Mun-hyeok, with his eyes wide open, looked at Jin Sa-wol, who had appeared with a phantom.

"How..."

Mun-hyeok had never seen such a fast sword in his life.

The first form of the One Sword Killing Ghost, unfolded with Jin Sa-wol's Ghost Step, was a fast sword that was too much for Mun-hyeok to handle.

"Kraaak!"

Gritting his teeth, he raised his sword to cut Jin Sa-wol's neck. It was at that moment that Jin Sa-wol twisted his sword.

"Kraaak!"

Mun-hyeok, who let out a scream, trembled all over.

His face was drenched in sweat. Blood flowed from between his lips.

Jin Sa-wol pulled out his sword and then took a step back.

Whoosh!

It was then that Son Ae-hwa's figure disappeared.

-Kill and destroy the evidence.

At Son Ae-hwa's telepathic message, Jin Sa-wol nodded and asked Mun-hyeok.

"I never thought the Hao Faction Master of the world would be wandering around like this without a decent escort."

"It's amazing that you found my location and attacked me. It seems it was a mistake for me to show my face to you. How did you find this place? Cough! Cough!"

Mun-hyeok, while vomiting blood, had a face that couldn't hold back his curiosity.

"Faction Leader Jo told me."

"That damn bitch."

Mun-hyeok sat down, held his Tiantu acupoint, and gasped for breath. Jin Sa-wol looked down at Mun-hyeok with an indifferent face.

It was good to just cut his neck, but it wasn't bad to watch him die like this.

Mun-hyeok raised his head and glared at Jin Sa-wol.

"If I die, you won't be safe either."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"You crazy bastard. The Demonic Cult..."

With those last words, Mun-hyeok closed his eyes.

Jin Sa-wol took Mun-hyeok's hand, which was covered in blood, and wrote the words 'Demonic Cult' on the pillar. It looked as if it were a last will left just before death.

Although it might look clumsy, it could have a surprisingly large effect.

If a Hao Faction member found Mun-hyeok's body, they would suspect it was the work of the Demonic Cult.

To suspect.

That was what was important.

It was a stratagem of sowing discord that he had learned in the Ghost Spirit Valley.

When he became an assassin and eliminated a target, he would sometimes leave a trace of the person who had the worst relationship with the deceased.

If so, the attention of the government and the people around would naturally be directed to the person with a grudge.

Since people didn't even think about the existence of an assassin, it was not difficult to get out of that area.

As he left the main hall, Son Ae-hwa was waiting.

"I've cleaned everything up."

"The culprits?"

"I put them to sleep."

"It would be a headache to kill them. You did well."

"Yes."

At the praise of 'you did well', a flower of laughter bloomed on Son Ae-hwa's face. This was the first time Jin Sa-wol had ever told her that she had done well.

When she first saw Jin Sa-wol in Nanchang, his coldness was still vivid in her memory.

When she first saw him, she thought she couldn't kill him. So she became his ally and was eventually able to live.

It was a good choice.

* * *

The next morning, about ten people hurriedly entered the villa.

They were the master of the Moonlit Pavilion and her subordinates.

The master, who was in charge of the Luoyang branch of the Hao Faction, became rigid when she saw the corpses and the coffin scattered in the main hall.

After confirming that the dead body was the faction master, she hurriedly ran to the front of the body.

"Faction Master!"

The dead Mun-hyeok had his head tilted to the side and his tongue was half-sticking out. Since his eyes were also half-closed, it was not a good sight.

What confused her were the words 'Demonic Cult' written on the pillar. It seemed to be saying that the Demonic Cult had killed him, but it was unfamiliar.

"Why the Demonic Cult?"

No matter how much she thought about it, the Demonic Cult had no reason to kill the Hao Faction Master.

The Demonic Cult had obtained a lot of information through the Hao Faction, and they had also obtained the slaves they wanted.

'Did they kill him because the Martial Alliance is watching the Hao Faction these days because of the slaves?'

"Could it be... killing to destroy the evidence?"

There was also that possibility.

Suddenly, she recalled the matter of the Martial Alliance wanting to see the Hao Faction Master.

If the problem of human trafficking grew, it could lead to a war between the Demonic Cult and the Martial Alliance.

The master opened the coffin, confirmed that there was a body, and then closed the coffin again. Her subordinates came in and informed her that all the guards were dead.

"This matter seems to be out of our hands."

The Moonlit Pavilion master decided to inform both the Martial Alliance and the Demonic Cult of the Hao Faction Master's death.

* * *

"The Moonlit Pavilion is moving quite busily. They say that ten pigeons have flown from the Moonlit Pavilion."

Jin Sa-wol, who had drunk his tea while listening to Do Sam-gi's story, leaned against the railing on the second floor.

The warriors of the Martial Alliance appeared on the quiet street. They were running in a hurry as if they had urgent business.

The voice of Do Sam-gi, who was trimming medicinal herbs, was heard.

"There is a small gisaeng house called the Sinseonru in Chang'an. It's not famous because it's in the back alley of the city that never sleeps. Seo Mun-ok is there."

"Hoho."

Hearing the name Seo Mun-ok, Jin Sa-wol smiled lightly without realizing it.

It was a dear name he had heard after a long time.

"How did you find out Seo Mun-ok's whereabouts?"

"Don't the women of the gisaeng house get sick? It seems the doctors of the estate heard it while visiting the gisaeng house."

Since they were pharmacists, it was natural that they were close to the doctors.

The news delivered by the doctors also all came into the Dark Cloud Division.

'Seo Mun-ok.'

Jin Sa-wol recalled Seo Mun-ok's appearance.

She, who was standing with Cheon Woo-rin, was a cold and aloof woman.

As he thought of Seo Mun-ok, the deaths of his comrades flashed through his mind. And one more person remained in his memory.

The dead Kang Yu.

"In my life so far, I haven't met many people I liked. There are only a few. One of them was Senior Kang."

"Your story?"

"That's right."

"That's strange. You're talking about yourself."

Do Sam-gi put down the medicinal herbs he was trimming and sat in front of the tea table with a serious face, pouring tea.

This was the first time he had heard his story while facing Jin Sa-wol. Jin Sa-wol, seeing Do Sam-gi sitting with his chin resting on his hand, shook his head.

"He was a killing ghost, but he wasn't like a killing ghost, and he was a senior who had good human relationships. Perhaps because of that, he remains in my memory more than the deaths of my comrades."

"He's dead."

Jin Sa-wol nodded without a word. He saw Kang Yu's appearance with Seo Mun-ok.

On the day Seo Un-gang betrayed them and Kang Yu died, Seo Mun-ok was also there. Her smiling face remained in his memory.

And lastly, he saw Jang Mu-ryong's rotten smile.

"Take revenge."

Jang Mu-ryeong's words hit his head.

Do Sam-gi asked as if he had remembered something.

"What about that Song family guy?"

Do Sam-gi called Song Ha-sang 'that Song family guy'. He didn't like him because he thought he was one of the main culprits who had stuck with the Su family and annihilated the Na family.

"He's living well as a doctor in Jiujiang."

"That bastard I hate to see. I thought he would be caught by the Chunggak guys and die, but he didn't. He has a long life."

Although Do Sam-gi grumbled, Jin Sa-wol was silent. Usually, he would respond, but Jin Sa-wol did not.

Since Jin Sa-wol's actions and way of speaking were familiar, Do Sam-gi was not disappointed. Because he knew well that he was originally that kind of person.

"What's the reason you killed the Hao Faction Master? Because he was an enemy?"

"An example."

Jin Sa-wol answered briefly. Do Sam-gi did not know what the word 'example' meant.

Jin Sa-wol drank his tea and then stood up from the window.

"I killed him because he was trying to kill me. More than that, find out how long Seo Mun-ok will be in Chang'an."

"Let's do that."

Jin Sa-wol, who had put down his teacup, left the pharmacy. As he went out, Do Sam-gi shook his head.

"You scary bastard."

Do Sam-gi trembled his shoulders once.

* * *

In the room of the inn, where darkness had fallen, a lamp was shining brightly. Next to the lamp, Jin Sa-wol was drinking alone.

Around midnight, Son Ae-hwa opened the door and came in. She took off her mask and sat in front of Jin Sa-wol.

"The branch master of the Martial Alliance is in the Moonlit Pavilion. It seems he's having a secret talk with the master, but I couldn't hear the conversation. It seems they're meeting because the Hao Faction Master is dead."

Even after hearing Son Ae-hwa's report, Jin Sa-wol was silent.

"There are also warriors of the Ghost Hand Pavilion in the Moonlit Pavilion. Seeing as the Beggars' Sect members are gathered at the south gate, it seems the news of the Hao Faction Master's death has already spread."

If the rumor had spread in less than a day, it was only a matter of time before it spread throughout the world.

Jin Sa-wol looked at the empty space without a word. Son Ae-hwa frowned at the unresponsive Jin Sa-wol.

Swish!

"Is something wrong?"

As she brought her face close, Jin Sa-wol finally put down his glass.

"Nothing."

At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Son Ae-hwa sat up straight.

"I see worry on your face. You're also drinking alone."

"Drinking alone?"

"Drinking alone. Hon-sul."

At her answer, Jin Sa-wol sneered and then poured a drink.

"I'm going to Chang'an. They say Seo Mun-ok is in Chang'an now. If I'm lucky, I'll meet her."

As Jin Sa-wol was about to drink, he put down his glass when Son Ae-hwa's expression hardened.

"Why?"

To Son Ae-hwa, Seo Mun-ok was a person she couldn't look at.

Seo Mun-ok was the master of the Flower Pavilion where she had lived for over ten years, and the object of her loyalty.

"No matter how much I betrayed the Demonic Cult and came out to the martial world, to participate in the killing of the Flower Pavilion Master is..."

"It seems difficult."

"Honestly, it's difficult. No matter how cold and aloof I am, and how much I've forgotten the past, it's a fact that I was a Flower Ghost."

"Did you have loyalty?"

Feeling Jin Sa-wol's gaze, Son Ae-hwa sighed.

"Just hearing the name Seo Mun-ok makes my body stiffen. And I feel like I've become a wicked ghost who has committed patricide."

"Guilt?"

"It could be that kind of emotion."

Although it was an emotion he couldn't understand, Son Ae-hwa seemed to know it well.

"You said you would go to the Demonic Cult with me, but now you're saying you can't?"

"I just thought about infiltrating the Demonic Cult, but the matter is getting too big. I want to be excluded from the killing of the Flower Pavilion Master."

"Go back."

"That's also a bit..."

'I said I would follow, but now if I say I can't go, that's not right either. The situation is strange, isn't it?'

Seeing Son Ae-hwa with an awkward expression, Jin Sa-wol crossed his arms and smiled.

"I have to deliver my news to the inn anyway, but there's no one suitable to go."

"Yes. If it's something like that..."

"Stay by Namgung Ji's side."

Son Ae-hwa was somewhat suspicious.

It was because of the words to stick to Namgung Ji, not Bi-sun or Jo-rim. Those words also meant to watch Namgung Ji.

Jin Sa-wol drank his tea as if he had finished what he had to say.

* * *

A pigeon flew into the Ziyanglou, the most famous and largest gisaeng house in Chang'an.

A short while later, there was a man who was leaving through the back door of the Ziyanglou.

He, with quick steps, passed through the dark and secluded alley and entered the Sinseonru, which was lit by red lanterns.

The man, who had entered the detached courtyard at the innermost part of the Sinseonru, entered a room lit by a lamp and prostrated himself.

"I'm sorry to come at this late hour. I came at the risk of being rude because it is a very urgent matter."

At the man's voice, Seo Mun-ok, who was wearing a nightgown, opened the door, came out, and sat down in a chair.

The man, who had raised his head at the sound of rustling clothes, took out a letter from his sleeve and held it out to Seo Mun-ok.

"It's from Luoyang."

Seo Mun-ok, with an indifferent face, received the letter and unfolded it.

-Hao Faction Master dead.

"Pfft! Hohoho!"

Seo Mun-ok was not surprised, but laughed as if it were absurd. She soon put the letter into the brazier next to her.

Sizzle! Fwoosh!

As the letter burned, Seo Mun-ok's face flushed red.

"Jin Sa-wol..."

(End of Chapter)