Kwak Yeon placed a hand on Sub-leader Wangseok’s shoulder and stepped out of the guard dormitory.
He had brought him out to deal with the last remaining sentries stationed in the watchtowers.
The watchtowers themselves posed no real obstacle to Kwak Yeon. Still, climbing the rope ladders required care. There was no need to invite unnecessary risk.
So when he learned that Wangseok held authority over the guards manning the towers, he opted for a more reliable method.
When they arrived beneath the first watchtower, Wangseok called up toward the sentry above.
“Yong Cheol-oh, time for shift change.”
“Sub-leader, is it that late already? I thought there was still plenty of time left.”
“Quit whining and get down here.”
As Yong Cheol-oh descended the ladder, he noticed a stranger standing beside Sub-leader Wangseok.
A hole pierced clean through Yong Cheol-oh’s forehead.
By the time Kwak Yeon had finished dealing with all six tower guards around the perimeter palisade, he turned to Wangseok and said coolly,
“Now take me to the guest quarters.”
“The guest quarters...? Why go there?”
“There’s a rat hiding in that place.”
“Great Hero... you will spare my life, won’t you?”
“I always keep my promises.”
“What about Squad Leader Jang... earlier?”
“He didn’t keep his.”
Wangseok nodded rapidly, then hastened to lead Kwak Yeon to the guest lodging.
The guest quarters were situated near the main entrance of the palisade, set apart from the rest of the compound. Likely, they were placed there to keep outside visitors from witnessing what was going on within. Or perhaps it was a courtesy—since visitors preferred to ignore such truths anyway.
Kwak Yeon figured it was probably the latter.
After all, people tend to avert their eyes from truths that make them uncomfortable.
At a glance from Kwak Yeon, Wangseok stepped forward and knocked on the door.
“This is Sub-leader Wangseok.”
“What business do you have, Sub-leader?”
“There’s something urgent I need to report about one of the laborers brought in today.”
The overseer of Seongha Sangbang had the voice of a deeply suspicious man.
“For heaven’s sake, what does the time of day even matter in a hole ?”
Whether it was Wangseok’s irritation or the logic of his words that swayed him, Overseer So Seok-ha opened the door. Perhaps he simply didn’t have the will to argue with someone so persistently annoying.
But when he saw that someone else was standing beside Wangseok, his brows furrowed.
“This isn’t one of the workers I brought in...”
The young man’s appearance didn’t match that of a guard either. He was immaculately dressed—refined, even. And there was something about his face that stirred a vague recognition.
“I feel like I’ve seen you before...”
Kwak Yeon swept back the loose hair that had been covering his face.
“Perhaps this will jog your memory.”
“Ah! That... the Daoist! The one looking for someone... But what are you doing here...?”
The Overseer’s eyes flitted in confusion, then suddenly widened in alarm.
He tried to slam the door shut—but Kwak Yeon had already slid one foot inside, bracing it open.
“That wouldn’t be wise. Not unless you’d rather lose your last sliver of hope to survive.”
At those words, Kwak Yeon withdrew the hand that had been resting calmly on Wangseok’s shoulder this whole time.
In that instant, the light drained from Wangseok’s eyes.
He collapsed like an empty sack, falling to his knees with a look of horror.
“Heavens...! The Absorption Demon Art... My entire reservoir of internal energy—it’s gone!”
There was no reason for Wangseok to fake such a thing. Which meant it was true—his inner power had been completely drained by the Absorption Demon Art.
The young man standing before him was no ordinary martial artist.
He was a demonic being. A supreme one at that.
“...What do you want from me?”
“You brought someone here named Seo Cheongsam. Is that correct?”
The question made Overseer So Seok-ha nod urgently.
“Yes, that’s right. I’ll bring him to you immediately, just give me a moment—”
He had no idea why a powerful demon would be searching for some clueless mountain laborer. Not that it mattered. He didn’t need to know. Better yet if he never found out.
“I’ll take care of that myself. But there are a few things I’d like to ask you.”
Dragging the limp Wangseok along, Kwak Yeon entered the guest quarters and closed the door behind him.
“I’ll tell you whatever you wish. I swear.”
Kwak Yeon set both the overseer and the staggering Wangseok down side by side on the bedding.
“I’ll ask questions one by one. Whoever gives the closer answer gets to walk away unharmed.”
They would soon learn exactly what that meant.
“What are the identities of the commander and those masked men?”
Wangseok shook his head.
So Seok-ha, seeing Kwak Yeon’s eyes shift toward him, quickly answered,
“I don’t know their exact affiliation, but they seem to be from one of the orthodox schools. The commander’s demeanor has a refinement to it—not the kind you'd see among demonic or black-path martial artists.”
Kwak Yeon shattered the bone in Wangseok’s pinky.
“Sub-leader Wangseok, you’ll need to try harder.”
This time, Kwak Yeon turned to the overseer first.
“How many of them are there, including the commander?”
When Kwak Yeon glanced at Wangseok, the man lowered his head.
This time, he didn’t break any fingers.
“Why not?” asked So Seok-ha, confused.
“If both of your answers match, then neither of you will be harmed. That’s how you’ll survive this intact.”
Hope flickered in their eyes for the first time.
If all they had to do was give the correct answers to stay alive, then they would do exactly that.
“How long has silver been mined here?”
“Well... that began before I was brought in...”
“I can’t say for certain,” said Wangseok, “I only learned about it after the Sangbang Lord gave the order. But it’s been more than a dozen years, surely.”
Kwak Yeon seized Wangseok’s ring finger and crushed it without hesitation.
Then he said quietly,
“Next time, it’ll be two at once.”
As promised, Kwak Yeon did not kill either of them. Instead, he used acupoint sealing techniques within the guest quarters to paralyze their bodies.
They would now be writhing in agony, every muscle in their bodies convulsing. And they would think—no, they would know—that death would have been kinder.
But even through that ordeal, Kwak Yeon had gleaned valuable information: the exact number of masked men, including the commander, and the fact that they kept themselves strictly confined to the area around the Commander’s Quarters.
That place was like another world entirely.
It meant they were fiercely guarding their identities. They watched from above, their lodgings built on high ground so they could survey the rest of the compound.
This complete separation was a stroke of fortune for Kwak Yeon—it meant he could deal with the human scum here without letting a single one slip away.
Now that he’d confirmed each masked man was a first-rate expert, and the commander himself a peak master, Kwak Yeon no longer concealed himself. He walked openly toward the Commander’s Quarters.
Two masked men stood guarding the wooden gate nestled in a wall of stacked timber. As Kwak Yeon approached, they fixed their gazes sharply on him.
“No one is permitted to approach the Commander’s Quarters. Do you not know this?”
When Kwak Yeon didn’t stop, the masked men drew their swords. At the same time, they let out a sharp coded whistle.
Still, Kwak Yeon did not hurry.
He wanted them all—every masked man, including the commander—to come out at once. That way, not a single one could escape.
The doors to the Commander’s Quarters burst open. The commander and the masked experts surged out like a sudden storm.
“Commander, someone’s approaching the quarters and ignored our warning.”
The masked commander pushed past the two guards and stepped forward.
In the firelight, Kwak Yeon’s face came into clear view.
The commander grasped the situation in an instant.
Despite the alarm whistle, there had been no stir from below. No reinforcements, no clamor.
“You’ve already dealt with them, haven’t you?”
“Even the guards in the watchtowers?”
“I decided not to leave a single piece of filth alive in this wretched pit, so yes—I made the effort.”
The commander narrowed his eyes.
“You did this alone?”
“I did. Does that change anything?”
“It changes many things. Beginning with the fate of this mine.”
“Then allow me to ease your burdens. I came alone. I told no one.”
As he spoke, Kwak Yeon drew the Cheonggang Sword.
“So you may rest easy. Give it everything you’ve got.”
The calm words from this lone young intruder sent a chill down the commander’s spine.
Which meant the man before him was formidable—exceptional, even.
Still, the commander quickly regained his composure.
This fool had overlooked the reason they wore masks.
There was no way he could know that he and his subordinates had the strength to overwhelm even two peak masters with ease.
Through sound transmission, the commander issued a silent command to the masked men.
In perfect coordination, they moved into formation and surrounded Kwak Yeon on all sides.
And yet, Kwak Yeon stood there, serene and still, waiting.
The commander, watching closely, finally spoke.
“Though I admire your gallant spirit, I must regretfully say that we have no choice but to break it.”
At his [N O V E L I G H T] gesture, the masked men surged toward Kwak Yeon from all directions.
Sword aura gleamed blue as it shot forth in streams.
A storm of killing intent bore down on Kwak Yeon from eight directions.
The commander allowed himself a grim smile.
A young man, brave and masterful. Clearly one who had attained great skill at a young age.
But even the strongest of masters cannot withstand the storm of sword qi unleashed by eight first-rate experts attacking in unison.
The commander believed the youth remained still because he hadn’t found a way to respond.
I’d be the same in his shoes.
Lacking real battle experience...
Anyone taking on multiple foes alone would rely first on ambush. If that failed, they would have to manipulate the terrain to avoid being surrounded.
This kind of reckless bravado was nothing more than suicide.
Truthfully, the commander had wanted to face this youth himself—if only to honor his courage with a proper duel.
But his responsibilities here were too great. He couldn’t indulge himself.
In truth, the moment this young master appeared, the fate of the mine had already been sealed. Their orders had always been to abandon the site at the first sign of trouble.
And this wasn’t just a sign. This was an omen.
At the very least, the youth had saved them the trouble of dealing with the guards.
There were still laborers left to dispose of, but that could be handled with just two of his men.
Through another sound transmission, the commander issued orders to the two masked men he had stationed at his sides.
—First Unit, clear out the tunnels. Second Unit, deal with the dormitories.
Neutralizing the youth could wait—covering their tracks came first. That’s why he had kept his best two men at his side.
As the eight masked subordinates launched their attack, the First and Second Units darted off in opposite directions to carry out their missions.
At that moment, a flash of blue light exploded across the night.