The fire crackled under the morning sun as breakfast steamed in three mismatched pots, each guarded by a self-appointed "culinary expert." Unfortunately, none of them were actually good at cooking.
Ma-Rok stood over one pot, grumbling as he stirred aggressively with his shield.
"This stew builds muscle and character!"
Yul-Rin peeked over his shoulder. "It's building poison, Ma-Rok. That's a burn mark in the shape of your spoon."
"I call it flavor."
Nearby, Ji-Mun roasted skewered rabbit while flipping knives in the air with terrifying nonchalance.
"I added wild mint and pine needles," she announced.
"That's a deodorant, not a spice," So-Ri deadpanned.
Yeon, hunched beside a small pan of mushrooms, held up his chalkboard: "I told you I can cook."
Sun-Ho took one bite from Yeon's sample and instantly perked up. "Finally! Someone here who doesn't assault the taste buds."
Ma-Rok looked hurt. "My stew is a classic warrior's meal."
"It's a cry for help," muttered So-Ri.
Master Jang lounged against a tree, sipping tea from a gourd with serene detachment. "I warned you years ago — real warriors should marry chefs. Or learn to cook without causing emotional damage."
Yul-Rin, pinching her nose at Ma-Rok's pot, said, "Yeon wins breakfast duty forever."
Yeon wrote: "Acceptable. Payment: honey-dried persimmons and compliments."
Sun-Ho laughed. "Done."
As the laughter faded into the warmth of morning and smoky stew (questionably edible), the party sat closer. For all the chaos behind and peril ahead, there was something profoundly grounding about the simple moment.
No missions, no masks. Just mismatched pots, dry humor, and the strange, fragile comfort of chosen family.
---
Two Days Later – En Route to Mount Gwangtae, Neutral Territory
The party moved in silence beneath a canopy of wind-tossed cedar trees. Ahead lay Mount Gwangtae, a revered sanctuary and home of Elder Hwa Jin-Do, one of the few alliance elders still known for honesty and neutrality.
In So-Ri's words:
"Basically the last decent guy in a room full of snakes."
Yul-Rin glanced down at the tightly-sealed scroll case strapped to her belt. "How sure are we that he's not already been bought off?"
Master Jang scratched his beard. "He's too ancient to bribe. The man once rejected a throne to live in a hut surrounded by books."
Ji-Mun added, "Also rejected three marriage proposals, a sword forged by the Emperor, and a talking crane."
"…A talking crane?" Ma-Rok blinked.
Sun-Ho muttered, "The crane was lying."
Everyone turned.
"What?" he added, shrugging. "Don't ask how I know."
They kept moving, but the tension clung to them like mountain mist. The scrolls they carried would prove Crimson Spine's tampering in the Murim Alliance summit. If delivered in time, the entire power balance could shift.
That also meant everyone wanted them dead.
---
Midday – Halfway to the Shrine
They stopped at a grassy slope for water and rest. Yeon sat beside Sun-Ho, chewing quietly on dried chestnuts. Ji-Mun sharpened her throwing knives nearby.
"So," Yul-Rin said as she laid out a map. "We're being watched."
Ma-Rok choked on his water. "Wait, what?"
So-Ri didn't look surprised. "How many?"
"Two parties," Yul-Rin said. "One cloaked, moving fast on the southern ridge. Another... slower, but they're driving wolves."
Ji-Mun tensed. "That's not local mercenary behavior. Those are ranger sect tactics."
Sun-Ho nodded. "Then they've sent scouts to intercept us before we reach Elder Hwa."
He stood, voice clear and decisive. "We split."
So-Ri: "Again?"
Sun-Ho pointed. "Ma-Rok, Yul-Rin, Ji-Mun — take the real scrolls through the Hidden Leaf pass. It's rough terrain, but fewer eyes."
"And the rest of us?" So-Ri asked.
Sun-Ho tapped his satchel. "We'll carry a fake case. Lead them on a wild goose chase."
Yeon scribbled: "I volunteer for decoy. Can set fires."
So-Ri plucked the slate from his hands. "No, you little menace. You're coming with me."
---
That Evening – Near Broken Fang Ridge
The decoy team (Sun-Ho, So-Ri, Yeon, Master Jang) rode along the ridge, baiting the scouts. Sun-Ho had deliberately let their trail show just enough bootprints and broken brush.
When the ambush came, it was almost elegant.
Whisssh!
Bolts screamed from the trees. Yeon yanked So-Ri down as a quarrel passed where her ear had been a second earlier.
Ten cloaked fighters stepped from the woods. Each bore the silver wrist insignia of the Silent Pine Syndicate — a mercenary clan infamous for their shadow contracts.
Their leader spoke. "Surrender the scrolls. Your deaths will be quick."
Sun-Ho stepped forward calmly, dropping the decoy satchel.
"You're going to regret interrupting our picnic."
The lead mercenary blinked. "Picnic?"
Master Jang exploded forward with a KWAK! — elbowing one man so hard his soul probably reconsidered its career.
Yeon rolled beneath another, striking pressure points with small palm slaps — tak tak tak! — until the man dropped like a puppet cut loose.
So-Ri danced between opponents with a fan in one hand and a hidden blade in the other. Her movements were precise — not flashy, but deliberate — like poetry with teeth.
Sun-Ho didn't even unsheathe a blade. He used pure elemental control — earth to shift terrain, fire to blind, and air to redirect arrows.
The mercenaries lasted… not long.
Their leader tried to flee. A flaming arrow from Yeon's slingshot knocked him out cold.
"Good shot," So-Ri said, ruffling Yeon's hair.
Yeon wrote: "Could've done it blindfolded."
Sun-Ho looked around. "That's one party down. Time to catch up with the others."
---
Meanwhile – Hidden Leaf Pass
The trio of Yul-Rin, Ji-Mun, and Ma-Rok moved swiftly through the dense forest trail. Unlike the rocky roads, this route twisted through moss-covered boulders and narrow cliff drops.
Yul-Rin, carrying the actual scroll case, led with pinpoint precision.
Ji-Mun whispered, "If we're caught, I vote we pretend to be a lost cooking troupe."
Ma-Rok: "Can I be the stew?"
Yul-Rin: "You already smell like one."
Suddenly, she halted.
Voices.
Just ahead, two men in ranger cloaks stood on the trail, muttering about signals and capture orders.
"Two only?" Ji-Mun asked.
Yul-Rin smiled. "We're lucky."
Ma-Rok raised his shield. "I'll take them. You two keep moving."
Ji-Mun blinked. "You sure?"
He nodded. "I'll stall and meet you at the shrine. Just… save me some tea, alright?"
---
Climax – Reuniting at Gwangtae Shrine
A day later, beneath towering cedar trees, the full party finally reunited at the foot of Elder Hwa Jin-Do's quiet mountain shrine.
Ma-Rok had bruises but was grinning. Ji-Mun looked vaguely impressed.
Yul-Rin, holding the real scroll case tightly, approached the shrine's gate with Sun-Ho and So-Ri at her sides.
Inside, Elder Hwa awaited — hunched, white-bearded, and brewing tea as if nothing in the world was amiss.
He looked up.
"I was wondering when fate would knock."
Sun-Ho stepped forward and bowed. "We've come with truth, Elder."
The old man studied him with hawk-like eyes. Then he smiled.
"Then come in. Let's see if it burns."
---