Chapter 342

He didn’t know where such a huge ambition was hidden in Jo Yuseol’s slender body. The ambition she was expressing now was too intense to be seen as the mere childishness of a woman who didn’t know the ways of the world.

It was so fiery that most men wouldn’t dare to meet her gaze. Pyo Wol silently stared into her eyes.

For a while, their gazes tangled hotly in the air.

In that moment, Jo Yuseol’s blood ran cold.

Because Pyo Wol’s eyes, looking at her, held no emotion whatsoever.

It was not the look of a man who had fallen for her seduction.

Sure enough, Pyo Wol’s subsequent reply did not stray from her expectations.

“I have no desire to live as someone’s man.”

“Think about it one more time.”

“No, I’ve already thought enough.”

“How heartless.”

“We’re not in a position to discuss affection.”

“Well, fine. In that case, just kill Igwang for me.”

When Pyo Wol still wouldn’t yield, Jo Yuseol’s expression changed completely.

The deep gaze and hurt expression she had shown just a moment ago vanished, and she returned to her usual cold, impassive face.

This face was her true self.

It was a waste of time to keep up a facade in front of someone on whom seduction did not work. That was why she had changed her expression in an instant.

“Do you really want me to kill Jo Igwang?”

“If he’s gone, the Jo family will be in my hands.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“What is there to think about? With your abilities, it shouldn’t be that difficult.”

“You’re not the only one who wants him dead.”

“Wanting someone dead and actually being able to kill them are two different things. If wishes alone could kill, why would I be asking you? I don’t know who else wants Igwang dead, but unless they’ve reached the same level as you, killing him is impossible.”

“You look down on human tenacity.”

“Hoho! Aren’t you the one overestimating tenacity? At best, it’s just a hardened mindset. Tenacity without action is useless. If you don’t want to, just say you don’t want to. If you’re afraid, just say you’re afraid.”

Jo Yuseol thought Pyo Wol was making excuses because he didn’t want to grant her request.

Naturally, her gaze toward Pyo Wol turned cold.

Unfazed by her look, Pyo Wol continued.

“Wait a few more days.”

“And after that? If there’s still no movement, what will you do?”

“I’ll decide then.”

“Are you really going to be like this? How can a man be so irresponsible? Was I nothing more than a one-night plaything to you?”

“And you? Do you think you can use me as you please just because we slept together for one night?”

“That’s…”

“Whether I kill Jo Igwang or not is for me to decide. You’d do well to abandon the thought that you can interfere with and manipulate my judgment. If you continue to do so, Jo Igwang might just end up living longer than you.”

Jo Yuseol bit her lip gently.

Pyo Wol’s words didn’t sound like a simple threat.

This was the man with the Alias, Reaper.

If an ordinary man had such an arrogant Alias, it would sound ridiculous, but when attached to someone with the ability to back it up, the weight it carried was different.

Pyo Wol possessed abilities befitting the Alias of Reaper.

A man who had reached the realm of a god when it came to killing people.

There was no one he had marked for death that he had failed to kill. That was why Jo Yuseol had tried to wrap Pyo Wol around her finger and use him.

As an ally, he was incredibly reassuring, but as an enemy, Pyo Wol was the most terrifying being in All Under Heaven.

Jo Yuseol regretted revealing her intentions so rashly.

She had revealed her ambition too early, making Pyo Wol wary.

‘I made a mistake. I should have taken more time to draw him in.’

But regret, no matter how soon it came, was always too late.

“I’m sorry. I made a mistake. The pettiness of a narrow-minded woman went too far.”

She quickly apologized.

When one had to bow, one had to bow low.

It was foolish to hold one’s head high even a little out of pride.

Although she had made a mistake due to her impatience, trying to rectify it as soon as she realized it was a very good judgment.

“Please, find it in your generous heart to understand.”

Jo Yuseol bowed her head to Pyo Wol.

Pyo Wol’s eyes, as he looked at her, were sunken deep.

‘An Empress of Jianghu…’

The woman who dreamed of reigning reeked of danger.

＊＊＊

Jo Igwang left Cheongpyeong Manor and headed for the bustling streets of Tai Lake.

‘Nothing is going as planned.’

Everything had gone wrong since Jo Jakyung entered Cheongpyeong Manor yesterday.

He hadn’t been able to do any of the things he needed to do, as he had been treading carefully, mindful of Jo Jakyung.

One of those things was finding Jo Yuseol.

In the end, he couldn’t find out Jo Yuseol’s whereabouts.

Jo Yuseol was like a thorn stuck in his fingertip.

It wasn’t painful enough to kill him, but it caused enough pain to be a constant bother.

Although she always pretended to be demure in front of their father, Jo Sumok, Jo Igwang instinctively felt that she had other plans. That was why he had assigned bodyguards to watch her, but she had shaken them off and disappeared without a trace.

The thought of what kind of wicked scheme she might be plotting while she was gone annoyed him to no end. It wouldn’t change the grand scheme of things, but the mere fact that something was happening in a place he didn’t know about made him uneasy.

Jo Igwang thought he would have to more than double the surveillance on Jo Yuseol as soon as she returned.

Lost in thought as he walked, he soon entered the bustling streets of Tai Lake.

He was heading to the square where the most people gathered, even among the busy streets of Tai Lake.

During the day, it was empty like this, but at night, merchants would open their stalls one by one, forming a night market.

In the center of the square was a large well, and all the merchants who opened the night market drew water from this well to cook their food. For that reason, they put great effort into maintaining the well.

He was supposed to meet Bok Hojin here.

Normally, he would have slept at Cheongpyeong Manor, but he chose to sleep outside, as he felt burdened by Jo Jakyung.

The fact that he had to be mindful of Jo Jakyung even in his own residence, Cheongpyeong Manor, made Jo Igwang even more irritated.

“Looks like he’s not out yet.”

“Isn’t Young Master Bok’s personality usually a bit laid-back? He’ll be out if we wait a little longer.”

Jo Igwang nodded at his trusted subordinate’s words.

Jo Igwang usually rarely brought his Subordinates with him.

It was because he had the confidence that no one would dare to harm him. However, since the recent situation was unusual, he had brought his Subordinates out.

About a dozen Martial Artists were positioned around him.

All of them were elites of the Nanjing Jo family, and every single one was an Expert with formidable Martial Arts.

They glared fiercely around Jo Igwang.

People who saw this took a wide detour.

They didn’t want to get caught up in some trouble and suffer a misfortune by passing by.

They knew that getting involved with Martial Artists rarely ended well.

It was better for one’s own well-being to avoid danger altogether.

Thanks to this, Jo Igwang and his Subordinates could sit leisurely and wait for Bok Hojin.

As time passed, the sunlight beating down on the square grew hotter.

A look of irritation began to appear on Jo Igwang’s face.

Even though he was a Martial Artist who had trained in Martial Arts, being exposed to such intense sunlight for a long time was tormenting him.

Nowhere in the square was there a space to escape the sun.

That was why the stalls didn’t open during the day and only opened the night market after the sun had set.

Jo Igwang cursed Bok Hojin inwardly for choosing such a place for their meeting.

It was then.

Creeak!

He heard the sound of something rolling.

The gazes of Jo Igwang and the Martial Artists naturally turned to where the sound came from.

Where their gazes landed, a boy was struggling to pull a cart.

He didn’t know what was loaded on it, but every time the cartwheels rolled over the stone-paved ground, they screamed as if they would break at any moment. It was proof that something heavy was loaded on it.

It wasn’t a very unfamiliar sight here.

All the people living nearby came here to draw water, and among them were many children of the boy’s age.

There weren’t many who were prosperous enough to live under their parents’ care just because they were young. Once they started walking and their minds grew enough to make judgments, all children prepared for independence by helping their parents with their work.

That was the reality of the current Jianghu.

The boy seemed to be one of them.

An ordinary existence that could be seen anywhere.

Normally, he was someone Jo Igwang wouldn’t even have given a second glance. Yet, Jo Igwang and his Subordinates couldn’t easily take their eyes off the boy.

The boy had a certain power that drew people’s attention. That was why they came to pay attention to his every move.

The boy took something out of the cart.

At first, they thought he was taking out a bucket to hold water. But on closer inspection, it wasn’t a bucket.

‘A rock?’

The black, blunt object was clearly a large rock.

Plop!

The boy threw the rock into the well.

Jo Igwang frowned.

“What the hell is he doing?”

It was a well that everyone used.

Throwing a rock like that into such a well was a very rude act.

Jo Igwang was not a righteous person.

Nor was he meddlesome enough to interfere in matters that didn’t concern him. However, he was sensitive enough to be on high alert for things that were related to him.

The water from the well the boy had thrown the rock into would go into the food of some stall or Inn, and the food made that way would end up in his stomach.

So he couldn’t simply dismiss it as the boy’s bizarre behavior.

Even after throwing the rock into the well, the boy didn’t leave and was staring at the well.

He looked as if he was waiting for something to happen.

Jo Igwang gave an order to his Subordinates.

“Go catch that brat.”

“Yes!”

The Subordinates acted immediately without question.

The two youngest Martial Artists approached the boy by the well.

Jo Igwang and the Martial Artists had no doubt that they would soon drag the boy over.

Then, a mishap occurred.

The Martial Artists who had approached the boy suddenly collapsed as if they had been struck by a sudden death.

They lay face down on the ground, motionless.

“What?”

“Why did they collapse?”

Jo Igwang and the Martial Artists’ eyes widened.

They enhanced their Eye Power to look, but it was difficult to grasp the situation at the well from here.

He could see the boy, who seemed startled, trying to run away in a fluster.

“That brat, stop him from escaping.”

Jo Igwang hastily gave the order.

The Subordinates rushed to the boy first, and Jo Igwang followed behind them.

In the end, the boy couldn’t get away from the well and was surrounded by the Martial Artists.

The boy didn’t know what to do and just stomped his feet.

Anyone could see that he was terrified.

“Who are you? What did you do to them?”

Just then, Jo Igwang appeared, pushing through his Subordinates.

He checked the condition of the Subordinates who had collapsed on the ground.

The Subordinates were already dead.

Their faces were pale, and there was no warmth of a living person to be felt.

“They’re dead!”

Jo Igwang’s gaze turned fierce.

There were no wounds on the Subordinates’ bodies. But there was no way they would have suddenly died without a reason.

These were all Experts who had trained in Martial Arts for many years.

Naturally, they were much healthier and physically stronger than ordinary people. The probability of such people dying suddenly was almost zero.

The boy had clearly pulled some trick.

Jo Igwang stood up from his spot and glared at the boy.

“You bastard! Did you kill them?”

“Young Master Jo Igwang. That’s right, isn’t it?”

“You know me?”

“Of course. Who in this area doesn’t know Young Master Jo?”

“Who are you?”

“Do Yeon-san.”

“Do Yeon-san?”

Jo Igwang furrowed his brow.

It was a name he had never heard before.

The boy, Do Yeon-san, smiled at Jo Igwang.

“As I thought, you don’t seem to know. Then maybe you’ll know if I put it this way? The Oppa of the girl you recently raped and killed.”

“You?”

“Now you get it, right?”

Do Yeon-san smiled brightly.

In contrast, Jo Igwang’s expression hardened like a stone statue.

“You’re that bitch’s Oppa?”

“Yes!”

“You crazy bastard…”

“You’re the one who made me crazy. Hehehe!”

Do Yeon-san giggled.