The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 230

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 230
Yet sensing my thoughts were too transparent, he cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ahem. But this is your idea—how could I possibly steal your credit?”
I tilted my head curiously as I spoke.
“But I’m not really doing anything. It’s you, Uncle, who’s pretending there’s discord.”
Baek Li-ui-muk continued clearing his throat and rolling his eyes before finally conceding.
“Well, if that’s what you wish….”
My uncle’s expression brightened noticeably. He seemed already envisioning a future where the plan had succeeded.
I offered him a word of caution.
“But you must be careful. This is the Murim Alliance, after all. Someone could open a letter without anyone knowing.”
“Surely such a thing wouldn’t….”
He shouldn’t get too excited.
Unless the Wi Alliance Leader was a fool, he would verify the discord multiple times before extending his hand to my uncle.
Baek Li-ui-muk frowned briefly before nodding in agreement.
“You’re right. What matters is succeeding. It would be better to inform Father later.”
My uncle always pretended to be clever, thinking himself intelligent, but he was certainly a man raised too gently by the world. Like father, like son—he and Baek Li-myeong were truly alike.
‘Wait a moment… now that I think about it, it seems like I’m using both my uncle and his father….’
No, no. Rather than “using,” let’s think of it as an exchange of mutual benefits.
Still, a faint sense of guilt lingered. So instead, I brought up this matter.
“Speaking of which, Uncle, I saw Li-ri outside.”
“What!”
Baek Li-ui-muk jumped to his feet.
Truthfully, I had considered pretending not to know—it was somewhat bothersome, and Baek Li-ri seemed to be doing well enough.
But the Martial Arts Tournament was unpredictable with the Demonic Cult involved. I didn’t want Baek Li-ri to get caught up in it and injured.
My uncle spoke urgently.
“Where, where did you see her! Outside? Inside? But your guard hasn’t mentioned anything about Li-ri…!”
“She was using disguise, so it was difficult for me to recognize her too.”
“She was using disguise? Well… but you’re certain it was Li-ri?”
“Probably.”
My eye for detail had been proven by catching several Demonic Cult spies in the past.
“If you saw her, then it must be true. That Baek Li-ri…! But why didn’t you bring her back!”
“That’s….”
Before I could even answer, my uncle seemed to realize something.
“Ah, could it be that the reason you were jumping across rooftops causing all that commotion was because of Li-ri?”
“Um… ha, haha. Y-you already heard about it?”
It was fortunate that he had misunderstood on his own, sparing me from having to make excuses, though I felt slightly embarrassed.
“Yes. Your guard reported it to me. He said you were jumping across rooftops and got lost along the way.”
The fact that I had nearly been caught by the Security Officers and dragged away was unknown even to my guard, so my uncle hadn’t heard of it either.
“The moment you arrived, I questioned your guards one by one about how you managed while separated from them. I care about you this much, and yet you find it amusing! Hmph.”
After directing one more burst of anger at Namgung Wan, my uncle regained his composure and spoke again.
“No, no. This is hardly the time for such talk… I must release people at once! You may go now. Wait, hold on. I need to summon Hwa-mu first to sketch the facial features. Give me a moment. Is that child even in their right mind…? Are you out there!”
“Uncle, Uncle. Just a moment, please.”
I forced my clearly flustered uncle to calm down.
“If we provoke Li-ri carelessly here, she might run away again. Instead, let me find Li-ri and try to persuade her to come to you.”
“…You?”
“Yes. If we release Baek Li Family warriors and have them search everywhere, we risk Li-ri noticing us before we even find her, don’t we?”
“That’s true enough.”
“Besides, Muuhan is so vast. Even with Baek Li Family warriors searching, how long would it take? And we can’t exactly ask the Murim Alliance warriors to help either, can we? She’s not a criminal.”
My uncle frowned, clearly displeased.
“How long do you think it will take you alone to search such a vast place?”
I spoke in a reassuring tone.
“Li-ri looked healthy. It seems she’s even made friends. And besides….”
I continued speaking and moistened my dry throat with tea.
“Even if we don’t search frantically, Li-ri will come find us.”
“Li-ri will come find us?”
“Yes.”
My uncle looked at me with suspicion.
“How can you be so certain?”
“Uncle, if someone comes to Muuhan at this time, there’s one place they absolutely must visit, isn’t there? We just need to wait.”
“A place they must visit? Such a place exists?”
I nodded and spoke.
“The Martial Arts Tournament Arena.”
“…!”
“If we wait at the Martial Arts Tournament Arena, Li-ri will find us on her own.”
My uncle struck his palm with his fist.
“That’s it! You’re absolutely right! Of course she’ll come to the tournament arena.”
My uncle asked with a worried expression.
“Do you think she intends to participate?”
“I’m not sure. She might be planning to participate in disguise, or perhaps she simply intends to watch.”
“Either way… yes. At least we know she’s here. What a relief….”
My uncle let out a sigh of relief, his worry easing.
That’s right. If someone came to Muuhan at this time, it made no sense for them not to visit the tournament arena. And this applied equally to others.
That crimson inner energy I had witnessed. In all my years, I had only seen two people with such blazing, fiery inner energy.
Cheonsan Yeom-je and… Yalyu. If he had come to Muuhan, I would surely see him at the tournament arena.
“So, about that. Could I possibly see the preliminary roster?”
“Why would you need that?”
“Li-ri might have registered. If there’s a roster, it would be easier to understand the situation.”
“That wouldn’t be a problem, but you can’t stay at the tournament arena all day, can you? You need to prepare for the tournament as well.”
“What?”
“Speaking of which, have you heard? The prize for this Martial Arts Tournament is the Cheonma Jibow.”
“Ah, I heard about it yesterday.”
Baek Li-ui-muk nodded, a faint smugness crossing his features.
“I knew beforehand, but the announcement came yesterday. By now, the outside world must be in an uproar over this news. It would be no exaggeration to call it the greatest prize in history.”
“Indeed.”
“So you must work hard as well, mustn’t you?”
“Pardon?”
“We cannot lose to those Namgung bastards. You must inherit your father’s glory! You must raise the name of the Baek Li Family at this Martial Arts Tournament! Do you understand?”
“….”
“Ah, I’ve had a sturdy carp sent to the kitchen. I told them to prepare it since last night, so go fetch it.”
I was both exasperated and exhausted by Baek Li-ui-muk’s unprecedented fervor. Why did everyone assume I would naturally participate in the Martial Arts Tournament?
“Uncle, I’m not attending the Martial Arts Tournament.”
“What are you saying?”
I spoke with firm conviction.
“I have no intention of participating.”
“….”
Baek Li-ui-muk stared at me intently, then let out an amused chuckle.
‘Hmm?’
That wasn’t the reaction I’d anticipated. I thought he’d be shocked or opposed, but….
Baek Li-ui-muk clicked his tongue and spoke.
“You act so clever, yet you’re careless here.”
“What?”
“Your grandfather—your father, that is—has already submitted your name to the Martial Arts Tournament.”
“…What?”
“So stop thinking foolish thoughts and focus on the tournament.”
What did he just say?
“Wait, hold on. Uncle, are you saying Grandfather registered me for the tournament?”
“Yes. The moment the Murim Alliance sent the tournament notice, he registered you immediately. I naturally assumed you knew.”
“You didn’t tell me!”
I was dumbfounded and indignant. Why hadn’t they informed me of something so important?
Now I understood that subtle smile Taego Jinperson and Jeggal Hwa-mu had worn. They must have known about my participation!
No wonder they found it so amusing and absurd when I said I wouldn’t participate in the tournament!
Baek Li-ui-muk spoke to me as I writhed in frustration.
“Well, of course you’d naturally participate. Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through arranging your bracket?”
“What? The bracket? What do you mean by that?”
“The bracket, I say. I spent days negotiating with others to arrange it so you could advance without exerting yourself unnecessarily. Tsk, tsk.”
“You arranged the bracket to make it easy for me to advance?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that…manipulation?”
“Arranging the bracket is the Elder Council’s responsibility. And we’re not the only ones doing this. This is hardly worth mentioning.”
Baek Li-ui-muk scolded me at my displeased expression.
“Anyone who sits idle here is a fool! I’m talking about that brat from the Namgung Clan. Hmph.”
“But still, if Grandfather were to find out….”
“Hmph, Father would actually say I did well! So you’re saying you’d prefer to face Namgung Ryu-cheong in the opening match of the main tournament?”
That, that’s….
In that moment, I found myself at a loss for words.
Baek Li-ui-muk looked at my expression with smug satisfaction, as if to say “see?”
‘Good heavens. To be treated this way by Uncle.’
It felt like a blow to my pride.
And one thing became abundantly clear—Baek Li-ui-muk and Namgung Wan could never be close. That was the nature of their relationship.
‘Goodness.’
I was participating in the Martial Arts Tournament?
And what was this? Match-fixing?
I was caught up in match-fixing! Father!

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