Chapter 514: Side Story 14

Chapter 14

“Is it true that the Gongcheon Sect has fallen?”

“I’m telling you it is! The government office just dragged all the corpses out of that manor! I saw it myself. The Gongcheon Sect Leader’s corpse was there too…”

“Just who…”

“I heard the Gongcheon Sect disciples possessed quite remarkable skills…”

People were buzzing with murmurs everywhere.

The Gongcheon Sect was a place comparable to the Heavenly Path Society and was also famous for its members committing vicious acts. Since such a place had fallen in an instant, who wouldn’t be talking about it?

People whispered.

The news quickly spread throughout the entire Central Plains.

Martial artists were astonished, and the people who had been under the influence of the Gongcheon Sect let out cheers.

As the situation naturally turned out that way, everyone’s eyes and ears focused on information about the person who had brought down the Gongcheon Sect.

Soon, the words that came out of the surviving Gongcheon Sect disciples’ mouths left everyone aghast, and those words were.

“Hunan Dan Family!”

“The Greatest Clan in the World?”

Words were going back and forth everywhere.

It was said that the Hunan Dan Family, which had been quiet until now, had caused the incident.

They didn’t know for what reason the Gongcheon Sect had become enemies with the Hunan Dan Family, but it was also an incident that once again showed that the power of the Hunan Dan Family was not to be taken lightly.

Every place associated with the Gongcheon Sect held its breath.

It was because of the weight the name Hunan Dan Family carried.

“Did you hear?”

“Yeah… I did hear.”

Out on the streets of Yueyang, Dan So-mi made an absurd expression upon hearing such stories. Just what were they doing outside that she was hearing news of places falling?

Her resentment toward the four people who had gone outside grew.

What was interesting was that every time such rumors were heard, the people on the streets of Yueyang bowed even more deeply to Dan So-mi, which was also extremely burdensome.

“It’s going to be noisy again for a while.”

Ju Ji-yak looked at Dan So-mi with a pitying gaze.

There are things that happen every time an incident like this occurs. Namely, the spies of various factions staying in Yueyang would poke around here and there to gather information, and new people would flock in, causing clashes.

“If I knew this would happen, I would’ve gone along too…”

Dan So-mi let out a heavy sigh with a ‘haa’ and pinched the bridge of her nose.

Around them, there were those who forced smiles while looking at Dan So-mi, or those who hid their bodies in fear.

Dan So-mi, who was once the most famous child in Yueyang, had now become a girl who was famous but could not be approached recklessly.

“Fufu, so what? It’s fun, isn’t it? It’s nice that no one messes with you.”

“I don’t need things like that. Right, Eun-wol?”

“Yes, of course.”

Turning her gaze, Dan So-mi looked at Yeo Eun-wol.

Surveying the surroundings with an expressionless face, she seemed to live her life solely for Dan So-mi’s safety. If anyone tried to harm Dan So-mi, the blade in her hand would slit their throat.

Dan So-mi broke out in a cold sweat watching her.

Ju Ji-yak felt the same.

One of the reasons Dan So-mi, who used to be so loved in the neighborhood, had become an object of fear was precisely because of Yeo Eun-wol.

If a man approached, she would grind her teeth and chase him away, and if anyone tried to pose even a slight threat, she would break their limbs.

Thus, naturally, people stopped coming near Dan So-mi.

‘It’s a bit too much… Haa.’

She thought it wasn’t necessary to go this far, but since Yeo Eun-wol still seemed unable to properly forget what happened in the past, she could only keep her mouth shut and accept everything.

“Then shall we go somewhere else? I mean a place with no people.”

“Is there such a place?”

“No. We cannot go to a dangerous place.”

“…”

“…”

Ju Ji-yak made a suggestion to change the mood, but she was cut off sharply by Yeo Eun-wol. She wanted to spend time leisurely in a place with no people, but such places had a higher probability of being dangerous.

Especially if young girls were gathered together.

“No… You’re here too, so I think it should be fine…?”

“No. I heard many sinister individuals have been seen nearby recently. A situation I cannot handle might occur.”

Yeo Eun-wol spoke sharply.

The vicinity of Yueyang always had a lot of trouble.

Whether it was because of the large transient population or because the aura of the Hunan Dan Family was causing incidents around them, no one knew when or where bizarre things would happen.

“On top of that, strange things have been happening at the Hao Sect recently. I believe it would be best to exercise caution for now.”

Yeo Eun-wol’s mind was filled solely with thoughts about Dan So-mi. This was because she was more acutely aware than anyone that her safety was equivalent to the peace of their surroundings.

“But you’re here and I have guards too?”

“…”

Ju Ji-yak looked at Yeo Eun-wol with a look of incomprehension. With the Prince’s Manor’s guards and Yeo Eun-wol, they would be able to overcome whatever happened wherever they were.

Yet she still said no?

“Do you… want to see another sect or clan fall?”

Yeo Eun-wol stared piercingly at Dan So-mi.

Right, the most frightening thing was nothing else.

She was confident she could overcome any situation, but if she clashed with someone in the process, that someone would ultimately become a corpse.

Because that was exactly what it meant to mess with the Hunan Dan Family.

For what reason had the numerous sects established in Yueyang fallen?

Also, why did the Murim martial artists of the Central Plains fear the Hunan Dan Family so much?

It was because no one had survived after making the Hunan Dan Family their enemy.

“Kkeu-eung…”

Dan So-mi knew that fact well too, so she just sighed and shook her head back and forth.

“Right, right… When dad comes back, I should ask him to take us on a trip or something… Haa…”

“Ch, cheer up.”

Ju Ji-yak looked pityingly at Dan So-mi who was sighing.

She seemed to act freely in whatever she did, but ultimately, her actions had considerable restrictions.

That was also the meaning the name of the Hunan Dan Family harbored.

* * *

Whether they knew of Dan So-mi’s uncomfortable feelings or not, Dan Woo-hyun, Sado Hak, and Namgung Cheon were staying at an inn after finishing their good spectating.

It was a shop on a mountain road, and just by selling simple food and liquor, countless guests were coming and going.

“Wow, that kid is quite something. To crush a place called the Gongcheon Sect or whatever all by himself.”

Sado Hak smiled pleasantly and tipped his glass.

He had taught him recently, but he never dreamed his skills would improve this quickly. He had even crushed a quite famous sect, so it seemed he might have already entered the ranks of the Top 100 Masters.

“Tsk tsk, are you that happy about teaching him demonic arts?”

“Demonic arts also depend on the type, you bastard! It’s the Heavenly Demon Divine Art of all things!”

Sado Hak grinned.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Art was the martial art of the Demonic Cult. Through this, he had naturally created a tie between the Hunan Dan Family and the Demonic Cult. On the contrary, since Namgung Cheon didn’t have anything like that, he seemed to be unnecessarily grumpy.

“Did you handle the aftermath well?”

However, Dan Woo-hyun didn’t seem interested.

Tipping his glass, he looked at the mountain scenery and asked.

Decimating a sect like this always entailed an aftermath. There would be those who held grudges, and because of this incident, assassins might also move to kill Jang Sam-tae.

It would naturally turn into a dangerous situation, so he wanted to prevent that in advance.

“Of course I did. I placed a request with the Hao Sect, and they resolved it right away.”

Namgung Cheon smirked.

Handling the aftermath wasn’t anything special.

Perhaps just that the Hunan Dan Family had stepped forward and resolved a conflict with the Gongcheon Sect? Ultimately, it meant the Hunan Dan Family had brought down the Gongcheon Sect, but by spreading that, it would instill caution in those sharpening their blades against Jang Sam-tae.

Furthermore, it was also his intention to inform those who hadn’t believed Jang Sam-tae was a member of the Hunan Dan Family that he was definitively a person of the Dan Family, thereby preventing them from laying a hand on him any further.

Dan Woo-hyun looked at Namgung Cheon with an odd expression.

He seemed to have somewhat guessed what he had done.

“It doesn’t matter, but don’t blow things up too much. Since So-mi doesn’t like it.”

“Heoheoheo, do not worry. Such rumors die down quickly. Also, isn’t it better because the bigger the name of the Hunan Dan Family grows, the fewer people will dare to attack?”

“You crazy bastard, the bigger it grows, the more people who fear it will naturally appear. Are you saying that without knowing it right now?”

Namgung Cheon agreed with Sado Hak’s words.

Of course he knew that much.

He wasn’t a person who had been at the top of the Righteous Faction for nothing.

The greater the power, the more people would fear it, and that would naturally have a bad influence on Dan So-mi.

“She was already at that level to begin with. It’s just that the child hasn’t realized it until now. Isn’t it about time she slowly learned her position?”

“Hmm…”

They couldn’t refute Namgung Cheon’s words as being wrong.

The Greatest Clan in the World, as long as such a title was attached to her, Dan So-mi would never be able to live an ordinary life.

Most people in the world would treat her with difficulty, and others would be jealous and envious.

The Murim was always a place where the strong were respected.

The reverence for the strong would be beyond words.

In a sense, Namgung Cheon’s actions were putting even more pressure on Dan So-mi, but it remained unchanged that all these situations were for the sake of that child.

“It doesn’t matter. So-mi will be So-mi.”

“Heoheo, right. You speak the obvious.”

Dan Woo-hyun also thought nothing of this.

Dan So-mi would be Dan So-mi no matter what happened.

That much wouldn’t change, so she wouldn’t try to avoid things just because they were hard, and ultimately, she would overcome all of it.

“If you put it that way, I have nothing more to say either. But where did that Sam-tae kid go? Why can’t we see him?”

Sado Hak thought there was no use talking about this anymore. The desire not to let Dan So-mi go through hard times was stronger than anyone else’s, but since the two of them accepted it, he judged it wasn’t worth mentioning further.

Right now, Jang Sam-tae was more important than that.

He had clearly followed them, but the kid was nowhere to be seen.

Even if he had used lightness art to travel, he would have left traces, but since they had been sitting here for a considerable amount of time, it seemed they wouldn’t even be able to find those traces.

It even looked like rain was about to pour.

When it rains, traces are naturally washed away.

This meant that finding Jang Sam-tae itself would become difficult.

“We know the destination, so we’ll run into him if we keep going.”

“What kind of attitude is that, saying that and then coming back just to watch?”

Sado Hak looked at Dan Woo-hyun with a dumbfounded expression.

He had walked just toward the destination like someone who didn’t care at all. It even looked as if the thought of finding Jang Sam-tae wasn’t in his head.

But when the incident actually happened, he turned back, and in the end, he even took care of the aftermath and looked after him, so what should he call this?

“You coy bastard…”

“…”

Dan Woo-hyun said nothing in response to Sado Hak’s words.

He just met his gaze with an odd expression, which looked like he was angry, or perhaps quite surprised.

“That’s not it. It was just enjoyable to watch…”

Dan Woo-hyun opened his mouth with a smirk.

That single remark naturally flowed out, creating a gentle atmosphere.

No matter what, it seemed the one who had changed the most was Dan Woo-hyun.

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