Book 18 Chapter 14
Occupational Disaster (Disaster)
—The Manifestation of a Legend, the Amisinnyo Astonished
The man was someone who poured his heart and soul into his work. In short, he was a very diligent individual. Even though he wore a dark, black mask that only revealed his eyes, it was not a major issue. After all, the people in his organization had equally terrible fashion sense. The outfit he wore was designated as their official work uniform due to its excellent elasticity, allowing for easy movement, and its good breathability. This helped alleviate discomfort during long missions and prevented it from getting easily wet even in the rain. Judging by the feel on his skin, it was also made with a remarkably good lining. It even possessed the meticulousness to allow for the discreet hiding of hidden weapons, preparing him perfectly for emergencies. An even greater and more fantastic advantage was that this uniform was entirely provided as supplies at the organization's expense. While he tried to be tactful to avoid sounding too materialistic, it was essentially free.
Anyone belonging to an organization that provided such excellent equipment for free was naturally expected to deliver commensurate results. Therefore, he diligently and earnestly carried out his missions to meet the organization's expectations. This was true even if his work did not necessarily guarantee or reflect public interest, and even if it often involved separating parts of people’s limbs from their bodies. Although it was also quite frequent to carefully open the flesh of unspecified individuals with rather sharp metal objects to examine their insides, this did not serve as evidence of his lack of diligence in his assigned tasks.
Moreover, he was not only diligent but also competent. Many accused him of being incapable of possessing both qualities, but it was the truth. Otherwise, how could he have risen to the high position of chief leader? And so, while engrossed in his mission of pursuing a VIP today, he easily found traces of his target. Even a master of evasion was doomed if caught by him. It was useless to flee and hide anywhere. He and his subordinates were exceptionally skilled at eliminating such obstacles. Their ability was as outstanding as their ability to destroy evidence. He was engaged in a profession where killing people during work was not subject to charges of negligent homicide, and obstacles and targets always, without exception, feared them like death gods. However, today was different from other days. The target had entered a customs post, blocking the path, but they seemed to welcome him as if they had been waiting. Even after clearing up some misunderstandings and threatening his subordinates, they showed no fear. Based on his seasoned experience, it seemed necessary to make an example of two fearless young brats approaching him. However, his attempt to regain his lost dignity ultimately remained only a thought.
It came with a hot wind.
With a white gust, a white lightning bolt flashed. There was too little time to grasp what it was. He was helplessly blown into the sky like a leaf swept away by a whirlwind. His feet, which were clearly on the ground, were now scattering farewell dust into the earth. The dazzling sky filled his vision. And simultaneously with the warm breeze, something cold and sharp bit his neck.
The last sky the blood mark saw was a very red one.
Whoosh!
A strong wind surged in the aftermath of the fierce gust. The powerful gust hit his face with such force that he had to momentarily squeeze his eyes shut. The next moment, the masked figure blocking their path had vanished.
“Huh?”
Jang Wooyang’s eyes widened.
“How could this be?”
“I have no idea, Commander!”
Kang Daepyo-doo also replied with a bewildered voice.
“Master Yoo, did you see it?”
To Jin Sol-ryeong’s question, Yoo Eun-seong shook his head.
“I only briefly saw a white shape.”
It was as fast as lightning, evading his eyesight, which was considered the best in the Changpagama sect.
“What was that?”
“Well. But I think we’ll know soon.”
The forest was once again filled with silence. It was a heavy silence that seemed to insist that what had just happened to them was an illusion. As if by prior agreement, no one spoke.
Thump!
A corpse, with its neck bent at a right angle, fell from a tree. It was already more than two-thirds torn apart.
It was a breathtakingly ruthless act of ending a life.
ROOOOOOOAR!
A roar that made even Taesan tremble, shaking the very stability of Taesan, echoed.
ROOOOAR! ROOOOAR!
ROOOOAR! ROOOOAR!
The roars echoed from all directions as if in unison.
Hearing the sound, Jin Sol-ryeong’s face turned pale.
‘This sound… could it be…….’
It contained a primal fear that made her tremble in the depths of her subconscious rather than her consciousness.
Young girls of the Amipa would never forget this sound. The king of beasts, the legendary beast that reigned over Amisan, the White Tiger. Sometimes, when its roar echoed at night, the girls would hide under their blankets, tremble, cry, huddle together, or seek out their master. In severe cases, they would wet themselves or stay up all night. Students of the Amipa would have had at least ten such experiences.
“The lament of Baekmuhu (White Empress Dowager)……”
The supreme majesty that subjugates all beasts, the white meteor standing tall on the mountain peak, pure white pride, burning golden majesty, white lightning. There are countless names referring to ‘her’. Two hundred years of time have bestowed so many names upon her. And as many legends followed in the wake of her fame as her names. Among them, the most famous name in recent times was Baekmuhu. The mere fact that she was called by the same title as China’s first empress, Wu Zetian, made it easy to understand her immense presence.
Adults, on their part, seemed to find amusement in the children’s trembling and exaggerated their stories to scare them.
“If you don’t listen, Baekmuhu will come and snatch you away. Baekmuhu loves the tender flesh of young girls.”
To the children, the adults’ words became truth, and the scariest thing for these girls became Baekmuhu at that moment. How could children, whose judgment was insufficient to distinguish fact from fiction, resist the fear instilled by adults? The children had to tremble in fear every time the roar echoed in the deep night.
They thought they had forgotten it now that they were adults. They thought they could now laugh off the occasional roars.
But that was not true. What she had heard was merely the lingering echo emanating from beyond the distant mountains.
The terrifying roar of the empress, heard up close, was enough to bring out the psychological trauma etched in her childhood. Although it was not visible, the scar, not etched into her body but by the carelessness of adults, remained deep in her soul, unhealed.
Yoo Eun-seong was aghast. It was the first time he had seen the always confident Jin Sol-ryeong tremble so much. It was a rare occurrence for her, who was considered a master swordsman, to show such noticeable fear. Although he didn’t know the reason, he thought he had to at least keep his wits about him.
However, the roar of the White Tiger had already frozen everything.
A thick scent of blood began to rise.
Rustle!
The bushes on both sides moved simultaneously without any wind.
“Everyone, stay still!”
Jin Sol-ryeong shouted to everyone, tense. Her hand on her sword hilt naturally tightened.
“Gasp!”
As everyone held their breath, they appeared. Their confident steps seemed to boast of being the masters of this mountain, their fur as white as snow, their eyes green. What emerged from the bushes were giant White Tigers. And not just one. They were larger than horses. Imagine eight such creatures pouring out from both sides of a single path! What would that feeling be like!
“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven… and eight.”
Someone, still somewhat lucid, counted. There were eight in total. Eight colossal White Tigers walking leisurely made the path seem full.
People watched the terrifying, yet strangely beautiful and fantastical spectacle with bated breath.
“Pal-seom-pung!”
Jin Sol-ryeong exclaimed with a sigh. She had heard rumors but never imagined such beings truly existed. However, now that they had appeared before her eyes, she couldn’t deny it.
But the white mountains that filled the path suddenly parted to the left and right without a sound.
“Why are they doing that?”
To Yoo Eun-seong’s question, Jin Sol-ryeong swallowed dryly and replied in a tense voice,
“It is time for the true Empress to appear.”
Perhaps it was because she was about to encounter a legend? A light tremor swept through her body. In the past fifty years, no one had personally experienced the reality of that legend.
Stomp, stomp, stomp!
From the shaded depths of the forest, a pair of golden torches lit up. They appeared to be twice as large as the White Tigers that had appeared earlier. Their majestic steps were leisurely and unhurried, as if reviewing the eight in front. With golden eyes, dazzlingly white fur, long hair, and jet-black stripes covering its entire body, 'it' revealed its magnificent form with overwhelming power.
It was the manifestation of the king of all beasts, the white lightning, Baekmuhu.
The two eyes on its snow-white face shone purely golden, like embedded suns. Jin Sol-ryeong, calming her trembling heart, gazed at the two suns.
A chilling killing intent that seemed to freeze even time itself, which was consuming space. Even someone who prided themselves on their boldness would be overwhelmed and suffer a heart attack upon facing this power.
Jin Sol-ryeong shivered slightly at the beast’s pure killing intent.
The chilling killing intent that felt like it could peel off her skin made her hands instinctively leap to draw her sword. The snow-white blade had already emerged about an inch from its scabbard.
Clatter, clatter!
The scabbard shook. This was proof that she was still controlling her body with willpower.
‘Can I really dodge that lightning-fast movement?’
She missed the first move. There was no excuse for that fact. Then what about the second?
‘Fifty-fifty.’
It was definitely a gamble. It was precisely at that moment.
“Stop it. The moment you draw it, that child will attack you.”
A leisurely voice echoed in her ear. It was the voice of the old man who had been lying in the cart and sleeping since they started the journey. Even with a lifelong enemy before her, Jin Sol-ryeong turned her gaze. Something that would never happen under normal circumstances was happening. Fortunately, the White Tigers did not seem to intend to take advantage of this golden opportunity and remained motionless.
“Yawn~”
With a deep yawn and a stretch, the old man woke up.
The old man’s face still showed signs of lingering drowsiness, as if he had slept very well. The old man got up slowly, as if in no hurry, and then stepped onto the ground at an even slower pace. With a calm expression, he walked leisurely. The old man’s steps were directed towards the center of the group of white tigers.
“Master…”
Jin Sol-ryeong desperately tried to stop the old man’s steps. To her, it seemed like nothing more than a suicide mission. However, the old master waved his hand as if to say it was alright and continued to walk.
The White Tigers, lined up in two rows along the path, watched the old man pass without moving. The onlookers also watched the scene without even daring to breathe. Just then, the old master’s steps finally stopped in front of Baekmuhu. Its golden eyes turned towards the old master.
Grrr!
Baekmuhu let out a purring sound. Then the old master smiled. And the people were forced to witness that terrifying and shocking sight.
“Gasp!”
Jin Sol-ryeong cried out in astonishment. Although she had reached a state where her mind was not easily shaken due to her deep cultivation, this time she was helpless.
The old master raised his hand and began to stroke Baekmuhu’s head as if petting a cat. Baekmuhu, that white lightning, that king of all beasts, the empress who had reigned over Amisan for two hundred years, not only did not get angry and rampage, but purred contentedly. It had lost all its dignity.
“You rascal, Hayang! Did you come to greet me?”
Baekmuhu nodded as if understanding human speech. It even bent its knees to make stroking its head easier. This was because Baekmuhu’s body was so enormous that a normal person would have to look up to it.
What followed was even more shocking.
The White Tiger flipped over on the ground. And it began to show off like a pet. The eyes of the onlookers were sure to pop out.
“How can this be! Flipping over! Baekmuhu, the ruler of the mountain! It’s not even a cat……”
The old man, knowing what Baekmuhu wanted, stroked its chest fur a few times. The texture was softer than expected. Indeed, it was so soft that it was used as a blanket in ancient times.
“Are you worried?”
To the old master’s question, Baekmuhu nodded again. It was still in the flipped-over position.
Perhaps it was more concerned about its own safety for not being able to greet properly, rather than being worried about the old man. That’s why it had ventured out of its territory and come this far.
“Do you want to come with me, Hayang?”
Baekmuhu nodded. Sometimes, seeing the world seemed like a good thing. Expanding its territory nationwide was also quite appealing.
“However, there are too many of you to go together.”
As soon as the old man finished speaking, Baekmuhu roared.
ROOOOAR!
Then the eight White Tigers turned towards Baekmuhu, and simultaneously bowed their knees and lowered their bodies towards Baekmuhu and the old man.
“What is that?”
To Jin Sol-ryeong’s question, Yoo Eun-seong replied with a bewildered expression,
“It looks like they’re bowing.”
The old man said as he received the submission of Pal-seom-pung.
“Alright. You may go now!”
As soon as the command was given, a gust of wind swept through again. When people opened their eyes again, only one creature and one person remained, and the presence of Pal-seom-pung was nowhere to be found.
“If you are by my side, they get scared, so unfortunately, you will follow behind!”
To the old man’s words, Baekmuhu lowered its head. The old man stroked its snow-white head once more. The next moment, a strong gust of wind swept through again, and Baekmuhu disappeared as if it were a lie.
“Master, who are you?”
Jin Sol-ryeong asked respectfully, her face still full of surprise. The answer was extremely brief.
“Me? I’m just me.”
“That’s too short. My understanding cannot keep up with that brevity.”
Jin Sol-ryeong replied very respectfully, but firmly. She wanted further clarification.
“Hmm.”
The old man uttered an ambiguous sound, which could have been a short exclamation or a groan. Was he contemplating?
Summarizing oneself to an appropriate length is a very difficult task. The limitations of language are as evident as the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon, and there are limits to reflecting one’s entire existence. This is because one must omit and explain many parts of oneself.
Nevertheless, if there is anything unfortunate about humans, it is that language is the only means of communication between people.
The old man opened his mouth again. This time, it was a little longer. But it was also much more complex.
“Well, to elaborate, I am a person who is devoid of thought and worry, who does not linger anywhere or serve anyone, and who follows no path and obeys no Way.”
“……?”
It was an even more incomprehensible statement. However, the old man raised his hand to stop the next question. It meant to let them figure out the rest.
However, her doubts only grew, and it was difficult to say that they were resolved.
“Master, it sounds like I’ve heard it somewhere before?”
Yoo Ran said.
“Ah, I know!”
At that moment, Yoo Un-bi stepped forward.
When would she show off if not at a time like this! If she stayed silent when she could make herself stand out, she would get nowhere.
“What do you know?”
Sabaek Yoo Eun-seong looked at his junior with a suspicious gaze.
“…They call that living off others without doing anything!”
CRASH!
An unknown sound effect echoed twice in the minds of the people. However, the old man’s expression remained unchanged.
“If anything, say ‘living in accordance with nature’.”
Yoo Eun-seong said with a sigh.
“Isn’t it the same thing?”
“It’s different!”
With a sound like something cracking, Sabaek Yoo Eun-seong bowed and stepped forward.
“I, I’m sorry, Master.”
He quickly apologized and glared at his junior.
“Don’t tell anyone you’re from the Taoist sect. It’s embarrassing.”
“……”
“Are you a Taoist, Master?”
“No!”
The old man answered Jin Sol-ryeong’s question with a firm refusal.
“……?”
“I believe that saying comes from Zhuangzi, right?”
Unlike Yoo Un-bi, she knew the exact source of the saying and knew that it referred to ‘what is naturally so [nature]’.
“Does agreeing with that statement mean I have to be a Taoist?”
“Then are you a Buddhist?”
“It’s quite interesting, but my hair is still intact.”
The old master proudly showed his spotless white hair.
“I do not think the value gained from pursuing that teaching is more precious than my hair.”
It meant no.
“Then, are you perhaps a Confucian?”
The old man shook his head.
“Didn’t I just say I am devoid of thought and worry, and I do not linger anywhere or serve anyone, and I follow no path and obey no Way? I said I do not linger anywhere, serve anyone, follow any path, or obey any Way. Why do you think I must belong to one specific school? And just because I don’t belong to one doesn’t mean I disagree with its content, does it?”
“Th, that’s……”
No one could easily answer.
It went against common sense.
“Will you reject the truth just because it contradicts your doctrine? Such things happen so often that it may not feel like a peculiar event, but there is no act as foolish as committing murder under the guise of truth. That act itself proves one’s own deficiency.”
“Is it really possible to live without being bound by anything and without following anywhere? What can one gain from doing so?”
“Well, perhaps one could gain the Dao?”
The old man answered nonchalantly.
“And did you gain it?”
“Hmm, well?”
The old man did not answer.
‘What exactly is the identity of this old man?’
The more time passed, the more the old man became someone who was more unknowable the more one knew.
“Come out now!”
The old master said without looking back.
“Yes?”
At first, Jang Wooyang, Kang Daepyo-doo, Yoo Eun-seong, and Jin Sol-ryeong did not understand what he meant.
“How long do you intend to hide?”
The master said again.
Only then did a rustling sound come from the cart at the back of the customs post, and the covering straw stirred. The rustling sound and wiggling grew louder, and someone emerged from it. Surprisingly, it was a young girl who looked no older than seven. Next, a boy, who appeared to be her older brother, followed.
“Come here!”
As the master beckoned, the two siblings timidly approached, shrinking their shoulders. Both of them looked dishevelled, as if they hadn’t eaten or rested properly for days. And they looked extremely tired. The masked men had been targeting these children.
“Poor things……”
Compassion appeared on Jin Sol-ryeong’s face. However, the old master seemed to be curious about something else.
“Why were you hiding in that cart?”
“Because it wasn’t a cart carrying the goods.”
The boy answered immediately.
“Wow, that’s something.”
Jang Wooyang exclaimed.
“Quite shrewd children.”
Jang Wooyang said, looking back at the cart where the two children had been hiding. That cart was carrying the food and miscellaneous supplies needed for the caravan.
“How do you know?”
Yoo Ran asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
“Normally, when transporting goods, the carts carrying the goods are sealed with paper. That seal has the official stamp of the caravan leader, so it cannot be easily removed, and any attempt to check inside the cart will leave a trace. There is also a seal placed by the customer themselves. Of course, it is a device to prevent theft. Usually, this seal is not removed. Even in case of an emergency, it is only done under the supervision of the caravan leader. So, if they had hidden inside, they would have been discovered immediately. On the other hand, food carts do not have such seals. Because they are used daily. Moreover, in such a large-scale caravan, there is more than one such cart. We don’t open the next cart until the current one is finished. The place where these children were hiding was not the first cart currently in use, but the one at the very back. Could this be a coincidence?”
“Indeed!”
Only after hearing Jang Wooyang’s lengthy explanation could Yoo Ran finally exclaim in admiration.
“Hmm, amazing. To think of using a caravan of a single customs bureau as a shield at such a young age.”
Jang Wooyang’s eyes widened at the old master’s words.
“Is that true?”
“……”
The child did not answer. But silence itself was a sufficient answer.
“Wow, really! The first customs bureau in Sichuan was acting as a shield for a mere child…”
Jang Wooyang was incredulous. But he was not angry. Rather, he was more astonished that a child could make such a judgment at such a young age.
“What is your name?”
“My name is Yoo Gyeong-yeong.”
“Yoo…?”
As someone from the shadow of Amisan, he could not fail to know Cheongryong Eun-jang, one of the local influential families. He just hadn’t seen the children’s faces as he only met them on business. Nevertheless, he remembered the names of their children.
“What? Then are you the successor to Cheongryong Eun-jang?”
The child nodded with a sad expression. The place he was supposed to inherit no longer existed. Except in the boy’s heart.
The old man also showed a little interest in this story. The old man also had painful memories from that place.
“What do you intend to do, Commander?”
Kang Daepyo-doo asked.
As Jang Wooyang was the person in charge of this caravan, interfering too much with his decisions would be overstepping and impolite. Of course, given the positions of Jin Sol-ryeong and Yoo Eun-seong in the martial arts world, their opinions could not be ignored, but it was something to avoid overstepping, and they both understood that well.
“What else? Our Jungyang Customs Bureau must protect these children. These children are survivors who could be crucial clues to the annihilation of Cheongryong Eun-jang. It is also a matter of loyalty among Sichuan merchants. Did they say anything about their identities?”
“My father also seemed not to know.”
“Hmm, where were you intending to go?”
“We’re going to Namchang.”
“To Namchang? You, a child, intended to go that far?”
Jin Sol-ryeong exclaimed in surprise. Not only her, but also others’ eyes widened.
The boy nodded.
“He told me to find Great Hero Ma Jin-ga of Cheonmu Academy.”
“If Master Yoo said so, it must be no ordinary matter. Don’t worry now. Our Jungyang Customs Bureau will protect you siblings.”
“Thank you, Commander Jang!”
Yoo Gyeong-yeong bowed respectfully. Jang Wooyang smiled at the boy’s mature behavior. Jang Wooyang mounted his horse again, and the old man returned to his sleeping quarters.
“Depart!”
At Jang Wooyang’s cry, the caravan, forming its ranks again, hurried on its way.
And a month later.
Finally, the caravan safely arrived in Namchang.