Chapter 95
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Seems Necessary?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"No thanks."
"Why not reconsider?"
"What's there to reconsider?"
A young man dressed in martial robes.
Sherung scoffed.
He stared coldly at the woman disguised as a man standing across from him.
"Who in their right mind would accept a lunatic proposal to overhaul the entire company's security and surveillance systems?"
"Given the possibility that this place could be the beasts' next target, it's precisely what needs to be done to ensure the company's safety."
"If you're thinking about safety, you'd do even less of it."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"This Guardian system of yours—ultimately, it hands everything over to your company, doesn't it? Run by that mad dog, the Sword Duke."
Cheonhwa Department Store.
One of the Black Dragon Clan's subsidiaries that generated considerable profits.
Sherung, the head of security, twisted his lips.
"Unless you're a traitor who's sold out the clan, why would anyone entrust such an outdated relic from a bygone era—let alone our clan's archenemy—to handle anything?"
"Watch your tongue."
"Why? Oh right, wasn't it our esteemed princess who handed the clan's safety over to him?"
Sherung sneered.
"The princess sure is something. Not content with selling off all the clan's assets, now she's handing our lifeline over to our enemy."
Chaang!
It happened in an instant.
A sword had embedded itself into the chair where Sherung sat.
"I told you to watch your tongue, Sherung."
The woman in male attire had drawn her sword in the blink of an eye and planted it perilously close to Sherung's ear.
Seeing the chill in Weiling's eyes, he swallowed dryly without realizing it.
But it was only for a moment.
Sherung soon curled his lips into a sneer.
"You should be the one watching yourself."
"I don't see any reason to take advice from you."
"Sure, back when you were the princess's guard. But what about now?"
Chao Weiling.
Heir to the prestigious Chao family.
Moreover, from a young age, she had earned the princess's trust and, at a young age, won the martial tournament, gaining recognition as a promising talent across the entire Seven Dragon Society.
He wouldn't have dared speak so crudely if it were the Weiling of those days.
She had been too lofty a figure to treat casually, even as a peer.
But that was all in the past.
"You're just a lackey for that mad dog now. And after being discarded by the princess, no less."
Dismissed from her role as the princess's guard.
Appointed as Lemon's secretary afterward.
Weiling's reputation had plummeted to the ground.
No, it was no exaggeration to say it had burrowed underground, digging a tunnel straight to the depths.
The higher her former fame, the more glaringly the stigma of serving the clan's enemy stood out.
"Even in this state, you plan to keep offering that foolish loyalty to the princess?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"Blind obedience isn't the only form of loyalty."
Sherung grinned slyly.
Weiling narrowed her eyes at him.
As a former princess's guard who had seen and heard much at Li Chingwei's side, she knew exactly what he meant.
"Are you referring to something like breaking off the Sword Duke's engagement and forcibly marrying the princess into another clan—as an act of loyalty?"
"If your lord can't make the right decision, forcing her to do so is the way of a true vassal."
"I didn't realize the elders were still harboring such foolish notions."
"Hey, don't jump to conclusions. This is just my personal opinion, unrelated to the elders."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Anything else might be debatable.
But discussing Li Chingwei's marriage was something only the elders could do.
They simply couldn't act directly because she had them by the throat, so they schemed from the shadows.
"Don't get emotional—think it through rationally. What truly benefits the clan, and who you need to cozy up to if you're looking to switch sides."
Did he trust the elders backing him?
He acted as if he held the upper hand.
Weiling fixed her cold gaze on the arrogant Sherung and spoke softly.
"Is your confession over?"
"What? Planning to haul me off and punish me for my loyalty?"
"I won't do that."
Weiling judged coolly.
If the elders were shielding Sherung, she couldn't punish him lightly.
Without solid evidence, acting on her own would give the elders ammunition to counterattack, putting Li Chingwei in a bind instead.
However, that didn't mean she had no options.
"Instead, I'll relay your words to the Sword Duke exactly as you said them."
"...What?"
"So if the Sword Duke comes looking for you in a fit of rage, don't blame the princess."
"Weiling, you...!"
Sherung's face twisted.
He hadn't expected her to play it this way.
Glare as he might, as if he could devour her, he finally spat out a jeer.
"Loyal to a fault, huh? Looks like you've already given that old man your body and soul. What, did he take you as a concubine in return?"
"Reporting business matters to Guardian's CEO, the Sword Duke, is simply my duty as his secretary."
"...Fine, go sell your body and learn some swordsmanship at least. Wouldn't want you walking away empty-handed now, would we, Chao Weiling!"
"Sherung."
Sherung flinched.
Weiling's eyes, which had been merely cold, now gleamed with a chilling, bone-deep killing intent.
It wasn't mere intimidation—it was genuine murderous intent, as if she were seriously contemplating killing him.
"Don't call me by my alias so casually."
"... ."
"If you commit such rudeness once more, next time it won't end with a warning."
According to the clan's long-standing rules, insolence beyond bounds would be settled by duel.
Too polite to be a threat.
Too lethal to be just a warning.
With those words, Weiling sheathed her sword and turned to leave.
"...That insolent bitch!"
Only after Weiling had vanished did Sherung finally shake off his rigidity and bellow.
"Same as always—always knows how to piss people off! Damn her!"
She had already fallen as low as one could go.
Yet her gaze remained unchanged from the days when she was hailed as the Black Dragon Clan's top prodigy.
And the fact that he, cowed by her mere glare, had accomplished nothing fueled Sherung's rage.
The past was still vivid in his memory.
At the martial tournament, she had effortlessly defeated him and turned away without a second glance.
"Hmph, Sword Duke my ass. Clinging to a rotten lifeline like that and acting all high and mighty."
He grumbled for quite a while.
Eventually, Sherung calmed down.
By convincing himself that things were different now.
'The Sword Duke's expulsion is just around the corner anyway.'
The elders were uncharacteristically cautious in dealing with Lemon, but to Sherung, it was excessive worry.
Lemon was as good as done.
He had tricked their princess into securing a company like Guardian, only to wander around like a thug.
If the engagement proceeded as is?
The Seven Dragon Society's stellar experts would rise up and try to kill him.
'They say he was an absolute being as a Sword Master back then, but that's just an obsolete relic of the old era now.'
Sherung scoffed.
Might made right only in the past.
In this era, with money and power, you could acquire miracle-inducing items or near-invincible players at will.
Rumors even swirled that the elders were already contacting lords through other clans and the top ten guilds.
The Seven Dragon Society's might and wealth.
The top ten guilds' players.
And the absolute lords on top.
If all that power united properly?
Not even the Sword Emperor reborn could escape the coffin again.
'That's why the old man's pulling these stunts—out of fear.'
Thud!
Sherung tossed the documents and business card Weiling had left into the trash can and sneered.
'As if we couldn't handle a few measly beasts ourselves—ridiculous!'
He knew about the Black Dragon Construction massacre.
He was aware of the subsidiaries hit in subsequent attacks.
But he didn't doubt his ability to fend off a handful of criminals.
'And using a few wrong predictions as an excuse to force contracts—what a shameless old coot.'
Guardian might claim credit for predicting and stopping beast attacks, but to Sherung, it was sheer luck.
The multiple misses proved it wasn't reliable.
Even if not luck, they were probably buying info from prophecy-skilled players or seers.
He had no need for such intel.
He was confident he could catch the beasts himself, and even if not, no reason to borrow an outdated fossil like the Sword Duke.
Worst case, borrow from the top guilds or other clans the elders were contacting.
'Just you wait, Weiling. When the time comes, I'll make you kneel at my feet!'
Dreaming of a future where he'd overshadow her by driving out Lemon, Sherung flashed a sinister smile.
But that smile vanished soon after.
Before his hopeful future arrived.
A very special guest paid him a visit first.
Ding-ding-ding-ding!
"Hm?"
The emergency alarm blared suddenly.
Screams erupted from afar.
The moment chaos stirred around him.
A warrior burst through the door and shouted urgently.
"Captain! We're under attack!"
"...What?!"
For a brief moment, Sherung's face went slack.
Snapping to his senses, he leaped from his seat.
"Where? Who are they!?"
"Luxury section on the 10th floor of Building A! Masked freaks are rampaging, slaughtering customers indiscriminately!"
"Those crazy bastards...!"
Like someone climbing the roof to install lightning rods only to get struck by a bolt from a clear sky.
Sherung felt dizzy.
Weiling had warned him.
But he'd dismissed it as bluffing to scare him into signing.
This beast attack was utterly unexpected.
"Request backup from the Shanghai Wang Clan and assemble all guards at Building A! Have regular staff evacuate customers and get out!"
"Yes, sir!"
Sherung issued rapid orders.
Even undervalued compared to Weiling, he was still a Black Dragon Clan elite.
No matter how rattled, he wouldn't forget his duties.
"Once all staff are evacuated, seal off external interference! No one gets in except backup!"
"Even the police?"
"You want to broadcast our department store getting hit!?"
"Understood."
Having issued orders factoring in politics and business, Sherung grabbed his spear from the wall.
Before dashing out.
He glared fiercely at the trash can, gritted his teeth, and turned away.
'No help from relics or traitors!'
Leading his men like lightning toward Building A, Sherung steeled himself.
This was an opportunity.
Slaying the beasts himself would earn major credit.
And then, he could finally avenge his tournament loss to Weiling.
So he believed.
"Gaaahhh!"
"Aigoo, this guy's making a fuss over just one poked eye? What a drama queen."
...Less than ten minutes later.
Right up until a knife was about to plunge into his own eye.