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**

The scent of blood brushed my nose—a meaty aroma.

I cautiously stepped inward. There were no signs of life.

Only silence filled the space.

I examined the meat hanging from the hook, hoping against hope as I traced its structure.

…Meat.

Beef.

“…Phew.”

Gongbaek sighed in relief. Su-ryeon asked the assassin.

“How long has it been since they entered?”

“It’s been at least an hour.”

“And who has come out?”

“Nobody.”

Does that mean there’s a passage inside?

I rummaged through the butcher shop. Soon enough, I discovered a small passage.

A hidden staircase leading down. There was blood smeared near the entrance as well.

Su-ryeon pulled out a Night Gem from her pocket. The glowing jewel clearly illuminated the structure around us.

It was cramped—a narrow and smelly passageway. The important part was that it didn’t smell like dirt.

The faint scent of blood was something I was all too familiar with. Layer upon layer, it made me wonder…

Just how many chunks of meat had passed through here?

Gongbaek fell silent. Su-ryeon took the lead.

We slowly made our way down the path.

There was a door. Opening it revealed yet another door.

The tunnel, stretching straight ahead, was unnaturally humid. The air wasn’t stuffy; it felt surprisingly easy to breathe, as though it were connected to some vent on the surface.

Once more, I opened a door. A rush of the smell of blood enveloped us.

A figure, mid-slice, turned their head.

“Who—”

—Boom!!

A hand that looked unrecognizable.

Gongbaek, in a swift move, threw the man against the wall.

“Ugh?!”

Was that the infamous ‘Thirteenth Palm of Demon Subjugation’ in full swing?

…Impressive. If it had connected, his whole body would have been shattered. If he hadn’t controlled his strength, that flesh would have been completely scattered.

I peeked at the meat he was preparing.

“…….”

It was different from what hung above. It wasn’t beef.

On the workbench lay what was once a human figure.

…Now, nothing remained of its original form.

“…Human flesh.”

“You filthy, vile scum!!!!!”

—Thud!

Gongbaek’s eyes turned wild. The man, crushed against the wall, let out a painful scream.

The spilled blood filled the area. It felt as though the very air was sinking, swirling back around us.

Unable to handle the pressure, Su-ryeon crouched down. I cut through the tension and placed my arm on Gongbaek’s shoulder.

“Are you really going to eliminate the thread of hope we barely grasped?”

“…….”

Bul-jun snapped back to reality and lowered his hand. The man who had fallen to the ground let out a groan.

“…That was close. Thanks for stopping me.”

I grabbed the man’s neck. Dragging him along, I forced him to sit upright on a chair.

I slapped him. Several times until he started to come to.

Blood gushed from the mouth of the man who had been gasping and writhing.

“Stop it… Please…”

He barely resembled a human.

But for now, I had to endure. I needed to hear what he had to say.

The man, still gaspingly breathing, clasped his hands in prayer.

“I’ll… I’ll tell you anything. So please, just stop…”

“Explain. What happened here?”

“I… I was just… following orders…”

Is he stalling for time?

I was ready to draw my sword. But Su-ryeon shook her head.

From her hand emerged numerous torture instruments.

“Give the girl just a moment. I’ll make him spill everything he knows.”

The man turned pale.

“I-I’ll talk! I was just… packaging them nicely for consumption! I don’t know anything beyond that! Really…!”

“Who took them?”

“Hyun-baek! Hyun-baek took them!”

“Hyun-baek?”

“Y-yes!”

It was a name I had never heard before. But before long, he had arrived at the scene.

“Makgaya. All packed nicely…”

As the man entered, he froze, spotting us.

Without hesitation, we subdued him. After nearly killing him, we eliminated anyone else associated with him.

Several businesses managed by Shaolin.

Some of them were entangled with human flesh. After two days of tracking, Gongbaek groaned heavily.

“Are you saying that all these people remained silent despite knowing what was being transported…?”

The human heart could be silenced with money.

The downfall of those who lost themselves in the lure of wealth and possessions.

We captured the final messenger. Time and again, he had changed his identity, and ultimately the human flesh ended up being cooked like livestock within a small kitchen in Hanam Province.

The one carrying away the prepared meat was yet another messenger. This one was heading not to Hanam Province, but to a remote place.

After the last messenger disappeared with the cooking, exactly one moment later, a man appeared.

“…Damyang.”

Gongbaek muttered. Under the moonlight, a figure with the cooked meat vanished into the distance.

Where Damyang went looked to be a complex rocky mountain.

“…Chamhwa Cave?”

“Do you know the place?”

“It’s strictly off-limits. There’s a formation preventing anyone from recklessly entering. But… for someone to step in there so casually?”

“There must be an accomplice.”

“…My patrons better follow my footsteps closely. If I lose the flow here, we could be completely trapped inside.”

Gongbaek stepped further inside.

Strange sounds echoed. The familiar energy brushing against my body felt similar to when I had entered before.

But its intensity was markedly weaker.

Gongbaek groaned.

“What is this…?! The direction of the formation has changed?! Did someone intervene?! The entrance isn’t what it used to be…! Follow me closely!”

I followed Gongbaek, struggling to keep up while carefully supporting the staggering Su-ryeon.

“…I’m sorry…”

With a violent flow that stung my skin, it was only natural that anyone unfamiliar would feel like the world was turning upside down.

In fact, if I hadn’t experienced this before, I would have collapsed under the strangeness.

I lifted her into my arms. With both hands, I followed Gongbaek closely.

Gongbaek, glancing back at me, voiced his astonishment.

“How many hidden cards do you have?! Choosing to step deliberately on the weakest point of the formation… It’s a weight that would be unbearable for most people!”

“We need to pick up the pace!”

“Understood!”

—Thud.

My foot finally touched solid ground. The volatile currents calmed instantly.

It felt like I was escaping from a labyrinth where I couldn’t see ahead. Gongbaek grabbed my sleeve and pulled me upward.

Just as we let out a sigh of relief, we spotted a moving black dot in the distance.

“Over there.”

Damyang. His figure appeared once more.

His footfalls led him deeper into some cave, and then he entirely disappeared. Given the ominous look, I asked.

“Is this place original?”

“…That can’t be. I’ve never seen a place like this before.”

Damyang, who had entered with a lantern, returned in under a moment.

We watched him silently. We could collect on-site evidence at any time.

What was important was what lay inside.

“……”

“……”

We stepped into the cave. And then we discovered what lay within.

“…This…”

Heavenly Seer Gongbaek.

Bul-jun, the one considered the first disciple in our order, dropped the wooden fish.

“What in the world…!”

In the deepest part of the cave, the light of a Night Gem shone.

Something bound was stuck against the wall. Someone in human form.

Su-ryeon held up the Night Gem. Within the faint light, his face emerged.

It was undoubtedly the face we had seen just moments ago.

Damyang’s face was there.

We immediately turned our heads.

By the entrance of the cave stood someone.

Damyang. The unknown man who had just slipped away wearing his mask.

But the aura emanating from him felt different.

If the previous one had been a calm lake, this one seemed to bring forth a storm.

Amidst the electrifying energy surging out, he whispered.

“If I hadn’t intentionally twisted the formation, I wouldn’t have noticed your tracking. It’s no coincidence you’re called Bul-jun.”

“You scoundrel! Reveal your true identity!”

“Bul-jun. Don’t raise your voice. I know you’re called the first disciple, but I also know your abilities do not reach the heavens. Even being labeled as a Shaolin Master is not as credible as those rumors… What good is it?”

He shrugged.

“I’ve been caught. Thanks to you, I’ve gotten a bit twisted up… But it’s not too much of a tangle. My strength has already gathered sufficiently. All that remains is to act.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Jeok-un, Inspector of the Martial Alliance. Your actions in the Martial Alliance have been truly remarkable. Even gathering a handful of information so quickly and chasing after me in this place… It’s like you’ve proven your own abilities.”

Damyang whispered.

“Then let me make you an offer, Jeok-un. Grant us an opportunity to join forces.”

“…What?”

“We are the inverted heavens, existing to overlook all.”

Damyang’s body began to twist audibly.

“You do not know me, but I know you well. A spy of the Demon Cult.”

“…What…?”

Bul-jun immediately put distance between us. Su-ryeon gazed at me with concern.

I quickly drew my Blood Sword.

“Who are you?”

“I was once someone who faced Ilma directly. At the same time, I served beside the Heavenly Demon. It was quite a joyful moment. I even forgot about my duties.”

Hair that had never grown before sprouted from his bald head.

Muscles began to grow on his already sturdy body.

Damyang.

As his form transformed, the clothing he wore ripped away, revealing a new appearance.

“Have you heard of the White Heat Grand Master?”

“……!”

Turning humans into corpses using the Demon Summoning Great Art…

It vanished along with the White Heat.

This is one of the targets I’m after.

He tossed aside his red hair, peeling off the tattered clothes that clung to his body.

“Your face has hardened. Jeok-un, there’s no need to worry. I alone had my eyes on you within the inverted heavens. Do you know why? You are weak. Not even worth consideration; utterly feeble. It could be said that it would be strange for someone of such weakness to capture my attention. If it weren’t for what happened in Eungmin, I wouldn’t have cared about you at all. The only reason I’ve taken an interest is due to your connection to the Heavenly Demon; you yourself hold no value.”

“…Where is the White Heat?”

“Oh? Could it be that your return to the Martial Alliance is to seek ‘me’? Intriguing. I never expected that much. I didn’t think the Heavenly Demon would come looking for me… Did the betrayal cut deeper than anticipated? Heh heh. This pleases me. In that case, ‘that’ and ‘her’ must also be on your assassination list. You asked about the White Heat? They are doing well. Very well indeed. However, right now, I do not possess them. I took them away entirely to report to that individual.”

“What?”

“Before all that, I want to say something to you. Your skills are pathetic, but the fact that the Heavenly Demon sent you back to the Martial Alliance when you were once part of the orthodox faction speaks to how much she trusts you. Thus, you hold value for me.”

Sitting atop a rock, he casually flicked his hand.

“Before anything, I must explain. The world requires tuning. Tuning is necessary for the righteous future. Just by looking at me, one can tell. I…”

“You thief! What nonsense are you spouting?!”

“Monk, be quiet. You’re already old and useless. You have no future. What’s the use of being Hyun-kyung? Your mind is so blocked that it doesn’t turn; moreover, your indecisive nature… Even entrusted with becoming the head of Shaolin, you chose to close your eyes. You were eliminated from the candidate list long ago. It means you are useless. Don’t interrupt. I’m not speaking to you.”

“You insolent worm!”

Gongbaek charged forward. His hand darted out, revealing Yi-hyeong Ki.

Yet, just before that blow could hit, it was repelled. The world echoed with a resounding crash as he whispered.

“Monk. Did you think I stood before you unprepared? The reason I needed human flesh was simple. The pinnacle of the Demon Summoning Great Art. Those I bring back through the Rebirth of the Lion must be fed human flesh.”

A burst of energy launched in all directions. The winds howled, consuming everything.

Within the rising dust, Gongbaek staggered backward, his feet leaving long trails in the ground.

The Yi-hyeong Ki extinguished. It wasn’t because he was overpowered; Gongbaek’s widened eyes proved that.

A trembling voice, a gaze that swayed without rest.

It fixated on the solid shadow standing strong amidst the dust.

“…Master?”

From the cleared dust, a figure emerged in a tattered robe. The dense scent of blood accompanied a monk who stood before him, wiping his mouth with a hand.

Aged features. But the energy emanating from him was anything but weak.

He smiled.

“What a surprising reunion. Be a little happier. Monk. Oh, wait. Can you really be joyous? The person you killed has returned. Ah. Jeok-un, you should take a closer look.”

“…What?”

“Doesn’t it smell of kin? For the completion of the Demon Summoning Great Art, there’s something necessary. You possess such a thing. Something that was hard to steal.”

The monk, reeking of death, raised his arm. The minor wounds covering his palm healed in an instant.

Completely swallowed by the roiling black smoke.

“…Cheongeop?”

“Correct. You recognized it quickly. Ah. I’m late on introductions. My name is Ak-bi. The reason I’m bothering to introduce myself in such a situation is simple.”

The man identifying himself as Ak-bi leaned back casually against the former head of Shaolin.

“You can either join us, or die here. The choice is yours, Jeok-un. Now, will it be guaranteed glory or a meaningless death? It all depends on your choice. You know the answer without me having to tell you.”

 

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