The Legend of Red Cloud - Chapter 68

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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 68. The Seduction Scheme Revealed
“Scholar.”
“Ah! Cheong Yung.”
Cheong Yung approached Yi Song, whose face brightened at the sight of him, and clasped his hand firmly.
“I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“For this and that. My abilities are too meager to help a friend standing at the edge of the abyss.”
It had been the same at Saja Pavilion before, and again during the Return Operation.
He hadn’t even been able to offer a warning of danger, let alone aid, because he’d been wary of Gong Chan’s eyes as the advisor.
Yi Song smiled, understanding the weight of Cheong Yung’s heart.
“I know perfectly well that it’s thanks to you our side has such abundant supplies—and not just me, but every member of the Jeok Sa Jo owes you a debt for that.”
Cheong Yung laughed bashfully at Yi Song’s words.
Even while stationed at Chamyeong Pavilion, unable to aid his friend directly, Cheong Yung had desperately used his connections with Haengsa Pavilion and Hwangsan Fort to ensure steady supplies of provisions for every operation.
He’d never spoken of it aloud, yet Yi Song had noticed and now acknowledged it—for this, Cheong Yung felt only gratitude.
And Yi Song, in turn, was grateful for Cheong Yung’s consideration.
He was thankful to have a friend who shouldered such effort for the sake of a small bond forged in childhood study together.
Cheong Yung then spoke softly to Yi Song.
“Be careful. The advisor will find another way to draw in more of the Baek Ui Ryeon.”
Yi Song smiled at Cheong Yung’s concern—a warning that the Jeok Sa Jo might be caught up in such schemes.
“I’m grateful. Every time my operations go out, I’m cautious, and then cautious again.”
Having sent off Yi Song with his gratitude, Cheong Yung entered Chamyeong Pavilion with a heavy heart.
For a moment, he felt a gaze from the advisor’s seat above, but Cheong Yung pretended not to notice and took his own place.
“Sigh……”
Beads of sweat formed on Cheong Yung’s brow as he exhaled a long breath.
He seemed to have fallen out of favor with the advisor.
Yet.
He couldn’t simply leave a friend in danger.
***
Not many days after returning, a new operational order came down to the Jeok Sa Jo.
<Conduct Routine Patrol of Saja Pavilion.>
Routine Patrol meant that while no particular enemy movements had been observed, they were to scout the area nonetheless.
It was, in short, exactly what Routine Patrol meant to be.
Such operations were typically carried out by the Jeok Pyo Group of the Jeok Myeol Group.
It was the most suitable operation for the Jeok Pyo Group, whose ranks were primarily composed of quick-moving soldiers rather than those of overwhelming combat power.
One might say it was an assignment too trivial for the Jeok Sa Jo, renowned as the strike force of the Jeok Myeol Group and more powerful than even the so-called assault divisions.
And so the Jeok Sa Jo, upon receiving this order, grew suspicious.
The previous Saja Pavilion operation had also come with a seemingly routine command.
“They’re trying to backstab us again.”
As Jwa Ryang aired his usual conspiracy theories, the Jeok Sa Jo made ready to depart.
Following their seniors, who packed supplies as they always did, O In Bang, a junior member, dutifully prepared his own baggage.
Tae Geuk Geom Wang approached Gong Chan, who was watching the Jeok Sa Jo leave the garrison.
“The Jeok Sa Jo, then.”
“Yes. I’ve assigned them reconnaissance duty.”
“I hadn’t received any reports suggesting work of such magnitude was needed.”
Gong Chan replied to Tae Geuk Geom Wang’s question with a sheepish expression.
“It was merely petty revenge.”
“Revenge?”
“For acting contrary to Chamyeong Pavilion’s intentions. I beg your pardon.”
“Then it truly is nothing more than a nuisance patrol, as you say.”
“Yes. It will be somewhat tedious for them, but.”
Tae Geuk Geom Wang nodded at Gong Chan’s answer and turned to leave.
Though it seemed as though he had delegated full authority over operations, Gong Chan inwardly cursed at how Tae Geuk Geom Wang scrutinized the details of his work.
In any case, it was true—this Jeok Sa Jo operation was nothing but petty venting, as the man had said.
For the Jeok Sa Jo, it would be merely the annoyance of deploying without rest; there was no real danger involved.
So it was that Gong Chan, wondering if he had incurred the disfavor of the new group leader for doing something unnecessary, felt regret.
Yet with the arrow already loosed, Gong Chan had no way to call it back, so he let the matter drop from his mind.
But for a handful of eyes watching the Maeng Ui Group garrison with unwavering focus, this operation was not something that would simply pass by.
***
Ja Jeon Geom Wang, having received word by pigeon from an agent planted near the Maeng Ui Group garrison, moved swiftly into action.
Shortly after, a group of martial artists, acting under the command of Ja Jeon Geom Wang—overseer and head of the Hyeol Gwi Dae—departed their garrison and headed toward Saja Pavilion.
Routine patrols were conducted along established routes.
Because they didn’t have to hack through overgrown forest and forge new paths as they would during an ambush operation, the Jeok Sa Jo moved at a more leisurely pace.
Of course, Dong Pil carried all the baggage this time as well.
He’d thrown rock as he’d said he would in the previous game of rock-paper-scissors, but this time everyone else had thrown paper, which was why he’d lost.
“I told you I was throwing rock!”
Jwa Ryang answered Dong Pil’s grumbling with indifference.
“Last time you threw rock and then scissors, so I was going to let you win this time by throwing paper.”
How could Dong Pil complain when he’d been trying to throw the game?
Though he pouted, Dong Pil ended up shouldering all the team’s baggage.
His frame swayed under the weight—something he had to bear with physical strength alone, not Internal Force.
Jwa Ryang quipped at Cheol Ja Ryong and Paeng Gyeong, who’d been trying to help out of sympathy.
“It’s all training. Don’t interfere with someone else’s training.”
At those words, Cheol Ja Ryong and Paeng Gyeong withdrew with awkward expressions, releasing the bags they’d been supporting. Dong Pil glared at Jwa Ryang, who forged ahead in the distance.
And then.
“Hmph!”
He snorted, and his posture straightened at once.
The wobbling from before vanished entirely.
Cheol Ja Ryong and Paeng Gyeong’s eyes widened as they realized his previous swaying had been deliberate.
Through their ears came Dong Pil’s grumbling.
“Ah, I thought we’d get an easier walk.”
Understanding from his remark that he’d put on that display to commandeer some help, Cheol Ja Ryong and Paeng Gyeong burst into wry laughter.
Ordinarily in forest paths like these, Dong Pil would lead the way—it was the Jeok Sa Jo’s standard formation—but since this was a routine patrol, Jwa Ryang took point.
Yi Song stood to his right, while one step behind and to the left, Ryu followed.
Just by Ryu’s position alone, the Jeok Sa Jo members could sense there was no danger nearby, and their movements flowed with ease.
Since they had no particular objective, the patrol proceeded at a relaxed pace.
They’d crossed one of the twelve peaks of Saja Pavilion when the sun hung low on the western horizon.
At Ryu’s signal, the Jeok Sa Jo came to a halt and made camp.
In a small clearing ringed by eleven tents, they gathered together and chewed on Rations.
Though they hadn’t lit a fire and had no reason to eat together, the Jeok Sa Jo always gathered when consuming their Rations.
Curious about whether there was a special reason for this, Cheol Ja Ryong asked.
“Is there a reason to gather like this when we’re each just eating Rations?”
“Ah! That! It’s an Unwritten Rule of the Jeok Sa Jo. We eat together.”
At Jang Min Su’s answer, Cheol Ja Ryong asked further.
“Who established it?”
At the question, all eyes naturally turned toward Ryu.
Ryu answered in response to their gaze.
“My mother.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s something my mother left behind. Following her words, no matter what happened, we always ate together. But one day, we didn’t. And after that, my mother never sat at the table again.”
Ryu spoke to Cheol Ja Ryong, who looked bewildered by the sudden heaviness in the air.
“That’s why, no matter what happens, we always eat together…….”
He trailed off and suddenly turned his head with a startled expression, causing everyone’s gaze to shift toward the forest.
And moments later.
“There!”
Dong Pil, startled, grabbed his weapon and stood. The other members, realizing someone was approaching, hastily seized their own arms.
And then.
Rustle.
A section of forest trembled, and then it expelled a single figure.
“Found you!”
Everyone who’d been staring at the newcomer with wide eyes turned as one to look at Ryu.
They couldn’t help it.
The person who’d burst from the forest was Mo Yong Ji Eun.
Among the startled members of the Jeok Sa Jo, an unexpected question emerged.
“Don’t tell me you knew she was coming?”
Dong Pil’s question escaped him precisely because Ryu’s expression was so composed.
As if he’d known all along that she would arrive.
And so, a different kind of surprise entered the expressions of the Jeok Sa Jo members.
Perhaps there had been a prior arrangement between the two.
If they were really that close…….
As they twisted and writhed with snickering thoughts, Ryu’s calm voice reached the ears of Dong Pil and the others.
“I only realized it because a familiar presence approached. So stop wasting your energy on pointless thoughts.”
Come to think of it, when Ryu had first turned his head, his expression had been quite startled.
While the Jeok Sa Jo members wore disappointment at the recollection, Mo Yong Ji Eun approached.
“It’s good to see you.”
Ryu answered Mo Yong Ji Eun’s greeting.
“This isn’t exactly a pleasant circumstance.”
“I was so grateful, though.”
Grateful? What could Mo Yong Ji Eun possibly be grateful for?
‘Ah. Mo Yong Chang-un.’
“Then you shouldn’t have come. Didn’t you understand that’s why I sent you away?”
“Still, I really needed to say thank you.”
“The Hyeol Gwi Dae wouldn’t have allowed that.”
At the end of his words, Ryu’s gaze shifted toward the forest she had emerged from.
Now that he mentioned it, Dong Pil’s eyes, gripping the Dual Swords, remained fixed on the forest as well.
From the reactions of these two men, the Jeok Sa Jo members instantly recognized that someone else was lurking in the forest, and their tension spiked.
Between the Jeok Sa Jo and the forest, Mo Yong Ji Eun stepped forward with a slight smile.
“They won’t do anything. They’ve simply followed as my escorts—or perhaps, my watchers.”
At Mo Yong Ji Eun’s words, Yi Song tilted his head.
“I understand escorts, but what do you mean by watchers?”
“Because I’ve been given a mission.”
At her answer, tension flickered in the eyes of Yi Song and the other Jeok Sa Jo members.
“Would you be willing to tell us what that is?”
To Yi Song’s question, Mo Yong Ji Eun answered readily.
“Yes. It’s the Seduction Scheme.”
In that instant, every Jeok Sa Jo member’s expression went blank.
But only for a moment—every single one of them immediately looked at Ryu.
There was only one person in the Jeok Sa Jo that Mo Yong Ji Eun would use the Seduction Scheme on.
“My lady, how I’ve missed—aaaagh!”
Though there was Dong Pil, who had carelessly stepped forward only to be grabbed by the scruff of his neck by Jwa Ryang and dragged away, letting out a sound somewhere between a shout and a scream.
Drawing all eyes upon himself—both Mo Yong Ji Eun’s and the others’—Ryu stepped forward.
“That was pointless.”
In that moment, everyone’s gaze shifted to Mo Yong Ji Eun.
And they saw it clearly.
The painful wavering in Mo Yong Ji Eun’s eyes.
“Would it make me a strange person if I said I was hurt?”
At Mo Yong Ji Eun’s words, the others’ gazes turned to Ryu once more.
“You must be out of your mind.”
The moment Ryu’s answer came out, those watching Mo Yong Ji Eun saw her smile sadly.
“Still… I missed you.”
The shocked eyes of everyone present turned once again toward Ryu.
“Stop spouting useless nonsense and get out of here.”
At Ryu’s indifferent expression and equally emotionless tone, the hearts of everyone present ached.
Was that why?
“Boss, isn’t that too harsh?”
Dong Pil blurted out this time, and Jwa Ryang didn’t stop him.
Rather than stopping him, Jwa Ryang nodded in agreement, a sentiment that seemed to be shared by everyone else as well.
Yet in the face of the Jeok Sa Jo members’ gazes, Ryu’s eyes and expression remained unmoved.
Mo Yong Ji Eun, who had been staring at Ryu intently, turned away.
“I’ll come back tomorrow.”
With only those words left behind, Mo Yong Ji Eun disappeared into the forest as mysteriously as she had appeared.
“Boss! That woman—”
While Dong Pil, ready to protest, was being dragged away again by Jwa Ryang, Yi Song asked in a worried voice:
“Wasn’t that too harsh?”
“Then should I accept her?”

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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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