Chapter 639

Pyo Wol looked at Namgung Seol.

“A full-scale assault? Are there other sects joining besides the Silver Lotus Hall?”

“…”

“Mad Martial Sect, the leaderless Thousand Kingdom School, and the Shaolin Temple, which lost its monk Unsong. Dragon Mountain Manor and Wudang are too far away and have suffered too much to be drawn in easily. Have you managed to recruit the Sword Saint as well?”

Namgung Seol’s eyes widened in surprise.

She hadn’t expected Pyo Wol to notice her alliance with the Sword Saint.

She had put a lot of effort into recruiting the Sword Saint.

Namgung Yugeom and Lee Cheong had lost their lives to Jang Cheon-hwa. Not only that, many absolute experts fell victim to him.

Now, there are only a few absolute masters left.

Among them was the Sword Saint Han Yucheon.

Namgung Seol intended to use Han Yucheon to counter Jang Cheon-hwa.

She couldn’t guarantee victory, but she believed that with Sword Saint Han Yucheon, they wouldn’t fall easily.

Namgung Seol was in disbelief.

It was as if Pyo Wol had peered right into her very soul.

She knew that Pyo Wol was smart, but she was terrified that he had figured out what she hadn’t told him.

Unable to answer, Namgung Seol bit her lips.

Lee Geom-han spoke up in her stead.

“Indeed! The Thousand Kingdom School, Shaolin Temple, and several sects have united. Sword Saint has also agreed to join us, concerned about the situation in Kangho”

“You’ve done a lot of preparation in such a short time, I thought you were dead after your defeat  having received no news, but you’ve been busy underwater.”

“All thanks to Seol,”

Lee Geom-han let out a sigh, his face shadowed.

He used to be so confident and easy-going. But now there was no sign of that on his face.

Losing his father, Lee Cheong and the fall of the Silver Lotus Hall had crushed him

Had Namgung Seol not rescued him, he wouldn’t even be here to face Pyo Wol.

For the first time in his life, he felt powerless.

Despite possessing great strength, he felt utterly defeated.

Because of that, he couldn’t do anything for two months even after escaping from the Silver Lotus Hall.

It was Namgung Seol who took action during that time.

She rallied her younger brother Namgung Wol and older brother Namgung Jin, and contacted the Shaolin Temple and the Sword Saint, seeking their cooperation.

It was Namgung Seol who overcame the shock of defeat and tried to turn the tide.

Lee Geom-han felt profoundly ashamed.

Namgung Seol had also lost her father, but instead of getting discouraged, she got back up and tried to turn the situation around. It was the sight of her that brought him back to his senses.

Even though they were ready to reclaim Poyang Lake, they felt they were still lacking.

It might have been different if Jang Cheon-hwa hadn’t interfered, but they had to be prepared for any situation with him around.

That’s why they sought Pyo Wol.

Forcing Namgung Wol’s mouth open, they extracted the location of the Nameless Estate, and the three of them came directly.

Lee Geom-han spoke,

“Help us.”

“……”

“If the Golden Heavenly Hall continues to dominate, no one will be able to restore the balance of Kangho. If it tilts too far in one direction, problems are inevitable. Help us maintain this balance.

“……”

“Don’t you also have some responsibility?”

Lee Geom-han’s gaze turned to Hong Ye-seol beside Pyo Wol.

Hong Ye-seol bit her lip.

Because she had assassinated the Seven Sage Scholar, the Great Kangho War had broken out.

Although she was merely carrying out a request, she was not free from responsibility.

So, Hong Ye-seol felt a certain debt.

She may have been a heartless Grim Reaper to her assassination targets, but she wasn’t so heartless as to be indifferent to throwing the entire Kangho into chaos.

Lee Geom-han let out a quiet sigh.

He hadn’t originally intended to go this far.

Taking advantage of others’ weaknesses and pushing them around was not his way.

Yet, given the circumstances, he had no choice.

His spirit was utterly drained.

The loss of his father and the collapse of the Silver Lotus Sect had shattered the two pillars of his stability, causing cracks in his once unshakable resolve.

Namgung Seol looked at Lee Geom-han with a hint of pity.

She didn’t want to push him like this.

No matter how strong he was, he was still a person with feelings.

He needed time to grieve his father’s death, time to rise from the shock of defeat.

But Lee Geom-han was no ordinary man.

He was born with the destiny of a hero.

Such a man couldn’t afford the luxury of time like everyone else.

Even if it seemed harsh, she had to push him relentlessly.

Lee Geom-han spoke once again.

“Help us. We need your assistance.”

“I refuse.”

Lee Geom-han’s face instantly hardened.

With an irritated tone, he questioned,

“Refuse? Why?”

“I’ve received another commission.”

“Commission? What kind of commission?”

“There’s only one commision for an assassin. To kill someone.”

“Ha!”

Lee Geom-han exhaled sharply at Pyo Wol’s indifferent response.

He found it pathetic and disgusting that Pyo Wol had been asked to kill under such circumstances.

While being an assassin meant living a life of violence, there were still moments that required discretion.

Given the current upheaval, there was no telling how far-reaching the consequences of Pyo Wol’s actions might be.

If an assassin of Pyo Wol’s caliber was involved, the target was undoubtedly significant.

“Who’s the target?”

“Ever heard of an assassin revealing his target?”

“Do you lack self-awareness?”

“Self-awareness?”

“An awareness of one’s position, one’s responsibility. Those with great power must consider the impact of their actions on the world. Only then can they avoid wreaking havoc.”

“Seeing you, I can fathom why the Silver Lotus Hall was defeated, even when the odds were in its favor.”

“…”

Lee Geom-han, who had been preaching, clenched his lips in shock.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at Pyo Wol

Even with his murderous glare, Pyo Wol’s expression didn’t change.

“Sigh…”

At that moment, Namgung Seol exhaled and gently grasped Lee Geom-han’s hand.

A silent plea for restraint.

Only then did Lee Geom-han recognize his folly and gritted his teeth.

His face, flushed with humiliation and rage, betrayed his feelings.

He had many things to say, but he realized that he would only be hurting himself.

Instead of Lee Geom-han, Namgung Seol spoke.

“I don’t know who you’ve accepted a commission from, but can’t you postpone it for a while? With your help and your followers, we can easily reclaim Poyang Lake.”

“I can’t delay it.”

“Can you tell me who commissioned you? I can try to persuade them.”

“You both seem very comfortable breaking the assassin’s code.”

Even though being an assassin was frowned upon, there were still implicit rules that had to be followed.

Among them was never to reveal the identity of the client or the target.

Right now, Lee Geom-han and Namgung Seol were asking him to breach both.

If they had any understanding of Pyo Wol or the assassins, they would never have said this.

Only after observing Pyo Wol’s reaction did Namgung Seol realize her error.

“Phew, I made a mistake in my haste, approaching him like this even though I know what kind of person he was.

Pyo Wol wasn’t a foe to be taken lightly.

Equally skilled in the martial arts, he also possessed a keen intellect and a deep understanding of human nature. This was evident in his actions.

Many times, he had gotten himself into situations that he couldn’t get out of with mere brute force, and each time, he had used his brilliant intellect to solve the situation.

Realizing her mistake, Namgung Seol spoke,

“I apologize for our presumption. From now on, we won’t pressure you any further. However, should you change your mind, our doors are always open to you.”

With no further regrets, she briskly stood up.

Lee Geom-han also rose with a stern look on his face.

“It is time for us to leave. Whether you join us or not, we’re launching our attack on the Golden Heavenly Hall. I hope you make the right decision.

After bowing to Pyo Wol, Lee Geom-han left the room, followed closely by Namgung Seol.

Finally, Namgung Wol stood up.

Before leaving, he addressed Pyo Wol,

“I apologize. They were too hasty, and I couldn’t rein them in.”

“When’s the planned assault?”

“In five days.”

“Isn’t that a bit rushed?”

“The longer we wait, the stronger the defenses of the Golden Heavenly Hall will be. All of our forces are already discreetly moving toward Poyang Lake. There’s no turning back now.

“May fortune be with you.”

“Thank you. I feel sorry for entering the Silver Lotus Hall without repaying the favor I owe. But I promise to do so someday.”

“Forget it! Just take care of yourself.”

“Of course. Until we meet again under better circumstances. Take care.”

Namgung Wol said goodbye to Pyo Wol and left.

“Hmm!”

“An all-out attack…”

Both Hong Ye-seol and Hong Yushin exclaimed in unison.

Especially for Hong Yushin, the impact was significant.

“I thought they would at least prepare for half a year. Namgung Seol always manages to exceed our expectations.

“She must be desperate.”

“Then, do you really not intend to assist them?”

“Like it or not, I have no choice. I’ve already accepted the commission.”

“Why then did you speak as if you wouldn’t?”

“I didn’t want to dance to Namgung Seol’s tune.”

“Ah, I see.”

Hong Yushin nodded.

The mastermind orchestrating all this was Namgung Seol.

While Lee Geom-han’s presence made it possible, it was clear that she played the strategist role.

Hong Ye-seol asked Pyo Wol,

“Does Namgung Seol bother you that much?”

“Namgung Seol is not just a strategist. She’s not only intellectually gifted, she’s also very ambitious. I’m sure she’s planning the reorganization of the powers after the war. Would she leave potential threats like us unchecked? If we’re too close to her, she’ll see our weaknesses and consider eliminating us. That’s why we can’t ally with her completely.

“Wouldn’t it be better to eliminate her then?”

“If we do that, uniting the Silver Lotus Hall and other sects will become even more challenging. Like it or not, she’s essential…”

“If we go down that route, it will be even more challenging to unify the Silver Lotus Sect and other factions. Regardless of whether we like her or not, it’s clear she possesses a brilliant mind and great leadership.”

“It’s all a scheme, then.”

“If it were a mere scheme, that would be better. Leaving her unchecked would make her a constant thorn in our side.”

“Even as another woman, I can see certain aspects of her that are quite unsettling.”

Hong Ye-seol mused, shaking her head.

When one looked into Namgung Seol’s eyes, they could glimpse the vast ambition she harbored.

That ambition was so immense it made onlookers feel overwhelmed just by witnessing it.

Any other person might’ve already been swallowed by her aspirations, but Lee Geom-han could handle Namgung Seol, being who he was.

If it were anyone else, they’d likely have been consumed by her ambition long ago.

The way she learned about the existence of Nameless Estate through Namgung Wol, and the way she swallowed her immense pride to come here in person, showed her remarkable stature.

Pyo Wol turned to Hong Yushin.

“Can you keep track of the movements of the Silver Lotus Hall and the sects aligned with them?”

“If I didn’t know them, it would be a challenge. But tracking their movements now is not a difficult task.

“Keep a close watch on all their movements. And also monitor the Golden Heavenly Hall ‘s response.”

“Why the Golden Heavenly Hall?”

“We need to understand their countermeasures.”

“So, Grand Master Pyo Wol, do you believe the Golden Heavenly Hall will detect the Silver Lotus Hall and other factions’ movements in advance?”

“Those who rule the world have eyes and ears everywhere. Do you think they can avoid the Hall’s gaze completely? I’d say it’s impossible.”

“Indeed… that makes sense. Understood.”

Hong Yushin nodded in agreement.

Pyo Wol then turned to Hong Ye-seol.

“Prepare all the assassins.”

“Yes!”

The rigorous training they subjected the assassins to over the past few months was all for this moment.

Pyo Wol murmured to himself.

“Your commission, I shall commence its execution now.”