Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Rewinding time briefly, a quiet inn on the outskirts of Sangsan.

Kkiik!

“We’ve completely shaken them off. At least there’s no sign of pursuit.”

“That’s fortunate.”

At the sight of Seomun Cheok opening the door and entering, Seonwoo Gang let out a sigh of relief and pressed down on his aching shoulder before stretching his neck long.

“Really terrible. It’s an experience I never want to go through again.”

Several days ago.

Seonwoo Gang and Seomun Cheok, who encountered Moyong Hyeyeon, succeeded in escaping from that location through quick thinking. Actually, up to that point, it wasn’t that difficult.

Moyong Hyeyeon, who hadn’t expected them to flee the moment they first met, easily lost track of them, and Seonwoo Gang and Seomun Cheok succeeded in escaping that first encounter relatively smoothly. However, that was exactly where their good fortune ended.

From then on, it was the beginning of a nightmare.

“……I don’t know how she keeps finding and chasing us.”

In the mountains, in the fields, by the river, in the city, at taverns, and even in the barn where they hid.

Moyong Hyeyeon somehow tracked their location and attacked, and Seomun Cheok and Seonwoo Gang had to keep their senses sharp day and night in preparation for those attacks. The attacks they received in a week exceeded thirty times—need I say more?

It was a series of ordeals. However, the test wasn’t over yet. Seonwoo Gang, who sighed deeply, buried himself in a chair looking tired and pressed his brow firmly.

“What should we do?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the path to enter the Murim Alliance. She’s definitely waiting there.”

A reasonable person couldn’t imagine someone would attack on the road leading to the Murim Alliance, but the Moyong Hyeyeon they’d experienced this past week was someone who didn’t care about common sense, to the point she could be called a miniature version of Baek Riyun. Moreover, isn’t Changcheondae, which Moyong Hyeyeon belongs to, an eccentric group called the Murim Alliance’s heretics?

To avoid the entrance and get in, they’d have to use any means necessary.

Having thought that far, Seonwoo Gang tapped his fingers on the table.

“What about mixing in with a merchant group’s procession?”

“It’ll be difficult. Not only is it hard to prove our identity as Muryeongwando to the merchant group, but even if we prove it, it won’t be easy to persuade them. I don’t think there are many people who’d want to create trouble unnecessarily.”

“A frontal breakthrough is…….”

“Are you confident?”

“……No.”

“Then there’s no need to discuss it.”

Seeing Seomun Cheok cut him off flatly, Seonwoo Gang sighed deeply and glanced out the window, then suddenly his eyes gleamed with interest.

“What’s that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Near the Murim Alliance’s main gate, doesn’t it seem noisy?”

“Ah, that.”

At Seonwoo Gang’s words, Seomun Cheok also looked out the window and nodded.

“They said the Sado Alliance Leader’s procession would arrive at the Murim Alliance soon. They’re probably planning to open the main gate for the first time in a while. Those are people gathered to watch.”

“The main gate?”

Seonwoo Gang, slightly surprised, questioned while turning his gaze toward the distant Murim Alliance visible through the window. The Murim Alliance’s gate wasn’t something that opened so easily.

The Murim Alliance’s main gate doesn’t open easily for anyone. No one except the Murim Alliance Leader can authorize opening the main gate. For a specific example, the most recent time the Murim Alliance opened, it declared all-out war with the Sado Alliance. Then what about now?

They’re opening the Murim Alliance’s main gate to welcome the Sado Alliance Leader. They’re opening the Alliance’s gate now—the gate whose opening is said to change Murim’s landscape. That means this event is important to the Murim Alliance.

Yes.

‘It’s important to the Murim Alliance.’ Then…….

What about for them?

“……Seomun Cheok, what do you think?”

“What about?”

“Changcheondae may be called heretics repeatedly, but they’re still a Murim Alliance military corps. But would we lose anything from being in the Alliance elders’ bad books?”

“……You, are you in your right mind?”

“No, really.”

Whatever training they received, we can’t beat them anyway. Seonwoo Gang and Seomun Cheok both knew how much effort they’d put in. Though they’re competitors, they’ll also become colleagues, so they held some sympathy inwardly.

However, the world is never fair, and talent and environment are not equal. It’s a clear fact that the current Mujeongwando are far superior to the Muryeongwando.

That’s why it’s irritating. Right now they’re essentially cheering for a person stepping on ants.

“When does it arrive?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Perfect. First let’s find out if the Mujeongwan kids are also participating in the event. And if they are…….”

“If they are?”

“We’ll need an excuse too, won’t we?”

At Seonwoo Gang’s mischievous smile, Seomun Cheok frowned heavily.

“We rush into the event the moment the Sado Alliance Leader’s procession enters the Murim Alliance.”

My heart pounds.

It feels like my shoulders will be crushed by the pressure. If gazes could kill, would it feel like this?

As expected. Beyond the gate, the visible Changcheondaeju Moyong Hyeyeon couldn’t stop them. The other Changcheondae members naturally couldn’t enter here either.

If there was something slightly beyond expectations, well…….

Unlike the plan to enter quietly, all the teams had the same idea as them.

“Muryeongwan training team leader Seonwoo Gang and sixteen Muryeongwando have returned from training as of this moment.”

Having finished speaking, Seonwoo Gang completed his report while trying to hide his rough breathing. And at that sight, the Murim Alliance officials couldn’t hide their awkward expressions.

Seonwoo Gang, who had been watching that appearance for a moment, turned his head and quietly swallowed. Because.

There was a familiar face right before his eyes.

‘……Why, here.’

Hyeolgeommunju Daesageom. His own master.

A chilling sensation brushed past the back of his neck. The stuffiness that pressed on his chest was something he’d felt many times before. However, he couldn’t escape the current situation. In the first place, it wasn’t as if someone was pressuring him.

The other party hadn’t done anything to him. They were just looking. They don’t even know he abandoned Hyeolgeommun’s martial arts. So the reason he feels pressure isn’t because Daesageom did something.

Simply because he himself feels guilty.

Nothing more, nothing less.

“……Heo.”

Guyang Jeok, who had been watching the neatly formed Muryeongwando, let out a faint hollow laugh and examined the Muryeongwando. A cold gaze instantly sweeping over the Muryeongwando.

‘Reprimanding them here would be the worst move.’

He doesn’t know what the situation is, but the event was interrupted when the Muryeongwando rushed in. Reprimanding the Muryeongwando here would be the same as proclaiming that the Murim Alliance can’t control the Muryeongwando.

‘I’ll have to package it as the Murim Alliance’s intention.’

It’s a troublesome situation, but fortunately, the Muryeongwando’s seats were left vacant, so it can somehow be covered up.

Having finished his judgment, Guyang Jeok shook his head lightly. And the moment he was about to open his mouth to say something.

“Interesting.”

The Sado Alliance Leader spoke in a leisurely voice.

“Extremely interesting. Is this part of the event the Murim Alliance prepared?”

“Honestly, I was a bit bored. I’ve never liked places full of formalities like this. Huhu. It was a good change of pace! I’m grateful for the consideration, Military Advisor Guyang.”

“……How could there be any room for disagreement?”

At the Sado Alliance Leader winking one eye while speaking, Guyang Jeok, who inwardly clicked his tongue, quietly bowed his head and answered.

“Since the Alliance Leader seems to look so favorably upon our Alliance’s Muryeongwando, we arranged a slightly more spectacular entrance. We don’t know who will be the protagonist, but this is a place to welcome the Alliance Leader.”

“I see. I’m delighted that the Alliance understands this Alliance Leader’s mood so well. However.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who paused briefly, smiled faintly and continued.

“Even if there were very small, minor mistakes in the process, I hope you won’t blame the trainees. I very much…… liked this situation.”

“……We’ll do that.”

Guyang Jeok, with a slightly displeased expression, frowned and turned his gaze toward the Muryeongwando, clicked his tongue briefly, then turned away. Now completely having lost interest.

‘We got through it somehow.’

At that sight, Seonwoo Gang, who had been stiffening his face, suddenly turned his head at a gaze he felt. And.

When Seonwoo Gang’s gaze met the Sado Alliance Leader’s, who was silently watching him.

“Come to think of it, I had something to ask. May I?”

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s voice suddenly speaking to him, Seonwoo Gang’s body stiffened.

“……That’s fine.”

“Then just one thing.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, wearing a faint smile, briefly swept his gaze over the stiffly standing Muryeongwando, then made a mischievous expression and looked at Mujeongwan again. And the question that immediately followed.

“Are you confident you can win?”

“This Alliance Leader…… no, ‘I’ placed my bet on you all in this competition. Can you prove that my judgment wasn’t wrong?”

“……That is.”

Seonwoo Gang, who paused briefly, remained silent.

It’s not a strange question. As the Sado Alliance Leader said, didn’t the Alliance Leader himself place his bet on Muryeongwan?

If one bets money on a martial competition, it’s not rude to ask the participating martial artist about their aspirations. However, it’s also not easy to answer comfortably here.

We’ll do our best.

That’s what he should answer.

“We’ll do our best…….”

As Seonwoo Gang was about to voice that conventional answer, in the corner of his vision, a familiar face suddenly came to mind.

—What do you all want to do?

—I’m not asking the Murim Alliance. I’m asking you all. What do you want to do?

Seeing Baek Riyun staring intently at him from beyond the gate, Seonwoo Gang sighed deeply and shook his head. What do we want to do?

Isn’t it obvious we want to win?

He considered the gains and losses. He knows that anything he says here could turn into a loss for them. But once something is decided, it doesn’t change.

“Haha, the Alliance Leader is asking a mischievous question. About this matter, later…….”

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s question, Guyang Jeok, who had made an awkward expression, took a step forward to restrain the Sado Alliance Leader. He probably intended to cut off the difficult question to make it easier for the Muryeongwando to respond.

“We will win.”

But there’s no need for that. Because.

Muryeongwan had already finished all their preparations.

“……Hmm.”

At Seonwoo Gang’s assertion, the Sado Alliance Leader, with a slightly surprised expression, tilted his head, then smiled faintly and asked again.

“Do you know what you’re saying? If you all win, it means I win the bet.”

“Yes. I know.”

“And you’ll still win?”

“Yes.”

“Even bearing the disadvantages the Murim Alliance will give you?”

Seeing the Sado Alliance Leader keep asking mischievous questions, Seonwoo Gang quietly remained silent. And.

Around the time everyone’s attention had gathered and then started to fade.

“There will be no disadvantages to bear.”

Seonwoo Gang asserted with a stern expression.

“Because the joy of victory will belong solely to us, Muryeongwan.”