Chapter 331 |
Chapter 331
The Three Lords
After escaping the military base and some time had passed,
Mu-jin quietly left the Jeongmumaeng manor.
Accompanying him were thirteen companions.
Among them were Mu-gung, Mu-gyeong, and Jegal Jin-hee. In addition, they had selected skilled individuals from major factions and sects who were unlikely to be spies, forming a special operations team.
Each person carried a small bundle.
To avoid exposing their mission to Xincheon, they had packed food, water, and clothes to move from Hunan Province to Shandong Province without stopping in any villages or cities.
"I assume you've heard the plan from the chief commander. We'll depart immediately as time is short."
However, traveling from Hunan Province to Shandong Province in a short period was physically impossible.
They ran continuously, avoiding main roads and taking rough paths through forests and mountains until they were completely exhausted. When their internal energy was depleted, they would eat from their bundles, practice energy restoration techniques, and then resume their journey.
After traveling at full speed for an entire day, they crossed Hunan and entered Hubei Province, reaching Henan Province by early morning.
After spending the night in the mountains, they started moving again at dawn.
During the second day of their grueling journey, Mu-gyeong asked Mu-jin, who was running beside him,
"Are you alright?"
"What do you mean?"
"You couldn't lift weights yesterday, and you won't be able to today either. Once we arrive and complete our mission, you won't be able to for at least five days."
It wasn't just because he didn't have weights with him.
Mu-jin was a madman who would do bodyweight exercises or use people as substitutes for weights if necessary while traveling.
However, this expedition was a race against time, leaving no time for weight training.
Mu-gyeong was afraid that the muscle-obsessed madman might suffer from Qi Deviation due to lack of exercise.
"Hmph. It's frustrating, especially since I've been feeling my workouts were more effective lately."
Mu-jin, who had been seeing his muscles grow larger than usual in the mirror after workouts, was deeply frustrated.
However, knowing Baek Ga-ryeong's life was in danger, he couldn't afford to be delayed by weightlifting.
Despite his obsession with exercise, Mu-jin prioritized human lives over his routine.
'Though if it were someone evil or unrelated to me, I might reconsider.'
It was a problem that his priorities changed depending on whose life was at stake.
nn
To distract himself from his frustration about his muscles, Mu-jin changed the subject.
"Have you thought about what I mentioned last time?"
Mu-jin's question made Mu-gyeong frown.
"Last time? Do you mean the martial arts fundamentals?"
"Yes, that."
"You're asking me to revise the profound techniques left by Grandmaster Hyeon-gwang in just two days. Isn't that a bit much?"
"So, you haven't made any progress?"
"Well, I've thought of a simple, crude solution."
"……"
Mu-gyeong's response brought silence to the group.
Even Mu-jin, who had asked the question, looked at Mu-gyeong with a baffled expression, though not as baffled as the others.
The others looked at Mu-gyeong and Mu-jin in disbelief.
They were traveling at full speed using their martial arts, for two consecutive days.
While the others focused solely on maintaining their breathing to avoid disrupting their movement, these two were casually chatting as if they were on a stroll.
This indicated that their martial arts skills far surpassed the others and that they had plenty of internal energy to spare.
'Still far behind them.'
Jegal Jin-hee, who was also busy using her martial arts, looked at the two with a mixture of competitiveness and complex feelings.
If the others knew her thoughts, they might have been stunned.
Mu-jin, Mu-gyeong, Mu-gung, and Jegal Jin-hee aside, the other warriors were elders or first-class disciples from major factions or sects, considered masters in the martial world.
In other words, Jegal Jin-hee had reached the level of a top-tier master at a young age.
As she and the other masters looked at Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong with various expressions,
"Huff. Huff."
Mu-gung was simply moving his legs mechanically, using his martial arts.
Having lived for over ten years being crushed by those two monsters, a genius and a muscle freak, this much didn't faze him anymore.
* * *
When they finally reached Shandong Province after running continuously from Henan Province, it was already night.
Instead of resting for the night, they continued moving toward their destination.
After traveling for another hour, they arrived at Jangcheong County.
This was where Baek Ga-ryeong was hiding, located near Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, where the Hwangbo family resided.nn
Since it was late at night, they used the cover of darkness to traverse the county and head to the manor where Baek Ga-ryeong was staying.
"!!!"
Upon arriving near the manor, Mu-jin sensed something was wrong and increased his speed.
- A battle seems to be underway.
Hearing Mu-jin's urgent voice transmission, the exhausted team members also accelerated.
As they quickly closed the distance to the manor, they saw a battle between people dressed in black and others.
Bang!
They also saw a tiger among wolves, tearing through the black-clad men.
Thanks to Mu-jin's intervention, the people who were being overwhelmed by the black-clad men could finally catch their breath.
As the special operations team joined the fray and began taking down the black-clad men one by one, the battle quickly concluded.
'It seems the main force hasn't arrived yet.'
While the men from Xincheon were skilled to some extent, none posed a significant challenge to Mu-jin.
But now was not the time to be content with having dealt with Xincheon's men.
"Lady Baek! Are you alright?"
Upon hearing Mu-jin's question, Baek Ga-ryeong, who was being protected by her bodyguards, stepped forward hastily.
"I'm fine, Master Mu-jin."
"Then we should leave immediately. This place is compromised, and they will continue their attacks even if we push them back now."
Despite Mu-jin's suggestion, Baek Ga-ryeong shook her head.
"According to a carrier pigeon message received an hour ago, their main forces are still in Tai'an County. Considering the distance to Tai'an, they should remain there for at least half a day. They might think we are dead and stay there."
She wanted to seize this opportunity to capture one of Xincheon's main figures.
Remembering those who had died protecting her today, and those who had died in the course of intelligence operations, Baek Ga-ryeong was determined.
After briefly locking eyes with Baek Ga-ryeong, Mu-jin quickly made a decision and spoke.
"We'll attack there, so Lady Baek should return to Jeongmumaeng with your guards for safety."
Baek Ga-ryeong nodded in agreement.
Staying here would only hinder the battle and risk becoming a hostage in the worst case.
Mu-jin turned to the special operations team.
"I know you're all exhausted from the long journey and battle. However, we have no time to waste. Rest for half an hour to recover your internal energy, and then we will move out."
As soon as Mu-jin finished speaking, the special operations team members sat down to meditate and recover their energy.
n
In the meantime, Mu-jin carefully sent a voice transmission to three team members, including Mu-gung.
- Escort Lady Baek and her entourage back to Jeongmumaeng.
It was a precaution against any unforeseen circumstances.
Given the recent battle, the local guards seemed insufficient to protect Baek Ga-ryeong.
The three who received Mu-jin's transmission joined Baek Ga-ryeong's group.
Mu-jin turned to Mu-gung and sent a final voice transmission.
- Be careful.
- Don't worry. I'll protect Lady Baek no matter what.
Seeing Mu-gung respond with an unusually serious face, Mu-jin nodded and then began meditating.
* * *
After their preparations, Mu-jin and the special operations team moved toward Tai'an County.
When they arrived at Tai'an County around 3 to 5 a.m., the town was eerily quiet.
Using the map and directions Baek Ga-ryeong had given him before she left, Mu-jin easily navigated through the darkness to their target location.
Pointing to a house with a plaque reading "Pungamjeong," Mu-jin signaled to the team, who all minimized their presence.
Mu-jin sent another signal, and the team approached the mansion's walls.
Once the team had positioned themselves around the front and sides of the mansion, Mu-jin was the first to leap over the wall and initiate the attack.
"Who goes there?!"
Despite the late hour, black-clad men were patrolling the mansion.
They moved silently through the dark night, with no lights to guide them.
But Mu-jin had already sensed their presence from outside the wall and wasn't surprised to see them awake.
"Ask Yama!"
Mu-jin shouted boldly, sending out a powerful attack at the nearest black-clad man while still in mid-air.
"Kill them!"
Clang!
As someone shouted, the black-clad men drew their weapons and rushed at Mu-jin. At that moment, the special
operations team members leaped over the wall.
"!?"
The black-clad men, focused entirely on Mu-jin, were caught off guard by the special operations team's sudden appearance.
"Die!!"n
Slash!
However, the black-clad men's attacks concentrated solely on Mu-jin.
Clang!
Their attacks were insufficient to penetrate Mu-jin's Golden Turtle Technique.
Using the Golden Turtle Technique to block their attacks, Mu-jin counterattacked, striking down the black-clad men who had attacked him.
Crack!
In an instant, two black-clad men's bodies twisted unnaturally, and the special operations team quickly surrounded the remaining black-clad men.
Although the black-clad men outnumbered them, the battle formation allowed the special operations team to gradually tighten their grip.
With Mu-jin wreaking havoc in the center and the special operations team pressing in from the outside, the black-clad men fell like autumn leaves.
"Who are these people?!"
More black-clad men started emerging from various buildings within the mansion, shouting the same question as before.
"It's Kwon Je! Master!"
One of the black-clad men, who had been fighting against Mu-jin and the special operations team, hastily answered.
Mu-jin's Golden Turtle Technique was well-known in the martial world, so they quickly identified him.
But they hadn't expected Mu-jin to attack so swiftly, causing a moment of panic.
However, their panic was short-lived.
"Attack!"
The newly emerged black-clad men immediately charged at the special operations team.
As the situation reversed, the special operations team found themselves surrounded from the front and back, and Mu-jin quickly gave instructions.
"Everyone except Mu-gyeong and me, form a Three Talents Formation and respond accordingly!"
With eleven people in total, they could pair up in groups of three, excluding himself and Mu-gyeong.
The Three Talents Formation was a basic joint formation, and experienced special operations team members should have no trouble forming it.
- Mu-gyeong, use your stealth techniques to assist the team from the shadows!
As Mu-jin finished instructing Mu-gyeong, the newly arrived black-clad men began their assault.
However, the skilled special operations team members easily formed the Three Talents Formation, blocking the incoming attacks from both front and back.
Mu-jin also dealt with the black-clad men obstructing him, moving to assist the special operations team when he suddenly heard a haunting sound.
'Music?'
Somewhere, the eerie sound of a pipa began to play.