Chapter 46
“Grandfather Dangpa! Where are you? It’s urgent!”
Dangjinak rushed down to the training ground, and Dangpa quickly ran to him.
“What’s wrong, Jinyak?”
“Grandfather! Please look at this child! I tried treating her, but… my skills just aren’t enough.”
“What are you saying? Even your medical skills didn’t work?”
Dangpa frowned and grabbed the young girl’s wrist.
In that instant, he felt a wild and violent energy rampaging through her small body.
Shivers ran down his spine.
“What in the world… where did you find a child like this?”
“Can you heal her?”
A new voice spoke up, and Dangpa looked up.
A man stood silently behind Jinyak, covered in blood from head to toe. Just looking at him made Dangpa’s hair stand on end.
“Who are you? State your identity!”
The man’s entire presence was soaked in killing intent and a strong scent of blood.
Sensing the danger, the martial artists nearby quickly surrounded him.
Is my hand… trembling?
Even though it was just a brief moment, Dangpa instinctively knew this man wasn’t ordinary.
But the man didn’t resist. He calmly looked at the blades pointed at him without reacting.
“Stop! Don’t hurt that mister!”
Suddenly, a child’s voice cried out. The familiar voice made the warriors freeze.
“Jinmyung!”
Dang Cheonyu gasped when he recognized the voice.
The man’s chest, which had looked strangely bulky, revealed Dangjinmyung’s small face.
But the relief lasted only a moment. When Cheonyu saw the blood on Jinmyung’s face, his heart dropped.
“Are you okay, Jinmyung?”
“Dad…”
Jinmyung teared up and jumped into Cheonyu’s arms.
“Dad… that mister saved me. And Sowol is very, very sick.”
Cheonyu looked at the mysterious man and the unconscious girl with a grave expression.
He remembered the report from the Poison Master and pieced together what must have happened.
“Elder Dangpa, please take our guest to the Healing Hall. It looks very urgent.”
“Let me first calm the chaotic energy inside.”
Dangpa took Sowol from Jinyak’s arms.
“Jinmyung, Jinyak, come along. And you, guest, should be treated too. You look like you’re in worse shape than the girl.”
The man shook his head.
“I’m fine. Please treat the child first.”
“Please take care of Sowol first, Grandpa!”
Jinmyung followed closely, and Dangpa hurried off. But Jinyak didn’t move. He just stared silently at the training ground.
“I’ll come later. I’m not hurt, so don’t worry.”
Dangpa noticed the light returning to Jinyak’s once lifeless eyes.
He nodded and led the others away quickly.
After the sudden chaos, the surroundings became noisy.
“Who is that man?”
“How could someone covered in blood just walk into the main house?”
“But the Third Young Master called him a savior, right? The Seventh Young Master too.”
“What happened out there?”
People whispered among themselves. Some even asked if the Young Lord Contest should continue.
“Father.”
Cheonyu turned at Jinyak’s voice.
“Has the contest started yet?”
“…No, not yet.”
“Then I can still participate, right?”
Jinyak brushed his hair back and stepped forward with calm but sharp eyes.
“You remember the rules?”
“Yes. No killing the opponent. Accidental deaths from injuries are an exception.”
“And cheating is forbidden.”
“But only while on the training ground. I remember. Don’t worry.”
With that, Jinyak confidently walked to the stage.
Everyone thought he had withdrawn, so the other contestants were visibly shocked.
Dangjinhyuk couldn’t meet his gaze and started sweating.
Dangjinhyo forgot to hide his expression, looking clearly disturbed.
Dangjingang stared at Jinyak with an unreadable look.
Jinyak took his place, third from the left, between Jinhyuk and Jinhyo.
“I thought you said you wouldn’t participate?” Jinhyo whispered.
“I changed my mind.”
“I see… so you found Jinmyung.”
“Yes. If it weren’t for that man, I don’t even want to imagine what could’ve happened.”
Jinhyo recalled the man Jinyak had called a savior.
Who is he? I don’t recognize him.
He had personally crushed Jinyak’s hands and feet. No one around here would’ve dared help him.
Jinhyo realized he needed to find out who that man really was.
Thud—
Something fell by his foot. He glanced down and saw a piece of cloth with a red crescent moon symbol.
“Oh, sorry about that.”
Jinyak bent down and picked it up, casually hiding it in his clothes.
“What is that…?”
“Oh, this? It’s the symbol of the group that kidnapped Jinmyung. Ever heard of the Hongwol Trading Company?”
“Hongwol…? That new rising group everyone’s been talking about?”
“Yes. Turns out, they also take requests for kidnapping, blackmail, even murder.”
Jinhyo’s palms grew sweaty. Jinhyuk’s shoulders trembled slightly too.
“Double the gratitude, ten times the revenge.”
Jinyak muttered quietly, but to the three listening closely, it sounded loud and clear.
“Let the Young Lord Contest begin!”
Cheonyu’s announcement was met with cheers. But Jinhyuk, Jinhyo, and Jingang couldn’t smile or clap.
“I’ll make sure those who dared touch Jinmyung pay dearly. So be ready… brothers.”
Brothers, not brother. Only Jinhyo and Jingang were older than Jinyak.
His cold gaze told them—he already knew everything.
Meanwhile, Sowol’s body kept shifting between cold and hot.
It felt like her limbs were freezing, then suddenly burning. Like she was stuck between a hot and cold bath.
Sowol has a terrible fever! What should we do?
A familiar female voice cried out, full of tears.
Don’t worry. There’s still a way. I won’t let her die like this.
A kind male voice followed, and a cold hand touched her hot forehead, bringing comfort.
Sowol…
Someone whispered her name, but everything became muffled.
.
.
In a bright light, Eunsowol opened her eyes with tears rolling down her cheek.
Her body felt heavy, and her head throbbed. She couldn’t even think of getting up.
“Where… am I?”
Her cracked voice barely came out. She looked around weakly.
The room smelled stronger than the medicines from Dokgo’s place. It looked old and traditional.
Creak—
The door opened, and a boy and old man were chatting as they walked in.
“Grandpa! When will Sowol wake up?”
“Soon, I think.”
“But you said that yesterday!”
“She needs sleep to heal. She looks very tired, so let her rest.”
Sowol turned her head and saw them. The boy gasped.
“Oh! She’s awake! Sowol!”
The boy ran up to her.
“Are you okay? I was so worried!”
“…Who are you?”
The boy’s cheerful face froze.
“You… you don’t remember me? I’m Jinmyung! Dangjinmyung!”
“Who’s that…? I’ve never seen you before.”
She looked at him like he was a stranger. The boy looked like he’d been struck by lightning.
He started crying loudly.
“Waaaah! Grandpa! Sowol doesn’t remember me!”
His high-pitched crying made her headache worse, and she winced.
“Hey now, don’t shout near a patient.”
“But, but Sowol…!”
“Hm… her brain didn’t seem damaged.”
“Pfft.”
A small giggle escaped. They turned and saw Sowol covering her mouth, giggling.
“Just kidding. Why would I forget you?”
“Wha—? Then you do remember me?!”
She nodded, and Jinmyung, who was crying and sniffling, slowly smiled.
“You little rascal. That was a scary joke.”
“Uh… but who are you, Grandpa?”
The old man blinked, unsure if she was joking again. But then remembered—she had been unconscious.
“My name is Dangpa. I’m the head of the Healing Hall. People call me the Divine Doctor of Sichuan.”
Sowol’s eyes widened. The man she’d been searching for was right in front of her.
Everything felt like a dream.
“Do you remember what happened before you came here?”
She closed her eyes against the headache.
Oh right. I collapsed.
She had finally reunited with her uncle and was returning to the capital when chills hit her, and she coughed up blood.
