episode_0030

“So this was it.”

Banging his tongue at the state of the secret room that hadn’t been properly cleaned up, Bang So-woon couldn’t hide his disappointment.

The traces of Jang-il were still there.

The traces of the women were the same.

If one wasn’t a fool, they could immediately realize that an investigation into the big man had been conducted by looking at these traces.

“…I’m sorry.”

Jang-il bowed his head deeply, as if he had no face left.

It was a sight rarely seen.

But this time, there was nothing to say.

It was all due to his excessive confidence and carelessness that led to this crisis.

He couldn’t lift his head.

“I never thought someone would find out about the secret room….”

Jang-il made excuses.

He understood.

With his excessive arrogance up to now, in Jang-il’s eyes, the existence of women had fallen to a level lower than animals.

He couldn’t even imagine that the secret room would be exposed to such a lowly existence.

Treating these bold human women as lower than animals was outrageous.

But it was his own fault for letting this happen.

“I shouldn’t have been so careless….”

Bang So-woon’s words were interrupted.

The conspiracies that were rolling around caught his eye.

“Oh, really. Clean up that mess and get a move on.”

Bang So-woon furrowed his brow and gave Jang-il an incredulous look.

“Well, they keep falling off every time I hypnotize them….”

“Sigh… never mind. What more is there to say.”

Bang So-woon shook his head wearily.

But now that this incident had happened, even if it was Jang-il, he wouldn’t dare to do the same thing again.

If that was the harvest, then it was the harvest.

Bang So-woon went to the stairs and sat down on the steps.

It was the best place to be in good condition.

“Let’s assess the situation for now.”

“Yes, Master.”

Jang-il raised his head.

“You’ve hypnotized a total of three assistants so far, right?”

“Yes.”

“Is it all finished perfectly?”

It wasn’t in perfect condition here.

Jang-il hadn’t shown any enthusiasm because there wasn’t a single finished product.

There was no need to force it if there was no enthusiasm.

A true artisan only ignites the artistic spirit when they find good materials.

How could Jang-il, who made art out of humans, do that?

Moreover.

‘That would be better.’

With a goal of twenty people, it was definitely better to put them in a more hypnotized state for faster assistance.

“No, not exactly, but it’s almost done.”

Jang-il’s answer.

If he answered like that, it was safe to assume that the three had already fallen into this side’s hands.

“Is there a rat among those women?”

“Definitely not. I checked them in a hypnotized state because you kept talking about rats.”

But Bang So-woon seemed to pay some attention to Jang-il’s words.

It wouldn’t last long, but that was the problem.

“That’s true.”

Bang So-woon muttered with a thoughtful look.

Now they were down to sixteen.

The problem was that the results of the investigation were all clean.

So it was best to give up on looking in that direction.

Finding a rat among the women would require a different approach.

‘Fishing might be better?’

If they were hiding, it was better to lure them out rather than forcibly searching for them.

The bait had to be convincing, though….

‘Could the answer lie in the traces?’

Bang So-woon’s gaze turned to the traces in the room.

Jang-il’s traces were already being investigated by the outsider.

But the traces of the other women couldn’t be investigated by that guy.

Because it was a forbidden area.

That meant.

‘I have to take action.’

The rat hiding among the women would have to move again.

The owners of the traces would try to find out who it was.

Fortunately, the owners of those traces had already fallen into this side’s hands.

‘Good.’

Finally, a plan was formed, and a satisfied smile appeared on Bang So-woon’s face.

“Jang-il.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Listen carefully. I’m going to tell you my plan to catch that bastard.”

***

‘…It’s certain.’

After glancing at Ju Okyoung’s foot, Lee Yeon thought to himself.

The footprint of the tall woman he saw in the secret room.

It closely resembled the one in his memory.

In the end, the owner of that footprint was Ju Okyoung.

‘In that case…’

The suspicion he felt at that time was not just a mistake.

She was in the secret room until she encountered herself and Im Somin.

Crawling around in the secret room and doing that…

‘Ugh.’

Lee Yeon barely managed to calm his reddening face as he imagined.

He is currently on a guard mission.

He must not show any signs.

Lee Yeon maintained his composure outwardly.

But he continued to think in his head.

‘It doesn’t make sense.’

Ju Okyoung had been employed at the Golden Dragon Battlefield for less than a month at the time of the incident.

Could she have developed a relationship with someone during that time?

He didn’t know much about relationships between men and women, but in a place where men and women were clearly separated, it was unlikely.

If it wasn’t a relationship, then what was it?

It must have been forced.

But Ju Okyoung is a top-notch martial artist.

Could anyone force such a woman?

Even a stronger martial artist would find it impossible.

If any resistance or disturbance occurred, chaos would ensue.

It might be possible at the peak, but as far as he knew, there was only one top-notch martial artist in the Golden Dragon Battlefield, Dan Shimhyeopnyeo Yeonsurin.

So.

Impossible.

He would have concluded that way if it were him.

But Eun Hwayoung provided an answer in her letter.

‘Drugs.’

If someone were to drug her, even a top-notch martial artist could easily be forced to commit a crime.

Because reason would fly out the window.

That’s how the picture was painted.

That despicable man would have drugged Ju Okyoung by any means necessary.

And then he would have secretly taken the helpless Ju Okyoung to the secret room.

He would have committed the crime there.

That wouldn’t be the end of it.

He would have used that fact to blackmail Ju Okyoung.

For Ju Okyoung, who is still unmarried, it would be more terrifying for the fact that she was blackmailed to be known to the world.

That’s how the blackmail relationship would have started.

‘Sigh.’

Lee Yeon sighed with regret in his heart.

But regret is regret, and work is work.

His job was to convey this fact to Eun Hwayoung.

It might not be of much help right now.

But eventually, these dark aspects of the Golden Dragon Battlefield would be exposed to the world and face consequences.

He believed that.

“Today’s work is finished well. Let’s go back now.”

Hwang Boseol, who had suddenly stood up from his seat, said with a smile on his face.

***

Hwang Boseol, who had entered the inner courtyard, went back to his room, leaving only two people behind.

The two headed towards their respective dwellings.

Step by step.

Only the sound of footsteps could be heard.

An awkward atmosphere.

It was inevitable that the atmosphere would be like that, as Ju Okyoung was naturally quiet and Lee Yeon was not very talkative.

Moreover, Lee Yeon was being cautious.

Although he wanted to subtly gather more information through conversation, the other party was being blackmailed.

If by any chance he were to realize that he had caught on, it could become a dangerous situation.

That’s why Lee Yeon kept silent.

“Sigh.”

Unexpectedly, Ju Okyoung stopped in her tracks and let out a short sigh.

Then she suddenly asked, “You were secretly looking at my foot earlier. Was there a reason?”

Thump.

Lee Yeon’s heart began to beat rapidly.

But even in such a situation, he maintained his composure outwardly.

The nickname of the Silent Sword, a calm and quiet sword, was proving itself not to be just for show.

“I accidentally glanced at it. If it bothered you, I apologize.”

“If you say it was an accident, then it was. I’ll believe you.”

“…”

Ju Okyoung resumed walking.

Lee Yeon followed her again.

At the moment when an awkward atmosphere was starting to flow again.

Ju Ok-young opened her mouth again.

“Come to think of it, we met around this time last time.”

“Are you talking about a month ago?”

“Yes.”

“It does seem like a similar time frame.”

Why did that story suddenly come up…

When Yi Yeon was puzzled in her mind.

“I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, Ju Ok-young apologized.

Yi Yeon was almost shaken by the sudden apology out of the blue.

“…I’m not sure what you’re suddenly apologizing for.”

“I lied back then.”

“What?”

In the end, Yi Yeon was taken aback.

But considering the situation, she thought to herself that it wasn’t surprising.

“….”

Yi Yeon naturally waited for the next words, but Ju Ok-young remained silent.

Time passed like that.

Finally, when Yi Yeon couldn’t bear the frustration any longer and was about to speak up.

Finally, Ju Ok-young spoke.

“I have somewhere to go. I have things to do.”

“Things to do?”

Yi Yeon recalled the secret room and what happened there.

“Yes.”

After a brief reply, Ju Ok-young turned around.

“Soldier, I hope you find happiness.”

A look and tone as if she had let go of everything.

Yi Yeon felt unease in that appearance.

It felt foreign to be forced into the secret room due to threats.

And that feeling…

“Wait! What do you mean by that…”

Thwack!

Before Yi Yeon could finish her sentence, Ju Ok-young disappeared, throwing a shuriken.

The direction she went was obvious.

“Ah… this is driving me crazy.”

Yi Yeon fell into deep contemplation with a complicated expression on her face.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen such a lifeless expression.

That was why she knew.

That was a look of giving up on life.

Which meant…

‘…Killing the enemy and dying yourself.’

Yi Yeon was certain about what would happen next.

That’s why she was contemplating like this.

“….Let’s go for now.”

In the end, Yi Yeon made up her mind like that.

She knew it could be dangerous.

She knew she was entrusted with something very important.

That’s why, even after realizing she was being tested, she tried to ignore and suppress her fear.

But life is different.

She couldn’t just leave a pitiful woman to die in front of her.

She was that kind of person.

‘Please, let nothing happen.’

Yi Yeon moved the shuriken with a determined face.

***

-Use any means necessary to lure the woman looking at the feet here?

-Yes, give all three of them that hint.

-Oh… I see. The woman looking at the feet went there to check the tracks?

-Even you know that much.

-No, I’m not that stupid…

-Well, that’s a relief.

-Is that so?

-Enough. Hurry up and do as I say.

-Understood. But this is not a finished product, there may be some issues…

-What issues?

-Acting and thinking according to the subconscious hints may lack naturalness.

-That’s an unavoidable part. Just leave it to fate.

Fate was flowing towards them.