Book 25 Chapter 18

I was a shadow gazing at the light

- Light and Shadow

Shadows follow light.

Even in places that claim to be righteous, it was impossible to handle everything cleanly. Therefore, a shadow was indispensable to handle dark and dirty matters on their behalf. Those who clean up dirt cannot help but get dirty themselves. He was one of those shadows, existing for the sake of cleanliness through dirt.

He was an orphan.

He had not a single memory of his mother or father. When he gained the ability to distinguish between himself and his surroundings, he found himself standing in a place surrounded by the sea. It was an island. Around him were dozens of children his age.

The island provided food, clothes, and a place to sleep. Providing food, clothes, and shelter to orphans was a great undertaking.

"If you want to stay on the island, become strong!"

Those who managed the island gathered the boys and told them this. Become strong if you want to eat, wear, and sleep comfortably. Then, they began teaching them basic martial arts. Once a month, they would pit the boys against each other in fights, and the weak ones were expelled from the island.

They weren't wearing masks, but their hair was disheveled, and their beards were unkempt, making their faces hard to remember. Looking back now, they probably thought that wearing masks would only arouse unnecessary suspicion. The children knew the place as a training ground for escorts for a certain renowned merchant guild. The adults called the island the 'Cradle.' It meant a place as comfortable and warm as a cradle, implying that they should struggle to remain there until the end.

The weak would no longer be able to stay in the cradle. If expelled from the cradle, they would return to being helpless orphans with nowhere to turn. The boys competed desperately to stay there.

As long as they were there, they didn't have to worry about starving to death or freezing to death. The high probability of dying in an accident was insignificant compared to the immediate issues of survival, like eating and sleeping. Time passed, and the children grew. During this time, orphans as young as five or six continued to be brought to the island.

To survive, the boys had to become strong. And they had to become ruthless. The boys learned pain in the cradle and the patience to endure that pain. The children had no names. They all called each other by numbers. His number was 'Forty-Seven.'

Those who were not eliminated were taught new skills. They had to survive by making the most of the skills and knowledge they had acquired. It wasn't the strong who survived, but the survivors who became strong.

It was ten years after arriving on the island that he learned that the island called the 'Cradle' was actually a training ground for the secret spies of the Martial Alliance. It was a place to nurture those who would act on behalf of the 'shadow' of the righteous path, which was full of light. They were beings who existed to be defiled.

At that time, the martial world maintained outward peace through the balance between the Righteous Faction and the Demonic Faction, and between the Heavenly Martial Academy and the Demonic Pavilion. As outward peace was maintained, the undercurrent competition in hidden places grew even fiercer.

Nearly ninety years had passed since they jointly suffered damage and jointly responded to the terrifying enemy called the Heavenly Calamity Spirit. As peace had lasted too long, people had become complacent about crisis, and as a reaction, suppressed greed was surging once again. Both the righteous and demonic paths, rather than seeking common benefit, were suffering from the desire to gain even a little more for their own profit. These conflicts were not occurring openly but in secret.

A quiet war, in other words, the 'Cold War' era.

This quiet but fierce competition had already reached its thirtieth year. To keep up in this fierce intrigue, skilled shadows were indispensable. Skilled, high-level shadows were not made overnight. Nurturing from a young age was essential for maintaining secrecy and fostering loyalty. There was a limit to trusting externally recruited shadows. Therefore, they generously released advanced martial arts techniques. And they put their heads together to create martial arts suitable for the shadows' clandestine activities.

Jang Hong, having grown up, was also formally taught advanced martial arts. Of course, thorough ideological and mental education accompanied this. It was an education designed to prevent them from thinking of anything else, to make them focus on one thought. Shadows did not need independent thinking. What was needed was the firm ability to carry out given orders without any doubt. For this reason, mental education combining hypnosis and suggestion was essential. This educational process was no different for the demonic and righteous paths. Both needed to believe that their own system was the righteous one. However, occasionally, individuals with temperaments that did not respond well to hypnosis and suggestion emerged.

Jang Hong was one of the latter. While suggestion learning and ideological education did not yield results, he did not particularly dislike the place. After all, it was his home, he had grown fond of it in his own way, and he had comrades. But now, he wanted to go out into the world. Then, the director of the training ground said:

"If you want to leave the island, you must become strong."

In the past, he had become strong to stay on the island, and now, he had to become strong to leave the island.

Three years later, he finally passed the qualification exam and was able to leave the island. He received the codename 'Shadowless Forty-Seven' and the alias 'Jang Hong Sik.' From that moment on, the nameless orphan became a man named Jang Hong Sik.

His specialty was infiltration, and his assigned missions were also infiltration. However, it wasn't towards the enemy. He was an observer who infiltrated among allies to monitor their movements from within. According to his mission, he entered the Heavenly Martial Academy. The admission was simple, and he became a gatekeeper of the Heavenly Martial Academy.

A new world awaited him.

He received a false name.

He received a false identity.

And he entered the Heavenly Martial Academy.

His mission was to blend in among the gatekeepers, live with them, and extract information from each family and sect. The Martial Alliance and the Heavenly Martial Academy didn't just need information about the Demonic Faction and the Demonic Pavilion. To maintain the organization, they had to be constantly aware of the movements of the Nine Great Sects and the Eight Great Families. It was indispensable to appropriately suppress their opposition or dissatisfaction and to guide them in the desired direction. The period of peace had been too long to operate solely on ideals.

Despite the fake name and fake identity, Jang Hong was happy. After all, except for stealth and infiltration techniques, everything he had learned was righteous martial arts. And few humans had trained that fiercely. Within the systematic teachings of the Heavenly Martial Academy, he grew even stronger. He even participated in the Three Stars Competition and the Huashan Branch Assembly. His name began to be mentioned within the academy. He had been warned that shadows should not stand out too much, but he didn't care. Standing in the midst of light, receiving the attention of the world, he felt as if he himself were the light. But he was still a shadow. Whenever he tried to forget that fact, the organization would remind him of his position. With just a thought, the organization could dismantle everything he had built in an instant. After all, it was a tower built upon lies. If the lies were revealed, everything would collapse like a sandcastle in an instant. It was a warning to never forget his position. And then, they said:

"From now on, I will give you your true mission."

"My true mission?"

"Yes. All the achievements you've accumulated so far were for this mission."

So, even the external activities that brought him public attention were all calculated. Was everything he had built until now also a lie? He couldn't distinguish what was achieved by his own power and what was not.

"Accompany the delegation to the Demonic Pavilion and carry out your mission."

"What is the mission?"

"Gather information about the seven pillars of the demonic path, the 'Seven Pillars of Darkness (Heokchilju).' Approach figures in the Demonic Pavilion closely to collect information."

He did as he was told and headed to the Demonic Pavilion.

Seven Pillars of Darkness (Heokchilju).

The seven pillars supporting the demonic path.

From the perspective of the righteous path, they correspond to the Eight Great Families. Originally there were thirteen pillars, but after the Heavenly Calamity Bloodshed a hundred years ago, six families were annihilated, and only seven families remain, continuing to this day. Their influence on the demonic martial world is still immense. And they hesitated not in recruiting talent to further strengthen their influence. The demonic martial world is a place where strength dictates everything. Therefore, regardless of family or background, strength was prioritized above all else. And to recruit talent, they readily accepted even those from righteous sects. The ninety years of peace and the surprising marriage a few years ago between the Martial Alliance Leader Na Baek Cheon and the eldest daughter of 'Wolha Family,' one of the Seven Pillars, Bingwol Seonja Ye Qing, further fueled this atmosphere. Now, the exchange between the righteous and demonic paths was considered perfectly natural.

Ninety years after the Heavenly Calamity Bloodshed, despite their reluctance, the righteous and demonic paths maintained peace, at least outwardly.

Jang Hong Sik's name, due to his brilliant performance in the Three Stars Competition and the Huashan Covenant Branch, had already spread widely within the demonic path, and many families were eyeing him. His lack of any connections was a significant reason for the intense attention he received.

He seemed to have fallen from the sky or sprung from the earth; he was not a disciple of any renowned sect or great family, nor a disciple of a famous master. For someone who had not received the teachings of a prestigious lineage to rank third in the Huashan Covenant Branch was almost a miracle. In the demonic world, which valued individual ability and skill above all, he was even more desirable. Since he had no affiliations, it was easier to recruit him. Many people switched sides in such a way. If a master was not from the Nine Great Sects or the Eight Great Families, they could fully assimilate into a family without being bound by their origin. Now, it was less about the dichotomy of good and evil and more about a kind of power struggle. It was unthinkable that the shrewd families of the demonic path would leave him alone.

And the simplest way of recruitment was marriage.

After going to the Demonic Pavilion as a delegate, he was overwhelmed by the numerous marriage proposals pouring in from all directions. And it wasn't just him who was bewildered by the proposals suddenly presented at that time.

"I refuse."

Summoned to the family, the young girl sat before her father, Blood Peak Ten Thousand Heavens Ok Jin, and firmly expressed her refusal. Though young, her chest was remarkably full for her age. However, despite her large bosom, the girl's gaze was sharp like a fierce wasp. Her eyes brimmed with defiance. This was due to the sudden marriage talk imposed upon her, who had been living freely.

"Why me?"

"It's nothing special. Aren't you the same age? It might be easier to interact with someone of the same age. Easier to approach."

Reading his daughter's rebellious phase, her father did not immediately get angry. He seemed to understand that suppressing her forcefully would only lead to greater opposition.

'Lies!'

She cried out in her heart.

"You're also at an age where marriage is appropriate. It's a good thing to look for a suitable marriage partner, isn't it?"

"Absolutely not. And I will never get married."

She couldn't feel good about her body being used as a tool. Even though marriage was commonly used as a tool for political strategy in that era, Ok Yu Gyeong disliked it. However, to resist custom, she needed 'ability.'

'I must become strong!'

To ensure her opinion was not dismissed, to enforce her will, she desired greater strength. That's why she joined the Seven Princesses faction, the largest female faction in the Demonic Pavilion.

After all, the Seven Princesses faction was a place that extremely disliked and excluded men. They believed that only by overpowering and defeating men could women prove their capabilities.

It was a ' an eye for an eye' mindset.

Ok Yu Gyeong did not dislike this mindset.

The martial world was a place ruled by 'strength'; the weak were simply devoured by the strong. To be equal to men, she needed even greater strength.

Although she possessed talent and superior skills compared to her peers, she did not yet possess enough ability to defy her family. Nor did she have the ability or the nerve to refuse her family. All she could manage were small, petty acts of rebellion.

"Surely, this father would not plot something bad against his daughter? Who knows, perhaps he is your destined partner. Let's meet him first. Then we can talk further."

She had no choice but to agree. Her abilities were still too insignificant to break free from her family's constraints.

* * *

She regretted listening to her father's words then. If she hadn't complied so readily then, such a thing would not have happened.

What was the problem?

Was it a mistake to ask her older sisters in the Seven Princesses to prevent him from coming to the meeting place?

Or was it a mistake to see him differently when he easily bypassed the sisters' obstruction and arrived punctually for the appointment?

Or was it a mistake to be attracted to him because, unlike other men, he didn't let his gaze linger on her ample bosom?

Or was it a mistake that he boldly said that if she beat him, he would marry her?

Perhaps it was a mistake to think that this man might be different from the men she knew.

But the biggest mistake of all was that she fell in love with him. She was, after all, a woman of the martial world, and women of the martial world were drawn to strength. Moreover, he was somehow different from the fools who acted recklessly, relying solely on their families or influences. He was a man who forged his own path without any affiliations and rose to his current position through sheer determination. And Jang Hong Sik was exactly the type of person Ok Yu Gyeong idealised: someone who could stand alone, unburdened by family or influence. Coincidentally, Jang Hong Sik was her ideal type.

* * *

Jang Hong Sik, having been confined to the island for so long, was ignorant of common sense. He was particularly clumsy when it came to romantic relationships. Furthermore, he had no way of knowing what normal marriage procedures entailed. All he had learned was how to become strong, how to hide himself like a shadow, and how to extract information without being discovered. So, how flustered must he have been when marriage proposals poured in from all sides?

He knew what marriage was, but it felt like a story from a distant land. Even in the cradle, they only taught a very small part of worldly common sense. They taught it merely because being too ignorant of worldly affairs could make one appear suspicious to others. It was common sense taught to prevent problems in information gathering that might arise from suspicious behavior. It did not include how to date or how to get married. Therefore, when Ok Yu Gyeong said, "If you can defeat me, I'll marry you," he thought it was a unique marriage tradition of the demonic path. And because the organization had given him the directive, "Acquire information about the Blood Peak Family by any means necessary," he simply thought that marriage would provide easier access to information. The common sense and morals of the world were sorely lacking in him at that time.

She was incredibly strong. She certainly had the right to be confident. The skills she had honed while struggling to escape her family were not in vain. However, he had been struggling to survive for over a decade. Moreover, he had become even stronger by absorbing the teachings of the Heavenly Martial Academy. He had become strong enough to deal with advanced martial arts techniques. There was no way Ok Yu Gyeong could be a match for him. Regardless of anything else, she was still a young lady content within her family.

Defeated by him, Ok Yu Gyeong was deeply shocked, but it became an opportunity for her to see him in a different light. The thought that this man might be acceptable entered her mind. He also had no particular reason to object. As a result, the marriage proceeded naturally, and before she knew it, they were married.

It was an event that occurred after countless mistakes piled up.

* * *

But…

But…

"Why did you abandon me? Why did you leave me? Why? Why? Do you not love me anymore?"

"Th-that is absolutely not true. I swear it's not."

"Then why?"

Jang Hong spoke with pain.

"… It was for your sake."

Ok Yu Gyeong's face contorted at his barely audible voice.

"Nonsense! If you love me, shouldn't you stay by my side? You're leaving because you love me! What a brilliant load of crap. Any other nonsense?"

"Because… because something completely unexpected happened to me."

"Something unexpected? What is it?"

"I genuinely fell in love with you."

"Lies! You don't love me! That's why you left me!"

Ok Yu Gyeong shouted, unable to hold back any longer.

"You may not believe it, but it's the truth. The time I spent with you was the most brilliant time for me, who had to live as a shadow."

"Then why? Why!"

Ok Yu Gyeong cried out.

"As I was, I couldn't stand beside you."

And with a pained heart, he added one more sentence.

"In the light."