Chapter 24: The Sparrow Flies In (2)

General Jang-yang had designated a separate, smaller training ground specifically for the Wolf Fang Squad, demonstrating just how much he cherished this special assault unit.

Today, as usual, the hundred squad members were lined up on the field. At the very end of their ranks was a girl whose height barely reached an adult’s waist, mimicking their movements.

Holding a small wooden toy sword, So-so was doing her best to copy the squad members. Even though no one had told her to, she had followed them to the training ground on her own.

With his hands clasped behind his back, So-mu walked past So-so and asked quietly, “I can have someone take you to the town streets. Why don’t you go make some friends and play?”

So-so did not even look at him. She simply swung her toy sword wildly in the air and shouted, “No!”

At her age, playing should have been her favorite activity. So-mu could not understand why she wanted to hang around a bunch of rough, grim soldiers.

“Why?”

“Because a member of the Wolf Fangs never stops training, not even for a single moment!”

So-mu let out a soft chuckle. It was the exact phrase he often used to lecture the squad members.

“If you swing it like that, you’ll hurt yourself. Watch me carefully and follow.”

So-mu’s sword moved slowly, extending in a straight line before drawing back and slicing horizontally. It was a simple two-step motion—a basic thrust and slash. Yet, these two basic movements were the foundation of all swordplay. Everything else was merely an application. Once you introduced variations to these basics, they became martial forms.

“Like this?”

Thrust! Swoosh!

A satisfied smile spread across So-mu’s face. Although it was a simple demonstration, he hadn’t expected her to grasp it instantly. While he still needed to observe her further, So-so’s natural talent was undeniable.

“Not bad. Keep practicing that. Once you have perfected it, I will teach you the next move.”

So-so clenched her tiny fists and held them against her chest, shouting, “Yes, sir!”

The sight of the tiny girl acting like a disciplined soldier was both comical and adorable. Having grown up in a military camp surrounded by soldiers, it was only natural that this was what she chose to emulate.

With a faint smile, So-mu walked toward the center of the training ground. He stopped right between Cheong-hae and Il-gwang, casting a subtle glance at each of them.

‘The time is ripe. These two are ready to try.’

So-mu silently extended his sword in a straight line and held the pose. He remained completely motionless for about fifteen minutes. Confused by his sudden, bizarre behavior, Il-gwang and Cheong-hae stared at him.

“What are you doing, Commander?”

“Did you fall asleep?”

To the two of them, So-mu standing stiff as a scarecrow without moving a single muscle looked incredibly strange.

Just as they were about to look away, the tip of So-mu’s sword began to vibrate minutely. It was a low, resonant hum, as if the sword itself were crying.

A moment later, a thin thread of light emerged from the tip of the blade, dancing in the air.

“W-what is that?”

“How did you do that?”

He was demonstrating the process of manifesting sword qi, but at an incredibly slowed-down pace. Without a profound level of martial enlightenment, attempting such a feat was impossible.

From the tip of the sword, rays of light continued to spin out like silk from a cocoon. Dozens of strands quickly became hundreds. The milky-white aura wrapped itself around the blade, eventually merging with the steel and raising a shimmering, cold haze.

“I-Is that… sword qi?”

“How is this possible?”

It was a flawless manifestation of sword qi. Il-gwang and Cheong-hae stood frozen, their mouths agape.

So-mu let the sword qi dissipate and offered a nonchalant look.

“I just gave it a try, and it worked.”

Instantly, Il-gwang and Cheong-hae looked at him like pleading puppies.

“What were you thinking? Tell us, quickly!”

“Please teach us, Commander!”

So-mu rubbed his chin, looking as though he were deep in thought. After staring at the sky to build suspense, he finally spoke.

“Well… First, I channeled my internal energy into the sword. Then, I visualized the sword as an extension of my own body. To put it simply, I imagined that my meridians and blood vessels extended right into the blade. The internal energy channeled to the tip of the sword would travel back through the steel and return to my Dantian. When I concentrated all my energy and poured it in, it manifested.”

A legendary Sword Saint was giving a step-by-step demonstration and translating the concept into the simplest terms possible. Though the two men didn’t realize it, they had just received a miraculous martial transmission.

Il-gwang and Cheong-hae immediately raised their swords and tried to replicate what So-mu had described. However, mastery did not come so easily. The two of them stood frozen like scarecrows, completely motionless for a long time.

After about fifteen minutes, as if on cue, a milky-white light flared simultaneously from both of their swords. However, instead of wrapping around the blades, the energy fluctuated wildly, shooting off in random directions.

As they panicked, So-mu’s voice cut through their concentration.

“Visualize drawing the energy emitted from the blade back into your Dantian.”

Following his guidance, they focused their minds once more. The chaotic rays of light finally began to shift, wrapping snugly around their blades until they formed a perfect sheath of sword qi.

Satisfied, Cheong-hae smiled and let the energy dissipate. Il-gwang, however, was practically beside himself with the thrill of stepping into a new realm of martial arts.

“Hahaha! Look at this, everyone!” Il-gwang roared, calling the nearby squad members over.

“B-Brother Il-gwang? How did you do that?”

“Is that… sword qi?”

“Y-You are truly amazing, Big Brother!”

Il-gwang puffed out his chest, basking in the admiration.

“Did you see that? This is the kind of man your big brother is!”

Leaving the self-absorbed giant to his antics, So-mu turned his gaze back to So-so. A look of surprise crossed his face.

‘I never taught her that move.’

So-so was already applying the diagonal and vertical slashes in tandem. Although her movements lacked refinement, she was improving at a frightening speed. Her genius was enough to make even him shake his head in disbelief.

It was then that an administrative messenger came running onto the training ground in a hurry. Panting heavily, he approached So-mu.

“Commander! The General requests your presence in his office immediately!”

The young messenger stood at stiff attention.

“You can walk, you know. You’re going to pass out if you keep running like that,” So-mu said, patting the soldier’s shoulder.

At the touch, the messenger’s eyes trembled with excitement. “No, sir! I am fine!”

“Why are you so tense?”

“C-Commander, you are my hero!”

So-mu let out a soft laugh. “Everyone in this army is a hero. That includes you.”

As So-mu walked away, the messenger stared at his retreating back, his shoulders trembling slightly with pride.

***

General Jang-yang’s office was remarkably austere. Aside from a few banners, maps, a desk, and a few chairs, the room was almost completely bare. Because the room was so spacious, the lack of furnishings made it feel even emptier.

Jang-yang was sitting at his desk, writing with a brush.

“You called for me, General?” So-mu made his presence known.

Jang-yang set aside his brush and looked up. “Haha. I hear you’ve gained a daughter.”

A faint smile touched So-mu’s lips at the General’s teasing. “It is thanks to your kindness, General.”

“I called you here because I need you to accompany me somewhere.”

Of all the soldiers in the garrison, Jang-yang had chosen him. So-mu could not guess their destination.

“May I ask where we are going?”

“I have scheduled a meeting with someone in Boyang County.”

So-mu glanced at the map on the desk. It was about a two-day journey on horseback.

Looking at Jang-yang, So-mu noticed that the General was dressed in a simple, neat civilian robe. It was clear that this meeting was to be kept strictly confidential.

“Will you require an escort, General?”

“Haha. Your perception is as sharp as ever. I cannot use the regular commanders as bodyguards for a secret trip, and when it comes to strength, who is better than you? We will be back quickly, so there shouldn’t be any trouble.”

“Do we depart immediately?”

“As soon as you are ready.”

It weighed on So-mu’s mind slightly that he couldn’t bid farewell to So-so, but he did not hesitate. It was a short trip, and with the war currently in a lull, Hanzhong was safe.

“Understood, General.”

Following Jang-yang, So-mu saw a plain carriage waiting outside the barracks. Who could possibly warrant such a secretive meeting?

But he would find out soon enough. There was no need to rush.

So-mu climbed into the carriage, and they rode in silence. Being confined to such a small space with the General felt somewhat awkward.

An hour passed as the carriage sped along. Jang-yang closed his eyes, remaining silent and deep in thought. So-mu noticed the subtle shifts in the General’s expression. Whoever they were meeting was clearly of great importance to him.

At some point, Jang-yang opened his eyes.

“You are a man of few words, Commander.”

“I suppose I take after you, General,” So-mu replied with a light smile.

“Two quiet men traveling together makes for a lonely journey. If you have questions, feel free to ask. Now that you are a squad commander, it is best that you understand the current state of affairs.”

Indeed, So-mu had many questions, though he had refrained from prying. Since Jang-yang was offering, there was no reason to refuse.

“What is the status of the Hui forces we faced?”

“The forces of the Hui Dynasty stationed in the Shaanxi region are nothing more than third-tier troops.”

So-mu had suspected they weren’t the empire’s finest, but learning they were merely third-tier forces was unexpected. It was difficult to fathom the true military might of the Hui Dynasty.

“Then where is their main force?”

“Their primary army marched against Western Xia. I recently received word that Western Xia has fallen. In addition, they have several corps rebuilding after their defeat at Xiangyang. The rest of their forces are currently invading Goryeo.”

Goryeo and the Song Dynasty had long shared a friendly relationship, which had only grown stronger with the rise of the aggressive Hui Dynasty. Currently, the two nations supported each other, exchanging strategic resources via sea routes.

“Is Goryeo strong?”

“They possess a legendary general named Cheok Jun-gyeong. However, his opponent is equally formidable. Samyo-ari, one of the two greatest generals of the Hui army, is commanding the invasion, so Cheok Jun-gyeong has met his match.”

“And who is the other of the two great generals?”

“Wanyan Hui, the man who conquered Western Xia. Word has it that all three of these commanders have reached the Profound Realm.”

So-mu could not hide his astonishment. A dragon’s pool and a tiger’s den—such monsters existed not in the martial world, but in the military.

‘This is why the Martial Alliance was searching for me so desperately.’

The ten-year war between the Orthodox and Demonic factions was the most brutal conflict in the history of the jianghu. Having lost countless masters to untimely deaths, the weakened jianghu had been reduced to nothing more than a bystander, forced to watch from the sidelines. For the martial world to regain its former strength, the return of the Sword Saint was desperately needed.

“The Emperor of the Hui Dynasty is said to be an even greater master than his generals, though we have almost no information on him.”

The world was far vaster than So-mu had imagined. The current war was not a simple conflict; the situation was far more dire than he had anticipated.

“Does the Song Dynasty have no masters to match them?”

“We have our own Four Great Generals: Grand General Yu Gwang-se, General Yue Fei, Privy Councilor Jang Jun, and Han Se-chung, the Military Governor of Muan. All of them are masters who have surpassed the Flower Realm.”

“Has any of them reached the Profound Realm?”

“There is one: Han Se-chung. He is currently in the south, suppressing the rebel forces.”

“If the Four Great Generals of Song were to unite, could we not stand against the enemy?”

“That is impossible under our current circumstances. Why do you think our empire has fallen to such a state? It is because the Emperor is surrounded by sycophants. Prime Minister Qin Hui, that treacherous bastard, constantly drives wedges between the military commanders. The relationship between General Yu Gwang-se and General Han Se-chung is already fractured beyond repair.”

“How pathetic, to bicker amongst themselves with the enemy at the gates.”

“That is not all. Privy Councilor Jang Jun has aligned himself with Qin Hui, and together they are plotting to frame General Yue Fei.”

“Why would they do that?”

“In his youth, General Yue Fei served under Jang Jun. But as Yue Fei’s achievements and fame eclipsed his former commander’s, Jang Jun grew deeply envious. Furthermore, General Yue Fei is a man of absolute integrity who does not hesitate to speak the truth, which has led to constant clashes with Qin Hui.”

“With both the Privy Councilor and the Prime Minister conspiring against him, General Yue Fei must be in a perilous position.”

“Exactly. Qin Hui is hell-bent on purging General Yue Fei and using Jang Jun to bring the military command under his control.”

Something felt off. It was highly unusual for a border general like Jang-yang to possess such detailed, high-level political intelligence.

“How is it that you know all of this, General?”

Jang-yang smiled faintly. “Who do you think we are traveling to meet?”

“One of the Four Great Generals?”

After a brief pause, Jang-yang nodded. “General Yue Fei is my senior martial brother. We studied under the same master.”