Chapter 771
Chapter 771
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 771
Chapter Title: Radiant Ascension Path
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Namgung Lin headed to Namgung Seol's annex during lunchtime. She was joining Namgung Seol and Sung Yu-jin for a meal together. Lunch was braised short ribs. It was her first time trying the dish, but the tender meat and salty-sweet sauce made it impossible to stop eating.
"Gaga. I'm full."
Namgung Seol set down her chopsticks.
"Already? You've barely touched your food."
"I'm stuffed. I can't eat any more. Look."
Namgung Seol stuck out her belly. In truth, it wasn't protruding much at all. To give Sung Yu-jin a clear view, she lifted her top to expose her midriff. Her pale, cute navel came into sight. Namgung Lin was aghast.
"S-Seol-ah! What on earth are you doing?! Cover yourself up right now!"
Namgung Lin shot up from her seat in a panic. But Namgung Seol didn't bat an eye.
"It's fine. It's just you and Gaga here."
"Even so, that's no way to act!"
"Seong Cheo-hyeong, there's no need to make such a fuss. As Seol-i said, it's just us here. Here..."
Sung Yu-jin reached out with his right hand and caressed Namgung Seol's smooth belly.
"Oh. Your tummy's all puffed up. Guess you really are full."
"Yeah... I'm so full... Hoo... Gaga's hand feels so nice."
Namgung Seol leaned her head on Sung Yu-jin's shoulder with a relaxed expression. Without realizing it, Namgung Lin found herself empathizing with her sister. Putting Sung Yu-jin's personality aside, there was something oddly comforting about having him stroke your hair or touch your belly—it warmed your body and lifted your spirits.
...No. That can't be right. I'm just imagining things.
Namgung Lin denied her own thoughts and glared daggers at Sung Yu-jin. She couldn't confront him directly. Raising her voice would only upset Namgung Seol. And if she had to chew him out, it had to be away from her sister. Namgung Lin anxiously jiggled her leg, hoping time would pass quickly.
"Gaga. Pet my head too."
"Sure."
A sugary-sweet atmosphere unfolded.
It wasn't anything strange. Sung Yu-jin and Namgung Seol were engaged, after all. But watching them, Namgung Lin felt an inexplicable sourness in her chest. She had no grounds to pull them apart by force. And lecturing them on propriety wouldn't get through to them anyway.
Lunchtime ended. Sung Yu-jin returned to his own annex. Before he left, Namgung Lin took a moment to speak with Namgung Seol alone.
"Seol-ah. You're only engaged to Seong So-hyeop right now. You can't let him touch your bare skin so casually."
Namgung Seol tilted her head.
"My marriage to Gaga is already set in stone, so it's fine. I even met Gaga's mom and grandpa yesterday."
"That's true, but... people are watching. You have to consider others' eyes."
"I don't do it in front of others. I only do it around you, Unnie."
"That makes me happy to hear, but..."
Namgung Lin sighed. The innocent Namgung Seol didn't seem inclined to listen.
"...Seong So-hyeop didn't do anything else, did he?"
"Anything else?"
"Like touching other parts of your body. Your chest, or... between your legs, that sort of important place."
"He hasn't done that. But he did touch my legs."
Namgung Lin's face rapidly cooled.
"...Your legs? You don't mean bare legs, do you?"
"Bare legs. For some reason, when Gaga touches them, my body feels so good."
"......"
A surge of rage boiled up inside Namgung Lin. To her, Sung Yu-jin was nothing but a sleazy bastard deceiving her pure little sister to satisfy his lust.
Of course, she knew married couples did even more than that. The whole reason for the engagement was Sung Yu-jin's immense yang energy in the first place.
But Sung Yu-jin and Namgung Seol weren't married yet.
If he acted like this now, would his behavior change after marriage? Namgung Lin didn't think so for a second. If anything, it'd get worse. He wasn't called a lecherous young master for nothing.
"Rin-unnie?"
Namgung Seol looked up at her with innocent eyes.
This sweet girl... why that scumbag of all people...!
Namgung Lin forced a smile.
"I'll head out now. Let's eat dinner together too. Okay?"
"Yeah."
She left Namgung Seol's annex and slipped over to Sung Yu-jin's without anyone noticing.
Sung Yu-jin was sitting in a chair, waiting for her. His calm, nonchalant face—as if he hadn't done anything wrong—only fueled her anger.
"This breaks our deal!!"
"Our deal?"
"I followed your conditions and obeyed you! So why are you messing with Seol-i?!"
"You must be misunderstanding something. I didn't mess with Seol-i. Is this about me touching her belly earlier? She asked me to first."
"I heard from her. You touched her bare legs too?! And even if she asked, you shouldn't just do it! Why should I have to obey your orders?!"
Namgung Lin didn't hide her hostility. She was radiating killing intent. Yet Sung Yu-jin didn't flinch.
"Ah. I see. That bothered you?"
"How can you say that like...!"
Namgung Lin unleashed the Imperial Divine Art—a technique only direct descendants of the Namgung family could learn—at full power. Sometimes her emotions overrode her reason. This was one of those times. She wouldn't rest until she'd landed a solid hit on Sung Yu-jin.
Crackle-crackle.
Her fist, infused with the Imperial Divine Art's heavenly thunder, aimed straight for Sung Yu-jin's face.
Sung Yu-jin's reaction was slow. He didn't move even as her fist closed in. But at the last possible moment, he jerked his head back at an unbelievable speed and caught her fist with his left hand.
She was stunned, but she trusted in the Imperial Divine Art's heavenly thunder. It would soon course through him and electrocute him.
"Tingly."
It wasn't the reaction she'd expected. Something had gone wrong. She tried to shake off his hand and create distance. But before she could, electricity surged from his hand into hers. It was a different kind of lightning energy from the Imperial Divine Art's thunder.
"......!!"
Namgung Lin couldn't resist the lightning strike. Its output was on another level entirely. As it coursed through her, she felt her strength drain from her entire body. Her muscles went limp in a nauseating sensation. Strangely, there was no pain.
"Never thought it was odd how I became the Namgung family's son-in-law overnight? Well, we're not married yet."
"......"
Namgung Lin wanted to speak but couldn't.
His words hit her like a bombshell. No matter how vital he was to saving Namgung Seol, the Namgung family accepting him so readily was suspicious if you thought about it.
Even if Namgung Ho-cheon—the family head and Namgung Seol's father—approved, the elders agreeing right away? Absurd. She knew how stubborn they were. They wouldn't accept him as family just to save Namgung Seol.
"I'm a Thunder Spirit. The Namgung family acknowledged my talent."
Thunder Spirit.
A term for those born with the power of lightning.
If that was true, the Namgung family had no choice but to accept him. His talent was the real deal. Especially as a Thunder Spirit—that would've appealed to the elders. The Namgung family's symbols were sword, sky, and lightning, after all.
"You don't want me touching Namgung Seol's belly or legs, right? I didn't realize you'd be that strict... Fine. I won't touch her body anymore. But in exchange, let me touch yours."
"......!!"
Namgung Lin tried to stand, but her body wouldn't obey. She was completely paralyzed.
Sung Yu-jin flipped her over and slightly loosened her top. Her ample breasts jiggled. Her chest wrap kept them from fully spilling out. He glanced at them before placing his hand on her smooth belly and stroking it.
Namgung Lin wanted to beat him to death right then, but her body wouldn't move. What frustrated her more was the unconscious comfort she felt from his touch.
Dribble-dribble.
"......!!"
She felt her crotch growing wet. Namgung Lin had wet herself.
She struggled desperately to move. She even tried channeling the Imperial Divine Art. But her body only twitched feebly.
Sung Yu-jin looked down at the puddle forming on the floor.
"Well, now. Peeing in someone else's room... Should I train your bladder control too?"
"......"
Namgung Lin's face burned crimson.
"Don't worry. I won't tell a soul you peed yourself in front of me. ...You're still going. How long were you holding it?"
Namgung Lin wanted to die of shame. No—she wanted to kill Sung Yu-jin and then take her own life. His hand moved from her belly to her head, stroking her hair as always.
"That's enough for now. But come find me before dinner."
Namgung Lin squeezed her eyes shut. She loathed herself for finding comfort in his touch.
Even after the wetting stopped, Sung Yu-jin stroked her head for a while longer before standing and vanishing.
It was five minutes before Namgung Lin could get up.
???
Namgung Lin ignored Sung Yu-jin's order to come before dinner. She skipped dinner altogether.
She didn't want to see him. She just wanted to disappear somewhere.
...I can't keep yielding to Sung Yu-jin. I need to turn the tables. Maybe even take him down...
Physically overpower Sung Yu-jin and flip their dynamic. Not him blackmailing and controlling her, but her blackmailing and watching him. The prerequisite was subduing him first.
I let my guard down at lunch. I didn't know enough about him. Now that I know he's a Thunder Spirit... if I prepare and fight again, I'll win.
Namgung Lin was confident in her skills. Backed by the Namgung family's power, she'd been raised on elixirs and trained by top martial artists since childhood. Among her peers, no one could beat her except Shin Jong-woo—and he was an anomaly beyond common sense.
Tonight it is.
Namgung Lin was decisive in action.
But her feet led her to Namgung Seol's annex. She'd promised to eat dinner together and felt bad for blowing her off. She wanted to apologize.
"Miss Rin. Please stop."
Namgung Guha—Namgung Seol's guard—blocked her path.
"...Guha. Why block me again? I just want to apologize to Seol-i."
"I'm sorry. Right now..."
Namgung Lin's eyes widened. Beyond Namgung Guha's shoulder, under the twinkling starlight, she saw Namgung Seol and Sung Yu-jin embracing and kissing.
Her heart plummeted.
Sung Yu-jin didn't stop there. He slyly moved his hand and kneaded Namgung Seol's perky breast.
Namgung Lin's reason snapped.
"Sung Yu-jin...!!!"
As Namgung Lin lunged forward, Namgung Guha grabbed her shoulders and waist to hold her back.
"Miss Rin! Calm down! Please!"
"Rin-unnie?"
Namgung Seol, now separated from Sung Yu-jin, stared blankly at Namgung Lin. Soon, her brows slowly furrowed.
"Guess that's it for tonight. See you later, Seol-ah."
"...Yeah, Gaga."
Sung Yu-jin shot Namgung Lin a vile grin. Understanding its meaning, she bit her lip hard. She regretted leaving her sword behind.
As he passed her, Sung Yu-jin sent a transmission.
"I told you to come before dinner. You can't break promises. Tomorrow, come before sunrise. Or else... heh."
Namgung Lin trembled. Her face paled. This was retaliation. Because she'd defied him, he'd gone after Namgung Seol. It had ended with a kiss and groping this time... but next? The thought alone was horrifying.
"Unnie. What is wrong with you?"
The angry Namgung Seol approached her. Her tone was soft, but her voice carried fury.
"I... Seol-ah, it's for your sake..."
"You always act like you're trying to ruin things for me. Do you secretly want me to die, Unnie?"
"No! How could I?! I just... I just worry about you..."
Tears streamed from Namgung Lin's eyes. Namgung Seol stared at her before spreading her arms and hugging her.
"Unnie. I'm fine. Gaga's a good person. There's nothing for you to worry about. Look at this. It's a tassel Gaga gave me. Pretty, right?"
A red tassel dangled from Namgung Seol's hand.
Namgung Lin's mind filled with grim imaginings. Namgung Seol turned into Sung Yu-jin's plaything, broken and toyed with. She clutched her sister's shoulders tightly.
Poor little sister...
"Rin-unnie?"