“Since you five have martial skills superior to ordinary bandits, why don’t you leave us here and disguise yourselves to escape from this place safely?”
Baek Ga-hwan, feeling guilty about being a burden to Mu-jin and his group while being pursued by the Green Forest bandits, thought it would be better to part ways to help them.
However, Mu-jin rejected his suggestion.
“That’s too dangerous. Those bandits have drawn in several mountain strongholds to capture us, and we’ve already taken down over a hundred bandits in the past few days. If we try to slip away secretly, they will surely come here to track our movements.”
If those bandits had tracked them correctly, it would not have been hard to learn that they had visited So-cheongmun.
Knowing that they were accompanied by several women and children, it would not be difficult for the bandits to gather descriptions of the women and children from the people around So-cheongmun.
“If we had intended to leave the women and children behind to save ourselves, we wouldn’t have come this far together in the first place.”
Mu-jin’s determined words garnered agreement from the others.
“Mu-jin is kind! Isn’t that right, Ling-ling?”
“How could I sacrifice those who haven’t even learned martial arts to save my own life? Amitabha.”
Even Cheongsu Dojang, who had turned into a serious man after almost falling into Qi Deviation, added his words, leaving Baek Ga-hwan unable to argue further.
He was moved by their resolve to take responsibility for them until the end.
‘I need to think of a way.’
Baek Ga-hwan knew he had to come up with a way to help those who were trying to protect them.
‘If we escape together, we’ll only be a hindrance.’
Mu-jin’s group was only five people, while those they had to protect, including Baek Ga-hwan himself, numbered twenty.
To be honest, they had only managed so far because the bandits they faced were of low skill. As Mu-jin said, if true experts appeared, it would be difficult to fight them off.
However, Mu-jin’s group was determined to ensure the safe escape of all the women and children.
‘Twenty-five people, most of whom are women and children, how can we sneak out unnoticed…?’
Baek Ga-hwan, deep in thought and finding no solution, unintentionally looked at his younger sister, who was in his arms.
To Baek Ga-hwan, his younger sister was his only remaining family in the world and the smartest person he knew.
He hoped she might have come up with a clever plan, but for some reason, she remained silent.
Having lived together for fifteen years, Baek Ga-hwan quickly realized that his sister had indeed thought of a plan but was unable to voice it.
So, what kind of plan had she come up with that she couldn’t speak out loud? What plan was so difficult for her to mention?
‘Ga-ryeong understands what it means to be considerate. If she’s not saying it, it’s probably because the plan would be burdensome for our benefactors.’
With that realization, Baek Ga-hwan soon deduced what his sister’s plan might be.
Understanding that the plan would inevitably burden Mu-jin’s group, Baek Ga-hwan, like his sister, kept silent.
But Mu-jin didn’t miss Baek Ga-hwan’s exclamation.
“Do you have any plans in mind?”
“Even if it’s not a good idea, please share it with us. Sometimes discussing various plans can lead to a better solution.”
“Actually, I do have a plan, but it would be a significant burden on you all.”
“Hahaha. In that case, feel free to share it. Just because you propose a plan doesn’t mean we have to follow it. We’ll make the decision, so please speak freely.”
At Mu-jin’s gentle encouragement, Baek Ga-hwan hesitated for a moment before cautiously opening his mouth.
A low mountain overlooking Gil-an-hyeon.
There, countless men clad in various animal hides were gathering.
These were the Green Forest bandits, gathered at the command of Chongpyo Paja to capture the ones who dared to exploit their name.
However, as expected when so many antisocial individuals such as bandits gathered, disputes were bound to arise.
Nonetheless, the bandits gathered on that low mountain were all maintaining a cautious attitude.
This was because the area was filled with dangerous men who ordinary Green Forest bandits wouldn’t dare speak to.
Among them was a middle-aged man who seemed to be the leader of the hundreds of bandits. He sat alone on a rock in the center of the group.
A path opened among the gathered bandits as another middle-aged man, new to the scene, approached the one sitting on the rock. He wore a sword at his side and carried a rare bow on his back.
“It’s been a while, Brother Cheok.”
“You’re late, Old Rat.”
“……You must have forgotten what happened to those who dared to call me that.”
A derogatory nickname given because the man’s face resembled a rat, and also to mock his sneaky use of the bow in the martial world.
However, those who called him Old Rat usually did not meet good ends.
He was the leader of the second strongest mountain stronghold in Jiangxi Province, a vast territory.
Yet, despite the deadly glare from the man known as Old Rat, the one called Brother Cheok didn’t even flinch.
He merely curled his lips into a twisted smile, which, due to the scars covering his face, looked grotesque.
“So, are you planning to put an arrow through my head too?”
The tone of his voice suggested he was ready to take on any challenge, causing the Old Rat to spit and then speak.
“Forget it. With Chongpyo Paja’s command, I’ll restrain myself for now.”
Brother Cheok merely snorted at Old Rat’s excuse.
This man was none other than Cheok Gwang, the overall leader and highest-ranking bandit in the Green Forest, and the master of the strongest mountain stronghold in Jiangxi Province, Cheokgang Mountain Stronghold.
Ignoring Cheok Gwang’s mocking gaze, Old Rat asked.
“So, where are they now?”
“Why else would we be gathered here?”
“They’ve hidden in Gil-an-hyeon?”
Cheok Gwang nodded in response to Old Rat’s question.
“So, what’s the plan? Surely, you’re not thinking of storming Gil-an-hyeon head-on.”
“We’ll wait and see. If they don’t come out by nightfall, we’ll sneak in and cut their throats.”
Old Rat mentally cursed Cheok Gwang as a brute and turned away.
“Then, since we have to wait until nightfall, I’ll wait over there with my men.”
After Old Rat left, Cheok Gwang continued sitting on the rock in silence, biding his time.
He stared endlessly at Gilan-hyeon, where the target was hiding.
As time passed and the sky turned a crimson hue.
Cheok Gwang, who had been silently watching Gilan-hyeon, stood up.
It was because he saw their carriage leaving Gilan-hyeon. Official source is novel(ꜰ)ire.net
Whether fleeing or fighting, lacking sleep or food inevitably reduces one’s strength, preventing them from performing at their best.
Mu-jin and his companions slept for about two sijin at the musculoskeletal treatment clinic. After an early dinner, they boarded a carriage and left Gilan-hyeon.
They even used the same carriage and wore similar clothes as when they first entered Gilan-hyeon, as if they had no intention of hiding their identities.
About one daegyeong after leaving Gilan-hyeon.
As expected, a band of bandits blocked the main road, waiting for them.
Countless bandits were approaching from both sides.
Mu-jin, recalling his past experience training in the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, sent his fist energy towards the bandit blocking the road.
Following Mu-jin, the members of Cheongsu Dojang, Mu-gyeong, and Mu-gung attacked the bandits with sword energy and palm strikes.
However, the carriage was heavy, so the horse couldn’t run fast, and naturally, the number of bandits approaching the carriage increased.
Eventually, Mu-jin’s group entrusted the two carriages to the young man they rescued from Baek Ga-hwan and Heukshi, and jumped towards the bandits.
Naturally, the number of bandits killed by Mu-jin’s group’s martial arts quickly increased.
As dozens of bandits fell in an instant, the ones approaching Mu-jin’s group hesitated.
“You idiots! Don’t you value your lives!!”
Seeing this as an opportunity, Mu-jin threatened the bandits, but a shout came from afar.
“The Chongpyo Paja promised great treasures to the one who captures them!!”
“No matter how skilled they are, a stab wound will bring them down!!”
As expected of bandits, the ones who had initially seemed scared rushed again, their eyes flipped at the mention of money.
Mu-jin clicked his tongue in disappointment and began crushing the heads and bodies of the approaching bandits again.
Meanwhile, Mu-jin occasionally jumped into the air.
It was to avoid being surrounded by the bandits and to get a broad view of the battlefield.
From the air, Mu-jin saw bandits swarming towards them from all directions.
Not only were the bandits nearby, but those from far away, visible only with enhanced eyesight through internal energy, were also approaching.
‘As expected, they were watching Gilan-hyeon from all directions!’
They had exited Gilan-hyeon from the north.
Naturally, the bandits positioned in the east, west, and south were now joining in from those directions.
This meant they had to escape before the bandits from the far east, west, and south could join, but the problem was the speed of the carriage.
It was moving forward, but at a pace that even an ordinary person could easily chase if they ran hard.
The bandits who were originally nearby also thickened their ranks, pressuring Mu-jin’s group.
‘Just a little more!’
Although they had only fought for a little over one il-gak, the number of bandits Mu-jin’s group had taken down had already exceeded three digits.
Among the fallen were some skilled fighters, and Mu-jin’s group was starting to accumulate small wounds.
After about one daegyeong had passed.
A loud shout, infused with massive internal energy, erupted from behind.
Mu-jin, who had jumped into the air to check the battlefield, realized that the one who shouted was the leader.
The bandit, whose face was covered in scars, smiled wickedly at Mu-jin and threw something.
The projectile flew at Mu-jin with explosive speed, and Mu-jin deflected it, but the rebound force pushed him back in the air.
‘Crazy bastard. Throwing something .’
The projectile was a hand axe, more like a weapon than a throwing star.
Mu-jin regained his balance in the air, crushed the head of a bandit upon landing, and shouted urgently.
No sooner had Mu-jin given the order than energy began to surge around Mu-gung.
Drawing his massive internal energy into his limbs, Mu-gung extended his palms, not towards the approaching leader but towards the front where they were escaping.
A giant flame, larger than any average man, erupted, scattering the bandits blocking their path like autumn leaves.
At that moment, Baek Ga-hwan and the young man driving the carriage urged the horses forward.
Surprisingly, the carriages, which had been moving sluggishly, accelerated.
As the carriages sped up and headed down the path Mu-gung had cleared, Mu-jin’s group expanded the path, guarding the sides and front to prevent the bandits from blocking them again.
“Don’t let them escape!!”
“Shoot!! Aim for the carriages!!”
Some desperate bandits threw their weapons or shot arrows.
However, Mu-jin’s group showed no intention of protecting the women or children supposedly in the carriages.
They only protected themselves, Baek Ga-hwan, the young man driving, and the horses pulling the carriages.
There were no women or children in the carriages in the first place.
The plan devised by Baek Ga-hwan and Baek Ga-ryeong. A way to safely evacuate the women and children without hindering Mu-jin’s group’s battle.
It was a classic feint strategy (seongdonggyeokseo).