Chapter 47 : Just One of Them
A small, dark room illuminated by only a few torches.
Yu Seobi, whose limbs were tied to a cold, hard wooden chair, trembled all over in fear.
"Are you afraid?"
Yu Seobi's sunken pupils, from not having eaten or drunk properly for several weeks, stared at the middle-aged man standing in front of him.
The man, wearing a long black robe, had a disheveled appearance with an unshaven beard, and his eyes were dark underneath as if he had not slept for a long time.
"My son, Do Yeong, is still hovering between life and death, his whole body as stiff as a block of wood. He might have to live like that for the rest of his life. Eating the gruel and water that his parents feed him... he will slowly die in his bed for the rest of his life."
Hot tears flowed from Do Eultae's two eyes.
His transparent tears looked like tears of blood in the light of the vermilion torch.
"Why are you keeping silent? I know your father well. He is a sincere, kind, and gentle person who gives the fruits he has personally grown to those in need."
Do Eultae walked in front of Do Yeong and grabbed his delicate shoulders.
"By now, your father must be feeling as if he is living in hell. But you, his child, for what on earth are you keeping your mouth shut? Was it you? Did you... do that to Do Yeong?"
"..."
Yu Seobi's mouth moved, but no sound came out.
Do Eultae, who was watching this mournfully, let out a sigh filled with deep sadness.
"I gave you three weeks' time. But you only disappoint me."
As Do Eultae closed his eyes tightly and stepped back, an old man who had been waiting behind him walked forward.
"It seems it's my turn to step up."
"I'll leave it to you."
As Do Eultae turned his back, the old man stood in front of Yu Seobi and smiled benevolently.
"This old man's name is Jangya. I have been in charge of interrogations at the authorities for 30 years. I have met numerous people for a very long time... and among them, there were many who were older, stronger, and had a firmer will than you."
Jangya took out a leather pouch from his bosom.
"But do you know what they all have in common?"
As Yu Seobi trembled without being able to say anything, Jangya smiled and said.
"No one has ever lasted more than a shichen against me."
Jangya, who had taken out iron tongs from the leather pouch, grinned.
"Let's start lightly with the fingernails."
Jangya's iron tongs approached to grab Yu Seobi's index fingernail.
It was then.
"Just a moment."
Someone grabbed Jangya's wrist.
Since Yu Seobi, Jangya, and Do Eultae were the only ones in that place, the appearance of a man who had suddenly appeared was enough to startle Jangya.
"You, who are you!"
At Jangya's shout, Do Eultae turned around.
Surprisingly, a man had appeared in the small, dark room as if he were a painting.
A handsome face with distinct features.
Long, black hair tied back carelessly well represented the man's free-spiritedness.
"I have something to tell you."
Despite the man's polite voice, Do Eultae found it hard to hide his excitement.
"Who are you! How dare you come here...!"
"My apologies for the late greeting. I am Jin Sohyun from the Jin Family."
"Jin... Sohyun? You're saying you're Family Head Jin's son... Jin Sohyun?"
"Yes. That's right."
"I saw you when you were a baby... you've grown up so much."
Do Eultae's eyes shook rapidly. He had seen his own son, Do Yeong, in Jin Sohyun.
"How did you get in here? I didn't hear that you had come."
At Do Eultae's question, Jin Sohyun scratched the back of his neck with an embarrassed face.
"Due to circumstances... I jumped over the wall."
"You jumped over the Do Family's wall?"
"Yes."
The wall of the Do Family estate was over one zhang high, so it was difficult for even a decent martial artist to jump over.
Moreover, many guard martial artists were guarding the Do Family estate, but Jin Sohyun had broken through all of them and had come this far.
"I have heard that you learned martial arts from the Flying Sword Hero. But I didn't know you had such outstanding skills."
"It's just a third-rate petty trick."
Jin Sohyun, who had casually said something that would have made Bieunggaek very angry if he had heard it, approached Do Eultae, bowed his head, and said.
"I have something to tell you regarding the manor head's son."
"What is it?"
Do Eultae's voice trembled much more than before.
Jin Sohyun pointed to the tied-up Yu Seobi and said.
"For this, we need Seobi."
To find out the truth, Jin Sohyun, along with Do Eultae and Yu Seobi, arrived at the place where Yunhwa was dead.
Yu Seobi, who had discovered Yunhwa lying as if she were sleeping, ran over in one go.
"Y-Yunhwa... Yunhwa!!"
Yu Seobi held the lying Yunhwa in his arms and shed tears.
But the eyes of Yunhwa, who had already grown cold, did not open anymore.
"You're saying that child did that to Do Yeong!?"
"That's right. The girl's name is Yunhwa. She is said to be Do Yeong's and Seobi's childhood friend."
Do Eultae looked down at the corpse of Yunhwa, who had died by swallowing poison, and then knelt on both knees.
"Why did you..."
Yunhwa was a girl that Do Eultae also knew well.
He also knew that Do Yeong had secretly admired Yunhwa, who was the daughter of an ordinary merchant.
If not, Do Yeong, who had said he would inherit the family business, would not have left for Shaanxi, saying he wanted to learn martial arts.
—Father, I will marry Yunhwa someday. Please give me your permission!
Moreover, Do Yeong, who had returned from the Jongnam Sect, had even asked for Do Eultae's permission first to marry Yunhwa, the daughter of an ordinary merchant.
At that time, Do Eultae had not disliked the gentle and upright Yunhwa, so he had given his permission for their marriage.
Do Eultae still could not forget the face of the greatly pleased Do Yeong.
"Sohyun... can you explain?"
At Do Eultae's question, Jin Sohyun told him the story of when he had first met Yunhwa.
Do Eultae, who had heard this, still had a confused face.
"You're saying the reason that child named Yunhwa lived was just to kill Do Yeong?"
"I don't know either."
Jin Sohyun could not be certain of anything.
Even he, who had faced Yunhwa directly, could not understand the girl's words and actions.
"That can't be... that can't be..."
At that moment, Yu Seobi shook his head, sobbing.
"There's no reason for Yunhwa to kill Do Yeong. They... they cared for each other so much..."
Yu Seobi, who had lost both of his close friends in one day, looked down at the dead Yunhwa's face with a blank expression, as if he could not accept reality.
"Why didn't you say so earlier? If you had said so earlier!"
"Nothing would have changed. Yunhwa was..."
Jin Sohyun looked down at Yunhwa's peaceful-looking face.
"She was planning to die from the beginning."
***
"There was a poison pill where her molar should have been. This is a suicide poison pill that ordinary assassins use when they are caught... how could such a young girl..."
At the physician's explanation, who had examined Yunhwa's corpse, Do Eultae wiped his face with both hands.
"Was her purpose really Do Yeong's death? But why... who on earth..."
"Could it have been someone who held a grudge against Geumseong Manor?"
Do Eultae denied the possibility that the physician had offered.
"I can't say that there are no people who hold a grudge against this manor, but this is something different. Besides, Yunhwa was Do Yeong's childhood friend. The daughter of an ordinary merchant... why...!"
"Manor Head!"
As the martial artists belonging to the Do Family estate returned, Do Eultae hurriedly asked.
"Yes! What happened!"
"We were late."
"Late? What do you mean late?"
"By the time we arrived, both of the couple were already dead. It seems they used poison."
"You're saying they also committed suicide?"
"It seems so."
"Huh..."
Do Eultae was even more confused.
For what on earth had not only Yunhwa, but also her parents, died?
Jin Sohyun, who was watching this situation from a step behind, also found it hard to hide his confusion.
The incident, which he had thought was a tragedy caused by the mistake of a child who did not know martial arts, was getting deeper and deeper into a labyrinth.
"Bud Crushing."
At that moment, Jin Sohyun unknowingly blurted out the words 'Bud Crushing.'
'This is similar to Bud Crushing.'
According to Namgung Muhyeok's explanation, a considerable number of young next-generation talents had been sacrificed by Bud Crushing.
The methods of Bud Crushing were becoming more and more diverse, and many young martial artists were being sacrificed due to various methods that no one could have imagined.
'But Do Yeong is just the son of Geumseong Manor.'
The young martial artists who had been subjected to Bud Crushing so far were mostly disciples of sects or children of martial families.
'And Yunhwa is Do Yeong's childhood friend...'
—Because that's the reason I've lived.
If killing Do Yeong was the reason Yunhwa had lived, there was a high possibility that she had approached Do Yeong with a murderous intent from the beginning.
'The reason Do Yeong became a disciple of the Jongnam Sect was because of Yunhwa's influence, who admired martial artists. And as Do Yeong's talent for martial arts blossomed... Yunhwa used poison on Do Yeong and made him fall into qi deviation.'
What if Do Yeong had no talent for martial arts, or if he had not been influenced by Yunhwa and had not become a martial artist?
Perhaps Do Yeong would have been safe.
Yunhwa's target would have been a young next-generation talent who showed talent for martial arts.
'Then did the Heretic's Path Alliance make Yunhwa approach Do Yeong? Why Geumseong Manor of all places?'
Jin Sohyun's head was dizzy.
It was because his head, which had only been focused on lazing around and being lazy, was spinning rapidly for the first time in a long time.
"Ugh... I'll have to ask my masters. I don't think I can do it alone."
Jin Sohyun, who had judged that he couldn't do it alone, approached Do Eultae.
"Manor Head."
"What... is it now? Do you have any idea?"
At the sight of the quite tired Do Eultae, Jin Sohyun carefully brought up the subject.
"I think I need to discuss it with my master. Seobi is..."
"That child has confessed everything. He said he kept his mouth shut to protect the child named Yunhwa. That brat didn't know either. That the childhood friend they had trusted and relied on... was actually an assassin in the guise of a young child."
Do Eultae, who had gotten up from his chair with difficulty, extended his hand and grabbed Jin Sohyun's hand.
"Thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have almost tortured an innocent child without even knowing the truth. Your help was great."
"No. Please take care of Seobi. And..."
Jin Sohyun, who was about to talk about Bud Crushing, closed his mouth.
'Let's find out a little more for now.'
Since nothing was certain yet, Jin Sohyun left the Do Family estate, leaving only the words asking him to take care of Yu Seobi.
At the returned inn, Siu and Yu Dongyeop were waiting for Jin Sohyun with their eyes open.
And Yu Dongyeop, who had heard what had happened at the Do Family estate, burst into tears and repeatedly said thank you, then left for the Do Family estate.
"Hoo... it's good that Seobi's name was cleared, but in the end, nothing has changed."
"Indeed."
"By the way, what a vicious person!"
"Who?"
Siu said, huffing and puffing.
"The person who planted the young assassin named Yunhwa! In the end, they waited 10 years to achieve their revenge. By the way, Do Yeong is pitiful, but that assassin named Yunhwa is also pitiful. To think the reason she has lived so far was to kill someone..."
As soon as Siu's words ended, Jin Sohyun shot up from his seat.
"...Young Master? Is something wrong?"
"What if it's not that?"
"What?"
"I couldn't understand why it had to be Geumseong Manor. But in fact, it wasn't that!"
While Siu was blinking, not understanding, Jin Sohyun scratched his head wildly.
"Geumseong Manor was just one of them."
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"Bud Crushing wasn't just targeting sects or martial families. All the young martial artists who showed talent for martial arts..."
Jin Sohyun's face hardened endlessly.
"They are the targets of Bud Crushing."
(End of Chapter)