Kang Sogun

It was a dry winter night. The moonlight was also cold. The unmelted snow on the roadside shone coldly under the blue moonlight.

-Clop, clop.

Only the sound of the horse's hooves that Kang Sogun was riding quietly spread on the main road.

'Where did Yeon Hwasim go?'

He did not know why Yeon Hwasim had suddenly come to mind.

The situation where the Heavenly Martial Faction's pursuit had stopped was also strange. He had thought they would attack immediately, but it was unexpectedly quiet.

'To even have a fire lance.'

It was a surprising thing for a martial arts faction to have a fire lance. It was difficult to obtain a fire lance without a connection to the court.

The iron arrows that had flown from the darkness had also been fired from a powerful crossbow that was only used in the military.

If this fact became known, the court would also pay attention.

As Kang Sogun was lost in thought, going through the night, he suddenly heard the sound of a horse running from ahead.

-Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Soon, a group of running torches was visible. At a glance, there were over dozens of them.

'For so many to be moving at this time of night.'

Even though it was a night road, the sight of them running so urgently was unusual.

Kang Sogun left the main road and went behind a hill. He did not want to get involved in a pointless fight.

But things in the world do not go as one wishes.

Coincidentally, a fight broke out in front of Kang Sogun.

Now that he looked, the torches were two groups, one chasing and one being chased.

-Clang! Clang!

"Kuh!"

A fierce battle was taking place, and screams scattered into the night sky in succession.

"You guys, don't stop, escort the great man and go first!"

One of the chased people shouted. Kang Sogun found the voice familiar.

'Isn't that the sixth hall master?'

The person shouting from horseback was clearly the sixth hall master of the Great Righteous Martial Hall, Yeomga, who had been acting as an inn owner on the outskirts of Hefei City.

At Yeomga's command, a few warriors, with their hoods pulled down, escorted a person and ran towards Hefei City.

Yeomga, seeing his subordinates go, immediately turned his horse and jumped into the chaotic battle.

"Kuh!"

Where he went, the blood plate flashed and screams erupted, but the opponent was not to be taken lightly. Above all, there were many of them. The chasing enemies were over a hundred.

'It's the military!'

Although they were wearing martial arts uniforms and masks, Kang Sogun could tell from the saber arts of the chasing men that they were soldiers.

'At least they are above the rank of a centurion.'

Kang Sogun was surprised that each and every one of them was not a simple soldier. Judging by their martial prowess, they looked to be above the rank of a centurion.

Although Yeomga's subordinates were also quite outstanding, they were outnumbered. They fell from their horses in succession and collapsed.

As the masterless horses ran wild, the battlefield was a scene of chaos. As the situation became unfavorable, Yeomga swung his blood plate like a madman.

-Swish!

As the abacus beads flew out, the masked men fell from their horses in droves.

When all the abacus beads were gone, Yeomga drew his saber. Yeomga's saber was two feet long, and it was slender, similar to a sword.

-Swish!

Yeomga's figure was elusive. He would disappear in an instant and then reappear, and at that moment, a saber light would flash. Each time, the masked men would invariably fall from their horses.

"Quite something!"

With a roar that echoed through the night sky, a person flew from behind the group of masked men.

-Clang!

The person who had flown in brought down a large nine-ring saber. The saber light, reflecting the moonlight, poured down on Yeomga.

-Clang!

A sound erupted, and Yeomga and the person who had flown in each retreated three steps and confronted each other.

"Withered Yama? Are you in the group of traitors?"

"Hehe. We're not on speaking terms, are we?"

The person who had flown in was gaunt, belying his booming voice. He looked even more so because he was tall.

"That's right. What's the point of questioning a bastard who's about to die."

Yeomga's figure disappeared.

"Where do you dare!"

Withered Yama soared up like a thunderbolt and then swung his nine-ring saber down.

-Clang!

The two's sabers clashed once more.

As Yeomga was tied up in a fight with Withered Yama, the numerically inferior Great Righteous Martial Hall began to be pushed back. The tide of the battle was rapidly turning.

Just then.

A group of cavalry came running from the direction of Hefei.

"Sixth brother!"

The ones running at the forefront were No Ichil and Shangguan Qingyou.

Surprisingly, three of the Great Righteous Martial Hall's hall masters had gathered in one place.

"Why are you only coming now?"

Yeomga shouted in anger.

"Attack!"

At No Ichil's command, his subordinates jumped into the chaotic battle. The fight, which had been tilting, became tense again.

"What about that bastard? Why aren't you finishing him off quickly?"

No Ichil said, glancing at Withered Yama, who was fighting Yeomga.

"You fight him. This bastard is Withered Yama."

Yeomga flared up at No Ichil's words, and at that moment, his saber force faltered for a moment.

"Hehe. To look away while fighting!"

Withered Yama brought down his nine-ring saber as if to split Yeomga's head, but it only cut the air.

"Stupid bastard!"

As soon as Yeomga's cold voice was heard, Withered Yama threw himself back and swung his left hand.

-Clang!

With the protective armor wrapped around his left hand, Withered Yama barely managed to deflect Yeomga's sword, but his wrist was broken.

"You rat-like trick!"

Withered Yama, who had not expected him to deliberately show an opening and lure him in that short time, felt a chill run down his spine.

He had almost gone to meet the real King Yama with Yeomga's one sword just now.

As Withered Yama clutched his wrist and fled, Yeomga also retreated a full ten feet and surveyed the battle situation.

As No Ichil and his subordinates jumped in, the fight became more fierce, but both sides were not to be taken lightly, so it was tense.

Shangguan Qingyou asked Yeomga, who was taking a breath.

"Where is the great man?"

Yeomga was surprised and asked back.

"Are you saying you didn't meet him?"

"Oh no! It seems he didn't recognize us and hid!"

Shangguan Qingyou urgently gathered the surrounding warriors.

"You, follow me."

As Shangguan Qingyou was about to go back, a few cavalry were running from the direction they had come. Behind them, dozens of torches followed in a line.

Yeomga saw that the great man's party, which he had sent to escape first, was being chased again.

"It seems these bastards have even laid an ambush."

Yeomga gritted his teeth. The enemy seemed to have poured all their strength to prevent Yeomga's party from entering Hefei.

Shangguan Qingyou rode his horse and stood in front of the man called the great man.

"The situation is urgent, so I cannot observe the proper etiquette. Please follow me for now."

As Shangguan Qingyou was guiding the great man and his subordinates and running off the main road, it was coincidentally the place where Kang Sogun was hiding.

"Who is it!"

Shangguan Qingyou, who was running at the forefront, saw Kang Sogun in the shade of a tree on a small path between the hills and drew his sword.

Kang Sogun rode his horse and came out of the shade of the tree. His face was revealed in the moonlight.

"Kang Sogun?"

Shangguan Qingyou was surprised and called Kang Sogun's name.

"Why are you here...?"

As Shangguan Qingyou asked with caution, the man called the great man, who was behind, rode his horse and came forward.

"Kang Hui! You're Hui, aren't you!"

At the great man's words, Kang Sogun was also surprised. He had not expected to meet someone who knew his real name in a secluded winter field.

The number of people in the world who knew his real name could be counted on one hand.

Kang Sogun glared at the great man, but he could not recognize him because he was wearing a hood.

The great man took off his hood and said again.

"It's me!"

Kang Sogun hardened like a stone statue. The man called the great man was surprisingly young. He was only in his mid-twenties, and his nose and chin were thick, giving him a benevolent impression.

'Zhu Zhanji!'

The great man was the current crown prince, Zhu Zhanji.

Kang Sogun got off his horse and prostrated himself.

In any case, he was also a collateral branch of the imperial family. The shackles of his status were unavoidable.

"I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince."

As Zhu Zhanji was about to get off his horse, Shangguan Qingyou grabbed the reins.

"The situation is urgent right now. This is not the time for this."

"No. Hui is the younger brother I cherish the most. How can I just pass by?"

At Zhu Zhanji's words, this time Shangguan Qingyou was dumbfounded.

For Kang Sogun, whom he had thought to be a man of the martial world, to be the crown prince's younger brother.

Zhu Zhanji got off his horse and helped Kang Sogun up.

"To see you here. It's truly unexpected."

Kang Sogun's heart was complicated as he looked at Zhu Zhanji.

Shangguan Qingyou was anxious. Whatever the relationship between the two, since a powerful enemy was chasing, they had to flee first.

A fierce battle was taking place on the main road, so it was not the time to leisurely catch up.

"Great man! The situation is urgent."

Zhu Zhanji did not care and said to Kang Sogun.

"Do you know how much I have been looking for you?"

"..."

Kang Sogun was silent.

"Follow me."

As Shangguan Qingyou urged again, Zhu Zhanji got on his horse and said to Kang Sogun.

But Kang Sogun did not move.

Zhu Zhanji sighed lightly and did not force him.

"I will be going to Hefei, so come and find me."

Kang Sogun did not answer that either. Then Zhu Zhanji made it clear.

"If you don't come, I will search for you to the ends of the Central Plains! If you hide again, I will dig up the Kang Residence in Nanjing!"

Zhu Zhanji made a threat and then pulled the reins.

Zhu Zhanji and Shangguan Qingyou's party passed Kang Sogun and ran.

Kang Sogun looked at the moon in the black sky.

At some point, his status had become loathsome.

The current emperor's sister.

His mother's status had been passed down to Kang Sogun. That status was a symbol of power and glory, but on the other hand, it was also a target of surveillance and sanctions.

So he had joined the military and had gone to the frontier battlefield.

The previous emperor, who had passed away last summer, had cherished Kang Sogun. So he had wanted him to work under him, but he could not stop Kang Sogun, who was going to the northeastern frontier with a pretext.

But there were also forces that looked at even that with suspicion. It was whether he was not trying to gain the emperor's trust by establishing merit on the battlefield.

'I will never go back.'

Zhu Zhanji's threat to destroy the Kang Residence did not work on Kang Sogun.

Kang Sogun was thinking of turning his back on the world after finding Jang Seonbaek and Jang Yeongyeong. But it was questionable whether heaven would give him that opportunity. Too much blood had been shed on his hands for him to live an ordinary life.

And a situation that demanded blood again was approaching.

The procession of torches chasing Zhu Zhanji's party rushed towards Kang Sogun.

Kang Sogun approached his horse and packed his spear and luggage. Then he struck the horse's rump and chased it away.

The pursuers rushed right in front of him.

Kang Sogun jumped up a steep hill. He did not want to get involved in someone else's fight and see blood.

After a couple of leaps, Kang Sogun's figure, who had climbed the hill, disappeared into the darkness.

The pursuers did not care and ran in the direction that Zhu Zhanji had gone.

"Cut off the enemies chasing the great man."

As the enemies who had been coming from the direction of Hefei City chased Zhu Zhanji and Shangguan Qingyou, Yeomga shouted.

The martial artists of the Great Righteous Martial Hall deflected the enemies in front and cut off the ranks of the enemies chasing Zhu Zhanji.

"Hahaha! You bastards! Do you know who I am?"

The presence of a master in a chaotic battle was even more special. As Yeomga and No Ichil moved freely, the enemies also flinched and retreated. Then Yeomga shouted to his subordinates.

"We're going back to the city. Let's go!"

Yeomga got on a horse on one side and ran. Following him, No Ichil and the martial artists of the Great Righteous Martial Hall got on their horses in droves and ran towards Hefei.

***

The lights scattered in the darkness in the distance came into view. Shangguan Qingyou's complexion was grave as he ran towards Hefei City. The warriors following behind were only five or six.

'There's an ambush!'

Shangguan Qingyou could feel the killing intent on both sides of the dark main road. Although he had expected it, the enemy was more thorough than he had thought. They had laid a double and triple ambush line while chasing.

Shangguan Qingyou looked back at the main road. Shangguan Qingyou's party had taken a detour around the main road, so it had taken time. If No Ichil and Yeomga were not foolish, they would have retreated and would be returning to Hefei, so they would appear soon.

"Send a signal with a fire arrow! It's a first-class support request!"

As Shangguan Qingyou ordered, a subordinate shot three fire arrows in succession. It was a signal to the Jeongha Martial Hall in the city and to No Ichil and the others who would be behind.

Reinforcements were more desperate than their position being exposed.

Shangguan Qingyou approached Zhu Zhanji and said.

"It seems there is an ambush ahead. It would be better to wait for a moment and break through after joining our brothers."

Zhu Zhanji nodded and then asked.

"What are the movements of the Hefei branch?"

"It is not yet certain."

Shangguan Qingyou was secretly sending people to sound out the intentions of the Hefei branch.

He did not know how many forces supported the Prince of Han. If the Hefei branch had gone over to that side, Zhu Zhanji's safety could not be guaranteed.

'Wouldn't it be better to just give up and go south?'

The road to the capital would all be blocked.

Shangguan Qingyou glared at the ambush that would be crouching ahead.

(End of Chapter)