〈 Episode 657 〉 Plan.
Trickle.
Tea spilled from the broken teacup dribbled onto the floor.
Groan—!!!
The table shook from the surging energy.
“Ngh….”
Beomdong let out a suppressed groan under the pressure crushing his shoulders.
An expert. And a formidable one at that.
While being pressed down, Beomdong glanced sideways at Moyong Huia.
Moyong Huia was staring at the person who had appeared so suddenly with surprised eyes.
That was all.
Despite this level of pressure, that woman was completely unharmed.
Which meant he was controlling and manipulating every bit of energy radiating outward.
‘Where did such an expert come from…!’
Beomdong broke out in a cold sweat but channeled strength into his dantian.
The pressure was overwhelming, but it wasn’t beyond his ability to overcome.
Thus, exerting his strength, Beomdong shot to his feet.
Crackle—!!
‘Kuk—!’
Pain surged through him, but Beomdong succeeded in overcoming the pressure and rising.
But was it his imagination? The instant he tried to stand, the energy seemed to weaken.
As if to make it easier for him to get up.
“Huu….”
Once Beomdong stood, the pressure filling the room vanished like a ghost.
Cold sweat trickled down. He hid his damp forehead and glared at his opponent, but after scrutinizing him, he had to flinch in surprise inwardly.
‘…He’s young.’
The opponent was far younger than Beomdong had anticipated.
Despite his ferocious appearance, he looked to have just barely passed his coming of age. Even considering some unbelievable youthful visage, he would barely be past twenty.
Yet even that was impossible.
‘That energy from before was… his?’
It was unbelievable. Who was he? Who in the world could emit such energy?
Hiding his cold sweat and straightening his posture, Beomdong asked him.
“…Were the words just now directed at me?”
‘A mutt is barking loudly.’ The young man had clearly said that to him.
He was none other than a Commander of the Martial Alliance.
Even the family heads and elders of renowned families now regarded as the Three Great Families couldn’t treat him so.
And that young man had spoken to him like that?
Could it be that he hadn’t seen the insignia on his shoulder?
As Beomdong asked with such doubt, the corner of the young man’s lips rose.
“Ah, no. A dog was barking so loudly nearby that I got annoyed and went out to look, and what do you know, there was a dog right in front of the building. That’s why I said that.”
“…”
Beomdong’s brow furrowed. It was a ridiculous excuse; anyone listening would know it was nothing but a pretext.
“And it looked so filthy. I hate even looking at it bark, but seeing its face made me want to catch it and boil it. It’s probably still outside right now; would you like to take a look?”
Crack.
Strength surged into Beomdong’s fist as he listened. The young man had crossed every line of propriety. He didn’t know who this opponent was, but no one was permitted to treat him—a Commander of the Martial Alliance—in such a manner.
“How dare you….”
Beomdong looked at the young man with flashing eyes. Then the young man spoke to him as if surprised.
“Wow, you don’t look to be in a very good mood. It seems you’ve had an unpleasant day today.”
“Do you know who I am to show such disrespect?”
“Must I know that? I’m not particularly curious….”
Snap! A vein bulged on Beomdong’s forehead. He had reached his limit.
“I am the Commander of the Flying Dragon Squad, a sword unit under the Martial Alliance.”
“Yes, you certainly look like it.”
“…Huh.”
He remained completely unfazed even after hearing the introduction. It meant he had known from the very start.
Was he saying that he acted this way knowing Beomdong was an Alliance Commander?
Just what kind of person was he?
“…Might I ask your distinguished name?”
At Beomdong’s question, the young man tilted his head and answered.
“Why should I tell you that?”
“…What?”
“If you’re from the Investigation Squad, act like it and look into it yourself. Imagine falling over yourself to ask something like this.”
“…!”
He not only knew Beomdong was a Commander—he also seemed to know that Beomdong belonged to the Investigation Squad.
“It seems you are unaware of the situation, but….”
Having realized that much, Beomdong continued speaking to the young man with a stiff expression.
“I acknowledge that you are an expert, but just now, you launched a preemptive attack against an Alliance Commander.”
Under the Martial Alliance.
Assuming an offensive posture against a Commander was no different from declaring a direct attack on the Martial Alliance itself.
He mentioned a fact that any martial artist of the righteous faction should rightly fear, but.
“Me? When?”
The young man simply shrugged his shoulders and acted shamelessly.
Seeing that, heat rose to Beomdong’s face as well. He wanted to draw his sword right then and there.
But he had to endure.
‘My opponent is strong.’
A strong one whose identity he couldn’t properly grasp.
Perhaps he was an old expert wearing a human skin mask.
No, the chances of that were high.
“You intend to make excuses after unleashing your energy just now? The branch chief here must have clearly seen it as well?”
When Beomdong looked at Moyong Huia and asked, she reacted with wide eyes as if surprised.
“Yes? What do you mean? Energy?”
At Moyong Huia’s words, Beomdong’s eyes widened.
‘This wench…!’
She had clearly seen everything, yet she was pretending to know nothing.
The energy had been avoiding Moyong Huia, so it was possible she hadn’t noticed.
But with such an exaggerated reaction, there was no way she didn’t know. Moyong Huia was feigning ignorance despite knowing full well.
Looking at such a Moyong Huia, the young man chuckled and spoke to Beomdong.
“Ah, don’t tell me. Are you acting like this because I released a bit of energy just now? Goodness. It was just a joke.”
“A joke? Did you just call it a joke?”
“Yes, it was merely a joke.”
“You unleashed such energy and call it a joke? It seems a Commander is that much of a laughingstock to you…!”
The moment Beomdong was about to loose his words in anger—
“It had to be a joke. Otherwise.”
A chill.
Beomdong’s mouth clamped shut at the chill running down his spine.
He couldn’t feel the same energy as before. Even so, Beomdong’s body was stiff and rigid.
The young man had already approached right before Beomdong’s nose.
Looking into Beomdong’s eyes from that close distance, the young man continued.
“Wouldn’t the Commander’s actions just now also cease to be a joke?”
“…!”
Hearing those words, Beomdong couldn’t help but flinch.
‘How?’
The young man’s meaningful words pierced straight through Beomdong’s chest.
Because they referred to the energy Beomdong had tried to direct at Moyong Huia just moments before.
‘How on earth did he know?’
It was a faintly released energy.
Moreover, he hadn’t released it at the young man but at the woman before him.
No matter how high his realm, it shouldn’t have been easy to notice.
What in the world was his true identity?
“I can hear the wheels turning in your head from here.”
At the young man’s words, Beomdong’s rigid body loosened.
“Let’s just take it easy, shall we? We played a little joke on each other. Wouldn’t it be easier to move on like that?”
Tap, tap.
A sensation on his shoulder. The young man was tapping Beomdong’s shoulder.
Bewildered by a situation he couldn’t understand in the slightest, Beomdong failed to notice—that something was seeping into him through his tapped shoulder.
“Or would you like to perform a sword dance right here? Then I’ll accompany you. I don’t particularly like dancing, but if you wish, I must oblige.”
“…”
Every word spoken with a smile scratched at Beomdong’s insides.
Thinking how could such a bastard exist, Beomdong racked his brain.
‘This is bad.’
The situation was uniformly unfavorable.
Having acted as a member of the Alliance for decades, Beomdong could tell from experience.
Those eyes were serious. They were eyes that would engage in a life-or-death fight in the very heart of the city.
Meeting that gaze, his hand naturally went to his sword hilt.
Could he win? He couldn’t be sure. The hair all over his body was standing on end.
Feeling that, Beomdong removed his hand from the hilt.
“…Snap.”
When Beomdong ultimately backed down, the young man’s smile vanished as well.
Should he say the young man had lost interest?
Rather, that demeanor made Beomdong even more uncomfortable.
‘He truly wouldn’t have cared if we fought right here?’
With that cold certainty, Beomdong immediately rose to leave.
But he didn’t forget to leave words for Moyong Huia.
“As the branch chief said. Next time, I shall visit with a proper investigation warrant.”
“Yes, I shall await you. I apologize, but as a new guest has arrived, I cannot see you out.”
Moyong Huia spoke with an elegant smile, and Beomdong frowned.
“Furthermore….”
And with effort, looking toward the young man, he added.
“I believe we shall meet again soon, so I hope to receive your formal introduction then.”
Having shown such attitude and persecution toward an Alliance figure, they were bound to meet again soon.
It was such a warning, but.
“Tucking tail and fleeing while putting on all sorts of bluster… Ah, sorry. I meant to just think that.”
“…”
Trembling… Beomdong agonized dozens of times over whether to draw his sword immediately, crisis or no crisis.
“Huu….”
Letting out a deep sigh, Beomdong moved his steps.
Until he brushed past the young man and headed for the entrance, the young man did not look at him.
Soon, after confirming that Beomdong had completely disappeared from the establishment.
“Haa….”
Moyong Huia let out the breath she had been holding, and the young man, Guyang Cheon, turned to look at the entrance Beomdong had left.
Seeing this, Moyong Huia asked him.
“…Why didn’t you capture him?”
Hearing the question, Guyang Cheon shifted his gaze to Moyong Huia.
“Did I need to capture him?”
“No. If you had, things would have gotten rather tricky.”
Right now, letting him go was the correct move.
Such was Moyong Huia’s calculation, but.
“However, I found it a bit surprising that you did so, young master.”
Those words contained the meaning: ‘You aren’t someone to do that.’
Hearing that, Guyang Cheon burst into a chuckle.
“You’re right. Normally, I wouldn’t have….”
He had nearly killed him the moment he saw him.
Seeing him put on such cheap acts, he had wanted to burn him without leaving even a strand of hair, but he held back.
“I thought he might be of some use. So I sent him away for now.”
“…”
Not treating him like a person, but as a complete object.
At Guyang Cheon’s cold and dry tone, Moyong Huia couldn’t help but swallow.
“…Might he be someone you know?”
His eyes had looked somehow familiar.
Beomdong, Commander of the Flying Dragon Squad. Or Beomdong, the Annihilation Sword (殲劍).
Since he was quite a famous figure, it wouldn’t be strange for Guyang Cheon to know him, but his reaction was subtly different for it to be simply that.
Hearing such a question, Guyang Cheon pondered briefly.
“No.”
He denied it nonchalantly.
It wasn’t a lie. At least in this life, he was someone Guyang Cheon didn’t know.
But not in his previous life.
“Haha.”
Recalling Beomdong he had faced until just now, Guyang Cheon laughed.
At the shallow laugh, Moyong Huia rubbed her own shoulder.
He had never forgotten across lifetimes.
He had not forgotten a single face.
Beomdong was no different.
‘Nice to meet you.’
How could he not be glad?
‘To think the man I was going to kill would show up on his own.’
It wasn’t his turn yet.
He had planned to finish the tasks before him step by step and seek him out later.
But for him to appear looking so pathetic like this—
‘How could I not welcome him?’
He was so glad. So glad he felt like going mad.
Guyang Cheon thought as he hid his hand inside his sleeve.
He had to hide his trembling hand that shook from holding back.
‘It’s a shame. If I had scratched a bit more there, he might have drawn his sword.
Then I wouldn’t have been able to hold back and would’ve killed him. How regrettable that I couldn’t.’
‘Or not? Knowing him, he might have endured to the end.’
He might have. No, he certainly would have.
He barely stopped his twitching fingers and ran them over his lips.
“Seems the conversation is over. Let’s go up now. Or is there more to do?”
“Ah… No. I was about to get up.”
“All right.”
At this, Moyong Huia rose, and Guyang Cheon turned as well.
His expression as he turned was sunken in coldness like never before.
‘I’ve sent him away with demonic qi planted inside him… How shall I play with him?’
He had needed someone right about now.
It was a timely stroke of luck.
And if it was Beomdong, it couldn’t be more perfect.
‘Let’s have a refreshing bit of fun together, Commander.’
He was an astute and capable figure.
That was why in his previous life, the Alliance Leader had entrusted him with command of the Snow Flower Squad, allowing him to lead a newborn unit.
Moreover, that was why.
‘He was able to betray them faster than anyone else.’
He took a step ahead in betraying the Alliance and was able to act like a dog alongside that bastard of a unit commander.
Beomdong, the Mad Ghost Hound Sword (狂鬼犬劍).
One of those who became an early demonic human upon betraying the Alliance, and his superior during his time in the Martial Alliance.
Recalling him, Guyang Cheon thought.
‘Please die as usefully as possible, Commander.’
If that didn’t happen, he intended to make it so.
******************
After that, I came up to the branch chief’s office with Moyong Huia.
Seodong saw that I had gone outside and brought Moyong Huia back in, looking at me in surprise, but there was nothing he could do about it, so I smiled and winked to gloss over it.
Thinking things were roughly settled and that I could finally sit comfortably and chat, but.
“…What?”
I had to make a blank expression at the story Moyong Huia brought up.
“They say a new group has emerged in the Central Plains.”
It couldn’t be helped.
“The group’s name is the Demonic Cult (魔敎).”
It was a very familiar name.
“They say it’s a religious order founded by an expert called the Heavenly Demon (天魔) whom no one has ever heard of… They say he attacks without discriminating between the righteous and demonic factions.”
Hearing just this gave me an indescribable feeling.
But.
The bigger problem here was.
“They say the Alliance is struggling because they can’t find information due to the group’s considerable power… However, according to rumors.”
The words that immediately followed.
“They say the identity of the one called the Heavenly Demon is the Defeated Venerable (敗尊), one of the Three Venerables.”
Moyong Huia spoke with a serious expression.
Before I could react to this.
“…Huh?”
The former Defeated Venerable and current second son of the Bi family, Turyong Bi Uijin, who had been standing behind with his arms crossed, let out a dazed voice.