The Red Thread Pavilion in Kaifeng
Seol-hwa, who had taken over hosting duties in Chwiwol’s absence, sent the guests away early. She did so to welcome her most important visitor—Ok-yeon.
Yet when Ok-yeon appeared, a shadow clouded her face, heavy with worry.
“Was the Blue Wind Elder not at that place?”
“He was there.”
“Then… did you miss him?”
“He’s dead.”
Ok-yeon let out a small sigh and sat down across from Seol-hwa.
“But I wasn’t the one who killed him.”
“Don’t tell me someone else was also targeting the Blue Wind Elder?!”
“No, that’s not it. It was a demonic restriction. He must have tried to speak of something he was forbidden to reveal, and it killed him.”
“Demonic… restriction?”
It was something one only heard about in old tales. The Maoshan sect, which had wielded mysterious sorcery, had vanished into history. The Blood Cult, which practiced sinister arts, had been uprooted by the imperial family. And in the present era, there was only one place that might still employ such forbidden techniques.
“The Demonic Cult!”
“Seol-hwa. Last time, I told you about the bloodbath that occurred at the Baek estate.”
On the way back, recalling the exploded corpse of Jin Mu-gak, Ok-yeon had pondered the matter again and again. Because Jin Mu-gak had died so arbitrarily, any chance of interrogating him had turned to dust. Yet one thing had become crystal clear from this incident.
The massacre at Baek Manor was inextricably tied to demonic humans.
“Yes… I remember it clearly.”
“Can you guess why I brought it up?”
“It was difficult to be certain, so I imagined several possibilities. If you’ll forgive my presumption, I believe two stand out as most likely.”
“And what are they?”
“That you, my lady, are either a close blood relative of the Baek family head… or the beloved of Young Master Baek. If I am wrong, I apologize.”
Ok-yeon considered her words. If this were merely personal revenge, she could continue as she had been. But if demonic humans were involved, the story changed entirely.
She had long suspected that Jin Mu-gak might be a demonic human. Yet it had remained only a vague conjecture, since he had never openly revealed himself as one. The idea had simply arisen from the fact that demonic humans had appeared near Wungye County, that Jin Cheong-myeong—the one closest to Jin Mu-gak—had withdrawn the moment they appeared, and that every young member of the group who should have been helpless against demonic humans had survived.
Strictly speaking, it had been Jin Cheong-myeong she suspected most, with Jin Mu-gak merely a secondary possibility. But now that Jin Mu-gak had proven to be a true demonic human—a mere puppet who had become one without even realizing it—the conspiracy looming behind it all was far larger than anything Ok-yeon had imagined.
“Blood relative… or beloved…”
Among those around her, Seol-hwa was currently the most trustworthy person Ok-yeon had. It wasn’t simply because Hong Mae had vouched for her. Two of the people Hong Mae had mentioned had already betrayed her will. What Ok-yeon trusted was Seol-hwa’s conviction.
Even after her master—practically a mother to her—had gone missing, and her two senior disciples had turned their backs on Hong Mae’s wishes, Seol-hwa had endured alone for ten long years. She had remained nearby, always thinking first of So-yeon’s safety. And even now, with Ok-yeon stepping forward as protector, Seol-hwa still placed So-yeon’s well-being above all else.
If she could not trust such a person, then there was no one left in the world worth trusting. That was why she chose to believe.
Though the deep wound of a great betrayal still hollowed out the center of her chest, Ok-yeon wanted to trust someone again. To wash away the emptiness and self-loathing that kept rising within her, she needed an ally.
Right now, the person she could trust most was Seol-hwa.
“You’re right.”
“…!”
Therefore, she would reveal even more of the truth she carried. She would show her weakness, share the truth, and turn Seol-hwa into a true companion. Because she was desperate. Because she had no other choice.
“Young Master Baek and I… were promised to each other for the future.”
Of course, revealing the complete truth was still impossible. Not because she didn’t trust Seol-hwa, but to prevent the truth from leaking in unexpected ways. And above all… because Baek Un-hyeon was already dead.
Bing Ok-yeon was a vengeful ghost. A flower of death that had bloomed from the ruins of the Baek Manor and the death of its young master, Baek Un-hyeon.
“I see…”
“Since the Baek family was wiped out, I have taken up the burden of revenge in their place.”
“Now it makes sense. You two must have shared a truly deep bond. That’s why your desire for vengeance burns so fiercely.”
“…Yes. We were closer than anyone else in the world.”
Because they had been one and the same.
“I don’t pay much attention to news from Kaifeng or Wungye County, so I was in the dark about what happened at the time. Even so, stories about Young Master Baek Un-hyeon reached even my ears.”
“Did they?”
“The Heaven-Blessed Unrivaled Martial Body.”
“…”
A talent bestowed by the heavens, one that had never existed before or since. Looking back now, it was one of the things from her past that filled her with shame. She had been so drunk on her own brilliance that she had made a grave mistake.
“A person who was neither from the Nine Great Sects nor the Five Great Families, nor even affiliated with any related faction. Quite literally, a future supreme expert chosen by the heavens themselves. Hearing news of him from afar, half of me couldn’t believe it, while the other half cheered him on. If you, my lady, fell so deeply for him, then the rumors could not have been exaggerated. He must have possessed both outstanding character and appearance.”
“…Please stop.”
“Pardon? You were his betrothed— Ah, I’m sorry. It seems your heart has not changed even after more than ten years. I didn’t realize you would still grieve so deeply.”
Overwhelmed by unbearable embarrassment, Ok-yeon lowered her head. Seol-hwa mistakenly assumed she was quietly sobbing and continued speaking. Once words were spoken, they could not be taken back. From now on, every time she met someone she could trust, she would have to play the role of Baek Un-hyeon’s fiancée.
“To be honest, even I admired him greatly based on the rumors alone. Not as much as the pavilion master or the Jegal family head, of course, but I was still young back then. I often dreamed of a splendid warrior appearing to save me. Since I harbored a grudge against the Jegal family, the thought of the Five Great Families or the Nine Great Sects only made me wary. That’s why Young Master Baek’s stories resonated with me so much. There were nights I would fall asleep imagining what kind of person he might be. I heard some called him arrogant, but I’m certain that was merely jealousy from those in the great sects who couldn’t stand the sight of someone not from their own circles surpassing them. It wasn’t arrogance—it was confidence backed by true ability.”
“Please…”
“Please don’t misunderstand. I am not jealous of you, my lady. People like us, who have nowhere else to turn, found comfort in the stories of Young Master Baek. When he achieved success in martial tournaments, our days felt brighter. When he won the Heavenly Martial Assembly, we saw it as a blessing for the entire Murim world.”
Seol-hwa’s words kept flowing. It was just like her to speak so directly. But Ok-yeon’s face burned with such heat that she could barely endure it. She regretted everything. Maybe she should have simply said she was Baek Un-hyeon. Or perhaps, judging by this reaction, it was better that she hadn’t. She must never reveal the truth in the future.
“Enough! I didn’t bring him up to talk about Young Master Baek.”
“Ah, of course. Yes… we were speaking of the Demonic Cult…”
“Right before he died, Jin Mu-gak spat out the character ‘Ma’ and breathed his last.”
She hurriedly changed the subject. Fortunately, Seol-hwa did not continue the previous line of conversation.
“When I demanded he name those who had been at the Baek estate.”
“So he meant that everyone there was a Demonic Cultist. That they were demonic humans. That must have been what he intended to say.”
“It’s possible he meant something else, but we can’t rule it out. After all, Jin Mu-gak himself was a demonic human—a puppet. Still, the most likely thing he tried to say was that they were Demonic Cultists.”
Ok-yeon continued explaining everything she had learned from Jin Mu-gak.
“This is difficult. Why would demonic humans target the Baek family? The Baek estate is in Shaanxi, but it’s far too distant to be considered near the Demonic Cult’s territory. So it couldn’t have been a bridgehead for expansion… As for personal grudges, I doubt the Baek family had any reason to clash with the Demonic Cult. Wasn’t it just a very small manor?”
“Do you know anything about demonic humans?”
“No, I do not. I have heard from afar of occasional disturbances caused by them, but most sightings have been limited to the northwest region. I find it hard to believe that demonic humans would openly appear and destroy an entire minor family.”
Unlike the Blood Cult, the Demonic Cult had fled to the Heavenly Mountains and somehow managed to preserve its lineage. But fleeing beyond the borders essentially meant they had lost nearly all their power. The chaos caused by demonic humans that had once plagued the heart of the Central Plains was now confined to the northwest. As a result, many martial artists had come to view demonic humans as almost mythical beings.
“Perhaps they moved to eliminate a future threat in advance? Young Master Baek was an extraordinarily talented individual, after all.”
“Ahem… He was barely in his early twenties. Would the Demonic Cult really go out of their way to cut down a mere sprout?”
“Now that I say it out loud, it does sound implausible. Then what could it be…”
“Personally, I have one point I find suspicious.”
“As expected of you, my lady. What is it?”
“I suspect Jin Cheong-myeong.”
“Jin Cheong-myeong… Since Jin Mu-gak was a demonic human, it’s possible he is one as well. Wait a moment…?”
Having realized something, Seol-hwa nodded with a grave expression.
“Jin Cheong-myeong has been following a path very similar to Jin Mu-gak’s. Whether at the Murim Alliance or after returning to Mount Hua, major incidents seem to occur wherever he goes, and he always plays a leading role in resolving them.”
“And there have been an unusually high number of victims as well.”
“Exactly. He solves the incidents and earns the title of Great Hero, yet every event leaves behind a considerable number of casualties. He is praised as a great hero who resolves massive crises, but…”
At this point, it was almost certain. Jin Cheong-myeong was walking the same path as Jin Mu-gak.
“Then… did Jin Cheong-myeong manipulate Jin Mu-gak? Did Jin Mu-gak personally step forward to clean up the Baek family?”
“We can’t know for sure. I suspect that may be the case, but…”
Now that Jin Mu-gak’s identity as a puppet was confirmed, the possibilities had become murky. A mere puppet could not command demonic humans. If he had made a request and the demonic humans had granted it, there must have been some basis for it. Just what had those demonic humans been thinking?
She could not push her thoughts any further.
“I’m stuck.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”
“No, it’s fine. Talking with you has eased my mind considerably, Seol-hwa.”
“Is that so?”
“I plan to visit Strategist Sama soon.”
“Strategist Sama…?”
“Jin Mu-gak seemed unusually concerned about him. I can’t tell whether it was a personal delusion or if Strategist Sama truly kept him under fierce pressure, but…”
“If he was tracking the tail of demonic humans within the Murim Alliance…”
“If that’s the case, then he could become our ally.”
“Then we must hope he is an upright man.”
Sama Ryung had been one of those who stood by and watched when Baek Un-hyeon was brought before the tribunal of judgment. Naturally, her feelings toward him were far from favorable. But if he was not a direct enemy, she could still join hands with him.
And in any case, she had to make contact with him.
“Unniii…!”
So-yeon came running with a brighter expression than ever before. She must have passed the second test with ease. Ok-yeon gladly opened her arms and embraced her.
“Ehehe…”
So-yeon burrowed snugly into Ok-yeon’s embrace and beamed. Then she began chattering away.
“They said I’m first in the rankings…!”
“As expected of our So-yeon. I knew you could do it.”
Feeling proud, she stroked the girl’s hair. She had known So-yeon would do well, but to think she had taken first place. The children of prestigious families and disciples of renowned sects had all received intensive training from a young age.
The Jegal bloodline truly doesn’t go anywhere.
Or perhaps it was because she took after Hong Mae. No, it was definitely the latter.
“What were the questions about?”
“Let’s see… The first question was, ‘In traveling the world—’”
Had she memorized the exact details? Instead of simply recalling the gist, So-yeon began reciting all ten questions with perfect accuracy. It was astonishing. Ok-yeon had not realized it because the girl usually lacked strong opinions, but her memory was truly exceptional.
“You’re not just making things up, are you?”
“N-no… It really came out like that…”
When she teased her a little, So-yeon panicked and waved her hands frantically. Then she hurriedly recited every single answer she had written down.
“…No wonder you took first place.”
At this level, even the Murim Alliance would have taken notice. Even among a gathering of children with outstanding talent, So-yeon’s intellect far surpassed them all. The Murim Alliance was probably applauding the emergence of such a genius—especially since she came from the Jegal family.
“And then…”
However, So-yeon’s expression darkened slightly. Ok-yeon listened attentively.
“The family head and my eldest sister came to see me…”