Chapter 72 – First Come First Served

Chapter 72 – First Come First Served

“Water! Bring more water here!”

At the thunderous shout, San-ho snapped out of his thoughts.

He took out a handkerchief to cover the child's mouth and nose, then called out to a servant running past with a water bucket.

“Deok-so!”

“Young Master, a-a fire has broken out in the Cloud Joy Hall and the Cheonggeum Pavilion!”

Deok-so, who was running with a pale face, stopped when he spotted San-ho. San-ho took the water bucket from him and set the child down on the ground.

“Take the child to the annex. I will go check on the Cloud Joy Hall.”

“W-Will you be alright…”

“I'm fine. More importantly, are there any injured?”

“Fortunately, no one is seriously hurt. B-But the Family Head and the Hall Leaders are away due to the issue at the Medical Pavilion, so the flames aren't, e-easily, being put out!”

“I understand.”

Having quickly grasped the situation, San-ho left the child in Deok-so's care and ran toward the Cloud Joy Hall.

The fires had broken out at the Cloud Joy Hall, which was in charge of receiving guests for the Tang Clan, and the Cheonggeum Pavilion, which stored utensils and metals. Filled with a strange sense of unease, San-ho's steps toward the scene of the fire grew increasingly anxious.

‘Could this also be related to the incident at Mount Yeongju?’

It had not been long since they found the Firewood Exhausted, Fire Extinguished poison in the Mount Yeongju waterway. However, with the culprit not yet caught, a fire had broken out. He needed to verify whether this was indeed a naturally occurring fire.

“……!!”

The first place he arrived at was in front of the Cloud Joy Hall.

The pavilion, which had been elegant with the craftsmanship of artisans, was burning furiously.

Grit his teeth at the scorching heat, San-ho lifted a bucket full of water and splashed it toward the nearby flames. The flames seemed to die down briefly, emitting black smoke, but then violently spewed out heat once again.

‘It won't work like this.’

The area in front of the Cloud Joy Hall was in chaotic disarray with martial artists attempting to contain the flames. As the flames burned fiercely, San-ho lined up the martial artists and established a system. Then, he picked up a water bucket rolling on the ground.

It was then.

Boom!!

Along with a tremendous roar, hot heat swept over the surroundings. Even though he was not touched by the fire since he was a fair distance away, his entire face felt hot enough to burn. A sharp ringing sound echoed in his ears, which had gone numb from the aftermath of the explosion.

Turning his head in the direction of the noise, he saw blacker smoke than before rising from the Cheonggeum Pavilion, where various metals and utensils were stored.

“The fire has spread to the medicine storehouse! Carry the water buckets here first!”

“Ugh…!! Was there no one inside the storehouse!”

“We must preserve the inside as much as possible! Hurry!”

“We-We need more water!”

Shouts like screams erupted from here and there.

A bitter herbal scent mingled with the acrid smell of burning.

“No!”

San-ho, who quickly collected himself and assessed his surroundings, shouted as he ran toward the Cheonggeum Pavilion.

“Don't use water here, suppress it by throwing wet sand and dirt!”

“Why are you doing that! Every second counts!”

At San-ho's shout, a martial artist who was splashing water onto the Cheonggeum Pavilion replied while coughing. The water bucket in his hand was pointed toward the Cheonggeum Pavilion.

“I said do not throw water!”

“But for fires……!!”

However, the speed at which the water bucket fell was faster than San-ho's warning.

Boom!!

At the same time as water was thrown onto the flames, a loud explosion erupted again. Pulling the martial artist back in the midst of the even more acrid smoke, San-ho said:

“There are many metals in the Cheonggeum Pavilion, so if you are not careful, it could spread into a larger fire!”

“What does that… cough, cough!”

“There are substances that actually ignite when they touch water! Cough…! Bring more dry sand!”

San-ho covered his mouth with his water-dampened sleeve and shouted loudly.

There were substances known as water-reactive materials.

Substances that generated heat or ignited when contacting water.

Sulfur, potassium, alkali metals, calcium carbide, and the like belonged to this category.

Since various kinds of metals and utensils were stored in the Cheonggeum Pavilion, there was no telling which of them might contain water-reactive substances. Because there was a risk of the fire growing larger and exploding upon contact with water, the fire had to be extinguished using dry sand.

“I'll explain later, so hurry!”

“Cough…! Understood. Young Master, please escape to safety first!”

“After we handle this first!”

“Right now, cough! Even the Family Head has left, cough… cough! It will be a disaster if the Young Master is hurt, so please, hurry!”

The martial artist, who covered his mouth with his sleeve, spoke urgently.

Behind him, the roof of the pavilion swallowed by the fire collapsed with a crash.

‘Why is the speed so…!’

San-ho overturned a bucket filled with sand with urgent movements. However, the unquenchable flames scattered heat with a swoosh, threatening to swallow everything.

It was then that San-ho's eyes narrowed as he scanned the flames that were not easily being controlled.

“Something is…”

strange.

Although the medicine storehouse had also caught fire due to the incorrect fire suppression method, the places where the fire first broke out were the Cloud Joy Hall and the Cheonggeum Pavilion. Since both places had staff managing them, they were not locations where natural fires would occur.

Furthermore, even though all the martial artists were lending a hand, the flames showed no signs of dying down. Whether someone had used flammable substances or employed another method, it was clear that they had made it so the fire would not be easily extinguished.

‘But if someone set the fires intentionally, shouldn't they have set them at the inner hall where the Family Head's office is, the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall, or the library pavilion instead of here?’

There were many important locations within the Sichuan Tang Clan.

Among them, if they had set fire to the inner hall where the direct lineage resided, the Ten Thousand Poisons Hall which could be called the symbol of the Tang Clan, or the book depository where secret manuals were gathered, the damage would have been far greater.

‘The Cloud Joy Hall and the Cheonggeum Pavilion aren't that important. Why…’

If prioritized by importance, these pavilions would rank around upper-middle. Moreover, the two locations were somewhat far apart, so they were not in positions where fire could spread from one to the other.

San-ho felt a sense that he was missing something important.

At that moment, a martial artist from the Craftsmanship Hall spoke as he ripped open a bag filled with sand.

“You can leave this place to us! Since all the martial artists within the Tang Clan have gathered, please return to the annex and wait, Young Master!”

“Do not worry about me, suppressing the fire is more urgent!”

Just as the martial artist said, an even larger number of martial artists than before were carrying dirt and sand at the Cheonggeum Pavilion.

San-ho wiped his stinging eyes with his sleeve and thought.

‘For now, since it's far from the annex, I don't have to worry about that place. It's a relief that I sent the child back first…’

It was a relief. As he muttered that, San-ho suddenly snapped his head up.

“Wait a minute…”

He had realized the commonality between the two places that seemingly had nothing in common.

With the main gate as the reference point, the Cloud Joy Hall was to the southeast. The Cheonggeum Pavilion was to the northeast. The two places where the fires broke out were the locations furthest away from the annex.

Realizing that fact, San-ho kicked off the ground without looking back.

“……!!”

If someone had intentionally caused the fires, they must have had a purpose. What if neither the Cloud Joy Hall nor the Cheonggeum Pavilion was the target?

If so, only one answer remained. It was to draw attention!

The goal of this fire was to concentrate the Tang Clan's manpower on those two locations to conceal their true objective. He had thought it strange that fires broke out simultaneously in two different locations. San-ho grit his teeth with a grating sound.

‘Could it be…!’

Every time San-ho kicked off the ground, dirt and sand scattered in all directions.

If it was just excessive worry, that would be a relief, but if not… He had just sent a five-year-old child and a servant who knew absolutely nothing about martial arts straight into a death trap.

The acrid smell of burning reeked from his entire body.

His heart pounded violently in dizzying anxiety.

It was the moment San-ho passed the last wall leading to the annex.

“……..!!”

San-ho's eyes flashed with shock.

Confusion, astonishment, and anger surged together in a chaotic mix.

Moving secretly in the darkness were four assassins.

Figures clad in black clothes were scaling the wall of the annex like shadows.

Tap!

San-ho, who kicked off the ground without hesitation, stood lightly atop the wall. He gathered strength in his lower body to step on the wall once more. Soaring like a bird, San-ho's figure leaped right over the heads of the assassins.

“……!!”

The assassins halted their movements at the sight of San-ho, who appeared as if he had descended from the sky.

Standing with his back to the annex where Deok-so and the child would be, a cold voice flowed from San-ho's mouth.

“Who are you?”

“……”

The assassins exchanged glances with each other without responding.

Shiiing—

Drawing their swords in an instant, clear killing intent flashed in their eyes.

“Kill him.”

The one at the very front said in a low voice.

It was a voice so gloomy and rough that it gave goosebumps.

Almost at the same time, San-ho drew his Black Cloud Sword and pointed it at the throat of the one standing in front.

“The one who set fire to my house. Is it you guys?”

“……”

Staring quietly at the assassins, San-ho spoke in a chilly voice.

“Of course, I didn't expect to get an answer easily…… Well, it's fine. Still, I will give everyone a fair chance.”

It was then.

Flash!

A blade that clearly reflected the moonlight dug into San-ho's chest.

San-ho, who avoided the attack by taking a step back, kicked up the blade extended in front of him with a thud!

“Ugh!”

The clashed blades vibrated violently. A small groan escaped from the mouth of the assassin standing on the left. Starting with that, the assassins surrounding San-ho closed the distance tightly.

San-ho shrugged his shoulders as he watched them glinting with killing intent. However, unlike his body language, his eyes were extremely calm and cold.

“I'm asking because I'm genuinely curious. Why on earth did you commit such an act?”

The first assassin rushed forward while tightly gripping the sword hilt. A sword as fast as a ray of light shot toward San-ho.

Clang!

San-ho blocked the strike by raising his lowered hand in the blink of an eye. The metallic sound spreading from the clashing blades was piercingly sharp.

Beside him, the second assassin swung his sword horizontally toward San-ho's exposed waist.

Swish!

Just as the attack that penetrated the gap was about to slice his side.

Twisting his body to deflect the sword strike, San-ho kicked the abdomen of the approaching assassin with great force.

“Mmph!”

With a dull thud, the assassin grit his teeth at the shock that shook his insides. Having fallen to the ground, he glared at San-ho as if to kill him. However, due to the sudden heavy impact, he could not easily raise his body.

Taat!

The third assassin, rushing in together, quickly stepped into a footwork pattern and aimed for San-ho's right shoulder. Simultaneously, from behind San-ho, the fourth assassin secretly closed the distance. It was a movement that would go unseen in the darkness.

The moment the fourth assassin approached to drive a sword into his back.

The third assassin, who was holding his gaze from the front, plunged his sword directly down toward San-ho's shoulder.

“So, from now on, the single person who opens their mouth the fastest.”

Clang!

Speaking in a low voice, San-ho reversed his grip on the sword and blocked his attack. A chilling aura of slaughter resonated through the air.

At that moment.

“……!!”

The eyes of the third assassin, who was clashing swords with San-ho, were dyed with astonishment.

A bizarre scene visible over San-ho's shoulder.

Thud.

The body of the fourth assassin, who had been stealthily approaching from behind, was plunging to the ground like a kite with its string cut. Surely, San-ho's gaze had never left him. But how did he know about the one sneaking up from behind…

Once the assassin's body completely collapsed, his face, which had been bent backward, was revealed. Embedded right in the middle of the fallen assassin's forehead was a pitch-black flying dagger. Only then could the third assassin comprehend this bizarre scene.

While blocking the sword in front, he had noticed the presence behind him without giving it a single glance and thrown a flying dagger.

'Just when…!'

At the same time, a voice cold enough to sting descended upon the assassins' ears.

“I'll spare exactly one person.”