Chapter 62: Chapter 62
Cheon Woo-jin ran through the dark forest path. With every step he took, the scenery beneath his feet flowed past like a river.
Yet not even the slightest sound was produced, so had Song Yi-yeon, who had just begun to gain confidence in his lightness art, seen this, he would have been shocked out of his wits.
‘He’s fast.’
Gazing forward, Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes sank low.
A short while ago, while the Crane Feather Fan’s gust was tearing through the area, a covert streak of energy had swiftly darted between the Black Tortoise Squad members.
At first, he thought it was an attack, but the figure crossed through the squad members and vanished to the opposite side.
Puzzled, Cheon Woo-jin surveyed his surroundings and soon noticed that the silk Song Yi-yeon had been holding was gone.
Immediately after that, he gave chase.
However, the distance would not narrow easily. Rather, it was only growing further and further apart.
There could not be many experts under the heavens capable of displaying such lightness art.
‘At most five or six.’
Among them, there was only one person who would commit thievery.
The Shadowless Divine Thief. A man who had learned lightness art from Master Black Elder, but through innate talent, had ultimately become able to run faster than his master.
– “Then is the Shadowless Divine Thief an expert who ranks among the fingers of one hand under the heavens?”
It was a natural curiosity.
If he was that fast, couldn’t he kill an opponent before they could even react?
However, the two masters had shaken their heads.
– “Simply running and swinging a blade while running are entirely different matters.”
The Shadowless Divine Thief executed lightness art focused entirely on speed alone. His posture was so low that it seemed to touch the ground, and most of his internal energy was gathered at the tips of his toes.
In such a situation, raising his posture and circulating internal energy to hold a sword would drastically reduce his speed.
– “If he could wield a blade while maintaining such speed, as you said, Woo-jin, that fellow would have become an assassin rather than a thief.”
– “Unlike running, that thieving bastard has no talent for handling weapons or killing people.”
Recalling the conversation with his two masters, Cheon Woo-jin nodded. At any rate, neither of them considered him a martial master, but both acknowledged his lightness art.
In fact, the distance had steadily grown, and it had now widened to the very edge of his qi perception.
“Troublesome.”
Cheon Woo-jin came to a sudden halt. Because he had been running at such tremendous speed, the wind pressure swirled around him.
The moment he stopped, the Shadowless Divine Thief’s presence completely slipped out of his qi perception. It was the first perplexing situation he had encountered since coming down from the mountain.
Cheon Woo-jin casually brushed back his disheveled hair and looked in the direction the Shadowless Divine Thief had vanished. It was the direction where the Xiangyang Society, which had hosted the black market, was located.
“Should I head to the Xiangyang Society first?”
There was no guarantee that the bastard would be there, but he might discover a clue.
The reason he chased him was solely one.
The appearance of the Shadowless Divine Thief meant that, among the confiscated goods, the treasure map of the Three Eccentrics of the Righteous Path was indeed present.
* * *
The massive gates of the Xiangyang Society swung open.
Having given Cheon Woo-jin the slip, the Shadowless Divine Thief took off his mask and stepped inside. He had the appearance of a youth just past twenty, but no one, including the Xiangyang Society Leader, believed that to be the Divine Thief’s true face.
‘It’s likely something like a human skin mask.’
Real name, age, appearance, and origins…
Other than the moniker ‘the thief who leaves no shadow,’ the man known as the Shadowless Divine Thief was someone about whom nothing else was known.
Having entered the Xiangyang Society, the Shadowless Divine Thief checked behind him several times.
“To think such an expert was hiding in a mere Black Tortoise Squad.”
The last master who had managed to chase him even closely was the Sword King of the Namgung Clan over a decade ago.
‘Something feels unsettling…’
The pursuer’s lightness art was so outstanding that even the Shadowless Divine Thief was surprised, yet he had abruptly halted the chase. Feeling uneasy, he wondered if the pursuer had some other hidden agenda.
The Shadowless Divine Thief briefly tried to deduce the pursuer’s identity, but soon shook his head. At any rate, he had shaken him off, so that was enough.
The Xiangyang Society Leader, watching his expression, asked cautiously.
“Did you perhaps fail to secure the item?”
“What?”
The Shadowless Divine Thief narrowed his brow in displeasure, pulled four sheets of multicolored silk from his robes, and spoke.
“Is there anything under the heavens that I cannot steal?”
“Ahem, that wasn’t what I meant…”
“Enough. Are the preparations finished?”
With a solemn expression, the Xiangyang Society Leader retrieved a ledger from his bosom and handed it over. It was none other than the secret ledger of the Xiangyang Society.
Having verified the contents, the Shadowless Divine Thief tucked the book into his chest and nodded.
“It will take about one cup of tea’s time for the Martial Alliance members to arrive here. Do not resist pointlessly. Simply keep your mouth shut and let yourself be escorted to the Martial Alliance, and you will have done your part.”
“Um… I can definitely get out again, right?”
“Getting a wretch like you out of the prison is nothing to that esteemed person. Provided that you keep that mouth of yours firmly shut, of course.”
The Xiangyang Society Leader let out a sigh with mixed feelings. He felt as though he had gotten caught up in something he should never have meddled in.
“Yes, I will strictly keep silent.”
The Shadowless Divine Thief’s gaze suddenly shifted toward a jar placed to one side.
These were things the Xiangyang Society Leader had prepared in case of an unforeseen event. The jar, the size of a human head, was filled with poison, and dozens of elongated hidden weapons were steeped inside it.
Seeing this, the Shadowless Divine Thief clicked his tongue.
“I will state this clearly: the squad leader and vice squad leader of the Black Tortoise Squad must return to the Martial Alliance in one piece.”
“…Yes, of course.”
“Then…”
In that instant, goosebumps shot up the Shadowless Divine Thief’s spine. The presence he had struggled to shake off had closed in again so quickly.
“He’s already here?”
The Shadowless Divine Thief hurriedly prepared to depart. Securing the ledger and the treasure map, he pulled his mask back on. At that sight, anxiety washed over the faces of the martial artists, including the Xiangyang Society Leader.
Looking at their faces, the Shadowless Divine Thief exhaled a quiet sigh.
‘Those are not faces that can keep a secret.’
Thinking so, the Shadowless Divine Thief stepped naturally toward the jar filled with deadly poison.
Soon, his hand moved in a blur like an afterimage…
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Having their foreheads pierced by hidden weapons, the Xiangyang Society martial artists collapsed backward.
Even if the Shadowless Divine Thief’s martial prowess was low compared to his lightness art, that was only true when spoken of among masters of the Heavens Beyond Heavens like Black Elder and White Elder.
“Wh-what is this…!”
The Xiangyang Society Leader shouted in great terror.
The Shadowless Divine Thief’s voice followed in a low tone.
“Now that you’ve been embroiled in this matter, the Xiangyang Society is finished anyway. Look at the faces of your subordinates. Do they look like fellows who can keep a secret? Now, you are the only one who needs to keep quiet. Just you.”
Having said that, the Shadowless Divine Thief vanished in a flash.
The Xiangyang Society Leader looked at the corpses of his subordinates and the spot where the Shadowless Divine Thief had vanished, then let out a sigh.
“Fuck, what on earth is…”
While he was spouting curses like that, the gates of the Xiangyang Society split open with a loud crack, and a cold-looking young man strode inside.
The Xiangyang Society Leader was also a man who had rolled around the rough floor of the Unorthodox Path for decades. He could easily discern that this opponent was out of the ordinary.
He also knew that his only way to survive was to be meekly escorted to the Martial Alliance and keep his mouth firmly shut.
Suddenly, the young man surveying the interior of the Xiangyang Society spoke.
“Let’s have a talk.”
The nervous Xiangyang Society Leader nodded, trying his best to act nonchalant.
“Did you come from the Martial Alliance?”
“I did. I am Cheon Woo-jin of the Martial Alliance’s Black Tortoise Squad.”
“I see.”
Nodding, the Xiangyang Society Leader tossed several hidden weapons from his bosom carelessly onto the floor and spoke.
“I surrender. Let us go. To the Martial Alliance.”
Having said that, the Xiangyang Society Leader strode forward.
Around the moment he brushed past Cheon Woo-jin with a natural motion and headed toward the door.
Thwack.
Cheon Woo-jin grasped his sleeve.
The Xiangyang Society Leader turned his head and met Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes.
‘Th-this damn…!’
The moment their eyes met, he could tell.
This bastard’s gaze was by no means that of an ordinary Martial Alliance member. Rather, it resembled that of the Black Overlord Castle executives he had briefly seen before.
Cheon Woo-jin spoke calmly.
“Where are you going? I said let’s have a talk.”
The Xiangyang Society Leader felt a chill running down his spine as if struck by ague. Keeping his mouth tightly shut, he steeled his resolve once more.
‘This won’t be easy. Not at all.’
* * *
Having resolved the situation, Cheol Ji-ak realized Cheon Woo-jin was missing, gathered several Black Tortoise Squad members, and immediately headed for the Xiangyang Society.
“This damn bastard ran off without a word…!”
Cheol Ji-ak spat out rough curses.
Zhuge Rin and Song Yi-yeon also wore expressions full of worry.
“Nothing bad should happen…”
“Please…”
Suddenly, Jang Woo-pyeong, who was running alongside them, chimed in.
“Indeed. The Xiangyang Society Leader is an expert in poison arts, and his methods are exceedingly despicable and venomous. If we don’t hurry, the youngest member Cheon will…”
At that, the other three looked at him as if asking what nonsense he was talking about. Blinking his eyes, Jang Woo-pyeong spoke.
“Weren’t you worrying about the youngest member Cheon just now?”
“Worrying about who?”
Cheol Ji-ak retorted as if dumbfounded.
Who was the youngest member Cheon?
He was the very culprit who had split the head of Black Wolf Hand, a Third-Grade Public Enemy and disciple of the Lust Demon, into three parts.
What Cheol Ji-ak, Zhuge Rin, and Song Yi-yeon were worried about was not Cheon Woo-jin.
“If that kid kills the Xiangyang Society Leader, things will become complicated. They openly attacked an armed squad of the Martial Alliance. We must investigate the circumstances from start to finish.”
“…Aha.”
* * *
Having sprinted at full power using lightness art to arrive at the Xiangyang Society, Cheol Ji-ak squeezed his eyes shut.
The situation at the Xiangyang Society was similar to what he had anticipated.
The furnishings and doors were blown apart, and the martial artists lay dead with hidden weapons driven into their foreheads.
It was fortunate that the society leader bastard was at least alive, but…
“I’m going crazy.”
He was literally just alive.
His collarbone was fractured and protruding through his skin. His hair was burnt pitch-black, and his facial features were half-melted, perhaps from being struck by poison.
Beside him lay a shattered jar, and perhaps because it had contained deadly poison, the floor was melting with a sizzling hiss.
“Cheon Woo-jin. Did you do this?”
“Those over there were not done by me.”
Cheon Woo-jin pointed at the martial artists who had hidden weapons lodged in their foreheads. In other words, it meant that the one who reduced the Xiangyang Society Leader to that wretched state was Cheon Woo-jin.
Discovering Cheol Ji-ak, the Xiangyang Society Leader rushed over with sheer delight.
“I-I’m saved! I’m saved! Please, escort me away, Great Heroes! That crazy demonic bastard was trying to…”
In his fluster, Cheol Ji-ak struck the Xiangyang Society Leader with a loud smack, knocking him down.
“What in the world did you do?”
“It was self-defense.”
Cheon Woo-jin explained what happened in a calm tone.
Feeling fear at the words asking to talk, the Xiangyang Society Leader had launched a surprise attack by throwing a poison jar, and since its speed was yawningly slow in Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes, he had naturally caught it and placed it over the bastard’s head.
That was all. Because words did not get through, he had broken his collarbone and placed a hand on his forehead to inject energy, but had the man answered the questions properly in the first place, none of this would have happened.
Cheol Ji-ak, having heard the explanation, exhaled a deep sigh.
“Cheon Woo-jin. You’re a member of the Martial Alliance, you punk. I’ve felt it before, but what are you going to do if your methods are so ruthless…”
“No, he’s not! How is that bastard a Martial Alliance member? He’s a crazy great demonic bastard! Great Hero, immediately arrest me and that bas…”
Smack!
Cheol Ji-ak struck the Xiangyang Society Leader across the cheek, knocking him unconscious.
Seeing this, Cheon Woo-jin nodded.
“I will exercise restraint in the future.”
“…Sure.”
Cheon Woo-jin merely shrugged his shoulders.
He had already obtained all the information that could be heard through the Xiangyang Society Leader’s mouth.
* * *
In this manner, the Black Tortoise Squad returned to the Martial Alliance.
Naturally, the mission was a failure.
Although they had captured an unorthodox practitioner known as the Xiangyang Society Leader, their mission was securing the treasure map, not wiping out unorthodox forces.
Whether there was a treasure map among the confiscated items was unknown. However, the fact that the items had been snatched away midway was undeniably true.
The Military Strategy Department, which had opposed deploying the Black Tortoise Squad in the first place, expressed deep disappointment, and for a while, the Black Tortoise Squad had no missions, merely lingering in the Black Tortoise Pavilion and wasting meals.
“Haah.”
Sitting at one side of the training ground and watching the squad members train, Cheol Ji-ak let out a sigh.
He had lacked energy for the past few days. It was because they had failed at a proper mission after such a long time.
As the failure of the mission became known, rumors were even circulating within the Martial Alliance that Cheon Woo-jin and Song Yi-yeon’s choice of the Black Tortoise Squad was indeed a mistake.
Out of shame, he had no face to see the youngest members.
While he was exhaling continuous sighs, a bright red apple suddenly appeared before his eyes.
“What’s this?”
It was White Dragon Squad Leader Jang Seo-hwi.
Cheol Ji-ak accepted the apple.
“Did you come to tease me?”
“Tease you, my foot.”
Naturally sitting down beside him, the White Dragon Squad Leader pulled another apple from his bosom and took a bite.
For a brief while, the two squad leaders silently chewed on their apples.
“Things happen. Why are you sulking so much now? It’s not as if this is the first or second time we failed a mission.”
“This time was different.”
“How so?”
“It was a chance to change. Excellent juniors came in, and we met a fine opportunity. But…”
The White Dragon Squad Leader gave a peculiar smile.
“And yet we failed. What can you do? It’s not like either of us will ever become a division head. Let’s just spend our whole lives as perpetual squad leaders together, you and me.”
Having said that, the White Dragon Squad Leader patted the Black Tortoise Squad Leader’s broad back firmly.
‘It was a good thing I went to see Elder Zhuge Seong.’
No matter how monstrous a youngest member they had, what could they do? The man who had planned this matter was none other than the real power behind one of the Five Great Clans.
It was a problem that a mere individual could do nothing about.
It was at that moment.
“Surround them!”
Accompanied by a strange stench, beggars swarmed into the Black Tortoise Pavilion. Pushing the training squad members to one side, they surrounded the entire Black Tortoise Pavilion.
They were martial artists of the Disciplinary Hall, which governed the discipline of the Martial Alliance. The Disciplinary Hall was mostly comprised of martial artists from the Beggars’ Sect, and the hall master, “Mad Dog” Chu Pung-gae, was particularly famous for tenaciously tormenting officers who committed corrupt deeds.
Fortunately, the Disciplinary Hall Master did not seem to be present here.
A startled Cheol Ji-ak stood up and questioned the Disciplinary Hall martial artists.
“What on earth are you doing?”
Soon, from among the Disciplinary Hall martial artists, a middle-aged man with features as sharp as a well-honed blade made his appearance.
Clicking his tongue, he spoke.
“There has been a confession that you colluded with the Xiangyang Society and sold off the treasure map of the Three Eccentrics of the Righteous Path. Furthermore, a ledger corresponding to that has also been discovered.”
“Wh-what…”
Cheol Ji-ak stammered. Because it was such an absurd claim, proper words could hardly leave his mouth.
No Un-sang, the Vice Hall Master of the Disciplinary Hall, ordered his subordinates to drag out Zhuge Rin from inside the Black Tortoise Pavilion.
“Naturally, the same applies to the vice squad leader.”
“Does that make any sense at all!”
Qi erupted from Cheol Ji-ak’s entire body like an explosion. The Disciplinary Hall martial artists holding him hesitated and stepped back.
At that sight, No Un-sang’s eyes sank low.
“We will find out once we investigate. Because I know you well, I will overlook this once, but if you resist any further, I will deem it disobedience to the Martial Alliance’s command and execute summary punishment.”
“Vice Hall Master!”
“Tsk, escort them away.”
Cheol Ji-ak let out a roar of rage, but No Un-sang merely shook his head with a stern expression.
Soon, the Disciplinary Hall martial artists escorted Cheol Ji-ak and Zhuge Rin away and encircled the entire Black Tortoise Pavilion.
No Un-sang spoke to the remaining Black Tortoise Squad members.
“Depending on the circumstances, you may also become subjects of investigation, so from now until the investigation concludes, you cannot take a single step out of here.”
Having said that, No Un-sang abruptly turned around and left the Black Tortoise Pavilion.
The Black Tortoise Squad members left behind exchanged glances with dumbfounded expressions.
“No, the squad leader?”
“How could that be possible? What kind of man do you think our squad leader is, you punk?”
In the midst of that tumultuous atmosphere.
The White Dragon Squad Leader swallowed his saliva.
‘H-he’s going this far…?’
He had gone to Elder Zhuge Seong and merely asked him to make this mission fail. However, it seemed the elder intended to take this opportunity to completely wipe out the Black Tortoise Squad. Naturally, his objective was clearly Vice Squad Leader Zhuge Rin, but…
Suddenly, feeling a stinging gaze from beside him, the White Dragon Squad Leader turned his head, and his breath nearly hitched.
‘Wh-what?’
Cheon Woo-jin, the monstrous youngest member of the Black Tortoise Squad, was staring at him.
And with an exceedingly low-sunken, chilly gaze at that.