Chapter 22

The crowd parted, and three young warriors came walking out. At their head was Moyong Gwang-seon, the one they called the greatest talent the Moyong Family had ever produced.

— Snap.

Gwang-seon stopped in front of the platform and threw a fist-and-palm salute.

“I apologize for being late.”
“You are not so very late.”

Moyong Jin-seong’s stern face loosened and softened, as though a spring wind had blown across it. His gaze traveled past the boy to the back of the group.

“Is Danho all right?”
“Danho? Ah.”

Gwang-seon followed the family head’s gaze absently, glanced back, and drew his brows together. Moyong Danho was limping toward them from some way off, having refused every offer of help. Not here, of all places, would he let himself walk in as anything but a warrior standing unbowed on his own two feet.

Warrior, my ass.

He had offered the man a shoulder and gotten that pig-headed streak of his for an answer. Keep that up and the wound would only tear wider. Murim warriors all seemed to have something of the brat in them, and they slid one more notch down in Gwang-seon’s estimation. Next time this happened, he decided, he would just haul him onto his back. That way he wouldn’t pull this shit.

The look Gwang-seon gave Danho was not a kind one. Danho’s steps quickened a fraction.

— Snap.

“Moyong Danho, Moyong Rin, Moyong Gwang-seon. We have carried out our mission and returned. We are not too late, I trust?”
“Indeed. It was a near thing.”

Moyong Danho let out a quiet sigh of relief and stole a glance at Gwang-seon’s face. They had done the job perfectly well and then nearly lost it on the road home, which had run long. That was what came of a deadline of seven days and nights. Had it not been for Baek Un-cheon and General Hwa Mu-hong, they would not have arrived even now.

“Are you badly hurt?”
“Not so badly as to trouble you, sir.”
“The mission was a hard one, it seems. Did the survey take long?”

Gwang-seon answered.

“No. The survey didn’t take very long.”
“Then?”
“The road back took a long time. What with tending a wounded teammate with the utmost devotion the whole way.”

Danho quietly avoided Gwang-seon’s eyes. Moyong Jin-seong smiled at the sight and, inwardly, let go of a breath he had been holding. Groundless worry after all. Thank heaven.

“Good. In any case you are safe, and that is enough. Was the mission completed?”
“It was.”

At a flick of Gwang-seon’s eyes, Danho picked up a bundle and limped forward to the platform. He had turned down Moyong Rin’s kind offer to hand it over for him. He wanted to present it himself.

Meanwhile the family head and the elders beside him watched Gwang-seon slide so naturally into the team leader’s role, and their eyes widened a little.

“Right up until they set out, was it not Gwang-seon who was trailing after the other two?”
“We worried he would hold them back. A superb talent, but still green as a warrior.”
“I had assumed Danho would take the team leader’s place, naturally.”
“Whatever can have happened out there.”

Gwang-seon jeered at Danho as he limped toward the platform.

“Why not deliver it tomorrow?”
“…”
“…Not the most devoted team leader, it would appear.”

The family head looked at the bundle Danho had set down and left.

“What is this?”
“The fruits of the ruins, sir.”

— Murmur, murmur—

“Was there anything left to pick up at that ruin site?”
“Hardly. Think how many have been through it. The last survey turned up nothing worth the name either.”
“They’ll have swept it clean without leaving so much as one scrap of meteoric iron. Was there anything left?”

With everyone’s eyes fixed on him,

Moyong Jin-seong untied the bundle.

— Shhhrrrk—

A great mass of meteoric-iron scraps came pouring out in a rush.

“Good heavens!”
“Heaven above, that many?”
“Where on earth was all of that hidden?”

Leaving the clamor behind him, the family head bent slowly at the waist and picked a tetrahedron up out of the heap of metal scraps.

“This is….”
“Something newly found on this survey. It is a shape none of us had seen before, and it looked as though it would need study, so I made sure to bring it back.”

Moyong Jin-seong stared at the tetrahedron as though he meant to bore through it. Gasps of admiration broke out among the elders as well.

“Hoh! Have you ever seen the like?”
“Never. You there — take particular care that word of this does not leak out.”
“Truly a wondrous and curious form.”
“This will turn the gangho on its head.”

The family head, too, let slip a word of admiration. That was an exceedingly rare thing.

“Truly splendid. A result the like of which we have never seen. The merit is greatly yours.”

He had assumed a survey meant no more than going up to gawp at the Three-Point Gate and coming home,

and here they were, bringing back a result of this size.

There was no denying it. It was worth more than all the dozens of earlier ruin surveys put together.

Just as a satisfied smile settled on Moyong Jin-seong’s face.

“We’re not finished yet.”

Gwang-seon stepped forward.

“Mm?”
“Yong-rin.”

At Gwang-seon’s call Moyong Rin nodded, went forward, and set a bundle caked with dried blood on the platform. Moyong Jin-seong looked down at it a moment, then untied it, and in the next instant the heads of two demonic warriors were laid bare before all the world.

“Hah—!”
“So it was a head after all.”
“I am curious whose. They’d hardly have brought back the head of some common street ruffian.”

Moyong Jin-seong looked the faces over closely and asked.

“Whose heads are these?”
“The Smiling Ghost’s and the One-Eyed Dragon’s.”
“The One-Eyed Dragon!”
“Th-the Smiling Ghost? That sword ghost who butchers men with a smile on his face?”
“Both of them notorious fiends of the Demonic Cult, are they not.”

A stir spread out like a wave. The platform that had cast the stone into that still water was, by contrast, silent.

The family head peered into the two faces, taking his time.

Time passed, and just as the stir was dying away.

“It is the One-Eyed Dragon.”
“…!”

Moyong Jin-seong’s voice rang out clear.

“I do not believe I have ever seen the Smiling Ghost wear a frightened face like that.”
“…!”

With every word out of his mouth the crowd stirred.

“You mean it’s real?”
“Masters of the Demonic Cult — how!”

Moyong Rin, who had been reading the mood, carefully offered up a bound book.

“I kept a detailed record of the survey. I hope it answers Father— no, the family head’s questions.”

Moyong Jin-seong took the book he was handed and leafed briskly through it. Her dainty little handwriting ran across it in neat rows. Her meticulous nature showed through.

A campfire, wavering. He could picture her easily enough by that dim light, rubbing her sleepy eyes, pressing down one character at a time.

Crackle, crackle— he could almost hear the sound of the campfire at his ear.

— Thup.

Moyong Jin-seong closed the book. Moyong Rin fidgeted, then lifted her head and stole a glance at him, her face tense.

“I shall read it closely.”
“Th-thank you, sir.”
“You have worked hard.”

Then his great hand reached out, and with a kindly smile he ruffled Moyong Rin’s hair.

“You make me proud.”
“…!”

Moyong Rin’s eyes went round. She blinked them at him through her newly tousled hair. For a moment she felt dazed. Her father was a man sparing with his praise. A shy little smile crept onto her mouth.

“I won’t disappoint you.”
“You never have. Nor will you.”

A faint smile touched Moyong Jin-seong’s mouth as well. He was a father who made a point of being sterner with the ones he cherished, and so chances to praise them came seldom. That was why he was glad, now, to be able to praise his youngest daughter.

“…”

Gwang-seon watched all this with a sour look. A father and daughter, having a tender talk over a pair of severed heads.

Is every last murim warrior a psychopath?

They didn’t look so very different from the Smiling Ghost, who cut people down with a smile.

While he was clicking his tongue inwardly.

“Is there more?”

Moyong Jin-seong asked, and Gwang-seon stepped forward. But something was odd. The bundle in his arms was thrashing wildly.

— Whump!

“Will you hold still?”

— Whiiine…

The family head asked, dumbfounded.

“And what is that?”
“It’ll be quicker to see for yourself.”

Gwang-seon untied the bundle with practiced hands.

“That’s—!”
“What!”

The elders shot to their feet. Fear rose in the eyes of the Moyong Family’s young as they watched.

“A-a monster…!?”

An Ear Rat, every tooth and claw pulled out of it, writhed against the ropes it was trussed up in. Fearsome rock-gnawing monster or not, bound like that it was no different from an ordinary beast.

“This is… is this not a monster?”

At last something like awe crossed Moyong Jin-seong’s eyes too.

“It is. They call it an Ear Rat, I hear.”
“You have… taken a monster alive?”

His voice was shaking.

“Yes. There was one that was unusually small. The others were huge for rats, but this one alone was only the size of a puppy. Looking at it now, it’s rather cute.”

The family head was at a loss for words. No one among the family’s young should have been capable of a result like this.

“Splendid… work.”

It did not take him long to open his mouth again.

“A dazzling result must have a reward to match it.”

Every eye went to Moyong Jin-seong’s mouth.

“Hear me. First place in this contest goes to…!”

Three names burst out like a thunderclap.

“Moyong Danho, Moyong Rin, Moyong Gwang-seon!”

— Waaaaah—!!!

Cheers burst out, and everyone came running at once to hoist the three of them up. The solemn elders, who never took part in such things, were the first to unfurl the lightness arts and set the example. What words could ever do justice to such a jubilee?

“…”

Shoved aside and reduced to cold leftovers in an instant, the three young warriors alone were left staring at it all with hollow eyes.

“Hm.”

I stood with my arms folded, looking at the things laid out on the floor. We’d washed and changed, so the air felt fresh.

Three treasured swords.

Only one had been meant to be handed out, but the result was so remarkable that we each got one. Three in all.

“Whoaa….”
“Ahhh.”

Danho and Moyong Rin had theirs drawn and were turning the blades this way and that, marveling all over again. I only watched them, sullen-faced.

“Hm. Is that all?”

It didn’t move me much. I’d have been happier with a well-made kitchen knife.

Maybe my attitude wasn’t sitting well with her. Moyong Rin, mouth hanging open as she ran her fingertips along the blade, shot me a glare.

“You’ve no idea how good a sword this is, have you?”
“Am I supposed to?”
“Are you even a warrior?”
“Beats me.”

I couldn’t work out my own identity either. A waiter, or a murim warrior? One thing was certain, at least: there could not be many waiters stronger than me. To find a match I’d have to go calling on the Hao Sect.

Danho shuffled forward on his backside, looking exasperated.

“Gwang-seon. Look at this snow-white blade. Doesn’t it look like clouds drifting?”
“Danho. I had no idea you were the sentimental sort.”

Even Danho, stiff about everything, had gone soft as pudding in front of a sword and turned into a scholar reciting poetry. Clouds, my foot. Looks like steamed white rice cake to me.

I ran my hand over the smooth blade and muttered.

“Well… sharp as it is, it’d be good for slicing meat.”

The two of them stared at me, dumbfounded.

“…You mean to use a treasured sword to slice meat?”
“I’ve half a mind to just take it off you.”
“Now that it’s come up, shall we give it a go? Pops! Bring out that pork we bought yesterday.”
“What? You’re serious?”
“What’s it to you? It’s my sword, I’ll use it how I like.”
“I-insolence!”
“Hand it over! You’re not fit to carry that sword.”
“This is unjust treatment! I shall lodge a formal complaint with the family head!”
“Go ahead. Father will crack your skull open himself.”
“Rin, grab his legs!”

— Crash-bang-bang!

Just as we were all tangled up making a shambles of the place,

the boss opened the door, came in, and said with a smile.

“Ho ho. Full of vigor, aren’t you. The Young Heroes of the great Moyong Family, and no mistake.”

While the Young Heroes of the great Moyong Family raked their hair back down and straightened their rumpled clothes,

the boss limped in and set a plate of snacks down between us.

Hugging the Pork-Slicing Demon-Cleaving Saber to my chest, I glanced over at him and said flatly.

“Boss. Your leg still hasn’t healed?”
“You may well ask. The physician says it might be with me for life.”
“That’s why I told you to lay off the drink.”
“I haven’t been drinking, you little wretch.”

The two Young Heroes of the great Moyong Family watched our exchange as though it were a curiosity.

“You Young Heroes have had a trying time of it. This one’s temper is something else. Nags so much it wears a person down, doesn’t it?”

That bit of banter delivered, the boss made a clumsy fist-and-palm salute to the two Young Heroes.

“Please look after our Gwang-seon. He’s prickly, he’s fussy, he’s stubborn as a mule, and he fell out of a persimmon tree as a boy so he’s a bit odd in places, but….”
“Boss.”
“But he’s good-natured underneath. If he blunders it won’t be from ill will, so please be generous and let it pass.”
“Your hands are the wrong way around.”

The two Young Heroes hurriedly got to their feet and returned the salute.

So you two are warriors after all, in your way.

“Not at all, sir. If anything it’s we who are in Gwang-seon’s debt.”
“Quite so. If it hadn’t been for Gwang-seon we’d never have completed this mission.”

The boss glanced at me and laughed out loud.

“I beg the Young Heroes not to make sport of this old man. I may have no eye for martial arts, but I’m not an utter fool. Help from this one, indeed. We should count ourselves lucky if he isn’t holding you back.”
“No, but it’s true….”

However much they said it, the boss didn’t look convinced. Get away with you. Don’t go teasing your elders, he says, and raps me on the head for it. I could die of the injustice.

“Well then, enjoy yourselves.”

The boss set the snacks down and limped out of the room. I watched him go and grumbled.

“Everybody else calls me a genius, and our boss is the only one who won’t believe it. I could die of the injustice.”

The two Young Heroes gazed at me.

“I’m jealous….”
“Of what?”
“There aren’t many grown-ups you can talk to that freely.”
“That’s right. You should know how blessed you are, Gwang-seon.”
“What are you talking about? If anything the boss should be grateful. He’s living high in a great and noble family because he’s got a prodigy like me.”

I grumbled words I didn’t mean, and the awkwardness in the air evaporated.

“Does the old gentleman know?”
“Know what?”
“That.”

Moyong Rin’s eyes were fixed on the ring on my finger.

“…He doesn’t. So keep it to yourselves.”

It wasn’t only the prizes that had brought us together. I had come clean with the two of them about my power, as far as I could tell them anything. I had picked up a special relic by chance at a ruin site, and the laser they’d seen was that power.

“Understood.”
“Don’t worry about that. We won’t breathe your secret anywhere.”

Thankfully, the two of them understood.

“Thanks.”
“We’re the ones who should be thanking you.”
“That’s right. We kept our lives more than once because of you, Gwang-seon.”
“But you’re sure it isn’t a Demonic Cult thing?”
“Is it that serious?”
“If Father had seen it he’d have called it the sinister power of the demonic paths and heterodox ways and smashed your skull in.¹”
“…”

I quietly hid my hand behind my back. That brought the number of people who knew my secret up to three.

Good people are rare, and those among them who keep faith are rarer still. Especially in this disordered world, where the demonic paths and heterodox ways run riot.

I’d rather the number didn’t go up from here….

Anyway.

“Danho.”
“Mm?”
“Where did that monster come from?”

The truth was, the puppy-sized little Ear Rat wasn’t something I had caught. Danho had suddenly handed it to me just before we reached the Moyong Family.

“General Hwa Mu-hong gave it to me.”
“The General did?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Said he caught it because it was interesting.”
“…”

He’d taken that fearsome rock-gnawing beast alive for no better reason than that it was interesting. Just how strong are the Ten Generals?

“And why hand it over?”
“Can’t eat it. Said he had no use for it, so I could just have it.”
“…”

What is he, a tsundere?²

Be that as it may. There was one more reason we had gathered here. This was the main event, really.

“Ahem.”
“…?”
“A-hem, hem.”

My eyes went to the wooden case sitting between us. The treasured swords had come as a triple-drop event, so we’d been able to split them one apiece without argument. Elixirs are precious, though, so we got only the one, as originally planned.

“Ah, this? I was wondering what he was on about.”
“You take it. We don’t need any.”

Unusually, the Great Heroes yielded without a fuss.

“Huh? Really? Is that all right?”
“Yeah. We’ve had plenty of elixirs as it is.”
“You have it.”
“’Preciate it.”
“’Preciate it?”
“It means thanks.”

At the kind-hearted Great Heroes’ concession I made no polite refusals and gladly took the wooden case.

“Heh heh.”

More internal energy. Enough goddamn internal energy to come spilling over the brim! This business had driven home the importance of internal energy all the harder.

Internal energy is king!

“Oh, don’t take that on your own. Go to Uncle Moyong Bi and ask him for a qi conduction so you absorb all of it properly.”
“Ohhh.”

I went straight off to find Moyong Bi.

True, I regarded Big Bro Un-cheon as my master.

But the martial arts I’d learned were the Moyong Family’s, so the right man for this was my martial arts teacher.

“Teacher Yong-bi.”
“You’ve come.”

Moyong Bi received me with the air of a genuinely great man. Having fought the Smiling Ghost with my life on the line, I could see it now. He was a far greater master than I’d thought. Which is to say Big Bro Un-cheon hadn’t been talking him up as a star-crossed genius for nothing.

But why “star-crossed genius”?

If he’s a genius, just say genius. I set the question aside and spoke in a grave tone.

“I want to get stronger.”
“You’ve had a lot to think about, it seems.”
“I have.”

It wasn’t only because of the Smiling Ghost. Ishtar’s faint smile still shimmered at the edge of my sight.

She told me to complete the constellations.

She must have meant other ruin sites. The road ahead was long, and for that I needed power.

Moyong Bi smiled, well pleased.

“Good to see. That is how a warrior ought to be. And by the look of it you’ve brought an elixir.”
“I have. Yong-rin told me to ask Teacher Yong-bi for a qi conduction.”
“Qi conduction is my specialty. You’ve come to the right man. Sit down.”
“Yes, sir.”

Moyong Bi laid a hand against my back and said.

“Once you’ve absorbed the elixir, let’s take up a sword art too. You seem to have got the Moyong Sword Art more or less mastered. The Sword of Flashing Light and Parting Clouds, or the Sword of Heaven and Earth, Sun and Moon. Which of the two will you learn?”
“I’ll learn both.”
“Impudent. I knew you’d say that.”

Listening to Moyong Bi’s laughter, I swallowed the elixir.

Hm.

My first elixir tasted of strawberry.