Dang Sohye (2)
"We'd already heard ahead of time and have been looking into it."
The girl known as Dang Sohye, the rising star and promising talent of the Dang family.
The reason she'd shown up at the government offices in Zhejiang Province was none other than the use of Meng Huan San.
The recipe for Meng Huan San was something handled and passed down with utmost strictness. Only someone like an imperial physician from the royal medical academy or a heavy hitter from the Dang family could even make it.
And it wasn't just that. A variety of drugs had been found in Jo Unhyeon's mansion—ranging from Meng Huan San to aphrodisiacs, many of them strictly banned by the state.
So they had to nail this down for sure. Even from the Dang family's perspective.
If it had leaked from the imperial medical academy, they could brush it off as just collateral from some political infighting.
But if this Meng Huan San had come straight from the Dang family? That was no light matter they could just gloss over.
One of the core figures in the Dang family brazenly ignoring the separation of military and government to meddle in political schemes?
The clan could never sit idly by while it ballooned into a massive scandal.
"Captain Wi Eokgi's handling the imperial medical academy side, so that should be solid."
"Then our side's the key one."
"You're the granddaughter of Second Elder Dang Mukno, so I can trust you with this. Take care of it."
"Yes, sir."
That's why Hyejin had entrusted the matter to someone she could rely on—Dang Mukno's granddaughter.
She was already making a name for herself as a promising young technician, but she wasn't lacking in martial talent either.
Truly multitalented. She'd handle this perfectly.
"When do you plan to head back to Sichuan?"
"Figured I'd stick around Hangzhou for three or four days. Grab what supplies I need from the market and head out right after."
"Got it. Lodging?"
"Staying with Grandpa for a bit."
"Alright."
With that check on her arrangements, the conversation wrapped up.
"Then this girl will take her leave."
"Go ahead."
"Wishing you another peaceful day as always."
Dang Sohye gave Hyejin a final bow and stepped back.
Watching her, Hyejin thought she was a proper lady, raised with real manners—something rare these days.
Even as she left the commander's office, quietly closing the door behind her, that demure grace held.
"...Heh heh heh."
Only then did Dang Sohye's expression loosen into a creepily gleeful grin.
Head bowed, that sinister look carried some unsettling vibe.
She muttered to herself right there, oblivious to my gaze. I stared at her blankly for a while,
"Whoa, ya scared me!"
until our eyes met—and she jumped like I'd caught her, scrambling to fix her face.
Then she flipped it around, scowling and coming at me like I was the problem.
"What're ya doin', ya creep? Spyin' on me like that? That okay with ya?"
"I was just passin' by...?"
I'd been minding my own business when she came at me like this—got me pissed for a sec—but locking eyes with her, I found myself ducking my head and tacking on that polite ending.
"Oh yeah? If that's it, sorry then."
Was it some kinda natural intimidation? Different from the commander, but she had me hooked anyway.
Her straight-up apology made me wanna go, aw, no biggie, heh heh. Uh, yeah.
"Speakin' of, heard there's this beast of a guy who chugged a fat dose of Meng Huan San and toughed it out. That you, by any chance?"
Quick subject switch.
She brought up the drug those assassins who'd jumped me had used.
But her vibe? Pure curiosity, like a scientist eyeing a lab rat.
Subject and specimen, y'know?
"Probably me...?"
"Oho, really now?"
Then she shoved her face right up close, poking and prodding my body all over.
What the hell, this distance. Super awkward.
"Figures a big lug like you takes longer for the drug to kick in, huh? So ya need more dosage? Does the effect and duration scale up too?"
Then she zoned out again, ignoring me completely, lost in her own world. No clue what she's even saying,
Can I go?
Staring at her, I wondered. Not that it was uncomfortable or anything.
...Just had places to be, y'know?
"No more to say? I'm gonna head out...?"
"Why ya keepin' it so formal? It's annoyin'. I look old to ya?"
"Nah, not that...?"
I fumbled, and she listened for a few seconds before thumping her chest in frustration, jabbing my pecs with her finger.
"Ya look about my age. Drop the polite crap."
"Y-Yeah?"
"Talk casual from now on, or I'll chew ya out."
"...Uh, yeah. Got it."
...Almost added the polite bit again, barely caught myself. She finally cracked a satisfied smile, looking chill.
"...So, can I go now?"
"Huh? Was I holdin' ya?"
"...Uh, yeah."
"Whoops, my bad! Sorry 'bout that!"
She acted like she had no idea, then waved me off like go do yer thing.
"Th-Thanks."
Freedom at last. The second she gave the okay, I bolted—
what the—
She was trailing me casual-like, that mysterious smirk on her face.
What the hell's her deal?!
All I could do was sneak peeks, too chicken to ask Yujin-style. Had to suck it up and keep moving with my schedule.
.
.
.
"...One, two, three."
Screeech.
"...Four, five, six."
Today was the upper body day I'd been waiting for—chest and shoulders specifically. Unlike legs, which I always dreaded, this was pure joy, happiness, bliss.
But right now? Most uncomfortable moment ever.
Why's she staring at me nonstop? Sure, Dang Sohye had said upfront to ignore her and do my thing,
How am I s'posed to?!
Unlike Yujin, who had zero clue how to handle this gal's (outwardly thuggish) attention—biggest he'd ever gotten in two lives—
Dang Sohye just kept observing, eyes sparkling.
Yeah, her interest was purely medical: how could operating waigong and neigong together mesh?
But Yujin couldn't know that, didn't wanna know. Just toughed out the awkwardness, couldn't even lift proper.
Unsatisfying back work done, Yujin plopped on a bench for a breather. Then a certain girl waddled up outta nowhere.
"Yer waigong is insane! Add neigong and ya'd split most masters in one hit!"
How come I'd never heard rumors of a martial artist like this? She squealed a bit, excited in front of him.
"Kinda figured, but... ya from the Pang or Huangbo clan? Their neigong methods are way different from ours. Mind showin' me once?"
"...Nah, can't."
"Oh, clan watchin'? No need for the full formula. I'll show ya mine too if ya want!"
"No, it's not that."
No malice in her face, unlike Heuk Ung. Her sparkling eyes screamed pure curiosity—Yujin clocked it right away.
But her question left him flustered anyway.
Yujin spilled the truth, sheepish.
"...I can't use neigong."
"What?"
She'd assumed he could, just asked his level. His answer blindsided her.
Whatever, people always reacted like that. No hard feelings—just brush it off.
Her pupils shook, caught off guard too.
She fidgeted, glanced around, then seemed to decide something and spoke up.
"Neigong? Pfft, who cares if ya ain't got much! World's fulla guys who got it but can't use it right. Nailing waigong is way bett—er... uh..."
Meant it as apology/comfort, but her dialect slipped in wrong.
She clapped a hand over her mouth, realizing.
I wasn't pissed—just wry smile.
Yeah, true. But wish folks got that some cling to it 'cause it's all they got.
"I wasn't thinkin'. Sorry."
Before I could say anything, her sincere apology hit.
Fresh feeling—unlike the Pang or Namgung scum who always sneered. Murim Alliance has decent folk too, I thought.
—But that was it. Didn't wanna tangle more with murim clan types.
"...Only thing I can do is this, so gotta stick to it."
Self-deprecating to shut down the chat.
"Hm."
But she just grinned like oh yeah? all satisfied, planting herself in front of me mid-lift.
"I don't think anyone's useless in the world. And I like folks who put in the work, whatever it is."
Her dimples caught the eye in that smile.
Yeah, she meant every word.
"So I'll make a world someday where ya don't need martial arts or workouts!"
Her version of comfort. She aimed for a world without discrimination by waigong or neigong, equal for all.
Never meant to downplay Yujin's grind. Exercise sucked anyway. —Far future, meds advance, no need for it.
She figured his pain was the same, forcing himself through hell.
...Tragic misfire. To a gym psycho like Yujin, it sounded like war.
"...Get rid... of exercise?"
"Yeah, why're yer eyes buggin' out? ...Kinda scary, dude."
"Why? Why get rid of exercise?!"
"Wha? 'Cause it's hard! Everyone strong without waigong—that's good, right...?"
"Exercise is how ya get strong! No it's not!!!"