The moment she learned that Mun-hyeok was dead, the first person who came to mind was Jin Sa-wol.

It had been a long time since she had seen him.

It was when she was with Cheon Woo-rin. The one who had leisurely broken through the encirclement they had set up at that time was Jin Sa-wol.

"Number ninety-nine... Jin Sa-un."

When the Demonic Cult Leader had told her to find out about Jin Sa-wol, she had reported everything she knew about him.

She had told him that he was a killing ghost of the Ghost Spirit Valley, that he had survived when the Ghost Spirit Valley was annihilated in the past, and that he had tried to make Cheon Woo-rin a traitor to the cult.

The Demonic Cult Leader seemed to find it very amusing.

Even while ordering his death, his eyes were smiling. It was a very strange and malicious sight.

She had never been afraid of anyone until now. Even when she faced the Demonic Cult Leader, she did not feel that scared.

But at that time, for the first time, she felt scared. The fear that she did not have even when he was strangling her arose when she saw his smiling eyes.

'He's crazy to tell me to get married.'

Seo Mun-ok shook her head at the suggestion from the Seo Mun family to marry Cheon Yu-myeong.

At first, she had a strong desire to marry the Cult Leader.

It was because she wanted to take revenge on Cheon Woo-rin. But now, Cheon Woo-rin was also dead, and the target of her revenge had disappeared.

Apart from that, she had a favorable impression of the Demonic Cult Leader. But that favorable impression was now completely gone.

She had come all the way to Chang'an because she didn't want to be noticed by the Cult Leader. She was supposed to meet Mun-hyeok here and discuss various things with him.

Since she had been in frequent contact with Mun-hyeok, who had become the Hao Faction Master, they were closer than other family members.

But now, Mun-hyeok had also become a person she could not meet.

"How did he die?"

"There is no report yet."

At the man's answer, Seo Mun-ok nodded.

Since she had ordered Jin Sa-wol's death and the Hao Faction Master who had been ordered had died, the suspicion naturally turned to Jin Sa-wol.

Seo Mun-ok knew more about Jin Sa-wol in detail than anyone else in the Demonic Cult.

She knew that his martial arts had surpassed the peak and that he had a close relationship with the Martial Alliance Leader.

But Jo-rim had not been able to convey all the proper information to Seo Mun-ok.

The person who had killed Yeon Jeok-sim was also Jin Sa-wol, but Seo Mun-ok did not know that either.

Bi-sun and Jo-rim had not heard the events in the Esoteric Sect properly either. Son Ae-hwa had kept her mouth shut, and Jo Geom-ok had hardly ever talked to them in the first place.

As a result, the report on the events in the Esoteric Sect had only been briefly entered.

Although there were many omissions in the transmission of information, even in that situation, Seo Mun-ok knew Jin Sa-wol best.

It was because other people had not even heard the proper information.

"I'm going to Doksan."

The Sinseonru was not a suitable place to deal with Jin Sa-wol.

It was inside the city walls and a place with many lights. There were also many people, so it was difficult to distinguish if he appeared in disguise.

"All the first-class and above Flower Ghosts will gather at Doksan."

Seo Mun-ok smiled and spoke to the empty air where no one was. Then, a wind sound arose, and about ten shadows scattered in all directions.

The prostrated man felt a chill and trembled all over.

"Call the master."

"Yes."

The man answered and then hurriedly went outside.

A short while later, a woman in white wearing a veil came in and prostrated herself.

She was the master of the Ziyanglou.

"Mun-hyeok is dead. I don't know whose doing it is, but I am sure it is Jin Sa-wol's. That bastard is not dead."

"Then did Faction Leader Jo submit a false report?"

"She dared to deceive me."

"Faction Leader Jo has high loyalty. To make a hasty conclusion..."

"If not, how can you explain Mun-hyeok's death?"

Seo Mun-ok's question was sharp.

The veiled woman bowed her head, thought for a moment, and then opened her mouth.

"If Faction Leader Jo made a false report, Jin Sa-wol will be in Luoyang. If he is in Luoyang, Faction Leader Jo has made a false report, so she must be dealt with. However, if the one called Jin Sa-wol is not in Luoyang or its vicinity, Faction Leader Jo's report may be true, so you must confirm Jin Sa-wol's body."

Clink!

Seo Mun-ok tapped the table, and at the sound, the veiled woman's shoulders flinched.

Seo Mun-ok knew that the veiled woman's words were not wrong.

"I will do as you say. You all know Jin Sa-wol's appearance, right?"

"Yes. We all know."

"Convey Jin Sa-wol's appearance to the Hao Faction and the Beggars' Sect and have them report to Doksan as soon as they see him."

"Understood. Are you going to Doksan?"

"I will go in the morning."

At Seo Mun-ok's answer, the veiled woman bowed her head.

The next morning, Seo Mun-ok, who had left the Sinseonru, received a report on Jin Sa-wol's whereabouts sooner than expected.

"As the master expected, a person who appears to be Jin Sa-wol was witnessed in Luoyang. But it seems he left Luoyang during the night. We searched the guest room where he was staying, but we couldn't find anything."

At the Ziyanglou master's words, Seo Mun-ok smiled.

"My prediction was correct."

"I am in awe of the master's insight. And I will deal with Faction Leader Jo."

"I cannot send the Flower Ghosts to kill Jo-rim. For now, we must lure Jin Sa-wol to Doksan and kill him. After that, we will destroy the Gangnam Grand Inn."

"I will follow your command."

Hearing the Ziyanglou master's answer, Seo Mun-ok got on the carriage.

The carriage hurriedly left the Sinseonru and headed for Doksan, and the Ziyanglou master entered her office.

After entering there, she wrote a letter and sent it to Kaifeng. The letter entered Jiujiang a few days later and was also delivered to the Gangnam Grand Inn a short while later.

* * *

On the wide bed, a naked man and woman were lying. As the sunlight came in through the gap in the window, the woman got up and opened the window halfway.

"It's morning."

At Jo-rim's words, Bi-sun, who was lying on the bed, opened his eyes.

Bi-sun got up, holding the silk quilt, and hugged Jo-rim from behind, covering them together.

"What if I get pregnant like this?"

"We'll have to raise it."

"What if the Flower Pavilion comes after us?"

"Will they come this far? If they come, we'll have to sort it out."

Bi-sun answered and then showed a heavy expression. It was easy to say, but in reality, it was not such an easy problem.

"Do you think Sa-wol is doing well now?"

"He'll do well. He has to do well for you to be able to escape the shadow of the Demonic Cult."

At Bi-sun's words, Jo-rim silently nodded.

Sometimes in life, a time comes when you have to make a choice. And that time had also come for Jo-rim.

Jo-rim had chosen Jin Sa-wol and Bi-sun.

It was because she had seen Jin Sa-wol's martial arts. On top of that, this was a place where the power of the Demonic Cult did not reach.

After leaving the cult and living in the martial world for over ten years, she had seen numerous deaths and lives. In them, Jo-rim herself was not there.

When she was young, she thought it was good to live like this, but as she got older, she felt a void in one side of her chest.

They say this is a heart demon, but this was not a heart demon, but emptiness.

"I'll go to the meeting room first. If I'm late, Miss Namgung will get angry again."

"Alright."

At Jo-rim's answer, Bi-sun kissed her on the forehead, got dressed, and left the room.

After he left, Jo-rim washed her face and got dressed.

As she was putting on a red skirt and a pink cape, Il-hu came in.

She came in, trembling her shoulders, and then prostrated herself in front of Jo-rim.

"Here... this."

Seeing the letter that Il-hu held out, Jo-rim thought that a serious matter had occurred. It was because her condition was not good.

Jo-rim's eyes widened as she saw the letter.

-Jo-rim dead. Kill her by any means necessary.

Jo-rim crumpled the letter and turned her eyes to Il-hu.

"Did it come to you?"

"Yes."

Il-hu answered and then bowed her head. They had contacted her right-hand man to kill her.

"Who gave it to you?"

"It came from Jiujiang."

At her answer, Jo-rim sat in front of the tea table. As Il-hu stood up, Jo-rim burned the letter in the lamp.

"Are you thinking of killing me?"

"How could I dare to do that. This... I don't know."

"If you're confident you can kill me, kill me then."

"I can't."

Il-hu shook her head, and Jo-rim sighed.

"This is a place where the power of the Martial Alliance is stronger than the Demonic Cult. To live here, we have no choice but to be mindful of the Martial Alliance. The Martial Alliance is preparing to annihilate the Demonic Cult and will attack the Demonic Cult whenever there is an opportunity. Before that, we must make our color clear. We have lived for the past several years, trembling in fear of being noticed by the Martial Alliance and the orthodox faction guys. Do you want to live like that in the future?"

At Jo-rim's words, Il-hu was silent.

Changing one's color was a difficult thing. No matter how hard a crow tried, it could not become a white heron.

Still, if it wanted to become a white heron, it had to at least imitate it.

"Son Ae-hwa has abandoned the Flower Pavilion. She's an impulsive bitch. Or she originally had no loyalty. It seems I'm like that too."

"Is it because of the general manager?"

"Let's just say so."

As Bi-sun was mentioned, Jo-rim did not deny it.

"If you're with me, we have to go to the city tonight. We have to go and kill all those who delivered that letter to me."

At her words, Il-hu closed her eyes and then raised her head.

She had entered the Flower Pavilion and had spent ten years under Jo-rim. To her, Jo-rim was her mother, her older sister, and her family.

"Yes."

At Il-hu's answer, Jo-rim stood up from her seat and hugged Il-hu.

* * *

Jin Sa-wol, who had left Luoyang, entered Chang'an in three days. He had run day and night, unfolding his lightness skill.

His purpose was to go to the Sinseonru as quickly as possible and kill Seo Mun-ok.

He had to make a surprise attack before the enemy noticed his existence.

With that thought, he crossed the wall of the Sinseonru and seeped into the dark shadows.

"Hahahaha!"

"Ohohoho!"

The laughter and the smell of alcohol from the gisaeng house brushed past Jin Sa-wol's nose, who was standing on a tree.

Although it was a place with many old gisaengs, the business seemed to be doing well.

Whoosh!

Jin Sa-wol, who had soared into the sky, crossed the roof of the pavilion and seeped into the detached courtyard where the lights were out.

"She's not here?"

Although he looked around the room, there was no one. He crossed over to another detached courtyard, but that was also empty.

Seo Mun-ok was said to be in the Sinseonru.

If so, she had to be somewhere here. Especially at night, she had to be out for business, but she was nowhere to be found.

As he saw a light in a nearby three-story pavilion, he headed there.

The master of the Sinseonru was a middle-aged woman. She was sitting in front of a round table, embroidering.

Swish!

As the door opened with a low noise, the middle-aged woman turned her head. Seeing the masked man entering the doorway, the middle-aged woman stood up from her seat and gripped a dagger.

"Who are you?"

"Where is Seo Mun-ok?"

Jin Sa-wol approached the woman, reached out his hand, and took her dagger.

At the natural action, which was like flowing water, the middle-aged woman's eyes widened.

It was then that she felt a tingling sensation in her neck and back.

As her demonic blood was suppressed, she could not move.

Beyond the window, the Ziyanglou, which was as bright as a city that never sleeps, was visible. It was a considerable distance.

"Screaming is also fine. I don't know how many people will come."

Jin Sa-wol poured alcohol into a glass. When he smelled the scent, it was bamboo leaf green.

Gulp!

The middle-aged woman, who had swallowed her dry saliva, glanced at the masked man.

"I don't even know who you are, so how can I tell you the master's whereabouts?"

"If I tell you who I am, you'll tell me?"

"Yes. You have to reveal your identity for me to tell you."

"If you see my face, you'll have to die."

"I'll die even if you don't say it."

"I won't kill you."

At the words that he wouldn't kill her, a light shone in the middle-aged woman's eyes. Jin Sa-wol drank his alcohol and then said.

"But you'll be missing your arms and legs."

At those words, the middle-aged woman trembled all over.

(End of Chapter)