Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Chapter 52: The Subjugation Squad (3)

The subjugation squad returned to Felbrook to a warm and enthusiastic welcome from the villagers.

Afterward, they treated their wounds, rested in temporary tents, and satisfied their hunger, enjoying some well-deserved free time.

With the magical beasts taken care of, they could finally relax and enjoy themselves.

However, Commander Wade was busier than ever, even more so than during the subjugation itself.

He checked on the deceased and the injured, distributed condolence money to the families of the dead, and allocated funds for the treatment of the wounded.

Additionally, he handled the payment for the mercenaries and conducted an inventory of lost or destroyed resources, while also securing the fangs of the monsters as evidence.

“Phew… Is this finally over?”

Wade, issuing orders from the command tent, didn’t finish until dusk.

Feeling stifled, he left the tent and walked up to a hill that overlooked the village.

The village below was crowded and noisy, and he sought a bit of quiet.

To his surprise, he found someone else there—Karon.

Karon was sitting on a protruding rock, gazing down at the village. Wade awkwardly tried to leave unnoticed.

“I didn’t expect to see you here. If I’m bothering you, I can go somewhere else,” Wade offered.

“No, I was just about to leave,” Karon replied, standing up and brushing off his pants.

“You must dislike noise as much as I do,” Wade said.

“I don’t dislike it, but I don’t like it either,” Karon answered in his usual indifferent tone, still gazing at the village.

There was no emotion in Karon’s voice. It felt as though Wade was conversing with a ghost.

The sun was setting, and a chilly air began to creep in.

Wade tried to brighten the mood. “Your efforts today were truly remarkable. I don’t know what kind of power you used, but it helped us a great deal. Thanks to you, we were able to complete the subjugation safely.”

“Well, if that’s all, I’ll be on my way.”

“Regardless, thank you. I mean it,” Wade said as Karon started to walk away.

Karon paused for a moment, standing still before slowly turning around and speaking.

“You don’t need to thank me. If you’re going to thank someone, thank the Miguel Mercenary. I only joined because of them. If they hadn’t been here, I would have left the mountain earlier, and you probably wouldn’t be alive right now.”

“Why do you care so much about them? What exactly is your connection to them?” Wade asked, curious.

Karon hesitated for a moment before replying in a cold tone, “There’s no connection. Anyway, you have a visitor.”

“What? A visitor?” Wade looked around in confusion, but there was no sign of anyone.

Before he could respond further, Karon turned his back and descended the hill, leaving Wade standing there, bewildered.

Shaking his head, Wade muttered to himself, “What a strange man.”

“That’s quite rude, don’t you think, calling Karon that?” A voice suddenly appeared behind him.

Wade jumped in surprise and spun around. There stood Hinshan, staring at him with a cold, unyielding expression.

It was the first time Wade had seen him without a smile.

“You—you’re…?” Wade pointed at Hinshan, who responded with a respectful bow.

“I never properly introduced myself. Hello. I am Hinshan Altor, a member of Prince merka’s personal guard.”

Hinshan reached into his coat and pulled out something small and shiny.

It was a small, round, golden medallion engraved with the image of an eagle.

“The Golden Eagle Emblem! For the glory of the Rob Empire!” Wade immediately placed his right hand over his heart and stood at attention, a habit deeply ingrained from his time in the military.

The golden medallion was reserved for generals or higher-ranking officials, and the eagle symbolized those who protected the emperor or his family. It represented absolute authority.

Hinshan gestured for Wade to relax and spoke.

“No need for formalities. It seems you retired from the military and are now leading the subjugation squad, but it looks like you still consider yourself a soldier.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Today, you used the mercenaries as bait instead of your imperial troops and subordinates.”

“Ah! Th-that’s…”

Wade couldn’t finish his sentence. His mind went blank, and cold sweat began to drip down his face.

He knew that if he tried to lie or make excuses, he might lose his head right then and there.

“They are also citizens of the Rob Empire. Treating valuable people so recklessly… I’m truly disappointed,” Hinshan said, his icy gaze freezing Wade in place.

Wade suddenly knelt and bowed his head to the ground.

“I’m truly sorry. I’ve committed an unforgivable sin. I swear it won’t happen again. Please, spare my life.”

“Stand up. Fortunately, Karon’s actions allowed the subjugation to succeed without any harm to the mercenaries. Had they been injured or wiped out, you would’ve been stripped of your rank and severely punished. You’re lucky.”

Hinshan helped Wade to his feet, offering a cold smile. It was even more frightening than an angry expression.

“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”

Wade repeatedly bowed his head in gratitude.

Hinshan, seemingly finished with his lecture, started to descend the hill. However, as if remembering something, he turned around and said, “Oh, and when you report this subjugation to your superiors, I’d appreciate it if you kept any details about Karon to yourself. Of course, rumors will spread, but it’s better to delay them as long as possible.”

“I understand. I’ll do as you ask.”

“Good. Keep up the good work,” Hinshan said with a bright smile, completely different from before.

Wade placed his right hand over his heart again, saluting him.

“Yes! Understood! For the glory of the Rob Empire!”

—

The festive night passed.

In the early morning, while everyone was still asleep, Karon and his party left the village.

They had already said their farewells to the Miguel Mercenary the previous night, so they could leave without any regrets.

Breathing in the crisp morning air, Karon felt his mind clearing. Except for one person.

“Couldn’t we at least have breakfast before leaving? Why are we in such a rush…?”

Shong, leaning against his horse, mumbled with a displeased expression, barely alive from his hangover.

“Tsk.”

Watching this, Karon clicked his tongue and took the lead. He still couldn’t understand why anyone would drink alcohol.

Hinshan, ever the helpful one, handed Shong a leather water bottle with a smile on his face.

“It’s honey water. Please have some, Shong.”

“Oh! Hinshan, you’re the best. That Karon guy is no help at all.”

Shong quickly grabbed the still-steaming honey water and gulped it down to ease his hangover.

“We’re almost there. Once we descend the Mekler Mountains and cross the Kennet Plains, we’ll reach the capital. We should arrive by tomorrow.”

“Finally, we’re almost there! Ahhh!” Shong stretched his arms wide, letting out a long, relieved groan.

The end of their long journey, which had begun in the Taber Desert, was finally in sight.

As they descended the mountain path, the road widened, and the three rode side by side. It was early morning, and few people were traveling the road.

“So, may I ask what you plan to do once we arrive in the capital?” Hinshan inquired.

Shong took another sip of his water before answering in Karon’s stead.

“We’re looking for someone. We have a debt to settle. You don’t need to get involved, Hinshan. It’s not really your concern.”

“I must disagree. I have a duty to ensure Karon’s safety under Prince merka’s orders. So, could you tell me who we’re looking for? It will make the search much easier. The capital is enormous, after all. But no matter how large it is, it’s still within my grasp.”

The capital of the Rob Empire was indeed vast, large enough that even on horseback, it would take a whole day to cross it. Finding someone there could take several days, especially if the target was in hiding.

Shong glanced at Karon, who nodded slightly. Shong then turned back to Hinshan and spoke.

“We’re looking for the Blue Raven Clan.”

“What? The Blue Raven Clan?”

For the first time, Hinshan’s usually smiling face showed a hint of surprise. He quickly followed up with another question.

“Are they in the capital?”

“I met one of their members a while back. He mentioned they were looking for someone in the capital. It’s not certain, but it’s worth investigating.”

“Hmm…”

Hinshan’s expression grew serious as he contemplated. After a moment, he spoke cautiously.

“Karon, may I offer some advice?”

Both Shong and Hinshan looked at Karon. He nodded slightly, allowing Hinshan to continue.

“The Blue Raven Clan’s strength is far beyond what you can imagine. I’m not underestimating you, but there are quite a few individuals within the clan with skills on par with yours.”

“…”

“If you face them one-on-one, you might stand a chance, but if you go against multiple members, you could very well die. Moreover, they’re extremely elusive. If they’re determined to hide in the capital, finding them will be nearly impossible.”

“Don’t worry about that. I have a way to find them.”

“Really? You do?” Hinshan was taken aback. He had tried every method for years to locate them, but all his efforts had been in vain.

Yet, Karon was speaking as if it were an easy task.

Hinshan’s curiosity was piqued.

“May I ask what that method is?”

“I can’t tell you right now. But I’m certain I can find them.”

Karon was placing his trust in Shong and the pendant he had swallowed. He had tested it several times using the black blade, and sure enough, the further away they were, the brighter the yellow light glowed.

Even during the subjugation of the direwolves, Shong had been sure there was no demonic orb present. And after checking the magical beast’s insides, it was confirmed that the orb wasn’t there.

But for now, they decided not to share that information with anyone.

“If Karon says so,” Hinshan replied, slightly disappointed but resigned.

“Well then, all that’s left is to secure the necessary forces to capture them. Karon, have you considered cooperating with the Coldwind Knights? I heard from Grand Duke Decius that you’ve crossed paths before.”

“…”

“The Coldwind Knights, led by the Grand Duke, are the only ones in the Rob Empire capable of confronting the Blue Raven Clan. And they’re already focused on tracking the clan down.”

Karon remained silent, but Shong, seeing his hesitation, spoke up.

“I think it’s a good idea. Remember what happened in Bela? You almost died fighting just one of them. There’s no way you can take them all on by yourself.”

After thinking for a moment, Karon finally broke his silence.

“Fine. I’ll meet with them.”

“A wise decision.”

Hinshan’s face brightened instantly.

He was already planning to arrange a meeting between Karon and Grand Duke Decius, which would naturally lead to an encounter with Prince merka.

—

Outskirts of the capital, Pontania.

On the rooftop of a tavern, a man with clear, blue eyes and a towering figure—practically a giant—stood side by side, watching the sunrise.

The tavern was situated on a high ridge on the outskirts, providing a sweeping view of the capital.

Of course, the endless sprawl of buildings couldn’t be fully seen from there.

“Bigstone, our preparations will be finished soon. Our time is coming,” the man with blue eyes said.

“All thanks to you, boss.”

“Let’s not celebrate yet. It’s not over until it’s over.”

“Boss!”

At that moment, someone rushed up to the rooftop, bowing sharply before beginning his report.

“We’ve found a way in.”

“Oh?”

The blue-eyed man’s gaze sharpened with interest.

“Yes, twice a week, carts deliver food and supplies to the Grand Duke’s estate. If we intercept the carts and disguise ourselves as the suppliers, we can slip in unnoticed. The next delivery is in two days.”

“Hmm… Good. Summon the leadership immediately. We’ll discuss the details.”

“Understood.”

The blue-eyed man’s cape fluttered as he turned toward the stairs. The giant known as Bigstone followed silently behind.

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