It had been a fierce battle, enough for corpses to form a mountain and blood to flow like a river, yet most of the Hengshan Sword Sect’s buildings had maintained their form, perfectly intact. Just like this very hall.

I leaned back into the chair as if collapsing.

“Ugh, I’m dead.”

Fatigue always follows a great battle like the one we just had. While physical exhaustion could be recovered with a level-up, there was nothing I could do about mental fatigue. It was much worse after having walked the threshold of death as I had today.

That was really dangerous.

Jo Pil, the Grand Elder, Pung-yang. I’ve never had a good experience getting involved with bastards called Peak Realm masters. There have been more than one or two times when I thought it would be nice to have about five lives.

“You worked hard, Squad Leader.”

“Right.”

“My, your shoulders are terribly tense.”

Hyeok Mujin approached with a fawning attitude and began to massage my shoulders. Wol-hwa and Hyeok Mujin, who had been guarding Cheol Mu-baek outside, joined the survivor search operation after things had mostly wrapped up.

“If I had been here, that Pung-yang bastard would have been, you know, just completely, you know?”

“Of course, I know. That you would have been completely and utterly dead.”

“What, you punk. Rub a little harder.”

Hyeok Mujin grumbled but put more strength into his hands, kneading my shoulders firmly.

“Jin Mu-gyeong, I mean, my second brother?”

“He has already been moved to a separate location. The physicians say there’s no need to worry. The other injured are also recovering quickly.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

“Don’t you think they might be quacks? I heard that not only the Second Young Master, but also Great Hero Cheol Mu-baek suffered quite a severe internal injury.”

“They’re people sent from the Hao Sect. Let’s trust their skills.”

Actually, what I trusted wasn’t the physicians but the efficacy of the items. If it weren’t for the [Excellent Wound Medicine], which was said to heal most injuries within a few days, and the [Ten-Year-Old He Shou Wu], which had an outstanding effect on healing internal injuries, several of them would have already crossed the Jordan River.

I’ve administered the bare minimum of first aid, so the physicians will take care of the rest.

The Hao Sect, no, Wol-hwa, had moved swiftly without us even knowing. A few days ago, when she sent her subordinate back from the shrine, she had apparently issued a summons to the nearby branches. The Hao Sect’s reinforcements, which arrived half a day after all the fighting was over, immediately began the cleanup process.

While everyone was looking forward, she was thinking about what comes after.

The Hao Sect’s reinforcements were organized not for battle, but for relief. To think she had brought not only physicians but also cooks and laborers, her foresight and preparedness were astounding.

She’s no ordinary person.

The Hao Sect was an intelligence organization that existed everywhere under the heavens, and at the same time, a martial arts sect. Wol-hwa, who held the position of branch manager at the young age of her mid-to-late twenties in a sect of that scale, was certainly no ordinary person either.

Come to think of it, the name Wol-hwa is also an alias.

Wol-hwa’s real name, which I had identified with my Perception, was Eun Sowol. As for the reason she was hiding her name from us, well, I figured it was something similar to a code name in a spy movie. What was certain was that making an enemy of a woman of such skill would be tiring.

Not too close, but keeping a moderate distance. Yes, that’s just about right.

Fortunately, it wasn’t a very difficult task. From the beginning, Wol-hwa had shown an unexplainable favor and curiosity towards me. Whether that was a pure emotion or the curiosity of a veteran information broker, I would have to wait and see.

“Mujin.”

“Should I rub harder?”

“No, not that. What do you think of Lady Wol-hwa?”

“She’s pretty.”

“And?”

Hyeok Mujin, who had been thinking for a moment, replied.

“She’s very pretty.”

“…Massage my forearm instead of my shoulder.”

I was an idiot to ask that guy anything.

Just as Hyeok Mujin was about to retort with a hurt expression, the light sound of footsteps slowly approached and then stopped in front of the door.

Wol-hwa?

No. The presence I felt from outside the door was incomparably smaller and weaker than Wol-hwa’s. After a moment of silence, the unexpected visitor opened her mouth.

“Young Master Jin, may I come in?”

A clear and distinct voice. It was Lee Sowol.

As Hyeok Mujin left the hall, I was left alone with Lee Sowol. I looked out the window at the sky that was gradually growing dark and let out an unnecessary cough.

“Ehem. Ehem.”

Being face to face with a woman, and a breathtakingly beautiful one at that, at this hour, was a trial in itself. Moreover, wasn’t she the head of the Hengshan Sword Sect, with whom I had been fighting like a mortal enemy until just a short while ago? They say you should put new wine in new bottles, but she was the one and only daughter of Lee Cheon-baek, who had tried to destroy the Taiyuan Jin Family, and we were connected by a scandal.

What on earth am I supposed to say?

‘My deepest condolences for your loss’? No, that would make the atmosphere too heavy. She was a woman who had not only lost her family recently but had also lost most of her subordinates in the battle with Pung-yang. After much thought, I opened my mouth.

“Have you eaten?”

“I know you’ve been through a difficult time, but at times like these, you need to have a full stomach…”

“I’m sorry.”

Fuck, I should have just kept my mouth shut.

Just as I was regretting it deep in my heart, Lee Sowol rose from her seat and bowed to me.

“Lee Sowol of the Hengshan Sword Sect pays her respects to her benefactor.”

It happened before I had a chance to stop her. Flustered, I hastily helped her up. Benefactor. It was true, but it felt awkward.

“Aigoo, why are you doing this? What do you mean, benefactor…”

“No. It is only right for a person to know how to be grateful for the grace they have received. Please, benefactor, do not make me feel ashamed.”

Her tone was so resolute that I couldn’t stop her any further.

It’s not like she’s wrong.

If it weren’t for me and Jin Mu-gyeong, the Hengshan Sword Sect would have closed its doors for good today. A deep bow wasn’t enough; they should be erecting statues of us. Designating today’s date as ‘The Day the Hidden Dragon of Shanxi Descended’ and making it a public holiday for the Hengshan Sword Sect every year… that might be going too far, but anyway.

“Now, please calm down and take a seat.”

“I will follow my benefactor’s words.”

“Could you perhaps not call me benefactor?”

“Yes, benefactor.”

This is driving me crazy.

Only after Lee Sowol, who had answered with a calm face, sat down was I able to hear the reason she had come to see me.

“I came to give you the answer to your letter.”

“Letter? Ah.”

She was talking about the invitation. The summons, disguised as a polite invitation to have a meal at the Taiyuan Jin Family on the upcoming New Year’s Day. Now that the Jin Family held sway over the martial world of Shanxi, it was as clear as day that the future would not be bright for any sect that did not respond to the invitation. That was no exception for the Hengshan Sword Sect, which had barely escaped annihilation.

“So, what is your answer?”

“We will gladly accept your esteemed sect’s proposal.”

It was an answer I had fully expected. However, Lee Sowol did not stop there and continued.

“Furthermore, as an apology for past events, our sect will transfer all the rights it holds to the Taiyuan Jin Family.”

“Rights?”

“Yes. All rights concerning the territory our sect occupies.”

That meant she intended to hand over the entire northern part of Shanxi to the Taiyuan Jin Family…

To this extent?

It was already a foregone conclusion that the Hengshan Sword Sect had bowed its head to the Jin Family. In that process, Jin Wi-gyeong would demand a considerable amount in the name of compensation, but even so, he wouldn’t be able to swallow them whole completely. Wol-hwa had said something similar in our last conversation.

But she’s serving it up on a platter.

She kept calling me benefactor, so it seems it wasn’t just empty words. Yes. Gratitude should not end with just words. Hmm.

“Thank you. My older brother will be very pleased.”

“In addition to that.”

What, it’s not over yet?

What Lee Sowol took out from her robes and offered to me were three books. I slowly read the titles written on the covers.

“Blood Wolf Sword Arts, Blood Wolf Footwork. And.”

“Asura-Annihilating Fist[1]. The sword arts and footwork are martial arts my father personally created, and the Asura-Annihilating Fist is Uncle Cheol’s secret ultimate technique. They are all outstanding Peak Realm martial arts.”

“Peak Realm martial arts…”

My mouth went dry. One of the things I had painfully learned in the martial world was the importance of martial arts. Even for me, who was barely managing to cover that deficiency using the system, what more needed to be said for other ordinary martial artists? For a martial artist, an excellent Peak Realm martial art was a priceless treasure[2].

More than the rights to the northern part of Shanxi.

If the rights the Hengshan Sword Sect possessed were the branches of a tree, the three manuals before my eyes now were the roots. Lee Sowol was now placing her father’s legacy and the most valuable things the Hengshan Sword Sect possessed on the scales.

“Is this also a gift?”

“No, this is a trade.”

I knew it. I knew it.

A trade. Jin Wi-gyeong would accept that trade, no matter what it took. A whopping three Peak Realm martial arts were on the line.

What on earth is she going to demand?

Wealth? A guarantee of safety? Or something else? Currently, Lee Sowol, no, the Hengshan Sword Sect, was in a situation that was beyond desperate and into despair. No matter how cheaply she offered the martial arts, the demand would surely be difficult as well. I subtly backed out.

“I am curious as to what the trade might be… but as you may know, I do not have that kind of authority.”

Lee Sowol stared at me silently with her lake-clear eyes.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I don’t have any particular position. I think it would be right for you to discuss it separately with my older brother later.”

“My thoughts are different from yours, benefactor.”

“Pardon?”

“It is a trade that you are more than capable of deciding, benefactor. Although, of course, many discussions will have to be had.”

“A trade worthy of three Peak Realm martial arts… Then what must our side give?”

“A person.”

“A person?”

In that moment, a smile graced Lee Sowol’s lips. It was the second time I had seen her smile, and this time, it was certainly not a trick of my eyes.

“Please marry me.”

“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

Hyeok Mujin, who had been loitering in the front yard of the hall, turned around at the sound of a woman’s voice from behind him. A beauty, whose sight alone made a corner of his heart tingle, was coming down the hall stairs.

Hah… What a beauty.

Although she was dozens of steps away, it felt as if the scent of flowers was mixed in the cold winter wind.

Our Squad Leader sure is lucky. He had a handsome face, was the young master of the Taiyuan Jin Family, the undisputed number one family in Shanxi, and his martial arts were outstanding. When he was with Wol-hwa, the term “a handsome couple” fit them perfectly. And now, the Sect Leader of the Hengshan Sword Sect was added to the mix.

Hyeok Mujin let out a deep sigh as he watched Lee Sowol’s back disappear into the distance.

It was short, but I loved you, my lady.

When Hyeok Mujin returned to the hall, he found Jin Tae-kyung, who was half dazed.

“Squad Leader, what’s wrong?”

“Squad Leader. Snap out of it!”

As he grabbed his shoulders and shook him, the unfocused eyes finally became clear. Hyeok Mujin asked with a worried face.

“Did something happen? Why are you suddenly like this?”

Gulp. Jin Tae-kyung, who had swallowed hard, barely managed to open his mouth.

“Mujin.”

“Do you know how old Lee Sowol is?”

“What do you mean, Lee Sowol? You should call her Sect Leader or Lady.”

“Answer me before you’re called ‘the late Hyeok Mujin.’”

“…How old was she? I think she was around marriageable age.”

Hyeok Mujin, who had been thinking for a moment, smacked his forehead.

“Ah, I remember.”

“H-How old?”

“Seventeen.”

Jin Tae-kyung’s mouth fell open.

“Fuck, she was a school luncher[3]?”