Chapter 539
As dusk approached.
In the office of the Peak Leader at the northern gate outskirts of the Martial Alliance.
Bu Eun-seol, who had been writing a letter at the desk, abruptly stopped when he received the message delivered by Tae Mu-ryong.
The reason was that Baek Mu-seong, the commander of the Heavenly Severance Unit under the Dragon Coil Hall, had come to see him.
'So he's finally arrived.'
However, Bu Eun-seol wasn't particularly surprised.
Two tigers cannot live on the same mountain—it was only natural.
Ever since he had heard that Baek Mu-seong had come to the Martial Alliance, he had already prepared himself mentally.
"Let him in."
Click.
The door opened, and a tall, striking man dressed in white robes entered.
It was none other than Baek Mu-seong, the next-generation Grandmaster known as the Golden Upright Divine Dragon.
The moment Baek Mu-seong stepped into the meeting room, Bu Eun-seol couldn't help but widen his eyes in shock.
This was the man he had coincidentally met in the ruins of Saha Manor.
The very same man who had shared fine liquor with him and spent the night drinking until dawn.
'To think he was Baek Mu-seong all along.'
Bu Eun-seol felt a pang of awkwardness.
The persona of Seon-u Jin was known to be someone who spoke politely even to subordinates, with a gentle and cheerful disposition.
But back when they had met in Saha Manor—
Even though Bu Eun-seol had been disguised as Seon-u Jin at the time, he had treated Baek Mu-seong with his usual blunt manner of speech.
Because he had assumed they would never meet again. Even if they did cross paths, he had thought it would only be a brief encounter in the wider martial world.
'Who would've imagined we'd meet again in the Martial Alliance?'
If he suddenly changed his way of speaking now—
That would only make things even more suspicious.
Baek Mu-seong must have heard detailed accounts about Seon-u Jin from Yuk Cheong-a.
'No, it doesn't matter. We've already parted ways anyway.'
If Yuk Cheong-a had still been assigning him missions, this might have posed a problem.
But she had already deduced that Gongson Dan-gyeong and Seon-u Jin were allies—and had even brought Baek Mu-seong here.
From Yuk Cheong-a's perspective, Seon-u Jin's true personality was irrelevant.
"Huh?"
Baek Mu-seong, too, froze the moment he recognized the face of Bu Eun-seol disguised as Seon-u Jin.
"Well, what are the odds of this?"
With a delighted expression, he strode forward, flashing a bright smile.
"You never told me your name or sect—I thought you must have had some complicated circumstances. And here you are, a commander of the Martial Alliance!"
Before Bu Eun-seol could even respond, Baek Mu-seong swiftly continued.
"I came to apologize for the Yeonseong Hall leader taking over your mission, but it seems I'll have to play the role of a creditor instead."
"..."
"You still owe me that drink, don't you?"
Baek Mu-seong grinned mischievously before clasping his hands together in a formal greeting.
"Let me introduce myself properly. I am Baek Mu-seong, now in charge of the Heavenly Severance Unit."
"Seon-u Jin."
The curt reply made Baek Mu-seong's thick eyebrows twitch.
"You're speaking to me like that even after learning my status?"
Though he was only a Second-grade Commander, Baek Mu-seong was a disciple of the Buddha Honored One.
In terms of seniority, he was on par with the elders of the Nine Great Sects—and being in his thirties, he was also older than Bu Eun-seol.
"You seem to be misunderstanding something."
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"This is the Martial Alliance. If you wish to argue seniority, you're welcome to step back out into the Rivers and Lakes."
For a moment, Baek Mu-seong wore a blank expression—
Then,
"Hahaha!"
He burst into hearty laughter and nodded.
"Right, of course! That's how it should be!"
Baek Mu-seong laughed in genuine delight.
Until now, his excessively high status had made it difficult for him to mingle with peers his age.
No one had ever treated him without deference—even the elders of the Nine Sects had never dared to speak to him casually.
He had always found that regrettable.
But now, meeting someone who treated him without the slightest hesitation—he was so overjoyed he didn't know what to do.
"Had you groveled before me, I would've been bitterly disappointed."
When Baek Mu-seong spoke his mind so candidly, a faint smile tugged at Bu Eun-seol's lips.
"In this alliance, unless you're in someone's direct chain of command, we generally speak to each other with mutual respect and courtesy, regardless of rank or status."
Bu Eun-seol continued matter-of-factly.
"So let's not bother with first-grade or second-grade distinctions. Let's just keep talking comfortably like this—Brother Baek."
At that, Tae Mu-ryong—who had been standing stiffly by the door, unable to leave—glanced nervously between them.
No matter how quickly Bu Eun-seol had risen to the rank of first-grade commander, his fame and seniority were still worlds apart from Baek Mu-seong's.
And yet, he was casually proposing they address each other as brothers?
"I like it."
Baek Mu-seong beamed.
"You haven't forgotten the promise we made last time, have you?"
Bu Eun-seol, who had been staring at Baek Mu-seong's childishly bright eyes, sighed and nodded.
"You're really determined to collect, aren't you?"
"Naturally."
Bu Eun-seol had promised that if they ever met again, he would treat Baek Mu-seong to a proper drink.
And now, Baek Mu-seong was demanding that promise be fulfilled immediately.
With a solemn expression, Baek Mu-seong said to Bu Eun-seol:
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and honor your word."
The place Bu Eun-seol took Baek Mu-seong to was a shabby guest inn in a small village quite a distance from the Martial Alliance.
Having discerned that Baek Mu-seong disliked crowded places, Bu Eun-seol deliberately led him to this run-down inn—one that was rarely visited and sparsely populated.
Only a single old man worked at the inn, and there were no more than five tables in total.
Bu Eun-seol and Baek Mu-seong sat in a corner, passing the liquor back and forth as they drank.
Both men were using large drinking bowls. Yet not a single drop was spilled as they drank with impeccable neatness.
"Hoh."
Baek Mu-seong let out an admiring sound after downing three bowls in quick succession.
"I thought you were being stingy about repaying your debt, but it seems I was mistaken."
The liquor served at this humble guest inn couldn't be called a miraculous famous brew, but it was far from the vinegary swill of cheap baijiu.
"There's a renowned vintner in this village. This inn sources its liquor from them."
Bu Eun-seol refilled Baek Mu-seong's bowl while glancing around.
"I come here often with my unit members when I crave a drink. The atmosphere is pleasant, and the prices are quite reasonable."
"A bit different from the rumors, I see."
Baek Mu-seong wore a faint smile.
"I heard the leader of the Supreme Unit was said to have speech and temperament as smooth as silk."
He was pointing out the discrepancy between Bu Eun-seol's actual personality and speech compared to the rumors.
"I'm the leader of the Information Warfare Unit. When operating covertly in the martial world, one can't afford to reveal their true speech and habits."
"Hmm, is that so?"
"That's a lie."
"Eh?"
Bu Eun-seol drained his bowl calmly before letting out a deep sigh.
"In the Martial Alliance, where connections and seniority are everything, acting on my true nature would've gotten me expelled within a day."
"Hmm."
"Without backing or connections, one must be diligent and gentle to earn favor from both superiors and subordinates, no?"
"Hoh."
Baek Mu-seong sighed.
"Was it really necessary to go that far? With your abilities, you could've risen steadily without resorting to such acts."
"The Martial Alliance isn't that kind of place."
Bu Eun-seol stared straight at Baek Mu-seong.
"You know that well yourself, don't you, Baek-Elder Brother?"
"Hahaha."
Baek Mu-seong burst into a hearty laugh.
"They call you the Dragon of the commercial world. Truly, you're no ordinary man."
"Being praised for something like that leaves a bitter aftertaste."
"Of course not. What amazes me is the depth of your mind."
Baek Mu-seong's eyes gleamed.
"You said you altered your speech and personality as the leader of the Information Warfare Unit. That alone was reason enough, yet you went further by citing the Martial Alliance's atmosphere as another justification."
"..."
"My master once said that the best liars in the world are those who give two or more reasons for any question."
A flash passed through Baek Mu-seong's pupils.
"Are you a liar?"
"An amusing thing to say."
Bu Eun-seol downed his liquor with an indifferent expression.
"Now I see the Buddhist Venerable must have been deceived by people quite often."
"What did you say?"
Instantly, Baek Mu-seong's expression turned icy.
"What did you just say?"
"I said the Buddhist Venerable must have been deceived by people quite often."
Flames flickered in Baek Mu-seong's eyes.
No matter how bold a person might be, to make such a disrespectful remark by alluding to what the Buddhist Venerable said—
"Seems I misjudged you."
Baek Mu-seong rose coldly, his tone dripping with disappointment.
"You can speak to me however you like. But I will never tolerate even the slightest disrespect toward my master."
"Don't overreact."
Bu Eun-seol chuckled softly as he refilled Baek Mu-seong's bowl.
"Do you truly believe the Buddhist Venerable would ever say such things to a disciple?"
"What?"
"Ah, now that I think of it, Master Unhindered's secret manual had this written in it."
Bu Eun-seol locked eyes with Baek Mu-seong.
"The easiest way to lie is to borrow the words of someone in authority."
Baek Mu-seong, who had been staring blankly, suddenly—
"Huhu, hahahaha!"
—threw his head back in laughter and sat back down.
"How did you know my master never said that?"
"Would a philosopher like the Buddhist Venerable—who understands the follies of the secular world—really teach his disciples how to spot liars?"
Bu Eun-seol drained his liquor again before speaking bitterly.
"You simply found me suspicious and made up those words yourself, didn't you, Baek-Elder Brother?"
"You're truly impossible to deal with."
Then he raised his bowl and extended both hands.
"My apologies for testing you with such nonsense."
After drinking, he spoke with a rueful expression.
"Truthfully, I don't trust people easily. Because from childhood until now, far too many have tried to use me."
"Isn't seeking out useful people just the natural order of the world?"
"I was only ten years old at the time. Far too young to understand such worldly principles."
Baek Mu-seong had been recognized for his exceptional talent and became the Buddhist Venerable's disciple at the age of ten.
But because of that, countless people approached him, seeking to exploit him without end.
That was why he struggled to trust others, always verifying the truth behind their words.
"So you suspected I deliberately approached you at Saha Manor."
"Well, there are no coincidences in this world."
"I can't disagree with that."
Bu Eun-seol shook his head.
"I never expected to see you again in the Martial Alliance."
Baek Mu-seong smiled faintly.
He had realized Bu Eun-seol was speaking the truth.
"What was your childhood like?"
It was a somewhat odd question.
Bu Eun-seol answered without hesitation.
"It was ordinary. Nothing more than studying and studying again, like any other merchant group successor."
"How enviable."
Baek Mu-seong narrowed his eyes slightly.
"If I could return to my childhood, I would never have become my master's disciple. That's the honest truth."
His pupils darkened endlessly.
It seemed there was some unspeakable hardship behind those words.
"I see."
Bu Eun-seol nodded, then casually shifted the topic.
"Is the Buddha Venerable in good health?"
Truthfully, Bu Eun-seol had been searching for the Buddha Venerable's whereabouts all along.
There was no way the Buddha Venerable wouldn't know about the Absolute Demon Saber Project.
Yet, no matter how much he mobilized his information network, he couldn't find a trace of the Buddha Venerable.
"Hmm."
Baek Mu-seong shook his head.
"It's been quite a while since I last saw my master."
"Is the Buddha Venerable far away?"
"Not long ago, he stayed at the Murim Alliance for a time, but now he has returned to the Dharma Cave. He detests remaining in the secular world."
A glint flashed in Bu Eun-seol's eyes.
The Dharma Cave—that was the Wall-Facing Cave on Mount Song.
'How could that be?'
If the Buddha Venerable was there, why hadn't any intelligence organization detected him?
'He doesn't seem to be lying, though.'
"What a shame."
Then, Baek Mu-seong spoke bitterly.
"I thought I'd finally met someone who matched my temperament, only for us to end up as rivals."
'He figured out I'm aiming for the position of unit leader?'
Bu Eun-seol couldn't hide his surprise.
That he had allied with Gongson Dan-gyeong was one thing.
But the fact that it was for the sake of ascending to the leadership of the Martial Heaven Unit—no one should have been able to deduce that.
Yet Baek Mu-seong had seen through his ambition?
"Didn't you expect this too?"
Then, Baek Mu-seong uttered something completely unexpected.
"From the moment you got involved with Gongson Dan-gyeong, I should've known. Heh."
He let out a faint chuckle before draining his cup bitterly.
"You and I are love rivals."
Love rivals—those who compete over the same person's affections.
"Me, involved with the Chief Strategist? What nonsense is that?"
"Haven't the two of you been the subject of scandal more than once?"
Bu Eun-seol nearly burst out laughing in disbelief.
'So there's some history between him and the Chief Strategist.'
The scandal between Bu Eun-seol and Gongson Dan-gyeong had stemmed from the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store incident in Henan.
But the counterfeit case at the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store was tied to Gongson Dan-gyeong's standing.
For security reasons, Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to accompany her alone in secret.
But since those circumstances had been kept confidential, Baek Mu-seong had misunderstood.
"The Chief Strategist and I are absolutely not that kind of relationship."
Bu Eun-seol swore with a solemn expression, as if to dispel Baek Mu-seong's worries.
"If I'm lying, may I be struck dead by lightning."
"If you say so, then it must be true. But I know her personality better than anyone."
Bu Eun-seol fell silent.
Judging by the seriousness in Baek Mu-seong's gaze, there had clearly been something complicated between the two in the past.
"She would never handle a mission alone with a man unless there was a reason."
"Brother Baek."
Bu Eun-seol sighed deeply and snorted.
"I sincerely advise you—if you want to win a woman's heart, never make such vows again."
Then, he delivered a sharp warning.
"Don't judge the woman you love on your own, and don't be disappointed on your own."
"..."
"That's the kind of thing women despise the most."
Baek Mu-seong tilted his head and stuck his neck forward.
"Are you really telling the truth?"
"I am."
"Then why...?"
"There were circumstances."
With that single remark, Bu Eun-seol dismissed Gongson Dan-gyeong's situation.
There was no need to explain the Ten Thousand Blossoms Store affair.
"Hmm."
Baek Mu-seong let out a thoughtful hum.
He was pure-hearted, but not a fool.
Just by looking at Bu Eun-seol's eyes, he could instinctively tell he wasn't lying.
No one would boldly tell a lie that could be so easily exposed.
"My apologies."
Baek Mu-seong scratched his cheek awkwardly.
Then, he began to share what he had been holding back.
"Truthfully, we were once lovers. But... it didn't end well."
Most people would have pressed for details.
But Bu Eun-seol wasn't the type to pry into others' pasts.
"I see."
He downed his drink as if uninterested.
Humans were truly strange creatures.
When someone was curious, they'd refuse to explain at all costs.
But when no one showed interest, they'd spill everything unprompted.
In that sense, when it came to dealing with people, eloquence was silver, but silence was gold.
"Aren't you curious how we met?"
"How could I pry into Brother Baek's personal affairs?"
As Bu Eun-seol waved his hand dismissively, Baek Mu-seong shook his head.
"No, it's nothing major. We studied together briefly as children."
"I see."
It wasn't unusual for disciples of great sects or noble families to receive instruction from multiple renowned masters in their youth.
"She was a year older than me and insisted I call her 'Senior Sister.' Cold by nature, yet she always demanded to be treated like some high-ranking superior."
A fond smile played at the corners of Baek Mu-seong's lips as he reminisced.
"Truth be told, I was drawn to her from the very first meeting."
"Why is that?"
"Though she pretended to be aloof, her heart was as soft and delicate as silk."
Bu Eun-seol let out a derisive chuckle.
Blind fool.
If Gongson Dan-gyeong, who would exploit even the kindness of others for her goals, could be called tender-hearted...
Then there wasn't a single person in this world who wasn't tender-hearted.
"And when she became the head of Daerim Garden during her time with the Martial Alliance, fate brought us together again. I seized the opportunity, courted her relentlessly, and we became lovers—though unforeseen circumstances..."
Baek Mu-seong, who had been rambling about his romantic history, suddenly looked sheepish and shook his head.
"Anyway, the reason I joined the Martial Alliance was to mend things with her."
Bu Eun-seol's expression turned incredulous.
"You became a Great Hall Leader of the Martial Alliance for her?"
"That's right."
Baek Mu-seong smiled bitterly.
"Love blinds you. Makes you foolish, reckless. And sometimes, you stop thinking about the future."
A brief silence settled between them.
Clearing his throat, Baek Mu-seong looked at Bu Eun-seol.
"Don't repeat what I've told you today to anyone else."
"Don't worry."
Bu Eun-seol replied confidently.
"I am the Great Hall Leader of the Information Warfare Unit. No one understands the importance of information better than I do."
"Thank you."
"No need for thanks."
"Hm?"
"I said I understand the importance of information."
"Eh?"
Bu Eun-seol stated flatly.
"I said I understand its importance. I never said I wouldn't talk."
"You want a price for your silence."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes gleamed as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Exactly."
Leaving the guest inn, Baek Mu-seong led Bu Eun-seol into the bustling marketplace.
And when they emerged, Bu Eun-seol held a stick of bingtanghulu—a candied hawthorn treat beloved by children.
"For the price of silence, this is far too cheap."
As Bu Eun-seol shook his head while examining the treat,
"Even as a secular disciple, I've always lived modestly. Besides, I haven't been in the Martial Alliance long."
Baek Mu-seong pointed to his empty coin pouch with shameless pride.
"With the Alliance's finances improving lately, I can only hope it won't stay this way forever."
"You were in the Martial Alliance before?"
"For a short while."
The movements of young masters like Baek Mu-seong were always of interest to intelligence networks.
But the fact that Baek Mu-seong had once been part of the Martial Alliance...
Even Bu Eun-seol, who operated such networks, had been completely unaware.
"I see."
"Truthfully, I sought you out not just to apologize for taking your mission. Hall Leader Yuk spoke of you in the highest praise."
Baek Mu-seong confessed what had been on his mind all along.
"She said you were someone who could rival me... So I thought, What kind of person is this? Should I put him in his place? That's why I came."
In truth, he hadn't come merely to apologize for Yuk Cheong-a's unilateral decision.
He had come to meet this "Seon-u Jin," the man that exceptional woman had praised so highly—to gauge his abilities firsthand.
And when he realized that Seon-u Jin was also the man who had once promised him a drink...
Well, it had simply made the opportunity all the more natural.
"But it seems that won't be necessary."
"What do you mean?"
"I've taken a liking to you."
Baek Mu-seong rubbed his nose awkwardly.
It was an unguarded, honest admission of his fondness for Bu Eun-seol.
"Because of you, I'll earn even more of Hall Leader Yuk's resentment."
"What are you talking about?"
"If she sees us getting along so well, imagine how furious she'll be."
"Getting along... continuously?"
Baek Mu-seong's expression turned dazed.
Didn't that mean Bu Eun-seol, too, had taken a liking to him?
"Heh. I suppose so."
A bright grin spread across Baek Mu-seong's face.
They were people who should never have grown close.
Who shouldn't have grown close.
And yet, neither cared—both felt an inexplicable affinity for the other.
Munch, munch.
Turning his gaze away from Baek Mu-seong, Bu Eun-seol brought the bingtanghulu to his lips.
Halfway through, he felt a prickling stare.
When he looked up, Baek Mu-seong was gaping at him.
"Something else to say?"
"You're... eating it all yourself?"
"..."
"Sharing makes delicious things taste even better."
With a resigned sigh, Bu Eun-seol held out the remaining half.
Baek Mu-seong immediately bit into it, as if he'd been waiting.
—Delicious things should be shared!
For a moment, Bu Eun-seol's vision blurred—a childhood memory surfacing.
A crowded marketplace. A boy in white robes, slightly older, standing before a young Bu Eun-seol.
—See? It tastes better this way!
Backlit by the sun, his face was shadowed, but his beaming smile was unmistakable.
And that smile overlapped perfectly with Baek Mu-seong's now.
...Did I have such a memory?
A time when he had been purely, uncomplicatedly happy.
"Why that look?"
Baek Mu-seong blinked at him.
"Still upset about sharing?"
Seeing him lick his lips, Bu Eun-seol found himself shaking his head, an unconscious smile forming.
"No, it's nothing."
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol still didn't remember.
That he and Baek Mu-seong had been bound by fate since childhood.
And that it would take a little more time for him to realize it.