HDCLSSRS Ch 131

Chapter 131 Kill and Erase the Mouths(2)

“How is Dojang Je Cheondeuk’s condition?”

When Seong Muyeon asked, a young Taoist who seemed to be Je Cheondeuk’s disciple folded his arms across his chest and glared sharply.

“Why should we tell you that? What are you planning to do to our senior who only just managed to recover? Wudang is compassionate—and merciless. Especially to the likes of you.”

He didn’t look intent on attacking, but he was still on edge.

“Apologies, senior, but we didn’t come to cause trouble. We only want to check on Dojang Je Cheondeuk, who was injured fighting alongside us.”

Kang Ung spoke carefully. Noticing the plum-blossom emblem stitched on his martial robe, the Wudang disciple arched a brow.

“Mount Hua?”

“I am Kang Ung of Mount Hua.”

“So you’re the Merciless Sword’s disciple. I don’t wish to be discourteous, but as long as Mount Hua harbors the Demonic Sect’s Seventh Young Lord, cooperation will be difficult. Take that as our answer.”

The Wudang disciple turned away curtly. Seong Muyeon gave Kang Ung—who glanced at him in embarrassment—a reassuring smile.

Just as they were about to return to their quarters, a calm voice called out.

“It’s fine. Let them in.”

Je Cheondeuk, chest swathed in bandages, was leaning against the doorway.

“Senior! You shouldn’t be on your feet yet!”

His disciple rushed forward to support him, but Je Cheondeuk raised a hand and gently refused.

“Seventh Young Lord, please come in. I had meant to seek you out anyway.”

“……”

With the man himself speaking, the disciples had no choice but to step back, though their eyes still flashed a fierce warning.

“Are you feeling any better?”

Seong Muyeon addressed Je Cheondeuk, who was struggling to climb onto the bed. Though conscious, his face was still pale and his movements strained.

“I can endure for now. When I woke, I realized several days had passed. I also heard there was another raid. And that Dojang Baek Ryeoil suffered grave injuries.”

Je Cheondeuk sighed.

“It is all my fault.”

“Sir? How is any of this your fault?”

“Shamefully, I was led by the Gui-sal Unit’s feint and nearly fell into their trap. If the Merciless Sword hadn’t helped me, I would have died on the spot. And then I lay insensate for days, while the Young Lord here seems to have borne unjust hardship in the meantime…”

His voice trailed off, eyes weighted with apology.

“I will speak to the elder and my disciples. There will be no more slighting treatment like earlier. Rest easy.”

It was their first conversation, and the unexpectedly cooperative stance made Seong Muyeon smile in return.

Then he raised the matter that had brought him.

“During the battle—was there anything unusual? Even something small. Anything that comes to mind.”

“In truth… there is one thing that bothers me.”

Je Cheondeuk furrowed his brow, as if tugging at a thread of memory, then slowly shook his head.

“It was only a fleeting thought. And after the Merciless Sword fell into the trap, things became so urgent that I scarcely remember.”

Seong Muyeon nodded, trying not to show disappointment.

“You’ve only just woken up—of course memories of that moment would be hazy. Rest a bit more; it may return soon. Please let me know the moment anything comes back.”

After a brief exchange of courtesies, Seong Muyeon and Kang Ung left the room. Je Cheondeuk sent his wishes for Baek Ryeoil’s recovery.

“He seems like a good man.”

Kang Ung glanced back at the room they had just left.

The Wudang disciples—who had been planted at the door in case anything happened—stormed back into Je Cheondeuk’s room the moment the two emerged, scrambling to check on his condition.

Just then, Seong Muyeon felt a gaze and turned his head.

“Hm?”

A short distance away, he spotted the master of Yanghagak secretly peeking at him. Though injured, the man didn’t seem particularly hindered in his movements. Yet the instant their eyes met, Yanghagak’s master bolted in a panic.

“What’s wrong with him?”

Kang Ung muttered, equally puzzled.

“Looks like he’s feeling guilty.”

“Guilty?”

Seong Muyeon gave a dry little laugh.

“Remember, on the night of the raid, the master of Yanghagak was with us. He ran to tell the Jegal Young Lord that the Gui-sal Unit had spared me without attacking. Thanks to that, I became a suspected mole.”

“What? After you saved his life…”

Seong Muyeon only shrugged, unconcerned.

“It was suspicious, after all. But he seems to think I’ll bear a grudge and seek revenge—running away like that.”

Or perhaps he truly does have something to hide.

Seong Muyeon’s expression grew heavy.

Come to think of it, there were several suspicious points about Yanghagak’s master. He was the first to inform the Jegal Clan when the Gui-sal Unit appeared. He was also the one guarding the underground prison where Seong Mujai had been held. Yes, he had been wounded—but only lightly, nothing life-threatening, especially compared to Je Cheondeuk or Baek Ryeoil. It was plausible he’d even taken a blow on purpose to avoid suspicion…

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Seong Muyeon shook his head. Even so, he had no grounds to confront the man right now. Poking around without cause might only stir up a hornet’s nest.

On the way back, he spotted Jegal Un taking reports amidst a mountain of crates in the courtyard.

“Should I ask the Young Lord…?”

Jegal Un had spoken with the Yanghagak master directly. They were likely on sufficiently close terms to confer, but when it came down to actually stepping forward, Seong Muyeon hesitated.

“He’s exhausting to deal with.”

Thick-skinned as he was, the thought of facing that murderous steel fan again was far from pleasant.

While he wavered, a steward approached and whispered into Jegal Un’s ear. Jegal Un handed off his task to the steward and left at once.

Growing impatient, Seong Muyeon sent Kang Ung away, then slipped quietly after him. It was a sensitive topic; best to ask when fewer ears were around.

On any other day, Jegal Un would have sensed a tail already. But today, distracted by something, he only quickened his pace.

Whenever servants or clan guards approached from the opposite direction, Seong Muyeon feigned distraction to avoid their gaze.

Before he knew it, he had followed them deeper into the heart of the manor.

Growing uneasy, Seong Muyeon glanced around. The servants and even the sentries seemed less wary here; it must be a private quarter where the clan actually lived.

“If they learn an outsider slipped in, this won’t end with a scolding.”

Resigned, he began to turn back—when Jegal Un’s voice sounded not far away.

“What the Clan Head fears will not come to pass.”

“Clan Head?”

Seong Muyeon’s ears perked up. Voices were coming from beyond the corner of the building. When he carefully peeked through the bushes that reached up to his waist, he saw Jegal Un standing alone in a private meeting with a middle-aged man.

“Eek!”

He’d come too far in. Afraid that even the slightest movement would alert the father and son, Seong Muyeon froze completely, barely daring to breathe.

“Last time, I had no time to prepare and ended up being defeated as a result. But this time will be different. I’ve already arranged a way to pursue the hideout where those bastards have set up their formation. This time, I’ll make sure the ones who sullied the honor of the Divine Jegal—”

The Jegal Family Head cut him off with a cold snort.

“No matter how much time you had to prepare, you are the Young Family Head. Becoming the head of a clan means that even in far worse situations than this, you must respond immediately and protect the family. And yet—what are you doing right now?”

“…I—”

“There are plenty of cousins who could replace you. You know that as well. I will hand over the position of Family Head to whichever child is more suitable for it. Prove your capability through this incident.”

“…I will keep that in mind.”

Before Jegal Un even finished speaking, the Family Head turned and strode away.

This is insane.

By sheer bad luck, Seong Muyeon had just witnessed the proud Jegal Un being reprimanded by his father in vivid detail. He didn’t even want to imagine how Jegal Un would react if he found out.

Seong Muyeon remained frozen, barely breathing, until much later—only after Jegal Un had left, having seemingly gathered his thoughts—did he finally scramble away.

He clutched his still-pounding chest.

The Family Head came in person!

Elder Hyeonjin was present, sure, but even Mount Wudang had only sent a handful of disciples at best.

After escaping safely, Seong Muyeon happened to get a closer look at the Jegal Family Head as he passed by. Surprisingly, he looked fairly young—perhaps in his forties or fifties. Yet one glance at his rigid posture and the sharp, scrutinizing eyes that missed nothing made it obvious how strict he was. The tension of the Jegal household retainers—careful not to offend their demanding Family Head—was palpable even to Seong Muyeon.

My heart can’t take this.

Recalling the terrifying way the Family Head had hurled biting words, Seong Muyeon shuddered.

Now, the only hope left to him was the reinforcements that would come from Mount Hua.

Please. Let it be Dojang Ma or Dojang Wang…!

Seong Muyeon prayed silently.