Winds and Waves at Shu Dao Pass (6)
The black-clad figure stared blankly at Seo Baek before asking,
"You're going to cut off my head? Right here, right now?"
"Yes."
"Haha… hahahaha!"
The black-clad figure burst into roaring laughter that threatened to tear the tent apart, then abruptly cut it off.
"A nobody from the jianghu letting his reckless ambition get the better of him. And so young, too—you don't even know the value of your own life."
The black-clad figure sneered mockingly at Seo Baek with feigned bravado, but he got no comeback in return.
"That's not something a thief should say."
"A thief?"
The face beneath the black-clad figure's mesh veil twisted viciously.
"That jade hairpin protected Shu Dao Pass from the revenant horde—it belongs to the Ami Faction. You're sneaking around stealing from them, so what else would you call it?"
"You little…"
The black-clad figure already knew Seo Baek's face, but he scanned him up and down as if seeing him for the first time.
He couldn't believe it.
No matter how he looked, it was a boy who couldn't have passed twenty. What gave him the confidence to stand so boldly?
"Who the hell are you? Which sect are you from?"
"From Shika Manor."
"Shika Manor?"
The black-clad figure racked his brain, but he'd never heard the name among the famous clans.
"Never even heard of it—must be some worthless little backwater."
"Shika Manor has never pulled off a big heist like stealing the jade hairpin from Shu Dao Pass, so of course it's not well-known."
"With all that confidence, you must be pretty skilled, huh?"
"Enough to punish a thief."
"Fine. Let's end the chit-chat."
The black-clad figure shrugged, as if suggesting they call it even.
"If you stop getting in my way, I'll pretend this never happened. We both go our separate ways—sound good?"
"Still lying through your teeth."
Seo Baek smirked.
"You never planned to let me live from the start, did you? Now that I've caught you stealing, your only choice is to silence me."
"You just won't believe a word I say. I was even thinking of sparing a kid like you a bit longer…"
In an instant, the black-clad figure crouched low and swung both arms forward. Two flying daggers shot out from his sleeves toward Seo Baek.
Shick.
"If you turn down the cup of mercy and choose the cup of poison, what choice do I have?"
Clang.
Seo Baek raised his sword and casually deflected the daggers.
"Here's a tip."
"What?"
"If you want to deceive someone, do it with your eyes, not your words. Who'd fall for a tongue wagging three inches while your eyes reek of killing intent?"
"Heh heh heh, you saw through it. But you missed something yourself."
"What?"
"That was a feint. You should've watched the follow-up, not my eyes."
Before the black-clad figure finished speaking, he twisted both hands in a bizarre motion.
The two flying daggers changed direction mid-air and flew toward the back of Seo Baek's head.
Shiiiick.
Flying dagger arts controlled by threads tied to the hilt and wrists!
But the black-clad figure's flying dagger technique didn't end there.
He thrust both arms forward again, and two more daggers shot from his sleeves, one aiming for Seo Baek's philtrum, the other his solar plexus.
Four daggers from front and back, all targeting vital points.
A deadly ambush where even one hit would be fatal!
"Die! Krahaha!"
In that moment, a fierce glint flashed in Seo Baek's eyes.
Whoooosh.
Suddenly, a ferocious gale erupted inside the tent, whipping at the black-clad figure's robes and hair.
"What the—?"
As the black-clad figure stood dumbfounded, four streaks of light flashed before his eyes in rapid succession.
Papapap!
He felt a sharp, chilling energy graze his neck, both arms, and torso.
"…!"
Then darkness descended.
That was the end of the black-clad figure's memories.
In the eerily silent forest, where even the drop of a needle could be heard, a black-clad figure waited for his comrade.
Soon, a figure appeared on the forest path.
"You're late."
But upon closer look, it wasn't his comrade.
"Who are you?"
The silent newcomer tossed something at the black-clad figure's feet.
Thud.
Glancing down, the black-clad figure recoiled in horror.
It was the severed head of his comrade—no, his nephew, Dang Jo Jeong.
[Your nephew is late. As you can see, he's in rough shape.]
The opponent replied via sound transmission.
A technique for secretly conveying one's voice.
[I only brought the head—forgive me. Carrying the whole body was a bit much.]
"Who the hell are you?"
[Seo Baek, from Shika Manor.]
[A nameless little sect no one's heard of.]
As Seo Baek continued via sound transmission, the black-clad figure unwittingly followed suit.
[That's what your nephew said. Can't compare to a famed Central Plains clan like the Sichuan Tang Clan.]
[So you know who I am.]
[Unfortunately, I don't know your esteemed name.]
The black-clad figure removed his mesh veil and tossed it aside.
A woman in her mid-forties was revealed under the daylight.
She was Dang Hong, the woman who had been guarding the Sichuan Tang Clan's secret arsenal alongside her nephew Dang Jo Jeong.
Dang Hong's brows furrowed deeply, her eyes blazing with murderous intent at Seo Baek, as if she wanted to devour him whole.
It was no wonder. Her waiting nephew had returned with his head severed…
[I am Dang Hong of the Sichuan Tang Clan.]
[No need for introductions—we've met at the arsenal.]
[You figured it out already. Then hiding your sword style…]
[Didn't want thieves peeking at our secrets.]
[…!]
Dang Hong's face grew increasingly venomous, her voice sharpening to a shrill edge.
[Why did you kill my nephew? No—why dare meddle in the Sichuan Tang Clan's affairs?]
[He tried to steal this, so I cut off his head.]
Seo Baek drew the jade hairpin from Shu Dao Pass from his bosom.
[The jade hairpin from Shu Dao Pass. I thought the Ami Faction kept it.]
Dang Hong feigned nonchalance.
[Playing innocent, are we?]
[What innocence?]
[You've been after this from the beginning.]
[Why would I be?]