Chapter 736: Trap and Prey (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 736: Trap and Prey (2)
“…So,” Namgung Bi-ah began, lying still as she looked up at me. “…Did you… get hit?”
“...”
At her question, I instinctively stroked the top of my head. There wasn't a bump, but a sharp, stinging sensation remained. It was the exact spot where Moyong Hi-ah had struck me.
“…She’s definitely not just at the Peak Realm.”
It still hurt. She had smacked me with enough force that I felt like a lump should be forming. Moyong Hi-ah was undoubtedly hiding her true level of cultivation.
‘…Otherwise, there’s no way she could hit that hard.’
I had only been half-joking, but Moyong Hi-ah had responded by nearly taking my head off. Thanks to her, my skull was still throbbing.
‘I mean, how could anyone stay calm after seeing those terms?’
From my perspective, it felt a bit unfair. How could I not covet the insane conditions Jang Yumyeong had listed? The terms he offered were so unbelievable that I questioned if he’d lost his mind. That was why the words had slipped out before I could stop them.
Of course, since he had offered such a deal, I was doing my best to decipher his true intentions.
‘What on earth does that man want from me?’
What could he possibly want that would justify such an offer? I had my doubts, but…
‘…With terms like those, it’s worth accepting at least once, even if he has an ulterior motive.’
Hidden agendas, secret plots—whatever it was, the deal was good enough to overlook the risks. In fact, if he did have a hidden agenda, I’d be willing to play along with a smile.
“…But you know…”
“Yeah?”
After hearing the whole story, Namgung Bi-ah looked at me quietly. “I think you deserved to be hit…”
“...”
I thought Namgung Bi-ah would at least take my side, but even she said that. Was what I did really that wrong?
With an awkward expression, I quickly changed the subject. “Never mind that… How are you feeling?”
“I’m… fine.”
It was a blatant pivot, and Namgung Bi-ah went along with it.
“Have you eaten?”
“…I ate…”
“Good. Don’t skip your meals.”
“Okay.”
I pushed myself up as I spoke. Namgung Bi-ah’s condition had improved significantly. It seemed a small scar would remain, but the physicians said most of her internal injuries would heal completely.
‘A lot of the turbid energy is gone, too.’
I had been stopping by periodically to draw the turbid energy out of her body. Now that she had recovered this much, I didn't think I needed to worry about it anymore. She would likely be able to move freely within a few days.
“I’ll come by again tomorrow if I have time.”
After saying my goodbyes, I handed her a set of clothes I had brought. Recognizing them, Namgung Bi-ah accepted the bundle as if she had been waiting for it.
It was my own clothing.
Every time I visited, Namgung Bi-ah had asked me to bring an outfit I had recently worn, and this was the one I’d chosen today.
‘Why on earth does she need this?’
I didn’t really understand the reason, but since she insisted, I brought it. It wasn’t particularly expensive—just a simple black outfit. What in the world was she planning to do with it?
I watched Namgung Bi-ah neatly fold the clothes before shifting my gaze to the man lying in the bed next to hers. He looked like a corpse.
“Are you okay?”
“…Yeees…” a dying voice wheezed in response.
It was Seong Yul, wrapped in bandages from head to toe. He was in a truly sorry state.
“Tsk, tsk.”
“…Ugh…”
He let out a groan, as if even breathing was a chore. Watching him, I pressed down firmly on his chest.
“Gyaaaah!! Y-Young Master, waiiiit…!”
“You little drama queen.”
I knew for a fact his injuries were less severe than mine, yet he was acting like he was on his deathbed. How absurd.
“If you had done it right from the start, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“…Guuuh…”
“This is what you get for getting cocky, thinking you could handle it. You incompetent fool.”
I continued to poke and prod him, watching Seong Yul writhe in pain. This was partly to tease him, but it was also a way to check his recovery.
‘Looks like there’s a backlash.’
His reaction was too visceral to be just an act. It seemed he was experiencing more pain than his physical injuries should cause.
‘Is this the aftereffect of properly activating the Heavenly Killing Star?’
Poke. Poke.
“W-wait… Guuuuhk!”
‘Deactivating it wasn't hard, but I haven't confirmed if he can control it properly. If he’s like this every time he uses it, he’ll be a massive pain to utilize.’
“Young Master… I’m… really… going to die…!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ve been through this a few times, so I know. People don’t die that easily.”
“Gaaahk…!”
I checked him over a few more times. The result was clear.
‘I’ll have to test him again later.’
There was still a lot to experiment with regarding the Heavenly Killing Star. Could Seong Yul activate and deactivate it at will? I knew his combat power spiked in that state, but could he maintain his sanity? And more importantly, could I control him while he was in that state?
There were many things I needed to confirm.
‘They said it would take a month or two for him to fully heal.’
Once he recovered, I would have to put him through his paces.
“…Huh?”
Shiver.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, Seong Yul’s body trembled as if he’d felt a sudden chill. He was quick on the uptake, at least.
‘Still, it has to be done.’
It was a necessary process to make use of him. If I didn’t do this properly, then…
‘I’ll have to turn Seong Yul into a Demonic Human.’
I would have to corrupt him completely to make him useful. So, in a way, this was for Seong Yul’s own good. Of course, Seong Yul’s opinion on the matter was completely irrelevant.
“You… just focus on getting better.”
Having finished my assessment, I turned to leave. Then, I remembered something I had meant to tell him.
“Oh, right. Hey.”
“Yes…”
“When you’re all healed up, I’ll tell you what we were going to talk about last time.”
“…!”
Hearing my words, Seong Yul’s eyes widened like saucers. He knew exactly what I meant. It was my promise to tell him about the Qinghai Sword if he won his duel against Peng Woojin.
“Y-You’ll tell me…?”
“Unlike our bet, you lost quite pathetically… but I can be generous enough to do this much.”
I never thought he would win anyway. Besides, it was a story he would have to learn eventually.
“In that case… right now…!”
“No. I told you I’d tell you when you’re fully healed.”
I shot down Seong Yul’s urgent plea immediately. Not now. If Seong Yul heard the whole story in his current state…
‘There’s no telling what he might do.’
It would be better to tell him when his body was fully healed and I was confident I could keep him under control.
“...”
Seong Yul looked like he had a thousand questions, but he didn’t push further. He knew I wouldn’t answer no matter how much he begged.
“Anyway, just keep that in mind and get some rest. And don’t do anything stupid. If you try to move now, you’ll just become even more useless.”
“…I understand…”
Seong Yul gave a reluctant nod. I looked at him for a moment longer before finally leaving the room.
‘How many Heavenly Poison Orbs do I have left?’
I took stock of my inventory, thinking it was about time I gave one or two to Seong Yul. No, maybe the number didn’t matter anymore.
‘I just got a message from the Poison King, too.’
Among the letters Cheol Jiseon had organized for me was a message from the Tang Clan.
‘We have finally succeeded in restoring the Heavenly Poison Orb.’
The Heavenly Poison Orb—a treasure the Tang Clan had lost to history. They had finally succeeded in recreating it.
‘I’ll have to visit Sichuan later.’
It wasn't a complete success yet. They had found the method, but…
‘They said there was one problem holding them back.’
I decided I would go there myself to see what was happening. If I could solve this, it would provide an enormous advantage. The Heavenly Poison Orb was an elixir on par with the Shaolin Sect’s Daehwandan Pill, of which they could only produce one or two a year. It was of little benefit to me now, even if I consumed it.
‘But it’s different for the others.’
Since there were many people I needed to strengthen for the future, this was a development I couldn't help but look forward to.
With that thought, I stepped outside. As soon as I did, a leaf drifted down before my eyes. It was an autumn leaf, its edges beginning to turn.
I looked up. The once-vibrant green canopy was gradually being dyed with the colors of the season. The end of summer had passed, and autumn had arrived.
“...”
I caught the falling leaf and felt a surge of memory.
—Come in the fall.
The words the Heavenly Demon had once said suddenly echoed in my mind. Why did I have to come then? When I had asked, the Heavenly Demon had said…
Was it because the autumn leaves were pretty? Or because the scenery was beautiful? I couldn't remember clearly, but it was something like that.
Why, of all things, was I suddenly thinking of that moment now? I didn't bother to question it.
Fwoosh!
I burned the leaf in my hand to ash.
“...”
It was a memory not worth dwelling on.
* * *
I left my residence. The area around the merchant association was still crowded, but slipping past their lines of sight was trivial.
“…I greet the Cult Leader.”
An old man who looked to be over seventy knelt before me. This was Pilduma, a descendant of the Zhuge Clan and the Captain of the Heavenly Net.
After leaving my residence, I had come straight to see him. Just as the mask I hadn't worn in a while began to feel unfamiliar, I spoke.
[Is the work proceeding well?]
My voice was magically altered, and my body had been reshaped using the Qi Body Transformation Technique. Perhaps because my wounds were still deep, the transformation had been excruciatingly painful, but I had to endure it for now.
“Yes. All preparations are complete. We can activate it at any moment, upon your command.”
[Not bad.]
“If I may, could I ask one thing?”
[You have my permission.]
“When should we proceed with the plan?”
A White-Grade Demon. Pilduma was planning to summon a dragon—a being known as a calamity—to destroy Henan. He claimed he could do it using the six stone monuments scattered across the province.
‘He said a dragon of this land is sealed there.’
That’s what Pilduma had told me. I didn't know how a dragon came to be sealed here, and if I had heard this in the past, I would have dismissed it as a lie.
‘But now I can tell.’
Now, I could sense it. A faint resonance was vibrating from deep beneath the earth. There was definitely something—a dragon—in the ground. No matter how faint, I could clearly detect its presence.
‘Could this also be related to the Blood Demon?’
Given the circumstances, I suspected a connection. But for now, I couldn't be sure. Besides, even if the preparations were complete, it was uncertain whether Pilduma’s plan would actually succeed.
However…
‘It doesn’t matter if it fails.’
I wasn't counting on its success in the first place. It would be a bonus if it worked, but it was fine if it didn't. That wasn't the important part.
‘The important thing is that he is a descendant of the Zhuge Clan, and that he is up to something in Henan.’
That was the only part that mattered to me.
[Captain of the Heavenly Net. You seem to be in quite a hurry,] I said, a hint of amusement in my voice.
"When should we proceed?" It was a question that sounded more like a demand. As if to prove my point, Pilduma didn't deny it.
[Do not worry. It will not take more than a few days at the latest.]
“Forgive my apprehension, but… I am concerned whether we can truly trust you, Cult Leader.”
He was suspicious, unsure of what I might do. That was his real meaning.
[Haha.]
I laughed even louder.
[Whether you trust me or not is your choice. However, as I said before, the path this Venerable One and you seek is the same. Furthermore…]
Woooong.
I withdrew the aura I had been emitting and focused it into my heart. Only then did I hear gasps from the shadows all around us.
[Is the fact that your lifelines are in my hands right now not proof enough?]
“...”
I released the pressure I had been applying with my Qi. If I let up even a little, suspicion would creep back in, so this display of power was necessary.
[Do not be impatient. The time is near.]
“…I understand.”
Though his expression showed he wasn't entirely convinced, the Captain of the Heavenly Net bowed his head. As expected of a man of his stature, he was difficult to crush. This old man’s spirit simply wouldn't break.
‘But in a way, that’s a relief.’
It meant I could use him to my heart’s content without hesitation and then discard him when the time came. After a few more exchanges, I left the cave.
By the time I reached the surface, the sun was already setting. I had been on the move since morning, and the day was already gone.
‘Time flies.’
It was moving too quickly. What I needed most right now was time, yet it felt like time was the resource I was burning through the fastest.
‘I just told Pilduma not to be impatient, yet I’m the most impatient one of all… How ironic.’
A hollow laugh escaped me.
‘Anyway… it seems things are ready on this side.’
Now, all that remained was my own side of the board. With that thought, I looked behind me. Someone who had been waiting appeared and knelt. I wasn't surprised; I had known they were there all along.
The figure was a woman with green hair and a weary expression. It was Nahee, whom I had sent to Hubei.
“Welcome back.”
As I smiled and spoke, Nahee bowed her head even deeper.
“…I greet you, Master.”
Her voice was as dry and withered as her appearance. She had no external injuries, but she looked utterly drained, as if she had exhausted every drop of her internal energy.
“How did it go?”
Instead of expressing concern, I got straight to the point. I had been worried she would be too late, but Nahee had arrived just in time. This meant that the situation I had been hoping for had finally come to pass.
Just as I expected, Nahee delivered her report.
“…The Captain of the First Dragon Army has just been transported into the Alliance’s custody.”
Her report contained the news I had been waiting for. At the same time, for some reason, Nahee’s voice seethed with a palpable resentment and fatigue. I couldn't tell if that resentment was directed at me or at the Captain she had captured.
Frankly, it didn't matter.
“Is that so?”
Only one thing was important to me now.
‘The final preparations are complete.’
The trap was well laid. Now, it was time to scatter the bait—a bait so tempting and potent that the starving beasts would have no choice but to gather.
“I must inform the Lord of the Hwangbo Clan.”
It was finally time to deliver the message: the time had come to raise hell in Henan.