Chapter 123. The Absence of the Main Blood Hall Lord

Namgung Hyun examined the interior with a cautious face. Traces of battle were everywhere, yet not a single corpse was in sight.

Only the bloodstains on the floor caught his eye. Those traces led underground.

Descending below, Namgung Hyun found a long corridor and frowned. Most of the doors were shut, but one was open. Entering there, he looked around the floor.

A clean area without accumulated dust stood out. It seemed that the piled-up crates had been moved entirely.

'Did they raid targeting the storerooms?'

Namgung Hyun furrowed his brow at the thought that this was a predicament.

It seemed the Main Blood Hall Lord had been absent from the Platinum Pavilion for quite some time. Considering that the Red Blood Hall, which should be in Guangdong, had struck at the Main Blood Hall's stronghold.

Realizing the Main Blood Hall Lord was absent, Namgung Hyun rubbed his temple with his hand.

"...... Where in the world have you gone?"

"Ugh."

Just then, a groan was heard from somewhere.

Namgung Hyun moved toward the sound. It was another storeroom with its door tightly shut. Seeing the bloodstains end before it, it seemed someone was inside.

Perhaps sensing his presence, a voice came from within.

"Who is it?"

A frail voice, as if it might break off at any moment.

Namgung Hyun could not answer. He could not tell whether those trapped inside belonged to the Main Blood Hall or to the Red Blood Hall.

As he hesitated on how to respond, another voice sounded again from inside.

"Whoever you are, if you mean to help, there is an office on the third floor. On the desk is a small wooden case—bring that to me. Whoever you may be, I will surely repay the favor."

Without a word, Namgung Hyun went upstairs. Unlike the wreckage on the first floor and basement, the upper floor was clean, showing no trace of intrusion.

It seemed the Red Blood Hall had come only for the storerooms.

Namgung Hyun retrieved the small wooden case tucked in a corner of the desk.

The ones inside seemed to be people of the Main Blood Hall. This was evident from the fact that they knew the location of the office and didn't steal the items and run away.

Having decided his stance, Namgung Hyun went back down and opened the storeroom door at once.

"Are you all right?"

With a worried face, he approached the bound man.

The man, eyes dim and stained with blood, focused on Namgung Hyun's hand. Seeing that the box he brought was indeed the one he requested, the man let out a breath of relief.

"I will surely repay this debt."

"It's fine."

Namgung Hyun untied the man's bonds, shaking his head.

The others wore the same clothing, but this man was dressed in a silk robe. There was no way the Main Blood Hall Lord could have been captured like this, so this was not the Young Lord of the Anguk Merchant Group.

Since the Main Blood Hall Lord was absent, anyone holding a high seat in Platinum Pavilion would likely be the Deputy Hall Lord. It would do no harm to gain his trust.

"You can speak to me informally. I am also from the Profound Emptiness Pavilion."

Yet the man showed no particular surprise.

"I thought as much."

"How did you know?"

Taken aback, Namgung Hyun asked again. Freed from his bonds, the Deputy Hall Lord took out a pellet and gave a small laugh.

"Because after seeing this state, you didn't speak of reporting to the authorities, nor did you say you'd seek aid from Hubei's branch close to the Anguk Merchant Group, or from the Zhuge Clan. You're clearly no ordinary man."

The Deputy Hall Lord immediately put the pellet in his mouth and sat cross-legged.

"The ones who attacked will return soon. Not all of them, but some will come back to pick up the goods. Buy me some time."

Namgung Hyun asked hurriedly,

"Where is the Hall Lord now? I will go and bring him here."

Though he spoke as if trying to help the Deputy Hall Lord, in truth the Main Blood Hall Lord was the very reason Namgung Hyun had come.

But the Deputy Hall Lord, without a word, began circulating his internal energy. It seemed he intended to absorb the medicine and recover before the enemies returned.

Namgung Hyun was troubled. It looked certain that the Red Blood Hall members would return, but it would be troublesome to face them in front of the Main Blood Hall.

He was about to take his leave when someone called out to him.

"Ugh... please, untie this."

Those bound to the pillars pleaded with him. Since he had openly claimed to be of Profound Emptiness Pavilion, he could not abandon them and flee. Swallowing his annoyance, Namgung Hyun approached the Main Blood Hall members and untied their bonds.

After quickly freeing them, Namgung Hyun hastily gave an excuse.

"A Blue Blood Hall member infiltrating the Murim Alliance headquarters was discovered. The headquarters shut its gates, saying they would root out the Blood Sect members. Beyond that, I know nothing more. It seems I must return and find out the situation. As soon as I gain new information, I will inform you."

"Thank you."

Thankfully, the Main Blood Hall members did not doubt him.

Namgung Hyun immediately set out to leave Platinum Pavilion.

Just as he stepped out of the storeroom—

Creak.

Footsteps came from the stair landing.

A shadow fell across the wall, and soon the owner of the steps appeared. On seeing Namgung Hyun, he flinched.

"What, how did the bonds come undone?"

Mistaking him for a Platinum Pavilion worker, the member let out a sigh.

"No, there's no time for this. Instead of wasting time on Main Blood Hall scraps, I should be grabbing whatever I can."

The member brushed past Namgung Hyun, heading straight for the innermost storeroom, as if he had already checked the others.

Clang.

He ripped the door open roughly and, grinning slyly, stepped inside.

"Hehe, you were still here."

The Blood Sect member came out of the storeroom with a heavy pouch, tapping it with a happy look.

Clicking his tongue at the sight of Namgung Hyun, he muttered,

"Ah, this is awkward. They said not to kill the Main Blood Hall people, since the Lord would raise a fuss. But leaving a witness won't do either..."

Approaching Namgung Hyun, the Blood Sect member suddenly sneered.

"You died of fright all on your own, understand?"

Namgung Hyun swallowed a sigh and raised his sword. He had no desire to fight, but there was no other choice.

Clang!

The Blood Sect member rushed in quickly, but Namgung Hyun barely managed to block the strike.

The Blood Sect member was not surprised. Rather, he laughed and curled his fingers. It was a light gesture, like grasping a baby's finger, yet cracks appeared along Namgung Hyun's blade.

Screech.

Namgung Hyun pulled his sword back again. But the Blood Sect member, showing no intention of letting go, reached to seize the weapon.

Clang. Clang.

Without holding back, the Blood Sect member teased him, slipping his hand in and out of the sword's path as if to mock him.

"Tsk, tsk, too slow. Far too slow."

Namgung Hyun blocked the man's hands with all his might. He had to. Missing even once would bring a strike that tore off chunks of flesh.

Yet the Blood Sect member seemed to treat it like a game, flicking his hands about without using his full strength. Namgung Hyun sensed the gulf between them, but he did not feel fear.

That difference in skill was familiar.

He had felt it naturally since childhood, and so Namgung Hyun remained calm, focusing only on what he could do.

That tranquil expression pricked at the Blood Sect member's nerves.

Grab!

Suddenly twisting his hand, the Blood Sect member seized Namgung Hyun's shoulder.

"Ha, to be looked down on by a lowly brat... truly the end of days."

Sharp nails ripped through the dark-blue robe and flesh beneath.

Slash.

But Namgung Hyun made no sound. Instead, he twisted his sword, trying to cut the Blood Sect member's hand that had come too close. His eyes flicked briefly toward the storeroom door.

'When in the world will the Deputy Hall Lord recover?'

He tried to buy time, but Namgung Hyun soon reached his limit. From the start, this was not an opponent he could match. He was simply enduring with grit alone.

"The young one's patience is impressive. Why haven't you screamed even once?"

Even as his flesh was being torn, Namgung Hyun only let out a few groans. He neither screamed nor retreated.

While the Blood Sect member chattered noisily, Namgung Hyun, giving everything he had, could not spare a word.

Clicking his tongue as if bored, the Blood Sect member said,

"Your arms must be numb, yet your sword doesn't waver. Remarkable, kid. You were born with the talent of a swordsman."

Crash!

No sooner had he spoken praise than Namgung Hyun's blade was jolted wildly by the Blood Sect member's nails.

"Hehe, no matter how swordsmen boast about being one with the sword, they can never truly be one."

Crash.

The Blood Sect member swung his hardened hand like a whip, and the sword flew to the floor.

"When the body reaches its limit, it throws away the weapon before the hand."

Stepping on Namgung Hyun's sword, the Blood Sect member reached for him.

He grabbed Namgung Hyun's chin, placing his index finger against his cheek. As the sharp nail brushed across, a thin red line appeared on the white skin.

Namgung Jin stared at the tightly closed storeroom door. Yet from within came neither sound nor presence.

'Damn it...'

The Main Blood Hall members were using him as a sacrifice to buy time.

Just as Namgung Hyun had entered intending to use them, they were now using him.

If he revealed his true identity now, it would be difficult to draw out the Main Blood Hall, yet Namgung Hyun hesitated. To die pointlessly here would make everything meaningless.

He was on the verge of using his last resort—confessing to the Blood Sect member that he was a wielder of dark arts.

Boom!

A thunderous sound rang out, and the surroundings turned dazzlingly white.

"Ugh!"

Startled, the Blood Sect member flung Namgung Hyun aside and pressed against the wall, flailing as his hand braced against it.

"What is this? I can't see!"

Sudden light had flooded the dim underground, blurring the Blood Sect member's vision. Forcing his eyes open wide to recover his sight, he tilted his head.

"Huh?"

The beaten-down kid now stood there unscathed.

No—not that kid. Looking closely, the figure's lines were somewhat broader.

Soon, the man raised his sword and slowly spoke.

"Hyun, are you all right?"

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(T/N): Heluu~ I'm translating a new novel. Just wanted to let you know in case you’d like to check it out!

I and the Witch of Time Who Seeks the Past

In the winter of 2030, guided by the visions of a prophetic dream, I discovered an old manor on the outskirts of northern England.

…It was there that I met a beautiful, black-haired girl—the Witch of Time.

She changed my destiny.

And from that moment, I set out with her on a journey through time, space, and magic.

…

In her eyes, there had always been only one figure standing before her.

His back blocked out the blinding light, granting her a moment to breathe.

“Lijedahl?”

“…It’s nothing, Will.”

Not that she had nothing to say, but rather… there were no words that could suffice.

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