Reaper of the Drifting Moon

He stood in the hallway in front of the grand hall. Then he looked around the inner garden.

A lot of people were moving around.

It’s a common sight now, but when he first joined the Snow Sword Manor, most of the disciples and warriors wasted their time idly because they didn’t know what to do.

But everything was different now.

The members of the Snow Sword Manor knew exactly what they had to do.

That alone energized the Snow Sword Manor.

Lee Yul looked at the people for a while and returned to his residence.

His residence is the second largest pavilion in the inner courtyard.

The use of a larger pavilion than Seol Kang-yeon’s relatives meant that he accounted for a large portion in the Snow Sword Manor.

Seol Kang-yeon trusted and relied on Lee Yul more than his relatives. For that reason, Seol Kang-yeon’s children felt jealous of Lee Yul.

At that time, a giant man approached Lee Yul.

He had a large body and face which resembled the sect leader of the Snow Sword Manor, Seol Kang-yeon.

He is Seol Kwang-ho, the eldest son of Seol Kang-yeon.

“Can you spare me a minute?”

When Seol Kwang-ho, who had a huge figure, stood in front of Lee Yul, his body looked a lot smaller.

Lee Yul looked at Seol Kwang-ho with his characteristic unchanging expression.

“What can I do for you?”

“I have something to discuss with you about our sect.”

“If it’s a big deal about our sect, haven’t we already discussed it with the sect leader?”

“I’m missing you, right? You’re the owner of the Snow Sword Manor, so does it make sense to have a meeting without me?”

“It’s the sect leader’s decision. It’s none of my business.”

“Hmpf! For an attendant to decide everything in this sect. My father accepts almost all of your opinions.”

There was hostility in Seol Kwang-ho’s eyes looking at Lee Yul.

From his point of view, Lee Yul was like a a stone that rolled in. The stone from the outside pushed him away and was exerting a tremendous influence within the Snow Sword Manor.

‘Hmpf! Just because he looks like a girl…’

In truth, Lee Yul’s appearance did not look like a woman.

His name might just sound feminine, and he has a rather handsome appearance for a man, but it wasn’t to the point where he would be getting attention anywhere. However, since Seol Kwang-ho is so huge, there was a great difference between the two.

Seol Kwang-ho hated Lee Yul, who suddenly appeared one day and took control of the Snow Sword Manor. However, since his father trusts Lee Yul greatly, he couldn’t touch him carelessly.

Lee Yul asked,

“What do you want to discuss?”

“Among the people who entered our sect, there is a lady named Koo So-hyun.”

“I’ve heard of her. She is someone who learned martial arts at the Golden Bird House1 in Shenyang.”

“Right! I can’t believe you even remember them.”

Seol Kwang-ho made a sick expression towards Lee Yul without realizing it.

The Golden Bird House is a small sect whom few people know. Seol Kwang-ho was also one of those who didn’t know of its name until yesterday.

Seol Kwang-ho felt weirded out by Lee Yul who remembered such an insignificant sect.

“To carry out the post of attendant, you have to remember such trivial things without missing anything. Anyway, what’s wrong with Koo So-hyun?”

“That’s not it…”

“Then what is it?”

“I want that woman to be assigned to the Secret Shadow Group2, which is under my command.”

In an instant, Lee Yul’s eyes narrowed.

He finally realized why Seol Kwang-ho came to him.

It was not a matter of a day or two for him to reveal his womanizer tendencies. There were quite a few cases where work was ruined due to his personality. Because of that, Seol Kang-yeon did not have much confidence in his eldest son. That is why he is not invited to the meeting where all the main factors of Snow Sword Manor are gathered.

He heard that Koo So-hyun, who recently entered the Snow Sword Manor, is quite beautiful, which attracted a lot of people’s attention. Seol Kwang-ho seemed to be one of them.

Seol Kwang-ho couldn’t bear to look Lee Yul in the eyes and turned his head away.

After looking at Seol Kwang-ho for a moment, Lee Yul nodded.

“I see. I’ll do what I can.”

“Really?”

“It’s not that difficult. I’ll notify her to stay in the Secret Shadow Group from tomorrow.”

“Thank you! As expected, you’re the best. Haha! Good luck then.”

Seol Kwang-ho burst into a hearty laugh and tapped Lee Yul on the shoulder with his big hand. Every time his hand struck, Lee Yul’s body shook like a reed.

Still, there was no change in his expression.

‘This unlucky bastard!’

Seol Kwang-ho forcibly endured the twisting of his mouth and turned around.

Lee Yul stared blankly at Seol Kwang-ho’s back as he walked away, then returned to his residence.

“Are you back?”

As soon as Lee Yul entered, a man with an ordinary impression greeted him.

He had plain features that can be seen anywhere on the street and had a normal physique.

The name of a man who has no distinctive features, making it difficult for him to leave any impression after seeing it once or twice, was Baek Do-kyung.

He was the confidant Lee Yul brought with him when he came in as the attendant of the Snow Sword Manor.

Baek Do-kyung gave Lee Yul a chair so that he could rest comfortably.

Tak!

As Lee Yul sat down on the chair, he took out a yellow booklet from his arms and said,

“This is a summary of the people who entered the Snow Sword Manor this time.”

“How many people came in?”

“There are three hundred and seventy two people all in all. All but five came in.”

Lee Yul looked at Baek Do-kyung with cold eyes.

“Five?”

“Yes! Yang Cheol-hwan and his brothers have yet to arrive.”

“Shouldn’t they have arrived by now?”

“That’s right.”

“What is the probability that he left for something else?”

“Considering Yang Cheol-hwan’s personality, it’s very unlikely.”

“It means there’s a problem.”

Tap, tap!

Yiyul tapped the table with his fingers.

Yang Cheol-hwan and his colleagues were not very important. He might have made a name for himself in Henan, but even then he is just a frog in the well.

If you expand the scope of awareness to the world, Yang Cheol-hwan’s existence is so insignificant that you can’t even see him.

The problem was Yang Cheol-hwan’s personality.

Yang Cheol-hwan might not be a person who always kept his promises, but he was not untrustworthy enough to reject the offer of the Snow Sword Manor.

The Snow Sword Manor’s proposal was so great that he was tempted, and he was promised that he would definitely come. If he didn’t come, then it could only mean that he encountered a problem.

This degree of variable could have been overlooked, but given Lee Yul’s personality that does not tolerate even an inch of error, he couldn’t just let it pass.

“Investigate their activities thoroughly and find out what happened.”

“Alright.”

Baek Do-kyung also knew of Lee Yul’s personality, so he answered without hesitation.

“How about the Jin family?”

“There are quite a few people joining them. About 300 people have joined them so far, and more will come as time goes on.”

“That level of trust remains.”

“Yes. They have made quite a few connections so far.”

“As expected, they won’t collapse easily.”

A soft smile appeared on Lee’s lips.

Baek Do-kyung said cautiously.

“How do I move them?”

“No! Moving them already is a waste of power. For now, let’s proceed with the work based on the capabilities of the Snow Sword Manor.”

“Alright.”

“Now, get out.”

“Yes!”

When Lee Yul waved his hand, Baek Do-kyung bowed his head and went outside.

Lee Yul, who was left alone, got up from his seat and approached the window.

When he opened the window, the landscape of the inner courtyard came into view.

With his eyes focused with the beautiful scenery, Lee Yul murmured,

“It’s been so peaceful.”

* * *

Pyo-wol’s gaze was directed to a high place.

He saw a huge mountain with clouds wrapping around the mountainside.

It was Tianzhongshan.

Henam has long been called the center of the world.

Because Runan, where Tianzhongshan is located, was located in the center of Henan, the people of Runan called themselves Heavenly People.3

Their pride was so high that people from outside were repulsed.

As they call themselves as the people of heaven, Tianzhongshan was also a subject of reverence. Since it was a mountain which means the center of the sky.

The Jin family was already bustling with people.

Pyo-wol moved to Tianzhongshan to avoid the hustle and bustle.

The road to Tianzhongshan was very rough, so the people of the Jin family mainly used it for learning mindfulness or footwork techniques. However, no one was using it now because of the conflict with the Snow Sword Manor.

Thanks to this, Pyo-wol was able to use the mountain path alone.

While climbing the mountain path, Pyo-wol carefully inspected the area.

It is to look at the path that can penetrate through the eyes of the assassin.

He only skimmed the area once, but three or four places have already caught his eye.

The Jin family set up a security network where enemies could infiltrate, but if Pyo-wol was determined, he could penetrate into the Jin manor without leaving a trace.

Just like that, Pyo-wol climbed the mountain, checking each possible routes that could be infiltrated.

Tianzhongshan boasted a superb view.

The strangely shaped rocks and bushes that seemed to have been made by potters with all their heart and soul, combined to create a magnificent view.

Thanks to that, Pyo-wol didn’t get bored as he was looking around all around the mountain.

Pyo-wol arrived at the top of Tianzhongshan by the time the sun had risen at its highest point in the sky.

Not a drop of sweat could be seen on Pyo-wol’s forehead even though he had climbed the steep mountain road.

Pyo-wol stood at the top of Tianzhongshan and looked down at the world.

An endless expanse of plains, dizzyingly intersecting rivers, numerous residences and mansions, and people.

Pyo-wol contemplated on the word ‘under the heaven.’4

Everything that exists under the sky.

The scenery that caught Pyo-wol’s eyes was not everything of the world, but it was enough to show what the world was like.

Pyo-wol looked down at the world for a long time.

A strong wind blew, shuffling his clothes and hair, but he remained motionless.

The only reason why Pyo-wol took his eyes off of the view was because of the strange presence he felt behind his back.

“Oh! There’s another person here.”

After a while, he heard someone’s voice.

When Pyo-wol turned around, he saw a familiar man.

‘Oh Jugang.’

Oh Jugang was one of those who entered the Jin family with Namgung Wol and others.

He was the one who felt sorry for Jin Geum-woo’s death more than anyone else and expressed his desperate longing.

Oh Jugang also recognized Pyo-wol.

“Ah! It’s brother Pyo. Did I perhaps interrupt your meditation?”

“It’s okay. I was about to go down anyway.”

“Did brother Pyo also come up here to avoid the people?”

“That’s right!”

“Hehe! I knew it. Why is everything so complicated?”

Oh Jugang shook his head.

He had three bottles hanging from his waist, and he also had one in his hand. It was evident that the content of the bottles was alcohol given the strong liquor scent emanating from it. Not only that, the smell of alcohol which was coming from his mouth, implied that he had already drunk a lot.

Oh Jugang held out a bottle of alcohol to Pyo-wol and said,

“Would you like a drink too?”

“I don’t drink at all.”

“Hehe! That’s great. I can’t believe you don’t drink such good stuff.”

“Did you come up here while drinking?”

“Well, I came up while drinking water.”

Oh Jugang nodded his head with a calm expression.

Tianzhongshan was a very steep mountain. If he stepped on the wrong foot, he could easily fall and lose his life.

Only a person who was confident in his martial arts and footwork would do something like that, but even then, it was something that Pyo-wol would never have done.

Oh Jugang staggered and approached Pyo-wol.

“Could you excuse me for a minute?”

Pyo-wol moved out of his place without saying a word.

Oh Jugang stood where Pyo-wol had been before and took out a new bottle of wine.

“Geum-woo!”

He called Jin Geum-woo’s name.

Before he knew it, his eyes were red.

“What made you go away in such a hurry? Dude! You promised that we’d work together for three days and nights when we met again. How did you go first by yourself? You heartless person! Why did you leave so quickly, leaving me alone in this world?”

Thick tears were flowing from his eyes.

Oh Jugang didn’t even wipe away his tears and held the bottle upside down.

Gurgle!

The alcohol in the bottle was blown away by the wind and spread all over Tianzhongshan.

“Drink as much as you like. This is the bamboo leaf tea of the Crimson Guest House that you said you liked. This is the only thing I can give you.”

Oh Jugang emptied a bottle of alcohol for Jin Geum-woo.

In an instant, the bottle was emptied out.

Oh Jugang threw away the empty bottle and took out a new one. And he took a deep breath.

After emptying half of it at once, he said,

“This is great. I can’t believe you left this good stuff behind. There won’t be any alcohol as good as this in the other world, so what would you do? Khehehe!”

Oh Jugang had already emptied two bottles by the time he climbed the mountain. When he drank again, he got drunk at once and screamed loudly.

Drinking alone at the top of the mountain, while making a lot of noise made it looked like Oh Jugang had lost his mind. And beside him was a Pyo-wol.

SoundlessWind21’s Notes

Thank you for reading!

Golden Bird House. Raws: 금오관(金鳥館). 金 jīn, jìn – gold; metals in general; money 鳥 niǎo, diǎo, dǎo, què – bird; KangXi radical 196 館 guǎn – public building Secret Shadow Group. Raws: Milyeongdan, 밀영단(密影團). 密 mì – dense, thick, close; intimate 影 yǐng – shadow; image, reflection; photograph 團 tuán – sphere, ball, circle; mass, lump Middle Sky People. Raws: Heavenly People, Cheonjungin, 천중인(天中人). 天 tiān – sky, heaven; god, celestial 中 zhōng, zhòng – central; center, middle; in the midst of; hit (target); attain 人 rén – man; people; mankind; someone else Under the heaven. Raws: 천하(天下). 天 tiān – sky, heaven; god, celestial 下 xià – under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down