Demonic Cult Hall of Light.
Dokgo Hye was seen organizing the bookshelves and the cult members moving documents in the spacious office.
She was temporarily sitting in the position of the Hall of Light Master.
Although there were many talks when the Cult Leader's younger sister sat in the core position of the cult, everyone agreed because it was temporary.
A new master was scheduled to be decided soon, and the Yeon family was actively stepping forward.
"You seem to be busy."
At the voice from behind, Dokgo Hye, who was organizing the bookshelves, turned her head. Dam-ji was standing with a fresh smile.
Seeing her, Dokgo Hye placed the books she was holding on the desk and sat down in a chair.
"What is it?"
"Do I have to have business to come?"
"Because there's no reason for the busiest person in our cult to come to the Hall of Light without any business."
At Dokgo Hye's words, Dam-ji, the master of the Hwajeonggak, nodded. It was not a wrong statement.
"I've issued a kill order for Seo Mun-ryeon in the Hao Faction. But there's no significant result yet. So I've also contacted the Salmun and sent the Flower Ghosts. But half of the Flower Ghosts have betrayed our cult and have joined Seo Mun-ryeon."
"The Hao Faction must have been cut in half. Those who follow Seo Mun-ryeon and those who follow our cult. And since the Martial Alliance has struck, there must be those who follow the Martial Alliance."
Dokgo Hye spoke as if she knew all the situations so far. Dam-ji suddenly thought that Dokgo Hye might not be a wolf hiding its teeth, but a tiger.
'Her information power is considerable.'
As Dam-ji's expression hardened, Dokgo Hye poured her warm tea and said.
"I just talked about what would happen if Seo Mun-ryeon betrayed our cult. Don't be surprised. If I were the Martial Alliance, I would take the Hao Faction at this opportunity."
"As my sister predicted, the Martial Alliance is trying to take the Hao Faction. Is that also a prediction?"
"The Martial Alliance, which failed to kill the Hao Faction Master, would have chosen to have the Hao Faction as a friend rather than an enemy. And the Hao Faction, which was under the control of the Demonic Cult, has never stood up on its own until now. Because their military power was low, they have been receiving help from the Demonic Cult. But now that the Demonic Cult is gone, they must be very anxious."
"So they're going to rely on the Martial Alliance because they're anxious? It seems like a bad move to betray the Demonic Cult and choose the Martial Alliance."
"It's a situation where they've avoided a tiger and have met a bear."
At Dam-ji's story, Dokgo Hye nodded. The two lightly exchanged smiling eyes and drank their tea.
In any case, to the Demonic Cult or the Martial Alliance, the Hao Faction was not a particularly useful place except for its information power.
There was one thing that was a pity. That was the slave traders.
"Since the Martial Alliance has eliminated a large number of slave merchant groups in the north of the river, we need to create new ones. Please take charge of it at Hwajeonggak."
"What about the south of the river?"
"In the meantime, the three corners of the nine corners have stepped forward and have taken care of it. When the cult stabilizes, the three corners are scheduled to go down to the south of the river again. They have to regain the area they originally had."
"That's a good idea."
Dam-ji thought that Dokgo Hye's plan was not bad.
But they did not know that Jin Sa-wol was aiming for the half-torn Hao Faction and was moving to the area that the three corners of the Demonic Cult had occupied.
After drinking more tea, Dam-ji asked the main point.
"How is the matter of the Cult Leader's marriage proceeding?"
"Nothing has been decided yet."
"I see. I'd like to see the Cult Leader."
"He's in the training hall now. He's training the Cult Leader's martial arts, so he comes out at night."
"Can I see him tomorrow?"
"When he comes out at night, I'll tell him that the Pavilion Master Dam has requested to see him."
"Thank you."
Dam-ji showed a smile, and Dokgo Hye nodded as if she had no particular thoughts.
The two chatted for a while and then parted.
As Dam-ji left the Hall of Light, Dokgo Hye examined the books on the desk.
'His greed is too excessive.'
Dokgo Hye thought of Dam-ji's heart and then raised her head at the heavy sound of footsteps.
In her eyes, she saw Lee Mak-jeong entering with a very angry face.
"Master!"
Lee Mak-jeong, who had shouted loudly, raised his voice as Dokgo Hye stood up.
"I heard you're giving the position of the Blood Line Palace Master to the Yuk family, not me. Is that true!"
"Master Lee, you can preserve your current position."
"You said we would lead the Demonic Cult well by joining hands, but you're treating me like a has-been."
Becoming the palace master meant becoming one of the Four Great Guardian Demon Gods of the Demonic Cult. But in Dokgo Hyeon's Demonic Cult, there was no place for Lee Mak-jeong.
Although Lee Mak-jeong knew that it was because of Gung Ma-yeop, he could not suppress his anger.
"Who treats the brave Master Lee like a has-been?"
"If I'm not a has-been, what am I? Are you telling me to be satisfied with preserving my current position!"
Lee Mak-jeong's voice echoed loudly in the Hall of Light. His voice seemed to be naturally loud.
Dokgo Hye showed a smile and said again.
"The situation in Xinjiang is chaotic right now. There are many who believe that our cult's power has weakened. The Golden Line Faction, which is the best in Xinjiang, has annihilated our cult's branch."
"Why are you talking about that?"
"It's a good opportunity, isn't it? I'd like the Blood Saber Hall to sort out Xinjiang. If you show the power of the Blood Saber Hall, there's no reason to give the Blood Line Palace to the Yuk family."
Clap!
Lee Mak-jeong, who had clapped his hands, stood up from his seat.
"Don't forget that."
"Of course. I'll tell the Cult Leader."
"I'd like to have a private meeting with the Cult Leader tomorrow morning."
"Yes."
Hearing Dokgo Hye's answer, Lee Mak-jeong showed a satisfied smile and then went outside. But as he left the Hall of Light, Lee Mak-jeong's expression turned cool.
***
The surroundings of Jin Sa-wol, who was standing in a wide open space, were full of corpses. There were no more enemies attacking him.
Jin Sa-wol, who was standing with a figure that was not stained with a single drop of blood, exuded a ghostly atmosphere.
Jin Sa-wol turned his head as he felt a strange gaze.
He saw a young man standing on the wall. The young man, with a plain-looking face and wearing a black martial arts uniform, was looking at him with an expressionless face.
'He's peculiar.'
Jin Sa-wol felt a damp and gloomy atmosphere from the young man.
"It smells of mold."
Jin Sa-wol muttered and took a step forward. In that instant, the young man's hand seemed to move lightly, and five hidden weapons flew. They were very thin needles that looked like needles.
Jin Sa-wol extended his sword and drew a circle. Then, the flying needles stuck to the sword as if they were attracted to a magnet.
The needles were stained with poison and had a red color.
Jin Sa-wol, who had naturally lowered his sword and had dropped the needles on the floor, was already flying towards the top of the wall.
The young man, like a nimble squirrel, kicked the wall with a whoosh! and jumped up to run away.
"Are you telling me to follow?"
The action of luring him was too obvious.
Although he wanted to follow out of curiosity, he could not guarantee what would happen here if he did.
If he left his seat, and Son Muk changed his mind and attacked Seo Mun-ryeon, Seo Mun-ryeon would have to be helplessly defeated.
"The one who is desperate will come."
Jin Sa-wol picked up the sword that had fallen on the floor and threw it like a hidden weapon.
Shuaaak!
The sword, accompanied by a strong sound of the wind, flew far like an arrow.
The young man, who had turned his head, avoided the sword and then nodded. It meant to come.
But Jin Sa-wol gestured to the young man.
It meant for him to come.
The young man, with an expressionless face, just stared at Jin Sa-wol.
The young man, who had been looking at Jin Sa-wol like that for a while, jumped over the wall and disappeared as the warriors of the Martial Alliance appeared.
Jin Sa-wol headed for the room where Seo Mun-ryeon was sitting.
The corpses in the room had all been cleaned up.
Three people were sitting. Seo Mun-ryeon and Son Muk were facing each other, and Sama Chung was sitting between them.
As the situation was somewhat sorted out, Sama Chung quietly said.
"The Demonic Cult wants the master's head. According to the information that came in this time, they have also made a request to the Salmun. The assassins of the Salmun will move, so you must be careful."
"The Salmun... It will be troublesome."
Seo Mun-ryeon frowned as she heard the words 'Salmun', as if she knew it well.
"Is there a place called the Salmun?"
Son Muk asked with a curious expression, as it was a sect he had never heard of. Seo Mun-ryeon nodded.
"It's an assassin organization that moves very secretly, and I've heard there are many masters. It seems the Martial Alliance doesn't know it well."
"Except for a few famous places, I don't know it well. Is it easy to grasp all the evil sects?"
"They probably wouldn't have clashed with the Martial Alliance, so they might not know."
Seo Mun-ryeon muttered and drank her tea.
The Salmun was a place where even the Hao Faction sometimes made requests, and although it was not part of the Hao Faction, it was a place they traded with.
It wasn't that she was scared. It was just a little troublesome.
The door opened, and Jin Sa-wol came in.
Jin Sa-wol, after examining Seo Mun-ryeon and Son Muk, sat down in an empty chair.
"The outside seems to be roughly sorted out, but is there still more to do?"
When Jin Sa-wol asked, Seo Mun-ryeon showed a smile.
"The meeting is just beginning. Don't go anywhere else and wait."
"I will."
Jin Sa-wol, as if he understood, drank his tea and then stood up. Sama Chung's gaze followed Jin Sa-wol.
Son Muk showed a smile and asked Seo Mun-ryeon.
"Shall we have a private talk?"
"Yes."
At her answer, Jin Sa-wol and Sama Chung quietly went outside. Soon, the two talked about the alliance and the Hao Faction.
As they came outside, they saw the warriors who were cleaning up the surroundings.
Jin Sa-wol avoided them and headed for the garden. Sama Chung stood next to him and followed.
Jin Sa-wol asked with an annoyed expression.
"Do you have business with me?"
"I do."
Sama Chung answered and then, as he entered the garden, he asked, knowing that there was no one.
"What do you think of the master?"
"I think she's a good friend."
At Jin Sa-wol's answer, Sama Chung let out a long sigh as if he were disappointed.
***
There was a tavern on a hill overlooking the flowing Yangtze River. Since it was a tavern that sometimes dealt with passers-by, it was on the quiet side.
A young man with an expressionless face entered the tavern and sat down. Then, a short while later, another young man with a similar appearance came in and sat down.
"Why are you alone?"
"He didn't come."
As the two young men started talking, a young waiter who looked to be of a similar age approached, placed noodles and dumplings, and asked.
"What did you do that he didn't come?"
"I threw a hidden weapon and told him to follow if he wanted revenge."
The waiter cast a pathetic gaze at the young man who was speaking with an expressionless face.
He thought that it was a luxury to expect more from the nobles who only knew how to slaughter.
"If you want to lure your opponent, you should have put out a delicious bait. If you had mentioned the Esoteric Cult, he would have followed right away."
The waiter shook his head and sat down in a chair.
"If Jin Sa-wol is next to Seo Mun-ryeon, we can't kill Seo Mun-ryeon. We have to lure him somehow."
"Is there a need to go to such trouble? It seems we can just kill them both."
"We only kill Seo Mun-ryeon."
(End of Chapter)
