A Glimpse Through the Clouds (2)
It was a somewhat provocative question.
Yet, Chil-ho remained completely calm. If he had been angry, he might have blurted out something like this:
“Is it really like me to just shut up and do as I’m told?”
Chil-ho was genuinely curious about how Il-ho perceived him. At the same time, he was surprised at himself for having such thoughts and attitudes.
Yes, Il-ho was right. This isn’t like me at all.
Fortunately, Il-ho didn’t press the issue.
“Never mind. Go on.”
“Yes.”
Chil-ho left the room.
Il-ho, who had been watching her, turned away. His eyes fell on a painting stuck to the window. He wished she would say something about it.
“I thought that painting was stuck on the wall because it felt stifling.”
In the old, windowless room, the painting had been hung on the wall, as if to alleviate the claustrophobia.
But now, the painting was covering the window.
It was a moment where someone could have said something.
He had hoped they would naturally talk about the painting and the father who drowned.
But it felt like a futile hope. No, more like a delusion, Il-ho thought with a self-deprecating smile.
The words he wanted to say to her were actually meant for himself.
“Damn… this really isn’t like me.”
Meanwhile, as Chil-ho walked down the hallway after leaving Il-ho’s room, she suddenly stopped.
A wave of suffocation hit her, making her dizzy. The hallway twisted and spun as if she were drunk. The walls seemed ready to close in and crush her.
In that distorted space, she saw Im Yeon-jeong’s door.
Clenching her teeth, she thought about protecting her. She exhaled in short, repeated breaths.
When she opened her eyes again, the hallway had returned to normal.
“Phew.”
Outwardly, she acted as if nothing was wrong, but it seemed she was feeling the pressure and burden of her recent changes and the tasks ahead.
What if this was a crisis for her? What if Seo Hak-sa was trying to kill her?
She thought she wouldn’t feel such intense pressure.
If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just die.
Deep down, she had this thought.
It wasn’t quite the same as a fatalistic “whatever happens, happens.” It was more like she had no aversion to death.
But now, things were different.
She had found a deeper desire within herself to protect someone, more than the willingness to die.
“There must be a way.”
With renewed determination, she walked briskly down the hallway. She resisted the urge to drink, knowing she had urgent matters to attend to.
Leaving the manor, Chil-ho pulled her hat down low and headed to the Tianwanghui’s Infinite Branch. The reputation of the Tianwanghui was as grand as its information fees were steep.
“Five thousand seven hundred nyang.”
Upon hearing the price, Chil-ho left the branch without a word.
The information she sought was about Seo Hak-sa.
Who he was, what martial arts he practiced, what he liked and disliked, when he ate, how often he relieved himself… she needed everything.
But the information fee was too high. For someone like Seo Hak-sa, it might not seem too expensive, but she didn’t have five thousand seven hundred nyang to spare.
All the money she had saved barely amounted to a thousand nyang, and even that was managed by the organization. She had to apply for funds, specify their use, and receive only what was necessary.
There was a rumor that the organization would give a large sum upon retirement. But it was just a rumor, not a promise, and Chil-ho thought it was a fantasy born of false hope.
Could she even leave this organization alive?
“Where on earth can I find information about him?”
According to Im Yeon-jeong, his martial arts were so bizarre they bordered on sorcery. She needed solid information to find his weaknesses and seize the opportunity to kill him.
“Maybe?”
Il-ho might be able to easily find information about Seo Hak-sa.
But she couldn’t tell him about this, nor would he share it if she did. She knew he cared for her, but this was a betrayal of the organization.
“So, I’m betraying the organization now.”
Until now, her desire to help Im Yeon-jeong had overshadowed the gravity of her actions.
To think she would betray the organization for such a reason. If her betrayal were discovered, she would die a truly miserable and painful death.
She lifted her head slightly.
In the distance, sunlight briefly pierced through the clouds. The sun hung on the edge of the clouds, looking as if it might disappear behind them at any moment.
Standing in the precarious sunlight, she resumed her steps.
“I have to find a way to get the money.”
Upon hearing that Chil-ho had left the manor, I also set out.
I had previously followed her and Im Yeon-jeong to discover the location of the manor where they were staying.
I had planned to approach Im Yeon-jeong, so I had my subordinates from the Tri-Eye Pavilion keep an eye on the manor. Of course, I instructed them to only report major movements from a distance.
After learning that Chil-ho had visited the Tianwanghui to purchase information, I immediately sought out Ban Seo-jeong, the head of the Tianwanghui. Through her subordinates, she informed me of the information Chil-ho had tried to buy.
If the information broker hadn’t been from the Tianwanghui, I wouldn’t have been able to find out what information she was after. Even if I did, it would have taken considerable time.
“The information she sought was about Seo Hak-sa.”
“Who is Seo Hak-sa?”
“Seo Hak-sa is a renowned expert in the Great Arts, known for his mastery of numerous techniques used by the Demonic Cult and the Unorthodox Faction.”
I could surmise that Im Yeon-jeong’s presence in Wuhuan was related to some Great Art.
But why was Chil-ho trying to obtain information about Seo Hak-sa? They should be on the same side.
She handed me an envelope.
“Here is the information on Seo Hak-sa.”
It was the very information Chil-ho couldn’t afford.
“However, we don’t know Seo Hak-sa’s whereabouts. Shall we investigate?”
“No, this is sufficient. Do not get further involved.”
“Understood.”
If such a famous Great Arts expert was involved, it must be for a very important ritual. It would be safer for me to handle this matter personally.
And Im Yeon-jeong would know where Seo Hak-sa was. It was quicker for me to find out through Chil-ho.
“Thank you. I won’t forget this.”
“Just let me know whenever you need anything.”
It wasn’t just because she provided the information. If it became known that a client’s information had leaked, it would be a fatal blow to the Tianwanghui’s reputation. She had taken that risk to give me the information.
Before leaving, I shared a piece of news with Ban Seo-jeong.
“Gal Gun-sa is safe and well. He’s currently engrossed in studying formations.”
“Once he gets into something, he dives in deep. He’ll soon become a remarkable formation expert.”
“Haha, I think so too.”
“Thank you for the update.”
Seeing her bright smile, I thought that perhaps this news was more precious to her than money.
Im Yeon-jeong was in the rundown building in the filthy alley she had visited before.
“This time, I’m counting on you.”
Seo Hak-sa looked at Im Yeon-jeong with utmost seriousness and sincerity.
“I’ll do my best, though I’m lacking.”
If she hadn’t known what kind of person he was, she might have been fooled by his earnest demeanor.
“I’ve learned many things. Since we’ve met, I’ll pass everything on to you through this Great Art.”
“Thank you.”
Im Yeon-jeong felt a chill. He would have deceived people like this, received their help, and then killed them without a trace once the ritual was over. If only he had exuded the stench of a villain from the start, he would have been less repulsive.
“When will the ritual begin?”
“The first ritual will start soon.”
“Who is the target?”
“You’ll find out that day. Here, read this first.”
Seo Hak-sa handed her a booklet.
“The parts marked in red are your responsibilities.”
“Yes.”
Im Yeon-jeong sat down and read the book. While the core parts were missing, it contained most of what was needed for the ritual. His skills were indeed impressive, as the rumors said.
“If he had used his skills to train the next generation, he would have earned much respect.”
But he chose gold instead. The value of being the only one who could perform such feats would fetch the highest price.
“Truly impressive.”
At her admiration, Seo Hak-sa beamed.
“Learn and master it to your heart’s content.”
The next place Chil-ho visited was the Ronin Market.
“There’s only one way to earn three thousand nyang quickly.”
“What is it?”
The man drew a line across his neck with his hand. He didn’t say it, but it was clear.
Assassination.
Under her hat, Chil-ho’s expression hardened slightly. Had she ever killed someone outside of a mission? Killing for money?
“Is the target a villain?”
The man chuckled.
“If you’re looking for villains, go to the Martial Alliance. You can get a list of hundreds.”
But hunting down a wanted villain took too much time. And with her current mission to protect Im Yeon-jeong, it was impossible. Even today’s outing was making her anxious.
“Is there anything I can do right now?”
The man shook his head firmly.
“Even if there were, why would we trust you with the job? Our work has its own steps and procedures.”
Of course, they wouldn’t entrust such a serious task as assassination to just anyone. They would only assign it after building trust through gradual work.
“I’ll come back later.”
As Chil-ho turned to leave, the man spoke from behind.
“I expected you to walk away. Do you know why I told you all this?”
“Why?”
“Because I have a feeling you’d be good at our work. Let’s meet again.”
Without a word, Chil-ho left the place.
Leaving the Ronin Market, Chil-ho sat alone in a tavern, drinking.
For the first time, she truly felt how difficult it was to come by money.
She had never cared about money. Not caring about money meant she wasn’t interested in reality, and that, in turn, meant she hadn’t thought about the future.
She had simply lived by following the orders of the organization. There was no other way. The organization was relentless, always watching and managing her, wary of any potential betrayal.
She emptied her glass again. She had wanted to drink for a while, so the alcohol went down like water.
Then, she was startled by someone entering the bar.
“You?”
The person she spotted was me.
“Fancy meeting you here.”
I greeted her warmly and approached her table.
“I was just passing by and thought I’d stop for a drink. Would you mind if I joined you?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Chil-ho nodded.
“Sure.”
It might seem like a coincidence, but this meeting was anything but accidental.
She hadn’t been here long, yet she was already on her second bottle. She hadn’t even touched the snacks.
She seemed troubled, likely something to do with Seohaksa.
“Your fiancé is quite beautiful.”
“Even I get surprised sometimes.”
She chuckled at my joke.
With the ice broken, our conversation flowed naturally.
We talked about this and that. Though her responses were brief, the atmosphere wasn’t awkward.
When the drinks ran out, she suggested, “Shall we go somewhere else to drink?”
“Sounds good.”
We bought more drinks and headed to the old field.
As the cool breeze hit us, I felt glad we had come here.
We drank there. She was drinking more than usual.
“I went to the wanderers’ market earlier.”
“Why?”
“To make a living.”
She smiled wryly, but there was a hint of sadness in that smile.
After finishing her last drink, she stood up.
“Let’s meet again sometime.”
“Wait.”
I stood up to follow her.
Watching her for a moment, I suddenly spoke.
“Baekryeon.”
Her eyes widened at the sound of her name. A tense silence followed, and she swallowed hard.
With utmost seriousness, I said, “I want to hire you.”
She looked at me silently.
What was she thinking? I knew a fair bit about her. The real question was her feelings about Byeokridan. How would she take this offer?
Finally, she broke the silence.
“If you want to hire someone, you need to meet their conditions. What are yours?”
I spoke earnestly, words that would change everything between us.
“A new life for you.”