Chapter 277
Scripture Instruction Hall, Dam Yu-yeon's Office.
Jongjeong Yak listened as Dam Yu-yeon explained the wandering martial artist standing before them.
He wore tattered gray robes, with a bandage-wrapped sword slung over his back.
His name was Seol-so.
Not a trace of emotion showed on his face—at first glance, he resembled an aged monk who had transcended worldly affairs.
Yet according to Dam Yu-yeon, he was the most skilled wanderer in the Red Battlefield Wanderer Network.
'This man is a high-level wanderer?'
Jongjeong Yak blinked after hearing Dam Yu-yeon's full explanation.
Most high-level wanderers were middle-aged men with extensive experience in the martial world.
But the man before her was a young man who didn't look much older than herself.
Moreover, his gaze was unnervingly still, devoid of any warmth, making it hard for her to feel any affinity toward him.
'I don't particularly like him.'
Just as she sighed inwardly and was about to shake her head—
"Don't worry."
Dam Yu-yeon, noticing Jongjeong Yak's troubled expression, smiled faintly.
"Young Hero Seol will undoubtedly be of great help."
"Sister," Jongjeong Yak murmured. Dam Yu-yeon replied by voice transmission:
「Trust me. No matter what happens, rely on him. Understood?」
Jongjeong Yak was puzzled.
Why use voice transmission when they were alone in the office?
But seeing Dam Yu-yeon's confident smile, she found herself nodding reflexively.
If Dam Yu-yeon—who had memorized every detail about the wanderers in the Red Sky Curtain Branch—said so, it must be true.
"Law Enforcement Commander. Must we really hire a wanderer?"
The young man who had been standing silently beside Jongjeong Yak finally spoke with a displeased expression.
"I, too, have ample experience in the martial world. My protection alone should suffice."
His name was Neung Jo-un.
A martial artist from the Flying Dagger Sect, he had long served as Jongjeong Yak's adjutant.
Though somewhat hot-tempered, his martial skills were exceptional, and his loyalty ran deep—traits that made Jongjeong Yak hold him in high regard.
"This isn't about protection."
Jongjeong Yak's reply was firm.
"To resolve this case, we need a wanderer well-versed in the underworld and familiar with the workings of the Black Gangs."
"Men like that can either be suppressed with martial force or swayed with money. Isn't one of those methods enough?"
"It's not as simple as you think."
She had ventured into the martial world many times, handling dangerous missions.
Thus, she knew better than anyone how invaluable it was to have someone knowledgeable about the underworld by her side.
"No further objections."
Her tone was solemn as she nodded toward Bu Eun-seol.
"Very well. I'll take the contract."
Jongjeong Yak handed the document she had received from Dam Yu-yeon to Bu Eun-seol.
"The terms are simple: assist and protect me until I return to the Martial Alliance, and never disclose anything you see or hear during that time."
Her voice brimmed with the confidence befitting a Law Enforcement Commander of the Martial Alliance.
"Can you do it?"
"I have three conditions."
"Three?"
Bu Eun-seol spoke in a low voice.
"First, no one but you may give me orders or interfere."
The condition was clearly aimed at Neung Jo-un, who was brimming with discontent.
Jongjeong Yak chuckled.
"Quite meticulous, aren't you? Fine. What's the second?"
"When I take measures for safety, even you must follow my instructions."
"That's unacceptable."
Neung Jo-un stepped forward with a sharp expression.
"Protecting the Law Enforcement Commander is my duty."
"I said safety measures, not protection."
"Aren't they the same thing?"
As their argument threatened to drag on, Jongjeong Yak nodded.
"Fine. I'll accept that condition too."
"Commander!"
Neung Jo-un nearly jumped in protest, but Jongjeong Yak cut him off decisively.
"It's only when it's for my safety. What's the third?"
"My protection extends solely to you. I won't take responsibility for anyone else."
"Agreed."
Then she turned back to Bu Eun-seol.
"Are we settled now?"
"We are."
As Bu Eun-seol accepted the document, Dam Yu-yeon smiled brightly.
「Thank you, Young Hero Seol.」
In truth, Dam Yu-yeon had visited the guest inn where Bu Eun-seol was staying to make a separate request.
She had promised him compensation equivalent to that of a Special-Grade wanderer in exchange for accepting the contract with Jongjeong Yak.
Of course, this arrangement was to remain a secret from Jongjeong Yak.
「No need for thanks. It's just business.」
When Bu Eun-seol replied, Jongjeong Yak smiled and nodded.
"Then let's depart."
A single Eight Horse Carriage and mounted martial artists sped down the highway.
Jongjeong Yak's destination was the Crow River Escort Agency.
Recently contracted by the Martial Alliance, the agency had been responsible for transporting spirit medicines from Shaanxi to the Alliance.
But over the past few years, shipments meant for the Alliance had frequently gone missing.
Most notably, just a short while ago, an entire batch of fifty Purple Herb Pills—meant to be transported by the Crow River Escort Agency—had vanished without a trace.
Though they had compensated the Alliance with an enormous sum, suspicions lingered.
—This is no mere accident.
Jongjeong Yak sensed something amiss within the Crow River Escort Agency and intended to investigate it thoroughly.
"Whoa."
As the carriage came to a halt and Jongjeong Yak and the others disembarked, the guards stationed in front of the Youjiang Escort Bureau clasped their hands together in greeting.
"How may we assist you?"
Jongjeong Yak strode forward confidently and extended the Command Plaque symbolizing her authority as Law Enforcement Commander to the guard.
"We've come from the Martial Alliance. Is the bureau master inside?"
The guard, who had been examining the plaque, bowed deeply with his hands clasped.
"Please wait a moment."
After some time, the guard returned and gestured politely with one hand.
"This way, please."
Upon entering the bureau, the interior was eerily silent—so much so that it felt hollow.
The bustling energy one would expect from an escort bureau was absent, replaced by an unsettling stillness. Neither escorts transporting goods nor laborers were in sight.
"What happened here? Why is it so quiet?"
At her question, the guard leading the way hunched slightly and replied,
"These are exceptionally busy times. Everyone has gone out to transport goods."
"I see."
They passed several buildings before arriving at a spacious guest hall designed to receive visitors.
"Young Lady, please step inside. The bureau master will be out shortly."
'It's a trap.'
Bu Eun-seol, observing the scene, immediately sensed that the hall was rigged with a trap.
Even from a distance, he could distinctly hear the faint metallic scraping of mechanisms—yet Jongjeong Yak and Neung Jo-un remained oblivious, their expressions calm and untroubled.
"Understood."
Just as Jongjeong Yak moved to open the door without hesitation, Bu Eun-seol stopped her.
"From now on, no matter where you go, never enter first."
When Bu Eun-seol attempted to step inside ahead of her, the guard bowed his head with an awkward expression.
"The bureau master requested only the Young Lady's presence."
At this, Neung Jo-un curled the corner of his lips slightly and said to Bu Eun-seol,
"The Law Enforcement Commander isn't walking into a death ground—she's merely entering a drawing room to meet the bureau master."
Jongjeong Yak also smiled as she looked at him.
"It's fine. You can wait outside."
But Bu Eun-seol responded firmly.
"Have you already forgotten our agreement? Every measure is for safety's sake."
"Hmm."
Seeing the unwavering resolve in Bu Eun-seol's eyes, Jongjeong Yak sighed and turned to the guard.
"Then I'll personally ask the bureau master for permission."
Reluctantly, the guard bowed his head as if he had no choice.
And with that, Jongjeong Yak stepped inside.
Clank.
The moment she entered, the sound of the door slamming shut abruptly echoed from outside.
And not just any sound—it was the heavy, metallic clang of iron.
Clang! Clang!
Simultaneously, the sharp clashing of weapons rang out repeatedly from beyond the door.
'Something's wrong!'
Clank-clank!
She sprang to her feet, trying to rush back outside—but the door was sealed shut.
Bang!
She channeled her Palm Energy, but the door didn't budge an inch.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear: the door was only wooden on the surface—its core was reinforced with iron.
Swish-swish-swish!
Then, with the sharp Sound of Breaking Air, dark hidden weapons began pouring from the walls on all sides.
"It's a trap!"
Jongjeong Yak swiftly drew her sword, weaving a dense Sword Curtain around herself.
The sword technique she employed was the Celestial Star Sword Art—a high-level skill taught only to Hall Master-leveled figures in the Martial Alliance.
As a Rising Talent of the Younger Generation who had risen to the position of Law Enforcement Commander, she had been permitted to select one of the Alliance's advanced sword arts to master.
Swish-swish-swish!
With her flawless Sword Curtain in place, the raining hidden weapons fell before they could even touch her.
But the number of projectiles only increased, until it seemed like a swarm of black hornets was descending from the air.
Whoosh!
Then, a fierce gale swept through—and the hidden weapons began dropping like rain.
The third stance of the Seven Forms of the Fist Demon—Forgetful Shattering Together—had been unleashed.
The Fist Wind gradually spiraled like a dragon's whirlwind, releasing a torrent of overwhelming Fist Energy in rotating waves. Not only did it deflect the hidden weapons—it shattered the very mechanisms embedded in the walls.
Crash!
As the walls collapsed, the barrage of weapons ceased instantly.
Jongjeong Yak stared at the wreckage, her lips parting slightly.
"Th-that's an incredible Fist Technique."
It rivaled the sheer force of the Dragon-Subduing Palm she had witnessed years ago, demonstrated by an Elder of the Beggars' Sect at the Martial Alliance.
"So your True Void wasn't sword energy—but fist energy?"
Bu Eun-seol ignored her question, swiftly scanning their surroundings.
Jongjeong Yak then murmured in a low voice,
"There's no need to look. Since we're blocked on all sides, we'll escape upward."
She immediately prepared to burst through the roof.
"Stop."
Bu Eun-seol halted her at once.
"This trap was designed anticipating an upward escape."
"What?"
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol twisted his left fist and unleashed a light One Fist strike toward the ceiling.
Bang!
As the roof shattered—
Whoooosh!
A torrent of hidden weapons poured down like a swarm of hornets.
The sheer volume was staggering—the Sound of Breaking Air reverberating in all directions was akin to the sizzling of chicken frying in oil.
Boom!
Some of the hidden weapons even contained fire pellets, triggering multiple explosions that sent flames spreading violently in every direction.
Blocking hidden weapons mid-leap was an exceptionally difficult feat. Moreover, with explosive pellets mixed among the concealed projectiles...
Unless one had mastered a movement technique like the Cloud Dragon's Eight Strides—which allowed aerial repositioning—avoiding such a trap would be impossible.
"You'd have sustained severe injuries if you'd gone upward," Jongjeong Yak remarked.
Bu Eun-seol nodded silently before delivering a swift One Fist strike to the locked door.
KOOOONG!
The iron door burst open with a resonant clang, like a temple bell being struck.
Beyond it, dozens of assassins clashed with the Martial Alliance warriors Jongjeong Yak had brought, their shouts filling the air.
'Hmm.'
Bu Eun-seol's brow furrowed slightly as he observed the skirmish.
The warriors fighting the assassins possessed skills far too mediocre for proper Martial Alliance members.
'So that's how it is.'
Now he understood why Jongjeong Yak had requested an escort on top of his investigative assistance.
'They assigned her freshly trained novices.'
The standard protocol was to deploy seasoned warriors—those who'd not only completed advanced training but had ample combat experience—for field operations. Yet the Alliance had deliberately assigned her untested recruits.
'She's under pressure from above.'
As Bu Eun-seol pieced together the situation, narrowing his eyes, Jongjeong Yak shouted:
"Young Hero Seol! Assist Adjutant Neung!"
Hearing this, Neung Jo-un—who'd been fending off attackers—suddenly barked like a provoked hound:
"I require no assistance!"
Swinging his sword in a wide arc, he leapt back and thrust his left hand forward.
FLASH!
A streak of light shot from his sleeve—
THUK!
—embedding a short dagger in an assassin's throat.
FLASH-THUK! THUK-THUK!
With each flick of his wrist, icy glints erupted through the air, felling assassins with unerring precision. Every shot hit its mark.
True to his Flying Dagger Sect heritage, Neung Jo-un's true prowess lay not in the longsword at his waist, but in the concealed blades hidden within his sleeves.
"Advantage!"
As his relentless dagger volleys dropped assassin after assassin, the tide of battle turned decisively.
The lead assassin, recognizing imminent defeat, bellowed:
"Retreat!"
But their escape was wishful thinking.
Neung Jo-un launched dagger after dagger at the fleeing figures. Each throw sent another assassin crumpling to the ground with choked screams.
"Who ordered this?!" Jongjeong Yak demanded, her gaze sharp as a honed blade as she glared at the subdued killers. "Name your employer!"
The assassins responded only with flashing grins.
Realizing their intent, Jongjeong Yak instantly struck pressure points—assassins often bit down on poison-filled false teeth to avoid interrogation.
THUD. THUD.
Yet something bizarre occurred.
Despite her lightning-fast strikes on their Demon Blood Points, the assassins were already dying, blood trickling from their lips.
"How...?"
As Jongjeong Yak stood bewildered, Bu Eun-seol approached.
"They'd been holding poison cores in their mouths the entire fight."
"Poison cores? Why would they—?"
When she shook her head in confusion, he explained impassively:
"Because they knew their mission's success probability was low."
"Knew the odds were against them and still..."
The shaken Law Enforcement Commander trailed off. In all her investigations, she'd never encountered assassins so ruthlessly indifferent to survival.
Seeing Bu Eun-seol's utterly calm expression made her feel like a fool.
"Magistrate."
Neung Jo-un approached, his face grave.
"I strongly advise returning to Alliance headquarters immediately."
He studied the fallen assassins with somber intensity.
"They anticipated our route and prepared this ambush in advance."
The guest hall's door had been replaced with reinforced iron, its interior rigged with sophisticated hidden weapon mechanisms—preparations requiring considerable time.
"This means they not only tracked your movements but predicted our objectives like palm readers."
His expression darkened further.
"Continuing this investigation will only lead to deadlier traps."
Jongjeong Yak bit her lip.
His assessment was sound. Five or six of their warriors had sustained serious injuries—a significant combat power loss.
'But if we retreat now...'
Abandoning the investigation might mean never uncovering the truth. Her mission involved exposing high-level Alliance corruption. Failure could see her stripped of her Magistrate title under pretext.
'Unacceptable.'
This investigation had only begun due to support from Hall Master Hwa Mil-won. Returning empty-handed would leave even him without justification to shield her from upper echelon pressure.
"GACK—"
One of the fallen assassins suddenly convulsed, vomiting violently before beginning to tremble.
"What the—?"
The revived assassin lay where Seol-so—still pressing the man's Life Gate Acupoint—wore an inscrutable expression.
How had this wandering warrior just resurrected a dying man?