CFZ

The season was still autumn.
The leaves of early greenery had finally begun to change color, and fallen leaves were scattering along the paths.
We ascended the quiet trail for what felt like an eternity.

There was no time to admire the beautiful scenery or the picturesque landscape.
All I could hear was the faint sound of labored breathing.
A group of more than ten people trudged forward, their exhaustion evident.

Even the grumbling and complaints that had persisted until yesterday had vanished.
With our destination so close, there was no energy left to voice discomfort.
The journey had been grueling—enough to wear down the spirits of even the strongest among us.

“Ah, I can see it! Our destination!”
At someone’s exclamation, the group’s heavy breaths quickened with excitement.
Seeing the long-awaited endpoint gave them a burst of energy despite their fatigue.

After climbing the remaining steps, we finally arrived at the large gates.
The doors creaked open as if they had been waiting for us, revealing guards stationed on the other side.
Creeeeak—!

As the gates opened, a man appeared.
He was a middle-aged man with a pleasant demeanor.
Smiling warmly, he opened his mouth to speak—

“Welcome, travelers from the Main Alliance—”
“Aaagh…!”
“W-We made it—!”
“Out of the way!”

“…Excuse me?”
Before he could finish, the group pushed past him.
Their desperation was so intense that no one even tried to stop them.

The members stumbled inside and collapsed to the ground.
“Ugh…”
“W-Water… Please…”

“…What in the world….”
They looked like broken dolls, staggering and barely able to stand.
The middle-aged man, who seemed to be the manager, was visibly flustered by the unexpected sight.

What on earth had happened to these people?
While the man struggled to process the situation—
“Pleased to meet you.”

A refreshing voice interrupted.
Startled, the man turned to see a young man approaching with a calm smile.
But that very smile sent a shiver down his spine.

Still, there was no time to stay flustered.
“Ah! I’ve heard much about you.”
At a glance, the man instantly recognized him.

There was no mistaking it—this was the person he had been waiting for.
After all, in the current martial world, it was impossible not to know this young man.
And just by looking at his robe, it was obvious.

It was the official attire of the Main Alliance, given only to high-ranking commanders.
His identity needed no further confirmation.
Forcing a smile, the middle-aged man spoke.

“It’s an honor to meet the Star King. I am Mok Ri-seon, the branch leader of the Sichuan branch.”
“Gu Yangcheon of the Star Dragon Unit.”
“You must have had a difficult journey.”

“Not at all. It wasn’t that bad.”
“I-I see.”
Mok Ri-seon stole a glance to the side as he spoke.

The so-called Star Dragon Unit was sprawled out, gasping for breath like they had just crawled out of hell.
If the journey hadn’t been difficult, then what exactly had turned them into this state?
And—

‘Is this young man really their commander?’
He looked so young—too young.
Younger than Mok Ri-seon’s own son, even.

Could someone this young truly have saved the people of Henan and risen to the rank of martial king?
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed unbelievable.
And yet—

‘…The Main Alliance said it was true. I have no choice but to believe it.’
It wasn’t something Mok Ri-seon’s doubts could change.
Accepting this reality, he began scanning the group.

‘Hmm?’
Something seemed off.
“Excuse me…”

“Yes?”
“I heard the Azure Dragon Commander was supposed to accompany you…”
According to the prior message, the Azure Dragon Commander and his unit were supposed to be part «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» of the group.

But Ilcheong Sword was nowhere to be seen.
“Ah, that.”
Gu Yangcheon smirked slightly and replied.

“The Azure Dragon Unit will arrive two or three days later.”
“What?”
“We were in a bit of a hurry, so they’re taking their time and traveling at a more relaxed pace.”

“I-I see.”
A bit of a hurry.
Mok Ri-seon nodded slowly.

Indeed, the Star Dragon Unit had arrived much faster than expected.
He had anticipated their arrival five days later at the earliest, but they were already here.
It was clear they must have pushed their pace to the limit.

‘…Is that why?’
Suddenly, Mok Ri-seon understood.
It explained why the group looked completely drained.

Arriving this early must have required relentless travel with minimal rest.
Still—
‘Why does only half the group look exhausted?’

While many were barely holding themselves together, about half the members looked relatively fine.
Especially the women—they seemed surprisingly composed.
‘And why are they all so stunning?’

Mok Ri-seon couldn’t help but stare.
One woman in particular caught his eye, and his eyes widened in recognition.
“Ah! Could it be Miss Tang?”

“Oh.”
The woman with soft green hair—Tang So-yeol of the Tang Clan.
Recognizing her, Mok Ri-seon called out, and Tang So-yeol responded with a polite bow and a smile.

“…It’s been a while.”
“Ah, yes. Have you been well?”
“I’ve been fine.”

“I didn’t expect to see you in the Martial Alliance. Is your father doing well?”
“…Yes, he’s well.”
An awkward conversation followed.

Given the branch’s close ties to the Tang Clan, it made sense that they knew each other.
Observing them, Gu Yangcheon frowned slightly.
“Vice Commander.”

“Yes, Commander?”
He quietly called out to Tang So-yeol.
“Get everyone settled in and make sure they’re organized. I need to speak with the branch leader.”

“What about rest arrangements?”
“Rest, huh…”
Gu Yangcheon glanced at the group.

Their faces screamed exhaustion, as if they would drop dead if forced to march again.
Smirking slightly, he spoke.
“They can rest today, but have everyone assembled by the hour of the tiger tomorrow. No exceptions for night watch.”

“Understood.”
Cheers of relief erupted among the group.
The idea of even one day’s rest seemed to thrill them.

Watching this, Gu Yangcheon shook his head.
He didn’t look pleased.
‘What are they whining about?’

They had merely pushed their pace a little faster.
Granted, some of the lower-ranked members might have struggled, but—
‘I set the pace for the slowest ones.’

If he had set it to his own level, they would have arrived twice as fast.
‘Tsk.’
Though he had plenty to say, Gu Yangcheon let it go.

What mattered was that they had finally arrived in Sichuan.

   ******************
   
The moment Gu Yangcheon entrusted the group to Tang So-yeol, he followed Mok Ri-seon, the branch leader, into a private room.

“Thank you again for coming all this way….”
“No need to thank me. I’m just following orders.”
“…Haha. You must be tired after the journey. Are you sure you don’t need to rest first?”

“I’m fine. It wasn’t that exhausting. Let’s get started right away.”
“Ah, understood….”
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Gu Yangcheon pulled a document from his robe and handed it to Mok Ri-seon.

“This is the Alliance’s seal and confirmation letter.”
“Thank you. I’ve received it.”
The document served as proof that they were operating under the Martial Alliance’s orders and marked the official start of their mission.

Immediately after, Mok Ri-seon handed over another set of papers.
“This contains the information we’ve gathered so far.”
“Not much, I see?”

“Yes. I kept it as concise as possible.”
It was only about five pages.
“Hmm.”

Flip.
Gu Yangcheon quietly scanned through the contents.
There wasn’t much new information compared to what Muk Yeon had previously provided.

If there was anything noteworthy—
‘The frequency of contacts with unidentified individuals.’
Earlier reports mentioned interactions occurring about five times over fifteen days.

Now, it was happening on more than half the days.
Gu Yangcheon looked up and asked Mok Ri-seon,
“Do you know who these people meeting with the Celestial Stream Sect are?”

“Well… We believe they’re merchants, but….”
“So it’s not definitive.”
“…Correct.”

Gu Yangcheon nodded at the response.
“I see. The Celestial Stream Sect is already known for its aggressive tendencies. Frequent dealings with merchants seem… odd.”
He flipped through a couple more pages before speaking again.

“Still, why do you suspect them to be merchants?”
“Ah, well….”
At that moment, Mok Ri-seon hesitated.

Something felt off.
‘Why is this going so smoothly?’
Reporting to a commander was routine, but this felt too natural.

‘Why does this feel so practiced?’
He had heard that the Star King had only recently risen to his rank after being a mere late-stage practitioner.
Yet, his tone and mannerisms mirrored that of experienced veterans.

It was as if he had been in command for years.
“We tracked them and found they operate in the Guangdong region, under the name ‘Choya Trading Company.’”
“Guangdong?”

“Yes. They’re a legitimate trading company, but….”
As Mok Ri-seon trailed off, Gu Yangcheon picked up where he left off.
“There’s a good chance they’re just using that identity. No one would openly do business with an outcast sect like the Celestial Stream Sect unless they were hiding something.”

“…That’s right.”
“Hmm.”
Gu Yangcheon flipped through the pages again, this time more carefully.

After some time, he asked:
“So it’s clear that the Celestial Stream Sect is planning something, but there’s no direct evidence linking them to the Demonic Cult. What about the Ghost Spear?”
At the mention of that name, Mok Ri-seon swallowed nervously before replying.

“One of the suspected guards resembles the Ghost Spear’s description.”
“I see. But that’s still not confirmed.”
“Correct. However, the Celestial Stream Sect’s sudden activity is concerning. Given how quiet they’ve been until now, this sudden move could mean preparations for something larger—perhaps involving the Demonic Cult, like in Henan….”

Mok Ri-seon’s tense expression betrayed his unease.
“And with the Tang Clan weakened, we felt the need to request reinforcements from the Alliance.”
“So you reached out for support.”

“Exactly.”
Gu Yangcheon carefully folded the papers and tucked them back into his robe.
“Your reasoning makes sense. The report was also well-organized—easy to read. I can tell you’ve worked hard.”

“Hahaha… It’s just my duty as branch leader.”
“Given how strange the Celestial Stream Sect’s actions are, I’ll proceed with the investigation. That’s why we’re here, after all.”
Relief flashed across Mok Ri-seon’s face.

“Understood. Should I organize support from the branch staff?”
“Yes, that would be helpful. Oh, and one more thing.”
Gu Yangcheon tilted his head slightly and added,

“Could you also prepare the unabridged reports later?”
“Pardon?”
Mok Ri-seon blinked in surprise.

“The unabridged reports—why? Did you find the summaries lacking? I can recompile them if—”
“No, that’s not it. I just prefer reviewing the full details myself. I’d appreciate it if you could prepare them.”
“Ah… Understood.”

Although he looked slightly uneasy, Mok Ri-seon quickly masked it and agreed.
Gu Yangcheon watched him for a moment before standing up.
“I think I’ve heard everything I need for now. I’ll take my leave.”

“Shall I guide you to your quarters?”
“No need. I’m heading out for a bit.”
“Excuse me? You’re leaving already?”

Mok Ri-seon was visibly startled.
“But I thought you were resting today….”
“That’s just for the others. I have some business to attend to. I won’t be gone long.”

Gu Yangcheon smiled, nodded briefly, and turned to leave.
“I’ll see you later.”
“Ah… Yes. I’ll see you later.”

Mok Ri-seon looked unsettled, but Gu Yangcheon ignored him.
As he reached for the door, his expression hardened, erasing the earlier smile.
Cold determination filled his eyes.

‘I see.’
He wasn’t entirely sure what was going on with the Celestial Stream Sect yet, but one thing was clear.
‘First, I’ll have to deal with the branch leader.’

The Sichuan branch leader, Mok Ri-seon—
He was a spy.