Chương 122: S.05 Time to Fly 09(01)

Scene 01_01. It struck her as strange. Ji-young, dressed in comfortable clothes, fixed the sneakers that had been resting on the 댓돌(Dat-dol_Stepping stone) back onto her feet and stepped out into the yard. Chae-rim, just passing through the gate of Ji-young's residence with a bundle heaped over one shoulder, offered Ji-young a greeting. Chae-rim: I've returned. The Oldest. Ji-young looked glad to see her, yet she couldn't hide a trace of haste as she asked Chae-rim: Ji-young: Catch any fish?

Chae-rim: The seasons are still turning, so they didn't gather in great numbers, but I caught a fair few and released them all before heading back. But — where are you off to? Ji-young: Oh, it's the cutoff for return from overnight leave, and there's been no word from Hee-jin sis. Chae-rim: Do you know where she went? Ji-young: Maybe? But first I want to check whether she really hasn't come back. Chae-rim: I'll escort you.

Ji-young: Set the fishing rod down and rest first — it's not like I'm going far, just over to the operations room. Ji-young waved her off, nudged Chae-rim inside, and walked off beyond the 인불(In-bul_Ghost Light) lit against the deepened night. The Ghost Light inside the blue silk lantern hanging at the gate lit Ji-young's way. Scene 01_02. At the sense of Ji-young striding into the operations room, Soo-a, on night duty, shot up from her seat with a start.

Eun-jae, who had been sitting listlessly beside Soo-a, and every other officer on duty rose along with her. Ji-young gestured at the bustling personnel and shook her head hurriedly to wave off the courtesy they offered. Catching sight of the duty log laid on the operations room table, Ji-young asked Soo-a: Ji-young: By any chance — is anyone unreturned? Soo-a: Hm. Soo-a cross-checked the personnel due back against those whose return was already signed off.

Spotting one blank space in the duty log, Soo-a looked at Ji-young with slightly startled eyes. Ji-young took the duty log from her and let a dubious look settle over her face. Ji-young: That's strange. Soo-a: I'll try to reach her. Ji-young: I'll do it. For now, leave her marked as unreturned. Stepping back out of the operations room, Ji-young drew a phone from her pocket and placed a call somewhere. Ji-young: So-eun, can you come to Room Zero for a moment? Scene 01_03. So-hui's expression was rather grave.

She and Si-yeon were the two who had just worked up a sweat in the wide garden, matching the harmony of 武(martial) and 舞(dance). After hearing Ji-young out from start to finish, So-hui folded her arms and let out a long breath as if steadying it. So-hui: And you don't know where she went? Ji-young: I didn't ask anything like that. She's been on edge anyway. She'd dressed up to go out, so I figured she was with Doe Yu-seok — turns out that wasn't it either. So-hui: Let's head inside for now.

Better to check what I've recorded before we say anything. Scene 01_04. So-hui brought out a record book and a black candle that chronicled the old incident in the 밀실(Mil-sil_Sealed Sanctum) of the 현교(Hyeon-gyo_The Black Doctrine). It was a record book that set down the tale of Do-seon and the 사절(Sa-jeol_Envoy). Inscribed through So-hui's eyes and Do-seon's eyes, the writing laid out the path they were to walk.

It was packed densely with a tale that Ji-young and Yeon-hui had adapted and recorded from Sanskrit and Tibetan, both near-dead languages. Reading the lines, she came over to Ji-young and Si-yeon, who were seated in the living room. Seating herself, So-hui examined the densely written lines one by one. After setting the black candle in her hand down on the floor, she scoured the surroundings where the present moment was recorded all the more thoroughly.

After catching sight of some suspicious side path, So-hui silently lit the candle. Black fire rose up from the black candle. The small black flame blazed up in an instant as if bursting, blanketing the living room where Ji-young, So-hui, and Si-yeon sat entirely in black fire. Even amid the fiercely blazing black fire, Ji-young and Si-yeon didn't stir, as though accustomed to it, and watched So-hui with her eyes gently shut. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road.

If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. As though searching for something with her eyes shut, the trace of her pupils moving ceaselessly showed beneath her closed eyelids. The once-bright living room, wrapped wholly in black flame, gave off not even the faintest light. With her eyes still closed, So-hui opened her mouth. So-hui: It is a side path, but I can't see it.

This side path can't be made out unless the Strategist speaks of it, and even after one passes the side path, for some reason, the road — With a small sigh, So-hui opened her closed eyes. When she pinched out the fiercely burning black candle with her fingers, the violent flames that had dyed the living room black died away in an instant. The living room, which had been draped in deep darkness, brightened at once. So-hui examined the record book again. So-hui: Strange.

I can see sis setting out to search, Ji-young: You can't see it even through Doe Yu-seok's eyes? So-hui lifted her eyes from the record book she'd been examining and looked at Ji-young. So-hui: It seems even he doesn't know all the way to the end. Ji-young: Then I'll have to go and find her myself. So-hui: Where will you go? As So-hui's question followed, just then So-eun, the squad leader of the 별동대(Byeol-dong-dae_Special Task Force) that Ji-young commanded, sent word. So-eun: The Oldest.

This is Squad Leader Kwak So-eun of the Special Task Force. Ji-young: Come in. At Ji-young's voice, So-eun entered the residence where So-hui and Si-yeon were staying and bowed deeply toward the three seated together. So-eun: You called for me? Ji-young: Today, reorganize my Special Task Force squad members so they can move out across the Eight Provinces — assign eight members, one to each province. You and I will take the Northwest. Looks like we've got someone to find. So-eun: Understood.

But — whom are we searching for? Ji-young: The Strategist. So-eun's expression froze for an instant. Ji-young: Before they head out, hand the papers and photos with the eight members' personal details to the Seer here. So the Seer can look down their paths herself. So-eun: Understood. Ji-young: I'll get ready and come out, so hurry your own prep a little and come to my residence. Leave the personnel papers with the 경호부 (Gyeong-ho-bu_Guard Corps) patrol team. So-eun: Yes.

Leaving a curt reply, So-eun swiftly left her place. As Ji-young moved to rise from her seat, she belatedly noticed So-hui and Si-yeon's gazes and faltered mid-rise. Ji-young: What — what is it...? Si-yeon: Wow, SSibal, Ji-young sis, So-hui: First time I've seen you in action here, but damn, you're seriously badass. Scene 01_05. Seven squad members and So-eun stood in the yard of Ji-young's residence. The deep, deep night was passing midnight.

As Ji-young's 별동대(Byeol-dong-dae_Special Task Force), outfitted in 수화자(Suhwaja_Korean Traditional Battle boots) and 무도복(Mu-do-bok_Combat garment), stood awaiting orders, Ji-young opened the door of her residence and stepped out. Chae-rim, clad in Combat garment, followed silently behind. Ji-young, who had quickly donned her Combat garment and a 두루마기(Durumagi_Traditional outer coat), perched on the wooden floor, rummaged through the shoe cabinet at her side, and pulled out her Battle boots to put on.

As she set the Battle boots on the 댓돌(Dat-dol_Stepping stone) and drew her 버선(Beoseon_Korean Traditional socks)-clad feet inward, the door of the room across opened and Yeon-su came out. Belatedly catching on to the situation in the yard, Yeon-su faltered. After sorting the situation out in her head, she spoke to Ji-young in a hurry. Yeon-su: The Oldest, I'll get ready right away and fol — With startled eyes, Yeon-su made to head back into her own room to get dressed. Ji-young: No.

You've got something else to do tomorrow, so come up early in the morning. Rest today. Yeon-su: Uh, but — still, Ji-young: There you go again, not listening. Yeon-su: Understood. Once Ji-young had her Battle boots fully on, she stepped down from the Stepping stone and squared herself in the yard. Ji-young: Sorry to all of you, on a Sunday night. So-eun: Not at all. Ji-young: It seems the Strategist couldn't make it back. We've no idea what kind of situation she's in, so just find her location.

Never engage, even if you come across something. As you head to each home region, contact the Masters of the Province ahead of time and secure their leave. So-eun: Yes. Ji-young: Did you give the records to the Seer? So-eun: Yes. I asked a Guard Corps officer right away. Ji-young: Good. So-eun, go on ahead to the parking lot. The rest of you, head to your assigned places. At Ji-young's quiet request, her Special Task Force swiftly dispersed. Ji-young and Chae-rim approached Yeon-su, who still stood where she was.

Ji-young: Tomorrow, early in the morning, So-hui says she wants to see you. At Ji-young's meaning, Yeon-su scrambled to ready herself to head out again. Mistaking it as a cue to go to So-hui that very instant, Yeon-su moved, and Ji-young, with a deflated, restraining laugh, took hold of Yeon-su's upper arm. Ji-young: Not now — tomorrow. Tomorrow morning. Yeon-su collected her flustered bearing and scratched the back of her head.

Ji-young: She says she's got something to tell you about what you've been agonizing over. At Ji-young's quiet urging, Yeon-su let out a small sigh and nodded. Yeon-su: True, the worry never let up. Even if I don't show it, I figured there's no way So-hui s — Ah-ni, I mean, the Seer wouldn't know. Ji-young: Don't feel guilty. Yeon-su: Yes. Understood. Ji-young: I'll be off. You just snore away while I'm gone. At Ji-young's light parting words, Yeon-su burst into a deflated laugh and bowed a little deeper.

Yeon-su: Take care on your way. Scene 01_06. At the sense of Ji-young making her way to the North Gate parking lot, the Directors and Deputies stationed around Ji-young's car bowed deeply toward her. Seeing them spill out in a crowd, Ji-young crinkled her nose and carried on toward her car, its engine already running. I-seon: The Oldest. Has something happened to Hee-jin? Jeong-in: I heard from Kim Soo-a on duty that you were heading out, and came in a hurry. Ji-young: That's why I'm going to look into it.

I-seon: We'll come with — Ji-young: Eh, no need for the whole crowd to come along. Let's just call it square by skipping tomorrow's weekly assembly. If I head up now, I'll likely have a hard time making it back on time. Jeong-in: Where exactly are you head — Ji-young: Still, I ought to give the squad the easier spots and take the rough one myself, no? Jeong-in: Are you going to the Northwest? I-seon: And what if you run into Doe Yu-seok out there — Ji-young: Just beat the shit out of him, what else.

Ji-young patted I-seon's sturdy shoulder and gave a light nod to So-eun, who stood by the driver's seat. As So-eun opened the driver's door first and climbed in, Chae-rim opened the rear door of Ji-young's SUV and guided Ji-young inside. Just after Ji-young settled into the back seat, Chae-rim finally took the passenger seat. Before the car moved, Ji-young rolled down the window and left some parting words for I-seon and Jeong-in.

Ji-young: Still, it's because the Directors are here that I can leave So-hui and Si-yeon behind with peace of mind, so look after things inside well. Jeong-in: Um, The Oldest. Isn't it closer to us being the ones looked after by the two of them? With the Envoy and the Seer here, there's hardly anything for us to do.... Ji-young: Uh, well, hm. Is that so...? I-seon: In any case, do please take care out there. The Northwest is still a dangerous place.