The Grand Military Commander's office inside the military war building.
A man dressed in military attire hurriedly entered the office and reported.
"Commander, So Geomseon has entered the castle."
Upon hearing the report, the Grand Commander Bang Deokhyun, who was sitting at the office desk, asked,
"What route?"
"Since he appears to be accompanied by the head and deputy head of the Phoenix Hall, it seems he is heading toward the Phoenix Hall residence."
"The Phoenix Hall residence? Did he prioritize meeting his younger sister first?"
"That seems to be the case."
"Keep surveillance without letting up for a moment."
"Understood."
After the man left, a sharp-faced middle-aged man sitting in the chair by the table spoke.
"That's unexpected. I thought there would be contact with Bukyeong Fortress."
"Hmm."
With a sigh, Grand Commander Bang Deokhyun marked a flag on the castle map on the desk.
The blue flag was labeled "So Geomseon."
Many other flags were also marked on the map.
Bang Deokhyun's sharp eyes focused on somewhere.
[Bukyeong Fortress]
There was still no movement there.
'...Are they cautious? Or did they truly recommend So Geomseon as a candidate purely in good faith?'
Contrary to expectations, the two sides had no contact at all.
At this point, suspicion should have been eased, but Bang Deokhyun thought otherwise.
The complete lack of any connection made him even more suspicious.
"Interesting. It's been a while since I felt this way."
It was a feeling he hadn't experienced since the Great Clan War, when he tested his strategy against his former disciple, former Grand Commander Jegal Wonmyeong.
At that time, as Jegal used retirement as an excuse to escape just before uncovering organizational secrets, their strategic battle ended unfinished — but now the situation was different.
"I will show the essence of strategy."
Since Jegal Wonmyeong died, the Martial Arts Alliance here had become like his palm.
There was another disciple, Lieutenant Sima Junghyun, but he was far from enough.
Not enough to stimulate his pride.
At that moment, the middle-aged man spoke.
"By the way, who exactly is the woman that So Geomseon brought along?"
They had been talking about that mysterious woman anyway.
She supposedly subdued Moyong Hye, the Phoenix Hall's top master, in just a few moves.
To reach that level, she must at least be an ultra-powerful master.
"Could she be a master from Botamun?"
"You seem interested."
"Heh heh heh, there is no better way to secure a successor than seeing a strong woman bear a child."
"Is that so? That's a shame. She's So Geomseon's person."
"Having someone already doesn't mean you can't have another."
The middle-aged man smacked his lips.
Seeing him like that, Grand Commander Bang Deokhyun clicked his tongue inwardly.
Though not holding the title of lord, he was a man with strong martial prowess whom Bang kept as his bodyguard—but he was very obsessed with women.
"We are investigating her in secret; we will find out soon enough."
Her appearance was quite outstanding, and unless she was just an ordinary martial artist, her face would inevitably become known.
There are not many female masters in the martial arts world who have reached the ultra-powerful level.
He believed they would learn the truth soon.
Knock knock!
At that moment, someone knocked on the office door.
It was another warrior from the military division.
Seeing the warrior, Grand Commander Bang Deokhyun asked,
"What news?"
"All the elders who met have agreed to follow your opinion."
At that report, Bang Deokhyun's mouth curved into a smile.
With the votes secured, the arrangement was complete.
The middle-aged man sitting at the table said,
"Now, at the meeting to be held in the afternoon, we just need to propose it and push it through. Except for Bukyeong Fortress, no one else will recommend So Geomseon, so he won't even be registered as a candidate for clan leader."
"Hyeongsan Ilgeom could be a variable, but no matter how much he is connected to the Ik Yangso family, given his nature, he won't vote for a greenhorn with no experience."
This was Grand Commander Bang Deokhyun's plan.
Since the last meeting, he had been negotiating with the elders to persuade them.
No matter how excellent one's martial skill is, a young master lacking experience or seniority is not fit to assume the clan leader's duty.
Therefore, he wanted to have a preliminary filter for candidates.
If a candidate fails to receive recommendations from at least five elders, they cannot register.
"The Nine of the Kings' faction has nine votes; we have seven secured here. Even if two variables are removed, So Geomseon has zero chance of getting votes."
"Heh heh heh. After coming this far, he might not even be able to register as a candidate."
If he cannot register, he cannot compete against the other two candidates.
Then the original plan can proceed smoothly.
Grand Commander Bang Deokhyun muttered, looking at the blue flag labeled So Geomseon on the map.
"How will you respond to this move?"
Outside the noisy fortress, we had come inside and were heading toward the Phoenix Hall.
"You should have seen that girl Moyonghye's face, unnie. She was completely frozen and couldn't even open her lips…"
Yeongyeong was chattering, calling Seolbaek "unnie" and talking to her.
That shy girl who usually keeps her distance from strangers was acting so friendly.
Sodamgeom chuckled and said to me,
—Your sister's attitude changed completely.
That's true.
At first, she showed hostility, talking about the "fire fox" and so on, but now she seems quite fond of her.
It seems that dealing with Moyonghye, who was an opponent, made a big difference.
—She really won her favor.
I can't believe Yeongyeong gave in so easily.
But Yeongyeong wasn't the only one interested in her.
Namgung Gahi also spoke to Seolbaek.
"You said your name is Wi Ji Sojeo, right?"
"That's right."
The alias Seolbaek used was Wi Jihyeon.
Since many people with the Wi Ji surname lived in the Central Plains, she chose it.
"If you plan to join the Martial Arts Alliance, would you consider joining our Phoenix Hall?"
I wondered why she showed interest, and it turned out she was trying to recruit her.
Namgung Gahi seemed quite impressed that Seolbaek had defeated Moyonghye with one move.
Seeing her ask a stranger to join the hall like that said it all.
At her words, Seolbaek winked at me and said,
"That's not a bad idea, but I'm destined never to be more than ten paces away from this person. Right?"
Ah… That hurts.
To say not to be more than ten paces away like that…
She's a woman you can never let your guard down around.
Watching her, Yeongyeong, who had been acting friendly, looked worried and sent me a private message.
[Oppa, can you handle this?]
[What?]
[If Sama-yeong unnie finds out, she'll try to devour you. No, your monster of a father-in-law will try to kill you.]
Yeongyeong knew who my father-in-law was.
I shook my head and said,
[It's not the relationship you think it is.]
At that, Yeongyeong nudged me with her elbow and said,
[What do you mean it's not that kind of relationship? If she clings so much, it means oppa did something that caught unnie's heart, right?]
I didn't know how to explain this.
If I said I was dragging around the enemy's loyal subordinate, Yeongyeong, who wears her heart on her sleeve, might notice, so I couldn't explain now.
[… I didn't do anything. That woman is just acting like that on her own.]
[Why hide that from your little sister?]
Even when I said that, she didn't believe me.
I guess it's because Seolbaek was being so aggressively affectionate.
[Yeongyeong, I'll explain the situation later.]
[Why do you have so many secrets from your little sister?]
Sorry.
It's not that I'm purposely hiding things.
It's just that these things keep happening.
[Not now. I'll tell you soon.]
[Hmph! Whatever. Anyway, I don't think that unnie is so bad. Women know women, and she seems to fit well with oppa.]
'!?'
What is she saying now?
[It's safer than meeting the daughter of Wolak Swordmaster.]
Hmm…
If that's why, then that woman is more dangerous than my father-in-law in some ways.
I don't know how she'll react if she finds out.
Even as a surprise attack, Seolbaek inflicted a serious wound on my father-in-law Wolak Swordmaster and got him imprisoned in Shaolin Temple.
Remembering that sobered me up instantly.
If I start to feel drawn to Seolbaek for no reason, it would be a disaster.
—I think I get what you're talking about. Be careful so that woman with the snow-flurries doesn't get noticed by your father-in-law.
Sodamgeom, even if you don't say it, I will.
There's still quite some time before the meeting, so I have to resolve it by then.
Then Yeongyeong grabbed my left sleeve and sent a message.
[It was so chaotic when we met that I didn't get a chance to say it, but thank you, oppa. You purposely let the backup team sent by my sect, Hyungsan, go, right?]
She's really smart.
I was worried she might misunderstand, but she understood my heart.
I gently stroked her head.
"Stop it. You're messing up my hair!"
Despite her whining, Yeongyeong blushed shyly.
Then a private message came in.
[You're so kind to your little sister, I wish you would do the same for me.]
It was Seolbaek's message.
I frowned at her somewhat jealous tone.
Come to think of it, she seemed to know that Yeongyeong wasn't my biological sister.
Well, she probably thinks that since I've lived over three hundred years, which is quite believable.
Anyway, since she's not completely my person, there's no need to reveal the truth.
Actually, it's better that she thinks Yeongyeong isn't my real sister.
I sent her a message.
[A sister is just a sister.]
[I know. But you've got her clinging quite a bit, haven't you?]
She said that, and I smirked and replied,
[I'm aware.]
Many eyes were watching us as we headed to Phoenix Hall.
They weren't watching because they recognized me, but as surveillance.
There were quite a few who openly followed, pretending to be travelers, and it seemed they had people stationed in multiple places.
[There must be some spies from Noiju too.]
[Probably.]
Leaving aside the disciples of the Sword Immortal, I was a person of interest in Geumsangje's organization.
Besides, I was a variable in the current clan leader selection, so naturally the attention was strong.
Having such overt surveillance made me really feel I had returned to the Martial Arts Alliance after a long time.
'Jegal Wonmyeong comes to mind.'
I'd heard that Noiju, or the Chief Military Commander Bang Deokhyun, was the teacher of Jegal Wonmyeong and Sama Jung-hyun.
Someone so careful he even hid his identity from his own disciples.
Seolbaek said that since he was the teacher of the late Chief Military Commander Jegal Wonmyeong, he must be an equal or even superior strategist.
[We have to be careful. He's not someone to be taken lightly.]
[Looks like he prepared well.]
[He'll probably try everything to keep you from becoming clan leader.]
[Then I'll have to make sure he can't.]
At my message, she asked curiously,
[The best option would be to deal with Noiju first, but if that happens, he'll revise all his plans. Also, the Martial Arts Alliance will fall into chaos.]
That's true.
If the Chief Military Commander suddenly disappeared, it would cause problems.
Of course, he probably doesn't know I know his identity, but he'd have set multiple layers of defense for emergencies.
Since the assassination of former Chief Military Commander Jegal Wonmyeong, the alliance's fortress defenses were greatly strengthened.
Leaving traces with every move.
She sent me a strange smile with a message.
[If everyone is watching your every move, how do you plan to handle that?]
Judging by her expression, she was enjoying the situation.
She seemed eager to see how I would deal with this dilemma.
I smirked and said,
[If you only respond the way the enemy wants, you're just being manipulated.]
[… What do you mean by that?]
She couldn't hide her confusion at my words.
I said with a meaningful tone,
[Do you think my goal is just to disrupt Geumsangje's plan?]
---
Noon lunchtime.
Chief Military Commander's office in the Military Hall building.
A warrior dressed in the military uniform entered and reported to Chief Military Commander Bang Deokhyun.
"So far, the So-geomsun side has shown no unusual movement. It seems they are having lunch in the Phoenix Hall's residence."
So-geomsun had only just arrived at the Phoenix Hall, so there was no reason to be suspicious.
They were having a meal with the Phoenix Hall's deputy leader, who was like a sister I hadn't seen for a long time.
The middle-aged man sitting at the table said,
"If they stay quiet until the appointment time, we can safely propose and pass the agenda."
"Hmm."
Chief Commander Bang stroked his beard at that.
Things seemed to be going smoothly.
There was no doubt about that.
But their movements were strangely different than expected.
He had assumed they would be busy gathering information inside the Martial Arts Alliance fortress, but they were not.
He had planted people to thoroughly monitor the surroundings and even servants delivering food to the dining attendants, so they couldn't escape surveillance.
'But this is strange.'
He felt suspicious about this quietness.
The middle-aged man said to Commander Bang,
"It's better to be cautious. But I'm sure they know they're being watched. Maybe that's why they're staying calm."
"We must not miss any of their movements."
After that, the reporting warrior clasped his hands and answered,
"Yes, sir!"
"Go."
Just as he was about to leave, a sound came from outside.
"Chief Commander, your lunch has arrived."
"I'll open the door."
The warrior about to leave opened the door.
A stout servant carrying a food container came inside.
The warrior stopped, sensing something strange, and said,
"Wait… servant. You're not the one assigned to the Phoenix Hall, are you…"
—Thwack!
"Ugh!"
Before he could finish, the warrior's neck was grabbed by the servant's hand.
The servant lightly squeezed,
—Crack!
The warrior's neck was twisted.
"No!"
The middle-aged man at the table hurriedly drew his sword to strike the servant.
But the servant's figure blurred and appeared behind him.
It was the technique of shifting positions.
The servant grabbed the middle-aged man's head, who had partially drawn his sword, and twisted it.
—Crack!
"Gah!"
The middle-aged man's neck was fully twisted, killing him instantly.
Chief Commander Bang Deokhyun looked on in shock as his guard was killed in an instant.
Who would have imagined such a top expert would be killed so easily?
"You… you don't mean…?"
Surprised, he asked.
The servant smiled faintly and said,
"Did you expect a battle of wits, Noiju?"
'!!!'