Chapter 213: Useless Loyalty
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 213: Useless Loyalty
‘I’d made a mistake.’
That was Lee Wanyong’s first thought upon hearing Choi Seulgi’s words. He had visibly flinched the moment he heard the name Kim Taesung.
He had definitely heard it before. It was only a few times, but back in the settlement, the Alraune, Jung Hayeon, had occasionally called Blood Dagger by the name Taesung.
Though it was only for an instant, Choi Seulgi seemed to have stared right through him, catching the shift in his expression. The moment their eyes met, he felt as if he were being sucked into her gaze. He glanced to the side, where Jang Ye Ri spoke, her voice laced with curiosity.
“Well… it wouldn’t be difficult to run a background check… but I am curious as to why.”
Lee Wanyong quickly chimed in.
“Ah. People from Earth often search for acquaintances from their past. I imagine that’s the reason.”
“Yes. Mr. Wanyong is right.”
“Hmm. That does seem likely. As I was born here, a second-generation… In any case, I will grant your personal request. It will take some time, so feel free to wait here.”
“Thank you so much for being so considerate.”
For some reason, a chill ran down his spine as he looked at Choi Seulgi’s smiling face. He felt as if some strange energy was closing in on him. His lips went dry, and he found it hard to swallow.
Clink.
Jang Ye Ri had set down the teacup she was drinking from. He instantly felt the pressure lift. When he looked at Jang Ye Ri, she was watching Choi Seulgi with a look of genuine amusement.
“Do you have some business with my aide?”
“No, not at all. He just bears a striking resemblance to someone I once knew… Please excuse me. In that case, could you show me to a room where I can wait?”
“I will guide you myself.”
“Yes. Thank you. Perhaps the two of us could have a meal together…”
“I will join you.”
The deal was struck. However, Lee Wanyong could only watch Choi Seulgi and Jang Ye Ri leave with an uneasy feeling. He wasn’t sure why, but he had a nagging suspicion that the man Choi Seulgi was looking for was Blood Dagger.
And yet, amidst all these thoughts, Lee Wanyong’s mind turned to his own personal gain.
He knew of Choi Seulgi, of course. Having been in the settlement, he hadn’t been privy to much information, but he hadn’t completely cut himself off from the outside world. Since coming here, he had desperately gathered intelligence, so he had already crammed everything worth knowing into his head.
‘A talent comparable to the Queen of the North.’
‘A loyal subject sent from the heavens for the Queen of the North.’
‘A capable thief.’
She was known for her bright smile and kindness to all. She was deeply respected and could have easily built her own power base, yet she yielded everything to the Queen of the North. It was said to be no exaggeration that Choi Seulgi was responsible for forty percent of the Queen of the North's achievements. Whether in dungeon raids, monster hunts, or even PvP combat, she consistently demonstrated her prowess. Whether her loyalty was truly that profound or if she had some other motive, he couldn't say. But one thing was certain: Choi Seulgi, unlike him, was a person detached from the pursuit of power.
She had kept a low profile until now, but her involvement in something as significant as an alliance with the East suggested she was planning to expand her sphere of influence. Given her personality, she was unlikely to make the first move. Therefore, he reasoned, either the North was lacking personnel, or her personal objective of finding Kim Taesung was driving her.
Lee Wanyong's mind began to race.
He considered the possibility of siding with the North by telling Choi Seulgi he knew Kim Taesung.
However, the first problem was that he didn’t know what kind of relationship she had with Kim Taesung. Of course, it would be wonderful if they were happy lovers, but in the worst-case scenario, they could be mortal enemies. No, actually, the first problem was something else entirely.
‘The Kim Taesung she’s looking for might not be Blood Dagger.’
It was a logical thought. He couldn’t be sure, but there were probably quite a few humans in the East with the name Kim Taesung. Unlike his own name, it was a fairly common one.
His quality of life would likely improve if he went to the North, but he had no intention of making such a dangerous gamble. If he started at the bottom, he would be left shivering in the cold. He was currently establishing a firm position within the Blood Dagger Clan and had even earned the trust of the Witch of the East, Jang Ye Ri. The alliance with the North was also proceeding well, so with this contribution, he thought he might even be officially recognized as a Green Skin.
‘For now, keeping my mouth shut is the right answer.’
Feeling like a loyal subject, Lee Wanyong nodded to himself. No, the old Lee Wanyong was no more. He would be reborn as Green Skin Lee Wanyong and enjoy all the wealth and glory that came with it.
It was after a long and rather splendid meal that he headed to his room and lay down on the bed.
- Don’t move.
A chilling voice echoed in his mind.
- Move and you die. Scream and you die. Do anything and you die. Only move your fingers to answer my questions. One for yes, two for no.
‘Fucking hell… I knew things were going too well lately.’
Lee Wanyong swallowed hard. Harassing a city's diplomat was a clear diplomatic incident, but his assailant didn't seem to care. They clearly weren’t worried about the repercussions.
- You… you know Kim Taesung, don’t you?
The situation was dire, no matter how he looked at it. Lee Wanyong knew better than anyone that his own combat ability was mediocre at best. The strange pressure constricting his body told him he had no hope of escaping this unknown woman's grasp.
More than that, he couldn’t figure out how she had gotten in. He was weak, but he was extremely sensitive to danger. He also couldn't understand how she had gotten past the powerful warriors of the East guarding this room.
- Answer.
Lee Wanyong held up two fingers. For now, he would deny it. He was certain this woman couldn’t kill him here and now.
She might be strong, but this was the East. And Jang Ye Ri was just as strong. He didn’t know how she had infiltrated his room, but there was no way she could kill him. This act alone was more than enough to shatter the alliance.
If he were to die here, it was as clear as day that Choi Seulgi would be the first to be suspected. Since Jang Ye Ri knew she had directed a strange aura at him just before, Choi Seulgi would definitely be the prime suspect.
‘It’s a bluff.’
The death threat was clearly a bluff. Still, he hated himself for being unable to take the gamble and move. No, he thought, it was only natural that he couldn’t. The fear constricting his entire body was real.
- Really? You certainly looked like you knew… I really hate liars. I really do… I'll ask one more time. The Kim Taesung you know, is he about 177cm tall and very handsome? His eyebrows are a bit thick and his mouth is a little small. Monolid eyes of average size, a swordsman who uses a one-handed sword. Weak, but somewhat righteous. Answer.
‘Fuck…’
The question was predicated on the assumption that he already knew. One thing he could be certain of was that the Kim Taesung this woman was looking for was completely different from the one he knew. The description didn’t match Blood Dagger’s appearance at all. There was a high probability that Blood Dagger had once been human, but of course, Lee Wanyong had no idea what he looked like back then.
He desperately raised two trembling fingers, and the voice immediately followed.
- So it's true…
‘It’s true… please…’
- Hmm… We don't have any problems, right?
Lee Wanyong desperately raised one finger. He just wanted to get out of this situation as quickly as possible. Of course, he planned to lodge a formal protest over this. He would stick close to Jang Ye Ri and pressure her. He would make this woman regret ever tormenting him.
Then, a somewhat sinister voice spoke.
- Still… just in case… this is a warning.
In an instant, a dagger was embedded in his stomach. He felt as if his entire body was being torn apart and tried to scream, but strangely, no sound came out. The sensation of the dagger—in his eyes, his ears, and especially his guts—was horrifying. He even began to feel his brain being scrambled.
‘Aaaaaaaaaargh! Aaaaaaaargh!’
He wanted to scream, but the bizarre sensation of the sound only echoing inside his own head made it impossible to stay sane. His bed was soaked in blood, and his body was being turned into a mangled wreck that could no longer be called human. He was being reduced to a slab of meat that not even a butcher would sell.
The most absurd part was that he was watching all of this from a third-person perspective. The pain was real. But his mind was clear. No matter how he screamed and cried for help, his voice would never leave his mouth.
As he was screaming in agony, Choi Seulgi’s voice came once more.
- This is our little secret. Got it?
“Ugh… Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Lee Wanyong screamed like a madman and shot up from the bed.
“Haa… haa… haa… haa…”
He frantically checked his body and face with his hands, but there wasn't a single wound.
“F… Fucking hell… Wh… What the fuck is this… fuck…”
His entire body was drenched in sweat. Feeling as if he had just woken from a nightmare, Lee Wanyong continued to check his body over and over.
“What’s wrong?”
The one who knocked and entered the room was another of the East's powerful warriors, Park Han Cheol. It seemed he had come to check after hearing the sudden scream. Lee Wanyong muttered, his voice barely a whisper.
“Wh… Where is Choi Seulgi…”
“She is currently having a meal with Lady Jang Ye Ri. It seems they have much to discuss.”
“R… Really?”
This was insane. He could hardly comprehend what was happening. He looked at the clock; not even ten minutes had passed since he had entered the room.
He felt as if he had been held captive for over three hours.
‘Damn it…’
As he kept clutching his head, Park Han Cheol spoke.
“It seems there’s a problem. I will call a priest for you.”
“N… No. I’m… I’m fine, Sir Park Han Cheol…”
She was a dangerous woman. Lee Wanyong slowly spoke to Park Han Cheol.
“Um… has there been any contact from the South?”
“They sent a specific date.”
“Th… Then when will I…”
“You will probably be able to return to the settlement soon.”
Lee Wanyong heaved a great sigh of relief. He didn't want to be with that woman for even one more minute, one more second. Having to be around her while she searched for some human named Kim Taesung or Kim Fucking-sung was absolute torture.
Though its inhabitants weren't human, the safest place was none other than the Brother's Land. The Orcs were rough, but not to the point of threatening his life, and Blood Dagger never bothered him as long as he did his job properly.
‘This place is dangerous.’
Without realizing it, Lee Wanyong found himself thinking of the safe, warm embrace of Blood Dagger.