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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Manor Under Siege
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Jo Il-hyeon arrived at his office and took a seat. His chest was still heaving, but he slowly regulated his breathing to calm his mind. With both Jo In and Jo Seol-yeon away at the Henan Escort Bureau, any simultaneous trouble at the Jo Family Manor and the bureau would spell far greater danger.
Deep in thought, Jo Il-hyeon suddenly heard footsteps outside. He looked up just as an urgent voice called out.
"M-Manor Head."
It was Sama Cheol's voice. Jo Il-hyeon quickly replied.
"Come in."
Sama Cheol entered the room. Urgency was written all over his face.
"Manor Head, Ma Yuk just returned."
"Ma Yuk? The Escort Leader in charge of this Tang Family shipment? And he's back already?"
"Someone ambushed that escort caravan! All the escorts are dead—Ma Yuk barely escaped with his life."
Jo Il-hyeon's eyes widened. His nagging sense of foreboding had been spot on.
"How could this happen...? What about the culprits?"
"We don't know their identity yet. According to Ma Yuk, it seems the cargo was something important."
"That figures. Why else would thirty elite Tang Family warriors be escorting it? But even with them there, for all our escorts to be wiped out..."
"Ten of those Tang warriors died too. If not for a merchant guard named Dan Hyeong-u, they'd have been slaughtered to the last."
"Dan Hyeong-u?"
The name immediately brought Jo Seol-yeon to Jo Il-hyeon's mind.
"Come to think of it, he went along with them. But what do you mean he saved them? Is he some kind of master?"
"That's what they say. He took down foes that even the Tang warriors struggled against—in a single breath. A true monster."
Sama Cheol spoke with a hint of disbelief. He hadn't seen it himself, so he couldn't be sure. And Dan Hyeong-u as a master? A dullard who couldn't even master the Three Talents Sword Art turning into one overnight? Unthinkable.
"Hard to believe. In any case, with all our escorts dead, we'll need to send more. What did the Tang Family say?"
"They're continuing with just the merchant guards. Luckily, one escort named Hyeong Pyo survived and is leading them. All the merchants are safe."
"The merchants are fine? While every escort was killed? Doesn't that strike you as odd?"
"Looks like Dan Hyeong-u stepped in when the attackers went for the merchants."
Jo Il-hyeon shook his head at Sama Cheol's explanation. It was baffling. Standing by while escorts dropped, only moving when the merchants were targeted? Hard to swallow.
"Well, at least that's some relief. Make sure the families of the fallen escorts are compensated generously."
"Understood."
Jo Il-hyeon's expression darkened as he heard the reply. An ominous weight pressed heavier on his chest.
"Something's off."
"What is it?"
"Just a bad feeling I can't shake. What are Seol-yeon and In doing now?"
"Probably asleep by now. Seol-yeon's been raising such a fuss—In must be worn out too, heh."
Sama Cheol gave a wry smile, and Jo Il-hyeon nodded.
"Can't be helped. Neither you nor In did anything wrong. She'll understand in time."
Even as he spoke, Jo Il-hyeon couldn't shake his unease about Dan Hyeong-u being some astonishing master. If he'd bested foes that stumped Tang warriors, he was the real deal—far beyond Jo himself.
'No way. Ma Yuk must've exaggerated in the heat of the moment.'
Jo Il-hyeon brushed it off. Sama Cheol did the same. A true master taking a merchant guard job without complaint? Didn't add up, no matter how sheltered he was.
"Hm? Did you hear something?"
Jo Il-hyeon snapped his head up. Sama Cheol looked puzzled, but his face soon paled. A stifled groan reached his ears too.
"Damn! No way!"
Jo Il-hyeon bolted up and kicked the door open. Screams echoed from all directions now.
"M-Manor Head!"
Sama Cheol followed, calling after him. Jo Il-hyeon paused, lost in thought, then turned and fixed Sama Cheol with a steely gaze. His eyes were ice-cold.
"Listen closely."
"M-Manor Head."
"Head back to the bureau immediately. Take In and Seol-yeon and get out. Join the Tang caravan if you can. I'm leaving the rest to you."
Sama Cheol's eyes bulged at Jo Il-hyeon's words.
"Manor Head!"
"No time. Hurry! Oh—and tell those three from the Martial Alliance to flee too. Remember that. I beg you."
With that, Jo Il-hyeon launched toward the loudest screams. Sama Cheol hesitated at the sight, then turned and fled. He'd follow orders.
Slipping out of the Jo Family Manor wasn't hard for Sama Cheol. But he couldn't identify the attackers. He used a secret passage to escape unseen. It worked, though worry gnawed at him about the manor's fate.
Regardless, his steps didn't falter. Back at the bureau, he roused the sleeping Jo In and Jo Seol-yeon and slipped out. The three Martial Alliance members were staying there too, so they joined the flight. They escaped Hechang before dawn broke.
"Uncle, what the hell is going on?"
Sama Cheol said nothing, pressing on with lightness skill. They'd passed Hechang some time ago, but he didn't stop. Jo In and Jo Seol-yeon had no choice but to follow.
Jo In and Jo Seol-yeon aside, Paeng Cheol-yeong was bursting with questions. Namgung Jin and Paeng Mi-ryeong felt the same.
Soon, the six reached a sizable village and entered an inn.
Normally, they'd get separate rooms for the women, Jo Seol-yeon and Paeng Mi-ryeong. Not tonight. They crammed into one large room. Jo Seol-yeon and Jo In couldn't hide their confusion.
"Uncle."
Jo In called out as they sat. Sama Cheol finally let out a low sigh.
"Hoo... I'll explain. The escort caravan was ambushed and took heavy losses."
"What?"
Jo In and Jo Seol-yeon stared in shock. Paeng Cheol-yeong and the others gaped too.
But Paeng Mi-ryeong soon frowned. An escort attack was Jo Manor and Henan Bureau business. No reason to drag them out at midnight.
"So I decided to check it out myself."
Jo In asked Sama Cheol, "Then you brought us along because...?"
"Manor Head's orders were to bring you too."
Jo In nodded at last. Clearly for experience. Questions lingered, but the mood stifled more talk. They'd hold off for tonight.
"Anyway, we need to catch up to the caravan fast."
Paeng Mi-ryeong's eyes gleamed at Sama Cheol's words. She nodded.
"We should head back to the Martial Alliance from here."
Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin panicked at Paeng Mi-ryeong's words. The situation was baffling enough, but this blew it away.
"Mi-ryeong! How can you—!"
Paeng Cheol-yeong shouted, too agitated to finish. Namgung Jin looked ready to explode too. But Sama Cheol replied calmly.
"I agree. You three head back to the Alliance. This is Jo Manor and Henan Bureau business from here."
Paeng Cheol-yeong and Namgung Jin's jaws dropped. Jo In gaped too. They could only listen as Sama Cheol continued.
"That's why I didn't book rooms. Time to go."
Blunt dismissal—downright rude. But Paeng Mi-ryeong smiled brightly and stood.
"Then we'll be off as you say."
Her easy acceptance flustered Paeng Cheol-yeong. He wanted to yell but swallowed his anger at Sama Cheol's cold face and shot up.
In the end, the three from the Martial Alliance left the inn. Sama Cheol watched them go with a heavy sigh.
"U-Uncle, why...?"
Sama Cheol ignored Jo In.
"Let's rest. Long road ahead."
Sama Cheol lay on the bed. Jo In had no choice but to do the same.
"Mi-ryeong! What the hell was that?!"
Outside the inn, Paeng Cheol-yeong chased the lightness-skill-fleeing Paeng Mi-ryeong, bellowing. She glanced back casually.
"Just doing what Hero Sama asked."
"What?"
"He sent a transmission telling me to."
Paeng Cheol-yeong reeled at the unexpected reply. Namgung Jin too.
"What do you mean, Lady Paeng?"
"The Jo Family Manor was attacked. We need to hurry to the Martial Alliance and report it. His tone suggested real danger—we'll know more later."
Paeng Mi-ryeong's words stunned them. They fell silent, flying on with lightness skill. An attack on Jo Manor was huge news.
"The manor won't fall, will it?"
"Who knows? No one but those involved."
Paeng Mi-ryeong's cool reply drifted into the night sky.
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The caravan, now in Shaanxi, passed a village near Xi'an. Modest but well-stocked. The group bypassed it, camping nearby.
Tang Cheol-gi still looked dazed. Tang Ho-gwan left him be. Mental turmoil could shatter barriers, ushering new realms. To Tang Ho-gwan, this was opportunity for Tang Cheol-gi.
Tang Ho-gwan glanced at the brooding Tang Cheol-gi, then turned to Dan Hyeong-u with the merchants. His face remained unreadable.
"What a strange fellow."
Traveling with Dan Hyeong-u revealed wonders. He stood through the night—never lying or sitting.
In an inn, one might see him sit for meals, but caravans skipped those. They'd rough camped, eating on the go. Dan Hyeong-u ate standing too.
Food aside, no sleep baffled Tang Ho-gwan. Humans need rest. Yet here was Dan Hyeong-u defying it.
Precisely, he slept standing—but Tang Ho-gwan couldn't know. Dan Hyeong-u needed no sleep; it barely affected him. Sleeping was mere habit.
"Damn, this is stifling. A drink in the village would've hit the spot..."
Tang Ho-gwan smacked his lips. Too long without liquor. But duty came first.
Sitting long, Tang Ho-gwan checked Tang Cheol-gi and startled. His face was deathly paling.
"Tch tch. Sinking into a mere heart demon..."
Tang Ho-gwan approached.
"Snap out of it, boy!"
He barked softly by Tang Cheol-gi, sat, placed a hand on his back, and infused inner power. Tang Cheol-gi came to instantly.
"Gasp! U-Uncle."
"You're back. Be more careful from now on."
"I will."
Tang Cheol-gi bowed deeply. That was close. Without Tang Ho-gwan, disaster.
"Hang in there. We'll rest in Xi'an. The branch there has good drinks."
Tang Cheol-gi ducked his head sheepishly. Grateful for the kindness.
"Sorry for worrying you."
"No need. It's just a pass—everyone faces it. I believe you'll overcome it handsomely."
Tang Ho-gwan truly did. Tang Cheol-gi was gifted.
As they talked, the remaining Tang warriors secured the area, set watches, and rested.
The merchants did likewise. Dinner done, they conserved strength for tomorrow's march.
Hyeong Pyo sat by Dan Hyeong-u, watching merchants settle. He glanced up. Dan stood as ever.
"You always stand."
Dan Hyeong-u looked down at Hyeong Pyo and nodded.
"It's comfortable."