170 - Mission, Stealth (1) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

It was a period when the decisive battle with the Demon Sect was imminent. After it was revealed that the sub-leader of the Demon Sect had fled to Xingang, the land of Zhongyuan entered a temporary calm before the storm, with everyone preparing for war in their own ways. Some accelerated their training, others formed groups and dedicated themselves to the alliance, while yet others focused on gathering information. Amidst this, Mok Riwon was spending his day no differently than usual. Positively speaking, it could be said that Mok Riwon was always doing his utmost to live in the present. "Thank you for your hard work." Right after Mok Riwon completed his morning training at the practice field, Dang Hwa-seo opened the door and entered. "Ah, Miss!" Mok Riwon, who was brightly welcoming her, unknowingly stepped back as Dang Hwa-seo approached. "Hmm? Mr. Mok?" Dang Hwa-seo tilted her head in confusion. Mok Riwon, embarrassed by his own reaction, quickly understood why he had backed away and his cheeks reddened. 'Ah, I'm embarrassed about the smell of sweat!' Now that he acknowledged her as a woman, he became overly conscious of something like a bad odor. He was driven by a desire to show only his cool and clean self. Yet, he couldn't outright express this feeling. Mok Riwon did his best to hide his inner thoughts and spoke, "Well... I haven't quite shaken off the aftereffects of the training, so I unknowingly created some distance." "What a funny reason." Dang Hwa-seo laughed it off as if it was trivial and approached him, then wiped Mok Riwon's sweat with a towel. Mok Riwon felt his heart pounding. "You seem to have worked quite hard. You didn't train this much in the morning before." "The times demand it! Yes! I'm just trying to do my best." "What a commendable mindset." After Dang Hwa-seo wiped the sweat from his forehead and neck, she folded the towel, tucked it away, and said, "Please clean up and come out. We need to eat, and there are some announcements to make." "An announcement?" "A mission has been assigned." Mok Riwon's eyes widened. "Finally!" While the martial artists were busy blocking the paths to Qinghai and Sichuan, Yongbongdan had still been waiting for orders. It had already been a week. Now that they had finally received a mission, Mok Riwon's face was filled with excitement. "I'll be right back!" Saying this, Mok Riwon hurriedly left the training ground. He felt Dang Hwa-seo's breathing deepen behind him but did not fully grasp it. Yongbongdan members, who had been busy with their individual training or tasks and had rarely gathered together, were now assembled in one place. In the leader's office, Mok Riwon, sitting upright, asked Seo Ye with a puzzled look on his face, "Why is the sect leader here?" "You will be accompanying us on this mission." "Huh?" At Dang Hwa-seo's words, Mok Riwon tilted his head. Seo Ye replied, "We're going to Guangdong." Startled, Mok Riwon stiffened. "Guangdong...?" It was the land of the underworld. Moreover, it was the heartland of the underworld, where the Black Snake Union (Hei She Lian) resided. Why would they want to go there during such times? The question in Mok Riwon's mind only deepened. Dang Hwa-seo provided the answer. "We need to establish an alliance with the underworld." "An alliance... you say?" "It's not an alliance in the sense of fighting together. It's more about agreeing not to stab each other in the back during the war. That's the kind of discussion we're aiming for." "Ah...!" Mok Riwon finally understood. Indeed, if they were to fight the Demon Sect right now, having the underworld attack them from behind would be very problematic. Preparing for this was naturally essential. 'Now that I think about it...' He didn't recall any involvement of the underworld during the past Blood Demons event. Had such an agreement been made back then too? Mok Riwon suddenly felt curious. "Anyway, this mission is top secret. Aside from the alliance leader and a few key figures, no one within the alliance knows about this mission." "So, it's a covert operation!" "Yes. Therefore, considering the possibility of information leakage, the details of the mission will be provided after we set off." "When do we depart?" Namgung Jincheon asked. Dang Hwa-seo promptly replied, "Tomorrow. Given the urgency of the times, we can't avoid being hurried. Please start preparing immediately." Mok Riwon nodded. Then, as the members began to disperse, he approached Dang Hwa-seo and asked quietly, "Can I inform Geolwang-nim about this?" "Yes, he is already aware of this operation." "Ah, thank you!" Mok Riwon then headed straight to Ma Il-seok. Ma Il-seok said, "Of course, there was such an agreement during the Blood Demons event. When Zhongyuan was in chaos, if those from the underworld had attacked from behind, it would have been extremely bothersome." "Was that so?!" "Yes, to establish that agreement, my brother and I went there." "Wow...!" Mok Riwon's eyes sparkled. The idea of following in his teacher's footsteps filled him with excitement. "What's the land of the underworld like? What about the leader of the Black Snake Union? I'm heading to Guangdong tomorrow; any advice would be helpful...!" "I don't know." "Excuse me?" "I said I don't know." Ma Il-seok's face was nonchalant. "You still don't understand the people of the underworld, kid." Mok Riwon's mouth snapped shut. Ma Il-seok sighed and added, "Backstabbing is as natural to them as breathing. If it's not a matter of such significance, you never know when and where they'll strike. Do you think they get along just because they're all from the underworld? No chance." Disgust was evident on Ma Il-seok's face as he spoke. "Even among themselves, they're quick to stab each other in the back. The leader of the Black Snake Union? If someone lasts five years, it's considered a long time, that's how difficult it is to maintain that position." Mok Riwon immediately grasped the meaning. "So, then..." "Yes, after the Blood Demons event, there have been two more leaders of the Black Snake Union. Our leader at the time was assassinated the year after the event ended, and the one who took his place lost his head after three years. Hmm..." Ma Il-seok stroked his chin. "Now that I think about it, the current one has been sitting pretty for quite some time. The Black Snake Union leader being in the same position for 14 years... he must be quite capable." A sense of tension suddenly rose in Mok Riwon. If Ma Il-seok, who seldom acknowledges others, said 'he is capable,' it meant the person was no ordinary individual. "Well, do your best anyway. From the underworld folks' perspective, there's no reason to reject our proposal." "Why is that?" "From their standpoint, it's a win-win situation. If we are the ones blocking the Demon Sect's forces between Xingang and the underworld territories, why would they object?" Mok Riwon understood the logic completely. He nodded and got up from his seat. "Alright! I'll take your words to heart." "Go ahead, then." "Where will you be going, Geolwang-nim?" "I have something to investigate and will be moving separately. Once you complete your mission and return, you'll join me." Investigation – Ma Il-seok had mentioned that. Though he hadn't divulged the details, given the timing, whatever Ma Il-seok was looking into was unlikely to be ordinary. The thought of being on a mission with Ma Il-seok filled Mok Riwon with anticipation. "Yes! I'll return as quickly as possible!" "Not just quickly, make sure it's thorough. Have you forgotten your brother's words?" Mok Riwon let out a small laugh. "Yes, thoroughly!" "You respond well, kid." Ma Il-seok also smiled, following Mok Riwon's lead. The next day, Yongbongdan and Seo Ye set off for Guangdong. All seven members were in disguise for the covert operation. In missions like these, the biggest concerns were usually Mok Riwon and Namgung Jincheon, but fortunately, their somewhat clumsy traits were well-concealed this time, preventing any crises during the journey. This time was particularly different. It might be due to roles, circumstances, or accumulated experience, but the most significant factor was undoubtedly Seo Ye's presence. "Stay closer to me." "Understood." Seo Ye successfully managed to control Namgung Jincheon completely. The proud and wilful Namgung Jincheon showed deference to her alone. Then what about Mok Riwon? With Dang Hwa-seo's focused supervision, his potential blunders were fully prevented. 'It's comfortable.' Dang Hwa-seo was impressed. She hadn't expected Seo Ye's presence to make the journey this smooth. For the first time, the two individuals, who were practically liabilities in any situation other than combat, were doing their part, much to Dang Hwa-seo's astonishment. 'What about the others?' Well, there wasn't much else to say. Ilwoon, as expected, did his part, and Jegal San was the best at covert operations within Yongbongdan. Hyewon, surprisingly happy just to have escaped her teacher's supervision, didn't cause any trouble and followed along nicely. 'Let's keep going like this.' With that mindset, Dang Hwa-seo pushed the group to move even faster. Soon, they reached the lands of Guangdong. "From now on, we're in the territory of the Black Snake Union. The whole of Guangdong is under their control. So, please avoid conspicuous behavior and just follow me." Seo Ye took the lead. Having seen her only in the alliance's context for a while, it was easy to forget that she, too, was from the underworld—specifically, one of its pillars, the master of Haomun. As a guide in Guangdong, she was an excellent choice. "We have several hideouts arranged by Haomun here. Among them, there's one even the Black Snake Union isn't aware of, so let's head there." The hideout Seo Ye led them to was a house too modest to be called a manor. However, they weren't in a position to be picky, so Dang Hwa-seo gratefully accepted her hospitality. It was right after they settled in that Dang Hwa-seo asked, "How much do we know about the current leader of the Black Snake Union?" Seo Ye shrugged in response. "Not much. I've only seen his face once." "Hmm?" "He's a bit of an unusual person. Kind of scary, too." "Scary?" "Do you know the nickname of the Black Snake Union leader?" Dang Hwa-seo nodded. Although information about the current leader wasn't widely circulated in the martial world, his notoriety was such that a little inquiry would reveal his infamous title. "Man-eok (Full of Evil)." Man-eok Do Eun-gang. That was the name of the current leader of the Black Snake Union. Seo Ye nodded. "He's the embodiment of evil, so to speak. Ruthless and unemotional. It's not so much that he enjoys being that way; more like if there's a choice between upholding human decency and gaining an advantage, he'd choose the latter without hesitation." "Aren't all underworld figures like that?" "Not to the extreme he is. Even among the underworld, there's a line most won't cross." Seo Ye mumbled, her face full of revulsion. "It's like, something essential that makes one human is missing in him." Dang Hwa-seo felt a surge of tension. The journey ahead was shaping up to be more challenging than anticipated.