The Three Kings’ Disciple (199)
198
A man stood at the Russian Akutsk branch of the Martial Arts Association.
He was a mess, looking like he’d been through a meat grinder.
Moreover, his appearance was that of a player [a person who has gained supernatural abilities], not a martial artist.
Squirm.
The eyes of the guards at the branch’s gate twitched at the sight.
It was the same everywhere, but in Russia, the Martial Arts Association members were particularly picky and authoritarian.
Since it was a place connected to the battlefield, they always had to be on their guard.
“Tsk. Some vermin….”
The battlefield was a place that showed the worst of humanity, so their hatred for players was even more intense.
That’s why very few players visited the Martial Arts Association branch in Russia.
Those who did come.
“Hey.”
Were often severely reprimanded or had to endure great hardship.
“Hey!”
The guards blocked the man as he tried to enter the association’s gate.
“Step aside.”
The guards were dumbfounded by the player’s words, given his disheveled appearance.
“This crazy bastard….”
“You might look like that because of your appearance. So, I’ll let it slide this once.”
“……?”
The man spoke.
“I am a member of the Special Forces, carrying out a secret mission for the Assembly. I have urgent business, so step aside immediately.”
“Ah…!”
The guards quickly bowed their heads and clasped their hands in respect.
“We didn’t recognize you as a member of the Assembly’s Special Forces! Right away….”
Smirk.
“Did you think I’d fall for that?”
In an instant, the guards’ swords were at the man’s throat.
“You must be completely insane. A Special Forces member looking like that? Then I’m a Shaolin….”
“You’re not understanding me.”
The man’s throat was at the edge of the sword.
But he didn’t seem to care, moving his hand towards the spear behind his back.
“This bastard!”
The guards didn’t want to draw blood in front of the association, but the man had crossed the line first.
Now they considered him an enemy and were ready to beat him to death….
Swoosh.
One of the guards quietly lowered his head.
The man’s foot, which had been close by, was now far away.
Gulp.
He could see blood seeping from the tip of the spear that had pierced his chest.
A speed that was impossible to see with the naked eye.
What was even more shocking was.
Swoosh.
When he looked at the guard next to him for help, he was already in two pieces, only his upper and lower body remaining.
‘When… did that happen….’
That was the guard’s last thought.
Thud.
He fell to the ground, twitching like a fish out of water.
That was the last sight of his life.
Ta-ta-ta-ta-tat!
Numerous footsteps could be heard at once.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Numerous weapons clanged at once.
The man.
“How dare you!”
Was surrounded by the association’s martial artists who had rushed out.
But the man’s face showed no sign of panic.
“I don’t want to see any more blood today.”
“What nonsense is this crazy bastard spouting!”
He couldn’t mention the secret mission of the Assembly again.
If he did, he would have to kill everyone here again.
So.
Whoosh! Crack!
The man spun his spear wildly and then immediately thrust it into the ground.
Crash!
With the shock of the ground shaking, a massive internal energy burst from his body and spread in all directions.
That should be enough for them to understand.
Squeak.
As expected, the gate began to open quickly.
“Who is causing such a commotion?”
A monk appeared from within, speaking with a benevolent smile.
“It was you, Layman Yang. What are you all doing? Step back.”
Shwa-r-r-r!
“Escort the guest.”
***
The Russian branch of the Martial Arts Association was like a fortress.
Numerous secret passages and devices for defense.
It was more like a castle than a branch.
Step, step.
Along one of the secret passages, the handsome man with the spear, Number 2, and a monk were walking.
“It seems you are very serious about your mission, Layman.”
The monk, who was walking ahead, said.
“Isn’t this the first mission I’m carrying out?”
Number 2, who had caused a ruckus at the branch’s gate, treated the monk with a polite attitude, as if all that had been a lie.
“Indeed. That’s a good attitude.”
“But I was surprised.”
Number 2 stopped walking for a moment and spoke.
“I didn’t know that Master Hyein was here.”
Hyein.
His name was known to everyone in the Silver [a powerful organization], and in Russia, it was a name that evoked fear.
His identity was none other than.
-One of the 108 Arhat Monks [highly revered monks in Shaolin Temple].
He was one of the 108 Arhat Monks, revered as the best of the best even in the prestigious Shaolin Temple.
“Since many of my comrades have left their posts, I have returned here for a while. I can’t tell you how fortunate that is.”
Master Hyein said with a gentle smile.
“If it weren’t for me, wouldn’t Layman Yang have seen even more bloodshed?”
Layman Yang.
Master Hyein turned his head towards Number 2, as if he had finally reached his destination, and clasped his hands in a Buddhist greeting.
“I greet you again.”
The 108 Arhat Monks, the elite of Shaolin, were known to have high status and positions in the Silver, and each held a position in the association.
They were known not to greet just anyone, and only the elders or sect leaders of each sect were worthy of their respect.
“I am Hyein….”
But Master Hyein was giving a polite greeting to Number 2.
“I greet Yang Sahwi, the Great Hero of the Divine Spear Yang Family, the successor of the family.”
The Divine Spear Yang Family.
It was a family with a long history that had once held a seat among the Five Great Families of the Silver, and was known as a family of spear masters.
However, their power had weakened, and after being removed from the Five Great Families, they had not shown any significant activity.
Being the successor of the family was a high position, but.
“Also.”
That was not the reason why Hyein was showing such respect.
“I greet the disciple of ‘that person’.”
The identity that followed.
That was the real reason why Hyein was showing him respect.
The face of Number 2, Yang Sahwi, who was receiving the greeting, changed.
A cruel and vicious smile appeared, as if he had taken off a mask.
“Then, let’s speak comfortably.”
He said, his tone also changing.
“The culprit behind this train terror is the Enemy Faction.”
“That is already a confirmed fact.”
Hyein brushed it off as if it were unimportant.
“And.”
The following content was important.
“It seems that ‘he’ is also part of the Special Forces.”
At Yang Sahwi’s words, Hyein raised his head and wiped the smile off his face.
“How was it?”
‘That person’ and ‘he’.
They were two beings whose names were carefully avoided in the current Silver.
The former was an object of fear and respect, while the latter was a name that should not exist, so it was blasphemous to speak it.
“Can you do it?”
At Hyein’s question, Yang Sahwi’s eyes darkened.
He was replaying the scene in his mind, as if searching through his brain.
“It seems possible.”
He was now wearing a satisfied smile.
* * *
Number 1 and Number 5.
Baek Cheong and Lee Rowoon were having a separate meeting in a place where the other members were not present.
“Hah, I’m so frustrated.”
Baek Cheong was the first to throw off her mask.
As the leader of the Special Forces, she had to pay attention to many things, so she had worn the mask of authority over her disguise.
“It suited you quite well.”
In contrast, Lee Rowoon had only worn a disguise and had not changed anything else.
“It must be nice to be so comfortable.”
Lee Rowoon, who never cared about anything.
Baek Cheong was grateful that he was at least putting on a bit of an act.
“What the hell was that?”
Baek Cheong asked as soon as she took off her mask.
“What did you do?”
The swordsmanship he had used against the Enemy Faction.
It was a realm close to divine, even for Baek Cheong’s level.
He had clearly not used internal energy or magic.
It was neither a stance nor swordsmanship.
“Something I’ve been practicing lately.”
“So, what is that….”
“Think of it as the power of the moon.”
She didn’t understand what he was saying.
But Baek Cheong, who had grasped a little, nodded her head.
Lee Rowoon’s abilities were always incomprehensible, so she was just curious.
The real purpose was.
“When are you leaving?”
It was to share his schedule.
Lee Rowoon’s goal was not the mission of the Special Forces.
It was to infiltrate Einheart.
And to act freely.
For that, Baek Cheong had to know in advance and provide him with convenience.
“I’m supposed to meet with an acquaintance.”
“An acquaintance?”
“They said they would contact me first, so I don’t know yet.”
“Such an irresponsible….”
Baek Cheong shook her head.
She knew that no matter what she said, it would be useless.
“No. I’ll take care of it somehow, so don’t worry. Instead….”
Baek Cheong’s eyes lit up.
Lee Rowoon’s power and the time he would leave were not of particular interest to Baek Cheong.
Baek Cheong was only concerned about one thing.
“Don’t forget. You have something to do.”
It was to deal with the target that had to be dealt with in the Silver.
“You must already know, right?”
“You’re talking about Number 2, right?”
“That’s right.”
Number 2.
That was the topic, the deputy commander of the Special Forces.
Although the other members did not know each other’s information, it was impossible for Baek Cheong, the leader of the Special Forces, not to know the information of her members.
“Yang Sahwi of the Divine Spear Yang Family.”
Baek Cheong listed Number 2’s personal information.
“The Divine Spear Yang Family was famous in the past, but now it’s no different from an ordinary small to medium-sized sect.”
That was why the story of the Yang family was not known to the public.
The name Yang Sahwi was also the same.
“But they have always dreamed of a comeback, and they have a deep relationship with Shaolin.”
Baek Cheong said.
“Yang Sahwi entered Shaolin as a lay disciple, and Shaolin promised to help rebuild the Yang family.”
It was nothing special.
But after that.
“Yang Sahwi disappeared.”
Yang Sahwi, who had entered Shaolin as a lay disciple, completely disappeared.
It would be understandable if he had entered the world of Shaolin.
“He never even went to Shaolin in the first place.”
Yang Sahwi had never even gone to Shaolin.
He had vanished at some point.
And now, he had reappeared.
Also, the time he disappeared.
“Blood Monk.”
“…….”
It was a name that Lee Rowoon also knew.
A disciple who was making a name for himself in Shaolin, called the North Star of Mount Tai.
Geumgak, the eldest disciple of Shaolin and the next abbot.
His contributions in the war with Einheart were immeasurable, and he was always covered in blood, so he was called the Blood Monk.
No matter what anyone said, if you were to pick the most important people in Shaolin, he would be one of them.
“He disappeared with him.”
If it was the Blood Monk.
‘Leaving Shaolin, the elite of the Silver.’
And the elites of the Silver, one by one, disappeared, saying they were going into seclusion.
Later, they found out.
‘Master.’
They learned that their seclusion was related to their master.
In other words.
“It’s highly likely that Yang Sahwi is one of them.”
One of the disciples that their master had taken in on Earth.
“You know he’s hiding his power, right?”
Number 2, who had shown overwhelming power in the ranking.
But Baek Cheong felt that Number 2’s power was not just that.
It was humiliating, but it was highly possible that he had reached a higher level than Baek Cheong.
So, she asked.
“Is it possible?”
To Lee Rowoon, who had to face him.
“Is that even a question?”
In response.
Baek Cheong finally smiled and said.
“I still have to confirm it.”