Morning Under the War Clouds – The Pursuit
The man, hearing that someone might be following, craned his neck and peered into the distance.
Then, in a fluster, he leapt onto his horse and spurred it toward the official road.
Soun mounted one of the two horses left behind.
His purpose was simple.
He needed to know who stood behind this.
The man rode without pause and galloped straight into Anyang Fortress.
The gate guards made no move to stop him.
He was clearly someone they recognized.
Soun did not follow openly.
He tied his horse in the roadside grove and began to run, lowering his body.
He unfolded a movement technique whose name he did not even know.
The scenery blurred past him in streaks.
His body felt light; his breathing was silent.
He slipped through the city gate.
Three guards stood there, yet none reached out.
Whether they failed to see him or saw him but could not react, none intervened.
The fleeing man rode straight into the courtyard before the county office.
Soun ran along the wall, stepped onto the low wall of a nearby courtyard house, and vaulted over the county wall.
The man did not enter the main hall.
He dismounted in the yard and circled toward the rear.
Behind the county office, soldiers stood in formation.
Dozens.
No—easily more than a hundred.
Beyond the clerks' building came the murmur of many more.
Though unseen, it felt as if several hundred were gathered.
They stood in wide ranks, polishing and inspecting weapons.
It was unmistakably preparation for departure.
So it's them…
Soun pressed himself to the wall and moved swiftly, leaping onto the roof of the building the man had entered.
Through the gaps between the wooden beams beneath the tiles, he located the room.
Then he crawled across the roof in tiger-step, silent as breath.
He lifted a single roof tile and leaned close to listen.
"Two were captured."
"How?"
"They went closer to observe. Left the horses and approached on foot… and then…"
"They should've been more careful."
"Anyway…"
"Didn't look like much."
The man lied easily.
He had not even reached the manor, yet he spoke as if he knew everything.
With the two scouts captured, no one would contradict his report.
The commander believed him.
"Well done. Go get breakfast."
"Yes, General."
As the man left the room, Soun swung from the eaves and slipped inside like a squirrel.
"Who's there!"
The commander turned in alarm—then relaxed.
A small, young boy stood before him.
Soun matched that expectation and asked innocently,
"…Are you the commander here, sir?"
"Yes. But more importantly—why are you here? And how did you get in—"
He did not finish.
Soun's fist drove cleanly into his solar plexus.
"Hgh—!"
The air burst from him.
Another strike—measured.
Enough to break resistance, not consciousness.
"Planning to attack today?"
"How… how did you know?"
"You sent advance scouts. Your men are fully armed and waiting. Anyone can see it's a dawn assault."
"Who are you?"
"I'm a Confucian student."
"You're from the Jin manor."
"No. I'm from the Yu manor."
"What nonsense— Why are you here?"
Soun smiled faintly.
"Two options.
Kill the commander and stop the attack.
Persuade the commander to turn the army back.
Or kill everyone here.
Still deciding.
You're Jin Yi Wei, aren't you?"
"Yes… I am. What do you intend?"
"If you go out now and order a retreat, you live.
If not, you die.
Your choice."
"If I retreat, I die anyway!"
It was absurd.
A Jin Yi Wei centurion being threatened by a boy.
Yet it was no joke.
He had been subdued in a single exchange.
"Let me think… Could you loosen this grip?"
"It hurts, doesn't it?"
Soun released his arm.
The man shouted at once.
"Enemy—!"
A loud cry.
Soun smiled and pressed his foot lightly into the man's solar plexus.
"You really don't listen. You'll die, you know."
This time the breath locked completely.
The centurion's face flushed red as he collapsed to his knees.
"If you turn back, you won't die.
You can trust my word.
Otherwise, you die here."
"Y–You mean that?"
"Want to test it?"
Soun already knew.
This was not a man who could be persuaded by reason.
Still, he gave him the choice.
"Go outside. Order the retreat. Understood?"
The centurion clenched his teeth.
"…Fine. I understand."