Sado-ryeon #1: Emergency Orders from the Evil Path Alliance
An emergency order came down from the Sado-ryeon. It was a command to investigate the movements of the Saseon-nyeo. Her appearances were such a horrific crisis that even treating it as top priority in the Sado-ryeon felt insufficient, leaving many of the evil faction's masters trembling in unease upon hearing the news.
How many evil faction experts had already fallen to that witch? Sure, the Sado-ryeon was a cesspool of black path scum, but the Saseon-nyeo operated on an entirely different level. Compared to her, the organized murder bandits, pleasure killers, human traffickers, professional rapists, or those who massacred civilians for fun—petty crimes like that—made even the worst great demonic heads look like harmless neighborhood idiots who loved helping others with their kind hearts.
The Saseon-nyeo was that terrifying, that utterly evil. Spies were reporting nonstop that even the Murim Alliance was scrambling to devise countermeasures. If they lost the information war to those cowardly Murim Alliance bastards, the evil faction could suffer massive losses. No matter what, they had to gather intel on the Saseon-nyeo.
But of course, none of the Sado-ryeon's masters had any intention of taking on such a dangerous task. These were scum who had honed their cowardly, vile natures to the extreme to become black path experts—they'd never dream of tailing someone as perilously dangerous as the Saseon-nyeo. They had better things to do, like brutally dismembering innocent civilians to rob them blind. That was far more profitable, enjoyable, and peaceful. If they wanted something a bit more challenging, they could always kidnap kids or women to sell, or expand into the murder or banditry business.
As a result, the Sado-ryeon's orders trickled down through layers of subcontractors until they finally reached the bottom. After being passed down—and down—again and again, it landed with a low-level evil faction warrior named Galbi Jong, dispatched to Anhui Province.
"So this is Anhui Province, where the Saseon-nyeo's soul-confusing corpse puppets appeared."
Galbi Jong was a low-level warrior with little black path experience, but he was a man with some ambition. He figured that stepping up for a job everyone else avoided could propel him to the organization's core. If he got promoted and received higher-grade martial arts to cultivate, he could become an evil faction master himself and lord over others.
"The very air reeks of evil. It's horrifying... sticky and viscous. Just breathing feels like it's assaulting my soul."
Galbi Jong muttered to himself, shuddering at the thought that cultivating his qi here would rot his dantian outright. Still, he swallowed his fear and pressed on. Truth be told, he had no intention of doggedly tracking the Saseon-nyeo's movements. His plan was simply to set up a new black path sect in Anhui as ordered, gather street rumors, and call it a day. Even as a low-level guy, he was connected to the Sado-ryeon. With his skills, establishing a minor black path group here would be child's play. Just putting on a show like that would solidify his position in the organization.
Galbi Jong moved forward with hopeful thoughts and immediately began collecting information upon arrival. That's when an intriguing rumor caught his ear: a brutal massacre where an entire black path sect had been wiped out mercilessly.
"Did some murder-loving master show up?"
It could have been a professional dismemberment specialist trained by the Namgung family dominating Anhui, or maybe the killer monks from Shaolin next door had swept through. Imagining those bald-headed fools twisting the no-kill precept to suddenly unleash slaughter made his legs shake and breathing hard. Galbi Jong proceeded more cautiously and headed to a Beggar Clan branch to get the full story.
"Tonggok Gwangsal. The Weeping Mad Slayer."
The Beggar Clan's branch leader spoke gravely.
"Or known as Jeokgyu Nachal. The Screaming Rakshasa."
"What... Weeping Mad Slayer? Screaming Rakshasa?"
"That's right."
According to the branch leader, a monstrous fiend nicknamed the Weeping Mad Slayer—meaning one who kills while weeping—or the Screaming Rakshasa had annihilated the Amto-bang sect. Even the notoriously cruel and vile Beggar Clan members were shaking in rage at the brutality. The fiend had slaughtered every member using methods so savage and despicable, then tortured the lone surviving sect leader to death, burned the corpse in mockery, and looted all their wealth.
"We lost some of our own Beggar Clan brothers in the process. Be careful. He's a raving murder maniac. I've never seen anyone that insane in my life."
The branch leader was trembling as he spoke. Naturally, Galbi Jong was scared shitless too, shaking right along with him. The two men shuddered together, their fear doubling as they recalled the saying that shared terror multiplies.
"Aaaahhh!"
"Uwaaah!"
The terror-stricken Beggar Clan members even screamed midway, making it all the more frightening.
"Goddamn it! Did I make the wrong choice?!"
The Screaming Rakshasa's original nickname was Nachal-sal, earned by slaying a demonic rakshasa as a wanderer. That alone showed how unhinged the guy was.
"He must be the type who can't hold back without tasting blood even for a moment."
That's why he charged at the demonic rakshasa and couldn't stop. A lunatic who killed even a demonic rakshasa wouldn't fear humans. He'd probably crave bathing in their blood. Only such madmen earned nicknames like that.
Galbi Jong was terrified, but...
"But a crisis is just opportunity in disguise."
He also felt intense interest in this Screaming Rakshasa. Galbi Jong planned to establish a black path sect here. If he could recruit such a vicious bastard, everything would be smoother. Hanging with a guy like that would let him strut his shoulders at any evil faction gathering—no dream too big.
"Screaming Rakshasa, huh."
Thinking that, he even started looking forward to meeting the man. In truth, Galbi Jong had always admired such fanatical evil faction masters. Why evil over righteous? Because the place he grew up was crawling only with evil faction scum. Anyway, with a lunatic like that by his side, what would there be to fear?
"How can I win his heart?"
Galbi Jong decided to investigate the Screaming Rakshasa.
"So you went to a brothel?"
"You really went to a brothel?"
The two women had me on my knees, saying that. Naturally, a brothel was an entertainment spot. No woman in the world would tolerate her man going to one.
"Yeah. I went with my close buddy Jae Mi-son."
But I was unapologetic.
"I didn't do anything you'd hate there! I just drank with Jae Mi-son, danced, and sang! Didn't even call any courtesans!"
"No excuses needed!"
"This is bullshit!"
The saying that sincerity reaches sincerity was total crap. Even telling the truth, my pleas fell on deaf ears, and the two women got pissed. So I ended up... acupressure-sealed again, drained of yang energy all day.
"Hmph!"
"Fucking ridiculous!"
Not content, they both sulked off to their rooms, slamming the doors and locking themselves in. Regaining my senses, I knocked and begged for a talk, but all I learned was how damn hard romance is. Open up, please.
"That bastard Jae Mi-son...!"
Did he plan this far ahead? No, no way. A guy who showed off such slick dance moves wouldn't. Didn't I feel our souls connect when we improvised that duet? Jae Mi-son and I were bonded in truth. He wouldn't betray me. This was all my fault.
"Gotta get their forgiveness somehow!"
Honestly, I don't know much about women. But across history, one universal truth about them holds: they love sweets. My aunt did too.
"Time to buy some tanghulu and pick flowers for apologies."
Head out, grab tanghulu, snag some flowers, apologize—they'd forgive me for sure. Truth is, Se-rin and Ha-young trust me. Would I fool around with courtesans when I have Murim's beauties? Nah, I just went with Jae Mi-son to enjoy dancing and singing. He dragged me there to show off his instrument skills anyway. Masterpiece, really. Must've loved the gift I gave him.
Anyway, I finished prepping and stepped out of the Sangru Pavilion.
"Tch."
But as soon as I did, it felt lonely. We'd been together constantly lately. The empty space hit hard... Guess even I get lonely.
How do I even do the weddings? Should I greet Ha-young's absolute master father-in-law, Namgung Cheon, first? Scary as fuck, no matter what. Polygamy's legal here, but still terrifying. And Ha-young's a Taoist priestess—what about her? Gotta discuss with the two soon.
That's when it happened.
Thud.
Some guy appeared right in front of me.
"..."
I instinctively sized him up. Grayish hair. Young guy with a sharp nose. Eyes too clear... Whatever. He's lighter weight than me. But his martial skill? Unreadable. Dressed in black, saber at his waist, staring right at me. My hand naturally went to my sword hilt.
"Ooh...! Just as the rumors say!"
Suddenly, the guy's eyes sparkled in admiration.
"Thinking of killing me on sight! Excellent!"
His eyes were really clear. Unnaturally so. Like the purest lake water, sparkling brightly—overwhelmingly pure! Why does this fucker have a shoujo manga worldview all to himself?!
"I've been waiting for talent like you! A hero who can mercilessly chop up even a stranger!"
Still with those crystal eyes, he bellowed like an orator. I froze in this bizarre situation, unable to retort, feeling some primal dread. This guy's... insane? Yeah, definitely insane. No sane person has eyes that pure!
"Screaming Rakshasa! Let me share a drink with you!"
Screaming Rakshasa—what?! As I stood dumbfounded, he pulled a pretty flower from his pocket and thrust it out like a gift.
"This is my present! You crazy bastard! What the hell are you doing with this?!"