Chapter 138
At her naturally returned reply, Bang‑u shifted his gaze to the table and filled an empty cup with liquor.
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
At the tone and voice that carried not even a hair’s breadth of goodwill, the air around them chilled in an instant.
Was it because of that loaded remark? Namgung Huimyeong’s gaze, once again landing on Yeo‑il, brimmed with suspicion.
Bang‑u was not the sort of man to be friendly to everyone—but he was equally curt to everyone. There was no way he would behave like this without reason. That certainty was clear in Namgung Huimyeong’s sharp black eyes.
…Was I found out?
If so, in what way had her identity been exposed?
As Yeo‑il traced the possible causes, a deep, sticky fatigue suddenly washed over her.
The fact that, whether in the past or now, she always had to strain herself to conceal who she was felt unbearably tiresome.
With that shift in her state of mind, Yeo‑il simply stayed seated without offering any reply, and the atmosphere sank even further.
Only Deok‑gye kept stealing anxious glances at Yeo‑il, his face screaming, Surely not? There’s no way she’s been exposed, right?—all the while failing to realize that such a reaction from a bald monk only made things more suspicious.
At that moment, Namgung Huimyeong asked Namgung Jeokmyeong,
“Brother, how did you come to know the former master of Chwihyangwon?”
“Obviously by visiting the Hangryong Sect and making his acquaintance.”
“I don’t believe you’ve visited the Hangryong Sect recently. …Are you speaking of the past?”
As if he had been waiting for the question, Namgung Jeokmyeong answered casually.
“Not long ago. I went to gather various bits of information about Wolgeom Ilsal.”
At those words, the air—already cold—froze solid.
Namgung Huimyeong, in particular, looked visibly startled and pressed Namgung Jeokmyeong in a heated voice.
“Brother, why are you only telling us this now? And what did the Hangryong Sect Leader say?”
“I answered him.”
At Yeo‑il’s reply, all the gazes that had been on Namgung Jeokmyeong turned to her.
Namgung Jeokmyeong’s intent was clear.
Before she could be suspected as Wolgeom Ilsal, he had already laid the groundwork. Yeo‑il did not oppose his method. Rather, she quietly matched his steps.
“All information concerning individuals who could threaten the Sect Leader is managed through my hands. Whether it’s trivial chatter about Wolgeom Ilsal or fairly convincing rumors—everything comes to me before it ever reaches the Sect Leader.”
“Well, that’s how the connection was made.”
Namgung Jeokmyeong nodded slightly, but Namgung Huimyeong’s eyes still held suspicion.
“…So what answer did you receive?”
“Hm. Miss, what was your reply at the time?”
Yeo‑il’s lips parted once more.
“My answer was—”
“……”
“A secret.”
“…Ha.”
Namgung Huimyeong’s face twisted sharply.
The irritation spreading across his features was no different from how he looked in his boyhood.
Thanks to that, Yeo‑il was seized by a strange sense of contemplation once again.
It resembled the impression she had felt when she first saw how much Namgung Huimyeong had grown—but it was clearly different in some way.
It was an emotion she had never experienced before, making it hard to pinpoint or define.
“I apologize. All information belonging to the Hangryong Sect requires a price commensurate with its value. I cannot disclose it again with my own mouth.”
“So that’s how it is.”
With a satisfied expression, Namgung Jeokmyeong drew Bang‑u’s filled cup toward himself and let out his characteristically refreshing laugh.
“Haha. If the chance arises, I’ll tell you that costly information myself later.”
“At the next meeting, I might already be a corpse. How about telling me now, Brother?”
“Hearing that only makes me want to tell you later. I have no intention of reuniting with you as a corpse.”
The moment Namgung Jeokmyeong finished the cup with that firm retort—
Bang‑u, who had remained silent the whole time, spoke again.
“What do you think of Wolgeom Ilsal, miss?”
Unlike his earlier sharp scrutiny of Yeo‑il, his voice sounded like a passing remark, keeping pace with the topic.
“If even thoughts must be priced, then there’s no need for me to answer.”
“You seem very interested in him, Daoist Bang‑u.”
“That I am.”
“I understand completely. It’s only natural. Wolgeom Ilsal not only killed Baek Chung, the former head of the Mount Hua Sect, but also murdered your dearly cherished junior sister, Seonhye. Moreover, he even attempted—and failed—to kill you as well. …If it were me, I’d feel a profound sense of betrayal. Perhaps even take revenge as my life’s calling.”
Her gaze then shifted to Namgung Huimyeong.
“And Young Master Namgung, you must always be ready to hunt down and kill Wolgeom Ilsal as well. Is that not so?”
Namgung Huimyeong’s fierce glare seemed ready to pierce straight through Yeo‑il’s veil.
“Watch your tongue, miss. I’ve never said such a thing.”
“In this world, aren’t there countless things that are plainly visible without ever being spoken aloud? Wolgeom Ilsal is the fiend who murdered your sister, Namgung Soyo, and took her place. …Do you know for what purpose he set foot in the Namgung family?”
“I don’t wish to know.”
“Wolgeom Ilsal’s objective was that item secretly hidden by the former head of the Namgung family. You’ve likely heard the rumor as well—the absurd tale that the Sarmak’s Book of Slaughter is within the Namgung household. What Wolgeom Ilsal was after… was that ledger.”
“That’s enough.”
“Do you know the true identity of the person called Yesogun? The name Choi Iryang of the Heavenly Demon Cult spoke with his own mouth when he killed Jegal Seonhwa. In truth, Wolgeom Ilsal is—”
“Damn it, stop!”
The roar of anger, infused with inner power, thundered through the inn.
Namgung Huimyeong clenched his fist so tightly the veins bulged, grinding out each word as if chewing them apart.
“I said stop. Don’t force me to raise my voice any further, miss. I don’t want to make a grave mistake at our first meeting.”
“…As I’ve heard, you are indeed a thoughtful man. I’ll bear that in mind.”
Bowing her head politely, Yeo‑il turned to Namgung Jeokmyeong and continued.
“If your heart ever changes and you decide to pursue revenge…”
“……”
“Then come find me. I’ll be sure to grant you that opportunity.”
Namgung Jeokmyeong’s expression sank like a bog for a moment, before a faint chuckle escaped him.
“Won’t I have to pay a price again?”
“If you can simply carry out the order the Sect Leader has given without incident, such a trivial price won’t matter.”
“From experience, you strike me as a truly despicable woman. I only hope I don’t suffer too great a loss on this end.”
“Who weighs profit and loss when it comes to revenge? No matter the method, if it’s achieved, that alone is enough.”
Namgung Jeokmyeong closed his mouth in silence, his face stiff. His inner thoughts were unreadable, but something about it clearly displeased him.
The one who broke the silence was Bang‑u.
“That’s right.”
Murmuring softly, he rose slowly from his seat.
“If I ever face Wolgeom Ilsal again… then next time, even if it costs me my life, I will cut him down. I will not repeat the same mistake twice.”
At the resolute determination etched into his expression, Yeo‑il bowed her head quietly.
“Your resolve is admirable.”
Yeo‑il thought—
Please, let that will never fade.
“…Let’s end our farewells here and get moving. I’ll go on ahead.”
Before anyone could even respond, Bang‑u left the inn.
