Cross That Line and You Die
Namgung Muyoung was more than a little taken aback.
"Martial artists will come flooding in without end. Among them, there may well be masters far stronger than we expect."
If they spread the rumor too widely, just as Sun Wukong said, martial artists would swarm in like a plague of rats. The fastest thing in the Central Plains was not some peerless lightness skill. It was rumor. A whisper confined to one corner of Anhui would sweep the entire province and leap into other regions in the blink of an eye.
Until they secured the Wudang Taoist, Sun Wukong would have to face those martial artists as they crashed in like waves. It was, quite literally, an undertaking of extreme danger. There was a reason they called it bait. Fail to lift the rod in time, and the cunning fish would strip the lure and vanish. You could be swallowed whole at any moment, disappearing without a trace into some belly. That was what it meant to be bait.
Sun Wukong had volunteered himself for it. Even the renowned Namgung Cheonyeong, and Muyoung as well, could not hide their dismay.
Sun Wukong furrowed his brow.
"Then who's gonna do it?"
"The Young Master cannot, given his position. I will do it."
Namgung Cheonyeong's voice was firm. Sun Wukong clicked his tongue.
"Hall Master of Myeong-i-dang. Who do you think gave you that wound?"
"That's—!"
"The bait's purpose isn't just to draw martial artists' eyes. It's to lure out those black-robed ones."
Namgung Cheonyeong's mouth went tight. His wound throbbed. The shadow of the masked, white-haired old master who had inflicted it flickered before his eyes.
"You confident you won't get eaten?"
Of course he wasn't. Namgung Cheonyeong was a man of clear-eyed self-assessment. He could not bring himself to answer.
"That bastard might come biting the bait first. That's why the strongest one has to do it."
Then the answer was obvious.
"That's me, right?"
Silence settled over the room. Had they not already felt Sun Wukong's overwhelming presence firsthand?
"So I'll be the bait."
No one could offer a rebuttal to that declaration.
Muyoung let out a sigh.
This is dangerous work. And he throws himself into it without a thought for his own safety.
For what? What on earth was Sun Wukong doing this for?
Even if this matter is resolved well, the only ones who benefit are the Namgung Clan.
At this point, Sun Wukong might as well have been one of their own. Not only from Muyoung's eyes, but from Namgung Cheonyeong's as well, the wariness that had always lurked there melted quietly away.
Sun Wukong saw those looks and narrowed his brow.
What's with these guys?
Their gazes were burning.
Anyway, if I want to track down the ones who stole Sanzang's soul, I have to catch those black-robed ones myself. I just need these guys to secure the Wudang Taoist.
Sun Wukong couldn't have cared less about the Namgung Clan's future. In his mind, there was only Sanzang. Finding Sanzang, and restoring Sanzang's soul. He raced toward that single goal alone.
Well, if they want to drop their guard, that's fine by me.
Especially Namgung Muyoung. The moment that latch on his upper dantian came undone, Sun Wukong would be able to see his soul and know his past life. Whether Sanzang was smiling inside that boy — that, he was intensely curious about.
Muyoung let out a long breath and clasped his fists in a formal salute.
"Teacher Sun, we find ourselves in your debt once again. I will never forget this kindness."
"Yeah. Don't you ever forget it."
Sun Wukong said it with firm emphasis. Taking it as a joke meant to lighten the burden, Muyoung smiled bitterly.
"But if you go as you are, won't Teacher Sun's identity be discovered immediately?"
"My identity?"
"The fact that you are a guest of the Namgung Clan. If the bait is someone from inside the clan, then..."
It was a reasonable point. Namgung Cheonyeong looked at Sun Wukong and spoke up abruptly.
"First, it would be best to conceal your hair."
"Indeed. That golden hair is far too conspicuous."
"My hair?"
A look of deep dissatisfaction rose on Sun Wukong's face. But he resigned himself, as if there was no helping it. A wistful expression settled over his features — a strangely novel look on him.
"To think I have to hide the hair that earned me the title of Handsomest Monkey King — the Beautiful Monkey King..."
He had volunteered to be bait as if it were the most natural thing in the world. And yet here, at this unexpected point, Sun Wukong wore a look of genuine sorrow.
"Won't the eyes be a problem as well?"
"As the Young Master says, those eyes are so striking they could never be forgotten."
They weren't speaking merely of the look in his eyes. It was the appearance itself.
"Whites tinged with red, and golden pupils as if gold itself had been set into them."
"But we can hardly cover his eyes."
Sun Wukong cut into their earnest discussion.
"It's fine. I'll just keep my eyes closed."
"...You mean you'll keep them closed the entire time?"
"I can see everything even with my eyes shut."
Sun Wukong's manner had always been so playful that it was hard to tell whether he was joking or serious. There was no way to conceal the eyes, so they had no choice but to accept that part as it was.
"Young Master, then I shall spread the rumor and immediately begin tracking the Wudang Taoist."
"I shall accompany you as well."
"I don't want to."
Namgung Seowol, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly cut in. Muyoung furrowed his brow.
"This side seems more fun."
Seowol took her place at Sun Wukong's side. Her eyes sparkled — she seemed to like the idea because that side would involve more fighting. Muyoung sighed.
Well, even if Teacher Sun is strong, taking on that much danger alone is too much.
Seowol's skill was outstanding. Muyoung knew that better than anyone. Even he, who had begun training after learning a portion of the Unfettered Sword of the Azure Sky, found it difficult to match Seowol's raw ability.
"Very well, Seowol. Assist Teacher Sun well. Teacher Sun — would that be acceptable?"
"Hmm."
Sun Wukong looked down at Namgung Seowol, who was gazing up at him with sparkling eyes.
"...She won't be dead weight, I suppose."
That was acceptance.
"Your order, honored guests."
The waiter bowed and withdrew, though he couldn't help sneaking glances.
What an odd pair.
They looked like siblings with a bit of an age gap. They'd drawn eyes from the moment they walked in. The man was blind, after all.
Still, I'd better not pay them any mind.
Twelve years working inns in the martial world. The waiter was a capable, seasoned hand in this line of work. Both of them carried a sword and a long staff. They were clearly martial artists. Lately, such people had become a common sight, and a strange fervor hung in the air. Times like these, you had to watch every word and gesture. The waiter made a point of ignoring them.
"He's not Hao Clan."
Namgung Seowol muttered, toying with her food with her chopsticks.
"Just a nosy waiter."
Sun Wukong snorted a laugh. Seowol's senses were keen. Not just her energy perception — all five senses were razor-sharp. She'd already determined the waiter had no inner energy, and from his movements and gaze, that he was no martial artist.
"Looks like the rumor hasn't spread yet."
Namgung Seowol said it with a note of disappointment. Three days had passed since they'd started traveling together, and not a single martial artist had come after them yet. Seowol looked thoroughly bored, as if things weren't living up to her expectations. Even though decent food had been served, she only picked at it with her chopsticks.
But Sun Wukong trusted Namgung Cheonyeong's skill.
He already tracked those black-robed ones alone and got right up to their doorstep.
As far as Sun Wukong could tell, those bastards' skills were no joke. Even with Myodu-eung watching from the sky, they didn't leave clues easily. Namgung Cheonyeong had tracked them alone and gotten close. He'd been forced to flee when outmatched, but even Sun Wukong acknowledged that tracking skill.
He'll spread the rumor, wedge open a gap, and secure the Wudang Taoist.
It really was convenient having people to do the work for you. In the old days, he could just order the Earth Deities around. He couldn't do that now. The Namgung Clan had become Sun Wukong's new Earth Deities, in a manner of speaking.
They really are good at their jobs.
Sun Wukong grinned and set down his chopsticks.
In that instant, Namgung Seowol's ears perked up. It looked so much like a puppy's ears twitching that Sun Wukong couldn't help but smile. Seowol narrowed her eyes.
"They're here."
"I know."
Sun Wukong cracked his neck. The atmosphere around them had gone quiet, starting from some unseen moment. An inn always had its ambient noise — the coming and going, the chatter. That noise had slowly faded, until at last nothing could be heard at all.
Through the silence came the sound of heavy footsteps. A group entered the inn. They all wore the same martial uniforms, as if they belonged to one organization.
"It's the Ghost Blade Guild."
"What's Hubei's Ghost Blade Guild doing in Anhui?"
"So the rumor's true. They've come all the way from Hubei, coveting it."
Those who recognized them buzzed in surprise. Seowol's eyes lit up.
"A sect that walks the line between orthodox and unorthodox."
"You know more than I thought."
She'd seemed interested in nothing at all.
"The Ghost Blade Guild's saber work is quite threatening."
Their presence was indeed different. A well-honed energy, set apart from the usual small fry. Sun Wukong smiled faintly. When it came to martial arts and masters, Namgung Seowol showed more interest than anyone.
If this kid knows them well, they must be reasonably skilled.
Sun Wukong realized that the scheme Namgung Cheonyeong had set in motion was now beginning to surface.
The Ghost Blade Guild members looked around, then spoke toward Sun Wukong.
"There don't seem to be any seats. Mind if we join you?"
Sun Wukong cackled.
"Ah, now that's a funny thing to say."
No seats? Please. The place was overflowing with empty tables.
Sun Wukong shot to his feet. His hand moved like a thunderbolt. The Ghost Blade Guild warriors startled and reached for their saber hilts.
"......!"
Sun Wukong's hand seemed to vanish for an instant. It was too fast for the eye to follow. Before they could even react, the vibration and the roar reached their ears first.
BOOM!
At the sight unfolding before them, the Ghost Blade Guild warriors' eyes twitched.
"What in the—!"
A steel staff had driven itself into the floor, right in the center of the space between them. Sun Wukong spoke in a languid voice.
An utterly arrogant voice. The Ghost Blade Guild was a reasonably solid sect, so they didn't react immediately. Their leader, a man with jutting cheekbones, let his gaze settle into calm.
The speed at which that steel staff was driven in was faster than any swift sword. If he'd swung it this way instead of planting it in the ground, we wouldn't have even been able to react.
So this was the unidentified freak who supposedly claimed a peerless secret manual. His skill was no ordinary thing either. But they had far superior numbers. If they accepted a certain amount of sacrifice, it was a fight they could take.
The jutting-cheekboned man spoke carefully.
"May I ask which school the honored senior belongs to?"
"Me?"
"I am Sa Hyeok, Captain of the Black Blade Unit of the Ghost Blade Guild."
"And what're you gonna do with that information?"
"......!"
Sa Hyeok's brow twitched. Sun Wukong snorted.
"If you came for the manual, pick one. Come and die, or run and live."
At the raw provocation, Sa Hyeok's face flushed red. At the insult to their leader, his subordinates also gripped their saber hilts tight. Still, they couldn't rush in recklessly. A provocation that raw had to come with matching confidence. Sa Hyeok held himself back once more.
"Hahaha. I believe the honored senior may have some misunderstanding. We are merely..."
"What, you gonna cut me with your mouth? You talk too damn much. Get lost or die. Just pick one, I said."
Sa Hyeok clenched his teeth. Sects that walked the line between orthodox and unorthodox clung less to justification than the righteous schools, and were freer for it. They were not as lawless as the unorthodox path, but they generally had rough temperaments.
A vein stood out on Sa Hyeok's forehead. He glared at Sun Wukong, gripping his saber hilt tight. Backing down here was not an option. The prey was far too tempting to tuck tail and flee without even a fight.
The Namgung Clan's peerless secret manual is right there!
And besides, if they withdrew like this, how would the rumor spread? The Ghost Blade Guild retreated after nothing but humiliation — then the face of Sa Hyeok, who had led them, would be in tatters. He made a bold decision. Two or three might die. But that much sacrifice was acceptable.
Sa Hyeok gave a signal with his eyes. At the same time, the Ghost Blade Guild warriors drew their sabers and charged.
"Attack!"
"Waaah!"
The three warriors who charged out first were newcomers who'd only recently joined the Black Blade Unit. No bonds had been formed. Sacrifice three, take the manual. Not a bad trade.
Sa Hyeok smiled insidiously. But that smile was wiped away in an instant.
A breath touched the back of his neck. A low voice rang out, chillingly quiet — a tone in which no emotion could be felt.
"I told you."
A faint laugh mixed into the words.