“Who are you...?”
“Amitabha.”
Beomo pressed one palm upright before his chest in greeting.
“I am Beomo of Shaolin.”
“Ah.”
Mo Yong-woo cupped his fist.
“I am Mo Yong-woo, Commander of the Demon-Sweeping Corps under the Righteous Justice Corps. It is an honor to meet Shaolin’s renowned prodigy.”
Shaolin’s renowned prodigy.
It was both an acknowledgment of Beomo’s abilities and a respectful form of address. Beomo truly was considered one of Shaolin’s greatest talents.
Beomo shook his head.
“That title is far too burdensome. Please, simply call me Beomo.”
The Beomo of the past would have swelled with pride. He might even have taken some offense at Mo Yong-woo addressing him as an equal. In Beomo’s eyes, Shaolin had stood at the pinnacle of the martial world.
But not anymore.
After bringing the Mahayana Brahma Divine Art into full bloom and completely crossing the Wall of Martial Arts, Beomo could feel how profoundly he had changed.
Was I possessed by Mara?
That did not mean his towering pride had disappeared.
Beomo believed he had merely regained a temperament befitting his actual abilities. He still had a long way to go, but for now, he chose to be satisfied that he had changed this much from the man who once viewed the world through eyes steeped in arrogance.
Though he would need to continue cultivating himself...
“What brings you all the way here? Supreme Commander Yeon never mentioned that anyone from Shaolin would be joining us.”
“I came with Gate Master Lee of the Vajra Fist Gate. The abbot of our main temple sent Gate Master Lee to assist the Righteous Justice Corps, and I followed my junior brother here.”
“I see.”
Beomo took a token from inside his robes and handed it to Mo Yong-woo.
“This is the Martial Buddha Order Token, proof that I am a warrior monk of Shaolin.”
Mo Yong-woo smiled.
“There is no need to show me that. The Buddhist aura radiating from your entire body is proof enough that you are a warrior monk of Shaolin.”
“Thank you.”
“You truly are remarkable. Seeing you makes me understand anew why they say all martial learning under heaven originated in Shaolin. I have rarely encountered an aura at once so imposing and so serene.”
His admiration was sincere.
Just as the finest divine sword under heaven became no more than a butcher’s knife in a slaughterer’s hands, not everyone who learned Shaolin martial arts was necessarily powerful or virtuous.
In Mo Yong-woo’s eyes, Beomo was a Transcendent Peak master who had properly inherited Shaolin’s orthodox martial arts. The qi waves he emitted were rougher and fiercer than those of other Shaolin monks, but there could be no questioning his level. They belonged to a supreme master.
Beomo shook his head.
“That is not what matters. I pursued you this far because of the urgency in the fighting spirit left behind by the Demon-Sweeping Corps.”
“You could read that?”
“I could.”
He truly was remarkable. If he had sensed unease merely from the fighting spirit left in the wake of five hundred warriors, his sensitivity to qi was extraordinary.
“Everyone was in a hurry because we were moving under Supreme Commander Yeon’s orders.”
“So it seemed. I caught up to this area before long, but as nothing appeared to have gone wrong, I intended to observe the situation first.”
It was not that nothing had happened. A hundred assassins had remained behind to defend the Night Citadel, and the Demon-Sweeping Corps had fought a brief battle to exterminate them.
The assassins had been overwhelmed in the opening clash after being taken by surprise, but the Demon-Sweeping Corps had also suffered considerable losses.
The Night Citadel was an iron fortress. Moreover, the Demon-Sweeping Corps was unfamiliar with the terrain and consisted entirely of cavalry.
They were warriors of such astonishing ability that their near-divine horsemanship allowed them to fight even in the mountains, but casualties had been unavoidable. Fortunately, no one had died, though the number of seriously and lightly wounded reached seventy.
“However, there appears to be a problem.”
Mo Yong-woo’s eyes sharpened.
“A problem? What kind?”
“Nearly a thousand assassins are encamped not far from here.”
“...!”
Mo Yong-woo’s face hardened.
They had seized the enemy headquarters, but the citadel was as twisted and convoluted as a maze, its paths narrow, tangled, and confusing. It would take at least three or four full days merely to commit the entire layout to memory.
That was why Mo Yong-woo and the team leaders had dispersed throughout the citadel, planting flags at key locations. Everyone else was resting or standing guard in preparation for an enemy attack.
Yet they had noticed nothing?
“They appear extremely familiar with the surrounding terrain. I looked around from where we were standing, and they cannot be seen from the citadel. In reality, however, they are lying in wait and watching for an opportunity to strike.”
“Are you certain?”
“I am.”
A Shaolin monk would hardly lie about something like this.
“I wondered why assassins would reveal themselves so openly. Once I came here, I understood. From inside the citadel, they are completely invisible. They have concealed themselves cleverly by taking advantage of the terrain.”
They were also experts in stealth and suppressing their presence. Even Mo Yong-woo would have found it difficult to detect them.
“Would you like to see for yourself?”
“Yes. I believe I should—”
Mo Yong-woo’s gaze suddenly deepened.
“No. I will not move.”
“...?”
Beomo looked puzzled.
“You do not intend to verify it?”
“Of course it must be verified. But I cannot be the one to go.”
Mo Yong-woo looked around.
“This is no ordinary fortress. Perhaps because it housed assassins, its design is extraordinarily intricate and difficult to understand. It would take three or four full days merely to memorize the visible routes.”
“...”
“We have already discovered three secret passages. If even a few of them infiltrate the citadel, we could be attacked before we have a chance to respond.”
“Hmm.”
“My presence here is the minimum required to limit our losses. That is why I cannot move.”
Mo Yong-woo understood his position.
He knew precisely why the overall commander could not be easily shaken—or casually leave his post.
Regardless of the nature of an organization, the stability provided by its commander and the integrity of its chain of command were vital.
Beomo nodded.
“I know little of such matters, but in that case, send a trustworthy subordinate with me.”
“They are all trustworthy. However, as you said the enemy is hiding cleverly, it would be better to send someone well versed in strategy and tactics.”
Mo Yong-woo turned his head.
“Team Leader Jin!”
“Yes, Commander.”
Jin Pae, leader of the first team, hurried over.
“Go with Monk Beomo and confirm the assassins’ position. You must examine all the terrain they are using for concealment and every possible route of attack.”
“I accept your command.”
Mo Yong-woo continued speaking.
“...”
Beomo’s eyes gleamed.
Mo Yong-woo’s lips moved as though he were speaking normally, but no sound emerged. Jin Pae, however, repeatedly nodded as though he could hear every word.
Voice transmission.
He seemed to be giving Jin Pae an assignment he did not want Beomo to hear.
That was understandable. Every organization had matters outsiders were not permitted to know.
A moment later, Mo Yong-woo addressed Beomo.
“Then I leave this in your hands.”
Beomo nodded.
“Let us go.”
“Monk Beomo.”
“Is there something else?”
Mo Yong-woo cupped his fist.
“Thank you.”
Beomo shook his head.
“Save your thanks for later. You said your name was Team Leader Jin? Let us depart at once.”
“Of course.”
BANG!
The two of them sped out of the Night Citadel.
Once they had put some distance behind them, Jin Pae asked, “You are Monk Beomo, correct?”
“I am.”
“Which route did you take to reach the citadel?”
Beomo pointed northeast.
“Through that narrow trail over there. There are many trees on either side and large boulders scattered throughout, making it ideal for concealment.”
“And the assassins are encamped in the direction we are currently heading?”
“They are. But why do you ask?”
Jin Pae’s eyes sharpened.
“As you saw, merely approaching from a different direction does not guarantee that we escaped the enemy’s notice. Just as we could not see them from the headquarters we seized, you may have concealed yourself and still had your position exposed to the assassins.”
Beomo shook his head.
“That cannot be. I only discovered where they were encamped because I followed them from behind. At least from what I saw, the assassins could not see the citadel either. Their field of vision was obstructed.”
“On the surface, yes.”
“What do you mean?”
“While investigating the citadel, I realized that these assassins are far more cautious than we imagined. Moreover, the fortress we seized was the residence of the man known as the King of the Assassin World.”
“...!”
“They would have created every manner of passage not only within the citadel, but throughout the surrounding area. Furthermore, any first-rate assassin establishes personal safe houses across the Central Plains. A man called the Yin God would have done far more, not less. There may be hundreds or even thousands of safe houses and passages connected throughout Guangdong Province.”
“Heavens.”
This was a harsh side of the martial world Beomo knew nothing about.
Having learned the finest martial arts while always walking through the martial world’s sunlit reaches, Beomo lacked knowledge that came naturally to Jin Pae. In this regard, Jin Pae might even know more than Mo Yong-woo.
“And the commander is aware of that as well.”
“...?!”
Jin Pae glanced around.
“Hmm. We are enclosed on every side. The airflow is normal as well... We have come far enough.”
Tap!
Jin Pae stopped.
Beomo spoke urgently.
“What are you doing? We still have a considerable distance to go!”
“You should return now, Monk Beomo.”
“Wh-What?”
“From this point onward, I will serve as bait. Return to the citadel and assist the commander.”
“What are you talking about? Assist the commander with what?”
“I can reach the assassins’ encampment alone.”
“They are masters of stealth! One mistake and you could—”
“Why do you think the assassins revealed themselves so openly?”
“...?!”
“Had they possessed a clear objective, such as responding to the enemy’s movements or eliminating a specific target, they would never have shown themselves. Yet they did.”
“That is...”
“They are not here because they have a target to eliminate. Nor are they reacting to our movements. They want to see how we respond, then act accordingly.”
“...!!”
“If the commander and I have reached the same conclusion, the assassins will never kill me. They will send me back.”
Jin Pae’s gaze turned cold.
“So that we will draw our forces out of the citadel.”
Beomo opened and closed his mouth like a fish.
“...Then why bring me at all?”
“To guide me, and as insurance against the slightest possibility. The enemy may have seen you.”
“...”
“There are two possibilities. Either the assassins have prepared a trap where they are encamped, or they intend to infiltrate the citadel. That is why they revealed themselves.”
“Is that not merely speculation?”
“Yes, it is.”
A chill entered Jin Pae’s eyes.
“And to discover whether that speculation is right or wrong, I must be willing to stake my life.”
*****
An hour later.
“Night Lord.”
“Speak.”
“A man believed to be a warrior of the Martial Alliance observed our movements a short while ago, then withdrew.”
Yayul Jeok’s eyes flashed.
“The Shaolin monk must have informed them of our position.”
“How long will it take them to dispatch troops here?”
“They are unfamiliar with the terrain, so they will move with the greatest possible secrecy. Judging by the distance, they could launch a surprise attack in four hours at the earliest and no later than six.”
“And should they choose not to move, we will charge the citadel gates just before dawn tomorrow.”
“I will remember.”
“Good.”
A sinister light gleamed in Yayul Jeok’s eyes.
“You chose the wrong people to provoke.”
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