Chapter 57

Chapter 57
Cheon-geuk was the first to react to Baek So-cheon’s inquiry.

“Absolutely not!”

Baek So-cheon offered a self-conscious, wry grin.

“Right, I assumed it would be asking for too much.”

Yet, unwilling to abandon the possibility just yet, he turned his attention toward Na-sa-rin.

“I am not asking to master Seop-hon-sul itself—merely the method required to recognize whether a person has fallen under its sway.”

“If your intention is limited strictly to that…”

Noticing that Na-sa-rin had left room for negotiation, Baek So-cheon pressed further.

“How much time would it take to grasp such a method?”

“Naturally, that depends entirely on the student’s innate aptitude.”

Her response was far from a total refusal.

“In that case, would you be willing to instruct me? I am fully aware of how presumptuous this petition must sound.”

After all, he was brazenly requesting the transmission of one of her private arts.

“Yet this remains the single viable way to verify the elder’s condition without exposing her to peril.”

Both Cheon-geuk and Na-sa-rin understood his reasoning without further explanation. Having Na-sa-rin directly examine the Alliance Lord in person carried an unbearable amount of danger.

Na-sa-rin looked toward Cheon-geuk, seeking silent approval.

“Shall we attempt it?”

“Are you truly certain this will not bring trouble upon you?”

“I shall manage without issue.”

Cheon-geuk shifted her gaze between the two before finally dipping her head in consent.

“Very well. Let us proceed.”

“Then let us head over to my residence.”

The three pulled their wide bamboo hats low, wrapped their cloaks tightly around themselves, and stepped into the deluge outside Daroo Tea House.

Treading through the torrential downpour, Cheon-geuk kept her eyes fixed on the two figures walking just ahead of her.

At certain moments they resembled brother and sister; at other moments, a father accompanied by his young daughter.

The bizarre sense of comfort she felt amid such unfamiliarity arose from the subtle shifts within her own heart toward them.

Only several months back, she never could have envisioned herself standing before the Murim Alliance headquarters in the company of these two.

At some point in her past, her pulse had ceased to quicken. Her daily existence had become devoid of novelty—merely endless reports of who had successfully executed an assassination, who had failed, who had perished, and who had survived. Receiving endless accounts of mortality throughout the day had rendered her thoroughly desensitized.

Yet since crossing paths with Baek So-cheon, her chest had begun to thrum with vitality once more.

Even now, merely observing their backs stirred an intense nervousness born of this alien circumstance, making her pulse race.

The drumming cascade of the rain served only to drown out the frantic rhythm of her heartbeat.

Upon reaching his home, Baek So-cheon summoned Im Choong and Beon Saeng.

“I have private matters to attend to within the residence over the coming days. Oversee the affairs of Hyun-cheon-dae between yourselves. Should something arise that truly demands my intervention, Beon Saeng, come and notify me.”

“Understood, Leader.”

The pair turned on their heels to take their leave.

As Beon Saeng walked past, he reached out and patted Na-sa-rin’s head with fond amusement.

“Aren’t you a charming little one. Exactly how old are you, little girl?”

“Eighty-four.”

“Hahaha! You must take after your older sister—you certainly share the same sharp wit.”

Chuckling, Beon Saeng followed behind Im Choong toward the doorway. However, he came to a sudden stop at the threshold, keeping his back turned.

“I managed to speak out of turn again, didn’t I?”

“Your reckless tongue was already promised to the chopping block, so we might as well claim that offending hand next.”

Shoulders slumping, Beon Saeng slunk away with his head lowered in shame.

As soon as the entrance shut, Baek So-cheon glanced in Cheon-geuk’s direction.

“You ought to stop tormenting him at every turn.”

“He practically places the provocation directly into my hands—and his reactions are far too entertaining.”

Cheon-geuk offered a sly smirk before vanishing from the room.

“I will secure the exterior surroundings. The two of you should begin.”

Baek So-cheon and Na-sa-rin took their seats across from one another at the wooden table.

“We cannot afford to waste precious hours, so I will transmit the mental chant directly to you.”

“I am grateful.”

“To start, commit this incantation to memory as I recite it.”

“Understood.”

Na-sa-rin proceeded to speak the mnemonic formula. This was the very intellect that had effortlessly committed Beon-cheon Gu-gwon to memory over the span of a single carriage journey.

Having listened to the verse only twice, Baek So-cheon repeated the incantation back to her without stumbling over a single syllable.

Na-sa-rin was thoroughly shaken within.

*This man is far from a normal prodigy!*

She had anticipated remarkable talent from someone who had once stood at the pinnacle of the world. However, retaining such complex phrases with flawless clarity surpassed all her expectations.

“Now, channel your internal energy strictly in accordance with the chant.”

“Yes.”

While their instruction continued within the room, Cheon-geuk remained seated atop the roof tiles, allowing the steady downpour to soak through her attire.

A distant voice transmission from Dong-seong, one of her four personal protectors, brushed past her ear.

—You will fall ill in this cold rain.

—It has been ages since I last sat drenched in the open rain. It feels quite refreshing.

—Would you permit me to draw nearer for a moment?

—You may.

At her word, the four shadows bounded upward to gather beside her.

Unfurling their garments above her head, they formed a protective shelter against the storm.

Dong-seong was steady and deeply dependable as the head of the guard. Buk-seong gathered and parsed intelligence with razor-sharp deduction and reasoning. Nam-seong possessed an unwavering, fierce devotion. The lone woman among the four, Seo-seong, was quiet to the point of obscurity—yet her fondness for blossoms hinted at a delicate temperament that seemed entirely unsuited to an organization like the Assassin Alliance.

“What would become of you all if I were no longer around, carrying on like this?”

“None of us has ever contemplated an existence without you, My Lord.”

“And if misfortune should strike…”

“My Lord.”

“Let me finish speaking.”

“Yes.”

“Should anything happen to take my life, every one of you is to scatter immediately and pursue your own lives. Consider that an absolute directive.”

Not a single soul among the four offered a reply.

They were well aware of where their path ended. If Cheon-geuk were to perish, they would seek vengeance and subsequently end their own lives. Yet even that scenario was unlikely—they would inevitably fall in battle trying to shield her. Any foe mighty enough to cut down their leader would never allow them to achieve revenge. They would meet their demise alongside her on the same battlefield; they could never simply watch her die from the sidelines.

Cheon-geuk was acutely conscious that they had no intention of surviving on their own. Having them by her side for so long, she knew their hearts intimately.

“Very well. We live as one or perish as one. But let us fight with everything we have to survive.”

This time, their voices rang out together without hesitation.

“Understood!”

“Do you suppose the heat will break once this storm clears?”

It was the seasonal rain that marked the departure of summer.

Three days passed.

Baek So-cheon and Na-sa-rin stood in a dense wooded clearing not far from Wuhuan.

Ten figures were assembled in a neat row before them. Half of the group were pupils under Na-sa-rin’s tutelage, while the remaining half were ordinary contract killers from the faction.

All ten stood perfectly motionless, completely masking their internal energy.

Baek So-cheon strolled along the line at an easy pace before singling out five individuals from the group.

“The first, the third, the fourth, the seventh, and the eighth.”

Na-sa-rin gave a soft gesture of dismissal, and the ten assassins vanished into thin air like phantoms.

“How many do you believe you identified correctly?”

“Every single one.”

Baek So-cheon spoke with absolute calm and assurance.

“Where does such unwavering certainty come from?”

“Because the teacher who instructed me is fully worthy of such confidence.”

A radiant, unreserved grin finally spread across Na-sa-rin’s features.

“Splendidly done. You pointed out each one without a single error.”

A profound sense of awe took root within her. Never in her wildest thoughts had she envisioned anyone grasping this foundational detection art within a mere span of three days. To be sure, he could not actively employ Seop-hon-sul himself. The technique he had absorbed was limited strictly to uncovering whether an individual had been ensnared by the art or was an adept practitioner of it.

In all honesty, this method stood among the most prized, covert disciplines belonging to Na-sa-rin’s personal branch of Seop-hon-sul. Discerning the traces of such an art over a simple cup of tea demanded an extraordinary degree of finesse.

She had passed it on without holding back—not purely out of goodwill toward him, but for the welfare of Cheon-geuk and the preservation of the Assassin Alliance.

“Should someone whose mastery of the art surpasses my own be responsible for the casting, it will escape your notice. Aside from that, you will perceive it without fail.”

“You have my deepest thanks.”

“I trust this old woman’s plea has not slipped your mind.”

She was reiterating her warning against using the Assassin Alliance as a pawn for his own ends.

“How could I ever overlook such an immense kindness? Set your mind at ease.”

Na-sa-rin released a gentle breath of relief.

Before long, Cheon-geuk stepped into view.

“Elder.”

Foregoing empty pleasantries, she gently clasped Na-sa-rin’s hands.

“My Lord.”

Cheon-geuk’s sincere worry for her and the alliance moved the elder to her core.

After conveying her gratitude toward Na-sa-rin, Cheon-geuk turned her gaze upon Baek So-cheon.

“The alliance has officially assumed management of Daroo Tea House. Operations will continue under normal pretenses, so if you require a line of communication with me, seek out the proprietor there.”

“I appreciate it.”

Baek So-cheon turned and departed with purposeful strides.

Na-sa-rin kept her eyes on his receding back.

“He is an honorable person.”

“Is he not?”

“That very decency makes him an exceptionally perilous man. You grasp my meaning, do you not?”

“I do.”

*…Which only pulls my heart toward him all the more.*

At any rate, the two women could not yet withdraw from the region. They were obliged to linger until word arrived confirming whether Baek So-cheon had attained his objective.

Baek So-cheon deliberately avoided making an unprompted appearance before the Alliance Lord.

Throughout the past three years, he had not once sought an audience with her of his own accord. To suddenly present himself now would inevitably invite deep suspicion. Furthermore, his goal required an opportunity to subtly enact the art in her presence. He needed a completely unforced pretext to cross paths with her once again.

To uncover a suitable avenue, he went in search of Je-gal Hyeon.

Finding the strategist absent from his study in the Hyun-cheon Pavilion, he inquired about his whereabouts.

“The Grand Strategist has relocated to the Strategy Command Center. Would you like me to relay a message?”

Without a second thought, Baek So-cheon swung around to depart.

Baek So-cheon possessed unrestricted authority to step inside the Command Center, as the previous Alliance Lord had granted him total clearance.

The moment he crossed the threshold, the gazes of every planner in the hall shifted in his direction.

In a sense, these individuals shared an intimate history with him.

Every major maneuver he had spearheaded throughout the Great Righteous-Demonic War had been conceived within these very walls.

The planners gathered here comprehended his immense contributions to that conflict better than anyone else alive.

Several veteran tacticians who had stood alongside him from the very beginning bowed with earnest deference, and Baek So-cheon courteously acknowledged their greetings.

Advancing deeper into the grand hall, he came to a halt before the prominent partition displaying the Murim Seol-yeol-log.

His eyes rested briefly upon the Alliance Lord’s name etched at the summit, before wandering toward the newly emerged Blood Cult Lord who had seized the rank above her. Next, he looked at the Black Heaven Alliance Lord occupying the third position.

*Even a warrior of such terrifying might reaches only the third seat.*

Just as his gaze fell upon his own name resting near the very bottom, Je-gal Hyeon drew near.

“It has been quite some time since you set foot in this chamber.”

“Three or perhaps four years, by my estimate.”

In the era when he had served as the Bi-gak Lord, entry here was a daily matter. In the midst of the grand war, while serving as the paramount pillar of the righteous factions, no door was barred to him, and no classified report was hidden from his sight.

Staring up at the roster side by side, Je-gal Hyeon suppressed an ache of lingering sentiment.

*There are moments when I deeply yearn for the days when your name stood above all others.*

It was a point of profound melancholy for the strategist, yet far too painful a memory for Baek So-cheon to linger on.

“What matter brings you to this place today?”

“There is an issue I wish to consult you on.”

He was just about to request a natural occasion that would bring the three key figures into the same room.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The urgent clatter of the alarm bell shattered the stillness, instantly placing every tactician on high alert.

“A priority dispatch from the Cheon-mun Branch! The Sa-yeong-mun has fallen victim to a sudden assault by an unidentified faction!”

Je-gal Hyeon was visibly taken aback. Sa-yeong-mun stood as one of the preeminent upright sects within Hubei Province, actively allied with their cause.

“Who are the culprits?”

“Their identities remain unconfirmed! They have taken the Sect Leader of Sa-yeong-mun along with his kin as captives! Martial artists from our Cheon-mun Branch have completely cordoned off the Sa-yeong-mun grounds!”

If this aggression stemmed from the Black Heaven Alliance, it represented an audacious provocation. This was not occurring in some remote frontier—this was Hubei, the very heartland hosting the Murim Alliance headquarters itself. Furthermore, Cheon-mun was located just a short distance away.

This went far beyond exerting influence on marginal territories; they had crossed straight into core territory to seize hostages from an inner pillar sect.

Yet the likelihood of them being behind it seemed low. Had the Black Heaven Alliance orchestrated the strike, they would have created bloody chaos and withdrawn immediately rather than engaging in a protracted hostage standoff.

“What is the closest operational unit?”

“The Third Squad of the Cheol-geum-dan is carrying out duties in the adjacent sector and remains on standby!”

“Dispatch an immediate order—command the Third Squad to advance to the scene at once!”

“Acknowledged!”

The entire assembly of planners erupted into furious motion. One strategist hurried toward the Alliance Lord’s personal chambers to report, while another issued mobilization directives to the Cheol-geum-dan.

Right on the heels of the first, another urgent notice arrived.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

“A secondary dispatch has arrived from the Cheon-mun Branch!”

The developments on the field were moving at a breakneck pace. Barely had they issued their initial response when an unexpected turn had already unfolded.

Naturally, the written word reflected occurrences that had transpired half a shichen prior.

Sa-ma Il-jung’s complexion drained of color as his eyes scanned the scroll.

“What does it say?”

“The hostage-takers have presented their terms.”

“What are they asking for?”

Sa-ma Il-jung’s eyes drifted toward Baek So-cheon, who stood quietly behind Je-gal Hyeon. A name entirely unexpected crossed his lips.

“They demand the immediate delivery of Baek Dae-ju. Should Baek Dae-ju fail to arrive before midnight tonight, they will execute one captive with every passing half shichen.”