Chapter 131. Calculation

No one readily opened their mouths, so silence lingered. Uncomfortable gazes and silence made her ask something that didn't really need to be asked, yet had lingered in her mind ever since arriving at Jin Yin Mountain.

"If you don't want to answer, you don't have to."

So-hwa asked, staring at Haerak.

"The reason the Blood Demon keeps you alive."

Haerak gave a small nod to her hesitation. It meant it was fine to ask. In the end, So-hwa spoke.

"Is it because he's saving you to absorb later?"

Haerak replied in a calm voice.

"That old geezer is patient—he's waiting diligently for me to ripen before devouring me."

At Haerak's self-mocking words, silence came again.

So-hwa still hadn't pulled her hand away.

No one had ever forced her hand before, nor had she ever willingly offered it.

Even so, Tang So-hwa couldn't withdraw her awkward hand.

And she knew the reason.

She felt sorry for Min Haerak, who had survived and was fighting the Blood Demon.

So-hwa left his fingers moving across the back of her hand as she listened to his silence.

The time when he fought alone, not even knowing who the enemy was. She wondered if he was weighing whether to say the very words he wished someone had told him back then.

Just as the thought crossed her mind that her hand felt ticklish, the words swirling in her mouth escaped.

"It'll be over soon. Don't worry."

Min Haerak's fingers froze, and he frowned.

"... Worry? Do I look like I'm worrying about that old geezer right now?"

Tang So-hwa soon added in an impassive voice.

"The pill the Blood Demon told me to make is a dangerous medicine that could cause all of the absorbed internal energy to scatter if something goes wrong. However, it would be a waste to absorb yours when he already has the Yang energy of the Sun Palace."

"......"

"If later he loses the yang energy of the Solar Palace, or becomes able to freely control his qi, then... then he'll covet you."

Tang So-hwa added in a steady voice.

"So, for now, he won't covet you."

"You..."

Haerak let out a hollow breath, as if dumbfounded.

"You thought now was the time to say something like that?"

"Then what should I say?"

So-hwa gazed at the silent Haerak.

She didn't know whether he was silent because he believed her words, or if it was for some other reason.

Perhaps he thought she was seeing the Blood Demon too optimistically.

So-hwa withdrew her hand and frowned.

"Having lived as a merchant for years, you must know well the heart of one who hates to suffer loss, don't you?"

Haerak let out a long sigh but said nothing more.

So-hwa could no longer afford to waste time. Instead of asking him for a reason, she simply left the room.

Only after her footsteps had grown distant enough not to be heard did Haerak speak.

"Better to worry about that old geezer instead."

His gaze fell to the desk; before him was the genealogy of the Outer Regions' bloodline.

With a sigh, Haerak picked up the secret record she had stolen.

"Perhaps it's because I played the merchant for so long, but... I just don't understand you, So-hwa."

Taking in a few familiar names, Haerak muttered in a low voice.

"How can someone so good at calculation do something like this?"

He neatly arranged the things Tang So-hwa had written and covered them with a cloth so no one would see. As he was smoothing down the fine fabric, his hand suddenly froze.

Flap.

The sound of wings came from the window.

He slowly lifted his head.

Haerak rose quietly and walked toward the window. Looking up at the tree outside, he saw a messenger bird flinch, awkwardly hiding its protruding tail.

Haerak narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

Judging by that clumsy behavior, it was the same messenger bird he had seen before.

"Come out. Don't lurk in the shadows, peeking at me."

The messenger bird, after hesitating, reluctantly flew inside.

Yet it still kept its eyes half-closed, glancing around warily, as though still cautious of him.

Amused, Haerak stretched out a hand to Mae-hwa.

"Jin Yin Mountain isn't a place where some little creature with wings can just fly into. How did you get through the formation?"

Of course, the messenger bird couldn't answer.

But, perhaps relieved at seeing a familiar person, it collapsed onto his hand.

"What's this? What's wrong with you?"

Startled, Haerak picked it up, then flinched. Black liquid stained his hand.

"Did you pass through a swamp or something?"

Clicking his tongue, he went to the medicine room So-hwa had prepared at one side. Taking a cloth and a cup of water placed before the water clock, he dampened the cloth and began wiping the messenger bird's wings.

The messenger bird seemed exhausted, its beak opening and closing as it reached toward the cup. Haerak nudged the cup closer with his elbow so it could drink while he wiped its wings. The messenger bird gulped greedily.

Chop, chop, chop, chop.

The wide cup that had been full of water was emptied in an instant.

"Did you not drink any water on the way here?"

The messenger bird ignored Haerak's words, rubbing its beak against the cup to get even the last remaining drop on the bottom.

Did it come through Geumsan?

It would have been hard to find water in the dry dunes.

Haerak went to the water clock, scooped water from the large container, and brought it to Mae-hwa.

The messenger bird rolled its eyes back and drank again.

Chop, chop, chop, chop.

Haerak let out a faint laugh at the little creature's noisy actions.

He wasn't a warm person who cared for small beasts, but seeing the loyalty of one who crossed life and death to find its master, he helped it out of respect.

Yet, watching it made him worry about Doyu. If the Red Blood Hall Lord learned he was away, he might try something strange.

As he was hesitating, considering a brief trip back to the Central Plains, something caught Haerak's eyes.

The messenger bird was gripping a thin cloth tightly in its claws.

"What's this?"

It was a headband embroidered with the Tang Clan's emblem. The silk was far too weak to hold hair in place, clearly belonging to someone of status.

Yet the embroidery was clumsy. It looked like a gift from a young daughter, or from a lover just beginning to learn needlework.

Haerak's eyes narrowed.

"Could it be... the Tang Clan's Young Lord came here?"

The messenger bird nodded.

"You're truly a spirit creature, aren't you? You actually understand me."

Again, the messenger bird nodded. Haerak clicked his tongue and stroked its head.

"Don't go showing that you understand human speech elsewhere. If people realize you're a spirit creature, the world is full of bastards who would gut you for your inner core."

Looking at Tang Hak's headband, Haerak asked.

"So the Tang Clan came into Jin Yin Mountain to rescue Tang So-hwa?"

"......"

"No? Did others come besides the Tang Clan?"

Nod, nod.

"And their whole party passed through the Jin Yin Mountain formation?"

The messenger bird stayed silent.

"They're still inside the formation?"

Nod, nod.

Haerak looked at the messenger bird again and asked.

"Are they all trapped in the swamp?"

"......"

"Ah, you crossed the marsh alone?"

Nod, nod.

The path leading to the Central Gate was relatively safe.

Even if one accidentally triggered a boundary, they wouldn't be seriously hurt. That was because the purpose of the formation was to capture intruders alive. Unless they entered through the east or west gates, intruders' lives weren't truly in danger—at least not from the formation itself.

But the east and west gates were different. The Red Blood Hall and Blue Blood Hall would rush in to suck blood the moment intruders came through.

Haerak's once relaxed face hardened.

"Don't tell me... they're heading toward the swamp?"

Nod, nod.

"They've lost their minds."

Nod, nod, nod, nod, nod.

As if in agreement, the messenger bird started nodding furiously.

"The east gate?"

"......"

"Don't tell me it's the west gate?"

Nod, nod, nod.

Haerak let out a breath of disbelief and set the Young Lord’s headband down on the window ledge.

At the west gate was the Blue Blood Hall Lord. That one was currently circulating qi after receiving an elixir directly from the Blood Demon. Having been quiet for several days, his condition would now be at its peak.  Since the Blue Blood Hall Lord had entered as he was told, his subordinates must also be on high alert.

"The timing couldn't be worse."

If the Blue Blood Hall Lord himself stepped out to test the effect of the elixir, things would get quite troublesome.

Haerak shifted his gaze and met the yellow eyes staring up at him. A mere messenger bird, yet looking at him with desperate intensity.

"What makes you think I'd help you all?"

"......"

"You just shamelessly came here anyway?"

"......"

"You're very much like your master."

At that, the messenger bird, which had been looking at him brightly, suddenly twisted its eyes in displeasure.

Haerak chuckled and rose to his feet.

"Half."

He muttered while adjusting his hair.

"I'll cut their strength down by about half. The rest—surviving and getting out alive—that's up to you all."

Nod, nod.

The messenger bird nodded again.

In the eyes of a spirit creature, that much seemed to be enough to see hope. It appeared that the ones who had come with it were not of low martial arts.

Haerak let out a quiet breath.

Tang So-hwa truly seemed to be watched over by heaven itself. She had a precious person willing to risk his life to save her, and now even a spirit creature ready to lay down its life for that precious person.

Tearing his gaze away from the spirit creature, Haerak fixed his eyes on the Blood Demon's garden. He looked toward the corner where he had felt the presence of the Blue Blood Hall lackeys for some time, then turned his steps in that direction.

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