72 - Missions, Intelligence (3) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

After three years as a gatekeeper, Wang Sam thought to himself that gatekeepers must be among those who face the most adversity and hardship in the world. "I'm tired." Tired, and it was both hard and tormenting. Meeting countless people he had never seen before day after day, inspecting and re-inspecting them was more torturous than boring. He was convinced that if anyone dared call a gatekeeper a lazy idler who just hangs around the gate, he would be ready to punch them right in the face. "The time for shift change..." Wang Sam looked up at the sun hanging high in the sky. It seemed a good while until his relief would arrive. His face involuntarily scowled. Wang Sam stopped another person, and with familiar motions, he stopped a carriage. "Halt." At his word, the coachman, who had a weaselly face, flinched. He seemed to cautiously glance inside the carriage. There's a saying, "Even a hunting dog can recite poems after three years at a village school." What about a human then, and not just any human but a trained warrior, doing the same job for three years? From the coachman's subtle actions, Wang Sam could tell the type of carriage this was. "He must be escorting his master." Someone of high status must be inside the carriage. And likely, they weren't of the best temperament. Surely, the anxiety crossing the weaselly face of the coachman was evidence enough for that. Wang Sam was certain. The person inside the carriage must have a particularly volatile disposition. "What brings you here?" At Wang Sam's query, the coachman tentatively stepped down and approached him. Soon after, he spoke in a low voice. "My, my master has traveled here from Kangseo for sightseeing. His temper is a bit foul at the moment, could you perhaps let us pass without fuss?" A hint of desperation seemed to flicker in the coachman's eyes. Wang Sam snorted disdainfully. It was almost always like this. Those serving the high and mighty knew only to fear their masters, not the gatekeepers. They fail to recognize that he, too, was a soldier serving the country, drawing a salary for his service. Wang Sam declared loudly, as if to dismiss any objections. "There are no exceptions in inspection! The passenger in the carriage, come out and show your face!" His voice was loud enough to cause murmurs in the long queue that had formed. This was one of Wang Sam's nasty little pleasures. Seeing people of high status dragged out by his mere words to face embarrassment was practically a motivation for him to endure his dreadful gatekeeping life. The color drained from the coachman's face. His already sly look turned to one of sheer horror, as if he had become a snow weasel himself. "I, I told you! My master is not in a good mood..." The coachman stomped his feet in protest. At that moment, the carriage door flung open. Out stepped a young man with a gentle demeanor. However, Wang Sam was certain the fearful master wasn't him. This could be seen from the young man's humble attire and slightly pallid face. Wang Sam noticed a hint of resentment on the face of the young man who had met his gaze. The reason became immediately clear as the young man laid himself down on the ground, becoming a human stepping stone. In three years as a gatekeeper, Wang Sam had scarcely witnessed such a spectacle more than five times. A sense of unease began to creep upon him. "Could he be that volatile?" Wang Sam's eyes twitched as if caught in an earthquake, and he gulped nervously. Instinct warned him. What would come next must be the epitome of nuisances. A person of high status so demanding that even his full capabilities as a gatekeeper might fall short. "I shall not retreat!" As Wang Sam made this resolution, "Useless thing." A man's voice laden with irritation rang out. It was quite a deep and resonant voice. Then, from the carriage stepped out a man. "What in the...!" Wang Sam was startled. And for good reason, the man's face was exceedingly unsightly. "How can a person be so ugly!" A bulbous nose, cheeks swollen as if stung by bees, puffy lips, and eyelids so droopy his eyes were barely visible. Coupled with a scowl, it was hard to tell if he was human or a monster. Yet, he was dressed in what was clearly expensive silk, which only added to the grotesque discordance. "Is it you? The one who dared summon me?" The ugly man spoke. Wang Sam felt a chill down his spine but quickly tried to shake it off and straightened his back. No matter how high the man's status, he could not back down as a soldier of the country. "Yes, that's right! As the gatekeeper, I need to verify the identities of all travelers!" The man's expression grew even more hostile. Wang Sam felt an involuntary hiccup arise. Despite his courage, the thought that he might be dealing with a high-ranking noble’s offspring crossed his mind. Something felt wrong. Amid these thoughts, Wang Sam saw what seemed like a ray of light. "Chun Ah, you're being undignified." A woman's voice, dripping with grace, flowed from within the carriage. Wang Sam turned his head towards the source immediately. But there was no light to be found. "Gasp!" What emerged was a woman with a venomous expression. Her eyes were so sharply upturned, and her lips so small, the description of a serpent-like appearance suited her perfectly. Wang Sam felt even more frightened seeing her than he had when he saw the man. Their eyes met for a moment. "So, I've come out. What now?" At the woman's venom-filled voice, Wang Sam shrank back. 'I never thought I'd hear a voice more venomous than my wife in my lifetime!' It was a mistake. His nagging wife started to seem like an angel in comparison. As Wang Sam fumbled with his lips, the woman's eyes narrowed even more. He was astounded that her eyes could lift any higher. "Why can't you speak? Huh?" The woman’s brows creased. Startled, Wang Sam quickly repeated what he had said before. "As, as a gatekeeper, it's necessary for me to verify the identities of those passing through..." "Ha!" The woman let out a derisive laugh. The expression on her face clearly conveyed a 'How dare you?' attitude. As Wang Sam swallowed hard again, the woman said, "Fine, you've dragged us out here, so I'll play along. But don’t expect me to take responsibility for what comes next." What could have angered her so much? After saying this, she abruptly turned her head back towards the carriage. "Hey! Hyewoon! You come out too!" 'Another one?!' At a glance, these two clearly seemed to be siblings. And both managed to possess bizarre appearances and vicious temperaments. Just dealing with the two was draining enough; what if there was one more? Wang Sam felt an inexplicable betrayal by fate. "Understood, Sister." However, this time as well, the person who emerged defied Wang Sam's expectations, albeit in the opposite way. "Ah...!" An exclamation slipped out. It spread contagiously amongst the onlookers, creating a buzzing atmosphere. Wang Sam too felt dazed. 'What in the world...' The astonishment was caused by the sight of the man who had alighted from the carriage. The man called ‘Hyun’ was unfathomably beautiful. His slightly furrowed, expressionless face was enchanting. His hair, swaying with each step, resembled silk threads, and the black robe he wore seemed to fade in its splendor because of his beauty. Could this truly be mortal beauty? Wang Sam swore he had never seen anyone as handsome in his life. He was convinced. 'A child from a different mother!' The man who had just emerged must be a half-sibling to the others. "What is the matter?" The man seemed to be looking at nothing in particular. With a voice that suggested he had zero interest in worldly affairs, he spoke. Following him, a pale lady emerged, but Wang Sam couldn’t focus on her, captured as he was by the man's presence. "It seems this fellow wants to see our faces." "Hmm." The man’s eyes rolled over to Wang Sam. For some reason, Wang Sam felt as if he was making a grave mistake under those gaze. He involuntarily lowered his gaze. In that moment, the man's brows furrowed even more, and a scoff escaped him. "Tsck." Wang Sam's body jolted. It was then he truly began to regret. 'This, this is bad!' It was clear. This man must be the offspring of some high-ranking official. This incident would certainly reach the higher-ups, and he would undoubtedly be disciplined. The thought made him almost want to cry. Meanwhile, the woman said, "Are you satisfied now? Huh? Happy?" Wang Sam's eyes were brimming. His head nodded faster and bigger than ever before. "Ye, yes, yes, it's fine!" Snap! Wang Sam cleared the way. The man in the black robe clicked his tongue again and re-entered the carriage. After the venomous woman, the ugly man, and the pale lady whose arrival went unnoticed, along with the human stepping stone, reboarded the carriage, the coachman shot Wang Sam a 'I told you so' look as he passed him to go inside. Only when the carriage sounds faded did Wang Sam breathe a sigh of relief, feeling his entire body go limp. Once again, he thought, being a gatekeeper really is a high-stress job. * "How did I do?!" Inside the carriage, Mok Riwon, referred to as 'Hyun' in the black robe, asked Dang Hwa-Seo with the hopeful face of a child seeking praise. Dang Hwa-Seo smiled and nodded. "You did very well." "I thought so too! I never knew I had a talent for acting! Ah, you were incredible as well! You really seemed like a villainess straight out of a story!" "Thank you for the compliment." The atmosphere inside the carriage was warmly convivial. Except for two individuals. "Is it all over now?" Namgung Jincheon wanted nothing more than to quickly find a place to rid himself of this annoying disguise. It had been so stuffed with padding here and there that just wearing it was uncomfortable. What could he say? The expression he had shown Wang Sam was twisted due to the discomfort from the facial prosthetics. "Just bear with it a little longer. We have arranged a place to stay. Ah, are the other two of you alright?" Dang Hwa-Seo asked Ilwoon and Hyewoon. Hyewoon had been overshadowed by Mok Riwon, hence nodded, while Ilwoon seemed despondent. "...Did it really have to be a human stepping stone?" The human stepping stone. This was not a role planned from the start. It was hastily created inside the carriage due to the gatekeeper's thorough inspection. The idea was Hyewoon's. Given that Ilwoon was next in line in terms of nervousness after the two failing students, she threw at him a role that required no speaking. Naturally, there was bound to be some resistance. However, it wasn't a situation where he could throw a tantrum and refuse. Indeed. The look of resentment Ilwoon gave Wang Sam wasn't without reason—it stemmed from being meticulously chosen for such a role due to the gatekeeper's diligent work. The carriage became solemn. Amidst this, only Hyewoon seemed indifferent to the situation, humming to himself. Mok Riwon glanced around slyly, trying to lighten the mood, he spoke up. "You know, now that you mention it! Jegal's acting was truly phenomenal! For a moment there, I was convinced Jegal had always been my coachman!" "That's true! Ignoring everything else, his acting alone was truly commendable!" Dang Hwa-Seo joined in with the praise. Despite their painstaking efforts, nothing changed. Namgung Jincheon's irritation and Ilwoon's despondency were beyond their control. "...Stay strong." In the end, that was all Mok Riwon could offer.