Episode 81

The disciples of the Amipa decided to return immediately to their headquarters.

Along with Sojeo Jeonghye, who had come with me during the Jeoljin incident as an investigator, Sojeo Jeongyeon and Sojeo Jeongan, who had been with us all this time, were also part of the group.

Having traveled together for several days, there was some reluctance to part ways, but I judged that it would be burdensome for them to ignore the warnings about the Jeolhan situation and move forward. More importantly, given their skills, infiltrating the Jeonghyeop faction would be too risky.

Just before they left, Bisa-yeong and I watched as the Amipa disciples surrounded Hwa Youngbin, squealing like schoolgirls as they greeted him.

Each of them spoke to Hwa Youngbin with eyes sparkling as if looking at a beloved, and it was clear that he was the man all the Amipa disciples admired.

“Brother Hwa, thank you again for saving us this time.”

“Brother Hwa, please save Sojeo Jeongin too! Please take care of yourself.”

“Brother Hwa, you have to come to Amipa again. Promise!”

“Brother Hwa…!”

“Brother Hwa…!”

Sojeo Jeongan was among them, clasping her hands tightly as she looked at Hwa Youngbin. I glanced sideways at Bisa-yeong, who was watching with a bitter expression, and spoke quietly.

“Brother Hwa really loved that Sojeo Jeongseon, huh? Even with so many disciples staring at him, he doesn’t waver at all.”

It was a kind of consolation, telling him not to be too disappointed since things probably wouldn’t work out anyway.

Bisa-yeong muttered under his breath.

“I really have to become a master.”

I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

He answered with a bitter smile.

“I can’t surpass Brother Hwa in looks. At least if my martial arts are on par, I might have a chance.”

“Ah, I see.”

That made sense, but then a thought struck me.

It’s true he can’t beat Hwa Youngbin in looks, but could he catch up in martial arts?

Hwa Youngbin wouldn’t just be standing still, after all.

So it seemed nearly impossible for Bisa-yeong, who was only a first-rate fighter, to catch up to someone aiming for the absolute peak.

Still, I just nodded.

‘You can’t give up just because you’re not good-looking or the strongest, right?’

He smirked at me and asked.

“You think I can’t even do that, don’t you?”

Gulp!

Caught off guard, I glanced at him and saw his expression wasn’t bad, so I just laughed honestly.

“Yeah, man. Honestly, can you even compare to Brother Hwa? Looks, martial arts, background, personality — you’re a third-rate warrior standing before the absolute peak.”

“Ugh! Why the sudden verbal assault? And even if everything else is true, isn’t my personality a bit better?”

I answered as firmly as I could.

“Nope, not at all.”

“…Hah, what a friend you are…”

“Well, I’m only this harsh because we’re friends. If we weren’t, I’d just tell you to be reborn.”

“What, man?!”

While we were bickering like this, Sojeo Jeongyeon and Sojeo Jeongan, having finished greeting Hwa Youngbin, approached us.

Jeongyeon, her face flushed red, greeted me cautiously first.

“Master Seonwoo, thank you so much for everything. There are so many things I’m grateful for. If we meet again someday…”

She spoke without even meeting my eyes properly. I cut her off with a gentle smile.

“No thanks necessary. Anyone would have done the same. Please stay healthy, Sojeo. And don’t worry—I will definitely rescue Sojeo Jeongin of the Amigum Bong.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Though I had no experience with women, I could easily guess her feelings. Lately, quite a few women in the Biryong Corps had been admiring me, so I understood.

No, more than anything, it was hard not to notice her feelings, given how flushed she was and how she couldn’t look me in the eye.

So I didn’t want to leave any room for misunderstanding.

I had recently realized it was better to be firm than to try to be a half-hearted nice guy.

She was a kind and beautiful woman, but there was no space in my heart for her.

Jeongyeon bowed her head with a lonely expression.

She seemed reluctant to show me her slightly moist eyes.

As our conversation stalled, Bisa-yeong, who was exchanging farewells with Sojeo Jeongan beside me, looked somewhat solemn.

“Please take care of yourself, Sojeo. When I become a master rivaling Hwa Youngbin, I will come to see you again.”

But Sojeo Jeongan’s eyes widened in surprise, and she asked curiously.

“Excuse me? You won’t see us before then?”

“…Huh?”

Her bright expression dimmed a little.

“I thought we had grown close during the time we spent together… maybe I was mistaken.”

Now it was Bisa-yeong’s turn to be flustered.

“…No, Sojeo, that’s not a mistake.”

He didn’t know what to say, and Sojeo Jeongan bowed her head apologetically.

“I’m sorry. I guess I was mistaken again.”

Bisa-yeong hurriedly shouted.

“No, no! I really enjoyed the time I spent with you, Sojeo!”

Whoa!

That sudden, intense confession surprised even me.

“Really?”

Sojeo Jeongan’s face brightened again as she looked up at him.

Bisa-yeong’s expression blanked out for a moment.

She looked so beautiful that he seemed a little dazed.

I couldn’t help but smile at his slightly spaced-out look.

Then Sojeo Jeongan suddenly looked puzzled again.

She was truly a woman of many expressions.

“But if you enjoyed it, why do you plan not to visit for so long? Are you lying because you’re afraid I’ll be disappointed…?”

Bisa-yeong quickly replied.

“I will visit! I promise to come during the next holiday!”

Sojeo Jeongan clapped her hands with a bright smile.

“Really?! Wow, that’s great!”

After saying goodbye to the two Sojeos and watching them walk away, Bisa-yeong turned to me with a dazed look.

“I feel really good, but… why do I feel like I’ve been toyed with? How am I supposed to interpret this?”

I scoffed and answered confidently.

“Hah! You think I’d know? How would I understand a woman’s heart?”

“…True. Neither of us does.”

Seeing how easily he accepted it made me feel a bit bitter.

Still, I guess I’m a little better than him.

After sending off the Amipa disciples, we headed straight to the Hao Moon branch nearby.

We needed to gather some information.

We went to the Hao Moon Misan branch in Sichuan Province, the closest one, and perhaps because of Hwa Youngbin’s reputation, the branch chief came out personally and spoke with great courtesy.

“…After their crushing defeat by the San Sword Sect, the remaining members of the Jeonghyeop faction have returned to Sichuan.”

“Just as I thought!”

Bisa-yeong and I clenched our fists in delight upon hearing news of the battle between the San Sword Sect and Jeonghyeop.

Though we firmly trusted Commander Seolpung and Sojeo Cheongyeon, we couldn’t help but feel some anxiety.

From what we heard, it seemed that Cheongyeon’s strategy and the commander’s efforts had decided the outcome.

Feeling reassured by the news about our comrades, I began asking about other matters.

It was time to get serious information.

“So, what is the defeated Jeonghyeop faction doing now?”

“They seem to be preparing for revenge. They’re gathering all remaining absolute masters and concentrating their forces toward Guizhou Province.”

“Hmm.”

I nodded.

That was only natural.

Jeonghyeop wouldn’t accept retreating after losing to a sect like San Sword.

From now on, it was a matter of pride and honor.

And this was quite good news for us.

If their forces were concentrated near Guizhou, their main base would be weakened.

I asked again.

“What about the Jeonghyeop leader? Has he moved with them?”

The branch chief looked troubled.

“We’re not sure… As you know, the identity of the Jeonghyeop leader is still unknown.”

Indeed, the leader’s identity hadn’t been revealed to the public.

I suspected he might be a demon lord directly under the Blood Demon Sect.

Anyway, I felt we had gathered all the information we could as clients.

Now it was time to apply some pressure.

I smiled slyly and asked the Hao Moon branch chief.

“By the way… I’m curious. Do you plan to report our questions to the Jeonghyeop faction?”

His eyes flickered for a brief moment.

But then, maintaining the calm demeanor of a branch chief, he replied nonchalantly.

“Excuse me? I don’t quite understand what you mean…”

He was a seasoned snake, having spent a long time in this world. But unfortunately for him, this time the situation was unfavorable.

“Branch chief, I think you’re mistaken if you believe I’m just testing you. I’m sorry, but if that’s what you think, you should reconsider. This might be your last chance.”

His expression stiffened.

“…What exactly are you implying?”

I answered with a cold smile.

“I’m saying that the Hao Moon Misan branch has become a puppet of the Blood Sect. And perhaps it’s not just the Misan branch.”

“What?!”

The branch chief’s face, as well as Hwa Youngbin’s, who was listening nearby, turned pale with shock.

Only Bisa-yeong smirked, as if he had expected this.

Hwa Youngbin glared at the branch chief with eyes full of anger.

“A puppet of the Blood Sect?”

The branch chief hurriedly denied it.

“Absolutely not! This is slander! You’re slandering us, Master!”

But I just chuckled and asked.

“A frame-up? What exactly do you mean by that? Are you saying it’s a frame-up that I sold information about Jeong-in Sojeo of the Ami Sword Sect, which led to her being kidnapped by the Blood Sect? Even though Jeong-yeon and Jeong-an Sojeo of the Ami Faction, who were kidnapped alongside her, managed to escape unharmed and testify?”

He shouted, his voice full of indignation.

“W-we only sold the information to the Gwaneum Sect! There’s no way we could have known they were affiliated with the Blood Sect…!”

“Oh, so you sold it to the Gwaneum Sect? Still clinging to that excuse, huh? From what I’ve heard, the Gwaneum Sect was already under the control of the Jeonghyeop Faction. You sold that information to Jeong-in Sojeo’s group, didn’t you?”

“Th-that’s…”

He faltered, his mouth opening and closing as if searching for words.

He tried to say something quickly, but I cut him off.

“Enough. Listening to you, I’m sure your next excuse will be that you didn’t know the Jeonghyeop Faction was part of the Blood Sect. Fine, I get it.”

I stood up and turned to Hwa Young-bin and Bi Sa-young.

“Let’s go. There’s no point in continuing this conversation.”

The branch chief suddenly jumped to his feet, shouting.

“We really didn’t know they were part of the Blood Sect! What do you think we’re trying to do?!”

I smiled coldly and replied.

“For the branch chief of Haomun, your judgment is surprisingly slow. Whatever you think you’re doing, it’s already done. I just told Hwa Young-bin about our conversation here. Imagine what he’ll do now that he knows the truth, and what will become of Haomun going forward.”

The branch chief’s eyes widened in horror as he looked at Hwa Young-bin.

Of course, he knew exactly who Hwa Young-bin was and how deep his grudge against the Blood Sect ran.

Now, in front of Hwa Young-bin, the fact that Haomun had collaborated with the Blood Sect was exposed, and he had even been caught trying to cover it up.

Hwa Young-bin’s gaze was now filled with deadly intent.

He spoke slowly.

“I will inform not only the Cheongseong faction but all the sects in Sichuan and the Martial Alliance. I don’t know what judgment the Martial Alliance will make, but one thing is certain: the Haomun elders of Sichuan Province will have to wash their sins away with blood.”

The room filled with Hwa Young-bin’s intense killing intent.

The dense aura of a master on the verge of transcendence.

The branch chief, who looked like a mere second-rate martial artist, couldn’t possibly withstand it.

His face went pale, trembling as he spoke.

“G-Great Hero, we never…”

But Hwa Young-bin had no intention of listening any further. He just stared at him with ice-cold eyes and then turned his back.

When the branch chief collapsed into his seat, his face full of despair, I suddenly spoke up from the side.

“There is one way…”

The branch chief looked at me with desperate eyes, startled. Hwa Young-bin, who was about to leave, stopped and turned back to me.

I spoke slowly to the branch chief, whose expression was as if he would bow down at the slightest hope.

“There is only one way for Haomun to survive now.”

“W-what is it?!”

Looking into his eyes, I said clearly and deliberately.

“What else? It’s to stand at the forefront of eradicating the Blood Sect.”

“…What?”

I smiled bitterly.

“You must use all of Haomun’s resources to identify and expose every sect the Jeonghyeop Faction has taken over, just like the Gwaneum Sect. And you must formally apologize to the Ami Faction and all other sects harmed by the Jeonghyeop Faction.”

As I continued, his face grew paler.

It must have sounded horrifying to him.

Haomun had survived by remaining neutral, not belonging to any orthodox faction, but now they would have to make an enemy of the Blood Sect.

But I didn’t need to worry about that.

They had crossed the line and lost their justification. If they wanted to maintain neutrality, they would have to pay the price in blood.

I drove the point home.

“Above all, you must swear to be unconditionally hostile to the Blood Sect from now on. Only then will your excuse that you didn’t know the Jeonghyeop Faction was part of the Blood Sect carry any weight. Even then, it won’t stop the bloodshed entirely.”

I looked at Hwa Young-bin after saying that.

Hwa Young-bin, who had been glaring at the branch chief with a terrifying gaze, sighed after a moment and spoke.

“Yeah, if they show that kind of attitude, it might carry some weight.”

The branch chief pleaded with a face on the verge of tears.

“T-that… I can’t decide that on my own…”

I cut him off and left him with one last remark.

“Don’t be mistaken. I’m only giving advice, not making decisions. The judgment will be made by the various sects and the Martial Alliance. Of course, I understand that Haomun, which has always claimed neutrality, will find it burdensome to oppose a powerful force like the Blood Sect.”

When I said that, he nodded vigorously, as if relieved that I understood Haomun’s situation.

But as I continued with a bitter smile, he froze in place.

“Still, isn’t that better than having all Haomun members branded as martial criminals and wiped out? Think it over carefully. You’ll probably need to act quickly.”

With that, I turned and walked out.

The branch chief sat there, dazed and stunned, until we left.

Outside, Hwa Young-bin asked me.

“Was this your plan from the start?”

“Yes. The Jeonghyeop Faction’s reach isn’t limited to the Gwaneum Sect and Gwageom Gate. I’m sure they’ve turned countless sects into puppets. To figure that out, we’ll need Haomun’s help. And if we can prevent the Blood Sect from using Haomun in the future, all the better.”

I kept it brief, but this was a crucial turning point.

This could mean that the Blood Sect’s infiltration, which had spread across the northern front in my past life, would be completely blocked this time.

Maybe not entirely, but it would definitely be a very different situation from before.

I felt deeply satisfied.

This was one thing I could truly be proud of.

Hwa Young-bin chuckled dryly and shook his head.

“Really… impressive.”

Bi Sa-young smiled proudly at me.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I smiled back shyly.

“Well, it was only possible because you were here, Great Hero Hwa. If it were just Sa-young and me, the threats wouldn’t have worked at all.”

Hwa Young-bin laughed hollowly.

“No need to be so modest. Doesn’t that mean I wasn’t doing what I could when I had a friend like you to rely on? I wonder how things might have been if I’d had someone like you back when I was with the Biryong Corps. Anyway, what’s the plan now?”

I grinned.

“The Jeonghyeop Faction is concentrating its forces around Guizhou Province, so naturally, we have to go rescue Jeong-in Sojeo.”

At last, after many twists and turns, it was time to confront the root of this crisis—the Jeonghyeop Faction.