Chapter 23: Chapter 23
“I cannot tell you.”
The Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s attitude was resolute.
Although he was a fellow squad leader with Black Tortoise Squad Leader Cheol Ji-ak, he could not tell him the contents of the mission. This mission required secrecy as a key factor, and even though they were fellow squad leaders, the Black Tortoise Squad’s role was clearly ‘assistance.’
Of course, the biggest reason was separate.
Cheol Ji-ak’s gaze sank low.
‘Does he not trust me?’
Naturally, there was no way Cheol Ji-ak would betray them or intentionally leak the mission. It was simply that he doubted his competence.
In the event he was taken prisoner by the enemy and tortured, in the event a member of the Black Tortoise Squad was taken hostage and intimidated, or even in the event he became heavily drunk on liquor and his vigilance slackened.
Recalling various situations, the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader did not trust Cheol Ji-ak. That distrust was clearly revealed in his eyes.
“…”
“…”
A brief staring contest.
Apart from the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s distrust, not informing Squad Leader Cheol Ji-ak of details that mere Heavenly Tiger Squad members knew was a blow to his pride.
Amidst an atmosphere where something seemed likely to erupt at any moment, Vice Squad Leader Zhuge Rin approached Cheol Ji-ak.
“Squad Leader, what is the matter?”
Zhuge Rin watched the expressions of the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader and the Black Tortoise Squad Leader.
Soon, Cheol Ji-ak let out a deep sigh.
“It is nothing. Let us go.”
It was the first mission after receiving the youngest recruits. There was no need to cause unnecessary dispute right from the start, and even if a dispute arose, the justification lay on that side.
At any rate, in this mission, the Black Tortoise Squad’s duty was to assist the Heavenly Tiger Squad.
In other words, all decision-making authority regarding the mission belonged to the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader.
Furthermore, having been in the Alliance for a long time, Cheol Ji-ak knew people’s dispositions well. The Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader was not a person who handled matters based on personal feelings.
Rather than intentionally ignoring and looking down on him, he was merely considering every possibility to carry out this mission perfectly.
While the two squad leaders engaged in a battle of nerves.
“How fascinating. To think we would meet from our very first mission.”
Namgung Jin, who had approached Cheon Woo-jin and Song Yi-yeon before anyone noticed, spoke with a smirk. They were meaningless words, but his expression and tone were peculiarly spiteful.
Song Yi-yeon flashed a grin.
“I look forward to working with you, Young Hero Namgung.”
“Right. Assist properly.”
Namgung Jin shrugged his shoulders.
Around the time Song Yi-yeon was doing his best to swallow his boiling temper.
“Wait, why is this bastard coming over and picking a fight for no reason?”
The gazes of Namgung Jin, Song Yi-yeon, and Cheon Woo-jin turned around.
There, the former youngest of the Black Tortoise Squad, Jang Woo-pyeong, was glaring at Namgung Jin with the expression of quite a dependable senior.
Namgung Jin chuckled inwardly, but on the surface, he clasped his hands into a fist salute with the most polite attitude in the world.
“Ah, I did not intend to offend Senior Jang. Having been acquainted with Young Hero Song here since childhood, I was merely sharing a bit of banter and went too far. I apologize.”
“…”
Jang Woo-pyeong shut his mouth. However, everyone could read the thought revealed on his face.
‘The eldest son of the Namgung Clan knows me…?’
To anyone watching, it was an expression of deep emotion. That none other than the Sword Dragon of the Namgung Clan not only offered a polite apology but even knew the name of a mere squad member like himself was immensely surprising.
Doing his best to compose his expression, Jang Woo-pyeong nodded.
“Ahem, be careful from now on.”
“Yes, of course.”
Namgung Jin, having bowed his head politely until the end, soon turned around and returned to where he had been. Watching that back, Jang Woo-pyeong spoke in a low voice with a thoroughly flushed face:
“Is he a better fellow than I thought?”
Cheon Woo-jin and Song Yi-yeon merely looked at such a Jang Woo-pyeong with expressions of bewilderment.
* * *
After a brief explanation from the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, the two martial squads began running toward their destination in their respective ways.
The destination was none other than Jiangxi Province.
Cheon Woo-jin had extraordinary feelings. Returning once again to that place, which he had left alone, together with so many martial artists felt fascinating.
‘If White Elder master had seen this, he would have been delighted.’
He surely would have. Whenever he spoke of the Martial Alliance, White Elder master’s expression had always looked happy.
Lost in contemplation, Cheon Woo-jin lightly executed lightness arts. However, the rough sounds of breathing heard from ahead kept disturbing his thoughts.
At the front, the Heavenly Tiger Squad was running. The Black Tortoise Squad moved while loosely surrounding their left, right, and rear at a slight distance.
It was the most fundamental formation. If enemies appeared from the front, the main squad would smash them, while the auxiliary squad guarded all directions except the front.
Of course, because the difference in martial prowess between the two martial squads was fundamentally quite large, the Heavenly Tiger Squad was matching the speed of the Black Tortoise Squad.
Even so, the three youngest recruits, including Namgung Jin, were in a state where their breathing had become extremely ragged.
Setting martial prowess aside, their experience of running such a long distance at full strength within a short period would be nonexistent.
‘It must be a difference in knack.’
The gap between those who had carried out missions for at least over ten years and the rising stars who had just emerged from their enclosure was quite large.
At that moment, the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader advancing at the very forefront glanced back to check, then lowered his speed and headed toward the three youngest recruits.
“Namgung Jin, Jin Un, Tang So-yeon.”
“Yes, Squad Leader.”
“Is it difficult?”
The three remained silent. To be precise, they wanted to answer that it was difficult, but they seemed to be minding his reaction.
Thus, Song Yi-yeon answered instead:
“Ah, so tiring…”
The Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader and the three youngest recruits of the Heavenly Tiger Squad glanced at Song Yi-yeon before turning their heads back.
The Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s resolute voice followed:
“We are not even at normal speed, but matching the speed of the Black Tortoise Squad. Even so, falling behind would mean you do not possess the qualifications to carry out missions together in the Heavenly Tiger Squad.”
Having spoken so, the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader leaped forward lightly. They had thought he came to encourage them, but it was a stern warning.
Namgung Jin, Jin Un, and Tang So-yeon gritted their teeth.
After how they had entered the Heavenly Tiger Squad, they could not be expelled on their very first mission.
While the three hardened their determination, Song Yi-yeon in the rear was also in sheer agony. Jang Woo-pyeong approached casually and spoke:
“Normally, we also run a bit faster and farther. We are being considerate of the youngest in our own way, so even if it is tough, endure it thinking of it as training.”
“…Yes, senior.”
Even if Jang Woo-pyeong usually appeared loose, once a mission began, he was nonetheless one of the Martial Alliance’s martial artists.
His mind snapping to attention at his unexpectedly resolute demeanor, Song Yi-yeon circulated more internal energy to increase his speed.
Cheon Woo-jin, who had been running alongside and watching that appearance, spoke casually:
“Lower your posture a bit more.”
“If I do, it feels like I will fall…”
“Entrust your body to your instincts. Young Hero’s body can handle that much.”
The instincts of a martial artist who had trained for a long time sometimes exhibited abilities beyond common sense. In Cheon Woo-jin’s view, Song Yi-yeon’s body still had plenty of leeway.
“…Then I will lower it, trusting only Young Hero?”
Cheon Woo-jin nodded without a word. At the same time, Song Yi-yeon lowered his posture sharply. Truly, it was an action possible only because he trusted his friend.
Unlike ordinary people, falling was quite a great fear for martial artists. It was because the running speed itself was on a different dimension. Depending on the case, a bone or two could break.
“Whoa, whoa…”
As he leaned his upper body forward, the overall balance of his body tilted downward and forward. It felt as though he would fall right away, but just as Cheon Woo-jin said, he did not deliberately control his body and entrusted it to instinct.
Every time it felt like he was about to fall, Song Yi-yeon’s two legs moved forward a step faster and stepped upon the ground.
Though it looked somewhat precarious, he was enduring nonetheless.
‘My speed has become noticeably faster, and thanks to my balance shifting downward, it takes less effort…’
Song Yi-yeon looked at Cheon Woo-jin with fresh eyes. This was not advice that just anyone could give.
‘It means that in Young Hero Cheon’s eyes, all my movements and physical condition are visible with complete accuracy.’
Just as one does not think of climbing a cliff that is too high, he did not even feel jealousy toward Young Hero Cheon.
Merely, he was genuinely curious about just how high a realm his was situated in.
At that moment, Cheon Woo-jin’s words followed calmly:
“One cannot execute lightness arts like that in actual combat. However, consider it a training method to get used to the bodily sensations.”
At any rate, having regained some leeway thanks to that, Song Yi-yeon nodded.
Just how far a distance did they cover in a single breath like that?
Cheon Woo-jin’s gaze suddenly turned toward the distant air. Following him, the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, the Black Tortoise Squad Leader, and each vice squad leader turned their heads in sequence to look at the same place.
A peregrine falcon was approaching at tremendous speed. Soon closing the distance in an instant, the peregrine falcon landed naturally upon the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s shoulder.
While everyone was watching that scene, Jang Woo-pyeong, who had approached Song Yi-yeon and Cheon Woo-jin before anyone noticed, spoke:
“It is a message falcon. It is a fellow incomparably faster and more accurate than ordinary carrier pigeons. Being almost on the level of a spiritual beast, there are only a few places in the world that can handle message falcons.”
“As expected, the Martial Alliance is amazing.”
Song Yi-yeon let out genuine admiration. Having been born and raised in a merchant family, he also knew well the importance of fast and accurate information transmission. In fact, the Anhui Song Clan had also tried several times to tame message falcons, only to fail every single time.
Jang Woo-pyeong shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, it is no big deal.”
“By the way, why is senior shrugging?”
“Ahem, you punk, I am the Martial Alliance and the Martial Alliance is me. Ever heard of love for the Alliance, love for the Alliance?”
“…Yes.”
Around the time the two were exchanging frivolous words.
As the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader gradually lowered his speed and gave a signal, everyone executing lightness arts stopped.
Namgung Jin, Jin Un, and Tang So-yeon panted for breath.
Although Song Yi-yeon was also quite short of breath, he pretended to be fine because Namgung Jin kept glancing over.
At that moment, Black Tortoise Squad Leader Cheol Ji-ak asked:
“Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, what happened?”
“…The mission is suspended.”
Cheol Ji-ak’s brow narrowed.
“Why?”
“They say there is erroneous information. It will take about three days to sift through newly obtained information and update the mission. For now, we must wait nearby.”
At the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader’s words, the atmosphere became unsettled. There would be no inn capable of accommodating this many people. Ultimately, it meant they had to camp outdoors.
Already, several martial artists were surveying the surrounding terrain and features as if accustomed to it.
“The sun is setting, so we should start a fire first.”
Cheol Ji-ak also loosened his neck left and right with cracking sounds and searched for a tree to smash to pieces. Usually, when camping outdoors, Cheol Ji-ak would smash an entire large tree to pieces with a single fist punch and use it as firewood.
It was right then.
“Since we happen to have arrived in Hefei, how about waiting at our clan?”
Instantly, everyone’s eyes flashed. The man who had uttered those words was none other than the youngest recruit of the Heavenly Tiger Squad. In other words, they were being invited to the World’s Foremost Clan.
The Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader showed a troubled expression.
“The elder Sword King must be present as well, so how could we commit such a discourtesy?”
Even though he was the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader, called the foremost among the squad leaders of the martial squads, he could not help but be mindful of the Sword King, who was none other than the Patriarch of the Namgung Clan and one of the world’s Three Great Swordsmen.
However, Namgung Jin shook his head.
“Not at all. My father will surely be pleased.”
Everyone seemed to feel a subtle sense of anticipation rising. Because the Namgung Clan was considered the foremost in the jianghu, if they could stay even briefly, it would be a fine experience.
Above all, it was self-evident that the sleeping quarters and meals would be of the highest grade.
Soon, after pondering for quite a while, the Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader nodded.
“Then Black Tortoise Squad Leader and I will first pay our respects to the elders of the clan and obtain permission before we stay.”
“That would be good.”
Cheol Ji-ak nodded.
At the dramatic compromise, quite a few people cheered inwardly. Of course, there was also a man who cheered outwardly.
“Wow, the Namgung Clan!”
In an instant, everyone’s gaze turned toward the former youngest of the Black Tortoise Squad, Jang Woo-pyeong. Jang Woo-pyeong scratched his head awkwardly.
“Ahem, when else would we get to visit the Namgung Clan if not at a time like this? With good luck, we might even get to meet the elder Sword King.”
At the mention of the Sword King, the eyes of those wearing swords at their waists twinkled. Alongside Alliance Leader Bukli Cheon, the man who received the most respect from swordsmen was none other than Sword King Namgung O.
It was right then.
“E-Excuse me…!”
At the unexpected, timid shout, everyone’s gazes turned. Watching people’s reactions, Song Yi-yeon carefully spoke:
“Our Anhui Song Clan is also nearby.”
“…”
Jang Woo-pyeong cursed with his eyes.
Scratching his head, Song Yi-yeon continued in a much more disheartened voice:
“It is even closer…”
“Hah.”
Amidst the silence, the sound of Namgung Jin’s scoff rang out exceptionally loud. The Heavenly Tiger Squad Leader looked at Cheol Ji-ak. It was a gaze asking what he intended to do.