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Chapter – 89
Jeongyeon (鄭然), a second-rank warrior working at the Hangzhou branch of the Martial Alliance, began another ordinary morning as always.
“Lock the gates properly, record all entrants, and if nothing unusual happens, keep things quiet.”
The Hangzhou branch of the Martial Alliance was not very large.
Important missions and incidents were reported to the main headquarters, and the branch mostly handled messengers and administrative duties.
In truth, it was because the influence of the Black Blood Union (Sahakryeon) was extremely strong in Zhejiang, where Hangzhou was located.
Among the people of Hangzhou, this was something spoken of only in whispers.
In any case, Jeongyeon wasn’t very interested in such rumors.
What mattered to him was simply a peaceful, uneventful day.
In that sense, the Hangzhou branch of the Martial Alliance was a dream workplace.
Aside from the nearby presence of the Black Blood Union, there were no major dangers, and peaceful days repeated endlessly.
Jeongyeon believed such days would last forever.
But today was different.
Clank. Clank.
What he heard first was the sound of metal.
As the sound drew closer, murmurs spread through the marketplace.
Jeongyeon also raised his head and looked toward the market.
It was a red tide.
Beyond the familiar market street, the banner of the Black Blood Union appeared.
Hundreds of warriors in red uniforms were walking toward the Hangzhou branch.
“What… what is this!”
Startled, Jeongyeon instinctively grabbed his sword sheath.
“E-everyone come out! Something’s wrong!”
At Jeongyeon’s shocked voice, his fellow warriors rushed out of the branch.
Murmurs and tension spread through the market.
The air around the marketplace froze instantly.
“The Black Blood Union? T-that’s really all Black Blood Union members?”
Even his colleague’s voice was full of disbelief.
But no matter how he looked, it was clearly the uniform of the Black Blood Union.
And at the very front of the procession stood a black-haired man.
Jeongyeon had never seen him in person, but he knew immediately.
The master of the Black Blood Union, known only from descriptions.
“Baek Muhyeon…?”
Why would the leader of the demonic sect be coming toward a Martial Alliance branch?
And leading hundreds of Black Blood Union members at that?
Could it be that they were attempting to unify the central plains?
As the procession approached, Jeongyeon and the other warriors stiffened.
Soon, Baek Muhyeon truly arrived in front of the second-rank warriors.
He was seated in the center of the procession on a large prison cart covered entirely with red cloth.
“M-m-may I ask what business you have here!”
Trying to sound composed, his words instead came out broken.
Baek Muhyeon glanced around the poorly maintained Hangzhou branch and said something unexpected.
“Is this the place?”
A middle-aged man beside Baek Muhyeon stepped forward.
He gave a formal fist salute toward Jeongyeon.
He was a one-fingered man, with a missing index finger.
“You’ve worked hard. I am Wiyun of the Golden Bell Unit. Could you call your branch leader?”
“…Wiyun?”
Jeongyeon repeated the name, tilting his head.
Then his eyes widened.
The identity of the Golden Bell Unit was strictly confidential, but the leader Wiyun’s name was not.
And he had even called the branch leader casually, as if on equal footing.
Jeongyeon swallowed hard.
“A-are you perhaps the leader of the Golden Bell Unit?”
“That’s correct.”
“…!”
Jeongyeon was startled.
Not only because of Wiyun, but even more because of the man beside him.
Why was Wiyun, symbol of the Golden Bell Unit, standing together with the master of the Black Blood Union?
No matter how he thought about it, there was no answer.
It wasn’t something someone at his level could resolve.
“P-please wait a moment. I will bring him immediately.”
Jeongyeon bowed and hurried inside the branch.
His fellow warriors followed him in panic.
Baek Muhyeon, left behind, exhaled softly.
“Did it work?”
Kangyu quietly bowed.
“Thank you.”
Baek Muhyeon gave a hollow laugh.
“To think I’d live long enough to see this…”
The leader of the demonic sect himself escorting a prisoner of the righteous sect to a Martial Alliance branch.
This was also one of the conditions set by the child in exchange for the solution of the Pacheon Secret Record.
“Tsk.”
Clicking his tongue bitterly, Baek Muhyeon spoke to the Black Blood Union members.
“Stay in the area until support from the Alliance arrives. Don’t cause trouble.”
“…Yes?”
Baek Muhyeon turned away.
“I’m leaving now. Ga-o.”
It was a half-hearted farewell, but clearly directed at Wiyun at the end.
A man who had once been filled with hostility.
“See you again.”
“See what again.”
Leaving the Black Blood Union members behind, Baek Muhyeon walked away casually.
Bang Hwijin, who was walking beside him as vice leader, could not understand the situation at all.
He had been suddenly called to accompany him somewhere, and now they were escorting a prisoner of the righteous sect.
Directly to the doorstep of a Martial Alliance branch.
And he had even ordered hundreds of elite members to stand by afterward.
No matter how he tried to make sense of it, only one reason came to mind.
“Leader Baek.”
“Speak.”
“Are you being blackmailed by the righteous sect?”
“Blackmail?”
“This situation is far too strange.”
“Hm.”
Baek Muhyeon chewed on a steamed radish from a street stall as he thought.
Bang Hwijin wasn’t entirely wrong.
The child had leverage over him regarding the decoding of the Pacheon Secret Record.
But that wasn’t the only reason he came.
“You should know this too.”
Baek Muhyeon tossed a gold coin to the vendor.
“When you reach a certain level, there are times when an annoying opponent looks more appealing than a flattering one.”
“What?”
He looked back.
Kangyu was still waving at the front of the Hangzhou branch.
“Soon, that guy will definitely take a major position in the Martial Alliance. Today’s event will make him owe us a debt—and one day, we’ll get it back tenfold.”
Bang Hwijin looked speechless.
“So you caused all this chaos for something that may or may not happen?”
“What chaos? Think of it as a training trip for the Black Blood Union. Escorting righteous sect prisoners.”
“Training inside a Martial Alliance branch?! Escorting righteous sect members?!”
“Didn’t I just say? It’s an investment.”
“You’re calling this investment?! And what exactly do you see in that brat who hasn’t even come of age?!”
“Brat?”
Baek Muhyeon chewed the rest of the radish.
“That’s why you’re not the leader.”
“…!”
Bang Hwijin was left speechless.
Baek Muhyeon grinned and walked away through the marketplace.
“Is… is that true?”
In Nanchang (南昌), Jiangxi Province.
Those who rushed to the Martial Alliance Nanchang branch after receiving the report were in shock.
Qingfeng Jiuzhou (淸風九州) Bakyoungja, the sect leader of the Qingcheng Sect, leaned back in his chair.
“The leader of the Five Elements Cult… captured in half a year?”
Mu-seong of Shaolin, deputy abbot, picked up the report left by Bakyoungja and let out an exclamation.
“Hoho. That child has done it again.”
He placed his palms together.
“It is truly astonishing. We have not even identified the name of the Five Elements Cult for nearly ten years.”
Bakyoungja nodded.
“It is shameful, but true. Everything changed after the child joined the Golden Bell Unit.”
Nangong Un shook his head.
“If not for him, the Nangong Clan would have been destroyed in a single night.”
Others agreed and recalled many incidents tied to Kangyu.
The rescue of the Tang Clan, the prevention of disasters in Chang’an, saving the Crown Prince, stopping an assassination of the Emperor, dealing with Mooyoung, suppressing Mo Mountain Divine Elder, and more.
Each story was more unbelievable than the last.
“….”
Gradually, laughter in the hall faded.
A strange emotion filled the room.
Finally, Bakyoungja spoke quietly.
“I sometimes think…”
All eyes turned to him.
“Isn’t this what the path of the true greatest under heaven looks like? Not through bloodshed and domination, but by standing beside history itself.”
Mu-seong nodded.
“Indeed. Perhaps a future where the martial world becomes one not through war, but through unity.”
Jegeol Geun smiled.
“I believe Lord Yongdu would have loved this story.”
“He always cared for that child deeply.”
“He never treated him as just a junior.”
“…Hm?”
Mu-seong’s eyes widened.
“By the way… I don’t see Lord Yongdu here today.”
At that, Nangong Un spoke carefully.
“From what I know… he recently retired.”
Bakyoungja snorted.
“Retired? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“What?”
“He only says he retired. He’s practically living in the Alliance headquarters, nagging all day.”
Everyone laughed.
Mu-seong stood up.
“Enough talk. Let us depart. We should meet the child ourselves.”
“Yes.”
The Martial Alliance leaders left the hall and headed toward the Hangzhou branch.
Everything was going smoothly.
At the end of a long darkness, a brilliant new dawn was rising.
