Rebirth of the Thunder God

Although Namgung Hui was surprised, he maintained his composure and spoke calmly.

In times like these, it was essential to remain calm.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you're disguised as the Pursuit and Kill Squad Leader. First of all, the Pursuit and Kill Squad Leader doesn't have enough money to participate in the auction."

Could it be that the reason she interfered with Namgung Hui's bidding was to test how much silver he had?

Come to think of it, the dead Pursuit and Kill Squad Leader didn't have much silver.

It seemed he used it up as soon as he got it.

The Black Spirit, knowing this, must have been suspicious when she saw Namgung Hui participating in the auction.

Namgung Hui hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should draw his sword.

The room was soundproof. If he subdued the Black Spirit in an instant, no one would find out.

Just as Namgung Hui, having made his decision, was about to draw his sword.

"You don't have to show such hostility. I'm not going to report you."

Namgung Hui tilted his head.

The Black Spirit's original mission was to monitor the black market and weed out impure elements.

Yet she had no intention of reporting Namgung Hui.

"What on earth are you planning? If you can't convince me, you won't see a good end."

"It's faster to show you than to tell you."

After speaking, the Black Spirit threw off the bamboo hat she was wearing.

And the face that was revealed.

"!"

It was a face that Namgung Hui also remembered.

Of course, he hadn't been close to her or had many conversations, so he couldn't recall her just by hearing her voice.

She was.

'The woman who was a guest at the Lake Chao Sect. I should have realized when she was said to be unusually tall.'

The woman who had confirmed Namgung Hui's name and then retreated.

It seemed her true identity was the Black Spirit of the black market.

At that time, she was also wearing a bamboo hat, so he couldn't see her face clearly.

But it was still strange.

What did her being a guest of the Lake Chao Sect have to do with Namgung Hui himself?

No matter how his disguise was blown, she wouldn't have realized that the person inside was Namgung Hui.

Then it was fine. He could just slip away if things got rough. With the Wind God Step he had recently learned, it would be more than possible.

"I'll ask again. How on earth did you see through my disguise? Did you put some tracking incense on me?"

The Black Spirit shook her head.

"I didn't put any tracking incense on you. Just know that I have my own way."

"What, is it a trade secret? If you don't want to tell me, I can't help it. So what do you want from me? Since you're not going to report me, I'm curious about your intentions."

"...It's nothing much. I just want you to do one thing with me."

"A job. If it's a job the Black Spirit is asking for, it must be no ordinary job."

'Especially if she's asking an intruder.'

A dangerous smell wafted through the air.

It wouldn't be strange at all if he was used and then discarded after completing the mission.

On the contrary, it was hard to understand why she would just let him go.

If Namgung Hui were the Black Spirit, he would surely try to punish the intruder.

'But if I use this, I might be able to use the Black Spirit. Anyway, I could also be accused of colluding with an intruder.'

Looking at the Black Spirit up close now, even though her cultivation was high.

She was definitely below Namgung Hui.

If one were to define good about Namgung Hui's current cultivation level...

"So, will you accept my request?"

"What's the payment?"

"Is it not enough that I'm letting you go meekly?"

"How can I trust a black market scoundrel like you?"

The Black Spirit held out the wooden box in her hand and said.

"That's why I said I'd give you this. I don't know the identity of this pill, but seeing how you were obsessed with it, it must be no ordinary item. If you don't want it, I'll eat it myself."

Namgung Hui, as if he had no choice, snatched the wooden box from her hand.

He could just take the box first and then listen to what kind of job she was requesting.

"Alright. I'll help with the job. But what kind of job is it that it requires an outsider's hand?"

"The 3rd-floor auction house. We're going to hit it."

* * *

By the time midnight had long passed and it was now dawn.

The schedules of the other auction houses were all over, but there was still a place where an auction was in progress.

That place was the 3rd-floor auction house.

Unlike the 1st and 2nd-floor auction houses, since it was a place where things were done secretly, the transactions were held in the quiet dawn.

And the security on the 3rd floor was also thorough, so no one could go up unless they were a verified person.

However.

"Lady Black Spirit. You've come."

"I trust there were no problems?"

"Yes. Since Elder Daesangheum is also here. There were no troublemakers."

"Alright. I'll take a look around and then leave."

"But, Lady Black Spirit. Isn't the person behind you the Pursuit and Kill Squad Leader? I believe he is not permitted to enter."

The Black Spirit glanced back and said.

"He will accompany me. With my authority, it should be possible."

"Ah. If it's with Lady Black Spirit's guarantee, it's possible. Then please come inside."

The Black Spirit nodded and stepped onto the 3rd floor.

At the same time, a sour smell flowed out.

This unpleasant smell was definitely the scent of drugs.

Faint moans flowed out from various places.

The Black Spirit didn't even frown at such sounds.

Although she was a woman, she must have been used to such worn-out scenes.

"You've memorized everything I instructed, right?"

"I'm not a chicken-head, so there's no way I'd forget that much. But, are you really going to do it? For me. it's a welcome thing for the black market to take a hit, but you'll be in danger."

"Are you worried about me now?"

"It's not that I'm worried, but I don't understand. Why now. And why the 3rd-floor auction house? If it's a way to deal a blow, there are endless safe methods, including assassinating key figures."

The favor the Black Spirit had requested of Namgung Hui was to set off a Thunder Burst Bomb at the 3rd-floor auction house.

She had already prepared the Thunder Burst Bomb.

The plan was also simple.

It was to set off Thunder Burst Bombs at both ends at the same time and collapse the 3rd floor.

Then some of the people who had been captured as slaves would be able to escape.

At least the drugs would be completely burned away.

But judging from the usual notoriety of the black market, there was a high probability that this would be easily extinguished.

The escaped slaves would all be caught again.

And the burned and disappeared drugs would be resupplied from the source.

Then a thorough punishment would befall the Black Spirit who had committed this.

She might not be able to inflict a huge wound on the black market and might lose her own life in vain.

And most of all.

'I don't understand why she's trying to betray the black market. And even asking a favor from an outsider she's seeing for the first time.'

Of course, it wasn't the first time Namgung Hui had seen her.

In the first place, he had felt a sense of familiarity when he first met her.

But that was all.

Even if he had met her before, there were few people Namgung Hui could call a close friend.

If it were a woman, it would be at most Baek Seolhwa at the Namgung estate.

Perhaps because of Namgung Hui's suspicion, the Black Spirit brought up something meaningful.

"I'm actually not a person of the black path. I was originally from the orthodox faction."

Namgung Hui was not surprised.

Most people of the black path were not born into the black path.

Many of them had turned to it unavoidably due to their own circumstances.

Not to mention the Black Spirit, who was a woman.

The Black Spirit, who had been lost in regret for a moment, continued.

"Have you perhaps heard of the Jinju Eon family?"

"The Jinju Eon family? Isn't that the family that was destroyed 5 years ago?"

"Yes. I am the last descendant of the Jinju Eon family."

"!!"

The Jinju Eon family.

A family specializing in fist techniques and Jiangshi arts.

It was clearly stated in the 60-year history of the martial world that the Hao Faction had given him before that they had been destroyed.

Namgung Hui was not completely ignorant of the Jinju Eon family.

He had some memories of them even in his current life.

Perhaps someone had come to congratulate him at his birthday banquet 10 years ago.

'The Jinju Eon family was famous for their fist techniques, so I was particularly glad.'

There were not many fist masters.

Because they would not try to punch, giving up the advantage of weapons.

Since Namgung Hui was also a master of fist techniques, he couldn't help but be pleased with the Jinju Eon family.

Since such a family had been destroyed, he couldn't help but feel a great sense of loss.

"To have risen to the position of the Black Spirit in 5 years is amazing. But how did your family get destroyed?"

"As expected, you don't know that far. What does it mean that I'm in the black path?"

"Does it mean it was the work of the same orthodox faction?"

"At least 5 years ago, I thought so, but now I'm not so sure."

"What kind of vague statement is that? Could it be...!"

Namgung Hui suddenly thought that the only place that would do such a thing was the Hoicheon Association.

Hadn't the Ouyang family, which he had known as being part of the orthodox faction, also entered the embrace of the Hoicheon Association?

'The Jinju Eon family's other specialty is Jiangshi arts. Although it's not as strange as the demonic cult's sorcery, there's a high probability that they were aiming for this. Since they wouldn't have coveted the Jinju Eon family's fist techniques.'

Or there could be another reason.

It was difficult to judge it as the work of the Hoicheon Association right away.

It could also be the work of another sect or family that held a grudge.

"So what does that have to do with betraying the black market?"

"Being born as a person of the orthodox faction and breathing in the black market is a torment in itself. It would be the same for you. And now I've gotten everything I can get from the black market."

"Have you prepared a stepping stone for revenge?"

"That's none of your business."

"Well, that's true. Then it's almost time for the operation, so shall we split up?"

"Yes."

With this, Namgung Hui would not see her face again.

They had agreed to split up and escape when the Thunder Burst Bomb went off.

Since Namgung Hui had a diary to receive from Jo Seongho right away, he was planning to head there.

Since it was a secluded place, if he hid in the underground warehouse, he wouldn't be caught even if there was a search.

Namgung Hui stood at the east end of the corridor he was in charge of and looked around.

From this 3rd floor, there were few people.

The path was narrow, and since it was full of rooms, it was easy to spot a person in the corridor.

'There's no presence. Now is the time.'

Namgung Hui immediately took out the Thunder Burst Bomb in his bosom and pushed it deep into the corner of the corridor.

Now, all he had to do was light the fuse with his Thunder Ki and turn around, and the mission would be over.

-Sizzle.

The fire successfully transferred to the fuse.

In fact, there were many defective Thunder Burst Bombs.

In the first place, gunpowder itself was a difficult thing to handle, and it couldn't be made without the secret art of the Thunder Burst Sect.

Just as Namgung Hui had successfully finished his work and was about to stand up.

A presence was felt from behind.

Was it a person who had come out after finishing a transaction?

But for that, the middle-aged man had no smell of drugs or a person who looked like a slave by his side.

The sharp-faced middle-aged man looked at Namgung Hui and said.

"What are you doing here? No. How did you get up here? With the rank of a Pursuit and Kill Squad Leader, the 2nd floor should be the limit."

"..."

Namgung Hui racked his brain to figure out who the middle-aged man in front of him was.

First of all, not only his age, but just by looking at his ki, he was at a much higher level than the Pursuit and Kill Squad Leader.

The fact that he had recognized the Pursuit and Kill Squad Leader meant he was affiliated with the Heretic Practitioners' Alliance.

'He must be the person called Elder Daesangheum.'

Namgung Hui, with an expressionless face, cupped his fists and said.

"Greetings, Elder."

"Yes. Did you carry out your mission well?"

"Yes. I left it to the squad leaders below and came to take care of some business for a moment."

"Alright. Continue with your work."

Namgung Hui, thinking he had safely passed the crisis, was about to pass by Elder Daesangheum and go down to the 2nd floor.

-Swoosh!

A fierce attack flew towards his face from behind.

(End of Chapter)