Chapter 117
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Crushing the Tang Leaf (3)
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Geum Sihyeon uttered the name Dang Uryang.
The moment he heard it...
Dang Woojun was forced to confront the sin he had turned a blind eye to in a corner of his heart all this time.
- Haha, little bro. You've got some skills.
A man born with unparalleled talent for poisons in the Tang Family, yet more passionate about hidden weapons.
His inherently gentle nature made him someone no one could dislike.
But that very gentleness sometimes turned into weakness, leaving him utterly swayed by his father, Dang Seaak.
...And.
While Dang Woojun was away from the family on a mission...
The man had tried to abandon everything he'd built up until then for his daughters' future and forsake the Tang Family.
By the time he returned from the mission, events had spiraled into an irreversible catastrophe.
In the family, the family head's word was law.
Even though over half the pursuers had perished in the chase, and in the end, only a three-year-old child returned, having lost both father and mother.
The events of that day were thoroughly concealed.
And the suffocating silence from those who knew the full story beforehand, unable to speak out.
Instinct told him his father, Dang Seaak, had once again sacrificed family members to his greed.
But there was nothing Dang Woojun could do for his brother.
However.
Even so.
He tried.
To prevent the same tragedy from happening again.
To stop the tragedy from being passed down.
After grueling training that carved into his very bones, he seized the family head position and successfully demoted Dang Seaak to Retired Family Head.
Yet Dang Seaak still subtly dominated the entire Tang Family from the shadows, his influence undiminished even now.
Still.
"Brother... you're alive..."
A thread of relief bloomed in Dang Woojun's heart.
"He's holding up reasonably well. Fortunately, your second daughter is alive too."
Geum Sihyeon stepped forward and held out his smartphone.
Dang Uryang stared at the screen, where two figures were reflected.
Had time flowed so relentlessly?
Had the pain of losing his family hardened into resentment?
Instead of the gentle warmth that once filled his face.
His hair had turned completely white, and his frame was gaunt and emaciated.
Yet those distinctive blue eyes still sparkled with vitality.
And.
Standing at an awkwardly wide distance.
A young woman who had inherited her father's blue eyes and the hair color of his sister-in-law from her youth.
...Only when he took in the face so strikingly similar to Dang Sorin's did Dang Woojun finally believe that the man before him, Geum Sihyeon, spoke no lies.
"So, what do you want?"
With a hint of regret softening the sternness in his voice, Dang Woojun murmured lowly.
Geum Sihyeon pocketed his smartphone with a faint smile.
"Normalization, of course. Reverting everything that's gone wrong."
"How?"
"It's time to change strategies."
After a healthy, spirited, and heated discussion with the Tang Family Head...
The Tang Family Normalization Plan—
The outline of Crushing the Tang Leaf had become strikingly clear.
It was a far greater return than anticipated. Talk about good for Luri, good for brother-in-law...
[Me: Stop fidgeting so much]
[Luri: Hmph]
I effortlessly evicted the illegal mental intruder peeking from the corner of my vision.
Then, I reviewed the earlier bold move.
To sum it up simply.
Dang Woojun knew a lot, but he also didn't know a lot.
What he knew.
The full story of how I'd stirred chaos as the Jade-Faced Young Master alt character, and the overall damage inflicted on the Tang Family.
...This part was already resolved with my 'Jade-tion,' so under the premise of remaining a solid business partner moving forward, he agreed to turn a blind eye.
And, surprisingly, he even knew that the Retired Family Head—the Poison King—and some elders were affiliated with the Azure Heaven Society.
- Up until now, they hadn't troubled the family much, so I just observed. But if they tried to poison you and even hired assassins, that's a different story. Do you have proof?
Of course, no hard evidence, but there were witnesses.
The moment I arrived in Kunming, I express-shipped herbs that could kill Gudok to the Divine Doctor, so soon enough, a cure would be made, and our (former) Dang Chunsik (current) Dang Mok would testify.
What he didn't know was, naturally, everything related to Elder Dang Uryang.
Matters tied to the Martial Alliance were still being handled entirely by the Poison King, so information had been tightly controlled.
He let out a sigh at the part where his brother had become a Poison Demon, slain the Black Nether Beast in Yunnan, and tried to evolve by eating the Poison Poison Fruit.
Anyway.
The Family Head had agreed to my Crushing the Tang Leaf plan and promised full cooperation where needed.
Now, all that remained was to set the perfect stage and raise the curtain for the finale.
Flames rising from the scene of the poisoning...
Like a flower blooming in the crimson dawn...
- If we can normalize things as you say... then I can go see my brother too. And for Sorin—no, Narin—that child, we must restore her true name.
As I'd predicted, Dang Sorin (presumed Dang Narin) was indeed the real Dang Narin.
I wanted to share this joyous news with Elder Dang Uryang right away, but unfortunately, smartphone unification wasn't possible for him, so he couldn't check Martial Talk yet.
And now.
I was heading not as the dark Jade-Faced Young Master, but as the light Geum Sihyeon, to legally meet Dang Sorin, the Tang Family's young lady.
...Though last night's events made facing her a bit awkward.
According to the Family Head, the success of Crushing the Tang Leaf hinged on whether I could persuade Dang Sorin (presumed Dang Narin) or not.
No choice but to face her.
"From here on, watch my footsteps carefully and follow precisely. One misstep, and you'll be exposed to poison gas, so be extra cautious."
"Yes."
The meeting spot was a poison trap corridor.
Following the maid's steps along the path I'd breezed through unscathed last night felt a tad annoying.
But I couldn't let it slip that I had Immunity to All Poisons, so I had to play along.
"We're here. Take this antidote pill, enter the reception room, and wait. The young lady will come shortly."
"Thank you for guiding me."
Savoring the minty melt of the pill in my mouth, I blankly surveyed the reception room's interior—every corner of which I'd already searched last night—while waiting.
Clink.
The door opened, and a veiled woman peeked in.
And.
"H-Hiiik...! J-Jade-Faced...! Mmph!"
Pew!
The moment our eyes met, she shuddered violently and tried to utter the name of the one she mustn't name.
Instinctively, I fired a pressure point strike and sealed her acupoints again.
This... isn't this the same situation as last night...?
But.
How the hell did she recognize me?
"Shh. Stay quiet, and your life... wait, wrong line. Promise not to scream, and I'll unseal you."
Shivering, Dang Narin nodded in agreement.
To be safe, I pressed my palm to her mouth, ready to silence her, then gently stroked her nape to release the acupoint.
But Dang Narin just gaped wordlessly for a while.
...Did I break her?
"H-Huh, huuuh, y-you're, you're too cl-close...!"
Hmm.
She's finicky.
Tensing up in case I needed to reseal her, I backed off a bit.
Only then did normal color return to Dang Narin's carrot-red face.
"How did you recognize me?"
At my question, Dang Narin stammered again.
"Th-that, huuuh, y-your, Young M-Master, your c-collarbone, there's a m-mark..."
"...?"
I absentmindedly looked down, peering through the barely 1cm gap in my robe.
What.
There really is one.
"...Are you a pervert?"
"Ha-Hwaaah...!"
Pervert confirmed.
I put even more psychological distance between us.
Next question, as expected.
"Why keep last night a secret? If it were me, I'd have reported the Jade-Faced Young Master's atrocities immediately."
"Th-that, thaaat... I d-don't kn-know either... Y-Young Master doesn't s-seem like a l-liar... Uuuh..."
"About that... I never lied to you. I just met the Family Head and confirmed the facts. ...Your name isn't Dang Sorin—it's Dang Narin."
"Y-Yes, s-so it is...?"
Dang Narin's expression visibly darkened.
Well, can't blame her.
Her entire world had started crumbling overnight.
I handed her the prepared letter.
Then.
Hesitate, hesitate, hesitate.
Even slow motion would be faster than how agonizingly slowly Dang Narin's hand extended.
"Hauuuh...!"
Patience ran out, so I grabbed her wrist and shoved the letter into her hand.
"Read it when you're ready. And this is a request—or maybe a threat—but keep your distance from the Poison King. He's a beast about to be expelled from the Tang Family. Details in the letter."
"Uuuh...?"
I met her wide, distrustful eyes steadily.
Business done, I stood to leave.
Dang Narin remained frozen in place.
According to expert psychological analyst, the greatest genius under the heavens Geum Sihyeon, it was probably severe social anxiety.
I'll be considerate.
"Oh, right. The acupoint seal."
Only long after exiting the poison trap corridor did I realize I hadn't released the leg-paralyzing acupoint.
Eh.
It should have worn off by now...
With a somewhat lighter heart,
My next destination was outside the Tang Manor for the first time in a while.
The Jade-Faced Young Master's chaos service had ended.
But I headed off to deliver good news to my comrade and senior brother who shared his cause.
And there.
"Ting! You beggar brat. Why are your hands so slow? And you, beanpole brat, why are you just slacking? Go boil some herbal decoction."
"Yes, Elder."
"Haha! Leave it to me, Elder!"
Under the Beggar Sect Elder's command, two new brats had multiplied.
The beggar brat met my eyes.
"Whoa! Brother Geum! Long time no see!"
"Ooh, Sihyeon! You here to help Elder too?"
Unhak and Nangong Hwi.
Their faces were so welcome after so long.
"Open your eyes wide! And don't tell a soul!"
I drew my sword, infusing it with overwhelming joy—radiant starlight aura utterly transcendent of the cheap, shoddy sword qi of some Peak realm lowlife.