GMLS Ch 46

“Heuk.”

The Milyeonggun who appeared on either side of the official grabbed one of his arms each and dragged him away somewhere. In the Imperial Palace, being slow on the uptake can sometimes be a crime.

Wi Junghyuk flinched. His pupils, which had been shaking helplessly, turned toward the distant forest that was their playground. Seeing this, Monghyul thought, ‘So he knew he was slow on the uptake.’ So much for being astute.

Wisu-hyeok, who had stayed behind to guard the main camp in case of the one-in-a-million chance, watched the ghastly pale Wi Junghyuk with a pleased expression.

“You look to be in a good mood.”

Yeo Yullyeong spoke to him, fluttering his folding fan.

“It’s because I’ve seen my older brother in the palace after a long time. In any case, since you’ve come all this way, your return to duty should be swift, shouldn’t it?”

“The Captain of the Imperial Guard doesn’t seem to have much attachment to his current position.”

“I’m content with being the Vice-Captain. I know my own limits.”

Hmm. Yeo Yullyeong casually returned to his original spot. Having exchanged a few words with him, Wisu-hyeok was, by his standards, an uninteresting fellow.

The game moved on to the next round.

This time, I’ll definitely draw the hunter. Having resolved to do so, Muryun really did draw the hunter. ……Along with Yihwa. Muryun, who had been staring intently at Yihwa’s waist as the blue sash was tied, moved to stand next to the official in charge of the lots. The Milyeonggun soldiers rustled and formed a wall around them.

If this were a marketplace, they’d be a gang of ruffians and their boss. Yeo Yullyeong chuckled.

Meanwhile, the official, surrounded by the Milyeonggun who were in some sense more frightening than the Geumgun, and facing the emperor who was like the heavens above, trembled so hard it looked like he would piss himself.

“You’re not tampering with the lots, are you.”

“Wh-What an absolutely preposterous thing to say! I swear on Sangseon, there is no such thing.”

“……Right. I suppose so.”

The second round ended quickly. By then, the quicker-witted among the Geumgun and the Milyeonggun had all figured out the purpose of this game. They exchanged glances. This was not the time to be growling at each other.

During the third game of the second round, a Milyeonggun soldier came to Muryun and whispered.

“The Captain of the Guard was just captured without a word.”

Muryun smiled faintly. The Sangseon’s token was still in play. But then, before the third and final lot was drawn, Shangshuling stepped forward.

“Just watching is getting a bit tedious, and the game looks so very interesting.”

Why is this snake here now? Most people looked at Yeo Yullyeong as if they were seeing something ominous.

“How about we try this for the last round? I will assign the roles. Of course, only I will know who gets which role. In exchange, how about we increase the number of players?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Ammukdan appeared around Yeo Yullyeong like shadows. The Geumgun and Milyeonggun drew their swords in unison. The Ammukdan, led by Yeo Yullyeong, faced off against the soldiers, led by the Emperor.

Muryun glanced at Yihwa. Even in this deadly situation, he couldn’t hide his delight. He looked like a child squirming in his seat.

‘Seeing that look, there’s no way I could say no.’

Then it suddenly occurred to him that Yeo Yullyeong must have calculated even this thought of his. The lazy, smiling face on him added to this certainty.

“Let it be so.”

It wasn’t as if he could say no anyway. Is this what they call an unavoidable trap? Muryun inwardly clicked his tongue.

As if he had been waiting, Yeo Yullyeong moved among the people, handing out lots. Once the sashes were tied, the two sides were clearly divided. The Red Team was the Ammukdan, including Yihwa and Heukwol. The Blue Team was the Geumgun and Milyeonggun, led by the Emperor. Wi Junghyuk and Monghyul were also on the Blue Team.

‘This is…’

The teams were very openly stacked.

The Emperor, who had received the lot for ‘The White Tiger of Cheontae’, looked at Yeo Yullyeong. You wouldn’t do something to my benefit. The look on his face clearly said so.

Yeo Yullyeong tapped his folding fan with his finger. It was an item he always carried as if it were a part of his body. Reflecting his personality, it was a clean, high-quality piece, but inevitably worn.

“Ha.”

There was no way he would have requested a mere folding fan as the price for something. He knew, but for now, he had no choice but to play along with this deception as well.

“I will get you the finest one in the Geum Empire, no, the Yeon Continent.”

Despite the out-of-the-blue remark, no one expressed any doubt. They were words from the mouth of the august Emperor. There must be something that only Yeo Yullyeong would understand. And indeed, Yeo Yullyeong bowed politely.

“Red Team. Go!”

Yihwa was the first to dash out. His face, as he ran with the Ammukdan, was in full, radiant bloom without a shadow of a cloud.

Ah. Muryun let out a sound of admiration like a groan. That face was enough. Nothing else mattered. It was worth setting up this game.

“Blue Team. Go!”

Until this moment, Muryun had no doubt that this would be the most enjoyable round.

⊹ ࣪ 💮⊹₊

“I will kill you. For sure.”

It was none other than a murder threat from His Majesty, the Emperor. Although he didn’t specify the subject, the Geumgun and Milyeonggun running beside him immediately knew he meant Shangshuling.

They exchanged glances. Shangshuling wasn’t the only one whose life was in danger. If they didn’t manage to corner the Captain of the Guard somehow, the next in line for punishment would be their incompetent selves. They had admitted it during the second round. The Ammukdan were about half a level more skilled than the imperial army. Especially in stealth and covert actions, it was no exaggeration to say they were a full level above.

This forest was far too small for over thirty first-rate martial artists to run wild in. And yet, they hadn’t managed to catch a single Ammukdan member by the time the second round began.

“Hoo-”

Muryun let out a long breath. Cursing once was enough. By now, he too had realized something. This was a battle Shangshuling had challenged him to. The discipline: strategy and tactics.

“The playground has become a janggi board.”

He twisted his lips into a smile. The twenty-five Geumgun and Milyeonggun soldiers huddled around him flinched.

He had to admit what he had to admit. If this were a real janggi board, Muryun could never defeat Shangshuling. Sitting across from each other at a square board, worldly might, wealth, and power all disappear, leaving only the mind for tactics and strategy.

However, as indicated by ‘if,’ this was not a janggi board but a playground. And Muryun was the emperor of the current Geum Empire, wielding absolute power.

“Monghyul. Wi Junghyuk.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Monghyul and Wi Junghyuk replied in unison. Muryun gave them an order. Their reactions to the contents of the order were starkly different.

“W-What on earth are you planning to do, giving such an order…!”

Monghyul, who was terrified-

“I will obey your command.”

And Wi Junghyuk, who followed without a single word of protest.

The reactions of the Geumgun and Milyeonggun were united. They were on Monghyul’s side. Among the fidgeting men in black, Muryun shouted.

“There is no time. Move.”

The two figures vanished from their spot. Muryun shifted his gaze to the tranquilly settled forest. It was just a game, after all. He decided to be a tyrant, just for a moment.

⊹ ࣪ 💮⊹₊

Monghyul and Wi Junghyuk moved with footwork as swift as flying birds. As the top-class martial artists sprinted with purpose, the main camp was just ahead. Monghyul hesitated before asking. He felt that if not now, there wouldn’t be another chance for the two of them to be alone.

“Hyeok-junga, why did you live in seclusion after returning from Cheontae White Mountain?”

Wi Junghyuk didn’t answer. Nor did he flinch at being called ‘Hyeok-jung.’ It was different from his usual self. He wore an expressionless face, making it impossible to know what he was thinking. Monghyul grew anxious.

‘It can’t be.’

However, there is no such thing as ‘never’ in this world.

He thought that Wi Junghyuk’s heart might have turned. In fact, it was understandable. After Yihwa returned from Cheontae White Mountain, seriously injured and carried on the back of an Ammukdan member, and Muryun learned of it, Wi Junghyuk and Monghyul were beaten to a pulp, literally.

He himself had understood everything and took the beating silently, but Wi Junghyuk had asked a question midway through. Why are you doing this, he asked. Though his cheek was swollen and he was clutching his arm where he had been hit badly, his voice was calm and his tone composed. There was no resentment at all; he was simply curious about the reason for the beating.

Of course, Muryun didn’t answer. Afterwards, he didn’t say another word and returned to the palace with Heukwol, with whom he had been distant. Am I being abandoned? It was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange to think so.

Monghyul squeezed his eyes shut and opened them. A loyal heart turning is many times more terrifying than a fickle one. Though slow on the uptake, Wi Junghyuk’s steadfastness was second to none. If Muryun were to tell him to die for his sake, he was the type of man who would die thinking about how to do so in a way that would benefit him the most.

‘Perhaps he traded his perceptiveness for loyalty at birth.’

Just as he was thinking that, the silent Wi Junghyuk answered.

“Because I could not understand His Majesty’s actions.”

Monghyul swallowed a groan. So it is.

“But now I understand.”

Huh?

“I hid it because I hate being looked down upon, but I actually know. I’m on the slow side when it comes to perceptiveness.”

……You were hiding it? No, more than that, is that something you can hide by… Never mind. Let’s not even talk about it.

“To be precise, I’m slower than others at noticing things. I don’t remain clueless forever. But this one was particularly difficult. That’s why I needed time to ponder and think alone.”

“You could have just asked me.”

“You had no intention of telling me, did you? You couldn’t have, either. It’s not for a subordinate to judge and blabber about a matter the lord has said nothing about. Well, it’s all in the past now. I understand, so that’s all that matters.”

Monghyul admitted it. That he had underestimated Wi Junghyuk’s loyalty. The meaning of ‘second to none’ was that it was of a different class from any other steadfastness.

“Then why did you ask for the position of Captain of the Guard as your wish?”

To get beaten again? Wi Junghyuk answered calmly.

“Because as long as he holds the position of Captain of the Guard, he cannot belong to the Inner Court, and given the Captain of the Guard’s personality, he has no intention of quitting for the sake of the Black Dragon.”

So, he meant that since one cannot be Captain of the Guard and a royal concubine at the same time, he would take the position of Captain of the Guard himself to send Yihwa to the concubines’ palace. Monghyul had to admit it. He was slow, but he was creative. A creative madman.

“To understand the lord’s heart and act accordingly is the mark of a true loyal subject.”

“……”

Monghyul covered his face with both hands. No, you crazy bastard. I know what you’re thinking, but that’s not it.

“What’s wrong? Can you see ahead? What will you do if you fall while running like that? Your dignity is His Majesty’s dignity. As His Majesty’s one and only shadow, maintain your decorum.”

What am I to do with this dense person? Monghyul truly wanted to cry.