Chapter 27

At this point, Cheong-ra could no longer deny it. Whenever he saw Dang Ran-yeong, the feeling of excitement was greater than fear or dread.

That was because Dang Ran-yeong was the first perfect ideal type Cheong-ra had ever encountered in his life. He was someone he might meet only once in his lifetime, so for Cheong-ra, who had harbored desires for a long time, it was an inevitable instinct to be anxious. Whenever Dang Ran-yeong acted imposingly, Cheong-ra felt tense to the point where his hair stood on end, but at the same time, he liked it.

As Cheong-ra walked with faltering steps, being pushed by Dang Ran-yeong, he smelled not only the piercing scent of blood but also another fragrance. As expected of a wealthy merchant group owner, he seemed to carry a subtle and pleasant scent pouch. While Cheong-ra nervously swallowed his dry saliva, they stopped in front of a huge mansion.

"Hwan-hong, open the door."

As Dang Ran-yeong called out, the door of the mansion quietly opened. Beyond the main gate, the woman he had seen in Dragon Spring last time greeted Ran-yeong with a smiling face. Her gaze fell on the bloodstains splattered all over Ran-yeong's clothes, and she quietly said.

"I will prepare the bath water."

Then, looking at Cheong-ra, who was stiffly resisting entering but had no choice but to step inside the main gate as Dang Ran-yeong pushed him, she asked.

"Is this person a guest?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Yes, I will still prepare as if he is a guest."

"Do as you wish."

Saying he hadn't decided whether he was a guest or not, in other words, it meant that depending on Dang Ran-yeong's judgment, he could become an unwelcome visitor. No matter how he thought about it, Cheong-ra inwardly groaned, feeling like he had been dragged into a tiger's den or a snake's pit. Fortunately, thanks to Dang Ran-yeong not caring much about attracting attention, there were witnesses who saw him being dragged away.

With Dang Ran-yeong still pressing the dagger against his waist, Cheong-ra walked with extreme tension. As expected of the owner of the White Jade Merchant Group, the mansion was very large and luxurious. At first, Cheong-ra was only concerned about Dang Ran-yeong's threat, but gradually, his gaze lingered on his surroundings for a long time.

The White Jade Merchant Group, one of the top three wealthiest merchant groups in the Central Plains, mainly dealt with luxurious and expensive items. Perhaps because of that, the objects decorating every corner of this mansion were not only extravagant but also filled with beautiful things.

Cheong-ra loved beautiful things. No, it was beyond liking; it was at the level of loving. In the first place, the reason he became friends with Ju Mu-gwang was that he was captivated by the beautiful landscapes he painted. Not satisfied with that, he had purchased several works of art and cherished them dearly.

However, looking at the interior of Dang Ran-yeong's mansion now, the beauty of the artworks he had bought paled in comparison. It felt like he was opening his eyes. The beautiful white porcelain with graceful lines, the huge horn sculpture made by carving the horn of some unknown animal, the precious jade cups and teapots carved from green jade, the glittering golden swords, and so on...

Cheong-ra's eyes, having lived most of his life in Moon Lake Sect without seeing such beautiful things, became moist with ecstasy and awe, flickering. If it weren't for this situation, he would have examined and appreciated each item in detail. Dang Ran-yeong's gaze noticed Cheong-ra's expression and chuckled.

"Your steps are slow, but your eyes are busy."

Only then did Cheong-ra come to his senses. Although he was purely admiring the artworks, he felt embarrassed as if he had shown greed for someone else's belongings. Keeping his gaze fixed forward as much as possible, he was pushed by Dang Ran-yeong and finally reached the intended place. It was a secluded annex with a tranquil atmosphere.

Only then did Dang Ran-yeong release the arm that had been squeezing Cheong-ra. Cheong-ra quickly stepped back to create distance and checked the object that had been poking his waist. He had believed it to be a dagger without a doubt, but surprisingly, it was a hairpin. However, in the hands of a master like Dang Ran-yeong, who could manipulate strong energy, even a hairpin could be a sufficient weapon, so it didn't look ridiculous at all.

"What do you want from me?"

Cheong-ra asked Dang Ran-yeong, extremely tense. Earlier, he had dumped the assassins on Dang Ran-yeong and left, so even if he didn't kill him, he had no doubt there would be suffering equivalent to that. Dang Ran-yeong threw the precious jade hairpin on the floor with an indifferent face and said.

"Young Master Baek Ri, you should speak properly. Have you forgotten that I just saved your life from the assassins earlier? Instead of asking what I want as if you're being threatened, shouldn't you be asking how you can repay the favor?"

There was nothing wrong with Dang Ran-yeong's words. Cheong-ra recalled how Dang Ran-yeong had deflected the hidden weapons flying towards him in the mountains earlier. Of course, Dang Ran-yeong had deflected them because they were annoying rather than to save his life, but it was true that he had saved him.

However, for some reason, whenever Cheong-ra looked at Dang Ran-yeong, his insides felt itchy, and the proper words Dang Ran-yeong wanted didn't come out.

"If I hadn't been fighting with Young Master Dang, I could have sufficiently saved my own life."

Although it would have been difficult if the assassins had attacked all at once, it wasn't to the extent that Cheong-ra couldn't handle them at all. Of course, it wouldn't have been easy either, and he would have definitely been injured.

"Is that so? You're saying you could save yourself, yet you left the assassins to me and left?"

As Dang Ran-yeong slowly approached him, Cheong-ra swallowed his dry saliva and stepped back. However, there was a limit to retreating, and soon his back hit the wall. Dang Ran-yeong's shadow darkened on Cheong-ra's face as the distance between them became close.

Seeing him up close like this, his physique was truly large and reliable. His heart was beating very fast because even his good build was surprisingly to his taste.

Thanks to that, he glared at Dang Ran-yeong as if he was trying to hide his fluctuating emotions, tightly pressing his lips together. Perhaps taking it as hostility, Dang Ran-yeong painfully grabbed his chin. The part pressed hard by his fingers was so painful that Cheong-ra let out a small groan.

"Be obedient when I give you a chance. I've already been lenient enough with Young Master Baek Ri today. You just need to say this now."

While pretending to glare at the other party with all his might, Cheong-ra clenched his teeth tightly. Why were his hands so big and rough…

"Young Master Dang, thank you for saving my life. I will definitely repay this favor by doing whatever it takes."

If he were to make a rational judgment, it would be right to obediently follow Dang Ran-yeong's orders and wait for another day. He should return to the inn and wait for Geum-hye and Mu-gwang. Normally, he wouldn't repay kindness with enmity or act so rudely.

However, to respond sensibly, everything about the other party from head to toe was too much to Cheong-ra's taste. At this moment, what moved him was not reason but the desire he had suppressed for a long time.

The reality that it was difficult to meet someone like Dang Ran-yeong again, the desire not to miss the opportunity to be alone with him, and furthermore, the foolish desire to create a connection with Dang Ran-yeong and meet him continuously.

"Tell me what kind of tricks you've been playing, following me around since Full Moon Lake!"

Cheong-ra pushed Dang Ran-yeong away and shouted sharply. With his trembling heart, he hardened his face into an expressionless one, looking like someone who was angry and unreasonable to anyone who saw him. His heart was pounding as if it would burst. He tried his best to hide the fact that he was captivated by the other party's handsome face and the situation itself.

Dang Ran-yeong's face turned cold as he stepped back a few steps, pushed by Cheong-ra, and a sneer appeared on his face.

"You still don't know your place and act arrogantly."

Cheong-ra's heart sank at the cold tone. He thought he would be whipped like in the forest, but surprisingly, Dang Ran-yeong slowly clenched his fist instead and gave a deep smile.

***

Cheong-ra opened his eyes in the midst of throbbing pain all over his body. Even the slightest movement caused pain as if his entire body was severely bruised. No, it must have actually been bruised. Groaning and turning his gaze, he saw the unfamiliar scenery of the annex.

With great effort, he managed to sit up. As soon as he did, the memory before he lost consciousness came back to him.

'Whether it's a beast or a human, once they get hit, they learn their place.'

Dang Ran-yeong had said those words while swinging his fists. Cheong-ra was very surprised, expecting to be whipped but never expecting to be punched. He tried to fight back in his own way, but the other party was not only skilled in unorthodox techniques but also had a knack for boxing. After resisting for a while, in the end, all that happened was that he was beaten all over his body except for his face until he lost consciousness.

After that, it seemed Dang Ran-yeong had left Cheong-ra collapsed on the ground. Fortunately, he hadn't suffered any internal injuries.

With a strange sense of disappointment, Cheong-ra stood up, staggering. He didn't feel good about being left collapsed on the ground and waking up like that. In addition, he also realized that being defeated by Dang Ran-yeong in this way wasn't always enjoyable. Being beaten one-sidedly and losing consciousness wasn't a very pleasant experience.

"Of course, I'm not going to be treated as a guest."

Sighing, Cheong-ra opened the door of the annex and stepped out, his face filled with a sense of defeat. It seemed he had been unconscious for a long time, as he could see the morning sun rising. If he had been attacked by assassins and didn't return after saying he would wait at the inn, how worried must Geum-hye and Mu-gwang be!

He hurriedly ran out of the annex. Limping, he tried to retrace the path he had taken the night before, but for some reason, the scenery felt unfamiliar. Feeling strange, he turned back, but this time, he lost his way to the annex as well. Cheong-ra belatedly realized what was going on.

"It's a formation!"