As Prophet - Chapter 61



Only Krnovel

Episode 61. You have to attack straight ahead.

Three military officers saluted under the earthen platform.

“You said you came here on the recommendation of the elders of the city?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The words stopped abruptly. The military discipline was high. Dalcheon ordered the three people up onto the floor and wrote down their names, family origins, horoscopes, and addresses.

“Where do you work?”

“I got a love song.”

“Are you taking a year off?”

“It’s similar. It’s similar to sending someone to Sungkyunkwan to study.”

“This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“There is something like that.”

Although suspicious, it was not easy to fool a child as naive as Dalcheon. Dalcheon also seemed to know that. The three people worked in the palace, and two worked in the northwest. Two were 7th rank Sajeong (second lieutenant level), and the other was a 5th rank Sajik (equivalent to a major). Dalcheon, who did not know the military ranks well, wrote it down and passed.

After writing three pieces of paper, he said, “Oh my!” and looked at the three people intently. He sighed and blinked.

“Is there a problem?”

“I am worried because they are quite old. Will they be able to keep up with their studies?”

“It would be difficult if I had not done anything until this age, but I have learned martial arts so far. I would like to take this opportunity to be reborn anew.”

“Ahaha, that’s right. I guess so. Well, let’s go out and check out your martial arts.”

There was a smile in the eyes of the three people looking at each other. Dalcheon, who was walking away, threw a training sword to the three people.

“Now, attack. Charge at me and kill that thoughtless brat.”

Sajik smiled wryly.

“It’s dangerous.”

Dalcheon laughed the same way.

“You are in danger.”

“Ahem.”

Sajik took out his sword and threw the scabbard on the ground. Throwing away someone else’s scabbard seemed rude at first glance. Dalcheon shook his head.

“All three of you, jump in together.”

“Huh?”

“When will I ever get to fight against the master of Hwagyeong? If I fight against him anywhere else, I’ll die.”

“Hwa, hwa, is it Hwa-kyung?”

“That’s what they say, that’s what they say.”

It doesn’t seem like he’s really acknowledging it. At Sajik’s nod, the two men behind him pulled out their swords and held them upright in the center of their bodies.

“Why did you learn the Tao? Why are you doing that? Come. Or I will go.”

Sajik brought the tip of his sword forward and pulled it up, narrowing the gap. He brought the sword close to his body as if it was hugging him, and swung it down diagonally, breaking it at the top. It was a decisive blow that made it difficult to set an angle to block. Perhaps out of concern, he aimed for the tip of his shoulder instead of his neck.

Dalcheon stepped forward, dodging the attack while tilting his body.

“You have to attack straight ahead.”

By taking a step towards the one who was rushing at you, you were able to get close enough to the attack distance between the two. Distance is very important in sword fighting. If you are too far away, you will miss, and if you are too close, the strike will not be effective.

As Sajik, who was surprised, turned his shoulder to the side and put away his sword, a palm stretched out from under his raised arm. It was too late, as it was a close and urgent distance. He twisted his waist to dodge and lowered his raised arm. Dalcheon’s palm struck Sajik’s side and escaped.

I was hit on the side, but there was no shock. Did he give me some consideration? I lightly touched him and moved away. The stepping technique I took without thinking scattered like a zigzag and dragged on the ground. The area under Sajik’s ears turned bright red. It was because he felt like he was being made fun of.

Two of them rushed forward. I turned my shoulder to dodge the sword that was coming down honestly, and caught the opponent’s ankle in a simple weak spot. I stepped over the lower part of the body, and the two rolled down with a loud crash. It was just one clash, and just one move.

He thrust his sword forward, his remaining circumstances tangled. He thought that the bastard would be helpless against a stabbing attack.

As expected, he spun around halfway and clung to me tightly. He confirmed that his left hand was extended forward, and he grabbed the sword that had been extended by about 7 pun while cutting his wrist. Then, the sword in his right hand lightly blocked the sword path, and his left hand dug into Sajeong’s abdomen. This time, there was no shock. Instead, a loud scream came out of Guan Zhu’s mouth.

“Bang!”

As the commander stepped back, he took a stance and encouraged(?) the three to attack. Sajik waved his hand and pointed to the two men and then to the back of Dalcheon. The two men moved sideways and took up positions behind Dalcheon.

As soon as they took their positions in the shape of the letter “品”, Guan Zhu’s attack began. He extended his sword to block the expected sword path, and struck the shoulder with his left hand.

“evil!”

This time, the blow was so strong that his shoulder swayed. Dalcheon jumped to the other side. Sajeong’s sword swung up and down quickly. Gwanju’s body dodged the vertical attack to the side and rushed forward, then struck close to his wrist, knocking the sword away and stabbing him in the side.

“evil.”

This time, the shock came again. No, it was big. I heard a ‘thud’ sound and then fell to the side.

But that wasn’t the end. I jumped on top of the guy who was lying down and screaming. The guy who was lying on the ground rolled around, but he couldn’t avoid the kick that hit his side. I rolled frantically towards my comrades and got up and swung my sword.

Even though they knew they were no match for him after a single clash, the guards did not give up easily. This was because they fell for the provocation that the master had cleverly planned. He hit them where it hurt, and then hit them where it hurt more. He made them roll on the ground, embarrassing them, and teased them by sticking their faces in front of them as they frantically dodged. It was a provocation. They rushed at them like crazy, knowing they were no match for them.

Guan Zhu bought time by cooking the three people appropriately. He stomped on and beat various parts of their bodies. Screams and cheers were mixed together. The way he moved awkwardly as if he was going to get hit strangely escaped the attacks of the three people. It was like jumping into the water and catching a loach with his bare hands.

Time passed without a trace. Even after he was too tired to lift his sword and lost the sword he was holding, Guan Zhu did not stop. He wanted to ask, “Why?” but his pride as a military officer did not allow it.

After quite some time, the resignation surrendered. Not the head, but the body surrendered.

“I lost. I can’t even touch the collar.”

Dalcheon stood there and looked down.

“If you want to learn, stay. If not, go back.”

Dalcheon turned around and went up to the main hall. It is not that the words are difficult, but the choice is difficult. He came here because he was told to go and learn, but he immediately told me that I was lacking and told me to do whatever I wanted. I was just following orders, but he treated me like a criminal who had committed a serious crime. Those who were in high positions as military commanders objected.

“What… did we do wrong? We don’t deserve to be treated like this.”

“Treat your subordinates as you would your subordinates. Here, we are all the same students.”

“It sounds like you don’t care at all about social status and role, but we feel like you’re dealing with a bunch of idiots.”

“The role is important but the ability is low, the position is high but the person seems inferior, so I get angry for no reason.”

The obvious accusation made Sa-Jeong suddenly react. Sa-Jeong turned his fingertips to the side like a sword and blocked Sa-Jeong’s sudden action.

“I came because you told me to.”

“Then just do that.”

The expression on Sajik’s face became serious, and he thought back on the time since he arrived. He did nothing wrong. He was not rude, and he did not bully anyone. It was unfair. He remembered the words that they looked at his qualifications when he entered the office.

“Are you looking for qualifications?”

Dalcheon nodded silently.

“Did you pass?”

“I don’t mean to criticize. It’s just a shame that these three are the average quality of North Korean soldiers.”

“Does a commander have to have high martial arts skills?”

“It’s not absolute, but I think you have to have a broad perspective and deep insight.”

“I came to learn. If you teach me, that’s all.”

You teach and we learn. Why don’t we just pay for it? Just like ordering noodles from the author, we can just pay for your skills and learn them.

We will have to accept the world that is understood as a tool someday. They say that things that are lonely but cannot be rejected are purified by the word role, but I don’t want to get too caught up in this. Dalcheon smiled brightly.

“If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to. You can go back. I won’t say anything else to Elder Dojeong. I’m doing this because he asked me to, not because I want to make money. I want to say, ‘I’ll give you money, so teach me your skills. Then we’ll learn diligently, and that’s the end of the deal. There’s nothing else.’”

“… … .”

The three people swallowed hard.

“You should not teach the martial arts outside the sky to those who are inferior. I am looking at your character. I have confirmed it in my own way. It is truly a great experience to have reached that point with a middle-class temperament, but this is not the case.

To be honest, I don’t like getting entangled in the official world. But I keep getting entangled in it. I wish I could be a little more humble, respect the people I’m with, and not think of them as a transactional subject.”

“I will do so.”

I put my hands on the floor and bowed slightly, thinking that my resignation would seem a little more humble.

“Come starting tomorrow. Just come wearing your military uniform. It starts at the end of the day and the beginning of the night.”

“All right.”

“Oh, have you decided on a place to live?”

“There’s a horse stable nearby. It’s not a very big place, but they say you can get accommodations there. I’m thinking of going there now.”

“It went well.”

“I heard that you hate government offices and avoid them. We had no choice but to come here. I hope you will understand within reasonable limits.”

The experienced Sajik ended the conversation. Dalcheon waved his hand. It was uncomfortable, but if it was a role, I had to do it. Since they were old, their martial arts achievements would be limited. I thought about sending them out when there was no progress.

Baek I-jeong came in after seeing the three people leaving, and handed over the documents that Dal-cheon had written as admission materials.

“What are these people?”

“That’s right. They are the people sent by the elder Dojeong who came the other day. They are soldiers.”

* * *

The crowd grew. The next morning, Dalcheon made them stand behind the group studying and do the same. He seemed to think that they all knew this, and he kept smiling cheekily the whole time.

Dalcheon took the little boy out and made him do it on the platform, and inspected the people lined up one by one at arm’s length. The three of them already knew most of what they were studying. On the one hand, it was fortunate, and they might think that they had nothing to learn. They did not know that the great general was doing the same thing in the meantime.

After the time spent together, those preparing for the military examination went down. Mukhyeong taught the remaining children the national swordsmanship. It was a swordsmanship that had the scent of old history. The children imitated the movements of the distinction, and the three of them seemed to be imitating them halfheartedly. Their grumbling and mocking attitudes were an eyesore.

Dalcheon immediately took out three people and made them walk twenty laps around the training ground.

“Yes? Why?”

When Sajik asked, Dalcheon simply repeated the same thing.

“Three people, you don’t seem to be concentrating. Do twenty laps of the martial arts field! Go!”

“No, what do you know about us?”

“They are idiots who think that once they reach the top, their character will also rise.”

The children who were studying glanced back at Dalcheon’s excessive remarks.