Chapter 232: Perfect Timing
Chapter 232: Perfect Timing
The next day, Seonwoo Jin's party was moving along a secluded road.
As it was a place with few traces of people, not a single human shadow could be seen anywhere around.
Abruptly, Son I-rang spoke, as if throwing a tantrum.
"We've already been sleeping rough for two days, so please, I wish we could stay in a village today. My whole body feels like it's crawling."
At that, Jin So-eun laughed merrily and replied.
"Hahaha! What's two days. When I was in the mountains with my grandfather, there were times I didn't wash for a week...."
But as she spoke, Jin So-eun's face instantly hardened like stone.
It was because Seonwoo Jin was staring at her.
Realizing what she had been about to say right in front of him, Jin So-eun could no longer continue her words.
"...I-I-I, there were times, but, still...."
At that, Son I-rang immediately cut in.
"That's all stuff that was only possible when you were young, right! Right, eonni?"
At her rescue, Jin So-eun felt as if she had glimpsed a single straw to grasp.
Jin So-eun quickly seized that straw.
"O-o-of course! That's all stuff that was only possible when I was young! Now, ugh! Out of the question! Ugh, how dreadful. Haha, ha."
"Indeed. It seems eonni had a truly difficult childhood. To think such a pretty and neat eonni had to live so hard when she was young. Hohoho."
"Right. It really was. Haha. Hahaha...."
Thanks to Son I-rang's efforts in the meantime, Jin So-eun had come to have a rough grasp of her own feelings.
So at least now, she could distinguish the fact that her feelings were a little different from mere respect.
And the reason her heart pounded whenever she looked at him as well.
It was definitely a positive sign.
Because it meant that she, who had spent too long alone in the mountains and hadn't possessed the sensibilities of a normal woman, was gradually adjusting to other people.
But there was a problem too.
A serious problem at that.
Jin So-eun fanned her face with her hand and screamed inside her heart.
'What do I do! Young Master Yin keeps watching me, so my face feels like it's going to burn up!'
The biggest problem was that ever since she became aware of her own heart, she could no longer look directly at Seonwoo Jin.
Because just looking at him made her feel like her heart and face would burst, she absolutely could not endure it.
So now, Jin So-eun always stood and moved at the spot farthest from Seonwoo Jin.
Admittedly, that was only the distance with Son Dae-su and Son I-rang between them, but if she didn't do even that, she felt like she couldn't even breathe.
Such was the hardship of a mountain girl's late first love.
It was a moment when Jin So-eun and Son I-rang were putting on a situational act unaware that they were the only awkward ones, and Son Dae-su and Seonwoo Jin were watching them, laughing inwardly.
Suddenly, a small village entered their eyes.
Despite being located in a remote area, it was a village that looked quite well maintained.
Seonwoo Jin, who had been the first in the party to spot the place, spoke to the two women.
"There is a village over there. It seems Heaven intends to grant the wish of you two tidy persons."
At that, Son I-rang and Jin So-eun turned their heads, confirmed the village, and let out joyful cheers.
"Kyaak! It really is a village!"
"Indeed! Now I can finally wash properly!"
The party quickened their steps with joyful hearts.
The feeling was as if they could fly to the sky at the prospect of proper lodgings and a meal after so long.
***
- Target approaching.
Number Forty-eight, an assassin of the Blood Rain Union who was assigned the role of chopping wood with an axe on the outskirts of the village while surveilling the outside, sent a telepathic transmission to the nearest comrade.
Then, the assassin who received the transmission sent it again to the comrades around them, and the news spread throughout the entire village in an instant.
- Target approaching.
- Target approaching.
- Target approaching.
However, unlike the transmissions spreading throughout the village like echoing ripples, the outward appearance of the village was exceedingly lively and peaceful.
Everyone was absorbed in their own tasks with smiles on their lips, and children were running and playing among the alleys.
To anyone's eyes, it was the perfectly peaceful image of a countryside village with nothing to suspect at all.
And at the inn located in the very center of the village, the one in charge of this assassination disguised as the waiter, Assassin Sa Ho, did not doubt in the slightest that his prey would walk right into the spider's web.
'Everything is perfect.'
First, the location of the village was far too good.
The bastards would have had no choice but to sleep rough for about two days before arriving here.
Thus, since they couldn't be guaranteed another proper meal and lodging anywhere after passing this place, he was certain they would have no choice but to eat here, even if they didn't stay the day.
Also, the acting of the assassins disguised as villagers was perfect.
Because the commission fee for this job was high, the grade of the assassins constituting the village had been adjusted to the highest tier.
He was especially satisfied that there were many assassins who would play the roles of children.
Lastly, the trap itself was perfect.
The bastards would never know, but this entire village had already been arranged as one massive trap.
Poison, throwing weapons, and even ambushed assassins.
Everything was perfect.
Therefore, unless there was a prophet among the bastards who could read the future, this assassination was bound to succeed.
Preparing so that it could only succeed and then executing—that was the way of the Blood Rain Union, after all.
***
Of course, the Blood Rain Union's trap was so truly perfect that anyone would have no choice but to fall into it.
But sometimes, the world had people who operated on a different track from ordinary folks.
Abruptly, Mukrang spoke to Seonwoo Jin.
- It's a trap.
'Pardon?'
- All those villagers are assassins. They aren't revealing their killing intent outwardly, but they are all targeting you.
At Mukrang's sudden words, Seonwoo Jin was flustered at first as well.
It was because outwardly, the village appeared far too peaceful and ordinary.
But Seonwoo Jin's memory was soon able to recall a rumor about an assassin organization that would sometimes create inns, or even whole villages, to set traps when carrying out an assassination.
'The Blood Rain Union! So it seems it's them. As expected.'
- I don't know these Blood Rain Union fellows, but seeing that village, it's clear they are definitely no ordinary lot. Assassins building a whole village to carry out a single assassination, it's a method I've never seen in my lifetime. What do you intend to do? Will you launch a preemptive strike?
At Mukrang's question, Seonwoo Jin deliberated for a moment.
Since he knew it was a trap, there was no need to deliberately walk into it.
As Mukrang said, striking first before they could prepare seemed like one viable method.
But after pondering briefly, Seonwoo Jin abruptly grinned. It was a smile that somehow felt mischievous, like a troublemaker's.
A short while later, Seonwoo Jin's party, having arrived near the village created by the Blood Rain Union, simply passed the place by, keeping a certain distance away.
At that, among the Blood Rain Union assassins observing them, the echo of telepathic transmissions began to resound once more.
- The target is just passing by! I repeat! The target is just passing by the village.
- The target is passing this place by!
- The target is passing this place by!
That echo of transmissions soon reached Assassin Sa Ho, located in the inn.
'What?!'
Sa Ho's eyes bulged wide and he ground his teeth fiercely.
That the bastards would just pass this place by was preposterous.
Could they possibly prefer sleeping rough more?
In this situation where they couldn't even know how much longer they'd have to sleep rough ahead?
Faced with this unprecedented situation, Sa Ho's head began to throb.
This was a situation where they had built an entire village, not just an inn.
If the bastards just passed this place by, all this effort would turn to foam.
But they couldn't just reveal their true colors right away either.
Striking an enemy who hadn't even entered the trap was an uncertain endeavor, and it wasn't the way of the Blood Rain Union.
'Could they have noticed our presence?'
The thought crossed his mind, but it didn't seem likely.
Because if that were the case, they wouldn't have just passed by like that.
"Hwooouuu!"
Sa Ho let out a deep sigh, his face full of rage.
It seemed they would have to do this same damn thing one more time.
They would have to observe the bastard more closely, just in case he simply passed by again then too.
Suddenly, the questions of other assassins came through.
- Sa Ho, what do we do now?
Assassin Sa Ho answered while grinding his teeth.
- Stand by. After the bastards have completely passed, dismantle this place.
At that, transmissions of the same content began echoing throughout the village again.
- Stand by. Dismantle this place after the bastards have passed.
- Stand by. Dismantle this place after the bastards have passed.
- Stand by. Dismantle this place after the bastards have passed.
***
Passing by the village, Seonwoo Jin continued to observe the bastards' movements.
Sure enough, he sensed the movements of the villagers dropping off drastically.
Since his group had just passed by, they had apparently given up on pretending to be ordinary people.
Laughter escaped him.
He couldn't be more amused at having utterly turned all the sincerity poured into building a whole village into foam.
Since they wouldn't give up just because they missed once, he could just deal with dismantling them next time.
It was then that Son Dae-su, stealthily eyeing his granddaughter Son I-rang's seemingly dissatisfied expression, cautiously asked.
"Young Master Yin, might you explain a bit now? Why you simply passed that village by, that is."
Earlier, Seonwoo Jin had unilaterally informed the party that they were passing the village by.
While saying he would properly explain the reason later.
At the words spoken with a serious face by him, the center of the party, the group had no choice but to follow his words.
But for the two women who had been hoping to wash properly, it was also something that could only cause dissatisfaction.
Seonwoo Jin asked the party in a small voice.
"Did none of you sense anything strange from them?"
At his question, the party members exchanged glances and shook their heads.
"Strange, you say?"
Then Seonwoo Jin spoke to them with a slightly disappointed look on his face.
"They were all assassins. Woodcutter, farmer, children—all of them were assassins without exception. In my estimation, I believe they were likely that rumored Blood Rain Union."
At his words, everyone's faces stiffened.
"...Th-the Blood Rain Union?"
"Huh, those people were?"
"The Blood Rain Union! ...I-I'm sorry, but what is that?"
Son I-rang explained the Blood Rain Union to Jin So-eun.
Meanwhile, Son Dae-su asked Seonwoo Jin.
"J-just how in the world did you spot that?"
Seonwoo Jin silently moved his steps for a moment without answering his question.
It was because, honestly, he had nothing to say in reply.
He couldn't very well say that Mukrang had told him when he hadn't known it originally himself, could he?
That was when it happened.
As if to resolve Seonwoo Jin's predicament, something was felt in his senses.
His eyes gleaming, he spoke.
"Someone is coming. At a very high speed, at that."
And not just from one direction, but two.
At Seonwoo Jin's words, the party suddenly surveyed their surroundings with tense eyes.
Then, shortly after, they were able to visually confirm a single Bamboo Hat Person flying towards them from the east at incredible speed.
Son Dae-su murmured.
"...Transcendent Peak?"
Judging by their movement technique, that seemed likely.
But the place Seonwoo Jin's eyes were directed at was not that direction.
He was looking north, not east.
At that moment, the small-statured Bamboo Hat Person who had landed before them took off their bamboo hat and spoke.
"Are you Inparang?"
It was the voice of a woman, exceedingly gruff and spirited.
But the face revealed from beneath the bamboo hat was entirely different from her voice.
A beautiful face that felt as white as white jade and as radiant as a rose—she was none other than Hawondalgi Yeon Tae-jin.
Upon seeing her face, Son I-rang and Jin So-eun burst out in involuntary exclamations of admiration.
"Woah! She's pretty!"
"Wow! She really is a beauty!"
But even at their admiration, Yeon Taejin sneered.
Such admiration was far too familiar to stir any emotion in her.
Only Son Dae-su recognized her identity and muttered in surprise.
"...Hawondalgi?"
At that, Yeon Taejin, who had smirked boyishly with her beautiful face, spoke arrogantly.
"That's right, I am Hawondalgi Yeon Tae-jin! I came here to teach the bastard called Inparang a proper fight! I ask again. Are you Inparang?!"
But Seonwoo Jin still did not look her way.
His gaze remained fixed on the north.
At that, as if her attitude was being dismissed, Yeon Taejin shouted with a furious face.
"You dare! You ignore me...!"
But it was then.
From the north, where Seonwoo Jin was looking, a group of people appeared.
Two groups of six each, twelve people in total, each forming a formation like flying geese and soaring toward them.
Shwiiiik!
Seonwoo Jin murmured with sharp eyes.
"They've come."
White martial robes, blue hero scarves—just by their attire, one could be certain they were the Hengshan Sect.
It was the appearance of the Hengshan Sect's secret weapon, the Six Harmony Swordsmen Pasanjo.
At their sudden entrance, even Yeon Taejin was looking their way.
The Six Harmony Swordsmen quickly approached and landed before the party.
Tak!
The sound of footsteps hitting the ground simultaneously, as if a single person had descended.
At that extraordinary atmosphere, everyone was focusing on them.
Among the Six Harmony Swordsmen, Un-dang, the leader of the Pasan Fourth Squad, stepped forward and spoke with an arrogant attitude.
"Inparang! In the name of the Hengshan Sect, I shall execute you!"
At those words, the faces of Son Dae-su, Son I-rang, and Jin So-eun, who had already anticipated their arrival, visibly darkened.
The Hengshan Sect's secret weapon, the Six Harmony Swordsmen, had finally appeared before their eyes.
To them, as martial artists of Guangdong Province, the name of the Hengshan Sect could only be incomparably heavy.
Hawondalgi Yeon Tae-jin, who had never feared anything in the world, was similarly startled by the name Hengshan Sect.
She asked back with surprised eyes.
"The Hengshan Sect?"
Seonwoo Jin slowly swept his gaze over Yeon Taejin, who had blocked his front, and the Hengshan Sect's Pasanjo, who had appeared on his left.
And even the existence of the Blood Rain Union, which would be at their rear.
It was truly nothing short of an exquisitely timed encounter.