My Way (3)

“Patriarch.”

“Outer Hall Chief, you’re here.”

“I’ve brought a letter from Teacher Jin.”

“Jin…….”

Seol Hong-baek cleared his throat.

“So he sent a letter? Why? I thought he was coming.”

“I’m not sure. He either asked the inn’s errand boy, or the boy himself delivered it to our guard.”

“Hm.”

Seol Hong-baek unfolded the letter.

After a moment.

“Seems he can’t make it today. So be it.”

Folding the letter, Seol Hong-baek asked,

“Is our guest well?”

“Yes. We’re taking special care.”

“Good. If nothing comes up, ask whether he’ll join me for a drink in an hour.”

“As you wish.”

“Very well. Thank you.”

When the Outer Hall Chief left, Seol Hong-baek glanced out the window. Night had already fallen.

“Has the teacher already made acquaintances here?”

The Black Society was an underworld organization with a web of roots spread across the entire martial world.

They handled all sorts of odd jobs. From gathering information from all over the Central Plains, trafficking in treasures too shady for the open sun, and fixer work—kidnapping, assassination, intimidation.

Naturally, under the Heaven’s Will Alliance, they were a weed to be pulled. In practice, the Alliance stationed security forces in each province to sweep away underworld groups.

The Black Society had been hounded countless times by the masters and enforcers stationed by the Alliance. Over the decades, the number of dead Black Society members by their hands were beyond tally.

Yet like cockroaches, they revived, nested anew, and reopened business. In sheer tenacity, they rivaled the ages.

Could it be considered fortunate?

By the current Alliance Leader’s edict, the Black Society faced an unprecedented crisis. The Council of Twenty-Seven Elders and the strongest enforcement group, the Ten Corps of Samādhi were hunting them with blazing eyes.

They were weakening with time. Even so, people still sought them for a simple reason.

There was rarely blowback.

Not wishing to be crushed beneath the hammer of “justice,” they kept clients’ identities secret—no matter the job.

The rule was near-absolute. After ages in the shadows, they’d learned that even if a city fell, keeping secrets paid off in the long run.

The pity was, the organization was so vast that only a portion truly upheld that “absolute” rule.

Naturally, the Stone Pillars—only ten per province—were among those who did. As for the Copper, Silver, and Gold Pillars above them, all the more so.

Dam Jun, the youngest ever to become a Stone Pillar, had passed in tact, patience, insight, and execution.

A once-in-a-century talent, rumored to reach the Gold Pillar’s seat within a decade.

Tonight, that talent was on trial.

“So it was the Hao Sect after all.”

Dam Jun, eyes bloodshot, looked at the young man in the chair.

He had rather pale skin. His languid, half-lidded eyes somehow sharpened his gaze.

Strangely, part of his hair was white—white at a glance, yet it was also slightly silver.

“The way you meet the top brass felt familiar. Right—the Hao Sect was the Black Society’s predecessor.”

Dam Jun swallowed.

Jin-hyeon looked him over with curious eyes.

“They’ve really fallen in standards. And you’re a Stone Pillar?”

“……”

“You feel like a branch chief—deputy at best—so why so frail? Your lightness skill is terrible, too.”

Glaring with trembling eyes, Dam Jun asked in a shaking voice,

“How do you know the Hao Sect?”

Jin-hyeon tilted his head.

“How could I not?”

The Hao Sect was a forgotten name.

The martial world is cold. Unless tied to history-shaking events, a sect’s name fades within a decade.

The Hao Sect, being strictly low key, was known only to those who knew.

It had shown itself in the light only once.

It was a hundred years ago, when it swore fealty to the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader, who ruled the demonic path.

Even that was only for a short while. After refining the Eight Wastes Alliance’s intelligence network, they immediately vanished into the shadows. It was possible only because the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader permitted it.

When the Eight Wastes Alliance fell, the Hao Sect sealed itself for ten years, then reemerged as the Black Society to seize the underground anew.

“Whether the Hao Sect was your predecessor hardly matters. That’s not what’s important now.”

Jin-hyeon propped his chin.

“Gwak Pyeong, was it?”

The curse slipped from Dam Jun unbidden.

“The Five Bamboos, those bastards actually…!”

“So it is Gwak Pyeong. Thanks for confirming.”

“……”

“Sure you’re a branch head? You’re a bit slow.”

Dam Jun blanched.

It wasn’t entirely his fault. The man had found a Stone Pillar’s lair too easily. He had to assume the intruder already knew everything.

Even so, Dam Jun had no leeway.

Flinch!

“Kh—!”

Teeth clenched, his body shuddered.

Slumped against the wall, he had no strength below the neck. His paralysis point had been struck.

With the paralysis point sealed, movement was blocked—and external pain dulled.

The problem was the cold climbing from his ankles.

It had reached his shins, and his toes were now numb, as if plunged into winter ice water.

Along with it came a savage, bone-scraping pain. It was enough to darken his vision.

“If the Hao Sect is your predecessor, your intelligence should be good. Do you know who I am?”

“……”

“From here on, every non-answer costs you a piece of your body.”

Goosebumps crawled over him.

Dam Jun was quite a tough one. The fear that sent chills down his spine didn’t show on his face.

“I’ll ask again. Do you know who I am?”

He stared at Jin-hyeon in silence.

As if for a staring match, Jin-hyeon slowly stood and reached toward his eye.

Words burst from Dam Jun unwilled.

“Jin-hyeon.”

Jin-hyeon’s hand stopped.

Dam Jun continued haltingly,

“A guest of the White Sword Seol Clan. Place of origin unknown.”

“That all?”

“…Estimated age, early to mid-twenties. Martial level unknown, physique and breathing suggest near-ordinary. No other notable traits.”

“……”

“That’s all.”

Jin-hyeon nodded.

The White Sword Seol Clan was one of the many sects under the Heavenly Will Alliance. Being near a Stone Pillar’s base, it would be under constant watch.

Then a young man began to come and go, out of nowhere.

He’d also been present when the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild’s third son was crushed. Of course they’d notice.

“Can you guess what I want from you?”

“…Gwak Pyeong’s identity.”

“What makes you think that?”

“If you already had his information, you wouldn’t need my confirmation.”

“Now your brain’s turning.”

Jin-hyeon took hold of Dam Jun’s right ankle.

Dam Jun’s face twisted.

“I answered—!”

Sssss!

His eyes flew wide—the chill up to his shins vanished, leaving only a stabbing heat that quickly faded.

Jin-hyeon shook his hand and sat again.

“Not bad.”

“?!”

“Clumsy, but not a bad prospect. You’ve got a bit of ferocity, yet there’s flexibility too. Your lack of experience is a flaw, but that’s a shortcoming that can be made up for—if you manage to survive.”

“……”

“Your superior has an eye for people.”

Dam Jun felt both cowed and proud.

Though of similar age, it felt as if he was facing an old hand of the martial world who had experienced all sorts of hardships. That strange pressure he exuded kept pressing down on his body and mind alike.

Conversely, praise from such a man stoked his pride.

‘Idiot. Pride, in a moment like this…!’

Watching him, Jin-hyeon tossed out,

“I’m going to ask something hard to answer. Out of regard for your talent, I’ll let you choose which part to give up.”

“……”

“Gwak Pyeong—who in the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild is he tied to?”

Dam Jun squeezed his eyes shut.

He could lie, but it didn’t feel like it would work.

“…Left hand or left foot. Take either.”

Jin-hyeon smiled.

From the look and the answer alone, it was clear Gwak Pyeong belonged to the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild.

But he doubted Gwak Pyeong took orders from Lee Ho-gon. If Lee had wanted him, he wouldn’t need the Black Society to kidnap him.

Scritch.

Dam Jun swallowed as the hand brushed his left ankle.

‘Damn it, I should’ve said a finger.’

Ssssss!

Startled, he opened his eyes.

His left foot was fine. The chill creeping past his knee had vanished. He still felt numb, but that vicious cold was gone.

Jin-hyeon shook his hand and sat.

Dam Jun asked before he knew it,

“Why?”

“I got my answer.”

“?”

“Although it’s half an answer, I spared you for your loyalty.”

Weariness darkened Dam Jun’s face.

“I didn’t answer.”

“Answers aren’t only words.”

“Do you pity me?”

“Why? Can I not?”

“……”

“Spare a man and he still curses.”

Grumbling, Jin-hyeon began grinding ink at the side.

Dam Jun asked,

“What are you doing?”

“Grinding ink. And why the change in tone?”

“You spared me.”

“Your arithmetic’s odd.”

When the ink was ready, he took paper and began to write.

Dam Jun watched carefully; the pen moved, but he couldn’t see from this angle.

‘What is he doing?’

Then Jin-hyeon asked,

“If you send an urgent dispatch to the Black Society Leader from here, how many days?”

“……”

“Shall we start again?”

“I don’t know. Even if I did, I couldn’t say.”

“That so.”

His voice sounded oddly indifferent.

“If a Stone Pillar is branch-level these days, you probably haven’t even seen the Hao Sect Leader—no, the Black Society Leader.”

Dam Jun’s eyes wavered.

This intruder named Jin-hyeon seemed to know a great deal about the Black Society.

Finishing, Jin-hyeon waved the sheet to dry the ink.

“Let’s do a commission.”

“…A commission?”

“Yeah. From now on, I’m not an intruder—I’m a client.”

Dam Jun sighed.

He’d met plenty who only spoke their mind, but never one like this. The conversation could fly anywhere.

“I can’t accept.”

“Reason?”

“You’re an intruder. And you seem to know far too much about our headquarters.”

“And?”

“After this, you’re a target of the Black Society. We don’t take commissions from targets.”

“Forget whose honored guest I am? Patriarch Seol favors me. Want me to turn the Heavenly Will Alliance’s sights on Sichuan?”

“Damn it.”

“Quit the nonsense and take this.”

Jin-hyeon tossed the folded paper onto his lap.

Dam Jun eyed the paper, then glanced up.

“I can’t move.”

“Deliver that to the Black Society Leader in haste.”

“The Leader isn’t a man of leisure.”

“And what would you know, not having even seen his face?”

“There are things you know without seeing.”

“Busy or not isn’t my concern. Just know—if that letter doesn’t reach him, your Black Society may soon be blown away whole.”

“You expect me to believe that? Isn’t it just that you’re afraid of the Society’s assassins and trying to wriggle out of this moment?”

“You swing from being sharp to stupid and back. Pick one. You’re confusing.”

Dam Jun glared, then let out a long sigh.

“What’s the job?”

“Bring me that Gwak Pyeong—or whatever his name is—within five days.”

“!”

“You can do it right?”

Dam Jun’s face twisted.

“You want me to take a counter-commission?”

“The payment is that letter.”

“?!”

“Have a pleasant night.”

Jin-hyeon sauntered toward the exit, then stopped.

“Stone Pillar Dam.”

“…What is it?”

“Any good dumpling places nearby?”

“No idea.”

“Useless fool. What do you know?”

With that light scolding, Dam Jun was left alone. He stared at the doorway, eyes trembling, and sighed again.

“Damn it—what on earth was this.”

Bring in Gwak Pyeong within five days. This meant that the Black Society Leader had to be reached within five days.

On such a fine moonlit night, he had no idea what madness this was.

He sighed and tried to rise—then flinched.

“…That bastard didn’t even unseal my paralysis point.”