13 – 01# A Narrow Escape 九死一生 (13)

At first, it seemed a task easily done.

Right up until the moment they received the order and stormed the inn alongside their comrades. They merely suspected he’d sensed something and fled, so he commanded them to search for traces to pursue him.

But it didn’t take long to realize that this was a preposterous miscalculation. He hadn’t hidden or escaped; he had been here from the very start.

The old man made no attempt to conceal himself, revealing himself with utter composure. Until then, no one had even noticed that the old man had infiltrated the very heart of their formation.

‘That *I* wouldn’t notice him approach…?’

Though his own martial prowess fell short of truly reaching the peak of the first-rate, he was at least a cut above the second-rate, capable of exchanging blows with first-rate martial artists.

Therefore, he could immediately discern that the old man was no ordinary individual. He might appear to be nothing more than a humble, rural elder, but one must not be deceived.

In the *murim*, judging by appearances alone was as foolish as overlooking poison solely based on sight. Just as colorless, odorless, yet potent poisons existed.

Masters who had reached the pinnacle were adept at concealing themselves. To fool his own senses, which were near first-rate, would be a difficult task even for a fully realized first-rate martial artist.

‘Which means… Could it be that the opponent is a master of the pinnacle realm…?’

“What is this decrepit old man babbling about!”

This, this witless fool!

I warned him so many times not to act rashly!

Daeju let out a deep sigh at the death brought on by his subordinate’s foolish hot-bloodedness. Moryong Ho-sung was arrogant and extremely violent, so his reputation amongst his peers and subordinates was poor.

But even they couldn’t deny Ho-sung’s skill. Within the Moryong Clan itself, no other second-rate martial artist could withstand Ho-sung in a head-on confrontation.

Furthermore, he was a prodigy who had received praise from an Elder, who said that he could potentially reach the first-rate realm by the age of thirty if he managed himself well. Ironically, that very confidence had hastened his demise.

Moreover, he had been cut down without being able to do anything. It was only natural that the subordinates, who were weaker than Moryong Ho-sung in terms of skill, were now paralyzed with fear.

“This time, it would behoove you to answer truthfully.”

“…”

His words flowed as smoothly as a gentle river, but the warning contained within struck the senses as forcefully as a thunderclap. In the end, Daeju had only one choice.

Thanks to this, Mumyeong was able to acquire surprisingly beneficial information from Daeju. Currently, nearly 60% of the Moryong Clan’s martial artists were absent, deployed elsewhere.

Among them was also Moryong Jin, the absolute master and Elder of the Moryong Clan. Hearing this, Mumyeong inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. To be an absolute master meant being at least at the Hyeon-gyeong level.

‘That’s somewhat fortunate. Masters at the Hyeon-gyeong level, even in the *wuxia* novels I used to read, were extremely rare, except for those appearing in the later stages.’

He even learned that the Elders and the majority of the martial artists of the Moryong Clan were quite dissatisfied with the Clan Lord’s policies. He had unexpectedly struck gold.

“Then, do you know the location where the Young Clan Lord is imprisoned?”

“I don’t know exactly where it is. But…”

“But?”

“I have seen the Clan Head leave alone, somewhere, several times at dawn.”

Only seen him a few times, by chance, while patrolling in the early hours. Coincidentally, it began the day after the Young Clan Head was imprisoned, making it a rather uncanny coincidence.

“I thank you for your cooperation. Please, take care.”

Nameless offered a fist-and-palm salute, expressing his gratitude to the Branch Leader, and quickly departed. As a quiet settled, akin to the aftermath of a storm, one of his subordinates spoke cautiously.

“Br-, Branch Leader. Was it alright to tell him everything?”

“We cannot defeat that man, either way. And haven’t you all already realized it? That the current Clan Head… something is twisted within him.”

“……”

“If we cannot help to right a wrong, we should at least not hinder it.”

They already knew the path the Clan Head walked was not righteous. Too much blood had been spilled in the name of upholding tradition and history. Yet, knowing this, they had turned a blind eye.

Closing their eyes and silencing their lips in the face of injustice. In the end, that karma had returned as a sharp blade. The Branch Leader let out a deep sigh as he closed the eyes of Mo Yong Ho-sung.

“How can I blame you? It is I, your Branch Leader, who was lacking in virtue, that this has come to pass.”

I pray you rest in peace, there.

◇

Thankfully, he had obtained some useful information.

Though Nameless had never been here before, and knew nothing of the terrain. Luckily, Soo-ah immediately remembered the story. She certainly knew the layout of the Mo Yong Clan, at the very least.

Thanks to her, Nameless was able to find the place the Branch Leader had mentioned without wasting any time. It was a forest connected to the back gate of the residence, and as he walked along the path without stopping…

A massive lake suddenly appeared before him? In the center of the lake was a small rocky island, and a dilapidated bridge led to it. Nameless nodded, saying,

“Indeed, this seems to be the answer.”

“My brother is there…!!”

There was no room for further doubt. However, instead of immediately crossing the bridge, Nameless instinctively raised his hand, snatching something that had approached near his temple like a ghost.

Soo-ah, startled by the sudden loud noise, reflexively turned her head. She was surprised once more when she saw what was in Nameless’s hand. It was none other than an arrow.

“A-, an arrow?! Where did that suddenly…!!”

“I see, so they were waiting here from the start.”

“……That’s right, Great Hero.”

Hair as red as blood, receiving the subtle moonlight, yet not losing its ominous nature. He could never forget that intense color. Soo-ah cried out in a voice filled with despair.

“Senior Sister Mo Yong Hee-soo!!!”

“I’m listening, Soo-ah.”

“Why did you betray me, my brother?! I trusted you!!”

“…I was merely following orders.”

“My orders were to stick by your side and watch you.”

That emotionless sentence was all the answer she received. After that, the woman didn’t utter another word, and Soo-ah easily understood everything.

_And here I thought she was someone who understood me, even if only a little. I understood that she couldn’t help me much because she was wary of the Clan Lord. But it was all because of orders from the start._

Yet, astonishingly, Soo-ah’s heart didn’t shatter. Of course, it was true that her chest felt like it was being torn apart. But even for her, there was a strong pillar of support.

“Soo-ah, listen to me.”

“Yes, Great Hero.”

“From now on, you must find Young Master Mo Yong-hyun on your own.”

“Does Great Hero intend to hold them back alone?”

“I must.”

It had only been a month, a mere sliver of time. But in that time, Soo-ah had learned so much from the Great Hero. Mu-myeong gazed at Soo-ah for a moment, then placed a hand on her head and continued.

“Do not fear. You will surely be able to do it.”

_A person who taught me so much. Yes, as long as Great Hero believes in me, I can endure without collapsing._ And at that moment, Soo-ah was already running across the bridge.

As Soo-ah slid across the bridge, the warriors also tried to chase after her. Or at least, they would have, if Mo Yong-hee-soo hadn’t raised his hand to stop them.

“Why are you stopping us? The Clan Lord ordered us to prevent anyone from entering the forest….”

“Do you think we can just let that man pass?”

“He’s just a pathetic old man. We can overwhelm him with numbers without much difficulty.”

“That’s why you’re all still just second-rate.”

Mo Yong-hee-soo wasn’t the only one. Among the warriors present, a tiny minority stood with tense expressions, and sweat poured from their foreheads like rain.

Even though more than sixty percent of the warriors had already left. The number of warriors gathered here was still close to a hundred. But the important thing here wasn’t numbers.

“No one shall pass this point.”

What it meant to be at odds with the Mo Yong Clan, one of the Five Great Clans. At least, no warrior could possibly be unaware. And yet, he stood against a hundred warriors.

To describe that sight.

_One Against Ten Thousand_.

His posture was like the reincarnation of a valiant general who had cut off the bridge, sealing his retreat, and facing hundreds of cavalrymen alone with a do-or-die spirit. In the end, Mo Yong-hee-soo had to acknowledge it.

_‘As expected, a supreme master who has reached the pinnacle is on a different level. It’s not called the Immovable Realm for nothing.’_

Those who move forward unceasingly with wills forged like steel. Supreme masters who, by refusing to yield to external pressure and stubbornly adhering to the path they believed in, finally touched the heavens with their human bodies.

That is why.

_‘It seems the lacklustre inner energy I’m sensing all belongs to second-rate or lower warriors. Well, given that more than sixty percent of the warriors have left, and the elders are mostly silent with dissatisfaction… it’s only natural, I suppose?’_

His misconception would never waver.