Chapter 199: Returning to the Tang Clan-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 199: Returning to the Tang Clan-2
"Why are you playing tricks on me? You really startled me."
Ok-ryeong, cradled in Sun-woo’s arms, looked up at him as she spoke.
"I just wanted to give you a surprise. Did you hate it?" Sun-woo asked with a mischievous grin.
"No. I liked it even more because I was so happy to see you." Ok-ryeong snuggled deeper into his chest.
"I feel like you’d say you liked anything I did," Sun-woo remarked with a chuckle.
Even though he’d played a prank on her, she didn't get angry; she only spoke of how much she liked it.
"Hehe, did you catch me?" Ok-ryeong gave him a playful smile.
She looked so adorable that Sun-woo pulled her into an even tighter embrace.
"Anyway, did anything happen while I was gone?"
"Nothing happened to me," Ok-ryeong replied with a refreshing smile.
"Is that so?" Sun-woo said, sounding relieved.
He had only been away for about a fortnight, but he had been constantly worried that something might have gone wrong in his absence. Hearing that everything was fine was a weight off his shoulders.
"What happened with Lady Tang?" Ok-ryeong asked.
"She should be at the office by now. She was already worrying about the backlog of work," Sun-woo said, a smile playing on his lips.
"Pfft." Ok-ryeong burst into a giggle. It was amusing to hear that Tang Seo-yoon was worrying about work immediately after being kidnapped.
"Then what happened with Joo So-yang and Lee Ye-seol?"
"Well, about that... there’s a bit to tell..." Sun-woo trailed off.
Like a thief with a guilty conscience, he felt a pang of remorse for having slept with Joo So-yang behind Ok-ryeong’s back.
"What is it?" Ok-ryeong tilted her head curiously.
She looked so cute that Sun-woo felt his guilt intensify.
Right, let’s keep the thing with Joo So-yang a secret.
Unable to bear the weight of his conscience, Sun-woo decided to cover it up. He wouldn't be sleeping with Joo So-yang again anyway, and Tang Seo-yoon had already promised to keep her mouth shut. As long as Sun-woo stayed quiet, no one would ever know.
"No... it’s nothing." Sun-woo stroked Ok-ryeong’s hair.
He made a silent vow to himself: he would take this secret to his grave.
"Let’s head to the office for now. I’ll explain everything that happened there."
"Do we... have to go right now?" Ok-ryeong asked in a suggestive tone. "I want to stay with you a little longer, Sun-woo."
Her voice carried a strange, provocative edge. Sun-woo slowly lowered his gaze to look at her. Her face was flushed with an inexplicable redness, and her eyes were thick with desire as she stared at him.
Gulp.
Sun-woo swallowed hard instinctively. It was clear what Ok-ryeong wanted.
Maybe it’s okay if we’re a little late?
Seeing her reaction, Sun-woo fell into deep thought. His original plan was to take her straight to the office, but her sudden temptation was starting to sway him.
Tang Seo-yoon can probably explain the situation well enough on her own, right?
"Sun-woo..." Ok-ryeong called out to him, her voice laced with longing.
It sounded so erotic that he felt his manhood begin to stir. Sun-woo agonized over the decision for a long moment.
Chu.
Finally, he pressed his lips against hers. He felt her soft, pillowy texture. After a while, Sun-woo slowly slid his tongue out and began to trace her lips.
Slurp, lick.
Soon, his tongue slipped inside her mouth. Ok-ryeong met him eagerly, her own tongue greeting his with fervor. Their tongues entwined like mating snakes, moving restlessly against one another.
Slurp, squelch, lick.
After some time, Sun-woo slowly pulled away.
"Phaa..."
"Haah..."
As they broke the kiss, both let out ragged breaths. Feeling each other's heat only served to heighten their excitement.
"Let’s do the rest after I get back," Sun-woo said, looking at her as if he’d made a monumental decision.
Though he was tempted, Ok-ryeong wasn't the only one worried about him. Un Ga-ryeo, Geum Jeok-hwa, and Yorang were all likely waiting for him with bated breath. He couldn't leave them hanging while he spent his time enjoying the pleasures of the bed.
"You’re mean, getting me all worked up like this," Ok-ryeong said with a pout.
"I’m sorry." Sun-woo scratched his head sheepishly.
"Hehe, it’s okay. But you have to make me a promise."
"What promise?" Sun-woo asked, puzzled.
"Promise me we won't sleep tonight."
Ok-ryeong’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him. Sun-woo felt his heart skip a beat. Telling him she wouldn't let him sleep tonight—what a classic, soul-piercing temptation. She was essentially saying they should go at it all night long.
Thump, thump, thump.
Sun-woo felt his heart pounding. He’d heard plenty of lewd talk before, but hearing it from the elegant, refined, and beautiful Ok-ryeong gave it a completely different feel.
Gulp.
He nodded vigorously. "Of course. Not just tonight—I won't let you sleep tomorrow night, either."
At his words, Ok-ryeong beamed. She seemed very satisfied with that answer.
*
The Office
Slide.
The door opened, and a woman stepped inside. She wore the signature green martial arts uniform of the Tang Clan, but her silhouette was so beautiful it created the illusion of a radiant aura, as if she were dressed in the finest silk.
The woman was Tang Seo-yoon. The people in the office stared at her blankly.
"Lady!" Madam An, who was in the office, cried out.
"Seo-yoon!" Yorang also threw aside the accounting documents she had been working on and lunged at Tang Seo-yoon.
"My Lady... are you... hurt anywhere?" Geum Jeok-hwa asked in a trembling voice.
"I’m fine. More importantly, you all must have had a hard time while I was gone," Tang Seo-yoon said, stroking the head of Yorang, who was clinging to her.
"It was so, so hard! Geum Jeok-hwa kept making me work! She gave me Tang-gwa and then made me work again! And then..." Yorang began to ramble, clearly having a lot to vent about.
Tang Seo-yoon gave a small laugh and slowly calmed her down. "Lady Yorang, you can tell me everything slowly. I’m not going anywhere."
"Okay, okay!" Yorang nodded, a bright smile on her face. She was clearly overjoyed by Seo-yoon’s return.
"My Lady! Where is Lord Sun-woo?" Madam An asked.
"......He’ll be here soon," Tang Seo-yoon replied, hesitating for a moment before being vague. She figured Madam An would be quite upset if she knew he had gone to see Ok-ryeong first.
"Is Lord Sun-woo unhurt?" Madam An asked again. Every question she asked made it clear how much she had been worrying about him.
...Sigh... That bastard.
Tang Seo-yoon cursed Sun-woo inwardly. How could he go off somewhere else when he had women worrying about him this desperately? She let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"He’s perfectly fine. In fact, he’s come back even stronger than before."
"Phew... thank goodness." Madam An finally let out a sigh of relief.
Clap.
"More importantly, there is someone I’d like to introduce." Tang Seo-yoon clapped her hands to draw everyone's attention. "Please, come in."
She turned her head slightly toward the door.
Step, step.
As soon as she finished speaking, footsteps echoed from behind her. A young woman stepped out and stood beside Tang Seo-yoon.
"......Hello." She bowed slightly to the people in the office.
"Allow me to introduce her. This is Lady Lee Ye-seol, also known as Cheonbong, the daughter of the Heavenly Sword Phoenix, Lady Joo So-yang."
"Whaaaat?!"
"What did you say?!"
"Huh?"
Those were the reactions of Geum Jeok-hwa, Madam An, and Yorang, respectively. They looked utterly bewildered by Lee Ye-seol’s sudden appearance. Why on earth had a woman who was practically their enemy come to the Tang Clan? It made no sense.
"She will be staying with the Tang Clan for the time being," Tang Seo-yoon continued, seemingly having expected their reactions.
"Wait... wait a minute!" Geum Jeok-hwa called out urgently. "Isn't Lady Lee practically an enemy to Lord Sun-woo?"
"She is."
"Then why is she staying here?"
"She is a hostage."
"A... a hostage?!" Geum Jeok-hwa stammered, looking stunned.
"I will explain the details once Sun-woo arrives," Tang Seo-yoon said calmly.
"..........."
Geum Jeok-hwa was speechless. A hostage? What kind of nonsense was that? Who was Lee Ye-seol? She was the only daughter of Lee Jae-won, the Cheonmu Alliance Leader and the World's Greatest Martial Artist, and Joo So-yang, the Best Among Women. How could they possibly take such a woman hostage? Geum Jeok-hwa’s confusion only grew.
*
Before long, Sun-woo and Ok-ryeong arrived at the office.
Upon his arrival, the women in the office took turns welcoming him. Yorang threw herself into his arms, and Madam An, her eyes red with tears, checked him over repeatedly to see if he was injured. Only after confirming he was perfectly fine did she step back. She wanted to cling to him just like Yorang, but with Lee Ye-seol watching, she suppressed her inner feelings.
"Well, it seems everyone is here now." Tang Seo-yoon looked around and spoke. "As you can see, Lady Lee will be staying with us. She is a precious hostage who will ensure the safety of the Tang Clan."
A cold smile touched her lips. She then began to recount everything that had happened at the Heavenly Moon Palace.
.
.
.
.
.
"......In the end, Joo So-yang accepted our proposal. To protect her daughter, she had no choice but to send her to the Tang Clan as a hostage."
Tang Seo-yoon told them everything—about Sun-woo’s fierce battle with Joo So-yang and how they had blackmailed her. Of course, she conveniently left out the part about threatening to rape her daughter and the fact that Sun-woo had slept with Joo So-yang.
".........."
".........."
Madam An and Geum Jeok-hwa looked completely bewildered. They had suspected something significant when they heard the word 'hostage,' but they never imagined they would have blackmailed the Heavenly Sword Phoenix herself.
"Um... excuse me." Geum Jeok-hwa raised her hand and spoke hesitantly. "What if Lady Joo has a change of heart?" she asked in a trembling voice, clearly worried.
Joo So-yang was a woman praised for having the most noble status in the Murim. To blackmail someone like her? Her pride must have been shattered. It was entirely possible she might tell her husband, Lee Jae-won, the truth to reclaim her pride and have him attack the Tang Clan.
"You don't need to worry about that. She will never attack the Tang Clan," Tang Seo-yoon said confidently.
Joo So-yang’s pride and heart had already been broken by Sun-woo, and she had even committed adultery with him. Tang Seo-yoon didn't think Joo So-yang would ever dare tell Lee Jae-won the truth. Furthermore, they held Lee Ye-seol, whom Joo So-yang loved dearly, as a hostage. She wouldn't be able to harbor any ulterior motives.
"How can you be so sure?"
Of course, from the perspective of Geum Jeok-hwa or Madam An, who didn't know the sordid details, it was impossible to understand. Tang Seo-yoon wanted to tell them everything to ease their anxiety, but she needed Sun-woo’s permission for that.
She turned to look at Sun-woo. He gave a slight shake of his head—a signal to stay quiet.
Sigh.
Tang Seo-yoon sighed inwardly. It seemed Sun-woo wanted to keep this a secret forever.
"It just won't happen," Tang Seo-yoon said, her expression hardening as she looked at Geum Jeok-hwa. "Lee Ye-seol’s life is in our hands. How could she possibly act recklessly?"
Tang Seo-yoon repeated her assurance to calm them down. However, Madam An and Geum Jeok-hwa still looked doubtful. Sun-woo winked at Tang Seo-yoon—a signal of gratitude. To her, it was an incredibly annoying gesture.
"My Lady."
It was then that Madam An, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
"What if Lady Lee tries to escape?"
Her eyes were filled with anxiety. Though she had forced herself to accept Seo-yoon’s words, the worry remained. If she escaped or if someone rescued her, everything would be for naught.
"Don't worry about that," Tang Seo-yoon replied dismissively. "Lady Lee will never be able to leave the Tang Clan."
As she finished speaking, a deep, knowing smile spread across Tang Seo-yoon’s face.