Chapter 486
Gongson Dan-gyeong pushed aside the question that had risen in her mind and, with a smile brimming on her lips, offered words of praise.
"If Commander Seon-u had remained with the merchant group, you would have shaken up the Upper Realm of the Central Plains by now."
Those in the martial world generally tend to look down on figures from the merchant class.
The perception is deeply ingrained that they are a group who struggle to maintain their foundations without the protection of martial factions and are overly sensitive to financial gains.
But seeing Bu Eun-seol, who excelled in both martial arts and strategic insight, that prejudice seemed to gradually fade.
"You flatter me."
"Thanks to you, we've gained much. Based on your advice, we'll further improve the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store."
Having received unexpected and valuable counsel, she wore a satisfied expression.
But the truly important matter was only just beginning.
"Then we should head to the warehouse in So-ho now."
One of the merchants' constant worries was the relentless onslaught of thieves.
Because of this, they either installed elaborate mechanisms in their warehouses or built the warehouses themselves in hidden locations.
But the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store was different.
The Martial Alliance had constructed a massive shared warehouse, guarded at all times by martial artists, where goods could be stored safely.
Of course, there was a storage fee, but it was far cheaper than installing mechanisms or hiring guards to fend off thieves.
For merchants, it was a favorable policy, and for the Martial Alliance, it became a steady source of income.
Now, the two of them had to comb through the shared warehouse in So-ho to identify any problematic items.
"It's huge."
Upon arriving in the So-ho region, Bu Eun-seol surveyed the vast warehouse grounds and nodded.
The shared warehouse built by the Martial Alliance was like seeing another Ten Thousand Blossoms Store in itself.
Inside the enormous rectangular building, goods entrusted by various shops were piled high.
From now on, Bu Eun-seol had to single out every counterfeit item that might pose a problem.
As he examined the mountain of goods stacked in the warehouse, Bu Eun-seol tilted his head in puzzlement.
"But I don't see any artworks here."
Gongson Dan-gyeong responded with a faint smile.
"The artworks are stored separately in an underground warehouse with stringent mechanisms."
She then activated the mechanism leading to the underground facility at the far end of the warehouse.
"There aren't too many artworks, so it shouldn't take long to inspect them."
Creak.
As the mechanism engaged, a sturdy iron door opened, revealing a staircase descending below.
When the warehouse door opened, beneath a high ceiling densely embedded with Night Shining Pearls, an astonishing collection of artworks came into view.
Their value amounted to millions of taels.
Under normal circumstances, shop owners would never entrust such genuine treasures to a shared warehouse like this.
But because it was the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store, operated by the Martial Alliance, merchants could rest assured in leaving their goods here.
"...Not many, you say?"
Bu Eun-seol blinked and asked, to which Gongson Dan-gyeong hesitated awkwardly.
"Well... more than expected."
"But even if guarded strictly by Martial Alliance warriors, I'm not sure it's wise to store such priceless artworks all in one place."
Bu Eun-seol remarked as he surveyed the surroundings.
"Moreover, the warehouse is located in a remote area, quite far from Chengdu."
"Just because warriors are guarding it doesn't mean thieves won't come."
Gongson Dan-gyeong explained with a smile.
"First, this warehouse in So-ho has multiple layers of mechanisms installed—ones even thieves known as Divine Thieves would struggle to bypass. Above all, when our alliance built this warehouse, we made a promise."
Her pupils glittered under the glow of the Night Shining Pearls.
"If anyone steals from here, the Martial Alliance will stake its honor and pursue them relentlessly until they are caught."
This shared warehouse was guarded by roughly three units of the Martial Alliance's Second-Rank Sword Unit.
Additionally, it was equipped with mechanisms so subtle and unique that even experts in Mechanism Formations would find them difficult to detect.
But the strongest security measure was the Martial Alliance's vow never to overlook theft.
The moment someone laid hands on this warehouse, they would be hunted by the Martial Alliance for life.
No matter how bold a Great Thief might be, none would dare even attempt it.
"Shall we begin?"
At Gongson Dan-gyeong's words, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
There was no time to waste.
They had to quickly inspect every item here to determine if any counterfeits were present.
How much time had passed?
Bu Eun-seol blinked his weary eyes.
Though the Night Shining Pearls illuminated the space brightly, maintaining the Empty Mind Spirit Perception while examining the artworks left his eyes gradually drying out and fatigue creeping in.
An ordinary person would have collapsed from hunger and exhaustion by now, but both Bu Eun-seol and Gongson Dan-gyeong were martial Masters who had honed their skills.
They could last for about two days without eating anything—they'd manage well enough.
"I think we're done here."
What Bu Eun-seol had discovered were twelve forgeries.
In terms of monetary loss, it amounted to tens of thousands of taels.
But financial damage was temporary.
Had these counterfeits circulated, the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store's credibility would have plummeted, and Gongson Dan-gyeong would have faced serious trouble.
"If we trace the path these forgeries took to get here, we should be able to identify who orchestrated this."
"Thank you. Thanks to you, we finished much faster than expected."
Gongson Dan-gyeong smiled wearily but brightly.
Even with her face covered by a veil, the moment she smiled, the dim warehouse seemed to brighten.
She resembles her.
Though Gongson Dan-a was counted among the Three Beauties of the World, Gongson Dan-gyeong was undoubtedly a stunning beauty in her own right.
And she looked remarkably young.
She certainly didn't appear to be a woman in her late thirties—ten years older than Gongson Dan-a.
"Shall we head back now?"
At her words, Bu Eun-seol nodded with a satisfied smile.
He had just secretly carried out a mission with the Martial Alliance's chief strategist and firmly established himself as a capable figure in her eyes.
From now on, whenever Gongson Dan-gyeong faced difficult tasks, she would undoubtedly think of Bu Eun-seol at least once.
"Seeing Commander Seon-u makes me think I made the right choice in accepting Lord Yuk's proposal."
Gongson Dan-gyeong murmured as she fiddled with the mechanism leading outside.
"Even I, as chief strategist, haven't had much luck with people until now."
So that's how it was.
She had risen to the position of chief strategist at an exceptionally young age.
Of course, it was because she possessed the skill and achievements to match, and she had earned the recognition of the high command.
But unfortunately, the Martial Alliance wasn't a place where one could survive on skill alone.
Especially since the position of chief strategist was one that could be lost at any time based on merits and faults—inevitably forcing her to build a faction of supporters.
She had likely extended her hand to Yuk Jang-cheon, and Yuk Jang-cheon had probably grasped it without hesitation.
Because it aligned with their mutual interests.
If both of them failed to gather as many factions and influential figures as possible, they might end up wandering from place to place, currying favor, only to be forced out in disgrace.
Rumble—
When the thick door opened, a passage leading back upstairs came into view.
The moment Bu Eun-seol stepped out of the underground—
...!
He suddenly sensed an eerie silence.
The Martial Alliance troops guarding the perimeter—their presences had all vanished.
Frowning at the strangeness, he expanded his Domain of Heightened Senses—and his eyes widened sharply.
Not only had the Martial Alliance guards disappeared, but an unknown large force had completely surrounded the warehouse.
The Three Realms?
Who else but the Three Realms would dare target the Martial Alliance's highest-ranking chief strategist?
This is similar to Lord Dan's situation.
Suddenly, he recalled the first time he had met Dan So-ok.
Back then, unidentified forces had surrounded the entire village to kill her.
Which means their target isn't the warehouse—it's the chief strategist.
She had ventured into the Rivers and Lakes without the Star Guard Corps' usual escort.
The Three Realms must have seized this perfect opportunity.
But this... exceeds the detection abilities Seon-u Jin should possess.
Bu Eun-seol hesitated briefly.
Gongson Dan-gyeong was a key figure in the Martial Alliance—someone he needed to maintain close ties with moving forward.
What if he exaggerated Seon-u Jin's abilities too much? She might grow suspicious.
But if he pretended to notice this situation too late... he might end up forced to reveal his full capabilities.
I'll set Seon-u Jin's abilities slightly higher.
"Chief Strategist."
Having made up his mind, Bu Eun-seol scanned the surroundings with a grave expression.
"I think we should return to the underground warehouse."
"What do you mean?"
"All the troops stationed outside have disappeared."
"That can't be. I haven't sensed any disturbances."
"I'm certain. The presences of our alliance's sword corps members have all vanished. They might have been killed—or lured away by a stratagem like 'Lure the Tiger Away from the Mountain.'"
Gongson Dan-gyeong blinked.
If he could detect the troops outside from inside the warehouse, his sensory range had to be at least four hundred feet.
Was Seon-u Jin really that exceptional a martial artist?
"If they subdued a hundred elite Martial Alliance troops in an instant... that means at least ten times that number must have moved in."
Rumble—
Just then, the sound of the surrounding forces gradually closing in on the warehouse reached them.
"Chief Strategist, the troops surrounding us seem to be approaching."
"I sensed it too."
Her martial prowess likely far surpassed even the Peak Realm.
But that alone would never be enough.
If the Three Realms had truly resolved to send assassins, then unless one had reached the Supreme Origin Realm like Bu Eun-seol—
There was simply no way to withstand such a force.
"If they've already eliminated all the sword squads stationed here, their strength must surpass several combined battalions. At this point, our best option is to retreat into the underground warehouse and hold our ground."
Gongson Dan-gyeong hesitated briefly before shaking her head.
"A force of that size could easily dismantle the Mechanism Formation guarding the underground warehouse through sheer brute force. Instead, we should deploy a battle formation across the entire warehouse."
She was a prodigious talent, renowned throughout Murim for her mastery of formations.
The warehouse interior was vast, with countless items piled haphazardly—perfect for setting up any formation.
Rumble—
The sound of an approaching horde grew even closer now, like a stampede of cattle.
The massive force would breach the warehouse at any moment.
Whoosh—
Gongson Dan-gyeong darted swiftly through the sprawling warehouse, beginning to arrange the scattered objects into a formation.
"Commander Seon-u. Are you familiar with the Heaven-Defying Cloud-Chaos Confusion Formation?"
"No."
"Then follow my lead and replicate it on the opposite side."
Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow.
If they deployed the same formation on opposite sides—wouldn't that no longer be a single formation?
"You mean to layer the formations?"
"Exactly. Impossible with ordinary formations, but the Heaven-Defying Cloud-Chaos Confusion Formation allows it."
"Understood."
Bu Eun-seol asked no further questions.
Though his knowledge of formations was not deep, his memory was flawless—once seen, never forgotten.
As Gongson Dan-gyeong began constructing the Strange Formation using the surrounding objects, Bu Eun-seol immediately mirrored her movements, replicating the formation in perfect sync.
Kwoong—
Just then, the warehouse doors burst open, unleashing a torrent of overwhelming killing intent.
"Faster!"
At Gongson Dan-gyeong's urgent cry, Bu Eun-seol hastened to complete the formation.
Finally, when they stood close enough for their noses to nearly touch—
Thud!
Gongson Dan-gyeong drove a wooden doll into the Heavenly Origin position.
Instantly, darkness swallowed the surroundings as the Heaven-Defying Cloud-Chaos Confusion Formation activated across the entire warehouse.
"Haa..."
Beads of sweat rolled down Gongson Dan-gyeong's forehead.
"That was too close."
Had Bu Eun-seol not possessed such an exceptional memory—had he not replicated the formation in perfect symmetry—
They would have failed to layer the formations. And in such a confined space, stopping the assassins would have been impossible.
Swish— Crack!
Even with the formation active, the razor-sharp Sound of Breaking Air echoed from all directions.
"It sounds like at least a thousand have stormed in."
"A thousand?"
"Yes. The Heaven-Defying Cloud-Chaos Confusion Formation is designed to block out nearly all sound. If we can still hear this much... it means no fewer than a thousand troops are tearing through the formation."
Her expression darkened.
If these warriors could still swing their blades within the formation, they were no ordinary martial artists—they were elites.
And if a thousand such elites had gathered—
This was no mere assassination squad. It was a force comparable to an entire sect's combat strength.
"I don't understand. My movements were completely concealed."
Her face twisted with grim realization.
To handle the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store matter discreetly, she had come here alone with Bu Eun-seol.
But she was the Chief Strategist—the very mind of the Martial Alliance.
As a precaution, she had stationed elite martial artists at various points along her route.
So how had such a massive force surrounded the warehouse?
Had they eliminated all her guards?
"They knew in advance."
Bu Eun-seol's voice was firm.
"They knew the Chief Strategist would conclude the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store affair here—in So-ho's warehouse. They've been lying in wait nearby for a long time."
"Then that means—"
"There's a traitor in the Strategy Pavilion."
Gongson Dan-gyeong bit her lip.
Finding the traitor could wait. Surviving the assassins came first.
"Can this formation hold against such numbers?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Gongson Dan-gyeong shook her head.
"Impossible. Even the Heaven-Defying Cloud-Chaos Confusion Formation can't restrain a thousand elite troops forever. They will break through."
"Then what if we descend to the underground warehouse and deploy another formation there? The mechanical traps there could buy us more time."
"That's also impossible."
Gongson Dan-gyeong gestured toward the mist-shrouded formation ahead.
"Right now, we're at the Heavenly Origin—the very center of the board. Inside this formation, visibility is lost to the gray mist, and all sense of direction is gone."
"You deployed the formation—surely you know the Formation-Breaking Art as well?"
Then, with a despairing expression, she spoke.
"Didn't you have Commander Seon-u overlay the formation? Even if I could calculate the shifts in the formation I deployed, the shifts in the one Commander Seon-u laid down... I couldn't possibly keep track of them."
Gongson Dan-gyeong had doubled the Heaven-Defying Cloud-Chaos Confusion Formation to hold back the countless enemies.
In other words, the formation's permutations had multiplied. No matter how brilliant she was, she couldn't possibly calculate every single directional shift.
"We can make it."
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed as he spoke.
"Let's proceed underground now."
"How?"
Bu Eun-seol replied flatly.
"I memorized the approximate directional shifts of the formation."
"You memorized all of those complex directional changes?"
Gongson Dan-gyeong's eyes widened.
The Heaven-Defying Cloud-Chaos Confusion Formation had five times five—twenty-five permutations.
And with her genius intellect, she had overlaid it, meaning the formation now theoretically contained six hundred and twenty-five permutations.
Yet Bu Eun-seol had managed to track over six hundred shifts in that short time? Even for a genius, that should have been impossible.
"Didn't I mirror the Chief Strategist's formation?"
Bu Eun-seol, as if reading her thoughts, spoke calmly.
"That is, I observed the formation from the outside while setting it up. So I could follow the directional shifts you taught me."
"Then—"
"If the Chief Strategist can recall the first three hundred or so permutations, I believe I can unravel the remaining three hundred."
Gongson Dan-gyeong couldn't hide her astonishment.
"Your memory is extraordinary."
In that brief moment, even while deploying the formation, he had memorized every single directional shift?
Didn't that mean his memory was on par with hers?
"Honestly, I thought no one had a better memory than me."
"For a merchant, memory is money."
Gongson Dan-gyeong nodded as if she finally understood.
"So that's why Commander Seon-u, despite being part of the Upper Realm, was able to master martial arts so quickly?"
The successors of the Upper Realm were always wrestling with numbers.
Moreover, to manage a merchant group, one had to master organizational management alongside a breadth of miscellaneous knowledge.
After all that studying, there was barely any time left to train in martial arts—which was why the Upper Realm rarely produced outstanding martial artists.
But Bu Eun-seol's mind was so sharp that he must have had ample time to cultivate his martial skills.
'To think Commander Seon-u was this much of a genius...'
Now Gongson Dan-gyeong understood why Baekri Mu-jo, leader of the Star Guard Corps, had called Seon-u Jin the Dragon of Commerce.
"Still, it won't be easy."
Gongson Dan-gyeong faintly shook her head.
"They number over a thousand. Even if we create six hundred permutations, we'll still encounter the enemy at least once every two shifts."
Her expression was bleak as she continued.
"Even if we make it to the underground warehouse, if they've secured the area to this extent, we'll meet our end there regardless."
This joint warehouse was located in a remote, uninhabited area.
No matter how deep they went underground, against such numbers, they wouldn't last even a day.
"That won't happen."
Bu Eun-seol spoke firmly.
"Because the Star Guard Corps will come."
"The Star Guard Corps?"
"Aren't all key figures of the Alliance escorted by the Star Guard Corps? Naturally, the Chief Strategist is among those under their protection."
"If my movements were that easily exposed, I wouldn't have come here alone with you, Commander Seon-u."
Gongson Dan-gyeong's voice was weak.
"I guarantee you—the Star Guard Corps won't know my whereabouts. I made sure of it."
"If the Chief Strategist is so certain, then perhaps the Star Guard Corps truly won't know."
Bu Eun-seol spoke with confidence.
"But Baekri, the Corps Leader, will."
"Baekri, the Corps Leader?"
"Yes. And since this crisis has occurred... before dawn breaks. At the very least, within four hours, he'll be here."
Bu Eun-seol had only met Baekri Mu-jo, leader of the Star Guard Corps, once.
But that single meeting had been enough for him to grasp the kind of man he was.
A perfectionist who neither made mistakes nor tolerated them.
Which was why he would never overlook one of the Star Guard Corps' fundamental duties—tracking the movements of the Chief Strategist.
And now that she was in danger... Bu Eun-seol was certain he would detect it and come with an army.
"Do you know Baekri, the Corps Leader, well?"
"I've only met him once."
"And that's all?"
"Yes. But you can trust me on this."
Bu Eun-seol stared straight at Gongson Dan-gyeong as he spoke.
"The Corps Leader will come."
Gongson Dan-gyeong could sense it.
Bu Eun-seol's confidence wasn't rooted in his own brilliant foresight.
It was in Baekri Mu-jo—his capabilities alone.
"Very well. I'll trust you, Commander."
Gongson Dan-gyeong took a deep breath.
Shhk.
Then she drew the short treasured sword hidden at her waist.
"It's going to be a long night."
She exhaled deeply.
To buy time against such numbers, they would have to enter the Heaven-Defying Cloud-Chaos Confusion Formation, eliminate the assassins one by one... and then descend to the underground warehouse stacked with artworks.