Chapter 84 : A Twisting Future (1)

Chapter 84: The Twisting Future (1)

As killing intent surged from my body, Mo Biyoung approached me out of concern.

She seemed worried that something might have gone wrong due to the effects of the Self-Revolving Demonic Arts.

“Young Master, are you alright?”

Her words brought me back to my senses, and I quickly withdrew my killing intent.

“Yes, I was just reminded of something from long ago. We need to guarantee their identities and get them out of here.”

“I’ll go with Namwook and handle it.”

Knowing that Namwook had connections with the local authorities, Mo Biyoung intended to bring him along to attempt negotiations.

But someone got to them before she did.

“We’ll guarantee the identities of these three lady warriors.”

“Ah, Lady Hoi. Greetings.”

The one who spoke to Officer Lim was none other than Hoi Unkyung—my wife in my previous life.

“You know them?”

“‘Know’ doesn’t even begin to cover it. They are deeply connected with our merchant union. These women are the Three Chivalrous Sisters of the Zheng Family Manor in Shaanxi.”

“Ah, the Three Chivalrous Sisters!”

Officer Lim let out a gasp of admiration, evidently familiar with their title.

“If they had revealed their identities earlier, they wouldn’t have been treated like this.”

“They don’t particularly like that nickname. And they don’t wish to reveal who they are.”

“I understand. Since Lady Hoi, the young mistress of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union—the greatest union in Henan—vouches for them, we cannot detain them.”

Officer Lim then instructed his soldiers to end their inspection of the Three Chivalrous Sisters.

Hoi Unkyung, having spotted me observing from a distance, smiled brightly and approached.

“Ah, to see Young Master Yong here! By chance, was it you who killed the Great Demon in Strangebright Pass?”

I didn’t respond to her question.

My gaze remained fixed on the Three Chivalrous Sisters.

So Namwook stepped forward and answered for me.

“Yes, our Young Master fought and killed the bastard.”

Namwook beamed with pride as he looked at me.

At that moment, the Three Chivalrous Sisters came to greet Hoi Unkyung.

“Lady Hoi, it’s been a long time. Thanks to you vouching for us, we were able to get through the inspection easily.”

The eldest, Jeong Minji, greeted her with a clasped fist salute.

Then, upon noticing me, she did it again.

“Ah, Young Master Yong. We met in Strangebright Pass and again here.”

“Yes.”

I nodded in return as I continued to study them.

“You said earlier that you were chasing someone named Black Killing Sword Wonho. Did that man really come here?”

“You know him?”

The second, Jeong Suji, asked sharply.

“Would I know someone like that? I simply know he’s a vicious criminal. That’s reason enough to want to catch him if the chance arises.”

When I replied softly, Jeong Suji narrowed her eyes briefly, then looked down. Even though others might not notice, I found the gesture oddly alluring.

The eldest, Jeong Minji, spoke up.

“We’ve been chasing him since Shaanxi. In Strangebright Pass, we witnessed the village chief’s son acting like a tyrant, and we dealt with that situation, but ended up losing him. So we resumed the trail and came all the way here.”

There was a deeper reason behind their pursuit of Black Killing Sword Wonho, but it was a family secret, so they explained it vaguely, making it sound like it was for vengeance on behalf of someone else.

“So that’s what happened. But are you sure he actually came here?”

Jeong Suji spoke again, sounding annoyed.

“How many times do we have to say it before you believe us? We *saw* him enter this place.”

Given how firmly she said it, I couldn’t doubt it any longer.

I couldn’t help but take interest in Black Killing Sword Wonho.

‘That bastard was supposed to have died a long time ago.’

I’d heard the rumors of his death during my previous life, back when I was still with my clan.

Those rumors reached me because of Jegal Cheongyeong. Black Killing Sword Wonho had been enamored by her beauty and tried to drug her and violate her.

But Jeok Gwang, who was with her at the time, pursued him and killed him.

During Jeok Gwang’s chase and battle, Jegal Cheongyeong succumbed to the drug and ended up sleeping with Cheong Geonmin, who was accompanying her.

That incident broke the drug’s effect.

This led to Jegal Cheongyeong eventually marrying Cheong Geonmin. Although truthfully, even if that event hadn’t happened, she was never meant to be with Jeok Gwang.

Now, the very man who was supposed to have been killed by Jeok Gwang was still alive, and instead of Jeok Gwang, it was the Three Chivalrous Sisters who were chasing him.

That made me realize—this future had already changed drastically from what I once knew.

‘If the man who was supposed to be dead is alive, what does that mean? Wait, wasn’t it Jeok Gwang who was supposed to kill him? Could it be… because I injured Jeok Gwang, he couldn’t kill Black Killing Sword?’

Replaying the sequence of events, it seemed highly likely.

‘Then… does that mean Jegal Cheongyeong might not marry Cheong Geonmin anymore?’

Now that the events had unraveled, the future had become unpredictable.

I turned to Jeong Minji and asked,

“Do you have any proof that he’s truly Black Killing Sword Wonho?”

“Fortunately, a woman who managed to escape his clutches testified that he introduced himself as Black Killing Sword. And his appearance matches the known description of Wonho. But the most decisive clue came from the many women he violated—they all said he always carried a certain badge on him. Their descriptions of that badge were exactly the same.”

Jeong Minji, seeing my interest, pulled out a badge from her clothing.

“This is the identification badge he carried. We fought him once in Shaanxi. He dropped it while fleeing.”

The moment I laid eyes on the badge, I was once again struck with shock.

“This is…!”

I couldn’t put into words the strange feeling that overwhelmed me.

The symbol etched into the badge—intertwined black snake and scorpion—was one I could never forget.

‘This is the exact same emblem as the one found on the body of the assassin who murdered my father!’

About ten assassins had ambushed my father, Yong Biyang. He killed five of them but ultimately succumbed to poison.

I couldn’t help but snatch the badge from Jeong Minji’s hand and examine it thoroughly.

My hands trembled uncontrollably.

Jeong Suji tried to scold me for my rudeness, but the third, Jeong Daji, stopped her.

“Unni, look carefully. He’s leaking killing intent just from looking at that badge. He must have a grudge against the bastard. Let’s wait and see.”

The observant third sister spoke, and Jeong Suji relented.

Hoi Unkyung, noticing something off, asked,

“Young Master Yong, is something wrong?”

Realizing how close she was, I pulled back my killing intent.

“The man who bore this emblem assassinated a maid I cherished.”

“Ah, I see.”

At those words, Mo Biyoung and the Twin Dragon of Fury exchanged glances.

‘That’s the first we’ve heard of this. The only maid Young Master ever had was Yeonhwa. But she was perfectly fine when she left, so why would he say that?’

Even so, they figured Yong Hwarin must have had his reasons for lying again, so they didn’t interfere.

“I’ve also heard quite a bit about the Black Killing Sword. We’ll give our full cooperation in helping you catch him. Especially since he’s hiding in this area, we must capture him.”

It was puzzling why the Sky Ocean Merchant Union, based in Zhengzhou of Henan, had come all the way out here.

“Your words alone are more than enough.”

Jeong Minji bowed slightly in gratitude with a fist salute.

“Don’t mention it. Our family and the Zheng Family Manor have been close for a long time.”

The Zheng Family Manor in Shaanxi had close ties with the Geum Family Manor, also located in Shaanxi.

And the Geum Family Manor had a deep relationship with the Sky Ocean Merchant Union in Henan.

Since the Geum Family Manor was also a merchant union, they had hired warriors from the Zheng Family Manor as escorts.

This brought them into frequent contact with the Sky Ocean Merchant Union, and over time, the three sisters of the Zheng family came to know Hoi Unkyung through these interactions.

I sank into thought for a moment.

Though it felt uncomfortable that Hoi Unkyung, my wife in a previous life, had become involved in this, this was a matter tied to the organization that had assassinated my father.

It wasn’t something I could ignore.

“I will also assist you three with everything I have. It seems the opportunity for revenge has finally come.”

As killing intent began to slowly flow from my gaze, the three sisters could no longer doubt my sincerity.

“Thank you. If we ever need your help, we will not hesitate to ask.”

Jeong Minji responded with polite formality.

Feeling how tangled and complex things had become, I clenched my fist, resolved to grow stronger.

‘If the Black Killing Sword and the ones who assassinated my father are from the same organization, it means they may have gathered for that purpose. But the timeline doesn’t match the future I remember. Father’s assassination should happen a year from now. Still, I can’t be at ease—if the Black Killing Sword, who was supposed to be dead, is alive, it means the future is already starting to shift.’

It occurred to me that, because the future had changed, my father might be assassinated much sooner.

“If you happen to find the Black Killing Sword, could you let me know? The maid he killed was someone who had been with me since childhood—she was practically family. My hatred for him runs deep.”

The three sisters seemed to think it over briefly, then nodded.

“Understood. We can understand your feelings. We’ll definitely inform you.”

Worried, I added,

“I’ve heard he’s extremely cunning and cruel. You must be cautious. People like him always have tricks up their sleeves and use insidious schemes.”

“Don’t worry. We know him even better than you do.”

“How should we contact each other?”

Jeong Daji, the youngest, asked.

Hoi Unkyung stepped in before I could reply.

“These three ladies are receiving full support from our union, and our family’s warriors are also actively working to track him down. If we find any trace of him, our union will be in touch.”

I felt uneasy having yet another tie to Hoi Unkyung, but protecting my father took precedence over any personal discomfort.

I was willing to endure it.

“I thank you, Lady Hoi.”

After parting ways with the three Zheng sisters and the Sky Ocean Merchant Union members, I headed back toward the Heavenly Central Sect.

“Brother, I believe Deung Hwaun, wife of the Blood Demon of Self-Revolving, is pursuing us. You need to be careful. Though she can’t compare to the Blood Demon himself, she’s said to be a fearsome and vicious strategist.”

“Junior Jong, you should pay special attention to Hyemae. She’s the only one among us who doesn’t know martial arts, making her the most vulnerable. So instead of worrying about me, don’t leave her side.”

Jong Seok was grateful for how I always looked after them first.

“There’s a good chance we’ll be attacked before we reach the Heavenly Central Sect.”

“I know. I’ll make sure to warn our escorts.”

I left a warning with Mo Biyoung and the Twin Dragon of Fury about Deung Hwaun.

“Nam, let’s return to the clan as soon as possible.”

Namwook, knowing we were being pursued, had no room for laziness.

He had practically become a coachman this entire time but had no complaints.

He simply considered it an extension of his escort duty.

Knowing we would reach the clan after another day’s travel, Namwook’s reins whipped through the air with steady rhythm.

We reached Jungjang County, about a day’s distance from Yongjung Mountain, and took time to eat and rest.

Mo Biyoung and the Twin Dragon of Fury were fulfilling their escort roles with rare seriousness. They did nothing careless, focusing entirely on my safety.

They knew full well that even a brief lapse in vigilance could lead to regret.

Soon, after preparing to depart again, we stepped out of the inn to board the carriage—but suddenly, there was a commotion.

I saw soldiers and constables running toward one area.

‘Did they find a trace of the Black Killing Sword?’

“Let’s follow them.”

I kicked off and dashed forward, prompting Nan Myeonggwak to call out to Namwook.

“Hey! Escort Nam, take me with you!”

Namwook, who was about to use his light footwork, grimaced.

“Ugh, just stay here. If it’s nothing serious, we’ll be right back anyway.”

Nan Myeonggwak chuckled.

“And what if I stay here and run into the Blood Demon’s wife?”

That actually made sense, so Namwook reluctantly grabbed him by the waist and dashed forward.

Jong Seok carried Jong Munhye on his back and ran as well.

“Sorry, but could you carry me like Junior Jong? Hanging off your side makes me nauseous.”

“Deal with it.”

Namwook didn’t mind carrying a woman, but carrying a man on his back wasn’t something he liked.

But Nan Myeonggwak pushed further.

“Ugh! Urgh! The dumplings I ate earlier are coming back up! Urgh!”

Pretending to retch, he made gagging noises.

Namwook scowled and ended up carrying Nan Myeonggwak on his back.

Once he was up there, Nan Myeonggwak made himself comfortable, resting his head on Namwook’s back and closing his eyes.