Chapter v14c21

**Sun Palace, Moon Palace**

**- Lodging Assignments**

“Alright, everyone, go back to your lodgings and get some rest!”

Hyuk Jung said, descending from the platform with a sprightly step that belied his age. The participants watched him go, their faces still blank with shock.

As he left the platform, a Law Enforcer with five black bands on his left sleeve, Muk-seon, stepped forward. He spoke in a low voice, but his words were clear and audible to everyone.

“Now that the Mount Hua Conference has officially begun, you’ll be moving from your temporary lodgings to your official lodgings.”

They had been staying in separate lodgings, white path disciples with white path disciples, black path disciples with black path disciples. The lodgings were meant for guests, not participants.

“The men will be staying in the red building over there, the Sun Palace, and the women will be staying in the blue building next to it, the Moon Palace. They’re easy to distinguish, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your way.”

The names were unusual.

They all turned to look at the buildings. They looked new, recently constructed.

“They were built specifically for the centennial anniversary of the Mount Hua Conference! Everything is brand new, so you should be comfortable.”

The Law Enforcer explained helpfully. It was a brief explanation.

‘New doesn’t necessarily mean comfortable.’

In fact, new buildings were often plagued with problems. But Bi Ryu-yeon didn’t bother pointing that out.

“How will the rooms be assigned?”

Jang Hong asked, raising his hand.

“There’s no need for room assignments.”

Muk-seon replied, his voice firm and decisive.

“What? Why not?”

“You’ll understand when you go inside. Now, let’s move!”

They returned to their temporary lodgings and packed their belongings.

None of them had given much thought to their official lodgings. They assumed that lodgings were just a place to sleep and rest.

They followed the Law Enforcer’s instructions, a chaotic mass of bodies moving in unison. But in a corner, a pair of cold eyes watched them, unmoving.

“Interesting idea! But will it work?”

The First Young Master, Bi, murmured to himself. But no one else heard him.

“Make yourselves at home.”

The Law Enforcer said, then abandoned them. The male participants were confused.

“Make ourselves at home?”

No-hak muttered, frowning. Was that even possible? He wanted to curse. The others felt the same way.

“How can he tell us to make ourselves at home in this hellhole?”

It wasn’t that the lodgings were dilapidated or leaky. The problem was that their enemies were right next to them, in the same building, in the same room. It was unsettling.

“W-What is this?!”

“This is insane!”

“This is a scam!”

“We’ve been tricked!”

It was an unusual bedroom, unlike anything they had seen before. There was a six-foot wide pathway in the middle, paved with stone, and on both sides, there were long wooden platforms. Thirty futons were neatly arranged on each platform, and behind the futons, there were chests for personal belongings.

Sixty people could sleep in this room. The entire building was one giant room. There were no partitions, no curtains, no privacy whatsoever.

They could tolerate the lack of privacy. Perhaps they were short on funds. But there was one thing they couldn’t tolerate.

“Those old geezers are clever.”

Bi Ryu-yeon looked around the Sun Palace, the massive communal lodging, and immediately understood the intention behind it. It was a crude but effective way to force them to interact. Or to turn them into sworn enemies. It was a drastic measure.

They were angry and frustrated because they realized that they would have to live with their enemies, both black path and white path disciples, under the same roof.

“Why do we have to live with those black path bastards?”

One of the Cheonmu Academy disciples shouted.

“To share the same space with those goody-goodies… I’m afraid I’ll become soft and weak.”

One of the Heavenly Demons Pavilion disciples retorted.

“Who are you calling goody-goodies? I’m disgusted to have to live with those black path scum! How can we trust them?”

Another Cheonmu Academy disciple shouted. And this time, his words were more ominous.

“They might kill us in our sleep!”

It was a recipe for disaster. Conflict was inevitable.

“Wow, this is great!”

Bi Ryu-yeon said cheerfully, oblivious to the tension.

“Yawn! I’m going to take a nap!”

He stretched and yawned.

“You can sleep in this situation?”

Hyo-ryong asked, incredulous.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk! You’ve got a lot to learn!”

Bi Ryu-yeon wagged his finger at him.

“The most important thing in life is to know what you need to do at any given moment. And my inner voice is telling me to lie down and take a nap. So I’m going to sleep.”

He threw himself onto a futon and promptly fell asleep.

Snore…

He seemed to be the only one who was unaffected by the tension. He slept soundly, his face peaceful.

Whether he was aware of it or not, his sleepiness had prevented a major conflict.

A red line, long and straight, was drawn on the polished floor, dividing the room in half. It was a boundary line, a hostile demarcation of territory.

“Don’t cross this line! If you do, you’re dead!”

The one who drew the line was Yi Gyu, a Heavenly Demons Pavilion disciple with a fierce, wolf-like gaze and a temper to match.

“Hmph! You’d better not cross it either! We’ll get contaminated if we even touch you!”

No-hak shouted back, glaring at him.

“And what if we do? Like this!”

He poked the red line with a twig, his hand crossing the boundary.

A flash of silver, a blur of motion. A sword, drawn with lightning speed, sliced through the air, aiming for his wrist.

“Gasp!”

He jerked his hand back in alarm.

The sword severed the twig, cleanly and precisely, the severed piece falling to the floor.

“What the hell was that?!”

He shouted angrily.

The sound of weapons being drawn filled the air, as both sides reacted. The room was filled with a murderous aura. The standoff continued for a while, but fortunately, no blood was shed.

Only Bi Ryu-yeon and the First Young Master remained calm, their eyes closed. The First Young Master had claimed a futon in a corner, glancing at Bi Ryu-yeon, who was sleeping peacefully, before ignoring him.

The weapons were sheathed, but the animosity remained.

The next morning, they gathered for their morning assembly, their eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. They had stayed up all night, worried and distrustful of each other.

They had all spent the night tossing and turning, their minds racing.

‘Damn it, I can’t sleep! I’d be more comfortable sleeping in a tiger’s den!’

It was a testament to their anxiety.

They had all slept with their weapons at their sides, ready to draw at a moment’s notice. Some had even placed their hidden weapons under their pillows. Only a fool would sleep soundly in this situation. Unfortunately, Bi Ryu-yeon was one of those fools. At this rate, they would all be sleep-deprived.

After two sleepless nights, they finally reached an agreement. It was the first agreement between the black path and the white path disciples.

‘Let’s get some sleep!’

They agreed, their eyes bloodshot. They came up with a solution, a compromise. They would take turns keeping watch at night. And finally, they were able to sleep, albeit uneasily.

**Elder Hyuk Jung’s Room, Deep Within the Red Plum Valley**

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls.

The old man was reading a book, a record of the participants in the Mount Hua Conference. It was an ordinary book, except for the fact that the Intelligence Division had gone to great lengths to gather detailed information on each participant.

White paper, black ink.

His gaze was fixed on a single name.

**Bi Ryu-yeon**

The space for his sect affiliation was blank. It wasn’t unusual for disciples of reclusive masters or lone wolves to keep their origins a secret. But the fact that Yeomdo Gwak Yeong-hui was listed as his guarantor was suspicious.

Elder Hyuk Jung was one of the few people who knew Yeomdo’s master.

“Who is he…?”

He was hiding something. It was just a matter of time before it was revealed. He hadn’t been this intrigued by someone in decades.

“I need to find out more about him.”

He made a decision. And then,

Three figures materialized out of thin air. They hadn’t been there a moment ago.

The candle flame, sensitive to the slightest disturbance in the air, didn’t flicker. The old man didn’t seem surprised by their sudden appearance.

“You’ve arrived.”

He said, without turning around.

The three figures knelt in unison.

“The Four Dark Heavens await your command!”

Their voices were filled with reverence. They were all incredibly powerful, their auras surpassing even that of sect leaders. But there were only three of them, not four.

“I need your help.”

He said calmly. He sensed a flicker of surprise behind him.

“All three of us, Master?”

The figure in the middle asked. His voice was old and weathered, suggesting a man who had lived a long life.

“Even one of us is enough to wipe out an entire sect. Why do you need three of us, Master?”

The figure on the right asked, his voice laced with a hint of displeasure. They were telling the truth. And the old man knew it. They were his most trusted agents, answerable only to him.

“I apologize for the inconvenience. But it’s a matter of great importance.”

They had a unique relationship, a bond that transcended the usual master-disciple dynamic. He didn’t hesitate to apologize.

“Your will shall be done, Master.”

They bowed their heads in unison.

“Have you heard from Il-cheon?”

“Not yet, Master.”

“I see. That old friend of mine is still missing in action… Well, get some rest. The details of the plan are in this document. Read it carefully and carry it out. If you have any questions, contact me later.”

He phrased it as a request, not an order. It was unusual for him.

“We’ll take our leave, Master.”

They vanished as silently as they had appeared.

The old man, Hyuk Jung, massaged his right shoulder.

“Things are about to get busy!”

He murmured to himself. And when he said something, it was as good as done. The moon sank below the horizon, the night deepening, the chirping of crickets filling the air.