Using a Third-Generation Chaebol as a Servant, Part 4
Gyeon Geumsu had originally intended to grab Cheon Doyeon's arm and drag her out of the shop in an instant. To do so, he had tried to execute his footwork. However, his feet tangled up of their own accord, and he tumbled to the ground. His internal energy was not circulating properly.
"Energy-Dispersing Poison...!!"
A poison that disperses internal energy, reducing a martial artist to a mere ordinary person. The moment he realized what it was, Gyeon Geumsu knew. This situation was not merely a case of a few rogue employees.
As powerful as the Energy-Dispersing Poison was, it was equally difficult to manufacture and astronomically expensive. It was not something just any poison master could use. It required hiring a highly skilled poison master at an exorbitant price. That was the Energy-Dispersing Poison.
"Indeed, it is the Energy-Dispersing Poison! Up we go!"
A woman wrapped entirely in cloth dropped down from the ceiling. She appeared to be middle-aged. This was merely an assumption, as her face was completely covered. The skin around her eyes—the only part left exposed so she could see—was horribly scarred and festering, as if severely burned.
"The Valley Master of Dogangok, Ahyeondognyeo...!"
"Hehehe! To think my reputation has reached even the ears of an Ohsung mongrel?"
"Who commissioned you to do this—" Split-Ear shouted.
"Ahyeondognyeo, what is the meaning of this?! Why are we being targeted too—"
"If you are defeated mongrels, then die quietly like the mongrels you are!"
Ahyeondognyeo stomped her foot down onto Split-Ear's head. Her shoes must have been reinforced with iron, for his skull burst open like a ripe watermelon.
"Ugh..."
Gyeon Geumsu grimaced at the gruesome sight.
"What is this? Is our wealthy young master unaccustomed to such bloody sights?"
Ahyeondognyeo approached and slammed her foot down right next to Gyeon Geumsu's face.
"Ugh...!"
"Hehehe!! Squirming like a bug... what a magnificent sight!"
He tried to dodge, but his body wouldn't budge. It was a paralyzing poison.
"Since you're going to die anyway, I'll let you in on a secret. The ones who hired me are Sunkyung."
"...!"
The Sunkyung Group. Among the Five Great Merchant Guilds, they were physically located close to Ohsung, which led to frequent clashes. Yet, no matter how dirty those fights had been in the past, they had always remained battles between merchants. The losing side might end up drowning in debt, but they never directly took lives with cold steel.
"So they've crossed the line and decided to murder us directly...!"
"Haha!! Well, something like that! You know that Gate that recently appeared near Pyongyang? It seems Sunkyung plans to keep it open instead of closing it, developing it to extract resources."
"Our Ohsung Group also participated in investigating that Gate, and we concluded that the risk of it going out of control was far too high!"
"So what? None of my business. I just do what I'm told and pocket the cash."
Ahyeondognyeo drew a poison needle from her robes.
"So you just lie there, squirming and watching. Watch as I make this pretty lady over here swell up beautifully...!"
Ahyeondognyeo possessed a twisted, sadistic hobby. When she killed people, she never let them die peacefully; she deliberately made their entire bodies bloat and swell before they expired. Above all, she took immense pleasure in doing this to beautiful women. Watching their delicate, radiant features collapse and distort until they looked like bloated pigs gave her an incomparable thrill. The more beautiful the victim, the greater her ecstasy.
And now, standing before such a monster was Cheon Doyeon—a beauty of the absolute highest caliber.
"Hehehe! Why aren't you moving? Have your energy pathways been disrupted by the Energy-Dispersing Poison?"
"..."
Just as Ahyeondognyeo said, Cheon Doyeon had been standing perfectly still this entire time, sword in hand.
Miss Doyeon...!!
Gyeon Geumsu felt such overwhelming guilt that he wanted to kill himself—no, he was practically losing his mind.
Because of me...! Because of me...!!!
However, there was one crucial detail both of them were misunderstanding. Cheon Doyeon was not frozen because of the Energy-Dispersing Poison. The poison weakened one's control over internal energy. But even now, Cheon Doyeon was actively using the Taoist Qi of the Bongrae Sect and the Baekdu Sect to suppress and control her demonic energy.
Because of the Energy-Dispersing Poison, that suppression was unraveling. The demonic energy was clawing its way back to seize control of her body. An intense, overwhelming murderous intent surged within her. She wanted to kill. She wanted to slaughter every single person in this world. She wanted to hear their screams. She wanted to crush their bones. She wanted to tear out their entrails and fashion them into works of art.
No. I can't let this happen.
She did not want to become a monster. Cheon Doyeon was frozen, desperately fighting to stabilize the storm inside her dantian.
I want to kill them all, I want to slaughter every single one of them—No, don't let the demonic energy consume you, this isn't me, this isn't what I want—Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill—No, no, no, no, no—
Ahyeondognyeo stepped closer to the trembling Cheon Doyeon.
"Hehehe, look at this gorgeous face. Just thinking about ruining it gets me so excited."
"Miss Doyeon!!! You bitch, don't you dare lay a finger on Miss Doyeon!!"
Cheon Doyeon's purple eyes finally focused on the enemy standing right before her.
"...You fucking bitch."
"Oh!! You can finally speak, hehehe! Yes, hate me!! Because soon, you will become far uglier than I could ever be!!"
Her demonic-tainted thoughts and her rational mind reached a sudden, perfect consensus.
Let's kill this thing in front of me first—I'm pretty sure it's fine to kill this one.
Ahyeondognyeo raised her poison needle.
"Well then, farewell! Let's see that face swell up like a steamed bun—"
The sword she held aloft swept straight down.
"...?"
Ahyeondognyeo looked to her side. There she was, split perfectly down the middle. In that split second, her divided brain cells thought independently. Which half was she? The left? The right? Was her other half looking back at her, harboring the exact same thought? One thing was certain: her soul was far uglier than her poison-scarred flesh. Before she could find the answer to whether she was the left or the right, Ahyeondognyeo ceased to be a thinking being, collapsing into two silent heaps of flesh.
Target: Ahyeondognyeo
"...Miss Doyeon?"
Gyeon Geumsu muttered blankly. Cheon Doyeon, still holding her sword, tilted her head and looked down at him.
"...Ah?"
Their eyes met.
Ah.
A chilling sensation washed over him.
I'm going to die.
She was only a First-Class martial artist, while he was a master of the Peak Realm. The difference between them wasn't just a single step; it was a vast, insurmountable chasm. Even if a whole crowd of First-Class martial artists banded together, they couldn't defeat a single Peak Realm master. And yet. He was absolutely certain that if Cheon Doyeon truly set her mind to killing him, regardless of whatever trivial struggles occurred in between, he would end up dead.
She was terrifying. She was dangerous. Yet, despite all that, Cheon Doyeon was unrealistically beautiful. In fact, it was precisely because she was dangerous that she appeared even more breathtaking—just as a razor-sharp blade possesses a far more exquisite beauty than a dull one.
Gyeon Geumsu squeezed his fingers into a fist.
Oh...!
The poison was fading! Both the Energy-Dispersing Poison and the paralyzing poison! Gyeon Geumsu regulated his breathing. He intended to slowly circulate his inner energy to completely expel the remaining toxins.
Standing before him, Cheon Doyeon was desperately trying to suppress the rage boiling inside her.
Dammit...!!
In the end, it was the Three Talents Swordplay again. Three Talents Swordplay, Three Talents Swordplay, Three Talents Swordplay!! She was sick to death of it! Wasn't there anything else?! The Bongrae Sect sword techniques Hyeonsongcheonnyeo had mentioned flashed through her mind. But she wanted to know them faster. She was impatient. She was restless. She was incredibly annoyed. Ah, fuck!! No wonder those Demonic Cult bastards are all batshit insane, practicing this godawful garbage! Fucking retards!!
"Argh!!!! Ah, fuck!!!!"
Roaring in frustration, Cheon Doyeon grabbed Gyeon Geumsu by the collar and yanked him up.
"Hey!!"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!!"
Seeing her up close made her look even more beautiful. It felt like being struck in the head with an iron mallet.
"Your family has tons of martial arts manuals, right?! Give me a sword technique!!"
"I-I will give them to you!!"
Wait, he's actually giving it to me? Now I'm even more pissed! Why the hell is he suddenly agreeing to give it to me now?!
"I don't want it!!"
"I'm sorr—argh!"
Thud!! She slapped him across the cheek with a heavy, dull impact. It was crucial that the sound effect was a heavy thud rather than a sharp smack.
"Why the fuck are you apologizing?!"
"I'm sorry!!"
"I told you not to apologize!!"
"..."
"Is this bastard playing with me?! Are my words a joke to you?!"
"I'm sorry!"
"I said!!! Stop!!! Apologizing!!!"
She drove her knee straight into Gyeon Geumsu's stomach.
"Guh...!"
Gyeon Geumsu collapsed, trembling violently.
It hurt. But strangely, it felt good. Since the very person he felt so guilty toward was inflicting pain on him, a sweet sensation washed over his body, as if his sins were being washed away through punishment. He wanted her to hit him more. He wanted her to torment him more. He wanted her to abuse him even more. And Cheon Doyeon, currently swept up in her demonic energy, fulfilled his wishes flawlessly.
"You son of a bitch!! You absolute dumbass!! You piece of trash!!"
With every curse, she stomped on him. Thud, thud!! With each heavy impact, bruises began to bloom across the body of the third-generation chaebol heir. In time, they would ripen into a lovely shade of purple.
"You completely useless male dog—"
Cheon Doyeon froze, her foot still suspended in mid-air.
Wait...?
Just like him, the effects of the Energy-Dispersing Poison had faded for her as well. As the poison dissipated, her control over the demonic energy returned, restoring her to her usual self. Of all times, it had to happen right in the middle of lynching Gyeon Geumsu. Her heart plummeted.
What the hell did I just do?!
"I shall escort you to Ohsung's secret library. You may choose any sword technique you desire."
"No, look, I said I'm sorry..."