Chapter 121
– ‘W-what are you saying, Contractor? Where else can you find a spirit as great as me?’
“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Yerin looked confused.
Somi, unable to hide his sense of injustice, let out an indignant yelp.
– ‘Are you telling me you’re tired of me? That would be a betrayal to this great spirit!’
“…Our Somi, your imagination is incredible.”
With a deep sigh, Yerin stroked Somi’s head.
“It’s not like that. You can sense my location, right?”
– ‘Well, yes, but…’
Somi glanced up at Yerin, checking her expression.
“Stay with disciple Hyuk Min-woo’s in case we need backup, and let him know where we are if necessary.”
– ‘Even so, I can’t just leave you alone!’
Fluffing up his fur, Somi protested.
– ‘If you’re saying backup might be needed, that means it’s dangerous! Wouldn’t it be better if I stayed by your side…?’
“Somi, this is something only you can do. No one else can.”
Hearing Yerin’s earnest voice, Somi clamped his mouth shut.
“Hmm? Are you really not going to help?”
– ‘Hmph.’
In the end, Somi turned his head away.
– ‘Hurry up and get back to your quarters to write that letter. Surely, you wouldn’t dare keep this great spirit waiting too long?’
“Thank you.”
Yerin, filled with gratitude, patted Somi’s head.
– ‘Seriously, where else could you find a spirit as great as me? Isn’t that right?’
“Of course, of course.”
– ‘Make sure you realize how precious I am and feel deeply thankful.’
Despite grumbling, Somi didn’t resist Yerin’s affectionate touch.
—
The streets of Seongdo were blanketed in darkness.
The lively energy of the day had vanished, leaving the place eerily silent, devoid of even the faintest sound of human presence.
Yet, cutting through the stillness with his light-footed *qigong* was a lone young man.
It was none other than Dang Yejun.
‘…No one’s following me, right?’
Clearly nervous about being tailed, Dang Yejun glanced behind him several times.
All he saw was the desolate, ghostly streets where not even a rat stirred.
‘It’s fine. No one’s here.’
Swallowing his dry throat, Dang Yejun began to move again.
After running for quite some time with his *qigong*, Dang Yejun finally arrived in a dimly lit alleyway.
While the main streets still had a few lit-up shops, this part of town was shrouded in total darkness.
Dang Yejun stepped into the narrow passage between buildings.
After walking a considerable distance, he came to a dead end.
“This is how I’m supposed to knock, right…?”
Glancing around warily, Dang Yejun raised his hand and knocked on the wall in a specific rhythm.
Then, *grrrk*…
The sound of stones grinding against each other echoed, and a small hole appeared.
It was just large enough for a grown man to crouch down and crawl through.
Dang Yejun, his face tense with nerves, stepped into the hole.
A staircase of uneven height stretched out before him, leading downward.
“…Damn it.”
Dang Yejun muttered a curse under his breath.
Had his senses not been sharpened by martial arts training, he could easily have missed a step and tumbled down the stairs.
After wobbling precariously several times, he made his way down for a few more minutes.
Gradually, the space grew brighter.
The light coming from below was enough to see clearly.
‘Wait, is that…?’
Dang Yejun blinked in surprise, using his heightened vision to get a better look at what lay ahead.
In an instant, he was stunned into silence.
‘Those are night-luminescent pearls?!’
Expensive *ya myeong-ju* were embedded densely along the walls, illuminating the path.
‘In a place governed by the Dang Clan, a righteous sect, they’ve created a space like this.’
He shuddered at the vast wealth and the secretive influence behind this place.
At the end of the tunnel, a door came into view.
A man dressed in black, standing guard in front of the door, looked at Dang Yejun.
“Are you the Young Master of the Dang Clan?”
“That’s right.”
“Please, come inside. The Vice Leader is waiting for you.”
The man politely stepped aside.
Before entering, Dang Yejun stood frozen, staring at the ornate door blocking his path. It seemed out of place in this underground tunnel.
‘This… it could rival the craftsmanship of the Dang Clan,’ he thought, feeling his mouth go dry as he tried to stand tall and composed.
The door opened silently.
Dang Yejun cautiously stepped into the room. It was lavish, with not a single item that wasn’t valuable.
As he carefully scanned the room, a calm voice called out to him.
“Ah, you’re here.”
Startled, Dang Yejun flinched and turned around.
A man lazily reclining on a silk cushion embroidered with gold threads was staring at him leisurely. He wore a red robe and had long hair tied back, his appearance youthful yet exuding the aura of someone ancient, like a seasoned serpent.
‘He said the Vice Leader was waiting for me…’
Then, the man sitting before him must be the notorious Vice Leader of the Blood Sect.
At that moment, the Vice Leader spoke casually.
“I’ve heard much about the Young Master of the Dang Clan.”
The informal tone made Dang Yejun’s expression harden slightly. However, he couldn’t bring himself to question it. The sheer pressure radiating from the Vice Leader was overwhelming.
“I’ve seen your father quite a few times, but this is my first time meeting you in person.”
Their eyes met.
The Vice Leader’s black eyes gleamed, inspecting Dang Yejun from head to toe like a predator sizing up its prey.
Then, the man’s lips curled into a sly smile.
“So, what brings the Young Master here?”
“I…”
Dang Yejun stammered, his face tense, his lips dry. The reality of what he’d gotten himself into suddenly hit him.
‘The Vice Leader of the Blood Sect!’
He had sought out the Blood Sect out of resentment for his father’s neglect and arranged this meeting, but he hadn’t anticipated standing before the Vice Leader himself.
His heart pounded wildly, a mix of fear and tension surging through him.
‘…Is this really what I should be doing?’
As his thoughts swirled, his hands slowly clenched into fists.
Sensing Dang Yejun’s hesitation, the Vice Leader spoke again, pouring oil onto the fire.
“Your father said you were too timid to be trusted with even the smallest tasks.”
“…”
Dang Yejun’s eyes flared with anger.
“And yet, here you are, seeking me out first.”
The Vice Leader’s smile deepened.
“I’m curious about what kind of entertaining proposal you have.”
Dang Yejun, taking a deep breath, asked abruptly, “How much do you trust my father?”
“Hoo?”
The Vice Leader raised an eyebrow.
“How much do I trust the leader of the Dang Clan, you ask?”
“My father has his eyes set on the Matriarch of the Northern Sea Ice Palace.”
The Vice Leader’s eyes gleamed with interest for the first time.
“Matriarch, you say? You mean your younger sister?”
“Yes.”
Dang Yejun nodded gravely.
“My sister, Dang Yerin, has long since become the Matriarch of the Ice Palace. Why do you think my father is so eager to bring her back into his fold?”
“Hmm, seems like you’ve come here to tell me that reason. Am I wrong?”
In response to the Vice Leader’s question, Dang Yejun spoke with a voice that rang with a grim resolve.
“He seeks to expand the Dang Clan’s influence so that one day, he can sever ties with the Blood Sect.”
A faint trace of boredom flickered across the Vice Leader’s face.
But Dang Yejun, now fully immersed in his own excitement, continued.
“Do you think my father intends to keep cooperating with the Blood Sect? One day, he will abandon you!”
“Hmm, well, if that’s true…”
The Vice Leader, resting his chin on his hand as though disinterested, asked lazily.
“Why, then, have you come here to tell me about your father’s suspicious behavior?”
“…”
Dang Yejun paused, his face tense.
After a moment, struggling to keep his voice steady, he replied, “Because I won’t act like my father.”
“And what exactly does that mean?”
“If the Blood Sect… helps me become the next leader of the Dang Clan…”
Dang Yejun, trying to suppress the tremor in his voice, spoke with forced determination.
“I will ensure that the Dang Clan is entirely loyal to the Blood Sect.”
“…”
However, even after Dang Yejun finished his bold declaration, the Vice Leader remained silent.
‘What’s going on?’
Nervously, Dang Yejun glanced at the Vice Leader’s face.
Suddenly, his heart dropped into his stomach.
The Vice Leader looked utterly bored.
“How dull.”
“Huh?”
Dang Yejun blinked in disbelief.
The Vice Leader cast a cold, disinterested gaze at him.
“Did you think I agreed to meet you just to hear this pathetic speech?”
“V-Vice Leader…?”
“And why should I bother with something so trivial?”
With that, the Vice Leader casually flicked his hand. The motion was as effortless as a child playing, yet the outcome was anything but.
“Guh!”
Blood sprayed from Dang Yejun’s mouth.
“W-what…?”
His eyes wide, Dang Yejun looked down at his chest.
A small dagger, no larger than a hand, had pierced his heart perfectly.
