The next day.
“Why aren’t you fixing the cart right now!!”
“Uagh! Just leave me alone! My entire body hurts!!”
“I’ve already tracked down the blacksmith! Let’s go right now!”
Crash Bang!!
“Let go! Let go!”
“Hahaha!”
The noise from early morning echoed throughout the inn.
Listening to the ruckus while doing my morning training made me acutely realize the importance of power.
All this talk about personality and technique—what use is it if you can just overpower someone like that?
Tang So-yeol could be quite feisty, but that kind of spirit can’t defeat madness.
I guess I’d be dragged to the blacksmith and stuck there until the Bicheongmacha was repaired.
The two who had been causing the ruckus vanished that morning.
Moyong Mo, his face tense, came to the inn.
“Did you rest well, hyung?”
Moyong Mo’s business was simple. Moyong Seo was inviting me to the Shengsu Faction.
I wondered if Moyong Seo had already seized control, considering there would be the Master of the Faction and senior members present.
With that curiosity in mind, I went to meet Moyong Seo.
“Um… Is that Brain Knife Outcast the one who was chasing Miss Yeon-hwa?”
“Ugh… Did he really show such a sight…?”
As I entered the Faction, it seemed news of my identity had already spread, as I could hear whispers from servants and martial artists.
Trying to pretend I didn’t hear, I walked into the Faction’s inner sanctum where Moyong Seo greeted me with a weary face.
“Welcome.”
“I’m honored to meet you, Moyong Seo.”
“I called you because there’s something I need to discuss regarding yesterday’s incident. Though it’s a family matter… you must understand it too.”
The news Moyong Seo shared was shocking.
“…That rat? You mean the Master of the Faction, Moyong Jin-gyeong?”
“That’s correct. Yeon-hwa, Chan-gyeong, and everyone in the Faction bore witness to that scene.”
Before I even realized it, I looked toward Moyong Mo. He nodded gravely.
My mind froze at the unexpected revelation.
Was it really that the Red Blood Rat, whom I had only thought of as a hidden entity of the Blood Sect, was actually Moyong Jin-gyeong transformed?
“No, no…”
“You don’t need to feel guilty. It’s already confirmed that Jin-gyeong can’t return to his original state.”
“Excuse me?”
“The senior members who saw Jin-gyeong change have all testified. After seeing what he became, who would remain an underling of the Blood Sect… They said the Blood Person you met made a grave request. Once the Great Method is unleashed, it can never be retracted.”
My stunned mind began to function again.
…It’s shocking enough that a person can become an entity, but to revert back is even more absurd.
It made sense that Moyong Seo had instantly taken control of the Shengsu Faction. The seniors must have been jolted by the fact that they underwent the great method of becoming monsters, and while the branch clans might not have known, the realization that they overlooked or even enabled such a practice would certainly shock them.
“The branch clans of Shengsu Faction, except for Moyong Mo, have been detained. I’ve also reported this situation to the main family. Though I came representing them… hmm, I truly do view this situation as one that cannot be decided by me alone.”
“…That’s understandable.”
“Will you wait until the main family reaches a conclusion? It’s embarrassing to make such a request after swearing to support you unconditionally.”
“How long will it take?”
“I’ve sent word to Tian Li-ing, so I expect news within two weeks.”
Two weeks.
The damage to the Bicheongmacha was considerable. No matter how sturdy it was, the chaos from racing through the mountains and drifting while wrestling with an entity took its toll.
I couldn’t leave until the Bicheongmacha was repaired, so two weeks wasn’t an unbearable time.
I left the Faction’s main hall alongside Moyong Mo.
I turned to him, who was guiding me, and asked, “Are you okay?”
“Haha. I’ll be fine.”
Though he said that, his face, which usually broke into a hearty laugh, was stiff.
Moyong Mo and I walked silently toward the main gate of the Faction.
Whether before or after entering, it was the same; servants and martial artists, not the Moyong clan members, would whisper upon seeing me, but knowing the circumstances, it felt different.
Their unusual behavior likely didn’t stem from a genuine interest in my actions, but rather from a desire to escape the unsettling atmosphere that had suddenly changed within the Faction.
“Hyung.”
Suddenly, Moyong Mo spoke.
“I really didn’t notice anything. The branch clans didn’t disclose anything about the Great Method.”
“Um…”
It was a tough topic to reply to, so I only let out a hum.
“If I had acted a little more cunningly, would the branch clans have told me about the Great Method? If so… would this situation have occurred?”
“Who knows?”
I really had no clue. When the infiltration of the Blood Sect began, would Moyong Mo have been able to grasp its true identity? To be honest, considering his abilities, he might not have caught onto that secret, yet reflecting on his persistence, he may have inadvertently uncovered it.
But…
Whack!
I smacked Moyong Mo’s back quite hard. Hard enough that the serious-looking guy couldn’t even twist his body to protest.
I chuckled at the sight of him writhing in pain.
“But because of who you are now, this incident could be resolved this way.”
“Excuse me?”
I looked at Moyong Mo as a mix of anger and confusion filled his expression.
“If you had been the cunning one, you wouldn’t have relentlessly forged connections with a party that seemed hopeless and wouldn’t have become my sworn brother. If we hadn’t become sworn brothers, I wouldn’t have gone to the mines, nor would we have ended up sparring.”
“Ah…”
“Then what would have occurred? The seniors would probably have carried out the Great Method without knowing anything. Perhaps the entire Faction would have undergone the Great Method.”
Imagining such a scenario, I saw Moyong Mo’s face grow pale.
“It’s because the you who is not crafty, but is here now, that this matter can conclude this way.”
That was sincere.
Even if I hadn’t met Moyong Mo, I might have ended up connected with Moyong Yeon-hwa or Moyong Seo somehow.
Moyong Seo was struggling to deal with the situation at the main family declaration on his own.
If by some chance I had connected with Moyong Seo for a deal like the one now, what would have happened?
I would have sneaked into the mines and gathered loads of scandalous information, and the branch clans might have solidified their prejudices against low-born ruffians.
And while investigating the foul-smelling Faction, I might have stumbled upon the Blood Sect’s secret.
If that had happened, what would have ensued?
Most likely, it wouldn’t have ended well.
I was “Se-in,” who had left scars on the hearts of the Shengsu Faction.
Could I have presented options to win over the Shengsu Faction with those sentiments?
Not a chance.
Thanks to the clumsiness that almost made Moyong Mo seem foolish, he reminded me of the efforts of the branch clans that only the old miners remembered, breaking my prejudices and leading to the current result.
“Haven’t you already decided your path? Stop wasting time thinking, just push forward.”
“Hyung…”
Seeing the man nearly on the verge of tears gave me hives all over. I turned away in exasperation.
We walked together to the main gate, listening to Moyong Mo sniffle the whole way.
Ugh, did I really comfort him for no reason?
“Hyung! You are my life-long hyung! Please feel free to visit me anytime!”
“Okay, got it.”
“Absolutely! Absolutely!”
“Got it.”
I was really tired. I just wanted him to stop being so clingy.
What was he trying to take care of with a future as bright as his?
“Really! I mean it!”
“Ah! I told you I got it!”
Only after throwing a tantrum was I able to shake off the clingy Moyong Mo. Seriously…
*Sigh.*
I sighed and slowly walked down the street.
The Red Blood Rat was Moyong Jin-gyeong. Moyong Jin-gyeong had transformed into the Red Blood Rat.
That information left my mind in turmoil.
The Blood Sect.
From rumors associated with my maternal grandfather’s deeds, I knew it wasn’t just an ordinary ruthless group, but to think they’d go as far as turning people into entities.
That was truly something that would drive any decent person mad, but what I felt wasn’t anger but a chilling sensation.
Even just through the improvement of their techniques and the Great Method, the Blood Sect could fully absorb the Shengsu Faction.
But why were they trying to turn ordinary folks into entities?
…Thinking of the Iron Blood Rat provides an answer.
The Blood Sect knows how to tame entities.
To the point of fully controlling them, far better than simply stacking allies, they want that kind of power.
That’s why they wish to transform people into entities.
A method to control entities at will?
How absurd could that be?
Despite desperately wanting to deny reality, the clear evidence lay right before me… denying it would be mere escapism.
I had already made up my mind to clash with the Blood Sect when I offered realization to Moyong Yeon-hwa.
“Ugh.”
The essence of the Great Method only proved that my determination was indeed correct.
A method that turns people into entities. The mere fact of developing such a method and deceiving people to test it clearly marked the Blood Sect as evil.
I wandered the streets aimlessly.
As I walked, the sun began to set. I looked at the sunset with a bitter smile. How long had I spent wandering the streets?
Still, it wasn’t entirely useless time.
My tumultuous mind was beginning to settle.
Upon returning to the inn, the group had gathered in one place.
Tang So-yeol just freed from Tang Do-yeon’s clutches lay slumped on the table, half in liquid form, while Tang Do-yeon, seemingly pleased with her success, wore a satisfactory smile.
Miss Yeo Il-ye and Hyeok Gi-rin were having a quiet discussion, and the Black Cat frowned, seemingly struggling to comprehend the contents of the martial arts book.
“You’ve arrived, Honorable Person.”
“It seems you took quite a while.”
“Well, it was a chaotic situation on your end too.”
I surveyed the group and took a seat.
“I have something to discuss.”
At my words, Tang So-yeol, who had been flat out on the table, suddenly turned his head. The others also lifted their heads, focusing on me.
The Black Cat, Miss Yeo Il-ye, Hyeok Gi-rin, Tang So-yeol, Tang Do-yeon.
All comrades who were together to take down Jeong Cheol, and even after the assault—or rather, not an assault—by the Heavenly Demon, they had found their way back together.
“I want to talk about my past.”
The expressions of everyone changed dramatically.
Half in confusion, half in tension.
I recalled the time when I was sorting my emotions at my parents’ grave.
In truth, I had thought my ties to the Blood Sect were nearly severed.
First and foremost, there was the fact that fifteen-year-old Ho Cheon-an had run away from the mountains without ever being pursued.
Even though I was back to the Martial World after becoming a veteran, it took quite some time to accept that I, a character of Limit Breaker, had fallen into this world.
Meaning if the Blood Sect had sought my trail, they could have easily tracked me down.
Yet, up to now, I had not encountered the Blood Sect, nor any of their minions.
I had no way of knowing exactly what transpired. Still, I had enough grounds to believe that my connections with the Blood Sect and my maternal grandfather had gradually faded.
However, the situation had now changed.
If news of the Moyong Clan spread, it would only be a matter of time before the Blood Sect figured out my identity.
“Furthermore, my past is tied to the events occurring in the Moyong Clan now.”
Naturally, my companions would also get caught in the sight of the Blood Sect.
Creating entities like the Red Blood Rat.
That’s the attention of the Blood Sect, who receive absolute loyalty from entities like the Iron Blood Rat.
Thus, I decided to reveal everything to my companions.
What my past was like.
How my bloodline plays a role in the current situation.
And what would happen in the future.
“It all started in the room on Yeonghui Mountain.”
I shared my entire story.
