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In autumn, osmanthus blossoms filled Guilin and wrapped the whole city in their fragrance.
It was said the name “Guilin” came from that.
Neung Je-gang rented an entire annex of an inn.
He said it would keep things simple even if they ended up fighting their watchers.
They had already eaten, so they found a nearby tavern, took seats on the second floor, and ordered tea.
It was still too early for the darkness to fully cover the sky — too early to hide themselves and act.
“Even in a hot place like this, the evening felt pleasantly cool.”
Go So-jeong remarked idly as she looked around.
“But do we really have time to idle like this?”
The investigation was Neung Je-gang’s to lead, yet to her eyes he did not seem to be taking visible action.
“It’s too early for us to move.”
He answered her question.
Go So-jeong avoided his gaze, worried she might see him smiling again.
“Well, true. We’re assassins and spies.”
[I’ll visit the Eastern Depot tonight.]
Neung Je-gang used Sound Transmission so others could not hear.
[Really? But what do we do? We don’t have stealth garb.]
[I’ll go alone. You wait with Majil.]
[Alone? No. We’re going together. I need to learn how to operate in a place as dangerous as the Eastern Depot.]
She did need to learn.
If she acted carelessly like last time, she might really die.
[It’s too troublesome if you come. Too many eyes are on us — we can’t get caught.]
[Even if it’s troublesome, I’m going. If you go alone, I’ll run to the Depot and blab that Secret Shadow snuck inside — your choice. Hmph.]
Go So-jeong had nerve.
“Sigh. Fine. We’ll stop by a clothing shop on the way.”
Neung Je-gang shook his head.
In the end, he lost.
He could only lose. With her temperament, she really might run to the Eastern Depot.
It would not matter much if his sneaking in were exposed, but if they learned he was Secret Shadow, they would not leave Hwaegye Mountain alone.
“Why?”
“If we move at night, we’ll need stealth garb.”
He said it in a very small voice and sipped his tea.
“Got it. So you mean to act in earnest starting tonight?”
“Just take it that way.”
He took another sip.
Then, all at once, his eyes gleamed.
“They’re here.”
[Majil, pick a fight with the one coming up.]
He gave the order by Sound Transmission and lifted his cup again.
“Huh? Who?”
“They’ll be up here any second.”
Majil and Go So-jeong stared at the stairwell.
At last, someone climbed up.
They wondered if they knew him — they didn’t.
But he looked flustered at being stared at so directly and seemed quite awkward.
In any case, after glancing about, he sat at the table beside theirs.
“Chief, know who that is?”
“No. But I know one thing — he’s the one who’s been tailing us since last night.”
“What? That rat’s been watching our Chief?”
Majil shot to his feet, strode over, and grabbed the man by the collar.
“W-what are you doing?”
The man tried to resist the sudden collar-grab, but his body wouldn’t move — his acupoints had been struck at some point.
“Who sent you? Why were you watching us? Not talking? Want me to beat it out of you?”
Majil picked the fight just as ordered.
He had done such things often in his former life; it came so naturally it didn’t look staged at all.
Each time Majil shook his hand, the man’s body shook wildly.
Slaaap, slaaap.
“H-hey!”
Without giving him time to speak, he flicked the man’s cheeks with petty slaps — careful not to leave marks.
“Chief, what do we do? Kill him?”
“Hard to say. I doubt that guy will agree to it.”
Neung Je-gang’s gaze went back to the stairs.
Someone was coming up, murderous intent pouring off him.
Whatever he had heard, he was bristling.
He strode straight toward Neung Je-gang and glared — then suddenly clasped his fists and bowed.
“My apologies for troubling you, Secret Shadow. We’ll handle this man.”
Without preamble, he yanked the captive from Majil’s grip and marched back down the stairs.
In an instant Majil and Go So-jeong had lost their prey, and not just them — everyone in the tavern watching with interest stood there dumbfounded.
“Well, I’ll be. What’s with Jo Gwang-yeong, that ‘Flame-Delight Demon-Seed’? He’s not the sort to hold back when he’s that full of killing intent.”
“Then who’s that man that Jo Gwang-yeong bowed to like that? I’ve never seen him before.”
Snatches of tavern gossip drifted over.
“Didn’t you hear what he said just now? He said ‘Secret Shadow.’”
“Secret Shadow? What… Gasp! That Secret Shadow? The world’s foremost assassin? But why is he so young?”
“He’s the second Secret Shadow — the successor. Some say he’s even stronger than the first. I’ve heard three assassin orders have already been smashed…”
“How would you know that?”
The listener sounded skeptical.
“Rumors have been going around. Secret Shadow is coming to the Black Alliance — to deal with that heir incident from a while back. With something like that, whispers spread.”
“Aha, I see. Even so, why would Jo Gwang-yeong hold back?”
“Heh. Because he has to. He knows he can’t win.”
“Can’t win? Secret Shadow is an assassin. In a straight fight, Jo could win — why not?”
“This leaked from the Bloody Veins Division… you know the Butcher-Captain of Dongpa Ridge?”
“That monster? Who in the Alliance doesn’t know him? Even a group of Elders couldn’t handle him.”
“You haven’t heard he’s dead?”
“Wh-what? He’s dead?”
The tavern fell suddenly quiet at their exchange.
“They say Secret Shadow killed him. The Bloody Veins Division saw it.”
“Impossible…!”
“Because of that, the Alliance’s hotheads have been avoiding fights. Otherwise, they would’ve started trouble several times by now.”
“True enough. Plenty of men here wouldn’t just watch outsiders. So Jo Gwang-yeong backed down for that reason?”
“What other reason is there? He’s human; he doesn’t want to die.”
Their talk went on and on, eventually turning into taking potshots at Alliance figures — until someone grabbed an ear and dragged a loudmouth away.
“So that’s why the Bincheong was so quiet? I’d heard there are three or four duels a day in the Bincheong or the guesthouse.”
Go So-jeong nodded as if she finally understood, then suddenly snapped her head up to look at Neung Je-gang.
“I’ve seen the Assassin Pavilion with my own eyes, so I get that — but what about the ‘three assassin orders smashed’? Did you wipe out two more? Which ones?”
“Blood Sword Pavilion and Soul-Summoning Temple.”
“Heavens! Then what they said was true?”
“Heh…”
Neung Je-gang only smiled without answering.
“I heard from your father there are many hotheads in the Black Alliance, so I came to this tavern on purpose to give them an opening.
But it seems only cowards are here. Let’s go.”
He stood and headed down the stairs.
Everyone in the tavern heard him.
Some clenched their molars and balled their fists.
They had been called cowards.
Hot-blooded Black Alliance men could not help but bristle.
But the rumor’s weight was greater.
Leaving assassin orders aside, Yuk Cheon-u — the Butcher-Captain of Dongpa Ridge — was a master quietly compared even to the Alliance Lord, Black Cloud Demon.
So while fists clenched, none jumped first.
Leaving the tavern, Neung Je-gang spoke to Majil on the way to the clothing shop.
“Your Fire Blade seems about ready. You’ll need live combat.”
“Eh? No, Chief! You should teach me the sword art first.”
“You know the Three Talents Sword Method, right?”
“That’s basic — of course I know it, but…”
“That’s enough. Didn’t you feel it last time?
If you try to block flame-force with a blade, what happens?
Whether flame-force or Fire Blade — they aren’t things you can simply parry with a weapon.
If you want to win, strike first.
You might even pick up a new nickname — ‘Blazing Fire Sword.’”
“Hehe! ‘Blazing Fire Sword,’ you say?”
“I called the Alliance cowards today, so many will come looking for us starting tomorrow.
Fight them.
Real combat is the best training.”
“Hehe, Blazing Fire Sword! Hehehe!”
To Majil’s ears, nothing else mattered.
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