110 - Sichuan, China (1) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

As time within the Martial Alliance flowed, on a night when one cycle of the moon had waned to a crescent again, a heated debate was taking place in the dining hall of Yongbongdan hallways, somewhere within the Alliance, over a reason that was far from being amusing. "So, Jegal San, you're suggesting that spears are stronger than swords?" "I think so, if both wielders have identical martial prowess. After all, the longer reach should naturally make it easier to attack the opponent, no?" "What nonsense!" The topic of today's debate was which weapon was stronger. At Jegal San's words, Mok Riwon exclaimed in shock. "It's absurd! The sword must be stronger by default! Its long edge and the balance between offense and defense make it the supreme weapon!" "If we're speaking of equal martial strengths, I'd say the spear is indeed superior. Consider this. No matter how excellent the defense or offense, isn't it pointless if you cannot decisively target your opponent?" "That's not it at all! The profound mysteries of the sword are so deep that they cannot be fully expressed, letting it easily deflect mere thrusts of any spear!" "A mere spear... Are you perceiving the sect leader as some sort of dilettante who dabbles with 'mere spears'?" "That's not what I meant! How could you interpret my words like that!" Mok Riwon felt stifling frustration. Yet amid this, Jegal San laughed heartily. To him, the debate on whether the spear or the sword was stronger wasn't particularly important. Jegal San found Mok Riwon's fiery temper amusing and provoked him even further. "But why refer to it as a mere spear?" Mok Riwon, with a face ready to burst, sought help from Namgung Jincheon. "Brother Sword Dragon! Do you have no pride as a swordsman?! Please, say something!" "This argument is meaningless. Any difference is negligible when overridden by Qi force--what does it matter which weapon is superior?" "Ah! We're assuming equal strength! Discussing the inherent superiority of the weapons themselves!" "Meeting someone with exactly the same level of strength is highly unlikely. There will always be a difference, big or small, in martial strength." "This is futile!" Mok Riwon pounded his chest in frustration, then turned his gaze toward Il Woon. Il Woon cleared his throat, preparing to say something, but Mok Riwon had already turned away. "This isn't even something to bother Master Il Woon with... Sigh!" Il Woon looked visibly disheartened. Truthfully, when it came to weapons, Il Woon had the most to say. And why not? While he primarily utilized fists, Il Woon was the grand disciple of this era's Shaolin, naturally proficient in all eighteen martial arts of Shaolin. Yet, he wasn't even given a chance to speak, leaving him dispirited. Jegal San burst into louder laughter at this sight. Just then. Click! Dang Hwa-seo, with a weary face, entered through the dining hall's door. Mok Riwon's face lit up as he shouted. "Lady!" He rushed to greet her, resembling a puppy that has found its master. "Your timing couldn't be better! We were just debating which weapon, the sword or the spear, is superior...." "Lady Mok," Startled― At Dang Hwa-seo's chilly voice, Mok Riwon stopped speaking. "And the rest of you." The inclusion of everyone in that solemn tone made the others stiffen. Dang Hwa-seo smiled gently. "I came here wondering what was causing such a commotion in the dead of night, only to find this discussion?" Despite her smile, it didn't feel like she was really smiling. No, she definitely wasn't smiling. The vein popping on her forehead proved it. Jegal San instinctively moved back sensing familiar angst, but Dang Hwa-seo was quicker. "Isn't it time everyone went to sleep!!!" Her roar, akin to the cry of a tiger, thundered magnificently. Thus, another nightly debate in the dining hall ended without conclusion, thanks to Dang Hwa-seo's bellow. Peace returned to Yongbongdan. * The following morning, Dang Hwa-seo walked down the Alliance's corridors, rubbing her stiff eyes. Already short on sleep due to the backlog of work, and then there was the nightly noise from the men gathering in the dining hall, leaving no room for relief. Dang Hwa-seo sighed. 'They're not kids anymore....' Just the thought of when they would grow up was enough to cause a headache. As she walked, shivering with a headache, "Lady of Yongbongdan." A man walking from a distance called out to Dang Hwa-seo. A martial artist with a gentle demeanor. It was Go Jeol, the aide to the strategist Jegal Moo Yeon. "I was just looking to see you." "Me?" "Yes, the strategist wishes to see you." Dang Hwa-seo tilted her head in confusion. What business could the strategist have with her? Even after pondering for a moment, no clear answer came to mind. If she had to guess a reason, '...Did the group cause some trouble?' She wondered if the members had finally caused trouble big enough to involve the strategist. The thought made Dang Hwa-seo turn pale. Go Jeol, noticing her expression, softly chuckled and said, "It's not about the group members. Well, not entirely unrelated." "What do you mean...?" As Dang Hwa-seo asked with a nervous laugh, Go Jeol shook his head in response. "Let's go. I haven't been informed of the specifics either." "Sigh..." Taking a deep breath, Dang Hwa-seo steeled her resolve. "First, I should apologize. We can talk after that." With the conviction settling in her heart that the Strategist was seeking her due to her members' actions, Dang Hwa-seo steadied her racing heart and moved forward. * Upon arriving, Strategist Jegal Moo Yeon's office was as it always had been. One wall was cluttered with well-organized correspondences, while another displayed a map of the Central Plains. Jegal Moo Yeon, seated at his desk in the middle of the room, noticed Dang Hwa-seo's arrival. "Ah, you've come." "I greet the Strategist." As Dang Hwa-seo bowed with a clasped fist salute, Jegal Moo Yeon returned the gesture. In that moment, Dang Hwa-seo bowed deeply and said, "I apologize." "Hm? What are you apologizing for?" "Our members are overzealous and often uncontrollable. As their leader, I should have disciplined them more, but I've neglected my duties using busyness as an excuse. Please, I’ll ensure this doesn't happen again; I beg for mercy just this once…" "Leader, calm yourself." For a rare moment, Jegal Moo Yeon was flustered as he tried to soothe Dang Hwa-seo. She, however, did not hear him and continued her apologies relentlessly. It was only when Jegal Moo Yeon lightly tapped her shoulder, signaling her to stop, that she calmed down. "I didn’t call you here for that." Thump. Dang Hwa-seo’s shoulders trembled. Her face flushed with shame. "I apologize. I presumed too much." "It seems you’ve had a hard time." Jegal Moo Yeon spoke with a small smile. "Is your nephew doing well? I always worry he might cause trouble." Surprisingly, those causing more trouble than the nephew seemed relatively tame in comparison. Dang Hwa-seo bit back her rising words and managed an awkward smile. "He’s been of great help." "Even if it's flattery, I'm thankful." Saying so, Jegal Moo Yeon sipped his tea. The real discussion followed shortly after. "It’s about a new mission." "Ah, was that the issue?" Dang Hwa-seo finally felt relieved. Yet, there lingered a question. "If it was about a mission, couldn’t you have just sent a letter?" Typically, that was the case. Missions were usually communicated through aides via letters, who would also inform about any specifics or clarifications needed. Thus, being directly summoned for a mission briefing was unusual. Jegal Moo Yeon replied with a bitter smile. "It’s a mission that I felt needed to be discussed in person." "What kind of mission is it?" Jegal Moo Yeon stroked his teacup as he spoke in a low voice. "The information you obtained on your last mission has been put to good use. The Alliance's other factions are using it to root out cultists based on that intelligence." Dang Hwa-seo nodded. Indeed, the factions within the Martial Alliance were so swamped with missions that they spent less time at the Alliance headquarters than out on the field. So much so, that attendance rates for leaders’ meetings hardly reached fifty percent. "A total of four large, seven medium, and numerous small groups of cultists have been captured." "They were deeply infiltrated." "Yes, but as expected of cultists, interrogations aren’t easy. Particularly so with Yam Horse Oh Gang Ak, whom you’ve captured." Dang Hwa-seo was surprised. "Is he still alive?" "He’s been crippled beyond use, his martial arts have disappeared." "Heavens…" After sighing, Dang Hwa-seo continued, "So, what have you found out?" "The Demon Sect has established its own financial network within the Central Plains." Dang Hwa-seo's eyes narrowed. "A financial network means…" "We haven’t pinpointed it exactly. They operate in tightly-knit cells, making it difficult to trace the source. But, one thing is clear." Jegal Moo Yeon spoke gravely. "The reason they’ve managed to infiltrate so deeply is money. We suspect the Demon Sect's financial lifeline is tied to trade caravans." "That seems plausible." "Anyway, that was just the introduction; here's the main point." Dang Hwa-seo straightened up. "We speculated that cultists might have infiltrated the lands of the dark path. Half of that speculation was correct." "You mean half?" "Not just the lands of the dark path." Dang Hwa-seo’s eyes widened. Jegal Moo Yeon walked to the map of the Central Plains and pointed at different regions. "The Demon Sect’s main base is in Sinjang, near the Hundred Thousand Mountains, starting from Xijang, Qinghai to Gansu, making the initial route of infiltration. It’s unlikely they've settled there. Too obvious, too easy to be discovered." Jegal Moo Yeon’s finger moved. "From Xijang, down to Yunnan, and to the right is Guizhou. These areas are beyond the Alliance’s touch, making a logical route of infiltration. Indeed, two of the Six Horses were found in Guizhou." "Indeed." "The same goes for the upper regions. At the end of Gansu lies Shanxi and Sichuan. The Yam Horse Oh Gang Ak was located in Shanxi." Dang Hwa-seo’s fingertips trembled slightly, realizing something in that moment. Jegal Moo Yeon’s finger was currently pointing at Shanxi, And the area yet to be discussed was Sichuan. He was about to discuss Sichuan. The sight of him personally calling her here, paired with the bittersweet smile he shared before starting the conversation, weighed heavily on Dang Hwa-seo’s heart. Her spirits sank. Jegal Moo Yeon seemed to notice this shift, his expression turning apologetic. "Originally, we intended to assign this region to another faction." His finger pointed towards Sichuan. "But as you know, Sichuan is vast. Despite the presence of Qingcheng, Emei, and Jinchang factions, there's a unique difficulty in conducting investigations there." How could she not know? How could she claim ignorance to that fact? She was all too familiar with the reason why. In a low voice, Dang Hwa-seo murmured, "The Tang Sect strives to prevent outsiders from intruding into their lands." Her fist was clenched tight. At that sight, Jegal Moo Yeon spoke with a tone of regret. "Yes, we've requested their cooperation several times, but the Tang Sect did not respond. Even letters sent directly by the Alliance Leader were ignored. Dok Wang, after a long silence, just the day before, sent a single demand." His hand had inadvertently dropped to his side. Dang Hwa-seo bowed her head, voicing the query she feared to ask. "They demand my presence?" "Yes." The guilt in Jegal Moo Yeon's voice deepened. "Please go to Sichuan. We hope you can seek out the Tang Sect and secure their cooperation." Even as he gave the order, knowing Dang Hwa-seo's heart, he framed it as a 'request'. It was a cruel turn of events.