Rebirth of the Thunder God

Namgung Hui frowned as he looked at the familiar figure.

He had hoped that the First Senior Brother was not a traitor, but the heavens were so indifferent that they had dashed Namgung Hui's expectations.

'Of all people, the one I need the most is a spy... Wait. No. I have to confirm whether he's a traitor or not until the end. There could be some kind of misunderstanding.'

Namgung Hui nodded and examined the figure that had appeared in front of him.

No matter how he looked at it, it was the First Senior Brother.

His ki, his footsteps, his breathing method.

Everything matched.

Hadn't he pointed out his habits and given him advice while they had a deep duel before?

That was why Namgung Hui knew Hae Wicheong's footsteps better than anyone else.

Such a Hae Wicheong stealthily approached the back door and entered the estate.

It was extremely suspicious, like the movement of a thief.

But for some reason, it seemed he was not used to this situation, as it was clumsy.

He should have at least learned how to steal from the third, Dam Gihae.

"Junior Brother, you must have recognized who that is right away?"

"The First Senior Brother. Does that mean there's a member of the Hoicheon Association in this estate?"

"According to the information I received, yes. For now, let's go inside too. If the First Senior Brother runs away when he sees us, that in itself is an admission of his guilt. And it's also a problem if he's having a secret meeting with the Hoicheon Association."

A dilemma, a four-sided siege, isolated and helpless, adding insult to injury...

The First Senior Brother's current situation, where he could neither do this nor that, must be just like that.

But if he was innocent, he would not run away and would protest.

He would also know that it would be much more advantageous to speak when Namgung Hui, who was in a neutral position, was present.

-Hee-ing.

As the carriage Namgung Hui was riding in stopped in front of the estate, a martial artist guarding the estate approached with sharp eyes.

"Who goes there? Have you been invited?"

He had his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at any moment.

A blatant display of hostility.

Although it wasn't killing intent, it was sufficiently threatening.

On Yuha, who had felt such hostility, got off the carriage gracefully as if she had prepared for it and continued.

"We're called moles, and we're with the person who went inside."

-Chaeng!

"Mole, crane, whatever. I haven't heard anything, so don't try any clumsy tricks and get lost. I don't go easy on women."

On Yuha bit her lip as if she had been thwarted.

Did she really think she could pass through here with just a secret password?

This time, Namgung Hui, as if he had no choice, approached, taking out a jade plaque from his robes.

"If it's a plaque of the Association, I can go in, right?"

The guard martial artist was startled as he looked at the intricate carving on the jade plaque.

"Hup! You were a messenger of the Association! Please come in."

His attitude changed as if he had never shown hostility.

It seemed that the weight of the Association's jade plaque was extraordinary.

Or perhaps the plaque that Namgung Hui had was of a rather high rank.

Because the martial artist in front of him had called him a messenger of the Association.

Namgung Hui patted the guard martial artist's shoulder as if to say 'good work' and went inside.

On Yuha's expression, who was following behind Namgung Hui, looked quite complicated.

It seemed she was in a bad mood, but also in a good mood.

"I'm so glad I have a good junior brother. By the way, was there a problem with the information I obtained? I was sure I could get in if I gave the secret password 'mole'..."

"The information must have been wrong. Who gave you the information that you believed so blindly?"

"Ah. That's someone you also know well, the third junior brother. Perhaps because it was information stolen through theft. He must have brought it wrong. This has never happened before."

"Well, if it was stolen through theft, it could be wrong. Let's be quiet now. Our voices will leak out."

On Yuha nodded instead of speaking.

The presence was not far now.

Slowly, the sound of conversation was leaking out from inside.

"Do you have any other companions?"

"No. I don't. I came alone."

"It seems an uninvited guest has come. Then for a moment."

-Chaeng!

With the sound of a sword being drawn, a bundle of sword ki flew towards Namgung Hui and On Yuha.

Since it was a rather fierce blow for On Yuha, Namgung Hui lifted her up and avoided the sword ki.

"For a hidden rat, you're quite nimble. Where are you from?"

"Shouldn't you first ask if I'm an ally or an enemy?"

"Tsk, tsk. I didn't tell anyone I was coming here. The person I met also said the same. If so, who else could it be but a hidden rat?"

Hae Wicheong, who had confirmed the faces of Namgung Hui and On Yuha, hardened his expression.

But since he wasn't running away, Namgung Hui just watched the situation.

Hae Wicheong sighed deeply and said to the man in front of him.

"They are my companions. Since things have turned out this way, let's go inside and..."

"Are you crazy? Didn't you say you were handling this matter alone? It's a matter that requires secrecy. But to leak it to other people like this. How on earth are you going to handle the aftermath?"

Even to Namgung Hui's ears, handling the affairs of the Hoicheon Association was extremely dangerous and required secrecy, so the reaction of the Hoicheon Association member was understandable.

But since the junior brothers had already come, Hae Wicheong had nothing to say.

Rather, he should have scolded the junior brothers in front of him, but he did not.

'He's quite thick-skinned. He could have made some excuse, but it's strange.'

Should he say he was too calm?

He didn't know if it was intentional, but his breathing also did not show much sign of being flustered.

So Namgung Hui asked.

"First Senior Brother. You're having a secret meeting with the Hoicheon Association, but isn't your attitude too complacent? At least you should apologize for bringing your junior brothers. Isn't that right, gentleman of the Hoicheon Association?"

At Namgung Hui's sarcasm, Hae Wicheong, instead of getting angry, showed a flustered expression.

"What are you talking about? The Hoicheon Association?"

"What? Are you feigning ignorance now?"

"Feigning ignorance or not. I've never heard of it. Isn't the person in front of me a spirit medicine broker? Isn't that right?"

"A spirit medicine broker. That's not exactly wrong. But I'm a member of the Association. No. How did you get in here without knowing that? And you too."

Now he looked at On Yuha and Namgung Hui with suspicious eyes.

Hae Wicheong's complexion was also pale, as if something had gone wrong.

"It seems that either someone is lying, or the information has been leaked. Well, since things have already gone wrong, I can't help it. All three of you will have to die. Hey!"

As the member of the Hoicheon Association shouted, the members who had been hiding in various places in the estate poked their heads out and revealed their momentum.

"Leave only the one to be interrogated and take care of the rest."

On Yuha, since no one was paying attention to her, crossed her arms and snorted.

"Hmph. Really. Even here, I'm not even in their sight."

"Senior Sister. Is this the time to say such a thing?"

"Why not? Since my junior brother is here, he'll take care of it, right?"

"Sigh... This senior sister. She's just using me from beginning to end. Alright. I don't know how things are going, but if I subdue that guy, I'll be able to hear the whole story."

Namgung Hui extended his palm towards the martial artists rushing at him and shot a void palm.

The void palm, which looked like it was striking the empty air, seemed simple in its movement, but the principles and internal energy contained within it were deep and wide.

-Pang!

A huge wave of ki spread in all directions, making the atmosphere tremble.

The formless energy waved like a wave, and the empty air distorted.

And what was distorted was not just the atmosphere.

"Keok!"

"Keuak!"

The faces of the enemies, full of pain, were also the same.

They had not expected the opponent to unfold such a high-level technique so suddenly.

In fact, since the void palm required a huge amount of internal energy, a preparatory motion was necessary.

But for Namgung Hui, who was skilled in the use of ki, such a motion was not necessary.

He just extended his hand as his will went, and that became the void palm.

-Pang, pang, pang!

As he struck the empty air three more times, the martial artists who were jumping in from all directions could no longer stand on the ground.

No. Only one, the member of the Hoicheon Association who had given the order, stood blankly and glared at Namgung Hui.

"You, what are you! How much spirit medicine did you eat to be able to perform the void palm in succession like that?"

"I ate spirit medicine instead of rice. Is that enough?"

"Ha. Are you kidding me right now?"

"It's a joke, but I'll stop here. I have something to ask you. You're a member of the Hoicheon Association, right?"

"You came here knowing that, so are you confirming it? Then I'll ask too. How on earth did you guys get in here?"

Namgung Hui took out the jade plaque of the Hoicheon Association from his robes, shook it, and said.

"I came in with this."

"!? That's the plaque of a messenger! I haven't heard that they've been reinforced recently...?"

"That's because I'm not an official messenger. Shall I say I'm a temporary member? It's a stage where I have to wait for approval to be promoted to a full member. You also know that the General is strict."

Although Namgung Hui's words were not exactly wrong, there was something that didn't make sense.

"But where is it that you beat up a fellow member like that! Tell me the truth. Who are you?"

"Usually, when I say this much, they figure out who I am, but you don't seem to be a high-ranking official. Then there won't be much to find out. Hey, First Senior Brother. Why did you come here? Don't tell me you were recruited by the Hoicheon Association."

"It's really ridiculous. Me, recruited by the Hoicheon Association? As you know from talking with me before, I have no intention of cooperating with the Hoicheon Association."

As Namgung Hui nodded with a 'that's right' expression, On Yuha, who was next to him, immediately scolded him.

"Hmph! Lies! You must have made contact knowing they were from the Hoicheon Association. Otherwise. Would the person from the Hoicheon Association here have met you so easily? We barely got in with a jade plaque."

"That's because. I gave the secret password that the broker told me. I just came here to trade spirit medicines that came out as stolen goods."

"I can't believe it. And the information I received is not just this. I heard you also met with the General of the Hoicheon Association a while ago. How are you going to explain that?"

Namgung Hui was also most curious about this.

The current situation had many suspicious points.

It seemed there was also a mistake, and Hae Wicheong really didn't seem to have come knowing it was the Hoicheon Association.

Mind reading? It wasn't that, but Namgung Hui, who had reached Ascending the Peak and Reaching the Summit, had gained the ability to roughly read the other person's lies.

And.

[I don't think that human is lying.]

Since even the Sword Spirit helped, he was able to see through the truth to some extent.

[For now, we have to watch. Since both have a firm attitude, either one of them is lying, or they have received wrong information.]

It was a good thing.

It meant that Hae Wicheong might not be a traitor.

It could be that the information of the Hao Faction was of somewhat low quality.

Because the source of the information would usually be a story he had heard.

That was the same for the Beggars' Sect, so they determined the truth through cross-validation.

But the reliability of the information did not exceed ninety percent.

Anyway. Hae Wicheong and On Yuha glared at each other and continued their conversation.

"I met the General? Who did you hear that from?"

"That's because. I heard it from your loyal servant and junior brother, Dam Gihae."

"So it was him?"

"What do you mean, it was him? Speak so I can understand."

"Junior Sister. It's true that I've been neglecting the sect. But I've never not been for the sect. Even at this moment, I'm only speaking for the sect. It's definitely not for my own personal safety."

"Yes, yes. I'm sure you are. First Senior Brother. So why did you meet the General?"

Hae Wicheong tapped his chin with his finger as if he were organizing his thoughts for a moment.

Then he nodded as if he had decided something and opened his mouth, and an unexpected name came out of his mouth.

"The one I met was not the General, but the Black Tortoise Troupe Leader, Im Daepung."

(End of Chapter)