Knock, knock, knock.
The information I had asked Jin Wikyung for arrived sooner than expected.
What surprised me was the identity of the messenger.
“Huh? What brings you here?”
“My lord said he had a letter that needed delivering, so I came.”
“You came personally?”
The man who had come to deliver Jin Wikyung’s letter was none other than Wipeng.
He stared silently at me for a while before tossing out a single remark.
“So it was true. You really crossed the wall.”
From a low hill, one could not see what lay atop a high peak. But someone standing on that peak could see everything below.
The same was true of Wipeng now.
An accomplished Peak master himself, he recognized the change in me at a glance. He regarded me with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
“How is such a thing possible?”
“Uh…”
What was I supposed to say to that?
Most people believed the ridiculous rumors about me without question, but Wipeng was different.
Along with the brothers of the Jin Family of Taiyuan, he was one of the very few people who knew the truth.
It really is absurd.
A Third Rate thug had become a Peak master in only two or three months.
Even the most open-minded person would find that impossible to comprehend. Perhaps that was precisely why people believed the rumors.
Because those actually sound more plausible.
When I hesitated, unable to answer, Wipeng waved a hand. He was probably mindful of Hyuk Mujin listening beside us as well.
“We should save that discussion for another time.”
Still looking troubled, Wipeng pulled a letter from inside his robes. It contained the information I had asked Jin Wikyung to find.
As I accepted and unfolded it, Wipeng began to explain.
“His name is Jang Taebo. Until a little over ten years ago, he belonged to the Ironcraft Guild.”
“The Ironcraft Guild?”
“It is a guild based in Hubei. Most of its members are skilled craftsmen rather than martial artists.”
In other words, it was a blacksmiths’ guild.
I asked the most important question.
“How skilled is he?”
“He was the Guild Leader of the Ironcraft Guild.”
“Oh.”
That brief answer told me everything I needed to know.
If he had risen to become Guild Leader in the Ironcraft Guild, which was packed with skilled craftsmen, then he was practically a Master Artisan already.
I carefully read through the information about Jang Taebo.
“He lives fairly close by, too?”
“In a village near Jeongyang. Do you remember? The place where we received Prince Shangshan’s invitation…”
“Oh, there.”
Had it been about fifteen days ago? That was where I had marched with the Jin Family of Taiyuan’s elites like a victorious general.
Hyuk Mujin, who had been listening quietly beside us, spoke up.
“If we don’t slacken the reins, we should arrive around sunset.”
“Right?”
“Yes.”
“So what are you still doing here?”
“…What?”
“Go get ready to leave. Set aside two strong horses and pack some food for the road.”
“Wait, what… Am I a servant?”
“There’s no high or low in honest work. Are you looking down on servants now? Should I call every servant in the Jin Family of Taiyuan and give you a lecture?”
“Oh, fine! I get it, so stop already!”
Unable to endure my nagging any longer, Hyuk Mujin grumbled his way out of the room. Wipeng clicked his tongue.
“Your subordinate’s attitude is terribly insolent.”
“…”
Well, from where I was standing, he wasn’t exactly one to talk.
The way you constantly hounded people to work whenever you had the chance was enough to make even a mother-in-law slap someone across the face with a bundle of kimchi.
Look at this hypocrite.
Oblivious to my thoughts, Wipeng continued.
“In any case, you must return by noon tomorrow at the latest. You have not forgotten that New Year’s Day is in two days, have you?”
“Ah, right.”
The entire Jin Family of Taiyuan was already in an uproar over it. I had nearly grown used to the sight of servants and maids rushing around in a frenzy.
That was only natural. This was a grand banquet that would last at least three days, not some event that would end in a single day.
It is a pretty big deal.
It was an occasion to reaffirm the Jin Family of Taiyuan’s position as the ruler of Shanxi Province.
With so many guests arriving, everyone in the family was working day and night to ensure that nothing went wrong.
Everyone except me, of course.
“Do you really think I’ll be late? It’s only half a day away at most.”
Wipeng’s eyes narrowed.
“This is an important occasion, so I trust you will conduct yourself appropriately.”
“Your eyes say you don’t trust me at all.”
“That is a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding.”
“I’m just going to ask him for one favor and come straight back, so don’t worry.”
“Given the Third Young Master’s track record, I cannot help but worry.”
“…”
Trouble did seem to follow me wherever I went, so he wasn’t entirely wrong.
But I was a full-fledged Peak master now. I was far too grown-up to be treated like a little kid playing by the water.
“Even if I look like this—”
“I trust you were not about to say, ‘I’m a Peak master now, so stop treating me like a child by the water.’”
Was he a ghost or something? I hurriedly swallowed the rest of my words.
“Of course not.”
“In Murim, no one knows what awaits them even a single step ahead. And be respectful toward Jang Taebo—Guild Leader Jang. The Ironcraft Guild has close ties with the Nine Sects and One Gang, and its current Guild Leader is Jang Taebo’s Disciple. It would be unwise to offend him.”
“My hobby is filial piety, and my specialty is respecting the elderly.”
“I can still vividly recall the Third Young Master hurling every imaginable obscenity at the Head Elder.”
“Hey, that was different!”
“Of course. I was merely pointing it out. Why are you getting so angry? Do you think I’m a pushover now that you’re a Peak master?”
Look at those eyes. He looked ready to challenge me to a duel.
Of course, if we actually fought, I would still be the one getting beaten. I casually changed the subject.
“But aren’t you busy? You must have a lot of work piled up.”
Wipeng frowned.
“I do need to return as soon as possible. There has been suspicious activity near Datong.”
“Datong… the northern Gaoyuan?”
“I hear the mounted bandits are prowling around again.”
“How long has it even been since the Red Wind Band was crushed?”
“Precisely.”
Rubbing his dry eyes, Wipeng rose from his seat.
“Then I will be going. I suppose we will see each other again at noon tomorrow.”
Wipeng placed pointed emphasis on noon tomorrow right to the end. He was about to leave when he suddenly stopped.
“And there is something I have been meaning to ask…”
“Yes?”
Looking utterly bewildered, Wipeng pointed at the badly mangled door.
“What happened to this? It can’t have been more than a few days since it was completed.”
“Who do you think did it?”
The same person you, I, and everyone else would suspect, of course.
Wipeng appeared to realize who the culprit was. He let out a long sigh and left the room. Judging by the murderous set of his shoulders, he was clearly going to lay into Jin Wikyung.
“Well, I should get going too.”
I was on my way to have my own custom weapon made. My steps felt light enough to fly.
“Are you ready?”
In front of the stables, Hyuk Mujin was inspecting the saddles. He answered curtly.
“Not yet.”
“Still?”
“Yes.”
What was taking him so long?
When I approached, I saw the horse’s flanks were covered in bundles. One sniff told me they were all filled with food. They were still warm, as though they had only recently been cooked.
“What’s all this?”
“What do you think? Food.”
“You think I’m asking because I don’t know that? Huh? Why did you pack so much? Some jerky and water would’ve been enough.”
Hyuk Mujin gave me a wounded look.
“I didn’t pack it.”
“If you didn’t, who did?”
“Who do you think?”
Hyuk Mujin pointed behind me. A young man came racing toward us, weighed down by bundle after bundle.
The moment Cheongpung spotted me, his face lit up.
“Oh! Hello, Benefactor!”
“Ah… hello.”
Sure, hello. But why are you here?
I turned a demanding look on Hyuk Mujin, and he began to explain.
“I ran into him on the way to the stables. He said he wanted to come along. What was I supposed to do?”
Cheongpung shouted enthusiastically.
“Benefactor! Take me with you! I want to go on a trip too!”
“This isn’t a trip.”
“Oh, really? I heard we were leaving today and coming back tomorrow…”
Did going somewhere today and returning tomorrow automatically make it a trip?
When I explained that I was going to meet a blacksmith in Jeongyang, Cheongpung’s eyes lit up.
“Wow! A blacksmith!”
Hyuk Mujin and I spoke at the same time.
“You’ve never seen a blacksmith before, have you?”
“This must be your first time seeing a blacksmith.”
“Yes, that’s right! How did you know?”
“…”
“…”
It was more surprising that he didn’t know.
Anyone who had spent even a single day with Cheongpung would understand exactly how I felt.
“Anyway, please take me with you.”
“Well, I don’t mind if you come along, but…”
“Wow!”
“Let people finish speaking, you idiot.”
Ugh, this was exhausting. Was this what extrovert energy felt like?
Already feeling tired, I leaped onto my saddle. I also made sure to remove the securely tied food bundles ahead of time.
One dropped to the ground with a thud, and Cheongpung screamed.
“Ah! That’s five-spice pork!”
“Why did you pack five-spice pork? I told you we’d be back soon!”
“No! My five-spice pork!”
“…Fuck.”
It wasn’t even mine.
Cheongpung insisted on gathering every last bundle, then grinned.
“Now let’s go!”
I really do want to go. Just without you.
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I took hold of the reins and set off.
Then I had to listen to him chewing behind me until the sun went down.
Winter days were short.
As the sun vanished beyond the plateau’s horizon, a dry voice slipped between the huge man’s lips.
“It is time.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than hundreds of silhouettes stirred in the darkness.
Draped in the hides of all manner of beasts, they mounted their horses, armed with curved sabers, sandalwood bows, and lances.
Within moments, a cavalry force of more than four hundred riders had formed before the huge man. His parched voice rang out once more.
“Our task is simple.”
His eyes gleamed dangerously. The veins bulging along his forearms and the breath steaming from his lips made him look like a wild beast.
“To kill and trample.”
Low laughter rose here and there.
Their leader had given them permission to run wild. The more than four hundred mounted bandits of the Heavenly Wind Band trembled with excitement.
The sight brought a satisfied smile to the huge man’s face.
At last, I can do this properly.
The plan devised by his sworn elder brother, Black Sand, was brilliant.
Of course, what he liked most was that he only had to slaughter and plunder the enemies before him without thinking.
His role was the most important—and the simplest.
My blood is boiling.
These men were nothing like the ragtag forces of the Red Wind Band and the other dregs they had scraped together from far and wide.
They had eaten from the same pot and fought side by side for over a decade. They were seasoned elites, veterans of a hundred battles.
Heh heh. Just wait. Jin Family of Taiyuan or not, I’ll trample every last one of you.
A thunderous roar erupted from the Heavenly Wind Band Leader’s mouth.
“Go! Kill and plunder them all! Slaughter and burn everything in sight!”
“Waaaaah!”
“Let’s go!”
The more than four hundred mounted bandits, wild with excitement, had just turned their horses south when—
“You goddamn sons of bitches. What the hell do you think you’re burning?”
A diminutive figure emerged with a sharp, ringing voice.
The unidentified old man’s hand shone a blinding white.
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