I looked up at the sky.

The sun was setting, and the twilight was gradually devouring the heavens.

I’d noticed it before, but time here really crawled.

It should have been night by now, but seeing how the sun was only now dipping below the horizon made it clear.

"So, for night to come..."

By my estimation, it would take about two more sijins (roughly four hours). Only then would night truly fall.

Until the moon rose, I spent my time checking a few pieces of information. Along the way, I learned some interesting things.

"Mount Hua? Where’s that?"

"I think I’ve heard of it before... Was there really such a place?"

Turns out, most people didn’t even know where Mount Hua was.

"Ah, you know those wandering mercenaries, right? The swordsmen doing odd jobs?"

"Oh, you mean those fools..."

"Hey, watch your mouth!"

Even those who’d heard of it didn’t seem to think much of it.

"Mercenaries?"

Something about it felt odd, so I decided to dig deeper. One of the questions nagging at me was finally answered.

"What? Mercenaries? What’s that?"

"Where are you from to not know that?"

When they noticed my clothes, the suspicious looks softened, and they nodded as if they’d figured something out.

"Ah, you must be from Mount Hua or something like that."

When I asked how they knew, a man with deer-like ears answered as if it were obvious.

"In Yahwol Palace, only people from Mount Hua wear clothing like yours."

I understood that much, but I couldn’t see how my outfit and their realization were connected. So, I pressed further.

"Well, Mount Hua does the most mercenary work around Yahwol. We figured you were a new recruit. Was that not the case?"

I agreed for now.

The man pointed to a large building in the distance.

It was four stories tall, and its architecture was noticeably different from what you’d see in Zhongyuan.

Approaching it, I stayed hidden, observing the building rather than entering directly.

Inside, I could sense several presences. As I assessed their movements, I focused my energy on my hearing.

"This time, as well..."

"Senior, that section needs attention..."

"Next time, we should inform the sect master as well..."

That was all I needed to hear. Retracting my senses, I decided there was no point in listening further.

"That’s the place."

Even from the brief snippets of conversation, I could tell they were second-class disciples busy with other tasks.

What exactly they were doing, I couldn’t say.

I wanted to investigate further, but for now, just knowing the location was enough.

I turned and leapt onto the roof of a tall building.

From there, Yahwol Palace stretched out before me, its vibrant streets illuminated by the setting sun.

"Hmmm."

Apart from Mount Hua’s reputation and the information I’d gathered, I’d learned a few other things.

The first was this:

"This place is ruled by a general called Yusa Sado."

Under the Lord of All Things, there are four Generals, each ruling their own domain. Yusa oversees Yahwol Palace Palace.

Beneath Yusa are four families, known as nobles.

The families are divided into White, Blue, Gold, and Black.

The White family was the one that bastard Baek Doryeong belonged to, the guy I met earlier.

They manage part of Yahwol Palace’s forces and a few commercial establishments.

‘And that’s why they struck a deal with Mount Hua to supply food periodically.’

But that bastard Baek Doryeong had used it to pull some vile stunts. Despite already receiving the contracted amount, he had refused to deliver the goods on the day unless additional payment was made.

Naturally, it was absurd and grounds for dispute.

‘But it seemed like that bastard Baek Doryeong wanted them to dispute it.’

"Go ahead, argue about it. If you want to cancel the contract, I’ll even pay the penalty."

His attitude practically begged for them to terminate the contract.

It was as if he preferred it that way.

And then there’s...

‘That bastard Gubong.’

The way he called him “Moonlit Night” was also irritating. It was as if they were familiar with each other.

‘If you look at it that way, it seems like there’s something going on between them...’

What was the connection between the two? I didn’t delve too deeply into it since it didn’t seem particularly important.

If needed, I could always torture Gubong later to get the answers. That wouldn’t be hard.

What mattered was:

‘Do we really have to rely on this White family for food?’

Judging by the way things sounded, Mount Hua seemed to have fallen out of favor.

Even enduring such humiliation from Baek Doryeong while being unable to terminate the contract—this seemed to be why.

At least they managed to strike a deal here.

Which meant the other families probably wouldn’t even entertain negotiations.

‘Hmm...’

Narrowing my eyes, I thought deeply.

‘What should I do?’

Honestly, I wanted to handle this half-heartedly and call it a day.

‘But it feels like Noya knew all this and still sent me.’

That old bastard probably foresaw the situation and sent me out to investigate. Or maybe even...

‘To resolve it.’

That sly, cunning bastard.

And here I was, going along with it.

‘But sorry to disappoint...’

I looked at the glittering houses under the twilight ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) and the bustling crowd.

‘I don’t think I’ll be able to handle this.’

Doing anything right now would be too much.

Dealing with Baek Doryeong had its fallout. Adding another major incident would only complicate things further.

Looking at the entrance of the city, I let out a small laugh.

‘It’s not that complications might arise—they’re already happening.’

Where we had entered, there was visible commotion.

“Halt! From now on, no one is allowed in or out!”The gatekeepers, who had previously allowed people to come and go freely, were now stopping them.

I assumed this was to prevent Mount Hua from taking the food supplies.

It could be for another reason, but who knows?

I stood up straight.

‘Alright, then.’

What should I do?

Should I just leave it alone and head back? That wouldn’t be too difficult. Reporting what I’d seen to Noya wouldn’t cause any major issues.

But...

‘I bear some responsibility for this.’

As much as Gubong’s words pissed me off, if I’d just kept my temper in check, none of this would have happened.

So ignoring it entirely felt... wrong.

‘Hmm.’

While I stood there pondering, a shout came from the east.

“Move aside!”

“The family is moving! Clear the way!”

Looking over, I saw a group of six people moving together.

They weren’t on carriages or horseback—just walking. Their destination seemed to be...

‘Where Mount Hua’s disciples are gathered.’

That run-down building tucked into a corner alley—their meeting place.

The flag they carried fluttered. I focused on its design.

‘That crest.’

A white fang painted on the fabric. I’d seen it before—on Baek Doryeong’s clothes.

Recognizing this, I looked at the figure leading the group.

A massive man with white hair and a towering physique.

Rough muscles, ears, and a tail—just like Baek Doryeong.

But...

‘He’s on a completely different level.’

The presence this guy exuded was worlds apart from Baek Doryeong’s. It was like comparing heaven and earth.

Even compared to Gubong, the difference was obvious.

‘Out of all the people I’ve seen here, he’s one of the most extraordinary.’

That might sound strange given how little I’ve seen, but that’s just how overwhelming he was.

And...

‘Is that him?’

Someone who resembled Baek Doryeong but radiated far superior presence. The atmosphere and faint pressure he emitted...

He had to be someone important in the White family.

Perhaps even the family head.

‘If someone like that is heading in that direction...’

The intent was clear.

This was the situation Gubong feared, and the one I’d been anticipating.

‘Hmm.’

Watching the scene unfold, I tilted my head slightly.

Now, what should I do?

‘Should I just show up?’

That seemed a bit reckless.

If dealing with Baek Doryeong caused this much trouble, the fallout from confronting this guy could be disastrous.

More importantly...

‘I may be wearing Mount Hua’s robes, but I’m not actually part of Mount Hua.’

Further interference as a representative of Mount Hua could only cause more problems.

‘In that case...’

After a brief pause, my eyes lit up.

‘Why not just stop being from Mount Hua?’

If I’m not affiliated, then what’s the problem?

Moreover...

‘An anonymous third party.’

That should work.

Smirking, I reached into my robes.

It seemed that after a long break it would finally be fun.

*********

“Is it here?”

The head of the White family, Baek Wol, stopped in front of a narrow alley.

Hearing his words, the attendant behind him nodded with a nervous expression.

“...Yes. From what we’ve heard, they’ve been frequently spotted here.”

“Hmmm.”

Baek Wol grinned, revealing his sharp fangs at the response.

Disgust surged within him immediately. The alley was dark and filthy.

Not only was it cluttered, but bugs peeked out from the cracks in the crumbling walls.

Vile and revolting.

It was the perfect place for scum to gather. Slowly, Baek Wol began walking deeper into the alley.

The ones he sought were here.

Unlike the one he served, they were incompetent, hideous half-breeds.

‘Disgusting creatures.’

Those who lacked both strength and potential dared to touch his bloodline. Baek Wol found it laughable.

The audacity of such trash to harm the noble bloodline.

And to make matters worse, his foolish son had been defeated and humiliated by one of them.

‘I’ll have to reconsider.’

As the firstborn, he had been preparing to pass on his position, but this incident made him think otherwise.

If his heir was weak enough to be beaten by such creatures, it would be better to pass the position to another child.

That was the only way.

Only then could he avoid disturbing the General’s mood.

As Baek Wol pondered, he reached out and touched the alley wall, gently running his fingers over it.

Crunch!

With no effort at all, his fingertips dug into the wall.

Crack! Crack-crack-crack!

As he continued walking, five deep gouges were left on the wall behind him.

The marks looked like the savage claw marks of a beast.

This was Baek Wol’s way of venting his anger.

The attendants behind him trembled with fear at the sight.

Whenever their master showed such a mood, entire groups had been torn apart and reduced to nothing but shredded corpses.

Today, someone would meet the same fate.

And that someone, it seemed, would be the people of Mount Hua.

The attendants were certain of it.

“...Hmmm?”

Baek Wol suddenly stopped in the middle of the alley.

At the same time, he withdrew his hand from the wall.

“Who’s there?”

Baek Wol’s blue eyes scanned the darkness ahead.

It was unnaturally dim. The abrupt darkness felt alien.

It wasn’t as if light couldn’t reach that area; it was as though an invisible line had been drawn, beyond which no light could pass.

What was it?

Despite the strangeness of the situation, Baek Wol simply let out a savage laugh.

“A petty trick.”

Grrrrr.

A low growl rumbled from Baek Wol’s throat.

“Is it Mount Hua? Are you people from Mount Hua?”

His blue eyes gleamed, as though he was already certain of the answer.

“Do you know who I am, daring to block my way? Show yourself at once.”

With an overwhelming presence, Baek Wol clenched his fists tightly, as if ready to destroy everything.

He raised his voice again toward the darkness.

“I am the head of the White family, Baek—”

[Be silent.]

“...!”

A voice from the darkness cut him off, and Baek Wol’s mouth snapped shut.

It wasn’t by his own will. Startled, he touched his lips. What was happening?

As Baek Wol stood bewildered, the voice spoke again.

[I was enjoying the quiet. Don’t chatter so loudly.]

Step.

The sound of footsteps echoed, and a figure emerged from the darkness.

[I don’t care who you are.]

Baek Wol’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the figure.

It wasn’t someone from Mount Hua.

The clothing wasn’t right.

The figure wore garments as black as the void, devoid of any color or markings.

Long black hair framed their face, with black ears and a tail marking them as a member of the Wolya tribe.

Beneath a cracked mask, a pair of glowing violet eyes were visible.

Seeing those eyes, Baek Wol’s grin vanished.

“...Who are you...?”

The leisure he displayed earlier was gone.

It couldn’t be helped. From this person...

‘What is this? I can’t sense anything.’

Not a single trace of presence could be felt.

Was it even possible for someone to be so completely devoid of aura or essence?

As Baek Wol’s expression twisted in confusion, the figure spoke.

[I am the darkness born of the heavens and the child of all realms.]

And then,

[I am Cheonma.]

At those words, murderous intent flared in Baek Wol’s eyes.