Chapter 186
Translator: penny
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: Shattered Illusions
When Namgung Chan was hospitalized, Paeng Deokjo didn't rush over right away.
It was for Namgung Chan's sake.
'That proud guy must be feeling pretty down. I should wait until he's pulled himself together a bit before visiting.'
Truth be told, things had gotten awkward with Namgung Sua, who was staying there while taking a break from Azure Dragon Division duties.
They'd barely exchanged a word lately, living like strangers. What was he supposed to say if they suddenly ran into each other?
While Paeng Deokjo was teaching the White Dragons at the Azure Dragon Division as usual, the Azure Dragon Division Leader announced to everyone one day.
"Changbong won't be around for a while. She's heading to Anhui for family matters. Un Cha-ok and Jong Hye-un will keep handling her duties as they have been..."
It meant Namgung Sua wouldn't be coming to the Murim Alliance for the time being.
Hearing that, Paeng Deokjo started getting antsy.
'Is this... really okay?'
He already felt their emotional distance growing, and now a physical one was about to open up too.
Feeling a sudden chill of fear, Paeng Deokjo swallowed his pride and decided to seek out Mok Jimyeong, who had given him advice before.
"Ahem, I've come to ask for your counsel on something."
That was the advice he got from Mok Jimyeong.
At first, when he'd heard to flirt with Jeokbong to spark jealousy, he'd dismissed it as nonsense.
But...
"What are you talking about? The young lady Namgung is just shy."
'That's what shyness looks like?'
His words carried real conviction.
"That's part of her shyness too. Or more precisely, she's just standoffish with people she's not close to. Think about how she acts with friends. I mean... does she treat Wayong or Jeokbong that coldly?"
'Come to think of it, Sua's only cold to me. And it's all because of shyness!'
The more they talked, the clearer his mind became.
Every word from Mok Jimyeong struck deep.
"So you need to make her realize those feelings. How? With jealousy, straight up."
'Brilliant! As expected from the guy who won over the Sword Phoenix!'
Hearing him explain the method in detail made it feel like he could start dating Namgung Sua any minute.
"Conveniently, there's a perfect opportunity."
When he learned about this group called the Concord Division, Paeng Deokjo truly felt glad he'd come.
He'd only thought about advice on Namgung Sua, but even the means to do it was thrilling.
'A secret group carrying out special missions. This is exactly the kind of thing for me, Earth Dragon!'
It was appealing enough that he'd have agreed even without Namgung Sua involved.
So Paeng Deokjo gladly accepted.
"When do we start?"
"Once my confinement ends. Until then, just stick around the Azure Dragon Division like now."
At that point, Paeng Deokjo really liked Mok Jimyeong.
'Truly the next generation of the righteous faction. The Divine Dragon title suits him perfectly.'
Even when Mok Jimyeong's confinement lifted and they set off as the Concord Division, things felt promising.
Meeting up with Baek Iryeong and heading to Jeonam Province nearby for intel made perfect sense.
Paeng Deokjo had infinite trust in Mok Jimyeong.
That faith first wavered on the very night they left Jeongju.
In Kaifeng, Paeng Deokjo was shocked to see Mok Jimyeong casually heading into a brothel.
"Don't you have the Sword Phoenix?!"
"Hee-a isn't here, is she?"
The Divine Dragon who'd called the Sword Phoenix his fate acted like she didn't exist, brazen as could be in front of the brothel.
"Jimyeong, this isn't right. Let's just find a normal inn..."
"Forget it. If you don't like it, Brother Paeng, I'll go alone. Meet back here at noon tomorrow."
Fine. Up to there, it was tolerable.
Lots of high-ranking men with wives still frequented brothels, after all.
The next day, he felt a bit hurt by how Mok Jimyeong kept his distance, but...
"I thought about it last night, Brother Paeng, and I feel really sorry. You have Lady Namgung, and I tried dragging you to a brothel..."
If that was him being considerate, Paeng Deokjo could understand.
It was disappointing, sure, but understandable.
But incidents kept chipping away at that trust.
Suddenly showing up in Jeonam Province with some woman named Baek Ri-eunjeong first thing in the morning, then acting awfully intimate with the Eun Merchant Group's head, Eun Garyeon.
"Ahem, Jimyeong... you're not, uh, involved with this merchant group leader, are you?"
"I am."
He admitted it so boldly that Paeng Deokjo was the one flustered.
But,
"I... see. I shouldn't judge your personal life. But won't the Sword Phoenix mind if she finds out?"
"Hee-a already knows."
At that point, Paeng Deokjo had nothing left to say.
His solid wall of faith had just developed a few cracks?
'Even the Sword Phoenix knows... Not my place to worry.'
But then he heard about Somwol from the Eun Merchant Group side too...
"As you know, Brother Paeng, I like brothels. Back in Taewon—my hometown—I went to them, and that's where I met Somwol. Didn't know she was Shadow Gate Sect at first..."
By now, Paeng Deokjo was confused.
'...Isn't this going too far?'
Women he openly admitted to: three (Moyong Hui, Eun Garyeon, Somwol). Suspicious one: Baek Ri-eunjeong.
And in every city, without fail, brothels every night.
'At this rate, shouldn't we call him the Lecherous Dragon, not Divine Dragon!'
Of course, he didn't say it out loud.
He knew Mok Jimyeong was far superior in skill.
Anyway, with his faith in pieces, the final nail came at the Evil Spirit Sect.
Paeng Deokjo, who suffered internal injuries from the Evil Spirit Sect Lord's mere presence.
Once he regained his senses, he was overcome with despair.
'I couldn't even withstand his aura.'
Fortunately, the Evil Spirit Sect provided stable treatment for him.
Only after recovering did he think of Mok Jimyeong.
'Where's Jimyeong, anyway?'
He asked the servant attending him, but even they didn't know.
Naturally, Paeng Deokjo grew worried.
No matter how much of a Flower Realm expert Mok Jimyeong was, that Sect Lord's aura was no joke.
And this was right in the heart of the Evil Spirit Sect.
But with his body still weak, Paeng Deokjo couldn't do anything.
He stewed alone until, much later, the servant brought word that he was safe.
'Phew, good. Come to think of it, the Evil Spirit Sect is milder than other unorthodox groups.'
Only then did hunger hit him.
'Now that I think about it, I haven't had dinner yet.'
When he arrived at the dining hall guided by the servant, Paeng Deokjo felt a massive sense of betrayal.
"...You? And who's the woman next to you...?"
Mok Jimyeong entering the dining hall, giggling with some woman in his arms.
And she was a stunning beauty, no less.
How much had he worried?
Yet Mok Jimyeong's face wasn't just fine—it was practically glowing.
"Brother Paeng, you okay? I was worried."
He asked while shamelessly hugging the beauty tight.
Up to then, Paeng Deokjo had tried thinking positively.
'Sure. Jimyeong's a Flower Realm absolute expert, so they're treating him well.'
Maybe a courtesan assigned by the Evil Spirit Sect.
Beauties had always been the best way to honor a man, after all.
But that last thread of faith shattered completely when they exchanged greetings.
"I'm Sa Hye-rin, disciple of the Evil Spirit Sect."
Sa Hye-rin, the Evil Flower.
She was one of the top unorthodox next-gen talents, a rival to the Five Dragons and Five Phoenixes.
In other words, no way was she in a position to entertain guests, even at the lowest estimate.
'This guy's at it again here?!'
Paeng Deokjo no longer called Mok Jimyeong by name.
Associating with such a playboy was embarrassing now.
But among the shards of broken trust, a sliver remained: maybe he was overthinking it.
'Like with the Eun Merchant Group head or Somwol—maybe he met her before the Sword Phoenix.'
That might be excusable.
Gathering his last patience, Paeng Deokjo asked calmly.
"Just to check... does the Sword Phoenix know about this too?"
Yes.
It was Paeng Deokjo's final concession to his faith in Mok Jimyeong.
But the response was a spectacle.
"Does Hee-a need to know?"
From that moment, the Divine Dragon vanished from Paeng Deokjo's mind.
'That woman-crazed bastard!'
Looking at Mok Jimyeong now evoked not "manliness" but "unorthodox sleaze," not righteous next-gen but some beast.
He was literally mad for women.
Once the rose-tinted glasses came off, other thoughts bubbled up in Paeng Deokjo's head.
'Putting Jeokbong Baek Iryeong in the Concord Division?'
No way this beast wouldn't eye her.
'Absolutely not.'
He'd sooner believe a sparrow passes the mill unscathed.
As negative thoughts piled on, Paeng Deokjo touched a fragment of truth.
'What if this guy... is after our Sua too?'
That, he vowed, absolutely could not happen.
Oblivious to the fact that it was already too late.