Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The Ghost Thief of Storms and Clouds, Mu Myeong.

A name and title that shook Zhongyuan about forty to fifty years ago.

No one knew the thief’s gender.

No one knew their identity.

No one knew where they were from.

Nor was it known why they did what they did.

Yet, despite this veil of mystery, they engraved their name into the annals of Zhongyuan with unforgettable infamy.

That was the Ghost Thief of Storms and Clouds, Mu Myeong.

Otherwise known as the Ghostly Bandit.

“The title sounds fancy, but in the end, they were just a thief.

”Wherever there was a treasure, if the Ghost Thief desired it, they would steal it.

Even the entire Martial Alliance had once mobilized to capture them, but to no avail.

They left behind no traces, no clues as to how they operated.

Were they a master of speed and stealth?

A genius at disguise?

No one could say.

It was this elusiveness that earned them the title of Ghost Thief, and their anonymity the name Mu Myeong, meaning Nameless.

Additionally...

“They were a lunatic who robbed every prestigious family out there.

”The Four Great Noble Houses, the Nine Great Sects—if it was a treasure worth stealing, they took it.

They even managed to sneak into the Martial Alliance and steal their prized possessions.

“But the most absurd part…”The main reason the Ghost Thief became so famous was not just their skill but their peculiar methods, exemplified by this current situation with Wudang.

“They always sent a warning letter first.

”They would announce their intentions ahead of time, declaring when and where they would strike.

And then, true to their word, they would succeed without fail.

“What kind of thief sends a warning and then actually does it?

”But that was exactly what they did.

Without a single failure, the Ghost Thief executed their heists and succeeded every time.

That’s why they became a legend.

They were simply too good at thievery, and that’s what made them famous.

What cemented their place in history, however, was something even more shocking.

“They returned every treasure they ever stole.

”The Ghost Thief handed over all fifteen treasures they had stolen back to the Martial Alliance.

For those who had been robbed, it was both baffling and infuriating.

They had painstakingly stolen the treasures, only to return them all?

“And the reason they gave for doing so was the best part.

”When the Ghost Thief returned the treasures to the Martial Alliance, they offered this explanation:[It’s no longer fun.

]They claimed that stealing had lost its thrill, so they were returning everything.

“I can’t imagine how enraged the Martial Alliance must have been.

”The thief they had chased after for years had not only eluded capture but had returned the treasures because they were “bored.

” And even then, they returned the treasures secretly, evading capture once again.

Without a doubt, this made them a thief for the ages.

That was all decades ago.

“And now, after all this time, the Ghost Thief has sent a letter to Wudang?

”I couldn’t wrap my head around this.

This didn’t happen in my previous life, and…“What is that old man up to now?

”Knowing the true identity of the Ghost Thief, I found the situation even more baffling.

Yes.

I knew the identity of the infamous thief who had once turned Zhongyuan upside down.

Though I didn’t know them well, I at least knew their name and role.

“Because the old man admitted it himself.

”It wasn’t just hearsay—it came from the person themselves.

During the time of the Heavenly Demon’s rampage, While preparing for an infiltration operation into the Demonic Cult, someone had to lead the charge.

When the question arose about who would take point, an old man stepped forward, volunteering for the mission.

He had said:"I am the Ghost Thief of Storms and Clouds.

I am unmatched in stealth and infiltration.

"This revealed that the Ghost Thief was not just a thief but a righteous martial artist.

They were also influential enough to participate in critical operations during wartime.

Back then, even amidst the chaos of war, the revelation of their identity had caused a stir.

That’s how I came to know the truth.

The identity of the Ghost Thief of Storms and Clouds, Mu Myeong:They were none other than the mentor of the King of Beggars and the acting leader of the Beggars’ Sect.

They were also known as the Ghost of the Swordmaster, a title given to the former leader of the Martial Alliance.

Their real name was Woo Bongchwi, the leader of the Beggars’ Sect.

“Why someone called the pinnacle of righteousness in the Beggars’ Sect turned to thievery is beyond me.

”Back then, it wasn’t the time to dig into those details.

“But Woo Bongchwi died during the infiltration mission.

”The operation ended with his death at the hands of the Heavenly Demon.

Because of that, no one ever learned the reasons behind his actions.

And now...

“The Ghost Thief has resurfaced?

”This new development gave me much to think about.

“With a new sect leader and an explosion of information, does the Beggars’ Sect even have time for this?

”In times of upheaval, you’d expect the Martial Alliance, sects, and noble houses to be the busiest.

But in truth, the ones truly overwhelmed were the information brokers.

They had to gather and relay information to prepare for what was to come.

Especially for a group like the Beggars’ Sect, known as the eyes and ears of Zhongyuan…“They should be working tirelessly.

”The leader of the Beggars’ Sect wouldn’t have the luxury of time to send such letters.

“Unless Woo Bongchwi is senile and half-mad, or…”There were three possibilities:Woo Bongchwi had lost his mind.

There was a compelling reason for him to act this way.

Woo Bongchwi was not actually the Ghost Thief.

“The third seems the most plausible.

”If Woo Bongchwi wasn’t the Ghost Thief, the pieces fit much better.

Still…“It’s not a certainty.

”It was merely speculation.

“It could even be someone impersonating the Ghost Thief.

”This warning might be nothing more than a hoax.

Understanding this, I began to grasp why Wudang had been so defensive.

“No wonder they’ve been so paranoid.

”If it was a letter from the Ghost Thief, their caution was understandable.

Especially now, with the sect leader securing his position as leader of the Martial Alliance.

“If Wudang were to lose a treasure to the Ghost Thief now, they’d be humiliated.

”Although I wasn’t certain, I had enough knowledge about the Ghost Thief to formulate several theories.

But this era didn’t have any such information, so Wudang’s behavior made sense.

"So…"Lost in thought, I was brought back by Yu Baek’s voice cutting through the silence.

"As we must take certain precautions regarding this matter, I ask for your patience and understanding.

""What precautions, exactly?

"It was clear the Ghost Thief intended to act, but what specific measures was Wudang taking?

I asked, and Yu Baek, hearing my question, retrieved something from his sleeve and placed it on the table.

It was a simple, somewhat worn cord.

Looking at it, I had to keep myself from widening my eyes.

“That’s…”"This is an item called Yeonui-seon (Binding Suspicion Cord).

"I was familiar with this object.

Much like the Demonic Talisman used to detect the presence of the Magyeong Gate, it was another one of Wudang’s fascinating inventions.

As for its functionality…“It lets you sense the presence of those wearing it, doesn’t it?

”To be precise, it allowed leaders to monitor the movements of their subordinates more efficiently.

“So, this was already developed around this time?

”From what I remembered, this item wasn’t supposed to exist for another five years.

It seemed it had been created much earlier than I’d thought.

"After wearing this, I ask that you stay here for a day.

"Presenting the Yeonui-seon, Yu Baek smiled as he made his request.

"For one day?

"I questioned him in response.

"Why exactly do we need to stay for a day while wearing this?

"Though I knew what the Yeonui-seon was capable of, I pretended ignorance, wanting to see how he would answer.

"When worn like a bracelet, this item allows one to monitor the movements of those wearing it.

" "Monitor their movements?

" "Precisely.

Within a certain range, it provides clear awareness of their activity.

"How surprising.

I’d expected him to gloss over the truth, given that I was unfamiliar with the item.

Contrary to my expectations, Yu Baek had openly explained the Yeonui-seon.

The problem, though, was that this honesty revealed something else.

"In other words, you plan to monitor us for a day.

"This meant Wudang intended to keep us under watch for an entire day while holding us here.

Yu Baek’s smile didn’t falter as he responded.

"Today happens to be the fifth day mentioned in the letter.

"The letter that stated a treasure would be taken within five days.

Today was the final day.

"If it’s just a prank, that would be fortunate.

But I believe there’s a greater chance it isn’t.

""And why do you think so?

""Because, five days ago, the letter appeared in my residence.

"I was about to ask why that mattered, but…"At the time, I was in this very room.

Yet I didn’t sense anyone entering to place the letter on the table.

""…!

"A Wudang elder, one of Zhongyuan’s top hundred masters, hadn’t noticed someone entering the same room, leaving the letter, and leaving again.

This meant…“Wudang was infiltrated by an outsider who carried out their task unnoticed.

”No matter how lax Wudang’s security might have been, it was still Wudang, one of the Nine Great Sects.

Such a thing shouldn’t have been possible.

“If it were me…”It might be possible.

Using certain powers alongside martial arts, it wouldn’t be entirely unfeasible.

“But not like this.

”To leave no trace while entering, delivering the letter, and leaving again undetected, even by Yu Baek, would require mastery on the level of the Shadow King.

"Given the circumstances, we cannot help but remain vigilant.

""Hmm.

"Listening to Yu Baek’s explanation, I began to understand their concerns.

While being so openly monitored was unpleasant, it made sense.

"I understand the situation, but let me ask this.

" "Go ahead.

" "What if we simply decide to leave now?

Would you allow it?

"Testing the waters, I hinted at leaving.

"I ask for your understanding and leniency," Yu Baek replied, clearly indicating that they wouldn’t let us go.

Well, of course.

“Now that they’ve brought up the Ghost Thief, they can’t just let us go.

”They wouldn’t risk it.

“This is getting annoying.

”Though I was curious about what was happening in Wudang, I hadn’t intended to get this deeply involved.

All I needed to know were the details about the Eternal Bind and Yeongpung.

Getting tangled up in unnecessary matters was something I wanted to avoid.

“Should I just overturn everything and leave?

”I calculated my options.

Could I cause a commotion and still get away cleanly?

It didn’t take long to decide.

“Impossible.

”Not in my current condition.

That was the conclusion I reached.

“If I stir things up now, my plans will fall apart.

”It wasn’t that it was outright impossible; it just wasn’t worth doing.

Losing my plans over a single day wasn’t a trade I was willing to make.

Still…As I looked at the Yeonui-seon on the table, something came to mind.

There were too many strange things about this situation.

The more I pieced them together, the stranger it all seemed.

“If only Moyong Hee-ah or Ji-seon were here.

”With just this information, either of them might have deduced the answer.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have their level of intelligence, so it was taking me longer.

What I did know for sure was this:“Something stinks about this.

”There was more to this situation than met the eye.

But that was fine.

If I played my cards right, I could get what I wanted without much trouble.

“If my guess is correct.

”With that thought, I picked up the Yeonui-seon and began putting it on.

One day, they said.

That was plenty of time.

Enough time to figure out the source of this rotten smell.

As I entertained these thoughts—Creak.

A sound came from outside.

"Elder, the Sword Queen has arrived.

"At the voice, the doors to the residence opened, and someone entered.

"Master!

"Gu Ryeonghwa, beaming with joy, stood and approached the newcomer.

Yeongpung followed suit.

And as expected, the person entering the room was none other than the current Sword Queen.

So Yi.

A graceful beauty with long black hair, appearing to be just past her thirties, entered.

She patted Gu Ryeonghwa affectionately.

"It’s been a while.

Have you been well?

" "Yes…"Gu Ryeonghwa, clearly comforted in So Yi’s embrace, melted into her arms.

So Yi’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before shifting to me.

Perhaps Yeongpung had informed her I would be present, as she didn’t seem surprised.

"You’ve been well too, haven’t yo—"Mid-sentence, So Yi’s eyes widened as if she sensed something.

A moment of silence passed before she spoke again, her surprised expression unchanged.

"Truly remarkable… How much time has passed for you to have grown so much…?

"Her reaction was somewhat overwhelming, prompting me to give an awkward smile.

"Have you been well?

" "Yes, I have.

"It had been about three years since I last saw her.

If I remembered correctly, the last time had been at the Shinryong Hall.

As I pushed aside her reaction, my eyes moved to the box in her hands.

That box likely contained the Eternal Bind.

I stared at it briefly before speaking.

"I’ll leave the greetings for later.

It doesn’t feel like my presence is needed here anymore.

"No one objected to my words.

Even though I was considered an honorary member of Mount Hua, staying longer seemed inappropriate.

If this was truly about the exchange of a treasure, an outsider had no place in the room.

That was simply the proper etiquette for dealings between sects.

“Though I’d love to see for myself if that Eternal Bind is genuine.

”I wanted to confirm it immediately, but forcing the issue wasn’t an option.

For now, I decided to step out and wait.

“If Yeongpung uses it, I’ll find out soon enough.

”I’d see it eventually, so there was no need to rush.

After all, I’d be stuck here for the entire day.

"I’ll wait outside.

Please relay anything further through the dojang.

" "Understood.

"Leaving Yeongpung with a polite nod, I stepped outside the residence.

Outside, a group of Wudang disciples was already waiting.

As expected, their purpose was surveillance.

“Tsk.

”Clicking my tongue softly, I saw one of the disciples approach me.

"We’ve prepared a comfortable space for you to rest.

Allow me to guide you.

"I was about to follow him when——"Huh?!

What’s going on!?

" —"Wait, hold on…!

" —"Someone catch it…!

"Voices suddenly erupted from behind me.

"Hmm?

"Turning my head to see what was happening, I noticed—Thud!

Bang!

The doors to the residence flew open violently.

Whoosh—!

Something flew out from inside, heading straight for me.

"What now…?

"Startled, I barely had time to react.

I watched the object hurtling toward me.

A long, crimson cloth radiating an ominous glow.

It was something I recognized immediately.

"No way…"The cloth wrapped itself tightly around my right arm with startling speed.

"What the hell!

"Just as I was about to move—"Huh.

" "Wait.

" "What…?

"The people who had rushed out of the residence locked eyes with me.

Their gazes shifted from my face to my now-bound right arm.

“I’m screwed.

”Feeling their stares, I swallowed hard.