Chapter 93: Retribution (1)

Early morning, in front of the Wolf Fang Squad’s barracks.

So-so was pacing back and forth with her hands clasped behind her back. Her expression was dead serious. Her father had not returned home last night without saying a word.

Although there were occasionally days when he did not return due to missions, So-mu had always given her a heads-up. For him to suddenly vanish like this was something she could not overlook.

Just then, someone approached. It was Il-gwang, who was returning to the barracks after practicing his Annihilation Tempest Fist all night.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Uncle! Have you seen my father?”

Seeing such a tiny child make such a serious face, Il-gwang could not help but find it amusing. Mischievously, he put on a shocked expression and said, “Oh no! It looks like your father abandoned So-so and ran away.”

Hearing those words, tears welled up in So-so’s eyes.

“What am I supposed to do now…?”

“This is a big problem. Do you want to live with your uncle instead?”

A moment later, large teardrops began to roll down her cheeks.

“No…”

A look of disappointment crossed Il-gwang’s face. But then again, it was the response he had expected.

Before he could say anything to fix the situation, So-so ran crying into the barracks. She immediately began to put on her combat uniform and tied a small dagger to her waist. She even grabbed thirty copper coins she had saved as emergency funds.

Il-gwang hurriedly followed her inside and asked, “What are you doing? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to find my father.”

Stepping out of the barracks with determined strides, So-so looked left and right.

“And where do you plan to look for him?”

After a moment of thought, So-so said with a serious expression, “I think he must have been captured by bad guys.”

“Pfft! Who? Your father?”

Il-gwang could not hold back his laughter. Who on earth could capture the commander of the Wolf Fang Squad? Still, he could not let his young niece wander the streets alone.

“I know where he is. Shall we go together?”

So-so grabbed Il-gwang’s massive hand.

“Hurry, Uncle! Let’s go rescue my father!”

Hand in hand, the two headed toward the streets. The difference in their sizes was so vast that they looked like a brown bear walking alongside a squirrel.

Of course, Il-gwang had no idea what So-mu was doing. He was simply hungry from his grueling training and wanted to grab a bite to eat.

Even though it was early morning, the streets of Hanzhong were buzzing with activity. Many eateries operated twenty-four hours a day, and most street vendors had already finished preparing for the day’s business.

Il-gwang asked gently, “You’re hungry, right? Shall we eat first before we look?”

As delicious aromas drifted from various stalls, So-so’s tiny nose twitched.

“Uncle, do you have money?”

“Hmm. Is So-so going to treat me?”

So-so fidgeted with the thirty copper coins at her waist. It was likely her entire life savings.

“What do you want to eat?”

It was only a joke. A centurion officer like him could not let his niece pay for his meal.

“Actually, I just got paid yesterday. I have plenty of money, so tell me what you want to eat.”

So-so’s face brightened. Looking up at Il-gwang, she said hesitantly, “Honey Shaved Ice…”

Il-gwang sighed reflexively. Craving sweet shaved ice first thing in the morning was unexpected. Although the price was cheaper because it was midwinter, what he wanted was a hearty bowl of soup.

He looked down. His niece was blinking her large eyes, looking up at him with anticipation. He felt helpless.

“Sigh… Well, we need to fill our stomachs, so shall we eat some skewers on the way?”

So-so nodded with a bright smile.

“Actually, I like Uncle Il-gwang the best! Hehe.”

“But you said before you didn’t like me because your friends are scared of me.”

Conveniently, there was a row of street stalls nearby.

So-so’s finger pointed to a stall selling Five-Flavor Skewers—skewers made by threading five different ingredients together, including charcoal-grilled pork, mushrooms, and vegetables.

“Can I have one?”

So-so raised two fingers and shouted, “Two!”

“I temporarily forgot your appetite. Vendor, give us six skewers!”

Holding the skewers in both hands, they headed toward a shop named Han Snow Ice.

“Hehe, this is delicious.”

“Yeah, it tastes pretty good. Is that the place?”

About a hundred feet ahead, a quaintly built restaurant came into view. Built of clay and logs, the establishment had a structure that allowed a clear view inside. The signboard read Han Snow Ice.

As they approached while chewing on their skewers, both Il-gwang and So-so suddenly froze when they were about sixty feet away. They had spotted familiar faces inside.

Il-gwang gaped in astonishment.

“Why is the commander there…?”

What’s more, her master was sitting opposite him. It was an incomprehensible sight. He had never imagined they would be here.

So-so was already pouting.

“He didn’t even tell me!”

To think they were eating delicious food without her. It was only natural that she felt sulky.

As So-so began to stomp forward, Il-gwang hastily stopped her.

“W-Wait a moment!”

“Why?”

“Something is suspicious… Let’s watch for a bit.”

So-so focused her internal energy into her eyes to look closely inside the shop. The atmosphere was definitely strange. It was different from usual.

A child’s curiosity knows no bounds. Driven by intrigue, So-so hid behind a nearby wooden pillar and whispered, “Uncle, come over here!”

“Move aside a bit.”

Hiding behind the pillar, Il-gwang and So-so watched So-mu while eating their skewers. Since So-mu possessed monstrous senses, they feared he would notice if they got any closer.

“I knew it.”

“Yeah, what?”

“Father and Master are close at heart, right? Just like Master and me.”

“We don’t know yet. Just wait.”

“I hope they are…”

Before she knew it, So-so’s sulkiness had vanished, replaced by anticipation and curiosity.

It was then. Il-gwang suddenly gasped and whispered urgently, “T-They… they’re holding hands!”

On the wooden table, So-mu was warmly holding Yeon Seo-hwa’s delicate hand. Even from a distance, it was clear as day.

So-so covered her eyes with both hands, though she was still peeking through her fingers.

“Oh… Oh my gosh…”

“What do you mean, ‘oh my gosh’? Why are you smiling like that?”

So-so was grinning from ear to ear.

“Hehe… Hehehe.”

Il-gwang fell into thought.

After a moment, curious about his niece’s thoughts, he decided to test her.

“Do you like your master? If you don’t approve, now is your only chance. What should we do? Should we charge in and demand Honey Shaved Ice?”

“Hehe, no! Let’s not ruin it. Let’s go eat something else!”

Il-gwang lifted So-so and placed her on his shoulders, shouting, “Then we’re going to eat the Precious Pork Stew that I like!”

Precious Pork Stew was a high-end dish made by simmering pork with various herbs and vegetables. The expressions of the two were much brighter than when they had left the barracks.

***

Hanzhong Fortress, Military Headquarters.

Jang-yang sat in his office, deep in thought. Lately, the national situation had been unstable, leaving him without a moment of peace.

After a long time, the silence was broken by footsteps outside the office.

“General, I have brought your meal.”

It was two orderlies. Although Jang-yang was alone, the food was prepared for two people.

Chicken porridge and a few simple side dishes. It was incredibly humble for a second-rank governor-general.

“Thank you. Leave it there.”

The orderlies placed the food on the table next to the desk and departed. Sitting at the table, Jang-yang murmured to the empty air.

“Today, I will absolutely not yield. Come and eat with me.”

There was no response. Jang-yang leaned back in his chair and spoke again.

“I know very well that you often skip meals. There is no need for that. Please, sit.”

Time passed, and the food began to grow cold. Yet, Jang-yang did not touch it.

He had tried this dozens of times before, failing every time. But today, he was determined to share this meal.

“I warn you, if you do not eat, I will fast as well.”

Another hour passed in silence.

And in that instant, a change occurred in the quiet office. In a corner of the room, a dark mist gathered and gradually coalesced into a human figure.

He was a man with a heavy, stout, and expressionless face. He was the personal guard of the general, who had claimed the title of Lord of Assassins at an exceptionally young age. Since the general was so resolute, he could no longer refuse.

He silently sat in the chair opposite Jang-yang.

“Let’s eat.”

No further words were spoken. As Jang-yang took a spoonful, the Lord of Assassins also silently ate the chicken porridge.

A trained assassin never indulges in appetite. He had spent most of his life eating dry rations in the shadows. Though it was just simple chicken porridge, it was the first proper hot meal he had enjoyed in a long time. It could not taste bad.

Seeing his guard’s hand move faster, Jang-yang smiled.

“Isn’t it much better to eat together? Let’s do this from now on.”

The Lord of Assassins hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“As I promised you, I have never asked you about your past. But surely you can tell me your name.”

“…Baek Ri-hyeon. That is my name.”

“Haha. A good name.”

A man who had lost everything to the Hui Dynasty and dreamed of revenge. That was all Jang-yang knew. And now, he had finally learned his name.

Jang-yang was genuinely delighted.

“There is no need to stay in the dark. From now on, you may remain by my side comfortably.”

“Staying in the shadows is more familiar and comfortable for me.”

Jang-yang nodded and said softly, “Thank you… I have always wanted to tell you this.”

Baek Ri-hyeon silently focused on eating his porridge.

Fifteen minutes later, the meal was finished, and silence fell once more. Seeing the guard’s bowl completely cleared, Jang-yang wore a satisfied smile.

Just then, someone approached the office. In an instant, the Lord of Assassins vanished back into the shadows.

“General! The Branch Leader of the Beggars’ Sect has arrived.”

The person who entered was Hu Gui, the Shaanxi Branch Leader of the Beggars’ Sect. Having met secretly several times, their meeting was natural. Jang-yang stood up to welcome him.

“Welcome. Please, have a seat.”

“Speak comfortably, General. I am but a mere beggar.”

Though Hu Gui had urged him several times, Jang-yang’s behavior remained consistent.

“The information provided by the Beggars’ Sect is always worth a thousand pieces of gold. I cannot thank you enough. If there is any support you need, please let me know.”

“There is a rumor in the Jianghu that the beggars of Hanzhong are the well-fed in the land. Protecting this place so we can live in peace is more than enough. More importantly, we have received news from Lin’an.”

News from Lin’an was the information Jang-yang was most anxious to hear.

Although the military gathered its own intelligence, it was far too slow compared to the Beggars’ Sect, which utilized carrier pigeons between its branches to transmit information rapidly.

“What happened?”

Hu Gui’s expression darkened.

“To put it simply, it has fallen. Before a battle could even take place, the imperial family fled… The Jin army’s morale collapsed, and they were slaughtered without being able to offer any proper resistance.”

The Jin army consisted of elite soldiers who trained in martial arts. To abandon the city without even utilizing them properly—Jang-yang suppressed his rising anger and asked, “What about the citizens of Lin’an? Did they evacuate safely?”

“The imperial family, who were the first to escape through the West Gate, locked the city gates from the outside to buy time for their flight. Because the gates were barred, the citizens who could not escape… were massacred by the soldiers of the Hui Dynasty.”

Feeling dizzy, Jang-yang closed his eyes tightly and leaned back in his chair to steady himself. Hu Gui hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“Once they capture a city, they encourage their soldiers to loot and rape as a reward. Furthermore, to instill terror, they gather the citizens in one place and carry out mass executions.”

Jang-yang was not unaware of this. But hearing it again from Hu Gui’s mouth made it impossible for him to remain calm.

After a moment, hot tears rolled down his cheeks.

“How are we to comfort the poor citizens of Lin’an…?”

It was a metropolis that had enjoyed the peak of prosperity before the Emperor chose it as his capital. After it became the capital, the citizens of Lin’an had suffered from forced labor for the palace and constant exploitation, only for it to end in such a cruel and miserable tragedy. Overcome with emotion, Jang-yang wept for a long time.

The atmosphere in the office was incredibly somber. Hu Gui also sighed, looking at the ceiling with a heavy heart.

After a moment, Jang-yang’s grief-stricken voice broke the silence.

“Where is His Majesty… now…?”

“He is fleeing toward Jiangxi Province, but the elite forces of the Hui Dynasty are pursuing him, so the chances of his capture are high. He is likely passing through Yujiang by now.”

“I understand…”

Hu Gui knew he could not offer any comfort. He wanted to leave the general alone.

“I will visit again.”

Hu Gui bid farewell and left the office.

After he departed, Jang-yang fell deep in thought, his fingers clasped on the desk.

‘If the Emperor, who prioritizes his own safety, is captured by the enemy, surrender is inevitable. If that happens before an heir is established, the entire nation will be devoured. Even if the nation risks division, survival must come first. Only then can we find an opportunity to counterattack.’

The survival of the nation was hanging by a thread. He had to make a decision.

After a moment, he turned his gaze toward a corner of the office.

‘And above all… isn’t it time to pay the price for one’s sins…?’

With a hardened expression, Jang-yang spoke to the shadows.

“Commander So-mu told me… that you are the greatest assassin in the Murim. Would you be willing to accept a commission to eliminate a beast…?”