Ah! Namgung Clan Episode 005
005 I’ll Protect You (3)
"Close your eyes for a moment."
"O-okay."
Having reassured Sanggwan Morang, Namgung Ganghae turned around. And aimed his bow at Yi Gungho, who was fighting Namgung Joseok. Right now, the only way to get through this situation was to subdue him. Namgung Joseok also knew that, which was why he was fighting desperately.
But he lacked the skill and was gradually being pushed back instead. Firing the bow now wouldn’t help. He had to watch for an opportunity. One that would allow Namgung Joseok to deliver the decisive blow.
Just once! If only once, he felt like he could create such an opportunity.
"Huhp……."
His breathing grew rapid, and sweat trickled down his forehead. The hand nocking the arrow trembled slightly.
It was different from hunting in the past. Firing an arrow amid fighting martial arts masters, and having to avoid hitting a specific person, was by no means an easy task. The extreme tension from thinking he might fail kept clouding his concentration.
"Ss……."
Namgung Ganghae slowly exhaled again to shake off even a little of the tension. It was then. As Namgung Joseok lowered his stance to thrust his sword upward from below, Yi Gungho’s upper body was completely exposed as he tried to strike down with his two heavy blades.
Now!
Swish!
The moment he released the readied arrow, it shot forward quickly. Yi Gungho noticed it and tried to block with his heavy blade. But the trajectory was strange. Rather than aiming for him, it went in an odd direction.
Yi Gungho confirmed that it was a child who had fired the arrow and sneered. He thought it had gone off course due to the archer’s young age.
But that wasn’t the case.
Namgung Ganghae was someone who had survived by hunting in Bangga Village. He might be young, but he wouldn’t miss a target at such close range. Namgung Ganghae had fired like that on purpose.
If he had shot the arrow directly at Yi Gungho, he wouldn’t have been able to create an opportunity. An arrow like this meant nothing to a martial arts master.
But by shooting it to narrowly miss, Yi Gungho was distracted by it and took notice of Namgung Ganghae. It was something he had done unconsciously, wondering why the arrow had gone off course.
That was enough. From the start, Namgung Ganghae’s goal hadn’t been to lodge the arrow in Yi Gungho. Even for a brief moment, he wanted to draw his gaze and create an opening. Only then could Namgung Joseok launch his strike.
"Take that!"
Shhk!
By the time Yi Gungho realized it, it was already too late. Namgung Joseok’s sword had pierced his shoulder socket.
"Kuaaaack!"
Namgung Joseok had never thought this attack would work. However, because Yi Gungho was distracted by knocking away the arrow and looking at Namgung Ganghae, the sword embedded itself in one go. Though greatly surprised that the attack had succeeded by chance, he pushed forward while keeping the sword lodged in place and rammed him with his shoulder.
"Kuack!"
Yi Gungho, receiving another impact to his shoulder, let out a suppressed groan and staggered. But he gritted his teeth and raised his heavy blade.
Namgung Joseok saw this and judged it to be meaningless, disregarding it. Swinging a heavy blade with a wounded shoulder would have no power. Indeed, Yi Gungho had barely managed to raise his heavy blade, but couldn’t swing it.
But it was a feint. If he had intended to attack by swinging the blade, he would have used the heavy blade in his other hand, not his wounded shoulder arm. There was no reason to specifically raise the heavy blade in that hand. The reason he did so anyway was precisely because of a hidden weapon.
Swish!
With a sharp whistling sound of piercing air, a hidden weapon shot out from the end of the heavy blade’s hilt. Namgung Joseok raised his arm reflexively to block it.
"Kuk!"
The hidden weapon was a thin steel needle slightly shorter than the length of a span. As his forearm was pierced, extreme pain flared up, but Namgung Joseok endured it and swung his sword.
"Uuaaaack!"
Yi Gungho, his arm sliced, screamed and dropped his heavy blade. Then, as he was kicked in the leg, he briefly floated into the air before falling to the ground with a thud.
With this, the victor was decided. Namgung Joseok pressed his foot on Yi Gungho’s chest and placed his sword against his neck.
"Everyone stop!"
He amplified his voice with inner energy and shouted loudly, causing it to ring thunderously around them. Hearing that voice, those in the midst of fighting flinched and turned their gazes toward him.
"Your leader has been captured. If you continue, I will cut this man’s throat!"
When he shouted once more, even those who had been too busy fighting to see him all stopped. And they were shocked. The person lying in a miserable state beneath his feet was none other than Yi Gungho. To think that someone capable of subduing him, one of the Six Bandits of the Yangtze River, had been aboard the ship.
The bandits, who had been swinging their blades with gusto thinking it would soon be over, were dumbstruck.
"Drop your weapons!"
Namgung Joseok shouted again. However, the bandits still hesitated as they looked at one another. Seeing this, Namgung Joseok pressed his foot on Yi Gungho’s wounded shoulder.
"Uaaaaack! You son of a bitch! Uack!"
"Order them to drop their weapons and return to their ship!"
"Aack! Alright! I got it! What are you all doing! Do as he says!"
Only when Yi Gungho shouted while enduring the pain did the bandits finally move. Had he died, they would have continued rampaging without care. The dead are not to be feared.
But he was alive. Though gravely wounded, he was alive nonetheless. Then, for now, they had to do as told. If they didn’t, they would suffer terribly at Yi Gungho’s hands later.
The bandits gathered their wounded comrades and returned to the ship they had come on. Namgung Joseok watched them and let out a sigh of relief without showing it. He was glad they had retreated obediently. If they had abandoned Yi Gungho’s life and continued rampaging, it would have been hard to survive.
"Keuk! Untie me now!"
Yi Gungho glared as if to kill and shouted. He regretted doing as told without negotiating with Namgung Joseok. If he were killed just like this, there was nothing he could do about it.
"If you don’t, I’ll call my subordinates back."
"Try it if you can. If you do, your head will be the first to fly."
Namgung Joseok looked down at him with cold eyes and pressed his sword against Yi Gungho’s neck. Feeling the cold touch of the blade on top of Namgung Joseok’s killing intent, Yi Gungho felt a chill run down his spine. Unable to babble any longer, he shut his mouth.
"M-Morang! Are you alright?"
An urgent cry from Sanggwan Irok was heard. Though he was severely wounded and unable to move, he looked for the girl who had been with him.
Only then did Namgung Ganghae help Sanggwan Morang to her feet. Upon doing so, Sanggwan Morang ran to Sanggwan Irok.
"Uncle!"
"Yes, you’re safe."
Sanggwan Irok couldn’t even get up properly due to his injuries. Even so, he embraced Sanggwan Morang and comforted her. Meanwhile, two warriors of the Sanggwan Clan bound Yi Gungho. They were the only ones more or less intact. Of the roughly twenty warriors from the Sanggwan Clan, twelve had died, five were severely wounded, and four had light injuries.
If Namgung Joseok hadn’t subdued Yi Gungho, they would have all died.
The people gathered at the front of the ship had been wiped out. Though a few were still breathing, the situation was beyond help, so their deaths were only a matter of time.
"Are you alright?"
When Namgung Ganghae asked, only then did Namgung Joseok see the needle embedded in his arm. The situation had been so urgent that he hadn’t even realized it hurt. Now the pain was finally setting in.
"Hold this side."
Namgung Joseok received Namgung Ganghae’s help and wrapped a cloth tightly around the arm with the embedded needle. Then, after taking a deep breath, he pulled the needle out in one go. As blood spurted out, Namgung Ganghae quickly pressed cloth against it to staunch the bleeding and wrapped it with practiced skill.
Watching this, Namgung Joseok slightly furrowed his brow. The arm that had been pierced by the needle had gone numb, and his hand wouldn’t move. It was fortunate that it was his left hand at least. His right hand was fine, so he could still hold his sword.
"Your help was great."
"Huh? Ah!"
Namgung Ganghae smiled awkwardly. An expression showing he was pleased by the praise. Namgung Joseok reflected on the battle from earlier. If Namgung Ganghae hadn’t fired that arrow at the right time, he absolutely couldn’t have won. Judgment like that wasn’t something a mere twelve-year-old child should be capable of, yet this talent was truly welcome. It was enough to make one thrilled.
But on the other hand, it was regretful and bitter. If only he had properly mastered the Heavenly Thunder Divine Skill, the advanced martial art of the Namgung Clan! If only he had learned even a little more of the Flash Lightning Thirteen Sword Thunder! He would have been able to subdue bandits like that in a single blow.
"Thank you. Had it not been for you, things would have gotten dangerous."
As he was lost in thought, Sanggwan Irok’s voice was heard. He had been cut in the side and leg, so he couldn’t stand properly. Thus, he offered his gratitude while seated.
"It is not yet over."
Namgung Joseok said so and looked at the bandits’ ship following them at a distance. For now, they weren’t approaching because of Yi Gungho, but they wouldn’t just go back like that either. Going straight to the pier like this was dangerous. Perhaps there might be bandits there as well.
He needed information. Whatever it might be.
Namgung Joseok approached Yi Gungho, crouched down, and met his eyes.
"From now on, I will ask you one thing at a time. Each time you don’t answer, I will stick this needle into your body."
"Are you saying that a prestigious clan like the Sanggwan Clan will torture me?"
When Yi Gungho shouted desperately, everyone looked toward them. That was what he was aiming for. He had thought Namgung Joseok was from the Sanggwan Clan. Thus, he had believed that with people watching, they wouldn’t torture him for the sake of face.
But Namgung Joseok was not from the Sanggwan Clan. Of course, he was from a prestigious clan, but it was a fallen clan. In order to survive, he could do something like this without batting an eye.
"I will ask. You had no intention of negotiating from the start. Was that luggage your objective?"
"Ridiculous! I was…… Uack!"
Yi Gungho let out a scream and curled up before finishing his words. Namgung Joseok had stuck the needle into his thigh.
"I will ask again. Was that luggage your objective?"
"You son of a bitch! Just kill me…… Kuaaaack!"
This time it was his arm. Yi Gungho thrashed about, unable to endure the pain, but the bindings were tight, so all he could do was squirm.
"I will ask one more time. If you do not answer properly this time either, I will stick this into your eye."
"Keugh…… W-wait…… I’ll talk."
This threat worked. Having experienced it twice, the pain was worse than he had thought. Moreover, while a needle in the body could somehow be treated, an eye meant blindness—the end.
"Was your objective that luggage?"
"No."
"Then why did you target the Sanggwan Clan?"
"I received a commission."
"What kind of commission?"
Yi Gungho hesitated briefly in answering. At that, Namgung Joseok tried to stick the needle in again.
"That child! They asked me to kill that girl!"
Looking at Yi Gungho speaking urgently, Namgung Joseok slightly furrowed his brow and turned his gaze toward Sanggwan Morang. They had moved like this just to kill one girl?
He couldn’t readily understand.
"The reason?"
"I don’t know. I merely did as I was told."
"Who ordered it?"
"I don’t know either. The one who received the commission was the chief."
Even though he had answered properly, Namgung Joseok stuck the needle into Yi Gungho’s shoulder. At that, Yi Gungho screamed and spewed curses.
"Kuaaaack! You madman! I told the truth! You son of a bitch! Stop! Stop!"
Namgung Joseok watched his reaction for a moment and nodded. It seemed it wasn’t a lie.
"Your lot is at the pier, aren’t they?"
"Y-you’re a dead man once you arrive there. If you let me go even now, I will spare your life."
"Hmm. I’ll think about it."
At the unexpectedly positive response, Yi Gungho’s eyes widened. Whether he did or not, Namgung Joseok had found out everything he needed to know and went to Sanggwan Irok.
"As you heard, their target is that child. Is there something that comes to mind?"
"Hmm. It is not that nothing comes to mind, but it is not something to tell an outsider."
Sanggwan Irok said as he looked at Sanggwan Morang in his embrace with affectionate eyes. It seemed there was some kind of story, but at a glance, it appeared to be a succession struggle.