Book 13 Chapter 16

Where is Eun Seol-ran?

Around 10 PM, near the entrance of Cheonmu Peak, Mount Hua, Huayin County, Shaanxi Province.

It was nothing short of a miracle to descend the treacherous Cheonmu Peak with only the moonlight of a crescent moon as a torch in such a short time.

Even if it were recorded, no one would believe it. Some people tripped over tree roots at their feet and rolled down spectacularly a few times. However, even though they were exhausted from breaking through the mountain of Cheonmu Peak in just an hour, they had no time to rest leisurely. After catching their breath, the rescue team immediately headed for the Fengmei Inn, where Eun Seol-ran was abducted. No, they intended to. But before that, there was a problem that needed to be resolved.

"Let me go!"

As Bi Ryuyeon ordered, Yeom Do put down Seok Ryuha, whom he had slung over his shoulder, and released her acupoints.

Seok Ryuha, who had never experienced such a disaster before, glared at them with cold eyes and said.

"Can you explain what happened?"

Her voice was chillingly cold. She had been treated like a mere burden. She must have never experienced such terrible treatment in her life. Her anger was understandable.

Bi Ryuyeon pondered for a moment. Usually, in such cases, there are two methods.

Blackmail or persuasion!

Blackmail is quick with fists, and persuasion is quick with words. Of course, there is sometimes persuasion that is quick with fists, but it was not a method applicable to the current situation.

There was not much to think about.

If the target were an ordinary man, he might have resorted to blackmail, but he couldn't use such a violent method on such a beauty. Although the effect would be excellent, of course. In fact, the conclusion was already decided before he even thought about it.

The needle on Bi Ryuyeon's mind clicked from blackmail to persuasion.

Now, only the methodological problem of 'how?' remained. Bi Ryuyeon raised his gaze and looked at Mo Yong-hwi.

'This might work!'

Bi Ryuyeon thought so.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Miss Seok!"

Mo Yong-hwi apologized politely. As expected, his words were effective due to his cultivated demeanor and standing.

Beautiful appearance, outstanding martial arts, excellent academic performance, vast knowledge, and prestigious family. He was a man of nearly perfect ten, whose very existence in this world felt like an unfair advantage. Therefore, his words carried weight and had the power to influence others.

That's why Bi Ryuyeon was using Mo Yong-hwi, considering his usefulness. It could be considered a way of creating an atmosphere.

"What I want to hear is not an apology, but a reason."

Seok Ryuha's cold gaze was fixed on the assembled group.

"That is because we need your help."

"Help?"

"Yes, we desperately need your help right now."

Indeed, indeed!

Bi Ryuyeon, who was listening, nodded.

Of course, they desperately needed her help to keep her mouth shut.

"It seems kidnapping people who need help is the trend these days."

Her tongue seemed sharper than her sword.

"I am truly ashamed of that incident. Please forgive me for dealing with it that way due to the unexpected situation."

"……"

She did not answer. Mo Yong-hwi continued to speak persistently.

"We hope Miss Seok will help us."

"Why should I help the people of Cheonmu Academy? Is there a reason for that? Especially those who put me in this predicament?"

Her words were quiet but carried a chilling aura. Of course, it was not unreasonable for her to be so cold. She had just been treated almost like she was being kidnapped.

"This is not a matter for our Cheonmu Academy, but a matter for Macheon Pavilion."

"What do you mean?"

"Meaning, the person who needs your help is not from Cheonmu Academy, but from Macheon Pavilion."

"What kind of nonsense is that! Are you mocking me?"

Seok Ryuha retorted loudly.

"But it is true. That person is currently imprisoned somewhere and is begging for help. We want to rescue them from the clutches of the wicked."

"Who, who is it?"

At Mo Yong-hwi's earnest demeanor, Seok Ryuha's voice softened considerably.

"It is Miss Sa Junghwa, Eun Seol-ran."

At those words, Seok Ryuha's eyes widened in shock.

"Sister Seol-ran was kidnapped? What on earth does that mean?"

Seok Ryuha's reaction was more intense than expected.

"Do you know her?"

Mo Yong-hwi asked back.

"Of course, I do. She is one of my closest friends. There's no way I wouldn't know her. We were even called the 'Black Path Flowers' together."

"I see."

Only then did Mo Yong-hwi nod as if he understood.

"But how is Sister Ran here?"

"We don't know the exact details. All we know is that someone who was escorting her risked their life to deliver the message that she was kidnapped, so we rushed to help."

Then, Mo Yong-hwi began to explain the whole story.

Late at night (around 11 PM), deep inside Fengmei Inn.

"What? Nothing?"

A dark shadow nodded.

"You?"

Another shadow, who was asked, shook his head left and right. It meant that no trace had been found.

"Anything suspicious about this inn?"

Bi Ryuyeon asked again.

"It's a place like a fixture here. I heard they have close ties with the Hua Mountain Sect."

Yun Junho spilled out the information he knew.

"What do we do now?"

Namgung Sang asked in a low voice.

Around 10 PM, in front of Fengmei Inn.

As expected, the security at Fengmei Inn was tight. More precisely, it was security for the goods being held by the Central Plains' escort agency staying at Fengmei Inn.

"What are those guys doing? Are they carrying gold bars? Why are they so vigilant?"

Yeom Do grumbled with an annoyed expression.

Escorts armed with weapons were arranged in pairs around the inn. Bonfires blazed everywhere, dispelling the darkness. However, there were surprisingly few bonfires where the escort trucks were.

"I don't know… but it's definitely suspicious."

Too much is as bad as not enough!

Sometimes, people need to be moderate. However, don't confuse "careless" with "moderate."

"There must be something fishy going on."

Even being too much was enough to attract attention.

"Well, we'll find out if we investigate. Let's infiltrate first."

Late at night (around 11 PM), deep inside Fengmei Inn.

There was no trace of Eun Seol-ran anywhere in Fengmei Inn.

Fortunately, there were no incidents of being discovered. However, no matter how thoroughly they searched every nook and cranny, her presence was not found.

The reason they were certain Eun Seol-ran was not there was that the guards' vigilance inside the inn was not that strict. Where there is a hostage, there is always a guard. However, there was no such place found upon inspection. The absence of guards meant that there was no one to guard.

Suspicion lingered, but suspicion was not proof. They were in an ambiguous dilemma. Even amidst this, the moon continued its journey across the celestial sphere.

"Are we mistaken?"

Jang Hong's face showed anxiety.

"Even if she was captured here, there's no rule that she has to be held here. Besides, as far as I know, inns are good for sleeping, but not good for holding abductees!"

As he said, Bi Ryuyeon did not hesitate to make a decision.

"There's a ninety percent chance she's not here! But just in case, we'll do a final check!"

His final check was a bit rough.

"Help me! Help me!"

The captured man cried out with a tearful face. The sound was so loud that people slightly frowned. Of course, Yeom Do had used his energy—he wanted to show off that he could use this skill, not just Ice Sword—to create a soundproof barrier, so there was no fear of sound leaking out, but it was a matter of feeling.

Bi Ryuyeon quickly covered the man's mouth and whispered in his ear.

"Be quiet. I might want to rip your mouth open!"

It was a very quiet and soft low voice. However, the content was not soft.

For a moment, the man's body trembled, and his wails stopped. After all, sincerity always reaches the other party.

"Good. You're a good boy."

Bi Ryuyeon nodded with a satisfied smile.

"Before I ask, I have something to tell you. Think of it as advice! I have a bit of a temper, and I can't stand seeing people lie. I hate lies very much. Do you understand why I'm giving you this advice in advance?"

Shivering from the cold of the dagger felt against his cheek, the man shook his head. He was sweating profusely. Yeom Do, holding the dagger, continued in a gentle tone.

"I like you very much. Therefore, I really don't want to cut short the future of a promising young man!"

*Swish!*

The cold dagger, imbued with killing intent, lightly grazed the man's cheek. Hot blood flowed down his cheek. The man felt like he was about to wet himself from fear.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The man desperately nodded.

"Alright! Stop playing around. We've already killed six people today. I'm tired of killing more. Let's just gouge out his eyes, destroy his eardrums, cut out his tongue, and sever the muscles in his limbs. He's pathetic!"

Bi Ryuyeon's casual words were scarier. Even those who knew it was a bluff felt goosebumps, so how much more terrifying must the man have felt? Seeing the man's face turn black, then pale, then white again, it seemed to have been very effective.

"I will ask. Do you know where the young lady who was captured here yesterday is confined?"

Yeom Do began to ask.

"I don't know! I really don't know."

"She was a beauty, so you should remember her easily, right?"

Yeom Do seemed to admit that.

"A captured young lady? And a beauty? I've never heard of such a thing."

The man cried out in a choked voice.

"Is that true?"

Namgung Sang asked Yeom Do. The man lying before them was an escort from the Central Plains' escort agency, who had been captured by them when he couldn't hold back his urge to go to the privy in his sleep. The man's eyes were covered with black cloth. Bi Ryuyeon knew that it was not good to show his face.

"How can you know what's in a person's heart!"

Even if the other party was lying, they had no way of knowing it in their current situation.

"Should we give him a little more persuasion since he might be lying?"

At Yeom Do's words, the man's face turned pale.

"That's a good idea. Let's start with gouging out his eyes first. It would be difficult if we pull out his tongue and he can't speak."

Bi Ryuyeon added with a smile.

'Is he really serious?' Bi Ryuyeon's acting was so realistic that one might think so.

"A good idea!"

The man's teeth, white as blank paper, chattered loudly.

"Is what this person is saying true?"

Bi Ryuyeon asked Na Ye-rin.

Dragon Eyes!

Na Ye-rin had them.

"Please, please spare me! I have two rabbit-like children and a fox-like wife. I will tell you everything I know. Please, have mercy!"

The man's voice was desperate, truly desperate.

Bi Ryuyeon and Na Ye-rin's gazes met. Then, she shook her head!

It meant that it was a lie, not the truth. There were not many things in this world that could deceive her divine Dragon Eyes.

Bi Ryuyeon was genuinely enraged. Yeom Do acted on his behalf. His rough hand grabbed the man by the collar.

"Ho? How dare you lie? Are you eager to die? Well, I don't intend to show mercy to someone digging their own grave, but tell me, where was the lie? Of course, it would be good to test how many eyes you have first!"

However, in reality, his words were true. He blabbered out all the facts he knew. It was undeniable that he had faithfully played the role of a traitor and informant. There was only one missing part.

"I, I swear! I want to live. Why would someone who wants to live lie like a madman? My salary does not include loyalty fees. So please believe me!"

The man cried out. For some unknown reason, his truth was rejected. He felt wronged. But Bi Ryuyeon resolutely shook his head.

"No! You just told a lie. Tell me, where was the part you lied about?"

"I, I swear! I only told the truth."

The man, covered in tears and snot, shouted.

"Liar!"

Bi Ryuyeon shouted decisively.

Only then did the man realize that this man was certain about his lie in some way. But what was the lie? He had told everything he knew without any reservation…

Could it be!

The man's expression turned as if he had been doused with icy water scooped from the depths of the Arctic ice. A chill ran through a corner of his heart.

'How did he know?'

There was exactly one lie among the words he had just blabbered. The man standing before him, exuding a thick killing intent that seemed to bind his entire body, would not tolerate lies.

The man finally gave up.

"Y-yes. Actually… *sob, sob, sob!*"

Tears welled up in the man's eyes.

"Actually, besides my fox-like wife, I have a hidden child with a courtesan named Chunwol. The reason I applied for this escort mission was… *sob, sob, sob!* It's all my fault."

He was quickly gagged to prevent him from crying out loud. He could feel the salty liquid reaching his hand.

Bi Ryuyeon looked back at Na Ye-rin once again.

Not only she, but everyone watching, wore an astonished expression at this sudden confession mixed with scandal.

Na Ye-rin nodded slightly. It meant it was the truth.

In other words, it was information that, even if known, was of no help, and only useful when some wicked people extorted others.

"We wasted time,"

Bi Ryuyeon said casually, and everyone nodded in agreement.

The trivial confession time was over.

The man shed tears of repentance like a waterfall, but they, who had only wasted time on useless things, were very busy.

"What do we do now?"

Mo Yong-hwi asked in a hurried voice.

He had been restless for a while now. The abduction of Eun Seol-ran was achieving the feat of unsettling Mo Yong-hwi, the man of unwavering composure, the Sword of Seven Virtues, who was always calm and never bothered.

Mo Yong-hwi thought of her tears flowing, enveloped in the shimmering curtain of moonlight.

'I don't want to see that again!'

Thinking that she might be trembling in fear from unseen threats somewhere, his heart felt like it was tearing apart. He repeatedly told himself to calm down, but it was barely effective.

"Are you smitten?"

At Bi Ryuyeon's light remark, Mo Yong-hwi jumped.

"W-what are you talking about? Smitten? I never thought of that… I'm just worried as someone connected by fate… So… what I want to say is…"

As if he couldn't control his emotions, Mo Yong-hwi's face turned red.

'Still, he had some cute aspects!'

This upright, perfectionist wasn't made of cold iron and ice alone.

Bi Ryuyeon chuckled and said.

"Talking like that with a face like a ripe apple isn't very convincing!"

In any case, it was time to devise the next plan.

Bi Ryuyeon looked at No Hak. He would need this beggar from now on.