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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: My Lord Has a Plan for Everything
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Inside the Chief Instructor's office at the Divine Hall of the Latent Demon, I stood with Ha Song, my new companion, enduring a lecture.
The Chief Instructor's nagging poured down like the ceaseless rains of the monsoon season.
"Maeng Ak, do not grow complacent in your martial prowess. You must travel via the route selected by the Council of Elders. Ha Song, you too must not forget your duty as both instructor and guide. And one last thing…"
"Chief Instructor, sir. Forgive my impertinence, but I believe you can stop now. This is the fifth time we've heard 'one last thing'."
Ha Song, noticing I was at the absolute limit of my patience, cut him off at the perfect moment.
The Chief Instructor, finally realizing he had been rambling, cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Did I really? The older I get, the more I talk. Very well, you may leave. Ah, wait."
The Chief Instructor tossed a heavy pouch onto the table in front of Ha Song.
"Use this for your travel expenses. It should be more than enough to last you a fortnight."
"Why the sudden money…"
"It's not because I find you particularly charming."
Ha Song opened the heavy pouch, his face a picture of surprise, and the Chief Instructor answered his unspoken question.
His gaze had already shifted from Ha Song to Maeng Ak.
"The Council of Elders has high hopes for you."
"Thank you. I will be sure to repay you."
There's no such thing as free money, but as a former bandit in my past life, I had even less reason to refuse it.
"There's no need to repay it. Just return in one piece."
"I will never forget this and will be sure to repay you."
However, the price had to be right.
'Trying to buy my favor with a single pouch of money? Not a chance.'
I accepted the pouch but deliberately refused the Chief Instructor's offer to waive repayment.
I was grateful that the Council of Elders was backing me, but I couldn't forget that it wouldn't be for free.
Becoming indebted to them could lead to troublesome complications later on.
*Creeak.*
It was time to get up.
"Well then, we'll be on our way. Thank you for your words. We'll see you in a fortnight."
With that, I led Ha Song out of the office.
The moment we stepped outside, Ha Song asked.
"My lord. What exactly is going on? We're leaving the Divine Hall for a fortnight?"
Ha Song unleashed the questions he'd been holding back. It was understandable; he had been summoned by the Chief Instructor without any warning.
"Hoo. We have a long way to go. Let's talk while we move. First, the reason we're leaving is to make a preemptive move before the tournament begins."
"A preemptive move, my lord?"
"Yes, a preemptive move. When the tournament starts, the Cult Leader, the heads of the Five Heavenly Pillar Gates, and all the other leaders will gather. If we face them in our current state, we won't be able to predict the variables if something goes wrong."
"My apologies, but I'm afraid I don't understand."
"They are like tigers. Tigers that command this vast Hundred Thousand Mountains. And now, a date has been set for those tigers to bare their fangs and approach. What would you do?"
Caught off guard by the talk of tigers, Ha Song mumbled, his expression one of utter confusion.
"They say that even if a tiger drags you away, you can survive if you keep your wits about you…"
"That's not it. The premise of being dragged away is wrong from the start. I am the one who will command those tigers in the future, not one who will be dragged away by them."
"Then we must first devise a plan to deal with the tigers… But, are we perhaps not allowed to harm them?"
"Half right, half wrong. You are correct that we must devise a plan to deal with them. That is why we are leaving for a fortnight. However, if you're afraid of scratching their hides, you'll be bitten before you can even begin to tame them. We must confront the tigers, but we must also display such overwhelming power that they will never dare to bare their fangs at us again."
Only then did Ha Song nod, as if he was beginning to understand.
"I see. Then, is there a specific reason we must leave the Divine Hall?"
"There's no reason to set up camp in an empty tiger's den."
"Does that mean we're going to hunt the tigers ourselves?"
"No. It's too soon for that."
"Then to gather information on them…?"
"I've already gathered enough information from the Five Phoenixes, One Dragon. Right now, we're going to build our strength to catch the pack of tigers when they return to their den."
I was already unbelievably strong for a cadet, but I still couldn't take on the Cult's top masters alone.
On the day of the tournament, I had to prepare for the worst-case scenario, as I had no idea how they would act.
Whether he understood this or not, Ha Song muttered to himself in awe.
"Heh. To think you'll grow even stronger from here…"
"Hmm. Ha Song. If you wish to remain by my side, you must grow. I will be the one to define your limits."
His stunned reaction to such a trivial level of power displeased me, so I had to say something.
Ha Song flinched in surprise.
"M-My apologies! It was so beyond my comprehension that I made a mistake."
It seemed Ha Song was still bound by the mental shackles I had sensed during our first meeting.
I could see how he underestimated himself because of them.
It was in that moment I decided I would shatter those shackles for him.
As we continued to move and talk, we arrived at the rear gate sooner than I expected.
This was one of the many exits from the Divine Hall, a secure gate that only the sponsoring Council of Elders was permitted to use.
*Creeak.*
Without hesitation, I pushed the gate open.
"Enough idle talk. Let's move."
"My lord. That's the opposite direction of the route set by the Council of Elders…"
"Ha Song."
"Yes, my lord."
"Keep your mouth shut until we arrive. That's an order."
"…"
I could see Ha Song's pupils darting back and forth.
A conflict raged in his mind: the duty to stop his lord from taking a dangerous path versus the imperative not to disobey an order.
It was understandable, given that I had immediately deviated from the path prepared by the Council of Elders.
This was a completely different attitude from the one I had shown in front of the Chief Instructor.
But what could I do?
It was their fault for trusting a bandit without a contract in the first place.
Besides, that path was designed to protect Maeng Ak from the dangers of rival factions.
Since there was no real danger to begin with, I had no reason to keep my promise.
The place we were heading to was unknown even to the Cult Leader, the master of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
* * *
*Shushuk.*
Two dark figures were swiftly weaving through the dense trees.
The figure following behind spoke to the one leading the way, who moved with no hesitation as if returning home.
"My lord. If we continue this way, we'll reach Qinghai. This specific path leads to the Kunlun Mountains, the territory of the Gongtong Sect…"
"Ha Song. We haven't arrived yet. Who gave you permission to speak? Are you mocking me?"
Maeng Ak cut him off sharply, leaving Ha Song with no choice but to fall silent.
A sense of unease grew steadily in Ha Song's heart.
It couldn't be helped. His lord was still a young man. No matter how outstanding his martial arts were, he lacked experience.
Thus, it was difficult to gauge whether he understood the danger of their current situation.
He simply could not understand why his lord was so determined to leave the Hundred Thousand Mountains, risking such peril.
Maeng Ak, reading Ha Song's expression, turned his head without slowing his pace.
"Ha Song. Do not doubt me. That day, you chose to take my hand. If you regret that choice, then end your life this instant."
"…!!"
His incompetence had caused him to reveal his troubled heart to his lord. And the lord before him was not so kind as to comfort such a pathetic subordinate.
Unconsciously, Ha Song glanced down at the hilt of the sword at his waist.
*Gulp.*
Would he end his life so futilely?
For the trivial reason of being unable to trust his lord?
In the brief moment that hesitation flashed through Ha Song's mind…
*Ssk.*
Maeng Ak, who had been leading, turned back and approached Ha Song.
And then.
*Thud.*
He placed his left hand on his shoulder. The weight of Maeng Ak's hand felt like a thousand pounds.
"I see I must make you choose now."
"Pardon…?"
Ha Song questioned him reflexively, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.
However, what came back was not an answer, but a fist that felt heavier than the hand on his shoulder.
*Thwack!*
"Guhk…!"
A heavy, low fist flew straight into his solar plexus. The impact knocked the wind out of him, leaving him breathless. Despite the intense pain, he could only manage a small groan.
"If you're going to doubt me, then bet your life on it. If you can't, then return to the Divine Hall alone. If you act this foolishly again, I will personally send you to the afterlife."
Maeng Ak looked down at Ha Song with an indifferent expression.
A pained expression was etched onto Ha Song's face, cold sweat pouring down it.
'I had to set him straight at some point. I can't keep watching him act so naively. If he's the type to fall away here, I'm better off without him.'
In truth, Maeng Ak had often found his thoughts occupied by Ha Song.
His talent with the sword was exceptional, but he would occasionally make foolish errors in judgment.
Even during the first test, if the Left Guardian hadn't helped him, his head would have been long gone.
Something in his past was likely causing this psychological instability.
It wasn't that I didn't understand; I had seen many cases like this in my past life.
People like him were one of two things: either they would never overcome their past, or they would use it as a stepping stone to leap forward.
Maeng Ak needed the latter version of Ha Song.
And to achieve that, he needed to be firm, just like this.
Of course, this wasn't the sole reason we'd come out here. I had intended to deal with it along the way, and Ha Song had conveniently acted the fool at just the right time.
Maeng Ak continued speaking to Ha Song, who was still reeling from the pain.
"I never took you on as my strategist. Don't overthink things. I chose you, and you chose me. Instead of wasting time regretting and doubting that choice, work to make it the right one."
"…!"
The moment he heard those words, Ha Song felt as if he'd been struck on the back of the head.
To make a choice right, instead of doubting it.
After losing everything, and before meeting Maeng Ak, Ha Song had lived a life he couldn't bear to end, drowning in regret.
He resented his past self, and his current self, so much that he wanted to drown himself in a puddle.
But what if he had thought this way back then?
No, let's go back even further.
Back when he was trying to overcome his mediocrity, what if he hadn't doubted his choices as selfish, but had instead changed them as his lord suggested?
'At the very least, I wouldn't have become the pathetic man I am today.'
"…Ha. Haha. Hahahaha."
Realizing his own foolishness, Ha Song let out a hollow, crazed laugh.
Behind the empty laughter, a wave of inexplicable indignation washed over him.
*Clench.*
Ha Song clutched the martial arts uniform over his chest, trying to ease the tightness welling up inside.
Seeing this, Maeng Ak clicked his tongue.
"Tsk. Are you going to repeat the same mistake even now? Look forward, not back. I wasn't with you in the past, but I will be with you in the future."
The future.
At that word, Ha Song lifted his head.
Standing there was Maeng Ak, who now seemed larger than him.
'He's clearly younger than me, so how can he seem so immense?'
It wasn't about physical size. His lord, standing there with his arms crossed and an indifferent expression, truly looked like a great mountain.
And this man had just promised to be with him in the future, to ensure he wouldn't make the same mistakes again.
How could he not feel reassured?
The tightness that had been squeezing his chest vanished.
*Drip.*
Without realizing it, a tear fell from Ha Song's eye to the ground.
And before wiping it away, Ha Song cupped his fists in a martial salute.
"Your servant, Ha Song, is indebted to you for your teachings, my lord."
Only then did Maeng Ak unfold his arms.
'Hmph! Foolish man. Took you long enough to realize.'
He thought this resentfully, but he was proud of Ha Song for successfully shattering his shackles.
Suddenly, he recalled beating his brothers in the Green Forest into shape.
And that time was running short.
"Enough. Let's go."
*Shushuk.*
Maeng Ak casually patted Ha Song's shoulder and disappeared back into the dense trees.
And Ha Song followed right behind him.
For some reason, though it had been only a few months since he'd sworn his loyalty, the two of them now looked as if they had been together for years.
'So, I've gained another true follower in this life.'
As Maeng Ak pressed forward, he thought this and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
The exact reason for his smile was unclear, but it was likely due to one of two things: the destination that was finally coming into view, or Ha Song, who now followed silently behind him.
'It's been a while. How many years has it been since my master and I built this…'
A small river appeared through the trees.
There, by the river, was one of the shelters he and his master, Maeng Eun-ho, had established on major mountains while wandering the Central Plains in his past life.
*Ssk.*
Maeng Ak placed his hand on the largest boulder in the river.
Then, he circulated the heart technique of the Divine Arts of the Green Forest Tiger, infusing his palm with energy.
What happened next was astonishing.
*Rumble!*
With a deafening roar, a hole opened in the riverbed, revealing a passage.
"Damn, that's loud. Good thing I set up a sound-dampening barrier beforehand."
As Maeng Ak casually dusted off his hands as if he had expected it all, Ha Song stood behind him, mouth agape, blinking in disbelief.