The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 249

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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 249
* * *
The next morning.
It was nearly noon.
“With proper rest, there shouldn’t be any problems with recovery. Given your youth, good health, and martial training, the young lady’s assessment was correct.”
“I see. Since you’re here now, have you eaten? If not, sit down.”
I had the Servant bring out Jin-jin’s meal as well, setting down the meatball soup.
After eating for a while, Jin-jin asked me a question.
“Was that Physician who came yesterday sent by the man who was with you?”
“That man?”
I looked at Jin-jin with confusion and asked.
“You didn’t see his face?”
“I did see it, but it was late at night, I was in no state to focus, and my impression was so hazy that I can’t remember it well.”
Was it some kind of technique? He claimed to walk around boldly with his face exposed, yet he had hidden methods.
“Yes. He sent the Physician.”
Yalyu wouldn’t be entangled in this matter.
If Yalyu held a grudge from years past based on his nature….
‘He would have simply killed him, like the Byeok Family Head.’
I understood it instinctively.
There was no reason for him to orchestrate something this complicated, and it wouldn’t have ended with just a broken arm.
‘Yalyu probably doesn’t even remember who Jang Cheol is….’
Most likely, he received a report about what happened at the Pavilion shortly after Jin-jin arrived.
The fact that he sent a Physician meant it was purely a gesture of goodwill toward me.
The Physician wasn’t an enormous help anyway. Half a double hour after Yalyu’s Physician arrived, Gongsun Wol came with the Murim Alliance’s Physician.
‘What if someone suspects and investigates?’
The more I thought about it, the less I could understand Yalyu’s intentions.
While lost in thought, Jin-jin asked me a question.
“Will we just let this matter pass like this?”
By late morning, rumors had already begun to spread.
“It will take a while for word to reach the Jang Family Estate, and besides, our family has no connection to them whatsoever. What could they possibly protest about?”
Jin-jin lowered his head with an aggrieved expression.
I drank my tea and spoke.
“That said, I have no intention of sitting idle.”
At that moment, I felt a presence outside the chamber, and the Servant’s voice was heard.
“Young Lady Baek Li, you have a visitor.”
“A visitor? Who has come?”
“It is Young Lady Gongsun Wol of the Gongsun Family.”
Jin-jin’s expression became bewildered.
“What could this be about? Young Lady Gong-sun must be exhausted after staying at Jang Gongja’s Inn all through last night.”
I set aside Jin-jin’s words and slowly rose to my feet.
* * *
“I heard you were in the middle of a meal?”
Gongsun Wol said she had something to tell me and suggested we walk together for a bit.
“It’s fine. I had just finished anyway.”
“I see.”
With that, she fell silent and simply walked alongside me for a while.
I waited for her to broach the subject first, but as we continued walking, Gongsun Wol showed no sign of speaking. I was just about to break the silence myself when she finally opened her mouth.
Just as I was considering whether to speak first, Gongsun Wol began to talk.
“You seem quite fond of that blade, don’t you?”
“A blade?”
It was an unexpected question.
I glanced down at the elegant sword hanging at my waist, and a smile naturally formed on my lips.
“Yes. My father gave it to me as a coming-of-age gift.”
“Baek Li Dae-hyup is truly a remarkable person.”
“Have you met my father before?”
“Yes. I’ve seen him several times at my father’s side. I remember marveling at how such a strikingly handsome man could exist in this world.”
I smiled warmly and nodded.
‘My father is quite—no, extraordinarily handsome.’
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Gongsun Wol laughed and spoke.
“When you speak of your father, your expression becomes the brightest I’ve seen from you. Your smile is so wide it nearly reaches your ears.”
“Is it really? Haha.”
“You two seem to have an excellent relationship. The rumors that Baek Li Dae-hyup cherishes you deeply appear to be true.”
I detected a hint of envy in her tone.
“I’ve heard that your father, the General, also cares for you deeply.”
“I suppose he does…”
Gongsun Wol exhaled softly and finally broached the main subject.
“As you’ve likely anticipated, I’ve come regarding Jang Gongja.”
She had lifted my spirits before getting to the point.
“The matter with Jang Gongja will be buried. Please, don’t be upset.”
“Is this the General’s intention?”
“Recently, my father only just began to feel inclined to cooperate with the Baek Li Family and the Alliance Leader. He said there’s nothing to gain from causing discord over such a trivial matter.”
It was exactly as I had anticipated, so I felt no anger.
“Anyone who hears this will think we initiated the discord first.”
Gongsun Wol lowered her eyes with a guilty expression and continued.
“What good would come from the Orthodox Sect’s allied forces creating discord at a time like this? Especially with the incident at the Byeok Family Estate having just occurred.”
My heart suddenly raced. Was she simply mentioning the attack? Or was there something more?
“Regarding the Byeok Family Estate incident—hasn’t the culprit still not been identified?”
“No clear evidence has emerged yet. But who else could commit such an act? Only the Demonic Cult.”
“…”
At Gongsun Wol’s words, I felt an involuntary sense of relief wash over me.
‘So she still doesn’t know what Yalyu did.’
And I was confused by my own sense of relief.
Even though Yalyu had confessed to personally orchestrating the annihilation of the Byeok Family, I couldn’t decide how to treat him.
I knew that exposing Yalyu’s crimes and capturing him now would be far safer than eliminating him in the Martial Arts Tournament, yet I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Gongsun Wol continued speaking, unaware of the turmoil within me.
“By the way, did something happen with Ryu-cheong yesterday?”
“…Pardon?”
“Ah, I went to find him when I visited the unit yesterday because of Jang Gongja’s matter, but they said he wasn’t available. Since you were the last person I saw him with.”
“…”
Had he not told Gongsun Wol that he’d be focusing on cultivation? Though that lie seemed transparent enough.
In any case, since the Jang Family was close to the Namgung Clan, it was natural that Gongsun Wol would seek out Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“…He said he’d be focusing on cultivation and wouldn’t be able to meet for a few days.”
“Ah…”
Gongsun Wol’s face darkened—not just darkened, but turned ashen pale to the point that anyone watching would think I was tormenting her.
‘She’s taking this far too hard…?’
Was it really something to be shocked about just because only I knew?
Without thinking, words of comfort escaped my lips.
“Ryu-cheong isn’t the type to go around announcing such things. Please don’t…worry about it so much.”
Then Gongsun Wol laughed bitterly and spoke.
“What does my heart matter? After all, Ryu-cheong likes you.”
“…”
The arrow suddenly turned toward me? I wanted to take back the comfort I’d just offered.
Gongsun Wol looked directly at me and asked.
“Do you like Ryu-cheong?”
I swallowed a sigh and met her gaze.
“I don’t think we’re close enough to ask each other such questions.”
“…”
Gongsun Wol, who had fallen silent for a moment, avoided my eyes and spoke.
“Ryu-cheong…ah yes, he was just pretending to be intimate in front of Father. The young master doesn’t even like it when I call him by name.”
“You don’t need to explain such things to me one by one.”
“You’re quite cold-hearted.”
“…”
‘No. Ugh!’
Why on earth did I have to have this conversation with her?
I was about to say that if she continued with such pointless talk, I would leave. Then Gongsun Wol spoke.
“I know about the person you met last night.”
“…!”
“Baek Li, how much do you trust me?”
* * *
[You’ve been secretly investigating the Alliance Leader. But you probably haven’t discovered anything concrete.]
“If you exit through the West Gate, my people will be waiting there. Follow them, and you’ll find answers to the questions that have been troubling you—assuming you possess the capability, Miss.”
She emphasized that I would need to move with utmost discretion and speed if I hoped to return in time for the main tournament to begin.
I brought along only the fastest runner among the Baek Geom Disciples as my escort.
Initially, Gongsun Wol’s Subordinate pointed out where we needed to change horses. But at some point, we abandoned the mounts entirely and deployed lightness techniques, covering tremendous distances in bounds.
We arrived at the Deep Mountain Range.
I couldn’t tell how far in we’d ventured.
Gongsun Wol’s Subordinate pressed onward until the path itself vanished and not a trace of human presence remained, then finally halted.
“This is as far as I can guide you.”
I gazed into the silent forest. Something felt profoundly wrong.
“There’s a formation array deployed here.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Even from the outside, examining it with my golden eyes, the formation was remarkably intricate.
Gongsun Wol’s Subordinate spoke.
“I’ve attempted to enter several times, but every attempt has failed.”
At that moment, my escort following behind me spoke quietly.
“There are traces of someone passing through here.”
Where she pointed, I found marks that appeared no more than a few days old—footprints left perhaps a day or two ago at most.
As I examined the traces, I straightened and demanded answers.
“So? I think it’s time you told me the truth. Why did you bring me to this suspicious place?”
Gongsun Wol’s Subordinate, who had remained silent throughout our journey, finally opened her mouth with caution.
“This is… the secret hideout of the Wi Alliance Leader.”
“A secret hideout?”
Even the Baek Geom Disciple seemed taken aback.
“The Wi Alliance Leader maintains a separate hideout?”
I furrowed my brow.
‘Was there ever mention of this?’
No—I had no recollection of it whatsoever. I’d never encountered any reference to Wi Ji-baek’s secret hideout in the novel either.
A hideout this secretive was deeply unsettling. It felt like a premonition.
Within memories I couldn’t distinguish as fiction or reality, secrets I couldn’t begin to grasp had never led to favorable outcomes.
In that instant, I whipped my head around and pressed my index finger to my lips.
“Shh.”
Then I drew Gongsun Wol’s Subordinate and my escort into the underbrush with me.
We suppressed our presence almost to the point of holding our breath, and not long after—
A group of people emerged into the previously silent forest.

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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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