Return of the Sword Emperor - Chapter 47

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 17: A New Mission (2)

On a late night, after a day’s work, Hyuk Ryeon-su, Master of the Milgeom-dan, and Sa Ma-yong, Master of the Amhyang-dae, sat beneath the moonlight with wine cups in hand.

“How do you find it? Not bad, is it?”

Sa Ma-yong asked, pouring wine into the empty cup.
Bathed in moonlight, the wine gleamed with a golden luminescence.

“It’s good, certainly. Smooth going down but warming in the belly. It reminds me somewhat of that Cheon-il-hong I had before, yet it’s distinctly different all the same.”
“I brought it specially for you, brother.”

Hyuk Ryeon-su laughed quietly and set down his cup with a soft tap.

“Spare me the flattery. What do you want?”
“What do you mean? It’s just been a while since I’ve seen your face…….”
“Don’t. I know you too well. Every time you come fishing for favors, you show up with a bottle of wine.”
“Heh-heh-heh!”

Caught in his own scheme, Sa Ma-yong let out an embarrassed laugh.

“So what is it this time? Something about the wine troubles me — it seems far from ordinary.”

Sa Ma-yong drained his cup in one gulp and set it down heavily.

“I’ll speak plainly. Brother, I need your help.”

From Sa Ma-yong’s tone, Hyuk Ryeon-su understood this was no trivial matter, and his own manner grew more careful.

“What is it? What’s happened?”
“You know the situation in Nok-rim isn’t right, surely.”
“I’ve heard the life of the Nok-rim-tou-wang hangs in the balance. Time spares no one. The old man was truly remarkable……. Wait, surely you don’t mean…….”
“Brother, I need reinforcements. Please.”

Sa Ma-yong seized Hyuk Ryeon-su’s wrist.

“What do you mean, reinforcements? I understood the Amhyang-dae already sent people.”
“We did, we did, but…….”

Unable to contain his frustration, Sa Ma-yong drained several cups in succession.

“At Woo Mun-jik’s request — he oversees that region — we sent five initially, then five more. The chaos in Nok-rim has caused heavy losses to our forces there.”
“Woo Mun-jik? The Concealed Commander of that region is Woo Mun-jik?”
“That’s right.”
“Ha! That earnest fellow has climbed high after all.”
“Yes, well, we deployed all ten, and every last one vanished. Naturally we don’t even know if they’re alive or dead. Damn it all! We’re already stretched thin, and this is driving me mad.”

Sa Ma-yong heaved a sigh that seemed to shake the earth itself, burying his head like a dejected puppy. Though the sight was almost comical, Hyuk Ryeon-su could not bring himself to laugh. Ten operatives of the Amhyang-dae was no small loss.

“You reported this to headquarters?”
“I did. But as you can imagine, the response was the same: send more people. As quickly as possible.”
“But Nok-rim isn’t something the Gangnam branch should be handling alone — shouldn’t the central command be concerned? Honestly, we’re already buried with the Ma-do-ryeon crisis.”

Hyuk Ryeon-su’s displeasure was plain, and Sa Ma-yong shook his head wearily.

“Their situation isn’t easy either. The Dae Mak bastards and the ones from Buk-hae aren’t ordinary threats.”
“Still at it?”
“Yes.”
“Of course. The fight against the Ma-do-ryeon has dragged on this long precisely because of them.”

Hyuk Ryeon-su ground his teeth at the memory of why Jeong-mu-maeng had failed to concentrate fully on their battle with Ma-do-ryeon.

“Then again, Ma-do-ryeon was in the same boat. When Jeong-mu-maeng’s forces divided, the beasts of Namman and the demon cultivators of Seoyeok landed solid blows on Ma-do-ryeon’s blind side. Without their help, this place would’ve been in dire straits.”
“You’re right. Heaven favored us. Even now, thinking back to it makes my head spin.”

Hyuk Ryeon-su shuddered at the memory of the countless crises he’d faced while holding back Ma-do-ryeon’s relentless onslaught.

“In any case, the situation is dire. So I’m asking for your help.”
“First, let me hear what’s happening. What exactly is the situation?”

At Hyuk Ryeon-su’s words, hope flickered across Sa Ma-yong’s face, color returning to it.

“You know the Nok-rim-tou-wang’s days are numbered.”
“I do.”
“Right now the succession is in utter chaos. There are a few contenders for the position, but they’re all evenly matched.”
“I smell blood in the air.”

Hyuk Ryeon-su’s brow furrowed.
If there were a single dominant figure in the succession, there’d be no problem at all. The real danger came when multiple contenders of comparable strength vied for control, as was the case in Nok-rim now.

“But at the end of the day, who leads Nok-rim has nothing to do with us, does it?”

At Hyuk Ryeon-su’s question, Sa Ma-yong raised his voice in frustration.

“Nok-rim has been playing both sides, pretending neutrality while keeping tabs on us and Ma-do-ryeon. The old Nok-rim-tou-wang maintained that line well enough, but the problem is that nobody knows what the next leader will do. If that bastard decides to throw in his lot with Ma-do-ryeon…”

Sa Ma-yong lifted his cup, his expression grim at the mere thought of it.

“That would be catastrophic.”
“Catastrophic doesn’t begin to cover it. Think about how many people belong to Nok-rim. And all those mountain strongholds scattered across the realm—how many are there? If they join hands with Ma-do-ryeon, it’ll be outright disaster. That’s why I’ve been moving to check whether Ma-do-ryeon is scheming behind the scenes, whether someone with suspicious intentions might be chosen as the next leader. But…” He cursed under his breath, “Ten of my men have vanished.”

Sa Ma-yong lifted his cup again, thinking of his missing subordinates.

“So you want me to send the Milgeom-dan?”
“Honestly, problems are erupting on all fronts, and I don’t have manpower to spare. And even if I did send men, there’s no guarantee they wouldn’t disappear too.”

Sa Ma-yong continued, gauging Hyuk Ryeon-su’s reaction carefully.

“Unlike other combat units that specialize in direct warfare, the Milgeom-dan has the capability to carry out the missions of the Amhyang-dae. Not only is each member’s martial skill exceptional, but more importantly, you have people who can move immediately in a situation like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“The people returning from Chamhoe-ok. According to my scouts’ reports, one recruit I thought was merely talented has turned into an absolute monster. And somehow, the others’ skills have jumped dramatically as well. That’s why I’m asking. You could stop by on your way and lend a hand. Please, help me with this.”

Sa Ma-yong bowed his head.

“On my way?”

Hyuk Ryeon-su let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity of it.

“The Nok-rim headquarters is in the Naso Mountain Range. If you go there and come back, you’d have to cover many times the distance. I could send others instead, but… no, that won’t work either.”

Ten members of the Amhyang-dae had vanished. Even accounting for the difference in skill between them and the Milgeom-dan, they were still exceptional operatives. To provide the kind of help Sa Ma-yong needed, only the most capable fighters would suffice.
Hyuk Ryeon-su, his brow creased with the weight of this troublesome request, asked Sa Ma-yong, who waited quietly for his answer.

“What if I refuse?”
……

Sa Ma-yong offered no immediate reply. He raised his cup and drained three cups of wine in succession, then spoke with a heavy sigh.

“Time has passed so quickly. It must have been eight years ago. When the Milgeom-dan faced the Surrounded on all sides crisis on the sandbanks of the Tae-hwa River.”
“That’s enough.”

The moment Sa Ma-yong spoke of the sandbars of the Tae-hwa River, Hyuk Ryeon-su understood that he could not refuse his request.

* * *

Three days after the Milgeom-dan and Bokma-dan, having escorted the Mudang-pa and Dang-ga away, joined the escort party that had moved out first, Gwak Gae—an Amhyang-dae member who had originally headed toward Chamhoe-ok with the Dang-ga—found the escort party.
Though he might have been called a comrade who had weathered dangers together, Gwak Gae unfortunately received no grand welcome.
The appearance of an unscheduled Amhyang-dae at the escort party, which was meant to return quietly after completing all its duties, could only mean something had gone wrong.

“What is that?”

Jong-gak regarded the envelope Gwak Gae offered with a dubious expression.

“A letter from the Gangnam command center.”
“Then why are you handing it to me?”

Jong-gak glanced sideways at Jwa Jong-je as he spoke.
Though circumstances had forced his hand when they clashed with the Ma-do-ryeon, Jwa Jong-je was still formally the escort party’s commander.

“It is a letter sent by the Milgeom-dan Master.”
“The Master sent it?”

Jong-gak’s eyes widened in surprise as he received the letter.
At Gwak Gae’s words that the Master had sent it, Yu Seol-lan, Woo Gon, and others quietly approached.

“What does it say?”
“I have not read it.”

Gwak Gae shook his head.
Indeed, the letter was sealed.
As Jong-gak exhaled sharply and moved to open the envelope, Gwak Gae quickly stepped back, and Yu Seol-lan smoothly took his place.
The contents of the letter inside the envelope proved quite lengthy.

“Mm.”

Jong-gak’s expression shifted moment by moment as he quickly scanned the contents.

“What is it? What could be so important that he sent a letter?”

Yu Seol-lan, unable to contain her curiosity, asked.
Jong-gak waved her off lightly, then after a moment, furrowed his brow and turned away.

“The contents are…”

Jong-gak handed the letter to Yu Seol-lan, who was about to press him again.
Yu Seol-lan snatched it up and quickly began scanning through the text.
Woo Gon and Yong Cheol-seung, who had drawn close to her side, leaned in their heads to confirm the letter’s contents together.

“Damn it!”

Having read through everything, Yu Seol-lan crumpled the letter irritably. Though Woo Gon and Yong Cheol-seung had not managed to read it all, they grasped enough to understand, and their expressions darkened as well.

“Might we have a word in private?”

When Jong-gak politely asked Jwa Jong-je’s permission, Jwa Jong-je, observing the Milgeom-dan members’ reaction, nodded immediately.

“A new mission has come down, it seems.”

Unable to answer, Jong-gak led his members away to a spot distant from the group.

“What do you intend to do?”

Yu Seol-lan asked with eyes as cold as winter stone.
What they’d thought a simple matter of transporting prisoners had become a gauntlet of crises, costing them two members—not their lives, but severe enough wounds to render them unfit for duty. The damage was substantial, far more than acceptable.
Yet taking on another assignment immediately after finishing such a grueling operation was hardly a palatable choice.
And the nature of this new task was anything but routine.
Considering that ten members of the Amhyang-dae—warriors renowned throughout the realm for their self-preservation—had vanished without trace, this assignment carried the potential to be even more perilous than escorting prisoners.

“It is an order.”

Jong-gak spoke in a flat, measured tone.

“Order or not, this is beyond reason. There are other teams, aren’t there?”

At Yu Seol-lan’s protest, Jong-gak pointed to the wrinkled Jeon-seo she’d crumpled in her grip.

“It’s written here—the Ma-do-ryeon operatives are responsible. Even if we hadn’t gone on assignment, they’re utterly unsuitable.”

When Yu Seol-lan’s face darkened with displeasure, Jong-gak let out a weary sigh.

“The Amhyang-dae witnessed our strength in Chamhoe-ok. Or rather, they witnessed his.”

Jong-gak’s gaze flickered briefly toward Dok-go Jin before continuing.

“The Amhyang-dae specifically requested us by name. Do you not grasp what that means?”
“That it’s dangerous. Exceptionally so.”

Yu Seol-lan’s lips twisted bitterly.

“Precisely. And what matters most is that our leader could not refuse their request.”

When Yu Seol-lan’s expression remained uncomprehending, Woo Gon spoke with evident sourness.

“So this is a debt we must pay with our lives.”
“Exactly. Be honest—we all know this. The others only know how to swing a blade.”

As the bitter reality of the Milgeom-dan’s role sank in, the gloom settled over every face in the room.

“From the Amhyang-dae’s perspective, this couldn’t be avoided. But before making an official request, they sought our leader’s consent through proper channels. Above all, the commander.”
“Yes.”
“In the closing lines of the Jeon-seo, our leader stated that a debt from eight years past must be repaid. Do you understand what that means?”
“What does that….”

Yu Seol-lan’s words trailed off.
Furious at being assigned yet another mission, she hadn’t dwelt deeply on those final words.

“The Tae-hwa River. Seems you’ve forgotten.”
“The Tae-hwa… Oh!”

Yu Seol-lan shuddered as she recalled that nightmare from her earliest days—less than ten days after being assigned to the Milgeom-dan. The same nightmare haunted Woo Gon, Yong Cheol-seung, and Won Jong alike.

“When you receive kindness, you repay it. Without the Amhyang-dae’s aid, we’d have all been nothing but carrion by the river. Myself included.”
……

Yu Seol-lan said nothing, her mouth drawn shut.
With a debt from eight years past now invoked, there was no room left for reconsideration.
In that very instant when the commander’s return came to nothing, Dok-go Jin—who had already studied the Jeon-seo’s contents—began searching through his memories with intent.

‘Nok-rim. It must be from back then.’

Dok-go Jin’s expression hardened as he recalled the chaos that had erupted over the selection of a successor to the Nok-rim-tou-wang.

‘But the problem is that this chaos doesn’t end with a simple matter of succession.’

On top of Nok-rim’s turmoil, Dok-go Jin vividly remembered how many had lost their lives in the struggle for the Cursed Sword—the Serpent Spirit—that had suddenly appeared.

‘From what I can see, we’re still in the early stages of the chaos. The existence of the Cursed Sword doesn’t seem to be known yet.’

Dok-go Jin’s gaze, clouded with concern, turned toward his companions. He knew all too well how vicious the Bloody Storm that the Cursed Sword would unleash would be.
Though the Jeong-mu-maeng had not officially participated in the struggle over the Cursed Sword, most of those sent to observe the situation in Nok-rim had been swept up in that Bloody Storm and perished.

‘Two units of the Bokma-dan that went to provide support were completely wiped out.’

Originally, the Milgeom-dan should have gone to provide support.
But because the Milgeom-dan’s Fifth Unit had suffered near-total losses during the escort of Chamhoe-ok before that, the Bokma-dan—bearing the shame of abandoning the Milgeom-dan and fleeing—had no choice but to go in their stead to support the Amhyang-dae, and were brutally destroyed in the process.

‘But this time, the situation will unfold differently than it did then.’

Dok-go Jin was certain that just as his intervention had altered the catastrophe at Chamhoe-ok, both the matter of succession in Nok-rim and the nature of the Cursed Sword struggle would proceed along a different path.

‘The Cursed Sword struggle—I can’t say. But the matter of succession? That’s different now.’

After the Nok-rim-tou-wang’s death, the one who had won the succession struggle and become Nok-rim’s new master had joined hands with the Ma-do-ryeon and pressured the Jeong-mu-maeng. The damage the Jeong-mu-maeng suffered as a result was beyond imagining.

‘Well then, friend. Let’s do this properly this time.’

A thin smile crossed Dok-go Jin’s lips as he recalled the face of the man who had set Nok-rim straight, though belatedly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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