Episode 46
Dang Ye-eun lay bedridden for three days straight.
She couldn’t do anything.
It didn’t feel like she had just lost Myeong Sa-hyeon—it was as if a part of herself had been ripped away.
Memories of the time they spent together, all the things he had done for her, swirled chaotically in her mind.
All those memories remained intact, yet the fact that he was no longer in this world was utterly impossible to accept.
It felt as if there was a gaping hole somewhere deep in her soul, making it hard to even breathe.
The Thirteenth Division was thrown into emergency mode.
Not only did they have to find the assassin who attacked Vice-Captain Mae Yeok-gyeong, but they also had to track down those who had abducted Myeong Sa-hyeon’s soul.
According to testimony from Third Division member Do Hee-young, who had called Myeong Sa-hyeon to the western forest early that morning, Captain Pungyang of the Great Division, First Division Captain Han Gyo-seong, Second Division Captain Sa Gun-il, and Seventh Division Captain Seol Poong rushed to the western forest as quickly as possible.
But when they realized the mission had failed, Ssangsak Ihyung desperately fled, only allowing them to confirm his identity—they failed to eliminate him.
Only the abducted Do Hee-young remained at the scene.
The Thirteenth Division decided not to kill her but to imprison her instead.
Her martial arts were weak, posing no threat, and she hadn’t acted on any orders from her master, so she remained inactive.
The atmosphere within the Thirteenth Division was grim.
Even though the warriors on the front lines were used to sending people away, losing two vice-captains at once was unprecedented.
What made it worse was that the captains who should have been holding things together—Dang Ye-eun and Ma Yoo-gyeom—were both unable to pull themselves together, deepening the tension.
Several days passed.
The assassin who attacked Mae Yeok-gyeong was nowhere to be found, just as in Sun Woo-jin’s past life.
Meanwhile, Ha Eun-baek, the Heavenly Sword Saint, expressed his intention to return to the Martial Alliance despite the heavy atmosphere.
“I never imagined this place could be so ruthless. I regret not paying attention here sooner. On behalf of the Alliance’s seniors, I apologize. I’m truly sorry.”
He bowed sincerely to the Seventh Division members.
Having witnessed his straightforward and honest nature over the past few days, they could tell his words were heartfelt.
Though nothing had changed, it was still a comfort.
Hae Cheong-yeon emphasized once more to her departing father.
“Father, you must never let them know you’re aware of anything. In times like this, you have to stay calm, gather information, and find evidence first. In fights like these, the one who rushes loses. Understand?”
She was wary of her father’s impulsive sense of justice.
No matter how strong his martial arts were, as someone unfamiliar with politics, he wouldn’t stand a chance against Je-gal Ji-gang within the Martial Alliance.
Hae Eun-baek sighed at her worried plea but nodded as if resigned.
He knew his daughter was far wiser than him and understood his ignorance in this kind of battle, but pretending not to know all this was unbearably difficult.
Moreover, if he stayed silent, more warriors on the front lines would continue to die unjustly.
Honestly, he wasn’t sure how much longer he could endure it.
Hae Cheong-yeon knew her father well and kept stressing this point.
But judging by his reaction, it seemed he understood it intellectually but not emotionally, which frustrated her.
After all, he was someone who always acted according to his heart, not his head.
At that moment, Sun Woo-jin, who had been watching nearby, spoke up.
“Why not create a situation where you have no choice but to act? One they can’t help but accept.”
Hae Cheong-yeon looked at him, puzzled.
“A situation they can accept?”
“Yes. For example, I could send a letter to the Sword Saint, as the only person who knows the secret of So-jeo. A letter saying So-jeo has been kidnapped by the Blood Sect.”
The moment she heard that, a new plan flashed through Hae Cheong-yeon’s mind.
Her eyes, hidden beneath her bangs, sparkled.
“Then Father won’t just pretend not to know—he’ll have to make a bigger fuss. So that everyone in the Martial Alliance knows.”
“Exactly. Then you say you want to investigate personally and return to the front lines.”
“You can’t go alone either. The more people you bring, the more attention it draws and the safer it is.”
“You’ll probably need some acting skills.”
“That’s the tricky part. But if it works, you could turn the front lines into your own territory. Then I wouldn’t have to leave here.”
The two exchanged words rapidly before sharing a small smile.
Though he didn’t fully understand their conversation, Sword Saint Ha Eun-baek smiled contentedly at their harmony.
Then he asked, “Now, could you put that into plain human language?”
Hae Cheong-yeon smiled gently and said, “It means you’ll have to act a little. Pretend to be a grieving father who’s lost his beloved daughter.”
After hearing the detailed explanation, Ha Eun-baek smiled with satisfaction and left the Thirteenth Division.
His daughter—wise, beautiful, and talented—was truly the best.
And he was equally pleased to have found someone who suited her so well.
Ma Yoo-gyeom, who everyone thought was drowning in alcohol every day, was actually sober.
No, he couldn’t afford to get drunk.
He was too anxious that some trace of himself might be found on Mae Yeok-gyeong’s body.
So he always pretended to be drunk, observing the investigation and the overall atmosphere.
But after about a week, he finally felt a bit relieved.
The search for the assassin ended without any results.
It was a huge relief.
Ma Yoo-gyeom smiled quietly to himself and took a dose of poison pills.
The vital energy he had absorbed from Mae Yeok-gyeong was about to cause a violent reaction.
The energy absorbed from a person was far more volatile than that from a medicinal elixir.
Unlike the Seventh Division members who only took poison pills occasionally, he had to take them daily.
“Finally… seventy years. It took a long time.”
He gauged the weight of his own internal energy and smiled with satisfaction.
His energy had now fully matured over seventy years.
The foundation for the next level was set.
Knowing that Sa Gun-il’s energy was roughly between seventy and eighty years, he realized that surpassing him was no longer just a dream—once he achieved enlightenment.
Ma Yoo-gyeom’s smile turned bitter.
“Unlike that guy, I can now increase my energy easily.”
Of course, he wasn’t planning to absorb vital energy from just anyone.
What he did to Mae Yeok-gyeong was an unconscious mistake born of fear.
Honestly, he didn’t even remember what he had done halfway through.
So unless someone threatened his secret, he had no intention of harming his comrades on the front lines.
“Yes, I would never harm my comrades. But if it’s not comrades? If I could make good use of the Blood Sect’s demonic leaders—those inhuman fiends—there’s no reason to hesitate. I could eliminate the Blood Sect’s leaders and gain energy at the same time. Killing two birds with one stone.”
Ambition burned in Ma Yoo-gyeom’s eyes.
“To surpass Sa Gun-il and be recognized as the greatest sword in the entire region. Then all those fools who rejected me will kneel before me.”
He didn’t realize how much he had changed from the man who once recoiled at using the Blood Sect’s methods.
He had been tainted by the madness inherent in their martial arts through the absorption technique he had once considered a mere skill, not martial arts.
As Ma Yoo-gyeom’s mind settled, his gaze fell on Dang Ye-eun’s face, now half the woman she once was after just a few days.
After three days of illness, she had risen again to fulfill her duties as captain.
Though she tried not to show it, everyone around her felt deep pity.
It was painfully obvious how desperately she was struggling to appear okay.
Watching the woman he had long loved from afar, Ma Yoo-gyeom thought he might be able to use hypnosis on her in her fragile state.
The mere thought sent a thrill of excitement through him.
To make her his.
“Hehehehehe…”
Unconsciously, a greedy laugh escaped him.
He took a deep breath, then shifted to a serious expression.
He began watching for an opportunity.
A moment when she was alone.
It wasn’t hard to find.
She preferred solitude, and everyone respected that.
Finally, Ma Yoo-gyeom approached Dang Ye-eun and casually called her name.
“Dang Ye-eun.”
She didn’t respond, only shooting him a cold glare.
It was the kind of look that said she didn’t want to talk and that if he had business, he should get to the point.
But Ma Yoo-gyeom sensed a fragility beneath that icy exterior, as if she might shatter at any moment.
He couldn’t let this chance slip away.
Looking at her with a lonely gaze, he said, “How about a drink?”
Dang Ye-eun looked at him with disbelief, as if his suggestion was so absurd it didn’t even warrant a reply.
Still, Ma Yoo-gyeom smiled weakly and added words he knew would resonate most with her right now.
“There’s a place where Yeok-gyeong and I used to drink. A good place to remember those who’ve left us.”
At that moment, Mayu-gyeom caught the flicker of uncertainty in Dang Yeo-eun’s eyes.
It felt like it was almost over.
But deliberately, he brushed past her, leaving one last remark behind.
“If you don’t want to, then quit. I’ll go alone. I think I need to get a little drunk tonight, thinking about the female officer.”
A few steps later, a weary voice called out from behind him.
“Does getting drunk… help?”
It sounded utterly exhausted.
Mayu-gyeom smiled with a greedy satisfaction, but when he looked back at Dang Yeo-eun, his eyes were once again filled with loneliness as he answered,
“Well… it’s better than being sober.”
Finally, Dang Yeo-eun spoke, her voice weak and defeated.
“Fine. Let’s drink that drink.”
Unconsciously, the mask of coldness slipped from her face. She was too drained to even notice Mayu-gyeom’s gaze.
He gathered the drinks and some snacks, then led her into the forest.
They stopped in a hollow nestled in the corner of a small rocky hill.
“Where is this?” Dang Yeo-eun asked, looking around.
Mayu-gyeom answered, “This is where I often came with the female officer. And… it’s also where she was last found.”
Pouring a drink into her cup, he warned, “Don’t try to shake off the buzz with your inner energy. That’s a waste of good liquor.”
After saying that, he poured himself a drink and downed it in one gulp.
“Ahh!”
Seeing that, Dang Yeo-eun also drank her cup in one go.
“Ugh!”
The bitterness filled her mouth, unfamiliar and harsh, but she held it back. She didn’t want to show weakness now, not after coming this far.
They continued drinking, cup after cup, until the alcohol quickly took hold.
When Dang Yeo-eun’s head began to spin, Mayu-gyeom suddenly asked,
“But why are you so sad? Wasn’t Myung Sa-hyun the one who chased after you relentlessly?”
The sudden question froze her in place.
Her vision blurred with a mist of tears.
“I…”
Regret gnawed at her.
She hadn’t been able to tell him a single word of her feelings.
She had sent him away without ever letting him know she loved him, even until the very end.
The ache in her chest was unbearable.
“I loved Sa-hyun…”
Just then, as she buried her face between her knees, ready to break down in tears, Mayu-gyeom struck her acupressure point with lightning speed.
Tap!
The sudden move left Dang Yeo-eun stunned.
By the time she realized what was happening, Mayu-gyeom had roughly pinned her to the ground.
His face, twisted with greed, filled her vision.
“What are you doing?!”
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Mayu-gyeom grabbed her throat.
Not yet skilled in the art of suggestion, he needed to push her to her mental and physical limits to cast the spell.
He tightened his grip until her breath faltered and her mind clouded, then loosened just enough for her to gasp for air.
“Huff!”
But she was still immobilized, just as before.
Helplessness, exhaustion, and the sight of Mayu-gyeom’s greedy expression broke her down completely, and she finally burst into tears.
“Sniffle!”
Mayu-gyeom hesitated, about to tighten his grip again.
She had cried far too easily.
He had expected it would take much longer to break someone of her strength.
Testing the waters, he sent a command with his eyes, reciting the incantation of suggestion.
“Repeat after me. I am Dang Yeo-eun.”
A master of the dark arts like Heukhyeolhwan or Doodang would need only a glance to cast such a spell, but Mayu-gyeom, a novice, had to start from the basics.
And the basics meant making her obey without resistance, repeating his words.
Entranced by his gaze, Dang Yeo-eun sobbed as she repeated,
“I… I am Dang Yeo-eun.”
Mayu-gyeom’s expression twisted into something strange.
It was far too easy.
Even considering her fragile state, this was abnormal.
A bitter laugh escaped him.
The woman he had revered as an ice goddess was actually so fragile.
He felt foolish for having hesitated to approach her all this time.
But none of that mattered anymore.
He would make her his, and repay all the heartache he had endured.
With a sinister smile, he said again,
“Repeat after me: Dang Yeo-eun belongs to Mayu-gyeom.”
Still crying, she obeyed, “Dang Yeo-eun belongs to Mayu-gyeom…”
Then, suddenly, a loud voice shouted,
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
Startled, Mayu-gyeom turned just in time to see a throwing dagger flying toward him.
Whoosh!
He dodged desperately and looked toward the attacker.
It was Seon Woo-jin.