Chapter 123. Unexpected Movements (3)
Master Take-Profit Ma Hwi dove straight into the main topic with an expression that brooked no nonsense.
"Sect Leader, as I mentioned in advance, could you please gather everyone who has encountered this man called the Red Dragon Hero?"
To Master Take-Profit Ma Hwi, the Red Dragon Hero was like an unknown ingredient he had no idea how to prepare.
That was why he'd referred to him simply as "that man"—neither ally nor enemy, just a neutral "ja."
Baeksa Gate Leader Jin Samin, already deeply smitten with the Red Dragon Hero's sense of justice, felt a flicker of anger but kept it hidden.
He knew full well that showing even a hint of weakness to Ma Hwi would invite a savage bite.
When facing him, emotions had to be locked away tight.
"Of course. They're all gathered now, so please come this way, Military Advisor!"
Baeksa Gate Leader Jin Samin led the way, guiding Ma Hwi to the meeting room.
In the meeting room, Jin Samin's daughter Jin Semi clutched her head, pacing restlessly.
"Ah, why did it have to be now...?"
Jin Semi had been burning with determination to find the Red Dragon Hero.
But then her father, the sect leader, had suddenly summoned her back.
She couldn't defy the sect's orders.
Reluctantly, she'd returned, but her heart was still out there searching for the Red Dragon Hero.
As Jin Semi floundered, a middle-aged man of seasoned years patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"Calm down, lass. You think we'd have found him just because we went out looking?"
"S-sorry, Uncle."
Jin Semi looked up at him with eyes brimming like she might cry.
The man she called "Uncle" was none other than Black-Clothed Killing Wind.
Black-Clothed Killing Wind nodded quietly.
The unorthodox trio from northern Shaanxi—Shaanxi Three Kills—had old ties to southern Baeksa Gate and stayed there for about half a year in the past.
Back then, little Jin Semi had trailed after them, calling them "Uncle" everywhere they went.
Braised Pork Shoulder Rang-a, with his massive shoulder pole like a man's full height.
Ice Blood Scholar, his face devoid of any life or spark.
And Black-Clothed Killing Wind, masked in black.
Just the three of them walking through the market would silence crying children and scatter lines of kids waiting for candy.
Yet here was this tiny girl calling these fearsome killers "Uncle," clinging to their arms, following them around, begging to play.
It was nothing short of miraculous.
Black-Clothed Killing Wind glanced up at the ceiling.
His mind naturally conjured the face of Hebei Paeng Family's Fourth Young Master Han Bin.
Their first meeting, he'd seemed like easy prey—a greenhorn.
After that, he'd turned into a devil who could steam unorthodox fighters alive.
Who could've guessed such a man would come back to save them?
Even more shocking was the martial prowess he'd displayed.
Facing Residual Blood Demon without flinching, roaring defiance—that was a true hero incarnate.
When Han Bin tumbled off the thousand-foot cliff with Residual Blood Demon, his blood had boiled.
Even Black-Clothed Killing Wind, who knew Han Bin's true identity, had clutched his chest, screaming the Red Dragon Hero's name with the rest.
Black-Clothed Killing Wind recalled those moments briefly.
Was he really alive?
With his gut pierced by Residual Blood Demon's Blood-Splitting Blade, sinking into the river—survival odds were zero.
Black-Clothed Killing Wind had been watching from afar, planning a quiet exit, but he'd unwittingly joined the unorthodox mob searching for the Red Dragon Hero.
That's when he'd run into Jin Semi again.
Braised Pork Shoulder Rang-a, watching Black-Clothed Killing Wind and Jin Semi, chimed in.
"Somehow, it's making me want to tear up too."
But contrary to his words, a massive rumble echoed from his gut.
Grrrroooowl.
Every eye in the room snapped to Braised Pork Shoulder Rang-a's belly.
That was the moment.
The meeting room door burst open.
Creak!
Everyone in the room gulped dryly.
They knew Master Take-Profit Ma Hwi, the strategist of southern Sado-ryeon, was coming.
They'd halted the search for the Red Dragon Hero and returned because Ma Hwi had requested to see them.
Thud, thud.
Guided by Gate Leader Jin Samin, Ma Hwi stopped.
He turned his head, scanning the assembled group.
His gaze lingered on Jin Semi.
"Are you the one who led the search for the Red Dragon Hero?"
"Yes, that's me, Military Advisor."
"Then you'll have the most accurate account."
"Where should I start, sir?"
"From the very first encounter with this Red Dragon Hero!"
"Understood, Military Advisor! ...Well, the first time we met him, we weren't sure if he was friend or foe..."
Jin Semi laid out the Red Dragon Hero's feats against Residual Blood Demon, embellishing just a touch.
The others in the room nodded vigorously in agreement.
After all, what she'd described matched exactly what they'd witnessed.
"...And that's the last I saw of the Red Dragon Hero."
"Hm."
Ma Hwi stroked his goatee and cleared his throat.
As he listened to Jin Semi, he'd observed everyone in the room.
Everything—expressions, gestures, even the tiniest coughs—fell under his scrutiny.
In truth, Ma Hwi was quite taken aback.
The mere mention of "Red Dragon Hero" had everyone lighting up like they'd been hypnotized.
Ma Hwi quickly stifled another cough and asked Jin Semi,
"What are the odds the Red Dragon Hero is still alive?"
"I believe he is."
"Even with those wounds?"
Ma Hwi watched her face closely as he posed the question.
Jin Semi's expression brimmed with conviction.
But Ma Hwi knew it was just wishful thinking, not true certainty.
Jin Semi bit her lip and replied.
"Yes, he's alive."
"Good. That would be best for the unorthodox world too."
Ma Hwi nodded.
But that wasn't his real sentiment.
A new supreme master had appeared in the unorthodox world.
And his realm was none other than Hwagyeong.
That was the problem.
The emergence of a young Hwagyeong master signaled a reorganization of the martial world.
Narrow it down further, and it meant the unorthodox factions would need to restructure entirely.
But if he was dead?
That would be a boon for the unorthodox world.
They could keep their current power structures intact, simply ride the Red Dragon Hero's fame like it was a free meal ticket.
Sado-ryeon was already split between northern and southern branches.
Play it right, and they could unify the two under the Red Dragon Hero's banner.
Now he just needed to plot how to leverage that fame.
That was when he noticed it.
Jin Semi's eyes were glistening with tears.
This was beyond Ma Hwi's expectations.
He never imagined a warrior would dare show tears before him, the chief strategist of southern Sado-ryeon.
Ma Hwi asked,
"What's wrong?"
"If you hadn't summoned us, Military Advisor, we might have found the Red Dragon Hero..."
Jin Semi trailed off, wiping her teary eyes with her sleeve.
Ma Hwi caught her meaning and glanced around.
Everyone was staring at him.
No open hostility, but their eyes clearly showed displeasure.
Ma Hwi barely suppressed a scoff.
What kind of man was this Red Dragon Hero, really?
The question was inevitable.
No one in unorthodox history had captivated people so quickly.
He had to use the Red Dragon Hero.
Handled well, he could unify Sado-ryeon around southern leadership.
And from there, dominate the entire martial world.
A stroke of heaven-sent luck!
Just as Ma Hwi clenched his fist—
Creak!
The meeting room door opened again.
Someone rushed toward Ma Hwi in a panic.
Ma Hwi turned.
It was Cheok Sam, his right-hand man.
Cheok Sam skidded to a halt before Ma Hwi, forgetting even to cup his fists in greeting.
"Military Advisor!"
Ma Hwi frowned.
"What is it?"
"Just a moment of your time..."
"Fine."
Ma Hwi stepped out of the meeting room with Cheok Sam.
Moments later, Cheok Sam gave a terse summary of the situation.
"...That's the current state of the Henan Jeong Family."
Ma Hwi's eyes widened as he listened.
"A Hwagyeong master has appeared in the orthodox factions too? And he looks about the same age as the Red Dragon Hero?"
"Yes, in summary."
"He used medicine to save the Jeong Family patriarch, and then demonstrated Hwagyeong prowess right in front of everyone?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"His sect?"
"Still unknown. He saved the Jeong Family and vanished. We're gathering info on his affiliation now."
"Then, odds he's the same as the Red Dragon Hero?"
"Zero. It happened shortly after the Red Dragon Hero collapsed from his wounds. This man wore a blue robe and displayed immortal-like prowess. They call him the Blue Cloud Death God."
"Death God..."
"His blue robe is like clouds, and where those clouds pass, only the dead remain—hence the nickname."
This was Cheok Sam's straight report from gathered intel.
Of course, it was exaggerated from Han Bin's actual feats on-site.
Rumors in the martial world turned minor heroes into immortals overnight.
Compared to that, Cheok Sam's version was close to the truth.
Ma Hwi stroked his goatee, as if resolving something.
"Hm. Looks like we need to hurry."
"Yes, the orthodox side will try to use this Blue Cloud Death God too."
"Naturally. But he can't compare to the Red Dragon Hero, who selflessly risked his life for the unorthodox."
Ma Hwi gazed quietly at the moon hanging in the mid-sky.
He was certain the day was near when southern Sado-ryeon would shine as the martial world's sole moon.
His plan was simple.
Use the Red Dragon Hero to rally the unorthodox factions.
First, elevate him to the unorthodox world's greatest hero.
Then, turn Yeongdan Mountain—where he fought Residual Blood Demon for their sake—into a sacred site.
For that, he'd need to leverage even the Shaanxi Three Kills he'd glimpsed earlier.
They were influential unorthodox figures up north.
Use them right, and he could showcase north-south unity.
Ma Hwi kept staring at the moon, stacking plans in his mind.
With an unparalleled hero like the Blue Cloud Death God popping up in the orthodox world...
He had to accelerate the Red Dragon Hero's heroification.
Ideas flowed as brightly as tonight's moon.
But Ma Hwi truly had no inkling this was a massive blunder—a shackle in disguise.
Meanwhile, Han Bin walked under the guidance of a servant dispatched by Patriarch Jeong Muryong.
Thud, thud.
Han Bin furrowed his brow and halted.
Seolhwa asked,
"What's wrong, Young Master?"
"My ears are itching for some reason!"
Han Bin tilted his head.
That's when Jang Ja-myeong narrowed his eyes and cut in.
"If they aren't itching, that'd be weird, Fourth Young Master. That contract you drew up was downright devilish..."
Jang Ja-myeong trailed off hastily.
Han Bin's gaze had sharpened.