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Chapter 569: To Hanam

My head was throbbing, barely cooled.

Thud, thud.

My heart was pounding, sending vibrations throughout my body, and my eyelids were twitching.

My breath was in disarray.

I could feel it, yet I couldn’t control it.

What expression was I making right now?

Thinking about that meant I wasn’t managing myself well.

‘Scent?’

Woo Bongchwigae’s words made my stomach churn.

He sensed my scent at dawn?

That was something that had long passed.

There was no way my scent still lingered.

Was he fishing for information? Maybe he was.

But.

‘Shit.’

It was too late to think of this now.

If I was going to throw out a line, I needed to keep it up until the end.

But it was already long past that point.

So what should I do?

What can I do?

‘Can I kill that old man right here?’

Not only killing him, but could I clean up without a trace?

What on earth should I do?

What justification do I have for killing him? What reason should I find?

No, can I even kill him in the first place?

If I wanted to recover naturally, it would take months.

If I wanted to use my power while controlling it, at least ten days would pass.

Moreover, he must already suspect that I’m not in a good condition.

What’s more.

‘I don’t know Woo Bongchwigae’s realm.’

I had no idea how much power he possessed.

I had no information about the opponent, while he likely knew something about me.

There couldn’t be a more desperate situation than this.

So should I just let it be?

I couldn’t allow that.

If I got found out now, it would be the end.

Everything I had planned would go down the drain.

Is there truly no way to kill him?

‘No…’

If I looked hard enough, there was one method.

Just.

‘I can’t use this right now.’

It was a power I wasn’t ready to use.

Once, the Pejon had firmly instructed me about this power.

When you’re not certain about your preparations, never use it.

Otherwise, I’d destroy my own body.

One.

‘There’s no other method.’

Right now, that was the only way.

I couldn’t leave it be, and if I was going to throw out a line, it was the end.

It was a choice I had to make.

I didn’t know if it would allow me to kill Woo Bongchwigae, but it was the time to act.

Of course, even if I succeeded in killing him, I would have no idea what to do afterward.

‘For now, I will kill him.’

I needed to kill Woo Bongchwigae.

I sorted my thoughts in a brief moment.

Just as I was about to channel power to my heart—

“Haha.”

Woo Bongchwigae chuckled.

“You look just like your father with those eyes.”

“…”

As soon as he mentioned my father, I involuntarily relaxed my grip.

In that brief moment of hesitation,

Woo Bongchwigae continued speaking.

“I don’t know what intentions you had with the dawn, but the reason I came here is straightforward.”

I narrowed my eyes at his words.

Woo Bongchwigae only spoke of the dawn.

In that moment, it dawned on me.

‘Could it be that he doesn’t know about the ambush?’

He might not know that I had acted and killed Woo Baek.

‘It could be.’

Even if he claimed he sensed my trace at dawn, it wouldn’t necessarily connect to my ambush on the Wudang as the Heavenly Demon.

There was also the matter of Ji Cheol’s death in between, but that was a self-inflicted issue using Demon Energy.

It could be difficult for Woo Bongchwigae to grasp that part.

If that’s the case, then that’s good.

If it’s just about the treasure, I could somehow get around it.

As I was thinking this and calming my breathing inwardly,

Woo Bongchwigae spoke again, and I had to frown at what the old man said.

It couldn’t be helped.

“If you tell me how you did it, I might let this matter slide.”

It was something I absolutely couldn’t understand.

“Excuse…?”

Before I realized it, I had repeated the question.

If I explained the reason, he would just let it go?

“…Suddenly, what do you mean…? I don’t quite understand.”

Is he trying to coax me?

Is he here to get my confession or something?

“Your father has a debt to repay.”

At Woo Bongchwigae’s words, my eyes narrowed.

I hadn’t expected my father to come up in a discussion here.

‘A debt?’

What kind of debt could my father have created with Woo Bongchwigae?

An unexpected question surged within me.

However, contrary to my doubts, Woo Bongchwigae continued speaking.

“Though this won’t entirely clear it, if you save my child, he will also see you favorably.”

It felt strange to hear the old man refer to my father as “the child.”

The idea that my father had connections with the Beggar Clan was also extraordinary.

With his unique smile, Woo Bongchwigae spoke, and while it seemed like a favorable situation for me,

I couldn’t afford to smile carelessly.

In the narrowed gaze and tense atmosphere,

I hesitated before finally letting my words spill out.

“How can I trust you on that?”

The moment I said that, it was as if I acknowledged my connection to the dawn.

Yet there was nothing I could do.

There simply weren’t any other viable choices but to kill Woo Bongchwigae.

“Haha…”

At my question, Woo Bongchwigae laughed a brief chuckle.

“If you don’t believe it, is there any other way?”

“…”

Killing you.

I couldn’t bring myself to say that option left.

It seemed like Woo Bongchwigae wouldn’t predict that far.

“It seems you find it difficult to comprehend. Child, isn’t there really no other way?”

That’s true.

It was the best method to trust Woo Bongchwigae for now.

The problem was if I could easily do that.

As I pondered what to do, Woo Bongchwigae suddenly extended his hand toward me.

Wondering what this was about, I looked up.

“Try holding my hand.”

Woo Bongchwigae instructed me to grasp his hand.

Seeing this, I hesitated for a moment.

Holding hands between martial artists is a rather dangerous thing.

Especially at a time like this when I had internal injuries.

However, after a brief hesitation, I clasped Woo Bongchwigae’s hand.

In a pinch, I could pour Demon Energy into the connection.

Using Demon Energy was risky, but compared to that, it was a safer choice.

Thinking that, I nervously gripped Woo Bongchwigae’s hand.

Vroom—!

“…!”

Immediately, I felt Woo Bongchwigae’s energy.

Thinking he was going to do something, I readied to unleash my Demon Energy right away.

Rumble.

Upon realizing he was trying to use his power, I halted my energy.

‘This is…’

The flow of energy was strange. Woo Bongchwigae wasn’t trying to do anything to me.

Instead, he was acting upon himself.

Was holding hands meant to show me the movement of his energy?

Upon recognizing that and inspecting the energy closely, it didn’t take long to realize.

‘It’s Golden Binding.’

Woo Bongchwigae was currently binding himself with Golden Binding.

It was an incredibly strong binding. Just the amount of inner strength and the intricate array showed that.

As I wondered what he was trying to do,

Woo Bongchwigae looked at me and stated.

“Child, if it turns out what I said about passing this matter is false, I will take my own life.”

“…!”

My eyes widened at Woo Bongchwigae’s words.

At that moment.

Clank—!

I felt the intertwining of energy within Woo Bongchwigae’s body.

The Golden Binding entwined within Woo Bongchwigae’s words, forming a loop.

From the flow of energy and the state of the binding,

There was no way I couldn’t recognize that Woo Bongchwigae was telling the truth.

Gazing at Woo Bongchwigae with trembling eyes.

Having come this far, I couldn’t help but ask.

“Why are you going this far?”

“Haha.”

Woo Bongchwigae chuckled.

“Did I not say? It’s all for your father.”

Saying that didn’t provide any clarity.

But.

‘He just bound himself before me.’

He tied his life with his words and energy.

For a binding of that level, it couldn’t be light in significance.

Moreover, he went as far as to grasp hands to demonstrate.

It was clear he was determined to make me believe.

On top of that.

‘…Demon Energy was mixed in.’

While Woo Bongchwigae was weaving his Golden Binding, I secretly mixed in my Demon Energy.

If anything went wrong, it would be for that purpose.

Demon Energy is an energy that’s hard to sense unless activated.

So, I had diluted that energy very slightly, and he likely wouldn’t have detected it.

Whether he knew it or not, Woo Bongchwigae kept laughing at me.

“Now that I’ve shown you this much, wouldn’t it be easier to speak?”

“…”

Hearing that, I remembered.

What had I asked earlier?

‘Why did you commit a crime involving the treasure.’

Answering that would be simple.

It wasn’t about the ambush, just what I had done concerning the treasure.

The question was whether I could bypass Woo Bongchwigae’s offer to let it slide.

‘If he’s gone this far with the binding…’

It would be more difficult to disbelieve him.

After a few seconds of hesitation, I cautiously spoke to Woo Bongchwigae.

“I understood the Wudang would be playing around with Hwasan’s Treasure.”

Upon hearing that, Woo Bongchwigae’s expression shifted.

“Ho….”

It was full of intrigue.

“How did you come to that conclusion?”

That was also an easy response.

‘The circumstances suggested as much.’

The Wind and Cloud Ghost, who vanished for decades suddenly appeared and hunted the Wudang—it was strange.

How peculiar that he sought the Wudang right then as Hwasan and the Wudang were about to exchange treasures.

Furthermore, it was a moment when the Wudang had to establish their footing, so I guessed they would want to profit from it.

After I finished explaining to Woo Bongchwigae,

“Hmm.”

He stroked his beard, and his eyes glinted faintly.

“So, you stole the dawn?”

“Yes.”

I nodded in response.

That was the answer I had prepared.

The matter of Ji Cheol, who died at dawn, might be troubling, but

I didn’t believe the Wudang would have mentioned that to Woo Bongchwigae.

If anything, it would likely be something they’d want to hide.

Upon hearing this, Woo Bongchwigae took a sip of tea.

Was he agreeing? But alas…

‘That’s not it.’

The answer sounded fine on the surface.

However, deep within, there were clear issues.

Someone like Woo Bongchwigae wouldn’t overlook such discrepancies.

As I thought that, as expected.

“Strange.”

Woo Bongchwigae asked me pointedly.

“Apparently, there was nothing wrong with the protective barrier you were wearing at that time.”

“…”

“Also, how did you breach that barrier to steal the dawn?”

Woo Bongchwigae’s sharp inquiries probed at the gaps in my answer.

The protective barrier the Wudang had prepared to monitor us.

Not only did I disregard it, but I also stole the treasure, breaching a deadly defense.

How exactly was I planning to get around that?

It was only natural that he asked such questions. I had fully anticipated it.

So I presented the answer I had prepared.

“I cannot answer that.”

Rather than uttering a potentially problematic answer,

I chose to remain completely silent.

As if to suggest I had a valid reason for not being able to answer.

“Haha…”

Woo Bongchwigae chuckled softly.

Wiping the cold sweat from my forehead as I observed him.

‘There’s no way he’d let that go.’

There was no way the old man would let such an answer slide.

I had said it knowingly.

The reason was.

‘So that he can pry further.’

Of course, I had prepared to answer.

I’d explain the critical flaw in the protective barrier and the reason I could stealthily steal the dawn.

Yet, the reason I gave such a vague answer was to orchestrate the situation.

That way,

‘It’ll be more dramatic.’

Indicating that he couldn’t let it slide, and mocking him.

After gauging Woo Bongchwigae’s reaction, I intended to delve into the details of the protective barrier next.

‘…Specifically, I would mention the flaw in the protective barrier.’

The reason I was able to act while carrying the protective barrier.

The barrier that the Wudang had created had an unseen flaw.

This was the information I had been told by Woo Hyeok in my past life.

Despite being bound by the Wudang, who forced the barrier onto him, Woo Hyeok managed to find the flaw himself in order to escape.

Now, I was planning to reveal this information to Woo Bongchwigae and turn the situation around.

I had brought up this topic with such intention.

“Then that’s settled.”

Huh?

“Pejon, what did you just say…?”

“If you can’t answer, then there’s nothing more to be done, is there?”

“W-What…?”

“More importantly, I brought some snacks. Want to have some?”

Seeing Woo Bongchwigae speak nonchalantly, I had to express a look of sheer disbelief.

 

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