***
"Heok!"
I jumped up from my seat, breaking out in a cold sweat. It was because I had a nightmare. Looking around, it was still a dark night. Beside me, Bi Sa-yeong and Bae Jong-gwan were still fast asleep, and Squad Leader Seol Poong was nowhere to be seen, perhaps having gone to train again. Only after confirming that I had not lost anything yet was I able to breathe a sigh of relief.
My nightmare was a memory of my past life. The memories of my past life where everyone around me had disappeared. And perhaps, things that would be repeated in the future. I prided myself on doing my best, at least until now. I had saved my friend Bae Jong-gwan, whom I had lost in my past life, and I was training with all my might to regain the martial prowess of my past life and, furthermore, to reach the Peak realm, which I considered the minimum condition to act independently. In any case, there was almost nothing I could do before reaching that level of martial prowess.
But was that really true? Was this really enough? The danger of the front would only increase as time passed. Soon, the Iron Ghosts would appear, and as more time passed, the Poison Sand Ghosts would appear. In my past life, we had endured somehow while losing our comrades one by one, but in the end, enduring that was a meaningless task. Every demon was eventually nothing more than a process for creating the final product, the Blood Demon Human.
Five years later, the Blood Demon Humans would appear. Peak-level masters with the bodies of demons. And two years after they appeared, the front had completely collapsed. The Blood Cult gradually released the power they had gathered and expanded their territory beyond Yunnan Province into Sichuan, Guizhou, and Guangxi Provinces. As if mocking the non-aggression pact with the Murim Alliance.
I had died in that process. Therefore, I did not know what happened after that. Whether the entire martial world gathered its strength to stop the Blood Cult, or whether the Blood Cult's reign over the world truly came to pass. Of course, despite all that future, the only thing I could do now was to grow myself. That was why I was focusing only on training with the thought of moving forward one step at a time.
However, whenever I suffered from nightmares like this, I ended up asking myself once more. Was this truly enough?
.......
There was no way it was.
At the point where the duel between Ju Tae-gyeong, the Sword Beetle of Jeomchang, and Sunwoo Jin was two days away, today was the day the 7th Squad was in charge of the evening patrol. Since training during the patrol hours was skipped, they were heading out for the patrol, skipping the evening sparring practice today.
Na Seo-yu, the deputy leader of the 7th Squad, felt a bit of regret about that fact. This was because the evening sparring practice was her favorite time. It was partly because she felt like she had recently broken through her previous stagnation and saw a path, and also because the time she could duel with him alone every day was the happiest time of her day.
Na Seo-yu, who was feeling regretful at such thoughts, suddenly smirked, finding it funny that she was having these thoughts at the front. When it was first decided that she would go to the front, she had thought she would die as soon as she entered.
'We cannot send your younger brother, who will carry on the family line, can we? Please sacrifice yourself a little for our Na Family Manor.'
The voice of her stepmother saying that was so cold and did not feel sorry at all. When she was seven years old, after Na Seo-yu's mother passed away, her stepmother took control of the Na Family Manor. She openly discriminated against Na Seo-yu in favor of her own biological son, who was three years younger, but she thoroughly hid that fact from Na Seo-yu's father.
It was hard and painful, but she thought she had to endure it. Because she believed that her sacrifice was the way to serve her father and the Na Family Manor. Na Seo-yu, who had always lived only in sacrifice, had answered her stepmother's demand for another sacrifice like this:
'Yes, Mother. I understand.'
She knew she would die if she went, but Na Seo-yu did not know how to refuse or how to rebel. Because she had lived only that way for too long.
'And I actually almost died on the first patrol.'
While tracking a Spider Ghost that grew by absorbing human essence, she was kidnapped by a demon master of the Blood Cult who was lying in ambush. The horrific face of the fellow who scanned her entire body with greedy eyes while she was unable to move due to her blood points being struck still came to mind occasionally. She might not have been able to overcome that memory. No, she wouldn't have even been able to survive in the first place. If he had not saved her.
She could never forget that amazing martial prowess of the man who flew in like a meteor and kicked the demon master away, then chased the demon master who was flying and spraying blood at a faster speed to batter him, and then the foolish expression he made as he returned to her and didn't know what to do while asking if she was okay with a simple appearance like a mountain boy. At that time, Na Seo-yu had forgotten her fear and burst into a short laugh.
Later, when he was chosen as the leader of the newly established 7th Squad and Na Seo-yu also came to the 7th Squad following him, there were many difficult things, but Na Seo-yu could still say with confidence that right now was the happiest time of her life. Even if she were to die tomorrow.
After looking at his back as he walked at the front for a moment, Na Seo-yu looked back at the squad members. If it was his job to defeat the enemy and protect the squad members, it was her job to take care of them. The kind of work that she could do best and that could fill his deficiencies.
"Young Master Bi, it seems your body has become even more impressive lately. You were masculine before, but these days it stands out even more."
"Hmph! The deputy leader's praise is too common, so I don't really believe it."
"Oh my, I'm serious, you know?"
These were the words she said to Bi Sa-yeong, who was grumbling to Bae Jong-gwan that his agility seemed to have decreased because his body had bulked up from external art training. Even as he said he didn't believe her praise, Na Seo-yu smiled as she saw him stop his complaining with his mouth twitching. Then, she spoke to Bae Jong-gwan through sound transmission.
- Young Master Bae, women don't really like it if you show your feelings too openly on the outside. Rather, they feel attracted when you take care of them in a subtle way. You know what I mean, right?
When she advised Bae Jong-gwan, who could not take his eyes off Cheon Ju-eun today as well, Bae Jong-gwan looked at Na Seo-yu with a grateful gaze and began to guard the surroundings while trying to act as dignified as possible.
Lately, Cheon Ju-eun had been feeling a bit uncomfortable with Bae Jong-gwan's gaze, which looked at her excessively. For now, she was grateful that he was a good person and was interested in her, but if the discomfort continued, it could lead to a bad result for both of them. Since it was an environment where they didn't know when they would die, the front was a place where romance was freer than anywhere else in the martial world, but because of that, there were cases where the unity of the squad was disrupted due to uncomfortable feelings between a man and a woman, or in severe cases, one side had to go to another squad entirely.
Na Seo-yu wanted to prevent such things. And if possible, she hoped that good people would have good feelings for each other. At least for this moment while they were alive.
Having settled the things she could handle immediately, Na Seo-yu now moved her gaze to the person she didn't quite know how to handle. The person Na Seo-yu didn't know how to handle, Cheong-yeon, was looking at one person with an unreadable gaze.
'Young Master Sunwoo.'
Young Master Sunwoo Jin, who had appeared like a comet and completely changed the atmosphere of the 7th Squad, had recently become somewhat dark. He didn't show it when dealing with other people, but the difference was clearly revealed when he was thinking deeply about something alone like that. Everyone thought it was because of the upcoming duel with Ju Tae-gyeong, so they were just pretending not to notice, but it was true that the other squad members were also a bit discouraged since he was acting that way. By now, Young Master Sunwoo Jin had become a person who could influence the atmosphere of the 7th Squad.
And Cheong-yeon. After confirming her face recently, she was someone who made Na Seo-yu think it was right for her to go around with her face covered because of her excessive beauty; she had made a bombshell declaration in front of her and Cheon Ju-eun recently. It was when she heard the rumor that Sunwoo Jin was in love with Dang Yeo-eun. As the three women of the 7th Squad were doing their afternoon training as usual, the thought of that time suddenly came to mind, and she brought it up.
'Actually, when Young Master Sunwoo Jin and Yeon-yi first came, I thought you two were in a relationship, you know? Or that you were in love. Especially after seeing Yeon-yi follow Young Master Sunwoo Jin to the 7th Squad, I thought Yeon-yi was in love with Young Master Sunwoo Jin.'
Then, Cheon Ju-eun, who was listening beside her, also burst into laughter and agreed.
'Puhuhu! You too, Sister? Me too. So later, after seeing Sister Yeon's face, I actually felt a bit sorry, you know?'
'Ah, really? Giggling. Me too.'
When the only two people in the 13th Unit who knew Cheong-yeon's true appearance said that and burst into laughter, Cheong-yeon, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth with an expressionless face.
'That is correct, though?'
'Huh? What is correct?'
'The part about me liking Young Master Sunwoo, it's correct.'
'...Huh?'
Na Seo-yu and Cheon Ju-eun were flustered by Cheong-yeon's calm answer, given with an expression asking why they were stating such an obvious thing.
'O-of course you would like Young Master Sunwoo. I like him too. He is a precious squad member and a trustworthy person.'
'That's right. Young Master Sunwoo is a really good person. Besides, after losing weight, he became surprisingly handsome. But Sister, we weren't talking about that kind of thing...'
However, Cheong-yeon interrupted Cheon Ju-eun and spoke again. In a rarely determined tone.
'I know what you are talking about. And I am also talking about that kind of thing. I am in love with Young Master Sunwoo as a man.'
'...Eh?'
'...Really?'
The two fell into confusion. Why on earth would Cheong-yeon be in love with Sunwoo Jin? Furthermore, what kind of tone was that for someone in love? From the tone alone, it sounded less like a confession of love and more like a confession of wanting revenge. Na Seo-yu barely managed to collect her confusion and asked Cheong-yeon.
'No, Yeon-yi, why on earth? No, that's not it. Furthermore, if that's true, why are you so calm after hearing that Young Master Sunwoo is in love with Young Lady Dang?'
Cheong-yeon answered as if it were natural.
'Because it won't be true. It seems true that he is interested, but it doesn't seem to be interest as a woman. Rather, he is...'
After saying that much and looking at Na Seo-yu for a moment, Cheong-yeon changed the subject again.
'And I grew to like him when he was fat. Because I originally liked round things. But although I was attracted to his round appearance, the feeling didn't disappear even after he lost weight. I'm guessing it's because I've come to see the things inside his appearance.'
At her confession, spoken calmly as if describing an objective observation of nature, Na Seo-yu and Cheon Ju-eun were lost for words. It was only after some more time had passed that Cheon Ju-eun thought of another question.
'T-then why aren't you doing anything?'
'What should I do?'
'No, like approaching him more closely than now, or, yes! Showing him your real face!'
Then, Cheong-yeon had asked with a rare smile.
'Why must I definitely do something? I like it enough just observing him from the side right now.'
Na Seo-yu and Cheon Ju-eun could only realize once again that Cheong-yeon was an incomprehensible existence. After such an event, Na Seo-yu could not easily intervene in the affairs of the two. So eventually, she departed for the patrol without being able to say anything to them.
And it was when they had completed about half of the patrol route. Around the time the western sky was stained red, Seol Poong, who was standing at the lead, held out his palm toward the squad members. A signal to stop, meaning something had appeared.
As the squad members stopped in perfect order and guarded the surroundings, Seol Poong became a streak of light in an instant and jumped into the jungle.
Sha-a-ak!
Then, a scream was heard immediately.
"Whoa! Please save me!"
At that unexpected reaction, the members of the 7th Squad could only open their eyes wide. Save me? To hear a scream from such ordinary people? At this front?
The person Seol Poong had barely managed to stop his killing move and subdue was a nimble-looking black-skinned Miao youth. Furthermore, that Miao youth pleaded with his palms rubbed together in front of the squad members in slightly awkward Han language.
"I am definitely not a person who became a monster. I am just a Miao person living inside the forest."
The squad members were flustered. All the Miao people they had seen while serving at the front were those who had become demons because of the Blood Cult. This was the first time they had met a Miao person who had their senses, and that Miao youth was even making a desperate request to them.
"I beg of you. Please help us. Our benefactor, the Poisonous Old Man, is coughing up blood."