The Great Heavenly Sword Emperor - Chapter 28

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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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#028. The Path Marked by Jeok Mu-wol (4)

Cheon Mujgyeol, Gwang-an, and Bukgung Danya gathered in the hall behind Sansinagak.
Cheon Mujgyeol looked exactly as he always did, while Bukgung Danya seemed to be holding back both anticipation and tension.
“Please, tell us now.”
At Bukgung Danya’s urging, Gwang-an nodded and opened his mouth.
“I’ve found those who use the marking from Pidokju. They belong to an organization called Tongyunak.”
“Tongyunak?”
“Yes. They typically disguise themselves as merchants, escort agencies, stable masters, porters, and the like. But they’re an organization that collects, manipulates, spreads, and conceals information for some purpose.”
“Rather similar to Bohyeonsa, then.”
Bukgung Danya spoke as though thinking aloud, his tone casual.
But Gwang-an could not let the remark pass.
“Similar? How could you say such a thing?”
Gwang-an’s voice rose sharply.
Caught off guard by his sharp reaction, Bukgung Danya waved his hands in denial.
“Ah, that’s not what I meant—”
“Bohyeonsa merely buys and sells information. Moreover, every piece of information we provide is truth. We are nothing like those who manipulate intelligence and deceive others.”
“My apologies.”
Bukgung Danya lowered his head, acknowledging his mistake.
“To be honest, my feelings were a bit hurt, but since you’ve apologized, I’ll let it pass.”
At Gwang-an’s words, Bukgung Danya wore an awkward expression.
“In any case, I need further investigation to determine whether Tongyunak operates independently or acts under someone’s direction. Most importantly, I cannot confirm whether they have any connection to Dongbang Sega.”
Cheon Mujgyeol, who had been listening quietly until then, finally spoke.
“Then these men likely have no separate headquarters of their own.”
“From what we’ve gathered so far, that’s correct. It appears that individual members operate as independent cells. Just because one merchant house has Tongyunak members doesn’t mean we can consider that entire house as a Tongyunak branch.”
“Then it’s crucial to capture at least one person. Have you attempted to track them?”
At Bukgung Danya’s question, Gwang-an nodded.
“I’ve identified three men and followed their movements. Each of them lives and works in different places.”
The small number didn’t matter.
As long as he could catch one, that would suffice. Still, having a margin of two extra men wasn’t the worst thing.
“We cannot know how much each individual knows. It would be ideal if we could identify someone higher in the organization, but there’s no way to confirm that.”
Bukgung Danya nodded and turned his gaze to Cheon Mujgyeol.
The course of events would be determined by how Cheon Mujgyeol judged and decided this matter as well.
“This time, I think we should capture two of them.”
After a long pause, Cheon Mujgyeol spoke, and both Bukgung Danya and Gwang-an looked bewildered at the unexpected proposal.
“Why capture two?”
“If one man disappears, the others can hide. It’s possible that we have only one opportunity.”
At Cheon Mujgyeol’s words, the two men nodded as though they finally understood.
With each member operating independently, a second chance would not come easily.
Even if they could find them again, it might take considerable time.
Cheon Mujgyeol looked at Bukgung Danya.
The plan to capture two men at once meant they would have to move separately from Cheon Mujgyeol.
He was entrusting one man entirely to Bukgung Danya’s care.
“I’m confident.”
Bukgung Danya showed his willingness.
“Do not forget what I told you.”
That when one is swept away by momentum, one forgets, and when one forgets, one faces danger.
It was a warning he could never afford to ignore.
“I won’t worry.”
“Then I will assign men to each of you. You can receive frequently updated information through them.”
At Gwang-an’s words, Cheon Mujgyeol nodded.
It seemed the conversation was winding toward its close.
“The atmosphere outside seems rather different today.”
Cheon Mujgyeol said something unexpected.
At that, Gwang-an paused for a moment to think what he meant, then turned the date over in his mind.
“Ah, it’s a day when various goods arrive. We make regular purchases and receive donations as well.”
Bohyeonsa is a dwelling place, after all, and like any such place, it needs provisions—food, incense, candles, and all manner of daily necessities.
So it was only natural that there were days when supplies were delivered.
“I see. Very well. Let us resume this conversation later.”
“Of course. We shall make the necessary preparations at once.”
Gwang-an answered and hurried out.

Bukgung Danya also left the hall and returned to his quarters.
He wanted to make his own preparations ahead of his first independent mission.
Cheon Mujgyeol left the hall somewhat later.
Rather than head to his quarters, he climbed into the forest behind the Sansinagak.
Walking along the forest path as if taking a leisurely stroll, Cheon Mujgyeol climbed quite high before stopping beside a thick tree trunk.
Then he gazed down quietly at the full expanse of Bohyeonsa.
The view of Bohyeonsa from this height was quite striking.
As Gwang-an had said, he could see people arriving with the temple laden with cargo and unloading it.
The monks of Bohyeonsa were busily carrying the goods to their designated places.

“Ordinarily they disguise themselves as merchants, couriers, ostlers, porters, and the like.”

Recalling Gwang-an’s words, he watched them carefully.
‘They are no mere porters.’
“I am aware.”
‘Would it not be better to arrest them now?’
“There are too many eyes watching. If we use force to arrest them now, it will cast Bohyeonsa in an unfavorable light.”
They were disguised as ordinary people.
But if he were suddenly to exercise force and arrest them here, it could sow fear and suspicion among the many who visit Bohyeonsa.
Since Bohyeonsa thrives on information, a poor reputation spreading among the people could lead to their being shunned, and ultimately to the sources of intelligence drying up entirely.
‘That is right. That is sound thinking. You have matured well.’
Cheon Mujgyeol gave no response to the Cheonsingeom’s praise.
He simply stood there, watching silently as the porters disappeared.

* * *

That evening.
Cheon Mujgyeol and Bukgung Danya had each finished their preparations for departure and gathered together.
“Here. This is the current location of known Tongyunak operatives.”
Gwang-an handed each of them a sheet of paper.
“You two can simply proceed in that direction. Any updates to the intelligence will be conveyed to you by our people. However, I do have one request to make of you, Cheon.”
“Speak freely.”
At Cheon Mujgyeol’s words, Gwang-an’s expression grew somewhat awkward, and he opened his mouth with difficulty.
“Please do not run too fast.”
At Gwang-an’s words, Cheon Mujgyeol looked at him as if to ask what he meant.
But Bukgung Danya seemed to understand and let out a soft laugh.
At Bukgung Danya’s reaction, Gwang-an’s face flushed red, and he continued in a low voice.
“If you run too fast, our operatives will have difficulty keeping up. We won’t be able to relay intelligence to you.”
Only then did Cheon Mujgyeol nod as if he understood.
“I understand.”
At Cheon Mujgyeol’s reply, Gwang-an smiled and stepped back as if to see them off.
“Then, both of you. Go safely and return soon.”
Cheon Mujgyeol and Bukgung Danya disappeared swiftly from Bohyeonsa without another word.
“That pace will be fast enough as it is…….”
Gwang-an murmured anxiously.

* * *

Cheon Mujgyeol ran toward the destination Gwang-an had written down, moderating his speed somewhat.
Even at this reduced pace, it was difficult for the operatives to keep up, but Cheon Mujgyeol could not account for that as well.
Since they would know the destination, it was simply a matter of apprehending them before they could move elsewhere.
Still, out of respect for Gwang-an’s request, Cheon Mujgyeol did not push his pace any higher.
And he arrived at the destination Gwang-an had written.
A quiet place at the Village Outskirts.
A place where there were scarcely any houses, only wild grass stretching in all directions.
[This reminds me of somewhere.]
Cheonsingeom’s voice reached him.
On the day he first emerged from Cheongeomdae, he had fought unknown assailants in a grass-choked place just like this, beyond the fortress walls.
While he waited, turning that memory over in his mind.
Crack.
A sound.
He’d thought perhaps it was a Bohyeonsa monk following late, but Cheon Mujgyeol quietly began unwrapping the leather wrapping wound around Cheonsingeom.
Unwrapping the leather meant there was an enemy to be cut down.
Cheon Mujgyeol gazed expressionlessly into the darkness.
And shortly after.
Crash-crash-crash-crash!
Multiple fighters burst through the undergrowth, trampling it beneath them.
Whip!
Cheon Mujgyeol hurled the leather wrapping high into the air.
The limp leather would normally have difficulty reaching any height, but with Cheon Mujgyeol’s Nae-ryeok added to it, it soared quite high.
Thump!
Cheon Mujgyeol stamped down with Jinagak and unfurled the Cheon-un Muae Bo.
The footwork flowed like clouds, instantly dominating the space.
The enemies rushing toward Cheon Mujgyeol suddenly lost their target and their sense of direction.
It was the ultimate footwork, transcending mere speed to scatter the very vision of his foes.
Slash! Slash!
The sound of cutting rang out in succession.
Cheonsingeom began to dance for the first time in a long while, and under the blade’s strikes of Ilgyeok Pilsal, the enemies fell helplessly.
Cheonsingeom moved like a shower of meteors cascading from the sky.
In the continuous cutting and piercing strokes, there was no mercy, and the enemies fell swiftly beneath the blade.
It did not take long.
By the time it would have taken someone to drink a cup of tea, every enemy that had appeared lay as a cold corpse.
And in that moment, the leather wrapping he had thrown skyward fluttered down and settled back into Cheon Mujgyeol’s hand.
Cheon Mujgyeol silently began wrapping Cheonsingeom in the leather once more.
Remarkably, not a single drop of blood clung to Cheonsingeom.
[To send mere small fry like this against you. They’ve clearly misjudged you greatly.]
“I wasn’t the target.”
Cheon Mujgyeol answered as he wrapped the leather around Cheonsingeom.
“They were likely aiming for Bukgung Danya.”
[Then, you thought Bukgung Danya would come this way?]
“No. Their purpose was to buy time.”
Having finished wrapping the leather, Cheon Mujgyeol approached the bodies and began searching through them.
And on one corpse, he found a mark identical to those of Tongyunak carved into the flesh.
[Tongyunak.]
“Either Tongyunak itself, or another organization working in concert with them.”
Cheon Mujgyeol replied tersely.
Tongyunak had manipulated intelligence, fed false information to Bohyeonsa, stationed these men to buy time.
The picture forming in his mind was clear, yet he could not be certain.
[If buying time was their goal, they’ve failed. Still, there’s no time to dawdle, is there?]
“Bukgung Danya should be fine without great worry. He’ll have some trouble, certainly, but it will serve as good training for him.”
[You think terribly calmly about such things.]
As Cheonsingeom finished speaking, a Bohyeonsa operative tardily revealed himself.
“What… what on earth is this?!”
The operative who arrived late surveyed the scene and started in shock.
“Do you know where Bukgung Danya has gone?”
“Y-yes, of course I do.”
“Guide me there.”
“Ah, yes.”
The operative quickly scanned the surroundings, then turned and bolted ahead.
Cheon Mujgyeol matched his pace this time as he ran.

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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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