Chapter 708: I Don't Know Who You Are, but You Messed with the Wrong Person.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 708: I Don't Know Who You Are, but You Messed with the Wrong Person.
"Acting Clan Head! Here is the sales statement for the Geumhwa Merchant Guild. Please review and sign it!"
Thud.
"Acting Clan Head! Here is the profit settlement report sent from the Geumcheol Sect. Please review and sign it!"
Thud.
"Acting Clan Head! The Sammuk Merchant Guild has sent a request. They say they want to open trade with the North Sea. Please review and sign it!"
Thud.
"Acting Clan Head! This is from the Myeongcheol Bank..."
"Acting Clan Head! Here are the supplies..."
A swarm of internal affairs officers bustled in and out, piling documents onto the desk. Before long, a mountain of paperwork loomed high before her.
"Haaaaah..."
Watching this, Tang Seo-yoon let out a deep sigh. Her spirit felt like it was breaking at the sight of the never-ending paperwork.
Why... why does the work keep increasing every day?
She couldn't understand it. She had clearly increased the staff and subdivided the tasks to make things more efficient, yet the workload remained as grueling as ever.
I'm... a little exhausted.
The sheer volume of work was proof of the Tang Clan's prosperity, but she couldn't find it in herself to be happy about it. A crushing sense of lethargy had wrapped itself around her entire body.
Thump.
She let her head drop onto the desk. She knew she had to do it, but she didn't want to. This internal contradiction was draining her. She was well aware of the consequences; if she didn't finish today's quota, the pile would only grow tomorrow.
But she just didn't want to do it. The lethargy clinging to her limbs made her feel utterly powerless.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Tang Seo-yoon began to rhythmically knock her forehead against the desk. It was a silent protest against the work. After a few moments of this, she slowly lifted her head.
Her hand reached out toward the documents. If she followed her heart, she would throw everything aside and just rest for the day—without a single worry or care.
But she was far too diligent to make such a choice. She couldn't bring herself to be irresponsible.
Flip.
She quietly began turning the pages, resuming her review.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Tang Seo-yoon asked, her expression curious. She hadn't been expecting anyone.
"It's me, Acting Clan Head."
A very familiar voice drifted through the door.
"Come in."
Creeeeak.
The moment permission was granted, the door swung open to reveal a woman. It was Geum Jeok-hwa, a noblewoman who exuded an air of elegance.
"What brings you here, Lady Geum?" Tang Seo-yoon asked.
Geum Jeok-hwa usually sent word before visiting. Her sudden appearance was enough to pique Seo-yoon's curiosity.
"I felt I should report something to you."
"A report?"
"Yes... Are you aware of the strange rumor currently circulating through the Central Plains?"
"A strange rumor?" Tang Seo-yoon repeated, puzzled. What could she possibly mean?
"Yes." Geum Jeok-hwa spoke with a grave expression.
Seeing her seriousness, Tang Seo-yoon’s own expression began to harden.
"...They say that the Public Enemy of the Murim, Jang Sam, has appeared in Jinan."
"Jang Sam!?" Tang Seo-yoon gasped, looking bewildered.
Jang Sam had appeared in Jinan? But Jang Sam was Sun-woo's original identity. Sun-woo was right here, tucked away within the Tang Clan. How could Jang Sam possibly appear in Jinan?
"Yes. I thought you should know, so I came to tell you personally."
Geum Jeok-hwa continued in a calm tone. There was no telling how the political landscape might shift now that the topic of the Public Enemy, Jang Sam, had resurfaced. She believed it was best to give a heads-up.
"Thank you, Lady Geum."
Tang Seo-yoon’s face grew even more somber. She realized she needed to have a talk with Sun-woo immediately.
"Aba-aba-aba!"
"That's right~ Da-dda... Daddy's here."
Sun-woo beamed with a wide grin as he pulled Yeon-woo into a hug. Yeon-woo was starting to babble and call him "Daddy," and it was the most adorable thing Sun-woo had ever seen. He couldn't help but smile.
"Yeon-woo, try saying 'Mommy,'" Neung So-hwa said from beside them, watching the baby. She seemed a little envious of Sun-woo being called "Daddy."
"Ummaaaa~"
Yeon-woo looked at Neung So-hwa and babbled.
".........He's... he's a genius... I must give him a reward..."
Neung So-hwa’s face turned bright red. Being called "Mommy" by Yeon-woo caused a surge of maternal instinct she didn't know she possessed.
"This ring is made from a gemstone passed down through the Imperial family for generations. Its value is beyond measure. I shall give this to you."
Neung So-hwa took a ring off her finger and held it out. In her mind, she was giving him her most precious possession.
"Abu~! Schlurp, schlurp, schlurp."
Yeon-woo immediately put the ring in his mouth and started sucking on it.
"Pffft!"
Then, his cute little face crumpled. It seemed he had mistaken the ring for a piece of candy.
"Dya!"
Clang.
Yeon-woo threw the ring onto the floor with all his might.
"You mustn't throw that!"
Startled, Neung So-hwa scrambled to chase after the ring as it rolled across the floor.
"Heeheehee! What a dummy~"
Yorang, who was watching from the side, burst into laughter at Neung So-hwa’s flustered state.
"Kyahaaaa~ Hoohoo~"
Yeon-woo joined in, laughing along with Yorang.
"Our Yeon-woo seems to be in a great mood, doesn't he?"
Bukgung Yeon watched the baby with a warm, gentle smile, finding him incredibly precious.
"Abudada!"
Soon, the room was filled with the sound of laughter.
So this is what happiness feels like.
A deep smile spread across Sun-woo's face. A cozy warmth enveloped his entire body, bringing a profound sense of contentment.
The women who loved and looked only at him.
His adorable son, who carried his blood.
The deep bond of sisterhood among his wives that kept the laughter flowing.
And himself, at the center of it all.
Everything was perfect. Everything surrounding him was exactly as it should be. Sun-woo's smile widened.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Sun-woo asked, looking toward the entrance.
"It's me."
A familiar voice answered.
"Come in."
Sun-woo granted permission immediately. The door opened to reveal Tang Seo-yoon, a woman of striking beauty and sharp features.
"What's the matter?" Sun-woo asked.
She should have been in the middle of wrestling with a mountain of paperwork. Her appearance here was unexpected.
"I have something to ask you."
Tang Seo-yoon spoke with an incredibly serious expression.
"Something to ask?" Sun-woo repeated.
"Have you gone on any trips outside the Tang Clan recently?"
"A trip?" Sun-woo tilted his head. He didn't understand the intent behind the question. "No, I haven't. I haven't even left my room much, let alone the clan grounds."
It was the truth. Lately, Sun-woo's days consisted of playing with Yeon-woo or spending passionate nights with the wives who visited him. There was no reason for him to go outside.
"...........I see."
Upon hearing his answer, Tang Seo-yoon’s expression turned grim. Her suspicions were confirmed.
"What is it? What happened?" Sun-woo asked, his curiosity piqued by her reaction. What could be serious enough to make her look like that?
"There's a strange rumor going around the Central Plains right now."
"A strange rumor?"
"They say the Public Enemy, Jang Sam, appeared in Jinan, posted a public notice slandering the Alliance Leader, and then vanished."
Tang Seo-yoon delivered the news with absolute gravity.
".............."
Sun-woo sat there, stunned. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. Jang Sam was his original identity. How could he, who had been cooped up in the Tang Clan, have appeared in Jinan? It made no sense.
"Wasn't Jang Sam Sun-woo's old name?" Yorang asked, tilting her head in confusion. She remembered Sun-woo mentioning it once—that it was the name he used before changing it to Sun-woo. Hearing it pop up so suddenly was strange.
"........That's right."
Sun-woo snapped out of his daze and nodded. Jang Sam was his name. It was the true identity he had buried deep in the recesses of his memory. And now, that name—which even its owner had tried to forget—was on everyone's lips again. Along with rumors of him antagonizing the Cheonmu Alliance.
Sun-woo's face contorted in a scowl. He felt as though someone was trying to manipulate him again, regardless of his own will. It was utterly loathsome.
"That's weird... Sun-woo's been stuck in this room the whole time. How could he show up in Jinan?" Yorang muttered, baffled.
"It's a fake."
Bukgung Yeon, who was holding Yeon-woo, spoke up slowly.
"A fake?"
"Yes. Someone likely transformed themselves into Jang Sam's likeness to impersonate him."
"How can they change their face? Do they use the Zhu-Rong Art like Sun-woo?"
"A Human Skin Mask." Bukgung Yeon’s voice was calm.
"A Human Skin Mask?"
"It's a mask made from processed human skin. They must have used one to mimic Sun-woo."
"Could it really look that identical?"
"If it's a well-made Human Skin Mask, no one except those with incredibly sensitive spiritual senses would notice anything amiss."
Bukgung Yeon’s eyes flashed coldly. She herself had used Human Skin Masks in the past to evade the pursuit of the Evil Demon. That was how she knew. Someone was definitely using one to impersonate Sun-woo.
"But who would do that?" Yorang asked. She couldn't fathom who would mimic Sun-woo or for what purpose.
"Likely those who stand to gain the most by impersonating him," Bukgung Yeon replied.
In this world, everything had a cause and an effect. There was a reason for everything. There had to be a specific reason why someone would go out of their way to appear as the Public Enemy, Jang Sam.
"......This is unpleasant."
Sun-woo scowled as he listened. An indescribable sense of disgust rose within him. He had been jerked around enough back when he was powerless. He had vowed to himself that now that he had the strength to protect himself, he would never let anyone manipulate him again.
Yet here he was, being used for the benefit of unknown parties. How could he not be furious?
"Seo-yoon."
Sun-woo's voice was as cold as a northern gale.
"Gather all the rumors related to this. Find out exactly what happened. And tell me everything about how the Cheonmu Alliance is reacting."
"I understand," Tang Seo-yoon nodded.
"Thank you."
Having said his piece, Sun-woo stood up immediately and began to walk toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Tang Seo-yoon asked, looking worried. She was afraid he might charge straight into Jinan and flip the whole place upside down.
"I'm going to send a letter to the Cheonmu Alliance."
Sun-woo spoke in a level tone. His first priority was to uncover the truth of the situation.
"To the Cheonmu Alliance?" Tang Seo-yoon asked, surprised.
"I have a reliable ally there."
A faint smile played on Sun-woo's lips. He did indeed have an ally in the Cheonmu Alliance—a brilliant one who was loyal only to him.
"Ah!"
Tang Seo-yoon let out a small gasp of realization. She knew exactly who he was talking about.
There was one more of Sun-woo's wives in the Cheonmu Alliance. Though they hadn't officially gone through a marriage ceremony, in their hearts, they were already husband and wife. A woman of immense fame, hailed as the Best Among Women and a hero of the Great War of Righteousness and Demons.
The Heavenly Sword Empress, Joo So-yang.
"If it's So-yang, she'll have already grasped the situation to some extent."
Sun-woo's eyes shone with unwavering trust. Joo So-yang would have been on high alert from the moment the name "Jang Sam" reappeared. After all, it concerned her most precious husband.
Sun-woo quickened his pace. He intended to get a letter to Joo So-yang as quickly as possible.
I don't know who you are, but you messed with the wrong person.
Sun-woo's eyes glinted with hostility. He didn't know the purpose behind the impersonation, but they had made a grave mistake. Unlike before, he wouldn't just sit back and take it.
Sun-woo's steps grew even faster.