Chapter: 814
The season is still fall.
Finally, the green leaves are starting to change color and autumn leaves are beginning to fall.
I walked up along the quiet path for quite a while.
There was no time to appreciate a landscape that looked beautiful.
All I could hear was the sound of shallow breaths.
A group of people who looked only lightly exhausted were gathered and walking up the road.
As of yesterday, even the discomfort they felt seemed to have vanished from my ears.
The destination was just ahead, and they no longer had the strength to cry out about their discomfort.
It was a forced march, and these were days enough to drive someone insane.
“Ah, I see the destination ahead!”
At the words of one person, everyone’s breath hitched.
As the place they had longed for appeared, the weary emotions were revitalized.
After climbing the stairs for a while, we finally reached a large door, and as soon as the people arrived, the door opened as if it had been eagerly waiting for them.
It was all thanks to the individuals already standing guard at the door.
Creaaaak—!
As the door swung open, a person appeared.
It was a middle-aged man with a friendly demeanor, who smiled warmly at the people but then opened his mouth to speak.
“Welcome from the Main Temple—”
“Ewww…!”
“W-we’ve arrived—!”
“Get outta the way—!”
“…several…?!”
Before the middle-aged man could finish his sentence, the crowd seized the opportunity and surged inside.
The intensity of their urgency was such that no one could impede their advance.
As the crowd squeezed past the door and filed in, they began to plop down immediately.
“Gahhh…!”
“P-please… some water…”
“…Uh… What is this…?”
Everyone looked as if they were in a daze, staggering around to the point it was almost frightening.
The appearance of the person who seemed to be the manager depicted nothing but shock at the unexpected sight.
What in the world is this situation?
While the man pondered, lost in thought for a while…
“Nice to meet you.”
A bright voice interrupted, and he turned abruptly, startled.
A young man was approaching with a smile that, strangely enough, sent shivers down his spine.
Panic needed to be minimized, after all.
“Oh, goodness. I’ve heard so much about you!”
He could tell at first glance who it was.
The young man was indeed the one he had been waiting for.
In the current world, it was simply unfathomable not to know this young man.
Moreover, just look at the robe he wore.
That was an official sword insignia from this guild, and it was something only granted to those at the highest echelon.
This was unmistakable proof of his identity.
The middle-aged man managed a strained smile and addressed the young man.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty. I am Mokri Seon, the branch manager of the Sacheon Branch.”
“This is Gu Yangcheon of Seongryongdae.”
“Thank you for your effort in coming such a long way.”
“Oh, no. Why make such a fuss? It wasn’t hard at all.”
“Ah, I see…”
Mokri Seon cast a sidelong glance, and in his peripheral vision, he saw what appeared to be the faces of warriors collapsed on the ground, desperately gulping for air.
They said it wasn’t hard, but why in the world did they end up like that?
And then.
‘Is this young man indeed… the new leader?’
He looked quite youthful. He appeared even younger than my son.
Could it be true that this young man had rescued people in Hanam and then ascended to the rank of a king-level warrior?
It seemed unbelievable no matter how he thought about it. But…
‘… Since the Main Temple confirmed it, I guess I have to believe it.’
Being affirmed not by anyone else but by the Main Temple held a weight that couldn’t be ignored.
Whether Mokri Seon believed it or not was irrelevant.
While making that judgment, Mokri Seon casually glanced around.
Hmm?
He realized something was off.
“Excuse me…”
“Yes?”
“I heard that the Blue Dragon Lord accompanied you as well…?”
He had received word through a letter that the Blue Dragon Lord and his entourage were to arrive, yet for some reason, there was no sign of the Ilcheong Sword.
“Oh, that…”
At the question, the king chuckled lightly.
“The Blue Dragon will arrive two to three days later.”
“Yes?”
“We were in a bit of a hurry. It seems that Cheongryongdae will take their time.”
“Oh, I see,”
So they had rushed in. Mokri Seon nodded upon hearing that.
As mentioned, it was indeed quick.
They had expected to arrive at least five days later, but the fact that they made it so soon revealed just how swiftly Seongryongdae had traveled.
‘… No way. So?’
Only then did Mokri Seon understand why these warriors looked so exhausted.
They had arrived five days earlier than planned.
To achieve that, they must have traveled at incredible speeds from Hanam to here, almost without any breaks.
Could that be why they looked like that?
Mokri Seon cautiously began to harbor suspicion.
No, he was almost convinced, yet there was a reason he couldn’t be completely certain.
‘Why are only half of them worn out?’
Many were completely exhausted, yet the other half looked at least somewhat intact, despite being weary.
In particular, the women were remarkably fresh and lively.
‘Moreover, why do they all look so pretty?’
One after another, their appearances were outstanding.
As Mokri Seon inadvertently became captivated while observing them, he came across one woman and widened his eyes slightly.
“Huh…! Are you perhaps Lady Dang?”
“Ah.”
A woman with green hair.
Surprised to see Dang So-yeol, a member of the Tang family, he instinctively acknowledged her.
At his reaction, Dang So-yeol responded with a sheepish smile and a nod.
“… It’s been a while.”
“Have you been well all this time?”
“Yes, I’m doing well.”
“Who would have thought that you would join the Murim Alliance… Oh, I hope the head of the family is doing well…?”
“…Yes. He is doing well too…”
An awkward conversation unfolded; since the branch was Sacheon, there was a familiar connection with the Tang family, making it comfortable to interact.
Meanwhile, Gu Yangcheon had quietly watched and slightly furrowed his brows.
“Vice-captain.”
“Oh, yes, Lord.”
He called out to Dang So-yeol in a low voice.
“Now that you’ve arrived, please get your accommodations in order. I need to speak with the branch manager.”
“How should we rest?”
“Rest….”
Gu Yangcheon glanced subtly, noting the worn-out expressions that were bordering on lifelessness.
Looking at that scene, he maintained a slight smile and stated, “Take a break today and gather by In-si (寅時) tomorrow. Make sure not to skip your night shifts just because you’re tired.”
“Understood.”
Upon hearing those words, a cheer of exhaustion spread among the crowd.
The fact that they could rest for even a day seemed to bring them joy.
Watching this unfold, Gu Yangcheon shook his head.
He certainly disapproved of the spectacle.
‘What a fuss over so little.’
After all, they’d only had to run a bit faster, so was that truly so exhausting?
Of course, it would be tough for the lower-skilled ones in the mix.
‘The pace was set to the slowest among them.’
It was a speed adjusted to allow everyone to keep up, somehow.
If it had been paced to his level, they could have arrived much quicker than they did.
Even with that courtesy extended to them, they still looked like they were at their breaking point.
‘Tsk, tsk.’
He had much more to say, but eventually decided to brush it off since they had managed to arrive.
Regardless of everything, the essential fact was they had made it to Sacheon.
Once the personnel were turned over to Dang So-yeol, Gu Yangcheon followed the branch manager into a room.
“Thank you once again for coming…”
“No need for thanks. I’m only doing what I was sent here to do.”
“… Hahaha. You must be worn out upon arrival. Are you sure it’s fine not to rest?”
“I’m fine. It’s really not that difficult, so please go ahead.”
“Oh, I see…”
After concluding their light chat, Gu Yangcheon promptly retrieved a letter from his robes and handed it over.
“This is the seal and confirmation from the alliance.”
“Thank you. I’ve received it.”
This signified that he had acted according to the guild’s decree and was now ready to embark on his mission.
As he took it, Mokri Seon also produced a letter in turn.
“This pertains to the information we have verified so far.”
“There’s not that much information, is there?”
“Yes. It mostly contains concise summaries.”
Counting, there were about five sheets.
“Hmm.”
Rustle.
He quietly examined the contents of the letter.
The overall substance was not much greater than what had been previously shared by Mukyeon.
If he had to compare…
‘The difference in the frequency of contact with unknown individuals.’
The earlier reports claimed that they had been in contact for about five days out of two weeks.
However, at this point, it was nearing more than half.
Upon realizing this, he inquired of Mokri Seon.
“Do you have the identities of those you’ve been meeting at Gyecheonmun?”
“Well… Based on what we’ve deduced, they seem to be from the upper echelons…”
“Meaning it’s not firmly established, I take it?”
“…That’s correct.”
After hearing this, Gu Yangcheon nodded.
“Indeed. Gyecheonmun is known for its notably aggressive nature; it would seem peculiar that an upper class frequently associates with them.”
After flipping through a couple of pages of the letter, he turned to Mokri Seon and added.
“But is there a specific reason you assume these individuals are of the upper class?”
“Oh, that’s….”
Aha.
By uttering those words, Mokri Seon suddenly narrowed his eyes, sensing something amiss.
‘What’s going so smoothly here?’
Writing a report to a major general might seem standard, yet something felt off.
‘…Why does everything seem so natural?’
He had heard that before Seongwang ascended, he was just a lower-ranking official, yet their exchange flowed so casually.
It felt more like dialogues one would have with seasoned veterans, at least at the team leader level.
The rapport was palpable.
“When I followed up, I found out they operate in the Guangdong region…”
“Guangdong?”
“Yes. They’re associated with a group called Choya Sangdan. In reality, they exist…”
As Mokri Seon trailed off, Gu Yangcheon seamlessly picked up where he left off.
“They might have just borrowed that identity. They would have to be insane to do business so openly with a sect that’s fallen out of favor with the Murim Alliance.”
“…Yes, that seems accurate.”
“Hmm.”
After this, the two exchanged thoughts a couple more times.
He continued to read through the letter, eager for more detail.
Time trickled away like this.
“I understand Gyecheonmun is planning some sort of operation, yet I can’t find any ties to the Demonic Cult here. What’s the situation with Gwiakchang?”
Mokri Seon swallowed dryly before responding to Gu Yangcheon’s inquiry.
“Among those presumed to be escorting members, we spotted someone whose appearance bears a strong resemblance to Gwiakchang.”
“Hmmm…so it’s not certain, then.”
“Yes, however, their recent activities have been quite unusual. It’s strange for those who have usually kept a low profile to suddenly be so active. If the Demonic Cult is up to something like in Hanam…”
Mokri Seon swallowed once more, looking tense as he continued.
“In particular… given that the strength of the Tang family has weakened, I felt we needed to consider alternate responses.”
“So you sent word to the Main Temple requesting additional support… is that what you’re implying?”
“Correct.”
At Mokri Seon’s affirmation, Gu Yangcheon methodically folded the letter and tucked it away.
“That sounds reasonable. The information is well-organized and easily digestible. I can sense you’ve exerted effort.”
“Haha… it’s nothing. I’m merely fulfilling my duties as branch manager.”
“Chief Mok is undoubtedly correct; Gyecheonmun’s behavior is unusual. We’ll proceed with an investigation now that we’re here.”
Mokri Seon’s demeanor brightened in response to Gu Yangcheon’s statement. A wave of relief washed over him.
“Understood. Should I prepare the personnel from the branch for support?”
“Yes, that would be helpful. Oh, and…”
Gu Yangcheon inclined his head slightly as he addressed Mokri Seon.
“Please prepare the original content prior to summarization and send it to me later.”
“Pardon?”
Mokri Seon appeared taken aback at those words.
“Why do you wish for the information pre-summary…? Ah, if you felt the information was lacking, I can certainly organize it once more…”
“That’s not the case. However, to obtain a clearer view, I think it’d be more efficient to sort it yourself. I’d appreciate your assistance.”
“Ah… understood.”
Mokri Seon exhibited a subtly startled reaction but quickly regained his composure.
Observing him quietly, Gu Yangcheon was the first to rise.
“I think I’ve gathered everything I need to know. I’ll be on my way now.”
“If you would, I’ll guide you to your accommodations immediately.”
“No, that’s not necessary. I’m planning to step outside for a minute.”
“Excuse me? You’re leaving?”
Mokri Seon reacted in surprise to Gu Yangcheon’s words.
How could he be leaving so soon after just arriving?
“You mentioned you’d be resting today…”
“That was for the main team. I have some matters to attend to, but I won’t be long.”
Gu Yangcheon spoke with a smile, offering a slight bow.
“Well then, see you later.”
“Uh… yes… see you later.”
Mokri Seon appeared unsettled; Gu Yangcheon disregarded him entirely, turning his back and grasping the doorknob.
At that moment, Gu Yangcheon had already wiped the smile completely off his face.
With a chilling expression, he thought to himself.
‘I see.’
While he was still uncertain about what had transpired at Gyecheonmun or similar matters, one thing settled firmly in his mind.
‘I suppose I’ll have to deal with the branch manager first.’
Mok Ri-seon, the branch manager of Sacheon.
This guy was a schemer.
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