Chapter 596

Divine Doctor and I entered the room together.

As soon as he stepped in, he looked around and frowned.

“This place is in shambles.”

I gave a sheepish smile at his comment.

He wasn’t wrong—the state of the room was a disaster.

The lone lamp was inexplicably broken,

And the only piece of furniture, the table, was split in half.

It was from last night.

I had lost my temper and ended up breaking a few things.

Sure, I could have called a servant to clean up before I left, but I didn’t bother.

It felt awkward to ask someone else to clean up a mess caused by my tantrum.

Reaching out, I activated my qi.

Wuuung—

With a hum, fragments of the wreckage began to float in the air.

The words Moyong Hee-ah had said to me echoed in my mind:

“You’re really using

Hovering Qi Manipulation

for something like this?”

It was an act anyone would find ridiculous if they saw it,

But once you tried it yourself, you’d realize there was nothing more convenient.

It wasn’t the most efficient use of energy—it drained qi like crazy—but it got the job done.

After tidying up the room, Divine Doctor plopped down on an empty spot and said,

“No tea is necessary.”

“There’s no table to serve it on, even if I had tea.”

“…”

It wasn’t as if I kept tea in my room.

I received plenty of gifts from various people, but I never bothered bringing tea along.

I didn’t enjoy it, and it was a hassle.

“I do have water. Would you like that instead?”

“…Sure.”

“Oh, wait. Sorry, I just realized—I don’t even have water.”

“…”

I answered awkwardly, realizing I hadn’t bothered to keep drinking water in the room either.

“It’s fine. I didn’t come here for refreshments.”

“Yes, Elder.”

Thinking about grabbing something to offer him, I sat down on the floor instead after his remark.

There was no need to delay, so I got straight to the point.

“So, what were you saying earlier?”

“…”

Divine Doctor’s expression darkened at my question.

Seeing his face, I reflected on what he had said.

“Not long from now, something major will happen in Hanam.”

This wasn’t something I could overlook.

“You said there would be trouble in Hanam?”

“Yes… I don’t know when exactly, but it won’t be long.”

After a brief pause, Divine Doctor continued,

“Certain individuals are planning to cause significant chaos in Hanam.”

“Certain individuals…?”

“How do you know this, Elder?”

“They told me directly.”

They told him directly?

I paused, pondering the implications.

“Yesterday, you said you were going out for a bit…”

Divine Doctor’s brief outing yesterday came to mind.

“You also mentioned you were meeting someone in Hanam.”

Could it have been related to this?

For Divine Doctor, someone even the Martial Alliance leader wouldn’t easily summon, to come all the way to Hanam—

What kind of person could that be?

“Why would they approach you to talk about such plans?”

I asked, my curiosity evident.

Divine Doctor’s eyes grew cold at my question.

He was a physician.

Why would someone involve him in a plot to attack Hanam?

Who were these people, and what were their intentions?

The questions kept piling up.

With a subtle but enigmatic expression, Divine Doctor finally answered.

“Because I share the same bloodline as them.”

“…”

I widened my eyes at his response.

The same bloodline?

That could only mean…

“Descendants of the Jegal Clan?”

I kept my realization to myself, not voicing it aloud.

Divine Doctor likely didn’t know I was aware of his lineage.

“So descendants of the Jegal Clan are planning something in Hanam?”

The thought made my head throb.

“Another thing that didn’t happen in my previous life.”

In my past life, there had been no sudden reappearance of the Jegal Clan making grand moves.

Even when the prodigy Jegal Hyuk became a strategist for the Demonic Cult and began sweeping across Zhongyuan,

Even when another Jegal heir had tried to stop Jegal Hyuk to clear the family’s name,

There had never been any reports of other descendants of the Jegal Clan surfacing.

In this life, I knew Divine Doctor, Jegal Hyuk, and even that rat Ji-seon were all of the Jegal bloodline.

But they had hidden their identities, lived quietly, and obscured their family name.

By now, the name “Jegal” was little more than a faint memory.

Yet here we were.

“…Forgotten phantoms drawing their swords to reclaim their place.”

How had it come to this?

Suppressing my inner turmoil, I asked Divine Doctor,

“Elder… what exactly is the identity of the bloodline you mentioned?”

I pretended to be unaware.

Would he actually answer me?

To my surprise, Divine Doctor replied without hesitation.

“Once, we bore the name Jegal.”

“…!”

“I am a descendant of that clan.”

Divine Doctor didn’t attempt to hide his identity at all.

I had expected some reluctance, but he revealed it so easily.

“Jegal… Does that mean…?”

I feigned a shocked reaction, though for entirely different reasons.

“Yes. The Jegal Clan you’re thinking of.”

“…”

The Jegal Clan.

Once one of the Five Great Families, unrivaled in their expertise in formations and mechanisms.

In their prime, they were the central authority in Zhongyuan’s formations and devices.

Their position was unshakable.

People believed that no matter what else fell, the Jegal Clan would endure.

Ironically, they were the first to collapse.

And the reason was well-documented.

“They worshiped the Blood Demon.”

The Blood Demon, who unleashed a storm of bloodshed upon Zhongyuan.

The Jegal Clan secretly revered the Blood Demon and sought to harness his power.

When the Martial Alliance discovered this, they swiftly dismantled the clan.

Their stronghold was obliterated,

And a kill order was issued on anyone bearing the Jegal name.

All direct descendants were executed, leaving none behind.

Those who survived in the branch families hid their surname and disappeared.

That’s the state of the Jegal Clan now—or rather, it could hardly be called a clan anymore.

I recalled these facts as I stared at Divine Doctor and asked,

“Is it truly alright for you to share such a secret with me?”

“Why? Are you planning to report me to the Martial Alliance?”

“No, not necessarily. But, you know… if I ever get desperate for money, I might consider it.”

“Ha! That’s such a ‘you’ thing to say.”

Divine Doctor laughed.

It sounded more like an insult than a compliment.

“Do as you please. If selling out this old man can profit you, go ahead.”

“…I’m not saying I’d actually do it.”

“Just remember, if it comes to that… at least take care of Hyuk.”

“…”

He’s asking me to do the hardest thing.

It would’ve been easier if he had threatened me instead.

Sighing inwardly, I asked,

“So, the Jegal descendants are planning something. Did they ask you to join their cause? Is that why you’re telling me this?”

“That’s correct.”

“And what did you say to them?”

“What do you think I said?”

This old man—answering questions with more questions again.

“You refused.”

He finally gave a straight answer.

“Why?”

“Knowing your temper— I mean, personality, that’s what I figured.”

I almost slipped and said “temper.”

This old man could be so prickly.

Barely avoiding the slip, I rephrased, and Divine Doctor chuckled faintly.

“Yes, you’re correct. I refused. I made it very clear.”

“Yes.”

“I told them I wouldn’t get involved. Absolutely not.”

Divine Doctor’s eyes darkened as he continued.

“But it’s not that simple.”

“Which is why you’re telling me all this.”

“That’s right.”

“Still, why come to me specifically? I don’t understand.”

Divine Doctor had plenty of people he could rely on.

There was Elder Il, even if he wasn’t particularly reliable,

And Paejon, who was likely still nearby.

Not to mention others who would move for Divine Doctor’s sake.

So why come to me?

Hearing my question, Divine Doctor gave an unexpected answer.

“I’m not sure myself.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I don’t know why I came to you.”

He looked genuinely puzzled.

“I just had a feeling it had to be you.”

“That’s your entire reason…?”

“Yes. If you don’t want to, just say so. I won’t force you.”

“…”

It was such an absurd reason.

He came to me simply because he

felt

like it?

I almost wondered if the old man was losing his mind.

But in the end, it didn’t matter.

“…Fine.”

I sighed and nodded.

“Let’s hear what you have to say first.”

I had no intention of refusing anyway.

Descendants of the Jegal Clan plotting something in Hanam?

How could I ignore that?

After all, I was already planning to cause chaos in Hanam myself.

And now the Jegal Clan was making their move too?

“Well, isn’t this convenient.”

While Divine Doctor might think he was asking me to stop them,

My thoughts were entirely different.

“Why would I stop them?”

There was no way I’d waste this opportunity.

It was a golden chance.

Listening to Divine Doctor’s words, I began to think.

How could I turn this situation even more to my advantage?

That was the only thing on my mind.

****************

As night deepened, in a location far removed from Hanam and buried even deeper below ground, an elderly man sat alone, nursing a drink.

Clink.

The sound of liquor being poured filled the air, the man downing it without hesitation.

There was no pretense of ceremony—perhaps he once observed such decorum, but now there was no reason to bother.

There was no one around to see him.

One drink became two, then three, as the bottle gradually emptied.

As the man reached for his fourth pour, holding the bottle, he paused and thought to himself.

“How much is left?”

Not just the liquor in the bottle, but how much time remained before he would be free of his shackles.

“Likely about the same.”

He chuckled softly, glancing at the remaining liquid.

Barely anything.

And yet, just as with the liquor, only a fleeting moment remained before everything would be emptied.

When the last drop tumbled out of the bottle, he set it aside.

Snacks? He didn’t need them.

His memories of the past were sustenance enough.

Placing the empty bottle down, the man raised his cup, now full of liquor.

The shimmering surface of the liquid reminded him of time itself.

“If I drink this to the last drop, will the long-awaited moment finally arrive?”

A foolish thought. The man chuckled again.

He raised the cup to his lips, but just as he was about to drink—

“...”

The man froze mid-motion.

His previously vacant eyes filled with life, his gaze sharpening.

He stared intently at the cup, where the liquor’s surface rippled faintly.

The moment he registered this—

“Master!”

A man burst through the door, his voice panicked.

“We’re under attack! Someone has breached the premises!”

“...”

Setting the cup down, the elderly man remained calm despite the urgency.

It seemed—

“We have guests.”

Even in the face of such dire news, his demeanor was steady.

“The protective formations at the entrance have been disabled! The guards moved to intercept, but their forces…”

“Do not act recklessly.”

The man’s cold voice silenced the subordinate immediately.

“It would be impolite to our guests.”

“Master…?”

“Prepare more liquor.”

The subordinate’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“More liquor?”

This was not the time for drinking.

Before he could voice his protest, however—

“It’s only right to welcome distinguished guests with hospitality.”

Step.

“...!”

A sound from behind made the subordinate stiffen.

At the same time—

Whoosh.

A faint breeze swept through the corridor.

That might not have been unusual, except…

This place was completely sealed off.

No wind should have been able to flow through.

So what was this breeze?

Step.

The footsteps drew closer.

They were deliberate, unhurried, and calm.

Step.

The sound echoed unnaturally loud in the silence.

Whoosh.

The breeze brushed against the subordinate’s shoulder, and he shuddered involuntarily.

It wasn’t just a breeze—it felt heavy.

Sweat began to bead on his frozen form.

Whoosh.

Pfft.

The wind extinguished the torches lining the walls.

Darkness enveloped the room.

But the darkness didn’t last long.

Whoosh!

The extinguished flames reignited, but this time they burned with a strange violet hue.

Despite the return of light, the shadows seemed to grow even deeper, more oppressive.

From within the shadows, a voice rang out.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The subordinate trembled uncontrollably, his teeth chattering audibly.

The voice alone triggered a primal reaction—fear.

It was a deep, bone-chilling terror.

Ignoring his subordinate’s distress, the elderly man focused on the figure that had emerged.

Dressed in a dark martial robe and wearing an unsettlingly white mask, the intruder strode forward with hands clasped behind his back.

The elder spoke, his tone steady.

“An uninvited guest, it seems. What brings you here?”

The masked figure did not respond, simply gazing at the elder.

“If you refuse to answe—”

“Jegal Patriarch.”

“...!”

“Will that suffice as your title?”

The elder’s brows furrowed.

Not only had this intruder breached the stronghold, but he also seemed to know his identity.

“And who might you be?”

“Who I am is of little importance. That’s not the point here, is it?”

The masked figure resumed his advance, each step measured.

Step.

“Master!”

The subordinate, unable to bear the tension, lunged forward.

But the elder raised a hand, stopping him.

“It seems you have a purpose for coming here.”

“I do. A very important one.”

The masked figure stopped a short distance from the elder, who scrutinized him closely.

Those eyes, visible through the mask…

They were deeply unsettling.

“I came here personally because there’s something I must discuss with you.”

“...”

The casual tone grated on the elder’s nerves, but he held his composure.

Anyone who could bypass the defensive formations and reach this place alone was not to be underestimated.

Hiding his thoughts, the elder asked,

“And what might you wish to discuss?”

“Before that, what should I call you?”

“...”

Jegal Patriarch.

Was that the name the masked figure intended to use?

The elder hesitated briefly before answering.

“That name is no longer used.”

“Then?”

“

Cheonra Heukmangdae (

The Black Web Battalion

).

”

The elder declared,

“That is the name of the unit I lead. You may address me as its Master.”

After introducing himself, the elder noticed something peculiar.

“Hmm.”

The masked figure’s voice carried a faint trace of amusement as he repeated,

“Not bad. I like it.”

The elder found it strange—almost as if the intruder was enjoying himself.