Deployment (2)

We secured information about the Giant Demon at the Hao Guild branch in Seonwi, Guizhou.

No—more precisely, we learned why the Giant Demon’s trail couldn’t be found.

Twelfth Unit Commander Man Jongim muttered like a groan.

“So they likely disguised themselves as wandering fighters and moved with them?”

According to the intel, war clouds were gathering over western Guizhou.

It was a clash between the Righteous Chivalry Guild based in Sichuan and, within the Guizhou Eight Houses, the Un Clan and the Mountain Sword Sect—one battle had already broken out, and the conflict was expected to expand.

So most of Guizhou’s wanderers were heading that way, and it was common everywhere to see cash-strapped ronin pooling together to ride wagons.

The Hao Guild explained that if the Giant Demon’s group mixed in among them, it was only natural their movements couldn’t be traced.

They also asserted the Giant Demon absolutely had not entered inside Seonwi.

Because most local warriors were going out, if out-of-towners had come into Seonwi, there’s no way it would have gone unnoticed.

Do Mugon, captain of the Twelfth Unit’s First Squad, asked Man Jongim with a dark face,

“So they went into Guizhou after all. What will you do, Commander?”

Man Jongim ground his teeth and answered.

“What else! We follow! I will not let them slip away!”

Then Diancang’s Sword Tiger Je Wonyeong asked,

“But where exactly do we follow? If they’ve already ridden up to Guizhou mixed in with ronin, they could head any direction afterward. How do we chase that?”

“Mm.”

Faced with Je Wonyeong’s question, Man Jongim couldn’t answer.

Even he found the question too reasonable to brush aside.

But I thought differently.

“No—the odds are they went toward either the Righteous Chivalry Guild or the Un Clan.”

Everyone focused on me with puzzled looks.

Je Wonyeong asked,

“Them? Why do you think so?”

In my head, memories from my past life flashed up.

Retainers who’d somehow been Soul-Seized by the Blood Cult… that chaotic time when you couldn’t tell friend from foe.

With a keen eye I swept the faces around us and spoke.

“Of all times, the Giant Demon crossed the front precisely as a major factional conflict was erupting. And then, instead of slipping into Seonwi proper, they ‘naturally’ merged with wanderers at the gate and moved into Guizhou. Don’t you find the whole sequence a little too neat—too free of loose ends?”

Most people still didn’t grasp my meaning; they only frowned. Only Lady Cheong-yeon seemed to catch on at once and asked me,

“You’re saying this was prearranged? That there are more actors involved?”

As expected of Lady Cheong-yeon.

I grinned and nodded.

“I think it’s one of three possibilities.”

“It could be two.”

“Given the situation, I doubt it’s both.”

“Mm, then not three—one of two.”

“Most likely.”

Up to there, Lady Cheong-yeon gave a helpless little laugh and shook her head.

“So the non-aggression pact was utterly meaningless. If I could, I’d turn back time just to sit in on that meeting.”

Listening in blankly, Je Wonyeong cautiously whispered to Bi Sayoung,

“What on earth are they talking about? Am I the only one not following?”

Bi Sayoung beamed and answered,

“Fear not. I’ve no idea either. But give it a breath—he’ll translate it into human language in a moment.”

At that, our members all nodded with serene smiles—like enlightened monks.

I began explaining to them straight.

“Here’s what I think: everything so far looks less like the Giant Demon impulsively crossed the line and more like he moved on a well-timed plan.”

Man Jongim scowled and asked back,

“Moved on a plan? How so?”

“Someone scheduled him to arrive at Seonwi’s gate at a precise time—then picked him up there and ferried him onward.”

“…W-what? Who would do that?!”

“Who else? Blood Cult forces north of the front. Or call them forward bases, if you prefer.”

“What?!”

Shock rippled through them all.

Stammering, Man Jongim asked,

“H-how could that be? How could they establish power north of the front?”

In my past life, I’d wondered the same.

When had they managed to seed forces all across the north of the front?

I’d only now found the answer.

“Until now we assumed the Blood Cult warlords who left Yunnan did so out of dissatisfaction with the Blood Demon’s iron rule. Some even called it the Blood Demon’s ‘killing with a borrowed knife.’ But what if some of them didn’t leave for those reasons? What if they actually left Yunnan on the Blood Demon’s orders?”

“Th-that….”

While everyone stood stunned, Squad Leader Seol Pung recovered first and asked me,

“Then those ‘one of three’ possibilities you mentioned?”

“If my hypothesis is right, the Giant Demon is moving to where his fighting power is needed. Which means, among the three factions currently embroiled where the ronin are headed, one is likely their forward base—the Righteous Chivalry Guild, the Un Clan, or the Mountain Sword Sect.”

“Hmm!”

I paused to let them come to terms with it.

When it seemed they had, I asked Man Jongim,

“So, Commander—what will you do? If I’m right, we need to push north into central Guizhou to pursue. And even then, there’s no guarantee we’ll spot them. In fact, that’s its own problem: it would mean their numbers and power are far greater than we assumed.”

Despite my warning, Man Jongim answered without a second thought.

“Hmph! I’ve already sworn to the heavens I’ll never let them live! Even if their strength is far greater than expected, do you think I’ll turn back?!”

I smiled faintly and nodded.

“I see. Understood.”

There was nothing more to say.

Because I intended the same.

Even if he refused, I’d persuade our squad to go anyway.

Honestly, I’d come into this deployment thinking it would be like a field trip.

I expected we’d lose the trail and the pursuit would be called off.

But now that I knew the Blood Cult’s reach already extended north of the front—and we’d even gotten a lead—there was no way I could just go back.

For the sake of what comes later, we had to pull this thread and rip out the roots.

So we all set off together toward Inhoe, in northwestern Guizhou, where the war clouds gathered.

But the going wasn’t smooth.

Man Jongim, face screwed up, said to me,

“As front-line officers, it’s our duty to report what we learn and what we intend to do to the Alliance. Why tell me not to report?”

This time, he was certainly in the right.

But I still wanted desperately to stop that very reasonable action.

“As I said—if you mean to merely report the facts and return, then fine, report. But if we report that we plan to move north into Guizhou, the Alliance will definitely try to stop us.”

Indeed. In my past life the pursuit turned back because the Alliance refused permission to head north; they’d do the same now.

But lacking those memories, Man Jongim asked in disbelief,

“What nonsense? Why would the Alliance try to stop us?!”

I wanted to say they might stop us with killing, if needed—but to someone who knew nothing of the Shadow Unit, let alone my past life, that would never land.

In the end, convinced I couldn’t persuade him, I sighed and said,

“If that’s truly your position, then report. But if things go exactly as I say this time, please listen to me next time.”

He shot me a displeased look, then sent a commander’s carrier-pigeon report to the Martial Alliance about our situation and decision.

Regrettable—but unavoidable.

Later that afternoon, just as we crossed out of Yunnan and were about to enter Guizhou, Alliance warriors barred our path.

“Halt!”

Eleven black-clad figures wearing wide bamboo hats appeared before us.

We’d seen that attire before; we recognized them immediately.

The Shadow Unit.

They asked,

“Are you the Thirteenth Division Commander, Great Hero Man Jongim?”

Already half-drawn and ready to fight, Man Jongim eyed them with a curious look and asked,

“You know me. Who are you?”

The leader of the black-clad men stepped forward, cupped his fists, and said,

“An honor to meet you. We are from the Alliance.”

“The Alliance? Alliance warriors?”

Only then did Man Jongim ease his guard, relief flickering in his eyes.

But the bamboo-hatted man ignored the pleasantries and went straight to business.

“We received the report you sent. The matter of pursuing the Giant Demon will be handled by the Alliance’s own warriors. Commander Man and Flying Dragon members may turn back now.”

Man Jongim started and blurted,

“What? What do you mean ‘turn back’?”

As expected.

But Man Jongim, who had not expected it at all, was visibly shaken.

The bamboo-hatted man answered coldly,

“Matters outside Yunnan are the Alliance’s responsibility. Flying Dragon soldiers should concern themselves only with maintaining the front.”

Polite words—but not a polite attitude.

If anything, it felt coercive—unyieldingly stiff.

Man Jongim glanced at me, then, a bit angry, told them,

“As you must have read, those fiends butchered nearly twenty of my men. I swore to the heavens I would not return until I’d torn them to shreds!”

Their stance didn’t change an inch.

“The Flying Dragon’s duty is to guard the front; all else will be handled by us per Alliance policy. As you serve under the Alliance, you will follow its rules.”

“What is this!”

It seemed even Man Jongim was at a loss before that iron wall.

I first sneaked a look toward Lady Cheong-yeon.

She was already tucked behind Bae Jonggwan’s large frame—keeping out of the Shadow Unit’s sight.

Once I’d confirmed her position, I stepped forward freely.

“How strange. It sounds as if you intend to lock Flying Dragon soldiers onto the front. Isn’t that right, Commander?”

The bamboo hat dipped slightly toward me, then the man spoke again.

“That is not the case. This is merely Alliance regulation….”

“Then why must we follow Alliance regulations? We gathered at the front voluntarily, driven purely by the will to oppose the Blood Cult—call us a volunteer militia, not an Alliance field corps.”

“…Don’t be absurd. Didn’t you all sign an oath when you entered the Flying Dragon?”

“Of course we did—a non-disclosure oath. Was that secretly an Alliance enlistment contract? I don’t recall such terms. Nor anything about restricting movement outside the front.”

This time, he fell silent.

Beneath the brim, his eyes glared at me.

And in those eyes, I felt killing intent begin to pool.

After a moment he spoke again.

“Once more: these are Alliance rules. If you will not comply, we have no choice.”

No choice, was it?

I thought I could smell blood in those words.

His pressure was strong; I snorted and answered just as sharply,

“We are going to avenge our comrades. Since when was there a rule in the martial world above vengeance? If you wish to block our vengeance, convince us why. Don’t just parrot ‘regulations’ we can’t see or name. When did such rules—unknown even to front-line officers—come into being, and why?!”

Then I glanced at Man Jongim and asked,

“Isn’t that so, Commander?”

“H-huh? Of course. Naturally!”

While their attention shifted slightly to him, I smiled and delivered the finishing jab.

“I understand your position—you follow orders from above. But if you obey orders blindly, without judging right from wrong… can you still call yourself a martial man? No—call yourself human? Wouldn’t that make you nothing but a dog or a pig? Don’t you think so?”

Having thus provoked the ‘pig’ before me, he finally spat his parting words and withdrew.

“You will regret this.”

A bit disappointing.

I had hoped he’d lose his temper and strike right here.

But even if not now, I didn’t think we’d have to wait long.

Watching them go, I smiled to myself—who would regret this was not yet decided.