Chapter 22: Mission 4

Not long after Baek Moo-jin and Seo Moon-geuk left with Bong Yu-hak, a gaunt man clad in ashen mourning clothes entered the Seogwang Branch. The branch members blocked the unfamiliar man and demanded,

“Who are you?”

The man bowed respectfully and replied.

“I am Ban Guyoung of the Unsan Sect.”

The two Seogwang Branch members blocking his path tilted their heads in confusion.

“What brings you here from the Yunshan Sect?”

Ban Guyoung was not from the Yunshan Sect but a master of the Iron Blood Sect. After each completing their tasks, they had agreed to meet at Yongjeong Pavilion, but Mak Sogwang failed to appear. Ban Guyoung had asked a courtesan and found his way to the Seogwang Branch. He had heard rumors that the branch was nearly breached, but Ban Guyoung, a man brimming with confidence in his lightness skills, didn’t give the Seogwang Branch a second thought.

The Xuguang Branch members scrutinized Ban Goyoung from head to toe, but since he wasn’t carrying a sword or a staff, they couldn’t immediately turn him away.

Ban Goyoung, with his refined, noble appearance, spoke in a polite tone.

“I’ve come to visit because I heard my disciple had entered the Seogwang Branch. I simply wished to see his face before departing.”

The Seogwang Branch members, their expressions stiffening unnecessarily, cautiously asked back.

“Ah, is that so? The priest’s name is…”

At that moment, an irritated voice came from the rear of the main building.

“Where should we bury this?”

“Even if it’s a bit troublesome, dump it at the Narak Cliff.”

“Ah, how long will it take to get there?”

“That’s the surest way. No one will ever find it.”

Two members of the Seogwang Branch were carrying out the corpse of Mak Sogwang when they spotted an unfamiliar man and stopped talking.

Ban Goyoung’s gaze followed the foot protruding from beneath the mat. He strode over, lifted the mat, discovered Mak Sogwang, and stared blankly. The blow to the head from a blunt object was clearly visible.

‘Mak Sogwang! Was he struck by a blunt weapon?’

“What is it?”

“Who are you?”

Ban Goyoung didn’t respond, instead scanning the surroundings before abruptly ignoring the people and striding into the main hall. Mak Sogwang seemed to have been struck by a blunt weapon, likely because everyone else was wielding swords.

The crowd murmured and followed Ban Goyoung.

“Who are you?”

“Stop right there.”

“You, go fetch the Deputy Director.”

Ban Goyoung examined the bloodstains on the main hall floor, speaking in a distinctly changed, respectful tone.

“Who killed that man here?”

No matter how much Ban Go-young thought about it, Makso-gwang wasn’t the type to die at the hands of such lowly scum.

One of the branch members, known for his cautious nature, replied, hoping to buy time until the deputy director arrived.

“That man was from the Iron Blood Sect… The Iron Blood Sect and the Unsan Sect have no connection whatsoever, right?”

Ban Goyoung shook his head, then replied in plain speech this time.

“That’s none of your business.”

“What did you say?!”

The members of the Seogwang Branch drew their swords in unison. Ban Goyoung tilted his head, then surveyed the crowd gathered in the main hall and said.

“No. It’s not you. You all use swords, don’t you? Your skills seem pretty shoddy too. Where’s the blunt weapon? Where is the Seogwang Branch Chief?”

Ban Go-young inquired about the whereabouts of the blunt weapon as if it were a person’s name. At that moment, Deputy Branch Chief Jeong In-hyeok rushed out and said.

“What’s going on?”

The moment Ban Go-young saw Jeong In-hyeok, who seemed somewhat stronger, he drew the soft sword wrapped around his waist, approached, and said.

“It doesn’t seem like you either…”

2.

Lying on the main hall floor, surrounded by corpses with severed limbs, was Jeong In-hyeok, his face covered in blood, staring up at Ban Go-yeong. After Ban Go-yeong had brutally killed his men, Jeong In-hyeok had deliberately revealed Baek Moo-jin’s appearance and whereabouts. He had done so hoping Ban Go-yeong would follow Baek Moo-jin and die. But Ban Go-young didn’t believe Jeong In-hyeok. His thin sword had already pierced and re-pierced Jeong In-hyeok’s limbs three or four times.

Wiping the blood from his sword onto Jeong In-hyeok’s clothes, Ban Go-yeong asked.

“……You’re not lying, are you?”

Jung In-hyuk, who had been about to speak but instead spat out the blood churning in his mouth, shook his head. Ban Go-young shook her head too and said.

“So it is a lie?”

Instead of answering, Jeong In-hyeok spat blood-tinged saliva at Ban Go-young.

“Spit!”

Ban Go-young easily dodged the spit, then pressed his sword against Jeong In-hyeok’s throat.

“Look at you lot. You couldn’t even cut my collar once before dying. And you claim two from the North Heaven Sect killed Mak Sogwang? Mak Sogwang could kill scum like you even more easily. And if this is a North Heaven Sect branch, why is it so shabby? Time to go down, huh?”

With that, Ban Gyeong-ui thrust the sword into Jeong In-hyeok’s neck, muttering in a calm, almost insane tone.

“Take my sword.”

Ban Go-yeong stepped outside and, upon seeing thirty branch members returning from patrol duty at the entrance of the Seogwang Branch, quietly slipped back behind the main headquarters.

‘My, there are quite a few.’

Ban Go-young silently leapt over the roof. As soon as he landed, he wrapped the sword back around his waist and muttered.

“So it’s the one in the white robe and holding a fan…”

Meanwhile, Jung In-hyeok, lying in the main hall, prayed only for Ban Go-yeong to catch up to Baek Moo-jin before his breath ceased.

3.

It was the evening of the second day since they had left the Seogwang Branch.

If Baek Moo-jin had been alone, the schedule wouldn’t have required rest. But Bong Yu-hak grew weary first, and Seo Mun-geuk grumbled.

“This feels like we’re heading straight to our deaths… We haven’t been followed this far, so shouldn’t we rest for one night? The Branch Chief hasn’t said anything, but he’s gasping for breath.”

Baek Moo-jin nodded and said.

“Let’s do that.”

Baek Moo-jin, Seo Mun-geuk, and Bong Yu-hak entered a place called Daemyeongjang to rest for just one night and depart at dawn. After a simple dinner, the two went up to their rooms early, leaving Baek Moo-jin alone on the first floor to order drinks.

Daemyeongjang was a place frequently visited by couriers and martial artists, a four-story establishment with over sixty guest rooms.

Baek Moo-jin quietly drank his wine while occasionally observing the people entering.

Above all, his stamina remained intact, so he planned to pass the time until late night, waiting for any potential pursuers.

Every time someone entered the entrance, Baek Moo-jin’s eyes lit up as he gauged the level of the martial artists. That is, he was evaluating whether they were masters or mere minions based solely on the aura and energy they projected outward.

Of course, Baek Moo-jin didn’t know the overall level of martial arts masters. Therefore, he created his own criteria to evaluate people.

He subdivided the categories of high, medium, and low into further tiers of high, medium, and low.

For example, when a drunkard who was clearly staggering entered, he was naturally classified as lower-lower.

When a martial artist entered who maintained sharp prayers despite drinking, he rated them as lower-upper tier.

But most never rose above the low grade. Whether large in stature, fierce in appearance, or well-dressed, they were martial artists falling between low-high and low-low.

Baek Moo-jin downed a cup of liquor and let out a low sigh.

‘Meaningless. I had hoped for something more in such a crowded place…’

It was then that Baek Moo-jin felt the futility of judging ranks based solely on appearance.

A gaunt man entered with slow steps, took an empty seat, and sat down.

Baek Moo-jin’s eyes lit up the moment he caught sight of the gaunt man.

‘He’s not low-grade…’

Of course, the gaunt man was Ban Go-yeong, who had tracked down and caught up with Baek Moo-jin’s group. How had Ban Go-yeong managed to catch up to Baek Moo-jin’s group in just a day and a half? It was simply because Ban Go-yeong’s lightness skill was faster than that of Bong Yu-hak, who was leading the way. Baek Moo-jin and Seo Mun-geuk were moving at Bong Yu-hak’s pace.

After ordering drinks and snacks from the waitress, Ban Go-yeong scanned the area and spotted Baek Moo-jin as well.

Baek Moo-jin and Ban Go-yeong’s eyes met briefly.

“············.”

Ban Goyoung called the waiter, who was wiping a nearby table, over again and said.

“Bring the drinks over there.”

“Huh?”

Without further explanation, Ban Go-yeong immediately stood up and sat down across from Baek Moo-jin.

“If you have no companions, let’s have a chat.”

His attitude seemed to say, as if Baek Moo-jin was the only one here worth talking to…

The gazes of those gathered in the inn swept over Ban Go-yeong and Baek Moo-jin before returning to their own chatter.

Baek Moo-jin addressed the unfamiliar man.

“Let’s do that.”

As Baek Moo-jin replied expressionlessly, Ban Go-young’s gaze was fixed on the white long sword resting on the table.

Ban Go-yeong, who had been staring at the sword, asked Baek Moo-jin.

“Do you have company?”

Baek Moo-jin shook his head.

“No.”

Ban Goyoung nodded, then assumed a seated posture with his hands clasped before introducing himself.

“I am Ban Go-yeong of the Unsan Sect.”

“My name is Baek Moo-jin.”

“I see. Where is your sect?”

“Seolsan Baekga.”

Ban Goyoung nodded.

‘Seol, what? Where was that again?’

Ban Go-yeong showed no expression, radiating no aura whatsoever. But Baek Moo-jin was the same. No matter how hard Ban Go-yeong tried to read him, he couldn’t tell what thoughts were behind the gaze fixed on him, let alone discern any prayer. Moreover, Baek Moo-jin didn’t even look like someone rushing off on urgent business.

Ban Go-young thought.

‘Hmm, could it be this guy? If only I had that fan… then I’d know for sure…’

Ban Go-yeong glanced at the bottle Baek Moo-jin had been drinking from, then picked up an empty cup and held it out.

“My order should be here soon. I’m parched, so please give me a sip of the wine you were drinking, Brother Baek.”

Baek Moo-jin nodded, picked up the bottle, and poured the liquor with a gurgling sound.

“Here, drink up.”

The two men raised their cups, looked at each other, and simultaneously swallowed the liquor. Ban Go-yeong set down his empty cup and said.

“This wine is excellent. This time, I’ll pour you a glass.”

“Very well.”

Baek Moo-jin lifted the bottle to hand it over. Ban Go-young pretended to grasp the bottle, then suddenly seized Baek Moo-jin’s hand and abruptly channeled his energy into it.

But Baek Moo-jin, upon feeling Ban Go-yeong’s energy surge, blinked and looked at him. In fact, Baek Moo-jin spoke to Ban Go-yeong in a quiet tone.

“What on earth are you doing?”

At that moment, the waiter who had been bringing Ban Go-yeong’s drink witnessed the utterly bewildering scene and froze in place for a moment.

A gaunt man was holding a young man’s hand, his face turning bright red!

The waiter’s eyes widened as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have.

‘Oh, what the… A madman has entered…’

The waiter dropped the drink and snacks and retreated as if fleeing. But whether the waiter was flustered or not, Ban Go-yeong began sweating profusely all over his face, continuously pouring his inner energy into the hand he held onto, Baek Moo-jin’s.

‘Damn it!’

Baek Moo-jin, taking Ban Go-young’s resolute gaze as a challenge, nodded and said.

“You want to try?”