He already knew.
He knew that the aphrodisiac mingled with her natural scent was the result of the Tang Clan’s deranged experiments.
However, it was the first time he had learned the details of such tests, and that made his mind all the more chaotic.
I have no idea where to even begin.
How was he supposed to unravel this chain that had been forged so long ago? Where should he even start cutting it apart?
As he gently stroked her head while holding her in his arms, his thoughts circled endlessly. The first name that came to mind was Tang Yeon Shin, the clan head.
The most important factor is Tang Yeon Shin.
According to her, Tang Seon Yeong’s father had changed drastically after his daughter became a sacrificial subject for their experiments.
The once-passionate clan head who had taken the lead in resolving all matters of the Tang Clan, no matter how big or small they were, had become a recluse and had since locked himself away in his quarters. He showed no interest in anything and rarely made an appearance.
Something must have happened back then.
The regression in his martial strength and the shift in his personality. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots and suspect a link between the two.
Then, what exactly happened to him?
That’s the key to all of this.
If he could uncover what happened, the majority of the mystery would likely unravel on its own; of that he was certain.
“It’s okay now.”
After burying her face in Baek Woo Jin’s chest for a long while, she finally stirred and pulled away. Perhaps it was the warm glow of the burning candlelight, but her face was as red as fire.
As he stared at her intently, Tang Seon Yeong drew a strange smile and pressed a finger against his chest.
“When this is all over… then I’ll be yours alone, won’t I?”
“Is that how it’s going to be…?”
Her suggestive remark made a faint heat rise within him.
“If that’s the case.”
Her finger trailed down his chest.
“Then no matter what you do, I won’t be able to resist.”
“…….”
“Anything.”
Whether it was the lingering scent of her that he had breathed in for too long or the way she emphasized each word, he felt a stirring deep within, a kind of desire being awakened.
I’m doomed for the night, really.
***
Early the next morning.
After Tang Seon Yeong returned to her chambers, Baek Woo Jin sat alone in the guest hall and started organizing his thoughts. As soon as the sun began to rise, he made his way outside.
“Leaving already?”
The guard stationed reliably at the entrance asked as he stood watch. Baek Woo Jin shook his head.
“Just stepping out for a bit.”
At that, the man smirked knowingly.
“You might want to take all your belongings with you. There’s a chance you won’t be able to come back.”
The guard’s tone carried an air of confidence as if he was saying: “You can leave like you want, but you can’t come back as easily.”
There’s no way a low-ranking guard would act this freely on his own…
It was clear that orders had come from above. Something along the lines of allowing someone to leave but stopping them from coming back.
“Thank you for your concern.”
Baek Woo Jin responded with a smile as he raised his middle finger toward the guard.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The guard frowned as he asked.
“Oh, don’t you know? It’s a popular greeting in the distant lands of the West. It’s a form of salutation.”
“Hmm, how unusual.”
The guard mimicked Baek Woo Jin and also extended his middle finger in return.
An insult answered with an insult.
“Safe travels.”
“You little—”
“Hmm? What did you just say?”
“…I didn’t say anything?”
“Must’ve misheard then…”
Leaving the guard scratching his ear with the same middle finger he had just raised, Baek Woo Jin set off down the road.
On his way, he vowed to make sure that guard paid dearly upon his return.
Baek Woo Jin who had set off early arrived at a fairly old inn tucked away in a corner slightly removed from the main road.
“Ah, welcome, welcome!”
The innkeeper hurried out and started rubbing his hands together eagerly. Baek Woo Jin reached into his pocket and pulled out a token, showing it to the man. It was an emblem issued within the Hao Sect, something he had received from the branch leader before departing from the academy.
The smile disappeared from the innkeeper’s face as he looked at the token.
“Ah, you’re a different customer. Please, this way.”
The innkeeper led Baek Woo Jin to a secluded corner of the inn and pulled back a carpet that had been laid out on the floor. Beneath it, a hidden staircase leading to a lower level was revealed.
“You can go down here.”
Baek Woo Jin stepped toward the staircase, before flicking a silver coin at the innkeeper as he passed.
“Ah, thank you, young hero!”
Baek Woo Jin left the beaming innkeeper with the coin in his hand. He descended the stairs and sharpened his senses as he went.
The Hao Sect guards were stationed in the darkness. Their presence was carefully concealed as they kept watch. Baek Woo Jin pretended not to notice and walked through the dimly lit corridor.
At the end of the long hallway, he opened a door and stepped inside. A man with his face covered by a black mask greeted him with his fists clasped together.
“Welcome. I’m the branch leader of Chengdu. You may call me Black Fang.”
Baek Woo Jin didn’t bother introducing himself and instead settled into a chair. Since this was the Hao Sect, he assumed they already knew everything they needed to know about him.
“I’m looking for someone.”
“Tell me the information you have about this person.”
“His name is Jeong Jong Gu. Until ten years ago, he was a craftsman who developed poisons for the Tang Clan.”
Jeong Jong Gu had been one of the skilled craftsmen researching poisons at the time.
According to her, until ten years ago, he had been actively developing poisons for the Tang Clan, but during his research, he made a grave mistake that caused immense damage. As a result, he was banished from the clan …
Dozens of craftsmen who had been researching poisons had either died or been banished, only to disappear from the Tang Clan entirely. While the head craftsman who had overseen the research still remained, he was said to be difficult to meet as he constantly moved between the numerous research facilities owned by the Tang Clan.
The most recently banished among them was Jeong Jong Gu. If he could be found, it might be possible to learn more about what had happened back then.
Baek Woo Jin retrieved a piece of paper from inside his robe and handed it to Black Fang.
Black Fang unfolded the paper immediately. It contained a drawing of a rugged-looking man’s face.
This was a depiction of Jeong Jong Gu as remembered by Tang Seon Yeong.
“This is his appearance from five years ago. I don’t know how he might have changed since then.”
Stroking his chin with one hand, Black Fang studied the drawing carefully before nodding his head.
“There are distinctive features on his face. It shouldn’t be too difficult to track him down unless he’s using a face mask or has drastically altered his appearance.”
The response was rather optimistic.
“Put the cost on the Hao Sect branch account at the academy.”
“Understood. Once we locate him, where should we send the message?”
“Direct it to the Tang Clan.”
“Yes. Then, safe travels.”
With a polite bow, Black Fang bid him farewell.
When he left the branch, Baek Woo Jin didn’t stop there. Instead, he went to the inn where he and his group had been staying.
As he stepped inside, he immediately noticed his companions seated and having their meal after they returned from their tasks.
“Oh, you’re all here—”
Although only a few days had passed, a smile appeared on Baek Woo Jin’s face as he approached; he felt unexpectedly happy to see them again. However, his expression froze in shock when he saw Shin Ye Hwa sitting across from Jegal Yeon Ji.
“Woo Jin-ah!”
“Young master Baek…!”
The moment they spotted Baek Woo Jin, Shin Ye Hwa and Jegal Yeon Ji sprang toward him like coiled springs.
Jegal Yeon Ji looked as if she wanted to throw herself into his arms but seemed to restrain herself, perhaps mindful of the gazes around them.
Meanwhile, Shin Ye Hwa, who had already closed the distance between them, radiated an intensity that was far sharper than just a few days ago.
“You…?”
“Ah, you noticed? Hehe! I’ve reached the peak master level!”
Shin Ye Hwa responded in a bright, triumphant voice.
She reached it this quickly?
Baek Woo Jin had anticipated that she might reach the peak master in due time.
She had both talent and dedication and though her spiritual energy was as small as a bean, she had even been given a rare elixir to aid her.
Still, this is too fast.
He had assumed it would take at least several months, possibly even a year. What in the world had happened?
“Let’s sit down and talk for a bit.”
“Okay!”
“Yes…”
Once he calmed his thoughts, Baek Woo Jin listened to Jegal Yeon Ji recount the events of the past few days in detail.
It was almost unbelievable. The idea that so many demonic beasts had been hiding in one huge cavern was astounding. Even more incredible was the tale of Shin Ye Hwa ascending to the peak master level in a life-or-death situation, much like the awakening of a protagonist in a novel.
The sight of Shin Ye Hwa smiling brightly with her eyes sparkling with determination overlapped in Baek Woo Jin’s mind with the image of Yoo Hwa Yeon charging at him relentlessly in the past.
Yoo Hwa Yeon had shown incomprehensible growth as well…
The memory of her reaching the peak master level and wielding her sword energy right before his eyes resurfaced in his thoughts. She too had ascended to the peak master level at a pace far exceeding expectations.
As expected… perhaps it’s because they’re characters with important roles.
He hadn’t read to the end of the story, so he didn’t know what fate awaited them. But both Shin Ye Hwa and Yoo Hwa Yeon were heroine candidates who embraced obsession and regret.
Perhaps their accelerated growth was inevitable, given their importance to the story.
However, Baek Woo Jin didn’t know. The two women were already growing several times faster than what was arranged in the novel.
And all of this stemmed from Baek Woo Jin himself, whether he realized it or not.
“The Moorim Alliance’s branch head said he’d propose to headquarters that we be awarded a plaque of honor.”
“Can you believe it? This is the first time in the academy’s history that a team mission has earned an award like this!”
“Haha, that’s nice.”
Baek Woo Jin let out a stiff and awkward laugh.
For him, the plaque wasn’t particularly important. What truly occupied his mind was the unsettling revelation of a large cavern teeming with demonic beasts.
This situation seems more serious than I thought.
There was an ominous undercurrent both within the clan and around Chengdu. It was hard to pinpoint, but a sense of unease was constantly nagging at him.
Whichever direction he turned, he couldn’t shake the feeling that leaving things as they were would lead to deep regret.
“What is the branch’s response?”
“They’ve decided to search the entire surrounding area for now. They’ve also contacted other branches to comb through their respective regions.”
“I see…”
The branch was taking the best possible measures it could. Baek Woo Jin could only hope their actions would heighten awareness across the board. Now, there was nothing left but to wait for results.
“What about the situation with the clan?”
Jegal Yeon Ji cautiously asked.
Baek Woo Jin let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
“It’s not good. It’s far more tangled and complicated than I expected.”
“Oh… is there anything we can do to help…?”
Though he considered seeking help from his team, it didn’t seem like the best choice. If he brought all of them to the clan, it would only attract even more attention.
“For now, nothing in particular. Just stay here and keep me updated on the branch’s movements. If possible, you can even take part in the search.”
“Understood…”
He hadn’t realized how much time had passed while listening to the report. It had taken far longer than he anticipated.
Baek Woo Jin stood from his seat.
“I should get going. Don’t let yourselves get too lazy just because you’re taking a rare break.”
“Got it, don’t worry!”
“No need to worry!”
Gu Wang Soo and Jang Sam replied in confident voices, though they were the ones he was most concerned about.
When he turned his head, he caught Shin Ye Hwa’s expectant expression. Her face was brimming with anticipation.
“Congratulations on becoming a peak master. You’ve worked really hard.”
When he casually offered his congratulations, Shin Ye Hwa lit up with an expression as if she had gained the entire world.
“…Mhmm!”
The weight of her overwhelming emotions pressed down on him. Baek Woo Jin awkwardly cleared his throat and gestured to Jang Sam and Gu Wang Soo who were sitting nearby.
“While I’m away, I’m leaving these two under your care. Make sure to whip them into shape… no, I mean, teach them properly.”
“I got it! I’ll teach them exactly the way you did, Woo Jin-ah!”
As Shin Ye Hwa responded with a determined fist pump, the two men’s faces turned deathly pale.
Having seen all there was to see outside, it was time to return to the Tang Clan.
After bidding a bittersweet farewell to his companions, Baek Woo Jin arrived at the Tang Clan gates only to find his way blocked by a guard.
“What brings you here?”
They had been flipping each other off just this morning, yet now the guard acted as if they were complete strangers. The abrupt change made Baek Woo Jin furrow his brow.
“Move aside. I’m going back in.”
“Ha! Do you think the Tang Clan is some place anyone can just walk into?”
The man on the left spoke, and the one on the right added immediately after.
“That’s right. We only let you in last time because you were the young lady’s guest, but not anymore.”
Their sneering laughter grated on his ears from both sides.
“Then just call Miss Tang out for me.”
He tried to reason with them while keeping his tone as calm as possible, but the guards only grew bolder in their arrogance.
“The young lady can’t see you right now.”
“She’s attending to very important matters.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Baek Woo Jin let out a dry laugh, and the guards waved their hands dismissively.
“Didn’t I tell you to make sure you packed up properly when you left?”
“Just be on your way. Shoo.”
Their gestures were no different from shooing away a stray dog. In response, Baek Woo Jin drew a faint smile and reached into his clothes. He pulled out a smooth, rounded badge and held it up for them to see.
The badge gleamed gold, and engraved on its surface was the character for “Tang”, the emblem of the Tang Clan.
At the sight of it, the faces of the two guards turned deathly pale.
“Th-That’s…”
“Th-The Tang Gold Badge!”
The Tang Clan reserved special tokens, crafted in bronze, silver, or gold, for benefactors who had rendered them great service.
Among these, the gold badge was very rare; it was given only to direct descendants or to those who had performed an extraordinary favor for the clan. It was so rare that many would go their entire lives without ever seeing one, yet here it was before their very eyes.
“Can I go in now?”
As Baek Woo Jin smirked playfully, the two men realized the truth.
We’re screwed.
They just provoked someone they should never have dared to provoke.
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