Chapter 338: Chapter 338

“Blegh!”

“Ugh!”

Namgung So-hye and Jang Sam-tae were lost for words as they stared at the tragedy before their eyes.

Because the bodies were crushed so horribly that it was hard to believe they were originally human, just looking at them made them want to vomit.

All that remained in that place, which was still being swept by the storm, were pieces of flesh that used to be the shapes of men and horses, and helmets that had lost their owners.

Showing how displeased Dan Woo-hyun’s state of mind was, most of the deceased could not even resist properly.

Yet Dan Woo-hyun, who had created this carnage, wore an indifferent expression. He sheathed his sword and soon carried Dan So-mi on his back.

He quietly looked down at Dan So-mi, who did not wake up because he had pressed her pressure points, and cast a benevolent gaze on her.

Shiver!

Namgung So-hye could not hide her shivers as she watched the scene.

How many people would be able to tear someone to death so horribly right before their eyes and still wear such a bright smile?

“Ex… excuse me…”

Namgung So-hye tried to open her mouth, but Jang Sam-tae pulled her back. Although he was smiling, Dan Woo-hyun’s mood was scraping the floor.

A slip of the tongue could lead to a situation where they would never laugh again.

Realizing what Jang Sam-tae meant, Namgung So-hye also quickly shut her mouth.

Indeed, just seeing that Jang Sam-tae, who was usually the most talkative, remained silent, she should have realized that Dan Woo-hyun was in a bad mood.

“Who are they?”

“They are… they are called Ghost Shadows… It seems they are the minions of the Myriad Gold Merchant Group.”

Jang Sam-tae answered hurriedly.

Even though it was merely a simple question, he felt as if his entire body was being pricked by needles. That was how clearly Dan Woo-hyun’s murderous intent was transmitted.

Letting out a sigh, Dan Woo-hyun turned his head.

“Why is this child out here? In this kind of storm…”

“W, we also do not know well…”

Jang Sam-tae and Namgung So-hye had no idea what had happened to the Hunan Dan Family.

They had merely discovered them while engaged in a chase and followed them.

Dan Woo-hyun narrowed his eyes and looked at the two.

“What happened…”

“I have no idea, sir…”

“I do not know…”

“…”

Dan Woo-hyun wore an expression of being lost for words.

It was clear that something had happened, but it was highly perplexing that they knew nothing about it.

That was expected of Jang Sam-tae since he was a fellow who usually did not pay attention to other things, but it was different for Namgung So-hye.

Because he had thought of her as a rather intelligent woman, even if not to the extent of Zhuge Yeon, his perplexity was greater.

“Let us return for now.”

“Yes…”

“U, understood, sir.”

* * *

“Heek?!”

“Gasp!”

“Oh my…”

When Dan Woo-hyun returned to the Hunan Dan Family and entered the manor, the storm stopped as if it had been waiting, and the sky grew calm.

However, groans were heard from various places.

Zhuge Un, Namgung Cheon, Sa Do-hak, and even Jeok Mu-seong and Ma Jang-gang.

The moment they saw Dan Woo-hyun, they turned their gazes away and broke into a cold sweat, as if hiding something.

Not knowing the reason for this, Dan Woo-hyun frowned.

Soon, looking at Dan So-mi carried on his back, he spoke.

“Where did Mae-hyang go?”

“Th, that, well, I do not know if she went out for a walk.”

The moment he heard Dan Woo-hyun’s single question, Sa Do-hak realized that that fellow did not yet know what had happened here.

Because they had just reclaimed the manor and were cleaning it, it was somewhat noisy, but in the eyes of Dan Woo-hyun who knew nothing, it would look just like the usual scene.

No, it had to be so.

“Aigo, what on earth are you doing wandering around instead of working?”

Noticing that something was strange, Jang Sam-tae played along and slyly reached out his hands.

At his gaze requesting to take Dan So-mi, Dan Woo-hyun nodded.

“Do not worry, sir. I will wash her, change her clothes, and put her to sleep in her room.”

“…Fine.”

Jang Sam-tae hurriedly left the spot.

Everyone’s eyes followed the departing Jang Sam-tae.

‘He slip away on his own!’

‘He ran away…’

Facing the angry gazes felt from all sides, Jang Sam-tae smiled invisibly.

Judging by the situation, something had definitely happened. That was why Dan So-mi was wandering outside at this hour, and why they were shocked the moment they saw Dan Woo-hyun.

However, since Jang Sam-tae knew nothing of the context, he judged that escaping quickly was wiser than getting needlessly involved.

‘Hehe, solve it yourselves…’

Jang Sam-tae left the scene with a triumphant smile.

Meanwhile, Dan Woo-hyun began to look around.

He sniffed around and swept the floor with his fingers.

Then he suddenly wore a puzzled expression.

“I smell a stranger.”

At that single statement, everyone flinched.

In particular, Namgung Cheon and Sa Do-hak wore dumbfounded expressions.

“Are you a dog? How can you tell just by smelling?”

“A person naturally has a unique scent.”

“It is more amazing that there is a person who notices that…”

They broke into a heavy cold sweat.

In the first place, it was absurd that he could smell it.

With so many people living here, how could he conclude that a stranger had been present simply by smell?

Sa Do-hak shook his head, then realized something and quickly looked at Dan Woo-hyun.

“By the way, why are you here?”

“Is that strange?”

“Of course it is strange, you bastard!”

Namgung Cheon also tilted his head.

A considerable amount of time had passed since he left to subjugate the remnants of the Green Forest, but it was not yet time for him to have arrived there.

Moreover, even if he had arrived, the time to return here would be immense.

Yet how could he be in this place?

Gwon Mu-jin and Zhuge Yeon, who had gone with him, were not even visible.

“Did Yeon and Mu-jin not return with you?”

“…They must still be on their way.”

“Eh?”

Namgung Cheon asked with a puzzled expression.

Where on earth were they going?

He quietly stared at Dan Woo-hyun’s face, and he resolved the curiosity as if it were nothing.

“To Mt. Yungjung.”

Namgung Cheon and Sa Do-hak stared at each other’s faces. Did that mean he sent only those two ahead to Mt. Yungjung and returned alone?

If so, it was understandable why Dan Woo-hyun had arrived first.

“Sigh, if you intended to send those two from the beginning, there was no need for you to follow them, was there?”

“I was with them until just a moment ago. I returned because the vibe was strange.”

“What!”

“Cough!”

Looking at Dan Woo-hyun who uttered such an incredible statement, everyone wore expressions of being lost for words.

Calculating the time, they must have already left Hunan and been heading to Hubei, so did it make any sense that he was with them until just a moment ago and came back down alone?

They all had dazed expressions, unable to believe it.

But he was none other than Dan Woo-hyun.

He was not a person who would say such a thing even as a joke.

Cold sweat trickled down everyone’s faces.

“That aside…”

As if he discovered something while looking around slowly, Dan Woo-hyun reached out his hand. When he caught and lifted it, everyone’s complexions turned pale.

“What is this?”

What Dan Woo-hyun held in his hand was someone’s identity plaque. It belonged to one of Prince Geum’s guards, whose name he did not even know.

Dan Woo-hyun, who was smiling while staring quietly at it, slowly spoke when no answer came.

“There were at least twenty… strangers who stayed in this manor… Who were they?”

“No, well…”

The flowing sweat did not stop.

Due to the storm that had poured like crazy since last night, there was no way any footprints of people would remain, yet Dan Woo-hyun did not miss even the minute traces and discovered them.

“Speak.”

Seated on the narrow veranda before they knew it, his eyes flashed sharply. There was nothing that could be hidden.

He cast a sharp, blade-like gaze as if issuing an ultimatum.

“Hahaha, is that not naturally the trace left because this Zhuge Un exerted resourcefulness for the sake of Family Head Dan?”

At that moment, Zhuge Un let out a ringing laugh and slyly clung to Dan Woo-hyun’s side.

Because that action looked so sneaky, it was by no means an illusion that Jang Sam-tae, who had vanished earlier, came to mind.

Soon, Zhuge Un took a bundle of banknotes from his robes and placed them beside Dan Woo-hyun.

“What is this?”

“Ahem! It is what I earned while wrapping up the Myriad Gold Merchant Group’s affairs. The amount is quite large, so please check it.”

Dan Woo-hyun looked at Zhuge Un with a suspicious expression. But perhaps because the money was before his eyes, he nodded slightly and checked the banknotes.

After counting the money for a moment, Dan Woo-hyun naturally put it into his robes.

“Good job.”

“Haha, is this not all thanks to Family Head Dan? Screwing over the world-famous Myriad Gold Merchant Group and earning money to boot. The Hunan Dan Family has truly gained a lot.”

Zhuge Un tried by all means to hide the fact that others had been staying at this manor.

Moreover, it was not yet time to talk about Hong Won-chang or Hoyeon Ji being attacked.

Judging by Dan So-mi’s condition, something bad had happened, and since Dan Woo-hyun was quite on edge, they had to calm him down at least a little before proceeding with the conversation.

“Right, but by the way… how did the Golden Ring Tavern burn down?”

“Eh…”

“I saw it on my way back. That it burned down.”

“…”

Zhuge Un, who was smiling awkwardly, shut his mouth in an instant.

His mind simply did not work on how to explain it.

Although he held the position of a strategist in his own right, strangely, his brain seemed to freeze whenever he stood in front of Dan Woo-hyun.

Watching that, Dan Woo-hyun stared at the gathered crowd.

He let out a chuckle and spoke.

“Shall I take a guess? They were riding high because the Myriad Gold Tavern was not budging, but then those fellows must have started playing tricks. It seemed they dodged it well at first, but the angry rascals must have begun attacking the people around us. First, they targeted the Hao Sect Clan to block information, then Hoyeon Ji to destroy the Golden Ring Tavern’s influence, and finally they processed Hong Won-chang because those fellows feared the power of the magistrate’s office.”

Muttering to himself that that was the reason the Golden Ring Tavern burned down, he let out a long sigh.

Whether he was angry or unconcerned because it was already in the past, it was impossible to tell just by his expression.

“After cornering us that far, what did they do? Naturally, they must have targeted this manor.”

Dan Woo-hyun, his eyes flared fiercely, continued his predictions as if it were obvious.

At his appearance of answering each question correctly like a person who had watched the entire situation from the start, cold sweat rolled down everyone’s foreheads.

Furthermore, Namgung So-hye, who had not understood the exact situation, gaped in surprise.

“And while you were kicked out of the manor and trying to counterattack while hiding in the safe house, So-mi ran out… Is that about it?”

“…”

Dan Woo-hyun stood up from his seat.

At the same time, the wind began to rise.

Because it raged violently as if the storm that had already stopped was blowing once more, those receiving that momentum directly felt their limbs tremble.

“Bow your heads.”

Under that force, everyone, regardless of gender or age, pressed their heads to the ground.

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