Chapter 280
The lead assassin stood frozen like a statue.
Beads of sweat as thick as raindrops streamed down his forehead, his gaze fixed rigidly on the ground.
Tremble, tremble...
His body shook violently, like a herbivorous animal confronting a predator.
Around him lay scattered fragments—a gruesome mixture of blood and bodily fluids.
These were the traces left after a hundred assassins had been struck by Bu Eun-seol's fist energy, reduced to pulped flesh and splattered across the surroundings.
'This man... is a Death God.'
The leader's mind replayed the martial prowess Bu Eun-seol had displayed moments earlier.
He had been a raging inferno, while the hundred assassins were nothing but thin, brittle straws.
With every assassin who charged at him, lives were snuffed out effortlessly, accompanied by the violent dispersal of bodily fluids and fragments of flesh.
Not a single one could withstand even a single fist from him.
"...Who are you?"
Swish!
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol stretched out his hand.
A powerful Void Object Retrieval technique activated, and the fabric tucked inside the lead assassin's robes tore away completely.
Thud.
At the same time, a small wooden case flew into Bu Eun-seol's grasp as if drawn by an invisible force.
Witnessing this, terror once again surfaced in the assassin's eyes.
'At his age, to possess such martial prowess...'
Only after seeing this display of advanced Void Object Retrieval did the assassin realize that Bu Eun-seol wasn't merely strong—he was one of those rare superlative martial experts who stood above the entire Murim world.
"Your backer."
The voice belonged to the Death God.
The assassin trembled as he spoke.
"If I tell you... will I live?"
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed with blood light as he replied in a low voice.
"I'll allow you to take your own life."
An absurd statement.
To promise permission for suicide in exchange for information.
Yet the lead assassin understood instinctively.
Severing his own meridians would be useless. Crushing a poison core between his teeth would be futile.
The reflexes of a master who had reached Bu Eun-seol's realm surpassed those of ordinary martial artists by dozens of times.
If he didn't answer truthfully, he sensed that this terrifying monster would trap him in a state where he could neither die nor live.
"I was too greedy."
The assassin, having abandoned even the will to live, lowered his head.
Then, in a subdued voice, he spoke.
"Deputy Chief of the Law Enforcement Hall, Danri Muk."
The assassin continued, his voice barely above a whisper.
"He orchestrated everything. To kill Law Enforcement Commander Jongjeong Yak, who was investigating him."
"And your group?"
"Moon Shadow Gate. An assassin sect under long-term contract with the Murim Alliance."
Having heard enough, Bu Eun-seol gave a slight nod.
Then, slowly, he turned away.
Thud.
The lead assassin collapsed like a felled log. Only then did he dare bite down on his poison core, finally at peace.
Crunch, crunch.
Bu Eun-seol's gaze shifted to Neung Jo-un's unconscious face, his sleep acupoint still sealed.
To Bu Eun-seol's eyes, he was little more than a naive fool ignorant of the world's ways—yet one with deep loyalty and an unshakable sense of justice.
Hmph.
A faint smile touched Bu Eun-seol's lips as he slung Neung Jo-un over his shoulder with one arm. Immediately, he exited the Song Family Estate.
Whoosh!
Unleashing a movement technique swift as a gale, Bu Eun-seol returned to the forest, where Jongjeong Yak knelt in prayer.
"Adjutant Neung!"
The moment she spotted Bu Eun-seol carrying Neung Jo-un, she scrambled to her feet and rushed over.
"You're both unharmed!"
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol retrieved a small wooden case from his robes and held it out.
"This is the Violet Essence Pill."
"How... how did you—"
As Jongjeong Yak's eyes widened, Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"The mastermind is Deputy Chief Danri Muk. He used the pill as bait in his plan to kill you."
"Danri... the Deputy Chief orchestrated this?"
Jongjeong Yak's mouth fell open.
How had Bu Eun-seol uncovered this? How had he retrieved the pill and rescued Neung Jo-un?
"Just who are you?"
The question carried fundamental doubt about Bu Eun-seol's identity.
What he had accomplished today was impossible for a mere high-level wanderer—no matter how exceptional his movement technique.
'As I feared.'
Bu Eun-seol hesitated briefly.
If he didn't resolve her suspicions now, she would never trust him again, no matter what happened in the future.
Even if he infiltrated the Murim Alliance through her, such distrust would only hinder his movements.
'No choice.'
Having made his decision, Bu Eun-seol spoke.
"I am a Special-Grade wanderer of the Red Sky Curtain Branch."
"A... a Special-Grade wanderer?"
"Correct."
Jongjeong Yak's jaw dropped.
In Shaanxi's largest Wanderers' Market, the Red Sky Curtain Branch, there are fewer than ten Special-Grade Wanderers.
Yet this utterly plain-looking man before her was one of those legendary mercenaries who commanded tens of thousands of taels per commission.
If he's a Special-Grade Wanderer, that means he's at least entered the threshold of the Transcendence Realm.
Only now did Jongjeong Yak begin to grasp the unfathomable martial prowess Bu Eun-seol had displayed earlier.
"But how did a Special-Grade Wanderer like you take on this job as a mere High-Grade Wanderer?"
Her voice was thick with suspicion.
Bu Eun-seol deliberately sighed and shook his head.
"At the request of Young Lady Dam."
"Young Lady Dam?"
"Indeed. She asked me to assist you—but to keep it a secret. She said you'd feel burdened if you knew."
Jongjeong Yak's eyes sparkled as if she had just realized something.
"So... did she pay you separately?"
"She did."
"How much...?"
"One hundred thousand taels."
"What?!"
As she reeled in shock, Bu Eun-seol quickly added:
"That was just the deposit."
For a moment, Jongjeong Yak's face burned as if she had been slapped.
"Just the deposit was a hundred thousand taels? Then what's the success fee?"
"Another hundred thousand taels."
Her eyes widened, and she dropped her head in disbelief.
Dam Yu-yeon had casually thrown out two hundred thousand taels—for her sake.
"I truly had no idea..."
"Don't trouble yourself over it. I only care about the payment anyway."
"That's not what I meant!"
Jongjeong Yak scowled indignantly.
"Two hundred thousand taels for something like this? Isn't that excessive? Don't demand any more money from Young Lady Dam!"
"Now I sound like some swindler who just takes money without doing anything."
"You know that's not what I meant."
"Not at all. I don't understand."
As Bu Eun-seol remained stubborn, Jongjeong Yak seemed to make up her mind.
"Fine. I'll pay the success fee myself. So don't ask Young Lady Dam for any more money."
Bu Eun-seol let out a quiet scoff.
"Do you have a hundred thousand taels?"
"Not right now, but once this matter is resolved—"
Stammering, she suddenly turned her flushed face away and spoke coldly.
"Could you... lower the price a little?"
"How much?"
"T-twenty thousand taels."
"You want me to slash it by twenty thousand taels?"
"N-no! Could you just... take twenty thousand taels?"
At her childish plea, Bu Eun-seol answered flatly:
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
Turning away, he immediately unsealed Neung Jo-un's sleep acupoint.
"Gah—!"
With a sharp cry, Neung Jo-un jolted awake, looking around in confusion.
"What happened? Why am I here?"
"Well, you see..."
Jongjeong Yak tended to his wounds as she briefly explained everything that had happened—how he had been searching for the Violet Essence Pill, and how all of this had been orchestrated by Deputy Chief Danri Muk of the Law Enforcement Hall.
"A Special-Grade Wanderer?!"
But Neung Jo-un fixated on the most unexpected detail.
The man he had dismissed as an arrogant, unremarkable wanderer turned out to be a Special-Grade Wanderer?
Though the arrogance in his gaze vanished, his eyes instead burned with hostility—the misplaced jealousy of a young man afraid of losing the attention of the woman he secretly adored.
"W-well, even if he's a Special-Grade Wanderer, it doesn't change anything..."
Despite his words, knowing Bu Eun-seol's status had clearly deflated Neung Jo-un's bravado.
"At the end of the day, you're just a wanderer contracted by the Law Enforcement Commander."
"I'm aware."
Then Jongjeong Yak spoke up.
"So... what do we do now?"
She sighed, staring at the distant sky.
"We recovered the Violet Essence Pill and found out who was behind this, but we still don't have any solid evidence of corruption."
Neung Jo-un's expression darkened as well.
If they returned to the Martial Alliance like this, they'd be stuck in an infuriating limbo—knowing Danri Muk was the culprit but unable to arrest him.
"Ah! I have an idea!"
Jongjeong Yak's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Young Hero Seol, you heard the assassins admit that the Deputy Chief was the mastermind, right?"
"And?"
"I'll request a Ten Justice Assembly."
The Ten Justice Assembly was convened when suspicions of misconduct arose against a Hall Master-level official. If the motion passed, the Inspection Hall would launch a rigorous investigation.
That way, Danri Muk would have no escape—his tail would be caught for sure.
"But without evidence, how do you expect the motion to pass? Our opponent is the Deputy Chief of the Law Enforcement Hall—a man who could make even a sparrow fall from the sky with his influence."
"We don't need definitive proof. Even just raising suspicion will be enough to make the Inspection Hall act."
Jongjeong Yak spoke in a firm voice.
"Young Hero Seol is a formally registered wanderer at the Red Sky Curtain Branch. If his testimony is deemed credible... the Inspection Hall will investigate Deputy Chief Dangnimuk."
"I see. That makes sense."
Neung Jo-un nodded at first, then suddenly shook his head.
"But wouldn't that be too difficult?"
"Why?"
"It's far too dangerous. If things go that way, the Deputy Chief will stop at nothing to have him killed."
"Hmm."
Jongjeong Yak let out a low hum and lowered her head.
No matter how skilled a Special-Grade wanderer he was, within the Murim Alliance, there were countless masters who far surpassed him.
Moreover, this wasn't part of their original contract.
If Bu Eun-seol refused, she couldn't forcibly drag him into the Murim Alliance.
"Young Hero Seol."
Yet, clinging to a sliver of hope, she fixed her gaze on Bu Eun-seol.
"Please help us. Only your testimony can bring him before the Ten Justice Assembly."
Bu Eun-seol remained silent.
Truthfully, what he wanted was to naturally infiltrate the Murim Alliance.
But if he accepted Jongjeong Yak's proposal too eagerly, it might arouse suspicion—so he had to be cautious.
As a Law Enforcement Commander tasked with investigating misconduct, she wouldn't overlook even the slightest hint of doubt.
"Young Hero Seol."
Receiving no response, Jongjeong Yak pleaded once more.
"A high-ranking official like the Deputy Chief of the Law Enforcement Hall has been embezzling the Alliance's spirit medicine while manipulating assassins. If we leave him unchecked, he won't just harm the Alliance—he'll bring great ruin to the entire Murim."
"I am a wanderer."
"Pardon?"
After a long silence, Bu Eun-seol finally spoke.
"What happens in the Murim—its politics, its struggles—has nothing to do with me."
Jongjeong Yak hesitated briefly before replying.
"Didn't our contract include escorting us to the Murim Alliance? Couldn't this be considered an extension of that duty?"
When he still didn't react, she began leveraging her relationship with Dam Yu-yeon and even her own position.
"Big Sister Dam and I are very close. I'll speak highly of you to her. And having a Law Enforcement Commander owe you a favor—that could only benefit you, Young Hero Seol."
After a long moment of contemplation, Bu Eun-seol stared directly at her and said:
"If you want my help, draft a new contract."
"A contract?"
"Indeed. The original agreement only covered escorting you to the Murim Alliance."
Jongjeong Yak couldn't hide her disbelief.
"So... you're saying you'll testify in exchange for payment."
"Payment is an odd way to phrase it. I'm asking for a success fee."
Though she found it absurd, part of her was relieved.
It was only natural for a wanderer to seek compensation. Had he instead spouted righteous rhetoric and offered to help for free, she would've been far more suspicious.
'Maybe I was worrying over nothing.'
Truthfully, she hadn't fully trusted Bu Eun-seol.
Her journey to the Red Sky Curtain Branch to recruit wanderers was publicly known.
Anyone running an intelligence network could easily have used that to plant an agent near her.
"How much?"
"Two hundred thousand taels."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was low.
"And that's already discounted, considering it's an additional contract."
"Even if I liquidated all my assets, two hundred thousand taels would be impossible."
"Then we have no deal."
Bu Eun-seol turned away coldly.
But at that moment, Jongjeong Yak's gaze locked onto the wooden case he had handed her earlier.
"Must your payment be in coin alone?"
"What do you mean?"
"Would you accept goods instead?"
She smiled and pointed at the case containing the Violet Essence Pill.
"Half of a spirit medicine that sold for five hundred thousand taels at auction—wouldn't that suffice as payment?"
"Law Enforcement Commander."
"It's fine. Without him, recovering the Violet Essence Pill would've been impossible anyway."
Even Bu Eun-seol blinked in surprise.
"The Law Enforcement Commander of the Murim Alliance is suggesting embezzling the Violet Essence Pill?"
"Embezzlement is a harsh word. I'm simply using half of this pill to ensure the traitor rotting our Alliance is brought to justice."
'Just as I thought.'
Bu Eun-seol inwardly smiled.
So Ja-myeong, the leader of the Kill-Seeking Unit, had been right.
Jongjeong Yak preached righteousness, but in truth, she was driven by ambition.
"Commander, no matter what, this is—"
Just as Neung Jo-un waved his hands in protest—
"Very well."
Bu Eun-seol nodded decisively.
"If you give me half of the Violet Essence Pill, I'll go to the Murim Alliance and testify."
The Murim Alliance, located in Changdeok Prefecture, Henan, had a far simpler entry process compared to the Demon Hall.
One only needed to state their purpose and sign the visitor log before being allowed inside.
In fact, it didn't matter if you were from the Righteous Faction, the Demonic Path, or even the Black Path—so long as you signed the log, you could enter freely.
Confidence.
Even if someone with impure intentions entered, they could never cause harm within the Martial Alliance.
After all, the number of superlative martial experts who looked down upon the world was far greater in the Martial Alliance than in the Demon Hall.
Truly, the a dragon's pool and tiger's lair.
This was a place where the strongest warriors of the Righteous Faction resided, and thus, its gates were flung wide open to anyone.
But there was a trap hidden here.
Entering was easy—leaving was another matter entirely.
Once someone stepped inside the alliance, they could not leave recklessly. They were kept under thorough surveillance.
"You've returned."
Upon arriving at the Martial Alliance, the guard recognized Jongjeong Yak and Neung Jo-un, clasping his hands together in greeting.
But when his eyes fell on Bu Eun-seol, clad in plain gray martial robes, his head tilted in confusion.
"And who might this be?"
Under normal circumstances, Jongjeong Yak would have fabricated a false identity or hastily scribbled something in the guestbook to brush past the question.
But this time, she answered the guard with unshaken confidence.
"A witness who will provide crucial testimony in the upcoming Ten Justice Assembly."
"The Ten Justice Assembly?"
The guard's mouth fell open.
Did that not mean a council would soon convene to punish a Hall Master-level figure?
"Indeed."
Jongjeong Yak's lips curled into a self-assured smile.
She was spreading the word early—ensuring that Danri Muk could not use his authority to suppress the assembly.
"Ah—please, come inside."
As the guard swung the gates open, Jongjeong Yak, Neung Jo-un, and Bu Eun-seol strode in without hesitation.
The Martial Alliance provided three types of lodging for visitors.
First, the common quarters—where merchants and laborers conducting business with the alliance stayed.
Next, the guest quarters—equipped with private bedrooms.
And finally, the VIP quarters—reserved for distinguished guests, complete with private rooms and personal attendants.
"You'll stay here for the time being."
Yet the lodging Jongjeong Yak assigned Bu Eun-seol was neither common, guest, nor VIP—but Neung Jo-un's own residence.
"Deputy Hall Master Danri Muk is unpredictable. Stay with Adjutant Neung for now."
Ignoring the despairing look on Neung Jo-un's face, she pointed to one of the rooms in his quarters.
"Even if I submit the request now, it will take days for the Ten Justice Assembly to convene."
'She still doesn't trust me.'
Of course, this decision could have been made purely for his safety.
But this was the Martial Alliance, and she was its Law Enforcement Commander.
She couldn't convene a Ten Justice Assembly to investigate the misconduct of Danri Muk, the Deputy Chief of the Law Enforcement Hall, on a wandering rogue's word alone.
'She must intend to investigate thoroughly—not just me, but Danri Muk as well.'
Punishing a Hall Master-level figure was no small matter, even with the assembly's approval. There was no room for error.
Her actions made it clear: she would protect Bu Eun-seol from Danri Muk's monstrous schemes while scrutinizing both of them further.
"Understood."
Bu Eun-seol nodded amiably, meeting her gaze.
'No matter how deep they dig, they'll find nothing.'
Even if the Martial Alliance mobilized its entire information network to comb through every detail, there would be nothing to uncover about him.
The identity of Seol-so, the wandering rogue, had been meticulously prepared long ago—it was no lie.
"It's late now, so rest well."
As Jongjeong Yak departed, Neung Jo-un stretched and let out a yawn.
"I'll get some sleep too. Make yourself comfortable."
Having surrendered his own room to Bu Eun-seol, Neung Jo-un sprawled across a chair in the reception area—meant for hosting guests.
"I'll sleep here."
"Very well."
Once inside the room, Bu Eun-seol closed his eyes.
How much time had passed?
By the third watch of the night, his eyes slowly reopened.
'He's not asleep.'
Bu Eun-seol could sense it.
Though Neung Jo-un lay still in the reception area, feigning slumber, his consciousness remained sharply attuned to his surroundings.
Silent as a shadow, Bu Eun-seol approached the door and slipped a finger through the slight gap in the frame.
If he struck an acupoint with Finger Wind, the sound of breaking air and the sensation of impact would alert his target just before the strike landed.
So instead, Bu Eun-seol intended to use the Willful True Binding to secretly press Neung Jo-un's sleep acupoint.
"Hmm..."
Drawing upon his internal energy, he activated the technique. A thread of true qi, fine as silk, coiled from his fingertip.
Swish. Swish.
Like a living creature, the qi slithered forward—then deeply pressed into Neung Jo-un's sleep acupoint.
"Zzz..."
The moment the acupoint was struck, Neung Jo-un began to snore.
Exhausted from forced marches and drained from keeping watch over Bu Eun-seol, his mental power had already been depleted.
Now, with his acupoint sealed, he fell into a deep slumber.
"Hmph."
Before leaving, Bu Eun-seol tucked a pillowcase into his sleeve.
If needed, it would serve as a makeshift mask.
'First, I'll search nearby.'
Slipping out unnoticed, he surveyed his surroundings.
If the Martial Alliance had ties to Wicked Incense, there would be traces—hidden records, documents, or perhaps even a secret warehouse storing concealed weapons related to it.
And now, he would find them—in silence.