Ah! Namgung Clan
Chapter 10
010. I’m Fine (1)
Namgung Ganghae hesitated, unsure how he should answer. He could tell that Seomun Hangwang meant well, but he couldn’t blindly trust someone he had just met.
“We got separated on the way after running into water bandits.”
“By water bandits, do you mean the Changjiang Shuilu Stronghold?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I see. No wonder the ferry downstream was so noisy.”
Seomun Hangwang nodded in understanding. The Changjiang Shuilu Stronghold had been running rampant lately, but he never expected they would pick a fight with the Sanggwan Clan. It was unexpected.
Then he suddenly remembered the man he had met on the way. The one who had approached him out of nowhere and tried to sell him a horse. He had been a man of the Sanggwan Clan as well.
“Come to think of it, you met a man from the Sanggwan Clan on the way, didn’t you?”
“Ah! I remember. He bought Brother’s horse.”
“Right. He said he was in a hurry; so it was because of the bandits.”
“Then aren’t those children traveling with him?”
At Seomun Yeongyeong’s words, Seomun Hangwang looked at Namgung Ganghae and Sanggwan Morang. The situation seemed to be exactly that.
“What did he look like?”
“He had a sword strapped to his back and was wearing clothes stained with blood, so I was wary of him at first.”
“Whether he was injured or not, one of his arms seemed uncomfortable.”
Hearing the two speak, Namgung Ganghae realized the person they were describing was Namgung Joseok.
“He is my uncle.”
“So it was him after all.”
“Wait. He said he was from the Sanggwan Clan, but your surname is Namgung.”
Seomun Yeongyeong spoke as if puzzled. At that, Seomun Hangwang thought back on the situation for a moment, then nodded with an expression of understanding.
“No, Sister. Come to think of it, he never said he was from the Sanggwan Clan himself. We misunderstood because he told us to come to the Sanggwan Clan if we were short on money.”
“Hm. Now that I think about it, you’re right.”
Listening, that was indeed the case. They had simply jumped to conclusions on their own.
“Seeing how urgently he bought the horse back then, he must have gone to look for you. Didn’t you meet him?”
“I met him on the way.”
“Then why are you the only ones here?”
“My uncle lured the bandits away once and came back to us. He stayed behind to face them again, so only we could escape.”
“Then he’ll come looking for you again. Is it alright for you to leave like this?”
“My uncle told us to go to Hefei first.”
“The situation must have been dire.”
Seomun Hangwang made a face full of pity. Since he hadn’t been there, he didn’t know the details, but seeing as the man had made only the children escape, perhaps he had died.
“Anyway, this too is fate. We’ll take responsibility and see you to Hefei, so don’t worry.”
“Thank you. I will not forget this kindness.”
As Namgung Ganghae spoke, he put his hands together in front and gave a slight bow. Despite his youth, he knew his manners. Finding it endearing, Seomun Hangwang smiled and returned the gesture.
“What debt of gratitude is there to speak of? All within the four seas are brethren; in difficult times, we must help one another.”
And so Namgung Ganghae took Sanggwan Morang and headed to Hefei together with the two. Traveling with only young children, they would have had to be careful wherever they went, but with the two of them together, there was no need.
It was convenient when eating meals or securing rooms at inns.
Above all, they had horses, so their travel speed was fast.
At first, they had taken turns riding one horse.
Then Seomun Hangwang stopped by a village and bought another horse, after which they split into pairs and rode.
Even then, the bandits did not pursue them. It was the same even after arriving in Hefei.
So Namgung Ganghae thought that perhaps they had given up.
But that was a misconception.
Some of the bandits chasing Sanggwan Morang had already arrived here, and they had joined forces with those already present.
However, recently Hefei was in a troubled atmosphere because the large and small powers of Anhui were vying against each other. So the Changjiang Shuilu Stronghold couldn’t act rashly.
***
“This way.”
Seomun Hangwang avoided those who appeared to be bandits and entered a narrow alley.
They still had a little farther to go to reach the Geumnyeong Inn.
But there were bandits everywhere, making it difficult to avoid them.
“Brother. It seems they are guarding all the paths leading to the Geumnyeong Inn.”
“It looks that way to me too.”
“What should we do?”
“For now, it would be best to find a place to rest and wait for nightfall. The guard will likely slacken when it gets dark.”
Seomun Hangwang made his plan accordingly.
But it would still be quite some time before the sun set.
Namgung Ganghae did not think it was a good plan.
“Are there many bandits?”
“Just those we’ve seen so far number in the dozens. There are probably even more near the inn.”
“Then even if we wait until night, it will be difficult to get to the Geumnyeong Inn.”
“Do we have any other choice?”
“The bandits don’t know that you two are helping us. So please have one of you go to the inn and meet the people of the Jegal Clan.”
“The Jegal Clan?”
“Yes. They are waiting for Morang.”
“I thought the Sanggwan Clan would be there. This is unexpected.”
“Morang’s maternal family is the Jegal Clan.”
“Is that so?”
Seomun Hangwang had been thinking about this matter simply.
Because Namgung Ganghae had roughly explained that while using a boat from the Sanggwan Clan, they ran into the Changjiang Shuilu Stronghold, negotiations went poorly, and a fight broke out.
But upon entering Hefei, there were swarms of bandits.
The Sanggwan Clan, who should have already received word and arrived, was nowhere to be seen, yet people from the Jegal Clan were waiting at the Geumnyeong Inn.
Was that not strange?
But thinking there must be some circumstances that couldn’t be spoken of, he didn’t press the issue.
“Then wouldn’t it be better to call them here?”
“No. If their numbers are few, it’s dangerous. The bandits will kill all of us, including them, and erase every trace.”
“The Jegal Clan is one of the Eight Great Families of the World. It is a prestigious family that divides Hubei with the Wudang Sect. Unless the Changjiang Shuilu Stronghold has a death wish, they won’t dare lay a hand on them.”
“If they have any sense, they wouldn’t. But…….”
Namgung Ganghae’s eyes went wide as he spoke.
Because at the entrance of the alley, someone who looked like a bandit was gesturing in his direction.
“We’ve been discovered!”
“Damn it!”
Seomun Hangwang quickly scooped up Sanggwan Morang to flee.
But in that brief moment, bandits surged in.
Seeing this, Seomun Yeongyeong struck the horse’s rump with the sword she was holding.
The horse charged toward the bandits.
It was a narrow alley, so there was nowhere to dodge.
The bandits cried out in alarm and retreated the way they had come.
“Brother! Let’s go!”
“Alright!”
Seomun Yeongyeong mounted the horse, and Namgung Ganghae sat in front of her.
And behind them sat Seomun Hangwang holding Sanggwan Morang.
“Hah! Let’s go!”
The horse galloped down the narrow alley.
But before long, bandits appeared ahead as well.
Seomun Yeongyeong pulled the reins and steered the horse into an alley right beside them.
But soon bandits swarmed in there too.
“I’ll break through like this!”
“Understood!”
“Haa!”
Seomun Yeongyeong shouted loudly and spurred the horse.
The bandits panicked at the sight and clamored to get out of the alley.
In that brief moment, the horse reached right in front of them, and in the end, three or four were trampled.
“Ugh!”
“Kuaaaack!”
The bandits’ desperate screams rang out, but Seomun Yeongyeong spurred the horse even harder.
In an instant, they escaped the alley and raced along the main road.
Passersby and merchants doing business by the roadside were startled and leaped aside.
Even amidst that, the bandits chased after them, trying to catch them.
“Throw it!”
With a shout from somewhere, a net fell from above.
Seomun Yeongyeong hugged Namgung Ganghae and threw herself to the left.
Seomun Hangwang, who had been holding Sanggwan Morang, leaped down in the opposite direction.
With a very brief delay, the horse caught in the net tumbled forward.
If they hadn’t jumped off in time, all four would have been harmed.
“Catch them!”
“Don’t kill the girl!”
Bandits with drawn blades surged in from front and back.
Seeing this, Seomun Hangwang and Seomun Yeongyeong drew their sabers.
Namgung Ganghae quickly ran up and took the hand of the frightened Sanggwan Morang.
“I’ll take the lead!”
Seomun Hangwang shouted loudly and swung his saber at the bandits rushing from the front.
Protecting Sanggwan Morang, Namgung Ganghae followed behind him.
Finally, Seomun Yeongyeong moved while keeping the pursuing bandits in check.
Fighting like that in the middle of the main road, passersby and merchants screamed and fled.
Because of that, the bandits couldn’t swing their blades properly.
Those on the rooftops of the roadside buildings who had been trying to throw nets could only watch the situation.
In that gap, Seomun Hangwang wounded three bandits, grabbed one by the scruff of his neck, and pushed forward.
Then the bandits behind him panicked and scattered to the left and right.
But soon, when everyone on the roadside had fled, the four were completely surrounded by bandits before they knew it.
As if they had been waiting, those on the roof threw their nets.
“Haah!”
Seomun Hangwang leaped up and sliced through the net with his saber.
Then this time, arrows flew at him.
He knocked them aside with his saber and landed on the ground, whereupon bandits surged at him.
Desperately swinging his saber, he glanced back and saw Seomun Yeongyeong being pushed back.
There were too many bandits.
Moreover, the two of them had to protect two children.
Then Namgung Ganghae fired an arrow to help Seomun Yeongyeong.
At that, the bandits wildly rushing in hurriedly retreated.
“Take care of that brat first!”
Someone shouted, and a bandit on the roof loosed an arrow at Namgung Ganghae.
He had trained in martial arts intermittently while going from Bangga Village to the Namgung Clan, but he wasn’t at the level to knock aside flying arrows.
It was a moment of crisis, but Seomun Yeongyeong narrowly blocked it.
But because of that, she left an opening to a bandit and had her arm cut.
“Argh!”
“Yeongyeong!”
Seomun Hangwang urgently called Seomun Yeongyeong and tried to fall back.
But four bandits clung to him and kept attacking so he couldn’t.
The situation was hopeless. There was no way out of this place.
“Ah! Uncle!”
Namgung Ganghae, who had been loosing arrows at the bandits again, shouted in great joy.
Seomun Yeongyeong, who was nearby, looked ahead.
Behind the bandits, a man was pushing a cart and charging like an enraged bull.
“Get out of the way!”
“What? Uwaaack!”
Several bandits were knocked down by the cart, and the rest panicked and scattered to both sides.
Because of that, a path opened up to where Seomun Yeongyeong was, and Namgung Joseok pushed the cart even faster, shouting loudly.
“Get on here!”
Seomun Yeongyeong hugged Sanggwan Morang and climbed onto the cart.
Namgung Ganghae climbed on right after and shot an arrow at a bandit swinging a blade behind Namgung Joseok.
“Kuak!”
The bandit hit in the shoulder screamed and fell.
Namgung Ganghae knelt on one knee and nocked another arrow.
And he kept firing his bow at the bandits trying to attack Namgung Joseok.
But Namgung Ganghae was alone, and the bandits were many.
One of the pursuing bandits cut Namgung Joseok’s back.
His vision swam from the terrible pain, but Namgung Joseok didn’t stop.
Rather, he grit his teeth and ran even faster.
This time, a bandit rushing in from the right cut one of his legs.
Namgung Joseok staggered for a moment but continued running while bleeding.
“Uncle!”
“I’m fine!”
Namgung Joseok shouted loudly and raised his internal energy.
Thanks to the sacrifice of two martial artists of the Sanggwan Clan, he had been able to escape the bandits safely.
But he had come all the way here without properly treating his wounds.
So his physical condition was not good, but he couldn’t leave Namgung Ganghae to die.
“Haah!”
When Namgung Joseok unleashed his lightness skill, the cart grew faster.
Seeing that, Seomun Hangwang rushed to his side.
“Let’s push together!”
“Thank you! Huaaaah!”
“Haryaaaah!”
The two men let out fierce cries and pushed the cart together, and the bandits in front panicked and leaped aside to dodge.
Those to the side and those following from behind swung their blades desperately, but they couldn’t stop the two.
They thought they had escaped the place, but a large man with a roughly grown beard blocked their way with several others.
It was none other than Shi Wengong, the First Bandit of the Six Bandits of Changjiang.