Chapter 19

Chapter 19
Cheon-geuk remained deep in reflection until their arrival at the Seven Swords Society.

So it was the Seven Swords Society, she considered, realizing they were the faction guilty of violating the fundamental assassin laws.

As the leading contract-killing faction in Jeol-gang Province and one of the five most powerful organizations within the Sal-su Yeon-maeng, the Seven Swords Society was a massive force. They were far too formidable for anyone to simply march into their domain, level accusations, and demand retribution without severe backing.

If it were definitively proven that they had breached the core rules, the consequences were absolute. The primary law strictly forbade the murder of children or individuals untrained in martial skills; breaking this mandate meant immediate, unforgiving execution. For an enterprise on the scale of the Seven Swords Society, such a sentence would result in the deaths of all seven leaders, while the remaining subordinates would be dispersed among other factions.

She realized this situation might actually present a golden opportunity.

In the wake of the previous Alliance Lord’s sudden demise and the collapse of the former structure, dissident groups had surfaced across the Alliance, resistant to a young woman like Cheon-geuk taking command. The Seven Swords Society had placed itself directly at the head of this anti-Cheon-geuk movement.

If she could leverage this opening to wipe them out, it would permanently cement her control over the Alliance.

Conversely, failing to handle the matter properly could imperil her own position, as the opposition forces rallying around the Seven Swords Society would surely demand her downfall. Should full-scale internal conflict erupt, it would inevitably draw the intervention of the Murim Alliance. A broad purge of assassins by external forces might force her to step down and shoulder the disgrace.

While that represented a worst-case scenario, unpredictable factors were constantly coming into play; even being summoned by Baek So-cheon was something she could never have anticipated just days prior.

“Give me details regarding Shin-hwa-bang,” she instructed.

North Star, a member of the Four Heavenly Assassins who directed the majority of intelligence operations, answered from his hidden position in the air. He noted that initial reports described Shin-hwa-bang as a rapidly rising sect that had expanded tremendously over recent years, establishing itself as a dominant power in Jeol-gang Province.

Cheon-geuk scoffed slightly, questioning if the local martial artists in Jeol-gang were completely incompetent to let another group rise so unchecked without interference.

North Star assured her that his agents were continuing to investigate and would present more comprehensive intelligence soon.

She urged him to proceed quickly, convinced there was a deeper plot, and inquired who could have requested such a contract if Shin-hwa-bang had indeed funded it.

He explained that because Yang Chu resided in Mun-seong, the local branch chief Wang Gon might be responsible, though it was equally possible an emissary from their main headquarters had traveled down directly.

She clarified whether this meant the order came from the upper echelons of the organization, to which he affirmed that an undertaking of this magnitude almost certainly required the personal consent of the Shin-hwa-bang Lord.

When she questioned the decision to wipe out the entire household, North Star noted that it was likely an attempt to frame the massacre as a personal vendetta. Drawing from vast experience in contract killings, both held a sharp understanding of how such schemes operated.

Setting Shin-hwa-bang aside for a moment, Cheon-geuk pivoted to the issue that troubled her most: why the Seven Swords Society would actively risk breaking the core assassin laws for this single contract.

North Star suggested that given Shin-hwa-bang’s rapid expansion, they might not have accomplished it unaided, pointing to potential backing from the Seven Swords Society. He reasoned that if Shin-hwa-bang served as their primary financial patron, refusing such a directive would have proven extremely difficult.

Cheon-geuk expressed doubt that the Seven Swords Society Lord would gamble his life and organization solely for money, but North Star countered that the perpetrators likely believed they could carry out the act without being detected.

Nodding in agreement, Cheon-geuk reflected that while major criminals were expected to plan meticulously, the initial trigger was often surprisingly careless—a simple belief that as long as they remained uncaught, nothing else mattered. Had Baek So-cheon not drawn her into the matter, the truth might have remained hidden from her indefinitely.

North Star cautioned her to proceed with extreme care, warning that if the Seven Swords Society turned out to be innocent, the opposing factions within the Alliance would use the misstep to unite against her. She acknowledged the risk, affirming the need for total discretion.

By that point, her carriage had reached the headquarters of the Seven Swords Society, which operated under the cover of an ordinary martial arts hall.

—

The Lord of the Seven Swords Society possessed no true name. Neither he nor the six commanders under him used personal titles; they were identified merely as First Sword through Seventh Sword.

Recently, however, the Lord had begun to crave a real identity—not the wretched name given to him during his impoverished youth, nor any of the countless pseudonyms used during his career as a killer, but the ultimate title of Sal-su Yeon-maeng Lord. Having spent his entire existence in the shadows of contract killing, he wished to claim that supreme position before his life ended. Such ambition had remained dormant under the previous ruler, only taking root after Cheon-geuk inherited the throne.

First Sword’s voice broke his reverie from outside the chamber, announcing that the Alliance Lord had unexpectedly arrived. Caught off guard, the Lord ordered her to be brought in immediately and hastened out to meet her.

Cheon-geuk was already stepping across the courtyard alone, her broad bamboo hat pulled low over her face.

Greeting her with polite deference, the Lord inquired what brought her to their modest hall without prior notice. She replied calmly that she happened to be traveling through Jeol-gang Province on business and decided to pay a visit. Though her tone sounded casual, her posture projected an effortless authority, vastly different from her demeanor when dealing with Baek So-cheon.

The Lord offered flattering words, expressing gratitude for her visit, while inviting her indoors. Because he harbored ambitions to take her seat, he had studied her far more closely than others. He knew that despite her youthful appearance, she was neither naive nor soft-hearted; she was remarkably brilliant, composed, and possessed an unmatched talent for assassination. It was rumored that in single combat, no active assassin could match her skills, which was precisely why the previous King of Assassins had chosen her as his successor. Many foolish individuals had previously let their guard down around her beauty, only to vanish without a trace.

Once seated, the two engaged in pleasant conversation, their words smooth and agreeable even as both kept hidden daggers pointed at the other’s heart. They exchanged light pleasantries about her appearance, his health, and lighthearted comments about marriage, sharing warm laughs like old companions while privately searching for an opening to destroy one another.

As the conversation began to wind down, Cheon-geuk brought up the local situation in an offhand manner, mentioning rumors of tension between the regional Murim Alliance branch and Shin-hwa-bang.

The Lord responded smoothly, acknowledging he was aware of friction involving Shin-hwa-bang’s South Branch Leader and the local Mun-seong branch. When she asked if that was her true reason for visiting, she admitted it was, prompting him to ask for her instructions.

Cheon-geuk looked at him intently and asked directly if his organization had any involvement in the slaughter of the Yang Chu family.

Without displaying a hint of panic, the Lord denied it completely, stating it was impossible for his men to be involved.

Cheon-geuk offered a gentle smile, remarking that she assumed as much, since he would never breach the fundamental assassin laws. When he asked why she brought it up, she stated openly that she had received a tip claiming the Seven Swords Society took the job to wipe out the family. She chose directness over clumsy fabrications, knowing that straightforward truth was more effective against a cunning veteran.

The Lord dismissed the claim as fabricated slander, reiterating their strict adherence to the rules. After declining his offer to join him for drink due to remaining business, Cheon-geuk took her leave, departing as quietly as she had arrived.

The moment she was gone, the Lord’s polite demeanor vanished into a cold, hardened expression.

First Sword stepped forward, realizing the details of the contract had been leaked. He assured the Lord that the information could not have originated from their side, as only the two of them knew about the assignment, and First Sword had personally carried out the strike to ensure absolute secrecy.

The Lord cursed the client’s incompetence, furious that details of the agreement had spilled out. In truth, he had hesitated repeatedly before taking the job, knowing that exterminating a non-martial family was a direct breach of their ultimate laws. Yet, Shin-hwa-bang had become their most lucrative patron in recent years, offering a payment many times higher than normal.

More importantly, his personal ambition had driven the decision. Planning to usurp the Alliance Lord’s seat in the near future, he required massive military forces and powerful backers like Shin-hwa-bang. By forcing the Seven Swords Society to break the law on their behalf, Shin-hwa-bang was now irrevocably bound to support his rebellion.

He ordered First Sword to track down the tipster immediately, warning him to act with extreme caution since the Alliance Lord was now monitoring their movements.

As First Sword departed, the Lord stood by the window, his pulse racing with ambition despite the dangerous obstacles in his path. Though over sixty years old, his determination to seize power remained as fierce as ever.

—

Once her carriage was a safe distance away from the headquarters, Cheon-geuk finally spoke, stating with absolute certainty that the Seven Swords Society was guilty.

From the driver’s bench, Dong-seong asked through the small rear window how she could be so certain.

Cheon-geuk explained that knowing the Lord’s true nature, an innocent man would have aggressively questioned her about the informant, attempting to extract details so he could track down and punish the person slandering his group’s honor over a violation of the assassin laws. Caught off-guard by her direct mention of the hit, the old fox had fumbled his reaction.

Dong-seong noted that even with her certainty, securing concrete proof would prove exceptionally difficult. Cheon-geuk agreed, acknowledging that because a law violation carried a death sentence, they would have ensured no physical evidence remained at the scene, likely having the task handled personally by the Lord or his most trusted operative.

After reflecting briefly, Cheon-geuk instructed Dong-seong to turn the carriage around and head back toward Baek So-cheon.

—

When she returned, Baek So-cheon greeted her by asking why she had come back so quickly.

Cheon-geuk retorted that he should greet her properly instead of being so prickly, prompting him to joke about whether she missed his face. She fired back that she was only there on business to avoid looking at him any longer than necessary.

After he told her to cut to the point, she confirmed that the Seven Swords Society had indeed accepted the contract.

When Baek So-cheon pointed out that he had already told her as much, she explained that proving their guilt required taking down the lawbreakers, but finding hard evidence within their headquarters was nearly impossible due to their cautious nature.

Baek So-cheon suggested she simply raid their compound and beat confessions out of them using her authority.

Cheon-geuk countered that such an approach was unfeasible, as the Society possessed immense martial strength and held the backing of the majority faction within the Alliance. She explained that any actionable proof would not be kept at the Society itself, but rather within Shin-hwa-bang, meaning he would have to be the one to retrieve it.

To her surprise, Baek So-cheon readily agreed to the arrangement.

Finding his quick acceptance out of character, Cheon-geuk asked if there were any hidden strings attached.

Baek So-cheon confirmed that nothing came without a price, prompting her to smirk and ask what he demanded in return.

He then stated a condition she had never expected: he wanted her to introduce him to Gwang-sal.