Chapter 28
First Mission (3)
“Apologies, Ark. I should have properly controlled the Wild Army.”
The Mind-Reading Scholar bowed his head and reported the events of the previous day to Black Dragon King Jang Muryong.
After reporting that the Wild Army had been captured, he cautiously continued:
“Is it alright to leave things as they are?”
“It doesn’t matter whether we kill or spare him. His strength is useful for expanding influence in Namchang, so he’s kept nearby for now. He was going to be dealt with sooner or later anyway.”
Jang Muryong spoke coldly. Yet, the part he was truly concerned about lay elsewhere.
“Did the ordinary members of the Vermilion Bird Clan defeat the Wild Army?”
“According to the spy we planted, yes.”
“How should I interpret that it wasn’t Chief Gi Woo-seong but just an ordinary member who defeated the Wild Army?”
“Isn’t it just a stroke of luck? The Wild Army’s strength varies greatly depending on his madness. He probably won because he was lucky.”
“Luck? Even if he’s insane, the Wild Army’s martial skill is extraordinary. No mere lackey from the Martial Alliance would normally defeat him, no matter how mad he is.”
“I- I apologize.”
“If he had at least killed a few Martial Alliance members, they would have come charging on their own. He couldn’t even do that.”
“Exactly. If we could just say he acted recklessly due to madness, it would give us justification,” the scholar replied.
Jang Muryong’s patience was wearing thin. He hadn’t expected the Martial Alliance mediators to be so cautious.
Normally, they would have descended into internal chaos and attacked. That had been the purpose of the provocation and assassination in the first place.
But if things continued this way, the Yu Sin Moon’s recovery of strength and involvement of the Martial Alliance would have been in vain.
“You seem to be in quite a predicament, Black Dragon King.”
A voice broke Jang Muryong’s thoughts.
An elderly man, sitting at the same table throughout the report, spoke. He looked like a rural villager in hemp robes and had appeared suddenly at the previous Nine Dragons Guild meeting.
Stroking his long beard that reached his navel, he continued:
“In my view, your methods are far too mild.”
The Mind-Reading Scholar, the only one standing, turned pale at that remark.
Jang Muryong asked:
“You, Famous Blood Elder, do you have another plan?”
“Heh heh, the ones controlling Yu Sin Moon are the children sent by the Martial Alliance, correct?”
“That’s right.”
The scholar nodded eagerly.
The elder, known as Famous Blood Elder, twisted the corners of his wrinkled mouth slightly upwards and said:
“If, as you said, one of those Martial Alliance kids messes up, they’ll be shaken badly too.”
“…!”
The scholar was silently shocked.
Jang Muryong, however, looked at him calmly and asked:
“And the method?”
“Use the children I brought.”
The Famous Blood Elder chuckled softly.
Thus, the secret plan they had prepared quietly set into motion.
Namgung Hyuk showcased a remarkable level of Heavenly Thunder Qi during his fight with the Wild Army.
His rapid progress came after opening the Baihui acupoint.
On top of that, mastering the Life-and-Death Threshold allowed his energy circulation to become much faster, making it far easier to manipulate Heavenly Thunder Qi.
‘Not only has the power increased, but precise control has also become possible.’
This is significant—it means he can now more easily execute other martial arts based on Heavenly Thunder Qi.
“Now then.”
Namgung Hyuk began a sword dance in the vast, white space.
After hundreds of hours of practice and repeated real combat, his Changchung Mu-ae Sword Technique, now approaching 8-star mastery, had surpassed even Namgung Hwarin, who had previously wielded it at the Changchung Mujae competition.
Swish!
The sound of his sword cutting through the air resembled the crack of lightning.
Spababat!
Kwaaaarr!
Each time the sword sliced the void, a threatening sound resonated.
The sword energy glowed yellow, not the usual blue, flickering with explosive force.
His eyes, influenced by the Heavenly Thunder Qi, had turned golden.
“Haaah!”
As Namgung Hyuk slashed, the sword energy struck the ground like a bolt of lightning.
Kwaaang!
A deafening roar leveled a five-zhang radius.
‘This is more powerful than I expected.’
It was indeed the sword technique the Heavenly Thunder creator, Namgung Hweol, had intended to perfect. The true completed form, however, was still far off.
“The only drawback is the enormous internal energy consumption.”
Using Heavenly Thunder Qi to execute the Changchung Mu-ae Sword Technique consumed multiple times the usual energy.
Feeling his depleted dantian, Namgung Hyuk clicked his tongue.
“Even my internal energy from three cycles isn’t enough…”
Even for someone with vast reserves like him, the consumption was considerable.
Still, this wasn’t a major problem—he no longer needed special energy training to accumulate internal power while in the ‘Room’.
“If I don’t leave soon, people will come looking for me.”
Completing his training, Namgung Hyuk left the Room and returned to his bedroom.
After confirming it was still early morning, he changed neatly and stepped out.
“Master, did you sleep well?”
“Good morning, did you rest comfortably?”
He greeted every Yu Sin Moon member politely. Since defeating a Nine Dragons Guild officer, their attitude toward him had changed dramatically.
Moreover, now that they knew he was the recently revealed Falling Star Hidden Dragon, Yu Sun-woo even requested private meetings with him.
“Come! Our great junior, come here!”
“Please, sit in the main seat.”
In the dining hall, the other Vermilion Bird Clan members teased him.
Namgung Hyuk smiled wryly:
“Enough, everyone.”
Still, the playful teasing continued, but since it was harmless, he just laughed along.
During their meal, Gi Woo-seong entered.
“Chief.”
“Everyone, continue your meal comfortably.”
He stopped the others and sat across from Namgung Hyuk.
“How is he?” Namgung Hyuk asked.
“The Wild Army? He hasn’t awakened yet,” Gi Woo-seong replied.
Captured by Namgung Hyuk, the Wild Army had not regained consciousness for three days and was securely confined. His fate had not yet been decided.
‘He might not regain consciousness,’ Namgung Hyuk thought. Despite his sturdy appearance, the electrical attack to the head was severe.
Since he was an enemy, any misfortune wasn’t his responsibility. Namgung Hyuk didn’t press further.
Instead, he asked about the Nine Dragons Guild.
“They’re still quiet,” Gi Woo-seong replied.
“Can we pressure them over this?”
“If they claim it was the Wild Army acting alone, it’s hard for us to argue,” Gi Woo-seong explained.
Namgung Hyuk’s gaze darkened.
‘No matter the world, people behave similarly.’
Even Hunters experienced disputes between large guilds, rarely fighting directly but often resorting to underhanded strategies to gain advantage.
Recalling unpleasant memories from his previous life as a large guild’s laborer, Namgung Hyuk smiled bitterly.
Gi Woo-seong reassured him:
“No need to worry. In a week at most, the situation will change.”
“Yes.”
The mission had already lasted ten days. A week’s delay was insignificant if the objective was accomplished.
Tonight was a night-watch duty.
So Namgung Hyuk stayed at Yu Sin Moon, not in the Room.
“Yaaawn…”
Mi-pyeong, on the same patrol, yawned in fatigue.
“Since the external guards are Yu Sin Moon members, we can just relax,” he said.
Namgung Hyuk nodded and leaned against a pillar, gazing at the night sky.
Having not spent a night in the Room for some time, he admired the Milky Way stretching across the sky.
‘Only two months, yet it feels like I’ve lived through a lifetime, awakening my past memories.’
Though brief to others, to Namgung Hyuk it felt like over five years, considering he spent nearly a third of his time in the Room.
‘I feel like an old soul already.’
He smiled slightly at the thought, then suddenly became alert.
‘Someone’s intruded?’
His sense detected a suspicious presence nearby. Could it be the Nine Dragons Guild?
‘My detection radius is about ten zhang.’
He raised Heavenly Thunder Qi, spreading it discreetly through the air like a spiderweb across the estate.
Now able to use Heavenly Thunder Qi for purposes beyond combat, his golden eyes glowed ominously in the darkness.
‘Just one.’
Only one target was detected—the same person he sensed earlier. The other Yu Sin Moon guards had not noticed.
‘A spy… or perhaps…’
Recalling a Yu Sin Moon member who had been poisoned, he glanced at Mi-pyeong, who was already dozing.
‘No choice.’
Namgung Hyuk leapt onto a nearby wall, careful not to disturb anyone.
‘Did they notice me?’
He moved stealthily, but the intruder shifted abruptly, prompting Namgung Hyuk to click his tongue.
‘Already noticed…’
He had to act quickly. Using his lightness skill, he pursued the intruder outside the garden.
The intruder was skilled in movement, making the chase difficult.
‘I won’t let you escape!’
Drawing more energy, Namgung Hyuk accelerated, closing the gap.
Finally, he caught sight of the intruder—a figure in black stealth garments moving nimbly across the trees.
“Flying Dragon Stance!”
Namgung Hyuk advanced along the branches, using his Ten Divine Sword Techniques. A horizontal sword energy shot forth!
The intruder dropped to the ground to evade.
Thud!
Namgung Hyuk followed, landing and shooting forward like an arrow.
Sssik!
The intruder twisted sideways, releasing hidden weapons.
“Damn!”
Namgung Hyuk swung his sword at the incoming weapons while keeping up the pursuit.
Emerging from the forest near a lake, the intruder suddenly halted.
‘Have they given up?’
Namgung Hyuk prepared to capture them—but then felt a chill down his spine.
‘This sensation…!’
The same instinctive danger signal he had felt in dungeons when sudden threats appeared.
Stopping, he noticed multiple shadows emerging simultaneously from the reeds.
