Chapter 668: My name is.

After quieting the surroundings, I restarted the test.

Since I had already finished establishing dominance, the remaining test wouldn’t take too long.

In fact, it wasn’t much of a test.

“I told you to pick exactly seven, didn’t I?”

At my words, the personnel stiffened.

The faces of those who were just moments ago filled with complaints and anger now held tension.

It’s laughable.

To think they’d change so much just from showing them a little.

‘This is why I hate the Central Plains so damn much.’

Starting with strength and ending with strength.

It seemed convenient, yet it was such a primal way of things.

Of course, I, who utilized this so well, had no intention of acting that way.

“There are a bit too many people. But since it’s a waste of time to bother with it…”

I said, waving my hand dismissively.

“Pick yourselves.”

“Huh?”

“What do you mean…?”

My words caused a bigger reaction from the surroundings. Was telling them to pick themselves really that strange?

It meant exactly what it sounded like.

“Whether you vote, discuss, or… alternatively.”

I added, glancing at the figure watching us from afar, Cheonma.

“Beat each other up to pick yourselves. That’s what I mean.”

It’s the most rational method.

How convenient a method this is.

It was the quickest way for everyone to understand.

“Time… I’ll give you about half a shichen. Decide amongst yourselves within that time.”

Waving my hand dismissively again, I walked away without a second thought.

Even as I turned my back and moved nonchalantly, my senses remained fixed on Cheonma.

I glanced at Moyong Hi-ah, paying attention in case her expression hardened or crumbled.

Moyong Hi-ah was staring at me with a baffled expression.

“…Will it be alright?”

“You told me to handle it myself. If you don’t like it, you can change it however you want.”

“No, not about picking the people.”

Ah, wasn’t that what she was talking about?

Then what was it?

Moyong Hi-ah glanced behind me.

Towards the direction where I had thrown the man earlier.

“You said he was from the Murim Alliance, didn’t you?”

“Ah. Yeah.”

“How did you know?”

This was something Moyong Hi-ah asked with apparent curiosity.

How did I know? It wasn’t some grand method.

“Most people who come to work as mercenaries usually have no affiliation.”

I don’t know what kind of great conditions Baekhwadang offered to attract people like that, but…

No matter how good the conditions, people with affiliations wouldn’t come.

Especially if they had reached the Peak or Perfected Peak level, they would be better off working as guards for prestigious families or joining sword guilds rather than taking mercenary jobs.

‘It’s surprising they gathered people like that despite that.’

First-rate, and even reaching the Perfected Peak.

If people who could make a name for themselves anywhere were coming just to work as mercenaries, it made one wonder what conditions Madam Mi had offered.

Looking only this far, one could dismiss it as skilled experts being swayed by the conditions, regardless of their affiliation, but…

“For people like that, their breathing was too refined.”

Even so, a clear problem was visible.

“Do you know the characteristic of prestigious families and prominent clans? It’s the lack of disorder.”

Their breathing was orderly, and their movements were sharp.

The unique bearing that seeped into their demeanor, supposedly to maintain dignity.

This wasn’t something easily erased.

“It seems they tried to act like ronin or common martial artists somehow…. But it was quite obvious.”

“You could see things like that?”

“Yeah.”

Moyong Hi-ah said it as if surprised, but it wasn’t really surprising.

It was simply that Moyong Hi-ah’s lower cultivation level prevented her from seeing it.

“A person born into a prestigious family wouldn’t reach that level of cultivation only to come and work as a mercenary, would they?”

Their demeanor was too refined to be called ronin.

Their cultivation was too high to be a mercenary.

Someone like that would only suffer losses by coming here.

Yet, the fact they insisted on coming here meant, ultimately…

‘There was a reason they had to come.’

A master who caused trouble and fled might have come here because they had nowhere else to go, but I ruled that out.

‘It didn’t feel like that.’

If that wasn’t the case, then only one thing remained.

“They must have had something to obtain through infiltration…. In that case, it’s obvious.”

There aren’t many places where a master from a prestigious family could pretend to be a mercenary to gather information.

The fact that Baekhwadang, while not part of the unorthodox sects, wasn’t pro-Murim Alliance.

‘And the fact that this place is precisely in Henan.’

These were enough to recall the answer.

When I told her this, Moyong Hi-ah tilted her head.

It seemed something was bothering her.

“However, that alone isn’t enough to be certain, is it?”

Hearing her words, I nodded.

“That’s also true.”

It wasn’t enough to be certain.

It was merely circumstantial evidence, thus insufficient to act upon with certainty.

“Then, you must have had something that gave you certainty?”

What was the concrete proof?

Moyong Hi-ah asked me with a pondering expression, but…

“No? I just did it because it seemed like it?”

“…What?”

At my casually spoken answer, she froze, her eyes widening.

“Young Master-nim. What do you mean by that….”

“It looked like it just from a glance. So I just beat him up, what else?”

Moyong Hi-ah was aghast at my subsequent words.

Given her personality, which required certainty before acting, she seemed shocked by my impulsive action, but…

‘After beating him, I became even more certain.’

I grabbed the man and deliberately spat out my words.

The reaction he showed then was enough to confirm my certainty.

That guy was indeed an operative sent by the Alliance.

This was enough certainty.

However.

‘What was he aiming for?’

Why would someone from the Alliance come here?

Honestly, the reason isn’t that important.

What’s important here is…

‘What they were aiming for.’

Did they come targeting me?

Or did they come because of matters concerning the Guild itself?

Or perhaps.

‘Did they come targeting Moyong Hi-ah?’

There were roughly these three potential objectives.

To figure this out, I should have captured and interrogated him immediately, but it wasn’t the right time to move.

‘Because I needed to watch Cheonma.’

I had to use all my senses to observe that woman, Cheonma, who kept wearing that blank expression.

That’s why I used more force when knocking the man out.

He needed to take a long time to wake up and couldn’t escape.

Recalling that much, I looked somewhere.

Between the dense bushes, I mouthed words while looking there.

-Grab that one and tie it up. I have business with it later.

Flinch.

I sensed movement from within the bushes.

It seemed like a martial artist deployed by the Guild. They looked surprised when I suddenly sent a telepathic message.

I knew from the beginning that there were martial artists present.

They wouldn’t have just left dozens of martial artists and Moyong Hi-ah alone in such a remote place.

Anyway…. I’ve delivered the message.

‘Now, let’s just watch.’

I stood still, watching Cheonma.

Not long after that.

“Yiaah!”

As expected, the martial artists started fighting amongst themselves.

---

Exactly half a shichen passed.

I was looking at the seven people standing on the field.

Exactly seven.

Seven martial artists stood there, just as I had said.

Half a shichen.

It wasn’t a short time to engage in combat, but it didn’t result in a fierce bloodbath.

This was, after all, part of the test.

And since their cultivation levels varied, only those who seemed likely to remain had actually stayed.

From the Perfected Peak martial artists I had initially passed.

To those at the Peak and first-rate martial artists.

I could see the personnel were distributed evenly.

If there was anything unexpected there…

‘This one failed?’

Several Peak martial artists I thought would pass had failed.

And a few first-rate martial artists I thought would fail had made it through.

It would be more accurate to say they endured through sheer tenacity rather than winning through combat.

My gaze fixed on one spot.

Towards the strongest man there.

The first-rate martial artists had held out until that guy roughly dealt with the other martial artists.

Thanks to him, they were standing there now.

One could call it a sneaky tactic.

The eyes of those who were affected by it were full of resentment.

Dissatisfaction that they failed while someone like him passed. Their eyes were full of it, but…

‘It’s fine.’

I considered it an acceptable outcome.

‘A mercenary isn’t just about brute strength.’

They need to be perceptive and skilled at politicking.

How else could that strong guy have defeated others while leaving the weaker ones alone?

He had laid the groundwork from the very beginning.

‘Meaning he noticed the strong ones and acted subserviently.’

Earlier, around the time I was choosing the failed and passed candidates.

When the man from the Murim Alliance protested and yelled at me, the ones who actually passed intervened – it was the same logic.

Those guys had sided with the ones who failed.

And they were now the ones who had failed.

‘In other words, they chose the wrong faction.’

They switched sides during the short waiting period.

One side collapsed, and the other held firm.

That was all.

Their passing might be questionable since they climbed up by choosing sides rather than strength, but…

‘Moyong Hi-ah will handle that.’

That wasn’t my concern anymore.

If they’re no good, she’ll just pick new ones.

While these unexpected situations didn’t particularly bother me,

The problem was.

‘…that one failed.’

I stared at the backs of the martial artists, my brow deeply furrowed.

Among the panting martial artists standing there, one person stood apart, watching.

It was Cheonma.

Cheonma stood there with the same blank expression as before, perfectly fine.

Was she standing there after winning the fight? No.

She hadn’t even participated in the fight.

Around the time everyone else started fighting.

[I don’t wanna.]

She declared her withdrawal with a simple statement.

And then she just stood there watching. Was she scared and didn’t join the fight?

That couldn’t be it.

‘Then what on earth is she doing?’

I couldn’t understand.

I deliberately ensured her passing, yet she didn’t even join the fight, just calmly observing the situation.

‘What’s her objective?’

It was already baffling why Gum-bong, or rather Gu Huibi, brought her here in the first place.

I had no idea what intentions Cheonma might have.

As I watched Cheonma with a frown, she seemed to sense it and sent her gaze my way.

Our eyes met briefly.

This time, I didn’t avoid her gaze and just stared at Cheonma.

As time passed, Cheonma reacted first.

She gave a slight wave, just like the first time I saw her.

And then.

“…!”

She leaped briefly and vanished.

It happened in an instant.

Just then, Moyong Hi-ah cautiously spoke to me.

“Young Master-nim, it seems the work is mostly done….”

I replied without properly listening.

“Then I’m going somewhere.”

“Are you going to rest now? I found a nice inn…” Huh?

“See you later. I’ll be back soon.”

Hearing only that the work was done, I kicked off the ground and leaped up.

“…You crazy–!”

I could hear Moyong Hi-ah cursing behind me, but I didn’t have time to care about that.

I couldn’t miss this moment.

For some reason, that was the only thought I had.

As I floated in the air, I could see the sun gradually setting.

‘Where did she go?’

I turned my head above the forest, scanning the surroundings.

Cheonma, who had disappeared, was nowhere to be seen.

Had she already vanished far away?

Thinking of her, I immediately expanded my senses in all directions.

Hwaaahwak—!

An overwhelming aura permeated my senses, encroaching on the surroundings.

It covered the forest and reached beyond into the city.

I searched.

I intended to find her by any means necessary.

Just as my senses thoroughly scoured every nook and cranny, intensely searching the surroundings.

Woong.

A familiar energy pierced my heart.

Demonic energy (魔氣).

It was an energy I could never mistake.

‘There.’

Northwest.

An area far from Henan and closer to the forest than the city.

Sensing Cheonma moving rapidly, I also picked up speed.

Hwa-reureuk-!

Pa-aang-!

Flames enveloped my body, using the heat to create an explosion as I followed the trail.

I descended from the air, plunging into the forest.

I ran relentlessly, lest I lose the trail.

Tension mounted.

Ironically, even as I pursued, a thought of wanting to run away crossed my mind.

What was I going to do if I caught up?

Was I planning to fight?

I didn’t know.

I wasn’t sure if I could win in a fight, nor did I know if I truly had the confidence to fight.

But, I had to chase her now.

I couldn’t let her get away here.

My instincts told me so.

Sa-aaaaa-!

As I passed through the forest, the wind brushed past.

I stopped and scanned my surroundings.

The reason was simple.

‘I lost her.’

The trail I had felt just moments ago had vanished.

It wasn’t faint, but it wasn’t so clear that it couldn’t be lost.

Yet, Cheonma’s trail had somehow disappeared without a trace.

Sa-aaaa….

Only the sound of the wind could be heard.

The deep silence only heightened the tension.

‘Where did she go?’

It didn’t make sense for a trail to disappear so suddenly.

That meant…

‘She hid her presence.’

It meant Cheonma noticed me chasing her and concealed herself.

‘That’s impossible.’

It was a situation I found hard to believe.

‘Is Cheonma trying to run away?’

She doesn’t run.

She’s someone who never backs down, no matter the situation.

That’s the kind of person Cheonma is.

Without smoothing my furrowed brow, I scanned the surroundings.

Could it be that I really just lost her?

Just as I was about to channel more energy into my senses, harboring doubt.

Sa-bak.

I felt a faint presence.

Sensing it, I immediately channeled flames into my hand.

I didn’t hesitate.

Hwa-reureureuk—!!!

The rapidly condensed flames took shape.

I overlaid an image onto it.

Seu-eu-eu-!

The momentary Flame Prison Spear was completed, and just as I turned to throw it.

“Huh?”

Ut-tuk-!

At the voice that reached me, I froze, unable to throw the spear.

Because the one behind me wasn’t Cheonma.

I stared at the person behind me, my eyes wide.

A black-haired woman with a sharp impression.

She looked at me, seemingly just as surprised, and spoke.

“Little brother?”

“…Nui-nim.”

The woman’s identity was, surprisingly, my older sister, Gu Huibi.

And Cheonma, whom I had been chasing, was hiding behind Gu Huibi’s back, watching me.