Chapter 400

Chapter 400
## Chapter 400. Personal Revenge (10)

—

Our aggressive pushback decimated nearly half of the tailing squad, prompting the remaining trackers to back off considerably. The arrival of dawn certainly played a part in this shift, as the morning light now afforded them a crystal-clear view of us from afar.

“How should we handle them?”

Sa-ryeon inquired, her brow furrowed with anxiety.

“Would it be best if I rode out and shook them off for good?”

“No need. Leave them be.”

Even if we exhausted ourselves wiping out every single tracker right now, a fresh squad would simply take their place. On top of that, reacting too defensively would only validate their suspicions that Dam Ak was traveling with us. There was no point in confirming their hunches so early; keeping them guessing was the far better strategy for now.

“Pull the carriage over.”

“Pardon? Right here?”

“Yes. We need to eat regardless.”

The adversaries were wound incredibly tight. Catching them off guard with an erratic move would throw them into disarray, just like what happened during the designated hours.

The speeding transport gradually slowed as we approached a sprawling clearing off to the side of the main highway. It served as a common rest stop where passing travelers occasionally paused to refresh themselves. I forbade both the members of the Tae-eul Sect and Dam Ak from stepping outside. Only a small group—consisting of myself, Sa-ryeon, and the masked warriors of the Black Way—remained outdoors to assemble the food.

The meal required minimal effort, as we merely needed to suspend a pot over a fire and boil water to rehydrate dried rice, meat jerky, and preserved greens. When a few bold trackers attempted to creep closer, I unleashed a small volley of arrows, sending them scattering backward like skittish felines.

“It feels as though a noose is slowly tightening around us.”

Sa-ryeon muttered quietly. Despite watching the enemy retreat, her expression remained profoundly uneasy. Unlike the Gold, Silver, and Bronze brothers, she had never experienced a relentless, high-stakes manhunt before. Being the target of a chase inflicted a heavy psychological toll.

The guards from Saheuk-ryeon were similarly affected. Despite possessing far greater experience in the *Kangho* and more rigorous conditioning than Sa-ryeon, they could barely swallow the porridge provided to them, their appetites entirely suppressed.

“I can’t force this down either.”

Suddenly, Dang Seo-hui nudged her bowl toward me, more than half of its contents still untouched. I looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.

“No treats for you until that bowl is completely empty.”

“……When you’re running for your life, survival food consists entirely of jerky and confections.”

I could understand the jerky…… but where on earth did sweets enter the equation?

“Finish the porridge, or you won’t be receiving any more sweets for the rest of this trip.”

Leaving a pouting Dang Seo-hui behind to retrieve her food, I walked over to our transport. Slipping inside through a narrowly cracked door to keep the interior hidden from outside eyes, I discovered someone else who was neglecting his meal just like her.

“Eat something first. We’ll be moving again shortly.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can easily gulp it down once the heat drops.”

Dam Ak replied without stopping his frantic writing. Two freshly completed volumes were already stacked neatly beside him. From the looks of it, he had been composing text without a single pause since the journey began.

“What exactly are you drafting with such urgency?”

“You could consider it a final testament of sorts.”

“……Did you not enlist my aid to help you get away?”

He paused his swift brushstrokes for a brief second, casting a glance in my direction before returning his focus to the parchment and resuming his work.

“I requested an escape, but I never explicitly asked you to preserve my life.”

“…….”

Setting his brush aside for a brief moment, Dam Ak looked directly at me for the first time.

“So do not overexert yourself on my account. I have no desire to accumulate another unpayable obligation on my way out. Even now, Jin-gong-ja has already done far more than enough.”

Despite the detachment in his words, a faint smile graced his lips, leaving me entirely speechless. It was an unsettling sensation—knowing he was trying to shield me from the consequences, yet feeling frustrated by it nonetheless. Choosing to show my displeasure through action rather than words, I pulled the carriage door shut with a heavy thud.

—

The tailing force, which had kept its distance for a time, resumed their offensive as reinforcements swelled their ranks. Having grown wary of hidden projectiles and lethal toxins, the adversaries resorted to long-range warfare, showering us with arrows and javelins. Under the relentless barrage, our carriage was quickly riddled with shafts until it resembled a porcupine.

“Ugh!”

The first casualties began to fall.

“The Saheuk-ryeon…….”

In a tragic turn, a guard pierced through a vital organ by a stray arrow gasped out the name of the Saheuk-ryeon as his companion held him close, drawing his final breath right there. He looked exactly like the doomed soldiers of the So-jeong Unit from my previous life. Consumed by fury, one of the convoy guards charged blindly into the thicket to hunt down the archers, never to be seen again.

With two men lost so pointlessly, our escort group dwindled to a mere seven individuals. Among them were the three scholars, including Dam Ak himself. As the grim reality set in, the academics found it increasingly difficult to mask their sheer terror.

In stark contrast, Dam Ak remained completely unbothered by the chaos. The only change was the sheer velocity of his brushwork inside the jostling cabin. Like a man feeding the final embers of his existence, he scribbled away as if possessed by an otherworldly force. What kind of final testament required such frantic composition in the middle of a crisis? And what demanded so many words?

Though my mind swirled with questions, there was no luxury of time to ponder them.

*Preeeee—*

A sharp cry cut through the air as a messenger eagle from Hao-mun arrived with fresh intelligence.

—The Maengho Unit of the Wudang Sect is closing in.
—The Taehwa Unit of the Jeomchang Sect is closing in.

These were not mere scouting parties; the primary combat units were mobilizing. This was an incredibly aggressive response for a mere retaliation against the Six-Family Spear Style. Had an internal shift occurred within the Murim Alliance? My original strategy involved reaching Namjeong before executing our final play, but I would have to accelerate the timeline.

“Whoa, easy now.”

I tugged hard on the reins, causing the lead carriage to lose momentum. As our vehicle ground to a halt, the line of transports trailing behind us slowed in tandem. Once we stopped completely, I made my way to the carriage housing the members of the Tae-eul Sect. Sliding the door open, I found the Sect Leader gripping his weapon, clearly anticipating this moment.

“This is happening sooner than anticipated.”

“The opposition is moving with unexpected speed.”

“I see.”

The Sect Leader stepped down to the road, accompanying me toward the vehicle containing the Saheuk-ryeon contingent. Noting the arrival of myself and Sect Leader Hong Mun-gi, Dam Ak offered a quiet nod and brought his writing to a close. The two scholars responsible for preparing his ink had their fingers stained completely black from their non-stop labor throughout the ride.

“This side has concluded its work just in time as well.”

Having compiled five comprehensive texts, Dam Ak stepped out of the vehicle with the books cradled in his arms. The remaining scholars relocated to the transport belonging to the Tae-eul Sect, while the surviving Saheuk-ryeon escorts abandoned their carriage to mount their steeds.

“We are prepared.”

From this juncture onward, our paths would diverge, parting ways even with the Tae-eul Sect. As I gestured toward Dang Seo-hui and Jegal Cheon-gi to signal the next move, Dam Ak shook his head in disapproval.

“I must ask that the rest of you accompany the Tae-eul Sect instead.”

Dam Ak was suddenly upending the entire framework of our operational plan.

“General Counselor……”

“Remaining by my side will only guarantee your demise.”

Hearing Dam Ak’s detached pronouncement, an outraged Saheuk-ryeon guard lunged forward aggressively.

“We cannot allow that!”

Dam Ak countered with a slow, unyielding shake of his head.

“There is no purpose in spilling more blood in vain. Convey my deepest regrets to the Alliance Leader for my inability to fulfill our pact.”

He passed the five compiled volumes into the custody of the protesting guard.

“Within these pages, I have outlined the strategic path for the conflict following my passing, along with the precise methodologies required to dismantle the Nine Great Sects and One Union. Once this reaches the strategists within the Saheuk-ryeon’s Counselor Department, they will know exactly how to proceed.”

The documents he had referred to as a final testament were actually a blueprint designed to sustain the future of the Saheuk-ryeon long after he was gone.

“Absolutely not! We refuse to abandon you!”

“No. My journey ends here. It is the sole method by which the Saheuk-ryeon—and all of you—can survive.”

Though he possessed not a single shred of martial cultivation, the sheer gravitas he exuded made it impossible to challenge him. The escorts found themselves utterly paralyzed, unable to voice a single objection to his face.

“The resurrection of the Saheuk-ryeon will be forged from my sacrifice. Leave now, without delay.”

*This fellow keeps spouting absolute nonsense.*

Tired of the debate, I stepped forward and rapidly struck his meridian points before he could react.

*Tak, tak, tak.*

Dam Ak’s eyes fluttered as his consciousness began to slip.

“Jin…… Gong……”

He strained with everything he had to glare at me, fighting the paralysis, but an ordinary man devoid of martial arts stood zero chance against a properly executed meridian strike.

“What…… have you……”

“You were talking far too much.”

“That is…… absurd……”

With those final words, Dam Ak lost consciousness entirely. I caught his falling form and hoisted him securely onto my saddle. Turning around, I met the bewildered stares of the remaining escorts.

“What are you standing around for? Move out.”

“Excuse me?”

“Even if he has a death wish, your duty is to deliver him back alive. Isn’t that what guards are for?”

“……Ah, right.”

Exchanging glances that clearly questioned the ethics of kidnaping their own strategist, the guards quickly scrambled onto their mounts. I turned my attention to Dang Seo-hui.

“I’m relying on you, Dang *Sunbae*.”

“Leave it to me.”

Acknowledging the request with a nod, Dang Seo-hui readjusted her facial covering and leaped into the air, vanishing from sight.

*’……With that distinct turquoise-green garment, everyone is going to realize she’s from the Dang Family anyway.’*

It seemed she simply had a particular fondness for the mask.

Leaving her to deal with the remaining trackers, I approached Sect Leader Hong.

“I’ve received word that the Maengho Unit from Wudang and the Taehwa Unit from Jeomchang are converging on this location.”

Despite the mention of two powerhouse sects like Wudang and Jeomchang, the Sect Leader’s composure remained entirely unshaken.

“Do not fret over us. Focus on your own safety.”

“Understood.”

As I turned to bid farewell to my father, who was stationed at the rear of the Tae-eul Sect group, an object sailed through the air toward me. I caught it instinctively.

“What is this for?”

Looking down, I recognized the item immediately, prompting me to question him.

“Isn’t this the Thousand-Silk Treasure Cloth?”

“Put it on before you leave. I was informed your previous one was destroyed.”

He had clearly remembered my casual mention of losing the prior one.

“You should keep it for yourself, Father. I’ll be fine.”

In our current predicament, my father was arguably in far greater jeopardy than I was. Just as I prepared to toss the Thousand-Silk Treasure Cloth back to him—

“If you refuse to wear that and perish out there, I will not hesitate to join you in the afterlife.”

“…….”

The absolute gravity in my father’s tone sent a shockwave through the nearby Tae-eul Sect members, causing them to whip their heads around. I was equally stunned by his words. He simply stared back, completely resolute.

“I place my full faith in my brethren, which is why I insisted on coming along. If you feel the same about your companions, then prioritize your own survival first.”

Faced with such an unyielding stance, I found it impossible to argue or return the garment.

*Ping— Pang!*

A brief moment later, a colorful flare erupted in the sky—Dang Seo-hui’s signal indicating that the remaining pursuers had been entirely neutralized.

“Go.”

At my father’s abrupt command, I snapped the reins, sending the horse into a gallop.

“Stay safe.”

—

Even after the departure of Jin So-un and Dam Ak, the remaining carriages maintained a steady pace. The deception depended on the assumption that Dam Ak was still riding within the main transport. The scholars of the Saheuk-ryeon alongside Jin Tae-san remained concealed within the cabin, while the disciples of the Tae-eul Sect assumed defensive positions around the exterior.

Hong Mun-gi turned to look at his daughter, who had somehow transformed into a capable young woman before his eyes.

“Have you been dealing with situations like this frequently?”

“Ugh…… don’t even get me started. Every single day felt like balancing on the edge of a blade.”

Though her words sounded like a sharp complaint, her features were taut with deep apprehension. Yet beneath that anxiety lay an undeniable sense of absolute trust. Realizing how much her mature expression contradicted her blunt words, he couldn’t help but note how rapidly she had grown. For that matter, when had that young fellow Jin So-un managed to mature to the point of shielding the older generation?

A wave of intense self-reproach washed over him as he realized how oblivious he had been. The fact that the boy had carried such immense burdens without ever seeking help from his elders meant he had been navigating that agonizing loneliness entirely on his own. The Sect Leader could not stop the rising tide of guilt within his chest.

“It is our failure as the elders that forced him into this position.”

“Huh? Oh, no. That’s not what I meant at all……”

He offered a comforting pat to Sa-ryeon’s shoulder as she fumbled for words.

“Do not dwell on it. Moving forward, we will carry So-un’s burdens alongside him.”

Their conversation was cut short. For the past several minutes, a collection of incredibly powerful presences had been closing the distance at an astonishing velocity. These were no ordinary scouts or simple tracking parties.

These were true elites—the kind of high-tier martial artists normally stationed at a sect’s ancestral peak or within the central hubs of the Murim Alliance.

“Spur the horses!”

They attempted to accelerate the transport, but the gap between them and their pursuers refused to widen.

“Everyone, hold your ground and do not engage prematurely.”

These were not opponents that could be dealt with through half-hearted skirmishes; they required a direct, unyielding confrontation.

*’Is it Wudang, or perhaps Jeomchang?’*

Regardless of their specific affiliation, they were dangerous adversaries. True to form, the pursuing force didn’t merely close the distance behind the carriage; they rapidly surged ahead, cutting off our path and dropping down to block the road ahead.

The dust kicked up by their sudden arrival settled instantly, as if suppressed by an immense pressure. The display triggered a sharp sense of familiarity within Hong Mun-gi, bringing back vivid memories of the time the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering had paid a visit to the Tae-eul Sect.

*’……It truly felt like a miraculous display when I witnessed it for the first time.’*

Squaring his shoulders, he cast his gaze directly ahead. A blockade of thirty martial artists stood directly across the public highway. Unlike the previous encounters, these individuals wore no masks. A single glance at the distinctive insignia emblazoned upon their robes made their allegiance instantly clear.

*’Jeomchang.’*

The figure leading the group hoisted his weapon high, signaling for the carriage to halt.

“Wh-what are our orders, sir?”

In response to the anxious coachman, Hong Mun-gi gave a firm nod, prompting the driver to pull back on the reins and bring the vehicle to a gradual stop.

*Screeeech—*

The carriage ground to a halt, its metal fittings groaning under the sudden friction.

“We will be conducting an immediate search.”

The Jeomchang martial artist stated his purpose aggressively, skipping any semblance of formal introductions.

“A search, you say?”

“A fugitive from the Murim Alliance has fled custody, and we are currently tracking him down. Step aside and cooperate!”

The warrior began marching confidently toward the carriage door. At that exact moment—

*Sseugong—*

A sharp wave of compressed force erupted from Hong Mun-gi’s blade, slicing a distinct line into the dirt right before the advancing man’s feet.

“What is the meaning of this!”

*Ching!*

The Jeomchang warrior bared his weapon, his eyes burning with lethal intent. Hong Mun-gi looked down at him from his position, completely unperturbed.

“You expect me to stand idly by while a group of nameless strangers attempts to aggressively ransack my transport?”

“Are you losing your mind…… can you honestly claim ignorance regarding this emblem?”

The man bellowed arrogantly, gesturing aggressively toward the crest on his uniform. Watching the display, Hong Mun-gi let out a silent, bitter chuckle.

*’In days past, I would have accepted this treatment as a matter of course.’*

Their absolute disregard for authority, their complete lack of basic respect. He had once viewed such behavior as an inevitable reality of the world, failing to understand that it was an indignity forced upon him solely because his sect lacked the power to push back.

“Who do you serve?”

“Wh-what did you say?”

Hong Mun-gi raised a hand, pointing toward a small pennant fluttering from the roof of the vehicle.

“Did your masters fail to instruct you on the identity behind this crest?”

“……I recognize it. But does that give you the right to draw steel against me?”

“Are you familiar with the Tae-eul Sect?”

“I am. I am also aware that your organization is currently harboring a fugitive.”

“In that case, produce the official authorization document.”

“…….”

The Jeomchang warrior offered no reply, choosing instead to glare at Hong Mun-gi with murderous intent. Yet it was Hong Mun-gi’s voice, laced with sudden authority, that completely dominated the clearing.

“Am I to understand you have initiated this insult without so much as a legal warrant? If that is the case, what separates your conduct from the vile actions of the common Black Way thugs you claim to despise?”

*Grind.*

The sound of gnashing teeth echoed from the Jeomchang lead, his weapon trembling violently as if it might strike at any second. Before the situation could boil over, another individual emerged from the blockade, raising his hands in a respectful fist salute.

“I am Jang So-pyeong, Commander of the Taehwa Unit. Might I inquire as to your identity?”

“I am Hong Mun-gi of the Tae-eul Sect.”

Jang So-pyeong paused briefly, searching his memory for the name, before letting out a disappointed sigh when nothing came to mind.

“The name does not ring a bell. What rank do you hold?”

“I am the Leader of this Sect.”

“……I see.”

Despite learning that an ordinary disciple had just shown gross disrespect to the leader of another sect, none of the Jeomchang martial artists showed even a flicker of embarrassment. Hong Mun-gi felt a cold chill as the grim reality of the Tae-eul Sect’s diminished status stared him in the face—a harsh truth he had spent years ignoring. Jang So-pyeong continued, his demeanor growing even more relaxed and dismissive.

“If that is your position, then you must be fully aware of the transgression your people have committed.”

“And what transgression might that be?”

“As previously stated, we are tracking a dangerous traitor. Furthermore, we have confirmed intelligence indicating that your sect is actively assisting this individual.”

Even so, Hong Mun-gi refused to let his presence be swallowed by the opposition.

“You have been thrown around the word ‘traitor’ repeatedly, yet you have failed to provide a single name.”

“…….”

“Do you expect us to believe you are executing lawful duties when you cannot even identify the target?”

“The matter is strictly confidential.”

*Confidentiality? What a blatant deception.* Had this been the old Hong Mun-gi, he likely would have thrown open the carriage doors himself, perhaps even humbling himself to prove their innocence beyond a shadow of a doubt. Yes, he undoubtedly would have chosen that path, comforting himself with the lie that opening a door was a minor concession to preserve the peace.

But his perspective had shifted. This was no longer about a simple wooden door.

“How utterly ridiculous.”

“What do you find so amusing?”

“I have finally realized that what you consider ‘obvious’ is nothing more than sheer arrogance, so how can I do anything but laugh?”

Jang So-pyeong unsheathed his blade completely.

“I will take that as a formal refusal to cooperate.”

Hong Mun-gi let out a sharp scoff.

“Then by all means, attempt to take what you want through the brute force you all rely on so heavily.”

In an instant, thirty blades hissed from their scabbards simultaneously. In the past, such a sight would have set his knees knocking with terror, draining every ounce of resolve from his grip.

“Come then!”

Yet as he faced down the threat, Hong Mun-gi’s spirit remained profoundly calm, more tranquil than it had ever been in his entire life.