-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Heavenly Thunder
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"We're already at the Jo Family Manor."
Paeng Cheol-yeong laughed pleasantly. Beside him, Namgung Jin wore a similar expression as he stared at the gate.
"Brother, let's hurry inside. I want to rest soon."
Paeng Cheol-yeong frowned slightly at the voice coming from behind. The one griping behind him was none other than his younger sister. Her name was Paeng Mi-ryeong, and in a manner unbefitting a woman, she had mastered the family sword arts to a considerable degree. Her talent was extraordinary, but her petty and headstrong personality was a drawback.
Paeng Cheol-yeong turned his head slightly and shot Paeng Mi-ryeong a displeased look before approaching the gate. Three warriors stood guard at the main entrance of the Jo Family Manor.
"What brings you here?"
The Jo Family Manor warriors were courteous. Paeng Cheol-yeong nodded inwardly, impressed. Though they paled in comparison to the Paeng or Namgung families, the guards' presence was quite formidable.
"We've come from the Martial Alliance."
At Paeng Cheol-yeong's words, the Jo Family Manor warriors hurriedly clasped their fists in salute and opened the main gate.
"The Manor Head is waiting for you."
The three of them stepped inside the main gate.
Paeng Cheol-yeong and Paeng Mi-ryeong followed the warrior inside, with Namgung Jin bringing up the rear, and the gate closed once more. The two remaining guards stood straight ahead once again, their eyes sharp and piercing.
The trio who had entered were inwardly surprised. The auras emanating from all corners of the Jo Family Manor were considerable. The manor housed numerous warriors, and their skills far surpassed what was known to the outside world.
"I thought they only trained escorts for the bureau to this extent, but this is far more impressive, wouldn't you say?"
Namgung Jin nodded at Paeng Cheol-yeong's quiet remark.
"At this rate, the Five Great Families will soon become the Six Great Families."
Paeng Cheol-yeong nodded in agreement at Namgung Jin's words. Of course, even as one of the Six, it would differ greatly from the established Five, but based solely on the current display of might, it was more than sufficient.
Before they knew it, the three had arrived at the Manor Head's office.
"Manor Head, the Victory Dragon Unit from the Martial Alliance has arrived."
No sooner had the warrior spoken than the office door opened.
"Please come in."
At the warrior's polite words, the three exchanged glances before entering the office. Once they were inside, the door closed, and the warrior returned to the main gate.
"Welcome. How is the Alliance Leader faring?"
Paeng Cheol-yeong stepped forward with a smile, clasping his fists in greeting at Jo Il-hyeon's words.
"I'm Paeng Cheol-yeong."
"So you're one of the Twin Dragons of the Victory Dragon Unit, the Knife Dragon. Then you must be the Sword Dragon?"
Jo Il-hyeon finished his sentence while looking at Namgung Jin, who politely clasped his fists.
"Namgung Jin."
Jo Il-hyeon nodded in satisfaction. Then he turned his gaze to Paeng Mi-ryeong.
"I'm Paeng Mi-ryeong."
Jo Il-hyeon's eyes gleamed slightly as he regarded Paeng Mi-ryeong. She was beautiful. And from the Paeng family, the foremost martial house in northern Hebei, no less. She might make a fine match for Jo In.
"Good, you've arrived safely. You must be tired today, so get some proper rest."
The three clasped their fists politely once more at Jo Il-hyeon's words. The door opened soon after, and a warrior entered to escort them to their lodgings.
Jo Il-hyeon watched them leave the office and nodded contentedly. He didn't know the Martial Alliance's intentions, but for the Jo Family Manor, there was nothing bad about it.
Paeng Cheol-yeong looked satisfied at the room assigned to him. It was clear a lot of care had been put into it.
Their mission was covert surveillance. And building rapport with the Jo Family Manor. The Martial Alliance desperately needed support from martial sects like them. The sects friendly to the Martial Alliance were the Paeng and Namgung families, along with the Jegal family.
Though not among the Five Great Families, if the Jo Family Manor joined the alliance, it would grant the Martial Alliance tremendous strength. It was a chance to greatly expand their influence.
Paeng Cheol-yeong reminded himself of his mission once more. And he thought of Jo Seol-yeon.
"Brother, what's got you so pleased?"
Paeng Cheol-yeong wiped the smile from his face at Paeng Mi-ryeong's sudden interruption.
"You both look like you're up to something. Namgung brother too."
Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin cleared their throats awkwardly and ignored Paeng Mi-ryeong.
"Ahem, we should head inside first."
Paeng Cheol-yeong hurried into the room, followed by Namgung Jin. Paeng Mi-ryeong followed slowly behind, giving the two a meaningful look.
"Hm?"
Paeng Mi-ryeong was about to enter when she spotted someone and stopped. Her eyes rested on a handsome young man. Beside him stood a pretty girl—so pretty that even Paeng Mi-ryeong, confident in her own beauty, felt a twinge of envy.
The two noticed Paeng Mi-ryeong as well and approached with interest in their eyes.
"Are you from the Martial Alliance, by any chance?"
Paeng Mi-ryeong beamed at the young man's question.
"I'm Paeng Mi-ryeong."
"Ah, I'm Jo In. And this is my younger sister, Seol-yeon."
Only then did Paeng Mi-ryeong nod in understanding. She grasped Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin's intentions. She knew they had brought people from the Jo Family Manor when the Martial Alliance headed to Mount Heng.
'I see, so that's the one they like.'
Paeng Mi-ryeong glanced at Jo Seol-yeon for a moment. Jo Seol-yeon shyly turned her head away, as if the gaze made her uncomfortable. Paeng Mi-ryeong turned back to Jo In. He was quite the catch. She nodded inwardly. She was glad she had come along to the Jo Family Manor.
"If you have time, why not come in for some tea?"
Jo In readily nodded at Paeng Mi-ryeong's suggestion. It was a proposal he had no reason to refuse. His father had just instructed him to build ties with the Martial Alliance members, after all.
As Jo In and Jo Seol-yeon entered Paeng Mi-ryeong's room, Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin slyly joined them. They had been in the room and overheard everything Paeng Mi-ryeong and Jo In said.
The atmosphere could have been awkward between strangers, but since everyone had their own ulterior motives, it warmed up quickly. Only Jo Seol-yeon remained ill at ease, unable to adapt to the end. Her mind had been filled with Dan Hyeong-u for days now, as she hadn't seen him.
Unaware or not of Jo Seol-yeon's feelings, the meaningless time continued to pass.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"No time! Hurry it up!"
"Stack 'em steady so they don't shift!"
The Henan Escort Bureau bustled through a hectic morning. Escort departure days were always this noisy. Preparations that began at dawn wrapped up only after breakfast.
Once the escorts finished their meals and came out, the porters could finally eat.
Hyeong Pyo didn't eat with the other escorts. Instead, he watched the porters at work. Or more precisely, he watched Dan Hyeong-u. Dan Hyeong-u worked in sync with the other porters. It wasn't as astonishing as what he'd shown the porters before, but it was still impressive.
With a sword at his waist, he effortlessly lifted and carried loads. They were heavy enough to make the porters grunt and strain, yet Dan Hyeong-u casually hoisted them with one hand. Everyone clicked their tongues in admiration at his superhuman strength.
He matched the others' pace, but thanks to Dan Hyeong-u, the work finished much earlier. The porters gathered in small groups nearby to rest. They had to hold position until the escorts arrived. Or rather, guard the cargo.
Soon the escorts arrived in force, allowing the porters to head for their meals. Dan Hyeong-u followed the other porters to the dining hall. He already had a grasp of the bureau's operations overall. Hyeong Pyo's guidance had been excellent, and Dan Hyeong-u's aptitude for learning it was outstanding.
Dan Hyeong-u wondered idly what today's meal would be, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly. No one else would notice, but it was a smile.
At the dining hall, Dan Hyeong-u sat awkwardly in his chair. Though much time had passed since escaping that hell, sitting still felt unnatural. Hyeong Pyo took the seat across from him. A kitchen hand promptly brought their meals.
Dan Hyeong-u focused entirely on the food before him. This time of day was his favorite. He'd survived by raw-chewing the sinewy flesh of monsters too tough for knives to pierce or slice properly. So it was only natural he'd be enchanted by soft food like this.
In truth, he couldn't fully taste it. Years without proper meals had atrophied his sense of taste. But lately, it was slowly returning. To Dan Hyeong-u, that was invaluable.
"I think it every time I see it, but you're the first person I've met who eats like he's performing a ritual."
Even at Hyeong Pyo's words, Dan Hyeong-u savored his food intently. Hyeong Pyo shook his head at the sight.
You couldn't even hold a conversation during meals. Interrupting it would lead to a truly horrific scene.
The meal soon ended. Dan Hyeong-u rose immediately. There was no need to sit uncomfortably unless eating delicious food.
"I'm a bit uneasy, but we have to depart now anyway. You're a porter, so act accordingly. Remember, you still know nothing of the world."
Dan Hyeong-u nodded at Hyeong Pyo's earnest advice. The man's words and actions always rang true.
The two headed to the cargo area. Hyeong Pyo kept nagging Dan Hyeong-u, who was on his first escort run and seemed anxious. It might sound like nagging to most, but to Dan Hyeong-u, it was amusing. He enjoyed these ordinary, peaceful conversations.
"This escort's destination is Chengdu in Sichuan. It's quite far, so it'll take time, and the roads are treacherous. But it's not all bad. Especially for you."
Hyeong Pyo gave him a meaningful smile as he said it.
"Depart!"
At Escort Leader Ma Yuk's shout, the cargo-laden wagons rattled into motion. The long escort from Huchang in Henan to Chengdu in Sichuan had begun. It was Dan Hyeong-u's first escort run.
Volume 5. Heavenly Thunder
Ma Yuk was slightly tense. This escort differed from the usual in several ways. The destination was the Tang family in Chengdu, Sichuan.
The Sichuan Tang family was among the top of the Five Great Families. The client was the Tang family as well, and several Tang members were accompanying this escort.
There were fully thirty of them. With thirty escorts mobilized as well, one could say the Henan Escort Bureau was little more than porters and guides, with the Tang handling actual protection.
The Tang warriors all had sharp, gleaming eyes that bespoke their prowess. Even to Ma Yuk, seasoned as he was, they seemed highly skilled within the Tang family. And among them was one Ma Yuk recognized.
'Tang Cheol-gi himself, no less.'
Tang Cheol-gi was the most well-known Tang figure outside. He was said to have no equal in hidden weapons or poisons.
Even Tang Cheol-gi wasn't leading the group. Considering his age in the late thirties, it made sense, but Ma Yuk found it astonishing nonetheless.
Leading the Tang contingent was an elderly man. He appeared so hale it was hard to tell his age at a glance, and whenever their eyes met by chance, it felt like a thunderbolt striking Ma Yuk's crown—piercing and electric. His presence was overwhelming.
'What on earth is the cargo...'
Ma Yuk's curiosity was natural, but he let it go. There were far more things in the world better left unknown than known for one's own good.
Ma Yuk was the finest martial artist among the Henan Escort Bureau's escort leaders. Since all leaders hailed from the Jo Family Manor, he boasted superior skill even compared to them. And he'd handpicked the most capable escorts for this run.
Of course, Hyeong Pyo was the exception.
Ma Yuk's gaze shifted to Hyeong Pyo. He was displeased, but it was the bureau chief's order, so nothing to be done. Hyeong Pyo was skilled, but lacking compared to those selected today. The Tang wouldn't care either way, of course.
Seeing Hyeong Pyo naturally drew his eyes to Dan Hyeong-u. An insolent porter wearing a sword, no less. Since Hyeong Pyo grated on him, Dan Hyeong-u fell out of favor too.
Whether Ma Yuk glared disapprovingly or not, Hyeong Pyo stuck close to Dan Hyeong-u. He knew the man was stronger than himself, but doubted it extended to the Tang warriors.
If Dan Hyeong-u caused trouble, it would be a nightmare to handle. Best to stay quiet in such cases.
"Listen, if bandits show up, stick tight to the cargo. Usually nothing happens, but if a fight breaks out, escorts form up around it—so that's the safest spot."
Hyeong Pyo explained all the useful tips for escort runs one by one.
As they traveled while talking, dusk was already falling.
At Ma Yuk's command, the escorts and porters finished their meals in orderly fashion. Inside the bureau, it was different, but on the road, Henan Escort Bureau members managed themselves with utmost discipline. The porters did the same.
Ma Yuk assigned night watches and ordered them to bed down. The command was carried out swiftly. All but the two sentries settled around the cargo and lay down. Hyeong Pyo did likewise, while Dan Hyeong-u stood silently beside him.
Hyeong Pyo and the other porters knew Dan Hyeong-u was like this from days together, but the escorts didn't.
"What are you? Not sleeping?"
Ma Yuk barked gruffly at the standing Dan Hyeong-u. But Dan Hyeong-u neither replied nor moved. Ma Yuk clenched then unclenched his fist at the sight. Whether he slept or not was his business. Self-management was key on long escorts.
'Tch tch. Just try whining you can't keep up.'
Ma Yuk tsked inwardly. Tomorrow's march would be far more grueling. They'd moderated speed for the first day, yet still outpaced other bureaus. Speed was the Henan Escort Bureau's pride.
Without proper sleep, stamina wouldn't hold. Ma Yuk knew this better than anyone and scowled at the standing Dan Hyeong-u.
If he complained of fatigue, Ma Yuk would ditch him immediately. And he'd never work for the Henan Escort Bureau again.