Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Identical Eyes
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Chirp, chirp chirp—.
Waking from sleep, the first thing that reached her ears was the birdsong only heard in the early morning.
Sunlight pierced through the slightly open door, stinging her eyes. The fluffy, soft blanket warmly enveloped her body.
It was a refreshing sleep.
She couldn't even remember the last time she'd slept so deeply.
Swoosh—.
Unhyang pushed aside the blanket and sat up.
For a moment, the memories of her dream vividly swirled in her mind.
She had expected a worse nightmare than usual because of yesterday's events.
Instead, she had dreamed of salvation.
Bow—.
That was when she turned to the side.
There was Lee Soo-hyuk, leaning against the wall and dozing off.
Perhaps feeling stuffy, he had taken off his mask and left it beside him.
"Let's go back."
The end of the dream resurfaced, and Unhyang drew closer to Lee Soo-hyuk.
Unhyang reached out toward his face.
The moment she covered his face and peered only into his eyes...
"...What are you doing?"
His mouth opened before his eyes did.
He had woken up, sensing her presence.
"Did you sleep here?"
"Not really slept, just dozed off for a bit."
Lee Soo-hyuk, who had opened his eyes belatedly, hurriedly rubbed his sleepy eyes. Unhyang withdrew the hand she had brought close to his face and blinked.
"Perfect timing."
"Pardon?"
"Put on the mask. Hurry."
Unhyang picked up the mask beside him and held it out.
At her changed words from before, Lee Soo-hyuk looked bewildered.
"Didn't you say to take it off when it's just the two of us?"
"That was then."
"The reason...?"
"Ah, just do it."
At her stubborn demand, Lee Soo-hyuk put on the mask for now.
It was a mask he had to wear again soon anyway, so there was no issue.
His face was covered, with only his eyes exposed to the outside.
And then.
"...It's the same."
"Pardon?"
"Exactly the same. As Lee Soo-hyuk."
When Lee Soo-hyuk first appeared in her dream, she naturally thought he was Blue Eyes' Lee Soo-hyuk.
She remembered clearly.
For decades, he had been her hero and savior.
But.
"The gaze."
The Lee Soo-hyuk from her dream and the one before her now had eyes uncannily identical.
"...Aren't all people's eyes pretty much the same?"
"No way."
Unhyang shook her head firmly.
Even though she liked both Lee Soo-hyuks, she hadn't noticed until now.
But she was certain this vivid dream was no mistake.
"It's amazing."
And that's why it was even more astonishing.
"They're clearly different people."
The two were definitely different people.
The Lee Soo-hyuk who was her hero was the undisputed top ranker, and there was no way such a person would retake a lower-floor trial.
And while their gazes were the same, their eye shapes, voices—everything else was different.
Unhyang examined Lee Soo-hyuk's eyes from an uncomfortably close distance.
He could have averted his gaze, but he didn't.
A moment later.
Lee Soo-hyuk removed the mask from his face and brought up the question he had been putting off.
"Why do you like Lee Soo-hyuk that much?"
"Why? Jealous?"
"You owe me one from yesterday, right?"
To Unhyang, who was teasing as usual, Lee Soo-hyuk drew a clear line.
"Answer properly. Consider this settling the debt."
"Properly?"
"Yes."
Lee Soo-hyuk nodded.
Her attachment to him went beyond mere fandom; it was inexplicable.
To recognize they were the same person just from their gaze, not even eye shape or brows.
'Even the others couldn't do that.'
It was something he couldn't expect even from comrades like Si-woo or Ye-ryeong.
Probably the same even if positions were reversed.
Lee Soo-hyuk wasn't confident he could recognize Si-woo reincarnated just by gaze.
"He's my hero."
Hero.
An unexpected answer.
But fortunately, he had a hunch.
"Because of Uncheon-geuk?"
Unhyang's pupils dilated.
Lee Soo-hyuk explained to her surprised face.
"Heard it from Cheongryang. That you're Manager Uncheon-geuk's daughter and heir to Shinryeong Castle."
"Cheongryang?"
"I asked her. Blackmailed her with a debt, just like now."
Debt.
If converted to points, it would be an enormous sum.
It was understandable. In the end, Unhyang nodded.
"Yes. Because of Uncheon-geuk."
She didn't call him father.
"Have you seen it? The match 30 years ago where Lee Soo-hyuk completely dominated Uncheon-geuk in the showdown."
She hadn't seen it, but it must have happened.
But the specific match Unhyang mentioned didn't immediately come to mind.
'I've fought him more than once.'
Lee Soo-hyuk had won all matches. Describing it as a 'victory' didn't narrow it down.
"Guess not. I didn't see it live either; I watched the recording."
"So you became a fan after that match?"
"Yes. It felt so refreshing."
She hesitated for a moment, then shyly looked down, avoiding his gaze.
"Well, that's not all..."
"There's more?"
"Yeees..."
Her voice trailed off. Seeing her avert her eyes, Lee Soo-hyuk asked.
"Hard to talk about?"
"Later."
Unhyang bit her lower lip and nodded awkwardly.
"Someday... definitely."
At those words, Lee Soo-hyuk recalled Cheongryang's words.
"Yes. One day, she just told me."
"This can't go on..."
A secret even Cheongryang, her friend from childhood in Shinryeong Castle, didn't know.
No matter the help, he didn't think he'd hear it here. He had no intention of using it as leverage.
Lee Soo-hyuk nodded.
"Got it."
"Thank you."
Unhyang smiled brightly at him.
During their conversation, she realized why she had such a pleasant dream.
Inside Shinryeong Castle's grand temple.
Jaunyeop stepped into the center of the majestic temple adorned with red drapes and dragon-patterned walls.
After treating his wounds and resting a day, he first sought his senior brother and the castle's lord, Uncheon-geuk.
"I'm sorry, senior brother."
Jaunyeop bowed his head, unable to meet the eyes of Uncheon-geuk, who sat on the throne propping his chin.
How could he lift his head after losing all 30 elite warriors and failing the mission?
"...We failed."
In the end, he returned alone.
Having lost everyone, barely surviving with his life.
Yet.
"I thought it would be like that."
At the unexpected response, a question arose on Jaunyeop's bowed face.
He thought it would fail?
Until departure, Jaunyeop had thought it excessive. No matter how genius she was hailed, Unhyang was far below him in rank and player experience.
And with 30 elite warriors including over ten rankers.
"Aren't you going to ask why we failed?"
"She must have been stronger than expected."
"That's part of it, but—."
Mid-sentence, Jaunyeop realized that wasn't the point.
What mattered now was different.
"...If you thought we'd fail, why send us?"
"I sent you to die. Or rather, thought it would turn out that way."
Jaunyeop raised his head and scrutinized Uncheon-geuk's expression. He still couldn't read him.
His heart sank, but Uncheon-geuk's mind was elsewhere.
"This wasn't in my calculations..."
"I need an explanation."
Jaunyeop stared straight at Uncheon-geuk.
"You know well? I'm not interested in that position. No, I wouldn't dare aim for it."
Uncheon-geuk was a monster.
Impossible for Jaunyeop to handle.
Long ago, Shinryeong Castle's lord was decided, and Jaunyeop had no lingering attachment.
Then why?
"It was necessary."
"Why—."
"Not for you, for Unhyang."
Uncheon-geuk cut off Jaunyeop's noisy words.
"Her killing you means she's grown as I wanted."
"Pardon?"
"Anyway, withdraw. I'll call you when I need you next."
His tone was like using an object.
At a loss for words, Jaunyeop bit his lip hard and turned.
Blood drew from his crushed lip in rage and injustice, but it was also fortunate.
He might have died here by Uncheon-geuk's hand. He was a tyrant known in Murim.
For now, surviving was enough to be grateful for.
Creeeak—.
As Jaunyeop turned to leave the temple.
Muhwi entered through the wide-open doors.
Muhwi bowed in greeting and passed Jaunyeop. The doors closed, and Muhwi entered, sitting before Uncheon-geuk.
"You called for me?"
"What do you think?"
At Uncheon-geuk's question, Muhwi felt his breath catch, as always.
He was always like this.
Throwing unclear questions, probing intentions.
Fortunately, this time the meaning was clear.
"Someone intervened."
Someone meddled in capturing Unhyang.
That was the obvious fact.
"Why do you think so?"
"Senior brother couldn't have failed alone."
Uncheon-geuk nodded at Muhwi's answer.
"Lee Soo-hyuk."
He knew everything.
That's why he didn't ask Jaunyeop.
"If it was just that child, he wouldn't have returned alive."
At those words, Muhwi looked puzzled.
Incomprehensible. He spoke as if Unhyang alone would have killed Jaunyeop.
Then why send Jaunyeop?
"Was it to kill junior brother?"
"What use killing that guy? If killing, I'd do it myself."
True.
Uncheon-geuk didn't bother scheming to kill; he beheaded with his own hands.
Then why?
"More importantly, Muhwi."
No time to think.
Reading Uncheon-geuk's intentions was never easy.
"Yes, Master."
"Did you definitely relay the message I wanted to Cheongryang for that child?"
"...Yes."
"Good?"
Uncheon-geuk nodded and waved his hand dismissively.
"Then go."
A trivial question, but it gave Muhwi a glimpse of what was coming.
His stomach churned. Muhwi clasped his fists in salute and left.
Alone in the temple, Uncheon-geuk's expression twisted for the first time.
"Lee Soo-hyuk..."
Lee Soo-hyuk.
He never thought the day would come to mull over that name again.
Though just a mere streamer, it oddly stuck in his throat.
"Should I meet him once?"