A Dangerous Provocation
Gathering the information hadn't been all that difficult. It was simply a matter of writing down what I saw.
'Short hair, pale skin... and a mole right there...'
Stealing glances without getting caught was tricky, but it was doable. Besides, memorizing things had been my specialty since my past life, so all I had to do was imprint it in my mind.
'No need to measure the size of the scars. And I probably don't need to write down their chest sizes either.'
I didn't know the finer details.
I could only see what was right in front of me.
'Right now, I see five.'
Five. That was the number of vengeful spirits clinging to Namgung Seong.
Every single one of them was a woman.
They possessed a lingering beauty, the kind that would have made them famous for their looks when they were alive.
However, because they were now vengeful spirits, their eyes were filled with murderous intent. Their contorted expressions evoked terror rather than admiration.
The spirits glared at Namgung Seong with eyes that screamed murder. Just looking at them made my knees shake.
'Crazy bastard.'
Not just one, but five. What on earth did he do to them?
I didn't have to wonder for long. The spirits all shared a common trait.
'They all have red marks on their necks.'
The color was so vivid it could easily be mistaken for fresh blood.
The distinct shape of a hand was bruised deeply into each of their necks.
Whose hand could it be? There was no need to guess that either.
The culprit was standing right in front of me.
The very man the spirits were staring at so intently.
I didn't know the exact circumstances, but it was clear he had murdered these women. Otherwise, there was no way these vengeful spirits would be clinging to him like this.
'Well, that makes my job easy.'
The old man had told me to use the bead, but I had something much better right in front of me. Setting aside my desire to avoid getting involved, I had to use whatever leverage I could get.
Even if it was just information I read off them, how would it look to Namgung Seong?
'Look at his face.'
His expression was completely contorted, his eyes burning with rage. That alone told me everything.
'It worked.'
He must feel like he'd just been struck by lightning.
How did he perceive it?
Information that no one should have known.
A truth that, even if known, was shared by only a select few.
Now that I had spoken it aloud as if I knew everything, what was going through Namgung Seong's mind?
His mind was probably racing.
After all, he had no idea I could see ghosts.
"...What... did you just say?"
His tone had changed. He had reverted from casual speech back to polite honorifics.
Hearing that, the corners of my mouth twitched upward. He was shaken. Extremely shaken.
"Why do you keep making me repeat myself? You heard me just fine."
"..."
Now was the time to press him.
"I said, let's have a duel."
"Young Master Bang."
"What? Scared?"
The moment I threw in that provoking jab, a crack appeared in his composure. I kept pushing.
"If you fight me and win, I'll tell you how I found out. I can even keep it a secret if you want."
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about, Young Master."
Tsk, close.
If he had hesitated or reacted a bit slower, this would have been much easier. It seemed he wasn't a complete idiot.
"I was simply angry because I felt it was highly disrespectful of you to send such a letter."
"Ah..."
So that's how he wanted to play it?
He was going to feign ignorance, treat me like a madman, and sweep it under the rug.
"You don't know anything...?"
I held back a laugh at his words.
"I didn't expect you to play dumb even after I laid it out like this."
Did he really think he could deny it to the end?
Not quite.
'He's probably trying to buy time.'
He wanted to get through this moment, go back, and deal with the leak. He was probably assuming there was a spy in his ranks. His brain must be working in overdrive.
'Is there any evidence left? Who is the witness, if there is one?'
He was likely frantic, trying to figure out where the leak had started.
But.
"I do not know why you are suddenly acting this way, Young Master Bang—!"
I had no intention of letting him catch his breath.
Namgung Seong's eyes widened mid-sentence. I had just placed something on the table.
A brilliant blue bead.
The moment I showed it to him, his reaction became highly entertaining.
"You bastard."
Creak!
His voice and expression shifted instantly. At the same time, a chilling aura erupted from his body.
'Whoa.'
It took my breath away. So this was murderous intent?
'...Is he past the Peak realm?'
I wasn't sure, but it was highly possible.
'So, I'm currently playing a high-stakes game of tug-of-war with a Peak-level master.'
Wow. Look at you, Bang Seong-yeon. You've really made it. Engaging in a battle of nerves with a Peak master.
'This is absolutely terrible. Haha.'
The hairs on my arms stood on end, and cold sweat poured down my back. Fortunately, my forehead remained dry, so he wouldn't notice.
"Your reaction is terrifying. I showed it to you thinking you might need it, but I guess it wasn't what you were looking for?"
Rattle, rattle. The surrounding furniture vibrated slightly, but I forced myself to ignore it.
"Do you truly wish to die?"
"Of course not. I want to live more than anyone else."
I planned to survive by any means necessary until I was old and senile. I wanted to enjoy this life, so why was he saying such scary things?
'I'm struggling just to stay alive here.'
Unlike certain people, I had started this life with absolutely nothing—in fact, I had started at a disadvantage. I was clawing my way forward in this harsh world.
It was just that sometimes, to survive, you had to put your life on the line. While this wasn't quite a life-or-death situation, I still had to take some risks.
"You want to live? And yet you dare pull this stunt on me?"
"What stunt? I'm just trying to give you what you wanted."
Grind.
Namgung Seong gnashed his teeth.
He was terrifying.
What if he drew his sword? If he tried to decapitate me right now, would I even be able to react?
A million thoughts raced through my mind, and fear gripped me, but...
"Stop glaring at me and just answer my question."
Despite my churning stomach, my exterior remained perfectly calm. It was a talent forged from countless trials in my past life.
'Speak like a serpent, lie like a swan on a lake.'
That was a piece of advice from an old manager back in my previous life.
Words must flow smoothly to slowly entangle the opponent, and lies must be delivered with utmost grace, even if you are paddling frantically beneath the surface.
"Did I ask you to follow my orders? Or to be my backer? I just asked for a fight."
I gently rolled the bead in front of him.
"You don't like me either. Let's settle this."
"You..."
"I promise. If you win, I'll keep what I know a secret and return this to you. But if you refuse to fight?"
Tap.
I stopped the rolling bead with my finger and looked straight into Namgung Seong's eyes.
"Then, it won't be long before the Beggar Alliance finds out what I know, and this bead will be delivered directly to the Namgung Clan Leader."
"...!"
The Beggar Alliance, Gaebang, was one of the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, widely known as the eyes and ears of the orthodox factions.
They gathered and spread all kinds of information. There was a saying that if Gaebang got involved in a rumor, it would spread across the entire Central Plains in less than a day.
Of course, getting Gaebang to move required a significant amount of influence or reputation, which a country bumpkin like me obviously didn't possess.
'But he doesn't know that.'
A mysterious figure who knew his deepest secret.
On top of that, someone hailed as the successor of the Sword Saint and connected to the Cheongwol Gate.
To him, I was an unpredictable anomaly that he couldn't afford to ignore.
Namgung Seong's eyes wavered.
I felt his murderous aura weaken slightly. But it wasn't enough. I needed to drive the final nail in the coffin.
"Seeing you hesitate, I guess your position as the successor is secure? Though from what I've seen, it doesn't look that way..."
"..."
At my words, the trembling in Namgung Seong's eyes stopped.
At the same time, his murderous intent vanished completely.
'Indeed.'
How would he react?
'Will he still try to call my bluff?'
The chances were slim, but even if he did, it didn't matter. I had already prepared about four different contingency plans for that scenario.
A few seconds passed in silence. Finally, Namgung Seong spoke, his brow still furrowed.
"...Just... who the hell... are you?"
Hook, line, and sinker.
I let out a chuckle I had been holding back.
"Hahaha..."
I laughed briefly, then instantly wiped the smile from my face.
"Why do you care?"
"..."
"Stop trying to change the subject. Answer me. This is the last time I'm asking."
I stood up from my chair and leaned forward.
I stepped close to Namgung Seong, bringing my face right up to his.
We were close enough to share breaths. Maintaining a dangerous angle where he could cut my throat at any moment, I spoke to him.
"Are you going to do it, or not?"
There were two options, but in reality, he only had one choice. Because I had made it that way.
As the afternoon waned and the sun began to set, loud chatter echoed through the Anhui branch of the Martial Alliance.
"What...? The Young Azure Sword is fighting who?"
"You know, that guy everyone called the fool of this batch..."
"Hey, watch your mouth! You should refer to him with respect now!"
Namgung Seong, the second son of the Namgung Clan and known as the Young Azure Sword, was going to hold a duel within the branch.
And his opponent was the very person who had been the talk of the town for the past few days, not just in the branch but in all of Anhui: Bang Seong-yeon, the successor of the Sword Saint.
A low-ranking member of the Martial Alliance who had been hiding his strength.
A boy who had entered with a recommendation letter but was ignored due to his apparent lack of talent and strength. However, the revelation that he was actually the successor of the Sword Saint, the former strongest man in the world, had left everyone in utter shock.
Those who had quietly looked down on him broke out in cold sweats, while those who had openly insulted and mocked him trembled in fear.
Yet, even amidst the shock, there were still skeptics. The behavior Bang Seong-yeon had shown over the past year had simply been too pathetic.
'I've never seen him properly endure morning training.'
'The guy who couldn't even handle drunkards and got knocked down every day is the successor of the Sword Saint...?'
'Isn't this all nonsense?'
Even though Cheon Ui-jin, a martial artist of the Cheongwol Gate and a blood relative of its sect leader, had personally vouched for him, doubt still lingered. And now, under these circumstances, he was going to duel the genius known as the Young Azure Sword?
Naturally, all eyes were drawn to the event.
"...It really is the Young Azure Sword."
"He's quite tall. And his face looks like it was carved from marble..."
"But if we're talking about looks, the fool... I mean, Young Master Bang doesn't fall behind either, does he?"
The sparring arena in the branch was already surrounded by a massive crowd. They were all martial artists of the Martial Alliance.
Even those who should have been out on missions were present. The news of the Namgung Clan visiting had already drawn a crowd to the branch.
"Excuse me... Please let me through."
"Hey, who do you think—gasp!"
Someone pushed through the crowd. The man blocking the path frowned and turned around, only to gasp upon recognizing the newcomer.
A young man of jaw-dropping good looks. It was Cheon Ui-jin of the Cheongwol Gate.
While the others flinched and stepped aside, Cheon Ui-jin's eyes were fixed solely on the stage.
'Young Master... Bang.'
He had rushed over upon hearing the news, and indeed, Bang Seong-yeon was standing on the stage.
He stood with his usual slouching, irritable posture, loosely holding his sword. Opposite him stood Namgung Seong, maintaining a dignified stance.
'What in the world...?'
How did this happen? Why were Bang Seong-yeon and Namgung Seong suddenly facing each other on the sparring stage?
It was a completely incomprehensible situation.
'What are you thinking?'
Why would Bang Seong-yeon, who had hidden his strength for so long, do something like this?
Cheon Ui-jin couldn't fathom his intentions at all. And he wasn't the only one; the crowd couldn't understand why Namgung Seong had agreed to this either.
'For the Young Azure Sword to accept such a duel... what could have happened?'
Namgung Seong was famous for his meticulous nature. He was not the type to engage in a duel in front of so many spectators. Yet, he stood loftily on the stage, wearing his trademark gentle smile.
Then.
"I did not expect so many people to gather," Namgung Seong spoke, breaking the silence.
"We merely intended to share a light, friendly exchange, but... haha, this is rather embarrassing."
As Namgung Seong spoke with feigned embarrassment at the unexpected crowd, light laughter rippled through the spectators. They felt a sense of humanity from the seemingly perfect genius.
"It is quite embarrassing, but... since it was never meant to be a secret, I hope you all enjoy the match with light hearts."
Clasp!
He brought his hands together in a polite martial salute to the crowd, eliciting quiet cheers. It was a display that clearly showed his refined upbringing.
Just as Cheon Ui-jin frowned at the sight of that nauseating display...
"Well, look at that," a strange voice suddenly cut through the air.
"I hear a dog barking somewhere."
It came directly from Bang Seong-yeon.