10. Hwangbo Suyeon vs Danche Ryeong
A horrific silence fell, so profound not even a breath could be heard.
The ice-cold genius girl of the prestigious righteous sect, Hwangbo Suyeon, gripped by madness. And the cold-blooded loan shark queen of the underworld, Danche Ryeong, who knew neither blood nor tears.
These two towering peaks of this grand farce—staking my life and my true identity—finally faced off.
Behind Hwangbo Suyeon, that ferocious, massive blue aura like a swirling haze, which had nearly shattered the entire hall earlier, began to creep up once more.
Matching it, Danche Ryeong stood tall in her dazzlingly beautiful red silk robes, gazing down at her foe with eyes as cold and arrogant as a venomous serpent's.
Breaking the taut tension, Danche Ryeong's red lips parted first with elegant poise.
"It seems you're the representative of this massive protest."
Her voice carried not a hint of tremor, even before the thousand warriors filling the plaza.
"Would you care to step inside for a moment?"
Hwangbo Suyeon, her snow-white skin glowing against her dignified white martial robes held ramrod straight, shot back firmly.
"Why should I have to go inside?"
Her clear, deep eyes held not a shred of fear toward the underworld queen.
"If you have something to say, then say it right here, out in the open."
At Hwangbo Suyeon's bold cry, the men at the front of the protest nearly erupted in cheers.
But Danche Ryeong, as if she had anticipated such resistance perfectly, curled her lips into a sly, venomous smile.
She stepped forward leisurely through the ranks of burly men, her gait utterly relaxed.
Tap, tap.
The only sound in the plaza was the eerie echo of her ornate silk shoes striking the ground.
Danche Ryeong drew right up to Hwangbo Suyeon's nose.
Then, as if on a casual stroll, she brushed ever so slightly past her, whispering so softly and secretly that only Hwangbo Suyeon could hear.
"Are you sure that's wise?"
Her whisper slithered like a seductive viper licking at her ear.
"Even if all these people gathered here learn the true reason you're so desperately searching for the author?"
That was the moment.
Hwangbo Suyeon's shoulders—steady as a mountain until now—twitched, ever so faintly but unmistakably.
And just like that, as if nothing had been said, she glided past Hwangbo Suyeon with natural, elegant grace.
She turned her gaze toward the thousand protesters clutching their torches, eyes blazing with fury.
"I know full well your burning passion and devotion to the author."
Her voice was no longer the cold serpent's tongue she had lashed at Hwangbo Suyeon with moments ago.
In an instant, her face transformed. With the flawless acting of a predator who ruled murim's black money, she donned the enchanting smile of a seductive merchant.
"If it were up to me, I'd love to invite you all in for a deep conversation."
Danche Ryeong dipped her head gracefully, feigning regret as she displayed her stunning figure.
"But due to some internal circumstances at Danga Sangdan, our space is a bit too cramped to accommodate everyone."
Her eye smile gleamed all the more alluringly amid the flickering red torchlight.
"So, presuming upon your understanding, I'd like to hear the insights from just one representative."
Danche Ryeong glanced back softly, pointing at the Hwangbo Suyeon she had just rattled.
"If it's alright with you, would it be okay if this beautiful, courageous young lady and I had a private chat?"
Where her gaze fell, amid the cluster of rough warriors, their reaction far exceeded my wildest expectations.
These were men who, just moments ago, had been roaring with the intent to burn Danga Sangdan to the ground.
But the instant Danche Ryeong's soft question and enchanting smile spread through the plaza...
"Ah, yes! Of course! Absolutely fine!"
"Of course! How could we object to Lady Sodanju's request?"
"Exactly! Isn't resolving things through talk the proper way of murim?"
Hundreds of fierce men nodded vigorously in unison, as if scripted.
Insane. Were these uncles under some mass hypnosis?
I slammed my head against the wall in despair at this absurd comedy.
But I couldn't exactly blame their reaction.
Danche Ryeong. She was a ruthless loan shark without pity, but also a breathtakingly gorgeous beauty in her radiant red robes.
Her alluring poise and overwhelming allure were a lethal poison to these drab men who had lived their lives steeped in the stench of blood and steel.
It was an undeniable fact that she was pretty enough to steal souls in an instant—kapow, just like that.
"Thank you, everyone. Then, shall we invite the representative inside?"
With their enthusiastic, slack-jawed approval secured, Danche Ryeong flashed a satisfied smile and turned.
Overpowered by her perfect sway over the crowd, Hwangbo Suyeon bit her lower lip hard.
In the end, bearing the heavy responsibility as the representative of the reading club alliance, she had no choice but to silently follow Danche Ryeong into the massive iron gates of Danga Sangdan.
Kiiiiiing—crash!
Once the two women vanished completely inside, the huge gates slammed shut again.
And right after that heavy thud echoed through the plaza...
A bizarre, awkward silence descended over the thousand protesters packing the square.
The pretext for chants and the target for stones had vanished in a flash.
"Uh... um..."
"So... what do we do now?"
The men awkwardly waved their torches, stealing glances at each other.
The murderous momentum they had built evaporated completely under one eye smile from Danche Ryeong and the closing of a single gate.
That was when it happened.
From a corner of the protest crowd, a massive man with a face full of scars cleared his throat and stepped up to salvage the mood.
"Ahem! Well, anyway, that smart-looking girl went in all bold-like, so she'll probably negotiate something decent, right?"
The surrounding men nodded in agreement.
"It's not like the author will drop from the sky just because we're camping out here blindly."
The big man casually ground out his torch on the ground.
"I'm heading back. Honestly, I skipped the most important reading club progress today for this protest, and it's been bugging me."
The words "reading club" from his mouth made the surrounding men's eyes flash like beasts once more.
"Right! I've been dying to unpack that new clue about Gam Uhyeok the betrayer for days!"
Men who had been raging to demolish Danga Sangdan moments ago now couldn't hide their bookworm instincts, itching to talk novels.
"Come on, everyone! Members of the 'Black Wolf' reading club, no more wasting time here!"
The scarred man, apparently the leader of the Black Wolf club, clapped his hands to rally them.
"We'll meet as planned at table fifteen in Chwiseonru shortly! Today, we dissect every single hook in volume seven!"
"Woooah!"
Starting with his crisp shout, the thousand protesters disarmed as if by magic.
They sheathed their weapons, doused their torches, and scattered into Nakyang's night streets for their respective reading clubs.
"White Tiger club, to Seowu Inn!"
"Azure Dragon club, assemble at the teahouse in Haomen's back alley!"
They moved with light, excited steps, like festival-goers heading to after-parties.
Hiding in the alley, I gaped at the utterly bizarre, mad spectacle.
A single web novel meant for killing time had turned bloodthirsty murim men into peaceful(?) debaters.
This was the greatness of the written word—the absolute victory of dopamine.
The vast plaza before Danga Sangdan, which had seemed on the verge of a bloodbath just half a shichen ago, now lay perfectly empty and silent, not even an ant in sight.
As I stood to head back myself, a massive silhouette blocked my path.
---
In the innermost, most opulent reception room of Danga Sangdan.
A seductive incense wafted gently from the finest censer, filling the air.
And across a luxurious ebony tea table sat the two women, locked in suffocating silence, staring each other down.
Danche Ryeong lifted a steaming teacup with graceful poise and spoke first.
"Care for some tea?"
"I'll pass. Who knows if you've poisoned it."
Hwangbo Suyeon rejected the offer with an icy voice.
"Heh heh, you're quite vigilant."
Danche Ryeong sipped lightly as if unperturbed, then set her cup down.
"I am Hwang..."
Hwangbo Suyeon, steadying the mood, sat straight to introduce her affiliation and clan.
"Miss Hwangbo Suyeon."
Danche Ryeong cut her off sharply, naming her precisely.
Hwangbo Suyeon's brow twitched.
"No need to tire your lips introducing yourself. I already know your name and status perfectly well."
Danche Ryeong traced the rim of her teacup with slender fingers, a haughty smile on her lips.
"And not just that. Even now, Hwangbo Sega has mobilized the world's Nangpaeng and Haomen to watch every facility and print shop of Danga Sangdan, ensuring not even a rat slips out."
At Danche Ryeong's words, Hwangbo Suyeon's eyes darkened coldly.
"As expected... the underworld's intelligence network is no rumor."
Hwangbo Suyeon calmly acknowledged her foe's prowess, then charged straight into the main point with sharp eyes.
"Then let me ask: What did you mean by that distasteful hint you dropped outside the gate?"
Her voice carried unmistakable hostility and unease.
"You asked if it was fine for the plaza's warriors to learn why I'm searching for the author."
Hwangbo Suyeon clenched her fists tight.
"What exactly do you know about me, and how much, to spout such arrogant threats?"
But even before Hwangbo Suyeon's sharp interrogation, Danche Ryeong didn't blink.
Instead, she tilted her head with an innocently adorable expression.
"Oh? When did I say anything so terrifying?"
Perfect nonchalance.
"I merely expressed concern that it was a pity to see the Hwangbo clan's precious pearl leading such a vulgar torch protest."
Her brazen acting finally wore down Hwangbo Suyeon's patience.
Bam!
Hwangbo Suyeon slammed the ebony table.
The heavy shockwave of her inner energy split the sturdy wood clean in two.
"I didn't come here to play word games with you."
A fierce blue glint flashed deep in her clear eyes.
"Stop beating around the bush."
Once more, that ferocious blue haze crept up behind her.
The overwhelming presence of a prestigious sect's prodigy, ready to erupt in a mere merchant guild's cramped room.
Yet Danche Ryeong didn't retreat an inch before that massive aura.
Instead, the playful smile vanished from her face, replaced by the cold, deadly seriousness of a serpent eyeing prey.
"Very well. Since the young lady of the righteous sect desires it, shall we get straight to the point?"