Laying The Stones

Because of rumors that a major trade deal would soon take place at the Escort Bureau, merchants from all across and beyond Gyeong Nation gathered in Unpyeong.

In particular, the Haegeum Inn, situated between the Haegeum River and the Gyeongin Sea, was thriving on this local boom.

Even with more than a dozen servers rushing around, they were overwhelmed by the flood of orders.

“Fill the table with the most expensive dishes you’ve got here!”

At the center of the second floor, Jeok-woo shouted as if to bring the inn down, repeatedly calling for the servers.

Sitting beside him, Hyunjin scowled, glaring at him, but Jeok-woo either didn’t notice or didn’t care, devouring dish after dish.

Because of his loudness, the surrounding guests kept sneaking glances at the two.

“Hey, you brat! Enough already.”

When Jeok-woo called the server again to order more, Hyunjin finally exploded, unable to endure it any longer.

At this rate, their travel funds would surely be drained dry.

“Aw, Sajeo. Didn’t our Eldest Sahyung tell us to draw as much attention as possible? Isn’t this the perfect chance—to spend big, stand out, and grab all the notice we need?”

But Jeok-woo brushed off Hyunjin’s scolding, treating it as nothing more than a joke.

Of all the missions he had been assigned in recent years, today was by far the most exciting.

“Sahyung, at this rate your belly’s going to burst.”

Yun Seol, who had arrived unnoticed, pulled a chair between them and laughed brightly.

Jeok-woo was always simple and cheerful—meeting him inevitably lifted her mood.

In contrast, Hyunjin’s face was once again deeply lined with irritation.

“How’s Yun-seon?”

Compared to the other siblings, she was colder toward Yun-seon, yet when unseen, she cared and worried for him the most.

Knowing that well, Yun Seol forced a calm tone as she lifted her chopsticks to reply.

“He’s learning very well. In terms of internal strength, I’d say he’s already surpassing Senior Brother Jeok. If nothing goes wrong, he’s set to enter the Escort Bureau’s baggage handlers in three days.”

“That brat really is outstanding.”

Pride and sudden emotion welled up in Jeok-woo as he thought of Yun-seon.

The thought that he had chosen someone truly extraordinary swelled his chest with pride.

“Will he really be able to avoid being exposed?”

Yet Hyunjin’s worries were endless.

For Yun-seon, this was his first time undertaking such a mission, and it hadn’t even been a year since his body recovered.

If fortune turned against him and something went wrong, it would be nearly impossible to escape from the enemy camp.

“Inside the Escort Bureau, no one knows my brother’s face, but I’ve prepared precautions just in case. A human-skin mask can be spotted up close, but with makeup techniques we can hide it fairly well.”

She spoke as positively as she could, but the one most worried was Yun Seol herself.

She had begged Seong Gon multiple times and researched other methods as well.

She had even tried to accompany Yun-seon, but he flatly refused.

“You’re worried, aren’t you?”

Seeing both women’s faces darken, Jeok-woo, who had been quietly watching, suddenly burst into loud laughter.

“Our younger brother will pull it off brilliantly. Don’t you worry!”

His cheeks flushed red, likely from the rising intoxication.

In truth, he wanted nothing more than to spend the night talking with Yun-seon, but circumstances made it impossible—a lingering regret.

“Yes… all we can do is trust him…”

Hyunjin absentmindedly looked out the tavern window.

At the harbor, merchants were busy loading and unloading cargo, a noisy bustle.

Perhaps, he thought, he too simply wanted to live an ordinary, steady life like them.

“To reach the border of Cheonseoguk, we pass through three towns: Jukpyeong, Yeonhyang, and Sinhwajeong. Our first ambush will be at Jukpyeong.”

At last, Yun Seol began to relay Ma Sepung’s plan to the two.

His strategy was as follows.

Over the course of the three waypoints, two ambushes would be launched by pairs of fighters, retreating at the right moment.

Even if they rescued a few captives, it was better to abandon them at the brink of danger.

Since Jukpyeong and Yeonhyang were far apart, the escorts would be exhausted if attacked consecutively.

The place they were most likely to drop their guard was Sinhwajeong.

Not only was it just a few miles from Cheonseoguk, but after suffering two failed attacks, they would never expect another strike from Taiyi Divine Sect.

Even if they remained wary, they would only watch for external threats—making it the perfect spot for Yun-seon to act.

“This is truly a difficult operation.”

Bitter-hearted, Hyunjin raised the cup before him and downed it in one gulp.

Not only did they need perfect coordination, but they also had to be vigilant of the enemy’s movements at every moment, ready for sudden changes.

“I’ve got acting chops, you know. All I need to do is put on a pitiful show of regret, right?”

Jeok-woo kept his voice low so no one else could hear, but he was visibly excited.

After so many fruitless attempts against the impregnable Unpyeong Escort Bureau, a gap had finally appeared—it was only natural that he felt elated.

After all, not a single one of their missions had ever been easy.

They simply believed they could do it, though the chances of success were always fifty-fifty.

“And what do you plan to do?”

At Hyunjin’s question, Yun Seol hesitated briefly, then answered with a bright expression.

“I’ll wait for my brother at Yellow Stone Mountain. He’ll definitely return.”

The outcome would rest in heaven’s will, but faith was theirs to uphold.

The task assigned to the Eminent Mountain Sect was to oversee and command the laborers pulling ten massive wagons and the escorts guarding them.

In-gyeong distributed his five martial brothers evenly, deciding it was only right for him to take the lead at the very front.

The next most reliable was Yeong-jun, so the last wagon was entrusted to him.

“Will you be alright with this?”

“Yes, Sahyung. The front and rear are the most dangerous positions, so leaving it this way is best.”

Though In-gyeong couldn’t shake off his worried gaze, Yeong-jun answered with a bright smile.

They too knew very well they were being used as sacrificial pawns.

And yet they accepted the task without complaint for one reason alone.

“If this mission succeeds, the other sects of the Five Great Mountain Swords will send aid to the Eminent Mountain Sect. They’ll support us in every way until the sect is rebuilt.”

As he spoke with Jo Yang, whose face radiated generosity, In-gyeong had to hide his trembling fists within his sleeves.

He had to endure this humiliation—only then would their sect have a future.

That single thought circled endlessly in his mind.

“I truly am a pathetic sect leader.”

In-gyeong grasped Yeong-jun’s hands and whispered softly.

At times like this, he regretted not dying alongside the Grand Master that day.

Yet,

“Have you forgotten the Grand Master’s final words?”

Even as Shin Yang-seon’s breaths rattled in his throat, he never lost hope.

He repeated the same words again and again.

“Not yet. This is not our annihilation.”

The Grand Master’s dying message, passed down through Yeong-jun, had sustained In-gyeong’s life to this day.

“So, Sect Leader, please… don’t give up.”

In-gyeong gave a loud sniff and steeled his heart.

Yes. A sect leader must not shed tears, unable to endure mere humiliation.

He was no longer a single life—he carried the weight of the hundreds who had gone before him.

Parting with Yeong-jun, he headed toward the Dancheong Hall to meet the Escort Chiefs.

There were twenty escorts in charge of transport, ten of whom were Escort Chiefs responsible for each wagon.

The hundred escorts were skilled in martial arts, but the Escort Chiefs were said to rival elders of respectable sects.

“Sect Leader Gu, we all have over ten years of experience, so you needn’t trouble yourself with close oversight.”

After a brief greeting with In-gyeong, the Escort Chief Yong Jo stepped forward with boastful assurance.

He was the right-hand man of Ma Cheong-ok, the master of Unpyeong Escort Agency, handling most of its major affairs.

He seemed polite at first glance, but In-gyeong quickly sensed his hidden contempt.

“As you know, this matter concerns promises between nations. Even repeated checks won’t be enough, so I ask you to be several times more cautious than usual. Departure is set for dawn ten days from now. Each morning before assembly, all escorts will be inspected, so inform your Escort Chiefs accordingly.”

In-gyeong’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly enough for the Escort Chiefs gathered in the hall.

“Yes, Sect Leader. I’ll pass it along.”

Yong Jo was irritated, but he kept his manners and agreed.

Had it not been for Ma Cheong-ok’s stern warning beforehand, he might have retorted, but he dared not disobey his master’s orders.

“Do your best to preserve the young Sect Leader’s dignity. If things go wrong, we’ll need him to take responsibility—if he storms off halfway, that would be a disaster. Even if tempers flare, swallow them down.”

Once In-gyeong left, complaints erupted among the escorts.

It took quite a while to calm the hot-tempered men, and by then the Hour of the Rooster¹ had already passed.

“Damn it, so petty and filthy…”

Yong Jo slumped into a corner of the courtyard, staring blankly at the sky.

Autumn had ripened fully, and the thin long robe was no match for the chill.

Perhaps that was why—at nearly fifty, with no home to settle in, his wandering life felt all the more pitiful.

“Huh?”

Then his eyes caught a black shadow crouching and fiddling with something.

The instant he realized the man was touching one of the transport wagons, Yong Jo’s heart dropped.

“Who goes there?”

Using his lightness skill, Yong Jo dashed across the yard in one bound, pressing a heavy sword to the shadow’s neck.

Once, he had been famous throughout the martial world for his Flexible Sword².

Most opponents could be subdued with a single strike.

“Escort Chief Yong…”

The one who rose slowly under Yong Jo’s blade was a youth who looked not yet twenty.

Judging by his clothes, he seemed to be one of the porters recruited two days ago.

“What are you doing here?”

His delicate face and smooth hands didn’t suggest martial training, but neither did he look like a common laborer, which made Yong Jo suspicious.

“The truth is…”

The youth hesitated, then opened his hand and held it out before Yong Jo’s eyes.

In his palm lay six copper nails.

“And these are…?”

“These wheels are made of birch wood, sturdy enough, but not ideal for carrying extremely heavy loads. However, if you do this…”

Growing excited as he explained, the youth ignored Yong Jo’s sword and knelt on one knee on the ground.

His hand pointed toward the rim of the wheel.

“If you line the rim with leather and fasten it with copper nails, it’ll bear several times more weight than wood alone.”

Seeing the youth’s innocent smile, Yong Jo felt awkward continuing to threaten him and reluctantly lowered his sword.

He knew well that Ma Cheong-ok, the Bureau Master, often lamented about increasing wagon load capacity.

If they enlarged the wheels, the ride became too rough; if they switched to metal, the wagons became too slow.

Birch wheels were the best compromise, but with each wagon meant to carry thirty people, he doubted they could withstand the strain.

“Can you take responsibility for what you’re saying?”

At Yong Jo’s question, the youth answered not with words but with a bright smile.

It seemed he was pleased that his odd bit of knowledge was being taken seriously.

“I’ll report this to the Bureau Master tomorrow and have a trial run. But if this is just a ruse to cover some mischief, be prepared to pay with your life!”

At the Escort Chief’s threat, the youth hunched his shoulders in fear.

He truly seemed like nothing more than a useless country bumpkin.

Still, just in case, Yong Jo decided to confine him in a solitary room until his doubts were completely resolved.

“Escort Chief Yong, if I succeed in proving myself, I’d like to stand at the lead wagon.”

“And why is that?”

As he herded the youth ahead of him, Yong Jo asked.

Most porters avoided the lead wagon because there was no chance to slack off, so the request struck him as absurd.

“My father’s a carpenter, but I never had the dexterity to inherit his craft. Ever since I was young, I dreamed of working at the Escort Bureau. If things go well, maybe I can even learn martial arts and become an escort someday?”

Suddenly, the youth halted and spun around.

Startled by the unexpected move, Yong Jo instinctively shielded his vital points while striking a punch at the youth’s face.

The punch landed squarely on the youth’s left eye, sending him sprawling backward.

“Argh!”

Terrified, the youth scooted backward on his rear, dragging his feet along the ground.

From his utterly defenseless reaction, it was clear he knew no martial arts at all.

“Ah, forgive me. I was startled and struck without thinking.”

Tearing up, the youth slowly got to his feet.

His left eye had already swollen shut, the pupil no longer visible.

Yong Jo felt deeply guilty for not only suspecting an innocent man but also striking him so harshly till his eye turned purple.

So he wanted to show at least some kindness.

“If tomorrow’s trial succeeds, I’ll make sure you’re placed at the front wagon.”

The youth dropped back to the ground and bowed two, three times in gratitude.

“Thank you, Escort Chief. Thank you!”

Deciding there was no need to lock him up, Yong Jo helped the youth to his feet and told him they would speak again tomorrow.

Then, feeling awkward, he scratched his head roughly and hurried off to his quarters.

“All went smoothly.”

Only after Yong Jo’s figure disappeared did the youth brush the dirt from his clothes.

He had meant to take only a light bruise, but Yong Jo’s fist had been stronger than expected, leaving his eye badly swollen.

He blinked his left eye repeatedly and looked up at the sky.

“The moon is so bright tonight.”

The half-moon that had risen was smiling gently down upon Yun-seon.

포석 (布石), Laying the Stones:

The opening placement of stones in the game of Go; laying the groundwork.