Chapter 95
That night.
Heuk Seol was training alone in the practice hall.
After wiping the sweat from her face with a towel, she stepped down from the platform.
Her expression was deeply troubled.
...What exactly was that?
The Heuk Mujin she'd seen earlier that day.
He had been completely different from the frivolous, lazy man she knew.
His face had looked alive.
His gaze had been confident in a way she'd never seen before.
Was it because he knew he didn't have much longer to live?
"Why now...?"
Until only recently, he'd spent his days fooling around at brothels.
He often exhausted himself so badly that servants had to carry him home, after which he would shut himself inside his room.
When they were children, Heuk Mujin had been a kind and intelligent older brother.
He'd trained tirelessly every day.
Watching him was what had inspired Heuk Seol to dream of becoming a martial artist herself.
She had loved him.
Respected him.
But that was all in the past.
As the years passed, he grew more and more broken until he eventually became nothing more than a delinquent.
And now he had suddenly changed?
"No."
"Even if he has, nothing changes."
"It won't last."
"He'll go back to how he was soon enough."
"Definitely...."
Lost in thought, she kept walking.
Before she realized it, she'd arrived in front of Heuk Mujin's residence.
She hadn't even changed after training.
Her hair was still disheveled.
"...Why did I come all the way here?"
She sighed.
"Have I lost my mind?"
Maybe some part of her had hoped he'd returned to the brother she remembered.
She let out a deep breath and was about to turn away.
Creeeak.
The door opened at just the right moment.
Heuk Mujin's servant, Hyeon Doun, stepped outside.
"Y-Young Heir?"
"W-What brings you here...?"
He was the only servant handling all the chores around Heuk Mujin's residence.
Apparently, Heuk Mujin had once helped him greatly when they were children.
"Haha..."
"The Young Master j-just went to sleep...."
Something was strange.
He avoided her eyes.
He looked nervous.
Heuk Seol glanced toward the open doorway.
"Tell me the truth."
"Is he really inside?"
Her cold question broke him almost immediately.
"Th-That's..."
"He said he had something to do outside and left for a while...."
Silence.
Heuk Seol tightened her grip on her sword sheath.
"Take me there."
"Tell me where he went."
"I only heard that he had some business outside, so I don't really kn-"
"Forget it."
She bit her lip.
"There's only one place he'd go anyway."
"A brothel."
Her expression darkened with disappointment.
"I suppose I was worried for nothing."
Then she turned and strode away.
Meanwhile, the entertainment district was overflowing with people.
Among all the establishments lining the streets, one especially luxurious pavilion was packed with men.
"Oh my, Young Master Heuk!"
"You left so suddenly yesterday. You frightened us!"
"You didn't even say goodbye. I was so disappointed!"
"That's right."
"This humble woman has been waiting only for your touch...."
"You'll call for me again tonight, won't you?"
Women from the brothel clung to Suhyeok, carrying the thick scent of perfume.
Suhyeok played the part of the usual Heuk Mujin and laughed loudly.
"Hahahaha!"
"Tonight, everything's on me!"
"I'll pay for all the food and drinks in this place!"
"Oh my, Young Master!"
"You're so wonderful!"
"Careful, I might actually fall for you."
The women led him to a private room on the highest floor.
Courtesans danced, sang, and played instruments as the atmosphere gradually grew livelier.
Suhyeok drank while occasionally glancing toward the door.
She should reveal herself around now.
There was one reason he'd come here.
He needed an information network.
Information was necessary if he wanted to control the situation.
Even Suhyeok didn't remember every tiny detail of the past.
He needed an organization capable of providing information in real time.
Creeeak.
At that moment, the door opened.
A woman entered.
Unlike the others, she carried an elegant, refined air.
"To think the eldest young master of the Black Heaven Family would visit us again."
"Since today is such a special day, I came personally because I wished to see you."
She was called the greatest beauty of White Jade Pavilion.
Hyang-a.
And she was one of the reasons Suhyeok had come here.
Finally.
The future leader of the Hao Clan.
If the orthodox factions had the Beggar's Union as their great information organization...
Then the unorthodox factions had the Hao Clan, an information network formed from people of the lowest social classes.
Hyang-a's identity was none other than the future head of the Hao Clan.
Of course, that was still far in the future.
For now, she was the daughter of the current Hao Clan leader and the branch head overseeing the Demonic Cult territory through White Jade Pavilion.
Suhyeok needed an ongoing relationship with the Hao Clan.
It would make it far easier to gather news from the Central Plains, which was far away, as well as information inside the Demonic Cult itself.
To do that...
He needed to bring her to his side.
"Since today is special, allow me to personally attend to you."
"Please have a drink."
Pour.
Suhyeok smelled it immediately.
A faint, seductive fragrance brushing against his nose.
The moment he drank, exactly as expected, a warning appeared.
[Warning! ‘Charm Drug (Unique)’ has entered your body.]
[Mythic ‘Ring of Mental Immunity’ expels the Charm Drug from your body.]
As expected.
They've probably been feeding this to Heuk Mujin every time he came here, keeping him addicted.
By then, everyone except Hyang-a had left the room.
Only the two of them remained.
"Young Master."
"Did something happen today?"
"I heard there was some trouble between you and the young heirs of the great families."
She smiled gently.
"I even heard you'll be sparring with them five days from now."
An obvious question.
She wanted direct confirmation from Suhyeok.
That was likely why she'd come personally.
"Yes."
"I'll answer."
Suhyeok stood.
"Since you gave me such delicious wine, I'll pay separately for the information."
Tap!
He placed a single gold coin on the table.
"Oh my."
"A gold coin?"
Hyang-a smiled.
"You've already given us so much. There's really no need to go this fa-"
She froze.
Her smile disappeared.
A cold silence filled the room.
