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Chapter 13: First Incursion into the Mountain
When the fight dragged on, Tak Gomyung glanced at Pung Yeoncho, the boss of the camp.
Although Cheon Gideok had a clear physical advantage, he couldn’t subdue Yeon Jeokha, who was smaller and thinner. However, that didn’t mean Yeon Jeokha was winning; he just seemed to be holding on with sheer determination.
The two fighters tangled and rolled on the ground.
Watching the pitiful scene, Pung Yeoncho spoke.
"Gomyung."
"Yes."
"Look at how things are going..."
Just as he was about to declare one of them the winner, a loud ‘paf’ sound made them both stop.
Shortly after, Yeon Jeokha slowly stood up.
All eyes turned to Cheon Gideok.
Unfortunately, he had hit his head against a protruding rock and was unconscious.
Once Tak Gomyung understood the situation, he asked Lee Cheolsan and Han Chaeyeon.
"In this fight, Jeokha has won. Do either of you want to challenge him?"
Lee Cheolsan and Han Chaeyeon shook their heads vigorously.
They thought it was better to accept Jeokha as their superior than end up like Cheon Gideok.
Finally, Tak Gomyung declared:
"Cheon Gideok has been defeated, and the others have accepted the result, so Yeon Jeokha is the seventh. The new members must respect and follow him."
"Yes."
"Understood."
With the hierarchy established, Pung Yeoncho stepped forward.
"Now that Chaeyeon is the youngest, she will handle preparing lunch instead of Jeokha. As for the laundry... since we have more people, we'll leave it to Gideok. That's all! Rest as you wish."
The camp members began to disperse.
Lee Cheolsan carried his friend Cheon Gideok inside.
Yeon Jeokha, who had been standing, slowly walked to a secluded spot.
The excitement of his first fight began to fade.
After an intense struggle without using his internal energy, he felt relieved but also a bit confused.
"Damn it! This didn't have to happen..."
When Lee Cheolsan had mocked him, calling him inexperienced, something inside him had snapped. His vision had turned white, and a murderous rage had emerged. It was the first time he had experienced something like that.
"Ah!"
He let out a deep sigh when a soft voice interrupted him from behind.
"Brother Yeon! They told me to prepare lunch... could you teach me how to do it?"
Yeon Jeokha shivered upon hearing Han Chaeyeon call him brother. But that was the hierarchy, and he would have to accept it.
Hesitant, Yeon Jeokha began walking towards the kitchen.
Han Chaeyeon followed closely and asked:
"Where are you going?"
"To the kitchen."
Yeon Jeokha responded briefly.
He was not yet accustomed to his new position and felt uncomfortable speaking informally. Moreover, he had never conversed with such a beautiful woman.
Han Chaeyeon, who had met many men during her short stay in the brothel, smiled.
‘How adorable.’
Among rough and tough men, it was surprising to find a young man so fresh and vibrant.
Yeon Jeokha entered the kitchen and showed Han Chaeyeon how to perform the tasks he had been doing.
"The water has to be drawn from the stream, but it’s a hard job, so I'll help you... No, I’ll help you."
Han Chaeyeon smiled sweetly and responded with a long "Yes."
"Well, then I'm off."
Yeon Jeokha, unable to look directly at her face, hurriedly left the kitchen.
As he crossed the front yard of the camp, Tak Gomyung called out to him.
"Jeokha, come here."
"Yes!"
When Yeon Jeokha approached, Tak Gomyung handed him a rustic wooden sword.
"The elder brother told me to give this to you. He was impressed by how you fought today. Starting tomorrow, you will join us in the incursions."
"I'll do my best!"
Yeon Jeokha made a deep bow.
"Yes, fight like you did today with Gideok, and you'll become a great hero."
"Hehe! Yes."
Looking at Yeon Jeokha’s bruised face, Tak Gomyung clicked his tongue and spoke.
"Ahem! I'll teach you my special exorcism sword technique. If you don't want to die by a blind sword, you must train whenever you get the chance."
"Exorcism sword technique?"
"Yes, you know I spent some time in a temple in my youth, right?"
"Yes."
"It was there that I learned it. I've never taught it to anyone, but I'll teach it to you because I feel sorry for you. So you don't die stupidly. Hey, kid, if that fight had been with swords, you would have died more than a dozen times."
Yeon Jeokha scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.
'If it had been a sword fight, I would have won with my eyes closed...'
"Watch. There are only three moves, so you'll learn quickly."
Tak Gomyung slowly demonstrated the three moves of the exorcism sword technique.
"Does it seem difficult? Don't worry, everyone feels that way at first. Should I show it again?"
Yeon Jeokha blinked and responded.
"I already memorized it."
"Huh? You memorized it all at once? Really?"
"Yes."
"Show me."
Yeon Jeokha took the sword and replicated the moves.
The exorcism sword technique consisted of three simple moves: a downward strike like lightning, an upward cut, and a thrust towards the heads in the east and west directions.
Compared to the ‘Nine Heavens Supreme Swordsmanship’ he had learned, this was really simple.
Whoosh, whoosh!
The sword's shine under the autumn sun was dazzling.
Yeon Jeokha had practiced the ‘Nine Heavens Swordsmanship’ and the ‘Nine Heavens Supreme Swordsmanship’ for ten years, incorporating the highest principles of swordsmanship into his body.
When he performed the exorcism sword technique, the three simple moves no longer seemed so simple.
Tak Gomyung, who was watching, couldn't help but exclaim.
"Wow, you’re a genius!"
"Hehe."
Although he had completed the exorcism sword technique, Yeon Jeokha hadn’t lost his breath.
"Ahem! Don't feel proud just because you learned that. You must train constantly. Understood?"
"Yes."
Yeon Jeokha raised the wooden sword to eye level and bowed.
Unconsciously, he mimicked the actions of the warriors from the Waryong Mansion he had seen in his childhood.
A satisfied smile appeared on Tak Gomyung’s face.
"Oh! This kid has good posture. Now we really look like a bandit camp with tradition! Hahaha!"
"Hehe."
They both laughed together for a while.
"By the way, second brother, what kind of martial arts does the elder brother practice?"
He asked because he always found Pung Yeoncho’s sword technique unique.
"I heard the elder brother learned the celestial technique from an old man who sold medicine on the street."
"Celestial technique?"
"It’s a well-known technique, but the elder brother’s skill is so high that no one in this area can face him."
"Wow!"
Yeon Jeokha pretended to be extremely surprised.
He wanted to show respect to the elder brother in any way possible. To him, Pung Yeoncho and Tak Gomyung were saviors as valuable as his own family.
Cheon Gideok regained consciousness at dusk.
Although he was an honorable man, Cheon Gideok bowed his head when his eyes met Yeon Jeokha’s.
However, he seemed not to have fully accepted his defeat and murmured:
"Brother Yeon, someday we will have a real fight with swords."
"Whenever you want."
Yeon Jeokha felt more comfortable with a sword than fighting with his hands.
Those who have practiced swordsmanship or sword techniques generally feel that way.
After dinner, Pung Yeoncho gathered the camp members.
"Ahem! There is a caravan going from Namyang to Juguhyun. It’s from the Namyang Trading Organization, based in Namyang, and has seven guards."
The third brother, Ma Hyeongdo, spoke in an unsure voice.
"Elder brother, aren’t seven too many?"
"That's only if we fight. If we use Nokrim’s name, they won’t want to fight."
"Really...?"
Ma Hyeongdo shrank back.
"In case of emergency, we’ll shoot arrows at one or two of them. If we reduce their number to five, victory is assured."
"But who will shoot the arrows?"
At the question of the fourth brother, Heo Imdal, Pung Yeoncho looked at Cheon Gideok and Han Chaeyeon.
"Gideok and Chaeyeon can shoot arrows, so they’ll take care of it."
"Ah!"
The camp members looked at Cheon Gideok and Han Chaeyeon with renewed interest.
"And Jeokha, don’t get involved. Stay next to the second brother. You and the new members should consider this a learning experience. Understood?"
"Yes."
The four responded in unison.
"If the Namyang Trading Organization pays the toll, other organizations will too. This way we can get through the winter comfortably. Everyone stay alert and don’t make any mistakes. Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Don't worry."
Pung Yeoncho observed his companions with satisfaction.
Although the target was small, the Namyang Trading Organization had some renown.
They passed through Five Peaks Mountain every three months but had never paid a toll.
They were tired of being wandering bandits.
Now that they had joined Nokrim and increased their numbers, it was time to start collecting tolls.
They didn’t expect large sums like others in Nokrim. The goal was to receive small amounts without having to fight. If the Namyang Trading Organization gave in, others would too.
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The next morning.
About thirty merchants entered the base of Five Peaks Mountain.
They were merchants from the Namyang organization and others who had joined to cross the mountain.
The seven guards of the Namyang organization led the caravan.
The leader, Wang Ingeol, admiring the scenery, exclaimed:
"Ah! Climbing this rocky path on the mountain up to the white clouds, where there is a house, is incredible."
It was a verse from the poem "Mountain Excursion" by Du Mu.
The caravan chief, Im Ogun, walking beside him, responded.
"Haha! Brother Wang, should we stop the cart and enjoy the scenery for a moment?"
"I would love to, but if we do, the other merchants will kill me. We have to cross the mountain quickly..."
Whoosh! Paf!
Before Wang Ingeol could finish speaking, a spear flew and stuck in front of them.
The caravan chief, Im Ogun, stepped back in surprise behind Wang Ingeol.
Wang Ingeol observed the spear with sharp eyes.
It was a simple wooden spear, with a green flag hanging from it.
Wang Ingeol’s face hardened.
In the Martial Arts World, the green flag was the symbol of Nokrim.
‘What is this? There are no Nokrim camps in Five Peaks Mountain...’
He quickly looked around, and from the thick bushes emerged bandits.
Pung Yeoncho, the boss of the camp, stepped forward with a wooden sword on his shoulder.
"Hey! You don’t think you can pass through Five Peaks Mountain without greeting its owner, do you?"
Instead of responding, Wang Ingeol observed the bandits closely.
There were eight in total.
Although their faces were fierce, and they carried swords and axes, they seemed somewhat clumsy.
Regaining some composure, Wang Ingeol spoke calmly.
"I am Wang Ingeol, leader of the Namyang organization caravan. What is your name, lord of Five Peaks Mountain?"
"I am Pung Yeoncho, boss of the Five Peaks camp."
A slight smile appeared on the corners of Wang Ingeol’s lips.
The name Pung Yeoncho sounded familiar.
‘Isn’t he the boss of a small bandit gang in Five Peaks Mountain?’
At that moment, an arrow flew from the forest.
Whoosh! Paf!
The arrow grazed Wang Ingeol’s face and stuck in a large tree behind him.
‘What the hell is this?! Do they intend to shed blood?’