The Return of the Phantom (1)
The carriage had just crossed from Hebei into Anhui.
On our first night at the inn there, I awoke from my sleep.
An inexplicable sense of danger had roused me. I slowly sat up, silently drawing the sword I kept by my bedside.
Across the room, Galsaryang was still asleep on his bed.
I crept to the door and pressed my ear against it.
There was no hint of hostility. I cracked the door open. At the end of the hallway, two guards stood watch. On the opposite side, another pair was stationed, seemingly without concern.
I closed the door and moved to the window, peeking through the curtains. Outside, it was pitch black. This inn was located in a secluded area, far from the bustling market streets.
“What’s wrong?”
Galsaryang, now awake, asked with a startled expression.
“Shh!”
My gaze returned to the darkness outside.
Something was out there, far off in the shadows. It was a presence unlike the old man who once called to me from the forest. This was more unsettling, more dangerous.
Could the owner of that presence sense me? Unlikely. I had concealed my own aura completely.
After a moment, the presence vanished. It was clear that a formidable master had been watching us.
I finally turned to Galsaryang and spoke.
“Someone was observing us.”
Galsaryang was taken aback.
He didn’t question my claim or doubt how I could sense something the Mengho Clan’s warriors couldn’t.
He had seen firsthand that my martial skills surpassed even the elite of the Cheongung Clan. Since the Cheongung and Mengho Clans were of similar caliber, it was only natural for him to assume I would notice first.
“It’s only natural to have a watcher.”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
I glanced out the window again. The issue was that the presence wasn’t just that of a mere observer. But there was no need to burden Galsaryang with unnecessary worry.
The instincts that had protected me for so long whispered as we both stared into the darkness.
This mission is dangerous.
Before entering the place, Gwangwol Clan Leader Joo Cheol-ryong took a deep breath.
He always felt tense when he came here. Despite leading the most powerful martial organization in the Murim Alliance, this place made him feel small.
Sibi guided him. Watching her graceful steps, he was certain she was a martial arts master, though he couldn’t gauge her true level.
In other words, she was superior to him.
That young maid? How could that be?
An elderly servant sweeping the yard greeted him politely. He couldn’t discern his martial prowess either.
The two guards at the entrance, the maid he met in the inner hallway—all were more skilled than him.
How could he not feel intimidated?
In a neatly decorated room, a man sat alone, reading a book and playing Go.
The last time he visited, the man was tending to the garden trees, and before that, he was having tea.
This was their third meeting.
The man was always engaged in ordinary activities, yet Joo Cheol-ryong felt dwarfed by his presence.
From their first encounter, Joo Cheol-ryong understood what it meant to be intimidated by someone’s mere existence.
When the man first looked at him, Joo Cheol-ryong had a vague premonition. He wouldn’t be able to defy this person.
He couldn’t guess the man’s age. He seemed very young, yet at times, he felt like a peer.
His face was strikingly handsome. Of all the men Joo Cheol-ryong had seen, this one was the most handsome. Even as a middle-aged man, he felt his heart flutter.
His skin was as white as jade, and his teeth, visible when he spoke, were straight and white. Sometimes, he seemed almost feminine. If this man were a woman, she would be truly beautiful.
“You’ve arrived?”
“Yes.”
The man greeted Joo Cheol-ryong with a soft, low voice that was so androgynous it was hard to tell if it belonged to a man or a woman.
His presence was reminiscent of the Murim Alliance Leader in his prime.
Though different from the leader, he seemed just as formidable.
The most astonishing thing was that this man wasn’t the head of the organization.
There was someone he referred to as “the Elder.”
How powerful must that person be?
The world would never understand. Being recruited into an organization without knowing its ultimate leader.
Meeting this man made it clear why it had to be this way.
“Have you been well?”
“Thanks to you, yes.”
A woman brought tea and placed it before Joo Cheol-ryong.
Joo Cheol-ryong asked the man, “Do you enjoy Go?”
From the way he placed the stones, he seemed like a master, but his response was unexpected.
“No, not really. The Elder is very fond of it, so I’m trying to learn. But no matter how much I play, I can’t see the appeal. I don’t understand where life is supposed to be reflected in it. Hahaha.”
Yet, his appearance and demeanor suited Go perfectly.
“The Elder loves Go so much that he has two aides called White Stone and Black Stone.”
“Ah, I see.”
The casual mention of these two suggested that this man held a higher position than them.
Joo Cheol-ryong believed this man was the second-in-command of the organization.
“Ma Bong-gi has left the alliance, hasn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“A new leader will be needed soon.”
Joo Cheol-ryong was startled. It implied Ma Bong-gi would die.
“Ma Cheol-gun seems suitable. Prepare him.”
He spoke as if issuing a decree.
“Ma Cheol-gun!”
Joo Cheol-ryong lowered his voice after his initial outburst.
“It’s too soon for him to be the leader. Many in the Central Plains and even within the Murim Alliance will oppose it.”
There had been many issues when Ma Bong-gi was made leader. Joo Cheol-ryong had used all his power and influence to make it happen. But Ma Cheol-gun would be even more challenging.
“So it’s too soon?”
“Not only that, but he won’t be as compliant as Ma Bong-gi.”
“He won’t be compliant?”
Repeating his words twice, Joo Cheol-ryong realized the man was angry.
Indeed, the man lifted his head to look at Joo Cheol-ryong. Without any overt display of power or hostility, Joo Cheol-ryong felt his heart freeze.
The man spoke languidly.
“Do you know why we make mistakes? Because we try too hard. Just relax. In what you do, in your life itself. Then everything will go smoothly.”
His gaze returned to the Go board.
It was a polite way of saying, “Shut up and do as you’re told.”
For now, he would have to comply. The man’s warning needed no repetition.
Joo Cheol-ryong bowed his head.
“Ma Cheol-gun will be the next leader.”
We arrived safely in Zhejiang Province.
As we entered the village a half-day’s journey from Namhyeon Escort Agency, something felt off.
Mengho Clan Leader Im Joong-tae signaled his subordinates with hand gestures.
The carriage halted, and the guards drew their swords, scanning the surroundings.
I was in the carriage with Galsaryang, heightening my senses to survey the area. Sure enough, a sinister aura and the stench of blood reached us.
After a tense moment, a scout returned, urgently reporting.
“You need to see this immediately.”
The carriage moved slowly toward the village.
The scene was horrific. Bodies lay scattered everywhere, and many houses had been burned.
Galsaryang and I disembarked, joining the other guards in searching for any survivors.
These people hadn’t just died. Most of the bodies were mutilated, torn apart. The elderly were dead, and even children had been killed. The women lay naked, their bodies bearing wounds that hinted at the agony they endured while alive.
“Those bastards!”
I had seen many battlefields, but never a massacre of villagers this brutal.
Galsaryang’s face was grim.
Im Joong-tae ordered his men.
“We’ll pass through the village. Once we’re out, contact the Murim Alliance branch to handle the bodies and investigate the culprits.”
“Yes, understood.”
Despite the conversation, the curtain of Ma Bong-gi’s carriage remained closed. Instead, his irritated voice emerged.
“Let’s move on.”
The stench of decaying bodies was overwhelming.
Everyone’s expressions hardened. We all knew Ma Bong-gi wasn’t a great leader, but ignoring a village massacre without even stepping out was too much.
“Move out!”
As Im Joong-tae gave the order, a guard inspecting the bodies shouted.
“There’s a survivor here!”
We rushed over.
A middle-aged man was barely clinging to life. We tried to heal him with our energy, but his wounds were too severe.
“Who did this?”
The man struggled to speak.
“Ma… Gyo.”
With those words, he passed away.
Everyone’s faces turned grim. We had heard rumors of the Demonic Cult’s resurgence and knew the Cheongung Clan was on a mission. We were aware of the situation.
But this was the first time we had seen the Demonic Cult’s direct slaughter.
Finally, the door of Ma Bong-gi’s carriage opened, and he stepped out. Behind the open door, a naked woman hastily covered herself with clothes.
Ma Bong-gi frowned and asked.
“The Demonic Cult did this?”
“Yes.”
He looked at Galsaryang and asked.
“Do we still proceed? Isn’t it too dangerous?”
Galsaryang spoke calmly.
“We must go.”
Mabong-gi glanced at Galsaryang for a moment before climbing into the carriage. He slammed the door shut with irritation and shouted loudly.
“Let’s get moving, quickly.”
The carriage set off again.
“Let’s get in too.”
“Yes.”
Galsaryang and I climbed into the carriage.
A sense of foreboding grew stronger. It felt like we were heading straight into the heart of a conspiracy.
When we reached the second village, about thirty people were gathered at the entrance.
“The leader is here!”
“The leader of the martial alliance has arrived!”
To our surprise, they were aware of Mabong-gi’s arrival.
Im Jung-tae shouted quickly.
“Just pass through!”
The carriage picked up speed.
As Mabong-gi’s carriage sped past, people threw themselves in front of ours, blocking the way.
If it had been the leader’s carriage, they might have let it pass, but we couldn’t just run them over, so the driver halted the carriage.
People swarmed around us.
Galsaryang and I stepped out of the carriage.
“The demonic cult has returned!”
“Please, save us.”
“Help us!”
They pleaded as they gathered around. News of a neighboring village being massacred must have reached them.
Galsaryang asked them.
“How did you know the leader was coming?”
An old man, who had been clutching Galsaryang’s arm, lifted his head.
“Well, how did we know?”
Suddenly, the old man’s eyes turned sinister.
Swish!
His hand shot towards Galsaryang’s neck.
Thud.
His hand stopped just short of Galsaryang’s throat.
I had grabbed the old man’s wrist. If I hadn’t, it would have been a fatal strike.
Flash! Slash!!
I swung my sword, severing the old man’s arm.
Even with his arm cut off, the old man didn’t scream.
A chilling sensation swept over me.
Thud!
I kicked the old man mercilessly and swung my sword again.
The old man flew backward, tumbling with the others, and those around him fell, blood spraying.
“Get in the carriage!”
I tried to push Galsaryang back into the carriage.
But by then, the driver and the horses had been slaughtered. They should have been able to fend off the attackers, but the enemies kept coming, overwhelming them.
The horses collapsed, causing the carriage to tilt.
There were about thirty enemies. The problem wasn’t their number.
The old man with the severed arm approached again. A martial artist might be able to stop the bleeding and continue fighting, but to smile so brightly was unnatural. The old man’s grin was disturbingly cheerful.
Those who had been cut by my sword also rose again, showing no signs of pain.
Whoosh!
A man on the left lunged with his sword. I dodged his attack and broke his arm.
Crack.
His arm bent at a right angle, bone protruding. Yet he looked at me and grinned.
These bastards! They don’t feel pain!
The Suramyungwang Sword sliced through the air, severing the man’s neck.
Slice!
Even as his head rolled on the ground, it continued to smile.
The remaining enemies laughed as they watched. They were engulfed in madness.
I had faced such foes long ago.
The name slipped from Galsaryang’s lips in despair.
“The Mad Bloodless Army!”
They were the elite soldiers of the Blood Heaven Demonic Cult. They felt no pain and became more violent at the sight of blood, invincible demons.
Countless lives were lost in the war because of them. If I hadn’t risked my life to annihilate them, we might have lost the war.
The masterminds had revived the Mad Bloodless Army. Just as they had researched the Unyielding Demon Corps, they had found a way to recreate the Mad Bloodless Army and succeeded.
With their appearance, everyone would believe it now.
The demonic cult had truly returned.