“Bring them back by any means necessary”. That was practically an order to kidnap them.
If I wanted to protect the status window and all the abilities I had built up through it, I had no choice but to obey.
Perhaps the Emperor sensed that I was less than enthusiastic, because he stepped closer, threw an arm around my shoulder, and whispered.
“If you succeed, I’ll grant you wealth and honor so great, no one will ever compare.”
Wealth and honor.
Admittedly, there was some truth to what the Emperor said. It was hard to truly grasp just how overwhelming such luxuries could be.
Still, after years of serving in the Imperial Guard, constantly by the Emperor’s side, I had seen and heard enough to at least have a sense of it.
Apparently thinking that wasn’t enough to sway me, the Emperor added another offer.
“And you. Do you know concubine Yoo?”
“Y-Yes, I do.”
How could I not? Yoo Sim-wol. Arguably the most beautiful of the Emperor’s concubines. Though born of humble status, her rank remained at concubine due to her background.
“You couldn’t take your eyes off her either, huh?”
“W-What? N-No, never. I would never…”
“It’s fine. Really. You’re a man. It’s natural to be drawn to a beautiful woman. Anyway, if you pull this off, I’ll give her to you.”
“Wh-What?!”
What in the world was he saying?
“Is… is that even possible?”
“You rascal. You’re not saying no.”
Ah. Wait, that wasn’t the right reaction.
“Wh-What a shocking thing to suggest, Your Majesty…”
“Too late, you fool. And I’m the Emperor of this nation. What could possibly be impossible for me?”
Even for an emperor, there were limits to what was possible. This might be a martial arts world, twisted and different from reality, but it was still a world governed by the rules of Confucianism.
“Anyway, you’ll do it, right?”
I was planning to do it regardless. There was no real way to say no. And if this was the kind of reward being offered, then why not?
It was absolutely not because I was interested in the Emperor’s concubine.
“Understood. I may be lacking, but I will do my best.”
“I knew it. I knew you’d understand.”
The Emperor, still with his arm slung over my shoulders, gave me a hearty pat.
“In my eyes, as the best swordsman of the palace, your skills are more than enough to handle the Jianghu outside.”
Honestly, I was confident I could take down most martial artists out there. After all, I have my status window. I’ve used the points I accumulated from my time in the palace to enhance my martial arts skills.
“Go and show those country bumpkins what the imperial palace is made of. Ah, and since you’re about to embark on a great mission, I’ve prepared a gift to cheer you on.”
Calling kidnapping women a “great mission”…really?
Was this man truly fit to be emperor? A wave of crushing disappointment washed over me.
At the Emperor’s clap, a servant stepped out from the boat’s interior and handed me a sword.
It was simple and plain in appearance. I instinctively accepted it, and the Emperor nodded toward it.
“Go on. Draw it.”
I bowed halfway, then turned around and carefully drew the sword.
“Wow.”
The word escaped my mouth before I could stop it. That’s how stunning and razor-sharp the blade was.
“Your Majesty? This sword…?”
“It was something stored in the inner treasury. I believe it was part of the late emperor’s collection. It’s a Meteorite Sword made from meteoric iron. I won’t be using it anyway, so it would probably be happier in the hands of a master like you.”
A Meteorite Sword. Wasn’t that a rare item made from iron extracted from a meteorite? I heard it was even harder than regular steel.
Whatever else you might say about this man, he certainly had a generous streak. The problem was that he acted on it recklessly and at the worst times, but in moments like this, it really did seem like a virtue.
“Your Majesty, to bestow such a precious item upon me… I am overwhelmed with gratitude!”
“A treasure like that deserves a name, don’t you think? Let’s see… Since it came from the heavens, how about Heavenly Seal Sword?”
“Your Majesty, to receive not only the sword but also a name personally bestowed by you…I am truly at a loss for words! I swear I will fulfill your command with this Heavenly Seal Sword!”
Kneeling with the sword held in both hands, I bowed low. The Emperor nodded in satisfaction.
From the outside, it looked like the perfect image of a ruler and loyal subject.
In reality, though, it was just an emperor saying, “Go kidnap some women for me” and a subject replying, “If you say so, I’ll give it my best shot.”
***
And just like that, the “Concubine Kidnapping Project” began.
The Emperor ordered me to bring back around nine women. No wonder the quota listed in my status window was exactly nine.
To carry out the order, I relayed the imperial command to my subordinates. These were men I’d grown close to during my time in the Imperial Guard. They didn’t take it well.
“Seriously, what is His Majesty thinking…?”
“And he’s telling us not to use our status as the Imperial Guard? Isn’t that just his way of saying he’ll throw us under the bus if things go south?”
I could understand why they were so frustrated.
“So what are you trying to say? That you don’t want to do it? Listen carefully. If we, as Imperial Guards, defy an imperial order, who’s going to side with us?”
We were the Imperial Guard and His Majesty’s personal troops. Everyone gathered here had joined without any powerful backing. We had no ties to the influential noble families who were tangled in all kinds of political alliances. We simply didn’t belong in their world.
Instead, as members of the Emperor’s personal guard, we had one thing: the golden lifeline that was the Emperor himself.
“We are His Majesty’s personal guard. If it’s a command from the Emperor, we carry it out, even if it costs us our lives. You don’t get to pick and choose what you obey. If you can’t handle that, then resign right now.”
After that rebuke, my subordinates finally bowed their heads in apology.
“Our apologies.”
I let out a sigh at their apology, then said,
“Alright. As long as you understand.”
A few days later, my men returned with a list of candidates, based on my instructions.
“These are the famous female martial artists of the Jianghu?”
“Yes.”
What they brought were portraits, paintings of beautiful women.
“Hmm… so who should we go for first…?”
“How about Lady Jeong Yeong, the Jade Light Fairy of Ami Sect?”
“Jeong Yeong of Ami Sect? Why her?”
“Well, the Ami Sect is famously an all-female sect. And Lady Jeong Yeong is an orphan who was personally taken in by the sect leader. What does that mean? It means she grew up completely isolated from men, so she must be pure and untouched. Just like her nickname suggests, she’s like a celestial fairy. A woman like that… naturally, His Majesty would want to keep her close and train her to his liking—I mean… ahem, ahem. In any case, he’ll want to make her his own. He’ll probably be very pleased.”
This bastard…
He really acted as if he were peering into His Majesty’s heart with a microscope.
He had the makings of an excellent traitor.
“On top of that, we’ve just learned that Lady Jeong Yeong is currently visiting Shaolin.”
“Shaolin? As in the Shaolin Temple? Why?”
“It seems she’s there to deliver a congratulatory gift since Shaolin Temple’s expansion was recently completed.”
“Hmm, well, that works out nicely for us. No need to make the long trip to Sichuan region anymore.”
Shaolin Temple was also the closest of the sects to the capital Kaifeng.
“Then, considering all factors, it would be best to start with the Ami Sect.”
“Then our first target will be the Jade Light Fairy.”
The officer who said that pulled out a dagger and stabbed it right into Jeong Yeong’s portrait.
I let out a dry chuckle at the sight.
“You bastard. Everything’s fine, but what’s with the stabbing? Are we going to kill her or something?”
“Oh… right. Haha.”
He gave an awkward laugh, and I shot him a glare before pulling the dagger out.
Thanks to that, the portrait was left with a gash.
As I brushed my hand over the torn portrait, I made my declaration.
“Alright then. We’ve no reason to delay, so let’s move immediately.”
“Before that, there’s something I’d like to bring up.”
“What now?”
This time, it was someone else who offered an opinion.
“Are you really planning to just kidnap this woman outright? I don’t think that’s the best approach… If we take her by force, won’t she constantly look for a chance to escape? Worse, when she finally meets His Majesty, she might pull something reckless.”
“So what do you suggest?”
“Rather than kidnapping her outright, wouldn’t it be better to earn a bit of goodwill first?”
With that preface, the subordinate began explaining his plan. After hearing it, I stroked my chin and nodded.
“Not bad. Alright, let’s go with that method. Now then, let’s move quickly.”
“Yes!”
***
Once the plan was set, we moved immediately. Since Ami Sect was located in Sichuan, we had to hurry if we were to get there from Kaifeng.
Fortunately, as luck would have it, we didn’t need to go all the way to Sichuan that day.
“Is that the procession?”
“Yes.”
Climbing up a tree, I used my enhanced vision boosted with internal energy to confirm the distant procession.
“Which one is Jade Light Fairy?”
“She’s the third from the front.”
Even from afar, it looked like his face was glowing with a halo. As expected.
“Good. Then you all stay here. I’ll go alone.”
“Will you be alright?”
“You’d only get in the way.”
Thanks to years of experience as an imperial guard, my martial arts skills were nothing to scoff at.
I covered my face completely except for my eyes with a mask, then checked my techniques.
[Three Basics Sword Technique Lv.10]
[Golden Palace Thirteen Swords Lv.10]
[Supreme Golden Chain Technique Lv.10]
[Jade Water Dragon Scale Fist Lv.10]
[Swift Swallow Shadow Step Lv.10]
That was the list of martial arts I had mastered so far. In addition, there were a few other minor techniques. For reference, reaching Level 10 in any of these was enough to be considered mastery.
After giving final instructions to my subordinates, I swiftly activated my flying technique. I dashed toward the procession, leaping between air and ground with speed.
The faster I sprinted, the more the scenery around me seemed to flow backward, as if it were being sucked into a giant vacuum. Despite the considerable distance, my full-speed dash brought the target procession into view before long.
Among them, I spotted a woman with a calm appearance, dressed in a pure white outfit embroidered with intricate patterns which was clearly a trademark of the Ami Sect. She seemed to be oblivious to my approach. She was chatting casually with someone beside her.
I leaped forward swiftly, struck her pressure point to immobilize her, then wrapped my arm around her and tucked her securely under my side.
Moments later, I landed lightly atop a tree on the opposite side.
“Wh-What?!”
“Junio Sister?!”
“Who is that?! A suspicious man!”
The Ami Sect disciples were a beat late in grasping the situation. They quickly caught sight of me and erupted in chaos.
I looked down at them, then pressed my empty hand against Jeong Yeong’s nape.
“Don’t move! Try anything funny, and I’ll snap this girl’s neck!”
Of course, that was a bluff. She was a noble offering meant for the Emperor. I couldn’t kill her here.
Besides, I wasn’t a martial artist. I didn’t need to play by their rules. If I was going to do this, I had to be a proper villain.
Having struck her pressure point, she could do nothing but stare wide-eyed as I acted.
The crowd stirred uneasily at my threat, which was something only a demonic practitioner would dare to utter.
“Y-You bastard…!”
“Coward! Do you think you’ll get away with this?! Let junior sister go, now!”
One of them, thinking I was bluffing, actually charged at me.
“Fools!”
How frustrating.
Four female disciples from the Ami Sect rushed at me with their swords flashing. Blades came at me from multiple directions, but I easily dodged or deflected them.
Even after dozens of strikes, they couldn’t so much as graze me while I was still holding someone under my arm.
All of them attacking together, and they can’t land a single hit. Even with one person tucked under my arm.
Once that thought had crossed their minds, fear must have started to take hold. I dodged their blades, flipped backward and landed smoothly on another tree.
“You bastard!”
They kept coming, leaping after me with their flying techniques, but I was done entertaining them. I raised my palm and thrust it forward.
“Get lost!”
Even though I held back, the force in my palm sent the female disciples flying.
“Ugh?!”
“By now, I’m sure you understand the difference in our levels. If you come at me again, I won’t hold back. Do you understand?”
“Ugh… Urgh…”
They began to shrink back in fear.
Knowing they wouldn’t dare rush me again, I quickly kicked off the tree.
“H-He’s running!”
And if I am, what are you going to do about it?
They hadn’t even sensed me approaching. There was no way they’d be able to catch up now. As I unleashed my full-speed movement technique, their presence vanished behind me.
Still, I didn’t let up for a second. I kept running until I finally came to a stop by the roadside.
A solitary house stood there.
The old house was nestled in the middle of a bamboo forest and resembled a rundown inn. This was where we met before executing the plan.
For now, I left the girl I had kidnapped inside and stepped out to scan the surroundings.
“Damn slackers. I told them they needed to train their flying techniques harder.”
I was the leader, and I had already arrived. Yet they were nowhere in sight. Pathetic.
Muttering to myself, I went back inside to move on to the next stage.
I tied Jeong Yeong up with rope and released her pressure point. As soon as I did, she furrowed her brow and yelled.
“Who are you to commit such an outrageous act?!”
She looked like a puppy with that cute face of hers. Even the way she got angry was incredibly beautiful. I could somewhat understand why she was called the Jade Light Fairy.
Her face practically glowed.
On top of that, though her pure white outfit was simple, her prominent chest made it feel suggestive.
“You don’t need to know who I am.”
I rummaged through my robes and took out a pill.
“If you take this, I’ll release your bindings.”
“You’ve got to be kidding! Do you really think I’d obediently follow the request of someone like you?!”
Well, she had a point.
“You seem to be gravely mistaken, young lady. This isn’t a request. It’s an order.”
“What did you say?”
“You saw it with your own eyes, didn’t you? Your four sworn sisters didn’t stand a chance… Ahem, they couldn’t even cut my robe.”
“S-So what?”
“So what, you ask? If you won’t listen, I could go back and kill one or two of them.”
“H-How dare you! Are you trying to disgrace the Ami Sect?!”
“I already did, the moment I kidnapped you.”
“Y-You…!”
She gritted her teeth. Her face was filled with rage, but perhaps realizing that her sisters’ lives were on the line, she soon gave in.
“Fine… I’ll take the pill. Just don’t lay a hand on my sisters.”
“You should’ve said that from the start.”
I held the dark-colored, round pill up to her lips. She parted her moist pink lips and cautiously accepted the pill.
Even though it was just a simple act of handing over medicine, the moment somehow felt strangely inappropriate, making me clear my throat for no reason.
The moment she swallowed it, she seemed to sense something off and furrowed her brow.
“Th-This is…?”
“It’s Internal Energy-Sealing Poison. For a while, you won’t be able to use your internal energy at will. Even moving around will be difficult.”
“Y-You…! You despicable…! My master will never…!”
“Yes, yes, I understand. Of course your master will want to tear me apart. Got it.”
I brushed off her words and loosened her bindings, then stepped outside, removed my mask, and quickly hid nearby.
Now then, shall I wait for my subordinates to arrive for the next stage?
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