Chapter 285: Shadow War (5)
“Ah, really?”
“That is so.”
“Thank you. If we were slightly wrong, our paths could have crossed.”
“Not at all. Because Commander Yeon is in such an important position, we are always keeping an eye on his movements.”
“Heh, is it that important of a position?”
“Of course. Currently, there are countless combat units and organizations in the Murim Alliance. And the most free unit among those organizations is the mobile unit of the Demon-Sweeping and Evil-Annihilating.”
“I see.”
“It means the mobile unit itself is an independent unit somewhat free from the Alliance’s control. In other words, it is a unit that can be trusted and entrusted at the Alliance level. Commander Yeon is receiving that much great trust.”
“It is amazing. I knew he was making a great reputation, but I didn’t know it was to that extent.”
“It is a bit sudden, and it might be a somewhat discourteous question, but may I ask just one thing?”
“Yes? Ah, please do so.”
“After this year passes, you will be eighteen, right?”
“That is so.”
“…….”
“Why are you acting like that?”
“Ah, no. Then, I will also put in contact to the Hubei Branch’s side. We have prepared a carriage, so please move comfortably.”
“Ah, a carriage is fine. I will just consider it movement technique training and run.”
“Th, that far distance?”
“Haha, compared to Older Brother, I am nothing. Then, I will leave it to you.”
“Yes. I hope I can see you again later.”
“I feel the same. Then, this is all.”
Looking at the back figure of the young man who had already run far away, the Jiangxi Province Nanchang Branch Head of the Beggar’s Gang clicked his tongue.
“At the age of eighteen, such a ridiculous…… Heoheo, the Clan Head is like that and the Eldest Young Master is like that, the Green Mountain Yeon Clan will definitely lead the next generation’s Murim.”
* * *
Two days passed.
“Are the external injuries all healed?”
“Right.”
“But the important thing would be the internal injuries. Thinking about it now, you were really reckless. Even if it’s old-fashioned, a cannon is a cannon, to think of smashing it head-on.”
Yeon Ho-jeong snorted.
“If I hadn’t smashed them in order, all of your lives would have blown away.”
“I know. That’s why it’s absurd. To mobilize even cannons in the world.”
“Righ…… Eh? By the way, you seem to know a bit about cannons?”
Muk Bi chuckled.
“Even if I don’t know how the world turns, I know what I have to know. In Sun-Piercing Valley, other than the bow, they teach overall knowledge about projectile weapons. Excluding hidden weapons.”
“Is that so?”
It felt like knowing a new fact. Because at least the Muk Bi from the past days of the Five Great Divine Generals had never said such words.
Muk Bi’s eyes shone.
“By the way, isn’t it strange?”
“What.”
“No matter how much it’s a gathering of physicians, mobilizing cannons is too excessive. Weren’t cannons a secret weapon that could only be operated after the permission of the top leader within the military falls?”
“Right.”
“If so, it means the Medical God Society has hands reaching even to the leader of the military…….”
Yeon Ho-jeong nodded his head.
“Being physicians doesn’t mean they don’t know the ways of the world. They approached the leaders of the Murim Alliance’s affiliated organizations and even told them to give up the Alliance’s mission.”
“Hmm.”
“It’s hard to do that without considerable boldness. Even granting they were somewhat arrogant, they believe it. That they can touch the Murim Alliance up to that line. They are certain they have the power to smooth it over even if a problem arises.”
Muk Bi’s eyes shook.
“If so, really……?”
“It is something we still don’t know. And this matter is not something we have to handle right now either.”
“Yes?”
Yeon Ho-jeong glanced at the tavern.
“Our mission is to escort the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions. Absolutely nothing can be prioritized over that.”
“…….”
“It might be different if the Successor of the Beggars was right next to us right now, but it’s a situation where it’s not easy even if we try to find out something. We’ll have to handle it after safely finishing our mission for now.”
“And once we accomplish the mission, you will inform the Murim Alliance upper echelons of this matter, so no matter how much it’s Young Master Yeon, it won’t be easy to step forward and handle it, right?”
“Right.”
“So the saying that it left your hands meant that.”
Yeon Ho-jeong smiled.
“Yeah, right.”
Muk Bi, who was quietly looking at Yeon Ho-jeong, inwardly shook her head.
‘That’s probably not why.’
She knew Yeon Ho-jeong well.
Yeon Ho-jeong had no rule of forgiving a person who touched him. Especially like the Medical God Society, he had a personality of thoroughly smashing those who crossed the line for ridiculous reasons.
However, Yeon Ho-jeong says now. That it’s not a matter to handle with his own hands. He was saying that the Murim Alliance handling this matter was the right thing to do.
Was that really because he thought there was no need for himself to step forward?
‘No, it means there is a more important matter than that. And that matter is exactly…….’
The Divine Maiden of the Western Regions.
Muk Bi, who was looking at Yeon Ho-jeong with confused eyes, opened her mouth.
“Young Master Yeon.”
“I don’t know what you want to say, but if it’s not urgent, shall we talk later?”
“Yes? Why? Where are you going?”
“I’m going to go see the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions.”
In an instant, tension filled Muk Bi’s face.
“Young Master Yeon.”
“Don’t worry. Because nothing much will happen.”
“…….”
“However, there is a need to slightly change this incomparably uncomfortable air current.”
Yeon Ho-jeong recalled his conversation with Murong Yu from two days ago.
‘However, since we didn’t meet on the battlefield, I will try to find out about her in more detail.’
Murong Yu showed hesitation in defining the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions as an enemy and moving.
Yeon Ho-jeong understood Murong Yu. He hadn’t experienced the war with the Three Cults, and had never smelled the air of that blood-reeking battlefield.
Even if he knew with his head, he couldn’t understand with his heart. That’s why he could become more careful.
If you reverse those words, it’s the same meaning as Yeon Ho-jeong can absolutely never become cold-hearted in matters related to the Three Cults. He only tries to become cold-hearted.
‘Older Brother’s words aren’t wrong either.’
There was nothing bad about being careful. Furthermore, even to Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes, the Divine Maiden of the Western Regions didn’t seem like a person with a bad nature.
Of course, like the words he said to Murong Yu, to Yeon Ho-jeong, the Good and Evil of the Three Cult bastards was not important, though.
Yeon Ho-jeong inhaled deeply.
“Ruining the atmosphere for no reason isn’t my taste either. I’ll decide after meeting her for now.”
At that time, Muk Bi struck Yeon Ho-jeong’s back.
Thwack!
“Keok!”
Yeon Ho-jeong almost rolled on the floor for an instant.
It was such a fierce strike that tears almost trickled out. Yeon Ho-jeong distorted his face and growled.
“What are you doing, punk!”
“Relax the strength in your shoulders.”
“What?”
Muk Bi smirked and waved her hand.
“No matter what kind of person she is, Young Master Yeon just needs to act like Young Master Yeon, right? Just like Young Master Yeon has done until now.”
“…….”
“Don’t feel burdened unlike Young Master Yeon, and if you’re going to commit it, go and commit it thoroughly.”
Yeon Ho-jeong, who stared blankly at Muk Bi, stroked his back.
“When I come back after finishing the talk, know that your back will be on fire too.”
“Go do more movement technique training and come back.”
“Because I have the Blood Wing Sweeping Heavens.”
“I have a bow though?”
“Do you think I can’t dodge it?”
“You seem to think I can’t hit it?”
“……Kill.”
“Haa.”
Gi Wu-hui sighed softly.
‘Medical God Society.’
Lying on the bed and looking up at the ceiling for a long time.
Fatigue had piled up heavily, but perhaps because her state of mind was complicated, sleep did not come.
She recalled the words of Hidden Shadow Number One.
‘Also, infiltrating the Murim Alliance is also not something the Holy Maiden has to do. Nevertheless, the reason the Holy Maiden is suffering this ordeal is because there is Original Sin.’
That’s right.
She had a sin. However, that sin was not a sin committed by her own free will.
A sin she was burdened with since she was born. Half of the blood flowing in her blood vessels contained a vulgarity that was unacceptable from’their’ standpoint.
“Vulgar…….”
Sadness lingered on Gi Wu-hui’s face.
“What on earth determines noble and vulgar? If it’s the bloodline of a person with a lot of money, is it noble, and if it’s the bloodline of a poor person, is it vulgar? If the skin color is different, is it vulgar, and if the skin color is the same, is it noble?”
Gi Wu-hui could not know at all.
So she delved into medical skills from her childhood. It was a study that started from a childish thought of literally understanding what others said about different blood, and truly trying to find out from the structure of the human body.
However, as time passed, she became proficient in medical skills and experienced the world, and she realized.
That there is no noble and vulgar in this world. That there are only people who divide that noble and vulgar.
However.
“……No matter how much I cry out, they won’t even try to understand.”
Tears welled up in Gi Wu-hui’s eyes.
Perhaps now was not the time to have such thoughts.
Whether there was a choice or not, the important thing was the fact that she was heading to the Murim Alliance. And the reality that she had to do what they wanted there.
Even if one laments that the world does not recognize my will and value, reality does not change.
‘To think that a physician who fixes people’s bodies has to become a lackey of an organization and act as a spy.’
Gi Wu-hui spat out a sigh.
‘I didn’t have the qualification to curse the Medical God Society from the beginning. I too am a person no different from them at all.’
It was then.
“It is Evil-Annihilating Army Commander Yeon Ho-jeong.”
In an instant, she was startled and hurriedly raised her body.
“May I enter?”
“Y, yes?!”
“…….”
“……Ah, yes. P, please come in.”
“Understood.”
Kkiiiiik.
The door opened, and Yeon Ho-jeong entered.
Gi Wu-hui’s eyes shook. Because she felt the atmosphere in the room completely change as soon as Yeon Ho-jeong entered.
The flustered Gi Wu-hui adhered to a timid posture.
‘It’s strange.’
Even though she herself knew there was no need to be like this, she could hardly unravel her tense mind.
‘Why am I like this?’
Facing Yeon Ho-jeong, no, just hearing his voice made her heart pound.
Because she felt a rational attraction to the opponent? That was not it.
Gi Wu-hui was feeling a thick coercive feeling from Yeon Ho-jeong’s gaze and voice. In a certain sense, that coercive feeling was dyed with hostility more than the guardians of the Cult.
Yeon Ho-jeong shook his head.
“Divine Physician Gi is my escort target. You do not have to be so tense.”
“Yes…….”
“May I sit?”
“Yes! P, please do so.”
Like that, the two people sat facing each other at the table.
Yeon Ho-jeong quietly crossed his arms and stared piercingly at Gi Wu-hui. Finding that gaze burdensome, Gi Wu-hui hesitated with her head bowed.
A suffocating silence continued.
The one who broke the silence first was Yeon Ho-jeong.
“You are tense.”
“Yes?!”
“There is no need for you to be so tense, but you are being strangely tense, you see.”
“Ah! Th, that’s…….”
Yeon Ho-jeong’s eyes deepened.
It was when he was about to open his mouth again.
“Is your body…… okay?”
“……?”
“The ex, external injuries seem to be all treated, but your internal injuries seem to still be in a serious state.”
Why was it?
At those words of Gi Wu-hui, Yeon Ho-jeong somehow felt a feeling of the mood breaking.
“Well, it’s okay. My insides sting a bit, but I’m used to this level of injury.”
In an instant, Gi Wu-hui’s eyes flashed. It was such an intense light in her eyes that Yeon Ho-jeong sitting across from her was even surprised.
“You can’t! Leaving internal injuries neglected and just letting them be can lead to the organs being greatly damaged in the future……!!”
“…….”
“……Th, they say it damages them?”
Gi Wu-hui, who was surprised at herself for suddenly yelling out in an instant, bowed her head deeply again. Her pure white skin had already flushed red.
Yeon Ho-jeong furrowed his brow.
What is this human?
He, who was staring blankly at Gi Wu-hui, spoke as if sighing.
“Damn it, it really ruins the mood.”
“Heoeok! D, did I do something greatly wrong……?!”
“What are you trying to do?”
“……Yes?”
“You came in to act as a spy, is that right?”
Gi Wu-hui frothed at the mouth just like that.