The Heavenly Demon's Tears
She was a fool… a complete fool.
The meeting to denounce the Murim Alliance’s fury had ended with no meaningful results whatsoever.
Dang Miryeong dragged her weary body into the room alone, then locked the door behind her.
And right after that…
“Ugh… hic… hic…”
She collapsed onto her bed and began to sob.
Until only a short while ago, she had been the hero who toppled the Heavenly Demon, the pride of the Sichuan Dang Family—receiving praise and recognition she had never known before.
But at this moment, none of the fleeting joy she had felt then remained in her heart.
Only the thick, unrelenting guilt remained.
And regret far beyond that.
'I’m… a fool… really… really a fool… Why… why did I do such foolish things there? Why… so much… so much… There were so many opportunities… Why did I kick away my own blessings?'
The Murim Alliance had united as one to exterminate the Demon Cult and its Unorthodox followers.
Minor grievances that had long divided them were set aside for now, and they had become blood brothers bound by the oath of their alliance, pouring everything into the fight against the Heavenly Demon.
Or so the story went.
But anyone who belonged to the Murim Alliance knew better: it was nothing more than a pleasant facade.
Although direct combat had ceased and the factions had formed a cooperative alliance, petty rivalries between regions, sects, and families still lingered within it.
These naturally sowed seeds of discord, dividing the members into mainstream and fringe factions.
And in this situation,
Dang Miryeong—current successor to the Sichuan Dang Family and the one effectively acting as its leader in place of the gravely ill current head—had no choice but to voice her dissatisfaction with the extermination operation.
“W-why… Why do we have to do this again?”
“Come now, do not be so upset, Lady Miryeong.”
“Is it not unavoidable? It is already a well-known fact that no one among us moves as swiftly as the warriors of the Sichuan Dang Family.”
“Does that mean you intend to send our own sect’s people into the fray as cannon fodder? We cannot do that!”
Her voice rose—not at all like her usual timid nature.
After all, the Murim Alliance’s demands of the Sichuan Dang Family for this operation were clearly unreasonable and extremely dangerous.
The mission was to attack one of the Demon Cult’s main strongholds.
Within that operation, the Sichuan Dang warriors’ role was to infiltrate the enemy’s base and create chaos before the battle began.
It was a task that required slipping through dense, murderous patrols and drawing the enemy’s attention—essentially a suicide mission.
Of course, such tactics were necessary for victory, but Dang Miryeong could no longer accept the Murim Alliance’s demands, which always singled out her family for such reckless requests.
The primary reason was not merely the heavy sacrifice involved, but the condescending gazes of the Murim Alliance’s noble families toward the Sichuan Dang Family.
Compared to other sects and families, the Sichuan Dang Family was smaller in power and geographically remote, tucked away in the distant hinterlands of the Central Plains.
Moreover, their martial arts were based on poison and assassination, which only reinforced the Murim Alliance’s low opinion of them.
Under such circumstances, Dang Miryeong’s protest was entirely natural.
Yet…
“This is too extreme, Lady Miryeong.”
“Who would think we are doing this because we want to kill your family’s warriors? This is a difficult decision made for the sake of victory.”
“If that is the case, what about the sacrifices our sect has already endured? Are only the Dang warriors precious, and we others can be disregarded?”
“N-no, but why only us every time…”
“Ah, when planning operations, this is sometimes inevitable. Why are you reacting so sensitively? Stop making the other sect leaders uncomfortable over appearances!”
“No matter how much of a successor to the Dang Family you are, do not act so selfishly.”
“Since we are all suffering together, small sacrifices are unavoidable. Do not oppose the Murim Alliance’s decision any longer.”
“Hmph…”
Despite her best efforts to argue, the other sect members responded with cold indifference.
In the end, Dang Miryeong felt nothing but her own powerlessness and despair… and was forced to accept the Murim Alliance’s will.
“Haa…”
Under the bright moonlight, she sat alone in the corner of the courtyard, letting out a deep sigh.
Even though it was late, she could not sleep, her mind filled with thoughts of the sacrifices the Sichuan Dang warriors would inevitably face in the upcoming operation.
'I’ve managed to get through so far by luck… but this time it might be difficult… I heard the Demon Cult’s main base we’re attacking is truly dangerous…'
She had faced serious crises many times while taking reckless roles, but each time the Sichuan Dang warriors had been saved only by her own efforts.
However, considering the scale of this battle and the enemy’s strength, she judged that such luck would be nearly impossible this time as well.
Staring up at the unbearably beautiful moonlight while drowning in despair and sorrow,
At that moment,
“Here you are.”
“…!”
A man’s voice came from beside her.
Dang Miryeong turned her gaze toward it, quickly hiding the sadness in her eyes and forcing a stiff expression.
The man before her had sharp eyes and an ordinary appearance.
Yet she recognized him immediately.
“Yang Soyu, what business do you have at this late hour?”
“Business? I’m here to discuss with the commander, of course. Even if it’s just a side task, we should handle it seriously.”
“Haa…”
Yang Soyu spoke cheerfully and quietly took a seat a short distance away from her.
Though he acted as an individual rather than his sect, he had received orders to move with the Sichuan Dang Family for this operation.
Regardless, Miryeong had never liked him.
He was an Unorthodox warrior from the despised Unorthodox Faction, viewed as a necessary evil even within the Murim Alliance.
Many Unorthodox warriors had joined the Demon Cult, and within the Murim Alliance, suspicion and wariness toward Yang Soyu were widespread—Dang Miryeong was no exception.
Yet she had no energy left to feel irritated by his late-night visit.
'Well… given our current situation, it doesn’t matter anyway…'
Although he was known for his skill, fundamentally he was an Unorthodox warrior she could not fully trust.
He was often sent on the most dangerous missions, and this time it was her and the Sichuan Dang Family.
More extremely, it meant the Sichuan Dang Family’s treatment had fallen to the level of these Unorthodox warriors.
'Unorthodox… well, in the end, we’re all treated the same way by the Alliance anyway.'
Still, she felt a strange sense of kinship toward the man sitting beside her, comparing the current situation.
She set aside thoughts of orthodox versus unorthodox and spoke calmly to the man beside her.
“You wanted to discuss something? There is nothing special. Whether you or we, our task is simply to enter there somehow and survive. That is the entirety of it, is it not?”
“Haha, that’s right. Once we enter, we’ll automatically draw aggro… I mean, the enemy’s attention.”
Yang Soyu used some slang she did not recognize and nodded in agreement.
Dang Miryeong found herself unconsciously smiling bitterly as she watched him.
Soon, she and her subordinates would have to jump into the fray as cannon fodder.
Thinking about it, this man’s situation was no different from—actually worse than—hers, who always took on dangerous missions.
Yet he had never complained, eagerly jumping into the fray as if grateful to be included in such missions.
Completing the missions given by the Alliance and returning alive was merely a bonus.
'But this time, even if it’s just me, it won’t be easy… I heard infiltrating there from the start is difficult…'
She thought about the crisis before her and whether she might die this time.
Then…
“But… will it truly be fine as is?”
“Hm?”
Yang Soyu suddenly turned to her with a meaningful tone.
Dang Miryeong’s face showed momentary doubt.
Yang Soyu continued in a calm voice.
“I asked if it will truly be fine. If we proceed with this operation as planned, at least half of the Dang warriors will be wiped out. Can the commander accept such a situation?”
“…! T-that…”
Yang Soyu struck the exact nerve she feared most.
Dang Miryeong fell into momentary confusion, unable to answer.
Yang Soyu spoke seriously.
“If… if there is a way to minimize damage to the Dang Family from here, would you follow my instructions?”
“!”