Bachelor Swordsmanship Remastered [EN]: Chapter 245

245. The Eve of the Decisive Battle

“Even if the situation turns in our favor, you must never rashly launch an attack,” Dogo-rang said, his expression grave.

“I repeat, our goal is to endure. If the Murim Alliance headquarters looks like it’s moving, immediately move to the side. Understand?”

“Of course…”

“Fighting can drive people crazy,” Dogo-rang said, cutting off Jang Cheon-ho’s words.

“If you get greedy for merit because your blood is boiling, you’ll die. No matter how skilled you are.”

Dogo-rang’s eyes were eerily sharp. “Remember, surviving is winning.”

No one disagreed with that statement.

“Now, everyone has heard Great Hero Dogo-rang’s words!” Jang Cheon-ho stood up and said loudly. “Everyone, move out!”

The guest hall instantly became bustling. People ran to get their shields, and the sect leaders began discussing how to organize their disciples. The guest hall was filled with a completely different kind of energy than before.

However, Dogo-rang’s expression as he watched was not good.

‘…In truth.’

It would be best to withdraw now.

But in this atmosphere, no one would listen to that.

So all of Dogo-rang’s efforts are not a fundamental solution to the situation, but only a temporary alleviation.

That very fact weighed heavily on Dogo-rang’s mind.

“Dogo Je.”

Dogo-rang turned his head at the sudden voice.

“Great Leader!” Could he have returned already?

Yun-hyun’s gentle expression filled Dogo-rang’s surprised eyes.

“As expected, Dogo Je is amazing.”

Yun-hyun smiled as he looked at the crowded guest hall. “I never thought people would change this much.”

That was only natural. The guest hall, which had been filled with drinking just a while ago, was now full of tension and energy, like a camp preparing for battle.

“How have you been alone all this time, being so good at getting along with people? Hahaha,” Yun-hyun said with a laugh, but Dogo-rang barely registered it.

Yun-hyun’s every word and expression was like sunlight, chasing away the darkness in his heart.

“…I.”

Dogo-rang said quietly. His voice was as calm as ever, but his sharp eyes were softening.

“I was just following the Great Leader’s will.”

Yun-hyun smiled brightly.

It was then.

“Oh, are you Great Leader Chang Ryong?” Jang Cheon-ho, who had approached unnoticed, bowed politely to Yun-hyun.

“I am Jang Cheon-ho of the Shimgeomun [Sword Heart Gate] in Hangzhou. It is truly an honor to meet you, Great Leader.”

Yun-hyun returned his greeting. “I am Yun-hyun. Honor? Please, don’t say such things…”

“No, no.”

Jang Cheon-ho shook his head with a serious expression. “This Jang Cheon-ho is deeply moved by Great Leader Yun’s actions. Where else would there be someone who cares for others in such difficult times?”

“That’s right, Great Leader Yun.”

Another person said from the side. “Our Ssanggeomhwe [Twin Swords Society] is deeply impressed by the Sword Lord’s consideration. You are truly a great man of the era. Hahaha.”

Perhaps they saw it as an opportunity?

The middle-aged martial artists in the guest hall rushed over in an instant.

“Nice to meet you! I am from the Yigajang [Yi Family Clan] in Hangzhou…”

“I am the head of Yongmaenggwan [Brave Might Hall]. I have always admired the Great Leader’s name…”

Yun-hyun was flustered. This kind of enthusiastic welcome was a first, especially in the Murim Alliance [a coalition of martial arts sects].

“No, well…”

Yun-hyun, surrounded by people, didn’t know what to do. However, Dogo-rang’s eyes as he watched were only gentle.

***

Half willingly, half unwillingly, Yun-hyun had to leave Dogo-rang in the guest hall. He couldn’t take Dogo-rang away after everyone had shown such enthusiastic gratitude and welcome. The next day, Yun-hyun, alone for the first time in a while, visited the Secretariat early in the morning.

However, he couldn’t find Jo Du-shik, Ahn Su-jae, or Pyeon Eo-du.

“They’re out on business?”

“Yes, that’s right,” a secretary who looked very busy answered. “It’s probably been about ten days. Well, I’ll be going now…”

“Ah, thank you.”

Yun-hyun bowed, but the secretary, carrying a pile of documents, hurried away.

‘I was going to say goodbye…’

Since he had submitted his resignation, his duties as a secretary were over. Pyeon Eo-du was quick-witted, so he could just hint at the impending danger. But all three of them were no longer in the Murim Alliance.

If it had been ten days, they had left before Yun-hyun returned.

“Hoo.”

The reason why the Murim Alliance felt so empty was probably because that’s how Yun-hyun felt.

Yun-hyun trudged out of the Secretariat.

That afternoon, a messenger rushed in and delivered urgent news to the Murim Alliance. It was that the ‘enemy’ had appeared half a day away. A clash was imminent.

“Where are they?”

At Je Gal-yeon’s question, the messenger knelt on one knee and answered, “Thirty li [approximately 9.3 miles] north of Hangzhou.”

“That’s where the plains are.”

One of the representatives said. The south of the Murim Alliance was the city of Hangzhou. It was only natural that the enemies with cavalry chose the north.

“It’s as we expected.”

Another representative said.

“What are the enemies’ movements?”

“They are approaching here. At this rate, they will be within ten li [approximately 3.1 miles] before sunset today.”

Je Gal-yeon frowned. “Light all the fires in the Alliance and set up defenses. They might launch a night raid.”

Je Gal-yeon said, looking at the representatives. “The decisive battle will be tomorrow morning.”

The Murim Alliance’s response was already decided. All that remained was the decisive battle.

Je Gal-yeon clenched his fist without realizing it, feeling the tension flowing through his body. “Everything will go as planned.”

The representatives nodded. Tension was also overflowing in their eyes.

“We have arrived at the target location.”

The Moon King nodded at his subordinate’s report. “Stop the advance and set up camp.”

“Understood.”

The subordinate immediately left to carry out the order. The Moon King, sitting in a large carriage that looked like a bed, fanned himself with a leisurely expression.

“Heh heh.”

The Moon King’s eyes, smiling, were looking at the Murim Alliance.

“What is the situation in the Murim Alliance?”

The subordinate standing next to the carriage answered without delay. “They have closed all the gates and are taking strict security measures. They have lit all the fires and torches, making it as bright as day. It will be visible from here as soon as darkness falls.”

“Tsk.”

The Moon King frowned. “Put up a curtain in front of my quarters so that the lights of the Murim Alliance don’t reach me. Do you understand?”

That was an unexpected order. However, the subordinate immediately bowed his head.

“Yes, I will.”

He didn’t ask for a reason. There were more than one or two things in the Moon King’s orders that he couldn’t understand.

Tak.

The subordinate left, and the Moon King muttered with a scowl. “…As bright as day? Something like that.”

A pitch-black night, a village engulfed in huge flames, people’s screams and wails, and the death of one person.

Crack.

The fan made a sound under the Moon King’s hand.

“Hmph.”

The Moon King snorted as if to chase away a nightmare. “Tomorrow will be a special day. A very special day.”

The Moon King muttered, recalling Jo So’s face. However, his face was covered with a bizarre expression that was neither joy nor sorrow.

***

Even in the deep night, the Murim Alliance was as bright as day. The torches and bonfires lit everywhere pushed back the darkness with a sound.

Crackle, crackle.

Yun-hyun looked at the guest hall, listening to the sound of the firewood burning. Many people were busily preparing for the decisive battle. However, the surroundings were strangely quiet.

People walked carefully and lowered their voices when they had to talk. It was probably because of the tension of the eve of the decisive battle.

“Rest, sir.”

Yun-hyun turned his head at the sudden voice. The owner of the voice was none other than Dogo-rang. He had returned from a meeting with the sects in the guest hall just a moment ago.

“I’m fine. More importantly, did the discussion go well?”

Dogo-rang shook his head. “…No sect said they would leave.”

Following Yun-hyun’s advice, Dogo-rang had told the heads of each sect the truth. However, the result was not good.

“It didn’t seem easy for them to accept that the Murim Alliance would lose, and above all, they said it was already a matter of riding a tiger [being in a situation where one cannot stop or turn back].”

“I see.”

Yun-hyun sighed. Riding a tiger was a very accurate expression. In this situation, leaving would not be tolerated by the Murim Alliance or other sects.

Besides, these people had seen the power of the Murim Alliance in front of their eyes for a long time, so how could they easily accept the Murim Alliance’s defeat?

“It’s okay.”

Yun-hyun said, looking at Dogo-rang. “You did your best.”

“Doing my best is not enough.”

Dogo-rang said quietly, looking at the people moving busily. “How many of them will survive? Does the word ‘best’ really mean anything to those who have died? People say to wait for the will of heaven after doing their best, but I sometimes think that heaven is very cruel.”

His voice was filled with loneliness. What had he seen as he wandered the world alone, and what emotions had he felt? He had roamed the world in search of an opponent, but he didn’t kill recklessly, and he wandered the world as a solitary swordsman without joining a group. What kind of feeling was that?

Yun-hyun knew that what Dogo-rang said was by no means light. So he opened his mouth slowly and carefully.

“People are said to be thrown beings.”

Dogo-rang turned his head at Yun-hyun’s voice.

“Beings thrown into a world they didn’t choose, without knowing anything.”

Yun-hyun continued, looking at the busy martial artists. “But people are the only beings who can throw themselves. The only beings who can create meaning by throwing themselves for something, and open up possibilities through choice.”

Crackle, crackle.

Yun-hyun said under the burning torch. “Will you live as a thrown being, or will you throw yourself towards something? If you have chosen that, you don’t have to think about what heaven has done for you. Don’t you think so?”

There is no perfect world. But that doesn’t mean you can sit down and do nothing.

Dogo-rang is already a person who has done his best and thrown himself. So what does the will of heaven or people’s reputation matter? Dogo-rang is already a person who deserves to be recognized enough in himself.

“…Indeed.”

A soft smile spread across Dogo-rang’s face.

“I made a good choice.”

“Yes. You are already enough…”

“Thank you.”

Dogo-rang said, looking straight at Yun-hyun. “Because you are such a person, Great Leader, and because you appeared before me.”

Yun-hyun was momentarily speechless. He didn’t even know what to say since Dogo-rang, who usually didn’t even have an expression, was smiling.

Yun-hyun, who was flustered, suddenly came to his senses.

‘Well, he was originally this kind of person.’

He even said such things in front of the person himself, but Dogo-rang was originally that kind of person. He is overly serious, and therefore an even better person.

“…Say such things to a girl you like.”

Yun-hyun smiled lightly and turned his head to look at the guest hall. “She’ll probably fall for you.”

In fact, Yun-hyun doesn’t have any experience, so he can’t be sure. But Dogo-rang is a master, and he has a very warm atmosphere when he smiles. Most girls would immediately have a crush on him.

The problem is that he doesn’t smile often.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Dogo-rang turned his head and looked at the guest hall.

Crackle, crackle.

The sound of torches burning was heard overhead.

There were no more words, but the two of them were looking at the guest hall with lighter hearts. With the thoughts of many people in their hearts, the eve of the decisive battle was deepening.