"Waaah!"

A thunderous cheer continued from the entrance of Ganyang to its end. And at the center of the welcoming crowd, Cheonyeong was returning.

"Family Head, why are you so annoyed? Everyone is welcoming you like this. Enjoy it a little."

At Yongcheon's words, Cheonyeong glared at him with narrowed eyes.

How can I not be annoyed?

My hands are light! My hands!

When a person goes to do something, they should bring something back.

Honor or money...

Far from returning in glory, I've torn all ten sets of clothes that the clothier made over three months and have returned in rags.

"The Vice-Family Head is right. In fact, wasn't it as good as winning?"

"Of course! In fact, if it weren't for those damn punks, it would have been a win."

"I think so too. Besides, if it weren't for Family Head Tang, there would have been a huge mess at the Blue Green Sect."

Lee Cheongik and the three from Gwak and Go, who were stuck right next to Yongcheon, added their words.

"That's right! It's a win! It's no different from a win! With this incident, the fame of the Tang Family's estate will rise several times compared to before."

Baekta pats his shoulder.

What do you mean?

It's no different from winning?

You're all playing around.

I don't need fame.

The important thing is money, money. But I lost all the money I bet at the gambling den. Damn it.

"Aren't you guys going home?"

Cheonyeong, whose annoyance had flared up, glares with one eye twitching.

"No."

The answer is so easy.

"I've already sent a message to my family that I'll be stopping by the Tang Family's estate."

"Me too."

Everyone is so~ bright.

"Haha, my friend. Don't worry. When I reported to the Sangbang, they told me to stay for a long time and build a strong friendship, you know?"

He felt like hitting the brightly smiling and happy Baekta right in the philtrum.

"Haha! It seems the gates of the Tang family are always wide open. To be welcomed like this."

Let's say the other punks are one thing, but why did this punk, Hwang Jeongmun, the young master of the Nine Dragon Gang, follow me?

What a truly absurd punk.

These guys, they don't even know what's on a person's mind...

Just as Cheonyeong, who was holding back his anger with twitching eyes, was about to shout.

"Family Head! You've worked hard."

"Ah, Master of the Singonggak."

The Master of the Singonggak, An Chilgang, and the family members of the Tang family rushed over and bowed their heads. He felt even more self-conscious. Especially, he couldn't even make eye contact with Gongsun Seung.

"Hah, I'm back."

"I heard you got second place."

"Yes."

The words of the Master of the Singonggak became a dagger and stabbed Cheonyeong's heart.

"As expected of the Family Head. Sicheon is in an uproar."

What do you mean?

It's not even a win.

"By the way, you've made more friends in the meantime."

"What friends? They're burdens."

At the words of the Master of the Singonggak, Cheonyeong glares at the people behind him and pouts his lower lip.

"But, I don't see Sang-hwi."

"Ah! The Inner Hall Master is currently preparing a banquet for the Family Head at the Mandeokru."

"Pardon?"

A banquet?

I didn't even win.

"Family Head Gongsun said it doesn't matter how much it costs, and to prepare a grand banquet so that everyone in Ganyang can enjoy it. We've been so busy these past few days, you know?"

"Pardon? Family Head Gongsun?"

Cheonyeong glances at Gongsun Seung, who is next to the Master of the Singonggak.

No way, is this punk planning to nag me after feeding me well?

"You've worked hard."

"It's nothing to be called hard work."

"Thanks to the Family Head's efforts, the income was quite good, you know?"

"That would be... huh?"

Did I hear wrong?

Quite good? What does that mean?

"Just in case, I bet the same amount on second place."

"...Huh?"

"Although the payout wasn't as big as for winning, it was at least three times the money bet. We made up for the loss and had a lot left over, you know? Haha!"

"What did you say?!"

As he stared with wide eyes, Gongsun Seung raised one corner of his mouth and grinned.

So even though I didn't win?

"We won?"

"Quite a lot."

"Really?" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Shall I show you the ledger? There's enough left over even after holding a grand banquet."

Ah.

At the sight of Gongsun Seung, who was smiling with a wink, tears almost gushed out.

How much I've suffered on my way back, how much I regretted the money I lost.

Cheonyeong, overwhelmed with emotion, was about to hug Gongsun Seung but hesitates.

Wait a minute?

"Um, Family Head Gongsun?"

"Yes, Family Head."

"Did you, by any chance, doubt me?"

"Pardon?"

"No, if you hadn't thought that I might not win."

"Th-that's not it, the basis of investment is diversification."

"So you did?"

At Cheonyeong's question, Gongsun Seung instantly changes his expression and says to the people.

"Now! Let's go! We have prepared a banquet for everyone in the Tang Family's estate, as well as for everyone in Ganyang. Please enjoy yourselves all night long!"

"Waaah!"

At his louder-than-usual voice, the people let out a powerful cheer and rushed towards the Mandeokru. Swept away by the wave of the crowd, Cheonyeong glares at Gongsun Seung.

That punk.

"Haha, hahaha!"

As if conscious of his gaze, he could see beads of sweat flowing behind Gongsun Seung's ear.

He thought so. He thought so.

A punk who has not even a speck of trust in his family head.

But Cheonyeong soon smirked.

So what?

It's fine as long as we make money.

I've sweet-talked the Changlim Sword Saint and brought back a lot of fire bombs from the Blue Green Sect, so what the hell, I'm in a good mood!

Even if I live it up for a day, the world won't change.

And

"Blue Serpent Sect."

Cheonyeong, who had stopped walking for a moment, looked in the direction of Seongdo in the distance with a cold expression.

***

Sa-reuk, sa-reu-reuk.

The sound of a cloth hem dragging on the floor was extremely grating to the ear.

Jeo-beok, jeo-beok.

The footsteps that stepped in between felt as suffocating as if they were trampling on his heart. Even those who had cultivated a tough patience through long years of training could not help but frown.

Seu-euk.

Finally, the identity of the footsteps is revealed.

It was a skinny old man who looked like he would pant after walking just a few steps. But as soon as he entered the door, the room was filled with a suffocating heaviness.

Ja-bak, ja-bak.

At the old man's steps as he entered the door, those who were waiting in the main hall, holding their breath, prostrated themselves on the floor with all their might.

"We greet Lord Black Mist!"

The voice, squeezed out with the veins on their necks bulging, was full of fear.

Ja-bak, ja-bak.

Every time the steps came closer, the Adam's apples of those who had bowed their heads moved greatly.

The old man called Black Mist, without even giving them a glance, climbed the stairs at a constant speed and sat down on the stone throne, as if lying down.

Then he looked down.

His half-opened pupils were full of blood vessels.

They were fierce and cunning eyes.

"Salju."

It was a dry and cracked, turbid voice.

That emotionless voice came to him as fear itself.

"You may raise your head."

"Thank you."

At Black Mist's permission, the old man called Salju, Jin Gumyeong, straightened his back while still kneeling.

"It's been a while."

"It has. I am just overwhelmed with emotion to see Lord Black Mist again."

"Heh, is that so?"

At the sight of Black Mist, who was smiling with narrowed eyes, Jin Gumyeong felt as if all the hair on his body was standing on end. It was much more frightening to face Black Mist's face than when he had bowed his head.

Although he had already transcended death and was in the position of a Salju who commanded numerous assassins, he could not even spread his shoulders wide.

"But, is there a reason for so many listening ears?"

"Pardon?"

"Get rid of the useless ones."

"Yes!"

Jin Gumyeong's answer was immediate.

Because he knew that his opponent was one who would not forgive even a moment's hesitation.

"Leave."

"Yes!"

At Jin Gumyeong's firm order, the Sangcheon-gwi who were kneeling behind him stood up with their heads bowed and stepped back.

Kki-i-ik, kung!

The wide-open door closes, and the main hall is engulfed in darkness.

In the darkness, Black Mist's two eyes reveal themselves, emitting a pale blue, ghostly energy.

"You know why I've come, don't you?"

At the question of Black Mist, who was enjoying the darkness, Jin Gumyeong's hands, which were on his knees, tremble finely.

"I know. But, this incident..."

"Tsk!"

He had tried to make an excuse, but at the sound of his tongue clicking, Jin Gumyeong even stops breathing.

"Salju."

"Yes, Lord Black Mist."

"Were you in a position to be allowed to make excuses?"

"I'm sorry."

"I don't like people who don't know their place."

As a small wrinkle formed on Black Mist's brow, Jin Gumyeong was terrified and prostrated himself forward.

"Please forgive me! Lord Black Mist!"

"Heh heh, my good man. Did I say anything? I just thought you had forgotten your place. I was just trying to remind you for a moment."

"Thank you! I will once again deeply engrave your teachings."

"Yes, that's enough."

Black Mist, who had slowly nodded, sinks deep into the stone throne and raises a finger to tap the armrest.

Tak, tak, tak.

The sound of his fingernail tapping on the stone was extremely grating, but Jin Gumyeong bowed his head and even held his breath.

"But, you know. This failure was a bit excessive."

"..."

"Thirty assassins, including the Sangcheon-gwi, Jin Yiseon, were deployed, but not a single one survived... Well, what's the big deal about a few of those assassin punks dying?"

As Black Mist's words continued, the air became suffocating, and Jin Gumyeong, whose body was being crushed as if a stone were being added to his shoulders, bit his lower lip.

It was not something to be endured with internal energy.

Only by enduring the pain with only the strength of his body would he have a chance to be forgiven.

"But, did you know that the fire bombs that were provided for the mission are more precious than your lives?"

"Y-yes."

"I'm glad you knew. I was really worried about what to do if you didn't."

"..."

"Anyway, thanks to the fact that the fire bombs didn't go off, my position has become very awkward. Because of this failure, the way those above look at me is not good."

"I'm sorry. If you give me another chance, I will retrieve them right now. A chance to make up for it..."

He had tried to make an excuse again.

But since it was an unpermitted excuse, he was not forgiven.

Seu-reuk!

The moment the sound of cloth being dragged was heard.

Kwa-deuk!

"Keuk."

Black Mist's foot trampled on Jin Gumyeong's head.

"Hey, Salju."

"Yes."

Jin Gumyeong answered, squeezing out his strength with his head pinned to the ground.

"You, you've been away for too long."

"L-Lord Black Mist."

"To think you still don't know that you've already missed your chance, you've lost your touch."

Jin Gumyeong's eyes widened, and the color drained from his face.

"The Blue Green Sect has locked its gates since that day. How will you retrieve the fire bombs? Now that the rumors have spread, do you want to attack the Blue Green Sect again and incur the wrath of the entire martial world?"

"Keu-eu-eu..."

"Tsk! If the plan had gone as intended, quite a few of the younger generation would have died. And all the blame would have gone to the Blue Green Sect."

"Ugh."

It was an unbearable pain.

The eyes looking down, trampling on his head, were filled with the strength of ten thousand pounds and pressed down as if to crush his entire body. At that excessive pain, Jin Gumyeong barely managed to stop his eyes from rolling back.

"So...rry..."

"Don't apologize anymore. You know as well as I do that the word 'forgiveness' doesn't suit us."

Black Mist was right.

For an assassin, failure meant death, and he himself had driven many of his subordinates to death for the same reason.

And, due to the failure of the request, the Cheongcheon Alliance had broken its long silence and had begun to stretch.

The Nine Dragons Meeting.

The leaders of the nine sects, excluding the Beggars' Sect, had been summoned by the Cheongcheon Alliance. From the moment the meeting ended, they would surely pursue the assassin organization that had attacked the Blue Green Sect. They would inspect their own sects through investigation and would root out any intruders.

"I too have become unable to escape his wrath because of this incident. Do you know what that means?"

"I-I know."

"Yes. Since you know, it's enough. Then do you also know what you must do now?"

"I do."

He had to cut off all the tails from all the events Jingagu had been involved in and go into hiding. So that the pursuers could not track them.

"Good, good."

As if pleased with the answer, a smile forms on Black Mist's face, which had been contorted in displeasure.

Seu-reuk!

With the sound of cloth rustling, the pressure that had been crushing Jin Gumyeong's head disappears, and the air becomes light.

"Heok, heok..."

"Salju."

"Yes, L-Lord Black Mist."

"Now you have only one duty."

"..."

"Even if you have to move yourself, find the Samyang. That is the only way to appease his wrath."

"I will obey!"

"And never forget. There is no next time. If you disappoint me this time as well... you and everyone who knows you will cease to exist anywhere in the world."

"I will keep that in mind!"

(End of Chapter)