So-ok's hand went into her sleeve. Inside her sleeve was a hidden weapon, ready to be used in an emergency.
As Pyo Wol had said, this was one of the branches of the Hao Clan. However, it was not an official branch but rather an improvised one.
Even Hao Clan had not expected the war between the two factions in Yeonam to become so severe.
That's why they quickly bought a building and sent the maidens affiliated with Hao Clan there.
So-ok was one of the maidens dispatched in that way.
Although she had a slight build, she was frequently sent to dangerous places because of her friendly personality and strong character.
So-ok couldn't hide her surprised expression.
I kept the secret thoroughly, but my opponent had seen entirely through it.
When she saw his eyes, he seemed convinced that this place was a new branch of the Hao Clan.
It was ridiculous to try to deceive someone who already knew everything.
With a tight grip on the hidden blade in her sleeve, So-ok asked Pyo Wol.
"How did you know this was a branch of Hao Clan?"
"It was already rumored."
"What?"
"Call Hong Yushin. Then you will know naturally."
"That's..."
Then, it happened.
"You don't have to go through all that trouble. I came myself."
As the door opened, Hong Yushin entered
So-ok couldn't hide her surprise when Hong Yushin came in.
"Lord."
"Please leave now. You're not the one to deal with."
"Yes, sir!"
So-ok weakly answered and went outside.
As soon as they were alone, Hong Yushin sat down and spoke.
"I see you again here. I waited for you a long time at Chengdu back then, but you never came back. I was disappointed that you left without even saying hello..."
"I went to see the governor."
"Yes. I heard the news afterward. Something bad happened to him....... If I had known that, I would have waited a little longer."
Hong Yushin smiled as if he already knew everything.
"You seem to know a lot."
"The Hundred Wraith Union's actions are of great interest to us as well. We are observing them carefully."
"Is that so?"
"Now we have gathered quite a bit of information about the Hundred Wraith Union. You won't be disappointed."
"You seem to be so interested in others' affairs, but you don't seem to realize that you're being watched."
"What... are you talking about?"
"You really didn't know."
Pyo Wol smirked. Hong Yushin's eyes flickered with emotion, though he rarely showed signs of it in normal situations.
But whenever he faced Pyo Wol, he couldn't help but feel shaken.
He rarely showed his emotions in ordinary situations, but when he faced Pyo Wol, he was inevitably shaken. On the other hand, His words had no impact on Pyo Wol.
The more he talked with Pyo Wol, the more he felt like he was the only one at a disadvantage.
"What are you talking about? Being watched? Who would dare to watch us?"
"Is there a reason why I should tell you?"
"You don't even know."
Hong Yushin's eyes glinted sharply.
He was certainly not a fool. He quickly discovered the truth hidden in Pyo Wol's words.
Pyo Wol smiled faintly.
"But it's true that you're being watched."
"Did you come here to tell me that?"
"I thought I should let you know..."
"What are you aiming for? You wouldn't just tell me out of goodwill."
"I told you. I thought I should let you know."
Hong Yushin frowned deeply at Pyo Wol's answer."
Whenever he talked with Pyo Wol, he felt like he was the one who lost. It wasn't a feeling he was used to, so it made him feel even worse.
"How did you know that this is the new branch of Hao Clan?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"It seems like there is a problem with the security of the main branch if outsiders can easily find out and approach like this."
Hong Yushin let out a sigh.
In fact, for hundreds of years, the Hao Clan had followed the same pattern of behaviour.
Whenever there was a problem in an area without a branch, they would purchase a property and quickly establish a new branch.
People who didn't care would not notice any change, but anyone with a bit of keenness would easily recognize the presence of the Hao Clan branch.
Hong Yushin had mentioned changing this method several times to the leader of the Hao Clan, but he was always ignored.
As a result, he had given up halfway.
Hong Yushin asked calmly, trying hard to maintain his composure.
Hong Yushin tried to maintain his calm as he asked, "Is that all?"
"That's all," replied Pyo Wol.
"Hmph! You're really an unpredictable person."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"I have one question. How did you know that someone was monitoring us?"
"It was just a coincidence."
"A coincidence... It seems like master Pyo has also built his own information network here."
"Why do you think that?"
"It's common sense. The first thing that assassins do is gather information. The easiest way to obtain information is to place a request in the bulletin board, but your request was not posted in any of the branches, so it's safe to assume that you've established your own independent information network."
"You're quite smart."
"Are you the only one who's smart? Since it's come to this, let's make a deal."
"Tell me."
"If you tell me who's monitoring us, I'll provide you with the information you need. How about it? It's a win-win situation for both of us."
Pyo Wol nodded slightly at Hong Yushin's proposal.
"Good!"
"So this is what you've been aiming for all along."
"It's a deal that benefits both of us."
"I hope it stays that way until the end. Now, please tell me. Who is monitoring me?"
Pyo Wol then told Hong Yushin the story he had heard from Jang Noya.
During the conversation, Hong Yushin's face hardened.
As the Chief Inspector of the Hao Clan, it was embarrassing that he had not noticed someone else monitoring him.
He considered that Pyo Wol might be lying, but he had no reason to lie to him. He was not someone who would lie and risk being caught soon after.
"What is their identity?"
"For now, I can only speculate that it's someone connected to Lee-Yul."
"Lee-Yul.. do you know anything about him?"
"That's the problem. There's nothing known about him."
"Really?"
Hong Yushin frowned.
He knew better than anyone about Pyo Wol's ability.
His ability to gather information was supernatural, as evidenced by how quickly he established his information network in Chengdu.
If Pyo Wol couldn't find the information, Lee-Yul had hidden his information very well.
"There is no one who can thoroughly conceal their own information and have a clean past. We'll have to dig behind him using the power of our clan."
"It won't be easy."
"You underestimate us. If we make a deliberate effort to investigate, there's nothing we can't find out."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"You won't be disappointed."
Hong Yushin smiled coldly.
****
When he entered Yeonnam, Dokgo Hwang couldn't stop exclaiming with admiration and laughter.
Eom Soso(Um Soso) frowned at Dokgo Hwang's behaviour. But her reaction was only to that extent.
She didn't like Dokgo Hwang's behaviour, but she couldn't point out his actions one by one.
Of course, even if she pointed it out, Dokgo Hwang was not the type to change.
He had been like this since he was young, and his free-spirited nature had not changed.
Dokgo Hwang seemed to be quite fond of Yeonnam.
The air was thick with tension, as if it could explode. Such an atmosphere was truly rare.
At least, it was the first time they had experienced this tension since arriving there.
As the hot air rose, so did Dokgo Hwang's face, turning a deep shade of red.
"This is it. This is what real life is like, here."
Dokgo Hwang chuckled to himself as he moved forward.
Countless people passed by them, including some monks who looked pretty strong in their faith.
As Dokgo Hwang observed them, the namhae three swords cautiously spoke to him.
"We've arrived."
"Huh? Already?"
"Yes. This is the place we promised to meet, the Four Seas Pavilion."
In front of them was a guesthouse with a sign reading "Four Seas Pavilion."
Despite its grandiose name, it was a relatively small guesthouse.
Dokgo Hwang entered the guesthouse without hesitation.
Afterwards, Eom Soso and the Namhae three swords followed.
The Four Seas Pavilion was quiet. While other inns were in chaos due to having no rooms available, the Four Seas Pavilion was serene without a single person in sight.
Despite the strange scenery, Dokgo Hwang nodded his head as if it was expected.
Then a middle-aged man, who appeared to be the owner of the Four Seas Pavillion, came out and said, "We are not open for business and cannot accommodate guests."
"With so many seats available?" Dokgo Hwang asked.
"I'm sorry," the owner replied.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. I won't be going anywhere," Dokgo Hwang said.
"I clearly stated that we are not open for business," the Four Seas Pavillion owner's voice turned cold.
The atmosphere around him felt as if it was emitting a strong sense of intimidation, making it hard to perceive him as just the owner of an inn.
Suddenly, Eom Soso stepped forward, blocking Dokgo Hwang's path.
Despite this simple act, the owner of the Four Seas Pavillion felt as if a giant sword was threatening him and pointed at his neck.
The owner's eyes trembled with fear.
"Master... "
He had mastered a powerful martial art to the point where he was proud of his own achievement, which made him look down on others.
However, the woman in front of him was equally powerful, looking down on him.
He didn't feel any threat until the woman stepped forward.
Her level was so high that he couldn't even sense her presence.
Eom Soso spoke up, "We've come from Namhae."
"Namhae? Then..."
"Yes."
As soon as Eom Soso finished speaking, the owner of the Four Seas Pavillion bowed his head and apologized
.
"I'm sorry. I didn't recognize you, even though a nobleman came, because I don't have eyes to see."
"I'm sorry. I didn't recognize you, even though a nobleman came, because I don't have eyes to see."
"It's okay! It can happen."
Dokgo Hwang smiled as if nothing was wrong. But a cold sweat trickled down the Four Sea Pavilion master's spine.
Dokgo Hwang tapped the shoulder of the owner of the apology and said, "It's okay, relax."
"Th-thank you."
"Where is Mu-Gak?"
"He's waiting upstairs."
"Is that so?"
Dokgo Hwang looked up at the stairs.
The area above the stairs was so dark that he couldn't see anything.
It looked like a monster was waiting with its mouth open, waiting for prey to walk in alone.
As Dokgo Hwang climbed the stairs, he spoke to Eom Soso.
"I will meet Mu-Gak alone. You wait here," Dokgo Hwang said.
"Okay," Eom Soso replied, then stepped back.
Leaving her behind, Dokgo Hwang climbed the stairs alone.
After passing through a dark area, he finally reached this floor and was greeted by a large room.
It should have been filled with dining tables, but they had been cleared away, leaving only one, making it seem more spacious.
A man sat in front of the table, looking out the window.
When Dokgo Hwang saw the man's back, his eyebrows twitched.
It was as if a huge mountain was unfolding before him.
The man's build was ordinary, yet he had a weight and presence that made him feel like he was looking at a mountain.
"As expected, it's interesting," Dokgo Hwang chuckled and walked towards the man.
Dokgo Hwang's shadow loomed over the man's head.
Only then did the man raise his head to look at Dokgo Hwang.
"Ah! Have you come?"
The man had a face as ordinary as his physique. His eyes were small, his nose was low, and he gave an overall dull impression.
However, when Dokgo Hwang looked at the man's face, he felt an oppressive pressure like a mountain. But the pressure disappeared in an instant as if the ice had melted.
Dokgo Hwang sat before the man, saying, "What were you finding so interesting?"
"Just this and that. You've been through a lot to come all the way here."
"No problem! I've met interesting people and had fun because of you."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"So, I'm grateful to you for inviting me to this place."
"I wish I could have invited you to the Heavenly Armory, but this will have to do for now."
"It's a pity I couldn't go to the Heavenly Armory, but it's still nice to see your face here."
Dokgo Hwang smiled.
The man who looked ordinary was named Jang Mu-Gak.
He was the master of Heavenly Armory, one of the strongest forces in the world.
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