Chapter 35
Where am I? What is this place?
When I opened my eyes after being kidnapped, I found myself in a room.
Aside from the lingering grogginess from the sedative, my body seemed fine.
The odd thing was that my hands and feet were free.
Usually, in movies or novels, they’d bind you so you couldn’t move.
Ah, maybe they didn’t think I’d try to escape?
It made sense—they wouldn’t know I had learned martial arts.
If so, this was my chance.
I didn’t know who my kidnapper was, but I could figure that out after escaping.
I boldly stood up and cautiously approached the only door in the room.
With no windows, it was the only possible exit.
How many guards would be outside?
They might’ve left me unbound, but there could be multiple guards stationed nearby.
“…!”
As I instinctively drew on my Qi, I was met with a shocking realization.
I couldn’t control my internal energy.
I could feel it in my Dantian, but it wasn’t responding to me.
Was this the Internal Energy Restriction I’d only read about in novels?
The fear of being unable to use martial arts was unlike anything I’d ever felt before.
They say you only truly understand something after experiencing it firsthand. Right now, that was me.
I suddenly understood why villains writhed in agony after having their Dantian destroyed.
What do I do?
I paced by the door, wracked with indecision.
Opening the door to escape seemed risky—I didn’t know what was outside.
But staying put felt equally dangerous; I might miss my chance to flee.
Who could have done this?
Who held such a grudge against me to not only kidnap me but also seal my internal energy?
No one came to mind.
I hadn’t lived the kind of life where I’d make enemies.
My relationships consisted of my grandmother, Yang So-baek, So-ok, and a handful of acquaintances.
Could this be a case of mistaken identity?
Wait a minute!
The man who kidnapped me had asked if I was the Second Young Master’s personal maid!
Shin Seol-ha, you idiot!
Why are you only remembering this now?
If he mentioned the Second Young Master, this must be related to Jeok I-geon.
Which means it had to be the doing of Jeok Wi-baek.
This was undoubtedly revenge for the humiliation he suffered during his last visit to Geonyeong Pavilion.
What a petty jerk.
He couldn’t take on Jeok I-geon, so he targeted me, the easy prey?
Once I realized this, it felt so like Jeok Wi-baek.
I could still vividly remember the vile look in his eyes.
Back then, Jeok I-geon had protected me, but I couldn’t count on that today.
If it was him, he’d undoubtedly try something the moment he saw me.
There was no time to hesitate.
Regardless of who might be outside, escaping was my top priority.
Having made my decision, I carefully slid the door open.
Geomeon Pavilion, Jeok Wi-baek’s quarters, was quite far from Geonyeong Pavilion.
At my current pace, it would take at least fifteen minutes to get there.
Who knew having over a full Cycle of Qi but being unable to use it would feel so frustrating?
Jeok Wi-baek, I swear, when I get stronger, you’ll be first on my list.
I cursed him silently as I glanced around outside.
Huh? What?
There’s no one here?
How could they kidnap someone and leave them unguarded?
Of course, it worked in my favor, but it was still baffling.
Wasn’t the back door over there?
I’d been here a few times for cleaning duty, but my memory was fuzzy from the nerves.
Unlike Jeok I-geon, Jeok Wi-baek loved grandeur and often renovated his quarters.
Trusting my instincts, I picked a direction and bolted.
“…!”
I came to an abrupt halt.
A boy was standing there, smiling at me.
When had he gotten there?
He held a teacup in his left hand.
Why is he here…?
His presence threw me into confusion.
Was this not Geomeon Pavilion but Huihyeon Pavilion?
The boy’s name was Jeok Hui-gyeom.
The Third Young Master of the Heavenly Demon Cult and Jeok I-geon’s younger brother.
“Would you like some tea?”
Caught off guard and unable to move, I hesitated.
Jeok Hui-gyeom’s voice, though polite, carried an undeniable authority.
With no other choice, I reluctantly sat across from him.
While subtly glancing around, I confirmed that no one else was present aside from us.
“What is your name?”
Jeok Hui-gyeom poured me tea as he asked.
“My name is Shin Seol-ha.”
“I heard you are the personal maid of my second brother. They say you share a fond relationship with him?”
“…Excuse me?”
I nearly dropped the teacup I was holding.
His tone made it sound as if he was asking if we were lovers.
“The look on your face says otherwise.”
“Of course not! I am just a mere maid. There is absolutely nothing between the Second Young Master and me!”
“Is that so? Then, has my eldest brother misunderstood?”
So, the real culprit was Jeok Wi-baek after all?
“He instructed that you be brought here secretly to provoke my second brother. He figured that seeing you here would enrage him enough to storm in. That’s why I stayed behind to watch.”
This guy was no better. Watching his brother’s antics for amusement instead of intervening showed his true nature.
In the novel, Jeok I-geon eventually killed his siblings, and I could now see why—they deserved it.
What a despicable pair.
In summary, this was indeed Geomeon Pavilion.
Its owner, Jeok Wi-baek, seemed to be absent for now, leaving his younger brother, Jeok Hui-gyeom, to keep an eye on me.
Jeok Wi-baek and Jeok Hui-gyeom.
Perhaps it was because they shared the same mother?
In the original story, they were killed off early, so I never realized they were close enough to visit each other’s quarters.
Their mother had been a member of the Silent Blade Guard, a special unit of the Heavenly Demon, and had died during a mission over a decade ago.
Their warped personalities reportedly stemmed from that loss, but that wasn’t my concern.
Would Jeok Hui-gyeom let me go so easily?
If only I could use Demonic Phoenix Sky Art, I would have fled without hesitation. But now, I had no choice but to gauge the situation.
“Third Young Master, please. This is all a misunderstanding. I humbly ask that you let me go.”
“Are you certain it’s a misunderstanding?”
“Of course! The Second Young Master doesn’t even know I’m here. Even if he did, nothing would unfold the way your elder brother expects.”
“You seem to be telling the truth.”
“What reason would I have to lie in a situation like this?”
At least the boy had a decent eye for sincerity.
If he gave the okay, I just needed to escape Geomeon Pavilion before Jeok Wi-baek returned.
“But something feels strange.”
“…?”
“Why do I keep getting the feeling that my second brother is going to show up?”
What did he just say?
My life was hanging in the balance, and he was relying on some gut feeling?
As I silently cursed him in my head, the inevitable happened.
“You’re awake, I see.”
The heavens truly had no mercy.
The owner of that filthy gaze appeared before me at last.
“As expected, you’re beautiful. I couldn’t sleep at night sometimes because I kept thinking about you.”
Jeok Wi-baek approached, his hand reaching for my hair.
His fingers soon wandered to my face, touching my earlobe, cheek, chin, and finally, my lips.
I froze, unable to react, enduring his touch like a mannequin.
The sensation sent shivers down my spine, but I didn’t dare resist.
Jeok Wi-baek was the type of man who could kill with a single gesture.
Whether I lived or died depended entirely on his whims.
At this moment, my only hope was Jeok I-geon.
If he didn’t arrive at Geomeon Pavilion, there was no chance of rescue.
“…!”
His hand moved from my neck to lower regions.
With a sinister grin, he seemed intent on humiliating me.
I didn’t resist, but I also refused to show any reaction.
I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me falter.
That restraint must have irritated him.
“You insolent wench.”
Jeok Wi-baek suddenly snapped, yanking hard on my collar.
Rip!
The fragile fabric tore, exposing my right collarbone and shoulder.
Instinctively, I clutched the remaining fabric to my chest.
The sight of my bare skin cracked the composure I had fought so hard to maintain.
Bang!
At that moment, Jeok I-geon burst into the room.
He was out of breath, as if he had sprinted all the way here.
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