Chapter 65

He sat in the darkness.

He had been there for quite some time.

Like a part of the scenery, like the darkness itself.

He was Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol, assimilated with the darkness, was looking down.

Below, Jeong Hwa, Geum Haryeon, Jang Muryang, and others were gathered, discussing countermeasures.

Although the most renowned Experts in Sichuan Province were gathered in one place, none of them noticed that Pyo Wol was in the same space as them.

In the first place, Pyo Wol had never left the Hundred Flowers Room.

He hadn’t moved a single step from his spot, even when the martial artists of the Hundred Flowers Room and the Emei Sect were conducting their search.

A few martial artists had even searched near where Pyo Wol was sitting. Yet, they passed by without noticing his presence at all.

From here, Pyo Wol watched everything.

The level of the Hundred Flowers Room’s response.

The judgment of the Emei Sect’s martial artists.

The conversation between Jeong Hwa and her confidants.

And even her meeting with Jang Muryang.

He watched it all from beginning to end.

Among them, he observed Jeong Hwa with particular focus.

A long time had passed, but Pyo Wol remembered her clearly.

It would be stranger not to remember, since he had taken one of her eyes with his own hands.

She had indeed pursued Pyo Wol relentlessly.

Even though they were the ones who had commissioned the job, they betrayed and attacked him first, annihilating the Bloody Shadows Guild.

He held not the slightest affection for the Bloody Shadows Guild, but he was determined to make them pay the proper price for what happened back then. That was why he was taking this difficult, roundabout way.

He could have simply ambushed and killed her in an instant. But that would be too happy a death for Jeong Hwa.

She must not be allowed to die easily.

She must live to the very end and witness the consequences of her actions.

That was why Pyo Wol killed her disciple, Gongseon, instead of Jeong Hwa.

Some might criticize him for killing an innocent person, but Pyo Wol didn’t care for such public condemnation.

Jianghu was a place of killing and being killed.

The romantic Jianghu where strangers met and shared a sense of justice had long since disappeared. And Pyo Wol’s emotions were far too dry and withered to speak of romance.

Just like the smile hanging on his lips.

Ssssk!

Like a snake, Pyo Wol slipped out of the Great Hall without a sound. Until that moment, no one, not the people inside the Great Hall nor those outside, noticed his presence.

The disciples of the Hundred Flowers Room and the Emei Sect thought they were keeping a thorough watch, but none of them noticed Pyo Wol slipping out.

After leaving the Hundred Flowers Room, Pyo Wol returned to his lodging without a sound.

The gazes of Maun and his colleagues could no longer be felt. Pyo Wol realized the surveillance was gone.

For the first time in a while, Pyo Wol bathed with a light heart.

He spent a leisurely time soaking his body in the warm water. Then, he suddenly looked at his own hand.

As he circulated his Qi, the Soul Restraining Thread formed at his fingertips.

It was the Soul Restraining Thread that had taken Gongseon’s life.

He had used the Soul Restraining Thread like a noose to stop Gongseon’s breath.

Although he could only control a single strand of the Soul Restraining Thread at will, its power was terrifyingly dreadful.

More so than Pyo Wol had thought.

Gongseon’s breath had been cut off without her even knowing she was dying.

That was the last mercy Pyo Wol bestowed upon the Emei Sect.

After finishing his bath, Pyo Wol came out and got dressed.

Only after fastening the belt that held the Ghostly Rain did he come down to the first-floor dining hall.

“You’re out, sir?”

As Pyo Wol sat down, a Waiter quickly ran over.

“Bring me a light meal.”

“Yes! Please wait just a moment.”

The Waiter scurried toward the kitchen like a squirrel.

The Inn was quiet.

Most of the customers had already finished their meals and left. Thanks to that, Pyo Wol could enjoy a meal in peace for the first time in a while.

The breakfast was quite delicious, as if the cook had paid special attention. Thanks to that, Pyo Wol was able to enjoy a satisfying meal.

Pyo Wol enjoyed the morning’s leisure, drinking his tea last.

The entire city of Chengdu was abuzz with what he had done, but he himself was drinking tea, enjoying the pouring sunlight and the breeze.

The sight of Pyo Wol enjoying his tea with his eyes half-closed became a picture in itself.

While everyone else moved busily, only he seemed to be in a place where time had stopped.

For the first time in a long while, Pyo Wol fully enjoyed his time alone.

Time flew by just by drinking tea, looking at the scenery outside, and watching the people passing by.

The peace was broken just as Pyo Wol was about to take his last sip and stand up from his seat.

“Handsome Orabeoni.”

Someone approached, calling out to Pyo Wol.

There was only one person who would use such a title for him.

‘Heo Ranju.’

Turning his head in the direction of the voice, he saw Heo Ranju approaching.

“Can I sit down?”

Heo Ranju asked for permission as she sat down.

As Pyo Wol stared at her wordlessly, Heo Ranju grinned and said.

“Still as handsome as ever.”

“What is it?”

“I just came to see if you were okay. And I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“About how rude the Unit Leader was that day. You were very flustered, weren’t you?”

“Not at all!”

At Pyo Wol’s answer, Heo Ranju’s eyes narrowed.

Recalling the memory of that day, a wave of shame washed over her again. But she thoroughly concealed her inner thoughts and looked at Pyo Wol.

Even with Heo Ranju in front of him, Pyo Wol showed no particular agitation.

‘Am I wrong?’

In truth, she had come because she suspected Pyo Wol might be the one who killed Gongseon. It was the case of the death of the Emei Sect’s second-greatest disciple.

Naturally, every martial artist who had entered Sichuan Province was a suspect. Pyo Wol was one of them.

Heo Ranju tried to find any trace of the previous night’s killing on Pyo Wol. It wasn’t a rational suspicion.

Perhaps she was doing this because her pride was hurt.

Knowing this, Heo Ranju still obsessed over Pyo Wol.

Heo Ranju couldn’t understand her own reaction. This was the first time she had ever been so obsessed with a man.

‘It’s like I’m possessed by a ghost.’

A light of desire flickered in Heo Ranju’s eyes.

After staring at Pyo Wol for a moment, Heo Ranju gathered her courage and opened her mouth.

“Handsome Orabeoni. How about you think about it again?”

“About what?”

“Our Unit Leader’s proposal.”

“To join the Black Cloud Corps?”

“Yes! I’ll treat you well.”

“What do you mean, treat me well?”

“Hng! Everything.”

“Everything?”

“Yes! Anything you can imagine.”

Heo Ranju’s expression turned seductive.

No matter how clueless a man might be, there was no way he wouldn’t know what her expression meant.

But Heo Ranju couldn’t hear Pyo Wol’s answer.

“Heh heh! I was wondering where you went without a word, and here you were.”

A loud voice suddenly rang out.

At the voice, which sounded like a bronze bell ringing, the people inside the Inn covered their ears in pain.

Heo Ranju’s gaze turned cold.

She had recognized the uninvited guest who had interrupted at a crucial moment.

Turning her head, she saw the large-framed Jang Han standing at the entrance of the Inn.

“O-Yukpae!”

“Heh heh!”

“Were you following me?”

“Following? The Unit Leader told me to fetch you, so I came looking.”

Jang Han was O-Yukpae, a member of the Black Cloud Corps alongside Heo Ranju.

Although he was talking to Heo Ranju, O-Yukpae’s gaze was fixed on Pyo Wol.

In an instant, Heo Ranju’s expression completely changed.

She had remembered that O-Yukpae enjoyed the company of men.

“Is that man Pyo Wol? He’s as handsome as they say. Truly handsome. Heh heh!”

A red glint shimmered in O-Yukpae’s eyes.

Heo Ranju knew well what that meant.

“Don’t get any foolish ideas.”

“What foolish ideas?”

“O-Yukpae!”

“What the hell kind of foolish ideas are you saying I have?”

Despite Heo Ranju’s voice, laced with killing intent, O-Yukpae wore an unconcerned expression.

His gaze was still fixed on Pyo Wol.

Though clearly a man, his bewitching looks and his lean, smooth body, devoid of any excess fat, stimulated O-Yukpae’s lust.

‘He’s to die for.’

Just as he gulped down his dry saliva.

“If you don’t look away by the count of three, you’ll never see the world with those two eyes again.”

At that moment, Pyo Wol’s cold voice pierced O-Yukpae’s ears. But O-Yukpae, on the contrary, brightened up and approached Pyo Wol.

“What’s this? Pretty boy. Are you talking to me right now?”

“One!”

“Heh heh!”

“Two!”

“Whoa, whoa! I’m not a scary person.”

“Three!”

Shhh!

At that moment, a sharp, piercing sound echoed through the Inn.

Pyo Wol had thrown the chopsticks that were in front of him.

“Damn it!”

O-Yukpae focused his Internal Energy into his arms and blocked his face.

Thwack!

With a low sound, a chopstick embedded itself deep into his forearm. It was a good thing he had raised his Internal Energy; otherwise, the chopstick would have pierced his forearm and lodged in his eye.

“You, you bastard!”

O-Yukpae lowered the arm that had been covering his face and glared at the table where Pyo Wol was sitting. But Pyo Wol, who he expected to be there, was nowhere to be seen.

“Huh?”

At that moment, as if by a lie, Pyo Wol appeared right in front of his nose.

“No!”

Heo Ranju let out a cry of alarm and tried to swing the whip at her waist. Whatever the circumstances, she couldn’t just stand by and watch her comrade, O-Yukpae, get hurt.

Having fought him herself, she knew very well how strong Pyo Wol was.

She knew what a cruel hand was hidden behind that demonic face.

But before Heo Ranju could even halfway unfurl her whip, O-Yukpae’s desperate scream echoed.

“Kuaaargh!”

A chopstick was deeply embedded in his right eye.

Having lost an eye in an instant, O-Yukpae thrashed about, letting out a beast-like scream.

Kwang! Kwang!

The furniture inside the Inn shattered from his thrashing, and the customers screamed and ran outside.

‘Too late.’

Heo Ranju wore a look of despair.

Even with her eyes wide open, she hadn’t seen how on earth Pyo Wol had leaped over the table to appear in front of O-Yukpae.

It was as if the constraints of space were no obstacle to him at all. That made him feel even more frightening.

“Uwaaah! I’ll kill you, you bastard!”

O-Yukpae was rampaging like a madman.

Everyone felt fear towards him, but Pyo Wol stared at him blankly, his expression unchanging.

O-Yukpae’s fists carried a fierce power, but that power was useless if it didn’t connect.

Whoosh!

O-Yukpae’s fist missed Pyo Wol by a hair’s breadth.

Pyo Wol moved his body minimally to dodge O-Yukpae’s fist.

Watching O-Yukpae’s fist miss by a mere paper’s width, Heo Ranju felt a chill run down her spine.

Pyo Wol was thoroughly toying with O-Yukpae.

His movements were like a snake.

A large snake that would slip away the moment you showed the slightest opening.

Only then did Heo Ranju realize that it was no coincidence she had been subdued by Pyo Wol in a single move.

“Damn it!”

Pyo Wol was the real deal.

Behind that handsome face lurked an unimaginable cruelty.

Heo Ranju prided herself on having been through thick and thin, but Pyo Wol’s cruelty frightened even her.

In Pyo Wol’s hand, a single Flying Dagger had appeared.

It was the Ghostly Rain.

Shhh!

The Ghostly Rain grazed past O-Yukpae’s knee.

Blood spurted from his knee, and O-Yukpae’s large body collapsed.

“Keeeuk!”

O-Yukpae knelt and stared at Pyo Wol with his one remaining eye. Fear was contained in that eye.

He had realized that the man he had intended to make his plaything was, in fact, a Reaper.

“Ugh! S-save me!”

Forgetting all his pride, O-Yukpae begged for his life.

The man he had thought of as a plaything was an Expert beyond his imagination.

O-Yukpae didn’t want to die here.

“P-please!”

He pleaded, tears and snot running down his face.

At that moment, Heo Ranju swung her whip and intervened between the two.

The whip instantly wrapped around O-Yukpae’s waist.

“Hah!”

Heo Ranju pulled the whip. O-Yukpae’s large body flew to the side opposite Pyo Wol, as if thrown by a sling.

Heo Ranju leaped into the air and snatched O-Yukpae.

“You fucking idiot! Of all the times to interfere…”

Heo Ranju looked at O-Yukpae, tucked under her arm, with a contemptuous gaze.

She had now abandoned the thought of recruiting Pyo Wol.

O-Yukpae had completely ruined what little possibility remained.

Heo Ranju took O-Yukpae and escaped to a high rooftop, out of Pyo Wol’s reach.

For some reason, Pyo Wol didn’t chase her, but just watched.

Heo Ranju said to him.

“Orabeoni, you’re really aggressive. Still, to do this to O-Yukpae. But if you keep acting on a whim like this without thinking of the consequences, you won’t be able to avoid disaster. So you’d better be careful from now on.”

Heo Ranju thought all of this was a coincidence.

An unfortunate accident caused by a series of coincidences.

A momentary accident that occurred when O-Yukpae’s habit of pursuing men clashed with Pyo Wol’s aggressiveness.

She didn’t know.

That an assassin never moves on a momentary emotion.

That when an assassin moves, all calculations have already been completed.