Book 12: Chapter 7: The Next Operation

all of the Second Young Master's forces were stubbornly crawling up the Valley of Sin.

“Go! Push through, even if it's with numbers!”

Piercing through the falling boulders.

“Aaack—!”

Passing through the pouring rain of arrows.

“My leg, my leg…?!”

Even enduring the baptism of the repeating crossbows' iron bolts.

What awaited those who had panted their way up like that was the guerrilla warfare waged by Elder Gwak.

As if they had fallen into a swamp deep in the jungle.

Those who were pushing their way up were helplessly sucked in and swallowed.

Even though unorthodox martial artists were deployed to remove the catapults the battlefield of the middle reaches was turning out to be rather more disadvantageous than before.

“Everyone is going through a hard time.”

However, in the midst of that, there was also a class of people who had no interest in 'advancing' or 'occupying'.

“Living this long, I even get to see guerrilla warfare in the middle of a city.”

Fluttering his dry white hair, the one who giggled was the captain of the Fresh Blood Fleet the Four Seas Carnage.

Although his reputation as a blood-crazed madman was widespread in front of others if he had been only that, he would not have survived until now in the hellish southern seas and the demonic lair called Evil Tyrant Heaven.

“Captain.”

Hearing the voice calling him, he turned around with a brightened look.

“Is the identification finished?”

“Yes.”

The adjutant nodded with a murderous smile and raised his hand to point at a spot.

“That way and that way. And the top of that large building.”

As a master who had surpassed the wall, the Four Seas Carnage had no difficulty identifying the spots his adjutant pointed out even in the darkness.

“They are the guys holding flags.”

“That is correct.”

They were subtly hiding and enthusiastically waving flags of various colors.

“They seem to be signalmen whose role is to transmit the situation on the ground to the upper levels, and receive orders to deliver them to the site.”

“Indeed.”

The Four Seas Carnage smiled, stretching his mouth wide.

“So that was the secret to moving the troops like a single body in this dog-like terrain.”

Meanwhile, a long and heavy piece of iron was placed in the outstretched hand of the Four Seas Carnage.

It was a loaded flintlock long gun.

Shouldering, aiming, and firing were done in almost a single breath.

Bang—!

The ear-splitting discharge of the firearm echoed.

“A hit!”

Far away.

Beyond the acrid smoke of black powder, the signalman on Yeon So-hyeon's side who had been holding a flag was seen falling to the ground.

“Good!”

The Four Seas Carnage casually threw the empty gun backward, hearing the cheers of his subordinates.

“Heave-ho!”

His dedicated loader skillfully caught the gun thrown back carelessly.

A new long gun that had finished loading was held in the hand of the Four Seas Carnage.

“Guys.”

Showing that gun upward, the Four Seas Carnage burst into a wild laugh.

“Now, the hunt begins.”

The Fresh Blood Fleet.

Although they had no interest in advancing or occupying they were very interested in battle achievements and rewards.

* * *

“Signalman Number Eight has been hit!”

“Signalmen Number One and Number Two are also silent!”

“It is enemy sniping!”

The Crouching Dragon of Nanman, Elder Gwak clicked her tongue.

“There is someone among the enemies who is quite quick-witted.”

If this happened, it would become difficult to use the tactics that fit together as precisely as they did now.

“Roughly, for now, we can somehow let them run on the ground's own judgment, but” whether fireworks, signal arrows, or whatever.

“It won't last very long.”

There were many alternative means to give signals, but the problem was that they lacked precision and detail.

“What will you do?”

To the military officers' questions, Elder Gwak quickly made a decision.

“We've had enough fun with this.”

If it were an ordinary military advisor, they would have tried to drag out time somehow to establish more of their own achievements, but Elder Gwak had long since been aloof from such glory.

“Send the signal.”

Far away, her gaze turned toward the underworld members who were still flocking up.

Although they had already killed the enemy to the point where blood flowed like streams in various places of the valley still, even more enemies than that were rushing in like a high tide.

“The guerrilla warfare is temporarily suspended. Now we will move on to the 'next operation'.”

At her words, a blank look appeared on the faces of the military officers.

“The next operation is…?!”

Elder Gwak's decision was firm.

“Send the signal to the entire army.”

Soon, two purple fireworks exploded in the sky over the Valley of Sin.

* * *

The Luoyang Sword Family, the Institution headquarters.

The Director's Office.

The large safe in the Director's Office was broken open, and inside, the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon was looking through documents.

“……” but for some reason, unlike usual, the speed at which Yeon So-hyeon read through the documents was slow.

“Eldest Young Master.”

The special task force member who was guarding the entrance came inside, and his attitude in bowing deeply and reporting was polite.

From them, the special task force members, contempt for the "swordless one" could no longer be found.

“A visitor from the Elders' Hall has arrived and is requesting to see you, Eldest Young Master.”

Rather, even awe toward the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon was present in the eyes of the special task force member.

“Let them in.”

Inside the large safe, Yeon So-hyeon answered without even looking back, the special task force member clasped his hands deeply to pay respects to Yeon So-hyeon's back, and backed out of the room.

“Yes, I will obey your command, Eldest Young Master.”

That was, today, in this place for those who had participated in the Institution's purification operation, a natural change in attitude.

“My, this is disappointing, Eldest Young Master.”

A voice in which the passage of time could be felt directly.

“After ending your seclusion, you did not show your face even once, and only search for us now when you need a hand?”

Clink.

The clear sound made by the ornaments hanging from the staff was definitely a sound in Yeon So-hyeon's memory.

“…Did the Lord of the Elders' Hall personally come all the way here?”

Yeon So-hyeon's gaze as he turned to face the Lord of the Elders' Hall was quite soft.

“Hoho. Of course.”

To the point where one would doubt if she was the same Lord of the Elders' Hall who had previously chased away the elders with a chilling spirit, the old woman's attitude was favorable.

“Since the one who must lead this family in the future has requested help from the Elders' Hall, how could this old woman stay still?”

Yeon So-hyeon had merely requested the help and advice of a few elders who had previously worked in related fields but the Lord of the Elders' Hall had stepped forward herself.

“…While I am very grateful that you have personally stepped forward, Lord of the Elders' Hall,” Yeon So-hyeon, who had been looking at the old woman with a smile, stiffened his expression with concern.

“…if you directly command the reorganization of the Institution like this, there will be a lot of talk behind your back.”

If the Lord of the Elders' Hall rolled up her sleeves and helped, the reorganization of the Institution could be finished faster than expected.

However, it was something clearly forbidden by the family laws.

Yet, despite Yeon So-hyeon's concern, the Lord of the Elders' Hall's expression was tranquil.

“Whether they talk behind my back or chatter in front of me, a barking dog is not scary.”

The Lord of the Elders' Hall laughed lightly.

“Let them bark all they want.”

“…The very existence of the Elders' Hall could be endangered, Lord of the Elders' Hall.”

“The existence of the Elders' Hall?”

The Lord of the Elders' Hall shook her head as if such a thing was nothing.

“That kind of thing doesn't matter anymore, Eldest Young Master.”

“…Lord of the Elders' Hall.”

The Lord of the Elders' Hall's statement was radical enough to make Yeon So-hyeon's expression turn blank for a moment.

“Eldest Young Master. What is the core function of the current Elders' Hall?”

With that single question, Yeon So-hyeon understood everything the Lord of the Elders' Hall wanted to say.

“…the Elders' Hall has been supporting the Sword Family, which lacked a patriarch, by selecting executive members suitable for the Supreme Executive Council.”

“Indeed.”

The Lord of the Elders' Hall followed up on Yeon So-hyeon's words.

“But since the Supreme Executive Council will become unnecessary in the near future, what reason is there to cling to the mere existence of the Elders' Hall?”

Yeon So-hyeon turned his head to hide his expression.

“……” the Lord of the Elders' Hall's words meant, in short, that she did not doubt that Yeon So-hyeon would become the Young Patriarch of the Sword Family and then the new Patriarch.

“…Do you not resent my long seclusion?”

At Yeon So-hyeon's words, which leaked out after a long pause, the Lord of the Elders' Hall smiled bitterly.

“If it is about the Heavenly Killing Star, this old woman has also heard of it and knows, Eldest Young Master.”

Her gaze turned toward the window.

Although invisible, an immense amount of blood would be flowing even now in the Valley of Sin beyond.

Since Yeon So-hyeon ended his seclusion a lot of blood had flowed until now, and even more blood would flow in the future.

How much more blood would have to flow it was hard to even dare to imagine.

“Whether it is destiny or whatever. Even at my age, there are still more things in the world that I do not know.”

The Lord of the Elders' Hall's gaze touched Yeon So-hyeon's back.

“I will not carelessly discuss things I do not know. But,” the old woman's gaze was still soft and warm.

“This old woman, no.”

The old woman corrected her words.

“All the elders of our Elders' Hall.”

The old woman conveyed her sincerity in every single word to Yeon So-hyeon.

“We sincerely welcome the Eldest Young Master ending his seclusion and returning.”

“……” the letters on the documents he was looking through blurred.

Strength entered Yeon So-hyeon's hand holding the documents.

He looked up at the empty air for no reason.

Where did this endless goodwill and trust come from?

How was he supposed to repay it?

“Hoho.”

The Lord of the Elders' Hall, whose eyes had grown red like Yeon So-hyeon's, gently rubbed the corners of her eyes and changed the subject.

“Right. So, is there any progress in the Eldest Young Master's investigation? Have your doubts been resolved a bit?”

“…To some extent.”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded and put down the bundle of documents he had been looking through.

They were documents that had been strictly stored in the deepest part of the Director's large safe.

“There was progress.”

The Lord of the Elders' Hall's gaze directed toward the titles of the documents, which were stamped with various confidential seals here and there.

<Onsite Report on the Before and After of the Patriarch's Ambush Incident>

<The Situation at the Time Re-established Based on the Testimonies of the Agents Present at the Ambush Scene, and Unresolved Doubts>

<In-Depth Psychological Evaluation Report on the Onsite Agents at the Time>

“…That is good.”

Just up to that point.

The Lord of the Elders' Hall did not speak any further on the matter.

It was a problem so sensitive that even the Lord of the Elders' Hall dared not mention it before the Eldest Young Master spoke of it himself.

“What about the Fourth Young Master's side?”

The Lord of the Elders' Hall changed the subject first.

“Seeing the Eldest Young Master concentrating here, you must have made preparations, but are you not worried?”

“…Everyone brings up that story without fail.”

As Yeon So-hyeon chuckled while saying so, the Lord of the Elders' Hall shrugged her shoulders.

“No matter how much they call the Fourth Young Master a genius, isn't he still a child in the end?”

“Not at all.”

That was not just words.

“There is no worry.”

“Still—” what cut off the Lord of the Elders' Hall's words was a sound heard from far outside the window.

Psssh—!

A slender purple flame soared high into the sky consecutively, and soon exploded with a pop.

“Is it a signal firework?”

“It is.”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded at the Lord of the Elders' Hall's words.

“They have moved on to the next operation.”

There was not the slightest worry or concern on Yeon So-hyeon's face as he spoke.

Because Yeon So-hyeon was truly not worried at all about the Fourth Young Master and the Valley of Sin he was in charge of.

Only in the history before the regression that Yeon So-hyeon remembered although the Fourth Young Master had tasted bitter defeat in the business field and could never recover, Yeon So-hyeon traced back his memory.

‘the extreme civil war that occurred during the demise of the Sword Family.’

‘The ones who struck terror into everyone in that civil war were Yeon Bi, that fellow, and his subordinates.’

Yeon So-hyeon's gaze calmly watched the signal fireworks that were being consecutively launched.

* * *

The Valley of Sin.

“Signal confirmed.”

“Final procedure in progress.”

“Wind direction and wind speed confirmed.”

“No abnormalities.”

“Location confirmed.”

“No abnormalities.”

“Allies and civilians confirmed.”

“No abnormalities.”

Their voices were mixed with the sound of wheezing breaths, making them difficult to understand.

Therefore, even at close range, they accompanied their words with hand signals.

“Ah. I hate this because it always ruins my hairstyle.”

Tang Ye-rin.

The Fourth Young Master's closest confidant and military advisor, she sighed as she received the object passed to her by a subordinate.

“Confirmation of the final procedure is complete.”

“Yes. I understand.”

When she put on that object, a poison-avoiding mask, her voice was similarly muffled.

However, everyone present clearly recognized her hand signal.

“Start the operation.”

Raising her finger, she drew a circle in the air and pointed to the lower reaches of the valley.

“Begin administering the poison.”