Chapter 168
We naturally brought Sama Yuryeon back to the inn as if kidnapping her was no big deal.
The innkeeper widened his eyes in shock... but once we slipped him a generous amount of money, he shut his eyes with a determined expression.
“Money really is powerful.”
“Ehay. But it's not everything, you know. There are things in this world that money simply can’t buy.”
“Which just means everything except for those few things can be solved with money.”
Back in my previous life, even when I was known as the Sword Demon, I never spent money this lavishly.
No—maybe I was a bit of a special case.
To be fair, I earned a considerable amount back then. If I had wanted to, I could have built a lavish house and lived a life without lifting a finger.
Things were tough when Ironblood Hall was still functioning, but after Seorin died and I became a direct subordinate of the Black Lotus Sect Master, I was heavily favored.
The pay I received for completing missions was substantial, and there were plenty of people trying to curry favor with me, hoping I’d connect them with the sect master. The problem was, I spent most of what I earned on martial arts techniques and elixirs.
In this life, however, I already remember all those martial arts I spent a fortune to acquire, started off with refined internal energy cultivation methods, and have taken top-tier elixirs to resolve long-standing issues in my inner energy flow.
Which means I’ve saved the money I’d have spent on martial arts and medicine, allowing me to spend freely on other things.
Maybe it was seeing Sama Yuryeon’s face, but I couldn’t help drifting back to memories from before the regression.
As I stood quietly watching her unconscious body laid out on the bed, Tang Sowol nudged me in the side.
“Brother Cheon. Brother Cheon.”
“Mn?”
“What are you going to do from here?”
“Well...”
This was the woman who’d once cut my compensation over violating an outdated regulation no one followed anymore...
Or who cut Ironblood Hall’s funding in half by nitpicking a flawless budget.
Or who got so petty when the Black Lotus Sect Master seemed more interested in me than her, she’d deliberately step on my feet every time we crossed paths.
Now that we’ve rendered her powerless, what should we do?
“She might make a decent arrow-catcher for when we explore the vault and check for traps.”
“...Excuse me?”
Startled by my candid remark, Tang Sowol gasped. She asked in a cautious tone,
“This is the first time I’ve seen you react so harshly. Normally you’d at least say to hear the person out.”
“Normally, yes.”
“Do you know her? The only people you’ve reacted this strongly to were usually members of the Demonic Cult…”
Tang Sowol’s eyes narrowed. A green and purple hue began to rise subtly from her fingertips—as if to say, “I've got a good poison ready, just say the word.”
I hesitated, just for a moment, then shook my head.
“I do know her, but she’s not from the Demonic Cult. So you can put away the poison for now.”
“Understood. Then… may I ask who she is, to make you so wary?”
“No reason not to.”
Letting out a short sigh, I gestured toward the one lying on the bed, likely conscious thanks to a pre-prepared antidote, but still paralyzed due to her sealed pressure point.
“Sama Yuryeon. A woman you gain nothing by getting involved with.”
***
And sure enough, as soon as I released her mahyul (a sealed blood point), Sama Yuryeon sprang up—without even waiting for the poison to be cleared.
Raising both hands in surrender, she looked at us with narrowed, clearly scheming eyes.
“I’m not a suspicious person.”
“You’re suspicious.”
“Definitely suspicious.”
Sama Yuryeon drooped slightly at our sharp, immediate responses, as if hurt.
But we couldn’t afford to be fooled. That too was a calculated move. Every action she took was likely premeditated.
Someone capable of that could get so close to victory in her clan’s successor battle, despite dealing with stigma like being born of a concubine or having a daughter.
Even after losing, she managed to survive and climb her way to the position of Chief Administrator in the Black Lotus Sect.
I examined her closely without letting down my guard.
She was wearing decent clothes, but the way she moved suggested she wasn’t used to them. Her complexion didn’t look great either, though she tried to hide it with some skillful makeup.
But most of all, there was that suspicious smile. It was clearly an attempt to look composed... but I had once seen her true face.
Back when she heard about the Black Lotus Sect Master’s death, she smiled out of habit—but couldn’t hide the trembling in her body.
Right now, Sama Yuryeon looked like someone standing on the edge of a cliff, trying not to show how close to panic she was.
She was doing her best to keep it together, but perhaps due to her inexperience at this point in time, her nervousness was visible.
If she’s already this cornered, it could only mean one thing.
“Something must’ve gone wrong with the successor battle.”
“I’ve been wondering since earlier... could it be that Brother Cheon knows me?”
“Don’t act familiar. Call me by my title, Sama Yuryeon.”
“What?! But you’re calling me by my name…”
Flustered, Sama Yuryeon’s lips twitched in disbelief.
After regaining her composure with some effort, she corrected herself.
“A-anyway, Blood Flame Sword Demon, you seem to know something about my situation despite claiming not to know me. That’s why I asked.”
“And didn’t you wait here because you had your own suspicions about me?”
“I won’t deny it.”
“I figured as much. Sowol, contact the Tang family. Tell them to send someone here immediately. We’re tying someone up, so they can come collect and lock her up.”
“Huh? Oh… if that’s what you want, then…”
Though slightly confused by how readily I moved to eject Sama Yuryeon, Tang Sowol began pulling out a spare sheet of paper from her pack.
Sama Yuryeon quickly shook her head in a panic.
“W-wait! Don’t be so hasty! Aren’t you curious how I found you, or what my goal is?”
“I’m not curious. So don’t tell me. Just go back as if nothing happened, and don’t drag us into your mess.”
“You really must have some kind of history with me. And not a pleasant one.”
“I said we don’t. This is our first meeting—and I hope it’s our last.”
“Please, just hear me out—”
“Say one more word and I’ll send you to the Sama Clan instead of the Tang family.”
Finally, Sama Yuryeon shut up.
I let out a subtle pressure of intent toward her—not enough to intimidate her seriously, but just to remind her of yesterday’s warning.
She didn’t change expression, only kept up that same troubled smile. But I’d expected that.
“From here on out, I’ll ask the questions.”
“Feels like an interrogation.”
“If you want a real interrogation, I can do that too.”
“I tried to speak and was ignored. Then I said something you couldn’t ignore and got kidnapped and woke up in a strange bed. I think I’m entitled to a few complaints.”
“No. You’re not. So enough whining—get to the point.”
“There are many ways to find our location, so I’ll give you that. But how did you know we had the complete map to the vault?”
“You showed up acting suspicious, then said you weren’t suspicious. What kind of twisted logic is that?”
“Answer the question.”
“Just answer. It’s okay now.”
Sama Yuryeon, who had kept her mouth shut in apparent protest over being dismissed earlier, finally spoke.
“It’s simple. If you look into the rumors about the Ghost Shadow Thief’s vault and the fragmented maps, a natural question arises.”
“Keep it short.”
“The rumors seem artificial, and the maps—though well-crafted—look like the ink hasn’t dried that long. Which means this whole commotion isn’t a coincidence.”
“Huh…”
“So where did this start? Who stands to benefit? If it’s nonsense, who spread it and why? After considering everything… I concluded the one behind it all was the Ghost Shadow Thief himself.”
“Go on.”
“If he really was behind it, he probably wanted to make his name famous. But he wouldn’t have wanted to part with his treasures while still alive. So instead, he created chaos across Murim after death.”
She added that, according to the records she’d found, the Ghost Shadow Thief was known for being extremely flamboyant.
Amazingly, everything she said was true. She had figured it all out on her own from just a few clues.
“Then I figured someone must’ve started spreading the rumors and distributing the map pieces after his death. If not them, maybe someone involved in building the vault was still around.”
“Don’t tell me...”
“Don’t worry. I didn’t hurt them. Doing that would only draw more attention and make others suspicious. So I persuaded them… gently. Eventually, I learned that the two of you had something.”
Yeah, “gently persuade” my ass.
Sama Yuryeon probably didn’t have many resources left right now, so she must’ve tricked someone to extract the info.
She’s likely telling the truth about not hurting anyone—she always left herself a way out, hiding lies inside truth.
Not knowing all this, Tang Sowol whispered uncertainly.
“Is... that really possible? I mean, it is possible, but still…”
“If you’re asking whether it’s possible to figure all that out this fast and track us down to wait here—yes. Sama Yuryeon can do it.”
After the Heavenly Demon’s invasion, the Murim-Alliance-style coalition that formed survived not just because they had half their power intact—but because they had competent strategists.
I once saw Sama Yuryeon and the Zhuge Clan Head in a planning room together. I’ll never forget it.
That itchy, skin-crawling sensation, like ants crawling over your body without being able to scratch them—it was unforgettable.
“Tch. This is why clever people are the worst.”
“You don’t like smart women, Brother Cheon?”
“Not true. I just don’t like people who try to deceive me. And as for you, Tang Sowol—I’d gladly be a fool if it means staying beside you. So don’t worry.”
“Oh goodness…”
Tang Sowol said that with a bashful tone, but looked immensely pleased as she gently slapped my arm.
Sama Yuryeon, who had been putting on a desperate front, looked a bit rattled—but quickly composed herself and spoke.
“No more hiding, then. Let me be honest. Please include me in this expedition. I may lack martial strength, but I’m confident in dealing with traps and mechanisms. I’ll be a help.”
“Sure. And what do you want in return?”
“Just the martial arts techniques and some gold bars the Sama Clan lost.”
The Sama Clan is an old faction within the unorthodox side, so it’s not strange if the Ghost Shadow Thief stole from them.
She’s probably trying to raise her standing in the clan by retrieving those items.
But—
After thinking it over, I spoke.
“That won’t change anything. You know that too.”
“But I still have to try, don’t I? If I don’t even try...”
If she doesn’t even try, she’ll be swallowed up in an instant.
Just like so many of Sama Yuryeon’s siblings were.
Or like Sama Suryeon—the Demon-Eyed Witch—who defected to the Demonic Cult.