"Will you be alright?"
Yirahng's eyes stretched upwards as she looked at him. Hwan was relaxed.
"She is mine. I know her best."
Hwan's gaze was fixed on the Black Wings, anchored peacefully on the shallow water beyond the bushes where they hid. After having Hui distract Joon, Hwan waited with Yirahng on the shore where the small boat was moored, biding his time. The Black Wings had returned, still bearing the black sails he'd hoisted himself. The soldiers moving slowly on the deck looked as small as ants. Joon hadn't left any troops to guard the small boat. He scoffed inwardly at Joon's foolishness, no different from before, for not properly watching his back. But Hwan didn't voice his scorn, as his own situation, betrayed by his subordinates, wasn't much different. He muttered his resolve, hardened by anger, in a tone that sounded like a joke.
"They had the nerve to return on my ship, so I should welcome them."
Hwan looked down at Yirahng again and repeated his instructions.
"When I signal from the deck, cross over to the small boat with Hui."
"What are you planning to do?" Yirahng asked. "Don't tell me you're going to swim?"
"The sea is calm," Hwan replied. "The tide is favorable too. If we take the small boat, we'll be sitting ducks."
"Will you be able to fight after tiring yourself out swimming?"
"I practically live in the sea, don't I?"
Yirahng hugged him tightly. "Be careful."
Looking at Yirahng, her usual spirited eyes nowhere to be seen, Hwan chuckled. "Since when did you become so worried?"
He stroked her cheek and then, crouching low, ran towards the shore. Without hesitation, he plunged into the waves. His body, riding the rippling waves, gradually drew closer to the Black Wings. When he finally reached the ship, he circled it, searching for the opening that led to the water tank. The undulating water rushed in and out of the hole. Taking a deep breath, Hwan slipped into the ship with the inrushing water.
The dim interior was barely visible in the light scattered by the seawater. Holding his breath, Hwan found the door leading to the lowest cabin. He barely managed to climb onto the deck above, gasping for air, and looked around. No one was there. He saw a pile of swords stacked in one corner. They weren't Wicheong swords. It seemed they'd confiscated the weapons as a precaution, but the number was too large, even considering that each sailor usually carried two or three swords. It was clear almost all of them had returned on the ship. No more than ten men would have been needed to sail the Black Wings here, so why had they all been sent? His instincts sharpened. Things seemed easier than he thought.
Hwan ascended the ladder silently. Carefully raising his gaze, he saw a pair of ankles walking down the passageway of the cabin. He waited for the footsteps to approach. When the ankles were close enough for him to reach, he swiftly grabbed them, pulling the person down, and stabbed his dagger into the back of their neck, snapping it. He climbed into the cabin. The deck was right above him, and he could hear the creaking sounds of soldiers walking around.
There were ten soldiers and ten sailors who had landed on the shore. Almost all of the Black Wings sailors had returned, so there had to be at least as many, if not more, Wicheong soldiers. Around thirty to forty. Even for Hwan, those were unfavorable odds. If he showed his face on deck first, he had no chance of winning. The enemies on the deck wouldn't dare come down either. They were the same subordinates who had betrayed him while he was in seclusion, lacking the courage to overthrow their lord even with superior numbers. He had to rely on the fear that still lingered within them.
Hwan went back down to the lower cabin, gathered the piled-up swords, and brought them up, scattering them across the deck with a loud clatter. Three soldiers, alerted by the noise, rushed down. They came face to face with Hwan in the darkness. With a faint smile as their last sight, two soldiers collapsed, their throats slashed open by Hwan's hands. The remaining soldier, whom Hwan hadn't dealt with decisively, cried out in a dying voice towards the deck, "Cheon Hwan! He's infiltrated the cabin! Quickly, to the Young Master...!"
A sword plunged into his neck, silencing him. Hwan finished the soldier's unfinished message. "Yes, your Guardian has returned! Those who are confident, come down and face me! Those who are not, jump into the sea and seek your survival!"
There was commotion on the deck, but no one dared to come down. Hwan raised his voice even louder. "Kyeongseon Joon will not return to this ship! Do you intend to remain in this standoff? You can't kill me from up there! And you can't sail the Black Wings without me below deck! Listen, traitors who once ruled the seas with me! They'll kill you and return to Wicheong! Think about why they brought all of you here when they didn't need to! Those who wish to return to me, subdue them! If you prove your loyalty, I'll show you mercy as your Guardian!"
Hwan waited. He heard the soldiers yelling, threatening the sailors, herding them into a corner. Following the sounds of footsteps on the deck, he pinpointed the sailors' location. There were three passageways connecting the cabin to the deck. Hwan threw open the door closest to where the sailors were gathered and flung swords at them. The sailors, armed once more, charged at the Wicheong soldiers, and Hwan continued to throw swords onto the deck. Once enough of them had their weapons back, the remaining sailors went down to the cabin and brought up all the remaining swords, arming every empty hand. Hwan joined his treacherous subordinates and leaped into the fray on the deck.
The soldiers, trained in the cave, were no match for the sailors who had faced life and death at sea. It didn't take long for the dead and dying to cover the deck. Hwan looked down at a soldier lying at his feet, coughing up blood, and asked, "Did Seong order them to kill you and return?"
The soldier's chest heaved with ragged breaths, but he didn't answer. Hwan pressed the tip of his sword against the back of the soldier's hand, which lay limp on the deck. Ignoring the soldier's piercing scream, he twisted the blade. "I'll ask again. Did Cheon Seong order my men to be killed?"
"There was an order to kill," the soldier gasped, "but... I don't know who gave it...!"
Hwan twisted the blade harder, turning the soldier's answer into a scream again. He silently watched the soldier's face contorted in pain for a while, then pulled out the sword and struck his neck. The cleanly severed head rolled across the deck, its face turned towards Hwan. Looking down at the still-twitching eyelids, Hwan murmured, "Every order you receive is from Cheon Seong."
He turned his head. His eyes, set in his blood-splattered face, burned like a wolf's in broad daylight. The Black Wings sailors knelt before their betrayed lord, trembling. Hwan looked at them with pity. "The price of betraying the Guardian you shared life and death with is truly devastating, isn't it?"
The sailors prostrated themselves on the deck.
"Guardian!" they cried.
Hwan looked down at them coldly. "I won't give you a second chance."
Their groveling and tearful pleas rang in his ears, but their repentance didn't reach his heart.
"Cut off the limbs of the dead," he ordered, "and cast them towards the island with the tide."
Hwan leaned against the railing, using the flat of his sword to reflect sunlight towards the shore. Soon, a small boat rowed towards the Black Wings. It was Hui and Yirahng. The sailors lowered a rope and pulled the small boat alongside. They were shocked to see Hui alive and well, and Hui, seemingly afraid of his former comrades who had once tried to kill him, avoided their gaze.
"Lift your head," Hwan told Hui, "and tend to the wounded."
"They betrayed you, abandoned Yirahng while she was pregnant, and tried to kill me," Hui said, resentment lacing his voice.
Hwan soothed him. "Don't be shortsighted. Show them the power of Sahngjon you've obtained."
Hui reluctantly lowered his head in acknowledgment and turned his gaze towards the shore. Joon and a dozen soldiers had arrived and were staring at the Black Wings. Hui couldn't take his eyes off Joon, who appeared small in the distance. It would only invite ridicule if he admitted that he was secretly glad to see Joon, whom he had last seen four years ago when he left the message and hid, watching as Hwan had instructed. Hui suppressed his longing and asked, "Regardless of what you do later, shouldn't we take Joon with us? If we leave him there..."
"Whether dead or alive, Cheon Seong will come looking for him again," Hwan replied dismissively. "They know the way now. If he's desperate, he'll kill them all and surrender to me before we weigh anchor."
The Black Wings remained anchored in the shallows as they restored order. Hwan and Yirahng went to the cabin. Hui, having finished treating the sailors, came down, and Hwan opened his shirt, revealing the red marks that crisscrossed his torso, evidence of the fierce battle he had endured. Hui gently placed his hands on each wound, closing the torn flesh.
"I worry your presence might dull my sword," Hwan remarked.
"What do you mean...?" Hui asked, confused.
"You'll realize this someday, but once you become somewhat proficient with the sword, only a clear line between life and death can be your teacher."
"You are already more than proficient," Hui said.
His words weren't entirely insincere, but they were still embarrassing to hear. Noticing Hui's hesitant touch, Hwan turned to look at him. Hui seemed to be gauging his expression, so Hwan asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Hui faltered. "It's just... you seem different from the Guardian I knew."
Hwan let out a hollow laugh. "Would I be 'the Guardian' you knew if I had killed all the traitors and thrown them to the fish?"
"No, that's not what I meant..." Hui stammered.
"I can't sail the Black Wings without them anyway," Hwan said. "And I've learned a few things from my recent failures and betrayals. I have no intention of indulging in unnecessary slaughter. Building our strength is the priority now."
He paused, then added, "After I acquire my fleet, then I will flay those bastards alive and hang their skins on every mast."
Yirahng giggled, apparently thrilled by the gruesome image. Hui, trying to ignore her chilling smile, asked, "But Guardian, how are we going to acquire a fleet?"
Hwan stroked Hui's hair. "Set course for Ju," he commanded.
Hui's face froze as if he had been struck. He lowered his head and went up to the deck. After a while, he returned, reporting that all preparations were complete. Hwan went up on deck and leaned against the railing. The Black Wings' anchor was raised, and the sails billowed. Joon was still sitting on the shore, staring at the ship. A fleeting, trivial thought crossed Hwan's mind: it was a shame he couldn't even properly see Joon's face after four years. He looked at the island shrinking into a small dot, murmuring into the sea breeze, "How long can you hold on?"
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That cunning viper. No matter what curses he spat inwardly, he couldn't undo his defeat. Joon watched the Black Wings receding into the distance as it circled the island, unable to give any orders. The remnants of the message he had furiously erased were all that remained on the sand, a stark reminder of his failure.
"Young Master," a soldier said, "something is drifting towards the shore."
Indeed, debris was washing ashore. One piece reached the sand and settled on the beach. It was a severed leg. Joon's bloodshot eyes shot up to the Black Wings. He suddenly felt a wave of nausea, like the lingering seasickness, rising within him. He vomited clear gastric fluid onto the sand and glared at the Black Wings.
"Fucking bastard..."
Even after four years, Hwan could still manipulate Joon to his will. He had lost forty of the fifty soldiers he had brought with him. He should have left some men on the shore to guard the ship. No, even if he had left a few, Hwan would have easily overpowered them. What could I have done to avoid this situation? Hwan's gaze had been on him the whole time; when did he manage to seize the Black Wings? It would have been impossible unless Hwan had a double. Regret and humiliation churned within him, leaving him feeling congested.
Joon managed to reassure the surviving soldiers. "Wicheong will come looking for us. House Myeonghyeon has merchant ships, and they can borrow ships from Nahmgyo if necessary. We just need to hold out here."
"Are you sure they'll find us?" a soldier asked doubtfully. "What if those sailors left at Wicheong have already been killed?"
Joon, trying to quell his own anxiety, answered firmly, "The Guardian didn't give up on the High Councilor, and he won't give up on us either. The Guardian Crimson is with him. Even if they have no ships, they will part the seas to find us. We have to trust and wait."
After speaking, Joon sank onto the sand, staring at the horizon. Severed torsos, heads, and limbs continued to wash ashore.