Wudang Sacred Scriptures

Jin Cheongha heard the transmitted voice of the infiltrator called Hidden Shadow and realized that they were lying in wait beneath the shadow of the angled eaves, where they could see the narrow gap.

How did they know I was in here?

Jin Cheongha recalled that Hidden Shadow had hesitated briefly before removing the brick, then looked around.

Before long, she found a small, pale feather on the floor and picked it up.

No bird that small would be coming and going from a lair inhabited by bats.

What was more, the tiny feather had been crushed flat, its barbs and shaft mangled as though something had pressed down on it.

Ah. They had wedged it into a crack in the stone wall as a marker.

The infiltrator called Hidden Shadow was exceptionally meticulous.

—How long do you think you can keep hiding in there like a rat?

At Hidden Shadow’s next transmitted voice, Jin Cheongha understood with perfect clarity that she was a rat trapped in a jar.

And, as they said, time was not on her side either.

As far as she knew, there were only two exits from the space within this ceiling.

The moment she descended into the inner room where the Right Military Strategist was, she would be exposed.

Finding another exit—or making one—would take far too long, and the danger of being discovered by the guard warriors was simply too great.

The narrow gap before her was the only exit through which Jin Cheongha could leave in time.

But Hidden Shadow was waiting outside, clearly preparing to unleash a killing strike. The situation was truly bleak.

...!

Jin Cheongha’s gaze moved to the strip of sleeve cloth she had unwound from the branch.

Her thoughts turned to the fact that Hidden Shadow had used an internal-striking method.

They meant to deal with me quietly, without spilling blood!

That was why Hidden Shadow had pretended not to know she was there, then slipped out to lie in wait.

If they fought to the death inside this ceiling space, it would cause an enormous disturbance.

In any case, as an infiltrator, Hidden Shadow also wanted to avoid being discovered by the Martial Alliance warriors.

That is their weakness!

Of course, the same held true for Jin Cheongha, but she realized it would be even more disadvantageous to Hidden Shadow.

It would be troublesome if word spread that an infiltrator had been entering and leaving the Right Military Strategist’s hall.

If I can use that weakness to get out of here somehow...!

Jin Cheongha suddenly remembered that she had a certain item with her.

If they retreat far enough, I have a chance.

Her eyes brightened as she sent a transmitted voice toward the shadow beneath the eaves, visible through the narrow gap.

—Hidden Shadow, I intend to remain here until you leave. A young woman like me could hardly withstand such terrifying hands.

A startled transmitted voice immediately returned.

—So you are a woman. And since you call me Hidden Shadow, it seems you heard our entire conversation as well.

—I have ears. How could I possibly not have heard?

Jin Cheongha had deliberately revealed both her identity and that fact to provoke Hidden Shadow, so she admitted it readily and continued by transmitted voice.

—I happened to be moving in secret here. So what happened tonight was simply an accident brought about by coincidence for both of us.

Jin Cheongha fell silent and calmly waited for Hidden Shadow’s reply.

The one with more to lose is always at a disadvantage.

In the prolonged silence, Jin Cheongha could tell that Hidden Shadow was turning the matter over and over beneath the eaves.

At last, Hidden Shadow’s transmitted voice sounded in her ear.

—The way you are painstakingly explaining yourself tells me you want to negotiate.

They have taken half the bait.

Smiling inwardly, Jin Cheongha sent back a transmitted voice.

—Wouldn’t things becoming noisy be worse for you? I only need to hold out here.

—Is that not what I should be saying? I can simply make enough noise and leave, but you will be caught inside there with nowhere to go.

—Naturally. And the Martial Alliance warriors will question me. Then I will have no choice but to tell them exactly what I heard.

At her threat, Jin Cheongha saw the shadows beneath the eaves ripple for an instant.

They have every reason to be angry.

Even if Hidden Shadow wanted to kill her, there was no way to crawl back inside.

—In any case, I came here for a different purpose. That said, I will not ask you to trust me and let me go. If I were in your place, I would have no choice but to kill me to silence me.

—What are you trying to say?

The immediacy of Hidden Shadow’s transmitted response told Jin Cheongha that she had firmly seized the initiative in their conversation.

She sent her next message calmly.

—I was impressed by your infiltration skills. But I am confident that mine are no less capable. Rather than let both of us be ruined in this standoff, I propose that we settle the matter by competing in infiltration.

—You want me to let you come outside first?

Mockery colored Hidden Shadow’s transmitted voice.

The meaning was unmistakable: Hidden Shadow had no intention of pretending not to see through her.

Jin Cheongha therefore brought out the last leverage she had left.

—If you refuse, I will look for another exit.

—Hmph. Search all you like. There is no other exit.

—Isn’t making a path where none exists what infiltrators do? It may be far more dangerous to be discovered, but that is still better than taking the path where I plainly die, is it not?

Jin Cheongha had nothing to lose. More importantly, her proposal was merely bait, so she waited calmly.

They will certainly take the bait. The fact that I am a young woman will play its part, and in this frustrating deadlock, this is their only chance to seize the advantage.

How much time passed?

—Fine. Come outside, and we will decide life and death through our respective infiltration skills.

They took the bait!

Jin Cheongha cheered inwardly, then immediately calmed herself.

From this point onward, not even the slightest mistake was permissible.

—Then retreat to the eaves at the far end of the hall.

When no response came from Hidden Shadow, she sent another transmitted voice.

—At the very least, we need that much distance for me to come out with peace of mind. If you withdraw, I will come out as soon as this patrol passes.

—Fine.

—FLUTTER!

With a sound like a bat taking flight, a figure moved beneath the shadow of the eaves.

—STEP. STEP.

As the patrol warriors passed beneath the Right Military Strategist’s hall, Jin Cheongha removed her outer robe and wrapped it around the iron sphere she took from the pouch at her waist.

Listening to the patrol warriors’ footsteps fade away, Jin Cheongha kindled Threefold True Fire within the outer robe and lit the iron sphere’s fuse.

—SSSSSS.

As the dry fuse burned inside the outer robe, Jin Cheongha measured the time.

She had only one chance.

If the iron sphere exploded too soon or too late, she would be trapped inside without any chance to move and seized by the Martial Alliance warriors.

She had steeled herself for any misfortune that might befall her and could bear it. But she could not bear Kwak Yeon and Hu Gae being dragged into trouble because of her.

Even if I die, I cannot die here. So I have to make this succeed.

When the fuse had nearly burned to its end, Jin Cheongha hurled the outer robe wrapped around the iron sphere through the narrow gap with all her strength.

—WHOOOSH!

Ripping through the air with a fierce gust, the outer robe looked exactly like a human figure in the darkness.

—SWISH!

As though it had been waiting, a black shadow sprang out from beneath the eaves at the end of the hall. Jin Cheongha knew she had succeeded.

She knew that Hidden Shadow, a member of the hidden mastermind, would never leave her alive.

Thus, she had deployed a double-layered ruse. Of course, without the iron sphere she had acquired from the old-woman assassin of Hidden Moon Forest, she could never have attempted it in the first place.

—SNATCH!

Hidden Shadow streaked forward like lightning and caught the bundle of clothing with a grappling-hand technique. At the sight, Jin Cheongha’s heart went cold.

Why...?

The iron sphere should have exploded by now, yet nothing happened.

Was it a dud?

Or perhaps wrapping it in the outer robe had snuffed out the fuse.

In Jin Cheongha’s bleak vision, Hidden Shadow glared at her with furious eyes.

The moment they flung away the bundle of clothing and turned toward her—

—SIZZLE!

A spark flashed from the unraveled bundle.

It was an exceedingly small flame, but in the darkness, it was no different from a bolt of lightning.

Just as Hidden Shadow sensed danger and launched away with a sudden midair rebound—

—BOOM!

With an explosion, blue radiance burst across the air.

Beyond that blue flash, Jin Cheongha saw blue flames rise on Hidden Shadow’s body as they were flung away.

It had gone off a little late, but it had worked.

Once Blue-Scale True-Flame Demon Blossom caught fire, it could not be extinguished until it had burned its target completely.

Hidden Shadow, streaking away while scattering blue light, was visible among the clusters of halls.

Naturally, Jin Cheongha was not the only one to see it.

—An intruder!

At someone’s shout, the quiet Strategists’ Office sprang awake in an instant.

The patrol warriors rushed forward first. The guard warriors also spotted Hidden Shadow fleeing through a spray of blue light and began to give chase.

—WHIIISTLE!

—WHIIISTLE!

—WHIIISTLE!

Taking advantage of every member of the Strategists’ Office focusing their attention on Hidden Shadow’s flight amid the blue radiance, Jin Cheongha swiftly climbed out through the narrow gap.

Then she slipped into the shadow beneath the eaves and melded into the darkness with the Underworld Trace-Free Ghost-Shadow Divine Technique.

The entire Strategists’ Office was thrown into chaos as if someone had set fire to a beehive, but the uproar actually helped Jin Cheongha.

Watching the Martial Alliance warriors move about in a frenzy, she found it much easier to avoid them.

After vaulting the wall of the Strategists’ Office, Jin Cheongha took a wide route through the Jadeite Pavilion and the kitchens before returning to the guest residence.

She opened the window of her room and slipped inside.

Even then, the commotion in the Strategists’ Office had not yet spilled beyond its walls.

—CLICK.

As Jin Cheongha gently shut the window, emergency bells began ringing loudly throughout the Inner Fortress.

—GONG! GONG! GONG! GOOONG!

Jin Cheongha breathed a sigh of relief.

Whew!

Now all she had to do was hide the mask and her night-infiltration clothes, change, and walk out into the main hall.

First, I should light a candle. I need to look as though I just woke up to those emergency bells.

Jin Cheongha went to the candlestick beside the bed and kindled the wick with Threefold True Fire.

The candle flame slowly rose, as though stretching awake.

—A Flower Realm master capable of manifesting Threefold True Fire, hmm...

At Hu Gae’s voice from behind her, Jin Cheongha’s entire body froze.

Judging by the direction of his voice, Hu Gae seemed to be sitting in a chair beside the tea table, but Jin Cheongha could not bring herself to turn around.

—If you are not the Sister Jin I know, then extinguish that candle and leave quietly. In that case, I will not pursue you for half a quarter-hour.

...!

Jin Cheongha’s chest tightened.

How could she not know that Hu Gae was speaking that way because he already knew it was her?

—If you are the Sister Jin I know, then remove your mask and turn around. Naturally, if that is the case, you will have to explain the present circumstances. In great detail.

Moved by Hu Gae’s profound consideration, Jin Cheongha turned without hesitation.

Then she briskly removed her mask.

—The woman standing before you is indeed the Sister Jin you know, Sub-Branch Master.