What Do I Even Know? (2)

A dozen or so officials ran frantically with Jang-ho at the lead.

When they reached their destination, an absurd scene unfolded.

It was truly a spectacle.

Seven colleagues from the Kaifeng administration were being led away bound by soldiers.

There were about thirty of them. The heavily armored soldiers were clearly an elite unit, each trained in martial arts.

It was when the tail of the procession reached a sparsely traveled path.

“Stop!”

At Jang-ho’s shout, the soldiers all halted at once.

Then the most conspicuous among the soldiers stepped forward.

Judging by the red tassel on his helm, he seemed to be a higher-grade officer commanding a unit.

He glared at Jang-ho with an expressionless face.

“What is the matter?”

“Why have you bound officials who are performing public duties!?”

“They are suspected of rebellion and will be investigated.”

What an outrageous thing to say.

Jang-ho stammered as he retorted.

“R-rebellion!? What kind of nonsense are you talking about!?”

“Stand back. Otherwise you will be treated as accomplices and bound as well.”

Jang-ho, stunned, fumbled inside his robe.

Then he took out and unfolded the public writ personally written by Wang Sa-pyeong.

“We are officials carrying out the magistrate’s orders! Can you vouch for what you’re saying?”

Wang Sa-pyeong was a heavyweight figure whom even the Golden Army wouldn’t dare molest.

Yet the officer’s face was full of composure.

“Ah. You mean Governor Wang? I fail to see what meaning a writ from someone arrested for treason would have.”

Wang Sa-pyeong, who went to the palace to see the emperor, was arrested?

No one believed him. They thought he was brazenly playing word games with the magistrate of Kaifeng.

They could only think that way.

Finally, Jang-ho’s eyes rolled in fury.

“W-what treason!? How dare you spout such nonsense!?”

At that moment the officer who had been glaring at Jang-ho lunged like lightning.

It was a sudden ambush.

Before he could dodge, the officer’s sole kicked Jang-ho in the chest.

Jang-ho flew several paces and crashed down ignominiously.

As if waiting, the soldiers all drew their swords simultaneously.

Shing-! Shing-shing-!!

The two head guards and a dozen guards were furious at the situation.

But there was nothing they could do.

They couldn’t fight the Golden Army; the numbers difference was overwhelming.

“Kneel down, all of you. Otherwise you’ll be considered traitors.”

The officer’s next remark left everyone stunned.

It was enough to make them wonder if the scene before them was a dream.

What on earth did the Golden Army intend by intimidating them like this?

To kneel would humiliate their pride.

But to refuse would spark a clash.

They were in a dilemma.

“Where has such sheer recklessness been seen?”

Head guard Yang Jeong, watching, couldn’t hold back and asked, but it was of no use.

“This is your final warning. Kneel.”

The Kaifeng administration officials boiled with indignation.

It was absurd, but what choice did they have?

Yang Jeong looked to the right and whispered in a dying voice.

“I will follow Brother Jang’s decision.”

Head guard Jang-ho squeezed his eyes shut; he couldn’t bring himself to kneel otherwise.

‘Damn it… if only a military officer had been here.’

It was a grievance that Jeon Chung, the Kaifeng administration’s top martial artist, was not present.

If he had been here, how could the Golden Army intimidate them with force?

But he had gone to the palace with Wang Sa-pyeong. Both had been missing for days, so they didn’t even know what had happened to them.

Jang-ho moved to kneel at the front.

Something was wrong.

Suddenly his knees wouldn’t bend.

“Brother Jang, there’s no time, decide quickly.”

“T-that’s strange. My knees won’t move.”

They couldn’t make sense of it.

It felt as if an invisible force wrapped around and constricted his legs.

“What do you mean by that?”

As the guard hesitated, the Golden Army officer scowled.

The atmosphere turned uglier, and murderous intent began to rise here and there.

Then someone walked forward from behind the officials.

“Don’t kneel.”

It was the soft voice of a girl.

Everyone turned their gaze there.

Beside Jang-ho, Yu Seol had her hands on her hips.

“G-Great warrior……”

“You haven’t done anything wrong, so why kneel?”

The situation had been thrown into chaos by the appearance of the Yin Monster.

She was a more reassuring ally than Jeon Chung, but just as dangerous.

While the officials hesitated, unsure what to do.

The Golden Army officer pointed at Yu Seol and asked.

“What is that brat? Do the Kaifeng administration’s guards these days even recruit kids?”

Yang Jeong urgently tried to stop him.

“Don’t judge by appearances. You may insult us, but spare your words for that person.”

“That person? Why is a head guard worried about a guard? Is she a relative of Lord Wang?”

“There are circumstances—stop provoking, or else……”

But the officer already wore a look as if he’d caught a fish at just the right time.

“What, or else? So the Kaifeng administration that should be upright is so corrupt.”

“N-no, that’s not it!”

He ignored them and pointed to one of his subordinates.

“Take that brat and interrogate her as well. Arrest her!”

One soldier placed his fist on his chest in salute.

“Salute!”

As an elite palace guard, his movements were full of discipline and spirit.

The soldier, expressionless, strode toward Yu Seol.

At the sight, Jang-ho and Yang Jeong wore looks of despair.

“N-no, don’t!”

They tried to stop him, but it was already too late.

The soldier was reaching out to grab Yu Seol by the hair.

His action was naturally prevented.

Thud-!

Yu Seol raised her right arm to defend her head and glared fiercely.

“You just hit me, didn’t you?”

The soldier froze, bewildered.

Then Yu Seol rolled up her left sleeve and showed it to the officials.

“You’ve scratched me here, haven’t you?”

Of course, there wasn’t a scratch on her arm.

She seemed only to be trying to prove she had been attacked first.

“Then what are you going to do!?”

The soldier who had tried to seize her hair reached out again.

But this time Yu Seol didn’t stand still.

Before his hand could reach her, Yu Seol’s instep traced an arc.

The soldier, his shin snapped, bent his knees and met Yu Seol eye to eye.

At that moment, a club that surged into the air came down on the back of his neck.

The soldier who collapsed made not a twitch.

Everyone gaped at the sudden turn of events.

She had knocked a Golden Army soldier flat.

Jang-ho and Yang Jeong were at a loss, bewildered.

“If you kill a Golden Army’s soldier……”

In fact, she had struck slightly off the vital point, so the soldier was still breathing.

But Yu Seol made no attempt to explain.

“Then just take a hit? I was defending myself.”

“W-well……”

Meanwhile the Golden Army officer’s face trembled.

As if he had suffered a grave insult, his eyes began to redden.

“You have just killed His Majesty’s soldier. Do you understand that?”

In such circumstances, one would normally be cowed.

Who would dare challenge the emperor’s authority?

But Yu Seol, as if unconcerned, tapped her palm with the club and replied.

“Do I have to know that too?”

There had never been such provocation.

The mood turned sharply cold.

Everyone in the Golden Army flushed. It was as if their blood boiled backwards.

The subordinates had already drawn their swords, waiting for the order.

He too slowly began to draw his sword from his waist.

“This justification is enough, kill her. I will take responsibility.”

The most hot-headed soldier leapt forward in a lead charge.

There was not a hint of hesitation in his sword strike; such movement was impossible without intense training.

Yu Seol did not flinch even as the blade approached her throat.

Just as her throat was about to be pierced.

Suddenly, as if by lie, the blade stopped in midair.

Everyone watching widened their eyes in astonishment.

Because Yu Seol had pinched the sword’s edge between her thumb and forefinger.

“W-what is that……”

“H-how did she do that……?”

The Golden Army soldiers honed inner energy into their weapons.

Who could snatch their blades with two fingers? And right before their eyes.

And the more bewildering part was what came next.

“…Guh.”

The soldier tried to pull back the sword, but it wouldn’t budge.

Even while gritting his teeth and straining.

The strength of both his hands couldn’t overcome two fingers.

Then Yu Seol turned her head to the right and asked Jang-ho.

“You saw that, right?”

“They tried to kill me first.”

Jang-ho couldn’t fathom her intent.

He tilted his head, his face full of unease.

“W-what do you mean by that……”

“Later, tell my grandpa properly about this, mister.”

Indeed, up until now Yu Seol had secured the justification for retaliation.

And from now on, there was no need for restraint.

One corner of Yu Seol’s mouth lifted slightly.

And then.

In the blink of an eye, the club in Yu Seol’s grip slammed into the soldier’s abdomen.

“Gahk!”

With a single cry he flew more than three paces and tumbled across the ground.

No one saw exactly how he had been struck.

Unimaginable movement.

And stunned by tremendous force, the soldiers were rendered mute, frozen and unsure what to do.

Meanwhile, the Kaifeng administration officials wore expressions that this had been expected.

“E-everyone, attack at once!”

Only now did the Golden Army officer realize something was amiss.

They were all soldiers who had received high-level training.

Having overcome their fear, they charged Yu Seol simultaneously.

“Die!”

“How dare that bitch!”

The officer also moved right and began to flank her.

Blades flew from all sides, but Yu Seol didn’t so much as blink.

With a violent boom, three soldiers were sent soaring into the air at once.

Screech-! Crunch-! Boom-!!

Every time the club cut through the air, a miserable scream followed.

No one could withstand a single blow.

Blades that met the club were immediately shattered, and the Golden Army’s heavy armor crumpled like paper.

In an instant the situation plummeted into chaos.

Meanwhile, about three paces away from there.

Guard Yang Jeong, dazed, asked Jang-ho.

“Brother Jang, what on earth is happening now? Shouldn’t we stop this?”

“Who? Me? Even escort Jeon Chung couldn’t stop that situation now.”

“W-what do we do… We’re finished now.”

Jang-ho’s eyes were half-rolled back as if resigned.

“There’s no turning back now. Probably… all of us will be hanged in succession.”