148 - Blue Dragon Rain Dance Society (18) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

The main tournament of the top 32 was set to start in five days. Hyun Gong spent those days tirelessly preparing for any possible diversion caused by the sect leader's madness, and precisely a day before the main tournament, he received a messenger. And then, he laughed heartily. "So perfectly timed." The blocked path had been cleared. * Meanwhile, at the same time, Dang Hwa-seo was sitting in her office, deeply troubled. It wasn't for any other trivial reason. It was due to the facts about the Cheonha Commercial Federation uncovered by the military strategist Jegal Muyeon and several other circumstances revealed thus far. All evidences pointed towards Mok Riwon's next opponent, Kang Oh Seol, being a demon spy. Realizing this, Dang Hwa-seo insisted that the duel must be halted immediately, but to no avail. "All the evidence is circumstantial. Without concrete proof, we cannot hastily accuse him." Those were the words of the military strategist Jegal Muyeon. Dang Hwa-seo wanted to argue further but knew deep down that they couldn’t simply arrest Kang Oh Seol based on circumstantial evidence for fearing that Mok Riwon might be at risk. Moreover, if Kang Oh Seol were indeed not a spy, such rashness could potentially expose our intelligence capabilities to any hidden spies. Dang Hwa-seo let out a deep sigh. "I can't even mention that Mok is influenced by his Celestial Killing Star…" The Celestial Killing Star and the Extreme Demon Body. These two elements constituting Mok Riwon tended to cloud his judgement in the presence of a demon spy. It was a relatively recent discovery for Dang Hwa-seo, and the main reason she wanted to halt the duel, but she found herself completely at a loss for what to do next. In the midst of this, "May I come in?" Seo Ye peeked through the door of the office. Lately, for some reason, she had been visiting the Union of Dragons' pavilion quite frequently, and given the quality of the information she brought, Dang Hwa-seo didn’t outright forbid her visits. Was she here with new information today? That was what Dang Hwa-seo thought as she greeted Seo Ye. "Oh, you’ve come." "Yes, just passing by. Do you have any other matters…?" "Today, I don’t have any information. Shouldn’t you start paying information fees after having received so much?" Dang Hwa-seo bit her lip. At that, Seo Ye let out a chuckle and swiftly took a seat. "I just thought since tomorrow is Mok's duel… How are you feeling about it?" "Why are you asking me about Mok's duel?" "Hm? Because I thought you care about him. Just curious how much you’re concerned about someone you like." Bang! Dang Hwa-seo jumped up from her seat, her face turning bright red, while Seo Ye shrugged as if it was no big deal. "Acting all surprised as if it’s something nobody knows about." "…And who else would know?" "Everybody in the Central Plains." Seo Ye teased, causing Dang Hwa-seo to momentarily think of something absurd like annihilating the Central Plains. Then she wondered, "Have I been too obvious?" Reflecting on her past actions, she finally admitted, ‘…When did I become like this?’ Like Jegal San. Looking back, it was embarrassingly cringe-worthy. Overwhelmed by shame and self-loathing, Dang Hwa-seo covered her face with her hands. Seo Ye chuckled lightly. "There’s no need to be so embarrassed. It’s not wrong to like someone. You're in the prime of your life." "…Let’s end this conversation here." "I’m actually more curious now. You’re not like those young boys who dream about Mok in a certain way before they sleep, are you?" Dang Hwa-seo’s gaze sharpened. Seo Ye exclaimed with surprise, "Goodness me." "…I do not." Dang Hwa-seo ground her teeth as she spoke. Seo Ye covered her mouth, teasingly continuing, "Right, of course. I understand." "I’ve forgotten something. No matter how helpful you've been, you’re still part of the dark path." Sssss— Poison began to emanate from Dang Hwa-seo’s hand, melting the office desk. Seo Ye quietly got up and as she was leaving the office, she said, "Ah, I'll be cheering for you. Oh and, a piece of advice, imagining is never as good as expressing your feelings a little, so that the other person knows, you understand?" "I'll take care of it." "If you say so." Thud. Seo Ye closed the office door and ran off. Dang Hwa-seo had to spend quite a long time trying to erase her embarrassment. * The day of the duel dawned. As the first match of the top 32, the arena and its surroundings were bustling with chaos, requiring considerable effort from the members just to make their way there. "Mok Riwon! Please look this way!" "Mok Riwon! I am from Gangseo…" "Out of the way! I am from Sŏmsŏ…" Amid all this, some were loudly seeking to arrange marriages, but fortunately, their voices were drowned out by other noises. Finally reaching the waiting area of the arena, "Phew, getting here was harder than the actual match." Jegal San wiped his forehead, while Namgung Jincheon snorted as if the crowded people were of no concern. "To falter at such triviality, can you even call yourself a warrior? Shame on you." "Every time I see Namgung Hyong, I understand why some people are friendless." Namgung Jincheon's eyes flared at the remark, but today, it was Seo Ye who held him back. "Why are you glaring like that for doing something good? Try to change that disdainful tone of yours." Tap. Standing on tiptoes, she hit Namgung Jincheon on the forehead, an odd sight that caught Dang Hwa-seo's eye. Uncharacteristically, Namgung Jincheon didn’t retaliate. It was as if he had turned into a docile herbivore in front of a predator. Dang Hwa-seo began to wonder how exactly Seo Ye managed to 'tame' Namgung Jincheon. "And why is the sect leader here?" Seo Ye tilted her head, making Dang Hwa-seo recall the conversation from the previous day. She narrowed her eyes, then shook her head, dismissing the thought, and said, "For now, I will accompany Mok Riwon to the front of the duel arena. I have an appointment with the leader of Baekgeom." "Ah, is the lady joining us?" Mok Riwon smiled brightly. Dang Hwa-seo felt the corners of her mouth starting to rise but managed to contain herself as she replied, "Yes, it is an important day after all, among other things." "Thank you!" "Then, let's go." "Understood! Thank you all for coming this far! Please cheer for me!" Waving to the sect members, Mok Riwon and Dang Hwa-seo left the waiting room. As they walked down the corridor, Dang Hwa-seo fell into contemplation. 'Should I tell him?' Should she mention that his opponent might be a demon spy? Would bringing it up make Mok Riwon more anxious? After a brief moment of indecision, Dang Hwa-seo made up her mind and stopped. '...I'll tell him.' Even if it made him nervous, Mok Riwon was still Mok Riwon. She was confident he would win against a non-spy opponent. However, if the opponent was a spy, Mok Riwon's Celestial Killing Star might react, potentially causing an undesirable display on the duel platform. "Mok Riwon." "Hm? What is it, Miss?" Innocently, Mok Riwon tilted his head. Dang Hwa-seo pursed her lips, then shared the facts she had uncovered. "...Your opponent today might be a demon spy." "What are you...?" "It's only a possibility. You know about the investigations conducted by our alliance, right?" Mok Riwon nodded. "I’ve heard about the spies infiltrating..." "Based on my assessment, Kang Oh Seol has a high likelihood of being that spy." Mok Riwon's expression turned serious. Dang Hwa-seo took a deep breath and stepped closer to him. "I hope not. But if that happens, it would be quite troubling for Mr. Mok." Troubling was an understatement. The Celestial Killing Star was indeed one of the most feared and avoided stars, and if Mok Riwon’s demonic energy were to be revealed, everything he had built up until now could collapse. Dang Hwa-seo tightly grasped Mok Riwon's hand. "...Can you be careful?" She caressed the hand that wielded his sword, tracing his fingers gently. Worry deepened on Dang Hwa-seo's face. "You’ve always managed well, but given the significance of this event, I can’t help but worry. Hence, I have a somewhat unreasonable request." "What request?" It was a rude request to any martial artist. Yet, Dang Hwa-seo uttered it. "Consider forfeiting." Mok Riwon's eyes widened. Silence fell. "Yes, I understand that might be unacceptable. You’re not someone who considers withdrawal from a duel. That’s why I’m only asking you to consider it." The mere thought of Mok Riwon being provoked by a spy and showing an uncontrollable side caused her heart to ache as if it was breaking. For some reason, it felt like she would lose Mok Riwon in such a scenario, and the anxiety was unbearable. Thus, Dang Hwa-seo led his hand, her emotions—fear, hope—present as she leaned her forehead against his hand. "I’m somewhat worried. Afraid of losing Mr. Mok to some misfortune." For a moment, Mok Riwon’s fingertips twitched. Dang Hwa-seo couldn’t bear to look directly into his eyes after making such a request. Embarrassed, she looked down and released his hand. "I've held on for too long. I should go now." She then turned into a side corridor, intending to meet with the leader of Baekgeom and patrol the area in preparation for any potential incidents. Dang Hwa-seo felt Mok Riwon’s stationary presence behind her as she left. * On his way to the duel platform, Mok Riwon's cheeks were tinged red. He was still preoccupied with the recent conversation. To his embarrassment, his thoughts weren't focused on the possibility of his opponent being a demon spy. Instead, he dwelled on Dang Hwa-seo’s words, her expressions, and the sensation of her skin against his. He couldn't help but touch the tips of his fingers, the pulsing heartbeat making his head spin more intensely the more he thought about it. Despite his attempts to shake off these feelings, they only clung tighter. Mok Riwon felt his throat burning with a peculiar, intense warmth. How could mere thoughts and sensations disrupt his focus so profoundly? Just as he felt overwhelmed by the emotion, the memory of Dang Hwa-seo's wavering eyes flashed through his mind, calming the tumultuous feelings instantly. 'Pull yourself together!' Mok Riwon slapped his cheeks lightly, then, with eyes wide open, he emerged into the corridor. Any stray thoughts had to be left behind as the duel was up next. Moreover, he had all the more reason not to be complacent but to maintain a steady mind, focused and ready. "To your positions!" At the referee's command, his opponent soon appeared. Kang Oh Seol from Ilkwon. Certainly, that was the name of his opponent, suspected to be a demon spy. And the moment Mok Riwon laid eyes on him, he hesitated. '...Him?' Thud—Mok Riwon felt as if his heart dropped. His expression gradually hardened, and what flowed down his spine was a mix of a sense of crisis and a premonition. Disheveled long hair, eyes filled with veins over white, radiating anger, and, oddly enough, a scent of blood. Thud, thud—his heart beat even more fiercely. The closer the distance between them, the more a certain dormant craving within him seemed to swell. "Ilkwon's Kang Oh Seol! Mok Riwon of Mokryong!" The referee announced their names. The man called Kang Oh Seol responded. "Begin." As Kang Oh Seol unleashed his energy in the next moment, Mok Riwon felt his clear mind slightly blur. This abrupt change was undeniably due to a sudden surge of killing intent. Mok Riwon realized instantly. 'He's indeed a demon spy.' Moreover, not just any ordinary demon spy but perhaps one more formidable than the Six Demon Generals themselves. Mok Riwon quickly moved his lips, attempting to halt the duel. However, the referee was quicker. "Begin!" Kang Oh Seol rushed towards Mok Riwon in an instant, closing the gap between them.