By Zephyria Expert in Disappearance and Kidnapping (7)
“Trying to act like some noble seven Young masters! You filthy infidel! Tueh! Tueh!”
Baek Ryeo-il clutched his stomach and burst into laughter.
“Did you hear that? Puhahaha…! He says he’s the Cult Leader.”
His shoulders shook, and he held his mouth as if he would roll on the floor any minute.
In any case, the man had practically confessed to being a demonic cultist himself, so things went smoothly after that. It didn’t even take an hour for the Clan Head and his wife, along with Baek Ryeo-il, to extract information from him.
Indeed, he was a lure from the Demonic Cult. The man admitted to enticing Seomun Yuha and even revealed that he was still alive and hidden in a nearby safehouse.
Seong Mu-yeon looked at the man, now in a pathetic state, with pity.
“Hand this one over to the authorities.”
Baek Ryeo-il instructed the Clan Head.
“We will go to the safehouse right away and bring Young Master Seomun back.”
“Wait a moment. I will come with you.”
Madam Seomun followed them.
“It might be dangerous.”
“It’s about my son. I can’t just sit idly by.”
Baek Ryeo-il frowned as if annoyed, but he couldn’t stop the Madam, who seemed determined.
At first glance, it looked like a warehouse in a remote commercial district. However, the warriors guarding the warehouse were all masters. Moreover, various formations surrounded the area to prevent outsiders from entering carelessly.
Seong Mu-yeon naturally turned to Baek Ryeo-il.
“…Wait here.”
One word was enough. Baek Ryeo-il let out a soft sigh, drew his sword, and approached the warehouse. He didn’t even try to hide his presence.
“Who goes there!”
The warriors, sensing the threat, rushed in, but they were brutally felled by Baek Ryeo-il’s martial prowess.
“Ugh!”
“Aaaagh!”
Screams echoed. After waiting in the bushes for a short while, less than an hour, it became quiet. Baek Ryeo-il walked back.
“Come in.”
As expected, Baek Ryeo-il’s martial power shone here as well.
The three entered the warehouse together. Behind the boxes piled up to the ceiling, they found a hidden door leading downstairs.
In the musty basement, where not a single ray of light penetrated, there was another door. The fact that it was locked with multiple locks from the outside indicated the seriousness of the situation.
Madam Seomun bit her lip worriedly.
As soon as Baek Ryeo-il’s sword flashed, the thick lock was sliced off like tofu.
The inside was surprisingly decorated like an ordinary room. As the door opened, a young man lying sideways on the bed waved his hand without even looking at them.
“Hey. Why is it so noisy? I can’t sleep.”
A youthful voice grumbled discontentedly. When there was no response, the young man reluctantly got up. The young man had a handsome appearance with baby fat still on his cheeks. But when he discovered the familiar woman standing at the door, his face turned pale.
“M, Mom…? Why are you here? How did you find out? And who are these people!”
Seomun Yuha seemed to have been eating and living well. His skin was vibrant, and there were no dark circles under his eyes. On the other hand, Madam Seomun hadn’t been sleeping properly, worrying about her son day and night, and her eyes were sunken.
“You… you little rascal!”
“Aagh!”
Madam Seomun rushed towards her son. She slapped his back indiscriminately.
“Do you know how worried your father and I were! Suddenly running off without a word! I should be the one asking! What are you doing in a place like this! You wretched child!”
“Aagh! It hurts! Stop hitting me!”
Madam Seomun stood up, panting.
“Let’s go home first. We’ll talk there.”
However, Seomun Yuha turned his body away. He crossed his arms and showed his back. It was a firm refusal.
“No. I’m not going. Mom shouldn’t be here. Go home quickly.”
“What are you talking about? We should go home!”
“They will be here soon. I have to wait.”
His attitude was very stubborn.
He looked like a childish little boy. He was no different from a seven-year-old lying on the floor and whining.
Seong Mu-yeon’s expression soured. He had heard that he was like a baby, and it was true.
Madam Seomun beat her chest as if frustrated.
“Why are you causing so much trouble! Who are they? What are you going to do by following them!”
“They said they would make me stronger. Strong enough that no one can ignore me…”
Seomun Yuha muttered. A deep longing could be felt in his voice.
But this was not right.
“Young Master Seomun. This is not the time for that. Let’s go back and talk in detail…”
“Who are you to interfere in other people’s business? Get lost!”
“…”
Seong Mu-yeon squeezed his eyes shut. But he squeezed out his patience. The other party was just a young man who had barely come of age.
“Listen carefully, Young Master Seomun. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but even if you follow them, you won’t be allowed a single verse of Demonic Art. You must believe me.”
“Yes, Yuha. Listen to him.”
“Hmph. Do you think I’d fall for such a lie? How would you know that?!”
“There is no one here who knows better than I do. I am the Young master of the Demonic Cult. The Seventh Young master, Seong Mu-yeon.”
Seomun Yuha’s eyes widened.
“S, Seventh Young master…? The Cult Leader’s son…? Are you lying? There’s no way someone so feeble could be the Demonic Cult’s Young master.”
He looked at Madam Seomun and Baek Ryeo-il as if wanting to confirm the truth. Both of them nodded.
“…”
Seomun Yuha’s pupils trembled. He gradually became overwhelmed with excitement and grabbed Seong Mu-yeon’s hands.
“To meet the Demonic Cult’s Young master! What an honor! Is this a dream?”
“…”
Seong Mu-yeon naturally pulled his hand away.
“Now do you understand? This place is dangerous. Let’s go home now, Young Master Seomun.”
“B, but… are you saying those people deceived me? Th, there’s no way.”
Seomun Yuha took out a letter from his sleeve with trembling hands and showed it.
“They clearly promised to teach me Demonic Art. The people who will take me to Xinjiang tonight are supposed to come.”
Seong Mu-yeon smiled bitterly.
“It’s a lie. They have other things they want from you.”
If they were trying to impart Demonic Art, like the sweet words they whispered to Seomun Yuha, they would have chosen a younger child. That way, they could teach them to obey the Demonic Cult thoroughly. There was no way they would pass on precious martial arts to a grown adult who might run away. When they took those who were over twenty, their purpose was different.
“Yes, Yuha. Let’s go home.”
“But… I need to become strong.”
“You can learn the family’s secret techniques, can’t you?”
Seong Mu-yeon said. Since it was a fierce way of the sword that would raise his name, learning the Seomun Clan’s secrets alone would be enough to become a strong person.
“You said you were the Seventh Young master. I can’t inherit the family’s secrets. I’m different from my father.”
Seomun Yuha said gloomily. His tone, which had been devoid of politeness until just now, had changed to polite as soon as he learned that Seong Mu-yeon was the Demonic Cult’s Seventh Young master.
He raised both hands and showed them.
“Look at this body. Does it look like a physique suitable for learning the way of the sword? I can’t even lift that heavy sword… I needed another way…”
“Why are you so obsessed? Isn’t the Seomun Clan also famous as merchants? You can live a normal life even if you don’t learn martial arts.”
When Seong Mu-yeon said that, Madam Seomun nodded.
“Yes. You don’t have to learn martial arts. Other disciples can inherit the family’s secrets. You just have to live normally…”
“Mom, you shouldn’t say that!”
Seomun Yuha suddenly raised his voice. His eyes, glaring at his mother, were bloodshot.
“Seomun Yuha!”
His mother shouted back fiercely.
“Aren’t you upset?! Why do we have to live in hiding like this, constantly worrying about who might recognize us! It’s because we’re weak! I will definitely become strong.”
“…Who told you to worry about that? You’re still young. It’s not something you need to worry about.”
“If I don’t worry about it? What if someone notices our identity? Then we just die?!”
“Seomun Yuha!”
“…”
Seong Mu-yeon, who had been listening quietly, became embarrassed. The story was increasingly entering a private realm. He began to worry about whether he should be in this place.
“I don’t know why Mom is just standing still. Have you forgotten why we became like this because you married Dad and lived comfortably?”
Slap-!
With a loud striking sound, Seomun Yuha’s head turned. His mother had slapped his cheek.
“…Mom?”
Seomun Yuha covered his reddened cheek and looked at his mother with an incredulous expression. It was the moment when the world of a precious Young master in a greenhouse, who seemed to have never been scolded in his life, was shattered. Madam Seomun’s face was frighteningly cold.
‘I, I really shouldn’t watch any longer.’
Seong Mu-yeon grabbed the sleeve of Baek Ryeo-il, who was staring blankly, and tried to step back.
Slap-! Slap-!
She didn’t stop there and slapped his cheek several more times. Eventually, Seomun Yuha fell to the floor.
“Oh my, Madam! Please stop! You’ll hurt your precious son!”
Seong Mu-yeon rushed in and stopped the Madam. She was still panting, unable to calm her anger. She was already a scary person, but she had become scary in a different way.