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Chapter 656: The Plan

The sun seemed to be gradually rising.

Between the gently blowing winds, the sleeping birds awakened, and the grasshoppers stirred.

In the Central Plains, specifically over Hanam, a massive object was flying swiftly through the sky.

Whooosh—!!

Compared to its size, it was moving at an astonishing speed.

You’d think that such a conspicuous size would make the people notice it right away, yet, for some reason, the folks in Hanam seemed less interested in the sky.

It almost appeared as though they were oblivious to anything above them.

It was puzzling how such a gigantic object could go unnoticed.

On top of a building belonging to the Martial Alliance in the center of Hanam, a man was staring intently at this anomaly.

“Hm.”

“What is it?”

Responding to the inquiry, the man, Beomdong, pointed his finger into the air.

“Deputy Lord.”

“Yes.”

“Can you not see it?”

At Beomdong’s words, the man squinted and gazed into the void. He tried to raise his Qi perception, but nothing was visible in the emptiness.

“…I apologize.”

“No need to apologize. Hmm…”

At the man’s response, Beomdong nodded slightly.

‘The Deputy Lord cannot see it.’

Focusing again, Beomdong channeled his energy into his eyes.

Then, he noticed a distortion in the distance above the sky as something became visible.

Was it dark clouds?

No way.

‘To see dark clouds requiring energy… that’s even stranger.’

Yet, that was the only possibility he could conceive.

It was still night, so raising his Qi perception any further had its limits.

The sun was beginning to rise, but that was insufficient.

However, he believed he would definitely be able to see better once the light shone through properly.

Just as he thought that, Beomdong remained still, fixated on the spot.

But then—

“Hmm?”

Beomdong furrowed his brow as he observed something.

A massive entity seemed to be sucked into somewhere.

To Beomdong, it looked as if black smoke was rapidly being drawn down toward the ground.

Seeing that, Beomdong lifted his upper body.

“Deputy Lord.”

“Yes, Great Lord.”

At the Deputy Lord’s reply, Beomdong pointed at the direction he had been looking.

“Over there. Do you remember what was there?”

“Over there, you say…?”

The Deputy Lord glanced at where Beomdong pointed.

That area was a forest in the western direction, also a place not yet fully developed.

Recalling that, he quickly responded to the Great Lord.

“It’s land that’s currently being developed.”

“Developed?”

“Yes. The owner is probably…”

After pondering for a few seconds, the Deputy Lord answered.

“I believe it’s the Baekhwa Sect.”

“Baekhwa Sect.”

A place he was well aware of.

It was among the upper echelons of the sects in the Central Plains.

They funded the Alliance but were too closely tied to the Martial Alliance to call themselves allies.

Moreover, it was linked to—

‘That clan.’

The Sect Leader was said to be the wife of the Gu Clan Leader, Ho Hyup of Mount Shan.

Thus, it could potentially be—

‘There might be a connection.’

He speculated that it might involve those entities that had been stirring up a ruckus in Hanam in recent months.

The fact that the previous occurrence happened to coincide with Baekhwa Sect was noteworthy.

With that delicate overlap, Beomdong turned his back and began to walk away.

“I’ll be back shortly. Stay alert.”

“Excuse me? Where are you referring to…? Great Lord? Great Lord!”

As the Deputy Lord called out in haste, Beomdong had already vanished.

Two days had passed since we set sail from the North Sea, and now it was the dawn of the third day.

We had arrived at our destination much faster than before.

As I looked down at the forest below, I also surveyed my own body.

‘I think I’ve used about half of the energy for the bet.’

That was quite a significant amount considering the total.

In a numerical sense, it was substantial, but from a cost-performance aspect, it was rather ambiguous.

‘Even though I used concealment at this speed, it’s not bad.’

With Tolly’s massive size, flying around would draw too many eyes.

Thus, I preferred to move with a smaller crew whenever possible. Even then, I had to wrap my energy around us to minimize our presence.

Half the energy I had used over the last few days was quite a testament to my progress in realms.

‘Not too shabby.’

With a sigh, I raised my head to feel the wind.

I could sense a change in the air.

Unlike the air I felt from the North Sea, the air in the Central Plains was different in some way.

Was it because it was the place where I was born and raised? Or was it because the North Sea was a foreign land?

Regardless, breathing in the familiar air brought a sense of comfort.

As I looked around, I stroked Tolly’s scales.

“Let’s descend slowly.”

Grrr…

Tolly appeared to understand, gradually lowering his altitude.

There was a perfectly suitable landing spot.

Tolly seemed to know precisely where I wanted to land, decreasing speed and descending purposefully.

Swoosh…

His massive body touched the ground lightly, but this time, unlike before, there was no shockwave or devastation.

Having been nagged enough, it appeared he had learned to listen better this time.

Once we landed safely, the crew members finally stepped onto the ground.

“Ugh…!!”

As soon as we dismounted, someone leaped off Tolly’s back and dashed into the bushes.

Unsurprisingly, it was Yuri.

Perhaps because her realm was the lowest, it seemed exceedingly taxing for her.

Considering the speed we had taken, it was inevitable that she reached her limit.

Thank goodness.

‘If she threw up from above, I would have just tossed her aside.’

Yet she managed to hold on. Thanks to that, she could keep her life.

Had it been otherwise, I would have made her pay.

“Wow… this is fun. Who knew I’d get to experience something like this?”

Next to me, Gwaeseon and Baek Cheon-gyeom dismounted.

Baek Cheon-gyeom’s expression was somewhat sullen, but her excitement was palpable, while Gwaeseon gazed at Tolly with an intrigued expression.

“Living long enough to ride a demon beast, huh?”

Grrr…

Did the term “demon beast” offend Tolly?

He growled at Gwaeseon, startling him into a hurried gesture of apology.

“I’m sorry. It seems I upset you.”

Grrr…

Only after hearing the apology did Tolly turn his head away.

Was he satisfied or something?

Regardless, he was an easy creature to deal with.

Gwaeseon seemed amused by the sight, chuckling as he looked elsewhere.

“Isn’t this guy a little fun? Right?”

“…Yes.”

Someone hesitated to respond to Gwaeseon’s statement.

This time, it was Woo Hyeok.

Seeing his master engage him, he appeared quite taken aback.

I couldn’t help but click my tongue at the sight.

‘Tsk tsk.’

His reluctance to shake off whatever guilt he felt showcased that he was just like me.

And that made me even angrier, but I couldn’t touch that.

Ultimately, it was Woo Hyeok’s problem to resolve.

Knowing this, Gwaeseon was likely trying to engage Woo Hyeok in conversation.

Of course, it was hard to accept that one was speaking with an arm torn off.

‘Sigh, idiot.’

That was directed at Woo Hyeok as well as myself.

Ignoring it, I waved my hand.

Wooosh.

Energy flowed from my fingertips, wrapping around Nangong Bi-ah and Tang Soyeol, who were descending from above, and gently brought them to the ground.

Tang Soyeol was slightly startled, but soon smiled, whereas Nangong Bi-ah remained too groggy to react.

“Look at you doing all sorts of tricks.”

Pejon responded as though he found it absurd, but I brushed it off lightly.

‘It seems we made it alright.’

Next, should I head to the Baekhwa Sect and report back?

“If we go this way… if we head roughly east… Hey, catch that one.”

Tang Soyeol caught Nangong Bi-ah, who was slyly trying to wander off.

Perfect, if we head in the opposite direction she intended to go.

Just as I was certain of that and was about to lead our group away—

Crackle.

“Hmm?”

I sensed a presence from a distance.

I wasn’t particularly tense; after all, it was just one person, and their realm was low.

I assumed it was simply an herbalist passing by.

“Excuse me.”

To my surprise, the figure that emerged was someone affiliated with the Baekhwa Sect.

“I am Seokhon from the Baekhwa Sect. May I ask if you are Gu Yangcheong, the Prince of Mount Shan?”

Upon the precise address, he stepped forward, looking curious.

“Indeed, that’s me… but how did you come here?”

I hadn’t sent any word of our arrival!

Feeling something was off, I inquired, to which Seokhon replied.

“The Branch Leader sent me.”

“…The Branch Leader?”

Here, when speaking of the Branch Leader—

‘It must be Moyong Hi-ah.’

How did she even know to send someone?

In a situation where I couldn’t comprehend, Seokhon said to me.

“The Branch Leader seems to anticipate your return and has organized personnel to await your arrival at various likely landing spots. As soon as you arrive, she instructed to give you a proper welcome.”

“…Huh.”

Hearing this, I let out a hollow chuckle.

Not only had she predicted the timing of our arrival, but she also anticipated where we would land and sent someone ahead of time. What meticulous and intimidating behavior!

‘Good grief…’

The efficiency of her response was remarkable enough to induce laughter.

A ghost-like woman, indeed, perfectly described her.

“May I assist you in the guidance?”

Seokhon’s inquiry made me stifle my laughter and nod my head.

“Let’s go.”

Hearing about Moyong Hi-ah made it feel more real.

I was back in the Central Plains.

‘Not even that long of a journey.’

Though it felt like forever.

Guided by Seokhon, we arrived at the Baekhwa Sect.

Since it was early morning, there weren’t many people around, and thanks to Seokhon’s choice to take us to a less populated area, we could arrive without drawing attention.

Swoosh…

I could feel sensations from my forearms.

Swoosh…

A black-blue snake peeked out, flicking its tongue along the sleeve.

Surprisingly, it was Tolly.

As he shrank down to a size reminiscent of his former self, I could finally keep him hidden.

In the past, no matter how much he shrank, he could never be small enough to conceal, but perhaps due to the growth in my realm, I could now keep him hidden in my embrace.

‘Though I’d inevitably let him out as managing him is a hassle.’

Unlike before, he could hunt on his own now, and his nagging could be noisy, so it was easier to leave him outside.

At present, I was using up a lot of energy, and since there were various things to check on, I was keeping him around.

“Tea has been prepared.”

As I sat still waiting, a servant appeared with tea.

Since Gwaeseon and Nangong Bi-ah needed treatment, I likely sent them to Shin Yi’s accommodation ahead of time.

I was waiting in the Branch Leader’s office with the remaining personnel.

Glancing at the room, I could tell it was spacious, befitting a Branch Leader.

The pristine environment, contrasted with the piles of letters and documents, seemed quintessentially Moyong Hi-ah.

However.

‘Where is she?’

The room’s owner, Moyong Hi-ah, was absent.

I hadn’t been waiting long, but considering the person I was waiting for was her, it felt odd.

‘It’s strange for her to make someone wait.’

Normally, Moyong Hi-ah would arrive late to undermine her opponents or use it for commercial purposes.

This wasn’t quite her style.

Curiosity piqued; I turned to Seokhon beside me and asked.

“Why hasn’t she arrived yet?”

At my question, Seokhon wore a sheepish expression as he responded.

“The Branch Leader mentioned something urgent came up… so she’ll be a little late.”

“Urgent?”

“Yes.”

After that, Seokhon didn’t elaborate.

He likely chose not to reveal intentionally.

Sitting quietly, I decided to rise.

Seokhon seemed startled by my movement and called out to me.

“Prince?”

“Oh, I just need to use the lavatory.”

“Then, shall I guide you…?”

“Why would you need to guide me? Are you interested in watching me use the toilet?”

“…”

Seokhon froze.

Seeing that, I chuckled and quickly stepped outside. Fortunately, Seokhon didn’t stop me this time.

Ah, but naturally, I was indeed headed for the lavatory.

‘Still…’

I thought I might take the opportunity to look for Moyong Hi-ah.

Yes.

It was just a two-in-one trip.

First floor of the Sect.

In the guest area, a teacup sat alone.

The tea still steaming, it appeared no one had touched it yet. Strangely enough, in the empty room, there were two people.

On the other side of the table sat a strikingly beautiful woman, Moyong Hi-ah, who looked frosty as she stared at her guest.

Her unique gaze was distinctly her own.

Despite Moyong Hi-ah’s piercing stare, her guest seemed unfazed, taking a sip of tea.

Slurp.

As the man moved, the insignia on his shoulder gleamed slightly.

Noticing this, Moyong Hi-ah’s expression subtly furrowed.

She quickly adjusted her features to mask it and elegantly opened her mouth.

“My apologies for the simple reception.”

“It’s quite alright. I am grateful to be offered tea. I should apologize for dropping by unannounced.”

“…I appreciate your understanding. May I ask why the Lord of the Alliance has come to pay us a visit?”

The Deputy Lord of the Martial Alliance.

Beomdong nodded at Moyong Hi-ah’s inquiry.

“It’s nothing really. I received reports of some anomalies in the vicinity.”

“Anomalies nearby?”

“Oh no, not in this exact vicinity… I came because I was informed of unusual occurrences in areas that your Sect is currently developing.”

Moyong Hi-ah’s brows furrowed at his words.

“So, you came here on that account?”

“Not exactly. I was also curious to see how your Sect is managing.”

With a sly smile, Beomdong’s words made Moyong Hi-ah’s expression freeze further.

“Unless you receive investigative authority from the Alliance, you could be seen as disregarding our Sect by coming here.”

“Ha ha, you’re quite sharp, aren’t you? Once again, it’s not an investigation. I merely dropped by while wandering the area.”

Despite his nonchalant words, it was obvious to anyone that there was doubt lurking within.

“Arriving without proper documentation or evidence already seems to express a certain intent, wouldn’t you agree?”

The Deputy Lord of the Flying Dragon, Beomdong.

He was someone Moyong Hi-ah knew well.

Among the five lords of the Alliance, he was the second strongest and counted amongst the upper echelons of martial artists known as the White-Grade Masters.

He also had the reputation of not shying away from any means for investigations, often employing rather devious methods.

A rather tricky individual.

In particular, during sensitive times such as now, he would be especially vigilant and cautious.

Moyong Hi-ah had to turn several thoughts in her mind.

Observing Moyong Hi-ah, Beomdong shook his head, as if to deny something.

“There’s nothing special about just dropping by; that shouldn’t be seen as an issue.”

“However, the very fact that the Lord of the Alliance has come personally says a lot and makes it difficult for us to accept.”

“Hm, that’s quite troublesome.”

Beomdong stared intensely at Moyong Hi-ah’s face.

“You must know it’s been quite noisy lately.”

“I am aware.”

Over the past month, rumors had spread throughout Hanam and beyond.

Especially when viewed from the perspective of the Alliance, they were unnervingly sensitive rumors.

“Thus, we may be reacting a bit overly sensitively. I hope you understand this matter.”

As Beomdong smiled and spoke, Moyong Hi-ah reciprocated with a smile.

“Of course. Though whatever anomaly has occurred remains unclear, I could cooperate as long as you bring valid investigative authority. Until then, you’ll simply remain a distinguished guest.”

“Haha, is that so?”

“Hoohoo, yes, indeed.”

As the brief laughter faded, silence fell.

Moyong Hi-ah fanned herself, concealing half her face, while Beomdong maintained his grin.

Only within their minds did they think—

‘What a bother.’

They were both busy trying to size each other up.

‘What a truly annoying woman.’

Beomdong repeatedly clicked his tongue inwardly.

Somehow, she seemed older than her supposed age, despite possibly not even having turned thirty yet.

There was an absence of any openings in her demeanor.

‘She really is smart. It seems the rumors were correct.’

Wondering how the flower of the Baekhwa Sect managed to seat a woman of noble lineage as the Branch Leader.

She certainly had a presence that belied her years.

‘What should I do?’

He sensed the presence of something.

Whether related to the rumors or an entirely different matter was unclear, but he instinctively detected it.

It didn’t seem connected to the rumors directly.

‘It feels fishy.’

There was a subtle, yet foul odor to the situation.

‘Should I delve a bit deeper?’

No matter how exceptional a woman Moyong Hi-ah proved to be, she was ultimately still a young lady.

If he continued the conversation, he might be able to unearth a flaw.

If necessary—

‘A little intimidation isn’t out of the question.’

Beomdong had various methods at his disposal, and perhaps it was worth probing a bit further.

‘For now, let’s try scaring her a bit.’

It was the easiest approach.

Especially when dealing with those of lower realms, nothing was simpler.

Subtly, just a whisper.

To make her tremble slightly.

With that thought, Beomdong gradually let some energy flow into his lower dantian.

Swoosh.

The energy escaped slightly, gradually moving toward Moyong Hi-ah.

He sent out energy without making it evident; it could slip away if pointed out.

Just as the energy was about to reach Moyong Hi-ah—

Pffft.

“…!”

The energy was crushed within an instant, vanishing without a trace.

At the moment Beomdong was about to react—

Crash—! Crack—!

The teacup on the table shattered in half, splattering hot tea across the table.

Boom—!!!

“Ugh!?”

A tremendous pressure emanated within the room, starting to weigh down on Beomdong’s shoulders.

Simultaneously—

“Ah, I see. So that’s why the barking grew louder on my way here.”

As someone opened the guest room door, a voice echoed in.

“Oh my?”

Upon recognizing the arrival, Moyong Hi-ah widened her eyes.

The newcomer was a young man with harsh features. His slightly raised lips and deeply unsavory expression suited him well.

The abruptly appearing young man glanced at the seated Beomdong, then simply spat out.

“Well, well, look who we have here. The loudest barking dog in the bunch.”

Hearing that, Beomdong’s expression twisted into one of pure disbelief.

 

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