Chapter 149

‘How did it come to this?’

Yu Gicheon couldn’t understand the current situation.

Beside him, Soma was chattering about something, and next to him, the man presumed to be ‘him’ was walking along.

A chill ran down his spine, and a cold sweat broke out all over his body.

His heart was pounding so violently it felt like it would burst.

It was all because of the man walking beside Soma.

His face was half-covered by a scarf, so his true appearance couldn’t be seen. But his perfectly still gaze and refined aura confirmed that it was him.

It was Pyo Wol.

On their way home, Soma and Pyo Wol had run into Yu Gicheon.

Seeing Yu Gicheon hurrying out in the middle of the night with his escort warriors, Soma had shown curiosity. The Yu Gicheon he knew was not the type to go out at night with a long line of warriors in tow, no matter how urgent the matter.

He had pestered Pyo Wol to go with Yu Gicheon to Yibin, where Baekseon Gate was located.

Pyo Wol realized that Yu Gicheon had noticed his true identity. Still, he didn’t particularly care. He knew that Yu Gicheon was not the type to go around blabbing about his identity to anyone.

Yu Gicheon was an extremely cautious person, and he hated the idea of others getting hurt because of him.

It was unlikely that such a man would blab about Pyo Wol’s identity and bring great disaster upon the people of Snow Cloud Stronghold.

Having stayed in Chengdu for so long, he had become insensitive to the goings-on in Sichuan Province. Of course, he had a rough grasp of the situation through Guian, but there was a big difference between seeing things for himself and hearing about them secondhand.

Soma was still smiling.

Pyo Wol noticed that he was genuinely happy.

Soma had only lived in Chengdu until now. He had been very excited at first, but now he was quite used to it and didn’t feel the same thrill as before.

Just as he was getting bored, an opportunity to go outside Chengdu had arisen, so it was only natural for him to be excited.

It didn’t matter why Yu Gicheon was going to Yibin. What mattered was that he was going to Yibin with Pyo Wol.

Soma’s feelings were written all over his face.

Pyo Wol watched Soma in silence.

In any case, this was the child who had trusted and followed him. It was better to see him smiling like this than to see him gloomy.

Just then, Yu Gicheon cautiously spoke to Pyo Wol.

“We have to take a boat from here.”

Looking ahead, a dock came into view.

A pre-arranged boat was waiting at the dock.

It was a fairly large boat, capable of carrying more than thirty people.

Pyo Wol asked.

“Did you say we’re going to Yibin?”

“Yes. If we take the boat, we should be able to arrive by tomorrow morning.”

Yu Gicheon answered cautiously.

Although Pyo Wol was only about his son’s age, Yu Gicheon’s attitude toward him was nothing but polite.

He knew that if the man before him so wished, not only his life but his entire foundation could be utterly ruined overnight.

Pyo Wol looked at him and said,

“You don’t have to be so tense. We’ll go our separate ways after we get to Yibin.”

“Ah? Yes! Thank you.”

Yu Gicheon thanked him without realizing it. That was how nervous he was.

That was the kind of being Pyo Wol was.

An uncomfortable presence that made people fearful just by being near.

Anyone would be reluctant to be with him.

Meanwhile, Yu Gicheon’s escort warrior glared at Pyo Wol with displeasure. He didn’t understand why his employer was trembling like that.

‘Who the hell is that bastard to make the Manor Lord so scared?’

He greatly respected his employer, Yu Gicheon. Seeing the man he respected trembling before an unknown person naturally gave rise to killing intent.

The escort warrior vowed to teach Pyo Wol a lesson if the opportunity arose.

The boat carrying Pyo Wol cut through the river at high speed.

A dozen or so lanterns hung from the bow and sides of the boat. Thanks to them, the boat could move forward at a fast pace even in the dark of night.

“This is great.”

Soma sat on the bow, smiling brightly.

The cool night breeze blew past, sweeping over his entire body. The cold sensation on his skin felt incredibly good.

Pyo Wol sat next to Soma, silently watching the river.

The boat traveled down the river all night and arrived at its destination, Yibin.

At the Yibin dock, martial artists from Baekseon Gate were out to meet them. They had been waiting to greet the guests arriving by boat from afar.

“Welcome, Manor Lord Yu!”

The one who greeted Yu Gicheon was Seok Jong-san, No Gang-pyeong’s second disciple.

“What happened? Qi Deviation?”

“That’s what happened. For now, let’s go to Baekseon Gate. My Senior Martial Brother will explain.”

“I understand.”

Seok Jong-san had the sect members guide Yu Gicheon’s party to Baekseon Gate.

Baekseon Gate was bustling with people who had come to offer their condolences. Everyone who had even the slightest connection to Baekseon Gate had attended without exception.

The first disciple, Gwak Jeong-han, was greeting the mourners as the chief mourner.

Yu Gicheon approached him and took his hand.

“What on earth happened?”

“Great Hero Yu, you’ve come. I am utterly bewildered myself.”

“Is it true that Sect Leader No suffered from Qi Deviation?”

“It… is true.”

“As I thought, it’s not.”

“Great Hero Yu?”

Gwak Jeong-han’s eyes wavered.

He was not a man accustomed to lying, and Yu Gicheon was a man skilled at discerning falsehoods.

Yu Gicheon whispered quietly.

“Show me the Sect Leader’s body.”

“That is?”

“I will swear to keep your secret. I already came here knowing that Sect Leader No did not die from Qi Deviation. So do not lie to me.”

“Great Hero Yu, that is difficult.”

“If you don’t show me Great Hero No’s body, it is Baekseon Gate that will be in more trouble. Because I will not provide any support.”

At Yu Gicheon’s firm words, Gwak Jeong-han bit his lip.

Snow Cloud Stronghold was Baekseon Gate’s biggest sponsor. If Snow Cloud Stronghold’s support was cut off, the downfall of Baekseon Gate, having lost its Sect Leader, was as clear as day.

“You must… keep it a secret.”

“I promise.”

At Yu Gicheon’s confirmation, Gwak Jeong-han let out a short sigh.

He cautiously led Yu Gicheon to the room where No Gang-pyeong’s body was laid.

“The Sect Leader passed away in this room.”

“What was the real cause of death?”

“That is…”

“Speak.”

“Death… during intercourse.”

Gwak Jeong-han bit his lip with a look of shame.

“Death during intercourse?”

“Yes! He passed away after having relations with a serving maid.”

“What do you mean? Is that really true?”

“If it weren’t, would I have bothered to spread rumors about Qi Deviation? It’s unbelievable, but it’s the truth. He died on that bed with the serving maid. The traces of that time are still on the mattress.”

At Gwak Jeong-han’s words, Yu Gicheon examined the mattress.

The traces of the love the two had shared were clearly visible on the mattress.

“My goodness! Really, death during intercourse?”

Yu Gicheon let out a lament.

He couldn’t believe that a great man like No Gang-pyeong had died during intercourse with a young serving maid. But the traces were so clear that he had no choice but to believe it.

It was then.

“It’s poison.”

A cold voice was suddenly heard.

“Who’s there?”

Gwak Jeong-han was startled and reached for his sword.

He had confirmed that only he and Yu Gicheon were in the room, but he had heard someone else’s voice.

Thinking that his master’s shameful secret could be exposed if he wasn’t careful, he drew his sword without a second thought.

“How dare you enter without permission?”

He aimed his sword in the direction the voice had come from.

A man with his face half-covered by a scarf was standing there.

The man with the scarf paid no mind to Gwak Jeong-han aiming a sword at him and instead examined a candlestick whose candle had completely melted down.

Gwak Jeong-han pressed his sword to the man’s neck and raised his voice.

“I asked who you are.”

“Don’t.”

The one who stopped Gwak Jeong-han was none other than Yu Gicheon.

He stood in front of Gwak Jeong-han and spoke to the man with the scarf, Pyo Wol.

“Please forgive him. This friend doesn’t know anything.”

“Great Hero Yu?”

“Will you not put away your sword at once? Now!”

When Gwak Jeong-han remained dazed even at the shout, Yu Gicheon snatched the sword from his hand.

“What are you doing, Great Hero Yu!”

“Look at your neck.”

“Pardon? Huk!”

Gwak Jeong-han, who had casually looked at his neck area, was startled. A wheel with a razor-sharp blue blade was pressed against his neck.

“Wh-When?”

Gwak Jeong-han’s face turned deathly pale.

The owner of the wheel was Soma.

Soma was perched on Gwak Jeong-han’s back, holding the wheel to his neck. Yet, no weight could be felt at all. It was clear that if Soma applied even the slightest pressure, his head would be sliced clean off.

Soma whispered in Gwak Jeong-han’s ear.

“Don’t move, big brother! Don’t talk, and don’t even breathe too loudly.”

Gwak Jeong-han became a stone statue. But his eyes were trembling madly with fear.

“Hah!”

Yu Gicheon sighed at the sight of Gwak Jeong-han.

Compared to the previous Sect Leader, No Gang-pyeong, Gwak Jeong-han was lacking in many ways. The future of Baekseon Gate looked bleak.

Yu Gicheon looked at Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol was still looking only at the candlestick.

“What do you mean by that? Poison? Are you saying Sect Leader No was poisoned?”

“That’s right.”

“How do you know that?”

“The scent of poison is coming from the candle. Most of the Poison Qi disappeared as the candle melted, but a little remains.”

Pyo Wol touched the candle wax with an interested expression.

The hardened wax melted as he rubbed it between his fingers. Then, a faint Poison Qi flowed out.

It was so faint that an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to sense it, but it couldn’t fool Pyo Wol’s nose.

Pyo Wol approached the coffin containing No Gang-pyeong’s body.

When he opened the coffin, the body of No Gang-pyeong was visible, his hands folded on his chest.

Pyo Wol meticulously examined No Gang-pyeong’s body.

After a long while, he straightened up and muttered.

“Quite impressive!”

“What do you mean?”

“The poison technique is quite impressive. Spreading it using a candle is brilliant, and disguising a poisoning as a death during intercourse is also remarkable.”

“But…”

Yu Gicheon was at a loss for words.

If anyone else had said it, he would never have believed it. But the man who said it was Pyo Wol.

These were the words of the man called the Reaper.

Such a man would not speak carelessly.

Pyo Wol looked at Gwak Jeong-han.

“The serving maid’s body?”

“……”

“It’s alright, just tell me.”

At that moment, Soma slightly moved the Seven Deadly Wheels he had pressed tightly against Gwak Jeong-han’s neck.

“We… burned it.”

“Already?”

“It was to protect my master’s honor…”

“A mistake.”

“Pardon?”

“The serving maid must have managed this room, right? Then she must have brought this candle too.”

“Ah!”

Only then did Gwak Jeong-han realize the reason and let out a gasp.

In his haste to protect No Gang-pyeong’s honor, he had burned the serving maid’s body without thinking, and only now did he realize what a grave mistake it was.

The serving maid might have possessed an item related to the culprit. But all of it had been burned away.

His own impatience had ruined the chance to catch the one who had poisoned his master. He couldn’t lift his head out of guilt.

“Who on earth would do this to my master?”

Gwak Jeong-han’s body trembled.

Pyo Wol didn’t even glance at Gwak Jeong-han and asked Yu Gicheon,

“You suspected it from the beginning?”

“Yes! Recently, Sect Leader No had little interest in Martial Arts. It didn’t make sense that he, who wasn’t even training diligently, would suffer from Qi Deviation. Above all, two other people have recently died with the same symptoms as Sect Leader No.”

“Is that so?”

“In every case, the cause of death was announced as Qi Deviation.”

“The bodies?”

“I was just about to go see them.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Really? But why are you showing interest in something like this? It has nothing to do with you, Great… Great Hero?”

“I don’t like it when someone else plays games in my territory.”