Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Come to My Room
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The Hubei Martial Alliance was in an uproar.
Last night, the Hubei Martial Alliance had been played for fools, plain and simple.
The manor where the Divine Doctor of the Ages and the One-Needle Eccentric were treating patients had been attacked, yet they failed to take appropriate action.
At the same time the culprits attacked the two physicians, there was a move to lure out the young prodigies staying at the Alliance.
A large number of impostors disguised as Alliance warriors had been deployed to approach each prodigy, luring them outside with the excuse that someone close to them was looking for them.
Had they not reacted in time, there was no telling what might have happened.
The Hubei Martial Alliance was frantically investigating the impostors and the destination where they had intended to take the prodigies.
Only later did they realize it was all a ploy, a diversion set up to attack the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric.
In any case, the incident threw the Hubei Martial Alliance into chaos.
They began by investigating how the impostors, disguised as Alliance warriors, had managed to approach the young prodigies.
From there, they gradually expanded the scope of their investigation.
The Alliance Leader, too, became incredibly busy. He was swamped with matters to handle, issues to consider, and decisions to make.
On top of that, because those bastards had attacked the manor, all the remaining patients there had died.
Fortunately, a round of treatments had just finished and most patients had already left, so the damage was less severe than it could have been, but the cleanup was still a formidable task.
After dealing with the most urgent matters, he finally had a moment to reflect on the incident.
The Alliance Leader sat across from the Red Commandment Leader and listened to a report on the investigation's progress.
"Their skill at cutting their losses is extraordinary. We've identified most of those involved in this incident, but we've hit a dead end right there."
"There must have been someone who approached them."
The Red Commandment Leader shook his head with a grave expression.
"They're all dead."
"Hah. These are no ordinary foes."
It seemed they had planned this meticulously. Their preparations were thorough, and they left almost no trace behind.
Furthermore, how they had annihilated the Black Iron Gang and disposed of all the supplies and corpses within was still a complete mystery.
"What about the inn near the docks that Byeok Taesan mentioned?"
"There was no such inn to begin with. It was one of their deceptions."
They had intensely interrogated the man Byeok Taesan captured, but he truly knew nothing.
Since all the others who had approached the young prodigies were dead, he was their only source of information, making the situation incredibly frustrating.
"He genuinely believes there's an inn there. He was deceived as well."
"There was one other we captured, wasn't there?"
"Yes. But... he took his own life."
The Alliance Leader's expression twisted.
"You mean you couldn't stop him?"
"We took every precaution, but we couldn't prevent it. To be honest, we couldn't even figure out what method he used."
"Go ask the Divine Doctor and the Eccentric. Ask them to examine the body. It would be a problem if we face the same situation again."
"Yes. I will ask them myself."
The Alliance Leader paused in thought before speaking.
"By the way, we need to devise a countermeasure for those Half-Jiangshi. Has there been any progress?"
"The Divine Doctor and the Eccentric seem to be working on it, but... it doesn't appear to be easy."
"I suppose not."
Half-Jiangshi was a name they had tentatively given to the creatures that attacked the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric that day.
The biggest problem with them was that they were created from ordinary people who hadn't learned martial arts.
It was unclear how difficult they were to create, but if the conditions were right, couldn't they be produced almost indefinitely?
Moreover, even if they were only half-jiangshi, they were still jiangshi. They didn't tire, and they were strong and fast.
According to the warriors who fought them, a lower-ranked warrior from the Hubei Martial Alliance would struggle to win a one-on-one fight against them.
Their swordsmanship was poor, which made them manageable. But if their sword skills were to improve, they would become truly formidable opponents.
The situation was truly dire.
If one could mobilize a thousand warriors of that caliber, it would be possible to wipe out a decent-sized martial family.
Therefore, they absolutely had to find a way to deal with them.
There was hope.
The Divine Doctor of the Ages, the One-Needle Eccentric, and Byeok Taesan.
They said the creatures were completely helpless against Byeok Taesan. If they could just figure out why, they might find a solution.
"If only we knew that for certain, we wouldn't be this anxious..."
"Perhaps it's an issue with his constitution?"
"Constitution? What kind of constitution?"
"I've heard that Young Master Byeok has severely blocked meridians."
"I've heard something similar, but... if you met him in person, you would never think his meridians were blocked."
"Didn't the Divine Doctor and the Eccentric treat him intensively? Perhaps his constitution has some unknown effect on the Half-Jiangshi?"
The Alliance Leader stroked his chin with a grave expression.
"Well... that's not the important part. The Divine Doctor and the Eccentric will likely figure it out on their own. We have no choice but to trust them and wait."
He was right.
"Ah, and I'd like you to take some measures to ensure we maintain a good relationship with the Golden Jade Trading Company."
"I will do everything I can."
"Tell the general manager as well. It wouldn't be a bad idea to proceed with a few contracts with them. Make the terms as favorable to them as possible, and while you're at it, contact the Patrol Leader dispatched to Wuhan."
"Understood. I'll handle all of it."
"Good. Please see to it. Once we find the culprits, things should get easier."
The Red Commandment Leader bowed his head and withdrew.
Left alone, the Alliance Leader pondered the identity of the culprits behind the incident.
His train of thought naturally led him to the Divine Doctor and the One-Needle Eccentric.
He had to keep those two physicians here. To do that, he had to keep Byeok Taesan.
"I suppose... I'll have to make a direct request to the Golden Jade Trading Company."
* * *
The gathering of young prodigies came to an end.
In truth, there were still events scheduled, but the situation no longer allowed for them to continue.
A major incident had nearly befallen the prodigies, after all.
In any case, all the young prodigies were notified that the official events were over and they should return to their respective families.
They were also urged to be especially careful on their way back.
Since no one knew what those bastards might do next or what their ultimate goal was, it couldn't hurt to be cautious.
It would have been ideal if the Hubei Martial Alliance could provide escorts, but they currently lacked the resources.
There were too many prodigies, and most of the Alliance's warriors were already occupied.
Still, each prodigy had brought a fair number of warriors from their own families, so their safety wasn't a major concern.
In any case, Yeon Harin was among those who received the notice.
Byeok Taesan, on the other hand, received no such notice.
Of course, regardless of any notice, Byeok Taesan would leave whenever he pleased.
But Yeon Harin couldn't do that.
As soon as she heard that Byeok Taesan hadn't been told to leave, she went to find him.
Byeok Taesan stared silently at Yeon Harin, who had suddenly appeared before him.
"Young Master, are you staying?"
Byeok Taesan didn't answer, instead gesturing with his chin toward the chair in front of him.
Yeon Harin quickly went to the chair and sat down.
Byeok Taesan sat across from her, a table between them.
"I heard that you're the only prodigy staying. Is it because of the two elders?"
Byeok Taesan tilted his head.
"I'm the only one staying?"
In fact, he hadn't even known the others were leaving. This was the first he'd heard of it.
"You haven't heard? A notice was sent to all the prodigies, telling them to return home."
Byeok Taesan nodded.
"Well, it's true the situation isn't right for the gathering to continue."
But then he tilted his head again.
"Wouldn't the investigation be much faster if they used the prodigies? Are they not going that far?"
If the personnel brought by the prodigies were added, the investigation would proceed much more smoothly.
After all, manpower is the foundation of any investigation.
Besides, it would have been a good opportunity for the prodigies to gain some experience.
"If something were to happen to the prodigies in the process, the Hubei Martial Alliance might not be able to handle the fallout."
"So they don't want to take responsibility? Well, that's their choice."
Muttering this, Byeok Taesan looked at Yeon Harin.
"So, are you leaving today?"
Yeon Harin shook her head, a hint of disappointment in her expression.
"No. Tomorrow."
Byeok Taesan watched her quietly. A glint appeared in his eyes.
'Come to think of it... there's someone similar to Soso right next to me.'
He hadn't really looked at her this closely before.
When looking at Yeon Harin, her beauty tended to capture most of one's attention.
So, unlike with others, he had never taken a close look at her soul.
It required concentration, and he'd never felt the need to concentrate on examining Yeon Harin.
But now, the situation was a little different.
Thanks to his recent enlightenment and the spiritual energy he had absorbed from those creatures, his vision had improved significantly.
As a result, he could now examine Yeon Harin's soul in detail.
Fundamentally, it was pure, similar to Soso's. But the spiritual energy accumulated in her soul was a bit different.
Still, it seemed he could achieve a similar effect. No, he was almost certain of it.
"Leaving tomorrow, you say..."
Byeok Taesan muttered, looking straight at Yeon Harin.
When Byeok Taesan suddenly stared at her intently, Yeon Harin's face flushed slightly.
Thinking back, Byeok Taesan had never looked at her so carefully before.
She swallowed nervously without realizing it.
A moment of silence passed. Just as Yeon Harin's tension reached its peak, Byeok Taesan spoke.
"Come to my room tonight."
"What?"
Yeon Harin was startled.
She hadn't expected him to be so direct. But was she displeased? Absolutely not.
Yeon Harin pressed a hand to her wildly beating heart, trying to calm it.
Then, she nodded frantically.
"I will. Tonight, uh, when should I come?"
"Whenever is convenient. Just don't be too late."
Yeon Harin's head bobbed up and down eagerly.
"Th-then, I'll be going now."
Yeon Harin stood up. She couldn't bear to stay any longer; it felt like her heart might explode.
Byeok Taesan watched Yeon Harin's back as she scurried out the door.
"She certainly is pretty."
But by tomorrow, she would probably be even prettier.
He was a little curious about what would happen then.
A faint smile touched Byeok Taesan's lips.
* * *
When night fell, Yeon Harin couldn't sit still.
"My lady, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
At Yu Seoyeon's question, Yeon Harin shot her a slight glare and screamed internally.
'It's because of you! You! Why won't you leave!'
With Yu Seoyeon sticking around as her guard, how could she go to Byeok Taesan's room?
But it was too embarrassing to just announce she was going to see Byeok Taesan.
Though, of course, everyone would find out by tomorrow.
"My lady?"
Yeon Harin took a deep breath, then turned to Yu Seoyeon with a bright smile.
For some reason, Yu Seoyeon found that smile unsettling and flinched.
"It's getting late. Shouldn't our dear Warrior Yu go to bed?"
Yu Seoyeon replied with a determined expression.
"It's enough for me to leave after seeing you fall asleep."
"Nothing's going to happen here. You don't have to be so diligent."
"But how could I do that?"
"I'm telling you it's fine. I know your heart, Warrior Yu, so just go back and get some sleep. Okay?"
Those words poked at Yu Seoyeon's intuition.
"My lady, don't tell me...!"
Yeon Harin flinched and pressed her lips together.
Yu Seoyeon's eyes widened in disbelief.
"How... how could you, my lady, before I..."
At those words, Yeon Harin flared up.
"Hey! Is that any way to talk to me?"
Yu Seoyeon looked at Yeon Harin with a pleased expression.
"It's because I'm so proud. To see you've grown up so much..."
Yeon Harin, embarrassed, slowly turned her head away.
Yu Seoyeon gripped Yeon Harin's shoulders firmly.
"You can definitely do this, my lady. Go on, before it's too late. It would be a disaster if you waste time here and the Young Master falls asleep."
At those words, Yeon Harin nodded gravely with a determined look.
Yeon Harin opened the door and crept outside.
The residence was quiet.
Moving quickly and quietly, Yeon Harin slipped into Byeok Taesan's room.
Byeok Taesan was sitting on the bed.
Watching him, Yeon Harin swallowed nervously.
She walked forward slowly.
When Byeok Taesan patted the bed with his palm, she quickly scurried over and slipped under the covers.
Seeing this, Byeok Taesan chuckled. Yeon Harin's actions were an exact copy of what Soso had done when she came here.
"Alright, then..."
Yeon Harin looked at Byeok Taesan with a tense expression, then squeezed her eyes shut.
Byeok Taesan pulled out her soul.
< Come to My Room > End