Yugang handed Hwarin over to Namgoong Cheongsan and then turned to look at Ma Jong-ui.

Even from a distance, Ma Jong-ui’s face was flushed red with anger, and Yugang stuck out his tongue mockingly.

“Idiot.”

“You... you...! I’ll kill you! I’ll tear you apart!”

Yugang shrugged and moved to stand among the Namgoong forces.

Meng Deungho, who had been watching Yugang, also looked at him in disbelief.

Meng Deungho.

Meng Deungho’s gaze shifted to Seolhwa.

Taking advantage of the commotion, Seolhwa sent a voice transmission to him.

Drop your weapon and cease fighting, and I'll tell you a way to save your son.

Meng Deungho’s brow twitched, his expression tightening.

When he had searched far and wide, no one even knew what ailment Soyak was suffering from. But now, suddenly, this person and that person were both using his son’s condition as leverage against him.

It infuriated him to no end that people dared to threaten him using what was most precious to him.

You. Do you even know what my son’s ailment is?

Yin-Yang Great Meridian Severance.

“!”

I’m probably the only one who knows both the symptoms and the complete cure for Yin-Yang Great Meridian Severance.

A cure that wouldn’t be established for another ten years.

Did the Blood Demon Cult Master promise you a cure?

Meng Deungho’s face grew even more ashen.

She shouldn’t have known that the Blood Demon Cult Master was involved. The only way she could have known was if she had figured out that Ma Jong-ui was working for the Blood Demon Cult.

You. You’re not just some ordinary kid.

How could a mere child who looked to be around ten years old know so much about Suroch’ae’s internal dealings?

Well then, are you ready to talk now?

“....”

You’d better decide quickly. Soyak has been shaking badly since a while ago.

With a loud clang, Meng Deungho’s spear fell to the ground.

Keeping his eyes fixed on Seolhwa, he shouted to his subordinates.

“Everyone! Drop your weapons and fall back! We surrender!”

The sound of weapons clattering to the ground echoed throughout Suroch’ae.

****

The situation was resolved swiftly.

With the chieftain declaring surrender, none of his subordinates dared to wield their swords recklessly.

After Jin Soyak was safely returned to Meng Deungho’s arms, some expected a resurgence of conflict, but that didn’t happen.

Meng Deungho, as promised, halted all hostilities and guided the Namgoong forces to his base camp.

Ma Jong-ui, who had been watching the scene, quietly turned away.

Taking advantage of the confusion caused by the shattered barriers, he slipped out of Suroch’ae and disappeared into the nearby forest, where no eyes could follow him.

‘Damn it. That strange kid ruined everything....’

Suggesting to the Blood Demon Cult Master that they kidnap a child of the Namgoong Clan had been his own idea.

As soon as he heard the rumor that the Young Master of Hwaoru had escaped and returned to Namgoong, he had made the suggestion.

‘If we get our hands on the Young Master, we can use them to bargain with the Hwaoru Master. At the very least, we can gain the Master’s favor.’

Even if the child they kidnapped wasn’t the Young Master, it didn’t matter.

They could kidnap any Namgoong child and use that as leverage to demand the return of the Young Master.

There was just one problem.

If they kidnapped a Namgoong child, they would inevitably make an enemy of Namgoong.

The Namgoong Clan controlled the entire Anhui Province.

Not just Anhui—they had influence over the entire Central Plains, dominating transportation, commerce, and martial power across all regions.

With the power of the Sword Emperor on their side, not only their main household in Hefei but also the branches scattered throughout the plains held considerable sway.

Making an enemy of such a clan was a heavy burden.

‘What if Namgoong invades us?’

To ease the Blood Demon Cult Master’s concerns, Ma Jong-ui proposed another plan.

‘Pin the blame on Guiyeong Stronghold. Isn’t the Stronghold Lord’s son gravely ill? We could promise to reveal a cure for his son’s ailment in exchange for him kidnapping a Namgoong child.’

‘Hoho.’

‘If Namgoong clashes with Guiyeong Stronghold, the Stronghold has no chance of winning. And even if they do, they’ll be in shambles. When that happens, Master, you can step in and absorb Guiyeong Stronghold. You’ve always coveted their forces, haven’t you?’

It was a perfect plan.

By capturing the Young Master who had escaped to Namgoong, they could ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) earn the Hwaoru Master’s favor. And by absorbing Guiyeong Stronghold, they could strengthen their power within Suroch’ae.

If the Blood Demon Cult, which controlled the waterways leading to the Outer Regions, were to merge with Guiyeong Stronghold, known for its formidable martial strength, then...

‘The next Suroch’ae Chieftain would undoubtedly be the Blood Demon Cult Master!’

But that perfect plan had crumbled to dust.

‘How was the Young Master there?’

Since when had that wretched Meng Deungho been harboring the Young Master?

Not only that, but that crazy kid who had been carrying the Namgoong child—why the hell had Meng Deungho let them stay?

Now, instead of tearing each other apart, Namgoong and Guiyeong Stronghold were negotiating?

‘This won’t do. I have to inform the Master immediately....’

Ma Jong-ui, now deep in the forest, glanced around cautiously and pulled something out from inside his robes.

It was a signal flare known as the Hundred Li Incense Bomb, capable of sending a signal over a distance of a hundred li.

He raised the flare toward the sky and was about to pull the string when—

Shhhk—Thunk.

“!”

The flare, instead of soaring skyward, was split cleanly in two, falling to the ground.

Embedded in the nearby tree was a small, palm-sized throwing knife.

“Who are you trying to contact?”

The icy voice sent a shiver down Ma Jong-ui’s spine.

He forced himself to turn his stiff neck to look.

Perched atop a tree branch, hidden in the shadows of the leaves, a young girl stared down at him with an expressionless gaze.

‘The Young Master....’

It was Namgoong Seolhwa, the Namgoong Clan’s runaway Young Master who had betrayed the organization.

“What... what are you talking about? Contact? I was just... just out for a walk to catch my breath.”

Ma Jong-ui decided to play dumb for now.

“What’s that, then?”

Seolhwa pointed a finger at the split incense bomb rolling across the ground.

“T-This... it’s... a... a firework! Yeah! A firework! You know, the kind that goes boom and lights up the sky! You know... a firework. Right?”

“Hmph, got it.”

The child smiled sweetly, and Ma Jong-ui’s lips twitched nervously in response.

“I see. You think I’m an idiot, Ma Jong-ui.”

“!”

Ma Jong-ui’s eyes widened to the size of lanterns.

‘She... she knows who I am?!’

Ma Jong-ui had met the Young Master once before.

About three years ago, the Blood Demon Cult Leader had summoned the Blood Lords and introduced them to a child, calling her the Young Master.

As a close aide to the Sixth Blood Lord, Ma Jong-ui had seen her back then.

But he never expected that the child would remember him.

‘We only saw each other briefly, and from a distance! How could she possibly remember me?!’

Especially when she was even younger back then?!

“Ma Jong-ui. How is your master, the Crimson Ogre?”

“!”

The Crimson Ogre was the current chieftain of the Blood Demon Cult and the title held by the Sixth Blood Lord.

The way Seolhwa casually referred to the Sixth Blood Lord as if he were an old acquaintance sent a shiver down Ma Jong-ui’s spine.

He couldn’t make sense of her intentions at all.

Thud.

Seolhwa jumped lightly down from the tree.

“You’re the one who ordered the kidnapping of a Namgoong child, aren’t you?”

“W-What...? I don’t know what you’re talking about....”

“Do you want me to beat the truth out of you?”

Crack.

She barely moved her fingers, but the sound of something breaking echoed in the air.

At the same time, the intense killing intent emanating from Seolhwa coiled around Ma Jong-ui like a snake.

“Urgh...!”

Ma Jong-ui was instantly engulfed in the suffocating pressure of impending death.

He was cunning and quick-witted, but his martial strength was pitifully weak. It was no surprise that he couldn’t withstand Seolhwa’s murderous aura.

“Did you target a Namgoong child because of me? To use me as leverage to gain something from the Hwaoru Master?”

“...!”

“Answer.”

“T-That... that’s....”

Seolhwa took a step closer.

With every step, her murderous aura grew denser, tightening around Ma Jong-ui’s throat like a noose.

“Answer.”

“Urgh... ugh....”

Another step.

“Answer.”

“S-Save... me....”

Seolhwa was now so close that their faces were almost touching, but Ma Jong-ui still didn’t say a word.

Yet, his silence was answer enough.

Seolhwa let out a brief, mocking laugh and withdrew her killing intent.

She gave Ma Jong-ui a light pat on the back, making him flinch and shiver violently.

“Whatever your reason was, you were wrong this time.”

“...?”

“You heard the rumors and made a judgment based on that, right? You thought you could capture me and win the Hwaoru Master’s favor. But it was a false rumor.”

“W-What...?”

Seolhwa walked over to the tree and pulled out the small throwing knife embedded in the bark, wiping its blade.

“The rumor that I betrayed the organization—that was deliberately spread by the Master.”

Ma Jong-ui swallowed dryly, his eyes darting as he struggled to grasp the implication behind Seolhwa’s words.

‘A false rumor? The rumor that the Young Master betrayed the organization...?’

“T-Then why spread such a rumor...?”

“I needed to infiltrate Namgoong perfectly.”

“?”

“There was something I needed to find out within Namgoong. As for what that is... do I really need to tell a lowly rat like you?”

The tip of the throwing knife pointed at Ma Jong-ui.

Her arrogant tone and haughty gaze were those of a supreme ruler, looking down upon a mere insect.

Ma Jong-ui felt a terrifying yet thrilling chill run down his spine.

‘So that’s how it was!’