Chapter 28 – Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Chapter 28 – Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

“Who is it?”

“I'm coming in.”

The one who visited the annex late in the evening was Tang Hae-soo, the Young Clan Leader of the Tang Clan.

Tang Hae-soo, still wearing an indifferent expression, lightly tossed a snack from his bosom and spoke.

“I brought a late-night snack thinking you might be training ahead of the duel… but you were eating spiritual medicine instead of a late-night snack.”

“Wouldn't spiritual medicine be more effective than a late-night snack, after all?”

At the confident reply, Tang Hae-soo let out a short sigh and lightly shook his head.

“So, what are you thinking this time?”

“Yes? What do you mean by what am I thinking?”

“…Do not pretend to be ignorant.”

“……If it is about the duel, I am somewhat aggrieved. You also saw the Murong Clan picking a fight first at the banquet hall yesterday, didn't you, Brother?”

“It is not the first time the Murong Clan has acted like that.”

“Well… it was the first time for me.”

Tang San-ho slightly avoided his gaze and popped the snack Tang Hae-soo had brought into his mouth.

“Somehow, I feel that whenever you step forward, things do not get resolved, but rather grow out of hand until they… burst and vanish.”

“……Tsk, as long as the result is similar, wouldn't it be fine?”

“……….”

Tang Hae-soo was pleased with Tang San-ho's confidence, but sometimes he was extremely worried.

It was the same for this matter.

“Murong Hwan is counted as one of the Seven Dragons and Five Phoenixes. Have you ever seen Murong's swordplay?”

“I have not. Well… I heard that he uses the Heaven and Earth Flash-Cleaving Sword as a foundation and aims for a swift sword. Thus, I know its characteristic is being as fast as a flash of light.”

“Yes, therefore it will be difficult to compete by speed alone, so do not miss other aspects.”

“Mmm, in fact, there is something I have been practicing with Yeon-ie lately. If it is Murong's sword, it will be just perfect to test it on.”

“…Ha.”

Not only did he pick a fight head-on with a rising star counted among the best in the martial world, but he also spoke of the duel as if the opponent were his practice partner. This was rather close to arrogance. It meant he had never even considered losing to the opponent in the first place.

But because he had always shown skills that did not fall short of his confidence, Tang Hae-soo chuckled.

It was then.

Just as the outside seemed noisy, Sawol's voice drew closer.

“Young Clan Leader, Young Master! Are you inside? I, outside… I think you should come out and see.”

“What is it?”

“What is the matter?”

At Sawol's urgent voice, Tang San-ho opened the door of the annex first and stepped outside.

It was a dark night. However, a strange, bright light could be seen.

“What is that?”

“…………”

It was the light coming from the torches held by the martial artists lined up in front of the gate of the annex.

On the chests of the martial artists clad in dark brown martial robes, a falcon pattern was engraved.

The falcon was the symbol of the Murong Clan.

Three martial artists of the Murong Clan, wearing swords, had visited the annex inside Tang Clan Territory, the area of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

‘At someone else's house… Are they crazy?’

Just as Tang San-ho was about to step forward in absurdity, Tang Hae-soo gritted his teeth and stepped out in front of them first.

“Must I ask why you have come at this late hour…? It seems the situation is such that I do not need to show such courtesy. Leave at once.”

“I am Murong Do, the Leader of the Museong Squad of the Murong Clan. I apologize for visiting at this late hour, but our Family Head has urgently requested to see the Young Master.”

“Requested? Does this look like a situation that can be brushed off with such words? Do you not know what kind of place this is?”

“………I know. If only the Young Master would follow us for a moment…”

“Ha… Although Tang Clan Territory is not a Sword-Releasing Pond, you surely must know what it means to swarm in while wearing swords. I warn you for the last time, Squad Leader, withdraw immediately.”

Tang Hae-soo shot back, his voice low and raspy as if he were angry.

Regardless of the reason, the act of a guest barging into the host's residence was something that should never, indeed could never, be done unless one was prepared for war. In other words, they were clearly showing hostility.

In fact, it would not have been strange even if he had already drawn his sword and sent their heads flying, but Tang Hae-soo gave them one last chance.

This was because, judging by the absence of other eyes around, the three in front of them were the entirety of their numbers.

“I know that as well. However, as a soldier acting under orders, I cannot disobey my master's command. Please come with us.”

“Have you truly gone mad? Did the Murong Family Head order you to wage war against the Tang Clan?”

“………….”

At that moment, Tang San-ho, who had been quietly observing the situation, whispered softly into Tang Hae-soo's ear.

“Brother. Something is strange. Not only is Murong not a family that truly lacks manners, but the fact that they do not withdraw even after being warned to this extent must mean there is another reason, is it not? First, I think we need to understand the situation…”

Wasn't the situation too bizarre for them to want war?

If they truly intended to shed each other's blood, it would have been correct for more people to head to the Family Head's Hall or the Siheyuan in the inner castle, rather than the annex.

Yet, they came in front of the annex where there was only himself, and specifically requested to see the Young Master.

“……….”

Tang Hae-soo narrowed his brow and listened to San-ho's words.

“For now, I will follow them, so please go to Father, Brother.”

“No. How can I trust those who have already come armed and let you go with them?”

“Even if you were to cut off their heads right now, Brother, they would still stand their ground. If that happens, there will be too many eyes watching, and if things escalate further, it might not end with just a war between two families.”

“But…”

Tang San-ho stared at the martial artist who had introduced himself as Murong Do.

This was because it was strange how his eyes had been trembling unsteadily for a while.

These were not the eyes of people preparing for war or planning an attack. The eyes of such people were bound to be filled with anger and heightened hatred.

‘If anything… it is an emotion closer to anxiety or nervousness. But why on earth?’

Rather, the martial artists before him looked as if they were worried about something.

“……….”

Tang San-ho was certain.

They did not want war.

“It is fine. They will not harm me.”

The Murong Clan was staying at the Guest Pavilion in the inner castle.

Tang San-ho, leading the way in front of the Murong Clan's martial artists, spoke in a low voice to Murong Do, who was trying to stand by his side.

“There are many eyes watching on the path to the Guest Pavilion. So, if you do not want to make a big deal out of this, do not step ahead of me, but walk behind me.”

“…Yes, Young Master.”

***

Inside the Guest Pavilion where the Murong Clan was staying, Tang San-ho faced Murong Seol-ju, the Family Head of Murong.

“What is the meaning of all this, Family Head?”

“……….”

Sitting opposite him, Murong Seol-ju merely glared at Tang San-ho with fierce eyes without answering.

“I came alone, trusting that you are someone who knows manners, Family Head. However, the Clan Leader of the Tang Clan will arrive soon, so if you have something to say to me, wouldn't it be better to say it before then?”

It was a colder voice than ever before.

It was not that Tang San-ho was not angry at their absurd behavior.

He simply did not want to shed blood hastily.

Murong Seol-ju, who had been biting his lip, opened his mouth after a moment.

“…Young Master. Where were you between the Hour of the Rooster and the Hour of the Dog today?”

“Are you interrogating me right now?”

“Am I not asking you? Where were you during that time?!”

“I asked the question first.”

“You…!!”

Just as Murong Seol-ju was about to burst into a rage mixed with anxiety.

“Family Head. You sent armed martial artists to my annex and summoned me. I am not so young that I do not know what that signifies in the martial world. However, because I believed that shedding blood was not your purpose, I buried the discourtesy and came here.”

“……….”

“But if you behave in this manner, I must also follow the laws of the martial world. The martial artists of the Tang Clan will arrive soon, is that truly what you want?”

“……Ha……”

Tang San-ho read the anxiety in the trembling eyes of the martial artists and Murong Seol-ju's anxiety-mixed gaze. Currently, Murong Seol-ju was in a state where his rationality was clouded by anxiety to the point of sending his family's martial artists to the annex.

In that case, the one who was not in a hurry was bound to hold the cards.

Murong Seol-ju glared at Tang San-ho, who did not answer his question and purposely wore an indifferent expression, but eventually gave up hiding his cards and led him along.

“…Follow me.”

The Guest Pavilion where the guests of each family stayed was a lodging consisting of several rooms.

The rooms were connected in a way that surrounded and shared a single manor. Murong Seol-ju headed to the highest floor among them.

It was the room used by Murong Hwan, the Young Clan Leader of the Murong Clan.

“This place is…”

When Tang San-ho asked Murong Seol-ju, who was holding the doorknob, he opened the door with a sorrowful face he could not hide.

“…It is the room my son used.”

“………!!!”

When the door opened and Tang San-ho looked inside, he could not help but be shocked by the sight before him.

The not-so-large room consisted of a bedroom and a living room, but all the furniture was overturned and the unpacked luggage was in a complete mess.

Scanning the room with his eyes, Tang San-ho asked.

“Where is the Young Clan Leader?”

“Are you truly asking because you do not know?! Fine, since it has come to this, I will ask you frankly. Was it you who used poison on my son?”

At Murong Seol-ju's cry-like question, Tang San-ho furrowed his brow and asked back.

“…Was the Young Clan Leader poisoned?”

“Are you pretending not to know, or do you truly not know?!”

“I swear it was not my doing.”

“How can I believe those words? I am saying, who else but you would hold a grudge against my son inside Tang Clan Territory!”

Murong Seol-ju was currently caught in a dilemma.

His son was poisoned.

And at that, in the deepest depths of the Sichuan Tang Clan, who were called the ancestors of poison.

The inner castle of the Tang Clan was a place where direct bloodlines usually resided, and security was extremely tight. Therefore, meeting with a mishap inside here meant that the culprit was also one of the people inside.

However, it could be a member of the Tang Clan, or it could be a member of another family staying at the Guest Pavilion.

It was a situation where he could not know whom to trust or who the enemy was.

Hence, he could not even entrust his son's detoxification to the Medical Hall of the Tang Clan, the ancestors of poison, and only a few physicians who followed from Murong were examining him.

Watching this, Tang San-ho spoke to the unstable Murong Seol-ju in a rather heavy, sunken voice instead.

“As you may also know, Family Head, there is a poison among the Tang Clan's poisons called Bone-Melting Acid. It is a terrifying poison that melts a corpse without a trace when sprinkled on it.”

“…What is it you want to say?”

“It means that if I, or anyone else in the Tang Clan, had intended to harm the Young Clan Leader, you would not have even known about that fact. Because he would have vanished without leaving any trace.”

“………Ha…”

“So please dismiss your misunderstanding. Above all, to add my humble opinion, Young Clan Leader Hwan did not suffer this mishap due to a grudge.”

“What do you mean by that? If it was not a grudge, who on earth would do such a thing?!”

At Tang San-ho's words, Murong Seol-ju burst out in anger. No matter how much he thought about it, there was no reason for his son to suffer such a thing. Despite the emotional question, Tang San-ho calmly continued.

“He suffered the mishap because of an item he possessed.”

“What?”

“By any chance, do you know what it is, Family Head?”

At the unexpected question, Murong Seol-ju's brow narrowed. Then, his gaze shifted here and there as if he were recalling something.

“…………”

“Something came to mind just now, didn't it? It is that.”

“…How do you know that?”

“I can tell by looking at the room.”

Tang San-ho stepped into the room and slowly shifted his gaze from the entrance.

“Starting from the entrance, the bedroom and living room, the side drawers, the cabinet below the window, and the table. The drawers are all open, and the clothes are turned inside out. It means they were searching for something.”

“………”

“However, whatever it was, the culprit did not find that item.”

“How do you know that as well?”

“Because if they had found what they wanted, they would have stopped the moment they found it. But look. Everything is a complete mess without a single empty corner.”

“Then…”

“It means another victim will appear from Murong in order to find that item.”