The Five Eagle Siblings (2)

“Why did you hide it?”

That was the first question I asked, after finally regaining my senses from being entranced by Lady Cheong-yeon’s beauty.

She glanced around and said,

“Because I dislike this kind of attention.”

“Ah…”

I understood immediately.

If every man around her reacted like this, living a normal life must have been impossible.

Looking around, I saw that nearly all the men in our unit still stared blankly at Lady Cheong-yeon, while Lady Na and Lady Cheon snickered to themselves.

I was the first among the men to regain composure.

The state of the Eleventh Unit was even worse. Unlike us, who were already hardened by Lady Tang Yeo-eun’s presence, they had no immunity against beauty. Many were stupefied, one even drooling.

The shameful culprit was none other than Je Weon-yeong, the First Captain of the Eleventh Unit, known as the Sword Tiger of Point Strike.

While the others struggled to recover, Lady Cheong-yeon and I were able to sketch out a rough plan.

Then I announced before the gathered men:

“We will disguise ourselves as wanderers and enter the Mountain Sword Sect. Questions?”

Lady Na was the first to raise her hand.

“You said the Mountain Sword Sect is absolutely not aligned with the Blood Sect. Then why are we heading there?”

I smiled softly as I answered.

“Good question, Lady Na. That’s precisely why we’re going there. We plan to use Lady Cheong-yeon as bait to draw them out. If we went anywhere else, we’d need to guard against both inside and outside threats. But if we go to Mountain Sword Sect, we only need to guard against outside threats. Moreover, the Sect is currently in dire straits, so we’ll likely be treated well.”

There was also another reason—that in such a place, fewer men would dare harass Lady Cheong-yeon or the other young ladies—but I chose not to voice it.

Je Weon-yeong raised his hand.

“So, will all of us enter the Mountain Sword Sect disguised as wanderers?”

I shook my head.

“No. We’ll divide into three roles. The three ladies will serve as bait. The rest will be divided into a protection squad and a stealth pursuit squad.”

“Protection squad and stealth pursuit squad?”

“Yes. The protection squad will enter as wanderers and guard the ladies. From the Thirteenth Unit, Captain Seol Pung and Bae Jonggwan will handle this. I also hope Captain Je Weon-yeong and the Eleventh Unit will enter separately, pretending not to know us, and serve as protection as well.”

Je Weon-yeong’s face brightened.

“Ah, I see. Understood.”

I wasn’t sure if he truly understood, or if his smile was for another reason entirely.

Then Bi Sayoung raised his hand.

“Then I’ll be in the stealth pursuit squad? Where exactly are we infiltrating, and whom are we chasing?”

“That’s right, Sayoung. You and I will be the stealth pursuit squad. We won’t enter as wanderers. Instead, we’ll remain hidden nearby. When the Blood Sect’s marauders attack the protection squad and are repelled, we’ll secretly pursue them back to their base.”

Elder Sag Muhon would also join us, but I chose not to mention him in front of the Eleventh Unit.

Lady Cheon Jue-un asked, her face tinged with worry.

“But will we even be able to enter the Mountain Sword Sect as wanderers? Even if they’re desperate, would they really hire us without solid proof of identity?”

At that, I exchanged a smile with Lady Cheong-yeon.

And immediately regretted it.

It had always been our habit to share smiles when our thoughts aligned, but seeing her smile now struck me far too deeply. My heart nearly stopped.

Calming my pounding chest, I managed to answer,

“Ah, Lady Cheong-yeon has already agreed to handle that. Her father, it seems, has ties with someone within the Mountain Sword Sect.”

At this, those of us who knew her father’s identity exclaimed in awe.

The connections of the Heavenly Sword Saint were indeed vast.

Then Bae Jonggwan timidly raised his hand.

“Uh… but what exactly do I have to do? If I’m in the protection squad, do I just… protect the ladies?”

I smirked.

“Of course not. To spread the bait far and wide, you must draw as much attention as possible.”

“D-draw attention? How?”

“How else? In battle, smash your enemies mercilessly. And when there’s no battle…”

“When there’s no battle?”

“Smash your allies.”

“…What?”

I gave him a meaningful smile.

Jonggwan, I had very high expectations for you.

At the outer training ground of Mountain Sword Sect.

Dozens of wanderers gathered in groups, whispering anxiously.

They had come for the promise of high pay, only to panic upon realizing everyone now avoided Mountain Sword Sect.

“Shouldn’t we flee while we still can? After losing their western branch to the Righteous Chivalry Guild in the last battle, the next target will surely be their main stronghold.”

“That may be, but… we already accepted the advance payment. If word spreads that we fled, we’ll never find work in any major job again.”

For wanderers, reputation mattered even more than skill. No one would pay large sums to someone untrustworthy. If the rumor spread that they’d taken pay but fled, they’d be blacklisted from all major assignments.

“Reputation is important, sure. But is it worth more than your life? If we stay, we’re almost certainly dead.”

“Not necessarily. Mountain Sword Sect is moving desperately—enough to ally with their old enemies, the Yun Clan. If the two join forces, even the Righteous Chivalry Guild might…”

“You fool. Haven’t you heard how the Mountain Sword Sect lost their last two battles?”

“What happened?”

“In the first battle, they marched out with two hundred elites—only to face over a thousand warriors. And those were just the warriors of the Righteous Chivalry Guild’s eastern branch!”

The wanderer turned pale.

A thousand men? Such numbers could only be mustered by the most powerful sects ruling entire provinces. For the Righteous Chivalry Guild, ranked only fourth in Sichuan, to field such forces was unthinkable.

“A… a thousand?”

“Yes. Mountain Sword Sect couldn’t even fight back and had to flee. And in the second battle, they ambushed a fifty-man envoy with two hundred elites—only to be utterly annihilated.”

“What? Two hundred against fifty, and they were wiped out?!”

“Because three pinnacle experts were with the envoy. Mountain Sword Sect’s Branch Lord, Swordsman Heo Jung, had thought only Iron Palm Hero Hwang Jang-gon would be present. But it wasn’t so. Thus, they were all slaughtered.”

“So Mountain Sword Sect was completely played.”

“Indeed. Even more shocking, those three pinnacle experts weren’t even among the known members of the Righteous Chivalry Guild. They were new faces.”

The wanderer’s jaw dropped.

It was said the Righteous Chivalry Guild already had seven pinnacle experts—more than any sect in Guizhou Province. But if these new ones were real, the number was even higher.

“N-nine pinnacle experts…?”

“Perhaps. Who knows if there are more still hidden?”

Another wanderer protested.

“Nonsense! How could the Righteous Chivalry Guild, only fourth in Sichuan, be that powerful? Even Black Crow Fortress, the top sect in Guizhou, isn’t that strong! Surely it’s just rumor!”

The man explaining shook his head in pity.

“You really know nothing. True, in Guizhou, Black Crow Fortress would be the greatest. But this is Sichuan. Have you forgotten which sects dominate here?”

“…Even so—”

But he suddenly froze, realization dawning.

“T-tell me it’s not…”

“It is. Above the Righteous Chivalry Guild stand Mount Qingcheng, Mount Emei, and the Sichuan Tang Clan. Now do you see why the Guild, with such power, is still only fourth?”

The skeptic nodded frantically, pale-faced.

Two of the Nine Great Sects—Qingcheng Sect and Emei Sect—plus one of the Five Great Families, the Sichuan Tang Clan. For the Righteous Chivalry Guild to grow in their shadow only proved its true strength.

“This… this is hopeless. They’re far too strong. I need to escape at once.”

The wanderers grew restless, ready to bolt—when a commanding voice rang out.

“What is this commotion?!”

The voice carried strong inner power.

Startled, the wanderers turned to see Heo Jeon-sam, Mountain Sword Sect’s Outer Commander, approaching with two groups.

Heo Jeon-sam was a renowned first-class master in Guizhou.

None dared speak of fleeing in his presence. Instead, they fell silent and watched as he introduced the new arrivals.

“Allow me to present them. From Zhejiang Province, the famed Eagle Five Siblings! And from Gwaesan, the Sword of Gwaesan! Though young, they are renowned for their exceptional martial prowess. With them on our side, victory against the Righteous Chivalry Guild is assured!”

But his words fell on deaf ears.

The wanderers heard nothing.

For their eyes were fixed only on one figure standing among the Eagle Five Siblings: Lady Hae Cheong-yeon.

They neither saw nor heard anything else.

Her beauty was otherworldly, her mysterious allure undiminished even by the thin obsidian veil covering her sapphire eyes.

“…So remain calm and await orders!”

When Heo Jeon-sam finished speaking and departed, the wanderers began to drift toward Lady Cheong-yeon.

At first slowly, then faster, until they rushed like a stampede.

“Waaahhh!”

“Lady! Look at me! My name is—”

“As if she’d care for the likes of you!”

“Out of the way, scum!”

Dozens of wanderers surged forward like starving wolves upon prey.

But the wave broke against a massive boulder that had stepped before Lady Cheong-yeon.

Thud!

“Urgh!”

“What the—?!”

“A rock?!”

It was Bae Jonggwan.

Simply by standing firm, he had repelled their charge. Looking down at the scattered wanderers, he rumbled:

“This is a warning. Approach my younger sister without permission, and you die.”

The wanderers stared blankly, stunned.

“…Younger sister?”

It was impossible to find resemblance between the hulking mountain of muscle that was Bae Jonggwan and the celestial beauty of Lady Cheong-yeon.

Enraged, they shouted:

“Lies! A monster like you, her brother? Who would believe it?!”

“Out of the way!”

“Move, or be cut down!”

Bae Jonggwan’s eyes twitched.

“…Monster, is it?”

When Seonu Jin had planned this, he told Jonggwan:

“If anything annoys you, never hold back. From now on, you’re a brutish outlaw who can’t control his temper.”

And Jonggwan had already proven during the Black Market incident how well he could play that role.

Now, uncrossing his arms, he glared coldly at a wanderer who screamed in his face.

“Move aside, monster, or else—!”

He struck like thunder.

Thud!

“Gwaaagh!”

The man was flattened to the ground, twitching like a crushed frog.

Bae Jonggwan growled,

“You called me a monster?”

Another wanderer stammered desperately,

“N-no! I never—”

But Jonggwan had no intention of listening.

“How dare you!”

Whoosh!

His pillar-like arm swept sideways, sending all within range flying.

Crash!

“Uwaaagh!”

“Guuhhh!”

“Kwehhhk!”

“Kiiiieek!”

With a single swing, four men were hurled aside.

At last, the wanderers began to notice his body.

Towering two heads above ordinary men, massive and thick rather than lanky, his body was corded with stone-hard muscles. He was less man than beast.

And that beast’s rage was not yet spent.

Bae Jonggwan roared,

“You dare call me a monster?!”

He charged into the clustered wanderers with terrifying speed.

“W-wait!”

“No—!”

“Uwaaaah!”

To them, it was like a boulder rolling toward them.

Boom!

“Gyaaaaah!”

“Mercy!”

“Save meee!”

Bodies soared like pebbles struck by a hammer. Over twenty wanderers flew through the air at his collision.

It was the first time his Diamond Body had been revealed outside the frontlines.

Watching from the shadows beneath the wall, Bi Sayoung muttered,

“They’re still our ally… Is this really okay?”

But Seonu Jin watched Jonggwan crush the wanderers like pests with satisfaction.

“He didn’t kill them. All according to plan.”

“Maybe, but they look half-dead to me…”

“He knows what he’s doing. He’s beaten enough foes before.”

Sayoung almost retorted—most of Jonggwan’s experience was beating ghouls, not humans—but decided it was pointless to argue.

On the training ground, Bae Jonggwan now charged through wanderers with weapons drawn, shattering them with his bare body.

Shaking his head, Sayoung thought,

“He really is a demon after all.”