Episode 15


    The first time I felt ufortable was when I was talking to the old woman.


    [I’d like to ask just to confirm, but is that the branch manager of Hao Wen who invited me here?]


    [Yes.]


    I felt strange when the branch manager obediently revealed his identity.


    The Hao Moon executives I knew were extremely reluctant to reveal their identities.


    Of course, since this was a serious issue, an exceptional attitude could have been taken.


    So, I first tried to look at the trend.


    [Hwa-ah,e here and have a drink for Sohyeop.]


    [I will.]


    Isn’t it a young woman joining us out of nowhere?


    It was the moment when doubt turned into certainty.


    It was an opportunity to deal with someone who had leaked confidential information that only the leaders of the faction should know.


    Bringing a courtesan to such an event?


    ‘It’s a funny story.’


    Entertainment is also something that must be done depending on the situation.


    Since it is not enough to minimize the number of listening ears, what can we do by increasing them?


    ‘Furthermore, at this time, Hao Mun is in the midst of concentrating his efforts on reorganizing the n.’


    There is no way that Hao Wen, an intelligence group, could not have noticed the signs of impending trouble.


    By now, they are probably working hard on internal maintenance in preparation for the era of war.


    ‘It was said that arge-scale generational change took ce in the process.’


    From all appearances, it was more likely that the courtesan was the branch leader than the old woman who introduced herself as Hwawolruju.


    As this is a serious issue, the branch manager should step forward personally, but since he is reluctant to reveal his identity openly, he may have used shallow tactics.


    And there is one more fundamental question.


    ‘A case of this size is handled by a single branch manager?’


    It was nonsense.


    Since this was a serious issue, Hao Wen’s leadership would also want to know exactly what happened.


    [Whether or not to ept Soun Small Cooperative as a customer of Hao Wen. The decision-making authority is entrusted to me.]


    So, when the branch manager bluffed by talking about decision-making power, I rxed my mood and looked around.


    Sure enough, a faint presence was detected from above the ceiling.


    He was someone who had mastered the art of stealth so advanced that it was difficult to recognize him even at my current level.


    ‘It is clear that he was dispatched by Hao Wen’s leadership.’


    I immediately provoked him, and he responded to my provocation by breaking the ceiling and breaking into the hall.


    Kaang!


    When I directly shed weapons with him, he turned out to be much stronger than I had vaguely imagined.


    To the point where I felt that if I let my guard down, this side might get hit.


    There was noparison to the likes of Chocheongun or Han Seonghun.


    ‘They made a deliberate decision and sent a talented person.’


    I swung my sword wide and pushed the masked man away and smiled, showing my teeth.


    Haomun’s average level of force was extremely lowpared to its size.


    What more can I say, since Wang Il-sang, who holds the rank of Hyangju, is capable of overpowering me three years ago when he was weak.


    However, unlike the majority of sectarians, the skills of the few leaders and the sessors they directly raised were no better than the elites of any other great sect orrge family.


    By the time he reached Munju, he was a monster that could rival the absolutes called the Ten Masters or Ten Heavenly Emperors.


    ‘If he has this level of skill, he will be ranked among the top leaders. ‘He is probably not of ordinary status.’


    A bigger figure than expected took the bait.


    For me, it was a more satisfying result than anything else.


    Kakakakakak!


    In the blink of an eye, dozens of seconds of attack and defense went back and forth.


    The masked man’s attack was quick and stealthy.


    The technique of momentarily erasing the presence of military equipment by adding or subtracting internal energy was simr in many ways to the second herbivory of Wolyeonggeom, Janwol (殘月).


    As the two des frequently disappeared, aiming to bleed the entire body, I felt a pain in my bones.


    “Sigh!”


    The masked man lowered his body sharply and yanked his crossed arms.


    If left as is, the leg would be cut off.


    I immediately kicked off the ground and jumped up.


    Immediately afterwards, the masked person’s eyes shed and he kicked up his bent knees.


    The two des rose up like wild beasts and aimed at the nape of my neck.


    Sigh!


    I managed to dodge it by tilting my head back, but I couldn’t dodge itpletely and got a slight cut on my cheek.


    The masked man clicked his tongue and took steps backwards to spread the distance between them.


    “I thought it wouldn’t be able to avoid it in the air, but it seems like it jumped up and simultaneously stuck its sword into the ground and used it as a pivot to retreat. “He’s a man with good tact.”


    Following the burning pain, I felt liquid flowing down my cheek.


    I took a breath and adjusted my grip on my sword.


    “Is this really Hao Wen’s method, to invite him as a guest and then attack him and kill him?”


    “gibberish. “If you hadn’t provoked me, I wouldn’t havee forward myself.”


    “The purpose of mying here today is to be Hao Wen’s customer, not to engage in a life-or-death struggle with him.”


    “Then put away your sword right now and exin.”


    “What do you mean? Did you find out who the real branch manager was? Or did he know the n’s top secret? Or is it that he was hiding his martial arts skills?”


    “All three!”


    “I don’t like it. Why do you want to do this business only at a loss? “If you want to make a deal, you have to do it on equal terms.”


    “If you don’t like it, you can just die here.”


    “Do you have the ability to do that?”


    “Your mouth is alive.”


    The masked man approached silently like a ghost andshed out with the sword in his right hand as many as seven times in one breath.


    I retreated to avoid that range, and this time the left hand fly aimed at my side.


    This time, instead of fighting back, I stepped back and felt something hard touching my back.


    As I was rushing around, I suddenly had a wall behind me.


    “It’s over!”


    The masked person kicked the floor hard.


    My skin became tingly from the sword energy that gushed out.


    A moment of desperation.


    “after.”


    I let out a short breath and opened my eyes.


    I’ve been waiting for this moment all along.


    The moment when the opponent ignores defense and rushes in to finish him off.


    How much effort have you put in to bring about the current situation?


    Ugh!


    I poured all my energy into the sword.


    As if in response, a swordsmanship arose.


    Twenty-third herbivorous month (水月).


    The moon reflected in the water shines gently, but as soon as there are ripples on the water, it loses its shape and turns into hundreds or thousands of debris.


    Just like this.


    Pasasasasa!


    The remnants that remained along the sword’s path crumbled into countless des.


    Of course, most of them were just illusions.


    There are only three swordsmen with substance.


    Even that was deliberately adjusted to avoid the masked person.


    “omg!”


    However, the overwhelming amount of violence in itself makes the opponent feel intimidated.


    Depending on how you use it, it is even possible topletely break the opponent’s will to fight.


    “What!”


    The masked man was unable to ovee his momentum and jumped into the illusion.


    I unfolded the ghost cloth and slid behind him.


    ‘It’s something I can’t do twice.’


    As it was a herbivore that created numerous illusions, it also consumed a lot of internal energy.


    In order to perform one herbivorous attack, he used up nearly a third of his inner strength.


    Not only was the internal energy consumed greatly, but a considerable burden was also ced on the blood pressure in the body.


    It wasn’t ssified as a second-half herbivore for nothing.


    ‘As expected, herbivorous diet is too much for me right now.’


    I deliberately turned my back to hide the trembling of the hand holding the sword.


    The masked man was groping his body for a while as if he had lost his mind, then red at me with harsh eyes.


    I asked, making direct eye contact with him.


    “Do you want more?”


    “…….”


    “I don’t mind though.”


    “What are you thinking?”


    “What do you mean?”


    “Why did you watch it?”


    “Didn’t I tell you? “The reason I came here today is because I want to be Hao Wen’s customer.”


    It wasn’t a fight that started with the intention of ending it in the first ce.


    Fighting was only a means.


    To gain the upper hand in negotiations.


    This was also the reason why they went so far as to show off their force in the second half of the match.


    “……good night. “Let’s just listen to the story first.”


    The masked man with Bido in his arms nodded and said.


    It was a de facto deration of surrender.


    * * *


    “It was amazing. “I never thought he would be that talented.”


    “thank you.”


    After the fight is over.


    The masked man and I moved to another room and talked.


    I could hear the sound of Hua Yuluzhu and the branch manager running around trying to clean up the mess, but neither the masked man nor I paid any attention to it.


    “These are not empty words. That level is unrivaled among martial artists of the same age. “The equipment that is being talked about as the next dragon and baton will not be able to reach you.”


    “I believe it because I heard it from Hao Mun’s leader.”


    “So you want to be Hao Wen’s customer?”


    “That’s right.”


    “You know that if you want to buy Hao Wen’s information, you have to pay a corresponding price, right?”


    “The servant of the Manjang family also said the same thing.”


    “What can you pay for Hao Wen?”


    “I’ll pay for the information.”


    “what?”


    “It means buying information with information.”


    Although his expression was not visible because he was covered by a mask, his expression of embarrassment was clearly conveyed just by his eyes.


    It would have been absurd.


    That information is being presented as a condition of the transaction to Haomun, one of the best intelligence organizations in the Central ins.


    It was something that made no sense inmon sense.


    “You’re being ridiculous.”


    “It’s not a joke.”


    “Are you sane to say this?”


    “of course.”


    “I don’t understand.”


    “I know more than you think. From the fact that the Demonic Cult will soon be on the rise, to the way to save Hao Wen-ju’s youngest disciple, who is dying from an unknown disease.”


    “…!”


    “Now you’re showing some interest.”


    “How on earth could you do that… no. I won’t bother to ask. Because I don’t think they’ll answer anyway. However, I would like you to tell me this clearly. “Is there really a way?”


    “there is.”


    “her.”


    The masked man’s eyes shook greatly.


    I don’t think I was that shaken even when I was surrounded by the illusion of countless swords.


    He seemed quite shocked.


    “I hope you can make a clear statement now. “Take off that stuffy mask.”


    “That is not a matter I can decide on my own.”


    “Are you saying you need someone else’s permission to introduce yourself?”


    “Yes. “Without Master Moon’s permission, I cannot disclose any information about myself to others.”


    I clicked my tongue with a tired expression.


    ‘Anyway, it’s tight.’


    Due to the nature of being an intelligence group, there are many ces with grudges here and there, but the existence of Haomun has never been in jeopardy due to external pressure.


    If it was natural, it was natural.


    Basically, all the leaders in branch organizations are these guys.


    “I’ll give you this instead.”


    The masked man took out a jade tablet from his chest and gave it to me.


    On the front was engraved the word 32 (三十二), and on the back was a symbol symbolizing Haomundo.


    I asked knowingly but deliberately pretending not to know.


    “What is this?”


    “It is a symbol that symbolizes Hao Moon’s customers.”


    “Is it okay to give it to me spontaneously like this?”


    “I have that much authority.”


    “I have no reason to decline. “Can I use it right away?”


    “Does not matter.”


    “I would like to request detailed information about a person named Dokgo Woo-jin, the head of the Hwangryong Military Academy located in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. “Please organize and convey all information, including the subject’s age, personality, rtionships, past activities, and reputation of those around him.”


    “ept the request. “Sooner orter, the disciple of the main text wille to you with a letter.”


    “thank you.”


    “I’m telling you, if it’s false that I know how to treat strange diseases…”


    “You don’t have to worry about that.”


    I leaned against the backrest with my arms crossed and smiled confidently.


    “Please go and tell Lord Mun. It’s not actually a disease.”