Chapter 559: Wind Cloud Ghost Bandit (Wind Cloud Ghost Bandit)

The last day the Wind-Cloud Ghost Thief was scheduled to appear.

As the sun began to set, signs of presence were felt near Wudang Mountain.

Crackle-!

Someone was moving quickly through the bushes.

Wearing a black mask and with their entire body covered in black clothes, they were moving at high speed.

If there was one slightly questionable point, it was that perhaps because they were moving so quickly, they seemed somewhat hurried.

Tap-tap-!

The figure, who had been moving for a while, soon landed on the ground as if having reached their destination and hid their body.

In front, there was a small residence, and as if trying to protect it, Wudang’s Taoists were standing guard, keeping watch in all directions.

Seeing this, the figure’s eyes sparkled.

That was the place.

The place where the figure’s purpose and goal lay.

‘The place where the treasure is.’

The place where Hwasan’s and Wudang’s treasures were gathered.

That was precisely the place.

After the scheduled five days had passed, tomorrow the treasure would be returned between Hwasan and Wudang, and they would part ways.

This was a method to protect it safely, for any unforeseen circumstances.

The figure shifted their gaze and looked at someone.

Among the figures guarding the residence, there was a woman with a beautiful appearance.

A woman wearing neatly pressed white martial attire, peeking from between her light blue martial robes.

It was Plum Blossom Sword Queen So Yi, who held the current position of Sword Queen.

She too was personally standing guard to protect Hwasan’s treasure.

Seeing that, the figure bit their lip.

‘Half an hour from now.’

After half an hour, the Sword Queen would leave her post.

At most, it would only be a fleeting moment, but for the figure, that much time was enough.

Time flowed.

Thus, holding their breath, when exactly half an hour had passed.

The Sword Queen, who had been calmly standing guard, reacted and began to move.

It was now.

This was the moment they had been waiting for. Even if the Sword Queen left her post, it would only be for a few seconds.

The opportunity was only now.

The figure hid their flowing cold sweat and pulled up the ‘Tao energy’ within their body.

They just needed to charge in and snatch the treasure.

Yes, that’s all it took.

Everything was for Wudang.

Just as the figure thought that and was about to throw themselves forward.

“Hello?”

Along with a voice heard right by their ear.

Grip-!

“Gk…!?”

Simultaneously with the sensation of their neck being grabbed, the figure’s vision twisted.

There was no time to assess the situation. Their vision was twisted, and a gust of wind swept over their body.

They tried to react, attempting to move somehow, but the figure only then realized.

That the gust of wind currently buffeting them was simultaneous with their feet lifting off the ground.

It was the aftereffect of moving rapidly.

Just how fast must one be for their body to receive such pressure?

Such fear flashed through their mind.

But that didn’t last long either.

Thump-!

Suddenly, the wind stopped, and along with the sensation of being thrown, their body rolled on the ground.

They had to get up.

Survival instinct told them so.

Thwack-! As if to stop their rolling body, something pierced down onto their chest.

“Gack!”

From the overwhelming pain, they let out a groan.

They looked down at their chest.

Someone’s foot was crushing their chest.

Then.

“You know.”

The owner of the foot spoke to the figure. They lifted their head towards the voice.

And the figure had to feel pain.

As they tried to curl up, it was because the pain in their chest and injured shoulder flared up.

“Did you not remember what I said well? If so, that’s a bit disappointing.”

They said it with a smile, but their voice carried a dry, sharp energy.

The owner of the foot was someone completely unexpected.

Swish-!

The moonlight shone.

The appearance of the one hidden in darkness was revealed.

Hair with a faint blue hue, perhaps due to the moonlight.

Additionally, within a fierce-looking face, their blue eyes shone brilliantly.

Clearly, even until morning their pupils had been red, but the young man’s eyes were somehow tinged with blue.

“I told you.”

The young man said.

“If you draw your sword, you die. Did you think I forgot?”

That voice resonated in the figure’s ears.

It was because they had heard those words at the inn during the day.

Yes, the figure’s identity was none other than Wudang Sect’s second disciple, Ui-ryong Geom Ji Cheol.

“…How… How…”

Ji Cheol uttered the words with difficulty.

It was because the situation was so incomprehensible.

How was this person here?

The person who, by now, should have been at the residence under Wudang’s guard.

How was it that in this situation, they were standing before him?

Perhaps sensing Ji Cheol’s confusion.

The young man with blue eyes, Gu Yangcheon, gave a slight smile at his question.

As he did so, he loosened the foot pressing down and released Ji Cheol.

Only then could Ji Cheol finally exhale his blocked breath.

“Hk… Hkk…”

As he was barely catching his breath, Gu Yangcheon spoke to Ji Cheol.

“Seeing how surprised you are, it must seem strange that I’m here?”

At that remark, Ji Cheol moved his hand.

He had intended to draw the sword at his waist, but…

“…!”

Nothing was grasped in his hand.

The sword that should have been at his waist was nowhere to be found.

“Looking for this?”

In front of Ji Cheol like that, Gu Yangcheon waved something.

It was Ji Cheol’s sword.

“A swordsman shouldn’t store their sword so carelessly.”

“…When…!”

Whack-!

“Gak!”

Ji Cheol, kicked in the chest, screamed and rolled on the ground a couple of times.

Ji Cheol, who rolled weakly afterward, barely managed to grab the floor and rolled his eyes.

‘What in the world is going on?’

He couldn’t understand the pain he felt, nor Gu Yangcheon’s unfathomable appearance, but…

What puzzled him more was the current situation.

‘How…?’

How was that person here?

By now, surely…

‘Under the surrounding guard….’

“He should be at the residence.”

“…!”

Perhaps sensing Ji Cheol’s thoughts, Gu Yangcheon approached him and continued speaking.

“But I really hate being cooped up, so I came out for a walk at night.”

He said it casually, but it didn’t make sense.

If it were any other Wudang disciple, they would never have allowed such a thing.

However, Gu Yangcheon seemed not to care about that and just continued speaking.

“While taking a leisurely stroll, oh my, what’s this? I happened to see our Sect Leader.”

“…”

“They don’t seem like the type to come out for a stroll like me. For what reason are they moving around in such secretive attire?”

How should I answer?

The deliberation wasn’t long.

“I had some business over there… Gk!?”

As Ji Cheol tried to utter an excuse, Gu Yangcheon suddenly grabbed Ji Cheol’s neck.

“That kind of answer won’t do. In this conversation, only I can lie.”

“Gk… Gkeu…”

“Ah, but that seems a bit unfair, so I’ll tell you something you’re curious about.”

Something you’re curious about.

Saying that, Gu Yangcheon showed his wrist.

“I left the Yeon-ui Seon behind. It’s a rather troublesome item.”

“…Gk…!?”

At those words, Ji Cheol’s eyes widened.

He left the Yeon-ui Seon behind.

It didn’t make sense.

If he really left it behind, then Gu Yangcheon being here was illogical.

Gu Yangcheon found Ji Cheol’s reaction amusing and lifted the corner of his mouth.

“This is quite an interesting item. It lets you check the wearer’s status.”

It’s an item that lets you quickly check the status of team members when hunting monsters or carrying out missions.

Woo Baek had explained it like that, but…

“But they didn’t explain the most important part, did they?”

“…Gk…”

“This thing sends a signal if it’s cut off, right?”

“…!”

“Right?”

At Gu Yangcheon’s words, Ji Cheol’s heart began to race.

It was just as he said.

The Yeon-ui Seon also serves to inform each other of their situations, but…

If the Seon itself has a problem, it’s designed to alert high-ranking figures.

The range is quite limited, but within Wudang, it’s not difficult to pinpoint.

This means…

Not only can it confirm the wearer’s status…

…it can identify abnormal behavior, and if the distance is close, even their movements.

How did this person know these aspects?

Furthermore.

‘How did he get out?’

Leaving the Yeon-ui Seon behind, how did he get here?

Ji Cheol’s eyes filled with questions.

Gu Yangcheon found that truly amusing.

“Now that I know that, I noticed something strange.”

The foul smell I sensed during the day.

Gu Yangcheon thought for a long time about the source of this foul smell, and…

…finally recalled the reason vaguely.

“Your reactions seem like you’re monitoring us… but you’re not doing the important part?”

“Gk…”

Just as Ji Cheol wondered what that meant.

“Not a single person… didn’t suspect us.”

Ji Cheol could understand Gu Yangcheon’s implication.

“Isn’t it strange? That the Wind-Cloud Ghost Thief appears after decades to steal Wudang’s treasure, yet while being wary of outsiders, they don’t suspect much?”

At first, I thought they were making us wear the Yeon-ui Seon to avoid confusing us with the hidden and infiltrated Wind-Cloud Ghost Thief.

I judged there must also be an intention for surveillance.

But something felt off, something fishy.

‘I’ve never heard of the Wind-Cloud Ghost Thief reappearing in a past life.’

Maybe something was twisted because I caused too much trouble, I thought.

But this damn gut feeling has never been wrong, so I suspected something was up.

So I thought about it.

“Then, suddenly.”

I felt like I figured something out.

However…

“It wasn’t certainty.”

The point was, it wasn’t certainty.

If it wasn’t certainty, what should I do? The answer was simple.

“So I thought I should ask, you see?”

I just needed to ask.

What this was all about.

Ask kindly (?) and gently (?), that’s what I mean.

Conveniently, I had given a ‘gift’ to the perfect guy to ask, so I thought I’d check it out.

But then.

“Something felt off.”

He was moving.

In the middle of the night, at such high speed.

It was strange for training.

And strange for chasing someone.

And didn’t fit going somewhere.

You could see where he was going, but he took a bizarre path.

As if.

“Trying to obscure his presence.”

“Gk…!”

“Someone not in good condition shouldn’t be able to do that easily.”

Ji Cheol’s shoulder was shattered. He had injured it today.

While his cultivation level meant it wasn’t impossible to heal, moving at such high speed in the middle of the night was strange.

Flinch.

At Gu Yangcheon’s words, Ji Cheol flinched violently.

Seeing that reaction, Gu Yangcheon continued.

“So I wanted to ask.”

So I grabbed him.

It wasn’t difficult for Gu Yangcheon.

When I shattered his shoulder, I happened to implant some energy.

Energy that I myself would never let go of.

Squirm.

“Kkeu…eu…!?”

Ji Cheol felt something stirring inside his body.

Somewhere deep within his Dantian.

Something unknown slowly moved.

Additionally, Gu Yangcheon’s blue eyes shone even more brilliantly.

Along with the light, his presence grew and began to envelop Ji Cheol’s entire body.

The grip on his neck loosened slightly.

Just enough to let him speak.

“You know.”

Gu Yangcheon asked Ji Cheol.

“Are you the Wind-Cloud Ghost Thief?”

“…!”

At the question, Ji Cheol felt his heart sink.

But.

“Or perhaps.”

That wasn’t the end.

“Are you the ‘role’ of the Wind-Cloud Ghost Thief?”

Tremble tremble.

Ji Cheol trembled uncontrollably.

However, Ji Cheol gritted his teeth and resolved.

He must not utter anything.

No matter how much fear came or what torture he endured, he vowed he couldn’t reveal that at least.

“Answer me.”

“…Yes…?”

To the command heard, Ji Cheol’s mouth answered against his will.

Ji Cheol wore an expression of disbelief.

It was because it wasn’t his own will.

Regarding this.

“Right.”

Gu Yangcheon simply smiled, satisfied.

In that smile, the satisfaction of finding an answer to his frustration was clearly evident.

As if not hiding it, Gu Yangcheon laughed louder.

“Good.”

It was truly fortunate.

“Because Wudang is more pathetic than I thought.”

Thanks to that, I think I can use this situation.

Very pleasantly.

---

The next morning.

In the back mountain of Wudang, Wudang Sect’s second disciple, Ui-ryong Geom Ji Cheol, was found dead.

Based on the circumstances, he appeared to have met his end by slitting his own throat.

And, as if to prove it, a suicide note lay on the ground.

As foretold in the letter five days prior.

The Wind-Cloud Ghost Thief succeeded in stealing the treasure.

However.

For some reason, they left Hwasan’s accompanying treasure behind and only stole Wudang’s treasure before disappearing.

Perhaps because of that.

Wudang’s atmosphere was in an uproar from early morning.