After nearly three entire days of travel, we sat at a cliffside overviewing the large estate that the 3rd division commander was held hostage in. It was already late at night, so this was the perfect time to camp out and observe their guard patterns.
5 of us were assigned to guard our camp's perimeter while 4 of us would observe the guard's activities. The remaining 5 along with the commander would prepare to do a 360 scouting, identifying internal layouts and rooms.
No lamps, no fires, no telescopes. Only our eyes are even the slightest bit of misplaced light can get us spotted.
"Can you see that far Hu Qing?"
"Yeah, although the trees blocking sight makes it hard, Commander Gu."
"That's fine, the scouts will deal with the rest."
"Good luck sir."
Commander Gu nods, waving himself off. "You too Hu Qing."
With a simple step, Commander Gu and the 5 other scouts disappear down the cliff's edge, straight into the trees below without making a single sound.
–A total of 7 buildings. Hu Qing, keep an eye on the west wing of the main building. Mo De, you focus on the east wing.
– Yes sir.
A total of 150 guards around the entire estate. 30 guards to the main building, 15 to each of the other smaller buildings, 14 to the main gate and 16 around the estate's walls.
After 3 hours of scouting, the 5 of us that had been surveying the guards patterns got together to put their schedules in place.
"They're all traveling in groups of five, switching out one person every 12 minutes meaning they don't have an opening where we can simply sneak by."
"We could wait until they switch off so we can kill them one by one."
Li Bolin shakes his head, "No, if they notice a guard checking out without one checking in to replace them, then they'll obviously know something is up."
Tapping the trunk of a tree thrice, Commander Gu and his squad alert us of their return from scouting. "It seems like we'll have no choice but to create a distraction."
Raising my hand up, I stare directly at Commander Gu. "I'm willing to play that role. But let me ask this first, why are we taking on such a high stakes mission like this when we're just a scouting division?"
Commander Gu pauses, his pacing starting as he ponders. "That I have no clue… But it's always been like this."
"So we really are a cursed squad."
"If you really see it that way…" Commander Gu muttered before resting his back on the trunk of a tree. "Rest well tonight, we'll strike at dawn."
"Dawn? Why during the day? Our uniforms are clouded black making it perfect for stealth."
"Dawn is when people start to wake, not fully being there. We strike when least expected, too many people strike under the cover of the night already, making it something easily predictable if you knew you were going to be ambushed at some point."
Hearing the commander's thoughts, we couldn't help but nod along, his explanation being logical enough to follow.
"Then I'll also act as a diversion." Luo Chao chimed in.
And then others did too, Shen Yan, Mo De, Zhu Yunru, Su Cai and We Hei. That makes a total of 7 in the diversion squad and, 4 infiltrating including the commander, and 4 standing by at extraction to make sure we can make a smooth escape.
From the rumors of other divisions, Commander Gu is only a first-rate warrior, making him the strongest of the weak and the weakest of the strong. He relies heavily on his Yin Energy and Qigong despite how his rough and calloused hands tell a story of him wielding a sword.
Though I suppose I can't expect too much, he's still barely an adult.
"Now I've answered your questions, rest well."
"Yes sir."
Getting away from the edge of the overviewing cliff, we all go deeper into the forest where our main camp is, settling down in our sleeping bags as two people are up for night watch.
"Goodnight, Luo Chao."
"Goodnight, Hu Qing."
Laying there in the sleeping back, I couldn't help but rustle around, unable to sleep. Death is scary. We are people that die, so death is our final resting place, yet so many charge towards it.
Blinded by honour? Perhaps Commander Gu was right. Tempted by glory and fame? Is this what it means to know to lose? Is this the feeling of fear?
Unable to sleep, I quietly and slowly crawl out of my sleeping bag, finding Commander Gu wide awake, carving into scraps of metal.
"Couldn't sleep?"
"Ah… Yeah. What about you Commander?"
"Medical reasons."
Hearing the commander feign weakness was odd. He seemed unwavering, unstoppable and indomitable, yet here he was sitting before me. A human.
"What are you doing Commander?" Taking a step closer to him, the reflection caused by the light of the moon created a clear image of a name being carved into the shard of metal. "Xia Tian?"
"A former member of Division 4, my 5th squad I was supposed to take care of."
Ah… A memorial.
Lowering my softening gaze, I slowly approach and sit down beside Commander Gu, staring into the box of shards and scraps at his feet.
Lao Gang, Dai Shun, Lei Changming… So many names… All from his former squads.
"Why do you do-" Before I could finish, I cut myself off, rephrasing my words. "Are these meant for them? The ones who have passed?"
"No… They're for myself." Commander Gu struck sharply into the scrap of metal, carving a character. "So many people… So many dreams… So many lives. All because I am weak."
"But Commander is a first rate warrior, surely you're-"
"The Yin Body type. You've heard of this, yes?"
I quickly nod, "Of course I have, plenty of low ranking warriors suffer from the Yin Body Type. Is that why Commander Gu is proficient at Yin Energy?"
"Partly… But I have not fully opened up the nine blocked paths."
"Nine?!" I accidentally let the shocked expression out of my mouth.
Most warriors only suffer from 1 to 3 Yin Body, but 9? At that point nearly all 12 of your Ki paths are blocked, meaning Commander Gu should be a cripple, no, he shouldn't even be alive.
"Yes, nine. The Ice Witch helped heal me, opening up the clogs half way, meaning I'm still far too weak."
Seeing Commander Gu's somber expression, I couldn't help but think he was no more than a child, no more than a flower that has just started to bloom.
He pushes himself, carrying the weight of his subordinates' lives on his shoulders.
"Are you sure you aren't a part of the Orthodox Faction, Commander Gu?"
"I'm not. I can promise you that."
"Then how come you're so virtuous?"
"Because I'm human."
Hearing the commander's silly answer, I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "Did you mean you're a hero?"
"I'm not that foolish."
"So then Commander Gu, what is your dream if it's not to be a hero?"
Commander Gu paused, tossing the finished dog tag into the box on the ever growing pile.
"I guess my dream is to become the Sword Saint."
"Aha! You are a part of the Orthodox Faction!" I take a joking jab at Commander Gu, slapping his small frame on the back.
"Not like that, Hu Qing. I just want to be the strongest swordsman in the world. Strong enough to protect everyone that I want to."
"But why a swordsman?"
I could understand wanting to learn the strongest martial arts, like Cheon Ma's Twelve Dragon Arts, or the Orthodox Leader's Blessing Light of Heavens, but a swordsman? Its effort did not match its reward.
Here in the Murim, to be a swordsman is not to be a man who wields a sword, but rather to be the sword in itself. To say you want to be a swordsman, let alone the greatest, is no different from pursuing an ancient art that has outlived its purpose.
To be a swordsman is to only wield the sword. It's forbidden to use external Ki if you called yourself a swordsman, meaning you lose out on things like sword Ki projection or the protection and enhancement that external Ki provides to hand to hand martial arts.
Commander Gu sets aside the box of scraps, wrapping it neatly in a cloth. "Just because I like it."
"Huh?"