Chapter 101 : Operation (1)
Namgung Il read the letter with a slightly serious face.
We have Tang Wol-yeong here.
If you want to save Tang Wol-yeong, come alone to the southern forbidden area at midnight.
If you tell anyone else about this, we cannot be responsible for Tang Wol-yeong's safety. Of course, the same goes if you don't come.
The letter ended like that.
Checking the name written at the very bottom, Namgung Il could tell who had sent him this letter.
'Hwang Dong-jae... is he trying to see the end?'
Although he had surely sent a warning, it seemed that Hwang Dong-jae had taken it the wrong way.
Probably, Hwang Dong-jae's real target was him.
Tang Wol-yeong would just be a bait to lure him.
"..."
If he went there, Hwang Dong-jae's gang would surely be waiting for him.
Recalling the situation where he had been surrounded once, the number was at least twenty or more.
No matter how much it was Namgung Il, that number was bound to be quite a burden.
'It might be hard for me to deal with all those brats by myself.'
This time, it was a situation where he had to fight back, not just run away.
Besides, didn't this side also have a hostage to rescue?
Even numerically, this side was already at a considerable disadvantage, and if he even considered the hostage, it was bound to be a hopeless fight from this side's point of view.
"Captain, how is it?"
"..."
"Am I right? Can you perhaps tell me who sent it?"
As if he had not yet grasped the seriousness of the situation, Jong Seo-eon asked from the side without any sense.
Namgung Il lowered the letter he was reading and looked at Jong Seo-eon without a word.
'This brat... if he finds out about this, he'll surely say he'll follow me.'
The woman he liked was now kidnapped.
If he were in Jong Seo-eon's shoes, he would not have just stood still.
Since the letter had clearly stated to come alone, Namgung Il could not carelessly tell the truth and could not help but have many thoughts.
"Captain?"
As Namgung Il continued to maintain his silence, Jong Seo-eon also seemed to have finally realized that something was strange about the situation.
Seeing that, Namgung Il hurriedly folded the letter he had opened back to its original state.
"You're right."
"...?"
"A girl who has a crush on me said she has something to say and asked me to come out alone at midnight."
Namgung Il lied for now.
Because he had judged that it was not good to let Jong Seo-eon find out about this carelessly before he could think of some clever plan.
"So even if I go out alone later, just pretend you don't know."
"..."
"Got it?"
"...That's a lie, right?"
Jong Seo-eon suddenly said.
Although he didn't know how Jong Seo-eon had figured that out, Namgung Il responded as calmly as possible.
"What's a lie? Why would I lie about something like that?"
"Then show me that love letter."
"I don't want to. Why should I show you a love letter that came to me?"
"As expected... it's a lie, right?"
Now, a strong conviction was felt in Jong Seo-eon's expression and tone.
"Do you know? When you try to hide something, captain, you have a peculiar habit."
"...?"
"And in the first place, a person who has no interest in women is going to go out for a secret meeting at midnight because of a woman. Are you that kind of person, captain?"
At Jong Seo-eon's words, Namgung Il couldn't help but be surprised inwardly.
Did he really have a habit he didn't know about when he lied?
Since he had not thought that his lies were clumsy enough to be seen through by someone, if someone else had said that, Namgung Il would have just ignored it.
'The brat who brought that up is, of all people, Jong Seo-eon.'
Quite a lot of time had passed since he had gotten to know Jong Seo-eon.
Besides, Jong Seo-eon was even living with him, using the same room.
Since he had spent a lot of time with Jong Seo-eon recently, to the point where it seemed they were almost always together, it was not strange to think that Jong Seo-eon knew a habit he didn't know about.
"...Haaah—"
In the end, Namgung Il let out a deep sigh.
At times like this, he was quite quick-witted.
It didn't seem like Jong Seo-eon would believe his words even if he hid it any longer.
"Read it."
"..."
Namgung Il said and held out the letter to Jong Seo-eon.
Soon, Jong Seo-eon, who took the letter without a word and opened it right away.
A moment later, as Jong Seo-eon's expression changed, he was about to run towards the door.
Thwack—
As if he had been waiting, Namgung Il bound Jong Seo-eon's body.
With a rough sound, Jong Seo-eon fell to the floor, and Namgung Il got on top of him and was strongly pressing down on Jong Seo-eon's body.
"Move!"
"What are you going to do if I move?"
"Why are you asking the obvious! I'm going to go and save Miss Wol-yeong!"
"I knew you would come out like that."
Namgung Il said and pressed down on Jong Seo-eon even more strongly.
'Is this the power of love?'
To think that a brat who was usually gentle would show such a changed side.
As if he had become a beast, Jong Seo-eon was now struggling quite roughly.
"Let me go! I have to go and save Miss Wol-yeong right now!"
"No."
"Then are you telling me to just leave Miss Wol-yeong like this? How can you do that, captain?"
"That's not what I'm saying."
"That's enough! If you don't want to go, captain, I'll go by myself..."
Just then, Jong Seo-eon's body suddenly floated up in the air.
As the binding was released at an unexpected time, Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but lose his balance, and Namgung Il laid Jong Seo-eon back on the floor as he was.
Bang—!
This time, Jong Seo-eon fell on the floor in a proper posture.
Although he had lost his balance a little, his body was much freer than before.
Although Jong Seo-eon thought that this was his chance and was about to get up again, before that, Namgung Il got on top of Jong Seo-eon's chest.
Slap—
Soon, a slapping sound echoed in the room.
Jong Seo-eon's one cheek, which had now become red and swollen.
Only after being slapped by Namgung Il did Jong Seo-eon slowly release the strength from his struggling body.
"...Are you calm now?"
"..."
"How are you going to save Tang Wol-yeong by rushing in recklessly? If you really want to save Tang Wol-yeong, it's no good to rush in thoughtlessly like a bull."
Namgung Il said, looking down at Jong Seo-eon.
Jong Seo-eon, who was just watching him with a blank look.
Although he hadn't heard an answer yet, seeing that he had become quite obedient, it didn't seem like he would run out like before.
Swoosh—
As Jong Seo-eon had calmed down to some extent, Namgung Il finally released the binding.
As Namgung Il had expected, Jong Seo-eon only sat up straight, and did not try to run out recklessly like before.
"...Captain, what should I do?"
"..."
"How can I save Miss Wol-yeong? If something happens to Miss Wol-yeong's safety at this time..."
"She'll be fine until midnight."
As long as Hwang Dong-jae's target was him, he would not carelessly lay a hand on Tang Wol-yeong's body, even to maintain her value as a hostage.
Besides, if that brat had any sense, he wouldn't be able to do anything really serious to Tang Wol-yeong.
Since it would be difficult to clean up the mess if the problem got bigger than he could handle, Hwang Dong-jae would also act with some caution.
'Still, I can't not go and save her.'
To the point of doing something like this, he had to see the end with Hwang Dong-jae now.
Wouldn't it be that there would be no more such incidents only if one side was completely subdued?
Since he had already been the first to pick a fight even after being warned, Namgung Il knew well that there was only one way now.
'Wait, this could actually be a chance?'
Just then, something flashed in Namgung Il's mind.
Although it didn't seem like a thought to have in a situation like this, no, because it was a situation like this, the thought that there was only a chance now was stronger.
"...Jong Seo-eon."
"...?"
"Tell me for sure. What do you want to be with Tang Wol-yeong in the future?"
"...What do you mean by that?"
As Namgung Il suddenly asked in this urgent situation, Jong Seo-eon couldn't help but be puzzled.
But Namgung Il said to Jong Seo-eon again with a serious face that did not feel like a joke.
"You want to make Tang Wol-yeong your woman, right? To hold her hand later, to kiss her, and to go further and the two of you..."
"W-wait a minute! What on earth are you talking about now!"
Jong Seo-eon shouted with a flushed face.
'With Miss Wol-yeong... holding hands? A-and then, k-k-k-kissing...'
Just by imagining that far, it seemed that Jong Seo-eon was already about to fall into a state of qi deviation.
Namgung Il said to Jong Seo-eon, who was lying limp with an expression that said he would have no regrets even if he died now.
"This is your golden opportunity."
"...?"
"You completely capture Tang Wol-yeong's heart."
The bridge of love, Namgung Il.
He was now spreading his wings to build a bridge between Jong Seo-eon and Tang Wol-yeong.
* * *
The forbidden area.
As the name suggested, there were several areas on the grounds of the Flying Dragon Academy where students were prohibited from entering.
Among them, in the southern forbidden area, Hwang Dong-jae was waiting for Namgung Il with his gang.
"..."
The reason he had called Namgung Il here was simple.
Because if a commotion broke out in a forbidden area, no one would know.
It was located quite far from the dormitory, and in the first place, since it was a forbidden area, it was a place where people's footsteps did not reach.
'Namgung Il, you will kneel before me today.'
Namgung Il's strength was already well known.
But no matter how strong he was, if there was this much of a difference in numbers, he would have no choice but to kneel in the end.
Hwang Dong-jae had gathered as much of the power he could mobilize as possible and had gathered them in this place.
'Don't think it's cowardly. It means I acknowledge you that much.'
Namgung Il would surely have expected that not only him, but also his gang would be here.
So he might not appear in this place, but that didn't really matter.
Just by the fact that he had run away from him, he would be able to break Namgung Il's spirit sufficiently.
The fact that he had run away, leaving Tang Wol-yeong behind, would remain as a bigger shock to Namgung Il's pride.
'Now, Namgung Il. What choice will you make?'
Will he come here and fight until the last and submit? Or will he run away and regret it, and then just soften up?
Still, since he had prepared something, Hwang Dong-jae thought that he would like Namgung Il to come to this place.
When he made the brat who had looked at him with those arrogant eyes kneel at his feet. The pleasure would be so thrilling that he couldn't even imagine it.
As Hwang Dong-jae was thinking that in his heart, he felt a presence approaching this way from the front.
Thud— Thud—.
A figure was gradually approaching this way in the darkness.
There was only one person who would come to the forbidden area at this time.
Hwang Dong-jae opened his mouth with a bitter smile.
"Namgung Il, I didn't know you would really come here."
"..."
"As expected, that woman was a special existence to you, right?"
"...Release the hostage as promised."
Namgung Il said, stopping at a short distance.
Although his voice felt a little different from usual, Hwang Dong-jae checked the sword that Namgung Il usually carried and smiled again.
"I can't release the woman yet."
"..."
"If you come closer to me and kneel, I'll think about it."
Although Hwang Dong-jae said that, Namgung Il did not answer.
Seeing that, Hwang Dong-jae continued to speak in a provocative tone.
"What are you doing? Are you okay with the woman getting hurt?"
"..."
"Say something. Don't tell me you're so scared that you can't even open your mouth properly?"
It was then.
As the moonlight flowed out from the clouds, the part that had been covered by darkness began to brighten.
Swoosh—
The moonlight that was gradually being cast on Namgung Il.
Because of that, the figure of Namgung Il, which had only been visible from the neck down, now began to be clearly visible.
"...!"
At that moment, Hwang Dong-jae's two eyes widened.
"You...! Why are you here!"
"..."
"Namgung Il! Where did that brat go!"
"...I didn't know my identity would be revealed so quickly."
Swoosh—
"Please return Miss Wol-yeong."
Namgung Il, no, Jong Seo-eon, who was wearing Namgung Il's clothes, said, taking a stance.
(End of Chapter)