“What do you mean by that?”

Seo Woojin had no choice but to ask. The words had come out of nowhere, and he couldn’t make out what she meant by them.

Baek Soeun avoided his eyes.

“Just… leaving home behind… And if we leave like this, we might not be able to come back…”

She trailed off, halting between the words.

Seo Woojin’s brow furrowed. Anyone could see how anxious she was. Was leaving home really all there was to it? Or—

“Did something happen?”

Baek Soeun didn’t stir at the question. She only raised her head slowly and gave a small smile.

“No. I guess I just got scared. Don’t worry too much.”

Seo Woojin was about to press her again. But Baek Soeun was faster.

“Really. Why did you order this much food? Brother, are you rich?”

She picked up her chopsticks and set to the food in earnest. Watching her exclaim over every mouthful, he couldn’t bring himself to press any further.

‘Hmm…’

Yes. For all the worldliness she put on, she was still a child not yet twenty — and she knew perfectly well what danger her clan was in. The cleverer she was, the deeper the fear would run.

Seo Woojin sighed faintly, poured tea into a cup, and handed it to her.

“Slow down. You’ll give yourself indigestion.”

“Hehe. You eat too, brother. The food’s getting cold.”

She gulped the tea down and threw herself back into the meal. Seo Woojin gave a small laugh of his own and picked up his chopsticks.

And so the two of them had their last meal together in Ningbo.

The operation ran smoothly.

The Baek Clan’s maidservants and employees were quietly sent out as well. Of the Baek Clan’s warriors, only about ten of the strongest remained.

The fake corpses Muk-yeong had made were placed throughout the estate. Pig’s blood was spread here and there, and the traces of a fight were staged. At a glance, it looked for all the world like the scene of a catastrophe.

A night pitch-dark as ink. By chance, even the moonlight had hidden itself deep in the clouds. In the darkness, the Baek Clan’s people finished their preparations to leave.

“Brother Mun will lead the way. If they’ve planted watchers, they’ll be watching Clan Head Baek. So Clan Head Baek must serve as bait.”

At Seo Woojin’s explanation, Baek Gyeong gave a calm nod.

“Of course.”

He had been ready to throw away his own life for his family. Being bait was nothing — he could do it a hundred times over.

“The rest will change into commoners’ clothes and head straight for the docks.”

Some among them had never learned martial arts, which would put a heavy burden on the Baek Clan’s warriors. But they only bowed their heads, as calm as their master.

Seo Woojin gave a satisfied smile.

“Half a shichen. Half a shichen from now, the ship departs. And on the day I become Alliance Lord, all of you will be able to return to this place. That I promise.”

Baek Gyeong took a cupped-fist salute as their representative and bowed low.

“You walk that treacherous road; forgive me the disloyalty of not being able to keep at your side.”

Seo Woojin shook his head.

“I’m a more calculating man than you think. Just prepare yourself for how heavily I mean to charge for this later, when Clan Head Baek returns.”

Baek Gyeong burst out laughing, for the first time in what felt like ages.

“Hahaha! At my lord’s command, I stand ready to gladly follow whatever the task. So please — use me. And use my Baek Clan as you will.”

The two exchanged a brief look.

Seen one way, each had chosen for his own sake — Baek Gyeong to save his clan, Seo Woojin to gain a faction. But in this moment, at least, what passed between them was nothing but sincerity.

Seo Woojin lowered his head slightly in farewell.

“We’ll see each other again soon, so there’s no need to drag out the farewell. Then we’ll set to it. Brother Mun.”

Mun Seok, who had been waiting behind, stepped forward.

“Everyone, follow me. Clan Head, please follow that fellow.”

Baek Gyeong would go first to the prefectural office, where he would make a scene with Yun Giwon on the pretext of demanding why the man had sold Red Damp Mountain. Meanwhile the rest of the family would slip quietly toward the harbor.

A little later, only Seo Woojin and Muk-yeong remained inside the deserted estate.

— Are you all right?

At Muk-yeong’s question, Seo Woojin tilted his head.

“About what?”

— The fake corpses and the burning of the estate — it may not work on them. No — the Cheon Clan’s Young Clan Head won’t miss it. And if he doesn’t, you lose this trial.

Seo Woojin let out a small laugh and scratched his head.

“Even so, we still have to leave them something to dispute. Otherwise our Military Advisor won’t have anything to argue with either.”

Muk-yeong was right. Thorough as those people were, they would probably see through the whole affair. But Seo Woojin had no intention of accepting that meekly — Woon Seorin was capable of rendering all that thoroughness useless.

And—

“And I’m buying time, so it’s enough. In the time it takes them to see through the deception, the Baek Clan will hide themselves deeper.”

Muk-yeong regarded him with an expressionless face, and Seo Woojin frowned.

“You lot are always staring people in the face. If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Don’t stare like that; it’s embarrassing.”

He said it flippantly, but Muk-yeong’s expression didn’t shift at all. His hands moved, slowly.

— You said you’d bring the Baek Clan under you.

“I did.”

— Do you trust them? Whatever the circumstances, they committed deception against the Dark Alliance.

Seo Woojin gave an awkward smile.

“Muk-yeong — you don’t like them, is that it?”

Muk-yeong shook his head.

— No. Clan Head Baek is a grounded, plain-spoken man, unlike most warriors of the dark path. The Baek Clan’s warriors have taken after their master’s temperament as well. Anyone could like them. I’m only asking a practical question. Whether men who have once already committed a crime can be trusted completely.

Asked so gravely, Seo Woojin could only answer in kind.

“I don’t trust them.”

Something shook in Muk-yeong’s eyes.

— Then why—?

“Why go this far to help them?”

Muk-yeong nodded. Seo Woojin exhaled slowly.

“I don’t trust people. I trust situations.”

Muk-yeong tilted his head.

— Situations?

“Yes. Situations.”

Seo Woojin turned his head and looked around the estate.

“How much effort must it have taken for the Baek Clan to grow this big? How many rivals did they beat out to be called Ningbo’s foremost family? And they’ll lose all of it tonight. All that remains will be the brand of having run.”

Seo Woojin’s eyes cooled.

“Clan Head Baek accepted all of it, and still put family first. He betrayed the Dark Alliance for family, and was ready to throw away his life.”

“…”

“So he knows too. That in a situation like this, loyalty is profit. That to protect his family he needs someone like me.”

Seo Woojin turned his head to look directly at Muk-yeong.

“That’s how it is. I trust the situation in front of me, and I trust the other person’s self-interest. That’s why I can put them under my banner.”

Muk-yeong went completely still. What was he thinking? Of all of them, the one who never spoke was hardest to read.

— If.

Muk-yeong’s hands moved slowly.

— If such a situation ever came to you… would you make the selfish choice too?

Seo Woojin didn’t hesitate for an instant.

“Yes. I would put myself first before anyone else.”

Only then did Muk-yeong nod.

— Then that’s fine.

“What is? That’s all?”

— I heard what I wanted to hear. That’s enough.

A hard man to read, truly. Seo Woojin sighed and looked up at the sky, where the moon that had been hiding among the clouds was slowly showing itself again.

“Looks about time. Let’s start too.”

Muk-yeong nodded and moved off with a torch in hand.

A little later, the Baek Clan’s estate, which had guarded Ningbo for many long years, was swallowed by the fire.

When Seo Woojin and Muk-yeong arrived at the docks, everyone except Baek Gyeong had arrived safely.

“Where is Clan Head Baek?”

Mun Seok answered, his expression anxious.

“There’s still time. Word came that going to the prefectural office and stirring up trouble went off without a hitch. If nothing else is wrong, he should be about here any time now…”

Seo Woojin made a low sound in his throat.

‘Was it too bold, sending Clan Head Baek alone?’

No. For Baek Gyeong, family would matter more than his own safety, at the very least. If any of them were seriously hurt he would draw his sword — which was precisely why Seo Woojin, more than anyone, had to put that family first.

‘Should I go look for him myself?’

While he was still turning it over, the head of the merchant company that had lent them the ship came up to him.

“We set sail a quarter of an hour from now. I’d like to wait longer, but we too have a schedule to keep…”

Seo Woojin nodded.

“Understood. For now, everyone board. I’ll bring the clan head myself.”

Just as he made to move, Muk-yeong pointed off into the distance.

“Ah!”

A small sound of relief escaped him. A figure was approaching fast — a man with a bamboo hat pulled low over his face, who reached them in an instant.

“Apologies, my lord. I’ve kept you waiting.”

It was Baek Gyeong. Seo Woojin let out a sigh of relief and shook his head.

“Not at all. Did something happen? Why are you alone?”

Kang Boksu, Mun Seok’s man, was supposed to have been with him. For him to turn up alone like this—

“There were pursuers. From the martial robes they wore, they seemed to be Jang Clan elites.”

Seo Woojin’s eyebrows twitched.

‘So they weren’t going to sit still after all.’

The eyes that had been invisible until now had shown themselves the moment Baek Gyeong was put forward as bait.

“Because of it, the man Kang Boksu led them off. Then a little later, flames rose up around the estate area — I was able to slip away smoothly thanks to that.”

He had anticipated this much. It was why he had let the estate burn slowly on purpose — to buy time for Kang Boksu, disguised as Baek Gyeong, to double back there. Once inside the burning grounds, he would slip out unseen through a hidden opening prepared in advance.

Which meant the Jang Clan elites would be chasing an innocent, and would soon lose him at that.

Seo Woojin gave a satisfied smile and pointed to the ship.

“Then for now, board. The others are all waiting.”

“My thanks. This humble servant will make up for his disloyalty without fail.”

“Ha. No need to repeat the same words.”

Baek Gyeong gave a sheepish smile and bowed his head. Then he too boarded the ship.

“Whew. Nearly there, then?”

Seo Woojin felt the strength going out of him. Everything had gone as planned, and yet some unease he couldn’t name had been draining him the whole while.

— The ship will set sail in half a quarter of an hour from now.

“Right. Half a quarter of an hour…”

Seo Woojin waited only for the ship to draw away.

And then—

“Brother.”

A voice he shouldn’t have been hearing reached him. Seo Woojin whipped around. Baek Soeun was standing there.

“You…! Why are you here?!”

Seo Woojin’s shock was written all over him. Baek Soeun’s face held nothing at all.

“Don’t make a fuss. I stayed to say a last goodbye to my brother. Look, my bodyguard’s still here.”

True enough, a single warrior stood behind her — one of the elites who had stayed on at the Baek estate.

Seo Woojin let out a dry laugh and shook his head.

“Have to give people a shock right up to the end, don’t you. Then hurry and say your goodbyes. Everyone’s waiting.”

Baek Soeun stepped slowly forward. And then she folded herself into his arms.

Confusion was plain on his face.

“W-what! S-so suddenly!”

Squeeze.

The more flustered Seo Woojin got, the tighter Baek Soeun clung to him.

“Thank you. For going this far for us.”

Seo Woojin cleared his throat awkwardly and raised his voice.

“Th-that’s enough! I’m not just helping — strictly speaking, this is more like a deal, so—”

“And… I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“That I have to pay back your kindness like this.”

Puk!

In that instant, together with a sharp, stinging pain—

Whoooosh!

The Baek Clan warrior came at Seo Woojin. A sword had appeared in his hand from somewhere, and it fell in a terrible arc toward his neck—

Klaaaang!

Muk-yeong blocked it.

Whoosh! Slice!

“Guhk—!!”

Muk-yeong spun once and drove inside the warrior’s guard, drawing his short sword across the man’s throat instead. The warrior gave a short, strangled groan and collapsed.

Muk-yeong ignored whether the man lived or died and moved again. This time his target was Baek Soeun.

But this time he could not carry it through — Seo Woojin, still holding Baek Soeun, turned to put himself between them.

Whoosh! Tap!

Muk-yeong sheathed the blade and could only come down to the ground. Seo Woojin’s intent had been clear enough.

As Muk-yeong’s killing intent settled, Seo Woojin slowly drew Baek Soeun away from him.

She was trembling all over, tears running down her face. Her clothes and her hands were smeared with blood.

“Why…?”

Seo Woojin asked, but Baek Soeun only repeated the same words.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… Really… really, I’m sorry…”

Seo Woojin lowered his head. A short sword was buried in his abdomen.

An attack he had never seen coming. And before the shock of it could pass—

KABOOOOOOOOM!!

An explosion shook the ground and tore the night’s silence wide open. He turned toward the sound.

The ship. The ship the Baek Clan’s people had boarded.

Was nearly split in half, burning.

(End of Chapter 32)