The Kidnapping Of Her Highness The Princess (3)

The warriors of Jieun Territory, who had received Deung Myeong’s order, circled around the imperial army’s guard line and attempted to infiltrate from a different direction than Deung Myeong. They killed the sentry soldiers and stripped off their armor to wear it. They also changed their weapons to those the soldiers had been carrying. After all, privately made weapons tended to stand out.

“Where is the princess’s residence?”

They nearly lost their way inside the excessively vast imperial army camp. There were not just one or two tents. It was as if they had been thrown into a forest of large and small tents.

They continued passing between tent after tent. And at one moment, their view suddenly opened wide. At last, the forest of tents had ended.

“Isn’t it over there?”

One person pointed somewhere. Far away, there was a place with unusually bright lights. And one exceptionally white structure visible even from a distance. No, that too was a tent. A large tent that shone exceptionally white.

“Looks like it, right?”

“They were advertising, ‘The princess is here.’”

What they had discovered was truly Princess Jang-ok’s tent. A tent made of white silk, unlike other military tents. Moreover, perhaps to show off its splendor, it had countless colorful curtains hung around it.

“Let’s go.”

The distance was somewhat far, but it was nothing to them. However, what was this? Other figures were standing guard here. People who did not look all that easy to deal with stood sparsely, keeping watch in all directions.

“What should we do? If we cause a commotion here, I don’t think we’ll even make it to where the princess is.”

“There’s no other way. Even if we have to kill them all, we have to take the princess.”

They decided to break through. Since they were not confident they could avoid being discovered, whether it turned into porridge or rice, it now depended on their skill.

“Damn it! We’re all dead.”

They were not considering failure. But success was truly a difficult problem.

“Huh?”

But it was then. Was heaven helping them? Those who had been standing guard suddenly rushed toward a certain place in a group. That place was in the direction where Deung Myeong was alone.

“Let’s go!”

They could not confirm what had happened to Deung Myeong. In any case, thanks to Deung Myeong, those standing guard had left their posts, so it could be considered fortunate for them.

In truth, the ones who had been standing guard were the Eastern Depot Secret Institute operatives who charged at Deung Myeong and then left the world behind. Since they knew the princess was absent, they had not paid much attention to guarding, and when they heard that an enemy who had learned martial arts had appeared, they had rushed over to loosen their bodies.

They did not return until the experts of Jieun Territory finished their work and left the imperial army camp again.

In any case, the experts of Jieun Territory arrived in front of that splendid tent. No guards could be seen. It was a sight that even made them doubt whether it was really the princess’s tent. Should there not have been personal bodyguards to this extent? Anything contrary to common sense was suspicious.

“Grab one and ask.”

Just then, a young girl who seemed to be a palace maid came out of a small tent. Perhaps she had been sleeping without knowing that enemies had appeared in the camp and an emergency had been declared, because she was rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. At that instant, one of the experts of Jieun Territory launched himself and covered the girl’s mouth.

“Shh! Make a sound and you die.”

He instantly dragged the girl to the place where his comrades were hiding. At that moment, the stench of urine filled the air. The girl had let go of the urge to urinate she had been holding back.

The girl looked as if she was about to cry. More than the fear that she might die, she felt so ashamed that she wanted to die because she had wet herself in front of unfamiliar men.

“Is that the princess’s tent?”

They turned the girl’s head so that she could see the splendid tent.

Nod, nod.

The girl nodded. It was certainly Her Highness’s tent. Right now, Her Highness was away. That was why the palace maids like her had been able to go to bed early.

But the men did not ask anything else. Then they pressed her paralyzing and mute acupoints and shoved her into some nearby tent. By the time she was found, they would be far away.

They silently approached the princess’s tent and lightly checked the situation inside.

Soft breathing.

There was definitely the sound of one person breathing. If there was someone sleeping in the princess’s tent, no one but the princess came to mind.

Two people slightly opened the entrance curtain and slipped inside. They found a woman asleep. Perhaps she was wearing nightclothes, because she was dressed in a semi-transparent silk robe.

One man took something out from his robe. It was a large silk sack. Deung Myeong had hurriedly made it, saying that even if they were putting the princess inside, it should still have some dignity.

The sleeping woman, in their minds, was certainly the princess. They pressed the princess’s sleeping acupoint. Since they pressed it very strongly, she would not wake easily.

The two spread open the mouth of the sack and pushed the princess inside starting from her feet. Midway, the hem of her silk skirt slid up, but they did not see it.

Before long, the princess’s body completely disappeared inside the sack. They tied the sack’s opening so it would not come loose, slightly opened the entrance curtain, and came back outside. Fortunately, there was still no sign of people nearby.

They quickly launched themselves away. Now it did not matter if they were discovered. They would simply run as if their lives depended on it. Since they had achieved their objective, they had no desire to remain in this dangerous place any longer.

At last, they escaped the imperial army’s guard net. It was a clean success.

“Fire the signal flare.”

Pipipiping.

A streak of flame soared high into the air. It seemed like a celebratory firework congratulating their success.

“Hehehehe!”

“Klk, klk, klk!”

They let out sinister smiles and pleasantly launched themselves toward Seon-yeong. Their morale, which had sunk because their leader Byeon Bong had gone missing, rose a level higher. They were also glad that they had shown the name of Jieun Territory was not empty.

“Let’s return.”

Sasasasak.

The warriors of Jieun Territory returned with happy hearts, not knowing what future awaited them.

“Hohoho! What an unlucky assassin. To think you would come on your own to the banquet celebrating Secret Shadow’s return.”

The words were thrown like a shock at the Soul-Hunting First Tiger, who had been flustered by the sight of the Eorim Institute guard warriors blocking his path.

“Secret Shadow?”

Sarak.

Neung Je-gang lightly launched himself and appeared in front of the Eorim Institute warriors. As if he was not afraid at all of the Soul-Hunting First Tiger, who had drawn his blade, there was no hesitation in his movements.

“The real Secret Shadow? Then the one who fell into the Bottomless Prison was……?”

The Soul-Hunting First Tiger could not believe it. What kind of place was the Bottomless Prison? It was a heavenly forbidden ground where, in Kunlun’s thousand-year history, no one who entered had ever come out. He did not know the reason. Anyone who went down below died without exception. That was why it had become forbidden ground.

Yet he had fallen there and returned alive. It was the moment Kunlun’s legend was broken.

In truth, the reason was ridiculous, but the reason everyone who had gone down into the Bottomless Prison died was greed. Once people went down, they learned that an immense energy flowed there. It was the energy of the Yin-Yang Stone Je So-yeon had spoken of.

Not wanting to give that energy to others was human greed. So they tried to forcefully make that energy their own. That was why they died. Even a person whose constitution had changed like Neung Je-gang’s Immortal body had nearly died from that energy, so it was impossible for ordinary people to absorb it.

Boom.

That was why they burst like this. Into countless pieces.

That was exactly why the Bottomless Prison had become forbidden ground. If there had been even one person who did not become greedy, the Bottomless Prison would have become not a forbidden ground, but the finest training ground.

Step.

Neung Je-gang took one step. The Soul-Hunting First Tiger was startled and hurriedly retreated.

“Since you know that I fell into the Bottomless Prison, you are no small fry.”

It meant he was at least someone from Kunlun’s main mountain or someone around Deung Gak.

Step.

Neung Je-gang took another step. The Soul-Hunting First Tiger tried not to retreat any farther. He raised his sword and aimed it at Neung Je-gang.

“Even if you are Secret Shadow, I will not endure it if you come any closer.”

The Soul-Hunting First Tiger shouted with all his might. Right now, he was in a state where it was difficult even to steady his body under the pressure pouring from Neung Je-gang’s body.

“Judging from your atmosphere, you seem similar to those I saw near U-gak Hobong. What is your identity?”

Neung Je-gang ignored the Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s shout. He knew that the Soul-Hunting First Tiger could no longer move. The powerful inner energy he released with his whole body was now completely dominating the surroundings around the man’s body. This too was an ability that had appeared after he reached the realm of returning to simplicity and truth. The legendary realm was not merely a name that sounded impressive.

“Looking at that sword, he seems to be one of those who blocked us when we went to burn the grain.”

Cheong Yeon, who had been watching the situation, remembered the Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s sword. Cheong Yeon had almost lost his life to that sword. It was no wonder that sword was engraved in his mind.

“Grain?”

Neung Je-gang asked back without looking at Cheong Yeon.

“We judged that we needed to reduce the Necromancer Cult’s food supply before winter came. So there was a time when we tried to set fire to the fields of Hagok Plain. They were the ones who interfered with us then.”

“That happened? So, did the mission succeed?”

“It failed. We did set the fire, but it was limited to part of the fields. That man interfered.”

“With your skill, Cheong Yeon, should you not be able to defeat someone of his level?”

Cheong Yeon had advanced to the point of being able to use strong energy. At that level, he should be able to defeat the Soul-Hunting First Tiger easily.

“It is shameful, but I nearly died instead. Assassin martial arts were more fearsome than I expected. If it had not been for Ma-jil, I would have died. Ma-jil saved my life.”

“Ma-jil did? Haha!”

Neung Je-gang laughed heartily. Only then did he understand why Cheong Yeon had not stopped Ma-jil and had simply left him alone even though Ma-jil was drinking directly from the jar.

He had wondered why Cheong Yeon stayed still while watching Ma-jil drink. Drinking straight from the jar in front of Her Highness the Princess was rude, after all. It had all been because of a life debt.

“By the way, I killed quite a lot of them below U-gak Hobong, and recently I seem to have killed many while helping the Black Path Alliance. Were there still many left here?”

Neung Je-gang asked while looking at the Soul-Hunting First Tiger.

Grind.

The Soul-Hunting First Tiger ground his teeth. He did not know about other things, but he had heard from the warriors of Jieun Territory who had fled that the Soul Hunters who participated in the battlefield with the Black Path Alliance had been killed without a mouse or bird knowing.

“You really are Secret Shadow.”

Even after hearing that story, the Soul-Hunting First Tiger had been unable to suspect Secret Shadow. It was because he trusted the Bottomless Prison too much. But on the other hand, he had also suspected Secret Shadow. Other than the name Secret Shadow, no one came to mind as someone who could deal with his subordinates without a mouse or bird knowing.

Step.

The distance between Neung Je-gang and the Soul-Hunting First Tiger was now less than one jang. It was a distance where, if one took a step forward and stretched out an arm, a sword could reach. Whether Neung Je-gang knew that or not, he again advanced one more step. There was no hesitation, as if saying, “If you can stab me, try it.”

Tremble, tremble.

The Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s arm trembled violently. It was proof that he was trying with all his strength to move his sword.

But the force pressing down on his body from the surroundings was too strong. It was as if he had been trapped in a prison made of solid iron.

“Eeeek!”

It was the moment he tried to muster his strength once more.

Swoosh, clang!

The Soul-Hunting First Tiger had to feel a sense of emptiness. The sword he was holding had become extremely light. And holding the length of blade equal to the weight that had disappeared were the middle and index fingers of Neung Je-gang’s right hand. More than half of the Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s sword had been unable to withstand the strength of just two fingers and had broken.

“My, my Jeonggang Sword…….”

Though it was not a treasured sword, his sword was a fine blade incomparable to ordinary swords. Yet its lifespan had ended like this.

“Since you are an assassin, I probably cannot get an answer no matter what I ask……. Wait, what is this smell?”

Neung Je-gang, who had been speaking, smelled a strange odor. A strange scent that was neither bitter nor sweet. No, should it be called a fragrance? In any case, such a smell came from the Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s body.

“What? Are you a woman?”

Neung Je-gang looked troubled. He knew only women had fragrances coming from their bodies.

But at the word “woman,” both the princess and Je So-yeon sprang up. Cheong Yeon, who had been beside Je So-yeon, was startled enough to turn his head.

“Mm! You’re not a woman. You had poison in your robe.”

Neung Je-gang moved a little closer and sniffed with his nose. Then, as if he had discovered something, he took out a small jade bottle from the Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s robe. It was poison with only barely enough left to cover the bottom.

“If there is a smell, that means you used it just now, doesn’t it?”

“You have a dog’s nose.”

The Soul-Hunting First Tiger smiled triumphantly. In any case, his life was already forfeit. Even if he had been surrounded by ordinary warriors, it would have been a pessimistic situation, but was this not a case where even Secret Shadow, the natural enemy of assassins, was present? So, even if he died when he died, he decided to be satisfied that he could take many people with him.

“Where is it?”

Neung Je-gang asked. But the Soul-Hunting First Tiger kept his mouth tightly shut.

“As you said, I might have a dog’s nose. That means finding it is not very difficult even if you do not speak. I simply do not want to waste time needlessly.”

“…….”

As expected, the Soul-Hunting First Tiger did not even pretend to hear Neung Je-gang’s words.

Neung Je-gang also did not ask any further about that issue. As he had said himself, finding it was not much of a problem. And even if someone poisoned appeared, as long as he and Je So-yeon were present, the worst situation could be avoided.

“Why did you stand on the side of a man like Deung Gak? Were you not simply a group of assassins? Are you perhaps connected to the Necromancer Cult and had no choice but to side with Deung Gak?”

Neung Je-gang threw out questions one after another. Each time, the Soul-Hunting First Tiger felt pain in his chest. The questions Neung Je-gang was asking right now were precisely the problems the Soul-Hunting First Tiger had wanted to escape from all this time. And they were also problems he had turned away from. Thanks to that, his clan had now almost entirely died.

“If you want to break away, I may be able to help…….”

“…….”

Neung Je-gang silently looked at the Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s tightly closed mouth, then turned around. And he opened his mouth again.

“I will give you the chance to kill yourself.”

Clang.

The half of the Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s sword blade that had been cut off and held between Neung Je-gang’s two fingers flew over and lodged itself at his feet. And in that instant, the Soul-Hunting First Tiger felt the energy pressing down on his body disappear.

He drew out the broken blade without hesitation. Blood flowed down from the palm gripping the sword.

The Soul-Hunting First Tiger slowly raised the blade and brought it to his own neck. Since he was an assassin, he knew exactly where and how deeply he had to stab to die.

“Thank you. For letting me die like this. But around now, the imperial army camp will not be so quiet either.”

At the very end, the Soul-Hunting First Tiger seemed to feel a little resentful. He deliberately went to the trouble of telling them that Deung Myeong had gone there.

Puk, shwaaak!

The blood that sprayed from the Soul-Hunting First Tiger’s neck splashed onto the bonfire, and ash scattered upward. The banquet was over.

Cha-cha-chang.

The Eorim Institute guard warriors hurriedly turned around and aimed their swords. Someone was running toward them.

“Your Highness!”

It was an Eastern Depot messenger operative. He ran over urgently and prostrated himself before the princess.

“What is it?”

“Bandits have invaded the camp.”

The princess looked at Neung Je-gang’s face. The words the Soul-Hunting First Tiger had spoken before dying had been revealed to be true like this.

“And what happened?”

“One heavily armored cavalry unit and one platoon belonging to the Eastern Depot’s Secret Institute have been annihilated.”

Thud.

For an instant, Princess Jang-ok felt as if her heart dropped. The annihilation of the heavily armored cavalry unit was painful too, but the Eastern Depot had died.

If it was one platoon, that meant about thirty people. On such a battlefield, it could be said to be not such a large number, but it was also the greatest damage she had suffered since taking charge of the Eastern Depot.

“Let us return.”

The princess hurriedly turned around. Then she looked at Neung Je-gang.

“Deputy Commissioner, you should come with me as well.”

For Neung Je-gang, they were words he could not refuse. In any case, Eastern Depot operatives had died, so as Deputy Commissioner, it was also his problem.

Neung Je-gang moved after the princess. Cheong Yeon also hurriedly followed behind Neung Je-gang. His official post was the Deputy Commissioner’s personal bodyguard.

Drunken Ma-jil and Je So-yeon, with a blank expression, merely watched them disappear.

〔Please look after Ja-myeong and the child’s father. They may be flustered by the unfamiliar environment. Ah, and if anyone poisoned appears, do not forget to contact me.〕

A line of sound transmission came clearly to Je So-yeon’s ears. Light settled in Je So-yeon’s eyes, which had been blank.

That was right. Neung Je-gang’s disciple, in other words, her martial nephew, remained. Neung Je-gang and Je So-yeon belonged to the same martial school. They were already in a relationship that could not be separated. Je So-yeon realized that the moment she received Neung Je-gang’s sound transmission. The fact that Neung Je-gang trusted her.

“Hrm! Since Her Highness went, the chief went too. The Eastern Depot’s Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner……. Don’t you think they’re a truly well-matched pair?”

Ma-jil poured cold water on Je So-yeon’s improved mood.

“Uwaaak!”

Je So-yeon stamped hard on the ankle of Ma-jil, who was sprawled out while deliberately pretending to be drunk, then returned to her tent. There, Jo Su-won and Jo Ja-myeong, the father and son she had to look after, were waiting for her.

“Huh? You’re awake?”

When she returned to the tent, Jo Ja-myeong was awake. Jo Su-won sprang to his feet, bowed his head, and greeted Je So-yeon.

“Thank you. Thank you. For saving my child, truly…….”

“It’s nothing. I only received senior brother’s request, after all. I happen to know a little medicine. In any case, since he has awakened, there is nothing to worry about at all now. Hello! You don’t know who I am, do you?”

Je So-yeon asked as she approached Jo Ja-myeong.

“……Yes.”

As if somewhat introverted, Jo Ja-myeong answered in a voice that seemed to crawl inward.

“I am your master’s junior martial sister. So to you, I am your martial aunt, and you can be called my martial nephew.”

“Yes.”

Perhaps Jo Su-won had explained to the awakened Jo Ja-myeong, because he was not particularly surprised by the fact that he had gained a master or by Je So-yeon saying she was his martial aunt.

“Anyway, you are the luckiest person in the Central Plains.”

“Pardon?”

Jo Ja-myeong could not understand the statement that he was lucky. What sort of lucky person lost his mother and was driven out of his hometown?

“Your master is the strongest person in the world. So you will follow in your master’s footsteps and become the strongest person in the world.”

Of course, Je So-yeon’s words were her subjective opinion. Just because a master was number one under heaven did not mean the disciple would necessarily become number one under heaven. And one could not state with certainty that Neung Je-gang was the strongest under heaven. Even the retired Black Cloud Demon could be said to be at a realm similar to the current Neung Je-gang.

No, in terms of martial enlightenment, the Black Cloud Demon and several senior elders were far above Neung Je-gang. Neung Je-gang was strong because he had learned forbidden arts and because of his inner energy, which surpassed imagination.

But these words from Je So-yeon now resulted in planting great ambition in Jo Ja-myeong’s heart. Sometimes, a completely baseless subjective opinion could become one person’s ideal.