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Chapter 190
"Just one more question."
"Excuse me! Miss! Brother shouldn't be speaking so much in his condition! Please stop…"
"You said Cheon? What’s your relationship with him?"
At the sudden question, a look of confusion crossed Cheon Ryeong’s face.
"He’s my younger brother. A kind one."
"Then why did you make him like that?"
Cheon Ryeong fell silent at the follow-up question.
"Please, that’s enough. This is crossing the line."
"Did you two do that to him?"
"Of course not!! After hearing there was a way to cure Cheon’s incurable illness, we sent him to the elders. That’s when it all started!"
"Hmm…"
Luna nodded as if she understood.
"Is that why you’re here? For that child?"
"I cannot answer."
"That’s enough then."
Luna stood up and turned away, showing no regret.
"It's best to let the dead rest."
"Cheon is not dead."
"Your sibling in the back doesn’t seem to think so. Then maybe that’s the truth. I’m just repaying a debt, so don’t worry about it."
A debt?
With those words, Luna left them without a second glance.
Shortly after she left—
Hwa Ryeong, who had been maintaining a protective formation behind them, asked,
"Brother, do you still trust the clan?"
"What choice do I have?"
"I told you before. I can’t sense the presence of life from Cheon."
"That’s just your intuition! Do you want to believe your brother is dead?! I saw him—Cheon came to his senses briefly and called me brother!"
"Do you think it brings me peace?! What hurts more is seeing you bound to Cheon, doing things you shouldn’t! I’m sick of this reality!!"
"Cheon is alive! If there’s a way to bring him back, I’ll do anything. Do you understand?!"
"You’re foolish, Brother! The elders are using Cheon as a weapon! You as a hunting dog… Wait, why are you okay?"
As they argued, both of them noticed something strange.
Cheon Ryeong had been poisoned by an extremely deadly toxin.
This poison was so vicious that once it entered your system, it took an enormous effort to neutralize it—if it didn’t kill you in agony first.
But at some point, that poison had completely vanished.
Hwa Ryeong hurriedly unwrapped the bandage on Cheon Ryeong’s severed arm.
"My goodness…"
The symptoms, which should’ve included grotesque purple veins, had all disappeared.
It was proof the poison had been completely neutralized.
And that wasn’t the most shocking part.
"Ugh?!"
"Brother?!"
From his severed arm, a white light began to shimmer—and then a miraculous phenomenon occurred.
The arm that had been severed and shredded by Ma Cheon began to regenerate in the light, returning to its original form.
"…"
Cheon Ryeong stared blankly at his now-intact arm, slowly moving it.
"My… my arm…"
From the forearm to the wrist and fingers—everything was perfectly restored, as if it had never been injured.
"Incredible. It's a fully healed arm… this is…"
"What in the world is that girl?"
The only person who could answer that question had already left.
Just then, members of the family approached the two of them.
"Young Master Cheon Ryeong. Lady Hwa Ryeong."
"What is it?"
Cheon Ryeong asked, suppressing the complex emotions bubbling inside.
"We’re here to relay the elder’s orders."
Though their tone was polite, their demeanor was cold—far from how one should treat direct descendants of the family.
"When the dungeon opens at Bata, Sir Bachen of Coral and others will follow behind to trigger the penalty effect."
"What? What are you talking about… You plan to raid the rift?"
"Of course not. They just need to hold their ground at the entrance. The monsters in the rift will take care of the rest. You two are to massacre the Bata camp with the elders, then join them afterward."
Even a Sword Master would struggle in a rift once the penalty is triggered.
At those words, both Cheon Ryeong and Hwa Ryeong’s expressions hardened.
"You're telling me to threaten and kill untrained people?"
"It is the will of the elder council. You want to save your younger brother, don’t you?"
"Since when has the Sichuan clan become so shameless as to carry out such filthy schemes?! Aren’t we supposed to be a symbol of harmony and peace?! Have you no shame?!"
"Thinking of backing out now? Then do as you wish. But if so, we may have to reconsider awakening Young Master Ma Cheon’s ego, as previously agreed by the council."
At that, Cheon Ryeong clenched his fists so tightly they trembled.
Hwa Ryeong couldn’t hide her fury.
"Filthy bastards. After turning our brother into that… how dare you speak so arrogantly!"
"Young Master. Lady."
They chuckled mockingly.
"Do you still think the Sichuan clan belongs to you? You should’ve known your place while you were still treated as heirs of the former clan leader. Don’t worry about power—we’re sending additional reinforcements as we speak."
The Sichuan clan, once their home, had long since become a demonic lair after the death of the previous clan leader.
* * *
There was no doubt now—they were scheming something.
I even used undead to spy on their plans.
That’s why, while Coral and the Eastern forces looked like they were preparing to retreat, it was obvious they were just putting on a show.
Still, I didn’t react.
It was just my personal choice.
If you’re going to go wild, it’s best to leave yourself one insurance policy.
That’s something I’ve recently come to learn.
"I was worried you might go on a rampage like in the Tyvel incident."
"Back then it didn’t matter."
More precisely, it was because I couldn’t stand the situation where Melissa was being threatened.
I didn’t care about the consequences.
“Arsha, if you keep eating only ice cream this late, your teeth will go bad.”
“Uunngh…”
As Arsha rubbed her sleepy eyes, Melissa held her in her arms and gently patted her back.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“We’ll proceed with the exploration as planned.”
“What if they trigger the penalty?”
“I’ll stop it before it becomes a problem.”
“Ah. Then that’s fine.”
Even if something goes wrong, she can just jump in herself.
Melissa shrugged her shoulders as if nothing mattered anymore.
A dangerous rift, even for a Sword Master?
Unfortunately for them, that didn’t apply to her.
“But those who remain here might also be in danger, so Luna, stay by Arsha’s side.”
“So I’m supposed to stop anyone who attacks from this side?”
“Yes. It’s not like they could actually harm Arsha anyway… but I still don’t want her to be shaken up.”
Luna alone was more than enough for defense.
The others thought they were moving in secret, preparing quietly—but the real problem was that Melissa’s group already had all the information.
Just then, a maid entered the tent.
“Young master.”
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“What is it?”
“There’s a guest here to see you both… at this hour.”
Even before she finished speaking, a girl dressed in flowing Eastern-style clothes stepped in quietly.
She was about 160 centimeters tall, with a refined, innocent look—an Eastern beauty.
Her long black hair was neatly braided, giving off the impression that she came from a noble family.
She was the same girl who had suddenly appeared during training, boldly proclaiming she wanted to gauge my strength, and had set up a formation.
“I formally introduce myself. I am Hwa Ryeong, daughter of the Sichuan Clan.”
“Why are you here?”
Melissa’s voice turned sharp, as if she might cut the girl down at any moment, full of rising hostility.
And rightly so—this whole conversation was happening because of them.
Hwa Ryeong remained silent for a moment, then slowly raised her head.
“I have something urgent to report to the young master.”
“We don’t have anything to say to your people—”
“Melissa.”
The one who stopped her wasn’t anyone else—it was Luna.
With a calm gaze, she spoke quietly.
“Why not hear her out?”
“You trust them?”
“I don’t trust the Sichuan Clan. But those siblings… are a bit different.”
Luna saw the world differently than the rest of them.
It was surprising that she’d take the girl’s side, but Melissa knew and trusted Luna’s perspective deeply.
“If you say so… I guess it’s worth listening.”
“So, what is it?”
The one she had come to see was clearly me.
I asked instead of Melissa.
Now that I thought about it, her behavior hadn’t quite made sense.
She said she was looking for me, that she needed to confirm something…
“A short while ago, my brother and I received a command from our clan. Once the rift exploration begins in Bata, an attack will take place.”
This girl…
She was about to reveal the plans of Coral and the Sichuan Clan to us.
* * *
She glanced around subtly, then snapped open a fan from her sleeve with a fwip.
At once, a formation spread out around us.
Not knowing what it was, Melissa instinctively drew her sword.
“Relax. It’s a medium-isolating spell.”
“Medium-isolating?”
“A sound-blocking barrier.”
“Oh.”
Melissa put her sword away.
Arsha, who had been dozing off, was startled by the sudden commotion and opened her eyes wide.
“Uh… um. Arsha, were you scared? Sorry.”
“I-it’s okay.”
Melissa held and patted Arsha again while I continued speaking.
“Please, go on.”
“Currently, the Sichuan Clan and Coral plan to artificially trigger a penalty during tomorrow’s rift exploration.”
She then told us all about Coral and Sichuan’s plans.
It wasn’t a bluff.
It matched exactly what we had confirmed ourselves.
“I’m not trying to bargain with this information. I just wanted to build some trust between us.”
“Not long ago, you charged at me as if we were about to duel.”
“I had to verify the rumors. I only had one chance, so I had no choice but to be rude.”
But for what reason?
Then she knelt before me and bowed her head.
“Hey, what are you—”
“Please… I beg you. Help my brother and me escape from the grasp of the Sichuan Clan.”
Asking for asylum?
If they just wanted to leave, why not simply do it—why ask for help?
There must be something preventing them from fleeing.
Some mechanism to stop any defection…
* * *
The Sichuan Clan, one of the great Eastern clans.
Once a respected and noble clan upholding peace and harmony.
But now, it seemed the entire clan had turned into a den of madness.
“My father originally prioritized peace and harmony above all. But after he passed away in an accident, the Elders took control and completely changed the clan.”
They had seized power while Hwa Ryeong and her brother Cheon Ryeong were away on a commission under oath.
And when they had full control, they revealed their claws.
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