Nightfall draped the neutral zone in velvet silence.
Baek Sun-Ho stood alone under a lantern-lit canopy, the paper glow casting sharp lines across his face. The duel with Kang Mu-Jin earlier had sent whispers tumbling across the fortress like dry leaves—how the masked sovereign moved like lightning, how Baek Sun-Ho withstood Iron Wall's famed stance. No victor had been declared, yet everyone knew who had dominated.
Now, invitations came like rain.
So-Ri sorted through folded parchments. "Six sects want to meet you privately. One of them offered a small mountain."
Ji-Mun peeked over her shoulder. "Is that mountain any good?"
"Volcanic," So-Ri said dryly. "Uninhabitable. Definitely a trap."
"Still, a mountain."
Yul-Rin sighed. "It's always mountains with you."
Yeon was sketching rough terrain maps from memory. He silently slid one over to Sun-Ho—a sketch of tonight's summit meeting location. It was precise, with escape routes, watch posts, and wind patterns noted.
Sun-Ho smiled faintly. "Thank you, Yeon."
The boy nodded, then resumed sketching, tongue poked slightly between his lips in concentration.
Master Jang approached with two teacups and sat beside him. "The calm between storms is its own type of lie."
"Which is why I'm not relaxing," Sun-Ho replied.
"You shouldn't. Jin Ye-Hwa asked for a private meeting."
That made everyone pause.
So-Ri frowned. "The Velvet Thorn herself?"
Yul-Rin looked up sharply. "That's never just a conversation."
"She sent a messenger," Master Jang added. "Blindfolded, polite, and clearly stalling for time."
"Should I go?" Sun-Ho asked.
"Up to you," Master Jang said. "But she doesn't waste time. If she reached out… she either wants to test you—or tempt you."
Ji-Mun grinned. "Can I come? I have very little sense of self-preservation."
"No," So-Ri and Yul-Rin said in unison.
---
The Meeting – Moonrise Garden Pavilion
The small pavilion stood alone atop a rocky spire. Jasmine vines coiled around its old stone, and the wind carried a scent both sweet and sharp.
Jin Ye-Hwa stood at the center in crimson robes, face half-covered by a silken veil. Her sword leaned casually against a pillar beside her.
"You came," she said.
"You invited me."
"Many do. Few arrive."
Baek Sun-Ho stepped closer, gaze calm. "I'm not most."
"I'm aware." She studied him a moment. "You're different from the others. Not just powerful—composed. Balanced. They say lightning bends around your will."
He didn't respond to the flattery.
"What do you want, Lady Jin?"
Ye-Hwa twirled a tea cup slowly in her hand. "Murim's future is full of ash. You and I are both trying to build something through the smoke."
"Then we're already opposed," he said quietly. "Because I'm trying to clear the smoke, not profit from it."
She tilted her head. "Such a lovely lie."
Sun-Ho's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then why am I here?"
Ye-Hwa smiled, the expression unreadable. "Because I wanted to see what makes the Sovereign of Balance tick. And because I'm offering you something the others won't."
She stepped forward. "An alliance. Temporary. Strategic. You and I remove Kang Mu-Jin and the shadow-backed heir. After that, we let fate decide."
"I'm not here to play politics."
"But you already are," she replied. "You're just better at pretending otherwise."
A long silence stretched.
Then Sun-Ho turned, cloak stirring in the wind. "Thank you for the tea."
"You'll refuse without hearing the terms?"
"I already heard what I needed. You want the throne—but not the burden. That makes you dangerous."
"Then why walk away?" she called softly.
He stopped at the steps. "Because I've already chosen my allies."
And he vanished into the night.
---
Later – Back at Camp
"Let me guess," Ji-Mun said as Sun-Ho returned. "She tried to seduce your ideology."
"She offered an alliance."
Ma-Rok stretched. "We punch her first or last?"
"Last," Yul-Rin said, brushing off her coat. "She'll expect to be punched last."
So-Ri simply met his eyes. "You okay?"
He nodded. "More than okay. I finally understand something."
"What?"
Sun-Ho glanced at the stars. "They all think they're dancing in the ashes of the past. But I'm not done building the fire."
---
End of Chapter 82 – The Velvet Thorn's Offer