During my cultivation, I overhear the conversation between the assassins.
“Hyung.”
“…”
“You die this way and that way, too. It is the same. Fisherman, do you have a way out?”
The man replies.
“No.”
“If not, tell me what I need to know. We don’t know anything at all.”
“What do you know about me? Chubu will know the most.”
“Chubu, speak up now.”
Ironically, they are using the temporary names that I had given them. The fisherman is a fisherman, and the ugly one is Chubu.
Chubu then says.
“If Geom Yuk and Yain agree, I will tell you.”
Geom Yuk is likely the swordsman, while Yain has to be the half-naked man.
The two of them respond.
“If Chubu tells you, we will follow him.”
“I will follow too.”
Finally, the ugly one speaks.
“Look, leader, you hear us? I will tell you what I know. But don’t be offended when I do tell you what I know. I will be waiting for you once your cultivation is done.”
I open my eyes after finishing my cultivation.
“Ready to talk?”
Chubu looks at me and replies.
“This is a body that is about to die, so I will pay you back for what I drank.”
I get up from my cross-legged state and grab Chubu by the neck before placing him near the bonfire. I also pick up the rest of the people and put them around the bonfire as I give them alcohol to drink.
“Tell me.”
Chubu looks at the flame and then says.
“First of all, you keep calling our assassination group a particular name. I wonder where did you get it from? Why do you think that is our name? For all you know, that could be someone’s title since it’s too awkward to have a group named like that. We are talking about crossing a river using a single floating reed leaf. But as you know, we don’t have such skills.”
I nod my head.
“Keep talking.”
“The title of the person who manages us is the Reed Crossing the River. We learned about assassination targets from this person. We are usually scattered and only gather when there is a need. After we hear the assassination target’s description, people like the old man you killed are the ones who plan and share the information. The three old men are most aware of the system, but they’re dead now.”
“Farmer?”
“Elder Sek, the farmer, was the one sent to kill you. He is the most talented one among us. What I want to say is that there is no such thing as the main base… the man called River Crossing the Reed is our center and main base too.”
I get up and pour alcohol into Chubu, who chokes a lot.
The alcohol makes an audible sound as it disappears into his mouth. I then put down the empty bottle, open a new one, and pour alcohol down the others’ throats.
As I sit back down, I say to the four.
“Everyone did so much to survive.”
“…”
Suddenly, Yain sighs and closes his hands as the others, too, sigh with tears in their eyes.
I don’t ask why and they don’t explain either.
Chubu then tells me.
“It is not easy to find that person. They always send people to call us, so how will you, sect leader, find them?”
I reply to them calmly.
“Where in the world do things ever turn out how you want them to? If I wasn’t looking for them, would you continue to look for me?”
Chubu nods his head.
“I understand. We suffered a lot of damage.”
“How would I even find someone who hides so well? They only order out the kill missions. On nights when assassins don’t come and visit, I get to sleep a little longer. It’s been so long since I’ve slept comfortably.”
“…”
“If the window sways with the wind even once, or a rat passes by my ceiling, I keep wondering if an assassin might have come. I imagined that the rat might have run away from spotting an assassin. I would toss and turn, thinking about how to stop myself from drawing the sword under my bed. Then, it is already dawn when I look out the window again.”
“…”
“The moon must have seen me toss and turn so many times. If I fall, the Low Down Sect falls, and if that falls, more bastards will rise. The Unorthodox Faction, like bugs, would come and slaughter many people. The women would be abducted and asked to adjust to their new homes.”
I grin and then take another drink.
“Ah… that can’t be me. I cannot stand it.”
I point my finger at them.
“… warm. Life is accompanied by small joys like a bonfire, but it is usually cold, hungry, and painful, like today. Nine out of ten people live with the pain. Most people have a hard time living a normal life, and there are still those who put them through hell. As I kill people like you one after another with my own hands, the craziness within is growing each day. But it is fine. No man in the world can withstand this craziness better than me. In the end, I always win. That is me.”
I look at the assassins and smile.
“Finally, I enjoy drinking with such people, so the taste feels better.”
I lightly touch their upper bodies. Due to the heat, their weakened legs are beginning to collapse.
I throw more wood into the bonfire. I am no longer the only one watching the flickering flames of the bonfire, as there are no other places to look.
As we go through life, there always comes a time when we sit silently watching a fire.
And now is such a time.
Some look back on their past while looking into the flames.
That is what the assassins are doing now.
In the silence, the fisherman says.
“What a warm bonfire.”
And Yain says as well.
“I am sorry. I am speechless at this.”
The swordsman says.
“Does this make sense? Is there something you’re thinking about?”
Yain nods his head.
“Food. I can only ever think of food. I guess I only like it when I eat something.”
I look at him
“So you like food.”
“…”
As I look at my dry snacks, I grab a large piece of beef jerky and put it into his mouth. Yain then starts chewing it.
“Eat well.”
Yain replies.
“I will.”
The swordsman then asks me.
“Excuse me, but do you have a master? You’re young and not too famous. You also made a mistake associating the name given to you.”
“I have no master. My lack of reputation is probably because most of those who attack me end up dead. We, the Low Down Sect, don’t take any money, so we have no influence. Therefore, the rumors don’t spread, so we have no fame.”
The fisherman then asks.
“How do you run a sect if you don’t receive a reward?”
“If I rob people like you, I get a lot of money. You don’t know, but the leaders always have money. I’m also curious. Where does your group spend the money you get from commissions? It wouldn’t have been used on you people since you’re the ones sent out to die. Money always ends up with those at the top. As you get older, you should know that this is how the world works. Don’t just go thinking about eating and drinking. You get that, Yain?”
And Yain replies.
“Yes.”
“What, yes? This jerk. You can only tell whether or not rice is hard or cooked. What else do you know? Where did you leave your shirt to even act like this? Life is as cold as ice and even colder for morons. You pathetic bastard.”
Yain sighs.
“Phew.”
The swordsman then suddenly joins the conversation.
“There was a raid in the past at a place called the Buhyang Mountain. Almost all of the assassins gathered there then. Everyone was pretty nervous since there was a pretty strong person. The Reed Crossing the River had gathered us there to take the lead. At the same time, a man came to help us. Reed Crossing the River called that man one thing.”
I ask him.
“What was it?”
“Mu Hun sahyung.”
I then speak with a bitter tone.
“Mu Hun, the one they call Stepping Without Trace?”
“Probably.”
So both Reed Crossing the River and Stepping Without Trace are people who depend on using light footwork. At first glance, I am suspicious of the Swift Society, but there are no such people there.
“If there is a sahyung then there has to be a master. It seems like there are quite elite people around your group. At the very least, I can probably find the base I want to find if I capture and torture one of them.”
It is likely that Nam Myunghee, in his past life, had killed the assassins but was later attacked by those two and was defeated. The Reed Crossing the River must have been discreet and completed the task immediately.
I begin to trace back my past memories.
‘Have I ever been through a process?’
In the world of assassins, just like life within Kangho, there is a hierarchy set in many places. Whether within sects or clans, events will cause a rise and fall.
Within this world, the only one I know about in detail is Sal Wang, or the Killing King.
‘No…?’
The fastest way to find out where that base is located is to meet with Sal Wang.
But if I leave alone, then I am likely to get cornered.
I know that Sal Wang died with his limbs torn off by fighting Hwang Seung in front of my very eyes in my past life.
What should not be misunderstood is that Sal Wang died as the opponent was stronger. It is unnecessary to deal with him in my current state.
As I continue, my train of thought is coming to an end. I suddenly look at the face of one of the people in front of me before I move to the others. In my mind, I am still thinking about Sal Wang.
“There is a beautiful valley called the Flower Valley. Has anyone heard of it?”
The assassins shake their heads.
“No.”
“Old one.”
I then look into their eyes and say.
“I heard that its name was changed after a few people took refuge there. It is said that it was originally a beautiful place where you could see peony petals falling over the valley. However, it is often said that bodies were washed away into the valley. Instead of petals, death was the one who came.”
“…”
“The peony is known to be the king of flowers. The assassins from the Valley of Death are called the King of Assassins. If that is the case, this Reed Crossing the River must be from there.”
“…”
I look at them again.
“I was deeply involved in something dangerous. You shouldn’t look for it if you don’t know about it. If you do, you might touch something that you shouldn’t. No matter how much you think about it, there is only one power that could brainwash someone so perfectly to be able to instill thoughts, actions, and many more things. I think it’s definitely the assassins of the Valley of Death, probably one of their best. What do you think?”
I get up and move to the fisherman.
“One by one. The fisherman first.”
I grab him by the shoulder and look into his eyes as he says.
“Has to be from Valley of Dead.”
“I didn’t hear it.”
“Isn’t it true that you have wide knowledge, leader?”
So I ask.
“Was the alcohol delicious?”
“…”
I inject more ice qi into his shoulder, making him nod.
“It was delicious.”
“I am glad.”
As I watch him turn cold and stiff, I turn to look at the swordsman.
“What do you think?”
He looks at me with a calm expression.
“Excellent insight, Low Down Sect leader.”
“Right? Is my guess right?”
“…”
I slam my sword into his head. The man falls down with a popping sound.
“Ugly one, what do you think?”
Chubu looks up and says.
“Just kill me.”
“The Valley of Death is a difficult place even for me. Didn’t you hear me say this?”
Chubu smiles.
“Low Down Sect leader.”
“What?”
“People don’t change easily.”
“Don’t you know they can be changed with a favor?”
“What kind of favor? It should at least be a win.”
“Ah, this….”
I chuckle and laugh.
“The world doesn’t know me. I get it.”
I pull Chubu up by the neck and break it before leaving his body to droop down.
“Yain, I was going to feed you pork meat. How can you do this to me?”
Yain looks confused.
“I don’t know what that place is. I only know of the Reed Crossing the River, so why did you kill them all?”
“Yain.”
“Tell me.”
I look at him with serious eyes.
“You are the greatest and most excellent living person.”
Tears are welling up in his eyes as he looks at me.
“What the hell are…”
“Leave your words.”
Yain exclaims lightly before speaking in a different tone.
“I will give no advice, so here’s my will. Lee Zaha, the jerky was delicious.”
In the meantime, Yain, who is released to some extent, reaches out his hand to me.
I look at the assassin’s hand approaching my body. My sword is encased in ice again as I slam it into his head.
Puak!
Suddenly, I turn my head to the back. As I turn, I see the moonlight pouring down.
I mumble as I glance at it.
“Yah, the moonlight is uselessly beautiful again tonight.”
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