Episode 233: Return to the Demonic Sect
At the far end of the Red Lantern District stood the infamous Soha House.
“Welcome, brother. You’re a new face, aren’t you?”
“Oh my, you seem quite young to be visiting a place like this.”
“Are you looking for someone in particular?”
The courtesans, their skin barely concealed, slithered towards him like serpents.
Soha House was the epitome of decadence, a place where moral decay seemed to reach its peak.
Mysterious incense burned in brass bowls scattered throughout, filling the air with a thick, red haze that blurred the vision.
Behind half-closed doors, naked men and women intertwined, their moans of pleasure echoing through the halls.
Given that most of the men who frequented Soha House were at the lowest rungs of society, Sabi Kang seemed entirely out of place.
With his handsome face, sturdy build, and neat attire, he exuded a youthful vigor that was rare in these parts.
The courtesans, like moths to a flame, flocked to him, their eyes gleaming with interest.
Women who seemed much older than him clung to him, calling him “brother” with practiced ease.
But they quickly backed off, their expressions turning serious.
It was because of what Sabi Kang said next.
“I’m here to mend a torn petal.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the courtesans scattered like a flock of startled birds.
It was a code phrase.
A secret signal to summon the mistress of Soha House.
This, too, was information gathered by the Ghost Shadow Group.
Moments later, an elderly woman, dressed with a surprising air of dignity, approached him, in stark contrast to the courtesans.
“Please, follow me.”
Sabi Kang nodded and followed her.
He expected to be led to a room upstairs, but to his surprise, the old woman opened a small door behind the stairs and led him down a winding corridor to an annex.
The corridor twisted and turned in a way that was almost mesmerizing.
‘A labyrinth,’ he thought.
Sabi Kang could feel it in his bones—this was no ordinary path. He followed the old woman in silence.
Finally, she slid open a door and bowed respectfully.
“Please, come in.”
“Thank you.”
Inside, a lavish feast awaited him, as if they had anticipated the arrival of an esteemed guest.
As Sabi Kang took his seat, the old woman bowed again.
“I will fetch Soha.”
They referred to the mistress of Soha House simply as “Soha.”
Sabi Kang sipped his drink and sampled the food. Each dish was exquisite.
As he was enjoying the meal, the door opened with a soft rustle, and a woman entered.
Sabi Kang paused, looking up at her.
Whoever had called Soha a “torn flower” or a “fallen blossom” had clearly never met her.
“I am Soha.”
Her voice was as clear and melodious as a string of pearls, and her beauty was breathtaking.
It was hard to believe that this woman was the mistress of a house filled with courtesans.
Soha sat beside Sabi Kang, pouring him a drink.
“Where do you hail from, honored guest?”
“I am Sabi Kang.”
Soha flinched ever so slightly.
Of course, Sabi Kang didn’t miss that fleeting reaction.
‘As expected. She knows the name well.’
In a place where all information converges, like the Hao Clan, the mistress of Soha House would surely be well-informed.
Especially about someone as notorious as him, known across both righteous and demonic paths.
Soha no longer feigned ignorance.
“What brings such a distinguished guest to this humble place…?”
Though she tried to hide it, Sabi Kang could sense her underlying tension.
And why wouldn’t she be tense?
Though he currently resided with the Blood Demon Sect, he had once held a high position in the Justice Alliance.
He was not someone the Hao Clan could afford to treat lightly.
“My visit has nothing to do with the Alliance. It’s purely personal curiosity and business.”
He said this to ease her tension.
Soha studied Sabi Kang intently.
He met her gaze without flinching.
Her eyes were the kind one could easily get lost in.
Soha was having similar thoughts.
‘An enigma of a man.’
She had entertained countless men over the years.
But never had she encountered someone whose emotions were so inscrutable.
It was as if he had lived so long that hiding his feelings was as natural as breathing.
Soha smiled softly.
“What personal business might that be?”
“I’m here to meet the Butterfly Merchant.”
At his words, Soha visibly reacted.
This was another piece of information obtained through the Ghost Shadow Group.
A code phrase to meet the peddler of demonic artifacts.
She quickly masked her surprise with a graceful smile.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Let’s not waste time. I’m not exactly free to linger.”
“This is Soha House.”
“And you’re a mistress who doesn’t quite fit this place.”
“I think you’re mistaken.”
Soha rose gracefully.
In that instant, Sabi Kang’s voice turned icy.
“Sit down.”
But Soha ignored him, calling out towards the door.
“The guest is leaving.”
In a flash,
Swish, swish!
Sabi Kang grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the table and flung them at the ceiling.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Thud, thump!
Dark figures fell from the ceiling, groaning in pain.
Each had been struck in a vital point by the chopsticks, causing them to convulse.
Soha’s eyes widened.
These were the best at stealth in Soha House.
Yet, they had been taken down with mere chopsticks!
Sabi Kang looked up at Soha.
“They don’t quite fit Soha House either. Seems like they’ve found the wrong room.”
At this point, Soha stopped pretending.
Her expression hardened as she asked,
“How do you know about the Butterfly Merchant?”
“Through Elder Seolbaek.”
Soha’s expression wavered once more.
Realizing there was no way out, she sighed deeply.
“Follow me.”
“It would’ve been easier if you’d done that from the start.”
Sabi Kang grinned as he stood up.
**
Churyang paced by the window.
Every so often, he craned his neck to peer towards the Red Lantern District.
“Has he found anything by now?”
He had been briefed by Sabi Kang on the situation.
A peddler dealing in demonic artifacts.
And his connection to the Hao Clan.
“Hmm.”
Churyang sat on the edge of the bed, letting out a shallow sigh.
It was a demeanor that didn’t quite suit his usual self.
Unable to sit still, he got up again and walked to the window, peering out.
Though night had fallen, the inn’s proximity to the Red Lantern District meant the streets were still bustling with people.
‘Why do I feel uneasy?’
He tried to shake off the thought.
But an inexplicable sense of foreboding gripped him.
It was a rare feeling.
And whenever he felt this way, trouble was sure to follow.
It was a unique intuition he possessed.
As he took a deep breath to calm his racing heart,
“Huh?”
He blinked, looking towards the Red Lantern District.
‘That person just now…!’
Churyang leapt out the window.
Using his light-footed skills, he landed on the roof across the street and dashed towards the Red Lantern District.
Running along the rooftops, he soon spotted the elderly man he had seen earlier.
‘Seolbaek…!’
There was no doubt.
The man in the bamboo hat passing through the Red Lantern District was Seolbaek.
‘Why is Elder Seolbaek here…?’
His heart pounded even harder.
The thought that something might be amiss began to gnaw at him.
Seolbaek paused at a corner of the Red Lantern District, scanning his surroundings before slipping into a narrow alley.
Churyang quickly followed, keeping to the rooftops.
Seolbaek moved deeper into the shadows, away from the bustling district.
Finally, with no more rooftops to traverse, Churyang dropped into the alley.
Though the winding alley obscured Seolbaek from view, Churyang was a master of tracking, a skill honed in the Black Wolf Brigade.
Following Seolbaek’s trail wasn’t difficult.
How long had he been navigating the maze of alleys?
Churyang suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Opposite him, a man stood silhouetted against the moonlight, wearing a bamboo hat.
He pushed the hat up with a finger.
Cold eyes, like a crescent moon, glinted beneath the brim.
It was Seolbaek.
“I thought I felt a rat tailing me.”
“Elder…!”
“Now that I see you… your face is quite familiar.”
Churyang felt his entire body tense up.
A palpable killing intent emanated from Seolbaek.
‘I might die…!’
In the next instant,
Whoosh!
Churyang kicked off the ground, leaping into the air.
But Seolbaek didn’t immediately pursue.
Instead, he chuckled, muttering to himself.
“Tsk… even if you run, you’re still in my palm…”
In the next moment, his figure vanished without a trace.
**
They walked for a long time through the underground tunnel.
Eventually, they reached the end and ascended a staircase to the surface.
It was an old shrine in the middle of a forest.
From Soha House at the edge of the Red Lantern District, they had somehow ended up in a forested hillside.
“Stay close.”
From Soha’s words, Sabi Kang sensed once again that this was no ordinary path.
A wrong step could trigger traps and ensnare him in a labyrinth.
Soha moved with confidence, her steps unerring.
Sabigang carefully retraced her steps, mindful of the path she had memorized.
She did this to avoid getting caught in any tricky formations.
How long had they been walking like this?
Finally, the two of them arrived at a secluded manor at the foot of the mountain.
“Is that the place?” Sabigang asked.
So-hwa frowned slightly, her expression turning serious as if something unexpected had occurred.
“What’s wrong?”
Without answering, So-hwa suddenly dashed toward the manor.
She flung the door open and rushed inside without hesitation.
“Master of the Branch!”
Sabigang followed closely behind her.
‘So this is the branch of the Hao Clan.’
But there was no time for idle thoughts.
The courtyard was littered with bodies, carelessly strewn about.
So-hwa hurried over to them, checking for any signs of life.
They were all dead.
“What happened here?” Sabigang asked.
So-hwa spun around, shouting, “That’s what I want to know! Did you do this?”
“No,” Sabigang replied, though So-hwa seemed only half-convinced.
Leaving her behind, Sabigang ran into the inner quarters.
There, too, lay fallen warriors.
Judging by the wounds and the traces left behind, it wasn’t the work of a single person.
“Someone attacked this place.”
“Master of the Branch!”
So-hwa, who had just caught up, rushed to an old man collapsed against the threshold.
His eyes were rolled back, and he had been pierced through the chest and abdomen.
‘We’re too late!’
Sabigang bit his lip in frustration.
They needed to find the culprit.
And for that, there was only one person suited for the task.
‘I need to call Churyang.’
Just as he was about to turn back, he heard a sharp voice.
“Who’s there!”
So-hwa’s voice rang out, sharp and alert.
Even Sabigang hadn’t sensed the presence until now, indicating the intruder was a master of stealth.
With a swift kick off the ground, Sabigang began to pursue the shadow.
As expected, the figure was incredibly fast.
They were undoubtedly skilled in both concealment and light-footed movement.
The figure darted through the forest like a flying squirrel.
But they were already within Sabigang’s sight.
Had they remained hidden, they might have escaped, but now that they were visible, Sabigang wouldn’t let them get away.
Even as he ran, Sabigang noted the bodies scattered around the forest.
The traps set in the woods had been completely destroyed.
‘A significant battle took place here!’
Someone had targeted the Hao Clan.
But why?
His thoughts were interrupted.
Thwack!
Another shadow appeared out of nowhere, striking the fleeing figure.
Shhh!
Sabigang skidded to a halt, eyes widening at the sudden appearance of the new figure.
“You…!”