Lee Yul rubbed his temples with both of his thumbs.
His head had been throbbing for a while now which was strange. He rarely finds himself having a headache.
Lee Yulâs brain is much more developed than ordinary people. He never gets tired no matter how long and hard he thinks. Even if he stays up all night for several days, he never experiences having a headache.
But today was different.
So his current condition puzzled him.
It felt like his head was going to split apart.
Fortunately, after rubbing his temples for a while, his headache subsided a little.
âHooâŠâ
Lee Yul sighed and walked towards the table.
A kettle was placed on a small brazier on the table.
While he was busy suffering from a headache, the water in the kettle had already boiled. Steam was coming off from its snout.
Lee Yul took the kettle off the furnace and let the water cool for a bit.
Brewing tea with boiling water will just ruin its taste.
Only when the tea is served in its best condition would Lee Yul feel better.
Now that his headache has lessened to some extent, he felt like his body would completely return to normal if he just had a cup of warm tea.
As he was waiting for the water to cool down to the right temperature,
âI need to confirm something.â
Someone appeared in front of him like a ghost and said in an urgent voice.
Lee Yul, who saw the face of the uninvited guest, frowned.
The uninvited guest was Heuk-ho.
âYouâll have to be prepared for the consequences if you canât explain why you interrupted my tea time.â
âDamn it! Nowâs not the time to talk nonsense like that!â
âWhatâs going on?â
âThe daughter of the Golden Mountain Manor sect leader came here injured, right?â
âSo?â
âWhere is the guy who brought her here?â
âWhy are you askingââ
âIâll explain it along the way, just bring me to him.â
Lee Yul felt that something was wrong based on the unusual expression on Heuk-hoâs face.
âFollow me.â
Lee Yul proceeded to guide him.
He could clearly see the anxious expression on Heuk-hoâs face as he followed behind him. The fact that an assassin like him is showing his emotions right now is proof that something serious has happened.
Lee Yul thought that the source of his headache might be related to this incident.
When Lee Yul came out of his room, many people, including his escort warrior, followed.
Among them were Heo Ranju and Daoshi Goh.
The two were staying in the manor because they had something to coordinate with the Snow Sword Manor.
âWhatâs going on?â
âSomething must have happened.â
These two people were the type who couldnât afford to stand still if something was bothering them. So they followed even though Lee Yul didnât tell them to.
Lee Yul and the rest of the party soon arrived in front of a guesthouse.
In front of the guesthouse, the Golden Mountain Manor warriors, who came to protect Geum Suryeon, stood guard.
Geum Woo-shin, who took the role of the leader among the warriors of Golden Mountain Manor, stepped forward.
âWhatâs going on?â
âWhere is he?â
âWho?â
When Geum Woo-shin made a confused expression, Heuk-ho pulled him by the collar violently.
âThe warrior who carried Lady Geum Suryeon on his back! Tell me where he lives!â
âHey! Do you know who I amâ keuk!â
Kwac!
At that moment, Heuk-ho reached out and grabbed Geum Woo-shin by the neck.
His skinny fingers that resemble bamboo, strangled his neck with terrifying power.
The color on Geum Woo-shinâs face disappeared in an instant.
âI donât care who you are. Tell me now.â
âT-That room!â
Geum Woo-shin stretched out his hand and pointed to a room.
Heuk-ho let go of Geum Woo-shin and hurriedly ran to the room he pointed to.
Valkuck!
When he opened the door, all he saw was an empty room.
The person he was looking for was nowhere to be seen.
âThat bastard!â
Heuk-ho scratched his hair in frustration.
Lee Yul came to him and said,
âIsnât it about time you tell me what happened?â
âItâs him.â
âWho?â
âPyo-wol!â
âWhat about him?â
âHeâs the one who carried Lady Geum Suryeon on his back. He entered the Snow Sword Manor disguised as Lady Geumâs escort.â
In an instant, Leeâs expression hardened.
âHeâs in the Snow Sword Manor?â
âThatâs right! He was the one who seriously injured Lady Geum. And by carrying her on his back, he managed to enter the manor. With how confidently he came in, of course no one suspected him.â
âHooâŠâ
Lee Yulâs expression hardened.
He was used to manipulating people with his great intellect. Not a single person had managed to escape him not until now.
Pyo-wol is an exception.
He is the only one whose behavior he could not predict.
He had little information about him, but above all, his behavior is different from any other person Lee Yul knew.
âSo he dared sneak into my territory?â
âIâve already checked. Iâm sure heâs in the Snow Sword Manor.â
âHe probably hasnât noticed that we know of this yet. Move undercover right now and catch him. If you donât think you can capture him alive, you can kill him.â
âOkay.â
Heuk-ho nodded with a firm expression on his face.
He, too, was as angry as Lee Lee Yul.
He didnât know how long it had been since he had been played around like this.
When he managed to kill Seong-un and pinned the monkâs death on Pyo-wol, he thought he was already the winner. After all, he managed to successfully drive him out of the Jin manor.
But now that he thought about it, he suspected that maybe even that was part of Pyo-wolâs plan.
âIs that why Hong Ye-seol gave up on her mission? Because dealing with him was too much for her?â
Heuk-ho fixed his hair.
It was then.
Heo Ranju and Daoshi Goh, who were watching the situation from behind, stepped forward.
âWait! Did you just say Pyo-wol?â
âDo you know him?â
âOf course, we know him.â
Heo Ranju answered without hesitation.
With a stiff look on his face, Daoshi Goh asked,
âAre you sure heâs here?â
âIt seems that way given the circumstances.â
âThen we have to find him as soon as possible. If we let him run wild, there will be no end to the aftermath. Even in Chengdu, we couldnât catch him. Heâs the reason why the Emei and Qingcheng sect collapsed. Even the Black Cloud Corps suffered great damage because of him.â
âSo you have experience dealing with him?â
âWe do, but weâre not confident about dealing with him again.â
âStill, you have a higher chance of finding him than the others. You guys help me find him.â
Daoshi Goh looked flustered at Lee Yulâs command. But he couldnât refuse his order.
âOkay.â
Daoshi Goh thought his situation was filthy and twisted.
He wanted to avoid running against Pyo-wol as much as possible, but here he is again, getting tied up with him again.
Daoshi Gook looked at Heo Ranju with a firm expression.
Heo Ranju also had a torn expression on her face. But it didnât take long for her expression to change to a determined one.
Pyo-wol is an enemy who inflicted great damage on the Black Cloud Corps.
Everything she loves could be shattered if she doesnât clear things up this time.
Lee Yul spoke again,
âTake care of it quietly. Make sure he doesnât noticeâŠâ
* * *
âDamn it! Whatâs happening?!â
Geum Woo-shin spat out.
Lee Yulâs party suddenly stormed in and left without giving him a proper explanation.
In the process, Geum Woo-shin and the warriors of Golden Mountain Manor were thoroughly alienated.
Their actions seemed to be related to Geum Suryeon, but they didnât bother to inform them.
âWhat on earth are they up to?â
His cousin, Geum Suryeon, is seriously injured with her life hanging around between life and death. The Golden Mountain Manor was turned upside down because of that. And yet even then, they werenât given any explanation as to the circumstances.
Anger started to go up the tip of his head.
âIs this how the attendant does things? Ptsu!â
Geum Woo-shin spat again.
Rubbing the saliva mixed with yellow phlegm with his shoe, Geum Woo-shin told his subordinates,
âThe atmosphere in the Snow Sword Manor seems to be unusual, so be vigilant. If something happens to Suryeon, itâs the end for all of us.â
âYes!â
The warriors who came with Geum Woo-shin answered in unison.
All of the warriors dispatched here were composed of the Golden Mountain Manor elites. As such, they have deep loyalty towards the father and daughter duo, Geum Shin-chung and Geum Suryeon.
The moment they heard the news of Geum Suryeonâs injury, they felt their blood rushing backwards.
If Geum Suryeonâs health gets worse, or in the worst case, she dies, then Geum Shin-chung will not let them go. They were fully aware that they cannot live without escaping Geum Shin-chungâs eyes as long as theyâre in Runan.
Knowing this fact, the warriors turned on the murderous glint in their eyes. They kept their eyes in all directions.
Geum Woo-shin left the guard to his subordinates and entered Geum Suryeonâs room.
Geum Suryeon is still lying on the bed, unconscious. Doctor Jang is sitting on a chair next to her bed, monitoring her condition closely.
Geum Woo-shin spoke to Doctor Jang,
âHow is Suryeonâs condition?â
âItâs much better now.â
âReally?â
âI think sheâll open her eyes soon if she gets a little more rest.â
âThatâs a relief. You must be really good, old man.â
Doctor Jang frowned at Geum Woo-shinâs rude words.
Even the sect leader of the Snow Sword Manor did not speak to him in such a careless way. No matter how stupid a Jianghu warrior was, they would always remain polite in front of an outstanding doctor. This is because they never know when theyâll need such services.
But Geum Woo-shin did not express the slightest bit of such courtesy.
âWhat a scoundrel! He doesnât even know graceââ
Doctor Jang did not like Geum Woo-shin. But he didnât outwardly show his displeasure. He also knew that his life would be difficult if he provoked a member of the Geum family.
While it was somehow reassuring that the Snow Sword Manor is protecting him, it would still be better not to be on the bad side of the Golden Mountain Manor as much as possible.
âMhnâŠâ
At that time, Geum Suryeon, who was lying motionless, groaned.
Doctor Jang said in surprise,
âSheâs starting to wake up!â
âReally?â
Geum Woo-shin also looked at Geum Suryeon in surprise.
âShe has a strong spirit. I thought it would take her a few more days to come to her senses, but sheâs already waking up.â
âItâs because sheâs poisonous.â
Although he might have said so, he still couldnât help but admire Geum Suryeonâs spirit.
After a few moments, Geum Suryeonâs eyelids started to tremble. She soon opened her eyes.
âAre you okay, Suryeon?â
âWhâŠwho? Is that you, Brother Woo-shin?â
âYes! Itâs me!â
Geum Woo-shin grabbed Geum Suryeonâs hand.
âWhat happened?â
âDonât you remember? You were taken to the Snow Sword Manor because you were injured.â
Only then did Geum Suryeon start to recall what had happened.
âAh! Where is he?!â
âHe? Who?â
âWhat do you mean who?! The one who put me in this position!â
Geum Suryeon strongly demanded.
Even though she had been wandering between death and near death until a little ago, her eyes already contained a ferocious light.
With her outward appearance alone, no one would think that she had just been seriously ill awhile ago.
Geum Woo-shin stuck out his tongue.
âTough bitch! She can kill a person with just her eyes.â
He also prides himself on being quite a poisonous breed, but he would not dare put himself as close as Geum Suryeon.
Geum Suryeonâs poison was simply beyond imagination.
She ordered,
âFind him and drag him to me.â
âLetâs talk about that later. You almost died.â
âI lived anyway.â
âSuryeon!â
âI will die if I donât pay this humiliation back. Do you want to see me die? If I die, you wonât be safe either. You know that right?â
âYes!â
âSo, you have to catch him no matter what. Iâll tear him to death with my own hands. Iâll even kill all the others related to him. Iâll cut his friends into small pieces and throw them as animal food, while Iâll sell his woman to a brothel. Iâll make sure they live the most miserable life!â
âYes, yes, please calm down now. Iâm scared that your wound will get worse.â
âIs my wound important? Donât worry about me and get himâ!â
Geum Suryeon screamed in hysteria.
The sight of her screaming regardless of her wounds made even Geum Woo-shin afraid.
âIâm going to kill him in the worst way in the world! Iâm going to put salt in his wounds! Iâm going to peel him so he canât live or die! Do you understand?! Do you understandâ?!â
Seeing Geum Soo-ryun screaming like a crazy bitch, Geum Woo-shin put on a tired expression.
âI canât believe she was this crazy.â
She usually pretended to be so graceful and elegant, but that appearance was nowhere to be found. Her true nature was revealing itself right now.
Her ferocious nature was the reason why Geum Woo-shin usually avoided her.
âCrazy bitch! This is why I canât be with you!â
Geum Woo-shin prayed that this hellish time would end.
And that time came sooner than expected.
Geum Suryeon, who had been spitting out curses without stopping, suddenly widened her eyes as she looked into the air.
Geum Woo-shin also looked at the place where her eyes were directed.