Jin Sa-wol retreated and moved his sword to cut off the young man's arm. There was no scream. When the young man's arm hit the floor, the young man also stopped breathing.

Immediately after, Jin Sa-wol staggered and sat down in a chair.

"Umm..."

Perhaps because he had moved excessively, his legs gave out. An ordinary person would have had to scream because of the pain in his abdomen.

But Jin Sa-wol did not.

As his internal energy was cut off, his qi and blood were twisted.

Just then, Yuk Seol-jeong came in. Her eyes and Jin Sa-wol's met in the air.

Yuk Seol-jeong, feeling Jin Sa-wol's killing intent, shook her head.

"It wasn't me. I saved you with difficulty, so why would I kill you? We have to get out of here first."

"What about Jang Cho?"

"He's waiting outside."

Yuk Seol-jeong approached, embraced Jin Sa-wol, and then went outside.

Yuk Seol-jeong, who had left the Cheon family estate using her lightness skill, began to run through the forest.

Jin Sa-wol closed his eyes powerlessly.

"I told you not to overdo it."

Being held in Yuk Seol-jeong's arms, the soft feeling pressed against his chest. It wasn't unpleasant, but it was burdensome.

"Can't I get a piggyback ride?"

Hearing Jin Sa-wol's words, Yuk Seol-jeong laughed lightly, put Jin Sa-wol down, and sat in front of him.

"Piggyback."

"Haa..."

Jin Sa-wol sighed and got on Yuk Seol-jeong's back.

Swish!

Yuk Seol-jeong, carrying Jin Sa-wol, rushed into the forest like an angry cow.

***

A time past midnight.

In front of a small inn located in the center of Dajeong-ro in the rainy city of Kaifeng, two warriors wearing raincoats were standing.

They were looking around, but there was no one coming or going.

A small light flowed out from one place on the third floor of the inn.

A middle-aged man with neatly tied hair, wearing a crown and a butterfly hairpin, was sitting in front of the light.

The middle-aged man's eyes were looking forward.

In front of him sat a middle-aged man with a shabby appearance and a face that could be seen anywhere.

The one wearing a blue robe was Zhuge Qing of the Martial Alliance.

Zhuge Qing could tell at a glance that the person in front of him did not have his original face.

It was because he had an unnatural nose and chin, and there were cracks around his neck and ears.

"Your face seems to be quite damaged. Why don't you wash up a bit?"

"I couldn't wash because I came in a hurry. I'm sorry."

"No. If you're an elder of the Hao Faction, it's common to go around in disguise. There must be many who are after you."

"Please forgive my rudeness."

"Why did you want to see me?"

Zhuge Qing waved his hand as if to say not to worry and asked the main point. It was late at night, and he had to go to Shaolin early in the morning tomorrow.

"I have something to deliver."

Jang Han-geom, an elder of the Hao Faction, placed a large wooden box that he had placed next to him on the table.

Jang Han-geom opened the wooden box, took out several ledgers and records, and said, "This is the ledger of the goods that the Jo Alliance Leader sent to the Demonic Cult. And the money and goods that entered the Demonic Cult from the Grand Inn are also recorded. The Grand Inn was the Demonic Cult's Gold Demon Pavilion, and it grasped the movements of the Martial Alliance and reported to the cult. It also gathered the wealth of the martial world and sent it to the Demonic Cult. The details are recorded in detail."

Zhuge Qing, who had taken the ledger in his hand and opened it, frowned.

"The Grand Inn has already made a secret agreement with our alliance. The Grand Inn is an important business place for our alliance."

As if he were not interested, Zhuge Qing just flipped through the ledger. Jang Han-geom spoke again.

"A rebellion has occurred in the Demonic Cult. Many masters died in that rebellion. As a result, the Demonic Cult is in a state of chaos right now. If we attack the Demonic Cult now, the Martial Alliance will surely achieve a great victory. We might even be able to uproot the Demonic Cult."

"What does that have to do with this ledger?"

"If we don't get rid of the Grand Inn, the people of the world will say that the Martial Alliance is turning a blind eye to the Demonic Cult's Gold Demon Pavilion for money. They will say that the current Martial Alliance Leader became the leader using the power of the Demonic Cult. They will clamor that the Martial Alliance is building its buildings and raising its warriors with the wealth given by the Demonic Cult."

"What a funny bastard."

As a smile hung on Zhuge Qing's lips, Jang Han-geom shook his head.

"It is said that tens of millions of gold coins are piled up in the underground warehouse of the Grand Inn. That was gathered by the previous Alliance Leader while leading the martial world, and it belongs to the Martial Alliance. It does not belong to the Demonic Cult."

"Your tongue is truly insignificant. Do you think I, who am called the Three Brains, do not know your story? Or did you mistakenly think I would not know your intentions? Do you think I came to see you just to hear such a story?"

Although Zhuge Qing spoke calmly with a smile, it was full of anger.

But Jang Han-geom was also an elder of the Hao Faction who had been through all sorts of hardships.

"The fact that a person from the Demonic Cult is the owner of the Gangnam Grand Inn will be a disgrace to the Martial Alliance."

The moment Jang Han-geom's words ended, Zhuge Qing reached out, grabbed Jang Han-geom's collar, and pulled.

Thump!

The table could not withstand the strong impact and collapsed.

"Keok!"

At the sudden event, Jang Han-geom could not come to his senses and looked up at Zhuge Qing with wide eyes.

Zhuge Qing, looking at Jang Han-geom prostrated at his feet, said, "You're crossing the line."

"What line are you talking about..."

"Do you dare to give me orders? The matter of the Gangnam Grand Inn is for me to decide, not for you to interfere in. I dealt with a worm-like bastard, and you seem to think you've become the Martial Alliance Leader. The Hao Faction should just crawl around like a worm at the bottom and give me the information I want."

Thwack!

Zhuge Qing, who had lightly struck the back of Jang Han-geom's head, pushed Jang Han-geom, who was bowing his head on the floor, with his foot.

Zhuge Qing, who had examined Jang Han-geom with a look as if he were seeing something dirty, took out a handkerchief and wiped the hand that had touched Jang Han-geom.

"Take him out and kill him."

As his words ended, the waiting warriors entered the room, cleaned it up, and took Jang Han-geom out.

As a new table was brought in and placed, Zhuge Qing said, "Come in."

As Zhuge Qing's voice echoed, Mae Gang-hwa, the master of the Moonlit Pavilion, entered the room. She, who had been the first to discover Mun-hyeok's body and had been his right-hand woman, prostrated herself as soon as she saw Zhuge Qing.

"I am Mae Gang-hwa, the master of the Moonlit Pavilion of the Hao Faction."

"I hope Master Mae does not cross the line like Elder Jang."

"Of course." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Mae Gang-hwa answered with a smile and then stood up. Zhuge Qing said with a smile, "Worm-like bastards originally need to be stepped on periodically. Isn't that right?"

"Of... of course."

Mae Gang-hwa answered with an awkward expression and then bowed her head.

'A fucking bastard I want to tear to shreds.'

"Since Master Mun was killed by the Demonic Cult, the Martial Alliance must step in. I would like the Hao Faction Master to be a person chosen by the alliance."

"That is difficult. The elders have already chosen a new master."

"Without consulting me?"

As Zhuge Qing's expression hardened, Mae Gang-hwa bowed her head.

'You crazy dog bastard! Why should I consult you about the affairs of my faction? A crazy mixed-breed dog dares to try to swallow my faction? I avoided a tiger, and now a viper bastard is acting up. You fucking bastard!'

Mae Gang-hwa hid her expression and showed an awkward smile.

"I'm sorry."

"Who is the master?"

"I don't know well either."

"The reason I killed Elder Jang is because he interfered too much in the affairs of the alliance and knew too much, so please understand."

At Zhuge Qing's smile, Mae Gang-hwa bowed her waist deeply.

'He planned to kill him from the beginning.'

Mae Gang-hwa knew that Zhuge Qing's killing of Jang Han-geom was intentional. It was not based on mood, but a planned murder.

Mae Gang-hwa instinctively thought that he was an opponent to be careful of. From the Hao Faction's point of view, there was actually no difference between the Martial Alliance and the Demonic Cult.

Still, they had to get out of the shadow of the Demonic Cult. At least because they killed less than the Demonic Cult.

Swish! Swish!

Zhuge Qing, who had wiped his hands with a handkerchief, nodded.

"Tell the master to come and see me once."

"I understand."

Zhuge Qing, hearing Mae Gang-hwa's answer, threw the handkerchief on the floor and stood up.

"I accept your favor."

As Zhuge Qing went out, the warriors came in, took the wooden box, and went out. Mae Gang-hwa did not raise her head until they had all gone out.

Rattle! Rattle! Splash!

As the sound of the carriage moving was heard, Mae Gang-hwa, who had raised her head, stood by the window and looked at Zhuge Qing's carriage and the Martial Alliance warriors disappearing into the darkness.

Water, which was impossible to tell whether it was rain, tears, or snot, flowed from her eyes.

"Fuck. How miserable."

***

In the early morning, Jin Sa-wol, who had opened his eyes due to a shaking sensation, looked around. He realized he was lying in a not-so-wide cabin, and from the shaking, he also recognized that it was a boat.

Through the lamp hanging on the wall, he saw the seated Yuk Seol-jeong.

"Where is this?"

"A boat. A safe place."

"No, the location."

"I don't know either."

Yuk Seol-jeong shook her head and then went outside. A short while later, Jang Cho entered the room.

"You're awake. The bleeding has stopped, but you're not fully recovered. It will take a long time to regain your health."

"Who were the ones who tried to kill me?"

"You can probably guess."

Jang Cho asked back instead.

Jin Sa-wol showed a faint smile and then leaned his back against the wall.

The one who had taken control of the Cheon family estate was the Dokgo family. Since there were so many warriors of the Dokgo family, the fact that the enemies had invaded his room without any problem meant that the Dokgo family was also on the same side as the enemies.

Even if that were not the case, it was clear that they had cooperated.

This was not a betrayal, nor was it something to be disappointed about. Jang Cho, taking out a needle, said, "Even if you're not interested in the position of the Demonic Cult Leader, they will think you're a hindrance."

"Are you not interested in the cult, Brother Jang?"

"The power I want is just the current Pavilion Master. Researching medicine and poison, and sometimes doing some human experiments. That's enough."

"They'll hate it if they find out you ran away with me."

"Are you worried about me?"

Jang Cho asked, placing a needle on Jin Sa-wol's foot. But Jin Sa-wol did not answer.

Since Jin Sa-wol had internal injuries, Jang Cho, who had placed needles on both his feet to hold his blood, retreated and sat down in a chair.

Yuk Seol-jeong prepared hot tea and came in. She poured tea for Jang Cho and then handed a teacup to Jin Sa-wol as well.

The hot teacup swirled in Jin Sa-wol's hand.

Jang Cho, slurping his tea, said, "I heard the news that they would move to kill you and prepared, but they moved faster than I expected. I was relieved that Sister Yuk brought you."

"Who?"

"Gung Ma-yeop's close aides. They must have talked with the Dokgo family too. Not to hurt each other."

"Useless..."

Jin Sa-wol shook his head.

The Demonic Cult Leader was not dead, but had disappeared. It was impossible to know when and in what form he would return. Perhaps he had not run away, but was one of Gung Ma-yeop's close aides.

If he had crossed over to the Central Plains, he would become someone else, and if he entered the Martial Alliance, he would threaten the Martial Alliance Leader. He was that kind of guy. That guy.

"Wouldn't it be fine to just leave me alone? Is there a reason for Pavilion Master Jang to take the risk and help me?"

By now, Gung Ma-yeop would also know the fact that Jang Cho had run away with Jin Sa-wol.

It was clearly a matter that would cause great damage to his Chung Pavilion, but he was helping Jin Sa-wol even knowing that.

"There was also a request from Miss Dokgo. She said that if something happened, I should take you. And if a patient I treated dies before recovering his health, isn't that my fault? That, as a doctor, my pride does not allow."

"I can't understand."

Jin Sa-wol shook his head.

"Sleep."

Jang Cho threw out a word and then went outside. As Yuk Seol-jeong also stood up and went out, Jin Sa-wol lay down on the bed and tried to sleep.

Around noon, Jin Sa-wol, who had gotten off the boat, stood at the pier with Jang Cho and Yuk Seol-jeong. A short while later, a four-horse carriage approached.

As the door opened, a cute-looking face poked out from the four-horse carriage.

It was Seo Mun-ryeon.

"Get in."

(End of Chapter)