Jang Deok-soo glanced at Hongshin slumped over the table and asked,
“She fainted just from hearing ‘sister’? She’s not dead, right?”

I looked at the back of Hongshin’s neck and shook my head.
“There wasn’t a sister before, was there?”

“There wasn’t. Now there is. I’m the Black Cat Pavilion Lord, after all.”

“Huh?”

Jang Deok-soo looked at me in surprise, so I confirmed it again.

“I’m the Pavilion Lord of the Black Cat Pavilion.”

Jang Deok-soo recalled everything I’d done so far and immediately understood.
“Ah, congrats.”

“Don’t mention it. This girl here is Hongshin, one of the Twelve Divine Generals.”

“Ah, so that’s why you’re calling her ‘sister’?”

“Both of us are disciples of the Great Rakshasa now, I guess. This fight is more about whether she fears the Great Rakshasa more—or me.”

Now getting the gist of the situation, Jang Deok-soo clicked his tongue.
“Passed out cold. Obvious who’s scarier. Since you’ve gained a sister you never asked for, try to treat her a little nicer. She’s got a pretty face.”

I quickly turned to check Jang Deok-soo’s expression.

“Don’t tell me…”

“What?”

“You fell for her? At first sight? Is this fate? Are you thinking of running away together?”

Jang Deok-soo averted his gaze.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Hey, Jang Deok-soo. Don’t move. Trouble keeping your expression straight?”

“I’m going to do the dishes.”

As Jang Deok-soo headed into the kitchen, I could hear Hongshin’s breathing more clearly. The deeper your inner energy becomes, the more sensitive you are to sound. Though still collapsed on the table, she lay utterly still.

Staring at her, I muttered,
“Was it the pork spine bone? So good she passed out?”

From the kitchen, Jang Deok-soo chuckled.
“So, have you completely taken over the Black Cat Pavilion?”

“Yeah. There are still a few trying to play smart, but it won’t be a problem. Pavilion Lord So is meticulous.”

“Oh, the one who lost to you with the kitchen knife?”

“Yep. That guy.”

“How long are you planning to hide your identity?”

“Until the Great Rakshasa is dead.”

“One mountain after another, huh.”

I turned to Hongshin and spoke casually.

“Ten days left. You really gonna sleep?”

Like a ghost, Hongshin sat bolt upright and replied,
“No, I’ll finish the job before then.”

Jang Deok-soo peeked out from the kitchen, surprised to see her up. Even though Hongshin was one of the Twelve Divine Generals, she bowed politely to him, clearly deciding to be cautious with anyone associated with me from now on.

“Thank you for the pork spine bone. I really enjoyed it.”

“No need to thank me. Come back anytime.”

“Then… I’ll be off.”

She offered a formal salute and practically fled from Chunyang Restaurant.

Hongshin strode away in large strides, then glanced back at the shop.

The fake senior brother was staring straight at her.

“……”

He slowly raised both hands.

Clear as day, it was the hand sign for “ten days left.” Then, drawing his finger across his neck, he mimed a throat-slitting motion.

Terrified, Hongshin whipped her head forward and hurried away.

As she quickened her pace, she kept glancing behind her and flinching at every sound.

“Eek! Oh… it’s just a leaf.”

Then, when something rustled in the bushes, she cried out,
“Senior brother? Is that you?”

It was only a wildcat dashing past. Only after that did she exhale in relief.

“No… it was just a wildcat brother.”

Desperate to get somewhere safe, Hongshin began running with all her strength toward a hidden shelter she had prepared in advance.

Too scary. This is too damn scary.

A skilled thief always has multiple hideouts. Hongshin had her fair share. Today, she decided to head to the nearest one to regain her composure. The internal deviation surging from her gut to her throat made her feel like she might lose her mind.

Running faster than ever before in her life, she passed through a bustling street, darted through narrow alleys, and entered an ordinary-looking house—pretending like she belonged there.

“Home really is the best. Home is sacred.”

It was a cozy hideout with a small pond, a yard surrounded by high walls, a main building and an annex. She’d bought it with money earned through ruthless thievery. But soon enough, paranoia crept in, and she scoured every corner of the house.

She feared someone might be lurking inside.

Even after confirming she was alone, she sat on the floor and called out into the silence.

“Senior brother? You here? Come in for tea if you are. Haha… ha…”

“……”

Once she was sure the place was quiet, she wiped the fake smile from her face and assessed her own state with cold realism.

I’m going crazy. This isn’t right. Gotta get a grip.

At that moment, someone knocked on the front gate from outside.

Knock, knock, knock.

Startled, Hongshin asked,
“Who is it?”

Knock, knock, knock.

“I said who is it! I’m not buying anything!”

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she finally stood up with a more collected look and headed to the gate.

“Senior brother? I’m coming out.”

She figured that since his movement technique outclassed hers, he could’ve easily followed her here.

When she opened the gate, an unfamiliar young man was standing there, staring at her.

Frowning, she snapped,
“Who the hell are you? Why are you knocking like a creep? You wanna die?”

The young man, clutching something in both hands, licked his dry lips and stammered,
“He said… you’ve got ten days… I don’t know anything!”

Then he turned and bolted. His movements clearly showed no martial training.

Hongshin stared blankly at the fleeing figure.
“That filthy little brat…”

He ran off, then clumsily collided with someone and dropped what he was holding. Scrambling, he picked up the silver he’d dropped and fled again.

That was my money…

A sharp ringing sound filled her head as she clutched her forehead.

They say people are creatures of adaptation.

Placing a hand over her pounding chest, she took a deep breath.

“I lost that money fair and square. Let it go. Just let it go. It’s not my money. Inner peace… hoooh…”

As she closed the door and stepped back inside, she muttered,
“I can earn it back.”

Just then, a distant, echoing laugh rang out.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

It was a long, drawn-out laugh, like someone had used movement techniques to stretch it like taffy.

That eerie technique—laughing while using light footwork—could only belong to one person.

The fake senior brother.

Hongshin ran her hand through her hair with a grim look.

Her eyes sharpened into a flat, cold glare. Her expression turned downright merciless.

How to describe this transformation?

As close as words can get—it was the face of a madwoman.

With madness glinting in her eyes, Hongshin spoke in an icy voice,

“…I’ll kill him. No matter what.”

Was this her awakening? Or a declaration of war against the fake senior brother?

She added:

“Baekja, Hwang-o, Nok-sul… you’re all already dead in my hands. Ohohohohoho!”

Her laugh stretched long and eerie—just like the fake senior brother’s.

How far can someone descend into madness?

Who’s to say.

But one thing was certain—Hongshin had taken her first step into that world.

Madness is a contagion.

Hongshin was never just an ordinary woman.

But the invisible hierarchy of madness was now clear:

Servant boy wins!

***

After practicing light footwork again for the first time in a while, my body felt even more refreshed.

I dashed at full speed from the Black Sugar Street, where the Black Cat Pavilion is located, all the way to Ilyang Prefecture. From there, I continued running to Magnolia Market Street, where Hongshin’s hideout was hidden.

Helping a sister-in-training with an upset stomach and then following her back, just in case she might need a bathroom again, was all part of my training.

You must never stop training, not for a single moment.

Especially with light footwork—it needed to be brought to the highest level as quickly as possible.

The advantages are countless.

Above all, it’s an essential skill for survival and retreat. You might also be able to help someone in a dire diarrhea-related emergency.

Most importantly, if your light footwork reaches the peak level, you can enter a secretive group unknown to most martial artists—the Swift Party.

Since ancient times, the martial world has had maniacs who trained nothing but light footwork. Regardless of affiliation, they gathered in secret to compete solely on speed.

Only one person is granted a special title.

To claim the title of “Fastest Under Heaven.”

Among themselves, they also refer to the top runner as the Swift Sovereign or Leader of the Swift Party.

No one knows when this gathering started. It began as an informal, irregular group.

But as the years passed, this insane fellowship transcended factions of righteousness, evil, and demonic paths alike.

They became a mysterious force even the Murim Alliance couldn’t properly grasp. I, too, became a member of the Swift Party in my past life thanks to my excellent footwork, but I never managed to claim the title of Swift Sovereign.

The world is vast, and masters abound.

Especially when it comes to those who disregard killing techniques and train solely to run faster—trying to overpower such maniacs with raw speed is no easy feat.

Through the Swift Party, I met many high-level martial artists.

Though their birth and lineage kept them bound to their respective sects, they dreamed of rebellion while running with «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» the Swift Party.

Thinking about reuniting with those masters from the Swift Party, I once again sprinted at full speed toward Ilyang Prefecture.

Nothing in the world comes for free.

Only by becoming stronger and faster can one step into a world previously unseeable. That’s the true joy of life’s mysteries.

Which is why I run.

Even helping my sister-in-training when she had to poop—there’s deeper meaning in it all, you see.

***

Having escaped the gritty and cunning world of the black path for a moment, I clasped my hands behind my back and smiled in satisfaction.

The construction of the Zihwa Guesthouse was progressing smoothly.

While I stood there smiling for a long while, staring at the construction site, Yeon Ja-seong came looking for me, a white headband wrapped around his forehead after receiving the workers’ report.

“Pavilion Lord, you’re here.”

I nodded.
“You’ve been working hard.”

“It’s nothing. Can I just call you hyung around here?”

“Of course.”

“Where have you been? Seongtae-hyung said you charged into the Black Cat Pavilion?”

I replied in a flat tone,
“The Black Cat Pavilion Lord had some business in the afterlife, so I’ve inherited the heavy responsibility. I’ll have to go back and forth between Ilyang Prefecture and the pavilion for a while, so I won’t be around often.”

“Ah, I see.”

“No one’s been causing trouble while I was gone? I’m a little worried about the Black Line Guard.”

“You know that horsetail-headed guy, Strategist Sama? He’s been patrolling Ilyang Prefecture with his subordinates. Everyone’s so on edge, armed with swords and all, that no one dares stir trouble.”

“Ah, Sa Ma-bi was around.”

I really do forget people’s existence sometimes.

“What about Cha Seong-tae?”

Yeon Ja-seong smirked and recounted recent events.

“He challenged the strategist with a wooden sword and got wrecked. Now he’s in the middle of serious training. Lost ten times out of ten already. Their matches have become a local attraction—people crowd around every time they fight.”

“Where do they fight?”

Yeon Ja-seong pointed to the open space in front of the construction site.

“Since it’s spacious, they always face off there.”

I chuckled and replied,
“That dumbass. A branch master of the Life Gate losing every time—embarrassing.”

All in all, it was good news that Sa Ma-bi’s group was fitting in well with Ilyang Prefecture. They were capable enough to handle any potential attack from the Black Line Guard.

I didn’t want to hold up a busy man for too long, so I pulled out my coin pouch. Yeon Ja-seong grabbed my arm.

“Ah, hyung, it’s fine. What money? You already pay us generously.”

Clicking my tongue, I flicked off his hand.

“Tsk, tsk.”

I took out five gold coins from Hongshin’s pouch and handed them to him.

“Keep this and use it to buy drinks now and then. We’re doing this to make a living—don’t just work all the time, you’ll wear out. Go have some fun. Just take it.”

“Isn’t that a bit too much? That’s rare gold, you know.”

“You’ve got a lot of people under you.”

Clutching the coins, Yeon Ja-seong looked apologetic.
“Hyung, you worked hard for this money. I feel bad. But I’ll use it well—snacks, drinks for the guys, all that.”

“It wasn’t that hard-earned. Use it comfortably. I’m off.”

“Take care.”

I waved and strolled off leisurely.

Money is earned to be spent.

So for now, I’d have to keep bashing in the heads of the black path to make more.

They’re the ones feeding off the marrow of ordinary folks, after all.

Sometimes the world just has to run this way to feel right.

As the workers suddenly burst into cheers at the construction site, the corners of my lips curled upward.