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0040 ———————————————-

Golden Eagle Guard (금의위)

Imdong was about 400 li northwest of Luoyang. Naturally, it was a distance that couldn’t be covered in a single night. For about three days, Liu Tianhu and I changed horses and slept at inns as we made our way to our destination. With about 50 li left to the Imdong boundary, Liu Tianhu spoke up.

“Do you know what the Iron Field village is like?”

“Probably a place that’s easy to get cut off from the outside world.”

Liu Tianhu seemed surprised by my answer.

“Wow. You’re quite sharp. I didn’t even have to explain, and you got the meaning right away.”

“Well, since we need to keep things confidential, it makes sense that areas with active exchanges with other regions can’t be targeted.”

“Exactly. Just cutting off two bridges there would fully isolate the place. It’s the perfect location for executing this mission.”

Clop, clop…

Having just galloped across a large official road, we were taking a little break now. I slowly led my horse as I spoke.

“I have a question. What kind of person is that Grand Sorcerer? Is he also part of the royal family?”

“Hmm… Normally, I shouldn’t be telling you this, but you’re a special case. You’ve been thrown right in without going through the Golden Eagle Guard’s new recruit training due to the timing… Just don’t spill what I tell you to anyone else.”

Originally, it seemed like I was supposed to receive extensive information about the Golden Eagle Guard’s secrets and enhance the brainwashing I was subjected to during the rookie training. Given the timing, it seemed they were short-handed and decided to throw me into the six groups right away because I was recommended by the Golden Eagle Guard.

“Understood.”

“He is an indispensable part of this plan. He will suppress the villagers’ spirits and play the flute for three consecutive days and nights to put them into a state of Black Silence. Then, he’ll spread the teachings to those who awaken, turning them into loyal subordinates. Afterward, the process of offering sacrifices will repeat to summon enough demon beasts.”

His words were very matter-of-fact and devoid of emotion. Liu Tianhu had been witnessing bloody human sacrifices for years, showing that he had no guilt or hesitation whatsoever. I feigned ignorance and asked further.

“Where on earth did that guy learn such mysterious sorcery? Is he one of those Sorcerers from the visitation group I’ve only heard of?”

“Well… probably not. He doesn’t say much, but the spells and rituals he recites are extremely bizarre. Plus, his appearance is…”

“……?”

“Don’t be shocked when you see what he looks like. It’s grotesque beyond belief.”

A momentary look of horror passed over Liu Tianhu’s face. For him, who speaks so nonchalantly about human sacrifice and massacres, to show such a reaction meant that the Grand Sorcerer’s flute phantom’s appearance was probably something beyond imagination.

I asked again.

“But, if demon beasts are summoned… are they just appearing out of nowhere?”

“Oh please. You really have a lot of questions. Well, everyone does.”

“My apologies.”

“It’s fine. Well… demon beasts suddenly rise up from the ground.”

“… Yes?”

“I mean exactly that. They don’t just pop up out of nothing; they dig their way up from underground. So during the ceremony, the Grand Sorcerer must be calling them forth.”

“……”

I felt my mouth slightly drop open.

If what he said was true, then the monsters aren’t so much otherworldly creatures as they are something that’s originally part of this world. And it seems they move by going deep into the ground. Just the thought of such creatures hunting for prey somewhere gave me shivers. I honestly expressed my feelings to him.

“Is the purpose of summoning these demon beasts to eliminate the White Lotus Sect? I don’t get why we’re calling them forth.”

“You don’t need to understand. We just follow orders.”

“……”

“But… probably not. The demon beasts play an important role in the second ritual, so they won’t really be utilized in direct combat. I guess only the Grand Sorcerer and His Majesty the Emperor truly know the exact details.”

Liu Tianhu was casually spilling high-level information. He probably felt that my questions weren’t too odd and was confident that I wouldn’t betray the Golden Eagle Guard since I was already being brainwashed. Moreover, there was a level of self-assurance there that made him think I wouldn’t turn traitor unless I went crazy.

‘If I keep probing, he might start to suspect me.’

I decided to play it cool.

“I understand. My mission is to escort that Sorcerer, right?”

“Escort? That could be the case… Anyway, with your martial arts, whatever you do shouldn’t be too tough.”

He seemed to gauge my skills well, recognizing that he was also a Peak Expert at a pretty respectable level.

“Too kind of you.”

“No, really. It’s been a while since such an impressive talent was recommended. It might just pave the way for my own advancement! Hahaha.”

“Hahaha…”

I laughed weakly.

Throughout our lighthearted banter, there was no sign of wickedness or malice on Liu Tianhu’s face. He was a man who took pride in his job and tried to build decent relationships with his subordinates. Just from his words, I could tell he wasn’t a fundamentally evil person.

Yet, he had a history of leading thousands of people to death under the guise of twisted patriotism for the royal family. It was an indescribable evil deed, one that even the most notorious demon sect leaders or great evildoers of Jianghu would not come close to committing. Realizing how a person’s nature could be so misaligned with their actions gave me an odd feeling.

Who made Liu Tianhu into a demon?

“We’re almost there. Once we cross this mountain, we’ll find the bridge leading to Iron Field village.”

“What if the advance team has cut it off?”

“That’s impossible. The operation only starts after I arrive. They’ll cut the bridge last.”

And he was right.

The bridge was creaking but still intact. It would pose no problems even if we crossed it on horseback.

Liu Tianhu stood before the sky bridge. Below this precarious bridge that connected two cliffs was only void. He squinted, murmuring something to himself.

“Hm. If the explosives would make this place so flimsy, breaking it would be enough, I suppose… the fewer traces, the better…”

As I crossed the sky bridge, chills ran down my spine at his murmuring. Until now, everything had seemed like a joke, but now he was focusing on a plan to annihilate the villagers.

About half a moment later, Liu Tianhu and I reached the base before Iron Field village. It was a hut partially hidden among the bushes, remaining unseen to others. In there, the Golden Eagle Guard’s members from the six groups awaited us.

“You’ve arrived!”

“Yeah. What’s the situation? Is it just you?”

There was only one member inside the hut. He reported to Liu Tianhu.

“We just arrived as well. The others are currently infiltrating the village to gather information regarding the residences and movements of key figures.”

“When will they return?”

“It might take about three moments.”

“Got it. Then once they’ve returned, we’ll begin the village suppression operation.”

I looked around the hut and then remarked.

“Hey, Tianhu. The Grand Sorcerer isn’t here…”

“Don’t worry about it. He’s probably already entered the village. He employs mysterious sorcery, so there’s really no need for us to fret.”

“Hmm…”

“Once the suppression operation is finished, he’ll seek us out.”

I realized that this was also important information.

‘So the Grand Sorcerer and the Golden Eagle Guard don’t always move together. They’re more like using each other for their benefits rather than true allies… And that Grand Sorcerer has some special arts aside from just playing the flute.’

If I could neutralize either the Golden Eagle Guard or the Grand Sorcerer, wouldn’t that invalidate the plan beforehand? I recognized that I would be able to lay out more strategies. Deep in thought, I addressed Liu Tianhu.

“Tianhu. I’ll infiltrate the village too. I want to help the seniors.”

“No way. You don’t know any disguise or Shrinking Techniques? If even a hint of suspicion arises from the villagers, the plan will fall apart. Just stay here and wait.”

“Understood.”

I felt the necessity to learn disguise techniques and Shrinking Techniques. It would be useful not just here but likely beneficial in the future as well. The real issue was who would teach such techniques. Especially the Shrinking Technique, which involved mastering special True Qi Manipulation Technique, was something that no ordinary person could know.

Liu Tianhu spoke.

“If you really feel sore, then just keep an eye on the area within one li of here. Observe for any suspicious people approaching.”

“Got it.”

I thought this was a lucky stroke. I had reached my limit in maintaining my demeanor in front of Liu Tianhu, and more importantly, I needed a place to organize my thoughts. I left the hut and climbed a fairly tall tree to survey my surroundings. Naturally, it didn’t seem like anyone would be wandering around in these secluded village woods for no reason.

But that thought didn’t last long. My vision soon caught sight of a figure. I dashed towards that presence that was about seventy paces away like lightning. It didn’t take long for me to reach that person.

“Aaaah!”

It was a faint scream. In that split second, I quickly covered their mouth to suppress the sound. I saw the fearful eyes staring at me and signaled them to be quiet. Killing her would’ve been too easy, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

“Be quiet.”

It was an ordinary rural girl.

She looked like she was just barely in her mid-teens. With her mouth covered, she struggled for a moment before seeming to give up and lie completely still. I spoke calmly to her.

“Don’t scream. Got it?”

“……”

Upon closer inspection, she was licking my hand with her tongue, covering it in saliva.

“Gross.”

I muttered as I pulled my hand away from her mouth. The girl, with a playful expression, asked,

“What are you doing here, big brother? Are you from another village?”

“Yeah. I got lost on my way and ended up here.”

“Come to our village! I’ll give you something to eat.”

Her beaming smile was adorable. She was such a charming kid.

“……”

In that moment, I successfully deceived the child into thinking I was just a passerby, but it felt heavy on my heart.

Is it really true that this innocent child will be torn apart by fanatics once the plan starts? That the simple rural villagers will engage in a massacre, be offered up for human sacrifice, and eventually see their entire village go up in flames, leading to complete annihilation? The stench of blood from the altar where the Grand Sorcerer conducted human sacrifices still clung to my memory. I thought I was indifferent back then, but looking back, it seemed I was more mentally impacted than I had realized.

‘Oh no, one of the Golden Eagle Guards is coming out.’

I sensed one of the guards who had been inside the hut was now walking out, possibly to relieve himself. Naturally, if he spots this girl, he would kill her immediately. I quickly turned to the little girl and said,

“Hey, head back towards your village. Understand?”

“Big brother got lost?”

“It’s fine. Just retrace your steps. We’ll see each other next time.”

“Got it~”

The girl skipped away into the bushes.

Then, a while later, the Golden Eagle Guard walked over to where I was standing. It seemed he had planned to strike up a conversation with me from the start.

“Hey there, newbie. Good to meet you.”

“Are you a senior?”

He was tall and handsome. He looked to be about three or four years older than me. His actual age might be higher, but his youthful looks made him seem younger. With a smirk, he said,

“Yeah. I’m Jang Hyun from the Great Sword Gate. Back in the day, I was quite an up-and-coming late-stalker out of Luoyang.”

“I see.”

Suddenly, Jang Hyun made a strange face.

“By the way, I heard you came into the Golden Eagle Guard’s recommendation, even though you’re from Guanzhong’s Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.”

“……”

It seemed that in that brief moment, Liu Tianhu had shared information about me with Jang Hyun. I thought to myself that Liu Tianhu had quite the loose lips.

“It was Master of Great Sword Gate who accepted me.”

“Who said that? Just felt a bit disappointed that a country bumpkin like you made it in. It wouldn’t have been the case if I were there.”

“If you’re trying to mock me, I’ll stop listening.”

“Haha. What else can I do? If it weren’t for the mission, I’d give you a good taste of your own medicine.”

Though I already had complicated thoughts, Jang Hyun continued to pick a fight with me, and it was starting to annoy me. So instead of holding back, I shot back.

“You’re getting pretty noisy. You know, it’d be better for you to bark and leave. That way, it won’t be obvious how weak you are.”

“W-what did you say!”

Jang Hyun was immediately provoked. His face turned red as he suddenly drew his sword to attack.

Swoosh!

His sword draw was proficient enough that I had to quickly muster my internal power and react with reflexes to dodge. It was a perfectly timed cut that could easily take the head off a casual martial artist wandering around Jianghu.

Thud.

“Ugh…”

However, I dodged somewhat leisurely and, in turn, moved in with Thunder Shadow Step to deliver a punch to his gut. With his sword move failing, Jang Hyun was left with too many openings; he couldn’t avoid the attack despite knowing it was coming. He grunted in pain as his consciousness began to fade.

“Y-you… What kind of speed… It’s so fast…”

Jang Hyun’s face was bent forward. Striking him with enough force to mess up his insides, it was only natural that he’d pass out.

This guy was much stronger than the three Grandmasters from the Great Sword Gate I’d fought before. But he still couldn’t measure up to my skills. I was still reassured that I was much stronger than an average Golden Eagle Guard. Master Lee Kwang’s evaluation of me being at the level of a Vice Leader was probably pretty accurate. I sneered at Jang Hyun.

“This is what you call fast? You’d die in less than a second against Jin So-cheong.”

I gripped the back of the unconscious Jang Hyun’s neck and dragged him over to sit under a tree. Then I began to ponder what I should do next.

Should I take action to prevent the impending tragedy?

Or should I watch a bit longer to see how it plays out?

Maybe there was a third option?

After agonizing over it, I came to a conclusion.

‘I won’t act until the actual massacre begins.’

The reason for this conclusion was thanks to Mangnyang. Even a solution I could never think of might yield different results with Mangnyang’s wisdom. As he said, now was the time to gather as many clues as possible rather than taking rash actions. I was essentially advised that hasty actions could turn into disasters.

There were three days until the villagers were fully brainwashed. Until then, I had to watch carefully. I didn’t know enough about the Grand Sorcerer, and I needed to gather more information about the Golden Eagle Guard. One never knows when surprising information might pop up.

After a while, I pressed down on Jang Hyun’s bloodline to wake him from his unconscious state. Then I crouched before his fearful face and whispered a threat.

“Senior. I have little resentment or affection towards the Great Sword Gate. If you come at me with inferiority complexes, a clueless rural bumpkin like me will only know how to settle it with my fists. After all, now that I’m a part of the Golden Eagle Guard, what’s more important than the sect?”

“… Ugh…”

“Let’s forget this and just get along, Jang Hyun.”

“Ah, understood.”

Realizing instinctively, Jang Hyun understood that I could easily kill him in three seconds and that I wouldn’t hesitate to do it.

Jang Hyun and I walked in together, making sure we didn’t appear suspicious. Liu Tianhu, seemingly not suspecting anything, was busy reading a book.

Clop, clop.

“We’re back!”

Around three moments later, just as darkness began to settle, the Golden Eagle Guards who went on reconnaissance returned. They were all in disguise. A moment later, they spotted Liu Tianhu and bowed in unison. Liu Tianhu cast a cold glance around the room and spoke.

“Report your findings.”

“Yes.”

Then, the Golden Eagle Guards began to recount one by one the important figures and buildings of the village, as well as the information they had gathered. Liu Tianhu, with his eyes closed as if sorting the information in his mind, spoke.

“Good. We’ll now wait here, and once we hear the Sorcerer’s flute, we’ll immediately begin the operation. Eliminate anyone who poses a hindrance and cut off all communication lines with the outside. Make sure we can complete the operation successfully!”

“Yes!”

The flute sound was heard exactly a day later.

Keerieeling—

Just after lunch, a low, chilling, eerie flute sound echoed. I was the first to hear it, and it seemed to have a compulsive effect that tickled the ears and suppressed the spirit. Almost simultaneously, other Golden Eagle Guards hurriedly prepared for battle.

It didn’t take long to complete preparations. Liu Tianhu commanded the bowing Golden Eagle Guards.

“Begin the suppression operation! Go!”

I entered the village alongside the other Golden Eagle Guards.

Before long, I could see from the rooftops that the ordinary villagers were all curled up, holding their heads and trembling, unable to move. It seemed this flute sound was deadly for those without internal power or with weaker mental strength. Among them, there were those who wobbled but managed to move; they were probably individuals who had practiced martial arts or health breathing techniques.

A senior Golden Eagle Guard said,

“Let the ones who can move be. They won’t pose a threat to us anyway. Focus on our assassination targets.”

I offered my input.

“Shouldn’t we find the Grand Sorcerer?”

“That’s true. Baek Woong, you go find the source of the flute sound.”

It probably wasn’t absolutely necessary, but since it might interfere with my movements as the newbie, they assigned me a task to keep me occupied. Jumping straight into an assassination mission would be too heavy a load and could lead to failure.

“Yes.”

Swish!

I slipped away from the Golden Eagle group to take individual action.

My senses picked up a subtle killing intent creeping in.

‘I have to find him.’

I needed to locate that Grand Sorcerer first and then extract information out of him.

I was even prepared to resort to torture if necessary.

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