Chapter 199: Variable (1)

Three days ago, late at night at the official office buildings.

Around dawn, while everyone was asleep, I sat before the campfire, practicing the heavenly qi.

A voice then called to me.

[Sect leader.]

It was a message made using internal qi. Rousing myself from my deep concentration, I felt the qi. I noticed a familiar presence in the lush trees around me.

[How did it go?]

The voice then answered my question.

[It has been confirmed. The Wudang Sect has moved. We are moving quickly to the south to match them.]

...This was the thing I feared the most.

In the first place, this was a scenario made by the Murim Alliance, and I knew that there would be a hidden trap. When I moved to Guizhou alone, the roads were also blocked, as expected.

We could respond if that was the extent, but they also moved some of the Eight Great Warriors.

[The sub-leader?]

[The First Elder has ignored the sub-leader’s words and moved towards the border of Shinnyeong.]

And that was the right choice.

The only person who could stop one of the Eight Great Warriors was our First Elder, who had also crossed the wall.

And the voice continued earnestly.

[Sect leader, you need to come back. The situation is precarious. This is clearly a trap made by the Murim Alliance’s leaders.]

I know.

But I cannot return now.

If I did, we would end up facing the government and the Murim Alliance at the same time.

I had to find a way to break through and reverse the situation.

“I heard that the leader of the Blood Sect had made their way here. As a member of the alliance, I have spent a month rushing here to help.”

Hearing my words, the expressions of Sima Jung-hyun and Man Jong, the Alliance’s 6th Elder, changed.

“Huh.”

Elder Man Jong’s expression was as if he was admiring an upstanding junior.

-This is too bold. Are you planning to use this?

Short Sword stuck her tongue at me.

I never thought that I would simply be accepted like that, either. The title I was given was that of the Second New Star, someone considered to be one of the promising future warriors.

If I used that, I might be able to use this to my advantage in this situation. Who would think that the leader of the Blood Sect was someone with such renown in the Murim Alliance?

However, the problem was also here.

The Second Military Head, Sima Jung-hyun.

Unlike Elder Man Jong, he was looking at me with strange eyes.

-Is he suspicious?

It was probably closer to doubt than suspicion.

Until now, no one in the Murim Alliance knew my real identity. No one knew anything about me except for my grandfather, father, and Sima Young.

But this opponent was a leader of the Murim Alliance.

Although he didn’t stand out much because Zhuge Won-myung had overshadowed him, he was still a man with remarkable talent.

“How did you come to know about this?”

Sima Jung-hyun asked me

“On my return to the Yunnan Province, I heard rumors that the Blood Sect Leader was being escorted away by the Justice Department.”

“Rumors seem to have spread a lot.”

Elder Man Jong nodded and said,

“I heard so much about the young warrior’s skills during the tournament, especially from Elder Ho Yang. I really wanted to meet you.”

Elder Ho Yang, Second Elder of the Murim Alliance. It seemed that he had been conducting some work outside.

He was one of the few Murim Alliance leaders who had seen my face. Although it was for her escape, Baek Hye-hyang’s group seemed to have made their trip more comfortable by leaving behind some bombs.

“That is an exaggerated statement. It is an honor to meet the Elder and the Second Military Head like this.”

“Huhuhu, you indeed share the humility of your master.”

Okay, Elder Man Jong seemed to at least like me. I was not particularly familiar with him, so why would he be so kind... ah!

I did meet Hyun Jin, a skilled Taoist.

-I guess people talk.

I guess so.

No one knows how a relationship will affect someone after all. I needed to use this to know what they were planning.

“Come over and sit down.”

Elder Man Jong offered one of the empty seats at the round table he was seated at. I approached and lightly bowed to them, taking my sword out of my sheath before placing it on another chair as I sat down.

Elder Man Jong smiled like he was in a good mood.

“It feels good in many ways that such a strong junior had come here on his own accord, Military Head.”

“... right.”

I politely nodded and bowed as I said,

“There are many things I lack compared to my seniors, but as a member of the Justice faction, please allow me to lend you a hand.”

“Hehehe. Do you mean it? The Second New Star....”

Hearing my words, Elder Man Jong looked as if he wished to say something more but was cut off by Sima Jung-hyun.

“Thank you for coming here. This is a matter related to the alliance, so can you step aside now?”

“How can I take on such a huge responsibility? But thank you for the kind words.”

“Huhuhu, you are too modest, my young friend. That man truly raised you well.”

I wasn’t being humble, but I was being called that. At that moment, the door opened.

Thud!

“T-teacher!”

Judging from his uniform, he was a disciple of the Jeonjin Sect. Elder Man Jong then asked.

“What is it?”

“I think you need to come to the main office right now.”

“Why are you saying that? It is still two hours before noon.”

The disciple then replied.

“The trial is being pushed forward on the order of Prince Kyung. It is being held now.”

“What!?”

The Second Military Head, Sima Jung-hyun, looked dumbfounded as he pushed his chair back. Seeing their reaction, I laughed inside.

“Why would he do this?”

It seemed like things had worked out when the hidden people around him were manipulated.

He was one who was heavily monitored, after all.

Elder Manjong looked shocked, as if he couldn’t understand this.

“What is this?”

“Damn it! We’ve been tricked! Prince Young was a distraction.”

“Just how....”

“It looks like Prince Kyung was the one who joined hands with the Blood Demon!”

It’s too late to notice now since the trial was in progress.

Of course, they used Pricne Kyung’s authority while I wasn’t even present. Actually, he was the one who suggested it to me.

He said that if the trial went smoothly, he would have to deal with the two princes. He expected that it would be better to push the trial forward.

“That wicked bastard. We took the Blood Demon too lightly!”

“How long has it been since the trial began?”

“I do not know. The entrance to the office is blocked, so I had no way to confirm it.”

Hearing this, Sima Jung-hyun said.

“Dammit. We need to hurry! Elder Man Jong, please bring Prince Jin and Prince Young there. I will head to the court right now. Your third class disciples should head immediately towards the ambush points and inform them that the plan has to be moved forward.”

“I understand.”

“I will inform them.”

The situation was tense for them. To me, it felt like nothing.

But I had to match their mood.

“Military head. I will also hurry to the ambush spot.”

“You...”

He seemed as if he wished to say something more but stopped and then continued.

“It’s nothing. Do make haste.”

I leisurely headed towards the place that he had assigned me to. If I went 4 li south of here, there would be a forest.

If I was going to kill time, I might as well play the role well. If not, they would accuse me of being late and missing the Blood Demon.

Once the role was done, they would believe that I returned to Guangxi as the Blood Sect Leader. Such a perfect plan.

-What did the military head want to say earlier?

Perhaps he hesitated about the ambush location since the situation was urgent.

Still, if we looked at how he handled it, he seemed to be more thorough than Baek Wei-hyang.

Well, it didn’t matter if I knew the location or not. After all, I was So Wonwhi at the moment.

-That’s right. If they find out about this later, they will be so upset.

Short Sword was giggling as if she was enjoying it. As we headed towards the fake ambush location...

The moment I entered the forest, I felt a scent hit my nose. The smell of blood.

I felt a presence not far away and looked to the side.

‘Taoist of Jeonjin?’

The outfit seemed to be from that sect. He was holding onto his stomach, which was dripping blood, and his face looked pale.

What happened here?

“H-help me.”

The warrior cried out as he noticed me. I wasn’t sure if I should help or leave him alone, but I ran to him since I needed to be faithful to my role right now.

“W-what happened?”

As I asked him, he gasped and spoke.

“Ugh... guh... I don’t know who you are... but this place is... dangerous...”

“Relax now.”

The man didn’t seem to be in good condition and looked as if he could die at any moment. Escaping all the way here with his body was already a miracle.

“I don’t have time for that... right now... head to sect leader Man Jong... the ambush location... raided by the Blood Demon....”

‘...?!’

What kind of bullshit was this?

I was right here!