Chapter 125 : Jaseung, Attends

Chapter 125: Jaseung, Attends

Rain sat alone in a dark, empty room.

Then came a woman’s voice.

“It suits you well.”

When Rain lifted his head, a masked woman stood by the window. It was Water, the same woman who had left a mysterious impression during her meeting with Lee Jaseung.

“You look striking, sitting there alone in the darkness.”

“If you find this kind of scene striking, that’s troubling.”

“As you know, my nature’s a little dark, you know?”

Her eyes smiled. Truly, her eyes were beautiful, not inferior to anything one could compare them to.

She opened the door, stepped inside, and poured tea from a pot on a side table into a cup. Then, with her back turned, she removed her mask.

“It’s uncomfortable. A mask in this day and age? Such an old-fashioned idea, isn’t it?”

Rain gave only a dry smile and no answer.

She sipped the cooled tea.

“Ah, refreshing.”

She looked as though she might turn around any moment and say, “How could I hide such a beautiful face behind a mask, isn’t it terrible?” But before even her profile could be seen, she carefully put the mask back on.

“So, I heard Wrath died?”

“Yes, he was killed by Seop Mu-pyeong.”

At that, Water gave him a peculiar look.

“Isn’t he too strong, though? Even if he was the champion of the marriage tournament, to kill Wrath of all people?”

Rain answered her with an equally peculiar look.

“You would have expected as much, wouldn’t you?”

Water stepped closer to him.

She brought her face close to his, close enough that their breath mingled. Rain didn’t stop her. At such a short distance, their gazes locked.

In a gentle voice, Water asked,

“You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

Rain's eyes trembled, just very faintly.

Then he countered with a question.

“That’s what I’d like to ask. What are you hiding from me?”

Their locked gazes were like gamblers’ at a table, truth and lies tangled, deceiving and being deceived.

Water stepped back.

“I’m not hiding anything. I’m just pretending to be mysterious. Mystery is a woman’s greatest weapon.”

“Are you using that weapon on me?”

Water glanced at him and gave a faint smile.

“Sorry, but I don’t like men who look sad.”

“Do I look sad?”

“Very much so.”

“Should I try to brighten up now, or is it too late?”

He forced an awkward smile.

Water laughed.

“Sorry, but there’s no need. To be honest, you’re not my type anyway. Seop Mu-pyeong’s kind of face is more my taste.”

A flicker of disappointment passed Rain's eyes, but he nodded, as if to say he understood.

“A person really needs to be handsome first to have a chance as always huh.”

“Has the assassination order on Seop Mu-pyeong been cancelled?”

“No.”

“Oh? Why are the higher-ups so fixated on him? This isn’t like their usual ways, to keep hammering when it doesn’t work.”

Rain sensed she wasn’t really curious, but he still replied bluntly.

“If you’re curious, rise in rank.”

At his evasive reply, Water chuckled.

“Why laugh?”

“Cruel words don’t suit a man with sad eyes like you.”

Rain gave a faint laugh and rose. As he headed out, Water called after him.

“A summons from Mountain has gone out, hasn’t it?”

“You really don’t miss anything, do you.”

She was right. A summons from Mountain had been issued. Only his direct subordinates could attend that secret gathering.

“You can know some things without rising in rank. This failure might be used as grounds to censure you. They could try to devour you with it.”

She knew quite a lot about Rain and the larger situation.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Leaving only that, Rain walked out.

Alone, Water sat where he had been.

Her once-bright eyes now carried a sorrow even deeper than his.

“No… it all matters.”

* * *

That night, a carriage rolled into a manor.

Inside were Lee Jaseung and Jang Wonso. When they entered the grand house, the warrior who had driven the carriage opened the door.

“Please, step down.”

Lee Jaseung and Jang Wonso stepped out.

Following the warrior’s lead, they opened a hidden door in the side of the house.

Beyond lay a narrow path.

They walked for quite some time along it. Lee Jaseung had thought the banquet would be held in the manor, but they had long since left its bounds. Considering the tight security around the manor, this was surprising.

He really is clever.

Even if someone had been following Jang Wonso, no one would have expected him to slip out with only a single warrior in tow.

It was a perfect feint, catching his pursuers off guard.

At the same time, it showed how much he trusted his own skill. If someone attacked right now, he would be nearly defenseless.

He definitely must be relying on something.

Lee Jaseung reaffirmed that thought.

Eventually, they arrived at another manor, ten li away.

The one who opened the gate was a woman in her thirties. She was beautiful, but carried a dignity too refined to call her a courtesan.

“You’ve come?”

“Have you been well?”

“Yes.”

“Tonight, I’ve brought an especially honored guest.”

The woman bowed to Lee Jaseung.

“It’s my first time meeting you. I’m Jo Yehyang.”

“I am Seop Mu-pyeong.”

Lee Jaseung introduced himself without hesitation, which made Jang Wonso’s eyes gleam with pleasure. Revealing his identity to a stranger was a sign of trust.

“He’s a great hero of the martial world, he must be treated well.”

“I’ll do my best. Please, this way.”

She led them into a room.

At the table, laden with food and liquor, two other women awaited. They rose and introduced themselves.

Jang Wonso asked Lee Jaseung,

“Which one pleases you more?”

Lee Jaseung studied them. Both were strikingly beautiful. One exuded intellectual allure, the other sensual charm.

He chose the sensual one.

“Hahaha, I see a little of Expert Seop’s taste.”

The sensual woman sat at his side.

Jo Yehyang and the other woman sat on either side of Jang Wonso.

From what Lee Jaseung could tell, none of the women knew martial arts.

But they were skilled in pleasing men.

Especially Jo Yehyang, who not only had talent in letters, painting, and music, but also wide knowledge of the martial world. She could speak smoothly on any topic.

It felt wasteful that such a clever woman was here serving drinks.

They spoke of this and that. Throughout, Jang Wonso praised Lee Jaseung again and again.

He complimented his martial prowess despite his youth, his appearance, even the fact that he had won the hand of Baek Seolyoung, said to be the most beautiful woman under heaven.

He was treating him with full honors. Lee Jaseung, for his part, played along, smiling and laughing as though he enjoyed it.

Yet doubt lingered.

He had heard this was to be a lewd, decadent banquet, but the atmosphere wasn’t that at all. It was more like a night of drinking at a pleasure house, or even more wholesome.

‘I see. He still doesn’t fully trust me.’

Of course. From the start, he would never show his true face.

Lee Jaseung let himself grow visibly drunk. He didn’t restrain the alcohol. Even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t slip, drunk or not.

At length, when his intoxication seemed heavy, a woman led him into a side room.

Jang Wonso laughed heartily, telling him to enjoy himself. Lee Jaseung staggered off without properly bowing.

As soon as they entered, the woman began undressing.

When she looked back, Lee Jaseung was already standing bare.

Her cheeks flushed. She had never seen a man with such a magnificent body.

She felt as though she were being drawn in. Unable to resist, she threw herself into his arms.

He held her roughly.

“Ah…!”

Her moans grew louder.

There was someone outside listening. It was the woman who had sat at Jang Wonso’s side earlier.

She smiled meaningfully as she walked down the hall.

After she disappeared, the door opened quietly.

It was Lee Jaseung. The moans from behind him were the sensual woman’s.

But she was alone in bed, clutching a pillow and blanket, moaning in ecstasy.

Lee Jaseung hadn’t even taken off his clothes.

He had cast an illusion on her, a hallucination more real than reality.

Using Limitless Steps, he moved down the hall without sound or presence, like a shadow walking.

At the hall’s end, he heard voices from another room. Jang Wonso and another woman.

“How is he?”

“He’s completely in Hyang’s grasp.”

“Huhu. So the bastard’s no different. Alright, come here.”

When Jang Wonso began stripping the woman, a cold smile touched Lee Jaseung’s lips.

He didn’t return to his room. He decided to watch in secret. It was dangerous, but the opportunity was too valuable.

He needed to know if this place was truly for decadent feasts, or if there was another purpose.

There could be a master guarding Jang Wonso, one so skilled even he couldn’t sense them. If so, then that master was watching his every move right now.

If he thought like that, he couldn’t act at all.

So he just assumed there wasn’t.

But if he was wrong? Then he’ll just deal with it then.

Lee Jaseung stretched his senses wide. He felt servants here and there, but no aura of a true master.

Even the warrior who had come with them was dozing by the stable. The security, which should have been so tight, was lax.

Which made it all the more suspicious.

He leapt to the roof.

From a tree beside the wall, he scanned again. Still nothing suspicious.

He searched everywhere, but found no anomalies.

At last, he turned his gaze to the kitchen.

Through the window, he saw a fat middle-aged woman cooking. She clearly didn’t know martial arts.

He turned to leave, then paused.

His eyes went back to the dishes stacked in a corner. There were far too many for the number of people here.

He looked back at the woman. Though plump, she had a firm mouth and deft hands. She didn’t seem the type to let dishes pile up out of laziness.

This time his eyes moved to the prepared food. Several dishes filled bamboo baskets, enough to feed many.

His eyes sharpened.

There are others here!

He hadn’t seen them, nor sensed them. Which meant they were somewhere beyond his senses.

That meant there was only one place.

Underground.

There was a secret passage to a basement.

Though time was short, he didn’t leave the kitchen.

The woman had just finished cooking. If the food was for someone, she would deliver it.

Follow the food, and he would see them.

And indeed, Lee Jaseung was right.

A moment later, the woman touched the ladles hanging on the wall in sequence.

A space opened below, silently. A large platform of iron.

She stacked the food baskets onto it. Once she had loaded them, she touched the ladles again. The platform descended, the entrance closing.

After sending the food down, she left the kitchen.

Lee Jaseung slipped inside and touched the ladles in the same order.

The entrance opened.

The platform was empty. Someone below had already taken the food.

He lightened his body with Qi and stepped onto the platform.

Then he touched the ladles again.

The platform carrying him sank. The hatch closed above, leaving him in darkness.

Swoosh!

The descent grew faster and faster.

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