Chapter 11 Yongmasan

Chapter 11: Yongmasan

The bald man, having received my instructions, shouted at the Black Cloud Leader.

“If you are a warrior leading a faction, why not settle this between the two of us, rather than sacrificing innocent followers?!”

” “You’re resorting to tricks because your forces are too weak. The two hundred men of the Black Cloud Sect will soon slaughter you. Why bother?”

“You cowardly nobleman, lacking the courage to fight alone, yet you dared come this far.”

“Klekleklek, you’re trying to use a diversion tactic, but it’s useless. What are you waiting for?! Slaughter them!”

Waaaaaah!

At the Black Mist Leader’s shout, his men began sprinting across the river.

This was possible because the upstream was blocked by a levee, keeping the water level only knee-high.

Just as the Black Mist warriors reached the middle.

Krrrrrrr. Swaaah!

With a sound like something exploding, the river’s water level rose sharply.

“Wh-what is this?!”

The Black Guard Chief, startled, rushed forward.

“Hehehe. That’s refreshingly cool, isn’t it?”

Because I, having finished my deal with the bald man, had just destroyed the nearby embankment.

It was an embankment built as an emergency water source, so if caught, a ten-year sentence in the underground prison was certain. But if I didn’t get caught, wouldn’t that be perfect?

‘As long as I don’t get caught. As long as I don’t.’

After collapsing the dam, I immediately raced downstream and saw the Black Cloud faction’s panicked officers.

I splashed river water on my face to make it look like sweat and charged at them.

“Lord Bang-ju! It’s… it’s terrible! The dam upstream has collapsed!”

“Damn it! Why now of all times?!”

“This isn’t the time for that. You must flee quickly before they cross over!”

Then, one of the officers beside him stepped forward.

“Where do you think you’re going, leaving the guards behind!? Lord Bang, the dam upstream was built for drinking water anyway, so it’s not very high. If we buy a little time, the guards will have plenty of time to escape. We can settle the battle after that!” ”

I inwardly flinched at the sharp analysis, uncharacteristic of a third-rate gangster.

Because not a single word was wrong.

‘Damn it. Is there no choice?’

I prepared the ambush I’d had in mind from the start.

‘Besides the Black Mist Chief, there shouldn’t be much else…’

While gauging the situation like that.

“We retreat for now!”

An unexpected voice rang out.

The Black Rain Lord, frightened, had decided to retreat.

“Lord! No! If we retreat now, those bastards from the First Division will clean out our entire territory!”

“What good is life if you die? First, save your skin. Rally the Division Masters and plan for the future!”

“Lord Black!”

The officers tried to dissuade the Black Lord, but he seemed resolute.

“If you’re so worried, you lot take care of the disciples. I’ll get myself to safety first.”

“…Understood.”

Finally, the officers bowed their heads, and the Black Lord immediately began to flee.

I hurriedly told the officers.

“Then I’ll go find something like a pole to pull the disciples up.”

“Do so.”

Quietly turning away, I started walking in the direction Black Cloud Master had left.

Using my lightness skill to chase after him, I soon caught sight of his retreating figure.

‘For a bear-like bloke, he sure moves fast.’

“Lord Bangju!”

“What?!”

The fleeing Black Cloud Lord turned around.

“There’s an urgent message to deliver… Hah, hah.”

“There’s no time! Speak quickly!”

“Well… Well…”

“Well?”

“Is His Majesty well?”

Whack! Crack.

A front kick packed with internal energy, accompanied by a martial arts-style insult, struck the bastard’s midsection.

With a sound like a walnut cracking, the bastard fell, eyes rolled back.

“Ugh, this is exhausting.”

I grabbed the fallen bastard by the scruff and dragged him back to the battlefield.

***

The battle between the White Saber Sect and the Black Saber Sect ended anticlimactically.

And no wonder—just as the Black Saber Sect members, swept away by the water, were one by one emerging onto land and reforming their ranks,

the Black Saber Sect leader, half-transformed into a monster, surrendered as a prisoner, urging capitulation.

In the end, the White Saber Sect secured the Black Saber Sect without a single casualty.

This was the full story of the great victory later known as the Battle of Giryung.

As I watched the Black Cloud Sect disciples bring the Black Mist Sect disciples to their knees, the bald man approached.

“Well done. And I am not bald; my name is Yongmasan. I shaved my head only because it hindered my training.”

The guy with a name reminiscent of the local back mountain offered a clichéd excuse.

Normally, I’d tease him mercilessly, but today I was the one making a request.

I quietly nodded and patted Yongmasan on the shoulder.

“It’s okay. Baldness isn’t something to be ashamed of, it’s just a condition.”

“…I told you it’s not.”

“I said it’s fine. I’ll teach you the secret method later, so don’t lose hope.”

I distinctly recall hearing that seaweed and black beans are particularly effective against hair loss.

“…What is it you need from me?”

The guy, his hope restored, brought up the main point with a stiff expression. He was clearly moved.

“Hmm… Secom?”

A short while later.

After adding the latest security system to the new nest and returning, it was already past midnight.

He intended to go straight inside and turn in.

Creak.

The door to the pavilion where Myohyang resided opened, and simultaneously, her angry voice rang out.

“Where the hell have you been all day?! Do you have any idea how much work piled up?!”

“No, it’s not that…”

“And why did you get your clothes so filthy?! How hard is it to do laundry without a well?!”

“Th-this is…”

“I can’t live like this anymore!”

A terror worse than a battlefield with flashing swords and spears overwhelmed me.

***

A few days later.

Vacation ended, and daily life began again.

“Ugh! I’m dying. ”

For someone like me, used to modern society, a seven-day workweek is an utterly brutal condition.

‘I really need to get out of here as soon as possible.’

With that firm resolve, I stepped out into the yard to wash my face and saw Myohyang wearing an apron.

“Good morning, sister.”

“Yes, good morning. I’ll prepare breakfast, so please wash up and come back.”

‘Wow. This is nice.’

How long had it been since someone prepared breakfast for me?

With a fluttering heart, I sat down at the table, just about to take my first bite.

Creak. Squeak.

The gate opened, and a man bathed in bright light entered.

It was Yongmasan, the head of the security company that had recently taken over guarding our house.

“Did you sleep well last night, young lady?”

“Oh, Mr. Yong, you’re here again today. If you haven’t eaten yet, please join us.”

“Ahem, that’s not why I came…”

“We just need to set an extra place. Please sit down.”

Myohyang went to serve rice and soup. Yongmasan quietly sat down in front of me.

“…What are you doing?”

“What do you mean? I came to report on last night’s security at the residence.”

“I never asked you to do that.”

“Well, if I hadn’t done it, you wouldn’t know. But since I took on the task, doing my best is our family motto.”

“So that’s why you come to our house every morning and eat our rice?”

“I simply couldn’t refuse Miss Myohyang’s kindness.”

“Ha! You little bastard. If you’re gonna lie, at least lie convincingly. Do I look like a fool to you?”

“I, I’m not quite sure what you mean…”

Yongmasan deliberately avoided my gaze with a tense expression.

Thud!

I slammed my fist on the table to force his attention.

I hadn’t intended to get this angry, but his audacity had crossed every line I’d set, and then some.

“You think I don’t know you’re just coming for free meals?! If you want to eat at my house, pay for your food!”

Struck right where it hurt, Yongmasan wore an utterly bewildered expression.

Today would be the last free breakfast for Yongmasan.

***

Half a month passed, and the time for the duty rotation draw came around again.

Normally, I’d have drawn cheap gifts like cotton cloth or dried fish, but today was different.

‘Trickery has no place on the path of conquest.’

That’s because he’d recently led the head family meeting in place of the head of the household and secured a reward: four months of gate guard duty.

‘Still, what must be done must be done.’

He arrived at the outer hall first and waited at the door for a full hour.

He saw people approaching from afar.

“Ahem! Ahem!”

He’d eaten a raw egg that morning.

All preparations were already complete.

“Chief Lee, did you sleep well last night?”

“Huh? You?”

“Yes, I’m Jin Mujeon! I couldn’t sleep all night thinking about the favor you did for me the other day, so I came out here to see you.”

“Then I’ll see you later.”

A reaction unlike his usual self.

Considering the goodwill I’d built up, I thought we were on such good terms that I could get an unsecured long-term loan from him, yet his response was utterly cold.

And that wasn’t all.

“Seventh Squad Leader! I bow deeply to you. Gu! Ryong!”

“Structure Leader! You look even more splendid today.”

“Fifteenth Squad Leader, you grow more beautiful with each passing day.”

Almost every squad leader’s reaction was utterly pathetic.

‘What the hell?’

Something must have gone seriously wrong.

Shortly after entering the meeting room, the leader, North Palace Baek, and the deputy leader entered together.

“Everyone here?”

“Greetings, Leader.”

“No time for formalities. Cut the crap.”

Bukgungbaek waved dismissively, seeming annoyed, skipping the greeting. The Deputy Head stepped forward.

“You’re all aware, I presume, that the water supply embankment we built on the Gireung River recently collapsed, casting doubt on the Outer Hall’s security capabilities?”

I had no idea.

So that’s why the atmosphere was so tense?

“Therefore, the Outer Hall itself has decided to take on a mission. A Human-grade or higher one.”

“……!”

Everyone in the meeting room’s eyes widened in shock.

Mine included.

What could a Human-grade mission be?

Wasn’t it a Hell-level quest, ranked third in difficulty among Heaven, Earth, Human, Metal, Wood, Fire, and Water?

Excluding Heaven-level tasks handled by top-tier experts and Earth-level missions requiring unit-scale operations, it was essentially the highest difficulty mission only a select few could undertake.

“Of course, you don’t have to do it. But then, a bloodbath will sweep through the Outer Court.”

“Specifically, what kind of bloodbath?”

Lee Jo-jang, who had recently taken on the role of senior squad leader in place of Il Jo-jang—imprisoned in the Bribery Prison on corruption charges—asked.

“Isn’t it obvious? The accounting and audit teams. If even a speck of dust is found, it’s straight to the Bribery Prison. Otherwise, they’ll be fine.”

The division chiefs fell silent at the division head’s bombshell statement.

They had no choice.

After all, receiving kickbacks had become routine in the outer court.

If anyone were to be investigated, it wouldn’t be dust that fell out, but mud.

And amidst all this, I felt immense pressure.

‘Just because one levee collapsed, this is happening?’

The butterfly effect of the Jinmu report.

But I didn’t say a word. No, I couldn’t.

If it came out that I was the one who breached the dam, every squad leader under the boss would chop me up and scatter my remains in the Georyeong River.

“We’ll recruit volunteers first. Those interested, raise your hands.”

“……”

Of course, there were none.

Even if the outer sect of Guryongseong was higher level than other factions’ outer sects, the difference wasn’t enormous.

The squad leaders were at best entry-level first-rate or the tail end of second-rate, and the squad members were undoubtedly second-rate.

Assigning them a human-grade mission was tantamount to suicide.

“I have no choice. We’ll have to assign it to the person the Sect Leader points out.”

Everyone was stunned by the Deputy Leader’s words.

They’d expected nothing more than a lottery draw, but a direct appointment?

This was practically a death sentence.

And then. The name that came from the Deputy Leader’s mouth was.

“Senior Leader Jin will have to sacrifice himself… no, make some sacrifices for the organization. “

It was me.