I'd Rather Die Than Let You Die

I lifted the Ten Thousand Blood Emperor's gem into my hand and brought it to my mouth.

I put it in.

Crunch.

I crushed it between my teeth.

As I crushed it, I spoke to So Yeomgyo.

"Sorry. But I refuse to let someone I treasure die. I'd rather die myself than that—I've already learned what that feels like."

"Ugh. That damned Blood Cult stench."

Mumyeong scowled, fighting with everything he had to block the absorption.

I spat the crushed gem into my palm and pressed it into So Yeomgyo's mouth.

The instant it entered, it melted away as if dissolving into nothing.

I had no idea what it would do.

What I knew for certain was that So Yeomgyo ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠began to breathe.

She's burning through every last scrap of her innate true qi. The Munju of the Blood Death Sect had already accepted her death as fact.

…!

This entire plan had begun the moment Mumyeong spoke, right after the rematch between the Ten Thousand Blood Emperor and So Yeomgyo started.

After I finished the Ten Thousand Blood Emperor, I had to prepare somehow for So Yeomgyo's death, which could come at any second.

Mumyeong had practically leaped at the idea of absorbing the Blood Emperor's gem to strengthen both the gem and my body, but—

No. The chaos is already locked in. If we shift our thinking toward long-term survival instead…

Mumyeong had considered something else, then quietly stepped back.

According to his analysis, the Ten Thousand Blood Emperor possessed the strongest regenerative trait among all the Guardians. Even if So Yeomgyo had poured out her innate true qi, revival should not have been a problem.

The final variable remained: if she misunderstood something and resisted with some curse or spell, we might miss the single chance to force the absorption while trying to persuade her.

It's dangerous, but for a certainty of survival without even a ten-percent chance of failure, we aim for the aftermath. For her sake, we have to.

That was how everything had begun.

Only after the gem entered her mouth, after she started breathing, after color returned to her face, did I finally let out a long breath.

"Hah… hahh…!"

It's all right. We cleared the crisis. She's safe.

Sweat poured down my entire body; I felt ready to collapse.

"Never again. I'm never doing something like this again."

Of course not. Feeding a Guardian's gem to someone else… I really… I…

Mumyeong said nothing more.

I lifted So Yeomgyo into my arms.

She was light.

Her breathing had settled into a steady rhythm.

Everything around us lay shattered and ruined, yet I found a patch of grass that still felt soft and laid her down in the most comfortable spot I could manage.

I stared at her face for a long moment, then muttered a single line.

"My lips are precious, you know."

It was my own small, quiet revenge for something she had once done to me.

A faint twitch crossed her brow—almost a frown—but I let it pass.

"…"

I kept looking down at her.

"You did well. Truly."

"…"

"When you were gone."

I looked at the ground.

My lips moved several times.

I hesitated.

Then I spoke.

"I was really worried. Getting angry because someone disappeared—that was a first for me. And then finding that person again and getting even angrier—that was a first too. And for even a second thinking I'd rather die myself than let this person die—that was also a first. I never cared what anyone else ate or carried or got excited about… yet watching you hop around over some cheap bracelet, just that one thing made my chest hurt—and that was a first as well. I won't forget any of it. But someday… I'll get to experience it again, right?"

"…"

I lacked the courage.

That was why I could only say these things while she slept.

I took the ornament from my robes and pressed it back into her hand.

Then I stood.

"Hm?"

Far away, at the broken edge of the collapsed ceiling where dawn light filtered through, a noisy commotion rose.

"There he is. And he's alive. See? I told you so. So stop making such a fuss. Same family trying to kill each other or save each other—can we drop the threats already?"

The voice was familiar.

Behind it came some kind of bickering protest, but it was too distant to make out clearly.

"I came looking for Ahjussi, not the Jegal Family! How dare you!"

"Haa, this is exactly why I didn't want to bring the kid… You there, assassin uncles? Stop shouting so frivolously—"

"Munju-nim! Oh my god, why is our Munju lying down?! Ah, Baekho-nim is going to kill us! We're dead, I tell you!"

I raised my head.

"Biryu, you alive? You are."

Our eyes met.

"I'm a little late, but I figured it was better for me to come than have the Orthodox factions and every other scrap of trash swarming you. I came in person. That place is safe now, right? My people say they can't sense any more dangerous qi."

Beneath the golden dawn, the one shouting down at me was a woman in a white crane coronet, feather fan in hand.

The light was so bright I shielded my eyes with one hand.

I frowned and murmured her name.

"…Jegal Sea?"

She leaped lightly down.

Behind her, countless martial artists of the Jegal Family dropped after her.

"See? I told you it was the Blood Cult. Those rotten higher-ups keep calling it the Black Path or whatever—does this look like the Black Path? I knew the moment they started trying to clean it up half-heartedly. Everything's rotten to the core. Of course they already knew and just looked the other way."

Jegal Sea clicked her tongue and issued crisp orders to the group behind her.

"Comb every inch of the surroundings. Check for survivors. Second, Third, and Sixth Divisions—advance, screen for any remaining threats, prepare for combat. Twelfth through Seventeenth Divisions—protect the survivors. Everyone else, record and collect evidence. For the record: everything seen here is under strict seal."

"We obey."

Right after them, the subordinates of the Blood Death Sect poured down into the cavern like a swarm of bees.

"Munju-nim! Are you all right?!"

"Th-this is—! How could this happen to our Munju!"

It was a blood wind.

They swept past the Jegal contingent, past me, and almost wailed as they rushed to So Yeomgyo.

"…? You lot?"

So Yeomgyo opened her eyes in a half-dazed state.

They hurried to support the still-sleeping Munju.

She looked around with a blank, bewildered expression.

"Why… why am I…? I was sure…"

"Munju-nim has awakened!"

"Hurry, hurry!"

"Huk! Baekho-nim already noticed! He's thrashing the kids and racing this way!!"

Before she could say another word, they swiftly carried So Yeomgyo away.

"Whoa, they're going crazy over there too."

Jegal Sea waved her feather fan and clicked her tongue again.

Before I could even open my mouth to ask what was going on, she stretched out her long fingers and pressed them over my lips.

"No questions. I already know what you're going to ask. So listen to me first."

"…"

"There are two reasons I came here. First—the official one—is that a massive fire broke out in Shaanxi and the eldest daughter of the Jegal Family is here to restore order. Second—Eun Seollyeong sent this letter to you at dawn today by thousand-li hawk."

"Eun Seollyeong…?"

Jegal Sea held out a sealed letter.

I took it and unfolded it.

Inside, elegant, antique calligraphy filled the page.

"…"

I raised my head.

Jegal Sea watched my expression and spoke.

"You probably don't understand half of it. She's always like that. Here—take this. I brought it just in case, and of course your clothes are completely shredded."

What she held out was a set of black martial robes.

I stared blankly as she continued.

"I figured if I brought them, they'd get used somehow. Black is rare in the Central Plains anyway—whether as a shroud for a corpse or as everyday clothes. Luckily it looks like they'll serve a better purpose."

"…Right."

Flutter.

I changed clothes.

I put on the new black martial robes.

Next she offered me a cup of wine.

"You know I don't drink…"

There was no way she didn't know.

Of course she knew.

Among everyone I had ever met, her brilliance ranked so high that second place would feel insulted.

She held the cup out again.

"I just thought that right now you might want one clean drink. Or am I wrong?"

"…"

I looked at the cup.

I stood.

I held out my hand.

"No. Save it for next time. Not now."

"Why?"

A wind was rising from far away.

I watched that near-typhoon wind and the distant dawn light.

"Because I just remembered where I have to go next."

"I had a feeling, but of course you would."

Jegal Sea nodded.

"Where's the next destination?"

"Several places come to mind, but there's one that takes absolute priority."

"And that is?"

I cinched my belt tight.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Over it I layered the silver waistband Eun Seollyeong had given me—the one that concealed inner energy.

Seeing it, Jegal Sea's eyes gleamed.

"Ahh. There. Of course. Yes. You have to go there."

She tipped the wine onto the ground.

"Hmm. In that case, there is a fastest route. We share a certain connection, after all. Honestly no one else seems to notice, but I at least know what you two have done for the jianghu."

Jegal Sea looked around.

Everything had been reduced to scorched earth, yet traces of human sacrifice still remained.

"Whether today's events will explode into a scandal or be buried… I still don't know. Looking at how the board is moving, they'll probably bury it… But you have practiced chivalry—at least toward me. That much is certain. And I will spare no effort in aiding you fully."

She glanced behind her as she spoke.

"The shortest path cuts through that domain. Naturally you'll assist with the travel, right?"

"Of course. It's Ahjussi, after all—not just anyone."

A young woman stepped out from behind Jegal Sea.

"You—"

I doubted my eyes.

The girl thrust out her chest and declared,

"Our Family Lord said that since it's the business of the person carrying the Azure Dragon Seal and the Myeong-ok-hopae he himself gave, we are to help with anything and everything."

"…Sogyo?"

"You remember. I was worried you might not recognize me, Ahjussi."

Standing before me with a bright smile was Namgung Sogyo—the same girl I had risked everything to free from the Blood Cult's Heavenly Net Formation.

Namgung Sogyo raised a silver flute to the sky and blew.

Piiiiii—!!!!

A piercing note rang out, and thousands of crows came flooding in.

They spiraled slowly, then swept down like a storm of wings.

"You called, young lady."

Beneath them, hundreds of Baekjao surged forward and closed in.

Holding the silver flute, Namgung Sogyo looked at me and said,

"Come to think of it, this is the first time since you left without even saying goodbye, Ahjussi."

"…That…"

On a fog-shrouded night I had left a clumsily made fish bun by her pillow, spoken a few parting words only to the Namgung Family Lord, quietly accepted the Seven Sects Black Pearl Gauntlet, and slipped out of the Namgung Family.

As I faltered, Jegal Sea stepped between us.

"Save the unimportant chatter for the road. As the eldest daughter of the ruling family of Shaanxi, I have plenty to verify about this incident myself. I have many questions for you on the way, Moyong Bi."

She tapped the edge of her feather fan against her lips and regarded me.

"Ah, and one more thing. I may not understand a martial artist's world, but if you're going there…"

"Hm?"

She poked my chest with the tip of the fan.

"With your current strength, won't it turn into complete chaos if you just barge in?"

"…I'll be careful. I've prepared countermeasures of my own. And a lot has changed from the original plan. A great deal."

Jegal Sea studied me for a long moment.

"Well, fine. By my standards you're still often stupid and frustrating enough to make me want to tear my hair out… but compared to most of the men in the Central Plains, you at least try to think things through. I suppose you have something planned. So—are we leaving right away, my little storm-bringer?"

"…"

I looked around.

In the distance the Blood Death Sect group was vanishing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from sight.

I took one last look at the golden dawn.

Then I turned my gaze back to Namgung Sogyo and Jegal Sea, who were watching only me, to the white crows and the throng of Baekjao.

My eyes glowed with a crimson light as I spoke.

"Cheonsubaekryeonsa. We leave at once."