Chapter 48: An Unexpected Home Visit (4)

The Green Wall Tower.

Deep within the Hao Clan’s Muhan branch, hidden in a secret chamber, Yo-ran rose from her seat, exhaustion etched on her face. She had been poring over reports from all corners of the land.

“Phew, one crisis averted.”

As the tension eased, fatigue washed over her.

Though unknown to the world, the recent incident in Muhan City was no small matter. The discovery of traitors within the Murim Alliance had sparked a fierce intelligence war among those who dealt in secrets. Even now, countless informants were meeting their demise in the shadows.

“We were lucky.”

Fortunately, the Hao Clan had managed to stay out of the bloody conflict.

It was all thanks to the Shadow Sovereign’s gift.

“We’ve secured an alliance with the Murim Alliance, and the Iron Thread Alliance won’t be hostile towards us.”

It was the result of lengthy negotiations.

Now that the task that had consumed her for so long was complete, exhaustion overwhelmed her.

“I’m beat.”

“I’ll escort you to your chambers,” one of her Five Night Guardians said, appearing beside her.

Yo-ran stifled a yawn and stood up. It was time for some long-awaited sleep.

***

As she walked towards her room, fatigue weighed heavily on Yo-ran.

While she had gained a significant position within the Hao Clan due to her recent achievements, her quarters changed daily for security reasons.After navigating the labyrinthine corridors, she finally reached her room for the night, utterly drained.

“Martial arts experts from various sects will be flocking to the city for a while.Lay low and avoid drawing attention to yourself,” she instructed her guardian.

“As you command.”

The Five Night Guardian bowed and retreated. Yo-ran opened the door to her room.

Finally, she could forget about work and get some rest.But as she stepped inside, a cool breeze brushed against her cheek.

‘A breeze?’

That was impossible.

‘I closed the window before I left.’

Someone had infiltrated her room.

A sense of dread washed over her as she reached for the door handle. Then, she heard a voice.

“Well, hello there.”

It was a clear, melodious voice, tinged with a playful charm.

Yo-ran froze, then turned around.

There he was.

“You came?”

The intruder sat perched on the windowsill, a smile playing on his lips.

A jolt of recognition shot through her. The face that she had tried to erase from her memory resurfaced with startling clarity.

He was the one she had been waiting for, the one who both terrified and fascinated her.

“My lord!”

“The moonlight was lovely, so I decided to drop by. Am I interrupting?”

Yo-ran shook her head, mesmerized.

***

“You could have sent a message if you were coming,” she said, her voice slightly breathless.

“No need for formalities.”

He sat on the windowsill, taking a swig from a wine flask.

Yo-ran asked, “Are you here to buy information again?”

“I am looking to purchase something.”

He turned his head, his gaze piercing through the moonlight.His eyes, a mesmerizing blend of red, blue, and gold, held her captive.

“How much was that debt you owed me again?”

He was talking about money?

Yo-ran’s anticipation turned to annoyance.

“One thousand taels of gold,” she replied curtly.

“That’s quite a sum.”

“Thanks to your gift, I’ve made a considerable profit.You wouldn’t believe how much I got for the Green Blood Swordsman’s head. I contacted the Beggars’ Sect first, and…”

“No need to explain. I knew you’d handle it well.”

His voice was laced with amusement.

“My, you’ve made more than I expected. I brought extra, but it seems unnecessary now.”

He pulled a promissory note from his robe. Yo-ran’s face stiffened.

*Continental Bank Promissory Note: One Thousand Taels of Gold*

Was it a coincidence that the amount on the note matched her debt?

‘Impossible.’

He had predicted exactly how much she would earn.

‘He knew I’d be here.’

He wasn’t just powerful.

He was intelligent, cunning, and almost… otherworldly.A mixture of fear and excitement coursed through her.

‘My assessment was correct.’

Her voice softened.

“What kind of terrifying information could you possibly want to buy with such a large sum?”

“Why do you assume it’s terrifying?”

“Two thousand taels of gold can buy any secret in the world.”

“Is that so? Let’s hear what you have to offer.”

He sounded like he was playing a game.

Yo-ran decided to play along.

“Anything you desire. Would you like to know the color of the Murim Alliance Leader’s underwear?”

“I don’t care what color underwear an old man wears.”

“Hmm, how about the location of a legendary master’s tomb? Or perhaps information about the most beautiful women in the Murim?”

“No thanks. Children aren’t my type.”

She felt a strange sense of relief.

‘What was I thinking?’

She suppressed a smile and revealed her trump card.

“How about information about the current conflict between the Murim Alliance and the Iron Thread Alliance?”

The war between the righteous Murim Alliance and the demonic Iron Thread Alliance.

It was a topic that would pique the interest of anyone in the Murim world.

But he just shrugged.

“Let them fight. It’s how they grow.”

He didn’t seem interested at all.

‘This can’t be right. This is the most valuable information I have…’

She suspected he was hiding his true intentions, so she lowered her price.

“This information is worth at least three thousand taels of gold. But I’ll give it to you for one thousand, just for you.”

“Don’t undervalue your information. It sets a bad precedent.”

Was he going to buy it or not?And more importantly…

‘Who’s the buyer and who’s the seller here?’

He continued, “I’m looking for something even more valuable.”

Yo-ran’s face hardened.

‘Is there anything more valuable than this in my possession?’

No.

Absolutely not.

But she couldn’t back down. Her pride as the Muhan branch leader was at stake.

She felt an overwhelming urge to obtain that one thousand tael promissory note.

‘What does he want?’

‘Information about the Demonic Cult? Impossible. No one knows anything about what lies beyond the desert.’

‘Something about the Imperial Court? Now that I think about it, there are signs of a power struggle brewing within the palace…’

Then, it happened.

The one thousand tael promissory note landed in her hand.

“Do you have any wine that costs one thousand taels of gold?”

Wine? He wanted wine?

“We have Geomnamchun, a rare wine that’s supplied to the Imperial Court.”

“Sounds good.”

“…It costs thirty taels of gold per bottle.”

No wine, no matter how rare, could possibly cost one thousand taels of gold.

Thirty taels was already the most expensive wine in the Green Wall Tower.

It wouldn’t even be half that price if it didn’t have the Imperial seal.

‘Is he mocking me?’

He continued, “What’s the most expensive dish on the menu?”

“We have the Fortune Ten Dishes, made with rare ingredients from all over the land. It costs ten taels of gold.”

“Make it twenty. It’s the least I can do for the rush order.”

Fifty taels of gold.

It was an exorbitant amount for a single night’s earnings.

But Yo-ran was puzzled as she fingered the promissory note.

‘What does he want?’

He had said he wanted to buy something.

So she had offered him the most valuable information in her possession.

And now he wanted wine and food?

“My, I don’t seem to have any other use for this. The change will be quite heavy.”

He chuckled.

Yo-ran decided to play along.

“How about this?”

She pulled down her sleeve, revealing one shoulder, and gave him her most alluring smile.

“I’ll make up the difference.”

“No.”

He refused, his voice firm.

He was so serious that she felt a pang of guilt.

‘That’s harsh.’

It was just a harmless joke. She couldn’t believe he had rejected her so coldly.

Her heart ached.

But then, she understood.

She was a courtesan.

She wasn’t worth one thousand taels of gold, even as a joke.

“I’ll prepare the remaining payment.”

She stood up, her heart heavy with shame and disappointment.

She wanted to leave and collect herself.

But then, he spoke again, his voice laced with amusement.

“Your worth far more than mere change.”

“…What?”

“I’ll use one thousand taels to buy your laughter. Ill bring you the remaining fifty taels later.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

His voice was so gentle and kind.

“But you have to promise to greet me with a smile, whenever and wherever I may find you.”

His eyes, a mesmerizing blend of red and blue, met hers.

Her heart pounded.

She nodded, mesmerized by his gaze.

‘I can’t speak.’

Her legs felt weak, and she couldn’t move.

Who was this man?

What had he done to her?

Had she been bewitched by a demon?

Her thoughts dissolved into a haze of heat and desire.

“If… if my laughter is enough…”

“It’s more than enough. I’ve acquired a priceless treasure today.”

He had said he wanted to buy something.

‘And that something was my laughter?’

Her laughter, the laughter of a woman who lived in this lowly and filthy place?

It didn’t make any sense.

She was still in debt, and even though she had earned one thousand taels, she was technically in the red.

Because of what he had said.

*You have to promise to greet me with a smile, whenever and wherever I may find you.*

‘Whenever’ and ‘wherever.’

He was a dangerous man, a man who could easily bring ruin upon himself and those around him.

And yet, she had promised to greet him with a smile, no matter how dangerous the situation, no matter how reckless his actions.

This wasn’t a transaction.

‘It’s a one-sided shackle.’

It was a foolish promise, a promise that she, as the leader of the Hao Clan’s Muhan branch, should never have made.

Her mind screamed at her to break free.

But she…

She reached out, her hand trembling.

“I offer my smile to the Shadow Sovereign.”

“Shadow Sovereign? What are you…”

He smiled, his charm as potent as ever.

“Call me ‘Hwi.’ ‘Hwi’ is enough.”

His smile was beautiful.

***

As summer break approached, Dongcheon Hall was abuzz with excitement.

The younger students, who had just joined the academy, were especially eager to leave and visit their families.

“Are you going home?”

“Yes, I am. My family lives nearby.What about you? Isn’t your family far away?”

“My clan elders are attending a meeting in Muhan City, so I’ll be staying at their manor.”

The students packed their belongings, chattering excitedly about their travel plans and family reunions.

“Ugh, it’s so noisy.”

“A lot of students are leaving for the break.”

“Really?”

“Usually, most students stay at the academy because their families live too far away.”

Yeo Mae-hong explained that many clan elders had come to Muhan City for a Murim Alliance event.

“We never got breaks when I was a student. The world has changed.”

“Says the man who’s always sleeping on the job.”

“That was then, not now.”

“You’re not that much older than me…”

She pinched him in the ribs playfully.

“Ow!”

He winced, and she tilted her head.

“By the way, you’ve been leaving your room a lot at night lately, haven’t you?”

“M-me?”

Had she noticed?

‘No, that’s impossible.’

He had been careful to leave behind a ‘trace’ of his ‘presence’ whenever he went out.

‘Even the most perceptive person wouldn’t be able to distinguish a fabricated presence from a real one…’

She tapped her lower lip with her finger.

“You usually grind your teeth twice an hour and kick the wall five times every two hours when you sleep.”

“…”

“It’s been different lately, so I thought it was strange.”

She was frighteningly observant.

And more importantly…

‘How does she remember my sleeping habits?’

A woman’s intuition was terrifying.