Anyone Can Be Ambushed
“Anyone can be ambushed.”
“M-Mother! There's no need to listen to that villain's nonsense!” Nangong Hwaran cried out urgently.
Yi So-ok was the matriarch of the Nangong family, one of the pillars of the righteous factions. It was only natural that associating with such riffraff would tarnish her dignity.
But Yi So-ok seemed to have other ideas.
“Let's hear what he has to say first.”
“Mother!”
—We need to find out who's behind this.
“……”
Nangong Hwaran's mouth snapped shut at the sound of Yi So-ok's telepathic message ringing in her ears. It was a reason she couldn't argue with.
“But we still need to tidy up the situation, don't we?”
Yi So-ok's sharp gaze fixed on Bang So-un.
Bang So-un tossed his weapon aside and raised both hands as if to say he understood.
“Everyone, drop your weapons!”
“……”
The others reluctantly followed suit, lowering their arms and raising their hands.
Only then did Yi So-ok curl her lips in approval.
“Subdue them and drag them before me, Hwaran.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Nangong Hwaran strode forward without hesitation and sealed Bang So-un's pressure points. Drained of strength, he collapsed to the ground.
Seeing this, Yi So-ok nodded toward Hyol Su Pappa.
Hyol Su Pappa moved instantly, striking the pressure points of Jang Il and the three female super peak experts.
Jang Il and the three women crumpled to the floor as well.
In the meantime, Nangong Hwaran dragged Bang So-un over.
Thud!
Bang So-un's body hit the ground like trash.
“Oof. Can't you handle me a little more gently?”
“Hmph, what a shameless bastard.”
Yi So-ok snorted derisively. It wasn't bad. If they were going to be worked like dogs or horses, better to have useful ones.
But.
They couldn't be trusted.
There was no way she could trust the words of scum like this.
However.
There are ways to deal with that.
Yi So-ok twisted her lips into a sinister smile.
Gu Du—the poison bug, literally.
Not ordinary poison, but a lethal and special one.
Once introduced into the body, it parasitized near the heart. No special symptoms at first. For a fortnight.
But exactly after a fortnight, it unleashed excruciating agony for seven days and nights.
Without the antidote during that time, the victim writhed in torment until death.
And it cycled every fortnight.
No antidote meant a painful death every cycle.
Utterly different from normal poisons. That's why it was special.
Perfect for forcing untrustworthy foes into submission.
With their life tied to periodic antidote doses, obedience was inevitable.
However.
No one in the righteous Murim would use Gu Du.
Not even the Sichuan Tang family, masters of poison manipulation, knew how to cultivate it.
It was a forbidden secret passed down only in the Demon Cult, in utmost secrecy.
For Yi So-ok, the Nangong matriarch, to possess such a thing? The world would turn upside down.
But that would never happen.
“First, speak. Your name, status, and affiliation.”
Yi So-ok fired the opening question.
In that instant.
Bang So-un's face twisted in abject terror, his eyes darting wildly. Sweat poured down his face.
The very picture of a man crushed by overwhelming fear.
Bang So-un convulsed like a madman.
Thick curiosity bloomed on Yi So-ok's face.
This was no act. Genuine, severe panic.
For a force in the righteous-dominated Murim to terrify someone this much? Not a known one.
A shadowy power. And not just any.
Interesting.
Yi So-ok's lips curved upward. She could definitely exploit this.
She leaned down. Then slapped him without mercy.
Crack!
Bang So-un's head whipped around, nearly snapping his neck. His cheek ballooned instantly.
Only then did sanity flicker back into his crazed eyes.
“Feeling better now?”
Bang So-un managed a grateful rasp.
Yi So-ok gave a cold snort and spoke again.
“I get the gist. So use telepathy.”
“……I don't know telepathy.”
“What?”
A peak expert who could hold off Nangong Hwaran for a moment didn't know telepathy? What nonsense was this?
“……I stubbornly refused to learn, insisting words must come from the mouth.”
What kind of guy was this?
Yi So-ok narrowed her eyes.
“Wh-Whisper… so quietly no one else hears.”
Bang So-un said cautiously, still terrified.
“Hmph, fine.”
Irritated but curious about the backing, Yi So-ok leaned closer, bringing her ear to his lips.
Her mind focused solely on his words.
“My affiliation and status is……”
“……”
“Speak quickly.”
Yi So-ok scowled.
“S-Sorry. My heart's pounding… I'll speak.”
“……”
Geum……”
Geum?
Yi So-ok concentrated fiercely on the next word.
In that moment.
Squelch!
Scorching pain erupted in her back.
Only upon seeing the blade protruding from her abdomen did she realize it was a sword stabbing through her.
Crimson blood dripped from the blade.
Yi So-ok's face filled with massive shock.
“Y-You… why?!”
She had no choice but to be stunned.
The blade was Nangong Hwaran's sword.
The sword of her own beloved daughter.
“M-M-My lady!”
Hyol Su Pappa cried out in alarm, rushing to save her too late.
“No time—release the pressure points first!” Bang So-un shouted.
“Yes, Master.”
The words delivered a second massive shock to Yi So-ok. Her eyes shook wildly, as if she'd lost her mind.
“Guh… guhk……”
She tried to rally her body, but the grievous wound refused to obey.
Drip.
Blood endlessly poured from her mouth.
Meanwhile, Nangong Hwaran moved without hesitation, releasing the seals.
Starting with Bang So-un, then the three female experts and Jang Il.
Hyol Su Pappa supported Yi So-ok in the interim.
“M-My lady! My lady!”
Her hands trembled like aspen leaves from the shock. It showed just how vital Yi So-ok was to her.
The sword pierced her abdomen.
But Hyol Su Pappa couldn't pull it out recklessly. Removing the blade, which was staunching the wound, would cause blood to gush out, ending her life.
“I'll get you out right now!”
Hyol Su Pappa scooped her up to flee.
“Don't let her escape!”
But Bang So-un wasn't about to allow that.
The three female experts and Jang Il lunged like hunting dogs after prey.
“Kuhk!”
Hyol Su Pappa unleashed her full lightness skill.
But burdened with cargo, she couldn't outrun Yeon Su-rin, wielder of the peerless Flying Swallow Technique.
Yeon Su-rin blocked her path first.
Hyol Su Pappa halted unwillingly. The three peak experts closed in behind.
She couldn't withstand them.
“The lady's in danger! The lady's in danger!”
Hyol Su Pappa's desperate roar echoed, but Bang So-un had already calculated it wouldn't carry far enough.
“Mmph!”
Her mouth was finally sealed.
That was the end.
“Fuck, shit, that hurt like hell.”
Whether anger overrode the joy of the upset victory, Bang So-un rubbed his battered cheek and cursed.
His desperate act had worked, but the beating still stung. Infuriating.
“This bitch is gonna get it rough. Move her over there first.”
“B-But she'll die like this?”
Jang Il pointed out the priority with surprising calm.
As if in response, Yi So-ok shuddered, vomiting more blood.
“……”
“……”
“Shit! Sa-Save her! Save her somehow!”
Bang So-un finally panicked.
“Good thing she's super peak.”
Yeon Su-rin said.
They'd extracted the sword, stanched the bleeding, and given top emergency care.
An ordinary person would be dead already.
But Yi So-ok wasn't ordinary. A super peak expert.
With tenacious vitality even peak experts couldn't match.
He'd experienced just how stubborn super peak life force was against the Soul-Chasing Death Ghost.
“Cleanup's the priority now.”
Jang Il spoke sensibly for once. Instinctive crisis awareness kicking in—screw up, and lives were over.
“Yeah, we can't let word of this wound get out.”
Bang So-un nodded gravely.
They'd had no choice but to use Nangong Hwaran's unexpected card. No room for mercy.
Hence the severe injury.
It averted disaster, but created a headache.
“We need a physician, young master.”
Yeon Su-rin advised gravely.
“A female one, yeah.”
Jang Il added.
“No, no. Witnesses are unavoidable then. Could get traced.”
Bang So-un clutched his forehead in agony.
“Damn, should've brought Go-eui even if busy. Then… Wait?!”
Regretting mentioning Go-eui, he suddenly widened his eyes as an idea hit.
“R-Right! That's it! We have that!”
Bang So-un shouted excitedly.
The special elixir Go-eui had offered for life-or-death crises: Resurrection Pill.
No true resurrection power, but Go-eui swore immense efficacy.
Rare ingredients and time-intensive, but he'd finally completed a few last time.
This coincidence was a miracle.
Bang So-un hurriedly pulled the pouch from his bosom.
“G-Good! This'll do it!”
He fed one Resurrection Pill to Yi So-ok.