Chapter 279
Chapter 279
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 279
Chapter Title: The Trap
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“These are fake spiderwebs, aren’t they?”
Jongjeong-yak stood on her tiptoes and touched the webs clinging to the wall.
They looked like spiderwebs, but they were actually intricate fakes made of cotton.
“Does a manor like this really need such a sophisticated trap?”
A sense of foreboding crept into her mind.
A secret passage was one thing, but an ordinary manor wouldn't go to such lengths for camouflage.
Jongjeong-yak hesitated to enter.
“What are you doing? Let’s go.”
But Neung Jo-un, showing no caution whatsoever, sniffled and ducked into the passage.
*He’s learned nothing, even after what happened at the Ugang Escort Agency.*
With a deep sigh, she had no choice but to follow him inside.
*Step, step.*
With each step, mechanisms under the floor rumbled, and torches on the walls lit up automatically.
When they finally reached a stone chamber at the end of the passage, they were greeted by the sight of a storeroom filled with various treasures.
The wooden box that had contained the Zisodan was placed on a smoothly carved, square stone.
A transparent glass cover was placed over it.
“Found it.”
Neung Jo-un approached the box containing the Zisodan and carefully surveyed the surroundings.
After pressing his ear to the floor and touching the glass cover, his expression turned to one of dismay.
“Damn, there’s a mechanism.”
He clicked his tongue, pointing at the flat stone where the wooden box rested.
“It seems they’ve set a device that will sound an alarm the moment the box is moved.”
“Can you disable it?”
“I’ll have to try.”
*Click.*
Neung Jo-un took out a small wooden case from his robes.
Inside were various tools used for disarming mechanisms.
“I don’t think we need to bother with that.”
Just then, Bu Eun-seol, who had been staring into the air, shook his head.
He then removed the glass cover and promptly snatched up the wooden box.
“Wait! What are you doing!”
Neung Jo-un jumped in alarm, but strangely, the mechanism did not activate.
*Click.*
And when he opened the wooden box, it was empty.
“What’s going on?”
When Jongjeong-yak asked, Bu Eun-seol looked at the ceiling and said.
“It was a trap, after all.”
“A trap?”
“It seems they knew you were still tracking the Zisodan. So they lured you to this manor once again.”
“How did you know?”
Bu Eun-seol pointed to the air.
“Because a battle is unfolding above us.”
Jongjeong-yak and Neung Jo-un exchanged looks of disbelief.
*Can he hear what’s happening above from this deep underground storeroom?*
*Tat-tat-tat-tak.*
Jongjeong-yak and Neung Jo-un used their movement techniques to rush back toward the exit.
When they finally emerged from the storeroom, they saw Martial Alliance warriors engaged in a bloody battle with unknown assassins.
No, it couldn’t be called a battle.
The assassins numbered over a hundred. They had surrounded the warriors in a circle, bombarding them with hidden weapons and poisons.
They were slaughtering the warriors like cornered rats.
“You bastards!”
Enraged, Jongjeong-yak and Neung Jo-un immediately drew their swords.
They unleashed their sword techniques toward the surrounding assassins.
*Clang!*
But something surprising happened.
The assassins moved in perfect unison, effortlessly blocking Jongjeong-yak and Neung Jo-un’s attacks.
*These are different from the assassins we saw before.*
Jongjeong-yak’s face turned pale.
The assassins hiding within the Song Family Manor were incomparably stronger than the ones they had faced at the Ugang Escort Agency.
And there were far more of them…
At this rate, they would have no choice but to surrender their lives.
“Retreat! Retreat!”
Jongjeong-yak desperately unleashed her sword techniques, fighting the assassins to save her warriors.
She intended to sacrifice herself to save the new recruits who had just finished their training.
But that was a vain hope.
Though she fought with all her might, the warriors surrounded by the assassins fell with devastating ease.
*Is this the end?*
Despair clouded Jongjeong-yak’s eyes.
In truth, the Zisodan incident was no simple theft.
She had uncovered evidence that someone within the Martial Alliance had been smuggling elixirs for a long time.
And the culprit was likely someone high up in the Martial Alliance leadership.
She had received permission to investigate the elixir theft, but she had faced pressure several times.
Fortunately, with her position as a Law Enforcement Captain and the help of the Head of Hwamilwon, she had barely managed to get approval… but she was given a half-baked investigation team of rookie warriors.
*This was a trap to get rid of me from the very beginning.*
She finally realized it.
All of this had been a trap to kill her.
*I just wanted to solve this one case.*
Her obsession with this case wasn’t born of a sense of justice, but purely from ambition.
Because she came from a powerless family, she had constantly faced injustice and contempt. It was the same even after she attained the rank of Law Enforcement Captain.
But what if she could expose the corruption of the Martial Alliance's high-ranking officials? What if she could get the evidence?
She would be able to achieve another meteoric promotion, and no one would ever be able to look down on her again.
But in the end, the investigation ended in failure, and now she was about to be killed by these nameless assassins.
*Chiiii!*
At that moment, a black mist spread in all directions.
They had released a poison mist to subdue the fiercely resisting Jongjeong-yak and Neung Jo-un.
“Ugh.”
Holding her breath, she tried to break through the encirclement with her sword.
But the assassins calmly blocked her attacks, sticking to her like ghosts.
Gradually, she began to suffocate, and her vision turned dark.
*It’s all over.*
Just as she was about to loosen her grip on her sword hilt,
*KWAAAAH!*
A fierce whirlwind blew in, scattering the poison mist that had obscured their vision into the sky.
Simultaneously, a strange force spread out in all directions, pushing the attacking assassins back more than a dozen paces.
“Hold on tight.”
Then, a firm hand grasped hers.
*Fwoosh!*
For a moment, she thought her mouth would rip apart.
The sudden rush of air was so strong that it blew into her mouth, exposing her gums.
“Aah.”
When she opened the eyes she had squeezed shut, she found herself out of the Song Family Manor and in a quiet forest.
And Bu Eun-seol, his sword wrapped in bandages, was holding her arm and looking at her calmly.
“What happened?”
To Jongjeong-yak’s question, Bu Eun-seol replied nonchalantly.
“The assassins were spreading poison, so it seemed there was no other way. I made an immediate escape.”
Her mind went blank.
Was he the one who had blown away the poison mist in a single breath?
And his movement skill to escape the Song Family Manor… wasn't this completely beyond common sense?
“How can a high-ranked mercenary…”
“Movement techniques are my specialty.”
Still dazed, Jongjeong-yak asked with a bewildered expression.
“What about Deputy Neung?”
“He is fighting hard, but it won’t be easy. There are too many assassins.”
“What did you say!”
Unable to contain her bewilderment, she jumped up.
Why had he escaped with only her?
“We have to save him!”
“I told you. The person I am escorting is you and you alone.”
“So because your escort duty is limited to me… you only saved me?”
“That is correct.”
In truth, Bu Eun-seol could have saved not only Jongjeong-yak but all the warriors.
But to subdue over a hundred assassins at once, he would have to reveal the full extent of his martial prowess.
If he fought with the skills of a high-ranked mercenary, Jongjeong-yak would eventually be captured. He would have to give up on his plan to use her to enter the Martial Alliance.
After careful consideration, Bu Eun-seol had chosen to feign exceptional movement skills and rescue only her.
“We have to save Deputy Neung!”
“It’s too late for him.”
Jongjeong-yak’s face turned white.
Neung Jo-un was her deputy, a colleague, and a friend she had known since she joined the Martial Alliance.
“I can’t leave him behind.”
Biting her lip, Jongjeong-yak looked in the direction of the Song Family Manor and said.
“I will save him, even if it means my death.”
“You mean to commit suicide?”
“Even if I die, I have to try!”
Bu Eun-seol looked surprised.
Those who are as ambitious as her tend to be attached to their lives and lack loyalty.
But she was different in one aspect: her loyalty to her comrades was deep.
*It would be best to get a clear grasp of what kind of person she is.*
Having made up his mind, Bu Eun-seol decided to test Jongjeong-yak one more time.
“Very well, then I will retrieve the Zisodan for you.”
“How?”
“I told you I am confident in my movement techniques. In the current chaos, I should be able to sneak into the Song Family Manor and steal the Zisodan.”
“What about Deputy Neung?”
He paused for a moment, then put on a serious expression.
“I am unwilling to risk my life to save him. Just wait here for a little while. I will secure the Zisodan discreetly.”
Then he added coldly.
“If you want to risk your life to save him, do it yourself. I will wash my hands of this matter.”
“What did you say?”
“I am a mercenary who works for money. I don’t want to risk my life in vain for the sake of loyalty.”
Someone blinded by ambition would not care about a comrade’s life.
They certainly wouldn't attempt a reckless rescue that was bound to fail even if they risked their life.
“Of course, the Zisodan is important.”
But a desperate yet firm voice came from Jongjeong-yak’s lips.
“But Deputy Neung’s life is more important to me.”
She was saying that her comrade’s life was more precious than her own advancement.
“Nothing is more important than your own life.”
“You have considerable martial skill, yet I see now why you work as a mercenary.”
Jongjeong-yak glared at Bu Eun-seol with eyes full of contempt, then turned away.
“Live the rest of your life cowering like a turtle!”
“You are determined to throw your life away?”
“Living cowardly like you, you might safely reach sixty. But the rest of your life will be filled with misery and regret!”
After shouting vehemently, Jongjeong-yak ran toward the manor without hesitation.
“Hmm.”
Watching her, a strange smile appeared on Bu Eun-seol’s face.
He had thought she was the type to step on anyone to get ahead, but she turned out to be a person of unexpected integrity.
*Thump!*
Bu Eun-seol lightly flicked his finger.
*Swish!*
A soft, sticky finger wind grazed past Jongjeong-yak’s Fengfu point. Instantly, her body from the neck down was paralyzed, and she couldn't move.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Frozen like a statue, she rolled her large eyes toward Bu Eun-seol as he approached.
“Why did you strike my pressure points?”
“Stay here. I will bring him back.”
“What did you say?”
“I’m telling you to wait here while I save him. You’ll only be a hindrance.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Release my pressure points, now!”
As Jongjeong-yak shouted, Bu Eun-seol sighed and said.
“Since you said you’d give up the Zisodan, I have no choice but to save him.”
“…”
“As I said, my movement techniques are quite fast. But if you join in, I won’t be able to save him.”
For a moment, Jongjeong-yak recalled how Bu Eun-seol had carried her from the manor to the forest in a single breath.
With that mercenary’s movement technique, it truly seemed possible to save Neung Jo-un.
“If you go alone, can you really save Deputy Neung?”
Her gaze was pleading, but Bu Eun-seol’s eyes were devoid of any emotion.
“Yes.”
It was a cold and heartless gaze, yet at the same time, it was dependable and reassuring.
*If it’s this man…*
In truth, it was impossible to break through the encirclement of so many assassins and rescue Neung Jo-un with superior movement techniques alone.
But trust flickered in Jongjeong-yak’s eyes.
Because if this mercenary said he could do it, it felt like it would truly be possible.
Besides, hadn’t he just saved her with his incredible movement skills a moment ago?
“Alright. I’ll wait here quietly, so release my pressure points.”
As Jongjeong-yak’s gaze calmed, Bu Eun-seol nodded.
“Very well.”
*Pak.*
With a light flick of his finger wind, the paralysis below her neck vanished.
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol, who had been standing before her, was gone.
***
Inside the Song Family Manor.
The corpses of the Martial Alliance warriors were scattered everywhere.
The assassins had subdued the only survivor, Neung Jo-un, striking his pressure points and forcing him to his knees.
“What in the world. I gave a clear order to capture her.”
The one who appeared to be the leader of the assassins spoke in a frustrated voice.
They had trapped her in poison mist and surrounded her without any gaps.
But suddenly, the man in grey clothes next to Jongjeong-yak had unleashed a powerful gust of wind and escaped with incredible speed.
“Where did that woman go?”
The lead assassin pointed his sword at the neck of the kneeling Neung Jo-un and said.
“Speak, or you die.”
“You’ve been tracking her so well until now, why ask me?”
The eyes of the kneeling Neung Jo-un glinted.
“So this is as far as your trap was planned. You have no plan for what comes after.”
“If you understand the situation, then talk.”
The leader kicked Neung Jo-un hard in the face.
Blood trickled from various parts of Neung Jo-un’s body as he fell in the dust. Wounds that had clotted and staunched the bleeding burst open again.
“Kill me.”
Neung Jo-un lifted his head again with a fearless and dignified expression.
“You’re all dead men anyway.”
“What did you say?”
“How dare you brutally slaughter warriors of our Alliance. Do you really think you can set foot in the martial world after this?”
“Hahaha. The brat knows nothing.”
The leader pointed his poisoned sword at Neung Jo-un and spoke coldly.
“Even if we cut off the heads of hundreds of small fries like you, it will do us no harm. Do you understand what that means?”
For a moment, Neung Jo-un’s gaze wavered.
Judging by the man's confident expression and gaze, he didn't seem to be lying.
What kind of assassin clan would not fear the Martial Alliance?
“Well, since there’s no other way, she’ll eventually return to the Martial Alliance.”
At that moment, the leader raised his sword.
“We’ll just have to wait on the road and kill her then.”
He looked down at Neung Jo-un with murderous eyes.
“As for you, just die…”
Just as the raised poison sword was about to strike Neung Jo-un’s neck,
*Creeak.*
The manor gate opened, and,
*Step, step.*
a man in grey clothes slowly walked through the open gate.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
“It’s that bastard from before.”
The leader looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Why would someone who went through all the trouble of escaping come back? And alone, at that.
“Where is the Zisodan?”
Bu Eun-seol, looking at the assassins with a bored expression, said in a low voice.
“Bring me the Zisodan, and I’ll let you live.”
The assassins, who had been staring blankly at Bu Eun-seol for a long moment,
“Hahahaha!”
burst into laughter at the absurdity.
Neung Jo-un also looked at Bu Eun-seol with a bewildered expression.
If he had escaped with Jongjeong-yak, he should have left the area quickly. Why did he come back alone to do something so foolish?
“Is Captain Jongjeong-yak safe?”
At Neung Jo-un’s question, a faint smile graced Bu Eun-seol’s lips.
Even when facing his own death, his first concern was for Jongjeong-yak.
*They’re both loyal.*
“She is safe.”
“Then why did you come back?”
“She said she had to save you, even if it meant giving up her own life.”
Hearing Bu Eun-seol’s answer, Neung Jo-un was moved, but shook his head.
“So you came alone? To die together?”
“My movement techniques are quite fast.”
*Ping.*
But then, something strange happened.
Bu Eun-seol suddenly flicked his finger, striking one of Neung Jo-un’s vital points in an instant.
“Huh?”
Looking down at his chest where the finger wind had struck, Neung Jo-un had a look of confusion.
Why would that man strike his vital points?
“Why…”
With that one word, Neung Jo-un’s eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
Bu Eun-seol looked down at Neung Jo-un, who had passed out with his face in the dirt.
Perhaps because he had risen to a high position at a young age, he was steeped in authoritarianism, arrogant, and inflexible.
But he did not fear death and prioritized the life of his superior.
For that reason alone, he thought it was worth extending a hand to save him.
“I’ll give you one more chance.”
Bu Eun-seol looked at the assassins and said.
“Hand over the Zisodan, and I’ll let you live.”
“He’s insane.”
The lead assassin let out a dry laugh at Bu Eun-seol, then pointed to his own chest.
“The Zisodan is here. Take it, if you can.”
“I see.”
The leader’s chest was bulging. Realizing his words were not a lie, Bu Eun-seol let out a deep sigh.
“You never intended to get rid of the Zisodan.”
Having grasped the whole situation, Bu Eun-seol looked at the assassins surrounding him and nodded.
“The Zisodan was the payment for hiring you. Isn’t that right?”
“…”
“The entire Zisodan theft incident was a trap to kill her.”
From the Ugang Escort Agency to Milmil City, and then to the Song Family Manor.
The process of tracking the stolen Zisodan had been absurdly simple.
From the very beginning, the Zisodan theft was bait to lure Jongjeong-yak out of the Martial Alliance and kill her.
“A bastard who shouldn’t be left alive.”
The leader nodded at his subordinates.
*Tsk-tsk-tsk.*
At his signal, the hundred or so assassins formed a large circle, surrounding Bu Eun-seol.
Since he claimed to be fast, they intended to encircle him tightly without giving him a chance to escape and kill him.
But something was strange.
The mercenary wasn't even thinking of running away; he was just watching them leisurely.
*Ugh, ughh…*
Moreover, the expressions of the assassins surrounding him grew increasingly distorted.
They were the ones doing the surrounding, but it suddenly felt as if the black specter of death was clinging to their backs.
And their bodies would no longer move.
The fear of death.
An unknown, inexplicable terror was freezing their bodies solid.
“I don’t have time, so…”
As Bu Eun-seol looked down at the assassins with a bored expression, a bloody light flickered in his eyes.
“I’ll end this quickly.”