Chapter 8
The leader of the Tiger Hunting team of Seo Cheon Ho, Hwang Byeok.
He was trembling in the greatest fear of his life.
It was an ordinary day. An assassination order had come from above, and the target was just some low-ranking recruit from the Murim Alliance.
He was displeased that the entire team had to move for such a trivial target, but since the job would end quickly, he was already planning to visit a gambling den afterward.
However, the assassination target they encountered was a man who far exceeded their expectations. The Murim Alliance instructor, whom they had assumed would be an obstacle, did nothing.
Hwang Byeok stared at the black iron staff with trembling eyes. It was covered in the blood and flesh of his subordinates, and now it was hovering near the last remaining subordinate’s head.
The subordinate, already broken, could do nothing but weep uncontrollably.
The monstrous man who had decimated their team gazed down with dry, indifferent eyes and spoke.
“The words I want to hear from you.”
Hwang Byeok cursed inwardly.
How was he supposed to know that? He wasn’t a mind reader.
Fighting through his fear, he spoke.
“G-Great warrior… Ask me anything you want to know. I’ll answer anything. Please…”
The man, Cheon Woo-jin, stared at him blankly and then raised his iron staff, the Crescent Moon, high.
Hwang Byeok’s last remaining subordinate clenched his eyes shut. He could still vividly see how his comrades’ heads had been mercilessly crushed by that iron staff.
Just as the Crescent Moon staff was about to fall—
“I-I’ll talk!”
“…”
The Crescent Moon staff stopped just short of shattering his head.
Hwang Byeok felt his stomach churn. That staff was clearly heavy, yet the man wielded it like a mere twig. It was evident at a glance that his martial prowess was on a completely different level.
Cheon Woo-jin smirked.
“Speak.”
Hwang Byeok hurriedly revealed everything he knew.
“We were informed in advance that a Murim Alliance task force would be passing through this area.”
Zhuge Liang furrowed her brows.
“You knew it was a Murim Alliance mission and still dared to attack?”
But Hwang Byeok, as if he didn’t care about the Murim Alliance instructors at all, focused solely on Cheon Woo-jin. He had to, to survive.
“The target was a young martial artist named Cheon Woo-jin. He was described as using a black staff and a white fan, with martial skills beyond his years. But we never expected him to be this strong.”
“And?”
Cheon Woo-jin looked down at him. He had yet to hear what he truly wanted.
Facing that unreadable gaze, Hwang Byeok spoke frantically.
“I don’t know the client! I swear! The only thing I know is—”
He hesitated. Revealing internal affairs felt dangerous. But compared to getting his head crushed by an iron staff?
“The original mission of the Murim Alliance group was to eliminate the Blood Excursion Squad—a group that exclusively targets villages without martial artists or government soldiers, abducting women and slaughtering men. We belong to the Tiger Hunting team, another assassination unit under Seo Cheon Ho.”
Cheon Woo-jin nodded.
They even knew about his mission.
This meant that someone inside the Murim Alliance had leaked information.
Hwang Byeok, having revealed everything he knew, looked up at Cheon Woo-jin with a mix of fear and expectation.
“I see.”
Cheon Woo-jin smiled slightly, and Hwang Byeok felt a momentary sense of relief.
And then—
Thud!
The last subordinate’s head was crushed without mercy.
Hwang Byeok’s mind went blank.
He had revealed everything. But his subordinate still died.
He did that, not because he cared about the man, but because he knew he was next.
The iron staff, the Crescent Moon, now hovered right before his eyes.
Hwang Byeok’s robes grew damp as he stared at the blunt yet undeniably lethal iron staff.
Song Yi-yeon, standing beside them, commented.
“Young hero Cheon, this guy just wet himself.”
“You didn’t need to say that.”
“No, I had to. You’re so terrifying that I might wet myself next.”
Cheon Woo-jin looked at him in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Hwang Byeok felt like he was losing his mind.
The young man before him looked no different from a typical martial prodigy.
And yet, this kid was toying with his life like it meant nothing. His actions were completely unpredictable. At any moment, that iron staff could swing down and crush him.
Cheon Woo-jin turned back to Hwang Byeok, his gaze growing cold again.
“You have one last chance.”
Hwang Byeok felt sick.
Even after revealing everything, he still hadn’t said what this monster wanted to hear.
D-**** it…
“I told you everything, you *****!”1I am not a fan of swearing, that’s why I delete them.
Fear drove him to madness.
He cursed, screamed, and swore revenge, vowing that even in death, he would haunt his enemies.
But Cheon Woo-jin remained completely unfazed.
“Is that all? You don’t seem to value opportunities.”
With those words, he raised his Crescent Moon staff once more.
It was at that moment that…
Hwang Byeok suddenly noticed something odd about Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes.
Those unfathomable eyes.
His fear turned to realization.
This was not someone he could beg for mercy from.
He wasn’t toying with him, he truly sought a specific answer.
Hwang Byeok’s gaze fell on the iron staff that had killed all his subordinates.
It had a deep, subtle luster with a black iron exterior.
‘Could it be…?’
Hwang Byeok’s eyes trembled.
That terrifying man had recognized the Tiger Hunting team’s formation technique. A technique taught directly by their leader’s master.
That master was said to be an even greater evil than Seo Cheon Ho’s leader. A disciple of the Dark Heavenly Lord himself.
Hwang Byeok, in the midst of despair, suddenly felt lucky.
Because long ago, when he first joined Seo Cheon Ho, he had heard a story about Heukno.
The eldest disciple of the Dark Heavenly Lord.
A true monster among monsters.
Hwang Byeok turned to look at Cheon Woo-jin once more.
That gaze… was full of deep, absolute malice.
And finally, he understood.
‘He… has reversed his aging, hasn’t he?’
Hwang Byeok had misunderstood something.
But to him, it was the only logical conclusion.
This was Heukno, returned in a youthful body.
Without hesitation, Hwang Byeok prostrated himself on the ground.
“I… I did not recognize my esteemed elder! I serve your disciple…!”
Thud.
A light weight was placed on the back of his bowed head. The cold sensation of metal sent chills down his spine.
“Lead the way.”
“What?”
Hwang Byeok couldn’t even lift his head as he stammered.
Cheon Woo-jin tapped the back of his head lightly with his iron staff and spoke.
“The Blood Excursion Squad, the ones who pillage small villages. Take me to them.”
Hwang Byeok trembled but still couldn’t understand. He asked again,
“Wh-why…?”
“Because my mission is to kill them.”
Hwang Byeok swallowed dryly.
Why would Heukno’s mission be to kill The Blood Excursion Squad? Could it be that Seo Cheon Ho’s head had turned Heukno into an enemy?
If that were the case…
Hwang Byeok resolved that if he survived, he would leave Seo Cheon Ho.
That was the kind of existence Heukno was in the world of villains.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Liang and Song Yi-yeon had dumbfounded expressions.
“He’s actually going to carry out a Murim Alliance mission in this situation?”
“He looks so normal on the outside… but up close, he’s completely insane.”
The longer they watch, the more terrifying he becomes.
To them, that was exactly what Cheon Woo-jin was.
Oblivious to their thoughts, Cheon Woo-jin swung his iron staff in the air. A gust of wind blew away the blood and flesh stuck to it. Then, after slinging the staff back over his shoulder, he spoke.
“I’m going to follow this man, wipe out the Blood Expulsion or whatever they’re called, and then head straight to Seo Cheon Ho. So, all of you should go back. Just report that I’m dead.”
“Why would we do that?”
Song Yi-yeon asked, and Cheon Woo-jin replied casually.
“If I’m dead, the person who commissioned them will feel safe and let their guard down.”
Song Yi-yeon nodded seriously. He had already realized that information was leaking from within.
“Wait a second. What are you saying? We should report this to the higher-ups and have the Murim Alliance investigate! And do you even know how big Seo Cheon Ho is?”
Zhuge Liang, as a Murim Alliance warrior, was well aware of the major rogue factions of the time.
Of course, she didn’t know that Seo Cheon Ho’s real master was an even greater villain lurking in the shadows.
Cheon Woo-jin had expected her reaction. It was only natural for someone from the Murim Alliance.
In a flat tone, he asked,
“What if the investigation doesn’t find anything?”
“What?”
“Then I’d have to keep living under the threat of assassination. Can you personally guarantee my safety, Deputy Leader?”
“…”
Zhuge Liang closed her mouth.
She had momentarily forgotten, due to Cheon Woo-jin’s overwhelming martial prowess, that there were enemies after him within the Murim Alliance.
He continued speaking.
“Also, the person this guy serves seems to be acquainted with my master. In the Murim world, it’s not unusual for a disciple to take on their master’s burdens, is it?”
“Well, that’s true…”
“Then this isn’t about me as a Murim Alliance recruit. This is me acting as a disciple. Do you have the grounds to stop me? If you try to block me as an official, I’ll simply quit the exam.”
Zhuge Liang sighed.
Everything he said was perfectly reasonable, and even with her sharp intellect, she couldn’t find a rebuttal.
“Then I’ll go with you.”
“Huh?”
Cheon Woo-jin let out a puzzled sound. He hadn’t expected Zhuge Liang to volunteer to follow him.
She said firmly,
“Regardless, Young Hero Cheon, you’re my responsibility. The same goes for all the recruits here. Until this mission is over, I have to look after you.”
Seeing her determined gaze, Cheon Woo-jin shrugged.
“If that puts your mind at ease.”
Then he turned to Song Yi-yeon.
“Fellow warrior Song, take the other recruits back to the Alliance. Report that I’m dead and that the Deputy Leader is secretly tracking the enemies.”
Song Yi-yeon and the other recruits accepted the order.
They had all owed their lives to Cheon Woo-jin, so they had no choice but to follow his decision.
To ensure their story would be believable, Cheon Woo-jin used his fan to make shallow wounds on their bodies.
His movements were so precise that, despite their skin being cut and blood flowing, they felt no pain at all.
It was yet another reminder of how unfathomably skilled he was.
After finishing, he finally approached Song Yi-yeon.
He lightly tore his spotless clothes, then raised his blade towards his face.
“Wa-wait!”
“…”
“This is my treasure! Just make deeper cuts elsewhere instead!”
Cheon Woo-jin looked dumbfounded.
For a martial artist, this man was absurdly concerned about his face.
“But your face is too clean.”
In response, Song Yi-yeon smeared dirt and blood all over his face and said,
“This should be enough, right?”
“…”
The more he saw of Song Yi-yeon, the more he felt like he was dealing with an oddball.
***
With that, the recruits left for the Murim Alliance.
Only then did Hwang Byeok, who had been anxiously observing, gather the courage to speak.
“So… you’re not him?”
Through their conversation, he realized Cheon Woo-jin wasn’t Heukno.
Cheon Woo-jin answered dryly.
“I am his disciple.”
“Then… you’re not a reborn master?”
Hwang Byeok fell into deep thought.
He had confessed everything, thinking this man was Heukno.
If this was just some young warrior instead…
Maybe he could deal with the Blood Excursion Squad. But could he really stand against that person?
If he failed and got killed, then…
Hwang Byeok’s mind was in utter turmoil.
“Then… where is your master?”
“He left. Very far away.”
Hwang Byeok clenched his eyes shut.
Whether Heukno had simply gone on a long journey or had died, he couldn’t tell.
But if Heukno’s influence no longer reached here, then this young warrior would almost certainly be killed.
“Do you even know who you’re going to face?”
Hwang Byeok asked cautiously.
Cheon Woo-jin chuckled.
He had already anticipated encountering one particular man.
“Suramagun.”
Zhuge Liang’s expression turned blank.
She, too, knew of the Suramagun.
He was a high-level Murim criminal, someone who would require the combined force of at least three Murim Alliance task forces to handle.
“…Huh?”
So… he knew he was dealing with Suramagun.
And yet, he still insisted on going alone?
And I just agreed to follow him?
“Haha… ha… ha…”
Zhuge Liang let out a hollow laugh, as if she had lost her mind.
Watching her reaction, Cheon Woo-jin confirmed that she, too, was quite the peculiar person.
“If you’re scared, you can turn back. But my master called Suramagun ‘weak,’ so there’s no need to worry too much. He didn’t even bother warning me about him.”
Zhuge Liang’s face turned grave.
“…Are you the disciple of the Northern Heaven Alliance Lord?”
“No.”
“Then… the Lord of the Black Tyrant Fortress?”
The Black Tyrant Fortress was considered the greatest stronghold of the dark path in the current era.
Cheon Woo-jin recalled meeting the fortress lord as a child and smirked.
“Neither.”
“Then why are you laughing?”
“I just remembered something funny.”
Being beaten senseless by his master from morning till night, only for the Black Tyrant Fortress Lord to still show up for a meal and leave, was hilarious to him.
At least, to Cheon Woo-jin, it was.
I know I am being extra extra slow with this novel, but I am trying to find time for it to be regularly updated. So don’t you worry, soon I will focus on it.
