Chapter 157: Chapter 157

“What is it?”

“Th-that is…”

“I asked, what is it?!”

Du Ak-chil trembled.

It was not even something he had done, so he did not know why he had to tremble like this while reporting, but he could not even speak properly under the sharp, blue momentum rising from Chu Mun-won’s body.

His eyes looked as if they had changed to those of a beast.

“They say they are moving the wine toward the Prince’s Palace. It seems they have made some sort of deal with Hong Won-chang…”

“If it is Hong Won-chang, do you mean that guy in Yueyang?”

“Y-yes!”

“Damn it!”

How on earth did the leader of the Golden Ring Merchant Group have a connection with someone like Hong Won-chang?

If it were a normal government official, he would not even care, but Hong Won-chang was a man who received the trust of the Prince’s Palace, and was highly trusted not only in Hunan but also in the central government.

Going to the Prince’s Palace with such a person?

And with the wine?

In a word, what else could this mean other than driving the Chu Mun clan out of the land of Hunan?

Grit!

His teeth ground together.

The girl of the Hoyeon clan could not have done all this alone.

Then, only one person came to Chu Mun-won’s mind.

“Do not let them reach the Prince’s Palace under any circumstances! Kill them all, whether it is Hong Won-chang or whoever! And drag that merchant group leader bastard in front of me right now!”

“Understood!”

Du Ak-chil hurriedly left the room.

Looking at his retreating back, Chu Mun-won caught his breath.

Perhaps because he was angry, his true qi boiled.

Because his killing intent soared in an instant, he could not compose his mind.

It must not be like this. It was a power he had managed to control, so he could not be swayed by it again.

Chu Mun-won twitched the corner of his mouth and leaned his body back in the chair.

His soaring irritation did not subside easily.

Whoever it was, since they dared to pick a fight with the Chu Mun clan, he would never let them be.

‘I will kill them all, and kill them again, until not even a trace remains.’

Chu Mun-won’s eyes burned red.

* * *

The procession of Hong Won-chang and Geum Eun-hak’s group heading to the Prince’s Palace was quite strange.

It looked like they had set up a merchant caravan, but there were only two guards belonging to the merchant group at most, and the rest consisted of local constables.

They clearly seemed to be traveling as a merchant caravan, so why constables?

Even with Hong Won-chang standing at the center of it, people looked at the procession strangely.

It did not look like they were escorting prisoners, but rather as if the constables were guarding the caravan.

Moreover, if it were a caravan, it would normally be standard to travel along the main road, but they were moving toward a quiet path where few people went.

It had already been about two hours since the procession left Yueyang.

The provincial capital of Hunan was Jangsa, and the Prince’s Palace, the residence of the Prince, was also in Jangsa.

Normally, it took about four hours from Yueyang to Jangsa, but that was when moving along the main road, so the speed of the procession moving along the quiet path was slow, extremely slow.

“We must travel for at least six to eight hours. If we take the main road, it would be much faster…”

“It was Young Master Dan who told us to go this way. If you have a complaint, tell him.”

Namgung So-hye also let out a deep sigh.

There was a comfortable path, yet they chose to go a difficult route.

Even going along a road where it was easy to meet bandits was not very desirable for a caravan.

Nevertheless, Dan Woo-hyun insisted on this path.

‘Did he tell them to come because he threw the bait?’

It must surely mean that.

The art of war said that winning without fighting was best, but it seemed there was no such word in Dan Woo-hyun’s head.

‘Still, it would have been a bigger problem if a fight broke out on the main road.’

The main road was a place where many caravans and people came and went.

Because it was a safe and fast path to travel.

Therefore, if a fight broke out on the crowded main road, damage would inevitably occur.

In contrast, the quiet path with few people was suitable for fighting.

Namgung So-hye held her sword in one hand and kept watch on the surroundings so she could draw it at any time.

Since Dan Woo-hyun told her to be careful, they would surely come.

She already trusted Dan Woo-hyun’s words enough to believe whatever he said.

“What on earth is this wine that we have to go this far for…”

Guarding the surroundings, she sighed as if she could not understand.

Trying to kill people over just a bottle of wine? She did not know who they were or where they lived, but she thought they must be completely crazy about wine.

“Haha, I have expected this ever since I first took on this job.”

Geum Eun-hak smiled gently.

From the moment he decided to follow Dan Woo-hyun, his life was already as good as given up.

Also, when he decided to drag the Hoyeon clan into this, he thought they would inevitably clash with the Chu Mun clan.

“Leader Geum, are you not afraid? You might die.”

“With the beautiful Lady Namgung protecting me by my side, how could that be?”

“Thank you very much for that.”

Knowing it was empty talk, Namgung So-hye did not take it literally either. However, there was no change in the fact that their lives were on the line.

Even though he was trying to act calm, Geum Eun-hak’s eyes looked somewhat tense.

Nevertheless, seeing him walk steadfastly made her think that he was quite a brave person.

“By the way, Lady Namgung, when do you plan to hold your wedding?”

“Yes?”

At that moment, an out-of-context voice was heard from behind.

Hong Won-chang was wearing martial attire instead of the official robes he usually wore, and a large sword was fastened to his waist.

It was more than four times wider than a normal sword, so it was ambiguous to call it a sword, and yet it was strange to call it a saber.

As if he really liked the sword, he did not let it leave his body.

“A wedding? Who?”

“Who else, Lady Namgung and our Lord.”

“Eh?!”

Startled, Namgung So-hye opened her eyes wide.

Even Gwon Mu-jin, who had not shown any interest until now, turned his head to look at Namgung So-hye.

The talk that came out just now was that shocking.

“What… does that mean?”

“Were you not marrying?”

“Th-that cannot be…!”

“But you look like quite a well-matched couple.”

“Thank you very much… for that.”

Namgung So-hye squinted her eyes and made a dissatisfied expression. Of course, it would be a lie to say she was not interested in Dan Woo-hyun, but that did not mean she was thinking of marriage.

Moreover, was not that person’s personality a bit crooked?

He was far from Namgung So-hye’s ideal type.

Handsome, having enough money, tall, highly skilled in martial arts, and occasionally making a person feel good…

‘That is Young Master Dan!’

After thinking about her ideal type and having Dan Woo-hyun come to mind, Namgung So-hye hurriedly shook her head.

As if she herself thought there was no other embarrassment like this, she buried her face in the horse’s mane and trembled.

“Haha! Being young is good, Lady.”

“Be… quiet.”

As if Namgung So-hye’s embarrassed figure was amusing, chuckles were heard from here and there.

At that moment, Gwon Mu-jin, who was riding at the very front, grabbed the horse’s reins.

“Stop.”

It was because he sensed a presence.

His senses, feeling the gazes pouring from all directions, were sending warnings throughout his body.

The laughing constables guarded the surroundings, and Namgung So-hye and Hong Won-chang drew their swords.

“Who is it? Come out.”

Gwon Mu-jin frowned and took out his twin short swords.

He felt quite a lot of gazes.

There seemed to be more than twenty, at a conservative estimate.

‘Are they first-class experts?’

Perhaps their realm was lower than that, but their killing intent alone was superb.

At that moment, along with the sound of cutting through the wind, something flew in.

Gwon Mu-jin quickly threw himself off the horse and deflected the thing flying toward a constable.

Clang!

It was an arrow.

The arrow that flew like a shot aimed precisely between the constable’s eyebrows. Seeing how they launched an arrow first, it was absolutely not a skill practiced only once or twice.

‘But they are not professional assassins.’

If they were professional assassins, they would have hidden their killing intent a little better.

Clap, clap, clap!

At that moment, the sound of clapping was heard from one side.

Soon, the bushes rustled in various places, and people began to reveal themselves one by one.

Every single one of them glared at Hong Won-chang and his party with murderous eyes and pointed their swords.

They did not seem to have any intention of backing down.

Gwon Mu-jin examined them with a somewhat arrogant expression.

They were wearing black clothes and even masks.

Since they were attacking a county magistrate in broad daylight, it was natural to cover their faces.

He felt even a sense of emptiness at that too standard appearance.

“What is this…”

Even Namgung So-hye spoke with an absurd expression.

These days, even assassins did not walk around like that.

“What is so funny?”

Perhaps uncomfortable with the two people harboring sneers, the man who seemed to be the leader muttered in a somewhat low voice.

However, Gwon Mu-jin and Namgung So-hye got down from their horses without replying.

Hong Won-chang also dismounted and stepped forward.

The constables were on guard, but if the opponents were martial artists who were around first-class experts, their heads would be cut off in the blink of an eye, and they would not be of any help.

“Do not step forward and protect the merchant group leader.”

“Yes!”

At the constables’ booming reply, Hong Won-chang nodded with satisfaction.

Compared to martial artists, they had many shortcomings, but there would be no other guys as reliable as them.

He caught his breath briefly and gripped his sword.

It was his first real combat.

Hong Won-chang, who was over forty, learning martial arts and taking his first step as a martial artist.

Therefore, he also had a nervous mind, but he believed in the martial arts Dan Woo-hyun had taught him.

“You rascals! Do you know who I am that you block my path!”

“Hong Won-chang, the county magistrate of Yueyang… do you think we came here without knowing who you are?”

“Well, I suppose so.”

Hong Won-chang laughed hollowly, and Gwon Mu-jin and Namgung So-hye also made awkward expressions.

In the first place, the opponents would have stepped forward with the intent to kill, without even caring that he was a county magistrate of the government.

At that moment, Namgung So-hye took a step forward.

“It is annoying that things seem to be going exactly as Young Master Dan intended, but… prepare yourselves. Not a single person will be able to return intact.”

“Hmph… a wench whose liver has swollen outside her body!”

“Hoho, you are quite brave compared to your skill. To say such words to this Namgung So-hye!”

Her eyes flashing, she rushed forward like an arrow.

It was the body movement of the Bowing Body Projecting Shadow.

The moment one of the startled attackers was about to swing his sword, a sword path was drawn with a flashing gleam.

Slash!

Spraying blood splattered the faces of the flustered men.

However, what surprised them even more than that was…

“N-Namgung So-hye?!”

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