The dry waterway where the Silver Moon Order had gathered.
Rangnan stood near the entrance, gauging the footsteps and breathing of the members as they came and went.
The Silver Moon Order had to be even more cautious now.
As of today, they were no longer an organization that fought from hiding,
but a shadow-like hand of the Republic.
A single mistake could shake Arku’s resolve.
Just then, Taejin came running in, panting.
He held out a sheet of paper to Rangnan.
It was a brief message from Yun’s side, containing the details of the negotiation and the words “deferred until noon tomorrow.”
Rangnan read it quickly,
then immediately raised his head toward the members.
“The harassment at dusk I mentioned earlier today… is canceled.”
His voice was low, but firm.
“We must not provoke the Empire until night falls.”
A brief breath passed among the members.
Rangnan continued.
“When night comes, and the full moon is clear, we strike the Empire’s encampment.”
“However.”
He opened his palm.
“Our objective is not annihilation.”
Rangnan’s gaze swept over the members one by one.
“We make it so they can no longer rise again.”
“Their encampment and supplies. Provisions. Equipment.”
“And only the soldiers who resist.”
He pressed the last words even lower.
“The city, officially, will pretend it saw nothing tonight.”
“So we must not be the first to cross the line.”
Rangnan paused for a beat, then spoke.
“Do not forget. We are not moving for the sake of destruction.”
“We are trying to protect Arku from the Empire.”
He turned his gaze toward Miryeong.
“Miryeong. Muryeong.”
“You two will monitor the Imperial encampment from now on.”
“They said they bought themselves today to tend to the wounded and reorganize.”
“If those words are a lie—there will be other movements.”
“If you see any change, return at once and report it.”
Miryeong and Muryeong nodded.
“Understood.”
The two slipped quietly out of the waterway.
Bido hesitated for a moment, then approached Rangnan.
The moment she tried to speak, her throat tightened first.
Clenching her fingertips, Bido carefully opened her mouth.
“Lord Rangnan… I…”
Rangnan did not listen to the end of Bido’s words.
He cut her off first, in a low voice.
“Bido.”
“You will not take up a sword tonight.”
Bido’s eyes trembled faintly.
Her hand reflexively groped at her chest.
The necklace touched her palm.
The sensation that had been cold was, at some point, faintly hot.
Rangnan continued.
“You already know the reason.”
Bido said nothing.
Instead, she gripped the necklace tightly.
So tightly that the joints of her fingers turned white.
Rangnan’s voice was resolute, but not cold.
It was a tone closer to “responsibility” than “prohibition.”
“Instead, you will aid the wounded in the rear.”
“This is a fight where we strike and withdraw. If you stand at the front, the purpose of the battle will change.”
Bido swallowed without being able to lift her head.
Rangnan drove in the final point.
“Do not let the Imperial army see you under any circumstances.”
“From that moment on, this fight will no longer be a fight to bring down the Empire—”
“It will be twisted into a fight to protect you.”
Bido’s shoulders sank ever so slightly.
It was the motion of accepting something.
“…Yes.”
A small voice barely came out.
“I understand.”
Bido lowered her head.
Her hand was still caught on the necklace.
From a short distance away, Mendel and Erdin watched the scene.
Neither of them said anything.
Only Mendel’s expression, for a moment—
hardened into something mixed with pity, apology, and resolve.
Erdin turned his gaze away, then looked back at Bido.
And in a very small voice, so faint it was almost inaudible, he murmured.
“…It’s all right.”
It was so quiet that it was hard to tell whom he was speaking to, but the words were clearly meant for Bido.
—
The sun slowly began to set.
The air inside the dry waterway cooled little by little,
and the members finished their preparations without a sound.
Some checked their supplies again, while others wiped their blades once more.
There were few words, but their movements were aligned in one direction.
Muryeong returned once and reported in a low voice.
“The encampment is quiet. Only shifts, and the wounded tents have increased.”
Rangnan merely nodded.
He asked nothing more.
And when the sun had completely gone down, the forest changed color again under the moonlight.
Far away, the lights near the city gate flickered like dots, and the noise outside grew even more distant.
The clearer the moon became,
the shallower the breathing inside the dry waterway grew.
Everyone knew.
What remained now—
was only the beginning.
Rangnan took one step forward.
The breaths inside the dry waterway lowered all at once.
Someone tightened their grip on a sword hilt, and someone else tied their water pouch again.
Moonlight had spread thinly across the rocks near the entrance.
Rangnan spoke in a low voice.
“Listen carefully, all of you.”
His gaze swept over the members once.
“As I said earlier, avoid meaningless destruction and sacrifice.”
“We came for victory, not for blood.”
“Tonight’s objective is one thing. To make it so they can never recover again.”
He paused to catch his breath, then lowered his voice further.
“Those who use Arkin must be especially cautious.”
“The flow amplified on this night, if it bursts out even once, will lead to needless destruction,”
“and it will return to our allies as well.”
“Be prudent, and careful.”
Rangnan pointed outside with his finger.
“And the knights.”
“They are not equipment; they themselves are weapons. Do not engage them head-on.”
“Ordinary members are to avoid combat with knights. The most you may do is keep them in check.”
His gaze stopped on certain individuals.
“Muryeong.”
“Aslo.”
“Hurta.”
“You will handle the paladin.”
When their names were called, the posture of the three shifted faintly.
There was no answer, but there was a sense that they had accepted it.
Rangnan continued.
“The rest of you, focus on your assigned tasks.”
“Supplies. Wagons. Lighting.”
“Wherever a flame is lit, whether it is a torch or an oil lamp, our position will be exposed.”
“Attach one person who can handle fire to each group. Put it out, and put it out again.”
“Do not push in recklessly. Getting out is more important than getting in.”
“And one more thing.”
“Do not touch the wounded tents.”
“We are not slaughterers.”
Finally, Rangnan turned to the side.
“Ed.”
“You will stay beside me and handle command signals.”
Rangnan drove in his final words, low but clear.
“When tonight ends.”
“We may obtain the thing we have dreamed of.”
He lifted his gaze and looked toward the moonlit entrance.
“So.”
“Come back alive to the end.”
Rangnan said quietly.
“Then, we move out.”
Muryeong stepped forward first.
Rangnan gestured to align those behind him.
“Keep your distance.”
“Do not make a sound, and match your breathing to one another.”
The members began to leave the dry waterway, some alone,
others in groups of two or three.
This operation had to begin as a surprise attack.
So they moved more carefully than ever.
Without lifting their heels,
stepping over the earth as if sliding,
even minimizing the motions of their hands as they avoided branches.
The air outside was cold.
The moonlight did not make a path for them.
Instead, it only stretched the shadows long.
How long had they walked?
Muryeong suddenly raised his hand and signaled them to stop.
The movement behind him stopped at the same time.
No metal rang,
and no breath burst out.
It was a trained halt.
Ahead of him stood Miryeong.
Miryeong approached and spoke in a very small voice.
“It’s not far from here now.”
She cast her gaze beyond the forest.
“They don’t seem to be fools after all… The surrounding guard isn’t sloppy.”
“There are quite a few patrols. The perimeter is tight, too.”
Rangnan nodded as if he had expected as much.
“They must have figured it out through patrols.”
Miryeong nodded.
“Yes. I got a rough look at their shift times too.”
Rangnan said briefly.
“Good.”
He gave instructions as if pointing to the ground with his finger.
“Miryeong will command. Quietly subdue the guards first.”
Miryeong nodded once.
Her hand moved briefly, and the members naturally split into twos and threes.
And while maintaining distance from one another, they took routes that did not overlap.
They began moving again.
This time, even more slowly.
Toward the encampment, like shadows.
—
The soldier was on patrol.
He was tired.
His eyelids were heavy, and the shoulder strap dug into his flesh.
Still, it would soon be time for the shift change—
clinging to that single thought, he dragged his feet.
The forest was quiet, and the encampment was not far away.
He hoped nothing else would happen today.
But then.
He felt as though something was off.
Patrols were supposed to be conducted in pairs.
At some point, he could no longer hear the footsteps of the comrade who should have been following behind him.
At first, he thought the damp soil had swallowed the sound.
But even after several steps, there was not even the sound of breathing.
The soldier stopped and turned around.
“Huh…?”
At that moment—
the ground beneath his feet gave way.
“Mm—!”
Just as his body was about to fall downward, something was clamped firmly over his mouth.
His scream was blocked.
At the same time, something stretching out like an arm wrapped around his torso and pulled.
And just like that, he was dragged down into the ground.
The smell of earth struck his nose.
He could not breathe.
Everything before his eyes went dark.
And not long after—
outside air entered again.
The soldier blinked.
Under the moonlight, he saw the face of a Haraya with white hair fluttering loose.
It was Miryeong.
Her eyes did not waver.
“Tie him up tight, Marin.”
Miryeong spoke in a low voice.
“Yes.”
Marin quickly ran over and tied the soldier’s wrists, arms, and even his legs.
The knots were fast and precise.
His scream never came out in the end.
Jincheong swept his gaze around once and asked quietly.
“Is this the last one?”
Miryeong nodded.
“The last.”
After answering briefly, she immediately turned her gaze to the side.
The soldier twisted his body and barely managed to move his head.
Only then did he see it.
A short distance away,
several soldiers wearing the same armor as him were already lying bound.
Some had their eyes wide open,
while others still looked as though they did not understand the situation.
Miryeong did not linger any longer.
She turned like the wind, toward the shadows in the forest—
toward where Rangnan was.
She spoke in a low voice.
“Done.”
Hearing that answer, Rangnan said quietly, yet clearly.
“…Now.”
“We go in.”