It was when they had stopped the carriage and were letting the horses rest that the urgent letter arrived.
“An urgent letter has arrived from Tongcheongak.”
Hwi handed the letter to Geom Ujin.
After checking the contents, Geom Ujin gave the letter to his son.
Geom Mugeuk, having read the letter, broke into a bright smile. When he showed it to Hyeolcheon Doma, the latter donned the same smile.
Geom Mugeuk looked at Seo Daeryong. Seo Daeryong was walking beside the horses grazing in the distant field.
Geom Mugeuk spoke to Geom Ujin and Hyeolcheon Doma.
“We should go on ahead.”
At Geom Mugeuk’s words, the two men nodded.
Geom Mugeuk leaped lightly toward where Seo Daeryong was.
“Let’s go, Right Arm!”
As he suddenly started running, Seo Daeryong hastily followed suit.
“What is the matter?”
“An urgent letter has arrived.”
Then, from Geom Mugeuk’s mouth flowed words that Seo Daeryong would never forget for the rest of his life.
“She is looking for you.”
“!”
At those words, Seo Daeryong overtook Geom Mugeuk and took the lead. His instantaneous speed was faster than a galloping horse.
However, Seo Daeryong, who had been running far ahead, stopped.
“Where is it?”
“You fool, you’ll burst your heart like that.”
Seo Daeryong shouted with a flushed face.
“I asked where!”
* * *
“Are you all right?”
When the second sister, Danbi, opened her eyes, her older sister Dana was before her.
“What happened?”
“You lost consciousness for a while due to poison on a hidden weapon.”
Fortunately, Danbi had been treated here at the branch, and her fever had subsided.
“Where is this?”
“The Jeongan Branch of the Cheonma Singyo.”
“What?”
Dana gave the surprised girl a smile.
“That’s how it is. I’ll explain later.”
“What about Danyeon?”
“She woke up earlier and is eating. Do you want something to eat too?”
“I’m thirsty.”
Dana brought her water. Only then did the now-conscious Danbi worry about her sister.
“Are you okay?”
She had heard the sounds of ceaseless fighting while drifting in and out of consciousness. She could tell without asking how her sister had protected her.
“I’m fine.”
“You always say you’re fine.”
She was someone who had devoted her entire youth to her younger sisters. Always saying she was fine, always fine.
Then, Danbi’s eyes caught the blood soaked all over her sister’s clothes. Seeing that worried gaze, Dana smiled and answered.
“I’m fine. It’s not my blood, so stop worrying. Want something to eat?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Then sleep a little more.”
“I’m getting up.”
As she tried to rise, she staggered. Her body was not yet in a state to move.
Dana laid her sister back down on the bed.
“If you have to fight, wake me up too.”
“I will.”
“Promise me!”
Having been promised so, Danbi fell asleep again.
Dana silently looked down at her sister. With her eyes full of worry and affection, fighting was something that should be left to dreams.
Into that place came Chohui.
“I’ll stay with her.”
“Then I will leave her to you.”
As she turned to leave, Chohui spoke.
“Thank you.”
At her sincere gratitude, Dana gave a slight bow and then stepped outside.
In the courtyard, all the Main of the branch had come out.
Their gazes were focused on her. Though they must have roughly known because of whom today’s events had occurred, not a single person cursed her or picked a fight with her, perhaps because the branch leader, Gang Dal, was sitting astride the wall looking outside.
Gang Dal leaped down from the wall.
The Chilro Chusaldae gathered over there already numbered over a hundred. On this side, barely twenty. If they rushed in with suicidal intent, it would be no easy fight.
“No matter how crazy they are, if they strike us, they won’t be able to handle the aftermath.”
Gang Dal spoke as if he could not understand, but Dana was guessing at the reason.
The reason they were going this far, even against the Demonic Cult, was because they had to kill Chohui no matter what.
Why on earth? Just how much money had they been paid?
Just then, the youngest, Danyeon, came outside. She respectfully cupped her hands and pleaded with Gang Dal.
“Could I obtain some throwing knives?”
Dana stopped her.
“You can’t in that condition. Rest.”
“This happened because of us. I should fight too.”
Gang Dal ordered a subordinate.
“Give this young lady a box of throwing knives.”
“Yes, sir.”
A Main brought the throwing knives and gave them to Danyeon. Having collected them, she expressed her gratitude to Gang Dal.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m giving them to you so you can die in my place out there.”
When Danyeon widened her eyes, Gang Dal put on an expression that said, “What other reason is there?”
Just then, a subordinate came and reported.
“The bastards have requested a face-to-face meeting with the branch leader.”
“Just tell them all to piss off.”
“They say the leader of the Chilro Chusaldae has come personally.”
“What?”
Gang Dal leaped onto the wall. Dana went up with him.
A man was walking out from among the Chilro Chusaldae, who had formed a battle formation.
He was none other than the leader of the Chilro Chusaldae, Yao Hong.
He was a figure known to possess tremendous martial prowess despite being a wanderer.
He was one who rarely appeared outside, yet he had revealed himself here today. His appearance confirmed once more how important today’s matter was to them.
It wasn’t just Yao Hong. The elites known as the Sainbang, who usually followed him, had come as well. Those four were far above the ordinary Chilro Chusaldae in skill.
As Yao Hong and the Sainbang appeared, the morale of the Chilro Chusaldae reached its peak. Everyone shouted war cries and surged with murderous intent.
Gang Dal’s face hardened.
“These bastards are looking to die!”
But his eyes were grave.
If Yao Hong had come, it meant they truly might cross this wall; the bastards were dead set on it.
“What on earth did that woman do to cause this mess?”
Dana looked at the Chilro Chusaldae, filled with malice, and spoke quietly.
“It wasn’t anything bad, at least?”
Then, a voice rang out.
“Branch leader, let us see each other face to face.”
It was Yao Hong, displaying his martial might through the internal energy in his thunderous voice.
Gang Dal, who had watched him with a complicated gaze for a moment, leaped down outside. The Main followed him out through the gate.
Dana watched this meeting in silence. With Yao Hong’s appearance, the situation had rapidly deteriorated. Could they really not hand them over now that Yao Hong and even the Sainbang had appeared? Everything depended on Gang Dal’s decision.
Yao Hong and Gang Dal stood facing each other, about thirty paces apart.
“I apologize for the disturbance.”
Gang Dal knew there was no sincerity in that polite apology.
He also well knew what a wicked bastard Yao Hong was. A man who enjoyed burning people alive.
“I heard that the people we are pursuing have taken refuge on your side. Hand them over, and we will leave immediately.”
Gang Dal replied calmly in a gentle tone.
“They did not come here to take refuge; they are our guests.”
He was an opponent he did not want to exchange a single word with, but there was no need to deliberately provoke him in front of his subordinates.
“Guests are guests, but uninvited ones, are they not? Hand them over.”
Just as the murderous intent of the Chilro Chusaldae lined up behind Yao Hong, Gang Dal had his pride—no, his guts—as one of the Demonic Cult’s Main.
“And if I refuse?”
Tension stretched tight between their gazes.
“Even if they leave, will you and your subordinates not remain here?”
That was a clear threat of private retaliation.
Of course, it did not work on Gang Dal.
“Who knows? Perhaps I’ll subdue those who look down on the main cult, get promoted, and transfer to the main hall.”
Had his opponent been anyone other than a branch leader of the Demonic Cult, he would have drawn his sword several times over by now. The patience that had rarely surfaced in Yao Hong’s life was being properly exercised today.
Gang Dal looked up at the branch plaque behind him.
“If you cross this plaque, there will be no turning back. Do not forget who we are.”
From behind came Yao Hong’s proposal.
“Why else would we attempt to cross your wall? If the branch leader yields just this once, I will be certain to repay that grace.”
What else could those words mean? It was a promise to certainly compensate with money later.
“I will give you ample time to think. I shall wait.”
Gang Dal did not answer and came back inside. The moment he entered, he spoke to his subordinates.
“They’ll be storming in soon. Prepare to meet them.”
“Yes, sir!”
He felt that the enemy had realized he would not hand over the women. And more than anything, he had never seen bastards like them keep their word.
The Main moved with perfect discipline.
Iron pillars were erected on both sides of the courtyard, and in front of them, something like near-invisible fishing line was installed. It was the Duan Xue Si used in warfare.
Other Main wheeled out mobile mechanisms that unleashed hidden weapons all at once. As they say, an organization follows its leader, and the Main of this Jeongan Branch were no pushovers.
Watching that sight, Dana was inwardly surprised.
‘So this is why the martial world fears the Demonic Cult. If a mere small branch is like this…’
What would happen if the true Demonic Cult went to war?
Gang Dal glanced back at Dana and Danyeon.
The place where the two women stood guard was in front of the building where Danbi and Chohui were. As their eyes met, Dana spoke to Gang Dal.
“We might die and be unable to tell you later, so I’ll say it now. Thank you for taking us in.”
Danyeon, beside her, bowed her head.
Gang Dal said gruffly.
“I didn’t take you in for your sake, so no need to thank me. I threw in my lot by my own choice. So that expert you mentioned had better be of higher standing than me.”
Dana thought of Seo Daeryong. Could that innocent-looking man really be someone of higher standing than these rough men? She didn’t think so.
‘I’m sorry. In the end, it seems I’ve deceived you.’
If she hadn’t met him at the inn, if she hadn’t accepted this commission, if he hadn’t taken them in—to make an excuse, she could only say that fate had pushed them.
It was at that very moment. A Main keeping watch outside the wall shouted.
“They’re coming!”
Cha-ang.
The Main drew their swords in unison from their positions.
At the same time, the bastards all leaped over the wall. It was a surprise attack, but this side was prepared.
Puak! Paaak! Puaaaak!
The limbs of the masked men who threw themselves at the installed Duan Xue Si were severed.
But they kept coming. Those who leaped over a second time cut the blood-revealed Duan Xue Si with their swords.
But mobile mechanisms fired hidden weapons at them.
Shwik! Shwik! Shwik! Shwik! Shwik!
Those who had cut the Duan Xue Si were all struck by the hidden weapons and tumbled down in heaps.
But the enemy gave them no time to readjust their mechanisms and continued crossing the wall.
A chaotic battle broke out within the grounds. The bastards seemed to have received orders. They pushed against the Main with numbers and quickly looked for the women.
Their intent was clear: minimize collisions with the Main, kill the women quickly, and withdraw.
Over ten masked men surged toward Dana and Danyeon.
Dana fought without leaving her sister’s side.
Though her skill was superior to theirs, the bastards pushed with numbers.
But Dana gritted her teeth and fought like a madwoman. Fighting with the conviction that if she died, her sisters would die, the bastards could not easily kill her. Danyeon too felled enemies by throwing knives.
It was then.
Yao Hong and the Sainbang were walking toward them. As they appeared, the martial artists of the Chilro Chusaldae fell back.
Gang Dal saw this situation as well. But he could not leave his post to help her. The bastards were pushing so desperately that if he moved, his subordinates would die. He chose to protect his men.
Danyeon threw knives at Yao Hong in succession. Her purpose was not to kill but to gauge the opponent’s skill through how he blocked them.
Chaeng! Chaeng!
Yao Hong did not even draw his sword. The Sainbang on either side lightly swung their blades and knocked the knives away.
‘Experts on the same level as big sister!’
Four such experts. And their leader, Yao Hong, on top of that.
Dana and Danyeon bravely charged, thrusting their swords.
Yao Hong leaped lightly and engaged them.
Though every move they made contained a strong will to protect each other, they could not overcome the clear gap in skill with Yao Hong.
They could not last even five moves. Danyeon was the first to take a palm strike and was flung backward. At the sound of her coughing up blood, Dana cried out.
“Danyeon!”
In the moment her hands and feet went numb with worry that her sister was badly hurt, Dana too took a blow and rolled on the ground. Both women had fallen to Yao Hong without him even drawing his sword.
Dana, coughing up a mouthful of blood, picked up a sword from the ground and stood before her sister.
“Are you all right?”
“…I’m fine.”
She could tell by her voice. Both she and her sister had sustained internal injuries.
Her sister rose again as well. Because if they fell, behind them were Danbi and Chohui.
Yao Hong’s gaze as he looked at them was cold as a snake’s.
“Because of you wretched bitches, things have become complicated. Get rid of them quickly and bring me that woman’s head!”
At the order, the Sainbang stepped forward.
“These bitches have decent looks; it’s a waste to just kill them.”
The Sainbang looked at Yao Hong with eyes asking if they couldn’t subdue and take them instead. These bastards were crazed scum who revealed their lust even in this situation.
Yao Hong coldly commanded.
“Stop your nonsense and tear them to shreds!”
The Sainbang pointed their swords at the two women in unison.
Dana tightly grasped Danyeon’s hand.
She felt her younger sister’s trembling hand grip hers tightly. She was so sorry she couldn’t protect her.
‘I’m sorry.’
The instant the Sainbang unleashed their sword qi in unison!
Swaaaaaak!
At the same time, a whirling blade storm came flying in from the other side. Its target was the Sainbang.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The blades of the whirling Gang Qi rotated at a terrifying speed and swept over them.
Thud! Thwack! Thududududud!
Without even the time to dodge, the Sainbang’s bodies were shredded and exploded in all directions.
But the sword qi they had already launched was flying toward the women.
Swaaaaaak!
Watching the sword qi flying in, Dana squeezed her eyes shut. Due to her internal injuries, she could neither dodge nor block. In her final moment, she pulled her sister behind her.
Kwa-ang!
An ear-splitting explosion was heard. It was the sound of the sword qi crashing into something and bursting apart.
Silence followed.
Their bodies should have been torn apart.
‘Am I alive?’
When Dana slowly opened her eyes, the grounds were silent.
Everyone had stopped fighting and was looking in their direction.
Yao Hong stared in shock at the corpses of the Sainbang, scattered and turned to bloody pulp. Gang Dal too was looking their way with a surprised face, bleeding from his arm. Both the Main and the Chilro Chusaldae were all looking this way.
Before her, someone’s back was visible.
“Haa, haa, haa.”
He was catching his rough breath, having run so frantically.
And the greatsword planted before him.
Beyond the back of the diminutive man, a single character was visible.
Musang.