Swordless Demonic Path

Chapter 84 : Hiding in the Fog (2)

"That's not it."

Whoosh!

Jo Geom-ok, like lightning, separated from Jin Sa-wol and then quickly ran into the room.

"We're not married. We're just living like a couple so as not to attract the attention of others."

"It doesn't seem like that for Jo Sa-mae..."

Woo Jeong-bong shook his head, recalling Jo Geom-ok's face, which had turned red.

Jin Sa-wol, who had entered the inner room, sat at the tea table. As Woo Jeong-bong sat opposite him, he poured tea and said.

"Inside the Gangnam Grand Inn, there's a warehouse called the Thousand Gold Treasury, which was made by the Martial Alliance Leader. I'm planning to go in there."

"It's the first time I'm hearing of it. The Thousand Gold Treasury... Anyway, before my senior uncle retired, he sent a hundred thousand nyang of gold to our sect. He donated it. Of course, it's a secret that only a few people know."

"That's a huge amount."

At Woo Jeong-bong's words, Jin Sa-wol answered with a dry voice, without any change in expression.

Woo Jeong-bong felt as if a wooden block were speaking.

"It's true that the scale of the Wudang Sect has grown while my senior uncle was the leader of the Martial Alliance. It's also true that a huge amount of funds is needed to run the Wudang Sect. Where did my senior uncle get all that money? I was curious about that, and there was a huge safe here."

"I'm thinking of opening it and letting the world know. And I'm going to take the treasure inside."

"What is that treasure?"

"The Sea Peak Spirit Map and outstanding weapons that martial artists would want, as well as the martial arts manuals of various sects."

Woo Jeong-bong's eyes widened.

The Sea Peak Spirit Map was a map that was like a legend that he also knew well. Besides that, he was interested in the fact that there were many martial arts manuals.

"I've said all I have to say, so now you tell me the reason you came down from Wudang Mountain. Why did you come down?"

Woo Jeong-bong was a disciple who moved under the orders of the sect leader even in the Wudang Sect. He would not come down from Wudang Mountain unless there was a special order.

Woo Jeong-bong opened his mouth with a hardened expression.

"I came down to guard my senior uncle. Besides me, many of my sworn brothers and disciples are scheduled to come down. It seems he has accumulated quite a lot of grudges while he was the leader. When he was the leader, there was a solid wall called the Martial Alliance, but now there isn't, right? The number of bodyguards is also small, so it's the sect leader's order to guard him for a while."

"Why did you come alone instead of coming together?"

"I had to come down first to spend money, right? To go to the brothel and drink. I came down first for that."

"What about my story?"

Jo Geom-ok came in and asked. She was wearing a purple light robe.

When she asked, Woo Jeong-bong waved his hand with a troubled expression.

"I didn't tell them. They said it was reported to the Martial Alliance that you were dead. But don't stand out. It's one thing for me, but I don't know about the other sworn brothers. Especially if it becomes known to Senior Brother Hyun Jeong that you're alive, he might kill you."

As Jo Geom-ok's expression hardened, Woo Jeong-bong spoke again.

"I think it would be better for you to leave Guguang. My senior uncle is also scheduled to arrive soon, so if you're seen by my senior uncle, I don't think I can guarantee your life even more."

"I've decided to follow Young Master Jin. So if Young Master Jin leaves Guguang, I'll also leave with him."

Jo Geom-ok stuck close to Jin Sa-wol's side.

Jin Sa-wol suddenly thought that he might have to carry a huge burden for a while. Although she looked like a burden, Jin Sa-wol could not just leave Jo Geom-ok.

"Are you a couple?"

"No."

"Absolutely not."

Jin Sa-wol and Jo Geom-ok shook their heads at the same time. Woo Jeong-bong laughed as if it were absurd.

"The wealth in that safe was probably not gathered with good intentions, right?"

"I don't know."

Jin Sa-wol looked at Jo Geom-ok. Then he threw a look that said to speak if she knew anything.

"Why? What?"

If she didn't speak, there was no way to know. Woo Jeong-bong asked.

"Since Jo Sa-mae is my senior uncle's disciple, you must know how my senior uncle accumulated his wealth, right?"

"I don't know that much. When small and medium-sized sects fight each other and one side is exterminated, they either confiscate the property or receive donations."

Although she said that, Jo Geom-ok thought of the people she had killed. Among them, some were local dignitaries or people with a lot of wealth.

Although there had been a few contract jobs, she did not bring up that story.

Woo Jeong-bong, as if he had thought of something, asked Jin Sa-wol.

"You were a hunter before, and now you're a thief. What's your real identity?"

"A hunter."

At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Woo Jeong-bong let out a small laugh.

* * *

A dozen or so men in black gathered in front of the three corpses that were lying by the stream.

They placed the corpses neatly on the grass.

A short while later, a figure with a tall build and a bamboo hat pressed down appeared.

It was the pavilion master of the Yaksha Hall.

He looked at Jang-muk's corpse and said.

"He was tortured."

Unlike the other two corpses, Jang-muk's corpse had many sword wounds.

"What kind of guy could it be?"

When a subordinate asked, the pavilion master was silent.

If Jin Sa-wol had found him, he would have killed him, and if not, another master of Guguang City would have killed him.

Currently, there were many masters in Guguang City and near Nosan.

He couldn't pinpoint who the culprit was. How many people held a grudge against the Demonic Cult?

'He was hit by a master.'

The pavilion master thought for a moment and then raised his hand. Right now, the safety of the Martial Alliance Leader was more important than the culprit who had killed his subordinates.

"We're departing for the inn."

Whoosh!

As he finished speaking and unfolded his lightness skill, hundreds of members of the Yaksha Hall revealed themselves from the forest.

* * *

A carriage and a horse were moving slowly on a wide main road.

The young man sitting on the horse was a handsome young man with clean skin, wearing a white martial arts uniform and a hero's hat.

The young man in the driver's seat was also wearing the same outfit, and his eyes were narrow and his lips were red.

The name of the young man with the noticeable appearance was Cha-yong, and the young man with the cold impression in the driver's seat was Hyung Soo-pung.

Both of them had a sword with a white scabbard and the same cloud pattern slung over their shoulders.

"We're almost at Guguang, but there are no guys coming to greet us."

The man in the driver's seat said, yawning. The man who was riding a horse approached and said.

"It's better for an assassin not to come than to come."

"Well... How many assassins have we met so far? I think it's over two hundred."

"In the past ten years, there have been a total of fifteen attacks by assassins."

"That's a lot."

Although the position of the leader of the Martial Alliance meant absolute power, it also meant that there were that many enemies.

The biggest enemy was the Demonic Cult.

Among the assassins they had killed, more than half were assassins sent by the Demonic Cult.

Thump-thump-thump!

A sound that shook the earth was heard from beyond the horizon in the distance. It seemed that about a hundred horses were approaching.

Cha-yong, who was riding on a horse, said towards the inside of the carriage curtain.

"Alliance Leader. They've come from the inn to greet us."

"I've retired now, so don't call me Alliance Leader. Just call me master."

"Understood, master."

"Stop the carriage."

At the voice from inside the curtain, Hyung Soo-pung, who was sitting in the driver's seat, stopped the carriage.

Thump-thump!

The horses that were running at a fast speed approached the vicinity of the carriage in an instant and then stopped.

One of the men who were sitting on the horses jumped over the empty air and landed in front of the carriage. He cupped his fist and said.

"I am Dam-un, the shop master of the Gangnam Grand Inn. It is an honor to serve the Alliance Leader."

At his words, the curtain opened and Jo Han-yu poked his head out.

"You've worked hard."

"Yes."

Dam-un answered and then got on his horse and raised his hand. The horses that had followed him lined up behind the carriage.

As the carriage departed, the horses also moved together.

Dam-un approached Cha-yong's side and said.

"Someone saw a young lady who looked similar to Young Lady Jo in Guguang, so we are investigating."

"That's good news to hear."

Cha-yong showed a noticeably bright expression. Cha-yong approached the curtain and said.

"Master. What should we do? They say she looks similar to Jo Sa-mae, so I think we should check it out ourselves."

"Really? Well, she's not a child who would die easily."

"It could be another person who looks similar."

Dam-un approached with a careful expression and said. Jo Han-yu's voice was heard.

"You two go. Pavilion Master Dam will drive the carriage."

"Yes."

"Understood."

Cha-yong and Hyung Soo-pung answered at the same time.

As Dam-un got off his horse and got on the carriage, Hyung Soo-pung got on Dam-un's horse and galloped away. Behind him, Cha-yong galloped on the main road.

"How is the innkeeper doing?"

"He is doing well thanks to the Alliance Leader."

"I see."

"He is waiting for the Alliance Leader at the inn now."

"He should."

Jo Han-yu spoke in a low voice and then was silent.

Although Dam-un had only had a short conversation with Jo Han-yu, cold sweat flowed down his spine.

Although Jo Han-yu was sitting in the carriage, his voice was as if a person sitting right next to him were speaking.

That feeling was like a cold blade aimed at his neck.

* * *

Jo-rim frowned and then burned the letter in her hand in the lamp.

Jo-rim had a heavy expression, as if she did not like the contents of the letter.

She took in the blueprint of the Gangnam Grand Inn on the round table with her eyes.

"We've arrived."

Jo-rim, who turned her head at Il-hu's voice, looked at Jin Sa-wol and Bi-sun who were coming in.

"Your expression is not good."

As Bi-sun sat in a chair and spoke, Jo-rim nodded.

"They say the whereabouts of the Illusion Demon, Yeon Jeok-sim, have been unknown in the sect for several months. The fact that the Wall Demonic Hall came out, and that they can't find the Illusion Demon's figure, it seems he has left the sect. It's a message to be careful."

"Will we have a chance to meet?"

"I don't think we'll run into each other."

Bi-sun and Jin Sa-wol asked one after another.

"There's no harm in being careful."

Jo-rim gave a plain answer, and the two turned their gazes to the blueprint.

"To get to Muyeondo, you have to take a boat. You must be ready, right?"

When Jin Sa-wol asked, Jo-rim smiled.

"The brothel master is waiting at the Golden Pavilion."

At her answer, Bi-sun continued to speak.

"If you go to Muyeondo, you might not be able to come out for a while."

"I'll wait for fifteen days. If more than that passes, I'll think you're dead."

"That would be convenient."

At Bi-sun's smile, Jo-rim nodded without a word and then turned her gaze to Jin Sa-wol.

"Jo Geom-ok?"

"I'm planning to leave her at home."

"If you're not going to Muyeondo together, I think it would be better for me to take her than for her to be at home. As long as the leader is here, nowhere is safe."

"She's a disciple of the Martial Alliance Leader. Will it be okay?"

"What does it matter? It's not like we're going to kill each other."

Jo-rim had an indifferent expression.

It was certainly true that as long as the leader was here, the city was not safe, as Jo-rim had said. He thought that if she were at her Taepyeongru, she could live more comfortably than at home.

"Do that."

Jin Sa-wol answered and drank his tea. It was a short rest before starting work.

* * *

Jo Geom-ok, who was practicing her breathing while sitting in her room, opened her eyes at the sound of the door opening.

'Did he come already? That can't be.'

Jin Sa-wol had headed for Taepyeongru. He was scheduled to enter the inn from there.

As she heard footsteps entering the yard, Jo Geom-ok stood up from her seat.

"Is anyone there?"

She opened the window at the voice she had never heard before.

In her eyes, she saw a strange man she had never seen before. It seemed the man had not yet seen Jo Geom-ok.

Just then, she saw a sword pop out of the man's chest.

Thump!

The strange man collapsed, and Cha-yong revealed himself in that place. He looked at his clothes and checked if blood had splattered.

Just then, a low voice was heard from Jo Geom-ok's right.

"Your senses are dead. Jo Sa-mae."

As she opened the door of the inner room, she saw the figure of Hyung Soo-pung sitting at a tea table.

Hyung Soo-pung smiled as his eyes met Jo Geom-ok's.

(End of Chapter)