39 Chapter 38 (1/2)
It was a net slung over a tree.
The net didn't seem to be entangled with the branches of the tree.
Yun Ha-seong then spoke upon seeing the net.
”It's a net! They were intending on kidnapping the students and demanding a ransom for them!”
”But if it's a net, it would probably rip quite easily…”
”This isn't an ordinary net. Look very carefully! The net is made with wild silk.”
The other teachers then looked at the net carefully, taken aback. This was because the only material that couldn't be cut by a sword was silk made from the wild silkworm.
If this precious material was woven into thread, it would be more than capable of being able to capture and hold the students.
”Wait a minute.”
”...?”
”What on earth could the bandits have encountered that caused them to be wounded in such a way, and then to have disappeared without a trace?”
The other teachers and warriors collectively nodded at the query. Whilst they attempted to ponder, and even cooked up various theories, they were unable to come up with a conclusive reason.
”What shall we do? Is it necessary to change the route for the purposes of safety?”
Yun Ha-seong nodded at the question.
”Whilst the bandits that were going to ambush us seemed to have been destroyed by some unknown force, who knows what else we could come across if we continue down this route.”
”In that case...!”
”We need to think up of a new route!”
”I think the second route would be the safest to travel through.”
”I agree.”
After the teachers decided to change routes, they sent a warrior to inform Eun Myeong-myeong.
Yun Ha-seong, who was standing and waiting for the warrior's return, tilted his head.
The tree he was standing beside looked a little strange.
The tree was most definitely a pine tree, but it was completely stripped of its needles.
”Who had the idea of taking all of the needles of the tree to use? Whoever it was, the fellow was in great luck. He took all of the pine needles before the bandits came. But...why did he use all of the needles of a single tree…..”
***
The Principal, Eun Myeong-myeong, frowned upon hearing the warrior's report.
He was angered by the thought that bandits would dare attempt to attack students of the Academy.
”Are you okay?” Ok Hae-mi asked him with a look of concern. He quickly nodded his head.
”I'm fine. It's all fine.”
Eun Myeong-myeong then looked back at the warrior who had come to inform him of the news.
”Go back and tell the teachers on the advanced route that we are going to change routes. We are switching to route three.”
”Understood.”
The warrior hurried back. Eun Myeong-myeong then gnashed his teeth.
”Ok Seonsaeng.”
”Yes, Principal.”
”Do you think the information that we are out on a field trip has leaked out?”
”I apologize.”
”There's no need for you to be sorry. It's known that when there's a single unfaithful person, even if ten people tried to, they wouldn't be able to stop them. The issue is that we only decided to have the trip within the time span of a day. There must have been a certain agenda that was being aimed for.”
”....”
”Ok Seonsaeng.”
”Yes, please continue speaking.”
”Quickly go and tell the other teachers and warriors to be on full alert. We don't know what could happen further on in the journey.”
”Understood.”
”I wonder what on earth could have happened that caused the bandits to retreat, leaving only traces of their blood.”
Ok Hae-mi tilted her head at the sight of Eun Myeong-myeong talking to himself.
She rapidly moved within a few moments.
'Hey, thinking about it…!'
She recalled that when she had encountered Kang-hyuk earlier, she had noticed a scent of pine needles mixed with blood on him.
The forest he had emerged from was also a shortcut to the place where blood traces of the bandits were found.
'Could it be...? Kang-hyuk Seonsaeng?'
She shook her head, laughing at herself for having such a ridiculous thought.
She thought that it impossible that someone could take on a group of bandits and injure them within the timespan of a few minutes.
'Well, that could only be possible if Kang-hyuk Seonsaengnim was the Retired Leader! Oh my? Don't they have the same name as well? I guess people bearing the same names can be found everywhere!'
***
Kang-hyuk smiled as he noticed the commotion going on in front of him, with the news of the route being changed. He knew that it must have been due to the teachers discovering the remnant blood trails of the bandits.
He could have erased the blood trails, but he didn't do so purposely.
He wanted to alert the martial teachers and the warriors of the Academy.
Kang-hyuk's plan had worked, and he could see a renewed sense of alertness and caution in the guards' eyes.
'But wait a minute...who leaked the information to the bandits?'
If this information hadn't leaked, the bandits wouldn't have been confidently waiting at the edges of the path with nets made of such precious wild silk.
But overall, it didn't really matter as Kang-hyuk had discovered them in advance, leaving them with a gift of pine needles.
They wouldn't have the ability to even pick up weapons for another four days as he had aimed for a particular pressure point that controlled the motor ability of the arms and legs.
The blood stains were actually from their twisted use of weapons, causing them to injure themselves from having lost control of their arms and legs.
'Anyway, we can now go to the site of the field-trip without any further issues.'
They had travelled by using Gyeonggong for half a day until a magnificent landscape began to come into view.
Goseon Mountain was resident to many Taoist hermits, and its scenery was as beautiful as its name.
”Wow!”
”I didn't know that there was such a place near Nakyang!”
”It's so beautiful!”
Exclamation at the sights of the mountains weren't limited only to the students, but the teachers couldn't help but exclaim as well.
Whilst the landscape was indeed famed for its beauty, it wasn't a place that anyone could judt enter with ease.
It was because the mountain was private property of the Clan Leader.
One of the Hwacheon Clan Elders had also retired at a place next to the mountain, but not many were aware of this information.
The reason the field trip was even allowed to be here was because the Clan Leader had given his permission.
The location was a gift from him for the short-notice he had given for the field-trip.
Kang-hyuk smiled at the breathtaking views.
'Well, these views are a definite gift.'
Suddenly, a figure was seen to be approaching from afar. It was Byeok Ae-rin and Baek-gap who had arrived in advance.
”Seonsaengnim, you've arrived!”
”Did anything happen on the journey?”
Kang-hyuk nodded at their queries.