A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 302

302. Threat

Before ascending the rocky peak, No-gun checked on Son-bin’s condition first.

“Uh, I’m fine…”

“Just stay still. When have you ever said you weren’t?”

Ignoring Son-bin’s words, No-gun pressed here and there on Son-bin’s body. Chung-hye wore an expression of incomprehension, but for the group, it was a natural thing to do.

“Hmm, seems alright?”

No-gun said after examining Son-bin’s body.

“It would be more certain if there was a divine being, but anyway, I don’t see anything strange. Not particularly good, not bad either. Just normal.”

“How do you feel?”

“How are you, Brother?”

Sa Su-yeon and Seo-rin asked Son-bin. Dang Wol-ah simply stared at Son-bin from behind her veil without a word. Her gaze wasn’t one of concern, but that made it even more 부담스러운 [burdensome/uncomfortable].

“Does it hurt, Oppa?”

Hwa-sa asked, staring with surprised eyes. Even though Chung-hye frowned and acted obviously strange, Hwa-sa didn’t care.

In her memories, which had once returned to ten years ago, Son-bin was still her Oppa [older brother, a term of endearment]. She showed some courtesy and called him ‘Young Master Son, hohoho’ when she was being polite, but when she was in a hurry, ‘Oppa’ immediately popped out.

“I’m alright. It doesn’t hurt.”

Son-bin said with a smile, now accustomed to the title. Despite having used the Exploding Moon Art, Son-bin’s condition was remarkably good.

Even a master of the Outer Palace would experience temporary exhaustion after using a major technique. Compared to that, Son-bin was strangely fine.

“Let’s just go since he seems okay.”

No-gun suddenly said.

“Anyway, even if we ask more, we’ll only hear about how the flow helped him or something. Maybe Hwangsan lent him some strength this time.”

It was a voice that sounded resigned or perhaps defeated. But Son-bin could only offer an awkward smile. Because it was true that Hwangsan had helped him, as No-gun said.

The group prepared to climb the rocky peak again. Taking the earlier attack as a lesson, they kept a sufficient distance, and Sa Su-yeon, holding Son-bin, was positioned second to last.

Tadat, tat.

Without lowering their guard, the group climbed the rocky peak. However, there were no attacks they had feared, or fire bombs suddenly flying at them.

Tak.

The entire group reached the top of the rocky peak. Sa Su-yeon, holding Son-bin, came up, and Sword Demon, who had guarded the rear, also descended onto the summit.

“Wow. This is nice?”

Hwa-sa exclaimed. It was an action completely devoid of tension, but the group also sympathized with Hwa-sa.

“Hmm, it’s a decent place.”

Even No-gun said so, the top of the rocky peak was a completely different world.

On one side, a towering cliff that seemed to reach the sky stood like a wall, and on the other side, the scenery of Hwangsan spread out below.

The sea of clouds, the peaks of Hwangsan rising through the clouds, and the bizarre rocks were truly a masterpiece.

Moreover, there was a fairly flat space on the summit. Thanks to the cliff blocking the wind, there wasn’t much breeze, and it felt like a quiet backyard or training ground, harmonizing with the pavilion built on one side.

Of course, except for the fact that just one step outside would lead to a dizzying cliff.

Sa Su-yeon, who had put Son-bin down, looked around with a firm expression and said quietly.

“Is this the place? Of the Extraterrestrial Four Constellations…”

“Yes. It’s certain.”

Son-bin, who had escaped from Sa Su-yeon’s arms, answered quietly. Sa Su-yeon bit her lip. Perhaps it was here that her mother had been killed.

It was then.

“Welcome.”

A clear woman’s voice suddenly rang out. No one was surprised. They already knew she would be here.

Sabak, sabak.

A woman who appeared to be in her prime walked out from inside the pavilion with quiet steps. An elegant dress with antique yet splendid embroidery swayed softly, and the gold thread floral patterns on the front of her shoes sparkled with each step.

For a moment, her appearance was so beautiful that it was easy to mistake this place for the rear garden of the imperial palace rather than the rocky peak of Hwangsan.

“Was this your first time here?”

Kyunghee Gunju smiled softly. Her unostentatious ornaments shone in her hair.

No-gun glanced around. However, only the maid Hanga and Chungrang Sword Wi Gajin were on either side of Kyunghee Gunju; there was no sign of anyone else.

‘Something’s fishy?’

No-gun thought, frowning. Logically speaking, there was no reason for Kyunghee Gunju to remain in this situation.

At the point when the Three Divine Guards of Hocheon were defeated, or even before that, shouldn’t she have fled to a safe place?

‘Or did she not know it would turn out like this?’

That was unlikely. Kyunghee Gunju had clearly shifted her stance and intentionally concentrated her forces on Son-bin. It was only natural to assume a case of defeat.

‘Perhaps.’

Perhaps she was preparing one last move, risking her own life. No-gun had experienced such opponents several times.

‘Because there are sometimes guys like that.’

There were opponents who rushed in even more boldly in situations where defeat was certain. Sometimes it was out of self-abandonment, or sometimes it was a desperate, life-risking blow.

It wasn’t an uncommon situation for martial artists, but would Kyunghee Gunju really do that too?

No-gun once again glanced at Chungrang Sword Wi Gajin and the maid Hanga. Then, he said to Son-bin as if throwing it out.

“You should answer her. She’s saying something.”

“Me?”

Son-bin retorted. No-gun frowned.

“Then who else? I don’t know that woman.”

That was just an excuse. It was a way to avoid getting caught up in Kyunghee Gunju’s conversation and to observe the situation as objectively as possible. But no sooner had he finished speaking than Seo-rin quickly said.

“I don’t know her either.”

“I’m seeing her for the first time too. She’s a stranger.”

Hwa-sa shrugged her shoulders and said along. Sa Su-yeon gave a bitter smile at the sight, but she also had no intention of responding to Kyunghee Gunju.

Dang Wol-ah and Sword Demon were just standing still, as if they had no interest at all.

“Samae [martial sister].”

A quiet voice came from Chung-hye Sa-tae.

Sabak.

Chung-hye Sa-tae took a step forward. She quietly chanted a Buddhist invocation and then raised her head to look at Kyunghee Gunju.

“How did this happen…”

Her voice trembled slightly. Kyunghee Gunju’s voice, or rather, her Samae’s voice, saying, ‘It’s like I received my sister as a gift,’ was still vivid in her ears.

“Can you tell this dull lion what happened? Samae.”

Chung-hye Sa-tae’s voice was earnest. Everyone was silent at her heartfelt sincerity, but a light laugh rang out.

“Hehe.”

The laughter belonged to Kyunghee Gunju. She looked at Chung-hye Sa-tae and said with a smiling face.

“I can’t believe you’re still saying such things.”

Kyunghee Gunju let out a soft sigh. The smile had already disappeared from her face as she raised her gaze again.

“I am no longer your Samae.”

Kyunghee Gunju’s gaze towards Chung-hye Sa-tae was extremely cold. A blank look as if she were seeing a stranger for the first time.

“So if you want to speak to me, first show the proper respect to the Gunju [princess] of the Imperial Family.”

Chung-hye Sa-tae’s eyes fluttered. It wasn’t that she hadn’t been prepared. It wasn’t that she didn’t know.

But hearing these words directly from Kyunghee Gunju was nothing short of shocking.

The times she had spent with her, establishing the Jahye Gate in Beijing, talking and laughing about their disciples, flashed before Chung-hye Sa-tae’s eyes.

“Samae…”

But Kyunghee Gunju no longer answered. She turned her head and averted Chung-hye Sa-tae’s gaze.

“So, what are your impressions?”

Kyunghee Gunju asked, looking at Son-bin.

“Isn’t it beautiful? I’m talking about the scenery from here.”

Sarak.

Kyunghee Gunju raised one hand and lightly extended it towards Hwangsan. As she said, the sight of Hwangsan submerged in the sea of clouds was truly a masterpiece.

Anyone who saw this sight would be moved to admire it and want to recite poetry or display their swordsmanship.

“Yes, it’s beautiful.”

Son-bin answered obediently. Kyunghee Gunju smiled.

“Yes, it’s beautiful. But do you know? That even now, beneath that tranquil sea of clouds, there is a slaughter going on where people are killing each other.”

Kyunghee Gunju looked straight at Son-bin.

“Blinded by a few gold coins, they wield their swords, and they kill people without hesitation to seize non-existent treasures. Uncontrolled, foolish masses filled with greed and madness.”

A faint smile spread across Kyunghee Gunju’s lips.

“This is the Murim [martial arts world]. The very Murim you are trying to protect.”

“There are a few things I’d like to correct.”

Son-bin replied in a quiet voice.

“First, being led by vain desires is a temptation that everyone should be careful of. Whether it’s the imperial family, the gentry, or even a peasant. It is not fair to call it the sin of Murim alone. And second.”

Son-bin gave a faint smile.

“I have never tried to protect the Murim.”

“What?”

Kyunghee Gunju frowned slightly. But Son-bin’s voice continued.

“I don’t want to interfere with the Murim. I have never even thought of protecting the Murim.”

“What are you talking about? Then why are you…”

“But.”

Son-bin said in a low, quiet voice.

“I cannot tolerate anyone messing with his things as they please.”

Kyunghee Gunju was glaring at Son-bin as if to shoot him down. Son-bin did not avoid or avert her gaze.

“He was proud of the Outer Palace. Although there were limitations and disappointments, he never gave up on the Outer Palace and his martial arts until the end.”

Son-bin remembered the moment when Sa Ja-hyuk spoke about the Outer Palace. His voice and expression were extremely calm, but it was clear that he was proud of it.

The fact that he insisted on a martial arts contest rather than revenge, and that he did not leave the Outer Palace until the last moment, also showed this.

“But if I let you ruin the Outer Palace as you please.”

Son-bin smiled lightly.

“Wouldn’t I not have the face to see him when he returns?”

Silence flowed. Kyunghee Gunju, who had been quietly facing Son-bin, suddenly let out a laugh.

“Hehe.”

Kyunghee Gunju said with a somehow pleased expression.

“So, that’s what it was.”

She couldn’t not know. She clearly remembered the words he had said, ‘I cannot ascend to the heavens.’

The heavens he spoke of, that Outer Palace.

So was that why she tried to overturn it? Was that why she tried to prove it? That even the heavens he spoke of could not stop her.

“I should have eliminated you from the beginning. For my Heaven-Turning Scheme.”

“Heaven-Turning Scheme?”

No-gun frowned and interjected, but then he seemed to remember something and said.

“Ah, I heard about that. Uncle Chung-soo said that? That the Heaven-Turning Scheme has already begun.”

“Hmph.”

No-gun snorted as if it were ridiculous.

“Does the Heaven-Turning Scheme mean overturning the heavens? How laughable. You’re going to overturn the heavens with just this?”

No-gun continued, sneering.

“So all you’re doing is spreading a strange book called the Hundred In Records, gathering Murim people in Hwangsan with false rumors, and… Hmm.”

No-gun’s voice gradually grew smaller as he spoke. But Dang Wol-ah’s merciless, quiet voice followed after him.

“They induced a bloody battle in the fog and, taking advantage of the chaos, attacked the masters of the Outer Palace. Moreover, they tried to appease the Four Great Sects and the Five Great Families by using the imperial family. If it hadn’t been for Young Master Son, we wouldn’t have been able to avoid being defeated individually.”

“And they threw a lot of fire bombs too, right?”

Hwa-sa interjected.

“If they had used that earlier, it would have been a disaster, right? And those dark guys weren’t ordinary either… Why didn’t they come out like that earlier?”

Kyunghee Gunju did not answer.

Numerous fire bombs, Thousand Hands Sword Ryung Chun-hwa and Flying Sword Gongsun Guk, and even the Three Divine Guards of Hocheon. All of these forces were poured out to face only one person, Son-bin.

But the result was disastrous.

The Three Divine Guards of Hocheon were shattered, and Flying Sword Gongsun Guk lost all his inner strength. Thousand Hands Sword Ryung Chun-hwa left Hwangsan, even losing his will to fight. It could not be anything but the ultimate humiliation for Kyunghee Gunju.

“Ugh. Well, if you look at it that way, the word ‘Heaven-Turning’ isn’t that wrong, but…”

While No-gun was muttering, Hwa-sa said to Kyunghee Gunju with a triumphant attitude.

“Hohoho. But anyway, you’ve all failed. It doesn’t work on our O… No, Young Master Son, you see?”

Hwa-sa was elated. She provoked Kyunghee Gunju, speaking with a mocking smile.

“What are you going to do now? If you’re going to say you’re going to overturn the heavens, you should just lay fire bombs all over Hwangsan and all at once…”

Hwa-sa flinched as she spoke. It was because Kyunghee Gunju was smiling faintly.

“No, no way…”

No-gun frowned and said. He glared at Hwa-sa once and then said to Kyunghee Gunju.

“But Hwa-sa’s point is right. Your Heaven-Turning Scheme or whatever is already over. So why are you still here?”

At No-gun’s question, Kyunghee Gunju let out a light laugh. Instead of answering, she turned her gaze towards Son-bin.

“What do you think? Do you also think the Heaven-Turning Scheme has failed?”

“The Heaven-Turning Scheme.”

Son-bin answered quietly.

“It has not ended yet.”

A small smile hung on Kyunghee Gunju’s lips. Son-bin continued in a calm voice.

“No, perhaps it could be said that it is just beginning. From the moment the Four Great Sects and the Five Great Families came to Hwangsan, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the Heaven-Turning Scheme has already succeeded.”

The ‘Secret Treasure of the Extraterrestrial Four Constellations’ had drawn even the Four Great Sects and the Five Great Families to Hwangsan.

It would be a surprising result for ordinary Murim people, but it was a natural result for those who knew of the existence of the Outer Palace. Moreover, if the imperial family had moved the Wudang, Emei, and Gongsun families from behind, there was nothing more to say.

“Indeed.”

Kyunghee Gunju said quietly. Her eyes, looking at Son-bin, were shining.

“You should have been by my side.”

“What does that mean? Then…”

No-gun asked with a serious expression. Son-bin smiled and answered No-gun.

“But the Heaven-Turning Scheme will not succeed.”

“What?”

No-gun involuntarily retorted, and Kyunghee Gunju frowned. Son-bin said.

“Because I will end it.”

It was a truly confident answer. Even No-gun had a dazed expression, and Kyunghee Gunju was speechless for a while.

“Hmph.”

Kyunghee Gunju’s laughter broke the silence.

“What great confidence. Good. You have the right to say that.”

Kyunghee Gunju said in a clear voice.

“But.”

In an instant, Kyunghee Gunju’s eyes turned sharp. She quietly put her hand into her bosom.

No-gun’s eyebrows twitched, and the other members of the group also tensed up. Watching their reactions, Kyunghee Gunju slowly took something out.

Sarak.

It was a cylinder about the size of a thick bamboo node. It had a dark red color as if it had been lacquered, and a small string was slightly protruding from one end.

“Have you seen it before?”

The question was directed at Son-bin. Son-bin tilted his head, but Dang Wol-ah answered quietly from the side.

“That’s a fire tube (火筒) [primitive rocket launcher].”

A fire tube is a weapon that uses gunpowder to shoot arrows or bullets. Kyunghee Gunju let out a light laugh.

“That’s right. But there’s no need to be wary. This is just a tool for shooting up signals. You saw it earlier, right? Shooting up the red signals.”

They had seen it. And they had also seen the same red signal rising in the distance as if responding to it.

As the group’s vigilance seemed to ease slightly, Kyunghee Gunju looked down at the dark red fire tube and muttered to herself as if talking to herself.

“At first, I didn’t believe it.”

Tong, tong.

As if weighing it, Kyunghee Gunju lightly tossed the fire tube in her hand up and down a few times.

“But isn’t it? A person walking the path of the Unrivaled is gathering children in a small village and running a Seowon [private academy]. It’s a story that doesn’t make sense to anyone.”

Kyunghee Gunju let out a slight chuckle and stared blankly at the fire tube. The dark red fire tube shone faintly in her hand.

“But now I understand. You would do that and still have something left. No, you would have definitely done that.”

As if pleased, Kyunghee Gunju said in a clear voice.

Seuk.

Kyunghee Gunju, holding the fire tube in her hand, turned to look at Son-bin.

“Was that village name Cheongwon, perhaps?”

No one spoke. In that quiet silence, Kyunghee Gunju looked straight at Son-bin.

“Your Seowon.”

Kyunghee Gunju said with a cold smile. Her eyes were shining sharply. It was the eyes of a predator who was confident of victory, just before sinking its fangs into its prey.

“Don’t you wonder what will happen to it?”