Book 8 Chapter 7

Prey of the Predator

- The Crisis of Two Beauties and One Useless Man

Bilyeon, who was eating more diligently, more often, and faster, caught sight of the assailant because of his movements, which were so different from his surroundings.

Whether Bilyeon wanted to or not, as soon as he sat still, information about everything within his sight was analyzed and judged at a glance. It wasn't something he consciously did, but something he felt naturally just by being there.

"What are those guys?" Bilyeon asked, pausing his diligent eating.

"Who?" Yeomdo replied, looking bewildered. Yeomdo was supposed to pay for today's drinks, and Bilyeon was simply freeloading. So, the more Bilyeon used his chopsticks, the lighter Yeomdo's purse became.

"Over there! Yum yum yam yam… See, they look like predators searching for prey."

Though he said "over there," he didn't have the courtesy to point with his finger. Bilyeon's fingers were still busy moving chopsticks to the snacks. And his mouth was focused on chewing them to bits.

"So, where is that 'over there' you're talking about?" Yeomdo grumbled, starting to look around. It was embarrassing for someone of his caliber to ask such a question to a young boy. Even if he was currently his disciple, his pride wouldn't allow it. His unconscious retort just now was a mistake.

Yeomdo, enhancing his eyesight and carefully observing his surroundings, soon realized what kind of guys Bilyeon was referring to. Moreover, he realized another fact: there wasn't just one, but several of them.

At first, they were just snacks to pass the time, mere objects of casual interest. So, Bilyeon didn't think much of it. However, as their numbers grew, he started to get bothered. He became curious about who dared to open a hitman business in front of the Cheonmu Academy.

They must have believed themselves to be stealthy.

However, with movements this conspicuous, it was impossible not to notice them.

"What are they doing? Are they assassins? How dare they act as assassins in front of Cheonmu Academy. They're audacious. They're circling around, moving towards the center. And in the center, there's obviously delicious prey, right?"

Bilyeon's interest grew.

"How delicious must the prey be for so many predators to gather?" Yeomdo also seemed curious.

"Oh no! Oh no!" *Thump!*

Bilyeon put down the wine cup he was holding and the chopsticks he was using to pick up food.

"What's wrong?" Yeomdo asked, looking puzzled. He thought Bilyeon, who rarely moved for anything that didn't offer financial gain, wouldn't get up to help the target of assassins. But Yeomdo was wrong. Bilyeon was indeed getting up because of the assassins' target.

"Unfortunately, the plan has changed."

"How so?" Yeomdo asked.

"From clinking wine glasses to rescuing a beauty."

"A beauty?"

"The prey the predators are after is an incredibly, incredibly, extremely beautiful woman. Of course, I have to save her for the sake of the entire martial arts world. Though, she's not so weak as to be easily captured."

'Just as I thought!' Yeomdo finally understood. However, another doubt arose in his mind. It was a question he couldn't keep to himself.

"Can you see the target? Aside from those five assassins?" Even with Yeomdo's extensive training and reaching the Huajing realm of internal energy, spotting the separate movements of the assassins was a struggle. Honestly, Yeomdo felt like his eyes would pop out trying to spot these five.

"Five people?" Bilyeon asked, looking as if Yeomdo was saying something nonsensical.

"Huh? Aren't there?" Yeomdo pointed out the assassins he had spotted, looking surprised. Bilyeon shook his head.

"What are you talking about? There are more than five. It could be at least five, maybe close to ten. Look at that guy loitering suspiciously in front of the dumpling shop. That's one. There are five moving conspicuously, but the others could pop out from anywhere."

The dumpling shop was located more than two hundred and fifty paces away from the window table where they were sitting on the third floor of the Seongseongru. Moreover, it was currently the most crowded place, with a stream of people passing by.

"Huh? Do you think I'm lying?" Bilyeon couldn't ignore Yeomdo's suspicious gaze, filled with doubt. This was a challenge to the authority of a master.

"We'll see when we get there!" Bilyeon was already walking away. Leaving without finishing his food would have been impossible even if a natural disaster occurred. He must have been in a hurry.

"Thank you, as always. Three bottles of Plum Blossom Wine! Two bottles of Maotai Wine! One bottle of Jiannanchun! One bottle of Zhu Yeqing! For snacks, one Ouyang Roast Duck, three Peking Ducks, one plate of Tan Family Cuisine, one Sanhuang Chicken, one Clear Broth Lamb Noodles! The total amount is…"

The cashier greeted them politely and cruelly, mercilessly announced the bill. Yeomdo wanted to cover his ears.

"… is." *Gasp!* With a heavy heart, Yeomdo quickly paid and followed Bilyeon.

He prayed that the porter wouldn't be an assassin…

His purse felt lighter than a feather.

After Eun Seollan entered the clothing store with a cheerful and lively stride, Moyong Hwi first surveyed the surrounding objects and terrain. Although he hadn't received professional bodyguard training, he had definitely acquired the basic theories and skills in his civics class.

Paying more than triple attention in crowded places was the most basic of basics. Naturally, the opportunity for ambushes increased dozens of times in crowded places compared to empty ones. Furthermore, the stream of passersby distracted attention, creating even greater gaps.

The most nerve-wracking situation for bodyguards was when the person they were protecting was exposed defenselessly in a marketplace like this.

"This is making my blood run cold!" *Look around! Look around!*

Moyong Hwi didn't relax his tension or lower his guard. A strong sense of mission and responsibility always enveloped him like armor. It was no different now. Why had he allowed her to buy clothes? He hated his own emotions that couldn't refuse her plea, her face looking like she was about to cry.

"Huh?"

The first person to notice the subtle, strange premonition in the air was Na Yerinn. An invisible hand of killing intent seemed to be closing in on them! It was definitely different from the pathetic desires or envious gazes of the men who usually surrounded her. She could clearly feel the difference.

Her intuition was sending her a clear warning. It was a signal of danger to her life. It was a power she could sense even without trying to! It was because of this power that Majinga had entrusted Sajunghwa's protection to her.

Na Yerinn began to scan her surroundings more cautiously. As she concentrated, she could perceive more clearly.

"It seems an uninvited guest has arrived."

At her words, Moyong Hwi, who had been uncertain, could confirm the source of the killing intent. However, there were too many noisy passersby. Finding assassins in this sea of people was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Ambush attacks are only meaningful when they are surprise frontal attacks. Planning to kill in broad daylight? They were audacious. It would be almost impossible to attempt such a thing without absolute confidence in their skills. Moyong Hwi and Na Yerinn opened up all their senses and surveyed their surroundings.

*Click!*

Her astonishingly developed and incredible hearing didn't miss the sound of a sword being drawn amidst the boisterous crowd. Based on the sound, her five senses detected the enemy's position. Her hand drew her sword with blinding speed.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, a sword appeared from the crowd and flew towards her. However, Na Yerinn already had the advantage in speed.

*Splat!*

Na Yerinn's sword swung, and the assassin who attempted the ambush became her prey. The assassin, from any angle, looked like an ordinary old man. The only difference was that the cane the old man was leaning on had a blade.

The assassin, disguised as an ordinary passerby, used his cane as a weapon. If she had been even slightly slower to notice the ambush, she might have sustained a fatal injury.

"What's going on?" Eun Seollan, noticing the commotion outside, rushed out. Na Yerinn and Moyong Hwi quickly guarded her sides.

"It's an assassin. Be careful," Na Yerinn warned Eun Seollan. However, there was no trace of fear in Eun Seollan's eyes.

The attack continued immediately.

The assassins seemed to have an obsession with ambushes always coming from unexpected places.

An old woman, noticing the old man's death, threw the tray she was carrying in surprise.

*Whirr! Whoosh!*

With a sound that sharply cut through the air, the tray flew through the air at a terrifying speed. The edges of the rogue tray, having lost its original purpose and flying through the air, were now adorned with sharp blades protruding in all directions. It was sharp and fast enough to take a human head. What was even more despicable was that there were not one, but three such iron trays.

She could evade them, but Na Yerinn decided to cut down the three iron trays flying at her with a fierce rotation. Weapons that swept through the surroundings like this could harm innocent civilians.

While Na Yerinn concentrated her attention on the iron trays flying in a zigzag pattern in the air, the assassins didn't miss the moment.

*Shushushushook!*

From the sleeve of a passing scholar, a dozen hidden daggers suddenly shot out. The timing was so perfect that it would have been difficult for Na Yerinn to block attacks from both directions simultaneously. However, Na Yerinn didn't waver her focus from the iron trays flying chaotically in a zigzag pattern. She decided to trust Moyong Hwi's skill. She had seen his prowess during the intensive training at Wudang Mountain. He was a talent she could trust and rely on.

Moyong Hwi did not disappoint Na Yerinn.

*Pababa-bat! Chang-chang-chang-chang! Thud!*

Moyong Hwi, who had suddenly placed himself between the hidden daggers and Na Yerinn, swung his sword fiercely. With sword energy like starlight, the incoming hidden daggers were split in two and fell to the ground. One of them, at double the speed, flew back to the attacker and mercilessly pierced its owner's neck.

Na Yerinn swung her sword with relief.

*Shuang!*

Her will was instantly manifested through her sword. The iron trays were instantly cut in half and buried in the ground with her white sword energy. The ambushes targeting the two continued. It was to the point that everyone around them was suspected of being an assassin.

A farmer walking by suddenly threw the sickle he was holding. It was clearly a technique of throwing sickles, moving in a zigzag pattern through the air according to martial arts principles.

A woman carrying a child, seen everywhere, scattered needles, which are normally used for sewing, through the air at a terrifying speed. It was undoubtedly the technique of "Bao Yu Fei," famous for its ferocity among hidden weapon methods.

This was a move aimed at Eun Seollan. They must have thought these needles could easily penetrate the defenses of two people.

On the tips of the needles, which should have been used for sewing blankets or clothes by an ordinary woman, was a potent venom capable of killing ten bulls. It was a clear demonstration of their willingness to use any means necessary.

Silver River Meteor Sword Technique (銀河流星劍法) - Ultimate Secret (奧義)

Silver River Dense (銀河密密)

A wall of sword energy, denser than steel and accompanied by dazzling milky-white light, spread through space, obstructing the path of the poisonous needles flying at a fearsome speed.

*Thud-thud-thud!*

The poisonous needles, capable of easily killing ten bulls, were no match for Moyong Hwi's sword barrier and all fell. It was a perfect defensive move.

If Moyong Hwi had always insisted on fair duels bound by rules within the academy, he would have fallen victim to their sudden, unconventional, and even stealthy ambushes. However, thanks to the numerous unconventional and foul plays he experienced during his short but intense martial arts journey and while associating with Bilyeon's group, he was able to excellently counter the assassins' group ambush and protect Eun Seollan from their attacks. Without the accumulated experience he had gained, such perfect defense might have been impossible.

"Let's never say thank you." Moyong Hwi quietly resolved.

"Miss Na! Be careful!" The assassins' ambush barrage was not over yet.

Na Yerinn, Moyong Hwi, and Eun Seollan, who was their target, couldn't let their guard down for a moment.

The gaps in the crowd, the ambushes that struck unexpectedly! They were clearly professionals. Their skills were vastly different from the amateur killers who murdered for a pittance.

Just before it was an old man on the street, this time it was a seemingly loving elderly couple. The combined attack unleashed by the small, white-haired elderly couple was truly unexpected. Their disguise skills were truly unmatched.

Sharp blades protruded from the sleeves of the elderly couple, disguised as fake. Their sharp edges were enough to draw blood. However, these two pairs of blades failed to achieve their purpose. The weapons of the assassins disguised as an elderly couple were ruthlessly severed by Moyong Hwi before they could even reach Sajunghwa's body. It was a decisive blow, as if the assassins' wrists, used only for murder, held no value.

"Kuaaaaah!" A loud scream echoed.

Na Yerinn's sword was too busy defending against invisible blades incessantly thrusting in from all directions to spare a moment. She was currently reacting to the malice attacking from all sides using her intuition. Because of this, she could defend so easily even against sudden ambushes.

The most difficult opponents for Na Yerinn were those who used the "Dual Body Stealth" (雙身潛行) technique, where one person was hidden within another. At first, Na Yerinn also thought he was a single person. He appeared to be a very ordinary young man. True assassins should not have distinctive faces, as they are easily remembered.

When the man brandished his dual sabers, Na Yerinn thought so too. His build was also average. However, the dual sabers he wielded served only one purpose. They were solely used to block the opponent's weapons.

The assassin's dual sabers tightly gripped Na Yerinn's sword.

At that moment! From his abdomen, a hand like a dry, withered branch suddenly shot out. In that hand was a dagger, and it was an attack that Na Yerinn hadn't foreseen.

Just as the sharp dagger in the withered branch-like hand was about to pierce her body!

*Shoo! Clang!*

A flash, like lightning, flew from somewhere and deflected the dagger far away. A rough metallic sound echoed.

The man's eyes widened in shock. Seizing this moment, Na Yerinn infused her sword with the Hanyang Oryeokgi and instantly severed the man's body along with the dual sabers that held her sword.

The man couldn't escape her sword in time and met a tragic end. From within his torn clothing as he lay on the ground, a figure with a gaunt, skeletal appearance, unlike that of a human, emerged. He too was already dead. The moment their trump card failed, their tragic fate was sealed.

These were the "Twin Ghost Brothers," famous within the assassin organization known as the Hundred-Person Association (百人會), masters of assassination who had killed hundreds of victims. However, even these brothers, who had achieved the bloody feat of "Hundred Killers" (百人殺) by completing a hundred contracts, met their end futilely today by meeting the wrong opponent. But to be able to die at the hands of "Sword Empress'" Hanyang Oryeokseonsword (寒霜玉靈神劍), one of the five great sword techniques under heaven, could be considered an honor.

*Crackle!*

The red ice that had formed at the tip of her sword shattered with a small sound. Na Yerinn's sword never bled. This was because the coldness that enveloped the entire blade instantly turned it into ice crystals and froze. Others also called this the Sword Empress's "Red Ice Tears" (赤氷淚). Na Yerinn was faithfully reproducing it.

Even amidst this chaos, Eun Seollan did not cry out. Instead, she calmly observed the movements and responses of Na Yerinn and Moyong Hwi with a cold gaze. This was possible because she had the confidence that she could protect herself.

However, Eun Seollan was still hiding her skills and not lending a hand. Furthermore, her actions clearly indicated her intention to gauge the skills of Moyong Hwi and Na Yerinn through this opportunity. Eun Seollan's eyes were calmly set. The killing intent that filled the air had not yet dissipated.

And then, the porter in front of the problematic dumpling shop took out a poisoned sword, heavily coated with deadly poison, from his luggage instead of the goods he was supposed to sell. It seemed this poisoned sword was a limited, non-sale item made for the special purpose of contract killing.