The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 280

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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 280
Other figures came into view.
Rain poured down relentlessly, yet everyone here had heard our conversation. If these merchants spread word of my exchange with Seo Ha-ryeong, it would only trouble her.
‘Should I silence them?’
I reached toward my waist. But my hand grasped only empty air, and I realized the truth.
Ah, I’d just handed over my sword.
That was when it happened.
“Don’t go.”
Seo Ha-ryeong seized my wandering hand firmly.
“Listen! The Baek Geom Unit is here too. The Baek Li Family Head is searching for you! He’s so worried. Truly. He’s asked me countless times if I’d heard from you, and he told me to alert him the moment you arrived! I have a signal flare right here—”
I smiled bitterly.
“If I return now, Grandfather will be in a difficult position.”
“Why would he be in a difficult position? There’s nothing difficult about it! It’s fine. Even if you really are descended from Cheon-ma, that’s not your fault! You’ve done nothing wrong!”
“The people Cheon-ma killed are beyond counting. Even the Baek Li Family, which had no major conflict with the Demonic Cult, has lost members to them.”
“…”
How many had died when the Demonic Cult attacked the Murim Alliance Headquarters?
Among them was a precious only daughter of a sect, a golden child who bore all her sect’s hopes. When even a single disciple of a sect fell, the entire sect mobilized to collect blood debt.
Moreover, disciples inherited their masters’ debts of gratitude and enmity, and children inherited their parents’. Here, individuals were not calculated separately. To be calculated as an individual, one would need to be expelled from their sect.
If not expelled, it meant the sect also took responsibility for that person’s debts of enmity.
It was an unwritten law of the Jianghu.
“If I told them, ‘Baek Li-yeon has nothing to do with the Demonic Cult. Her birth mother is merely Cheon-ma’s daughter, so leave her be,’ would they simply nod and withdraw? Especially when I’ve inherited the Demonic Cult’s treasures as well?”
Yes, Grandfather might intend to protect me. It was possible.
But then the burden the Baek Li Family would have to bear would become far too great.
I would be fine. I would receive the Baek Li Family’s protection.
But people of the Baek Li Family would be wounded and killed protecting me. And even if the Orthodox Martial Arts Sects remained still, the Demonic Cult would never leave the Baek Li Family alone.
I could see that if I received protection within the Baek Li Family, they would wage endless war until they reclaimed me.
I forced my lips upward into a smile.
“For the sake of our friendship all this time, just let me go.”
I felt the strength drain from the hand holding me.
Soon, with a soft sound, the hand released me and fell away.
That was when it happened.
Shrieeeeek!
I whipped my head around.
A sharp whistle—the kind used by Murim Alliance members. Seo Ha-ryeong seemed not to have heard it, buried beneath the sound of rain.
Shriiek!
And before it could sound even twice, the noise abruptly cut off.
Something was wrong. I’d expected a trap, but this was far faster and closer than anticipated. It was practically right before us.
If it were a lure, it would typically be set deeper inside…
Crash—!
In that instant, a shock violent enough to shake the ground sent trees thrashing wildly, and accumulated rainwater cascaded down like a waterfall. This sound, Seo Ha-ryeong could hear.
Without hesitation, I abandoned my seat and left immediately.
“Wait, Yeon!”
I heard the cry behind me, but I didn’t turn back.
The downpour gradually lessened.
I followed the traces that hadn’t yet been washed away by the rain. Before long, I discovered a horrific scene.
The puddles of rainwater gleamed crimson.
Those who had been breathing moments before showed no sign of life, and those who still clung to breath were merely waiting for death to claim them.
Fortunately, Yalyu was not among them.
I exhaled in relief, only then realizing I had been holding my breath in such tension.
“Young Master An!”
Behind me, Seo Ha-ryeong’s cry pierced the air.
Where Seo Ha-ryeong rushed, An Jae-hong lay prostrate, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Seo Ha-ryeong hurriedly checked his pulse, her voice hollow as she murmured.
“…He’s dead.”
Crack.
My foot caught something as I approached Seo Ha-ryeong. I looked down at the ground—it was a signal flare. Even in this rain, there were traces of desperate attempts to ignite it.
As if remembering, Seo Ha-ryeong also pulled a signal flare from her garment. But it was no different from the one I had just stepped on. In this torrential downpour and saturated humidity, it was utterly useless.
Thud.
At that moment, a dull sonic boom echoed from afar.
It was Yalyu.
* * *
“Ugh, this relentless rain. When will it finally stop?”
“It appears to be lessening now, so it should end soon.”
An Jae-hong, who had been complaining, turned to look behind him. There stood the young man who had continued to voice his discontent.
“What, are you some lovesick fool? Standing there without moving, pining after a woman. And she’s not even that pretty.”
Yalyu’s eyes narrowed. Had he spoken one more word, An Jae-hong’s life would have ended fifteen minutes earlier.
Fortunately, the scout returned and An Jae-hong’s attention shifted. Yalyu slipped slightly out of An Jae-hong’s line of sight as Hu Ki-ji-su and the others received the scout’s report.
‘Should I slip away now?’
The distance was still too close.
If he disappeared, they could immediately send word to Baek Li-yeon’s side and demand an explanation.
He understood well enough why she had let him go. She must have had something to discuss with Seo Ha-ryeong.
He silently followed Hu Ki-ji-su and the others, hoping only for the distance to widen.
Yalyu suddenly stopped walking.
“What?”
The man behind him nearly collided with the stopped Yalyu and cursed. It was his final utterance.
“Young Master An! We’re surrounded!”
“We’re under attack!”
“Again?”
“No, ××!”
From all directions, curses erupted as weapons were drawn.
Those who had already tasted victory in one battle were confident even in this ambush. The Hu Ki-ji-su members stood with their arms crossed, surveying their surroundings as if they were already accomplished masters.
Yalyu observed those who had surrounded them.
Something felt off. He knew this situation was a trap, but it had come far too quickly.
The instinct that had saved him countless times was screaming danger. And his instincts were always accurate.
The moment Yalyu swiftly vacated his position, the people near him fell without even a chance to scream.
“Who…!”
An unfamiliar man stood in that spot, radiating an overwhelming aura.
One of the young Hu Ki-ji-su members who saw the man standing among the corpses felt despair flood his eyes as he muttered.
“The… the Left Envoy of Cheon-ma…”
It was over in an instant. The battle ended swiftly, without even a hint of resistance. Only Yalyu remained.
Even with his considerable skill, he was no match for the Left Envoy. The only wise choice was to retreat immediately.
The Left Envoy spoke as if amused.
“Are you thinking of fighting me?”
Yalyu moved gradually, maintaining a distance where he could exchange blows at any moment.
Hidden between the rain streaks were presences that felt extremely faint.
There were certainly hidden presences, but they were far too few compared to the number of subordinates the Left Envoy usually brought with him. It was almost as if he had come alone.
Yalyu instinctively sensed something suspicious.
Boom—!
The fight began in an instant without any signal.
The Black-Robed Attendants who had assisted in slaughtering the Hu Ki-ji-su members and ronin of Gangseong Province did not join the fight and instead vanished into the dense forest.
The Left Envoy spoke while swinging his hand.
“There’s something I don’t understand. When the Sect Leader first brought you, I thought it would be better to kill you before you grew any larger.”
But Yalyu had survived, and the Left Envoy had taken him in. Though Yalyu likely believed he had been enslaved rather than taken in.
“Why did you betray us? Everyone says you betrayed because of your relationship with the Divine Maiden, but I’ve watched you long enough to know that can’t be true.”
Yalyu’s face showed no expression. His inorganic face attacked like a beast, seeking out weaknesses.
“But seeing you charge in like this despite knowing you can’t win… it makes me think I was wrong about something.”
“…”
Yalyu gave no answer to any of the conversation.
The Left Envoy clicked his tongue inwardly as he observed Yalyu’s expressionless face.
No matter what he said, that same indifferent expression remained, making it impossible to discern his true thoughts. Without any particular training, he naturally moved like this. There seemed to be nothing more to gain from further provocation.
Then, for the first time, Yalyu’s expression—which had not even shown surprise upon encountering the Left Envoy—changed.
A smile as if welcoming something dear…
The Left Envoy spun around and instinctively swung his hand.
Thwack!
A blade and hand collided, producing a drum-like sound. The deflected throwing knife moved in an odd trajectory before landing in someone’s hand.
“Yalyu! Are you alright?”
The Left Envoy bowed respectfully.
“I greet the Divine Maiden of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect.”

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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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