Chapter 258

Pyo Wol discarded the spear of Ice Kill in a secluded place.

No matter how transparent, it couldn’t completely hide the shape of the spear. Moreover, its length was too great, making it inconvenient to carry.

It might be useful once or twice, but carrying it continuously would inevitably draw people’s attention.

The reason Assassins preferred short weapons was to avoid the eyes of others. In that respect, the spear of Ice Kill was the worst possible Weapon.

By now, Snow Blade Sword Manor’s Martial Artists must have realized that Pyo Wol had used the identity of Ice Kill to commit the Assassination.

It was foolish to use an identity that had already been used once.

Pyo Wol changed to another face without any lingering attachment.

It was the ordinary face he most preferred.

After changing into a face that one might have seen somewhere on the streets, Pyo Wol began to walk.

Having stayed at Snow Blade Sword Manor for several days, he had perfectly memorized its internal structure. He probably knew the layout of Snow Blade Sword Manor far better than even the Manor Lord, Seol Gang-yeon.

Martial Artists and workers were moving about busily.

Only a single day had passed since Geum Siyeon died at Snow Blade Sword Manor. But the effects were immediate.

The Golden Mountain Manor declared that they were severing all ties with Snow Blade Sword Manor.

This meant that Snow Blade Sword Manor could no longer enjoy the abundance it had taken for granted until now.

The Martial Artists who had originally belonged to Snow Blade Sword Manor were less agitated, but the Martial Artists recruited from outside were visibly shaken.

Because of this, the atmosphere at Snow Blade Sword Manor was extremely unsettled.

“To be taken down by an Assassin within Snow Blade Sword Manor? Could that Assassin still be inside Snow Blade Sword Manor?”

“I joined because I thought Snow Blade Sword Manor had the upper hand, but it seems that’s not necessarily the case.”

“By the way, what will the Golden Mountain Manor do? Since Miss Geum lost her life inside Snow Blade Sword Manor, I doubt they’ll just sever ties and leave it at that.”

Pyo Wol listened intently to their conversations.

He knew that truly important information often came from such trivial chats.

Although Pyo Wol was nearby, no one suspected him.

That was how naturally Pyo Wol blended into the surrounding scenery.

It was then.

“Hey you, and you, you… all of you, come here.”

A gruff voice suddenly rang out.

When Pyo Wol looked toward the source of the voice, a young Martial Artist was pointing at and calling over workers.

The young Martial Artist’s name was Ji Gang-pyo.

Among the workers Ji Gang-pyo pointed to was Pyo Wol. He had mistaken Pyo Wol for a worker and called him over.

Pyo Wol calmly approached Ji Gang-pyo.

Once the workers had gathered, Ji Gang-pyo spoke.

“All of you, follow me.”

“Yes!”

The workers answered without knowing why.

Pyo Wol also gave a suitable reply and followed Ji Gang-pyo.

To back out or refuse the order here would only arouse suspicion. It wouldn’t be too late to make a judgment after following along.

The place Ji Gang-pyo took the workers to was a Secret Ground deep within Snow Blade Sword Manor.

It was so clandestine that most of Snow Blade Sword Manor’s Martial Artists were unaware of its existence.

In the Secret Ground stood a small mansion, from which a strange stench emanated. The stench went beyond simply stimulating the sense of smell; it was causing headaches.

The workers wore dumbfounded expressions.

They couldn’t understand why Ji Gang-pyo had brought them here.

On one side of the Secret Ground stood Baek Dokyeong.

Ji Gang-pyo led the workers to Baek Dokyeong.

“I’ve brought them.”

“Good work.”

Baek Dokyeong looked at the workers with cold eyes.

“Your job is very simple. You just have to move the luggage inside.”

Baek Dokyeong’s gaze upon the workers was utterly murderous. Just receiving his gaze was enough to make the workers tremble in fear.

Pyo Wol kept his head down and carefully observed Baek Dokyeong.

Baek Dokyeong paid no mind to Pyo Wol, but the moment Pyo Wol saw him, he knew at once.

That she was of the same dark kind as himself.

That she exuded the distinct damp smell of those who live in the shadows.

She was an existence that did not fit in at Snow Blade Sword Manor.

Pyo Wol firmly imprinted Baek Dokyeong’s face, gaze, and scent in his mind.

Unaware of this, Baek Dokyeong nodded at Ji Gang-pyo. Ji Gang-pyo then led the workers into the mansion.

The inside of the mansion was dark and the stench was severe.

“Cough! Cough!”

“What is this smell…”

The workers started coughing as soon as they entered the mansion.

Pyo Wol also pretended to cough as he surveyed the mansion’s interior.

Wooden planks had been nailed over all the mansion’s windows. Because of this, almost no light came in from the outside.

The source of the stench was a large cauldron in the center of the mansion. It was unknown what had been made, but a terrible stench flowed from the cauldron, which contained only a viscous liquid. And next to the cauldron, tightly sealed wooden boxes were stacked.

Ji Gang-pyo said to the workers.

“Move these boxes outside.”

“Yes!”

The workers replied hastily and rushed to the wooden boxes.

The terrible stench made them want to escape this place as quickly as possible.

It was unknown what was inside, but the boxes were extremely heavy.

The workers each shouldered a box and went outside.

Large Manors usually had small side gates or secret doors that ordinary people could use. Snow Blade Sword Manor was no different.

The Secret Ground had a small secret door that led directly outside. Ji Gang-pyo guided the workers through it.

Outside, a large horse-drawn cargo cart was waiting.

“Load them here.”

At Ji Gang-pyo’s command, the workers loaded the wooden boxes they had carried with difficulty.

Pyo Wol also loaded the box he was carrying onto the cart.

“Drive the cart and follow me.”

Ji Gang-pyo said coldly and mounted another horse that was nearby.

The workers followed Ji Gang-pyo without any suspicion.

They were all people who had not worked at Snow Blade Sword Manor for long. They were simply working for money and knew nothing about Snow Blade Sword Manor’s internal affairs.

They just wished for this job to end quickly so they could return to Snow Blade Sword Manor.

Pyo Wol, thoroughly concealing his expression, watched Ji Gang-pyo’s back as he led the way.

At a glance, it was clear this was not a job being carried out through the official chain of command.

This kind of work often required secrecy. And there was only one sure way to keep a secret.

Pyo Wol knew this fact better than anyone.

Just then, one of the workers spoke to him.

“Where do you work? I haven’t seen your face before.”

“Ah! I work at the Guest Reception Hall.”

“Is that so? How is it working there? The place I work is crawling with real pains in the ass.”

“It’s the same for me. If anything, it’s worse.”

“Damn it! There’s no easy place anywhere.”

The worker didn’t even suspect Pyo Wol’s nonchalant reply.

The place Ji Gang-pyo took the workers to was a river far from Runan. A small boat was waiting for them by the riverbank.

A group of Martial Artists was on the boat.

The appearance of the Martial Artists, all dressed in black Martial arts uniforms, was suspicious at a single glance.

“Wait here.”

Ji Gang-pyo had the workers stop and approached the boat alone. A man who appeared to be the leader got off the boat and talked with Ji Gang-pyo for a long time.

The conversation must have gone well, as Ji Gang-pyo returned to the workers with a smile.

“Load all the cargo from the cart onto the boat.”

“Yes!”

The workers replied and began moving the wooden boxes from the cart to the boat.

The entire riverbank was muddy, making it difficult to even keep their balance. The workers barely maintained their balance as they moved forward.

Pyo Wol also staggered as he moved the cargo.

As he got closer to the boat, he could hear the Martial Artists talking.

“That person is amazing too. To think they’d make the Demonic Transformation Pill inside Snow Blade Sword Manor.”

“Isn’t that person someone who uses whatever they can?”

“True! That’s probably how they reached that position at that age.”

They couldn’t have imagined that Pyo Wol was listening to their conversation.

They were speaking in very low voices, and there was some distance between them and the workers.

Then, the lead Martial Artist shouted.

“Stop the useless chatter. We’re leaving as soon as the cargo is loaded, so get ready.”

“Yes, sir!”

The lead Martial Artist appeared to be in his mid-to-late fifties.

He had a goatee and a sinister gaze, enough to send shivers down one’s spine just by looking at him.

The workers grunted as they went back and forth between the boat and the cart.

Thud!

Finally, the last box was loaded onto the boat.

“Hooah!”

“I’m dead.”

The workers wiped the sweat from their foreheads and patted their lower backs with their hands. It was several times more difficult than moving cargo on flat ground. So they failed to see Ji Gang-pyo and the lead Martial Artist exchange glances.

“You all worked hard.”

Ji Gang-pyo approached the workers, grinning.

“Not at all. It’s what we’re supposed to do, of course.”

The oldest of the workers bowed his head with an apologetic expression.

“Right! If you’ve worked hard, you should be rewarded.”

Swoosh!

Ji Gang-pyo suddenly swung his sword, cutting down the old worker in a single blow.

“Gack! Why, why?”

The worker, his throat slit, stared at Ji Gang-pyo with a look of disbelief.

Ji Gang-pyo rested the sword on his shoulder and smiled.

“Why? It’s the rule for this kind of work not to leave any witnesses.”

“Uwaaah!”

“Run!”

The workers who saw the scene scattered in all directions to Escape. Pyo Wol also fled like the other workers.

Ji Gang-pyo used his Lightness Art to chase the workers.

While the workers’ steps were slow due to the mud, Ji Gang-pyo used an application of the Water Glider Lightness Art to move like the wind. He flashed east and west, slaughtering all the workers.

“Kraaack!”

“Gack!”

The workers’ screams echoed across the riverbank.

Ji Gang-pyo’s final target was Pyo Wol.

Unlike the other workers, Pyo Wol was fleeing toward the river.

“Foolish! Do you think you can Escape that way?”

Ji Gang-pyo pursued Pyo Wol in an instant.

Feeling the presence behind him, Pyo Wol turned around. In Ji Gang-pyo’s eyes, Pyo Wol’s terror-stricken expression was vivid. It was by no means a lie.

Ji Gang-pyo swung his sword like a thunderbolt at Pyo Wol’s chest.

Sccrrk!

He felt the sensation of the sword slicing through a chest.

Splash!

Pyo Wol fell into the river without even a scream.

Ji Gang-pyo stood on the riverbank, waiting for Pyo Wol’s body to surface. But no matter how long he waited, Pyo Wol’s body did not float up.

Ji Gang-pyo looked at the sword in his hand.

“It felt a little shallow… Well, it shouldn’t matter.”

The sensation from the sword was different from usual.

Normally, there would be resistance when cutting deep, but this time there was almost no feeling of catching on anything.

But Ji Gang-pyo thought nothing of it.

He couldn’t even imagine that a mere worker could survive after being wounded by his sword.

That would be an insult to his sword.

Ji Gang-pyo looked at the Martial Artists on the boat and said.

“The Kill and Silence is complete, so you can leave without worry.”

“Mm! Take good care of this Subordinate. He’s someone the Deathshroud is paying special attention to.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Then let’s meet again next time. Though it’s highly likely we’ll see each other somewhere else.”

“I suppose so. Please travel safely, Captain.”

Ji Gang-pyo gave a Fist-Palm Salute to the lead Martial Artist.

The lead Martial Artist nodded and ordered his Subordinates to depart. The boat glided across the water’s surface.

Only after confirming that the boat had completely disappeared did Ji Gang-pyo look around. The bodies of the workers he had killed were scattered all over the riverbank.

Ji Gang-pyo threw all the workers’ bodies into the river.

The river swallowed the bodies and flowed on haughtily, as if nothing had happened.

“Come to think of it, that last guy saved me some trouble. Choosing the river as his own grave.”

Ji Gang-pyo let out a smirk.

＊＊＊

Black Tiger picked up the transparent spear.

It was a spear made of ice crystal.

In All Under Heaven, there was only one person who used such an artifact.

“Ice Kill!”

And Ice Kill had been found dead in his own residence.

With minute holes pierced through his forehead, heart, and both hands. The holes that pierced his forehead and heart were especially fatal.

The holes were so fine that only something like a silk thread could pass through.

Black Tiger had killed countless people and seen just as many corpses. But none of the wounds he had ever seen were similar to Ice Kill’s.

“Did he use Silver Thread?”

The only weapon his imagination could conjure was something like Silver Thread. But Silver Thread was too fine, making it nearly impossible to use as a weapon on its own.

“He was a more terrifying bastard than I thought.”

Black Tiger’s gaze sank deep.

The enemy he had taken lightly was hiding claws that were larger and more terrifying than he had thought.

After the spear of Ice Kill, no trace of Pyo Wol could be found anywhere.

He had either perfectly hidden his identity and was in Stealth, or he had clearly escaped Snow Blade Sword Manor.

“That bastard!”

Black Tiger’s gaze swept over the interior of Snow Blade Sword Manor.