Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 29
>Chapter Title: Wi So-yeon (2)
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"You said that words carry weight and that you take responsibility for what you say yourself, didn't you?"
Mok Kyung-un spoke with a smile.
But that smile was unmistakably filled with malice.
The expression of Hui-ju's third disciple, Wi So-yeon, who was watching him, had changed dramatically from just moments ago.
'Hah.'
It was exasperating.
She had thought he was nothing more than a greedy opportunist.
In fact, in a situation like this, no amount of racking her brains would yield an easy answer.
Yet Mok Kyung-un had come up with a completely unexpected method.
'...Borrowing a knife to kill.'
Borrowing a knife to kill.
It meant exactly that—using someone else's blade to slay another.
Realizing that killing Yeop Wi-seon directly would bring trouble upon himself, he had resorted to this approach.
[Because of your foolish actions in bringing you here, even I am in quite a bind. If you open your mouth again, I'll execute you on the spot.]
She had warned him harshly to shut his mouth.
But that hadn't been an intention to kill him right there—it was to let him know how furious she was.
Yet Mok Kyung-un had turned it to his advantage.
'He won't dirty his own hands and incur the wrath of Myeong Do-wang, so he'll borrow mine?'
Look at this guy.
In this brief moment, he had devised such a bold scheme.
It wasn't just cunning—it showed his mind worked on a level beyond the ordinary.
To her, Mok Kyung-un said,
"Ah, ah. It looks like Myeong Do-wang's esteemed self is too frightening to simply let you go. What an unfortunate coincidence. To think the young lady herself must punish her loyal dog."
'You bastard!'
At Mok Kyung-un's words, Yeop Wi-seon couldn't hold back his rage.
Was this punk truly so desperate to see him dead?
Yeop Wi-seon hurriedly looked at Wi So-yeon.
'Young lady.'
No matter what, he was a disciple of Myeong Do-wang and a subordinate who had sworn loyalty to her.
Did it make sense to kill him over this punk's mischief?
Yet the expression on Wi So-yeon's face, faintly visible through the gauze, seemed somehow off.
'No... could it be...'
Was she really going to follow through on those words she had uttered earlier and kill him?
Panicking, Yeop Wi-seon hurriedly said to her,
"Y-Young lady... you're not really going to do as this punk says, are you? I... I swore loyalty to you."
"......"
"Young lady."
She remained silent.
Desperate, Yeop Wi-seon prostrated himself flat before her and begged.
"Young lady. This subordinate certainly committed a wrong, but is it deserving of death? If you kill me, Master—no, Myeong Do-wang and everyone in the Heaven and Earth Society under him won't follow you. Please make a wise choice."
With those words, Yeop Wi-seon lifted his head toward Mok Kyung-un and glared at him.
At this point, for him to survive, there was only one option.
It was to get Mok Kyung-un killed.
'The young lady has some sense, too.'
No matter how much she had declared she would honor her own words, there was such a thing as weighing options.
He was a disciple of Myeong Do-wang Son Yun.
For her to kill him would be no different from abandoning Myeong Do-wang and all the forces under him.
But that punk? Not at all.
He had no backing, and as long as there was a pretext, killing him wouldn't cause much fallout.
At that moment, Mok Kyung-un spoke up.
"For someone who claims to be a disciple of Myeong Do-wang, you're awfully pathetic."
"What?"
"Someone of your position should have honor and pride, but begging to save your skin like this, and dragging your master into it to make your liege break her word— it seems the young lady's honor means nothing to you."
'This bastard really...'
He wanted to rip that mouth apart right then.
But showing anger here would rob him of even the pity Wi So-yeon might feel, so he had to shut his mouth.
Mok Kyung-un looked at Wi So-yeon with an amused smile.
Now, how would she respond?
People in high positions with strong pride often clung fiercely to their own words.
But if pursuing practical gain, they would swallow their pride to save a subordinate.
Either choice would be one she couldn't easily accept.
It was then.
"Pfft."
A laugh leaked from behind the gauze.
Wi So-yeon was laughing.
At her reaction, one of Mok Kyung-un's eyebrows arched upward.
'Hmm.'
What was this?
He had thought he had cornered her pride quite thoroughly, but this unexpected response left him inwardly puzzled.
Why was she laughing?
As he wondered, she laughed for a good while before parting her lips.
"You're beyond my expectations."
"Pardon?"
"I thought you were just a greedy fool running your mouth, but you've come up with an answer I never even imagined."
"If that's praise, I'll gratefully accept it."
"It is praise. But you're awfully bold."
"What do you mean?"
"Right here, if things go awry, I'm someone with the power and authority to kill you without a word about conversation or anything. In fact, if it were my second senior brother, he might have slain you on the spot for toying with him."
"Killing me... Well, that could happen."
Her interest grew at Mok Kyung-un's calm response.
Until just now, she had seen him as someone who only chased profit and schemed with petty tricks.
But now her view had changed.
This guy had not just martial talent, but the potential to be her Zhang Liang—a brilliant strategist like the advisor to Liu Bang of Han.
Finding talent with brains was harder than finding those skilled in martial arts.
'I like him.'
With this, she resolved to make Mok Kyung-un one of her own.
Then Mok Kyung-un said to her,
"It's fascinating."
"What's fascinating?"
"You're acting delighted at the prospect of losing a loyal dog."
At Mok Kyung-un's words, Yeop Wi-seon, in his panic, lifted his head again and called out to her.
"Y-Young lady, are you really going to... "
"No. I won't kill you. So shut that mouth."
"Gasp."
At her words, Yeop Wi-seon clamped his mouth shut.
Hearing her firm assurance that she wouldn't kill him, color returned to his face.
Of course. There's no way she'd kill me.
But then Mok Kyung-un asked, puzzled,
"Then you're going back on your own word?"
Wi So-yeon shook her head at the question.
She then drew something from her waist.
-Swish!
She tossed it abruptly, and Mok Kyung-un caught it, furrowing his brow slightly.
What she had thrown was none other than a jade plaque.
Engraved on it were the words "Heaven and Earth Society," with her name below.
The material and shape of the jade gave it an air of great antiquity.
"Why this?"
As he looked puzzled, he noticed Yeop Wi-seon's distraught expression.
His eyes were wide, staring piercingly at the jade plaque in Mok Kyung-un's hand. Why the reaction?
Then Wi So-yeon spoke.
"It's the price for Yeop Wi-seon's life."
"Pardon?"
What did she mean, this jade plaque was the price for a life?
She smirked at Mok Kyung-un's baffled expression and said,
"Didn't you say it with your own mouth?"
"With my mouth?"
"Yes. That he must either pay a price commensurate with his life or hand over Yeop Wi-seon's life."
"Ah..."
Mok Kyung-un smacked his lips at her words.
Wi So-yeon had been cornered by her own prior statement, but Mok Kyung-un himself had first proposed that she demand an equivalent price.
He had thought the atmosphere limited responses to just two options, but she had gone with paying the price.
'She's no fool.'
She hadn't fallen into the trap he had set.
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly and held up the jade plaque.
"But what do you mean this is the price for a life? I don't understand."
"Hah!"
At Mok Kyung-un's words, Yeop Wi-seon wore an expression of frustration or exasperation—or perhaps both.
From his reaction, it seemed the jade plaque held special significance.
Wi So-yeon then explained,
"When a martial artist entrusts their identity plaque, it means they'll grant one request from that person, to the extent they can accommodate."
'!?'
Light flickered in Mok Kyung-un's eyes at her words.
So that's what it meant?
No wonder Yeop Wi-seon had reacted that way.
"May I ask how far 'to the extent you can accommodate' goes?"
"Exactly as it sounds. If it's within what I can grant, I'll definitely do it."
"That's vague."
"Vague?"
'This impudent...'
If not for her command, Yeop Wi-seon wanted to smack Mok Kyung-un's head right then.
In fact, he had been holding back from doing so multiple times.
Wi So-yeon clicked her tongue and said,
"You want a firm assurance, I see. Fine. Excluding requests like killing me or someone connected to me. And only for requests that are realistically feasible for me."
"Ah. I see."
Mok Kyung-un nodded at her words.
She would grant a request within feasible limits.
Still vague.
Then, a clear voice rang in Mok Kyung-un's ear.
-Accept it. If you take that mortal woman's identity plaque, you can use it in a pinch from the inside. Leveraging her authority when needed is also an option.
Her authority.
Indeed, as the next Hui-ju of the Heaven and Earth Society.
Not everything, but there would be uses in certain situations.
At least better than killing Myeong Do-wang's disciple.
Mok Kyung-un bowed his head politely.
"I'll gratefully accept."
"No need to thank me. Consider it an investment in talent I wish to recruit."
"Pardon?"
"Didn't you hear? Then I'll be direct."
-Swish!
Wi So-yeon removed the bamboo hat with the gauze veil.
Her bare face was revealed.
The moment he saw it, Mok Kyung-un's eyes narrowed.
'This is...'
-Hah!
Cheong-ryeong let out a voice as if exasperated.
And rightly so, for Wi So-yeon's face was breathtakingly beautiful— no exaggeration needed.
Yet it bore a striking resemblance to Cheong-ryeong.
So similar in appearance that they could pass for sisters.
The difference lay in the aura exuded by their looks.
'Cheong-ryeong gives off an arrogant, cold, intimidating feel, while this one is more radiant and bright.'
If anything else, Wi So-yeon looked younger.
But aside from that, anyone would think they were alike.
What a coincidence.
However, it wasn't necessarily strange.
'Well... the real Mok Kyung-un looked just like me, after all.'
More than just resembling—they were identical twins indistinguishable even from close kin.
Considering that, it wasn't odd for her to resemble Cheong-ryeong.
Though the person in question seemed utterly baffled.
Then Wi So-yeon said,
"Why stare so intently? Have you fallen for my beauty?"
"......"
She seemed the type with strong self-confidence.
But Mok Kyung-un didn't care in the least.
"As if."
Mok Kyung-un shrugged.
Though her words had been a joke, his nonchalant reply seemed to irk her, and she shot him a slight glare.
She soon shook her head and extended her hand, saying,
"Enough chit-chat. To cut to the chase: I intend to become the next Hui-ju. For that, I need more talent."
"Talent like..."
"Mok Kyung-un. Join my faction. For someone of your caliber, I'll treat you accordingly."
Yeop Wi-seon bit his lip hard at her offer.
As expected, she coveted Mok Kyung-un as a subordinate.
'Damn it.'
If Mok Kyung-un joined her, it would be trouble.
He had planned to repay this humiliation someday, but being in the same faction would make it hard to touch him openly.
Yeop Wi-seon looked at Mok Kyung-un.
'No way he'll refuse.'
It was an offer from one of the next Hui-ju candidates, no less.
Who would pass up such a golden opportunity?
But then,
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to politely decline that offer."
"What?"
Yeop Wi-seon looked at him in shock at Mok Kyung-un's response.
She, a prime candidate for next Hui-ju, was offering to treat him as prime talent, and he rejected it outright?
Was this guy sane?
[Chapter 29: Wi So-yeon (2)] End