the man named Kang Sogun.

Jungrang made up his mind to have a life-or-death sword fight with Kang Sogun.

'But for now, getting out safely is the priority.'

Fortunately, there was still no sign of the enemy's pursuit. Jungrang did not know that it was thanks to Jang Mugang and his brothers.

***

Two horses galloped down the main road.

They were the vanguards of the Heaven's Mandate Brigade.

It was around the time the vanguards reached the fork in the road where Jungrang's carriage, which had gone ahead, had chosen the southern path.

Thud!

An arrow suddenly flew and embedded itself in the neck of the running horse.

"Hee-hee-hing."

The horse let out a pained cry and collapsed. The horse following behind also got entangled and fell.

The men on the horses shot up into the air, did a somersault, and then landed on the main road.

The way they had drawn their swords in the meantime showed that they were no ordinary martial artists.

"As expected of the Heavenly Martial Faction's Heaven's Mandate Brigade."

Wi Eunghwan muttered.

Jang Mugang and his brothers had left Yueyang and run through a shortcut.

Then they came to a three-way intersection. They also didn't know which direction Yeon Hwasim's party had taken.

Jungrang was skilled at erasing his tracks. There were no carriage wheel tracks in any direction.

After thinking, the three decided to guard the intersection.

Jang Mugang was standing on a gentle slope overlooking the main road. It was a position where small pine trees shielded him from the view of the main road.

Sim Mabaek and Wi Eunghwan stood behind him and looked down at the enemy.

"We just need to buy some time. We'll do it moderately and then pull out."

Jang Mugang told his younger brothers, but his heart was heavy. The opponent was a hundred men.

The entire Heaven's Mandate Brigade, the vanguard of the Heavenly Martial Faction, had come out. It was a force that could sweep away a small sect.

"It's been a while since I've stretched my body, and you're telling me to do it moderately."

Sim Mabaek showed his white teeth and laughed.

Among the three, the most belligerent was Sim Mabaek. No wonder his nickname was Demon Spear.

The vanguards, who were looking around on the main road, ran back the way they came when the enemy did not appear.

They would inform them that there was an ambush.

Wi Eunghwan aimed his large bow again. Wi Eunghwan, who was skilled in various hidden weapons, usually enjoyed using a crossbow.

But Wi Eunghwan's true face was revealed when he shot a large bow on the battlefield.

His specially made large bow was bent to its limit. The moment he released the string, the vanguard's life would be over.

"No. Leave him."

Jang Mugang pressed down on Wi Eunghwan's large bow.

"If there is an ambush ahead, they will delay their movement to deal with it."

The Shandong Great Tiger, Jang Mugang, was surprisingly skilled in strategy, which did not match his rough appearance.

As Jang Mugang had said, even after quite some time had passed, there was no sign of the Heaven's Mandate Brigade appearing.

"By the way, which path do you think Miss Yeon took?"

Sim Mabaek, who was tapping his foot with his long spear, muttered as if to himself out of boredom.

He was trying to relax before a fight.

Soon, the enemy would appear, and a life-or-death battle would unfold.

Who in the world was not afraid of death?

If you were caught up in the thought that you might die, your body and mind would naturally stiffen.

Sometimes, you could make a ridiculous mistake and die in vain because your mind was intimidated before you even started.

So, they would make jokes to divert their attention.

"You guys try to guess."

Jang Mugang also responded, as if he knew Sim Mabaek's intention.

Sim Mabaek pointed to the straight path ahead with his spear.

"If it were me, I would have gone straight. It's the fastest way to Wuhan, where the Three Blade Sect is. Isn't it?"

Sim Mabaek asked Wi Eunghwan as if seeking his agreement.

"If you charge straight ahead without thinking like the second brother, then yes. I think he would have thought of taking a detour to the north. The roads to the north split into several paths, so it's easy to avoid pursuit. Even if it takes time, it's right to choose the north to live."

"You have to reach the Three Blade Sect as quickly as possible and request support from your allies. If you drag it out, you'll eventually get caught."

"What do you think, big brother, where would he have gone?"

Wi Eunghwan did not respond to Sim Mabaek's rebuttal and asked Jang Mugang.

"I think he would have chosen the south."

(End of Chapter)