Chapter 553
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Chapter 553
Having spent most of the past year getting to know the Bekhai, Du Min Gyu no longer thought of little Yans tribesman as merely a bunch of primitive, mountain-dwelling isolationists with no care or regard for civilized life.
They were also certifiably insane to boot, every last one of them including the granddaughter he so loved and cherished.
Falling Rains insanity stood out the most because he never cared to hide it, but this cultural insanity was a core tenet of being Bekhai. One neednt look too hard for ready examples, such as when little Yan kept silent regarding several attempts on her life. No doubt she intended to take vengeance with her own hands, which was quite frankly an insane prospect for a girl her age, especially considering she would have died if Min Gyu hadnt caught wind of things and intervened, but he was strangely proud of her fierce independence. All the Bekhai were like this, stubborn and prideful to the extreme, but their insanity had never been more evident than last night, during his meeting with Akanai, Baatar, and the rest of Rains family to discuss the boys ongoing meeting with the Legate. There, whilst sitting at Baatars dining room table and waiting for the boy to return, Du Min Gyu had broken out into a cold sweat as the Imperial Servant laid out in no uncertain terms the Bekhais dire situation. Regardless of how Lord Husbands meeting goes with his Patron, the girl had warned, We will likely find ourselves at odds with one or more of the five Supreme Families, and possibly even all five if Shen Zhen Wu should choose to act against us to better sell his ruse.
Akanai, being the intractable madwoman that she was, had merely snorted and said, Then let them come. If they think five Supreme Families too many, I will gladly waste two or three bloodlines for them.
Having been infected by her insanity, the rest of the Bekhai actually agreed. Visibly and verbally, no less, without a sign of fear or trepidation to be found on any of their faces save for the Imperial Servants. Insanity, pure, unadulterated insanity, there was no other way to describe it. These werent backwater nobles and greedy merchants the Bekhai could bully and browbeat as they pleased, but the aristocracy of Imperial Nobility itself. Not only were these illustrious Families descended from the Heavenly Warriors who helped found the Azure Empire, they were also the descendants of every Emperor since then aside from the first. There was no clan, faction, or power higher than that of the Five Supreme Families, the veritable overlords of the continent who wielded the Emperors Authority with nigh impunity, for any one amongst their number could be the next Emperor Himself, or if not, then parent, sibling, or cousin at the very least.
And the Bekhai were crazy enough to believe themselves capable of not only opposing a Supreme Family, but also overcoming them as well. Madness.
It was neither ignorance or naivete which led them to this conclusion, and over the next few hours, Min Gyu realized it wasnt brash overconfidence either. The Bekhai understood the magnitude of the trials and tribulations before them, but they treated it with the same fatalistic philosophy they applied to all aspects of their lives. No matter how dire the situation or arduous the obstacle, the Mother always left a path to salvation, a popular notion which was widespread amongst the people of the Empire, but one he himself had never wholeheartedly embraced. Although hed lectured Rain on having faith in the Heavens Above, reliance on faith alone was akin to laziness and apathy. Hed prayed for months and years for the Mother to fix his leg and restore him to health, but never once did she answer those prayers during his many decades of idle insouciance. Then, after he got off his ass and took in a promising young woman as his student, the Mother finally deigned to answer his prayers by having him cross paths with the Medical Saint, a man who wouldve never treated Min Gyu if not for his ties to little Yan. The Mother helped those who helped themselves, he saw this now, because trials and tribulations were meaningless if She kept swooping in to save them. Instead, She offered Her children the tools needed to solve their problems themselves, and thus Min Gyus faith was rooted in his decades of hard work and experience as well as his dedication to the Martial Dao.
That was Rains biggest problem, of this he was certain, lack of faith in the tools at his disposal. It was a common issue amongst Martial Warriors, especially ones whod been exposed to powers beyond their comprehension, unable to understand just how the Martial Dao could ever prepare them to match such god-like beings. Swords and fists were simple enough, but Blessings, Talents, and at times even Auras, Natal Palaces, and Domains, the basic milestones of the Martial Dao, were too abstract and extraneous for some to understand, hence why so many Martial Warriors stalled at those points. This was where faith came into the equation, because while Min Gyu couldnt confidently explain how any number of Martial concepts worked, he knew they were all tools bestowed upon them by the Mother Above in order to combat the Enemy, and for him, this was enough. Granted, he still made an effort to understand the mechanics behind Chi and other things, such as his unnamed Talent which kept his Wind Chi from dissipating upon contact with another living creature, but he never let his lacking comprehension interfere with his faith in these gifts from the Mother Above, and it was here where Rain was most lacking.
Well, perhaps not most lacking. Faith was sorely needed, but the boy could also benefit from several swift kicks to the ass. Why no one stopped him from going on a day trip during such a dangerous time, Min Gyu would never understand, but if hed known Rain was bringing Yan to a farm an hour away from the Citadel, he wouldve never let his beloved grand-daughter go. The girl knew it too, which was why shed been so vague about her plans for today, stating only that she was going to go play with Lin and the others. More Bekhai insanity, but at least Baatar had prepared for the inevitable conflict and kept a sizable rescue party on standby. The dog-headed fool shouldve bolstered the boys guard detail as well, but it was too late for regrets. Here they stood on this open field surrounded by indefensible farmland, with an hour-long journey back to safety where any number of assassins might be lying in wait. Complaining would do nothing, so Min Gyu would simply have to rely on faith, steel, and Chi to see them through this precarious, and utterly avoidable tribulation.
Standing in the drivers seat of his carriage, Min Gyu kept a close eye on their surroundings whilst periodically sending gusts of Wind Chi to sweept through the area in search of Concealed assassins and guardians, but thus far hed found no hostile combatants. This was not to say there was nothing to be found, for there were plenty of friendly individuals Concealed about the periphery, twenty seven in total whod ridden with them from the Citadel, alongside the modest escort of fifty visible Bekhai warriors. Min Gyu could tell the Concealed Warriors were Bekhai because he could make out their quins as well, but what irked him was the fact that hed seen members of the Medical Saints guard detail fade into Concealment with his own two eyes, yet his Wind Chi was utterly unable to find any new contacts. Itd been seventy-odd years since he first discovered this trick, and in all that time since, hed never experienced failure when looking for a Concealed individual he knew was there until meeting the Bekhai. Now it seemed like every member of the Medical Saints guard detail could do the same, and Min Gyu found it aggravating to the extreme.
How? How could they trick the wind itself? They were creatures of flesh and blood, and therefore presented a physical barrier through which wind could not pass, yet no matter where Min Gyu sent his streams of probing wind, there was not a single veiled guard to be found. It was literally impossible, yet obviously not, for theyd found some means with which to evade his detection. Why would anyone even bother coming up to a countermeasure for a skill so rare and unique as his? As far as he knew, only someone with his unique Talent and quintessential Blessing could pull off such a feat without draining their Chi reserves dry with a single pass or two. Were Yan to try it, her streams of Wind Chi would dissipate upon contact with any and all living creatures, forcing her to weave her currents in and around any friendly obstacles in her way to avoid wasting her efforts, thereby greatly increasing the need for focus, concentration, and Chi, so who would bother -This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com
Ah. Perhaps it wasnt a direct countermeasure to Min Gyus efforts, but rather his trick failed to uncover them because he wasnt casting a wide enough net. Sure enough, once he raised his sights and delivered multiple probing gust through the treetops, he eventually uncovered seven Concealed guards nesting among them, though they were hard to make out since there were so many leaves and branches scattered around them. How foolish of him to be so arrogant and shortsighted, believing his methods were infallible even though his purview was narrow and flawed. The guards werent purposely countering his methods, they were simply standing too high up for his directed gusts to find them. There were at least a handful of other mundane methods to avoid his detection, such as hiding underwater or behind a false wall, and he reflected on all the times in his life when his skills might have failed him.
Peace makes fools of all Warriors, a stark reminder he would do well to keep in mind.
After confirming the treetop Concealed Experts were in fact friendly, Min Gyu relaxed ever so slightly while massaging the tension out of his neck and shoulders. The thought of facing the Supreme Families had unnerved him more than he cared to admit, so it was almost reassuring to see the Bekhai taking things as stoically as they were. The Imperials were powerful and resourceful foes, but they were not infallible, else Rain would not have escaped death at the hands of three trained assassins. Perhaps that was why the boy was allowed out in the first place, to force their Imperial enemies to act now before they were fully prepared and therefore expose themselves to the Legate and the Bekhai, though there were much better ways to go about it than dangling Falling Rain out like a piece of bloody bait.
Or, Min Gyu mused as he noticed young Charok patrolling to the south, bringing largely untried youngsters out on dangerous rescue missions.
Truth be told, he rather liked the quiet, unassuming young man who valued family above all else, yet still found time to progress along the Martial Dao. The dutiful father and husband was a capable Martial Warrior, only slightly inferior to his ferocious wife Alsantset, who herself was almost a match for Kyung. Still, Min Gyu inwardly disagreed with bringing the young couple with them to rescue Rain, and not just because he didnt want their darling children to be orphaned so young. Talent on the training fields was one thing, but he himself had just discovered a glaring flaw in his own logic which had held up so well in peace time, so how could Charok be free of flaws himself? He was largely untested in real battle, and one could not know the true measure of a warrior until lives were on the line. Min Gyu had seen promising young talents freeze up at the sight of blood, and quivering curs find courage with blade in hand, and Rain himself was living proof that appearances were deceiving, for who could imagine that this scrawny, smiling, pet-coddling fool was in fact a bloodthirsty warrior standing at the forefront of his peers?
Not to say Min Gyu disapproved of Charoks presence either, for the young man knew the risks and opted to come along regardless, which spoke of his stalwart courage and staunch devotion to family. No, Min Gyus disapproval was reserved solely for Baatar, who shouldve rejected Charoks bid to join them alongside a handful of other fresh-faced and bright-eyed fledglings. These young men and women had no place here on this errand, because the stakes were simply too high. He could only imagine the outrage if it became known that the charitable and charismatic Falling Rain, who mightve just pulled off the impossible and recovered from a shattered Core in less than a year, had fallen victim to Imperial politics and was assassinated on orders of a Supreme Family. In these trying times, the boy was more than a superlative young talent, for he embodied hope itself, hope for the crippled and abused, the impoverished and afflicted, the fearful and the weary, for he was a man who defied the odds time and time again to spit in the eye of the Father himself.
And if his death were linked to the Imperial Clan, then it would tell the citizens of the Empire that their safety came second to Imperial posturing. The people would riot, if not rise up in open rebellion alongside the Bekhai, and many Martial Warriors would join them, or at the very least stand aside and let the Eastern Imperials wipe their own ass. It was idiocy of the highest order to kill Falling Rain here and now, and try as he might Min Gyu could not see the logic behind their actions.
Their convoy left the Death Corps far behind, since their cattle-drawn wagons couldnt keep up with the carriages or quin riders, and someone had gone to great efforts to Conceal the Guardian Turtle while she moved, but otherwise, their convoy made for a formidable sight. Truth be told, he wouldve been much more confident if Akanai were here with them instead of lost to sudden Insights from entering the grove, but he knew how rare and precious each Insight was to a warrior Akanais age. Hed also be lying if he said he wasnt curious to see how his garden back in Yantai measured up to the Medical Saints bamboo grove, but now was not the time for indulging idle curiosities. The Medical Saint was truly a man of many talents, and Rain a boy of many mysteries, untouched by the magics of Divination and Natural Balance. Technically, it wasnt magic, but rather a careful, harmonious arrangement of nature which interacted with the natural Elements and brought an area into Balance, done so using measuring devices, mathematical formulas, intricate interactions, and more, but to Min Gyu, it all sounded like magic by another name.
Focus. Still standing in the drivers seat, Min Gyu sent Wind Chi billowing out in search of Concealed enemies. Though he found none, he continued searching at irregular intervals while the Bekhai scouts ranged ahead and conducted searches of their own, though how effective they might be at uncovering Concealed foes remained to be seen.
But not for long.
The response was subtle and almost went unnoticed as his Wind Chi brushed over the hidden assassins, a dozen of them lying in the grass less than a hundred metres up the road and well within his range of detection. The clever killers had escaped notice for so long because theyd covered themselves in blankets of dirt with the grass still attached, but had just removed them while still in Concealment because they were ready to strike. Any warning Min Gyu gave now would be too little too late, which meant someone intimately familiar with Min Gyus detection skills had warned them in advance, and the only person who couldve done so was his old friend written rival, Zhang Jun Bao.
So these were the Legates assassins then, here to sell the story of Falling Rains falling out. How novel, but Min Gyu suspected the Legate would not lose much sleep if his people accidentally succeeded.
As he opened his mouth to shout a worthless warning, the Bekhai outriders lifted their bows and loosed their arrows, then all that was left of the assassins were still corpses and quivering shafts. Jaw dropping in disbelief, he stood stock still as he came to grips with the one-sided massacre hed just witnessed, unable to tear his eyes away from the carnage while his carriage rolled past. Replaying the incident over in his mind, he realized Charok had been the first to raise his bow, and the rest had simply followed suit, aiming their arrows in and around the same area as Charoks. The amber-eyed father and cook had placed his arrow right through the throat of the centre-most assassin, while the other archers shafts were not so neatly placed.
...Meaning Charok was the only one whod spotted the assassins. The others merely took their cue from his actions to loose their arrows in the same general direction, and in doing so, turned the tides on a deadly trap before their enemies had a chance to spring it. Twelve Expert assassins, with years of training and a Spiritual Weapon each, rendered worthless by fifty something odd savages with bendy sticks and string.
Feeling suitably humbled by the young warriors perception and Bekhai archery, Min Gyu redoubled his scouting efforts and uncovered another ambush not five minutes later, this time with almost a full minute to spare. Sending a warning to Baatar, the half-wolf responded with a concise, Acknowledged, and carried on riding without a care in the world. A half minute later, Min Gyu was about to Send something again when a thunderous explosion sounded in the distance. Mother knows when hed had time to loose it, but Baatars short sword landed heavily amidst the assassins and sent them scurrying out from the ditch they were hiding in, only to be ridden down by twenty Bekhai Experts appearing out of Concealment. Min Gyu hadnt even known they were there, meaning theyd been at least a kilometre away when he first uncovered the assassins, yet the quins werent even breathing hard after their breakneck sprint. For the second time this trip, he quietly raised his assessment of the Bekhai Khishigs by a few notches and their chances of survival against the Imperial Clan. Between their speed and range, an army of these Khishigs could easily take on a force four or five times their own, more if their enemies were unarmoured Defiled.
One of the riders approached to return Baatars weapon, and then their journey continued. With Min Gyus help, they uncovered and dispatched two more ambushes, as well as a third without his help before arriving at the Citadel gates an hour later, bringing the butchers bill to sixty-three dead assailants and seventeen injured Bekhai, the worst of whom rode through the gates on his own with more shame in his grimace than pain.
A formidable bunch, these Bekhai, but Min Gyu was still wary of their foes. Five ambushes, he Sent to Baatar as soon as they were safe in his manor, which he claimed was impenetrable to Eavesdropping, Scrying, or other means of surveillance. Five Supreme Families. Youd best keep the boy heavily guarded and on a short leash, because I shudder to think what forces theyll throw at us once theyve had enough time to prepare.
He is safe where he is, Baatar replied, and something in the mans embittered tone put Min Gyu on edge. Turning around, he opened the shutter to the carriage and peered in, only to find an unfamiliar Khishig staring back.
Mother in Heaven. All this trouble just to leave him at the grove? Had he known, Min Gyu would have stayed there too, but he supposed that was why Baatar kept quiet.
Baatar shrugged ever so slightly, which more than anything showed how tired he was. Five brief, and explosive encounters might not seem like much, but remaining vigilant for an entire hour had taken its toll. On Min Gyu too, he realized, as he leaned against Kyung for support. The boy insisted. He found a new pet, some sort of oversized rodent Taduk refused to let loose in the grove. I could not leave the boy trapped in close confines with a wild Spiritual Beast, so there was no other choice.
The blood drained from his face even as he cursed himself for not noticing. The Medical Saints guards must have Concealed the Divine Turtle as she lay in wait outside the grove, which wouldve been much easier than doing so while she ran after the convoy. Min Gyu just assumed she was too slow to keep up, like the Death Corps guards, who likely never intended to follow in the first place. Mother in Heaven, was he so old that his mind was starting to slip? ...So what? We do this all again tomorrow? A hint of desperation leaked into Min Gyus Sending, one he didnt much like but couldnt help. He was too old to do something so stressful and tiring again so soon, but if Yan needed him, he would be there.
No, they will return on their own later tonight. Evidently, Baatar was confident in Akanais prowess as well as the Medical Saints guards, which was both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. But our work is not done. The Imperials were not prepared to strike today, yet they did so because they underestimated our strength. They will not make this mistake a second time, but I cannot escort Rain on his journey to the Central Citadel, and Mother refuses to go with them in my stead. Clapping Min Gyu on the shoulder, Baatar flashed his wolfish grin, a smile which felt more like a threat. As such, I leave his safety, and the safety of my wife, daughter, and grandchildren, in your capable hands.
...What joy. Swallowing a pithy comment about the dubious honour of such a demanding task, Min Gyu nodded and said, On my life, I will bring him back to you alive.
Or, alternatively and far more likely, he would die trying.
Chapter 553
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Chapter 553
Having spent most of the past year getting to know the Bekhai, Du Min Gyu no longer thought of little Yans tribesman as merely a bunch of primitive, mountain-dwelling isolationists with no care or regard for civilized life.
They were also certifiably insane to boot, every last one of them including the granddaughter he so loved and cherished.
Falling Rains insanity stood out the most because he never cared to hide it, but this cultural insanity was a core tenet of being Bekhai. One neednt look too hard for ready examples, such as when little Yan kept silent regarding several attempts on her life. No doubt she intended to take vengeance with her own hands, which was quite frankly an insane prospect for a girl her age, especially considering she would have died if Min Gyu hadnt caught wind of things and intervened, but he was strangely proud of her fierce independence. All the Bekhai were like this, stubborn and prideful to the extreme, but their insanity had never been more evident than last night, during his meeting with Akanai, Baatar, and the rest of Rains family to discuss the boys ongoing meeting with the Legate. There, whilst sitting at Baatars dining room table and waiting for the boy to return, Du Min Gyu had broken out into a cold sweat as the Imperial Servant laid out in no uncertain terms the Bekhais dire situation. Regardless of how Lord Husbands meeting goes with his Patron, the girl had warned, We will likely find ourselves at odds with one or more of the five Supreme Families, and possibly even all five if Shen Zhen Wu should choose to act against us to better sell his ruse.
Akanai, being the intractable madwoman that she was, had merely snorted and said, Then let them come. If they think five Supreme Families too many, I will gladly waste two or three bloodlines for them.
Having been infected by her insanity, the rest of the Bekhai actually agreed. Visibly and verbally, no less, without a sign of fear or trepidation to be found on any of their faces save for the Imperial Servants. Insanity, pure, unadulterated insanity, there was no other way to describe it. These werent backwater nobles and greedy merchants the Bekhai could bully and browbeat as they pleased, but the aristocracy of Imperial Nobility itself. Not only were these illustrious Families descended from the Heavenly Warriors who helped found the Azure Empire, they were also the descendants of every Emperor since then aside from the first. There was no clan, faction, or power higher than that of the Five Supreme Families, the veritable overlords of the continent who wielded the Emperors Authority with nigh impunity, for any one amongst their number could be the next Emperor Himself, or if not, then parent, sibling, or cousin at the very least.
And the Bekhai were crazy enough to believe themselves capable of not only opposing a Supreme Family, but also overcoming them as well. Madness.
It was neither ignorance or naivete which led them to this conclusion, and over the next few hours, Min Gyu realized it wasnt brash overconfidence either. The Bekhai understood the magnitude of the trials and tribulations before them, but they treated it with the same fatalistic philosophy they applied to all aspects of their lives. No matter how dire the situation or arduous the obstacle, the Mother always left a path to salvation, a popular notion which was widespread amongst the people of the Empire, but one he himself had never wholeheartedly embraced. Although hed lectured Rain on having faith in the Heavens Above, reliance on faith alone was akin to laziness and apathy. Hed prayed for months and years for the Mother to fix his leg and restore him to health, but never once did she answer those prayers during his many decades of idle insouciance. Then, after he got off his ass and took in a promising young woman as his student, the Mother finally deigned to answer his prayers by having him cross paths with the Medical Saint, a man who wouldve never treated Min Gyu if not for his ties to little Yan. The Mother helped those who helped themselves, he saw this now, because trials and tribulations were meaningless if She kept swooping in to save them. Instead, She offered Her children the tools needed to solve their problems themselves, and thus Min Gyus faith was rooted in his decades of hard work and experience as well as his dedication to the Martial Dao.
That was Rains biggest problem, of this he was certain, lack of faith in the tools at his disposal. It was a common issue amongst Martial Warriors, especially ones whod been exposed to powers beyond their comprehension, unable to understand just how the Martial Dao could ever prepare them to match such god-like beings. Swords and fists were simple enough, but Blessings, Talents, and at times even Auras, Natal Palaces, and Domains, the basic milestones of the Martial Dao, were too abstract and extraneous for some to understand, hence why so many Martial Warriors stalled at those points. This was where faith came into the equation, because while Min Gyu couldnt confidently explain how any number of Martial concepts worked, he knew they were all tools bestowed upon them by the Mother Above in order to combat the Enemy, and for him, this was enough. Granted, he still made an effort to understand the mechanics behind Chi and other things, such as his unnamed Talent which kept his Wind Chi from dissipating upon contact with another living creature, but he never let his lacking comprehension interfere with his faith in these gifts from the Mother Above, and it was here where Rain was most lacking.
Well, perhaps not most lacking. Faith was sorely needed, but the boy could also benefit from several swift kicks to the ass. Why no one stopped him from going on a day trip during such a dangerous time, Min Gyu would never understand, but if hed known Rain was bringing Yan to a farm an hour away from the Citadel, he wouldve never let his beloved grand-daughter go. The girl knew it too, which was why shed been so vague about her plans for today, stating only that she was going to go play with Lin and the others. More Bekhai insanity, but at least Baatar had prepared for the inevitable conflict and kept a sizable rescue party on standby. The dog-headed fool shouldve bolstered the boys guard detail as well, but it was too late for regrets. Here they stood on this open field surrounded by indefensible farmland, with an hour-long journey back to safety where any number of assassins might be lying in wait. Complaining would do nothing, so Min Gyu would simply have to rely on faith, steel, and Chi to see them through this precarious, and utterly avoidable tribulation.
Standing in the drivers seat of his carriage, Min Gyu kept a close eye on their surroundings whilst periodically sending gusts of Wind Chi to sweept through the area in search of Concealed assassins and guardians, but thus far hed found no hostile combatants. This was not to say there was nothing to be found, for there were plenty of friendly individuals Concealed about the periphery, twenty seven in total whod ridden with them from the Citadel, alongside the modest escort of fifty visible Bekhai warriors. Min Gyu could tell the Concealed Warriors were Bekhai because he could make out their quins as well, but what irked him was the fact that hed seen members of the Medical Saints guard detail fade into Concealment with his own two eyes, yet his Wind Chi was utterly unable to find any new contacts. Itd been seventy-odd years since he first discovered this trick, and in all that time since, hed never experienced failure when looking for a Concealed individual he knew was there until meeting the Bekhai. Now it seemed like every member of the Medical Saints guard detail could do the same, and Min Gyu found it aggravating to the extreme.
How? How could they trick the wind itself? They were creatures of flesh and blood, and therefore presented a physical barrier through which wind could not pass, yet no matter where Min Gyu sent his streams of probing wind, there was not a single veiled guard to be found. It was literally impossible, yet obviously not, for theyd found some means with which to evade his detection. Why would anyone even bother coming up to a countermeasure for a skill so rare and unique as his? As far as he knew, only someone with his unique Talent and quintessential Blessing could pull off such a feat without draining their Chi reserves dry with a single pass or two. Were Yan to try it, her streams of Wind Chi would dissipate upon contact with any and all living creatures, forcing her to weave her currents in and around any friendly obstacles in her way to avoid wasting her efforts, thereby greatly increasing the need for focus, concentration, and Chi, so who would bother -This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com
Ah. Perhaps it wasnt a direct countermeasure to Min Gyus efforts, but rather his trick failed to uncover them because he wasnt casting a wide enough net. Sure enough, once he raised his sights and delivered multiple probing gust through the treetops, he eventually uncovered seven Concealed guards nesting among them, though they were hard to make out since there were so many leaves and branches scattered around them. How foolish of him to be so arrogant and shortsighted, believing his methods were infallible even though his purview was narrow and flawed. The guards werent purposely countering his methods, they were simply standing too high up for his directed gusts to find them. There were at least a handful of other mundane methods to avoid his detection, such as hiding underwater or behind a false wall, and he reflected on all the times in his life when his skills might have failed him.
Peace makes fools of all Warriors, a stark reminder he would do well to keep in mind.
After confirming the treetop Concealed Experts were in fact friendly, Min Gyu relaxed ever so slightly while massaging the tension out of his neck and shoulders. The thought of facing the Supreme Families had unnerved him more than he cared to admit, so it was almost reassuring to see the Bekhai taking things as stoically as they were. The Imperials were powerful and resourceful foes, but they were not infallible, else Rain would not have escaped death at the hands of three trained assassins. Perhaps that was why the boy was allowed out in the first place, to force their Imperial enemies to act now before they were fully prepared and therefore expose themselves to the Legate and the Bekhai, though there were much better ways to go about it than dangling Falling Rain out like a piece of bloody bait.
Or, Min Gyu mused as he noticed young Charok patrolling to the south, bringing largely untried youngsters out on dangerous rescue missions.
Truth be told, he rather liked the quiet, unassuming young man who valued family above all else, yet still found time to progress along the Martial Dao. The dutiful father and husband was a capable Martial Warrior, only slightly inferior to his ferocious wife Alsantset, who herself was almost a match for Kyung. Still, Min Gyu inwardly disagreed with bringing the young couple with them to rescue Rain, and not just because he didnt want their darling children to be orphaned so young. Talent on the training fields was one thing, but he himself had just discovered a glaring flaw in his own logic which had held up so well in peace time, so how could Charok be free of flaws himself? He was largely untested in real battle, and one could not know the true measure of a warrior until lives were on the line. Min Gyu had seen promising young talents freeze up at the sight of blood, and quivering curs find courage with blade in hand, and Rain himself was living proof that appearances were deceiving, for who could imagine that this scrawny, smiling, pet-coddling fool was in fact a bloodthirsty warrior standing at the forefront of his peers?
Not to say Min Gyu disapproved of Charoks presence either, for the young man knew the risks and opted to come along regardless, which spoke of his stalwart courage and staunch devotion to family. No, Min Gyus disapproval was reserved solely for Baatar, who shouldve rejected Charoks bid to join them alongside a handful of other fresh-faced and bright-eyed fledglings. These young men and women had no place here on this errand, because the stakes were simply too high. He could only imagine the outrage if it became known that the charitable and charismatic Falling Rain, who mightve just pulled off the impossible and recovered from a shattered Core in less than a year, had fallen victim to Imperial politics and was assassinated on orders of a Supreme Family. In these trying times, the boy was more than a superlative young talent, for he embodied hope itself, hope for the crippled and abused, the impoverished and afflicted, the fearful and the weary, for he was a man who defied the odds time and time again to spit in the eye of the Father himself.
And if his death were linked to the Imperial Clan, then it would tell the citizens of the Empire that their safety came second to Imperial posturing. The people would riot, if not rise up in open rebellion alongside the Bekhai, and many Martial Warriors would join them, or at the very least stand aside and let the Eastern Imperials wipe their own ass. It was idiocy of the highest order to kill Falling Rain here and now, and try as he might Min Gyu could not see the logic behind their actions.
Their convoy left the Death Corps far behind, since their cattle-drawn wagons couldnt keep up with the carriages or quin riders, and someone had gone to great efforts to Conceal the Guardian Turtle while she moved, but otherwise, their convoy made for a formidable sight. Truth be told, he wouldve been much more confident if Akanai were here with them instead of lost to sudden Insights from entering the grove, but he knew how rare and precious each Insight was to a warrior Akanais age. Hed also be lying if he said he wasnt curious to see how his garden back in Yantai measured up to the Medical Saints bamboo grove, but now was not the time for indulging idle curiosities. The Medical Saint was truly a man of many talents, and Rain a boy of many mysteries, untouched by the magics of Divination and Natural Balance. Technically, it wasnt magic, but rather a careful, harmonious arrangement of nature which interacted with the natural Elements and brought an area into Balance, done so using measuring devices, mathematical formulas, intricate interactions, and more, but to Min Gyu, it all sounded like magic by another name.
Focus. Still standing in the drivers seat, Min Gyu sent Wind Chi billowing out in search of Concealed enemies. Though he found none, he continued searching at irregular intervals while the Bekhai scouts ranged ahead and conducted searches of their own, though how effective they might be at uncovering Concealed foes remained to be seen.
But not for long.
The response was subtle and almost went unnoticed as his Wind Chi brushed over the hidden assassins, a dozen of them lying in the grass less than a hundred metres up the road and well within his range of detection. The clever killers had escaped notice for so long because theyd covered themselves in blankets of dirt with the grass still attached, but had just removed them while still in Concealment because they were ready to strike. Any warning Min Gyu gave now would be too little too late, which meant someone intimately familiar with Min Gyus detection skills had warned them in advance, and the only person who couldve done so was his old friend written rival, Zhang Jun Bao.
So these were the Legates assassins then, here to sell the story of Falling Rains falling out. How novel, but Min Gyu suspected the Legate would not lose much sleep if his people accidentally succeeded.
As he opened his mouth to shout a worthless warning, the Bekhai outriders lifted their bows and loosed their arrows, then all that was left of the assassins were still corpses and quivering shafts. Jaw dropping in disbelief, he stood stock still as he came to grips with the one-sided massacre hed just witnessed, unable to tear his eyes away from the carnage while his carriage rolled past. Replaying the incident over in his mind, he realized Charok had been the first to raise his bow, and the rest had simply followed suit, aiming their arrows in and around the same area as Charoks. The amber-eyed father and cook had placed his arrow right through the throat of the centre-most assassin, while the other archers shafts were not so neatly placed.
...Meaning Charok was the only one whod spotted the assassins. The others merely took their cue from his actions to loose their arrows in the same general direction, and in doing so, turned the tides on a deadly trap before their enemies had a chance to spring it. Twelve Expert assassins, with years of training and a Spiritual Weapon each, rendered worthless by fifty something odd savages with bendy sticks and string.
Feeling suitably humbled by the young warriors perception and Bekhai archery, Min Gyu redoubled his scouting efforts and uncovered another ambush not five minutes later, this time with almost a full minute to spare. Sending a warning to Baatar, the half-wolf responded with a concise, Acknowledged, and carried on riding without a care in the world. A half minute later, Min Gyu was about to Send something again when a thunderous explosion sounded in the distance. Mother knows when hed had time to loose it, but Baatars short sword landed heavily amidst the assassins and sent them scurrying out from the ditch they were hiding in, only to be ridden down by twenty Bekhai Experts appearing out of Concealment. Min Gyu hadnt even known they were there, meaning theyd been at least a kilometre away when he first uncovered the assassins, yet the quins werent even breathing hard after their breakneck sprint. For the second time this trip, he quietly raised his assessment of the Bekhai Khishigs by a few notches and their chances of survival against the Imperial Clan. Between their speed and range, an army of these Khishigs could easily take on a force four or five times their own, more if their enemies were unarmoured Defiled.
One of the riders approached to return Baatars weapon, and then their journey continued. With Min Gyus help, they uncovered and dispatched two more ambushes, as well as a third without his help before arriving at the Citadel gates an hour later, bringing the butchers bill to sixty-three dead assailants and seventeen injured Bekhai, the worst of whom rode through the gates on his own with more shame in his grimace than pain.
A formidable bunch, these Bekhai, but Min Gyu was still wary of their foes. Five ambushes, he Sent to Baatar as soon as they were safe in his manor, which he claimed was impenetrable to Eavesdropping, Scrying, or other means of surveillance. Five Supreme Families. Youd best keep the boy heavily guarded and on a short leash, because I shudder to think what forces theyll throw at us once theyve had enough time to prepare.
He is safe where he is, Baatar replied, and something in the mans embittered tone put Min Gyu on edge. Turning around, he opened the shutter to the carriage and peered in, only to find an unfamiliar Khishig staring back.
Mother in Heaven. All this trouble just to leave him at the grove? Had he known, Min Gyu would have stayed there too, but he supposed that was why Baatar kept quiet.
Baatar shrugged ever so slightly, which more than anything showed how tired he was. Five brief, and explosive encounters might not seem like much, but remaining vigilant for an entire hour had taken its toll. On Min Gyu too, he realized, as he leaned against Kyung for support. The boy insisted. He found a new pet, some sort of oversized rodent Taduk refused to let loose in the grove. I could not leave the boy trapped in close confines with a wild Spiritual Beast, so there was no other choice.
The blood drained from his face even as he cursed himself for not noticing. The Medical Saints guards must have Concealed the Divine Turtle as she lay in wait outside the grove, which wouldve been much easier than doing so while she ran after the convoy. Min Gyu just assumed she was too slow to keep up, like the Death Corps guards, who likely never intended to follow in the first place. Mother in Heaven, was he so old that his mind was starting to slip? ...So what? We do this all again tomorrow? A hint of desperation leaked into Min Gyus Sending, one he didnt much like but couldnt help. He was too old to do something so stressful and tiring again so soon, but if Yan needed him, he would be there.
No, they will return on their own later tonight. Evidently, Baatar was confident in Akanais prowess as well as the Medical Saints guards, which was both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. But our work is not done. The Imperials were not prepared to strike today, yet they did so because they underestimated our strength. They will not make this mistake a second time, but I cannot escort Rain on his journey to the Central Citadel, and Mother refuses to go with them in my stead. Clapping Min Gyu on the shoulder, Baatar flashed his wolfish grin, a smile which felt more like a threat. As such, I leave his safety, and the safety of my wife, daughter, and grandchildren, in your capable hands.
...What joy. Swallowing a pithy comment about the dubious honour of such a demanding task, Min Gyu nodded and said, On my life, I will bring him back to you alive.
Or, alternatively and far more likely, he would die trying.
Chapter 553
Chapter 553Having spent most of the past year getting to know the Bekhai, Du Min Gyu no longer thought of little Yans tribesman as merely a bunch of primitive, mountain-dwelling isolationists with no care or regard for civilized life.They were also certifiably insane to boot, every last one of them including the granddaughter he so loved and cherished.Falling Rains insanity stood out the most because he never cared to hide it, but this cultural insanity was a core tenet of being Bekhai. One neednt look too hard for ready examples, such as when little Yan kept silent regarding several attempts on her life. No doubt she intended to take vengeance with her own hands, which was quite frankly an insane prospect for a girl her age, especially considering she would have died if Min Gyu hadnt caught wind of things and intervened, but he was strangely proud of her fierce independence. All the Bekhai were like this, stubborn and prideful to the extreme, but their insanity had never been more evident than last night, during his meeting with Akanai, Baatar, and the rest of Rains family to discuss the boys ongoing meeting with the Legate. There, whilst sitting at Baatars dining room table and waiting for the boy to return, Du Min Gyu had broken out into a cold sweat as the Imperial Servant laid out in no uncertain terms the Bekhais dire situation. Regardless of how Lord Husbands meeting goes with his Patron, the girl had warned, We will likely find ourselves at odds with one or more of the five Supreme Families, and possibly even all five if Shen Zhen Wu should choose to act against us to better sell his ruse.Akanai, being the intractable madwoman that she was, had merely snorted and said, Then let them come. If they think five Supreme Families too many, I will gladly waste two or three bloodlines for them.Having been infected by her insanity, the rest of the Bekhai actually agreed. Visibly and verbally, no less, without a sign of fear or trepidation to be found on any of their faces save for the Imperial Servants. Insanity, pure, unadulterated insanity, there was no other way to describe it. These werent backwater nobles and greedy merchants the Bekhai could bully and browbeat as they pleased, but the aristocracy of Imperial Nobility itself. Not only were these illustrious Families descended from the Heavenly Warriors who helped found the Azure Empire, they were also the descendants of every Emperor since then aside from the first. There was no clan, faction, or power higher than that of the Five Supreme Families, the veritable overlords of the continent who wielded the Emperors Authority with nigh impunity, for any one amongst their number could be the next Emperor Himself, or if not, then parent, sibling, or cousin at the very least.And the Bekhai were crazy enough to believe themselves capable of not only opposing a Supreme Family, but also overcoming them as well. Madness.It was neither ignorance or naivete which led them to this conclusion, and over the next few hours, Min Gyu realized it wasnt brash overconfidence either. The Bekhai understood the magnitude of the trials and tribulations before them, but they treated it with the same fatalistic philosophy they applied to all aspects of their lives. No matter how dire the situation or arduous the obstacle, the Mother always left a path to salvation, a popular notion which was widespread amongst the people of the Empire, but one he himself had never wholeheartedly embraced. Although hed lectured Rain on having faith in the Heavens Above, reliance on faith alone was akin to laziness and apathy. Hed prayed for months and years for the Mother to fix his leg and restore him to health, but never once did she answer those prayers during his many decades of idle insouciance. Then, after he got off his ass and took in a promising young woman as his student, the Mother finally deigned to answer his prayers by having him cross paths with the Medical Saint, a man who wouldve never treated Min Gyu if not for his ties to little Yan. The Mother helped those who helped themselves, he saw this now, because trials and tribulations were meaningless if She kept swooping in to save them. Instead, She offered Her children the tools needed to solve their problems themselves, and thus Min Gyus faith was rooted in his decades of hard work and experience as well as his dedication to the Martial Dao.That was Rains biggest problem, of this he was certain, lack of faith in the tools at his disposal. It was a common issue amongst Martial Warriors, especially ones whod been exposed to powers beyond their comprehension, unable to understand just how the Martial Dao could ever prepare them to match such god-like beings. Swords and fists were simple enough, but Blessings, Talents, and at times even Auras, Natal Palaces, and Domains, the basic milestones of the Martial Dao, were too abstract and extraneous for some to understand, hence why so many Martial Warriors stalled at those points. This was where faith came into the equation, because while Min Gyu couldnt confidently explain how any number of Martial concepts worked, he knew they were all tools bestowed upon them by the Mother Above in order to combat the Enemy, and for him, this was enough. Granted, he still made an effort to understand the mechanics behind Chi and other things, such as his unnamed Talent which kept his Wind Chi from dissipating upon contact with another living creature, but he never let his lacking comprehension interfere with his faith in these gifts from the Mother Above, and it was here where Rain was most lacking.Well, perhaps not most lacking. Faith was sorely needed, but the boy could also benefit from several swift kicks to the ass. Why no one stopped him from going on a day trip during such a dangerous time, Min Gyu would never understand, but if hed known Rain was bringing Yan to a farm an hour away from the Citadel, he wouldve never let his beloved grand-daughter go. The girl knew it too, which was why shed been so vague about her plans for today, stating only that she was going to go play with Lin and the others. More Bekhai insanity, but at least Baatar had prepared for the inevitable conflict and kept a sizable rescue party on standby. The dog-headed fool shouldve bolstered the boys guard detail as well, but it was too late for regrets. Here they stood on this open field surrounded by indefensible farmland, with an hour-long journey back to safety where any number of assassins might be lying in wait. Complaining would do nothing, so Min Gyu would simply have to rely on faith, steel, and Chi to see them through this precarious, and utterly avoidable tribulation.Standing in the drivers seat of his carriage, Min Gyu kept a close eye on their surroundings whilst periodically sending gusts of Wind Chi to sweept through the area in search of Concealed assassins and guardians, but thus far hed found no hostile combatants. This was not to say there was nothing to be found, for there were plenty of friendly individuals Concealed about the periphery, twenty seven in total whod ridden with them from the Citadel, alongside the modest escort of fifty visible Bekhai warriors. Min Gyu could tell the Concealed Warriors were Bekhai because he could make out their quins as well, but what irked him was the fact that hed seen members of the Medical Saints guard detail fade into Concealment with his own two eyes, yet his Wind Chi was utterly unable to find any new contacts. Itd been seventy-odd years since he first discovered this trick, and in all that time since, hed never experienced failure when looking for a Concealed individual he knew was there until meeting the Bekhai. Now it seemed like every member of the Medical Saints guard detail could do the same, and Min Gyu found it aggravating to the extreme.How? How could they trick the wind itself? They were creatures of flesh and blood, and therefore presented a physical barrier through which wind could not pass, yet no matter where Min Gyu sent his streams of probing wind, there was not a single veiled guard to be found. It was literally impossible, yet obviously not, for theyd found some means with which to evade his detection. Why would anyone even bother coming up to a countermeasure for a skill so rare and unique as his? As far as he knew, only someone with his unique Talent and quintessential Blessing could pull off such a feat without draining their Chi reserves dry with a single pass or two. Were Yan to try it, her streams of Wind Chi would dissipate upon contact with any and all living creatures, forcing her to weave her currents in and around any friendly obstacles in her way to avoid wasting her efforts, thereby greatly increasing the need for focus, concentration, and Chi, so who would bother -This chapter is updated by novelbiin.comAh. Perhaps it wasnt a direct countermeasure to Min Gyus efforts, but rather his trick failed to uncover them because he wasnt casting a wide enough net. Sure enough, once he raised his sights and delivered multiple probing gust through the treetops, he eventually uncovered seven Concealed guards nesting among them, though they were hard to make out since there were so many leaves and branches scattered around them. How foolish of him to be so arrogant and shortsighted, believing his methods were infallible even though his purview was narrow and flawed. The guards werent purposely countering his methods, they were simply standing too high up for his directed gusts to find them. There were at least a handful of other mundane methods to avoid his detection, such as hiding underwater or behind a false wall, and he reflected on all the times in his life when his skills might have failed him.Peace makes fools of all Warriors, a stark reminder he would do well to keep in mind.After confirming the treetop Concealed Experts were in fact friendly, Min Gyu relaxed ever so slightly while massaging the tension out of his neck and shoulders. The thought of facing the Supreme Families had unnerved him more than he cared to admit, so it was almost reassuring to see the Bekhai taking things as stoically as they were. The Imperials were powerful and resourceful foes, but they were not infallible, else Rain would not have escaped death at the hands of three trained assassins. Perhaps that was why the boy was allowed out in the first place, to force their Imperial enemies to act now before they were fully prepared and therefore expose themselves to the Legate and the Bekhai, though there were much better ways to go about it than dangling Falling Rain out like a piece of bloody bait.Or, Min Gyu mused as he noticed young Charok patrolling to the south, bringing largely untried youngsters out on dangerous rescue missions.Truth be told, he rather liked the quiet, unassuming young man who valued family above all else, yet still found time to progress along the Martial Dao. The dutiful father and husband was a capable Martial Warrior, only slightly inferior to his ferocious wife Alsantset, who herself was almost a match for Kyung. Still, Min Gyu inwardly disagreed with bringing the young couple with them to rescue Rain, and not just because he didnt want their darling children to be orphaned so young. Talent on the training fields was one thing, but he himself had just discovered a glaring flaw in his own logic which had held up so well in peace time, so how could Charok be free of flaws himself? He was largely untested in real battle, and one could not know the true measure of a warrior until lives were on the line. Min Gyu had seen promising young talents freeze up at the sight of blood, and quivering curs find courage with blade in hand, and Rain himself was living proof that appearances were deceiving, for who could imagine that this scrawny, smiling, pet-coddling fool was in fact a bloodthirsty warrior standing at the forefront of his peers?Not to say Min Gyu disapproved of Charoks presence either, for the young man knew the risks and opted to come along regardless, which spoke of his stalwart courage and staunch devotion to family. No, Min Gyus disapproval was reserved solely for Baatar, who shouldve rejected Charoks bid to join them alongside a handful of other fresh-faced and bright-eyed fledglings. These young men and women had no place here on this errand, because the stakes were simply too high. He could only imagine the outrage if it became known that the charitable and charismatic Falling Rain, who mightve just pulled off the impossible and recovered from a shattered Core in less than a year, had fallen victim to Imperial politics and was assassinated on orders of a Supreme Family. In these trying times, the boy was more than a superlative young talent, for he embodied hope itself, hope for the crippled and abused, the impoverished and afflicted, the fearful and the weary, for he was a man who defied the odds time and time again to spit in the eye of the Father himself.And if his death were linked to the Imperial Clan, then it would tell the citizens of the Empire that their safety came second to Imperial posturing. The people would riot, if not rise up in open rebellion alongside the Bekhai, and many Martial Warriors would join them, or at the very least stand aside and let the Eastern Imperials wipe their own ass. It was idiocy of the highest order to kill Falling Rain here and now, and try as he might Min Gyu could not see the logic behind their actions.Their convoy left the Death Corps far behind, since their cattle-drawn wagons couldnt keep up with the carriages or quin riders, and someone had gone to great efforts to Conceal the Guardian Turtle while she moved, but otherwise, their convoy made for a formidable sight. Truth be told, he wouldve been much more confident if Akanai were here with them instead of lost to sudden Insights from entering the grove, but he knew how rare and precious each Insight was to a warrior Akanais age. Hed also be lying if he said he wasnt curious to see how his garden back in Yantai measured up to the Medical Saints bamboo grove, but now was not the time for indulging idle curiosities. The Medical Saint was truly a man of many talents, and Rain a boy of many mysteries, untouched by the magics of Divination and Natural Balance. Technically, it wasnt magic, but rather a careful, harmonious arrangement of nature which interacted with the natural Elements and brought an area into Balance, done so using measuring devices, mathematical formulas, intricate interactions, and more, but to Min Gyu, it all sounded like magic by another name.Focus. Still standing in the drivers seat, Min Gyu sent Wind Chi billowing out in search of Concealed enemies. Though he found none, he continued searching at irregular intervals while the Bekhai scouts ranged ahead and conducted searches of their own, though how effective they might be at uncovering Concealed foes remained to be seen.But not for long.The response was subtle and almost went unnoticed as his Wind Chi brushed over the hidden assassins, a dozen of them lying in the grass less than a hundred metres up the road and well within his range of detection. The clever killers had escaped notice for so long because theyd covered themselves in blankets of dirt with the grass still attached, but had just removed them while still in Concealment because they were ready to strike. Any warning Min Gyu gave now would be too little too late, which meant someone intimately familiar with Min Gyus detection skills had warned them in advance, and the only person who couldve done so was his old friend written rival, Zhang Jun Bao.So these were the Legates assassins then, here to sell the story of Falling Rains falling out. How novel, but Min Gyu suspected the Legate would not lose much sleep if his people accidentally succeeded.As he opened his mouth to shout a worthless warning, the Bekhai outriders lifted their bows and loosed their arrows, then all that was left of the assassins were still corpses and quivering shafts. Jaw dropping in disbelief, he stood stock still as he came to grips with the one-sided massacre hed just witnessed, unable to tear his eyes away from the carnage while his carriage rolled past. Replaying the incident over in his mind, he realized Charok had been the first to raise his bow, and the rest had simply followed suit, aiming their arrows in and around the same area as Charoks. The amber-eyed father and cook had placed his arrow right through the throat of the centre-most assassin, while the other archers shafts were not so neatly placed....Meaning Charok was the only one whod spotted the assassins. The others merely took their cue from his actions to loose their arrows in the same general direction, and in doing so, turned the tides on a deadly trap before their enemies had a chance to spring it. Twelve Expert assassins, with years of training and a Spiritual Weapon each, rendered worthless by fifty something odd savages with bendy sticks and string.Feeling suitably humbled by the young warriors perception and Bekhai archery, Min Gyu redoubled his scouting efforts and uncovered another ambush not five minutes later, this time with almost a full minute to spare. Sending a warning to Baatar, the half-wolf responded with a concise, Acknowledged, and carried on riding without a care in the world. A half minute later, Min Gyu was about to Send something again when a thunderous explosion sounded in the distance. Mother knows when hed had time to loose it, but Baatars short sword landed heavily amidst the assassins and sent them scurrying out from the ditch they were hiding in, only to be ridden down by twenty Bekhai Experts appearing out of Concealment. Min Gyu hadnt even known they were there, meaning theyd been at least a kilometre away when he first uncovered the assassins, yet the quins werent even breathing hard after their breakneck sprint. For the second time this trip, he quietly raised his assessment of the Bekhai Khishigs by a few notches and their chances of survival against the Imperial Clan. Between their speed and range, an army of these Khishigs could easily take on a force four or five times their own, more if their enemies were unarmoured Defiled.One of the riders approached to return Baatars weapon, and then their journey continued. With Min Gyus help, they uncovered and dispatched two more ambushes, as well as a third without his help before arriving at the Citadel gates an hour later, bringing the butchers bill to sixty-three dead assailants and seventeen injured Bekhai, the worst of whom rode through the gates on his own with more shame in his grimace than pain.A formidable bunch, these Bekhai, but Min Gyu was still wary of their foes. Five ambushes, he Sent to Baatar as soon as they were safe in his manor, which he claimed was impenetrable to Eavesdropping, Scrying, or other means of surveillance. Five Supreme Families. Youd best keep the boy heavily guarded and on a short leash, because I shudder to think what forces theyll throw at us once theyve had enough time to prepare.He is safe where he is, Baatar replied, and something in the mans embittered tone put Min Gyu on edge. Turning around, he opened the shutter to the carriage and peered in, only to find an unfamiliar Khishig staring back.Mother in Heaven. All this trouble just to leave him at the grove? Had he known, Min Gyu would have stayed there too, but he supposed that was why Baatar kept quiet.Baatar shrugged ever so slightly, which more than anything showed how tired he was. Five brief, and explosive encounters might not seem like much, but remaining vigilant for an entire hour had taken its toll. On Min Gyu too, he realized, as he leaned against Kyung for support. The boy insisted. He found a new pet, some sort of oversized rodent Taduk refused to let loose in the grove. I could not leave the boy trapped in close confines with a wild Spiritual Beast, so there was no other choice.The blood drained from his face even as he cursed himself for not noticing. The Medical Saints guards must have Concealed the Divine Turtle as she lay in wait outside the grove, which wouldve been much easier than doing so while she ran after the convoy. Min Gyu just assumed she was too slow to keep up, like the Death Corps guards, who likely never intended to follow in the first place. Mother in Heaven, was he so old that his mind was starting to slip? ...So what? We do this all again tomorrow? A hint of desperation leaked into Min Gyus Sending, one he didnt much like but couldnt help. He was too old to do something so stressful and tiring again so soon, but if Yan needed him, he would be there.No, they will return on their own later tonight. Evidently, Baatar was confident in Akanais prowess as well as the Medical Saints guards, which was both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. But our work is not done. The Imperials were not prepared to strike today, yet they did so because they underestimated our strength. They will not make this mistake a second time, but I cannot escort Rain on his journey to the Central Citadel, and Mother refuses to go with them in my stead. Clapping Min Gyu on the shoulder, Baatar flashed his wolfish grin, a smile which felt more like a threat. As such, I leave his safety, and the safety of my wife, daughter, and grandchildren, in your capable hands....What joy. Swallowing a pithy comment about the dubious honour of such a demanding task, Min Gyu nodded and said, On my life, I will bring him back to you alive.Or, alternatively and far more likely, he would die trying.Chapter 553
