Chapter 100: We’ve Met (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 100: We’ve Met (4)
Did I simply not know this father and daughter well enough?
I was utterly bewildered by how smoothly and quickly everything was being settled.
Even putting aside my stubborn father-in-law, the fact that Sama Yeong had no objections to accepting another woman as my wife was beyond my comprehension.
Unlike me, who stood there agape, Seol Baek’s face was radiant.
[See?]
She sent me a message via Secret Sound Transmission, her voice brimming with triumph.
She was clearly delighted that her gamble had paid off.
Honestly, how was I supposed to take this?
“I shall serve you as my elder sister.”
Seol Baek performed a fist-and-palm salute to Sama Yeong, showing her respect.
What a thick-skinned woman.
From the perspective of someone who had lived for over three hundred years, Sama Yeong was practically a newborn, yet Seol Baek didn't seem to care in the least.
She seemed genuinely happy to have been acknowledged by the father and daughter.
Sometimes she was like a sly fox, and other times she seemed completely innocent—she was an enigma.
Just then, my father-in-law’s voice echoed in my head.
[Don’t let it show on your face; just listen.]
‘...?’
[She said she would only tell us about the Golden Emperor if she was wed to you. Now, demand the information.]
Huh?
For a moment, I almost let my expression slip.
If that was the case, then they hadn't truly accepted Seol Baek; they were deceiving her.
Did Sama Yeong also just pretend to accept her to play along with her father’s scheme?
I hadn't realized my father-in-law was capable of such calculated maneuvering.
I asked him through sound transmission.
[What do you plan to do once she tells us?]
Was he planning to kill Seol Baek after getting the information?
If it had been a short while ago, I might have killed her without a moment’s hesitation. But knowing the loneliness of her life and that her feelings for me were sincere, I found myself hesitating.
My father-in-law replied to my question.
[Hmph. So you do have feelings for her.]
[That’s...]
[If you truly didn't have a shred of emotion for that woman, you wouldn't be asking me such a question.]
[...If Yeong-yeong doesn't want it, I have no intention of taking anyone else.]
I meant it.
Even if I felt some attraction to someone, I wouldn't take them in if Sama Yeong didn't want me to.
At my transmission, my father-in-law shook his head as if dissatisfied.
Then, he sent another message.
[If that heart of yours wavers even slightly, be prepared.]
[I swear. That will never happen.]
My father-in-law stared at me intently after my sincere declaration before transmitting again.
[...Keep her close and watch her.]
[Pardon?]
As I reacted with confusion, he continued.
[There is a saying: keep your enemies close. If it is determined that the woman is truly sincere toward you, Yeong-yeong will make the final decision.]
Hearing those words, I realized something.
From the beginning, my father-in-law had intended to observe her rather than kill her.
In the end, the crux of the matter was how much trust Seol Baek could earn from Sama Yeong, so the outcome remained largely the same.
—What are you going to do now?
What?
—You’ve still got that vixen Baek Hye-hyang to deal with, too.
I let out a faint sigh at the Lesser Conversation Sword’s remark.
Let’s just let that slide for now.
If I brought that issue up now, it would cause an even bigger disaster than this.
—Quite the lady-killer, aren't you?
The Lesser Conversation Sword chuckled, as if fanning the flames of a fire.
Then, Yeong-yeong’s voice rang in my ear.
[Brother... how am I supposed to process this situation?]
Yeong-yeong was looking at me with a troubled expression.
I had forgotten about her because of the sudden intrusion of my father-in-law and Sama Yeong.
Knowing nothing of the circumstances, poor Yeong-yeong had been watching the situation unfold, unable to do anything while nervously reading the room.
[Yeong-yeong. Look into my eyes.]
[Your eyes?]
Yeong-yeong looked puzzled, wondering what I meant.
But as soon as I mentioned my eyes, she instinctively looked into them.
“Ah...”
In that instant, Yeong-yeong’s eyes went blank.
They say seeing is believing.
Using the illusion of the Transformation Eye Method, I showed Yeong-yeong the conversations I’d had with my father-in-law and Sama Yeong after leaving Shaolin Temple.
We had discussed many truths then, including the fuse and the Golden Emperor.
This was better than trying to explain it all with words.
The illusion lasted only a fraction of a second for Yeong-yeong.
When her eyes returned to normal, her face was filled with shock.
“What in the world is this...?”
[Shh.]
I told Yeong-yeong to stay calm through sound transmission.
She must be very confused.
Both by the fact that she had seen an illusion through the Transformation Eye Method and by the truths she had learned from it.
I sent her another message.
[It’s a type of illusion art.]
[Illusion art?]
[What I just showed you are the things I’ve experienced.]
[Is all of this... really true?]
It must be hard for her to believe that such things had happened to me.
Even if I showed her through an illusion, the events I had gone through and the facts about the Golden Emperor were monumental enough to be difficult even for seasoned martial artists to accept.
[I was going to tell you.]
I just hadn't expected my father-in-law and Sama Yeong to appear so suddenly.
But since things had turned out this way, Yeong-yeong needed to know everything.
Only then would she understand why I was trying to claim the position of Alliance Leader of the Martial Alliance.
[Yeong-yeong...!?]
I suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
[Brother, what’s wrong?]
I wanted to answer her, but my mind was focused elsewhere.
I was currently concentrating on the vision being shared by the Evil Connection Sword.
Three figures, their faces hidden by bamboo hats and black robes, had appeared in the office of Chief Strategist Bang Deok-hyeon.
‘Is it them?’
With the battle for the Alliance Leader position approaching, I was certain someone would try to contact him.
The voice of the Evil Connection Sword echoed in my head.
—They burst in without a word. My illusion arts and techniques aren't working on them. What should I do?
It seemed the Evil Connection Sword had already tried to cast an illusion on them.
But it hadn't worked.
This meant that all three of them were no ordinary masters.
‘For now, stall for time.’
—Understood.
The Evil Connection Sword, possessing Chief Strategist Bang Deok-hyeon, looked at them.
The three figures who had entered the office were all concealing their faces with bamboo hats and black robes.
The fact that no one in the Strategist’s Hall had stopped them meant they were likely on the same side.
It was a tense situation, but the Evil Connection Sword spoke calmly through Bang Deok-hyeon’s mouth.
“You’ve come.”
This was the line Jin Un-hwi had instructed it to say.
If it didn't respond with composure, they would become suspicious.
Then, the man standing on the left among the black-robed figures spoke.
“What are you thinking, Thunder Lord?”
As expected, he didn't address him as Chief Strategist Bang Deok-hyeon.
The Evil Connection Sword shrugged and said, “What do you mean by that?”
“We clearly told you to eliminate the Lesser Sword Immortal. How did he end up as a candidate for the Alliance Leader battle?”
At those words, the Evil Connection Sword feigned ignorance.
“The Lesser Sword Immortal used a trick to provoke the Deputy Alliance Leader into a duel.”
“Provoke the Deputy Alliance Leader?”
“Indeed. No matter how much this old man tried to sway public opinion by proposing the elders' recommendations, what was I supposed to do when the Deputy Alliance Leader fell for the provocation and fought him beforehand?”
The answer was more or less perfect.
The man nodded at the Evil Connection Sword’s response.
Then, he let out a snort and said, “How unexpected.”
“What is?”
“Thunder Lord. To think that you would betray Him.”
‘!?’
In that moment, the Evil Connection Sword, possessing Bang Deok-hyeon, narrowed its eyes.
There hadn't been any major flaws in its answer, yet this man spoke as if he were certain of the betrayal.
The Evil Connection Sword followed Jin Un-hwi’s instructions that echoed in its mind.
“What on earth are you talking about? How could this old man ever betray Him?”
“Stop feigning ignorance.”
“What?”
“Do you think we don't know what happened in that meeting?”
‘Hmph. It seems we’ve definitely been caught.’
At his words, the Evil Connection Sword let out a faint breath.
It seemed there was a spy among the elders who had attended the meeting.
Judging by Jin Un-hwi’s voice, it seemed even he hadn't known of this person’s existence.
Shring!
The man drew his sword from his waist.
Pointing the tip of the blade at the Evil Connection Sword, he said, “I don't understand. They said the Thunder Lord was someone who would never betray us.”
“A wildcard always crops up in the most unexpected places.”
The Evil Connection Sword sneered, taking a step back.
Since they were already certain of the betrayal, the only option was to stall for as much time as possible.
The Evil Connection Sword repeated the words Jin Un-hwi dictated.
“Despite my years of loyal service, I haven't even received the procedure for the Golden Imperial Body. How could this old man continue to trust and follow Him?”
“If you’ve been harboring such thoughts, then I can't let this continue.”
The bamboo-hatted man’s sword moved with lightning speed.
The Evil Connection Sword moved Bang Deok-hyeon’s body, leaping backward.
However, the man’s sword was faster, piercing through Bang Deok-hyeon’s left chest.
The Evil Connection Sword spoke to the man, pretending to be in pain.
“Gaaah... If—if this old man dies, the entire plan will be ruined. Are you sure about this?”
At those words, the man let out a mocking laugh.
“Unfortunately, the plan has been revised.”
“Revised?”
“Not that it matters to a dead man.”
With those words, the man applied force to the blade, intending to slash diagonally through Bang Deok-hyeon’s heart.
Just then, the man in the center spoke.
“Stop.”
“Why?”
The man who was about to apply force to his sword asked in confusion.
The man in the center pointed at the thick staff Bang Deok-hyeon was holding.
“He’s in agony, yet he won't let go of that staff.”
His deep voice sounded as if it had been disguised.
“What about it?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the man in the center kicked the staff.
The Evil Connection Sword hurriedly moved its hand to avoid the staff being hit.
However, with a sword through its chest, it was impossible.
CRACK!
The staff shattered, revealing the true form of the Evil Connection Sword hidden within.
The man who had stabbed him muttered, “A sword?”
At his words, the man who had broken the staff let out a chuckle and said, “As I thought, it was the Evil Connection Sword.”
“The Evil Connection Sword?”
The Evil Connection Sword couldn't hide its bewilderment.
He had recognized it instantly.
The man who had broken the staff crossed his arms and spoke.
“When a man of such deep loyalty suddenly betrayed us, I had a hunch.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Evil Connection Sword, one of the five Demon Swords, possesses the demonic power to bewitch people and seize control of their bodies.”
‘This is bad.’
The Evil Connection Sword bit its lip.
It didn't know who this man was, but he knew far too much about it.
The man with the sword still embedded in the body said, “So you’re saying the Thunder Lord was being controlled by this Demon Sword?”
“Precisely.”
At his words, the only man who hadn't moved let out a small sigh.
It was as if he found the truth regrettable.
In contrast, the man who had discovered the sword was the Evil Connection Sword spoke with an excited voice.
“Hahahaha! This is quite the blessing in disguise. We hadn't been able to find its whereabouts, and now we’ve stumbled upon it.”
Slash!
With those words, the man cut through Bang Deok-hyeon’s body.
Then, he reached out toward the Evil Connection Sword falling to the floor, attempting to pull it toward him using Void Object Retrieval.
“He will be most pleased.”
The Evil Connection Sword vibrated and began to float upward.
It was at that very moment.
The floating Evil Connection Sword suddenly flew toward the office window instead of the man’s hand.
“What?!”
Crash!
The paper and frame of the window shattered as someone burst into the office.
The Evil Connection Sword was sucked into the hand of the intruder.
—That was a close one.
I agreed with the Evil Connection Sword’s remark.
If I had been even a moment later, the sword would have fallen into their hands.
“Tch.”
When I suddenly burst in and retrieved the Evil Connection Sword, the man who had reached out for it clenched his empty hand as if nothing had happened, though he looked embarrassed.
I scanned them one by one.
They were no ordinary people.
The man who had tried to take the sword was a master of the Supreme Peak Realm, and the other two, though they were concealing their energy, seemed to be masters who had broken through the wall.
—You’ve caught a big one this time.
I looked at the man on the far right.
His energy was incredibly sharp, like a finely honed sword.
He was the strongest among them.
Perhaps he was Noejang, the strongest of the three confidants Seol Baek had mentioned.
Then, the man whose sword I had taken spoke.
“Who the hell are you?”
Since they had recognized the Evil Connection Sword, it was a good thing I had used the Body Transformation Art to change my face into something unrecognizable.
“That’s none of your business. You Golden Emp—”
I was forced to stop mid-sentence.
It was because of the two golden glints visible behind the black robe the moment the man in the center lifted his bamboo hat.
Lifting his hat slightly, the man looked at me and spoke.
“It’s been a long time. Successor of the Sword Immortal.”