Although a significant cache of looted gold was discovered among the wreckage, Namgung Woon’s order was absolute: every tael was to be remanded to the government troops.

“This may look like simple wealth to us, but it could be someone’s last keepsake,” Namgung Woon said, his voice calm as he surveyed the scene. “If we touch this gold, we will only learn to covet it. And this place is the end of such a path.”

He gestured toward the victims—those turned into living Jiangshi and the wounded soldiers.

“The Sea Sand Gang is by no means a ‘Small Evil.’ It is merely a case of a ‘Great Evil’ being devoured by an ‘Absolute Evil.’ How wretched.”

While Namgung Woon managed the moral center of the operation, Jin Cheon-hee was conducting a peculiar experiment. He stood before the living Jiangshi, pursing his lips to mimic the high-pitched control frequency of the flute.

Thweeet—

The living Jiangshi remained motionless.

“…….”

It seems simply infusing internal energy and mimicking the pitch isn’t enough, Jin Cheon-hee thought, analyzing the failure.

Thweet, twit! Trillll—

He adjusted the pitch and modulation, oblivious to the bizarre scene he was creating. The members of the Martial Righteous Alliance watched him with expressions ranging from confusion to concern, as if observing a madman.

“That’s… One Light? I heard the rumors, but…”

“They say he has many… miscellaneous skills. He tries to learn and do everything he can get his hands on.”

“That might be why One Light is different from other Realm of Transformation masters.”

“Perhaps the martial prowess of the Zhuge Clan is just inherently eccentric.”

“I heard from the previous generation that the Blood Ring Mad Killer was also quite amazing… wasn’t he?”

“This doesn’t seem like that kind of amazing. Isn’t he different from the Blood Ring Mad Killer?”

“I guess the Zhuge Clan are all just like this.”

Dumbfounded, the martial artists let out hollow, awkward laughs.

Even feeling the weight of their strange gazes, One Light did not relent. He continued to purse his lips, testing various frequencies and modulations against the living Jiangshi.

Twit-twit-twit! Phee-twit! Pheeeee—!

Under normal circumstances, anyone making such noises in front of living Jiangshi would be dismissed as insane. However, these men had already witnessed the sword path One Light had scattered during the battle. They had seen that flowing, delicate Silent Cold Qi.

Because of that display, the elders found themselves questioning their own understanding of the Realm of Transformation. They had prided themselves on reaching that height, yet after witnessing the sword path Jin Cheon-hee displayed, they couldn’t simply dismiss him as crazy.

“Was the Realm of Transformation not simply crossing a wall?”

“I thought it was defined by the free use of Sword Threads and the unleashing of Sword Aura.”

Then what is the essence of the Realm of Transformation?

Even the seasoned elders of the Gangho were forced into a state of deep philosophical questioning.

Brother, you probably don’t even know what you’re doing to these poor elders’ minds, Namgung Woon thought, watching from a distance. If Jin Cheon-hee had just stayed in the White Qilin Medical Pavilion headquarters, this confusion absolutely would not have happened.

Trill— Pweep-pweep— Tweeeet!

Jin Cheon-hee began to layer strange rhythms into the sound, his cheeks puffing out with effort. Even amidst this absurdity, One Light possessed a strange, undeniable beauty. Even the back of his head seemed charismatic.

Phee-twit-twee—! Tweet-twee-twee!

Finally, the organization was complete.

With the martial artists of the Martial Righteous Alliance taking the vanguard, the government troops prepared to move in unison.

While the government troops lacked the individual prowess of martial artists, they possessed numbers and discipline. Their archery and formation tactics would compensate for their lack of mobility.

“Is the spirit beast One Light raises flying in the sky to act as eyes?”

“I don’t know how he tamed a flying spirit beast.”

“What about that dog? He even tamed a dog of the Beggars’ Sect, so it’s reassuring.”

Watching the soldiers whisper, Namgung Woon smiled faintly.

Just One Light being by our side raises the morale of both martial artists and government troops. Though Hyung himself probably has no idea.

At that moment, having finished his acoustic experiments, Jin Cheon-hee was studying the map, mentally grasping the topography of the entire island.

“The island is quite large, but not to the extent we can’t search it all,” Jin Cheon-hee noted. “Walking roughly all day would be enough to circle it once. For a martial artist using lightness techniques, two hours would suffice.”

“If Noe-jin goes with us, we can see further,” Namgung Woon added. “But I intend to be cautious about searching for scents with Hwanggu.”

“You heard he almost fell victim to animal poison when facing the Demonic Cult last time?”

Jin Cheon-hee nodded. “Yes. I noticed in advance and avoided the spot, but it was a close call.”

Sniff—

Hwanggu barked once, stepping forward as if volunteering for duty.

“No,” Jin Cheon-hee answered coldly. “Noe-jin flies in the sky so it’s safe, but Hwanggu is a no-go.”

“Hyung must be the only human who coddles a spirit beast like this.”

“What sin did he commit to suffer in human fights? Let’s eat dried sweet potato instead.”

Saying this, he popped a piece of dried sweet potato into his mouth.

Chomp, chomp, chomp.

Hwanggu wagged his tail at an invisible speed, diligently chewing on his own share. The sight of the large dog savoring the taste with such serious intensity was exquisite.

“Hyung is truly… this is why you’re called One Light.”

“……?”

“No. Never mind.”

Namgung Woon sighed. He craved alcohol, but they had agreed to abstain during the operation.

Jin Cheon-hee turned back to the tactical discussion. “The government troops are sailors, so they wear thin leather armor. No spears, just swords and shields. The formation consists of archers, with artillery waiting on the ships. Is it about a thousand archers and four thousand sword-and-shield soldiers?”

“Did you read the report in advance?”

“Looking at the flags gives a rough idea. Just counting the number of Centurions confirms the estimate.”

“Astounding. Does the Zhuge Clan teach such things too?”

“Master used to teach me the structure and basic formations of government troops.”

“And you have to deduce up to there based on just that?”

Jin Cheon-hee raised his eyes at those words. His blue pupils stared at Namgung Woon with a questioning, almost offended look.

“What… Is it strange?”

“…No. It’s not.”

Namgung Woon had felt it during the battle with the Suksin Tribe as well, but to those born as martial artists and raised within the strictures of martial education, the Zhuge Clan was uniquely alien. It wasn’t just that their thinking was hard to follow; at times, it was positively chilling.

If this continues for ten or twenty years, he will become just like the elders of the main family.

Was that why the Zhuge Clan wished so much for him to die and fade away? Is that why they were so pleased when Zhuge Rin lost all motivation and sequestered himself in the Medical Pavilion?

Amidst these complex feelings, Namgung Woon spoke. “It is fortunate you are a physician.”

“Hmm… No. I am just an ordinary martial artist.”

The answer was cold, precise. It left a bitter taste in Namgung Woon’s mouth.

***

Soon, the General summoned Jin Cheon-hee and Namgung Woon. Namgung Woon was present as the Defense Corps Leader, while Jin Cheon-hee was included because he held the Inspection Tablet.

And there was one more reason. Everyone remembered what the master and disciple of the Zhuge Clan had achieved against the Suksin Tribe. It was impossible to ignore Jin Cheon-hee, who carried the favor of both His Majesty and Wangya Ju, especially now that he had summoned the navy with the Inspection Tablet.

“So, we are to devise a strategy,” the General began. “If you have any good opinions, I hope you speak without reservation.”

Jin Cheon-hee looked down at the map. It was now marked with far more detail than the initial supply, thanks to Noe-jin’s faithful aerial scouting.

Effectively pushing the strategy onto us, Jin Cheon-hee analyzed. If it fails in this situation, they intend to shift the responsibility to the Inspector. In a way, this is the physiology of bureaucracy.

However, Jin Cheon-hee was not one to miss that inner intent. Therefore, he deliberately spared his words.

“I would like to hear what you have thought of first.”

The General nodded. “Soldiers in the rear, martial artists in the front—that is the basic military strategy. But the terrain doesn’t fit for that, so I think responding with fire tactics would be best.”

“Fire tactics.”

“Half the island is dense with trees, and the other half is rocky mountains. Won’t the trees obstruct vision?”

Namgung Woon nodded automatically. “So, fire tactics. Isn’t that a decent plan?”

While everyone murmured in agreement, Jin Cheon-hee didn’t answer immediately. He stared at the map for a long time, his blue eyes deep in thought.

What are you agonizing over, Hyung? Namgung Woon wondered. Tactics usable on this narrow island are limited, and considering the wind direction, fire tactics will surely work.

Eventually, Jin Cheon-hee parted his lips. “…We will follow it.”

Needless to say, the General and his subordinate Centurions sighed in relief.

***

They positioned themselves on the beach and pulled the ships closer to the shore. The archers boarded the vessels to provide covering fire, while the infantry formed lines in front of the beached ships.

With the martial artists standing at the vanguard, they began to set the forest ablaze. The wind strength was optimal, turning the terrain into perfect kindling.

“Fire–!”

“Shoot!”

As a martial artist shouted, infusing his voice with internal energy, archers loosed volleys of fire arrows.

As the flames began to consume the island, the Sea Sand Gang members rushed out like berserkers.

Soon, that flute sound rang out again.

Tweeeeet—!

This time, the sound of a bell joined it.

The Sea Sand Gang subjugation battle had begun.

The forest burned, but the fire didn’t spread all at once. This was basic common sense for a strategist. Fire tactics were like a filial son if used well, but a nuisance if mishandled. Fortunately, the weather was cooperative, allowing the government army’s strategist to play this card.

But will things flow so easily? Jin Cheon-hee mused. No. Even if the opponent is the Blood Immortal Cult, it’s hard to devise a better plan than this given the geography.

Sure enough, as the smoke soared in earnest, the Sea Sand Gang members scrambled out from the treeline. Like rats fleeing a sinking ship.

Among them, Jiangshi were visible. Not the “living” variants, but full-fledged Jiangshi. It was a well-known fact that the Blood Immortal Cult’s Jiangshi were superior to those of the existing Demonic Cult or the Jinzhou Yan Clan.

Everyone tensed, gripping their swords.

“Spread the formation!” Namgung Woon commanded. “I will raise the sword first!”

To his left and right, the twin elders who had been seen with Yeo Ha-run in the past took their stances. It seemed the Namgung Clan had decided to act in earnest—or perhaps Namgung Woon had persuaded them.

The three members of the Namgung Clan raised their Sword Qi, extended Sword Threads, and began to swing forward.

Boom-boom-boom-boom!

“Whew, indeed the Emperor Sword!”

“As expected, the Namgung Clan takes the lead!”

Namgung Woon was steadily walking the path toward becoming the next Martial Righteous Alliance Leader.

Kuaaaaaak!

Nevertheless, the Sea Sand Gang members pounced. It was a natural result, given that their reason and sense of fear had been paralyzed.

The Emperor Sword severed dozens of necks in a single stroke.

Slash-crunch!

Namgung Woon glanced slightly toward Jin Cheon-hee. It was a look that said: Since I taught you the mnemonic chant, now that you are seeing the divine art in person, you should be able to understand the essence.

Truly distasteful, Jin Cheon-hee thought, observing the display.

Namgung Woon was handing over his life to Jin Cheon-hee knowingly, advancing so nonchalantly. Jin Cheon-hee didn’t fully understand it, yet he felt like he knew the reasoning, and it made his stomach churn.

That must be Namgung Woon’s path. His romance. In a way, it could be called his style.

This is why I can’t associate with young masters who grew up eating well, living well, and receiving plenty of love since childhood, Jin Cheon-hee reflected.

Even in his past life on Earth, seeing such rich young masters had made him secretly bitter. If they were rude, he could simply draw a line. But there were those who approached with subtle kindness, making it awkward to push them away. He remembered a peer who, knowing Jin Cheon-hee’s financial situation, had offered to pay for a trip to Europe if Jin planned the itinerary, claiming they wouldn’t owe each other anything.

Jin Cheon-hee had been more jealous of the wealthy who took care of those around them than the rude ones. As a crooked orphan medical student, he had been narrow-minded, painfully aware that no matter what they did together, their starting lines weren’t the same.

Of course, he never showed it outwardly.

Namgung Woon was slightly similar to that type.