Chapter 63: Second Order, Han Muyeon (3)

Demonic Faction Lord.  

A title granted to the future husband of Cheon Yura, who was destined to become the Cult Leader, once she officially received a title within the cult.  

Naturally, it was the highest position one could aspire to—only those who passed the standards in every aspect, be it martial arts, family background, appearance, or personality, could even consider challenging for it.  

Of course, if one were the personal disciple of the Seven Elders, it was at least possible to challenge it.  

But in this situation—was that really something worth saying aloud?  

“A-Are you spouting complete nonsense right now?”  

Even Myeong-oh, an ally, couldn’t help blurting out such a thing at Han Muyeon’s ridiculous statement.  

However, Han Muyeon ignored him and poured out his “passion” to Cheon Yura.  

“I have worked tirelessly… to become your partner.”  

“……”  

She was so dumbfounded that she couldn’t even get angry.  

“Go ahead. Keep talking.”  

“Of course, considering how things have turned out, I understand it’s unavoidable. However!”  

Han Muyeon clenched a fist and held it out toward Cheon Yura.  

“I wish to prove myself worthy to you.”  

“Worthy?”  

“That I at least have the qualifications to stand by your side.”  

Han Muyeon saying these words was undoubtedly impulsive.  

However, beneath that, complex emotions were tangled.  

Second Order, First Order, who was originally intended to approach Cheon Yura.  

And as his backup should he fail—Second Order.  

Second Order had always been conscious of First Order’s existence.  

—Why must I always fall behind him?  

He wanted to know. He wanted recognition. He wanted to surpass him.  

Cheon Yura, the Young Cult Leader, whom even First Order had never gotten close to.  

If he could gain her recognition—that would undoubtedly be undeniable proof that he had surpassed First Order!  

Jealousy and a sense of inferiority toward First Order were what led to this utterly absurd situation.  

“You’re ridiculous.”  

And Cheon Yura, with her innate perception and insight, saw through Han Muyeon’s intentions.  

Her gaze tilted slightly askew.  

“You’re obsessing over someone, aren’t you?”  

Even if she didn’t know the whole truth, her words pierced through to the core.  

“But the one you’re obsessed with… isn’t me.”  

“……!”  

“I’ve seen eyes filled with a burning passion like yours before.”  

Those eyes, too, had looked at her with a strange kind of longing.  

But while they might have looked similar, this was completely different. She knew the difference clearly, having seen both.  

“At the very least, that person was looking directly at me. Not through me, looking at someone else like you are.”  

“T-That’s…!”  

“If you want confirmation, go to that person yourself. I refuse to be used as a mere stand-in.”  

At the same time, a dark, ominous aura flowed from Cheon Yura’s sword.  

“That’s the Heaven-Slaying Demonic Sword Art!”  

Myeong-oh shouted, almost like a scream.  

It was unforgettable.  

The sword technique of that person, who had massacred their own comrades during the Soul Reapers operation, was also the Heaven-Slaying Demonic Sword Art!  

And more than anything—considering the blow she’d just unleashed, fighting Cheon Yura in her full power now would be suicidal.  

“Even if you refuse me, I will—!”  

“What the hell are you rambling on about!”  

Myeong-oh swiftly seized Han Muyeon by the back of his neck.  

“The mission is a failure! Fall back to the tombs! Everyone retreat!”  

A spiraling rain of black sword energy crashed down where Myeong-oh had been standing.  

The torrent exploded with powerful Qi, completely obliterating Sea and Moon Teahouse.  

“Uwaaaah, my business!!”  

Bang Manhu, who arrived late, screamed at the sight of his wrecked establishment. Blood tears poured from his eyes.  

“Hmph, quick judgment? So they’re not just brainless killing machines.”  

I, who had been watching the situation unfold with Bang Manhu, was impressed by the enemy’s swift reaction.  

“I thought they’d try to go down with us in a suicidal last stand.”  

That would’ve made things easier, honestly. A shame, really.  

“You’ve come, Jin Yeomyung.”  

Cheon Yura must have noticed me, as she turned toward me.  

I bowed deeply to her.  

“Thank you for accepting my request. Fortunately, we were able to resolve it without any losses.”  

“What do you mean without losses?! The damages are catastrophic!”  

Bang Manhu’s wail was drowned out by Cheon Yura’s next words.  

“Still… are you sure about this? It might’ve been better to end it here.”  

“I decided it’d be wiser to clean things up in one go, even if it gets more complicated.”  

Cheong Museong—the youngest disciple of the Evil Overlords of Heaven.  

He, suspected to be part of the Heaven-Defying Society, was still at large.  

“Since we’re already out in the open, there’s no need to leave any loose ends.”  

“Hmph, on that point, I agree.”  

Cheon Yura sheathed her sword and spoke.  

“Do you have a plan going forward?”  

“They mentioned the ‘tombs’ just now. I assume they’ve headed for the grave of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden. They’re likely planning to join with another force there.”  

“The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden…”  

Cheon Yura seemed intrigued by the name.  

Well, of course she would be—she was a legendary female expert from centuries ago, said to rival even the greatest masters in history.  

“By any chance, does Lady Cheon know anything about her?”  

“Sorry, I don’t. She must have emerged from a martial lineage entirely separate from our cult.”  

“Is that so?”  

If Cheon Yura didn’t know, then the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden must truly be unaffiliated with the Heavenly Demon Cult.  

‘Hmm. Still, something doesn’t sit right.’  

Was it a hunch stemming from my past life’s experience?  

I had a feeling there was some connection…  

“Um, Young Master Jin?”  

“Yes?”  

Bang Manhu frowned deeply.  

“My subordinates just reported in. Apparently, several officers from Thousand-Day Pass stationed elsewhere have abandoned their posts without permission.”  

Given the current situation, there was only one possibility.  

“Spies, I suppose.”  

“Most likely.”  

Well, better this way. They probably recalled the spies out of fear, but if we had been stabbed in the back by them, that would’ve been far more irritating.  

Wait, hold on a second—?

“Is there anyone among those who deserted who stands out for being unusually large?”

“Ah, one moment… Yes, there is. I believe his name was San Dojeon?”

“Damn it.”

I scratched my head roughly. Of all people, it had to be San Dojeon—the one I had been eyeing as a subordinate—who went and deserted!

‘Well, I suppose it makes sense… He probably doesn’t feel a strong sense of loyalty to the cult just yet.’

Was there no way to persuade him?

“What’s going on?”

“Ah, it’s just that I’d taken a personal interest in recruiting him.”

I briefly explained the situation regarding San Dojeon to Cheon Yura.

However, the reaction didn’t come from Cheon Yura—it came from Baek Sang-ah, who was standing behind her.

“Wait, you’re saying Senior San is a traitor?”

“At the moment, yes.”

“That can’t be. He must be under threat!”

“What makes you so sure?”

Cheon Yura glared at Baek Sang-ah with a chilly gaze.

But Baek Sang-ah didn’t shrink back under that stare and continued speaking.

“As Young Master Jin already knows, he and I are from the same batch. We were in similar circumstances at the Thousand-Day Pass, so we spoke quite often.”

According to her, the people San Dojeon once knew from his time as a mountain bandit were now under the protection of one of the Seven Elders.

“But the way Senior San talked about it—it wasn’t protection, it was more like they were hostages.”

“So it wasn’t kindness, but coercion?”

In that case, it was entirely plausible.

In fact, it was the more likely scenario.

One of the Seven Elders of the cult showing mercy to a mere mountain bandit? No way.

Using them as hostages to force him into obedience made far more sense!

‘If that’s true, then if we run into him inside the tomb, we might be able to persuade him.’

Even if he was being threatened by one of the Seven Elders, with the strength of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan behind us, we could overturn that.

“Young Master.”

Gu Chil, who had just finished receiving emergency treatment, approached me.

“Gu Chil, how’s your arm?”

“It hurts like hell.”

“If you’ve got enough energy to whine, it can’t be too bad.”

“No, it seriously hurts, I swear.”

Gu Chil pouted.

But from the look in his eyes, I could tell he had something he wanted to say.

I stepped aside with him for a moment.

“Truly observant, Young Master. Your intuition’s top-notch!”

“Cut it out. What is it?”

Gu Chil’s expression turned serious right away.

“…There’s someone I want to save.”

“Who?”

“A surviving comrade from the Demon Emperor Soul Execution Unit… from ‘back then.’”

—

Somewhere on the outskirts of Eastern Sea Fortress.

Han Muyeon’s group, having escaped and joined with the Ming King Unit waiting outside the fortress, headed south and met up with Cheong Museong, who had led his forces down from Everlasting Decree Fortress.

“So, what now? You failed the assassination and came crawling back like a bunch of defeated mutts?”

“……”

Cheong Museong glared at Han Muyeon with murderous intent.

It wasn’t simply scolding for a failed mission.

“Not only did you screw up the assassination, but you even showed the enemy one of the Eight Armies’ secret martial arts? Do you even realize that you might’ve just destroyed the Heaven-Defying Society’s entire operation within the cult?!”

If things went wrong, every embedded member of the Heaven-Defying Society could be wiped out.

But surprisingly, Han Muyeon responded with a calm face.

“There’s still a chance.”

“Sure, there’s a chance! If we slaughter every last person in Eastern Sea Fortress before sunrise, there’ll be no one left to talk!”

An impossible plan. Even Cheong Museong was just venting.

“We’ll go into the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden’ tomb. They’ll have no choice but to follow.”

“You bastard… You’re trying to steal even my credit now…!”

“I don’t care about some measly ‘credit.’”

Han Muyeon’s voice remained composed, but there was a quiet madness in his eyes.

“I just want to prove that I’m better than First Order.”

“You’re still going on about that?!”

Even Myeong-oh’s exasperated shout didn’t faze him.

“On the way here, I kept thinking about it. Who the ‘eyes’ the Young Cult Leader mentioned truly belonged to.”

“……?”

“Jin Yeomyung, the Grand Heir of the Demonic Heaven’s Jin Clan. It has to be him.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If it wasn’t him, there’s no way the Young Cult Leader would suddenly appear in a place like that.”

Though he had made several mistakes lately, Han Muyeon had still once been a joint candidate to inherit the legacy of the Ten Heavenly Generals. He had the intuition to see through the truth.

“He’s rumored to be in a relationship with the Young Cult Leader within the cult. Smoke doesn’t rise from a chimney without fire.”

“So what are you planning to do?”

“At the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden’ tomb, everyone except for the Three Orders dies.”

“……!”

Of course, he didn’t mean they would actually die.

“Yes. The dead tell no tales. If we all disappear from the stage together, the Eight Armies will have time.”

Myeong-oh asked in a serious tone.

If they followed through with this, the assassination of Baek Sang-ah was practically abandoned. In other words—

“Will you be alright with this? Even if the plan succeeds, you’ll lose your position as Second Order.”

“I don’t care. As long as I can prove myself.”

His obsession with that “proof” was nearly fanatical, and it made one sigh. But the truth was, they didn’t have any better options.

Even Cheong Museong reluctantly agreed.

“If you’re that determined, fine.”

“Jin Yeomyung will die by my hand. Handle the rest however you wish.”

Han Muyeon turned to the side.

“San Dojeon.”

“Yes, Senior Han.”

There stood San Dojeon, his head bowed with a dark expression.

“You kill Baek Sang-ah.”

San Dojeon’s face instantly darkened.

“If you do that, I’ll make an exception for this incident and let you return to the cult.”

“……!”

“You’ll still be a backline agent of the Heavenly Demon Cult and be able to support your family. No one will question a guy like you surviving.”

Baek Sang-ah, whom he’d grown close to at the Thousand-Day Pass? Or the family he’d been with since childhood?

If he had to choose one, the answer was already clear.

But San Dojeon couldn’t answer right away.

He didn’t have the heart to so coldly cut a person out of his life.

However, standing at a crossroads, one had to choose.

“Your answer?”

“…Understood.”

San Dojeon’s fists trembled violently.

But for him, there was no such thing as ‘refusal.’

Just as the general plan was falling into place—

“There! There’s the unorthodox bastards!”

From the distance, over a hundred martial artists came charging in.

At the sight, Myeong-oh’s eyes widened.

“The Orthodox faction?! How the hell did they find us here?!”

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