55 - I Spent the Night with the Youngest Daughter of the Martial Arts Leader

**Chapter 55: A Night Spent with the Wulin Alliance Leader's Youngest Daughter** Namgoong Hyeok strolled through the estate aimlessly. His mind was unsettled after hearing the abrupt news. During a mission to capture a hostile assassin, Lee Se Woong unexpectedly achieved a remarkable feat. This was the reason Namgoong Hyeok found himself deep in thought. 'Mysterious Sect….' The calamity caused by the previous Heavenly Demon. To prevent the Demonic Sect's attempt at unifying the world, many lives were lost. The Qingsong Clan was left on the brink of annihilation but managed to barely survive. An agreement with the former Heavenly Demon was made to prevent such events, leading to an effective ceasefire. The Demonic Sect vanished for years. Was it due to the severe damage they suffered from their reckless campaign? For decades, they hadn't shown themselves, and people's vigilance towards the Demonic Sect had greatly diminished. Demonic Sect? There was such a group, wasn't there? At this point, many thought they self-destructed due to their secrecy. That was the prevailing thought among most martial artists. Or, they simply didn't care at all. Yet, the Demonic Sect remained intact. 'It's been a long time since they've shown themselves.' Eliminating and excluding Demonic Sect members. This had long been the task of the Wulin Alliance Leader. Although one might have felt safe due to the long hiatus, Namgoong Hyeok had never let his guard down against the Demonic Sect. Just look at how he handled Mo Yong Cheon's advances on Yeon Hee. He couldn't immediately disregard Jegal Sang's plea to prevent a split within the righteous sects. This shows how much he cared about the Demonic Sect. 'It's important to find out whether it was a spontaneous act by a few or if the entire Demonic Sect is making a serious move.' It's likely the former. This operation was too sloppy to have been planned thoroughly. Moreover, it was unnecessarily loud. Using a curse to slaughter bandits because of a grudge? If the Demonic Sect truly intended to rampage, they would have acted secretly. And the scale was rather insignificant. Nevertheless, he ordered a thorough investigation for any unlikely possibilities. With the full intelligence capabilities of the Wulin Alliance and Open Faction utilized, results should come soon. 'Nothing ever goes as planned...' Lee Se Woong. He brought the most significant achievement this time. And the man who would become engaged to his beloved daughter, Yeon Hee. Namgoong Hyeok recommended him to the White Sheep Unit for a simple reason. To instigate disputes with the clan members. Even though he was a prospective son-in-law, recommending him to the White Sheep Unit was a huge privilege. He also expected clashes with the rough White Sheep members. Indeed, on the first day, Lee Se Woong made a fiery entrance by beating a group of seniors. Namgoong Hyeok had thought of continuously creating flaws for him. However. 'He achieved too much.' From capturing the hostile assassin. To uncovering and crushing the Demonic Sect's plot. He even unearthed the corruption of the Hyeongsan Clan, who was colluding with the bandits. It was tough figuring out what reward would suffice. The only request from Lee Se Woong was to mitigate the assassin's punishment, but that couldn't happen. Merit and punishment must remain just. There was no room for personal feelings. Who would've thought handling things so well would lead to such headaches? 'There's no longer a reason to oppose the engagement.' Namgoong Hyeok knew deep down. There's no turning back now. Most of the family already recognized Lee Se Woong. The reason he held onto his regret was... His intense affection for Yeon Hee was too great. He hated how he could no longer postpone the situation. "Does this make any sense?!" "Does it make sense for an outsider to snatch a recommendation meant for one of our family members?" "A rolling stone unseating a properly placed stone!" At that moment, Namgoong Hyeok heard the protests as he wandered around the estate. Peripheral members, gathered around Namgoong Jun, were voicing their grievances. "Is being a son-in-law all that matters? He should know his place!" "Based on his actions, it's clear he approached Yeon Hee aiming for a rise in status!" "We need to shift public opinion. How can we let an outsider take what's rightfully ours?" Well now? "A rather interesting conversation you're having." Those who were slandering Lee Se Woong turned pale as they spotted Namgoong Hyeok. "Head, head of the family!" "Th-this is a misunderstanding!" "We're not saying we're unhappy with your decision..." Namgoong Jun and his companions, flustered, spouted excuses. However, contrary to their worries, Namgoong Hyeok maintained a calm demeanor. "Heh, why are you so startled? I understand your sentiments." Tap, tap. Namgoong Hyeok patted each of their shoulders lightly. "It's just due to your deep desire for the family's prosperity." Namgoong Jun was puzzled. They were disparaging Yeon Hee's fiancé. He expected Namgoong Hyeok's wrath to descend upon them any moment. But it seemed as if he was actually siding with them. 'Could it be that the head of the family isn't pleased with the engagement either?' Such a thought settled in Namgoong Jun's mind. Indeed, strange. Typically, once a decision is made, it's executed without delay. The reasoning behind the continued postponement of the engagement might be that, while he couldn't go against Yeon Hee's wishes... The head of the family himself doesn't want it! Letting it slide without a word now might just be his subtle way of conveying his thoughts. To oppose the engagement. It was a golden opportunity to gain favor with the head of the family! Namgoong Jun's mind started racing fiercely. 'Of course, the peripheral members would find him bothersome.' That's just human nature. As the head of the family, Namgoong Hyeok always tried to treat everyone fairly, whether they were core or peripheral members. However, those involved tend to feel differently. Peripherals often harbor a sense of being discriminated against. They just couldn't express it openly in front of Namgoong Hyeok. But Lee Se Woong? For the core, they have no choice, but for someone like you! The peripheral members, always competing for interests within the clan, must have been incensed by the privileges Lee Se Woong received. Why does he get what even we don't receive? They frequently used his humble origin and lacking family as an excuse to criticize him. They were merely converging due to this recent event. Somehow, he suspected that when he announced recommending Lee Se Woong to the White Sheep Unit, his younger brother’s strong opposition was because Namgoong Jun had his sights set on the unit as well. If so, he must have found Lee Se Woong as a thorn in his side. 'It seemed like they were up to something.' So Namgoong Hyeok allowed it to happen. After all, he anticipated some resistance would surface before the engagement. This was actually a good thing. It was better to confront and resolve it head-on. If Lee Se Woong could turn even them to his side, Namgoong Hyeok would come to terms with this engagement as destiny. * He was granted a long vacation. Told to rest after his accomplishments. Having been ordered by the unit leader to take a break and avoid consequences by not reporting to work, he intended to retreat into the comfort of his room to unwind. "Sss...." "Yeon Hee, what are you doing?" "I was just taking in the scent." She had interrupted yet again, foiling his plan as usual. Despite being together constantly since his return, she wasn't tired of his company and had come to his room even today, from the morning. Yeon Hee buried her face in his chest and took a deep breath. "Do I smell? I thought I cleaned up thoroughly as soon as I returned." "No! To me, you only smell fragrant! However... within your sweet aroma, there's something unpleasant mingled in!" With that explanation, Yeon Hee inhaled once, twice, three times, eventually lifting her head with a confident expression. "Mint and apricot scents... You mentioned that three people completed the mission this time, right?" "Yeah, it was initially an assignment for just Jegal Yeong and me, but then another senior joined us unexpectedly." "Another senior?" "Yeah. Hwangbo Seyul. Didn’t I mention it?" "Hwangbo Seyul?" Yeon Hee glanced at him with a mischievous look. Ah. Come to think of it. "Could it be the matchmaker Hwangbo Chung swore he'd set up? To think he didn't give up after all that. This time, for sure!" "It's not like that. She joined the unit before me. It was purely coincidental." "What an intriguing coincidence. I might just coincidentally inform on his indiscretions to the matriarch." "Yeon Hee." "And there's yet another woman. I really can't let my guard down..." Poor Hwangbo Chung ended up taking the blame undeservedly. I offered a moment of silence on his behalf. "Is the White Sheep Unit full of women?" Yeon Hee asked with a sly tone. No. It just so happened that he became friends with women seniors. Why treat him like a playboy? Hwangbo Seyul isn't anything more than a senior to him. Not that he had any special relationship with Jegal Yeong either. "So the apricot scent belongs to this Hwangbo Seyul person?" "You can sense that?" "You might not notice it, but women definitely can!" Is this some sort of sixth sense or something? I couldn't sense anything like that. Yet, Yeon Hee could detect the presence of another woman with just a quick sniff. A formidable girl... "This must be the plight of a woman in love with an irresistibly attractive man…." "Huh?" "But for you to come back shamelessly carrying another woman’s scent. I might just burst into tears, you know?" Yeon Hee brought her hands to the corners of her eyes, as if she might break into tears at any moment. Though, the playful arch in her eyes and her lips betrayed her jest. "I really can't detect any kind of smell no matter how much I sniff..." "That's why! I have no choice then!" Yeon Hee exclaimed defensively, wrapping her arms around him. Naturally, he toppled onto the bed under the force of her embrace, with her snugly curled on top as she rubbed her cheek against him. "Yeon Hee, don't you think you should back off a bit?" "I was apart from you the whole time you were away on a business trip. I won't let you go now!" Squirm, squirm. Yeon Hee clung tightly to him, wrapping her arms and legs around him like ivy. Ensconced completely, he found himself unable to move. "It’s a bit much, being so close like this." "Bear with it. I'm imprinting my scent on you!" "What does that even mean…" "As soon as I let my guard down, you're tied up with other women. It's entirely your fault. You need obvious tags to show you belong to me!" So now she was marking him? As if she intended to envelop his entire being with her fragrance, Yeon Hee clung on with no sign of retreat. "You're not just making excuses to stay close, are you?" "Of course not. Surely, you don't doubt my words? In marriage, trust is everything!" "Then isn’t it enough if you trust me too?" "I trust you, but not those other women! This is a warning to all those aiming for you like wolves." It seemed like she just needed an excuse. Gripping the metaphorical handle, Yeon Hee nestled into him all the more fervently. Sss, ha. Sss, sss, ha. Yeon Hee took in deep breaths, resting her head against his neck. A glance at her revealed her eyes turning dazed, spiraling. Like a cat that's caught the scent of catnip. There was a hint of danger in her demeanor. "Isn't that enough now?" "No. Not yet. Just a bit more..." Yeon Hee's face flushed, tinged with a blissful glow. Having stayed apart for so long, she clung to him with a newfound clinginess. The talk of smells, erasing them or not—it was absurd, and he couldn't help but chuckle. But then again. What else could he do? Other than gently caressing her hair with tender strokes, no other thoughts came to mind. Being like this, he finally felt the reality of having returned home.