In an instant, I had taken control of one of the Three Great Assassin Organizations of the Central Plains.
“Can’t you do anything other than assassin work?”
“That... that is the only thing I know how to do.”
“What about acting as a bodyguard? You look like you’d be good at that.”
“Bodyguard?”
“Yeah. Wealthy families hire people like that all the time. Or escort bureaus, trading companies — they might take plenty of requests.”
“I will do as Senior Brother commands.”
“And change the name Ghost-Slaying Corps uses. Who would hire a bodyguard from something called the Ghost-Slaying Corps? Sounds like they’re asking to get killed.”
“Understood.”
“And look into the others.”
“Sir?”
“Why? You think you can handle me alone?”
Instantly, Jin Muryang shook his head furiously.
“If you think you can handle me alone, forget it.”
“N-no! I will search for them with all my strength!”
I snorted and patted Jin Muryang’s shoulder.
“When you find them, tell them. Run, and they get beaten twice as much.”
“Y-yes...”
I held out my hand.
“...Yes?”
“You don’t have some kind of token? When I go to look for you, it’ll be annoying without one.”
“Ah!”
He reached into his clothes and pulled out a red palm-sized emblem.
“This is the Ghost-King Token. Showing this will make them bring you directly to me.”
“And the location?”
— Gansu Ghost-King Valley.
I received the location through sound-transmission and nodded with a faint smile.
“Alright. Go.”
“Yes!”
He turned to leave.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“You need to take that too.”
I pointed to Soul-Slicing Ghost, still unconscious on the ground.
“...He isn’t dead?”
“I controlled my strength.”
“I’ll take him.”
“Oh, right. Who commissioned you to kill us?”
At the mention of the client, Jin Muryang’s face twisted.
Because of that bastard, he ended up meeting Senior Brother here.
His heart wanted to dash straight to the Gu Yang Family and annihilate them, but he held back.
“It was the chief steward of the Gu Yang Family. He ordered the killing of everyone here and the retrieval of Gu Yanghu.”
At the sound of his name, Gu Yanghu flinched and anxiously checked my expression.
Seeing that, Jin Muryang frowned deeply.
So it was that bastard.
The one who dragged me here.
His heart almost made him crush Gu Yanghu’s skull right now, but he held back because Senior Brother was present.
Gu Yanghu quickly looked away from Jin Muryang’s cold gaze.
After hearing the client’s identity, I asked Gu Yanghu:
“What? Did you complain to your house?”
“T-that is...”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You’re hiding something. Speak.”
Gu Yanghu squeezed his eyes shut and spilled the truth.
“M-my subordinates said through sound-transmission that they would come rescue me, so I simply nodded. I—I didn’t know they would kill everyone and take only me back!”
“You really didn’t know?”
“T-that... with my father’s personality, I did think it was possible...”
I spoke to Milyeong.
“I don’t think educating only this kid will solve anything. Bring me everything on the Gu Yang Family.”
“Understood.”
Milyeong vanished instantly.
Watching that, Jin Muryang realized how much Senior Brother had changed.
Back then, he had the feeling of a rough, unpolished stone.
Now, he felt like a refined gemstone.
Much harder to deal with.
“Go. I’ll visit soon, so switch your business properly before then.”
“Y-yes...”
Damn it.
How was he supposed to explain this to the others?
He felt like losing his mind.
Maybe they would have to start completely from scratch.
But he had to.
If he didn’t want to get beaten.
I snorted.
Jin Muryang’s face told me exactly what he was thinking.
Even so, I didn’t hate him.
Maybe because I had grown attached?
Considering how much he had been beaten and tormented, he should’ve given up, but he never did.
That made it fun.
I wanted to see the others soon too.
Jin Muryang was about to leave, but suddenly paused.
“Ah! Senior Brother. I do not know where the others are, but I do know what they are doing.”
“How do you know that?”
“We spoke about our plans before we split up.”
“Yeah?”
“Kang Mujin said he would open a martial hall.”
“That suits him.”
Thinking about it, it suited him perfectly.
No mismatch at all.
“Ye Yahyeon said he would run an inn.”
That fit too.
Jin Muryang suited assassination.
Which left one.
Baek Ryeongso — what would he be doing?
Judging by his appearance, he probably did rough work.
Butchering.
Debt collecting.
Maybe mercenary work.
“Baek Ryeongso said he would open a clothing shop.”
“...Huh?”
I cleaned my ear with a finger, wondering if I heard wrong.
“What did you say?”
“A clothing shop.”
“A slaughterhouse disguised as a clothing shop?”
“No. A place that makes and sells clothes.”
“Who would be making the clothes?”
Jin Muryang nodded.
“No way. Him?”
“Yes.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Think about it. All of our clothes — and yours — he altered and made.”
...Right.
He really had.
Thinking of those pot-lid-sized hands sewing fabric gave me chills.
“Well... Baek Ryeongso will be easy to find. How many men like him sew clothes in the Central Plains?”
“Don’t be so sure. I’m not the only one who learned the Thousand-Faces Bone-Shrinking Art.”
“What? They all learned it?”
“Yes.”
“You guys really were thorough.”
Jin Muryang lowered his head.
Behind him, Taecheon and Chu Sowon exchanged glances, feeling something odd.
From their conversation, it sounded like there had been four people — and all had run away from Jeok Wigang.
Even learned a body-altering art just to avoid being recognized.
Did they all know their lord would reincarnate?
It really didn’t sound like reincarnation.
Definitely not rejuvenation either — he had no inner power.
It was confusing.
“Alright. I’ll look too.”
“Yes. I will do everything I can.”
No way I was suffering alone.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
“Yeah. See you again.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
He bowed, collected the still-unconscious Soul-Slicing Ghost, and vanished.
I stroked my chin.
“...What should I do about the Gu Yang Family?”
I looked at Gu Yanghu.
At my gaze, he trembled violently and lowered his head.
Hadn’t he seen just now?
The leader of the most infamous assassin organization in the Central Plains walked away like an obedient dog.
****
“They rejected the commission?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. They returned the full fee along with the penalty.”
“These insane assassin bastards! If they took the money, they should do the damn job! What’s so hard about slitting a few throats!?”
“It seems there ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) was a high-level expert involved.”
“Damn it! Then hire a different group!”
“I have submitted requests, but I do not know if they will accept.”
“Submit anyway! Raise the price! Tell them to wipe them out by any means! And warn them repeatedly — Gu must not be harmed!”
“Understood.”
“What about the Ganghui Trading Company?”
“They refuse. Persuasion and threats both failed. They refuse to hand over the salt monopoly rights.”
“Then you should have smashed the place!”
“The Ganghui Trading Company has better public support than our family. Disturbing public sentiment further would be unwise.”
“Then give me a plan! A plan, you useless bastard!”
While Gu Yanghyeon was raging, the steward replied:
“T-then what if we commission an assassin group to eliminate the Master of Ganghui Trading Company and his family? Once they’re gone, persuading the rest will be easy.”
“Oho! Good idea. See? You can think if you try.”
“Thank you.”
“Do it.”
“Yes.”
****
Yu Munchang and I were dining together.
“Hahaha! So. Is your Provincial Exam preparation going well?”
“Thanks to your support, I’m doing well. I’m grateful.”
“No need for gratitude between us. Your success is my joy.”
“If I pass the Provincial Exam, it will be entirely thanks to you, Uncle.”
“Hahaha! How is that my credit? It is because you are exceptional. Isn’t that right?”
“You flatter me, Uncle.”
“You will do well.”
The affection in his hand as he patted my shoulder made me smile.
After dinner, we moved to a pavilion overlooking the pond.
We were drinking tea and chatting when suddenly something burst out of the pond and shot toward us.
My hand moved like lightning, snatching the object aimed at Uncle and me.
Yu Munchang, not even realizing I had moved, only felt the sudden gust that followed.
WHOOOM—
“A sudden gust?”
“Right? I thought there wasn’t a hint of wind, but weather changes fast.”
“Well, it wasn’t bad. I was a bit warm. That cooled me.”
While talking, I opened my hand under the table.
A thin steel needle.
An assassin?
I flicked the needle back in the direction it had come from.
PIPING—
...Oops.
If he dies, his body will float up.
Didn’t think about that.
Then—
“I should step away for a moment.”
Perfect timing.
I exhaled in relief as he rose from the seat.
“Yes, Uncle. Take your time.”
Once he left toward the restroom, I licked the liquid on my palm.
Poison.
And a deadly one.
Someone was targeting Uncle.
He never made enemies... ?
The Gu Yang Family...?
Were those bastards targeting people related to me?
“Chu Sowon.”
He appeared before me, bowing.
“Yes.”
“Protect my uncle. If anyone tries to harm him, kill them all.”
“Yes!”
He vanished instantly.
Moments later—
Two corpses floated to the surface of the pond.
“Milyeong. Dispose of them.”
Milyeong appeared, grabbed the bodies, and vaulted over the wall.
My expression grew cold.
Sensing murderous intent, Taecheon rushed toward me.
He saw the hardened expression on my face.
“What happened, young master?”
“Assassins. They’re targeting my uncle.”
At the word assassins, his aura surged and he instantly switched to full alert.
“Is it the Gu Yang Family again?”
“Most likely.”
“They don’t know how to give up.”
“Ghost-Slaying Corps failed, so they commissioned someone else.”
“Will there be more assassins?”
I focused and sniffed the air.
Then opened my eyes.
“I smell the scent unique to assassins. At least thirty of them.”
“They’re serious.”
“Fortunately, other than the two in the pond, they haven’t entered the trading company grounds yet. They’re surrounding the area from outside.”
“I will take the north side.”
Milyeong returned at that moment.
“Go with Milyeong.”
“Yes.”
Once the two moved toward the northern perimeter, I launched myself into the night.