The demonic sometimes pretends to be good or even transforms into goodness. In this way, when the demonic becomes invisible to my eyes, I of course succumb to it disguised as good. The reason is that disguised goodness is more seductive than true goodness.
— Franz Kafka, Czech literary master
***
"Mmm. Ahh!"
"Huff huff."
A woman's sticky moans.
A young man's panting.
The subtle harmony of the two reverberated throughout the splendid room.
The light shining through a large window with an antique comb-pattern design was bright and clear. That light reflected off the sweat that ran across the man's tautly stretched back and the smooth thighs of the woman wrapped around his waist, making them glisten.
The man's movements gradually became faster. In turn, the woman's moans slowly grew louder.
Then at a certain moment.
The man's lower body trembled.
"Ah!"
The woman's short moan hotly split through the moonlight that had entered through the window. She had reached climax. Immediately after, the man's robust upper body completely overlapped onto the woman's voluptuous chest.
"Haah-."
The woman trembled her body once in the afterglow of climax, then slowly opened her eyes. The heated sigh from her mouth briefly obscured her vision along with the heat radiating from the man's hot back, and that time was very short.
"Huh!?"
When the heat mixed with her sigh cleared and she regained her vision, something strange caught her eye. Since she had engaged in sexual intercourse with this man in this room several times, she knew the structure of this place quite well. No matter how dark the night, it wasn't so dark that she couldn't recognize the shape of the ceiling.
She opened her eyes wide and carefully examined the ceiling's shape. Though it was difficult to say exactly where it was strange, it was definitely subtly unnatural.
Just as she couldn't find it and was about to speak to the man lying on top of her, the owner of this room.
Suddenly, two bright blue lights appeared somewhere on the ceiling. They looked like the luminous eyes of a nocturnal beast. No, looking closely, it wasn't just something like that—they were really eyes. The only difference was that they weren't from a wild animal but from a real person.
The ceiling's shape hadn't changed—someone was clinging to the ceiling.
"Wh-who?"
The instinctive first words anyone says in an unexpected encounter with an unanticipated person. And those words became the last words she uttered in this life.
Swoosh! Thunk!
A dagger flew into her open mouth and lodged there. Her tongue, which until just moments ago had been producing sticky love moans, was pierced straight through by the dagger.
Splat.
The moment blood spurted from the woman's mouth and covered the naked man's back, the masked person also dropped to the floor.
Swoosh.
The black-clothed person's sword aimed at the man failed to achieve its purpose and beheaded the innocent woman instead. The woman lost her head in one stroke of the black-clothed person's sword. But her head still remained on the bed. This was because the dagger lodged in her mouth had pierced through the back of her head and deeply embedded itself in the bed.
Clang.
The man who dodged the black-clothed person's sword, as if he had known of the black-clothed person's presence from the start, left the bed the moment the attack began and drew the sword hanging on the wall.
Without a moment's hesitation, he thrust his sword toward the black-clothed person.
It looked like a simple thrust, but that was just an illusion. In reality, that one stroke occupied all directions the black-clothed person could move. If the black-clothed person dodged in any direction, he would spray variations in that direction to block the path.
Flutter flutter!
The man's sword moved cunningly and attacked the black-clothed person.
Now there was only one way for the black-clothed person to survive. To meet the man's one stroke head-on. As if knowing that fact, the black assassin raised the sword that had beheaded the woman and extended it toward the man.
However, the man had confidence in his sword.
Throughout the entire Martial World, there weren't many who could receive this one stroke. Especially in this Anhui Province, they could be counted on ten fingers. It wasn't a sword a mere assassin could receive head-on.
He had not a shred of doubt. That this one stroke would drop to the floor the head of this fearless assassin who aimed for his neck.
But!
Wooooong!
The assassin's sword suddenly turned ink-colored, and a bizarre sword cry rang out. Along with it, the black-clothed assassin's ink-colored sword qi ran wild and began cutting through all of the man's sword qi. The man's sword qi was all being extinguished before it could even spray variations.
"Mm!? This is?"
The reason the man was surprised wasn't because his sword was blocked by the assassin's sword. What surprised him was that though it was a sword technique he hadn't seen in a very long time, he knew the assassin's sword technique very well.
"Ink Madness Killing Sword!? Damn it!"
The man urgently withdrew the sword he had extended, but the situation was already too late. Eventually, the man's trembling sword tip and the black-clothed assassin's ink-colored sword qi met in midair.
Clang clang clang!
Compared to the momentum the two swords were emitting, the sound of clashing swords wasn't very loud. But the impact was by no means light.
In the aftershock of the black-clothed person's shattered ink sword qi, scratches appeared all over the naked man's body, and deeply gouged sword marks appeared in various places on the floor and ceiling between them.
On the other hand, one side of the black-clothed person's mask was cut off, revealing the lower part of his face. On his left cheek was a long scar mark.
A kind of mutual defeat where neither completely won.
The two glared at each other for a long while, still in the posture of extending swords toward each other.
Then at some moment.
"Hahahaha."
For some reason, the man suddenly burst into loud laughter and lowered his sword. At this, his now-shriveled genitals swung disgustingly. The man knew the black-clothed person was still extending his sword toward him but didn't care and went to sit at the table in the middle of the room.
The black-clothed person also silently lowered his sword when the man lowered his and quietly folded his arms. He stood upright like that and looked at the man.
Both had expressed that they had no intention to fight.
Thud.
The man first spoke while loudly placing his sword on the table.
"Has it been ten years?"
"Nine years and one hundred ninety days."
Ten years, and nine years and one hundred ninety days. Though the accuracy of their memories differed, the two knew each other.
"Gwang-un, that's like you. Seeing that you remember such trivial things exactly."
"...."
The man called the black-clothed person Gwang-un and seemed to know him well. Judging by that, the black-clothed person Gwang-un hadn't come to kill the man in the first place. As if to prove it, the killing intent that had been naturally flowing from Gwang-un also disappeared.
Though there was still no response from Gwang-un, the man's words continued.
"So, what business brings Eighteen Clouds here in person?"
As if their relationship wasn't very smooth, the man's words sounded somewhat mocking. But Gwang-un, as if he didn't particularly care, began saying what he had to say.
"An order has been issued. Gray Shadow."
Gwang-un's voice was rough, like speaking with a handful of sand in his mouth.
"An order?"
Gray Shadow reconfirmed whether the word that came from Gwang-un's mouth was really 'order.' But that was unnecessary. Though they were meeting after about ten years, Gray Shadow knew better than anyone that Gwang-un wasn't someone who would misspeak.
Gray Shadow's body heated up intensely. He even trembled his body once violently afterward. He was feeling excitement from just the single word 'order' that he had never felt from sexual intercourse with the woman whose head and body were rolling separately on that bed over there, or sexual acts with any woman whatsoever.
Order.
How long had it been since he heard that word?
'Has it been ten years?'
He had come to the Martial World under 'his' order. Since then, Gray Shadow hadn't received orders even once for ten years. But for an order to suddenly drop like this.
The playful expression that had been flowing habitually disappeared, and the lightness also completely vanished from his voice.
"The content?"
"First Stratagem."
"...!"
The words that came from Gwang-un's mouth were rough but a short single phrase.
Though he had expected that answer, there was still shock. Because the reason he came to the Martial World and the reason he had lived until now were all contained in that single phrase.
'First Stratagem!'
Gwang-un and Gray Shadow's eyes intertwined in midair.
Gray Shadow asked once more. It was a question about the key figure in executing the First Stratagem.
"Where is Transformed Shadow?"
As if waiting, Gwang-un's answer followed.
"Namgung Family."
"The date?"
Perhaps because it was something that had been foretold long ago, despite the conversation being terribly short and like code, there wasn't the slightest blockage in communication between the two.
"This month's full moon is Transformed Shadow's wedding day."
"Wedding? Transformed Shadow? Then surely Transformed Shadow is!?"
"...."
Though Gray Shadow got no further confirmation from Gwang-un, he could guess who Transformed Shadow was disguised as.
"The level?"
Level. A word meaning degree. This time too, it was a question with both front and back words cut off, but Gwang-un opened his mouth without much hesitation.
"Everyone except Transformed Shadow and Namgung Hye."
Gray Shadow nodded as if he had expected Gwang-un's answer. But there was still one problem that bothered him.
"Do you know this? Soul Chasing Poison Hand Tang O is currently in Anhui Province. Is he also included in the targets?"
"Of course."
"With just the forces here, it's too much. Support?"
"Five Shadows."
"Five Shadows?"
"If we include Transformed Shadow and you, it's Seven Shadows."
"...!"
Gray Shadow was quite surprised. Though the First Stratagem was important, he didn't know they would provide such dramatically generous support. It must mean 'his' will was that tremendous.
"With that much, even if Tang O is there, we can succeed without difficulty. But why did you come here? I thought you were the support?"
"I have separate work to do."
"Laying groundwork for the Second Stratagem, then."
"...."
As expected, Gwang-un didn't respond to questions that didn't need answering.
Gray Shadow didn't press further.
Gwang-un's silence alone had already finished that answer, and in any case, both just needed to be faithful to their assigned missions. Shadows and Clouds have different assigned missions. They were raised that way and had lived that way.
As if he had finished all he had to say, Gwang-un turned around. He was about to leave. Looking at his back, Gray Shadow asked a final question.
"Ah, but what was Transformed Shadow's name again?"
Gray Shadow was already guessing who Transformed Shadow was but asked to confirm.
"Do Heo-ok."
Right after uttering that name, Gwang-un disappeared from that spot like dust being extinguished. Just like that, as if he had never existed here in the first place.
"Gwang-un. Then and now, you're still unlikable. Tsk. But is it really beginning now?"
Gray Shadow shook his head once and walked toward the bed.
The headless woman's upper body was still rolling on the bed. He kicked it with his foot to drop it off the bed. Blood flowed from the lonely neck hole, dirtying and wetting the floor, but he didn't care. In any case, such things happened quite often in this place, and there was no one who would be surprised or reproach him for killing such a plaything.
Gray Shadow roughly wiped the sweat that flowed on his body and put on clothes stained with the woman's blood. The seriousness from earlier had already all disappeared from his face, and it was full of his original playfulness.
"Ugh. Because of that bastard Gwang-un, my favorite clothes got covered in blood. Damn it. But I thought Shadows would live alone their whole lives, yet they get to have weddings too. Ah, this is enviable in many ways. Transformed Shadow becomes a hero of the righteous sects, and on top of that gets Anhui's First Beauty as a spouse. While I'm dealing with trashy women like that in dark and gloomy places like this."
He left words that might be joking or real envy and left the room.
Thud.
The door closed, and silence came to the room.
Only the woman's head with a sword lodged in her mouth remained alone, having a staring contest with the moon—this place was.
The room of Paga Blood, Silver Naked Lecher, the general manager of Heavenly Demon Castle's Anhui Branch.
-x-X-x-
Rising star.
A word literally referring to a newly risen star.
People commonly use this term when referring to 'an outstanding young talent who appeared suddenly.' From that perspective, Do Heo-ok was a person who fit perfectly.
He truly appeared suddenly in the Martial World.
Naturally, his initial steps were merely a breeze.
His name first became known to people of the Martial World when Do Heo-ok single-handedly eliminated a nameless bandit group in Liaoning Province. Even at this time, not many people paid attention to him.
But then.
Hebei's Eight Freaks of Hebei, Shanxi's Horse Dung Gang.
Shaanxi's Flying Heaven Demon Chef Harang.
Sichuan's Thunder Yang Spear Cheon Dae-gang...
As Do Heo-ok continued westward, continuously defeating those who walked the path of Evil Demons and Heretics, people gradually began to see him in a new light.
Even so, evaluations of him remained harsh. Dilettantes deliberately disparaged those he had faced as second-rate, and had no hesitation in saying that his unstoppable march would end if he encountered a true master of the Demonic Path or Evil Sects.
And...
Finally, that day came.
When Do Heo-ok arrived in Hubei, the Yin-Yang Twin Demons blocked his path. Though the Yin-Yang Twin Demons weren't included in the Two Divinities, Three Eccentrics, Five Supremes, and Ten Greats, they were veteran giants whose skills weren't far behind them. They weren't opponents an inexperienced youngster who had just recently emerged in the Martial World could face.
However, Do Heo-ok shattered people's preconceptions in one fell swoop. Though he didn't win, he alone withstood the Yin-Yang Twin Demons for one thousand exchanges. Eventually, both sides couldn't determine victory and withdrew from each other.
This result caused great ripples in the Martial World.
A young wanderer roaming the Martial World alone without a sect was on par with two giants who had dominated the Martial World for decades?
It was a major incident that was hard to believe easily. However, that fact was soon resolved when Do Heo-ok's martial arts background was revealed.
Do Heo-ok used a very domineering blade technique, and every time he unleashed one blade strike after another, thunder sounds as if heaven and earth were collapsing shook and rang in all directions. Though there were many martial arts in the Martial World accompanied by thunder sounds, there weren't many thunder blades that made such intense sounds.
Thunder Clap Blade Technique.
The exclusive martial art of the Thunder Clap Blade Emperor, who was the world's greatest three hundred years ago. The blade technique Do Heo-ok used was precisely that.
Though it wasn't known where he obtained the secret manual, in any case, by using that blade technique, he announced to the world that he was a descendant of the Thunder Clap Blade Emperor.
Fair and upright conduct, Thunder Clap Blade Technique, and skill befitting it.
Due to the exquisite harmony of those three things, his fame quickly began racing throughout the world.
Accordingly, many great Martial World sects threw flirtations at Do Heo-ok to embrace the young and promising him.
If they could only draw an outstanding rising star under their sect's shadow, wouldn't they not only gain such an excellent talent but also obtain the potential world's greatest blade technique in their hands?
Naturally, that competition unfolded even more fiercely.
However, as if mocking such great Martial World sects' strife, Do Heo-ok continued focusing only on executing evil people who walked the path of Evil Demons and Heretics.
Unavoidably, the Nine Sects and One Society or Five Great Families of the Central Plains could only continue watching him, but the rising star struggle was still ongoing.
But then.
The great Martial World sects' underwater competition that had unfolded at an inopportune time ended too anticlimactically after he arrived in Anhui Province's Hefei. Do Heo-ok fell in love at first sight with Namgung Hye, the second daughter of the Namgung Family.
Eventually, the victor became the Namgung Family, and the remaining great sects could only give up on him while clicking their tongues in regret.
***
These days, the Namgung Family was spinning frantically without time to even blink due to the wedding of Do Heo-ok and Namgung Hye, the result of that fierce rising star struggle.
The person in question, Do Heo-ok, was needless to say, very busy.
He was personally greeting congratulatory guests as they came to a temporary reception hall set up near the Namgung Family's gate.
With his tall stature and handsome southern-type face, Do Heo-ok exuded the bearing of a hero just with his appearance alone. Even as congratulatory guests exchanged greetings with him and left for the Guest Hall, they didn't stop praising him for even a moment.
Originally, there was no need for the groom to personally come out and receive guests. Nevertheless, since Do Heo-ok was voluntarily handling even the troublesome guest reception, from the congratulatory guests' standpoint, they could only admire Do Heo-ok's humble attitude even more.
However,
Do Heo-ok's actual purpose wasn't guest reception.
Though he was greeting guests with hearty laughter, in reality he was examining the guests' features with sharp eyes. He was meticulously organizing and categorizing in his mind who had come, what their exact sects were, how strong they were, etc.
Above all, confirming whether people who must come had come or not was more important to him.
For a performance to unfold, many actors are needed by law. Do Heo-ok was the lead, and there needed to be numerous extras and several essential supporting actors. However, differences in importance definitely existed even among supporting actors.
Do Heo-ok was waiting here every day for the most important supporting actor among them. Once he arrived, hundreds of useless extras or so could be absent. And when he showed his face at this Namgung Family was the point when preparations for starting the 'Grand Plan' would finally all be finished.
When about three days had passed since Do Heo-ok greeted guests while hiding his true face, finally the best supporting actor of this 'First Stratagem' he had been awaiting arrived at the Namgung Family.
'He's here.'
Dozens of people were entering the large tent-style temporary reception hall open on all sides.
Though it was considerably more people than Do Heo-ok had originally expected, that wasn't very important. The only person important to him was the middle-aged man in brown with a cold impression standing at the very front.
Sure enough.
At the middle-aged man's appearance, martial artists who had come earlier and were writing names on the congratulatory register recognized him and began buzzing. Though he was showing himself before people after a long time, the middle-aged man in brown was one of the masters with such high importance in the Martial World that he could stir people just with his appearance.
"Silence!"
The middle-aged man spat out a sharp rebuke while looking at people whispering while looking at him. Then the mouths of the buzzing martial artists fell into silence at once.
The middle-aged man coldly looking over people was famous not only as a master but also widely known as an eccentric. If he were just a bit stronger and more bizarre, there was a reason why the saying openly circulated that he would have become the Four Eccentrics rather than the Three Eccentrics of the Martial World. No one here would want to get on his bad side.
"Noisy. Are you saying I've come somewhere I shouldn't have?"
His cold eyes and characteristic cantankerous speech chilled people's hearts. People were busy avoiding his eyes while thinking of his epithet in their hearts. Even if they died, they didn't want to be chased even as ghosts, so they were crawling on their own.
'As expected of Soul Chasing Poison Hand.'
The middle-aged man in brown was precisely Tang O.
After performing the Crown Opening Great Method all night last night, he had walked a full day to reach this Namgung Family on the shores of Chaohu Lake in Hefei. The people who appeared with him were naturally Dong Bong-su, Tang Hwa, and the Danri Family people.
Unlike people being flustered, Do Heo-ok was smiling inside at Tang O's appearance.
Why wouldn't he?
For such a long time, he had moved in the shadows as a Shadow for just this one matter. Now, once he finished just this matter, he could finally become a proper shadow of the light rather than a shadow of darkness.
"If you have something to say, don't mutter in a corner like that but stick your head in front of me and jabber."
"...."
Naturally, no one came forward.
No, there was one person. The only person who hadn't lost his leisurely reception smile even once from when Tang O appeared until now.
"How do you do? Great Hero Tang."
It was Do Heo-ok.
At his greeting, Tang O's gaze finally shifted from the people toward him.
"Who are you?"
"I am meeting you for the first time. I am called Do Heo-ok."
A slightly interested expression rose on Tang O's face looking at Do Heo-ok's cupped fist salute. As if he had been curious who the rising star of the Martial World he knew by hearsay was, Tang O's eyes quickly examined Do Heo-ok up and down.
Though Tang O's eyes were scanning his entire body, Do Heo-ok didn't particularly care. In any case, just looking like that couldn't reveal anything about his true nature.
He was confident in himself.
That his transformation was the most perfect in the Martial World. At least in this, even 'he' couldn't follow him.
Do Heo-ok's transformation wasn't mere disguise arts. It was transformation arts based on Thousand Transformations Myriad Changes Arts, which completely reconstructed bones and muscles to change appearance.
"Oho, so you're that young man, that Blade Star, who troublesomely made me come here."
"Yes, Great Hero."
Do Heo-ok lightly bowed his head.
At that, Tang O's eyes sharpened once more. But it wasn't maintained very long.
"Excellent. Excellent. But that's all. If I'd met you yesterday, it would have been the best, but seeing you today is quite disappointing."
What did he mean?
Tang O threw words Do Heo-ok couldn't understand at all, then passed Do Heo-ok and walked toward the back of the temporary reception hall, toward the Namgung Family's inner quarters.
"That fellow Byeok is inside, right?"
"Yes. He is inside."
As expected, he was Tang O, known as a Martial World eccentric. Who would dare call the Namgung Family Head's name so carelessly? But Do Heo-ok was no pushover either and caught Tang O's words without any fluster.
"Then I'll go in."
"Yes, Great Hero. The Family Head has been waiting for several days."
If Tang O was an eccentric with an unrestrained personality, Do Heo-ok was a person like a waterfall. While having a flexible side like water, he possessed strong and hearty aspects. Of course, that wasn't his true appearance, but his shell was like that.
Do Heo-ok dealt with Tang O's behavior, which could be seen as rude, leisurely throughout. At that sight, people gathered there were admiring him once more.
However, only two people were exceptions to that.
Precisely Tang O and Dong Bong-su.
Tang O had already been sufficiently impressed by Dong Bong-su, the greatest talent, so there was nothing more to be impressed by.
On the other hand, Dong Bong-su was like that for a completely different reason.
Basically, Dong Bong-su doesn't admire people. He merely observes people. He observes and classifies them as prey, enemies, or natural objects like grass or trees.
If any subject was outstanding, to him they would merely become outstanding prey or an enemy. At this time, if that subject was prey, there was no need to worry—just hunt them or leave them alone.
However, if they were an enemy, one faced a completely different situation.
In such cases, Dong Bong-su typically chose one of three options. Eliminate them before they interfered with hunting, avoid them, or deceive them.
He had been watching Do Heo-ok from the moment he entered this temporary reception hall following Tang O.
It was precisely because of Spirit Eyes. Spirit Eyes had announced the appearance of a new high-level enemy.
[20... 10....]
-x-X-x-
Since Tang O was walking past Do Heo-ok toward the tent's exit, normally the distance Spirit Eyes announced should increase and then be cut off.
Yet the distance Spirit Eyes was warning about was rather decreasing.
That meant that the new high-level enemy was...
'That person.'
Meaning Do Heo-ok.
Then, what kind of enemy was Do Heo-ok among the three options?
Should he be eliminated, avoided, or deceived?
The answer was already decided.
In a situation with a level difference of 10 or more, the first option had already disappeared. The moment he entered the Namgung Family, the second option also disappeared.
Only one option remained.
He must deceive.
The most common option, yet also the most difficult option to execute. Especially if the enemy was a similar kind of human to himself, he couldn't loosen the string of tension for even a moment.
And.
In his judgment, Do Heo-ok was...
The moment Dong Bong-su saw Do Heo-ok, he felt an inexplicable sense of dissonance. At first, he couldn't quite tell what it was. Then, when the distance with Do Heo-ok narrowed to within a few meters, he could identify what that dissonance was.
It was a subtle characteristic that ordinary people could never discover, and even if they found it, it was a point difficult to find strange.
'Perfect. Too perfect.'
The identity of that dissonance Dong Bong-su found was.
Perfect symmetry.
Everyone has left-right imbalance in their appearance. There's only a difference in degree. Not just faces, but limb lengths, shoulder heights, dental arrangements, degrees of chest or buttock sagging—even genital shapes have left-right imbalance.
But.
Do Heo-ok was perfect.
Not just perfect appearance and form, but his left-right symmetry was perfect. Even with modern Earth's plastic surgery that Dong Bong-su had lived with, making a person's face into perfect decalcomania was nearly impossible.
Much less in such a world completely without surgical techniques—could such flawless symmetry occur naturally?
It was impossible.
Too perfect, thus rather unnatural. It was made.
His sixth sense was saying so.
And his judgment quickly reached a conclusion.
[A predator. Different from me, but another form of predator.]
He concluded.
Dong Bong-su realized he had met a proper predator after a very long time.
He began watching Do Heo-ok more closely.
However, Do Heo-ok was only looking at Tang O. He was only focused on the greatest supporting actor of the performance he would stage, completely unaware that the monster named Dong Bong-su was watching him.
"What are you all doing? Hurry up and follow."
Tang O, who had been walking as if to leave alone, stopped at the temporary reception hall's entrance. Then he turned his head and shouted loudly to the group.
Dong Bong-su and Tang Hwa immediately followed him.
However, Gi Dae-hyo and the other Danri Family figures hesitated. This was because they were confused about whether they too corresponded to the 'people not hurrying to follow' that Tang O mentioned. In the first place, what Tang O had promised was to move together until handing over Yeoro to the Namgung Family and to have Danri Jiang-hae entered as Namgung Byeok's Outside Surname Disciple.
Yeoro and the congratulatory gifts had already been handed over outside the Namgung Family to this place's grooms and servants. Now all Tang O had to keep was recommending Danri Jiang-hae to Namgung Byeok, and that was something that didn't require Danri Jiang-hae to go along.
Also, people who entered up to the reception hall originally could enter inside the Namgung Family only after writing their names in the guest book and having their identities clearly confirmed.
That was an even greater factor making them hesitate. If they were included in the subjects Tang O mentioned, it meant Tang O guaranteed their identities, so there was no need to go through identity confirmation stages. Otherwise, they had to go through various identity confirmation processes to enter inside the Namgung Family.
When the Danri Family personnel were wavering like that, Tang O got irritated again and shouted.
"Ugh, what are you doing? Didn't you hear this old man's words? You all hurry and follow too. Otherwise, how can I grant what I mentioned before?"
Color quickly returned to Gi Dae-hyo and Danri Jiang-hae's faces. Those words implied that Tang O wasn't just granting the promise, but would let them meet Namgung Byeok directly. Just receiving a recommendation and becoming an Outside Surname Disciple versus directly making a face impression on Namgung Byeok were completely different matters.
"Just have any one of you stay and fill out the guest book. Ours and that fellow's name over there too."
Tang O directly designated Dong Bong-su and expressed him as 'that fellow.' He had now clearly declared he was completely a person of the Tang Family.
Having finished everything he had to say, Tang O lowered his hand and immediately turned around and left the temporary reception hall. Following after, Dong Bong-su, Tang Hwa, and the Danri Family personnel filed out one after another.
Do Heo-ok also hurriedly followed Tang O. In fact, from the moment Tang O arrived, there was no need to be at the temporary reception hall.
"Great Hero Tang, I shall escort you to Emperor King Hall."
Emperor King Hall was at the center of the Namgung Family, where the Namgung Family Head and the Head's direct family members stayed.
"Do as you please."
Even while going far ahead, whether he heard Do Heo-ok's words, Tang O answered coldly.
Do Heo-ok's eyes gleamed bleakly once and he disappeared from the temporary reception hall.
Now only one Black Five Group member remained of the group at the temporary reception hall.
As Tang O had said, he wrote down the group's names one by one. Then he got stuck at the last. It was when it came time to write Sosam's name. He still couldn't be certain whether it was Sosam.
"...Ah, whatever."
After pondering briefly, he soon scrawled two characters in worm-like writing and followed the low-ranking martial artist in charge of guest reception toward Emperor King Hall.
The two characters he wrote were.
'Sosam.'
***
The Namgung Family was vast.
As if to teach in person that they weren't called the Five Great Families of the Central Plains for nothing, it was incomparable in scale to the Danri Family's size.
Not only was each and every hall larger than any building in the Danri Family, but their number was so tremendous it would be difficult to know easily before going through the entire Family estate.
In addition, as the Namgung Family's unique mark, a sword reaching 3.33 meters was embedded in each hall's roof, and the characters 'Imperial Family' were carefully engraved one by one on those sword blades.
That appearance truly felt as if looking down upon the world with swords, showing it wasn't called Anhui's First Family for nothing.
Even figures of the Danri Family who were prominent in Bongyang, like Danri Jiang-hae and Gi Dae-hyo, were overwhelmed by the Namgung Family's majesty and followed Do Heo-ok quietly while thoroughly shrunken.
In contrast, Tang Hwa walked leisurely as if in her own home. One could fully feel from her attitude that her background as a descendant of the Tang Clan wasn't greatly inferior to the Namgung Family.
Dong Bong-su walked slightly behind Tang Hwa. Though not particularly intentional, he ended up walking at the very back of the group.
While putting the Namgung Family's structure into his mind, he didn't stop observing Do Heo-ok. Even without Spirit Eyes continuously sending warning sounds, his sixth sense was continuously sending signals that Do Heo-ok was a dangerous person.
'Who is that person?'
Was there really a person originally called Do Heo-ok whom he killed and disguised himself as Do Heo-ok? Or did he create a virtual 'character' called Do Heo-ok and was 'raised' as now?
He couldn't yet tell which. What was certain was it was one of the two.
Do Heo-ok's gait examined from behind was subtly imbalanced like any other person. Evidence that his original self must have an asymmetrical body like ordinary people. Such a gait inevitably creates uneven legs. All people in fact must have uneven legs. Only the difference of whether very subtle or severe exists.
Nevertheless, Do Heo-ok's leg lengths matched without the slightest difference, so he was undoubtedly a human with suspicious corners.
Dong Bong-su's eyes gleamed sharply without anyone knowing, and he began accelerating analysis of Do Heo-ok.
'Who are you? And why have you come here?'
Just when his brain began operating rapidly.
"We've arrived."
"We have arrived. This is Emperor King Hall."
Tang O and Do Heo-ok, who had been walking at the very front, simultaneously announced their arrival at Emperor King Hall.
The group all stopped in that place at once.
Emperor King Hall.
Befitting that name, one insanely magnificent building was blocking their path. In fact, since it had already been visible from afar before arriving, everyone already knew that building was Emperor King Hall. But there was a big difference between seeing from afar and seeing up close.
Unlike other halls with just one sword embedded in their roofs, thirty-three swords were embedded on Emperor King Hall's roof. Though all were old and heavily rusted, they were swords whose value shone.
They were precisely the main swords used by previous generation Namgung Family Heads. When a Namgung Family Head's death approached, they embedded their swords on Emperor King Hall's roof like that. Commemorating completing the Imperial Way and departing from the world in that manner was a tradition among traditions.
That tradition itself was proof the Namgung Family had survived for over a thousand years in the battlefield called the Martial World.
The Danri Family figures were overwhelmed while looking up at it, feeling their hearts shrinking, but Dong Bong-su naturally just glanced at that sight once without much emotion.
To him, everything ended when one died. In his view, all such things had no meaning.
However, Tang O seemed irritated by that sight.
"Ugh, every time I come here I feel bad. Who do they think they are, arbitrarily using words like emperor or whatever and looking down like that? They should sleep peacefully in their graves. Tsk."
Even while saying that, his eyes were staring piercingly at the sword embedded last.
Do Heo-ok looked at him once and said,
"Then please wait here for a moment. I'll go in and..."
"No need. You said he's been waiting continuously anyway, didn't you?"
Tang O walked straight into Emperor King Hall, passing Do Heo-ok.
Shing.
Martial artists guarding Emperor King Hall's entrance didn't recognize Tang O and drew swords to block him. Though he appeared with Do Heo-ok, their role was to prevent anyone from entering without Namgung Byeok's permission.
"Must I use my hands?"
Tang O smiled coldly. That said, it wasn't a tone with hostility. If anything, it was rather a smile that seemed pleased.
"This is Soul Chasing Poison Hand, Great Hero Tang. Let him pass through."
"...!"
Only at Do Heo-ok's words did the martial artists realize whose path they had blocked, their faces turning black. They urgently lowered their swords.
"Hehe. Don't worry too much. My Soul Chasing Butterfly doesn't chase just any soul."
Tang O lightly patted the martial artists' shoulders and entered Emperor King Hall. Needless to say, the martial artists' bodies flinched.
Perhaps because they had the experience of being hit by Tang O recently, the Danri Family personnel also trembled their bodies once at that sight and moved their steps into Emperor King Hall.
Do Heo-ok and Tang Hwa also immediately followed behind them.
Lastly,
Dong Bong-su entered Emperor King Hall.
His eyes were still looking at Do Heo-ok's back.
They were the eyes of a predator measuring hunting timing and method.
-x-X-x-
The interior of the Emperor King Hall was surprisingly modest.
There were no special decorations, nor were there many people present. It was simply one very large room with long corridors on both sides connecting to other rooms.
At the far end opposite the entrance, there was a low platform, and on that platform sat a rather large chair made of cedar wood. That was the only piece of furniture inside this Emperor King Hall.
Seated in the chair was a clean-looking middle-aged man in his fifties wearing blue robes.
It was none other than Namgung Byeok, the family head of the Namgung Family. He had been talking with a beautiful woman in white-blue silk robes standing beside him when he noticed Tang O approaching.
As soon as he saw Tang O, his face lit up and he leaped down from the platform as if flying.
"Welcome. Uncle Tang. It has truly been a long time."
"Tsk tsk tsk. The head of the Namgung Family, jumping around without any dignity like that. Tsk."
Despite saying this, a faint smile formed on Tang O's cold face.
"I apologize. But what can I do about being happy to see you? Haha."
"I couldn't even make it to your eldest daughter's wedding, so I came to at least wipe away your tears on the day you send off your younger daughter, so you'd still call me uncle."
The reason Namgung Byeok called Tang O "Uncle Tang" wasn't because they were blood-related, but because Tang O and Namgung Byeok's father, the Sword Saint Namgung Paek, had been sworn brothers. That was also why Tang O had looked meaningfully at the very last sword embedded in the roof of the Emperor King Hall earlier.
After Namgung Paek's death, Tang O had shut himself away in the Tang Family estate and never ventured out. This was his first journey into the Martial World since then.
"Hahaha. You are most welcome. But somehow you look even younger than me?"
"Tsk. You've properly become a middle-aged man since I last saw you. That's all because you've been neglecting your martial arts training."
"The work of a family head keeps one rather busy. It's been so long since I've held a sword, I wonder if rust hasn't formed on it."
Indeed, at first glance, Namgung Byeok looked older than Tang O. That must be how profound Tang O's martial arts mastery was.
As the two exchanged pleasantries after such a long time, a peerless beauty who looked barely twenty approached them. She was the woman who had been conversing with Namgung Byeok just moments ago.
Beautiful eyes and eyebrows black as the night sky, a nose bridge sharp enough to be cold, lips and a distinctly outlined chin as if carefully crafted by an ancient artisan, long hair flowing with luster and skin with a rosy glow, a long neck and a slender figure. Could Daji or Yang Guifei truly have been this beautiful? If there existed a beauty capable of toppling nations, surely the term would refer to this woman rather than those historical figures.
"Good day to you, Great-Uncle Tang. This young lady is called Hye."
As she held the hem of her white-blue silk robe and bowed her head and waist as if about to take flight, admiration appeared on the faces of all the men gathered in the Emperor King Hall. Only Dong Bong-su, while appearing so on the outside, remained as calm as still water within.
Unless one was an oddity like Dong Bong-su, her beauty was such that anyone who saw her once couldn't help but admire her. She was none other than Namgung Hye, Namgung Byeok's second daughter and Anhui's First Beauty, who was to make a hundred-year marriage vow with Do Heo-ok.
Upon receiving her greeting, Tang O's face formed a smile that was an appropriate mix of coldness and warmth.
"So you're little Hye. I saw you when you were just a tiny thing, and now you've become a beautiful young lady. You're no less than our Hwa. Hehe."
At Tang O's praise, the rosy glow on Namgung Hye's face deepened further. Her bashful appearance was so beautiful it heated the hearts of the men in the great hall once again.
"Hahaha. Uncle Tang. You should only say such things after you show us Hwa's face beyond her veil. She may look like this, but my daughter is famous for being the most beautiful in Anhui."
"That won't do. Our Hwa is so pretty that without that veil, some ghost might snatch her away."
Who said bragging about one's children was disgraceful? As if to show that being disgraceful to this degree was perfectly acceptable, the atmosphere quickly became warm and friendly.
Afterward, various light greetings were exchanged between Tang O and Namgung Byeok, and finally Tang O and Namgung Byeok moved to the family head's office inside the Emperor King Hall to talk privately.
Before leaving, Tang O said a few words to Tang Hwa and took Danri Jiang-hae along separately. He was keeping his promise.
Seeing this, Gi Dae-hyo and Gi Man-ji also breathed sighs of relief at having safely completed their mission. The two also departed for the Guest Hall following the Namgung Family's warriors.
Now only Dong Bong-su and Tang Hwa, along with Do Heo-ok and Namgung Hye, remained in the Emperor King Hall.
Only then did Tang Hwa approach Namgung Hye and offer a greeting.
"Sister Hye. It's been a while."
"Yes. It's been a while. Little Sister Hwa."
The two had been close enough since childhood, with their families visiting each other, to call each other older and younger sister.
"It's been so long, won't you even show me your face?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, Sister. I've gotten so used to wearing this that I forgot I even had it on. Hoho."
At Namgung Hye's gentle reproach, Tang Hwa finally removed her veil.
With eyebrows like paintings and a sharp nose bridge no less than Namgung Hye's, somewhat bold lips and jade-white skin, and eyes large like an owl's, Tang Hwa had a somewhat Western Region feeling compared to the pure-looking Namgung Hye. But the proportion wasn't excessive—it was just right, making her truly beautiful.
Overall, if Namgung Hye was a beauty with a pure feeling, Tang Hwa was a beauty with a cold, intellectual feeling. Both were so beautiful that anyone would find it difficult to determine which was superior. Perhaps if the men of the Danri Family had seen Tang Hwa's face beneath the veil, they wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight. No, surely some people would already lose sleep just from seeing Namgung Hye's face.
As Tang Hwa removed her veil, Do Heo-ok approached as if he'd been waiting and cupped his fists.
"I was so flustered earlier that I failed to properly greet you. I am Do Heo-ok."
"I'm Tang Hwa, brother-in-law. I can call you brother-in-law, right?"
"Hwa, Little Sister Hwa. Not yet..."
At Tang Hwa's words "brother-in-law," Namgung Hye became embarrassed and once again her cheeks flushed red.
"Hahaha. Brother-in-law. I like that."
"I really never thought that Sister Hye, such a shy person, would get married before me."
"You, you!"
Namgung Hye became embarrassed again and hid behind Do Heo-ok. It was difficult to tell who was the older sister and who was the younger.
"Hoho. Being so shy like that, I wonder how she'll manage the wedding night."
"Hwa, Little Sister Hwa. How can you say such things!"
"Hahaha. Lady Tang, please stop. If Sister Hye runs away on the wedding night, you might have to take responsibility."
"Hohoho. I'm sorry. But surely she wouldn't do that?"
"Isn't there a saying that 'surely' is what kills people? Haha."
Namgung Hye became even more embarrassed at Do Heo-ok and Tang Hwa's continued teasing and lowered her head.
"Little Sister Hwa, stop..."
Her face turned so red it went beyond crimson to becoming red like a strawberry, and Namgung Hye finally glared and said something.
Tang Hwa cutely stuck out her tongue at her.
"Well, who told you to get married so early?"
"But who is... this person?"
In the end, Namgung Hye forcibly changed the subject, as if she couldn't take it anymore. She gestured toward Dong Bong-su with her eyes.
Tang Hwa looked at Dong Bong-su and lightly furrowed her brow.
"Ah, this person is..."
She hesitated for a moment. It was because she was unsure how to introduce him.
Tang O seemed to have high expectations for this person, but honestly Tang Hwa still wasn't certain about him. Most of all, no matter how heaven-sent his innate talent might be, he was far too old.
Mastering martial arts at such an advanced age and achieving great success?
She had never seen such a person. Perhaps there might be a few if one searched through the entire history of the Martial World, but at least within her knowledge, there were none. On top of that, the approval of the family elders hadn't even been given yet.
Just as she was unable to continue and was dragging out her words.
"I am called Sosam."
Dong Bong-su introduced himself directly.
The reason he introduced himself as Sosam was simple. That was the answer Tang Hwa wanted, and the other reason was that he judged that the longer Tang Hwa hesitated like this, the more Do Heo-ok's attention would be drawn to him.
However, even so, Dong Bong-su had already anticipated that he couldn't prevent Do Heo-ok's attention from pouring onto him.
Whether Sosam or Tang Sam, either way, to Do Heo-ok he would clearly be 'a strange existence.'
"Sosam? What is your family name?"
At Dong Bong-su's words, Do Heo-ok felt puzzled and asked for his surname. Most people in the Central Plains had surnames. Even those of lowly birth generally all had surnames.
"I don't have one... yet."
Dong Bong-su lowered his head and deliberately trailed off his words.
"Don't have one yet?"
For the first time, a strange light appeared in Do Heo-ok's eyes.
His eyes quickly scanned Dong Bong-su's entire body.
He wore clean black robes that seemed newly bought, but somehow looked very awkward.
A body emaciated from not eating properly, hair so disheveled that it wouldn't be strange if a bird came and laid eggs in it. From any angle, he didn't seem like someone of a level to be traveling together with Tang O or Tang Hwa.
'No, no.'
Not just that—he didn't even look like someone who should be entering as a temporary reception hall member?
The servants, workers, or escort agency members who brought congratulatory gifts weren't strictly guests of the Namgung Family, so they didn't need to enter the reception hall. Those who could enter the reception hall had to be martial artists with enough skill or reputation to stay at the Guest Hall as guests of the Namgung Family, or their companions.
Dong Bong-su looked like that, but in any case, he was someone Tang O had personally brought. And from the fact that he didn't leave for the Guest Hall when the Danri Family members departed, it was clear he was someone from the Tang Family.
'But he has no surname?'
'What's going on? This person?'
-x-X-x-
Do Heo-ok examined Dong Bong-su once more. But it still didn't make sense. Dong Bong-su's appearance was nothing more or less than a servant's. If he'd looked like a beggar, at least he could have thought he might be from the Beggar Sect, but that wasn't the case either.
"Yes..."
Dong Bong-su answered weakly.
Do Heo-ok glanced at Dong Bong-su once and then, smiling, lightly patted his shoulder.
"Haha. It's fine. Why worry about such things? If you don't have a surname, you can just make one, can't you?"
At first glance, it looked like a young hero comforting someone insignificant, but in reality, he was examining his bone structure. He couldn't grasp everything from just lightly patting a shoulder, but he could at least tell whether the body was trained or easy to train.
What Do Heo-ok felt through his fingertips just now was...
Dong Bong-su's body was utterly ordinary.
'No, no. It's rather far below ordinary.'
His body was emaciated as if he hadn't eaten properly on time, and his bone structure was thin.
Paradoxically, that very point stimulated Do Heo-ok's suspicion.
A very brief question flashed through his eyes and disappeared. So quickly that even Tang Hwa and Namgung Hye standing right beside him couldn't notice.
Do Heo-ok had mysophobia.
He had a disposition that wouldn't tolerate even the slightest deviation in handling any matter. His body forming a perfect left-right symmetry was also a result of such a disposition.
One of the biggest reasons he could be selected as a Shadow was precisely because of this disposition that pursued perfection.
To him, people like Sosam were nothing more than tiny specks of dust. But they were specks he didn't know for certain. It would be difficult for them to become a problem.
However,
'That doesn't mean there's absolutely no possibility of becoming a problem.'
Just as Dong Bong-su paid attention to Do Heo-ok, Do Heo-ok also began to take notice of Dong Bong-su disguised as Sosam.
"I thought you were someone from the Tang Family since you kept staying close to Lady Tang, but I guess not?"
As soon as he heard those words, Dong Bong-su realized.
Do Heo-ok had begun watching him.
'Dangerous.'
Although he had regained his voice, he still wasn't in a position to speak freely. He was just a docile sheep that had to follow wherever Tang Hwa led.
Dong Bong-su turned his head to look at Tang Hwa. Tang Hwa smiled lightly in response.
"Brother-in-law. Stop asking. He's just someone traveling with us due to circumstances."
"Is that so?"
"Ah, we're tired from walking all day. I want to rest now."
From Tang Hwa's perspective, she was trying to escape an awkward situation, but that actually drew Do Heo-ok's suspicion instead.
"Ah, I suppose so. I'm sorry. I kept tired people talking for too long. Then follow me."
Although they managed to avoid Do Heo-ok's gaze for now, Dong Bong-su knew he would be watching him for a while.
Because he certainly would have done the same.
***
Dong Bong-su and Tang Hwa headed to the Heavenly Guest Hall, guided by Do Heo-ok and Namgung Hye.
The Namgung Family's guest halls came in three types.
Following the Three Talents of Heaven, Earth, and Man, they were divided into the Heavenly Guest Hall, Earthly Guest Hall, and Human Guest Hall.
Among these, the Heavenly Guest Hall was lodging for guests from major Martial World sects or renowned martial artists, and the Earthly Guest Hall was lodging for sect leaders or elders of small and medium-sized sects. The Human Guest Hall was the true 'Poor Guest Hall' where 'the rest' of the people who didn't fit those categories stayed.
The Heavenly Guest Hall.
Not only was its scale excellent, but its location was good. The Namgung Family's manor was built along Chaohu Lake, and the Heavenly Guest Hall was located right next to the southern Water Gate. Strictly speaking, the Heavenly Guest Hall and Water Gate weren't built on land, but rather on Chaohu Lake—that is, on the water.
They built the Heavenly Guest Hall on small islands on either side of a small bay called Chaowan, moored pleasure boats and such in the bay, and erected a water gate at the bay's entrance. This, of course, served to prevent enemy invasion.
Guests staying at the Heavenly Guest Hall would typically take the Namgung Family's large pleasure boat once to view Chaohu Lake's night scenery.
Chaohu Lake was one of the Five Great Lakes of the Central Plains, and its magnificent scenery was famous for being the most beautiful among the five great lakes. Its night view was especially beautiful, such that Chaohu Lake's nighttime landscape had long been a frequent subject for poets and scholars.
When Dong Bong-su and the others arrived at the Heavenly Guest Hall, the sun had already completely set, the moon hung aslant in the sky, and moonlight reflected off the water of Chaowan, creating a mysterious scenery.
"It's beautiful..."
Tang Hwa couldn't help but admire the scene and let out a sigh.
Although she had visited the Namgung Family once or twice, this was the first time she'd seen a part of Chaohu Lake at night like this. The appearance of the Heavenly Guest Hall and Chaowan, resembling a floating garden, was more than enough to make the heart of Tang Hwa, now a young lady, tremble.
"Pretty, right? We're thinking of going for a night outing to Chaohu Lake today—want to come along?"
Seeing Tang Hwa admiring it, Namgung Hye suggested an outing. Judging by her words, it was clear the two had originally planned to go out to view Chaohu Lake's night scenery today.
"Hey, Sister. I can read the room now."
Perhaps because Tang Hwa's tone was a bit strange, Namgung Hye blushed and lowered her head again. The fortunate thing was that, unlike earlier, the darkness of night somewhat concealed her face.
Just then, Do Heo-ok, who had been listening to their conversation, interjected.
"It's fine. We'll be spending our whole lives together in a few days anyway, so can't I yield one day to my sister-in-law? Let's go out together if you're not too tired. The moon is almost full right now, and Chaohu Lake is most beautiful at this time. Even more so than at the full moon."
As he said this, Do Heo-ok subtly glanced at Dong Bong-su with his eyes.
Seeing this, Dong Bong-su could tell Do Heo-ok's intentions. That he wanted to know more about him. The reason was obvious.
The contrived eyes of Dong Bong-su and Do Heo-ok briefly intertwined in the air between their true gazes.
Dong Bong-su appropriately avoided Do Heo-ok's eyes to a degree that wouldn't be too obvious. Even so, he couldn't eliminate the suspicion that had already begun.
Of course, there still existed a large gap between the two.
The point was that Dong Bong-su had some certainty about Do Heo-ok, while Do Heo-ok only had suspicions about Dong Bong-su.
Though it seemed small, the difference was stark.
Like the difference between a student who received a multiple-choice question with five options and a student holding an exam paper with just one ambiguous line that might or might not be a question.
When Dong Bong-su looked up at the moon, avoiding Do Heo-ok's eyes as he intended, Tang Hwa spoke in a pleased voice.
"Would that really be okay, Brother-in-law?"
"Of course."
At Do Heo-ok's refreshing answer, Namgung Hye smiled broadly. From that sight, Namgung Hye had already completely fallen for Do Heo-ok.
"Then shall we go together? Who knows when I'll be able to moon-gaze with Sister again? It would be nice to see it together at Chaohu Lake."
"Yes. Let's do that."
Namgung Hye smiled prettily and held Tang Hwa's hand.
Tang Hwa clasped her hand in return and looked at Dong Bong-su.
"That's fine, right?"
It was a forceful notification that gave him no choice.
From her perspective, it was perhaps natural.
Anyway, because of Tang O's earnest request, the two had to move together. Even if they were assigned separate rooms at the Heavenly Guest Hall, they had to stay together until Tang O arrived. In that case, she thought it would be much better to view Chaohu Lake's night scenery, called a Heavenly View, while sharing feelings of parting with Namgung Hye.
However, from Dong Bong-su's position, this night excursion was quite awkward.
An unknown beast called Do Heo-ok was watching him.
This was the Martial World, a place where one couldn't know what might happen. Though the possibility was slim, what if Do Heo-ok somehow discovered that he had a Holeless Body?
It was dangerous.
However, Dong Bong-su couldn't avoid it, and Tang Hwa's gaze was merciless. The choice had never been his to make from the beginning. He had escaped being a groom, but he still had no free will.
'Can't be helped.'
Since it had come to this, when they went out to Chaohu Lake, just as Do Heo-ok observed him, he would have to learn more about Do Heo-ok as well.
"Yes."
With his brief answer, the night outing to Chaohu Lake for the four was decided.
***
A short while later.
One Crimson Sail Ship with a red silk sail raised magnificently passed through the open Water Gate and departed for Chaohu Lake.
The boat rode the cool night breeze, cutting through the water toward where the moonlight shone best.
'All birds fly high and vanish, A lone cloud drifts away leisurely. Looking at each other, neither tires of the view— Only the scenery of Chaohu Lake remains.'
The Namgung Family's boatmen sang as they rowed. It was a song that adapted Li Bai's poem 'Sitting Alone at Jingting Mountain' to fit Chaohu Lake.
Perhaps because of that song, a single cloud was indeed passing across the round moon alone, and the sight was incomparably elegant.
The boat soon arrived in the middle of the lake. The boatmen leisurely lowered the sail and even dropped the anchors attached to both sides of the boat into the water.
The boat completely stopped in the exact center of Chaohu Lake.
"The moon reflected on the lake is really beautiful."
Tang Hwa spoke admiringly. As she said, the moon that seemed to have leaped into Chaohu Lake while embracing a single cloud was so beautiful it was difficult to describe.
Starting with that, Tang Hwa and Namgung Hye's chatter began.
Also, Do Heo-ok's inquiry into Dong Bong-su began in earnest.
"Let the women talk among themselves, and let's us men share a drink."
Do Heo-ok led Dong Bong-su to the bow of the ship.
-x-X-x-
Dong Bong-su realized what was coming as he followed behind Do Heo-ok. But in truth, it was impossible to learn about him just by asking questions.
Also, thanks to the Crown Opening Great Method from yesterday, his body temporarily had blood channels. Unless Do Heo-ok seized him and conducted a thorough examination, he wouldn't be able to discover the Holeless Body.
"Yes."
Dong Bong-su answered while looking at Do Heo-ok. The minimum answer he could give. Just the single word 'yes.'
At that, Do Heo-ok laughed heartily once, then left Dong Bong-su alone at the bow and went down below deck.
"Wait just a moment. I'll be right back with some excellent liquor. Hahaha."
As Do Heo-ok disappeared below deck, Spirit Eyes informed him of his distancing.
[5, 6, 7, 8...]
Even in that brief moment, Dong Bong-su thought endlessly about Do Heo-ok.
Just like before, he still couldn't tell who Do Heo-ok was. That wasn't particularly important right now either. What mattered to him was why Do Heo-ok had infiltrated the Namgung Family in that guise.
For now, there was no way to know this either. However, what was certain was that someone of Do Heo-ok's caliber could accomplish something quite significant at the Namgung Family. That's how important a figure Do Heo-ok was within the Namgung Family right now.
He continued thinking.
Then when would that 'significant matter' begin?
A problem difficult to solve without an answer to 'why.' But at least it was certain it wasn't now. Having infiltrated the Namgung Family with such difficulty, there was no reason anywhere to cause trouble during an outing like this.
However, there was one more fact just as certain.
Do Heo-ok wouldn't have gone on this outing for no reason. Earlier, Namgung Hye had clearly said this.
That this outing had been planned from the 'beginning.'
Based on what he had grasped today, Do Heo-ok was a similar type of human to himself—someone who didn't do even a little bit of unnecessary work.
Namgung Hye was already playing in the palm of his hand, so there was no reason for such an 'unnecessary' night outing just to further win her heart.
Types like himself or Do Heo-ok were busier at night. Just like how most predators are nocturnal.
Yet to spend such an important night on something like a mere night outing was unimaginable.
'What exactly was Do Heo-ok planning to do by going on this outing?'
Probing him was just a side matter. There was something else important. Definitely.
'What is it?'
He wanted to confirm it.
Dong Bong-su thought about it endlessly and searched.
One by one, step by step.
First, they came out on a boat. Why? What's the boat's role?
To carry and transport something? Assuming that...
'What?'
He couldn't tell. It was difficult to even guess. Because he still didn't know what scale of matter Do Heo-ok was plotting, or what direction the scheme had.
He needed to narrow the scope.
A significant matter, a major incident.
Something that could only be done by coming deep inside the Namgung Family.
Something that had to be done by creating a virtual but perfect 'character' called Do Heo-ok.
He could quickly deduce several things.
First was that a competing force or Evil Sect had planted Do Heo-ok in the Namgung Family as a spy concept. Though it would take considerable time, if Do Heo-ok remained as a son-in-law and occupied a key position in the Namgung Family, he could operate as the best spy.
Second was that a competing force or Evil Sect had infiltrated Do Heo-ok to completely collapse the Namgung Family. Though it went through a rather complex process, it was certainly an efficient method. It would be a method of striking from outside while Do Heo-ok provided internal support.
Third was that Do Heo-ok had secretly entered the Namgung Family independently. The reason would be something like revenge or stealing martial arts to learn.
Fourth was that he had truly fallen in love with Namgung Hye.
There could be more reasons beyond these that he hadn't thought of. However, broadly categorized, they wouldn't escape this scope.
Among these, the first, third, and fourth had no effect on Dong Bong-su himself.
The problem was.
'That second one.'
If Do Heo-ok had really come here to bring down the Namgung Family, he would have prepared that thoroughly, and it would mean he belonged to a force large enough to collapse the Namgung Family.
In this case, it could be extremely fatal.
Already the current situation was one where Dong Bong-su could neither kill nor avoid Do Heo-ok. The only way Dong Bong-su could deal with the enemy called Do Heo-ok now was to deceive him.
'In such a situation, if a powerful force beyond expectation suddenly strikes this place? Additionally, if the Namgung Family can't stop them at all?'
In this case, even if Dong Bong-su perfectly deceived Do Heo-ok right now, he would have to consider there was no possibility of survival.
When there are many possibilities, one must prepare for the worst case. Especially if it's connected to one's life, all the more so.
Most of all, Dong Bong-su's intuition kept whispering to him that it seemed to be that worst case. It was like his intuition, honed over decades, was shouting at him through abdominal breathing.
If that worst case was correct, Do Heo-ok's day of action would definitely be his wedding day. Though he didn't know exactly what, he would have surely planned all those things with that symbolism or practicality.
Though Dong Bong-su had only fit a few puzzle pieces together yet, he felt like he had vaguely grasped the outline of the entire puzzle.
Combining his intuition and this hypothesis...
Who? Do Heo-ok and his backing force.
When? The day this full moon rises.
Where? Here.
What? The Namgung Family.
How? Attack.
Why? Don't know yet.
If all these ominous premonitions and deductions were correct, he would have no choice but to become prey for another predator here.
Dong Bong-su's eyes sank low.
'What's the way to escape?'
The moment his brain behind his darkly sunken eyes rapidly rotated!
[10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5.]
Spirit Eyes urgently informed him of an enemy's approach.
"...!"
Dong Bong-su had clearly been looking toward the entrance going down below deck. Because he had to respond accordingly whenever Do Heo-ok appeared. However, Do Heo-ok clearly hadn't come up on deck yet.
In that situation, some unknown high-level enemy was getting closer to him.
Was Do Heo-ok moving below the boat?
The enemy distance Spirit Eyes informed him of stopped at 5 meters.
If it were Do Heo-ok, this distance would increase again, then decrease after coming up on deck.
However,
"Ah, sorry. The liquor was in a strange place, so it was a bit difficult to find. Hahaha."
Do Heo-ok finally came up on deck.
But the distance to the enemy that Spirit Eyes was indicating remained fixed at 5 meters.
'It's not Do Heo-ok?'
The boat's length was roughly 25 meters by eye, width 10 meters, height 5-6 meters.
The enemy's position currently detected by Spirit Eyes was the boat's bottom planking.
[5, 4, 3, 2, 1.]
The Spirit Eyes numbers decreased from when Do Heo-ok approached closer than 5 meters.
Now there was no room for doubt.
An enemy besides Do Heo-ok had appeared here!
"It's fine."
Dong Bong-su gave the most appropriate answer to Do Heo-ok's apology. Yet even so, his brain's rotation didn't stop.
'Was this it? The reason for going boating this evening?'
Bringing liquor was probably an excuse. Do Heo-ok had certainly gone down below deck and sent a 'promised' signal to the enemy currently stuck on the boat's bottom planking to board this boat.
Currently on Chaohu Lake, besides the boat Dong Bong-su and the others were riding, wealthy people and drinkers from Hefei had come out moon-gazing on boats.
Those who had been on one of those pleasure boats somewhere must have seen Do Heo-ok's signal and infiltrated this boat. And as a master or masters no less than Do Heo-ok at that.
This was Do Heo-ok's main purpose for going boating tonight, and he seemed to have already achieved it.
"Here, receive my cup. This is Apple Bud Wine—it's a bit strong, but it's very precious liquor. I also tasted it for the first time after coming here, and I truly decided to keep staying at the Namgung Family just for this. Haha."
Do Heo-ok handed Dong Bong-su one of the cups he was holding in one hand.
Originally, from when Do Heo-ok went down to get liquor, Dong Bong-su had been worrying about how to appropriately deal with him to eliminate questions about himself.
But now that wasn't the important problem.
Currently, the most important thing was confirming exactly 'how many' had infiltrated this boat.
Frankly speaking, the doubts Do Heo-ok had about him could be largely resolved to a considerable extent just by reciting 'Sosam's' life story. His special encounter with Tang O was only one day. A lifetime as a groom, then just one day.
No matter how meticulous Do Heo-ok was, it was obvious he wouldn't make an issue of just that one day. Moreover, there were several people—the humans from the Danri Family—who could confirm that fact.
Just one day.
Given Do Heo-ok's nature, that one day would just be...
A bit 'uncomfortable,' nothing more.
"Ah, I'm sorry, but actually my stomach hasn't been feeling very good since earlier. May I go relieve myself for a moment?"
Dong Bong-su lightly clutched his stomach and furrowed his brow slightly.
"Ah, of course. Come to think of it, you wouldn't have had time to relieve yourself since arriving here. If you go down below the main deck and ask the boatmen, they'll tell you what to do."
Do Heo-ok didn't notice Dong Bong-su's acting at all. It was too vivid to call acting, and from his perspective, there was no reason whatsoever for Dong Bong-su to act toward him.
Dong Bong-su thanked Do Heo-ok and immediately approached the cabin in the middle of the boat. At this time, Tang Hwa, who had been happily talking while looking at the moon with Namgung Hye, briefly made eye contact with Dong Bong-su. Tang Hwa immediately frowned and turned her head.
Like eyes that had seen a filthy insect.
Dong Bong-su paid not the slightest attention to her such gaze. Because there was no reason or need to be even slightly affected by unimportant matters.
He was just concentrating on Spirit Eyes.
Spirit Eyes targeted only one subject with a level difference of 10 or more that was 'closest' to Dong Bong-su. If there was one person within a 10-meter radius and another person at a 5-meter distance, the only subject Spirit Eyes could detect was the single person at 5 meters distance.
So thanks to that characteristic, he could accurately detect the appearance of an enemy besides Do Heo-ok.
[...12, 13, 14.]
Even while Dong Bong-su descended below the upper deck following the stairs installed below the cabin, the distance Spirit Eyes informed him of was increasing.
The lower cabin below deck was wider than expected, with various miscellaneous items scattered here and there, and the Namgung Family's boatmen were sleeping scattered about. When the family's members say to go out at such a late hour, being mobilized without notice like this was the unavoidable fate of servants. So when they could sleep, they had to catch naps like that.
If Dong Bong-su had remained a groom, at least outwardly he would still be living a life similar to theirs. Even so, that wouldn't change his essential nature.
"Where can I relieve myself?"
He woke up one boatman sprawled out sleeping right next to the cabin stairs and asked the latrine's location. It was a perfunctory question. Anyway, his real purpose wasn't actually to relieve himself in the latrine, but because of another 'business.'
"Do you see that partitioned room in that corner? If you look there, there should be a chamber pot. If the chamber pot is inconvenient, you can relieve yourself at the oar port next to it. Unless we're going far, we always remove the oars there. Honestly, all the boat people do their business there."
Though the boatman must have been displeased with Dong Bong-su for waking him from his honey-sweet nap, he paid it no mind and faithfully answered his question.
Regardless of Dong Bong-su's appearance, to the boatman, Dong Bong-su was a guest of the Namgung Family. And an important guest at that, important enough to ride a pleasure boat together with Namgung Hye. As a mere boatman, he had absolutely no way of knowing that Dong Bong-su had been a groom just yesterday.
Dong Bong-su looked in the direction he pointed. It was toward the stern, and certainly there were wooden boards erected vertically, one on each side. The wooden boards' height was precisely enough to seamlessly connect the upper deck and lower planking, and between those two boards—that is, in the boat's central part—there was a small passage. Because of that, one couldn't look inside that partitioned room from this side.
According to the boatman's words, there must be one oar port each behind each of those erected wooden boards.
He walked toward the partitioned room as the boatman instructed.
Even meanwhile, Spirit Eyes' warning sound continued stimulating his nerves. When Spirit Eyes first appeared, this noisy sound made his head hurt, but now conversely, hearing this sound concentrated his mind. Like the feeling of maximizing his brain's tension level.
In gaming terms, what was a nerf had now become a buff.
Tap tap tap, tap tap.
Until he went down below the cabin, the distance Spirit Eyes informed him of kept increasing until it eventually indicated 14 meters. That was the distance to the new enemy he had confirmed first.
However,
[14, 13, 11, 10...]
The closer he approached the partitioned room, the more the number Spirit Eyes informed him of decreases.
Clearly Do Heo-ok and the new enemy were at the bow side. And Dong Bong-su was now approaching the stern side. Then, as it should be, the distance to the enemy should continuously increase and eventually Spirit Eyes' warning sound should cut off. But the increasing distance began decreasing again starting from 14 meters.
This showed one fact.
'There's more!'
The enemy who snuck onto this boat is definitely not just one person.
-x-X-x-
[6, 5, 4...]
Dong Bong-su finally entered the partitioned room.
In the partitioned room, just as the boatman had said, there was one oar port on each side. The empty space inside was used as storage, with various lake navigation tools scattered about, and as the boatman mentioned, a fairly large chamber pot with a lid was also provided.
Since he hadn't come to use something like a chamber pot anyway, he stuck as close as possible to the boat's wall.
First, the left side.
Where the oar port was located was the end of the boat. Just as the boatman had said they defecated and urinated there instead of using the latrine, as he approached close to the oar port, a foul smell stabbed his nose. However, Dong Bong-su paid it no mind and pressed his body as close as possible to the hole where the oar would have been placed.
Then he checked Spirit Eyes.
[3.]
Now Spirit Eyes' parameter was indicating 3 meters. On the lower planking 3 meters below this oar port, one person presumed to be an enemy was attached.
'Two for now.'
Combined with the one confirmed at the bow, there were two.
Two might not be the end yet.
Dong Bong-su immediately moved to the opposite partitioned room side. As expected, the distance increased then decreased again.
At the oar port opposite the spot that had just indicated 3 meters.
There was one more enemy at an even closer 2-meter position than 3 meters.
'Three!'
Having confirmed three additional enemies, Dong Bong-su left the partitioned room. And he walked toward the bow. Because there might be more at the bow side besides the enemy he'd confirmed earlier.
"Kul..."
The boatman who had given him directions earlier had already fallen back into sleep. The low snoring sound was rather proof that he was deeply asleep.
Dong Bong-su passed him and approached the bow side. As expected, Spirit Eyes' warning sound increased then decreased starting at 14 meters. And there he confirmed that besides the enemy he'd checked earlier, there was one more person attached to the bottom planking on the opposite side.
'Four.'
A total of four people.
Right now under this boat, there were four enemies with a level difference of 10 or more from him.
Five if Do Heo-ok was included.
One each on both sides of the boat bottom directly below the front and rear.
He could accurately grasp the positions of the four through Spirit Eyes' sense of distance.
Then what was the purpose of these people sneaking onto this boat?
At this point, there was nothing to ponder.
If their purpose was something like kidnapping Namgung Hye, they would have already done it. The only person on this boat who could stop them was Do Heo-ok, but given the circumstances, when he had called these four here, what reason would there be to stop them?
Four peak masters attached under the boat doing nothing?
'They're just waiting for the boat to return where it came from, to the Namgung Family.'
This boat was scheduled to return to the Namgung Family soon, and it was a boat that received no one's suspicion. Who would suspect a boat carrying Namgung Byeok's second son-in-law and second daughter?
That meant these peak masters attached under the boat could infiltrate the Namgung Family without any interference.
These were people with at least a level difference of 10 or more from Dong Bong-su. Whether that difference would be 20 or 30 was completely unknowable.
For four such people to secretly permeate into the Namgung Family...
'Overthrow.'
The 'significant matter, major incident' Do Heo-ok was plotting was indeed as his intuition had said. The first, third, and fourth possibilities all disappeared, leaving only the second possibility.
Do Heo-ok and this force intended to completely overturn the Namgung Family. It wasn't to kill one or two people. Absolutely not.
'They intend to erase the Namgung Family from the Martial World.'
Then D-Day was indeed...
That day.
It would be Do Heo-ok's wedding day.
They must be preparing one by one to cause trouble timed to that moment, and this matter was also part of the preparatory stage for the grand undertaking.
There were no what-ifs here. The possibility that Do Heo-ok and these people were on different sides was 'zero.'
The Namgung Family was in name the Greatest Family Under Heaven. When this pleasure boat returned to the family, they would certainly inspect the boat and confirm whether anyone had snuck on or not. Normally they would be caught there, and even if they were lucky enough to escape the boat and infiltrate inside the Namgung Family, they would soon have their tails caught by the Namgung Family's warriors.
However,
If someone bought them time to hide inside the family and even provided them with places to hide, the story would be completely different. Do Heo-ok would have already prepared all of that, and it would proceed as planned. There was already no one who could stop it.
Dong Bong-su couldn't stop it either.
Even if he returned to the family and said there were intruders, who would believe him? Additionally, if he said the person who hid or would hide them was Do Heo-ok?
It would obviously become a self-destructive move that put him in danger.
It wasn't a choice Dong Bong-su could make.
Then.
'What should I do now?'
Do Heo-ok's plan was progressing step by step, and there was no way for Dong Bong-su to stop it.
Between a rock and a hard place.
With Tang Hwa or Tang O always attached, he couldn't escape the Namgung Family. But if he remained inside the Namgung Family, Do Heo-ok and his backing force would attack the Namgung Family when the time came, and the result was roughly predictable.
In the worst case, all personnel within the Namgung Family would be annihilated.
If he followed Tang O, he might survive if lucky, but that was really only if he was lucky. If he left it to luck every time something like this happened, Dong Bong-su wouldn't have lasted until now without being caught.
Luck was nothing more than a stroke of fortune that only fools believed in, and Dong Bong-su was no fool.
'I must find a certain method.'
As quickly as possible.
When caught between a rock and a hard place, ordinary people would be prone to give up. But Dong Bong-su doesn't give up. He maintains cool reason in any situation and navigates through crises.
If front and back are blocked, he escapes through a side path. If both sides are blocked, he soars upward or hides below.
If even that isn't feasible.
He levels both difficulties.
That was Dong Bong-su's way, and Dong Bong-su was the one who could do so.
Dong Bong-su's gaze had at some point returned from Sosam's eyes to Dong Bong-su's true 'empty' gaze.
What was he thinking?
No one knew yet.
***
A short while later.
Dong Bong-su came up on deck as if nothing had happened and drank with Do Heo-ok.
Right there, he got drunk and recited Sosam's life story fluently. He wrapped up the matter with Tang O by vaguely saying he didn't know why it happened that way.
Do Heo-ok couldn't find any flaws in Dong Bong-su's story and ultimately had no choice but to accept it. That Dong Bong-su knew nothing.
Afterward, Dong Bong-su, drunk, went down to the lower cabin and fell asleep with his head stuck in the oar port inside the partitioned room.
In the end, that night's boat outing ended like that.
Until then, clouds still clung to the moon in the sky. Nevertheless, because the moon was so large, the moonlight brightly illuminated the world.
The full moon wasn't far off.
The midpoint between the full moon and first quarter moon.
Tang Hwa and Namgung Hye, who knew nothing, were looking at the moon with smiling faces even while returning to the Namgung Family, and Do Heo-ok, standing beside them with a triumphant smile, was also looking up at the moon.
However, there was one fact they didn't know.
The fact that there was another person looking at the same moon as them.
Dong Bong-su, with his head stuck in the oar port while smelling feces and urine, was calmly watching the distorted moon reflected on Chaohu Lake clearly.
That moon wasn't as bright as the moon seen directly through the sky, but more secretly, more quietly, and more beautifully, it flowed on Chaohu Lake following the ripples.
***
The time when Dong Bong-su and Do Heo-ok, and Tang Hwa and Namgung Hye's boat outing ended was just as the second watch (9-11 PM) was passing into the third watch (11 PM-1 AM), and this was when the family warriors standing guard made their first shift change.
The boat they rode quickly moored at Chaowan, and Do Heo-ok and the two women disembarked first. Following them, Dong Bong-su was carried off the boat by the boatmen.
Do Heo-ok ordered the family warriors who would change shifts to wash Dong Bong-su and put him to sleep in any empty room in the Heavenly Guest Hall, then returned to the Emperor King Hall with Namgung Hye.
On the path he took, a 'gap in the watch' due to the shift change was occurring, and through that gap, four secret shadows followed behind Do Heo-ok.
Tang Hwa forgot even Tang O's request not to leave Dong Bong-su alone and abandoned Dong Bong-su, who reeked of manure, and went into the Western Heavenly Guest Hall by herself. Though it was a trivial matter, Tang Hwa had become even more disgusted with Dong Bong-su.
She thought that if one was a spirited martial artist, one should know how to handle alcohol to some degree. By her standards, Dong Bong-su, who had collapsed like that from just a few cups of Apple Bud Wine, wasn't even a man. Let alone a talent of the ages. She was certain Tang O had definitely misjudged.
To her, Dong Bong-su was nothing more than a pathetic insect who had luckily won Tang O's favor.
After Tang Hwa disappeared, the Namgung Family warriors who took over Dong Bong-su from the boatmen carried him to the bathhouse inside the Heavenly Guest Hall and washed him carefully.
Though cold water touched his body, Dong Bong-su didn't regain consciousness until then. No, he pretended not to.
As a result of his efforts, shortly after, he was left alone in an empty room at the very end of the Eastern Guest Hall in the Heavenly Guest Hall. The warriors who had washed Dong Bong-su on Do Heo-ok's orders brought him there and returned. From their position, they should return and rest right after the shift change, but they had to wash the smelly Dong Bong-su, so they had reason to feel bad, but befitting Namgung Family warriors, they properly completed their duty to the end.
The Eastern Heavenly Guest Hall was the guest hall on the eastern island across Chaowan, a guest hall for men. Conversely, the Western Heavenly Guest Hall built on the island west of Chaowan was a guest hall for women. Tang Hwa was probably sleeping soundly in the Western Heavenly Guest Hall by now.
Dong Bong-su remained lying on the bed in that same position even after the warriors left. Because there was still one more person who would come looking for him.
Click.
As expected, not long after, the door opened and someone appeared. However, slightly beyond expectation, it wasn't one person but two.
The people who appeared were Tang O and Danri Jiang-hae.
Tang O entered the room, confirmed Dong Bong-su was sleeping, and lightly clicked his tongue.
"Tsk tsk tsk. I gave such earnest instructions not to leave him alone."
Tang O lightly reproached the absent Tang Hwa, then left the room again with Danri Jiang-hae.
Creak. Click.
The room closed, and finally Dong Bong-su's 'time' arrived.
Rustle—
Dong Bong-su's eyes slowly and clearly opened.
***
(Revised) New Murim Online 7th Law: The Passive Skill Spirit Eyes identifies danger factors that approach within Dong Bong-su's 20-meter radius and informs him. The standard is a level difference of 10.
Addition: Spirit Eyes only targets one subject with a level difference of 10 or more that is 'closest' to Dong Bong-su. If there is one person within a 10-meter radius around him and another person at a 5-meter distance, the only subject Spirit Eyes can detect is the single person at 5 meters distance.
※Still, all these laws are neither fixed nor certain.
-x-X-x-