Chapter 263: Myoseodongcheo (猫鼠同處) (2)
Chapter 262 – Cat and Mouse Together (2)
Entering the Patriarch’s Pavilion, Tang Wu-gi formally greeted Tang Go-ryun.
“Father, it has been a long time. This son greets you.”
“Yes, you worked hard to come a long way. But why did you return? It shouldn’t be the academy’s vacation period yet.”
When Tang Go-ryun replied with a somewhat tepid expression, Tang Wu-gi drew a faint smile.
In fact, Tang Wu-gi also knew.
That he did not receive great trust from his father.
Although he became the Young Patriarch because he was a man, it was true that his sister, Tang Ye-seol, was outstanding in various ways.
Not to mention martial arts, Tang Ye-seol was always ahead in adaptability to situations as well.
However…….
‘It will be different now.’
Tang Wu-gi, drawing a confident smile, raised his chin slightly and said.
“This son is on his way back after receiving an important mission from the Alliance.”
“From the Alliance? A mission to you?”
At the unexpected words, Tang Go-ryun narrowed his brow.
Tang Wu-gi twisted his lips and continued.
“Yes. The Alliance Leader personally called me and entrusted the mission. Father, I already know everything.”
“What is it that you know?”
“Father, you do not need to be that wary of me. Because I am also included in this operation.”
Tang Go-ryun looked at his son while keeping his mouth closed.
Tang Wu-gi seemed highly excited after receiving some heavy mission.
‘To think his mind is that light. Tsk tsk… it seems the Alliance Leader has already grasped U-gi’s personality to some extent.’
A sigh came out naturally.
Why wouldn’t he know?
That his eldest daughter, Tang Ye-seol, was much more outstanding than his son.
Raising him too indulgently since he was young must be the mistake.
Because there was a relatively large age gap, he only pampered Tang Wu-gi excessively.
Meanwhile, when his father showed a not-so-pleased expression, Tang Wu-gi felt a surge of stubbornness and continued speaking in a rather loud voice.
“The Alliance Leader said that the core of this operation depends on my role. Father, just trust me. I will do it without mistake and solidify our clan’s position in the Alliance even more.”
“Yes, you should do so.”
“Sister has become a defeated general. I know well that in this situation, my role is more important than ever.”
At Tang Wu-gi’s bold tone, Tang Go-ryun sighed once more and said.
“However, you seem to enjoy this situation somehow.”
“No way. I just think it is a relief that the family has an opportunity to rise again.”
“Rise again? When did our clan ever collapse?”
“It did not, but Sister, the Red Wave Corps Leader, being defeated definitely does not bring a good impact on our clan.”
“U-gi.”
“Yes, Father.”
Tang Go-ryun stared intently at Tang Wu-gi and sighed again.
“To disparage family is ultimately like spitting while lying down. Why do you live only with a sense of rivalry toward your sister?”
“It is not that, but……”
“Forget it. Hurry up and finish what you have to say.”
When Tang Go-ryun cut him off, Tang Wu-gi, whose pride was hurt, clenched his teeth and pulled out a letter from his chest.
“The Alliance Leader sent this. Read it.”
“Bring it here.”
Receiving the letter, Tang Go-ryun read the text with a calm expression.
The content was simple.
Once the Demonic God Pill is manufactured, send it to the Alliance through Tang Wu-gi.
Reading until the last sentence, Tang Go-ryun narrowed his eyes.
‘In the end, he sent Tang Wu-gi because he couldn’t fully trust our clan.’
Given his son’s personality, he must be under the illusion that he receives the absolute trust of the Alliance Leader.
Tang Wu-gi’s character must have already been fully grasped by the Heavenly Brain Hall, and the Alliance Leader must have called Tang Wu-gi and swayed him with all kinds of sweet talk using that.
Therefore, isn’t Tang Wu-gi wearing an expression of having nothing to fear under heaven right now?
‘At this rate, his face is practically advertising that he came home for an important mission.’
As written in the text, Tang Go-ryun used the technique of Samadhi True Fire to completely burn the letter.
Tang Wu-gi smiled, watching the letter turn into black ash and fall.
“Now you know the rough circumstances, right? Father, I receive the Alliance Leader’s trust. This is an opportunity that has come to our clan.”
“U-gi.”
“Yes, Father.”
“An opportunity is not something someone hands to you. It is something you seize yourself.”
“Of course I know. But sometimes you must also grab an opportunity that is handed to you.”
“Usually it is easy to think of that as an opportunity, but there are also cases where you get used, if you are not careful. Therefore, always……”
“Do you perhaps distrust the Alliance Leader?”
When Tang Wu-gi asked back with a bewildered expression, Tang Go-ryun closed his mouth.
‘The Alliance Leader has fully swayed my son.’
He felt displeased, but there was nothing he could do.
Treating his son strictly at this point wouldn’t change anything either.
When Tang Go-ryun sighed repeatedly, Tang Wu-gi wrinkled his brow.
“Father. You only sigh too much in front of me. Stop worrying now. I am also a fully grown adult.”
“The world is much more than you know……”
“Would you stop? How long are you going to treat me like a child? If you are going to be like that, rather seat Sister as the Young Patriarch.”
“What does that mean?”
“Indeed, isn’t that true? Since you set me up as the Young Patriarch and do not acknowledge me, isn’t that why Sister acts so wild as she pleases?”
“You fellow! To speak so carelessly……”
“Why? Are you going to beat me too, Father? Like Namgung Cheon did?”
Tang Go-ryun’s pupils shook violently. The situation where anger surged because of his son’s pathetic behavior, yet he could not find a way to express it.
Just then, at the presence felt near the door, Tang Go-ryun shouted sharply.
“Who is there!”
“It’s me.”
The one who entered while moving her steps softly was none other than Tang Ye-seol.
“What were you discussing with U-gi?”
At the question thrown in a dry voice, Tang Go-ryun frowned.
“Why do you not make your presence known when entering the Patriarch’s room?”
“I have entered, Father. Is that fine?”
“What do you mean by that……”
“You were always like that from before. You didn’t say much even when U-gi entered randomly from outside. Yet you always nagged me.”
“Traditionally, a woman should be gentle and……”
“I understand. So what did you discuss with U-gi?”
At the repeated question, Tang Go-ryun closed his mouth and let out a deep sigh.
He did not know how many times he had sighed today alone.
Was a child such a difficult existence?
Tang Go-ryun shook his head, returned to his desk, and sat down.
“It was nothing major.”
“Mmh. Again it is something I must not know, is it? And there must be no need for a woman like me to know either.”
“You know it doesn’t mean that, don’t you?”
“Well. Every time, you only discussed the grand and small affairs of the family with U-gi, Father. I am no different from a stranger.”
“Seol-ah. Why do you also make this father suffer so much? The conversation with U-gi is a secret matter of the Alliance, so I cannot tell you.”
“If it is a secret matter of the Alliance, I should also know. You seem to have forgotten, but I am the Martial Alliance’s Red Wave Corps Leader.”
“Seol-ah!”
“Father.”
When Tang Ye-seol stared back with a stiff face, Tang Go-ryun opened his eyes wide and looked at her.
Tang Ye-seol stared at Tang Go-ryun with an unwavering gaze and spoke clearly.
“Right now, I am not seeking cooperation as your daughter, but as the Alliance’s Red Wave Corps Leader.”
A voice in which not even a bit of emotion could be felt.
For an instant, Tang Go-ryun felt that his daughter was truly like a different person.
At the same time, a deep regret remained.
‘If U-gi resembled his sister even half as much…….’
After a moment of silence, Tang Go-ryun raised his head and drew a cold smile.
By now, he had returned to the Poison King, Tang Go-ryun.
“You say you speak as the Red Wave Corps Leader? If so, I can tell you even less. The Alliance Leader said the story he conveyed through U-gi is an absolute secret. If so, you should also follow the Alliance Leader’s words. Keep in mind that harboring curiosity beyond this is an act against the Alliance.”
“……!”
When Tang Ye-seol bit her lip hard, Tang Wu-gi approached and sneered from the side.
“Red Wave Corps Leader. If you understood, why don’t you leave now? Because I have an urgent matter to discuss with the Patriarch.”
Ultimately, after standing with a stiff face for a moment, Tang Ye-seol spun around and moved her steps.
From her entire body as she moved step by step, a fierce coldness blew.
* * *
“How is the progress?”
At Namgung Cheon’s question, the Thousand Poison Elder twitched his nose and said.
“Who do you think I am? It is still smooth sailing.”
“Oho, then roughly when will it be made?”
“Well. Still, I think it will take fifteen days……”
“Didn’t you say it was smooth sailing? Doesn’t it take too long?”
“Do you think manufacturing poison is that easy? Poison is precisely something where you pay meticulous attention, be careful of even a single speck of dust, and the result changes even with a minute temperature change. Moreover, in the manufacturing process, you must always be close to fire, yet poison is also the most vulnerable to fire.”
“Still, fifteen days is too long. Finish it in ten days.”
“No, do you think the Demonic God Pill is some kind of iron plate dish? To make it quickly like that?”
“If it is the Thousand Poison Elder, you will be able to do it.”
“Of course, if it is me, it might be possible. Yes, I admit that. But that is not an easy task.”
“If it were an easy task, the Thousand Poison Elder wouldn’t be needed, right?”
“Ahem. That is true. By the way……”
“Mmh?”
“Why do you keep speaking informally? A brat who is still so young.”
“Ayy, why care about such things? Have we ever counted the number of rice bowls while talking?”
“No, this bastard being insolent is exactly like his father. Hey, you kid! No matter how good-natured I am……”
“Old man, you want to leave here alive, right?”
When Namgung Cheon suddenly turned around and smiled coolly, the Thousand Poison Elder swallowed his words.
‘This fellow is exactly like his father even at times like this.’
When Namgung Cheon slung his arm over his shoulder, the Thousand Poison Elder flinched his shoulder and glanced at him.
“Wh-what is it?”
“You know. That once this work is finished, the Tang Clan won’t leave you alone, old man.”
“Naturally they will. But what of it?”
“I happen to know a secret, you see.”
“What is it?”
“There is an emergency passage in the Tang Clan that only the direct line knows. As expected of the Sichuan Tang Clan that handles poison and hidden weapons, should we say they always have a backup plan?”
“So?”
“It means that if you find that emergency passage, you can find the Double-Headed Centipede Venom and leave safely, old man.”
At the logical words, the Thousand Poison Elder nodded.
“Indeed. Was that how you were going to help me?”
“Well, we help each other. Rather than me helping you specifically.”
“So where is that emergency passage?”
“You have to find that from now on, old man.”
“No, what kind of irresponsible talk is that? Is it certain that there is an emergency passage in the Tang Clan?”
“It’s certain.”
Namgung Cheon replied in a confident tone. While living as a fugitive in his past life, how many people had he met? Among them was a public enemy of the Martial World who was captured in the dungeon of the Sichuan Tang Clan and escaped, and he had said he escaped using that emergency passage.
‘Well, it might be a bluff, but since it is the Sichuan Tang Clan, the thought occurs that they would sufficiently have such a thing.’
The Thousand Poison Elder glared at Namgung Cheon and asked.
“But since you are not of the Tang Clan’s direct line, how do you know that?”
“I learned about the Tang Clan from a book.”
“What kind of books do you read on earth?”
“That is not important. If you want to carry the Double-Headed Centipede Venom and leave safely once the work is finished, look into it well.”
At Namgung Cheon’s words, the Thousand Poison Elder’s eyes shone with a cool glint.
“Hehehe. I shall do so.”