Chapter v16c2

Two people cautiously emerged from the door. They were most likely members of Group 1, the group the First Young Master Bi belonged to.

‘Come to think of it… I was in Group 1 too…’

No-hak reminded himself of this fact and focused his attention.

The First Young Master Bi, he was definitely a monster. Perhaps he was the same kind of person as Bi Ryu-yeon. Well, at least Bi seemed more grounded in reality… but both were equally unreadable.

‘Tsk, they’re too far away.’

He couldn’t make out their faces from this distance. The only useful information he could glean was that they were both men. But he would uncover their identities, one layer at a time.

‘Finally, I can sleep in a warm room!’

Dreaming of this simple pleasure, No-hak stealthily followed the two men, his body hidden in the shadows of the night.

‘Where are they going?’

They moved with great caution. They were clearly not foolish enough to make any noise. They stopped every twenty zhang to scan their surroundings, and they chose their hiding spots carefully. They were experienced. No-hak, who had always excelled in stealth and infiltration, could tell. These two were professionals.

‘Wait, they’re going this way?’

They continued onward, past the residential area, into the western forest. The forest was full of obstacles, and No-hak had to be extra careful not to make any sound. One wrong step could expose him.

What if he was discovered? He wasn’t reckless enough to fight against overwhelming odds. His mission was reconnaissance, not extermination. He was supposed to sneak in, observe, and sneak out. Nothing more.

If his opponents were hostile, there were two possible outcomes. One, if he was faster, he would survive. Two, if he was slower, he would never see the sun rise again. Fortunately, he was confident in his speed.

His heart pounded with anticipation.

‘Is this a new character?’

The two men weren’t the only ones who were up late. Another figure was waiting for them at their destination.

“Hidden Dragon, Do Not Use.”

“Rising Dragon After Rain.”

The three exchanged a brief, cryptic password, confirming their identities. The two men from Group 1 had donned masks after entering the western forest, so the third man had to verify their identities. He was also wearing a mask, and he was built like a bear. The two men from Group 1 were both tall and muscular, but this giant was at least two heads taller than them.

‘Was there someone this big in Hongmae Valley?’

No-hak had memorized the faces and names of all the participants in the Mount Hua Sword Conference. It was a basic requirement for his future role as an information gatherer for the Beggars’ Sect. But he couldn’t recall seeing this giant before.

‘Could he be… a caretaker?’

The caretakers were responsible for the management and security of the Mount Hua Sword Conference. They called themselves the “Law Enforcers.”

‘Could there be a connection inside? No, that’s impossible. They wouldn’t use someone with an uncertain background for such a sensitive role. And their contact with the outside world is limited…’

Most of the Law Enforcers were born and raised on Mount Hua. It was their home, their life. They dedicated their lives to a single purpose: the birth of a true martial artist.

‘But what if…?’

It could be dangerous.

‘Gulp! This could get messy…’

The forest was dark, the moonlight faint and useless. He had a bad feeling about this.

“Where’s the other one?”

The masked giant asked. The two men shrugged.

“That’s our question! He’s late. What happened?”

The taller of the two asked, his voice laced with annoyance. He was clearly impatient.

‘There’s another one?’

No-hak listened intently. The giant seemed annoyed by the taller man’s rudeness.

“I don’t know. You know the rules. We only know each other’s affiliations, not our true identities. We’re all equals here. So don’t try to order me around. I only obey the authority of the Blood Jade Plaque, not the whims of some young punk!”

“What?! You wanna fight?!”

The taller man was provoked. If the other man hadn’t intervened, they would have come to blows.

‘So they’re from three different organizations. Who are they? And what are they planning? Why?’

But No-hak’s thoughts were interrupted by a rustling sound in the bushes.

Whoosh!

The giant, with surprising agility for his size, threw five throwing knives into the darkness. He was clearly a very nimble bear.

“Who’s there?”

He asked, his voice deep and gruff. He had sensed someone’s presence. Their tension was palpable, even from twenty zhang away.

Rustle, rustle!

Another masked man emerged from the bushes. He seemed unconcerned by the tense atmosphere.

“That’s a rather aggressive welcome. I almost died.”

He said, his voice surprisingly effeminate for a man.

“I was aiming to kill.”

The giant said bluntly.

“I see. Well, here you go. You’ll need these for your next meal, won’t you? Be more careful next time. I really could have died.”

The “voice” handed something to the “bear.” It was the throwing knives. The giant’s frown suggested that he had caught all five of them. He trembled with frustration, but he didn’t roar.

“You’re late.”

The shorter of the two men said.

“I was detained. Work, you know. At this late hour. Don’t you think it’s a bit much? Overtime at this ungodly hour… They work us too hard. And they don’t even give us a raise.”

He complained. He seemed carefree. No-hak was willing to bet his entire fortune that the other three didn’t like him. His whining was getting on their nerves.

“It’s really unfair. Don’t you think? Who would attack at this hour? But they say we have to patrol at night for the safety of the disciples. As if anyone would target them.”

‘Except for you guys…’

“That Ice Popsicle guy is so cold-hearted. He works us like dogs.”

‘Ice Popsicle?!’

No-hak couldn’t ignore that nickname. He felt a chill run down his spine. There was only one person who could be called “Ice Popsicle.”

Ice Popsicle, night patrol, responsible position… It was obvious who he was referring to.

‘C-Could it be… one of us?!’

It was a disturbing thought. No-hak strained his ears, trying to identify him. The only thing he could tell was that he wasn’t Gwan Cheol-su, the Ice Sword, one of the fifty disciples from the Heavenly Academy. That was a small comfort. He was sleeping with the enemy!

‘Then who is he? One of the righteous sect disciples? Or a former black path member with a bad temper?’

Either way, it wasn’t good.

‘Oh no, this is getting dangerous!’

Knowing too much could be dangerous.

‘Well, it’s too late to back out now!’

The fourth man was unusually talkative for someone involved in this kind of business. He didn’t seem to care much about the importance of silence. No-hak decided to call him “Chatterbox.” He was a valuable source of information. He decided to call the giant “Bear,” and the two men he had been following “Big Guy” and “Small Guy,” based on their height.

Just as the other three were about to silence Chatterbox, he finally stopped talking. He had probably sensed the danger. They would have shut him up if he had said one more word.

“The Master wants to know. When will the dragon take flight?”

Small Guy asked.

“When the rain becomes a waterfall.”

Bear replied. It was a cryptic answer.

Why couldn’t they just explain their plan clearly? It would make his job so much easier. No-hak grumbled about their lack of consideration for spies.

“Is the rain falling smoothly?”

Small Guy asked.

“It will soon become a waterfall.”

“When?”

“About three weeks.”

“That’s too long. Can’t you speed it up? Why does it take so long to dig a hole?”

Big Guy complained.

“Don’t interfere!”

Small Guy snapped. Big Guy shut up. He might be bigger, but he clearly had less authority.

“Don’t rush me. It’s a delicate operation.”

“How are things on your end?”

Small Guy asked Chatterbox.

“We’ve acquired a useful tool. It’s a used one, but it’ll do.”

“A used one? You mean it failed before?”

Chatterbox nodded.

“But there’s nothing more useful than someone filled with hatred. Especially someone blinded by jealousy. I love people who let their emotions cloud their judgment.”

“You’re right.”

Small Guy agreed.

“Hurry things up. There haven’t been any unusual movements yet, but we have to maintain secrecy. It’s His Lordship’s will.”

The mention of “His Lordship” silenced Bear and Chatterbox. They were clearly afraid of him.

“As you command!”

They said in unison.

“Our next meeting will be…”

“Wait!”

Small Guy interrupted them.

“What is it?”

“I think we have a rat.”

He said, nodding towards Big Guy.

“Who’s there?!”

Big Guy whipped out a silver chain, sending it flying towards No-hak’s hiding spot.