"You're a tough one."
Cheon Kyungwan spoke as he led the way to the dungeon.
When they first imprisoned the man, they conducted a brief interrogation. However, the prisoner hadn't even flinched at significant levels of pain.
Cheon Kyungwan glanced cautiously at Byeok Taesan.
Oddly enough, Taesan looked entertained.
"Uh…"
When Kyungwan hesitated to continue, Taesan turned his head to look at him.
"If you've got something to say, spit it out. I'm feeling exceptionally generous today."
If anyone else had overheard the conversation, they might have worn a perplexed expression.
Cheon Kyungwan, however, couldn't react in such a way.
Though it felt strange, it somehow suited Taesan when he acted like this.
"Thank you for helping me."
Truthfully, Kyungwan was a bit confused.
Did Taesan even know what he had done?
Probably not.
It was like a cow catching a rat by sheer coincidence.
The situation likely aligned by chance.
Even so, it was undeniable that Taesan's words had spurred him to break through his barriers, so he felt he owed him gratitude.
Kyungwan rationalized his feelings in this way.
"That wasn't much to call help."
"No, it truly was a great help to me."
Taesan paused and scanned Kyungwan from head to toe.
He examined him more closely.
"For a moment, I thought I was seeing things. What exactly are you so grateful for?"
He waved his hand dismissively, signaling Kyungwan to move on.
Cheon Kyungwan's expression turned slightly bewildered. Yet, he couldn't ignore Taesan's gesture and resumed walking.
Neither spoke again until they reached the dungeon.
However, it is often the thirsty who dig wells.
Unable to contain himself, Kyungwan finally broke the silence.
"Did the Young Master see something incorrectly?"
"Hm? Did I say something like that?"
"Yes, earlier you clearly said…"
"I said I thought I was mistaken, not that I actually was."
Cheon Kyungwan lowered his head toward Taesan.
"Please guide me."
Even as he said these words, Kyungwan didn't fully understand why he was acting this way.
If he had to explain, it was that Taesan's presence had become so different from before.
It felt as though this man, standing atop a cliff, might know the right path to climb.
As if someone standing on a mountaintop could point him the way forward.
Byeok Taesan looked at him with a peculiar expression.
"This, I didn't expect. You have surprisingly sharp instincts."
Hearing those words was like a splash of cold water waking Cheon Kyungwan up.
Slowly, he lifted his head and stared directly at Taesan.
The man standing before him was the same Second Young Master of the Golden Wall Merchants he had always known.
Yet, the expression and gaze he wore now were anything but ordinary.
"From now on… are you choosing not to hide it?"
The question could be interpreted in many ways, depending on how it was heard.
Especially for Byeok Taesan, it carried even greater significance.
"Hah, what am I supposed to do with this…"
Taesan muttered, hesitating briefly.
He had no intention of hiding his capabilities or emotions.
He had never done so before.
In the entire world, there was no one above the Heavenly Demon.
As someone who had stood at the pinnacle of existence, there was no need to watch his step or act cautiously.
That said, he had no intention of revealing his identity as the Heavenly Demon.
Especially not in his current frail and uncertain state, where death could come at any moment.
If others discovered he was the Heavenly Demon, it would only cause unnecessary trouble.
Hadn't he resolved when he died to live a quiet and peaceful life if given another chance?
The moment his true identity was exposed, that dream would vanish.
It wasn't that Kyungwan had figured out he was the Heavenly Demon. However, he seemed to suspect that Taesan wasn't the real Byeok Taesan.
In such a case, silencing him by killing him would be the simplest solution.
"Having a crippled pulse does make one a genius," Kyungwan muttered.
"Huh?"
"Honestly… Even though I thought so, I doubted it at times. The way you've behaved until now…"
Cheon Kyungwan's eyes burned with determination as he looked at Taesan.
It was a startling contrast from his usual expressionless demeanor.
"I resolved to kill my former self and live only for my goals."
"Oh… Is that so? Then keep at it."
Byeok Taesan, now understanding the misunderstanding Kyungwan had fallen into, mentally sheathed the blade he had been prepared to draw.
Come to think of it, how could Kyungwan possibly know that Taesan's body had been taken over by someone else?
'I almost made things unnecessarily complicated by overreacting.'
Taesan gestured for Kyungwan to follow.
"Alright, enough of that. Let's go. We need to see the prisoner."
But Cheon Kyungwan wasn't finished speaking.
Suddenly, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
"Please help me, Young Master!"
"Huh?"
Byeok Taesan looked down at him with an expression that clearly said, What now?
* * *
The Owner of the Fragrant Flower House stared silently at Danyeong.
"Was she always this beautiful?"
The owner had always known Danyeong had an exceptional appearance.
That was why she had recruited her as a courtesan in the first place.
But this level of beauty was unexpected.
Now that her signature gloomy aura had lifted, she looked ten times more radiant.
"There were no issues?"
"No, none."
"And you don't recall much?"
"No. It felt as if my soul was being pulled out."
All the courtesans who had spent the night with Byeok Taesan described the same sensation.
Each time, the Owner of the Fragrant Flower House found herself wondering if she, too, should spend a night with him.
'How good could it possibly be for them to say such things?'
"And… he gave me a new life."
That was another thing all of them said.
"Alright. If nothing else happened, that's good. But… Did the Second Young Master mention anything about our Fragrant Flower House?"
Danyeong shook her head.
"No, he didn't say a word."
Indeed, he hadn't.
By the time she came to her senses, she was already outside the manor.
It had been shocking to lose her memory so completely.
* * *
All that remained in Danyeong's heart was an overwhelming sense of happiness.
And for the first time, she thought, 'Perhaps I no longer have to die.'
"Good. Go rest now. You'll need your strength if you're to work again later," said the Owner of the Fragrant Flower House.
However, Danyeong did not move.
"Madam."
"What is it?"
The owner looked at Danyeong with a puzzled expression.
There was something resolute in her demeanor.
"I want to leave the house."
The owner's expression twisted slightly.
"What are you saying? Do you think this is a playground where you can just walk away if you feel like it?"
After all, every courtesan here carried debts.
Binding them with debt was the most reliable way to ensure their continued service.
The Fragrant Flower House had adhered strictly to that principle.
"I'll repay the debt in full, no matter what it takes. Please, grant me permission to leave."
"Why are you doing this?"
The owner felt her frustration boiling.
Just as Danyeong was finally reaching her prime and could be of proper use, she suddenly came up with this nonsense.
"I want to serve the Young Master Byeok."
The owner scoffed.
"Ha! So Byeok Taesan's the one stirring you up, is he? What did he say? That he'd pay off your debt if you followed him? Get a grip, girl. Do you think someone like him would treasure someone like us for long? To them, we're nothing but toys. If you go, it won't end well."
Danyeong shook her head.
"He didn't say anything. This is my decision, and mine alone."
The owner's expression grew even stranger.
"You're doing this on your own? That makes even less sense."
But Danyeong's gaze remained deeply serious and unwavering.
After a few more exchanges, the owner realized there was no reasoning with her.
"Hah. Let's give it some time. Think it over carefully. Consider what's truly best for you. And also whether your departure would even be beneficial for Byeok Taesan. You know who his fiancée is, don't you?"
"Yes, I know."
Byeok Taesan's fiancée was the daughter of the Yeon family, renowned as the most beautiful woman in Wuhan.
"Good. Then think hard about this."
After bowing respectfully, Danyeong left. The owner bit her lip hard.
"A single sickly rooster has thrown my whole house into disarray."
Recalling the events of the previous night, the owner pressed her temples.
One of her most capable subordinates had been captured.
It was unlikely he would return. And even if he did, the relationship would have to be denied.
The owner had already claimed that the captured man had no connection to the Fragrant Flower House.
It was the only way to avoid the collapse of her business.
But would the Golden Wall Merchants believe such a statement?
"Of course not."
She needed to come up with a countermeasure, but there wasn't a single clear option.
"For now, the only choice is to grovel."
The realization infuriated her.
If Byeok Taesan used this incident as leverage to demand Danyeong, she would have no choice but to comply.
"In that case, if I'm going to lose her anyway…"
Her eyes gleamed sharply.
* * *
Byeok Taesan entered the dungeon.
The damp, moldy smell assaulted his nose.
Although the Golden Wall Merchants had a dungeon, it was rarely used and thus poorly maintained.
The conditions were so bad that one could likely escape with minimal effort.
Perhaps that was why they had sealed the prisoner's pressure points.
The man they had captured was being held in a cell midway down the corridor.
Behind Taesan, Cheon Kyungwan stood with an uncharacteristically deferential demeanor.
His expression was unusually lighthearted.
After all, he had just poured out everything he had been bottling up inside.
He must have felt relieved.
Though Taesan had barely paid attention to most of his ramblings, Kyungwan hadn't minded and had said every single word he wanted to say.
It was nothing of consequence—just his desire to grow stronger and take revenge.
After hearing him out, Taesan had simply replied, "Not interested."
For some reason, Kyungwan had taken that response to heart and had treated Taesan with exceptional respect ever since.
Taesan, naturally, couldn't care less.
"Well, doesn't he look comfortable?"
The prisoner was sprawled out on the cell floor, pretending to sleep.
He didn't appear to be in great shape, though.
"I stimulated his pressure points to inflict severe pain, but he didn't budge. He's quite the stubborn one," Kyungwan reported.
"Is that so? Good, then."
"There's no need for you to dirty your hands, Young Master. I can handle this."
"No, just leave. I can't be bothered."
"I can't do that. Even with his pressure points sealed, he's still a trained martial artist. If anything were to happen—"
"What could possibly happen? Are you saying he's a threat to me?"
Taesan found the idea laughable.
Even in his current, pathetic state, how could the Heavenly Demon be troubled by such a worthless creature?
Of course, Kyungwan didn't know he was the Heavenly Demon.
"No, but… how could I stand by and watch someone as noble as you dirty your hands?"
"Then don't watch. Go outside."
Taesan waved his hand dismissively toward the door.
Kyungwan hesitated, clearly reluctant, but eventually left with a troubled expression.
Taesan turned his gaze back to the man in the cell, who was clearly pretending to sleep.
"You're tainted, inside and out. You've led a life steeped in filth, haven't you?" he murmured.
The man's spirit reeked with impurities, like a feast for the senses.
If Taesan hadn't connected one of his major meridians through Danyeong the previous day, he wouldn't have dared touch this man.
But now it was fine.
Thanks to the repaired meridian, he could safely store the chaotic energy.
"Look at you, rolling your eyes."
He had known the man was feigning sleep the moment he entered the dungeon.
The man had decent skills, even managing to deceive Cheon Kyungwan.
Still, his pretense wasn't perfect—just competent enough to be somewhat useful.
Taesan stepped into the cell and tapped the man's side with his foot.
"Hey, stop pretending to sleep and get up."
Finally, the man opened his eyes, albeit reluctantly.
"I won't say anything," he declared.
Taesan nodded.
"Make sure you don't."
He had no intention of asking questions. The circumstances were already clear. The Owner of the Fragrant Flower House would deny everything.
The man on the floor kept his mouth stubbornly shut.
"Tsk. Can't even properly seal a pressure point. How sloppy."
Though the prisoner wasn't particularly impressive, someone had clearly applied a technique to partially suppress his pressure points.
The man had been slowly working to break free while pretending to sleep.
But now, that effort was over.
Taesan's earlier taps hadn't been casual.
They had been precise strikes that realigned the misaligned energy flow in the pressure points.
Now the man's energy was sealed completely.
The prisoner's eyes filled with panic.
Taesan grinned.
"What's wrong? Feeling flustered now?"