Chapter 249
At dawn, Gok Jin-dong, leader of the Life Ending Squad, ascended to Gwanmo Peak where the Death Shadow Squad was stationed.
He had come to report that nothing unusual had occurred throughout the night.
But then—
He abruptly stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening.
Behind the barracks, he spotted Bu Eun-seol walking toward them, his entire body drenched in blood.
"Squad Leader, what happened?"
As Jo Nam-cheon and the Death Shadow Squad members rushed forward, Bu Eun-seol raised a hand to stop them.
"It's nothing."
"Nothing? Your entire body is covered in wounds!"
Just as Jo Nam-cheon was about to leap in shock, Myo Cheon-u approached and calmly examined Bu Eun-seol's injuries.
"Not a single wound was inflicted from the front."
Frowning, Myo Cheon-u shook his head.
"Did you fight assassins? Seems like they all used Assassin Secret Arts."
"Assassins?"
In that instant, every member of the Death Shadow Squad gasped in shock. Even Wi Cheon-gyeong, flustered, stepped forward to ask,
"Squad Leader, is that true?"
"It is."
The moment Bu Eun-seol answered, the squad members turned their heads in unison to glare at Gok Jin-dong.
Unless someone had descended from the sky, the only way to reach Gwanmo Peak was by passing through the path guarded by the Life Ending Squad and the Poisonous Eye Squad.
"What the hell happened, Squad Leader Gok?!"
As Won Se-mun, enraged, lunged toward Gok Jin-dong, Bu Eun-seol raised his hand again.
"It's fine. It was nothing serious."
"Nothing serious?! Assassins came for you, Squad Leader!"
"Have you forgotten that I ordered the Life Ending Squad and the Poisonous Eye Squad to rest?"
At Bu Eun-seol's words, Won Se-mun jumped in protest.
"No, even so—!"
"Even if it had been you guarding instead of the Life Ending Squad, the outcome would have been the same."
Bu Eun-seol spoke flatly.
"It was the Ghost Pursuit Corps."
"The Ghost Pursuit Corps?"
Won Se-mun's brow furrowed deeply as he asked with utmost seriousness,
"...What is that?"
The Ghost Pursuit Corps was one of the Martial Alliance's secret assassination units, unofficially acknowledged.
Even Won Se-mun, who was well-versed in the affairs of the Rivers and Lakes, had never heard of its existence.
"The Martial Alliance's assassination squad."
When Myo Cheon-u answered in his stead, the Death Shadow Squad members' expressions twisted in shock.
"The Martial Alliance sent assassins to kill you, Squad Leader?"
"Not the Martial Alliance—Jo Cheon-wang."
In an instant, every squad member froze.
Only then did they recall that Bu Eun-seol had killed Jo Cheon-wang's son, Jo Bi-un.
"How long has it been since you arrived here, Squad Leader? And they already sent assassins after you?"
"Well, certain circumstances led to this."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head as if annoyed by the commotion.
Then, turning to Gok Jin-dong, he said,
"No need for reports. Return to your post."
"Y-yes."
Bowing his head, Gok Jin-dong hurriedly retreated down the mountain, avoiding the Death Shadow Squad's piercing glares.
"And one more thing..."
Bu Eun-seol spoke softly.
"There's no need to set up a perimeter guard because of this. Let your squad members rest as they have been."
"Huh?"
As Gok Jin-dong made a puzzled face, Bu Eun-seol replied impassively,
"The assassination squad has already retreated. There won't be anyone else coming here. So just stay on standby and relax."
'Is he testing me now?'
"How could I... possibly do that?"
Seeing Gok Jin-dong's uneasy expression, Bu Eun-seol spoke in a solemn voice.
"That's an order. Do not set up any perimeter guard. Let them rest."
"Ah... understood."
Though still visibly unconvinced, Gok Jin-dong clasped his hands together in acknowledgment.
Returning to the garrison, Gok Jin-dong's mind was in turmoil.
The Martial Alliance's assassination squad had slipped past the path his squad was supposed to guard and ambushed Bu Eun-seol, leader of the Death Shadow Squad.
Had they been properly keeping watch, even if this had happened, they could have held their heads high.
But instead, they had spent the night drinking.
Of course, it had been Bu Eun-seol's order—but an uncomfortable, prickling sensation lodged in his throat like a lump he couldn't swallow.
"Squad Leader, what happened?"
Oh Deung-ryong, leader of the Poisonous Eye Squad, cautiously approached as Gok Jin-dong descended, looking pale.
"You don't look well."
After a moment of hesitation, Gok Jin-dong calmly explained the situation.
"Last night, the Death Shadow Squad Leader was attacked by the Martial Alliance's assassination squad."
"What?"
"They must have slipped past us while we were drinking."
In an instant, Oh Deung-ryong's face turned pale.
Bu Eun-seol was notorious even among the Demon Hall's squad leaders for his ruthlessness. If it came to light that they had failed to keep proper watch last night—
They could be executed on the spot without a word of protest.
"Don't worry. He doesn't seem interested in holding us accountable."
"What do you mean?"
"He was the one who ordered us to drink in the first place, wasn't he?"
"Ah, that's true, but..."
As Oh Deung-ryong scratched his head with a troubled expression, Gok Jin-dong sighed and continued.
"He said it was a formidable assassination squad from the Martial Alliance. That even if the Death Shadow Squad had been on guard, the result would have been the same... He even made excuses for us."
Pausing briefly, he shook his head.
"Not only that, he ordered us not to set up any perimeter guard at all, saying no one else would be coming."
"Not set up any perimeter guard at all?"
It was an order that made no sense.
Oh Deung-ryong also furrowed his brows and sank deep into thought, but no answer came to him.
"Then... was there nothing else out of the ordinary?"
"That's correct."
"What a relief. The expression on the squad leader's face was so grim that... I thought he had returned after receiving severe punishment."
"Something about the situation just feels off, you see."
Gok Jin-dong narrowed his eyes.
"The Death Shadow Squad leader is no ordinary man. Yet he orders us to relax because no one's coming? It's unsettling, no matter how I think about it."
Having guarded the Demon Hall's squad leaders for so long, he had not only mastered the art of navigating politics but also possessed sharp intuition.
"Yun Pyeong!"
When Gok Jin-dong called out loudly, one of his subordinates stepped forward, clasping his hands together.
He was the youngest member of the Death Squad—Yun Pyeong.
"You called, Squad Leader?"
"You. The Rootless Squad—no, the Death Shadow Squad's Han So-ung. Are you still on good terms with him?"
Thanks to his amiable personality, Yun Pyeong had formed unusually close bonds even with the Rootless Squad members whom others looked down upon.
Especially with Han So-ung, they got along so well that they were quite close.
"That's right. We even shared a drink not long ago."
"Good."
Gok Jin-dong nodded, then spoke in a low voice.
"The Death Shadow Squad leader's behavior is suspicious. When you have time, meet with him and try to get a read on the unit's situation."
"Understood."
Two days later.
Following Gok Jin-dong's orders, Yun Pyeong climbed to Gwanmo Peak where the Death Shadow Squad was stationed, spent a long while talking with Han So-ung, and returned.
"They're drinking and fooling around?"
"That's correct."
Gok Jin-dong couldn't hide his bewildered expression upon hearing Yun Pyeong's report.
"Originally, the Death Shadow Squad leader was said to take little interest in the Demon Hall's affairs. He doesn't even impose restrictions or interfere as long as his subordinates do their jobs properly."
Yun Pyeong's words went like this:
The Death Shadow Squad at Gwanmo Peak spent their days lazing around and their nights throwing drinking parties.
Even the unit leader himself joined them in drinking.
After hearing everything, Gok Jin-dong deeply furrowed his brows.
He had thought Bu Eun-seol was an extraordinary figure for whipping the chaotic Rootless Squad into shape.
But now, it seemed he was just another reckless brat no different from his subordinates—was that why he could command them so well?
"According to him, we really can relax without worry. The Death Shadow Squad leader isn't one to say one thing and mean another. And..."
Yun Pyeong added one meaningful remark.
"Currently, the Death Shadow Squad is a first-tier unit, isn't it? And we've been placed under their command as a second-tier unit."
At that moment, Gok Jin-dong's eyes flashed.
A first-tier unit leader had the authority to carry out independent missions.
But in exchange, they bore full responsibility for all their actions.
Which meant—even if the Death Squad and the Poisonous Eye Squad caused trouble while drinking, wouldn't all the blame fall on the Death Shadow Squad leader?
"Heh heh heh..."
Only after that thought did Gok Jin-dong's mind ease, a smile creeping onto his lips.
"I thought he was some prodigious young master. Turns out he's just someone who gets along with those reckless brats."
He had worried for nothing.
Even if they drank and relaxed every day, they were merely following Bu Eun-seol's orders faithfully.
There was no responsibility on their shoulders.
"From now on, we must strictly obey his command."
Gok Jin-dong looked at the members of the Death Squad and the Poisonous Eye Squad and declared loudly:
"Continue resting at ease from now on. Don't even think about standing guard."
A smile had settled on his lips.
"That is the order of the Death Shadow Squad leader, after all."
Before they knew it, four days had passed.
Bu Eun-seol was indeed a man of his word.
He issued no commands regardless of whether the Death Squad and the Poisonous Eye Squad lazed around, and in reality, they too were relaxing comfortably at Gwanmo Peak.
"Ahh, this is boring."
Leaning against a rock, Gok Jin-dong yawned and gazed at the distant sky.
After four days of waiting at the foot of this sparsely populated mountain, he was so restless he could scream.
"I wish something would just happen already."
No sooner had those words left his mouth than one of the Death Squad members came running, shouting.
"Disaster has struck!"
The member rushed straight to Gok Jin-dong and yelled again.
"Disaster has struck, Squad Leader!"
"What is it?"
As Gok Jin-dong's expression hardened, the subordinate shouted urgently.
"They say tens of thousands of imperial troops are marching toward us in Hainan!"
"Imperial troops?!"
In an instant, Gok Jin-dong's face turned deathly pale.
It was an utterly incomprehensible statement.
"You're saying the Imperial Palace is interfering in Murim affairs?!"
"Haven't the civilians living near Five Fingers Mountain suffered greatly from this standoff?"
"So what?!"
Gok Jin-dong's eyes bulged as he roared, and the subordinate replied in a frantic voice.
"And besides—the Empty-Handed Divine Thief is no ordinary martial artist."
The Empty-Handed Divine Thief was a mysterious figure who held the weaknesses of both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Paths.
In other words, capturing him meant seizing the leverage over both factions, didn't it?
"Are they trying to capture the Empty-Handed Divine Thief?!"
"Even if that's not their intention... With the Orthodox and Unorthodox factions gathered here in a contest of strength, the Imperial Palace must be uneasy."
The subordinate gulped before continuing.
"And the ones suffering the damage from this standoff are innocent civilians."
"Hmm."
As Gok Jin-dong let out a thoughtful hum, the unit member spoke again.
"Because of this news, rumors are spreading that last night, the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander sought out and ambushed the Martial Alliance's Thousand Sword Corps Commander."
"The Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander has revealed himself?"
"Yes. If we drag this out any longer and the imperial troops actually descend upon us, both the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance will end up like a dog chasing a chicken."
What if the imperial troops stormed Oji Mountain?
In that case, the Empty-Handed Divine Thief might even cheer and reveal himself.
Rather than being killed by the masters of the orthodox and unorthodox factions, it would be better for him to be handed over to the government office.
"Then that means an all-out war is about to break out..."
Piiii! BOOM!
As if to confirm Gok Jin-dong's words, two signal flares shot up into the sky in the distance.
They were the signal flares used by the Demon Hall's elite units and the Martial Alliance's sword corps to call for reinforcements—both had been fired simultaneously.
It was clear that the Demon Hall's forces and the Martial Alliance's sword corps had clashed in that vicinity.
"I must meet with the Death Shadow Squad leader."
Just as Gok Jin-dong, having made up his mind, was about to move—
Crunch, crunch.
At that moment, dozens of figures descended from the peak of Gwanmo Peak.
It was Bu Eun-seol and the Death Shadow Squad members.
"Commander."
Gok Jin-dong bowed his head upon spotting Bu Eun-seol, and all the unit members followed suit, clasping their hands together.
"Commander. Have you heard the news? Right now, the imperial troops—"
Before Gok Jin-dong could even finish speaking—
"There's no need to worry."
Bu Eun-seol raised a hand, cutting him off.
"An all-out war will absolutely not break out."
As he descended, he continued calmly, as if he had already heard every word of Gok Jin-dong and the unit member's conversation.
"In fact, we'll likely end up temporarily cooperating with the Martial Alliance."
"What do you mean?"
"If we keep pointlessly fighting each other in this situation, we'll either lose the Empty-Handed Divine Thief or let the government office take him."
Bu Eun-seol pointed toward the signal flares of the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance streaking across the distant sky.
"We absolutely cannot allow that to happen... which is why the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance will have no choice but to act together."
"Then, those signal flares aren't a call for reinforcements, but a sign that both sides are cooperating?"
"Correct. Most likely, the Empty-Handed Divine Thief has been spotted in that area."
Gok Jin-dong's mouth fell open.
Now that he thought about it, it made sense.
Rather than handing the Empty-Handed Divine Thief over to the government office, it would be far more beneficial for both the orthodox and unorthodox factions to join forces and kill him outright.
"But... Commander, where are you going?"
"Staying cooped up on Gwanmo Peak has been suffocating. The main force will take over here, so all of you will head up there instead."
"You're not joining the pursuit?"
"No."
Gok Jin-dong couldn't understand.
Even if Bu Eun-seol had no need to earn merit, he never expected the commander to be this much of a reckless ruffian with no sense of responsibility.
"But even for you, Commander, if you wish to gain merit—"
As Gok Jin-dong trailed off, Bu Eun-seol let out a cold smile.
"If you don't like it, there's nothing I can do. I'll just have to assign you a different task."
"N-No, that's not it!"
Gok Jin-dong frantically waved his hands.
He was terrified that Bu Eun-seol might give him some absurd task just to mess with him.
"We'll head up to Gwanmo Peak immediately."
Fearing that Bu Eun-seol might change his mind, the Life Ending Squad and the Poisonous Eye Squad quickly packed their belongings and moved toward Gwanmo Peak.
Once they had all disappeared up the peak, Myo Cheon-u, who had been standing idly beside Bu Eun-seol, slowly opened his mouth.
"Alright, now start talking. Explain everything."
"Explain what?"
"The imperial troops are supposedly about to descend, yet you're leisurely setting up camp here? That doesn't make sense."
The Bu Eun-seol he knew was a man whose cunning was far more terrifying than his martial arts.
Myo Cheon-u spoke in a voice brimming with certainty.
"This was all your doing, wasn't it? I'm telling you to start explaining."
"The imperial troops aren't coming."
"What?"
"Looks like Yu Un-ryong did his job properly."
"What are you talking about? Why Yu Un-ryong?"
Bu Eun-seol replied with an indifferent expression.
"I had Yu Un-ryong spread the rumor that the government office was about to storm this place."
"What?!"
"Of course, to deceive the intelligence networks, we had to actually mobilize some troops. That's why I entrusted this task to Yu Un-ryong."
Myo Cheon-u and the other unit members all wore expressions as if they had seen a ghost.
"Commander. What in the world is going on?"
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Wi Cheon-gyeong also stepped forward.
"You deliberately moved the government troops?"
"That's right."
Bu Eun-seol gazed at the distant sky as he explained calmly.
"Only then would the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance stop their standoff and immediately join forces to eliminate the Empty-Handed Divine Thief."
From the very beginning, Bu Eun-seol had no intention of strictly following the orders given by the Chief Doctrine Commander and the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander.
Moreover, the longer the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance remained locked in confrontation over capturing the Empty-Handed Divine Thief, the more unstable Bu Eun-seol's position would become.
All attention would be focused on the Divine Thief, and there was no telling what orders the Heavenly Slaughter Unit Commander might issue here.
Thus, Bu Eun-seol devised a scheme to break the deadlock between the two factions, forcing the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance to cooperate and quickly capture the Empty-Handed Divine Thief.
"The reason the Empty-Handed Divine Thief has been able to hide in this area without being discovered is precisely because the masters of the orthodox and unorthodox factions have been locked in a standoff."
Bu Eun-seol slowly swept his gaze over the unit members before speaking again.
"But if both sides join forces and begin searching together..."
He paused briefly, a flash of light flickering in his pupils.
"Then the Empty-Handed Divine Thief will have no way out. Eventually, he'll have no choice but to break through the encirclement and flee this place."
—Our commander is truly insane...
The unit members couldn't hide their shock, their mouths hanging open.
To kick over the board set by the Demon Hall and the Martial Alliance, and even mobilize government troops just to bring the Empty-Handed Divine Thief incident to an abrupt end?