I Decided to Give the Contract to the Male Vassal - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 6

[Maryeonghwaga .]

For the first time, complex emotions appeared on Chung-rin’s face.

He couldn’t swallow the rage boiling up from deep within.

Chung-rin glared at me with reddened eyes.

“Did Chung-rin tell you about my family?”

His lowered voice sounded somehow like suppressed sobbing.

I nodded briefly.

Before sending Chung-rin to Mageyo, I had investigated his background.

That’s how I could guess that Maryeonghwaga was connected to him.

“Maryeonghwaga is such a secretive family that even you haven’t found the culprit who killed your family yet. Right?”

“….”

Chung-rin’s lower lip trembled. Silence meant affirmation.

“I can find them for you.”

“…With a body confined like this?”

“I’m not the only one confined. You’re also being controlled.”

I was referring to the poison remaining in his body.

Sangteon-dang doesn’t give antidotes at regular intervals. So he couldn’t have traveled far from Cheonsan until now.

To get more information, I needed to become freer.

Chung-rin twisted his lips open.

“I see.”

Now his heart was as good as held in my hands.

“Making a perfect antidote will take some time. So….”

I took out a note from my sleeve and placed it over the characters carved with the dagger.

“This should give you some freedom of movement.”

Chung-rin’s eyes turned to the note I had placed.

“What’s written there are the locations where antidotes provided to Sangteon-dang’s spies are stored.”

This was based on information from 10 years ago.

“Some of them should still be in use. But don’t steal too much or they’ll notice, so use them sparingly.”

“….”

Chung-rin remained silent as he put the note in his bosom.

“Now the deal is made, right?”

“For now.”

Chung-rin answered while pouring tea into my cup.

Still, seeing his tone become more polite than at first, he properly understood the current situation.

He was the one holding the information I wanted, but I was the one holding the initiative in this deal.

Since he’d be curious about Maryeonghwaga, Chung-rin would have no choice but to assist me for the time being.

Only then could I leisurely tilt my teacup.

“And I’d also like information about Mageyo’s Third Prince Wicheonso. His origins, achievements up to now, all his movements.”

“Is it because the Third Prince saved you?”

“Yes. There are no coincidences in anything.”

There must have been a reason why that man was wandering near the Yeomhwa Family.

“Wicheonso rose to Third Prince 3 years ago. How he became the sect leader’s disciple, where he’s from – even I don’t know. The other information is just what everyone else knows.”

“For example?”

“That he’s a blood-crazed killing demon. He hunts apostates to spill blood, and cut off his bride’s throat on their wedding night because she was too noisy.”

This seemed to be why Yeonriri had described him as dangerous.

“Tell me all the information about that man.”

“Understood.”

Though this wasn’t a relationship built on trust, since we both had what the other wanted, Chung-rin wouldn’t betray me for the time being.

This much could be called a successful first contact with Chung-rin.

Now it was time to return to the Yeomhwa Family.

“Oh, right. You’ve got someone tailing me, don’t you?”

I asked while returning the dagger to him.

“….”

Silence meant affirmation.

“I figured as much since you’d have eyes in the Yeomhwa Family too. Then I have a favor….”

Chung-rin frowned.

“If something happens to me, help me get home safely.”

“They said you learned from Chung-rin, and you’ve certainly mastered using people.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

I left Chung-rin’s grumbling behind and pulled my blood-stained robe deep over my head.

❖ ❖ ❖

Coming out of Sohongru, the chilly air clung to my face.

’10 years….’

When I first heard it, it felt vague, but after meeting Chung-rin, I truly felt the passage of time.

Still, the fact that Baekah didn’t exist in this world was something I still couldn’t believe.

I swallowed my bitterness and melted into the crowd.

About two hours had passed so far, so I should be able to arrive at the Yeomhwa Family with plenty of time to spare.

It was when I headed into an alley to choose a path with fewer pedestrians.

“Ahhh!”

A scream came from not far away.

A giant figure in blue robes was running toward me, knocking down merchants.

I thought it might be a thief, but his movement technique and the large sword in his hand looked quite ominous.

Men in black robes chased after the giant.

But when he spread his palm toward the men in black robes, a black vortex bloomed from within as if opening a strange gate.

At that moment, life force that poured out like smoke from the bodies of the men in black robes was sucked into the giant’s palm.

“Kugh!”

One man crouched down, and the other collapsed to the ground. Their life force was completely absorbed into the giant’s qi and blood.

In an instant, the giant’s aura swelled several times over.

His eyes turned red, and the killing intent radiating from his sword surged even more ferociously.

‘Heupsenggong !’

A demonic art that gains power by absorbing life force.

I remember witnessing this distinctive martial art from afar during my Sangteon-dang days.

‘That giant is Paryeongdae’s Deputy Commander, Absorbent Sword Demon!’

I didn’t know why he was being chased, but I had a bad feeling.

I tried to turn around quickly, but his eyes spotted me.

It was the gaze of a predator discovering prey. I had a premonition that the giant intended to use this body’s meager life force as a snack.

As expected, he kicked off the ground and flew toward me.

‘Damn!’

I barely avoided his first attack using common movement techniques, but the immediately following second attack was close.

Rough breath grazed my nape.

“Not bad. But you won’t be able to dodge this.”

Absorbent Sword Demon charged with a fierce expression.

A frontal confrontation was still impossible. My internal energy was still woefully insufficient.

But since his movements were large and linear, there was a way to defeat him.

I deployed my movement technique to lift my body and changed direction by pressing on his shoulder.

In that instant, an opening appeared.

The moment I loaded my palm strike with internal energy and aimed for the back of his head.

Whoosh.

Absorbent Sword Demon tried to catch my arm with amazing reflexes.

I twisted my body and barely managed to escape, but my arm was numb from that rough force.

‘I thought he was just strong, but his reflexes are good too!’

Before I could even move to find an opening in the giant’s defense, his blade came flying toward me.

A trajectory that was hard to avoid.

I hastily pulled out a half-jang (1.5 meter) long cord from my pouch, gripped it with both hands, and infused it with inner power to meet his attack.

The cord in my hands stretched taut, leaving red marks on my palms.

At the same time, the Absorbent Sword Demon puffed out his shoulders. Dark energy spread from behind his back.

Then my body was pulled in that direction.

‘Dangerous!’

I tried to leap away to escape from the range, but his hand was faster.

“I told you! You can’t avoid it!”

A black vortex extending from his palm began flying toward me.

It was the Life Absorption Technique.

‘If I can’t dodge now, my true qi will also be stolen into that!’

A moment of life and death.

The moment I unconsciously widened my eyes, time froze.

The Absorbent Sword Demon and I were trapped in a gray stillness where darkness and light mixed.

My heart pounded as if it would burst, and my lungs screamed.

If I didn’t move now, I would inevitably be unable to escape death.

I squeezed out my last strength and twisted my body to escape from the range of the Life Absorption Technique.

Then time began to flow again.

Blood surged up from the pain rushing into my body.

‘…Ugh.’

Strength left my legs and my body swayed unsteadily.

The Absorbent Sword Demon charged at me again with a bewildered expression, gathering his palm strike.

I gripped the cord with both hands and took a combat stance.

This time I would definitely bring him down.

When I was about to execute the assassination technique I learned at Sangteon-dang.

Someone grabbed my waist.

Strong arms pulled my body and lifted me into the air as if spinning me.

Black sleeves embroidered with gorgeous red dragon patterns covered my vision, and my body fell beyond a distance of one jang.

It happened in an instant.

It took quite some time to realize that a man with a solid physique was supporting my body.

A low, cold laugh brushed past my ear.

“Huh.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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