Salmak.
A notorious assassin group in the Martial Arts World, where even skilled martial artists have to write their wills if they realize they’ve been targeted by Salmak.
Salmak meticulously inspects and investigates their targets to ensure they don’t become a public enemy of the Martial Arts World.
Even if they disguise their profession as assassins, murder is still murder. And there’s no avoiding the resentment that comes with it.
That’s why, unlike the branches that take on assassination requests, the location of Salmak’s main headquarters remains a secret.
Inside Salmak’s main base.
“Cheon So-hee.”
“Hey, Yoon Ho Oppa!”
A beautiful woman with black bobbed hair was practicing Martial Arts, thinking of a man.
Clap clap clap.
As Cheon So-hee finished her training, applause echoed in the air.
Casually turning toward the sound, she was greeted by a familiar woman who was smiling warmly.
The woman, appearing to be in her mid to late twenties, had an aura of maturity radiating from her with just her presence.
Her deep red robe revealed a hint of her chest, and her long crimson hair glimmered like red silk, enveloped in a subtle red energy.
Any man would find his passion igniting, but the gentle energy emanating from her would make it hard for any man to approach her.
“You’ve reached a new level in Suratal Myung-gong.”
“You came?”
“Still lacking proper respect for your teacher, aren’t you? So, have you made some progress?”
Dan Seo-wol.
The successor of Suratal Myung-gong, often wearing red and known in the Martial Arts World as Jeok Na-chal for her penchant for bloodshed. She is also Cheon So-hee’s master.
“I gained a small insight.”
Cheon So-hee casually replied as she approached her master with a smile. Despite being a master-disciple relationship, the stark contrast between her master’s robust figure and her youthful appearance made them look like older sister and younger brother. Although, the younger sibling had certain features that were a bit more prominent.
“Considering that, your achievements seem profound. Is it because you have someone to rely on now?”
Her master narrowed her eyes, looking at her disciple with a slightly lecherous gaze as she evaluated the steps of adulthood.
“……”
She knew this would happen as soon as they met. Cheon So-hee deliberately swallowed her words.
“You must have been struggling greatly because of your disciple. Aren’t you going to tell me?”
“I made you suffer?”
“Your disciple nearly caused a great accident due to her reckless behavior. Shouldn’t you clean up after the mess since you’re her master?”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
The Seong Family incident.
Cheon Sal-seong’s rampage led to numerous casualties. Although the reputation of the family head wasn’t great, it was somewhat fortunate that the new family head was the client, creating a manageable situation.
“That’s good to know. If you don’t want to talk about that man, I’m curious about what happened in Chilgok County. Did you ask Cheon Gi-ja?”
Jeok Na-chal Dan Seo-wol asked, recalling why she first sent her disciple to Chilgok County.
“Yeah. He mentioned there were two methods.”
Cheon So-hee explained that Cheon Gi-ja had spoken of two ways to calm Cheon Sal-seong: increasing one’s martial arts level and stories concerning the Reverse Heaven’s Decree.
“I’ve heard of Reverse Heaven’s Decree too. They say if you fulfill your fate but the starlight doesn’t dwindle, you can create a new destiny. But isn’t that just a legend?”
Although Cheon So-hee didn’t realize it, Dan Seo-wol hadn’t overlooked the idea of searching for methods out of concern for her disciple. The suggestion to visit Cheon Gi-ja also came from Dan Seo-wol’s mouth.
“I’ve found it.”
“You found it? How?”
“It was my destiny.”
Without questioning her disciple’s ambiguous answer, Jeok Na-chal focused on her disciple’s face.
As usual, her words were brief. However, the expression on her disciple’s face was one she had never seen before.
Smiling gently at the change in her disciple, Dan Seo-wol spoke.
“Your face no longer looks like an assassin’s; instead, it resembles that of a woman. Indeed, the man I’m curious about seems to be the same person you hinted at when speaking of Reverse Heaven’s Decree. Now I’m even more eager to hear about this man.”
Before Dan Seo-wol could press further, another voice interrupted.
“Ha! 15! The story about a man! I’m curious too!”
A woman intruded between them.
“Who?”
“Ha! How could you ask who I am! It’s common sense to introduce myself! I’m Yukiko, a ninja from Salmak, here to spread the art of ninjutsu and the charm of love in this world! Enter!”
The woman who appeared between them looked to be about the same age as Cheon So-hee, with an energetic puppy-like face, dressed in clothing similar to that of an assassin from some eastern country.
“15? When did you come back from Dongyeong?”
Cheon So-hee immediately recognized who she was. Dongyeong. She was an assassin who had gone on a long-term assignment to a place they referred to as Japan. How long had it been since she returned?
“Heh heh heh!”
The girl, referred to as 15, proudly smiled at Cheon So-hee.
“What?”
“Which era are you calling 15 from!”
“You aren’t 15?”
“I’m 6!”
“You’re 6?”
Cheon So-hee’s face subtly twisted in an expression familiar only to those close to her.
“Ah! What’s with that expression like you’ve seen Salmak go too far!”
“I’ve never made that face.”
“I’ve seen 5 only a few times! With my ninja techniques, I know everything! Ninnin!”
“Why have you changed after coming back from Dongyeong?”
This wasn’t the Yukiko she remembered.
“Changed? Yukiko, that’s just a tale! This, and that were all taught to me by ninjas, and I was recognized by the greatest ninja in Dongyeong. I’ve been granted permission to establish a Yukiko-style ninjutsu faction in the Central Plains!”
“I know what ninjutsu is, but 15?”
“6!”
“Right, 6. But Yukiko, you’re Joseon, aren’t you?”
Cheon So-hee knew that she wasn’t the only one from Joseon in Salmak. 6, the assassin, was definitely from the same generation as she was, yet Yukiko?
“Ha! My blood is half Joseon, half Dongyeong. That’s how I learned my true name in Dongyeong!”
“True name? What’s your name? Seol…”
A shuriken flew past Cheon So-hee at a speed that would surprise even one well-versed in martial arts.
“Ha! The shuriken was thrown by mistake!”
“I’ll accept if you want to fight.”
“That’s not it! I’m just saying to be careful with your words!”
“Sigh. The only ones who survived from the same generation are you two, right? And you both became top-tier assassins, so stop fighting and get along.”
Dan Seo-wol sighed softly and mediated between the two, who were as different as cats and dogs.
“I don’t want to get along.”
“Ah! I want to get along!”
“You both follow me to my room.”
——————-
“I heard you lived together.”
The three of them moved to Dan Seo-wol’s room.
“Ha! Starting off spicy! 5! Have you found your heart’s lord? Ninnin!”
“Can we not let her come?”
Cheon So-hee gazed at the 6th assassin with a disgruntled look.
“Yukiko, you’re disappointing me! Have you forgotten the favor I did for you when I saved your life?”
“I’d have survived even without it.”
It was just a small help. She never felt indebted. Cheon So-hee replied bluntly.
“……”
The 6 began smiling broadly and gazing at Cheon So-hee in silence.
“Come on, speak.”
After all, nothing would change by listening. Cheon So-hee shrugged, finally nodding in resignation.
Was it her that changed, or was it 6? She hadn’t felt that way before. It was somewhat uncomfortable to face.
“Hehe. The world’s Cheon Sal-seong is now aware of the techniques learned from Dongyeong! It’s the art of complaint! Ninnin!”
The 6th assassin declared triumphantly with a strange shout.
Should I kick her out? Cheon So-hee thought, having already said what she had, but momentarily contemplated grabbing her.
“In conversations between men and women, it’s better to have not just the main female, but others of a similar age to join in as well. Let us update each other about our man.”
Dan Seo-wol advised, seeing her disciple, who was obviously thinking something.
Cheon So-hee gazed at the two eager faces for a while, fumbled awkwardly, and eventually confessed.
“It’s my childhood friend.”
“Whoa! Did you promise to marry under the promise tree?”
“If you interrupt even once, I won’t say anything more.”
“You’re being stingy!”
“Seems you want to hear the tale of the man who captured my disciple’s heart. So be silent.”
Even Jeok Na-chal didn’t lend a hand this time.
“It’s a little infuriating, but I’m also curious! I’ll stay quiet!”
Dan Seo-wol’s eyes gleamed as she watched her disciple alongside an exasperated 6, stifling a laugh.
‘She says her heart was stolen, but she isn’t denying it.’
This girl was one who had kept her distance from romance. Even if she did say they lived together, it could just be attributed to duty or Cheon Sal-seong’s influence. However, now that she mentioned having her heart stolen, she showed a reaction.
Perhaps her disciple was even becoming absorbed in memories about the man, as her cheeks slightly flushed.
‘What kind of master thief stole Cheon Sal-seong’s heart?’
Though she was her disciple, she never thought she would fall in love. Dan Seo-wol began to listen more intently to her disciple’s story of romance.
“He’s three years older than me. We used to play together as children.”
“Was there a survivor back in your hometown?”
She already knew how her disciple ended up in Salmak.
“He lived in another village.”
Cheon So-hee shook her head.
“Oh, I see. So you met after ten years, did he recognize you right away?”
“Yeah. After ten years, he recognized me at a glance.”
Cheon So-hee thought she was controlling her expression. But her master could see right through her.
Just like when small droplets of dye fall into transparent water, everyone would realize it. So too, her once cold expression and demeanor now radiated a prideful and affectionate aura for one man.
“Now that’s interesting.”
If she teased her now, she’d surely shut down and stop talking.
Her master feigned ignorance while encouraging her shy disciple to continue.
———————
“If it were you, it could only be him. So your childhood friend is indeed him.”
Her master expressed some surprise after calling her disciple by a name she didn’t mean to.
“Yeah. I’m sorry I couldn’t recognize him right away.”
Cheon So-hee said with a heavy heart.
Despite meeting after over a decade, he recognized her in an instant. She had drawn a blade against him, the brother she had buried in her heart for a lifetime.
What would it feel like if the roles were reversed? It would have torn her heart apart. Initially, there had been no thoughts, but now, the more she thought about it, the more it hurt.
“Boo hoo hoo! Yukiko is too sad!”
The mix of reunion, misunderstanding, suspicion, love, discovering he was the Reverse Heaven’s Decree, his rampage, and parting ensued.
Even Cheon So-hee found it hard to contain her emotions as she shared her story, causing the 6th assassin to burst into tears.
“To find out that my childhood friend brother is alive and that we met in the Central Plains, only to discover he’s the Reverse Heaven’s Decree. It’s truly a fate set by the heavens!”
Even the notorious Jeok Na-chal could not maintain her composure upon hearing this. Could this really be a fate predetermined by the heavens?
It was believable that the heavens were not indifferent towards her disciple, granting her a match made in heaven.
“……”
Dan Seo-wol watched her disciple nodding faintly. Where had the emotionally desolate child gone?
Standing before her now was a woman who had fallen in love and suffered from a painful separation. Yet her master was not satisfied with just that.
Her disciple was showing rare emotional vulnerability. The wall around her heart seemed to have softened.
Dan Seo-wol wouldn’t let this chance slip away.
“How far have you gone?”
“Woo! This Yukiko! I’m not used to such conversations, but it’s thrilling!”
Cheon So-hee looked at her master, bewildered by the question. Normally she wouldn’t speak about it. Yet, when it came to Kang Yoon-ho, she found herself softening.
With her sadness acknowledged, she felt better sharing about Kang Yoon-ho, wanting to talk more about him.
Thus, Cheon So-hee decided to reveal stuff she wouldn’t have shared before.
“He gave me something that’s one of a kind.”
“Of course! When a woman thinks of the man she considers her one true love, she should indeed receive something unique at parting!”
Dan Seo-wol was elated by her disciple’s bombshell confession.
“Whoa! Yukiko! I’ve heard of this before!”
“What was your first time like? It was painful, wasn’t it?”
“It wasn’t painful. It felt good, actually.”
Cheon So-hee shook her head while smiling maturely.
“Ugh! Is that the difference between someone who’s opened the door of adulthood and someone who hasn’t? This Yukiko is struggling with self-loathing!”
“Really? I’ve heard it’s usually like that if you have rare talent from the start.”
Dan Seo-wol stumbled over her words, surprised by her disciple’s advanced understanding of the subject.
“At first, I was astonished by my feelings. But when I saw Yoon Ho oppa’s face, I couldn’t bear it and just had to.”
“So you took the initiative?”
Dan Seo-wol stared at her disciple with eyes wide open, filled with shock.
“I need parchment. I must write this down from here on!”
“There’s some over there if you want to write. But tell me. Did it occur inside or outside?”
“At first, we only did it outside, but the second time was inside.”
Cheon So-hee shyly averted her gaze as she spoke.
“Ahhhhhhh.”
At Cheon So-hee’s shocking revelation, her master groaned as if the room would explode from her sighs.
“What’s wrong?”
“Didn’t I tell you to use protection? Are you being careful? Or is nothing happening? You’re not even 20 yet, and you want to retire already?”
“Protection?”
Cheon So-hee tilted her head at her master’s words.
“If you did it inside, then you should have thought of protection!”
“What do you mean?”
“Huh?”
“Uh?”
Seeing Cheon So-hee’s puzzled look, her master quickly entertained a thought she didn’t want to consider.
Could it be? No, that couldn’t possibly be! Even if her disciple had been clueless about that side, there’s just no way.
“Did you mean something other than what’s one of a kind is your first night’s experience?”
“I gave him my first kiss.”
“Just the first kiss?”
“On the second time, I let him put his tongue… in.”
Cheon So-hee blushed, embarrassed by the memory.
“Ah…”
“Ah…”
“I… did I do something wrong?”
An awkward silence filled the room.
