Jin Yeong arrived at a shop in the marketplace.
It was where the Embroidered Guard had lost track of Yang Eun-jik.
Actually, they’d interrogated several people who’d met with Yang Eun-jik and learned where they’d arranged to meet secretly.
And they’d planned to attend disguised as those people’s representatives.
But due to an absurd mistake, Yang Eun-jik noticed their presence, ruining their plan to raid the location.
Naturally, the Commander had been furious, and the one who made the mistake had been beaten half to death.
‘But seeing his limbs are still intact… that old man’s pretty impressive too.’
Jin Yeong had come here because of Eun Seo-ho’s advice.
‘Tunnels…’
Honestly, he’d gone grasping at straws.
Eun Seo-ho’s insight wasn’t ordinary, but still, he’d thought this was a different matter entirely.
Yet after looking at the materials, in less than a few moments, Eun Seo-ho had presented him with the possibility of ‘tunnel existence.’
Honestly, he was half-believing the tunnel’s existence.
Tunnels in the heart of Beijing…
But if he didn’t try even this, the next one to get beaten by the Commander would be him.
He ordered the Imperial Guards.
“Search the surroundings thoroughly!”
“Yes!”
“Oh my!”
“Goodness!”
The shop’s people were overwhelmed by the fierce Imperial Guards’ momentum and quickly retreated.
Just then, one of the shop’s employees protested.
“Didn’t you already turn this place upside down once before? Do you know how hard it was to clean up after that… Why are you doing this again?”
“It’s unavoidable for the nation’s sake.”
Jin Yeong spoke coldly and entered the shop. And as he looked around here and there, something caught his eye.
It was a large bookshelf pressed flat against the wall.
‘Do they like books?’
Looking at the books on the shelf, dust had accumulated on top of them.
‘Just for decoration, I suppose.’
Come to think of it, he’d heard that some merchants kept books to look learned.
‘What a waste of books.’
He grumbled and was about to pass by when he paused. There was one book strangely free of dust.
‘Why only this one…?’
Jin Yeong pulled out that book.
But the book only came out two-thirds of the way before catching on something and going no further.
Clunk.
“…!”
Instead, he only heard the sound of some mechanism clattering.
Suspecting something, Jin Yeong tried pushing the bookshelf, and soon noticed one of the shelves was being pushed back.
It was a rotating door.
He immediately called his subordinate.
“Yes! You called?”
“Request reinforcements immediately.”
“What?”
“Hurry! This might be too difficult for just us.”
“Yes! Understood.”
Watching his subordinate hurry toward the palace, Jin Yeong was impressed.
‘Lord Eun’s words were actually true!’
He could see why the Emperor coveted him so much.
‘Should I just drag him into the Embroidered Guard?’
“Urgh…”
I unknowingly shivered from a chill.
“What’s wrong?”
At Palgap’s question, I shook my head.
“It’s nothing. I just suddenly felt cold.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve caught summer flu that even dogs don’t get?”
“…I don’t get colds.”
“Hmph, that’s right. True.”
“Are you subtly mocking me?”
“It’s a misunderstanding.”
“Sure. I’ll think of it that way.”
There’s no reason I should feel such a chill… How strange.
I felt my body stiffen and stood up from my seat.
My back hurt from sitting too long.
Should I ask Gong Mil to make a chair that doesn’t hurt my back?
“What time is it now?”
“It’s the hour of the Rooster (5-7 PM).”
“Time for dinner. Should we go out and eat something good today?”
“……”
“Why no answer? If you don’t want to, never mind…”
When I turned my head after saying that, Palgap was already standing at the door.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”
As expected, Palgap only looked slow but was definitely quick.
I gave the Virtuous Wind Department employees generous dinner money and sent them off to eat something good.
And my group headed to a nearby restaurant.
Today I planned to eat roast duck.
The place we were going was a restaurant I’d liked in my past life too.
And it was also the place I’d taken Gwak Hyeong-jin and Seok Il-song before.
As I walked expecting a delicious meal, I felt something strange in my senses.
This was… killing intent?
Escort Guards Seo Wu and Jin Yu quickly surrounded me.
Understanding the situation, Escort Guards Yeo Eung-am and Lee Pil also stood with their backs to me.
When I focused my senses, I heard the sound of weapons clashing.
It seemed to be quite a serious situation.
Sword fighting here in Beijing, not far from the imperial palace?
While I wondered about this, the sound grew closer.
Soon we encountered groups clashing weapons, and among them I saw familiar faces.
The Embroidered Guard members.
Then the other side?
“…!”
Just then, another familiar face in a different way caught my eye.
Yang Eun-jik.
So these were the rebel group?
Seeing us, they surrounded us and pointed their swords at us while shouting to the Embroidered Guard members.
“Don’t come any closer!”
“If you come closer, their lives are forfeit!”
The Embroidered Guard members looked flustered.
I smiled bitterly to myself.
Huh, so right now we’ve become hostages to the rebel group?
Things really get twisted when they’re meant to go wrong, don’t they?
But you know what?
Our side has two Peak warriors, no, three including me.
I sighed and said.
“This counts as self-defense.”
“I agree.”
Clang!
At those words, one of the swords pointed at me was sent flying.
Thwack!
Escort Guard Seo Wu kicked off his chest and flew into the air.
That was the start.
Usually when we go to restaurants, we wear long robes that hide our swords so as not to intimidate other customers.
So they must have thought we were ordinary people.
That’s why they so boldly took us hostage.
But soon the other guards joined the battle, and the tide instantly turned.
The Embroidered Guard members also regained their senses and began attacking.
Just then.
“Kugh!”
“Escort Guard Yeo!”
The enemies Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am was facing seemed quite strong, as an attack got through.
Yeo barely dodged the follow-up attacks while using even the Falling Dragon Technique, but looked precarious.
Damn!
I kicked off the ground and flew toward them.
Clang!
And I blocked the sword flying toward Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am.
“Isn’t that a bit cowardly?”
“Where is cowardice before death?”
“Survival comes first!”
“Well, that’s true.”
I smiled softly and drew up my Qi.
The first form of Thousand Flow Ice Sword.
The sword energy extending from my blade whipped at them like a lash.
“Kurgh!”
“Kruugh!”
“Kugh!”
They were sent flying and slammed into the wall, collapsing while spitting blood.
But…
“Yang Eun-jik has fled!”
“Quickly, chase them!”
While the Embroidered Guard members moved busily, their leader approached us.
“That must have been startling, but thank you for helping.”
“You’re doing the nation’s work, so of course we should help. But…”
I asked him.
“Is there a physician nearby who’s good with external injuries?”
My gaze was directed at Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am. Blood was flowing from his arm.
Not only that, but his face was also stained with blood as if a sword had grazed it.
“Oh my, seems badly hurt. Fortunately, there’s a skilled physician nearby. I’ll assign someone to guide you.”
“Thank you.”
I looked at Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am and asked.
“Escort Guard Yeo, can you walk?”
“Don’t worry. I can move without trouble.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I apologize. I was lacking…”
“No, I should have stepped in earlier… I’m rather sorry.”
We headed to the physician with one of the Embroidered Guard members as our guide.
But that physician was an acquaintance of mine.
“Hm? Who’s this? Isn’t this Young Master Eun Seo-ho?”
“I greet you, sir.”
He was one of the physicians who received medicinal supplies from our Eunhae Merchant Group, so he recognized me.
But the Embroidered Guard member who heard my name was startled.
“E-Eun Seo-ho, you say? Young Master Eun Seo-ho of Eunhae Merchant Group?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“Oh no!”
He quickly cupped his fists to me.
“I’m truly sorry. Due to our incompetence, your companion was injured.”
“……”
I didn’t say it was fine.
Because it wasn’t fine.
The physician was already tending to Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am’s wounds. But those wounds looked deeper than expected.
“Can I… hold a sword?”
At Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am’s question, the physician nodded.
“Don’t worry. Fortunately, the important meridians were avoided. So if you rest for about half a month, you’ll be able to hold a sword.”
“What a relief.”
The first thing Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am asked was whether they could hold a sword.
I understood that feeling.
It was the desire to fulfill their duty as my escort guard.
Still…
Seeing the gaping wound pained my heart.
I said to them.
“I’m giving you a month’s leave.”
“But the physician said half a month…”
“Still, rest for a full month. I won’t hear objections. If you want to continue working as my escort guard, don’t touch a sword for a month.”
“……”
“If you disobey my order, I’ll have Palgap drag you around in a wheelchair.”
“Urgh!”
Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am’s brow furrowed at my words.
A wheelchair was a chair with wheels, made for those who couldn’t walk or had difficulty walking.
And it was also a very popular item.
Because there were more people who needed wheelchairs than expected.
Perhaps knowing I was someone who did what I said, Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am nodded.
“Yes, I’ll do so.”
While Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am’s wounds were being treated, I chewed over my anger.
How dare they injure my escort guard?
“I apologize. I couldn’t stop them from fleeing.”
At Escort Guard Jin Yu’s words, I shook my head.
“I told you before. They’re exceptionally quick.”
“That’s true, but…”
Just then, Jin Yeong came to where we were.
The Embroidered Guard member who guided us to the physician must have delivered the news.
“Warrior, you’re here?”
“Well, the situation worked out quite coincidentally. Is that… escort guard alright?”
“His arm is injured, so he’ll need to rest for about a month.”
“Oh dear…”
He made a truly apologetic expression.
“Actually, just as you said, there really was a tunnel. And while searching that place, we were able to find those hiding there.”
“……”
“While fighting them, they fled through another exit. And this happened while chasing them.”
“Did you catch Yang Eun-jik?”
“…We lost him.”
He let out a sigh.
“It’s already happened. What can be done? The problem was being unlucky enough to be walking there.”
I sighed.
“And I think apologies should be made to the injured person, not to me.”
At my words, Jin Yeong nodded.
“You’re right.”
He approached Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am and apologized.
Watching this, I could see Jin Yeong’s character. It wasn’t easy for someone in a position like that to bow their head like that.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Yes. Take care.”
“That… Phew, I’m truly sorry about this.”
He apologized once more and hurriedly left.
I turned around and approached Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am.
Seeing the bandages, the treatment seemed almost finished.
“Escort Guard Seo Wu, and Escort Guard Jin Yu.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s do something with me.”
I continued.
“As you know, I’m someone whose nature is satisfied only after repaying what I’ve received.”
At my words, they nodded.
I was regretting it now.
Even though I’d heard from Jin Yu that Yang Eun-jik was a dangerous individual, I regretted not dealing with him from the start.
I’d worried that by stepping forward to catch Yang Eun-jik, I might draw the Murim Alliance’s attention.
So I’d left catching Yang Eun-jik to the Embroidered Guard.
And I hadn’t stepped forward actively.
But because I’d held back, my escort guard was injured.
It felt bitterly ironic that even living life again, regrets never ceased.
One regret was enough.
Just then, Escort Guard Seo Wu spoke to me.
“My lord, it might be better to calm your anger. Actually, Escort Guard Yeo Eung-am’s injury is also our fault. Because we weren’t strong enough…”
“If Escort Guard Seo Wu says that, what am I supposed to say?”
Escort Guard Lee Pil scratched their head.
“I was weak and got injured. I’m sorry.”
“I’ll train harder.”
At the escort guards’ apologies, I unknowingly burst into laughter.
“If anyone should apologize first, it should be me. Because I suggested going out to eat tonight…”
“That’s not it! Eating is important!”
At Palgap’s mood-lightening words, we all laughed.
“That’s right. Eating is important.”
“Exactly.”
Thanks to that, my anger subsided somewhat.
I took a deep breath and looked at everyone as I said.
“Anyway, we need to catch that bastard.”
–TL Notes–
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