Chapter 150: When the Arm Bends Too Far Inward? (3)
Hanbin's eyes reflected Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's expression.
The corners of his mouth twitched faintly, as if he were barely holding back an explosion of laughter.
It was clearly the arrogance of someone convinced he had Hanbin trapped until the very end.
Hanbin nodded impassively, as if accepting the challenge.
This time, he had no intention of forgiving his opponent.
If he hadn't possessed the memories of his past life as the leader of the Ghost Sword Squad, he would have been utterly done for.
Even if he had subdued the enemy with force right there, he would have been branded a public enemy of the Murim.
In truth, the reason he could escape this threat now was because, in his past life, Hanbin had once ensnared an opponent in exactly this manner.
Truth be told, if one was determined to lure an enemy into a trap, there were thousands—no, tens of thousands—of ways to do it.
Being able to prepare for this had involved some luck as well.
If Song Gyeong-un hadn't mentioned the flag's color while guiding him to his lodgings, the solution might have been somewhat different.
But once he learned of the colorblindness, dealing with it became straightforward.
Perhaps irked by Hanbin's impassive demeanor, Hwang Bo-gyeon-u strode forward, somewhat excitedly.
Puffing with agitation as he approached, he passed by Hanbin's side and declared,
"I'll wager anything."
"I'm saying I decide what that is. What will you wager, Young Master?"
"Anything you want!"
"Then let's start with your signature..."
Hwang Bo-gyeon-u cut Hanbin off.
"Skip that. With this many witnesses, we don't need a contract."
With those words, Hwang Bo-gyeon-u snorted and headed toward the pavilion where the maid's corpse lay.
Hanbin glanced around and said,
"I'd like to see that evidence myself. Everyone who wants confirmation, follow me."
As Hanbin slowly trailed behind Hwang Bo-gyeon-u, the group made their way to the pavilion.
It was then.
Hanbin tilted his head.
He felt a momentum like a towering mountain from behind.
Upon closer focus, it wasn't quite a mountain—it was more like a tsunami.
As everyone's bodies tensed at the overwhelming presence,
Its source roared like a lion.
"Cease this at once!"
Hanbin narrowed his eyes.
That voice rivaled the lion's roar he himself unleashed with bluster.
What the hell?
In the moment he cocked his head, the roar's owner overtook Hanbin and reached the pavilion, blocking Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's path.
At the same time, the entire Huangbo household cried out,
"We greet the family head!"
At that shout, Hanbin narrowed his eyes further.
Hwang Bo-man-cheong?
He was the head of the Huangbo Family from Hanbin's past-life memories.
Hwang Bo-man-cheong looked at Hwang Bo-gyeon-u with utter disbelief.
"What in the world do you think you're doing?"
"I..."
As Hwang Bo-gyeon-u flinched and trailed off, Hwang Bo-man-cheong's eyebrows twitched.
"Do you think I placed you in the young master's seat to play childish games?"
"F-Father."
Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's voice trembled slightly.
"Did you think the family head's position was some idle perch for lounging?"
"What are you talking about, Father?"
"I've seen everything."
It was a loaded statement.
But no one knew what it meant.
From where? What exactly had he seen?
As curiosity lit up everyone's eyes, Hwang Bo-man-cheong slowly walked into the pavilion.
He picked up the dagger lying on the floor.
At that sight, Hwang Bo-gyeon-u shouted,
"Father, that's the evidence...!"
"I said cease!"
Family Head Hwang Bo-man-cheong rubbed the dagger with his fingers.
At once, the blood on the blade gathered in droplets at his fingertips.
The blood swirled and formed a round bead at the tip of his finger as it passed over the dagger.
As everyone swallowed hard at the sight of the crimson orb spinning at his fingertip,
Hwang Bo-man-cheong flicked it lightly away.
Plip.
The blood clump, now a crimson bead, flew far off into the pond.
Splash!
A massive column of water erupted, spraying in all directions.
For a moment, it looked as if a bomb had been planted in the pond.
Everyone's jaws dropped.
It was pure, overwhelming martial prowess.
But Hanbin tilted his head and stroked his chin.
The realm he had displayed was unmistakably Hwagyeong, likely the second or third gyeong.
He was a higher expert than the Blood Demon Witch he'd faced before, and superior even to Paeng Kangwi of the Hebei Paeng Family, who had just entered Hwagyeong.
He'd been hiding power like that?
This was a fact Hanbin had never learned, even across his past and present lives.
As everyone reeled from the absurd display, Hwang Bo-man-cheong spoke sharply.
"You were going to use this dagger as evidence?"
"Well..."
Perhaps due to the edge in Hwang Bo-man-cheong's voice, Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's tone shrank like a mole exposed to sunlight.
At that, Hwang Bo-man-cheong swelled his aura.
"Speak clearly."
"Yes, that's right. It's definitely evidence."
Hwang Bo-gyeon-u quickly composed himself and replied.
Hwang Bo-man-cheong narrowed his eyes.
"Take a good look at whose dagger this is."
He held the now blood-free dagger before Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's eyes.
Hwang Bo-gyeon-u continued with a confident expression.
"Obviously, it's from the Hebei Paeng Family..."
But the moment he read the inscription on the dagger, he couldn't continue.
Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's gaze froze on a single character engraved on it.
—Huang (yellow).
His pupils trembled violently.
For a brief moment, his eyes darted frantically in search of an answer.
But his wits couldn't reach the truth.
This dagger had clearly come from Hanbin's lodgings.
How could it belong to the Huangbo Family?
Of course, he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, but he'd received continuous reports, so he was certain.
Did that mean there was a spy among his subordinates?
Could it be his brother, Hwang Bo-yeong-u, the traitor?
Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's wildly shaking eyes halted at the sound of the dagger snapping.
Snap!
A crisp sound echoed around the pavilion.
Hwang Bo-man-cheong tossed the broken dagger at Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's feet.
Clink!
It embedded into the blue diamond floor.
As the vibrations of the shuddering dagger pieces faded, Hwang Bo-man-cheong continued.
"If you scheme to steal another's blade, shouldn't you anticipate your own might be taken?"
Finishing his words, he glanced toward Hanbin.
Their eyes met, and Hanbin understood what Hwang Bo-man-cheong had meant by "I've seen everything."
It meant he'd been watching not just Hwang Bo-gyeon-u's actions, but Hanbin's as well.
The problem was that Hanbin hadn't sensed a thing.
Hanbin, who had never been under true surveillance before, suddenly felt like a helpless pup.
He gave a wry smile.
Seeing it, Hwang Bo-man-cheong said,
"Can't we end it here?"
"..."
Hanbin silently met Hwang Bo-man-cheong's gaze.
This was a master who could crush him with sheer power.
Yet such an expert was now seeking his consent.
As if struck by a thought, Hanbin glanced at the fallen maid's corpse.
Everyone followed his gaze to the body.
As eyes converged, Hanbin spoke.
"My false accusation seems cleared up, but what of the life lost unjustly? I feel I must uncover the culprit."
"Ahem."
Hwang Bo-man-cheong cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at the corpse.
Then, glancing back at Hanbin, he gave a bitter smile.
He had revealed such prowess; surely that was enough to make anyone back down.
Yet Hanbin clung like a hound refusing to release its bite.
Irritating, yet he couldn't help envying the head of the Hebei Paeng Family.
"You intend to strip it bare to the end, do you? Insolent brat."
"I have no idea what you mean."
Hanbin shook his head innocently.
"Enough!"
Hwang Bo-man-cheong waved dismissively and flicked his finger toward the maid's corpse.
Upon closer look, a black go stone shot from his hand.
Whoosh!
The black stone struck the maid's jaw.
The impact was soft compared to the sound.
Thud!
Suddenly, the maid's face peeled away slightly.
Through the gap, Hwang Bo-man-cheong tore off the skin.
Riiip!
Screams erupted here and there.
Hwang Bo-man-cheong held up the peeled skin for all to see.
But something was off.
What he held was unmistakably man-made.
He said casually,
"This is a human skin mask."
His voice echoed through the pavilion.
Before the echo faded, murmurs rose from those who had thought the maid dead.
"A human skin mask?"
"So the maid isn't dead?"
"What the hell is going on?"
Their puzzled gazes turned to Hwang Bo-gyeon-u.
"No way..."
"That 'no way' seems spot on."
"So our young master set up the frame job...?"
"But what about that corpse?"
As speculation buzzed, Hanbin said,
"From the face, it looks like it's been dead at least two days. The smell's cleverly masked with sachets and drugs."
"Satisfied now?"
"A body bought from somewhere, I suppose. I have no intention of pressing further on the maid's 'murder.'"
At that, Family Head Hwang Bo-man-cheong bellowed in a low voice,
"There was no murder today!"
"..."
Everyone silently regarded Hwang Bo-man-cheong.
He bellowed again,
"This matter is dropped. Now withdraw—all of you—so I may speak privately with the Hebei Paeng Family's Fourth Young Master!"
His voice was quiet, yet it pierced every ear like an awl.
They quietly clasped hands in salute and retreated.
Now remaining were the Red Blood Alliance Tiger Squad, Seol-hwa, and Law Enforcement Leader Hwang Bo-seo-hyeon.
Hanbin said,
"Should I dismiss my people too, Family Head?"
"That's up to you."
At Hwang Bo-man-cheong's words, Hanbin nodded to So Daeseop.
Receiving the signal, So Daeseop quietly instructed the Red Blood Alliance Tiger Squad.
As everyone filed out, Seol-hwa whispered to Hanbin,
"I'll head out too, Young Master."
As Hanbin started to nod,
Hwang Bo-man-cheong eyed Seol-hwa, his gaze sharpening.
"You may stay."
"Me? It's fine?"
As Seol-hwa narrowed her eyes questioningly, Hwang Bo-man-cheong replied approvingly, as if impressed.
"Yes, you stay... No, remain. I'll appoint the Law Enforcement Leader as witness for this side; you serve as witness for the Hebei Paeng Family."
At his words, Hanbin nodded to Seol-hwa.
She tilted her head curiously and stood to Hanbin's right.
Hanbin met Hwang Bo-man-cheong's eyes.
For a moment, as he looked up at the sky, clouds reflected in his gaze.
Hanbin knew countless calculations swirled in his mind, as many as those clouds.
Honor for his clan.
The desire to protect his son.
And even wariness toward the outsider Hebei Paeng Family.
Hanbin knew he should speak first.
"Arms naturally bend inward, after all."
"I'm grateful for your understanding."
"But if they bend too far inward, they snap."
"Hmph. What do you want as the price for burying this matter?"
"I have no greed."
"Lies."
"How did you know?"
"I've spent my life tirelessly reading opponents. You can't fool these eyes."
Hanbin nodded. He was clearly referring to go.
"Then give me what I want."
"Name it."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll sign the Five Elements Token right now."
"That's not necessary."
"Not necessary...?"
"I want your genuine support, Family Head."
"Isn't that too vague? Nothing like the rumors."
"I'll claim material damages from the culprit himself."
"The culprit?"
"Why pretend not to know, Family Head?"
"Fine, handle that yourself. How shall I prove my support?"
"How about we discuss it over a game of go?"
"Go, eh..."
"I've prepared the stones; just provide the board."
Hanbin pulled a leather pouch from his bosom.
It was the item Sim Miho had handed him.
As he set it on the pavilion table, a peculiar sound rang out.
Clink.
Hwang Bo-man-cheong tilted his head at the noise, and Hanbin reached in, pulling out a few items from the pouch and placing them on the table.