Chapter: 668
After quieting down the surroundings, the test began again.
Since we had just finished taking the initiative, the remaining tests didn’t take too long.
Actually, it wasn’t really a test.
“I told you to pick exactly seven, didn’t I?”
At my words, the group straightened up.
The expressions on their faces, which had been filled with discontent and anger until just a moment ago, now reflected tension.
It’s quite amusing.
I only showed them a little bit, and they changed so much.
‘This is why I treat the Central Plains like trash.’
Starting with strength, ending with strength.
It seemed so convenient, yet it was rather primitive.
Of course, I didn’t intend to leverage that, as I’m rather skilled at using it.
“There are quite a lot of people. But it would be a waste of time to dawdle.”
I waved my hands dismissively.
“You all choose as you see fit.”
“Pardon?”
“What does that mean…?”
The people around me reacted more strongly to my words. Was it so strange to say they could choose freely?
Of course, it was meant quite literally.
“Whether by voting or talking things out… or.”
I added, glancing at the figure of Cheonma, who was observing from afar.
“Or you can just beat each other up and decide. Do as you like.”
That seemed to be the most rational solution.
How convenient this method is!
It was also the quickest way for everyone to grasp the situation.
“Time… About half an hour should suffice. You can decide during that.”
With a casual wave of my hand, I turned and left without a second thought.
Even as I moved away, my focus was still fixed on Cheonma.
Keeping an eye on Mo Yong-hee, I was careful not to let her expression harden or crumble.
Mo Yong-hee was looking at me with a bewildered expression.
“…Will it be okay?”
“You told me to manage it myself. If you’re not happy with it, feel free to change it back.”
“No, I meant not about choosing people.”
Ah, was it not about that?
Then what was it?
Mo Yong-hee glanced behind her.
It was towards the side where I had tossed the man earlier.
“You said he’s with the Murim Alliance.”
“Ah. Yeah.”
“How did you know?”
Even Mo Yong-hee asked this as if it were strange.
How did I know? It wasn’t such an impressive method.
“Most who come to express their opinions usually have no affiliations.”
I’m not sure what enticing conditions Baekhwasangdan offered for such people to come here.
No matter how great the offer, if one has a place to belong, they typically wouldn’t come.
Especially if they’ve reached their peak, it would be more fitting to work as a bodyguard or swordsman for a prestigious family rather than making a fuss here.
‘It’s impressive how they managed to gather such people in this situation.’
Elite, and then some, all the way to seasoned peaks.
If someone worthy of a name is showing up here, one wonders what kind of conditions a Mrs. Mi might have set.
Looking at it from this perspective, you’d think someone had come with strong qualifications, affiliation aside.
“But for that, their demeanor was very well-mannered.”
Even amidst all this, the glaring problems were clearly evident.
“Do you know what the hallmark of a prestigious family is? There’s no disorder.”
Their breathing was regulated, and their movements had precision.
A unique air of dignity infiltrated their actions and posture.
That’s not something that can be easily erased.
“It seems they wanted to act like a ronin or a common warrior… but it’s showing a bit too much.”
“Did you see that?”
“Yeah.”
Mo Yong-hee spoke as if astonished, but that shouldn’t be surprising.
This is simply due to her low level of experience, which prevents her from noticing it.
“A person born into a noble family wouldn’t simply join this tumult for mere practice.”
Their demeanor is too refined to be a ronin.
Their level is too high to simply participate in this.
Individuals like that would only incur losses by coming here.
Yet the fact they came means…
‘There was a reason for them to be here.’
It’s possible a master might have fled after causing an accident, but I ruled that out.
‘I just don’t get the feeling of that.’
Then only one thing remains.
“There must have been something they needed to obtain through infiltration… Well, if so, it becomes obvious.”
There are few places where a master of noble lineage can obtain information by posing as a conformist.
While Baekhwasangdan isn’t aligned with the Sapha faction, they aren’t particularly aligned with the Murim Alliance either.
‘And of all places, this is Hanam.’
Those clues sufficed to reach an answer.
As I shared this with her, Mo Yong-hee tilted her head.
She seemed to feel something was off.
“But that alone isn’t enough for certainty, is it?”
Nodding in agreement with her remark, I acknowledged, “That’s true as well.”
It’s insufficient for certainty.
In the end, it was just a suspicion, too weak to act upon with confidence.
“So does that imply you had something you were sure about?”
What solid evidence do you have?
Mo Yong-hee inquired with a questioning expression.
“No? I just had a hunch, so I acted on it.”
“…What?”
Her eyes widened in surprise at my offhand response.
“Confucius, what did you just say…?”
“It seemed obvious upon first glance, I just went for it.”
Mo Yong-hee looked aghast at my ensuing words.
Given her tendency to act only when assured, she appeared shocked by my impulsive decision.
‘But it turned out that after hitting him, I became even more certain.’
I snagged the man and hit him, deliberately allowing slip some truths.
With just the reaction I observed back then, I gained enough confidence.
That guy is definitely someone sent by the Alliance.
That can be taken as a certainty.
However.
‘What was he after?’
What on earth could someone from the Alliance have come to do in this place?
To be honest, the reason isn’t of much concern.
What matters is.
‘What were they aiming for?’
Did they come after me?
Or possibly, did they arrive here due to some internal issue within their organization?
If not that.
‘Were they after Mo Yong-hee?’
There are three main objectives to consider here.
To discern this, one would have to catch and interrogate him immediately, but now, moving would be quite difficult.
‘Because I have to keep an eye on Cheonma.’
I needed to utilize all of my senses to examine Cheonma, who stood there with a blank expression.
Thus, I exerted more strength to knock the man out.
He had to take time to recover, and he shouldn’t escape.
After having thought that far, I spotted a direction.
Between thickets, I gazed intently.
– Take that and tie it up. We’ll have business later.
Rustle.
I sensed movement among the thickets.
It’s probably one of the guards deployed by the association. Seems my sudden move startled them.
I knew from the start there would be guards around.
In such a remote locale, they wouldn’t have left numerous guards along with only Mo Yong-hee.
Anyway… I’ve relayed my instructions.
‘Now it’s time to just observe.’
I stood still, watching Cheonma.
Not long after that.
“Hey!”
Just as expected, combat erupted among the guards.
Half an hour had gone by.
I was staring at the seven figures standing in the arena.
Precisely seven.
Just as I first mentioned, there were indeed seven warriors stationed there.
Half an hour.
While half an hour isn’t a brief span for battle, it didn’t turn into a fierce brawl.
After all, it was part of the test.
With the level differences being apparent, only those deemed worthy remained.
From the first seasoned peak warrior I had initially passed.
To the pinnacle warriors and the first-class fighters.
They appeared evenly distributed.
If an unexpected situation arose from there.
‘Did they drop out?’
Some peak warriors thought to be guaranteed success failed, while certain first-class warriors expected to be eliminated made their way through.
They didn’t outright fight their way through; it’d be more accurate to say they held on through sheer desperation.
My gaze fixated on one spot.
It was directed at the strongest individual present.
The first-class warriors held on until the others were roughly dealt with by the opponents.
That’s how they managed to remain standing.
In some respects, this could be termed a sneaky strategy.
The eyes of those who truly took the hit are filled with resentment.
Frustration brewed regarding their own failure in contrast to others’ ascent.
‘Not that it matters.’
For me, the results were acceptable.
‘Expression alone doesn’t ensure strength.’
One must also possess a quick wit and political savvy.
How could that strong one eliminate the weak without the others falling?
From the beginning, they’d set the stage right.
‘It means he recognized the strength and acted accordingly.’
Just as I was selecting between passers and dropouts.
It was during the uproar when the fallen individuals protested my choice, the very ones who passed interceded.
Those individuals had been attached to the ones being eliminated.
Now, they ended up as dropouts.
‘In a nutshell, they picked the wrong side.’
During the brief waiting period, one side crumbled while the other stood strong.
That was the outcome of it all.
As they rose by climbing the ranks rather than through raw strength, there might be grounds for questioning the validity of their advancement.
‘But that’s for Mo Yong-hee to handle.’
At that point, I had no further concern.
If they’re unsatisfactory, she’ll just choose someone new.
Such unexpected circumstances held no significant relevance.
However, the issue lies in.
‘…That thing dropping out.’
I scowled as I glanced back at the warriors.
Among those panting, one stood apart, observing quietly.
It was Cheonma.
Cheonma was standing there with the same expression as before, perfectly fine.
Is she merely spectating after the battle? No.
She didn’t even engage in combat.
Right when all others commenced their fighting.
I don’t want to.
She had casually declared her withdrawal.
And then, just like that, she simply stood by, observing. Was she frightened and withheld from the fray?
That can’t be the case.
‘Then what in the world is she doing?’
I was confounded.
I facilitated her passage, yet she refrained from engaging in battle, merely watching things unfold.
‘What’s her motive?’
My bewilderment was compounded by the fact that I didn’t understand why Gu Hee-bi had brought up.
I couldn’t grasp Cheonma’s intentions either.
As I scrutinized Cheonma with a furrowed brow, she must have sensed it as she turned her gaze toward me.
A fleeting moment of eye contact passed between us.
This time, I didn’t avert my eyes and continued watching Cheonma intently.
As time ticked by, Cheonma was the first to show signs of response.
She gently waved her hand as she did when we first met.
Then.
“…!!”
With a sudden leap, she disappeared.
It happened in an instant.
At that moment, Mo Yong-hee cautiously approached me.
“Master, it seems the work is nearly wrapped up…”
Before I could process it fully, I responded.
“Then I’ll go handle something.”
“Are you heading to rest now? I know a charming inn… what?”
“Let’s meet later. I’ll be back shortly.”
Hearing that the task was done, I kicked off the ground and soared into the air.
“…This mad—!”
Behind me, Mo Yong-hee’s exclamations faded as it wasn’t the moment to fret over such things.
I couldn’t afford to miss this moment.
For some inexplicable reason, that was the only thought flooding my mind.
As I propelled into the air, I noticed the sun steadily setting.
‘Where did she go?’
I turned my gaze to scan the area above the forest.
The vanished Cheonma was nowhere to be found.
Had she already drifted far away?
With thoughts of her lingering, I quickly expanded my senses in all directions.
Whooosh—!!
An overwhelming spirit seeped into the atmosphere, swallowing the surroundings whole.
It commandeered the forest and extended even to the distant city.
I sought her out.
No matter what, I was determined to locate her.
As my senses scoured the territory while deeply engaging, I felt.
Woom.
A familiar aura pierced through my heart.
It was unmistakably demonic energy.
A presence that couldn’t be confused for anything else.
‘Over there.’
Northwest.
A terrain distant from Hanam and closer to the thicket than the metropolis.
Sensing that Cheonma was racing away, I too increased my speed.
Whirlwind—!
Kaboom—!!
Flames engulfed my body, utilizing the heat to ignite an explosion, propelling me forward.
Descending from the sky, I burrowed into the forest.
I pressed on tirelessly, not willing to lose her trail.
Adrenaline surged through me.
Ironically, while chasing, a fleeting thought of wanting to run away crossed my mind.
What was I pursuing her for?
Was I intending to fight?
I had no idea.
I wasn’t convinced I could win, and perhaps my actions were driven solely by a feigned confidence to engage.
But right now, I needed to pursue her.
I couldn’t afford to let her slip away.
Instinct urged me onward.
Whooosh—!!
As I traversed the forest, a gust of wind brushed past me.
I halted and surveyed the surroundings.
The reason was simple.
‘I lost her.’
The presence I had felt until just now had vanished.
While it wasn’t crystal clear, it certainly wasn’t something I’d miss.
Yet Cheonma’s aura had disappeared without a trace.
Swish…
All that filled the air was the rustling of the wind.
The heavy silence only heightened my anxiety.
‘Where could she have gone?’
Such an abrupt disappearance of presence wasn’t logical.
Meaning.
‘She masked her presence.’
It implied Cheonma detected my pursuit and concealed herself.
‘That’s impossible.’
To me, this was an incredibly hard scenario to digest.
‘Did Cheonma run away?’
She didn’t flee.
In any circumstance, she remained unyielding.
That’s the essence of Cheonma.
Furrowing my brows, I scoured the area.
Could it be that I truly missed her?
Just as I was readying my energy to push further in doubt,
Swish.
I sensed a tinge of movement.
Recognizing this, I immediately summoned flames to my palm.
There was no hesitation.
Fwoosh—!!!
The fiery energy quickly coalesced into form.
I layered my consciousness atop it.
Whoosh!
As the instant Flame Jade Spear was completed, and I rotated to launch it,
“Huh?”
Thump!
I froze, unable to launch the spear upon hearing a voice.
It turned out to be someone other than Cheonma lurking behind me.
I examined the figure with wide eyes.
A black-haired woman with a sharp expression.
She seemed equally surprised, uttering words as she looked at me.
“Little brother?”
“…Sister.”
To my astonishment, the woman was my sister, Gu Hee-bi.
And the Cheonma I had been chasing was hiding behind Gu Hee-bi, peering at me.
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