A Clan With Roots (5)

Song Oe was dumbfounded.

“Are you in your right mind? This is an official order from the Heavenly Will Alliance…”

“Is it even an official order?”

For a moment, Song Oe forgot what to say.

Han Cheol-sang frowned and spoke.

“Our clan’s Patriarch is the one who smashed all the bastards among the Sichuan Eight Martial Houses who committed corruption and other evil deeds. The Branch Leader and the high-ranking figures of the Investigation and Defense Court all know that. If there had been a problem with the Patriarch’s actions, the Sichuan Branch would have moved before the central headquarters ever did.”

“…”

“So why are you here?”

Song Oe spoke in a voice he forced to remain calm.

“We merely received an order. What those above think of you, or what circumstances are involved, is none of our concern. We simply carry out the will of the Heavenly Will Alliance.”

“That is why I am asking. Was it truly issued as an official order?”

“…”

“Why no answer? He made distinguished contributions by capturing and imprisoning Sichuan’s villains, and yet instead of bringing a reward, you come to transport him? You say an order like that was officially issued? Are you joking?”

Song Oe’s face turned cold.

“Neither we nor you can criticize the Heavenly Will Alliance’s decisions! We simply complete the orders given to us! That is our mission!”

Unlike his cold face, the voice that burst out was burning hot.

The corner of Han Cheol-sang’s mouth twisted upward.

“Goodness, what a rigid life.”

In that instant, Song Oe’s face reddened.

He had already just lamented their troubled situation at length with the Unit Leader. Despite his efforts not to be shaken, anger surged up inside him.

“You bastards! Kneel where you stand and quietly accept the binding ropes! This is an official mission of the White Tiger Unit under the Heavenly Will Alliance!”

At that moment, Heo Do grabbed Song Oe’s shoulder.

“Enough.”

“Unit Leader.”

Heo Do stepped forward and spoke in a low voice.

“You’re cunning.”

He had a fiery temperament, but he had still witnessed all kinds of political scheming at the central headquarters.

Han Cheol-sang was deliberately criticizing the Heavenly Will Alliance’s conduct in an exaggerated way. It was to keep public sentiment from wavering.

In truth, the looks people gave the White Tiger Unit were not favorable.

Heo Do’s face hardened into expressionlessness.

While resolving countless missions until now, he had seen many such looks from people. Some praised the White Tiger Unit, some hated the White Tiger Unit, and some were indifferent to the White Tiger Unit.

Completing the order given to them. Just as Song Oe had said, that was the most important thing right now.

However, there was one point he found strange.

‘Just what is he relying on to act like that?’

He understood that there were many masters here. If they entered a life-and-death duel in earnest, the White Tiger Unit’s losses would not be light.

But before that, that saber wielder was openly cursing the Heavenly Will Alliance’s conduct.

It was difficult to see it as merely an act to keep public sentiment steady. If this became known all the way to the central headquarters, no one knew what would happen here in Sichuan.

‘It is one of two things. That bastard is completely insane… or he does not fear the power of the Heavenly Will Alliance.’

In the end, he was certainly insane. The Heavenly Will Alliance’s military power was the power of the Central Plains Murim itself. Unless one was half mad, one could not help fearing the Alliance.

Han Cheol-sang nodded.

“I apologize for provoking you more than necessary. I said a few unnecessary things, didn’t I?”

Heo Do smiled.

“Does that mean you have gained everything you needed?”

“This is the first place where I found rest, so I didn’t want to see it ruined. I hope you understand.”

Though there was a considerable age difference between them, judging only by his tone, it was as if he were speaking to someone of the same age.

But Heo Do liked the other man’s tone. At the very least, that fearless, unyielding temperament of his was pleasing to see.

“We have talked too much. If you will not come quietly, we have no choice but to begin.”

“Fine. But I have a suggestion.”

Han Cheol-sang pointed at the street with his chin.

“Even if we make the people withdraw, the buildings may be damaged. These people alone would suffer harm for no reason, so let us make a separate place.”

“I refuse.”

Han Cheol-sang’s eyes sharpened.

Hwaaaaak!

A rich presence overflowed from Heo Do’s body.

“The buildings will not be harmed, and we are currently carrying out official duties. When performing a mission, variables must be controlled thoroughly. I do not know what you might do while changing locations.”

“…”

“If by some chance there is damage, the Heavenly Will Alliance will provide compensation.”

“You have no flexibility.”

“I know. That is why we are here.”

Woooooooong!!

Sharp killing intent poured from Han Cheol-sang’s Soul-Killing Blade.

Heo Do was inwardly startled by that brutal killing intent, but he didn’t blink.

“Since both sides have their positions, I will feel no guilt even if you all die.”

“It’s truly laughable for someone emitting such vicious killing intent to speak the word guilt.”

“I have always been inconsistent.”

“What a pity. I liked you.”

Huuuuung.

The wind blew.

In the quieted street, Han Cheol-sang’s brutal killing intent and Heo Do’s rough qi waves clashed, creating a silent tension.

And the moment that tension reached its peak.

“Huaaaam!”

Han Cheol-sang and Heo Do, who had been about to charge at each other, flinched.

Before anyone knew it, the old man had spread out a mat and sat in front of a building, yawning widely as he tapped out his pipe.

“What a fine thing you are doing. Positions this, flexibility that. Good grief, do you fight with words?”

“…”

“This is why people say youngsters these days have no sense of romance. Back in my day, you bastards, once eyes met, people were busy drawing blades and swinging them. Only after being cut in three or four places would they ask who the other person was and why they were doing this. And if someone died in the middle of it, there was enough spirit to put aside curiosity and go on one’s way, that’s what I mean.”

One might wonder what kind of damned romance that was, but at the very least, cutting off the instant of breath just as two masters were about to charge at each other was no ordinary feat.

Song Oe swallowed without realizing it.

‘He really is a master.’

Cutting off their breath meant he could also cut off their exchange at any time. That old man was clearly a master far stronger than Heo Do.

The old man grumbled.

I thought I would finally get to watch some lively fellows have a proper bout, but because of that tedious argument, I missed all the good viewing.”

What on earth did that mean?

Song Oe carefully asked.

“What do you…”

“I mean the person who will overturn this fight itself has arrived.”

That was when it happened.

Hwaaaaak!

Terrifying qi waves began flowing from the entrance of Third Street.

‘Heok!’

Every member of the White Tiger Unit turned back in shock. Even Heo Do, who had been right on the verge of a life-and-death duel with his opponent, flinched at the pressure rolling in and looked back.

Rumble! Rumble!

It was as if thunder were rumbling in a cloud-filled sky.

The sound of his footsteps as he walked forward left a strong impression. He strode in boldly, as if nothing in this world could obstruct him, and the sound of those steps rang in the White Tiger Unit members’ ears as intensely as an earthquake.

Huuuuung!

The blowing winter wind teased his snow-white hair.

It was impossible to tell whether his hair was fluttering in the wind or had become disheveled on its own because of his powerful qi waves.

What mattered was that the appearance of the young man walking in from the street entrance was truly extraordinary and chilling.

Woooong! Woooong!

A faint blue energy repeatedly flickered.

His white hair was dyed blue, and from his two eyes seeped a beastly killing intent that seemed ready to tear into the throat of prey at any moment.

Wild madness lurked in his expressionless face.

It was Jin-hyeon.

Seureuk.

Jin-hyeon stopped about six meters from the White Tiger Unit and looked them over with cold eyes.

Flinch!

The unit members who met Jin-hyeon’s eyes either turned or lowered their heads without realizing it.

It was behavior unbefitting the members of the White Tiger Unit, said to be rough and rich in real combat experience. That was how oppressively burdensome his gaze was.

Seureuk.

Behind Jin-hyeon, two masked people descended. One was a little taller than Jin-hyeon, and the other was slightly shorter.

But the White Tiger Unit, no, everyone who saw Jin-hyeon, failed to perceive the two masked people. Jin-hyeon’s qi waves were far too vicious and intense for that.

Jin-hyeon, who had been quietly glaring at the White Tiger Unit, tilted his head.

“What is this?”

Though the words were simple to the extreme, their intensity, as if they echoed from the underworld, was overwhelming.

“Judging by the state of your uniforms, you are from the Heavenly Will Alliance?”

A strange smile formed at the corner of Jin-hyeon’s mouth.

“Have you all been somewhere far away? Your qi waves are rough, and your clothes are all worn out.”

“…”

“I do not know the reason, but judging by the atmosphere, it seems you came looking for me.”

Crack.

Jin-hyeon slowly rotated his wrist and raised his right hand.

“If you came to someone else’s home, you should politely ask to see the owner, and if the owner is absent, at least show the sincerity to wait quietly.”

“…”

“And yet you dared to cause this shit in a place full of people?”

At that moment, Heo Do realized by instinct that this man was different from the saber wielder.

‘Dangerous.’

Before martial arts, their temperaments were different. Unlike the saber wielder, who had shown a human side despite the killing intent he emitted, this man clearly had a violent nature that, once he decided to kill, killed first and saw to the rest later.

And on top of that, there were these terrifying qi waves.

‘Damn it!’

It seemed the unit members could all die before they could even put up a proper fight.

“Stop!”

Paaaang!

Heo Do rushed behind the unit members in an instant and straightened his body.

Jin-hyeon still had his right hand raised. The moment that hand moved, someone would surely die.

“I am Heo Do, Leader of the White Tiger Unit. These are my subordinates.”

Jin-hyeon didn’t answer. He merely looked at Heo Do with beast-like eyes.

Heo Do gritted his teeth.

If he had felt a subtle killing intent from the old man with the pipe, then from this man, he felt destructive killing intent. If he had felt refined dignity from the old man, then from this man, he felt madness that might erupt at any moment.

‘Dangerous. This man is truly dangerous!’

Heo Do quickly continued.

“An official order from the Heavenly Will Alliance has been issued. It is an order to apprehend a man named Jin-hyeon, who has thrown the Sichuan Murim into chaos, and his party, then transport them to headquarters.”

“…”

“Do not make this bigger than it needs to be. Come with us quietly.”

Even as he spoke, Heo Do felt anxious. He did not even register the fact that his opponent was only a young man in his twenties.

Right now, he felt the danger of death. If only he died, that wouldn’t matter, but he felt a terrifying pressure that all his subordinates might be slaughtered without even fighting properly.

The place they had come to casually might become the White Tiger Unit’s grave if things went wrong.

‘Where in the world did this monster come from!’

At that moment, Jin-hyeon’s mouth opened.

“Cat leader.”

“?!”

“You probably don’t want all your subordinates to die.”

Ureureureung!

From Jin-hyeon’s right hand, which had filled with blue energy in an instant, an ominous roar rang out.

“If this had been an empty forest path, you would have paid dearly for causing this shit. But there are many eyes watching. After this matter ends, people have to do business and earn money.”

“…”

“No one would want to do business with a pile of corpses in front of them.”

Strength entered Heo Do’s fists.

Jin-hyeon smiled.

Because of the blue radiance spreading from his right hand, his already pale skin looked even more chilling.

“If the leader takes responsibility, I will bury today’s rudeness.”

“…Do you dare refuse the Heavenly Will Alliance’s official business?”

“Farewell.”

Flash!

The Steel-Shattering Hammer, swung like lightning, drove into Heo Do’s chest in one blow.

Kwang!

Heo Do’s body flew back, spraying blood, and tumbled as it knocked down the unit members.

“!!”

The White Tiger Unit members gaped when they saw Heo Do collapse from a single blow.

Jin-hyeon pointed at the ground with his chin.

“With this, I forgive the rudeness you’ve committed.”

“…”

“Kneel.”