noveltune Chapter 236:
Chapter 236:
Proof
Mu-jin set out to hunt with great determination, but there was one problem.
“Mu-jin, it looks like everything’s been cleaned out,” Mu-gyeong said.
“Not a single mouse in sight,” Mu-gung added.
Just as Mu-gyeong and Mu-gung mentioned, there were no fruits, mushrooms, or animals left in the area. The warriors of the Beast Palace and the Red Tiger Group had already swept through the place.
With a total of 250 people, including the 200 animals brought along by the Beast Palace warriors, there was nothing left to hunt or gather nearby.
“Why don’t we just go back and ask the Beast Palace or the Red Tiger Group for some food?” Mu-gyeong suggested.
“It’s not just about the food. It’s about pride,” Mu-jin replied.
Though Mu-jin answered Mu-gyeong this way, he knew there was no food left in the vicinity.
“We’ll have to go a bit farther. Mu-gung, you wait here,” Mu-jin said, planting Mu-gung like a signpost before moving with Mu-gyeong, utilizing stealth techniques and Ghost Step.
They moved in the opposite direction of the gathering point to hunt any hidden animals.
After traveling for a while...
‘Damn, did all the noise scare the animals away? Even this far, there’s not a single animal... Oh?’
Mu-jin noticed a faint presence in the distance and signaled to Mu-gyeong.
Mu-gyeong, having sensed it later, followed Mu-jin as they moved stealthily towards the direction of the presence.
Surprisingly, they found a person hiding instead of an animal.
“!!!”
The man’s eyes widened when he spotted Mu-jin and Mu-gyeong emerging from the shadows of the jungle like ghosts.
Thud!
Mu-jin swiftly struck the man, knocking him out instantly.
“Mu-jin! Why did you attack him all of a sudden?” Mu-gyeong asked in a flustered tone.
“It’s suspicious. This guy was definitely using a stealth technique, even though it’s inferior to ours. Moreover, he was hiding near the Beast Palace’s resting point while we were moving. And most importantly,” Mu-jin said as he opened the man’s mouth and extracted a hidden poison pellet from between his teeth, “he tried to move his jaw the moment he saw us.” Ṝ
Anyone prepared to kill themselves upon discovery was likely a spy or scout.
‘He might be from the Taiyang Palace, but given the circumstances, he seems more likely to be from the Five Poison Sect or Shinchun.’
Mu-jin, who had come to hunt for lunch, ended up catching something much bigger.
* * *
Instead of continuing to hunt, Mu-jin carried the unconscious scout back to the gathering point.
Seeing Mu-jin return with a person slung over his shoulder, the Beast Palace Master asked in a bemused tone, “Ahem. I didn’t know you had such tastes.”
Not understanding the Beast Palace Master’s words, Mu-jin looked puzzled. Ou-yang Pae, who had approached by then, translated.
“...He’s either open-minded or just plain stupid,” Mu-jin muttered incredulously, to which Ou-yang Pae responded with a serious question.
“Who is that man?”
“He was spying on us,” Mu-jin replied, showing the poison pellet he had taken from the man’s mouth and explaining the situation in detail.
“Spying!” the Beast Palace Master exclaimed, finally grasping the situation through Ou-yang Pae’s translation. “Those sneaky Taiyang Palace bastards must be up to something!”
“It could be the Taiyang Palace, but it might also be someone from the Five Poison Sect. Let’s interrogate him first,” Ou-yang Pae suggested.
After all, uncovering the man’s identity and purpose through interrogation was the priority.
Mu-jin handed the unconscious man to the Beast Palace Master and said, “Oh, and since I couldn’t hunt because of this guy, could you give us some food?”
Having caught something more important than food, Mu-jin made his request confidently.
* * *
“While the Beast Palace’s victory is certain, with 200 warriors and the Palace Master absent, there will be unavoidable losses even in victory,” Mu-jin pointed out.
“Hmph! Warriors don’t concern themselves with trivial losses!” the Beast Palace Master declared.
“What are you saying? Even a tiger uses its full strength to catch a rabbit. How can the Beast Palace, known for its wild beasts, think otherwise?”
“!!!”
As the Beast Palace Master’s eyes widened at Mu-jin’s remark, Mu-jin continued.
“Think about how wild animals hunt. Even the strongest ones drive their prey or lure them to advantageous spots. Isn’t that
right?”
“Hmm. That’s true.”
“So here’s the plan: We continue south but send a message to the Beast Palace to prepare for the Five Poison Sect’s attack. If they invade, have them gradually fall back.”
“The Beast Palace does not retreat!”
“Just listen. It’s a ‘retreat’ only to the enemy. In reality, it’s a trap. After our meeting with the Taiyang Palace, we’ll rejoin and attack from both sides.”
“Ho.”
The Beast Palace Master finally showed interest.
“...”
Ou-yang Pae, translating the conversation, looked at the Beast Palace Master in disbelief. Mu-jin’s strategy was one Ou-yang Pae had already suggested, minus the analogies to hunting.
Realizing that the same plan could be perceived differently based on presentation, Ou-yang Pae reconsidered his approach.
‘The same words can have different results based on how they’re delivered.’
Reflecting on how he was persuaded to become an apostate by Mu-jin’s persuasion, Ou-yang Pae acknowledged Mu-jin’s skill in dealing with people.
‘He’s a dangerous man in many ways.’
Ou-yang Pae wondered if he, like the Beast Palace Master, had fallen for Mu-jin’s persuasiveness.
* * *
The Beast Palace Master decided to adopt Mu-jin’s plan.
To send their plan to the Beast Palace, a messenger was needed, and once again, Su-linya was chosen.
“Besides the one we caught, there are likely others watching us. Avoid their eyes and deliver this letter to the main base,” the Beast Palace Master instructed.
Receiving the letter, Su-linya bowed and disappeared into the bushes with a leopard.
Having prepared for the Five Poison Sect’s attack, the group resumed their journey south.
They continued hunting and gathering as they traveled, ensuring their supplies.
By the afternoon of the second day since leaving the Beast Palace, they reached the wide mountain range of Doi Mae Salong, where they had agreed to meet the Taiyang Palace.
They saw a group of people coming up the mountain from the south, wearing the distinctive attire of the Taiyang Palace, which they had seen in Mangdon village.
Their clothes, similar to medieval priestly robes with sun motifs, were in stark contrast to the varied animal skins worn by the Beast Palace warriors.
Except for one person.
‘That must be the Taiyang Palace Master.’
A large man in golden robes, as if proclaiming himself to be the sun, carrying a massive sword on his back.
Confirming Mu-jin’s guess, the Beast Palace Master shouted, “Long time no see, southern miser!”
The Taiyang Palace Master responded with a booming voice filled with internal energy.
“You’re still alive, you damn northern barbarian.”
The two masters greeted each other with a display of hostility.