Chapter 256

Lee Yul rubbed his temples with both thumbs.

A strange, throbbing headache had begun to ache.

He had almost never suffered from a headache before.

Lee Yul’s brain was far more developed than that of an ordinary person, so it never tired, no matter how long he expended his mental energy. Thanks to this, Lee Yul had never experienced his mind going blank even after staying up for several days and nights.

But today was different.

The headache that had started a while ago was disconcerting him.

It was more than just a simple ache; it felt like his head was about to split open.

Fortunately, after rubbing his temples for a long while, the headache subsided a little.

“Hoo!”

Only then did Lee Yul let out a sigh and approach the table.

On the table, a kettle was placed on a small brazier.

While he was suffering from his headache, the water inside the kettle had boiled and was letting off steam.

Lee Yul took the kettle off the brazier to let the water cool.

Brewing tea with water that was boiling this vigorously would ruin the taste.

Even for a single cup of tea, Lee Yul was only satisfied when he drank it in its optimal state.

Now that the headache had somewhat subsided, he felt that a cup of warm tea would bring his body back to normal completely.

He was waiting for the water to cool to the right temperature.

“There’s something I need to confirm.”

With an urgent voice, someone appeared before him like a ghost.

Lee Yul’s face contorted as he recognized the uninvited guest’s face.

It was Black Tiger.

“If you can’t give me a clear reason for interrupting my favorite time of day, you’d better be prepared.”

“Damn it! This is no time for such nonsense.”

“What is it?”

“The daughter of the Geumsan Manor Lord came in injured, didn’t she?”

“And?”

“Where is the man who carried her in?”

“Why are you….”

“I’ll explain on the way, so please guide me.”

Black Tiger’s expression was so grave that Lee Yul also sensed that something had gone wrong.

“Follow me!”

Lee Yul beckoned with his finger and started walking.

As Black Tiger walked behind him, an anxious look was plain on his face.

For an assassin to show his emotions was proof that something major had happened.

Lee Yul thought that the source of his headache might be related to this incident.

When Lee Yul went outside, many people, including his bodyguards, followed him. Among them were Heo Ranju and Daoshi Go.

The two were staying here to coordinate matters with Snow Blade Sword Manor.

“What’s going on?”

“It looks like something has happened.”

The two couldn’t stand not knowing when they were curious. They followed behind even though Lee Yul hadn’t told them to.

Lee Yul and his party soon arrived at the Guest Reception Hall.

In front of the Guest Reception Hall were the martial artists from the Golden Mountain Manor who had come to protect Geum Siyeon.

Geum Usin, who was leading the Golden Mountain Manor martial artists, stepped forward.

“What is the matter?”

“Where is he?”

“He?”

When Geum Usin made a puzzled face, Black Tiger pressed him fiercely.

“I’m talking about the martial artist who carried Miss Geum Siyeon in. Tell me where his quarters are, quickly.”

“Hey! Do you know who I am… Keuk!”

Grasp!

In that instant, Black Tiger reached out and seized Geum Usin’s throat.

As the bone-thin fingers choked his neck with terrifying force, the color drained from Geum Usin’s face in an instant.

“I’m not curious who you are, so just tell me.”

“Th-that room!”

Geum Usin stretched out his hand and pointed to a room.

Black Tiger flung Geum Usin aside with a swing of his arm and ran to the room he had pointed at.

Slam!

When he opened the door, an empty room came into view.

The person he was looking for was nowhere to be seen in the room.

“That bastard!”

Black Tiger ground his teeth.

Just then, Lee Yul came up beside him and spoke.

“Isn’t it time you told me? What is going on?”

“It’s him.”

“Him?”

“Pyo Wol!”

“What about him?”

“The man who carried Miss Geum Siyeon in was him. He entered Snow Blade Sword Manor under the guise of being Miss Geum’s escort.”

In an instant, Lee Yul’s expression hardened.

“He entered Snow Blade Sword Manor?”

“That’s right! He’s the one who gravely injured Miss Geum. And despite that, he brazenly carried her through the gates of Snow Blade Sword Manor. Naturally, no one suspected him.”

“Hmph!”

Lee Yul’s expression turned frighteningly rigid.

Until now, he was a man who had mocked the people of the world with his brilliant mind. Not a single human had ever strayed from the scope of his predictions. But Pyo Wol was an exception.

He was the only one whose actions he could not predict.

There was little information on him, but more than anything, his methods were different from any other human Lee Yul knew.

“So you’re saying he dared to sneak into my home?”

“I’ve already confirmed it. He is definitely inside Snow Blade Sword Manor.”

“He probably hasn’t noticed that we’ve found out yet. Move covertly at once and capture him. If it seems impossible to take him alive, it’s fine to kill him.”

“Understood.”

Black Tiger nodded with a grim expression.

He was just as furious as Lee Yul.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had been toyed with like this.

When he had framed Pyo Wol as Seong-un’s killer and driven him out of Jin Clan, he had thought he was the victor. But thinking back on it now, he suspected that even that might have been Pyo Wol’s intention.

‘Is that why Hong Ye-seol gave up on the mission? Because dealing with him was too much?’

Black Tiger ground his teeth.

It was then.

Heo Ranju and Daoshi Go, who had been watching the situation from behind, stepped forward.

“Wait! Did you say Pyo Wol?”

“Do you know him?”

“Of course, we do.”

Heo Ranju answered without a hint of hesitation.

Daoshi Go asked with a stiff expression.

“Are you certain he has entered this place?”

“The circumstances seem to point to it.”

“Then we must find him as soon as possible. If we let him run rampant, the consequences will be endless. In Chengdu, the Emei Sect and Qingcheng Sect fell because they couldn’t catch him, and the Black Cloud Corps also suffered great damage.”

“You have experience dealing with him.”

“We do, but I’m not confident I could face him again.”

“Still, your chances of finding him are higher than others. You will also cooperate in finding him.”

At Lee Yul’s command, Daoshi Go looked flustered. But he couldn’t refuse the order now by saying he wouldn’t do it.

“We will do so.”

Daoshi Go thought the situation had gotten horribly twisted.

He had wanted to avoid a confrontation with Pyo Wol if at all possible, but now he was entangled with him again.

Daoshi Go looked at Heo Ranju with a hardened expression.

Heo Ranju’s expression was just as complicated. But soon, her gaze turned resolute.

Pyo Wol was a great enemy who had inflicted terrifying damage on the Black Cloud Corps. If they couldn’t deal with him for good this time, everything she loved could be destroyed.

Lee Yul spoke once more.

“Handle it quietly. So that he absolutely does not notice…”

＊＊＊

“Damn it! What was that?”

Geum Usin muttered, spitting on the ground.

Lee Yul’s group had suddenly barged in, spouted whatever they wanted without a proper explanation, and then left.

In the process, Geum Usin and the Golden Mountain Manor martial artists were completely sidelined.

It seemed to be related to Geum Siyeon, yet they had ignored the very people involved.

“What the hell are these bastards trying to pull?”

His cousin, Geum Siyeon, was hovering between life and death from a grave injury. The Golden Mountain Manor was in an uproar because of it, but they hadn’t given him any explanation, so his anger flared to the top of his head.

“A mere Steward dares to act like this? Ptooey!”

Geum Usin spat once more.

Grinding the phlegm-laced spit with his shoe, Geum Usin spoke to his subordinates.

“The atmosphere in Snow Blade Sword Manor seems unusual, so be on high alert. If anything happens to Siyeon, it’s the end for all of us.”

“Yes, sir!”

The martial artists who came with Geum Usin answered in one voice.

Killing intent was etched on their faces.

Those dispatched here were all elites of the Golden Mountain Manor. Their loyalty to Geum Shinchung and his daughter was just as deep.

The moment they heard the news of Geum Siyeon’s injury, they felt their blood run cold.

If Geum Siyeon’s condition worsened, or in the worst-case scenario, she lost her life, Geum Shinchung would not let them be.

In Runan, no one could survive after falling out of Geum Shinchung’s favor.

Knowing this, the martial artists kept their eyes peeled, guarding the four rooms.

Geum Usin left the guard duty to his subordinates and entered Geum Siyeon’s room.

Geum Siyeon was still lying unconscious on the bed. Jang Uiwon was sitting on a chair beside her bed, closely monitoring her condition.

Geum Usin spoke to Jang Uiwon.

“How is Siyeon’s condition?”

“She has improved a lot.”

“Really?”

“If she rests a little more, I think she will open her eyes soon.”

“That’s a relief, at least. Old man, you seem to have some skill, huh?”

At Geum Usin’s rude words, Jang Uiwon frowned.

Even the Manor Lord of Snow Blade Sword Manor did not speak to him so carelessly. No matter how ill-mannered a Jianghu person was, they showed a certain degree of courtesy to a skilled physician. It was because they never knew when they might have to entrust their lives to one. But Geum Usin showed not a speck of such courtesy.

‘What a ruffian! He doesn’t even know gratitude…’

Jang Uiwon did not like Geum Usin. But he did not show his displeasure. He too knew that life would become difficult if he fell out of favor with the Geum bloodline.

He was relieved that Snow Blade Sword Manor was protecting him, but it was still better to avoid words and actions that would put him at odds with the Golden Mountain Manor if possible.

“Umm!”

Just then, Geum Siyeon, who had been lying motionless, let out a groan.

Jang Uiwon said in surprise.

“It seems she is about to wake up now.”

“Really?”

Geum Usin was also surprised and looked at Geum Siyeon.

“What incredible mental strength. I thought it would take a few more days for her to regain consciousness, but to think she’s waking up already.”

“It’s because she’s a tough one.”

Though he said that, Geum Usin couldn’t help but admire Geum Siyeon’s mental fortitude.

A moment later, her eyelids trembled, and Geum Siyeon opened her eyes.

“Are you all right? Siyeon!”

“Who…? Usin Orabeoni?”

“Yes! It’s me.”

Geum Usin took Geum Siyeon’s hand.

“What happened?”

“Don’t you remember? You were gravely injured and transported to Snow Blade Sword Manor.”

Only then did Geum Siyeon’s memory return.

“Ah! Where is he?”

“He? Who?”

“Who else? The bastard who put me in this state.”

Geum Siyeon made a venomous expression.

Despite having hovered on the brink of death for quite a long time, her gaze was incredibly fierce. Just by her appearance, one would never think she was a person who had been gravely injured.

Geum Usin clicked his tongue.

‘Vicious bitch! Her glare alone could kill a person.’

He prided himself on being quite tough, but he couldn’t hold a candle to Geum Siyeon.

Geum Siyeon’s Poison Qi was truly beyond imagination.

She said,

“You must find him and drag him before me.”

“Let’s talk about that later. You almost died.”

“I lived, didn’t I?”

“Siyeon!”

“If I can’t repay this humiliation, I’ll die of indignation. Do you want to see me die? If I die, you won’t be safe either, Orabeoni. Understand?”

“Fine!”

“So, whatever it takes, capture him. I’ll tear him to pieces with my own hands. I’ll kill every single person related to him. The men, I’ll chop into pieces and throw to the wolves, and the women, I’ll sell to a brothel to make them live the most miserable lives.”

“I get it, so please calm down. I’m afraid your wound will worsen.”

“Is my wound important? Don’t worry about me, just go and catch him.”

Geum Siyeon screamed.

Her appearance, shouting without any regard for her own wound, frightened even Geum Usin.

“I’ll kill him in the most gruesome way in the world. I’ll sprinkle salt on his wounds, peel off his skin, and make him unable to either live or die. Got it? Do you get it?”

At the sight of Geum Siyeon screaming her head off like a madwoman, Geum Usin looked utterly disgusted.

‘To think she was such a crazy bitch.’

She usually pretended to be so elegant, so refined, but her true nature was this fierce and terrifying. That was why Geum Usin usually avoided her.

‘Crazy bitch! A bitch not to be associated with!’

Geum Usin prayed for this hellish time to end. And that time came sooner than he thought.

Geum Siyeon, who had been spewing curses without rest, suddenly shot her eyes open and stared into the air. Geum Usin, in turn, looked where her gaze was directed.

“What is it?”