Episode 37
"You surprise me. How on earth did you know?"
The middle-aged man stepped out from behind a tree and, before anything else, voiced his admiration and curiosity.
So there really is a Murim Alliance strike team?
The strange ornament hanging from the hilt of his sword.
The righteous bastards probably didn't know yet, but I did.
That was the mark of Death Blood Star.
So I’m face to face with Death Blood Star, the Blood Demon’s personal assassination unit…
The corners of my mouth lifted before I could stop myself.
They were the kind of people you didn’t want to meet head-on, but what I felt wasn’t fear—it was anticipation for whatever treasure Death Blood Star might be carrying.
I’d be happy if they had even something like Blood Corpse Pill.
Today was going to be a lousy day for them.
Poor bastards.
The middle-aged man walked toward me at an unhurried pace.
Either way, he wasn’t the sort of person you’d expect from a second-tier mission.
There was a reason the pay was high, but that didn’t mean the academy students who volunteered for it were eager to die.
Death Blood Star was a notorious band of murderers made up of Peak to Super Peak masters.
Unless they had a target ordered by the Blood Demon himself, they were lunatics who captured people and killed them on the Blood Cult’s altar to prove their faith.
Their methods were so devious they’d even pretend to be beggars or cripples just for the chance to kill someone once.
"……."
I was nearly certain, but it was still a little too early to judge.
The sword could have been a trophy.
Namgung Hye’s puzzled voice reached my ears.
"Who is he? ...Something feels off."
For once, the girl was sharper than I expected.
The middle-aged man wore the Murim Alliance uniform, with the character for righteousness especially prominent.
Almost like he was advertising it.
The bright blue cloth was obviously fine quality and impossible to miss.
How many people would wear a uniform like that on a mission?
Had the strike team already been wiped out?
I turned my gaze toward the village.
He wouldn’t be here alone... There should be a few more nearby.
I let a thin thread of Sun and Moon Yin-Yang energy seep out.
The purer the energy, the fewer people could sense it.
Now that my middle dantian was open, I could scatter my internal energy farther than before.
"No answer. Fine."
Just as I expected, there was another one ahead.
The most basic formation: two-man teams.
They were probably taking turns on watch by the hour.
I’d have to deal with them at the same time.
If one escaped and passed on the information, it would be a headache.
Jinwon should just stay still.
Even after he’d heard rumors about me, he still treated people without prejudice and took the initiative with his assigned duties.
Unlike the others, he was a man who deserved the name of the successor to the Kunlun Sect’s leader.
Only...
"Sir, are you perhaps one of the Murim Alliance strike team members?"
He also had a few screws loose.
Sure enough, before I could stop him, his eyes lit up and he walked right up to the man.
"Ah, cough. Yes, that’s right. Well spotted. And you are?"
The man, who had been looking at us with suspicious eyes, cleared his throat and nodded.
"Sorry for the late introduction. I’m Jong Jinwon, officially dispatched from Jeongdo Academy with two squads and two weeks’ worth of supplies...."
He did his best to explain his mission to the man.
That was Jong Jinwon for you—always working with enthusiasm.
"……."
A sigh slipped out.
Who the hell does he think he is, telling him everything? Who just hands out information like that?
It was fine to work hard, but could he at least read the room?
He’d been making a fuss in the wagon about how the unorthodox sects might attack at any moment, and now he looked like a complete fool with not a trace of suspicion.
The man glanced sideways at him and spoke carefully.
"Ahem... then how many of you are there? And what about reinforcements?"
The middle-aged man openly asked what he wanted to know.
Jinwon, can’t you see anything strange yet?
"Hm? ...What do you mean? I’m sure the report was already submitted."
He wasn’t an idiot either, and he glared at the man with a suspicious look.
"Oh, uh, that’s because only the squad leader knows those details, so I was just curious."
"Is that so?"
"If I’ve been rude, I apologize."
"Then I shall tell you. There are thirteen of us in total, including the unit leader, with two Super Peak masters and about... "
I clutched my throbbing head.
Still, I couldn’t just step forward now and slap a hand over Jinwon’s mouth.
That would only make him seem more suspicious.
"……."
For now, I waited.
It wasn’t time yet.
As long as I could get close to the hidden one, that was enough.
"If there’s anything else you’d like to know, or anything else we can help with?"
Why are you being so damn friendly?
"Young friend, thank you for telling me. Heh heh... Thanks to you, the situation has become much better."
The middle-aged man wore a grin from ear to ear.
He’d barely done anything, yet he had extracted all the important information.
At the same time, I tried to understand him.
Right, I guess that can happen...
Somebody who clearly looked like "I’m a righteous sect member" had suddenly appeared before him, so of course he’d been quick to believe it.
Even if he’d made a few trips to the Central Plains, he was still just a cadet with little actual field experience.
"This is Namgung young lady, the leader of the Hyecheon Unit. Please greet each other."
"……."
If I only saved and brought this one back, I could even get an extra reward from the Kunlun Sect leader.
There was no sect leader who didn’t cherish their successor, but the fact that they’d secretly even put up Kunlun Pill made it clear he was deeply favored.
Thinking about it that way, he looked like a walking elixir.
"This is Young Hero Cheon. Please exchange greetings."
The middle-aged man smiled broadly on the outside, but his sharp eyes remained fixed on me.
If I wanted to take him out in one blow, now was the time to play along.
So I went in low.
"Nice to meet you. I’m Cheon Sojin...."
Shing—
Just as I offered my greeting, the middle-aged man drew his sword and lunged at me.
"W-what are you doing!"
"H-hey! What do you think you're—!!"
The blade came straight for me, and a faint blood-red glow flickered in the man’s eyes.
This bastard. So it was true.
"……."
It wouldn’t have been hard to dodge, but...
This is even better.
I didn’t move at all.
He stopped short.
Just as expected, the sword halted a breath away from my cheek.
"Heh, you couldn’t dodge it... no, perhaps you couldn’t even react."
The middle-aged man smiled with naked superiority.
By all means. Laugh while you can.
Once Jinwon came to his senses, he scolded him furiously.
"What in the world do you think you’re doing!! He’s only at First-rate realm!!"
"First-rate? Ha! Is that so..."
"Sir, this is outrageous behavior. Apologize at once."
"Just a little joke. A joke. When you spotted me earlier, I thought you were a master, you know? My competitive spirit got the better of me, so I decided to test you."
The middle-aged man burst into hearty laughter and slid his sword back into its scabbard.
"Seems I was mistaken. My apologies."
"...Your sword technique was so fast I couldn't even see it. Sir—"
"You flatter me. It wasn’t that impressive an attack. Don’t gild the lily."
The man laughed, clearly pleased with himself.
He was digging his own grave.
It’s over.
Murim warriors tended to look down on anyone who was even slightly below their level, and this bastard believed I was only First-rate.
Given the nature of Sun and Moon Yin-Yang energy, unless the gap in cultivation was enormous, he wouldn’t be able to sense my true strength anyway.
With that, any suspicion he had was completely gone.
"I suppose I was a little too rough on a junior."
Inside, he was probably thinking I wasn’t even worth taking seriously.
"Young Hero Cheon, are you all right? ...And sir, you should be more careful next time."
"I shall, I shall. Heh heh."
While Jinwon and the middle-aged man discussed their plans,
"Young Hero Cheon Sojin... sir?"
Namgung Hye stood there with a puzzled expression.
Sir, huh...
Just a little while ago, she’d treated me like a burden; now I was a “sir.”
Power really was a mysterious thing.
"What?"
"I-I’m not sure what you’re thinking... Is there anything I can help with?"
She kept glancing my way cautiously, completely ignoring the man in front of her.
Her oddly friendly attitude was a stark contrast to how she had acted when we first met.
That made me a little curious.
Why is she acting so familiar?
To her, I should have been a demonic villain who’d scared the piss out of her... right?
Not to mention I’d threatened her with force.
I didn’t know what she was thinking, but once this mission was over, we wouldn’t have any more reason to be entangled.
Just don’t get in my way.
"You don’t need to know."
"...Yes, sir."
Namgung Hye’s shoulders drooped, and she lowered her head.
Even though her long black hair fell forward, she didn’t even think to sweep it back, which was a little unsettling.
"……."
While I was talking to her, Jinwon and the middle-aged man finished their conversation and came back.
"I’ll be going now. ...By the way, what was your name again, young hero?"
"Goodness, I nearly forgot. My name is... hm... Delya, I believe."
"Then you are Young Hero Delya."
"That’s right. A name to be proud of."
He thumped his chest and then said in a casual voice,
"There aren’t many of us, so I’ll accompany you to the village."
"There’s no need to trouble yourself. Aren’t you assigned to guard the road?"
"True enough. Still, guiding people is part of my job too. Hey! Come over here!"
At Delya’s shout,
a man in righteous sect clothing climbed down from high in a tree and ran toward us.
Fifty paces—
"If you insist that strongly, I’ll accept your guidance despite my embarrassment."
Thirty paces—
"Ho ho, no need to feel embarrassed. I only offered because I took a liking to you. Heh heh..."
Now that he no longer even bothered to hide the blood-red gleam in his eyes, Delya’s pupils shone scarlet.
Ten paces—
He seemed unable to wait even that long, because Delya began walking toward his companion.
"You!! Why aren’t you running over here right n—"
Thud—
No, he had tried to walk over.
"Huh?! W-what?! Y-young Hero Cheon?"
"W-what is this...!"
Gasps of shock burst from both men and women alike.
That was because a sharp blade had pierced straight through Delya’s dantian.
This was more like it.
"Krrr... kuuhh... y-you bastard...."
"……."
He was desperately trying to cling to life by gathering his dispersing internal energy and wrapping himself in force.
With his dantian shattered, it was only a matter of time, though...
Die already.
At that very moment,
Fsssh—
Delya’s companion, who had been right in front of us a moment ago, began turning into a cloud of blood-red mist.
Was that Blood Shadow Escape?
He was more skilled than I’d expected.
With Pungsinbo, I’d catch him eventually, but if I let him go now, it would be a pain.
Die faster.
I fed a little more Sun and Moon Yin-Yang energy into the sword.
"K-KRAAAGH!!!"
Veins bulged all over his body as he trembled violently and coughed up blood.
That was the perfect counter to demonic arts, thanks to Sun and Moon Yin-Yang energy.
So who told you to cultivate demonic techniques?
"Young Hero Cheon!! Release Young Master Delya at once!!"
Like hell I would let him go when he’d just run away.
Jinwon pointed his sword at me and threatened me, but this bastard still needed to die.
Then,
"Hyah!!"
Namgung Hye shot in like a streak of light and used Sky Vault Without Hindrance Sword Art against Delya’s companion.
"Y-you little bitch...! Of all times, now?! Kuhh!"
Since he was at the same Super Peak level, Delya’s companion abandoned his escape technique and had no choice but to catch the strike.
Clang!
Then he turned to look at me like a dog searching for its owner.
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