“Mi-Gyeong, are you alright now?” Jeong-Hui asks from outside the room. Her breath gently hits the paper frame from her proximity. Mi-Gyeong, at hearing the familiar voice, relaxed her body. “I’m fine, you can enter.” Sliding the door open, Jeong-Hui took a step inside. There laid blankets askew on the floor as if Mi-Gyeong had frenzied. Jeong-Hui furrowed her brows at this sight, choosing to disregard it for the time being. “The representatives are downstairs, it’d be impolite to rest any further with the knowledge, Mi-Gyeong.” Jeong-Hui chided, staring down at her. Mi-Gyeong silently nodded, unsure of how she wanted to reply. “I'm well aware. I wasn’t planning on keeping waiting.” Mi-Gyeong acknowledged, gathering her hair to the side as she rose. There was tension in the air neither of them wanted to address first, which led to Mi-Gyeong going mad with anxiety. Cutting through the tension just barely, she decided to speak first. “It’s difficult to accept. I’m personally unsettled by this imbalance. But still— even as that stands, the motives leave me wondering if there’s more to it, Jeong-Hui.”

  Jeong-Hui merely stared back, waiting for her to finish with an incline of her head to signify she was listening. “Seok-Jin doesn't seem the type to think something like that through. Just who gave him those demands?” Mi-Gyeong speculated, “With this deed, it seems as if we’re trying to buy the favor of the Han sect.” “To outsiders, it’ll look as if we have given them a hand in their dilemma. On the surface level, isn’t that a nice thing to do?” Jeong-Hui retorted.

  Jeong-Hui wasn’t wrong to say that either. The Yang sect had been extinguishing dangers for several years. To outsiders, it truly would seem as if it wasn’t their first rodeo.

  Seok-Jin, knowing this, took full advantage of it.

  “That’s good. You’ve been thinking about it.” Jeong-Hui commented. Mi-Gyeong felt it was more backhanded than anything, but was only left with the option to fall silent while she continued to talk. “After this, we can discuss it in detail. Times wasting.” Jeong-Hui beckoned Mi-Gyeong with a wave of her hand, sliding the wooden door again its other half. Hearing that made Mi-Gyeongs's heart thump a sliver quicker, and she didn’t comprehend why.

  The two of them turned around the corner of the hallway, slowly descending.

  Their footsteps creak on the wood, the weight pressing down on it cautiously. Mi-Gyeong stills for a moment, glancing around the room. Warm overhead lamps were illuminating several faces. Unfortunately for Mi-Gyeong, every single one of these faces was unfamiliar to her.

  “Don’t be shy,” Jeong-Hui sighed, gesturing for Mi-Gyeong to take a seat already. “Lord Lee Ye-Jun” Jeong-Hui greeted, gently prodding Mi-Gyeong with her elbow to signal for her to bow down as well.

  Lee Ye-Jun was handsome, but not remarkable. His thin eyebrows and pulled-back hair made him a common figure amongst the crowds. He was the type that upon your second look at him, you’d take note of his eye color. He wasn’t impressing, not to Mi-Gyeong. However, she still managed to flash a smile.

  After courtesies had been passed, everyone took a seat. Mi-Gyeong brought it upon herself to pour tea for everyone.

  That’s only then she noticed there was a maid beside Lee Ye-Jun to handle that. She glanced at the four of them, wondering if they had noticed— they hadn’t.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “M’lord, now that pleasantries have been exchanged, would you mind explaining your request?” Jeong-Hui beamed. Mi-Gyeong was left out of the loop, unknowing of what that request was.

  “As you may already know, the Lee clan resides near the far northeast territories of the Yang clan, and there have been several conflicts regarding land.” He began, earrings dangling with a chime. “It seems you have expanded your boundaries, again.” Lee Ye-Jun pauses, staring at Jeong-Hui. “A shame, Yang Jae-Seong couldn’t be here, but I suppose it doesn’t matter if you’re here to relay this message.”

  -x

  The Annual Ghost Hunting Competition was a time for others to flaunt their martial prowess and supremacy. There usually was nothing more to it. Others may have a profound interest in the gold, but they’d likely be the ones that’d blow it all out before they truly need it.

  “We've been walking for two days! How much longer do we have to carry out before we reach that pavilion?” The man argued.

  “You’d probably get there faster if you weren’t wasting your breath. If you’re not cut in for it, then why would you even decide to sign up? Pathetic.” He spat, keeping up the pace.

  “Who even are you to speak down on me, punk?!” He proclaimed, grabbing down on his neckline. “I’ve been in this thing for three years! Everyone knows the location changes, and it isn't always held in the closest location. Do you truly expect to find a surplus amount of maniacal creatures a day's walk from you?”

  It was Jun-Ho and some other man that Min-Jun didn't know.

  “You two have short fuses, that truly make your mothers seem irresponsible,” Min-Jun remarked.

  The two of them heard the twig snap under Min-Juns feet before they heard his words. When they did, it made them turn their heads completely. Unable to snag at each other's robes any longer, they glance back at him.

  Jun-Ho recognized Min-Jun, and his face grew red. “It’s you! How long have you been following us?!” He shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Min-Jin that stabbed like an arrow.

  It made him seem like a creep. “Couldn’t you have worded that any better?” Min-Jun creased a brow in embarrassment, mouth agape.

  “I couldn’t be following you. After all, were going to the same place. There’s an entire group in front of you too. Does that mean you’re following them?” Min-Jun pointed out, annoyed by how he got blurted. The man faltered for a beat, wholly uncertain about how he should answer this.

  “Oh.”

  That was until something up ahead grabbed his attention. Screams scattered from several directions, with the hurried noise of footsteps. Min-Jun eventually understood what was happening. He wishes he didn't.

  People were running back with frightened looks on their faces.

  One man, decapitated from his lower half pitifully pulled himself against the dirt, making a sound that was grating to Min-Jun’s ears. His life was already cut short, but it had been cut off the moment a boot smashed his head in. Min-Jun quickly jumped back at this sight, ensuring there was distance between him and the ghost.

  Anxiety imposes a headache that he can't quell. Shaking his head, he glances over to Min-Jun, who is shaking at the sight. It was always the one who boasted. Min-Jun furrows his brow, quickly running over to the man. “Wake up!” He slapped Jun-Ho. Seeing as the man wasn't even responding out of fear, he sank his hand into his belt to snatch his sword from him.

  He was cut short on time, seeing in his peripheral as the ghost advanced further. Light hair flew wildly in the wind with each parry. Dipping just in time before the sword made contact with his face, Min-Jun readjusted his grip on Neulin. With concentration, Min-Jun pinpointed the flow of qi the ghost was using with the wave of his sword. Retracting his arm to manifest qi into his sword, Min-Jun quickly pivoted into position, swinging his sword down swiftly.

  The man's arm plummeted to the earth with a thud. Unperturbed by this, he resumed his stance. Yet, before he could launch forward again, he fell to the ground. His limbs rolled away from impact, which left him with only his torso and head. He didn't appear to have any regenerative abilities. Thankfully. Sheathing Neulin, Min-Jun glanced around. While there certainly would be more people on the way, the size of the current group had been cut down by half due to that unexpected arrival.

  The only way left was forward.