Chapter 61
‘Those footsteps… they’re from a martial artist!’
Hong Seol, who had seen countless warriors at the Namgung Clan, could tell immediately.
Even without tension, the instinctive quietness of the footsteps was unmistakably a trait of those trained in martial arts.
Soon, a careless voice echoed from outside the door.
“Food’s ready.”
Clatter.
A hand suddenly reached through the serving hatch in the door, leaving behind a wide wooden bowl of water and oatmeal porridge before disappearing.
“Food’s here!”
The hungry children swarmed over the wooden bowls.
They scooped up the thin oatmeal porridge, salted but otherwise plain, with their hands and devoured it.
The innocent children who had cried for their mothers were nowhere to be seen.
“Move!”
“That’s mine!”
Eyes bloodshot, they shoved or fought each other for even a little more food.
“Uh, how….”
Passing by, the beggar boy Yang Dojin muttered, brushing past Hong Seol as if in shock.
“You’d better eat while you can. After just one day, you’d even want to scoop up mud from the floor.”
And he was right.
The next evening, when the wooden bowls returned, Hong Seol was again desperately scooping the thin porridge with her hands.
Hunger was a terrifying thing.
Until now, no one had come to rescue her.
“Not a bit of strength…”
Eating only thin oatmeal porridge once a day gave her barely enough energy to lift her body.
Hong Seol curled herself into a ball in the corner of the room, lost in thought.
‘Why did those unknown villains bring me here?’
No matter how she thought about it, no answer came.
Worse still were the creeping dark thoughts in her mind.
‘Grandfather Namgung Ho, Master of the Clan, and the Medicinal Hall Master… would they be looking for me by now?’
Her eyelashes drooped weakly.
‘A full day has already passed, and still no one has come for me…’
Huddled in the darkness, her heart felt equally shrunken.
‘Could it be that the Namgung Clan has abandoned me?’
Because I was bothersome… or didn’t obey…
Suddenly, she regretted sneaking off to Anhwi Doha.
She lifted her body, curling her arms around her knees, forehead buried in the space between them.
‘Maybe the Master gave me the pass on purpose because I didn’t listen.’
To send me out and let me get lost…
Just like how Mom had intentionally sent me to Daechoksan…
“No!”
The words slipped out before she could stop herself. The scattered children turned to look at her.
“Uh, it’s… just talking to myself…”
Hong Seol’s excuse made the children go back to their activities.
Embarrassed, she buried her face back in her knees.
‘Yes, everyone in the Namgung Clan really cared for me.’
Grandfather Namgung Ho, who gave her ten-thousand-year heshouwu and opened the path to learn martial arts.
Master Namgung On, who made her silk clothes longer than an arm’s span.
The Medicinal Hall Master, who always called her “child” and wrapped her in the hem of her skirt.
Black brother who gifted her a mouse, and the youngest Red brother who often followed her.
And… Brother Namgung Baek in Anhwi Doha, who fought for her.
‘If I wait a little longer, they will surely come to rescue me.’
Soon, everyone would gather again, laughing and spooning egg porridge.
Hong Seol fought her battle silently.
“Supreme Martial Elder Namgung Uigyeol!”
Namgung Ho’s roaring command echoed through the Namgung Clan estate.
It was rare to see him so angry.
“Please kill me, Grand Elder!”
The bear-like Namgung Uigyeol slammed his head onto the courtyard in front of Changcheon Hall.
Three Changcheon disciples were beside him.
Even after searching through Hapbi all day, they had found not a single strand of Hong Seol’s hair.
“How could you fail to protect that fragile girl! And you still call yourselves the Changcheon Corps of Namgung pride!”
Namgung Ho’s face radiated a deadly aura.
“Father!”
Hearing the news, Master Namgung On and Medicinal Hall Master Bing Yuhwa hurried over. Namgung On quickly pleaded:
“Please calm down, Father.”
“What? Calm down now?”
“Take a breath and look around.”
Only then did Namgung Ho notice the people around him.
The innocent children, unaware of martial arts, showed clear signs of suffering.
Even his cherished daughter-in-law Bing Yuhwa was barely holding on, gripping Namgung On’s arm with one hand.
“Hah, truly!”
Seeing this, Namgung Ho finally released his tension.
“Thank you, Father.”
Namgung On said, and Namgung Ho cleared his throat.
“More importantly, how do you plan to find Seol-ah?”
His voice carried both urgency and a faint hope.
After all, his second son was clever beyond measure.
“You must have prepared some plan?”
“Yes, it is ready.”
As Namgung On spoke, Bing Yuhwa gasped, covering her mouth.
“Master, the scented pouch given to the child—could it be…?”
“Yes. Inside are the petals of Baekri Flowers.”
“Ah!”
Hope sparked among those listening.
The Baekri Flower was named for its scent that could travel a hundred li.
Within the Namgung Clan, the tracking technique using Baekri Flower petals, called Baekri Chujongsul, had been passed down.
Only wolves with keen senses could wield this secret family technique.
“Indeed!”
Namgung Ho’s face brightened. As expected, his son was truly a pocket of wisdom in the Namgung Clan.
“Well done! Well done! Summon White, Black, and Red immediately and form a tracking team!”
There was a peculiarity about Baekri Chujongsul: the younger the animal, the better the results.
Their natural instincts for hunting and chasing were strongest at a young age.
“Yes. I’ve already sent people to White, Black, and Red. Though I’m not sure if White will do it…”
Namgung On’s face darkened slightly.
“Tch.”
A loud tongue-click came from above—it was Namgung Ho.
“You really don’t understand your own children, despite being so clever.”
“Eh?”
“Just watch. When it comes to Seol-ah, White will be the first to rush, even before Black or Red.”
“White? That indifferent one? Though… he has changed a little lately…”
Namgung On looked incredulous.
At that moment, a pale-colored child rushed in.
“Sir, something terrible has happened!”
“Don’t panic. What is it?”
“Master Baek of Namgung has climbed over the wall and disappeared!”
“What?”
Even Namgung Ho and Bing Yuhwa gaped.
“Baek? How could it be?”
“I merely told him that the master had summoned him for the Baekri Chujongsul, but as soon as he heard that Miss Hong Seol was missing, he jumped over the wall!”
An awkward silence fell.
Namgung Ho scratched his chin.
“Really, that boy just ran off…?”
He had expected him to, but not that he would do it immediately.
As Namgung Ho went silent in disbelief, the hesitant child added:
“…And he transformed into a wolf before leaving!”
“Hah!”
Namgung Ho pressed his palm to his forehead.
Namgung On was rooted to the spot.
Bing Yuhwa seized the opportunity to ask:
“Who followed White?”
“Two elite spies used the Gyeongsin Technique to follow him.”
Bang!
From afar, blue smoke rose—signal fireworks from the spies running lightly, meant to mark the first prince’s location.
Seeing this, Namgung Ho smirked.
“If we are to use the Baekri Chujongsul, no one in our clan surpasses White.”
Starting the tracking a bit early was fine.
Namgung Ho swept his sleeves dramatically and stood.
“Let’s go, Uigyeol!”
“Yes!”
Namgung Uigyeol answered loudly, following him along with the Changcheon disciples.
