By Zephyria Spirit Pill (5)
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
He had to repeatedly promise to retrieve the Spirit Pill before leaving the prison.
Seong Mu-yeon lingered around the manor, wanting to know what was being said in the meeting. He could hear loud voices from inside. As he strained his ears to hear more clearly, a Jegal warrior approached him.
“This is a place where just anyone can’t enter. Return to your room.”
The warrior warned in a solemn voice, poking him in the back with the hilt of his sword.
Seong Mu-yeon had no choice but to turn back. The warrior, worried that he might step into another secret place, followed him at a short distance.
Everyone he encountered cast disapproving glances. Seong Mu-yeon was deeply moved as he recalled the first time he set foot on Mount Hua. The people of Mount Hua had also looked at him with cold eyes, no different from the gazes the Jegal clan was sending him now. But now, it had become the place he most wanted to return to.
“Make way! Clear the path!”
Just then, a group of people appeared in a hurry. A man was being supported, barely able to take a step.
“Young master Jegal!”
The warrior who had been following Seong Mu-yeon turned pale and rushed over. Seong Mu-yeon was no longer his concern.
“What happened!”
The warrior shouted. The injured man seemed to be one of the Jegal clan’s collateral relatives who had gone after the Demon Slayer Unit.
The door to the meeting room burst open at the sudden commotion, and Jegal Un, Baek Ryeo-il, and the Wudang Elder appeared.
“Why are you alone? Where are the others?”
Jegal Un quickly approached him, kneeling down to lower his posture. He placed his palm on the injured man’s abdomen and injected inner force.
Young master Jegal began to explain the situation with difficulty.
The pursuit team that had chased after the Demon Slayer Unit who had escaped from the warehouse had lost them in the middle of a deep forest not long after. However, there were several places nearby that could be used as hideouts, so they decided to conduct a search.
“…But suddenly, they poured out.”
The pursuit team of about a dozen people was annihilated by the Demon Slayer Unit who appeared one after another from somewhere, and he was the only one who survived.
“They… are coming this way.”
After saying those words, Young master Jegal dropped his head. People picked him up and took him to the physician.
“…”
Jegal Un rose to his feet. His fist, exposed beneath his sleeve, was clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“Clan leader, wake the people.”
He instructed a middle-aged man nearby. Immediately, the warriors scattered quickly, and the sound of trumpets began to blare.
“Elder Hyeon-jin, Heartless Sword. Lend us your strength.”
“Of course!”
Hyeon-jin, the Wudang Elder who was approaching middle age, shouted as if displeased.
“Show them what price they pay for touching Wudang!”
“Yes, Elder!”
“Yes, Elder!”
At the shout, the Wudang disciples drew their swords in unison.
“What about the Young Clan Leader?”
“I will hide this Spirit Pill.”
After spitting out that answer, he turned and headed somewhere. The Jegal clan was famous for its outstanding strategies that combined both literary and martial arts. In addition, they were specialized in mechanical formations that thoroughly blocked the entry of enemies. Jegal Un seemed to be planning to hide the Spirit Pill in a secret place prepared deep within the manor.
Baek Ryeo-il, who was drawing his sword and guarding his surroundings, frowned terribly when his gaze reached Seong Mu-yeon’s location. He had finally found him standing on one side.
“Seong Mu-yeon! What are you doing here?”
He strode over with a fearsome momentum, grabbed Seong Mu-yeon’s wrist, and quickly moved his feet.
“Did you hear? They’re coming this way now. You go to your room, close the door, and don’t come out until I come to get you. Got it?”
“What about the ledger? You haven’t slept a wink all night.”
“Do you think I’ll collapse from staying up just one night?”
He scoffed as Seong Mu-yeon muttered worriedly. But the smile quickly disappeared, and a serious expression took its place.
“Listen to me carefully. We are in the Jegal clan right now, and there is no one here to protect you. They won’t even let you into the shelter where the family members are taking refuge. You have to protect yourself. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Seong Mu-yeon nodded quickly. He had no desire to be a worry to Baek Ryeo-il, who had already fought a battle tonight.
The area around the room, which had been surrounded by guards until just now, was empty. Everyone had gone to prepare for the attack.
This place was a cluster of guest rooms that were not usually used, so it was far from the center of the manor and far from the main gate, making it quiet unlike the busy side.
“Don’t ever leave Gang Woong’s side, stick close to him.”
Baek Ryeo-il pushed Seong Mu-yeon into the room and was about to close the door, but he paused for a moment and stared at him standing blankly in the room.
His dark eyes flickered, and Baek Ryeo-il came back in and hugged him tightly.
“…See you later.”
After muttering that, Baek Ryeo-il rushed out without giving him a chance to say anything. It was like a different world, with the outside and inside separated by the wall.
“Young master…? Why is it so noisy?”
Gang Woong came out to the living room, rubbing his eyes. He saw Seong Mu-yeon’s expression and quickly realized that the situation was unusual. His sleep was completely gone, and he hardened his face.
“It’s only been a few hours since that incident in the warehouse…”
“I know.”
Gang Woong gripped the hilt of his sword so that he could draw it at any time, and he guarded the area, listening to the sounds from all directions. The two of them couldn’t sit down and just stood there.
They turned off all the candles and held their breath in the darkness.
How much time had passed? Seong Mu-yeon raised his head.
At first, he thought it was the sound of leaves fluttering in the wind. But soon he realized that it was the noise of people quietly passing over the roof.
The Demon Slayer Unit was passing overhead.
Seong Mu-yeon put his index finger on his lips.
The two people, who had been frozen like stone statues, slowly approached the window when they were sure that they had completely passed.
When they made a hole in the window and looked outside, they could faintly hear the sound of weapons clashing in the distance.
The battle must have begun.
‘…Why so hasty?’
Seong Mu-yeon frowned.
According to the pursuit team, Myeong-gwi retreated with the surviving members and then immediately launched a counterattack.
Like Baek Ryeo-il, Myeong-gwi was also taking the risk of rushing here with more subordinates without taking any rest.
If the Jegal clan and Wudang requested support from the main family and headquarters, the Demon Slayer Unit would naturally be at a greater disadvantage. Moreover, they were already outnumbered.
Shouldn’t they thoroughly reorganize to increase their chances of winning even a little?
And instead of setting up traps like before, they were rushing to the place where the enemy was waiting and fighting loudly.
Like moths jumping into a fire.
Seong Mu-yeon’s brow narrowed.
Or…
‘…Or it’s like they have another purpose.’
“Young master?”
Gang Woong looked at him with a puzzled expression as Seong Mu-yeon flinched.
It was then.
“It’s hard to get a glimpse of your face.”
It was a low, indifferent voice.
Seong Mu-yeon’s hair stood on end at the familiar voice that came from behind.
He slowly turned his head, and there he was.
Black, long hair that curled finely like ebony, half-sunken eyes that made it impossible to know what he was thinking.
The corners of the mouth of the black figure that rose like a shadow in the darkness twisted slightly.
“Who are you!”
Gang Woong shouted fiercely and raised his sword. It was an automatic reaction that came out because he was so startled. But that was a mistake.
“Gang Dojang!”
As Seong Mu-geuk lightly waved his hand, Gang Woong flew away violently as if drawn by an invisible force, broke through the door, and crashed into the wall. Then he stopped moving, perhaps having fainted.
“Little one.”
Third Young Master Seong Mu-geuk revealed himself.
Shock struck his whole body. It had been a long time since he had heard his voice.
‘Why is Third Brother here?’
No, more than that…
‘Little one.’
Seong Mu-geuk had never called him that even once. No, the two of them had never even exchanged words in the first place.
Seong Mu-yeon hadn’t been close to his brothers either, but Seong Mu-geuk was even worse. At least he interacted with Seong Mu-ryong, but he didn’t even remember seeing Seong Mu-geuk talking to anyone.
So, it was unfamiliar for him to suddenly appear and speak to him in a friendly manner.
Seong Mu-yeon flinched as Seong Mu-geuk took a step.
“You’re scared, little one.”
“…I don’t have the Spirit Pill.”
Seong Mu-yeon barely managed to squeeze out the words.
“Ah, that’s right. There was that. What did Sixth say to you?”
Seong Mu-geuk took another step closer. But Seong Mu-yeon couldn’t look away from him or avoid him. Like a mouse in front of a cat, the muscles in his whole body froze, and he couldn’t move.
His mind was a mess of confusion.
The faint sound of fighting could be heard from outside, and he was worried about Gang Woong, who was silently quiet beyond the collapsed door.
And the man standing in front of him.
His presence overwhelmed the space.
This situation, his attitude. Why he came to find him, what he was trying to do, how he should act. He didn’t understand anything.
“…You know better than I do, Third Brother.”
“Hmm, think carefully. Sloppy tricks won’t work on me. If you tell me what you know, wouldn’t I tell you what I know?”
“…”
It was a hazy voice, as if he were dreaming, like someone in another place.
“That Spirit Pill… Is it true? What did you do to Fourth Brother?”