Chapter 275: Meeting The Three Supreme Leaders

Chapter 275

It didn’t take long as Annie followed with the Ripper and Madame Purple taking positions on either side of her. The three strongest members of Heukryeon were escorting her, a sight that would have seemed absolutely impossible only a few hours earlier. Now none of them dared to treat her like an ordinary subordinate anymore.

Annie would definitely be lying if she said she was not enjoying the respect that was being showed to her. It was damn right satisfying.

Madame Purple walked with a stiff expression, occasionally glancing at Annie as though she were still trying to understand how the younger woman had managed to surpass her. The Ripper remained silent, his masked face forward, while Velvet Blade led them toward a secret building hidden behind several layers of security.

They entered through an unmarked door and continued down a narrow hallway, of which its walls were made from what looked like dark stone, and small golden lamps had been placed at regular intervals, giving the passage a dim small glow. It was like the deeper they walked, the more quieter the surroundings became.

Annie observed everything without showing much interest. She had been to Heukryeon’s headquarters a few times, but she had never been allowed to enter its most important inner sections. The organization guarded its secrets carefully, and even most S grade Assassins who had served for years were not permitted to move freely through every part of the facility.

After walking for what felt like several long and most certainly boring minutes, Velvet Blade finally stopped before a pair of enormous black doors of which two S grade guards dressed in formal dark uniforms stood on either side.

The moment they saw the people approaching, they instantly recognized who they were and pushed the doors open without much questioning.

Annie stepped forward, and her eyes widened slightly as she took in the view.

Beyond the entrance stood a majestic hall so enormous that it seemed more like the interior of a palace than the meeting room of a secret organization. And by palace she meant a dark, kinda evil looking one of course.

Its ceiling alone rose several dozen meters above the floor, supported by rows upon rows of black pillars all arranged in perfect symmetry. Then covering the ceiling of course was what looked like Intricate golden patterns with their delicate lines spreading outward like the branches of an ancient tree.

Unlike the traditional Korean palace halls she had seen in photographs, almost everything within this chamber was predominantly black. The dark color in some way matched the name Dark Lotus and gave the place this sort of heavy and solemn atmosphere.

Glancing around, the walls were constructed from polished dark stones, and what looked like golden engravings of mythical creatures decorated their surfaces. Annie recognized some of these figures from old Korean legends. Among them were Heukgwi known as the Black Demon, and Imugi known as the Unascended Dragon, whose long bodies twisted across the stone as though they were preparing to rise from their ancient resting places.

Massive traditional lanterns hung from the ceiling, their golden light falling over the polished floor. Although the chamber was beautiful, there was something oppressive about it.

At the far end of the hall stood an enormous black platform elevated by several broad steps. Behind it was a magnificent golden emblem which was the true symbol of Heukryeon, a three-legged black crow holding a dark lotus in its beak.

Beneath the emblem were three imposing black seats, each separated by a considerable distance where three men occupied them.

Annie’s attention settled on the figures, and she immediately recognized that these were the very people who stood at the very top of the organization. They were the three supreme leaders!

The man seated on the left was Lee Joon-woo. He was a half-Korean, half-Russian business tycoon who publicly controlled a massive business empire. His companies had investments in several industries, and his name carried considerable weight among South Korea’s wealthiest families. Within Heukryeon, however, his responsibilities went far beyond business. He controlled the organization’s commercial network, its legitimate and illegitimate companies, and also the enormous revenue that kept its operations running.

On the right sat Kang Tae-hyun, a somewhat burly man with a stern face and a powerful build. Unlike Lee, whose public image was that of a successful scholarly businessman, Kang made little effort to appear respectable.

After all he was the most ruthless of the three supreme leaders and oversaw assassinations, interrogations, and the organization’s internal enforcement. Those who failed their missions or betrayed Heukryeon often ended up dealing with him.

The man in the middle looked far less threatening than either of them, but he in truth he was even scarier.

Baek Do-jin wore traditional black Korean clothing embroidered with the organization’s symbol. His hair was white, and his face carried that sort of gentle expression of a kindly old man one might encounter in the park or a nursing home. Someone who did not know him very much would probably have assume he was a retired scholar or a harmless grandfather.

That assumption would be a terrible mistake.

Baek Do-jin was an extremely intelligent and calculating man who controlled Heukryeon’s intelligence gathering, infiltration networks, human experimentation, and underground research. He rarely needed to raise his voice or threaten anyone directly. His plans were often so carefully arranged that people only realized they had been manipulated after it was already too late.

The three men were the supreme leaders of Heukryeon, and together they controlled every major part of the organization.

As Annie entered the hall with the three strongest operatives accompanying her, the guards along the walls lowered their heads. Velvet Blade walked several steps ahead before stopping at a respectful distance from the platform.

He placed one hand against his chest and bowed deeply.

"Supreme Leaders."

The Ripper followed with a slight bow, while Madame Purple reluctantly lowered her head as well. Annie watched them for a moment before following their example. She did not know the exact customs expected of someone who had just entered the Master Realm, and there was no reason to create unnecessary trouble before understanding the situation, even if nothing they did could pose any harm to her now.

Lee Joon-woo’s gaze moved across the group. "Velvet Blade, you came back sooner than expected. What happened outside?"

Velvet Blade straightened and answered in a clear voice. "Supreme Leaders, the person responsible for thar pillar of Primordial Essence that appeared over the city and the city level tremor is standing here. As you know, her name is Annie, and she has successfully broken through to the Master Realm."

The hall fell silent after those words left his lips.

For the first time since Annie had ever seen them, the three men looked at her with genuine surprise. Lee Joon-woo leaned forward ever so slightly, while Kang Tae-hyun’s eyes narrowed. Even Baek Do-jin, whose expression rarely changed, gave her a second look.

"Master Realm?" Lee repeated.

His gaze moved over Annie, as if trying to find some sign that Velvet Blade had made a mistake. He knew the woman’s name, and he remembered the incident involving the American Underworld Ruler. At the time, she had only been an Ascendant. How could she have advanced so quickly?

Kang Tae-hyun gave a low sneer. His broad shoulders shifted as he leaned back in his seat, looking at Annie with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Is this true?"

"Do you understand what it means to make such a bold claim before the supreme leaders? If you’re lying to this organization, you should already know what the consequences will be."

Annie looked at him calmly. She could feel the pressure behind his words, but if she were being honest with herself she no longer felt as much respect and fear she would have had before all these. She had no reason to be intimidated by them anymore.

"This junior greets the three supreme leaders," she said, giving them another respectful bow. "What Velvet Blade said is true. I have indeed reached the Master Realm."

Kang’s eyes remained fixed on her, but Annie did not look away.

Lee Joon-woo exchanged a glance with the other two men. Baek Do-jin remained quiet for a moment, studying Annie with a thoughtful expression. The three supreme leaders had dealt with countless unusual situations, but a sudden Master Realm breakthrough from someone who had only recently become an Ascendant was not something they could simply accept without verification.

After a brief exchange of looks, all three reached the same decision.

Baek Do-jin was the first to speak.

"Annie, forgive us, but a matter of this importance cannot be confirmed through words alone. We would like to conduct a test to verify whether you have truly reached the Master Realm. Are you willing to cooperate?"

Annie answered without hesitation.

"Of course."

Baek Do-jin nodded. Then he turned toward a guard down and instructed. "Very well. Bring us a Grade S assassin."

One of the guards immediately bowed and hurried away to carry out the order. The remaining people in the hall stayed where they were, while the three supreme leaders exchanged a few quiet words.

Annie was a little puzzled by why they were bringing a Grade S Assassins. Weren’t Grade S Assassins just Ascendant level fighters?

While Annie was still caught up in her thoughts, Baek Do-jin rose from his seat.

"Come with us. There is a suitable place where we can conduct the test."

The three operatives moved at once. Velvet Blade took the lead again, while the Ripper followed quietly. Madame Purple walked behind Annie, her expression still sour, although she now seemed more interested in what the test would reveal than in trading insults.

They left the majestic hall through another passage and continued deeper into the headquarters. The corridor gradually became more heavily guarded, with reinforced doors and security devices placed at regular intervals. Annie noticed that even the guards stationed there carried stronger auras than the ordinary Grade S Assassins she had encountered before.

At the end of the passage, they reached a vast underground chamber, of which its entrance was being protected by several layers of security, and two heavily armed guards stood before the final door. Beyond it was something Annie had only heard about in rumors.

Heukryeon’s one and only teleportation portal.

The organization kept its existence secret from the outside world. Something of that kind of Caliber was incredibly rare, and possessing such a device gave Heukryeon an advantage that even other powerful organizations would envy.

Baek Do-jin gestured toward the entrance, and the guards began unlocking it....