“There’s a pursuit on us.”
The carriage driver, a worker from Ma Mun, quietly warned us.
“Please move towards the escape route I mentioned.”
I’d already laid out plans for various scenarios today. I mechanically handed over my prepared words before analyzing the situation.
“Understood.”
“Have we been discovered?”
A high-ranking member from Tu Mun asked me.
“If we change direction, there will be a reaction. Let’s adapt based on the situation.”
It should have been perfect up until the drinking party, so why is there a pursuit? Am I still under suspicion? Or did they find out where I live?
Or could it be, no way…
“Dangerous…! Cough!”
Before I could finish my thought, I heard the driver’s scream.
“Ugh!”
The carriage loses its balance. My body is thrown off course. I experience weightlessness for a moment, as the carriage flips.
This is crazy!
The martial artist from Tu Mun steadied himself against one corner of the carriage and kicked at the door. The door flew off its hinges. Three of Tu Mun’s high-ranking members leapt out almost simultaneously.
What worthless brutes.
I struggle just to hold a bar while riding on a disco ride! I can’t be left behind!
I stomp my feet. The genius of light body movement had given me private lessons on his ascension technique, and I wasn’t planning on getting hurt this easily.
Though it was a moment late, I landed lightly on solid ground after the brief experience of weightlessness.
“Are you okay?!”
If you’re gonna ask how I am, at least save me first! I’m not too keen on being cradled by a guy, so I should count my blessings.
“I’m fine.”
As the Shadowless Thief, I couldn’t admit I was in danger. I nodded with composure.
“Surround them! Take out the black-haired one first!”
“The fake Shadowless Thief is the black-haired one! The rest can be killed!”
I could hear the approaching enemies.
“Seems we’ve been discovered.”
Where did they catch on? There’s no way I can return safely now.
“We’re quite far from the port. If they intended to move, they’d have set up a perimeter.”
“Thankfully, the horses are fine.”
I quickly offered a prayer for the driver who met his end somewhere and lifted a sturdy horse.
To escape the dominant forces of the Tu Mun beyond the Changjiang River, I needed to get to the port. I began saddling up the horse as I spoke.
“The martial artists will get in the way. Are you sure you can manage?”
“I’m well-versed in horsemanship. As I don’t know what’ll happen next, I need to conserve whatever energy I can.”
I had enough inner strength for five years. It was enough for a second-rate user but not for continually using the Shadowless Body Technique.
“You go ahead. I’ll buy you some time. Let’s meet at the rendezvous.”
“Please! Let’s go! Yah!”
Daylight will break soon. It’s a battle against time now. Why did they figure out my identity? I should be focusing on my next move instead.
I gripped the reins tightly and urged the horse forward.
————
“Catch them!”
“Tch!”
I soon found myself pursued from the other side.
Fortunately, the horse that Ma Mun provided was a fine breed capable of dodging lame pursuers, coupled with my solid horsemanship skills.
“Block their path!”
Two martial artists stood in my way. If this continued, the horse would get hurt.
“Stop!”
I pulled the reins to a sudden halt. The horse’s hind legs lifted momentarily as I focused my energy into my thighs.
Yo, horsey. Your life is on the line here. You think you can manage? Guiding the unbalanced horse’s hind legs, I shifted my waist while tensing my thighs.
Does it understand what I’m commanding? The horse turned 180 degrees in alignment with my direction.
“What the? Aaah!”
“Hind kick! You bastard!”
With all its might, the horse’s hind kick sent the two martial artists’ heads flying into the air.
“Puhuh!”
The fine steed seemed to enjoy the impromptu performance, kicking lightly afterward.
“Let’s move!”
The chase was only just beginning. Grabbing the reins again.
“Block that guy!”
Another barrier of people appeared straight ahead. This time, if I tried a hind kick, I’d be stabbed from the side.
But there is a solution.
“Drift!”
“Puhuhuh!”
I smoothly swerved, gliding alongside the horse.
“What kind of ridiculous horsemanship is that?!”
“Just a wild idiot, making fast and expensive purchases can’t help it!”
In Joseon, a wild rogue once bought a fine horse from the barbarian tribes and even learned horsemanship himself.
“Puhuh!”
One well done, partner. You’re the first to handle me so expertly.
I learned to understand the horse language enough to gauge its emotions and reactions just by observing its snorts and looks.
“I trust you since you were saved by Ma Mun!”
We broke through the encirclement and kept galloping.
“Block them!”
This was troublesome.
Chased from behind and facing armed martial artists ahead. I couldn’t see a way out. Should I crash through? If either of us gets hurt, we might get caught instantly.
“This way! Over here!”
At that moment, I saw someone waving from the second-floor window of an inn. A familiar figure from Si Mun. So this is where we are? Quickly assessing my surroundings, I realized–yes. This was one of our planned escape routes.
Perfect. There’s a way to survive.
“Go! Jump!”
I spurred the horse fiercely. The fine steed leapt over the people below as if it were an obstacle course.
“Puhuh!”
“It’s impossible!”
I dodged the incoming sword aimed at me. My feet might get pierced, but I couldn’t care less.
“Then! Double jump!”
“Puh, Puhuh?”
—Did you really mean to tell me to double jump?
Don’t panic. I’ll do it myself. I kicked off the horse’s back, propelling myself into the air.
“Thanks, partner!”
The horse floundered in midair, losing its direction as it began to plummet. The look of confusion in the horse’s eyes—no, that wasn’t just confusion; it was the true gaze of a loyal steed.
I exchanged one last look with the horse, giving it a thumbs up.
—I, its master, can’t go any further. Hurry and escape.
I’ll curse you. Damn thieving bastard! How can you repay kindness with betrayal?!
“I won’t forget your sacrifice!”
—I’m just an ordinary creature, but I’m happy I could save my master in the end.
How dare you! The one who served many noblemen and beautiful women! To be taken down by a mere barbarian!
“The audacity to face your end with such spirit! I’ll remember your sacrifice and name the next horse Merri (昧理)!”
I don’t know its real name, but it once galloped through the dawn. I’ll name it Merri (昧理). Farewell.
—I’ll curse you over and over again!
Master, it was a brief encounter, but it was enjoyable. Please take care.
“Thank you!”
There was an error in translating the horse’s language to human speech at the end, but there was no time to correct it.
I landed on the roof of the inn’s second floor right away.
“This way!”
The escape act wasn’t over yet.
————
I moved along the prepared escape route.
“There! Catch them!”
“Tch!”
I sprayed some incense I’d pre-prepared and widened the distance.
“Kugh! This bastard is cowardly using incense!”
“Aren’t you being cowardly having your buddies swarm in?!”
“How cowardly to speak the truth! Attack!”
Who’s going to get caught? I jumped over the wall and dashed into one of the mansions.
“They’ve entered the mansion! After them!”
How will they follow? That was premium intel I got from Tu Mun. No guards usually roam here, so it’s straightforward to escape through to the other side.
“Thief!!!”
What on earth are you doing here? As I vaulted over the wall, a couple stood there.
“It’s a thief!”
“We are NOT thieves! Well, I kinda am!”
What are people doing here?
“Catch the thief…!”
“If you scream like that, our husband will find out about us!”
The woman hurriedly muffled the man’s mouth.
“Ah! Have a good night!”
This is outrageous.
Fortunately, with the adulterous couple’s tacit approval, I rapidly made my way along the escape route.
“Welcome. Are you okay?”
I barely managed to arrive at the rendezvous spot, squeezing my inner strength, where two high-ranking members of Tu Mun awaited. Where’s the other person? I couldn’t bring myself to say and just collapsed in my seat.
“What about the boat?”
The rendezvous location was near the port. Once we secure a boat, we can return to the mansion where Im Ha-yeon and Miss Zhuge are waiting.
“I can see the port from the window. You should take a look.”
I strained to my feet and peered through a small gap in the window towards the port.
“Over there!!! You can’t pass!!!”
“Huh! Over there! Let’s check the cargo!”
“It’s laid out.”
Around the port, armed martial artists kept watch over their surroundings.
“It’s not yet dawn, so there aren’t many boats crossing the river. Whatever boat you try to board, you’ll get caught.”
“When’s the promised boatman coming?”
I had asked Ma Mun to find a boatman.
“Our source leaked the information. They got captured.”
This is madness.
“Isn’t there anywhere to get a small boat?”
“Bigger boats can cautiously depart, but until they push off, boatmen living day-to-day would end up discovered and found dead the next day.”
“Once we get south of the Changjiang River, they won’t move freely. This is troubling.”
Isn’t there a way? All we need is a boat.
“The rumors say the Do Mun folks set a trap.”
In the middle of my thoughts, a surprising piece of news arrived from the high-ranking member of Tu Mun.
“Is it civil war?”
“They say they are willing to go to bloodshed in search of the Shadowless Thief, and it looks like it will soon escalate to civil war.”
In the end, something I hoped wouldn’t happen has come to pass.
Now that they know I’m the fake, there’s no avoiding conflict.
“What will Tu Mun do now?”
“…….”
“Will the ascension be disrupted?”
If the civil war starts, Tu Mun said they would withdraw. But dawn is breaking now, the sun will rise soon.
It’s too late for the civil war to begin. When the sun rises, it will cause a temporary lull.
Even if Do Mun figured it out, it would be too late. The Tu Mun higher-ups must know this as well. The time is too far gone for the flames of civil war to engulf everything.
If Tu Mun chooses to play ignorant, there’s still a chance Im Ha-yeon can ascend as the Tu Mun lord.
“What if it’s disrupted?”
In that moment, I had to steady my racing heart with great effort.
What should I say? I’m thinking of a way to escape. Do I tell the truth? No, the higher-ups are not asking for plans from me.
It was “what if.” So they’re not asking for plans but…
“I’ll take responsibility. Even if I have to give up the daughter of the Tu Mun lord.”
Determination.
“Are you speaking as a higher-up?”
“As a lover, as a higher-up.”
A woman who decides to take responsibility sees it through to the end. That’s why I came this far. I looked at the high-ranking members of Tu Mun with a determined gaze.
The Tu Mun members stared at me for a while, then smiled and opened their mouths.
“……We’ll hold the ascension ceremony at the scheduled place once the sun sets and darkness falls.”
“Really?!”
“You two have come this far, haven’t you? This time we’ll persuade the remaining members.”
I did well to buy time. Deceiving Do Mun has not been in vain.
“Oh, we need to inform Im Ha-yeon quickly.”
“It’s problematic since we lack any sharp methods to cross the river. We’re in a situation of civil war now, so Do Mun won’t hesitate even if the sun rises.”
As soon as we secure a boat and cross the river, we can seize the upper hand. The problem is how to get a boat.
What about getting a boat from Seocheon Post Office?
Impossible. Boats from Seocheon Post Office don’t sail this far south of the Changjiang River.
Should I contact Ma Mun to find a boatman? But there’s not enough time. I risk getting our location exposed.
What do I do? For a moment, a plan flickered through my mind.
“I have a method.”
It’s a way to seize the first victory.
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