The estate.

A wide garden surrounded by multiple buildings, all enclosed by high walls—this entire compound was referred to as the "estate."

I passed through several gates, casually surveying the interior.

It was spotless. Not a single scrap of trash littered the ground, as if cleaning had just been completed. The strict discipline was evident. Workers hurried past me, moving with urgency. One carried a bucket of water, likely fetched from far away.

"Hurry up!"
"Get it transferred already!"
"Yes!"

I glanced up at one of the buildings. Smoke rose steadily from it, and a delicious aroma tickled my nose.

They're cooking something. What stood out was the intensity of the smell—it was permeating the entire area.

Normally, the aroma wouldn’t travel this far. They must have been cooking for hours. The workers passing by were drenched in sweat, some even muttering curses under their breath.

"That pig... possessed by a ghost or something..."
"How much can one person eat...?"

We approached one of the workers and mentioned that we had brought meat. He gestured for us to follow him and helped us hang the heavy cuts in a storage area. Once finished, the worker slumped to the ground with a heavy sigh.

"You’re pretty strong, carrying this so easily. I need to rest a bit—feels like my legs are going to fall off."

"Is there some kind of feast happening?"

"A feast? No, not at all. This is all for the sect leader’s eldest son, Meng Souun."

"That seems like a lot of food for one person..."

"He’s eating like a pig. For some reason, his appetite has exploded recently, and he’s devouring food like he’s possessed. They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but that’s all wrong. If only he were even half as disciplined as the sect leader... He’s been causing trouble since he was a kid, and now he’s come down with some strange condition..."

An appetite that suddenly grew out of control.

The worker waved us off as if to say our task was done. We bowed politely and left the storage area.

Number 29 glanced around with sharp eyes.

"It’s well-guarded. There’s no way out except over the walls."

"But they can’t keep every part of this estate under constant watch."

"Let’s come back a few more times and measure the guards’ patrol intervals. If we vary the timing of our visits, we can figure out their shifts and weak spots in their rotations."

We visited the estate a few more times after that. By now, the gatekeepers had grown familiar with us and allowed us in with little more than a glance at the meat we carried.

We also grew acquainted with the servant who escorted us each time, managing to gather some valuable information.

"Meng Souun’s appetite? Let’s see... It started about two months ago. Honestly, at this rate, the Black Sky Axe Sect isn’t going to die in battle—they’ll starve themselves to death. How can they afford to keep up with this kind of consumption?"

"And the sect leader?"

"Ah, well... Yeah, he dotes on his eldest son. But let me tell you, Meng Souun is trash. Always has been. Do you know how many workers have lost limbs because of him? Sixteen! He’s nothing like the sect leader. He’s violent, selfish, and greedy..."

The servant spat on the ground in disgust.

The sect leader, Mengcheon, seemed to be well-regarded. Not a single person in the estate spoke ill of him. Unlike other factions, it appeared he took good care of those under his command.

With six days left until the scheduled operation, we returned to our lodgings and sat across from each other.

Number 29 was deep in thought, and so was I. I absentmindedly fiddled with my sword.

The order was clear—if commanded to kill, I must kill.

That was the only way to survive in this world.

I pushed down any personal feelings. I was a dog of the Heavenly Demon now. A dog cannot afford to harbor emotions.

Kill.

Obey the orders above all else.

"Number 30."
"Yes."
"I’ve figured out the patrol intervals and weak spots in their rotations. The key is that no one can notice us."
"......"
"But your Hidden Step technique isn’t advanced enough. You know that, right?"
"I do."
"I’ll handle this one alone. You stay outside and wait."

Her reasoning was undeniable. I was little more than dead weight for this mission. Until my skills improved, silently scaling walls or evading guards was beyond me.

"But..."

My pride wouldn’t let me just sit idly by. I made one request.

"I might be able to gather more intel for the assassination. Number 29, why don’t you rest or prepare while I handle the reconnaissance until the set day?"

"...Hmm."

Number 29 smirked slightly.

"How considerate."
"Pardon?"
"I like it. Do as you please. I’ll prepare at the lodgings."
"Understood."

Leaving Number 29 behind, I returned to the butcher shop. I wasn’t actually hunting every day—my role as a clumsy, part-time hunter was just an act to keep up appearances. The butcher chuckled when he saw me.

"Business not going well again today?"
"I’m embarrassed to admit it."
"Don’t worry. Not every day can be lucky. Still, you must need the money. There’s quite a bit of meat to deliver today, so I’ll leave it to you again."
"Thank you. I’ll do my best."
"I like hardworking folks like you. Now, let’s get moving."

As usual, I delivered the meat, greeting the now-familiar servant and hanging the prepared cuts on the hooks in the storage area.

"You’re surprisingly strong. You’re not a martial artist, are you?"

"Of course not..."

"Really?"

I flinched. Turning around, I saw a man flanked by guards, staring directly at me.

His neatly tied hair and intense gaze left no room for doubt. The axe at his hip and his commanding aura made it clear who he was.

"At the very least, it seems you’ve had some training."

"S-Sect Leader!"

The servant dropped to his knees, and I quickly followed suit.

Damn it. Who would’ve thought the sect leader himself would show up here?

Had I been discovered? Or was I still safe? His gaze bore into me, and I swallowed hard.

The leader of the Black Sky Axe Sect, Mengcheon, stood before me.

"Have you trained in martial arts?"

Lying would be pointless.

"...Yes, I’ve trained."
"Under whom?"
"A wandering swordsman."
"What did you learn?"

I couldn’t possibly mention the Nine Heavens Blood Demon Art. Fortunately, I had another sword style at my disposal.

"The Three Element Sword Technique."
"...The Three Element Sword Technique? You’re not the son of a martial family?"
"No, I’m the son of a hunter. I once dreamed of becoming a martial artist but failed."

He tossed a sword in front of me.

"Show me."

Though it had been a while since I practiced the Three Element Sword Technique, I remembered its forms. I performed them to the best of my ability.

Mengcheon watched intently, stroking his chin.

"Clumsy. It looks flawless at first glance, but the depth is lacking. The movements are ordinary, and your internal energy is mediocre... I was mistaken."

"......."

"But the sword doesn’t lie. There’s some age to your technique. How long have you practiced?"
"...Over ten years."
"Then I was wrong."

Mengcheon held out his hand, and I respectfully returned the sword to him.

"Your physique and muscle structure led me to misjudge you. Why did you spend over ten years on such a technique?"
"...I wanted to excel as a martial artist but couldn’t. I abandoned the sword midway."
"Wouldn’t being a martial artist still be better than a hunter?"
"I fell in love. I decided eating the meat of beasts was better than living by the sword."
"Sect Leader, he’s telling the truth. He often comes here with his wife—a truly virtuous woman."

Mengcheon sheathed the sword.

"My apologies for the misunderstanding. I’ve been on edge recently and acted improperly."
"I’m only grateful for your understanding."

Did I manage to slip by?

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. But Mengcheon wasn’t done speaking.

"Still, as a gesture of apology, I’d like to invite you to a drink tomorrow at the same time. I’ll prepare a feast in your honor. Please don’t refuse."

"......."

Did he suspect me, or didn’t he?

I had no choice but to bow deeply.

"Thank you for your generosity, Sect Leader."

"What? A drink with Mengcheon? Are you insane?"
"There was no way out."

Number 29 scratched her head irritably. I had learned over time that she was much more expressive with her emotions than she seemed at first glance.

"He doesn’t know you’re with the Blood Demon Squad, does he?"
"Unlikely. I showed him the Three Element Sword Technique."
"Show me."

I performed the

technique in front of her.

"How long did you practice this?"
"Over ten years, I believe."
"That’s a believable lie."

"......"

The comment stung.

"Don’t sulk. I meant it’s convincing. The swordwork shows years of polish and refinement. The forms are smooth. But is it deep? No. It’s clear you’ve practiced for a long time, but the strength doesn’t match."

"Must you be so blunt?"
"It’s the truth. It’s mediocre."

Three Element Sword Technique... Don’t listen to her. It’s not your fault...

I hugged the sword in mock consolation as Number 29 burst out laughing.

"You’re funny. That face you just made was priceless."
"...Can we focus on the mission?"
"Don’t pout. Anyway, it’s strange. Why would Mengcheon invite you to a drink? He didn’t need to bother. Someone like him wouldn’t care about such a trivial misunderstanding."

I had no answer to that. Why had he gone out of his way to invite me?

"Regardless, you have to go. You know you can’t back out now."
"I understand. Refusing would only make him suspicious."
"Go ahead, Number 30. I’ll stay nearby and keep an eye out. If something happens, signal me."
"...And what will you do?"
"I’ll handle it. You just enjoy the drink. As long as you’re not exposed or captured, we’re still on track for the assassination."

With her words weighing heavily on my mind, I made my way to Mengcheon. True to his word, he had prepared a feast and gestured for me to join him.

"Come closer. What is your name?"

A name.

I gave him a fake one.

"Wang Sohong, Sect Leader."
"Relax. You know I didn’t invite you here just to apologize, right?"

"......"

Had I been discovered?

"Then why...?"

"First."

Mengcheon lifted a cup of wine.

"Let’s drink."