Wijihoyeon turned her gaze towards Sima Ryunju, Lord of the Sama Order. She didn’t know much about this person or his faction’s goals, thus she felt reluctant around him. The reason for her displeased state was because she hadn’t learned any information about the situation in regards to Lee Sungmin. Although she tried to hide it, her cold gaze couldn’t be averted from Sima Ryunju.
“Such intentful eyes. Is it jealousy perhaps?”, asked Sima Ryunju with a grin.
At the question, Wijihoyeon unconsciously raised her hand and rubbed her cheek. ‘Jealousy ?’ she murmured the word in a small voice. It was a feeling she had never been conscious of in her lifetime.
“…That’s not possible” ,she replied coldly.
“That’s what it looks like to me. Whoo-hoo! Youth is such a wonderful time. Don’t you think so?”
Sima Ryunju laughed to himself in a pleasant manner, but Wijihoyeon didn’t take his remark well. She may have denied the feeling of jealousy, but she absolutely did not like the man before her.
“Why are you wearing a mask?”, she asked.
“Oh this? I only wear it in certain circumstances when I need my identity hidden, but I absolutely love these little props hahah!”
“That’s why you’re wearing a mask?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m wearing it. It gives the mystique of change to the enemies, unlike your stoic expression.”
Sima Ryunju raised his hand to cover the mask. When the hands were removed, the face of Sima Ryunju had changed yet again to that of one resembling a beast.
“These masks are also called a pervert’s ultimate desire. Isn’t that funny?”
The mask changed every time Sima Ryunju’s hand covered the mask. It was fast enough to fool most people that it was natural, but to the trained eye of Wijihoyeon, she was able to see right through it.
“You’re not funny.”, she responded coldly.
Seeing that Wijihoyeon’s expression wasn’t the best, Sima Ryunju stopped fooling around with the mask and changed topics.
“You seem quite attached with the kid.”
“… it’s because he’s a friend.”
“You mean he’s loyal? Well it doesn’t matter anyways. Since what we do with him won’t be any of your business.”
He murmured quietly to himself with a toothy grin. However, Wijihoyeon heard what he had said and cast a glare right at him.
“… …what are you trying to do with him?”
“I’m thinking of making him my disciple.”
He said flatly without any hesitation or ulterior motives in his voice. Wijihoyeon was shocked with what he just said. Sima Ryunju was a man many people couldn’t even fathom. He was one of the Leaders in the Heretical faction and was the Lord of the Sama Order. If people heard he was taking a disciple, all of Eria would come flocking to the Sama Order’s doorsteps.
“Why would you do that…?”, Wijihoyeon asked, unconvinced.
“Didn’t you say it yourself before? He’s hard working and doesn’t take things for granted. I don’t have any children or disciples because I’m worried that if I did they would be conceited and complacent. But, he’s completely ideal to take in as my disciple.”, Sima Ryunju stated.
Wijihoyeon went silent. If what he said was true, wouldn’t it tie Lee Sungmin to the Heretical Faction? She knew Lee Sungmin could care less about being tied down and wanted to pursue martial arts; not some tea party with a bunch of wild geese.
‘It can’t be.’
She glared at Sima Ryunju intently, inwardly pissed that Sima probably already knew what Lee Sungmin thought but still wanted to convince him.
“Did you know?”, he murmured.
“You’re known to all of Eria to be considered a peerless talent. The boy is recognized by you, even equal to you. Ten years of living apart from each other, you wouldn’t have known.”
“What are you saying…”, she asked bluntly.
“I’d like to let you know, but it wouldn’t be my place to do so. If you want to hear it, then hear it directly from the kid.”
After saying so, Sima Ryunju’s body double started to fade away. Wijihoyeon tried to hold on to the double so that she could ask him more things, but the body double became foggy and disappeared before she could reach out with her hand.
“Next time, I’ll see you not with a body double but, with my main body.”
His laughter carried out throughout the carriage
—
“My eyes and ears are in Devon.”
Zhuge Taeryong was sitting across from the man known as the leader of the Black Dogs, Chuck. He wore a neat robe and had his hair combed and tied back. He exuded a presence of dignity that was representative to his Zhuge Family.
“I know.”, Zhuge Taeryong replied to Chuck calmly.
He had not been selected next in line as the patriarch’s successor as of late. But his father, Zhuge Liang, has already left all the external family affairs to his son. Thanks to that responsibility, he was handling affairs with the Black Dogs presently.
“The whereabouts of the Minor Heavenly Demon are unknown, but we cannot ignore the maggot who killed Ironclad. I’m sure you already know why I’m here as you should have been contacted through the Orthodox headquarters…”
“Hm.”
Zhuge Taeryong nodded slowly. He kept his appearance calm and cooly. It made the leader of the Black Dogs, Chuck more or less in awe. He recalled the rumors about Zhuge Taeryong and the fact that many people were saying his martial arts were currently at their zenith. (T/N Zenith means peak or prime)
“I don’t want to cause trouble to the Lord’s plans, but the arrangements have already been made…”
Zhuge Taeryong opened his mouth and cut Chuck’s sentence short.
“Ghost Gun should be considered one of the best fighters in Eria. Will the Othodox do nothing to help us?”
“Our black dogs…”, Chuck spoke meekly.
“What can they do?”
Zhuge Taeryong asked with a smile that betrayed the intent behind it. Chuck swallowed his saliva and scratched his head sheepishly. In his mind, Zhuge Taeryong was irritated. The Black Dogs weren’t known for their fighting force but rather their tracking skills. But these incompetent fools were now unable to track Lee Sungmin as he entered his city during his son’s first birthday.
“Don’t be too hard on us please. You are the only one who is able to help us with the connection to Zhuge Liang.”
“Hoo-hoo! I know. It’s just annoying. You’ve asked me to kill someone who is causing a bit of trouble, but it seems your side has not given me any support.”
“Isn’t it possible that there was a secret deal with the Patriarch, Zhuge Liang himself?”, Chuck suggested.
As Taeryong wanted to rebuke the suggestion, the matter of fact was that even though Zhuge Liang was his paternal father, he didn’t really know much about him nor his personality. That being said it was possible there had already been a deal of support behind the scenes with his father, when discussing terms with the Orthodox Faction.
“Then firstly, I’ll order a search across Devon.”, he came to a decision resolutely.
“There’s a possibility of disguise.” Chuck advised, as he wanted to end this wild goose chase as soon as possible.
“Of course, that won’t be a problem. There’s a sorcerer in Devon who’s good at finding people.” Zhuge Taeyrong said confidently.
“…a sorcerer?”
At Taeryong’s response, the leader of the Black Dogs opened his eyes wide.
“Do you believe in that kind of thing?”, he inquired Taeryong’s response at the fact he was confident in relying on sorcery.
“You don’t seem to know much about the South. In this area, the average level of sorcerers here exceeds the common knowledge.”
Taeryong smiled as he spoke. The Black Dog’s leader sighed and finished his preparations as Zhuge Taeryong got up from his seat to show him out. He was happy to finally leave the hunting of Lee Sungmin and hand it over to the overeager son of the patriarch.
After leaving the room, Zhuge Taeryong ran into Murong Seojin, his wife. When her eyes met with his, her face hardened. He realized the door to the room wasn’t closed and his wife might have overheard the discussion. Mindful of her expression, he shifted his steps aside. Then, with a friendly expression on his face, he hugged Murong Seojin’s waist.
“Come on, dear.”
“…yes.”, Murong answered with a nod.
The face of Zhuge Taeryong, who glanced up, was cold. She felt that Taeryong’s forearm that was around her waist was stiff. It was not until Chuck, the leader of the Black Dogs left that he retracted his arms.
Murong Seojin looked silently at Taeryong’s back. A little later, she sighed. Such a callous look was familiar. The title of wife was nothing but a facade now. They didn’t have such emotions towards each other since, it was an arranged marriage with the lineages of their respective households on the line. If it weren’t for the fact they needed to pass the lineage on and have children, such a marriage would have fallen apart long ago.
“Hahhhh.”
She let out her sigh and clenched her fist. She started to walk down the corridor before taking a glance at the garden. She suddenly made eye contact with Namgung Heewon. She didn’t avert her gaze but rather, Heewon averted his.
—-
Two days had passed since Lee Sungmin and the Crazy Heavenly Demon arrived in Devon. Aladdur’s location had finally been identified. Without hesitation, Lee Sungmin stormed out of the inn. Likewise, Byuk Won-Pae, who became accustomed to the playing the part as a hunter, followed Lee Sungmin’s footsteps.