The Invincible Commander – Chapter 3

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HwasanSect

[Translator: Chyluck]

[Proofreader: Chyluck]

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Chapter 3

Before going into hiding, Cheon Sinwoo was constantly on the run, and hunting was just another survival skill he’d mastered.

Beast meat filled the belly, and well-treated hides made decent clothes.

Teeth, bones.

With proper crafting, they could double as hidden weapons.

Especially those thick leg bones—sometimes they worked better than a club.

How many pursuers had he smashed with a leg bone mid-meal?

It’s been so long, he couldn’t quite recall.

But a bone smeared with half-eaten meat had the added bonus of crushing an opponent’s pride.

Skilled hunters studied animal habits, set traps, or shot arrows from hiding, but Cheon Sinwoo wasn’t that kind of hunter. He didn’t know fancy hunting techniques.

Traps? What’s that?

A bow? Only cowards without confidence in their skills used those.

Above all, Cheon Sinwoo hated using his head.

Not because he was dumb.

After his weaker days, he just didn’t need to.

His strength was his strategy.

The fact that those brainy Zhuge Clan guys kept getting thrashed by him proved it.

So, just like he did with his enemies, he charged straight at beasts when he spotted them.

Herbivores like rabbits bolted to hard-to-reach burrows, so he didn’t bother with them.

His target was clear: beasts that didn’t forgive intruders in their territory.

Boars, wolves, tigers, bears.

Cheon Sinwoo went straight into their domains.

Hand over the meat and hides.

How did he find them?

He couldn’t quite explain it.

His instincts were sharp.

He didn’t learn martial arts from secret manuals or masters—he honed them through fighting.

Wandering the mountains, he could sense the unique killing intent of beasts.

Like now.

Roar!

Cheon Sinwoo deftly dodged the gaping jaws of a wolf lunging for his throat.

Judging by its size, this one was the alpha.

Those types always showed up last.

Beasts or humans, the irresponsible ones were all the same.

If you’re strong, act like it and protect what’s yours.

Not that he hadn’t been betrayed a few times for thinking that.

Anyway, standing at a distance, Cheon Sinwoo gripped a blunt boar leg bone, surrounded by dead wolves with crushed skulls at his feet.

Of course, he’d taken plenty of wounds to get those results.

The damn things came at him in a pack.

But fighting them sharpened his senses and trained his martial arts.

Real combat, not sparring.

Beasts or humans, no big difference.

Beasts had sharp teeth and claws instead of swords, with jaws strong enough to cause serious injury if they caught you.

Fighting them was true life-or-death training.

“Hey, pup, what’re you scared of? Want me to come to you?”

Cheon Sinwoo taunted the wolf like it was human.

As if it understood, the wolf bared its fangs, lips trembling.

Its fur bristled, gearing up for a fight.

But it didn’t charge.

Having lost most of its pack, it was cautious.

“Alright, then… I’ll come to you!”

Cheon Sinwoo kicked off the ground, his body shooting forward.

The wolf, startled by the swinging bone, dodged to the side, then sprang like a coiled spring, aiming for his throat with its open jaws.

He knew it would.

Grinning wide, Cheon Sinwoo held another bone shard in his other hand.

About a foot long.

Without hesitation, he jammed it into the wolf’s mouth.

Instinctively snapping its jaws shut, the wolf yelped and rolled on the ground.

It couldn’t close its mouth.

The bone was lodged like a pillar, and the wolf frantically scraped at it with its paws, rubbing its head on the dirt to dislodge it.

What a commotion to get that bone out.

It had keen instincts and moved faster than humans, but a beast was just a beast.

No hands—how’s it gonna remove a bone stuck in its mouth?

Unlike tigers or bears, wolves rely on their jaws as their main weapon, with claws as backup.

Lose that weapon, and they’re quick to cower, whimpering with pathetic eyes.

It was admitting defeat.

But no mercy.

You’re food to fatten my family and money to earn.

Cheon Sinwoo’s eyes glinted fiercely as he grabbed the wolf’s scruff.

Thwack!

His fist smashed into the wolf’s head.

Crack!

The wolf’s skull shattered under the blow, its body going limp.

Cheon Sinwoo looked at the pile of wolves he’d taken down with a satisfied grin.

So many.

Good stuff.

Over the past few days, eating boar meat had put some meat back on their bones, their skin regaining a healthy glow.

But since there was still boar left, he’d sell these wolves.

Hides, teeth—everything that could fetch a coin.

“Heh, this might be enough to send Chang to a school.”

He’d noticed Sohyang teaching Chang in her spare time, even while working odd jobs.

Talking about Confucius this, Mencius that.

The kid recited those tough words like it was nothing.

Lucky he took after Sohyang.

Cheon Sinwoo wasn’t dumb himself.

He’d been called sharp as a kid, despite never learning to read.

But that wasn’t enough.

Knowledge stays shallow without proper learning.

He’d send Chang to school.

The kid was already twelve.

Sohyang was teaching him, but could it compare to a proper school?

At that age, learning with peers was just as important.

Just watch.

He’d raise Chang to be better than anyone.

He couldn’t be recognized as his father, but his heart was as devoted as any father’s.

“Right, time to rest, then head to the tanner.”

Cheon Sinwoo sat on the ground, pleased at the thought of earning money from the beasts.

You never know how the world turns.

Years had passed, so maybe he’d been forgotten, but some might still come after Chang and Sohyang to settle his old scores.

Some swore revenge while chewing on gallbladders, didn’t they?

Crazy bastards.

Why eat that stuff?

If you want revenge, just do it.

Anyway, to keep them safe, he needed strength.

His physical instincts were coming back through beast fights, but inner energy was another matter.

He couldn’t slack on his mental training.

Most of his enemies from his infamous days were martial artists.

More from the evil sects than the righteous ones.

Some from the Demonic Cult too.

Was that cult leader still alive?

Either way, against enemies like that, raw physical strength wasn’t enough.

So he’d started practicing the Porae Technique again.

He didn’t know its origins.

He’d stolen it from a bandit one day.

Normally, mental techniques are best learned young.

After fifteen, the body’s energy channels harden, making it hard to reach higher levels.

That’s why he never learned it properly.

But the Porae Technique was different.

Oddly, it built slowly during meditation but surged several times faster in combat.

A technique made for real battles, maybe?

It was perfect for someone like him, whose life was constant fighting.

Plus, it had a strange ability to absorb and neutralize evil or toxic energy in the body.

It took time to recover, but the Porae Technique had saved his life multiple times.

Fighting was his daily routine, every moment a crisis, so it suited him perfectly.

Since he couldn’t read, learning the basics took ages.

He’d thought about learning to read, but why bother?

Plenty of literate folks could interpret it for him—why waste time learning?

He had literate people break it down bit by bit and memorized the oral instructions.

Convenience is king.

He started late but still cut down every big shot with it.

Now, at twenty years old.

With vivid memories from his past life, he could grow strong quickly.

He remembered with his body, not his head.

He’d vowed to live virtuously, so fights wouldn’t be as frequent, but with his combat experience, he could protect Sohyang and Chang.

That’s enough.

“Let’s see how far I’ve come.”

The wolf pack that ruled this territory was wiped out, leaving the mountain quiet.

Cheon Sinwoo began meditating, breathing slowly.

What started as a grain of rice had grown to the size of a jujube.

The wolf fight must’ve helped.

Real combat was the best training, after all.

What a pity.

The tanner said the hides’ value was in the heads, but since they were all smashed, he couldn’t pay full price.

It stung.

If he’d known, he’d have aimed for the bellies instead.

Could’ve made twice as much.

He’d never sold hides in his past life.

Back then, bones were weapons, meat was food, and hides were just something to wear.

Still, a smile stayed on his face.

The weighty coin pouch jangled.

Full of coins.

Even some silver.

Money from selling the wolves.

One or two wouldn’t have been much, but there were plenty.

The tanner’s jaw dropped at the sight of ten wolves, unable to close his mouth.

He even tried to sweet-talk Cheon Sinwoo into an exclusive deal.

Said he’d pay double if the heads were intact.

Worth considering.

School was just the start.

The manor needed repairs.

Hiring help required money.

And that’s not all.

Sohyang’s once-delicate hands were calloused.

They needed workers.

He was useless at housework.

Chopping wood, sweeping the yard, cooking.

To pay workers monthly, he’d need steady income.

“Hm, a few coins won’t cut it.”

The future worried him, but Cheon Sinwoo couldn’t stop smiling at the coin pouch in his hand.

Pride swelled.

He’d asked the tanner if this was enough for school, and he said it’d cover at least a year.

Though he misunderstood, thinking Cheon Sinwoo wanted to learn himself.

“Haa, wonder how Sohyang’ll react.”

A serious concern.

For now, he could lean on the life-saving debt, but what excuse would he use later?

If he wanted to stay long-term…

Cheon Sinwoo started thinking about “ways.”

It’d been so long, it felt like a rusty millstone grinding to life.

But he’d get better with practice.

Sohyang blinked, unable to hide her shock.

Cheon Sinwoo had suddenly asked to be hired.

As a servant.

“You saved my life. Please, I beg you.”

“But that’s—”

“I’ll repay your kindness with my life’s work. Even as a yard worker.”

“What?”

“Please, I beg you.”

Cheon Sinwoo bowed low, pressing his forehead to the ground.

To the woman he loved.

The memory of her hair slipping through his fingers, the weight of her head on his arm as a pillow—still vivid.

But seeing the marks of harsh years on her once-beautiful face made his heart ache again.

She didn’t have to bear him.

Thank you for giving birth.

Thank you and sorry for choosing such a hard life.

So he’d make it right.

The time she’d lived without happiness because of him.

Any excuse would do.

It was the conclusion he’d reached after racking his brain.

Better to stay by their side than help in secret.

As a servant repaying a debt.

He didn’t know why the heavens put him through this bizarre fate, but he was grateful, so grateful.

With that heart, he pressed his forehead to the ground and pleaded.

But this was Cheon Sinwoo’s way, his first real attempt at thinking in ages, and for Sohyang, it was a baffling moment that left her speechless.

She couldn’t understand.

Suddenly showing up to play servant?

“Please, get up.”

“I won’t rise until you agree.”

Cheon Sinwoo stubbornly held his ground, determined to get a firm answer.

Sohyang sighed heavily, speaking softly.

“Young Master Cheon.”

“Yes, my lady!”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but this isn’t something you just show up and say.”

“…”

“Why put yourself in such a lowly position? Get up and go. The meat you’ve given is payment enough.”

“No way. I’ve made up my mind.”

As Cheon Sinwoo, now committed to his new life, kept pushing, Sohyang frowned.

“This behavior is deeply uncomfortable.”

“Huh?”

Uncomfortable?

Why?

Getting free help should be a good thing… right?

“I’m in no position to pay wages, being little more than a servant myself.”

He didn’t know what her fancy term meant, but he got that she couldn’t pay.

Judging by her tone, it was something similar.

She was worried about money.

No need for that.

“My lady! Don’t worry about that.”

“What?”

“I’ll handle my own expenses.”

“…”

“You don’t need to worry about anything. Food, clothes—I’ll take care of it all. I don’t even need a room. I’ll sort out my own sleeping spot. Just take me in!”

Sohyang clutched her forehead at his words.

What kind of reckless man was this?

But she didn’t know.

Cheon Sinwoo.

A man who’d dedicated his life to regrowing a single hair.

When it came to stubbornness and obsession, he was second to none.

Believing this was the only way to stay by their side, Cheon Sinwoo vowed to become their servant, no matter what.