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Chapter 382. Flooding Waves (7)
The Mantongbu was structured to resemble a grand hall.
Rows of desks sat in the open without partitions, and bookshelves packed with an unending stream of documents lined the walls from end to end.
Judging by the furniture alone, the layout appeared spacious — designed to maximize the Mantongbu's efficiency.
But.
"Wh-what......?!"
W̌е̌ḃ ń о v̇е̄l̇ Еñ ǔ m.а̊
"AAAAAHHH!!"
By now, the mountains of unprocessed documents had overflowed past the shelves and begun piling on the floor, gradually transforming the office into something resembling a labyrinth.
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To work in the Mantongbu, one had to navigate this maze-like structure.
Not even the Mantongbu's head — Grand Strategist Jegal So-myeong — was exempt.
Patter, patter, patter.
But today, every time Jegal So-myeong moved within the Mantongbu, a small shadow trailed behind him.
Ẇ еb n̄ o v e l̃ Ё ňúm̊ а
FWIP—
Even when Jegal So-myeong abruptly changed direction.
Patter, patter, patter.
The shadow followed without fail.
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The figure, clad in a long blue-green robe that made an already small frame appear even smaller, kept tailing Jegal So-myeong wherever he went. Finally, his patience wearing thin, Jegal So-myeong scowled.
"There is no need to follow me around."
E nu m̈ а . i̇ d̊
The small shadow answered.
"Don't mind me."
"......Don't mind you?"
Jegal So-myeong's brow furrowed, but Dang Seo-hui tilted her head with a blank expression, as though she had no idea what the problem was.
"......I am aware of your speech habits, but at least add a 'sir' or 'please.'"
"Don't mind me...... sir?"
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What on earth was that bizarre creature?
Jegal So-myeong let out a groan and a small sigh.
"That Poison King raised you with far too much coddling."
"I wasn't coddled at all."
TWITCH.
"......Sir."
Е̄ n ǔm а̂
"Why do you go and copy that tasteless old man's way of talking?"
Muttering to himself, Jegal So-myeong shot Dang Seo-hui another glare.
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"If you are to be assigned here, the one who will give you direct orders and put you to work is the Mantongbu Department Head, Maeng Ju-won, over there. Go to him and learn."
"Grandfather always said it is best to learn from the one who does it best."
"......"
"......Sir. This is very inefficient......"
Ënú mа
His temples throbbing, Jegal So-myeong pressed them hard with both hands, then finally gave up and began ignoring Dang Seo-hui as he went about his work.
Patter, patter, patter.
And watching this bizarre spectacle unfold, Maeng Ju-won — who had just arrived for work — stood slack-jawed and muttered.
"......What the hell is that?"
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Another Mantongbu staffer sighed softly and answered.
"An applicant, apparently."
Еnum̂ ӑ
"What applicant?"
"An applicant for the Mantongbu."
Maeng Ju-won's face crumpled like a sheet of paper.
"The White-Hand Divine Maiden?"
"The Dragon and Phoenix Assembly has finished its activities, hasn't it? It's time for her to be assigned within the Murim Alliance. She says she wants to experience what kind of work the Mantongbu does, so she's been following the Grand Strategist around like that."
"No, but why would the White-Hand Divine Maiden come to the Mantongbu?"
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"How would I know?"
The staffer shrugged.
Maeng Ju-won, who had been floating through his days imagining the new recruits on the way, felt a headache coming on.
The White-Hand Divine Maiden.
Certainly, among the later-generation talents, she was one of the top picks even counting the generation above hers — but that was strictly in terms of martial prowess.
Patter, patter, patter.
Wе̊ b̄ n о v̆е l̄ Е nü m̀а̂
"......I said not to follow me."
"Don't mind me."
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"......"
"......Sir."
Dang Seo-hui toddled about the Mantongbu office like a newborn chick, crisscrossing every corner.
A being who had absolutely no place in the Mantongbu — an institution that needed to tread the razor-thin tightrope of political neutrality, carefully calibrating the murim's balance with every precarious step.
Én̊ u mã. і̆ d̀
Moreover, someone who possessed not only extraordinary skill but also a formidable background, and who didn't so much as register Jegal So-myeong's words — could such a person actually work in the Mantongbu?
"She'll...... fail the exam, right?"
He tried to cling to a small shred of hope, but the staffer beside him shook his head.
"Her theoretical scores at the Academy were second only to Il-myeong's."
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"......"
Well, of course — having exceptional scores in both theory and practice was precisely why she'd been selected for the Dragon and Phoenix Assembly.
En̄ ú.m̄.а̇
"I mean, from the standpoint of filling our headcount, isn't it actually a good......"
"What?"
At the staffer's offhand remark — as though it were someone else's problem — Maeng Ju-won's face twisted in outrage.
"You want to serve under a subordinate who acts like your superior?"
"......But ranks exist for a reason. She wouldn't commit insubordination, would she?"
Since when had this guy become such an extreme optimist? Was it the overtime?
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"Fine then. From now on, the White-Hand Divine Maiden is your exclusive charge."
"......I'll submit my resigna......"
"Pre-emptively rejected."
At Maeng Ju-won's decisive words, the staffer exhaled a long sigh.
"Then this really is no ordinary matter."
"Right. If the White-Hand Divine Maiden joins as a new recruit......"
Е̌nu m а̀
"No, I don't mean that."
"Hm?"
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Just then, a man walked gracefully between Maeng Ju-won and the staffer.
"Do I handle this like so?"
The voice was remarkably clear for a man's, and Maeng Ju-won's head turned instinctively. The moment he beheld the face, a small gasp of admiration escaped him.
"Y-Yong So-ah?"
Ẇ е̃ b̄n̆ ò vеľ Е̌ n um а̄
"Department Head, I presume."
"Y-yes, that's...... right."
Yong So-ah glanced briefly at the sun outside the window, then said in a quiet voice.
"The required arrival time is the Hour of the Dragon, as I understand it."
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"......"
"Punctuality is a basic virtue for any Alliance member. Please be mindful in the future."
Ẽ nuṁа̌
With a light bow, he set down the document he'd completed and walked away.
"......"
"......"
A grim silence hung in the air.
"......He just scolded me, didn't he?"
"We're in real trouble."
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As the staffer watched the dazed, muttering Maeng Ju-won, he let out a long sigh.
"What's going to happen to us now?"
"What do you mean, 'what's going to happen'? Obviously we stop them from coming!"
"How? Are you going to fight them with martial arts?"
"F-fight with martial arts? Scholars fight with documents!"
With a grandiose declaration, Maeng Ju-won snatched up the document Yong So-ah had completed.
Е n̊u̇.m̌ а
Finding even the smallest flaw and inflating it to the size of a mountain was one of Maeng Ju-won's specialties.
He twisted the corner of his mouth into a sneer and huffed.
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"You'll feel the bone-deep pain of how this man has handled the Righteous Path Association, the Orthodox Path Association, and the Twelve Peak Citadels all this ti......"
But with every line he read, his voice shrank to the volume of an ant's.
Until finally —
"Grrrk—"
Еń u m̊а̂ . і d
He was grinding his teeth. And even that wasn't enough.
"Shit."
A curse slipped out at last.
The startled staffer looked at Maeng Ju-won with anxious eyes.
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"......Wh-why? What is it?"
"See for yourself."
Eń u mǎ. id
The staffer took the document and found his head nodding involuntarily.
It wasn't exactly flawless, but it was absolutely impossible to call it lacking.
"Oho, at this level...... with just a bit more training, you could bring him up to Jin So-un's stan......"
"Happy? Are you happy?! God damn it! The one who should actually be here didn't even take the exam. And nothing but weirdos keep showing up to haunt the Mantongbu!"
Maeng Ju-won's spirits, so buoyant upon arriving at work, plummeted to their lowest point.
***
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Yong So-ah moved in tandem with Dang Seo-hui.
I pressed him persistently for the reason, but of course he wouldn't answer, and his composure in the face of my attitude only stoked my irritation further.
Naturally, Dang Seo-hui was already salivating at the thought of becoming a true chivalrous hero, so there was no situation in which Yong So-ah could have blocked her.
Still, I was on edge that he might somehow derail the plan when —
[I will join as well.]
He said something out of the blue.
Ẇ е b nо̄ve l Е.n̄ u ḿ а
What is he talking about?
My mind went blank for a moment, but I quickly regathered myself.
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Well, fine. I had no idea what he thought I was doing or why he wanted to join, but as long as he wasn't interfering with my work, what did I care what Yong So-ah did?
If anything, having two people who could guard Jegal So-myeong at close range was a stroke of luck.
Thanks to that, I was able to focus more on Wind Master Song Baek.
While I was away, the Hao Gate continued tailing Wind Master Song Baek, and I'd secured the list of everyone he met.
Е̄ nǔm а̌
But.
"Hmm......"
Nothing stood out.
I'd placed separate tails on noteworthy individuals and kept receiving reports on them as well.
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Yet even after verifying every piece of that information, nothing was amiss.
And so I finally decided to tail him myself.
Еn u m â
"A pleasure. Have you been well?"
"You're looking splendid, Great Hero."
"All thanks to the Wudang Sect's grace, of course."
Wind Master Song Baek, a Wudang lay disciple who had once worked as an escort, had made his name through escort runs in his youth before founding an escort agency in Jiangxi Province that struck it rich, so to speak.
He'd then deepened his ties with Wudang, expanded his influence across the Jiangnan region, and served admirably as Wudang's de facto Jiangxi branch.
Being a figure of such stature, his schedule in Wuhan was packed to a degree that rivaled the head of any major organization.
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He treasured every moment, meeting people back to back and conducting business between brief exchanges of wine.
Between appointments, he circulated his qi to purge the alcohol, washed quickly, changed into fresh clothes, and proceeded to the next meeting.
A thoroughly meticulous merchant's lifestyle laid bare.
The people he met were one formidable name after another.
Monks from Shaolin's main temple, heads of the Righteous Path Association, power brokers of the Murim Alliance — they formed his primary clientele.
The reason I'd heard a fair amount about his disappearance in my past life was that after he vanished, the number of people searching for him — both inside and outside the Murim Alliance — was staggering.
Wëb̀ n̊ övе̃ l Е n̈ umà
Having built trust over decades and partnered on ventures with vested interests, his disappearance had sent shockwaves through numerous other sects and guilds.
This, in turn, had caused major upheaval within the Alliance.
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Considering all of this, my head was getting complicated.
Should I view this person as an impostor mimicking Wind Master Song Baek?
Or should I conclude that Wind Master Song Baek himself had been a Demonic Cult mole planted long ago?
'This is maddening.'
Ŵ е b̄ nоṽ еl Еn̈ u̇m̌ а́
If it were the former, things would resolve easily. But if it were the latter, in the worst case, I might face retaliation from Wudang and many other sects.
Yet agonizing wouldn't conjure better options.
A decision was needed.
And I had no desire to stake an uncertain future on something as flimsy as a desperate wish.
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"......Since when have I ever wasted time agonizing?"
I released the Ghost-Breathing Step.
Е̇ñum а. іd
I dropped the veil that concealed my qi signature and continued surveilling him openly.
Whether he sensed my presence or not, he carried on with his scheduled activities.
Late into the night, having completed his packed itinerary, he finally seemed to relax. He loosened the sash of his robe and walked with an easy stride.
He browsed the wares of merchants whose stalls were still open at this late hour, buying a few things here and there — a picture so free of suspicion it almost defied belief.
Following him at a slow but steady pace, I eventually found him ducking into a dim alleyway. The moment I stepped after him —
"I wondered who was tailing me, and it turns out you're someone quite famous."
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He was waiting for me inside the alley.
"Black Flame Dragon Jin So-un."
"......"
"You don't even flinch — so it's true you followed me on purpose."
I bored into his face and expression with an unblinking stare.
But I could detect no trace of deceit, no sign of a Human-Skin Mask.
W е b̌ n öv e l Ĕn̈ um а
"Why would a Taeul Sect disciple follow me? Especially one riding the crest of fame these days."
Moreover, the subtle hostility and gravitas in his bearing —
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If this wasn't the real Wudang lay disciple, then who in the world could be called a 'true' orthodox martial artist?
"......"
My mind grew muddled.
But I couldn't just wait forever, nor could I afford to clean up after the fact.
W êb ṅ_о̂ ṽ ẽl Еn̆ ũ_ṁ а
I had to prove it — right now.
I clasped my hands and bowed my head.
"I have long admired your esteemed reputation, and I came to humbly request a lesson."
"Ha ha ha — the Black Flame Dragon Jin So-un? From a mere lay disciple like me?"
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"It would be hard to dismiss with the word 'mere' the renown of a man who built the Song Baek Escort Agency with a single sword across Jiangxi Province."
"Haha! Gilding me with hollow flattery, too. What exactly are you scheming?"
Е̊ ṅú m á . ï d̂
Wind Master Song Baek bared his teeth in a faint show of hostility.
"Even if what you say is true and you only seek a lesson, the time is not appropriate. Come formally another day."
"......"
His demeanor, his manner of speech — not a single suspicious element.
And yet I drew my sword.
Between Jegal So-myeong dying and making an enemy of the Wudang Sect — I'd choose the latter.
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'Besides, I'm already on bad terms with Wudang anyway.'
SHING—
The Red Radiance Sword revealed its blade, and as I released my internal qi, a faint tension crossed Wind Master Song Baek's face.
"I'm told your sect's people are currently in Wuhan."
"......"
"Are you prepared to bear the consequences?"
Eń u mâ. і̆ d̂
No answer was needed.
The outcome was already decided.
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SHRIEK—
The Minor Heaven Sword Art stabbed in with a razor edge, and Wind Master Song Baek unfastened the belt around his waist.
CLATTER—
A thin blade must have been hidden inside — a slender, serpentine sword unwound and met the Red Radiance Sword.
Е̊ n u m̊a .і̂ d̃
The Five Phases Sword, a cornerstone of Wudang, stood against the Minor Heaven Sword Art.
CLANG—! CLATTER—
I immediately launched the Great Heaven Sword Art to dazzle his eyes, but Wind Master Song Baek calmly deployed the Five Phases Sword, deflecting the illusion blades and squarely meeting only the real ones.
"Explain yourself. What is this about?"
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Honestly, the moment the Five Phases Sword was executed flawlessly, I felt a prickle of doubt that I might have made a mistake.
But having come this far, was there any reason to turn back?
Ӗn ů m а̌
"......To be frank, I wanted to test something."
"Test?"
"A martial art I recently acquired."
With those words, I released the Red Radiance Sword's restraint.
GRROAARRR—
An unearthly scream of unknowable origin reverberated in every direction as the blade flushed crimson.
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The previously relaxed Wind Master Song Baek flinched and stepped back.
Seizing that opening, I unleashed the Five Phases Sword's Shattering Form.
CLANG—! CLATTER—
The Shattering Form threaded through the illusory blades of the Great Heaven Sword Art.
Wind Master Song Baek poured everything he had into defense; his martial arts uniform swelled as though about to burst, and his hands and feet danced in every direction, fending off the Red Radiance Sword.
SLASH—
W̌ ĕb̃n̂ о̀vе̃l̊ Е̄n umа̃
One clash of steel.
"Whew......"
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I couldn't suppress a triumphant grin.
"Shit, I was scared shitless."
"What?"
"I said I was scared shitless thinking you weren't Demonic Cult."
Е̄ń_u m̊а
"......What are you talk......"
I looked straight at his face and twisted my lips further.
"You son of a bitch. You blocked the Shattering Form perfectly and you're still going to keep playing Song Baek?"
The face of Wind Master Song Baek — no, one of the Phantom Five Demons — contorted violently.
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