Chapter 28

Just a moment ago, the scene at Baegun Escort Agency was as peaceful as ever, but now it had completely changed. The agents of Jeogun Pavilion were threatening the members of Baegun Pavilion and Hojun Pavilion all over the agency. People who had shared meals for decades had suddenly turned into demons, emitting sinister killing intent and pressing cold blades to their necks.

"Everyone, drop your weapons and surrender."

"What are you doing! Drawing swords inside the compound!"

"I won't say it again. Drop your weapons."

"Are you all collectively losing your minds!"

Naturally, the agents of the other pavilions resisted, but—

Swoosh!

"Gah!"

Those who did not follow Jeogun Pavilion's orders were all killed. The courtyard was filled with the stench of blood. The servants and embroiderers, who were watching the tragedy from a distance, were frozen in fear, trembling helplessly.

The agents of Jeogun Pavilion had completely changed. Those who had smiled brightly just yesterday were now cutting down their comrades like emotionless dolls.

"All members of Hojun Pavilion, form a defensive formation!"

"Agents of Baegun Pavilion, assist Hojun Pavilion!"

Except for the agents who were killed or disarmed and captured in the sudden attack, the agents of the two pavilions began to form a united front to resist them. Seeing this, the members of Baegun Escort Agency sighed in relief.

It was widely known that the agents of Jeogun Pavilion were stronger than those of Baegun Pavilion but were evenly matched with those of Hojun Pavilion. With the two forces finally joining forces, it was expected that Jeogun Pavilion would be quickly suppressed.

However, reality was far different.

"Cough!"

"Ugh."

Despite the combined strength of Baegun Pavilion and Hojun Pavilion, the tide of battle was overwhelmingly in favor of Jeogun Pavilion. The agents of Jeogun Pavilion were completely overpowering them. The agents of the two pavilions were falling like leaves in the wind under the merciless blades of Jeogun Pavilion. They were barely holding off the attacks thanks to the defensive formations they had honed over the years, but it was clear that they would eventually be overwhelmed.

Despair settled on everyone's faces.

Watching the chaos, Mo Tae-gil, the head of Sojun Pavilion, kept biting his lips in frustration.

'Damn it! What the hell is going on?'

He had no idea what had happened. When he rushed out in response to sudden screams, he saw the agents fighting with swords. However, he could easily guess who was behind this.

'...Could this scholar really go this far?'

Who could be behind Jeogun Pavilion? It had to be Yu Jin-sang.

But he couldn't understand why. He knew that Yu Jin-sang had been struggling due to the recent activities of Scholar Gong, but he never thought he would do something like this.

Seeing another agent fall to the ground, a wave of regret washed over him.

'I, I made a huge mistake.'

His reason for siding with Yu Jin-sang was simple. Yu Jin-sang was the closest to the next head of the state. He had always been dissatisfied with being treated as inferior to the head of Baegun Pavilion due to his close relationship with the previous head.

But he never wanted this situation.

"...Head, this is wrong. We are spilling blood among our own."

"You're right. We must stop this madness now."

At that moment, the agents of Sojun Pavilion, who had been standing there in a daze, began to speak up one by one. Mo Tae-gil, who had been conflicted, made up his mind.

'Right, I can't just stand by and watch this.'

Just as he was about to order the agents of Baegun Pavilion and Hojun Pavilion to be assisted, a man appeared behind him.

"Head Mo, what are you doing? Are the agents of Sojun Pavilion not going to act?"

Mo Tae-gil turned around in shock to see Ha Geom, the deputy head of Jeogun Pavilion, staring at him with a frosty gaze.

'When...'

A chill ran down his spine. For a martial artist, having someone behind them was as good as offering them your neck.

Mo Tae-gil, with a pale face, said to Ha Geom.

"Y-You, what are you doing?"

Ha Geom, trying to hide his tension but with a trembling voice, replied with a mocking smile.

"What do you mean?"

"I never approved of this."

"You couldn't have, as you weren't there."

"Are you making jokes at a time like this!"

Mo Tae-gil, angered by the taunt of a mere deputy head, raised his voice. Ha Geom's smile vanished, and he looked at Mo Tae-gil as if he were a bug.

"We have confirmed that Scholar Gong and the heads of the two pavilions were secretly planning to ambush Scholar Gong and Jeogun Pavilion. This is all because of that. To restore the peace and order of the agency, you must act now."

Yu Shin-won and the heads of Baegun Pavilion and Hojun Pavilion were planning an ambush?

Mo Tae-gil and the agents of Sojun Pavilion looked at Ha Geom with suspicion, unable to easily believe his words.

"What do you mean... Do you have any solid evidence?"

"Are you doubting us?"

Ha Geom, annoyed, continued.

"Even if it's true, there must be innocent people among them!"

"Many have been swayed by Scholar Gong's evil schemes. They are all enemies."

"No! They are our comrades!"

Ha Geom's words made Mo Tae-gil raise his voice again. Tension filled the air between them.

But what happened next was beyond anyone's imagination.

Swoosh! Thud!

Ha Geom's left hand, like a snake striking its prey, extended and swiftly grabbed Mo Tae-gil's neck.

"Really, how pathetic."

"Gah! Gah!"

Mo Tae-gil struggled, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't free himself from the grip.

'I can't... I can't break free.'

He was utterly bewildered. Objectively, he was slightly weaker than Do Jin-woo and No Dae-woong, but he was still the head of a pavilion. He shouldn't have been so easily overpowered by a mere deputy head.

But the intense cold emanating from Ha Geom's hand was freezing his neck, and his consciousness was fading.

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, Ha Geom spoke in a chilling, ghostly voice.

"Filth, you should have just followed orders like always."

Snap.

The next moment, a terrifying sound echoed.

Thud.

Mo Tae-gil's body, with his neck broken, collapsed to the ground. The agents of Sojun Pavilion looked at Ha Geom with fear, thinking this place was hell.

But then—

"Agents of Baegun Pavilion and Hojun Pavilion! Raise your swords!"

A thunderous voice echoed through the air. Ha Geom, turning to look in the direction of the voice, saw disappointment in his eyes.

'...Damn, the assassination failed.'

There, No Dae-woong was wielding his massive saber.

"Wow!"

"The heads are here!"

"Scholar Gong has come to save us!"

And beside him were Do Jin-woo and Yu Shin-won. Ha Geom, who had been scrutinizing them, was puzzled.

'...I clearly assigned the strongest of the Blood Hand to them.'

He noticed that there was no sign of battle on the three of them. The Blood Hand, a peak-level martial artist with secret techniques, was someone that even Do Jin-woo and No Dae-woong, two of the strongest, would struggle to defeat.

While he couldn't understand it, there was only one explanation for this outcome.

'It was him from start to finish.'

Ha Geom's eyes, filled with venom, turned to Yu Shin-won. They were brimming with a deep, murderous intent.

But Yu Shin-won, who met his gaze, simply—

Smiled.

He showed a mysterious smile, and despite the sudden appearance and the agents of Jeogun Pavilion now targeting him, he showed no fear. In fact, he seemed almost familiar and natural with the situation.

Despite the oddity, Ha Geom dismissed the thought.

'Well, it's for the better. I can break his neck myself.'

His murderous intent towards Yu Shin-won, who had provoked him, clouded his judgment. He moved to the center of the battlefield, where all eyes were on him, and spoke with a sinister smile.

"I'm grateful you came here in person, but I'm worried about your mental state."

"You scum! Show some respect to the young head!"

It was Do Jin-woo, not Yu Shin-won, who reacted to Ha Geom's taunt, spitting out his anger.

But something seemed off to Ha Geom, and his brows furrowed. Do Jin-woo had called Yu Shin-won the "young head," a title used only when the next head was officially confirmed. This meant that Do Jin-woo had decided to follow Yu Shin-won as his lord.

'...It seems No Dae-woong is the same. What happened?'

Just as he was pondering, Yu Shin-won finally spoke.

"Perhaps it's because your master cursed his father and brothers."

"..."

Yu Shin-won's words made Ha Geom's expression turn cold. He was shocked that Yu Shin-won already knew about the curse they had placed on him and Yu Ho-yeol.

Though internally he was extremely flustered, he tried to maintain his composure.

"What nonsense about a curse?"

"You can easily verify it by checking the underground of Jeogun Pavilion."

"How did you...!"

'Oh no!'

But he quickly lost his composure and blurted out a response to Yu Shin-won's next words. The agents of Jeogun Pavilion were also shocked, as they had never imagined their secret underground location would be exposed.

'He's got us.'

Yu Shin-won, with a triumphant smile, lifted the corner of his mouth. He had discovered the secret location thanks to the reconnaissance of Shadow Whisper, which he had placed within the agency. While he couldn't penetrate the underground due to the magic array, he had used the psychological warfare to maximize its effect.

"Underground of Jeogun Pavilion?"

"What do you mean by a curse?"

The many onlookers, confused by the two men's conversation, began to murmur.

Ha Geom, realizing the situation, understood what needed to be done.

'I have to kill everyone who heard this.'

"Kill them all!"

Swoosh!

Clang!

As soon as he spoke, the agents of Jeogun Pavilion, and all the Blood Hands, simultaneously unleashed their hidden martial arts. Sinister auras burst from their bodies.

The agents of Baegun Pavilion and Hojun Pavilion, though they didn't know about the martial arts, were startled by the sudden change in their auras.

But it was only for a moment.

"Protect your comrades, all agents of Sojun Pavilion!"

"Do not fear death, fight!"

"We have the young head behind us!"

The agents of Sojun Pavilion, including the three pavilions, whose morale had been boosted by Yu Shin-won's appearance, began to fight with all their might.

Swoosh!

At that moment, Ha Geom lunged at Yu Shin-won.

'I will kill you myself!'

Swoosh!

Ha Geom's hands turned a deep blue, as if frozen by intense cold. A threatening white frost surrounded them.

But Yu Shin-won, looking at him, simply—

"Of course, a cold-type. It should be quite useful."

Smiled and licked his lips.

Martial World: Reborn as a Cold Specialist