He had not misheard. Jeok Chu-yeong was definitely awake. His hair stood on end and his body trembled.
His heart pounded violently. It was an opportunity given like a miracle. Jeok Chu-yeong's condition was not good, so there was no telling when he might lose consciousness again.
His heart grew urgent. He hurried to set him down, but the open space before and behind him came into view. If they stayed outside, they could run into men of the dark path again, just like before.
He pressed his ear to the door of the pavilion next to them. He gently opened the door, confirmed that no one was inside, and then entered. It seemed to be servants' quarters; several empty beds were lined up along the wall.
He carefully laid Jeok Chu-yeong down on one of them.
"Master Jeok, do you remember the residents of the Western Village? Seven years ago, did you not take them away in a carriage? Do you know Yang Soso? What about Yang Chu-ho?"
As he described the appearance and features of Sister Soso and the old man, Jeok Chu-yeong opened his mouth. He held his breath and listened intently.
"Nine."
Did he not hear me? Did he not understand? Jeok Chu-yeong only repeated the same word.
It was as if he refused any conversation until he knew who I was.
"I am Jeong Dae-cheon. I was sent by the Grand Venom Master, Bok Ha-gyu. Seon Do-mu ambushed the Crouching Dragon Hall, and I carried you out to escape."
Would a conversation be possible now? He swallowed dryly and watched with anxious eyes.
"Nine…"
With a deep sigh, Jeok Chu-yeong closed his eyes. Surely, he hadn't died. He quickly placed a hand under his nose and on his neck.
His breathing and pulse continued, but no matter how many times he called, he did not open his eyes again. It felt as if something was about to happen, only for it to end in nothing, leaving him utterly confused and frantic. What was this?
What just happened... It wasn't a direct transmission of true energy, so why did the Hidden Force react to my inner energy... Perhaps it was just his time to wake up.
Hadn't Bok Ha-gyu said so? That he sometimes opened his eyes and could manage a few words. If it truly was a reaction to my inner energy, why was the Hidden Force not rampaging?
Was it because it wasn't a direct transmission? If I made physical contact again and infused my inner energy, could I wake him? When he had seen Jeok Chu-yeong lying in the Crouching Dragon Hall, he had felt helpless.
It seemed there was no telling when a conversation would be possible. Now that he had woken up so quickly, he found himself growing impatient without realizing it. If he had his way, he would use his inner energy right now.
But if he did and the Hidden Force truly went wild, Jeok Chu-yeong would die here. What should I do... Unable to get his bearings, his deliberation grew long.
Jin Seok-man, who had been peering outside through a crack in the door, looked at him and urged him on anxiously.
"Great Hero Jeong, I don't know the circumstances, but we must go quickly. They will know about the back door too."
He was right. If a decision couldn't be made now, it wouldn't be too late to make it after securing their safety. He calmed his impatient heart and lifted Jeok Chu-yeong onto his back again.
Just in case, he circulated a minimal amount of inner energy. Strangely, Jeok Chu-yeong's energy core did not react this time. He felt empty, bewildered, and stunned.
What in the world is this... He went outside and opened the door of a building that ran along one side of the wall. Beyond a spacious backyard, he could see the end of the escape route at the base of the wall.
As he started to walk, he reached out a hand to stop Jin Seok-man. He gestured for him to be quiet as he looked at him quizzically. He set Jeok Chu-yeong down in the darkness under the eaves and stepped down from the stone porch.
Thanks to his inner energy, he could feel it clearly. It was behind the landscaped trees that lined the wall.
"Come out."
The branches swayed, revealing Seon Do-mu and two men of the dark path. It seemed that after seeing Jeok Chu-yeong was gone from the Crouching Dragon Hall they had broken through the guards to rush straight here and wait. Thinking he had them cornered, Seon Do-mu wore an arrogant expression and grinned vilely.
"Quite impressive. That Bok Ha-gyu certainly has more luck with people than he has talent. Well, that ends today, I suppose."
"Does killing the master make the Black Night Gang yours?"
"It's possible if I have the token of authority."
"Token of authority? What's that?"
"What's the point of a dead man knowing?"
Seon Do-mu casually drew his executioner blade. His two subordinates also drew their broadswords and moved to either side. This was no time for a leisurely sword fight.
It was obvious what his subordinates were capable of, but he had no idea of Seon Do-mu's martial ability. These men had been hiding behind the trees to ambush us as we left through the back door.
It was one thing for them to underestimate him, but the fact that they were spreading out in formation to attack him simultaneously was also quite troublesome. A meticulous man like this would surely have a hidden trump card or a despicable trick up his sleeve.
If he tried to conserve his inner energy and the fight dragged on, or if he was taken down in an absurd way, Jeok Chu-yeong, who was behind him, would be in danger. A swift, decisive battle. Kill them as quickly as possible and leave.
As if reading his mind, the two men of the dark path charged forward boldly. As expected, Seon Do-mu also thrust his executioner blade toward him at the same time. He drew his long blade, raising his inner energy to its peak.
Seon Do-mu's eyes widened, as if he sensed the sudden shift in his aura, like a bear that had shed its wolf mask.
"You bastard, don't tell me..."
Paaang!
He shot off his spot and flew toward the man on the left. In an instant, he closed the distance and slashed his chest. Before the blood could even splatter, he used his footwork to rush to the right.
Seon Do-mu, terrified, swung his executioner blade. It was a threatening horizontal slash that made good use of the heavy sword's weight. Because his physical abilities were enhanced by his inner energy, the sword's movement felt slow.
He laid his long blade diagonally against the flat of the executioner blade, then wrapped it around and twisted. The sword spun outwards, and Seon Do-mu's wrist bent. The executioner blade flew to the side, leaving the man's neck and chest wide open.
"W-wait! Let's make a deal...!"
It seemed he had realized I was a monster who used inner energy, but it was too late. I had nothing more to say to him. To drag this out would be a waste of precious inner energy.
Pshuk!
He slashed Seon Do-mu's neck, spun around, and finished off the remaining man of the dark path. As he flicked his long blade to shake off the blood, the executioner blade that Seon Do-mu had dropped finally clattered to the ground. Clutching the neck from which blood was gushing, Seon Do-mu collapsed pathetically onto his own shadow.
He carried Jeok Chu-yeong, walked past the corpses, and opened the back door. Before that short yet intensely long night had even ended, they had safely escaped the Black Night Gang. The alley was empty, filled only with the faint moonlight.
At the end of the alley, he turned the corner and saw a carriage waiting, hidden from the eyes of the Black Night Gang. Someone got down from the covered rear compartment.
"It ended sooner than I thought. I'm glad to see you again. The one on your back... surely that isn't Master Jeok?"
Jeok Chu-yeong was in such a state that even Geuk-hwan, who had seen him in person before, found it hard to believe.
"Let's go to the Deep Fragrance Pavilion. The detached house that Great Hero Won is using should do."
"Are you requesting a safehouse and protection?"
Geuk-hwan asked in a deliberately business-like tone. Wondering why he was acting this way, he tilted his head, then recalled how the Underworld Information Clan had handled things in the past. In any case, I was a house guest who did work for the Underworld Information Clan and received money.
If Geuk-hwan simply accepted Jeok Chu-yeong here, it would be as if the Underworld Information Clan had intervened in the Black Night Gang's internal conflict. And I would have been acting on the branch master's orders. That went against the principles of the Underworld Information Clan.
He had to create the appearance of using the Underworld Information Clan for his own business as a martial artist, not as a house guest. One might think it's all the same, but for any organization, procedure and legitimacy are more important than they seem.
If the Underworld Information Clan headquarters were to make an issue of this later, the pavilion master could be in trouble.
"I would like to request a safehouse and protection from the Underworld Information Clan."
"The request is accepted. The contract and cost assessment can be done after sunrise."
"Let's do that."
Since Bok Ha-gyu would be paying anyway, it didn't matter how much it cost. The inside of the carriage was warm. He carefully laid Jeok Chu-yeong down near a brazier with glowing coals and sat beside him.
Jin Seok-man also got into the carriage. He placed his luggage next to the back door and subtly perched on the edge of a seat. He had thought the man would bolt as soon as they were out of the Black Night Gang; this was unexpected.
"Coming with us?"
"The sun has not risen. I would like to impose just a little longer. Is that all right?"
"Do as you wish."
It seemed he thought it was better to trust him to the end rather than be robbed by bandits or caught by patrolling patrolmen. The carriage slowly made its way out of the alley. Through the open window, he could see flames soaring into the sky.
Beyond the high walls, the Five Phoenix Pavilion was burning brightly. The carriage headed straight for the Deep Fragrance Pavilion. * "That bastard, Im Ja-gyeon..."
Bok Ha-gyu gasped for breath, his eyes bloodshot. He had grown much stronger since he had last seen him. He wasn't this powerful before.
It seemed he had dedicated himself to training in order to somehow get past the Master and the other squad masters and take over the Black Night Gang. Even so, he was now just a headless corpse. He stared blankly at Im Ja-gyeon's head rolling on the ground with a vacant expression, then sheathed his blood-stained sword.
"Ugh!"
As the tension eased, the wound on his side from the earlier slash throbbed with pain.
"Squad Master!"
A subordinate ran over, applied wound salve to the injury, and wrapped it in a bandage. The subordinate's own arm was also heavily bandaged.
"Casualties?"
"Five dead, three seriously injured, and two with minor injuries."
Including himself, not a single one was unscathed. If only the men sent to take over the Blood Snake Gang's businesses had been here, the damage would have been less. He felt a renewed sense of regret, but it was a stroke of luck that it had ended here.
Among the seated subordinates, an unfamiliar face caught his eye. The middle-aged man who had hidden in the pavilion and struck Im Ja-gyeon from behind to help him was now tending to the wounded. He was a martial artist brought by Jeong Dae-cheon.
If that middle-aged man had not intervened at the right moment, he might have lost all his subordinates here. Bok Ha-gyu limped over on one leg and cupped his fists.
"I am Bok Ha-gyu. You've been a great help. In the midst of the chaos, I didn't even get to ask your name."
Although Hwang Kang-ju despised those of the dark path, he too showed respect as the other party was being polite.
"I am Hwang Kang-ju. I only did what had to be done, so do not mind it."
"Where are the others?"
Hwang Kang-ju shook his head stoically.
"I do not know. They are all probably doing what they need to do."
"I'm going to the Five Phoenix Pavilion. Will you come with me?"
"I will."
Hwang Kang-ju, careful not to reveal the bundle of banknotes stuffed in his robes, accompanied Bok Ha-gyu. The Five Phoenix Pavilion was engulfed in flames and was practically uncontrollable. Everyone had given up on extinguishing the fire and was desperately trying to prevent it from spreading to the surroundings.
"You've come?"
The manager, who was mobilizing the servants to fight the fire, bowed his head. He was a former guild master who had cut his teeth in a merchant guild and was meticulous with money, but for the past two years, he hadn't been able to hold his head high.
The master who had supported him was bedridden, and Im Ja-gyeon and Seon Do-mu were extremely uncooperative. Originally, each squad master had received necessary expenses and supplies through the manager. At first, Im Ja-gyeon and Seon Do-mu had reluctantly followed the rules, but after the master fell ill, they had monopolized the income from their businesses as they pleased.
Perhaps because he was reasserting his presence by commanding the servants for the first time in a long while, the manager's expression was not bad. It might have been even better because the burning pavilion was the residence of Seon Do-mu, who had oppressed him.
"It seems we'll have to give up on the Five Phoenix Pavilion."
Bok Ha-gyu nodded silently. Unless a torrential downpour came from the sky, it was impossible to extinguish that with human strength.
"Still, it's a great fortune that there's no wind. We're dousing the surrounding buildings with water and sand, so if it stays like this, it won't spread."
"It won't collapse?"
"The main beams are so sturdy that even if it burns down completely, it will maintain its shape. The master paid special attention to that part when it was first built."
"Are there people inside?"
"No." "Where did Seon Do-mu go?"
"He led the Five Phoenix Squad to the Crouching Dragon Hall."
"Damn..."
As Bok Ha-gyu's face contorted, servants screamed from one side.
"Whoa! What's that? Was there someone inside?"
He looked up quickly to see a rope dangling from a third-floor window of the pavilion. A woman grabbed the rope with both hands and boldly stepped onto the windowsill. She hooked the rope between her feet and slid down.
While everyone was aghast at the crazy, insane act, she landed safely in an area where the flames were weakest. Following her, another woman and a man escaped in the same manner. All three wore gloves and had wet towels covering their noses and mouths, looking just like bandits.
"Did those people start the fire?"
"I do not know. If they had started the fire, there would be no reason for them to be inside until now..."
As if something had occurred to him, Hwang Kang-ju trailed off ambiguously. Bok Ha-gyu glared at Ho Yeon-geom and his junior sisters for a moment before turning away.
"I must go. I'll see you later."
The leg that had been slashed by the child assassin throbbed with every step. His side also stung. Bok Ha-gyu gritted his teeth and quickened his pace.
It wasn't over yet. Not until he confirmed the master's safety and Seon Do-mu's whereabouts. His heart sank when he saw the guards scattered in front of the Crouching Dragon Hall.
"Master! Master!"
He rushed into the bedroom, but it was empty. The blankets were disheveled, but there were no bloodstains anywhere. Bok Ha-gyu felt a sense of relief.
If it had been Seon Do-mu, he would have killed the master on the spot, no matter how weakened he was. Both Im Ja-gyeon and Seon Do-mu feared the master to an extreme degree.
When they had first clashed in Hunan, he had beaten them so badly that they had crawled on the ground and wet themselves, and they normally couldn't even meet his gaze. For them to still raise their heads and commit insubordination, it seemed the beating back then hadn't been enough.
Thinking back, it would have been better to just kill them instead of taking them in. They were never the kind of men who could be reformed. Bok Ha-gyu closed the bedroom door and turned back.
He led all his able-bodied subordinates toward the back door. A gift left behind by Jeong Dae-cheon was waiting for him. The body of Seon Do-mu, his neck half-severed, eyes wide open in death.
Standing before it, he finally felt as if the internal conflict of the Black Night Gang had come to an end. The last time they had fought, Seon Do-mu had been a notch below him.
Im Ja-gyeon had improved by leaps and bounds, but Seon Do-mu was a greedy man addicted to alcohol and women, so he likely hadn't made much progress. Still, to kill him so cleanly.
He knew that what he had shown at the Wandering Swordsmen Inn was not all he had, but the power of his hidden trump card had surpassed his expectations. He pushed open the back door and went outside. As he gazed at the empty alley, he felt strangely unsettled.
It was a relief that the master had escaped safely, but he didn't know if Jeong Dae-cheon would be willing to return him. Bok Ha-gyu shook his head vigorously. Tomorrow's problems could be dealt with tomorrow.
Now was the time to bring order to their ranks. They had to control the fire to prevent it from spreading, treat the wounded, and collect the bodies. His head throbbed, but he could leave it to the manager.
Just as the master had done. Bok Ha-gyu closed and locked the back door and returned to the Crouching Dragon Hall. * "Huff, huff, damn it."
Ban Ho-yang ran for his life, so hard that his mouth tasted sweet with exhaustion. When he had barely escaped the Black Night Gang by climbing a tree behind the manager's residence he had scouted earlier and jumping over the wall, he had thought he was saved.
The downtown area of the Western Village was quite complex, with shops and houses packed tightly together. Once he hid, even Won Seo-gang wouldn't be able to find him. Won Seo-gang knew that well too.
So he pursued him relentlessly, giving him no time to hide. No matter how much he weaved through the alleys, he couldn't shake him off. As they chased and were chased, they soon left the city center and were running on the outskirts.
No matter how bright the moon was, if he could get into the mountains, he could escape. But even the nearest mountain was too far. He was out of breath, and his heart felt like it would explode.
His trembling legs felt as heavy as if they were stuck in mud. He was sick of it. Sick of that bastard Won Seo-gang, sick of the damned sect...
Piiing!
The sharp sound of something cutting through the air by his ear snapped him to his senses. A hidden weapon... a dagger... He didn't know what it was, but if it had flown just an inch to the left, it would have been embedded in the back of his head.
A chill ran down his spine. If he stopped here, he would die. Ban Ho-yang gritted his teeth and ran desperately.
Behind him, Won Seo-gang, his eyes gleaming coldly, followed closely like a shadow.