HDCLSSRS Ch 174
by berryChapter 174 Reunion (4)
“What in the world is going on here?”
A lively voice suddenly cut through the tense standoff.
Baek Ryeoil froze.
“Aren’t these people Lord Yakseon’s attendants?”
Baek Ryeoil frowned.
The killing intent that had suffocated the entire area vanished as though it had never existed.
Even so…
He did not loosen his grip on Seong Muyon’s shoulder.
His eyes darted back and forth between Seong Muyon and everyone around them.
It looked as though he were wrestling with himself.
Finally, after muttering a curse under his breath, he released him.
Seong Muyon couldn’t understand.
From Baek Ryeoil’s perspective, Seong Muyon was practically a meal already laid out before him.
All he had needed to do was remove the mask.
It would have been effortless.
And yet…
He had stepped back.
…So it’s true.
People really do mellow with age.
The instant the suffocating killing intent disappeared, the Owl hurriedly pulled Seong Muyon behind him.
Unfortunately…
The Owl barely reached Seong Muyon’s chest.
He was far too small to hide him properly.
Seong Muyon lifted his head to see the person who had shattered the crisis in an instant.
And was struck speechless once again.
“Oh? Isn’t this your disciple? When did he grow this much?”
“Y-Young Master Paeng…! It has been a long time.”
The person Kang Ung greeted with visible tension…
Was none other than Paeng Dohwan.
…You’ve got to be kidding me.
Kang Ung.
Baek Ryeoil.
And now Paeng Dohwan too?
It was enough to drive someone insane.
…Apparently, the world was determined to drag him straight into hell.
Baek Ryeoil glared murderously at Paeng Dohwan before abruptly turning and walking away.
Completely pretending not to notice how deliberately he had interrupted, Paeng Dohwan cheerfully chatted with Kang Ung.
“At this rate, you’ll soon be taller than your master. Seriously, what in the world have you been eating?”
“Haha… that’s impossible….”
Suddenly, Seong Muyon wondered whether the Owl also knew the ugly history between himself and Paeng Dohwan.
The Owl gazed at him with vacant eyes before letting out a quiet sigh.
“You really do attract trouble wherever you go….”
…So he knew.
Three whole years.
After living so quietly that he might as well have been dead…
On the very first day he returned to the world, he had run into not one—
But two people he most needed to avoid.
There was no other word for it.
Fate.
Kang Ung politely humored Paeng Dohwan’s small talk for a while before quietly excusing himself.
Judging by the direction he went…
He was following after Baek Ryeoil.
“So…”
Paeng Dohwan approached the two of them with a sly grin, as though he had been waiting for this opportunity.
“How exactly did you manage to offend that frightening fellow?”
Without waiting for an answer, he chuckled.
“Well, never mind. He’s always been the sort to make a fuss all by himself. Isn’t that right?”
His sudden approach caught Seong Muyon completely off guard.
He found himself facing the consequences of his past.
Without realizing it, he slowly backed away.
Oddly enough…
Facing Paeng Dohwan’s smiling face was far more uncomfortable than facing Baek Ryeoil’s anger.
It had been Paeng Dohwan and the Paeng Clan who had taken the lead in declaring Seong Muyon a wanted criminal.
He had heard they spent enormous sums of money distributing wanted notices and mobilizing people, determined to capture the Seventh Young Master Seong Muyon and make him answer for killing the clan heir.
“The fact that even you people—who normally never show yourselves—have appeared like this means the situation must be serious.”
The Owl gave a slight nod.
At that moment…
A commotion broke out nearby.
“Mandeuk! Are you awake?”
The unconscious villager had finally regained consciousness.
After drinking some water and recovering a little strength, Mandeuk began recounting everything that had happened.
For some time, grim rumors had spread through neighboring villages.
Villagers had supposedly been poisoned to death by the Demonic Cult.
As expected…
A few days earlier, an herbalist returning from the mountains had been found suffering from an unknown poison.
Someone suggested seeking out the famous physician who occasionally visited a nearby village.
Fortunately…
They found her immediately.
That was how Yakseon had arrived in Yaksu Village three days earlier.
After administering an antidote to the herbalist, Yakseon remained overnight to monitor his condition.
Then, the following day…
The very people responsible for poisoning him attacked the village.
Roughly twenty Demonic Cultists rounded up the villagers through threats and intimidation before beginning to loot everything they could find.
By sheer luck…
Yakseon and several of the village’s young men managed to hide without being discovered.
“Lord Yakseon said she couldn’t save everyone by herself, so we should go to the nearest large town for help…. But they eventually discovered us on the way…. We were scattered throughout the forest. A few people escaped safely… but the rest of us barely managed to hide.”
“And that’s when I arrived.”
Paeng Dohwan nodded.
“But they found us again before long…. While Lord Yakseon sacrificed herself to draw their attention away… I fled deeper into the forest and hid. I don’t know what happened to the others… but Lord Yakseon was definitely captured….”
He had spent an entire day hiding, waiting for a chance to escape.
Only when he finally tried to leave the forest had the remaining Demonic Cultists begun pursuing him.
That was when he encountered Seong Muyon and the Owl.
“Please… save Lord Yakseon. She was captured because of us.”
“Don’t worry.”
Paeng Dohwan nodded firmly.
“We’ll rescue Lord Yakseon.”
“‘We’…?”
The Owl tilted his head.
Paeng Dohwan spoke as though Seong Muyon and the Owl were already part of his group.
“Well? Aren’t you coming?”
“Of course we must save her, but—”
“Ah, there’s no need to thank me.”
Paeng Dohwan waved dismissively.
“Even if Lord Yakseon weren’t involved, I intended to rescue the villagers anyway. I’ll gladly lend my strength.”
“That’s not what I—”
“Lord Yakseon is one of the greatest physicians in all the Central Plains! Naturally we’d risk our lives to save her! Emotionless Sword and I already agreed to work together. Though he’s a little difficult, his swordsmanship is second to none.”
“No, what we meant was—”
“If you’re about to say you’ll go separately, don’t even dream of it!”
Paeng Dohwan interrupted immediately.
“You’ve seen what became of this village, haven’t you? Wandering around without a proper means of protecting yourselves is suicide. Once things are settled here, we’ll set out together!”
Laughing heartily, he slapped the Owl twice on the shoulder.
Thump!
Thump!
“The fact they’ve attacked Yaksu Village twice means their hideout must be somewhere nearby. Once we question the Demonic Cultist that the young Daoist captured, we’ll find it soon enough!”
Having finished saying everything he wanted…
Paeng Dohwan strode off to interrogate the prisoner.
“……”
In the span of only a few moments…
The Owl had gone so pale it looked as though every trace of color had drained from his body.
Paeng Dohwan was exactly the sort of person someone like the Owl found impossible to deal with.
Still…
That’s a relief.
Seeing that Paeng Dohwan had retained his bright, carefree personality even without his older brother by his side eased Seong Muyon’s heart a little.
“…It’ll be dangerous.”
The Owl finally spoke.
“But we have no choice…. If Lord Yakseon’s in danger, we have to find her as quickly as possible. They happen to share the same objective as we do. Even if we separate now, we’ll eventually run into them again.”
“……”
“And just as that swordsman said… these days, the two of us alone can’t guarantee our own safety…. Let’s travel together only until we discover Lord Yakseon’s whereabouts. Baek Ryeoil won’t try to lay hands on you twice…. Just make absolutely certain you don’t speak.”
“……”
What other choice did they have?
Seong Muyon had plenty he wanted to say.
But with his voice still sealed…
He simply nodded.
“I know it’ll be uncomfortable… but bear with it a little longer.”
The Owl gently patted his shoulder twice.
…At this point, I don’t even know anymore.
Having made their decision, the two followed after Paeng Dohwan.
But when they reached the place where the captured Demonic Cultist had been left…
It was empty.
“Hm?”
Paeng Dohwan frowned.
“Where did that bastard go?”
Those damned bastards!
The Demonic Cultist gritted his teeth against the agony radiating from his pierced shoulder.
During the confusion earlier, he had managed to quietly roll over a wall and throw himself into the nearby brush despite his arms and legs still being tightly bound.
He had successfully hidden himself.
Unfortunately…
No matter how desperately he struggled, he couldn’t free the ropes binding his limbs.
Left with no alternative, he could only wriggle across the ground like an insect.
By the time he had crawled any meaningful distance…
His entire body was drenched in sweat.
The mountain soil was rough and littered with sharp stones, dry branches, and exposed roots.
One scrape after another gradually opened across his body.
I’ll repay this humiliation…
Grinding his teeth, he swore vengeance.
Fortunately…
His comrades’ campsite wasn’t far away.
If he could just make it there…
He would return with reinforcements.
And bathe them all in blood.
As the Demonic Cultist painfully struggled up a steep slope—
A presence suddenly drew near.
He froze, instinctively holding his breath.
Have they already found me?
But…
The footsteps stopped nearby.
Several long moments passed without movement.
Apparently, he had not been discovered.
Slowly rolling his eyes toward the source of the sound beyond the bushes…
He spotted a powerfully built man.
Even at a glance, the man radiated the overwhelming aura of a true master.
The Demonic Cultist inhaled sharply.
The stranger appeared intensely agitated.
His breathing came in heavy bursts.
His chest rose and fell violently.
Please…
Just leave…
The Demonic Cultist prayed desperately.
Then—
BOOM!!
“Eek!”
With a single punch…
A thick persimmon tree split apart with a deafening crack and came crashing to the ground.