Chapter 14 - Maeng Cheon (3)

29th spoke.

＂Pack your things, Thirtieth. Someone has done our work for us. We can leave on schedule.＂

Her words were true. We'd gotten what we wanted without lifting a finger.

As if someone had sensed my reluctance, they'd taken care of the task for me.

I should be grateful. It meant I didn't have to take any unnecessary risks.

I nodded, gathered my meager belongings, and leaned against the wall.

Once night fell, we'd slip out of the inn. Then, we'd head to Demonic Valley as originally planned.

...That's all.

That's all there was to it.

＂29th.＂

＂Hm?＂

＂I received something from Maeng Cheon.＂

I took the wooden box from my pocket. 29th frowned.

＂...A Spirit Pill? He gave that to you?＂

＂Yes.＂

＂Why are you showing it to me?＂

＂It was our first mission together, 29th.＂

I split the Spirit Pill in half.

＂I didn't want to eat it alone.＂

＂...You…＂

29th looked away, embarrassed.

＂That's really strange. I wouldn't have known if you ate it by yourself.＂

＂I don't want to keep secrets from you, 29th.＂

＂...Tsk.＂

She took the half of the Spirit Pill without hesitation. I also ate my half and began to circulate my Qi.

The Spirit Pill, containing ten years' worth of Inner Qi, was halved, adding only five years to my cultivation. Still, it was enough.

The murky Demonic Qi within me gained strength. A mass of Inner Qi, lower in quality but greater in quantity.

Watching the black and red spheres merge, I finished the Lesser Heavenly Circulation Arts. Not much time had passed outside.

A gentle breeze. Sunlight on the horizon.

The scent of the setting sun streamed through the window.

＂...Haa.＂

Having digested the Spirit Pill at the same time, 29th leaned against the wall.

＂What did you do in there that made Maeng Cheon give you a Spirit Pill?＂

＂As I reported, I merely kept him company.＂

＂That's all?＂

＂That's all.＂

＂He gave you a Spirit Pill just for talking to him for five days? He's a strange man.＂

＂Indeed.＂

I scoffed.

＂He was a strange man. Truly. The last time I saw him, he was overjoyed that his troubled son would finally be cured.＂

＂.......＂

＂Troubled. The Sect Leader of the Black Heaven Squad was certainly afflicted by the Heart Demon. His fingertips trembled, and his grip on the axe was weak. But...＂

Red.

The sunlight coming in through the window was red.

I slowly extended my foot into it. My toes were dyed red.

＂He wasn't someone who would die from an accident. He was still a Master.＂

＂Didn't you say the Divine Healer's disciple was coming today? What a strange coincidence.＂

＂...It certainly is.＂

＂.......＂

29th crawled towards me. She thrust her face close.

＂What are you thinking?＂

＂...Nothing important.＂

＂Hey. You said it yourself.＂

＂What...?＂

＂That you don't want to keep secrets from me.＂

＂.......＂

What I was thinking was truly nothing but a jumble of unimportant words.

＂The Sect Leader of the Black Heaven Squad said he saw the shadow of his lost second son in me.＂

＂And?＂

＂He asked me to visit the Black Heaven Squad again, not as a hunter, but as a friend.＂

＂Is there more?＂

＂...And.＂

I savored the words.

「Thank you. For listening to me. If the Black Heaven Squad is a pillar, then you were the one who supported this pillar for a short while.」

＂An...d...＂

I savored the words again. Not satisfied, I bit my lip.

＂...29th. The moment I received this Spirit Pill, I became unable to kill the Sect Leader of the Black Heaven Squad.＂

＂......＂

＂I didn't want to dirty my hands. With those hands. So I hesitated until the day before. I didn't know what to do.＂

＂......＂

＂I was slightly happy when I heard that he was dead. I was relieved that I hadn't dirtied my hands.＂

＂.......＂

＂But when I thought that everything was over, only questions remained. Questions that a member of the Blood Demon Corps shouldn't have. Thoughts that a dog shouldn't harbor.＂

...Who.

Who killed my friend?

＂The Sect Leader of the Black Heaven Squad was a father who cherished his son. He was not a Martial Artist, but merely an old man who wanted to protect his family.＂

＂.......＂

＂A Martial Artist shouldn't fear death by the sword. By wielding a sword, they accept the possibility of their own demise. But the Sect Leader of the Black Heaven Squad wasn't a Martial Artist. He had already laid down his axe long ago, a mere withering flower.＂

＂...You…＂

＂So I wanted to know.＂

The sunset that dyed my toes gradually disappeared.

Only darkness remained, covering everything.

＂Who killed him.＂

29th laughed hollowly. She ran a hand over her face.

＂You really… don't belong in the Divine Sect. Why do you live like this?＂

＂......＂

＂People in the Divine Sect are busy just trying to stay alive. They wouldn't hesitate to stain their blades with blood if it meant they could avoid a day of hunger. This place is barren, and only those who can survive do. You have to eat off others' backs to survive in the Divine Sect. It's no different in the Blood Demon Corps. The kind die young, and those who do good deeds die even younger.＂

Seong Ja-Myeong came to mind.

I held my tongue.

＂All of this... I mean... what you're thinking right now is pointless. Everything has already happened. We got what we wanted without lifting a finger. It worked out well, didn't it?＂

＂.......＂

＂You just leave things alone when they work out well. It's absurd to stir things up. Whoever killed him, what does it matter? Isn't the fact that the Sect Leader of the Black Heaven Squad is dead enough?＂

＂...You're… right.＂

＂I'm Blood Demon Corps. You're Blood Demon Corps, too. You're a member of the Divine Sect. A Martial Artist who stabs others in the neck to survive.＂

29th pushed me.

＂...What you're doing is just hypocrisy.＂

She was right.

This was hypocrisy.

Does it make sense for someone who came here to kill to harbor feelings of revenge?

I looked up at the face of 29th, who was now straddling me. An utterly ordinary face. I couldn't see the face behind the Human Skin Mask.

＂...If you're a Martial Artist of the Divine Sect, act like a member of the Divine Sect. Tear them apart. Even abandon your own children if you have to, in order to survive.＂

＂.......＂

I thought she was right.

Come to think of it, that's how it was. I had ignored my parents' letters and even turned my back on my dead younger sister.

It might be absurd that I, of all people, could care for someone. Feeling compassion for my target. That truly is a preposterous story.

...But.

It's not as easy to let go as she says.

＂...After today, I will have become an assassin of the Blood Demon Corps.＂

＂.......＂

＂But today isn't over yet, 29th.＂

I decided on my path. As I spoke, I gathered my emotions.

29th was right. I was Blood Demon Corps. At the same time, I was the Heavenly Demon's dog.

I would bite when commanded.

I would simply carry out my tasks without emotion.

But what would lie at the end of a sword built that way? Would there be any meaning in a sword gained solely by following orders?

If I am to be myself...

If I am to dream of standing alongside the Heavenly Demon in my own way, what should I do?

The bitter taste of the Spirit Pill lingered in my mouth.

「If my second son had grown up, I think he would have grown up like you.」

I had chosen my path.

＂I have a request.＂

＂You really...!＂

＂29th.＂

I sat up and grabbed her shoulders.

I looked into her trembling eyes. She would have her own story. But I had mine too.

My own story.

＂From tomorrow, I will be Thirtieth again. But until today, I want to act as Wang So-hong.＂

＂...What meaning is there in that?＂

＂There might be no meaning at all. However...＂

I smiled bitterly.

＂I've already received his good intent. How can I sleep without at least repaying the courtesy?＂

＂...I thought I got paired with someone I could at least communicate with...＂

29th slumped her shoulders.

＂But a bigger lunatic showed up...＂

＂I apologize.＂

29th moved away from me. She stared at the ceiling, muttering something.

Fragmented words, impossible to understand. I waited for her to make her decision.

The sun had completely set. Night was approaching.

After a long period of contemplation, she lowered her head.

＂Pack your things. I don't want to hear any more nonsense.＂

...So she won't listen after all.

I didn't want to ruin things by arguing against her opinion. That would harm 29th as well.

I packed my belongings. I tied some food in a bundle and attached it to the end of my sword sheath. 29th jerked her chin.

＂What are you doing?＂

＂Didn't you tell me to pack my things?＂

＂What are you talking about? Pack your sword. It's dark now, perfect for infiltrating the mansion. How about Ghost Shadow Step? With a bit more Inner Qi, you should be able to silently clear a wall, right? Besides, since there was an incident, the security system must be in disarray. The Sect Leader's death would be significant enough to cause that.＂

＂...29th?＂

＂Idiot. You should have told me the rest of the story first.＂

29th turned her head haughtily.

＂I inadvertently received it too. An advance payment. It doesn't make sense for an assassin to not act after receiving an advance payment. Besides, I'm Wang So-hong's wife until today. Not 29th. So...＂

I saw her cheeks flush slightly.

＂H-Husband and wife are one, idiot. I'll go along with your foolishness. But when the night is over, no matter what happens, we're leaving this place. Remember that.＂

＂......!＂

Thank goodness.

That she was 29th, and not someone like Yi Ho.

＂Haha!＂

＂What, what are you hugging me for?! Are you crazy?! I told you not to touch me!＂

I got hit a few times, but I didn't care.

I was too happy for that.

. . .

＂What's the plan? If you dragged me all the way here, you better have something good.＂

＂I plan to jump over the back wall and climb onto the roof. We'll infiltrate the main building, minimizing our presence as much as possible.＂

＂I can do it. But can you?＂

＂Fortunately, I've recently had a realization.＂

I used the Ghost Shadow Step. Was it after clashing axes with the overwhelmingly dominant Sect Leader of the Black Heaven Squad?

I could now slightly muffle the sound of the Ghost Shadow Step itself. It was still imperfect, but it seemed to barely pass muster.

＂...The form of your technique is slightly more refined. If I help you a little, you should be able to move silently.＂

＂Good. Let's go.＂

＂Wait. Let me prepare myself mentally. I'm not ready to cause a huge incident.＂

She took a deep breath. A sudden question came to mind.

＂29th... why are you helping me?＂

＂Because you asked.＂

＂Of course, that's part of it, but...＂

＂Ah, forget it. I received the advance payment, and my Inner Qi has increased. I just realized something while we were talking.＂

＂Realized what?＂

＂What I dreamed of before entering the hell that is Demonic Valley. I deeply hated someone. And I swore I wouldn't become like that person. But… while I was in Demonic Valley, I forgot. I was too busy trying to survive.＂

29th put on her mask.

＂The things I said gave me goosebumps because they sounded like him. That's all. It's for me, not for you, so don't get any ideas.＂

＂...Are you perhaps embarrassed...?＂

＂Do you want to die?! Focus on the task! If we slip up now, we'll be tumbling into the midst of the already angry Black Heaven Squad warriors!＂

29th winked at me.

＂You lead the way. I'll back you up. Let's go, Thirtieth.＂

＂...Yes.＂

I placed my foot on the wall.

I activated the Ghost Shadow Step.