The Vulture Siblings(2)
"Why have you been hiding it?"
That was the first question I managed to ask after finally regaining my senses from being spellbound by Lady Cheong Yeon's beauty.
She glanced around and replied:
"Because I dislike this kind of reaction."
"Ahhh."
I understood instantly.
If every man around her reacted like this, living a normal life would have been impossible.
Looking around, I saw our male squad members still staring blankly at her, while Lady Na and Lady Cheon were giggling behind their hands.
Apparently, I was the fastest of the men to come back to my senses.
The Eleven Unit members were even worse.
Unlike us, who had been somewhat hardened by Lady Tang Yeoeun's constant presence, they had no resistance to overwhelming beauty. Some were utterly dazed—one even drooling.
Amazingly, that disgraceful one was none other than Je Won-yeong, the captain of the Eleven Unit's 1st squad.
While the others slowly recovered, Cheong Yeon and I were able to sketch out a rough plan.
Then, standing before the now-conscious group, I declared:
"We will disguise ourselves as wandering mercenaries and infiltrate the Mountain Sword Sect. Questions are welcome."
Lady Na immediately raised her hand.
"Didn't you say earlier that the Mountain Sword Sect couldn't possibly be Blood Cultists? Why go there then?"
I answered with a gentle smile.
"Excellent question, Lady Na. That's exactly why we go there. Since we intend to use Lady Cheong Yeon as bait to lure them out, if we go elsewhere we'd have to guard against both inside and outside threats. But at the Mountain Sword Sect, we only need to worry about external threats. Besides, given the sect's dire condition, we'll likely be treated quite well."
There was also the unspoken reason that such desperate men were less likely to try anything indecent toward Cheong Yeon or the other women—but I kept that thought to myself.
Je Won-yeong raised his hand next.
"So, do we all enter the Mountain Sword Sect as mercenaries together?"
I shook my head.
"No. We'll split into three roles. The three ladies will serve as bait. The rest will divide between a Guard Team and a Shadow Pursuit Team."
"Guard Team and Shadow Pursuit Team?"
"Yes. The Guard Team will enter as mercenaries alongside the ladies and protect them. From our Thirteen Unit, Captain Seol Pung and Bae Jonggwan will serve in that role. I also ask that Captain Je Won-yeong and your Eleven Unit members enter separately, pretending not to know us, and fulfill the same role."
Je Won-yeong's face lit up.
"Ahh, I see. Understood."
Whether his bright expression was from understanding or for another reason, I wasn't sure.
Then Bi Sa-yeong raised his hand.
"So then I'll be in the Shadow Pursuit Team? Where are we infiltrating, and who exactly are we supposed to pursue?"
"Correct. You and I will be in the Shadow Pursuit Team. We won't enter as mercenaries. Instead, we'll lie in ambush nearby. When the Blood Cult's great demons attack the ladies and are beaten back by the Guard Team, we'll secretly tail them to discover their base."
Senior Brother Sak Muhun would also be with us, though I didn't mention him in front of the Eleven Unit members.
Lady Cheon Ju-eun spoke next, her face tinged with worry.
"But… will they even let us enter the Mountain Sword Sect as mercenaries? Even if they're desperate, I doubt they'll hire wanderers with no clear identity."
I exchanged glances with Cheong Yeon and smiled—then instantly regretted it.
It had long been a habit of mine to smile back whenever we shared mutual understanding. But now, the sight of her smiling nearly stopped my heart.
I struggled to steady my pounding chest as I answered:
"Ah, that will be handled by Lady Cheong Yeon. It seems her father has connections with someone in the Mountain Sword Sect."
At that, our squad members who knew who her father was all exclaimed in awe.
"Ahhh!"
Truly, the connections of the Sword Saint of Heaven were remarkable.
Then Bae Jonggwan timidly raised his hand.
"Uh, but what exactly do we do once inside? As the Guard Team, do we just stand around protecting the ladies?"
I grinned.
"Of course not. To spread the bait widely, we must draw as much attention as possible."
"A–attention? How?"
"In battle, smash the enemy to pieces. And when not in battle…"
"When not in battle?"
"Smash our allies instead."
"…Huh? What was that?"
I gave him a meaningful smile.
Jonggwan, I have very high expectations of you.
***
The Mountain Sword Sect Outer Hall, Training Ground
Dozens of wandering mercenaries milled about, whispering in small groups.
They had all come to the Mountain Sword Sect lured by promises of high pay, but now, with the sect in decline, they were unsettled.
"Wouldn't it be better to run now? They already lost their western branch to the Jeonghyeop Clan. Next, the main sect will surely fall."
"Maybe so… but we already accepted the advance payment. If word spreads that we took it and fled, we'll never get work in big jobs again."
For mercenaries, trustworthiness often mattered more than skill.
No one wanted to hire a mercenary who couldn't be trusted, no matter how strong he was.
If word spread that they had fled after taking advance pay, they'd be blacklisted from any major contracts.
"Sure, reputation's important. But not more important than life! Stay here, and it's practically certain we'll die."
"I don't think it's that simple. The Mountain Sword Sect was desperate enough to ally with their old enemy, the Un Clan. If the two unite, even the Jeonghyeop Clan…"
"You fool. Haven't you heard how they lost the last two battles?"
"No… how did they lose?"
"In the first battle, the Mountain Sword Sect sent two hundred elites. The Jeonghyeop Clan fielded over a thousand warriors—and that was just from their eastern branch."
The man's companion turned pale.
A thousand men was a force only the ruling sects of an entire province could muster.
That the Jeonghyeop Clan, only the fourth strongest in Sichuan, could deploy such a force was beyond imagination.
"A–a thousand?"
"Yes. So the Mountain Sword Sect had no choice but to flee. And in the second battle, they ambushed a mere fifty Jeonghyeop envoys with two hundred elites—yet were annihilated."
"W–what?! Two hundred ambushed fifty and were wiped out? How is that possible?"
"Because three supreme masters were among the envoys. The Mountain Sword Sect thought only Iron Spear Hero Hwang Janggon was coming, so Vice Leader Heo Jung led the elites to attack. But it wasn't so. Hence, they were slaughtered."
"So the Mountain Sword Sect was completely dancing in the palm of the Jeonghyeop Clan's hand…"
"Exactly. More shocking, those masters with Hwang Janggon weren't even the known Jeonghyeop elites. They were new, unidentified figures."
The listener's jaw dropped.
It was already known the Jeonghyeop Clan had seven supreme masters—more than any faction in Guizhou. But if there were unknown ones besides…
"Then… does that mean the Jeonghyeop Clan has nine supreme masters?"
"Perhaps. Who knows if there are more still?"
Another mercenary, listening in, broke in:
"Nonsense! How could the Jeonghyeop Clan, only fourth in Sichuan, be that strong? Not even the Black Crow Sect of Guizhou could boast that!"
The one explaining sighed wearily.
"You truly don't know anything. If this were Guizhou, perhaps the Jeonghyeop Clan would be number one. But this is Sichuan. Do you forget which sects are here?"
"Even so—"
But the skeptic suddenly thought of something, and his protest died in his throat. His face went pale.
"Y–you don't mean…"
"Yes. Exactly that. Above the Jeonghyeop Clan stand none other than Qingcheng, Emei, and the Tang Clan of Sichuan. Now do you understand why the Jeonghyeop Clan, even with such power, is still only fourth?"
The skeptic nodded frantically.
Two of the Nine Great Sects—Qingcheng and Emei—and one of the Five Great Families—the Tang Clan of Sichuan.
For the Jeonghyeop Clan to have grown powerful even in their shadow only proved how formidable they truly were.
"Then… it's hopeless. If they're that strong, we must run now."
As the mercenaries grew restless, ready to abandon the Mountain Sword Sect, a loud voice thundered across the training ground:
"What is all this commotion?!"
A voice imbued with considerable inner strength rang out.
The startled mercenaries ceased their uproar and turned their heads. There stood Heo Jeonsam, the Mountain Sword Sect's Outer General, leading two groups of people.
Heo Jeonsam was a well-known first-class master in Guizhou.
For that reason, none of the mercenaries dared to voice their intent to abandon the sect in his presence. They held their tongues and stared at him and the people he had brought.
And then, they froze.
"Allow me to introduce them. These are mercenaries I have painstakingly invited from Zhejiang. The Vulture Siblings of Doksu, and from Gwaesan, the swordsman known as the Four-Sword of Gwaesan. Though still young, they are famed for their exceptional martial prowess. With them here… the Jeonghyeop Clan… victory shall be…"
Heo Jeonsam continued with his introductions, but his words no longer mattered.
The mercenaries' ears heard nothing.
Their eyes were filled with only one figure—standing at the center of the Vulture Siblings—Hae Cheong Yeon.
Nothing else existed. Nothing else could be seen or heard.
It was as though they had slipped into a dream.
Even with her blue eyes veiled by a thin film like polished obsidian, Cheong Yeon's mystique was undiminished.
"…So, no more disorder! Remain here and wait!"
Heo Jeonsam ended his words and departed the training ground.
That was when the dazed mercenaries began drifting slowly toward Cheong Yeon.
Their steps quickened.
And then, all at once, they charged at full speed.
"Uwooooh!"
"My lady! Look upon me! My name is—"
"As if she'd ever care to know your name, fool!"
"Out of my way, you curs!"
Dozens of mercenaries surged toward Cheong Yeon like starving wolves who had just found prey after three days.
The momentum was like a giant tidal wave.
But that wave shattered against a massive boulder that stepped forward in front of Cheong Yeon.
Thud!
"Guaaagh!"
"Wh–what the hell?!"
"Whaaa! Where'd that boulder come from?!"
It was Bae Jonggwan. Without moving more than a step, he had repelled the charging mercenaries, scattering them across the ground. Looking down upon those groaning on the dirt and those frozen in place, he rumbled:
"This is a warning. Approach my younger sister without my permission, and you will die."
The mercenaries, finally noticing him, blinked in shock at his words, staring between him and Cheong Yeon.
"…Younger sister?"
But discovering any resemblance between the hulking mass of muscle Bae Jonggwan and the celestial maiden Cheong Yeon was nearly impossible.
Angry, the mercenaries shouted:
"Lies! You expect us to believe a monster like you is her brother?!"
"Enough nonsense! Move aside at once!"
"Stand in our way and we'll cut you down!"
At those words, Bae Jonggwan's eyes twitched.
"…Monster, you say?"
When planning this scheme, Seonu Jin had instructed Bae Jonggwan:
If anything so much as offends you, do not restrain yourself. From this moment, you are a reckless ruffian of the demonic path who cannot control his anger.
That Bae Jonggwan obeyed Seonu Jin's orders to the letter had already been proven during the Black Merchant Guild incident.
Unfolding his crossed arms, Bae Jonggwan glared chillingly at a mercenary screaming in his face.
"Step aside, monster! Or else—"
Then his palm fell like thunder.
Thwack!
"Guuuaaargh!"
The man crashed to the ground, writhing helplessly, as though flattened like a frog beneath Bae Jonggwan's colossal hand.
Gazing coldly over the others, Bae Jonggwan said:
"You dare call me a monster?"
One of the mercenaries, realizing too late what he had unleashed, shook his head frantically.
"N–no, I never—"
But Bae Jonggwan had no intention of listening.
"How dare you!"
Wham!
His trunk-thick arm swept sideways. Every mercenary within range was flung away as though weightless.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Guaaagh!"
"Kkrrghhh!"
"Uweeegh!"
"Kkiaaagh!"
With a single sweep of his arm, four men were sent flying.
Only now did the mercenaries begin to take in Bae Jonggwan's form, which they had ignored while gazing only at Cheong Yeon.
And what they saw froze their blood.
A body towering two heads taller than most men, not merely long but thick, every inch packed with bulging muscles like carved stone.
He was no man—he was a beast.
And the beast's rage had only just begun.
Bae Jonggwan roared:
"You dare call me a monster?!"
Then he charged straight into the mercenary crowd.
The speed was so overwhelming that none had time to flee.
"Wh–what?!"
"W–wait, wait!"
"Uwaaahhh!"
As though a living boulder was hurled into their midst, they could only scream.
And when his body collided with theirs—
Boooom!
"Aaarghhh!"
"Kkyaaaaagh!"
"Spare meee!"
They felt their bodies lifted effortlessly into the air.
Agonizing pain followed by an eerie sense of weightless flight—like drifting into a dream.
Those who avoided his initial charge stood frozen, jaws dropped, watching in disbelief.
With a single rush, more than twenty mercenaries were sent tumbling like pebbles.
It was the Adamantine Meteor Body, unleashed for the first time outside the battlefield.
Hidden in the shadows beneath the eaves of the outer wall, Bi Sa-yeong muttered:
"They're still our allies… is this really okay?"
But Seonu Jin, watching with satisfaction as Bae Jonggwan trampled the mercenaries like a herd of rabid dogs, replied:
"He hasn't killed them, has he? It's all part of the plan."
"Maybe… but they look half-dead already…"
"Don't worry. Jonggwan knows how to control himself."
Bi Sa-yeong almost retorted that Jonggwan's "experience" mainly involved beating ghouls to death, but decided there was no point in saying it.
On the training ground, Bae Jonggwan continued to crash through the mercenaries, shattering their weapons with his bare body.
Bi Sa-yeong shook his head.
He hadn't realized it before, surrounded by true demons and countless supreme masters on the frontlines, but here it was undeniable—
For martial artists who had not yet reached the supreme realm, Bae Jonggwan was nothing less than a monstrous beast.
Watching him pursue and pummel mercenaries as they fled in terror, Bi Sa-yeong murmured softly:
"That guy really is a demon after all."