Chapter 41: Chapter 41
Jang Seong-guk of the Henan Branch of the Martial Alliance, 116th class.
As was often the case, he had joined the Alliance harboring grand dreams, but after tasting the wall of promotion, he withdrew from the Alliance to seek a new job.
Having had his experience and abilities recognized to some degree, he was able to rise to the position of Chief Escort Leader relatively quickly.
Even before this incident occurred, as befitted someone hailing from the Martial Alliance, he had boasted loudly.
‘Am I not someone from the Martial Alliance after all? It is a group possessing loyalty, so if I ask, the Alliance will surely provide direct assistance.’
Right up until the reply arrived stating that the Alliance would send people, Jang Seong-guk’s shoulders had been filled with confidence.
Yet what in the world was this?
Fresh green, youthful rising stars, of all people.
It was obvious that without even looking, they were the youngest members who had just recently joined the Alliance.
Jang Seong-guk focused strength into his eyes and glared at Song Yi-yeon and Cheon Woo-jin.
Startled in an instant, Song Yi-yeon hurriedly cupped his fists.
“I am Song Yi-yeon of the 126th class, belonging to the Black Tortoise Squad of the Martial Alliance Main Headquarters. I greet senior.”
“Ha, to think ten terms have already passed.”
Song Yi-yeon scratched his head in embarrassment. In the midst of that, Jang Seong-guk narrowed his brow as he looked at Cheon Woo-jin, who was still sitting in his seat.
“Your senior is speaking, yet you intend to listen while sitting down?”
Smacking his lips slightly, Cheon Woo-jin stood up casually and spoke.
“I am Cheon Woo-jin.”
After gazing at the two of them with narrowed eyes, Jang Seong-guk soon let out a deep sigh.
“Juniors. I will speak bluntly. Heungsan Stronghold, which has caused trouble with us, consists of bandits belonging to the Green Forest, even if they are among the lowest ranks.”
“…Yes.”
“Frankly speaking, I intended to rely on the name of the Martial Alliance to resolve this matter. Even so, to send the youngest ones who just joined this time, is that not going too far?”
Song Yi-yeon scratched his head. Having merely come upon receiving orders from the Military Affairs Department, he had nothing else to say.
“Haha…”
“Laughter comes out?”
“No, sir.”
Song Yi-yeon firmly shut his mouth.
Seeing his tightly disciplined appearance, Jang Seong-guk was reminded of the time when he had first entered the Alliance.
Soon, Jang Seong-guk let out a sigh and said.
“Since there is an agreed deadline, the escort must depart immediately. Preventing a fight from breaking out is the utmost priority. But if by some slim chance a fight occurs…”
Jang Seong-guk wore a somewhat resolute expression.
“Phew, I will somehow try to hold them off, so you juniors run away.”
“Pardon? Even so, we are in the middle of a mission, so how could we…”
“Enough. If I had married at the proper age, I would have had children around your age, so how could I put you forward in front of bandits?”
Around the time Song Yi-yeon could not bring himself to answer that he understood, Agency Head So Sang-jeong of the Yicheng Escort Agency, who had approached unnoticed, also agreed with Jang Seong-guk’s opinion.
“Those are correct words. Of course, a fight will not break out. Unless the Green Forest dares to wage an all-out war with the Martial Alliance, that is.”
Agency Head So Sang-jeong smiled gently.
He had no particular dissatisfaction with the arrival of the youngest members. In the first place, what was needed was the weight of the name of the Martial Alliance.
Of course, Chief Escort Leader Jang Seong-guk was still looking at the two of them with an unsatisfied expression.
* * *
Song Yi-yeon and Cheon Woo-jin went out into the yard and watched the preparations for the escort journey. The porters were busily loading cargo onto wagons, and the escort warriors inspected their weapons with resolute expressions.
Cheon Woo-jin was watching as if it were fascinating, but to Song Yi-yeon, a child of a merchant family, it was a very familiar scene.
“Uh, uh, Young Hero. You must not touch that.”
When Song Yi-yeon tried to help move a package, a porter hurriedly dissuaded him.
Wearing his characteristic genial smile, Song Yi-yeon spoke.
“My body felt stiff just standing still, so that is why. I will help a bit.”
The porter scratched his head with a troubled expression.
“To be honest, it looks easy to the eye, but there are rules of our own for stacking escort cargo. Explaining it one by one would end up making it double work, so we will just do it ourselves. Please just go and rest.”
“Actually, I am also a child of a merchant family. Since childhood, I have often accompanied my father on escort journeys.”
“Ah, is that so?”
The porter looked at Song Yi-yeon with eyes of newfound respect. Looking so fair and handsome as if painted by a brush, the porter had thought he was a noble young master who had never done rough work in his life.
Song Yi-yeon pointed toward one section of the wagon.
“It should be placed over there, right?”
“Yes, well…”
Even before the porter’s reply could fully end, Song Yi-yeon picked up a large package in each hand and moved.
To the porters it was heavy cargo, but to Song Yi-yeon, who had properly mastered martial arts, it was not even a chore.
The porters, who had looked with doubtful eyes at first, no longer paid any mind once Song Yi-yeon neatly moved the cargo to the designated spots.
Having seemingly become close with several porters before anyone knew it, Song Yi-yeon was chatting about the escort journey even while moving cargo. Seeing him smoothly hear stories that neither the agency head nor the chief escort leader had told, it appeared everyone took quite a liking to Song Yi-yeon.
Watching Song Yi-yeon from a slight distance away, Cheon Woo-jin let out a soft laugh.
‘That too is Young Hero Song’s ability.’
Making even someone met for the first time feel friendly as though an old acquaintance was quite a great talent.
Soon, having moved all the cargo and dusted off his hands, Song Yi-yeon chatted for a moment with the porters with a smiling face, then approached with an abruptly serious expression.
“Young Hero Cheon, it seems this matter will not end easily.”
“Why is that so?”
“This escort is heading toward the Henan Escort Agency, and they say these are medicinal herbs to be delivered to Shaolin.”
The greatest pillar supporting the Righteous Path of the martial world, Shaolin Temple.
Although the monks of Shaolin themselves said that in following righteousness and chivalry how could there be high or low, the world called them Northern Reverence Shaolin with hearts filled with praise.
While there were many things famous in Shaolin, among them, spiritual medicines in particular were counted on one’s fingers. There were even words saying that the Great Return Pill could revive even the dead, and it was known that if a martial artist consumed the Small Return Pill, they could amass an entire sixty years’ worth of internal energy.
What Shaolin utilized in order to obtain the ingredients for such spiritual medicines was none other than the Henan Escort Agency.
The Henan Escort Agency in turn procured medicinal herbs through escort agencies spread widely across the country, and this escort journey was also a part of that.
“It is Shaolin, of all places. They are carrying medicinal herbs to go to Shaolin, yet the Green Forest is picking a fight.”
By Song Yi-yeon’s common sense, it was utterly incomprehensible. In particular, this Hubei was a place where the Martial Alliance Main Headquarters, the Wudang Sect, and the Zhuge Clan were situated, making it difficult for bandits to run rampant easily.
Cheon Woo-jin also nodded his head.
“A fight might break out.”
They did not know the reason those bastards picked a fight with the Yicheng Escort Agency.
However, they merely predicted that they were stirring up trouble with deliberate intention.
* * *
Having finished preparations, the escort journey immediately departed.
Chief Escort Leader Jang Seong-guk took the lead, and Cheon Woo-jin and Song Yi-yeon took their places in the carriage directly behind.
While dashing along for quite a while, Jang Seong-guk turned his head and spoke to the two of them.
“I state this clearly, do not provoke the bandits. There is no need to pick a fight pointlessly.”
“Yes, of course, Senior.”
Song Yi-yeon politely attached ‘Senior’ to the end of his words without fail. That was because whenever he spoke like that, pride welled up across the chief escort leader’s face.
Song Yi-yeon was originally quick-witted and adept at grasping people’s temperaments.
In Song Yi-yeon’s view, Jang Seong-guk was a man who placed a bit excessive importance on hierarchy, an old-fashioned fuddy-duddy in the words of youngsters these days. However, seeing that he also occasionally handed over things like dried meat, he did not seem devoid of affection either.
Around the time a fairly peaceful escort journey was proceeding. Suddenly, the voices of the escort warriors conversing at the tail end of the convoy drifted over.
“If they got into the Martial Alliance Main Headquarters, they must be strong, right?”
“That would likely be the case. After all, only the most outstanding martial artists under heaven can join the Alliance.”
“How strong could they be?”
Escort warriors were also martial artists. Naturally, they yearned for strength, and it was customary for them to gauge their own martial prowess against other martial artists.
“Well. Though we wouldn’t know for sure, they are likely stronger than us. In a duel, that is.”
The escort warriors chuckled heartily. Because the distance was far, it seemed they believed they would not be heard.
“Indeed, they probably haven’t experienced proper real combat yet, after all.”
A duel and real combat were worlds apart. Rolling on the ground to survive was common, and throwing dirt into eyes or aiming for unconditioned vital spots like the groin or eyeballs was frequent.
They believed that new Martial Alliance members born and raised in prestigious families or sects could not match such seasoned experience of theirs.
Somehow, strength filled the shoulders of the chatting escort warriors.
Striving to close his ears, Song Yi-yeon remained alert to his surroundings. Having entered the mountain for quite some time, they would soon enter the bandits’ domain.
“Young Hero Song.”
“Why do you call?”
Cheon Woo-jin still wore a peaceful expression while sitting cross-legged. It was merely that the frequency with which he looked around had increased.
Soon, Cheon Woo-jin’s words followed calmly.
“Prepare yourself.”
Nodding his head, Song Yi-yeon placed his hand on the hilt of his saber so that he could draw at any moment.
Just how much time had passed like that?
“Look who it is!”
A booming voice filled with internal energy rang out, and at the same time, Jang Seong-guk lightly raised his hand to halt the escort convoy.
Dismounting from his horse right away, Jang Seong-guk approached the bandits blocking the front. In his hand was the prepared money pouch.
“Check it.”
When Jang Seong-guk spoke boldly and handed over the money pouch, a peculiar glint flickered in the eyes of the bandits.
The bandit who received the pouch burst into a chuckle.
“I believe I told you last time. This is no longer enough.”
Jang Seong-guk calmly nodded his head.
“We also clearly told you. We are already paying an excessive toll.”
“Is that so?”
When the bandit spoke casually and stretched his hand to the side, his subordinate offered a hand axe.
Though it was quite large for a hand axe, because the bandit’s palm was as thick as a pot lid, it looked just right.
“I am Wang Ak of Heungsan Stronghold.”
The bandit abruptly introduced himself.
At that, Jang Seong-guk wore a puzzled expression.
Letting out a thick laugh, Wang Ak continued his words.
“Ah, should conversation fail, you will die by my hands. You must at least know my name so you can tell King Yeomra, can you not?”
Jang Seong-guk felt a chill inside, but he did not show it on the surface. The years he had rolled around as an escort leader had already exceeded ten years.
It was merely the usual threat that bandit bastards made to steer negotiations in their favor.
Pretending to be composed, Jang Seong-guk unfolded one finger.
“We will raise it by ten percent compared to the existing toll. This is the final line our Yicheng Escort Agency can concede.”
“I believe we asked for thirty percent.”
Wang Ak’s expression stiffened coldly. Since he was exceedingly large and hideous in appearance, merely hardening his expression elicited quite a menacing aura.
However, Jang Seong-guk firmly shook his head.
“If that is the case, even if it means paying a penalty to the client, we will not pass through this road.”
“So that’s how you’re going to play it?”
Wang Ak roughly readjusted his grip on the hand axe. At the same time, the dozen or so bandits behind him gave off a ferocious momentum.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
The escort warriors also drew their swords.
An atmosphere as if a clash would erupt at any moment.
In a much lower voice, Jang Seong-guk spoke.
“Do you truly intend to cause an incident?”
“That should be something said on our side.”
Wang Ak thickly gave off his characteristic rough laughter.
Letting out a sigh, Jang Seong-guk said.
“The Martial Alliance Main Headquarters sent people.”
“What?”
Wang Ak’s gaze turned toward Song Yi-yeon and Cheon Woo-jin.
Alighting from the carriage, Song Yi-yeon spoke.
“I am Song Yi-yeon, belonging to the Black Tortoise Squad of the Martial Alliance.”
At that, the aura of the bandits vanished completely as if washed away.
Jang Seong-guk barely held back the hollow laugh that nearly burst out. The name of the Martial Alliance was this formidable.
Wang Ak looked at Jang Seong-guk with narrowed eyes.
“Pointlessly involving the Martial Alliance in our business. That goes against commercial ethics.”
“And raising the toll by thirty percent all at once is fine?”
Jang Seong-guk laughed inwardly. Since the atmosphere had shifted in a single breath, he believed the negotiations would not be difficult either. If only he had sought help from the Martial Alliance earlier.
“Now then, resuming negotiations…”
Jang Seong-guk’s words could not even continue.
The moment he felt something pitch-black brush past his side.
Thwack!
Along with a heavy sound of impact, something lukewarm splattered over Jang Seong-guk’s face.
“What in the world…”
He wiped off whatever was smeared on his face with his hand.
It was warm, and it was red.
“Blood…?”
The eyes of Jang Seong-guk, who raised his head once more, grew as wide as lanterns. That was because the head of Wang Ak, who had stood before him, had exploded into pieces.