Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: This One's the Strategist, and This One's the Alliance Leader
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This one's the strategist, and this one's the Alliance Leader.
Across the bustling market passage, my eyes met those of a green-haired woman.
Zhuge Ser.
She'd spotted me too. Her shoulders twitched as she panicked and tried to look away, only to steel herself and stare straight at me. For a split second, her lips moved ever so slightly.
- ...Ah, uh... hello.
A voice pierced straight into my mind. Telepathy.
I'd expected as much, but it was proof her cultivation had long surpassed the peak realm. Then again, the role of Vermilion Bird Squad Leader wasn't for show.
With no internal energy to my name, I couldn't send telepathy back. Zhuge Ser knew that too, so she just whispered into my head one-way.
- Right now... I'm on, on inspection duty.
I see. I nodded to myself. She spoke up again.
- The man... next to me is my father...
That much was obvious. The middle-aged guy with the matching green hair had to be her dad.
Just as Zhuge Ser was about to say more, the green-haired man beside her glanced at his daughter—her lips working furiously from the telepathy—then beckoned me over.
Come here. That's what it meant.
This so-called telepathy might as well not be secret—it always got busted.
For a moment, I considered playing dumb and walking past. The last thing I wanted was to squeeze in between those two old-timers.
- You there. No pretending you didn't see. Come over here.
But as if to mock my lame ploy, a sharp telepathic voice stabbed into my ear. This one was crisp and forceful, nothing like Zhuge Ser's hesitant tone.
Come to think of it, they already knew who I was. With his daughter heading the Murim Alliance's intelligence network, there was no way he hadn't heard about the new Azure Dragon Squad Vice Leader.
I let out a short sigh and walked over obediently. From afar, Ha-eun shot me a what's going on? look, while Soso and Rabbit just cocked their heads.
As I approached, Zhuge Ser flashed a bright smile like she'd been rescued. Being stuck between those two must've been suffocating.
Her father glanced at her welcoming me, then locked eyes with me.
"You're the new Vice Leader of the Azure Dragon Squad, right?"
His voice was low and dignified, like he was just confirming. No point hiding it if he already knew.
"Yes. That's me."
"Hmm."
He looked me up and down with clear interest. The other old-timer just stared silently. Getting eyed like that by middle-aged guys wasn't exactly fun.
Once the sticky gazes eased off, the green-haired man spoke up.
"Ah, sorry for the late intro. I'm this girl's father, Zhuge Jin. I'm overqualified for the Alliance Strategist position, but here we are."
No way—this guy was the Strategist?
The Alliance only had Dugu and Zhuge heavyweights, and the Zhuge family was cornering the family business! No wonder they'd plopped a girl with those menhera vibes right into the Squad Leader spot.
Of course, I kept that to myself. I cupped my hands politely and bowed.
"I'm Shadowless, newly appointed Vice Leader of the Azure Dragon Squad."
Zhuge Jin just nodded once without a word. No clue why, but honestly, I couldn't care less about some hairy old guy's thoughts.
Right then—
The other old-timer, who'd been staring holes into me, spoke up out of nowhere.
"I sense celestial qi coming from you."
...What the hell?
I reflexively shot back at the vague nonsense.
"Pardon?"
Zhuge Ser's face went white beside me, then she jolted in shock. Her lips moved frantically.
- Is, is this your first time meeting the Alliance Leader?!
The telepathy hit my brain, short-circuiting my thoughts for a second.
What? This guy's the Alliance Leader?
Frayed gray uniform, unarmed. Half-assed shave job leaving his chin all scratchy. He looked every bit the neighborhood deadbeat dad.
I snapped to and hurriedly cupped my hands.
"Azure Dragon Squad Vice Leader Shadowless greets the Alliance Leader."
I was about to grovel with some apology about a nobody like me failing to recognize him when he raised a hand to cut me off. Those impassive eyes turned my way—a silent it's fine.
From what Squad Leader Byeok Cheonwi had told me before, the Leader's surname was Dugu, no given name—just Dugu.
His moniker: Sword Saint.
But there wasn't a sword anywhere on him.
Dugu asked in a flat voice.
"Have you shed your fetal qi?"
He meant the bone-change placenta-shedding thing—the rebirth martial artists supposedly got at a certain realm.
But why ask me?
"Not at all. I haven't trained in any martial arts."
Dugu's expression didn't budge. He just gazed at me with those calm eyes.
"Yet... I sense celestial qi from you."
He paused, then shook his head.
"No. It's not yours."
With that, Dugu closed his eyes.
What kinda cryptic bullshit was this? I glanced at Zhuge Ser and Zhuge Jin. He was nodding solemnly like as expected, while she panicked and dodged my eyes.
Look at this girl.
Something had felt off.
I recalled Zhuge Ser saying the Leader was swamped nonstop. Yet here he was, casually market-inspecting and happening to run into me?
Unless someone had tossed my life onto a chessboard for immortal games, this was staged.
I was sure of it. They'd come here for me from the start.
If so, they could've just summoned me. As Vice Leader, I'd have to drop everything and run if the Leader called. But to come personally like this...
Was it because I was off-duty on vacation? No way they'd go that far out of consideration?
If true, this place deserved "divine workplace" status.
Lost in those silly thoughts, Dugu opened his eyes.
Right on cue—
"Senior Brooo!"
Soso's bright voice rang from behind. She trotted over with Ha-eun and Rabbit in tow. Guess market-gawking got boring.
Dugu's gaze shifted naturally behind me. A faint crack flickered across his stone face.
"...Two?"
He murmured low.
Damn, quit mumbling stuff only you get, ajusshi.
Soso reached me and linked arms with a cute "Hyap!" Her soft, full curves pressed right against me.
"We came to buy clothes for Rabbit—what're you up to?"
Ha-eun asked gruffly, jerking her chin at the two old-timers.
"This one's the Strategist, and this one's the Alliance Leader."
"Ah."
Ha-eun's face froze. She pried Soso off me, then cupped her hands neatly and bowed.
"Greetings to the two elders."
Zhuge Jin let out a "hmm" through his nose and eyed Ha-eun.
"Ah, you're the mystery girl Squad Leader Byeok wanted slotted into the Azure Dragon Squad."
...Wait, Byeok Cheonwi blabbed that to the Strategist?
This guy.
Whatever. Sigh. What was I even expecting? This was pure Byeok Cheonwi.
Then Dugu's eyes turned to Soso and Rabbit lurking behind her. He tossed the same question my way.
"Have you shed your fetal qi?"
Rabbit couldn't talk, but sensing it was about her, she just tilted her head and perked her long ears.
Soso didn't even know what that meant.
"Yees?"
Her innocent echo made Dugu tilt his head this time.
Ajusshi, that ain't cute.
I tsked inwardly when Zhuge Jin thrust out his hand abruptly.
"Here. Your shares."
Three thumbnail-sized cold iron cubes sat on his palm. One each for me, Soso, and Ha-eun.
The cut edges gleamed like mirrors. Sword aura did fine work.
"The Leader cut them himself."
Zhuge Jin added. I'd heard that much back in the Secret Cave alongside Byeok Cheonwi and the Justice Coalition folks.
Ha-eun, glued to my side, snatched all three cubes from my hand in a flash. She fired at Zhuge Jin right away.
"Elder. Could you exchange these for Murim Alliance banknotes?"
"Hmm..."
Zhuge Jin seemed to mull it, then replied.
"You might not know, but there's more than one Secret Cave. Soon, cold iron from them will flood the markets, so I can't offer top dollar right now. Still good?"
"Doesn't matter."
Ha-eun didn't hesitate.
Makes sense—if the price was tanking anyway, dump it at peak value fast. That's my Ha-eun. Hao Clan blood ran true; her math was lightning. Dying for a smooch. But eyes were on us, so I held back.
That's when the Leader, who'd been watching quietly, called low to Zhuge Jin.
"Jin."
"Yes, Leader."
"Give them a fair price."
"Haa..."
Zhuge Jin sighed deep, clutching his forehead. But he gave in with an "Understood" and pulled out a stack of banknotes.
Ha-eun poked my ribs gleefully and whispered.
"Grab it quick, big bro."
That instant, Zhuge Jin's hand froze mid-handover. His brow furrowed ever so slightly.
"......Weren't you her little sister?"
He muttered like to himself.
I took the notes casually and replied.
"Yeah. Well, things changed."