Chapter 697: Three Penalty Drinks If You Can't Answer

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Secret Box reacted the moment Cha Yiran arrived.

Could she have one of the orbs?

An inward shock coursed through Geom Mugeuk. The box had never reacted during his previous encounters with her. Today was the first time.

Geom Mugeuk mentally questioned the Secret Box hidden in his robes.

Do you absorb things other than the orbs? Are you the type to just gobble up anything when you're hungry?

He knew that wasn't the case, of course. He had distinctly seen the symbols for both the Secret Box and the orbs on the mural. Ultimately, this could only mean that she had brought an orb with her.

Only two of the six orbs were left. There was the red orb, the Red Orb, and the purple orb, the Purple Orb.

Is one of those two orbs with Cha Yiran?

Geom Mugeuk's heart began to pound.

He had never considered the possibility that someone else might possess one of the orbs the Secret Box absorbed. Until this point, they had always been kept in the most secret of locations, as if they were hidden away.

Was it because the Secret Box had reacted?

"Who knows? Something good might happen when it's just the two of us."

Her words from a moment ago, spoken as she walked over, now seemed to carry a hidden weight.

Could she possibly know that he had absorbed the energy from the orbs? Or was she completely unaware and just happened to have an orb for some other reason?

What if she brought it here knowingly? Was she thinking, "If you can, try to kill me and take it"? What would she do if he actually tried?

Cha Yiran casually sat down beside Geom Mugeuk. The reaction should have grown stronger, but this time was different. The moment she was near, the sensation stopped completely.

"Aren't you going to congratulate me? I made it to the finals."

"Congratulations."

"It feels good to be congratulated, even if I had to nudge you for it."

Ahn Hupyeong approached and quickly made an introduction for Bi Sayin. "Young Lady Cha, this is the Evil Alliance's Young Alliance Chairman."

Cha Yiran looked at Bi Sayin and feigned a surprised expression.

Seeing her reaction, Ahn Hupyeong felt a surge of inner pleasure, as if he were subtly placing himself on the same level as Bi Sayin.

Surprised, aren't you? Meeting the Mythical Sect's Young Sect Leader, and now the Evil Alliance's Young Alliance Chairman too?

Bi Sayin was thinking along similar lines.

What do you think? It's your first time seeing a woman this beautiful, isn't it?

Cha Yiran smiled bewitchingly as she greeted Bi Sayin. "I'm Cha Yiran."

She had a particular way of handling men. Without any deliberate attempt at seduction, the look in her eyes and her smile were enough to make a man restless and fall for her completely.

Bi Sayin simply stared at her without saying a word.

He already knew from the messenger pigeon Geom Mugeuk sent earlier that this woman planned to kill his master. Despite this, he showed no hostility.

The fact that Geom Mugeuk had orchestrated such a natural meeting proved his trust. As the man who would one day lead the Evil Alliance, he certainly had to be capable of this level of emotional control.

After all, wasn't this very woman, who was actively trying to kill his master, facing him without the slightest change in her expression?

"I am Bi Sayin."

Ahn Hupyeong was inwardly delighted by Bi Sayin's delayed response, assuming he was so captivated by Cha Yiran that he had forgotten to greet her promptly.

He naturally continued to take credit for the situation. "I rented out this entire place for this special occasion today!"

No matter what, he had to be seen as the hero who made this gathering happen.

"I really wanted to introduce Young Lady Cha to you, Young Alliance Chairman."

"To me?"

Seeing the question in Bi Sayin's eyes, Ahn Hupyeong smiled and offered some flattery. "I thought the two of you would look so good together."

He laughed heartily, but Bi Sayin's reaction was not what he had anticipated.

"I believe this gathering today is inappropriate."

Ahn Hupyeong asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

"Is it right for these Young Ladies to be in a place with you?"

His words implied that a tournament organizer should not be meeting privately with the contestants who had reached the finals.

What kind of frustrating nonsense is this from someone who's supposed to become the supreme leader of the unorthodox sects! He desperately wanted to say that, but he held his tongue.

"Since the Young Alliance Chairman is here, it's a special occasion. I'm sure everyone will understand."

"Are you using me as an excuse?"

"No, that's not what I mean at all."

Bi Sayin made no effort to hide his thoughts or feelings. He behaved as he normally would, acting as if he was unaware of her true identity and showing Cha Yiran his natural self.

She was certainly no ordinary woman. She had come alone to a place where both he and Geom Mugeuk were present. While it was likely because she assumed they didn't know who she was, she still possessed nerves of steel.

Cha Yiran turned to look at Geom Mugeuk and said, "Thank you for introducing me to such a distinguished person, but my heart belongs to only one."

She wore an expression that she reserved only for when she looked at Geom Mugeuk.

Ahn Hupyeong could not understand it. What was so great about that bodyguard bastard?

"That bodyguard must have some charm I'm not aware of."

He had intended his words to belittle whatever that charm might be.

"Can't you see it? I can see plenty."

Cha Yiran brought her face extremely close to Geom Mugeuk's, so near that the slightest movement would cause them to touch.

Geom Mugeuk did not pull back, meeting her gaze directly.

"This man's eyes are so full of death," she said. "Yet how can they be so clear?"

She spoke as if she could truly see an aura of death in his eyes, but Geom Mugeuk remained silent.

It was Lee Ahn who spoke up in Geom Mugeuk's defense. "I've never once felt death in those eyes."

As Cha Yiran slowly turned her head to face her, Lee Ahn added, "One's own reflection is bound to appear in another's eyes."

She was implying that the death Cha Yiran saw ultimately came from Cha Yiran herself.

A strange smile formed on Cha Yiran's face. "This Young Lady must really like this man."

"I'm not stupid enough to dislike my bodyguard."

Her meaning was clear. How could she dislike the very person who protected her life?

Ahn Hupyeong's expression hardened as he listened. It sounded as if Lee Ahn's words were directed at him, who had just been in a conflict with Sa Chu.

Ahn Hupyeong was also displeased that both women had focused their attention on Geom Mugeuk from the very beginning. He was used to being the center of attention, but here he felt constantly left out.

Ahn Hupyeong picked up the liquor bottle to fill Bi Sayin's cup. "Here, Young Alliance Chairman. Please have a drink from me."

Bi Sayin did not even pretend to hear, his gaze fixed only on the two women.

The bottle felt awkward in Ahn Hupyeong's hand, and his face flushed. These people, really!

I'm the Mythical Sect's Young Sect Leader, for crying out loud! How can they treat me like this?

He's disgustingly fond of women. If that wasn't the reason, then it could only mean he was being utterly ignored.

In truth, Bi Sayin was trying to understand what kind of person Cha Yiran was. In a sense, she was a woman more deeply connected to him than to Geom Mugeuk. If she succeeded in killing his master, he would become the Evil Alliance Chairman.

In other words, she was the very woman trying to place him in the position of Evil Alliance Chairman.

For what reason?

Was there something to be gained by seating him, someone not yet ready, in the Chairman's position? Or did she have some other intention?

Ahn Hupyeong suppressed his anger and spoke again. "In this final, I can't decide who to support."

He was trying to show off his influence in any way he could. Ahn Hupyeong deliberately used the word 'support' instead of 'cheer for', speaking as if he could sway the decision for the world's number one beauty.

"Which one do you support, our Young Alliance Chairman? In fact, your support is the most important."

This time, Bi Sayin actually responded to his words.

"Why would my opinion matter? The opinions of the judges and the heroes are what's important."

"Aren't you in a position to overturn all those decisions?"

He had said it to flatter Bi Sayin, but his reaction was cold.

"Are you telling me to do something unfair?"

"No. That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I'm just saying that's how great of a person you are. That's what I'm trying to say."

Facing Bi Sayin's still-cold gaze, Ahn Hupyeong downed his drink.

Things were not going as he had planned.

"Why isn't the food coming out?"

Ahn Hupyeong stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

Even as he stood, no one paid him any attention, which only made him angrier.

"What are you doing? Bring out the food, quickly!" he yelled the moment he entered the kitchen. He was just about to take his anger out on the innocent cooks.

"You should leave now."

He turned at the voice from behind him and saw Sa Chu. The man who had yelled at him earlier was now standing in a corner of the kitchen.

"What did you say?"

"I said, let's go back."

Ahn Hupyeong walked toward Sa Chu with an angry expression. On any other day, Sa Chu would have bowed his head deeply and apologized, but today he was staring straight at him.

"Do you know what kind of gathering this is?"

"What kind of gathering is it?"

"What?"

This was a gathering with a clear purpose. It was a chance to make a good impression on the Young Alliance Chairman and on Lee Ahn. How could Sa Chu act this way, knowing all that?

"Are you ignoring me too?"

"If I were ignoring you, I would've just stayed quiet and pretended not to know anything, like I always have."

Ahn Hupyeong could feel it instinctively. He didn't know why Sa Chu was acting this way, but he knew these words were for his own sake. Sa Chu was being rude, but he was the only one here who wasn't ignoring him.

"That is not a place for you, Young Lord."

All four of them were people Ahn Hupyeong could not handle. Only he himself was unaware of this fact.

"Hide in a burrow and come out when the storm passes. The only reason you're safe right now, Young Sect Leader, is because you're in the eye of the storm."

"!"

The storms had warned him to be quiet, but he had just broken that warning. It was okay, though. This would be his final piece of advice for Ahn Hupyeong.

Of course, Ahn Hupyeong did not take it well.

"You insolent bastard."

He knew the words were for his own good, but he was still offended. He had lived the kind of life where the truth was an offense.

"You'll have to be prepared for what comes later."

The moment Ahn Hupyeong turned around, a sharp tap sounded.

Sa Chu had suddenly struck Ahn Hupyeong's pressure point from behind. Caught completely by surprise, Ahn Hupyeong slumped into unconsciousness.

After calming the startled cooks, Sa Chu opened the kitchen's back door and called to a subordinate waiting outside. "The Young Sect Leader has had too much to drink. Take him to his residence, lay him on his bed, and come back."

His subordinates carried Ahn Hupyeong on their backs and returned to his residence.

It was the last courtesy Sa Chu could show him before leaving.

If Ahn Hupyeong stayed here in such an angry state, he would surely cause a major incident, even with the Evil Alliance's Young Alliance Chairman present. The Ahn Hupyeong he knew was that kind of person.

He wouldn't have been allowed to leave peacefully anyway, so he planned to depart like this.

Just as Sa Chu was about to leave through the back door himself, someone spoke from behind him.

"Was it because of your younger siblings?"

He turned to see First Wolf standing there.

First Wolf was asking if he had abandoned his dream and remained under Ahn Hupyeong's service because of his siblings.

Sa Chu confessed honestly. "No. I just used my siblings as an excuse to make the easy choice."

If it had truly been for his siblings, he would have tried again once their hunger was sated. The pay was good, and following Ahn Hupyeong was comfortable. At least in Anhui, no one dared to pick a fight with the Mythical Sect's Young Sect Leader.

"Today, I realized something. There are two kinds of impossibility. There's the kind that's impossible because you vaguely think you can't do it, and then there's the kind that's impossible even after you've tried to death. I've experienced the easy one, so now I'm going to challenge the difficult impossibility."

Sa Chu now intended to join the Evil Alliance. The monthly salary would be incomparably lower than what he currently earned. Starting over at his age would be several times more difficult. He also knew that joining now and becoming one of the Thirteen Evil Wolves was an impossible feat.

Still, he was determined to try. He viewed this reunion with the Thirteen Evil Wolves as the last chance heaven had given him.

"If we meet again, I will greet you formally then."

He then added with an awkward smile, "Though I probably won't see you for the rest of my life."

Sa Chu gave a polite clasped-hands greeting before he turned and walked away.

When he was young, he had blocked the path of the Thirteen Evil Wolves to bombard them with questions. He had thought that was passion and sincerity. Now, however, there would be no more questions.

He was old enough to understand that true passion doesn't ask questions. It begins long before one even thinks to ask.

First Wolf watched Sa Chu's retreating back in silence before he came back inside.

"Young Sect Leader An has already left."

At his words, no one questioned why Ahn Hupyeong had left so early.

Only Geom Mugeuk seemed to regret it.

"Ah! The person paying for the drinks has left early."

In response to his joke, Cha Yiran made an unexpected suggestion. "How about we make a bet for the drinks?"

The bet she proposed was truly unexpected.

"Let's not just drink. Let's ask each other questions one by one as we drink. If you can't answer, you have to drink three penalty shots! The person who drinks the most penalty shots today pays for everything. Oh, and to keep from getting drunk, no expelling alcohol with our internal energy!"

Of course, Geom Mugeuk was not the type of person to refuse such an interesting proposal. This was especially true in a situation where they all had things they wanted to ask one another. He figured she was the type who would rather drink the penalty shots than tell a lie. He himself had no intention of lying either.

"Alright, let's do it."

Since Geom Mugeuk accepted, Lee Ahn and Bi Sayin also nodded in agreement, their eyes gleaming with interest.

"Since I suggested it, I'll ask the first question."

Everyone readily nodded at Cha Yiran's words. They all toasted and emptied their cups.

"I'll ask bodyguard Geom."

Her gaze shifted to Geom Mugeuk.

"You love this Young Lady here as a woman, don't you?"

The first question was a powerful one. Lee Ahn was even more surprised than Geom Mugeuk. She had never imagined Cha Yiran would ask such a thing.

"If you don't want to answer, you can just drink three penalty shots."

"There's no need for that. I'll answer."

Geom Mugeuk glanced at Lee Ahn before he replied.

"I do."

Cha Yiran looked surprised. "I was sure you'd drink the three penalty shots."

Lee Ahn was over the moon at Geom Mugeuk's answer. She was happy even if he had only said it because of the bet. Still, she was displeased with Cha Yiran's question.

So for the first question, you're asking about the Young Cult Leader and me?

She wanted to question Cha Yiran immediately, but Geom Mugeuk spoke first.

"I answered the question, so I'll ask the next one."

"Go ahead."

"I'll ask Young Lady Cha."

Once again, they all toasted and emptied their cups. Then, Geom Mugeuk asked Cha Yiran his question.

"Who is the person you trust the most?"

It was a question with many possible interpretations. She could name a family member or her leader. She could also name the person who accompanied her here for this task.

Cha Yiran looked at Geom Mugeuk with a strange glint in her eyes.

"I asked about someone you love, but you ask about someone you trust. Were you afraid I'd say it was you if you asked who I love?"

After offering a bright smile, she began to answer the question. "The person I trust the most is…"

A surprising statement then came from her lips.

"It's someone you know, too."

"!"

Geom Mugeuk stared at her with a shocked expression. He could not comprehend what she meant by that.

"I won't tell you who it is, just to make you die of curiosity. It's payback for your first answer."

She drank three penalty shots in a row, then set down her cup and asked, "Alright, who's asking the next question?"