Chapter 178
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Even if It's a Witch
"I don't know much about poisons myself, so I can't say for sure. Still, I'm not affected by most toxins... but that stuff from the Moon Dragon Inn got a reaction from my body too."
The cadets' expressions gradually turned grave at Instructor Ha Mu-baek's continued words.
"On top of that, it was an incredibly subtle poison—hard even for me to detect."
Han Seol-bing's face stiffened.
It was because of the part about the poison affecting Ha Mu-baek's body.
'A guy who's practically immune to ten thousand poisons showed symptoms?'
She was stunned by that fact.
War doesn't discriminate in its methods. Would ruthless groups like the Blood Cult or Demonic Cult hesitate to use poison?
Countless toxins had been scattered across battlefields, claiming countless lives through poisoning.
Ha Mu-baek was a survivor of those fields. That's why his body had become resistant to nearly every poison.
A poison that pierced Ha Mu-baek's defenses? It was hard to believe.
As talk of poison arose, the cadets stole glances at Dang Jin-san.
They had no choice.
Wasn't he a direct descendant of the Sichuan Tang Clan?
The sole orthodox sect renowned for its poison expertise.
"Staring at me like that won't change anything... If I had any talent for poisons, I wouldn't be here."
Dang Jin-san said with a wry smile.
Poisons or whips—he showed no aptitude for the Tang Clan's secrets. Because of that, his clan leader father had shipped him off to the Fierce Dragon Corps.
"What were the poisoning symptoms?"
Yeon Ha-min, the first to regain her composure, asked.
Ha Seol-ran still couldn't hide her fidgeting at the news her brother had been poisoned.
"The food I ate became insanely craveable."
Everyone's eyes widened at his answer.
They'd visited the Moon Dragon Inn out of curiosity to experience it themselves, only to learn that was a symptom of poisoning.
"It's not a particularly potent poison. I deliberately provoked it to accelerate its effects, which made the symptoms appear faster."
His chopsticks slowed as he ate, then stopped entirely.
"And after that, the poison naturally faded away completely."
It was utterly baffling.
Would an inn really use a poison so subtle that even a master like Ha Mu-baek could barely detect it—just to lure in customers?
Absurd.
There had to be some ulterior motive.
"Following what you said, Instructor, people who eat there start craving food like mad after a day or two—that's when the poison kicks in."
Dang Jin-san summarized what he'd heard.
"And if they hold out for a few days, the craving fades because the poison dissipates."
Ha Mu-baek nodded.
"That's what I experienced, at least."
"Then those Ten Virgins of Chastity we saw? Maybe they kept eating the Moon Dragon Inn's food, deepening their poisoning, which explains their behavior."
Dang Jin-san offered his own analysis, despite claiming no talent for poisons.
"In cases like this, one possibility is..."
All eyes in the room fixed on Dang Jin-san's mouth.
"They're probably experimenting with a new poison. Starting with small doses on animals, then larger doses on animals, then small doses on humans. Looks like they're at that last stage now."
The cadets gazed at him in admiration.
Seeing their looks, Dang Jin-san gave an awkward smile.
"I said I have no talent for poisons, but this is basic stuff any Tang Clan kid learns young."
He picked up some nearby food with his chopsticks and ate it.
Like he was hiding his embarrassment.
"What's their goal?"
Han Seol-bing asked Ha Mu-baek.
He shrugged. He had no clue either.
A poison that made you crave food insanely. Who could predict how it might evolve?
To be precise, it made you crave that poison insanely.
Not quite a narcotic.
The food tasted ordinary, and the poison was tasteless.
No immediate hallucinations or symptoms after ingestion.
Once the poison absorbed the host's energy and activated, it induced an insane craving for more.
That was it.
"I know nothing about poisons, so I can't guess their intent."
What could the purpose possibly be?
"Hmm. Not sure if this is bad luck or good fortune."
Dang Jin-san, pretending to focus on his food, spoke up.
"My sister's probably arriving in Wuchang tomorrow."
"Sister?"
"To be exact, my immediate older sister."
The Tang Clan head had five sons and three daughters.
Quite a large family.
Dang Jin-san was the fourth son, sixth child overall.
Two older sisters, one younger.
His immediate older sister would be the clan head's fifth child.
"You don't mean the Thousand Poisons Wise Woman?"
Han Seol-bing recalled a name.
As Hocheon Corps deputy leader, she memorized lists of key martial world figures.
Ha Mu-baek knew the moniker and name too.
"Wise Woman? Maybe if you call her a witch."
Dang Jin-san shook his head emphatically.
His expression screamed sincerity.
"Uh, so then..."
At that moment, Ha Seol-ran looked at Dang Jin-san with a flustered face.
Ha Mu-baek chuckled, amused.
"Not a wise woman, but a witch? Is that witch referring to me, Jin-san?"
A chilling voice rang out.
Dang Jin-san froze solid.
He couldn't even turn his head.
"Instructor Ha stopped the Fierce Dragon Corps cadets from eating dinner at the Moon Dragon Inn after he had lunch there?"
Byok Ryeok-gae questioned his subordinate's report.
"Yes, Elder."
Having stepped down from Great Law Protector, he now stayed only in Wuchang, so the Beggar Clan members simply called him Elder, per his orders.
They'd recently detected suspicious activity at the Moon Dragon Inn and Moon Dragon Tower.
He was already watching closely, and now Ha Mu-baek was acting too.
"Something's definitely up there... What are you plotting, Hyun Ui-cheon?"
Byok Ryeok-gae frowned.
He'd been fully focused on tracing Gwang Hoe-cheon's trail when the Sudden-Eye Merchant Group made their abrupt move.
These guys weren't just here to grab Wuchang's commerce.
"Oh, and the Sichuan Tang Clan's second young lady has arrived in Wuchang."
"Thousand Poisons Wise Woman Dang Ji-yeon?"
She was famed among the next generation for her unparalleled poison skills.
Not yet thirty, yet her moniker included "Thousand Poisons."
"She was asking around the slums for Dang Jin-san."
"...We'll need a closer investigation."
Byok Ryeok-gae pondered briefly before issuing orders.
"Keep a close eye on those two for now."
"Yes, Elder."
Something felt like trouble was brewing.
"Jin-san, what's wrong? Why not look at your big sis here?"
Her voice was colder than a northern blizzard, laced with faint killing intent.
Swish.
Her arm moved, rustling her sleeve.
Dang Jin-san's head jerked stiffly.
He knew that sleeve rustle was a warning aimed at him.
Ignore it, and she'd absolutely poison him—that was his immediate older sister, the madwoman.
"H-How are you already here... And how did you know about this place..."
Dang Jin-san's eyes were vacant.
His voice sank in utter resignation.
"I pushed hard to see my dear little brother even a day sooner. And this place? I just asked a Beggar Clan passerby."
Focus returned to Dang Jin-san's eyes, now trembling faintly.
Fine, arriving a day early because she rushed—fair enough.
But why would a Beggar Clan member know his location?
What was he, royalty?
Of course, it was because he was with Ha Mu-baek and Dan Mok Un-roe.
Wuchang's Beggar Clan always tracked Ha Mu-baek's movements.
And Dan Mok Un-roe was under Byok Ryeok-gae's watch.
"Wh-Why the Beggar Clan..."
His bewildered frustration leaked out in a mutter.
"Right? I was surprised too. I asked on a whim, no real expectation, and they told me you were here—so I hurried over. Then they call me a witch... Haven't seen you in nearly a year, and you've gone mad. Yeah. Totally mad."
Ha Mu-baek and the others just watched the siblings.
No—Ha Mu-baek kept grinning like it was the best show ever.
In truth, Ha Mu-baek and Ha Seol-ran had sensed her approach.
He naturally detected a Tang Clan warrior's presence.
Ha Seol-ran felt someone with a presence similar to Dang Jin-san's drawing near.
Dang Ji-yeon glared at her brother briefly before turning to Ha Mu-baek and the cadets.
"Sorry for showing such an unseemly sight on first meeting. I'm Dang Ji-yeon of the Tang Clan, this fool's older sister."
She greeted them politely with a cupped-fist salute.
Her features were bold, but strikingly beautiful in a captivating way.
Dang Ji-yeon exchanged greetings with Ha Mu-baek, Han Seol-bing, and the cadets.
Dang Jin-san sulked as he watched his sister.
"Father asked me to convey his deepest thanks to Instructor Ha."
Ha Mu-baek's eyes filled with puzzlement at her added gratitude. He couldn't think of any reason.
"He said you turned our clan's hopeless wastrel into a real person..."
Ha Mu-baek chuckled at the explanation.
Dang Jin-san had talent. It just didn't align with the Tang Clan's ways.
"He's got enough potential for that. The clan head needn't worry overmuch."
At Ha Mu-baek's reply, Dang Ji-yeon gave her brother a fresh look.
She'd already heard from her father about this instructor.
The hidden hero of the recent war.
When he became a Fierce Dragon Corps instructor, Father had been shocked.
And when he took charge of Dang Jin-san, hopes rose subtly.
After Dang Chu returned home and shared news of Dang Jin-san—even beating Dang Chu one-on-one—those hopes turned to joy.
Finally a true warrior, he'd thought gleefully.
For such a man to praise her brother's talent? How could she not be surprised?
The brother she'd seen at home was a hopeless dullard.
"Ahem. A talent beyond a witch's eyes."
Dang Jin-san, composure regained, puffed his chest and uttered "witch" again.
A piercing glare shot his way, but he stood tall.
He knew her temperament.
Having greeted the instructor and cadets formally, donning her public mask, mild provocation was safe.
"Father also wishes to invite you and the cadets to our home during this break."
The cadets' eyes widened at her words.
The Sichuan Tang Clan head—an exalted figure—inviting them?
"What? That's why you're here?"
Disappointment crossed Dang Jin-san's face.
He'd worried over her sudden visit.
"You skipped the last break and now this one, so Father sent me. Said to drag you back if you try running."
Unlike her tone with Ha Mu-baek, her voice bristled with chill.
Dang Jin-san flinched slightly.
"Grateful for the invite, but something's come up that needs handling now. Could we postpone?"
Dang Ji-yeon tilted her head at Ha Mu-baek's words.
Something needing resolution right now?
"Ah, we can just ask Sis for help. We were just talking about that."
Dang Jin-san perked up.
His face screamed ulterior motives to exploit her.
Perfect timing too.
They'd been discussing his lack of poison knowledge when she came up.
And she'd arrived right then.
"What do you mean?"
Dang Ji-yeon asked.
"More than that, we can't keep standing. Sit first."
She'd been on her feet the whole time.
Plenty of seats, so she sat, and the story began.
Ha Mu-baek explained everything from today in detail.
Her expressions shifted as she listened intently.
"Hmm. An unknown poison. No reaction to silver needles is expected—they only detect limited types, like arsenic. Eggs react to some too, so don't rely solely on silver needle tests."
The room's faces changed at Dang Ji-yeon's words.
First time learning silver needles missed many poisons.
Dang Jin-san too.
Her sharp eyes pierced him at his expression.
"Sigh. A direct Tang Clan descendant who..."
Her quiet mutter with a sigh. Dang Jin-san averted his gaze slyly.
"I'll need to try it myself first. Seems no immediate danger per Instructor Ha."
Time crept toward late night.
In the end, they decided Ha Mu-baek, Han Seol-bing, and Dang Ji-yeon would visit the Moon Dragon Inn tomorrow around lunch.