Chương 100: Then where are we supposed to report?

"Then where are we supposed to report? With Seonchunryeong returned, the Third Army has been disbanded." Park Geunsu nodded.

"That's right. The Third and Fifth Armies were wartime formations. Now the Yongho Army should take charge. Who's paying your wages?"

"I don't know. They said it would be sent home, but I don't know from where or how much." A muscle twitched on Park's brow.

"Wait a moment." He called over an adjutant and gave quiet instructions. The man ran off and returned shortly after.

"It checks out. Your pay has been coming through the Signal Guard. Looks like they took good care of it after that incident. It should be a fair amount."

"Thank you." Park continued,"Hold on. This needs to be reported. It should go directly to His Majesty." It was his decision after organizing Yeong-u's information. Yeong-u's face tightened.

"I'm on leave. I should go home."

"…Right." Park weighed their situation.

"But you said there's no one at home to welcome you."

"That's… well…"

"Just wait a little. I'll—""No. I'm going home regardless." Park kept them there and hurried off to the palace. The army was much the same everywhere. Unfamiliar faces drew questions from everyone passing by. And here, in the Yongho Army headquarters, every passerby was someone important. Proper military etiquette had to be observed. Stand, salute, state your name, origin, and duty. They would listen, lose interest, and move on. Some offered words of praise. Others spoke as if they knew better.

What stood out was that no one left their posts. It had already been evening when they visited Kim Busik's house. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

"And you are?" A general with a long white beard, like a mountain spirit, asked.

"I am Yi Yeong-u. Formerly stationed at Seonchunryeong, later dispatched to the Jurchen during the Guseong return."

"Ah, that one. I remember thinking it was a strange request at the time. Did you know them?"

"No."

"Still, there are times when the enemy feels closer. Allies look over your shoulder for a chance, but enemies share the same hardships. In that, you find a strange kinship." Yeong-u turned the words over in his mind. They sounded unfamiliar, yet something in them resonated. It felt as though the man understood the weight of what he had endured. He had no answer.

"Sir!"

"Well done." Just then, the adjutant who had brought the soup earlier came running.

"Are you the Fifth Unit from Seonchunryeong?"

"Yes."

"They've gotten into another fight."

"We know. We were just coming back after settling it."

"No—this time it's in Nam Market. It looks like they've all been taken."

"What? What did you say?" Yeong-u shot to his feet.

"They've all been detained."

"Why?"

"They clashed with the Geumowi." Yeong-u tilted his head.

"They shouldn't have been taken so easily."

"They were overwhelmed by numbers. To capture a couple dozen, they sent hundreds."

"…Ah." Yeong-u's expression hardened. The Geumowi—military police.

"Are they all captured?"

"We couldn't confirm the exact number."

"Are they in custody now?"

"Not yet, I think. They're probably being beaten as we speak." At those words, Yeong-u rose sharply.

"Where is it? The Geumowi headquarters." The adjutant answered at once.

"About two hundred jang south of the south gate of Manwoldae." Gyeongtaek's face tightened. He already knew what Yeong-u would do. As expected, Yeong-u strode out and mounted his horse. As he did, he armed himself. He tightened his armor, threw on his cloak, and assembled his long spear—three short shafts joining into a single length. The adjutant tried to stop him.

"General Park will return soon. It's better to go together and resolve this properly."

"They're being beaten right now. I won't wait."

"If you go now, it'll turn into a fight."

"That's why I'm going." More men tried to stop him.

"We'll go first and—" They couldn't finish. Gyeongtaek brought the horse. The two mounted at once and rode like the wind toward the south gate. The Yongho adjutants followed, but they were already gone from sight. Yeong-u rode straight toward the brightest-lit barracks beyond the gate. Sentries stood guard at the entrance.

"Halt!"

"Move!" He charged straight into the Geumowi headquarters. Torches lit a wide courtyard. About twenty men were bound, while over a hundred Geumowi troops beat them with clubs. Their weapons were gone. Stripped of gear, they were being beaten without resistance.

"You sons of bitches!" At Yeong-u's shout, the air froze. He swung his spear. Wrapped in thick cloth, it swept through the men wielding clubs. Thud—thud. With a single swing, several were knocked aside.

"Move!" He drove forward, striking left and right. Men fell away. Five became ten, ten became twenty— and the encirclement broke. He gripped the horse with his legs and turned. His battered men staggered to their feet.

"Why are you just standing there taking it?" So Cheol-un shouted,"We were outnumbered!"

"Doesn't matter." Those who realized Yeong-u was with them rushed in. A dozen or so. Yeong-u swung again. This time he loosened the wrap. The long cloth unfurled, pushing them back. Each sweep sent the Geumowi stumbling and falling. Wrapping and unwrapping, he tore through them. In that opening, the Fifth Unit broke free.

"Form up! Formation!"

"Sir!""Sir!""Sir!""Sir!""Sir!"

"You're going to take a beating and walk away?"

"No!" A single cavalryman overwhelmed more than a hundred. He rode across the courtyard, striking legs wherever he saw them. Bones snapped. Alone, he dominated dozens. The cloth-wrapped spear moved in rhythm— tight when striking to blunt the damage, loose when pushing, spreading wide to blind and scatter. He rode across the training ground alone. The Fifth Unit, once beaten down, regained their senses. They formed ranks. They rearmed. Then they followed Yeong-u's advance, striking back.

Like a real battle— momentum decided everything. Once the tide turned, the Fifth Unit crushed them. They returned every blow they had taken. They gathered their lost equipment, reclaimed their horses, and withdrew in order.