Shadows in the Light
Kaifeng, Henan Province.
It was a historic city that had served as the capital for various dynasties, including the State of Wei during the Warring States period, the Northern Song, and the Jin.
Although it had now yielded its status as the capital to Beijing, its strategic location and value remained unchanged. Thus, a massive power had once again established its roots here.
The Orthodox Martial Alliance.
Rather than a single sect, it bore the name and banner of the entire martial world, a testament to its immense power and influence.
The Alliance's main headquarters spanned over a hundred buildings, with pavilions and towers so densely packed that it would not be strange for someone to lose their way inside.
Yet, despite its vast scale, the Alliance's security was always airtight.
Recently, the guard had grown even tighter.
Naturally, it was due to the incident in Tongseong County.
Among the various sectors, there were highly critical areas where security was at its absolute peak.
Step, step.
A dignified man walked through one of these heavily guarded zones.
This was the heart of the Orthodox Martial Alliance, the Military Advisory Department. It was a place famous for never having its lights extinguished since the day the Alliance was founded.
The department was filled with highly classified information, protected by extremely dangerous formations and traps scattered everywhere. Yet, the man walked forward without hesitation, as if the path were deeply familiar to him.
As he made his way through, a cold voice echoed from the thick mist.
"State your identity and business."
A guard stood at the entrance of the department, conducting a security check.
The man replied without hesitation.
"Moyong Geon, Leader of the Heavenly Righteousness Fragrance."
Moyong Geon held out his identification plaque.
The guard verified its authenticity, handed it back, and bowed deeply.
"Loyalty! You may enter."
"Is the Chief Advisor inside?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Very well. Keep up the good work."
Thanking the guard, Moyong Geon resumed his walk.
He finally reached the deepest chamber of the Military Advisory Department.
Moyong Geon stood before the door, adjusted his robes, and bowed with clasped hands to announce his presence.
"Chief Advisor, it is Moyong Geon. May I enter?"
"Come in."
Upon receiving permission, Moyong Geon stepped inside.
A middle-aged man wearing a scholar's cap was absorbed in his work.
Even as Moyong Geon entered, the middle-aged man did not spare him a glance, clearly overwhelmed with work. Scrolls and letters were piled like mountains on his desk.
"Moyong Geon, Leader of the Heavenly Righteousness Fragrance, greets the Chief Strategist."
Only after Moyong Geon bowed deeply did the middle-aged man finally set down his brush.
He possessed clear, bright eyes and the refined aura of a scholar.
Though his martial prowess was not among the highest in the Alliance, his dignity and presence far surpassed any lack of physical might.
"Ah, you have arrived."
It was only natural.
He was the one who designed the grand strategies of the Orthodox Martial Alliance and managed all its intelligence.
If the Alliance were compared to a human body, he would be the brain.
The Chief Military Advisor, the Divine Strategist Jegal Mun, was the man standing before him.
"It must have been a tiring journey. Come, sit and rest."
"Thank you."
Moyong Geon politely took the offered seat.
Jegal Mun poured him a cup of tea.
Their interaction was familiar and warm. Indeed, their close relationship was well-known within the Alliance.
"It feels as though I saw you just before you left, yet it also feels like a very long time has passed."
"...Does it?" Moyong Geon replied in a heavy tone.
Jegal Mun gazed at him with deep, knowing eyes.
"I see you met that child."
"Yes, I did."
"How was he?"
"..."
In this mission, there was only one person Jegal Mun could refer to as "that child."
A defector who was once part of the Orthodox faction but had now turned to the Unorthodox.
And Jegal Mun's own son.
The Black Heaven Mad Dragon, Jeok-un.
He is...
Moyong Geon recalled his last encounter with Jeok-un and spoke with difficulty.
"...You were right, Chief Advisor. I was wrong."
"Is that so?"
This time, Jegal Mun fell silent.
Moyong Geon studied Jegal Mun's face.
It was an expression that seemed to hold so much, yet at the same time, felt as empty as a void.
Perhaps that was why Moyong Geon recalled the conversation they had shared before he left for the mission.
—Please be careful.
—Branch Leader Dang has a volatile temper, but I do not think he would make a mistake against me...
—No, not him.
—Pardon?
—He is not the core driving the chaos in Tongseong County.
—Then who...?
—Jegal Jeok-un. Be careful of that child.
—...!
Be careful of my own son.
Jegal Mun had explicitly warned him.
Moyong Geon trusted and followed Jegal Mun as if he were his own father, so he obeyed most orders without question.
Yet, this particular warning had left him deeply puzzled.
After all, Jeok-un was a newcomer who had only entered the martial world a year ago.
Compared to himself, who had a decade of experience, how could a mere novice pose a threat?
But now, after facing Jeok-un in person, his thoughts had completely changed.
The Chief Strategist knew beforehand. He knew that boy's achievements surpassed mine. In martial power, in strategy—in every single aspect...
Moyong Geon's thoughts naturally drifted back to Jeok-un.
The martial artist who had effortlessly defeated Dang Maeng.
The strategist who had turned the tables on the Geumhwang Merchant Group when they tried to launch a surprise attack from behind.
And...
—With only that level of skill?
He remembered those deep, dark eyes staring back at him.
If calmness and madness were to mix, would they produce such a gaze?
Just thinking of those eyes looking right through him made...
"..."
His heart wavered for a moment.
Moyong Geon almost reached for his sword instinctively.
Jegal Mun did not miss this subtle shift.
"Do not let your mind grow impatient. You, too, will surely reach that path."
"—!"
As if sensing Moyong Geon's turbulent thoughts, Jegal Mun comforted him in a low, gentle voice.
"...Forgive me. I have shown you an embarrassing display."
As if the sudden ripple had been a lie, Moyong Geon's mind calmed down, becoming as still as a placid lake.
"Haha, not at all. It is proof that the Leader of the Heavenly Righteousness Fragrance is still young. What is youth without boiling blood?"
"...I am ashamed."
"Seeing you makes me want to throw away this pile of documents and go practice my swordplay."
Moyong Geon bowed his head slightly, observing Jegal Mun's complexion.
He looked peaceful and healthy.
Until recently, Jegal Mun had suffered from frequent coughing fits, which had worried Moyong Geon. But now, he seemed to have fully recovered his health.
Moyong Geon did not know the truth, but it was indeed the case.
When Jeok-un had left the Jegal Family Manor, he had neutralized the Black Lotus Poison inside Jegal Mun's body. That was why the Chief Strategist's eyes and complexion were now filled with vitality.
"Now, let us get to the main point."
"I am listening."
Jegal Mun opened the discussion in a grave tone.
"While maintaining your public position as the Leader of the Heavenly Righteousness Fragrance, you will be performing a special mission in a newly formed unit."
"I await your command."
"Keep in mind that the most critical aspect of this new unit is secrecy."
"I will engrave it in my bones."
Having accepted the order, Moyong Geon asked cautiously. Whatever the mission was, it had to have a target.
"Is Sadocheon our target?"
"No."
"Then, are we monitoring internal movements?"
"That is not it either."
Jegal Mun shook his head and spoke in a serious voice.
"We will be hunting the demons hiding within the Orthodox path."
"...!"
"The name of this new unit is the Demon Exterminating Squad. And..."
Jegal Mun had not ignored the clues Jeok-un had left behind.
Based on those clues, he had tracked the forces of the Demonic Cult that had infiltrated the Orthodox Martial Alliance.
Just recently, he had managed to catch a glimpse of their tail.
However, it was merely a shadow.
That was why he had summoned the Leader of the Heavenly Righteousness Fragrance.
To uncover their true identities, and if necessary, to use him as a blade.
Jegal Mun finally named the leader of the unit.
"The commander of the Demon Exterminating Squad is none other than the Alliance Leader himself."
Expensive porcelain lay shattered on the floor, and books and desks were strewn about in complete disarray.
"Aaargh! You worthless insects!"
"P-please calm down, Patriarch."
At a glance, it looked like the middle of a war zone, but this was the private study of the head of the Geumhwang Merchant Group.
"Shut up! All of you, get out!"
The source of all this chaos was Oh Chu-baek.
Lately, Oh Chu-baek had been drinking and throwing tantrums like this every single day.
Yang Pyeong, the chief manager, had tried to restrain him, but to no avail.
In the end, he had no choice but to dismiss everyone to hide his master's disgraceful behavior.
"I will never, ever back down like this. Do you think I, Oh Chu-baek, will lose to the likes of you?!"
Left alone in the room, Oh Chu-baek spat out the words, muttering to himself.
However, contrary to his grand declarations, the current situation of the Geumhwang Merchant Group was spiraling toward the worst-case scenario.
Even a small street vendor had to pay protection money to local thugs.
For a giant like the Geumhwang Merchant Group, it went without saying.
They were a prey a hundred, a thousand times more tempting than any street stall.
Therefore, once a merchant group reached the scale of the Geumhwang, they had to secure the backing of a major martial arts faction, whether Orthodox or Unorthodox.
Although the Geumhwang Merchant Group had raised their own elite force, the Geumseong Squad, they were a mere drop in the bucket compared to the Orthodox Martial Alliance, Sadocheon, or Black Hegemony Castle.
Yet, the Geumhwang Merchant Group had now completely broken ties with the Alliance.
They had also been abandoned by Sadocheon.
The only option left was Black Hegemony Castle.
"Aaargh! How dare they make such a proposal to me?!"
But their response was utterly insulting.
Rip!
Oh Chu-baek furiously tore the letter to shreds.
The letter sent by Black Hegemony Castle was completely different from before.
Before this disaster struck, Black Hegemony Castle had flattered them, eager to form an alliance.
But now, they acted like high-ranking officials, haughty and insolent.
Lower your tail and pay tribute.
Only then will Black Hegemony Castle act as your backer.
The letter was long, but in short, those two lines were the gist of it.
It was no wonder Oh Chu-baek was losing his mind.
In his entire life, he had never received such an arrogant and disrespectful letter.
"Jeok-un...! If not for that bastard...! If only I could kill him...!"
Oh Chu-baek gnashed his teeth, thinking of Jeok-un, the root of all this trouble and the murderer of his daughter.
Just as murder and madness flared in his eyes...
"Hmm, Jeok-un. I hear that bastard's name everywhere I go."
"!"
A chill ran down his spine.
Startled by the sudden, unfamiliar voice, Oh Chu-baek whipped his head around.
But there was no one to his left or right.
Then, could it be...?
Oh Chu-baek swallowed hard and turned around.
"W-who are you?!"
"Ah, this is fine liquor."
A pale-faced, handsome man he had never seen before was drinking from Oh Chu-baek's cup.
This was the Patriarch's study. Even if he had dismissed his servants, there were still guards outside.
If he raised his voice even slightly, they should have rushed in immediately.
Why...?
Yet, there was no sound.
Forget footsteps, it was as silent as a grave.
Oh Chu-baek's face turned pale.
The man smirked.
"Yep, you guessed right. They're all dead."
"...!"
The man emptied another cup and spoke playfully.
However, his voice was chilling, dripping with a cold, bloodthirsty intent.
"W-who might you be, honored guest...?"
"Me? I'm Ho Baek-seon."
Ho Baek-seon...?
No matter how hard he racked his brain, he had never heard the name before.
But one thing was absolutely clear.
An overwhelmingly powerful master...!
Oh Chu-baek had met many martial artists in his life.
The Geumhwang Merchant Group had once been a pillar of the Orthodox Martial Alliance, after all.
Yet, few among them exuded the kind of pressure and presence that Ho Baek-seon did now.
No, the mysterious energy radiating from this man was hideous and savage, feeling as if thousands of snakes were crawling all over his body.
"What are you doing? Sit."
"...I understand."
"Now, listen to my story. I'm practically dying of frustration here."
Bizarrely, Ho Baek-seon began speaking to Oh Chu-baek in a friendly tone, as if visiting an old friend.
"I originally had a mission from my master. It was to find the corpse of that Poison Demon bastard."
"..."
"But no matter how much I search, I can't find a single trace. He must have swallowed the Golden Spirit Thread and fled. He probably ran off to the Western Regions. It's a real headache. I can't return to the Cult empty-handed."
"...!"
At the mention of the "Cult," Oh Chu-baek's mind raced.
The only clue.
The dreadful energy pressing down on his body was undoubtedly demonic energy.
C-could it be... the Blood Sect?
He immediately thought of the heretical cult rumored to operate in the shadows, deceiving the world.
But he had heard that they only sought to complete their wicked sorcery, keeping their identities strictly hidden and never rising to the surface...
"Keke, old man. It's quite cute watching your brain spin. It makes me want to pluck it out and keep it in my room."
"...I-I apologize."
Terrified by the horrific threat, Oh Chu-baek immediately slammed his head to the floor.
Ho Baek-seon continued with his usual chilling smile.
"Anyway, if I go back like this, my master will lock me in the training cave again. So, I was thinking of bringing back something that can compare to the Poison Demon's corpse."
"..."
Oh Chu-baek closed his eyes tightly.
He had a feeling he knew what Ho Baek-seon's "business" was.
"Gold Sovereign, Oh Chu-baek. Offer your clan to the 'Divine Demon'."
"!!"
Something comparable.
It was none other than his own Geumhwang Merchant Group.
Just as Oh Chu-baek's face filled with despair at the absurd threat, Ho Baek-seon slowly approached and placed his hand on Oh Chu-baek's head.
"Urgh?! W-what are you—Aaargh!"
"Be grateful. You are receiving the honor of accepting a fraction of our Lord's power."
Ho Baek-seon's demonic energy poured into Oh Chu-baek.
S-spare me, argh...!
Oh Chu-baek felt as if his nerves were being shredded and his body twisted apart. The pain was so intense he felt he would die—
But in an instant, everything changed.
Thump! Thump!
His heartbeat echoed like a war drum, and his vision was dyed blood-red.
It felt as if he had been forcibly dragged to the horrific flip side of the world.
And then, a voice spoke.
"Follow me. Do so, and you shall obtain everything."
It was a voice that transcended humanity.
An inhuman voice echoed in his ears.
"Ah... Ah..."
Watching Oh Chu-baek's eyes, from which fear had vanished, replaced entirely by ugly desire, Ho Baek-seon, one of the Twin Calamities, wore a mad grin.