The first thing I did after locking in the collaboration was gather our people immediately.

“...So that’s what this was about.”

After I said my piece with the group assembled, Cheon Hyein was the first to respond.

“It’s bigger than I expected.”

Even Cheon Hyein—who normally didn’t show much—had a sour, uneasy look. It was about HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE. That alone made it worse.

“...The Strange Demon. Young Master—are you all right?”

The moment I mentioned the Strange Demon’s appearance, Cheon Eujin worried about me. Nobody had been allowed in until my treatment was finished, so he hadn’t been able to check on me either.

“Ah, yes. I’m fine. It wasn’t even a serious injury.”

I smiled awkwardly. If I could, I would’ve handled all of this without letting anyone know. But the situation had gone past that point.

Do Hyeong just stared at me without saying anything.

“So, given how things have turned out... I’m going to need your help.”

“...Now, of all times?”

“......”

At Cheon Hyein’s words, I shut my mouth for a moment. I’d kept everyone at arm’s length up to now, and suddenly I needed them—of course it sounded ridiculous.

“...I’d appreciate it if you’d take into account that I had my reasons.”

“I know you did. But people don’t always move the way you want them to.”

“That’s true.”

“...A spy inside Mount Hua Sect....”

Cheon Hyein rubbed her chin.

“What’s the goal? I don’t really get it.”

In that split second, she reached the destination. She’d already put it together.

She couldn’t understand why HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE would anchor itself in Shaanxi.

It was the same question I’d had at first.

“They’re looking for an item or a person.”

“And it’s important enough that they’d use spies to get it?”

“Most likely.”

“Then.”

Cheon Hyein’s gaze cooled slightly as she looked at me.

“Since it’s gotten this far, there’s a high chance they’ve already seduced someone higher up.”

‘Oh.’

I tossed out a few pieces of information, and she reached the conclusion immediately.

The speed was fast.

I stared like I was impressed, and—

“Judging by your reaction, I’m right.”

Cheon Hyein confirmed it after checking me.

“Who?”

“Not sure yet. I’m still verifying, so I can’t give you a definite answer.”

“...Don’t you think you’ve been sharing way too little?”

“That’s why I prepared this.”

I handed over a letter.

“These are the spies I’ve identified so far.”

“......”

Cheon Hyein frowned as she read it.

“You’ve already identified this many?”

“I can’t say I’m completely certain. But keep it for now.”

“......”

Cheon Hyein checked the list. I’d excluded a few people and pulled the rest.

After reading it, Cheon Hyein asked again immediately.

“So what is it you want us to help with?”

I answered with a slight smile.

“Nothing much—.”

It really wasn’t much.

Well. Depending on how things went.

*****

After passing the message to my companions, I met Yeo Hyeok again.

“Moon Knight.”

He faced me with a somewhat uneasy expression.

“Yeo Hyeok.”

“I heard. You’re working together with the Plum Blossom Swordsmen.”

“Yes. That’s how it turned out.”

“...Are you sure that’s all right?”

Yeo Hyeok asked with concern. I could guess what he was worried about.

The Plum Blossom Commander.

What he feared was that man—and the other spies with him.

“In a situation where nobody can be trusted, it’s strange that you’d choose cooperation anyway.”

“It was necessary. And it’s the fastest route.”

“...Fastest route?”

“A way to get the hornets tangled up.”

“Hornets?”

“Yes. If you smear honey, the hornets gather.”

I spoke to him calmly.

“I smeared honey on my own body. To gather them.”

“......”

His face said he still didn’t understand. If it were Cheon Hyein, she would’ve understood immediately.

“Anyway, it’s something that has to be done, so you don’t need to worry.”

“But...”

“It’s fine. I can’t tell you to trust me... just watch.”

Watching wouldn’t change anything.

Because—

‘Yeo Hyeok is going to get dragged into it too.’

If my guess was right, Yeo Hyeok getting tangled up was inevitable.

*****

Time passed, and it was nearly noon.

I’d just finished training with the Thunder Dragon and come out when I met the Sword Emperor ahead.

“Sword Emperor.”

His expression was cold. No one was around, which meant I bowed properly right away.

“I’ll ask.”

The Sword Emperor spoke without a sliver of hesitation.

“They said the Strange Demon appeared. Is it true?”

“...Ah, yes. I didn’t recognize him, but the Small Moon Unit Leader said it was him.”

“And that HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE exists in Shaanxi as well?”

“Yes.”

“Then.”

SHIK—!

“......!”

When I realized what was happening, the Sword Emperor’s hands were already covering my eyes.

A little closer and I would’ve been stabbed.

“Those eyes of yours can see them, like they did in Henan. Right?”

“......”

I nodded very slowly.

“...Yes.”

After hearing my answer, the Sword Emperor withdrew his hands.

I barely kept it together, but I was scared out of my mind.

“The Strange Demon....”

The Sword Emperor tilted his head slightly, like he’d fallen into thought.

“Things that should be dead keep raising their heads. Disgusting.”

I flinched.

Killing intent burst out with those words, and just feeling it made my body shake.

‘...This is vicious.’ 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

It was only a moment, yet it was this much. I could feel the weight of the name The Greatest Sword Under Heaven.

“What do you plan to do.”

The Sword Emperor asked again. What did I plan to do?

“Mm.”

I chose my answer for a moment. I thought about what I should say, but nothing special came to mind.

“...I can see them now.”

So—

“We should clear them out.”

I answered with complete honesty.

“......”

The Sword Emperor’s expression changed.

A smile...?

If it was a smile, it was the coldest, most terrifying smile in the world.

“I like that answer.”

The reaction, unlike the face, was positive.

Surprisingly so.

*****

The Sword Emperor said he had something to do and vanished, ending the conversation. Along with the notice that there would be no training today.

After sending him off, I changed clothes.

CLACK.

I strapped my sword at my waist. Maybe because of my injured waist, it felt especially heavy.

I considered leaving the Divine Sword behind and wearing a normal sword.

But I decided not to.

The problem was that the other sword was heavier.

“All right, then.”

My preparations were done.

“Shall we go?”

I opened the door and headed toward the center of Mount Hua Sect. As I drew close to the destination, I could already see people gathered.

About seven people, led by the Plum Blossom Commander.

Yeo Hyeok was among them.

“Good to see you.”

I greeted them as I looked them over. Everyone wore a solemn expression.

“You’ve come.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Even as I paid my respects to the commander, I scanned the surroundings.

‘...Ha.’

Looking at everyone gathered, I swallowed a laugh.

The Plum Blossom Commander. Yeo Hyeok. And the two of them wore the same outfit.

They were Plum Blossom Swordsmen—and they were faces I roughly knew.

That was unavoidable.

‘They’re all spies.’

Every last one gathered here was wrapped in HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE energy—

‘Perfect.’

This was exactly what I wanted.

I told you.

‘I smeared honey on my body.’

I’d prepare things so the hornets would get tangled up.

That was ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) the purpose.

And it worked.

“Is this all of them?”

I asked the commander. He nodded with a grave face.

“Yes. Chosen and chosen again. Elites.”

Chosen and chosen again.

It was so ridiculous I almost laughed out loud.

Of course they were chosen.

‘But it’s too simple.’

Everyone here was a spy carrying that energy. Except Yeo Hyeok.

And—

‘People I left off my list.’

He’d pulled together a group using the people I’d intentionally kept off the information.

Probably because of the letter I gave him.

Still.

How did he manage to gather only spies this neatly?

‘And the reason he included Yeo Hyeok is obvious.’

Since Yeo Hyeok had worked with me, the commander must’ve assumed I would trust him.

If it wasn’t that—

‘There’s one reason I don’t want to imagine.’

There was one disgusting reason that seemed possible.

I decided to push that thought aside for now.

Then—

“Then, Moon Knight, I’ll ask.”

The Plum Blossom Commander spoke to me.

“What do you intend to do from here?”

Since we were cooperating, what was the plan?

At the question, I nodded.

“Ah.”

I looked at them as I spoke. A cooperative investigation to expose them.

So—

“Well, first...”

There was only one place to go.

“We should revisit the place we suspect is the nest. Don’t you think?”

Scatter the honey.

Let them gather as much as possible.

That was my plan.

*****

Hmmmm.

A soft little hum drifted through the air.

A young man sitting in a chair, drinking tea. The Strange Demon casually held the teacup.

He looked like he was savoring the present atmosphere, a thin, delicate mood stamped into him.

He enjoyed the time to its fullest.

And right as he was doing that—

“Excuse me.”

Someone appeared and dropped to a knee before the Strange Demon.

“What is it?”

Maybe the interruption annoyed him. A crease formed between the Strange Demon’s pale brows.

The subordinate swallowed fear and offered a letter.

“...An urgent message came from Mount Hua Sect.”

“Mmm.”

The Strange Demon accepted it and read.

The contents were simple.

“...Oh my.”

Moon Knight proposed cooperation, and it had been accepted.

A drive would begin, so be aware.

At that, the Strange Demon let out a quiet laugh.

“That old man must be in a real hurry.”

He’d been told clearly—if something was going to happen, report it.

Instead, the man made a unilateral move and sent notice after the fact. It wasn’t even funny.

“...A drive.”

A plan to drive prey.

That made the Strange Demon think something strange.

“I wonder who’s doing the driving.”

Which side would become the driven prey?

From where he stood, something didn’t quite fit.

But—

“It’s entertaining. Should I watch a little longer?”

It felt like a waste to give them a warning. It was fun, for once.

That brat.

“The kid with those tempting eyes.”

They were so pretty like jewels that he wanted to pluck them out and use them as decoration.

They were so beautiful that just looking at them made his body tremble.

And—

“The more I think about it, the more it resembles him.”

The face, the mood, the voice—everything was different.

But something resembled him.

It resembled the one who was his god, his sky, his life.

It didn’t make sense.

A righteous-sect martial artist born in the Central Plain—there was no way.

So why did the feeling cling to him?

“...Maybe.”

The Strange Demon’s eyes glinted as he thought it.

Maybe.

Maybe he’d found what he’d wandered so long searching for.

But—

“Heh.”

He erased the thought immediately.

Because it was ridiculous.

Just as the Strange Demon was about to drink his tea again—

THUD—!!

“......EEK!?”

The Strange Demon suddenly swung a fist into empty air.

His fist caved the wall in.

“...B-Branch Chief, what....”

“Ah, sorry. Did I scare you?”

The Strange Demon dusted off his hand.

“I thought there was a bug... but I guess not.”

A section of wall where nothing could be seen.

It felt like something had been there.

But maybe not.

The Strange Demon started drinking his tea again.

[Ha.]

A huge, old man watching from that side—

[That bastard’s got good instincts.]

Yoo Cheongil laughed as he looked at the Strange Demon.