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Chapter 28
Geum Seolha burrowed into Ha Dowoon’s arms. His strong arms held her securely as he used qinggong.
The return trip was even faster than when they had left. The problem, just as Ha Dowoon had anticipated, was getting back into the innermost part of Geumrin.
“Identification.”
At the short demand, Ha Dowoon lifted the bamboo hat he had pulled low over his face. The gatekeeper’s indifferent eyes gradually widened.
“Warrior Ha?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
The man blinked in surprise before awkwardly picking up the visitor ledger.
“It seems you were trying to avoid drawing attention to your movements. Is it alright if there’s a record of your entry?”
Glancing at Geum Seolha in his arms, Ha Dowoon answered the hesitant gatekeeper.
“I was merely avoiding unnecessary commotion. Just do your job.”
Realizing there was no need to alter the records, the gatekeeper let out a sigh of relief.
“Then I shall do so.”
Ha Dowoon gave a slight nod to the guard, who politely lowered his eyes as if pretending not to notice the child in his arms, and walked through the gate.
Only after passing through a total of three gates and inspections did they finally return safely to their residence.
“So that’s why you told me to carry my identification token.”
Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly. Otherwise, it would have become a serious headache.
At last, they were back. Geum Seolha finally began relaxing the tension she had maintained the entire time.
“You didn’t need to reveal your face to the Hao Clan.”
The reproachful remark made Geum Seolha turn to look at Ha Dowoon.
“They’re the sort who would sell information about you without hesitation, Young Miss.”
“I know. They’re probably investigating me right now.”
At her calm reply, Ha Dowoon’s brow furrowed deeply. Geum Seolha shrugged.
“It’s obvious. They’ll investigate where I got that dagger, what kind of reputation I have, whether I’m hiding something, or whether someone else sent me.”
But they would find nothing.
A sharp light gleamed in Geum Seolha’s eyes.
“You knew all that, and yet why?”
“Because I needed it.”
The corners of Geum Seolha’s lips curved upward.
The Jiangxi Branch Chief would follow her every move. Yet if he failed to obtain any meaningful information—
“He’ll keep second-guessing everything.”
“…”
“But if there’s nothing particularly suspicious about me, he’ll try to keep the credit all for himself.”
That was what she wanted.
To remain hidden from the man’s enemies.
“It could also turn out the opposite way.”
“I doubt it.”
Geum Seolha smiled confidently.
Judging by Yeon Socheon’s narration in The Heavenly Martial Emperor, the Hao Clan at this point in time was experiencing internal turmoil.
“The Jiangxi Branch Chief is desperate to accumulate merit right now.”
There was no way he would willingly involve an outsider and share the credit.
And if money can buy silence, all the better.
The request itself had been submitted through the Hao Clan, but the Branch Chief would likely pay her from his own hidden funds if necessary.
After all, it still counts as an achievement for him.
It was a transaction that benefited both of them.
Though neither side realized it.
Watching Geum Seolha smile contentedly like a predator after a successful hunt, Ha Dowoon’s brow tightened.
“Did you hear something else?”
“Just rumors. But they didn’t seem to be mere rumors.”
“…”
“He looked desperate.”
The fact that someone of Branch Chief rank personally wandered through brothels pretending to be a customer, and the fact that he seriously considered the words of a child that could easily have been dismissed—
“If it were me, I wouldn’t have accepted a deal like that.”
Geum Seolha raised three fingers.
“An untrustworthy source. Uncertain information. But a reward that’s absolutely guaranteed.”
Nodding to herself, she met Ha Dowoon’s gaze.
“The only people who accept deals that strange are desperate people, Ha Dowoon.”
The value of her hastily assembled information had been created by the Branch Chief’s own actions.
“I don’t trust people. I trust circumstances.”
The only people she trusted were Yoo Eunseol and Ha Dowoon.
Seeing not the slightest doubt in her regarding her own actions, Ha Dowoon remained silent.
“So splitting the reward wasn’t your true objective.”
“But it looked like it was, didn’t it?”
Geum Seolha smiled sweetly.
It had needed to look that way.
Otherwise, she would have invited troublesome suspicion.
Being suspected of working with them would be the best-case scenario.
She might have drawn even greater suspicion than that.
“What is your true objective, Young Miss?”
Ha Dowoon lowered one knee to the ground, bringing himself to her eye level.
“I need to know if I’m to protect you.”
“I told you. I’m going to obtain power.”
Geum Seolha winked playfully before breaking into a bright smile.
“Loyal hands and feet that will run everywhere searching for even the slightest trace of him, rather than proof of his death.”
“But the request he received was—”
Ha Dowoon paused mid-sentence and let out a thoughtful hum.
“There were two factions.”
“Not completely certain.”
Based on the original story, she was certain.
But gathering information as Geum Seolha had its limits, so this was the safest way to phrase it.
“Those who want him dead, and those who want to keep him alive. If no one even knows whether he’s still alive, then it’s obvious which side must move more carefully.”
“You considered all of that from the beginning?”
“I kept it in mind.”
It had been a gamble.
Only time would prove whether her choice had been correct.
“Speaking of which, I’m planning to leave Geumrin starting tomorrow.”
Having dealt with one side, she now needed to handle the other.
And I need to leave an opening so they can approach me.
Geum Seolha thought it through.
“You said even experts can’t casually climb over Geumrin’s walls.”
Even Ha Dowoon, a wandering martial artist counted among the strongest in Jiangxi, had firmly stated that scaling the walls was impossible.
If that was true, then the people pursuing the man would face the same problem.
“I don’t want to create a huge commotion either. I’ll have to give them an opportunity.”
“I’ll accompany you.”
The answer came instantly.
Geum Seolha paused and studied his expression.
If I tell him I’ll be fine and leave him behind…
She had a feeling he would cling to her leg and absolutely refuse.
Apparently sensing what she was thinking, Ha Dowoon spoke again.
“You’re going to go even if I object, aren’t you?”
“You know me well.”
“No matter what happens, they won’t kill you.”
“But they can still threaten you.”
The sharp observation immediately silenced Geum Seolha.
“Didn’t you say desperate people accept unfavorable deals?”
Ha Dowoon’s eyes darkened.
“Whether they’re filthy members of the unorthodox sects or noble heroes of the orthodox sects, desperate people will pressure others to obtain what they want.”
“…”
“I cannot leave you alone in front of that kind of danger.”
A cold sweat ran down Geum Seolha’s back.
She had completely overlooked that perspective.
He’s right. This is the martial world.
A place filled with people who would draw swords at the slightest disagreement.
Dowoon’s right.
Even if she wasn’t killed, she could easily end up injured.
I don’t like leaving Yoo Eunseol alone.
But there was no better option.
Physician Yoo said he’d stay by her side and take care of her for a while.
The situation had deviated from her original plans, which she disliked, but Ha Dowoon’s absence wasn’t likely to cause major problems.
“Alright. Come with me.”
Relief appeared on Ha Dowoon’s face as soon as she gave permission.
The young lady had always been impossible to predict, but after Yoo Eunseol became bedridden, she had become even more unpredictable.
At this point, all they could do was wait for those people to appear as quickly as possible.
“And there’s something else I need your help with.”
Geum Seolha moved closer and whispered into Ha Dowoon’s ear.
“You know…”
As she quietly explained her plan, Ha Dowoon’s expression changed several times.
When she finished, his face settled into one of complete disbelief.
Geum Seolha grinned.
“You’ll help me with that too, right?”
“So that’s where the dagger came from.”
Looking thoroughly troubled and wondering why he hadn’t suspected it sooner, Ha Dowoon reluctantly nodded.
The arrow had already left the bowstring.
All he could do now was see this through to the end.
Having secured Ha Dowoon’s cooperation, Geum Seolha began going out with him diligently starting the very next day.
“What on earth is taking them so long?”
They should have shown up by now.
She had deliberately chosen only remote areas to wander through.
Geum Seolha grumbled.
Just as she was sighing and wondering whether today would be another wasted effort, Ha Dowoon’s voice rang out.
“They’re coming.”
Geum Seolha immediately lifted her head.
One by one, figures dressed in black emerged from between the trees.
Clicking her tongue, Geum Seolha said,
“Speak of the tiger and it appears. What a cliché entrance.”
