Chapter 11 - First Mission (2)

Multiple buildings. An estate encompassing the whole area.

Its size was close to that of a small village. Black Heaven. It was said to be a small sect, but seeing it in person, its scale was considerable.

29th spoke.

＂There are about thirty people constantly on guard. They seem to patrol the inside in groups of three. There are four Gatekeepers and…＂

＂The walls are quite high.＂

＂Can you climb over them?＂

＂…Yes.＂

＂If you can't, just say you can't.＂

＂I can climb over them.＂

＂…Hmm.＂

29th roughly outlined the route.

＂We can't defeat all the guards. Our initial objective is to leave no trace. The enemy mustn't know we are Blood Demons. We must silently eliminate the target in one strike.＂

＂.......＂

＂But the opponent is a Master. A Master who has reached the Peak. Unless we strike from behind in a surprise attack, the fight will be prolonged. If it's prolonged…＂

＂It's over.＂

＂All the guards will likely carry horns. The security level is quite high. A surprise attack will have many constraints. We have to silently bypass numerous guards, ambush the Leader of Black Heaven, take their head, and then break through the guards again.＂

I realized what she was trying to say. I pondered.

＂Assassination is impossible. At least, it will only be possible if we enter with the resolve to perish together.＂

＂Right. And I don't want to die. Do you have any good ideas?＂

＂Hmm…＂

I racked my brains for a moment. I didn't want to die either.

＂…Don't we have about fifteen days left until the assassination date?＂

＂That's right.＂

＂Give me one day.＂

If there's no way, let's create one.

＂I'll devise a plan.＂

＂…Alright. Do you need my help?＂

＂I'll act separately.＂

＂Okay.＂

. . .

Black Heaven.

A sect quite large to be called small.

It was no exaggeration to say this entire area was firmly under their control. I started by examining the market alleys.

The quality of the food being sold was rather low. There were also a considerable number of starving people. I saw a withered dog leaning against a wall.

Even the beasts are starving to death for lack of food? It was strangely devoid of flesh, more than simply starved.

It was unavoidable, given the proximity to Cheonsan, where the Demonic Cult resides. The area around Cheonsan is barren, making it incredibly difficult to cultivate crops.

Even so, the situation was too severe. Most of what was on display were low-quality goods.

It was hard to find even decent fruit. Then what about the merchant's face?

I bought a single shriveled apricot. I glanced at the merchant’s plump cheeks.

He wasn’t starving.

Were the stalls empty because everything had been sold?

＂How's business?＂

＂Huh? Are you a stranger? Indeed. I haven't seen your face before. Have you come from afar?＂

＂Yes. I've come from afar. To be honest…＂

I scanned the stalls.

I thought of items that weren't being sold.

＂I've come to sell some meat.＂

＂Meat?＂

＂I've been hunting beyond those mountains. Due to circumstances, I crossed a mountain and came here.＂

＂My, my. Meat, you say. Judging by your sturdy build, you seem to have been hunting beasts for quite a while. Do you have some skill?＂

＂I'm still lacking, not enough to be called a hunter.＂

I scratched my chin sheepishly.

＂…Actually…my father always told me I was clumsy…so I ran away in a fit of anger…＂

The merchant laughed.

＂You're naive. Naive. Go back quickly! No matter how cold your home is, would it be colder than the market streets?＂

I racked my brain.

I fabricated a story.

＂I can't do that. I came out with my beloved…so I'm thinking of becoming independent this time. I thought I wouldn’t run into my father if I crossed over to these mountains. But even if I hunt beasts, I don't know how to sell them…＂

＂Eloping with your lover…Young man. Well, I'm quite well-connected in this market. Even so…for words to come out of my mouth, don't you need to offer something?＂

I bought a few more shriveled fruits. The merchant chuckled heartily.

＂You seem to have brought quite a lot of money with you. You’re naive.＂

＂I plan to return what I took once I earn a lot of money later.＂

＂You're not entirely naive then. Well, good. I can't keep taking advantage of a young man like this. This is just perfect. Do you see how there’s no expensive fruit here?＂

＂Yes, I see.＂

＂Black Heaven bought them all. All the expensive fruits and meat are swept away by Black Heaven disciples. I hear even the butcher shops have less meat coming in than going out. They say it's become routine to just smoke after cutting a few pieces of meat.＂

＂…Indeed.＂

＂See that alleyway over there? Go and ask there.＂

I followed his instructions. The butcher shop owner greeted me with a pipe in his mouth.

＂A hunter, you say?＂

＂Not enough to be called one, but I dream of it.＂

＂Good. Bring the meat. I'll buy it at a reasonable price. Bring it whole, not butchered. I'll even skin it for you, as a special favor. I can probably supply it to a suitable place.＂

＂Thank you, but…＂

I glanced at the empty butcher shop.

＂There’s no meat hanging inside.＂

＂Why? Are you suspicious?＂

＂.......＂

＂You can be if you’re young. This street is experiencing an unexpected boom. Especially in the food service industry. Black Heaven is openly buying up food. They’re buying so much that I wonder who’s eating it all---there’s nothing left, not even food for beggars.＂

＂Has something happened inside?＂

＂Well, I heard the Leader of Black Heaven’s first disciple suddenly developed a huge appetite… I don't know the details. What would people like us know? We’re just happy to sell a lot. Thanks to that, I’ve earned a good sum, so they’re like benefactors to me.＂

The Leader of Black Heaven’s first disciple.

I kept those words in mind. I bowed to the butcher and returned to 29th.

＂…A hunter?＂

＂Yes. That's right.＂

＂Strange.＂

29th looked at me suspiciously. I explained briefly.

＂How about delivering the meat directly to the estate after supplying it to the butcher shop?＂

＂What do you mean?＂

＂I’ll become a temporary employee at the butcher shop. It looks like he's the only employee. He probably can’t leave the shop unattended, so if I offer to deliver as well for a little extra money, he won't refuse.＂

＂.......＂

＂Since I’d be an employee from a place he regularly deals with, it won’t arouse suspicion, and I can also explore the inside of the estate. If there’s a chance, I could create a small space to sneak inside. Or I could hide inside the building after the delivery, on the day of the operation.＂

＂…Hmm.＂

＂Even if we change the plan midway, being able to explore the estate’s interior isn’t a loss.＂

29th fell into thought.

＂Then how do we get wild game?＂

＂Haven't we both caught beasts countless times?＂

＂It's different here. Unlike that place where aggressive beasts would rush at us, the animals here will flee at the mere sight of us.＂

＂We won't know until we try. More than anything, I…＂

What I considered was her.

29th, a being with overwhelming Muwui compared to me.

＂I trust you.＂

＂......＂

29th's gaze became cloudy.

＂You're quite skilled…have you seduced many women?＂

＂Huh?＂

＂Never mind. You're right. It's worth a try. You have a good head.＂

29th got up.

＂I see you in a new light, 30th.＂

＂Oh, and I told the butcher and the merchant that we're a married couple, so act accordingly…＂

29th kicked my shin.

I wonder why.

It seems like the Divine Sect is full of fierce women.

. . .

I carried out a diversionary tactic with 29th. While running through the mountains, 29th suddenly disappeared from my sight.

A moment later, she returned carrying something on her back. A deer. As expected of a creature from Cheonsan, it was a rather skinny animal.

However, it wasn't completely devoid of edible meat. Touching it, it felt fatter than it looked.

＂How did you catch it?＂

＂It's easy once you spot it. I just used the concealment of the Ghost Shadow Step.＂

It’s a footwork technique I can't yet perform. A somewhat difficult, advanced level of Ghost Shadow Step.

I heard it reduces one’s presence itself. I grinned.

＂I knew I could count on you, 29th.＂

＂We need to make arrow marks before taking it.＂

She was right. We manipulated the captured beast.

When we took it to the butcher, he clicked his tongue.

＂You’ve made a mess of it, as expected of a beginner. Still, it’s not completely unusable. Is that your wife next to you?＂

＂Yes.＂

I pulled her shoulder towards me. 29th flinched and glared at me.

I know you don't like it, but please cooperate with me. It's unavoidable.

I smiled awkwardly. The butcher chuckled heartily.

＂She seems shy.＂

＂.......＂

＂I'll pay you a fair price. How can I take advantage of a newlywed couple?＂

＂Um…I have something to discuss with you regarding that…＂

I feigned a desperate expression and made him an offer as if I wanted to earn even a single extra coin. When I offered to personally transport the meat to the Black Heaven estate, his expression turned subtle.

＂It's not impossible…but I can't pay you much. You understand, right?＂

＂I’m content with earning even a little extra.＂

＂You're not greedy. Well, good. It's convenient for me. Moving meat is smelly and tiring. And there are a lot of thieves these days. I’m grateful if you can transport it. I’ll give you a little extra.＂

I received the money and the processed meat. The butcher warned me.

＂Don’t think about running off with it. If you do, those horns and hide back there are mine.＂

＂I'll return after delivering it.＂

＂Alright.＂

I left the butcher shop. Entering Black Heaven wasn’t that difficult either.

＂You’re from Jang's Butcher Shop? Newly hired?＂

＂Just a deliveryman.＂

＂Is that so?＂

The Warrior, with a remarkably ordinary face, glanced at us and opened the back gate.

＂Deliver it quickly and leave.＂

I whispered to 29th.

＂See? It worked.＂

＂Tell me before you put your hand on me next time. I was surprised.＂

＂It couldn’t be helped.＂

＂…Hmph.＂

She's as prickly as a cat.

We stepped inside the Black Heaven Estate.