Risk Factor (5)
I pondered deeply, recalling a past incident.
My brother Jin-ho had gone missing in Yun-nam Province.
The cause had been the Wu-chul Mu-san phenomenon created by the Silver Mist Sword.
Everyone in the group had fallen for it and failed to find the right path, but I alone had seen through it and found the true way.
Later, I learned it was due to the martial arts I cultivated and my unique constitution.
The Tae-eum Binghae Singong had the power to resist any illusion, and my Black Tortoise Divine Body constitution blocked external influences on my mind.
Just like Wu-chul Mu-san, formations twisted nature through the arrangement of surrounding objects to deceive the five senses.
That was why one might hallucinate falling into the sea from solid ground or endlessly circle the same spot.
But since the formation couldn't interfere with my senses, I felt nothing amiss and proceeded straight through.
This is good?
Now, how could I make sure to completely get rid of them?
I had to pay back tricks like this to satisfy my sense of justice.
Moyong Tae-geol headed to Eun Seo-ho's quarters.
The night before, his father had instructed him to speak with Eun Seo-ho about a marriage proposal with his younger sister.
"May I speak with Seonhyeopmirang Daehyeop right now?"
At his question, the attendant Palgap blinked both eyes.
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"What do I mean? What are you talking about?"
"A warrior came earlier and said the young master ordered your young lord to be summoned, so he went."
"What?"
He was flustered.
"I never gave such an order. That's why I'm here in person."
"Pardon? Then who summoned our young lord?"
He wore a grave expression.
"Something must have happened. Do you know where he went?"
"Yes. To Im Milwon. I just came from there."
Moyong Tae-geol immediately headed to Im Milwon, where he saw two warriors standing at the entrance.
"Did Seonhyeopmirang Daehyeop enter and wait inside?"
"Yes, that's right."
"It's been about an hour since he entered... Wasn't he supposed to be waiting inside?"
At the question, Moyong Tae-geol bit his lip.
"I never instructed anyone to summon Seonhyeopmirang Daehyeop here."
"What?"
"Then why did that warrior lie like that!"
"Is that warrior inside too?"
"No. He said it was on the young master's errand and left Im Milwon, heading that way."
"What did he look like?"
At the question, the two guards described the warrior they had seen.
Moyong Tae-geol asked his own guard.
"Was there such a warrior?"
His guard furrowed his brow at the question.
"I don't recall seeing one... but I can't be sure from the description alone."
At that moment, something flashed through Moyong Tae-geol's mind, and he immediately ordered his guard.
"By the young master's name, I command you! Seal all entrances to the main residence right now!"
"Understood!"
Then Moyong Tae-geol entered Im Milwon alone.
He had a good idea who had tricked Eun Seo-ho into coming here.
Seong-geol... why do you keep doing this?
Summoning Eun Seo-ho to Im Milwon was likely a scheme to trap him using what was inside.
What was in Im Milwon was a formation.
The formation there didn't directly harm anyone, but without someone pulling them out, it forced endless circling in place.
Moreover, it was a vicious one that warped the flow of time, making a day feel like a year.
To escape on one's own, one had to find the life path or break the formation.
But finding the life path was extremely difficult, and breaking the formation required the Transcendent Realm.
It had already been over an hour since Eun Seo-ho entered, so he must have been suffering considerably.
He needed to hurry and extract him from the formation.
As he headed to the core, he realized what scheme Moyong Seong-geol had pulled.
He had deliberately bent the straight entrance path to lead into the formation.
An outsider wouldn't notice the incongruity and would step right into it.
"Damn it!"
To pause the formation, he had to reach the core, so he spat a low curse and pressed on.
However...
Upon arriving at the core, he couldn't help but be stunned.
"Snooore..."
"......"
Eun Seo-ho, whom he expected to be struggling lost in the formation, was sleeping soundly at the core.
Huh?
Suddenly hearing footsteps rushing over, I opened my eyes and lifted my head.
Moyong Tae-geol, the young master, was looking at me with a flustered expression.
Oh no...
He caught me sleeping.
While pondering how to deal with Moyong Seong-geol, who was trying to harm me, and roughly planning, I realized one thing.
This Im Milwon was a place few ever visited.
In other words, a spot where I could rest undisturbed.
My plan anyway required the young master to come here, so what was I to do alone?
Training felt off too.
Even in the seventh month, the climate here—or perhaps the tree shade—made it perfect napping weather.
So I'd lain on the long bench enjoying a nap, but Moyong Tae-geol had arrived sooner than expected.
I rose naturally, as if I hadn't been asleep.
In truth, I'd slept so leisurely because I knew the only one coming to find me would be the young master.
I greeted him with a pleased expression.
"You arrived sooner than I thought."
"What in the world happened here?"
"What do you mean?"
"I thought you'd be suffering from the formation here. Yet..."
I grinned and said,
"I have my own ways. Hard to explain what, but anyway, I'm fine."
"In any case, I'm truly relieved. And I apologize on behalf of my family."
I stopped him as he tried to bow his head.
"No need. It wasn't your doing, so why should you apologize?"
"My brother is still of the Moyong family, and I am the young master of the Moyong family."
"He's old enough to be beyond elder oversight. And since he judged and acted on his own, he must bear the responsibility himself."
At my words, he sighed and nodded.
"Sigh, true enough."
He continued,
"First, before entering, I ordered the main residence's entrances sealed. In case the warrior who guided you here tries to flee."
In truth, even if he fled, I had Golden Decree to track him anytime, so I'd stayed put.
But Moyong Tae-geol taking such measures saved me trouble.
"Thank you for doing that for me."
I clasped my hands in respect, then asked gravely,
"That precious sword lost before—was it Moyong Seong-geol's doing?"
He flinched at my question.
"I told you not to show your emotions so easily."
"Sorry. I just got flustered without thinking..."
I continued calmly.
"From what I see, Moyong Seong-geol is chasing pipe dreams. Dreaming is fine, but the problem is when it harms those around him."
In my previous life, one victim was Moyong Tae-geol himself. In this life, he nearly was too.
The family head was probably a victim as well.
Given how he'd suddenly passed the position to Seong-geol.
"If the Moyong family ends up swayed by him because of it, that would be truly lamentable."
"......"
"I believe Moyong Seong-geol has backing from external forces."
How else could he hand that precious sword to the Ghost Market?
Registering items for sale at the Ghost Market required stringent procedures.
That was why it had such renown, and the pride of its operators.
From the young master's reaction, he already knew.
He must have learned while inquiring about the sword's whereabouts.
So he couldn't dismiss my words lightly.
"If you don't rage at outsiders treating the Moyong family with contempt right now, you lack the qualifications to be young master—or even a Moyong clansman."
At my words, he clenched his fist and said,
"I am angry too! But I have no proper way..."
"A way... By the way, you really came quickly."
Moyong Tae-geol hesitated briefly before explaining.
"Actually, last night my father told me to seek you out and ask your intentions."
"Intentions? What kind?"
"Marriage to my younger sister."
"Cough!"
Ah, what a bolt from the blue in broad daylight!
"Are you alright?"
"Ah, yes. I'm fine. Thank you for the offer, but I already have someone in mind..."
"I see. My apologies for the presumption."
From what he'd just said, I caught one clue.
"Does anyone else know your father told you to see me?"
"No. Only I and Yeon-geol. Ah, my mother knows too."
Oh ho, so Moyong Seong-geol doesn't know.
No wonder he resorted to this method.
But that would become the noose to bind him.
"I've thought of a good way."
Moyong Seong-geol asked the attendant entering his room,
"So, how did it go?"
"As planned, Eun Seo-ho entered Im Milwon. He'll think it's the entrance path and inevitably fall into the formation."
"Heh heh heh, he'll suffer plenty."
"But what if the warrior we instructed reveals it was all on your order?"
"Any proof?"
"None."
"Right. And he's probably already fled with the money I paid him, so no need to worry. Besides, he won't dare speak carelessly."
"I was overly sensitive."
"And since people heard my brother summoned him, suspicion will fall on him."
The attendant still looked worried and asked,
"That's true, but... doesn't he lack a motive?"
"Motive? If they met at Im Milwon before, say they plotted something together that went awry. Easy to frame it that way."
He continued,
"So go to them and request support. Forge evidence that ties those two solidly."
"Understood."
Just then.
Noise erupted outside, so wondering what was happening, the attendant went out.
He soon returned with a panicked face.
"What is it?"
"B-big trouble!"
"What trouble?"
"Eun Seo-ho... was found in a coma in Im Milwon."
"What?"
I'd thought he'd just suffer a bit and come out, but a coma!
"Based on statements that Eun Seo-ho was summoned to Im Milwon, the annexes of those with usage rights have been sealed. Ours too."
"What the..."
Moyong Seong-geol couldn't help but panic.
"Aigoo, young lord. What in the world is this?"
I lay on the bed in my quarters. Palgap beside me kept exclaiming aigoo.
"Palgap."
"Yes?"
"You can stop now. No one's around."
"Ah, really?"
Palgap cleared his throat and said,
"My throat was killing me; I nearly died."
I chuckled at Palgap.
Now the rumor that I was in a coma had spread throughout the Moyong residence.
"But do we really have to do it this way?"
I nodded at Moyong Tae-geol, sitting beside me.
"Yes. This gives reason for you sealing all the Moyong residence's entrances."
Grateful as I was for him doing it for me, he couldn't face reprimand over it.
"True, but..."
"And only if I'm in a coma can we properly punish the true culprit."
No matter how malicious the plot, if I emerged unscathed, pinning blame would be ambiguous.
"Plus, though we haven't found him yet, pressuring the warrior who guided me to Im Milwon will be easier."
Accomplice to pranking Seonhyeopmirang versus putting him in a coma—worlds apart.
If he took all the blame here, he'd bear the infamy of harming a martial hero and face execution.
He'd confess meekly to avoid that.
I didn't particularly like the title Seonhyeopmirang, but it was handy now.
Anyway, the annexes of those with Im Milwon access rights were sealed.
If doing it, do it big.
That maximized the effect.
Earlier, Branch Leader Bok-un and his wife had visited, glanced at me, and said,
"So, how can I help?"
True to my close friend.
He grasped the situation immediately, and I asked him to protest to the family head.
And secure a promise to strip all rights from whoever put me in this predicament.
Family head, you're in for some sweat.
Then, the young master's attendant shouted from outside,
"Young master! That warrior's been caught!"
We grinned.
Now things would get really interesting.