#51: Deployment (1) — Reborn on the Demonic Cult Battlefield

The next morning at dawn, our squad quickly departed from the Thirteenth Unit. Our destination was northwest, where the Twelfth Unit was stationed.

Our squad members’ speed was very fast.

Even Lady Cheon Jueun, whose martial cultivation was the lowest among us, had already stepped into the First-Rate stage, and lightness techniques were practically our squad’s specialty.

In terms of lightness skills alone, perhaps we were one of the few squads that could be counted among the best across the entire front.

After running across treetops for about two hours, as if during morning training, we soon caught sight of the Twelfth Unit’s camp.

And there, members of the Twelfth Unit waiting for us conveyed that we were to move toward Seonwi, at the northeastern tip of Yunnan Province.

It seemed the Twelfth Unit Commander had pursued the Giant Demon all the way north to Seonwi.

As we dashed across the trees, Lady Cheon Jueun asked,

“Will we be able to catch the Giant Demon?! They say it’s a monster with over ninety years of inner strength?!”

Having over ninety years of inner strength meant it was on the verge of breaking through the hundred-year wall—the realm of a Pinnacle Expert.

Even the Thirteenth Unit’s officially strongest, Unit Commander Pung Yang or Squad Leader Han Gyoseong, had yet to break past the eighty-year wall, so Lady Cheon’s concern was only natural.

But Bi Sayoung replied with a hearty laugh.

“Worry not, Lady Cheon! Do we not have Squad Leader Seol Pung, who once stood toe-to-toe with the real Pinnacle monster, the Bloodthirsty Demon Lord Ji Gwang-ok?! What’s more, three of the finest squads will combine forces this time. We’ll have no trouble catching it!”

When Lady Cheon Jueun’s face brightened slightly at his words, Bae Jonggwan also spoke in a booming voice.

“Absolutely do not worry, Lady Cheon! Even if the Squad Leader were absent, this Bae Jonggwan would risk his life to protect you!”

Why was it always us who have to feel embarrassed….

To be able to say such things with sincerity—he really was something else.

We coughed awkwardly and turned away from him, and Lady Cheon Jueun, too, gave a troubled smile as she answered,

“Ah, yes. Thank you, Young Master Bae.”

I caught a glimpse of Lady Cheon Jueun’s slightly uncomfortable expression and shook my head.

Tsk, foolish guy—how could he not understand a woman’s heart like that.

I wasn’t much better with women myself, but even I knew that wasn’t the way.

I couldn’t help but pity him.

It seemed he might really need to risk his life before he could win Lady Cheon’s interest, but at least for this deployment, that chance didn’t seem likely to come.

Of course, that was largely because, as Bi Sayoung had said, we had a squad leader who had even crossed blades with the Bloodthirsty Demon Lord.

Still, when battle truly broke out, unexpected situations could always arise.

It was only natural that highly dangerous circumstances could occur.

But….

‘I already know the outcome.’

Thanks to memories of my past life, I already knew the result of this deployment.

That we would fail to chase the Giant Demon to the end and would return midway.

So in truth, I was thinking of this deployment as more of a picnic.

After running for several more hours, we arrived at Seonwi, located at the border between Yunnan and Guizhou.

And there, at the entrance of Seonwi, we found the Twelfth Unit Commander, Man Jongim the Demon-Hating Wanderer, waiting with one squad.

Said to have earned his epithet out of sheer hatred for the demonic and heretical, he was a stiff-looking middle-aged warrior with stern eyes and tightly pressed lips.

“Seventh Squad of the Thirteenth Unit, led by Squad Leader Seol Pung, seven members total. Are you Commander Man Jongim of the Twelfth Unit?”

Squad Leader Seol Pung asked politely with a smiling face.

But Man Jongim swept us with sharp eyes and asked back,

“Seventh Squad? Seol Pung? Not Qingcheng’s Azure Dragon Sword Han Gyoseong or Diancang’s Sword Dragon Sa Gunil? And why only seven men?”

From the very first words, his tone was harsh and accusatory.

We hadn’t expected a warm welcome, but such a cutting reaction was surprising nonetheless.

Slightly flustered, Squad Leader Seol Pung replied,

“Commander Pung Yang judged us to be the most suitable for this mission. Though our number is but seven, every member is above the First-Rate stage. There is no need for concern.”

A squad comprised entirely of martial artists above the First-Rate stage—objectively, that was impressive.

But it seemed not so to Man Jongim.

Without comment on that, he still looked at us with displeasure and asked,

“I’ve never heard the name Seol Pung. From which sect do you hail?”

Though rude, our squad leader still smiled gently and tried to smooth things over.

“I trained in my family’s martial arts. I cannot speak further. My apologies.”

But Man Jongim glared at him and pressed again.

“Cannot speak? Surely it’s not because you are some riff-raff from the unorthodox factions?”

Not only Squad Leader Seol Pung, but all of us turned incredulous faces toward him.

Though rare, it wasn’t unheard of for unorthodox sect martial artists to serve on the front.

Even our squad had both our squad leader and Lady Cheon Jueun from such origins.

But to insult so brazenly, without cause?

Our squad leader’s face hardened as he replied curtly.

“Not of the orthodox sects, true.”

At that, Man Jongim’s face twisted, and he shouted in rage.

“What?! Commander Pung Yang dared send me scum from the unorthodox factions?! For such an important mission?!”

It seemed from the start, this mission was doomed to be unpleasant.

To have to work alongside such a narrow-minded, discourteous man….

I couldn’t help but shake my head.

Bi Sayoung muttered under his breath,

“They say you only realize it was spring once the flowers fall, but now I see Commander Pung Yang truly was like a fairy.”

He was right, but even without the comparison, this treatment was insulting enough.

For a mission we wouldn’t even complete, for our squad leader to be insulted like this—it was frustrating.

Just as I was about to tell the squad leader we should turn back, suddenly from the opposite direction, ten men came rushing like the wind.

“First Squad of the Eleventh Unit, led by Squad Leader Je Wonyeong, with nine members—arrived just now! Seems we’re the last! My apologies! Hahaha!”

He was a robust man with a bold voice.

And he was also a name I already knew.

Je Wonyeong, the Sword Tiger of Diancang, was famed as second only to Diancang’s Sword Dragon Sa Gunil among its disciples.

And to our surprise, upon seeing him, Commander Man Jongim’s face lit up with a delighted smile—so unlike with us.

“Oh! Sword Tiger! Commander Yun has truly sent me a worthy man!”

Hearing him openly say so, we could only laugh bitterly.

So we were not “worthy” men, then?

“Welcome! You’ve come a long way!”

Man Jongim greeted Je Wonyeong with warmth we had never received, and exchanged pleasantries.

Je Wonyeong laughed heartily, then turned to us.

“And these gentlemen… from the Thirteenth Unit, perhaps?”

At that, Man Jongim scowled at us and said,

“Yes. When I asked for reinforcements, they sent me merely….”

But he couldn’t finish his words.

Because Je Wonyeong’s eyes widened in surprise as he addressed our squad leader.

“Are you perhaps Squad Leader Seol Pung of the Thirteenth Unit’s Seventh Squad?”

His tone carried not a hint of malice—rather, it brimmed with inexplicable goodwill.

Our squad leader nodded in puzzlement.

“That’s me.”

At that, Je Wonyeong ran up with a booming laugh.

“Hahaha! At last we meet! I heard of you through Sa Gunil’s letters! They say a warrior greater even than Qingcheng’s Azure Dragon Sword Han Gyoseong has joined the Thirteenth Unit—I was so curious! I even considered transferring to the Thirteenth just to see! If not for that rascal Ma Yugyeom, I really might have! Hahaha!”

It seemed he was a close correspondent of Captain Sa Gunil of the Second Squad.

That such a taciturn man would exchange letters with such a boisterous one—it was remarkable.

Je Wonyeong, despite his bold manner, gave no sense of arrogance, only a strikingly good impression.

He even reminded me faintly of our late vice-captain, Myeong Sahyeon.

He continued with eyes full of admiration,

“I also heard of you earning the title Gale-Wind Flying Dragon! To uphold righteousness without hesitation even against the great Black Chamber—truly admirable! I regretted not making your acquaintance sooner! Now, with Thirteenth Unit men also dispatched here, I finally fulfill a long-held wish! Hahaha! Ah, and are Little Black Wolf Seonu Jin and Swift Flying Shadow Bi Sayoung here as well?”

He even knew our names.

When we awkwardly admitted it, he greeted us with cheerful warmth, then turned back to Commander Man Jongim with an apology.

“My apologies, Commander. I was simply overexcited at meeting men I have long admired. I beg forgiveness.”

At his courteous apology, Man Jongim nodded, though he glanced at us with a conflicted look.

I could guess at his feelings and chuckled as I told our squad leader,

“Squad Leader, since Commander Man doesn’t seem to favor us, perhaps we should just return?”

Bi Sayoung echoed me with a grin.

“Aye, Squad Leader. What use are riff-raff like us? Leaving now would surely please Commander Man.”

Je Wonyeong frowned and asked curiously,

“What nonsense is this? At a glance, every one of you besides Squad Leader Seol has surpassed First-Rate. Why would the Commander not value you? And riff-raff? What do you mean?”

As his questioning gaze fell on him, Man Jongim coughed and said,

“Ahem. A misunderstanding, surely. No question of sending them back in such urgent times.”

And hurriedly he began explaining the situation.

We traded wry smiles and let it slide.

“Three days ago, the Giant Demon Jeo Ung-won, with nine subordinates, slaughtered the Twelfth Unit’s Fifth Squad during patrol and abducted two female members. We raised the alarm and pursued, but their trail was hard to follow. Squads split up to track them, but the Second Squad was also wiped out. By evening we learned of it. Every member dead, save that one woman’s corpse could not be found.”

By that account, in a single night, two squads—around twenty men—were annihilated.

No wonder his nerves were raw.

Je Wonyeong asked in a grave tone,

“No survivors at all?”

Man Jongim sighed heavily.

“One barely survived. But with one arm and one leg gone, his life as a warrior is over.”

We all fell silent with pained expressions.

Two entire squads wiped out—it wasn’t hard to imagine the mood in the Twelfth.

Man Jongim spoke again with blazing eyes.

“I will never let them live. I will have my vengeance. You must lend me your strength.”

At that, Lady Cheong-yeon asked,

“If there is a survivor, then you’ve assessed the enemy’s strength?”

Man Jongim’s face darkened further.

“According to him, besides Jeo Ung-won, there were three Pinnacle Experts and seven top-tier First-Rate demonic warriors.”

“!”

We were stunned.

Not only the Giant Demon, with over ninety years of inner strength, but three Pinnacle Experts besides, and seven First-Rate elites?

That force could obliterate a mid-sized sect on their own.

Perhaps it was fortunate that only two squads had been destroyed.

As we murmured in unease, the Commander snapped with fury,

“The enemy is formidable indeed. But as righteous warriors, none of us would begrudge giving our lives to destroy the Blood Cult’s fiends!”

We exchanged glances.

Hadn’t we just said we weren’t from the orthodox sects?

Every word he spoke chipped away at whatever little goodwill he had left.

I almost felt like asking outright if that meant we could leave.

And Bi Sayoung seemed ready to do just that.

“Well then…!”

Before he could speak further, our squad leader cut in firmly.

“We have no thought of leaving. Please, continue.”

Je Wonyeong also nodded, and Man Jongim broke into a pleased smile.

“Ha ha ha! As expected of the Dragon’s soldiers! Such is the duty of true righteous warriors!”

Just as he was about to continue in that vein, Lady Cheong-yeon cut in with a question.

“So where are they? Did they enter Seonwi? Are you still tracking them?”

A perfectly timed interruption.

Truly Lady Cheong-yeon.

Man Jongim frowned at being cut off, but answered after a cough,

“Ahem. We followed their tracks here to Seonwi yesterday. But at the entrance, the trail vanished. From the direction, they must have gone inside, but oddly, no one deeper within reported seeing them.”

Lady Cheong-yeon said coolly,

“So you lost them.”

He flared in protest,

“Not lost—merely paused! We had to wait here anyway to join with you! Where else would they go? They must still be inside! We’ll scour it from end to end!”

But Lady Cheong-yeon pressed on with icy tone,

“And what if they slipped into Guizhou or Sichuan instead? Why are you so sure they went into Seonwi? What makes you so certain?”

At that, Man Jongim faltered at last, caught unprepared.

“Th-that’s absurd! If Jeo Ung-won had entered Guizhou, rumors would abound! A monster famed since the Great Blood War moves, and no one hears? Impossible…!”

“And yet he could enter Seonwi with no rumors? Especially here on the front, where intelligence on the Blood Cult abounds more than elsewhere?”

“Th-that….”

Finally, he was left speechless.

Lady Cheong-yeon sighed softly and shook her head, clear disdain in her expression.

As his face flushed with anger and he prepared to bark again, she spoke first.

“Have you contacted the Hao Clan?”

“What…?! Th-the Hao Clan?”

“Yes, the Hao Clan. If they truly went into Seonwi, the Hao Clan branch here would surely know.”

“The Hao Clan? But how would I know their branch? Only Hao Clan disciples know such….”

She cut him off firmly.

“Then that’s where we’ll go first.”

And without hesitation, she started walking.