Luoyang. The City that Never Sleeps.

Beyond the wide windows, the dazzling night view of Luoyang sprawled like a sea of stars.

A middle-aged man, gazing at the scene with indifferent eyes, suddenly sighed.

“…I do not know if this is right.”

He was Tang Gwi-ho, the Deputy Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan and Leader of the Shadow Corps, the intelligence unit reporting directly to the Patriarch.

“Do you think it was a wise decision to hand over our Sichuan Tang Clan’s confidential equipment to the Luoyang Sword Clan?”

His gaze shifted to the young woman sitting opposite him, but the answer came abruptly from the boy seated beside her.

“You should speak precisely, Deputy Head Tang Gwi-ho.”

“…”

“You did not hand over the Tang Clan’s confidential equipment to the Luoyang Sword Clan. You provided support to my proud Eldest Brother!”

The boy who addressed Grand Young Master Yeon So-hyeon as ‘Eldest Brother’ was none other than the Sword Clan’s Fourth Young Master, Yeon Bi.

“Furthermore!”

Yeon Bi slapped the table with a heavy thud, continuing with a brazen expression.

“This series of support will be an excellent opportunity to show the outside world just how solid and firm the alliance between Eldest Brother and the Sichuan Tang Clan truly is!”

“But the concern about the leakage of confidential technology through reverse engineering—”

“Then!”

As Deputy Head Tang Gwi-ho attempted to interject, Yeon Bi cut him off instantly.

“Surely there is not even a one in a thousand chance of such a thing happening! But if! If by any chance!” Yeon Bi shouted, emphasizing the conditional heavily. “If Eldest Brother is defeated in that harsh Northern land!”

He raised a finger smartly, pointing at the two representatives of the Sichuan Tang Clan’s main family.

“Do you think there will be even a drop of soup left for the Sichuan Tang Clan, which has just secured a foundation for advancing into Luoyang?”

Naturally.

Third Young Master Yeon Jeok-gwang would reduce this place—formerly the Valley of Sins and now called Holy Land Valley—to scorched earth.

“And this vacuum will naturally be given to the Namgung Clan or other sects that spared no cooperation with the Third Young Master!”

Tang Gwi-ho had nothing to say.

“Hahaha!”

Tang Eun-rang, the Young Patriarch of the Sichuan Tang Clan who had been quietly listening, patted Deputy Head Tang Gwi-ho’s shoulder.

“Uncle. Since the Sword Clan’s Fourth Young Master has articulated everything I intended to say, I have nothing more to add.”

Whose side was this Young Patriarch on, anyway?

“Wishing for Eldest Brother’s victory…!”

“Wishing for the alliance of our two camps to be eternal…!”

Watching the two laughing joyfully and clinking glasses in a toast, Tang Gwi-ho buried his face in his hands.

***

Splosh, patter, hiss.

Despite the insufficient realm and lacking internal energy of the War Department warriors, they tread upon the water’s surface with supernatural ease. Their shoes, crafted from bizarrely glistening scale leather, buoyed them effortlessly.

As expected of the Sichuan Tang Clan…!

These were the Six-Color Net Boots, a masterpiece created to overcome extreme terrain, from dense forests to rugged highlands.

The sight of nearly a hundred heavy-armored warriors of the War Department crossing the river in unison was a spectacle grand enough to steal one’s breath.

“Enemies are crossing the river!”

A tearing scream pierced the night.

[Front, watchtower, enemy spotted.]

Javelin attacks had completely suppressed the outer watchtowers to obscure the enemy’s vision, but it seemed it hadn’t been enough. Or perhaps the enemy commander had been quick to dispatch scouts.

The warriors didn’t need to guess.

[Command informs.]

A sound transmission flew into the ears of the crossing warriors simultaneously.

[The target who discovered us is using the language of the Central Plains.]

The answer came swiftly from the Analysis Team observing the battlefield from hidden high ground.

[Although difficult to recognize due to severe damage, confirmed to be wearing Huashan Sect’s martial arts robes.]

Did Sun Tzu not say that if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles? The Analysis Team of the Luoyang Sword Clan War Department was their most critical war asset.

[Judging by distance and time, the target appears to be a remnant of the Huashan Sect Vanguard that was utterly defeated by the Grand Young Master in Shenyang.]

The conclusion transmitted from command reached the warriors instantly.

[Classify the remnant of the Huashan Sect Vanguard, including the target, as enemy.]

Lowering their postures as they kicked off the water’s surface, the warriors gripped their sword hilts as one.

[Annihilate them all.]

The Huashan Sect second-generation disciple inhaled deeply and shouted once more.

“Enemies are charging in unison!”

The general of the War Department running at the very spearhead of the formation—the Sword Clan Armed General—spat out a low instruction that cut clearly through the chaos.

“Draw swords.”

Clang! Schwing!

The metallic chorus of a hundred blades rang out.

The Mount Hua second-generation disciple, face pale as a sheet, hurriedly turned to flee the watchtower.

“Hup…!”

Thud, thud, thud!

Only three steps.

The Sword Clan Armed General stepped onto the water surface, kicked off the fence, and vaulted onto the structure of the watchtower in a single fluid motion. He was already floating in the air.

Sword Clan Armed General…?!

The moment the Mount Hua disciple met the two eyes shining ominously from behind the Commander’s helmet and face guard, she froze.

“Eek…!”

Knowing it was too late to flee, her sword flashed desperately.

Huashan Sect. Twenty-Four Hands Plum Blossom Sword. Full Blossom of Plum Flowers.

Like flowers blooming at the tip of a calligrapher’s brush, hundreds of plum blossoms erupted simultaneously from elegantly extended stems.

But just as the profound fragrance was about to burst from the petals blooming in the air—

“…”

The sword movement held in the disciple’s hand stopped abruptly.

“Hmph.”

Holding a blade that reflected the faint moonlight and starlight, the Sword Clan Armed General tapped her shoulder with his armored pauldron as he passed by, as if she were beneath notice.

Spurt!

Blood gushed from the disciple’s neck.

“This year.”

Her severed head fell like a withering blossom, emitting the thick copper scent of blood rather than floral fragrance.

“The time for plum blossoms to bloom has already passed.”

Toward the man reciting in such a low voice, a shout flew in from the enemy lines.

““

With the Archery Captain’s instruction—

Thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip!

The direct volley of the archer unit poured down toward the lone Sword Clan Armed General. It was a group shooting method designed for killing martial artists, forming a net of fire covering a range impossible to evade with mere footwork.

Thanks to the disciple’s warning, they had been able to prepare a response.

“Hmph.”

There was not a single tremor in the eyes visible beneath the Sword Clan Armed General’s face guard.

What moved instead was his arm.

The elbow wrapped in armor, the wrist protected by gauntlets, and the fingers directing the flow of the sword.

Sword Clan Swordsmanship, Heart of the Resonating Sword. Return Sword Stance. Secret Technique, Extreme Rebound.

Clang-clang-clang-clang!

With a cacophony of metallic collisions, sparks bloomed brilliantly, embroidering the empty air.

Pat-pat-pat-pat!

Hundreds of arrow shafts with shattered tips fell from the sky like rain. The sight was enough to drain the strength from the hands of the archers and leave them dumbfounded.

“Even the moon hides its face in the night sky, so raindrops scatter on the summer grassland.”

Although the Archery Captain could not understand the verse-like words, he knew his duty.

““

Seeing the archer unit hurriedly pulling heavy iron arrows from their quivers, the Sword Clan Armed General in the vanguard sneered.

“Too late.”

As soon as he finished speaking—

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

The warriors of the War Department jumped over the fence in unison.

“All units, charge.”

The Sword Clan Armed General closed the distance at a frightening speed, faster than any of his subordinates.

““

Instead of the general killed by the javelin, the Dread King’s Deputy General, who had been forcibly handed command, shouted desperately.

““

In the opposite direction of the retreating archers, a group broke through their own lines and rushed out.

““

Warriors—the Northern term for the martial artists of the Central Plains. The one leading them, the Warrior Captain, raised his sword high.

““

Observing this, the Deputy General frantically tried to reorganize the remaining troops.

“Execute the retreat operation immediately!”

Having confirmed the death of the second-generation disciple, the Mount Hua first-generation disciple who had rushed to the scene shouted frantically.

“Do you still not know?! They are not ordinary martial artists!”

Blocked by soldiers, he screamed.

“They are the Sword Clan’s War Department!”

““

Hearing the translation, the Deputy General smirked.

““