The mastermind

"Aaah, damn it. Nothing goes my way."

Chung Myung sighed.

Before he could even ask the man a question, he chose suicide by destroying his dantian and his true internal qi core.

So then where should he get information?

He turned his head and saw the young master collapsed on the ground shaking uncontrollably with an ash white face.

"W-What do you want to know?"

"Who gave you the money?"

"My father—"

"I know about your father."

Chung Myung smiled.

"I'm asking who gave your father the money."

The man's expression changed.

"...What?"

"Don't tell me you actually thought someone like you could arrange all this alone."

Chung Myung tapped his chin.

"Twenty gold nyangs for the kidnapping. Additional payment for the transfer. Specialized chains. Energy-dispersing poison. Sleeping poison."

He looked around.

"Quite a bit of preparation for a small family."

The man remained silent.

Chung Myung's eyes sharpened.

"Who?"

After a long silence, the man finally answered.

"I... I don't know."

Chung Myung stared.

"What?"

"I never met him directly. My father handled everything. We received instructions through intermediaries."

"Describe him."

"I can't."

"Then describe the intermediary."

The man hesitated.

Then he spoke.

And as the details emerged, Chung Myung's expression gradually changed.

Not because he recognized the household.

But because he recognized the pattern.

The arrangement.

The money.

The peculiar interest in him.

And the fact that the entire kidnapping had been designed to be entertaining rather than effective.

Chung Myung fell silent.

Then he laughed.

"...Ah."

He rubbed his forehead.

"I see."

The man looked at him nervously.

"Y-You know who it is?"

Chung Myung didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he looked towards the door.

'That bastard.'

There was only one person he could think of who would find something like this amusing.

Someone who wouldn't necessarily need a practical reason to arrange such an elaborate farce.

Someone who enjoyed watching people dance according to his whims.

Someone who would consider the kidnapping of mount hua's chivalrous sword an amusing little diversion.

Chung Myung clicked his tongue.

"Jang Il-so."

The man's face drained of color.

Chung Myung sat down on the overturned chair.

He looked at the man.

"Your father."

The man nodded frantically.

"He was the one communicating with the intermediary."

"And you?"

"I only followed his instructions!"

Chung Myung stared at him.

Then he smiled.

"Really?"

The man nodded repeatedly.

"Yes! Yes!"

Chung Myung sighed.

'What a mess.'

So this entire affair had been arranged by Jang Il-so.

Not to threaten Mount Hua.

Not to extract resources from the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

Not even to obtain leverage over Chung Myung.

It was simply...

For entertainment.

Chung Myung's expression became increasingly unpleasant.

'That bastard.'

He could practically imagine Jang Il-so sitting somewhere with a cup of wine, listening to reports about the kidnapping and enjoying every ridiculous detail.

Perhaps he had even been waiting to hear how long it would take Chung Myung to escape.

Or whether the young master would manage to make him angry.

Chung Myung rubbed his temples.

"Hey."

The man immediately straightened.

"Y-Yes?"

"Where's your father?"

"I don't know! He left before you were brought here!"

"Where?"

"I don't know!"

Chung Myung sighed.

Then he stood.

"Fine."

He walked towards the door.

The man watched him nervously.

"...Are you leaving?"

Chung Myung stopped.

He slowly turned around.

"Did you think I was going to stay?"

"N-No..."

"Good."

Chung Myung looked at him for another moment.

Then his lips curled.

"By the way."

"Y-Yes?"

"Tell your father something when you see him."

The man swallowed.

"What?"

Chung Myung's smile became positively vicious.

"Tell him that if he wants to play games, he should at least have the courage to show his face."

He turned away.

"And tell him I'm going to collect the money he spent on this little performance."

He paused.

"...With interest."

Meanwhile, Somewhere Far Away.

Jang Il-so was sitting comfortably, listening to a report.

When the subordinate finished, he smiled.

"Oh?"

He lifted his wine cup.

"So he found out?"

"Yes, Sect Leader."

"And the young master?"

"He has reportedly been beaten quite badly."

Jang Il-so laughed.

"How unfortunate."

There wasn't even a trace of regret in his voice.

He rested his chin against his hand.

"Did he say anything?"

The subordinate hesitated.

"He said he would collect the money spent on the kidnapping. With interest."

For a moment, Jang Il-so was silent.

Then he burst into laughter.

"Ahahaha!"

He put down his cup.

"Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful."

He looked towards the distant window.

"Chung Myung."

His smile widened.

"Let's see what you'll do next."

And somewhere in the distance, a certain mount hua's mad dog was already making his way out of the compound.

With a rather unpleasant expression.

And a growing desire to find a certain clown bastard.

After all, three days had passed.

Mount Hua was probably in chaos by now.

And he had missed three days of drinking.

That alone was enough to make him angry.

He then turned to the iron cage that brought him here.

He opened the door and walked in the cage.

The carriage moved by itself, bringing him to his destination.