Chapter 107
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Nest (4)
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Jeophwa Ram was one of the Ten Great Poisons selected by the jianghu folk, and the name itself—Jeophwa, the great fire that erupts when the world meets its end—perfectly captured its essence.
Once ingested, this deadly toxin burned away every last drop of qi energy in the body. And that wasn't enough; it even incinerated the corpse itself, reducing it to blue ash.
But the process was what made it fascinating.
As the victim's qi burned away, the ravenous flames caused a surge of vitality, mimicking the phenomenon of huiguang fanzhao that appears just before death. This state lasted about the time it took to burn a single incense stick—short if you thought it short, long if you thought it long.
That's why there were tales of people voluntarily drinking Jeophwa Ram right before dying, regaining their vigor to finish unfinished business.
Telling Gong Won-yeong to prepare for death meant exactly that.
At least, it meant they should have a conversation before she passed.
Flying Tiger hesitated to reach for the indigo porcelain bottle placed before him. With a deep sigh, he turned to Hidden Moon.
"This isn't just any ordinary treasure."
"It's a priceless rarity money can't buy."
"Since you called it a trade, I'll ask: what's the price for this treasure?"
"What do you think it is?"
Flying Tiger pondered Hidden Moon's counterquestion.
Judging by the question, it had to be something he knew about, something he could handle—and most likely, the problem Seo Nation Hall was facing right now.
"Dealing with Chao Erjin, perhaps?"
"No. That's important, but it doesn't compare to the value of this medicine."
As Flying Tiger looked puzzled, Hidden Moon elaborated.
"Strictly speaking, our Seo Nation Hall is the victim in the incident involving them, not the perpetrator, right? So if we're willing to swallow the damage, we could reestablish good relations with them. Unlike you."
"So you're saying you might use me to improve relations with them?"
"Don't misunderstand. Now that we've made a deal, we won't stab you in the back. We'll just completely deny any association with you. I have that much credit and loyalty."
"I see."
"Of course. And in truth, how we position ourselves with them depends entirely on your actions."
"......?"
"If you draw your sword against Chao Erjin, we'll support you fully. But if you back off, we'll take a step back too."
"But in this world, once you're seen as weak..."
"What can we do? We'll have to let them underestimate us. We're not a force that prides itself on martial prowess, after all."
It was an admission of weakness. Yet Hidden Moon spoke casually, and he was no weakling.
That made Flying Tiger think Seo Nation Hall might just be a small part of what Hidden Moon truly controlled.
In any case, hearing Hidden Moon's frankness, Flying Tiger opened up in return.
"Since you say the choice is mine, I'll be straightforward. Truth is, I'm planning to respond flexibly based on how they act."
"Huh? After you slaughtered so many of their warriors with your own hands, you think there's a chance they'll reach out to you first?"
"Once they've played around with me for a bit, they'll want to at some point. Well, if they cling stubbornly to the end, there's nothing I can do."
Flying Tiger answered calmly, and Hidden Moon chuckled.
He could already picture how Flying Tiger would toy with them, and he liked the bold idea, cheeky as it was.
So Hidden Moon showed some generosity.
"Alright. We'll wait a fortnight. Decide your approach to Chao Erjin by then and send word. We'll match our steps to yours as best we can."
"Thank you for the consideration."
"No trouble at all. Good for both sides. Or not. Anyway, your answer was wrong, so I'll give you one more chance. What do you think the trade is for?"
"Information related to the Ghost Face?"
"Why do you think that?"
"You put me in the Face Pursuit Squad, and their biggest target is him."
"Makes sense when you put it that way. Not entirely wrong... but not the answer. It's not information—they want the item itself."
"No way."
"Afraid so. Bring us the 'Ghost Mask,' the foremost of the Shaanxi Ghost Three Treasures."
Flying Tiger let out a low whistle.
He knew it wouldn't be easy, but this was... a lot.
"Where is it?"
"I don't know, but one of them has it."
"Who?"
"Either the serial killer Ghost Face, or your squad leader, Burning Blade Jin Ga-yong. Or maybe both."
"Both? There are two Ghost Faces?"
"No. In this case, it means those two turn out to be the same person."
"......!"
Jin Ga-yong was implicated again!
'Tch, so that's why Hidden Moon put me in the Face Pursuit Unit Jeong. To gain the leader's trust. He's suspected him from the start.'
"What if I search and neither has it?"
"Who knows what the world holds? In that case, consider it payment for a false lead. Proving that alone completes the commission."
Only then did Flying Tiger understand. At this level, it was worth taking.
Not easy by any means, but it was something he had to do anyway.
Taking the commission would naturally avenge Ma Yeop as well. And it was a chance to cleanly sort things out with the troublesome Jin Ga-yong.
Flying Tiger nodded and accepted.
"Fine. Leave it to me."
"What's your timeline?"
"If Jin Ga-yong has it, ten days. If the serial killer is someone else and they have the Ghost Face... hard to say exactly. I'll track separately, but it depends on the Face Pursuit Squad's movements. Still, I'll resolve it within a month. Sound good?"
Hidden Moon could tell from Flying Tiger's instant reply that he already had a plan sketched out in his head.
Refreshing.
Hidden Moon smiled in satisfaction.
"Perfect. Then in the meantime, Seo Nation Hall will focus on finding the Golden Jade Immortal and show results."
In truth, whether Flying Tiger retrieved the Ghost Face or Seo Nation Hall found the Golden Jade Immortal to save Gong Won-yeong, both were far from easy. They might even require heaven's luck.
And the two parties to the deal knew that better than anyone, but they didn't mention it.
Thus, the second deal was struck.
Afterward, Flying Tiger and Hidden Moon shared simple snacks and tea, chatting more comfortably.
The deal was done, but Flying Tiger had additional info to confirm, and Hidden Moon had one last request for him.
After about an hour, Hidden Moon left with Aruk, who had been waiting outside.
The indigo porcelain bottle of Jeophwa Ram remained alone on the table.
After seeing Hidden Moon off, Flying Tiger spent the afternoon tending to Gong Won-yeong.
Gong Won-yeong was in a state of false death.
Unconscious, her breathing and pulse so faint they seemed stopped—like an animal in hibernation.
Physician Heo, in charge of her treatment, had induced this state to minimize her vital energy consumption, buying time until the Golden Jade Immortal arrived.
But lying still would cause nerve and muscle damage, along with other complications, so constant care was needed.
A maid sent by Seo Nation Hall had been watching over her closely, tending several times a day. Flying Tiger thanked her with a heavy pouch of silver and gave her two days off.
Now he was taking over.
Truthfully, it was to spend pure time alone with Gong Won-yeong. With a new commission ahead, this was his way of being together.
First, Flying Tiger moved Gong Won-yeong to his study briefly and cleaned her room.
It was well-maintained, but he swept and wiped every corner. Perhaps he wanted to feel her nest with his own hands.
Then he bathed her. Having cared for her illness before, it was no hardship. They'd seen everything anyway.
Afterward, he gently massaged her meridians and joints, gave her another light rinse, dressed her beautifully, and laid her back down.
By then, the sun was dipping low.
Flying Tiger pulled a small table and chair beside her bed, sat, and sipped tea. He watched the sunset outside the window with her.
....
Soon, thick darkness fell, obscuring even their faces.
"You're a noble woman."
In the dark, Flying Tiger fiddled with his cold teacup and spoke.
He was afraid.
So many words he'd kept bottled up.
"You know, you're that kind of person to me. Once, people tried to mock and defile you, but no one could corrupt the pure soul within your body. It was a hard fight, right? I know."
Flying Tiger recalled old memories, murmuring thickly, 'How could I not know?'
"That's why. That's why I got angry every time you apologized for holding me back with your illness. I saw you as my comrade in battle. Against sickness or the world. But it hurt that it wasn't you."
Flying Tiger let out a long sigh and confessed.
"Truth is, you're my guiding light. You illuminate the way, and I can move forward. So really, the one leaning on you was me. Me."
Then Gong Won-yeong twitched.
Really?
Flying Tiger jumped up and grabbed her hand in a panic. But cruelly, there was no further response. He waited, holding it, feeling only faint pulses.
His own heart raced wildly instead.
Thump thump.
Just his imagination?
Flying Tiger slumped back into his seat and cooled his burning chest with cold tea. Calming down, he brushed off the awkward confession and grumbled in a brighter tone.
"Tch, my situation's a headache right now. While you've been asleep, I've gotten tangled in some messy stuff. So listen in and give me some advice this time too. You're smart."
Flying Tiger began recounting his recent events in detail.
From joining the Face Pursuit Squad, the operations, his teammates, to the deal with Hidden Moon—he held nothing back.
These moments felt just like always.
The two lovers lived another day like this.