Return of the Mount Hua

Who did you just say it was? (7)

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Upon hearing the news that more than ten people had died, the Alliance was thrown into chaos.

Not long after, it was reported that even more people had gone missing overnight, in addition to those ten. The chaos quickly turned into fear.

Soon, the whereabouts of those who hadn’t returned became clear. It was also revealed that the number of sentries who had lost their lives during the night had reached thirty.

At this point, words like ‘chaos’ and ‘fear’ no longer seemed adequate to describe the state of the Alliance.

“What in the world is going on here?”

Moyong Wigyeong raised his voice.

“Thirty! We lost thirty people in just one night! Does this make any sense at all?”

“Please, calm down, Lord Moyong.”

“Do I look calm right now!”

Moyong Wigyeong’s beard trembled with rage. It was only natural. Among those who had perished that night were members of the Moyong family.

“The numbers are irrelevant.”

The one who tried to calm Lord Moyong was the former Sect Leader of the Beggars Sect, Pung Yeong Shin Gae.

“What matters is that they were sentries. The ones who should have been alert for enemies didn’t even have a chance to blow their whistles. This is not something we can take lightly.”

“…Doesn’t that mean the enemy was just that strong?”

Pung Yeong Shin Gae shook his head coldly.

“Even if their entire army had attacked, it would be impossible to kill that many without making a sound.”

“What if there were many of them…”

Moyong Wigyeong trailed off mid-sentence.

Even if there had been a large number of enemies, it wouldn’t have made them any faster. It was impossible to understand how the sentries had been killed without even blowing their whistles even once.

“Hmm.”

Groaning sounds leaked from here and there.

However, even in the midst of all this, there were a few who maintained relative composure. One of them was Jongli Gok. 

“The key lies in the distance.”

Tang Gunak turned to him and asked, 

“…Did you say distance?”

Jongli Gok slowly nodded.

“It’s obvious, but the fact that none of them blew their whistles means they were attacked simultaneously.”

“…That must be the case.”

“Unless the enemy is a master of flying daggers like yourself, Lord Tang, to cut down this many people at once, they would have had to get close. What does that tell you?”

“Hmm.”

Maeng So let out a low sigh.

It meant that the sentries, who had been posted to keep watch, failed to notice the enemy approaching right up to them. Could such a thing really be possible?

“It’s absurd… but there’s no other way to explain it.”

Everyone silently agreed with Maeng So’s muttered words.

In the end, to uncover the events of that night, they had to discuss how the enemy had approached the sentries without being noticed.

“Let’s set aside the enemy’s martial prowess for now. Judging by the skill level of the sentries, no matter who the enemy was, they shouldn’t have been weak enough to allow them to get so close without noticing.”

Tang Gunak nodded heavily.

That was true. It was Tang Gunak himself who had emphasized the careful selection of those to guard against any possible intrusions.

“Then how on earth did they manage it?”

“If it was some form of supreme stealth technique…”

“That’s impossible. Even if they specialized in stealth, they might have been able to approach unnoticed, but due to the nature of martial arts, it’s not feasible to cut down over ten people simultaneously. Anyone capable of such a feat would have already earned the title of The Best Killer Under the Heavens [천하제일살(天下第一殺)] and their name would be known far and wide.”

Zhuge Jain dismissed the possibility coldly.

“Then, what about Soul Manipulation*?”

“That doesn’t make sense either. I’m not dismissing sorcery, but to entrance someone requires a considerable amount of preparation and time. I’ve never heard of a method that can instantly and simultaneously bewitch people standing guard.”

“Hmm. Certainly…”

The more they exchanged opinions, the more suffocating the atmosphere became.

No matter how much they deliberated, they couldn’t even guess what method the enemy had used to slaughter those who were on watch.

Tang Gunak sighed and turned his gaze, only to pause suddenly. He then spoke up.

“…What do you think, Nokrim King?”

Im Sobyeong, who had been lazily fanning himself as if the matter had nothing to do with him, furrowed his brows.

“Are you asking for my opinion?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm. Hmm.”

Im Sobyeong let out a small laugh.

“I doubt my opinion is all that important.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m not sure you’d even understand if I explained.”

Tang Gunak’s expression stiffened.

It wasn’t the first time Im Sobyeong acted slyly, but now was certainly not the time for jokes.

At that moment, Im Sobyeong’s indifferent voice continued.

“From the start, the entire discussion has been misguided.”

“…What?”

This was an unexpected statement. Tang Gunak looked at him, seeking an explanation.

But instead of answering Tang Gunak, Im Sobyeong glanced at the others and spoke.

“Sure, there are various possibilities. As you said, it could be someone proficient in stealth… or maybe a master of Soul Manipulation managed to entrance everyone.”

“…”

“Ah, perhaps a master of hidden weapons, far surpassing Lord Tang, eliminated everyone from a distance, cutting off their breath in an instant. Or, it could have been a master of stealth techniques, beyond even the Sect Leader of the Beggars Sect, who flew in like the wind and swiftly slit their throats.”

“Nokrim King.”

Jongli Gok’s voice was cold as he spoke, taking Im Sobyeong’s faint smile as mockery.

“Are you implying that we should take your words as an insult?”

Jongli Gok’s sharp gaze seemed as though it could pierce through Im Sobyeong. From the start, he had been uncomfortable with Im Sobyeong, who was from the Evil Sect. Now, feeling mocked on top of it, Jongli Gok saw no reason to hold back his displeasure.

For most, such a look would have caused their heart to sink, but unfortunately, Im Sobyeong was no ordinary person.

“An insult? Surely not. I’m just saying it could be possible. I’m being sincere.”

Im Sobyeong casually raised both hands. Jongli Gok frowned deeply.

“There are other things I find truly pathetic. I wouldn’t bother to mock you over such trivial matters.”

“…What did you just say?”

In that instant, the playfulness vanished from Im Sobyeong’s face.

“I meant exactly what I said. A master of Soul Manipulation, an expert in stealth, a hidden weapons master, or a martial arts prodigy – any one of them would have enough skill to shake the entire world.”

“So what? Isn’t that obvious?”

“Obvious?”

Im Sobyeong’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“Indeed, there are some aspects where the Evil Sects excel over the Just Sects. If Jongnam had been part of the Evil Path, you wouldn’t have reached the position of a leader with such complacency.”

“…What did you say?”

At the moment Jongli Gok was about to rise from his seat, Namgung Dowi raised his voice.

“So, what is your point?”

“…”

“I’m not very bright, so it’s hard for me to understand. What exactly is so strange about that?”

As if annoyed at having an entertaining scene interrupted, Im Sobyeong glanced disapprovingly at Namgung Dowi before letting out a small laugh.

“Namgung clan is in trouble.”

“Start explaining.”

“Why would I need to explain? If you were Jang Ilso, what orders would you give to someone of such great ability?”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Would you really tell someone like that to just go around slaughtering mere sentries? To scare us a little?”

At that question, not only Namgung Dowi but everyone else seemed to realize something, flinching slightly.

Im Sobyeong’s words were correct. The level of skill that could accomplish this didn’t match the outcome.

Difficult and impressive are two different things. Killing the sentries silently and without a trace was certainly difficult, but it wasn’t exactly an impressive feat. After all, it was just thirty people.

“So, you finally understand.”

Im Sobyeong clicked his tongue, tilting his wrist slightly. His fan spread open wide in the air, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

“The important question isn’t how that person managed to do this. The real question is why they did it.”

“Are you saying… there’s another objective? What could they be after?”

“That, I don’t know. We don’t have enough information yet.”

Tang Gunak bit his lower lip tightly.

There was no point in blaming Im Sobyeong. In fact, he had done more than enough by expanding their perspective.

Even so, the reason Tang Gunak’s face hardened was due to a growing sense of unease. If they didn’t figure out the enemy’s true objective soon, something far worse might happen – something they wouldn’t be able to handle.

The same thought seemed to occur to everyone else, as silence fell over the tent.

“Then… how should we deal with it now?”

Someone asked weakly, and Tang Gunak closed his eyes tightly.

Dealing with an enemy whose intentions and methods are unknown put them in a very unfavorable position. With Cheonumaeng spread around Mount Wudang in strategic positions, their ability to respond was inherently limited.

‘If only we could at least gather everyone in one place…’

But Tang Gunak knew better than anyone how difficult that would be.

“For now, let’s increase the number of sentries on watch.”

“Is that all we…?”

Jongli Gok, who had been about to say something, simply shook his head. 

This wasn’t a situation where he could take the lead, and he didn’t have a better solution either.

“The fortunate thing is that the enemy has stopped attacking civilians.”

“…”

“If we try to take immediate action now, the attacks on civilians might resume.”

“Hmm.”

“The damage so far hasn’t been extensive. For now, we should observe. But we must ensure there are no further losses.”

Those seated around the table nodded in agreement, though a sense of unease and frustration was evident on their faces.

Tang Gunak let out a brief sigh, one he made sure no one would notice.

‘This is difficult.’

The reality was sinking in more and more. His own capabilities and reputation were not enough to lead all these people effectively.

‘For now… my role is to prevent anything worse from happening.’

Whatever the enemy was after, he would make sure it wouldn’t be easily achieved.

❀ ❀ ❀

“Brother.”

“…”

“…Brother.”

“Shut up and stay on guard.”

“…Yes.”

Tang Gyu [당규(當揆)], with a slightly daunted expression, turned his gaze forward again.

But all that lay before him was a wide, empty grassland, with nothing to really watch for. With the sharp eyes of the Tang clan’s members, they wouldn’t miss even the slightest movement of an insect a hundred paces away. For them, being tasked with keeping watch over such an open space was, in some ways, akin to torture.

“Brother.”

“You little…”

Just as the voice was about to raise again, Tang Gyu quickly cut him off.

“What do you think happened yesterday?”

“…What are you talking about?”

Maybe it was curiosity, or maybe even the one who was about to scold him was secretly growing tired of the monotonous guard duty. Instead of a reprimand, he got a response. Encouraged, Tang Gyu pressed on.

“Didn’t you hear about it too? The whole situation doesn’t make any sense.”

“Which is exactly why we need to be more vigilant.”

“Do you really think the ones who were on watch yesterday weren’t vigilant? We’re in a situation where the Evil Sects could attack at any moment.”

“…What exactly are you trying to say?”

“Perhaps. Really, by any chance…”

“Hmm?”

“What if the problem wasn’t that they failed to keep watch, but that there was nothing to watch for?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If it were enemies, we’d have reason to keep watch. But if they weren’t enemies, then there’d be nothing to guard against, right? For example…”

“Wait, are you suggesting we suspect someone from within?”

“Within? With all the random people who’ve come into the Alliance lately, when did they all suddenly become insiders?” 

“…”

“I’ve actually been suspicious for a while.”

“Of whom?”

“Zhuge and Moyong. Does it even make sense that they were blocked by some unknown forces and couldn’t participate in the war? We haven’t even caught a glimpse of those so-called enemies yet, have we?”

“Stop it.”

“No, what I’m saying is…”

It was at that moment.

“The mouse hears what is being said at night, and the bird hears what is being said during the day.”

The sudden voice from behind startled them, and they quickly turned around. Relief and embarrassment flickered simultaneously across their faces.

“G-Greetings, my Lord.”

Tang Gunak was walking towards them at a slow, deliberate pace.

“I told you to maintain strict vigilance, didn’t I?”

“We apologize…”

“We have no excuses, my Lord.”

The Tang clan’s members’ faces turned pale.

The one who had commanded them to stay on high alert was none other than their family head. Instead of following his orders to the letter, they had been caught disobeying. Their faces flushed with embarrassment.

As Tang Gunak drew closer, his cold gaze pierced through them. Unable to meet his eyes, they lowered their heads in silence.

“What’s the situation?”

“…Nothing unusual to report.”

“All troubles come from careless words.”

“We were foolish. Please forgive us.”

“Forgiveness isn’t what matters.”

“I’m sor-…”

Tang Gyu, who had been repeatedly apologizing, suddenly trailed off. His face stiffened in an instant.

‘What is this?’

A strange feeling crept over Tang Gyu, a bizarre unease that was hard to explain.

“The important thing is that you disobeyed the orders.”

“My Lord…”

As Tang Gyu cautiously raised his head, his expression changed drastically.

“You..! You’re not the Lord…”

Slash!

A terrifying line of light flashed through the air, cutting through their throats with precision.

The figure of Tang Gunak smiled at them, but it was a twisted, sinister smile that the real Tang Gunak would never make.

“That’s why you should have stayed vigilant. Tsk, tsk.”

Thud.

Thud.

The men collapsed to the ground, their heads severed, unable to make any sound.

In their final moments, they realized that the person in front of them wasn’t Tang Gunak.

Whether that realization offered them any comfort, however, was something no one could say.

The face of Tang Gunak, or rather, the face of Cheon Myeon Susa**, who disguised himself as Tang Gunak, twisted  into a grotesque, unnatural grin as he glanced coldly at the fallen bodies, as if they were mere insects.

“It’s going to be a long night.”

And with that, his figure vanished like a wraith, leaving nothing behind but the cooling corpses of the two men, and the faint scent of blood lingering in the open field.

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*The author didn’t give hanja for 섭혼, but as far as I have found, all the techniques that could be called ‘manipulative’ or ‘hypnotizing’ contain hanja – 섭혼(攝魂) which means soul control/capturing the soul. 

**Cheon Myeon Susa = Master of The Thousand Faces, leader of Haomun. Cheon Myeon Susa I write out of habit (for those who didn’t read my translation previously). 

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