Chapter 177: Chapter 177

* * *

“Damn it. Where is this bastard hiding?”

Walking down a deserted night street, an infantry soldier of the Eastward Marching Army, that is, Imperial soldier So Pyeong, needlessly muttered curses.

Hailing from a local martial hall, he possessed good innate talent and became an Imperial soldier. However, compared to that innate talent, his disposition was lazy, and lacking any special backing, he began his Imperial Army life as a mere soldier. Commonly, entering military service referred to beginning Imperial Army life as a martial officer, but at any rate, since he also became an Imperial soldier, it could be said he had entered military service.

In the Imperial Army, there were also many who began as soldiers like him and rose to the status of general. They were martial artists who advanced through innate talent and effort. Supporting the foundation of a thousand-year Empire, such meritocracy in the Imperial Army was only natural.

However, So Pyeong had been a soldier for several years. Among those who became soldiers around the same time, there was even an individual who had risen to captain, but he remained in the very infantry soldier status he first received. Failing to grow for several years like that, being transferred across the sea to a remote frontier was only natural.

“That guy definitely has connections alive on the Murim Alliance side. What was it, they say he was a Murim Alliance patrolman. Without their help, he couldn’t hide around so well. How many days has it been already?”

Moving together beside him, soldier Ma Ryang accepted So Pyeong’s grumbling. He was also in a situation similar to So Pyeong’s. Both of them were exhausted from going back and forth along the outer streets of New Sichuan over the past few days.

“Patrolman? I heard he was a Council of Elders warrior?”

“His uncle was an Elder. Thanks to that, they say he did everything his uncle ordered.”

So Pyeong let out a sneering laugh.

“Doing whatever he was ordered without knowing anything, only to get screwed over. Poor bastard.”

“Are we any different? We are also living lives doing whatever generals and captains order.”

At Ma Ryang’s sullen muttering, So Pyeong’s lips twisted poutily. It was not a wrong statement. If they failed to get promoted, they would forever be soldiers doing whatever they were ordered.

If one were a person with a proper mind, one would somehow cultivate martial arts and try to escape at least the lowest status of infantry soldier. However, everywhere in the world, there was bound to be a lagging class. In this case, that was So Pyeong and Ma Ryang.

They were currently searching the dark night streets of New Sichuan in search of Bae Won-chan of the Baeklim Sect, who had been missed by the Murim Alliance Geum-san Unit days ago. When the Geum-san Unit’s initial arrest failed, the Imperial Army had truly stepped forward.

However, originally not so diligent, So Pyeong and Ma Ryang did not devote much heart to the search. From the beginning, the two didn’t even think Bae Won-chan would appear before them. It was the sight of soldiers whose military discipline had slackened after staying in Hawaii for a long time.

At that moment, a shadow slithered closer behind them. Simultaneously sensing a presence, both So Pyeong and Ma Ryang drew the swords at their waists and turned around. In that nimble movement, the appearance of grumbling like idlers until a moment ago could not be found.

“Who is it!”

However, the moment those sword blades were aimed, they quickly reversed again. Confirming the opponent’s face, the two were startled and quickly stood stiffly in a straight attention stance.

The person who appeared behind them was a woman wearing a sword at her waist.

“Mmm. Chatting during an operation. It seems you wish to be struck with flogging punishment.”

“Ah, no, ma’am!”

“We are sorry!”

Her brow furrowed.

“Are you crazy? Lower your voices. Why not shout at the top of your lungs that the Imperial Army is here?”

“Ah, th-that, we are sorry…”

“We are sorry…”

Frowning her face, she was one of the Staff Officers of quartermaster rank assisting the general, a superior far distant from two mere soldiers. She continued speaking to the two stiffly frozen men.

“Do you not know that General Yu Seol’s guest is currently observing this operation? As it is, we are going crazy because we cannot identify that guest’s identity, yet you rascals act like that?”

So Pyeong and Ma Ryang’s expressions turned pale. Judging by her expression, they could tell that even if not right now, big trouble awaited them upon returning to the military camp. Looking at the two of them, the Staff Officer soon waved her hand vigorously. Realizing that meant to scram, the two soldiers, though breaking into cold sweats, quickly turned around and resumed searching their assigned sector.

Even after scolding the soldiers and signaling further punishment, her expression did not brighten. It was because of the guest currently overseeing the operation, just as she had mentioned earlier. An old man who appeared a few days ago and was rummaging here and there through the Imperial Army stationed at the Murim Alliance. The reason why they couldn’t block him was that the person who permitted his activity was General Pacifying the East, Yu Seol.

That old man rummaged through not only the Imperial Army barracks, but also the Murim Alliance patrol squads and other strike units as if it were his own home. Unfitting his reckless actions, the old man walked around with a genial smile, observing people with soft eyes. Since Yu Seol, who occasionally showed concessions to the Murim Alliance, firmly permitted that rummaging, no one could stop it.

However, even without revealing his identity, all Imperial Army personnel of rank naturally felt that the old man was no ordinary old man. Most cautiously speculated whether the old man might be one of the Imperial Palace’s martial scholars. Therefore, whenever that old man occasionally expressed an opinion even lightly, no one could ignore it. In fact, the reason why this current operation, which should have ended quickly once the Imperial Army stepped in, dragged on sluggishly like driving prey in a forest was that the old man’s intent was subtly acting behind it.

At any rate, feeling a splitting headache because of an unnecessary guest, she cupped her forehead. It felt as though an operation that should proceed well was being ruined because of someone needlessly watching and interfering.

At that moment, a commotion was heard far away.

“Over there!”

Following that shout, she sprinted swiftly. Besides her, several Imperial soldiers could be seen sprinting over roofs and walls following the shout.

And behind them, an unidentified old man was quietly tailing along. Spotting the old man, the Staff Officer wanted to break even just the pipa dangling on the old man’s back. It was because it was an appearance far too unfitting for a battlefield.

However, regardless of what she and many other Imperial soldiers thought looking at him, as if it didn’t matter at all, the old man merely sparkled his deep eyes with interest at the origin of the shout. A soft smile hung at his lips.

* * *

In Jang Geon’s training hall, one student was added besides Seo-ha and Jang Sang. That student was Jang Yeon.

Jang Yeon had also learned Tai Chi Chuan. However, that was something rough around the edges that Jang Geon had roughly outlined years ago when he was still in the clan and lacked experience, so compared to what Seo-ha was currently practicing, it was unrefined. However, because the underlying intent had not changed, it took only a few days for Jang Yeon’s roughness to disappear.

She was already at a level of using silk-reeling energy even if crudely, so once the roughness was erased, she was able to increase the power of Tai Chi Chuan with surprising speed. In Jang Geon’s view, if her internal energy became sufficient in the future, Jang Yeon would likely be able to use a Void-Striking Palm as well. A Void-Striking Palm achieved solely through Tai Chi Chuan, not the Dragon-Subduing Palm.

Regardless of such advancement in realm, while practicing Tai Chi Chuan with Seo-ha and Jang Sang, she occasionally chattered.

“By any chance, do you two have any thoughts of joining the military?”

“Eh? I don’t.”

“…I don’t.”

Jang Sang answered somewhat dazedly, and Seo-ha answered after a brief thought. Hearing the answers, Jang Yeon nodded her head.

“If you ever think of taking the military entry exam in the future, never use Tai Chi Chuan then. Even when sparring with the examiner.”

“Why?”

“…When unfolding it at first, they ridicule you asking where you learned such an old-fashioned fist art, and when sparring, they disregard you asking how one could defeat enemies with such a defensive martial art. Then they ask if you haven’t learned a real martial art that is fast and strong instead of such junk. If you get furious and butt heads, they get a bit surprised, but that doesn’t mean they pass you in the exam. Rather, they spout bullshit asking if you wouldn’t hand over that fist art for research purposes to the Imperial Army’s martial scholars.”

At her explanation, Jang Sang and Seo-ha’s eyes turned to Jang Geon. The children’s eyes were full of puzzlement. Tai Chi Chuan was Jang Geon’s martial art, and that Jang Geon was currently the most rising martial artist in New Sichuan. They couldn’t easily understand that such a martial art was disregarded.

Jang Geon let out a dry laugh.

“…An old-fashioned fist art. It could be seen that way.”

Tai Chi Chuan and the Sitting in Oblivion Fist of the Primal Chaos Manual have similar aspects. Moreover, considering that the Tai Chi Chuan Jang Yeon had learned was from a time when real combat experience had not been added, in the eyes of the Imperial Army examiners, it might look even more like an ancient training fist art from ages past.

That sight must have looked to those who learned high-level martial arts refined for a thousand years inside the fences of the Imperial Army like someone diligently learning a martial art eliminated hundreds of years ago and struggling to get recruited.

However, even if he understood it with his head, he couldn’t help the heat rising slowly in a corner of his heart. Yet Jang Geon calmly let that heat flow away with a single exhale and asked.

“So, did you learn a different fist art to bring next time?”

“No. Why would I? After learning this, I’ve never lost to my peers. Even when sparring with my husband, I’ve never lost.”

At Jang Yeon’s nonchalant reply, Jang Geon’s mouth parted slightly.

“…So even after that, you kept pushing Tai Chi Chuan during the exams?”

“Yeah. Because their initial ridicule was so offensive, I pushed harder. Saying let’s see how long you bastards win.”

“…Yet in the end, you couldn’t win.”

She smiled pleasantly.

“All three times were the same examiner. On the third time, it was visible in his eyes that he would never let me pass.”

Jang Geon cupped his forehead. Jang Yeon’s stubbornness was stubbornness, but if Jang Geon had taught something other than Tai Chi Chuan, the situation might have been a bit different. No, even if he had merely established principles like silk-reeling energy or force-releasing energy in Tai Chi Chuan a bit better back then, Jang Yeon would have been able to pass the exam. Going beyond simply drawing curves and circles with the body to contain that rotation in qi and blood to pour out formidable force was the essence of Tai Chi Chuan, and at that level, even the Imperial Army would not have considered it merely an old training fist art.

“…No. It might be because of that stubbornness rather than martial arts.”

However, Jang Geon soon changed his thought. In the end, the Imperial Army was a vertical force organization based on obedience to orders with the Emperor at the top. They might have judged that Jang Yeon glaring with heat burning in both eyes trying to defeat the examiner did not suit the Imperial Army.

Listening to Jang Geon’s muttering, far from getting angry, she burst out laughing.

“I think that’s right. Because I glared at those examiners as if looking at mortal enemies. On the third time with Tai Chi Chuan, his expression looked sick of it.”

At any rate, thanks to her frequenting the training hall, Jang Geon felt as though he had regained a bond long forgotten. No, rather than simply a feeling, he had truly regained it. At least Jang Un and Jang Yeon were clearly Jang Geon’s family. Every morning, Jang Geon taught Tai Chi Chuan to Seo-ha, Jang Sang, and Jang Yeon. The ten-year gap between Jang Geon and Jang Yeon filled up rapidly.

Spending the morning hours with Tai Chi Chuan like that, in the afternoon he came face to face with Jin Gyeon. It was to pass on the Hundred-Step Divine Fist. However, strictly speaking, that transmission was closer to a discourse where Jin Gyeon’s Buddhist internal cultivation met Jang Geon’s martial arts.

Learning that the bell toll of the Hundred-Step Divine Fist was a peculiar sound produced only by imitating the energy of the Great Return Pill, Jin Gyeon had suggested sorting it out together a bit further.

Sensing that if that Buddhist energy was not mixed, the distance or power of the Hundred-Step Divine Fist striking through space decreased greatly, Jang Geon readily agreed. For him, it was a proposal with nothing to lose.

Furthermore, because the Hundred-Step Divine Fist was ultimately a martial art focused on the projection of internal energy through a straight punch rather than forms, sitting in zazen and regulating internal energy was better than continuous sparring as when teaching Tai Chi Chuan.

Spending the afternoon like that, evening would come, and then Jang Un, Dan Sang-woon, and others who had gone out to work in the morning returned, making for another bustling time. The time when Jang Yeon, who went out to tour New Sichuan with her husband after morning training, entered with a very bright face was also then. Meeting her second brother after a long time and the New Continent city built across the sea seemed fun.

Today, she showed off all sorts of items bought out in the street, boasting about them. Most were souvenirs or clothing items. She even procured baby clothes to dress a future child in advance and boasted to the family.

Seeing that, Jang Geon recalled having decided to get Seo-ha’s clothes fitted at Dark Dragon Agent No. 3’s fabric shop. Since it was dark today, going tomorrow seemed best.

At that moment, Jang Yeon, who was boasting about clothes, asked as if suddenly remembering.

“Ah, the streets of New Sichuan have been noisy these past few days? Is it originally like this here?”

“…Mmm, Bae Won-chan, who escaped from the ship that day, still hasn’t been caught. You saw him too, right? Even the Imperial Army has stepped forward. Judging by it, he seems to be using the dense alleyways and buildings of New Sichuan, but actually, I don’t know how he can hide for so long without even leaving New Sichuan without being caught… Though New Sichuan is a wide and complex city, he shouldn’t be able to hide for so long without anyone’s help…”

Responding thus, Jang Un, who was most sensitive to New Sichuan’s trends, trailed off. In Jang Geon’s view as well, it seemed there was some other backing behind Bae Won-chan, or the Imperial Army was deliberately dragging time to drive New Sichuan into a state of tension.

If the former, it was highly likely the Murim Alliance seeking to keep the Imperial Army in check, and if the latter, it meant the departure of the Eastward Marching Army was not far off. Of course, there could be a third reason. However, Jang Geon stopped thinking there. He had no wish to get involved in such fights needlessly.

When dinner ended, afterwards finishing the day, everyone went to sleep. Checking Seo-ha’s sleeping place, Jang Geon came out to the house yard and stepped out through the back side door. Doing so allowed exit to the alleyway behind the Jang Family Merchant Guild and residence, which was a path leading anywhere among the Jang Family Merchant Guild, Dan Sang-woon’s workshop, and Jang Geon’s training hall. So from some point, that alley became a space for the family included in the training hall, workshop, and residence rather than a back alley. In the daytime, the sound of children running and playing echoed in the alley. Then, children from other houses joined as well, seven or eight, or a dozen children swarming around playing.

Stepping out into that alley, Jang Geon swept the dark shadows of the wall once, then pulled out tobacco from his chest and rolled it. Moistening the paper with saliva to stick it, he bit it in his mouth. He hadn’t even lit it yet, but the bitter aroma of tobacco brushed his nose. Since there was work to do in the day, he didn’t smoke tobacco much. The presence of children was also a big reason. Therefore, over the past few days, the time and place for Jang Geon to smoke tobacco was fixed here.

Raising his index finger to ignite a fire at the tip of the tobacco, Jang Geon sucked the smoke deep, then exhaled slowly, whew. Standing in a dark alley at a time when only stars and the moon shone to finish the day like this had its own flavor. If possible, he hoped to continuously have such time until setting off for the Demonic Palace subjugation.

“Do you really wish to fight again? This time it will not end with just a belt.”

Holding the tobacco in his mouth like that, with half his body buried in the wall shadow and only the remaining half receiving moonlight, Jang Geon closed both eyes and spoke quietly.

At that, there was a human shadow trudging over from that alleyway. Unlike Jang Geon, who stood still half-buried in the wall shadow, he slowly revealed his body outside the shadow. Three or four steps were enough for that face to be completely revealed under the moonlight.

“…Back then, I should not have fled like that. Even if my head fell, I should have continued fighting. Rather, that should have been my end.”

The face thus revealed contained deep exhaustion, faint anxiety, fear, and firm resolve. The owner of that face with sunken eye rims, a disheveled beard, and dry lips was Bae Won-chan.

He had kept the promise he made at the pier.