Episode 441

The thread of bad fate does not easily break (3)

Shim Wol furrowed his brow.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

“Members of the Jade Heaven Alliance have been spotted in Suzhou.”

 

“What?”

 

At the branch leader’s words, Shim Wol shot to his feet.

 

He wasn’t the only one startled. Nam Wo-gyeong and Hoe An also wore expressions of shock.

 

Suzhou was over two thousand li away from the Jade Heaven Alliance’s territory. For its members to appear so far away was anything but ordinary.

 

“How could the main sect fail to notice Jade Heaven Alliance’s members entering Suzhou until now?”

 

Under Shim Wol’s questioning, the Suzhou branch leader fell silent.

 

It was Nam Wo-gyeong who answered instead.

 

“The Heavenly Intelligence Hall. Only they could have blocked our surveillance.”

 

“Didn’t we plant informants inside the Heavenly Intelligence Hall?”

 

“Yes. Deputy leader Ha Gong-wol is under close surveillance.”

 

“Yet we still didn’t notice the Heavenly Intelligence Hall’s movements? How?”

 

“The Hall Master must have acted personally.”

 

“The Hall Master… you mean Ha Gong-wol? But why would he?”

 

“Only someone of significant importance would require his direct involvement.”

 

At Nam Wo-gyeong’s reply, Shim Wol’s pupils trembled.

 

There was only one figure in the Jade Heaven Alliance important enough for the Hall Master to handle personally.

 

“Could it be… Ja Hong-cheon?”

 

“It’s a possibility. Didn’t he personally eliminate even the Myriad Merchant Troupe’s Lord?”

 

“Then the target is me.”

 

“If Ja Hong-cheon is indeed on the move, the goal is surely you, Sect Master.”

 

“What an honor. That someone like Ja Hong-cheon would personally come to meet a worthless old man like me.”

 

“We must escape Suzhou immediately.”

 

“Yes, we must.”

 

Shim Wol nodded.

 

It was still just a hypothesis. But if Ja Hong-cheon had really come, then the situation was dire.

 

Ja Hong-cheon wouldn’t come this far, over 2,000 li from his base, for no reason. He was surely here to eliminate Shim Wol, the Lord of Hao Clan.

 

The problem was, Nam Woo-gyeong was here too.

 

This was exactly the kind of situation they had always feared—which is why they had moved separately for so long. But by sheer misfortune, the one time they were together in almost a year, the Jade Heaven Alliance showed up.

 

“There’s no way it’s a coincidence that Ja Hong-cheon moved when both of us are together.”

 

“Then the information must’ve leaked from somewhere?”

 

“Yes. Not long ago, a small branch was annihilated. Thinking back, I had asked that branch’s leader about your whereabouts. I’m certain they figured out I was coming to meet you.”

 

“Hmm!”

 

Shim Wol’s expression grew graver.

 

If both he and Nam Woo-gyeong were targets of Ja Hong-cheon, then Hao Clan’s fate was at grave risk.

 

He quickly turned to Hoe An.

 

“You must escort the Young Master—no, the new Lord—out of Suzhou. Go this way, and you’ll find a canal directly connected to the Gyo Manor. The Jade Heaven Alliance probably hasn’t discovered that route.”

 

“What about you, Lord?”

 

“I’m no longer the Lord.”

 

“That’s not what matters right now!”

 

“I’ll leave through another secret passage. If we’re lucky, both of us will escape. If not, we could both be caught. You must prevent that worst-case scenario.”

 

Shim Wol gave strict instructions to Hoe An.

 

“Then who will go with you, Lord?”

 

“I’ll move with ten of the Death Reaper Squad. The remaining ten will go with you.”

 

“That won’t do.”

 

“As the former Lord, this is my final command.”

 

Hoe An couldn’t argue any further at Shim Wol’s firm tone.

 

Shim Wol looked at Nam Woo-gyeong.

 

“Go. Live. Survive no matter what. Live and change the main text as you see fit. I believe in you.”

 

“Lord—no, Master! Please be safe.”

 

Nam Woo-gyeong bowed deeply.

 

Shim Wol gazed at his disciple with a bittersweet expression.

 

“You too, escape safely. Let’s meet again—alive.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Go now. There’s no time.”

 

Shim Wol pushed Nam Woo-gyeong’s back.

 

Nam Woo-gyeong let go of his hesitation and moved quickly. Behind him, Hoe An and ten Death Reaper Squad warriors followed.

 

Nam Woo-gyeong didn’t refuse the Death Reaper Squad Shim Wol assigned to him.

 

Even if it was only in an unofficial capacity, he had received the title of Lord.

 

From now on, he was the Lord of Hao Clan.

 

He had to escape safely from this place to lead Hao Clan’s tens of thousands of disciples.

 

Together with Hoe An, he exited the Training Institute through the secret path Shim Wol had shown.

 

Upon hearing of their escape, the Suzhou branch leader urged Shim Wol.

 

“The new Lord has escaped. You must leave too, Lord. We’ve already prepared a boat.”

 

“Hmm!”

 

Shim Wol nodded and moved.

 

Suzhou was crisscrossed with canals like a spiderweb.

 

With so many intertwined waterways, anyone unfamiliar with the terrain would quickly become lost.

 

But those who knew the geography well could use the canals to outmaneuver their enemies.

 

Shim Wol then spoke to the branch leader:

 

“You should retreat to the safe house.”

 

“I can’t do that. I’ll escort you, Lord.”

 

“My safety isn’t important. You must hide and mislead them to protect Woo-gyeong’s whereabouts.”

 

“But…”

 

“The Heavenly Intelligence Hall is likely chasing not just me, but also Woo-gyeong. If we don’t block their info now, it’ll be too late.”

 

“Understood…”

 

The branch leader looked like he was about to cry. But knowing Shim Wol’s orders were right, he reluctantly agreed.

 

“I pray you make it out safely.”

 

“Let’s meet again—alive.”

 

Shim Wol patted his shoulder and walked toward the secret passage.

 

Right before entering, he looked back at the Training Hall.

 

A breathtakingly beautiful view met his eyes.

 

“I’m sorry to that friend. This beautiful estate will be ruined because of me…”

 

He thought of Geum Noya, the master of the estate, and entered the secret passage. Ten Death Reaper Squad followed him and vanished into the tunnel.

 

***

 

“What a lovely place!”

 

The man admiring Suzhou’s beauty was none other than Ja Hong-cheong, leader of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

 

“So this is where you were hiding? Must be nice, Shim Wol.”

 

His eyes gleamed sharply.

 

The name of the Hao Clan’s leader was a secret among secrets.

 

Even the leaders of the Seven Great Sects didn’t know it, but Ja Hong-cheon uttered it without hesitation.

 

He had rushed here precisely because he had uncovered the Hao Clan’s leader’s true identity.

 

To the Jade Heaven Alliance, the Hao clan had long been a thorn in their side.

 

The Hao Clan’s intelligence-gathering capabilities surpassed the Alliance’s, causing them significant losses in many areas.

 

Exterminating all of the Hao Clan’s disciples, scattered like ants across the Jianghu, was impossible. But killing their leader, Shim Wol, would plunge the sect into internal chaos for some time.

 

For Ja Hong-cheon, that was enough.

 

At that moment, a man in his early thirties approached from behind. He had an utterly ordinary appearance, someone you’d overlook on the street.

 

The man’s name was Ha Gong-wol, the leader of the Heavenly Intelligence Hall.

 

His current appearance wasn’t his real one. Only Ja Hong Cheon knew his true face. Everything about Ha Gong-wol was shrouded in secrecy.

 

It was exceedingly rare for him to act personally.

 

He was a man who gave orders and commanded others, not one who moved directly to achieve results.

 

However, with Ja Hong-cheon personally involved in this operation—and against the Hao Clan, no less—he had no choice but to step in.

 

In order to deceive the Hao Clan’s intelligence network, he had to act personally. Indeed, he had successfully blinded them, allowing them to arrive safely in Suzhou. But he couldn’t relax yet—his mission was far from over.

 

Ja Hong-cheon asked, “Where is Shim Wol ?”

 

“He’s currently at the Gyo Manor.”

 

“The Jiaoyuan?”

 

“Yes. He’s been close friends with its owner, Old Man Geum, since childhood. Whenever he comes to Suzhou, he stays there.”

 

“The Hao Clan’s leader, living in luxury.”

 

“Exactly. That made tracking him down easy.”

 

“What about the Young Master?”

 

“He’s confirmed to be with him.”

 

“Perfect.”

 

Killing both the Sect Master and the Young Master at once would free the Alliance from worrying about the Hao Clan for some time.

 

Ja Hong-cheon began walking.

 

“To the Gyo Manor.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Ha Gong-wol bowed and led the way.

 

Having memorized Suzhou’s layout like the back of his hand, their advance was unimpeded.

 

“Hall Master!”

 

Someone suddenly emerged from the street and whispered into Ha Gong-wol’s ear before retreating a few steps.

 

Ha Gong-wol turned to Ja Hong-cheon.

 

“It seems the Hao Sect’s leader has caught on. Our scouts spotted him hastily leaving the Jiaoyuan.”

 

“He’s sharp. Though with this place being their backyard, it’s no surprise.”

 

“But we’ve already prepared countermeasures. There’s no need to worry.”

 

Ha Gong-wol wore a confident expression.

 

Over a hundred Heavenly Intelligence Hall operatives had been deployed in Suzhou.

 

Even now, they were breaking through the Hao Clan’s interference to gather intelligence. With their skills, they would undoubtedly locate Shim Wol.

 

Clashes between the Hao Sect and Heavenly Intelligence Hall were erupting all over Suzhou.

 

This wasn’t a typical martial world conflict.

 

Instead of brute force, deception and misinformation dominated. Only when unavoidable did they resort to violence.

 

In raw martial power, the Hao Clan was no match for the Heavenly Intelligence Hall.

 

 

 

This was because the Heavenly Intelligence Hall brought an elite force, while most of the Hao Clan in Suzhou were mere martial artists. However, the Hao Clan were well versed in Suzhou’s geography and knew things that outsiders would never know.

 

Moreover, their long presence in Suzhou meant they had many allies aiding them covertly.

 

These factors allowed them to hold their own despite the disparity in strength.

 

“Send decoys disguised as the Sect Master to the northern route. We must divert their attention.”

 

Under the orders of the Suzhou branch leader, subordinates moved swiftly.

 

Impersonators of Shim Wol and Nam Woo-gyeong began operating on the outskirts of Suzhou, drawing the attention of the Heavenly Intelligence Hall operatives.

 

It was a battle of the sword that sought truth versus the shield that sought to mislead.

 

Their confrontation was evenly matched.

 

Hao Clan had the upper hand in the quality of information, while the Heavenly Intelligence Hall held the advantage in combat power. And the Jade Heaven Alliance had not mobilized the Heavenly Intelligence Hall alone.

 

The Heavenly Martial Squad, which had helped eliminate Lord Eun Won-ho of the Myriad Merchant Troupe, had also been deployed here.

 

Though they numbered only six, their martial prowess was unrivaled.

 

“Gah!”

 

“P-please, spare me!”

 

The Heavenly Martial Squad slaughtered the Hao Clan members across the city.

 

Against such overwhelming force, the Hao Clan’s tricks were useless. Worse, the squad’s members were not just powerful but also perceptive.

 

Most deceptions failed before they even began.

 

Cornered, the Hao Clan’s situation grew desperate. Finally, the Heavenly Intelligence Hall broke through their misinformation and obtained the intelligence they sought.

 

“We’ve confirmed that the real Hao Sect leader is on a fishing boat heading toward the southern Daxing Bridge.”

 

“Considering various clues, we believe it’s highly likely that the person on that vessel is the true Lord.”

 

It was up to Ha Gong-wol to make the final call.

 

His mind spun at terrifying speed.

 

He processed the stream of incoming information in real time and quickly arrived at a conclusion.

 

“The one aboard the fishing vessel near Daxing Bridge is without a doubt the true Lord of Hao Clan.”

 

“Daxing Bridge, is it?”

 

Ja Hong-cheon’s eyes gleamed sharply.

 

Daxing Bridge wasn’t far from where they were now.

 

Just before leaping into action, he turned to Ha Gong-wol and said:

 

“Once you’ve determined the Young Master’s location, deploy the Heavenly Martial Squad. We must use this opportunity to completely eradicate the Hao Clan.”

 

“Understood. Leave it to me, Lord!”

 

“Good.”

 

Whoosh!

 

Ja Hong-cheon launched his body forward.

 

Like a flash of lightning, his figure shot ahead and vanished from sight in an instant.

 

Ha Gong-wol stared briefly in the direction where Ja Hong-cheon had disappeared, then quickly refocused his attention.

 

“There’s been suspicious movement near Tianhua Score.”

 

“Ah! Our operatives near Omun Bridge have been ambushed!”

 

Information was pouring in rapidly.

 

Carrier pigeons flew in one after another, and the Heavenly Intelligence Hall agents brought intel from the field.

 

Ha Gong-wol analyzed it all. Finally, he pinpointed the area where Nam Woo-gyeong was likely to be.

 

“Have Squads One and Two drive them from Guanshui Bridge and Omun Bridge. That will leave only the area behind Baiyue Square as their escape route—deploy the Heavenly Martial Squad there.”

 

“As you command!”

 

The Heavenly Intelligence Hall mobilized for their final push.