Savage Divinity

After two long weeks out in the field spent Concealed from friend and foe alike, Min Gyu’s greatest desire was a hot bath followed by a long nap, but alas, decorum and circumstances demanded more of him.

As a guest in the Ryo family manor, it would be impolite to return without greeting his hosts, which meant suffering through a formal audience with tea, snacks, and small talk. An argument could be made that no one outside the household knew he’d left to watch over Yan and Kyung while they were out in the field, but Dae Jung was a young, talented, successful Martial Warrior whose achievements stood out even across generations, and in Min Gyu’s experience, individuals like Dae Jung had more than their fair share of pride. Not without reason, but as a guest and subordinate, the last thing Min Gyu wanted was to offend Ryo Dae Jung, so while he didn’t go so far as to grovel and beg, he made sure to be on his best behaviour in the manor and instructed Yan and Kyung to do the same.

For his grandchildren, Min Gyu would move Heaven and Earth if they so desired it, so remembering his manners was hardly worth noting.

Neither Yan nor Kyung knew he’d followed them out on assignment and likely believed Min Gyu stayed in the manor for the last week, though a few of his students saw through his ploy and cleared out a small area for him in their barracks. Min Gyu would have been perfectly fine even without their assistance, but only a fool turns down a cot and decent food when the alternative was hard stone and an empty stomach, so he accepted his students’ efforts and gave them private lessons during their free time, of which they had plenty. While Yan and Kyung both accounted themselves well over the last week, the only action they saw was a half-hearted attempt to probe their strength before the three-hundred plus Defiled attackers withdrew to seek out easier targets further north.

And find such targets they did, but thankfully, District Twenty-Three held firm. Alas not all districts were so fortunate as to be defended by brave and stalwart Warriors like Bulat of the Bekhai...

Yan and Kyung were scheduled to return within a matter of hours, so Min Gyu had precious little time to rest and make himself look presentable, but since he had no home to call his own, he had no choice but to smile, sip tea, and make flattering small talk with his senior commanding officer, a man who was half his age and possessed twice his potential. Ryo Dae Jung was a stern, no nonsense sort whose two greatest loves were family and the Martial Path, but since none of the Ryo children were on active duty and Dae Jung already knew how Yan had fared, they had precious little to cover with regards to the first topic. As to the second, Min Gyu shied away from discussing the Martial Dao with those further along the Path than he, mostly out of shame and self-deprecation. Some fool of a bootlick once stuck him with the appellation ‘Great Teacher Du’, and Min Gyu himself had not been present to shut that nonsense down, so the name stuck despite his later efforts to divest himself of it. What Great Teacher? His students were able to push past mediocrity and stand out from the chaff, but despite more than four decades of taking students and giving lectures, he had yet to produce a single Peak Expert.

Min Gyu was a passable teacher, one whose talent lay in helping struggling Warriors push past their early bottlenecks, but he never found much success helping students achieving the various milestones along the Martial Path. Hard work and dedication, that was the best solution he had to offer, but alas, the Mother Above was miserly with Her gifts when it came to most. Kyung and Kai were blessed with talent and found success on their own, but Yan’s Path appeared to be rockier than most rising dragons and Min Gyu was at a loss on how to help her. Once she found success with Natal Palace Formation, her strength would improve by leaps and bounds, even faster than her already astonishing progress. Min Gyu could only imagine how strong she would be once she was able to practice with Wind Chi for as long as she pleased rather than the mere hour or three she could eke out on the rare days she had three more hours to spare in order to restore her reserves.

His ineptitude was the reason he refused to take the promising Ryo Da’in as his Disciple, despite knowing all the benefits a closer relationship with the Ryo family would bring him. There was no altruistic element to his decision, for at the time, he didn’t need the fame or fortune such an association would bring him. In fact, he was much happier living in relative obscurity, as closer examination would’ve revealed him for the drug-addled fool that he was back before the Medical Saint helped him overcome his pain and addiction.

An affliction he suspected had not escaped Dae Jung’s notice, though the man never brought it up and Min Gyu was grateful for it. Having exhausted all common grounds of interest, he took a long sip of his fragrant tea and studied the taciturn Sword King, who sat straight backed and hands folded in distinct patience. Things were not as they seemed, for this was more than just a simple greeting, else Dae Jung would not have brought out such expensive tea or kept an old fool company for so long. Other small hints gave the Sword King’s inner turmoil away, such as the creases in his brow as he sat in stifling silence and the moments when he seemed ready to unravel into a bundle of anxious restlessness. He hid it well, but Min Gyu saw through it, or rather Dae Jung allowed him to see through the facade, as the man was a far more able politician than Min Gyu would ever be. The Sword King wanted something from Min Gyu, but he hoped to save face in the asking, and as such, was waiting for his guest to bring the matter up first and give Min Gyu the opportunity to offer assistance without prompting. A dance he’d done a thousand times before, but this was his first time following someone else’s lead, as his unsociable tendencies meant he was rarely beholden to anyone, while his high rank allowed him to ignore any debts he might have previously incurred.

Not so with Colonel General Ryo Dae Jung. The Sword King held a chit and was intent on making Min Gyu pay up, a heavy debt which might well cost him more than he cared to pay.

Such was life, so Min Gyu mentally calculated how many students he would have to take on and how much to charge before he could afford a place for himself and gave up when he remembered how volatile the real estate market had become in recent times. “Is something troubling you?” He asked, only to immediately regret his choice of words, as it implied weakness or vulnerability. “Or is there anything I can help you with? Playing guardian to my grandchildren and sitting on the sidelines has this old Warrior itching for action again, though I’ll settle for any sort of work really.” Not the most graceful recovery, but social skills were never his strong suit and time spent with the Bekhai had worn away what little proficiency he had left.

Amused by Min Gyu’s lacking finesse, Dae Jung visibly relaxed in his seat, and only then did he reveal how weary and haggard he really was, a young man in the prime of his life yet still struggling under the heavy burdens of duty and obligation. “Perhaps it would be best if we did away with pretense and spoke candidly,” he said, his tone taking on the barest shade of deference and catching Min Gyu by complete surprise. The Sword King never once treated Min Gyu like a senior, usually defaulting to subordinate as he should, and only on rare occasions peer and comrade, which spoke volumes to his dilemma. Whatever favour he was about to ask was a large one, and Min Gyu would be hard pressed to refuse while staying in the Ryo manor and remaining godfather to young Da’in. The girl’s absence was another hint, indicating Dae Jung either didn’t want her to know about this conversation or was implying that she should not factor into Min Gyu’s decision, as their relationship would remain unchanged regardless of the outcome. Neither one was ideal, as it meant the Sword King finally saw fit to make use of Min Gyu, whereas previously their affiliation was strictly social with no ties to business or military whatsoever, an arrangement he was more than happy with.

Min Gyu only hoped Dae Jung didn’t intend to draw him into the clash of Colonel Generals. Ever since the withdrawal from the second line, Dae Jung and Shuai Jiao had been in constant conflict with one another as they sought to divvy up the unfortunate Mitsue Juichi’s military and political holdings, but thus far, Min Gyu had managed to keep his head above the murky waters. If the Sword King now sought to change this and bind the Sanguine Tempest to his side, then it might well be enough to tip the precarious balance of power in his favour. However, Min Gyu owed Grasping Vine Shuai Jiao a great debt for helping him not only keep his rank of Lieutenant General for so many years, but also for quietly barring him from serving in any official capacity while addicted to Dream Smoke and ruining what little reputation he still had. Shuai Jiao never even mentioned it and only said as much when Min Gyu brought the matter up himself, and he respected the man’s adherence to ethics while holding a position of almost absolute power. What’s more, if Min Gyu were forced to honestly support any Colonel General, his first choice would be to have Akanai raised to the rank as her skills and service deserved, but his second choice would be Shuai Jiao because he was clearly the best man for the job.

Ryo Dae Jung was an exemplary Warrior and skilled politician, but he was far too ambitious for Min Gyu’s liking. As the youngest Colonel General by almost thirty years, he was poised to take control of Central as soon as Shuai Jiao stepped down in two, or maybe three decades at most, but Dae Jung chose to butt heads with his older colleague when he would have been better served learning from his example instead. There were precious few men like Shuai Jiao and none as competent, virtuous, or selfless as he, for the Mother must have broken the mould when shaping the Grasping Vine.

The same could be said for young Rain, but the boy was sixty years too young to take on the full responsibilities of his office without crumbling under the pressure, though Min Gyu was impressed by young Zheng Luo’s capabilities thus far. The girl was an able politician and selfless public servant, but the Empire needed a Warrior and General to lead the way, and in this, Zheng Luo was sorely lacking.

All this and more flashed through Min Gyu’s mind when Dae Jung suggested they speak candidly, and though he was of a mind to warn the younger Colonel General of where his loyalties lay, he decided not to assume the worst and hear what Dae Jung had to say. “Please do,” he said, hoping the Sword King truly desired candour and wasn’t just using this as an excuse to make unreasonable demands. “This old man has been too long removed from politics to catch all the obvious nuances others take for granted, so if you could be so kind as to speak plainly and take no offence when I respond in kind, then I feel we will both be better off for it.”

“Very well.” Heaving a soft sigh before taking another sip of tea, Dae Jung’s actions appeared genuine to Min Gyu’s admittedly unpractised eye, but the Sword King’s next words caught him completely off guard. “I would like to retain your services as my bodyguard.”

“...But why?”

So shocked by the unexpected request, the question slipped out before Min Gyu thought better of it and caught Dae Jung off-guard. Smiling in amusement, the Sword King shook his head and answered, “I will not waste breath extolling your virtues, many though they are. I have need of your assistance for one reason and one reason only; you are the second most notable Martial Warrior in Central who possesses an Elemental Blessing.”

With the first being Shuai Jiao himself, but Min Gyu would argue that Eccentric Gam was in close contention for second place. The half-fox wielded power beyond what Min Gyu himself could command, and while Eccentric Gam lacked subtlety and finesse, he more than made up for it with raw power and stamina. That being said, the half-fox would make for a terrible bodyguard given his love for danger and death, almost as if he thought he’d lived long enough and sought to die on the battlefield before age and infirmity robbed him of glory and dignity. Eccentric Gam would not be the first Warrior to harbour such thoughts, nor would he be the last, and were it not for Min Gyu’s renewed health and newfangled family, he might well have behaved the same way. After Kai’s death, he thought he had nothing left to live for, but fate saw him cross paths with little Yan, and the rest was history.

This sort of answer accentuated the sort of political animal Dae Jung truly was, a man who in the same breath swore off empty flattery only moments before offering just that. Seeing Min Gyu’s naked confusion, Dae Jung started ever so slightly, his eyes widening in authentic surprise. “You haven’t heard? I would have thought the Bekhai would have contacted you first in order to secure your services.”

Secure his services? Since when was he in so high demand, and as a bodyguard rather than teacher no less? While his skills on the battlefield were exemplary, his performance and decision making told everyone that his title was well deserved, the Sanguine Tempest which sweeps through the chaff and leaves naught but death and blood in his wake. For a bodyguard, the most important skill of note was awareness, and second to this the ability to delay and survive against a superior foe, and while Min Gyu’s skills of observation and detection were superior to most, any force capable of killing the Sword King would make short work of the Sanguine Tempest.

“I appear to be behind on the news,” Min Gyu joked, scratching his chin in mild discomfort. There was pertinent information floating about, information that in some way made him valuable to the powers that be, and in spite of his high status and lofty rank, he’d never been all that comfortable in matters of politics. From his reluctant start as a lowly third-grade Warrant Officer right up until he fell from the lofty heights as an Exarch, Min Gyu’s career had always been focused on service and nothing else. That was the only way one could become an Exarch in the first place, by rendering meritorious service above and beyond the mere call of duty in addition to possessing superlative skill in combat. Though ostensibly only equivalent to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Exarches were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns, because most promising Warrant Officers were willing to accept military service in order to move further up the ranks. Even Dae Jung himself began his career as a Warrant Officer, as did his wife, and had they not accepted military office, there was a good chance neither one would’ve been promoted to Exarch. In this, politics mattered more than raw strength, and the people of Central were well-versed in using politics as sword and shield.

This was neither here nor there however, as Min Gyu watched Dae Jung consider his next move, wondering just how much he should reveal before pressing for an answer. Ultimately, he appeared to have settled on revealing the whole truth, or at least what Min Gyu hoped was the whole truth. “Word has come down from the North, by way of Lieutenant General Akanai. This new breed of Wraith plaguing the Empire can be easily countered through the use of widespread Elemental Chi, thereby negating their ability to create shadowy apparitions which confound the senses.”

Meaning those shadowy apparitions were constructs of Elemental Chi themselves. “Fascinating,” Min Gyu mused as he pondered the implications. “So the Enemy has discovered the means to mass produce Awakened Warriors.” Brows furrowing in concern, he added, “Or perhaps they’ve long since known this secret, which is how Wraiths are produced in the first place.”

“...An angle we have yet to consider.” The open admission cost Dae Jung greatly as it showcased his lacking experience, the most common argument against him when it came to the distribution of power. Ambition was fine, but Central would be better served if the Sword King could swallow his pride and learn from the Grasping Vine, a man who would no doubt graciously step back once he felt his successor was up to the task. Instead, Shuai Jiao had finally been pressured into taking a Disciple, the young and uninspired Yong-Jin who was quite frankly the most unremarkable rising dragon Min Gyu had ever seen. That being said, the boy was strong enough to threaten Ryo Geom-Chi, who would always be seen as Dae Jung’s successor by more traditional minded folk, though the Sword King rightly favoured Da’in over him. Young Geom-Chi was a talented Martial Warrior who stood out from his peers, but Da’in was a talent who stood out regardless of where she appeared. It was the difference between a provincial genius and one who stood above all others, though young Rain’s skills might well have surpassed even Da’in’s meteoric rise.

All this being said, Min Gyu considered the information before him with a critical eye, trying to understand the situation without rushing judgment. The crux of the issue revealed itself soon enough, and he asked, “How many times have you been attacked?”

“Since the hostilities renewed two weeks ago, I have come under attack twelve times, and my people have thwarted at least five more attempts before they could get underway.”

“And Colonel General Shuai Jiao?”

Seeing Dae Jung’s grimace, Min Gyu realized his mistake. Never once did he offer his host the deference he just gave to the man’s rival, an unconscious slip he only just became aware of. It was just that Dae Jung was so young, not even sixty years old, but that wasn’t all there was to it. Shuai Jiao was not much older at just shy of eighty, but the man also had earned Min Gyu’s respect. Not through his military achievements, which Ryo Dae Jung could easily match if not surpass, nor through personal strength, but rather through the strength of his character and his adherence to his cause, one which was synonymous with the Empire’s well-being. Shuai Jiao’s unshakable morals and his drive to combat corruption was a much needed salve in these trying times, and Min Gyu shuddered to think how Central might have fared without such an honourable Colonel General to keep everyone mostly honest.

It wasn’t to say Ryo Dae Jung was corrupt or had a heinous reputation, but the man lived and breathed politics in order to further his own cause, and while there was nothing wrong with ambition, Min Gyu had seen just how easily power could corrupt a person, especially if left unchecked.

Perhaps it was time to call in a few markers and see about getting his own place in the Central Citadel, or maybe he should’ve swallowed his pride and asked to make use of Yo Shi Woo’s manor, the one he lent young Rain every time he visited. The merchant was still amenable to the Bekhai and firmly fixed in Rain’s corner, but his brother Marshal Yo Jeong-Hun was much less enthusiastic about their continued partnership. Such was the way of things when it came to matters of politics, but Min Gyu couldn’t help but turn his nose up at what he saw as a short-sighted decision from Central’s Marshal. Rain was not one to forget favours and violate justice, but he could also be exceedingly petty at times and would never forget a slight, which the Marshal would learn this firsthand when the boy returned from his convalescence.

It appeared Dae Jung was the same way as he filed away this bit of knowledge for later use, and Min Gyu could only hope the man’s ire would not extend beyond the culprit and spill onto Yan or Kyung. The silly girl insisted on making her career in Central out of some misguided notion of proving the value of his guidance and teachings, but she would have had a much easier path in the North with all her connections there. Then again, she’d done quite well for herself in recent times, largely thanks to Brigadier Hongji and his confidence in her skills. She would need his support if she hoped to one day earn the lofty rank of Exarch, but Dae Jung’s support would carry far more weight, though of course, Falling Rain’s support mattered most.

So really, why was Min Gyu so worried about his mistakes reflecting poorly on Yan? The girl had things figured out much better than he did at twice her age, which just showed how little effect his guidance and support really had.

“There have been... attempts to breach Shuai Jiao’s defences,” Dae Jung said, stressing the lack of rank to signify they were peers, “But thus far, no actual attempts on his life, or the lives of any other Warrior living in close proximity to a powerful Awakened Warrior.”

“And so you wish to hire me as your bodyguard and nothing else?”

Dae Jung’s minute pause was enough to tell Min Gyu there was more to it than this, but to give credit where it was due, the Sword King admitted as much right away. “I would publicize the knowledge, not just to dissuade further attempts on my life, but also because your name holds significant political sway, substantially more than you appear to realize.”

Min Gyu was ready to refute the fact until he stopped to really think about it. If he was merely the Sanguine Tempest, then he would be right, but he was so much more now. As Grandfather to the Legate’s wife and in-laws with the leader of the Bekhai, others would see him as an advisor to these two powerful individuals, though few knew how little sway Min Gyu had with either one. Akanai was a stubborn, hard-headed woman with more courage than sense, but she was also an able leader and brilliant tactician who Min Gyu rated second to none, not even Shuai Jiao himself. For good reason too, as the woman likely had more years of experience than all other living Colonel Generals combined, a fact few people kept in mind due to her youthful appearance, half-beast nature, and female genitals, as if the last two had anything to do with ability to command. While he would never advocate for more half-beasts in power as a general declaration, he would argue that one should be judged by their actions and achievements rather than breed or gender.

For example, despite their close friendship, Min Gyu would vehemently object to giving Eccentric Gam the rank of Lieutenant, as doing so would be the same as dooming the five unfortunate souls under his command, but Akanai as the commander in chief of the Imperial Army? Now that was something he could agree with.

“And I suppose we cannot agree to this arrangement without dipping into political theatre?” Min Gyu knew the answer was no, but he had to ask regardless. Seeing Dae Jung’s regretful shake of his head, he responded in kind. “Then I thank you for your hospitality, Colonel General, but I believe I have overstayed my welcome. Send your Guard Captain to speak with Kyung when he returns later today, so that they might put together a schedule for me to guard you, but I have no desire to be put on parade and used as a piece in your games.”

“You look down on my ambition,” Dae Jung said, lacking any heat or derision in his tone as he made the matter-of-fact statement. “You think I am too young and should be content to bow before my elders, but where would the human race be without ambition?”

“It is not your ambition which worries me,” Min Gyu replied, hoping his answer would not incite rage in the Sword King’s heart. “It is your pride. You are talented beyond belief, a true Dragon among men, so I do not fault you for this flaw, but a flaw it remains. You believe yourself suited to command all of Central’s forces, perhaps even the entire war effort as the General of the Outer Provinces, but what you fail to admit is that others, even lesser talents such as myself can be of value.” Holding up a hand to forestall Dae Jung’s argument, Min Gyu continued, “Earlier, you said you would like to retain my services, and on the surface, there is nothing wrong with this statement, for it is what you intend to do. You spoke candidly, and your words revealed how you truly saw our relationship, as a series of give and take interactions like two merchants lending one another coin. Any service I provide you will be repaid in kind, and you expect the same from myself.”

“And you offered to guard my life,” Dae Jung said, shoulders slumping in a gesture which was so at odds with the man’s character, “Without mention of reward or remuneration.”

“I am not without gratitude.” Clasping his fist in a seated salute, Min Gyu bowed at the waist and added, “I would have done so regardless of how you asked, for your life and expertise are far too valuable to leave unguarded. What’s more, this is merely my personal inclination, as I suspect most would see nothing wrong with the way you do business, because one must always look out for one’s self-interests. Alas, my issue with this is that I do not see the safety of the Empire as mere ‘business’.”

“And now you see why I argued against stripping him of his rank for so many years.” Stepping out of Concealment, Shuai Jiao’s arrival caught Min Gyu by surprise, even though he already knew there was someone listening in on their conversation. He merely assumed it was one of Dae Jung’s personal guards, a prudent precaution considering the man had been attacked so many times in the last twenty days. “Du Min Gyu has always been a Warrior of honour and integrity, and there are precious few of those remaining as is.”

Though Min Gyu wanted to stand and salute the Colonel General, he knew Dae Jung would see it as a slight, and rightly so as he was also a Colonel General and deserving of Min Gyu’s respect. “Shuai Jiao. What a pleasant surprise.”

Helping himself to a seat, the bald Warrior nodded before moving onto the crux of the matter. “This was not a trap, but rather a matter of closure.”

Picking up on his meaning, Min Gyu swallowed his ire and nodded in unspoken pardon. “You’ve come to an agreement then.”

“That we have.” Sipping his tea and showing no sign of having tasted it, Shuai Jiao gestured towards Dae Jung and said, “My colleague has agreed to throw all his support behind me, and Marshal Yo has agreed to do the same. For the first time in living memory, Central stands united, and now I mean to bring North and South together with us.” The sinking sensation in Min Gyu’s stomach disappeared as Shuai Jiao shook his head in response to the unspoken thought. “Rest easy, Hero Du, for I have no intentions of making things difficult for you. You need not betray any secrets, for I already know the Legate is in no condition to lead. Though he has my utmost respect for the miracles he’s already accomplished, in these trying times, the Empire cannot afford to wait on his recovery.”

It only took a moment of thought to figure out how Shuai Jiao knew about young Rain, and Min Gyu silently cursed those monks for meddling in mortal affairs. Whether one of the Brotherhood contacted Shuai Jiao or the other way around, either way, Rain’s secret was out. “I offer you the same courtesy and will not ask you to betray your plans.” Placing his teacup down, Min Gyu rested one hand on his sabre and the other on his battle-fan. “But this, I must say. If you intend to seize power through bloodshed, then I, Du Min Gyu, will stand against you.”

Though Dae Jung similarly reached for his sword, Min Gyu’s statement brought an amused smile to Shuai Jiao’s unremarkable face. “And so you have revealed your nature, the same way comrade Dae Jung did just earlier. In answer, I can only say that if any blood is shed in my rise to power, it will not be by my choice. Unity is our greatest weapon against the Enemy, a concept they now use against us, and I will not have it said that we are less united than the Defiled.” Taking another sip of tea, he held onto the teacup to show his trust and added, “I have already sent word to Marshal Quyen, Comrade Nian Zu, and Imperial Consort Zheng Luo signifying my willingness to take an Oath to relinquish not only authority, but also my military rank once the Enemy threat is contained, or when the Legate returns in full health. We cannot afford to wage war by council for any longer. The Imperial Consort has done well in the Legate’s absence, but she is no Warrior and seeks counsel with none, but instead tries to turn us against one another so that she might hold onto what power she still has. With good intentions of course, but lacking tactical acumen. At least the Legate made his plans with military tactics in mind, but she has allowed his plans for a multi-tiered defence to go unfinished in favour of building a harbour, one we all knew would be easily besieged after Huanhuzi burned down the old one and sailed off into the depths of the Azure Sea with impunity. To make matters worse, the Southern generals vie for rank while their Marshal sends them to their deaths, weakening the Empire in order to strengthen his position without a care in the world for how it might well be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and Consort Zheng Luo even has the gall to quietly fan the flames. I can no longer stand idly by while her incompetence brings us closer to ruin, and if blood must be shed to bring order to the ranks, then I see it as the lesser of two evils.”

As expected of the man Min Gyu trusted most with the fate of the Empire, but it was still surprising to hear how far he was willing to go. No wonder Dae Jung was willing to lower his head and follow Shuai Jiao’s lead, because once all this was over, he would be the sole serving Colonel General in Central since Mitsue Juichi was almost as old as Min Gyu and hardly in any position to command.

“I see.” Relaxing his grip on his weapons, Min Gyu steadied his hands before reaching for his teacup. How many years had it been since he felt this nervous to face an opponent? Even if Bai Qi had come after him on the battlefield, Min Gyu had been reasonably sure of his survival so long as he didn’t stand and fight, but he had no chance when faced with Grasping Vine Shuai Jiao and Sword King Ryo Dae Jung working in tandem. “Then I hope everything works out for the best.”

Refilling Min Gyu’s teacup with his own hands, Shuai Jiao nodded in silent thanks. “With this out of the way, perhaps we can still salvage this delicious tea and have a cordial discussion. Earlier, Hero Du brought up an interesting point regarding the Wraiths I would like to explore. You said the Enemy might well have discovered a means to mass producing Awakened Warriors, yet you spoke as if you’d considered this possibility before.”

Grateful for the reprieve, Min Gyu smiled and said, “Well, we all know Wraiths are an aberration, even more so than your standard Defiled. Who ever heard of an entire class of Martial Warrior whose skills were so strongly skewed in one area? The Empire has squads of Experts who focus on Concealment, but they are still Martial Warriors like any other, and until recently, even the strongest of Wraiths were no match for a standard Peak Expert without the element of surprise on their side.” Shrugging, Min Gyu continued, “It is a wide-spread belief that Wraiths are created through some shortcut along the Martial Path, so it stands to reason that these newer, more adept Wraiths are merely an evolution of that same process. Thus, rather than assume the Enemy somehow melded their Wraith creation technique with the process of Awakening, it makes more sense to assume an Awakening was part and parcel of the process from the beginning, as it would be the simpler conclusion. I’ve no proof, but as little Rain would say, it just makes sense.”

Needing no time to consider the subject since he lacked perspective on Awakenings, Dae Jung asked, “If so, then how is it no one has ever noticed this correlation before?”

“Because previously, there was no need to seek out alternative methods to detecting Wraiths since conventional Concealment detection methods worked perfectly well. That said, I do have some experience using Wind Chi to uncover hidden foes.” Stroking his beard, Min Gyu thought back to his various experiences with Concealment and the ease with which he found intruders using Wind Chi, thoughts he shared with the two Colonel General as they came to him, and when he was done musing, he added, “All hearsay and circumstantial evidence at best, with nothing to really prove what I say, but I do believe my experiences show that the Wraiths of yesteryear were easily uncovered through the use of Elemental Chi, even if we were never consciously aware of it. Then again, I always thought I had a gift of uncovering Concealment regardless of whether the target was Imperial or Defiled, so it is impossible to come up with a definitive conclusion without knowing more about the subject.”

Eyes closed in silent reflection, Shuai Jiao spoke as soon as Min Gyu was finished. “I too believed I possessed a keen instinct for seeing through Concealment, but now that Hero Du mentions this, I find myself wondering if perhaps credit belongs to my Elemental Blessing instead. Is it possible...” Pausing to consider his words, the humbly dressed Colonel General opened his eyes and stared at nothing for long seconds before continuing. “...Is it possible Concealment in and of itself is actually a form of Awakening?”

Chuckling to himself, Min Gyu regarded the Grasping Vine with a smile. “You would enjoy conversing with little Rain, though your conclusion is in strict opposition to his, as he posits that any Martial Warrior can master any skill with Chi, so long as they are provided with proper guidance.”

After a moment of surprise, Shuai Jiao smiled in turn. “And in doing so, insults every Awakened Martial Warrior by implying they lack the understanding necessary to offer such proper guidance.”

“Yes, he does that quite often, but I find it a refreshing viewpoint. It’s not that he believes our truth is wrong, but rather that our truth only fits our perspective, and the difficulty lies in adapting the truth to fit everyone’s perspective.” Happy to be speaking about anything besides possible bloody revolution, Min Gyu explained, “As a teacher, there were days when I learned more from my students than they learned from me, not because I lacked understanding, but rather I lacked their perspective. Which of us was the teacher then? No, it is a title I do not deserve, for I am still but a mere student.”

They discussed the Dao for a little longer and Min Gyu gleaned much from the experience, not in terms of knowledge, but even hearing about the two Colonel General’s differing perspectives was eye opening indeed. It was truly a shame Rain wasn’t present to partake in the conversation, and lamentable that the Brotherhood could not be trusted to keep his condition a secret, but alas, this was a risk Akanai accounted for when she agreed to let Monk Happy bring the boy away, should he ever see fit to go.

Though he only had time to change into a new set of robes, he felt refreshed and invigorated when he greeted Yan at the Northern gates. “I missed you, Grandpa,” she said, running into his arms for a hug. “Has Eun been taking good care of you, or have you been eating oily junk foods for every meal again?”

“I’ll have you know I survived for many decades before Eun was even born, and that your grandfather here is perfectly capable of taking care of himself.” Kissing Yan on the temple, he waved Kyung over for a hug as well and squeezed his grandson tight. There was no need to pretend he missed them, because despite watching over them for the last two weeks, he genuinely missed their company.

Once they were back in the Ryo family manor, Min Gyu told them both everything that just took place without hiding a thing. Sighing as she accepted the inevitable, Yan shook her head and said, “I suspect the Chief Provost will accept without too much argument, unless Colonel General Shuai Jiao tries to send her back North or something. There’s nothing I can do now except pray for Rain’s safe return and hope that the Colonel General is true to his word and up to the task.”

“As we all will pray,” Min Gyu replied, squeezing Yan’s hand for support. “Your husband is recovering, we know this much, and it is only a matter of time until he is returned whole.”

Min Gyu only hoped that when it did finally happen, the outer provinces would still be standing and ready for him to reclaim.

Chapter Meme