The Eldest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan Protects Her Family

Chapter 17: Opportunity

 
Sohwa stood up and walked towards the deputy leader and Tang Hak. Her decision to wait for Tang Min wasn’t solely based on concern for his safety.
Stopping before the deputy leader, Tang Hak, and the remaining able-bodied Black Tiger Unit warriors, she spoke, her voice low. “It's a poison that causes paralysis followed by tissue necrosis. It’s called Yeolhwachodok (Raging Fire Poison) because it feels like you’ve swallowed a ball of fire, burning your insides.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, her voice was calm, almost detached. “How did I know that?” she asked, her gaze sweeping over the silent warriors. “Yeolhwachodok is a Tang Clan poison, stored within the Poison Pavilion. This means someone has leaked our secrets.”
Danjangcho (断肠草) and Gyeonhyeolbonghou (见血封喉) were well-known poisonous plants, often used in assassinations. However, they had never been combined before. Creating a compound poison, where different toxins interacted synergistically, was an extremely difficult feat.
With Yeolhwachodok, the Gyeonhyeolbonghou toxin took effect first, causing paralysis. Then, the Danjangcho toxin entered the bloodstream, attacking the internal organs. Mistaking it for a simple paralytic poison and administering the corresponding antidote would be a fatal mistake, as it would exacerbate the internal bleeding caused by the Danjangcho.

Though the initial symptoms resembled Gyeonhyeolbonghou poisoning, the antidote wouldn't work.
Only a thorough autopsy would reveal the presence of both toxins: a strangely constricted heart and internal organs blackened by necrosis, saturated with blood. Such an unusual combination would inevitably raise suspicions about the poison’s origin. And the Sichuan Tang Clan, masters of poison, would be a prime suspect.
Especially if the Namgung Clan conducted the autopsy.

A sly smile played on Sohwa’s lips. She turned to the Black Tiger Unit warriors and continued. “The Anhui branch of the Martial Alliance is currently on Mount Emei.”
The deputy leader and Tang Hak already knew this, but it was news to the other warriors.
“I don’t know why the Anhui branch came here without requesting assistance from the Sichuan branch. I can only speculate. Perhaps they believed we would interfere with their mission.” She shared the information, feigning a sigh. “But seeing how things are unfolding, I understand why they didn’t trust us. Someone has clearly been working to cast suspicion on the Tang Clan.”

Her gaze swept over the faces of the Black Tiger Unit warriors, lingering on Yoonjin. “We need to meet with them and discuss this. We need to understand their misunderstanding and see if they’re willing to reconsider their suspicions, even after witnessing our plight.”
Despite her ominous words, her expression softened as she looked at the deputy leader. “Let’s wait for the Anhui branch here. I want to hear from them directly who is responsible for these suspicions and how they intend to atone for them.”
“That’s not permitted, Miss. Our orders from the Clan Head are to prioritize your safety and the Young Master’s. We must descend the mountain immediately,” the deputy leader said, his tone firm.

“What choice do we have? Even if we survive today, this will happen again.” Sohwa’s voice was laced with a bitter resignation. “Even now… If the Anhui branch had shared their information with us, this wouldn’t have happened. We were put in danger because of them. Even the Tang Clan’s heir was nearly killed.”
Her gaze shifted to Tang Hak, who, instead of fear, seemed more consumed by anger and betrayal, a testament to his Tang Clan blood.
Sohwa steeled her resolve. They wouldn’t die today. Probably.

She took a deep breath, the scent of pine filling her nostrils, carried by the night breeze. “How does the Anhui branch intend to take responsibility for this?”
The deputy leader hesitated, unable to decipher her intentions. Her exaggerated words and actions seemed deliberately performative, as if meant for an audience.
“If the Martial Alliance headquarters approved this operation after receiving the Anhui branch’s report, this won’t be a simple matter.” Despite the bitterness in her voice, a faint smile played on her lips. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “But if the Anhui branch acted independently, that’s a different story.”
Pacing back and forth before the Black Tiger Unit warriors, lost in thought, she suddenly stopped, directly in front of Yoonjin. “We shouldn’t just complain to headquarters. We should hold the Anhui branch accountable as well.”

She smiled at him, her eyes cold and calculating, devoid of any discernible emotion. “Let’s wait for them. I need to see with my own eyes whether the person behind this is a victim or a perpetrator. Only then can I accurately report to the Clan Head what transpired here.”
“But…”
Sohwa, her gaze still fixed on Yoonjin, interrupted the deputy leader, her voice cold. “Don’t worry. If we die here, the Namgung Clan will be the ones in trouble.”

It was the first time she had directly implicated the Namgung Clan.
Yoonjin’s expression remained unchanged, which was precisely why it was so unsettling. He didn't flinch under her intense scrutiny, his gaze neither anxious nor defensive. After a moment, she looked away, her gaze shifting towards the towering trees that pierced the night sky.
‘I’m curious about your choice.’ Only then could she decide whether he was worth saving, or just another Namgung Hyeon.

She walked past Yoonjin and addressed the deputy leader. “If I can’t accurately report the situation to the Clan Head, what difference is there between me and a traitor? Instead of providing valuable information, I would be putting the Tang Clan at risk by antagonizing the Martial Alliance. Wouldn’t you agree?”
As if in answer to her question, a strong gust of wind swept through the forest, rustling the leaves like a summer downpour. The air was filled with a clear, refreshing fragrance, like pine needles and crisp autumn air. The scent of pure, cultivated internal energy, a scent she had grown to loathe over the past five years.
Nausea welled up within her, but she forced a smile, maintaining her composure.

The distinct internal energy of the Namgung Clan permeated the air. Yet, despite hearing her words, they remained hidden.
She couldn’t tell whether it was Namgung Hyeon or Namgung Jin leading them. Perhaps they were both here. Or perhaps it was someone else entirely. Only one thing was certain: the Namgung Clan was watching them. They had witnessed the rescue of the Divine Physician's troupe and the injured warriors, they had seen them fight off their attackers, and yet, they remained hidden.
Perhaps they were waiting for a chance to escape unnoticed, or perhaps they were biding their time, waiting for the opportune moment to reveal themselves.

Either way, they would have to make a choice soon.
Sohwa looked towards the end of the path they had come from. A wave of intense heat, like an approaching wildfire, washed over her.
It wasn't Tang Min.

Nine distinct flames, burning like embers, were rapidly approaching.
‘…Elder Tang Min.’ She gripped the throwing knives hidden within her sleeve. Though she knew it was presumptuous to worry about him, fear, despite her earlier resolve, tightened its grip on her heart.
But she couldn't retreat.

This was both a crisis and an opportunity. Her first chance to change the course of her life. Even if she died here, it wouldn’t be a meaningless death. If her father investigated the incident, searching Mount Emei for answers, he would at least be aware of the danger facing the Tang Clan.
And if a member of the main family died, the Martial Alliance wouldn't be able to ignore it. Her father was a shrewd man. He wouldn't let this go. He would protect the Tang Clan.
Despite her resolve, her young body trembled involuntarily.

“Step back.”
Sohwa looked up at the sound of the low, commanding voice. One of the warriors from the Divine Physician's troupe stepped forward, positioning himself in front of her.
“These are not opponents you can face.” With that brief warning, he assumed a defensive stance, the other warriors quickly forming a protective formation around them. The wave of intense heat was met by a wall of chilling cold.

But Sohwa’s unease remained. As the flames drew closer, she felt it more acutely. The chilling aura emanating from the warriors was too weak, like thin ice melting under a scorching flame.
Kwang!
One of the warriors at the front of the formation collapsed without a sound. A flurry of blinding lights erupted from all directions, movements too swift to follow. The attackers had broken through their defenses, their assault swift and brutal.

“Noona!”
Tang Hak’s cry was accompanied by a sudden gust of wind. A figure, materializing beside Sohwa, was abruptly pushed back.
Kwabang! Bang! Bang! The deputy leader, unleashing a barrage of hidden weapons, seemed intent on turning the attacker into a pincushion.

The attacker, dodging the projectiles, leaped onto a nearby tree, clinging to the trunk horizontally, like a spider, his body low and crouched.
He looked less like a human and more like a monstrous insect.
The heat intensified, radiating from the attackers like molten lava.

Though they were less than a third of the number they had faced earlier, the tide had turned. The delicate balance they had maintained shattered.
Sohwa felt a searing pain in her neck, as if a flaming arrow had grazed her skin. The heat, sensed only moments ago, was now upon her.