Hwang Jong-ui's voice boomed like thunder.
"What in the world is the meaning of this?!"
The disciples of Zhongnan stood frozen, unable to utter a word, only staring blankly at Hwang Jong-ui.
What explanation could they possibly give?
Gurgle— Cough— Gahk—
"...."
At a time like this, excuses should have been made—but the fountain of blood gushing relentlessly from Chung Myung's mouth buried any words they might have spoken.
Even if Zhuge Liang himself—no, even Zhuge Liang's grandfather—were here, he wouldn't have been able to find a way to justify this.
Hwang Jong-ui's eyes fell upon Chung Myung, collapsed on the ground, and he roared in fury.
"A physician! Fetch a physician at once! There must still be one in the outer residence! What are you all standing around for?!"
"Yes, Young Master!"
One of Hwang Jong-ui's servants immediately sprinted toward the outer residence. Without hesitation, Hwang Jong-ui strode toward Chung Myung's fallen body.
"...."
The Zhongnan disciples hesitantly stepped aside, clearing the way.
Kneeling beside Chung Myung, Hwang Jong-ui examined his condition—and his face twisted with uncontrollable rage.
"And you call yourselves a renowned sect?!"
At his words, the Zhongnan disciples' expressions darkened instantly.
"You dare use deadly force on a mere child?! I thought Zhongnan was at least a righteous sect, but how am I to understand this atrocity happening right before my eyes?!"
Lee Song-baek's face turned deathly pale.
Deadly force?
He had never used such a thing.
'I even withdrew my internal energy!'
Lee Song-baek stood there, utterly lost. But one thing was certain—
Judging by Hwang Jong-ui's expression and glare, no excuse would work now.
At that moment, the servant returned with a physician in tow. The physician took one look at the scene and, without a word, rushed to Chung Myung's side, immediately checking his pulse.
"Uuuuuh…!"
The physician's face hardened.
"Move him inside! Now! His insides are completely wrecked—be careful, extremely careful!"
Hearing this, the Zhongnan disciples awkwardly stepped forward to lift Chung Myung.
"Step back!"
But Hwang Jong-ui refused to let them lay a finger on him. His murderous glare pinned them in place as he barked at his servants.
"What are you waiting for?! Didn't you hear the physician?!"
"Forgive us, Young Master!"
The servants hurriedly gathered and carefully lifted Chung Myung. Blood dripped from his lips, soaking his chest before splattering onto the ground in a long trail.
"Careful! Be careful!"
The physician stayed close, following the servants as they carried Chung Myung toward the inner residence. Only Hwang Jong-ui and the Zhongnan disciples remained, watching as Chung Myung was taken away.
Once Chung Myung was out of sight, Hwang Jong-ui turned his head.
"I will not forget what happened today."
"Young Master!"
"Leave the Silver River Trading Company."
Lee Song-baek and the others paled.
The Silver River Trading Company was crucial even to Zhongnan. Wasn't that why an elder of Zhongnan had personally come here?
If their actions ruined the relationship between Zhongnan and the Silver River Trading Company, the backlash would be beyond anything they could handle.
Just as Lee Song-baek opened his mouth to speak, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"What in the world is going on here?"
It was Ki Mok-seung. His eyes were filled with bewilderment.
"Young Master. What exactly happened here? That blood…."
Ki Mok-seung's words died in his throat as his gaze fell upon the pool of blood on the ground and the shattered wall—enough to tell him what had transpired.
'These idiots!'
His eyes snapped toward the Zhongnan disciples. Seeing them unable to meet his gaze, Ki Mok-seung let out a heavy sigh.
"Young Master. It seems there's been some kind of accident…."
"Did you just call this an accident?"
"...Young Master."
"The man who was treating my father was nearly murdered by your disciples. Can you truly call that an accident? An accident implies something unintentional. Isn't that right?"
Ki Mok-seung's gaze shifted to Lee Song-baek.
Since Lee Song-baek had caused this mess, he would have to clean it up himself.
Understanding his elder's silent command, Lee Song-baek bit his lip and stepped forward.
"Young Master. There seems to be a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
Hwang Jong-ui let out a hollow laugh.
"You might as well call me a blind fool. I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears—what misunderstanding could there possibly be?"
"I did not use excessive force. This must be some kind of mistake…."
"Listen."
Hwang Jong-ui's eyes turned icy as he glared at Lee Song-baek.
"Is excessive force the only issue here? Why did a disciple of Zhongnan raise his sword against a child from Hwasan in the first place?"
"It was a fair duel."
"A duel?"
Hwang Jong-ui gritted his teeth.
"Though I may not be well-versed in the martial world's customs, I've heard that duels are meant for equals to exchange skills. Are you telling me you dueled a child barely half your age? Is that Zhongnan's idea of righteousness?"
No one could answer.
Had the duel ended without incident, they might have had excuses. But with things turning out like this, no words could absolve them of responsibility.
"I won't waste any more words. Take your disciples and leave the Trading Company."
"Y-Young Master, please listen—"
"I said leave."
"...."
Hwang Jong-ui's glare shifted to Ki Mok-seung before he spoke again.
"Out of respect for the long-standing relationship between our organizations, I will not pursue this matter further. But right now, I do not wish to see any of your sect's faces. Leave this place by the end of the day. This is the order of the Silver River Trading Company's Young Master—and acting Master."
Ki Mok-seung, overwhelmed by the authority in those words, could only nod slowly in silence.
"Very well. Young Master, though this was an unfortunate incident, please remember that Zhongnan still wishes for Elder Hwang's swift recovery."
"I'm sure you do. Unlike some."
With that, Hwang Jong-ui turned sharply, his figure disappearing toward the inner residence. Ki Mok-seung watched him go before slowly turning his gaze back to Lee Song-baek.
"Elder, I…."
"No need for lengthy explanations. 'He who ties the knot must untie it.' You will stay here and do whatever it takes to earn the Young Master's forgiveness and resolve this situation before returning to the sect. I will take the others back to Zhongnan."
Lee Song-baek's face turned ashen.
How was he supposed to earn forgiveness in a situation like this?
This wasn't an order—it was a punishment. But seeing Ki Mok-seung's frigid expression, he couldn't argue.
"...Understood."
Ki Mok-seung stared at him in silence for a long moment before turning away.
"We're leaving."
"Yes, Elder."
The Zhongnan disciples, after glancing nervously at Lee Song-baek, quickly followed Ki Mok-seung.
Watching their retreating figures, Lee Song-baek bit his lip hard.
❀ ❀ ❀
"How is his condition?"
"...Not good."
"Hmm."
Hwang Jong-ui's face darkened at the steward's report. The steward, observing his expression, continued carefully.
"The physician says his meridians and blood flow are severely disrupted—his condition is critical. They're stabilizing his energy for now, but a full recovery isn't guaranteed."
"Does that mean his life isn't in danger?"
"It seems so."
"That's a relief, at least."
Hwang Jong-ui exhaled in relief.
If a Hwasan disciple had died at the hands of Zhongnan's disciples inside the Silver River Trading Company—
The very thought was unbearable.
Moreover, Chung Myung had come here specifically to treat Elder Hwang. While Zhongnan would bear the blame, the Silver River Trading Company wouldn't escape public condemnation either.
And personally, Hwang Jong-ui found this utterly unacceptable.
Chung Myung was the only one who had shown any improvement in Elder Hwang's condition. He might have been their only hope of saving him.
And yet, they had attacked him, leaving him unconscious… If they had even an ounce of respect for the Silver River Trading Company or the Hwang Family's medical arts, they would never have dared.
'Zhongnan has grown far too arrogant.'
If this had been an isolated incident, there might have been room for understanding. But considering Zhongnan's recent behavior and Ki Mok-seung's attitude, it was impossible to trust them anymore.
Clearing his throat uncomfortably, Hwang Jong-ui looked up at the steward.
"When can we expect him to regain consciousness?"
"At the earliest, two or three days…."
"Hmm. Let's hope Father's condition doesn't worsen in the meantime."
Hwang Jong-ui sighed deeply.
Just when he thought they had finally found a way to save his father, this absurdity happened. The heavens were truly merciless.
Noticing his expression, the steward cautiously spoke up.
"However, Young Master."
"Hmm?"
"Can that boy really cure the Master's illness? I find it hard to believe."
"What do we have to lose by trusting him?"
"Well, that's true, but…."
Hwang Jong-ui's voice was firm.
"Countless renowned physicians failed to even identify Father's illness. Yet this young disciple from Hwasan diagnosed it without even seeing him. And Father's condition visibly improved—didn't you see it with your own eyes?"
"Yes."
"This isn't blind faith. The heavens are guiding us. In any case, ensure that the young Taoist has everything he needs to recover. Spare no expense."
"I'll see to it. Then, I'll take my leave."
"Do so."
The steward bowed deeply before exiting.
"Haaah…."
Watching him go, Hwang Jong-ui exhaled heavily.
❀ ❀ ❀
Haaah…
Haaaah…
Weak, ragged breaths escaped Chung Myung's lips as he lay on the bed. His face was deathly pale, devoid of any color—a clear testament to his critical state.
His breathing was so faint it seemed it might stop at any moment. If he were to die right now, no one would be surprised.
Haaah…
The only sound in the room was his shallow, labored breathing.
Then—
Click.
The door creaked open ever so slightly.
For a long while, nothing happened.
About an hour passed.
Creeeak…
The door slowly began to open.
A figure slipped inside, moving with the utmost caution—so silent it was as if they weren't even there. The room was pitch black, making it impossible to see who it was.
Like a stalking cat, the intruder crept toward the bed and looked down at Chung Myung.
Haaah…
Haaaah…
Chung Myung's pale face, barely clinging to life, came into view.
After staring at him for a long moment, the figure slowly raised a hand.
The fingertips darkened—as if dipped in ink—into a deep, unnatural black.
"I hold no grudge against you… but consider this the price for interfering with my plans."
With a low mutter, the man swung his blackened hand down toward Chung Myung's throat.
At that instant—
SNAP!
Chung Myung—who had been lying unconscious—suddenly moved, throwing off the blanket and grabbing the man's wrist in midair!
"Ghk—?!"
Chung Myung's eyes shot open, his pallid face now alight with a terrifying, triumphant grin.
"...."
A sinister, victorious smile spread across his lips.
"Got you, you bastard!"