Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Chapter 55: The Mysterious Assailants (1)

Shong threw off his cloak in frustration as he stormed back into the inn after dinner.

“Ugh! What a terrible personality. And now we have to sleep in this tiny room with three men?”

Due to the inn only having two rooms available, Flora had taken one while the remaining three men had to share the other.

Despite Shong’s outburst, Karon and Hinshan calmly laid blankets on the floor to prepare for sleep.

“That woman, though—her shoulders are so broad, and those leg muscles! She’s got the build of a horse, and don’t even get me started on how much she eats and how foul her language is! I’m not even sure if she’s really a woman!”

“You didn’t say a word at the tavern, so why are you complaining now?” Karon, who had been listening in silence, finally grumbled, his brows furrowed.

“What was I supposed to do? Grab her by the collar? I’m still a gentleman, you know,” Shong retorted, his voice rising defensively.

“Alright, enough already. I even gave you the bed,” Karon reminded him.

“That’s because you’re the one who brought her! It’s your responsibility. And besides, we’ll need to buy another horse tomorrow. It’s not like we’re swimming in money,” Shong shot back.

“That’s my money.”

“Your money is our money! And my money is my money!” Shong insisted, their argument dragging on.

Hinshan quietly observed the back-and-forth, not particularly inclined to intervene. He found it amusing and also noted that this was the most human he had ever seen Karon act.

‘At least he’s comfortable around Shong,’ Hinshan thought, watching Shong rant at Karon. He secretly vowed to one day achieve a similar level of familiarity with Karon.

The argument finally ended when Karon’s black blade began hovering in midair, swirling with dark red energy.

“Tsk, always resorting to violence when words fail…” Shong muttered, lying down on the bed with a huff.

—

The next morning.

“Hyaa! Let’s go!”

“Come on!”

Shong and Flora were racing their horses across the open plains, each trying to outpace the other. They pushed their mounts as if competing fiercely, leaving dust in their wake.

From a distance, Karon and Hinshan watched with a sigh.

“What’s the point of all that?” Karon muttered.

“Maybe it’s a man’s pride?” Hinshan offered.

“Shong left his pride behind ages ago,” Karon replied flatly, causing Hinshan to look at him curiously. Was he insulting Shong or just stating a fact?

“Ah, I see… Or maybe…” Hinshan trailed off.

Suddenly, up ahead, Shong lost his balance while pushing his horse to its limit and fell off in a spectacularly awkward tumble.

Fortunately, his cloak cushioned the fall, preventing any serious injury.

Flora reined in her horse and turned back to him with a smirk. “You call yourself a man, and yet you can’t even stay on a horse. Tsk tsk.”

“What? You—!” Shong, enraged, began tearing at the grass around him in frustration as Flora trotted past, laughing softly at his expense.

Thus, the day began with lively energy.

The group rode all morning across the Kennet Plains, eating a simple lunch of dried food they had brought from the village, as there was no shade to rest under. They had packed plenty of water, so thirst was not an issue.

Karon, as usual, skipped the meal, content with chewing on dried taben vine.

By afternoon, the plains began to show signs of nearing their edge—small trees and patches of greenery started to dot the landscape. As the sun lowered, the golden hue of the fading light bathed the entire plain, making the view spectacular.

Karon, unbothered by the sight, simply rode on while the others, especially Shong and Flora, took a moment to admire the scenery.

Hinshan sidled up to Karon and spoke, “We’ll arrive at the capital by tomorrow. Are you planning to meet Grand Duke Decius right away?”

“I think it’d be better if you and I meet the Duke while Shong and Flora gather information about the Chakran tribe and their location. What do you think?”

Hinshan was deeply moved that Karon had directly addressed him by name. Still, he couldn’t help but express his concern. “I’m honored, but… will those two really be able to handle it?”

Both their gazes shifted to the two still bickering up ahead.

“They’ll manage, as long as they don’t get too close,” Karon replied calmly.

“Shong might refuse to cooperate…” Hinshan added hesitantly.

“I have a secret weapon.”

“Money?”

Karon nodded in silence. Then, without warning, his attention snapped to something in the distance. Hinshan immediately sensed something was off and followed Karon’s gaze, but saw nothing but the wide-open plains.

‘What is it?’ Hinshan wondered.

Up ahead, Shong and Flora had also halted their horses on a low hill, looking down at something.

Hinshan quickly rode over to join them.

From the top of the hill, he saw a chaotic scene below—several wagons surrounded by a group of about a dozen armed men on horseback, clearly attacking the imperial guards who were defending the convoy. It appeared to be an ambush aimed at stealing the wagons’ cargo, likely grain.

“They look like bandits,” Shong observed with a frown.

Hinshan’s face, usually calm, suddenly contorted in anger.

“Bandits, this close to the capital? This is unacceptable! Karon, stay here. I’ll handle this,” Hinshan declared, drawing his bow as he prepared to ride into battle.

Karon nodded, showing no interest in intervening.

“Yah!”

Hinshan galloped down the hill at full speed, expertly drawing an arrow and firing while on horseback without missing a beat.

Thwang! Thwang!

His arrows found their mark with deadly precision, piercing two bandits through their chests and sending them tumbling off their horses.

The other bandits quickly realized they were under attack as another two men fell from their mounts, struck by Hinshan’s powerful arrows.

“Archers, shoot him down!”

The bandits, astonished by Hinshan’s remarkable archery skills, quickly unslung their bows and aimed at the fast-approaching threat. Their target? His horse. Hitting the horse would be easier, and without it, the enemy would be helpless.

Twang! Twang!

Four arrows flew toward Hinshan in rapid succession.

Without flinching, Hinshan swiftly drew his sword from his waist, cutting through the air in a smooth, fluid arc.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

He deflected all four arrows with ease, the sound of metal striking metal ringing out as he continued his charge toward the bandits.

“He’s no ordinary man! Damn it, scatter!” one of the bandits yelled, and the others, who had been attacking the imperial guards, quickly broke off and fled in different directions. Hinshan hesitated for a moment, confused.

‘What the—? Are these guys really bandits?’

Ordinary bandits were known for swarming like hyenas when faced with a strong opponent, refusing to give up until they overwhelmed their prey. They were driven by desperation, as failure meant starvation or death.

But these men, despite seeing their comrades fall, fled without even looking back.

Before Hinshan could make sense of the situation, something else happened.

Swish! Swish!

A dark, crimson energy cut through the air, decapitating the furthest fleeing bandit. Karon had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, reclaiming his black blade and swiftly dispatching the nearest bandits with cold efficiency.

Karon’s attacks were simple but devastatingly effective, giving the bandits no chance to defend themselves. One by one, they fell.

He left one man alive, severing only his leg.

Clap, clap, clap!

“Impressive as always, Karon!” Hinshan praised with a grin, clapping his hands. By then, Shong and Flora had ridden down the hill to join them.

“Do these cowards have no pride? Running away like that?” Shong remarked, eyeing the dead bandits with casual indifference before approaching the wagon drivers.

Meanwhile, Flora was left speechless, her expression a mixture of shock and awe after witnessing Karon and Hinshan’s combat prowess. She couldn’t believe how nonchalantly Shong acted amidst such lethal skill.

‘Who are these people?’ Flora’s mind raced, still trying to process the chaos around her.

“Is everyone alright?” Shong called out to the wagon drivers.

“Thank you! You saved us!” one of the merchants cried in gratitude.

“Thank you! We’re alive, we’re saved!” another echoed, overwhelmed with relief.

While Shong checked on the merchants, Karon approached the surviving bandit, intending to interrogate him. However, he found the man already dead, blood foaming from his mouth.

Karon frowned, his brow furrowing. ‘Poison? He killed himself?’

Something had felt off to Karon ever since he first spotted the scene from the hill. These “bandits” didn’t resemble those he had encountered in the desert; they were different, like misfits in a disguise. Moreover, they had only targeted the imperial guards, leaving the merchants and their goods untouched.

He had planned to keep one alive for questioning, but now that chance was lost.

“As I suspected, these men weren’t real bandits,” Hinshan said, kneeling beside the dead man. “Look at their clothes—too clean. And their smell—no stench like the usual bandits. Their horsemanship wasn’t impressive, either. Look at the calluses on their hands and their sturdy legs—these men were more likely soldiers.”

“Someone disguised them as bandits?” Karon’s eyes narrowed.

“That seems the most likely explanation,” Hinshan agreed.

“But why?” Karon questioned.

“We might need to ask them,” Hinshan said, nodding toward Shong and the merchants.

At that moment, Shong approached, having finished speaking with the merchants. “These wagons are heading to the capital, carrying grain. They make the trip twice a week, and this time, they were delivering to Grand Duke Decius’ estate. Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

Karon and Hinshan exchanged a glance. The coincidence was too glaring to ignore—an ambush on a supply caravan headed for the Grand Duke’s estate?

There were too many unanswered questions. The attackers, supposedly bandits, had exhibited strange behavior, and the timing was suspicious, but without solid evidence, it was difficult to draw any conclusions.

“It’s too late in the day to keep going. We’ll leave early tomorrow,” Karon decided, glancing at the setting sun. The Kennet Plains were now bathed in the golden light of dusk. Traveling at night posed unnecessary risks.

However, the uneasy feeling lingered for both Karon and Hinshan.

—

That night, several other merchant caravans heading toward the capital were attacked by mysterious assailants. The attackers spared only a few merchants, coercing them into cooperation, and then stripped the dead imperial guards of their uniforms.

These attackers were none other than low-level operatives of the Blue Raven Clan, preparing for a larger ambush set to take place at dawn the following day.

The Blue Raven Clan had quietly moved their supplies and personnel out of the capital, preparing for the upcoming strike.

Meanwhile, Montecorato had scheduled a visit to Grand Duke Decius’ estate under the guise of preparing for an official event. His true intent was far more sinister—he planned to personally witness the assassination of Decius and even stage his own minor injuries to make it seem like he had barely survived the ambush.

Montecorato was well aware that if Decius were assassinated, he would be the prime suspect. In his mind, it was better to strike first and control the narrative.

To further ensure the Coldwind Knights were preoccupied elsewhere, Montecorato had already set a diversion in motion, feeding bait to the emperor.

And so, as dawn broke the next day, everything was set into motion.

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