Chapter 393

Chapter 393
## Chapter 393. Personal Revenge (3)

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At this exact juncture, the only absolute certainty was that ambiguity reigned supreme. There was no clear proof regarding who had ambushed Dam-ak, nor was it obvious whether the Murim Alliance viewed Dam-ak with malice or goodwill. This pervasive cloud of doubt was precisely what had prompted Dam-ak to utilize the term ‘escape.’

To speak plainly, they could easily have set up Dam-ak—who was merely trying to make his way back to the Sa-heuk-ryeon base following the ambush—to look like the perpetrator behind the strike on Jegal So-myeong. Had they done so, hostilities would have erupted instantaneously. Yet, from the perspective of the White Path Murim, claiming the life of the Sa-heuk-ryeon’s Great Military Counselor right at the outset would be an incredible stroke of luck. For individuals consumed by absolute practicality, it was an ideal scenario to declare, ‘Even if the entire prize isn’t secured, I am taking this chance.’

‘That bastard Cheong-su-jin-in was far too quiet as well.’

He was well aware that I had crossed paths with Dam-ak, so why hadn’t he attempted to tear me limb from limb? He ought to have alerted the Execution Hall immediately and sprinted across the territory proclaiming to everyone that I was a ‘traitor holding secret rendezvous with the Black Path’s Great Military Counselor,’ but he chose silence. I could not begin to fathom what sort of dark plot that massive bastard was keeping to himself.

“Why must we depart at this specific hour of dawn, though?”

The morning mist had not even begun to settle when we commenced our journey, guiding Dam-ak alongside the Sa-heuk-ryeon envoys. Well, it hardly seemed like an appropriate query to raise at the very second a perilous undertaking—one where his survival hung in the balance—was kicking off. Even so, I provided him with a reply. Cultivating a positive rapport with Dam-ak remained a vital objective.

“If we travel by daylight, wouldn’t we constantly cross paths with others?”

“What consequence is there if we cross paths? They will discover it regardless. Departing without a formal notice is merely another method of registering a complaint.”

He intended to make his exit while explicitly demonstrating that his ‘temper was sour,’ and even if he encountered them directly, he would simply march past without a word? Such an outlook was entirely characteristic of a prominent figure within the Black Path Murim, a concept utterly unthinkable in our White Path Murim, where Benevolence, Righteousness, Propriety, and Wisdom were held in the highest esteem.

“That is because, since days of old, it has remained a rule within the White Path Murim that an ill-mannered visitor faces interrogation in the Execution Hall.”

“Hmm, it appears to be a far more terrifying location than I imagined.”

I uttered the words with purposeful dramatic flair, yet Dam-ak simply smirked and replied as though it were trivial. Since when did this gentleman possess such immense nerve? I did not recall him being this bold in my previous existence. Or was it merely that I was such an insignificant weakling back then that I remained oblivious? It felt as though I was uncovering a completely unfamiliar facet of Dam-ak through this chance encounter.

In any event, we brought an end to the idle banter and moved out. Though it was Dam-ak who had activated the Black Mist Lonely Soul Formation, the person taking point as we navigated toward the threshold of the barrier was Jegal Cheon-gi. Dang Seo-hee was designated to assume the lead once we arrived at the threshold regardless, but one could never exercise too much caution.

Shortly after, we made it to the threshold, and Dang Seo-hee extended her arm past the barrier to release a toxic vapor. We had already induced slumber in all the sentries stationed near the Bong-an Hall when we originally breached the barrier, but this was a secondary precaution. Well, if there happened to be an individual who remained conscious despite this, I would simply have to attribute it to my own wretched fortune.

Dang Seo-hee pulled her arm back, and we stepped beyond the barrier. Instantly, an impressive vista presented itself before us. Stepping carefully to avoid the figures strewn across the ground, Dam-ak offered a subtle grin.

“An abundance of people were awaiting my presence. Whatever shall I do, given that I cannot fulfill their desires?”

I paid no heed to Dam-ak’s trivial commentary and broke into a sprint. Regardless of who the adversary might be, they would inevitably realize that an incident had occurred at the Bong-an Hall. From this moment onward, it was strictly a race of velocity.

We emerged near the outer palace grounds and began rushing through the Alliance territory once more.

“Wouldn’t it be preferable to scale the perimeter wall?”

In truth, if one were to evaluate which option carried the higher hazard, sprinting across the Alliance grounds was it. No matter how effectively we masked ourselves using the structures or the shadows, a gathering of this scale could not entirely conceal its movement. Even so, I was not foolish enough to contemplate forcing a path through the automated mechanisms concealed all along the boundaries of the Murim Alliance.

Ah, what of the Demonic Cult? Those individuals were inherently unhinged. I lacked absolute certainty, but during their intrusion this time around, a few of them were likely still trapped within the automated mechanisms. The automated traps arrayed around the Alliance possessed no ‘Gate of Life’ from the start, meaning that unless someone possessed the rare skill to construct a Gate of Life manually, escaping that labyrinth was impossible. They might be extracted after roughly half a year had rolled by, but after such a lengthy duration, could anyone truly employ the term ‘extraction’?

That being the case, I had no desire to persist in running through the Alliance either.

“I have arranged an alternate route rather than scaling the perimeter.”

“An alternate route?”

“You will comprehend once you witness it.”

Guiding the perplexed Dam-ak, we hastened forward a bit longer. Briefly afterward, we stepped onto the pathways of the outer palace proper, and occasional sentries began to materialize here and there. Yet, Dam-ak, upon observing their countenances, betrayed a startled look.

“Have you… incapacitated every single one of them?”

In every single corridor we traversed, the individuals who ought to have been maintaining vigilance were drifting in a profound slumber. I observed the scene and gave a negative nod.

“No.”

“…You claim otherwise?”

“We were not the cause of this. It is merely that such a calamitous event transpired as a consequence of someone’s clumsy blunder.”

“A blunder?”

*Rustle.*

Right then, a thicket nearby trembled, and an individual clad in a blue-green… sweeping robe with their countenance concealed beneath a cowl emerged. Honestly, if you intend to don that sweeping robe, what purpose does the cowl serve?

*Ch-ch-ch-ch-ching!*

Our Black Path combatants, who possessed temperaments as delicate as a young maiden’s, unsheathed their blades like lightning, but I raised my palm to signal my familiarity with him, and the shape seamlessly integrated into our collective. I gripped the hooded individual’s shoulder firmly.

“This companion is the one responsible for the blunder.”

Following my brief presentation, Dang Gi-han offered a subdued observation.

“Curse it, to think I would actually carry out such an action.”

Predictably, his language was just as coarse as his audacious conduct. I tapped his shoulder gently.

“Why harbor such intense self-reproach? It is a routine occurrence for venom utilized as a tool by the Dang Family to spill from a mother-of-pearl container.”

Naturally, the issue lay in the fact that the volume of venom resembled a massive clay vessel, and due to its widespread dispersal, the majority of the residents in the outer palace had drifted into unconsciousness.

“Damn it! Are you mocking me? Do you truly believe such a pathetic blunder could ever occur in the lengthy annals of our Sichuan Dang Family?!”

In any case, the venom concocted by Dang Seo-hee and ‘unintentionally’ distributed by Dang Gi-han flawlessly immobilized the required sentries. Even if the perpetrator of the blunder himself was quaking.

“I am ruined. I am utterly ruined…!!”

I offered warm consolation to the fellow who was trembling, his complexion drained of color.

“Then this fool should have stated much sooner that he was incapable of it. Why is he throwing a tantrum now, a tantrum!”

Operating as a commander truly is an unbearable occupation, good grief. Concluding the consolation, I scrutinized his visage.

“….”

The fellow possessed the expression of a canine that had been forsaken by its master. Observing him in that state, he did look slightly wretched… like hell he did.

“Simply term it a blunder! It constitutes a blunder regardless, so what can they possibly enforce? You belong to the Dang Family. A patriarch of the Dang Family can commit a slip, can’t he? A grip can fail and so forth! Why does this fool lack a shameless sense of superiority?”

“…Curse it, this is none of your concern…”

Just how much further does this fool plan to accompany me, though? He completed the assignment and obtained suitable comfort, so he ought to depart at this point. Dang Gi-han persisted in walking right beside me. The fellow kept chanting ‘I am ruined, I am ruined’ as though he were reciting a sacred mantra.

“If I truly face ruin because of this venture…”

I could endure it no longer. I recognized that this was the precise instant where a genuinely fitting form of comfort was required.

“You fool. If you execute a massive blunder within the Alliance and face a demotion, where are you reassigned?”

“Well, I would be sent to the Baek-rang-gak.”

“To which division do you currently belong?”

“The Baek-rang-gak…”

“Exactly! There is no lower tier for you to drop down to from there, is there?”

When I lifted my shoulders and highlighted the reality, Dang Gi-han somehow adopted an offended look. Hmm, it appeared the consolation hit the mark perfectly this time around. I dismissed him with a wave of my hand.

“Be on your way then, now that it makes sense to you. If you linger here any longer, you will be apprehended and penalized as a co-conspirator. Well, even if you face penalty, you are already situated in the Baek-rang-gak regardless.”

“Damn… very well, ensure that you achieve victory.”

Hearing the fellow’s remarks, which reflected his genuine sentiments, a quiet laugh escaped me in spite of myself.

“Understood.”

Dang Gi-han, who had been locked onto my gaze for a brief second and was preparing to dash away in an alternate path, suddenly recalled an item and glanced toward Dam-ak, offering one final comment.

“It may provide little solace, but I extend my regrets on their behalf. The Murim Alliance is not entirely populated by scoundrels who welcome a visitor only to plunge a blade into their back.”

“….”

Dang Gi-han departed the area after offering a brief nod without lingering for a reply. He would likely proceed to consume a vast quantity of concealed spirits, drench his entire form in it, and subsequently pass out to sleep somewhere within the outer palace territory. Given that he would be hauled off to the Execution Hall eventually, I offer a plea for his spirit.

Dam-ak, who had been gazing toward the path where the fellow’s silhouette had faded, inquired softly.

“…Did that companion offer assistance despite recognizing the sheer peril of this undertaking?”

Why pose such an obvious inquiry. Were it otherwise, how could I have induced him to distribute the Dang Family’s venom across the combatants of the outer palace?

“Well… I suppose that is the case?”

“For the sake of… Young Master Jin?”

“It was not precisely a favor intended for myself, was it?”

“Then, for what objective did he accept the hazard and act against the Murim Alliance?”

Well, isn’t it a bit extreme to utilize the term betrayal? To speak candidly, this action was rendering aid to the Murim Alliance. To put it plainly, if hostilities erupt, the Murim Alliance would likewise bear casualties. When I clarified the matter in that fashion, Dam-ak regarded me with a look as though he were analyzing an extraordinary specimen.

“Young Master Jin. For what purpose do you remain within the Murim Alliance?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“No, could you not establish your own domain independently, or going even further, institute a fresh coalition yourself?”

“….”

This gentleman, what under the sun was he uttering since the break of dawn. To begin with, such an achievement was not something feasible through mere mortal exertion alone. When I stared at him with a look of pure skepticism, Dam-ak softly rubbed his own lower jaw.

“Hmm… perhaps it might be more advantageous for the Murim Alliance to become aware of Young Master Jin’s treachery.”

He mumbled statements whose intent I could not fathom, but I simply chose to ignore him. It felt as though I had listened to a highly unsettling tale.

As common folk recognized, the Kang-ho was a realm populated by extraordinary figures who cleft peaks and soared through the heavens. A highly romanticized domain, distinct from mundane existence, where individuals pursued the Dao, sought revelation, and gambled their survival for might, occasionally even deviating from the Orthodox Path.

Nevertheless, based on what Dam-ak perceived as he integrated himself into the Kang-ho, the realm of martial artists was also not vastly different from the bureaucratic theater of the secular world. All manner of ploys and conspiracies were widespread, and a brutal conflict for advantages played out. The spectacle of martial artists feigning spiritual elevation and behaving as though they operated for the benefit of the realm was not terribly distinct from the ministers who adopted a facade of serving the common citizenry.

In that regard, Dam-ak actually found it preferable. For an individual like him, who had engaged in intense bureaucratic skirmishes alongside the castrated retainers flanking the Emperor for a brief period, managing martial artists whose arrogance dominated their entire personas to the point of saturating their Baek-hoe points was not an overly challenging assignment. Even if they menaced their rivals with combat prowess and exerted pressure through homicidal intent, it was the fundamental nature of a martial artist to exercise discretion if they suspected even a minor scratch would be dealt to their person.

However,

‘He is truly extraordinary.’

Dam-ak reflected as he observed the rear profile of Jin So-un, who was sprinting ahead. Should he classify him as distinct from the personas he had observed in traditional martial artists? That individual was peculiar, and unique. When it concerned executing what he deemed righteous, he did not retreat even if it transformed into a highly hazardous venom to his own well-being. No, conversely, he would harm his own flesh first and strike the opening blow, instructing the opponent to prepare themselves for identical treatment.

If one were to inquire if this stemmed merely from a basic and uneducated temperament, that was inaccurate as well. It was during this period, while he remained occupied by reflections concerning Jin So-un for an extended duration.

“This is the route!”

A voice directing the course echoed. A Jeom-so-yi unlocked a passage concealed amidst structures that were woven together like a labyrinth, distant from the primary thoroughfare. After navigating that passage, another chaotic route that caused one’s vision to blur materialized, yet Jin So-un advanced without a shred of doubt as though he possessed an intimate familiarity with the trail. Even for Dam-ak, who conceded to no one regarding retention and learning, it constituted an immensely intricate trail. Even in a pressing instant when someone was pursuing from behind, he marveled at whether an adversary could conceivably track this bewildering trail.

In truth, the individual recognized as Jin So-un was fully committed to facilitating the getaway with the entirety of his mental and physical capacity.

‘…Perhaps this attribute of his is what assemblies people together.’

He felt quite astonished when Dang Seo-hee or Jegal Cheon-gi penetrated the Go-hon-jin alongside him, but he was internally stunned when Dang Gi-han rendered all the combatants of the Murim Alliance’s outer palace unconscious. No matter how thoroughly he dismissed it as a slip, the magnitude of the retribution he would need to endure for this action was considerably severe. If he belonged to the Murim Academy, he wouldn’t be as cognizant of it. Yet, despite understanding that perfectly, he strained every nerve to genuinely assist Jin So-un, even as he voiced imprecations. As though he lacked any alternative even if he faced severe reprimand.

He grew increasingly inquisitive regarding the individual standing before his gaze. He appeared oblivious to it, but he seemed to command a capability that genuinely gathered souls. A capability distinct from those who could only influence individuals by hoodwinking their rivals and applying martial coercion.

‘Matters are developing in an intriguing fashion.’

Presently, the Murim Alliance and the Sa-heuk-ryeon were engaged in a conflict. This was not a clash where they were trading blows at this exact instant. It was a conflict that manifested subtly through the friction between those eager to instigate hostilities and those striving to avert them within their respective factions.

Dam-ak, being a realist, desired to further consolidate the Sa-heuk-ryeon even if it meant preparing for the Demonic Cults that would blanket the Kang-ho in the days ahead. And for that cause, he was prepared to surrender his own insignificant survival as frequently as required. Yet, circumstances went awry, and an unpredicted figure perished in his stead. And this development weighed upon his spirit more heavily than anything else.

‘Candidly, it appears bleak, but.’

The Jeong-do-hoe could be viewed as the core of the Murim Alliance and the Alliance itself. Dam-ak himself understood perfectly that their stubbornness would not collapse so easily. Consequently, Jin So-un, who threw himself forward to assist him, had essentially proclaimed that he would personally obstruct the Jeong-do-hoe. In a fashion, the current predicament was not a clash between Dam-ak himself and the Jeong-do-hoe, but a clash between Jin So-un and the Jeong-do-hoe.

An establishment that had preserved its status as the entrenched elite for an epoch, versus a green practitioner who had barely departed the Academy. On the surface, it was far too glaring that the balance was skewed heavily to one side.

Even so. Even so, he found himself anticipating it. What the Murim Alliance, dominated by Jin So-un in the days ahead, would resemble. What sort of struggle he would exhibit against the entrenched elite tier packed with deceitful power-brokers. Dam-ak began to look forward to a far-off future he had never previously contemplated. And just as a smirk was preparing to manifest on his features from the thrill he hadn’t experienced in an age.

“Let us consume a meal first before we proceed.”

The voice of the individual who had provided him with these expectations, Jin So-un, reached his ears. Dam-ak observed the horizon where the sun was steadily emerging and questioned in return.

“Will there be sufficient opportunity?”

“The opportunity is adequate. However…”

“…?”

“We must occupy a single table, will that prove acceptable?”

…It would be preferable if it lacked that haughtily grinning countenance. Dam-ak returned the grin to Jin So-un and replied.

“Provided it excludes that disrespectful smirk, at any moment.”