Book 20 Chapter 2

Two Visits

—Bingbaengbong's Counterattack

Knock, knock!

"Yes, coming."

Lee Jin-seol, who stopped what she was doing and hurried to open the door,’s eyes widened.

"Ye-rin unnie! What brings you here?"

While she often visited her room, it was rare for Ye-rin to visit her room first, so her surprise was even greater.

"I have a favor to ask. There's something you can help me with."

"A, a favor? Did you just say favor?"

Lee Jin-seol trembled with emotion.

"Yes, I said a favor. But… why are you crying?"

Honestly, Na Ye-rin didn't understand Jin-seol's reaction. For someone with the ability to read faces, it was more accurate to say that the process, rather than the cause, was incomprehensible.

"But… but Ye-rin unnie asking me, someone like me, for a favor… this is the first time. You always tried to solve everything on your own. Of course, I don't deny that you have the ability, but the sense of exclusion I felt was immense. But now I have an opportunity…"

Lee Jin-seol clenched her fists with eyes burning with fighting spirit.

"I will do my best!"

"Y-yes, I'll be counting on you…"

Although she replied like that, her excessive enthusiasm was somewhat burdensome. Could she trust this child? But there was no other way. It was too dangerous to do this alone.

"Isn't there a saying about not putting all your eggs in one basket? It's best to spread out the risk. It's the same as investing. Why should you take it all at once? Don't you think so?"

"That saying was also his habit…"

Muttering to herself, Na Ye-rin chuckled.

"Uh, Ye-rin unnie, what did you just say?"

"No, I didn't say anything?"

"Unnie, didn't you just smile?"

Lee Jin-seol asked, unable to shake off her suspicion.

"Well, I don't remember that."

Na Ye-rin shook her head.

"Huh, that's strange… I'm sure I saw it…"

It happened in an instant, like a flash of light, but if her eyes were accurate, what had appeared at the corner of Na Ye-rin's mouth and disappeared in an instant was clearly something called a smile, something that was impossible to see from the usual Na Ye-rin, even if she died and came back to life.

"Anyway, I'll be counting on you."

"Just leave it to me. What should I do first?"

"To do this, besides you, Seol, I need one more person. Could you call that person?"

"Who is it? Do I know them?"

"Of course. That person is…"

A man's head turned. Another man's head turned. Every step Lee Jin-seol took, the men's gazes were fixed there.

"Oh!"

"Uh!"

"Wooah~"

Murmur murmur murmur!

That night, the men-only dormitory Geomhyeolgak was quite noisy. This was because a woman had fearlessly stepped into a forbidden area teeming with beasts. It was no wonder the men froze at this unprecedented situation. However, Lee Jin-seol ignored their stares, passed through the hallway, ascended the stairs, and reached her destination.

Knock, knock!

Lee Jin-seol didn't wait and flung open the door.

"Pooop!"

Hyoryong spat out the tea he was holding in his mouth like a fountain.

"Aack!"

Yoon Jun-ho, who was drinking tea with him, recoiled in shock, but it was too late. The tea that sprayed out hit Yoon Jun-ho's clothes directly.

"I, Miss Lee?"

Hyoryong’s eyes widened as he looked at the unexpected person who had burst into his room. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve a couple of times, but nothing seemed to change.

"H-how did you get here…"

Grab!

Before his words were finished, Lee Jin-seol grabbed Hyoryong by the front of his clothes.

"You have to come with me, Ryong!"

Seeing her eyes full of determination, Hyoryong couldn't dare to refuse the command. With the mindset of "Yes, I will obey," Hyoryong meekly followed Lee Jin-seol.

Wheee!

One of the Geomhyeolgak guards, who had been watching the whole process while holding his breath, put his finger in his mouth and whistled loudly.

"Someone's lucky! Beeeep!"

"I'm so jealous!"

"Wow! Amazing!"

"Good luck! Whew~"

Not only whistling, but a few vulgar jokes were also mixed in, as there were only men. There were fools here who thought they weren't men if they didn't crack such vulgar jokes at a time like this.

"Are you losing your virginity tonight?"

"Goodbye, virgin! Hyoryong!"

"Tell her to go easy on you!"

"Be careful with your back."

Applause expressing admiration for Lee Jin-seol's confidence and proactiveness echoed from all around. Blushing at the enthusiastic reaction of the surroundings, which was so hot it was boiling, Hyoryong was passively led by Lee Jin-seol's hand. He had already been deprived of the right to control the situation.

"Unnie! I brought him."

"Yes. Good job."

Na Ye-rin, who had been waiting, nodded.

"Huh? Jang hyung?"

Hyoryong, who had been led by Lee Jin-seol to a certain place, was surprised to see the man among the two people waiting there. While the fact that the woman was Na Ye-rin was equally surprising, the fact that Jang Hong was next to her was even more astonishing.

"How did you get here…"

"Oh, yes. Ryongryong, you're here too?"

Jang Hong replied with an awkward expression. His posture was quite awkward.

"Did you get dragged here too, Jang hyung?"

Hyoryong asked telepathically.

"That's right. It would be more accurate to say I was captured. I don't know how they found me… It seems you were too."

"That's how it is."

"Stop whispering. I have only one question for Great Master Jang. I have no other business, so please rest assured."

"No, not a Great Master…"

Jang Hong realized for the first time that day, scratching the back of his head, that hearing the title of Great Master from a breathtaking beauty was incredibly intoxicating.

"Where is he?"

Na Ye-rin asked.

"Who?"

"Lee Shi-geon, that person."

"How would I know where he is…"

"Where is he?"

Na Ye-rin asked directly again. Jang Hong looked into her eyes. They were dark, deep eyes that pierced through all lies. Jang Hong instinctively realized that no falsehood would work in front of those eyes.

'There's no choice.'

Jang Hong could only tell the truth.

"Where he is! That's all I want to know. Great Master Jang, you just need to tell me that. After that…"

Na Ye-rin said with a voice full of firm resolve.

"I'll handle everything else."

"I heard that lies don't work on Miss Na, and it seems to be true. There's no other way. I have to tell you."

Finally, Jang Hong surrendered.

"He is currently staying at the Namchang Branch of the Central Merchant Guild."