"There was something I wanted," Seo Ryang said, his words carrying a strange tone. So Yeon-shim tilted her head slightly, puzzled.
"Does that mean your mind has changed now?"
"Hmm," Seo Ryang nodded after stroking his chin for a moment. "To be honest, I’ve been conflicted, but I think I’ll just let it go."
"So, you’re saying that you initially intended to give me a mysterious martial arts secret in exchange for something, but now you’ve decided not to?"
"That’s right."
"You’re giving me this precious secret for free?"
"Yes."
So Yeon-shim spoke as if she couldn’t comprehend it. "Why are you showing me such kindness?"
"Well… it’s complicated to explain," Seo Ryang scratched his head, his face a mix of awkwardness, relief, and a hint of lingering regret.
Even in her surprise, So Yeon-shim didn’t miss the sincerity in his expression. After a moment of contemplation, Seo Ryang asked, "About the person suffering from Qi Deviation…"
"Yes."
"You must have wanted to obtain the Cheonggu Sayaepcho herb for someone dear to you, right?"
So Yeon-shim didn’t answer, but her silence was an unspoken affirmation.
"Well, if they had harmed me or were someone everyone would consider trash, I wouldn’t have done this. But that person isn’t like that, is she?"
"What are you…"
"If I hadn’t known, I wouldn’t have cared. But now that I do, I don’t want to make a deal involving someone’s life."
"…!"
"It feels like a bit of a loss, but as I said, I’ve already omitted the core secrets. So…" Seo Ryang clicked his tongue. "Well, I hope for the swift recovery of that precious person."
"…"
So Yeon-shim’s face was painted with confusion. She couldn’t tell if she was talking to the Third Young Master of the Divine Sect or a soft-hearted novice merchant.
Seo Ryang sighed inwardly. Damn, what kind of foolish thing am I doing?
The human heart is truly strange. Even if reason says it’s wrong, if the heart feels uneasy, it keeps hesitating.
This situation was no different.
Having lived his life as an assassin, he had nothing to leave behind when he died. Naturally, he deeply hated his profession.
No one valued their own life more than he did, but that didn’t mean he wanted to ruin others’ lives. He pursued individualism but didn’t want to become a selfish person.
The decisive reason he hated being an assassin was that he had to harm people he didn’t even know, let alone have any grudges against, just to extend his own life.
One such experience was enough. Unless he was in immediate danger, he didn’t want to play games with the lives of strangers.
It’ll probably linger in my mind anyway.
Rather than letting it gnaw at him and cause constant distress, he decided to follow his heart, even if it felt regrettable at the moment.
"Young Master."
"Speak."
"Are you serious?"
"On a night like this with wine laid out, would I really spout lies that could easily be exposed?"
So Yeon-shim spoke with a face full of disbelief. "You’re showing me such kindness because you’re feeling unwell?"
"Well, yes."
"If the deal doesn’t sit well with you, shouldn’t you just not make the deal at all?"
"…Huh?"
For a moment, Seo Ryang’s face went blank.
Seeing his expression, So Yeon-shim couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
"Ah… well, that’s true…"
"…"
"You’re right. That’s how it is."
Seo Ryang, with a somewhat awkward expression, looked down at his wine cup and then emptied it with a loud gulp.
"Fine, take it."
"Because you’re feeling unwell? You’ve never even met that person."
"In a world where people kill those they’ve never met, what’s wrong with saving one?"
It wasn’t a wrong statement, but she never expected such words to come from the Third Young Master, who was known as a tyrant.
Seo Ryang grinned. "And besides, thanks to you, my mood has improved quite a bit."
"Your mood has improved?"
"I didn’t expect to be sitting with that guy. I gave the guy sharpening his dagger behind my back a good punch, so of course, I feel refreshed."
So Yeon-shim’s face stiffened.
It was natural for successors to engage in secret battles in the demonic path. No, it was probably similar anywhere in the world.
But no successor would openly talk about it. Such words could easily come back to haunt them.
In the previous gathering, it could be seen as a battle of nerves between successors, but now there wasn’t even a successor.
What on earth…
Was he thoughtless, or was this some kind of trap?
A trap? Highly calculated?
So Yeon-shim’s eyes narrowed.
Is he aiming for something else?
Thinking about it, there were many strange things.
People change, but there’s a limit. She had never had a private meeting with him, but she knew well what kind of person the Third Young Master was.
Cold, cruel, and unforgiving. A person with a relentless desire to be the best.
Such a person was now showing all his vulnerabilities. People can change at any moment, but this was a bit too much.
"Are you uneasy?"
At the sudden question, So Yeon-shim flinched.
Seo Ryang smiled. "It seems you’ve never received unconditional kindness before."
"…Not never, but it’s never been this sudden."
"Well, even I would feel the same."
Seo Ryang refilled his cup and continued. "If you’re really uneasy, just have the inner court kitchen prepare some light side dishes for me. Doesn’t the Joyful Garden handle the ingredients?"
"…"
"The taste is good, but the flavors are too strong. Please think about those who prefer lighter meals."
So Yeon-shim quickly composed herself.
Seo Ryang’s face, as he emptied his cup, was calm. His breathing was steady, and his gaze was clear.
So Yeon-shim, who had been staring at him intently, sighed.
"This is uncomfortable."
"I thought it might be."
"To make it less uncomfortable, I should offer something in return, right?"
"If you say it like that, I’d rather not receive it."
"May I ask why?"
"I just hate feeling uneasy."
She truly couldn’t understand. His tone was light, but his expression was sincere. However, it was hard to believe that a disciple of the sect leader would show such kindness without a reason.
"I’d like to hear it. What was it that you wanted from me?"
"I’ve already closed the deal, so what’s the point?"
"There might still be some materials left."
Seo Ryang scratched his head. "I just wanted to get the organizational chart and relationship map of the sect."
"…?"
So Yeon-shim tilted her head. "The organizational chart and relationship map… you mean?"
"Yes."
"Why would you…?"
"I have my reasons."
So Yeon-shim changed her question. "Of course, you must have needed it to make the deal… but why did you think of asking me for it?"
"I couldn’t exactly go to the Military Department, could I?"
With that one sentence, So Yeon-shim understood.
And she also understood why the Third Young Master wanted it.
He wanted to see how the sect looked through the eyes of others, to gain information from a third-party perspective.
"Alright, then prepare the writing tools. Or will you just memorize it? It doesn’t matter to me."
So Yeon-shim, who had been staring at him intently, turned her head.
Then, from a distance, a masked man appeared. It was Yeon-il, So Yeon-shim’s most trusted subordinate.
"Prepare the writing tools."
"Yes."
Silently.
As Yeon-il disappeared like smoke, Seo Ryang smiled. "That’s quite a high level of stealth technique."
"I was lucky to obtain a decent one."
"Is the Sect Master also practicing it?"
"No, I don’t really…"
"You did well. It seems like a stealth technique that flowed in from the north. It might seem useful now, but over time, it will taint your demonic energy."
"…What?"
Seo Ryang shrugged. "Stealth techniques, by nature, don’t harmonize with demonic arts. Fundamentally, stealth techniques are about contraction, while demonic arts are about expansion."
"…!"
"High-level stealth techniques require extremely delicate control of energy. Naturally, they suppress the demonic arts, which are obsessed with expansion and release. Would you digest your food well if you wore a tight belt while eating?"
"That’s…"
"If you care for your subordinates, tell them to abandon it immediately. Spending that time refining demonic arts would be a hundred times better."
So Yeon-shim’s mouth hung open. She had never heard such martial principles before.
Seo Ryang frowned and put down his cup. "Damn, even though I’m not drunk, my stomach feels like it’s being poked. I can’t even drink white wine anymore."
Seo Ryang kept grumbling.
So Yeon-shim, who had been staring at him blankly, felt a faint surge of demonic energy rise from her body.
A level of demonic energy that even a master one or two levels above her couldn’t detect. But Seo Ryang could read the flow of the energy she released.
She’s sending a hidden message.
A moment later, Yeon-il returned with writing tools and a thick stack of documents.
So Yeon-shim spread the paper in front of Seo Ryang and ground the ink while speaking. "I doubt there’s any flaw in the martial arts you’re bestowing, but given the circumstances, I’ll have to go through a verification process. I hope you understand."
"That’s only natural."
"And from what I can see, if it’s truly a martial art optimized for combat as you say…"
Silently.
She placed the inkstone next to the paper and pointed to the stack of documents beside her.
"I’ll give you the classified documents on the sect’s organizational chart and relationship map."
Seo Ryang’s eyes deepened. "That’s quite a lot."
"It can’t be helped. The Joyful Garden has conducted detailed investigations on each individual’s characteristics and secrets, categorizing them meticulously."
Seo Ryang was startled. "You conducted your own investigations?"
"Yes."
"You couldn’t have done it secretly every time… did people allow it?"
"If you’re managing a household, you need to know what people like and dislike, at the very least."
"I see."
"There are also quite a few entries based on my inferences, rumors, and other unfounded information. It might be quite inconvenient for you to go through."
Though she said that, the contents recorded by the Joyful Garden Master herself were of significant value. It could be considered a treasure.
In other words…
The person I’m trying to save must be worth taking this level of risk.
She had intended to end things with good intentions, but now she was receiving such a treasure. It felt strange.
Seo Ryang, who had been quietly observing So Yeon-shim, picked up the brush. "Don’t worry, I’m not bluffing."
So Yeon-shim watched the retreating figures of Seo Ryang and Ma Dong-pil.
Yeon-il expressed his concern in a low voice. "Sect Master."
"Yes."
"It could be dangerous."
If that information fell into the wrong hands, even if it didn’t lead to an attack, it could result in political pressure.
So Yeon-shim smiled. "I’ve received a much greater gift. I should show some sincerity in return."
"…"
"And…"
After hesitating a few times, So Yeon-shim turned her body. "I’m tired. I should rest for today."
"Yes."
She looked up at the sky. The full moon seemed much brighter than usual.
Perhaps because of its cold light, her eyes narrowed slightly.
"How will he move?"
She thought she had a grasp on all the key figures in the sect, but she had met someone who shattered that confidence.
Someone who was difficult to figure out. That’s why she took a slight risk and disclosed the information. She thought it was necessary to show this much to understand the Third Young Master.
After this, the contents about the Third Young Master in those documents would be completely revised.
"Ah, and Yeon-il."
"Your command?"
"It’s better to abandon the stealth technique you’re practicing now."
"Yes?"
"After all, it’s only useful for surprising people."
"…I will obey."