Chapter 23
—
“Why do you look so worn out?”
Indeed, Lee Seon’s face was in a terrible state.
It seemed like he hadn’t slept a wink last night, with dark shadows cast over his eyes as if a heavy burden lingered.
“I had a rough night and couldn’t sleep well.”
Ga-jin sneered.
“Even doctors don’t know how to take care of themselves, huh?”
Lee Seon stared at her intently.
“Unfortunately, it’s an incurable disease.”
Cough.
As he coughed once, Ga-jin shook her head in disbelief.
Yoo Yeong-mok’s eyes widened in shock.
“Incurable disease? Is that true?”
Suddenly, Lee Seon thought Yoo Yeong-mok was a genuinely good person.
For someone to believe every word so earnestly without doubt—it showed that he always approached others with sincerity.
Perhaps that’s why people followed him.
“It’s a joke.”
If only it had been a physical ailment, it would’ve been easier to treat.
However, with useless worries piling up, his body felt heavy.
Lee Seon’s gaze fell on the box strapped to Ga-jin’s back.
The consequences of his indecision were right before his eyes.
The small, imperceptible hole had been carefully sealed so no one would notice from the outside.
Yet, the image of the sword still haunted his mind.
Although Ga-jin acted as if she didn’t want to handle the item,
Seeing her now made him feel differently—was it just his imagination?
It seemed as though she felt a heavy sense of responsibility for transporting such a precious item.
“Ga Mu-sa.”
At Lee Seon’s call, she didn’t turn her head.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Then how should I address you?”
Her eyes glared daggers at Lee Seon.
“Just don’t call me at all.”
Of course, such a request was impossible.
“That’s not going to happen.”
I have too many questions for you.
She scrunched one eye in annoyance, as if thoroughly irritated.
“I don’t even want to talk to you.”
But deciding whether to talk wasn’t up to her.
Lee Seon spoke to her through telepathy.
‘Would this change your mind?’
“!”
Ga-jin’s pupils darted toward him in shock.
She couldn’t hide her surprise at this young doctor suddenly using telepathy.
‘You’re a martial artist?’
‘The one asking questions here is me.’
At that moment, Ga-jin felt a sharp pain in her wrist.
Something rough and needle-like had deeply pierced her wrist, hard to notice but unmistakably present.
Her face twisted in fury.
Her hand immediately went to her waist.
But Lee Seon swiftly grabbed her wrist.
At the same time, his other hand struck her pressure point.
In the blink of an eye, her pressure point was sealed.
His technique was clean and precise.
‘Who are you?’
Realizing that Lee Seon was indeed a martial artist, her eyes glimmered with killing intent.
Her gaze was like that of someone ready to tear him apart on the spot.
However, the steel grip holding her wrist stopped her in her tracks.
‘I’m the one asking questions.’
She struggled desperately to free her hand, but his grip was unyielding, like iron.
As she tried to gather her energy to break free,
Huh?
She noticed something wrong with her body.
It was a needle!
Ga-jin’s eyes scanned her wrist.
A needle was deeply embedded, precisely in her pressure point.
Because of it, no matter how much strength she exerted, her hand wouldn’t respond.
‘It’s best if you stay still.’
Lee Seon’s gaze warned her sternly.
Her eyes scanned her surroundings.
Although she was subdued, no one seemed to find it unusual.
There was no one to help her.
Moreover, her opponent was skilled enough to subdue her.
Even if all the people here attacked him, they would likely fail.
‘If you remain still, I’ll release your pressure point. I don’t want to escalate this.’
When she nodded, Lee Seon unsealed her pressure point.
Ga-jin rubbed her neck and glared at him.
“Was everything you showed us before fake?”
“Think whatever you want.”
Judging by her expression, she wouldn’t believe anything he said anyway.
Ga-jin swallowed dryly.
“What do you want?”
“A sincere conversation.”
“A conversation?”
Ga-jin let out a hollow laugh, incredulous.
The man who used poison and sealed her pressure point wanted a conversation?
“I can’t tell what you’re thinking. What if I try to run away?”
Of course, he had thought of that.
“That’s why I prepared this.”
He took out a small, round pill from his pocket.
“What’s that?”
Ga-jin stepped back instinctively.
But his grip on her arm remained firm.
“Do you want me to feed it to you?”
Even if she didn’t want to take it, it didn’t matter.
As he moved to force it into her mouth, Ga-jin reluctantly opened her lips.
The moment the pill entered her mouth, Lee Seon pinched her nose shut with one hand.
“Mmph?”
Startled, she received a firm order.
“Swallow.”
Unable to breathe, she had no choice but to swallow the pill.
The sensation of it sliding down her throat was horrifying.
As she moved to open her mouth again, she froze.
“There’s no need for that. You’ve swallowed it all.”
She scrunched her face in disgust at the lingering sensation in her mouth.
She thought it was poison, a method to force her compliance.
“Are you satisfied now?”
“It’s too early to be satisfied. We’ve only just begun.”
Lee Seon replied curtly.
“What more do you want? I’ve done everything you asked.”
“Tonight, it’s your turn to stand guard, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Ga-jin sighed deeply.
Her opponent was stronger than her.
And now that she had swallowed the mysterious pill, there was no point in resisting further.
Lee Seon placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered softly.
“Wait for me. I’ll come to you.”
**
A pile of goods was stacked in the center, where Ga-jin and another escort guard were keeping watch.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Lee Seon appeared with a grin.
“Isn’t it our doctor?”
The escort guard welcomed him warmly.
Ever since he had treated the pain in the man’s foot, Lee Seon’s position within the escort bureau had risen rapidly.
Whenever someone claimed to feel unwell, he would concoct something on the spot, and its effects were remarkable.
Moreover, his approachable and easy-going demeanour made everyone fond of him.
Of course, for Ga-jin, who knew what kind of person he truly was, it was all revolting.
“Are you finding it difficult?”
The escort guard waved his hand dismissively.
“This is part of the job. You should go and get some rest.”
Lee Seon, however, plopped down near the spot.
“From my perspective, the one who needs sleep is you.”
Hearing this, the man was startled.
“Is that so?”
Lee Seon furrowed his brow as if genuinely concerned.
“Yes. At this rate, you look like you’ll collapse tomorrow.”
The man’s expression grew equally serious.
“Then do you have a solution?”
“How about you go take a rest instead? I’ll stand guard in your place.”
“No way. I already owe you so much as it is.”
However, he refused, clearly reluctant.
At that moment, Lee Seon’s gaze naturally shifted to Ga-jin.
The meaning behind his look was obvious.
Ga-jin let out a small sigh.
“Go get some rest. The doctor and I will handle things here.”
When she, too, urged him to rest, the man couldn’t refuse any longer.
“Then, I’ll leave it to you two.”
After he left, the two were left alone in the clearing.
Drip.
Lee Seon set two cups down in front of them and filled them.
“Drink.”
Ga-jin didn’t even glance at the cup, clearly having no intention of touching it.
“What are you trying to pull here?”
Lee Seon nonchalantly picked up his own cup and downed it.
“Alcohol is essential for having an honest conversation, don’t you think?”
“Ha!”
Ga-jin extended her wrist toward him.
“After doing something like this to me, you expect a conversation?”
For someone like her, who relied on precision in her swordsmanship, losing the use of her wrist was devastating.
She couldn’t even exhibit half of her usual skills.
The fact that the person responsible for this had the audacity to act so shamelessly made her blood boil.
“Are you planning to live like this forever?”
Ga-jin flinched.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried to remove the needle.
But it wouldn’t budge, and attempting to pull it out improperly could risk permanent damage to her wrist.
“Do you even plan to remove this?”
“That depends on you.”
Ga-jin grabbed the cup and boldly drank its contents.
Wiping her mouth as if to say, “There, are you satisfied now?” she glared at Lee Seon.
“You seem a little more willing to talk now.”
Lee Seon refilled his cup and raised it.
“What martial sect do you belong to?”
“…What are you talking about?”
Lee Seon smiled.
“If you don’t want to answer, I’ll guess. Judging by the nature of your internal energy, you’ve practiced Daoist martial arts.
In Shaanxi, the famous Daoist sects are Zhongnan and Mount Hua. Zhongnan is known for its heavy sword techniques.
But your build and stance aren’t suited for a heavy sword.”
At this, her face turned pale.
“What is a swordswoman of Mount Hua doing in a place like this?”
The unexpected statement shook her to her core.
“How do you know that?”
Even the escort guards she had worked with for nearly a year hadn’t caught on to her true identity.
She had never once demonstrated her martial arts properly to avoid detection.
Yet, he had seen through everything in just a few days.
But his questions weren’t finished.
“And that box you’re transporting—what’s the sword inside it?”
She didn’t even have the strength to be shocked anymore.
“Who are you, really?”
The secret she had tried so hard to protect had been exposed so easily.
It felt pointless now. She gave up with a hollow laugh.
“I thought I told you. I’m the one asking the questions.”
“I don’t know. I was just ordered to safely deliver it to Shaanxi.”
Who would believe that?
Lee Seon drank his liquor with a skeptical look.
“If you’re going to lie, at least make it convincing.”
Ga-jin mumbled in frustration and grabbed the cup in front of her.
“Do you drink during a mission?”
A voice suddenly cut through the air.
The sound echoed, making it impossible to pinpoint where it came from.
Then, an old man appeared out of nowhere in the clearing.
“Huh?”
Ga-jin’s eyes widened upon seeing him.
“Shh.”
The old man swiftly approached and pressed her pressure point.
Her body slackened as she collapsed, but he caught her and laid her gently on the ground.
Then, the old man turned his head.
“Ah, this child has fallen asleep.”
He handed his cup to Lee Seon, who was staring at him intently.
“You seem to enjoy conversations. How about continuing that conversation with me?”
—
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