Chapter 213
**
Soo-ryeon clung to me.
Just when I thought she was going to reach out to pat my head, she ended up rubbing her cheek against mine. It felt like she was sniffing, and then she seemed to think something was missing before pulling me into a hug.
Rubbing and whispering.
“Jeok-un. Jeok-un.”
Her sweet voice calling my name was making my mind feel a bit hazy.
“Th-That… Soo-ryeon… Calm down…”
“I don’t want to.”
“Excuse me?”
“Please hold me.”
So, I scooped her up with both hands. She was so small that she fit perfectly in my arms…
But she was so thin. Compared to before, it was pretty concerning.
“Soo-ryeon, are you eating on time?”
“…….”
She averted her gaze slightly, so I started feeding her. With her mouth opened as if begging for a bite, I spoon-fed her bite by bite.
Gu Ok-gyeong clicked her tongue.
“What are you, a babysitter?”
“She’s my acquaintance. Don’t say anything.”
“Hey! If that’s the case, feed me too! Tta! Ttatatta!”
“What’s with you…?”
Reluctantly, I slipped some food into Gu Ok-gyeong’s mouth as well. She even sucked on my finger and grinned.
“Tta. Ttatta.”
Looks like she’s regressed to toddlerhood.
Ignoring the dazed Master of Sado Clan, I continued to feed Soo-ryeon like a bird, placing one bite after another into her mouth.
Il-ho was rolling his eyes beside us.
“Um… Master, I could do that much…”
“Read the mood. Don’t touch the girl.”
“Yes.”
Song Nam-cheon clicked his tongue.
“Enjoying the girls is one thing, but shouldn’t we get to business?”
Enjoying girls?
For now, I stood in front of him. The former general of the Black Forest Room, sighing in front of a pile of bodies, whispered to me.
“The massacre of the Black Forest Room will soon reach the ears of the fake Master of Sado Clan. Once she senses the anomaly, she will immediately come up with alternative plans. If we are to gather whatever forces we can control, now is the time. And that is something only the Assassins can do.”
Song Nam-cheon glanced begrudgingly at Soo-ryeon snuggled in my arms. Just to confirm, I asked once.
“Uh, um… You are the Master of Sapa, right?”
Soo-ryeon jumped down to the floor, standing modestly like a little person with her bandage-wrapped body nodding.
A dry voice. Her attitude was flawless from the start, answering for her.
“The Master of Sapa pays her respects to the former general of Sado Clan.”
“…I see. I have a job for you.”
Soo-ryeon turned to me. I nodded.
Soo-ryeon asked back.
“I want to know the details of the job. Quickly and concisely. If you do, I’ll help. But of course, you’ll have to compensate me.”
“…Is pay on the back end possible?”
“If there’s a guarantee.”
“I don’t really have any guarantees…”
“Then I’ll take that person. As a lifetime transfer.”
With her finger pointing sternly at me, Song Nam-cheon specifically checked my reaction.
“Well, you seem close anyway… So this should be fine, right?”
“Do you really think that’ll work?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity. I subtly locked eyes with the Master of Sapa and asked.
“A lifetime transfer isn’t possible… Can we switch it out for something else?”
“What do you propose?”
The words I intended to say to her were
“What if we go together? Soo-ryeon. To the Demon Cult.”
“……!”
Soo-ryeon glanced back. After looking at the surviving members of Sapa, she lowered her voice.
“How many can we take?”
“A large-scale initiation will take some time, but… I’ll especially ask Il-ho for help. I think it’s enough to only separate from a precious acquaintance once… If it’s too much, please don’t feel pressured to accept.”
“I…”
Soo-ryeon pulled at my sleeve tightly. It seemed like she was checking my face over and over.
“…You are really Jeok-un, right?”
“If you’re suspicious, feel free to ask anything.”
“…Okay. I’d prefer to hear the remaining story later. I’ll hear about the initiation later too.”
Soo-ryeon took a breath. She looked at Song Nam-cheon again.
Her previously softened gaze abruptly became dry again.
“I don’t know what it is, but this side of the deal is urgent for you, right? Let’s get to work. For your sake.”
…
After hearing the rough story, Soo-ryeon began to mobilize Sapa from that day on.
“As for the lacking operational funds, I can substitute them with some hidden assets I’ve managed to keep.”
Song Nam-cheon utilized the hidden funds as operational capital. The assassins of Sapa departed as envoys of each faction, secretly notifying them of the gathering place.
Meanwhile, the heads of each faction stealthily left their factions under the cover of night to gather at one location.
Purely, those who sincerely served the real Master of Sado Clan from Sapa.
Song Nam-cheon explained them not as pure-hearted but as ‘beneficiaries’—some of Sado Clan’s remaining conscience.
Given this, they all responded to the secret summons.
“Master!”
“Is it true the rumors were accurate?!”
The leaders of each faction entered through the tent flap. Gu Ok-gyeong waved her hand leisurely.
“You’re here?”
“Master?! Do you remember me?! I am…!”
“Yeah, I know. Man Sin-mun. Gui-gok-Jeong. I taught you a few moves, remember? You’re still not swinging your sword properly? Use the art of stabbing! Stab!”
“Could it be the real Master?! You know the secret only the Master and I know!”
“What in the world is this…?!”
Song Nam-cheon sorted out the murmuring leaders of each faction. He was adept at handling his subordinates and quick to organize situations.
It seemed the leadership from the fortress translated well to handling the faction leaders. And half of that influence came from the silently standing First Sword of Sapa, Heuk Dae-wun.
“Heuk Dae-kyung! If you’re genuine, that means those in Sado Clan are fake?!”
“Having the First Sword of Sapa with us is reassuring.”
“Isn’t that sword the one that has never been bent even once in battle?”
“Yep. That’s right. Taking down a fake would be no issue.”
I glanced at Heuk Dae-wun’s face.
He had not said a word but I could see him awkwardly turning his head away.
Gu Ok-gyeong began to giggle and whisper.
“Hey Dae-wun, have you really never been bent even once?”
“…I’m planning not to start now.”
“What about before?”
“Ahem. Jeok-un, turn your gaze away.”
“Excuse me?”
“Just turn it. It’s annoyingly irritating.”
The heads of each faction briefly arranged a plan. They discussed managing troops, as well as setting a date for regrouping.
Of course, in the meantime, they demanded some form of compensation. Individually it might be one thing, but collectively moving required payment.
Gu Ok-gyeong spoke flatly.
“All those who help will be compensated. Got it? I’m the Master of Sado Clan. I’ll compensate even if I have to raid my personal vault, so just follow me.”
“Yes!”
No one complained about her words, stating the clear distinction between reward and punishment. No one demanded a guarantee letter. Simply, there were only those who believed purely.
The assembled leaders of Sapa dispersed. Song Nam-cheon clicked his tongue while counting heads.
“Even if we can fill the numbers, we’re still lacking proper warriors.”
Gu Ok-gyeong twirled the sword she used to clean up the Black Forest Room.
“Don’t we have any places to scrape for soldiers?”
“There are, but… Master, I can’t say whether we’ll have time to recruit them in this urgent situation.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t we have some trustworthy folks? Those chosen by the First Sword of Sapa.”
“…Ah! The Four Black Daggers?”
Four Black Daggers?
Who are they?
Gu Ok-gyeong stroked her chin, seeming deep in thought before subtly calling for Heuk Dae-wun.
“Dae-wun, can you bring them all?”
“…They are the ones who manage security for each region. Given the distance, I don’t think we could gather them overnight.”
…Each region’s security?
That sounded oddly familiar.
It’s similar to the Blood Sea Organization…
“But if you give me some time, I’ll somehow bring them. They are loyal solely for the Master. If I look for them personally, they won’t refuse my orders.”
“Alright. Let’s gather them… What? Jeok-un. What’s with that look?”
“Have you been mimicking the Blood Sea Organization?”
“…Ahem. Just a little sign of respect… was hoping to get something similar.”
Gu Ok-gyeong, usually so confident, averted her eyes slightly.
Her approach to her favorites seemed oddly vivid.
“Anyways! I’ll leave the Four Black Daggers to you. Dae-wun, gather them as fast as you can. I want to request some cooperation from Sapa.”
“Yes.”
“Alright, that clears things up… As we give them time, their opponent will have time to prepare too, right?”
“But… if we can gather the Four Black Daggers, there’s certainly enough worth risking a situation like this. If the First Sword of Sapa chooses them, they’ll be a significant asset.”
Song Nam-cheon turned his gaze towards me.
“…But all of this will inevitably cause noise. Movement comes with sounds. But if we use something else, we could erase that noise. We could move the forces without the fake noticing.”
“What? How?”
“There’s a name we can use, isn’t there? The guest causing trouble in Sado Clan right now. The name Mu Pungsura. If we act in that name, we should be able to hide a series of events to some extent. However… that means more arrows will fly toward Mu Pungsura.”
“Hiding my actions under Mu Pungsura’s name… Hmm. It sounds good but I don’t like just leaving it to someone else, you know? That feels like pushing everything off onto someone else.”
Gu Ok-gyeong picked up her sword.
“This is actually great. It’s been a while since I saw some blood, so it might be a bit less.”
“Ok-gyeong?”
“Okay! I’m assigning tasks now.”
With a giggle, Gu Ok-gyeong snapped her fingers.
“Song Nam-cheon, tell the approaching leaders to postpone the gathering date. Until we gather the Four Black Daggers. In the meantime, gather whatever soldiers we can find.”
“Understood.”
“Dae-wun, bring all the Four Black Daggers. Their loyalty to me and yours isn’t less strong, right? You can do it alone?”
“I can do it. They are my subordinates after all.”
“Jeok-un, you’ll join me. We’ll completely overshadow the current movements under the name of Mu Pungsura. I happen to know a few who deserve to die, you know? To draw attention, let’s bury them all. What do you think?”
“…Hmm.”
“And honestly.”
Gu Ok-gyeong suddenly pulled at my clothes.
Her eyes were gleaming with excitement.
“Are you curious? What kind of disaster the Master of Sado Clan, obsessed with swords, and I could cause by teaming up?!”
