Chapter 8: The Moyong Clan Head’s Scheme

Yeon left the gambling den.
He then stopped about six jang away from the Tiger Moon Tower.
He briefly looked around.
He was standing on a stone bridge built over water.
Thanks to the bright moonlight, the surroundings were clearly visible, but there were no people.

“Oh dear.”

Thump!

He threw down the money bags and knapsack, which he had been carrying with difficulty, as if they were his enemies, and crouched down like an old man with chronic illness.

“Ah, sht, this fcking body.”

Curses naturally spilled out.
The fatigue he had suppressed in the gambling den had erupted.
Normally, he would have recuperated quietly at home and gone to sleep by hae-shi (9 PM to 11 PM).
As soon as the owner changed, he was forced into a grueling march, moving around without a moment’s rest until in-shi (3 AM to 5 AM).
Looking back, it would be strange if he wasn’t tired.
But.

“Even if it’s a weakling, this is beyond disrespectful; it’s just rude.”

Yeon smiled grimly.
His limbs ached, his stomach was nauseous, and his head spun momentarily.

‘I almost collapsed from dizziness even in the gambling den.’

It was Yeon’s excellent mental fortitude that allowed him to endure those moments.
The situation from earlier came back to him.

“Hehe. Puhaha!”

Laughter burst from Yeon’s lips.

“It was a sight you couldn’t pay to see.”

It was the first time in his life he had been treated like that in a gambling den.
He had always maintained his position as a predator in gambling dens.

‘People usually ran away when they saw me in a gambling den, you know.’

Today?
They rushed at him like a pack of wolves, intending to outwit him.
So, he played along, pretending to be a naive young master.

‘They fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.’

This was all thanks to the rumors about Moyong Yeon and his innocent-looking appearance.
His pale skin, as if he would faint if lightly touched, and his moist, melancholic eyes evoked sympathy in many people.
How could anyone suspect that this weak young boy would be skilled at gambling?
Yeon, who had been laughing for a long time, slowly let the smile fade from his face and lowered his eyelids.
His long eyelashes sparkled in the moonlight, and subtle emotions, whether sadness or joy, flickered across his transparent eyes before disappearing.

‘It’s certainly a unique experience.’

So much so that it was regrettable he couldn’t tell anyone.

“…”

Whoosh—

A cool breeze blew, drying the beads of sweat.
Yeon, with closed eyes, enjoyed the coolness.
His excitement subsided, and he gradually became calmer.
Personal emotions receded, and harsh reality reared its head.

“…It feels unreal.”

That’s right.
It felt unreal.
How many things had happened today?
He, who thought he was dead, woke up again in the Moyong Clan, having borrowed another body.
Since the clan was about to collapse if the debt wasn’t repaid immediately, he went to the den of the demonic sect.
But somehow, he didn’t repay the debt and was returning home after enjoying some gambling, wasn’t he?

‘Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t repay; it was that I couldn’t repay.’

Contrary to their promise, Pil-Gu had no intention of meeting him.

‘What nerve.’

‘Moyong Yeon’ might have let it slide, but he wouldn’t.
Just return as the guy wanted?

‘Hmph, that would never happen, not if I died and came back a hundred times.’

He was petty.
He was the kind of person who couldn’t rest easy until he had returned everything that had been done to him.
He was fundamentally different from the gentle and benevolent Clan Head, or Namgung Jehyun, who was always a role model for others.
Therefore, Yeon’s fiery temper often became a source of jokes for them.

– Yeon, temper your anger a bit. They say a gentleman’s revenge is not late even after ten years, but there’s no good in getting so heated.

– Clan Head, do I look like a gentleman to you?

– …No, not really.

Yeon, deep in thought, looked up at the sky and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk…”

The stars in the sky, oblivious to his mood, were simply unrealistically beautiful.

‘If only it hadn’t been me who came back to life, but someone else.’

The first thing that came to mind was Namgung Cheon, the Clan Head he had failed to protect.
The golden characters he saw just before he died.
He couldn’t be sure, but it was highly likely to be related to the current events.

‘If the Musang Divine Arts had gone to the Clan Head instead of me, would things have been different?’

Yeon smiled bitterly.

‘What will change if I worry about it here and now?’

Then he scratched his head furiously and suddenly stood up.

“Ugh, my head hurts.”

Continuing to worry about useless things didn’t suit him.
First, he would return to the Moyong Clan.
Now that he had money, he had many more options.
He had to regain his martial arts as soon as possible, no matter what it took.
That was the only way to solve this troublesome dilemma.

Shh-shh-shh—

“Stop!”

At that moment, a group of people blocked Yeon’s path.
They were Pil-Gu and his Black Wolf Sect members.
Yeon, recognizing them, his eyes glinted as he thought.

‘They finally showed up, huh?’

“…You. Where are you going?”

Pil-Gu’s face was beyond red, almost cooked, from how angry he was.

“Hmm.”

Even though a dozen or so burly men surrounded him, Yeon was utterly nonchalant.
In fact, the way he slightly tilted his head and looked down at the taller Pil-Gu was exceptionally arrogant.
That was because Yeon had already predicted that the Black Wolf Sect would pursue him.

‘How could they not chase after the guy who took all that money? Not even a skilled geomancer could resist.’

But Yeon pretended not to know, speaking slyly.

“I heard you had an important guest, so I thought you were busy, didn’t I?”

A smile hung on his lips as he answered.
Pil-Gu heard the reply and his goatee twitched.

“I asked where this one was going, didn’t I?”

“I’m going home?”

Yeon answered kindly to the question.

“…Going home?”

And Yeon’s subsequent mumble made Pil-Gu even angrier.

“Perhaps because I’ve been in a noisy place for too long, his comprehension seems a bit dull.”

“Ha! What gives you such audacity?”

He was beyond disrespectful.
From his tone of voice to his expression.
And even his slanted, casual posture.
There was no end to what could be criticized.
Pil-Gu was baffled.

‘He definitely wasn’t such an audacious fellow.’

Wasn’t it Moyong Yeon who trembled and whimpered just by being looked at by him?
But his attitude had completely changed, as if the world had been turned upside down.

“I thought he had returned to his senses, but has he gone mad again?”

“If you say that to my face, it hurts my feelings a little.”

He retorted nonchalantly, as if his timid demeanor had been a lie.

‘Right, that’s why he could be so bold in the gambling den.’

Just thinking about the money he lost to Moyong Yeon made his blood boil.
He was the one who had ordered them to take Moyong Yeon’s money in the gambling den, after all.

‘There’s no way they could have failed.’

So, when the gamblers asked for money, he gave it without a word.
He hadn’t even imagined they would fail.
However.

– Moyong Yeon reportedly fleeced the gamblers of their money.

– W-Wait. What did you say? Moyong Yeon took the money?

– A-And even all the funds remaining in the Tiger Moon Tower…

– What in the… Aaargh!

At the unexpected news, Pil-Gu clutched the back of his neck and collapsed on the spot.
Fortunately, he quickly regained consciousness, but his fury did not subside.

Grind—!

It was the first humiliation he had experienced in a long time as the Vice Leader of the Black Wolf Sect.

‘The money I lost to this kid today alone is half a year’s operating funds for the Tiger Moon Tower!’

No matter how well the Tiger Moon Tower’s business was doing, this kind of loss couldn’t be easily recovered.

‘I’ll deal with those gambler bastards after this is resolved!’

He had to get the money Moyong Yeon took first, so he had quickly collected himself and rushed over.

“I’ll be brief. Whatever tricks you pulled in the gambling den, they won’t work on me.”

“Tricks?”

Yeon was dumbfounded by Pil-Gu’s words.
Who was the one really pulling tricks?

“Alright, if you obediently leave the money, I’ll let you go unharmed.”

“Obediently, unharmed? Who are you threatening?”

“W-What did you say?”

“What.”

Yeon dug at his ear, answering indifferently. It was blatant disrespect.

“Y-You fiend!”

Pil-Gu changed his mind.

‘He seems young still, so perhaps if one of his limbs is broken, he’ll come to his senses.’

He could easily ignore any subsequent protests from the Moyong Clan, and perhaps even exploit the situation.

‘Right… If he gets scared, it will be easier to gain the upper hand in negotiations with the Moyong Clan.’

Pil-Gu spoke.

“I coddled you, and now your arrogance reaches the sky. Fine, let’s settle this here!”

Pil-Gu thought that Moyong Yeon, who had been acting outrageously, would realize the gravity of the situation and beg for forgiveness now.
No matter how mad he was, there was a limit.
Even if a person changes, where would their true nature go?
But Yeon’s reaction was the exact opposite.

Smirk.

He smiled and briefly looked at the empty air.
Like someone who had left something behind.

“?”

Pil-Gu also followed his gaze, but all he saw was a dark alleyway between buildings.

“I didn’t want to do this.”

And Yeon turned his head again, looking at each of the Black Wolf Sect members surrounding him, as if chewing them over.
Like a beast before its prey.

What was this?
At the sudden surge of aura, not only the Black Wolf Sect members but even Pil-Gu flinched.

“You will regret not letting me go.”

A remark that a martial arts master would make.

Muttering.

The solemn voice stirred the surroundings.

“Does he perhaps have a trump card?”

“That can’t be…”

“Still, he’s the Moyong Clan Head, after all! Maybe a hidden technique…”

“Keuuugh, you fools! He’s just a child! Snap out of it!”

Pil-Gu noticed their agitation and shouted frantically.

“Draw your swords!”

Pil-Gu’s command.

Swish. Clang!

The Black Wolf Sect members stopped hesitating and collectively drew their swords.
At the same time, Yeon took a stance.

“Hmph!”

And then.

“Hoo-ra-cha!!”

Thud!

He suddenly lay flat on the ground.

Flinch.

“What?!”

“Everyone, be alert!”

The Black Wolf Sect members were bewildered.
His disciplined movements.
His resolute face and expression made them wonder if he had some unknown martial art.
That was until Yeon shouted, as if for everyone to hear…

“I’m dying! The Clan Head is dying!!”