"If you came to Sichuan, you should have sent a secret message. If you’d waited outside, we could have met more safely—what was so urgent that you had to come all the way in here?"Hae-rak suddenly drew out his lips into a long smile."It’s fine. I moved only after hearing that everyone was asleep. When I heard you’d returned to the pavilion from the outer court, I hurried to follow."At those words, Sohwa frowned."Are you saying there’s a Blood Cult operative inside the Tang estate watching me?"Seeing the stiffness on Sohwa’s face, Hae-rak smiled faintly."Though the Tang Clan has no one strong enough to enter your inner court, there are still some in other clans who can. So always be careful. I came tonight to tell you exactly that—to be cautious. Especially," he said, his expression uncharacteristically serious, "of that man called Namgung Hyun."The moment he finished speaking, he narrowed his eyes."What, you already knew? Why are you so calm?""I’ve always been the expressionless sort.""Looks that way.""You came all this way just to warn me about Namgung Hyun?""Also to check how the dokgo eradication formula is progressing. Two birds with one stone."Sohwa studied his expression, then spoke again."I understand your warning. I’m working hard to create a method to remove your dokgo, so stop worrying and go back.""Can I trust that?"At that, Sohwa let out a small, amused breath."If you don’t trust me, do you have any other choice?"Hae-rak leaned his head against the window frame and sighed."…I’m not usually the type to get talked into things."His tone carried genuine self-disgust.Sohwa opened the small box on the table. When she took out a small blade, Hae-rak grimaced."Going to stab me just because I said something that annoyed you?""Since you’re here anyway, I thought I might draw some more dokgo from you."Hae-rak discreetly pressed down his sleeve with one hand, sealing it shut."You said the ones cultivated from those who died three years ago were doing well—why do you need more from me?""To increase the number of dokgo, they must feed on blood often. With so many now, it takes longer."Suddenly, Hae-rak raised an eyebrow. Something seemed to cross his mind."And if I refuse to shed blood for you?""What?""If I reject your will—what will you do?"What was this nonsense?It was strange—perhaps he was more timid than expected.Sohwa quietly put the blade down."If you dislike it, so be it. I still have enough dokgo for now.""You don’t feel like threatening me? Forcing it from me?""What are you trying to say?"After hesitating, Hae-rak asked,"Don’t you ever feel any impulse? Like wanting to use me to achieve something, or to make me devote myself to you?""…Have you gone mad?"For a moment, Hae-rak fell silent. Then he suddenly placed a hand over his chest."Whatever it may be, try once—exert your will on me.""Forgive me for not quite understanding the humor of Hubei men, but are you joking right now?""No. I’m serious. I’m trying to resist your will."When Sohwa looked at him as if he were spewing nonsense, Hae-rak met her eyes steadily.A brief silence passed.Then Sohwa seemed to remember something and spoke."Come to think of it, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.""What is it?"Hae-rak’s voice tensed again."You have people inside the Martial Alliance headquarters, don’t you?""Sounds like you already know that.""Hubei is heavily influenced by the Anguk Merchant Group, and they’re close to the Zhuge Family. Since more than half of the headquarters is Zhuge people, it’d be strange not to know.""You already know everything, yet asking makes me even more nervous. You’re planning to ask something involving the headquarters, aren’t you?""That’s right."Sohwa spoke of her difficult request as if it were the simplest thing."Prepare two positions for me inside the headquarters. If possible, in the Lower Pavilion of the Four Seasons Hall."Silence followed.Hae-rak rolled up his sleeve and offered his arm."Take more dokgo. Experiment all you like. But don’t harbor such reckless intentions."Sohwa pushed his arm aside."I know it’s a hard request. But it’s necessary.""No, you don’t seem to think it’s hard at all."In truth, Sohwa didn’t.In the year she died, this very man had been suspected of killing the Hall Master of the Four Seasons Hall, yet the Alliance Leader never questioned him. The relationship between the Alliance Leader and Zhuge Inhwi couldn’t be described merely as close. And yet, the Alliance Leader had quietly let the death of someone he cherished pass without comment.Though Hae-rak was now only a sub-leader of his merchant group and not yet the Zhuge Clan Head’s son-in-law, he must still have people in the headquarters.It might be difficult to recommend a nameless member straight into the core, but recommending a direct scion of one of the Five Great Families wouldn’t be burdensome.In fact, in her previous life, Namgung Hyun had been working in that same Lower Pavilion during this very period."I have to enter the Lower Pavilion together with Namgung Hyun."At that, Hae-rak’s gaze fell toward the window frame. Seeing the blood-soaked cloth and basket, he crooked his lips faintly."So you already knew Namgung Hyun was with the Blood Cult."Hae-rak let out a hollow laugh."Just how much do you know?""That you’re Blood Cult, that Namgung Hyun is Blood Cult, and that the Blood Cult intends to destroy the Tang Clan."At those words, Hae-rak smiled brightly."Why are you laughing?""Because destroying the Tang Clan isn’t the Blood Cult’s goal."Sohwa gave a dry laugh, but Hae-rak’s voice, speaking the truth, was firm."Do you think those who devoured the outer lands and burrowed into the Central Plains would stop at something as small as the Tang Clan?"He tapped a finger against Sohwa’s forehead."If you want to enter the grand board, think bigger, righteous lady."Under her sharp gaze, Hae-rak withdrew his hand."I may not be able to place you directly into the headquarters, but I can create an opportunity for you to enter.""An opportunity?"The Blood Cult man curved his lips. Then, from his mouth came a name that should never have been uttered by one of the cult."I’ll arrange for you to meet the Alliance Leader.""The Alliance Leader…?""Isn’t Blood Cult, of course."Cutting off Sohwa’s words, Hae-rak gave a short, bitter laugh."But he is a strange man. He seems to know everything about me, yet acts as if he knows nothing at all."Looking at Sohwa, Hae-rak’s lips tilted again."Just like you."Then his gaze slid toward the window. He exhaled softly and rose to his feet."I can sense presences drawing near."A commotion broke out beyond the wall—apparently the guards had only now noticed the intruder."The Martial Alliance will be holding a duel soon, won’t they? Participate in it. If you want to secure a position quickly without raising suspicion, that’ll be your best chance."Sohwa nodded."Yes, I was planning to accompany them to the tournament anyway.""I’ve been «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» curious about your martial level—this is perfect.""You’ll never find out. I won’t be competing.""Huh? Then how will you get there?""I’ll go as a member of the Tang Clan’s Medical Division."Although the headquarters had its own physicians, the duel tournament was an all-Alliance event, and the Medical Division couldn’t handle all the patients alone. Injuries were so frequent that most sects brought their own healers.Hae-rak nodded in understanding."True, given your reputation, it’ll be easier to meet the Alliance Leader if you attend as a physician.""…Reputation?"When Sohwa repeated the word, Hae-rak tilted his head."You didn’t know? Anyone interested in medicine knows your name. It seems Mu So and the Taeguk Sword Sovereign spread your fame far and wide. Their endorsement added plenty of embellishment to the stories."When Sohwa’s eyes dimmed slightly, Hae-rak burst out laughing. Enjoying the sound of his own amusement, he said,"When you come to Hubei, let’s go out together. I’ll take you to a famous tavern where all the gossips gather, so you can hear it for yourself.""No need.""No, I want to see it. I’m curious whether you can keep that calm face even after hearing what they say about you."She wanted to tell him he’d never get the chance to satisfy that curiosity—but Hae-rak vanished without even a farewell."Young Lady!"Hanwon’s voice rang out. Beside him stood three guards from the inner court. Holding a dart in his hand, he hurried toward her."There’s an intruder. This dart came from the pavilion’s mechanism formation."Sohwa glanced at the sharp dart and shook her head."Strange. I saw no one.""Someone definitely passed through. Please stay inside. We’ll check the surroundings."Hanwon, fully on alert, urged the guards to move."You stay here and guard the pavilion."Once Hanwon disappeared behind the hall, Sohwa looked up at the roof. Taking in the great mechanism array overhead, she sighed inwardly. Truly a madman.'But since he returned unharmed again…'It was hard to tell whether the Tang Clan’s mechanism formations were inadequate—or that man was simply a monster.Sohwa decided to reinforce the pavilion once the Five Clans Joint Council was over.

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