The Hunter and the Hunted
“There were no anomalies at the Azure Dragon Inn!”
“The Great Object Escort Agency is also clear!”
“Among the guests at the Pear Blossom Pavilion, there is a strange master who refuses to watch the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering and stays holed up in his room!”
“Investigate that person more thoroughly.”
Daytime words are heard by birds, and nighttime words are heard by mice. The investigation using the mice was far more systematic and extensive than any human network.
“Tell everyone to switch with the morning shift and work hard at the Dokjakdang (Poison-Making Hall).”
Hearing Seong-jin’s words, the mice returned to the Dokjakdang and relayed the message to the others.
-He said we’ve gotten totally lazy!!
-Everyone under one year old, gather up!!!
-Everyone under six months, gather up!!!!
-Everyone under three months, gather up!!!!!
However, because they weren't accustomed to human speech, there were many difficulties in disseminating the instructions.
-Focus!!!
-Two!
-Your minds!!!
The systematic mental training provided by Seo-saengwon (the Lead Mouse), combined with the echoes of half-baked human language, turned the mice into a military unit in an instant. Seong-jin, oblivious to this, gathered rumors from the marketplace through the mice while simultaneously checking information within the Murim Alliance. In other words, he had returned as a guest martial artist for the Alliance.
“I am here to accept a request.”
Since the Murim Alliance collected countless requests from people seeking to solve their troubles, one could grasp the events occurring in various regions just by reading them.
“Are you the young hero, Seong-jin?”
As Seong-jin was legally utilizing the Alliance’s information network, he turned his head at the voice calling him.
“Yes, that is correct.”
“Excuse me. I am Geum Ye-hwa from the General Affairs Department.”
The woman who introduced herself as Geum Ye-hwa straightened her posture and formally delivered her business.
“I was looking for you because there is a designated request that has come in for you.”
“For me? I am merely a newcomer whose only proper mission since arriving here was the Dokjakdang incident.”
“You didn't just defeat the assassin; you uprooted the entire Assassination Gate behind them. Actually, designated requests have been coming in continuously, but the Alliance level has been filtering out the ones that don't meet our standards.”
“Substandard, you say?”
“Well, whenever an unaffiliated master appears, many places like to test the waters first. They call them out under the guise of a reasonable job, try to cheat them with a pittance, and if that doesn't work, they try to nip them in the bud.”
“To think such people are active in Hubei.”
“They walk the line. In reality, martial artists with no affiliation have no one to take their side, so to some extent, it’s often swept under the rug.”
Geum Ye-hwa took Seong-jin’s hand and said,
“So, please, you must accept this request. Do not fall for their tricks, and I hope you accumulate proper merit to achieve success and fame within the Alliance.”
“It seems you’ve been burned by them quite a bit.”
“Ah, ahem. The Murim Alliance suffers from chronic manpower shortages, you see. Every time a guest martial artist we worked so hard to recruit quits because of those types, I get so fired up...”
“Let me read it once.”
The content of the designated request was a mission to execute a master of the Demonic Sect.
“There was a huge commotion regarding the Thunderous Asura incident, wasn't there? The schedule for the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was delayed because of it, so there is an opinion that we should take this opportunity to drive out all the nearby Demonic Sect members and resume the gathering.”
“I’m not going alone, am I?”
“No. There is no need to be fair and square in a one-on-one fight against criminals. It’s dangerous if they attempt mutual destruction, so we usually send at least three first-rate masters to deal with one first-rate master.”
If you sent one righteous first-rate master against a demonic first-rate master and they ended up in a mutual kill? The Demonic Sect’s martial arts were already more advantageous for raising one's realm. Even if a righteous master could handle more diverse situations stably, it was difficult to endure if a master of equal rank attempted mutual destruction. If one righteous master died for every demonic master caught, the Alliance couldn't handle the aftermath.
“Statistics show that having three masters of equal rank face one is the most stable way to block escape attempts and catch the opponent safely without casualties.”
“As expected of the Murim Alliance. It is systematic.”
It was true. Even for the Nine Great Sects, it was not easy to systematize the loss rate of first-rate masters. Because individual capabilities varied so much, it was easy for people to just say, “Isn't that just because of who they are?” regardless of the case.
“Hehe, you are the first person to point that out. Most masters don't even pay attention to such things.”
“Even though there must be countless masters belonging to the Murim Alliance?”
Geum Ye-hwa laughed as if Seong-jin’s words were amusing.
“Since the study of martial arts has no end even if you devote your whole life to it, most of those who have reached a high realm are people who have devoted themselves only to martial arts without interest in worldly affairs. In the end, they are no better than children when it comes to matters outside of martial arts.”
“Everyone in the General Affairs Department would agree. A first-rate master with no common sense is better than a second-rate martial artist with quick wits.”
“So, a master with quick wits is a treasure that should be recruited even from hell.”
Geum Ye-hwa considered Seong-jin to be exactly that kind of existence.
“Please, achieve great success. And remember in the future: it was this Geum Ye-hwa who recognized you first.”
“Yes, I will.”
Geum Ye-hwa seemed to have been grinding her teeth over talent recruitment for a long time. Seong-jin, guessing the situation, nodded without adding unnecessary words. Realizing she had brought up such a heavy topic out of nowhere upon their first meeting, Geum Ye-hwa cleared her throat as if to regain her composure.
“Ahem!”
“By the way, this demonic person bravely set foot in Hubei, where the Murim Alliance is located?”
“Ah, that is because of the Heavenly Demon’s Treasure Map.”
“The Heavenly Demon’s Treasure Map?”
Traces of the treasure map, heard in an unexpected place.
“At the news that the Heavenly Demon’s Treasure Map had been released in Hubei, demonic people began to flock like moths to a flame. They say the Heavenly Demon’s tomb contains countless spiritual medicines he plundered from the Central Plains, along with the secret manual of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, so it is inevitable that the demonic people would be tempted.”
“Indeed.”
Having heard that much, Seong-jin immediately accepted the request.
“Then, I will guide you immediately.”
Having accepted the request, Seong-jin met his team members right away.
“Hi? I’m Byeok Wol-rang from the Murim Alliance’s Arangdae. That one is Ham Bi-so.”
At the cheerful young man’s introduction, the woman called Ham Bi-so laughed like a mischievous child and waved her hand. Byeok Wol-rang and Ham Bi-so were not guest martial artists, but regular martial artists belonging to the Arangdae, the official combat unit. One guest martial artist, and two regular unit members to act as seniors. It was natural, as there was no reason to form a team only with guest martial artists who were essentially temporary workers.
“Don’t expect anything great from a guest martial artist, so don’t worry too much. It’s enough if you just assist the two of us.”
“Look at that way of speaking. Don’t pay too much attention to him. That guy is currently having his period.”
“I am not! Who’s having a period!”
“See? He can’t control his anger, can he?”
“Oh, seriously!”
Fellow disciples who studied together in the same sect are like family. This was not a metaphor, but meant a relationship where the distribution was recorded according to the sect’s genealogy. On the other hand, colleagues in the Murim Alliance’s combat unit, who had different origins, were not fellow disciples. However, that did not mean their relationships were inferior to those of a single sect. Sometimes, comrades who had braved the battlefield together became closer than brothers and sisters who had lived together.
“She’s pretty, but with a personality like that, I don’t know if she’ll ever get married.”
“I suppose the people of the Murim Alliance put eye-reading training on the back burner?”
“What? I didn’t see you that way, you bastard, you were an ambitious guy...?”
While Byeok Wol-rang was dumbfounded, Ham Bi-so smiled brightly at Seong-jin’s words.
“You, be my younger brother. Tell that guy to get lost, and let’s go together.”
It seemed there would be no worries about them not clicking.
* * *
Returning to the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering, Young-myeong was engulfed in a strange sense of regret.
‘The true successor who surpasses any dragon or phoenix must be out there. What meaning does a martial arts tournament have?’
It was Young-myeong, who had rediscovered the joy of martial arts he had forgotten. That was why it was all the more regrettable. That he hadn’t been able to cross swords with Seong-jin, who had showcased unimaginable divine power one after another. It was Young-myeong’s regret that he hadn’t been able to satisfy his competitive spirit and curiosity as a pure martial artist, separate from the series of incidents. However, if there is unexpected misfortune, there is also unexpected luck. In the midst of that, the fact that the method of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering was changed by the Alliance Leader’s order was the best news for Young-myeong.
-The remainder of the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering will be a competition to see who catches more Demonic Sect members.
-Of course, apart from the competition, the Murim Alliance’s martial artists will also participate in the subjugation, so compete as you see fit, whether you cooperate or move alone.
In this competition, where even the Murim Alliance’s guest martial artists participated, he would be able to witness Seong-jin’s martial arts once again. ‘Perhaps even more than that...’ Whether they knew Young-myeong’s thoughts or not, the members of his team were overjoyed.
“Hehe, to think the Mount Hua Sword Dragon would be on the same team as me...!”
Jegal-rin, a student at the Heavenly Martial Academy like Young-myeong and a daughter of the Jegal Clan, cheered at this team formation. ‘This is a chance to buy the strongest of this generation, the Mount Hua Sword Dragon, at a low point!’ Jegal-rin was the eighth daughter of the Jegal Clan, a person who had given up on the competition for the Clan Leader position early on. Her brilliant brain had seen through that participating in the competition as a latecomer was not a rational thing to do, and she had chosen to enter the shade of the barrier rather than collide with the solid walls her older siblings had built. If you can’t win, join them. Having supported the eldest early on, she was seeking to build connections at the Heavenly Martial Academy under her big brother’s support fire. And now. By succeeding in being on the same team as the Mount Hua Sword Dragon, whom everyone was avoiding while watching each other due to the previous incident, she had gained an opportunity to get close to the best successor of this generation.
“I’ve investigated all the information on the demonic masters in this vicinity, so just choose your desired target. The Ghost Valley Twin Assassins? The Fire-Eye Sword Demon?”
“We are following another team.”
“If it’s another team, are you thinking of keeping the Wudang in check?”
Even if his personal martial prowess was the best among his peers, it would be difficult to guarantee victory as long as they were forming teams and moving like this. Since those called demonic masters didn’t appear just because you wanted to catch them, it could be strategically advantageous to catch other teams’ prey first. However, unlike Jegal-rin’s rational judgment, Young-myeong had no intention of being rational.
“No, it’s the team where the Murim Alliance’s guest martial artist belongs.”
Transcendence always existed outside of rationality.