Chapter 63

Chapter 63

"What on earth is going on?"

"I am not sure. Looking at her face, it seemed quite urgent."

Dan Woo-hyun recalled Namgung So-hye’s face. The pale complexion seemed to indicate urgency.

Even so, he had no intention of going out of his way to find out.

The affairs of the Murim Alliance were for them to resolve on their own.

It was not something Dan Woo-hyun should interfere in or dictate.

No matter how close he was to Namgung So-hye, there were boundaries that should not be crossed.

"Either way, it is none of our business. Do not pay it any mind."

Dan Woo-hyun stood up slightly and brushed off his hands. As he turned his head slightly, he saw Jang Sam-tae’s face stealing glances at him.

"That… Master."

"Yes, Sam-tae. Did you bring the ball?"

"I… I do not see any ball, though."

At Dan Woo-hyun’s somewhat displeased gaze, Jang Sam-tae flinched.

On the first day, because he had wandered around the mountains until late evening looking for a non-existent ball, the entire household ended up starving.

When he returned home and was severely scolded, Jang Sam-tae only repeated that he had been out until now to find Dan So-mi's ball.

So Dan Woo-hyun said this.

"Since you starved the whole household trying to bring back a ball, from now on, make sure to take care of every single meal without fail, and then bring the ball."

In the end, he was in a position where he had to find a ball even if he had to make one up.

Dan So-mi looked at Jang Sam-tae with a pitiful gaze, but because Dan Woo-hyun's aura was so sharp, she kept her mouth shut without saying a word.

Since the situation had escalated to this point largely because of Dan So-mi's lie.

"It is not like the ball has legs, so how could it not be there? It must be somewhere, so make sure to bring it."

"I am sorry, Master! Please forgive me just this once! From now on, no matter what happens, I will return immediately when it is time to eat!"

Kneeling on the ground, Jang Sam-tae was already a complete wreck.

Having been caught loafing around nearby, he had been beaten countless times, and because of that, he had to search the mountains for a non-existent ball, so it was only natural that his clothes were dirty.

At that moment, Dan So-mi ran over and hugged Jang Sam-tae.

Then she said to Dan Woo-hyun.

"Da-Daddy, So-mi did something wrong. The uncle did nothing wrong."

"As if bringing a ball is such a big deal."

In fact, the problem was that he had told him to find a ball that did not even exist.

Dan Woo-hyun looked back and forth between the two faces for a moment, then chuckled.

Then he reached out toward a pine tree in the yard and held a ball in his hand from there.

"Ugh!"

"No, no way…"

Dan So-mi and Jang Sam-tae were startled.

Since they thought the ball did not even exist, they had not imagined in the slightest that it would be caught on top of the pine tree.

"Thinking is a dangerous thing. Believing it does not exist, you assume it will never turn up no matter where you look, and you end up giving up beforehand."

Dan Woo-hyun tapped his own head.

In truth, it was Dan Woo-hyun who had hidden the ball.

So Jang Sam-tae had a point, but in any case, he had failed to find what was right in front of his nose.

"Also, if you had a brain, couldn't you have just bought one?"

Instantly, Jang Sam-tae flinched.

He glanced over at Gwon Mu-jin and Dan So-mi, only to see the two of them quietly turning their heads away.

It seemed the other two, excluding Jang Sam-tae, had thought that much.

In the end, only Jang Sam-tae was made a fool.

"Bu… But even if I bought one, wouldn't you have scolded me for buying it?"

Jang Sam-tae raised his voice, perhaps feeling wronged in his own way.

'Even if I bought it, I would have only been cursed at!'

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun chuckled.

"I told you to bring the ball, I did not tell you to find it."

"Ugh!?"

"…Words are indeed very mysterious. So-mi realized this for the first time."

Jang Sam-tae looked at Dan Woo-hyun, unable to even open his mouth carelessly. Indeed, he had told him to bring it, not to find it, so his words made sense.

"Why on earth did you go through such trouble?"

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun looked up at the sky.

He wore an expression that made it impossible to know what he was thinking, and then he firmly shut his mouth while looking at Jang Sam-tae.

The three people present realized.

'He had no thoughts.'

'He was not thinking about anything.'

'Hmm, sometimes the Lord is also…'

It was not something that had any meaning.

It was clear that he simply wanted to tease Jang Sam-tae.

Looking at the three people smiling awkwardly, Dan Woo-hyun turned his back. It felt unpleasant as if they were reading his inner thoughts.

"By the way, I heard when I went to Yueyang yesterday…"

At that moment, Gwon Mu-jin muttered quietly.

Actually, he had hesitated several times whether he should talk about this or not.

The main reason was that the affair of Gunja Island had not yet been properly settled, and because of that, Yueyang and the entirety of Hunan were in a stir, making him wonder if there was any need to bring this up.

Furthermore, because Dan Woo-hyun always hung around with Namgung Cheon, there was also the problem of not even having a chance to speak.

"They say a Murim sect is being established in Yueyang."

"A Murim sect?"

"Yes, has not Yueyang and the Hunan area been restless lately?"

"Was it?"

When Dan Woo-hyun spat out a short question, Gwon Mu-jin and Jang Sam-tae looked at him.

Dan Woo-hyun seemed completely unaware of whose fault it was that things had turned out that way.

Gwon Mu-jin cleared his throat and continued speaking.

"Because of that, it seems some fellows who want to manage Yueyang have appeared. Moreover, because of the affair of Gunja Island, they also seem to hope that there might be something more left to gain."

"This has become troublesome."

Dan Woo-hyun frowned.

The reason he liked Yueyang was because it was quiet. While having Dongting Lake nearby was good, the entire town was quiet and Murim figures did not cause major disturbances.

However, if sects or families were to move in under these circumstances, they would surely poke around here and there.

From the perspective of Dan Woo-hyun, who loathed troublesome things, it was not good news at all.

He scratched his head and sighed.

"Flies are starting to gather."

"Good grief! Does not Yueyang belong to us? Let us kick them out immediately!"

Jang Sam-tae rolled up his sleeves and growled.

In his eyes, Yueyang was the territory of this Dan family.

Although they had not formally declared their name as a Murim family, was it not because they were there that Yueyang had endured well without any trouble until now?

It was they who had resolved the issues of Jangbaeksan, the Black Way Union, and even the opium, and thanks to that, Yueyang alone remained peaceful amidst the chaos, so the one ruling this Yueyang was none other than.

'The Hunan Dan Family!'

Only that thought existed in Jang Sam-tae's head.

Of course, this seemed to be the same for Gwon Mu-jin as well.

"For now, let us watch."

Dan Woo-hyun, frowning, spoke quietly and turned his head.

* * *

The complexions of the two riding horses toward the Hunan Branch of the Murim Alliance were extremely dark.

Although they had been riding day and night for three days already, the Hunan Branch was still not in sight.

Even so, the two did not stop.

They did not even eat properly.

The fact that the Chancellor of the Murim Alliance was attacked could be interpreted as a declaration of all-out war against the Murim Alliance.

Since they did not know who the culprit was, the frustration was beyond words.

Flutter-!

At that moment, a carrier pigeon flew from afar toward the horses. Namgung So-hye snatched it and quickly opened the letter.

"What does it say?"

"It says they are pursuing the group that attacked the Chancellor toward Anhyang. They say several skirmishes have already occurred there…"

Namgung So-hye's complexion was dim.

Judging by the contents, the enemy seemed quite strong.

Considering their ability to shake off so many pursuers while fleeing after attacking the Chancellor.

Namgung Cheon nodded his head.

"I will go to Anhyang, so you go to the branch."

"Will you be alright?"

"Haha, are you worrying because I am old?"

Namgung So-hye chuckled and shook her head.

Who was Namgung Cheon?

He was the strongest expert of the orthodox faction, an expert called the Sword Emperor. To harm him, an existence comparable to the Five Emperors would have to come.

"I understand! I do not know who they are, but please give them a good lesson."

Namgung So-hye gripped the reins and urged her horse even harder. Since the Sword Emperor had stepped forward, the situation over there would be resolved.

However, they had to prepare for any unexpected events, and the most important thing was to check on Zhuge Un's condition.

She rode for a long time.

With the single-minded determination to arrive even a little faster, she did not stop whipping the horse.

After about another double-hour had passed, the Murim Alliance branch began to appear not very far away.

Namgung So-hye rode her horse even faster.

Arriving in front of the branch in an instant, she halted her horse and ran directly. A few people who recognized her face tried to welcome her with bright expressions, but she went inside without having time to receive greetings.

"Ch… Chief?"

"Where on earth have you been?"

Members of the Phoenix Unit who saw Namgung So-hye welcomed her. But because the situation was so urgent, she could not take care of them one by one.

"Where is Chancellor Zhuge?"

"He is in the inner quarters. What is the matter again?"

Namgung So-hye did not listen to the end of the sentence. At the mention of the inner quarters, she ran toward it. The moment she threw open the door upon arriving.

"Pant… Pant… Pant…"

Breathing heavily, she looked at the scene before her eyes.

Zhuge Un was sitting in front of a large table.

As if he had been drinking tea, a teacup was placed on the table.

Beside him, the Chief of the Hunan Branch was also seated, and they looked at Namgung So-hye, who had burst in suddenly, with surprised expressions.

"Is that not Sohye? What on earth happened to make you gasp for breath like that? And where is the Alliance Leader?"

Zhuge Un spoke calmly while looking at Namgung So-hye.

His appearance, completely fine without a single injury, was far too different from the news delivered through the letter.

Had they not said he was attacked and on the verge of death?

"H… How are you perfectly fine?"

"Are you saying you wish I had broken something right now?"

Zhuge Un let out a hollow laugh, then shook his head.

"Th… They clearly said… you were attacked… and hovering between life and death…"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Zhuge Un's complexion turned rapidly worse.

Namgung So-hye was not someone to lie about such matters.

Knowing that better than anyone, he instantly realized how dangerous the words she had just spoken were.

"That is…"

"What on earth happened! And where did the Alliance Leader go!"

The resounding voice of the Chancellor spread through the Murim Alliance branch.