Episode 199: Return to the Demonic Sect
“Lord Gukju, this isn’t as simple as picking apples from a tree…”
At Yeom Jaryang’s words, Sabi Kang furrowed his brow.
“If you’re not confident, step back without a word.”
“Really, you’re too much.”
“Is there truly no one willing?”
At Sabi Kang’s question, everyone averted their gaze, staring off into the distance.
Yeom Jaryang was right; this wasn’t a task as simple as picking apples.
It was an assassination mission targeting a former elder of the Justice Alliance.
And it had to be done alone, deep within enemy territory, without leaving a trace.
Not something one could volunteer for lightly.
“I’ll do it.”
“Hmm?”
All eyes, including Sabi Kang’s, turned toward the voice.
There stood Mok Danhwa, her expression set in stone.
“I’ll go. I’ll do it.”
“Hmm.”
Sabi Kang narrowed his eyes, letting out a low hum.
Yeom Jaryang quickly interjected.
“We need a different plan. This is too dangerous for one person.”
“I agree with Jaryang. It might be better to send an assassin instead…”
“Hey, if we do that, you won’t get the chance to train. Have you forgotten you’re still in the learning phase, despite playing inspector lately?”
“That’s not it, but… even with a secret passage, going in alone is too risky.”
Getting in wasn’t the only problem.
Fine, say you manage to get in and complete the assassination.
But what about after that?
In some ways, escaping unnoticed could be even harder than the assassination itself.
Yet Mok Danhwa spoke with a sharp edge to her voice.
“It’s fine. I can handle it alone. I can do it.”
“What are you saying? Do you realize how dangerous this mission is…?”
“I said I can do it!”
Mok Danhwa’s voice was so sharp that the atmosphere instantly turned cold.
From a corner, Yeon Woo-gyeong, who had been listening with his arms crossed, shook his head.
“No matter what, it’s too dangerous for you to go alone.”
“Are you underestimating me?”
“It’s not that. I’m worried about you.”
“Worried?”
“Yes. You’re our comrade, after all.”
Mok Danhwa bit her lip at Yeon Woo-gyeong’s words.
Her feelings were complicated.
Being seen as a comrade wasn’t unpleasant.
But she wanted to be a reliable comrade.
Not one who caused worry!
“Lord Gukju, I can do it alone. Please let me go.”
Sabi Kang looked at Mok Danhwa for a moment, then turned his head.
“Moon Tak.”
“Yes, Lord Gukju!”
“You’ll go with Danhwa.”
Jo Moon-tak hesitated for a moment before bowing respectfully.
“Understood.”
Mok Danhwa burst out in protest.
“Why? Don’t you trust me? I said I can do it alone!”
“Hmm. You seem to be mistaken… When did I say I was looking for someone to go alone?”
“What?”
“I only asked if there was anyone willing to go. I never said anything about going alone.”
“That’s…!”
Sabi Kang continued, addressing the Heavenly Destruction Squad.
“Moon Tak and Danhwa will infiltrate through the secret passage, while the rest will enter through the main gate. Have Captain Go prepare the Iron Blood Unit.”
“Understood.”
Go Jeok-san, standing nearby, nodded in agreement.
Sabi Kang turned back to Jo Moon-tak and Mok Danhwa.
“Moon Tak will infiltrate Mok Chung’s quarters for the assassination. Meanwhile, Danhwa will open the main gate.”
“Lord Gukju! I said I’ll do it! I’ll kill Mok Chung myself.”
Mok Danhwa interjected again, but Sabi Kang remained firm.
“Opening the main gate is just as crucial as assassinating Mok Chung. I’m counting on you.”
“But…!”
“The operation will commence precisely at midnight. That’s all.”
With that, Sabi Kang left the tent.
Mok Danhwa clenched her fists, trembling with frustration.
Yeom Jaryang approached her, offering comfort.
“Let Tak handle it this time. He’s the best at stealth and agility among us.”
“Get lost.”
Mok Danhwa snapped coldly and walked away, leaving Yeom Jaryang to shrug awkwardly.
**
Creak…!
With a faint scraping sound, the kitchen door opened.
Two shadows slipped through and quickly moved to the adjacent building.
It was the stable.
The shadows were Jo Moon-tak and Mok Danhwa.
The secret passage Seorae-hyang had mentioned led to the kitchen used by the maids.
The two moved to the opposite door of the stable, observing the outside.
Jo Moon-tak sent a telepathic message.
[I’ll signal you once the mission is complete. If I fail, assess the situation and open the gate.]
[No. You open the gate. I’ll kill Mok Chung.]
[What are you talking about? Lord Gukju specifically told me to…]
Thud!
Suddenly, Mok Danhwa dashed off, her feet barely touching the ground.
“What the…!”
Jo Moon-tak instinctively let out a sound, then quickly clamped his mouth shut.
Mok Danhwa was heading toward the lord’s quarters.
Having been to Jeokha Fortress before, she was certain of the direction.
‘Damn it! She’s really doing her own thing!’
Jo Moon-tak was about to give chase when two warriors suddenly appeared from the direction Mok Danhwa had gone.
‘Damn!’
Jo Moon-tak quickly hid inside the stable.
Unfortunately, the two warriors stopped right in front of the stable, chatting idly.
It wasn’t a situation where he could act recklessly.
He could kill or knock them out, but if things escalated, Mok Danhwa could be in danger.
‘Damn it!’
Jo Moon-tak had no choice but to wait silently until the two moved on.
**
‘I can do it too!’
Mok Danhwa stealthily infiltrated the lord’s quarters.
Mok Chung was likely at the highest point.
She moved as quietly as possible.
The defenses within the lord’s quarters were surprisingly lax, perhaps because Jeokha Fortress itself was a fortress of the heavens.
‘That means they think infiltration is impossible.’
Mok Danhwa quickly ascended the stairs.
What she needed now was real combat experience and confidence.
Practicing with her peers wasn’t enough to improve her skills.
Real combat was the only way.
And through real combat, she would build her confidence.
‘I’ll prove myself with this opportunity!’
Resolute, she reached the final floor and paused.
From here on, she had to move even more discreetly.
She spread her senses wide, detecting four guards around the lord’s chamber and Mok Chung’s presence, seemingly asleep.
The guards weren’t even bothering to hide their presence, as if they couldn’t imagine anyone infiltrating this place.
After all, wasn’t this the impregnable fortress of Jeokha?
‘They have no idea there’s a breach in their fortress.’
Finally, Mok Danhwa confirmed Mok Chung lying on the bed.
In an instant,
Thwack!
She shot forward like lightning.
At the same time, she unleashed a Lightning Bolt at the four guards on the ceiling.
Flash! Crackle!
“What, what is this?”
Mok Chung awoke with a start, only to see a figure piercing through the blinding light, driving a dagger into his heart.
“Ugh… Who… are you…!”
**
A flash of light erupted.
From the top floor of the lord’s quarters.
‘Danhwa!’
Jo Moon-tak instinctively knew it was a spell cast by Danhwa.
There was no other explanation for such a sudden, bright white light.
The warriors on the ground also turned their attention to the source.
“What was that just now?”
“Yeah, it looked like something flashed…”
The next moment,
Crash!
A window in the lord’s chamber shattered, and a shadow leaped out.
Simultaneously, three warriors jumped down, shouting.
“Intruder!”
‘Danhwa!’
Jo Moon-tak gritted his teeth, watching the first shadow that emerged.
The shadow somersaulted in the air, using light footwork to land on the roof of a nearby building.
But the speed of the fall suggested a hard landing.
“Catch her!”
The three warriors who followed shouted, and the warriors on the ground rushed toward the commotion.
‘Damn it!’
Jo Moon-tak instinctively started to run toward the chaos but stopped himself.
Charging in wouldn’t help.
He could evade them alone, but not while protecting Mok Danhwa.
There was only one solution.
Thud!
Jo Moon-tak sprinted toward the main gate.
If Mok Chung hadn’t personally raised the alarm, it meant he was either dead or gravely injured.
Reaching the gate, the guards widened their eyes in surprise.
“Who are you…?”
Thud!
“Hey! Who’s this…!”
Thud!
The two guards at the gate fell without a sound.
Being low-level warriors, they were no match for Jo Moon-tak.
Without hesitation, Jo Moon-tak opened the gate.
**
Chaos erupted within the fortress.
Moments later,
Rumble…!
With a heavy sound, the gate opened.
Sabi Kang signaled with a hand gesture, and Go Jeok-san raised his spear, shouting.
“Let’s go!”
“Charge!”
Neigh!
The Iron Blood Unit charged toward the gate on horseback.
Arrows rained down from the walls, but they were ineffective against the heavily armored Iron Blood Unit.
The Heavenly Destruction Squad followed through the gate.
Finally, as Sabi Kang entered, Jo Moon-tak rushed over.
“Lord Gukju!”
“What are you doing here?”
“Well… Danhwa suddenly…”
Jo Muntak quickly explained the situation.
Meanwhile, the Iron Blood Clan and the city’s warriors were locked in a fierce, bloody battle.
The city had turned into a complete chaos.
After listening to the explanation, Sabigang let out a shallow sigh.
“Seems like there’s always someone who needs extra attention.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Where are they?”
“East of the lord’s hall.”
“Got it.”
With that, Sabigang vanished from sight.
**
Swish!
“Aaargh!”
Whoosh!
“Ugh!”
The blade danced.
Under the moonlight, the shimmering sword sprayed blood with every swing.
Mok Danhwa was in a trance, wielding her sword with relentless precision.
How many had she cut down by now?
She had already expended a tremendous amount of energy taking down Makchung.
Still, firing off those lightning bolts had been a smart move.
The sudden burst of light blinded the guards who thrived in the shadows, allowing her to drive a dagger into Makchung’s heart.
However, she had injured her ankle slightly when she leapt out the window.
It wasn’t a deep wound, but the minor discomfort was becoming a significant hindrance.
As a result, she couldn’t head towards the city gate and instead chose a path that seemed easier to escape.
That turned out to be a mistake.
Before she knew it, she had stumbled right into the enemy’s heart.
‘I’ve got to hold on!’
Mok Danhwa gritted her teeth.
Makchung’s guards were stronger than she had anticipated.
One had fallen to the lightning bolt in the lord’s chamber, but the remaining three pursued her relentlessly.
And now, dozens of enemies were swarming her like bees.
Slash, swing, block, slash again.
The fight seemed endless.
Her clothes were torn, revealing skin and fresh wounds.
It felt as if every warrior in the world was charging at her.
She was growing weary.
Her legs began to falter, her grip weakening.
The only thing keeping her going was the lightness of her sword.
Just then,
[Listen up.]
Sabigang’s brusque voice suddenly echoed in her ear.