---

Chapter 7: The Trap!

“Deputy Lord.”

“Yes! Great Lord!”

The man standing behind Beomdong responded sharply, his demeanor rigid.

“I’m going to set the trap. Get ready.”

“…!”

Operation name: Trap is underway.

At Beomdong’s words, the man’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

‘A trap, huh…?’

What kind of creature is he planning to ensnare with that?

It’s the Flying Dragon Master’s trap—something no one has ever escaped.

Unless the target is a monster on the level of a top martial artist from the Central Plains, they can’t hope to flee from this operation.

At that moment, the middle-aged man felt a wave of tension wash over him.

‘Well then, let’s see how it feels to taste it, you unfortunate brat.’

Beomdong chuckled as he recalled the eldest son of the Gu Clan struggling.

Not long after Beomdong set off to find So Yeomra.

Sscrreeecccch-!

“Gahhh!”

“Lift your head. Didn’t I tell you to keep your eyes open? Why do you keep shutting them? Shall I gouge your eyes out while I’m at it?”

It dawned on Beomdong that something was definitely wrong.

“Ggggkkk….”

Every time blood trickled from his mouth, fragments of the cup fell out too. The taste of blood was overwhelmed by the sensation of torn flesh in his mouth.

He was trying to move, but the moment his neck was grabbed, he couldn’t muster the strength in his whole body.

It wasn’t like he was hit by Blood Qi, nor was he in a restrained position.

He just couldn’t summon any strength.

“Even so, you’re threatening nearby folks, huh? Have you truly lost it?”

“Cough… let me go… You’ll regret this…”

“Still got some life in that mouth of yours, huh?”

Crash-!

“Cough!”

A shockstorm washed over his head.

Gu Yangcheong swung the cup he was holding, striking Beomdong’s head.

The broken shards didn’t drop to the floor; they floated in the air.

Gu Yangcheong snatched a particularly large fragment and—

BAM-!

“Gaaaah!”

He slammed it onto the back of the man’s hand.

Instinctively, he surrounded himself with strong energy, but Gu Yangcheong effortlessly ripped through Beomdong’s defensive energy.

Stab-! The shard was pulled right out of his hand.

Blood began to gather on the injury he just inflicted.

Sssshhhhhh-!

“…!!!”

As the agony coursed through his hand, Beomdong couldn’t even scream this time.

Gu Yangcheong set fire to the deep wound.

“Gahh… Ggghhh… Aaaaargh…”

As Beomdong writhed in pain, Gu Yangcheong lifted his head up.

Locking eyes with him, his brilliant blue gaze pierced through.

“You better behave while I keep you alive. Why do you keep acting like a jerk? You’re making me feel like a jerk too, you know?”

He was smiling.

Gu Yangcheong smirked while burning Beomdong’s hand.

Seeing that smile sent shivers down Beomdong’s spine.

‘…I messed up.’

Using the Clan’s position and power to intimidate people around him—what a foolish idea.

That would never work here.

But…

‘He’s this strong, huh.’

The critical aspect of this operation was to provoke anger when the target spoke.

If the target couldn’t hold back and tried to retaliate or threaten, it would establish a solid reason for retaliation from the Clan.

‘What the hell.’

Beomdong’s misunderstanding stemmed from believing Gu Yangcheong wouldn’t possibly act this way.

Who would have thought he would boldly commit acts of violence and torture in the heart of Hanam?

Sssshhhhhh-!

As he registered the sense of his hand burning, Beomdong trembled and screamed.

“Yaaaaaaah!!”

Things were turning for the worse.

He thought the person was strong enough to take the lead, but he never imagined he could end up in this humiliating position.

Sure, he knew the guy was a martial master, but this level of strength…!

Amid the pain, Beomdong pondered.

‘My Qi isn’t flowing properly. Could it be poison…?’

There was no way he would be so utterly defeated like this.

He was a martial artist of considerable skill and someone who had secured the Clan’s Great Lord title.

Yet, he couldn’t use his energy just because his neck was held? It made no sense.

‘Damn it. When did this happen?’

Had poison been slipped into the tea he just drank? If so, when was it done? At the start? No.

‘Did they tamper with the pre-prepared tea…?’

He had personally checked beforehand, but how could they have slipped in poison without him noticing?

Rolling his eyes within the agony of his torn mouth and constricted throat, Beomdong knew he had to endure.

No matter how much pain he endured now, they wouldn’t kill him.

So he had to hang on.

Outside, the members of the Flying Dragon were on standby.

In executing the trap, personnel placement was crucial.

If agents didn’t send signals or appeared in a certain count, they would rush in.

In just seconds, the scheduled time would pass.

Then, the members of the Flying Dragon would appear to rescue Beomdong.

Just a little longer; that was Beomdong’s hopeful thought when suddenly—

“Master.”

Nahi, who had been continuously burning Beomdong’s injuries, approached with a question.

“What should we do about the rats outside?”

“…!”

At Nahi’s words, a chill went down Beomdong’s spine.

Rats? Surely, she meant the Flying Dragon?

If so, they must’ve been using concealment techniques from afar. How did she know?

“Should we get rid of them?”

Beomdong’s shock aside, Nahi asked nonchalantly.

Gu Yangcheong abruptly paused his burning touch and nodded.

“Hmm.”

Just Beomdong’s hushed breath filled the space momentarily.

“No, let them be.”

Gu Yangcheong responded lightly.

“I was going to have you clean them up. Just in time.”

He gazed out the closed window.

“That guy has arrived.”

He felt an ominous presence from afar.

A very familiar and dreadful presence at that.

Having moved within half a tick of the target.

In a tense atmosphere, a man stepped forward.

“Deputy Lord, not much time is left until the designated moment.”

“…Right.”

Jung Jin, one of the Deputy Lords of the Flying Dragon, nodded at his subordinate’s words.

As Great Lord Beomdong approached the target, the sudden door slammed shut.

All were taken aback by this unforeseen development, but—

“Stick to the plan. Prepare yourselves.”

Jung Jin, authoritative, commanded his subordinates to follow the orders given by Beomdong.

Once half a tick had passed since the anomaly manifested.

After that time, they would mention the Clan’s name and enter the target area.

That was the crux of the operation. Biting his lip with these thoughts, Jung Jin contemplated deeply.

‘Is this really alright?’

It didn’t seem likely that anything dangerous would happen. Yet, they encountered a blocked door and window right after entering.

Moreover, the building was filled with energy barriers—it was clear something was amiss.

Should they rush in immediately? Jung Jin pondered intensely.

‘This is none other than the Great Lord. He must have foreseen this.’

This had to be part of a broader plan.

Jung Jin chose to believe that as he steadied his breath.

The target was barely over twenty years old.

They claimed the Great Lord was a formidable martial artist, but…

‘Still, he couldn’t be at the Great Lord level.’

Even though he was the Great Lord of the intelligence department, his combat ability might be relatively lacking.

But still, he was a Great Lord.

Beomdong was no weak martial artist; they trusted in that as they prepared.

And just then—

“Deputy Lord. It’s time.”

The subordinate conveyed the message, and finally, Jung Jin nodded, drawing his sword.

Sshhhk.

As he unsheathed his sword, Jung Jin addressed the surrounding martial artists.

“Flying Dragon. Combat preparation.”

At the same time Jung Jin moved, the surrounding martial artists began to change their formations.

“Targets are right in front of…”

“Is it the sword?”

“Towards the sword… No, wait…?”

Hearing the words spoken next to him, he froze in place.

Goosebumps crawled down Jung Jin’s spine. He turned to look beside him.

There, where just a moment ago there was nobody, stood someone.

‘What the…?’

Jung Jin widened his eyes at the sight.

It was a small-framed woman.

With a petite figure, she seemed to be balancing an enormous club on her shoulder.

But, her hair was so short for a woman that it barely covered her ears.

“It’s a sword! Right? This is a sword!”

The woman looked at Jung Jin’s sword, her eyes sparkling as though fascinated.

“It’s a sword! Yes!!”

“…What…!”

Caught off guard by her bizarre reaction, Jung Jin attempted to be cautious when—

“Then, does that mean I can kill you?”

Swish-!

“…!!”

An overwhelming killing intent brushed against Jung Jin’s skin.

Acting instinctively, he moved to draw his sword, but—

She was faster.

Swish.

The club that had been perched on her shoulder was now swung down by the woman.

In that moment—

KA-BOOOOM—!!!

A thunderous explosion swept through the Flying Dragon.

 

---