Chronicles of the Northern Heavens Chapter 175 - Precious Information Brought by Cheol-u
Hwangtae emptied his first glass of liquor. He tossed a piece of cold meat into his mouth as a side dish. It was as if the blue-robed men drawing their swords and radiating killing intent right in front of him didn't exist.
Thud. Hwangtae set down his chopsticks and slowly raised his gaze to meet the eyes of the blue-robes.
A few days earlier, at the inn across from Yeon-hoo, these were the men who had been on the same floor as him.
"Eye what you shouldn't, and disaster follows. This is your last chance. Give up on Yeon-hoo and leave now. No one has to die."
The particularly tall blue-robe flinched at the revelation that they knew he was targeting Yeon-hoo. But he quickly bared his own killing intent and shouted coldly.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Right now, just a man drinking. But depending on how you play this, I could become a devil. You have until the count of three. One."
"You talk a big game, like you've got something up your sleeve. A devil, huh? Let's see if you've got the skills to back it up..."
The blue-robe's words cut off as his eyes bulged wide. A thin red line appeared on his neck, and his head tumbled free.
Thump! The severed head rolled right up to Cheol-u's feet.
"Gah!"
Wang-jeok's nephew yelped in terror, toppling backward off his chair with it.
"Two."
Normally, anyone would back off in a situation like this. But the blue-robes chose to attack instead.
"Get him!"
Clang!Krunch!
"Argh!"
"Gaaah!"
Cheol-u casually deflected a blind sword swinging toward Wang-jeok's nephew, then seized him by the scruff of the neck. He hurled himself toward the window.
Crash!
Leaping into the bustling street below, Cheol-u bolted straight for a deserted alley.
"Arrrgh!"
"Gurgle!"
Screams of agony erupted from the inn. Cheol-u let out a faint sneer.
'They were after my lord, as expected.'
He thought of Hwangtae. He'd clearly seen him slice through that blue-robe's neck.
'Incredible speed.'
It was a sword strike so swift it sent chills down his spine. Yet Cheol-u still smirked, because of Hwangtae's attitude.
'When he should be skulking like a rat, he picks a fight right under Baekya-beol's nose...'
"Let me go!"
"Shut your mouth, or I'll snap you in half."
"...!"
He could have just struck an acupoint, but Cheol-u didn't even feel the need. Wang-jeok's nephew was that pathetic.
Keep eyes on the Golden Merchant Group. If anyone leaves, tail them and interrogate.
Yeon-hoo had already given that order. So even while staying at the warrior inn, Cheol-u had been watching Wang-jeok's lodging. When the nephew slipped out, he'd followed.
'A ghost of a man...'
Moments later, Cheol-u reached a deserted spot and dropped Wang-jeok's nephew.
"I'm from the Golden Merchant Group. I don't know why you're doing this, but if you didn't know who I am, we can pretend it never happened... Just let me go."
"That's why I followed you. Answer my questions honestly from here on out. It'll be better for you."
"...!"
"I need to know why you left the hive at this hour. If it sounds like a lie, you'll never see it again. Keep that in mind."
"You don't seem to know what kind of place the Golden Merchant Group is... Gack!"
Cheol-u pressed a finger to his throat. The nephew's face flushed red as he gagged like he was dying.
Pop. A bead of blood welled at Cheol-u's fingertip.
He brought it close to the nephew's pupil and said indifferently, "Shall we start by popping out an eyeball?"
"I-I'll talk!"
They said nothing terrified like what you could see with your own eyes. Cheol-u exploited that perfectly.
"M-My uncle told me to bring ten bills worth a hundred thousand nyang each."
'Uncle?'
"Wang-jeok is your uncle?"
"Y-Yes."
It was unexpected. For such a dimwit to be Wang-jeok's nephew—and for Wang-jeok to entrust him with something so big.
"Why does he want the money?"
"I-I don't know that far. I swear!"
"You want to live blind forever, then."
Hiss. The blood at Cheol-u's fingertip writhed like a snake.
Seeing it, the nephew cried out desperately. "H-He said it's a bribe for the Tribunal!"
"The reason?"
"There's a trial soon over mediation with the North... To get a favorable outcome for our group..."
Bam!
"...!"
Cheol-u was knocked back. At the same time, the nephew leaped away.
He stared at his fist, which had struck Cheol-u's chest, his eyes wide with shock.
"You damn rat. Ptoo!"
Did he think he'd landed a fatal blow? Far from fleeing, the nephew approached Cheol-u with a sneer.
"I had to tell the truth to put you at ease... But honesty pays off, doesn't it? Heh heh heh."
Cheol-u raised his head and stared straight at him. His eyes seemed genuinely dazed, as if from the unexpected ambush.
"Martial artists always drop their guard against the weak. Then they bitch about 'dirty tricks' when they get hit. That's exactly the look in your eyes right now. Heh heh heh."
Shing. The nephew drew a dagger from his robes. Its razor edge gleamed wickedly, even in the pouring rain. And there was one more thing.
It was the pass token everyone residing in or permitted to enter Baekya-beol had to carry.
"Now I see—you're one of the Northern dogs."
It was Cheol-u's, of course. The nephew had snatched it from his robes like a ghost during the ambush.
"I've never seen a Northerner like you staying in the hive, so you must be one of the ones who came up with Yeon-hoo this time. Probably wore a face veil, too."
Step. Step.
"Fine. Since you're Northern trash, I'll tell you one more thing before you die. Your lord, Yeon-hoo, is as good as dead. Right here in the hive. Heh heh heh."
"You think that's possible inside the hive?"
"It is. After the trial, his food will be poisoned. A lethal toxin from Miao even immune to all poisons can't handle. No chance of survival. By the way, I'm curious why you tailed me... Now it's my turn to ask, and yours to answer. They call this a twist, right? Kahahaha!"
The nephew threw his head back in maniacal laughter. But it didn't last.
Prick! A sharp sting shot up from his right wrist. He reflexively looked down, then his eyes bulged in horror.
"...!"
His proud fist that had saved him was gone—cleanly severed.
The scream came after.
"Arrrgh!"
Crack!
"Guh!"
Cheol-u's right hand clamped around his throat.
"Pathetic trash always thinks it's over too soon in moments like this. You should know better—never let your guard down against someone stronger until you've crushed their windpipe."
"H-How..."
The nephew couldn't believe it. It was a clean hit in a totally defenseless state. Even a master should have at least cracked ribs from that.
"Thanks to you, I got some very important information."
"S-Spare... me!"
"I was going to. You weren't even worth killing. But you brought this on yourself—don't blame me."
Crunch! The nephew's neck snapped with a sickening crack, and he went limp, lifeless.
Thump!
Cheol-u's gaze on the corpse was far from pleased.
'I let my guard down without thinking...'
Self-reproach flooded him. A moment's lapse could have left eternal regret. But fortune had smiled, too—the fool had confessed the poisoning plot against Yeon-hoo himself. Bigger than uncovering the Tribunal bribe.
'Even my lord wouldn't have imagined something like that inside the hive...'
Yeon-hoo hadn't mentioned it at all. If he had foreseen it, he'd have issued orders beforehand.
Cheol-u tucked the pass token back into his robes and turned to leave when he sensed rapid footsteps approaching. He dove into the woods.
Moments later, two yellow-robes dropped into the scene where Wang-jeok's nephew lay sprawled. They were Hwangtae's men.
They scanned sharply, then bolted into the woods after Cheol-u. But catching him was impossible from the start.
The yellow-robes emerged and began rifling the nephew's body. They pulled out the pass token.
"From the Golden Merchant Group...?"
Seeing "Golden Merchant Group" on it, the two exchanged shocked glances.
"Shouldn't we chase the guy who killed a Golden Merchant man?"
"You saw him earlier. A master who uses lightness skill at that speed even carrying someone... Beyond us. Let's head back."
The yellow-robes flew back toward the street. Soon after, Cheol-u emerged from the woods. He stared after them, then vanished into the darkness.
* * *
Yeon-hoo sat face-to-face with Cheol-u.
"A lethal toxin even immune to all poisons can't handle... Wang-jeok came prepared. Heh heh heh."
Despite Cheol-u's report of the poisoning plot, Yeon-hoo remained calm. He even wore a meaningful smile.
"And there was this very strange fellow."
"Strange?"
Cheol-u recalled Hwangtae from the inn and continued. Yeon-hoo listened with keen interest throughout. How many in the world could make Cheol-u tense?
"For someone you saw as that strong, his actions were downright amateur. Starting a bloodbath right on the doorstep of the hive."
"Men who absolutely trust their power often act that way."
"Could be. Meaning he thinks he can kill me?"
"..."
"Got it. Go rest now. Tend to your wound."
"Yes."
As Cheol-u grasped the door handle, Yeon-hoo's voice slipped into his ear.
"That vow to protect me... Still hold?"
"Until the day I die."
"Then never let your guard down again."
"...Yes."
After Cheol-u left, Yeon-hoo rose and approached the window. Amid the raging downpour, Baekya-beol's nightscape bloomed like flowers—gorgeous and radiant.
'Poison, huh...'
The precious information from Cheol-u. Rather than fear, Yeon-hoo sought ways to turn it to his advantage.
The name that naturally surfaced was Elder Council Chairman Seomun-hoe.
'What would the Chairman do if he knew?'
That was the issue. Without knowing Seomun-hoe's reaction, striking back rashly could backfire.
Yeon-hoo pondered solutions. Only after a long while did he close the window and douse the light.