A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 458

458. Deepening Darkness

Old General halted the carriage. A man waiting by the roadside, holding a white flag, bowed respectfully upon seeing Son Bin’s party.

“Welcome back, Young Master Son.”

Despite the man’s gentle demeanor, Old General remained vigilant. He couldn’t predict how the young Okryong [Jade Dragon, a title] would react. Furthermore, it had only been a few days since they’d left Snow Mountain, and the man’s reappearance could indicate trouble. However, Son Bin gracefully stepped down from the carriage and greeted the man.

“Yes, we meet again.”

The Blood Dragon Gate representative, dressed in white, smiled at Son Bin’s greeting.

“Okryong asked me to deliver this letter to Young Master Son.”

“A letter?”

“Yes.”

The man slowly and carefully retrieved a letter from inside his robes. As the letter, wrapped in blue silk and tied with golden thread, came into view, Old General’s eyes narrowed.

“Here it is.”

The man handed the letter to Son Bin with a respectful bow. Son Bin accepted it, looking puzzled.

“I’m glad I caught you before you left Yunnan, Young Master Son.”

The man bowed deeply.

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Son Bin paused, then asked, “Perhaps afterward…”

“I will return to the Blood Dragon Gate.”

The man replied with a smile, anticipating the question. But Son Bin’s inquiry went deeper.

“Not that, but is Han Wol doing well?”

“Ah. That’s…”

The man hesitated, searching his memory. Han Wol, always strict and unapproachable, had been no different when she ordered him to deliver the letter.

“…I believe there is nothing unusual.”

He hesitated because revealing Blood Dragon Gate affairs to outsiders was forbidden. But this was Son Bin, whom Han Wol had instructed him to treat with utmost respect, so a vague answer should suffice.

—Never be rude.

The image of the fearsome Han Wol sternly giving him orders remained vivid. He also recalled her unusual habit of subtly touching her neck.

“…Probably.”

“Is that so?”

Seeing Son Bin’s relieved expression, the man in white couldn’t hide his confusion. He wouldn’t pry into the relationship between Son Bin and Han Wol; that was beyond his mission. Of course, he would report this conversation to Han Wol.

“Thank you for delivering the letter.”

Son Bin said. The man bowed deeply again.

“I was only following orders; it was my duty.”

Son Bin returned the greeting and re-entered the carriage. As Son Bin boarded, Old General glanced at the man in white before urging the horses forward.

“Giddy up!”

Clatter, clatter. The carriage lurched into motion, carrying Son Bin’s party away. The man from the Blood Dragon Gate remained standing until they disappeared down the road. His expression, now that his task was complete, was much softer. Inside the swaying carriage, Son Bin examined the letter. The luxurious blue silk and stylish golden tassel suggested considerable expense.

“What’s this all about? A letter out of the blue?”

Old General frowned and muttered. Sa Su-yeon, in the back seat, and even Dang Wol-ah, showed interest.

“If there’s poison…”

Son Bin turned to Dang Wol-ah and said, “It’s probably safe.”

Dang Wol-ah nodded slightly. Son Bin untied the tassel and unfolded the letter.

Rustle.

Son Bin, reading the flowing script, smiled.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

Old General asked quickly. Son Bin said, a smile playing on his lips, “‘All the fools said you were dead, but I didn’t believe it,’ he says.”

Old General frowned.

“Showing off right from the start? He’s just as annoying as Okryong.”

If the young Okryong had heard that, he would have been furious. Son Bin smiled and continued reading. Gradually, his expression hardened.

Clatter, clatter.

Old General drove in silence. Sa Su-yeon and Dang Wol-ah waited for Son Bin to finish.

Rustle.

Son Bin folded the letter and turned to Old General.

“Would you like to see it?”

“Too lazy. So, what’s it say? More useless words?”

“First, Okryong says he has no interest in the affairs of the *Kangho* [martial arts world].”

Old General frowned, not because the information was useless.

“In fact, he doesn’t care about the world, so the Blood Dragon Gate will not actively participate in *Kangho* affairs in the future.”

Son Bin spoke calmly, but it was huge news. The Blood Dragon Gate, a major player in the Jiangnan martial world for the past decade, was declaring its withdrawal.

“Of course, he said he wouldn’t back down to protect the people of the Blood Dragon Gate…”

“That’s what all the sects say. So? Is the Blood Dragon Gate really staying out of Jiangnan?”

Son Bin nodded.

“It seems so.”

No sentence explicitly stated it, but the young Okryong’s meaning was clear.

“Is that so?”

Old General pondered. “Since it’s the word of the guy who inherited the name Okryong, it’s not very reliable, but if it’s true, it’s a significant declaration. And?”

“Regarding what I was going to convey…”

Son Bin continued quietly, “He said he would come to me later and ask with courtesy.”

“That’s…”

Dang Wol-ah spoke softly from behind, “Doesn’t that mean he’s going to take revenge?”

Sa Su-yeon nodded seriously. “That’s right. Many martial artists I punished said the same thing.”

Old General added, “Yes. In the outside world, that usually means he’ll get back at you…”

“That’s not it.”

Son Bin interjected quickly. “Right now… ahem, he says it’s difficult because there are people he needs to take care of.”

He paused because the young Okryong had written ‘incompetent, weak, useless fools,’ likely referring to the Blood Dragon Gate members.

“And?”

Old General pressed. “That’s not why your expression hardened… What’s the really important part?”

Son Bin looked down at the letter and said quietly, “Bi-geom asked him to start a rebellion in Yunnan.”

“What?”

Old General’s expression twisted. Son Bin continued quickly, “To be precise, he wants him to neutralize the local officials of Yunnan and prevent them from contacting the central government. He said that would be enough.”

Old General, who had been frowning, tilted his head. “Can that be called a rebellion? Isn’t that just an accident?”

“Of course, it would be.”

Son Bin explained calmly, “But if a rebellion actually breaks out elsewhere, it takes on a completely different meaning.”

If contact is lost when nothing is happening, it’s an accident. But if a rebellion has already started elsewhere, the severed contact takes on a different meaning. It wouldn’t be difficult for the young Okryong; the local officials of Yunnan were likely already under his control.

“But in the end, that’s all it looks like.”

Sa Su-yeon asked, “If there’s no actual military conflict, it won’t last long, will it?”

“That’s right.”

Son Bin replied quietly. He had already considered this.

“But it will take time to get to that point. So, Bi-geom’s scheme to plot a rebellion is a trick to attract attention, or for the sake of justification. In martial arts terms, it’s a feint.”

“A rebellion becomes a justification?”

Old General asked. Son Bin sighed softly.

“Yes. It depends on how it unfolds, but it’s enough to change the power structure of the imperial family.”

Historically, powerful empires have collapsed from within. High-ranking officials and noblemen know this, making them sensitive to rebellions. A simple rebellion rarely changes a dynasty, but it can overturn political power.

“But is that possible?”

Sa Su-yeon asked again, “To do that, you need considerable political influence and experience, right?”

Her point was valid. A rebellion alone wouldn’t ensure the central government acted as Bi-geom wanted. Accurate political sense, judgment, and influence were essential.

“Did Bi-geom have that ability?”

“It’s possible.”

Old General said calmly, “If it’s the Zhuge family.”

Silence fell. The Zhuge family, previously overlooked, now revealed its significance. Old General continued, “The Zhuge family doesn’t wield powerful authority, but with the right circumstances, they could manage it. They are well-versed in that area.”

The Zhuge family was a martial arts family, but also respected scholars, with connections to central officials and familiarity with court politics.

Clatter, clatter.

The sound of horseshoes echoed in the silence. After a moment, Dang Wol-ah asked quietly, “If a rebellion breaks out, what about the other areas?”

“Who knows?”

Old General replied casually. “It will probably start where remnants of the Demonic Sect are hiding, but we need to know where that is. We can’t search the whole world.”

The Demonic Sect and the Blood Cult, suppressed by the imperial family, had gone underground. The vast continent and rugged terrain made them impossible to find. Even in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, the central government’s influence was limited.

“More importantly, what are you going to do with that guy? You’re not going to do as Bi-geom says, are you?”

‘That guy’ referred to the young Okryong. Son Bin replied, “He said he’s not interested right now.”

Old General chuckled. “That means he was interested before. Anyway, the ones with the name Okryong are all funny guys.”

Old General disliked both the previous and current Okryong. But he was satisfied that the Yunnan Blood Dragon Gate and the young Okryong were outside Bi-geom’s plan.

“What are you going to do now?”

Old General glanced at Son Bin. “Are you going to the Blood Phoenix Alliance as planned?”

After a moment, Son Bin replied, “It would be best. I’ve already contacted the Golden Sand Union’s young miss.”

They had sent a letter to the Blood Phoenix Golden Sand Union before leaving the Tang Clan. By the time Son Bin’s group arrived, they would likely be there.

“What about the imperial family? Is it okay not to tell them?”

Old General asked out of consideration for Son Bin, having no interest in court politics himself. He knew Son Bin valued the imperial family.

“Let’s wait a little longer.”

Son Bin said seriously, “We don’t have accurate grounds or evidence, and we could cause unnecessary confusion.”

“I think evidence isn’t necessary if it’s your word.”

Old General chuckled. “That’s right too. The emperor shouldn’t think you can’t handle things yourself. It’s better for you to solve the problem before it breaks out.”

Son Bin smiled awkwardly. That wasn’t his intention, but Old General’s words made sense.

“And, is there anything else?”

“No. That’s all.”

Old General nodded, and Son Bin folded the letter and put it away. Everyone was silent, contemplating the news the letter had conveyed.

Clatter, clatter.

“I just thought of something.”

Old General said, “Shouldn’t we inform the Yunnan Blood Dragon Gate about the Blood Phoenix Alliance? Like we did in other places.”

“Let’s do that. We have to reply anyway.”

Sending a reply was basic etiquette. Son Bin, nodding, suddenly looked troubled. “But, who should we send the reply with?”

“Ugh.”

Old General groaned. They couldn’t entrust the letter to just anyone. But it was too far to a large town with a proper courier company. The only option was the man from the Blood Dragon Gate, which meant turning back. Old General made a decision.

“…Let’s go back.”

He skillfully turned the carriage around. Going back and then returning felt like a loss.

Clatter, clatter.

Old General grumbled as he drove. “Isn’t there a way to send it all at once?”

“Should we raise carrier pigeons?”

Son Bin joked. Even the best carrier pigeon needed training and could only go home. But Old General sighed.

“I hate birds.”

“Yes?”

Sa Su-yeon sounded surprised. “Aren’t birds cute?”

Old General shook his head. “What’s cute about them? They’re dirty and their feathers fly around. I especially hate the way their necks move when they walk.”

Son Bin suspected a bad memory. Old General drove on, ignoring Sa Su-yeon’s surprise and Dang Wol-ah’s sparkling eyes.

“So I caught and ate every one I saw in Namak. They didn’t taste like much… It’s just the seasoning.”

The mountain scenery of Yunnan welcomed Son Bin’s party as they retraced their steps.

***

In the dark grand hall, Bi-geom Gongsun Guk, sitting in a large chair, opened his eyes and looked down at the man prostrating before him. A man in black martial attire knelt, bowing his head. The darkness obscured his features, but this was no problem for Gongsun Guk.

“Speak.”

“‘He’ has left the Yunnan Blood Dragon Gate.”

Bi-geom Gongsun Guk’s eyes flickered. ‘He’ referred to Son Bin. Bi-geom Gongsun Guk was forbidden from directly mentioning Son Bin’s name or ‘the one who walks the path of the Martial Emperor.’

“What about the new Okryong?”

“It is currently judged that there are no abnormalities.”

The man bowed deeply. “There are no special changes in the Blood Dragon Gate, and no signs of abnormality have been detected.”

“That can’t be.”

Bi-geom Gongsun Guk asserted. Son Bin met the young Okryong. It was absurd that there were no changes.

“Didn’t you find out what happened?”

Thud.

The man’s forehead hit the floor. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t find out.”

Gongsun Guk’s expression was unpleasant, but he hadn’t expected success. The Yunnan Blood Dragon Gate was a closed community centered on indigenous religions.

“That’s enough. What about Gongsun Ji?”

“The Divine Maiden has entered meditation.”

Gongsun Ji entering meditation meant she was absorbing demonic energy. Bi-geom Gongsun Guk smiled.

‘Divine Maiden…’

Now she was the Divine Maiden of the Demonic Sect, no longer a member of the Gongsun family, or even Gongsun Guk’s granddaughter. Since she didn’t consider herself human, human morality was irrelevant.

‘But can she really beat that Son family bastard?’

Son Bin had shattered Bi-geom Gongsun Guk’s demonic arts instantly. Since then, Gongsun Guk didn’t trust demonic arts. He didn’t absorb Gongsun Ji’s demonic energy for the same reason. Against Son Bin, demonic arts were a weakness. Gongsun Ji was alive thanks to Son Bin.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Gongsun Guk smiled, looking at the throbbing blood vessels on the back of his hand. “Anyway, the fate of the world will be decided by my hands.”

Gongsun Guk’s dry voice echoed in the darkness. Just as Gongsun Ji was no longer Gongsun Ji, Gongsun Guk was no longer Gongsun Guk. The darkness pressed down like something sticky.

(Author’s words)

Fortunately, the Blood Dragon Gate’s man hasn’t gone far yet.