The escorts of the Yongnam Escort Agency were leaving the inn. On their carriage was a coffin. Inside the coffin was another corpse disguised as Jin Sa-wol.

He didn't think Mun-hyeok would be deceived. Still, he thought he could buy some time.

Two people were standing on the fifth floor of the five-story pavilion where Bi-sun, the guest room master and general manager, was staying.

"Will the escorts of the Yongnam Escort Agency tell us where the faction master is?"

"He's a cautious person, so it won't be easy to find out. But we'll be able to catch his tail."

Jo-rim and Bi-sun crossed their arms and touched their chins at the same time.

The coffin containing the corpse disguised as Jin Sa-wol was transported to Luoyang through the Yongnam Escort Agency.

The coffin that arrived in Luoyang would go to Mun-hyeok.

The coffin was just bait to lure Mun-hyeok.

Knock! Knock!

With the sound of knocking on the door, Namgung Ji's voice was heard.

"It's me."

"Come in."

At Bi-sun's words, Namgung Ji opened the door and entered with a smile.

"The master of the Golden Flower Pavilion wants to see the innkeeper."

She said, holding out a letter.

Bi-sun and Jo-rim's expressions hardened. Bi-sun, as if frustrated, plucked at his short mustache and grumbled.

"How long has it been since the Martial Alliance came, and they're here again?"

"No, this time they're telling us to come to the alliance. Aren't they trying to treat us?"

At Namgung Ji's words, Jo-rim waved her hand.

"You're still naive. The Martial Alliance doesn't treat anyone. If they told us to come, it means to come with money."

"I didn't ask you, sister."

Namgung Ji pouted her lips as if she had something against Jo-rim. As if her appearance were cute, Jo-rim drew a smiling eye.

As Namgung Ji's expression turned cold, Bi-sun said.

"Brother Jin has gone to Sichuan on business. He can't go for a while."

"Really? That's a shame."

"Why?"

When Jo-rim asked, Namgung Ji said with a tearful face.

"He came to the inn, but I've only seen his face a few times. Young Master Jin also escorted me, so I thought of Young Master Jin as my older brother, but it seems Young Master Jin doesn't. I'm disappointed."

"When he comes back from Sichuan, I'll tell him that the front faction leader is disappointed."

At Bi-sun's words, Namgung Ji nodded and went outside.

Thump!

As she closed the door, Jo-rim spoke carefully in a low voice.

"The Martial Alliance is bothering me. Why do they want to see us..."

"As you said, it must mean they want gold. If not, they're thinking of asking for more donations or support."

"Those bastards who deserve to be stoned to death."

Jo-rim grumbled and shook her head.

* * *

Luoyang.

The beginning of the Central Plains, which had been passed down for thousands of years since ancient times. To the east, the great plains of Hebei stretched out, and to the west, it was an ancient capital where numerous mountains continued.

Not far away was the White Horse Temple, which was called the first temple, and there was also the Beomang Mountain, which was called the tomb of countless corpses.

Jin Sa-wol, who was staying at an inn near the east gate of Luoyang, opened the window halfway.

The dawn sky came into his eyes.

Jin Sa-wol lit a lamp and sat down in a chair.

Whoosh!

With the sound of the wind, Son Ae-hwa, wearing a black night-traveling suit and a mask, came in. She, as if tired, lay down on the bed with a sweat-drenched face.

"I'm back. Phew... I'm tired. I spent a lot of time at the Martial Alliance's branch."

Jin Sa-wol just left Son Ae-hwa, who was catching her breath.

In Luoyang, the Martial Alliance's branch was near the north gate, and there was also a secret branch of the Demonic Cult.

And the Beggars' Sect's branch was outside the south gate.

Son Ae-hwa had gone around the Hao Faction's gisaeng house during the night, and had also gone around the Demonic Cult's secret branch as well as the Martial Alliance's branch.

Of course, she would be tired.

Son Ae-hwa personally thought that the work of a spy, including reconnaissance and scouting, was more difficult than killing.

"It seems there are a lot of personnel changes in the Demonic Cult, to the point where they say they're cleaning house. Dokgo Hyeon has become the Wind Blood Pavilion Master. And the Demonic Cult Leader is said to be in closed-door training. It's only been a few days since he entered, but once he enters closed-door training, he's said to be away for about a fortnight. At that time, it seems Ma Chung rules the cult."

"So Ma Chung is the real power."

"Everyone says so. And no matter how much I search the gisaeng houses or gambling dens, there's no report that the Hao Faction Master has come to Luoyang."

At Son Ae-hwa's words, Jin Sa-wol seemed to have no great interest. As if it were something he had expected, Jin Sa-wol nodded.

"You've worked hard all night, so rest today."

As Jin Sa-wol stood up, Son Ae-hwa raised her head.

"Where are you going?"

"To my room."

"Ah... yes."

As Son Ae-hwa answered and closed her eyes, Jin Sa-wol left the room. But he did not go to his own room, but went out to the dawn street.

He saw busy merchants and workers moving from dawn, but there were not many people yet.

Jin Sa-wol, who had entered a market not far from the inn, entered a place where many pharmacies were gathered.

As he entered a pharmacy with its door half open, the smell of medicinal herbs stimulated his nose.

He passed the back door of the pharmacy and sat at a dining table in a large room. On the dining table were fish soup and a few vegetable dishes.

A young man in his late twenties, who was just coming out of the kitchen with rice, frowned when he saw Jin Sa-wol.

"What?"

The young man spat out a word, placed a bowl of rice in front of Jin Sa-wol, and then headed back to the kitchen.

"If you're coming, you should have told me beforehand."

The young man grumbled, brought a bowl of rice, and then appeared again and sat in front of Jin Sa-wol.

"Didn't the faction leader tell you I was coming?"

"What did that old man say. It's been a month since I've seen him. He seems to be busy these days. He doesn't show his face at all."

At the words of Do Sam-gi, the owner of the pharmacy, Jin Sa-wol asked again.

"What about Na Hyeon-gi?"

"He's still training. It's been a year since he's contacted our side."

"Is he sick?"

"He's eaten a lot of good medicine, so he'll live for another ten years."

Jin Sa-wol hardly ate any rice and just picked at a few vegetable dishes.

If there was one thing that was most important to the killing ghosts, it was information.

The organization that gathered numerous pieces of information from all over the world and informed the killing ghosts of the Ghost Spirit Valley was the Dark Cloud Division of the Na family.

Although the killing ghosts had disappeared, the Dark Cloud Division still remained, and the headquarters of the Dark Cloud Division was the Buhakru here in Luoyang.

Although the name Dark Cloud Division was grand, the actual organization was a union of pharmacies. Since it was an organization that even martial artists did not know well, there was nothing that stood out.

The herbalists who traded with the pharmacies were the informants and the eyes and ears of the Dark Cloud Division.

Do Sam-gi was an informant he had met with Bi-sun five years ago.

At that time, he was a clerk at a pharmacy, but now he was the owner. And he was a person who was in regular contact with Bi-sun.

He knew that he was coming here, and he also knew that he was the owner of the Gangnam Grand Inn.

"What about the Demonic Cult?"

"From about half a year ago? A lot of slaves have entered the Demonic Cult. Of course, many slaves have entered, but no slaves have come out alive."

"Firewood?"

At Jin Sa-wol's words, Do Sam-gi nodded. Jin Sa-wol showed interest and asked.

"The organization that is selling slaves to the Demonic Cult?"

"It's the Hao Faction. Is there anywhere else."

Do Sam-gi, who was answering, spoke again when Jin Sa-wol's expression became heated.

"Slaves are being sold to the Demonic Cult from the Minshan Mountains in Hanzhong and Sichuan, the Taihang Mountains in Shanxi, and also from Guizhou, Hunan, and Jiangxi. It seems to be in the thousands. It seems the Hao Faction, which is engaged in human trafficking in that area, is handling the transportation."

Hearing Do Sam-gi's answer, Jin Sa-wol's expression hardened and he gripped his teacup tightly.

Hearing Do Sam-gi's story, one common point came to mind. It was the Demonic Cult linked with the evil factions.

"The Nine Pavilions of the Demonic Cult."

The Ghost Hand Pavilion, which was linked with the Blood Killing Faction, was in Jiangxi and Hunan.

The Wind Blood Pavilion in Guizhou and the Ghost Insect Pavilion in Hanzhong also belonged to the Nine Pavilions of the Demonic Cult.

'The Esoteric Sect also got firewood.'

Jin Sa-wol recalled the slaves who had entered the Esoteric Sect.

They were all killed by the cult members of the Esoteric Sect who were researching and practicing demonic arts, and no one survived.

The annihilated Esoteric Sect and the current Demonic Cult seemed to be the same.

'It's still the same.'

Do Sam-gi frowned at the words 'Nine Pavilions'.

"Nine Pavilions? What do you mean?"

Jin Sa-wol shook his head and drank his tea. Do Sam-gi sensed that there was something, but he did not ask.

Jin Sa-wol was not a sincere and kind person who would answer right away even if he were asked a question.

But Do Sam-gi himself had to answer Jin Sa-wol's questions.

That was his position.

"Tell the faction leader that I'm going tonight."

"Let's do that."

"Do you know where the Hao Faction Master is?"

"I have to find out."

At Do Sam-gi's answer, Jin Sa-wol, who had stood up from his seat, left the pharmacy.

When night came, a black shadow that had jumped over the roofs of Luoyang crossed the wall of the Buhakru, which had a wide garden.

A lonely lamp was shining in the center of the pond.

In the pavilion connected by a cloud bridge, a white-haired old man was sitting, and there was no one around him.

He was one of the wealthy merchants of Luoyang, Master Jang. His name was Jang Pal, and since it was such a common name, he would scold if his name was called, and he was a person who would smile only when called Master Jang.

Swoosh!

Jin Sa-wol, who had appeared next to the old man like the wind, leaned against the railing of the pavilion.

From a distance, it was a place that looked as if there was no one, hidden by the shadow of the lamp.

"Not yet?"

"I've come."

"You startled me! You're going to make my liver fall out, you bastard."

Master Jang, who had turned his head at the sound from the left, saw Jin Sa-wol and raised his voice with his eyes wide open.

Jin Sa-wol put his index finger to his lips.

Only then did Master Jang close his mouth and stroke his beard.

Master Jang had had a similar experience five years ago. At that time too, Jin Sa-wol had appeared suddenly like today.

"There's no one. Do you think I would have waited here on the water for no reason?"

"I met Do Sam-gi in the morning."

"You still have an arrogant tone. Can't you speak more politely?"

"Because I'm richer."

"Did you speak informally five years ago because you were poor?"

"Because I had no manners back then."

At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Master Jang stroked his beard and smiled.

"People will be very surprised when they find out that the owner of the Gangnam Grand Inn is such a young brat."

Jin Sa-wol ignored Master Jang's words and asked.

"How about we leak the relationship between the Demonic Cult and the Hao Faction to the Martial Alliance?"

"The Martial Alliance knows more about the Demonic Cult than we do."

At Master Jang's answer, Jin Sa-wol nodded as if he had accepted it.

"When will the Yongnam Escort Agency arrive?"

"It seems they will arrive in Luoyang in two days."

"Can you find the Hao Faction Master before then?"

"I'm looking, but he's nowhere to be found."

Master Jang shook his head and then continued.

"If you kill the Hao Faction Master in Luoyang, the Demonic Cult and the Martial Alliance will search Luoyang with a fine-toothed comb. On top of that, the government will also step in, and the Hwayeong Pavilion will also come out. If Luoyang becomes noisy, it's not good for us either. So kill him when he leaves Luoyang."

"Alright."

If the Hao Faction Master dies, the martial world will become noisy. It was a different problem from the death of the Blood Killing Faction Leader.

There was no place in the martial world where the hands of the Hao Faction did not reach. As such, damage could also occur to the Buhakru in Luoyang.

Master Jang asked with a face full of worry.

"I heard you're going to the Demonic Cult's Infinite Hell. Do you have a good plan?"

"Not yet..."

The Infinite Hell, which you couldn't get out of once you entered, was definitely a big worry.

"It could be a trap by the alliance. If you die, they'll probably try to swallow up the Gangnam Grand Inn."

At Master Jang's words, Jin Sa-wol just nodded without a word.

It wasn't that he hadn't thought about it.

But if such a thing happened... the Martial Alliance would also become his enemy.

Jin Sa-wol's eyes sank as deep as a bottomless pit.

'I'll know when I face it.'

(End of Chapter)