Setting One’s Resolve (4)

Night had deepened.

Seated cross-legged in the training grounds, honing the Body-Refining Art, Jin-hyeon snapped his eyes open.

‘Sixty percent.’

The Body-Refining Art had reached sixty percent.

The pace was jaw-dropping.

Even as a first-rate art, the Body-Refining Art normally needed time. His physical training and the Soul-Refining Art did accelerate it, but even so the speed transcended imagination.

‘It’s thanks to my grasp of the mnemonics.’

The Body-Refining Art was the divine method the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader had lived with. Despite being first-rate, its mnemonics and doctrine are simple, skill through practice matters far more than analysis.

Jin-hyeon trained it with over a thousand years of ingrained mastery. His body’s transformation and the surge of qi were thanks to that.

‘Acceptable.’

A few days ago he’d have called it fast, but now, not quite.

To a non-practitioner it was absurdly fast, but he couldn’t judge by a ‘beginner’s’ standard. Jin-hyeon realized that.

‘I need to achieve Heavenly Wolf as soon as possible.’

Too many big incidents for a leisurely life.

‘I guess I can’t help what I am.’

Repaying the Seol Clan’s kindness led him to the Yeo Family Ironworks’ swords, entanglement with the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild, and even dealings with the Black Society, heirs of the Hao Clan.

That would be fine, if not for the bribes the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild had sown and their remnants.

High officials of the Heavenly Will Alliance’s Sichuan Branch were after his life. Lee Ho-gon’s fugitive first and second sons were likely hunting him too.

Was that all? Though quiet for now, famed Sichuan sects tied to Mighty Tiger—like the Black Tiger Fist School—would be sharpening blades.

‘The branch alone and the stragglers make it grim.’

The martial world is fearsome. Make an enemy once, and a martial artist will chase vengeance to the world’s end.

The Heavenly Will Alliance might rule the realm, but it can’t stop every private vendetta. Judging by the Sichuan Branch, many sects bribe after revenge and bury cases.

The Sichuan Branch, the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild’s remnants, and Sichuan’s noted sects.

Thinking about it, this was an immensely dangerous situation.

‘I must grow stronger to protect myself. But…’

Jin-hyeon was honest with himself.

‘I don’t want to stop there.’

Gyeong Se-hwi, adopted by Divine Iron for his talent, was betrayed because of that talent. And the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader, after conquering the world, lived under constant attempts on his life—alone.

Neither had a place to return to. Gyeong Se-hwi, as well as the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader both died wretchedly.

But Jin-hyeon was different.

He could start anew, live a life wholly unlike Gyeong Se-hwi’s or the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader’s.

‘I’ll make a place to return to. A base no one can trespass.’

His eyes flashed.

‘I’ll found a clan of my own.’

What kind of clan do I want to make?

Not one like the Divine Iron Merchant Clan. Nor did he claim he could build a frank, high-spirited clan like the Seols.

However—

‘I’ll do it all.’

He was now more used to fists than the hammer, to the sword more than working iron.

He didn’t want to touch the ironworks trade. He’d spent that talent on Divine Iron and paid with his life. He wouldn’t take up the hammer again.

But his artisan-honed eye surpassed anyone’s.

With that eye, the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader’s martial arts, and a thousand years of experience and knowledge, he’d build his base.

‘Ironworks or anything else—I’ll take it. Call it sprawling if you like. I’ll make a world no enemy can touch.’

But first, there was something to do.

“Are you inside?”

A woman’s voice came from the gate. It was the one from earlier.

Jin-hyeon said evenly,

“It’s open. Come in.”

Creak.

The gate opened, and the woman appeared with several men.

‘Well, look at that.’

The woman was trained in martial arts. Her long years in honing a first-rate art showed.

The five men with her were no less—each carried a quiet killing aura, with large blades hanging thick at their waists.

‘They’re about the level of those three.’

The three guests whose lives he’d taken from the Mighty Tiger Merchant Guild.

They matched the strongest, Guest One, but weren’t as sloppy.

Their stance, eyes, and gait were solid. As Dam Jun would say, well-honed first-rate fighters.

“I said don’t come empty-handed, and you brought blades.”

“Not to your liking?”

“I also said I don’t deal with lackeys.”

“Sadly, I’m no lackey.”

“Your master is not coming?”

“They’re not so idle as to show up here.”

She glanced around.

“I heard you had servants and hands. Why is it so quiet?”

“Gave them leave in case hungry beasts came calling.”

“Good instincts. You didn’t tell them anything foolish, I hope?”

“I don’t even know who you are. Even if I did, why risk their lives?”

“Sharp instincts and a sharp head.”

“Not really. I sent them off just in case, but I didn’t expect you to come tonight.”

“Modest, too. The more I see, the less ordinary you seem.”

“What, have we even seen all that much for you to say that?”

The conversation looked almost leisurely.

But Jin-hyeon was reading the woman and the five swordsmen closely.

‘Not Mighty Tiger remnants.’

Lee Ho-gon’s eldest and second sons had escaped. The two were men entrusted with big tasks. Although they are fugitives now, they still have force and influence.

But the Sichuan affair had grown so big the Heavenly Will Alliance’s central office was sending martial examiners.

The White Wolf Bureau, a special investigative body, can arrest and detain violators of the Murim Code under the Heavenly Will Alliance.

Of them, main-office martial examiners wield immense power. They ranked on par with a Chief Martial Examiner, and were treated practically at Deputy-Chief level.

Dispatching them signaled resolve to dig everything up—or so Seol Hong-baek had told him.

‘Mighty Tiger’s remnants won’t rampage. They’ll be hiding—at least for now.’

The Sichuan Branch, or sects which had sustained damage.

‘Which is it?’

The woman spoke brightly.

“A fine night, isn’t it?”

“Minus the chill.”

“No need to scent it with blood. Come quietly with us.”

“For ones who came at midnight to avoid eyes, you talk smooth.”

“Talking with you is oddly fun. But I’m under orders; I can’t just banter.”

“I’m not bantering.”

Her expression didn’t change.

“Stand up. If you don’t want to see blood that is.”

Jin-hyeon smiled.

“You won’t say who called or where, will you?”

“It’s the last time. Stand up.”

“It’s the last time. Stand up.”

“?”

“Don’t drop your voice like that. I don’t like it.”

Her eyes cooled.

As she moved to order the swordsmen—

“Even with the wind at your back, you really don’t notice? The stink of oil?”

She slightly faltered.

“The smell of oil?”

Jin-hyeon opened a fire striker’s lid and blew.

Fwoosh!

Flame leapt up. He touched it to a staff wrapped in oil-soaked cloth.

The woman snorted; the five men chuckled, incredulous.

“Surely you’re not taking us on with a single burning stick?”

“Burning you alive has a certain charm, but fireplay at night feels timid.”

He waved the stick.

“Think bigger.”

He tossed it backward. It sailed into the storage shed.

WHOOOM! Crackle!

The shed went up in an instant.

Her eyes wavered with the flames. One torch shouldn’t ignite so fast.

WHOOOM—WHOOOM—

Fire leapt to the oil-soaked ground out back and raced over the other buildings.

In moments, the whole house burned.

Oil had been splashed from the shed to every lodging. When he asked if they hadn’t smelled the scent of oil, he hadn’t meant the stick. He had meant the entire place.

“Even at midnight, a blaze this big draws a crowd.”

“!!”

“Mm, I can hear them already.”

Cries of “Fire!” rose in the distance. In this quarter of inns, many were still awake.

Jin-hyeon stood, rolling his ankles.

“You came at night to keep it quiet, and now everyone will see. Fortunate, really. I’d planned to spread oil each time until you came. Saves me the labor.”

“You, are you insane?”

Burning his own home just to secure safety? Utter madness.

“Insane or not, you’re in trouble.”

“That’s enough. We’ll take you—”

“If I vanish here, the Sichuan Branch of the Heavenly Will Alliance and every sect tied to this will be gone.”

“…Nonsense.”

“I’m someone who torched my own place waiting for you, why would I bluff? If I’d wanted to flee, I wouldn’t be here.”

“…….”

“Decisive, but not bright. Pity.”

She ground her teeth.

Smiling, Jin-hyeon spoke gently.

“You heard the main-office martial examiners are coming, right?”

“…….”

“What does that mean? They won’t leave anyone involved alone—and they’ll block outside interference. If I disappear, where do you think they will start cracking down?”

“!!”

“Even your master can’t have me killed. If I die, you all walk on thin ice.”

“…….”

“So your talk of blood is just a threat. Your master only said ‘lure him somehow and bring him,’ without telling you how. They probably told you to not go too far. Am I right?”

Her eyes trembled as if in an earthquake.

He wasn’t wrong. She had merely taken “don’t go too far” to mean some violence was fine.

The core of the mission was to bring him.

If he came quietly, great; if not, force would follow. Get him there and the task was done.

Who knew something so simple would knot like this.

“Go.”

“…….”

“I don’t know who you’re under, but they won’t crack down on you for this. You’ll take heat, but knowing me now, they’ll move more carefully.”

Jin-hyeon jerked his chin at the gate.

“Hear the ruckus? In half a quarter-hour, people will flood in. Go quickly.”

She sighed.

“A complete defeat, then.”

“Have you ever seen one walk only the road of success? People make mistakes and fail. Don’t get too depressed.”

“I’ll withdraw for today. But we’ll meet again soon.”

Jin-hyeon nodded.

“Sure, we will meet again. That’s if your master comes in person.”

“Stay well. What a shame—this place seemed nice and quiet.”

“If you’re sorry, pay up. Thinking of rebuilding it already tires me.”

“Consult the Seol Clan.”

With that, the woman and the swordsmen left. They feigned calm, but once out the gate they flashed lightfoot into the woods like foxes with tails afire.

Jin-hyeon watched the trees, eyes steady.

After a moment—

“Greetings, Teacher Jin.”

Someone stepped inside the gate.

It was Dam Jun.

“You’re here, Pebble.”

Dam Jun’s face crumpled. He’d never imagined his status as Stone Pillar would get him called a pebble; being cursed as a blockhead might’ve been better.

“Please come out. It’s dangerous.”

“I was about to.”

Outside the gate, Jin-hyeon asked,

“So, did you tail them?”

“Of course. Two of the Gold Pillar’s guards are on them.”

The Gold Pillar’s “drunks” from the alleys—masters capable of stopping top-tier assassins.

“They’re likely from the Sichuan Branch. We took down their hired killers, so they sent people themselves.”

“That’d be a real haul.”

“Exactly. Their impatience led to a mistake.”

“The woman might die. Better to keep her alive if we want to use her.”

“I’ve ordered a capture if intervention’s possible.”

“Smart. Youngest pebble indeed.”

“…”

“Watching fire makes me want to piss, and I’m hungry. How about we hit the outhouse first, then grab some dumplings?”

“No.”

“Has the Gold Pillar Seo Mun been doing well?”

“…Let’s go.”