Chapter 392

Chapter 392
## Chapter 392. Personal Revenge (2)

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The initiative to extract a hidden art from Ancestor Jang Sam-bong, which had eluded me in my past life, moved ahead rapidly. Honestly, regardless of Ancestor Jang Sam-bong’s secret method, speed was absolutely essential. If I failed to sneak Dam-ak away before hostilities erupted, my sole remaining path would be to seek refuge with the Sa-heuk-ryeon alongside the Tae-eul Sect. The father who brought me into this world and nurtured me would surely never condone such a outcome. The thought of my lovely and cherished junior disciples turning into hardened Black Path ruffians, running around threatening folk with blades to their tongues, was unthinkable.

No, I simply could not allow that to happen. Furthermore, even though the Jeong-do-hoe was already aware that I had contacted Dam-ak, it remained critical to preserve our cover. The Murim Alliance was packed with professional hand-wringers who would react badly to Dam-ak vanishing in the middle of such a volatile standoff. A few individuals with severe delusions of grandeur even openly wondered, ‘What if Dam-ak is hiding right in his own quarters after his strike on the Great Military Counselor?’ Honestly, I wanted to examine their heads to see if they were suffering from a severe case of Qi Deviation, but my packed schedule forced me to show restraint. I truly just lacked the time.

While I could leave the relocation logistics of the Wang Family Manor to others, the actual extraction from the heart of the Murim Alliance required my direct handling. Having spent my entire existence scheming just to claw my way into the Murim Alliance, planning a breakout from the inside meant accounting for countless variables. To begin, I summoned Dang Seo-hee and Jegal Cheon-gi to my quarters, as they were already tangled up as my co-conspirators. Though I had already unlocked the core layout of the Black Mist Lonely Soul Formation that Dam-ak had set up, there was always a chance we would have to disarm the mechanical defense arrays scattered through the Murim Alliance.

To be frank, I desperately hoped it wouldn’t come to that. There has to be a baseline of decency, even for those claiming to uphold righteousness. For the Murim Alliance to openly lock down Dam-ak and bar his exit…

‘That would mean they had completely lost their minds.’

The Jeong-do-hoe had already shown their unstable nature by launching a raid on Dam-ak’s home. Dealing with opponents that volatile required us to be completely ironclad in our approach. The next asset I brought into the fold was Dang Gi-han, who used to command the Seventh Squad of the Sa-hwal-dan and was now lined up to step in as the Vice-Hall Master of the Baek-rang-gak.

“What do you want?”

When I tracked him down in person, his face twisted into an irritated grimace.

“Are you enjoying yourself while the rest of us are left stranded here?”

I wanted to clarify that missing out on the Baek-rang-gak hadn’t been my choice, but explaining that would mean boasting about being the Alliance Leader’s “cherished talent.” As a fundamentally modest guy, I found myself in a deeply uncomfortable spot… but luckily, Dang Seo-hee intervened.

“This isn’t the moment to let your petty grudges take over.”

As I thought, keeping her well-fed with local delicacies pays off in the end.

“…Has something happened?”

Hearing Dang Seo-hee speak, Dang Gi-han’s posture stiffened with focus. Dang Seo-hee balled her hands into fists, looking as though she were torn between choosing the legendary snow-crackers of the Park family or the famous confections of the Hong family.

“We have an opportunity to act as genuine righteous champions.”

“….”

Dang Gi-han shot me a look of pure revulsion, staring at me as if I were some silver-tongued cult leader. His eyes practically screamed, ‘What kind of crazy spell did you cast on her?’

Good grief, if I had anticipated this reaction, I would have left her behind. The only reason I involved Dang Seo-hee was because of her leverage within the Dang family. But tracking her track record, doesn’t her influence only work on people who don’t actually know her? Anyone familiar with her character always makes adjustments for her unique brand of eccentricity. Just as I was weighing whether to use a threat or a bribe, Dang Gi-han let out a quiet breath and relented.

“Alright.”

“What?”

“I said I’m in. What’s the plan?”

“You’re actually onboard?”

Hold on, why the sudden compliance? It felt incredibly fishy. It had the distinct vibe of a shady grifter advising you to liquidate your inheritance for a surefire investment. Dang Gi-han scratched his temple, a crimson flush creeping up his neck from sheer embarrassment.

“A subordinate is supposed to follow his commander’s lead. Once a member of the Sa-hwal-dan, always a member of the Sa-hwal-dan.”

“….”

A wave of profound sentiment washed over me, and I could feel genuine tears threatening to surface…

“But listen to me, if you ditch the Baek-rang-gak after this, you’ll be tasting my finest poison! I mean every word. My own relatives sent notice that I’ve been struck from the family lineage just for applying to the Baek-rang-gak! If you back out now, I’ll gladly rot in the Golden Prison for eternity just for the pleasure of poisoning your food!”

No doubt about it, the Sa-hwal-dan was a chaotic mess of an outfit thrown together on a whim. The absolute audacity to threaten a former commander with a slow death by poison. Where was the basic military hierarchy?

To lock down all the moving pieces on such a tight schedule, I pushed myself to the brink without a single pause. While mapping out the Alliance’s defensive perimeters, I painstakingly cross-referenced their guard rotations and mapped out our eventual extraction route from Wuhan. A handful of days vanished in a blur, and all the while, the threat of an impending clash with the Sa-heuk-ryeon grew heavier by the hour. I offered up desperate pleas to the Eight Immortals, begging that these Black Path criminals might suddenly develop a rare shred of patience. Given that there are eight of them, surely one might get so thoroughly sick of the boredom that they’d grant my request?

“Come on! Just give me a break here!”

On top of that, because of that meddling Mal-ko Dosa priest named Cheong-su Jin-in, I had to keep my movements entirely under wraps. Still, I knew deep down that my covert scheming would eventually catch the attention of that old Mal-ko bastard. It wasn’t because I noticed any active tails tracking me, of course. If anyone had tried to shadow me, they would have taken a swift fist to the jaw the second my senses picked them up. My temper was already short thanks to the absolute theater being put on by the delusional fools of the Jeong-do-hoe.

Fortunately, they possessed enough brain cells to avoid placing an obvious tail on me. So how did I figure out they were onto me?

“Sahyeong, what kind of trouble are you stirring up this time?”

“Can’t you feel how tense things are around here? Are you trying to get us dragged to the Execution Hall?”

“Dae-sahyeong, cut the act and tell us. What exactly are you plotting?”

“Dae-sahyeong, aren’t you going to buy me some treats?”

Setting aside that last bit of random whining, the junior members of the Tae-eul Sect were unleashing a barrage of grievances upon their Great Senior Brother, whom they usually revered like a deity. How on earth did they catch on? I had been incredibly careful to leave no trace. While I had utilized the resources of the Tae-eul Sect and the Wang Family Manor, I had purposefully kept my junior disciples—who were now official Alliance personnel—entirely in the dark. The line I was walking was incredibly thin and lethal; one misstep would send me plummeting into a pit of jagged spikes.

I dug my heels in and played dumb.

“What are you talking about? I’m not up to anything. Though I must say, your complete lack of faith in your Dae-sahyeong seems to hit a new low every single day.”

Unfortunately, the temperaments of our younger disciples seemed to be growing sharper with each passing week.

“Don’t lie to us! Father is acting incredibly strange, and the Outer Hall Master is matching his energy… Everyone is holding something back!”

Sa-ryeon spat out the words, her hands firmly planted against her hips. Judging by her habits, she only puts her hands there when her irritation is just starting to build. At this initial phase, I could probably bluff my way through a bit longer, right?

“You’re imagining things. They’re likely just coordinating their departure. They’ve been away from home far too long…”

“Dae. Sa. Hyeong?”

Those hands slid from her hips and locked across her chest, her posture hardening significantly.

“Explain this, then. Why did the Gold, Silver, and Bronze elders contract a completely separate transport service to head back ahead of schedule?”

*Gulp.*

“Aha! Look at you! You’re totally guilty!”

Confound it, why did my throat choose that exact second to betray me? Even so, I had decades of life experience on these kids; I wasn’t about to let myself be outmaneuvered so easily. I lowered my voice to an authoritative boom.

“All of you! Have you completely wiped the events of the Silent Forest from your minds! Reflecting on how close we came to death that day, you shouldn’t be wasting a single heartbeat that could be spent training!”

A sudden chill filled the room, and the lighthearted mood evaporated instantly. Their gazes dropped to the floor as the grim reality of that memory washed over them. Yet, right in the thick of that heavy silence, Eun-ho—who had practically wept with joy after securing a backup spot in the Man-tong-bu—stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm, dropping your aura like that and flipping the script to get angry… that basically confirms it.”

Why, you little backstabbing rascal!

“Furthermore, the fact that you’re trying so hard to shield us means this is a suicide mission, and given the state of the Alliance right now… there’s really only one thing it could be.”

The sharp-witted troublemaker finalized his logic and aimed a finger directly at my chest.

“This is about the Great Military Counselor Dam-ak!”

“….”

How did he get this perceptive? I had clamped down on my aura and kept my facial features entirely flat, but we were martial siblings who had bled together for nearly two decades. When it came to reading each other, we could spot a tell as easily as an experienced magistrate.

“Unbelievable!”

“What are you playing at!”

Like a man trying to swat away an aggressive swarm of hornets, I flailed my arms to keep the circling disciples at bay.

“This is precisely why I kept my mouth shut!”

I even tried taking the offensive by barking at them.

“Fess up before we lose our patience!!!”

The rebellious youths refused to budge an inch. I had been proud to see their resolve steel itself through grueling, borderline impossible training, but I hadn’t expected them to turn that newfound grit directly on me.

“Are you planning a prison break for Military Counselor Dam?”

Faced with Eun-ho’s relentless prodding, I finally let out a defeated sigh and gave a nod. They were going to figure it out eventually anyway.

“Fine, yes.”

“Wait, Military Counselor Dam is still among the living?!”

Ah, so that was a trick question to bait me? While I stood there gaping like a fish, realizing I’d been thoroughly played, Eun-ho paused to process the confirmation before nodding to himself.

“Then we’re tagging along.”

“You heard the stakes, this is a path fraught with extreme peril. Absolutely not.”

Despite my unyielding refusal, Eun-ho took a step closer, undeterred.

“Look at the big picture for a second.”

“What big picture?”

“If you smuggle Dam-ak out and the whole situation devolves into open warfare, won’t the Tae-eul Sect and the rest of us be branded as turncoats regardless?”

Eun-ho laid out the reality as if I were the one lacking basic common sense. Man, that kid has completely turned to the dark side. If he’s this cynical just from passing the entrance exams for the Man-tong-bu, I dread to see his personality once he actually starts handling their field operations. Good grief. When I offered no counterargument, Eun-ho nodded, satisfied that he’d won.

“Which means we’ll all just end up facing execution one after the other. If that’s our inevitable destination, wouldn’t it make more sense to stick together from the jump? That way, if the plan goes south, we can all just enlist with the Sa-heuk-ryeon as a group.”

Bloody hell, did he have to frame the worst-case scenario so casually? Still, his logic was hard to fault. Seeking a bit of shared blame, I pressed further.

“Is that what the rest of you want? To throw your lot in?”

The collective response came without a shred of hesitation.

“Is that even a question?”

“We’re in.”

“Did Father actually sign off on this?”

“Doesn’t matter to me.”

I attempted to talk them out of it a few more times, but they had made up their minds to dive into the fire of their own volition. Fine, back to the drawing board…

“Hey, if we do end up joining the Sa-heuk-ryeon, do you reckon they’ll at least hand us a Hall Master title?”

I completely tuned out Eun-ho’s ridiculous comment.

The night of the deployment.

I made my way toward the Bong-an Hall, flanked once again by Dang Seo-hee and Jegal Cheon-gi. The security presence surrounding the structure had significantly multiplied since my last visit. Frankly, their deployment made it painfully obvious that their sole purpose was to lock Dam-ak down.

“What’s the play?”

Seriously, what was the move here? The concept of a “covert operation” felt like a bad joke when faced with a small army. But having committed this deeply, there was no turning back. I flashed a confident grin.

“We’re just going to put them down for an extended nap.”

If stealth was off the table, forcing them into a deep slumber was the next best thing. Even if they managed to shake it off halfway through, they’d be too disoriented to coordinate a response. I gave Dang Seo-hee’s shoulder a reassuring pat.

“That knock-out agent of yours, can you deploy it safely without causing any fatalities?”

Dang Seo-hee let out a sharp, offended breath.

“Who do you think you’re talking to?”

Without a moment’s delay, Dang Seo-hee produced four exquisite mother-of-pearl flasks and began dispersing her specialized blend into the airspace around the Bong-an Hall. Within moments.

*Thud— Thud—*

Bodies began hitting the dirt. A few guards who managed to witness their peers dropping tried desperately to reach the alarm mechanism.

“Hey! An infiltr…!”

“Heheee.”

The potent narcotic swept through their systems instantly, overriding their frantic thoughts and forcing them into unconsciousness. I signaled our companions with a nod.

It was time to bypass the Black Mist Lonely Soul Formation and make our entry.

“You’ve arrived.”

Dam-ak looked even more exhausted and worn down than before, but he was fully prepared.

“Where did you manage to score the dark gear?”

How had he managed to scavenge tactical clothing inside a heavily monitored lockdown facility?

“An extraction requires proper night garments. There was an abundance of calligraphy ink available, so I simply treated the fabric myself.”

A faint grin played on Dam-ak’s lips. As I stared at him, completely flabbergasted, he offered a lighthearted explanation.

“Despite my long years in the Kang-ho, I’ve never actually been on the ground for a clandestine run like this. It’s quite exhilarating.”

My dear friend, your literal survival hinges on this working out. This isn’t some thrilling excursion to be savored. However, realizing a bit of levity was better than paralyzing anxiety, I let the matter drop. Instead, I shifted the focus to a non-negotiable term.

“Before we take another step, I need a binding pledge from you.”

“Name it.”

“Moving forward, my word is absolute law. Everyone attached to this envoy, including yourself, Military Counselor Dam, moves precisely as I dictate.”

Predictably, a chorus of angry complaints erupted from Dam-ak’s inner circle.

“Absolutely unacceptable.”

“What a ridiculous demand!”

“How do we know you aren’t leading us into an ambush!”

Come on, give me a break here. A man is putting his entire life on the line for you lot; the least you could do is show some flexibility. If every member of the Black Path is this short-tempered, this entire breakout is doomed from the start. Still, I could appreciate their perspective. Agreeing to my terms meant handing over complete sovereignty over their survival. As the guards and diplomats continued to argue, Dam-ak raised a single hand, cutting off the noise instantly. He then directed a focused look my way.

“I anticipated this requirement the moment I reached out to you, Young Master Jin.”

“Military Counselor Dam!”

“This goes too far!”

Dam-ak scanned his people and spoke with absolute composure.

“This is the individual who cut through the tightest enemy lines back in the Silent Forest to reach the Man-dok-mun. Is there anyone alive better qualified to navigate this escape? If we jeopardize this run because everyone wants to play strategist, we won’t just fail—we will all be executed.”

“….”

“The operation is entirely in your hands, Young Master Jin.”

The objections vanished instantly. Watching them immediately fall into line purely on Dam-ak’s authority gave me a clear picture of the immense reverence he commanded within the Black Path Murim. As I stood there feeling a touch impressed, Dam-ak tilted his chin slightly, an inquisitive look crossing his face.

“Though, there is one minor detail I’m curious about.”

He still had questions even after handing over absolute command? Furthermore, Dam-ak’s expression had turned intensely solemn. I braced myself for whatever profound, critical insight he was about to share…

“Since our fates are linked for the foreseeable future… tell me…”

“Tell you what?”

“Are we going to be forced to share a dining arrangements?”

“….”

“Just a bit of humor.”

Good grief, had the sheer pressure of the situation caused his mind to snap? To any casual observer, he looked like a man getting ready for a casual evening stroll through the market.