At the words "Number Ninety-nine," Jang Sam-ik's hand naturally went to his waist.

"Number Ninety-nine should be about fifteen?"

Just as he was about to draw the flexible sword from his waist, the figure of Jin Sa-wol standing before him vanished with an afterimage.

It was then that he felt a stinging sensation behind his neck.

"Keuk!"

As his Fengfu acupoint was pressed, he felt his entire body become paralyzed.

Jang Sam-ik broke out in a cold sweat and rolled his eyes.

He couldn't even turn his head.

Jin Sa-wol stood behind Jang Sam-ik.

Jin Sa-wol, examining the bronze mirror and the well-organized desk, found several records and reports and began to read them.

"What are you doing?"

Jang Sam-ik, moving his mouth, raised his voice upon realizing he could speak.

"Is anyone out there! An intruder! An enemy has appeared! You stupid pigs! Hey!"

He shouted towards the door, but there was no sign of anyone.

Jin Sa-wol, flipping through the report, said, "The ones on the stairs are dead, and the young ones are asleep. No one will come unless it's time for the shift change."

And there was about one shichen (two hours) left until the shift change.

Jin Sa-wol knew the Ghost Spirit Valley well. It was not difficult at all to get to the valley master's office.

Since it was a stone chamber built into a sheer cliff, the soundproofing was also quite good.

Jin Sa-wol stood next to Jang Sam-ik and asked, "Are you the valley master?"

"No."

*Slap!*

"Ugh!"

Jang Sam-ik, who was slapped across the face, fell to the floor with a groan and a thud.

"It's really not me! I'm not the valley master!"

Jang Sam-ik shouted with tears welling in his eyes, but Jin Sa-wol didn't believe him.

Jin Sa-wol kicked Jang Sam-ik in the abdomen.

*Thwack!*

Jang Sam-ik, bending his body like a bow, shouted again with a face contorted in pain as if his abdomen would burst.

"Fuck! Shit! You pig-like bastard! It's really not me! The valley master hasn't been chosen since the last one died! Ugh! Ugh!"

Jang Sam-ik shook his head with a wronged expression, tears streaming down his face.

"It's true. I'm the general manager."

"If you're the general manager, you can be in this room."

At the words "general manager," Jin Sa-wol withdrew his foot and sat down in a chair.

"But for a killing ghost, you're sensitive to pain."

"Because I hate pain. And I'm not from the Ghost Spirit Valley, but from the Hall of Light."

"So you're a scholar type."

If he was weak to torture, that was a good thing.

Jin Sa-wol picked up a liquor bottle on the desk, sniffed it, and asked, "You know about Tendon-Splitting and Bone-Dislocating Torture, right?"

"I... I know it well. It's torture..."

"If you answer well, there will be no pain. But?"

"Ask. I'll tell you everything."

Jang Sam-ik lost his will to fight, realizing he couldn't move his whole body and that the opponent had subdued all the surrounding guards.

The opponent was a master who had easily entered the Ghost Spirit Valley. There was nothing to be gained by resisting uselessly.

"How is the atmosphere in the cult?"

"What about it...?"

"Everything from the Cult Leader to internal and external affairs. Everything you know."

Jang Sam-ik, lying on the floor, rolled his eyes and spoke.

"The atmosphere is chaotic. Recently, two Guardian Demonic Gods who could be called the Cult Leader's close aides have died. Yeon Jeok-sim and Yuk Sam-yuk, his left and right arms were cut off. On top of that, the Cult Leader says he's going to create the Heavenly Armored Corpses and doesn't come to the grand meetings, so Ma Chung is acting as the Cult Leader. This bastard thinks he's the Cult Leader. He's crazy."

Jang Sam-ik spoke, spitting as if he had a lot of complaints.

It sounded like the Cult Leader's power had greatly diminished because Yeon Jeok-sim and Yuk Sam-yuk had died, and Ma Chung had seized power using the Cult Leader's favor.

As a result, dissatisfaction was building up from below, and since their vacant positions had not yet been filled, there was a power struggle and a situation where they had to watch Ma Chung's mood.

"The Wall Demon Hall, which served as the Cult Leader's hands and feet, has also lost half of its power. The master of the One Sun Hall also died. They say they'll hold a martial tournament to fill the positions, but the people below are in an uproar about why they're holding a martial tournament. With so many vacant positions, do you think there are only one or two who want to move up?"

Jin Sa-wol had killed Kang Hang, the master of the One Sun Hall, and he didn't even remember the master of the Wall Demon Hall.

'They are people I killed unintentionally.'

Jin Sa-wol recalled the dead.

"In a situation like this, it wouldn't be strange if a rebellion broke out and the cult was overturned. It's a pity that the Cult Leader is blind to the Heavenly Armored Corpses and can't see anything."

"Hoo hoo hoo."

At Jang Sam-ik's story, Jin Sa-wol laughed lightly without realizing it.

The Demonic Cult Leader would be confident he could kill anyone.

Even if a rebellion occurred, the chances of success were slim.

Rather, he thought the Demonic Cult Leader might be hoping for a rebellion to occur.

If it were him, if he were the Demonic Cult Leader, he would want a rebellion to happen. Because that's how you can weed out the undesirables from the flower garden.

Even in rice farming, removing weeds was basic.

He just needed to leave behind the subordinates who only did what he wanted and moved as he said.

Was it a measure to make the ground firmer and grow the rice better?

'I'll know when I meet him.'

Jin Sa-wol did not withdraw his smile.

As if that looked unlucky, Jang Sam-ik glared at Jin Sa-wol with a face full of annoyance, as if to kill him.

"Why are you laughing?"

Although Jang Sam-ik asked, Jin Sa-wol went outside without answering.

"Shouldn't you answer? And who are you? What kind of bastard are you?"

"I am Jin Sa-wol."

Hearing Jin Sa-wol's name, Jang Sam-ik's eyes widened.

Jin Sa-wol left the Ghost Spirit Valley and headed for Heavenly Water Fortress.

About one shichen after Jin Sa-wol left, Jang Sam-ik, whose paralysis had worn off, raised the alarm in the Ghost Spirit Valley.

***

The next morning, Seo Mun-ryeon, who had visited the Ghost Spirit Valley early, stood in the wide open space of the valley and looked at Jang Sam-ik, who was bowing his head.

"So, I'm asking why that bastard let you live."

"That's what I... why would he do that?"

"You either gave him something beneficial, or you talked."

At Seo Mun-ryeon's words, Jang Sam-ik was startled, prostrated himself on the floor, and shook his head.

"That's not possible! Absolutely not. I kept my mouth shut."

"Take him and bury him."

Seo Mun-ryeon said, turning her body without any lingering attachment.

The warriors standing behind her subdued Jang Sam-ik.

"Huk! Pavilion Master! It's a misunderstanding! It's absolutely a misunderstanding! I did not betray you. It's true. Hey! You crazy bitch! It's not true! Hey, you dog-like bitch! Believe my words! I didn't do anything! Gaaak! Spit! You whore who deserves to drown in shit water!"

*Thwack!*

Seo Mun-ryeon, who had struck the back of Jang Sam-ik's head and knocked him out, shook her head.

"Seeing as he talks a lot, he must have spilled everything. A bastard like a salted onion."

Seo Mun-ryeon muttered and headed for the cult.

***

"The One Sun Hall master can be chosen by the disciples or hall masters of the late Kang Hang... Even if we select executives through a martial tournament, there's a limit, so it's a concern."

Seo Mun-ryeon, who heard Ma Chung's words, sighed. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

She had reported about Jin Sa-wol, but Ma Chung seemed uninterested.

"We need someone to replace Yeon Jeok-sim, but I can't think of anyone suitable. Is there any good talent?"

Seo Mun-ryeon, who received Ma Chung's gaze, said as if she had remembered something.

"Wouldn't the Chung Pavilion Master be suitable? I heard he is excellent in strategy."

"His head is good, but his body is weak. He's a guy who would die from one of the Cult Leader's palm strikes."

Yeon Jeok-sim was a person who gave advice to the Cult Leader. Sometimes that would offend the Cult Leader. So he would occasionally throw a palm strike, and it had to be received.

Yuk Sam-yuk and Yeon Jeok-sim were skilled enough to receive it, but they were dead and gone.

"It's a serious problem."

Ma Chung had a face full of worry.

Since several of the cult's executives had died recently, the cult could be attacked by external forces.

Seo Mun-ryeon said with a frustrated face, "I still haven't found Jin Sa-wol's whereabouts."

"He's a guy with high martial arts and is more stealthy than a cockroach. There's no need to try so hard to find him. I don't know what his purpose is, but if he's in our cult, he will reveal himself."

"And kill him then?"

"Yes."

Ma Chung smiled.

Seo Mun-ryeon also nodded as if she understood.

***

The number of Demonic Cult warriors coming and going from Heavenly Water Fortress had increased noticeably.

A wanted poster for Jin Sa-wol was posted on the fortress gates and on the streets with a lot of traffic.

Since it was a very rare occurrence for the Demonic Cult to search for an assassin on such a large scale, he was a person of interest.

"Who on earth did he kill?"

"There's a story that he killed the Flower Pavilion Master. And there's a rumor that he infiltrated to kill a cult executive."

"He's a guy whose guts have swollen and popped out of his stomach. Is he an assassin sent by the well-fed orthodox faction?"

"Maybe so."

"Anyway, they say they'll give a reward just for seeing him or reporting his whereabouts, so let's keep a good lookout."

A middle-aged man with dark skin was walking among the people chattering while looking at Jin Sa-wol's wanted poster on the wall.

He, in shabby clothes, climbed a tree near the Cheon family estate.

The middle-aged man, sitting on a tree full of lush leaves, looked over the wall at the Cheon family estate and waited for night to come.

'Cheon Mun-jung.'

A wide open space was visible beyond the wall. White-robed warriors were coming and going around it.

They patrolled in groups of three, and there was a considerable number of them.

Since Seo Mun-ok was dead, the only ones left were the Demonic Cult Leader and Cheon Mun-jung. Killing the entire Cheon family was his purpose for coming to the Demonic Cult.

How much time had passed?

About ten warriors were seen approaching the main gate of the Cheon family estate.

Only one of them entered the Cheon family estate. He was a handsome young man.

'It's Dokgo Hyeon.'

Jin Sa-wol, who was sitting on the tree, recognized Dokgo Hyeon and turned his head. Looking at the sky, it was still too early for the sun to set.

It was a pity, but he decided to wait for the sun to set.

***

Dokgo Hye, who had finished her bath and entered her room, changed her clothes and went out to the tea room.

In the tea room, Dokgo Hyeon, wearing a white martial arts uniform, was sitting and greeted Dokgo Hye warmly.

In the bright lamplight, Dokgo Hye's face was bright and seemed to glow.

Dokgo Hye sat in front of Dokgo Hyeon and asked, "Have you been waiting long?"

"A little."

Dokgo Hyeon smiled.

As the maids placed refreshments and went out, a quiet silence flowed in the room.

Dokgo Hyeon lowered his voice.

"We will attack the main headquarters in ten days."

At the words "ten days," Dokgo Hye drank her tea without a word. Ten days was not much time left.

"The Yeon family and the So family will join us. The Seo Mun family has decided to watch the situation from the inside. If we succeed, they will join us, and if we fail, they will try to kill us."

"They're bats."

"It's their way of survival. Not taking anyone's side and maintaining neutrality."

"What about the Na family head?"

"He's with us."

Dokgo Hyeon smiled again.

Dokgo Hye sighed.

"Becoming a dog of the orthodox faction to beg for his life, and now becoming a Demonic Cult member to try to enter our cult, that is also a strange fate."

"Don't think too hard about it. The Na family head has been dreaming of revenge for five years. And he is with us for that revenge."

Dokgo Hyeon's story quietly swirled in the room.

His voice also seeped into the bedchamber. And it also reached the ears of Jin Sa-wol, who was sitting inside.

'Is he moving with the Dark Cloud Division?'

The moment Jin Sa-wol heard the words "Na family head," he thought of Na Hyeon-gi.

Among the people of the Na family, the only one who could be called the family head was Na Hyeon-gi.

As the sound of the wind was heard, Jin Sa-wol disappeared with smoke.

A short while later, a black shadow flickered in a corner of the tea room.

"The Na family head says to meet at the Wind Blood Pavilion on Deokmun Mountain tomorrow night."

"Understood."

After Dokgo Hyeon's answer was heard, the black shadow's figure also disappeared.

'It's Dam-ji.'

Jin Sa-wol knew who it was just by hearing the voice.

(End of Chapter)