Chapter 79

Chapter 79
The Matchmaker Arrives (2)

“Are you telling me that she wants to marry me?”

Baek So-cheon felt such overwhelming astonishment that his speech faltered into a stammer. Even an abrupt declaration of full-scale war would have unsettled him less. When Yeom Hwa-sin made an unannounced arrival at the main fortress, it had not rattled his composure to this extent.

“Indeed. A matchmaker was sent because she wishes to become your wife.”

Baek So-cheon shifted his gaze between Ak So-gun and Je-gal Hyeon. Their expressions displayed the exact same disbelief and confusion that gripped him.

“What could possibly be the hidden motive?”

Neither leader possessed a reply to Baek So-cheon’s inquiry. If anything, they were anticipating an explanation from him.

“Have your paths ever crossed with the daughter of Myeol Saeng, by any chance?”

To Je-gal Hyeon’s question, Baek So-cheon gave a firm shake of his head.

“Not once.”

“I presumed as much.”

Never in their long acquaintance had he heard Baek So-cheon bring up the daughter of Myeol Saeng.

“Has the pact involving the Black Heaven Alliance collapsed?”

Je-gal Hyeon addressed this line of thought directly.

“Our undercover informants inside the Black Heaven Alliance and the Blood Cult have relayed nothing of the sort. Yet it remains a viable possibility. That pact was arranged beneath heavy veils of secrecy, making real insights exceedingly difficult to acquire.”

Even granting that hypothesis, an inexplicable mystery lingered at the center of it all.

“The Blood Cult is fully aware that your martial arts have been stripped away.”

Hearing that, Baek So-cheon requested that Ak So-gun clear the chamber. The Alliance Lord promptly dismissed every guard stationed inside and outside Yun-ryong Hall.

“It is time I disclosed the truth to you, Grand Strategist.”

“What might that be?”

“What?”

Before Baek So-cheon could begin his explanation, Je-gal Hyeon reached out and firmly grasped both of his hands.

“Marvelous! Truly marvelous!”

Just like Ak So-gun before him, Je-gal Hyeon celebrated the news as though it were his own grand triumph.

“I appreciate your joy.”

“How in heaven’s name did such a feat occur?”

Baek So-cheon related the complete account surrounding Ban Yun-saeng. He explained how he had uncovered the eccentric elder’s whereabouts through Go-yeo within the Murim Alliance’s thunder prison, traveled to meet him, and successfully underwent the Hwan-gol Tal-tae Great Law.

“I shared this with the Alliance Lord beforehand.”

“Naturally. That was the proper protocol.”

Je-gal Hyeon offered a radiant smile toward Ak So-gun. At long last, the crushing weight resting upon his soul had dissipated. As the Grand Strategist, how could he ever separate himself from the guilt over Baek So-cheon losing his martial foundation?

“This is Deputy Leader Baek’s tremendous fortune, but it is also an extraordinary blessing for our Alliance. All of it is born from the Alliance Lord’s immense virtue.”

“Nonsense, how could an old man like me take credit? It simply proves that the heavens have not forsaken the righteous Murim.”

“Ah, what a magnificent day this is. The second most jubilant moment of my life, following only the conclusion of the great war.”

A trace of melancholy touched Baek So-cheon’s understated smile. Je-gal Hyeon’s path through life ran parallel to his own—both had sacrificed their entire existence for the Murim Alliance.

He could easily comprehend the supreme day of happiness. But for the second greatest to be another man reclaiming his lost internal energy?

Whether looking at himself or considering Je-gal Hyeon, it brought into sharp focus just how confined their lives had become within the boundaries of the Alliance.

It did not mean those boundaries were devoid of value or fundamentally mistaken. Were it not for that collective boundary, the righteous Murim would have vanished long ago.

It was not something an honorable man would smash to pieces and spit upon before walking away. Rather, it stood as an edifice meant to be reinforced, cherished, and brought to perfection prior to taking one’s leave.

“Could they have caught wind of the fact that your internal power was restored?”

Baek So-cheon gave a firm shake of his head at Je-gal Hyeon’s speculation.

“Impossible. Exactly four living souls across the world are privy to the restoration of my energy. They are people I place absolute trust in. The enemy cannot know.”

Baek So-cheon felt equally certain that the Black Heaven Alliance was entirely in the dark. Moreover, had Yeom Hwa-sin possessed that knowledge, Baek So-cheon would not have departed peacefully on their last encounter.

“Do you really suppose the Blood Cult dispatched this matchmaker under the assumption that the wedding would proceed without friction? I seriously doubt it.”

He himself harbored zero desire to enter into such an arrangement. Consequently, the Blood Cult would logically expect an outright rejection.

Je-gal Hyeon gave a slow nod and turned toward Ak So-gun.

“They might have orchestrated this gesture to make a demonstration toward the Black Heaven Alliance.”

“Toward the Black Heaven Alliance?”

“Now that the Cheon-oe Won-go threat wielded by Yeom Hwa-sin and his son has been neutralized, friction between those two factions may well be escalating. This move could serve as an implicit warning: ‘We possess the option of joining hands with the Murim Alliance instead of relying on you.'”

Je-gal Hyeon’s deduction carried substantial weight.

“Under that reasoning, we must refuse the offer immediately. We cannot afford to be manipulated as their pawns.”

“I concur.”

Right then, Baek So-cheon raised his voice.

“Before we issue a definitive refusal to the proposal, set up a meeting with Myeol Ji-ryun. It defies reason to reject or accept without having ever laid eyes on her. Tell them both sides must meet face-to-face first.”

“You actually intend to meet her?”

“We must deduce the true purpose behind their maneuvering. The deciding factor in this struggle lies in driving a wedge between the Black Heaven Alliance and the Blood Cult. Should a fracture exist, we need to locate and widen it.”

“Is that not far too hazardous?”

“Remaining blind to their motives is the greater danger. The occurrence of the Cheon-oe Won-go alongside this sudden matchmaker proves that their alliance contradicts ordinary logic.”

They had formed an alliance despite the Cheon-oe Won-go, yet they dared to dispatch an emissary of marriage to the Murim Alliance all the same.

“If we refrain from aggressively probing the nature of their dynamic, predicting their subsequent actions will become impossible.”

Ak So-gun’s gaze drifted toward Je-gal Hyeon.

Following a brief period of contemplation, the strategist offered his assessment.

“Demand that the encounter take place here, within the grounds of the Murim Alliance headquarters. Setting foot on ground of their choosing would expose Deputy Leader Baek to severe peril.”

“Do you believe they would consent to that?”

“It is a prudent course of action.”

Ak So-gun directed his attention back toward Baek So-cheon.

“We will yield no further ground beyond this. What is your decision?”

Baek So-cheon realized that neither the Alliance Lord nor the Grand Strategist would ever permit him to travel into Blood Cult territory.

He gave a slight nod.

“I agree to those terms.”

Would the Blood Cult Lord truly send his sole beloved daughter into the heart of the Murim Alliance? He found the prospect hard to imagine.

Leaving the hall, Baek So-cheon made his way back to see Cheon-geuk.

“What brings you returning so soon?”

A single look at his face informed her that an unusual situation had unfolded. It was bound to be connected to the urgent arrival of Sa-ma Il-jung at Daroo Tea House earlier.

“A massive disaster has struck.”

“What? Has war erupted already?”

“Something far worse.”

“What in the world could that be?”

Her posture stiffened with tension. What could possibly surpass an outbreak of war?

“I am getting married.”

She froze entirely where she stood. The statement produced a shock vastly greater than any declaration of battle.

Under normal circumstances, she would have seen right through the absurdity, flashed a sharp grin, and traded quips. Yet the sheer gravity of the claim left her completely speechless.

Cheon-geuk gulped visibly.

“To whom?”

“The daughter of the Blood Cult Lord.”

Observing the genuine panic flashing across her features, Baek So-cheon abandoned his playful act.

“Ah, I was only joking.”

Cheon-geuk, lingering in stunned silence for another second, suddenly flared with anger.

“Do you possess a death wish?”

The sheer intensity of her indignation prompted him to apologize on the spot.

“I apologize.”

She lowered herself onto a seat.

“The Alliance has been scraping by financially of late—you will receive no congratulatory presents from my hands. Because of that, postpone your wedding plans for the time being.”

“Understood.”

Overwhelmed by her imposing aura, he held his tongue and remained silent.

All at once, a burst of laughter escaped her lips.

“I caught you off guard, did I not?”

Her abrupt swing back to good humor caught him by surprise—or at least, he allowed her to think it did. Just an instant ago, she had been truly rattled to her core. Now she was putting up a front to paper over it.

“Indeed, I was convinced you were genuinely furious.”

“Hahaha. As if you didn’t know I was playing along from the beginning.”

“From the very start?”

“Naturally. Why on earth would your marriage cause me any grief?”

She tossed the words out with an airy nonchalance, yet the initial blow had been undeniably real. Her mind had drawn a total blank; she had found herself completely lost for words.

“So, what prompted you to stage such an absurd prank out of nowhere?”

Baek So-cheon proceeded to lay out the full story regarding the matchmaker dispatched by the Blood Cult.

Cheon-geuk’s eyes flared wide with shock.

“The Blood Cult dispatched a matchmaker to turn you into their son-in-law?”

“That is correct.”

“Then your words earlier were not entirely a fabrication?”

“As if the Blood Cult Lord would ever genuinely welcome me as his daughter’s husband.”

“Who could say for certain?”

“The reality is obvious. Regardless, I felt it was something you ought to hear.”

“For what reason?”

“Why what?”

“Why is it essential that I know about this?”

Her questioning came relentless and sharp. Plagued by a faint sense of guilt over his earlier trick, he indulged her inquiry.

“How could someone like me keep secrets hidden from the Assassin Queen?”

She countered his lighthearted banter immediately.

“Are you fretting that I might discover her identity down the road and cut her throat?”

“Hardly. Harboring such a thought would be grossly underestimating your character.”

“At least you understand that much.”

“Besides, we stipulated that the rendezvous occur within the Murim Alliance. The Cult Lord would never dispatch his daughter into our clutches.”

“And what if he actually complies? Such a possibility exists.”

“It seems utterly improbable, but if he somehow did… I haven’t considered the matter to that extent.”

“You had best begin considering it. Otherwise, you will lose your composure.”

“There will be no panic. I hold zero intentions of taking a wife, and even if I did, it would never be the daughter of the Blood Cult Lord.”

“And what will you do if she turns out to be breathtakingly exquisite?”

Faced with her subtle, searching gaze, Baek So-cheon leaned smoothly into the role of an affable charmer.

“When I spend my days gazing upon you, how could I possibly find beauty in any other woman?”

Once Baek So-cheon took his leave, Cheon-geuk remained seated alone, nursing a drink while feeling an unnecessary wave of agitation wash through her mind.

As the liquor jar neared its bottom, Seo-seong quietly stepped into the room. Among the four guardians, she was the sole woman.

“Would you mind if I shared a cup with you?”

“Not at all, take a seat.”

“It has been quite some time since just the two of us sat together like this.”

“It truly has.”

“Has the work been grueling as of late?”

“I would be untruthful if I claimed otherwise, though I find satisfaction in it.”

“Matters might be simpler if all four guardians were women. Dealing with three men while being the lone woman cannot be simple.”

“Does that dynamic not make life somewhat more manageable? Compared to managing four women?”

“Hahaha. There is certainly truth in that.”

Cheon-geuk let out a hearty, unrestrained laugh. Seo-seong deliberately steered completely clear of bringing up Baek So-cheon. Without any insight into the Blood Cult’s real objectives, engaging in baseless conjecture would only tangle her thoughts further. Her best course was simply to provide silent companionship.

Deep within her heart, Seo-seong silently offered Cheon-geuk her quiet encouragement.

Maintain your pride, my lady. You possess a spirit far more magnificent than any woman under the heavens.

—

Several days later, Baek So-cheon stepped back into the grand interior of Yun-ryong Hall.

Ak So-gun and Je-gal Hyeon were already seated, their expressions wrapped in a tension that surpassed even the gravity they wore when the matchmaker had first arrived.

“Has something developed?”

“A dispatch has just arrived by carrier from the Blood Cult.”

The Murim Alliance had formally sent word requiring that any encounter with the daughter occur on their grounds, and the Blood Cult’s response had reached them swiftly.

“What were their contents?”

“They agreed to our condition without protest.”

“What?”

Baek So-cheon stood entirely dumbfounded. He had been completely convinced that the Cult Lord would never permit his daughter to tread upon righteous ground—much less cross the threshold of the Murim Alliance’s sovereign stronghold.

The revelation that followed from Ak So-gun’s lips proved far more startling still.

“The daughter of the Blood Cult Lord has already begun her journey toward our headquarters.”

Myeol Ji-ryun was the one and only child of Myeol Saeng.

What sort of father would willingly dispatch his sole daughter into the very jaws of enemy territory?

“Could it be… that they intend to present a decoy in place of Myeol Ji-ryun?”

Je-gal Hyeon tilted his head in agreement with the deduction.

“That scenario is entirely within the realm of possibility. Not a single person among us has laid eyes upon her real visage.”

“Not a single person?”

“At least, not a solitary warrior within the Murim Alliance, so far as my knowledge extends.”

All at once, the memory of an individual who might actually recognize her face surfaced in Baek So-cheon’s mind.

If that particular figure had never seen her, then in truth, no one in the world ever had.