"How will we counterattack?"
To Geommugeuk's question, Ian mentioned one person's name.
"Through Yeon Baekjin."
Ian had accurately grasped that he was at the center of this matter.
"The fact that he approached Section Leader Seo, and that he appeared here today. He definitely knows something."
Geommugeuk and Seo Jin nodded.
"First, we have to find out whether that person is an enemy or not."
Ian's gaze turned toward Seo Jin.
"And surely, Yeon Baekjin will approach Section Leader Seo again."
"I'll find out his intentions then."
"No! There's no need to go that far. That guy gives me a bad feeling somehow. The way he looks at Section Leader Seo is unusual too."
Geommugeuk could tell.
Ian had felt it too. A certain ominousness in his eyes. A premonition of catastrophe carried by the fate of those two.
Right now it was nothing more than simple fondness, but that emotion would grow beyond their control and eventually lead them both to ruin.
Ian, we have to change that fate.
Ian spoke to Geommugeuk.
"Young Sect Leader, please find out what Yeon Baekjin uncovers from Pyo San."
"I will."
To whom else could she make such a request? And who else could answer so readily?
She felt it anew. She was fighting this battle with the finest sword and shield in the martial world. That was also why this was a battle she could not afford to lose.
"In the meantime, I'll go with Section Leader Seo to Tongcheongak and the Eunwol Branch to gather the information we need. The counterattack will begin based on that information."
The reason she was going to Tongcheongak and the Eunwol Branch with Seo Jin was to show her how to make contact with them and how to receive information.
"Then see you later."
As Geommugeuk was about to leave first, Ian spoke from behind.
"Thank you, Young Sect Leader."
"What for?"
"Everything."
Ian knew better than anyone how difficult it was to watch over someone from the side like this. It would be much easier to step forward herself. But Geommugeuk was giving her a chance. A chance to gain experience and grow.
Geommugeuk was grateful for Ian, who always thanked her like this. She probably didn't know. How much power a single word from a loved one held. The fact that it was the ultimate strength that let you endure until the very end.
The power of that one word of thanks.
We know it, yet we make mistakes. We say those words several times a day to others, yet we don't say them to the very person we should for years, all because they are close.
"If you're grateful, pay me back with money!"
Geommugeuk leaped away lightly.
Watching her figure vanish in an instant, Ian spoke as if to herself.
"Then even if I went bankrupt dozens of times, I couldn't pay you back."
* * *
When Pyo San came to his senses, he was sitting in a chair with his acupoints suppressed.
He had suddenly lost consciousness while following Yeon Baekjin, and when he woke up, he was here.
'Where is this?'
The sweltering heat felt throughout his whole body, weapons hanging everywhere, scorched walls, and the furnace flames glowing red-hot like lava.
Pyo San realized. This place was none other than the forge directly operated by the Hwangnyongmugwan.
Because the martial hall had so many officers, dozens of weapons were damaged or destroyed each day. So Hwangnyongmugwan operated its own forge to supply weapons, and sold the surplus externally.
'Why was I brought here?'
There wasn't a single worker from the forge around, and one person stood before him with their back turned.
He could tell who it was at a glance by the snow-white hair.
Yeon Baekjin was looking at the weapons piled up in a corner but noticed Pyo San had woken up without turning around.
"Everything piled up here is defective. They look fine on the outside but are unusable. Later they'll be melted down in that inferno and reborn as new weapons."
Pyo San spoke cautiously.
"No matter that you are the Hall Lord's younger brother, surely you shouldn't treat an instructor this way?"
Yeon Baekjin didn't turn around, but Pyo San could feel that he was smiling coldly.
"One who tries to kill an officer is no instructor."
"Kill an officer? What do you mean?"
Pyo San retorted firmly, but if that had worked, he wouldn't have been brought here in the first place.
Yeon Baekjin turned around and approached Pyo San. He met eyes with Pyo San, who was seated and hunched over. He gazed into Pyo San's eyes with an incomparably cold gaze. The surroundings were scorching hot, yet only Yeon Baekjin felt cold.
Pyo San suddenly remembered what Giseok had said.
—Yeon Baekjin is the most calculating and ruthless person of all.
Pyo San intuited that his life was hanging by a thread.
"I want only one answer."
It wasn't about Seo Jin, nor about the deceased Im Hyeon, nor about Bangso of the deceased Baeksadan.
What Yeon Baekjin truly wanted was one location.
"Where is that place?"
"!"
Pyo San's heart sank.
'He knew. Yeon Baekjin already knew.'
Pyo San deliberately met Yeon Baekjin's eyes calmly and answered.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Displeasure flared openly on Yeon Baekjin's face. He didn't hide his emotions.
"I am not one to ask twice. But just this once, I will ask again. Where is that place?"
Pyo San could feel it. That if he didn't answer, he would truly die.
But he also knew. Even if he answered, he wouldn't be spared. Furthermore, his superiors wouldn't let him live after leaking a secret here.
He truly hadn't expected Yeon Baekjin to act so boldly.
With no answer, Yeon Baekjin rose without hesitation and turned away.
"In this place, the fate of unnecessary things is only one."
Yeon Baekjin's subordinates came and pulled him up.
They dragged him toward the furnace where flames shot up, as if to burn him alive.
"Wait! Great Hero Yeon! Everyone in the Baekryongban saw me being taken away by you. If you kill me, you won't be safe either!"
Yeon Baekjin stood silently with his back turned.
'He wouldn't kill me.'
But the subordinates pushed his face toward the inferno.
Pyo San felt extreme terror at the scorching heat that assailed him.
Even if they didn't kill him, his face would be completely ruined.
"Please! Don't do this! I know nothing!"
As if they weren't merely trying to scare him, the martial artists kept pushing. He desperately resisted, but how could he, with his internal energy suppressed, overcome the strength of martial artists?
"Uwaaaack!"
It was too hot. They say dying by fire is the most painful. He hadn't known his life would end burning alive like this.
It was then.
"Do you truly intend to burn him to death?"
A calm voice resonated.
At those words, the martial artists pushing Pyo San stopped.
"Uwaaaaah!"
Pyo San fell backward, away from the flames.
One side of his face was red as if half-cooked. If they had been even a little later, his face would have been completely ruined. Pyo San gasped for breath.
The one who appeared was none other than Yeon Baekjin's older brother and the Hall Lord of Hwangnyongmugwan, Yeon Baekin.
He was no ordinary person. Someone who hadn't seen him might think he was just a martial hall lord no matter how large the organization, but from him who revealed himself directly, the bearing of an absolute master could be felt.
He was Yeon Baekjin's older brother by a year, and true to their blood relation, the two resembled each other in appearance. However, the atmosphere they exuded was quite different.
Unlike Yeon Baekjin who gave off a free-spirited feeling, Yeon Baekin felt well-organized and restrained. Also, his hair was jet black.
Behind him lined up personal guards who protected the Hall Lord, and Giseok, the leader of the Chilsabu and Pyo San's superior, could be seen as well.
Even at his brother's appearance, Yeon Baekjin wasn't very surprised. He was so calm that he looked like someone who had expected Yeon Baekin to come.
At their appearance, Yeon Baekjin's subordinates all quietly retreated through the back door.
"What brings a noble person to such a shabby place?"
"What are you trying to do right now?"
The gazes of the two brothers intertwined in the air. There was so much they wanted to say to each other, but both were holding back.
"What do you mean? I was in the middle of a conversation with Instructor Pyo."
Yeon Baekjin walked toward Pyo San. He looked at the flames that had nearly burned Pyo San to death moments ago and said,
"It was a very heated conversation between men, wasn't it? Instructor Pyo."
Pyo San said nothing, but his eyes were full of resentment.
Giseok stepped forward and asked Pyo San.
"Tell the Hall Lord what happened."
Pyo San politely bowed to Yeon Baekin and recounted today's events.
"Today during the sparring match of the Baekryongban, an accident occurred where an officer died. Great Hero Yeon seized me over that matter and tried to force a confession that I was involved."
Because there were many eyes watching, he omitted any mention of the location he had asked about.
Yeon Baekin asked his younger brother.
"Is that true?"
"Everything except that the officer who died today was from the Baeksadan."
Pyo San spoke urgently.
"One cannot conclude that from a mere tattoo."
"You also failed to mention that he has a record of already killing an instructor."
At those words, Pyo San could say nothing.
Yeon Baekin spoke calmly.
"I, as the Hall Lord, will personally investigate this matter."
Then Yeon Baekjin said with a smile.
"You would."
As if implying that his brother was on the same side, Yeon Baekin's expression hardened.
"Take Instructor Pyo to the Hall Lord's residence."
The subordinates behind him took Pyo San out.
Yeon Baekin warned sternly.
"Do not interfere in martial hall affairs any further! If this happens even one more time, I will not forgive you either."
After saying one cold word, as Yeon Baekin was about to turn around, Yeon Baekjin spoke from behind.
"Brother, are you even interested in martial hall affairs?"
Yeon Baekin faltered and stopped his steps.
When he turned around, Yeon Baekjin was staring only at the furnace flames with his back turned.
Yeon Baekin looked at his younger brother for a moment, tried to say something but swallowed it again, then resumed his steps.
For a moment, Yeon Baekjin stared blankly at the fire like that.
Then, the moment he turned his head to leave that place, he flinched and stopped moving.
Someone stood in front of the defective weapons piled in the corner.
Yeon Baekjin was inwardly startled. No matter how complicated and dazed his mind was while staring at the fire, how could he not have known someone entered? If that person had tried to attack him, he could have been struck.
"Who are you?"
Then a man wearing Baekryongban martial attire turned toward him.
It was Geommugeuk. For whatever reason, she had revealed herself directly to him.
"Ah, Great Hero Yeon!"
Yeon Baekjin's gaze turned cold automatically.
"What were you doing here?"
"Ah, I was checking if there were any weapons among these that could be reused. Some are originally in good condition but were unluckily mixed in and destined to melt away, aren't they?"
Their gazes intertwined in the air.
Yeon Baekjin was convinced that Geommugeuk was no ordinary person. Moving together with a beauty like Ian, becoming friendly with Seo Jin immediately upon entering the hall, and now appearing here.
'This one deliberately revealed her presence. If not, she would have disappeared quietly. How much did she hear?'
Yeon Baekjin asked Geommugeuk.
"So? Did you find anything worth fixing?"
Geommugeuk stared at Yeon Baekjin and said.
"Just by looking, I can't tell. Most of them probably look fine at first glance, but once you try to use them, you realize they're trash after all."
Geommugeuk walked over to the flames beside where Yeon Baekjin stood.
Yeon Baekjin secretly raised his internal energy and prepared for a surprise attack.
But Geommugeuk crouched in front of the furnace. After gazing at the fire for a moment, she recalled old memories.
"I remember playing with fire with my older brother when I was young."
Yeon Baekjin looked down at her with cold eyes and merely listened.
'Full of openings.'
Everything was an opening. He felt like he could kill her with a single blow right now. The back of her head, her neck, her back. They all felt like openings.
But he felt no desire to subdue her with a single strike. He strangely didn't feel like fighting. He wasn't the type to let such a strange guy go in such a situation.
"I remember being scared that my brother might push me into the fire. That anxiety still remains with me."
At the mention of an older brother, Yeon Baekjin's expression stiffened. Clearly she had brought this up after seeing him meet his brother.
'She was there since then.'
That meant neither his brother nor the other martial artists had noticed her hiding.
"You don't seem close to your brother."
"We tried to kill each other. Our family has quite a bit to inherit."
"How much?"
"Quite a lot."
"Then your brother must be dead by now."
Flames flickered at the corners of Geommugeuk's smiling mouth.
"No. He's alive. In fact, we're quite close now."
"Then there must not have been much."
Geommugeuk spoke with a meaningful smile.
"I could teach you the secret if you wish. The way to avoid bloodshed between brothers in a power struggle! What do you say? Buy me a drink and I'll tell you."
"Not necessary."
She was clearly no ordinary person, but the nonsense was so excessive that it wasn't easy to discern her true nature.
Geommugeuk, who had been crouching, rose from her spot and stood before the original pile of scrap metal again.
"Shall we look together? Maybe there's at least one thing that doesn't need to be melted?"
He was a truly strange guy. Regardless of how strong she was, he hadn't expected someone to make such a proposal.
"Why are you so fixated on this?"
"Partly because too many things are thrown away in this world."
Geommugeuk turned to him and added.
"Isn't it unfair? To be thrown away like this when perfectly fine."
The furnace flames flickered fiercely across Yeon Baekjin's face as he stared at Geommugeuk.
"Who are you?"