Episode 317

The three of them moved swiftly toward the Hyeongsan Sect atop the mountain.

It was almost embarrassing that Dongjeong Sugwi, Sau-rim, had offered to scout ahead, because they hadn’t encountered a single soul all the way to the outskirts of Hyeongsan Sect.

It seemed that Wi Jeong-guk had led most of the sect’s disciples down the mountain and away from the area.

After a short while, they finally reached the outer wall of Hyeongsan Sect.

There, Sau-rim stood beside a hole in the corner of the wall, where a torrent of valley water poured down like a waterfall. He wore an awkward expression as he waited for the others.

As the three approached, he bowed politely and said, “If it’s going to be like this, I wonder if I was even needed. I feel sorry for not being of any help to you, Gongja.”

Sun Woo-jin smiled gently in response.

“Don’t say that. If you hadn’t taken the trouble, we wouldn’t have gotten this far. Thank you again. And… it seems there are still martial artists inside. From here on, we’ll need your real help.”

“Huh?”

Sau-rim looked toward the wall in surprise at Sun Woo-jin’s words.

The Hyeongsan Sect’s wall, built like a fortress on the mountain’s slope, was nearly three jang high—an intimidating height that no ordinary master of martial arts would dare to scale.

Below the hole in the wall, the valley water cascaded like a waterfall, its roar drowning out any sound from inside.

Yet Sun Woo-jin was certain that there were still martial artists inside.

Sau-rim couldn’t quite understand this, but he chose to trust Sun Woo-jin without question.

After all, Sun Woo-jin had done so much for them already.

Nodding, Sau-rim said, “Then I’ll go check inside.”

Without hesitation, he plunged into the valley water.

Splash!

He swam upstream with the grace of a fish, even managing to ascend the waterfall itself.

He was literally swimming against the falling water.

It was a breathtaking display of skill.

Witnessing this, Jeung Chil, Mo Dong-ju, and even Sun Woo-jin, a master ranked among the Thirty-Six Stars of the World, couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

“Whoa! Is that really possible?!”

“That’s no mere fish—it’s like watching a salmon swim upstream, or a dragon ascending a waterfall!”

After some time, Sau-rim, having climbed the three-jang-high waterfall, slipped through the hole in the water channel within the wall.

A while later, he fell back down with the waterfall, plunging into the valley below.

Splash!

He leapt out of the water like a carp flapping wildly, then hurriedly reported to Sun Woo-jin.

“As you said, Gongja, there are still guards inside! But… Jeong So-jeo, who served as the attendant and maid, is not at their quarters! I suspect she was taken by Wi Jeong-guk!”

Sun Woo-jin’s expression darkened at the news.

If they couldn’t meet her to gather information, their plan would face serious setbacks.

Mo Dong-ju, standing nearby, cautiously suggested, “Then how about rescuing the people I mentioned first? They’re imprisoned in Chamhoe-dong on the back mountain of Hyeongsan Sect, so we wouldn’t need to enter the main compound.”

“Hmm…”

If they couldn’t rescue those women now, perhaps it was better to start with those imprisoned in Chamhoe-dong.

It was a reasonable suggestion.

Better to handle what they could than waste time here.

Still, Sun Woo-jin hesitated.

Not entering now might mean giving up entirely on securing the Liuhe Sword Masters.

He fell into deep thought.

---

After Sun Mu-woo-hee and Woo Nan-seol descended the mountain with Wi Jeong-guk, Jeong Mi-hee, who served as a maid, carefully tucked a letter into her bosom, packed a small bag, and stepped outside her quarters.

She intended to leave Hyeongsan Sect, just as Woo Nan-seol had said.

She paused by the pond where Sau-rim often infiltrated, pondering.

“Should I climb over the back wall along the water channel? No, that might arouse suspicion if someone sees me. Then… maybe it’s better to walk boldly through the front gate as if nothing’s wrong?”

After a moment’s thought, confirming her light load, she felt drawn to head toward the front gate.

Her martial arts skills weren’t strong, so if she got caught trying to scale the wall, it could be even more dangerous.

The weight of the letter in her bosom pressed heavily on her mind.

“If I get caught climbing the wall and searched, it’s over. Besides, I’ve always gone through the front gate without incident.”

She had often accompanied Woo Nan-seol, passing through the front gate.

Though the distance was considerable, no one had paid her any special attention.

So if she acted naturally, she believed she could slip out through the front gate again.

“Yes, with my skills, that’s the best choice.”

With that resolve, Jeong Mi-hee left her quarters and began descending toward the front gate.

But what she didn’t know was that Sau-rim had come from the back gate not long before.

Nor did she realize that the situation now was very different.

When she was with Woo Nan-seol, all eyes were on Woo Nan-seol, so Jeong Mi-hee went unnoticed.

But alone, she was a striking beauty who could easily attract attention.

Moreover, unlike before, when everyone desperately avoided Wi Jeong-guk’s gaze by focusing on Woo Nan-seol, the current chaos in Hyeongsan Sect meant people’s attention was scattered.

Unaware of these changes, Jeong Mi-hee walked calmly toward the front gate.

But before she had gone far, she locked eyes with a group of Hyeongsan martial artists.

They were young warriors, carrying sacks full of something, just stepping out of a building.

“!”

Jeong Mi-hee’s heart sank.

The letter in her bosom suddenly felt unbearably heavy.

Still, she showed no sign of fear, meeting their gaze with a calm expression.

“Stay composed, act like nothing’s wrong…”

But it was the warriors who looked startled.

“Gasp!”

“Y-you?!”

Their reaction to a mere maid was far too extreme.

Jeong Mi-hee found their behavior suspicious.

She glanced up at the signboard of the building they had just exited.

‘This place?!’

She was shocked to see the sign read ‘Cheonjunggo.’

This was the Hyeongsan Sect’s main storage for their most important supplies.

Her mind raced.

People carrying heavy loads, coming out of the storage, and their over-the-top surprise at seeing her.

She immediately grasped what they were up to.

‘They’re stealing from the storage and trying to escape!’

It was an absurd situation.

The disciples of the once-great Hyeongsan Sect were stealing supplies amid the sect’s crisis.

A clear sign of the sect’s downfall.

But whether they did or not was none of Jeong Mi-hee’s concern.

The more Hyeongsan fell, the better for her.

The problem was that the others didn’t know this.

The martial artists caught stealing drew their swords and pointed them at her, shouting.

Clang!

“Hey, you! Stop right there!”

“Master! This woman saw us!”

Jeong Mi-hee’s face went pale.

Running into these people now was the worst possible timing.

At that moment, someone slowly stepped out from behind them.

Jeong Mi-hee recognized him immediately, and surprise flashed in her eyes again.

“Who are you?!”

The man the young warriors called ‘Master’ was Ja Gong-jin, the Third Hall Master of the Inner Sect.

Though not particularly skilled in martial arts for a Daoist of his rank, he was adept at flattering Wi Jeong-guk, acting like his tongue in his mouth.

Thanks to this talent, he had risen to the position of Third Hall Master.

Jeong Mi-hee knew that because his martial arts were weak, he hadn’t followed Wi Jeong-guk down the mountain but stayed behind to guard the main sect while most warriors were away.

Yet now, instead of guarding the sect in its time of crisis, he was looting the storage.

He was a perfect example of why Hyeongsan was doomed.

On the other hand, Ja Gong-jin didn’t recognize Jeong Mi-hee.

Squinting, he asked, “Who are you?”

One of the young warriors shouted, “I know, Master! This woman was the maid of Sun Mu-woo-hee, Lady Woo!”

Ja Gong-jin let out a low whistle.

“Ho! The maid of Lady Woo?”

He had wondered why such a beautiful woman was unfamiliar to him, but hearing this, he understood.

Anyone beside Woo Nan-seol would inevitably pale like a firefly under the moonlight.

Seeing an opportunity, Jeong Mi-hee—who had been desperately trying to find a way out of this situation—didn’t hesitate to speak up.

“As you said, I am Madam Woo’s maid. I was sent on an errand to her residence and am just on my way back.”

The young warriors exchanged uneasy glances.

If she truly was running an errand for Woo Nan-seol, they knew that letting her go without incident could bring unpredictable consequences.

In the worst case, more warriors might come to retrieve her.

And that was exactly what Jeong Mi-hee had hoped for.

Given their circumstances, they would naturally fear reinforcements arriving, so she counted on them letting her pass.

The warriors, looking troubled, turned to Ja Gong-jin.

“Master, what should we do? Should we just let her go?”

Ja Gong-jin furrowed his brow, clearly hesitating.

Jeong Mi-hee clutched the letter hidden inside her clothes tightly with both arms, anxiously watching his expression.

The success of her mission hinged on his decision.

But even after a moment passed, Ja Gong-jin still frowned, unable to speak.

Unable to contain her anxiety any longer, Jeong Mi-hee finally broke the silence.

“Madam told me to return as quickly as possible! Please, just let me go! Don’t waste any more time like this—!”

That was when Ja Gong-jin’s voice cut through sharply, his resolve suddenly firm.

“Seize her.”

Her heart plummeted.

The young warriors were just as shocked.

“W-what? But—”

Ja Gong-jin snapped irritably.

“Do you think they have the resources to send reinforcements right now? And even if they did, what then? We won’t be here anymore. They won’t come back, will they? Besides…”

He trailed off, his gaze turning greedy as he looked at Jeong Mi-hee.

“Wouldn’t it be better if she disappeared with us? Then people would think she fled in fear of us.”

Jeong Mi-hee’s face drained of color.

In contrast, the warriors’ faces twisted into lecherous grins.

One of them eyed her with a sly look and asked,

“So, we’re taking her with us to the end?”

Ja Gong-jin’s half-lidded eyes roamed over her body as he replied,

“No need to make it a burden. Just take her along for a taste, then deal with her.”

Hearing this, the young warriors chuckled darkly, their eyes raking over Jeong Mi-hee’s body.

Their greed was utterly unrecognizable for disciples of the Old Great Gate Sect.

Under their leering gaze, Jeong Mi-hee felt her vision go white.

This couldn’t be happening.

She didn’t care if her body was defiled.

In fact, she had long felt guilty for keeping herself pure while watching Woo Nan-seol use her body to extract information.

But failing to deliver the letter she carried was absolutely unacceptable.

She had to get it to her comrades, no matter what.

Desperately, she scanned her surroundings.

“What do I do? What can I do?”

Running away now would be foolish.

Though Ja Gong-jin was considered a weak warrior among the ‘Ja’ faction, he was still far stronger than her, who hadn’t even reached her peak.

If she tried to flee, the chance of being caught was nearly certain.

There was no hope.

Closing her eyes tightly, she bit her lip hard.

“If only Ja Gong-jin weren’t here…”

It was hopeless.

Without him, her chances of escape would have been much higher, but his presence blocked every possibility.

Whether she ran or fought, it was the same.

Then the young warriors approached, their leering smiles widening.

“Come on, be a good girl now.”

At that moment, a sudden thought flashed through her mind.

It was a long shot, but not impossible.

Still, even with the idea in her head, Jeong Mi-hee hesitated.

Just because she thought of it didn’t mean she could act on it immediately.

No matter how desperate the situation, she was still a daughter of the righteous sect.

She couldn’t bring herself to do what her mind had just suggested.

With a sigh tinged with despair, she thought,

“I can’t. It’s too much…”

The warriors closed in, their greedy smiles never fading.

“Uh-huh-huh! What are you waiting for? Didn’t I tell you to come quietly?”

Suddenly, she thought of Woo Nan-seol.

Of how she had lived as the woman of the man she hated most in the world, as if honor and pride meant nothing.

She bit her lip hard.

Crunch!

Blood welled up.

Feeling the sharp sting and metallic taste, she thought,

She could no longer be ashamed in front of Woo Nan-seol.

If she failed the very first task entrusted to her by the woman who had sacrificed everything for this mission, how could she ever face her again?

At last, Jeong Mi-hee made up her mind and decided to act on the thought that had just come to her.

Suddenly, she dropped to the ground.

Then, with a desperate look, she began to plead with the warriors.

“Please! Please spare me! I lied! I ran away from Madam because I thought I’d die if I went with her! Please don’t kill me!”

Her sudden words and actions caught the warriors off guard.

They had been worried someone might come looking for her, but it turned out she had escaped on her own.

The young warriors looked to Ja Gong-jin, unsure what to do next.

He frowned at the unexpected turn.

If what she said was true, there was no longer any urgency.

He needed to reconsider.

But Jeong Mi-hee didn’t give them time to think.

She moved on to the next step.

She loosened her collar, slipping her top down to bare one shoulder.

Softly—

With a pitiful look, she began to plead directly to Ja Gong-jin.

“Jin-in! Please, spare me! If you let me live, I’ll do anything you ask. Jin-in, please…”

The warriors’ eyes widened.

Her sudden display had stirred their lust.

And it wasn’t just the young warriors.

Ja Gong-jin swallowed hard without realizing it.

Swallow.

Her beautiful, desperate face, the disheveled top revealing pale, smooth skin—it was an overwhelming sight for warriors who had only trained in the mountains, no matter how corrupt they were.

The young warriors felt a surge rising within them, swallowing nervously as they stared at her.

One of them whispered toward Ja Gong-jin.

“Master… um…”

Though unspoken, their eyes made their intentions clear.

And Ja Gong-jin himself was already feeling desire stirring.

He licked his lips and asked her,

“So, no one’s coming to find you?”

Jeong Mi-hee bowed her head deeply.

“Yes, yes. I was so scared I lied… I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’ll do anything, just please spare my life!”

Hearing this, a greedy smile curled on Ja Gong-jin’s lips.

If no one was coming, there was no urgency—and that meant they had time for other matters.

He swallowed again and stepped closer.

“Good. So that’s settled.”

With a sly grin, he gently grasped her bare shoulder.

The smoothness of her skin sent a shiver through her entire body.

Her frightened eyes and soft flesh were unbearable.

Ja Gong-jin chuckled darkly and pulled her to her feet.

“Uh-huh-huh! Come here, you little cutie.”

Then, without warning, he yanked her into his arms.