Chapter 53: This Works?

A dark night filled with clouds.

Two men in black clothes crossed the manor in low stances.

Swiik–!

A sharp sound of something piercing through the air followed them. Unfortunately, the renegade monks of Dark Sun Sect were not complete fools.

“E-enemies…!”

Before one of them could even finish speaking, his head soared into the air.

With blood spraying behind them, the two continued running. Their destination was clear.

The residence of the Sect Leader, at the deepest part of the manor.

“Who goes there!”

As someone shouted, the renegade monks who had been sleeping stumbled outside in a panic.

A wide courtyard. Bald heads everywhere.

Jin Seong-un, watching their faces and their postures, naturally came to a realization.

‘They aren’t real renegade monks.’

Jin Seong-un had never directly seen Buddhist martial arts. But he had often heard about them from the Martial Gods.

Shaolin was a name that could never be left out when speaking of martial arts.

What he had heard from the Martial Gods was that Buddhist martial arts carried a heavy and profound feeling.

But these men? They were nothing more than burly bald men wearing kasayas, showing no trace of Buddhist martial arts.

“The night is clear. Hehe…”

Jin Seong-un let out a low, gloomy, sinister laugh toward the fake monks of Dark Sun Sect.

Seo Yu-gyeom, who had just cut off the arm of one, felt goosebumps rise on the back of his neck.

– Do you really need to laugh like that?

Seo Yu-gyeom’s heartfelt telepathy reached him.

So Jin Seong-un answered sincerely.

– We are assassins.

– I never laughed like that.

– Whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that they believe us to be assassins.

– …

Seo Yu-gyeom was frustrated. It seemed Jin Seong-un’s intelligence only rose when arguing with someone.

Unable to find a rebuttal, Seo Yu-gyeom sliced one man in half at the waist and muttered.

“The night is indeed clear. Hehe…”

The monks appeared unsettled and hesitated. Seizing the chance, Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom dashed toward the Sect Leader’s residence.

The large bald monks cursed and chased after them.

– Why are they pretending to be monks?

Seo Yu-gyeom had also realized they weren’t true renegade monks.

Jin Seong-un thought for a moment before replying.

– Because it looks impressive?

– …

Seo Yu-gyeom had to admit, it was quite a reasonable guess. Black Path men always valued appearances.

It wasn’t simple vanity. In the world of the Black Path, one had to exude danger to avoid being ignored or crushed.

Renegade Monk. Even the name sounded ominous. To the ordinary Black Path rabble, it was an unknown domain, making them even more wary.

So the two chatted while cutting down a few monks along the way, until they finally reached the Sect Leader’s residence.

Jin Seong-un kicked the door open.

Inside, the Sect Leader was hastily pulling on his robes, half-naked. Below, however, he wore nothing, making for an unsightly view.

Even normally merciless Jin Seong-un felt compelled to offer some courtesy.

“…Put on your clothes quickly.”

The Sect Leader clumsily dressed himself. Behind the bed, two women cowered, hiding their bodies.

“You bastards! Do you know where you are?!”

The Sect Leader then flared his qi wildly.

Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom charged from both sides. The Sect Leader, seemingly experienced in battle, calmly stepped back and swung his fist.

Kang–!

His fist clashed with Jin Seong-un’s straight blade, sparks flying. He had trained in considerable outer arts.

He blocked both of their attacks, though he seemed unable to counter.

As the fight dragged on, his face grew red—not from exhaustion, but from rising anger.

‘Ignorant, simple, barbaric, and thoughtless—yet always so quick to anger. Truly fitting for Mukyang’s renegade monks.’

Once more, Jin Seong-un marveled at the Gang Leader of Four Dragons River Gang’s insight.

As the skirmish continued, more fake monks rushed in, filling the corridor.

Like cats before cornered mice, they closed in with arrogant menace.

Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom glanced around. Anyone watching would see them as assassins caught in panic.

“Seize them at once and strip off their masks!”

The Sect Leader commanded.

Even in the tense moment, Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom exchanged leisurely telepathy.

– I said I’d handle this.

– No. Seo Sohyeop, you haven’t even fully recovered yet.

– Better for an already wounded man to take more wounds.

– That’s not logic. Anyway, I’ll do it. You go first. It’s an order from your employer.

Seo Yu-gyeom clicked his tongue. He hadn’t expected Jin Seong-un to pull rank like that. But knowing it was born from concern, he couldn’t argue further.

– Let’s go.

At that, Seo Yu-gyeom leapt out the window. The monks blocking the entrance panicked.

Seo Yu-gyeom escaped first. A heartbeat later, Jin Seong-un also jumped for the window.

The Sect Leader wasn’t a fool. He unleashed a punch at Jin Seong-un. Shockingly, a powerful blast of fist qi erupted.

Indeed, the Gang Leader of Four Dragons River Gang must have been the weakest among Deyang’s Black Path leaders. Jin Seong-un looked briefly at the fist qi, then braced his stomach.

Puk–!

The fist qi struck his side, spinning him mid-air, but he landed lightly.

Together, he and Seo Yu-gyeom vaulted over Dark Sun Sect’s walls. Behind them, the monks cursed and shouted in pursuit.

But outside the walls, the two increased their speed with movement arts. The monks, unable to keep up, finally gave up.

After running far, they changed clothes in a nearby hill.

The clothes Jin Seong-un had discarded were torn where the fist qi had hit.

Seo Yu-gyeom stared worriedly at his side. Even for Jin Seong-un, a direct hit from that distance should have been serious…

“You’re fine?”

“It turned out so.”

At the moment of impact, Jin Seong-un had activated Blood Demon Body Protection Art. Naturally, fake monks’ fist qi couldn’t penetrate it.

Seo Yu-gyeom’s expression twisted. No matter how much he saw, there was always more to be shocked by.

The two then hid their discarded clothes—not perfectly, but just enough that they could be found with effort.

Satisfied, they left the hill with calm faces.

* * *

Early morning.

Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom were enjoying Yangha Daegu at the Deyang Inn. Seeing that no matter how much they drank it didn’t grow tiresome, it was surely worthy of being called a fine wine.

“If… if you need more, just say—no, please say so.”

The innkeeper’s attitude had become somewhat strange.

Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom guessed it was because he had already pieced together the truth. But they neither confirmed nor denied it.

After all, the two had headed toward Four Dragons River Gang, and only half a day later such a thing had occurred. Even a fool could have guessed somewhat.

Still, it was too unrealistic to be sure.

“Yes, thank you.”

Jin Seong-un lightly bowed his head in gratitude. From beginning to end, his manners had been proper, and so the innkeeper felt somewhat reassured.

“Nothing happened overnight?”

He was asking out of concern for what might have followed the fall of Four Dragons River Gang.

Jin Seong-un also understood the intent, and nodded calmly.

“Yes.”

“That’s a relief. Call if you need anything.”

It was then.

A group entered the inn.

They looked like ordinary middle-aged men. Ever since the extermination of Four Dragons River Gang, Black Path martial artists had kept to themselves, rarely appearing in inns.

The innkeeper greeted them with a relaxed expression, unlike before. The men ordered food and wine from the morning and began speaking seriously among themselves.

“Have you heard?”

One man started.

The innkeeper, busy in the kitchen, flinched without reason. This felt like something that had happened before…

An uneasy feeling rose, as the men continued.

“They say Dark Sun Sect has declared war on Azure Wild Valley. Lately, there’s no end to these things, sigh.”

Clang–!

The innkeeper dropped the utensil in his hand. He rushed out and stared at Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom.

“……”

But something felt odd.

To his eyes, the two looked just as surprised as he was.

‘…Maybe not?’

After all, how could just two men barely past their twenties bring down Four Dragons River Gang, and now cause war between Dark Sun Sect and Azure Wild Valley…?

It was far too unrealistic. At least, so the innkeeper thought.

Perhaps he was only tired. Or perhaps, having been freed from hell, he still felt like he was dreaming.

“What’s wrong?”

“Do you still have wine? If you need more, say so.”

“There’s still some left.”

The innkeeper returned to the kitchen.

Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom looked at each other.

They were indeed surprised.

But for reasons slightly different from the innkeeper’s.

“This actually worked?”

Truthfully, they had not been sure.

Even when preparing masks, black clothes, and blades to storm Dark Sun Sect, they could not know whether the plan would succeed. But it hadn’t mattered much. The reason was simple.

In the worst case, killing a few in advance would be satisfying enough. At the very least, if their enemies acted more cautiously and delayed moving against Hwa-un Trading Company, that alone was profit.

Of course, the best outcome would be Dark Sun Sect believing it was Azure Wild Valley’s doing and declaring war. But unless they were complete fools, that had seemed unlikely.

‘Ignorant and simple…’

Jin Seong-un applauded the insight of the dead Gang Leader of Four Dragons River Gang. He was also impressed by Dark Sun Sect’s Sect Leader, who had in just one night declared war on a Black Path group of similar size.

Jin Seong-un and Seo Yu-gyeom, smiling in satisfaction, refilled each other’s cups.

By chance, the best possible outcome had arrived. The war between Dark Sun Sect and Azure Wild Valley would continue for some time.

At the very least, for half a month the Black Path would have no leisure to destroy Hwa-un Trading Company. Busy fighting among themselves, they could not possibly negotiate over such interests.

Thus, their task for today was simple.

The two clinked their cups together.

“Let’s eat and enjoy ourselves today.”

“Agreed.”

While their cups met, Dark Sun Sect and Azure Wild Valley would clash with fists and blades. It was truly a day to be pleased.

Gold Hall of Hwa-un Trading Company.

Across a table, Hwa Yeon-seol and Ho Yeon-baek sat facing each other.

“Have you considered, Trading Company Master?”

At Ho Yeon-baek’s question, Hwa Yeon-seol hesitated before speaking.

“It isn’t an easy decision. To hand Hwa-un Trading Company over to the Heavenly Poison Alliance…”

“It is inevitable. There’s no other way. If we must yield, the wisest path is to ensure your safety and avenge the Previous Leader of the Hwa-un Trading Company. And as I’ve said, there’s little time.”

Every word from Ho Yeon-baek was like a dagger, pressing against Hwa Yeon-seol. She also knew he was right.

But Hwa Yeon-seol recalled what she had heard from Sibi earlier that morning.

“It seems the heavens haven’t abandoned us completely.”

“…What do you mean?”

“They say Dark Sun Sect has declared war against Azure Wild Valley. At least for now, they’ll have no time to move against us. So I’ll think on it longer. I’ll also search for more allies.”

“Ah, I’ve heard. It’s good news for us. Very well. If there’s even a sliver of hope, we must grasp it.”

Hwa Yeon-seol nodded faintly with a thin smile.

It was not a smile of joy, but one of survival—to keep her heart from collapsing further.

Seeing it, Ho Yeon-baek smiled back, then stood.

“Then I will also search for ways, as far as my strength allows…”

“Yes, please.”

He bowed lightly and turned.

The moment he stepped outside, his face completely changed.

Now cold and hard.

So much so, he seemed like a different man from the one who had just spoken with Hwa Yeon-seol.

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