Inside a secluded courtyard belonging to the Golden Crow Merchant Union, the air was thick with the scent of bitter tea and unspoken threats. A middle-aged investigator bowed low before a row of seated elders, his shadow stretching long across the stone tiles.
-"The investigation is complete," he reported.
One of the elders, a man with eyes as cold as flint, didn't look up from his cup. "Speak."
-"The man named Jin Tae-Yun is real. He entered Azure Gate Town recently and has been seen in constant contact with Han Soo-Bin of the Flying Crane Union."
Another elder narrowed his eyes, tapping a rhythmic beat on the table. "So, he is their backing? A hidden protector?"
The investigator shook his head. "No. We believe that assumption is incorrect."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
-"Our hired martial artist tested him discreetly at the inn. The result was... baffling. He could sense no cultivation base, nor any clear Qi flow. It was as if he were looking at a commoner. However, the moment he attempted a spiritual probe, his energy simply vanished."
-"Vanished?" someone scoffed. "Into thin air?"
-"Yes. As if it struck an empty void. Our expert concluded that while Jin Tae-Yun is undoubtedly strong perhaps even a Peak-level master he is unrelated to the spirit medicine itself. He has the air of a wandering noble, not an alchemist."
The elders exchanged glances, the tension in their shoulders relaxing slightly.
-"So", the lead elder mused, "Flying Crane simply stumbled upon a treasure, and this man is merely a passing acquaintance they've latched onto for safety?"
-"That is our current conclusion," the investigator confirmed. "There is no evidence linking him directly to the medicine's origin."
The lead elder nodded slowly. "Very well. If he isn't the source, he isn't our primary concern. Our priority remains the auction." He tapped the table once, a finality in the sound.
-"Hire the Poison Master for the auction day. As insurance."
No one objected. If the spirit medicine was going to cause chaos, the Golden Crow would be the ones to control it.
The Silver Moon Rest Inn -
A sharp, rhythmic knock echoed through the room just before midnight.
When Jin Tae-Yun opened the door, he found Dori standing in the hallway, looking uncharacteristically somber. The boy didn't say a word; he simply handed over a small, square envelope sealed with heavy black wax and a faint imprint of a flying crane.
Tae-Yun accepted the letter with a nod. Dori bowed deeply and retreated into the shadows of the corridor as Tae-Yun closed the door, the click of the latch sounding loud in the midnight silence.
Breaking the seal, he unfolded the parchment. The handwriting was hurried but elegant Soo-bin's work.
-"The stage is set. The auction is confirmed for tomorrow at midday. Seating has been arranged discreetly to ensure your privacy, as requested.
However, the Golden Crow's movements feel abnormal. Our scouts report they are withdrawing their public guards and hiring 'shadow' elements. Please remain cautious, Senior. The air in the city is changing."
Tae-Yun held the letter over the flame of the oil lamp, watching as the fire licked the edges of the paper until it curled into black ash.
"So they're done testing," he murmured, his eyes reflecting the dying embers.
The Golden Crow's transition from public intimidation to "shadow" elements meant only one thing: they were no longer looking to win the auction with gold. They were preparing to take what they wanted with blood.
"I've already drawn enough attention," he thought.
His mind shifted to the Ring of Absolute Guard. Its automatic defense was flawless, but it was too loud. A visible shockwave in a room full of the city's elite would be like setting off a flare in a dark forest.
"I'll suppress it," he decided. "Or at least... reduce its protection are so it forms a layer around my body not in the surrounding area"
He opened his inventory, the blue light reflecting in his eyes. He didn't need raw power now; he needed utility.
His gaze stopped on an item that shimmered and reshaped itself as it synchronized with the world's logic.
When it appeared in his hand, it was no longer a glowing game artifact. It had become a refined bracelet of white, marble-like beads. At its center rested a lotus carving, with ancient Sanskrit inscriptions faintly engraved on the surface.
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[ITEM: Five Elements Lotus Band]
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Grade: Heavenly Treasure
Effect 1 – [Purification]: 100% Resistance to Poison, Bleeding, and Paralysis.
Effect 2 – [Zen State]: Immunity to Confusion, Fear, and Hallucinations.
* Description: A band that resonates at a frequency which dispels all worldly impurities.
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Tae-Yun nodded. Poison, hallucinogens, or Qi-induced fear—all neutralized without a single outward sign.
He retrieved two. One settled naturally around his wrist, its presence subtle. The second he placed into a silk pouch.
For Soo-Bin, he thought. "The kid is walking into a den of vipers. He'll need this."
But protection wasn't enough. He needed to be invisible. His fingers moved through the inventory again until a simple, dark mask appeared. It looked like polished obsidian thin, lightweight, and unremarkable.
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[ITEM: Veil of the Nameless]
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Grade: Unique Relic
Effect: Completely conceals cultivation, Qi, and spiritual pressure. Suppresses the wearer's presence so effectively that observers will instinctively overlook or forget them, Can change appearance of wearer.
Restriction: Cannot be removed while hostile intent is directed at the wearer.
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Tae-Yun placed the mask over his face. The world felt... quieter. Even his own breathing seemed to fade into the background. He felt like a ghost in his own room. Satisfied, he removed it and stored it away.
Outside, the city held its breath. The Golden Crow sharpened their hidden blades, the Flying Crane prayed for a miracle, and the Poison Master prepared his brews.
And Jin Tae-Yun? He simply chose to disappear in plain sight.