~CHAPTER 16~
“You were being hunted by the Moyong clan, right?
I’m a woman of loyalty, you see.
We’ve got to help each other when we’re in the same boat.
So I made sure to finish off every last one of them.
Cleanly.”
In truth, Woo-hee—having come from the Ice Palace—preferred fists to blades.
She was far more accustomed to leaving her opponents half-dead, begging for mercy, than she was to actually killing them.
After all, a living person has far more possibilities than a corpse.
However—
“When it comes to exterminating a bloodline, you have to be thorough.”
She wasn’t foolish enough to spare idiots who had come after her life.
In the martial world, when you draw your sword and strike to kill, you must always place your own life on the other side of the scale.
So, with the pride of having done the natural thing—cleaning up those bastards completely—Woo-hee made her declaration.
Moyong-heun, still trembling in shock and horror, stammered,
“Y-you mean to say… you exterminated them?
Even knowing they were Moyong clan warriors?
Every single one of them?”
“Oh, poor thing.
You must’ve suffered a lot at their hands, huh?
Don’t be so scared.”
“I know a lot of strange things, so I even worried they might suddenly get up again like zombies.
So, I made sure to double-check.
Completely dead now—you can relax.”
“……”
Double-check?
Even though he came from a prestigious orthodox clan, Moyong-heun had never heard such a brutal phrase in his life.
His face turned pale with pure horror.
“Oh, and even if the Moyong clan finds out they’ve been wiped out and tries to send more men, they won’t be able to track us easily.
So, no need to worry for now.”
But what terrified Moyong-heun wasn’t the thought of a follow-up assassination squad.
That danger was inevitable anyway.
The true problem—the one staring him in the face—was far worse.
Before he could even react, these two had already entangled themselves in his family’s blood feud with the Moyong clan.
And in the martial world, who in their right mind would choose to cross the Moyong clan—a top-tier orthodox powerhouse—for the sake of a complete stranger?
To not only offend them but slaughter their entire unit?
It was beyond comprehension.
Moyong-heun opened his mouth several times but couldn’t find the words.
“By the way, what’s your name?”
“P-pardon?”
“Your name.
You know, the thing people call you by.”
“Ah…”
He had barely escaped death, only for one shock after another to crash into him.
His head wasn’t working properly.
Should he tell them his real name?
Now that they were involved, perhaps honesty was the better path.
Maybe they could even help him.
After all, these were people capable of annihilating the Moyong clan’s top assassins—surely powerful allies for his next move.
He himself was like a flickering candle, uncertain if he’d survive the next few days.
But if they had truly wiped out every last pursuer, the clan might not even realize what had happened yet.
Perhaps he could cut all ties and disappear.
Would it really be right to drag these kind-hearted martial artists into his bloody mess?
As he wrestled with his thoughts, Woo-hee squinted at him.
“What’s with the silence?
Don’t tell me you don’t have a name?”
“N-no, I do have one.”
“Then what, you just don’t feel like telling me?”
“I—it’s not that…”
Moyong-heun felt a wave of shame.
They had saved his life, given him a summoning pill, shared their food, and even risked their necks against the Moyong clan… and here he was, hesitating.
Such ingratitude was disgraceful.
“I… I think it would be best not to involve you any further.
I’ve already received more kindness than I can ever repay.
To ask for more would be… shameless.”
“So, what you’re saying is—if we find out your name, something really unlucky will happen to us?”
“…Yes.”
“And what kind of unlucky thing are we talking about?”
“……”
Moyong-heun’s face darkened with despair.
Still, they had a right to know.
They deserved to understand just how much danger they’d put themselves in—merely by helping him.
“The Moyong clan…
They’ll stop at nothing to confirm my death.
No matter how much blood has to be spilt in the process.”
The orthodox alliance—the Justice League—was divided into great sects and noble families, the Five Great Houses among them.
The Moyong clan was one of the most powerful; their name a symbol of prestige and strength.
And as the sole surviving heir of the wrongly accused clan head and the only witness to the truth behind the scandal threatening their entire house, Moyong-heun knew they’d never let him live.
If the truth were ever revealed, the Justice League itself would never let the Moyong clan go unpunished.
Those righteous sects loved to act as if justice and honour were their highest virtues—but in truth, what mattered most was their reputation.
The Moyong clan knew that better than anyone.
So, to keep their secret, they’d hunt him to the ends of the earth.
As long as he drew breath, he could never live in peace again.
A path stained with blood—one no sane man would willingly walk.
“That reminds me,” Woo-hee suddenly said.
“While you were snoring away, I came up with a plan.”
“Ah… yes.
I understand.
You don’t want to get involved in something like this—”
“I’ll take care of the Moyong clan for you.
In exchange, you’ll become my subordinate.”
“…What?”
“You took the summoning pill, didn’t you?”
Moyong-heun’s pupils trembled violently.
Cold sweat ran down his back.
“You didn’t seriously think you could just swallow it and run off, did you?”
He froze on the spot, mouth open, looking like a fool.
Woo-hee smiled brightly at his ashen face, watching him in silence.
She wasn’t in a hurry.
The outcome was already decided—the only thing left was for him to accept it.
“Just to be clear,” she said with a lazy grin, breaking the silence,
“I wasn’t asking whether you’d become my subordinate.”
“I’m saying that once I decide to take someone under my wing, they already are my subordinate.”
Because Woo-hee was raised in the Ice Palace.
And in that shameless sect, once you decided to claim someone, it was already a done deal—no questions asked.
