Try Living Well Without Me

Gulp.

Bin Namgung’s throat emitted a dry swallow.

Even though he wasn’t someone who got tense easily, he couldn’t help but shrink back in the face of the killing intent radiating from the person in front of him.

Killer Intent.

Although his actual name wasn’t well-known, there was no one who didn’t know his nickname.

A master of the ‘Way of Killing,’ standing at the peak alongside the Devil King of the Evil Path and the Sword Sage of the Righteous Path.

The supreme leader of the most mysterious assassination group in the martial world, the ‘Slaughter Angle.’

And one of the Five Greats Under Heaven.

Just the titles given to him alone were enough to make hundreds of thousands of martial artists tremble in fear.

Yet… how could someone with such an imposing reputation…

‘Surely, it was her.’

“I didn’t expect you to come in person.”

Leading the conversation, Namgung Bin stole a glance at the woman in front of him.

‘Hmm…’

Although her face was hidden under a bamboo hat, the slightly curved figure above her black martial uniform revealed her gender.

In fact, it wasn’t strange that she was a woman.

However, the real reason Bin Namgung was surprised was slightly different.

The pink hair peeking out from under the hat.

Yes, ‘pink’ hair.

It was an unusual color, one he had never seen before among any martial artists he had encountered.

Given the Killer’s reputation, rumors should have spread about him, yet the fact that no one even knew his gender spoke to how clean his operations had been.

“I’ve come to see the audacity of the one who dared to name me.”

“I apologize if it was a disrespect.”

“It was truly surprising to receive an assassination request targeting the Sword Sage.”

“Hmm… we all have our reasons, do we not?”

Of course, Namgung Bin wasn’t one to take appearances at face value.

Being no other than the Killer, he was undoubtedly skilled in disguise.

Her figure altered by the Bone Shrinking Skill and her hair dyed—there was a possibility.

‘But what about the voice?’

Yet, one’s innate voice was impossible to change.

A young woman’s voice was emanating from the Killer.

Of course, it carried unshakable authority and an undeniable air of intimidation.

“Do you have many questions about me?”

“Seems like it.”

From beneath the bamboo hat, the Killer grinned mischievously and asked.

“I also have a question for you.”

“Please ask; if I can answer, I’ll do my best.”

Feeling an inexplicable chill as the Killer showed interest in him, Namgung Bin tried to maintain as level a tone as possible.

“So, why does this foul smell of blood emanate from you?”

“Probably because I’ve stained my hands with a lot of blood.”

“Didn’t I ask about THAT?”

“…”

Cold sweat trickled down Namgung Bin’s back.

He had also considered attacking if things went south.

“How did you come to master Blood Skills?”

“…”

He couldn’t, however. His instincts were screaming at him to stay still.

“Are you closing your mouth now? Shall I rip it apart to hear the truth?”

“…!”

“Ha ha, relax. What would I gain by troubling you, my dear?”

“Huff, Huff…”

His breaths grew coarse automatically.

The situation had reversed entirely from when he last encountered the Three Elders, and Namgung Bin got a taste of what it was like to be the hunted.

“By the way, why would one of the army’s lieutenants bother mastering Blood Skills?”

“I have nothing to say on that.”

“Do you dream of becoming a second Blood Demon? Wake up, trying to be a tiger will only break your legs.”

“…Is it forbidden to learn?”

“I don’t care, but if the world finds out, you’ll be branded as a public enemy of the martial world.”

“It won’t come out if you don’t expose it.”

“…Is that so? Very well, it’s none of my concern whether you master Blood Skills or Devil Arts.”

Feeling his instincts warning him that he was getting drawn into the Killer’s persuasive speech, Namgung Bin quickly steered the conversation back to the point.

“Let’s talk about the job. What are you planning to do with the Sword Sage assassination request?”

Without a hint of hesitation or unease, the Killer replied casually.

“Why would I step back now that I’ve come this far? I’ll take it. Of course.”

“Can you afford to say such things so easily? The Sword Sage is indisputably the first under the central plains.”

“If I say I can do it, why would you worry? Don’t fret. I’ll handle it properly.”

“…I trust you.”

Swallowing his unease, Namgung Bin was about to stand up and leave.

He would’ve left then and there if the Killer hadn’t said something more.

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s make one thing clear.”

“Speak.”

Still half-standing, Namgung Bin slumped back into his seat as the Killer grinned mischievously beneath the bamboo hat.

“Under no circumstances should you entrust the Sword Sage’s assassination request to anyone other than myself.”

At the same time, the outline of her right arm began to blur.

Swish!

Without thinking, Namgung Bin reacted.

There was no time to even draw his sword.

Instead, clutching the entire sheathed sword at his side, he brought it up to protect his left ear…

Clang!

“Wha… Why… Why are you doing this?!”

There it was—a slender dagger held in her extended right arm, now poised only inches away from his ear.

Namgung Bin’s large sword trembled violently, barely managing to block the gap between the dagger and his ear.

The moment Namgung Bin showed his confusion, the Killer slowly placed the dagger back into her robes as she stood up.

“A mere warning.”

“Guhhh…! If you had been any slower, my ear would’ve been gone!”

“Then discipline yourself. If you ignore this warning, I’ll slice off your head.”

“Haa…”

As the Killer turned to leave the office of the Namgung Patriarch, Namgung Bin, breathing even more heavily than before after their brush with life and death, asked with difficulty.

Ignoring the parts the Killer had warned about,

“Still, why must it be you? Although I won’t violate the warnings you issued, is there any particular reason why this request must be handled by you, and only you?”

To which the Killer replied with utmost confidence.

“Of course there’s a reason. A very important one.”

“…And what might that be?”

“That… he belongs to me, and only me.”

With that, the Killer disappeared from the Namgung estate.

Now that the Killer had gone, Namgung Bin began to stand.

Just as he was shifting his body, something odd happened.

Tuck.

“Hmm?”

Only momentarily did Namgung Bin’s gaze turn to whatever had rolled off his left shoulder.

“What…!”

In his wide, blue eyes, a severed ear was reflected.

A gasp of surprise escaped from Namgung Bin’s widened mouth as he hurriedly lifted his hand to where his ear should have been.

Sizzle!

“Kkkueeeh!”

Naturally, all there was to feel was the absence of something he should’ve touched and the subsequent searing pain.

At that moment, two figures fell from the ceiling of the office.

They were the White Shadow Assassin King and the Iron Tiger Wanderer, but their descent was anything but ordinary.

Bang Bang!

Instead of their usual effortless landings, they tumbled to the ground.

Quickly regaining their balance, they both dropped to one knee before Namgung Bin.

“We apologize!”

“Punish us, please!”

Their breathing, much like Namgung Bin’s, was far from calm.

“Hrmph… what punishment speaks of?”

“Sa, the Killer’s aura was so overwhelming that we just… stood there and watched as our lord was attacked…”

“We tried to move… but our legs felt stiff and froze in place….”

“Hmph, it’s settled then. I couldn’t do anything either. You should be grateful to have survived an encounter with the Killer.”

“Thank you!”

“We shall repay your mercy, my lord!”

With Namgung Bin’s forgiveness, the Iron Tiger Wanderer and the White Shadow Assassin King rose to their feet.

Both hurriedly took out bandages and medicinal herbs.

“What are you doing?”

“That ear… shouldn’t we reattach it?”

Shaking his hands in refusal as they approached with the supplies, Namgung Bin said,

“Would it even work? Given who cut it off. Rather, we have to ensure the wound doesn’t worsen.”

“Ahh…”

“There’s no time for that now; we have more pressing matters.”

Carefully removing his hand, which had been covering the injury, Namgung Bin examined the damage.

It was as clean a cut as could be—so much so that no blood flowed from the severed area.

“More pressing matters?”

“What’s troubling you, my lord?”

Through the use of inner energy, Namgung Bin numbed his senses near the ear as he spoke slowly,

“It’s strange, indeed.”

The two warriors exchanged puzzled looks as Namgung Bin continued mumbling,

“Why didn’t Jibin notice it? The fact that I have mastered Blood Skills?”

“That must be due to Lord’s mastery of the Grand Stealth Technique, right?”

“To hide Blood Skills’ energy and learn the Grand Stealth Technique first…”

“I thought that was the case, but didn’t you just see… My Grand Stealth Technique couldn’t deceive the Killer.”

“…!”

“…!”

“Jibin couldn’t have missed what the Killer noticed, especially when it comes to an ambush. Regardless of that, Jibin is undoubtedly stronger than the Killer.”

“That’s… absurd! There’s no precedent for the Sword Sage letting a Blood Demon live!”

“Ahh… didn’t you both hear Lord mention Jibin once? He was stacking corpses like mountains…!”

“Exactly, that’s why I’m puzzled. Why didn’t Jibin know about my Blood Skills…?”

While the question was directed at the two warriors, it was more a rhetorical self-questioning.

But no matter how much Namgung Bin pondered, no clear answer emerged.

“Ugh…”

Frozen in his spot, lost in thought, Namgung Bin forgot all about treating the wound.

“Or… did Jibin know and still let me live?”

“…”

“…”

But just like the first query, this one yielded no answer either.