We’re Screwed.

“That is how the Black Society is recruiting martial artists with Ironblood Hall at its back. Of course, most of them are just third-rate riffraff.”

It was only natural. No matter how much Ironblood Hall was involved, there could not be many martial artists willing to serve under the Black Path.

“As for martial artists at second-rate or above, there is only the Demon-Banishing Sword.”

At that moment, Jeon Pyeong recalled something.

“By any chance, have there been any corpses recently with organs missing?”

“Corpses turn up all the time. Like I said, the Black Society is at war with the nearby Black Path gangs. As for organs, I do not know.”

They were not recruiting martial artists for nothing.

“Do you know that man’s name?”

“That much I do not know. I only know his family name is Jo.”

At the beggar’s words, the group looked at one another. The possibility was high.

Moreover, if the opponent really was eating hearts, there was no better environment than this.

‘…It was reason enough for a second-rate martial artist to throw in with the Black Path.’

One of the beggars, reading something in their expressions, spoke up.

“Be careful about crossing the Black Society. At least Shadowless Blade has not stepped out in person yet.”

If the group made a move, Shadowless Blade would step forward openly as well.

“Shadowless Blade’s skill is not something you can take lightly either.”

Awkward looks surfaced on the faces of the group.

With that, they left the beggars.

“Then let us go.”

The group’s eyes widened as they watched Gyo-ha stride off.

Bong Seok sprang up and grabbed Gyo-ha’s hand.

“W-wait. Where are you going?”

“To that Black Society place.”

“You just heard what they said, did you not?”

Gyo-ha blinked. With a look that seemed to say so what, Bong Seok thumped his own chest in frustration.

“They have Ironblood Hall behind them.”

“Yeah, I heard. They said that the Shadowless Blade fellow is quite strong, did they not?”

If anything, that was even better.

Seeing Gyo-ha grin, the group’s faces turned pale.

“Brother Gyo, we must approach this matter carefully.”

“That is right. We are not even sure yet that he is the culprit.”

Jeon Pyeong and Tang Ho explained calmly.

Gyo-ha nodded at their words.

“That is why we are going to check right now.”

“You idiot. What you do could give Ironblood Hall, no, the Evil Heaven Alliance a reason to step in.”

At Bong Seok’s words, Gyo-ha turned as if he found it strange.

“…The Black Path are bad people, are they not?”

“…Right.”

Even if they were not yokai, the fact that they were bad people did not change.

There were occasionally Black Path men who coexisted with villages, but that did not make what they did right.

“Do you need a reason to catch bad people?”

An awkward look surfaced on the group’s faces.

Normally, it did not matter if you beat down a few Black Path men.

But it was a problem if Ironblood Hall was behind them.

Even if they were not taking the lead openly, the Beggars’ Union knew Ironblood Hall was backing them.

That was something they had spread on purpose.

It might even be bait.

Seeing the group unable to answer easily, Gyo-ha understood them even less.

For such a Gyo-ha, Seo Jong-dae kindly summed it up.

“They are acting like that because they are afraid the sparks will fly back to their sects.”

Since a war between the orthodox and unorthodox will break out sooner or later. It is all but inevitable.

However, their sects cannot be the ones to open that gate.

Their faces flushed with shame.

It was blunt, but not wrong.

Hearing Seo Jong-dae say that, Gyo-ha let out a short laugh.

“You should have said that from the start then.”

Now even Gyo-ha understood the importance of clans and sects.

‘So it means that they could find fault and take revenge.’

There had been a similar case in the village where Gyo-ha lived.

There had been a pair of beggar brothers, and the older brother was big.

One day, he had taught some thugs a lesson, and the resentful thugs killed the younger brother while the older one was away and fled the village.

Even for him, it was not as if he lacked at least that much consideration.

“…So you understand too.”

When Gyo-ha nodded, Bong Seok let out a sigh of relief. However, Gyo-ha was not finished.

“The point is, it is fine as long as they do not find out it is us.”

Gyo-ha jerked his chin toward a certain spot.

There, children were running around with innocent smiles.

And those children all wore masks on their faces.

“You cannot mean…”

The group’s expressions hardened, while Seo Jong-dae shrugged as if to say he had expected it.

Late at night.

Figures in black night-clothes with bamboo hats pulled low were walking carefully across the rooftops.

They were Gyo-ha’s group.

“Damn it. Why do I have to do this.”

“You do not have to wear it if you do not like it.”

At Gyo-ha’s reply, the grumbling Bong Seok fell silent.

However, the eyes of the others beneath their bamboo hats were not pleased either.

Those who had walked the righteous path all their lives had never worn night-clothes like these.

No, there were exceptions.

Seo Jong-dae, who had been a swindler and often fled under cover of night, and Tang Ho of the Tang Clan, who normally wore black robes, were relatively calm.

“Young hero, are they really over there?”

“They are.”

At Tang Ho’s question, Bong Seok nodded.

He had already asked the Beggars’ Union disciples to track their movements.

A gaudy tavern came into view.

Inside, they could see people laughing and shouting.

Even from a distance, they could tell from the slouching postures and loud shouts.

They looked like thugs or Black Path men to anyone’s eyes.

In truth, there was little difference between the two.

A local gang of ruffians that grew larger simply became a Black Path group.

“Some of them are about to leave.”

As Jeon Gwang said, several men were coming out of the tavern.

Yet there were still quite a few left inside.

The group’s gaze turned to Bong Seok.

They were asking whether the target was among them.

At that, Bong Seok furrowed his brow.

“How am I supposed to know?”

No matter how sharp his eyes were, he could not make out faces from this far away.

Much less when it was not even daytime.

Torment showed on the group’s faces.

“Hong and I will follow those men.”

“There is no need.”

At the sudden words, the group turned their heads.

Sniffing, Gyo-ha looked calmly toward the inside of the tavern.

“He is still inside.”

At Gyo-ha’s words, the eyes of everyone except Tang Ho changed.

Tang Ho was still looking at Gyo-ha with a doubtful gaze.

Just then, another man came out of the tavern.

He staggered as he walked.

Another man hurried over to support him.

When he saw the newly emerged man, Gyo-ha’s eyes gleamed.

From Gyo-ha’s reaction, the group could tell.

He was the target.

The group began to carefully follow behind him.

The man supported the drunk and led him into an alley.

“Hey, are you all right? You drank too much.”

The man spoke in a worried tone.

But once they entered a deserted alley, he changed.

He flung away the man he had been supporting.

Thud. The man’s body hit the ground. Perhaps sobering from the shock, he lifted his head.

“Ugh. Wh-where are we?”

Tsk. The man clicked his tongue.

Then he drew his sword and cut him down.

It happened so quickly he could not even react.

“That is why I told you to drink in moderation.”

The man spoke coldly toward the fallen one.

Then he swung his sword a few more times.

“This is a hassle too.”

After shaking the blood off the blade, he sheathed his sword.

Then he approached the man and raised his hand.

His hand gleamed sharply.

Just then, a sound came from behind.

Startled, he turned his head and found strangers standing there.

“Where did you rats come from?”

The man asked with a hardened face. A snort of laughter came in reply.

“If we were going to tell you that, do you think we would dress like this?”

It was the voice of a young man.

He wore night-clothes, the sort of garb thieves or assassins would wear.

Another person soon spoke.

“…Are you Demon-Banishing Sword?”

“No. If you are looking for Demon-Banishing Sword, go back to the tavern.”

“Huh?”

A stupefied sound escaped at the unexpected answer.

“You aren’t?”

“You have mistaken your man. We share the same Jo family name, but our origins are different.”

At his reply, unrest spread among the ones in night-clothes.

“…I think he is right. His features are different.”

The one who had sneered at first now spoke in a flustered voice.

Now that they were close, they could see his face clearly.

His reaction said he had never imagined he could be wrong.

Then the one standing at the end let out a sigh.

“We are not here to find Demon-Banishing Sword.”

“Ah.”

The gazes of the ones in night-clothes all turned toward one spot.

To the one who was conspicuously large.

He sniffed and tilted his head.

At that reaction, the one next to him whispered quietly.

“Brother Gyo, do not tell me you are going to say he is not the one now.”

“Mm.”

At Jeon Gwang’s words, the large oddball, Gyo-ha, propped his chin on his hand.

His pose left even the others in the group flustered.

“Something is different. But he is definitely the one who did that to the village.”

They did not know what was different, but Gyo-ha’s last words were what mattered most.

Looking at the man again, Bong Seok asked.

“You are Jo from Hae-eul Prefecture, right?”

“…”

Unlike before, the man kept his mouth shut.

Soon he opened his mouth with a growl.

“What are you bastards?”

He was not the same as before. A cloying killing intent seeped from him.

Instead of answering, Gyo-ha jerked his chin at the dead man.

“Were you going to rip out that man’s heart and eat it too?”

“…I do not know what you are talking about.”

His answer came too late. At that reaction, the group’s eyes changed as well.

Normally, if you heard something like that, you would look at the speaker as if he were insane.

They knew this well because people had done so to them.

From such a reaction, Gyo-ha noticed something strange.

“You. You really think you are human.”

“What are you…”

Only then did bewilderment cross the man’s face.

Yet as if something had come to mind, he closed his mouth.

“They are over there.”

With a sudden shout, the sound of people approached.

Men came running in haste.

Soon, a group of people appeared beyond the alley.

They were Black Path men who had been drinking in the tavern.

The Black Path men looked surprised when they saw Gyo-ha’s group.

Their reaction said they had not expected anyone to be here.

“Hero Jo. These people killed Brother Mun.”

At that moment, the man quickly shouted.

The man at the head of the group frowned.

“Jo Chung…”

But the leader only glared at him.

“Then why is there blood only on your scabbard.”

“They took this from me and… I see, you do not intend to believe me.”

Jo Chung, who had been speaking with a pitiful look, let out a hollow laugh.

“Whenever you met someone alone or drank with them, people ended up dead without fail. Four men have died in two days. Who sent you? The Red Sand Sect? Or the Black Dragon Society.”

Red Sand and Black Dragon.

From the names they sounded like sects founded by the greatest under heaven. In reality, they were notorious Black Path organizations in the region.

Jo Chung scratched his head, then hurled his body backward.

He was fleeing.

“You lot chase Jo Chung.”

“Yes, Hero Demon-Banishing Sword.”

Several of the Black Path men who had come with him ran off in the direction Jo Chung had disappeared.

Only then did the group realize the man’s identity.

Demon-Banishing Sword.

He was the martial artist who had newly joined the Black Society.

Demon-Banishing Sword was not finished speaking.

“And you two, go and quickly escort the Elder here at once. Our opponents are from the Nine Sects, One Union.”

“Yes.”

The Elder. There was no way they did not know who he meant.

“The Nine Sects, One Union. I do not know what you are talking about.”

Bong Seok feigned ignorance, but Demon-Banishing Sword snorted.

“I know you have been in contact with the Beggars’ Union. Among your group in training robes, there was a beggar. No doubt you are from Qingcheng and the Beggars’ Union.”

He was half right. They were from the Beggars’ Union, but not the Qingcheng Sect.

However, they could not honestly say he was wrong.

Perhaps misunderstanding their response, Demon-Banishing Sword spoke triumphantly.

“On top of that, you had one big fellow and one long-armed man in your group. If you wanted to hide, you should have picked different people.”

“…”

There was nothing they could refute.

“I hear you were looking for me. It seems clear that you also mistook Jo Chung for being me. Why is the Nine Sects, One Union seeking me? Of course, I can guess. You recognized my talent and are trying to nip it in the bud. It must trouble you if I stand together with Ironblood Hall.”

Demon-Banishing Sword gave a meaningful smile.

His eyes said he already knew everything they were thinking. He had never intended to listen to an answer in the first place.

One could not find a worse misunderstanding than this.

At his words, the group looked at one another.

“…We are screwed.”

Bong Seok said it, but no one denied it.