“What? You mean there’s someone to help with the revenge?”
“That’s right.”
As I nodded in response, Dokgorin looked at me in disbelief.
“Weren’t you just saying a while ago not to trust anyone blindly? And now you’ve gone and done exactly that?”
“It’s because they’re that amazing. You’ll see once you meet them.”
As I kept insisting, Dokgorin sighed heavily and said, “Alright, let’s just go check it out.”
So we faced off with Dokgorin and Baek Yujin.
However, it seemed Dokgorin was more focused on Cheonma than on Baek Yujin, and as soon as their eyes met, he appeared tense.
“What an incredible master…!”
“Calm down.”
It was Baek Yujin, watching the situation unfold beside us, who mediated between the two.
“You’ve brought quite an unusual child here.”
She said this while intently looking at Dokgorin, murmuring with interest, “To think two逆天者 (reverse heavenly ones) could exist in the same era.”
It appeared that Dokgorin, being a reincarnated person, also fell into that category of reverse heavenly being.
“Who are these people?”
Dokgorin asked with a suspicious gaze, his eyes narrowed as he looked at them.
I pondered how best to introduce them to earn praise for my introduction, finally deciding to be straightforward.
“These are the founder and the leader of the Murim Association, Cheonma.”
“Huh?”
“The upper echelon of the Murim Association.”
“…….”
Even Dokgorin, who usually maintains a calm demeanor, seemed taken aback at meeting the leaders of the Murim Association all of a sudden, his face reflecting a look akin to that of a cat cut off from the universe.
I totally understood that feeling.
I never thought I’d come face-to-face with Cheonma right in front of the Murim Association.
It’s likely these two could walk about Chang’an without worry because nobody in the Murim Association has seen Cheonma’s face.
China’s vastness means that even shifting from one city to another brings nothing but unfamiliar faces, considering there’s over 3000 km between the Murim Association’s location and the Shibaw Mountain where the Murim Association’s base is.
“…So you mean we should join forces with the Murim Association to take revenge on the royal family?”
“Exactly. I mean, taking on such a vast entity as the royal family, it’s limiting with just the two of us, right? It would be much easier if we had the Murim Association backing us.”
“Dokgorin, I understand your point, but if word of this gets out, both of us—”
“You’d just let a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip away for self-preservation?”
At that moment, Baek Yujin interjected into our conversation.
At this, Dokgorin retorted sharply to her, “Whatever trickery you pulled to get Chilbongi involved, I won’t fall for that so easily. I mean, the leaders of the Murim Association have no reason to assist in our revenge.”
“No, they do.”
Baek Yujin shook her head and relayed to Dokgorin what she had previously told me.
“You both are currently in a fate that deviates significantly from your original paths. Therefore, even with my power of immortality, it’s possible that I could be killed. I asked him to help end this immortal life, and as a price, Ichilbok was requested to aid you in your revenge.”
“Just kill you, and that’s it?”
“If possible, yes.”
“…Given those conditions, well.”
Dokgorin finally showed signs of agreeing with Baek Yujin’s proposal.
“So, does that mean our alliance is official now?”
“I’d like to say yes, but I need to confirm one thing before I trust your words.”
“What is it?”
“There’s actually someone in our academy suspected of being in cahoots with the royal family. Could you capture him and interrogate him in their place? If what you say is true, you should be able to discern a person’s lies.”
“That’s not difficult at all, as long as the opponent doesn’t evade questions.”
Baek Yujin replied, turning the question back on her.
“Who do you suspect as the collaborator?”
After scanning the surroundings to see if anyone was listening, Dokgorin answered her question.
“It’s the headmaster of this academy, Jeongalgyun.”
*
Thus, the impromptu plan to abduct Jeongalgyun was set into motion.
Admittedly, despite his old age, Jeongalgyun was one of the three great masters of the Murim, making him a formidable target to try and snatch.
His true abilities as someone at the pinnacle of martial prowess wouldn’t be easy to overcome.
But on our side, we had Cheonma’s level of expertise alongside another presumed equally strong figure.
And with Dokgorin and me jumping into the fray, the actual abduction was indeed feasible.
“But how do we go about the abduction?”
If we caused a commotion in the academy, security dispatched from the Murim Association or teachers would quickly respond, so we needed a swift and effective plan.
Then Dokgorin suggested a good idea.
“I’ll request a meeting with the headmaster. He said I could visit any time when I had the chance, so I can use that as an excuse.”
“Not a bad plan.”
It seemed Baek Yujin also found minimal fault in Dokgorin’s plot as the plan for the abduction moved forward.
“Let’s not waste any time, and get started right now!”
Baek Yujin jumped up from the table enthusiastically.
“Right now?”
As I looked at her, flabbergasted by her incredible resolve, Baek Yujin responded, “I’m not someone with such idle time. It’s better to handle things quickly!”
“…Understood.”
Since it wouldn’t make sense to backtrack on our newfound alliance, it was really do or die at this point.
*
“Headmaster, a request for a meeting from Dokgorin has come in.”
“Dokgorin is requesting a meeting? How delightful.”
With a pleased smile from the report delivered by the young secretary, Jeongalgyun muttered to himself as he tucked away the confidential documents he had been writing into the second drawer of his desk.
Knock knock!
“Excuse me.”
Soon, the voice of a young girl was heard from outside.
“Come in.”
No sooner had he granted permission than the wooden door opened and Dokgorin walked in.
However, now that I looked closely, two strangers were standing beside Dokgorin, individuals I had never seen before.
“Dokgorin, who are the two with you?”
At that, Dokgorin replied, “I’m sorry, headmaster,” as she lowered her face and then quickly threw something.
“?!”
Just barely able to react in time, Jeongalgyun managed to block the attack with his sleeve, realizing that the weapon embedded in his clothing was a type of throwing weapon used by the Murim Association.
“What on earth—?”
Then stepping forward, the two who stood beside Dokgorin spoke up.
“There’s no need to know the reasons. We just have a few questions to ask, so you’ll kindly come with us.”
“What?!”
“Khan.”
Baek Yujin called out my name just as Nguyen launched himself at Jeongalgyun like a dart.
No matter how much of a master Jeongalgyun was, even age would catch up with him eventually.
Indeed, even among masters, the experiences amassed by both Cheat and Nguyen were drastically different in quality.
Facing daily lethal struggles, Nguyen, wanting to stay close to her figure who was like a mother to him, was far more engaged than Jeongalgyun, who had long since retreated from the frontlines.
In an instant, Jeongalgyun was secured through pressure points, his movements restrained.
He twisted and turned his neck, attempting to wiggle out, but the pressure applied by Cheonma was not so easily released.
Then, while Baek Yujin squatted down before Jeongalgyun, she said,
“Still not getting the situation? Well, uncle?”
While placing a sack made of straw over his head, Baek Yujin murmured softly, “You’ve been abducted.”
