Chapter 23: A Lie Called Coincidence

He had never hidden the fact that he had always missed Hyeonwol, so speaking truthfully wouldn’t have been strange.

But for some reason, he didn’t feel like saying it easily, so Seol Cheon-yu glossed over the truth with the word coincidence and told a lie.

Though a small lie, it somehow pricked at the depths of his heart.

Forcing his consciousness away from that sensation, Seol Cheon-yu alternately gazed at Hyeonwol and Maeng Sam, who was slumped limply on his back.

“Is that person someone you know?”

“Yes.

I heard he left the capital recently, but I happened to run into him as well.

I wonder if coincidences can pile up like this.”

“Indeed.

Some days are strange like that.”

With both hands clasped behind his back, he followed along obediently with a smile.

Hyeonwol glanced at him again and continued speaking.

He remained unaware that Seol Cheon-yu was repeatedly clenching and unclenching the hands that had embraced him.

“While I was watching because I found it odd he was still in the capital, I stumbled upon a kidnapping scene.

And as you probably saw, the sword energy those criminals used was unusual.

I think you’d find it familiar as well.”

“Yes.

Those who attacked my sect also emitted the same color energy as those ones just now.

Do you suspect this person was also caught up in the martial artist kidnappings the Blood Cult is orchestrating?”

Seol Cheon-yu had also received the materials on the Blood Cult’s traces that Wolsigak had investigated, so he knew about the kidnapping incidents they were perpetrating throughout the martial world.

Hyeonwol, with a solemn expression, nodded.

“Yes.

We’ll know more once this friend wakes up.

Unfortunately, the Blood Cultists silenced themselves in such an extreme way….

It would be good if we could obtain useful information, but it’s best not to expect too much.

For now, let’s focus on the significance of having rescued him….”

“Sworn brother, are you alright?”

“…What do you mean?”

Hyeonwol stopped at Seol Cheon-yu’s call.

He wore a puzzled expression, then realizing Seol Cheon-yu’s gaze was on his feet, his face became even more questioning.

Thanks to the medicine he’d drunk just hours ago, Hyeonwol was feeling energetic and thought there was no way his ankle would show any sign of pain.

Surely even a master like Seol Cheon-yu couldn’t detect that.

“Just the day before yesterday, your ankle injury was quite severe, but now it seems… much better.

I asked because I was worried you might be overexerting yourself.”

“…….”

Hyeonwol was speechless and grumbled inwardly.

Why can nothing ever just pass by smoothly?

He was inwardly admiring his sworn brother, who always struck from unexpected angles.

“…Well, I’m a martial artist too, am I not?

With good medicine and my natural healing ability kicking in, it healed quickly.

Why are you so worried?”

“Is that so?

Then why was that natural healing ability not working properly before…?”

“…….”

“Anyway, this younger brother worries too much.

I’ll carry that person.

If you overexert yourself and your healing ankle worsens, wouldn’t that be a bigger problem?”

Saying this, Seol Cheon-yu naturally took Maeng Sam from Hyeonwol and hoisted him onto his back.

Hyeonwol realized his sworn brother’s entire focus on his ankle had been leading to this from the start.

Even more at a loss for words, he barely managed to calm his increasingly complicated thoughts.

He couldn’t even refute that if carrying one person could worsen his ankle, it would have been shattered long ago during that five-on-one fight.

“…Aseol.”

“Yes, sworn brother.”

“…Never mind.

Thank you.”

“Yes.

Sworn brother.”

Whatever made him so happy, Seol Cheon-yu’s face became as vibrant as a plant just watered.

Hyeonwol walked beside him blankly, diligently pondering a problem with no solution.

He didn’t seem very motivated about investigating the Blood Cult, but now why is he so devoted to a witness’s safety?

Come to think of it, has he already started seeing me as unreliable, unable to properly handle one person?

Whether Hyeonwol felt a crisis in his position as an ally while trying to deduce Seol Cheon-yu’s motives, Seol Cheon-yu merely smiled contentedly.

***

“No, the Anhui matter isn’t handled here, it’s with the Hwiyeong squad!”

“What?

New information?

Bring it here first!

Head, did you hear about the Iron Sword Gate?

You heard this morning?

You say so, but still!

Quickly pass it to the operational side!”

“What happened with that investigation we were digging into?

I heard the operative returned?”

“Chief!

This seems urgent, should we allocate manpower?”

“I told you not to bring carrier pigeons all the way here!”

The next day.

A section of the underground office where all information entering Wolsigak’s main headquarters was initially aggregated and categorized.

Following the calmly walking Seol Cheon-yu into that secret place, the Mystic Beast Gate disciple—Yoo Seo-han—was momentarily stunned by the chaotic scene.

Conversations and telepathic messages about work filled the air, and feathers from carrier pigeons someone had brought in fluttered about chaotically, adding to the commotion.

The people here seemed accustomed to such scenery.

Having spent a night in Wolsigak’s quarters, Yoo Seo-han had been getting used to the moderate bustle of Wolsigak’s main headquarters, disguised as an ordinary small-to-medium-sized trading company.

But taking in this underground space, he realized he had underestimated the scale of this information organization called Wolsigak.

In this large space, connected to countless other areas besides the passage he and Seol Cheon-yu had just entered, dozens of Wolsigak members, regardless of rank, were frantically moving about conducting their tasks.

What surprised Yoo Seo-han most was that this workspace wasn’t divided into individual offices but had dozens of desks arranged here and there with no clear spatial division.

Given such an arrangement and the countless voices heard everywhere, this entire place seemed like one unified department.

How many more such spaces could there be?

Remembering that right above the passage they’d descended was a carrier pigeon management department of similar scale, Yoo Seo-han couldn’t hide his fascination.

One puzzling thing, however, was that no one had stopped them while they came down here.

Surely this space was essentially the heart of an information management organization.

Wolsigak members passing by showed no interest beyond brief glances.

Tilting his head, Yoo Seo-han began a reasonable suspicion.

Was this tacit acceptance due to the person named Seol Cheon-yu calmly looking around before him?

But the Wolsigak members’ demeanor was too naturally indifferent to be intimidated by his presence.

Thus Yoo Seo-han soon realized the truth: they were so overwhelmed with work that they had no leisure to pay attention to outsiders—even if they were Demonic Cult members.

“Wait!

Bring those Anhui-related matters over here!”

That voice was astonishingly clear even in this space comparable to a bustling market.

Yoo Seo-han, with no time to properly marvel at or sympathize with these information officers’ hard work, reflexively turned his attention.

Amidst the white uniforms of Wolsigak members dizzily rushing about, one person in particularly noticeable black robes was quickly scanning documents he’d received.

The young man with elegant attire and long hair loosely let down was a beauty with refined features.

His lowered light-colored eyes captivated onlookers with a distant light, and his bearing, which even seemed to carry an elegant dignity, oddly radiated a precarious aura.

“Thank you.

This needs further investigation….

I’ll convey it to the Hwiyeong squad separately.”

Having finished speaking, he immediately ignited the document with concentrated fire from his hand.

The paper, turned to ash, crumbled and vanished before even scattering into the air.

From the profound internal energy and control displayed in that simple ignition, Yoo Seo-han couldn’t help but realize he was a considerable martial arts master.

Was he a Wolsigak executive?

The young man again began moving busily among what appeared to be his subordinate Wolsigak members.

Unconsciously following his figure with his eyes, Yoo Seo-han noticed that Seol Cheon-yu beside him was also looking at the same person.

Since entering this place, his lord had been standing fixed in one spot as if searching for someone, so Yoo Seo-han guessed the black-robed young man he’d been watching was that target.

But at that moment, examining Seol Cheon-yu’s expression, Yoo Seo-han’s eyes widened.

How could he describe the emotion in that gaze?

Something that could be called warmth or affection swirled throughout, then subtly mixed with sadness and confusion, settling deeply.

Yoo Seo-han blankly observed Seol Cheon-yu’s expression like that, then sensing the black-robed young man—Hyeonwol—approaching quickly after spotting them, he turned his head.

As Yoo Seo-han flinched slightly, Seol Cheon-yu’s expression returned to its usual calm and cool demeanor, as if the emotion he’d just revealed was an illusion.

Though he couldn’t help his eyes naturally curving as Hyeonwol approached.

Hyeonwol, similarly wearing a faint smile tinged with awkwardness, spoke.

“Aseol?

How did you come all the way here?

This must have been troublesome.”

“What trouble could there be in coming to see sworn brother?”

Just as Yoo Seo-han was about to marvel at how Hyeonwol showed no intimidation toward Seol Cheon-yu, he was shocked by the titles they used for each other, forgetting propriety and gaping.

Aseol?

Sworn brother?

Yoo Seo-han genuinely worried if his ears were malfunctioning, but Seol Cheon-yu’s extremely deferential attitude even made him doubt his eyesight.

Was this Seol Cheon-yu before him really that Heavenly Demon?

Witnessing Seol Cheon-yu, who had been stiff even before the Demonic Cult’s great masters and the former cult leader, bow his head with respect, Yoo Seo-han began seriously wondering if this scene was his delusion.

“Ah, about that friend from yesterday—they must have used some potent drug because even after regaining consciousness, he’s still not clear-headed.

It seems he’ll need a few days of recuperation….

To hear the full story, it’ll take a bit more time, so please understand.”

“Yes, I heard.

I didn’t come to urge you about that, so please proceed at your own pace, sworn brother.

I simply found it odd you weren’t in the Head’s office and came to see you directly.”

“I see.

But if you’d announced your visit and waited a bit, I would have naturally come to you.

What was so urgent?”

Hyeonwol seemed utterly unconcerned that they, as Demonic Cult members, had ventured into the depths of Wolsigak.

Either it had already been discussed, or he never intended to prevent them in the first place.

Watching Hyeonwol shake his head, Seol Cheon-yu smiled with a youthful face and changed the subject.

“Do you usually inspect things here in person like this?”

“Ah… As you can see, this place is full of raw information before it’s sorted.

That’s why I find many things here and visit often.

The reporting process is also simplified.

By the way, who’s the young hero behind you?”

At Hyeonwol’s question, Seol Cheon-yu turned to look at Yoo Seo-han.

“He’s a subordinate of mine.

He arrived in the capital as of yesterday and will be staying at Wolsigak with me, so I thought I should introduce him to sworn brother.”

“I am Yoo Seo-han.

I greet the Head of Wolsigak.”

Yoo Seo-han came to his senses as the two extraordinary individuals’ gazes focused on him.

He hurriedly cupped his hands in a bow.

Even he, known for being oblivious, could tell from the previous conversation that the young man before him was the head of this place.

Moreover, seeing how Seol Cheon-yu, for whatever reason, was completely docile toward him, he quickly intuited that he should be deferential.

But then.

An unexpected turn occurred.

Because Hyeonwol’s face, gazing at Yoo Seo-han’s youthful features, stiffened with surprise.

“…Won?”