Tracking
Yuseong thought the butterfly painting looked simple at first glance.
But when he was climbing the stairs, he hadn't noticed it.
It wasn't that he hadn't recognized it. There was no doubt about it. It had to be something new, something that had appeared while he was treating his patients.
"Why?"
Tang Harin asked, watching the butterfly painting closely.
Yuseong didn't answer right away. Instead, he carefully pieced together the clues in his mind.
The butterfly painting was drawn with ink. The wings were completely painted black.
And this was the theft scene where his own scent had vanished.
"He left a black butterfly mark at the theft scene, didn't he?"
He had heard that from Oh Moonju's information.
Combining everything, the conclusion was clear.
"That woman is connected to him somehow."
He recalled her appearance.
Messy hair tied back. Soot smeared all over her face that it was hard to make out her features.
But her build was easy to remember.
She was small and had a young, mature woman's voice. If not for that, she might have been mistaken for a boy.
She knew martial arts, too...
It was probably her or one of her disciples.
"I'll find her."
It needed to happen quickly.
During that time, he couldn't use the scent. That was already a blow.
And he had heard that the thief was roaming the entire country stealing heavenly meteorite stones.
"If she slips away too late and disappears far away, it's a problem."
Then the tracking scent wouldn't work at all.
The Chinese landmass was just too vast.
---
At the Murim Alliance.
It was late, and most people had already gone home. But a few departments still had people working.
Given their nature, the Military Department and the Clinic always had a few staff on duty.
"Harin, you said there were several spirits, right?"
"Yeah, when I checked earlier, they were raising a few. I can probably borrow one."
"Then head to the Clinic and borrow some spirits. I'll tell the Military Department to approve it. I'll go to the Military Department myself."
"The Military Department?"
"Even this is external activity, so I should report it. I need manpower support too."
I need to borrow a spirit capable of using the tracking scent, and in addition to the Clinic's guards, I need warrior support as well.
As Yuseong issued hurried instructions, Physician Cha asked cautiously.
"However, Doctor Yuseong... is it really necessary to search so late at night for just a butterfly? Or is there a chance to wait until morning..."
"Ah..."
Yuseong finally looked around.
Physician Cha looked at him as if he had a headache, and the two Clinic guards had expressions full of suspicion.
"Right, they wouldn't know how precious those heavenly meteorite needles are."
Yuseong had never explained the power of the needles to others.
The Orharcon that reacted only to holy power, that was the heavenly meteorite. There was no way for ordinary people to use it anyway.
"How hard is it to make them? These are needles that Yuseong cherishes the most. Of course I have to find them!"
Tang Harin placed both hands on her hips and declared.
The needles made temporarily for Yuseong's sake, halting weapons production at the Sichuan Tang Clan for a moment.
Tang Harin knew how much Yuseong treasured those needles, even if she didn't understand their power.
Physician Cha's eyes widened in shock, and he nodded vigorously.
"Right, I get it. Those needles were tempting every time I saw them. Ah, I didn't mean to say they were for sale, just that they looked precious. Don't misunderstand me. If I can reach them, I'll help. What should I do?"
Yuseong told him exactly what to do.
"Physician Cha, please go rest. This is my responsibility, so I'll handle the rest."
"Aww, even I can be useful..."
"Resting is helping us. I'll go to the Military Department now."
"I'll go to the Clinic too!"
The spot where Tang Harin and Yuseong had left.
Physician Cha sat down and held his head.
"Ugh... I shouldn't have called it a butterfly."
The needles that Yuseong cherished the most.
He had said something disrespectful about them.
Feeling guilty, as if he had offended someone, Physician Cha made his way back to his quarters alone.
"I still have a long way to go."
---
When Yuseong arrived at the Military Department.
"No, Doctor Yuseong, what business do you have here at this hour?"
One of the captains recognized him and asked in surprise.
"I have a matter. Do you happen to have the Deputy Captain or the Chief Captain here?"
The Military Department staff often worked overtime. If one of the two was available, it would be best, but he knew Jegal Yeong-yeong's location too, so knowing the place would help.
But.
"Eh? Everyone is in an urgent meeting right now?"
A few captains remained, but Tae Jeong-heon and Jegal Yeong-yeong were not present.
Each was taking the positions of Deputy Captain and Chief Captain, respectively, and were attending the meeting.
"It would be too early to report according to procedure right now."
It was deep in the night. The thief might not have left Luoyang yet.
But if retrieving the needle was delayed, it was impossible to know when the thief would leave.
Yuseong made his decision.
"No choice. This is a preliminary action."
He had no intention of running out recklessly.
Receiving extra manpower support outside the Clinic would be impossible.
So there was only one person he could rely on right now.
---
A short while later.
The white cat-like spirit had a string tied around its neck, and Tang Harin held the string, leading the way.
The spirit began sniffing and dashing in one direction.
"This way. Can you follow?"
Tang Harin ran alongside him and glanced back at Yuseong.
"This should be fine."
The speed wasn't enough to keep up with light body techniques, but Yuseong, with his good stamina, could manage.
Two Transcendence masters from the Clinic's guards and Namgung Yurin followed closely behind Yuseong.
The guard, Go Dong-jin, who had accompanied him from the Namgung Clan before, looked at him with concern.
"If you're tired, please tell me anytime."
"Thank you."
"However, why did the Doctor come out here where it's dangerous even though the Murim Alliance is here?"
Even in Luoyang with the Murim Alliance, there could be hidden expert assassins from the Demonic Cult.
That was what Go Dong-jin was worried about.
But.
"Having me along would be safer."
"Of course, with the Doctor here, we can fight better..."
He was thinking about a buff, but also that protecting the Doctor would make it harder.
It was probably difficult to understand.
Yuseong exchanged glances with Namgung Yurin.
The others didn't know, but at this moment, Namgung Yurin had the highest martial skill.
With her special technique, she could temporarily surpass a Transcendence master in an instant.
And that was a secret she could only use when Yuseong was with her.
"Harin is helping too. I can't just back out alone."
The Poison Master cherished by the Tang Clan.
Since she didn't go on external missions, she had followed to communicate with the spirit.
It would be troublesome if only Tang Harin and the Clinic guards were sent and something happened.
"And if she really left far away, I wouldn't chase anymore."
"I understand. Just don't do anything dangerous."
Go Dong-jin warned them seriously.
The group continued running.
Soon the spirit had left the bustling streets and entered a remote mountain path.
"...Doctor, shouldn't we turn back now?"
"Hmm... which direction is this path?"
"Luoyang direction."
Yuseong sighed.
He had hoped the thief would stay in Luoyang City, but the path had already turned into a mountain trail.
Was this not a signal that she was going very far?
"She's gone..."
"Wait."
Tang Harin suddenly picked up the spirit and made a strange sound upon hearing a low murmur.
Ssssst-
"..."
The group stared strangely, but the spirit ignored them.
The spirit's yellow eyes stared fixedly at Tang Harin.
Then it sniffed.
Ssssst-
The spirit sniffed again.
As if they were communicating.
Tang Harin looked at Yuseong and said.
"It seems not much longer now."
"Seriously? Are they talking?"
"No, it's not talking. It's trained. By making a special sound, they can guess the distance by sniffing. Maybe... it's not much longer. What do we do?"
The group waited for Yuseong's opinion.
Good news: they weren't far from here.
After a moment of thought, abandoning it now would be a shame.
"Just a little further. Then confirm once more. If it's even farther, I'll give up."
"Got it."
The group took a new direction and ran.
The spirit ran faster once on the mountain path, and soon Yuseong was panting.
"Huff huff..."
No matter how good his stamina, it was impossible to stay fresh without inner energy.
"Shall I carry you?"
A cautious voice transmission from Namgung Yurin.
Yuseong's pride and the others present made it seem like she was asking secretly.
Yuseong blushed and shook his head.
Even if he did, carrying by a woman...
Fortunately, Go Dong-jin spoke up.
"Carry me instead."
"...Please."
Yuseong, who felt sorry for having no Danjeon today, obediently let himself be carried by Go Dong-jin.
They continued running after the spirit.
A wild mountain cliff greeted the group.
"Should we climb here?"
Go Dong-jin looked up at the cliff and scanned the surroundings.
He seemed to be looking for a way up.
Tang Harin communicated with the spirit once more.
"It doesn't seem like that. It's nearby."
"There's nothing here, is there?"
"I clearly said it's here."
Go Dong-jin knocked on the cliff.
Only a deep, hollow sound echoed inside.
"Probably not the right place after all?"
Yuseong recalled several possibilities.
The spirit might have led them wrong.
The thief might have used some special method to lose them.
And the last possibility.
"Could it be an array?"
---