Chapter 290
“I missed it.”
Amidst the countless crowd, the man mutters quietly.
Not a face that stands out or has any unique traits, this man has a rather ordinary face.
It was an impression that you wouldn’t even remember if brushed past.
Did he notice something?
That can’t be true.
Our presence is something that even martial artists who have reached the Fusion Realm fail to notice.
No matter how exceptional Jinryong may be, it’s simply impossible.
Instead, it seems like I’ve missed something.
It was an odd situation.
Ever since Jinryong arrived in Hanam, he had been hiding his presence.
Yet, at some point, it had vanished entirely.
How on earth did that happen?
Just like how the Thousand Miles Scent is something that can’t be easily erased, this was perplexing.
Despite his calm expression, the man had to make an effort to conceal the cold sweat trickling down his face.
Something felt off.
I need to report back to headquarters.
The mission itself was strange from the outset.
If it was simply surveillance, it wouldn’t have posed much of a problem.
What exactly is going on here?
This kind of task is something that could be expected from either the Kaifeng Clan or the Gate of Demons.
It’s baffling why the main group is assigning such work to me.
Let alone,
If you’re going to call me out, at least give me some forewarning.
After the personnel from the Black Palace started collaborating with the Taeju Clan,
I sensed that something had shifted.
In particular, I felt ever so slightly entangled with external forces.
I might claim to work for the liberation of my kin eternally, but
I couldn’t shake off this feeling of unease.
It’s been years since I lost several of my own.
I’ve been almost entirely inactive since then.
First, I should head back.
The man wraps the cloth that was laid out in front of him, preparing to leave immediately.
In front of him were cheap trinkets strewn about.
Preparing to disguise himself as a street vendor, he hurriedly packed up his things.
Just as he was shoving items into his bag—
“Is the business all finished?”
At the sound of a voice, the man puts on a charming tone.
Of all times to have a customer!
“Oh, I apologize… Something urgent came up at home…”
Raising his face while speaking, the man suddenly stiffens.
The person who spoke to him was none other than:
“Good timing! Since the business is done, how about a chat with me?”
It was Gu Yangcheon.
In that instant, the man scrambled to think of a way to handle the situation.
Kwak-!
“Guh!”
The man felt Gu Yangcheon’s hand grip his face and instantly dragged him into the shadowy alley behind.
The grip around his neck tightened.
Guh…! Gasp!
He glared at the one who kept coughing out screams mixed with shrill noises.
By age, he seemed to be in his mid-life, but still,
Age was hard to gauge.
So, he wasn’t active for a while and then started again, huh?
It must be the same person I encountered before.
Thus, the ring currently on his finger must be reacting to me.
After the downfall of the Black Palace,
I hadn’t felt any movement or signs, so I thought he had gone into hiding.
I had thought this wasn’t connected to the Black Palace.
Like most slithering creatures of the shadows,
I couldn’t tell if they had some connection, but I assumed they weren’t part of the Black Palace’s remnants.
If he was hiding for a reason,
It might be because a massive force had crumbled.
He might have intended to lay low for a time.
But here he comes out again, of all times, entangled with me.
“You! You little brat.”
Crunch…
“You’re the one who made a ruckus in the street last time!”
The very guy who instantly shouted, “That guy is a true dragon!” back then.
And—
“What have you buried within me for no good reason?”
The person who had planted the scent that irritated him for so long.
No matter how many times he tried cleaning it off, it never budged.
Is it the power or the fact that the bastard ingested it?
In situations involving something like the Thousand Miles Scent, which is generally used for tracking,
It would typically be impossible if it wasn’t fueled by energy.
But apparently, that’s not the case here.
I still remembered those who approached me.
However, this fellow was not among them.
Then does that mean he can use it from a distance?
I couldn’t say for sure, but what mattered was that
This guy was the source of my recent unease.
“Why the bother again? I thought you were done being a nuisance.”
“Guh…! Why… are you… doing this to me…! Great Swordsman… please… save me!”
“Looks like they all share this trait of trying to worm out of accountability.”
Well, considering how things look, it’s understandable.
After applying a firmer grip,
I unleashed the Demonic Absorption technique.
At that moment—
Guh!
His eyes widened in horror.
Something felt odd.
The first guy I encountered felt no pain,
Not even slightly flinched upon getting injured, almost akin to being immortal.
In contrast, the few I met later felt pain
and their physical regeneration appeared sluggish.
Are you different from those folks, unable to feel pain?
Crack!
“Ah!”
I twisted his arm for a test.
His screams could mimic acting if I looked at the muscle movements and differences in breathing.
“This is… what on earth…”
Could it be that he sensed the energy transitioning in his body?
The reactions coming from this dude shifted remarkably.
In addition to that, he reacted to something else as well.
“So you’re saying you feel pain differently…?”
“The others weren’t particularly in pain and healed up fast. You can’t do that, huh?”
“… So, could you not be Samho…?”
Samho?
Was that guy’s name actually Samho?
Quite a peculiar name.
That rascal with the body and face of a young monk in Shaolin
had been stirring up trouble too.
Guess his name aligns with Samho.
Or perhaps it could be different.
“Oh, how… Samho shouldn’t be dead.”
What have you done, doing all this?
Ugh.
Little by little, I began to draw upon his energy.
I could see his eyes widen even further.
“Wait…!”
Let’s take it slow.
I said, grinning as I watched his responses.
No need for a splashy torturous spectacle.
Since he couldn’t even scream loudly, it made it rather convenient in many ways.
It was annoying to see people shapeshifting and swapping faces,
But it was manageable since I could sense things while wearing a demon’s headgear.
If only I had captured him then!
The ring’s vibrations had been too faint, and
I hadn’t felt anything for a period.
Whether it was right or wrong, I hesitated for a moment.
But it was confirmable as I patrolled through the streets.
“What’s your purpose?”
Crack…
I could feel the tension in his muscles and veins rising sharply.
Is it the golden influence?
Or could this also be just an act?
“Since you’re unwilling to answer, let’s get to my next question.”
I didn’t drag words out unnecessarily.
I was well aware it’s an inefficient approach.
“Which faction do you belong to? The Black Palace lot?”
… Haaa… Haaa…
This was the same situation.
Just like that Samho guy, he must be keeping quiet about this.
As I considered letting go of my strength a bit more.
“No… it’s not the Black Palace.”
He finally admitted.
“Ohh.”
Didn’t expect him to come out with that!
This was an expression.
Denying it indicated there was a possibility.
So, is it a lie or is it true?
That’s something I guess I could decipher in time.
“Alright. So it’s not the Black Palace. Does that mean there’s no connection?”
…
Silence hung thick in the air.
It was undoubtedly a different quality compared to Heavenly Demon’s ban.
It didn’t even allow for negation like before.
Suddenly, I thought of:
If I turned Namgung Cheonjun into a target,
and commanded him,
Wouldn’t I manage to place a more solid ban like that?
Certainly, I wasn’t planning on trying that anytime soon.
“Oh, let’s throw this out there for the final round.”
This actually was my last inquiry.
Many questions lingered in my mind, yet there was one I truly desired confirmation on.
“Is the son of the Fallen Sword tied up in this mess?”
…!
“Nice reaction. That suffices.”
His denial wasn’t well-founded enough, yet I smiled at his response.
Even if this were to be acting,
It confirmed things on my end.
It had the feel of something I theorized, but it seemed valid.
As I held back a smile.
The man whose neck I grappled pleaded hastily.
“Please… spare me! I merely followed orders and had no intent to harm you! Guhh…!”
“Whose orders?”
…
“It’s alright. I figured you wouldn’t tell me anyway. Besides—”
Though he’s desperate for his life,
The spell I’d cast wouldn’t diminish even slightly.
You merely watch and play tricks while staying safe,
just as he mentioned.
He seems unconcerned for my life, though.
“If you actually intended to spare me, you wouldn’t have wasted your breath.”
“That’s nonsense…! I have provided you information… Kyaah!”
“You haven’t provided anything. No idea if it’s true or not.”
Despite the screams as I absorbed his energy,
I had laid out my entrapment.
Other allies were kept at bay.
Beforehand, I checked if any of the guy’s crew were lurking around.
Crack…
As the beast within me snorted in satisfaction after a feast,
the one in my grasp vanished without a trace, leaving just the clothes behind.
Were they melted?
Is it made of energy or something?
It’s constantly the same feeling with these guys.
I’m curious about what’s going on here, but…
I had no intention of hunting down their lair or identity.
I wasn’t keen on going underground right now.
Hiding away was even less appealing.
This base… well, if things twist like this, I need to find it whether I want to or not.
Tap tap.
In that way,
having wrapped up my business, I shook off my hands and glanced to the side.
“…”
Previous hand-holding Wi Seol-ah observed me with wide, surprised eyes.
It’s an expression that questioned the bewildering scene unfolding before her.
“I’m asking out of caution.”
Seeing that expression, I posed the question.
“Did you lose your mind?”
“Y-yes…?”
That was a rather strange question to ask in this situation.
I found myself inquiring.
“I thought that might happen.”
Unlike my expectations,
it was the first time I witnessed her in such a light.
If it was avoidable, I wished to leave that impression far behind.
Since she had taken up the sword,
if it were to lead us both down this road,
Concealing it wouldn’t resolve anything.
This was how I am as well.
When Wi Seol-ah hesitated to respond to my inquiry,
“I didn’t lose my senses.”
She replied with a peculiar expression.
That was unexpected.
Originally, I’d have thought she would’ve said something about being good or bad if someone harmed others.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Despite appearing stunned,
Wi Seol-ah subtly smiled as she whispered her next words.
“There’s no way I’d fall for something so petty.”
“Petty? Someone has grown some guts, haven’t they?”
Usually, she seemed capable of displaying larger fears.
On top of that, Wi Seol-ah’s reaction was less than anticipated.
While a person melted right before our eyes,
she appeared more concerned with other matters entirely.
“What you said just now… is it truly genuine?”
“What?”
“Lord Jang… Confucius…”
“I’m uncertain, but I’d like to believe it’s not a fabrication.”
That rascal could very well do it.
The real puzzle then is how they’re connected with each other.
If from the start you’ve been entwined with him, that might be true.
I had my doubts surrounding this aspect.
At a minimum, even if Jang Seon-yeon is rotting,
I hoped the Fallen Sword he’s associated with wasn’t just some tarnished shard.
Despite the saying like parent, like child,
I couldn’t be too sure if that holds water when comparing me to my father.
“Confucius…”
“Hmm.”
That title still felt strange to me.
“It would be prudent to keep your distance from Jang.”
“I’ve kept that distance for a while now. We were never really close.”
Not once did I have the slightest wish to draw closer.
Fortunately,
It seems like Wi Seol-ah isn’t particularly fond of those affiliated with the Jang family.
Recalling the time we were engaged in my previous life brought forth uneasiness.
Yet, in this life, it felt as though Wi Seol-ah was consciously dodging Jang Seon-yeon.
“Lord Jang… is a dangerous man.”
“I’m aware. It’s blatantly obvious merely by his appearance.”
No sane individual exists among those who keep a perpetual grin.
Just look at Pungwoojin;
he’s an unmistakable lunatic and, ★ yet Jang Seon-yeon is just plain bad news.
“So it seems like he’s hell-bent on chasing after Confucius. By any means necessary.”
Wi Seol-ah stated, her tone significantly lowering.
Once I recalled Jamryong and Jang Seon-yeon from my previous life, Wi Seol-ah’s observations ring quite true.
As I conjured images of Jang Seon-yeon, eyes ablaze with desire to pursue the sleeping dragon,
it reminded me that if one cannot chase,
then one might shred their wings prepared for flight upon grasping a form of desperation.
I remembered my own ugly image trying to stay ahead.
That’s precisely the type of jerk he was.
Could it be that Wi Seol-ah was completely unaware of the kind of person Jang Seon-yeon was back in my prior life?
As that notion crept in, I asked the present Wi Seol-ah.
“Knowing he’s that kind of person, why are you by his side?”
“…”
At my question, Wi Seol-ah turned her gaze away.
Finding that displeasing, I held her chin and brought her gaze back to face mine.
“Don’t avert your eyes.”
“Ugh…”
How could she look so burdened even though she had been looking so much taller?
I prompted her to look directly at me, and
Wi Seol-ah’s cheeks began to flush a shade of red.
“If left unchecked, who knows what might unfold?”
“I know.”
“So I thought that maybe…”
With what appeared like a display of will,
despite her gaze being averted, she seemed to infuse strength into her eyes as I delivered a sharp clap to her face.
Smack!
“Ah!?”
Immediately, she wrapped her head which just received the reprimanding strike, staring at me with wide, teary eyes.
It was a look of injustice, one I hadn’t seen in a long time.
“While I appreciate your concern, don’t go meddling in things. I’ll handle it.”
“… Lord Confucius, that’s not it…”
“I don’t know what’s on your mind, but if any circumstances led to me, just stop there.”
There likely exists other reasons for her entanglement with the Jang family.
Just as the earnest warriors in my previous life did.
Even now, I ponder on why I hadn’t asked this yet.
There were priorities I faced before that.
“If that rascal attempts to chase after me, let him be.”
“Y-yes?”
“He won’t be capable of chasing after me anyway.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
As I pictured my prior life,
before the times Jang Seon-yeon felt inferior to Jamryong,
I needed to contemplate Jamryong himself.
He was a truly kind-hearted fellow;
Aside from seeming like a sneaky snake and all lazy,
his temperament was dear and caring.
He didn’t merely watch over someone like me who constantly glared and growled at him.
Sacrificing his own well-being to spare others’ lives.
He likely met his end due to entrapment.
The true spirit of righteousness I had once come to know was abysmally short-lived.
The primary focus lay not on living past one’s own lifespan,
but togetherness and fairness among human interactions.
Thus, it led to a truth that heroes indeed perish young.
Adding on, heroes garner many who hope to exploit them.
As if sharing justice and equity made them easy targets to sway.
Consequently, with the faction taking root in the central domain,
I found it increasingly challenging to trust many in their ranks.
Having witnessed the shambles they created with the instant bloodshed,
it led me to deepen my mistrust.
Alas,
I had long since moved beyond ideals of justice or mutual aid.
My own bowl of rice held more significance to me than anything else.
I found myself capable, willing to disregard the lives of others to save my own.
Cannot chase after them?
Before they could catch me, I’d break their legs first before they could yell into their noxious snouts!
“I wouldn’t mind ripping your teeth out either.”
“If I were to rip the tongue, who knows what will happen.”
Before anything drastic occurs,
I have to make sure it doesn’t end that way.
If it ends too simply, where’s the meaning?
Therefore,
“Just let him be.”
I found myself almost hoping Jang Seon-yeon might provoke me into action!
Though he’s underway with plots,
it’s still not enough.
As expected,
Jang Seon-yeon will act while inside the realm of the Heavenly Dragon Academy,
and it’s critical that moment surfaces when he makes a move.
I was, however, still obliged to wait for that right time.
“So don’t strain your thoughts over it. I’m well aware.”
“… Still… I…”
“That’s enough. I’d prefer if you answered my earlier question.”
I interrupted Wi Seol-ah’s words.
I didn’t discern what concerns Wi Seol-ah held while considering me,
but I wished for her not to bear such burdens.
I hoped she could pass her life comfortably, devoid of such thoughts.
And if that proved impossible,
At the least, I wished for laughter,
rather than the current gloomy state.
“Once more, I’ll ask you.”
“…”
“Can you explain to me why your grandfather brought you to the Jangs?”
As my words reached her, Wi Seol-ah’s eyes suddenly trembled.
Wi Seol-ah, who had looked at me with unreadable eyes, briefly hesitated,
then ultimately slowly lifted her hand and removed the hooded cloak that had covered her.
Sarak.
As the fabric slackened,
her hair caught my gaze.
I observed it last time,
the hair that had dark brown transitioned into a lighter shade,
showing strands of blonde weaving in between.
Gradually,
it felt reminiscent of her past self.
“Why’s the sudden change in hair?”
I questioned why she was revealing that now.
Having continuously worn it suggested she might not want to unveil that to me.
Yet, as she unveiled herself directly in front of me,
she hesitated, just like before, for a length, and then mumbled,
“Grandpa…”
Her lips trembled as she spoke,
“I think he wanted to make me human.”
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