Play The Winning Move. (2)

The resistance headquarters felt different—tense and watchful. Word had spread that Jeon Sa-ryong and his subordinates were patrolling outside. Residents and even the warriors held their breath and froze. The cave entrance was heavy with silence.

Two shadows fell across the mouth of the cave at once.

Swoosh!

“It’s so quiet you’d think a mouse had died.”

“Yeah, I told everyone.”

They must have shaken off Jeon Sa-ryong, reached headquarters, and completed their mission.

Yu Jinsan looked at his granddaughter with a proud smile.

“Well done, child. Thanks to you, it seems everyone is safe.”

He again noticed just how much his senses had sharpened. The flow of qi he could sense from afar now allowed him to detect hundreds at once; he could even feel their breathing and heartbeats. The change in his body made a smile creep across his face.

“Like it, grandpa?”

Yu Jinsan straightened and feigned bewilderment.

“What do you mean?”

“I saw you. You were smiling the whole time.”

“Ahem! It’s nothing. Now let’s go inside.”

They chatted as they moved and found elite warriors standing guard. One face he recognized was Ma Cheol, who managed the training hall. He leaned in and whispered,

“You’re back, elder? You’ve really been through a lot.”

“Hmm, what hardship. Where is the captain?”

“Probably in the operations room.”

It lay at the far end of the ant-hill-like underground headquarters. The grandfather and granddaughter continued toward it, passing hundreds of silent people who seemed to have been muzzled. Had speaking been forbidden? The only ones free to chatter were the Yin Yang Twin Monster.

“Tsk tsk. How can people live like this? What crime did they commit…”

It was a pitiful sight. If this continued, they’d live worse than livestock and die the same way.

Yu Seol nodded as if agreeing with her grandfather.

“Let’s finish quickly. I won’t forgive them for making so many people suffer.”

Yu Jinsan narrowed his eyes and asked matter-of-factly,

“You have confidence, right?”

It was the vital question—everything depended on his granddaughter’s hands. Jeon Sa-ryong was the strongest warrior they’d encountered so far. Fortunately, her answer reassured him.

“Me, grandpa. Don’t you trust Seol?”

“How could I not? Of course I trust you.”

The granddaughter, born to fight, never backed down. Yu Seol’s body was already fired up; she clenched her fist and steeled herself.

“Next time we meet, I’ll take that guy’s head off.”

Yu Jinsan snorted and raised the stakes with a grin.

“Oh yes. Dried food tastes better once you cut away the bitter parts. You’ll probably meet him soon.”

By the time they’d finished chatting, they reached their destination and saw the resistance leaders seated around a stone table: Il Kwang and Commander Yeon Cho-hee, with Captains Jong-hyun and Im Pyeong-il.

“Why are you all sitting so seriously?” Yu Jinsan teased, and everyone sprang to their feet.

Captain Jong-hyun gestured to an empty chair. “We’ve been waiting eagerly for the big brothers. Please sit.”

“Thank you.”

When the Yin Yang Twin Monster sat together, Yeon Cho-hee asked anxiously,

“I heard Jeon Sa-ryong led the Golden Guards out. Is that still the case?”

Yu Seol nodded. “That’s right. He’s searching for us now.”

The problem was they didn’t know how long the search would last. Judging by Jeon Sa-ryong’s frantic behavior, he seemed determined to continue until he found them. “Then… is it possible he won’t discover this place?” someone asked.

Finding an underground lava cave from the surface wasn’t easy—the resistance had stumbled on it years ago—but with Jeon Sa-ryong there were no guarantees. Only the Yin Monster would know the Profound Realm’s detection limits.

After a moment’s thought Yu Seol tapped the ceiling with her finger and answered, “Places with high ceilings can be sensed from above.” It was limited to shallower ground, but it meant they weren’t entirely safe. They were relying on luck.

“One day we’ll inevitably be discovered. If that happens, it’ll be a terrible disaster.”

This hideout sheltered all the survivors of Sea Dragon Island; if the enemy poured in, catastrophe was inevitable. The leaders grew grim, but the Yin Yang Twin Monster remained composed. Finally, Yu Jinsan spoke.

“If you hold out for just four days, everything will be fine.”

Il Kwang’s closed eyes opened; his murmur betrayed interest. “What do you mean by that?”

Yu Jinsan pointed to the edge of the map etched on the stone table: the coastal pier where a supply ship docked every five days—a place his granddaughter’s ambush team had already struck three times.

“At the next docking, Jeon Sa-ryong himself will be guarding that place.”

He was certain. Jeon Sa-ryong would know he couldn’t stop that shipment unless he intervened personally.

Yeon Cho-hee’s eyes widened. “Are you thinking of making a decisive move?”

“Yes. We’ll finish it that day.”

They couldn’t move now—the exact location of Jeon Sa-ryong was unknown. If the resistance’s experts left their posts and timing slipped, the headquarters could be wiped out. The arrival of the next ship was the perfect opportunity.

“The numerical balance of top warriors doesn’t match. Is there a chance of success?” someone asked.

Yu Jinsan smiled meaningfully and nodded. “I’ve checked the number of Golden Guards remaining. Only three are left, so we can take them head-on.”

Yeon Cho-hee still looked puzzled. “Jeon Sa-ryong will be handled by the Yin Monster big brother, right? And if the commander and the Yang Monster big brother each take one Golden Guard, won’t there still be one left?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle two of the Golden Guards.”

The commander and Captain Jong-hyun blinked in bewilderment, but Il Kwang, sensing something, agreed.

“Even before this meeting, I thought your qi felt different. Did something happen?”

Explaining everything in detail would take too long—and even telling the truth might not convince them. “I’ll just say there’s a story behind it. In any case, I’ll tie up two of the Golden Guards.”

Il Kwang no longer questioned Yu Jinsan’s confidence. One other problem remained.

“Understood. Let’s say we match the number of top warriors as the Yang Monster big brother said. Then what about the other guys?” The non-supreme warriors were overwhelmingly inferior in number. The red-masked fighters, possessing martial skills near the peak, couldn’t be ignored—if they used a formation, they could threaten even top experts.

Yu Jinsan had already thought ahead. “I’ve seen poisonous herbs cultivated widely across this island, and the enemy guarded them carefully.”

“That’s right. They deployed many troops to guard the herb fields from us.”

“But today I saw their defenses seem greatly reduced.”

“Of course. The Yin Monster big brother swept them all away.”

It was part of what his granddaughter had accomplished while he’d been in the training hall. Yu Jinsan planned to exploit that.

“Just before the fight starts, our warriors will raid the herb fields across the island and set them on fire. Once the smoke rises, the enemy will be forced to disperse their forces.”

There would be no need for direct confrontation; they could start fires and withdraw.

Understanding finally dawned, Il Kwang clapped his hands in delight. “Hahaha! As expected of the Yang Monster big brother! That’s the right plan.”

Other leaders nodded. Perhaps because the decisive battle was near, a solemn determination settled over everyone. Captain Jong-hyun even choked up as he repeatedly offered thanks.

“Thank you so much. If you big brothers hadn’t come to this island, we wouldn’t have dreamed of reaching this point.”

“The most important battle is still ahead; save your thanks until it’s over.”

Just as Jong-hyun was about to respond, Yu Seol raised a hand and cut him off.

“Wait a moment.”

“…Yes?”

She put a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. Everyone exchanged puzzled looks; Yu Jinsan’s brow tightened. His granddaughter’s reaction was strange.

“Don’t you hear that?”

After the hall fell still and another breath passed, Yu Jinsan’s face darkened.

“…No way?”

Il Kwang’s smile vanished.

Only now did they sense it.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The underground headquarters trembled. The thudding came from the surface above.

Yu Seol told her grandfather with a grave expression, “I think Jeon Sa-ryong has found this place.”

Plans always had variables. Exhausted, Yu Jinsan sighed.

“This is maddening. To be discovered so easily…”

“He’ll probably break through and come down within an hour or so.”

Her estimate was likely accurate. They didn’t have much time.

Yu Jinsan sketched the situation in his head and, after a moment’s thought, decided.

“Nothing changes. Only the place and timing are being moved up.”

Yeon Cho-hee agreed. “Captain, assemble the warriors immediately and carry out the mission.”

“Yes, Commander. We’ll go out through the emergency exit.”

Captain Jong-hyun jumped up and dashed away like an arrow. There was no time to hesitate.

After he left, Yu Seol spoke with a grave face. “If the enemies pour in from the center, the residents will be harmed, so the three of you must go up first.”

Jeon Sa-ryong would likely break through from the surface; they were to go to the entrance first and draw him out.

Before she finished, the Yin Yang Twin Monster were already standing.

“We’ll go out first.”

How long had she waited for this moment? Yu Seol’s body tingled with anticipation; she couldn’t hold back.

Yu Jinsan walked quietly down the passage with his granddaughter, giving Il Kwang and Yeon Cho-hee a moment to finalize plans.

“Child. From now on, let’s show them how terrifying the Yin Yang Twin Monster can be.”

“Yeah. Let’s go out quickly, grandpa.”

Gripping their twin dragon spears, they hurried to the entrance. The thudding from above grew louder. Alarms blared and chaos erupted. Residents clung to one another and trembled while warriors rushed to form ranks. Captain Jong-hyun shouted, rallying the troops.

“Brothers, the moment of decisive battle has come! This is the last chance the Yin Yang Twin Monster big brothers gave us! We will win and take back this island!!”

Having been discovered, there was no need for silence anymore. Filled with morale, the warriors raised their weapons and roared.

“Waaaaah!”

“Waaaaaah!!”

The Yin Yang Twin Monster pushed through the ranks and reached the cave mouth. At the same instant they launched from the underground.

Swoosh!

Soaring high, they scanned the surroundings and spotted five red-masked fighters searching for the entrance. It would help to thin their numbers before the main fight.

“I’ll take the three on the left.”

“No way. Whoever takes them first owns them.”

Yu Jinsan moved to strike, but Yu Seol was a step quicker.

The two descended like twin bolts of lightning.

Thud! Slash!!

Two short impacts rang out, and before the enemies could react, two soldiers collapsed. Their comrades began to blow horns in frantic alarm.