Jin Sa-wol sat next to Dokgo Hye.

"I'm glad you're alive."

Unlike his words, Jin Sa-wol's face was expressionless. He was looking at Dokgo Hye with a face devoid of any emotion.

"If it weren't for the Chung Pavilion Lord, I would have died."

"The Chung Pavilion Lord arrived just in time. Did you contact him beforehand?"

When Jin Sa-wol asked, Dokgo Hye looked up at the ceiling.

Her expression also showed no particular change. It was impossible to know what she was thinking, but she rolled her eyes several times.

"I asked because it seems Miss Dokgo drew the picture for this great event."

Jin Sa-wol remembered that Dokgo Hye had said she would marry Cheon Woo-rin.

She had decided to marry for revenge. If so, had she been planning this great event since then?

He asked because he had such a suspicion.

Dokgo Hye, after organizing her thoughts, turned her eyes to Jin Sa-wol. Her clear eyes examined Jin Sa-wol's expression.

"There were many who were dissatisfied with the Cheon Cult Leader. It was a position gained through blood. Other Cult Leaders also shed blood, but not as much as the Cheon Cult Leader. Because they made appropriate compromises."

Dokgo Hye's story was that since the Cheon Cult Leader had no compromise, he had killed a considerable number of those who opposed him.

Since there were many who were dissatisfied with that, she had been able to gather many people.

"Everyone bowed their heads to the Cult Leader, but in their hearts, they were always ready to kill him. When I contacted them, they all gathered. But since the Cult Leader's power was so strong, no one thought of stepping forward. Of course, my family was full of the will to fight from the beginning. But an opportunity to act came sooner than expected."

"Is it because his left and right arms were cut off?"

"Yes. That's right. When Yuk Sam-yuk and Yeon Jeok-sim died, the number of people who said we should drive out the Cult Leader increased. The justification was also clear. The matter of buying slaves."

"Is human experimentation forbidden in the Demonic Cult as well?"

"It's forbidden."

Dokgo Hye said flatly.

"Cheon Yu-myeong was a fake. Did you not know that?"

"I didn't know. Not at all... Since when has the Esoteric Cult Leader been acting as the Demonic Cult Leader?"

"Since the day the Esoteric Cult was annihilated."

"A long time ago."

"Have you taken your revenge?"

Dokgo Hye shook her head.

"My revenge is to wipe out the Cheon family's seed... But Cheon Woo-hyeon is still alive. I don't know where he went. Originally, I was going to marry Cheon Woo-hyeon. The plan was to kill him on the first night."

"Are you sure he is Cheon Yu-myeong's son?"

"That's right. He's too old to be the son of a fake."

Hearing Dokgo Hye's answer, Jin Sa-wol nodded as if he understood.

Dokgo Hye, recalling her revenge, cast a look of lingering regret at the ceiling. She had made many plans and had intended to put them into action. But there was a very big difference between planning and execution.

If everything came true as one thought and decided, it would be a dream-like story.

The actual reality was not like that.

No matter how hard she planned, nothing was ever perfectly achieved.

"To think he was a fake..."

Dokgo Hye recalled the heavy feeling she had when she learned that Cheon Yu-myeong was the Esoteric Cult Leader.

"Cheon Yu-myeong knew all about the Dokgo family's rebellion beforehand."

"Yes. That bastard knew everything."

Dokgo Hye muttered and then turned her head to Jin Sa-wol as if she had remembered something. She and Jin Sa-wol looked at each other's faces.

Although her face was pale with illness, Dokgo Hye was full of life.

"Now, listen carefully to what I'm about to say."

"Speak."

"Leave the cult. As soon as possible."

Was it what he had expected? Jin Sa-wol's eyes were smiling. But it disappeared in a very short moment.

"The tiger has disappeared. Now what's left are the foxes. They will fight to occupy the grand master's chair. But the person who made the biggest contribution to driving out the Cult Leader is you, Young Master Jin. Will they leave you alone? You are a threat to them."

"Do you know who they are?"

"Everyone."

"I'd like to, but my body is not yet normal."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Dokgo Hye shook her head.

"Don't trust anyone." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"I don't trust people."

"If you don't trust people, why are you talking to me? That means there is trust without you even knowing it."

At Dokgo Hye's words, Jin Sa-wol smiled.

"There are only two kinds of people by my side. One is a person who, like me, does not trust people. I trust them because they are people like me. Because we don't trust each other. And the other is just a fool with a heart as firm as a solid rock."

While speaking, Woo Jeong-bong's face came to mind. The sudden thought of his face could be affection.

'Loyalty.'

Yes, that was definitely loyalty.

"I'm not kidding. Don't trust anyone from the cult... not even me."

"You are a person who would do anything for your family and the cult."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Dokgo Hye did not deny it.

"I will get up."

"How about joining me? I would like you to be my person."

At Dokgo Hye's sudden words, Jin Sa-wol's expression hardened.

"Stay with me."

Dokgo Hye's face flushed slightly. But she herself did not know well that it was an emotion filled with sincerity.

In a way, it was a statement made with great courage.

She had never asked anyone for anything like this in her life. She tried to hold on to Jin Sa-wol because she felt she would regret it if she didn't do it now.

She thought it would be good if he stayed.

"You told me not to trust?"

"Trust is something you can build."

"I have no loyalty to remain in the Demonic Cult. And... this is not my home."

Hearing Jin Sa-wol's answer, Dokgo Hye's expression was full of regret. She thought it would be nice if she could get up.

Dokgo Hye turned her head and said in a cold voice, "When we meet next time, I hope we can be friends like today. I hope for that."

"Of course."

Jin Sa-wol smiled and then went outside.

As he left Dokgo Hye's room and stood in the yard, Dokgo Hyeon approached. He had come to see Dokgo Hye and had been waiting for Jin Sa-wol to come out after hearing he was there.

Dokgo Hyeon stood next to Jin Sa-wol, lowered his voice, and said in a whisper, "The orthodox faction members trapped in the Infinite Hell are all dead. There is no one now. It seems Cheon Yu-myeong killed them all a year ago. According to the guards, Cheon Yu-myeong tore them limb from limb and killed them."

"No one?"

"No one."

Dokgo Hyeon nodded.

He needed the orthodox faction members trapped in the Demonic Cult for his deal with Zhuge Qing.

He wondered what kind of reaction Zhuge Qing would show if he told him that everyone was dead. It was an instinct that he had a bad feeling.

'A problem.'

Jin Sa-wol, with a hardened expression, headed for his room.

As Jin Sa-wol, who had closed the door and was practicing qi circulation, heard footsteps.

Jin Sa-wol, who had finished his qi circulation while operating the Explosive Art, opened the door and saw Na Hyeon-gi sitting in a chair.

"Sit."

At Na Hyeon-gi's words, Jin Sa-wol sat opposite him.

Na Hyeon-gi, pouring tea, said in a serious voice, "Two days ago, an assassin entered my room. I should have captured him, but I couldn't. After I killed him, I thought that this place is not safe. My position is still weak."

"Do you have lingering feelings for the cult? You said you would become an orthodox faction member, did you give up on that?"

"Of course not. I plan to have it all."

"You're greedy."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Na Hyeon-gi smiled and asked, "I'm greedy. How about joining hands with me? If the two of us join forces, it won't be difficult to take control of the Demonic Cult."

Na Hyeon-gi had subdued Ma Chung according to Jin Sa-wol's plan, acted as Ma Chung, and then ambushed Cheon Yu-myeong.

He judged that that one move had played a decisive role in making Cheon Yu-myeong retreat. As a result, Na Hyeon-gi became a famous person within the cult.

Of course, the story that Cheon Yu-myeong was the Esoteric Cult Leader was something only a very small number of people knew. It was not good for it to be known to the outside.

"I would like you to be my right-hand man."

At Na Hyeon-gi's words, Jin Sa-wol shook his head.

"I'm leaving tomorrow. I have no lingering feelings here."

"Your body is not normal, is it? Can you escape the Demonic Cult with that body?"

"Still, I have to go."

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Na Hyeon-gi stood up from his seat.

"Weren't we friends?"

"We are friends."

At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Na Hyeon-gi smiled and went outside.

***

Na Hyeon-gi, who had left the Cheon family estate, got on the waiting carriage. Dam-ji was sitting inside the carriage.

As the carriage moved, Dam-ji asked, "How did it go?"

"He said he's leaving tomorrow."

Na Hyeon-gi, who spoke with a face full of regret, closed his eyes. It was expected that Jin Sa-wol would refuse. But he couldn't force him to stay.

If he didn't want to, he didn't want to.

"That's good."

At Dam-ji's words, Na Hyeon-gi opened his eyes. His expression was one of not knowing what she meant.

Dam-ji grabbed Na Hyeon-gi's hand and said, "He's a burdensome person to have by your side. He's not someone who will follow orders, and it's also difficult to give him orders. He's in an ambiguous position, so there's no reason to have him by your side. We need someone who listens well and is tight-lipped."

"We need a master to keep the Dokgo bastards and Guardian Gung in check."

"There's also the orthodox faction. The Martial Alliance..."

"That's a dangerous statement. Shh!"

Na Hyeon-gi covered Dam-ji's mouth with his hand and smiled. Dam-ji grabbed his hand and said, "Gung Ma-yeop is gathering forces. It seems the number is considerable. And now the family head is looking for you, brother."

"Why is the Seo Mun family head looking for me?"

"It must be to discuss countermeasures."

At Dam-ji's words, Na Hyeon-gi nodded.

The carriage ran at a fast speed towards the Seo Mun family estate.

***

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The number of black shadows jumping over the wall of the Cheon family estate was well over thirty. Although they came down openly into the yard, there was no sign of the patrolling warriors.

They moved at a fast speed over the roof of the Cheon family estate and headed for Jin Sa-wol's residence.

As they climbed the surrounding wall overlooking Jin Sa-wol's house, they looked at each other's faces and then, at some point, attacked the house.

The masked people who had broken through the windows or broken the door swung their swords and sabers at the bed where Jin Sa-wol was lying.

Although the bed was shattered and the blanket was cut, there was no sign of Jin Sa-wol.

Immediately after, a silver thread fluttered in the room and wrapped around the entire bodies of the masked people like a spider's web.

It was the Blood Thread.

"Keuk!"

"Kraaak!"

As the masked people with their necks and limbs cut fell with screams, dozens of flashes flickered and pierced the heads and chests of the masked people.

"Ugh!"

The masked people with holes in their necks and chests lay on the floor.

Jin Sa-wol, who had appeared with a black sphere from the floor of the tea room, took off the mask of the masked person who was lying next to him, gasping.

The revealed face was that of a young man in his late twenties. It was a face he had never seen before.

"Who sent you?"

Instead of answering, the young man swung the sword in his hand at Jin Sa-wol.

(End of Chapter)