Chapter 162. Trust in a Lie

So-hwa nodded. When it came to the wilderness, she trusted Namgung Jin completely.

He unpacked his satchel, pulling out a blanket, and began picking up stones from the ground.

So-hwa trusted him, yet she could not fathom what he intended to do. Raising a single brow, she watched from behind as he even picked up a stone no larger than the palm of a hand.

Then, placing the small stone on the blanket, Namgung Jin struck it forcefully with a larger rock.

Bang!

To her astonishment, the small stone sank into the cliffside, securing the blanket in place.

"..."

So-hwa stared at the man, half in awe, half in disbelief. Namgung Jin, with an expression as calm as ever, drove in a few more stones, anchoring the blanket at the entrance as if it were a makeshift door.

Finally, he turned to see her reaction, a hint of pride in his eyes.

"Creating a step like this will block the cold wind from entering, and it will also keep light from spilling outside."

He seemed intent on lighting a fire inside.

He told So-hwa to go in first, saying he would go find wood that hadn't been soaked by the snow.

As the eldest son of the Namgung Clan, he was so skilled in outdoor survival that it was hard to tell whether he was a noble heir or merely a lifelong wanderer.

So-hwa spread the blanket and stepped inside. The cave was low, forcing her to bow slightly, and a chill lingered in the air.

Before Namgung Jin returned, she brushed away the snow on the floor and stacked a few small stones in the center to make a rudimentary hearth. From her bag, she retrieved hardened oil and placed a piece inside the stone hearth.

At that moment, Namgung Jin returned.

"It seems the snow has been heavy. Good firewood is scarce."

Contrary to his words, he carried a bundle of wood of varying thicknesses and lengths.

"That should be enough to last the night."

So-hwa said.

While Namgung Jin arranged the larger pieces, she placed thin branches over the oil and ensured the thicker logs surrounded the fire.

Click.

Using a fire striker, So-hwa ignited the oil. It would maintain a steady flame for half a gak (about 30 minutes), enough to dry the wood.

Namgung Jin settled against the cave wall, smiling.

"Ah, you brought oil."

He nudged a large stone against the blanket, creating a small gap for the smoke to escape. Through that narrow opening, the forest outside, now swallowed by darkness, was visible.

So-hwa finally understood why Namgung Jin had insisted they not search for more than two days.

Though they had done little, exhaustion from the day's trek had already set in.

She retrieved a small pouch from her satchel.

"What's that?"

"A medicine to restore your energy."

Namgung Jin accepted the pill she handed him and swallowed it. So-hwa did the same.

Watching her, he let out a faint chuckle.

"... Why are you laughing?"

"I'm just amused that I accepted a Tang Clan member's medicine without even checking it first."

It wasn't the kind of remark one made in front of a Tang Clan member, yet So-hwa curved her lips in a wry smile. She had grown accustomed to suspicion—it had been a constant companion until her last life.

The Tang Clan of Sichuan never sent food when gifting outsiders. Unless someone specifically requested herbs, they sent only their specialties or jewels.

The Tang Clan did not resent the suspicion. In fact, they liked it.

Well, she didn't know if all Tang Clan members liked it, but at least the ones she knew did.

So-hwa furrowed her brow, recalling the past.

‘Perhaps those two people were never quite sane.’

“I spoke out of turn. I apologize.”

Namgung Jin, misunderstanding her expression, offered an apology in turn.

So-hwa shook her head.

“It's fine. The Tang Clan doesn't only speak well of the Namgung Clan, so there's no need to apologize.”

The eldest son of the Namgung Clan lifted a thick brow, clearly displeased.

"... What do the Tang Clan say about the Namgung Clan?"

Normally, this would be the moment to respond with a polite joke, to give face. But if Tang So-hwa possessed such social tact, she wouldn't now be struggling for information in her second life.

She answered calmly.

"They say Namgung is two-faced. They praise themselves as incorruptible and righteous martial artists, comparing themselves to the heavens, but in reality, they are the ones who covet wealth the most and think it's a disaster to sit in a low position.”

"..."

“It would be more consistent if they were just openly calculating. I've often heard them being mocked for demanding others to pretend not to see their dark side while expecting their bright side to be praised.”

Namgung Jin stirred, a faint movement of his lips.

"I didn't realize that other noble clans criticized the Namgung Clan like that."

"You likely wouldn't have been told that directly, Young Lord."

So-hwa replied, lowering her gaze.

"Because seeing you, it seems those rumors about Namgung Clan aren't true."

She observed Namgung Jin sitting casually on the dirt floor. Though he had instructed her to stay inside and warm herself, he remained alert, ready to step outside at a moment's notice.

With a bitter tone, she added.

"It seems the one who never spends time in humble places is the very person mocking the Namgung Clan."

Namgung Jin closed his mouth, a faint expression crossing his face. After a long moment, he rubbed his head and said, somewhat sheepishly,

"I'm reflecting on that as well. It seems the single pill you gave me restores more energy than the dried meat I prepared."

"I'm glad the medicine works for you."

So-hwa replied. She held her satchel and slowly lifted her gaze to meet his.

"Actually..."

"Yes?"

"I detected the smell of sulfur in the gorge."

"Sulfur? Does that pose a problem?"

Worried that the perceptive Young Lord might sense her own constitution, So-hwa nevertheless spoke the thoughts she had kept to herself while in the mountains.

"Where sulfur seeps out, there are occasionally hot springs nearby."

"Oh? You wish to bathe in a hot spring?"

So-hwa let out a wry laugh.

"No. I have no intention of bathing leisurely in the middle of all this."

She continued, voicing the line of thought she had been following alone.

"If the sulfur has risen from underground due to the earth's heat, then there must be zones warmed by geothermal energy."

Namgung Jin did not fully understand, but he kept silent and listened attentively.

So-hwa went on.

"I cannot know the exact layout of the gorge, but if heat flows through the ground, it could be used to cultivate crops. It might not yield abundant food, but enough to sustain life, I think."

"You're suggesting there could be a settlement within the gorge?"

"That's the impression I get, though it is a contradictory assumption. If the sulfur concentration is high, exposure could endanger lives. Sulfur is a common ingredient in poisonous concoctions."

"Hearing that from you, Young Lady, lends it much credibility."

Namgung Jin said.

So-hwa chuckled lightly, treating his comment as a joke, though he had not intended it that way. He remained quietly attentive, as perceptive as ever.

Sighing at her own frustration, So-hwa ran her hand through her hair.

"Still, I cannot make sense of it entirely. There are traces of passage into the gorge, so it seems people do enter. Yet if common folk have settled inside, they may have established a defensive system."

If civilians moved into the gorge to avoid the eyes of the Blood Sect, it would indicate severe persecution. They might react sharply to outsiders, making even a simple encounter dangerous.

Before requesting a meeting with the North Sea Bloodline, one could risk death if the defenses were triggered.

After a moment of thought, Namgung Jin spoke.

"In any case, wouldn't it be best to go and see for yourself? Even if you asked the Platinum Pavilion people, their words cannot be trusted. I'd go myself, even alone."

Namgung Jin's reply came easily, though it carried weight. While their thought processes differed, the conclusion was the same.

'So, I must go and see for myself.'

Indeed, Namgung Jin was right.

Sitting idly and pondering accomplished nothing.

Seeing with one's own eyes was the only way to believe and know.

Sohwa let out a short sigh.

"I'm glad I asked you, Young Lord. In a situation like this, we cannot trust anyone, so we must see it for ourselves."

"I'm relieved that brings you peace."

Namgung Jin leaned against the wall and added.

"Try to get some rest. Even a short nap can make a world of difference the next day."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to ask one more thing."

So-hwa said cautiously.

"Go ahead."

Namgung Jin waited for her to speak, his body still leaning against the wall, only turning his head toward her.

So-hwa hesitated, then spoke.

"Do you remember the Alliance Leader saying that the Blood Demon does not exist?"

"Yes, I remember."

"The Alliance Leader lied. The Blood Demon does exist."

Namgung Jin frowned, his brows knitting.

"What do you mean by that?"

"The Alliance Leader used Five Minerals Powder to distort memories. That is why everyone believes the Blood Demon does not exist."

"Young Lady, this is no time for jokes. Why would anyone tell such a lie..."

His words trailed off as he fell silent. He seemed to recall something, and after a long pause, he spoke again.

"Recently, when I mentioned Five Minerals Powder to the Clan Head, he refused to hear me and denied the Five Minerals Powder's existence entirely."

His voice was sharp and cold.

"If one is brainwashed by Five Minerals Powder, does that mean any related words are automatically denied?"

So-hwa nodded.

"Yes, depending on the brainwashing, that can happen."

Namgung Jin closed his eyes, pressing his hand to his forehead.

“I'm a little confused. The fact that the Blood Demon doesn't exist is certain, and it's clear that Lady Tang is lying, yet... thinking of my father makes me uneasy.”

"That reaction is natural. Five Minerals Powder makes people foolish. In a month, he will recover his memory—just wait a little longer."

"Brainwashing from Five Minerals Powder lasts only a month? That's a relief. I'll have to talk to my father again when I get back.”

So-hwa hesitated, then said softly.

“Your Clan Head probably won't be released from the brainwashing even after a month. When first exposed to Five Minerals Powder, people recover their memory in a month, but repeated exposure can make it impossible to reclaim one's recollection forever."

A brief silence fell. Only the crackling of the fire filled the narrow cave.

Namgung Jin's voice was low.

"Then... I might never recover my memory either?"

"I would like to believe not, but the truth is, I cannot guarantee it."

Even after two years spent in the secluded cave, Namgung Jin had not shown any reaction, suggesting he had been deceived by Namgung Hyun. It was likely he had not been exposed to Five Minerals Powder—or perhaps he had been brainwashed too much to ever recover.

So-hwa continued.

“I know the Young Lord can’t believe in the existence of the Blood Demon right now. You must think I’m trying to deceive you. But I wish to tell you the truth."

His dark eyes lifted to meet hers.

"May I tell the Young Lord the truth?"

"Didn't you say that even if I hear the truth, I wouldn't believe it?"

"Even if you cannot believe the Blood Demon exists, I hope you can trust that I have reasons for my words. That you will trust me, even if not the truth itself."

"... Very well."

“That trust is all I need.”

She said earnestly, meeting his gaze.

The Young Lord of the Namgung Clan had come to the North Sea because he trusted her. Despite skipping many explanations, he had followed her into the snow-covered mountains to find the people of the North Sea. Yet still, he sat at a dangerous entrance as if it were natural, telling others to rest while he remained alert, guarding the surroundings.

Namgung Jin was clearly unlike anyone she had ever known in the Namgung Can.

In another sense, So-hwa silently prayed he would survive. Not because she feared Namgung Hyun becoming the Clan Head, but because she did not want her first friend in this life to die.

Even knowing that revealing the secrets of her constitution and her connection to the Blood Demon could be dangerous, she spoke the truth without hesitation.

So-hwa remained silent for a moment, then added,

"Even if you think the food from the Tang Clan is poisoned and dare not eat it, I hope you can trust me in the same way you ate it without suspicion. Even if you cannot believe in the truth of my words, please trust me and act."

"...."

"I do not wish for misunderstandings to destroy the trust between us. You came to the North Sea because you trusted me, and I intend to do everything to ensure that you survive."

At her words, Namgung Jin let out a small, involuntary smile.

'Who is going to protect whom?'

That thought came to him, yet he did not dislike it. The eldest daughter of the Tang Clan was normally expressionless, but now, speaking with such earnest tension, she inspired trust.

In truth, he already trusted So-hwa. Had anyone from the Namgung retainers witnessed him taking the pill she had just handed him without hesitation, they would have been utterly shocked.

"How can I refuse when you put it that way?"

He sighed and straightened his posture from the wall against which he had been leaning.

"I do not know how long it will take, but I will listen without falling asleep."

Though Namgung Jin had meant it as a jest, So-hwa took it seriously and, in as concise a manner as possible, recounted the events that had occurred between the Blood Demon and the North Sea Ice Palace.

Though he had claimed he could not believe her words, he was soon drawn into the story of the lost Outer Regions. He even asked questions from time to time, prolonging their discussion.

In the end, the two direct descendants of the noble clans could not sleep. They spent the night on the North Sea, immersed in the history of the vanished Outer Regions.