Chapter 279
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 279
Chapter Title: Gone
A branch rustled slightly in the distance.
Then a shadowy figure cautiously dropped to the ground.
His face was uncovered.
I recognized him immediately.
It was the guest from Sa Hye-ryeon who had visited me before.
The one who had come looking for Ha Mu-baek.
The one who had sparked all this commotion.
But what fault could he really have? He was just following orders.
Before things escalated further, it had to end as quietly as possible.
The best way was for Ha Mu-baek and this man to meet discreetly and part ways.
And for the Shaolin monks to leave empty-handed.
With that in mind, Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul decided to cooperate in ensuring the Sa Hye-ryeon envoy completed his mission safely.
The mission was simple enough—just meeting Ha Mu-baek and leaving.
It wasn't a hard decision.
After the man appeared, Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul scanned the surroundings.
No one was nearby.
Still, better safe than sorry. He walked casually toward an even more deserted spot, as if out for a stroll.
[To think you'd make it this far.]
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul's transmission.
Haepyeong So was quick on the uptake.
He hid himself again.
[The security wasn't that tight. Who are they?]
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul's face hardened at Haepyeong So's question.
[You've encountered them? No, first things first—how did you evade their eyes?]
[I stayed outside Wuchang.]
Haepyeong So had no intention of mentioning his keen instincts, so he only shared part of the truth.
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul nodded at the response.
They had only searched inside Wuchang, so they wouldn't find him.
Searching the vast outskirts for one person was impossible anyway.
'A cautious one. Well-suited to be an envoy in the heart of the righteous faction.']
But a question arose simultaneously.
How did this man outside Wuchang know of their presence?
[Then how did you know about them?]
[I saw a group rushing out of Wuchang toward the north, late at night like this.]
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul tilted his head.
The person they sought was right here, so where were they heading?
[Shaolin Temple.]
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul curtly revealed their identity.
Cold sweat beaded on Haepyeong So's back the moment he heard it.
Why had they suddenly appeared here?
He had moved so stealthily and carefully.
The only place his identity might have been exposed was the Dragon Training Pavilion.
And Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul hadn't leaked it, from the looks of things.
'So that's why my instincts were screaming...']
Haepyeong So praised his own choice then. His instincts had saved his life once more.
If he'd ignored them and stayed...
The thought alone was horrifying.
Being hunted by those Shaolin demons...
[Avoid Darim Dalu. A Shaolin lay disciple runs the place.]
Haepyeong So's back grew damp at the follow-up.
It was the last place he'd had tea in Wuchang.
[How did Shaolin...]
Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul shook his head slightly at the transmission.
[I don't know. But I suspect it leaked from the Beggars' Sect.]
After returning empty-handed from Darim Dalu, he'd briefly met with Byeolrik Gae.
Neither wanted unrest in Wuchang, so they'd exchanged basic information.
Haepyeong So accepted the Beggars' Sect explanation but still wondered.
There were no beggars inside the Dragon Training Pavilion.
[He should arrive tomorrow.]
Haepyeong So's goal was Ha Mu-baek, after all.
After sharing that intel, Pavilion Lord Pang Do-yul headed toward the Pavilion Lord's Hall.
Haepyeong So silently watched him go, then cautiously slipped out of the Dragon Training Pavilion and into the outskirts of Wuchang.
Staying inside with Shaolin around was too risky.
The Shaolin monks raced toward Mokran Mountain.
They'd searched Wuchang all day.
Now, at rest and bedtime, they set off again.
Even they were human and grew tired.
So they camped midway to Mokran Mountain.
But they hurried as much as possible.
By dawn...
They arrived near Mokran Mountain.
Yeonjin halted.
He gathered all his internal energy into his eyes.
Concentrating every bit into the Panya Bori Vision.
The maximum ocular technique he could muster.
He scanned the surroundings in that state.
Wondering if demonic energy traces might rise like heat haze somewhere.
How long did he search?
He spotted faint traces of demonic energy in one direction.
"Hoo."
He released the technique and exhaled deeply.
His eyes throbbed as if they might burst.
An astonishing ability to detect faint lingering demonic energy from afar.
The result of pushing his body to the limit.
"That way."
They dashed in the direction Yeonjin pointed.
Irritation crossed Ha Mu-baek's face as he just woke up.
He sensed a group approaching.
'Monks. What business here?'
Gongya Hwiyeon had already left.
Ha Mu-baek emerged from his tent.
He perched on a suitable rock at the path where the Shaolin monks approached.
Uninvited guests at the crack of dawn.
A nuisance.
Dust rose in the distance.
They were sprinting full throttle, kicking up the ground.
True to Shaolin form—dead serious about sinister evildoers.
The face of the leader came into view.
A familiar one.
Shaolin's elite disciple, Yeonjin.
'That explains it.'
Ha Mu-baek immediately activated Infinite Bright Wheel Eye.
Scanning around...
Sure enough.
Demonic energy leaked from the bodies of the twenty Wa Dragon Corps cadets.
Especially thick from Sim Cheolsan, who'd taken a direct shoulder hit from the squad leader.
If this much...
Even those eliminated by Gongya Hwiyeon's arrows would carry traces.
At Yeonjin's level...
Encountering them, he'd notice the demonic energy on their bodies.
Panya Bori Vision.
Unrivaled for detecting demonic, blood, or deathly energy.
"Amitabha. Long time no see, Benefactor Ha."
Yeonjin, now arrived, clasped hands in greeting.
"Yeah. Long time."
A curt reply.
Yeonjin just smiled faintly.
"What business would a humble monk have? We merely followed traces of sinister evildoers here. Have you seen anything, Benefactor Ha?"
"None."
Firm denial.
"Hmm."
Yeonjin eyed Ha Mu-baek.
Gauging if he was lying.
But Ha Mu-baek was unflinching.
Naturally so.
He'd spoken the truth.
To him, sinister evildoers were the Demonic Cult and Blood Cult.
No sign of them here.
If Yeonjin had asked about unorthodox fighters, the answer might differ.
He had no intent to lie outright.
But he wouldn't spill everything either.
Yeonjin activated Panya Bori Vision again.
"Those benefactors over there..."
"Cadets who trained hard yesterday."
"May I speak with them?"
"Do as you like."
The cadets emerged one by one, sensing the presences outside.
Startled by the sudden group of monks.
"Amitabha. I am Yeonjin of Shaolin."
Yeonjin politely clasped hands toward them.
His gaze fixed on Sim Cheolsan.
The one emanating the most demonic energy.
"May I ask you a question, benefactor?"
"Y-yes, speak, great monk."
Sim Cheolsan stammered.
"Were you struck by an arrow during the Summer Combat Festival?"
"...Yes. I was."
Sim Cheolsan answered blankly.
Face saying he had no idea why that mattered.
Ha Mu-baek watched silently.
'They've pieced together quite a bit.'
He'd anticipated this when they showed up.
Yesterday...
Good call sending Gongya Hwiyeon off.
A day's distance away.
She could've hidden well.
Though her sealed energy limited her range.
The issue was...
'If it's that monk Yeonjin...'
He'd detect the demonic energy on the Four-Character Thunder Bow.
Shaolin showing up here was beyond Ha Mu-baek's expectations.
He hadn't thought someone of Yeonjin's caliber would move.
'Hope she hid smart.'
Whether she could, who knew.
"Whose arrow was it?"
Yeonjin asked again.
No one here bore demonic energy.
"Uh, a Fierce Dragon Corps cadet named Chwi Hwiyeon. She's probably in that tent over there..."
The tent Sim Cheolsan pointed to.
No presence inside.
Yeonjin approached it.
"Amitabha. This humble monk is Yeonjin of Shaolin. If it's not too rude, may I have a moment?"
No reply.
No presence.
Yeonjin already knew.
The tent was empty.
No expert would miss a presence this close.
Still, protocol must be followed.
"Is this tent occupied by Lady Yeo, by chance?"
Inferred from the name.
Sim Cheolsan nodded.
Yeonjin's gaze shifted to Yeon Ha-min and Ha Seol-ran.
"Might I ask a favor of you two benefactors?"
They glanced at Ha Mu-baek.
He nodded.
Ha Seol-ran already knew the tent was empty.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Yeon Ha-min entered briefly.
Indeed, empty.
The tent was neatly packed.
"Come in."
Yeonjin checked inside and nodded.
Spotless.
He'd entered despite knowing, hoping for clues.
But faint demonic energy lingered in one spot.
"Unorthodox scum, after all..."
Yeon Ha-min flinched at Yeonjin's mutter.
Unorthodox.
Did that mean the female cadet who stayed here was unorthodox?
Ha Seol-ran, unfamiliar with righteous-unorthodox distinctions, just tilted her head.
"May I check the other tents?"
With the cadets' consent, he inspected them all.
The Wa Dragon Corps cadets looked baffled at the sudden events.
After checking every tent...
Only two still held demonic traces.
Sim Cheolsan's and Chwi Hwiyeon's.
Then Yeonjin questioned the cadets in detail about Chwi Hwiyeon.
Appearance, height, habits.
Once done, he glared at Ha Mu-baek.
"Benefactor Ha. Didn't you say you'd seen no sinister group?"
"I did."
Ha Mu-baek replied calmly.
"At your level, you can't miss the demonic energy lingering here. You must've seen who left it—why lie?"
Anger laced his voice.
Ha Mu-baek frowned.
"No idea what you're on about. To me, sinister evildoers are Demonic Cult and Blood Cult. Where's any trace of them? If there was, they'd be dead by my hand before you arrived."
Ha Mu-baek growled.
Yeonjin flinched at the aura.
Ha Mu-baek was Ha Mu-baek, after all.
"But the unorthodox traces are clear..."
"So? What about the unorthodox?"
"..."
Yeonjin fell silent.
Ha Mu-baek was making it clear.
Unorthodox weren't sinister evildoers to him.
Yeonjin stared steadily.
In the end, he backed down.
"Understood. One last question, then. Where did this Chwi Hwiyeon go?"
"Find her yourself."
No lie of ignorance, no revelation.
The intent was plain.
"Understood. Pardon the intrusion. Amitabha."
Yeonjin didn't want further conflict with Ha Mu-baek, so he withdrew.
A few hot-blooded young Shaolin monks glared at Ha Mu-baek, displeased.
But none challenged Yeonjin's call.
Gongya Hwiyeon ran at full speed.
Shaolin monks had come looking.
She had to hide somehow.
In this pinch...
She had to admit it.
Fierce Dragon Corps training had helped immensely.
She'd gained stamina to move without internal energy.
She ran through the night like that.
A small village came into view.
Deep night, everyone still asleep.
Gongya Hwiyeon slipped cautiously into the outskirts.
She needed a brief rest.
Her hand brushed the beloved weapon slung over her shoulder.
The Four-Character Thunder Bow.
Some Shaolin monk might sense the energy within.
A slim chance.
'Account for every possibility.'
Words from Mun In-baeksong.
Then she had to hide the Four-Character Thunder Bow first.
Her careful eyes spotted a dried-up well on the village edge.
She'd confirmed two other wells still in use.
No one would come here.
Without hesitation, she tossed the Four-Character Thunder Bow into the well.
She covered it with nearby sand and dirt, then pebbles and rocks.
Finally, she replaced the well lid.
If Shaolin still found it...
'Nothing for it...'
Right now, her safety trumped the bow.
Gongya Hwiyeon knew her position well.
Granddaughter of the Sa Hye-ryeon Lord.
She understood its weight.
Though she had the reckless drive to run away despite it.
She was confident there.
With Seven-Colored Transformation and Thousand Faces Illusion, no one would recognize her.
A Shaolin monk sensing the bow's energy was an unforeseen emergency.
So she prioritized the greater need.
'When you can't protect everything, set priorities.'
Another teaching from Mun In-baeksong.
Gongya Hwiyeon was moving as shrewdly as Ha Mu-baek expected.