Episode 202: Return to the Demonic Sect
Mok Dan-hwa had managed to hold on until now, thanks to a mental fortitude that far exceeded her limits.
As her body went limp, Sa Bi-gang quickly infused her with a stream of energy and lifted her up in his arms.
It was then.
Whoosh!
A sudden, ominous presence appeared behind him!
Despite having annihilated all nearby enemies, a deadly aura had emerged out of nowhere.
And it was no ordinary threat.
Sensing the danger, Sa Bi-gang swiftly turned, deploying his protective energy shield.
Crash!
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Sa Bi-gang groaned, his brow furrowing deeply.
His protective shield shattered, and a blade pierced through his side.
He winced in pain.
“Who are you…?”
“Heh heh heh! You’ve done well to get this far, boy!”
To his surprise, the attacker was Mak Chung.
In the next instant, Mak Chung withdrew his sword and lunged at Sa Bi-gang’s throat.
Swoosh!
**
“Nooo!”
Mok Dan-hwa screamed, jolting upright.
She sat there, eyes wide open, staring blankly into space.
Warm sunlight slanted through the open window, casting a gentle glow.
The soft drapes around her bed swayed lightly, adding to the serene atmosphere.
‘Where am I…?’
Glancing around, Mok Dan-hwa realized she was in the dormitory of the Inspection Bureau.
‘It was a dream.’
Relief washed over her, and the tension in her body melted away like snow.
She felt the dampness of sweat trickling down her back.
Her wounds throbbed, a reminder of the battle she hadn’t fully comprehended that night.
‘So many injuries…’
“Phew.”
She exhaled deeply and collapsed back onto the bed.
‘I lost consciousness. How foolish of me.’
Mok Dan-hwa bit her lower lip gently.
She would never forget that night’s fierce battle.
For the first time in her life, she had fought with the resolve to lay down her life, and for the first time, she had wielded her martial arts while being held by someone else.
And for the first time, she had fainted in the midst of battle…
Suddenly, the image of Sa Bi-gang’s face flashed in her mind.
Thump.
‘What’s this? Why am I thinking about him?’
Flustered, Mok Dan-hwa pulled the blanket up to her chest and turned over.
But her heart wouldn’t stop racing.
She kept recalling Sa Bi-gang’s final smile.
‘Still… I’m so glad.’
Everything had turned out well.
A soft smile spread across her face.
Her cheeks flushed for no reason.
Since the last battle, her martial arts had undoubtedly improved.
She didn’t need to test it to know.
She had gained some new insight.
But what surprised her even more was how her feelings toward Sa Bi-gang had changed so drastically.
No longer was it a reluctant acknowledgment; it was a genuine…
‘Respect…’
Ah, who knows.
Maybe she was under some kind of spell?
No, it was surely just the thrill of achievement and a pleasant realization.
To think she had been unconscious until they returned to the sect…
‘I must have really pushed myself.’
Mok Dan-hwa shook her head as she slowly got up.
Despite waking up after a long time, her body didn’t feel stiff.
In fact, she felt lighter than before.
This too was likely thanks to her newfound understanding.
“Alright!”
Stretching her arms wide, she swung her legs over the side of the bed.
Just then,
Creak.
The door opened, and someone walked in.
“Oh, Chief.”
The person who entered was Mae Seol-ran.
As she approached, Mok Dan-hwa quickly stood up.
“Chief, what about the Red River Fortress…?”
Slap!
Suddenly, Mok Dan-hwa’s cheek was whipped to the side.
Stunned by the unexpected slap, she looked at Mae Seol-ran in disbelief.
“Chief…?”
“I heard everything. Do you realize how many people you endangered with your reckless actions?”
“Oh…”
Only then did Mok Dan-hwa understand why Mae Seol-ran was so angry.
It was because she had disobeyed Sa Bi-gang’s orders and acted on her own to kill Mak Chung.
Mae Seol-ran continued in a sharp tone.
“Orders aren’t something you think about. You just follow them. That’s how an organization works.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Do you think a simple apology can cover your mistake?”
Mok Dan-hwa touched her cheek and fell silent.
She had no words to defend herself.
Mae Seol-ran pressed on.
“You valued your pride over your comrades’ lives.”
“That’s not true! I was confident! And in the end, nothing went wrong…”
“Seven members of the Iron Blood Squad died. To the Mak Chung you were supposed to kill.”
“…What? What did you just say…?”
Mok Dan-hwa asked, her face blank with shock.
She couldn’t believe her ears.
Did she just say that the Iron Blood Squad was killed by Mak Chung?
Seven members, no less?
How could a dead man kill the living?
As Mok Dan-hwa blinked in confusion, Mae Seol-ran spoke with a cold expression.
“Of course, it’s not entirely your fault. Even if you had followed orders, the mission might have failed. But because you disobeyed and acted on your own, you bear the responsibility.”
“Wait. Is it true? Did the Iron Blood Squad really die at Mak Chung’s hands?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
Mae Seol-ran’s expression was serious.
But it made no sense.
Mak Chung!
He had been stabbed in the heart by her dagger.
Sure, he might not have died instantly.
But with such a wound, not even the legendary healer Hua Tuo could have saved him.
Let alone him getting up and fighting?
“Impossible…”
A sudden thought crossed her mind.
‘Could that dream have been…?’
Mok Dan-hwa looked at Mae Seol-ran with urgency.
“Then what about the Chief? Is Sa Bi-gang…?”
“He was attacked by Mak Chung.”
“That can’t be…!”
Mok Dan-hwa’s legs gave out, and she sank onto the bed.
She knew it was disrespectful to sit in front of a superior, but she had no strength to stand.
‘It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a dream…!’
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Mae Seol-ran’s voice continued.
“Fortunately, he avoided a fatal wound, but it wasn’t a light injury. His lower abdomen was completely pierced.”
“Then the Chief is safe…?”
“Yes. But for an ordinary person, it would have been the end.”
“Oh…”
Mok Dan-hwa sighed in relief.
Once again, her strength drained away.
Mae Seol-ran turned away, her voice cold.
“If it were up to me, I’d expel you. I can’t forgive such reckless behavior during a critical mission. But the Chief seems to think differently.”
Mok Dan-hwa looked up.
“Then… can I stay with the Inspection Bureau?”
“Yes. That was his final wish.”
“Final? What do you mean? You said he was safe.”
“Surprisingly. And thankfully, he is. But now…”
Mae Seol-ran paused before continuing.
“He’s leaving.”
“What? Leaving… where…?”
Mae Seol-ran didn’t answer and walked out briskly.
The door closed with a bang.
It seemed her foul mood wasn’t solely because of Mok Dan-hwa.
**
“A peddler, you say?”
“Yes. He may appear ordinary, but he’s selling extraordinary items. Or perhaps he’s no longer active.”
Sa Bi-gang narrowed his eyes.
Dongbang Segaju Ha Tae-sang had reportedly purchased a magic cube from a peddler.
Of course, he hadn’t known it was a magic cube at the time.
Regardless, he had mentioned it to Seol Baek, who likely tracked down the peddler.
‘More magical artifacts have surfaced than I expected.’
Mak Chung, who was close to Seol Baek, had also used magical artifacts.
He had used a top-grade healing potion to rapidly restore his vitality.
That alone was astonishing, but he had also used a scroll to wield aura.
As a result, seven members of the Iron Blood Squad had died.
He himself had nearly suffered a severe injury.
No, he had been injured.
But he had also used a healing potion to recover quickly.
Without it, facing Mak Chung would have been much more difficult.
The scroll Mak Chung used was the same type Seol Baek had used.
Before killing him, Sa Bi-gang had asked if he had received it from Seol Baek.
Though Mak Chung remained silent, his wavering expression confirmed it for Sa Bi-gang.
“Seol Baek likely had regular dealings with that peddler.”
“Then we should track Seol Baek’s movements.”
Hong Yeom, a member of the Ghost Shadow Squad, suggested.
Sa Bi-gang nodded.
“Yes. But it won’t be easy. He would have moved very discreetly.”
“I’ll search every peddler across the central plains to find him.”
Sa Bi-gang nodded.
With the Ghost Shadow Squad’s intelligence network, they would likely find him.
Though it might take some time.
Not long after Il-yeong’s presence faded, the door suddenly burst open, and an unexpected visitor appeared.
“Chief!”
The person standing there, panting heavily, was none other than Mok Dan-hwa.
She seemed particularly out of breath, likely because she hadn’t fully recovered.
Just as she entered, Mae Seol-ran followed, shouting sharply.
“What are you doing? You can’t just wander around like this…!”
“What’s going on?”
Sa Bi-gang asked abruptly, causing Mae Seol-ran to glance at him before averting her gaze.
“I’m sorry. I tried to stop her, but she insisted on coming…”
Before Mae Seollan could finish, Mok Danhwa interrupted urgently.
“Is it true you’re leaving? Why to a place like that?”
“Well, that’s how it turned out. As you know, the things I’ve done couldn’t have happened without their cooperation.”
“But this is too much! It’s too dangerous!”
“Heh. Are you worried about me now?”
Sabi Kang chuckled, and Mok Danhwa blushed deeply, biting her lip.
Sabi Kang smirked and asked again, “How are you feeling?”
“I think… I’m okay.”
“That’s a relief. Don’t do anything reckless again. The new leader won’t be as forgiving.”
Sabi Kang glanced at Mae Seollan, who looked away with a tense expression.
Mok Danhwa was at a loss for words.
‘What is going on…!’
So much had happened since she woke up after so long.
She couldn’t even think of what to say.
After a long pause, Mok Danhwa finally spoke.
“That night. You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Did what?”
“You didn’t save me right away. You let me reach my limit so I could realize something on my own.”
“Not at all.”
“What?”
Sabi Kang chuckled again.
“Did you imagine something sweet? Do I seem like someone who thinks that deeply?”
“But…”
“I didn’t save you because I was annoyed. I left you to suffer a bit.”
“That’s…”
Mok Danhwa frowned deeply.
Sabi Kang grinned teasingly.
After glaring at him for a moment, Mok Danhwa bit her lip, turned sharply, and left the room.
Mae Seollan approached Sabi Kang, who was chuckling to himself.
“I really can’t understand you. Did you have to say that, even if you didn’t mean it?”
“If she learns to rely on something, even by chance, it could become a habit.”
Mae Seollan looked at him quietly after his offhand remark.
Sabi Kang smiled and asked, “What, are you a little smitten?”
“No. I just understand you even less now.”