I hadn't actually had a direct conversation with Jegal Cheon before. I had only seen him once by chance while staying at the Murim Alliance.
At that time, I didn't have any particular interest in who this man was.
I learned that he was Vice Commander Jegal Cheon when I was being chased for a long time after leaving Luoyang.
The one who always stayed near the Alliance Leader was not his disciple Namgoong Seolbyeok, but Vice Commander Jegal Cheon.
That's why I could vaguely recognize that the man I had often seen was Jegal Cheon. But since it wasn't particularly important, I had forgotten about it in my memories.
"I didn't think you'd be here."
"I didn't think you'd be here either, Young Madam."
Jegal Cheon replied lightly while applying medicine to his split lip. His messy clothes and condition didn't look particularly good. After staring at Jegal Cheon blankly, I opened my mouth as soon as his gaze fell on me.
"Don't call me Young Madam here. There's nothing good about being discovered. Just call me Sowol by name."
"Understood, Miss Sowol."
He nodded and then looked out the window again. Not a single person was walking on the night streets where complete darkness had now fallen. It's like this even though it's not far from the market.
"It seems the public order in Nanchang is a mess. Looking at how no one came running even with such a commotion."
"There are troops and officials, but they're nominal. The righteous sects maintain their cause and act cautiously, but the evil sects will cut off necks regardless of whether it's troops or the emperor's relatives if things go wrong. Since they're not people who value their lives, the officials can't rashly touch them."
"They're lawless."
"In the past, officials tried to suppress the evil sects by mobilizing righteous martial artists and troops, but ultimately failed. Instead of suppressing them, the officials are in collusion with them and taking bribes. So they won't care what the evil sect people do."
Corrupt officials are poison wherever you go. And that poison flows to the people first.
I let out a small sigh and turned around. Jegal Cheon, who had finished applying the medicine, adjusted his posture. I opened my mouth while facing him.
"But why was Vice Commander Jegal Cheon getting beaten in such a place? No matter how little interest you have in martial arts training, your skills aren't something third-rate people can challenge."
"As Miss Sowol said, I could have subdued them if I wanted to, but I just watched because needlessly subduing that one guy could have made the situation bigger."
"Is that so? You took quite a beating for that."
Jegal Cheon chuckled and nodded. When he closed his mouth, silence fell for a moment.
During that time, I organized my thoughts briefly while looking at him, then slowly opened my mouth.
"But why is Vice Commander Jegal Cheon hiding here? It doesn't seem like a particularly good place to hide."
"I wasn't hiding here. I came here two days ago."
"Two days ago?"
"Yes. Namgoong Seolbyeok sent a letter. Telling me to come here. So I just came."
Was this man also led here by Namgoong Seolbyeok's words? Come to think of it, he also spoke earlier as if he didn't know why I was here.
"But why are you here, Miss? Weren't you returning to the Demon Cult? There's no need to come to a place like this..."
"Someone committed a vile and base act, so I had no choice but to come."
"..."
Jegal Cheon closed his mouth tightly at my words and didn't ask further. He made a complicated expression, either understanding the situation or knowing something.
I had understood that Jegal Cheon went into hiding to escape from Namgoong Baek in order to avoid the Black Dao Sect. But looking at him now, I didn't think Jegal Cheon particularly trusted Namgoong Baek.
If he was connected to Namgoong Baek, he would have tried to sell me out. No, even if that wasn't the case, I thought there was no reason for him to be getting beaten by evil sect people there.
For a while, only regular breathing sounds flowed in the quiet room. Jegal Cheon kept silent and stared at the floor with an unreadable expression.
I also looked intently at his head while keeping silent, then slowly opened my mouth.
"But why did you get into a fight with the evil sect people? I don't think you're someone who lacks discretion."
"Ah, it was nothing much. I interfered when it looked like they were trying to kidnap a young child, and that's how it ended up."
"That's not nothing. They tried to kidnap a young child?"
"Yes. Because Nanchang's public order is a mess and there are many fugitives from far away, there are many parents who abandon their children and run away. And since there's no orphanage in Nanchang, many children wander the streets. They say you can make money by catching such children and selling them to the Beggar Sect, Hao Sect, or assassin groups. That person seemed to be doing such a thing, so I intervened and ended up getting beaten for nothing."
"That's a high price to pay for doing a good deed."
"Justice is difficult."
He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.
"But what are you planning to do, Miss Sowol? From what you said earlier, it seems you came to see Alliance Leader Namgoong Baek... In my opinion, you should return without seeing him. He will never let Miss Sowol go easily."
"I know that too. But I have a reason why I must meet him, so I can't avoid it."
"A reason why you must meet?"
When I smiled slightly and shrugged my shoulders, he narrowed his brows slightly. While looking at his face, I pondered for a moment, then decided there was no point in hiding and told the truth as it was.
Jegal Cheon, who had been listening to the story, made a strange expression and frowned, then finally sighed when I finished speaking.
"So in the end, this was the reason for buying large amounts of mountain energy."
"Do you know something?"
"Rather than knowing, I just learned. Previously, during the martial arts competition, I had noticed mountain energy being bought from various places. When Elder Cheol Mugi stole mountain energy, I wondered how a mere servant could have brought such poison, but in the end, as the numbers increased, it became difficult to manage and one or two went missing, so that's what was taken."
He covered his forehead with his palm while frowning. Jegal Cheon looked up at the ceiling with a complicated face and slowly continued speaking.
"Whatever the process, in the end, the news that someone fell to mountain energy is not particularly good. Especially if it's the Young Cult Leader."
While observing his reaction, I organized my thoughts and spoke quietly.
"It's unexpected. I didn't think you'd show such a worried reaction to this news, even if you weren't happy about it. Isn't the Demon Cult an enemy to the Zhuge clan?"
"They are enemies. But as long as the Murim Alliance, which has been devoured by the Black Dao Sect, is targeting me, it's true that I trust the Demon Cult more than the Murim Alliance, as the enemy of my enemy is my ally."
Jegal Cheon rubbed his chin with a complicated face. He kept silent for a moment with a complex expression, then looked at me and slowly opened his mouth.
"...Anyway, it seems you'll have to meet the Alliance Leader to get the antidote for that poison."
"That's right. Unfortunately."
"Hmm..."
When I answered lightly, Jegal Cheon tilted his head and let out a groan. He narrowed his eyes and remained frozen for a while as if measuring something, then slowly raised his gaze. He stared at me and moved his lips, then spoke slowly.
"Probably, the Alliance Leader has no intention of giving the recovery medicine. He's not someone who will easily give up the Young Madam he's been aiming for after finally capturing her."
"I know. But I can't not see him either."
"That's right."
He nodded briefly in response. Just as I was thinking whether he had something to tell me or if I had unnecessary expectations, his mouth opened again.
"Do you have any Demon Cult members or evil sect factions you can use in Nanchang?"
"No, I don't. Why do you ask?"
"...I'm asking because I think I might be able to help you."
Jegal Cheon adjusted his posture. He faced me with a serious expression and spoke slowly.
"I'll help you get the antidote. In return, please help me."
"...What kind of help do you need?"
"I'll tell you that after I get you the antidote."
Saying he won't tell me now but later... How should I understand this? When I stared at Jegal Cheon blankly, he didn't avoid my gaze but met it and continued speaking.
"If you want to refuse after hearing it later, you can refuse. I don't intend to put you in a difficult position. However, I can say for certain that I won't ask for an unreasonable favor. Please just know that much."
"...Alright. Then I'll hear about that later."
At my answer, Jegal Cheon smiled gently and nodded.
"So, what should we do now? You said you'd help me, but how do you plan to get the antidote that the Alliance Leader has?"
"It's simple. We just need to steal it."
"...Do you think that makes sense? How can we steal something that the Alliance Leader, of all people, has on his person..."
"It does make sense. So, could you get me some people?"
When I looked at him with doubtful eyes, not particularly trusting his words, Jegal Cheon pulled the corners of his mouth.
"How many?"
"Well..."
He tilted his head as if gauging the number, then spoke lightly.
"About 100 people should be enough."
* * *
The Western Poison Four Gates was one of the long-established evil sects that had been based in Nanchang for over 200 years.
While miscellaneous evil sects caused trouble recklessly without rules or regulations, the Western Poison Four Gates at least caused trouble with some justification.
In a way, causing trouble is causing trouble whether it's done this way or that way, but they were considered gentlemen to the extent that there were worse characters swarming in Nanchang.
Internally, there was a hierarchy and clear subordination, so people who lacked strength or had strong power wanted to join.
Moreover, their numbers were not small. Excluding trainees, it was a scale of easily 200 people.
If it were a righteous sect, the Western Poison Four Gates would have been close to entering the Nine Great Sects depending on the capabilities of their masters.
"Ugh!!"
But that imposing presence that had reached for the sky began to crumble as soon as the main gate was smashed. The four martial artists guarding the gate rolled on the ground after colliding with a bald man.
The people inside who were leisurely going about their daily routine were surprised by the sudden situation and drew their swords.
"Who are you!?"
As usual, the reaction to intruders was consistent. But the response from the other side was lukewarm.
"I've come to receive compensation."
The voice that came from the person they thought was a small man wearing a bamboo hat was a clear and soft beautiful voice.
'A woman?'
They were taken aback but soon felt relieved. Even monks who spend their entire lives cultivating to reach nirvana are deceived by people's outer appearances and make hasty judgments. So it was obvious for ordinary people.
If a man with a sturdy physique had invaded, they would have laughed if the number was just one, but a frail-looking woman invading alone?
When the man standing at the front couldn't continue speaking due to bewilderment, the man watching the situation from behind approached her.
"Save your nonsense for your own..."
The man who was spewing rough words approached the woman and collapsed without even a single scream.
What just happened? While everyone was having difficulty grasping the situation, her voice rang out again.
"It seems I have one more thing to be compensated for?"
Somehow, she seemed to be smiling.