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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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I’d killed the assassination squad leader.
The weight of the act was almost lost in the adrenaline of the fight.
I was about to rejoin the convoy when I sensed reinforcements arriving.
I took a deep breath.
Swish!
‘I can’t see them clearly, but it looks like they’re fighting the other assassins.’
Knowing I had backup was a relief.
I’d been prepared to stall for time, just in case.
But now, there was no need.
“…Ugh.”
I spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm.
If I’d been any slower, it would have been my head rolling on the ground.
His Dao techniques had been filled with a chilling, almost manic, killing intent.
The fight had been a learning experience.
‘…He was probably from a unorthodox sect.’
Which meant the middle-aged man and the girl he’d been carrying were somehow connected to them.
I replayed the fight in my mind and calmed my breathing, as I sensed the reinforcements approaching.
Thud, thud-
They were cautious, likely having witnessed my battle with the squad leader.
“…Where’s the squad leader?”
“…Isn’t it obvious? Just look around.”
“…”
There were five of them, just like the assassins.
The man in the gray Daoist robe stared at the scene in disbelief.
The area was a mess, a testament to the intensity of the fight.
His eyes widened as he spotted the severed head.
He was clearly the leader.
“You… you killed him.”
“…That’s right.”
“…I can hardly believe someone so young could do this, but I saw it with my own eyes…”
“…”
I remained silent, focusing on recovering my strength and composure after the fight.
He walked towards me and stopped just a few feet away.
“My deepest gratitude…!”
“…”
“If it weren’t for your incredible skill, we would have surely lost…!”
“…Ha…”
I took a deep breath.
“…Identify yourself.”
“…!”
“It’s only proper.”
He looked startled, as if I’d struck a nerve.
He cleared his throat.
“…I am Jeong Mu-bo of the Hao Clan.”
“…The Hao Clan?”
“Yes. We are all warriors of the Hao Clan.”
“…”
I tilted my head.
The Hao Clan was known for gathering and trading information.
They were described as a decentralized organization in the novel.
This made the situation even more confusing.
‘The Hao Clan going to such lengths to protect one man and a little girl… this isn’t normal.’
Jeong Mu-bo seemed to understand my confusion.
He nodded slightly.
“…Could you spare a moment? Now that the assassins are dealt with, we have some time to talk.”
“…Very well.”
I nodded slowly.
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I changed into fresh clothes and entered the tent.
It was a temporary space, temporarily sealed off with barriers on all sides.
Only a few key people were present.
“…You’ve arrived.”
“Changing took some time.”
“I wasn’t blaming you.”
Jeong Mu-bo greeted me with a nod.
I looked around, with my eyes tired.
‘Ok Seon-yeong, Ha-seol, Jeong Mu-bo, and a couple of senior escorts… that’s it.’
Thankfully, there were very few casualties.
My fight with the squad leader had bought enough time for Jeong Mu-bo and his reinforcements to arrive and turn the tide.
Still, I wasn’t happy.
They were the reason we’d been attacked.
I spoke coldly,
“…Explain.”
“Hmm…!”
“You nearly caused a disaster for our convoy. I could kill you all right here and now, and you’d have no right to complain. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“…You’re absolutely right.”
Jeong Mu-bo’s tone was somber.
He was clearly trying to appease me.
Despite being a first-rate master, perhaps even on par with me, he was being respectful.
He began his explanation.
“…This is for your ears only, but the man and the girl are members of the Hao Clan.”
“…”
“The girl, however, is… special. She represents a vulnerability for our decentralized organization.”
“…And why is that?”
“…”
He hesitated, then continued,
“…Her name is Hwa-ryeong. She’s the clan leader’s only daughter.”
“…!”
Everyone’s eyes widened, including Ha-seol and Ok Seon-yeong.
While not one of the Nine Great Sects, the Hao Clan was a major force in the Jianghu.
Ha-seol, ever mindful of such matters, asked with a slight tremor in her voice,
“…Why would the clan leader’s daughter be running away?”
“…As you know, the Hao Clan isn’t exactly a righteous sect. We’re closer to the unorthodox side.”
“…?”
“So, conflicts and power struggles with other unorthodox groups are… inevitable. This time… a major figure in the Demonic faction started a feud with our clan leader.”
“A major figure…?”
“…”
He wiped away a bead of sweat.
“…The Fighting Demon.”
“…!”
“One of the Four Demonic Masters.”
“T-The Fighting Demon…!”
Ha-seol’s shoulders trembled.
I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Jeong Mu-bo smiled wryly.
“…During the conflict with the Fighting Demon, we lost contact with our agents. He discovered Hwa-ryeong’s location, our clan leader’s only weakness.”
“…”
“The man you saw… he’s like a foster father to her. He went through hell to protect her…”
“…That’s not our concern.”
I interrupted him.
He sighed.
“…I know. These lamentations probably mean nothing to you. But… it’s just so frustrating that we ended up clashing with the Fighting Demon…”
“I don’t care about your fight with the Fighting Demon. It’s none of our business. The fact is, your conflict put our convoy in danger.”
“…”
He closed his eyes, accepting my words.
“…Just answer this.”
“…?”
“How will you compensate us for the danger you put us in? And what are you going to do now?”
“…!”
His eyes snapped open.
I stared back at him coldly.
He finally broke the silence.
“…Take this.”
“What is this…?”
He reached into his robes and pulled out something.
It was a plaque, similar in size to the memorial tablets I’d seen at the inn.
This one, however, was engraved with the image of a gate.
He offered it to me.
“…This is?”
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