3
6
7.
I have doubts as to whether even that can be called fate.
Because I had only seen that name once on the list of fallen soldiers at Sacheonhyeolsa.
However, that doesn’t mean a connection was formed with him in the changed present.
Because he and I were nothing more than distant acquaintances.
Therefore, to retrace my connection with him, I must search through fragments of memory.
My first memory is when I threw my admission pass on the ground at the main gate of the academy.
It was the look of Geum Taejong grumbling as he watched the scene. [What? Why is he acting so up?]
The second time was when he appeared at the entrance banquet wearing a robe embroidered with the words ‘Vice President’. [How utterly unsightly.]
The third time was when I returned from Sacheon; it was the look of someone glaring at me with blazing eyes. [Stop acting so high and mighty.]
The fourth time was when the academy students were taken out of the Zhuge family’s Qimenjin.
This time, unlike before, he came close to me for the first time and muttered softly.[… …
You’ll die soon.
The fifth one is. [I told you, a commander isn’t supposed to step forward…]
It was closer than ever.
That guy, who always glared at me with a stiff face, smiled for the first time and spoke to me.
I’ll just take a short break. I can’t get too exhausted if I want to drink.
It was truly ridiculous that seeing a smiling face for the first time turned out to be the look of someone dying.
“…….”
So I didn’t understand.
To begin with, I didn’t even have a very deep relationship with Emperor Taizong of Jin.
No, didn’t he dislike me from the start?
But… [Hey, from now on… don’t step forward. Danju is an important person…
peel…….]
He took the sword blow in my place.
The fact that he let out a satisfied smile while dying was a question that could not be resolved.
“……
Therefore, taking this incident as an opportunity, we at Ilhakmun… … .”
I can’t really hear the rambling, monologue of Ilhakmunju.
It is just that I cannot take my eyes off Geum Tae-seon’s face, still pouting and sticking out his lips.
“Young Hero Jin? Young Hero Jin?”
Song Ju-saeng frowned, perhaps realizing that I was lost in thought.
Are you listening to me?
The eyes are lifted upward at an angle.
It took on a strange form as it tried to look at me while bowing its head.
The point is that the humble attitude this person is currently displaying is not sincere.
In the previous life, around this time, Shin Seong-mu, who was rising in the vicinity, had greatly expanded his power by subjugating Cheonmokjang and occupying a spot in Baekpalbong.
The cause was that Cheonmokjang had been secretly practicing sorcery.
Later, Ilhakmun became such a powerful sect in both reputation and influence that there was even an incident near the Murim Alliance where a crazy old man was beaten to death by thugs for insulting Ilhakmun.
I looked at Song Ju-saeng, who was still lightly bowing his head.
Perhaps he was able to make Ilhakmun flourish to such an extent because he was intelligent enough to personally bring Mundo’s family and subtly pressure them to seek justice for Mundo’s wrongful death.
I rummaged through the fragments of my memory and reviewed what he had said. Then I nodded.
“Of course. I have definitely included Ilhakmun’s achievements in the report. So you don’t need to worry.”
Song Ju-saeng’s expression finally brightened.
“It is a relief. You might ask what meaning there is in dwelling on one’s major in a situation like this, but still, if death is to have meaning…”
I stopped him from speaking.
I understood his feelings, but that doesn’t make the death of another person any lighter.
“Master, how about we talk about that later?”
As I spoke while looking at Geum Tae-jong’s family, he nodded as if he understood.
No, rather, he continues speaking as if it were actually for the best.
“Taejong’s family has been staying here for weeks because of this, unable to even go home. If his military achievements are not recognized…”
Geum Tae-seon was on my mind.
Just because they are children, does that mean they don’t know the ways of the world?
Even if you don’t realize it at the time, vague memories leave a scar later on.
I presented an answer that would shut his mouth.
Understood. I will submit an additional report, so please do not worry.
“Oh! Thank you. Now, finally, I can resolve my family’s deep sorrow.”
Song Ju-saeng headed to where the people of the sect were.
They had been quietly whispering to each other, but for some reason, they shrugged their shoulders as if finding it hard to hold back their laughter.
The child still had a sulky face because she had not been able to meet her older brother, and the middle-aged couple standing behind her did not lift their heads, whether out of fear or resentment, so their expressions could not be read.
Ultimately, it could not be confirmed whether what Ilhakmunju wanted was also what that family wanted.
Without realizing it, I clenched both fists tightly.
I don’t think I can keep the promise.
I approached Geum Tae-seon and spoke to him, but the child remained motionless, staring somewhere.
“sorry.”
I left the place after quietly saying those words. The first investigation team that had left for Mukrim returned.
In their hands were several items that appeared to be enemy weapons, along with the remains of some academy students.
The bereaved family, who had been staying at the Murim Alliance for several weeks, wept uncontrollably upon facing the remains.
Those who held onto their last hope were definitively sentenced to death the moment they identified the remains.
The bereaved families who were able to face the remains were in a relatively better situation.
“My son…! Wasn’t my son here?”
“Where is Beom-gwon!! Beom-gwon definitely went with us, too!”
Most bereaved families were unable to retrieve the remains.
There were many traces of Hwagolsan.
The story of Hwagolsan was not conveyed to the bereaved families who had not found the remains, and they clung to a small hope once again, wondering if they might still be alive somewhere.
The side that faced the remains and the side that did not. It was impossible to tell which side was the luckier one.
Anyway, the funeral was held.
Although the possibility of survivors was taken into account, the funeral could not be postponed indefinitely, so it proceeded as scheduled.
The students put on their officer uniforms a few months earlier.
Although they wore the ceremonial robes of the Murim Alliance executives they had longed for, no one showed any signs of excitement.
The funeral proceeded with coffins containing some bodies and empty coffins placed in the Murim Alliance Grand Training Ground.
Even though most of the students had recovered from their injuries, they wept in agony.
That sobbing soon spread to the grief of the bereaved family watching the funeral and the senior disciples of the sect.
A grander funeral than ever before was held, and countless mourners from all over the country visited the Murim Alliance.
“Today, we will remember those who sacrificed their lives for the peace of the martial arts world. Their deaths will serve as nourishment for history, exerting influence for generations to come, and will serve as a solid cornerstone for the next generation and the generation after that…”
Everyone unanimously praised the deceased academy students as ‘heroes,’ but none of the bereaved families were moved.
I just cannot hide my sadness at having confirmed the fact that I will never see him again.
And so the funeral came to an end.
The academy students who died in Mukrim were registered as members of the Murim Alliance, and before the ink had even dried, they were registered as meritorious figures of the Murim Alliance. #I through Haomun the Infinite Three
I reserved Songhwagak, one of the major taverns.
He fulfilled his promise to buy drinks after the operation was finished only after several months had passed.
“Senior Brother, why did you book Songhwagak? Shall we rent a quiet place now?”
Because I thought it would be too quiet.
“ah…….”
I arrived at Songhwagak first and was drinking when the members of the Sahwaldan arrived one by one.
“It looks like Danju has made up his mind.”
“Are you sure you can handle this? Aren’t you going to run away and leave us behind later? Hehehe.”
“Nah, come on… would someone who didn’t even run away from Mukrim really run away from here?”
Don’t you know that money is scarier than people?
Seeing the silly jokes coming out, it seemed like not such a bad choice.
However, as more and more people gathered, the number of those quietly fiddling with their glasses increased.
The members of the Life and Death Unit filled the spaces between the third and fifth floors one by one, but it remained quiet.
At least the noise coming from the first, second, and sixth floors was filling our silence.
And fortunately, as people added a word or two to the noise, the silence naturally disappeared.
“Where are you planning to apply?”
A person who thinks about the future.
“You remember, don’t you? The second daughter of the Yang family’s brewery. I want to convey my feelings… but what should I do?”
A person seeking advice on their concerns.
“Unnie, what powder did you put on this?”
There were also people sharing trivial everyday stories.
For the first time in a while, an extremely ordinary conversation took place in a very ordinary manner.
“Come to think of it, that friend Wang Ju-bal saved up money meticulously saying he would come here. He did nothing worth it.”
Then, the story of the person who died as if nothing had happened also came out.
Both the person who spoke and the person listening to the story realized only then what they had forgotten, and their shoulders slumped.
No, there was no way I had ever forgotten. I had merely been turning a blind eye.
When heavy silence threatens to weigh down the air of the bases.
The person across from me chuckled and replied.
“I know, right. We could have had drinks for free like this.”
Then, the person next to him also started speaking.
“You fool. You hated Danju so much, yet you missed the chance to rob his pockets!”
That’s just how a fool is. Hehe.
I started gulping down the alcohol quickly while cursing for no reason.
And so the story of the dead began.
“That bastard Yang Jin-geuk said he would apply to Cheongnyonggak, but isn’t that complete nonsense?”
“Hmph, with those grades? You’d be lucky if you even made it into Baekranggak. Otherwise, you’d be relegated to a branch. Hahaha!”
“Aren’t you on the edge too? If all else fails, why don’t you apply to the armory?”
“Oh! That’s a great idea! But seriously, do they even accept people without skills there, you son of a bitch??”
Stories that had not been told anywhere before flowed out like a bursting flood.
The fact that we can no longer share the future with those who have left casts a shadow of sadness over everyone’s subconscious, and the deep void left by friends in the daily life we took for granted brings a profound sense of loss.
Those who had been holding on pretending nothing was wrong finally crumbled under the pretext of alcohol.
“Anyway, that guy had a really strong pride…… *Gasp*…….”
Sobs mixed with moisture burst forth from all over the table.
Tears welled up in the eyes of the one who had scolded me for crying on such a good day.
Those who had not been allowed time to honestly express their emotions continued to drink one after another, unsure whether the alcohol was sweet or bitter.
Finally, I was able to pass it over to my heart’s content.
The boisterous drinking party turned back into a place of mourning.
After a long time had passed.
At the moment when even the flowing tears had subsided a little, someone shouted at me.
Danju, let me say a word!
“I?”
Then why doesn’t the organizer say so? Should some random guy do it?
“It looks like you want to do it.”
“Tch, I’ve been caught.”
Laughter erupted from the surroundings at the unexpected situation, and the guy who had blurted it out sat down with his face turning bright red.
I tried to brush it off naturally… but the eyes of the students at the academy started turning toward me.
The crying and commotion subsided, and the students playing upstairs also peeked their heads out to look this way.
What is this?
“Phew.”
I had no choice but to get up from my seat.
The moment I was about to blurt out something.
I was reminded of Geum Taejong, who had stood in my way.
My colleagues died unexpectedly.
It wasn’t just Geum Tae-jong. The deaths of other academy students also began to come to mind.
“He died so senselessly…….”
The students whispered amongst themselves.
This statement might spark another controversy.
Following the academy students, the deaths of the Sojeongdae members from the previous life also come to mind.
No matter what meaning the Murim Alliance assigns to death, there is no death better than being alive.
The deaths of the Taeeulmun disciples and the deaths of the allies also come to mind.
As if a bolt has been unlocked, terrible memories from my past life surge up again and again.
We probably don’t know how many more deaths will come to us in the future.
I recall the words I spoke on a day like today in a past life, and the conversations I had with my team members.
“Clearly, more fights will break out than we expected, and we will be threatened with our lives every time.”
Those words, to which not a single flowery phrase could be attached, typical of simple-minded, ignorant fools.
“You will witness many unexpected deaths. Days of sorrow will continue.”
Nevertheless, those words that brought such comfort and relief.
“So… so….”
I utter those words in this life.
“Survive. Desperately.”
Hoping to bring them comfort as it did for me.
“For myself… and for those who care for me.”
I earnestly prayed that they would not be easily broken by the desperate future that lay ahead.
“Let’s survive.”
