Chapter 188: The Distorted Truth of the Past

On the third day of their lax vigilance, just as Yong Hwarin had expected, someone slipped into Hoi Unkyung’s quarters under the cover of a silent night.

Yong Hwarin had already pretended to leave beforehand, so the intruder entered without hesitation.

The intruder stared at the sleeping Hoi Unkyung for a while before speaking.

As Hoi Unkyung stirred and gradually regained consciousness, the intruder came and sat beside her.

Yong Hwarin had already placed a large needle on his finger, ready to strike the moment the intruder made a move.

“Unnie, are you waking up?”

Yong Hwarin had known from the beginning that the one who broke in was Hoi Soyu, and continued to watch. Now conscious, Hoi Unkyung rolled her eyes to look at Hoi Soyu.

“I told you, didn’t I? Just give up. Otherwise, we’ll both end up suffering. When Father collapsed, I told you then, didn’t I? If you don’t want to see the ones you love suffer any more, you should leave this place.”

Yong Hwarin was nearly overwhelmed by his breath at the shock of those words.

Until now, Yong Hwarin had thought Hoi Soyu had either been forced into colluding with a mysterious faction by the coercion of the Golden Court Council or had unwillingly stepped forward.

But from the words exchanged, it became clear that wasn't the case.

“If you don’t listen to me, everyone you care about will end up just like you.”

Hoi Unkyung glared at Hoi Soyu with eyes full of fury.

Then, with a faint voice, she opened her mouth.

“If you had truly been a child who cared about this merchant union, I would’ve left without a shred of regret. But you have no affection—only greed. And because of that greed, this place will be destroyed. I can’t just stand by and watch that happen.”

Barely breathing, she barely managed to finish her words when Hoi Soyu’s sneer followed immediately.

“Hmph! In the end, you're just bringing pain upon yourself.”

Hoi Soyu had always been a greedy child, even since she was young.

She tried to obtain everything Hoi Unkyung possessed, and destroyed or took away everything Hoi Unkyung cherished, so she could not have it either.

“I can’t understand why you’re doing this.”

“Unnie, greed has no reason. How can I explain the desire to have everything with words? Since you don’t seem to understand, let me explain.”

Though she called her ‘unnie’, Hoi Soyu’s tone was nothing short of cold.

“I always lived in your shadow, hiding and holding my breath. I hated that. Why did the world confine me in darkness? Think about it. After giving birth to me, Father never even glanced at Mother. Even I only ate with him once or twice a year. A man like that could never show affection. You know, unnie, I couldn’t forgive that. You might say it’s not a big deal, but to me, living under the scorn of others was worse than death. That’s why I swore I’d take everything you had. Be it possessions or people, I wanted to destroy everything you held dear. You’ll never understand how I feel.”

“If there are people suffering because of your greed, then it is not the right thing to do, Soyu.”

“Hmph, you don’t understand how much I hate you and Father. Do you know why I didn’t kill you and kept you alive?”

Hoi Soyu’s eyes gleamed with killing intent.

“I kept you alive so you could watch the ones you care about die. That’s why I kept that man you call Father alive, too. Unnie, you all stole my right to be happy. I will never forgive that.”

Hoi Unkyung felt it was tragic that there was no way to turn Hoi Soyu’s twisted heart around. It pained her that such deeds were born from something so petty.

But Hoi Unkyung had witnessed from a young age just how grotesque human greed could become, so she couldn't say she didn’t understand her sister’s case.

Yong Hwarin felt chills run down his spine as he listened to Hoi Soyu’s words.

Not because he had discovered her double nature, but because he saw in Hoi Soyu a reflection of his own former self from a past life.

The relationship between Hoi Unkyung and Hoi Soyu was the same as what had existed between himself and Yong Kijoong.

Only in reverse.

Where he had been weak, his younger brother had always been strong and talented. The sense of frustration and inferiority Yong Hwarin felt as a result was beyond description.

That was why he left the family and came to the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

When his father was assassinated under mysterious circumstances and the family was destroyed, he couldn’t turn a blind eye and quietly investigated the reason behind their annihilation.

When the family waged war, he couldn’t ignore it either and supported them with funds.

But that wasn't because of love for the family—it was just to appear morally upright, to give himself justification. A foolish and lazy excuse.

Hoi Soyu resembled his former self too much—it was spine-chilling.

Others might not understand Hoi Soyu, but Yong Hwarin fully understood her feelings.

The life she lived was a mirror of his own.

The only difference was that while he avoided it and blamed himself, she had sublimated it into rage.

And upon realizing that, Yong Hwarin was once again shaken.

‘Maybe I really was a fool all along.’

Now that he thought about it, perhaps Hoi Unkyung hadn’t disliked him after all. It could be that Hoi Soyu seduced him just to take something that belonged to Hoi Unkyung.

And then, he realized something.

Yong Hwarin felt as though his soul had been stripped bare.

‘Hoi Unkyung might have deliberately kept her distance from me, afraid that I’d be harmed by Hoi Soyu. Of course, I’m very different now compared to my past life, but someone as careful as Hoi Unkyung wouldn’t have hated me without reason. After she recovered from poisoning in that past life, maybe she distanced herself because she was afraid Hoi Soyu would harm me.’

That thought brought a rush of memories from his previous life, flashing before his eyes like a lantern carousel.

‘Even back then, Hoi Unkyung hadn’t yet fully taken control of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union. Her position was always unstable. She was constantly locked in a power struggle with the Golden Court Council.’

Now that I think about it, many reasons had existed behind the scenes of my past life.

‘I was a fool. Hoi Unkyung named me as her successor before her death. She couldn’t have done that if she had truly hated me.’

Then, words that had always lingered in my mind came back.

When I had asked why she chose me to be the adopted son-in-law, Hoi Unkyung had answered with a sorrowful face.

‘You have no right to ask that.’

Back then, I had found those words strange.

But now I thought I understood.

Hoi Unkyung had been disappointed in me, for I had never understood how she truly felt.

At that time, I had been emotionally wounded by others and lacked the mental space to consider someone else’s heart.

I had simply drowned in the feeling that not only had my clan abandoned me, but so had Hoi Unkyung, and that made me push her away and resent her.

Perhaps I had even vented all my real-life dissatisfaction by hating Hoi Unkyung.

How frustrating and painful must I have been to her?

Even so, Hoi Unkyung hadn’t been able to reveal the truth to me, in order to protect me.

Not until the moment she died.

Only now, after training in martial arts and growing stronger, had my perspective on the world changed enough to understand the hearts of others.

‘I... I committed a great sin against Hoi Unkyung in my past life.’

I looked at Hoi Soyu, who said all she wanted to and walked away.

Seeing her was like looking at my past self—it tore at my heart.

And I made a resolution.

‘I will make things right. Even if it’s only to be forgiven for the sin I committed against you in my past life.’

Watching Hoi Unkyung close her eyes and fall asleep, I quietly stepped out of her quarters.

‘Elder, is there a way to detoxify the poison Hoi Unkyung is afflicted with?’

Returning to his residence, Yong Hwarin woke the Demonic Master.

‘Of course there is. Since that poison came from the East Evil Division, it can be detoxified by them.’

Yong Hwarin already knew that Namgung Yoo was going to meet the Division Leader of the East Evil Division.

‘It must’ve been because the Left Protector Jin Pyeong of the Sword Poison Sect had the antidote for the Jiangshi Poison that he was able to restore Hoi Unkyung’s consciousness. But because the amount of the antidote was small, he couldn’t fully detoxify her, causing her to drift in and out of consciousness.’

Just as the Jiangshi Poison was rare, its antidote was just as precious.

Even as a sect protector, Jin Pyeong wouldn’t have carried much of that rare antidote with him, which is why he couldn’t fully detoxify Hoi Unkyung.

“Ah!”

One of my lingering doubts was resolved.

“This must’ve been the reason Hoi Soyu made such an outrageous deal with the Sword Poison Sect. Jin Pyeong, the Left Protector, knew what poison Hoi Unkyung was afflicted with. So Hoi Soyu must have accepted his ridiculous terms to silence him.”

Unless the Sword Poison Sect was the one behind everything, that was the only explanation.

Only now did the outline of the incident begin to take shape.

Yong Hwarin thought that securing the antidote to the Jiangshi Poison was the most urgent issue.

As dawn broke, Yong Hwarin summoned the Three Chivalrous Sisters and the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect and briefly explained Hoi Unkyung’s poisoning and current condition.

He planned to meet the Division Leader of the East Evil Division together with Namgung Yoo to obtain the antidote.

When he said he would leave the protection of Hoi Unkyung in their hands and head to Changcheon Martial Arts Hall where Namgung Yoo was staying, Mu Iso began preparing his gear.

“Traveling without an escort is dangerous. I will accompany you and serve as your guard.”

As Mu Iso tried to follow, Yong Hwarin smiled and spoke.

“Squad Leader Mu, that would only be reasonable if I were weaker than you. But if we run into danger, I’d be the one protecting you. It would turn into me guarding you instead.”

Hearing those words, Mu Iso lowered his head, realizing they were true.

The current Small Sect Leader Yong Hwarin was already someone strong enough to not need anyone’s protection.

In fact, they could become a burden to him.

That had already been proven through their battles with assassins.

“Then at least take one person as a runner.”

But Yong Hwarin firmly refused.

“Right now, protecting Lady Hoi is the top priority. All of you should focus on her. With all of you and the Three Chivalrous Sisters present, I can leave with peace of mind. This mission is extremely important. If I can secure the power of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union, the main house will gain wings. That’s why I’m putting in this much effort.”

As Yong Hwarin revealed his deeper intentions, Mu Iso nodded in understanding.

“I understand your intentions clearly, Small Sect Leader. I will take responsibility for this place. Please go.”

“This is exactly the kind of Squad Leader Mu I wanted. Not someone like a nagging elder, but a friend. Someone I can entrust anything to and believe in.”

Mu Iso found Yong Hwarin’s words of trust as sweet as Pang Cheollyeon saying she liked him.

Yong Hwarin met Jeong Minji and asked her to take care of Hoi Unkyung and the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect.

He believed that someone as cautious as her would respond wisely no matter what happened.

“Shall I go with you?”

“I’d like that too, but this matter should be handled swiftly. That means I should move alone.”

“I understand. But please be careful.”

Seeing Jeong Minji speak with a flushed face, Yong Hwarin smiled faintly.

“Understood.”

Replying calmly, Yong Hwarin quietly slipped out of the Sky Ocean Merchant Union.

He had told the members of the merchant union that he would be practicing qi circulation in the adjacent room, and the Ten Prodigies of the Heavenly Central Sect guarded the quarters of Hoi Unkyung and Yong Hwarin.

Because of their strict vigilance, no one noticed that Yong Hwarin was absent.

Yong Hwarin used movement arts to head toward Changcheon Martial Arts Hall.

If Namgung Yoo had already met the Division Leader of the East Evil Division, it would be a problem.

However, they had agreed to send a carrier pigeon to confirm the meeting, and since the pigeon had not yet arrived, he assumed the appointment had not been set.

While running toward Changcheon Martial Arts Hall, Yong Hwarin recalled an old aphorism.

It was one of the sayings written on a folding screen left behind by Heaven Sea Sword Hoi Eulshin.

看見的不一定是眞實

眞實的不一定能看見

What you see is not always the truth,

And what is true is not always visible.

‘I neither saw the truth nor had eyes capable of seeing it. How pitiful I am, to have spent my whole life resenting Hoi Unkyung. I must have read that aphorism thousands of times, yet I only now understand its meaning. I was truly foolish and pathetic.’

Suddenly, a single tear fell from Yong Hwarin’s eye.

He felt immense sorrow for the version of himself who lived his past life resenting and misunderstanding everything like a fool.

‘I was no different from a horse with blinders on. I couldn’t see to the side, so I never knew what the world was like, who loved me, or who worried about me. I didn’t know that it wasn’t the world that made me unhappy, but I myself. And instead, I resented those who loved me.’

Uncontrollable tears streamed down his face.

As Yong Hwarin executed his movement arts, his falling tears scattered into the air, shining faintly.

With those tears, he made a vow.

In this life, he would untangle the twisted threads of fate from his past life.

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