Signs of Collapse (4)
Songha Sinni was flustered.
“Y-young hero?”
The voice carried a blunt, puzzled tone. It was as if she felt completely overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
Without realizing it, Songha Sinni answered.
“Th-that is correct……”
Yeon Hojeong, who had been quietly looking down at her, let out a deep sigh.
“One should be moderately naive to warrant any suspicion at all. But this one is white to the point of having not a single speck of impurity.”
Despite his words, he had already concluded she was a nun of the Emei Sect from the moment he began tailing her. It could not have been otherwise. From this unidentified nun, the true qi of Emei’s highest-grade divine art leaked out in fleeting bursts.
True qi of such purity could never be obtained through half-hearted training. Moreover, it was not internal energy gained from spiritual elixirs or special cultivation techniques, but pure qi born from genuine enlightenment.
When true qi carried that level of purity, one’s personality could only be equally pure. There was no need for further analysis.
The only problem was that while the qi clearly belonged to a supreme peak expert, it was far too clean.
“Let’s leave this place first. Be sure to properly block the poison’s intrusion.”
“No, who in the world are you…?”
In that instant, Yeon Hojeong’s eyes transformed.
Songha Sinni involuntarily sucked in a breath. The young man’s gaze was utterly terrifying.
Flash! Flash!
Black hand-axes sliced through the air in diagonal crosses.
Slaaash!
With a gruesome sound, a rain of blood poured down beneath the moonlight.
Songha Sinni was horrified. Only now could she see the masked figures that neither her eyes nor her senses had detected earlier.
But the sight was too horrific. Their bodies, severed diagonally by the axe strikes, spilled massive amounts of blood and internal organs.
“What are you doing?! Move, now!”
“Ah!”
Whoosh!
Songha Sinni quickly kicked off the roof. Part of her wondered if this was truly acceptable, yet her body reacted first to that fearsome young man’s voice.
“Damn it.”
Yeon Hojeong clicked his tongue at Songha Sinni’s unstable movements as he prepared to strike the invisible assassins.
Swoosh!
“Huk!”
Songha Sinni was startled. The young man had already flown to her side and hooked her arm.
“Relax your strength.”
Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed brilliantly.
Boooom!
With a tremendous sonic boom, the two vanished from the air.
The speed was nothing short of insane. Experiencing such rapid movement for the first time in her life, Songha Sinni could not even scream. This… this is…! It was incredible. The surrounding scenery rushed backward at a terrifying pace.
She had neither seen nor experienced footwork this fast before. It seemed quicker than a bird with wings. It was the movement of a weightless flame.
They continued like that for some time.
After leaping across more than a dozen buildings along the brightly lit streets, the pair descended at the edge of a small forest.
“Huff… huff!”
The moment her feet touched the ground, Songha Sinni collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath.
Her head spun so violently her stomach churned. It was difficult to tell whether the dizziness came from the poison or the extreme speed of the movement technique.
At that moment, Yeon Hojeong’s hand pressed against her vital point.
“Calm your true qi. Do not tense up.”
Instantly, all strength drained from Songha Sinni’s body. What a truly strange young man. Simply listening to his voice made one naturally follow his instructions. It possessed an oddly natural persuasive power.
Fwoosh!
The Vermilion Bird Fire Qi flowed into Songha Sinni through her vital point.
She was inwardly startled. Infusing internal energy of a conflicting nature could easily cause severe internal injury if mishandled.
Yet her surprise was soon eclipsed by an even greater shock. This cannot be!
Oooooong!
The hot true qi now circulating through her meridians burned away most of the ink-like poison energy in an instant.
It was tremendous power. A mere trace of true qi had completely suppressed that potent venom.
Even considering the nature of fire qi, this was extraordinary. The poison that even Emei’s supreme divine arts had barely been able to block was incinerated in a single moment! This young man’s true qi is extremely condensed! And this almost sacred fire qi…?!
A moment later.
Hssssss!
White smoke rose from Songha Sinni’s wound, soon followed by blue vapor. The remaining poison was being expelled from her body.
Yeon Hojeong withdrew his hand from her vital point.
“It is done.”
“……!”
“The internal injuries caused by the poison cannot be helped. You will have to manage those yourself.”
Songha Sinni turned to look at Yeon Hojeong.
He had already put away his axes; only an iron spear remained in his hand. At a glance, it was clearly a high-quality weapon forged by a master craftsman.
Songha Sinni bowed her head.
“Thank you. I owe you my life.”
Yeon Hojeong gave a small chuckle.
Though he had felt utterly frustrated only moments ago, her gratitude washed all of that irritation away. She really is kind.
In the brutal world of the gangho, few people would offer thanks first after having their lives saved. Most would instead wonder why they had been saved and suspect some hidden motive.
The gangho Yeon Hojeong knew and the one Songha Sinni knew were that different.
“You appear to be an elder of the Emei Sect.”
“I am an elder only in name.”
“So you really are an elder.”
“I am called Songha Sinni. I thank my benefactor once more.”
Despite his youth, her attitude remained impeccably respectful.
It was only natural toward the one who had saved her life, yet even that felt strangely unfamiliar to Yeon Hojeong.
“There is no need for thanks. After all, I was the one following you.”
“Pardon?!”
“An Emei Sect nun was walking with far too much tension. It seemed suspicious, so I followed.”
He spoke of tailing her with complete confidence. For a moment, Songha Sinni was at a loss for words.
Yeon Hojeong frowned.
“Though it was rather strange. Your skill seems excellent, yet your movements were too clumsy. You appeared wary of watchful eyes, but left openings with every step. I thought you were trying to approach stealthily, yet you made no effort to silence the rustling of your clothes or suppress the sound of your movements.”
“……”
“Have you only practiced Buddhist teachings in the mountains?”
Songha Sinni’s face flushed slightly red.
It was not something to be particularly ashamed of. People simply walked different paths. Yeon Hojeong would not feel embarrassed for having read fewer Buddhist scriptures than her.
Still, as an elder of the Emei Sect, it seemed she could not help but feel embarrassed.
“I am merely ashamed. Having never immersed myself in worldly affairs, I have lived solely according to the teachings of the mountain……”
“In its own way, that is quite remarkable.”
“By the way… may I know my benefactor’s name?”
Yeon Hojeong gave a bitter smile. No matter the circumstances, it felt oddly uncomfortable to be spoken to so respectfully by an Emei Sect elder.
Setting his spear aside, Yeon Hojeong cupped his fist in greeting.
“I am Yeon Hojeong, eldest son of the Yeon Family of Byeoksan in Gangdong. I currently serve as head secretary of the Martial Alliance’s Uijeong Army and special adjutant to the Black Dragon Department.”
“Ah!”
Surprise bloomed across Songha Sinni’s face.
“The one renowned as the greatest junior of the world?”
The greatest junior of the world. It was a title that sent shivers down one’s spine no matter how many times one heard it.
“You must be an extraordinary person. Though I have not stepped into the world, tales of your righteous deeds and martial prowess have reached even our quiet mountain temple.”
“I see.”
“However… what exactly is the position of special adjutant to the Black Dragon Department?”
Yeon Hojeong unconsciously shook his head. Even considering her distance from the Martial Alliance, he had not expected anyone to be this unaware of current events.
“You did not even know the Martial Alliance has entered a state of semi-seclusion?”
“Pardon?!”
“The Martial Alliance has formed a temporary alliance with the Black Dragon Department to face a common enemy. You at least know of the Black Dragon Department, yes?”
“Ah, yes, I do.”
Songha Sinni’s face grew even redder. She felt increasingly embarrassed.
It was then.
“Hoo, that really was fast.”
From a distance, a middle-aged man carrying a red spear approached. It was Hwang Seok-tae.
Songha Sinni tensed instinctively. He was clearly an expert radiating an extraordinary aura.
Yeon Hojeong spoke.
“He is my companion. There is no need to be nervous.”
“……”
“Ah, yes.”
“Anyway.”
Yeon Hojeong slowly crouched down, his expression puzzled.
“Why exactly were you heading there? No—what is that place that you tried to enter so secretly, and who were those damned assassins?”
In that moment, tension washed over Songha Sinni’s face.
This was the man who had saved her life. Having received his grace, she had already revealed her affiliation and Dharma name.
Yet when asked about that matter, suspicion suddenly rose within her.
It could not be helped. She had come here alone, trusting no one from her own sect. To be precise, it was not that she did not trust them, but that she felt she should not.
In any case, this was not something she could easily speak of, even to her benefactor.
Seeing Songha Sinni watching him with wary eyes, Yeon Hojeong nodded.
“If you do not wish to speak, there is no need. After all, I suddenly followed you and then claimed to be the eldest son of the Yeon Family of Byeoksan. Suspicion is only natural.”
“Ah……”
Songha Sinni felt a pang of guilt.
“It is not that……”
Yeon Hojeong picked up his spear and rose to his feet.
“From the way you guarded your surroundings, it seems you did not want to be discovered. For now, recover your strength here. The immediate danger has passed, but the internal injuries from the poison will be quite severe.”
“I… I……”
Yeon Hojeong turned to Hwang Seok-tae.
“Sorry about this. Could you guard her for a while?”
“What about you?”
“Regardless of the reason, that place is crawling with dangerous assassins. Moreover, they attempted to kill an elder of the Emei Sect. As a fellow practitioner of the gangho, I cannot simply overlook it.”
Hwang Seok-tae unconsciously frowned.
He could not simply overlook it as a fellow practitioner of the gangho? Why is this guy acting so creepily? Words like duty in the gangho or friendship in the murim meant nothing to Yeon Hojeong. He was not the sort of person who moved according to loyalty or compassion.
For such a man to utter something as embarrassing as “fellow daoist”?
It was then.
“Huk! You are not thinking of going back there, are you?”
“Of course I must go. They attacked an elder of the Emei Sect. I do not know what is there, but I need to go shake them down thoroughly.”
“It-it is dangerous!”
“Do not worry. I have the ability to preserve my life somehow. Worry about Sinni instead. Internal injuries from poison are far more difficult to treat than ordinary ones.”
With that, Yeon Hojeong coldly turned away as if the matter were settled.
At that moment, Songha Sinni shot to her feet.
“Please wait!”
“Hmm?”
Yeon Hojeong turned his head and blinked.
“Do you have something more to say?”
“Well……”
After a long hesitation, Songha Sinni let out a deep sigh.
“No matter what, I cannot simply send my benefactor into such a dangerous place alone.”
“I told you not to worry.”
“I will tell you.”
“Hmm?”
“What kind of place it is… or rather, it has not even been confirmed whether that place is truly that place yet… but in any case, I will tell you.”
“Oh, you will?”
Yeon Hojeong approached with a bright, innocent smile.
“I am ready to listen.”
Standing beside him, Hwang Seok-tae thought, An assassin who kills people cleanly seems far less evil by comparison. This was absolutely a man one must never make an enemy of.