As the Western Village grew distant, the surroundings sank into deep darkness. There was hardly any moonlight, so the driver steered the horse as slowly as possible down the middle of the wide main road. The Prefect, with a grave expression, warmed himself by the brazier, staring blankly at the charcoal burning red-hot.
Naturally, everyone held their breath and fell silent. No matter how much I glanced around, I couldn't quite believe this situation. When Bang Jo-in was murdered, the Inspector had come to the Deep Fragrance Pavilion and pressured me.
As if he would frame me for murder and tie me to a rack at any moment. The Inspector was more than capable of such a thing. To the powerless common folk and martial artists without backing, he was as good as the living King of the Underworld.
And the one who could keep such a fearsome Inspector as a subordinate and command him at will was the Prefect. Normally, I wouldn't even dare to approach this close. Yet here was that immensely powerful man, dressed in plain clothes and sitting in the same carriage, looking like a stubborn old teacher from a village schoolhouse.
Geuk-hwan stayed close to the Prefect, keeping a sharp eye on the world outside the window. Tonight, the Prefect’s real guard was Geuk-hwan. The other three of us were there to assist him.
There was no need to ask. The protection of high-ranking people was usually like that. It meant that if things went wrong, I could end up taking a blade for him.
Setting myself aside, there was Won Seo-gang, a monk who was an absolute master, and even Geuk-hwan, the Pavilion Master’s guard. The fact that all the masters of the Underworld Information Clan’s Western Village branch that I knew of had been mobilized seemed far from ordinary. Who on earth were we going to meet that required this much martial might?
What was he trying to do, sneaking away while deceiving even his own guards? If it were a personal matter, he could have sent his trusted aides. If it were a shady business, it made even less sense for him to come in person.
On the other hand, it also seemed likely that things would end without incident. The security for high-ranking people was usually double or triple-layered, excessively thorough. Because if even the slightest problem occurred, many heads would roll.
What’s that…
As I glanced around, the wooden crates piled up inside finally caught my eye. If they were useless items, they would have been removed from the carriage before we left. Geuk-hwan probably knew, but the Prefect's mood was so heavy that I kept my mouth shut.
Only late at night did the carriage come to a halt.
“We’re here. You may get out.”
On the mountainside next to the pitch-black main road, lanterns were brightly lit. It looked like an inn, but there was nothing hanging on the flagpole. As I looked around at the large, shabby exterior and the eerie scenery faintly revealed by the light, the hair on my head stood on end.
I blinked my startled eyes and took a closer look. There was no mistake.
Why here…
I reached my left hand behind my back, gripped my long blade, and quickly surveyed my surroundings. There was only deep darkness, where neither friend nor foe could be seen. The night air descending from the mountain bit sharply, clawing its way into my collar.
My body trembled as if in a seizure. On the off chance, I called out to Won Seo-gang, who was standing in front of me.
"Brother Won."
“What is it?"
“Do you know where this is?" “Isn't it an inn?" "It’s a black inn.” Won Seo-gang narrowed his eyes and looked back. "You mean a base for black market merchants? Are you sure?" “I’ve been here before.” The Prefect stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing beyond the dark main road. He was clearly waiting for someone. It seemed this was the meeting place. Geuk-hwan was off to one side, receiving a report from an Underworld Clan member. When I strode over, they stopped talking and he turned his head. "This is a black inn.”
Geuk-hwan’s eyes, as he looked at me, sparkled strangely, just as they had when I gave him the Mak Jade.
“You knew?”
“I stopped by once on my way to the black market. Did the Underworld Information Clan know as well?" A faint smile appeared on Geuk-hwan’s face.
“We are, after all, the Western Village branch of the Underworld Information Clan. We would lose face if we didn't know what was in our vicinity."
“Do you also know about the trap inside?" "You mean the collapsing floorboards? The disciples from our main clan have already inspected everything. Not just this inn, but we also have men lying in ambush in every corner of the surrounding hills. An exposed black inn is no longer a trap. It's just an abandoned ruin.”
The confident way he spoke suggested that the Underworld Information Clan had completely taken over this inn. Even with his reassuring answer, the memory of what happened here before still left me feeling uneasy.
“Don’t tell me we came to meet a black market merchant?”
Geuk-hwan glanced at the Prefect and shook his head ever so slightly.
“There will be a transaction. The Prefect will handle it, so Great Hero Jeong, please ensure you are fully prepared for guard duty.”
Someone came out of the inn carrying a lantern. It was a familiar Underworld Clan member I had often seen at the Deep Fragrance Pavilion. We escorted the Prefect up the slope, surrounding him from all sides.
The inside of the black inn was so empty it felt hollow. Before, it had been filled with tables like other inns, but now they had all been removed, with just one placed deep inside. It was here that I, along with Do Gwang-il, had killed as many as eleven people.
We had just left the bodies. I thought the stench of rot would pierce my nose, but thankfully, there was no smell at all. Geuk-hwan avoided the section of the floor that collapsed and guided the Prefect to the table.
At every window, Underworld Clan members armed with swords were hidden in pairs. There were likely more people ambushed around the inn. The Prefect carefully observed the personnel stationed inside one by one before sitting down in a chair.
Geuk-hwan added another piece of charcoal to the brazier and stood beside him, pouring tea into a cup. Won Seo-gang and I stood at a slight distance from the Prefect. The monk moved toward the window at the back.
The Prefect, seemingly thirsty, kept sipping his tea. All the while, he never took his eyes off the wide-open entrance of the inn. Everyone stood at their posts, mouths shut, waiting for the right moment.
A heavy silence flowed, just like in the carriage. From the back mountain, the winter wind cried mournfully as it clung to the bare branches. The lanterns hanging on the walls of the inn flickered, casting faint shadows on the floor that appeared and vanished.
With numerous armed martial artists holding their breath, the tension gradually mounted. Even without doing anything, a premonition of an approaching catastrophe tightened its grip on a corner of my heart. A sharp pressure that would make a weak-willed person's hands sweat and their breath turn ragged filled the inn.
The Prefect let out a frustrated sigh, closed his eyes, and leaned back in his chair. A moment later, he opened his eyes and asked Geuk-hwan.
“You said you had something prepared?" "Would you like to see?" When the Prefect nodded, Geuk-hwan gestured. An Underworld Clan member who had been waiting behind the counter pulled a lever. With a clattering sound, the floorboards about two zhang in front of the Prefect collapsed and split open to both sides. Even when the trap was revealed, no foul stench rose from it. It seemed the Underworld Clan members had taken care of the bodies piled inside. Beside me, Won Seo-gang muttered under his breath. "So it really was a black inn. How deep is that thing?”
"It’s over five zhang.” “Hmm, five zhang..."
Won Seo-gang stroked his chin and stared intently at the trap. He seemed to be gauging whether he could survive a fall in there without breaking his legs or dying. In the past, I would have thought that no matter how great a master, they would surely die.
But after learning inner energy, my thoughts had changed a bit. If one could fully draw out their inner energy before falling, perhaps they could somehow survive with their enhanced physical abilities. By drawing a blade like lightning and plunging it into the wall, or by concentrating inner energy into the soles of the feet to cushion the impact.
What if it were the body-flickering technique Do Gwang-il had shown? The moment the floor split, he could have swiftly moved aside and would have had more than enough time to cut down his enemies. Conversely, without inner energy, no matter how skilled a master, it would be difficult to survive that trap.
The Prefect, for some reason, looked doubtful. “Will that be enough?" He wasn't disappointed or suspicious, but seriously asking about the possibility.
Knowing that making a rash promise could earn him the Prefect's wrath if things went wrong, Geuk-hwan’s reply was extremely cautious.
“This trap is merely one of the many measures our Underworld Information Clan has prepared. We have several masters from our clan here, and we have cast a wide net with our disciples, so you need not worry.”
Only then did the Prefect clench his fists with determination.
“The transaction comes first, even if it means we let those bastards escape.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
They turned the lever to return the floorboards to their original state, and the suffocating wait resumed. After at least an hour had passed, an Underworld Clan member rushed in.
“A carriage is approaching, about two hundred zhang away.”
The Prefect flinched and gripped the armrests of his chair. Geuk-hwan quickly went outside to assess the situation and returned.
“It seems to be them.”
A while later, a man shrouded in a long robe entered the inn. He was a stout man with a sturdy build and a formidable aura. A rugged face with a clear sword scar.
Fierce, beast-like, predatory eyes. No matter how I looked at him, it didn't seem like this would end well. To prepare for any sudden developments, I discreetly began to circulate my inner energy.
The stout man took exactly two steps inside and stopped. It was a similar spot to where I had first sensed the empty space under the floor when I first came to this black inn. It didn't seem like he had noticed the trap.
It looked more like he was prepared to bolt out the door at a moment's notice. Even seeing a group of martial artists gathered, the stout man was not afraid or intimidated. As if he had expected it, he even let out a sharp sneer.
“Just like an official, making such a fuss wherever you go.”
“Is it you?”
Instead of answering, the stout man took a small fragment from his robe and threw it on the floor. Geuk-hwan picked up the fragment and handed it to the Prefect, who matched it with the one he had. It fit perfectly without a gap.
The Prefect’s hands trembled. “Gang-a, where is Gang-a?"
"First, let's check the goods in the carriage, then we'll exchange."
“Not a chance until you bring Gang-a before me!" The Prefect roared. It was the stern, dignified shout peculiar to someone who had been in a high position for a long time.
The stout man glared menacingly before turning his head and whistling. Two black-robed figures who appeared to be his subordinates brought in a large wooden box and placed it at the stout man’s feet. The stout man unlocked it and opened the lid.
A boy who looked to be about four or five years old was sleeping inside, his body bound with ropes and curled into a ball. The Prefect shot up from his seat. As he took a step forward, the stout man drew his sword and held it to the child’s neck.
The Prefect stopped in his tracks. He glared at the stout man as if he could tear him to pieces, then flinched. Startled by the murderous clamor, the child opened his eyes.
He recognized the Prefect and struggled, but he couldn't move an inch. A gag was also in his mouth, so he could only make muffled sounds. Seeing the child awake, the Prefect was relieved.
He was about to say something to the child but seemed to realize it wasn't over yet and bit his lip hard. The Prefect glared at the stout man with blazing eyes.
“Do you think you can get away with doing this to a high official of the great Ming?" The stout man tapped the child’s forehead with the flat of his blade and sneered vilely. "Playing king in Zhongqing must have made you lose touch with reality.
Great Ming this, great Ming that, what does any of that have to with us? If you want to take this brat back in one piece, cut the crap and hand over the goods." Though trembling with rage at the outrageous insults that would make one's blood boil, the Prefect could not show any more anger.
The child was still in the stout man’s hands. Even if the monk, an absolute master, were to rush forward with his inner energy at its peak, the stout man’s sword would pierce the child's neck first. “The goods are in the carriage.
Take the sword away from the child and step back.” “Let me check the goods first.” Geuk-hwan gave a signal, and an Underworld Clan member at the window gestured outside.
The sound of hurried footsteps. A horse neighed and snorted, likely having seen strangers. The carriage door opened, followed by the sound of something heavy being lowered to the ground.
The inside of the inn was engulfed in such a stern silence that all those minor noises reached the ears with clarity. A black-robed figure came in and whispered something to the stout man. The stout man grinned with a venomous smile.
“You brought the right stuff.
Good.
Have the troops surrounding the carriage pull back. I’ll hand over the child after the carriage is about two hundred zhang away.” Geuk-hwan shot a cold glare at the stout man and scoffed.
“Stop your games and get away from the child. Before I take your head.” "The carriage leaves first.
The brat comes after.”
The two men glared at each other intensely. The stout man was formidable, but Geuk-hwan's aura was like a single, murderously refined sword. Unlike the still-impassive Geuk-hwan, the stout man's face gradually contorted.
As if displeased, the stout man pressed the blade against the child's neck. It seemed he wanted to make up for losing ground in their exchange of presence, even if it meant drawing blood.
"Let the carriage go.” As the sword touched his grandson's neck, the Prefect could bear it no longer. Geuk-hwan tried to dissuade him with a troubled expression. “My lord, please be cautious…” “Do as I say. Let it go!"
The Prefect’s voice rose. It was a voice sharp with anxiety and impatience. His stern face had already lost its composure.
With his grandson’s neck on the line, it seemed no other words could reach his ears. At this, even Geuk-hwan could do nothing more. He gave a signal while keeping his eyes fixed on the stout man.
The sound of the carriage moving could be heard from outside. With the crack of a whip urging the horses on, the carriage quickly moved away. The stout man smiled with satisfaction and finally removed the sword from the child's neck.
“To be honest, when I heard he was your grandson, I thought you’d just abandon him. I didn't realize you’d care so much for a child who can’t even continue your line.”
"You got what you wanted, now get lost!”
“I will.
But you see…” The stout man’s eyes glinted with a dangerous, dark light. He licked his lips like a wild beast tasting its prey, and a strangely twisted smile formed on his mouth.
“I'm starting to think it wouldn't be so bad to test the depth of your bond one more time. It's too much of a waste to end it after just one go.” The stout man suddenly snatched the child by the scruff of his neck and slung him over his shoulder.
“See you again next time.” The stout man kicked off the ground and fled out the door. His two subordinates shot out at the same time as if on cue.
The Prefect, horrified, screamed.
“After them!
You must save Gang-a!"
THỊ THỊ THỊ “Gahhhk!" The screams of the Underworld Clan members surrounding the inn erupted in a chaotic flurry. When I ran out, a one-sided battle was raging.
I quickly assessed the situation and jumped into the most critical spot.
Clang!!
With a sharp metallic ring, the tip of a sword that had been about to pierce an Underworld Clan member's heart was deflected upwards. Even though the blow was quite powerful, backed by about two strands of my inner energy, the black-robed man did not lose his grip on his sword.
He shot me a sharp glare, lowered his stance, and thrust at my legs. I swung my long blade to block. This time, the black-robed man did not back down.
He coiled his sword around my long blade, deflecting its path, and then pierced through an opening. I fought back, shattering his sword path with the Heavenly Steel Saber Technique. As the fight dragged on, an ominous sense of deja vu thickened in my mind.
The feints that blurred my vision. The sword path that took my blind spots and stabbed at my vital points. Even the flow of the forms, which viciously clung to me, felt strangely familiar.
It was a sword technique I had definitely faced before. When he unleashed a series of deadly thrusts, I gritted my teeth without realizing it. The life-and-death battle on the mountain, where I had nearly died, came back to me vividly.
The opium merchant who had impersonated Pyo Hol-deuk. It was the sword technique used by the demonic warrior from the Heavenly Mountains.
These bastards.
They're Demonic Sect warriors. The black-robed man, having created enough distance with his continuous thrusts, stopped fighting and jumped from the mountainside down to the main road. The carriage they had arrived in was fleeing north like mad.
The stout man who had kidnapped the Prefect’s grandson and his two subordinates ran south along the main road, as if to make a show of it. From behind me, Geuk-hwan shouted urgently. “We have to find the child!
The child is the priority!" Without hesitation, Won Seo-gang and I ran south.