Chapter 353

Chapter 353
## Chapter 353. Escape (3)

—

The foremost rank among the leaders of the Sahwal Unit.

Currently, that role belonged to Il-gak.

It was not a position granted by any official decree, nor did he possess a single document of verification, yet Il-gak carried the weight of the 1st Squad Leader with a deep sense of duty.

“It appears they have ceased their pursuit.”

At this moment, an overwhelming surge of relief and pride washed over him for having executed that responsibility flawlessly.

“Unit Commander Jin! We managed to pull it off.”

It felt nearly beyond belief.

That they had truly broken free from that gruesome abyss.

Though catastrophic conditions had manifested one after another, they had ultimately prevailed.

This triumph did not come from the intervention or backing of Shaolin.

Nor had the influence of the Righteous Way Society cleared the path for them.

And it certainly wasn’t because the Murim Alliance stepped forward to handle the crisis once it grew beyond his own capabilities.

It was achieved by his personal resolve coupled with the unified spirit of the academy students.

And above all—

“Maintain your vigilance until the very end, everyone!”

It was the unwavering determination of Jin-so-un, who had guided their entire formation, that allowed them to navigate this grueling and treacherous trial.

Il-gak looked down at his palms before squeezing them into firm fists.

He was experiencing a sensation entirely unprecedented in his life.

A vibrant electricity coursed through his frame, reminiscent of the moment he had grasped a fraction of the Yeok-geun-gyeong’s truths during his past years of secluded wall-facing meditation.

Yet—

“What’s with that grin on your face? You hairless monk.”

“…….”

His unpredictable commander possessed an extraordinary knack for instantly deflating another person’s spirits, even in a moment of pure triumph.

‘……Must I simply view this as his unchangeable nature?’

The sacred teachings of Buddha advising one not to form opinions based merely on external appearances flashed through his mind, but regardless of how frequently he recited the phrase, concentrating solely on the underlying spirit proved difficult.

Even so.

Are not the sharp needles protecting a chestnut husk ultimately a crucial component of the chestnut itself?

He concluded that this individual was remarkably adept at generating sheer bewilderment.

“Unit Commander Jin. Does this victory not bring you joy?”

The academy students were likewise struggling to contain their exhilaration at having fled that literal slaughterhouse.

Despite the heavy burden of physical trauma and exhaustion, not a single person allowed their stride to falter.

“Is this victory not a testament to your leadership, Unit Commander Jin?”

Hearing Il-gak’s remark, Jin-so-un’s features twisted into a frown.

“Why are you standing around with a vacant expression as though our work is concluded? We are still an immense distance from safety.”

“What could you mean by that…… did we not successfully evade them?”

“Good grief. Tell me, where is the nearest prominent headquarters of the Murim Alliance relative to Gyeong-hong within Yunnan Province?”

Yunnan Province stood at the outermost fringes of what most considered the Central Plains.

This territory, frequently categorized as an isolated border region, was recognized as one of the locales most distant from the governing authority of the Murim Alliance.

Consequently, in contrast to the core provinces where multiple branches—sometimes near a dozen—were maintained within a single territory, Yunnan possessed only a solitary, modest outpost located in Kunming.

“Ah……”

As that reality registered in his mind, Il-gak experienced a sudden awakening.

“Precisely. Our journey is far from over.”

“But—even so.”

“Naturally, I comprehend the situation. Those adversaries will likely conclude that pursuing us further yields no advantage. Even with that being the case, is it not far wiser to remain alert than to take a blade to the spine while resting blindly?”

“…….”

Nothing is truly finished until the final step is taken.

Jin-so-un murmured those sentiments, his countenance regaining its stark gravity.

Il-gak silently chided himself for his own shortsightedness.

The mere fact that he had relaxed simply by escaping the boundaries of the Silent Forest stemmed from an unthinking assumption that the broader world remained securely under the jurisdiction of the Murim Alliance.

When he reflected that the primary reason they had endured such severe tribulations until now was rooted in precisely that brand of complacency…….

It signified that despite surviving this agonizing trial, he had fundamentally absorbed no wisdom.

‘You remain dense, Il-gak. Utterly dense.’

Since when had he traveled about masquerading as an expert on the ways of the world, pretending to possess true insight into the nature of existence?

When the veil was lifted, he was nothing more than an individual lacking real understanding.

He shifted his gaze toward the imposing, rock-like figure before him.

“What course of action should we pursue now? Ought we to seek out a minor local faction or some equivalent?”

“What purpose would it serve to seek refuge in a tiny clan that is practically indistinguishable from a common martial arts school? Do you wish for us to be slaughtered alongside them?”

“……Hmph. Nonetheless, traveling the entire distance to Kunming alongside these exhausted students is an impossibility.”

The wounded and the uninjured alike had reached the absolute nadir of their endurance.

From this juncture onward, they might very well perish not from an adversary’s strike, but by collapsing from sheer physical depletion.

There was no conceivable way Jin-so-un was blind to this reality.

“I am well aware of that. That is precisely the matter I am weighing.”

“Weighing…… what exactly?”

In an instant, Jin-so-un’s expression hardened.

As though he were contemplating a severe dilemma…….

“……I am pondering whether the public accounts will once again twist things in a bizarre direction.”

Accounts? What manner of public rumors was he referring to?

He was a figure around whom countless tales already swirled. Many of them were entirely fantastical.

Most importantly, because the man himself had always appeared profoundly indifferent to such gossip, Il-gak hadn’t given it much thought.

‘……Could it be that he actually harbors concern over such things?’

Regardless of the truth, it hardly seemed like a matter demanding priority at this moment, did it?

They had just navigated the precarious line between survival and demise, and a terrifying foe had materialized with the sole intent of wiping out the academy students.

In a crisis of this magnitude, to waver merely out of concern for ‘reputation.’

“Unit Commander Jin, what sort of senseless talk is that? To think you are experiencing anxiety over an issue so trivial.”

We are currently in a moment where survival must be secured by any means necessary, even if it requires taking what belongs to others.

They needed to endure so they could accurately report to the Murim Alliance the horrors they had witnessed within the Silent Forest.

Only by doing so could they mount a proper defense against such horrific adversaries.

“Why are you entertaining a concern so foreign to your character, Unit Commander Jin? Is this not an hour where staying alive supersedes all else?”

“I comprehend that perfectly. My only apprehension is that you lot will point accusing fingers solely at me later on, using the justification that you were merely complying with commands from a superior.”

Accusing fingers?

Il-gak felt a sudden wave of heat rush to his bald crown.

“Who in the world…… who!! Who could possibly dare to cast blame upon Unit Commander Jin? Were it not for your swift and resolute actions, every single student from the academy would have perished within the Silent Forest.”

“No, I grasp that as well……”

“Even if a few had managed to endure!! Their numbers wouldn’t even fill a single hand. If there exists anyone who harbors resentment regarding these choices, or anyone who views you with malice and attempts to defame your character.”

Il-gak took a deliberate step forward, thumping his own sternum.

“I, Il-gak, shall stand as your shield.”

How could anyone dare to mischaracterize a man who had delivered such results?

Il-gak spoke with increasing fervor, directed primarily at his own perceived shortcomings.

Be that as it may,

“……Hmm. Truly? Is that your stance.”

Jin-so-un replied with a remarkably detached tone.

“In that case, let us declare that this strategy was your proposal, 1st Squad Leader. What say you?”

“So be it.”

If it meant enduring a barrage of public scorn, he possessed more than enough resolve to bear that weight entirely.

Il-gak gave an assured nod of affirmation.

“…….”

And yet,

It would not be long before he experienced profound regret for that decision.

“Hah, hah, hah.”

The fleeting ecstasy of escaping that nightmare faded rapidly, leaving Jong-chu-ak on the absolute verge of delirium.

He understood perfectly well that halting their movement was out of the question, yet his physical frame refused to cooperate with his intellect.

No, he truly felt as though his life force was draining away.

It had been a considerable amount of time since he had lost all conscious awareness of whether his legs were even moving correctly.

Such a state was inevitable, given that he had been deprived of proper rest for days on end, pressing forward through both daylight and darkness.

‘Is there truly no alternative path?’

Journeying all the way to Kunming to reach the established headquarters was a logistical impossibility.

That being the case, if they threw themselves upon the mercy of a random faction in a territory populated exclusively by minor groups, they risked being annihilated alongside their hosts to ensure their silence, let alone obtaining adequate recuperation.

Furthermore, with such an abundance of severely wounded individuals among them, the lack of any local sect possessing the capacity to lodge such a crowd presented an insurmountable obstacle.

Dividing their forces to send out messengers for assistance was an equally absurd notion.

They were facing adversaries that posed a massive threat even when their entire complement stood united.

Attempting to engage the enemy while fragmented would be an even greater folly.

They were caught in a total bottleneck, paralyzed by a lack of viable options.

It mirrored the desperation they felt inside the Silent Forest, yet at this precise second—

Jong-chu-ak was breathing a massive sigh of gratitude that the burden of the Unit Commander position did not rest upon his shoulders.

‘Even so, it would be ideal if he arrived at a resolution shortly.’

To speak candidly, at this particular juncture, the prospect of dying mid-combat was beginning to seem preferable to this torment.

Naturally, that was merely the exhaustion talking.

Regardless, even the most brutal training regimens at the main temple failed to match the sheer agony of this march.

Right then.

“Endure for just a brief moment longer! Relief is on the horizon!”

An authoritative shout echoed from the vanguard.

The voice belonged to none other than Jin-so-un.

“Our 1st Squad Leader Il-gak has offered an exceptionally brilliant recommendation. While the strategy possesses certain inherent risks, I am entirely capable of managing the remaining details.”

Eh? Why was Il-gak’s name being invoked so suddenly? And why specifically under these circumstances……?

However, the disclosure that followed immediately caused his initial bewilderment to evaporate entirely.

“Once we cross the threshold of that destination, I shall personally guarantee that you receive medical aid and can recuperate in safety under a watchful guard!”

Could such a haven actually exist?
To be granted medical care and the opportunity to rest securely…….

Within these borders, there was no faction aligned with the White Way that possessed such capabilities.

He pondered whether there might be an influential trading collective or a security bureau holding ties to the Murim Alliance, yet no such establishment came to mind.

Yunnan was a domain so utterly isolated from the Central Plains that, save for a scarce few factions, it remained a territory where even basic outposts were absent.

‘He must have a definitive plan.’

Jong-chu-ak, whose mind was too depleted to expend further energy on analysis, dismissed his wandering thoughts.

How much further did they press on in that manner?

Whispers and murmurs began to ripple through the ranks of the Sahwal Unit.

“Wh-where exactly are we heading at this moment?”

“Indeed……. Well, the Unit Commander spoke with such absolute certainty. He must possess an answer.”

“Has my mind begun to fail me? This trajectory does not seem correct……?”

Were they truly wasting energy on such anxieties at a time like this? They must still possess a reservoir of strength.

As for Jong-chu-ak, regardless of the nature of the destination or the strategy employed, his solitary desire was to halt his feet as swiftly as possible.

“Hold on, hold on, th-this is highly abnormal.”

“Y-yes.”

The undercurrent of panic grew steadily more pronounced.

“Su-surely he wouldn’t tempt fate like that, right?”

“They indicated that monk Il-gak suggested this course. It cannot be what it seems.”

“Be that as it may……”

“…….”

As the rising tide of murmurs grew increasingly disruptive, Jong-chu-ak snapped in irritation.

“Keep your mouths shut and run. This is a direct order from the Unit Commander!”

“Brother Jong. Even so, you must realize……”

“What of it? Now that your lives are secured, do you suddenly find it degrading to follow directives? And you dare to call yourselves pupils of the White Way……”

“No, Brother Jong! Observe our surroundings carefully. Right here! Are you aware of whose domain this is?”

Jong-chu-ak exhaled sharply through his nose and shifted his vision toward the direction the other student was indicating.

“As if I possess any familiarity with the terrain of Yunnan……”

And upon the marker the individual was pointing toward—

“…….”

Totems carved in the likeness of vipers and arachnids stood arrayed in a stark line flanking the path.

“Can you truly not recognize the territory even after witnessing that?”

“…….”

How could he possibly fail to recognize it?

That specific emblem was among the symbols most universally dreaded by any follower of the White Way.

“……Why, why does it stand here……”

As he forced his mind back to reality and focused on the path ahead, a colossal fortress-like compound materialized before his eyes.

The grand threshold, constructed from heavy stone blocks rather than timber, loomed overhead like the defensive wall of a citadel.

The unrefined, utilitarian architecture made it abundantly clear that this structure could be converted into an impenetrable fortification at a moment’s notice.

And affixed directly above the massive gateway—

“This location is……”

The signage explicitly informed them that this was the stronghold of the master who claimed the very emblem they had just observed along the road.

“Ma-Mandok-mun?!!!”

Dan-se-ung, the esteemed Sect Leader of the Mandok-mun, retired to his personal chambers at an uncharacteristically early hour for the first time in a long while.

A heavy fatigue had settled over him, the result of spending several restless nights tossing and turning due to the unceasing disturbances radiating from the Silent Forest over the past few days.

‘Miserable wretches.’

The young trainees from the academy who descended upon the region once every twelve years never failed to push the patience of the Mandok-mun to its absolute limit.

To be clear, it wasn’t that he harbored any anxiety regarding potential damage inflicted upon the Mandok-mun itself.

No matter how gifted they might be, they remained nothing more than unseasoned fledglings who had only recently taken their first steps into the Jianghu.

Nevertheless, it irritated him immensely that these novices were creating such a ruckus within the Silent Forest.

When all was said and done, the Silent Forest served as the primary wealth repository for the Mandok-mun.

It was a domain where an infinite variety of venomous organisms could be harvested, and where entirely unique toxic species manifested regularly.

The Silent Forest held such immense value as a sanctuary for practitioners of the toxic arts that even the renowned Dang Family had contemplated founding an outpost within its borders.

Reflecting on the fact that a pack of novices was rampaging through such a crucial location and disrupting its balance naturally caused his temper to flare.

Of course, in past cycles, they had confined themselves to their designated routes, established temporary encampments, and simply bided their time before departing, so he hadn’t expended much worry. This time, however, they had caused an unprecedented uproar.

He remained entirely ignorant of their specific endeavors, but the echoes of detonations had reverberated across the terrain without pause, and they had even ignited a countless sea of signals during the dark hours.

‘Are they waging a campaign against phantoms or some such nonsense? ……It appears this particular generation contains an abundance of lunatics.’

From the outset, those anomalous entities were by no means creatures that could be hunted through conventional means.

Dan-se-ung understood this reality better than anyone, having personally ventured into the depths to test his skills against them.

Those anomalies were clearly not products of this terrestrial realm, but rather entities that had descended directly from the higher firmament.

At any rate, a faction within the Mandok-mun had advocated for an expedition into the Silent Forest to ascertain the nature of the chaos, but ultimately, he refrained from deploying anyone into the woods.

The Murim Alliance maintained a strangely hyper-reactive stance regarding matters involving the academy students.

Weighing the potential administrative headaches that might arise down the road, it was far more prudent to simply avert his eyes, cover his ears, and avoid creating any entanglement from the start.

As his thoughts drifted further, the image of a particular individual surfaced in his mind.

‘They claimed that specific fellow was acting as the chief voice for the academy.’

The practitioner of the White Way whom he had encountered during his business with the Sa-heuk-ryeon.

While they had never formally exchanged courtesies face-to-face, he was an individual who had carved an exceptionally deep impression upon him.

Though unrecognized by official histories, he was the singular force who had essentially preserved the existence of the Sa-heuk-ryeon.

‘He is a truly peculiar entity.’

During the hunt for the infiltrator who had breached the defenses of the Sa-heuk-ryeon, that fellow executed maneuvers so unorthodox and ruthless that it became impossible to discern whether he belonged to the Righteous or the Dark factions.

Furthermore, he was an individual who went so far as to jeopardize his own survival to preserve the life of the Chief Strategist of the Sa-heuk-ryeon, who by all rights stood as his primary adversary.

For Dan-se-ung, who occupied a pivotal leadership mantle within the Sa-heuk-ryeon, that man undoubtedly evoked a complex tapestry of sentiments.

‘Hmm…… since his path has brought him here during this cycle, should I perhaps seek out an audience…….’

Dan-se-ung considered the notion briefly before dismissing it with a shake of his head.

When all was said and done, the man had bestowed a monumental benefit upon the Sa-heuk-ryeon. If he were to initiate contact, it would inevitably spark highly unfavorable rumors, which would subsequently damage his prospects for future integration or leverage within the Murim Alliance.

He could not bring himself to inflict such an inconvenience upon a benefactor.

Moreover, it would draw an entirely unnecessary amount of scrutiny toward his own house.

If fate ever decreed that he should look upon that individual’s face again…….

‘That encounter could only properly unfold upon a field of combat.’

For such was the unalterable nature of the boundary separating the Black Way and the White Way.

Precisely at that moment.

*Thud, thud, thud.*

The echo of hurried, unpolished footsteps reverberated through the corridor.

Promptly thereafter, the anxious voice of an attendant drifted through the partition.

“M-Sect Leader. Have you already retired for the night?”

To think that anyone would dare disturb him during these hours, when they were acutely aware of how long it had been since he had last enjoyed a peaceful night’s rest.

Dan-se-ung’s response carried a distinctly sharp edge.

“State your business!”

“A-about that, it appears your immediate presence is required outside……”

To demand his appearance without offering a shred of context.

To address him, the absolute master of the sect, in the dead of night?

Dan-se-ung narrowed his eyes, releasing a heavy breath of irritation.

“I demanded to know what has occurred.”

“That is……”

For reasons unknown, an intense hesitation could be felt from the figure standing beyond the wood.

Ultimately losing his patience, Dan-se-ung violently cast his blankets aside, strode forward, and wrenched the door open with an aggressive *slam*.

“What manner of crisis could possibly justify fracturing my rest at this hour of the night!!!”

“Th-that, we have a visitor…… no, an adversary…… gah, I am at a loss for how to properly designate them……”

Witnessing the utterly fragmented and incoherent babbling of his subordinate, Dan-se-ung’s complexion began to flush with rising anger.

“You…… do you harbor a desire to purge blood from your lower bowels continuously for an entire week?”

“Eek! N-no, my lord. It is not that, but there is an individual…… rather, a personage demanding an audience with the Sect Leader this very moment.”

“Demanding an audience with me?”

At this hour?

Though he had chosen to retire somewhat early, the night had progressed to an advanced watch.

Just who was this incredibly audacious character who dared disrupt the evening hours of Dan-se-ung, the man widely revered as the Night King of Yunnan?

Dan-se-ung threw his sweeping formal robe over his shoulders and swept past his trembling subordinate as he advanced through the halls.

Concealed within the folds of his long garment rested a vast arsenal of lethal toxins, capable of rendering any foe a liquefied corpse before they could advance five paces.

He exited his personal quarters with measured, deliberate strides, navigating past the various pavilions and traversing the expansive central training grounds.

The moment he arrived at the perimeter of the primary threshold—

“Ha……”

His brow furrowed deeply at the sight of the Mandok-mun’s sentries and disciples all drawn up in a rigid, defensive formation.

“What is the meaning of this layout?! Have our defenses been breached by an assault!”

“Initially, that was our precise assessment as well……”

He brushed past the stammering guard whose lack of clarity was testing his patience today, arriving directly before the massive wooden barrier.

At that moment, the gatekeepers, who had been frozen in a state of sheer panic, quickly cleared the path, and the monumental main doors slowly ground open with a prolonged, metallic screech.

And there—

“Ah! Greetings!”

……Positioned directly before that grand threshold stood an entirely unpredicted figure, delivering a completely unpredicted salutation.

“Have you been maintaining good health? Your color appears significantly more robust than when our paths last crossed.”

The casual, natural manner in which the newcomer inquired after his well-being was so profound that Dan-se-ung briefly found himself questioning whether he and this individual had been lifelong companions.

“Jin-so-un……”

“Ah! You retain memory of me. Sect Leader.”

Swiftly, Dan-se-ung’s focus shifted past Jin-so-un’s shoulder.

The spectacle arrayed behind him was even more surreal.

A crowd of young men and women who bore all the hallmarks of White Way disciples stood frozen with shell-shocked expressions, looking for all the world like a band of destitute vagrants.

“……What is the meaning of this display?”

“Ah, regarding that.”

Jin-so-un offered a radiant beam, a serene smile curling the edges of his lips.

“To provide a brief summary, a few complications arose.”

Just as he was preparing to unleash a torrent of fury at an explanation so absurdly brief—

“Consequently, the matter stands thus……”

The authoritative, untroubled voice of Jin-so-un pressed onward.

“Might I request medical attention for our stricken comrades, alongside the provision of sustenance and quarters?”

He made the request with a face so entirely devoid of shame, as if he had merely arrived to collect a deposit he had previously left in their care.

“…….”

Dan-se-ung found himself utterly devoid of speech.

“Reflect upon the sheer extremity of our circumstances that would compel me to seek out your doorstep in this manner.”

The words flowed from Jin-so-un, who continued to smile brilliantly, his countenance gleaming under the moonlight.

“You grasp the reality of the situation, do you not?”

Mainly because he failed to grasp even a single shred of it.