Sichuan, and Henan too.

I’d had that experience where you black out once, wake up, and the whole world is different.

It was like the world was putting on some play without me, but honestly, it had always been like that.

Starting with “Little Sword Saint,” I turned into “Moon Hero.”

Then I became the Sichuan Tang Clan’s benefactor, and not long after that, I was hearing people call me Henan’s hero.

Now I’m at the point where...

I never thought something like this would happen all the way out in Shaanxi.

With a dumbfounded look, I said to Yeo Hyeok,

“Benefactor... you mean me?”

“Yes. Benefactor.”

“No... uh... I mean, yeah.”

At Yeo Hyeok’s words, I made an awkward face.

It was a title I couldn’t get used to, no matter how many times I heard it.

“...So, anyway, I’m a benefactor?”

“That’s right.”

“What did I do, exactly...?” 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

I narrowed my eyes and asked again. I’d probably asked it three times already, but I had to ask one more time.

“...You used an operation to filter out the spies inside the Mount Hua Sect, of course. And you fought Taema among the Eight Demonic Ones and saved the disciples.”

“...”

Filtering out the spies was true. I hadn’t meant to filter them out on purpose, but I had tried something, and the result matched what I’d been aiming for anyway.

...I fought Taema and won?

An absolute master who’d called himself one of the Eight Demonic Ones.

My brow pinched tight at the claim that I’d fought him and won.

I don’t remember.

Of course I didn’t have any memory of it.

“Sadly, you did let him get away... but even so, to take him head-on and come out on top. As expected, the rumor was true—you really did win against the Sword Demon.”

“...Ah, yes...”

Hearing Yeo Hyeok’s admiration, I worked my brain.

Was it him?

Information was already flashing through my head. When we caught the Sword Demon, that had been Yoo Cheongil’s work.

But this time—

The Heavenly Demon...?

There was a very clear suspect.

The DEMON CULT’s sky. The Heavenly Demon.

Looks like he used my body.

Given the last voice I’d heard, and what I’d just seen in that spirit-dream...

It was inevitable.

And on top of that—

...This too.

I gripped my chest and thought.

The energy that had swelled up as I absorbed all those instruments.

The energies that had been twisted and “off” got gathered back into place—and my realm had risen, too.

Was this also the Heavenly Demon’s doing?

Highly likely. Whatever he did, there was no way my body changed like this for no reason.

Should I be happy my realm went up?

All it did was add to my confusion.

“Um, sir.”

“Yes, benefactor.”

“Ah, you don’t have to call me that. Just speak comfortably.”

“...How could I dare—!”

“I’m more comfortable that way. Do me a favor.”

“...All right.”

After calming Yeo Hyeok down, I asked something else.

“I don’t remember much... so what happened after that?”

“...About that...”

Fine. Put the whole “benefactor” thing aside.

The most important part was still left.

“Right after the fight with Taema... Moon Hero, you lost consciousness. The fight was finished by the Small Moon Unit Leader after he returned.”

“...The Small Moon Unit Leader? Then that means.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

With a somewhat bitter look, Yeo Hyeok told me,

“He was on his way back after taking down the Plum Blossom Commander.”

“...Oh.”

The Plum Blossom Commander lost.

That should’ve surprised me, at least a little.

Even if they’re both absolute masters...

In the Central Plain, people would’ve rated the Small Moon Unit Leader as weaker than the Plum Blossom Commander.

That old man won?

If he beat the old monster who’d made his name in war, then he really was strong.

Maybe I should stop messing around.

Was it really smart to threaten someone like that using Wolcheon as leverage?

I figured I should rein it in, at least a bit.

Anyway...

The Plum Blossom Commander lost.

And the spies got subdued by the Small Moon Unit Leader.

“Then what happened to the spies you arrested?”

“About that...”

“Don’t tell me...”

One look at Yeo Hyeok’s face told me something was wrong. That expression—

“...Yes. That’s right.”

With a gloomy face, Yeo Hyeok said to me,

“...They all committed suicide.”

“...”

I frowned. Same as back then.

Back in the inn, when they’d all taken their own lives—he was saying it was just like that.

“...However, the former Plum Blossom Commander is still alive.”

“...”

“The former Plum Blossom Commander.”

There was something sharp in the way he said it. I heard it and pushed myself up.

“Moon Hero?”

“...I’ll go outside and see the rest with my own eyes.”

This wasn’t the time to sit around. The Plum Blossom Commander was still alive.

My eyes cooled a little at those words.

“...Moon Hero?”

“Let’s go.”

Yeo Hyeok hesitated at the way I looked, but I didn’t care.

I had something to do.

*****

I stepped out of the quarters. The sunlight poured down the moment I did.

Ugh.

I squinted and moved. From far away, I saw the physicians walking over with startled looks, but I blocked them first.

“I’ll see you later. I’m in a hurry right now.”

“But—!”

“We still haven’t filtered out all the spies. Wouldn’t it be better to keep your distance?”

“...”

The physicians flinched at my words. Seeing that, I understood.

Looks like they figured some of it out.

Why Seongheon collapsed. Why he ended up being fed poison.

With the Plum Blossom Commander getting caught as a spy, it looked like they’d found a thread to grab.

And the atmosphere too.

As I walked, I took in Mount Hua’s mood.

It was sharp.

Everyone looked like they suspected everyone else.

That could’ve been because they’d already fought once.

“How could the Commander...”

“Are you saying the Plum Blossom Commander really did that...? How is that possible?”

“Watch what you say. He’s not the Commander anymore.”

The whispers felt unusually loud. The disciples were talking about the Plum Blossom Commander among themselves.

Then—

“You were here.”

“Huh—”

A presence appeared out of nowhere. Yeo Hyeok’s hand went to his sword without thinking.

That was a big reaction, but when he saw who it was, he lowered his hand.

The one who appeared was the Small Moon Unit Leader.

Damn.

Seeing him, I subtly tensed up. I’d just heard he beat the Plum Blossom Commander, after all.

Don’t treat him too roughly.

Maybe I could act like a decent human being for once.

With that in mind, I started to smile and speak to him nicely—

“Ah, sir. Are you feeling—”

THUMP

“...okay?”

I trailed off mid-sentence.

Because the Small Moon Unit Leader suddenly dropped to one knee.

“...Why are you doing this?”

I took a step back.

What the hell is wrong with this old man?

Yeo Hyeok is right here—why?

He used to act like he couldn’t stand showing me any respect, and now he’s doing this with someone watching?

It was beyond embarrassing.

“Sir, what are you doing...? Get up. Come on.”

I tried to pull him up instead.

But—

“Teacher. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you in such a dangerous situation.”

“...What? Teacher... Teacher?”

At those words, Yeo Hyeok’s eyes lit up as he stared at me.

“...No, seriously—sir, what is this? Everyone’s looking.”

Not just Yeo Hyeok.

The disciples who’d been glancing at me locked their stares in place.

“...The Small Moon Unit Leader knelt to Moon Hero.”

“That master... why?”

“...Who even is Moon Hero?”

Another line was about to get added to the list of bullshit misunderstandings.

“Don’t do this.”

I clenched my teeth and tried to haul him up, but he didn’t budge at all. Why was he so solid? Was he a person or a boulder...?

As I grunted and struggled, the Small Moon Unit Leader kept talking like it didn’t matter.

“...I misunderstood you, Teacher.”

“...All of a sudden?”

“From now on, I will devote my entire body to supporting you. If I have been rude to you until now, please forgive me.”

“...Did you eat something bad?”

Rude? What rude?

If anyone was rude, it was me.

Seriously, what is wrong with this old man?

I was going to lose my mind.

“Just—just stand up.”

“...I haven’t finished—”

“No. Stand up.”

“...”

I almost covered my face without realizing it.

Am I still dreaming? It really feels like it.

“Haah.”

I shook my head hard and went forward.

And then—

I reached the cell in front of me.

I looked at the old man slumped inside and said,

“Your condition is a total ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ mess.”

The old man slowly lifted his head.

“Heh... heh heh heh...”

An old man with hair gone wild, body soaked in blood.

The Plum Blossom Commander looked at me and smiled. An old, rough laugh.

The instant I heard it, I said,

“What are you laughing at. You want to die?”

—Stop.

At my words, the Plum Blossom Commander’s laughter cut off.