Bu Eunseol’s fingers tightened around the missive, his knuckles whitening.
It was a truth impossible to swallow.
Gong Clan Twin Demons were masters who had made a name for themselves in the Unorthodox Faction for over a decade. To think that such men were spies for the Martial Righteous Alliance?
“And if I refuse?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, the eyes of the masked man, which had been curved in a smile until now, turned icy.
“Are you saying you intend to reject a Code Jia mission?”
“Because it is a nuisance.”
At Bu Eunseol’s dismissive reply, the masked man spoke coldly, “A Code Jia mission is essentially an absolute command. To refuse it is to refuse the directive of the Demonic Palace itself.”
“Hmm.”
“Since you have worked as a member of the Nine Assassination Squad, you should know well… the consequences do not fall only upon you.”
Bu Eunseol narrowed his eyes.
Refusing a Code Jia mission would lead to punishment for insubordination. Of course, he did not fear being imprisoned in a dungeon. The problem was that Bu Eunseol was one of the Ten Demonic Successors of the Wolf Fang Pavilion.
If I refuse, the damage will extend to the Pavilion.
Furthermore, Dan Cheong had pulled strings to allow Bu Eunseol to enter the Nine Assassination Squad. If he were to refuse a direct order from the Demonic Palace and commit insubordination? The repercussions would undoubtedly reach the Wolf Fang Pavilion, and by extension, Dan Cheong.
“Do you intend to refuse?”
The masked man’s voice was playful, yet there was an undercurrent of suspicion dissolved within it.
In that instant, a strange thought grazed Bu Eunseol’s mind.
Is the Demonic Palace suspecting me?
The Demonic Palace possessed countless masters. Even if Gong Clan Twin Demons were spies for the Orthodox Faction, there were masters everywhere capable of handling them. Yet, to issue a Code Jia order designating him specifically?
It could not be explained unless he was under suspicion.
“I suppose I have no choice.”
When Bu Eunseol accepted the letter calmly, the masked man’s eyes curved into crescent moons once more.
“A wise decision.”
The next day.
Bu Eunseol rose early in the morning and dressed in travel gear.
Dealing with Gong Clan Twin Demons required caution. They were not only strong in martial arts but were also the leaders of the Yueyang Branch.
What if someone was using high-level intelligence to sow discord? What if the masked man was not from the Demonic Palace, but rather a spy for the Martial Righteous Alliance?
It is unlikely, but…
The specific emblem of the Nine Assassination Squad was difficult to forge. The seal used special ink manufactured directly within the Demonic Palace.
I must verify it properly.
Unleashing his movement technique like a gale, Bu Eunseol headed for Guilin.
That was the place where Gong Clan Twin Demons had reportedly beaten a Demonic Palace spy to death. If that were true, the Guilin Branch of the Nine Assassination Squad would surely hold the records and the truth of that day.
Running day and night without rest, Bu Eunseol finally arrived in Guilin.
I must find the Branch Manager.
Thanks to Sang Ryang’s suggestion, Bu Eunseol had been given free access to the Yueyang Branch’s intelligence. He knew better than anyone how the branches processed and stored information.
The Guilin Branch of the Nine Assassination Squad.
This was a region where the intelligence organizations of the Orthodox Faction held more sway than the Unorthodox. Consequently, the Demonic Palace’s intelligence network was forced to operate in deeper secrecy here.
A shabby back alley, slightly removed from the provincial capital. The dilapidated manor located here was the cover for the Guilin Branch.
Swish.
Bu Eunseol, executing the Shadowless Supreme Speed, infiltrated the manor with ghost-like movements.
Since it was disguised as an ordinary manor, quite a few people were moving busily inside. However, not a single one noticed Bu Eunseol’s presence.
There is a secret chamber here as well.
Entering a pavilion marked ‘House of Benevolent Echoes’, his eyes flashed as he saw the bookshelves stacked high with volumes.
Creak, rumble.
When he moved the books on the shelf in a chaotic, specific pattern, a secret passage revealed itself with the grinding sound of metal.
“Is that you, Gi-hyeon?”
As he emerged from the secret passage lit by oil lamps, a low male voice called out.
Stepping inside, he saw a fleshy middle-aged man drinking tea at a table piled with letters. He was the Branch Manager of the Guilin Branch, Jin Dong.
“Who are you?”
Seeing a young man he had never seen before glaring at him, Jin Dong quickly tried to press a mechanism under the table.
“Pressing it is useless.”
Thud.
Bu Eunseol dropped a long piece of metal onto the table.
“I destroyed every alarm mechanism on my way in.”
Jin Dong, silent for a moment, narrowed his eyes.
“What do you want?”
“Everything. All information regarding Gong Clan Twin Demons from four years ago in Guilin.”
“Gong Clan Twin Demons?”
Jin Dong looked at Bu Eunseol with a puzzled expression.
“Why are you after useless information?”
“Just bring it out. I do not intend to harm this branch.”
Tap, tap, tap.
Bu Eunseol tapped the floor lightly a few times. It was a signal used to reveal oneself as a member of the Nine Assassination Squad under unavoidable circumstances.
“Which branch are you from?”
“You don’t need to know. I have no time, so just give me the information.”
“Why should I provide information to you?”
Since members of the Nine Assassination Squad always had to hide their identities, there was no interaction between members, let alone between branches. In short, they were not required to follow orders other than those coming directly from the Demonic Palace.
“You will have to provide it.”
Bu Eunseol drew his long sword like lightning and sheathed it again.
Clack.
The moment he let go of the sword, the teacup placed in front of Jin Dong split into eight pieces.
“Because if you refuse, your head will be split into eight pieces just like that.”
“The Nine Assassination Squad may be reckless, but you would kill the Branch Manager of another branch?”
Jin Dong smirked and spoke calmly.
“Do you think you and your sect will be safe if this is formally reported to the Demonic Palace?”
No matter how solitary the missions of the Nine Assassination Squad members were, they were not without a system. If one killed a fellow member of the Unorthodox Faction or disrupted the hierarchy, powerful sanctions could be imposed not only on the individual member but also on their affiliated sect.
Knowing this fact well, Jin Dong spoke with a relaxed voice.
“I don’t know which ruffian sect you come from, but if you back down now…”
“I am Bu Eunseol of the Wolf Fang Pavilion.”
“Wold… Wolf Fang Pavilion?”
Bloodlust flashed in the eyes of Bu Eunseol as he looked down at Jin Dong.
“Even if I kill a few small fry like you, I won’t receive any punishment. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Wait, if you are Bu Eunseol… the Ten Demonic Successor?”
The relaxed smile that had hung on Jin Dong’s face hardened in an instant.
He was also a leader of an intelligence organization. He had already obtained information that Bu Eunseol was the most promising rookie among the Ten Demonic Successors and that even the Council of Elders was eyeing him.
To put it bluntly, killing one Branch Manager in Guilin would not result in his punishment.
“Even if you are a successor of the Ten Great Sects… the information handled by the Nine Assassination Squad can only be acquired by Squad members.”
“You aren’t very bright. Have you forgotten I proved I was a member earlier?”
Bu Eunseol spoke in a cold voice.
“I am Number Eighteen of the Yueyang Branch.”
In that instant, Jin Dong’s jaw dropped.
The legendary agent who had appeared like a comet in the Yueyang Branch over the past year, completing impossible missions. Tales of Number Eighteen’s exploits were spreading ceaselessly through the intelligence network.
To think that Number Eighteen was none other than Bu Eunseol…
“You are Number Eighteen…”
When Jin Dong only opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish, Bu Eunseol stepped forward.
“Though it is cumbersome, I suppose I’ll just have to kill you and take it.”
Bu Eunseol drew his sword without hesitation.
As a chilling sharpness spread through the secret chamber, Jin Dong felt the illusion that his neck was freezing over.
“W-Wait! I was just dazed for a moment because I was so surprised!”
Wiping away cold sweat, Jin Dong hurriedly stood up and pointed to a section of the bookshelf.
“I will find it right away. Please wait a moment.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol gave a low snort and sheathed his sword, causing the oppressive aura tightening around them to vanish.
Jin Dong unconsciously touched his neck and spoke, “All information stored in the branch is written in secret code, so…”
“I know. You just need to guide me to the archives.”
Bu Eunseol had already become an expert in handling information. He had mastered both the method of classifying high-purity intelligence entering the Yueyang Branch and the method of deciphering the secret codes used by the Demonic Palace. It was to the extent that he could join the Wind and Cloud Squad of the Wolf Fang Pavilion immediately without issue.
“You may check here.”
Jin Dong opened the door to the archives and pointed to a bookshelf.
Bu Eunseol began to rapidly read through the booklets piled there.
“This is…”
As he thoroughly scoured the information exchanged at that time, his eyes widened.
He had finally confirmed the truth with his own eyes.
—”All sects of the Orthodox and Demonic paths train spies professionally. Needless to say for coalitions like the Demonic Palace and the Martial Righteous Alliance.”
Suddenly, the words Dan Cheong had said before he entered the Nine Assassination Squad hovered in his ears.
—If it is a fight between individuals, victory depends on who can deploy their sword faster. But a fight between sects or powers depends on who operates a superior intelligence organization.
“Was that it?”
Bu Eunseol closed the book and shook his head.
The Martial Righteous Alliance and the Demonic Palace were still… in the middle of a silent war.
***
Returning from Guilin, Bu Eunseol took a day of rest in his hideout.
As evening approached, he bought three jars of premium Yellow Wine and roasted chicken topped generously with ginger from the Mirror Pavilion. Then, he had a waiter deliver a letter to the Teaching Mystery Old Bookstore.
—Tonight, let us share a drink in the bamboo forest near the West Gate.
Before long, twilight was falling.
In the bamboo forest stretching outside the West Gate, there stood a small pavilion. It was a place built in the past by heavy drinkers to enjoy liquor while gazing at the scenery. However, as good taverns and breweries sprang up like bamboo shoots after rain in the vicinity, no one sought this place anymore.
Splash.
Sitting in the old pavilion, Sang Ryang and Ma Woon were continuously scooping up generous amounts of Yellow Wine with large bowls.
Gulp, gulp.
As the Yellow Wine slid down their throats, a potent yet fragrant scent settled in their stomachs.
“Kaah. Truly excellent.”
With a swish, bamboo leaves scattered in the wind.
Sang Ryang, looking up at the bright moon hanging between the bamboo stalks, muttered.
“Anyway, live long enough and you see everything.” Taking a sip from his cup, he looked at Bu Eunseol and spoke, “To think the Young Master would request a drink first like this.”
“Indeed.”
Ma Woon, sitting next to him, grinned broadly.
“I never imagined in my life that I would be treated to liquor by the Young Master.”
“……”
As always, Bu Eunseol merely drank his wine silently instead of answering.
“Do you know?”
At that moment, Ma Woon smiled and addressed Bu Eunseol.
“Big Brother and I often copy the way you drink, Young Master.”
Bu Eunseol’s way of drinking was always consistent. He did not gulp down strong liquor in one go, but drank it little by little, like tea. Very consistently.
It seemed like he drank slowly, yet he drank without resting. Because of this, he tended to drink a much larger amount of alcohol than those who emptied their cups in one shot.
“That’s true. At first, it seemed like a lackluster method… but seeing it constantly, we ended up copying it.”
At Sang Ryang’s low mutter, Ma Woon smiled brightly.
“They say when you like someone, you even follow their habits, don’t they?”
But Bu Eunseol still said nothing, only drinking his wine.
Before even a single shichen (two hours) had passed, all three jars of wine were emptied clean.
“Have I ever drunk this refreshingly in my life?”
When Sang Ryang let out an exclamation, Ma Woon nodded.
“I agree.”
A brief silence flowed through the bamboo forest.
Sang Ryang, wearing a dry smile, looked at Bu Eunseol and nodded.
“Now, we have finished the wine, so if you have something to say, say it.”
The two men already knew.
They knew that Bu Eunseol had arranged this gathering today to bring up a difficult topic.
“Does it seem like I have something to say?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Sang Ryang smirked, “Has it not been nearly a year since we’ve known you?”
Usually, Sang Ryang used polite honorifics with Bu Eunseol. But now, for some reason, he was lowering his speech comfortably, like an elder.
“A year is by no means a short time.”
“Then you must know well that I do not talk much.”
“Right. You are taciturn. But you do not usually drink alcohol as fast as you did today.”
Sang Ryang spoke calmly.
“When anyone intends to say words they do not wish to say, they tend to borrow the courage of alcohol.”
“Is that so. I did not know.”
“If you have something to say, say it.”
“Fine.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with eyes that were incomparably low and gloomy.
“Are you truly spies for the Orthodox Faction?”