Chapter 4
Vice-Division Leader Yoon Seok of the Eighth Division had already heard about Seo Mugyeom from the Division Leader.
However, he couldn’t understand what losing a comrade during a mission had to do with interfering in their task.
Division Leader Gwan Uk of the Eighth Division let out a dry laugh, thinking it was harder to read his vice-Division Leader’s mood than the Sect Leader’s.
“Since it’s already decided, bring him along this time. There won’t be a next time for something like this.”
“Why won’t there be a next time? If his comrades die again and he throws another tantrum, it seems like you’ll listen again. Since when has the Guardian Ten Division of the Divine Martial Sect become such a sentimental place?”
Yoon Seok, sharp-featured and just entering his forties, didn’t hesitate to speak his mind despite being under a direct superior.
“I only do what I’m assigned to.
If a low-ranking martial artist from the Tenth Division dies in the process, that’s none of my concern.”
“You can’t do your job while worrying about other people’s lives. No one asked you to do that. You’re well aware that the Nine Dragon Gang isn’t to be taken lightly.
Keep this in mind: Don’t let a single one of them escape today—take them all down.”
Their conversation grew increasingly serious.
Yoon Seok, with a look that said, “Why say something so obvious with such effort?”, gave a formal bow and turned around.
A short while later, a group of people rode out of the Divine Martial Sect.
They included Yoon Seok and six martial artists from the Eighth Division, along with Seo Mugyeom.
The martial artists of the Eighth Division remained silent toward Seo Mugyeom, subdued by Yoon Seok’s atmosphere.
Seo Mugyeom, for his part, remained focused on his task for the day.
Yoon Seok had a bias against Seo Mugyeom.
It wasn’t just against him—it extended to the entire Tenth Division.
He was determined not to let Seo Mugyeom interfere even slightly in today’s critical mission.
After a long ride, they arrived at an inn in a deserted area.
Seo Mugyeom recognized this place.
He had never been here before, but he had heard that many martial artists from the Eighth Division had died here during a mission.
Before reaching the inn, Yoon Seok stopped his horse and addressed the group.
“As you all know, the Nine Dragon Gang has been smuggling salt, and our Divine Martial Sect has been both using and distributing some of that salt. But now, there are signs that the Nine Dragon Gang is trying to pin everything on us, so we’re striking first. Think of this as a life-or-death mission—if we don’t wipe out every last one of them here, the very existence of our organization could be at stake.”
“Yes!”
Everyone replied in unison.
Seo Mugyeom had just learned about this situation, but he echoed their response.
‘If that’s the reason behind dealing with the Nine Dragon Gang, I’d better do my best.’
Later, when the government moved to suppress the Divine Martial Sect, one of the reasons they gave was the sect’s involvement in salt smuggling.
Seo Mugyeom didn’t think all those justifications were entirely truthful, but he remembered being puzzled that the sect was portrayed as the main culprit.
The Imperial Court knew that the Divine Martial Sect was a successor of the Heavenly Demon Cult, so the sect generally avoided openly violating the law.
They might have profited by siding with or joining in the illegal actions of other groups, but leading a salt smuggling operation didn’t seem likely.
However, after hearing this here, it appeared the Nine Dragon Gang had tried to pass the blame.
In his past life, the mission here had only been a half-success, and some from the Nine Dragon Gang had escaped alive.
It seemed those survivors had pinned the salt smuggling on the Divine Martial Sect.
“Seo Mugyeom.”
Surprised at hearing his name, Seo Mugyeom looked toward Yoon Seok.
“Yes, Vice-Division Leader.”
“If you get in the way, I won’t let it slide.
If you become a hindrance, I might cut you down first—keep that in mind.”
“I won’t interfere.”
Seo Mugyeom wasn’t upset by such treatment.
Yoon Seok dismissed him because he thought he lacked skill, and Seo Mugyeom admitted he wasn’t strong enough yet.
There was no point in rebelling against a fair judgment.
If he wanted to fight back, he just needed to gain power and prove himself.
Yoon Seok would have no choice but to acknowledge him then.
‘I’ll become the Blood Demon and prove myself then.’
Seo Mugyeom steeled his resolve once more.
“Let’s go!”
Yoon Seok shouted and charged ahead on his horse, the others following.
But they didn’t get far before coming to a halt.
Members of the Nine Dragon Gang had already detected the movement and emerged, weapons in hand, before they reached the inn.
‘So, they already knew we were coming.’
The group wasn’t caught off guard—they had clearly been prepared from the start.
“Are you bastards from the Nine Dragon Gang?!”
When Yoon Seok shouted, the men sneered and rushed forward.
The Nine Dragon Gang had made a fortune from salt smuggling and used that money to recruit many master-level martial artists.
They had rapidly expanded their forces, and Seo Mugyeom had already sensed that the opponents here were no ordinary fighters.
Although the Divine Martial Sect’s martial artists were on horseback, the gang attacked their horses, causing them to rear and buck, forcing the martial artists to dismount.
Seo Mugyeom dismounted immediately and charged madly at the gang.
To him, it was a charge with death in mind, but to the others, he just looked insane.
Even Yoon Seok was briefly taken aback.
But no one was more shocked than the Nine Dragon Gang members.
They were stunned as a seemingly low-level martial artist suddenly broke away from the group and charged at them like a lunatic.
Seo Mugyeom clearly looked like the weakest among the Divine Martial Sect’s martial artists.
Engaging such a person felt beneath them.
Just before the fight truly began, they were each scanning the enemy for worthy opponents, so when a no-name martial artist came charging with a sword, no one felt inclined to face him.
They tried to pass Seo Mugyeom off to someone else.
No one thought taking him down would be difficult.
As he ran with sword in hand, Seo Mugyeom believed his plan was about to succeed.
If he could return to the sect half-dead, he was sure Gwei would take him and make him into the Blood Demon.
As long as he became a living corpse, he would gain an indestructible body—there was no reason to fear death.
At first, people tried to avoid Seo Mugyeom.
But eventually, someone had to face him.
They realized he wasn’t someone they could simply ignore.
One of the gang members, wearing a red martial uniform, stepped forward, drew his saber, and slashed down toward Seo Mugyeom from head to groin.
Seo Mugyeom panicked and threw himself backward.
He lost balance in the process, staggering wildly, barely managing not to fall.
His clumsy movement clearly showed he was just a low-ranking martial artist.
So the red-clad man decided to end it quickly to avoid the humiliation of a prolonged fight.
He dashed forward and grabbed Seo Mugyeom’s shoulder.
The move seemed simple, but it was loaded with precision and backed by significant inner strength.
The man gripped tightly, aiming to crush Seo Mugyeom’s shoulder.
Once he had a hold, he thought breaking the neck and killing him would be easy.
The other gang members also assumed the nuisance was dealt with and turned to fight the other martial artists.
But suddenly, a spray of blood erupted from the red-clad man who had grabbed Seo Mugyeom.
Even if they tried not to look, their instincts turned their eyes in that direction.
They didn’t expect it to take long to confirm Seo Mugyeom’s death.
Yet the one who should’ve been bleeding—Seo Mugyeom—was unharmed, and the red-clad man who had seized him was stumbling back, vomiting dark red blood.
Seo Mugyeom had stabbed his sword deep into the man’s abdomen and turned away.
‘Why is he so slow?’
He thought the man would be strong enough to kill him, but that had been a miscalculation.
Seo Mugyeom frantically turned his head, looking around.
This time, he leapt at someone who looked more reliable.
One could imagine how the Nine Dragon Gang saw that.
With fierce eyes, Seo Mugyeom searched among them, then dove toward someone who appeared to be their leader.
‘Why do I see openings?’
He had charged in hoping to die at the man’s hands, but as he closed the distance, Seo Mugyeom suddenly noticed glaring weaknesses.
He hadn’t hoped for this— yet it would be even stranger to ignore such a flaw.
Seo Mugyeom drove his sword into the exposed spot.
Even though he expected the opponent to block it, he somehow moved a little faster.
The chilling sound of flesh being cut rang out, and warm blood splattered across Seo Mugyeom’s face.
Frustrated, Seo Mugyeom pulled out his sword, thinking he had failed again.
When he whipped his head around, the gang members nearby couldn’t believe what they saw.
The man Seo Mugyeom had just skewered was one of the gang’s top leaders.
Their Sect Leader had paid an enormous sum to recruit him, and even now, internal conflict remained unresolved over the cost.
Yet here he was—entrails spilling from his pierced abdomen after being struck by a low-ranking martial artist’s wild sword strike.
His eyes rolled back, mouth agape, legs buckling—there was no saving him.
Seo Mugyeom began to feel anxious.
Though he had seized the first move,
he knew the Eighth Division of the Divine Martial Sect wouldn’t stay idle for long.
His urgency showed in his actions.
“Why are you hesitating!”
Seo Mugyeom shouted as he charged once more at the Nine Dragon Gang.