The Dark Bee, wearing a black night-walking suit that clung to her body and a mask made of black silkworm silk with no holes, was limp and lifeless.

Jin Sa-wol put down the Dark Bee and placed his foot on her stomach.

Seo Mun-ryeon's expression hardened. Her eyes and Jin Sa-wol's met.

"I'll ask again. The Hao Faction wasn't involved, was it?"

"What if it was?"

Seo Mun-ryeon hid both her hands in her sleeves. Jin Sa-wol understood her intention but didn't care.

"What I want to know is the truth. The truth you know."

A man as violent and cold as ice demands the truth.

Seo Mun-ryeon showed her hands from her sleeves and sat down in a chair.

"First, put your foot down."

The Dark Bee was an old friend and subordinate who had followed her from the family. Since she was one of her closest aides, she was a very precious person to Seo Mun-ryeon.

Jin Sa-wol, feeling Seo Mun-ryeon's sincerity, took his foot off the Dark Bee's stomach and sat down in a chair.

Seo Mun-ryeon glanced at the Dark Bee lying right next to Jin Sa-wol and then let out a sigh of relief.

'She cares for her subordinates?'

Jin Sa-wol felt that Seo Mun-ryeon was a little different from other Demonic Cult members.

Seo Mun-ryeon, as if her insides were stuffy, drank water and then said.

Her story was not much different from what Jin Sa-wol had heard.

"It seems there's something left, as the Sword Wind Hall is still staying at the inn, but I haven't figured out what it is yet."

"It must be the safe."

Jin Sa-wol recalled that the Martial Alliance knew about the safe.

"If there's enough for the alliance to be greedy, it's not strange for the Sword Wind Hall to stay there for a long time."

Seo Mun-ryeon muttered as if her curiosity had been resolved, and then, recalling Mae Gang-hwa's story, said, "The Blood Killing Faction has been under the protection of the Ghost Hand Pavilion for a long time. It can be said to be a large gold mine created by the Ghost Hand Pavilion. It's understandable that they attacked the inn at the same time, but why? For what reason did they attack the inn, which is under the protection of the Martial Alliance? I was curious about that. If it was the safe and the wealth, it's understandable... But that's not enough. Why? You would know."

"More."

At Jin Sa-wol's instruction to continue speaking, Seo Mun-ryeon returned to a calm expression.

She asked Jin Sa-wol.

"Where is the place that can subdue the Ghost Hand Pavilion and the Blood Killing Faction?"

The answer was already out. But Jin Sa-wol did not say the answer. Because there was no clear evidence.

"It's only the Martial Alliance."

Seo Mun-ryeon presented the answer, and Jin Sa-wol drank his tea. As if frustrated, Seo Mun-ryeon put strength into her voice.

"The masked people are definitely people belonging to the Martial Alliance. The number of those who attacked the inn that day was over a thousand. The only force that can subdue that many people at once is the Martial Alliance."

"Evidence."

"There is none."

Seo Mun-ryeon's face was full of conviction.

Since Jin Sa-wol was also suspicious of the Martial Alliance, he did not deny it. It was just that he couldn't judge based on his intentions alone, so he needed clear evidence.

Jin Sa-wol said the main point.

"My person is caught in the Martial Alliance's prison. I need to rescue her, and I need your help."

"Oh my? You need me now?"

"Since it's information that Pavilion Master Dam gave, it doesn't matter if I join hands with Pavilion Master Dam."

As Dam-ji was mentioned, Seo Mun-ryeon's complexion changed.

The relationship between Dam-ji and Seo Mun-ryeon was not good. She was the daughter of the legal wife and the daughter of a gisaeng.

As half-sisters with different mothers, Dam-ji became the Hwahwaru Master and remained in the cult, while Seo Mun-ryeon had to become the Hao Faction Master and leave the cult.

In the past, Dam-ji had to leave the Demonic Cult as a pavilion master, not the Hwahwaru Master or the Hao Faction Master. But now, her position had changed.

She could not give Jin Sa-wol to Dam-ji.

"Dam-ji is a good liar. I don't think she gave you reliable information."

"Investigate it. Her name is Son Ae-hwa. She's imprisoned in the Martial Alliance's prison."

Confirming the truth of the information was basic. Seo Mun-ryeon nodded her head.

"If what you say is true, how should I help?"

"Everything you can."

"What if I refuse?"

"Our relationship will end here."

At Jin Sa-wol's words that it would be the end, Seo Mun-ryeon, knowing that he was good at mind games, smiled with her eyes.

As she realized that Jin Sa-wol had no intention of killing her, she became relaxed.

"What do I get if I grant your request?"

Seo Mun-ryeon crossed her arms, raised her chin, and cast a haughty gaze. Her expression was one of telling him to bow his head and ask.

"Nothing."

Jin Sa-wol said flatly. At the words that there was nothing to give, so do as you please, Seo Mun-ryeon was dumbfounded, but it was also a problem if she didn't grant it.

If he had been an ordinary person, there would have been no reason to have a private meeting like this in the first place.

"Grant me one request. Originally, in a deal, if there's something to give, there should also be something to receive."

"I will."

Jin Sa-wol, who had gotten the answer he wanted, was not interested in what her request was.

Seo Mun-ryeon smiled as if satisfied. Although the request was surely difficult, she believed Jin Sa-wol would grant it.

***

Two days later.

A single lantern was lit in a dark separate room beyond the rear garden of the Kaifeng Man-gyeong Pavilion.

Around midnight, several presences lingered around the separate room.

Yoo Jeong-do, who was sitting in the room, did not pay them any mind. Those who moved like spiders were Seo Mun-ryeon's guards.

A short while later, Seo Mun-ryeon entered the room. She ignored Jin Sa-wol, who was sitting in a chair, and leaned against the window.

She admired the half-moon floating in the sky and said, "You were right. They say a woman with the surname Son is imprisoned in the Martial Alliance's prison. And it's in the underground stone chamber where only serious criminals are imprisoned. It seems they're whispering about it in the prison too. A rather pretty woman is imprisoned, but they don't know the reason."

"I need a building layout of the Martial Alliance."

"I'll prepare it. By the way, what is your relationship with that woman?"

"A maid."

Although Jin Sa-wol said she was a maid, Seo Mun-ryeon did not think she was a simple maid.

It was a foolish act to jump into the net of the Martial Alliance to save a maid. A maid was something you could just get again. A maid was a being like a dumpling that could be eaten at any time.

"A special maid."

'A body servant?'

Although Seo Mun-ryeon said it with a thought of 'could it be', Jin Sa-wol did not even glance at Seo Mun-ryeon. He just drank his tea and contemplated how to enter the Martial Alliance.

The contemplation was not long. With the Dark Shadow Heart Art, he could go anywhere, and with his internal energy, he could sufficiently face the warriors of the Martial Alliance even if he were caught.

The only thing he needed was a map.

A short while later, the Dark Bee, wearing a night-walking suit that was all black, entered the room, spread a map on the table, and then went out again.

As the Dark Bee went out, she captured Jin Sa-wol's face in her eyes. Because he was a person to be remembered.

She could not experience the same humiliation twice.

Seo Mun-ryeon approached Jin Sa-wol, who was examining the building layout of the alliance, and said, "The fastest way to the prison is to cross the east wall and pass the guard division in a straight line."

As she said, if they crossed the east wall, the guard division would appear. If they crossed the wall of the place where the guard division was staying, the prison would appear, but the problem was that there were no buildings around the prison.

There was nowhere to hide.

Seo Mun-ryeon pressed the center of the square-shaped prison with her finger and said again, "The way to the underground stone chamber is in the center of the prison."

"Draw their attention."

"Me?"

To the startled Seo Mun-ryeon, Jin Sa-wol nodded. His face was indifferent.

Seo Mun-ryeon was dumbfounded.

"You're telling me to die. To draw the attention of the Martial Alliance? You're not saying this knowing how many masters are in there, are you? The Martial Alliance is a more difficult place to invade than the Demonic Cult."

As she said, the Martial Alliance was a place where there had officially been no intruders. But there had been quite a few who had attempted to assassinate the Alliance Leader.

It was just that they had all failed.

Because they had failed, it became that there had been no invasion.

"The Hwayeong Pavilion Master of the Demonic Cult was just a fledgling with only a mouth."

As a smile hung on Jin Sa-wol's lips, Seo Mun-ryeon trembled her shoulders, even knowing it was a provocation.

"Hey! How dare you!"

Although she had been severely beaten by the Demonic Cult Leader, she was a direct descendant of the Seo Mun family and had trained in martial arts more harshly than anyone else since she was young.

She was more confident than anyone in invasion and assassination, as well as espionage.

"I am a woman of the Seo Mun family. The pinnacle of the Flower Ghosts! The Hwayeong Pavilion Master who plays with the pavilion masters!"

Seeing the fist-clenching Seo Mun-ryeon, Jin Sa-wol folded the map.

"Then prepare. We depart in the morning."

As Jin Sa-wol handed her the map, Seo Mun-ryeon took it with a face full of poison and went outside.

Jin Sa-wol watched the departing Seo Mun-ryeon, who had left a cold wind, for a moment and then extinguished the lantern.

***

"I'm pissed!"

Thump!

Seo Mun-ryeon, who had stomped the floor once loudly, handed the map to the startled-looking Mae Gang-hwa.

"Did something happen with the guest?"

"I'm going to enter the Martial Alliance, so know that. I'll be away for a few days."

"The Martial Alliance? Didn't you say you wouldn't meet Zhuge Qing?"

"It's not a meeting, but an unauthorized intrusion."

At Seo Mun-ryeon's words, Mae Gang-hwa's eyes widened. Since it was a dangerous matter, she should have stopped her, but rather, Mae Gang-hwa clapped her hands.

"That's rather good. If you show your ability on this occasion, the loyalty of the faction members will rise. Since they are the ones who mocked us, it is only natural for you, Master, to mock the Martial Alliance."

"What if I die then?"

"Yes?"

"You'd be happy if I died, right?"

"No. Absolutely not."

Mae Gang-hwa waved both her hands as if she were very surprised.

But inwardly, she had thought it would be good if she died. Because of the hardship of having to follow the orders of a young girl.

How much would Seo Mun-ryeon know about the Hao Faction? She was just a young girl who had risen in rank because of her background.

"Go."

"Yes."

Mae Gang-hwa answered and then quietly retreated.

"Dark Bee. Prepare the Phantom Division. We will disperse the alliance's attention."

Sreuk!

The shadow of the Dark Bee disappeared without a sound.

***

Nanchang.

The market street, where many people came and went, became hard to find a person's figure when night fell.

A small oil lamp flickered on the second floor of a small bookstore located in the back alley of the market.

Jo-rim, who was sitting at the dining table and eating, had a much brighter complexion. Bi-sun, who was sitting in front of her, asked while eating, "How is your body?"

"It's fine now."

"Should we start moving slowly?"

"Yes."

Jo-rim answered with an indifferent gaze.

Since she had rested for nearly a month, her injuries had improved a lot, and her internal injuries had also disappeared.

Now she had to find out who the masked person who had killed Il-hu and Il-bi was.

"It happened after the guards who were the shields of the inn disappeared. Can it be seen as a coincidence?"

"It's not a coincidence, but intentional."

"Is it the Martial Alliance?"

"There are few groups with the military power to subdue the Ghost Hand Pavilion and the Blood Killing Faction. Among them, the closest are the Namgung family and the Martial Alliance. Let's investigate both."

The Namgung family also had enough military power to subdue the Ghost Hand Pavilion or the Blood Killing Faction.

And this was Nanchang. The reason Bi-sun had come here was also because of the investigation of the Namgung family.

"Where is Sa-wol?"

"Not yet."

"Is there no contact from your side, brother?"

"None."

Bi-sun shook his head, thinking of the Dark Cloud Division. They also did not know Jin Sa-wol's whereabouts.

Shin Hong said, "Shin Hong, who was the master of the Do Faction, became the guide of the masked people. That means the Hao Faction is also involved... Shall we do the Hao Faction tonight?"

"That's good." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Jo-rim also smiled as if she had the same thought.

***

Yeom-po, who had opened his eyes at dawn, found himself tied up in a spread-eagle position on something like a wooden floor and his eyes widened.

"What the fuck! What is this!"

He had definitely been with the fine-skinned Ae-hong at the gisaeng house. But when he opened his eyes, it was a completely different world.

The wooden floor was hard, and although he turned his head left and right, he couldn't see anything.

Swish!

Just then, he saw a sparkling hand axe.

"What! What is it!"

"Shh! Ankle? Or wrist? Choose."

The face of Jo-rim, full of a fresh yet pale smile, appeared before Yeom-po's eyes.

"Aaargh! A ghost!"

(End of Chapter)