Na Clan- 3
The next day, the Na Clan was thrown into an uproar.
All because Na seo hwang had returned half-crippled.
Madam Min, frenzied with rage at the sight of her beloved son's wretched condition, stormed about like a madwoman.
"Which bastard! Which accursed cur dared lay a hand on the heir of the Na Clan here in Heungui?! Unforgivable! Send letters to every martial household in the region! Comb through Heungui and drag the culprit out!"
"Yes, Madam!"
For half a day the entire Na Clan was as loud as a hive of hornets. Only by afternoon did Madam Min calm slightly—though "calm" was relative.
Her fury could not possibly subside, not after the physician declared there was no guarantee Na seo hwang's bones would ever heal properly.
Slap!
"Kyaaa!"
"You wretch! How dare you leave my chambers in such a filthy state! Do you think you can keep working in the Na Clan after this?!"
"S-sorry, Madam!"
"And this tea—why does it taste so foul?!"
Crash!
Porcelain shattered. Madam Min vented her wrath upon anyone within sight.
By late afternoon, her mind turned to Naseoyu.
"Bring that girl to me at once!" she snapped at the servants.
"Yes, Madam!"
Grinding her teeth, Madam Min waited in her quarters.
Everything—all of this—was happening because that cursed girl had returned.
She seethed inwardly.
If she dares say she still refuses the marriage, I'll break her completely!
She imagined berating the girl for hours, perhaps even striking her again as she had in the past.
Soon, Naseoyu entered.
The moment she sat down, Madam Min glared and demanded:
"Well? Have you given any thought to your marriage?"
Naseoyu smiled faintly and answered.
"Yes, I've thought about it."
For a moment, Madam Min almost felt disappointed. If the girl gave in so easily, her fury would not be satisfied.
But then came the next words—spoken slowly, deliberately.
"I've decided I will never agree to it."
Such an absolute refusal—Madam Min had never imagined it.
Her rage exploded.
"You insolent—!"
But she could not finish.
For Naseoyu met her gaze directly and spoke again.
"I already told you: I will never enter a marriage that is not of my own will."
The calm, deliberate words froze Madam Min's tongue.
What she could not realize was that the oppressive weight silencing her came from the aura of a top-tier first-rate master radiating off Naseoyu.
Naseoyu was the daughter who had always placed her family above herself, always sacrificed for them.
But she was also a battle-hardened warrior of the frontlines, one who could sever lives without hesitation.
Until now she had borne Madam Min's abuse, respecting her as her father's wife and the lady of the household.
No longer.
After hearing from Seonu Jin that Madam Min had poisoned her father, Naseoyu could no longer regard her as family.
Thus there was no mercy left in her gaze.
Madam Min swallowed hard under that pressure. Stammering, she tried to regain her footing:
"Y-you mean to say you don't care if you never see your father again?"
The mention of the clan lord had always been her ultimate weapon against Naseoyu.
But this time, the girl only smiled.
"Of course I care. That's why I plan to leave the clan immediately and bring back a renowned physician. One with ties to the Gu-yi. A healer who can truly treat my father."
Madam Min's face went pale.
But she quickly grit her teeth and barked:
"W-what nonsense is this?! The physician I labored to invite is already treating him well—why seek another?!"
Naseoyu tilted her head, her tone almost innocent.
"Well? Father is said to be so ill he cannot even see his only daughter. How is that 'treating him well'? Shouldn't a proper treatment at least let him recover enough to meet me?"
"T-that is…."
"And why would you object to me bringing in another famed physician? Shouldn't you be glad?"
Her calm tone was edged with a sharp glare. Madam Min swallowed audibly and sputtered:
"N-nonsense! I only fear another doctor might make a foolish mistake and worsen his condition!"
But the excuse rang hollow.
"Could things get any worse than they already are? Or perhaps… is Father not as sick as you claim, and you've simply been keeping me from him?"
Though her words were soft, the killing intent surging from Naseoyu pressed down like a coiled serpent.
Madam Min shrieked defensively.
"Y-you dare suspect me?!"
But her voice faltered as Naseoyu's aura burst forth even stronger.
"Mother, I've been on the frontlines. I've slain dozens of demon lords with my own hands. You know what I learned there? That the louder a villain shouts, the truer the accusation they're denying. Strange, isn't it?"
Her gaze was like a predator's fixed on prey.
Madam Min could not speak. Cold sweat soaked her garments. Tears threatened to spill.
But Naseoyu did not push further.
She simply inclined her head politely, rose, and said:
"Then, I'll take my leave."
Pale as a corpse, Madam Min sat frozen until the girl was gone.
Only long after Naseoyu had departed did a shrill, belated cry escape her chambers:
"Y-you insolent wretch! How dare you!"
Her voice was so faint it sounded almost timid, as though terrified Naseoyu might still hear.
Hearing it, Naseoyu smiled faintly.
So that was Madam Min—blustering against the weak, but cringing before true strength.
Pathetic.
Pathetic that such a woman had ruled her life for so long. Pathetic that she herself had ever yielded to her.
When Naseoyu returned to her quarters, Seonu Jin was already there, having shadowed her unseen.
He grinned.
"Well done, Lady Na. That was… satisfying to watch."
But Naseoyu only smiled bitterly.
"I feel nothing but bitterness. That I spent so long trying to honor such a woman as mother… it makes me feel foolish and pathetic. If only I had steeled my heart earlier and cast her out, Father would not be lying in such a state now…."
For the sake of peace in the household, she had endured endless abuse and sacrificed herself again and again.
Now she saw it for what it was—worthless. Worse than worthless.
She had mistaken a wolf for a house dog and entrusted her family's safety to it.
It had been nothing short of a foolish choice.
Seeing the bitterness on Naseoyu's face, Seonu Jin offered her a look of compassion and spoke softly.
"You were far too young back then to understand. The fact that villains exploit the kind-hearted doesn't mean kindness itself is wrong. None of this was your fault. It was the fault of that woman who deceived and used you."
At his words, Naseoyu's eyes glistened. She looked at him with a trembling gaze.
Seonu Jin smiled warmly and continued.
"And it's not too late. I believe it's a blessing that we still have the chance to turn things back before it really is too late. Right now, everything can still be restored."
Those words were like a lifeline to Naseoyu, who had been drowning in self-reproach.
With his warmth and steady gaze, she regained her smile.
"You're right. We can set everything right again—Father, and the Na Clan too…."
Her eyes lingered deeply on him.
"Truly, thank you, Young Master Seonu. I don't even know how I could ever repay you for all this. It's all thanks to you."
Seonu Jin met her gaze just as deeply.
"There's no need for thanks. Being able to do something for you, Lady Na, is more than enough for me."
Their eyes locked, steeped in warmth. Neither could tear away.
For a long moment, silence stretched between them, broken only by the thrum of unspoken emotions.
Seonu Jin suddenly thought he must be dreaming.
The words he had just spoken—that it was enough simply to do something for her—had been his truest heart.
Across two lifetimes, this was the first time he could actually give her something, and that alone filled him with satisfaction.
And now, the one woman he had loved across both lives—Naseoyu—was gazing at him with an affection he had never seen before.
For the first time, he didn't feel like a junior under her care, a boy she had to look after. He felt like a man, standing before her.
The thought struck him: This is the moment. I should confess to her now.
He opened his mouth.
"Lady Na, the truth is, I—"
But then Naseoyu startled, almost as if shaking off a spell, and looked away.
"Oh, what am I doing? Wasn't I supposed to pretend to be leaving the estate? Should I go now?"
Seonu Jin's eyes filled with deep regret.
The perfect moment had slipped away.
For an instant he considered speaking anyway—Should I just say it now?
But after a pause, he swallowed his words. Better to wait for a clearer, certain opportunity.
"Yes," he said instead. "You should go now."
The Na Clan was under Bi Sayeong's control in all but name. To bring her down, they needed undeniable proof.
The testimony of Na seo hwang was useless; Seonu Jin alone had heard his confession. Even if they forced him to repeat it, the loyalists of Bi Sayeong within the clan would never believe.
So Seonu Jin explained further:
"Once you leave, she'll have only two choices—strike at your father before you return with a physician, or strike at you directly. I believe the greater risk is to your father."
Naseoyu frowned.
"Why Father? Wouldn't she want to kill me most of all, especially after today?"
"It's a matter of efficiency," Seonu Jin said firmly. "Killing your father, bedridden as he is, would be easy. But killing you? She'd need significant force—and her skills are far too low to do it herself. Hiring assassins would cost her dearly, and from what I've seen, she would never part with her own money."
That made sense. Bi Sayeong had always clung to her wealth like a miser, even if it meant managing the clan finances with ruthless efficiency. She treated the Na Clan's coffers as though they were her own.
Naseoyu nodded.
"I understand. Then I'll leave openly, but conceal myself so I can protect Father."
"Exactly. Once she makes her move, we'll have the evidence to destroy her. It may be uncomfortable to stay hidden, but it won't be long. She's cowardly, so she'll act quickly."
"Alright. Then I'll leave right away."
"Yes. I'll guard your father."
Unaware, Bi Sayeong's schemes to destroy the clan lord and Naseoyu were already weaving her own downfall.
Men may scheme, but Heaven decides which plans succeed.
Yet Seonu Jin and Naseoyu did not realize that truth applied to them as well.
***
That night, at the southern outskirts of Heungui, in Guizhou Province—within the Zhao Clan estate.
A sudden storm of blood swept through the quiet grounds.
It began with the gate guards, yawning and half-asleep at their posts.
"Someone's coming."
"Huh? You're right. Three of them."
"Three people, at this hour? Hope it's nothing we have to report…."
The weary guards straightened, preparing to intercept.
Then it happened.
"W-what the—?!"
"Who goes th—Aaaagh!"
Rip! Crack! Tear!
"Gyaaaaah!"
They never had a chance.
Three figures surged forward with predatory speed, descending upon them like wolves into a rabbit pen.
In a blur, the guards were pierced, slashed, torn apart.
In the faint moonlight, their eyes glowed with a sinister crimson gleam.
"Screams! At the gate!"
"Are we under attack?!"
The Zhao Clan erupted in alarm at the sound.
The three intruders smashed through the doors without hesitation.
Boom!
"Wh-who are you—Aaaaagh!"
"Monsters! Help—! Aaargh!"
"Run! Call for help—Noooo!"
Screams filled the night.
In less than half an hour, over fifty members of the Zhao Clan were slaughtered.
Only after the estate lay silent, corpses strewn everywhere, did the three turn and follow the tracks of the few who had escaped northward.
This time, they did not hurry.
They had learned that letting a survivor escape made it easier to find their next prey.
The Iron Ghouls had grown cunning.
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