A Needle in the Bag (3)
“What did you just say?”
Dang Gwan’s eyes gleamed with a menacing light.
Moyong Gun thought to himself,
This man shows more sides to him than I expected.
Ever since Dang Sang-a had joined the operations team, Dang Gwan’s mood had been foul, bordering on the worst. Whether that stemmed from worry for his daughter or—though he’d never admit it—from clear resentment toward Yeon Hojeong, his obvious political rival, even Moyong Gun couldn’t say for sure.
It could be both.
Moyong Gun moistened his throat with tea before speaking.
“I said Yeon Hojeong took the family head’s daughter because of the Tang family’s hidden weapon arts.”
Bam!
The table shook from the fist slammed down with savage force. Dang Gwan growled in a terrifying voice.
“In other words, that bastard used our family’s techniques to pique Yang Cheon’s interest?”
“Yes.”
“Because the Black Path scum need real combat power until they’ve built up their strength?”
“Precisely.”
“……!”
“Even I would’ve approached it the same way if I were Yang Cheon.”
Fsssh.
Dang Gwan’s fist pierced straight through the table. The ferocious poison qi erupting from it melted the wood away.
Moyong Gun clicked his tongue.
“What a waste of that expensive table I procured.”
Dang Gwan’s mouth twisted open.
“That damned cur dares to treat our family’s hidden weapon arts like a joke?”
Hidden weapons, in a certain sense, were harder to master than even fist techniques or weapon arts. There was no fixed launcher like a bow for arrows. Handling them demanded absolute precision and focus from the user’s senses.
In other words, contrary to popular belief, hidden weapons were no easy study.
Even within the Tang family, at least ten blood kin died each year attempting to master them.
To use such an extreme, perilous art merely as bait to draw an enemy’s interest? For Dang Gwan, it was an unbearable affront to his pride.
Moyong Gun gave a wry smile.
“Do you really think that bastard looks down on the Tang family’s hidden weapon arts?”
“What if Sang-a falls for his schemes and teaches him our family secrets?!”
“That won’t happen.”
“You’re that confident?”
“I am.”
Dang Gwan’s eyes deepened.
“Has holding hands with him even briefly softened your hatred for that scum?”
In an instant, Moyong Gun’s eyes flashed with a razor-sharp glare.
Flash!
It was like lightning cracking through the air.
A overwhelming pressure he’d never shown before Dang Gwan. Naturally, Dang Gwan was startled deep down.
“Family head.”
“……”
“I don’t want to have this conversation every time between us, so let me make it clear today.”
Moyong Gun flashed a cold smile.
“To me, Yeon Hojeong, Yeon Wi, Jegal Munho—they’re all enemies.”
“……”
“We can join hands when the time calls for it? Of course. I can’t very well turn the world I’ll one day seize into a wasteland just to kill a foe.”
Crackle! Rumble!
Sparks danced in the empty air. Moyong Gun’s thunder qi incinerated the lingering poison qi in the room in an instant.
He himself was fine, of course, but anyone else would’ve been poisoned and fallen gravely ill from such a virulent aura.
And at that momentary burst of inner energy, Dang Gwan was deeply shocked.
What tremendous power!
The density of his true qi defied imagination. This was the true depth of Moyong Gun, who had never properly revealed his strength before.
Even this fleeting release was this potent—what devastation could he unleash if he went all out?
“But testing me with talk of weakened resolve or forgotten dreams? That’s a deeply unpleasant affront.”
“……”
Dang Gwan stared at Moyong Gun in silence.
Moyong Gun, who had maintained a frosty expression, suddenly smiled.
“I reached out to you, family head, and you were seeking someone to stand with. We became entangled out of necessity and reaped great gains from it, didn’t we? Our bond is tighter than any political alliance.”
“Hm.”
“Life’s too short even for smiling through it. Let’s not doubt each other, at least between us.”
Dang Gwan, who had been gazing steadily at him, nodded.
“I apologize.”
A straightforward apology. It perfectly captured the man’s character.
Moyong Gun burst into hearty laughter.
“In a way, I overreacted too. I’ve ruined the mood needlessly—my apologies.”
“You said what needed saying. I’ve been troubled of late myself, so I hope you understand.”
“Of course. We’re united in public and private alike, aren’t we?”
He was referring to the marriage between Moyong Woo and Dang Sang-a.
Dang Gwan’s expression eased noticeably. When families were bound by marriage, they had no choice but to walk the same path, like it or not.
Moyong Gun was entirely right.
“Back to the matter at hand—Yeon Hojeong can’t possibly coerce your daughter into revealing the Tang family’s secrets.”
“Explain.”
“There’s no need to hack off an ally’s arm and offer it just to inspect an enemy we clashed with in a turf war.”
Dang Gwan’s eyes sparkled.
“An ally, you say.”
“Yes. Right now, we must move not as rivals, but as one united front. I explained the reason before.”
“Even if we become the White Path’s supreme power, Yang Cheon remains an irritating thorn.”
“Exactly.”
Dang Gwan’s eyes gleamed.
“You think the same?”
Moyong Gun smiled.
“The same. But Yeon Hojeong isn’t in the Martial Alliance at the moment.”
It meant preparations were proceeding smoothly on his end.
Dang Gwan chuckled dryly.
“Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
“It’s not a lack of trust in you, so I hope you’re not offended.”
“I don’t take offense at that.”
“I know. Just making sure.”
“Hoo.”
Dang Gwan let out a sigh. His ruffled mood had largely settled.
But his mind remained complicated.
Moyong Gun asked,
“One thing I’m curious about.”
“Speak.”
“This is from someone ignorant of hidden weapons. I know each has unique traits, but do the basics bear the mark of their sects too?”
Dang Gwan nodded.
“Hidden weapons are like swordsmanship. It’s just throwing and hitting? Swords follow the same basic principles of thrusting and slashing.”
“True.”
“The subtle flick of the wrist, finger movements, eye technique, arm swing angle, waist torque—traces of the sect show in every aspect.”
Moyong Gun stroked his chin.
“Even when teaching basics, those traits emerge……”
“Yes. And they vary by region and weapon type. The world of hidden weapons is that complex.”
“So for the operations team, the best outcome is infiltrating without teaching anything and extracting intel.”
“Is that feasible?”
“Who knows? It’s up to them, and with so many variables, hard to predict.”
Moyong Gun gazed out the window.
“And Yeon Hojeong surely knows this fact too.”
* * *
Paeryul’s eyes flashed.
Strong.
Among the seven masters, the one standing at the center, gazing coldly at them.
His martial prowess astonished even Paeryul, an elder of the Jeomcheong Sect.
Hummm.
The air trembled without him even emitting inner energy or murderous intent.
Whether innate or from his cultivated arts, he couldn’t tell.
Whatever the case, the raw aura emanating from him even at rest was profoundly impressive.
So the Black Path has its share of talents.
A surge of competitive spirit rose within him. This was a master in no way inferior to himself.
Gadeuksang asked in a frosty voice,
“Who are you?”
His irritation seeped clearly through.
The middle-aged man didn’t get agitated. His wild aura remained, but he seemed far more composed than expected.
“I am Cheong Ho.”
Cheong Ho. A name so common, yet astonishingly unfamiliar—even to the world-renowned Gadeuksang.
“I serve under the elder who will soon dominate the Black Path martial world and conquer the entire martial realm.”
“……!”
“Yang Cheon, acting on orders from the Muk Ryong Bu Lord.”
Gadeuksang’s eyes lit up.
He’s volunteering it?
Bluntly naming Yang Cheon. Even revealing his organization’s name unprompted.
Not as cautious as I thought. But they’re no fools either. It’s not carelessness—it means they don’t need to be cautious.
And the reason?
“Planning to announce it to the world soon?”
Gadeuksang glanced aside. Yeon Hojeong had stepped forward.
“Muk Ryong Bu? Never heard of it.”
“……”
“You’ve moved discreetly so far, yet you reveal it so easily.”
Cheong Ho spoke.
“You have only two paths ahead.”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes sparkled.
“Die, or live?”
“Yes.”
Meaning they’d kill if things went south, so revealing their group’s name meant nothing. Immense confidence.
Yeon Hojeong asked Gadeuksang,
“Senior Brother, what shall we do?”
Despite their clash two days prior, Gadeuksang picked up seamlessly.
“Hmm? We came to meet this Yang fellow anyway, didn’t we? I don’t fancy dying, so let’s find the path to survival.”
“As expected.”
“Naturally. I don’t want to die.”
Yeon Hojeong chuckled dryly. He turned to Cheong Ho.
“So, what do you want?”
“Proof.”
“Proof of what?”
Cheong Ho’s gaze turned icy.
“Prove you’re truly from Mujongmun, and I’ll take you to Muk Ryong Bu.”
Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.
“Do you even know what Mujongmun is?”
“I do.”
“And you still spout that nonsense?”
Rumble.
Suddenly, murderous intent billowed from the six masters behind Cheong Ho.
Watching from afar, Jegal A-yeon’s face hardened.
Strong.
Yeon Hojeong, Paeryul, Gadeuksang, Dang Sang-a. Not one among them wasn’t a master.
Especially Yeon Hojeong’s arts had long formed their own school; by skill alone, he could found a sect.
But he was a special case. Paeryul was Jeomcheong’s youngest elder, while Gadeuksang and Dang Sang-a were their sects’ top young experts.
Top White Path talents gathered together—yet these foes outmatched them.
They can’t be Yang Cheon’s strongest. Almost certainly. And they’re this powerful? Abnormal.
Tension etched Jegal A-yeon’s face.
This group is far stronger than I imagined.
Even more astonishing was the leader Cheong Ho’s response.
“Find common sense elsewhere.”
“……”
“Fail to prove you’re from Mujongmun, and death is your only path.”
Gadeuksang glanced at Yeon Hojeong.
They’re coming on strong……
Yeon Hojeong tilted his head again.
“There is one way.”
“Then prove it.”
“You sure? It might be a bit dangerous.”
“I don’t say things twice.”
“I like that.”
Yeon Hojeong picked up the long spear propped nearby.
In that instant, Gadeuksang’s jaw dropped. Paeryul, Dang Sang-a, and Jegal A-yeon all stared at him in shock.
This madman, don’t tell me……?
Whoosh!
True qi flowing from the spear shaft cleaved the air with heavy pressure.
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes blazed.
“Here’s your proof.”
Boom!
Cheong Ho’s eyes wavered. The spear tip was already hurtling toward his throat.