Chapter 225

Chapter 225
Chapter 225. The Invited Uninvited Guest (3)

The primary structure of the Black Thought Alliance.

Tucked away behind the office of the Alliance Leader on the highest level sat a concealed chamber.

Two individuals currently unaffiliated with the Black Thought Alliance made their way into this room—a space whose existence was known to barely anyone other than the Alliance Leader himself.

“You have arrived.”

The person seated there—the former Four Emperors Peak Lord, and current Black Thought Alliance Leader, Cha Seok-du—stood up from his seat.

“I really ought to have come out to welcome you personally. Please forgive my lack of manners.”

Cha Seok-du, a man who had never bowed his head to anyone throughout his life, dipped his head respectfully.

“It is fine. Since your position has changed, it is only natural that your duties now keep you anchored to your seat.”

“Don’t worry about such trifles, little brother. If we were the type to fret over minor details like that, we never would have bothered coming here in the first place.”

The Blood Battle and the Flame Ghost Consort.

The pair seated themselves across from Cha Seok-du, acting as if they were the true owners of the room.

“Have you been keeping well?”

At Cha Seok-du’s inquiry, Blood Battle let out a chuckle.

“You wouldn’t have summoned us just to exchange pleasantries. Get to the heart of the matter. Why did you call for us?”

“…….”

“Are there some troublemakers who refuse to fall in line?”

Cha Seok-du offered a thin, tired smile.

“Attempting a task I have never engaged in before is proving far more difficult than I anticipated.”

“Heh-heh, heh-heh. Did you think the Black Path survived all these years being crushed by the Orthodox Path for no reason? Even so, you have managed to establish a foundation. That sort of planning didn’t come from your own head…… so I assume you must have had help from someone competent.”

Seeing that Blood Battle already seemed to grasp the situation, Cha Seok-du nodded in honest agreement.

“I have been fortunate.”

“That, in itself, is a stroke of luck.”

“I appreciate that.”

Flame Ghost Consort, who had been listening quietly, let out a humming sound through her nose.

“Little brother would not have brought us here just to deal with common thugs. Are there perhaps people quietly undermining your progress?”

Cha Seok-du, who until now had only ever dealt with brutes interested solely in filling their bellies and brawling, found a surprising sense of relief in this tense chamber.

He leaned forward and whispered,

“They are extremely careful. They hide among the factions, spreading rumors under the guise of wanting what is best for the Black Thought Alliance.”

“They say that insidious plots are far more dangerous than open conflict.”

Cha Seok-du gave a slight shake of his head and replied,

“This isn’t a situation I can simply ignore.”

Seeing Cha Seok-du’s serious demeanor, even Blood Battle’s expression tightened.

“Do you have any idea who the culprits are?”

“I don’t even know that yet.”

“Hmm…….”

After a moment of deliberation, Blood Battle spoke.

“In that case, there is little we can do for you at this very moment.”

“I apologize. I just thought my mind might find some peace if you both were here…….”

“Ha, now that you are dabbling in politics, you are using the rhetoric of an Orthodox Path Heart Method. Hmm…….”

Following a brief silence, Blood Battle nodded, fully grasping Cha Seok-du’s hidden intent, and continued.

“We will keep an eye out for them, so do not fret too much.”

At the reassurance from Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort, Cha Seok-du’s expression relaxed considerably, though he then realized he had been remiss and spoke up.

“My apologies. I have spoken only of my own concerns. Was the journey here difficult?”

Blood Battle curled the corners of his mouth.

“It was fine. We encountered a rather interesting fellow on the way.”

“I understand you traveled with Jin So-un.”

“Indeed. He was even more intriguing than the rumors suggested. Even if a true Joint Successor to the Black Path Alliance existed, I doubt he could perform as well as that boy.”

Cha Seok-du nodded, as if in agreement.

“He certainly…… has his own unique ways.”

Blood Battle’s expression suddenly turned grave.

“I hear you sent him an invitation. Why would you deliberately take an action that could prove detrimental to both him and yourself?”

“……Have you heard of the Black Path Night March?”

Blood Battle nodded.

“Yes. I heard that preposterous rumor about the Black Flame Dragon leading the Black Path ghosts.”

There had been whispers that the figure behind the Black Path Night March—a key justification for establishing the Black Thought Alliance—was the Black Flame Dragon, but Blood Battle had never bought into it.

Perhaps the lad had hitched a ride on that event due to some connection with a Black Path sect, but it was not something a kid who had barely turned twenty could have masterminded.

However, as if undoing all of Blood Battle’s assumptions, Cha Seok-du shook his head.

“Actually, that is largely accurate.”

“……Hmm?”

“……Oh?”

Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort instinctively sat up straighter.

Cha Seok-du then explained in great detail how Jin So-un had dismantled Four Emperors Peak during the Murim Regular Exam.

It was a lengthy tale, yet Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort never lost interest for even a second.

When he finished, Blood Battle let out a low, impressed groan.

“Ha…… so the boy really was the mastermind.”

By now, those old rumors had largely dissipated, and Cha Seok-du was credited as the primary force behind the Black Thought Alliance’s formation, but in reality, it was Jin So-un who had lit the fuse.

“And that is precisely why I invited him to the Founding Ceremony.”

Blood Battle narrowed his eyes.

“……Are you pinning as many hopes on that boy as you are on us?”

Cha Seok-du sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

“That is not the case, but……”

His eyes brightened as he continued.

“I am anticipating something unexpected.”

Blood Battle and Flame Ghost Consort exchanged glances with cryptic smiles.

“How amusing. A rivalry with the Black Flame Dragon.”

“Hmm…… this lady only wishes to engage in lovers’ squabbles with my husband.”

For a fleeting moment, Cha Seok-du wanted to ask who exactly she meant by “husband,” but remembering the inferno Flame Ghost Consort was capable of unleashing, he wisely kept his mouth shut.

The atmosphere of the Black Thought Alliance’s eve festival felt less like a banquet hosted by an Orthodox sect and more like a rowdy alleyway in a major tourist hub.

To put it plainly, it was a complete circus.

“Step right up, pick whatever you like! If you don’t take your pick, you lose out; take one, and hit the jackpot! This isn’t an opportunity you see every day. The most commonly used hidden weapons in the Black Path Murim……”

Some guy was hawking hidden weapons in the middle of the training field.

“Now, observe closely. I am about to swallow this blade. You must absolutely not try this at home!”

A wandering troupe was showing off displays of raw strength for the benefit of the martial artists.

“Now! Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime chance. These are the genuine Spiritual Medicines crafted by the Shaolin Temple, the supposed masters of the Orthodox Path! Known as the Small Reversion Pill! In honor of the Black Thought Alliance’s Founding Ceremony, these pills are only ten silver taels today!”

Good grief, there was even a swindler selling fake Small Reversion Pills.

*Wow! I really shouldn’t pass this up.*

No matter how foolish the Black Path crowd might be, I wondered if anyone would actually fall for such a blatant scam……

“I want to buy a Small Reversion Pill.”

*Oh, the sucker is standing right here?*

I immediately grabbed Dang Seo-hui by the collar just as she started to rush forward.

“Forget it. You shouldn’t eat that junk.”

“I have the money!”

“It’s not about the money. If you consume a mixture of unknown herbs, you’re going to end up with a nasty case of the runs.”

Dang Seo-hui squinted at me.

“How would you know that?”

How did I know?

Because I’d made the mistake of eating one in my previous life.

Absurdly enough, I had even tried a Great Reversion Pill back then.

I’d foolishly thought it would propel me to the ranks of Peak Warriors.

Peak Warrior, my foot. In reality, it was a medicine that sent you straight to the afterlife via severe digestive distress.

“……Don’t ask. You don’t want to know.”

By the way, where had that bald monk disappeared to? There was a man brazenly selling fake Shaolin medicine right out in the open.

Shouldn’t he be hauled off and beaten for that?

I glanced around.

“Senior Il-myeong is nowhere to be found.”

“He said he had someone to offer teachings to, so he wandered off.”

“Is that so?”

Still, Il-myeong wouldn’t cause trouble like Dang Seo-hui, right? Besides, even if a fight started, he wasn’t exactly someone who would lose.

He had been overshadowed by Yong So-ah’s fame, but if she hadn’t been in the picture, Il-myeong’s name would be echoing throughout the world right now.

Even within this Black Thought Alliance, the number of people capable of harming him could be counted on one hand, and if things turned dire, he was agile enough to escape.

I turned to Dang Seo-hui and said,

“Let’s just move on by ourselves.”

“That sounds good!”

An excited Dang Seo-hui grabbed my hand and started tugging me along.

“I want to buy those hidden weapons.”

“Those are made from cheap, brittle iron. They’ll snap if you throw them once. And doesn’t the Tang Clan produce its own weapons anyway?”

“I want to try that knife-throwing game.”

“When commoners play, they swap the knives for unsharpened ones. They don’t even stick into the wooden wall.”

Dang Seo-hui clenched her fists and yelled,

“I want to enter the stone-lifting competition!”

“You aren’t allowed to use inner energy. Are you still sure about that? It’s a contest of pure physical strength.”

“…….”

The grip of Dang Seo-hui’s hand on mine loosened, and I turned to see her cheeks puffed up in frustration.

“……Then there’s no point in being here.”

Ah, right. We had come out here to help her burn off some energy.

I quickly bought two Candied Fruits from a nearby stand and gave them to her.

Dang Seo-hui skillfully pulled two needles from her robe, pierced the fruit several times, inspected the needles, and handed one back to me.

“Let’s look for something else.”

“I want to do that, then!”

Dang Seo-hui, already chewing on the fruit, pointed toward a corner.

There, ten men were gathered around a small table, deep in thought.

“Money down, money back! It’s a game so easy even a child could win! Extra cash for the ladies, drink money for the men, pocket change for the kids! Only one copper! Just one! Money down, money back! You won’t see a deal like this every day. Even a stray dog could guess it right! Find the bean, the bean!”

Three cups were placed upside down on the table, and the man was sliding them around in a dizzying sequence, hiding the bean.

‘Gambling?’

That was truly something. After all that, she wanted to gamble now?

What was even more impressive was the gambler himself. As if there wasn’t a better location, he’d set up a table smack in the middle of a gathering of martial artists.

In any case, it didn’t look dangerous, and the entry fee was cheap.

Dang Seo-hui needed to learn about the realities of the world. A first lesson didn’t seem too bad.

I nodded in agreement.

“Let’s give it a try.”

As we approached the table, each munching on our Candied Fruit, the onlookers naturally drifted back to give us space.

The gambler looked at Dang Seo-hui and grinned.

“My, a cute young lady and a handsome master. Care for a round?”

“I’m confident I can get it right!”

“That’s the spirit! It’s a game even a stray dog could master. Let’s begin.”

The gambler showed the red bean being tucked under the middle cup, then began shuffling them with blinding speed.

“Money down, money back! This isn’t an opportunity you get every day. Even a stray dog could win! Find the bean, the bean!”

Dang Seo-hui focused intently on the rapidly shifting cups, tracking the bean’s movement.

The moment the gambler stopped, Dang Seo-hui slammed ten silver taels in front of the cup on the far right.

“Gasp! T-ten taels?”

“Why? Is that not allowed?”

*Why is she so bold?*

I stopped her.

“This is meant to be for fun. Don’t you have any copper coins?”

“I only have silver. Besides, I’m confident!”

Well, she was the pampered treasure of the Sichuan Tang Clan; she had no concept of how hard it was to make a living. Would she ever even see an empty coin pouch?

I decided to just let her have her fun.

All eyes were locked on the table.

“Gulp.”

The nervous swindler lifted the cup Dang Seo-hui had chosen……

“Ahh……. How did you manage to get that right?”

The red bean popped out with a tap!

“Yay! I got it! I won!”

As Dang Seo-hui hopped up and down, the gambler let out a groan and began shuffling the cups once more.

Dang Seo-hui snorted and pointed a finger.

“This time, it’s there!”

She placed all the silver she had just won, plus her original stake—twenty taels total—in front of the cup on the far left.

But when the gambler lifted the cup, it was empty.

*Huh, look at this scoundrel.*

While I let out a dry, silent laugh, the gambler mocked her.

“Oh my! Cute young lady, looks like you didn’t quite get it this time.”

As he pocketed the twenty taels, Dang Seo-hui pulled another twenty from her robe.

“Money down, money back! Not an opportunity you get every day. Even a dog could win! Find the bean, the bean!”

His hands moved even faster.

Dang Seo-hui even channeled her internal qi, tracking every movement with absolute focus.

“It’s there!”

Both the gambler and the crowd were now on the edge of their seats.

Passersby started huddling around the now-crowded gambling table.

The swindler slowly lifted the cup.

“Wait? What? How? Why isn’t it there?”

Dang Seo-hui stood there, stunned, as if the world were collapsing.

The gambler lowered his eyebrows in a show of false sympathy.

“What a shame. You were just a bit too slow. Want to go another round?”

“……Do you accept gold coins?”

“……G-gold coins?”

For the first time, the gambler’s eyes widened in shock.

“W-well, if you insist.”

“Great. Then with gold coins……”

I stepped forward and intercepted Dang Seo-hui.

“I’ll try this round.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you planning to keep all the fun to yourself?”

Dang Seo-hui hesitated, then replied,

“……If you fail, I’m doing it again.”

I nodded.

“Fine.”

“…….”

As I clinked the silver coins in my hand, the gambler, who had nearly lost his best mark, licked his lips greedily.

Once he realized I was ready to play, his eyes lit up, and he began to shuffle the cups again.

“Money down, money back! A rare opportunity! Even a stray dog could win! Find the bean, the bean!”

Three cups.

A simple game of guessing where the bean was placed at the start.

Just as the man said, it was a game any child could play.

The gambler looked up at me expectantly.

“Where’s your bet?”

“Where, indeed?”

I knew the truth.

One could never win against a professional gambler.

The entire thing was a rigged operation from the start.

“I’m betting on all of them.”

“What?”

I placed a single silver coin in front of each cup.

“What are you doing? Open them.”

I knew it was a scam from the moment I heard his pitch.

I had sensed the trickery the instant he started shuffling.

I had only let it continue because I’d noticed something peculiar about the gambler.

The man bluffed confidently.

“Good grief, there are some strange folks out there. Fine, look.”

He flipped all three cups over at once.

There was clearly a red bean under one of the three.

“Now, now, cute young lady, please take your seat again.”

I grabbed the man’s hand just as he went to reset the cups.

“W-what! What are you doing?!”

“How long do you intend to keep scamming people?”

“Scam? What scam! You saw it right there……”

I pointed to the cup where the bean had just been.

The red bean that should have been under it was gone.

The flustered gambler flinched.

“T-this is…… Fuck! Boys, get him!”

The men surrounding the table had been his accomplices all along, and they all rushed at me at once.

*THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!*

But with a flash of her hand-blade, Dang Seo-hui struck, and the men collapsed to the ground in agony.

“……A scam. It was all a scam?”

Dang Seo-hui had instantly reverted to her persona as the White-Hand Divine Maiden, a figure of terror for those in the Black Path.

“Gambling like this is always a rigged game.”

“……Really? It’s always like that?”

Dang Seo-hui glared at the gambler.

“Eek!”

He looked at her as if he’d seen a specter.

“S-spare me! I’ll return every copper I’ve taken today!”

I looked down at him, stroking my chin.

“Hmm? No, keep the money.”

“Pardon? W-what do you mean?”

“Tell me, how did you do that trick just now?”

“W-what are you talking about?”

Usually, these gamblers didn’t use a bean at all.

They only slipped the bean in after the sucker chose a cup.

That was why these tricks rarely worked on experienced martial artists.

However, aside from the first time when he let her win, this man hadn’t used a bean at all.

“The trick with making the bean appear and disappear.”

I was curious about the nature of that ‘bean.’

Like Blood Battle, who could project his voice through his qi, this gambler had managed to condense red energy within his qi to simulate a physical object.

I wondered if this might provide a clue to unlocking the mysteries of my own Void-Annihilation Fist.

The gambler’s eyes widened.

“Eek? T-that’s a secret technique of my sect……”

*There’s a sect for gambling? Amazing.*

“Fine, keep the money, just hand over the scroll for that technique.”

“B-but……. If my Master finds out……”

*Oh, so he even has a Master?*

That explained his hesitation.

To ease his worries, I clapped my hands.

“Now, don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance! The best deal any stray dog would take! If you don’t want your limbs twisted into pretzels, start talking! Pick, pick!”

I tried to mimic his tone, but perhaps I lacked the flair, as the gambler looked terrified.

Ha, I might actually have to break some bones after all.

After securing the secret technique from the gambler free of charge, I turned to lead Dang Seo-hui, who seemed a bit shaken by the dark side of the world, back to our lodging.

But Dang Seo-hui stood firm, refusing to move.

“……We have to go get Il-myeong, too.”

“Eh?”

“The world is much scarier than I thought. Il-myeong might be in trouble right now.”

*Seriously? Do you think Il-myeong is as helpless as you?*

But Dang Seo-hui shouted, her shoulders trembling.

“We have to save Il-myeong! He’s probably trembling in fear somewhere!”

In my previous life, Il-myeong didn’t show an ounce of fear even when facing the Asura Demon-Slaying Unit on his own.

Would a man like that fear some common Black Path riffraff?

Still.

“My intuition is telling me! We have to go save him!”

Between Dang Seo-hui’s surging determination and my own secret worry that the bald monk might actually be beating up Black Path members under the guise of “proselytizing,” I relented.

“Let’s do it. It’s getting late anyway.”

When we asked a few attendants where the monk had gone, his trail was remarkably easy to follow.

Well, obviously.

A monk in full robes wandering among Black Path thugs was hard to miss.

After following his tracks, we ended up in a rather bizarre location.

‘A gambling den?’

Temporary tents and canopies were spread across the Small Training Ground, and beneath them, a massive crowd was gambling away.

What on earth was he doing in a place like this?

While I scanned the crowd, Dang Seo-hui pointed.

“Jin So-un! Over there! He’s there!”

Just as she said, the monk was seated in the heart of the gambling hall.

As we moved closer, I saw a scene that defied belief.

Was Il-myeong—the man who claimed to be here for proselytizing—actually holding gambling tiles?

‘What is this? Is he breaking his vows?’

Moreover, he didn’t look well.

Why was his entire body shaking?

I called out to him.

“Senior Il-myeong, what are you doing here?”

Il-myeong spun around at my voice.

His complexion was beyond pale; he looked grey.

“Benefactor Jin…… P-please! S-save me!”

……No, just what exactly have you gotten yourself into?