Chapter 14:The Second Star
"You are quite unique. You don't seem like the type to enjoy jewelry."
Dang Hwa-rin tilted her head with a bright smile.
It was a smile that would have made my heart flutter if I were only a few years younger.
No. That is not what matters right now.
'To think Dang Hwa-rin was the Thousand-Faced Fox.'
The ring that glows red near the stolen blood jade.
The fact that the ring was glowing red now meant that Dang Hwa-rin was in possession of the blood jade.
Of course, it was possible that the Thousand-Faced Fox had stolen it and given it to her.
But judging by the personality and behavior of Dang Hwa-rin that I had heard so much about, my conviction that she was the Thousand-Faced Fox only grew stronger.
Since she had hidden herself within the high walls of the Tang Clan estate, the Beggar Sect must have lost her trail.
"Warrior Jang? What are you thinking about so intently?"
"Ah."
What should I do now?
Should I subdue her immediately and recover the blood jade?
No. Even if that were possible, it would not be easy to escape the Tang Clan estate unless I killed her.
And killing her would be a problem, too.
If I were to be chased by the Tang Clan for the rest of my life, how could I ever sleep soundly, constantly worrying about their poisons and hidden weapons?
I quickly organized the situation in my mind.
"This... is a keepsake from my late mother."
"Ah!"
Knowing the whereabouts of the blood jade was a major harvest in itself.
It was clear that trying to recover it by force right now would do more harm than good.
First, I must lure Dang Hwa-rin out of the Tang Clan estate.
The real work would come after that.
"The ring had lost its luster after my mother passed away... I was so surprised to see it glowing again that I lost my words."
I recalled my actual late mother with a sorrowful expression.
Mother. You are doing well in heaven, aren't you?
My own circumstances came to mind, and a wave of emotion welled up within me.
Was it a meeting of minds?
A solemn look settled over Dang Hwa-rin's lively face as well.
"I am sorry. I didn't know..."
"No. I am actually happy because, thanks to you, Miss Dang, the ring has regained its light. It seems my mother must have taken a liking to you."
"Oh my. That cannot be."
I naturally took the ring and tucked it into my robes.
Dang Hwa-rin watched my fingertips with a look of lingering regret.
Perhaps because she was a woman, she seemed to have taken a liking to the mysterious ring.
I performed a fist-and-palm salute to Miss Dang.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to remember my mother after all this time."
"Ah, it is nothing. I didn't really do anything. Ah! You said you were chasing the Thousand-Faced Fox, right?"
Perhaps finding my serious expression burdensome, Dang Hwa-rin quickly changed the subject.
I, too, nodded lightly and shifted the conversation.
"That is correct."
"Have you found any clues?"
Dang Hwa-rin's eyes sparkled slightly.
"Roughly. I have confirmed that they entered Chengdu."
"Is that all?"
"As of now, yes."
I shook off my personal feelings and replied in a professional tone.
Only then did a sense of ease return to Dang Hwa-rin's face, as if she found me easier to deal with.
Perhaps it was also because she had confirmed that I had no decisive evidence.
"There are so many people in Chengdu. How do you intend to find them? Isn't this like looking for a needle in a haystack?"
"I have my own theories."
"Theories? What kind of theories?"
Dang Hwa-rin leaned toward me without realizing it.
A fresh, fragrant scent wafted on the breeze and lingered at the tip of my nose.
"That is classified."
"Hey! Our Tang Clan is part of the Murim Alliance, too! If you share the information, we will cooperate. Where else in Sichuan has as much influence as we do?"
"Hmm... that is true, but..."
"Yes? Warrior Jang! Come on! Please tell me! I will send people out immediately!"
Dang Hwa-rin leaned in even closer.
I furrowed my brows, pretended to deliberate for a moment, and then gave Dang Hwa-rin a sharp look.
Dang Hwa-rin's shoulders flinched upward.
"It is a top-secret matter. The operation must be carried out in absolute secrecy."
I lowered my voice and whispered.
Dang Hwa-rin nodded and spoke in a hushed tone.
"Of course."
"Come closer."
"Yes."
When I gestured for her to come to my side, Dang Hwa-rin clung to me like a puppy.
We continued our conversation in low voices, our heads almost touching.
"Do you know about the Thousand-Faced Fox?"
"You mean the thief who is excellent at the art of disguise? I heard the common folk praise them as a righteous thief."
"That is correct. They are so elusive that their true identity has never been revealed. However."
"......?"
"I have spent the last month tracking them and have reached a few conclusions."
"And... what are they?"
My gaze and Dang Hwa-rin's met in the air.
The dark pupils looking at me trembled slightly, and above them, the round moon hung suspended in the sky.
"Their appearance is likely ordinary. Neither particularly outstanding nor ugly. Since their specialty is changing into various faces, the habit of trying not to stand out would naturally be ingrained in their original appearance."
"Hmm. That sounds plausible."
Dang Hwa-rin touched her fair chin and nodded.
Perhaps because the first deduction was so far removed from herself, she seemed secretly satisfied.
"They are likely a man of small stature."
"Hm? Why is that?"
"I found a few footprints. They were small for a man. It is possible they might even be a woman."
"Ah... but they are a righteous thief who mocks the world, so surely they wouldn't be a woman."
"I think the same. The Thousand-Faced Fox is likely a small-statured man."
Dang Hwa-rin blinked for a moment without a word, then looked at me.
"Even with just that, the range is too wide, isn't it? There must be one or two such people in Chengdu."
"They are likely someone belonging to a merchant guild or an escort agency."
"Yes? Why?"
"Usually, such thieves tend to operate with a specific region as their base. People tend to seek out places they are familiar with, even without realizing it. But the Thousand-Faced Fox has operated all over the country. That suggests it is not to steal a specific item, but—"
"They have a job that requires traveling the country?"
"Exactly."
I smiled and raised my cup.
Dang Hwa-rin grabbed the bottle with both hands and poured the wine. I looked down at the rippling liquid and then downed it in one gulp with a satisfied expression.
Dang Hwa-rin's gaze had been fixed on me for some time.
"So that is why you narrowed it down to merchant guilds or escort agencies."
"Correct. Since their martial arts are decent, they would likely be at an executive level. If we filter out those who left Chengdu in the last few months and recently returned?"
"Wow! The Thousand-Faced Fox must be among them, right? That is enough to narrow it down!"
"Indeed. They will be caught soon."
"You are amazing! To think someone like you is in the Murim Alliance! How did I not know until now?"
Dang Hwa-rin looked at me with sparkling eyes.
If I hadn't known better, she would have looked like an admiring young girl, but to my eyes, I saw a fox contemplating how to play me.
"You flatter me. I am merely a low-ranking warrior. It is a great honor for me to be here alone with Miss Dang."
"What humble words! You are far better than the unit leaders of the Murim Alliance."
"And you, Miss, are far more beautiful than any of the Five Great Families."
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
We clinked our cups and drank repeatedly, like siblings who had suddenly hit it off.
It was somewhat entertaining to see a beautiful woman act with such boldness, like a man.
The gentle autumn breeze stoked our intoxication, and the desolate bamboo forest danced to and fro as if playing music.
After a few more drinks.
Dang Hwa-rin lowered her voice, ever so slightly.
"Then when does the pursuit begin?"
"Tomorrow, immediately."
"Can you do it alone?"
"I have already requested assistance from the Beggar Sect, so the targets will be narrowed down. Once that happens, I alone am enough to handle the Thousand-Faced Fox."
"Hahaha! That is reassuring!"
Dang Hwa-rin covered her mouth and laughed.
"If you are curious, you are welcome to join me."
"Oh my! Would that be alright?"
"Catching someone like the Thousand-Faced Fox is not such a dangerous task. It could be a good experience for you, Miss Dang."
I coaxed her gently, adding a touch of provocation.
Dang Hwa-rin's smile deepened.
"Oh my! Thank you so much! I was actually hoping to ask!"
"Think nothing of it, the honor is mine. Instead."
"......?"
I raised my cup and held it out to Dang Hwa-rin.
Dang Hwa-rin widened her eyes and held up her cup to meet mine.
"Please speak well of me to your Clan Leader. Tell them that I took special care of Miss Dang."
In the end, I revealed the low-ranking warrior's desire to secure a firm connection through this opportunity.
Dang Hwa-rin replied with a radiant smile.
"Of course! I will make sure to tell them! Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
And so, we.
Each harboring different intentions in our hearts, drank the moon reflected in our cups.
* * *
After parting ways with Dang Hwa-rin, I unpacked my belongings in the quarters provided by the Tang Clan.
Dang Gi-hyeok had personally insisted that I stay within the clan estate, and I had no particular reason to refuse.
A comfortable bed, fine food, and even attentive servants.
Why would I bother spending money to find some smelly inn?
"They certainly put some effort into this."
No matter that I claimed to be from the Murim Alliance, my current status was nothing more than a low-ranking warrior.
Yet, the Tang Clan had provided me with a lavish room, the kind usually reserved for honored guests.
This was likely Dang Hwa-rin’s doing.
After washing up, I slumped into a chair, enjoying the lingering buzz of the alcohol.
'To think the daughter of the Tang Clan was a thief.'
When Dang Hwa-rin said she would find me, I hadn't expected this outcome at all.
However, there were no visible signs of movement regarding the Sambong Island map within the Tang Clan.
Well, they wouldn't be so careless as to let it be easily discovered, would they?
"For now, let’s focus on the Blood Jade."
I should stop by the Azure Cloud Pavilion as soon as the sun rises tomorrow.
I’ve already cast the bait to lure Dang Hwa-rin out, so I need to at least make a show of things.
Having settled my thoughts to that extent, I shifted my gaze to the Sambong Island map resting on the tea table.
"Right. You were here."
I untied the cord and unrolled the scroll.
With its sweeping mountain ranges and majestic aura, it didn't look ordinary at a glance, so I couldn't understand why everyone dismissed it as a forgery.
I quietly focused on the old Taoist standing before the three peaks.
'It's moving.'
Just as it had the first time I saw it, the old Taoist began to perform a sword dance.
The sword moved leisurely, his white Taoist robes fluttering in the air.
The Taoist’s movements, which seemed almost like a butterfly, were less about brute force and more like water flowing without end.
"Hmm..."
Watching those sword paths, I ruminated on my own swordsmanship.
I had acquired various sword techniques throughout my travels in the Murim.
None of them were high-level arts that could be called divine skills.
Still, through countless life-or-death battles and senses that transcended those of ordinary men, I had carved out my own swordsmanship.
In the Murim, those who create martial arts are called Grandmasters and are revered, but I was not at that level.
My swordsmanship was merely a patchwork of useful techniques borrowed from here and there, specialized solely for the purpose of cutting down people.
That was right.
My sword was not about some profound Way; it was simply a technique for killing.
"Hm?"
While I was lost in deep thought, watching the old Taoist’s sword dance.
The luxurious room vanished, and a familiar landscape appeared before my eyes.
A black sky, a snow-white desert.
"When did this...?"
It was my own inner world, experienced through internal energy circulation.
I looked up at the sky.
The nine stars were twinkling as always.
*Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!*
But unlike usual, a strange sound reached my ears.
I whipped my body around.
"......!"
A world where, always and only, I existed alone.
For the first time, someone else was present within it.
*Swish! Swish! Swish!*
And they were performing a sword dance, at that.
"Sambong!"
In an instant.
A distinct starlight poured down from the sky and onto me.
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