Chapter 170 - The Body Knows First

"How did you get in here, miss?"

Seo Daeryong's voice trembled as he asked. He had never imagined he would see her here.

"I was invited too."

"How?"

Only people connected to the Young Dragon Tournament had been invited to tonight's banquet. Then the woman revealed something astonishing.

"I reached the quarterfinals of the Young Dragon Tournament three years ago."

Not only Seo Daeryong but the promising young martial artists around him were startled.

The Young Dragon Tournament was held once every three years, so she had been a quarterfinalist in the previous tournament. It was customary to invite past main-tournament contestants who belonged to the Orthodox Martial Alliance to the celebratory banquet as well.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm So Ok, First Team Leader of the Third Squad of the White Dragon Corps."

"Ah, so you're a martial artist of the Orthodox Martial Alliance."

And a team leader in the White Dragon Corps, at that. When she had shyly approached to cheer him on, she hadn't been wearing Alliance attire, so he had never dreamed she was one of its martial artists.

"I had no idea."

"Of course you didn't. I never told you."

"Why did you cheer for me?"

Their gazes met. Seo Daeryong's excitement was palpable even to those beside him—the fluttering thrill of meeting a first love again.

So Ok, by contrast, was composed.

"Watching you reminded me of myself when I competed in the Young Dragon Tournament, Martial Artist Seo. I came from the countryside too, and I didn't know anything. I knew no one, and no one knew me. I didn't even have enough money to stay at an inn, so toward the end I camped in the mountains and came down to compete."

So Ok spoke of those experiences without a trace of shame. That made her all the more appealing to Seo Daeryong. A pleasant fragrance drifted from her.

"I watched every one of your matches, Young Hero Seo. Your saber technique was truly splendid. You were especially impressive in the final. My heart was pounding so hard I wanted to jump up onto the platform."

To the others, it sounded as though the wonderful match had inspired her to compete again. But Seo Daeryong could easily mistake it to mean she had wanted to climb up there because she liked him.

"To think you beat Miss Jin. It really was the finest match in the history of the Young Dragon Tournament."

Seo Daeryong felt as though he could fly. He had received all manner of praise and acclaim since winning, but none of it felt as good as hearing it from her now. A smile formed on his lips of its own accord.

"You'll be joining the Demon-Slaying Squad now, won't you?"

The Demon-Slaying Squad was the Orthodox Martial Alliance's most elite unit, composed of young masters. For generations, Young Dragon Tournament champions had joined its ranks.

"I might apply to your White Dragon Corps instead."

So Ok blushed slightly.

"I'm flattered, but please don't. Starting in the Demon-Slaying Squad is the surest path to advancement in the Alliance."

"Your support helped me win the championship. I'd like to treat you to a meal sometime."

It had taken tremendous courage to make that offer.

Having been rejected by women far more often than accepted throughout his life, Seo Daeryong was secretly on edge. Fortunately, So Ok readily accepted, putting his fears to rest.

"I'd be honored. I'd be getting a meal from the Young Dragon Tournament champion, after all."

Seo Daeryong truly felt as though he could soar.

Geom Mugeuk and Jin Haryeong were watching from outside the window.

Geom Mugeuk could tell that she had been recruited by the Heavenly Mandate Society during the Young Dragon Tournament three years ago. In other words, the Society had already been operating in Murim three years earlier.

'These people have put down deeper roots in the Orthodox Martial Alliance than I thought.'

Learning the woman's identity had revealed an unexpected fact as well.

He asked Jin Haryeong beside him,

"Do you know that woman?"

"Team Leader So? We know each other well enough to exchange greetings."

"What's she like?"

"Easygoing, good-natured, popular with everyone. But this is a surprise. I had no idea she'd been cheering for your young master like that. Why? Worried about him? Afraid he'll fall for a vixen and hand over all his prize money?"

"Of course I should worry. I'm his servant."

Then Jin Haryeong's true feelings suddenly slipped out.

"Can't you stop being his servant?"

The moment she spoke, she realized her mistake. They said that if you were unsure whether to say something, you shouldn't say it at all. Yet she had blurted out something she had actually resolved not to say. Since she had already started, she went ahead and said what she wanted.

"Can't you just live as an ordinary martial artist? You've learned martial arts, so you could take the Alliance entrance examination, couldn't you? I'll help if you need me to."

When Geom Mugeuk said nothing, she hurriedly added,

"Don't misunderstand! I'm not saying this because I'm embarrassed that you're a servant. I only meant there's another life you could live."

Her face was slightly flushed. She worried that she might have wounded his pride.

At last, Geom Mugeuk spoke.

"I used to say that to someone all the time. That they should try living a different life."

"To whom?"

"Someone I know. A stubborn person who hates change."

"Like you?"

Geom Mugeuk smiled and looked back toward Seo Daeryong. He was still the center of attention, surrounded by people, but his gaze kept drifting to one particular spot.

* * *

The next day, Seo Daeryong went out to meet So Ok.

He had risen bright and early before breakfast and made an enormous fuss bathing, combing his hair, and changing from one outfit into another, only to say,

"It's not so much that I like her. I'm meeting someone who cheered for me. My intentions are innocent."

"Any more innocent and that grin will split your face. Stop smiling so much."

I was worried by how much he liked her. He would be deeply hurt when he learned the truth.

He had marched out full of vigor as though heading into battle, but when he returned, he seemed somehow subdued.

"Why? Did it not go well?"

"No, we had a good time. She said she prefers tea to liquor and enjoys walking. So we had a meal, drank tea, and went for a walk."

"Then why the long face?"

After a pause, Seo Daeryong sighed and said,

"We were sitting there, everything going so well, when suddenly I thought, This isn't right. My life couldn't possibly be going this smoothly. It was as though someone was whispering in my ear: When something this good happens, shouldn't you prepare for something bad?"

It seemed his dormant instincts had awakened. Once fate began to move, it had a way of shaking people awake like this.

"Did you tell her?"

"No. I did my best not to show it and smiled when we parted."

"Investigator Seo. I told you, didn't I? The path you've chosen is one where you bind up an injured arm and step onto the dueling platform."

"You said it's a path you keep walking even with blood running down your whole body, limping, unable to see out of one eye."

"Yes. It's also a path where suspicion must come first when you meet someone. That makes it difficult to make friends or truly love anyone."

Seo Daeryong pondered silently for a while, then uttered words he never wanted to say.

"With that in mind, I have something to tell you. I think this woman is suspicious. I think she approached me deliberately. Could she have been sent by the Heavenly Mandate Society?"

I gave no answer. He stared at me, then started in surprise.

"Am I right?"

"..."

"Am I really right?"

His voice trembled. He had sensed something suspicious, but some part of him must still have hoped it couldn't be true.

"Yes. She belongs to the Heavenly Mandate Society."

"!"

Seo Daeryong's eyes widened. I had expected him to react as though the sky were falling, but he was unexpectedly calm.

"So my hunch was right. Of course it was. Who did I think I was? It was strange from the start. There were handsome young martial artists everywhere, yet she went out of her way to cheer for me. I knew it then. How pathetic must she have thought I was?"

"Instead of beating yourself up, how about we celebrate the fact that you figured out who she was?"

"How did you find out, Pavilion Master?"

"During the final."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid you'd give it away with awkward acting."

"Then why tell me now? You could have just pretended not to know."

"Because something more important than how well you can act has come up."

"What's that?"

"It seems your survival instinct has truly begun to awaken."

Seo Daeryong was startled by my words.

"Everyone has a survival instinct. But a martial artist's is different, and it changes again as you become a master. Your body knows first. No matter how much someone smiles or says pleasant things, your body rejects them. The fine hairs on your body stand up, your heart races. Or your spirits might sink, as yours did today."

"So that was my survival instinct at work."

"Yes. Remember exactly how it manifested and how it felt."

Seo Daeryong was moved. I was placing greater importance on his survival instinct than on catching the leader of the Heavenly Mandate Society.

"Thank you, Pavilion Master."

"You'll have to act well from now on."

"You were worrying for nothing. I'm a better actor than you think. I'm a sly bastard."

"We'll see."

"What do you intend to do next?"

"You're the one who has to do it. You need to get her to lead you to the Heavenly Mandate Society. And as quickly as possible."

We didn't have time. If she decided to build their relationship slowly, it could take months, or even more than a year. But we needed to resolve this quickly and return home.

After some thought, Seo Daeryong came up with an approach.

"Do you remember what she said at the banquet? That she'd been in exactly the same situation as me when she came to compete three years ago. I don't think that part was a lie. I'll work on that angle."

"You'll use that sense of kinship? Because she's experienced those feelings herself?"

"Yes."

"One more thing. You must make sure I accompany you when she introduces you to whoever is behind her."

Seo Daeryong nodded.

"Leave it to me."

* * *

Two days later, Seo Daeryong and So Ok stood atop a hill overlooking the entire Orthodox Martial Alliance.

"The view is lovely here."

"I come here whenever I feel stifled."

"It's a wonderful place."

Seo Daeryong was inwardly astonished by the Alliance's vast grounds, stretching as far as the eye could see. He had thought nowhere could be larger than the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon, but the Alliance was just as immense.

"Actually, I was moved by what you said that day, Team Leader So. About how you knew nothing when you came to compete and had to sleep in the mountains because you had no money. I'm in a similar position. I'm determined to succeed here in the Alliance too."

"It won't be easy."

"Pardon?"

"I hesitate to tell someone who hasn't even formally joined yet, but I'll say this for your sake. You can't advance in the Alliance without a powerful backer. You might become a team leader, but you won't become a squad leader. Even if you somehow work like a madman and make squad leader, you'll never become a corps commander. There's a clear ceiling."

Her acting was every bit as impressive as Seo Daeryong's. Had he not known the truth, he would have thought she was speaking out of genuine concern.

"You'll probably be all the more disappointed because you're a champion. You might start as a team leader and spend your whole career at that rank. Overcome it with skill? How? That's impossible in peaceful times like these. Stories of people rising from nothing belong in storybooks."

Seo Daeryong asked with a grave expression,

"Then what should I do?"

He was conveying his feelings with no hint of anything unnatural.

"Find a connection. Throw away your pride and be loyal to someone willing to support your advancement. That's what I did."

"Please let me take hold of the same connection you did, Squad Leader So. A martial artist's pride? I don't have any of that. Please help me."

She said nothing for a moment. As she considered it, Seo Daeryong pressed her.

"Please. I'm begging you."

"All right. Fate brought us together, after all. I'll put in a word for you."

"Thank you."

"Don't get your hopes up. The elder may refuse."

"Ah, there's one more favor I'd like to ask."

"What is it?"

"Please introduce my servant too."

"Your servant?"

"If the Alliance is that sort of place, shouldn't I build up strength of my own? I intend to have my servant join and make him my right-hand man. I need at least one person I can trust in an Alliance where I have no one. His loyalty is the one thing I can count on."

Seo Daeryong pushed with the dogged determination of a country boy.

"I don't know if that will be possible."

He bowed his head, his expression earnest.

"Please, I implore you."

* * *

Three days passed before So Ok contacted him again.

She took Seo Daeryong and me to a manor far from the Orthodox Martial Alliance.

There weren't many masked guards stationed around it, but their skill was extraordinary. Whoever she intended to introduce us to was no ordinary person.

"Elder, it's Ok."

"Come in."

We followed So Ok into the room.

A curtain hung across the middle of the large room, concealing the face of the person on the other side.

I employed the New Eye Procedure. Focusing my eyes, I peered through the curtain to see who sat beyond it. The moment I recognized him, I was startled. He was someone I knew.

Jo Ibaek, master of True Dragon Manor.

Jo Sin's father.

Either Jo Ibaek had recruited Jo Sin, or the Heavenly Mandate Society had recruited father and son separately. If it was the latter, they might not even know that the other had been recruited.

Either possibility was astonishing.

Jo Ibaek spoke quietly from behind the curtain.

"You want to succeed in the Orthodox Martial Alliance?"

His qi presence was entirely different from when he had stood beside the Martial Alliance Leader. The father desperate to become the Alliance Leader's in-law and the imposing man behind this curtain were completely different. This must be his true self.

Seo Daeryong bowed low and answered respectfully.

"Yes! I am determined to succeed."

Now I understood why the New Dragon Clan had become a pillar of orthodox Murim after Hwa Mugi swept through it. They had been plotting like this since this very time.

Then was Jo Ibaek the leader of the Heavenly Mandate Society? Or was someone else its leader?

One thing was certain: as the Heavenly Mandate Society gradually revealed its core, it was proving to be a far larger monster than I had imagined.

"With my help, you will certainly succeed. In return, you..."

Jo Ibaek quietly added a question.

"What can you do for me?"