“I’m here!”
It had been a really long night.
Finally shaking off the pursuers and reaching the mansion felt more welcome than the sight of a barracks after a grueling march in the army.
“You!”
“Y-Young Master Kang!”
As I opened the living room door, I saw Im Ha-yeon and Miss Zhuge waiting with worried expressions on their faces.
They must be exhausted, but they’re still awake.
Just thinking that someone would wait up all night worrying about me makes it feel worth the trouble.
“Ugh!”
Looks like I finally relaxed.
Maybe it was the thought that I had finally arrived home, but the injuries I had from the day-long chase started stinging for the first time.
“You! Are you hurt?!”
As I clutched my wounds and hunched over, Ha-yeon rushed toward me in a hurry.
“You’re hurt, Young Master Kang?! W-what should we do?! Should I bring a doctor?”
Miss Zhuge also approached anxiously, unsure of what to do.
“It’s fine. Just minor scratches. Ugh!”
It hurts more than I thought.
“Stop pretending you’re fine! S-show me the injuries quickly!”
“Ha-yeon, if you get too worked up…”
“Don’t expect me to stay calm when you’re hurt!”
Why does she look like she’s about to cry? Tears welled up in Ha-yeon’s eyes as she looked at me.
“Okay, okay. Just calm down.”
It somehow feels like it’ll hurt more if they react so strongly.
I calmly took off my outer clothing and examined my injuries. Thankfully, my bones weren’t damaged.
I only had a few cuts from a knife and scrapes from rolling around. While some minor wounds were bleeding, there were no serious injuries.
“Oh no! Y-Young Master Kang, you’re bleeding! I-I’ll get some hemostatic powder!”
“Bandages! I’ll grab some strong liquor and bandages!”
Anyone would think there was someone about to die in front of them.
Ha-yeon and Miss Zhuge worked perfectly in sync like they’re ten-year veterans in the emergency room, quickly laying out medical tools in front of me.
“It’s not too serious, but…”
I sat down quietly in the living room chair, feeling like if I said another word, they might just shove a bandage in my mouth.
Right. It’s true I’m hurt. Let’s just talk while they treat me.
———–
“Luckily, it’s really not a major injury. So what happened?”
Ha-yeon tied off the last bandage securely and then asked as if now relieved.
“Half a success. Do-mun Hyang-joo caught on late.”
I briefly explained everything from tricking Do-mun Hyang-joo at the gathering to the chase that ensued as soon as the meeting ended.
“Is there a civil war going on?”
“Do-mun launched a surprise attack on Gi-mun. It won’t escalate once the sun comes up, but I think we’re dealing with a civil war situation.”
“Then, maybe…”
If there is a civil war, the ceremony to appoint the new Tumen Hyang-joo won’t occur. Ha-yeon looked worriedly at me, seemingly afraid to ask.
To reassure her, I smiled and shook my head.
“The ceremony will be held as planned. I got Tumen’s promise.”
Even if it’s only half, a success is still a success. We have proof that both of us are safe here.
“Then now!”
“It’s not time to relax yet. Do-mun will make one last desperate attempt.”
It’s too early to be confident of victory. I spoke with conviction.
“Surely they’ll know who’s guarding the mansion and who’s here. Would they be foolish enough to act?”
That’s right.
Now that I’m back at the mansion, we can say we’ve seized the advantage. What kind of madman would dare to touch the Man Geum Battlefield and the youngest daughter of the Zhuge family?
Unless they’re completely insane.
“I’m talking about Do-mun Hyang-joo. By observing him at the gathering, I’ve got a sense of what kind of person he is.”
“What kind of person?”
Ha-yeon listened intently, her expression serious, as I mentioned the person who had been harassing her relentlessly.
“A guy who’s gone too far. For him, life is a gamble. When he was testing me, madness was glimmering in his eyes, but during the gathering, he looked utterly uninterested. Seeing his lifeless face confirmed my suspicions.”
I had momentarily lost myself in a performance meticulously prepared by Gi-mun Hyang-joo, yet here was a gambler with his brain soaked in bets.
“There are those who seem deadpan normally, but when it’s time to gamble, they come alive.”
Ha-yeon knows well as she hails from the Ha-o School. Makes it easy to explain.
“People whose lives have turned into gambles share a common trait.”
“A trait?”
“They can’t stop halfway, even if they’re about to fall into the abyss. They can never break away from that moment of determining victory and defeat.”
Once addicted to gambling, the brakes in their brains are broken.
They lose simply because they ran out of money. They’ll gamble every last coin to win back what they lost. If they run out of money, they’ll sell their possessions. If they lose everything, they’ll just borrow more.
Rather than acknowledging the loss and quitting, they’re gamblers who stake everything, including themselves, to eventually win.
Their leader is Do-mun Hyang-joo.
“Now we just need to hold out in the mansion, and the ceremony will take place once the sun sets.”
Victory is in sight.
If Im Ha-yeon becomes Tumen Hyang-joo, all of Do-mun’s ten-year-long schemes will go to waste.
No matter how desperately Do-mun Hyang-joo struggles, he can never become the master of the Ha-o School, and the forces gathered for the master’s appointment will lose purpose and eventually disband.
“Do-mun Hyang-joo originally had two options. Lose everything and just keep his life, or risk it all for what he desires.”
Do-mun Hyang-joo might still have a way out. He could give up everything he worked for and acknowledge defeat.
“Ordinary people would choose the former.”
“Gamblers only see the latter.”
For gamblers, giving up midway is tantamount to defeat. For someone whose life is a gamble, there’s only one way left.
“They’ll take reckless chances.”
Ha-yeon looked at me with an expression that held significant meaning.
“Expected as much.”
I returned the same expression to her.
“It’s time.”
As Miss Zhuge extended her hand, we all held hands together.
Even if we didn’t achieve the best outcome, we avoided the worst and made it here.
Just thinking about all the preparation we did for today. Let’s execute our plan without wavering, while holding onto the momentum we’ve gained.
“Let’s proceed according to our plan.”
It’s time to watch the desperate struggles of a madman anticipating defeat.
“Is the Shadowless Thief really inside the mansion?”
A group of martial artists pointed from an isolated building, directing their attention toward the mansion in the distance.
“The courtesans we interrogated all said the same. So it must be true.”
One of Do-mun’s executives spread out a map of the mansion, from who knows where.
“No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem right. To raid the Man Geum Battlefield’s mansion.”
“We’ve come this far. Don’t think the deposit will just be refunded.”
A murky, murderous intent filled the room in an instant.
“Don’t get all worked up over a joke. If the job’s done right, the reward should be guaranteed, right?”
“When has the master ever lacked in calculations?”
“Heh, that’s true.”
The martial artist nodded and looked around at the crowd filled with fellow martial artists. The righteous faction thinks the villainous ones have no loyalty, but the object of loyalty is merely different.
As long as there’s enough cash to risk, even the righteous faction could flee trembling with fright while showing loyalty.
“Gather around, everyone. I’ll explain one last time.”
“Even without acting tough, with this much force, it feels like we could not just catch a courtesan but tackle the Man Geum-jeon by the neck.”
One of the martial artists joked, but it wasn’t a bluff. The situation at Do-mun is serious, and a good number of the main force has been brought along.
Unless it were an all-out war between factions, this was not a force that could fail in a surprise attack.
The executive from Do-mun nodded to the man’s remark before opening his mouth.
“Today’s primary target is the Shadowless Thief. Second is the Barbarian. Dispose of any hindrances.”
If we can simultaneously secure the daughter of the Shadowless Thief and our target, we will have enough leverage to intimidate Tumen Hyang-joo.
“What about the youngest daughter of the Zhuge family?”
“Just restrain her. If the daughter isn’t harmed, the Zhuge family won’t get too involved in this matter.”
“This is getting troublesome.”
“We’ll just hand over the targets to Do-mun Hyang-joo and disappear. Whether we flee to Kangnam or elsewhere, it’s up to us. As long as we aren’t caught, it’s fine.”
“Are you trying to weasel out of it after it’s done?”
“I’ve brought the green-haired girl. Today’s affair was orchestrated by those seeking revenge on the Lush Green Post Office.”
The thugs had kidnapped Kang Yoon-ho and his lover to settle a score with the Lush Green Post Office.
Even if Kang Yoon-ho is in a relationship with the youngest daughter of the Zhuge family, they’re not formally engaged. The Zhuge family isn’t likely to interfere in the villainous affairs since their youngest daughter was unharmed.
The thugs must have already escaped the Hubei Province by now, leaving behind only fabricated evidence.
While a furious Man Geum-jeon may go wild upon hearing about his granddaughter, Do-mun Hyang-joo, now a master, could easily argue that he wasn’t involved.
This was a desperate plan concocted by the Do-mun executive, squeezed out under the master’s orders.
“Must be nice to be Do-mun Hyang-joo. Even barking orders like a dog, he still has subordinates cleaning up after him like humans.”
“That’s none of your concern.”
How dare you insult Do-mun Hyang-joo? The executive from Do-mun frowned, and the martial artist raised both hands in apology.
“What about the forces inside?”
“The Barbarian is just a master in fleeing, while the Zhuge family’s daughter is out of combat. While the chief of Man Geum-jeon has positioned units to protect his granddaughter, it seems they won’t be able to cope with this level of force.”
Today, they summoned all the martial might of Do-mun from Wuhan. While Man Geum-jeon may be questioning their capabilities, there’s no way they couldn’t breach a mere mansion occupied by barbarians.
“What about the Shadowless Thief?”
“He’s likely to be formidable. We can’t afford to injure him, so let’s take care of the rest first and then subdue him together. Any questions?”
With the executive’s question, a heavy tension filled the room as a silence followed.
“……”
“Move out.”
The martial artists of Do-mun nodded and donned their masks.
————–
“Intruder!”
With the sun high in the sky, casting a slanted light, and for a brief moment hiding its face behind clouds, black-clad men suddenly appeared in the mansion.
“Break through.”
The guards at the entrance tried to resist, but you can’t expect to fend off dozens with a single sword.
“Ugh! B-back off! Fight them in the narrow entrance!”
Even a few people backed against a wall to face a multitude of intruders would only meet a dead end. The guards opened the mansion doors to battle in the tight entryway.
“Damn fools! Why would you open the door?! Don’t give them a chance to close it!”
As soon as the guards stepped inside, the intruders dashed in, grabbing the closing door.
“It’s open! Rush in! Everyone, get inside!”
“We can’t let them escape. The rest will scale the wall.”
In an instant, dozens of intruders surged into the mansion.
‘With this kind of force, we should be able to neutralize the mansion in no time!’
Ten years of carefree living were riding on this quick job. Once this is done, it’s retirement. Thinking of the money saved is more than enough.
Even if the mansion has the backing of Man Geum Battlefield. Although they are rich and powerful in Hubei, what can they do if they flee far away?
All they need to do is take down the martial artists of the Man Geum Battlefield, and it would all end. The martial artist from Do-mun leapt over the mansion gate along with plans for his retirement.
It should end quickly.
While all the intruders had similar thoughts, there was one aspect they overlooked.
“What?! Where did the ones inside go?!”
What the intruders should really fear in this mansion isn’t the guards of Man Geum Battlefield.
“What is this fog?”
Nor was it the renowned Barmaid Kang Yoon-ho, praised in Wuhan.
It wasn’t even the elusive Shadowless Thief who struck terror in Hubei Province.
“What’s wrong with the surroundings?! I can’t see anyone who came in with me! Where is everybody?!”
“The, no way…”
The true threat they should have feared was.
The one they had thought was absent from the lineup.
“Hmmhmhm. You’re already too late.”
Never give them time.
Don’t fight on their prepared battlefield.
For they could change the tide of battle in any unfavorable place.
With the defeat of five generals like tigers, the will to protect the nation alone fell onto a family’s shoulders.
If they were prepared, now is the time to retreat.
For countless ages, through numerous high-level followers of villainous factions and leaders of demonic cults, barriers wrought with steadfast resolve stood strong.
Zhuge Family.
What they should have truly feared was.
“You can never escape in the Ten Thousand Forms Mist Formation.”
In the Zhuge Family bustling with masters of formations, once hidden, it becomes virtually impossible to find them. The Zhuge Family’s most precious secret.
The genius of formations, Zhuge Hyang.
