74 - Missions, Intelligence (5) - The Heaven-Slaying Sword

It was a sudden turn of events. A boy who burst onto the scene, engrossed in a delinquent's performance, his disheveled appearance, the words he spat out, and the expression that broke on Mok Riwon's face because of the fallen boy. Dang Hwa-Seo was quick to grasp the situation. And her actions were even quicker. "Hyeon-ah!" With a voice almost tearing from its pitch, Dang Hwa-Seo seized Mok Riwon. Then, with a look of horror, she brushed off the filth that stained Mok Riwon's black robe. "How can something so filthy stick to you! This won't do! Let's go back right away! We must discard these soiled clothes and have new, more expensive ones made!" In a sweep, Dang Hwa-Seo turned her head. The corners of her fierce, demonic eyes rose even higher, twisting her face into the semblance of a ghoul. "Wang Sam! Drag this damned brat over! I'll make him pay the moment we return!" Wang Sam and Jegal San quickly understood Dang Hwa-Seo's intent and shook throughout their bodies like trembling aspen trees. They then hastily nodded their heads crazily and hoisted the boy. "Let's go!" Locked arm in arm with Mok Riwon, Dang Hwa-Seo walked through the crowd. Their pace was swift, and the other members, though bewildered, quietly followed Dang Hwa-Seo's lead. The faces of the people bore sympathy for the boy, yet no hero dared to stand against the infamous trio of step-brothers, whose notoriety had spread across the entire Hanam Province in an instant. All they could do was silently wish for the boy's safety. * Upon returning to the mansion, the Yongbong Clan members threw off their masks and coats and rushed inside. Jegal San spread out a bedding and laid the boy on it, then ferociously tore off the filthy clothes the boy had worn. Shock filled the space. "This is...!" "There's not a single part of his body that's unharmed. His condition is severe." Il Woon spoke with a grim face. True to his words, the boy's body was covered in bruises, making it hard to find a single spot of white. That wasn't all. Fractures were visible here and there, and his breathing was so unstable it seemed he could die at any moment. The marks of horrendous violence on what appeared to be a roughly ten-year-old boy were shockingly egregious. Rolling up her sleeves, Dang Hwa-Seo took the boy's pulse and spoke. "Jegal San! Fetch the gold wound medicine! Il Woon, please assist me here, and Mok Riwon, fetch some clean water with Geom Ryong! Baek Bong! Guard the surroundings of the estate!" The members scattered following her rapid orders. Dang Hwa-Seo then pulled out the acupuncture needles she always carried. The Four Seasons School of Toxic Arts. Dang Hwa-Seo, raised as its successor, had her expertise in medicine as well. Sssss-. From the tips of Dang Hwa-Seo's fingers flowed a dark green wave. It was an anesthetic poison. Dang Hwa-Seo applied this poison to the needle and inserted it into the boy's chest, calming his breathing. "First, we'll wash his body and squeeze out the pus from the wounds. Next, we'll stitch up the scars and heal the fractures." "Understood!" Shortly after, Mok Riwon and Nam Gung Jin Cheon brought over a basin full of water to Dang Hwa-Seo. Carefully, she washed the boy's body before starting the treatment. * After about two hours of intensive treatment, the boy's condition was finally stabilized. Relieved, Dang Hwa-Seo took a deep breath, and Mok Riwon, who had watched with a tense face, asked, "How is his condition?!" "It ended well. The external injuries were severe, so he will need to rest for a while, but it seems he won't have any lifelong conditions to worry about." "Th-that's a relief...!" Mok Riwon exhaled a breath of relief and turned his gaze towards the boy. The boy was wrapped in bandages and splints all over his body. His breathing had stabilized, but he still seemed to be in much pain, even in his sleep, furrowing his brow. "...Who could he be?" Hye Woon appeared, her arms crossed, asking the question. The atmosphere amongst the clan members grew tense. "It was a case of abuse." "Not just abuse, it was to a degree as if they wanted to kill him off completely..." "No." Nam Gung Jin Cheon cut off Jegal San's remark. With an emotionless face, he looked down at the boy and said with certainty, "Though it looks grave, there are no fatal injuries. The injuries focus intentionally on externals. This appearance is deliberate." Mok Riwon twitched. His gaze shot towards Dang Hwa-Seo. "Lady, what does this mean?" "Exactly as Geom Ryong said. Yes, I became certain only during treatment, but these scars were intentionally made." The expressions of the clan members turned complex. Dang Hwa-Seo's words were too blatantly suggestive. Jegal San asked, "Are you suggesting someone intentionally inflicted these wounds to approach us?" Dang Hwa-Seo slowly nodded, her gaze still fixed on the boy. Nam Gung Jin Cheon then spoke, "He might be a spy from hidden enemies. We should bind him and interrogate him as soon as he wakes up." It was a radical suggestion. Yet, it couldn't be outright dismissed. After all, wasn't the Yongbong Clan's delinquent act itself meant to draw out and lure hidden enemies? "Suppose, just suppose..." All eyes were focused on Dang Hwa-Seo as she spoke. Her furrowed expression showed her displeasure with the current situation, yet her speech did not halt. "If this child indeed came targeting us, we must consider a possibility." "What would that be?" "The demons might already know our true identities." Mok Riwon gasped. Dang Hwa-Seo continued. "Isn't it so? Considering even the demons have heard of us, it wouldn't make sense for them to exploit a child's plight as a lure. Moreover, his actions didn't quite add up, especially his way of directly reaching us amidst chaos." Looking back, there were numerous suspicious points. The fact that he'd come all this way with a battered body, and that of all people, he had sought their aid. Normally, if one desperately sought help amidst a crowd, they'd turn to the first person they saw. "Following Geom Ryong's words, let's take the minimal precautions. If he's not one of the demon's minions, we can just listen to his side of the story and help him. If he is, we need to extract information." The other members nodded in agreement, endorsing her point. All except one - Mok Riwon. "Lady, that seems too harsh. The child's body is badly damaged. Without any means to flee, shouldn’t we let him rest? He seems just a commoner, with no trace of internal power." Mok Riwon felt a strange sense of alienation from the members. Discussing about treating a hurting child as if he could be an enemy's minion, and even talking of restraining him, made them feel distant. "Mister Mok, it's about the demons. This is a mission. We mustn't let personal feelings interfere." "If the child is not a minion of the demons, he'll surely be terrified. With clear signs of abuse, if he's treated harshly even here, think of the trauma it would cause. Isn't that excessive?" "Don't act so naively, Muk Ryong." Nam Gung Jin Cheon spoke up, his gaze carrying a hint of anger. "Think logically. If this child truly is one of the demon’s minions, he might have a means to contact them." "He didn't have anything on him!" "It could be inside his body. If not, he might have planted a contact method somewhere before meeting us." Nam Gung Jin Cheon's logic was sound. Mok Riwon knew it too, hence his inability to retort immediately. With a scoff, Nam Gung Jin Cheon addressed Mok Riwon. "I won't rebuke your romanticism. But at least be discerning." Mok Riwon looked around. The other members seemed to agree with Nam Gung Jin Cheon. 'Why…' Why is no one on his side? Do they truly believe it right to treat a child, who hasn't learned a single martial art, harshly just on the suspicion of being an enemy's minion? Mok Riwon was at a loss. Or rather, he knew it with his head but could not understand it with his heart. The fact was, the members' stance was perfectly logical. If there's a possibility of the child being an enemy's minion, it made sense to use a definitive approach, setting aside unnecessary risks. 'But…' Just because something is logical doesn't mean it's right according to the warrior’s code. Mok Riwon was someone who couldn't coldly refuse help to a commoner asking for assistance. "Then…" In Mok Riwon's eyes, the situation was wrong. "I'll keep watch over him. I'll be the one to monitor him. So please, no talk of binding or interrogating him." Mok Riwon placed his hand over his heart, his face filled with earnestness. Nam Gung Jin Cheon spoke again. "Some of the demon's minions deliberately avoid learning martial arts, blending into the populace. But that doesn't mean they aren't from the demon cult. Children raised by the cult undergo horrendous mind conditioning before being sent into the world. Surely, you've learned as much from the sect?" "There's also a chance he's not. Even if this child approached us under demon influence, he could just be coerced." "Are you relying on such hopeful speculation?" "Believing in such possibilities is what a warrior does. To my understanding, as long as there's even a speck of a chance that this child is a commoner, intimidating him is unacceptable." Mok Riwon's voice was firm, his gaze unwavering. After locked in a stare with Nam Gung Jin Cheon, Mok Riwon turned to Dang Hwa-Seo. "Lady, I apologize. I wish to watch over the child." Dang Hwa-Seo quietly gazed back at him, recalling something. It wasn't intentional, but the situation reminded her too much of a past event. '…This was just like back in Zanhyul Valley.' Heading from Kangseo to Anwi through Zanhyul Valley, she remembered arguing over a young girl they had encountered. She had then argued that it could be a trap, and Mok Riwon advocated for the possibility of innocence. And that day, Mok Riwon had been right. - Taking such risks is what being a warrior is about, growing our power for such moments. Isn't that why we hone our martial arts. Recalling that moment, Dang Hwa-Seo's resolve wavered. 'I am…' Could she be making a mistake? By focusing on the success of the mission, was she neglecting the correct path? That fleeting thought crossed her mind. If prioritizing aggressive measures for the sake of an objective, how different would that be from the ways of the dark path? Such was the nature of her doubt. At that moment, a hollow laugh escaped Dang Hwa-Seo's lips. "I cannot take responsibility for Mister Mok's actions." "I'll fully take responsibility." "If the child is indeed a minion of the demons, it could lead to dangerous situations." "I'm willing to bear the risk." A bitter smile formed on Dang Hwa-Seo's lips. Yet, the conversation was tilting towards permission. The other members felt it too. "Leader, are you truly considering granting Muk Ryong's request?" Nam Gung Jin Cheon's demeanor became even more menacing. Mok Riwon said, "Please trust me." "There's no reason to do so." The gazes of Mok Riwon and Nam Gung Jin Cheon clashed once again. Grinding his teeth, Nam Gung Jin Cheon said, "There's no need for this. It's inefficient. Why intentionally choose the harder path?" He truly disliked this situation. Relying on the slim possibility that the child wasn't a minion of the demons and taking on the risk? Could there be anything more foolish? Binding and interrogating him would reveal the boy's true identity without any risk. With these thoughts, as Nam Gung Jin Cheon glared at Mok Riwon, Mok Riwon responded, "Even knowing there will be challenges..." It was the only thing he knew to say. "It's because being a warrior means sometimes taking the most difficult path."