SWNOVELXO Chapter 157
Chapter 157: Iron Wall
The atmosphere in the reception room turned icy with Jeoksawol’s sudden declaration.
In the middle of it all, only Yeonsowol, no, Jeoksawol, was grinning from ear to ear.
‘Hehehe. Wearing the disguise of a Post-Stimulation Indicator worked like a charm.’
Seeing Lee Cheol-soo, who was usually unshakably calm even in front of the world’s most beautiful woman, slightly flustered and agitated brought joy to Jeoksawol’s heart.
‘So true, men really do prefer younger girls.’
The age of her disguise, Yeonsowol, was a mere fifteen.
Two years younger than Lee Cheol-soo.
‘Younger was the way to go.’
Jeoksawol’s crimson eyes sparkled. Her hand locked onto Cheol-soo’s hand. Her once-scarred Self-esteem of the world’s beauty, the strongest in the Evil Faction, was rising up again.
Right.
A fifteen-year-old Yeonsowol could steal Lee Cheol-soo’s heart.
At first, she felt a tad ashamed. She had entered the age of maturity. Acting as a fifteen-year-old girl was embarrassing, no matter how skilled a master of disguise she was.
But not anymore.
For the first time, the unflappable Lee Cheol-soo showed a hint of agitation. That alone made the disguise as Yeonsowol worthwhile. Plus, it wasn’t something to be ashamed of, really.
Now she was not the 62-year-old top beauty Jeoksawol, but the 15-year-old flower-like Post-Stimulation Indicator, Yeonsowol.
She simply acted like a girl of her age. Jeoksawol plastered on an unapologetic look while gazing at Lee Cheol-soo and said.
“Hehehe. The surprise on your face at my sudden confession, a girl can totally understand! But I won’t let my thoughts and heart be crushed. I will definitely be this so-hyeop’s woman!”
Once again, Jeoksawol whispered toward the perplexed Lee Cheol-soo.
‘So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin, Goeui Dang Yeong-ryeong. I never imagined those little girls would come in handy at a time like this. Hehehe.’
Inside, Jeoksawol chuckled.
The personality she was portraying as Yeonsowol was a mix of the boldness of So Geom-hu Cheon Sobin, who blurted out a confession, and the audacity of Goeui Dang Yeong-ryeong, who presented herself as a young girl despite being at an age of reckoning.
If she charged ahead like this, Lee Cheol-soo would certainly be taken aback.
‘Of course he should be. The world’s top beauty has confessed first—even if it’s under a disguise. If he doesn’t accept my feelings, he’s not a man!’
At that moment, just as Jeoksawol was feeling all high and mighty.
Swish.
Lee Cheol-soo pulled his hand away from hers.
He said, “Yeon Sojeo. Why are you acting this way all of a sudden? Today is clearly our first meeting, and you’re blurting out such embarrassing things… I’ll pretend I didn’t hear.”
The expression on Jeoksawol’s face slightly hardened at Cheol-soo’s words.
Pretend it didn’t happen? What nonsense is this? Jeoksawol’s hand trembled slightly.
“What’s important about a first meeting? This gentleman. I’ve admired you since the Orthodox Faction Competition, and I fell head over heels at first sight when I saw you today. Hehe.”
But her face was still wearing a smile. She didn’t back down. After all, she was not Jeoksawol but Yeonsowol. Just act recklessly and blindly as a lovesick fifteen-year-old girl.
Yep.
After all, it was Yeonsowol’s genuine feelings, not Jeoksawol’s.
So it was fine. Jeoksawol rationalized to herself. But contrary to her mind, her heart kept racing.
Yeonsowol’s cheeks turned bright red.
Anyone could see she was a young girl smitten with love.
Watching the bright-eyed Yeonsowol, Heuksaryong Wi Soryeon bit her lips.
She nervously twirled her own short black hair with her fingers.
Her gaze was fixed on Yeonsowol.
‘… So girlish…’
Chosen from a young age to be the successor of the rough Heukryongbang, Wi Soryeon had lived as a man her entire life to become the owner of a place swarming with men like Heukryongbang.
Until the Orthodox Faction Competition, Wi Soryeon had never considered her life to be strange at all.
To manage the tough men in Heukryongbang, she had to act like a man herself. It was unavoidable. That’s what she believed.
She cut her hair short and dressed like a guy. Her bothersome chest was tightly bandaged for fighting.
But ever since she lost in the Orthodox Faction Competition and started calling Cheol-soo “brother,” even hearing that he would take responsibility, her previously taken-for-granted life and values started to be thrown into disarray.
It started from that moment.
Secretly researching things like embroidery and makeup, which were a girl’s interests, without her father or the men in the gang knowing.
And today.
When she directly faced the fellow Post-Stimulation Indicator, the successor of Hao Mun, Yeonsowol, she was shaken. With Jeoksawol, they were both Post-Stimulation Indicators of the Evil Faction, and she would team up with Lee Cheol-soo and Yujinhwi in the Demon Sect.
Wi Soryeon already knew about her existence. But today was the first time seeing her in person. Although there were Post-Stimulation Indicator exchanges in the Evil Faction, Yeonsowol had not attended.
Thus, rumors about Yeonsowol circulated within the Evil Faction. They said she’d be a beauty to follow in the footsteps of their ancestor, the Sado Ryeonju Yeomwang Jeoksawol. Very few Post-Stimulation Indicators had met her, which made the rumors even more rampant.
But just recently.
Seeing Yeonsowol in the flesh, Wi Soryeon was shocked. Yeonsowol was nothing short of a portrait brought to life, a beauty more girl-like, refined, and enchanting than anyone else.
Wi Soryeon, who had grown up tomboyish, felt deep in her heart a sense of inferiority after witnessing such a stark contrast to Yeonsowol.
She was even younger than Wi Soryeon. Yet, far more feminine, beautiful, and attractive.
Moreover, Yeonsowol, as the rumors said, possessed a dazzling and mysterious beauty, nearing the title of the next world’s top beauty. Unlike herself, the simple tomboy who didn’t know how to adorn herself, Yeonsowol’s elegance only magnified Wi Soryeon’s feelings of insecurity.
Despite having reached a peak level from her rigorous training, there was no way even her mastery could change her from a tomboy to a beautiful girl.
‘What if that guy falls for Yeonsowol?’
Wi Soryeon seriously pondered that in the corner of her mind.
Of course, she knew it was unlikely.
And today, the moment Yeonsowol confessed to Lee Cheol-soo, Wi Soryeon’s face stiffened. Her hand trembled.
A surge of dark emotions erupted within her. It was jealousy. Wi Soryeon bit her lip. To be precise, there was no relationship between her and Lee Cheol-soo. In fact, they were in opposition. So she couldn’t intervene between Yeonsowol and Cheol-soo.
There was no justification for that.
Justification?
‘Since when did the Evil Faction care about justification?’
Wi Soryeon inwardly chuckled.
She scoffed at the hypocrisy of the Orthodox Faction while being different from the Evil Faction. The Evil pursues a freedom unbound by formality. The reason the Evil Faction did not participate in the Martial Alliance at its establishment by the imperial court was precisely because they pursued freedom.
In the Evil Faction, justification was merely a facade. Having realized this, Wi Soryeon slammed her hand onto the table.
“Brother.”
Wi Soryeon’s low voice reverberated. The gazes of Lee Cheol-soo and Yeonsowol landed on her.
Wi Soryon’s face flushed slightly. She was blushing.
“… What Yeon Sojeo just said isn’t important right now. Brother. So quickly discuss the Demon Sect journey…”
“Hehehe. Not important, you say? Big sister. Why do you get to decide that? This is an important matter that decides a girl’s life. And calling you brother? Then I should also call this so-hyeop brother…”
From the side, Yeonsowol let out a hohoho laugh.
But unlike her outward demeanor, Wi Soryon’s insides burned black with fury.
‘That arrogant little girl…! She thinks she can get carried away just because I called her sister a bit? How dare… look down upon me in front of her!’
Jeoksawol’s hand slightly trembled. This girl, who was a whopping 40 years younger than her.
And yet, she dared to openly show jealousy in front of her. So audacious.
Hearing Yeonsowol’s words, Wi Soryon bit her lips. Right now, she didn’t fully grasp her feelings. But still.
She couldn’t bear to see Lee Cheol-soo fall for anyone other than Yeonsowol. After all, it was obvious to anyone that Yeonsowol’s confession wasn’t genuine.
“That won’t do. Yeon Sojeo.”
Wi Soryon said, her dark eyes locking onto Yeonsowol.
“The only one who can call him brother in this world is me.”
Wi Soryon boldly declared, her face turning red.
That was the truth.
Even if it was the result of a bet.
Only she was allowed to call Lee Cheol-soo brother in this world.
Nobody else, only Wi Soryon.
Moreover, unlike Yeonsowol, who only met Lee Cheol-soo today, she had been linked with him since the Orthodox Faction Competition.
So there was no way she could back down.
‘This little girl with her head not even filled with blood! I granted her the privilege of companionship, and now she tries to rise to my level?!’
Fuming, Jeoksawol was about to say something when.
“Enough.”
A cold voice rang through the reception room.
It was Lee Cheol-soo’s voice.
*
What on earth was happening?
My head hurt.
Especially Yeonsowol, no, Jeoksawol. I had no idea what that old hag was thinking. Disguising herself as a Post-Stimulation Indicator to infiltrate the Demon Sect? That might have worked out.
Considering the current situation, the most suspicious faction was the Demon Sect due to the Blood Sect’s Rampage. Directly infiltrating the headquarters of the Demon Sect to extract information was, objectively speaking, a decent intelligence operation.
But I couldn’t grasp the meaning of her confessing to me.
It didn’t seem genuine, so why was she acting this way? Did she eat something wrong?
I clicked my tongue and said, “What Wi Sojeo said is correct. What’s important now is to discuss the journey to the Demon Sect.”
I sided with Wi Soryon. The comment about only I could call him brother didn’t matter.
Her point wasn’t wrong, so I let it slide.
On hearing my words, Wi Soryon’s face brightened slightly. She nervously twirled her black bob while saying.
“Y-Yeon Sojeo. Did you hear? Please put aside your private feelings for now.”
“Hmph. Fine. But I hope both of you remember that my unwavering heart will never change!”
Jeoksawol took a step back.
I had no idea why she was obsessing over this.
Thinking that, I continued speaking.
“First, we’ll rest for a week at the Gongdong Sect main base, then set off from Gongdong Mountain, passing through Dunhuang, and head towards Xinjiang, the territory of the Demon Sect.”
Xinjiang.
In the modern world, it’s the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Unlike modern China’s occupation, the Xinjiang of the martial world isn’t part of the Ming Empire’s territory in this medieval isekai. It lies outside the Central Plains.
The Demon Sect was situated within the Tian Shan mountains in this Xinjiang region.
“It will be a long journey, so I hope both of you prepare properly for the trip.”
I observed both of them as I spoke.
All the Post-Stimulation Indicators of the Black and White Paths have gathered at Gongdong Mountain.
Now, all that remained was heading to the Demon Sect to discern who the top master of the Evil Faction would be.
And if time allows, I’ll spread my charm to the lovely ladies of the Demon Sect as well.
Hehehe.
Even the Heavenly Horse cannot hinder my color spectrum.
They’re all done for.