Chapter 124

Chapter 124: The Fluttering of a Butterfly's Wings Summons the Storm (3)

The man's smile held an air of nobility. It was the kind of smile that could draw admiration from anyone who beheld it. But though his mouth smiled, his sharp, gleaming eyes told an entirely different story.

A man who smiled yet did not smile at all.

At his arrival, Eum Yu-gyeong sheathed her sword and retreated. Only then could she finally catch her breath. The oppressive force Dam Ho had radiated had weighed upon her shoulders like a mountain.

"Martial Sister!"

"I waited for quite some time, wondering what was taking you so long. It turns out this fine gentleman had detained you. Ha ha!"

The man laughed easily. "You?"

Dam Ho took a step toward the man. But the man reached out and wiped the sweat from Bang Jin-bo's brow with his sleeve. The gesture was so natural they might have been old friends. But Bang Jin-bo, whose shoulder was clutched in the man's arm, could not move at all—like a frog before a snake.

Having carefully wiped away Bang Jin-bo's sweat, the man raised his head and looked at Dam Ho. He grinned.

"Good day. I was wondering why our martial sister was taking so long, and it turns out a handsome gentleman like yourself was keeping her occupied. But what are we to do? Our martial sister already has a prior engagement."

"Are you also from the Demonic Cult?"

"Strictly speaking, from the New Cult. My name is Sin Mu-wol. And you are?"

"Dam Ho."

"Ah! The Fist Demon!"

The man who identified himself as Sin Mu-wol exclaimed. But rather than genuine surprise, it felt more like mockery.

"What an honor. To meet the world-renowned great hero Dam Ho, the Fist Demon, in person. Wow!"

Sin Mu-wol kept exclaiming in admiration. On the surface, he appeared to be a carefree young man. But anyone who knew him even slightly would never think so. Sin Mu-wol's epithet was Peacock Ghost Sword. He was called so because, though he appeared as flamboyant as a peacock, he wielded his sword as insidiously as a ghost. The wooden case on his back was called the Peacock Sword Case for the same reason. The five swords it held each served a different purpose, and Sin Mu-wol could wield swords of varying forms with equal skill. One of these swords was in his hand now, and with every word he spoke, it swayed before Bang Jin-bo's eyes. It was an unmistakable threat—yet Sin Mu-wol never dropped his smile.

Dam Ho regarded Sin Mu-wol and spoke.

"If that boy is harmed, you die."

"Ah, I know. I have no intention of killing this child."

Though his words said one thing, Sin Mu-wol did not sheathe his sword. Dam Ho's expression grew even colder. His gaze was the kind that would stop the heart of an ordinary person. But Sin Mu-wol showed no sign of tension whatsoever.

"Please, calm yourself. I have no wish to make an enemy of you here. I simply want to leave this place quietly with my martial sister. Isn't that right, martial sister?"

"That's right."

Eum Yu-gyeong nodded and moved to Sin Mu-wol's side. Dam Ho watched the entire time. If he moved now, Bang Jin-bo would die. He might be able to kill the two afterward, but Bang Jin-bo could not be brought back.

"I'll let you go today. Leave Jin-bo."

"Thank you. I was rather nervous, but it seems you are a reasonable man after all. The rumors say you're impossible to reason with. Ha ha!"

Sin Mu-wol seemed to possess the peculiar talent of laughing while getting under people's skin. But Dam Ho's expression did not change, not even slightly.

Finally, Eum Yu-gyeong stood beside Sin Mu-wol. She asked via transmission.

―Where is the Golden Demon Lion?

―We lost him.

―You, martial brother?

―He is more cunning than I expected. I need your help, martial sister.

―Mm!

―And the sacred artifact?

―Not yet. But I've found a lead.

―We must retrieve the sacred artifact quickly. Only then can we stop the Cult Leader's solo campaign. I've received word that the Cult Leader has dispatched So Cheonsan.

―The Ten-Li Reaper? That monster?

―Yes!

Their conversation had occurred in an instant, and no one had noticed they were exchanging transmission voices—except for Dam Ho alone. Though they thought they were being discreet, every word reached Dam Ho's ears with perfect clarity.

'Sacred artifact? The Cult Leader's solo campaign?' It was an unfamiliar combination of words. He was puzzled, but Dam Ho did not show it.

Sin Mu-wol turned to face Dam Ho.

"You will keep your word, won't you?"

"I don't go back on what I say."

"I know. It's just that the world is so turbulent these days, and so many people change their minds. I merely wanted to confirm."

Sin Mu-wol removed his arm from Bang Jin-bo's shoulder. Only then did Bang Jin-bo let out a sigh of relief.

"Well then, be on your way, young friend. But for the sake of your health, you might want to lose a bit of weight. Ha ha!"

Sin Mu-wol slapped Bang Jin-bo's broad back. Bang Jin-bo grimaced but walked toward Dam Ho.

In the meantime, Eum Yu-gyeong and Sin Mu-wol departed the battlefield. Dam Ho watched them until they were out of sight. They did the same. Neither side let their guard down until the other had vanished. Only when Dam Ho was no longer visible did they employ qinggong and leave the area.

"I'm sorry, Hyung."

Bang Jin-bo bowed his head before Dam Ho. He felt as though he had become a burden to Dam Ho for no reason.

"It's all right."

"But…"

"There was nothing you could have done."

Though Bang Jin-bo had been taken hostage, Sin Mu-wol's skill was genuine. He was a classic example of the idiom "concealing a blade behind a smile." In some ways, he might be even more difficult to deal with than Eum Yu-gyeong.

Dam Ho harbored no regrets. It was water under the bridge. And as long as they walked the Murim, they would meet again someday.

"Let's go."

"Yes!"

The two set off once more. The establishment of the Murim Alliance was proceeding smoothly. The appearance of the Golden Demon Lion had, paradoxically, served as the catalyst for the Alliance's founding. With the threat of the Demonic Cult's invasion now a reality, the various sects sent a large number of warriors to岳yang, where the Alliance was being built. The Alliance's buildings were now largely complete. What remained was the formation of the detailed organizational structure and the selection of its leadership.

The leaders of the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families engaged in fierce debate over these matters. Though all agreed that the full power of the martial world needed to be unified against the Demonic Cult's invasion, they were unwilling to surrender even a shred of their own interests. The larger the sect and the greater their investment, the more fiercely they clung to their prerogatives.

Day after day, voices were raised and the atmosphere turned acrimonious. But as time passed, the Alliance's structure gradually took shape.

First, it was decided that the Alliance Leader would not come from the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Families, but would be an outsider of great renown. This was to avoid the criticism that the Alliance's key positions were monopolized by the established powers.

The Alliance Leader's authority was truly formidable. In times of emergency, he could dispatch warriors to each sect, directly appoint the commanders of the Alliance's major special forces, and even issue a general mobilization order to the entire martial world.

However, the Alliance Leader did not possess unchecked power. To prevent the Leader's autocracy, the Council of Elders was established. The Council consisted of twenty members, the majority of whom were representatives of the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families. The Council could raise objections to the Alliance Leader's decisions, and with a two-thirds majority, it held the authority to remove the Leader from office.

This was the main outline agreed upon thus far.

"Whew!"

Namgung Chang let out a sigh. In just a few days, he seemed to have aged several years—the amount of mental energy he had expended was immense. The past few days had been like war for him. And he was not alone—most of the warriors gathered to discuss the Alliance's basic framework were in the same state. They had come to represent their respective sects' interests. The moment anyone's interests were even slightly infringed upon, they would pounce like wild dogs and fight tooth and nail. It was a wonder any progress had been made at all.

That any agreement had been reached was largely thanks to Namgung Chang. He had dedicated every ounce of his energy to mediating between the various parties. Of course, his intentions had not been entirely pure. He had to secure the maximum practical benefits while avoiding the censure of others. Especially after the loss of the Namgung Family's bodyguards at Dam Ho's hands, he had to be all the more cautious. Fortunately, through exquisite diplomatic maneuvering, he had achieved most of his goals. Meanwhile, the Namgung Family had sent reinforcements to replace their decimated forces. These new troops numbered several times those of the former Gold Sword Guard, and among them were warriors who would live and serve within the Alliance.

Only now could Namgung Chang breathe a sigh of relief. He could now trust these men and steadily increase the Namgung Family's influence within the Alliance.

"If only it weren't for the Fist Demon…"

A shadow passed over Namgung Chang's face. Though much time had passed since his humiliation at Dam Ho's hands, the memory had not faded. In fact, his fear of Dam Ho only grew with time. The problem was that he could not show any sign of it. He was a man who could not afford to appear weak. Namgung Chang shook his head and tried to chase away his thoughts.

"I should have a drink."

As his hand reached for the wine bottle on the table—

"Uncle."

A young man with a white cloth wrapped around his right hand burst in with a loud voice. It was Namgung Su, Namgung Chang's nephew.

"What is it?"

"Important intelligence has been received."

"Important intelligence?"

"Yes."

At Namgung Su's reply, Namgung Chang's brow furrowed briefly. He had wanted to spend some time alone in peace. But he quickly composed himself and asked, "What is it?"

"It concerns the Eighteen Fortresses of the Green Forest."

"Green Forest?"

"Yes! It is said that the daughter of Hwang Gyeong-mun, the Supreme Chieftain of the Eighteen Fortresses of the Green Forest, has entered 岳yang."

"What did you say?"

Namgung Chang's expression changed entirely. Hwang Gyeong-mun, the Supreme Chieftain of the Green Forest, was already a famous figure in the martial world. It was common knowledge that the mighty Green Forest existed because of him. If Hwang Gyeong-mun gave the order, tens of thousands of Green Forest bandits would be prepared to lay down their lives. Namgung Chang had heard intelligence that Hwang Gyeong-mun had a daughter whom he cherished above all else. He doted on her so much that he rarely allowed her out of his sight.

"Is this true?"

"It is intelligence from a verified source."

"Mm!"

"There are also eyewitnesses who claim to have seen her on the streets of 岳yang."

"Why on earth would she come here?"

Namgung Chang muttered in confusion. Hwang Gyeong-mun could not possibly be unaware that the Murim Alliance was holding its founding assembly here. The Alliance and the Green Forest were natural enemies. Yet he had sent his only daughter here—it defied all reason. After much deliberation, Namgung Chang reached a conclusion.

"Could it be that the Green Forest intends to undermine the Alliance from within?"

It was entirely possible. If a powerful supra-legal body like the Alliance was formed, it would strike not only at the Demonic Cult, but also at the Green Forest. A concentrated force needed an outlet, and the Green Forest was a convenient target. Indeed, Namgung Chang himself had been considering a demonstrative raid on a few Green Forest strongholds once the Alliance was established and stabilized.

Once he reached this interpretation, the various pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

"First, locate her. I will investigate the details afterward."

"Understood."

"And remember—locate her only and observe from a distance. Under no circumstances are you to make direct contact."

"I will do as you command."

Namgung Su bowed his head. His eyes gleamed sharply. After Dam Ho had broken his wrist, Namgung Su's reputation had plummeted. He had not been able to hold his head high since. This was his chance to restore his honor. He swore he would not let this opportunity slip away.