1269 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Lady Hyun. At the mention of Hyun So Young, his body suddenly tensed. 'Why is Hyun So Young being mentioned all of a sudden?' Do I know her whereabouts? This means... 'They don't know where Hyun So Young is.' She's considered missing. Mi Hyo Ran's words caused Tae Ho An's face to harden. "Little Commander. As I mentioned last time..." "I know. I understand Deputy Shin Ryong doesn’t know either. I just asked out of sheer desperation." "I understand your concerns, but my answer remains unchanged. I do not know her whereabouts." "......" "She vanished after the incident and the same goes for what happened with the Saemasang; unfortunately, I can't be of more help." "......I see. I apologize for asking something unnecessary." "No, not at all. It's I who should apologize for not being able to help." Tae Ho An gave a wry smile. "For now, you must be tired from the long journey; it'd be best to rest. We can continue our conversation after you've had a chance to recuperate." At Tae Ho An's suggestion, Mi Hyo Ran nodded. "I will do just that." Thus, their conversation came to an end. Afterward, we were guided to our room. As soon as we entered the room, I posed a question to Mi Hyo Ran. "Now, would you care to explain?" "......" I had held back, but now I had to ask. I needed Mi Hyo Ran to elucidate what I had just heard. "What was all that with Deputy Shin Ryong?" "As I mentioned, it is what it is." "Come on, you know I’m not just going to accept that at face value." "......" "What is this about the Saemasang, and why was Hyun So Young mentioned?" These weren't just trivial exchanges. It implied a depth that required further explanation. "Please, enlighten me?" I had come this far, and I deserved an explanation. "......" Mi Hyo Ran frowned at my words. After a moment, she sighed and finally spoke. "…It happened long ago. Back when the Saemasang hadn't yet become a Sado." [TLN: "Sado" or "Apostle".Saemasang refers to Namgung Jin] Her slow narrative carried a touch of heaviness. "It was during a time when people gathered in great numbers at Deputy Shin Ryong's hideout. It wasn't here; it was another place where Lady Hyun was also present." "How long ago was this?" "About half a year." "Hmm." A considerable time had passed, yet not so long ago either. "It was shortly after the Pae Joon disappeared, and we were sensing the danger of the Cheolhyeol Busun becoming a Sado…" "And then?" "Then, an attack occurred here of all places. Several Sado attacked this place." "Hmm." Several Sado attacked? Not just one or two, but multiple ones. This warranted attention. 'And yet they survived.' I've heard Sado are lethal to muin (Practically refers to the murim warriors}. Even those of considerable skill struggle to defeat just one, yet they faced several and endured. 'The real issue is.' Surviving suggests there was more at play. It seemed unlikely they simply overcame the Sado. "If left unchecked, the hideout was at risk of being wiped out. It should've been destroyed, yet..." "There must have been something that happened." "Yes. At that time, the Sado said…they pointed at the Saemasang, urging him to become a Sado and promising that doing so would save the hideout." "Eh?" They targeted Nam Goong Jin to become a Sado? Then... "Did they come specifically for Nam Goong Jin?" "…That's what I suspect." "Why?" Specifically Nam Goong Jin? 'Why not Tae Ho An but choose Nam Goong Jin for a Sado?' It was puzzling. If asked whether Nam Goong Jin was strong, not particularly. Even though he is to be a future Sword King, that's largely due to Nam Goong's influence. Nam Goong Jin himself wasn't an extraordinary warrior. 'A Sado pick? Choosing the Saemasang?' It perplexed me. "So, was the targeted Saemasang, perhaps..." "Yes." Mi Hyo Ran nodded. "He chose to become a Sado. That's how we survived." "......" Wow. '...The Saemasang?' He sacrificed himself. It was unsettling. Was that man one to self-sacrifice? I didn’t think so. At that moment. 'Ah.' A thought struck me. "…Lady Mi." "Yes." "Was this perhaps because of you?" "……." Mi Hyo Ran hesitated. Her reaction confirmed my suspicion. 'So it seemed.' If Saemasang Nam Goong Jin had sacrificed himself and was caught because Mi Hyo Ran was there, that made sense. ‘…What a devoted love story.’ If that was the reason, and Mi Hyo Ran was aware of it, carrying guilt as a result. ‘That checks out.’ The pieces began to fit together in my mind. Then. "What about Lady Hyun's story?" While understanding Nam Goong Jin’s situation, I needed clarification about Hyun So Young’s mysterious disappearance. "…Right after Saemasang disappeared, so did Lady Hyun." "What?" I scrunched up my face. Hyun So Young vanished? How is that possible? "…She wasn’t abducted but just disappeared?" "Yes. Just… vanished, like she was never there the next day." "Hmm." What on earth does that mean? Could someone disappear just like that? Then. "Do you believe Lady Hyun’s disappearance is caused by you, Lady Mi?" "…No." Her denial lagged. She seemed to think it was partly her fault. 'Reason for coming here after all.' Was guilt motivating her? I didn’t expect Mi Hyo Ran to carry such a burden. 'I wouldn't have thought she'd think it was her fault.' Maybe it's her youth. It's like seeing a chink in the armor of someone who should be more resolute. Surprisingly, Madam Mi had some humanity in her younger days. "Then." Looking at Mi Hyo Ran, I asked the next question. While I grasped the situation. "I heard something about the Saemasang attacking this place 'again.' How do you know that?" The anticipation of Saemasang's attack seemed near certain, and Mi Hyo Ran wanted to subdue him, not kill him. The question remained: how was she so certain Saemasang would show up? To this, Mi Hyo Ran replied. "They sent a letter to the hideout." "A letter?" "Yes. It mentioned the timing. Specifying when they'd appear." "…A Sado sent it?" A notice? What madness was this? 'Setting the exact date and time for their own attack?' It was a baffling move. "I know it sounds strange, but they've done this before." "So they have a track record." "That's right..." Having done it once, they might do it again. '...So let's review.' Let's piece this together. 'Half a year ago, the Sados attacked the hideout to turn Saemasang into one of them.' During the event, Saemasang chose to become a Sado to protect Mi Hyo Ran. 'After that, when Saemasang disappeared as a Sado, Hyun So Young went missing from the hideout as well.' Mi Hyo Ran carried the guilt from that event. 'Over time, Saemasang appears with the intent to attack the hideout again.' With a letter acting as a forewarning, Tae Ho An sought Mi Hyo Ran's aid, and that's what brought us here. 'Hmm.' I had a rough idea now. Going over it helped clarify things, but... "When is the attack set to occur?" "…In three days." "Three days, huh." My expression soured at the news. No wonder she was in such a rush—had we been caught in that thicket for longer, we would’ve missed the timeline. Her urgency was understandable. "Three days..." Not much time. As I mused over this. "Lady Mi." I called out to Mi Hyo Ran again. She responded to my address. "Yes." "What do you hope to achieve?" "…Pardon?" Her eyes widened at my question. "You've spoken with Deputy Shin Ryong, but ultimately what do you want?" Now that I understood the situation, it was time to resolve it. "What is your expectation?" "......" I waited for her response. I could feel the presence of Dae Cheongi and Dok Bong, hovering, unsure if they should interject. I didn't pay attention to them. What mattered was Mi Hyo Ran's input. Then, "…I’ve already expressed what I wish." Mi Hyo Ran carefully answered. "Please subdue Saemasang." "Are you asking for him not to be killed?" "Yes. If possible, subdue him. Is that feasible?" Subdue him. The task I was least adept at. 'It would be easier to just kill him.' Subduing... That likely meant capturing him unharmed, a feat I wasn’t well-versed in. When it came to subduing, I would typically... 'I usually end up breaking a limb or two in the process.' Could I capture him unharmed? I was admittedly uncertain. "Let's give it a try." I answered lightly. Whether it was difficult or not remained to be seen. ‘Besides,’ I had questions for Saemasang myself. ‘Hyun So Young.’ If she had truly disappeared after Saemasang turned into a Sado. ‘There must be some connection.’ There had to be links tied to Saemasang.