Chapter v13c20

**Nightmare**

An old man was having a dream.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

He thought.

Sweat poured down his face like rain.

He was thirsty. His mouth was dry, his throat burning.

A scorching heat, like a raging inferno, was closing in on him from all sides.

He turned and ran, his heavy body lumbering.

A wave of crimson flames crashed over him, engulfing him, trying to incinerate him.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

He shouted, screamed, but no sound came out. His throat was raw, as if he had swallowed burning coals.

He turned, ran, fled.

The flames pursued him relentlessly. He ran and ran, sweat dripping from his body like rain.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a wall of flames erupted before him, blocking his path.

He turned right and ran again.

Whoosh!

Another pillar of fire rose from the ground, its heat threatening to consume his very soul.

Hot! Hot!

He turned and ran back, the heat suffocating him.

Another wall of flames rose, blocking his path.

He looked around frantically.

Front, back, left, right!

He was trapped in a cage of fire. He had to escape.

The heat was unbearable, his soul burning.

And then, something emerged from the flames, approaching him slowly.

It was humanoid, but not human. Its hair was a mane of fire, its body clad in blazing flames. It was a fire demon.

He had to run, but his legs were rooted to the ground.

The fire demon grinned, the flames around it intensifying. It pointed a finger at his left arm.

He looked down.

It was burning. His left arm was engulfed in flames.

“Aaaaaaaaagh!”

He screamed, jolting awake.

It was… a dream.

He gasped for breath, his bed drenched in sweat.

It felt as if his dream, his left arm burning to ashes, had come true.

The fat old man’s left sleeve was empty.

Another old man was having a dream.

Two eyes, glowing with a crimson light, shone like blood-soaked jewels.

The owner of the jewels, a wild-haired monster, collapsed to the ground. Two sabers fell from his grasp.

Impossible! He wanted to shout. The monster wasn’t someone who could be defeated so easily.

The man who had slain the monster came into view.

He was young.

No older than his mid-twenties.

His face was hidden behind long bangs that reached his chin. A nameless fear gripped the old man’s heart. It was absurd. There was no reason for him to fear a mere youngster.

He looked down at his hands. They were trembling uncontrollably.

The young man approached, his steps unwavering. He slowly raised his hand, his fingers unfurling.

Slowly! Slowly! Time seemed to crawl.

This was his chance.

He had to escape! He had to escape!

He screamed inwardly, but it was no use.

His body was paralyzed, as if he were trapped in a nightmare. The young man’s fingers were about to fully extend. And then he would die.

But his body wouldn’t move. He looked down at his feet in horror.

A silent scream escaped his lips.

Shadows writhed on the ground, and black hands erupted from the earth, grabbing his legs. There were countless hands, each one filled with the resentment of those he had killed. And among them, there was one hand, larger and stronger than the others. The owner of the arm emerged from the swirling darkness, its eyes glowing with a crimson light. It was the face of the wild-haired monster he had just seen slain.

Help me! Help me! Help me!

But it was no use. Blood-red tears streamed from the monster’s eyes, its mouth uttering curses.

He looked up and saw the young man, his face still hidden behind his bangs.

The young man was smiling.

Snap!

The young man’s fingers twitched.

He felt nothing. But he knew. His right arm was no longer his. It was a distant memory, a part of his body that no longer existed.

The young man smiled again.

His fingers were now fully extended.

His vision turned red, and his body shattered into a million pieces. His soul was torn apart. He was afraid. He was in pain. He wanted to die. But he couldn’t.

The pull of the darkness intensified. The red-eyed monster glared at him.

He sank deeper into the darkness. His entire body, except for his head, was submerged in the dark mire. The monster’s hand grabbed his face.

Gulp, gulp, gulp!

Darkness flooded his throat.

“Aaaaaaaaagh!”

The old man’s eyes flew open, and he sat up in bed, his heart pounding.

A dream!

It was just a dream.

But his right arm, severed in his dream, was still missing.

He saw his companion, who had woken up at the same time.

They were sharing a room.

“Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!”

One old man was thin as a twig, the other fat as a pig.

Their eyes were wide with terror, their faces pale and sweaty. Their backs were drenched in cold sweat.

Their eyes met, their pupils dilated with fear, their faces haggard. They didn’t need to ask what had happened. It wasn’t the first time. It had been happening every night recently…

“Damn it, that dream again…”

They said in unison. They were sick of it. They were afraid to sleep. The same nightmare, night after night, ever since that day.

They would do anything to escape this nightmare.

“Ugh, again… again…”

The phantom pain in his missing shoulder, a constant reminder of his loss, never went away. He should have gotten used to it by now, but he hadn’t.

Fear was a monster that lurked in the depths of the heart, feeding on their deepest fears, growing stronger with every thought, until it consumed them entirely. Those consumed by fear became madmen, fools, or broken men. They lost their ability to think rationally, to make sound judgments.

“Bring me wine! Wine!”

The thin old man shouted, his voice hoarse with anger.

Crash!

An empty wine bottle flew across the room, shattering against the wall. The sound of breaking glass echoed through the night. It was the fat old man who had thrown it. He must have thought it was a faster way to communicate.

They heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it…”

Their dependence on alcohol had been growing recently. They couldn’t sleep without it. They had to drink strong wine like water to fall asleep.

Dozens of empty wine bottles lay scattered under their beds.

**Midnight, 30 Zhang from Peace Manor, Huayin County, Shaanxi Province**

“What do we do now?”

Na Yerin asked in a low voice, her eyes fixed on the main gate of Peace Manor. The gate was brightly lit by bonfires.

“Your legs are still shaking.”

Bi Ryu-yeon said with a grin.

“Something smells fishy.”

Noh Hak said, sniffing the air.

Four bonfires blazed, illuminating the darkness. Six guards, armed with weapons, stood behind the flames, their eyes alert. There were also guards patrolling in pairs. The security was tighter than they had expected.

‘Why did I come here?’

A beggar, hidden among the shadows, grumbled inwardly.

Wu Gai, the leader of the Western Peak Branch of the Beggars’ Sect, was still working. He was their guide. He was amazed by the young men’s incredible martial arts skills. They moved silently, despite their speed. And once they started running, they were as fast as the wind. His own footsteps, usually so loud, sounded particularly annoying tonight.

‘Is this the power of those chosen for the Mount Hua Convention?’

He had never felt the difference in skill so keenly before. He looked at Noh Hak with new eyes.

“Shall we go?”

Fourteen shadows, hidden in the darkness, began to move silently.

**1 AM, Backyard of Peace Manor**

“Hey, did you see her? Did you see her?”

One of the two guards patrolling in pairs, a tall, burly man with a grim face, asked his companion. His voice was filled with excitement. His companion, a shorter man, nodded eagerly.

“I’ve never seen such a beauty in my life. She’s a goddess, not a human. I could barely stand, my legs were shaking so much…”

His voice was thick with lust.

“My heart was pounding too. I thought it was going to burst! I almost had a nosebleed!”

He seemed relieved that he had managed to avoid a nosebleed.

“Just once, just once in my life, I want to hold a woman like that…”

The burly man said, his voice trembling with desire.

“You said it. She was a knockout.”

They both looked like they were about to drool.

‘You insolent bastards!’

A shadow, hidden in a large tree, shuddered. It was Mo Yong-hwi, who had infiltrated the manor and was hiding. He had always excelled in stealth and concealment.

He knew who they were talking about, even without hearing her name.

His face flushed red with anger, his usually calm and collected heart burning with rage.

‘She’s not someone you can talk about like that!’

He wanted to jump down and slit their throats.

He was shocked by his own impulsiveness. It was unlike him to act so rashly. He always prided himself on his composure.

And then,

“Aaaaaaaaagh!”

Crash!

A loud crash echoed through the night, followed by a scream. It sounded like something made of porcelain had shattered.

The peaceful silence of the night was broken.

The two guards, startled by the noise, looked around warily.

Mo Yong-hwi and his companions quickly hid themselves. Yi Jin-seol was the slowest. She had to struggle to control her pounding heart even after she had hidden herself. Dokgo Ryeong glared at her, and Yi Jin-seol cowered.

The two guards, after scanning the area, relaxed. They seemed to have decided that the noise was nothing to worry about.

‘Again? Damn it! That scared me!’ one of them grumbled. It seemed like it wasn’t the first time they had heard such a noise, but they still weren’t used to it.

Whew.

The fourteen uninvited guests sighed in relief. They hadn’t been caught.

Bi Ryu-yeon, hidden below, gave a signal. He pointed at the two guards. It was a waste of time to wait. They should capture the guards and interrogate them.

Mo Yong-hwi, who had been waiting for this opportunity, moved like the wind. He was followed by Bi Ryu-yeon.

Their shadows melted into the darkness.

**1 AM, Deep Inside the Backyard of Peace Manor**

“There it is!”

Bi Ryu-yeon said, peering out from the shadows of a building. It seemed the guards’ testimony was true. Two guards were standing guard outside a room, their posture stiff and alert. It was a rather luxurious treatment for a hostage.

Practice makes perfect, they say. Yeomdo, having gained valuable experience from his previous interrogation, was even more skilled this time. His aura, as intimidating as the King of Hell, stripped the two captured guards of their courage to lie.

“Are you sure?”

Namgung Sang, however, wanted to be extra careful.

“If they’re lying, they’ll have to answer for it!”

Yeomdo said in a low, menacing voice.

“If we’re still alive by then!”

Bi Ryu-yeon said playfully. He didn’t seem to be concerned about their safety.

“We have to stay alive to hold them accountable!”

The two guards were lucky they couldn’t see Yeomdo’s expression.

“To get in there, we’ll need…”

Yeomdo started to say, but Bi Ryu-yeon interrupted him with a smile.

“A key.”

“Oh no!”

Namgung Sang and Noh Hak groaned. Two guards were standing outside the room where Eun Seol-ran was supposedly being held. But they were motionless, like statues. A closer look revealed thin silver needles embedded in their necks.

It was Dokgo Ryeong’s work. She had struck their acupoints from outside the room with her throwing needles.

‘Is this the skill of the Sword Empress’s disciple?’

Seok Ryu-ha was impressed. Yi Ok-sang, the Sword Empress, was someone she admired greatly, regardless of their factions.

So far, so good. But then a problem arose.

It was missing. They couldn’t find it anywhere.

There was a large black lock on the door. But they couldn’t find the key on the guards. They searched them thoroughly, but it was nowhere to be found.

‘What do we do?’

Na Yerin looked at Bi Ryu-yeon with a worried expression. He was thinking. He could easily shatter the door with his bare hands, but it would be too noisy. And that wasn’t what they wanted.

And then,

“Step aside!”

It was Mo Yong-hwi.

They moved away from the door, and Mo Yong-hwi stepped forward, drawing his sword without hesitation. He wouldn’t be stopped by a mere lock! His gaze fixed on the lock.

‘There’s no time to waste!’

A silver arc flashed in the darkness.

There was no shout, no sound.

Not even the sound of the blade cutting through the air. The silver trajectory passed cleanly through the lock, but there was no clang.

But the lock was severed in two, a clean, silent cut. Gasps of admiration filled the air.

What a move!

The lock was no longer an obstacle.

“Let’s go in!”

The door opened, and Mo Yong-hwi stepped inside. Bi Ryu-yeon watched him go, a smile on his lips.

“He’s in a hurry, isn’t he?”