Chapter 73

Chapter 73
“You seem remarkably cheerful today.”

Standing alongside the fighters of the Hyun-cheon-dae, Wang-ho offered the remark as Baek So-cheon approached.

It marked the third occasion he had heard those exact sentiments since daybreak. Earlier that morning, both Beon Saeng and Im Choong had made the very same observation.

Upon stepping into his personal quarters, the first thing he had done was inspect his reflection in the bronze mirror. While he could not say for certain whether joy radiated from his features, an unmistakable transformation had taken place.

The exhausted shadow of a man who once peered blankly into the surface, his gaze hollow and drained of life, had completely vanished.

“Things have taken a fortunate turn.”

The delightful hours he had enjoyed in her company yesterday continued to brighten his spirit through the following day.

“I plan to raise the rigor of our drills significantly. Is everyone prepared to welcome that?”

Groans and weary sighs rippled across the assembly. Even so, vibrant energy shone on every countenance. Through the past few months of relentless conditioning, the Hyun-cheon-dae had evolved into a division far more formidable than any other force within the Alliance.

Furthermore, profound rewards accompanied those grueling exercises—recompense far more precious than anything commonly found throughout the entire murim.

At regular intervals, Baek So-cheon would summon them together to personally hone and elevate their martial proficiency.

He adjusted the exact alignment of their forms, erased their technical flaws and ingrained errors, and provided custom guidance tailored to each individual’s path forward, keeping nothing hidden.

Throughout the previous Great War between good and evil, Baek So-cheon had gained critical insight through harsh reality. Observed from an elevated command post, ordinary troops might appear as mere figures on a tally sheet; yet before they were soldiers, they remained living individuals—people possessing unique minds, distinct temperaments, and waiting kin.

Recognizing and honoring that truth versus disregarding it represented the exact boundary separating a worthy leader from a catastrophic commander.

During the previous conflict, he had fallen short of true excellence as a commander. This time around, however, he was determined to forge a completely different outcome.

Meticulously refining their postures one after another formed an essential part of that commitment. In the end, authentic allegiance stemmed only from the heart.

“We thank you deeply!”

Every member possessed martial prowess that matched or exceeded the standard of the Iron Sword Unit. They recognized with crystal clarity just how priceless—and masterfully imparted—Baek So-cheon’s personal instruction truly was.

Witnessing that his guidance sprang from genuine devotion completely won over not only the subordinates who had idolized him from the onset, but equally those who had originally arrived against their own wishes. Every single one now placed absolute faith in him and followed without hesitation.

Having completed his review of the Hyun-cheon-dae ranks, Baek So-cheon sought out Beon Saeng.

Beon Saeng was engrossed in solitary training.

Again and again he cycled through the movements—executing the stances Baek So-cheon had imparted to him, repeatedly without pause.

Following an extensive session, he finally registered Baek So-cheon’s arrival.

“Hyung-nim!”

“I’ve come to check if you’ve grown complacent.”

“Understood!”

When Beon Saeng shifted into position to display his routines as usual, Baek So-cheon raised a hand to halt him.

“Wait. Not forms today.”

“Pardon?”

“Let us engage in a spar.”

Beon Saeng shuddered upon hearing the word spar. A genuine duel between him and Baek So-cheon had never taken place before.

“Have I truly proven that worthless?”

“Should you fail to demonstrate your genuine capability, I might very well draw that conclusion… You are fully aware that duels do not carry accusations of murder, even if one party perishes, correct?”

“Spending your hours beside that intimidating young lady must have turned your humor terrifying as well, hyung-nim.”

“Haha.”

Baek So-cheon drew his blade from its sc”You seem to be in remarkably high spirits,” remarked Wang-ho, standing alongside the ranks of the Hyun-cheon-dae as he watched Baek So-cheon approach.

It was already the third occasion someone had pointed that out to him. Earlier that morning, both Beon Saeng and Im Choong had voiced identical observations.

The moment he had stepped inside his quarters, his gaze had drifted straight toward the bronze mirror. While he couldn’t definitively say whether he looked cheerful, one truth was undeniable: his countenance had shifted. The hollow-eyed, exhausted figure that had once stared back into the glass had vanished entirely.

“A rather pleasant occurrence came my way,” he answered. The delightful hours he had shared with her the previous day seemed to have lingered, brightening his present mood.

“I plan on increasing the severity of your drills. Are you all prepared for that?”

A wave of groans and sighs rippled through the gathering, yet beneath the vocal complaints, their expressions remained radiant. Through several months of relentless, grueling regimens, the Hyun-cheon-dae had evolved into an elite cadre surpassing any other detachment across the entire Alliance.

Moreover, enduring that brutal discipline carried immense compensation—rewards far more precious than anything commonly found throughout the murim. Every so often, Baek So-cheon would personally assemble the men to refine and elevate their martial arts. He meticulously corrected their stances, rooted out lingering bad habits, and offered customized guidance tailored to each individual’s path, withholding nothing.

Surviving the Great War between good and evil had imparted a profound lesson to him. When directing battles from a commanding vantage point, soldiers often blurred into simple tallies on a parchment. Yet beneath the armor, every fighter was a living human being with thoughts, distinct temperaments, and families awaiting their return. Acknowledging and tending to that reality, rather than dismissing it, made all the difference between an inspiring commander and the most disgraceful sort.

He had fallen short of being an ideal leader in that previous conflict. In this lifetime, however, he was determined to tread a different path. Directly guiding their sword work and postures formed a core part of that commitment, knowing that genuine devotion can only be won through the heart.

“We thank you!”

Having attained a caliber of mastery on par with the Iron Sword Unit, these men recognized the extraordinary rarity and value of the insights Baek So-cheon imparted. Grasping that his teachings stemmed from genuine goodwill, he won the absolute faith of everyone—not merely those who admired him from the outset, but even those who had initially joined the unit with deep reluctance. Now, every single one of them followed his lead without question.

Once his inspection of the Hyun-cheon-dae was complete, Baek So-cheon sought out Beon Saeng.

He discovered the young man drilling alone in an isolated space. Time and again, Beon Saeng performed the exact sequences Baek So-cheon had previously imparted, relentlessly running through every maneuver. Only after a protracted sequence did he finally register the presence of his visitor.

“Hyung-nim!”

“I came by to ensure you haven’t been slacking off.”

“Understood!”

Beon Saeng promptly began shifting his stance to demonstrate the forms as usual, but Baek So-cheon held up a hand.

“Hold on a moment. I don’t mean standard forms.”

“Pardon?”

“What would you say to a spar?”

Hearing the word spar caused Beon Saeng to visibly flinch. The two of them had never crossed blades in a formal bout before.

“Have I somehow become completely useless to you?”

“Should you fail to demonstrate your genuine potential, I might very well draw that conclusion… Besides, an accidental death during an agreed duel does not constitute murder, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Spending so much time beside that terrifying young lady appears to have made even your jesting frightening, hyung-nim.”

“Ha-ha.” Baek So-cheon smoothly drew his blade from its scabbard. “Settle your mind. Let us begin.”

“Understood.”

Unsheathing his own weapon, Beon Saeng drew in a steadying breath to calm his racing pulse.

*Right then, exactly the way I was instructed!*

With sudden momentum, Beon Saeng lunged forward. Initially, lingering hesitation held him back out of concern that he might inadvertently injure Baek So-cheon, but the captain immediately snapped at him.

“Treat me as a true adversary—come at me with everything!”

“Yes!”

Abandoning restraint, Beon Saeng unleashed every technique he had absorbed at full exertion. Even without circulating his internal power, Baek So-cheon slipped past the assaults with effortless grace. He swerved around certain trajectories and cleanly deflected others with his sword, putting various counters on display to demonstrate how to neutralize an onslaught while matching the rhythm stride for stride.

Baek So-cheon soon initiated counterstrikes of his own. The incisive rushes sent Beon Saeng’s heart dropping straight to his stomach, forcing him to scramble in desperate defense.

*Ah! I am finished!*

Countless panic-stricken thoughts flooded his mind, yet none of the lethal edges truly found his flesh. Thrusting, deflecting, retreating—swept up in the dizzying exchange, Beon Saeng failed to comprehend that pressing a foe to their absolute limits without inflicting actual harm was vastly more difficult than simply parrying attacks.

The exchange finally drew to a close.

“Gah… it is finally over.”

With his legs turning entirely to jelly, Beon Saeng collapsed onto the dirt. The intensity had mirrored real combat so closely that his mental stamina was entirely spent. Only now did he grasp that worrying about harming Baek So-cheon had been as foolish as a rabbit fearing for the safety of a tiger. Had the man summoned even a sliver of internal energy, it would have been akin to an ant fretting over a beast.

Looking down at him, Baek So-cheon spoke calmly. “That will suffice.”

“Pardon? Suffice for what?”

“Come with me.”

Offering no further detail, Baek So-cheon turned and walked away, prompting a startled Beon Saeng to push himself up and hurry along behind him.

The destination was the central drill grounds of the Hyun-cheon-dae.

“Wang-ho!”

“Present, Captain.”

“Assess this man’s abilities.”

“An initiation trial for a recruit?”

“Precisely.”

Beon Saeng’s pulse hammered against his ribs like a war drum. He understood the prestige of the Hyun-cheon-dae better than anyone. This elite vanguard was comprised of seasoned veterans from the Iron Sword Unit alongside premier specialists from Bi-gak—earning a place among them was the realization of his grandest ambition.

He threw a questioning glance toward Baek So-cheon.

*Can this really be happening? Isn’t it far too early for me?*

Yet Baek So-cheon did not even glance back in his direction.

Stepping forward, Wang-ho unsheathed his blade. “Take your stance.”

“Yes.”

Stepping into position as if trapped in a trance, Beon Saeng drew his own weapon. No commander could carelessly admit someone into such ranks; a clear benchmark of capability was required, for a single vulnerability could easily bring ruin to the entire unit. Above all else, Beon Saeng hungered to transform his destiny. This represented his single, decisive opportunity.

*Keep your head. Maintain your composure.*

He refused to let anxiety ruin this fleeting chance.

*Even if I doubt my own strength, I hold absolute faith in hyung-nim.*

He anchored himself in the captain’s words: *That will suffice.*

*He brought me before them because he knows I am capable!*

His only reliance lay within the swordsmanship Baek So-cheon had drilled into him.

“Please guide me with care.”

A tight tension gripped Beon Saeng. Unlike his earlier bout with Baek So-cheon, this marked his very first confrontation against live, unyielding steel.

“Come.”

Seizing the initiative, Beon Saeng drove forward with a straight thrust.

A sharp whistle cut the air—a strike executed with both swiftness and deadly accuracy.

A crisp metallic clash rang out.

Deflecting the lunge with his blade, Wang-ho involuntarily raised his voice. “Well struck!”

The genuine praise broke through without conscious intention. Beon Saeng pressed forward once more, executing the learned routines faithfully without relying on deceptive ploys.

“Splendid!” Wang-ho exclaimed repeatedly.

Throughout the bout, Wang-ho restricted himself entirely to defensive maneuvers. Beon Saeng’s attacks proved so incisive that instinct nearly compelled the veteran to counter with lethal force before the spar concluded. Yet Wang-ho discerned that the sheer peril behind those blows was not born of malice, but rather the raw unfamiliarity of newly learned arts that the novice had not yet mastered how to restrain.

“I am deeply grateful for your restraint,” Beon Saeng said, bowing his head. Now that the dangerous trial was behind him, his heart thudded even more violently than before the crossing of blades.

*I managed it. I carried it out without a single flaw!*

Wang-ho’s assessment carried even greater weight than anticipated.

“The forms are straightforward and unadorned, yet undeniably lethal. On an authentic battlefield, such strikes would carve through the enemy.”

The judgment was extraordinarily accurate, drawing silent assent from all the onlookers. The true brilliance of the martial techniques Baek So-cheon had refined on the spot became vividly apparent through this authentic trial.

A sudden burst of applause reverberated across the yard—a formal welcome into the ranks of the Hyun-cheon-dae.

Color rushed into Beon Saeng’s cheeks as he offered profound, sweeping bows toward the surrounding fighters. “My deepest gratitude to you all, truly.”

Approaching the young man, Baek So-cheon declared, “Starting from this moment, you are a member of the Hyun-cheon-dae.”

“Yes! Understood, Captain! Thank you! I swear to dedicate everything I have!”

Overwhelmed with joy, Beon Saeng felt as though he were walking on air. Had they been in private, he would have seized Baek So-cheon in a wild embrace and swung him around.

“Hyung-nim!”

Instead, he bolted toward Im Choong and wrapped him in a fierce grip.

“I passed! I am officially in!”

Unable to act so casually with Baek So-cheon, he channeled his explosive relief by spinning Im Choong through the air.

“Put me down, you fool, my head is spinning! What is the meaning of this?”

Releasing him back to the ground, Beon Saeng beamed. “I have been accepted into the Hyun-cheon-dae.”

“Is that the truth? You actually did it?”

“Indeed. I just completed the trial!”

“A hearty congratulations to you!” Im Choong clasped him in an enthusiastic embrace, acutely aware of the sheer exhaustion Beon Saeng had endured, routinely depriving himself of sleep to practice.

“This is all owed to big hyung-nim.”

“That is certainly true.”

A steady voice cut through the air from behind them. “If that is so, the bill for the wine rests on your shoulders.” Baek So-cheon strolled toward the pair.

“Gladly, without question! The drinks tonight are entirely on me!”

Yet, gazing at the euphoric young man, Baek So-cheon felt an obligation to deliver words that could not be left unspoken.

“Beon Saeng-ah.”

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

“Entering the frontline combat unit of the Alliance means facing the reality that you could perish by tomorrow, and none would find it unusual. Will you harbor no regrets?”

Beon Saeng’s jovial expression instantly hardened into resolve. “Encountering you altered the entire course of my existence. I state this with absolute certainty: even should I draw my last breath tomorrow, I shall bear no regrets.”

Such was the unvarnished conviction of the twenty-six-year-old youth.

Baek So-cheon laid a steady palm upon his shoulder, giving it two encouraging pats. “Let us head out. Today, the wine will be paid from my own purse.”

While the warriors under his command made preparations for their deployment, Baek So-cheon met with Je-gal Hyeon to receive the official mission briefing.

“An urgent appeal for reinforcements has arrived from the Jeol-gang Branch.”

“The Jeol-gang Branch, you say?”

Jeol-gang was the very location to which Baek So-cheon had once been relegated. It was the territory where he had successfully dismantled the Shin-hwa-bang crisis with the vital assistance of branch leader Jeong-pung.

“Has an incident occurred?”

“It appears something significant has developed.”

“Did the message omit the specifics?”

“The missive did not originate from the branch leader himself.”

“From whom did it come, then?”

“A personal guard among his direct retinue sent word through secret channels. It suggests the branch leader finds himself trapped in dire straits. We debated whether to dispatch Am-yeong-gak or the Iron Sword Unit, but given your prior history in the area, deploying the Hyun-cheon-dae seemed the most fitting choice.”

“An appropriate decision.”

If Jeong-pung had indeed fallen into misfortune, this presented the perfect opportunity to repay a lingering debt of gratitude. Moreover, it offered an ideal arena to temper the Hyun-cheon-dae through the fires of live combat; achieving seamless coordination under true pressure was indispensable for an elite detachment.

Merely dodging peril could never guarantee survival in the long run. Even the swiftest retreats proved futile against unexpected calamities, culminating in total eradication. The only true means to endure within the murky currents of the murim was to cultivate the strength required to crush impending hazards directly.

“I will dispatch a detailed report once the ground realities are clarified.”

“May fortune favor your path.” Je-gal Hyeon offered an encouraging smile. It had been an age since issuing a mobilization command had brought such unwavering certainty that the mission would be brought to absolute fruition.

With the official deployment finalized, the Hyun-cheon-dae fell into an orderly frenzy of readiness.

Still drifting through a state of surreal disbelief, Beon Saeng moved among them. Im Choong bustled over to inspect the young man’s newly distributed field pack, double-checking every strap and pocket.

“Are your concealed projectiles secured?”

“They are safely in place.”

“What of the wound salves and internal recovery medicines?”

“All packed as required. Do not fret so much, hyung-nim.”

The surrounding Hyun-cheon-dae warriors took no offense at Im Choong’s doting demeanor, nor did anyone utter mocking quips about him coddling an adult like an infant. Such restraint was the true mark of a disciplined elite; mockery and petty hazing took root only within undisciplined, substandard outfits. Recognizing the profound brotherhood connecting the two, they felt an underlying respect and quiet envy for such enduring bonds.

Im Choong took hold of Beon Saeng’s hand, gripping it with solemn urgency. “Keep your wits razor-sharp and your senses alert at all times! Carry out every single directive from the captain without an instant of hesitation.”

Ordinarily, Beon Saeng tended to brush off Im Choong’s hovering nature. Yet amidst the heavy tension of impending warfare, the depth of that protective warmth resonated directly in his chest.

“Understood. Please, do not worry yourself, hyung-nim.”

Out in the courtyard, Baek So-cheon stood waiting.

His gaze swept across the assemble line. Looking into those dependable, resolute eyes tempered through relentless hardship, he spoke with absolute conviction:

“None across the land have endured training more punishing than yours. Therefore, yield fear to no living soul!”

“Understood!”

A deafening roar erupted from the detachment, shaking the ground.

Baek So-cheon mounted his horse, and the company vaulted into their saddles in perfect unison.

“Forward!”

With a burst of thunderous hooves, more than twenty steeds bolted out through the grand gates of the Murim Alliance.

The Hyun-cheon-dae had set forth upon their very first campaign.