Chapter 96: Chapter 96

Man Hu-ryang sat in his office, drinking tea as he looked at the person in front of him. Although the man wore a mask to hide his face, a sharp aura could be felt from him, suggesting he was no ordinary person.

The way Man Hu-ryang looked at such a man was as if he were looking at a bug. Without even giving him a proper glance, Man Hu-ryang took a sip of his tea and asked.

“So, how did it go?”

“We lost contact with the subordinates we sent.”

“……Hmm, then it must surely be the Sword Emperor?”

“About that…… we judge that it is not the case.”

“You think not? Why?”

Man Hu-ryang’s indifferent gaze turned toward the man for the first time. His expression showed that he was extremely curious about what would come out of the opponent’s mouth.

“We found the bodies of the dead. It seems the incident occurred while they were raiding the manor and escaping from there.”

“Did they conduct the raid?”

“Yes, when we sent children to confirm, they said the manor already had intense traces of battle, almost to the point of being a ruin. In addition, the place where the sent children died was not very far from the manor, and it is difficult to see the traces of the battle that took place there as the work of the Sword Emperor.”

“Are you certain?”

“I can wager my life. As a result of checking the bodies, although a sword was used, it was so cruel that it was unthinkable to be the martial arts of the Sword Emperor. Also, there were traces of demonic arts.”

“Demonic arts…… demonic arts, is it……. That means it was a place where a master of the Demonic Cult was hiding.”

“It is considered to be so.”

Man Hu-ryang nodded.

He did not think his subordinates’ speculation was wrong. However, there were some things that were somehow unsatisfactory. Because he could not point out exactly what it was, he had no choice but to accept it for now.

“So did the people of the manor die?”

“……Since we were originally ordered to sink everyone except for the Sword Emperor’s body, whether they lived or died is……. However, they say the whereabouts of those people could not be known.”

“The master of the Demonic Cult must be alive, but the people with him are missing? Perhaps they are all alive…….”

“I am sorry!”

“No, it is fine.”

Waving his hand grandly, Man Hu-ryang laughed. The order given to them was strictly to ‘kill the Sword Emperor.’ Although it seemed they failed, confirming that the person there was not the Sword Emperor was enough in itself.

Why spill blood in vain?

Man Hu-ryang let out a short laugh and leaned back in his chair.

“Then did that old man really die?”

Man Hu-ryang frowned.

Certainly, if he had engraved the body of that Sword Emperor in his eyes, he would not have such thoughts. In the end, the fact that the cleanup was not neat was Man Hu-ryang’s mistake.

“It cannot be helped. You guys wash your hands of Hunan’s affairs and pull back the children. There is no good in having our tails stepped on for no reason.”

“Understood!”

“Ah, and how did that work go?”

“It is going smoothly.”

This time, he nodded with a satisfied smile.

In fact, whatever happened to the Sword Emperor did not matter. He was just an eyesore, and that body was only needed to shake Murong Hyeok-mun’s heart even more.

Right now, he had more important work.

Man Hu-ryang adjusted his posture and spoke.

“You guys go straight to Anhui like this.”

“Yes!”

“Now it is time to take down the plaque of the Namgung Clan. Haha.”

Late at night.

Dan Woo-hyun was looking at the ruined manor.

Beside him, Hong Won-chang, Namgung Cheon, Gwon Mu-jin, and even Jang Sam-tae stood blankly, watching Dan Woo-hyun’s actions.

The manor had become a ruin.

The walls were mostly collapsed and could no longer be said to exist, and those luxurious buildings were nowhere to be seen.

Although it was for a short time, because it was a space that had given him peace, the bitterness was indescribable.

“I remember when I first built the manor here.”

At that single word, everyone raised their eyes in surprise.

Dan Woo-hyun’s voice was somehow hollow to the extreme. Those who heard that voice shivered without realizing it.

‘As expected, he really did build it!’

‘He said he repaired it…… well, no one believed that anyway.’

The four people laughed awkwardly.

At any rate, it was the moment it was revealed as a fact that Dan Woo-hyun had built this manor in just a single day.

“You do not have to worry, Manor Lord! This Sam-tae will repair it cleanly.”

“Haha, is that so?”

“Yes! That old man seems to have a lot of money and his limbs are perfectly fine, so wouldn’t it be enough to run him ragged?”

Jang Sam-tae, who crept up, said with a laugh.

He also had an attachment to this manor no less than Dan Woo-hyun.

From the moment he first entered until now, mathematically speaking, it was a little over a year, but there were so many memories during that time. There were so many that listing them one by one would have no end.

Therefore, this place was a home for Jang Sam-tae as well.

To him, who had nowhere to go, this place was a house, a hometown, and the embrace of family.

This was the same thought for both Dan Woo-hyun and Jang Sam-tae.

“It must be repaired quickly……. We cannot keep relying on the government office forever.”

“Hahaha! What are you talking about, Lord? This Hong Won-chang’s house is your house, is it not?”

Instantly, Dan Woo-hyun looked at Hong Won-chang with a strange look.

Clearly, until not long ago, he seemed to call him a great hero, but out of nowhere, the word ‘lord’ came out. He thought only Gwon Mu-jin would say such words.

At that moment, Dan Woo-hyun went ‘Ah!’ as he recalled something.

Certainly, he did write down a secret book, didn’t he?

Was it because of that?

The word lord was quite bothersome, but he thought it did not matter.

“It is kind of you to say so. By the way, it seems a guest came here.”

Dan Woo-hyun looked down at his feet.

There were several strange footprints there. It seemed they tried to erase the traces, but they could not erase even the very small traces.

“They are here too.”

Namgung Cheon also found traces of someone else.

It was as if they had searched the inside of the ruined manor.

Not one person, but several. Since the constables or anyone else did not come here, it was certain that they were uninvited guests.

“No doubt. It is those guys you mentioned. They probably came to check.”

Step, step…

Dan Woo-hyun nodded and walked around the manor once.

Finding traces that they failed to erase in various places, he recalled the lightness art they used and checked the footprints.

No doubt.

“What kind of bastards are they…….”

“Shall we chase them?”

“No. It must be too late already. It is too late to catch their tails.”

It was already four days ago when the manor collapsed and they entered Hong Won-chang’s house. During that time, because he was busy soothing Dan So-mi and taking care of Sa Do-hak’s collapsed body, he had no time to pay attention to the manor.

If he had come earlier, he might have caught them.

Dan Woo-hyun clicked his tongue.

It was a pity, but that was it.

He would be able to catch them again someday.

“Let us return for now.”

Right now, repairing the manor was urgent.

Although Dan Woo-hyun alone could easily do that much work, there was actually one thing he felt while living in Hong Won-chang’s house.

‘Yes, at that time, I knew nothing.’

Dan Woo-hyun was not a professional carpenter. Also, it was his first time building a house.

Because he had good manual dexterity, he could build the house exactly as the shape in his head, but he could not build it as perfectly as carpenters. Although the manor he had built looked luxurious, there were many gaps in various places and it was also weak.

He came to know this as winter approached.

Cold wind blew in, and there was an event where Dan So-mi shivered.

This time, he planned to supplement all of those things and build the manor perfectly.

For the first time in a while, fighting spirit dwelt in Dan Woo-hyun’s eyes.

Sa Do-hak opened his eyes.

A sensation as if his entire body were breaking rushed in.

He could not move a single finger properly.

He had received that much of a shock. He traced his memory of what on earth had happened.

Soon, recalling a single thought, he laughed in vain.

“I lost…… me…….”

He thought it made no sense.

He considered it was all because of a surprise attack. But as he recalled the events of that time one by one, it was overwhelming enough to clearly feel the difference in level.

With a ‘Ha, ’ he laughed absurdly again.

This Sa Do-hak, who was called the Demonic Emperor of the world…….

“Are you awake?”

At the sound that suddenly came, he turned his head in surprise.

Clearly, no presence could be felt, but there was a child. No, it was not that he did not feel it, but it seemed the senses of his body were somewhat lost.

He was beaten that badly.

“You did nothing but sleep for three days.”

Round eyes stared at Sa Do-hak intently.

That look, which was nothing but pure and innocent. It looked full of worry only for the opponent in front of her.

Sa Do-hak frowned.

“You are surely……?”

“I am called Dan So-mi!”

“I see.”

“What about Grandfather? Ah, you are Grandfather, right?”

“……It is Sa Do-hak.”

Sa Do-hak replied with an unwilling expression.

He disliked young children.

They only make noise, act thoughtlessly, and cause trouble for others. Even throwing a tantrum is truly a sight to see. When he saw a child crying at the top of their lungs in the middle of a marketplace, he wanted to hit them.

In front of such a man, there was a young child. Although she was a girl, what he disliked, he disliked.

“Would you like some water?”

“No need.”

“Would you like some rice?”

Instantly, the past event came to mind.

Sa Do-hak turned his gaze with a pale face. Come to think of it, there was such an event, and a long sigh leaked from his mouth.

“…….”

“…….”

The two said nothing more.

Since Sa Do-hak did not answer, Dan So-mi could not even get a grasp of what to say. In the end, after groaning and thinking for a long time, she lowered her head deeply.

“Well, I am sorry!”

“Huh? For what?”

An indifferent answer came back.

Did she cause another accident?

His head already felt dizzy.

“That beard…… So-mi did it.”

“Is that…… what?”

“B…… But, there was no ill intent. It was a, a little untidy, so I wanted to trim it for you…….”

Sa Do-hak frowned. Anger boiled, but he could not raise his voice at a child who was lowering her head and crying.

In the end, he sighed once more.

“Forget it. Since it is a past event.”

“He…… Hehe.”

“Do not laugh. And a child who did wrong must receive punishment. Go stand over there, look at the wall, and raise your hands.”

“Eh?”

Dan So-mi was startled.

Until now, no one had said such a thing. Even if there was some mistake, most people just accepted it with a laugh.

Not to mention Jang Sam-tae, Gwon Mu-jin, and Namgung Cheon.

Dan Woo-hyun went without saying.

Dan So-mi stood up hesitantly. She thought it was a joke, but looking at Sa Do-hak who hastily raised his eyes, she could not bring herself to ask, ‘It is a joke, right?’

Standing in front of the wall on her two small legs, before raising her two hands, she glanced at Sa Do-hak again.

“Do, do I really do it?”

“Of course! If you did wrong, you must receive punishment.”

“……Okay.”

Dan So-mi raised her hands.

Even so, she repeatedly turned her head and watched Sa Do-hak’s reaction. Looking at that appearance, he realized she had not properly experienced being scolded.

Just how shelteringly had they raised her.

“Hehe.”

At that moment, Dan So-mi’s laughter was heard.

Even though she was being punished, hearing laughter made him glare, thinking she was playing around.

“What is so funny?”

“Be, because, somehow I feel good. Because no one else does this to So-mi.”

“Ha! It is because they raised you too spoilately. What do you think you will become when you grow up if you grow up like that?”

“Mmm!”

Dan So-mi’s short groan was heard.

After thinking for a long time, she suddenly turned her head and looked at Sa Do-hak. Before long, her face was full of smiles.

“A beauty?”

“Oh my, what a load of nonsense.”

Sa Do-hak shook his head side to side.

He thought she might be a slightly simple-minded child.

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