‘Who gets permission to make counterfeit weapons?’
Geom Muyang hadn't expected Gwak Yeong to ask such a brazen question.
He was even more flustered because she was right.
"If the materials had been identical, you wouldn't have even known they were counterfeits."
What is this? Such impudence?
She was so different from what he had expected.
This was a situation where she should be prostrating herself and begging for her life.
Is it a trap after all?
Geom Muyang calmly scanned his surroundings again.
He still couldn't find anything suspicious inside the tavern.
Gwak Yeong picked up the teacup in front of her and took a sip.
Her palms were full of calluses, and her hands were rough.
It wasn't just burn marks; her hands had so many scars it was embarrassing to call them a woman's hands.
Hands.
Her hands that revealed her entire life.
Sensing Geom Muyang's gaze, Gwak Yeong raised her hand so the back of it was visible to him.
"Scars of glory!"
She was proud of those scars.
"Thanks to these hands, many people were saved that day."
Gwak Yeong asked Geom Muyang.
"Do you have scars like these?"
When he remained silent, she found an odd reason for his silence.
"Are you perhaps angry because I called you a fool?"
Only then did Geom Muyang finally speak.
"If I were angry, it would be because of the counterfeit weapons you made."
"It's a world overflowing with fakes!"
Of course, it didn't work on Geom Muyang.
Feeling his gaze turn even colder, she avoided his eyes and picked up her teacup.
She took a sip of tea and then looked out the window.
It was the same scenery as always, but for some reason, it felt more vibrant today.
Watching the people pass by, she lightly bit her lip.
Her lips were trembling.
She was acting confident in front of him, but she was just as afraid as she was confident.
She sighed as if talking to herself.
"They said I would never get caught. What is this?"
It seemed she hadn't known she would be meeting him here today.
If so, there was something that didn't make sense.
They were meticulous enough to eliminate even the witnesses.
They were people who could even call upon Han Wol-gaek and the Jade Mountain Sword.
But why would they leave her so defenseless? She should be a more important person than anyone.
Still keeping her gaze outside, she asked.
"I'm in a lot of trouble, aren't I?"
The crime of making counterfeit weapons was not so light that she could afford to be this relaxed.
If there wasn't a reason to uncover the mastermind through her, she would already be dead.
Even after they got the information, her life would be hanging by a thread.
Geom Muyang rose from his seat.
"Follow me quietly."
She didn't get up from her seat.
"I haven't finished my tea yet."
Did she think she would die if she was dragged away? Her hand, lifting the teacup, was trembling.
It was at that moment.
Someone passing by the front of the tavern stopped and called out to her.
"Master Craftsman Gwak!"
He was a middle-aged martial artist dressed in the uniform of the Martial Alliance.
A dozen or so martial artists followed behind him, all with swift steps and sharp gazes.
The middle-aged man was none other than Do In-su, the Division Lord of the White Dragon Division, an elite unit of the Martial Alliance alongside the Azure Dragon Division.
"Division Lord Do!"
Gwak Yeong stood up and said quietly to Geom Muyang.
"What should I do? If I don't go, that person will come over here."
Without waiting for Geom Muyang's reply, she went outside.
"How was the sword I sent you last time?"
"It was excellent. How could anything made by Master Craftsman Gwak be bad?"
Everyone acknowledged Gwak Yeong's skill and was certain she would become the youngest head of the Iron Workshop.
There was a reason the White Dragon Division Lord was treating her so friendly now.
Every organization within the Martial Alliance tried to stay on good terms with the Iron Workshop.
That way, they would receive slightly better weapons than other organizations.
The White Dragon Division Lord's gaze turned to Geom Muyang.
For some reason, he was a person who drew one's attention.
"Who is that great warrior?"
Gwak Yeong looked at Geom Muyang.
Her eyes seemed to say.
What should I do? Should I just reveal that you're from the Demon Sect?
But for some reason, unexpected words flowed from Gwak Yeong's mouth.
"He's my friend. A friend who has helped me a lot with my work for a long time."
Geom Muyang stood up and politely greeted him with a cupped fist.
"I am Jang Hyeong from the Revered Sword Sect."
"Oh, so you're Great Warrior Jang."
Hearing that he was Gwak Yeong's friend, the cautious look in his eyes relaxed.
It was clear how much he was trying to curry favor with Gwak Yeong.
"I have something to discuss with the Division Lord, so friend, let's see each other again."
Geom Muyang nodded at her words.
He had no choice but to let her go.
He couldn't forcibly take her away with the White Dragon Division Lord and the White Dragon Division warriors watching.
And so, Gwak Yeong left with the White Dragon Division Lord.
As she walked into the distance, Gwak Yeong looked back.
After looking at Geom Muyang for a moment, she quickened her pace and disappeared.
As Geom Muyang left Fragrance Tavern and walked away, Ho Myeong quietly came to his side.
He too had watched Gwak Yeong use the Martial Alliance martial artist to escape.
"I will inform the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion that Gwak Yeong will go into hiding again. I'll tell them to set up a tight surveillance net so we don't lose her this time."
But Geom Muyang gave an unexpected reply.
"Gwak Yeong will not run away."
"What?"
"She will probably come again tomorrow."
She ran away like that, and she's coming back tomorrow? Ho Myeong couldn't understand Geom Muyang's thinking.
"May I ask why?"
It was Geom Muyang's intuition.
A premonition that she wouldn't just leave like this.
If he had to give Ho Myeong a reason,
"If the masterminds intended to hide her, they wouldn't have had her return."
But they did the opposite.
The woman who had vanished had returned on the very day they arrived.
The next day, Ho Myeong was even more careful in guarding the area around Fragrance Tavern.
Through the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion's secret contacts, he tried his best to grasp the movements of the Martial Alliance's masters and elites, and the Division warriors were on high alert.
This peace where nothing was happening made them feel more anxious.
Geom Muyang entered Fragrance Tavern alone.
And sat in the same seat as yesterday and ordered tea.
"You're here again."
The innkeeper recognized Geom Muyang and greeted him warmly.
According to the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion's investigation, he was not a suspicious person.
He was an ordinary man who had run this tavern for a long time.
The Heaven-Reaching Pavilion had shown the meticulousness to investigate even the regulars.
However, they couldn't find any customers to be wary of.
Geom Muyang sat alone and drank his tea.
As time passed, she did not appear.
'Was my intuition wrong?'
Perhaps.
He might have misjudged, confused by her overly confident and bright demeanor.
Just as two hours had passed and Geom Muyang was about to get up from his seat.
-She has arrived.
Ho Myeong's telepathic message arrived, and a moment later, Gwak Yeong entered the tavern.
The very woman who had fled as if she were running for her life yesterday.
This time, she came to Geom Muyang's table first.
"The quality of the iron that came in today was the best since I joined the Iron Workshop. We've truly never had such good iron come in before."
She acted as if yesterday's escape had never happened, as if she were treating a real friend.
She even smiled brightly.
"Don't you know? Good things happen on days when good iron comes in. It's an old belief in the Iron Workshop."
"It's probably a superstition."
With a cold reply, Geom Muyang stared at her coldly and asked.
"Why did you come back instead of running away?"
He had expected it, but he was curious about the reason.
Moreover, she had come alone today as well.
He scanned the surroundings more thoroughly than yesterday, but there were still no masters in ambush.
"I've been marked by you people. Where could I possibly run?"
If this reason was sincere, she had made a smart choice.
Just because she left like that yesterday, there was no way they would have lost track of her escape.
"Unless I hide somewhere deep in the mountains."
"Then you might be able to save your life."
After ordering her usual tea from the tavern owner, she spoke to Geom Muyang.
"My life isn't so great that it's worth protecting by hiding in the mountains."
Her words were confident, yet tinged with sadness.
"And what would I do alone in the mountains? If it's a life where I can't do my work at the Iron Workshop..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but he could tell she meant she would rather die.
"If you love your work this much, why did you do such a thing?"
She only fiddled with her teacup and didn't answer.
He could feel that there was definitely some circumstance.
It didn't matter if she didn't speak, as they would use a truth serum to interrogate her anyway.
"Let's get up now."
"I've only had one sip!"
But Geom Muyang stood up first and left the tavern.
She gulped down the remaining tea in her cup and followed Geom Muyang out.
A carriage was waiting in an alley near the tavern.
"Let's walk."
"Who are you planning to meet to get away today?"
As Geom Muyang got into the carriage first, she had no choice but to get in with him.
It was a carriage with covered windows so one couldn't see where they were going.
"I want to look outside while we go."
The carriage started moving, but Geom Muyang did not open the closed window for her.
And a single, gruffly delivered sentence.
"You'll have a chance to see the sky once before you die."
After a brief pause, she replied.
"On the day you die, why look at the sky? You should look at the people."
Geom Muyang didn't answer.
After a moment of silence, Gwak Yeong asked carefully.
"Who are you?"
From the way she looked at him, Geom Muyang could tell.
The woman didn't know his identity.
The mastermind hadn't told her anything.
Geom Muyang did not answer.
Soon, the carriage arrived at a manor.
They had circled the outskirts several times to check for tails, but there was no one following them, nor was there anyone trying to protect her.
She was completely alone.
It was just as Geom Muyang opened the carriage door and was about to get out.
Swish.
Gwak Yeong aimed something at Geom Muyang.
Surprisingly, what she held in her hand was a Piercing Spike.
But it wasn't the counterfeit Piercing Spike Geom Muyang had seen before.
It was much smaller.
A size so small it could be perfectly concealed in her palm.
"It's a Piercing Spike that fires only one shot. I made this too."
Because they were facing each other inside the carriage, the Piercing Spike was aimed right at his face.
But Geom Muyang's expression showed no fear at all.
"I asked, who are you."
She had felt from the beginning that he was no ordinary demonic practitioner.
A feeling that he wasn't some butcher who chased down and killed those who made counterfeit weapons.
He didn't say much, but she could feel a certain authority from him.
Even now, with a Piercing Spike aimed at him, he didn't even blink.
"Are you going to kill me without even knowing who I am?"
A heavy silence flowed.
"Why don't you shoot? All you have to do is twitch a finger."
Gwak Yeong's eyes trembled, while Geom Muyang's eyes were calm.
"You've never killed a person, have you?"
"Is that something to be proud of? Having killed people."
She trembled but tried her best to appear confident.
"It's my first time, but I can kill you."
"Then kill me."
But she did not fire the Piercing Spike.
"I didn't take this out to kill. I took it out to live."
Gwak Yeong slowly lowered the Piercing Spike she had been aiming.
"I will bet my life and fate on you."
Her gaze was utterly tragic and resolute.
"You said you don't even know who I am. What do you trust to bet your fate on?"
Gwak Yeong stared at Geom Muyang and said.
"I don't trust you. I trust myself. I trust my choice."
Gwak Yeong stared intently at Geom Muyang.
When they first met at the tavern, she had bowed her head slightly toward him and smiled without realizing it.
It wasn't a smile she made just because she met a customer's eyes.
The moment she saw him, there was a certain resonance that rose from deep within her heart.
Although she couldn't explain what it was.
"Since I've spared your life, please grant me one favor. After that, you can kill me. If you are a person of honor, promise me here and now."
Her eyes, prepared for death, spoke of her sincerity.
It was at that moment.
Fwip.
The Piercing Spike she had lowered was aimed at Geom Muyang again.
She, who was aiming the Piercing Spike, was even more surprised.
Her finger moved on its own, about to pull the trigger to fire the hidden weapon.
"No!"
She tried to turn it aside, but her arm wouldn't move.
"Get away!"
She shouted, but the Piercing Spike was fired.
Shwiiik!
Thwack!
In that instant, Gwak Yeong squeezed her eyes shut.
She knew very well that it was impossible to dodge at this distance.
Because she was the one who made it.
'Ah! What on earth just happened?'
She had never intended to kill him.
But her hand had moved without her knowing and fired the Piercing Spike.
Sssss.
The sound of something melting could be heard.
She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter.
Then, she heard a single phrase.
"Open your eyes."
At Geom Muyang's voice, she snapped her eyes open.
Geom Muyang was sitting in the same spot.
There was a hole right next to his head.
It seemed her hand had moved at the last moment and shot next to him.
She had been so surprised and flustered that she hadn't noticed her hand moving.
She let out a huge sigh of relief and asked.
"What happened?"
Geom Muyang had moved her fingers and arm according to his will, just like moving an object with his energy.
It was an easy task since they were so close and she knew no martial arts.
He had shown her directly that even if she had tried to kill him, she couldn't have.
Geom Muyang opened the carriage door and got out first.
"Stop talking nonsense about fate and get out."
Geom Muyang gave an order to his subordinate.
"Take her to the interrogation room."
Gwak Yeong let out an awkward sigh and got out of the carriage.
"I'm sure today was a day when good iron came in."