Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Embrace
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After nearly ten years, the sisters finally faced each other directly. What sort of conversation would they share?
One thing was certain: these sisters were anything but a model example.
“Sister, my master is nothing like what you described.”
Jeong-a’s words resembled a cold, parched north wind.
“……Is that so.”
No trace of emotion could be found in the woman seated across from her.
“You know it too. The Luoyang Sword Clan is plunging into complete political chaos right now. The heirs’ power is growing by the day, and people are openly backing them.”
Her one remaining eye fixed straight on Jeong-a.
“Some are even saying the influence of the Retired Family Head, who’s shut himself away, has finally come to an end. The poisoning rumor about him, once dismissed as mere conspiracy, is resurfacing among our circles.”
Jeong-a showed no reaction whatsoever to the words “poisoning rumor,” only letting out a low scoff through her nose.
“All nonsense.”
The woman observed Jeong-a’s response for a moment before shrugging her shoulders.
“……Looks like you still haven’t earned the Eldest Young Master’s full trust.”
Jeong-a wasn’t naive enough to take the obvious bait.
It didn’t matter whether her sister was speaking from conviction or fishing for confirmation through her.
Either way, her sister’s goal was to extract internal secrets of the Sword Clan, one way or another.
Jeong-a set her teacup down on the table.
“Wasn’t the topic about whether I’ve earned trust or not?”
Even after her intent was seen through, her sister lifted her teacup with an unruffled expression.
“Right. The point was that the Luoyang Sword Clan—hailed as the world’s greatest family—has fallen into this chaos entirely due to the Eldest Young Master’s responsibility.”
With that, she casually drove her words like a dagger into the Eldest Young Master’s most vulnerable spot.
“The Eldest Young Master is just the Eldest Young Master, after all. Since he’s not the Acting Family Head fully taking the Family Head’s place, pinning full blame on my master is……”
Her sister curved her lips into a smile and drove the wedge home.
“Not because he still hasn’t become the Acting Family Head?”
It was phrased as a question, but one that needed no answer.
“……”
Jeong-a’s lips pressed shut, her eyes narrowing.
“……”
Her sister across from her lifted her chin slightly, shooting back a sharp gaze.
If Jeong-a embodied refined beauty hidden within ornate robes, exuding poise and innate intuition,
Then her sister, Se-ah, possessed a wild, feral beauty beneath restrained attire, radiating cold precision and thoroughness.
“……When I heard yesterday that you’d switched your affiliation to the Eldest Young Master’s One Angle Hall, I was utterly baffled.”
At the word “yesterday,” Jeong-a swallowed a silent groan inwardly.
It meant her sister had access to information about her at a speed comparable to the Second and Third Young Masters’ retainers.
“I can’t know what calculations led you to throw in with the Eldest Young Master. And you won’t tell an outsider like me the reasons.”
Her sister, Se-ah, lacked even the talent to handle qi.
She was simply a woman who had built her own independent intelligence network in this massive city of Luoyang, relying solely on herself.
She pulled out her long-stemmed pipe and let out a small sigh.
“Of all people, that ‘Swordless One.’ You, of all……”
Her words cut off.
“Don’t speak that title.”
“……!”
Se-ah looked at Jeong-a with faint surprise.
For the first time, a fierce emotion blazed clearly across Jeong-a’s face.
Steam rising from the two teacups before the sisters caught the sunlight streaming through the window, scattering it in soft glows.
“……Sorry.”
Jeong-a accepted Se-ah’s apology with a slight nod, saying nothing.
“Hmm.”
A hint of fatigue crept onto Se-ah’s face as well.
It was due to the heavy emotional toll.
No one would guess these two were sisters reuniting after a decade.
“As someone in the intelligence trade myself, I know the Eldest Young Master isn’t just any ordinary man.”
She gave a small sneer, lit her pipe, and exhaled a long plume of smoke toward the ceiling.
“But the situation has tilted beyond recovery. It’s been ten years since he secluded himself.”
Her gaze drifted toward the sunlight pouring through the window.
“His rivals have amassed enormous power in that time. What can he possibly do now?”
“You’ll see when you watch.”
Jeong-a had regained her calm demeanor, simply savoring her tea leisurely.
Inwardly, she hid her astonishment.
The premium tea leaves one might see in the Sword Clan’s guest halls.
The colorful, exquisite tea sets.
A vantage point overlooking Luoyang’s commercial heart.
The heavy, serene interior decor.
A reputation even audible within the Luoyang Sword Clan.
All of it was her sister’s monumental achievements, built from nothing.
‘Sister truly is remarkable.’
At that moment, Jeong-a’s “eyes” gleamed with an odd light.
“……Sister. Something’s happening from the first floor.”
“Hm?”
The door burst open, and one of Se-ah’s subordinates rushed in panting.
“Pavilion Master! It’s the Black Skull Gang! They’ve suddenly stormed in!”
Se-ah rose from her seat.
“How dare you burst in while I have a guest?!”
“S-Sorry.”
Se-ah waved her long-stemmed pipe dismissively at the subordinate, her expression unperturbed.
“Fine, report.”
“About forty unarmed thugs, no martial artists spotted. They’re pushing in without a word, smashing furniture and causing chaos. No casualties on either side yet. We’re holding them off from coming upstairs!”
Jeong-a didn’t miss the twitch in Se-ah’s brow, despite her composed air.
“Got it. Report back if the situation changes.”
“Yes!”
The subordinate withdrew swiftly.
As the door closed, Jeong-a spoke.
“This doesn’t look good.”
Se-ah grimaced and nodded.
“It’s fortunate they’re just unarmed, but our main martial artists are out right now. Even my personal guards.”
A flicker of alarm crossed Jeong-a’s face at that.
“What situation would pull away your personal guards too……”
No answer would be forthcoming anyway.
Jeong-a shook her head and asked again.
“How long can you hold out?”
Se-ah bit down hard on her pipe.
“Maximum one ke. The safety measures I’ve prepared will activate by then.”
Jeong-a nodded.
“That should be more than enough for me.”
Se-ah’s eyes widened at her words.
“What are you talking about? You……?”
Jeong-a yanked her toward the window.
Crash!
Windows shattered simultaneously, and black-clad men appeared there.
Jeong-a’s eyes quickly assessed them.
Dozens of black skull tattoos covered their bodies—they were undoubtedly Black Skull Gang elites.
But not martial artists.
“Well, if it isn’t the renowned beauty Pavilion Master of Crescent Moon Pavilion!”
The lead man among the four spread his arms dramatically and shouted.
“Man, you’re even prettier than the rumors. How about a hug?”
Se-ah scoffed through her pipe.
“Storming a neutral intelligence group in broad daylight? Unbelievable.”
No matter how much the Black Skull Gang roamed the back alleys, there were limits.
Touching a neutral intelligence network protected by all sides was suicide for a group their size.
“We don’t care about that complicated stuff—just do as we say……”
The men behind him stepped forward, closing in.
“It’d be nice if you came quietly, but I doubt you’ll cooperate that easily?”
Se-ah’s eyes flashed with icy fury.
“Touch me and see. I, the Crescent Moon Pavilion Master, will remember every one of your faces.”
The men hesitated slightly.
It wasn’t just her fierce aura—the implications in her words were brutally ominous.
“Hmph.”
But they didn’t stop.
They’d clearly received firm assurances of some reward beforehand.
‘They’re unarmed too, so it’s not the worst. But if we get captured like this, we’ll be at their mercy in any negotiations later……
Even if they didn’t seem intent on killing, assault or worse was possible.
Worrying about negotiation leverage in such a situation—that was Se-ah.
“Hey.”
Se-ah pointed at Jeong-a and addressed the leader.
“If anything happens to her, even slightly, we’re all dead. Remember that.”
The leader shrugged.
“No idea who she is, but if she stays put, we’ll let her go unharmed. Our business is solely with the Crescent Moon Pavilion Master.”
He said it because she was dressed too finely to pass for an ordinary woman, and they were here to corner the Pavilion Master alone.
“Come on, step back.”
One man approached Jeong-a with what he thought was politeness, beckoning her toward the wall.
Se-ah signaled Jeong-a to comply, but Jeong-a wasn’t looking at her.
Standing demurely, Jeong-a seemed utterly nonchalant, as if nothing had happened.
That relaxed poise brought Se-ah’s earlier words to mind: “That should be more than enough for me.”
“Hey, cooperate, will ya?!”
The man took another step.
“……!”
Jeong-a seized one of his fingers and snapped it clean.
But she didn’t stop there.
Her body slipped inside his guard, gripping the broken finger and arm, then slamming him face-first into the floor.
“……Gah!”
With a massive thud, the man hit the ground, breath catching in his throat.
As his vision yellowed with the sky spinning, it filled with the fire poker Jeong-a swung down.
Thwack!
The mighty swing erased his consciousness.
Every motion up to that point was precise, fluid, and perfect—like a drawing come to life.
“Wha……?”
Everyone in the room’s eyes bulged in shock.
* * *
“Aigoo, Young Master! Where on earth have you been?!”
The gatekeeper shouted at Yeon So-hyeon, sweat streaming down his face.
“What? You yelling at me now?”
Yeon So-hyeon, casually munching on skewers, turned his gaze, and the gatekeeper immediately shrank back.
“N-No, it’s just… that attendant of yours wandering alone, I was worried……”
Yeon So-hyeon chuckled.
“Her? In danger?”
The gatekeeper flustered at his response.
“What do you mean?”
Yeon So-hyeon just shrugged and finished his skewers without a word.
* * *
The leader kicked his unconscious subordinate.
“Useless idiot!”
The others around snickered as they watched.
Jeong-a’s move was impressive, but still just self-defense technique—and a surprise attack at that.
Moreover, the skill she displayed only confirmed she had no internal energy, that she wasn’t a martial artist.
A woman who wasn’t a martial artist had clear limits, no matter how trained.
“Hey, miss. We were gonna let you slide thinking you were someone important, but now it’s getting tough.”
The remaining men pushed past their leader toward Jeong-a.
“Not being a martial artist and putting up a fuss isn’t smart, miss. Be good and cooperate while we’re asking nicely?”
Jeong-a gave no reply.
Faced with these men radiating murderous intent—Black Skull Gang elites at that—she showed not the slightest flinch.
Her pale irises seemed to shimmer with a subtle golden glow.