HDCLSSRS Ch 15

Chapter 15 Is This What It Means to Live? (8)

 

“Why? Can’t I help someone from the Demonic Cult? What a big deal this guy is. Is help from someone from the Demonic Cult too filthy to accept?”

“Ah, no. That’s not it.”

“Then what’s the problem! The Baekryeoil Dojang will hold off the ones above for a while. We need to rescue the hostages during this time.”

“……Yes.”

In front of the door where the hostages were held, two martial artists were standing guard. Despite the commotion, they showed no signs of agitation, suggesting they had been ordered to prioritize guarding this door above all else.

“I don’t think the same method used on those dumb guys earlier will work this time.”

“What should we do? I’m still not fully recovered, so I can’t take on both of them at once.”

“Then would it be alright if we deal with them one at a time?”

Namgung Cheonchu nodded.

Seong Muyeon took a deep breath to steady himself. Then he dashed toward the door in a frantic hurry.

“Uwaaaah!”

He screamed as if something terrible had happened.

“Seventh Young Master! What’s wrong?!”

The martial artists jumped in surprise and asked.

“Namgung Cheonchu is going berserk! Hurry, go catch him!”

“Damn! Understood!”

As one of them ran off, the other tried to follow, but Seong Muyeon had grabbed his collar tightly, preventing him from moving.

“You’re supposed to protect me.”

“Ah, yes…….”

A moment later, the sound of screaming and commotion came from the far end of the hallway. Then silence.

“…….”

“…….”

The remaining martial artist looked restless, worried about the fate of his comrade.

Step, step.

Slow footsteps approached from down the hallway. As expected, the person who appeared was Namgung Cheonchu.

“Seventh Young Master! Please stay back! I’ll handle this.”

“Alright.”

The martial artist could never have imagined that someone like a young master of the Demonic Cult would conspire with the enemy. He stepped in front of Seong Muyeon, drew his sword, and shouted boldly.

“Prepare yourself, Namgung Cheonchu!”

However—

Clang—!

Thud. Before he could even swing his sword, the martial artist collapsed. Seong Muyeon dropped the iron shield he had just swung.

“Filthy heavy thing. Let’s go, Young Lord.”

“Yes.”

Namgung Cheonchu limped over the fallen martial artist’s body.

Inside the hostage room, it was pitch black. As the light poured in from the open door, the hostages squinted.

“Y-Young Master Namgung!”

“Namgung Cheonchu has returned!”

Cries of joy erupted among the hostages. Some embraced one another and wiped away tears.

“When the Young Master was taken, we were so worried……!”

“It’s a relief that you’re safe.”

Namgung Cheonchu broke out in a sweat trying to calm them down. It seemed that just hearing the name “Namgung” was enough to bring them reassurance.

Once the hostages had calmed down a bit, Namgung Cheonchu whispered to Seong Muyeon with a troubled expression.

“……But I can’t escort this many people by myself. If those people come back…….”

“Don’t worry about that! Honggae! Come out!”

As if on cue, a familiar voice came from the darkness.

“……Brother Seong? Can I call you brother now?”

“Sure. Go ahead.”

“Broooooother!”

“Honggae!”

“BROOOOOOTHER!”

Honggae ran toward him with arms wide open. Seong Muyeon took one step back to avoid the embrace.

“Cut the nonsense and hurry to the Namgung family. Bring them back here. Quickly!”

“What? Ah. Right. Got it.”

Honggae dashed off in a hurry.

“Please stay here for a bit. They’ll be back soon. The Namgung family has been searching for you constantly. And the Beggars’ Gang too.”

“……Yes.”

“Whew…….”

Relieved, Seong Muyeon sat down on the floor without care. But then he sensed strange gazes and looked up to see the commoners staring at him intently.

“What, why.”

Seong Muyeon asked, but they quickly turned their heads or feigned distraction. They seemed to have a lot of questions, but, hearing that he was a young master of the Demonic Cult, they were too afraid to speak.

“Mister, mister. You’re bleeding.”

A child pointed at his hand.

Just as the child said, blood was seeping from a scraped finger. It must’ve been from swinging the iron shield earlier.

Seong Muyeon smiled and patted the child’s head.

“It’s okay. It’s nothing. You’re hungry, right? We’ll go out soon and eat something tasty.”

“Okay.”

The child spun around and jumped into his mother’s arms.

As Seong Muyeon looked on warmly, Namgung Cheonchu was also staring at him.

“……Are these people watching a show or something. Why do you all keep staring at me?”

The unrelenting gaze wouldn’t drop. Feeling like a spectacle, Seong Muyeon stood up, and the commoners scattered in a panic.

“Young Lord, I’ll go check the situation upstairs. If any of the Demonic Cult people return, just act like you’ve been quietly held here.”

“Yes.”

It was a wise decision not to move recklessly. Just as Seong Muyeon went up, the branch leader returned to the hideout with several subordinates.

“Seventh Young Master! Seventh Young Master! Ah, here you are!”

“Branch Leader! What happened to you?”

The branch leader looked like he had just gone through a major battle.

“We must leave. Now.”

“What? What about Baek Ryeoil?”

The branch leader grabbed his wrist without explanation and pulled.

“The remaining martial artists are holding him off, but they won’t last long. Damn it… I should have known this would happen. No choice now. We need to get you to safety.”

He shouted to the subordinates.

“You stay here and delay Baek Ryeoil if he shows up! Got it?!”

“Yes!”

The branch leader dragged Seong Muyeon out. As they opened the door and stepped outside, the air was thick with the metallic stench of blood.

“Branch Leader! Let go! Where are we going?”

“……At this point, you must survive, Seventh Young Master. If not, I…….”

His voice trembled with fear. It didn’t seem like he was afraid of Baek Ryeoil. It felt like he feared someone else entirely. Who could it be? Seong Muyeon couldn’t understand.

Then, a face flashed in his mind — his third brother, the Third Young Master.

“Why me? Why is Third Brother looking for me? Answer me. Branch Leader.”

“It’s nothing. Even if I don’t tell you, you’ll understand everything when you meet him. We have a horse prepared not far from here.”

The branch leader marched resolutely into the deep forest, dragging Seong Muyeon along. The other subordinates stayed behind to hold off Baek Ryeoil.

Seong Muyeon struggled to escape his grip, but he was no match. He hoped to run into the Beggars’ Gang or Namgung family on the way, but no such luck.

“Haa… haa…”

Climbing the mountain, Seong Muyeon quickly became exhausted, panting heavily. The branch leader didn’t care about his condition at all.

“We must get out of here quickly! Please, just hold on a bit more.”

“Haa… haa… Let’s rest for just a moment…”

“Not yet, Seventh Young Master! Please get up. Hurry!”

Just as the branch leader turned to carry him on his back—

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

A chilling voice rang out, and before they knew it, Baek Ryeoil was standing in front of them. Judging by his blood-soaked appearance, he had just come from a battle.

The branch leader muttered a curse. With all the subordinates left behind in the hideout, he now had to fight himself.

“Seventh Young Master, please stay back.”

The branch leader pushed Seong Muyeon aside and drew the flexible sword at his waist.

Slaaash!

A fierce strike wrapped in black demonic energy flew toward Baek Ryeoil.

Baek Ryeoil raised his sword and deflected it immediately, but the flexible sword coiled around his blade like glue, the two weapons entangled and refused to separate.

“You truly have a death wish.”

“That’s my line.”

As they both pulled with all their strength, a grating screech echoed from the friction of their blades.

Baek Ryeoil’s arm muscles tensed, veins popping. The branch leader also pulled with all his might. At that moment, when the tension was at its peak and a split second could determine life or death—

A chilling sound of flesh and muscle being pierced rang out.

Baek Ryeoil’s eyes widened.

A dagger was embedded in the branch leader’s neck. The pale hand that released the firmly embedded dagger belonged to Seong Muyeon.

The branch leader rolled his eyes back to look at Seong Muyeon.

“S-Seventh… Young Master…”

“…….”

Seong Muyeon took a few steps back with a cold, emotionless expression.

Thud.

The branch leader collapsed right in front of Seong Muyeon’s feet. Gasping, he looked up at him.

“……Why.”

That was the final question he asked, filled with confusion and bitterness, before he died.

After checking his pulse to confirm death, Seong Muyeon dusted off his hands.

The flexible sword that had bound Baek Ryeoil’s blade was already lying on the ground, but Baek Ryeoil didn’t sheathe his sword. He let it hang loosely in his hand, its edge gleaming sharply.

He slowly approached Seong Muyeon. In the quiet forest, only the sound of Baek Ryeoil stepping on fallen leaves echoed — step, step. Crossing over the branch leader’s corpse, he stood right in front of Seong Muyeon and looked down at him silently.

Now was the time to face Baek Ryeoil.

“……Um, Master Baek? I can explain everything. So, what happened is… huh?”

Baek Ryeoil, who had stood like an unshakable mountain, suddenly collapsed into Seong Muyeon’s arms. Caught off guard, Seong Muyeon instinctively caught him.