Chapter 12 – Brush with Death(12)
In the pitch darkness, where even the moonlight was hidden by thick clouds, a group of people moved in perfect unison.
The inn’s door was firmly locked after business hours.
But such trivial matters did not concern them. One of them, after confirming the door was locked, calmly drew his sword and sliced through it with ease.
The technique, infused with the exquisite principles of the Swift Sword—the pride of the Murong family—cut through the door as effortlessly as a knife through tofu. Without hesitation, the martial artists watching from behind swiftly entered.
Even a rotten bream is still a bream. The Murong family truly deserved their place among the Five Great Families. Whatever else might be said about them, their skill was undeniably first-class.
However, what they had not anticipated was that their target was not peacefully asleep inside the inn but watching them from a nearby rooftop.
As the clouds drifted, allowing the moonlight to shine through, Sua’s expression—one of sheer shock—became clearly visible.
“Th-this can’t be… Master Heesu has helped me so much until now…!!”
At first, it was impossible to believe. Master Heesu, a traitor? Even if it was the Great Warrior who said so, she was someone the family had trusted and relied on.
[I understand how you feel. Tonight, let’s stay hidden and observe.]
The Great Warrior’s words brought Sua a brief sense of relief. Surely, this was just a misunderstanding. They could clear it up.
But her unwavering faith was repaid with utter betrayal.
Could martial artists really storm into the inn, just as the Great Warrior had predicted? It seemed there was no doubt—Master Heesu had betrayed them.
Realizing this, Sua clutched her hair, her face twisted in anguish. The memories she had shared with Master Heesu now felt like blades stabbing into her heart.
It hurt. It hurt so much.
The past was being stained with blood.
What was I to her, after all?
Dark emotions dragged her down, pulling her into an abyss of despair. She felt as though a great weight was pressing down on her chest, suffocating her.
Fortunately, salvation came sooner than expected.
“Don’t get swept away. Keep your mind firm.”
“…I’m sorry, Great Warrior.”
As if by magic,Myung’s words made Sua feel as though she could breathe again. As long as she was with him, even hell itself seemed escapable. That was the kind of faith she had in him.
After all, wasn’t it none other than the Great WarriorMyung who had first suspected Murong Heesu’s betrayal? Sua looked at him with newfound admiration and asked in a quiet voice.
“But how did you know, Great Warrior?”
“I’ve seen people like her before.”
“What? What do you mean—”
“A slip of the tongue. Forget about it.”
The “similar people”Myung referred to were none other than the Demonic Cult.
The Demonic Cult appeared frequently in martial arts stories—always a band of madmen whose minds had long rotted away.
One of their most distinctive traits?
Blood-red hair.
That was why, the moment he saw Murong Heesu, his suspicions were confirmed.
I had my doubts… but that hair? Not just reddish—blood red? There’s no need to look any further.
Mu-myung’s suspicions were fueled by her strange behavior, but to Sua, his words meant something entirely different.
If she had been guilty, she would have simply accepted it and moved on.
But Sua was a genius—a prodigy with a monstrous intellect. She instantly grasped the deeper meaning.
Could it mean there’s another mastermind behind this?
From the very beginning, something had seemed off. How could a supreme master—someone of near-legendary skill—live in seclusion, far from the martial world?
Supreme masters were like celestial beings, achieving their rank through sheer enlightenment. For such a warrior to retreat into obscurity was unheard of.
Anyone with even a slight understanding of martial society would find it absurd.
And yet, the Great WarriorMyung had chosen this isolated existence.
What if there’s a reason behind it? What if he’s fighting a hidden battle against unseen enemies?
It might have sounded delusional.
But it wasn’t entirely impossible.
After all, hadn’t the Murong family’s leadership changed drastically in recent years? A few years ago, things were nowhere near this extreme.
I can’t be sure of anything yet… but…
It feels like something much bigger is at play.
And I doubt it’s just my imagination.
◇
The inn’s unexpected visitors didn’t stay long.
Despite their thorough search, the martial artists found nothing. Only the innocent innkeeper suffered for their failure.
From the rooftop, I silently observed their movements. Their coordination was swift and disciplined—but to me, they seemed sluggish. Which meant they were not true first-class warriors.
Come to think of it, most of the Murong family’s martial artists had already left.
So, the Murong family’s elite fighters weren’t here? Even if that wasn’t entirely true, their numbers had clearly dwindled.
That meant this was my best chance.
“Wait here.”
“Where are you going?”
“To get answers directly.”
“Understood, Great Warrior.”
With the family’s forces weakened, those martial artists were the perfect sources of information. This was a rare opportunity.
Even if most of their fighters were gone, the family’s elders and leaders would still be present. Charging in alone would be suicide.
I leaped down silently, landing in the center of their formation. So quiet was my descent that no one even noticed me.
Eventually, I had to clear my throat to get their attention.
“What are you looking for?”
“…?! Everyone scatter!”
“When did he get behind us?!”
“Stay focused! He’s a formidable master!”
Even a crumbling reputation was still a reputation. They were momentarily shaken by my sudden appearance but quickly regrouped, forming a defensive formation around me.
Still, despite their swift response, they couldn’t hide the tension in their eyes.
To a second-class fighter, even a first-class warrior seems as unreachable as the heavens.
That was why I didn’t immediately draw my sword.
If my opponents had been true masters, I wouldn’t have had the luxury of hesitation.
Of course, I wasn’t holding back out of arrogance.
It was the lesson my old master had drilled into me.
[Before taking a life, think deeply and think again. But once you’ve decided—never hesitate.]
“I have a question for you. Answer properly, and no one has to die.”
The words of my master, both mentor and father, were engraved in my heart. I spoke sincerely, hoping to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
“He’s just an old man! Why are we so afraid?”
“Don’t judge by appearances. Your realm is too shallow to sense his strength.”
“Tch! I reached the second-class realm at just twenty-two! We can handle this old man!”
“Don’t be reckless. You might actually die.”
“What nonsense is this old man spouting?!”
A burly young warrior stepped forward, confidence radiating from his stance. His arrogance matched his physique.
Unfortunately, that arrogance would cost him his life.
He drew his sword in a flash, aiming straight for my neck. A lethal strike.
I sighed.
Think deeply and think again before taking a life.
But once you’ve made up your mind—never hesitate.
Ignoring his sluggish technique, I drew my sword and severed his throat.
The young man’s head hit the ground before he even realized he was dead.
“M-Murong Hosung was defeated in one strike?!”
“Even dozens of martial artists at his level couldn’t make him budge!”
I exhaled slowly and looked at the rest of them.
“I’ll ask one more time.”
The night was silent again.
“It would be best if you answered properly this time.”
Because next time…
You really might die.
