Sichuan, the opulent tavern in Chengdu where martial artists and merchants gathered endlessly: Drunken Cloud Tower.
Underneath that grand establishment, in a secret chamber cut off from the world.
Beneath the heavy glow of a lantern, the head of the Hao Gate Sichuan branch, Jin Gon, carefully unfurled a piece of cloth.
"Mount Emei, Namreung Valley. Twenty corpses discovered."
All eyes turned to Jin Gon.
"Numerous signs of dismemberment and mutilation. Traces of deliberate slaughter."
Across the table, his deputy Wei Chang furrowed his brow deeply.
"...On Mount Emei?"
"Normally, who'd care about some mountain bandits getting butchered? But... something smells off, doesn't it?"
No one had explained, but they were all thinking of the same possibility first.
"...Someone's heart demon, perhaps."
The Hao Gate had always been a gathering of those who jumped straight to the most sensational conclusions.
Jin Gon smiled at Wei Chang's words.
"That'd be ideal. It'd fetch a high price."
The odds of being wrong were far higher, but verification was essential.
Pushing the cloth on the table with his fingertips, Jin Gon continued.
"Wei Chang."
Wei Chang rose slowly and clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"I await your orders."
"Station yourself in a village near Boguk Temple at the foot of Mount Emei and investigate personally. Especially—"
"—First Disciple Soun, and Second Disciple Cheongwol."
"...Yes. Watch those two particularly closely."
****
"...Wol-i, you say."
Soun couldn't hide her complicated feelings at Muwol Satae's words.
Muwol Satae had already told Soun about Cheongwol's heart demon, the remnants of the Extermination Sword she'd witnessed that day, and the numerous corpses.
Having relayed the truth, Soun still seemed at a loss.
After a stifled silence, Soun asked cautiously.
"...Th-then, what... should we do..."
Muwol Satae shook her head as well.
"...I don't know either. If a heart demon could be shaken off so easily, it wouldn't be called one."
"..."
Soun lowered her head.
Then, she gazed at Cheongwol in the distance, continuing her training.
Diligent as always, her form unwavering.
Her pure, steadfast energy.
The idea that this girl... had slaughtered dozens of bandits and been consumed by a heart demon... was too hard to believe.
She was a child Soun had watched since she was ten, freshly initiated and still so small.
Days of training together, laughing together, sharing time—they flooded her mind.
Watching the trajectory of Cheongwol's forms, Soun forced her mouth open.
"But Sect Leader... Calling it a heart demon doesn't fit with Wol-i's recent—"
"—I know. She's been growing at an astonishing pace lately. As if she's attained some enlightenment."
Muwol Satae drew a quiet breath and closed her eyes for a moment.
At least now, Cheongwol seemed stable lately.
Knowing how precarious that peace was, she couldn't help swallowing a breath of relief, if only for the moment.
Having caught her breath, she asked cautiously once more.
"Soun. Have you noticed anything odd about Wol-i lately? Like she's changed..."
"..."
Soun scratched her head.
"...Lately, she seems caught in delusions often. She can't focus well..."
Trailing off, Soun seemed to remember something.
"...Oh, she mentioned a friend."
"...A friend?"
"What's a friend, she asked. If it's a friend, is it okay to be together?"
It only complicated Muwol Satae's thoughts further.
A friend.
Was that soothing the darkness she harbored?
It couldn't be her fellow disciples.
...Poison Phoenix? But they hadn't met often enough for that.
...It seemed Cheongwol had made a new friend that even Muwol Satae herself didn't know about.
"..."
...But what if that friend was dragging Cheongwol into deeper darkness?
Everything about her felt precarious, like a child left by the water's edge.
Especially after realizing she was afflicted by a heart demon.
She tried to shake off the ominous thoughts, but it wasn't easy.
"...Soun."
Without turning her gaze from Cheongwol, Muwol Satae spoke lowly.
"Let's keep watch over Wol-i."
Her words carried more than simple observation—a deeper implication.
Soun understood.
And nodded quietly.
Then, suddenly, something occurred to Muwol Satae.
"Oh, by the way."
Soun turned her attention back to the Sect Leader.
"Prepare to receive guests."
"Guests?"
Muwol Satae nodded.
"They're coming from the Tang Clan of Sichuan."
****
Cheongwol still felt no relief from the frustration since that day.
The more she replayed what happened with Han Seojin at the market, the hotter her face burned.
She tried to forget, but the memories crashed over her like waves, crushing her.
'I don't eat meat!'
-Pak! Pak!
Cheongwol stomped the ground twice in pity for her foolish outburst.
Why had she reacted so emotionally?
Why had she been so prickly about everything?
Why had she been so irritated?
...And why, despite it all, did she keep thinking about him?
Two days had passed since going down to the market.
Four more days, and... she could visit his basement.
But because of that day, something felt off.
A meeting that ended in a fight.
Turning away like that, yet planning to return to the basement—it felt strangely wrong.
"..."
...Still, she would go.
Her swordsmanship had noticeably smoothed out lately.
Her master and the Sect Leader had praised her steadily.
The sense of liberation she'd tasted in that basement that day, the brief escape from all suppression—it was clearly pushing her forward.
It was a far cry from the past year when she'd felt stuck against a wall.
Her sword skills, her body, her mind—they were improving, bit by bit. Cheongwol felt it herself.
...If only her head would cooperate.
She was annoyed at herself for constantly thinking of Han Seojin.
Why him, of all people.
Why that man, of all people.
Han Seojin was probably living carefree right now.
While she clutched her head in irritation and frustration, he likely hadn't thought of her even once.
...That grated on her strangely.
"...Ha."
Sighing like that, just as she was about to swing her sword again.
"Senior Sister!"
A young girl's voice rang out, and a little girl came scampering over.
"...Honghwa."
Honghwa was Hye-yul's disciple.
And lately, Cheongwol had a strained relationship with the senior disciple Hye-yul.
They'd gotten along once... but ever since the day she'd slapped Baekhui's cheek, the air had been thick and awkward.
But she couldn't show it in front of this child, oblivious to adult matters.
"Senior Sister, have some water! You're training again today?"
Cheongwol gave a faint smile and patted Honghwa's head.
She took the water the girl offered and drank.
"Thanks, Honghwa. Yes. Training has to be consistent."
"I want to become someone like Senior Sister someday!"
"..."
...Like me?
She swallowed a bitter smile inwardly.
...You probably wouldn't want that.
Truth is, even I'm struggling a bit.
Suppressing those words, Cheongwol gently stroked Honghwa's shoulder again.
"Nothing troubling you lately?"
"No!"
"Good. Then I'll get back to—"
"Oh, right, Senior Sister! Why are you always so popular?"
"..."
The child's boundless energy derailed the conversation again.
Though her training was interrupted, Cheongwol smiled once more.
"Popular?"
"I saw! The day before yesterday at the market! Everyone in the village was fainting just seeing you pass by!"
-Hua, Honghwa mimicked someone fainting.
"...I'm grateful they like me. If you work hard too, Honghwa, you'll surely—"
"Oh! Right! But be careful of that guy!"
Cheongwol pondered how to end the talk and replied.
"...Who?"
"The Leather Room uncle!"
At those words, Cheongwol's ears perked up.
The annoyance from Honghwa vanished in an instant.
"...Leather Room uncle?"
"Yeah! He's creepy, so watch out!"
Cheongwol frowned slightly.
Creepy?
"...Has he done anything weird to you girls?"
"...To us...?"
"No, I mean to you all."
"No? He's nice to us."
"...? Then what's creepy about him..."
Hee, Honghwa giggled and whispered like it was a secret.
"That uncle! He's creepily obsessed with Senior Sister Cheongwol!"
"...Huh?"
Cheongwol nearly lost her balance.
She slowly grabbed Honghwa's arms and asked.
"...What do you mean?"
"When we go to the Leather Room on errands, he always asks about Senior Sister!"
"...About me?"
"Yeah! 'Did Cheongwol Junior come with you?' or 'Will Cheongwol Junior come down later?' He never asks about anyone else!"
Cheongwol blinked at the information.
Considering how he kept pushing her away, his behavior at the market, and how he didn't want ties to the martial world—he'd seemed utterly indifferent.
"And you can tell from his face? He's totally smitten with Senior Sister Cheongwol! Go snap him out of it later!"
...So behind her back, he'd been steadily curious about her?
A voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
'You're pretty, Cheongwol.'
"...Ah."
Cheongwol hurriedly covered her mouth in front of Honghwa.
Her lips kept trying to curl up on their own.
"...I see. Yeah. I'll... go tell him to snap out of it."
"...Don't be too harsh, or the uncle will get hurt! Just right amount!"
"I get what you mean."
Cheongwol sent Honghwa off soon after, gathered her thoughts, and picked up her sword.
"...Ha."
Giggles kept slipping out.
For some reason, even the tip of her sword felt a bit lighter than before.
****
"...Fucking bitch."
Thanks to that pissy attention Cheongwol had shown me at the market, my peace was shattered too.
Every auntie and uncle who came to the shop said the same.
...You know Cheongwol Junior?
Even Uncle Gwak Du had probed casually.
...You know Cheongwol Junior?
Soon, everyone who didn't know would.
-Thud.
I set down the twisted straw rope and let out a deep sigh.
Agh.
How hard is it to play it cool, and she had to make it so obvious at the market!
Things kept getting tangled.
Nothing good came from getting involved with Cheongwol.
If we had to be involved, better if the Central Plains folk didn't know.
...Why did it feel like I was gradually being pulled into the martial world's embrace?
...Knowing this, yet powerless to stop it—that was frustrating.
...What could be done?
Revenge, you bitch.
If there's nothing else I can do, I'll just watch you cry.
That might ease my mind a bit.
You're the one who wanted this, right?
...But will she even come?
After splitting like that, coming back wouldn't be sane.
"..."
...But now, I was waiting for her too.
I'd never imagined thinking this.
Honestly, compared to my boring routine... tasting the SM I'd dreamed of, even as a taste, was pretty stimulating.
My thirst for revenge was burning hotter than ever too.
...Even plays I hadn't planned on doing, I felt like doing now.
"Whew."
I let out a long sigh, then placed the rope over the candle flame again.
Crackle, crackle—the sound of the rope's frayed end burning echoed in my ears.