Villains Don't Stroll (2)
Baek So-cheon arrived at the first location marked on the note Cheon-geuk had left him.
It was the stable where the Iron Sword Unit kept their horses.
Since he'd assigned her to watch the girl beforehand, there must have been some movement prior. This probably wasn't the first place Pa-jeong had visited.
Baek So-cheon slowly scanned the surroundings.
What could she have been doing here?
Imagining himself as Pa-jeong, he wandered the area slowly.
Not something with the horses, surely.
Just in case, he checked the horse feed and examined the animals in the stables, even those out for training. But nothing seemed amiss.
The stable hand approached Baek So-cheon cautiously.
"Is there something you need, sir?"
He treated Baek So-cheon with utmost respect. Lately, goodwill toward him had been growing, and yesterday's spar had earned him outright admiration.
"Anything unusual here yesterday or today? Anything out of the ordinary?"
The man thought for a moment and shook his head.
"Nothing, sir."
"I see."
"Is something wrong?"
"Nothing to worry about. Don't mind it."
Baek So-cheon bid him farewell and headed to the second location.
Pa-jeong's second stroll had taken her to the Murim Alliance's warehouse district.
Why on earth come here?
According to Cheon-geuk's note, she'd wandered around for about an hour before leaving.
Baek So-cheon found the warehouse overseer.
"Ah!"
The warrior's eyes widened in recognition.
"Captain Baek!"
So shocked and thrilled, he forgot even to bow and just stood there gaping. He was even more moved than the stable hand.
"I've got a quick question."
"Yes, sir! Ask away!"
"What's stored in this warehouse?"
He'd wondered if it held vital Alliance supplies.
"Warriors' clothing and daily necessities."
"Any food or weapons?"
"No, sir. Food and arms are in the northern warehouse."
"Right."
This place was far less critical than the northern one. Even that was just rations and gear for the warriors.
The stable was the same. Neither is a key Alliance spot.
He pondered common threads between the first and second sites but drew a blank.
"Got it. Carry on."
"That spar yesterday was incredible! I didn't see it myself, but I heard every detail. Congratulations!"
"Thanks."
With a smile, Baek So-cheon moved on to the next spot.
The third was the Baek-ryong-dan building in the outer compound.
It's been a while.
He hadn't had reason to visit since returning.
A quick look around revealed nothing suspicious. Stable, warehouse, Baek-ryong-dan quarters. No connections between the three.
He was about to head to the final spot when a voice called from behind.
"Long time no see."
Turning, he saw a woman standing there.
Baek So-cheon smiled at her. It was Ga-in, deputy leader of Baek-ryong-dan. They'd shared a bed now and then before his demotion.
"How've you been?"
"Good."
Seeing her after so long filled him with genuine warmth.
"What brings you here?"
She couldn't hide her hopeful anticipation. He felt bad, but he couldn't lie.
"Investigating something."
"Oh."
"Should've come to see you sooner. Sorry."
"No, when you came back as Hyun-cheon-dae captain, I should've visited first..."
After his return—and demotion reversal—she'd agonized over reaching out but held back. She didn't trust herself to handle it.
Baek So-cheon had thought of her too but hadn't sought her out. He'd left the choice to her.
And now, with Cheon-geuk in his life, it was time to end things.
"Oh, great spar, by the way."
"You saw?"
"We were on perimeter duty around the arena. Fighting without inner power? Impressive. Why didn't you tell me you were that good? I would've grabbed you myself if I'd known."
She played it materialistic on purpose. She'd sensed it the first time they met.
"You've got someone, don't you?"
Baek So-cheon faltered slightly. No way she knew about Cheon-geuk.
"What makes you say that?"
"I can tell."
It was pure intuition—a woman's instinct for the man she loved.
His reaction confirmed it.
"Wonder who it is. I gave up because I was too scared to have you. Must be one brave woman."
"Yeah. Fearless type."
He answered flatly, but Ga-in felt the depth of his affection.
Baek So-cheon turned the question back.
"You?"
"Got someone new."
"Good for you."
"Thanks. See you around."
"Take care."
Baek So-cheon walked away slowly.
Ga-in watched him go, lingering in place.
Live well!
Strangely, she felt relieved now.
Ga-in looked up at the sky with a smile.
Guess I should scout for a decent guy myself.
The final spot was the outer garden.
Winter had left it barren.
Having checked all of Pa-jeong's path, the four sites shared no commonalities—and none seemed ripe for Blood Cult schemes.
That very fact made it suspicious.
If she'd visited key Alliance areas under the guise of a stroll, it might've been innocuous.
But why these desolate spots? Random wandering? No. With Myeol Ji-ryun's ulterior motives, every move had purpose.
Baek So-cheon sat on a flat stone by the garden, picking up a fallen twig to jot the sites' names on the ground.
Maybe some link in the characters.
But no combination yielded anything.
Not key facilities, not strategic points. Then what?
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.
...Location? Could it be?
He sprang up and dashed off.
Je-gal Hyeon was in the strategy command center.
The Alliance buzzed with excitement overall, but the strategists were on high alert. Black Heaven Alliance's mood was the polar opposite—who knew what provocations they might attempt now.
Reports flooded in from spies embedded there. No signs of major troop movements yet, thankfully.
Je-gal Hyeon glanced at the Murim Seol-yeol-log.
Seeing Yeom Hwa-sin at the top recalled last night's private drink with Ak So-gun.
—Yeom Hwa-sin is definitely above me.
—You sensed it?
—Clearly. As you know, gauging peers is tricky. But seeing him, I knew. A cut above. Maybe more.
—So his Gold Diamond Indestructible Body is real.
—And he gained martial insights in the process.
—Tough battles ahead.
This ranking was near-perfect now.
Je-gal Hyeon approached the troop deployment map.
Based on Central Plains terrain, it bristled with hundreds of flags. Yeom Hwa-sin's had retreated to Black Heaven territory; Myeol Saeng's held the western fringes.
He pulled a flag from the box below.
Time to place it.
Golden-bordered crimson flag.
Je-gal Hyeon set Baek So-cheon's flag at the Murim Alliance headquarters.
The other strategists watched in awe. They'd assumed it was just for the tournament, but Je-gal Hyeon knew: Baek So-cheon had regained his former prowess.
The war with Black Heaven now hinged on him.
If Yeom Hwa-sin honored his one-year promise? Baek So-cheon would grow stronger.
But he might break it. Made at the righteous Alliance, under faction eyes.
Before demons, he'd keep his word; here, maybe not so heavy.
Then Baek So-cheon arrived.
"Strategist."
"What brings you here?"
"A favor to ask."
"Speak."
"Any maps marking the outer compound precisely? Building positions."
"Of course."
"Could I see one?"
Je-gal Hyeon called Sa-ma Il-jung.
"Fetch the Alliance strategy map."
"Yes, sir."
Sa-ma Il-jung hurried off.
Je-gal Hyeon eyed Baek So-cheon tensely.
"What's going on?"
"Regarding Myeol Ji-ryun. Her companion's behavior was odd during my check—something's nagging me."
Sa-ma Il-jung returned with the map: buildings, perimeters, ambush points marked.
Baek So-cheon studied it, eyes sharpening.
No way?
He bolted out.
"Need to verify. I'll explain after."
Pa-jeong strolled the outer compound's southeast sector.
A high watchtower loomed there.
He ambled casually, glancing around, pausing to gaze up. Like a tourist new to the Alliance.
Guards atop didn't stop him. No reason to bar a Blood Cult attendant sightseeing.
After lingering, he returned to his quarters.
As he vanished, a figure appeared on a distant rooftop.
Baek So-cheon, in hiding. Her sharp senses kept him at bay; he'd watched from afar—but crucially, he'd arrived first, anticipating her.
Staring after her, Baek So-cheon spat coldly.
"These bastards!"
He returned to the command center.
"What happened?"
To Je-gal Hyeon's urgent query, Baek So-cheon recounted the surveillance.
"We'd heard he liked outer walks."
"Not walks."
"Not?"
"I waited ahead where he'd go."
"How'd you know?"
"Got Go stones?"
"Yes."
Plenty here for thinkers.
"Pa-jeong's prior spots."
Cheon-geuk's four sites: stones placed in sequence.
Stable east; warehouse south; Baek-ryong-dan west. Garden northeast last.
"North was before my watch."
If so: precise cardinal points, then northeast.
"Where I waited just now?"
Je-gal Hyeon placed between east and south: the watchtower.
"Exactly."
Spacing matched perfectly. A perfect circle...
Je-gal Hyeon gaped at the center building.
"My God!"
The Alliance Lord's residence.