The Return of the Namgoong Clan's Granddaughter

Jin Soyak’s condition was Yin-Yang Great Meridian Severance.

It was one of the most severe types of meridian disorders, where disruptions in the Six Yang and Three Yin meridians prevented the body from gathering internal energy and caused confusion in the flow of qi and blood.

At his current age, like Hwarin—just six—the symptoms were barely visible, limited to weakness in physical strength. But the true terror of the Yin-Yang Great Meridian Severance began as the child approached ten years old.

Once it manifested, a bluish tint would appear on the skin, and waves of unbearable pain would strike without warning.

The abnormalities that had silently accumulated would twist the energy flow, triggering seizures.

And once those seizures began, it meant death was close.

The episodes would occur more frequently, and eventually, the twisted flow of qi and blood would cause the victim to bleed out through every pore and orifice—an excruciating, gruesome end.

Such was the fate sealed into Jin Soyak’s body.

Jin Soyak is the same age as Hwarin—six.

It was still too early for the symptoms to show, so it wouldn’t have been easy to notice. The fact that someone already knew was nothing short of fortune.

In my past life... Jin Soyak survived.

But surviving was only the surface of the truth.

He became a bloodthirsty killer.

In that past life, Meng Deungho had borne the nickname Black Slaughter Demon—but all the killing he committed, every last corpse he left behind, had been for the sake of his son, Jin Soyak.

Meng Deungho had eclipsed his son, and so the truth was never widely known. But the real demon... had always been Jin Soyak.

Only those within the Blood Demon Cult, and even then, only those under the authority of the Sixth Blood Lord, had known the truth.

Seolhwa had once overheard it in passing during a conversation between the Blood Lords, but she had long forgotten—she hadn’t known the boy’s name at the time.

I remember they said he had an insatiable craving for blood.

And so, the cheerful, affectionate child in front of her now was utterly unexpected.

To think he had been such a kind, loving son in his childhood.

Aside from the fact that he had grown up in the Ghost Shadow Stockade, he seemed like any ordinary child. Playful. Always smiling.

He looked weak, perhaps due to the disorder, but there were no other visible signs of illness.

How was it treated in the previous life?

It couldn’t have been easy to find a cure.

Could it be... that Meng Deungho had pledged his loyalty to the Sixth Blood Lord because of this?

It was at that moment—

“!”

A strong presence was approaching the group.

Seolhwa erased her presence and slipped behind the boat’s hull, her gaze narrowing as she examined the newcomers. Two men were approaching.

One was Meng Deungho. The other was a thin, wiry man who looked far too frail to be one of the stockade’s typical brutes.

That man...

Seolhwa’s brows furrowed the moment she recognized him.

Ma Jong-ui.

In her past life, he had served under the Sixth Blood Lord alongside Meng Deungho.

If Meng Deungho was the hound, Ma Jong-ui was the fox.

While Meng Deungho relied on force and obedience, Ma Jong-ui had won the favor of the Blood Lord through flattery, cunning, and manipulation. He was the schemer—the tactician.

The only reason the brutish and often reckless force of the Sixth Blood Lord had earned any standing in the cult at all was because of the fox-like mind behind it.

Why is Ma Jong-ui here...?

Seolhwa narrowed her eyes, watching him carefully.

The question didn’t linger long.

They had kidnapped a child, fed her regularly, let her roam free, even provided a comfortable place to sleep.

Unless this was an act of charity—which it clearly was not—there could only be one reason for such leniency.

It was Ma Jong-ui who ordered Meng Deungho to kidnap the Namgoong girl.

If anyone could have orchestrated it, it was him.

By now, all six Blood Lords were likely working to expand their factions in preparation for the coming blood pact.

The Sixth Blood Lord, with his foothold here in the river clans, would be trying to absorb as many of the smaller stockades as he could before the Blood Demon Cult officially moved in.

Considering that five years from now, the Sixth Blood Lord would rise to become the master of all Eighteen River Clans, it made perfect sense that Ma Jong-ui was now by his side.

Meng Deungho had yet to join the Blood Lord’s command, but Ma Jong-ui already had.

Everything fell into place.

Before the two men drew too close, Seolhwa transmitted a silent message to Yugang.

—The stockade master is coming.

—Got it.

—If they ask, I’m not here. Say I went to the latrines. The man with Meng Deungho might recognize me.

Yugang glanced at the two approaching figures.

—Understood.

He resumed playing with the children as if nothing had happened.

But Meng Deungho and Ma Jong-ui stopped about ten paces away, choosing not to come any closer. They simply stood there, watching the children.

Their conversation couldn’t be heard, but judging from the way Ma Jong-ui kept glancing at Hwarin, the topic was obvious.

He came to confirm the kidnapped girl.

Soon, the two men turned and walked away, heading toward the stockade master’s quarters.

Seolhwa’s expression darkened as she watched them leave.

We shouldn’t have been wasting time catching fish.

Ma Jong-ui was not someone careless like Meng Deungho. He would never simply overlook the fact that Hwarin was wandering freely.

Now that he had seen her, he would not leave things as they were.

And once that happens, our chance to escape is gone.

Seolhwa turned toward the river. Hwarin and Soyak were playing, searching for pretty stones along the shore.

The setting sun cast a golden glow over the water, lighting the two children in a warm, innocent hue. If this were anywhere else, it might have been a beautiful scene.

Seolhwa walked toward Yugang, who sat a little ways off, quietly watching the children.

“We need to leave. Now.”

Yugang turned to her, brushing the dirt from the spot next to him where she was about to sit.

“Why?”

“The one behind this... saw Hwarin. They’ll come to take her soon.”

“That man from earlier?”

Seolhwa nodded.

A serious look entered Yugang’s eyes.

Getting out safely was still far from easy. But the longer they stayed, the harder it would be to protect Hwarin.

“I don’t want to do it your way. But we’re out of options.”

In the end, the only realistic choice was to use Soyak as a hostage to delay pursuit for as long as possible.

Even then, there was no guarantee they would escape unscathed.

“I’ve scouted the boats.”

Seolhwa turned toward Yugang, surprised.

She had expected him to be the first to say no—but he, too, understood they had no other options left.

“A ship that size... we won’t be able to operate it on our own. The smaller boats are slow, and there’s a risk of capsizing, but...”

“We can just land on the nearest shore.”

“Right. It’s easier to hide on land, and it gives us a better chance to escape.”

They were thinking the same thing.

There was a spot they had taken note of on the way to the stockade. As long as the boat could make it there, it would be enough.

The longer they stayed on the water, the worse their chances.

“Promise me one thing.”

“Hm?”

—That we’ll release Soyak once we reach land.

Seolhwa glanced over at the children playing in the distance.

“That was the plan. After that, bringing him along would only slow us down.”

“...All right.”

Yugang gave a small, composed nod.

“That’s enough for me.”

He stood up.

“Let’s go.”

The two of them walked toward Hwarin and Soyak. Yugang planned to lead the children toward one of the boats he had scouted earlier.

If we make it look like Soyak is just fetching a boat for fishing...

Would the bandits even care? For now, they had to act normal...

But then—

BOOM—!

A thunderous blast erupted from one side of the stockade, a column of smoke rising into the air.

It came from the opposite direction—the section of the outer fence that led into the woods.

“!”

Seolhwa and Yugang dashed ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) toward the children in unison. Yugang grabbed Hwarin, who was closest; Seolhwa pulled Soyak into her arms.

Rumble—

The ground trembled. The children, lacking any martial foundation, staggered, but with the support of Seolhwa and Yugang, they did not fall.

What is that?

Seolhwa looked toward the source of the smoke.

At the same time—clang! clang! clang!—the sharp peal of an alarm bell rang out across the stockade.

“Enemies!”

“A surprise attack! To arms!”

“Grab your weapons!”

Enemies?

The bandits grabbed their weapons and rushed toward the source of the explosion. Even those who had seemed like harmless fishermen threw on black hoods and transformed instantly.

The Ghost Shadow Stockade descended into chaos in a matter of moments.

No way... already?

Could it be that the Namgoong pursuit unit had arrived?

Who else but Namgoong forces would launch an assault on the stockade now? But could they really have followed so quickly?

I need to confirm it.

Seolhwa handed Soyak over to Yugang.

“Stay here with the kids.”

As Yugang reached out to take Soyak, he grabbed her wrist.

“Wait! What are you going to do alone?”

“I’m going to see who’s attacking.”

This could be a chance—or a trap.

If it really was the Namgoong Clan, they could join up with them, children in tow. But if it wasn’t, the situation would only get worse.

If it comes to it, we’ll have to escape in the chaos.

First, she had to know who the attackers were.

“Stay hidden.”

“Hey—wait!”

Tap—!

Leaving the children in Yugang’s care, Seolhwa vanished into motion.

Stealth and speed—these were the weapons of an assassin. Seolhwa’s presence vanished completely, her movements silent and swift.

She reached the battlefield in the blink of an eye.

BOOM! CRASH!—BOOM!

“AAAGH!”

“Don’t let them through! Hold the line!”

The outer fence where the explosion had occurred had already collapsed, the thick logs shattered and fallen.

Through the breach, enemies poured in, and battle erupted in an instant.

The stockade must have been somewhat prepared—bandits quickly formed ranks around the broken gate and moved in unison to counter the invaders.

Clang! Clang!

“Don’t fall back! Hold your ground—ugh!”

A wave of blue energy surged through the clash of blades.

And Seolhwa recognized the figure at once.

Father...!