chapter 237

Battling Through Chaos for Blood Ties 3

Ja Hong-cheon stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out the window.

From his residence at the Blue Heart Hall, he could clearly see the interior of Jade Heaven Alliance. At times, looking down from here made him feel like a supreme-ruler.

Of course, Ja Hong-cheon was well aware that he was not a supreme-ruler. He knew he was far from the omnipotent being the world believed him to be.

Ja Hong-cheon was a human who constantly challenged his limits. It’s just that the limits he set for himself were so high and unyielding that he had yet to surpass them.

His gaze as he looked out at the Jade Heaven Alliance was sharp.

There were noticeably more people roaming within the alliance.

The influx of people was due to the anticipation of the soon-to-be-held Heavenly Assembly. The excitement that the supreme masters of the Ten Sects might gather in one place had drawn many people to the alliance.

However, only Namgung Jin-geom, the leader of Thousand Kingdom School, and Po Cheon Wol, the master of Sky High Castle, had officially announced their attendance among the Ten Sects. The others had only sent word that they would be sending successors or representatives.

Even this turnout was only because the key figures among the ten sects had been assassinated; otherwise, they might not have even bothered to send representatives.

Ja Hong-cheon’s eyes grew cold.

Just then, someone knocked on his door.

“It’s Joo Shin Yoon of Inner Court. May I enter?”

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Joo Shin Yoon, Leader of the Inner Court, entered.

He bowed deeply to Ja Hong-cheon. Only then did Ja Hong-cheon turn around.

“What is it?”

“I have a report to make.”

“Is it about the Heavenly Conference?”

“That as well, but I have another matter to report first.”

“Hmm.”

Ja Hong-cheon’s face showed interest.

Currently, Jade Heaven Alliance was devoting all its efforts to holding the Heavenly Assembly successfully. At the forefront of this effort was Joo Shin Yoon.

For Joo Shin Yoon, who was leading the preparations for the assembly, to bring up another matter first naturally piqued his interest.

Joo Shin Yoon cautiously began to speak.

“White Light Sect’s movements are unusual.”

“White Light Sect?”

“We’re still investigating, but it appears that White Light Sect is deploying its entire influence to spread the Heaven And Earth Net.”

“Hmm, Heaven And Earth Net… That means something significant enough to determine the fate of their sect has happened.”

“It seems so.”

“Interesting!”

A smile appeared on Ja Hong-cheon’s lips.

Joo Shin Yoon also smiled faintly.

“Indeed, things are getting interesting.”

“Have you identified the cause?”

“We’re still investigating, so we should know the details soon.”

“Make it your top priority.”

“Understood.”

“The one by Cheon Myeong’s side must be quite anxious.”

A chilling light flashed in Ja Hong-cheon’s eyes.

Though Gu Mun-hoe had tried to keep his identity a secret, Ja Hong-cheon had already uncovered the truth.

It wasn’t just Gu Mun-hoe

.

Many spies and infiltrators sent by various sects were operating within the Jade Heaven Alliance, deeply rooted and slowly gnawing away at the organization.  These spies sought to use the alliance to their advantage.

For the past few years, Joo Shin Yoon had been identifying these infiltrators under Ja Hong-cheon’s orders. And only recently had this work been completed.

Now, Ja Hong-cheon was about to hear the report on these infiltrators.

“Currently, twenty-five sects have sent spies and infiltrators to our alliance. They are…”

Joo Shin Yoon’s report continued for a long time, and Ja Hong-cheon listened quietly. After a significant amount of time, Joo Shin Yoon finally finished his report.

“That concludes the report.”

“Good work.”

“It was my duty.”

Joo Shin Yoon responded with a smile.

Ja Hong-cheon nodded and turned his gaze back outside the window.

“Now, we can finally clean things up. Soon, the Jade Heaven Alliance will be truly mine…”

****

Han So-cheon pressed her hand against her waist. Blood oozed between her fingers.

The wound was deep.

Han So-cheon quickly pressed on the blood vessels to stop the bleeding, but it wasn’t enough, and blood continued to flow. Unfortunately, she had no time to properly tend to her wound.

‘If I linger here, they’ll catch up soon.’

The wound had been inflicted by Cheol Geuk jin, her former superior and leader of the Hidden Blood Squad.

Han So-cheon’s assassination skills had reached a peak, earning her the title of “Assassin King,” but Cheol Geuk jin was just as formidable. Moreover, he had the entire Hidden Blood Squad with him.

The Hidden Blood Squad was feared even within the fearsome Celestial Demon Troupe. They were as skilled at assassination as Han So-cheon herself.

While Han So-cheon had superior individual strength, they outnumbered her. Faced with overwhelming numbers of elite assassins, Han So-cheon had no choice but to retreat with injuries.

‘What happened to the children?’

Despite her deep wound, her mind was consumed with thoughts of the children.

She had been so busy fleeing from Hidden Blood Squad that she hadn’t been able to keep up with news from the Jianghu.

‘I need to contact the Black Market.’

Han So-cheon was one of the few who knew that Black Market was connected to the White Light Sect.

She had received help from Black Market several times while carrying out assassinations for White Light Sect. Such assistance would have been impossible without a connection between White Light Sect and Black Market.

There was a Black Market branch not far from here.

It was a place where she had previously received aid from the Black Market.

Han So-cheon was determined to reach the branch, believing that if she made it there, she could shake off the Hidden Blood Squad.

Black Market’s branch was disguised as a shabby gambling den in a narrow alley. Inside, many people were engrossed in gambling, even in broad daylight.

Han So-cheon calmly passed through them and headed to the deepest part of the den. There, two burly men blocked her path.

“Stop!”

“This isn’t a place for women. If you want to gamble, do it outside.”

They assumed she had come to gamble. They didn’t recognise her because she had used a different face last time.

Han So-cheon exuded a deadly aura.

“I am the Assassin King from White Light Sect. I’m here to meet the branch leader. Notify him.”

Her aura pierced the men’s hearts like daggers.

“Gah!”

“Huhk!”

Feeling as if their hearts were being ripped out, the men broke into a cold sweat.

They couldn’t tell if the woman before them was really the Assassin King, but her aura was undeniably real.

One of the men hurriedly spoke.

“I-I’ll notify him right away, so please withdraw your aura.”

Only then did Han So-cheon withdraw her aura, and color returned to the men’s faces. A man quickly placed his lips to a small tube connected to the wall and sent a message.

The tube led to the underground branch of Black Market.

The man pressed his ear to the tube to listen to the response. And after a moment, he carefully spoke.

“They said to let you in.”

The man was still sweating profusely from fear.

He pulled on a hidden cord, causing a section of the wall to slide open, revealing a hidden staircase.

The stairs led underground, and the darkness was so thick that not even a torch was visible.

“Someone will be waiting for you down there.”

Having used this place before, Han So-cheon descended the stairs without hesitation.

She made her way down the long staircase until she finally reached the  Black Market’s branch. As the man had said, someone was there to greet her.

“Welcome, Assassin King. I am Yuk Sa-myeong, the head of Black Market’s Namyang branch.”

Yuk Sa-myeong greeted her with a friendly smile, but Han So-cheon wasn’t fooled by his outward appearance.

No ordinary person could become the head of a Black Market branch.

Moreover, having worked with him once during a previous assassination mission, Han So-cheon was well aware of Yuk Sa-myeong’s ruthlessness.

Suddenly, Han So-cheon’s gaze shifted behind Yuk Sa-myeong. She noticed a few people examining items from the Black Market.

If they were dealing with Black Market, they were likely not ordinary people either.

At that moment, Yuk Sa-myeong’s voice reached her ears.

“Your sudden arrival surprised me.”

“I’m being pursued by the Hidden Blood Squad. I need you to erase my traces.”

“The Assassin King, on the run?Then again, if it’s the Hidden Blood Squad, I suppose it makes sense. After all, you did learn all your assassination techniques from them.”

“Are you going to keep spouting nonsense?”

“Oh, no. Please, come inside.”

Yuk Sa-myeong led Han So-cheon further inside. It was clear that he didn’t want to continue the conversation in a place open to the public.

Han So-cheon followed him without a word.

But soon, a chill crept into her gaze. Something felt off.

Yuk Sa-myeong’s breathing, the atmosphere, even the air in the room…

Her instincts, honed by years as an assassin, were warning her of danger. And her intuition quickly proved correct.

Shiiik!

Suddenly, martial artists sprang out from all sides, attacking her.

Han So-cheon swiftly retreated, guarding her entire body.

Clang! Clang!

The sharp sound of metal echoed repeatedly.

Sparks flew as her blade struck the attackers’ weapons, and Han So-cheon brought each of them down with precise blows to the throat.

“Gah!”

“Hurk!”

Blood spurted from their necks as they collapsed, dead.

Only then did Han So-cheon find a moment to catch her breath. She glared at Yuk Sa-myeong.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Orders from above. You’ve been marked for disposal…”

“What?”

“You didn’t know? I suppose you wouldn’t. Your husband has thrown White Light Sect into chaos.”

“My husband?”

Han So-cheon’s eyes widened in shock.

The last word she expected to hear from Yuk Sa-myeong’s mouth was “husband.”

Her heart began to race.

Despite her turmoil, Yuk Sa-myeong continued speaking.

“Your husband stole the children and fled, turning White Light Sect upside down. Because of him, Noh Tae-tae is dead, and the young master is critically injured.”

“You’re saying… my husband did all that?”

“Yes! The children called him ‘Dad.’ He’s the one who caused all this trouble.”

For a moment, Han So-cheon closed her eyes.

“Oraboni took the children?”

The only person the children would call “Dad” was Lee Gwak. She had taught them to call him that from the moment they could speak.

His name was one she had never forgotten, not for a day or even a moment.

Han So-cheon didn’t know how Lee Gwak had found and rescued the children, but she was certain he had a good reason for his actions.

Lee Gwak was always like that.

Even if his actions seemed incomprehensible at the time, they eventually made sense.

Han So-cheon tightened her grip on her sword.

She forced her eyes open to keep tears at bay.

It had been six long years since she had heard that name.

That name echoed in her heart.

Yuk Sa-myeong, watching her, unleashed his killing intent.

“You will die here today. I’ll take your corpse and display it before your husband and children.”

Yuk Sa-myeong raised his hand, and Black Market’s elite martial artists , who had been hiding in the corridor, revealed themselves. They were all masters of martial arts, trained by Black Market to possess formidable power.

These martial artists had been summoned to kill Han So-cheon. Black Market had poured its resources into them, and they were a fearsome force.

As dozens of skilled fighters emerged, the customers browsing the merchandise quickly hid behind the display stands.

“What’s going on?”

“shit! Why did this have to happen today?”

Anyone who dealt with the Black Market was no ordinary person, but that didn’t mean they wanted to get caught up in such a mess.

They watched the situation closely from their hiding places.

However, one person did not hide.

Only one man kept his eyes fixed on Han So-cheon.

“So, it’s her… the leader’s…”

His gaze softened with nostalgia.

Like Han So-cheon, he had been shocked to hear Lee Gwak’s name in this place.

He stared at Han So-cheon intently.

Shiiak!

Inside the building, the sound of blades slicing through the air grew louder.

Han So-cheon was locked in a fierce battle against the Black Market martial artists.

Though Han So-cheon’s skills surpassed those of her opponents, the environment was unfavorable.

Han So-cheon’s assassination techniques were most effective during stealth attacks. Few could withstand her when she struck from the shadows, completely undetected.

But in an open environment like this, she couldn’t unleash her full power. Despite using her experience and skill to fend off her attackers, the situation was becoming increasingly dire.

Moreover, she was already wounded from her earlier encounter with the Hidden Blood Squad. Time and place were not on her side.

Shiiak!

One of the attackers’ swords slashed deep into her back.

Outnumbered and now further injured, the tide of battle was turning hopelessly against her.

Finally, the man who had been observing the fight made his move.

Tap! Tap!

He broke off the legs of a nearby chair and began planting them around the room. The people hiding behind the displays watched him curiously, but he paid them no mind and continued until all the chair legs were embedded in the floor.

Tsssss!

Suddenly, thick fog began to fill the room.

“What the…?”

People’s faces filled with shock.

The rapidly spreading fog soon engulfed both Han So-cheon and the Black Market’s martial artists’.