Chapter 25: Assassin 2

Sailgon, an assassin of the Assassins’ Sect, lay in ambush for a long time in the darkness of the path used by the North Heaven Alliance warriors heading to the inn.

Sa Il-gon was an assassin who preferred throwing hidden weapons from extreme distances to kill his targets. He was exceptionally patient at holding his position and waiting.

It was around the hour of Hai (9 PM) when that Sa Il-gon spotted Baek Moo-jin emerging from the North Heaven Alliance. The materials provided by the Iron Blood Sect contained a brief description of Baek Moo-jin’s appearance and attire. This meant the Iron Blood Sect had a spy planted within the North Heaven Alliance.

Sailgon recognized Baek Moo-jin immediately.

‘Huh? So it’s him.’

In fact, Seo Mun-geuk made him easier to spot. Reports had mentioned a man with a frivolous expression often seen near Baek Moo-jin, fanning himself with a folding fan.

‘That guy must be Seo Mun-geuk…’

Seo Mun-geuk was also a very conspicuous figure. Sa Il-gon thought things were going smoothly, but he remained utterly vigilant.

It was the instant Sa Il-gon, with an extremely restrained motion, was about to throw the eight steel needles held between his fingers.

Baek Moo-jin, who had been walking expressionlessly, suddenly turned his head toward the darkness where Sa Il-gon was hiding.

‘…!’

Sa Il-gon instinctively froze. Having halted mid-throw, he stood awkwardly, thinking.

‘What? I haven’t even thrown them yet, how…’

Baek Moo-jin slowly moved his head, scanning the darkness here and there.

“Why is it doing that?”

Seo Mun-geuk asked Baek Moo-jin, stopping himself to gaze into the darkness as well.

“Why are you acting like that? Is something there?”

Truthfully, Baek Moo-jin wasn’t entirely sure either. He just warned Seo Moon-geuk out of caution.

“Seo Mun-gyeok, the steel wire…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but Seo Mun-geuk immediately understood Baek Moo-jin’s meaning and pulled out the iron wire with a rustling sound. Seo Mun-geuk asked Baek Moo-jin in a noticeably quieter tone.

“Should I go check? There’s no sign of life or movement, but…”

Even the perceptive Seo Mun-geuk seemed to sense nothing.

After staring intently into the darkness for a moment, Baek Moo-jin tilted his head and said.

“Hmm, I guess it was a mistake.”

“Ah, really… Stop messing around.”

Baek Moo-jin walked forward again as he spoke.

“It felt like something was there…”

“You’re ruining the mood… This is the North Heaven Sect, you know. No matter how bold someone is, who would dare come to the North Heaven Sect?”

“If it’s the Iron Blood Sect, they might come.”

“Iron Blood Sect? Hmm, so it’s because of that bastard back then.”

Baek Moo-jin teased Seo Mun-geuk in response to his words.

“If you’re scared, why don’t you just go back? Save the drinking for next time.”

“Are you crazy? I finally made it out here. Even if a knife were stuck in my throat today, I’d still pour liquor down it.”

“Why speak so harshly…”

“Let’s go!”

Seo Mun-geuk strode purposefully toward the inn when he suddenly bellowed.

“Hey, you two. Keep it down. You’ll get yourselves arrested by the Black Sword Brigade.”

Sailgon, who had been listening to the two men’s conversation in the darkness with a frozen expression, remained hidden for quite some time afterward, still poised to throw his darts.

He couldn’t fathom how Baek Moo-jin had even spotted him. It wasn’t a matter of martial prowess. He’d seen people react swiftly to the whistling sound of a dart after it was thrown, but no one like Baek Moo-jin had ever glared intently to locate him from such a distance before the dart was even launched.

Only then did Sa Ilgon recall the order from the assassin: not to attempt this alone.

‘Damn it… Do I have to fight alongside that bastard from the main house?’

For a moment, Sa Ilgon couldn’t move, frozen by the possibility that Baek Moo-jin might return the instant he made his move.

2.

The inn was unexpectedly bustling. As it was a region protected by the North Heaven Alliance, it was a place where those with livelihoods came, and it was also the prime time for off-duty or relatively free-roaming veteran warriors to drink.

Because of this, quite a few people in the inn recognized Baek Moo-jin.

“Oh! Warrior Baek, how do you do?”

Baek Mujin initially returned their greetings with a bow, but as people kept approaching him from all sides, he and Seo Mun-geuk had no choice but to dash up to the second floor.

Seo Mun-geuk shook his head.

“Good heavens, when did you become such a famous figure?”

“Exactly.”

This was partly because the story of Baek Mujin escorting the Seogwang Branch Chief had spread, and partly because, amidst frequent comparisons between him and Lee Jeongnam, the first-class martial artist who had undertaken the same mission, Baek Mujin’s name was constantly being mentioned.

Above all, the rumor that ‘Baek Moo-jin is incredibly strong’ had spread far and wide. It was a situation where the name Baek Moo-jin was constantly on the lips of the North Heaven Alliance masters, eager to determine who was superior.

Ignoring those stares, Baek Moo-jin and Seo Mun-geuk took a seat in a corner and ordered drinks.

Before the drinks even arrived, Seo Mun-geuk grumbled.

“How does it feel to be a celebrity?”

“Famous?”

“Ah, so you think you’re not quite there yet?”

As Seo Mun-geuk kept making snide remarks with his nonsense, Baek Moo-jin burst out laughing and retorted.

“You’d have to be the second son of the great Ximen family to be called a celebrity anywhere.”

“That’s too kind. Too kind.”

“Yes, it is.”

Seo Mun-geuk responded with a joke, and Baek Moo-jin returned the favor in kind.

When the drinks arrived, Seo Mun-geuk pressed his forehead and held out his empty glass.

“Let’s see if you can keep up with the tuition fees.”

As Baek Moo-jin poured the liquor, Seo Mun-geuk continued.

“Well, what are you curious about? Where should I start explaining? The dark forces around the North Heaven Alliance? Or the current state of the Southern Martial World, the ways of the Demon Path? Or perhaps I should recite something about the mysterious forces?”

“Mysterious forces… Are there such things?”

“They do.”

Baek Moo-jin said as he poured the wine.

“Let’s hear about these mysterious forces.”

“Have you heard of the Demon Soul Sect?”

“No? Is the Demon Soul Sect a mysterious force?”

“No. Listen. Long ago, after a long period of silence, the Demon Path infiltrated the White Path Alliance, assassinated its leader, and revealed itself. It was a Demon Path force called the Demon Soul Sect. At that time, the Demon Soul Sect leader swiftly defeated all the masters of the Nine Sects who rushed in and declared the Demon Path’s dominance over the world. But this newly emerged Demon Path dominance ended in just ten days.”

“Why?”

“Because a force burned everything to the ground—the Demon Lord himself and all the Demon Clan’s strongholds. No one knows where they came from or where they vanished, but where the Demon Clan’s base burned, the characters ‘Secret Heaven’ were carved into the ground. When people talk about mysterious forces, they always start with the Secret Heaven.”

“Oh… Secret Heaven.”

At that moment, someone who had just ascended from the first floor interjected into Seo Mun-geuk and Baek Moo-jin’s conversation.

“You’re discussing Bicheon. Might I join in?”

Baek Moo-jin looked over to see a man standing there who appeared to be a swordsman. He was in his early thirties, with thick eyebrows and sharp features, giving him a stern, upright appearance.

Baek Moo-jin spoke.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you…”

The man, wearing a refreshingly open expression, introduced himself.

“I am Dam Ji-un, leader of the Mook Sword Corps.”

At his words, Baek Moo-jin and Seo Mun-geuk rose and bowed.

“Ah, the Dark Sword Master. I am Baek Moo-jin.”

“Seo Mun-geuk.”

“Why are you standing? Sit down. If you’re a first-class guest, you’re my superior…”

Ignoring their intentions, Dam Ji-un sat down at the table and offered them cups of wine.

Seo Mun-geuk also knew that Baek Moo-jin had defeated the Black Sword Corps Commander during the martial arts competition. Seo Mun-geuk grinned and looked at the Black Sword Corps Commander.

‘What? Did he come here for a fight?’

As Dam Ji-woon took the cup and prepared to pour wine for Baek Moo-jin and Seo Mun-geuk, another man suddenly appeared on the first floor. He slowly ascended the stairs, glanced around, then walked straight toward Baek Moo-jin.

It wasn’t by chance; it was as if the man had been waiting specifically for Baek Moo-jin to appear at the inn.

“I’d like to join your drinking party, but…”

“Heh heh.”

“Huh…”

“Ugh······.”

Baek Moo-jin, Seo Mun-geuk, and Dam Ji-woon each reacted differently as they stared at the newly arrived man.

Lee Jeong-nam, a top-tier martial artist of the Bukcheon Alliance and once dispatched as an inspector alongside Baek Moo-jin, stood there with an impassive expression. However, Lee Jeong-nam seemed to speak casually to Dam Ji-woon.

“Master Dam, it’s been a while.”

“It’s been a while. What brings you to the inn?”

“Well, I gather you haven’t been to an inn in quite some time either.”

As Lee Jeong-nam sat down, Seo Mun-geuk smiled faintly.

‘This is getting more and more interesting. A top-tier martial artist versus another top-tier martial artist…’

Seo Mun-geuk secretly harbored resentment over his defeat by Baek Moo-jin. If the leader of the Bukcheon Alliance and a top-tier martial artist attacked Baek Moo-jin and were defeated, it would somehow feel like compensation for his own loss.

Seo Mun-geuk thought as he downed his drink.

‘Not bad.’

The rumors about Yi Jeong-nam within the North Heaven Alliance were far from flattering. Before joining the Alliance, he was practically a living assassin. Even on this mission, he was said to be a brutal man who had slain several, including the Dongcheon Branch Chief, before returning.

Meanwhile, Baek Moo-jin, the man at the center of it all, couldn’t help but feel flustered. It was clear both men had come with the distinct intention of confronting him. Only then did Baek Moo-jin suddenly recall what Jang Yu-seung, an Executive Council member, had said earlier.

‘News travels fast around here. The other branch chiefs won’t just sit idly by. Or else, once the major chiefs get involved and things get noisy, the headquarters will finally issue a warning to hold back.’

Jang Yuseung had clearly warned Baek Moo-jin that he would soon be busy with duels.

Seo Mun-geuk, who had been watching the three men intently, couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh at the thought of getting a good show today.

“Heh heh heh… Come now, let me offer a toast.”

3.

Dam Ji-woon and Lee Jeong-nam.

Each had their own reason for wanting to see Baek Moo-jin’s skill.

Lee Jeong-nam had been hearing the name Baek Moo-jin frequently lately. Above all, the fact that he was being compared to him was unpleasant.

Dam Ji-woon, needless to say, believed the matter was one of honor for the Silent Sword Corps since their commander had been defeated by Baek Moo-jin.

Because of that, the drinking session couldn’t possibly drag on. As Lee Jeong-nam and Dam Ji-woon sat there awkwardly, Seo Mun-geuk finally stepped in to facilitate the conversation.

“Now then, it seems you two came here intending to challenge Baek Moo-in to a duel. Am I correct in my assumption?”

At Seo Mun-geuk’s words, Dam Ji-woon and Lee Jeong-nam looked at each other.

‘You too?’

‘So you are too.’

That was the look on their faces. After an awkward silence, Lee Jeong-nam looked at Baek Moo-jin and said.

“Indeed.”

Dam Ji-woon chimed in.

“I arrived first.”

Baek Moo-jin sighed.

“Haa…”

Of course, Baek Moo-jin had no intention of backing down.

‘The Dark Sword Master and a top-tier martial artist…’

Dam Ji-woon spoke up.

“The commander’s defeat has tarnished the Black Sword Corps’ honor. Next time, Brother…”

Lee Jeong-nam raised his hand, cutting off Dam Ji-woon.

“Lately, the name Baek Moo-jin has been mentioned alongside mine. I’ll be receiving my next assignment soon and must depart again, so today, you should yield. The Black Sword Corps is stationed at the North Heaven Alliance, so there will be plenty of opportunities.”

As the two began arguing over who would fight first, Baek Moo-jin, who had been listening quietly, spoke calmly.

“We can do them back-to-back.”

“············.”

Dam Ji-woon and Lee Jeong-nam glared at Baek Moo-jin with furious expressions. Only Seo Mun-geuk was struggling to hold back laughter.

‘Oh my, how delightful.’

Baek Moo-jin addressed the two.

“Shall we step outside?”

At his words, Dam Ji-woon and Lee Jeong-nam stood up simultaneously.

“Heh heh, both of you at once…”

“This is starting off on the wrong foot.”

However, Baek Moo-jin was stepping forward to engage the two in combat while fully aware that assassins sent by the Iron Blood Sect might be lurking nearby.

He anticipated the fight would be far more difficult than Dam Ji-woon and Lee Jeong-nam imagined.

Nevertheless, Baek Moo-jin had no intention of avoiding the confrontation. Stepping outside, Baek Moo-jin inhaled the cool air and murmured.

“The night air is truly pleasant.”

At that leisurely remark, Seo Mun-geuk burst into laughter alone.

“Ha ha ha! Yes, it is! A perfect night for a duel.”

Meanwhile, Dam Ji-woon and Lee Jeong-nam’s expressions had already stiffened.