Chapter 134 < It Must Have Been Unfair >
"Haah, haah, haah!"
Yeon Harin collapsed onto the ground, gasping heavily for breath. Her dantian remained stiff and hardened like a stone.
If only she could utilize her internal energy, she might have been able to recover her exhausted body, but that wasn’t an option at the moment.
Slowly, she steadied her breathing and looked around.
The scene she had created last night was laid out before her.
The ground was littered with corpses, many of them missing limbs. Blood dripped steadily from the lifeless bodies, pooling into dark red puddles below.
A quick glance revealed that there were far more than a hundred bodies.
All of them had rushed at her like demons.
It was truly astonishing—and eerie—that every single one of them, down to the last, had charged at her with bloodshot eyes, gritting their teeth.
Yeon Harin turned her head to the side.
Byeok Taesan was sitting casually on a large, flat rock, his posture leisurely and relaxed.
Throughout the battle, Byeok Taesan hadn’t even come close to her.
She had been forced to face all those enemies entirely on her own.
But Yeon Harin knew that wasn’t the whole story.
Although she had fought well, it wasn’t as if she had never been in danger.
No, in truth, it had been a continuous stream of crises.
Of course, it made sense. She had been fighting against those maniacs with no internal energy whatsoever.
At first, it hadn’t been too difficult. But once those enemies consumed the Soul Augmenting Pills, each of them transformed into a formidable foe.
These were individuals who already excelled in the art of killing and dismembering others with horrifying precision.
Now, they were granted overwhelming strength on top of that. It was no wonder they were difficult opponents.
Yeon Harin, however, had not wasted her years of training and managed to overcome most of the crises through sheer effort.
But when an unavoidable danger finally arose, she had been utterly flustered.
And at that critical moment, the enemy ranks had suddenly fallen into disarray.
One of the enemies had been flung from somewhere, disrupting their formation.
There was no need to confirm who had done it.
That sort of interference had occurred at least five times during the fight.
Yeon Harin suspected that similar instances had happened even when she hadn’t noticed.
Her gaze fixated on Byeok Taesan, unwavering.
At his feet were three individuals, still alive and writhing.
These weren’t among the ones she had fought.
Byeok Taesan had captured them separately while she had been fighting.
All three were skilled in martial arts.
Covered in blood from head to toe, Yeon Harin looked as though she had bathed in it, a bit of an exaggeration, perhaps, but not far from the truth.
Slowly, she approached Byeok Taesan.
In stark contrast to her appearance, Byeok Taesan didn’t have a single drop of blood on him.
Her lips pursed slightly in annoyance.
Then, Byeok Taesan’s voice broke into her thoughts.
"Opportunities to experience real combat without internal energy are rare."
Her lips, already pursed, pouted even further. Did he really have to say that in this situation?
"You did well."
Yeon Harin’s eyes widened in surprise. Her lips, which had been sticking out, quickly returned to their normal position.
"You’ve worked hard all this time."
Before she realized it, Byeok Taesan had stood up and was now standing in front of her.
Yeon Harin looked up at him, swallowing dryly.
With a gentle smile, Byeok Taesan reached out and patted her head.
Her face turned bright red.
'My hair must be covered in blood...'
The thought made her chuckle, a bit incredulous at herself.
With her large eyes, Yeon Harin stared straight at Byeok Taesan. For some reason, she felt emboldened.
Her face was streaked with blood, but such a thing could hardly diminish her beauty.
"Did I really do well?"
Byeok Taesan nodded.
"You did well."
Yeon Harin boldly demanded, "Then give me a reward."
Byeok Taesan looked at her with a puzzled expression.
Taking a step closer, Yeon Harin repeated, "Give me a reward."
Her words and expression made Byeok Taesan chuckle softly.
"Fine. What do you want?"
Looking at him with a daring gaze, Yeon Harin replied, "Spend the night with me today."
Byeok Taesan’s expression became peculiar.
"That sounds like it’s more beneficial for me than for you."
Her face flushed so red it seemed as though it might explode. Stammering and unable to respond, she stood there awkwardly until Byeok Taesan nodded.
"Well, that’s not difficult. I’m a bit curious myself."
He was intrigued to see what kind of impurities had accumulated in Yeon Harin’s spirit over time.
Although it hadn’t been long since the last time, Byeok Taesan had gone through an intense period, so there must have been some changes.
“This should be interesting.”
Byeok Taesan said this as he picked up the squirming figures on the ground and began to walk.
Yeon Harin followed behind with a flushed face, keeping her head low. She repeatedly muttered to herself how insane she was.
The White Flower House fell into complete chaos with Byeok Taesan’s sudden appearance. Adding to the commotion was Yeon Harin, who came covered in blood.
However, the courtesans of the White Flower House, especially those affiliated with the Hao Clan, were adept at handling sudden situations.
They quickly restored order.
First, Yeon Harin was taken aside to clean up and change her clothes.
Meanwhile, the three individuals brought by Byeok Taesan were handed over to the Hao Clan members, who made sure to bind them tightly.
Lastly, Byeok Taesan was escorted to the office of the Owner of the White Flower House.
Byeok Taesan sat in his seat, looking down at the Owner of the White Flower House.
The owner, striving to grasp the situation, waited for Byeok Taesan to speak.
“I went to the place where the Black Axe was today.”
“Ah…”
The owner gasped softly and looked at Byeok Taesan.
He continued speaking calmly.
“Send people to clean up the place. Many are dead. They were all in on it.”
“Yes, understood.”
The owner quickly left to give orders.
Soon, a group of people exited the White Flower House, accompanied by several Hao Clan members. They would clear out the bodies from the Black Axe’s location and recover anything of value.
They would also begin a thorough investigation of the surrounding area, starting from that location.
After completing her instructions, the owner returned to the office.
With a mixture of tension, anticipation, and reverence, she looked at Byeok Taesan.
“Were those you mentioned residents of that street?”
Byeok Taesan nodded.
“Trace their movements. You’ll likely uncover something. They’re filthy scum.”
“Then, the ones you brought back today…”
“They were observing the fight from a distance. I don’t know if they’re connected, so I captured them just in case.”
“Understood. I’ll ensure they’re thoroughly interrogated.”
Byeok Taesan shared his observations about the captives from earlier.
They were undoubtedly members of the Nameless Sect. However, they felt different from the Nameless Sect members he had encountered before.
Both their demeanor and the information they possessed were unusual.
The owner tilted her head in confusion when he mentioned they seemed unaware of him.
“They didn’t recognize the Young Master? Could they be from an entirely different organization?”
“They used the Blood Pills.”
“Ah…”
If that was the case, the likelihood they were from the Nameless Sect was very high. However, the owner kept the possibility of an alternative in mind.
“I’ll conduct a more thorough investigation focusing on that lead.”
Her eyes gleamed with determination. For Byeok Taesan to uncover so much and leave them empty-handed would be a blow to her pride.
She resolved to dig into their backgrounds, no matter the cost.
Watching her resolve, Byeok Taesan stood from his seat.
Having completed his tasks, he intended to return home. He had plans to spend the evening with Yeon Harin and wanted to honor that commitment.
“You must be tired. Why not rest here for the night?”
“No, I have other things to do. Just bring Harin to me.”
At his words, the owner’s eyes sparkled strangely, as though she understood some hidden meaning behind them.
“Ah… I see. I’ll handle it personally. Please wait just a moment.”
She hurried out of the room.
Byeok Taesan frowned as he watched her scurry away.
“What’s she up to now?”
Yeon Harin widened her eyes as she stared at the mirror before her.
Today, she had done something she had never tried before.
Behind her stood the Owner of the White Flower House, who was styling Yeon Harin’s hair with a mysterious smile.
“How is it? My skills are decent, aren’t they?”
Yeon Harin blankly nodded. The reflection in the mirror showed someone entirely different.
She had always been so engrossed in her training that she never paid attention to her appearance.
To be fair, even without effort, she was far more beautiful than most women who meticulously groomed themselves.
But now, after being made up like this, even she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
It was undoubtedly the owner’s expertise at work. If Yeon Harin had tried to do it herself, it would never have turned out this well.
“Thank you.”
Yeon Harin offered her heartfelt gratitude. The owner responded with a bright smile.
“No need to thank me. Judging by the Young Master’s demeanor today, he seems quite eager. Just don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.”
“Huh? M-mistakes?”
The Owner of White Flower House smiled faintly as she looked at Yeon Harin's wavering eyes through the mirror.
"You said last time you just slept there and came back."
"H-How do you know that?"
Yeon Harin gasped in shock before quickly clamping her mouth shut.
The Owner of White Flower House gently tidied Yeon Harin’s hair as she replied, "I’m the Hao Clan Leader. Do you think there’s anything I wouldn’t know?"
Yeon Harin looked at the Owner of White Flower House with eyes filled with a mix of embarrassment and panic. Of course, it was through the mirror.
"Don’t worry. Not many people know."
"Not many? So, someone else knows, too?"
"Why are you so embarrassed? It’s nothing much. Well… the Young Master’s attendants all know, of course… I’m not sure about Lord Cheon. Even if he’s close, I doubt he would’ve said anything. If he did, though, the Heavenly Divine Healer and the Odd-Jobs Worker would have heard about it by now, don’t you think?"
As the Owner of White Flower House continued speaking, Yeon Harin’s face grew paler and paler.
Seeing her reaction, the Owner of White Flower House chuckled softly. The more she looked at Yeon Harin, the more she found her to be beautiful and lovable.
"Don’t worry too much. They’re not thoughtless people. Just be cautious of Yoo Seoyeon’s mouth."
Yeon Harin clenched her fists tightly. Her hands trembled from the intensity of her grip.
"Anyway, I’ll be cheering for you from here, so have a lovely evening."
With that, the Owner of White Flower House quietly stepped away.
Yeon Harin let out a deep sigh and stared into the mirror. Seeing her own reflection made all her unnecessary worries vanish.
"Alright. Tonight, for sure!"
She stood up slowly, took a deep breath, and went to find Byeok Taesan.
Seeing the slight surprise flash across Byeok Taesan’s face, she smiled with utmost satisfaction.
The two returned to Golden Wall Manor together.
Yeon Harin blinked. She was lying on a bed. She had just woken up.
Slowly, she sat up and cradled her head with her hands, shaking it.
"I fell asleep again!"
It seemed she had been too exhausted. She had dozed off once more.
Trying to recall her memories, she was certain they had entered the room together. She had gotten into bed first, pulling the blanket over herself.
Peeking out from under the covers, her heart pounding, she had looked at Byeok Taesan.
Byeok Taesan approached the bed and patted her head.
She had enjoyed it so much that she had closed her eyes, and that was it. She remembered nothing after that.
"Haaaah."
Letting out a long sigh, Yeon Harin looked around. The moment she turned her head, her body and mind froze completely.
Byeok Taesan was standing there, silently watching her.
"It seems you feel wronged."
At his words, Yeon Harin’s face turned a shade of red so vivid it seemed it might explode.
She should have checked her surroundings first, but disappointment and frustration had made her speak and act without thinking.
'Ugh, noooo!'
She couldn’t even muster a word.
"If you feel that unfairly treated, come find me again tonight."
Leaving those words behind, Byeok Taesan turned and left.
Yeon Harin stared blankly at him with eyes as wide as saucers.
Thud.
The door closed.
Yeon Harin buried her face in the blanket, rubbing it furiously.
Her mind was a whirlwind of embarrassment and anticipation. Despite that, she couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from curling upward in delight.
She suddenly raised her head, clenched her fist, and resolved herself.
Tonight, she will go again. This time, she was determined to put in more effort than before.
Her eyes blazed with fiery determination.