Chapter 147: Chapter 147

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“So he just left like that.”

Yang Goeng scratched his head and looked at the woman before his eyes. The place he was currently at was a cloth shop on the outskirts of New Sichuan, and he had just explained the incident that took place at the Martial Alliance a few days ago. And the woman spoke like that without even turning back as she organized the fabrics there. Yang Goeng was even more frightened by her calm tone. Come to think of it, he didn’t seem to have ever seen her get angry.

“That… well, you see. He didn’t leave New Sichuan after that. He went to his older brother’s house. I think he might be planning to rest for a bit…”

“Understood. You may leave now.”

At the words cutting in right in the middle, Yang Goeng was momentarily rendered speechless. Is it really alright to just leave like this?

“Um… then my mistake this time…”

“I’ve always told you. Train a bit in the Muscle-Bone Transformation Art. I told you often that moving around with the same face all the time would cause problems. It’s already been several years since you joined the Dark Dragon Corps, so why are you still like this?”

“Ahem, ahem… My martial arts are lacking…”

Without stopping her organization of fabrics, the woman continued speaking.

“The Muscle-Bone Transformation Art is a technique that becomes proficient as much as you train it. While using it too frequently is dangerous, there are few techniques as honest as it. Don’t make excuses that don’t make sense.”

“Yes… I am sorry…”

Stopping her hands, she turned back to look at Yang Goeng. It was the face of an ordinary woman suitable for a cloth shop. The hair tied with a handkerchief and gathered to one side was her only distinguishing feature, if any. Of course, Yang Goeng knew well that this face was a constructed face.

“However, in this case, there was a major variable called Jang Geon. From what I hear, it seems he can see through both the Muscle-Bone Transformation Art of the Dark Dragon Corps and the disguise arts of the Demonic Palace. Even if it wasn’t you, another Dark Dragon Corps agent might have been caught. In any case, while you won’t be able to participate in Martial Alliance operations from now on, you won’t be dismissed from the Dark Dragon Corps.”

Yang Goeng’s face brightened up completely. He had thought that at worst he might be silenced beyond dismissal. In truth, coming here was half a gamble, but a far better result than he had expected had come out. He smirked and bowed his head.

“Hehe, thank you so much. I will work with the attitude of serving with dog-and-horse-like loyalty in the future. Hehe… Brother Jang is indeed a remarkable gentleman. Only a few days have passed, and his name is spreading beyond the Martial Alliance across New Sichuan. Well, he certainly caught the eyes of martial artists this time.”

The eyes of the woman, Dark Dragon Agent No. 3, who was returning to the fabrics, turned to Yang Goeng again.

“…Is his name becoming famous?”

“Pardon? Ah, yes, yes. It’s become known that he defeated the Demonic Practitioners of the Demonic Palace in Plateau City and unearthed the plot targeting the Martial Alliance Gamsan Branch in Gamsan City. Before that, the incident where he dug up the corruption of the Imperial Army commandant here in New Sichuan became known again, and even further back, there’s the story of him eliminating a mad Demonic Practitioner in Salt Lake City. Thanks to that, nicknames like Demon-Slashing Knight-Errant and Azure Dragon Blade are already floating around, though to my eyes, neither seems to suit Brother Jang.”

Dark Dragon Agent No. 3 smiled softly.

“That’s true… since he already has a name that fits him well.”

“Pardon? A fitting name? Did Brother Jang have a martial name?”

“A martial name. He has a No-Name [Nameless].”

For a moment, Yang Goeng wore an expression asking what nonsense this person was talking. No-Name [Nameless] meant having no name, so what kind of nonsense was having a name that didn’t exist?

However, the next instant, Yang Goeng quickly erased that expression. Although he received confirmation that he wouldn’t be punished, there was no need to deliberately displease his superior. So he quickly changed the subject.

“That, well… but doesn’t one problem still remain?”

“What problem?”

“Brother Jang requested help from the Dark Dragon Corps. But after throwing a mess around by himself for half a day, at the end the Princess appeared and wrapped it all up neatly. Wouldn’t Brother Jang end up thinking the Dark Dragon Corps is useless for no reason…?”

Dark Dragon Agent No. 3 stared intently at Yang Goeng with settled eyes. Having needlessly changed the subject, Yang Goeng swallowed dryly seeing that gaze, wondering if he had made a slip of the tongue.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“General Yu Seol had already entered New Sichuan quite some time ago. Why do you think the Dark Dragon Corps conducted an investigation operation on the Martial Alliance? Naturally, it was to grasp the current state of the Martial Alliance before the main force from Hawaii arrived. If there was no support from the Martial Alliance in the fight against the Demonic Palace, it would be unreasonable even for the Imperial Army. If things went according to the original plan, the main force’s ships would enter the docks later, and the information gathered by the Dark Dragon Corps’ operation would be utilized in the subsequent negotiation process with the Martial Alliance.”

Listening to her words, Yang Goeng’s mouth slowly gaped open.

“Then…”

“The reason General Yu Seol visited the Martial Alliance on that exact day was for no other reason. Knowing that Jang Geon requested help, she moved directly. That’s why even the docks didn’t know. In any case, thanks to that, General Yu Seol was able to seize an extraordinarily appropriate moment. Now it will become extremely difficult for the Martial Alliance to reclaim the initiative from General Yu Seol.”

Yang Goeng let out a brief dry laugh. He had wondered why the Imperial Army and the Princess suddenly popped out, but it seemed there was such a background. Being a Dark Dragon Corps agent, Yang Goeng wasn’t ignorant of the connection between the runaway Princess Yu Seol and Jang Geon. But to barge into the Martial Alliance as soon as news reached her meant it was no ordinary connection.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Don’t entertain strange thoughts. Unless you want a visit from high masters of the Imperial Court for spreading pointless delusions.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Shutting his mouth, Yang Goeng mentally shook his head. It wasn’t a matter for him to care about further. The parties involved in the relationship would handle it well on their own. Even if it didn’t go well, it was still none of his business.

“Then, I shall take my leave…”

Having organized his thoughts, Yang Goeng bowed deeply in farewell and left the cloth shop. Having avoided punishment, he would now have to move for another operation.

Dark Dragon Agent No. 3 watched him leave while stroking her hair that had fallen over her shoulder.

In truth, the fact that Yang Goeng had his identity discovered by Jeok-sein this time was a truly bad issue. If it became known that the Dark Dragon Corps was inspecting the interior of the Martial Alliance, there was nothing good for either the Imperial Army or the Dark Dragon Corps. If the issue became widely known, hostility toward the Imperial Army within the Martial Alliance and New Sichuan would explode, and then the Governor of Hawaii might have had to step in personally to apologize to the Alliance Leader.

Because of that, right now it would have become one of the few cards the Alliance Leader could use against Princess Yu Seol. The overall trend wouldn’t have tilted, but the Imperial Army would have had to give up something. Yet the Alliance Leader hadn’t brought up that matter at all while conversing with Princess Yu Seol over the past few days.

Fitting the name Eastern Subduing Army, what Princess Yu Seol, intending to march past Plateau City to the east to find the Demonic Palace, desired from the Martial Alliance was clear: the construction of supply routes and rear support. It was a matter involving vast sums of money, and at the end, there was little for the Martial Alliance to gain other than the eradication of the Demonic Palace. Naturally, even while driven onto the defensive, the Alliance Leader and the Council of Elders sought to extract much from the Empire.

From that perspective, the Dark Dragon Corps operation issue was a hand that naturally should have been shown by now. Yet the Alliance Leader acted as if he knew nothing about it. If so, there was only one conclusion. Jeok-sein had not reported the Dark Dragon Corps operation issue to the Alliance Leader.

Whether Jeok-sein had forgotten amidst her busyness or held her tongue out of some other thought, thanks to that, Yang Goeng was able to avoid dismissal. Dark Dragon Agent No. 3 had no intention of letting Yang Goeng go over a matter of this level. To be precise, she could not give up Yang Goeng’s information lines scattered across the wasteland.

Her hand stroking her hair was suddenly fiddling with the tied handkerchief. Realizing that out of nowhere, she flinched slightly, then soon smiled softly.

Clearing her thoughts, she began organizing the fabrics again. Neither too neat nor too messy—just enough to look like a common cloth shop on the outskirts of the city.

* * *

Sunlight entering through the window stretched long.

That long sunlight was moving slowly but surely. It was so slow that one wouldn’t know it was moving just by looking, but as much as the sun moved, its rays certainly moved as well. And that light slowly climbed up a bed and covered a man lying on that bed. The sunlight soon climbed up the man’s body and finally covered his face, then his two eyes.

At his body growing increasingly warm and the bright sunlight on his eyes, Jang Geon wrinkled the bridge of his nose. He had no desire to wake up yet. So his left arm raised up to cover his eyes. The heat felt tolerable as his body grew pleasantly warm. Covering only his eyes with his forearm felt rather fine.

Jang Geon thus fell back into a shallow sleep on his bed in the late morning.

Just then, his room door opened stealthily. And through that narrow gap, four small shadows began sneaking into the room. Incommensurate with their quiet, cautious steps, they whispered among themselves and giggled.

They stealthily drew closer to the bed. Their footsteps were cautious, but an unhideable mischievousness dripped heavily from them.

And the instant they drew close to the bed to some extent, Jang Geon suddenly sat upright and shouted, “Wah!”

Startled, the kids hugged each other and collapsed on the spot. Having come to play a trick on the sleeping Jang Geon, all four kids sat dazed from the sudden counterattack, staring blankly at Jang Geon. Seeing that, Jang Geon could not hold back his laughter.

The eldest of the four kids, Jang Un’s son Jang Sang, spoke with a sulky expression as he listened to Jang Geon’s laughter.

“Ah, Uncle! What is this!”

“What else? A morning greeting.”

“That’s not how it’s supposed to be…”

The kids were Jang Un’s children and Dan Sang-woon’s children. As Dan Sang-woon entrusted himself to the Jang Family Merchant Guild and came to live in the same residence, they were growing up as the troublemakers of the Jang Family Merchant Guild, led by Jang Sang.

As Jang Sang crossed his arms and pulled a sulky expression, the youngest, Jang Yeong, who had collapsed alongside him, dusted off her bottom and stood up.

“Uncle, Mom says to come eat breakfast.”

She wore a nonchalant expression as if she had come to say that from the beginning. Sitting on the bed, Jang Geon smiled warmly watching Jang Yeong. He nodded and spoke.

“Got it. Tell her I’ll be right there.”

Hearing Jang Geon’s reply, Jang Yeong sensibly pulled up the other two children who were two years older than her and dusted off their bottoms as well. Then, looking at Jang Sang who was still sitting and sending a sulky expression to Jang Geon, she softly shook her head.

“We’ll go first.”

“Huh? Huh? W-Wait for me…”

As Jang Yeong and the two Dan children left first, Jang Sang couldn’t just keep pulling a sulky expression. He quickly stood up and followed behind them.

Before going out the door, he looked back.

“Mom said she’ll clear the table if you don’t come fast.”

Jang Geon nodded that he understood and waved his hand for him to go quickly. Jang Yeong let out a *hehe* laugh once and slipped out the door. Jang Geon let out a wide yawn as he listened to the sound of the children running down the hallway with a noisy clatter. And scratching his neck, he pondered whether to go out and eat now or lie back down to sleep a bit more right now.

Sunlight from the window poured over Jang Geon’s relaxed face. Dazzled by the light, Jang Geon slightly closed his eyes and raised his head to receive the sunlight across his entire face. Staying like that for a moment, it felt as though the sleepiness was washed away along with the sunlight flowing down his face.

“…Hmm. I wonder what breakfast is today.”

Jang Geon needlessly muttered like that once and stood up from the bed. Standing up like that, he stretched and lightly twisted his waist. Remarkably elastic muscles, joints, qi and blood that had been sleeping during the night woke up and began activity.

Lightly loosening his body, Jang Geon picked up the upper shirt he had taken off, roughly threw it on, and left the room. After he left, inside the room, only the smooth scabbard of Azure Dragon Saber standing in one corner gleamed in the sunlight.

Trudging out along the house hallway, Jang Geon was able to discover people having breakfast at a table set up on one side of the courtyard. It was a bustling scene with Jang Geon’s older brother Jang Un and his wife, Dan Sang-woon and his wife, and four children.

Jang Un, holding a bowl and shoveling rice into his mouth, discovered Jang Geon walking out casually.

“You fellow, at least wipe the sleep from your eyes before coming out.”

Jang Geon smirked bashfully and raised his hand to rub around his eyes.