麻豆工作室

 As Mok Riwon stepped onto the highest floor with Hwa-seo, he looked down the railing and observed.

 ‘Where are they?’

 The qi he felt was imbued with a vicious killing intent.

 It was quiet as a fish swimming beneath the lake, concealing itself in the waters, yet unmistakably targeting him.

 Mok Riwon sharpened and expanded his qi detection.

 At the very edge of his range, he discovered a man standing idly at the entrance of the Jade Flower Pavilion.

 ‘…Found him.’

 His face was hidden by a large bamboo hat, making his facial features indiscernible, but his robust physique and rough hands full of scars were clearly those of a martial artist.

 Furthermore, the intense killing intent and qi wave emanating from him showed his martial arts were not of an ordinary level.

 In that tense moment, the martial artist lifted his head.

  Startle–

 Mok Riwon’s fingertips were trembling.

 ‘…A more matured realm than mine.’

 Mok Riwon immediately knew.

That man was a martial artist at the late-stage Peak Realm.

 They exchanged glances.

As soon as the two acknowledged each other’s existence, the man turned around and left the Pavilion.

 When the man was gone, Mok Riwon felt the tension leave his body.

 Turning to look at Hwa-seo, he held back his surprise.

 “…Young Lady?”

 She fixed her gaze on the spot where that man had previously been, wearing an expression he had never seen from her before.

 Her eyes were trembling terribly.

 Her face had turned deathly pale.

 However, Mok Riwon was well aware.

That expression was fear.

* * *

 It didn’t take long for the chaos to subside.

 The guards of the courtesan house and the subordinates of Hwa-seo sprang into action, leaving no means to oppose them.

 Everything ended well.

 From one perspective at least, but Hwa-seok looked far from relaxed upon returning to the top floor.

 The reason was the martial artist she saw. She didn’t need to detect his qi or trace his killing intent, because she already knew that man.

 ‘…Pyosan.’

 A gloomy, pale complexion and wrinkles etched by the hardships of life.

 It was unmistakably the shadow of the clan she despised, which had haunted her since childhood.

  –Young Lady, it is time.

 It felt like all of her internal organs were being twisted as the voice from that painful time replayed in her mind.

 It was a phantom pain.

Even though she couldn’t feel the pain anymore and knew it was just a ghost from the past, Hwa-seo couldn’t help but tremble in agony.

 ‘I’ve been found…’

 She had finally come this far.

Those dreadful beings hadn’t missed even the smallest clue and ultimately tracked her down.

 ‘I failed.’

 It seemed like her long dream was finally coming to an end.

 But could this really be called the end?

 ‘It’s the start of an even more terrible nightmare.’

Now that they knew she had thoughts of escaping, they would be even more ruthless.

 They would leave nothing by her side and erase all that she possessed.

Hwa-seo bit her lips hard as she sensed the presence of those on the ceiling and at the front door.

 ‘…They, at least, must escape alive.’

 They were the ones who had abandoned their own names and reputations for her.

 If things kept going like this, all of them would be killed at the hands of Pyosan.

 ‘At least.’

 If she couldn’t escape, she had to prepare a way so they could live, at least.

 “Young Hero.”

 Mok Riwon, who had been silent the entire time, finally opened his mouth at her call.

 “Please speak.”

 “May I ask you just one favor?”

 “What is it?”

 “Please take my children somewhere safe. As for the reward, Hyang will ensure it is not disappointing, so I beg of you.”

 There were rustles here and there.

 Soon after, seven masked figures jumped from the ceiling and another from the front door, prostrating in front of Hwa-seo.

 “We cannot comply.”

 “It is an order, so follow it.”

 Hwa-seo did not look at them.

 She just closed her eyes, refusing any complaints.

 It was a nasty situation, but Sohyang and the masked figures had no choice but to follow her orders.

 Hwa-seo was generally lenient in all matters, but once she made up her mind, she rarely changed it.

 “Please, Young Hero.”

 She requested again.

Mok Riwon quietly looked at her and asked back.

 “What do you intend to do, Young Lady?”

 “I will go to them. By giving myself up, they will be satisfied, and these ones will be able keep their lives intact.”

 “Are you giving up? Without a fight?”

 Hwa-seo’s eyes widened.

 What the hell did he mean? She couldn’t understand what he was thinking and stared at him.

 The man before her eyes was looking at her with a calm expression.

 “Why must you give up, Young Lady? And why must they run away?”

 It was the same kind of naive question as always. Still, Hwa-seo found herself thinking that his expression was different from usual.

 And for good reason. He was neither smiling nor offering goodwill as he normally did.

 “Young Master?”

 “I know. The Young Lady is not a person who commits sins. No, rather, she is someone full of good karma. The smiles of those in this courtesan house prove it.”

 They were the same praises as before, yet the mood was different this time.

 It was to be expected.

Mok Riwon was not happy at all.

The reason was so obvious that even asking ‘why’ seemed pointless.

 “A good person does not kneel. It’s the opposite. It’s the villain who must kneel and beg for their life.”

 Because the current situation went against what he thought was right.

 Hwa-seo let out a hollow laugh.

Even at this moment, she found herself wanting to smack that mouth of his, which kept spewing rose-tinted words.

 In reality, she could have disregarded his opinion and simply given him money, telling him to pay off his debts.

 But Hwa-seo decided to argue.

 A rage she couldn’t understand herself had taken hold within her.

 It was because she found herself despising that overly suffocating, upright character.

 “Yes, you speak truly righteous words. But did you know? The world is not fair. To do as you wish, you need power. Just look at the current situation. You said there is a martial artist at the Peak Realm down there? Judging by your face, he seems to be stronger than you.”

 Mok Riwon did not refute.

 It was a silent affirmation.

 Holding back her fist tightly, Hwa-seo continued her sentence.

 “Even if the right way is as you say, what can you do? Are you capable of defeating that martial artist? Do you think the situation will improve if we resist and confront that martial artist? Look here. The martial arts world is not as beautiful as you may believe. If we try to confront them, all that awaits us in the end is a terrible defeat. It means that those who could live, will die.”

 Had she ever spoken this much in recent years?

 Swept up by her emotions, Hwa-seo spilled those words and ran out of breath.

 Why was she even saying so much? Hwa-seo still did not know.

 She herself could not understand what was causing such anger in her.

 …No, in fact, she might have already known.

 Hwa-seo frowned and let out a bitter laugh.

 ‘It seems I’ve grown attached already.’

 She might have been worried that this foolish person would chase after such romance and meet his demise. Perhaps she even thought, sure, it would be nice if he at least kept his head attached.

 ‘Have I become too deeply involved?’

 In the sudden hopelessness, Hwa-seo was thinking back on her regrets when Mok Riwon spoke.

 “I won’t know until I try.”

 “…What?”

 “I said, I won’t know until I try. Well, that’s not right.”

 Mok Riwon stood up from his seat, still calm, and stared into the air as if pondering for a moment. Then, he turned to Hwa-seo with a smile.

 “I don’t see myself losing.”

 She felt a sharp tension gripping the back of her head.

 Just as Hwa-seo was about to rise, driven by that unbearable anger, about to slap him, Mok Riwon continued.

 “Young Lady, you seem to have forgotten something.”

  Freeze–

 Hwa-seo’s body froze in place.

 What she saw was Mok Riwon, who, despite the situation they were in, wore a surprisingly reliable expression on his face.

 “A hero does not lose to a villain.That’s a line from the first chapter of Tales of the Martial Heroes, spoken by the Sword Hero.”

  Thump thump.

 After patting his chest and leaving those words behind, Mok Riwon walked towards the door.

 “I’ll be back.”

  Creak–

 The door closed.

* * *

 On the outskirts of Suyang County was an enormous courtyard house.

A signboard with the elegantly written name ‘Sun Society’ was hung on the gate, and within an inner building, two men were sitting down facing each other.

 One was a man with a submissive demeanor, his head lowered – he was the Leader of the Sun Society. The other was Pyosan, who had previously sought out Hwa-seo at the entrance of the Jade Flower Pavilion.

 “G-Great one, to have you step forward like this, I am at a loss for what to do…”

 “Save your bullshit. Just being in the same room with the likes of you from the Unorthodox Path is enough to make me feel humiliated.”

  Flinch–

 The Society Leader Kang Byeokwoon’s body shuddered at the Pyosan’s demeanor.

He was filled with displeasure.

 ‘Ungrateful asshole.’

 Despite offering assistance first, his words were so crude that it was difficult to regard him favorably.

However, Kang Byeokwoon was unable to express his displeasure because Pyosan’s strength was so great that even if all of the Sun Society members attacked him, they could not touch a single hair on his body.

 “I-I misspoke…!”

 Kang Byeokwoon lowered his head even further.

 He had to endure.

The Jade Flower Pavilion was the largest courtesan house in Suyang County.

 The benefits gained from swallowing them up were too significant to be jeopardized by mere emotions.

 Quietly, Kang Byeokwoon filled Pyosan’s cup with liquor.

 The thought that he had to appease him and get the job done somehow crossed his mind as he forced a smile.

  Slam–!

 “Brother! We have an intruder!”

 The vice-leader who was guarding the inner quarters, hastily opened the door and shouted.

 Kang Byeokwoon and Pyosan simultaneously turned towards him.

 “What? An intrusion? Who is it?”

 “W-We don’t know! The thing is…”

 The vice-leader’s complexion had turned deathly pale.

The expression on his face was as if he had seen a ghost.

 “…There was j-just one. One person.”

 It meant that there was only one intruder, and he was unable to stop them, so he rushed here.

 As Kang Byeokwoon was about to yell at him with a face full of anger, Pyosan rose from his seat.

 “It must be that person.”

 As though he seemed to know something, the Society Leader looked at Pyosan, but his gaze was ignored.

 “I have an idea of who it may be. I will return.”

 Leaving those words behind, he brushed past the vice-leader and headed towards the source of the chaos.

* * *

  Thud–!

 Mok Riwon struck down the approaching unorthodox fighters with his sword sheath as he went further in.

 The infiltration was carried out alone, but there was no one who could stop him.

 It was to be expected.

 A martial artist at the peak realm was undeniably classified as a superhuman.

 As such, for ordinary people who banded together to act as ruffians within the Unorthodox Path, there was nothing they could do about him.

 “Where is the leader?”

 Having finally knocked down the remaining members in the garden, Mok Riwon asked that question calmly to the one who had just fallen to the ground.

 At that moment.

 Swoosh–!

 Mok Riwon lifted his head, revealing a slight injury on his cheek where something had grazed him.

 Standing there was a middle-aged man wearing a bamboo hat with a gloomy demeanor, the peak realm martial artist he had seen at the entrance of the Jade Flower Pavilion.

 “So you’ve finally made it here. Or rather, I should thank you for saving me the trouble of seeking you out.”

 He said that with a leisurely tone.

 Mok Riwon’s expression darkened.

 The moment he saw him, his suspicions had turned into certainty.

 ‘…As I thought.’

 That man’s qi was far too pure.

  “I have something I want to ask you.”

 “Go ahead and ask. Considering the martial arts skills you’ve developed at such a young age, it’s only right for me as your senior to show you that much mercy.”

 Senior, huh?

 Mok Riwon mulled over that word, feeling his head begin to cool.

 “Senior… Senior you say?”

 “That’s right.”

 “I’ve been thinking about something all the way here.”

  Thud–

 Mok Riwon stepped forward, voicing the question that had emerged in his mind.

 “No matter how I think about it, something doesn’t make sense. Your qi is undeniably pure and righteous, yet why would someone like you assist the Unorthodox Path?”

 “That is a misunderstanding…”

 “There should be none. There must be none. Absolutely none.”

  Thud–

 Another step. Mok Riwon stepped forward.

 His face, calm until just moments ago, slowly began to show a trace of frostiness before it completely turned ice cold.

 “How dare you, tarnishing the name of the Orthodox Path that has been upheld by countless heroes. You have no right to speak.”

 It was almost a mumble.

And also akin to a self-hypnosis.

 Indeed.

What Mok Riwon was feeling right now while facing Pyosan was a rare emotion for him. Anger.

 “Committing acts fit for only villains, and trampling upon good people. You have forfeited any right to speak.”

 For Mok Riwon, the Orthodox Path was sacred.

 Even he, the one born under the Heaven-Slaying Star, needed to embody the righteousness that would make him a hero.

 Therefore, he could not forgive Pyosan.

 “I shall make it known.”

  Schwiiing–

 For the first time, Mok Riwon’s sword left its sheath.

 Above his sword was a black star.

 It was Sword Intent, the mark of a martial artist who had reached the Peak Realm.

 “Do not dare speak of being my senior with that vile mouth.”

 In that instant, Mok Riwon’s eyes flashed blood-red.

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