Chapter 74
Deployment (1)
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
Wang Ho, who was waiting with the members of the Hyeoncheon Unit, said this to Baek Socheon.
It was already the third time he had heard that today. Beonsaeng and Im Chung, whom he had met that morning, had said the same thing.
So the moment he entered his office, he first looked into the bronze mirror.
He wasn’t sure whether he looked especially happy, but one thing had certainly changed.
The exhausted man who used to stare blankly back at him from the mirror was gone.
“Something good happened.”
The pleasant day he had spent with her yesterday was still affecting his mood today.
“I’m going to increase the intensity of your training. You’re all happy about that, right?”
Groans erupted from all around.
Even so, their expressions were bright overall.
After months of training, the Hyeoncheon Unit had become more elite than any other organization within the Martial Alliance.
And that grueling training came with rewards.
Rewards more valuable than almost anything else in the martial world.
Whenever he had time, Baek Socheon gathered them together and personally corrected their martial arts.
He fixed the exact posture of each person’s techniques, pointed out their weaknesses and bad habits, and generously advised each of them on how they should train according to their individual level.
There was something Baek Socheon had learned through experience during the previous Great War between the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions.
When commanding from above, troops looked like nothing more than numbers.
But before they were martial artists, each one was a human being.
People with thoughts of their own, different personalities, and families waiting for them.
Recognizing that fact and taking care of them was what separated a good leader from a terrible one.
During the previous war, Baek Socheon had not been a perfect leader.
This time, he intended to do things differently.
That was part of the reason he personally checked every one of their stances.
True loyalty came from sincerity.
“Thank you!”
Every member was at least as skilled as a martial artist of the Iron Sword Corps.
They understood exactly how helpful Baek Socheon’s instruction was and how exceptional the quality of his teaching truly was.
They also knew that Baek Socheon was sincerely teaching for their sake.
As a result, not only those who had respected him from the beginning, but even those who had been reluctantly dispatched to the unit now trusted and followed him.
After finishing with the Hyeoncheon Unit’s martial artists, Baek Socheon went to find Beonsaeng.
Beonsaeng was training alone.
Again and again, he repeated the techniques Baek Socheon had taught him.
After practicing for quite some time, Beonsaeng finally noticed Baek Socheon approaching.
“Big Brother!”
“Shall I see whether you’ve been slacking off?”
As usual, Beonsaeng prepared to demonstrate his techniques, but Baek Socheon stopped him.
“Wait. Not the forms.”
“Yes?”
“How about we have a spar?”
Beonsaeng stared in surprise at the word spar.
He had never once formally sparred with Baek Socheon.
“Am I useless now?”
“If you don’t show me what you’re capable of, I might reach that conclusion.... You know that if your opponent dies during a spar, it doesn’t count as murder, right?”
“You’ve been spending time with that terrifying young lady, and now even your jokes have become scary, Big Brother.”
“Haha.”
Baek Socheon drew his sword.
“All right. Focus. Let’s begin.”
“Yes.”
Beonsaeng drew his own sword.
After taking a deep breath, he calmed himself.
Just do what I was taught!
Beonsaeng thrust his sword forward.
At first, he attacked timidly because he was worried about injuring Baek Socheon.
Baek Socheon immediately shouted at him.
“Attack me as if I were a real enemy!”
Beonsaeng unleashed every technique he had learned at full strength.
Even without using internal energy, Baek Socheon easily avoided his attacks.
Sometimes he dodged the blade.
Sometimes he knocked Beonsaeng’s sword aside with his own.
As though demonstrating the countless ways an actual enemy might defend, Baek Socheon received his attacks in a variety of ways.
He counterattacked as well.
Beonsaeng’s heart nearly stopped whenever one of those razor-sharp attacks came at him, and he desperately blocked.
Aaagh! I’m going to die!
He had no idea how many times he screamed inwardly.
But he didn’t die.
Thrust.
Block.
Dodge.
Completely absorbed in the spar, Beonsaeng didn’t realize that pushing someone this hard without actually killing them was several times more difficult than simply avoiding their attacks.
Eventually, the spar ended.
“Uaaaah... it’s over.”
Beonsaeng’s legs gave out, and he collapsed where he stood.
From his perspective, it had been almost indistinguishable from actual combat, and the mental exhaustion was immense.
Only then did Beonsaeng realize that his earlier concern about injuring Baek Socheon had been like a rabbit worrying about a tiger.
If Baek Socheon had actually used internal energy, then it would have been more like an ant worrying about a tiger.
Baek Socheon looked at him.
“This should be enough.”
“Yes? Enough for what?”
“Follow me.”
Baek Socheon walked away without explaining.
Beonsaeng hurriedly got back up and followed him.
The place Baek Socheon brought him to was the training ground of the Hyeoncheon Unit.
“Wang Ho!”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Test this fellow’s skills.”
“A recruit examination?”
“That’s right.”
Beonsaeng’s heart suddenly began pounding wildly.
He knew better than anyone what kind of place the Hyeoncheon Unit was.
Wasn’t it an elite organization composed of martial artists from the Iron Sword Corps—something he had dreamed of joining his entire life—and even stronger martial artists from the Hidden Pavilion?
Beonsaeng looked toward Baek Socheon.
Am I really ready for this? Isn’t it too soon?
But Baek Socheon didn’t even look at him.
Wang Ho stepped forward and drew his sword.
“Come. Show me what you can do.”
“Yes.”
Still half-dazed, Beonsaeng stepped forward and drew his sword.
Even the unit captain couldn’t simply admit anyone he wanted into the organization.
A minimum level of ability was necessary.
One person’s mistake could put everyone else in danger.
More than anyone, Beonsaeng wanted to change his life.
And now the greatest opportunity of his life had arrived.
Stay calm. Stay calm.
He couldn’t waste such a precious chance because of nerves.
Right. Even if I don’t trust myself, I’ll trust Big Brother.
He remembered what Baek Socheon had said earlier.
This should be enough.
He wouldn’t have brought me here unless I had a chance!
The only thing Beonsaeng could rely on was the martial art Baek Socheon had taught him.
“I look forward to learning from you.”
Beonsaeng was extremely nervous.
The spar he had just fought with Baek Socheon had been different.
This could practically be called his first spar using real swords.
“Come.”
Beonsaeng attacked first.
Whoosh!
It was a fast and precise thrust.
Clang!
Wang Ho knocked aside Beonsaeng’s attack with his own sword and shouted,
“Good!”
The praise escaped him naturally.
Beonsaeng attacked again.
He used the techniques exactly as he had been taught, without trying to add unnecessary tricks.
Again and again, Wang Ho said, “Good.”
Wang Ho did nothing but defend.
Yet Beonsaeng’s attacks were so sharp that he nearly counterattacked instinctively before remembering that this was only an examination.
The spar ended there.
Wang Ho could tell that Beonsaeng had not deliberately launched dangerous attacks.
Rather, he simply lacked enough experience to properly control the techniques he had learned.
“Thank you for holding back.”
Beonsaeng bowed deeply.
Relieved that the spar had ended safely, his heart pounded as though it might burst.
In fact, it was beating even harder now than before the fight.
I did it. I got through it without making a mistake!
Wang Ho’s evaluation was even better than Beonsaeng expected.
“Your attacks are simple and straightforward, but extremely threatening. If you use them properly in actual combat, you’ll be very formidable.”
His assessment was accurate, and those watching agreed.
Only through this real spar did the excellence of the swordsmanship Baek Socheon had improvised and taught Beonsaeng truly reveal itself.
Applause broke out from everyone.
It was also their way of welcoming and acknowledging Beonsaeng’s admission into the Hyeoncheon Unit.
Beonsaeng’s face turned bright red as he bowed repeatedly.
“Thank you. Thank you very much.”
Baek Socheon walked over to him.
“Starting today, you’re a member of the Hyeoncheon Unit.”
“Yes! Captain! Thank you! I’ll do my best!”
Beonsaeng was so happy he felt like he might fly.
If he and Baek Socheon had been alone, he would probably have hugged him and spun him around.
“Big Brother!”
Beonsaeng ran straight to Im Chung and wrapped his arms around him.
“I got in! I really got in!”
Unable to hug Baek Socheon, he hugged Im Chung instead and spun him around.
“You brat, I’m getting dizzy. What happened?”
Beonsaeng set him down.
“I got into the Hyeoncheon Unit.”
“Really? You got in?”
“Yes! I just took the test and passed!”
“Congratulations!”
Im Chung pulled Beonsaeng into a tight embrace.
He knew better than anyone how hard Beonsaeng had worked to enter the Hyeoncheon Unit.
Beonsaeng had even cut back on sleep to train.
“It’s all thanks to Big Brother.”
“That’s right.”
Then a voice came from behind them.
“Then you should buy us drinks.”
They turned around.
Baek Socheon was walking toward them.
“Of course! I’ll buy! Tonight, I’m treating everyone to the best feast imaginable!”
Beonsaeng looked ready to burst from happiness.
But Baek Socheon had something he needed to tell him now.
“Beonsaeng.”
“Yes, Big Brother.”
“Joining the Alliance’s strike force also means it wouldn’t be strange if you died tomorrow. Even knowing that, do you have no regrets?”
Beonsaeng’s expression turned serious.
“Thanks to meeting you, Big Brother, I experienced something that changed my entire life. So I’ll tell you clearly now. Even if I die tomorrow, I won’t regret it.”
Twenty-six years old.
Those were the sincere words of a very young Beonsaeng.
Baek Socheon stepped closer, placed a hand on his shoulder, and patted it twice.
“Let’s go. I’ll buy the drinks today.”
Just then, Sima Iljung of Hyeoncheon Pavilion rushed over urgently.
“The Hyeoncheon Unit has received a deployment order.”
It was their first mission since the unit had been established.
Baek Socheon looked at Beonsaeng.
“Looks like your welcoming ceremony will have to take place in actual combat.”
While his subordinates prepared for deployment, Baek Socheon met with Zhuge Hyeon to hear the details of the mission.
“We received a request for assistance from the Zhejiang Branch.”
“The Zhejiang Branch?”
Zhejiang was the very place to which Baek Socheon had once been demoted.
It was also where he had resolved the matter involving the Shinhwa Gang with the help of Zhejiang Branch Leader Jeong Pung.
“What happened?”
“It seems there’s some kind of problem.”
“They didn’t explain?”
“The message didn’t come from the Branch Leader.”
“Then from whom?”
“One of his escort warriors contacted us secretly. Apparently, something may have happened to the Branch Leader. I considered sending the Shadow Pavilion or the Iron Sword Corps, but since you have a connection with the Zhejiang Branch Leader, I decided it would be better for the Hyeoncheon Unit to go.”
“You made the right decision.”
If something had happened to Jeong Pung, this would be Baek Socheon’s chance to repay the help he had once received.
Moreover, this deployment would be an excellent opportunity to test the Hyeoncheon Unit in real combat.
For a strike force, coordinating with one another in actual battle was one of the most important skills of all.
Avoiding danger did not guarantee a long life.
No matter how carefully one avoided danger, an unexpected variable could still appear one day and wipe everyone out.
The way to survive for a long time in the martial world was to develop enough strength to overcome danger.
“I’ll go down there and report once I assess the situation.”
“I’ll leave it to you.”
Zhuge Hyeon smiled with genuine relief.
It had been a very long time since he had been able to issue an order and comfortably think,
He’ll take care of it.
Once the deployment order was given, the martial artists of the Hyeoncheon Unit busily prepared.
Still somewhat dazed, Beonsaeng prepared along with them.
Im Chung came over to help him.
Together, they checked the combat leather pack that had been issued to Beonsaeng.
“Hidden weapons?”
“Packed.”
“Golden Wound Medicine and medicine for internal injuries?”
“Packed those too. Don’t worry, Big Brother.”
None of the Hyeoncheon Unit’s martial artists minded Im Chung fussing over him.
Not a single person joked that he was treating Beonsaeng like a child or being overly protective.
That was the strength of an elite organization.
Mockery and bullying were things found in half-baked groups.
Instead, everyone understood Im Chung’s feelings.
Some even envied Beonsaeng for having a comrade who cared for him so deeply.
Im Chung tightly gripped Beonsaeng’s hand.
“Keep your head straight and stay focused! Whatever the Captain orders, you follow it without question.”
Most of the time, Beonsaeng passed over Im Chung’s concern without noticing it.
But now that a dangerous situation had arrived, he finally understood just how worried Im Chung truly was about him.
“Yes. Don’t worry, Big Brother.”
When they stepped outside, Baek Socheon was already waiting.
Baek Socheon looked over his men.
Their dependable eyes had been forged through brutal training.
He spoke powerfully.
“You trained harder than anyone else in the world. So don’t be afraid of anyone!”
A thunderous answer erupted from the unit.
Baek Socheon mounted his horse.
The others mounted theirs in unison.
“Let’s go!”
More than twenty horses charged out of the Martial Alliance together.
It was the Hyeoncheon Unit’s first deployment.