Episode 69. Today’s Failure
I looked down at the kneeling men and said to my subordinates, “From now on, we’re the Unwu Society.”
“…What?”
“Change your clothes. Strip the dead, take their uniforms. If that’s not enough, use the wounded. Go inside, grab whatever fits—everyone changes.”
I pointed to Dokgo Saeng. “Not you.”
“Why not?”
“You stand out too much. Clothes won’t help. Stay here with your men and clean up.”
Once I said that, the others caught on. My plan was simple—disguise ourselves as Unwu’s survivors and head straight for the Old Dragon General. The prisoners would serve as our vanguard.
I turned to So Gunpyeong. “Gunpyeong, poison cures poison.”
He nodded. “Understood.”
While the men changed, I called for Hong Shin. “Hong Shin.”
“Yes, senior brother?”
“A woman understands a woman’s heart, right?”
“I suppose so.”
“That lunatic Dokgo Saeng will kill anyone he feels like. You stay and take care of the women we captured. Kill anyone suspicious, but don’t bother harming the weak.”
“Understood.”
“Those who suffered here—either send them to Ilyang County or release them. I’ll leave it to you.”
She nodded. “Yes.”
I turned back to the prisoners. “You good-for-nothing bastards, like Sung-tae over there…”
“…”
“Normally, I’d kill you all just for being Unwu scum. But I’m in a merciful mood today, so here’s your sliver of light. Anyone unwilling can bite their tongue and die now. I won’t stop you.”
Silence.
“No volunteers? Fine. Anyone who doesn’t answer properly from now on will join Master Su.”
“No objections!” they shouted together.
I pointed at them. “We’re going to kill Ilryong together. You’ve been dragging innocent women here—stripping them, forcing them to perform, selling them off. That’s you, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is!”
I suddenly drew my sword, anger flaring. “You filthy bastards—I should just kill you all and rot in hell—”
Baek In rushed over to stop me. “Master, please, calm down.”
“Let me go! I’ll gladly burn in the Infernal Flame!”
“We still need them as cannon fodder. Let them earn their death. Since Master Su’s gone, at least give them a chance to atone—like you did for us.”
I stared at Baek In. He’d suffered long under the Great Demon himself, so maybe he understood these men’s terror better than I did. I sighed and sheathed my blade.
“You’re right. Hell’s not exactly pleasant.”
He nodded calmly. “I’ll oversee them personally.”
I recalled something Moryong Baek once said—‘Don’t kill alone. Let your men share in it.’ The details were fuzzy, but close enough.
“Fine. You take responsibility.”
“Yes, Master. Please continue.”
“Where was I?”
“You just called them idiots. Before that, you mentioned Sung-tae types.”
“Right. Anyway, idiots…”
Baek In barked, “Answer!”
“Yes, sir!”
I scratched my nose and explained their task. “You’re actors now. We’re not charging in honestly. We’ll pretend to be Unwu survivors. You’ll spread word that Master Su’s dead and help us walk into Ilryong’s villa without bloodshed. Understand? We’re retreating losers for now.”
Baek In nodded. “I understand the plan. I’ll handle the details.”
“Good. I like lazy command.”
Hands clasped behind my back, I looked around idly and called, “Gunpyeong.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell our brave Black Cat warriors they can rest. They ran hard. Let them breathe.”
“Understood.”
“And make sure they stay behind. More numbers will only slow us down. Strange world, isn’t it? The more men we bring, the weaker we get.”
“Yes.”
The officers chuckled quietly. After killing Master Su so swiftly, they’d grown used to my… unconventional logic.
As they prepared for round two, I whistled, wandering around aimlessly. A captain from the old Black Thread Gang brought me a bloodstained robe. “Master, change into this.”
I frowned. “The chest is ripped and soaked in blood. Do I look injured to you? Get me something clean.”
“Alright, alright.”
“Idiot.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to help.”
I recognized him then—the same fool who’d survived every purge through sheer luck. I muttered, “Unkillable moron…”
Eventually, dressed in a less disgusting robe, I stared at the fish pond until my men returned.
“Master, ready.”
“All set, sir.”
I waved at the fish. “Goodbye, little ones.”
Turning back, I said, “Let’s go. And someone feed those fish later—they’ll starve while we’re busy killing people.”
So Gunpyeong replied evenly, “Yes, sir.”
Baek In’s pick for the lead actor wasn’t bad. The volunteer prisoner limped toward Ilryong’s villa gate, clutching his side in mock agony. We watched from a distance, like an audience at a play.
His performance was… alarmingly realistic. Clothes torn, steps unsteady, pain believable. But just as he reached the gate, he collapsed.
“…”
I looked at Baek In. “He overdid it?”
“No,” Baek In said gravely. “That was planned. He’s actually wounded.”
His tone was so serious I couldn’t argue. Soon, the man staggered up again, dragging himself to the gate and knocking weakly.
Thud… thud… thud.
An old servant opened the door and helped him inside. I couldn’t hear their words.
A moment later, more “actors” arrived, covered in blood and panting. They shouted, “We’re under full assault by the Black Cat Hall! We beg the Old General for reinforcements!”
The servant nodded. “Come inside.”
Another one croaked, “Please… water…”
I whispered, “Good lines.”
Baek In’s lips twitched upward. “Master, shall we move?”
I looked at the Unwu survivors still with us. “Anyone who wants to defect to Ilryong’s side can go now. I’ll kill you personally. Let’s move.”
But before taking a step, I raised my hand. “Wait.”
Frowning, I listened. If the villa had heard that Unwu was collapsing, it should’ve been noisy by now—but the mountain estate was silent. Even with three wounded men inside, the main gate stayed open. Too open. Like Zhuge Liang waiting calmly with empty gates for Sima Yi.
I clicked my tongue. “We’ve been made.”
Baek In said, “Then we press forward and finish it.”
“No. I underestimated the Old Dragon.”
Curiosity prickled at me. I walked toward the villa alone.
“Master?”
“Senior brother?”
“Stay back.”
“But—”
“I said wait.”
At the gate, I suddenly felt ashamed of my Unwu disguise. I didn’t know why. I ripped off the robe and threw it aside, keeping only my long coat.
Inside, the villa was silent—eerily so. I followed a narrow path until I found a large table in a wide garden.
There sat Ilryong himself, alone.
He greeted me calmly. “Welcome. Our truce is over already?”
I approached slowly. “You cleared the place out?”
He nodded after sipping his tea. “As you see. Only the servant who opened the door remained, but I just sent him away. No need to kill a man without martial skill.”
“And your subordinates?”
“Those with homes went home. The rest—I gave them some silver and said farewell.”
I stopped short of the table. “Quick on the uptake, aren’t you?”
He chuckled. “How old are you, boy?”
“None of your business.”
“Forty years younger than me, I’d say. I stepped into the martial world at your age, so I’ve got four decades more experience.”
“Experience doesn’t accumulate like internal energy.”
“True. Still, sit. Have tea.”
I stayed standing. “I’m not one for leisure.”
He smiled faintly. “Always suspicious, I see.”
“Old man, what’ve you prepared? Go on, entertain me.”
He said mildly, “What could a martial man prepare but martial skill? I trained all my life. Nothing new to ready.”
“And you knew I’d come?”
“Of course. You killed the Great Demon in single combat. I’ve seen men like you—your eyes, your speech, your impatience. I knew what kind of beast you were. This was always going to end between you and me. No need for others to bleed.”
“So you were close with him…”
Before I could finish, he reached for his teacup. Something about the motion felt off. My instincts screamed. I pushed off the ground just as he pressed the cup down.
Click—
The earth where I stood vanished. The circular floor around the table collapsed, dropping into a deep pit—seven, eight jang across.
Even I hadn’t seen such a trap before. I slid out with a single leaping step and peered down. The hole was dark and deep—like the old man’s heart.
From atop his lonely pillar, Ilryong glared at me.
“Old man,” I said, “that can’t be your grand finale, right? The chair’s a trigger, the tea’s poisoned, and the ground’s rigged with sword traps. If I’m missing anything, enlighten me—I’m new to this.”
He said nothing, face hard.
I smiled faintly. “You almost got me there, you bastard.”