Chapter 108

After meeting Ha Jeong-hak, the leader of the Jipyameng, Jeon Bi-rang was left with a bitter aftertaste lingering in her mind.

‘For all the guests to step forward and kill?’

It sounded like an order for them all to go and die. This was especially true for Jeon Bi-rang, who had at least a rough grasp of Danwooseong’s abilities.

It wasn’t a request, nor was there any sign of apology.

‘Should I leave?’

As she headed toward the guest quarters prepared for the honored guests at Jipyamyeong, Jeon Birang glanced at the gazes of the Jipyamyeong members and quickly changed her mind.

‘Can I even leave?’

Suddenly, she stroked the sword at her waist with her left hand.

Even when pursued by Mubongmun, and now that he had resolved to leave Jipyamyeong, the only thing he could trust was his own sword.

As Jeon Birang entered the main hall where the guests were gathered, all the guests of Jipyamyeong were assembled.

Questions came from all sides as Jeon Birang entered the main hall.

“Guest, what did the leader say?”

“I heard you had a drink. Is that true? Did you know the man?”

Jeon Birang replied.

“I didn’t know him. The leader said all the guests should step forward and be killed. There’s no point in delaying. Let’s depart now.”

Jeon Birang planned to take them along and then drop out at the right moment. After all, even if he took them all, they’d all just die like dogs.

But setting out with them wasn’t easy either.

A master from the Sichuan Tang Sect, known as the Wind and Cloud Guest, retorted.

“Why are you giving that order? At the very least, an official should come to make the request or issue the command.”

Zhen Bilang retorted.

“Senior Fengyun, I merely relayed the Alliance Leader’s words. Then I shall wait a moment for the formal order to arrive.”

As Jeon Birang was about to enter the lodging as if to rest, the leader of the guests, the Angry Guest, spoke.

“Biran, where are you going?”

“To rest.”

The Angry Guest stared at Jeon Birang.

“Wait here.”

Jeon Birang stopped and turned around. All the guests were glaring at him. Jeon Birang was furious.

‘These people…’

As Jeon Birang approached the old man, he asked.

“Was that just now Senior Nohho’s order?”

Noh Ho-gak replied with a smile.

“What can one do when it’s an order? A swordsman from Baekdo went to have a drink and returned unscathed—it could have been an escape. You’ll remain under house arrest until this matter is settled.”

Jeon Birang said, looking at the other guests.

“Do you all share the same opinion?”

The Wind and Cloud Guest retorted.

What’s so hard about waiting? You’ve done something that invites misunderstanding. All the Jipyamyeong officers went to meet their deaths, yet you returned unscathed. Just wait for now. Senior Roh Ho, there’s no need for you to make such sharp remarks either. Suspicions only make things worse. If Jeon Birang truly betrayed us, he’d have no reason to return here.

Though he spoke as if mediating, Jeon Birang found even Pungunggaek’s words grating.

Jeon Birang gave a bitter smile and sat down, pressing close to Roh Ho-gaek’s side.

“What’s so difficult about that? I’ll wait.”

Shortly after, the military council’s officer and the Inspectorate Team Leader entered simultaneously. The military council officer spoke.

“All guests except the honored guest are summoned by the Alliance Leader.”

The Inspector-General addressed Jeon Birang.

“Please come with me, Guest. I need to hear about what happened at the Moksryong Hall.”

Jeon Birang retorted.

“To the Inspection Corps?”

The Chief Inspector stated.

“There’s much to be done. Since you’ve met the man in question face-to-face, we must accurately redraw his portrait. You likely know everything about Moolryongdang’s interior, atmosphere, and the intelligence needed for our operation. We need your help.”

Jeon Birang swallowed a sigh before rising to his feet.

Being dragged to the inspection team meant you might be gone for a day or two—no telling when you’d be released. That’s why it’s just like being under surveillance.

Jeon Birang’s status had plummeted in an instant—from being a guest of honor at the Jipyameng to receiving the somewhat respectful treatment of a prisoner.

Given that Jipyameng was fighting for its very survival against Danwooseong, such a sensitive reaction was perhaps only natural.

The old guest stared at Jeon Birang with a look of utter scorn before moving on with the other guests to meet the leader. Jeon Birang also smiled as he watched the old guest. Somehow, the old guest’s true feelings were plain to see in his expression. ‘You little bastard from the White Path, you look good.’

That was the expression.

Jeon Birang smiled and said to the Chief Inspector.

“Let’s go. I’ll explain everything in detail.”

Watching the guests leave the main hall and head toward the leader, Jeon Birang stood side by side with the Inspector-General and moved toward the Inspectorate.

It was an awkward situation beyond compare.

There was nothing to say.

Jeon Birang gauged the distance of the receding guests before asking the Inspector-General.

“Inspector-General, I’ve seen you several times but never heard your name.”

The Inspector General replied with a sour expression.

“What, introducing ourselves now…?”

Jeon Birang burst out laughing.

“Hahahahaha…”

It was because Danwooseong’s words came to mind.

‘What’s a black-clad man doing introducing himself? Ah, not a black-clad man—a traitor.’

The Inspector General glanced sideways at Jeon Birang and asked.

“What’s so funny?”

Jeon Bi-rang replied.

“It seems wherever this Jeon Birang goes, I’m treated like a traitor. Now I’m neither white nor black. It’s all my own doing.”

The Inspector General said.

“That’s only because you’re staying as a guest. Once you formally join the order, such disdainful glances will cease.”

Jeon Bi-rang, who had been walking beside him, drew his sword and slashed the Inspector General’s neck.

Clang!

Even in that moment, the Inspector General drew his straight sword vertically with his left hand, barely parrying Jeon Birang’s strike.

The moment the Inspector General blocked Jeon Birang’s sword, he staggered from the surging internal energy. As he shifted his grip to hold the straight sword in his right hand mid-air…

Jeon Bi-rang’s follow-up strike came crashing down.

Swoosh!

The Inspector General’s neck was sliced by the second strike of the sword, sending him flying through the air. He landed somewhere and rolled around.

It was a surprise attack, so the Inspector General didn’t even have time to show his true skill. Of course, even if they had fought properly from the start, the Inspector General would never have been a match for Jeon Birang.

Jeon Birang brushed the blood from his sword and began to deploy his lightness skills.

It was the defector’s escape.

Even as Jeon Birang executed his lightness technique, the Jipyamyeong remained silent. This was because Jeon Birang had assessed the situation of the departing guests and the surrounding area before launching his ambush.

Two martial artists approaching from ahead spotted Jeon Birang and shouted.

“What?”

“A guest?”

Jeon Birang leapt into the air.

His nickname is Flying Sword Lad. As the sword and Zhenbilang traced a ‘乙’ trajectory through the air, two warriors simultaneously collapsed, blood spurting from their throats. Seizing the briefest moment of chaos, Zhen Bilang instantly widened the distance again, soaring over the wall to a dizzying height, and escaped the Jiyamen like a whirlwind.

Only then did the Jipyamyeong begin sounding the horn to signal the emergency.

They launched the pursuit, leading packs of vicious dogs raised on the flesh and blood of prisoners, traitors, and white-clad martial artists.

In the blink of an eye, Jeon Birang killed three Black Path warriors and fled, gazing up at the night sky.

The moon hung low in the sky, as if caught on a tree branch.

It was a night when the moonlight couldn’t boast its inherent brightness.

Fortunately, this meant it was an appropriate night for escape.

A strange thought crossed his mind. No matter how much Namheuk was being pursued by the strongest group, if he were caught here, his pride—which had never been wounded even by Mubongmun—would be damaged.

Jeon Birang smiled with a face that looked like it might cry.

He wanted to laugh out loud, but the pursuers prevented him.

Where should he go?

Where the hell should I go?

The darkening night sky and the pitch-black mountains seemed to wonder where the traitor was heading next.

Thus the renegade fled through the night. Behind him came the assassins of the Black Path, and the barking of mad dogs that had tasted human flesh echoed in his ears.

It was the perfect night for escape.

.

.

.

The renegade arrived before the Black Dragon Hall. His clothes were torn to shreds, ragged and tattered. He had been caught not by the Jipyamyeong’s pursuit, but by the leader of the bandits, the Old Bandit. He had no choice but to fight. In the meantime, he had been surrounded by a dozen rabid dogs. After severing the Old Bandit’s arms and legs, he had raced through the night to reach the Black Dragon Hall.

Jeon Bira, now looking like a beggar, knocked on the broken door of the Moksryong Hall, just as he had done yesterday.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The man inside the Mukeong Hall bellowed the moment he spotted Jeon Biraeng.

“No, you know perfectly well the door’s broken, yet you keep knocking? Just come in. You really have a peculiar personality.”

“Hahaha…”

When Jeon Birang burst into laughter and entered the Myeongryong Hall, the members were startled.

“Good heavens, what a fright! Thought a ghost was coming in.”

It was already morning, with the sun high in the sky. A man spoke up.

“What brings you here so early in the morning?”

Jeon Birang replied as he headed toward the main hall.

“I came to get some food. I’m starving.”

As Jeon Birang headed toward the main hall, a Myeongnyongdang member called out.

“The guest is entering!”

Jeon Birang exhaled sharply before flinging open the main hall doors with both hands. The crowd packed inside the hall turned to stare at him all at once.

Inside the main hall, long tables were lined up, and warriors from the Black Dragon Hall and Blue Robe Hall were mingling together, eating breakfast. Dan Wooseong, who had eaten separately because Baekyak was uncomfortable with so many men, was also mingling with the Black Path warriors when he looked at Jeon Birang.

Jeon Birang, looking utterly disheveled, addressed Dan Wooseong.

“Can I get a meal out of you? I bought the drinks yesterday, didn’t I?”

The men of the Black Path all turned to look at Danwooseong at once.

Dan Woo-sung glanced at Jeon Bi-rang before addressing the party members.

“Make room.”

“Yes.”

One man pulled two chopsticks from the chopstick holder and placed them on the empty seat. He then pulled out a chair as if inviting Jeon Bi-rang to sit, before returning to his own place.

As Jeon Birang sat down, looking exhausted, Ho Tae-jun, who had been watching, said to his men.

“Aren’t you going to die while eating?”

His subordinates burst out laughing.

“Hahahaha…”

After Ho Tae-jun made the Myeongryongdang members laugh, Do Jin-gwang of the Cheonguidang also chimed in.

“This looks to me like Hwang Gae’s desperate ploy. Do not accept his surrender.”

Do Jin-gwang had intended his remark to be funny, like Ho Tae-jun’s, but since most of the black-clad men hadn’t read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, no one laughed.

Ho Tae-jun criticized Do Jin-gwang.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? Pointless.”

Do Jin-gwang sighed.

“These ignorant bastards… You have to be on the same wavelength to get a laugh.”

Ho Tae-jun retorted as if utterly dumbfounded.

“It has to be funny to laugh. You crazy bastard.”

Ho Tae-jun said to Jeon Bi-rang.

“Don’t worry about that. There’s plenty of food, so take your time. I don’t know who you are, but since you seem to know our captain here, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Do Jin-gwang looked at Dan Woo-seong, then turned to look at Jeon Bi-rang and said.

“Ah, exactly. But who are you, anyway?”

Jeon Birang replied while picking up food with his chopsticks.

“A traitor. A betrayer.”

Jeon Bi-rang looked at Dan Woo-seong. Dan Woo-seong said nothing, just picked up a few side dishes with his chopsticks and ate.

Ho Tae-jun slammed his hand down on the table with a thud and declared.

“A traitor… Well, that’s something! We all almost joined the Jipyamyeong too, but changed our minds. So we’re all traitors. Right?”

“Well, I suppose so. The problem is, we’ll probably end up dead if we do.”

Jeon Biraeng ate his meal with sheer ferocity. He didn’t sip water; he poured the entire contents of the teapot into his mouth. After running all night and fighting to the death with the bandit, he couldn’t help himself.

After eating a meal here, he planned to leave again if they made him uncomfortable.

Now, Jeon Birang was ready to accept the loneliness Dan Wooseong had spoken of.

Dan Woosung, who had been watching Jeon Birang eat silently for a long while, asked.

“Jeon Birang, were you being chased by the Jipyamyeong?”

Jeon Birang nodded while eating.

“Yes.”

Dan Woo-sung looked at Jeon Bi-rang and said briefly.

“Good to see you.”

The men of the Black Path watched quietly, wondering what exactly the relationship between these two was. Jeon Bi-rang, who had been eating, seemed to have gotten a bit of a lump in her throat. She took another sip of water before responding.

“Am I really welcome?”

Dan Woo-sung replied with a faint smile.

“Didn’t I tell you? The head of the Jipya Myeongju is going to die by my hand. So yes, you came at the right time.”

Jeon Bi-rang stared at Dan Woo-seong. In any case, she felt she had come to the right place.

It didn’t matter anymore if he wasn’t a white-clad disciple or a black-clad disciple.

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong