Chapter 218
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 218
Chapter Title: 59. Boundary Line (4)
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A waning moon hung over the desert city, and beneath it, Flying Tiger walked, lost in longing and worry.
The object of his longing was Gong Won-yeong, and his concerns swirled around everything that surrounded her. U-i was part of it, as was the Golden Jade Fairy.
By now, Flying Tiger had given up any real hope for the Golden Jade Fairy. A fundamental doubt had crept in—he wished desperately to revive Gong Won-yeong, even if just for a few months. But to do that, wouldn't he have to resort to something as extreme as the Reverse Heaven Great Law? It was nothing more than his own selfish desire, a desecration of her.
Still, Flying Tiger wanted at least to bid her a proper farewell before she passed. And for that, he still needed the Golden Jade Fairy. The fact that she clung to life, day by day, in a state where she could die at any moment, was entirely due to the Golden Jade Fairy's care.
So all he could do was pray that everything remained safe until he could return.
Both here, where he stayed, and there, where she lay.
But cruelly, cracks were already forming.
In a hidden safehouse in Chang'an City, at the eastern end of the Silk Road—over two thousand li from the desert city where Flying Tiger stayed—Gong Won-yeong lay sleeping.
She had waited far too long, alone on the boundary between life and death.
At first, she couldn't bring herself to leave. There were days when she resolved to go, only for some invisible force to hold her back. And there were days when she heard Flying Tiger's voice from afar and lost herself in aching longing.
All those days had passed, and now she sensed it was time to depart. The world she had once known had faded, and even that was growing dimmer, vanishing before her eyes.
She had reached the limit of what she could endure.
"Isn't she just beautiful?"
"……."
"At first, I thought that guy was a eunuch. He had the nerve to look at me—this big sister—and show no reaction whatsoever. But now? I've totally come around. Tch."
U-i said this as she took one last look at Gong Won-yeong. Then, with Iron Scripture in tow, she quietly slipped out of the room and closed the door behind her.
Click.
Having finished her preparations, U-i had suddenly felt an urge to see Gong Won-yeong one more time, so she'd stopped by under the pretense of a farewell visit. She'd even dragged along Iron Scripture, who grumbled about it being awkward to see another woman.
In truth, as Gong Won-yeong's official guardian, U-i saw her two or three times a day. So why this sudden longing?
Two reasons. First, to steel her resolve before leaving. Second, to formally introduce her to Iron Scripture.
"Take care of her while I'm gone."
"Do you really have to go yourself, handing her over to me like this? Don't you have plenty of quick runners under you?"
"I told you. My gut says this one's bad."
"Your gut……."
The report from her surveillance team had come the previous evening.
The Golden Jade Fairy and her escort warrior had been staying at the safehouse for several days now. Bringing her here in the first place had been a hassle, full of complaints and complications.
She was a troublesome woman, plain and simple.
But they'd tolerated it in hopes of some payoff.
In any case, they'd kept eyes on her just in case. Things had been quiet since, so they'd thought it was fine—until trouble finally brewed.
What kind of incident?
U-i was stepping up personally to find out.
The Golden Jade Fairy and her escort had gone out briefly the previous afternoon and made contact with someone, pretending it was a chance encounter. The conversation was short. A surveillance agent watching from afar read their lips and pieced it together.
'The time has come. Get ready.'
What time? Ready for what? Were they planning to harm Gong Won-yeong?
U-i didn't know the details, but her gut twisted at the news. She'd considered contacting Flying Tiger right away, as promised, but held off. It was late at night, and sending word without substance would only worry him. She planned to dig into the meaning of that 'time' and 'preparation' first.
That was what had happened overnight.
Then, late this night, word came that the contact from yesterday was on the move. U-i, who had been ready and waiting, was about to head out.
Which made Iron Scripture the temporary overseer of the safehouse and Gong Won-yeong's safety in her absence.
U-i pulled an exaggerated pout when Iron Scripture trailed off.
"Oh? Are you doubting my instincts now? For all their looks, they usually hit the mark, you know?"
"That much, I'll grant you."
Iron Scripture replied curtly, thinking to himself:
That's the problem.
He'd known U-i for years and was well aware her hunches were eerily accurate. At times, it felt almost supernatural.
Yet here she was, saying her gut screamed bad vibes about this job.
Part of him wanted to talk her out of it. But he had no right. Ever since he'd left her—back when they were lovers—he'd been in this position. He couldn't even voice the concern of a comrade without overstepping. That was their relationship: lesser than strangers.
But am I really just worried as a comrade?
Iron Scripture knew the truth, had always known it. No matter how he vowed to let go of his lingering feelings, he couldn't shake them. And U-i had noticed. Once, she'd warned him.
'Don't you dare get clingy with me. What you're obsessed with is the old me, not who I am now. And as for the current me? You're not even on my radar. I'd sooner take every man in the world into this body than you.'
An awkward silence fell after Iron Scripture's admission. U-i eyed him ambiguously for a moment before shaking her head.
"It's not that it's dangerous, so I'm going."
"Then what?"
"It's important. That's why the sharpest blade in the Western Bureau—me—is stepping up."
"Important? Is the matter of Flying Tiger and his woman that crucial? Enough for the great U-i to risk her neck?"
"What, are you jealous now?"
"Hardly. I'm just annoyed seeing you—the one meant to wield his blade—get hung up on side matters."
"Fair point, to an extent. I do hope they make it. But that's not what I mean. When I say it's important, I mean this could be a direct challenge to the Western Bureau from our enemies."
"The Golden Jade Fairy?"
"In this case, it's not her—it's the shadowy force backing her."
"……!"
"That's why I have to go. Can't predict where the sparks might fly. Oh, and just in case, you report this to Hidden Moon yourself. Make sure security around him is airtight."
"Got it. …Be careful."
"Heh, that's rich. Telling me to be careful? Hey, I'm U-i of the world!"
Iron Scripture looked at her and slowly nodded.
She might seem soft lately, smitten with Flying Tiger, but she was the Western Bureau's blade, staining Chang'an's nights with blood.
U-i armed herself.
She strapped on a leather belt with five throwing darts, coiled a rope with a hook around her waist, slung a small pouch filled with hidden weapons and poison over her shoulder, and finally tucked away two cold daggers with rings on their hilts.
Then she donned a blood-red inner robe with a black outer cloak and pulled on a mask.
Once ready, she locked eyes briefly with Iron Scripture, who had watched in silence.
'Take care of things.'
'Come back safe.'
And U-i left the safehouse.
The contact from yesterday afternoon was a green kid, barely out of his teens. Right after the meet, he'd stopped by Dragon Tiger Gate. The surveillance target had shifted there.
Dragon Tiger Gate.
The name sounded impressive, but it was a back-alley gang of young thugs that couldn't even qualify as a third-rate sect. Or so the world believed.
But the Western Bureau's watcher had spotted something off. Most members were lowly street punks, but two stood out: Jang Sam and A-sa.
The entire gang fawned over them. Jang Sam handled the funds, and A-sa was one of the four underbosses. And "entire gang" included the other underbosses and even the boss himself.
Beating it out of one grunt revealed they'd shown up recently, were rarely around, and only ran errands when it suited them. The kid's meet with the Golden Jade Fairy was one such task. Otherwise, they ignored gang business.
In short: outsiders who had rolled in from somewhere.
Now the targets were Jang Sam and A-sa at Dragon Tiger Gate—and this late night, A-sa had headed out. His outfit and movements screamed business, not pleasure.
Thus began U-i's pursuit, starting with A-sa's outing.
First stop: Dragon Tiger Gate. She posted two subordinates outside, slipped in alone, and emerged a moment later with a large sack over her shoulder.
Thud.
She dropped it before her men; blood was already seeping through in real time.
"Shall we take it and interrogate?"
"No, Jang Sam, right? He won't talk, even if he wanted to. Probably couldn't anyway. Not that I care—I got what I needed."
"Ah!"
"Dismember it and bury the pieces separately. No traces."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Who's tailing A-sa right now?"
" Ryeo-chil and his crew."
"Can you contact them now?"
"Yes."
"Pull them back. Report the situation to Iron Scripture—he'll handle the rest."
"You don't think……."
"Yeah. Too early to call it an emergency, but my gut's screaming. Good luck, everyone."
U-i set off again.
Next: Eight Paths House.
A thriving brothel outfit, leagues above Dragon Tiger Gate. Built around retired soldiers leveraging their connections for massive military contracts and wealth.
A golden goose, you might say.
Yet no local sect dared challenge their operations, letting them thrive unchecked. In a world where casino turf wars claimed dozens of lives, how?
Lion Hall backed them.
Eight Paths House was one of Lion Hall's cash cows—and now, U-i's gaze turned there.