His expression was serious, but what he said was fairly extreme.

Yeo Guk frowned.

“Rabble, you say?”

At that moment, Yun Ho nodded.

“Yeon is right. We are a ragtag rabble.”

Most of the late-generation experts, starting with Yeo Guk, turned to look at Yun Ho.

Yun Ho clicked his tongue lightly.

“Since we’re on the subject anyway, let’s talk about it. Among the people gathered here, how many actually came having firmly decided to entrust themselves to the Field Force Yeon is leading?”

No one could raise an objection to Yun Ho’s words, because he wasn’t wrong.

Yun Ho’s face grew grave.

“Any group in the world whose purpose is unclear can only be called a rabble. Even if every single member of that group is exceptional in his own right.”

“Mm.”

Low, indistinct sounds spilled from the late-generation experts.

Yun Ho asked Yeon Hojeong,

“Am I right?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“Half right.”

“Half, you say?”

“You’re rabble because you haven’t come together as one, and you’re rabble because your skill isn’t outstanding either.”

Yun Ho’s face stiffened.

My skill...

He was from the first disciple generation of MOUNT HUA SECT. He hadn’t learned every one of the sect’s secret arts, but he was confident that if he went out into the rivers and lakes right now, he could wipe out most bandit bands on his own.

It’s frustrating...

Yun Ho let out a low sigh.

But in front of that man, I can’t deny it.

For several days, Yeon Hojeong had accepted the challenges of countless late-generation experts. And in every single one of those bouts, he had won.

He had even won them all overwhelmingly. In the five times Yun Ho had crossed hands with Yeon Hojeong, he had never lasted more than three exchanges.

In other words, the level of realm he had built up didn’t matter.

Yun Ho could not defeat Yeon Hojeong. He couldn’t so much as land a successful attack, let alone pose a threat.

In the end, Yun Ho was weak, and Yeon Hojeong was strong. That was all there was to it.

Yeon Hojeong spoke.

“But you said something interesting. That everyone’s purpose is different?”

Yun Ho answered with a somewhat sour face.

“Of course.”

“‘Of course’?”

“......?”

“Does that mean it’s supposed to be taken for granted? Why are you saying ‘of course’?”

“What... do you mean?”

Yeon Hojeong’s brow creased.

“That means most of you are pathetic types who use ‘prudence’ as an excuse not to stake your lives on the path you’ve chosen, doesn’t it?”

“......!”

The faces of the late-generation experts visibly hardened.

Yeon Hojeong’s gaze turned icy.

“When I made you that offer, I’m sure I said it plainly. That an Independent Field Force is the first organization the Alliance of the Martial World has established in decades, and that it’s a unit that will carry out independent missions, free from the Alliance’s politics.”

“......”

“A unit with that kind of special status should naturally carry a corresponding level of responsibility. I even added that, because there wasn’t much time left, you should think it over that much more carefully. Don’t you remember?”

Yun Ho stammered.

“Y-yes, you did say that, but...”

“All of us live our lives walking on the edge of a blade. If you’ve come having made up your minds, then you should be ready to bet your lives. Don’t tell me you were thinking you’d just stroll the rivers and lakes for a while, play around a bit, and then go back home later.”

The late-generation experts turned into dumb mute paupers with honey on their tongues.

Because in reality, that was exactly the kind of mindset the majority of them had brought with them.

Just then, a young man spoke.

“There’s no way that’s all it is.”

Yeon Hojeong turned his head.

It was a young man. He looked to be about the same age as Yeon Jipyeong. At most, he might be one or two years older.

AZURE MOUNTAIN SECT.

Surprisingly, the only person who had come from AZURE MOUNTAIN SECT was that young man.

Yeon Hojeong asked,

“Your name?”

“Cheok Gang.”

“Are you a disciple of AZURE MOUNTAIN SECT?”

“I’m from the first disciple generation of AZURE MOUNTAIN SECT.”

“All right, Cheok Gang. Are you saying you’ve staked your life?”

“Of course.”

He had a gentle-looking young face, but his clear eyes brimmed with resolve.

“I’m going out into the world. I’ll temper my martial arts out in the world. But martial arts you haven’t staked your life on can’t possibly be strong.”

Cheok Gang’s voice held firm conviction and belief.

“While I was thinking that way, Commander Yeon came to us. I thought it was an opportunity. That’s why I came.”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“You want to temper your martial arts in the gap between life and death?”

“My purpose wasn’t pure. For that, I clearly owe you an apology. But it’s true that I came with the resolve to leave my bones here.”

Cheok Gang brought his fists together in a cupped-fists salute.

“I’ll be in your care from here on.”

It was a display brimming with spirit.

When the youngest among them, Cheok Gang, showed that kind of attitude, shame crept over the faces of the late-generation experts. Because they didn’t have that much sincerity.

“I told you to think carefully because of the special nature of an Independent Field Force. But I never once told you what kind of work our unit would be doing. Even so, staking your life and volunteering to enlist is no easy thing.”

Yeon Hojeong returned a cupped-fists salute to Cheok Gang.

“Whatever your reasons are, I’ll be a commander you won’t be ashamed of. Thank you for standing with me.”

He lifted his head and looked around at the late-generation experts.

Most of them had their heads bowed in shame; a few were frowning.

“Why should I bow my head only to Cheok Gang?”

Yeon Hojeong frowned.

“You should all have received my greeting. But except for that friend named Cheok Gang, I don’t feel like bowing my head to any of you.”

“......”

“Be ashamed. Before your martial arts, in your attitude toward life, you’ve already lost to Cheok Gang.”

At that moment, Yeo Guk opened his mouth.

“On that point, I’ll clearly apologize.”

“Your name?”

“I’m Yeo Guk of Kunlun Sect.”

Yeo Guk continued.

“Yes, I remember. You were serious. But I wasn’t as serious as you. I knew that to your eyes, I might look like a dabbler who’s just testing the waters. I apologize.”

Yeon Hojeong nodded.

“Fine. I’ll accept the apology.”

“But all this talk about attitude toward life... to me it can only look like you intend to insult us.”

Yeo Guk’s eyes deepened.

“That friend Cheok Gang is certainly remarkable. Setting age aside, coming with the resolve to stake his life on an organization whose purpose isn’t even clear yet is no ordinary thing.”

“You’re right.”

“But you could just as well call it foolish. You should stake your life only on something worthy of it. An individual life is not that light.”

Yeo Guk pointed at Yeon Hojeong.

“Precisely because you know that weight, isn’t that why you gave Cheok Gang your word of thanks?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“That, too, is true. You’re sharp.”

“Indeed. But not everyone can be the same. You have to clearly recognize the differences between individuals.”

Yeo Guk shook his head.

“You don’t need to apologize for the insult. I just want you to know that we did not come here with light hearts.”

Depending on how you heard it, it could grate on the nerves. But there was a certain logic to Yeo Guk’s words.

Yeon Hojeong shook his head.

“You said your name was Yeo Guk?”

“That’s right.”

“In that case, I’d like you to stay to the end.”

Yeo Guk frowned.

Stay to the end? What is that supposed to mean?

Yeon Hojeong folded his arms.

“If you weren’t in the special situation you’re in, I wouldn’t have pointed out your attitude either.”

The late-generation experts’ eyes widened.

Special situation?

Yeon Hojeong’s voice turned cold.

“Yeo Guk.”

“Speak.”

“If you go back to Kunlun Sect, or stay in the Alliance of the Martial World, you can live with more than enough comfort. So why did you come here?”

“......!”

“Is it because you couldn’t be the best? Or because you wanted to run away?”

Yeo Guk’s face visibly hardened.

He wasn’t the only one. The expressions of most of the late-generation experts grew similar to Yeo Guk’s.

Yeon Hojeong clicked his tongue.

“The reason I was late when you gathered in the rear courtyard of Army-Breaking Pavilion is because I went to check what positions you held in each of your sects.”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“Talents the sects are clutching tightly wouldn’t just come to me on their own, would they? I was curious. What kind of circumstances you all had.”

The late-generation experts’ faces flushed red.

“If what I saw is true, then you ought to be even more ashamed.”

He looked at Yeo Guk.

Yeo Guk was biting his lips.

“Yeo Guk.”

“......”

“Say # Nоvеlight # it again. Tell me if there’s any reason I should treat you on the same level as Cheok Gang.”

Yeo Guk couldn’t say anything.

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“But you’re not completely wrong either. I got a bit worked up too. I didn’t particularly intend to insult you, but to the ones hearing it, it could certainly sound like an insult.”

“......”

“You said there was no need to apologize, but I’ll apologize anyway. People’s inborn nature and the environments they grew up in are different, yet I judged you too much by my own standard.”

“......”

“I’m sorry.”

Yeon Hojeong’s apology was sincere.

But in a sense, it was an apology that might as well not have been given. If they accepted that apology, they would truly be admitting themselves to be pathetic people.

It was when the late-generation experts were filled to the brim with bottomless shame and an unplaceable anger.

[Yeon. They’re martial artists.]

At Mookbi’s transmitted voice, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.

[How many?]

[More than a hundred. But... no matter how I look at them, they’re not from the Alliance of the Martial World.]

There was nothing strange about that in itself.

The Mount Dabae range stretched across three provinces. The Alliance of the Martial World had merely planted itself at one point on Mount Dabae.

However, at this particular point in time, when news of the Alliance’s founding was spreading across the entire Central Plains, it was indeed a problem.

The one who had uncovered that suspicious movement and their true identity was Ga Deoksang. And Ga Deoksang had immediately passed that information to Yeon Hojeong.

That was why Yeon Hojeong had brought the Field Force here.

“And there’s one more thing I should apologize for.”

The late-generation experts looked up at Yeon Hojeong.

For a moment, they flinched without realizing it.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes were frighteningly cold. At the same time, they burned just as hot.

In that indescribably mysterious gaze—beyond what words could paint—there blazed a strange majesty unlike anything they had ever felt before.

“Whatever circumstances brought you here, I will never permit you to leave.”

“......?!”

“Because you had nothing to do? To test the waters? Arrogant as it sounds, did you really think I’d be willing to throw away a force like you? No matter where you look across the Central Plains, it’s hard to find young experts with your level of strength.”

Yeon Hojeong bared his teeth in a pale smile.

“From the moment you gathered in the rear courtyard of Army-Breaking Pavilion, you’ve been my troops. Reject me? That’s impossible. Once you’ve come under my command, the only way to leave me is to die.”

It was a terrifying declaration. For the prideful late-generation experts of the Nine Sects, it was an excessive provocation.

Yeo Guk clenched his teeth and tried to open his mouth—but in that instant, he felt a vague sense of wrongness.

What is this?

His eyes wavered.

Didn’t he just tell me he hoped I’d stay to the end?

If he wasn’t going to let anyone go anyway, saying that no one could escape him unless they died, then why had he said something like that? Wasn’t it self-contradictory?

What in the world is he thinking...?

Just then, Mookbi sent another transmission to Yeon Hojeong.

[They’re approaching the valley! And those people... they’re strong. They’re masters!]

Yeon Hojeong opened his mouth.

“Now I’ll tell you the founding purpose of this Field Force.”

[They’ve entered the mouth of the valley!]

“From here on, the enemies you’ll have to face are fiends who, with schemes and viciousness beyond imagination, can easily kill even peak experts.”

[They’re fast! At this rate, they’ll be there in no time! What do we do? Are they enemies? If they’re enemies, I should at least lay down some suppressing fire...!]

“Before you fight the genuine article, think of this as a warm-up and fight them. I’ll say this in advance: if you don’t kill them, you might be the ones who die.”

[Yeon!]

“Now then, this is your first mission.”

WHOOSH!

From the inner end of the narrow defile, a group overflowing with murderous intent appeared.

They were men steeped in the stench of blood. Even before their martial power, the aura they exuded was packed with hair-raising killing intent.

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes turned a clear, cold blue.

“Annihilate the enemy.”