‘He’s got a clean look.’

Cheon Mubaeck observed Zhuge Seohu closely.

Looking to be in his late twenties at most, he was quite handsome.

However, his sharp jaw and intense eyes gave him a sharp impression rather than a gentle one. He seemed a bit meticulous.

“A pleasure to meet you. I am Zhuge Seohu of the Zhuge Clan.”

The unexpected appearance of a big shot.

The escorts and porters resting in the inn quickly vacated their seats. Cheon Yuhwa sat across from Zhuge Seohu with a faint smile on her face.

‘Hmm. It seems I don’t need to step in.’

Cheon Mubaeck watched the scene intently.

Even without a single shred of internal energy, Cheon Yuhwa did not lose her composure in front of Zhuge Seohu. In fact, with her slight smile, the heavy atmosphere around them seemed to brighten.

Zhuge Seohu’s eyebrows twitched as if in surprise, and he let out a dry cough.

“I am Cheon Yuhwa, the Vice-chief of the Azure Star Escort Agency, responsible for this escort mission. What kind of request have you come to entrust us with?”

“The search for a missing person.”

“A missing person?”

“That is correct.”

Cheon Yuhwa lightly bit her lip.

If he had requested an escort to Henan, she would have accepted without a second thought. It was on their way back, after all.

Even an escort to a different location would likely have been accepted after a moment’s consideration.

But a search mission.

That was not the agency’s area of expertise.

“You must be well aware that a demonic being has appeared in the vicinity.”

“Yes. I heard about it during our journey.”

“This demonic being is currently called the Inhuman Lust Fiend…”

The moniker alone told you what kind of person he was.

‘Not a Lust Demon, but a Lust Fiend. He must be a pretty crude bastard.’

Usually, in these cases, the title ‘Lust Demon’ would be attached.

“I will make an official request in the name of the Zhuge Clan. Please lend us your strength in finding my younger sister, Zhuge Seola.”

* * *

Cheon Yuhwa did not give an immediate answer. Zhuge Seohu nodded his head in understanding. However, he added that he would appreciate a response as soon as possible.

He emphasized that even at this moment, the Zhuge Clan was searching with all their might, but had yet to see any results.

As soon as Zhuge Seohu left, Cheon Yuhwa immediately entered a meeting with Cheon Mubaeck, Heo Seong, and the head porter, Elder Yu.

Elder Yu, the head porter, was someone who had joined the agency after Cheon Mubaeck left on his journey through the martial world.

He was a veteran who had worked for another large escort agency for nearly 30 years, and he had come to the Azure Star Escort Agency this time due to his deep connection with Cheon Mubaeck’s grandfather.

He stressed that this was an opportunity.

“This is a request from the Zhuge Clan. Since the clan’s founding, since the history of the martial world began, they are the Zhuge Clan that has never once fallen from the ranks of the Five Great Clans.”

Elder Yu was energetic, belying his seventy years of age.

“Moreover, the Zhuge Clan is in a desperate position right now. From what this insignificant old man has heard, Zhuge Seola is a daughter they cherish dearly. Rumor has it that the Grand Clan Head, Zhuge Seon, raised her in his own arms.”

Elder Yu’s words could be summarized as follows:

They should use this request to form a connection with the Zhuge Clan.

Cheon Yuhwa listened attentively to Elder Yu’s words.

“If we can certainly make that happen…”

“Vice-chief, the Azure Star Escort Agency is growing at a pace that could pierce the heavens. This is our chance to climb even higher. We can secure a definite influence not just in Henan Province, but in Hubei Province as well.”

Elder Yu did not try to force his opinion on Cheon Yuhwa just because she was young. He simply presented a sufficient basis for his argument based on the current situation. At a glance, Elder Yu’s words seemed plausible.

However, Heo Seong raised a counterargument at that moment.

“The Zhuge Clan is personally leading the pursuit, yet they are failing to catch him. Although he’s been given the derogatory title of Inhuman Lust Fiend, the fact that he repeatedly makes the Zhuge Clan taste bitterness means he is a man of considerable ability.”

“Are you suggesting we refuse?”

Heo Seong spoke with a grave face.

“I am speaking as the Escort Leader in charge of the escorts for this mission. I agree with what the head porter has said regarding the agency’s operations and the benefits of accepting the request. However, it is said one should be content with one’s lot. We have successfully completed our escort mission this time. If we accept this request in this situation and end up losing escorts and failing to rescue Zhuge Seola, what will happen then?”

“Hmm…”

Heo Seong expressed his opinion from the perspective of the escorts.

He also had a point. Normally, a request is accepted only after thorough discussion among the agency’s leadership.

Moreover, for a request from a major clan like the Zhuge Clan, the branch chiefs, division leaders, head porters, and the treasurers who manage the finances should all gather to discuss it.

Making a decision here and now was, in itself, absurd.

Of course, since the matter was that urgent, the rewards for success would be just as valuable.

It was then that Cheon Mubaeck stepped forward.

“Then we should first assess the situation.”

As Cheon Mubaeck came forward, a strange light flickered in Elder Yu’s eyes.

“The situation, you say? Young Master.”

“Yes. The priority should be whether we can even catch the Inhuman Lust Fiend if we were to pursue him.”

Elder Yu closed his mouth.

Heo Seong spoke with a somewhat troubled expression.

“According to the news we’ve received so far, 89 martial artists from the Orthodox Faction have made their move. Since Zhuge Seola’s abduction, 130 martial artists from the Zhuge Clan have been combing through Jingzhou and its vicinity. And it’s not just Jingzhou. Considering the possibility that he has escaped Jingzhou, the Zhuge Clan is also searching in Yichang and Wuhan.”

“And how many of our escorts are here?”

“Currently, thirty-three.”

“If thirty-three of us step up, can we succeed in the pursuit?”

“Our escorts have primarily been tasked with protecting goods, so they are not skilled in tracking.”

Heo Seong’s reaction was negative.

At this point, Elder Yu could no longer press his opinion.

If a request was impossible to succeed from the start, it should not be accepted. For an escort agency, failure leaves a fatal stain.

Cheon Yuhwa narrowed her fine brows.

“This probably isn’t a situation where we can just refuse.”

“Ugh!”

Zhuge Seohu, the great young master of the Zhuge Clan, had personally come and made the request as if it were a plea.

Furthermore, this request was not in pursuit of purely private interests.

If one was a righteous hero with a sense of justice in the martial world, it was a matter one should step up for without expecting any reward.

The Inhuman Lust Fiend.

He had already abducted, raped, and murdered nine women in Hubei Province.

Not a single one had survived.

Moreover, the scenes of the crimes, where the bodies appeared to have been burned by fire, were causing public outrage.

The Orthodox Faction had made its move because all nine women were daughters of martial families or members of clans.

He must have committed crimes against ordinary commoners before that, so the number of victims was likely higher.

The problem was that in this situation, even Zhuge Seola, a daughter of the Zhuge Clan, had been abducted.

Hubei Province was the front yard of the Zhuge Clan and the Wudang Sect.

Unlike other regions, Hubei was a place where the forces of the Unorthodox Faction or heretical sects couldn’t even breathe.

That was how formidable the Orthodox Faction’s control was there.

To touch a daughter of the Zhuge Clan in such a place meant that, fundamentally, the person was insane.

Not just in Jingzhou, but all of the Zhuge Clan’s available personnel throughout Hubei Province had been mobilized, yet there were reportedly no results.

In the end, they must have made the request to the Azure Star Escort Agency as a last resort, grasping at straws.

“We are likely not the only ones who have received such a request. The Beggars’ Sect, the Hao Faction, and other escort agencies as well. With the Zhuge Clan’s reputation, the government authorities will also make a move.”

Elder Yu said that much and looked at Cheon Yuhwa.

The choice had to be made by Cheon Yuhwa, the person in charge of this escort mission. As the head porter, Elder Yu was merely being faithful to his role of giving advice.

Cheon Yuhwa suddenly looked at Cheon Mubaeck.

“We entered Jingzhou three days ago. But the Zhuge Clan only contacted us today.”

“That is correct.”

“If they were truly desperate, they would have contacted us the moment we entered Jingzhou.”

“Then…?”

“It means they didn’t come seeking the reputation of our agency.”

Cheon Yuhwa said calmly. Her gaze then turned to Cheon Mubaeck.

“The moment Mubaeck arrived, they immediately approached us.”

“…!”

“Then what you’re saying is…”

“It means they came not for the name of the Azure Star Escort Agency, but for the name of the Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero.”

That was right.

Although the Azure Star Escort Agency had been growing recently, its influence was still limited to Henan Province.

Weren’t they just now at the point of expanding into Hubei Province?

If the Zhuge Clan had intended to make a request to the Azure Star Escort Agency from the beginning, they would have approached them sooner.

Thus, the conclusion to be drawn was obvious.

Cheon Mubaeck.

They had come after hearing the moniker, Heavenly Dragon Sword Hero.

At Cheon Yuhwa’s words, Cheon Mubaeck slowly nodded his head. That was the reason why the people of the Zhuge Clan had been unusually conspicuous since they entered Jingzhou.

As a group of unfamiliar outsiders who did not seem ordinary, the Zhuge Clan’s attention had immediately been drawn to them. Also, even during the meeting to make the request to Cheon Yuhwa, they had subtly cast glances toward Cheon Mubaeck, who was in the corner.

Cheon Yuhwa said.

“Mubaeck, I will do as you think on this matter.”

Cheon Mubaeck nodded his head.

In effect, the request had been made to Cheon Mubaeck, not the Azure Star Escort Agency. Therefore, the decision should also be made by Cheon Mubaeck.

Cheon Mubaeck thought for a moment before speaking.

“I will decide after speaking with Zhuge Seohu directly.”

* * *

As soon as Zhuge Seohu received the message, he came immediately.

Especially at the suggestion that Cheon Mubaeck wanted to meet him personally, he rushed over without a second thought.

From the beginning, Zhuge Seohu had made the request with Cheon Mubaeck in mind, not the Azure Star Escort Agency.

“What are you doing?”

“Having a staring contest.”

Cheon Mubaeck wore a dumbfounded expression.

It was because Gwak Cheonhu was glaring intently at Zhuge Seohu, who was approaching from a distance with a dead-serious face.

“What’s wrong?”

“He’s strong. Gukbo and Jeon Hyeon were incredible guys by my standards, but that bastard is no pushover either.”

Gwak Cheonhu’s eyes blazed. It was an expression of rising fighting spirit. Cheon Mubaeck let out a sigh.

“Don’t even think about it. You two are polar opposites.”

“What? You think I’ll lose?”

“Rather than losing, it’ll be a headache. I don’t like guys like that either. The kind who slyly use their cunning.”

“Like Neung-heo?”

“A slightly different kind of cunning. It’s hard to put into words.”

Gwak Cheonhu nodded and stepped aside. As he moved away, he looked at Cheon Mubaeck with a strange gaze.

“What.”

“Don’t kill him.”

“…What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Because I’m going to have a go at him too.”

Cheon Mubaeck felt a headache coming on for a moment. Seeing those blazing eyes, he could only sigh. After learning the Heaven-Shaking Soul Art and memorizing the verses of the Primordial Root Scripture, the word ‘headache’ was now a distant concept for him. And yet, Cheon Mubaeck’s head ached.

This guy, who had seemed a bit more normal than Neung-heo, had become a little strange lately.

Should he say he had become more passionate?

Well, he must have been stimulated. He had experienced that the world was wide, and he had witnessed powerful enemies.

It was probably after the fight with the Bidaras who had attacked the Flying Sword Sect.

Having seen and directly experienced the gap between himself and Cheon Mubaeck, Gwak Cheonhu had become more passionate in his training.

To the point where he sometimes looked like a fool.

“Why would I beat up Zhuge Seohu?”

“Huh? You’re not?”

“I’m going to negotiate.”

“Really? Hmm. The way you were looking at him was as if you didn’t like him.”

Cheon Mubaeck sighed.

“How do my eyes look to you right now?”

“…Since you’re busy now, let’s have our duel later.”

Gwak Cheonhu quickly extinguished the fire in his eyes and tucked his tail.

No matter how much he loved to fight, earning him the nickname Fighting Ghost, he had no confidence in handling Cheon Mubaeck.

Cheon Mubaeck left Gwak Cheonhu behind and looked out the window.

It was a long distance.

But Zhuge Seohu, who was walking over, happened to raise his head and look directly at Cheon Mubaeck.

‘Hmm.’

A strange light flickered in Cheon Mubaeck’s eyes.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep