This Lifetime Is Doomed
In the ruins of the devastated martial arena, Gal Ye-ryeong sat atop a broad rock, gazing up at the sky. She stared blankly at the stars clustered thickly, flowing like a river, when Cheongpyo's voice reached her ears.
"Yajeop, you sure you don't need to head back?"
"Why?"
"Baek Su-gyeong…."
"Forget it. With the Ilwolgyo Lord himself spilling that I'm from Haomen, what face do I have to show up by Teacher Baek's side again?"
Gal Ye-ryeong's voice was thick with emotion. At first, she'd clearly planned to drag Baek Su-gyeong into Haomen for the mission. But somewhere along the way, she'd looked back to find herself genuinely falling for him.
It hadn't been long since she'd realized she was half-ignoring the Mingwang Society's demands and Yanoe's mission to bring Haomen into the light, thinking only of staying by his side.
Cheongpyo called to her. "…Yajeop."
"The mission's a failure. Don't be dense. I even fabricated a backstory as the Mingwang Society leader's daughter to stick by Teacher Baek, and what do I have to show for it?"
Her voice dripped with thick self-loathing. The Mingwang Society had wanted mediation or improved relations between Shaolin and themselves, while Haomen had hoped she'd lure Baek Su-gyeong in. But Gal Ye-ryeong had failed at both.
Maybe because, at some point, she'd started genuinely enjoying her time with Baek Su-gyeong.
"When I get back, I'm stepping down as Vice Leader."
"Yajeop! What are you talking about?!"
Jeokjo raised his voice in disbelief. Of the two stronger than her in martial prowess, they'd been utterly crushed by a single Blood Sect heretic, scraping the dirt on the ground—while Gal Ye-ryeong alone had held her own against him. She hadn't overwhelmed the Blood Sect heretic, who was clearly at the peak of peak mastery, but for her to relinquish the Vice Leader position was unthinkable.
"I failed the mission, so I have to take responsibility. Couldn't fulfill the Mingwang Society's request either. Besides, my arms and right leg are messed up bad."
And indeed, Gal Ye-ryeong's both arms and right leg were wrapped tightly in bandages. After the Blood Sect's raid was forcibly ended by Ilwolgyo, she'd received treatment from a physician, but he'd warned that without proper care and rest, her martial arts would suffer long-term damage.
And it didn't stop there—she'd drawn on her inner power, damaging even her true essence. She should be dropping everything to recover. Of course, she hadn't mentioned the true essence damage. No point in Jeokjo or Cheongpyo knowing.
"If you step down as Vice Leader…!"
"There's Baekwon."
"Baekwon's still too young. Yajeop, you're really giving up the Vice Leader seat?"
"I have to take responsibility."
Still perched on the rock, Gal Ye-ryeong looked up at the sky.
"Besides, the Leader had high hopes for this, and now my cover's blown. What else can I do but leave Teacher Baek's side?"
"That's…."
"Teacher Baek hates the Black Brush Party. Thinks they're scum peddling his books without permission. With Haomen tangled up in that, once he knows about me, he won't look at me kindly."
"Yajeop!"
At Jeokjo's call, Gal Ye-ryeong smiled wryly. "That's not all."
"The Mingwang Society business never even started, and same for Haomen. If you give up now…!"
"Jeokjo, enough."
"Cheongpyo!"
Cheongpyo cut Jeokjo off and looked at Gal Ye-ryeong. "You really planning to give up?"
"I don't want him hating me. Guess I'm over the hill too. Never thought I'd fall for a guy like that without realizing it."
Gal Ye-ryeong laid bare her feelings calmly. Jeokjo and Cheongpyo stared at her in silence.
People say attraction strikes without warning, but had Gal Ye-ryeong truly fallen hard for Baek Su-gyeong? Cheongpyo stopped Jeokjo from blurting something foolish with a jab to the ribs.
"The Master will be furious."
"What can I do? If it's punishment, I'll take it."
"You sure you're okay with that?"
Gal Ye-ryeong let out a wry chuckle at Cheongpyo's words. "My time with Teacher Baek was pretty fun. Fun enough I forgot I was Haomen. That's… enough. Just going back to my duties. What's the problem?"
"You're the problem."
Gal Ye-ryeong flinched at Cheongpyo's pointed remark.
"You don't really think it'll end just like that, do you? Even if Teacher Su-gyeong doesn't like Haomen, you've spent time together. That guy's softer toward those close to him than he seems."
"Cheongpyo."
"Plus, the Ilwolgyo Lord showed him favor directly. You know what that means?"
If Cheongpyo could see it, so could Gal Ye-ryeong. The Central Plains revolved around Baek Su-gyeong alone.
The righteous sects propping him up made sense—the spark that revived stagnant Wudang was Wudang Sword Hero. But the Ilwolgyo Lord was different. The absolute sovereign of divine power, the sole master of Ilwolgyo, the pinnacle of demonic paths who dismissed even the Blood Sect as riffraff—he'd personally assigned the elite Yeomwang Corps to guard Baek Su-gyeong.
The entire world was moving with Baek Su-gyeong in its sights.
"To strike the Blood Sect, a righteous-demonic alliance might form. Or they could use Teacher Su-gyeong as witness for a new pact between the righteous sects and Ilwolgyo."
"You're joking, right, Cheongpyo? You know how deep the grudge runs between righteous and Ilwolgyo."
Gal Ye-ryeong agreed with Jeokjo. Ilwolgyo had played the biggest role in ending the old murim. More precisely, the old Ilwolsingyo—but their invasion had set murim back decades, with rivers of blood and mountains of corpses in the Great Demonic War. Righteous sects had even formed the Righteous Alliance to counter it.
"The Ilwolgyo Lord mentioned the Murim Alliance leader right in front of Teacher Su-gyeong. What do you think that means? He even said outright he'd use Teacher Su-gyeong as the sign to pact with the righteous murim."
"A Righteous-Demonic Accord?"
Cheongpyo nodded at Gal Ye-ryeong's words.
"Can't rule out a truce between righteous sects and Ilwolgyo. If the unorthodox are left out…."
Jeokjo and Gal Ye-ryeong paled.
With the world balanced on the tripod of righteous, unorthodox, and demonic, a truce between two legs meant isolation for the unorthodox. Cheongpyo continued.
"If righteous and demonic truce, Haomen becomes a kite with cut strings."
"No way…."
"Don't deny it, Yajeop. You can't go back to Haomen and beg forgiveness from the Master right now."
Cheongpyo spoke firmly. "If you really want to take responsibility, stay by Teacher Su-gyeong's side. That's certain."
"Ohhh, Elder Baek! You're safe!"
Yi Jeon-hyo, head of the Yongmun Escort Bureau, rushed to the Luoyang Detached Palace the moment Ju Geum-ye permitted it, shedding pearl-like tears of joy at Baek Su-gyeong's recovery.
Baek Su-gyeong could only muster an awkward smile, at a loss for words amid Yi Jeon-hyo's overwhelming delight.
"What of the Yongmun branch office?"
"By the princess's command. It'll continue uninterrupted, I expect."
"That's a relief, but…."
Baek Su-gyeong's gaze shifted to the Yeomwang Corps warriors guarding him like an iron wall. Unlike when they'd arrived with the Ilwolgyo Lord, they weren't exuding suffocating demonic aura, but their mere presence weighed on him.
How did I end up tangled with a demonic cult?
"What of Young Master A-hwi?"
"Took a blade or two, but he's up and about, no major harm. Was gonna chew out the fool, but…."
Baek Su-gyeong chuckled at Yi Jeon-hyo's words. "As long as Young Master A-hwi's not badly hurt, that's good."
"Heh heh, Elder Baek's too kindhearted for his own good. The brat ditched his post and ran."
"Still your disciple. Short or not, a master's job is to cover for his pupil's faults."
And Baek Su-gyeong was considering taking Yi Jeon-hwi as his writing disciple. If so, he'd have the brat write the wastrel novel himself. He'd done the deeds, after all—perfect material.
"More importantly, have you seen Miss Gal?"
"That red-haired lady? No clue. No one's seen her since the arena turned to wreckage…."
Yi Jeon-hyo trailed off, but Baek Su-gyeong knew the unspoken part. A Haomen woman. She'd likely avoid showing her face before him because of that. Baek Su-gyeong despised the Black Brush Party, after all.
But then, he hated the Black Brush Party—not that he'd given much thought to their backers in Haomen.
"I see…."
"Sorry, Elder. Can't be of help."
"It's fine. If Miss Gal's avoiding me on purpose, nothing I can do."
It left a bitter taste. Maybe because of the time they'd spent together. She must have woven herself into his daily life as deeply as Namgung Som-in or So Ssaang-a.
Baek Su-gyeong rose. "I'll rest for now."
"Do that. I'll inform you of any news."
"Thank you, sir."
After bowing to Yi Jeon-hyo and leaving, the Yeomwang Corps trailed him like a tail.
"Hoo…."
Baek Su-gyeong's sigh was deep as he escaped the reception hall, Yeomwang Corps in tow. He dreaded rumors of colluding with demonic cults.
Really dreaded it.
"Ah, my head."
For once, not his stomach but his head throbbed like it might split. Life sure wasn't easy. Gut-wrenching situations kept piling up.
Just give up.
Damn. This lifetime's peace was doomed.