With a swift motion, Heo-Young landed lightly on the roof, observing Baek Soo-ryong's back as he reported, "The student supervisor, Mae Geuk-ryeom, has entered the Blood Sect branch."
"What about the escape route?" Baek Soo-ryong asked in a businesslike tone without turning around.
Heo-Young was internally surprised by his completely different demeanor but kept his composure and answered succinctly, "I have blocked it. The area is cleared, so as long as we deal with those inside the gambling den, there will be no information leaking from the Blood Sect."
"Good work."
Baek Soo-ryong replied shortly and surveyed the ground.
From the roof of the tallest building nearby, he was observing the large crowd gathering around Gong Sun-su.
Therefore, he had no time to look back at Heo-Young.
"Three from the east. Two from the west. Two... no, three from the south."
His keen observation and analytical skills were shining brighter than ever.
Among the throngs of people, Baek Soo-ryong accurately pinpointed the assassins and relayed their positions to his comrades on the ground through a silent communication.
"[Yeon-ho. Capture the old man at the fruit stall in the east.] [Il-o. Approach the courtesan in red at the back.] [So-young. You see the young siblings behind the ten or so cards? Engage them in conversation to buy some time.]"
It was like a massive game of chess.
Following Baek Soo-ryong's orders, the three were restricting the movements of the assassins, delaying time, and tangling their paths to prevent them from reaching Gong Sun-su.
After a moment of silence, Baek Soo-ryong narrowed his eyes and pointed in one direction with his finger.
He then turned to Heo-Young and said, "Do you see that baggage seller over there? He seems quite skilled. Can you handle it? If it seems too difficult, I can..."
"I'll go."
Heo-Young snorted, as if his pride was hurt.
Without hesitation, he leaped from the roof and blended into the crowd.
Proving his worth as a former top assassin of Cheon-Young, Heo-Young dealt with his target swiftly and discreetly.
Baek Soo-ryong chuckled at the sight.
"Not bad."
Even though Heo-Young's injuries had not fully healed, he was still holding his own.
The same could be said for Ak Yeon-ho, Myung Il-o, and Je-gal So-young.
Thanks to them, Baek Soo-ryong had minimized his direct involvement since sowing discord between Heo-Young and the Blood Sect, focusing instead on observing and coordinating the situation.
'With Mae Geuk-ryeom in the Blood Sect, I no longer need to worry.' The Blood Sect was more of a group of rogue warriors than assassins, consisting of a large number of members and branches established in various cities.
Naturally, the locations of these branches were kept secret, but Heo-Young had been aware of them for a long time.
That was why he sent Mae Geuk-ryeom, the strongest card in his hand.
Since Mae Geuk-ryeom, a typical righteous warrior, was meeting the kind of people he despised the most, he would show no mercy.
'The assassins outside will be dealt with by Heo-Young.' Heo-Young also began to move.
It seemed that news of the Blood Sect attacking them had finally reached the ears of the Black Forest, as the assassins who had momentarily retreated began hunting down the Blood Sect's assassins.
Thud.
Assassins do not fight openly.
They stab each other quietly in dark alleys, under shadowy walls, or while chatting like old friends.
Thud.
When the fight ends, one side quietly closes their eyes as if falling into a deep sleep.
Assassins are accustomed to pain, so there are hardly any screams.
The victor carries the body away or supports it to a secluded place for disposal.
'If a murder occurs in broad daylight, the authorities will intervene.
No one wants things to escalate.' Thus, the battles among assassins here had to be a silent war.
"That's your weakness."
Baek Soo-ryong watched emotionlessly as assassins killed each other throughout the city, their numbers dwindling.
The Black Forest's assassins hunted the Blood Sect's assassins, while those from the Black Forest were hunted by Heo-Young and the temporary instructors from Cheong-ryong Academy.
He sent Mae Geuk-ryeom to the Blood Sect branch to prevent any reinforcements from being sent.
They were a group of violent rogues, so he could not predict what reckless actions they might take.
Thus, he minimized even the slightest unpredictable variables.
"For now, this is..."
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
However, Baek Soo-ryong did not let his guard down. 'The Killing Veil has not yet been unleashed.'
The Killing Veil.
The most powerful group of assassins in the martial world.
If one day, a renowned master of the martial world suddenly dies, the Killing Veil is the first to be suspected.
But Baek Soo-ryong's wariness of the Killing Veil was not solely for that reason.
"The Blood Sect has disappeared, but the Killing Veil remains..."
There was a secret unknown to the martial world.
The Killing Veil was an organization created by the Blood Sect.
The leader of the Killing Veil, Il-sal, had been one of the elders of the Blood Sect for generations, even fifty years ago.
At that time, Il-sal was the ninth elder of the Blood Sect.
'The Martial Alliance has not discovered the connection between the two organizations.
So has the Killing Veil become an independent force? Or...?' Did the legacy of the Blood Sect still linger within the Killing Veil?
"... The truth will be revealed once we capture them."
Baek Soo-ryong's gaze settled as he looked down at the ground.
This operation was not only to protect Gong Sun-su but also to gather more information about the Blood Sect.
"Let’s see who wins."
It would be a battle of long patience.
The Killing Veil would wait until the most critical moment.
Of course, Baek Soo-ryong had no intention of missing that moment.
"Haha!" Gong Sun-su appeared particularly cheerful today.
With only half a jjin left until the duel exam, there was no sign of tension on his face.
The overly tense Heon Won-gang found his demeanor annoying and asked bluntly, "What’s got you in such a good mood? The duel exam is right around the corner, and you’re not even nervous?"
"I was a bit nervous during the morning exam, but now I’m fine."
Gong Sun-su looked around at the lively streets of his hometown with satisfaction.
"Time really flies."
Just a month ago, he could only gaze out the window at the scenery.
With his weakened body, even a light stroll was his limit.
To be honest, he had no desire to go out and wander.
Though it was his hometown, it felt foreign.
All his childhood friends had died, and most of the familiar streets and shops had vanished.
What remained were only a handful of memories, and even those were faded, so he planned to slowly reminisce about them until his death.
'But I’ve gained an unexpected opportunity.' The martial arts tutoring that started as a brief amusement had changed the course of Gong Sun-su's remaining life.
As he learned martial arts, his deteriorated body became rejuvenated, and the flesh that was said to have only a few years left to live became remarkably healthy.
Thanks to this, he could once again receive a summons from His Majesty the Emperor.
Gong Sun-su was happy about this, but he also felt a tinge of regret.
"Haha. Let’s go take a look over there!"
"... Do we really have to go there now?" Gong Sun-su clicked his tongue at Heon Won-gang, who had been sulking for some reason.
"Senior, if not today, when will we have another chance like this? If you keep grumbling, you can either go in first or follow along without complaint."
"Senior. Are you really not feeling well? If it’s hard, you should go in first."
"... Hey, Wi Ji-cheon. You’re worse."
"Yes?" Wi Ji-cheon was bewildered by Heon Won-gang's resentful gaze.
"Come on, let’s go!" Gong Sun-su led the two as they eagerly wandered the streets.
Like a child, he bought sweets from street vendors and glanced at the pretty girls who had dressed up like young men.
He walked with a stiff neck like a middle-aged man.
The years he had not experienced in his hometown.
Gong Sun-su, imitating that late experience, wore a broad smile on his face.
"Haha! This is fun. I don’t think I’ve ever had such a joyful outing in my life."
"Getting old and acting foolish..."
Heon Won-gang grumbled but did not forget to stay alert.
Not relaxing for a moment, he was expanding his senses and felt that something was happening around them.
'People approaching are disappearing one by one.' The woman selling bing tang hu lu suddenly got pulled away by an old friend, and the courtesan who had been smiling from afar stepped back due to a man who was being too forward.
He even saw a child who had been crying suddenly stop and disappear into a dark alley with a cold expression.
'What on earth... is happening around us?' Heon Won-gang felt a chill run down his spine.
Gong Sun-su and Wi Ji-cheon were oblivious to anything.
Both were unaware of the existence of assassins, so they had no sense of caution.
Only Heon Won-gang, knowing the truth, was suffering internally.
"Haha. Let’s go over there too."
"Wow! This looks delicious!"
"Just kill me already..."
With a heart full of anxiety like a parent watching a child near water, Heon Won-gang followed the two.
After half a jjin passed, he felt drained.
Gong Sun-su looked back at him with a regretful expression and said, "We should start heading back to Cheong-ryong Academy. I want to play more, but if we’re late for the afternoon exam, it’ll be a big deal."
"Finally... to Cheong-ryong Academy...!"
"Senior, why do you look so tired all of a sudden?"
"Better to die than suffer..."
The three began to walk towards Cheong-ryong Academy.
Gong Sun-su kept glancing around as if he felt something was missing.
He thought that once he ascended to the imperial palace, he might never return to this place, causing his steps to slow down.
"Grandpa, aren’t you going to take the exam?" Heon Won-gang urged Gong Sun-su by poking his back with his finger.
"Haha. I will go. I will go..."
Gong Sun-su forced his reluctant feet to move.
A moment later, the massive sign of Cheong-ryong Academy came into view.
Gong Sun-su casually remarked, "This is just between you two, but even if I pass the entrance exam, I don’t think I’ll be able to attend the academy."
"Yes?"
"What do you mean?" Gong Sun-su smiled bitterly at the two boys, who looked confused.
"As soon as the entrance exam ends, I’ll be heading back to the imperial palace."
"Just like that?"
"No, what..."
"It just turned out that way. I thought you might worry, so I only sent word that I had regained my health... and then I received a summons to return."
He had no complaints about the Emperor.
In fact, it was an honor for an old man like him to be called back.
But feeling a bit of regret was unavoidable.
Gong Sun-su swallowed his disappointment and smiled.
"I had a pleasant dream, even if just for a moment, so I am satisfied with that."
"..."
"..."
The two had watched Gong Sun-su work hard for a month.
Yet, to hear that even if he passed the exam, he could not attend Cheong-ryong Academy, left them speechless.
They could not tell him not to go, so they could only remain silent.
"Ahem. I’ve made the atmosphere awkward for no reason. Let’s hurry inside."
Cheong-ryong Academy was getting closer.
The afternoon duel exam was open to not only applicants but also the general public, so a large crowd was gathering, making it quite chaotic.
"Damn..."
Heon Won-gang muttered as he suddenly stepped to the front of the group and turned to Gong Sun-su, saying, "Grandpa, I will protect you no matter what."
"Huh? Protect me? What do you mean?"
"... Just don’t worry about it. No, you don’t need to know. Just focus on doing well in the exam."
Heon Won-gang stepped forward, raised his internal energy, and shouted, "Can’t you get out of the way, you punks! A third-year senior from Cheong-ryong Academy is passing through, and you dare block the path? Do you all want to die?"
As the ruffian from Cheong-ryong Academy displayed a fierce demeanor after a long time and glared around, the blocked path opened up in an instant.
Gong Sun-su burst into laughter at the absurdity of the scene.
"Hahaha! It feels like I’ve gained an army. But senior, won’t Teacher Baek scold you later for this?"
"That... I don’t know! I’ll think about it then. Let’s hurry and get ready."
However, just before the three entered Cheong-ryong Academy, someone suddenly blocked their way.
"Wait."