Chapter 111
At our sudden arrival, the warriors nearby were startled and immediately turned their swords toward us, shouting,
“Who goes there?!”
“What are you doing here?!”
But as soon as they recognized our faces, their mouths dropped open in shock, frozen in place.
“Da…!”
“Th…!”
I had expected some reaction, but their response was far more intense than I’d imagined, and a bitter smile tugged at my lips.
Their eyes were fixed, almost nailed, onto Lord Dang’s face.
They seemed to have completely forgotten the situation at hand, standing there dumbfounded with their jaws hanging open.
“Well, that works.”
Though their pitiful expressions were amusing, this was exactly the outcome I wanted.
The reason I revealed ourselves before making any decisions was to gauge their reaction upon seeing Lord Dang.
I stepped forward, spreading my arms in a non-threatening gesture, and said,
“I was just passing by and heard some commotion. It seems many of you are intimidating one person here.”
The first to respond was a burly man among the warriors. He scowled deeply and shouted at me,
“If you were just passing by, you’d keep moving. How dare you interfere here? Do you intend to disrupt the event of the Thousand Swords Society?!”
Yet, even as he yelled, his eyes kept darting toward Lord Dang.
I could clearly see the unmistakable glint of greed in his gaze.
“Hmph, you’re already on my bad side.”
From their reactions, I could roughly judge their character.
They weren’t as openly greedy as the Blood Sect, but they were far from being righteous.
I then turned my attention to the young man surrounded by them—Domun Seung.
He looked at us with dark eyes.
After a moment of thought, he slowly released his tightly clenched sword and spoke,
“First, I thank you both for coming on my behalf. But the current situation is not as you might think. It’s merely a brief disagreement among old friends from my hometown. There’s no need for concern.”
I smiled faintly as I listened.
He was politely asking us to just move along, implying it was nothing serious.
It was clear without asking that his words were meant to reassure us, to ease our worries about his safety.
So there was no need to dwell on it further.
I had already decided whose side I would support.
Just then, the burly man shouted at me again,
“Why aren’t you answering?! I’m asking if you intend to disrupt the Thousand Swords Society’s event!”
Looking back at him, I noticed something strange: their hostility was now more focused on me than on Domun Seung.
The man approached with a menacing glare and shouted,
“Are you ignoring me?! Huh?!”
Yet even as he spoke, his eyes kept flicking toward Lord Dang.
That’s when I understood their true intention.
“They probably want to get rid of me.”
And it was likely because of Lord Dang.
I smirked.
I had already been deciding whose side to take, and now they were laying the groundwork for me. How thoughtful.
I was about to step forward with a fierce grin and say,
“Well, thanks a lot—”
But then Lord Dang’s urgent message came through.
—Gongja, no!
I froze.
No? Why not?
Curious, I looked at her, and she sent another message.
—If they are the Thousand Swords Society, then they are sworn brothers of the Dang family. And the head of the family values them greatly…
Her words forced me to stop in my tracks.
Sworn brothers of the Sichuan Dang Sect?
Those guys?
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
If that was true, it meant I couldn’t just deal with them as I pleased.
If I acted on impulse, Lord Dang’s position would become precarious.
Still, leaving things as they were felt unsettling.
Biting my lip, I hesitated, unsure what to do.
At that moment, the burly man stepped right up to me and shouted,
“You bastard! Why won’t you answer?! Huh?!”
Another man behind him sneered,
“Maybe he’s too scared to answer? Look at him—he looks like a parasite’s little brother. He’s completely shriveled up.”
“Khahahahaha!”
Their mocking laughter stirred a hot rage inside me.
Even though Lord Dang’s position was difficult, I couldn’t just stand by and let them insult us.
Then Domun Seung shouted at them,
“Wonwang! Upo! I will go with you!”
Everyone’s attention snapped to him.
He had already dropped his sword completely and stood defenseless.
With a desperate tone, he said,
“I will accompany you. So please stop this. Aren’t you the warriors of the Thousand Swords Society representing Sichuan? Is it right for you to threaten innocent people?”
The burly man frowned in displeasure but reluctantly stepped back.
Mentioning the Thousand Swords Society gave him no grounds to continue the quarrel.
He clicked his tongue in frustration, roughly grabbing Domun Seung’s arm and began dragging him away.
“Tch, let’s go!”
Even as they left, they kept glancing back at Lord Dang with lingering looks.
“Tch!”
I felt the same frustration.
If I had taken some action, I might have had a reason to move.
Watching them leave without a fight, I glanced sideways at Lord Dang.
She lowered her head, her expression dark, staring at the ground.
After letting them go, we quickened our pace and entered the nearby Sichuan region of Yeongnam.
Since Domun Seung had said he was a disciple of the Yeongnam Sword Sect, I assumed this was his home territory.
Lord Dang suddenly asked me, her face still shadowed since the earlier incident,
“Are we going straight to the Yeongnam Sword Sect?”
“No. Let’s go to the inn first.”
It would be ideal to go directly to the Hao Sect branch, but since we didn’t know its location yet, we planned to gather information at the inn first.
We headed to the largest inn nearby and, by slipping a few coins to the innkeepers, managed to learn quite a bit.
“The Thousand Swords Society? Oh, that’s the pride of us southern Sichuan folks! Even the Qing and Ami sects can’t match their influence here in the southern corner of Sichuan. We owe our survival to them!”
“That’s right! Without them, we’d have been slaughtered long ago by the Blood Sect from Yunnan or the Six Ghosts Sect from Guizhou!”
The locals’ sentiment toward the Thousand Swords Society was surprisingly positive.
It seemed the society had organically formed to protect southern Sichuan from outside invasions.
According to the innkeepers, the local sects pooled their disciples and resources to create this vigilante force, which became the Thousand Swords Society.
However, opinions about the Yeongnam Sword Sect, especially Domun Seung, were divided even among the innkeepers.
“Domun Seung of the Yeongnam Sword Sect is a remarkable man. He’s known for his kindness and fairness, a model hero in Yeongnam.”
“Hmph! Model hero? He’s a hypocrite who disobeyed the Thousand Swords Society’s summons and even fled!”
“Hey, that’s not fair! Domun Seung is the only one holding up the Yeongnam Sword Sect. If he left, the sect would collapse!”
“Well, that’s his personal business! But the Thousand Swords Society was built on unity. If he puts his own interests above the cause, how can he be called a righteous hero?”
It seemed the Thousand Swords Society maintained its strength by recruiting disciples from nearby sects like conscription.
Domun Seung had refused to join, citing the sect’s difficult circumstances, and the society had declared they would execute him as an example—leading to the current crisis.
I asked a few more questions.
“Have there been cases before where someone refused the summons for personal reasons? And did they also face immediate execution?”
One innkeeper thought for a moment and replied,
“Yes, there were such cases when I was young. But back then, the summons was postponed.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, didn’t Lord Sang of Baekdo Sect do the same?”
“Oh, Lord Sang! That’s right!”
Listening to them, I asked again,
“So, declaring immediate execution for refusal like this isn’t the usual practice?”
Both nodded readily.
“No, this is the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Same here.”
But then one of them added quickly,
“Though, the current situation is urgent. I heard there have been many casualties recently defending against the Blood Sect and Six Ghosts Sect invasions.”
“Hmm, yes. I’ve heard that rumor too.”
I mulled over their words carefully.
“So, have you heard of anyone recently suffering actual harm from the Blood Sect or Six Ghosts Sect?”
They shook their heads and answered brightly,
“No, never! The Thousand Swords Society protects us, so there’s no way that would happen.”
“That’s right! The reason we live in peace like this is all thanks to Suchunhoe!”
“I see. Thank you.”
I handed them a few more iron coins and sent them on their way.
Then, turning to Dang Sojeo, who had been listening quietly beside me, I asked, “What do you think?”
She replied with a still weary expression, “It’s a bit strange. The current Suchunhoe master, Deung Cheon Geomgaek Mak Woojeon, is a top-tier expert, practically a legend. That’s why my father—the clan head—pays close attention to him. But if victims are appearing from the Blood Sect and the Six Ghost Hall, that’s odd. If the Blood Sect’s influence had crossed the front lines and moved north, we would know. And the Six Ghost Hall doesn’t have the strength to invade Sichuan Province.”
Her analysis was spot on.
I had been thinking the same thing.
The front lines were stable, yet Suchunhoe was supposedly suffering losses due to the Blood Sect—that didn’t add up. And the idea that the Six Ghost Hall, one of the Gui Zhu Ba Se factions, was invading a place connected to our clan and the front lines was impossible.
Even during the Zheng Xie incident, there was a significant power gap between the Gui Zhu Ba Se and the forces in Sichuan.
So the claim that Suchunhoe was struggling because of an invasion by the Six Ghost Hall was as absurd as saying a wolf pack was weakened by a cat’s intrusion.
But after saying this much, Dang Sojeo lowered her head and added bitterly, “But… even if that’s true, what can someone like me do? I’m sorry, Seonwoo Gongja. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
She looked so downcast, as if she wanted to bury herself in the ground. I sighed deeply.
There was definitely something wrong with her.
Above all, her self-esteem was rock bottom, and even if not now, it would inevitably cause problems in her life.
I had sensed this about her for a long time and wanted to talk to her about it.
But until now, I had been too cautious to approach others.
For some reason, now I felt like I could.
No, I felt like I had to.
Looking at her, I spoke gently.
“Dang Sojeo, I really like the version of you you show only in front of me. You’re so adorable that it makes me want to help you with anything.”
Startled by my sudden confession, she quickly lifted her head and looked at me.
“Huh?”
Her face flushed bright red, like an apple.
But I didn’t let that stop me and continued.
“But I also like the leader you show in front of the team. You inspire trust, and I feel like together we can overcome any obstacle.”
“Ah…”
Her expression turned confused.
She clearly didn’t understand what I was trying to say.
I looked at her seriously and asked, “I like both sides of you very much. So why do you dislike and reject yourself?”
“…What?”
Still not grasping my meaning, I decided to change the subject for a moment.
“Sometimes, I’m afraid of dealing with people. I lost my mother when I was young, and I was ostracized by my siblings and family, so approaching others has always been difficult and awkward. I was also afraid they’d drift away from me.”
“…”
Her eyes grew slightly moist at my unexpected confession.
I guessed she had suffered similar pain.
“On the other hand, when facing enemies, I can be colder than anyone. I don’t hesitate to kill or use schemes against them. Bisea Young sometimes calls me heartless when he sees how I deal with the Blood Sect.”
She nodded.
“Oh, yes. I understand that feeling too…”
But I wasn’t done.
“When I’m with friends, I’m quite playful. Especially with Bisea Young or Bae Jonggwan, I sometimes act like a ten-year-old kid, pulling childish pranks.”
Then I looked her straight in the eyes and said what I truly wanted to tell her.
“Depending on the situation, all of these are me. All of these sides together make me who I am. And I believe that over time, I might become someone new again.”
That was probably true.
People don’t stay the same.
Stagnation means decay, after all.
Then I asked her, “So why do you confine yourself to the image of a wounded little girl? And why do you hate that child so much?”
“…What?”
Her eyes wavered in confusion.
Dang Sojeo believed that the hated, rejected child she once was was her true self.
She felt guilty toward everyone who showed her other sides, thinking those were lies.
Most of all, she hated that little girl who bore her mother’s hatred—hated herself.
She had decided she was someone deserving of her mother’s hatred, unworthy of anyone’s love.
That was probably because she was such a kind person.
No matter how much hatred she received, she couldn’t bring herself to hate her mother.
But locking herself inside that hated child’s image meant she could never be happy.
I knew this all too well, having once hated myself more than anyone else.
“The Dang Sojeo I see is a lovely woman, a strong leader, and a steadfast warrior who trains herself diligently. So why do you trap yourself in that child’s image alone?”
Her eyes lost focus, drifting aimlessly.
Her confusion struck me painfully, reminding me of my own past.
I looked at her with pity, then spoke softly again.
“I think you’re an amazing woman, Dang Sojeo. The wounded little girl, the cold and commanding leader—all of these together make the Dang Sojeo you are now. And I’m sure the three team members and even the late Myeong would agree.”
Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes.
Inside them was a child.
A hurt child who longed for her mother’s love.
A kind child who chose to hate herself rather than hate her mother.
Looking at that child, I spoke warmly, pouring all my heart into my words.
“So now, please let that child go. You know better than anyone that she did nothing wrong.”
A single tear slipped down her cheek.
“Ah.”
Startled by the unexpected tear, I saw her flustered expression.
She hadn’t even realized she was crying.
“I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know why this is happening…”
But once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop.
They flowed freely, as if releasing all the pain she’d held inside.
Somehow, I felt I understood the mix of emotions within her.
I left her alone and quietly stepped outside.
I wanted to give her time to sort out her feelings.
“Whew.”
I let out a deep sigh.
What I said to Dang Sojeo wasn’t just for her.
It was also words I wanted to tell my past self.
To Seonwoo Jin, who was so afraid of hatred and bloodshed among family that he destroyed himself instead.
Someday, I wanted to tell that boy:
You were young, and it wasn’t your fault.
It’s okay.
I understand you.
Somehow, the sky had grown hazy and overcast.
Some time later, about half a shi-jin had passed when Dang Sojeo finally came out.
Her face was streaked with tears, evidence of how much she’d cried.
But seeing her, a warm smile naturally spread across my face.
Her eyes shone clearer and freer than ever before.
She smiled like sunlight and said to me, “Thank you, Seonwoo Gongja. And…”
She hesitated a moment, then continued.
“I want to help that person called Domunseung.”
I chuckled at her sudden declaration.
“Even though Suchunhoe, who took him, is an ally of the Sichuan Sect?”
She smiled faintly and replied, “Yes, but I still feel like helping him. Is there any way?”
Her face held a playful spark and a hint of newfound confidence I hadn’t seen before.
That look was so beautiful and captivating it dazzled me.
Grinning, I answered, “Of course there is. What in this world is impossible? Let me see if I can find a way.”
She nodded brightly.
“Yes! Please!”
Her smile, like a layer of old skin shed, shone brilliantly in the sunlight.