Chapter 13: First-Class Martial Artist 5

When Baek Moo-jin returned after accompanying the representative supervisor, Seo Moon-geuk and Ju Ja-woon, who had been waiting idly, were extremely curious.

“What happened?”

Seo Mun-geuk asked first, while Ju Ja-woon also studied Baek Moo-jin’s expression. Baek Moo-jin looked at the two men and thought.

‘They told me not to mention the outcome or details…’

He felt awkward hiding something for no reason, but when he suddenly met the gaze of the talkative Seo Mun-geuk, he decided it would be better to conceal the truth.

Baek Moo-jin spoke while avoiding Seo Moon-geuk’s gaze.

“Nothing much. I just had a chat with Director Yi Yeon-seong about this and that.”

“This guy’s trying to trick me somewhere!”

Seo Mun-geuk muttered as he circled around Baek Moo-jin.

“He did it, he did!”

“Huh?”

When Baek Moo-jin asked back, Seo Mun-geuk chuckled and said.

“Why? Suddenly nervous? Your expression just slipped. Looks like Brother Baek isn’t very good at lying. Seems like you two had some private sparring session, but don’t worry—we’ve got tight lips. Let’s not be petty about it. Between us…”

What exactly did Seo Mun-geuk mean by “between us”?

Baek Moo-jin let out a low snort.

“Hmph?”

Baek Moo-jin stared at Seo Mun-geuk with a wary expression before examining his own body.

‘How did he know? Brother Seo Mun has a strange side to him. And why is his intuition so sharp?’

As Baek Moo-jin examined himself, Seo Moon-geuk pointed at his shoes and said.

“Look at this. You can fool everyone else in the world, but you can’t fool this Seo Mun-geuk’s eyes.”

Baek Moo-jin asked back.

“What’s strange about them?”

But Zhu Jia Yun seemed to have only just now taken a good look at Baek Moo-jin’s sword. He suddenly interjected, staring at Baek Moo-jin’s sword and letting out an exclamation of admiration.

“Hoo… Truly a fine sword.”

Seo Mun-geuk clicked his tongue, cutting off Ju Ja-woon’s words and pointing at Baek Moo-jin’s feet.

“Tsk! Don’t interrupt. Look here. The tip of his shoe is wet. We’ve secured one piece of evidence that he used Ice Magic. Now, let’s find more.”

Seo Mun-geuk scrutinized Baek Moo-jin’s face before declaring with conviction.

“Look at this. His face has brightened. Brother Zhu, don’t you see?”

Zhu Jiajun replied with a disinterested look.

“I don’t know, but?”

Seo Mun-geuk continued with a displeased look.

“How can you be so oblivious? After sparring with me last time, Baek’s pale face was glowing with vitality. It’s the same now.”

“That’s all it takes…”

Baek Mujin stopped mid-sentence. Seo Mun-geuk grinned triumphantly.

“Didn’t you know that about yourself? Brother Baek is someone who feels better after a duel. His complexion brightens, and his expression clearly shows it on his face. It’s innate.”

“Innate?”

Baek Moo-jin couldn’t help but be impressed by Seo Moon-geuk’s words, unsure if they were a joke or serious. Come to think of it, Seo Moon-geuk was also a man who had fought him. Yet, it seemed that one fight had allowed him to grasp much of Baek Moo-jin’s character.

Baek Moo-jin gave an awkward laugh and could only confess half the truth.

“Let’s say Brother Seo Mun is right. Actually, we had a private duel, and I was asked not to discuss the details or outcome. I’ll leave it at that. I’m hungry and need to eat something.”

As Baek Moo-jin walked first toward the main hall, Seo Moon-geuk and Ju Ja-woon trailed behind, chattering noisily about who he had fought, whether he had drawn his sword, and demanding to see the sword in detail.

But Baek Moo-jin kept his lips tightly sealed, lost in thought. Seo Moon-geuk’s sharp intuition and deductive skills were particularly impressive, causing him to reexamine his own actions.

2.

Ouyang Hou, leader of the North Heaven Alliance.

At forty, he was the top figure of the North Heaven Alliance, having risen to the position of leader. Yet, he had barely turned forty, and his time as leader hadn’t even reached a hundred days.

Even before becoming leader, Ouyang Hou’s nickname consisted of just two characters: Overlord Blade.

Originally the Commander of the Guard for the previous leader, he was the man who astonishingly ascended directly from Commander to leader. Even for the North Heaven Alliance, which prioritized strength above all else, the ascension of Gu Yanghou, the head of the escort corps, to Alliance Leader was deeply unsettling to the members. It was especially infuriating to those who had coveted the position.

They had endured far greater hardships, yet a young Grand Master who had merely guarded the position was seated on the leader’s throne? Complaints erupted, demanding, “Does this even make sense?”

However, the outgoing leader, who had anticipated this backlash, declared at a gathering he himself had arranged that anyone could challenge Gu Yang-hu.

‘The position of leader is earned through strength.’

Those who had been watching the situation and those who secretly underestimated Gu Yanghou stepped forward, but the result was that no one could defeat him. Moreover, Gu Yanghou defeated five challengers in succession without resting even once, showing a gap in strength so vast that his expression didn’t even change.

Despite this, Gu Yanghou’s standing within the North Heaven Alliance still couldn’t be called solid.

This was because those who had been his superiors during his time as a guard captain still privately murmured things like, ‘The guard captain rose to prominence overnight.’

But Gu Yanghou himself was a man who cared little for standing or gossip.

“If you have complaints, come tell me yourself.”

Gu Yanghou possessed a personality perfectly suited to his nickname, ‘The Tyrant’.

“A young candidate named Baek Moo-jin has defeated a First-Class Martial Guest.”

“A first-class martial guest?”

Wu Taizheng, the Chief of the Enforcement Bureau, answered the question posed by Gu Yanghou, the leader.

“Gu Yihuan’s bodyguard, Zhang Jian, stepped forward but was defeated.”

Wu Taizheng already knew Zhang Jian’s true identity. However, Gu Yanghou also knew Zhang Jian well.

His position as the head of the bodyguard unit was unique.

Not only was the mission sealed as confidential under the pretext of protecting the leader, but he was also privy to all infiltrators and disguised individuals. In other words, Gu Yanghou had known about Zhang Jian even before becoming the leader.

It was no exaggeration to say that it was the former leader’s complete trust and confidence that had enabled Gu Yanghou to ascend to the position of leader. Gu Yanghou was the man who knew far more about the Northern Heaven Alliance in detail than even the high-ranking officials were aware of.

“Did you barely win? Or…”

Realizing the intent behind the question, Wu Taizheng replied curtly.

“We won decisively.”

“Age?”

“Twenty-two.”

“Young. What weapon did you use?”

“His primary weapon appears to be a sword. He didn’t draw it from the start.”

“What’s his sect?”

“They call it the Hundred Schools of Snow Mountain. Have you heard of it?”

“Seolsan Baekga?”

Gu Yang-hu, who had been gazing down at the pond, folded his arms and replied.

“Seolsan Baekga… I wonder where I’ve heard that name before. I pride myself on my memory, but it’s hazy. I suppose I must be recalling someone mentioning it in passing.”

“Is that so? I asked around, but no one seemed to know.”

“I’ll ask the elders later if they happen to know.”

“Yes.”

“That aside… If you defeated Janggeon, you’re quite the talent.”

Gu Yang-hu, who had been facing away, turned his head and issued an order to Woo Tae-jeong.

“Execution Chief.”

“Yes.”

“Compile a list of warriors from this sect who could decisively defeat Jang Geon in combat. Report it to me, even if it’s just a rough estimate. Include everyone—from the elders to those dispatched on missions… whether they’re part of a military organization or not.”

“Understood.”

“Once the list is complete, bring it to me along with that Baek Moo-jin. I wish to meet him personally.”

“Understood. Any further requests…”

“None.”

“Then, I shall take my leave.”

Left alone, Gu Yang-hu gazed silently at the tranquil pond and thought.

‘So he defeated a first-class assassin at twenty-two… That’s faster than my own record.’

3.

Baek Moo-jin, his belly full, slipped out alone from the main hall and suddenly grabbed a young servant girl passing by, asking out of the blue.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes, Master Baek.”

“I’d like to see a bronze mirror.”

“A copper mirror? There’s a small one we share. Shall I fetch it for you?”

“I’ll need your help later.”

“Yes.”

“Ah, and is there anywhere I can stay alone for a while? A place like a training ground would be ideal…”

“Shall I show you to the annex at the back? Though it’s called an annex, it’s quite spacious, and people often use it to practice martial arts alone. It should be empty now.”

“Please show me the way.”

“Yes.”

Shibi walked ahead, then suddenly stopped and turned to look back at Baek Mujin.

“But, Master Baek?”

“Yes.”

“Please feel free to speak casually. Call me So-ah.”

Baek Moo-jin responded so naturally it startled Sibi.

“So-ah? Alright. I’ll take you up on that.”

“Ah, yes.”

When Baek Moo-jin looked at So-ah, her face flushed for no reason. She quickly turned her head away and hurried ahead with small steps.

Baek Moo-jin arrived at the annex So-ah had guided him to, thanked her, and went inside alone. Then, he hurriedly came back out and called to So-ah.

“Ah, So-ah.”

“Yes.”

“Tell Seo-mun and Ju that I don’t know where I am if they come looking for me.”

So-ah replied with a faint smile.

“Understood.”

“Thank you. Oh, and I found Dong-gyeong inside. You don’t have to lend it to me after all.”

“Understood. Then rest well.”

“Alright.”

After So-ah left, Baek Moo-jin muttered to himself.

“I didn’t come here to rest…”

The annex had a spacious area large enough to practice sword techniques. It was kept tidy, as if someone cleaned it daily. On one wall hung the sword he had requested from Sibi.

Baek Moo-jin walked up to the mirror and looked at his own face. Seo Moon-geuk’s words came to mind.

‘Brother Baek is someone who feels better after sparring. His complexion brightens, and his expression becomes clearly visible on his face.’

The bronze mirror didn’t reflect colors very brightly. Even so, Baek Moo-jin’s face possessed skin whiter than most women’s.

‘I thought I was expressionless, but did that really show on my face?’

Perhaps Seo Mun-geuk, being unusually sensitive, had picked up on it. It was a very subtle, minor detail, but Baek Moo-jin took note.

Baek Moo-jin gazed at the mirror, scrutinizing his own expression.

‘Next time, I won’t let him notice.’

He also believed that letting someone see his elated expression after defeating them was not the proper mindset for a warrior.

Next, he examined his damp shoes.

Baek Moo-jin thought he must be careful not only with his mindset but also his physical demeanor. This was something he hadn’t considered when training martial arts alone. Walking back to the center, Baek Moo-jin then began reviewing the duel, intending to replay it in his mind.

But he found himself letting his imagination run wild, envisioning a different outcome than what had actually unfolded.

‘What if, at some point, the enemy numbers increased…’

‘If a spectator launched a surprise attack…’

‘What if someone had thrown a hidden weapon from behind…’

Baek Moo-jin was adding variables to the situation he had experienced.

Simply possessing high martial prowess and having extensive experience in the martial world were entirely different realms. Baek Moo-jin, recalling his duels with top-tier martial artists in quiet places, was beginning his own dedicated training.