IBPC | Chapter 8.1

“…Ha.”

Tae Heegon slowly closed his eyes, pressing his lips tightly together as if trying to suppress the emotions surging within him. He held onto his rationality with all his might, trying to make sense of the situation.

While he had left Seoyul alone for a moment to attend to his business, this bastard Galjae was claiming that Seoyul had run away.

It didn’t make sense. Seoyul? Running away? And for what? To steal some trinkets from Galjae? The palace was overflowing with precious treasures, and he himself could give Seoyul far more than that without a second thought.

There was no way this bastard’s words were true.

“What did you do to that child?”

Heegon barely managed to ask, restraining himself. Galjae, who was forced to kneel on the floor by Pacheon, trembled violently. But the fear in his eyes wasn’t directed at Heegon—it was something else entirely.

“Even if things go south, you must never speak of me. If you do, not only will I kill you, but I’ll cut your family’s limbs off and throw them onto the streets. You have three children, don’t you?”

The old woman who orchestrated this knew everything about him. She exuded an ominous presence, making it clear where he needed to place his allegiance.

“I… I swear, he really ran away! I don’t understand why you’re doing this to me….”

Galjae repeated the same excuse, making Pacheon lose his patience. Raising his hand, Pacheon mercilessly slapped Galjae across the face.

“Stop spewing lies and tell the truth. If you knew who this man before you was, you’d realize that your head will be cut off and displayed in the marketplace by morning.”

“I—I swear! This is unjust!”

Even as Pacheon threatened him, Galjae refused to confess. Watching him, Heegon’s unease grew stronger.

Could it be? Did this bastard figure out that Seoyul was an Eumin and take him because of it?

No, that wasn’t the important thing right now. Whether they knew Seoyul’s identity or not, the fact remained—he had disappeared from Heegon’s grasp.

There was no time to waste.

Heegon had no patience left. Without another word, he grabbed Galjae by the throat and pulled him closer.

“If you refuse to speak the truth, I’ll make you change your mind.”

“…Huh?”

“One word is all it takes to make this stop. If you change your mind, start talking.”

“…?”

Galjae’s eyes widened, not comprehending what Heegon meant.

Heegon no longer bothered urging him. Instead, he gripped Galjae’s wrist with both hands and, without hesitation, twisted it in opposite directions with all his strength.

CRACK—

Heegon’s hands, far stronger than the average man’s, showed no mercy. The sound of tendons snapping and bones grinding against each other pierced the air. In an instant, Galjae’s wrist was twisted backward.

“Ugh—ARGH!!”

A beast-like scream erupted from Galjae as his entire body convulsed from the pain. He trembled uncontrollably, his broken wrist uselessly dangling.

Without hesitation, Heegon reached for Galjae’s shoulder.

“I only need that wretched tongue of yours, so I suppose I should start getting rid of the unnecessary parts first.”

Galjae hadn’t even fully processed the pain in his wrist before Heegon grabbed his shoulder and arm, tightening his grip. His body spasmed as foam formed at the corners of his mouth.

“I—I’LL TALK! I’LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING!”

Galjae screamed at the top of his lungs, clinging desperately to Heegon with his unbroken arm.

Only then did Heegon slowly release his grip. Galjae trembled uncontrollably, gasping for breath.

“I… I sold him to a brothel.”

“……”

“There are thugs known for running male courtesans… I… Ugh… I sold him to them….”

Sold him to a brothel—

Hearing Galjae’s confession, Heegon locked eyes with Pacheon.

Seoyul running away had been unbelievable enough, but now he was supposed to believe that someone had kidnapped him, waited for the perfect opportunity, and sold him off?

This wasn’t just a reckless move. It was calculated.

Something about this situation didn’t sit right, but the priority now was getting Seoyul back.

“Where is it?”

“Ugh… Hhhng….”

“Where did those bastards take him?”

Heegon tightened his grip again.

“Speak—now. I’m not a patient man.”

⊹₊⟡⋆

Seoyul’s body was thrown to the ground, landing face-down with a force that made his vision spin. His head pounded, but he struggled to keep his mind clear.

He had only been waiting for Heegon while looking at the pond. That was all. Then, out of nowhere, something was forced into his mouth, gagging him. At that moment, he hadn’t even understood what was happening. All he knew was that something rough was shoved into his mouth, cutting off his breath. Before he could react, darkness consumed him.

By the time he realized a black cloth had been thrown over his head, his body was already being dragged away by someone.

Struggling did nothing. He thrashed and screamed, but with his vision blocked and his mouth sealed shut, there was nothing he could do.

And then came the fear. Overwhelming, suffocating fear that swallowed him whole.

He had no idea how much time had passed. It could’ve been a few minutes, or it could’ve been an eternity.

Suddenly, light flooded his vision. The cloth was yanked off, and Seoyul was dumped onto the floor. His body trembled, but he forced himself to lift his head.

Strangers. Men he had never seen before were looking down at him.

“Mmmpf…!”

What the hell is going on? Where is Tae Heegon? What about Pacheon? Who are these men? And where is this place?

Nothing made sense, which only amplified the terror sinking its claws into him. If there had been even a shred of logic, some kind of cause and effect, he might have been able to grasp the situation. But there was nothing.

Seoyul screamed, but all that came out was a muffled noise through the gag. The men surrounding him paid no mind. Instead, they started talking amongst themselves.

“Are we really allowed to do whatever we want with him?”

“He’s just some brothel whore. They’ll think he ran away. You think they’ll come looking for him?”

“Still, I don’t get it. Why’d they give us this courtesan and even pay us to take him?”

“Come on, you’ve seen it before. Brothel scum getting sold off to settle grudges. All we have to do is have our fun and make some money.”

“Look at these clothes. Do brothel whores even dress this fancy these days? He’s even got earrings.”

“There’s some kind of pattern here. What does it mean?”

“Who cares? Just take everything later.”

Their casual, callous words rained down on him like knives. Seoyul started trembling violently.

What is this? Why is this happening?

There had been no warning, no sign. It was as if lightning had struck out of nowhere. No—being struck by lightning would’ve been better than this.

His heart pounded so loud he could hear it echoing in his ears. Desperately, he twisted his bound hands, trying to break free. But the ropes were too tight. No matter how much he struggled, they wouldn’t budge.

And then—

Hands.

Rough, unfamiliar hands started touching him.

“Damn, his skin’s amazing.”

“Feels softer than a woman’s.”

Their hands crept under his clothes all at once, groping, violating.

Seoyul thrashed, screaming as much as the gag would allow.

“Ughh! Mmmphh!!”

His leg shot up in desperation, landing a brutal kick to one of the men’s chins. The man stumbled back, coughing in pain, before spitting bloody saliva onto the ground.

“What a nasty little thing.”

His voice was laced with irritation.

“Hey, go get some aphrodisiac. Let’s make this brat behave.”

At his command, the others moved immediately.

Seoyul clung to his consciousness with everything he had, even as darkness threatened to take over.

Tae Heegon—

That was the only thought left in his mind.

As nausea choked him and his vision blurred, his world was slowly swallowed by despair.

⊹₊⟡⋆

A secluded area on the outskirts of the capital.

There stood an old, shabby yet surprisingly large gwan—an inn in appearance, but those in the know understood its true nature. It was a yugwak, a brothel disguised as a lodging house. A place where those who sold their bodies entertained guests and where men indulged in forbidden pleasures behind closed doors. As expected of such a place, the heavy scent of musk filled every corner of the establishment, an oppressive fragrance that clung to the skin.

Thud—

The doors swung open, and Tae Heegon strode in. Without hesitation, he threw the limp body of Galjae onto the floor. The man, whose face had been beaten beyond recognition, landed with a sickening thump, his crumpled form more resembling a corpse than a living person.

The loud disturbance instantly drew the attention of everyone inside the brothel. Curious, cautious gazes flickered toward the entrance, only to freeze upon seeing the man responsible.

Heegon stood in the middle of the hall, unmoving, his presence alone filling the space with an almost tangible pressure.

The brothel’s manager, realizing the gravity of the situation, scrambled forward, nearly tripping over himself in his haste.

“Wh-what brings you here, Lord?”

The man stammered, bowing as low as possible in deference. One look at Heegon—tall, broad-shouldered, and exuding an unmistakable air of nobility—was enough to tell him this was not someone he should cross. His gaze flickered toward Galjae’s mangled body, and he swallowed hard.

Heegon barely shifted his gaze downward, his cold stare pinning the manager in place.

“There are men who brought in a short-haired young man tonight.” His voice was low and edged with quiet menace. “Where is he?”

A chill ran down the manager’s spine. Just the sound of Heegon’s voice was enough to make his blood run cold.

His eyes darted nervously between Heegon and the man standing behind him—Pacheon. Both radiated a dangerous aura that made his hands tremble as he clasped them together.

“I—this place sees many visitors, Lord… If you could tell me more about the situation, perhaps I could help—”

Before he could finish, Heegon reached out, fingers closing around the manager’s throat.

“Ghk—!”

The manager’s feet lifted off the ground as Heegon effortlessly hoisted him into the air with one hand.

The scent of blood.

It clung to Heegon’s hand, the crimson smears fresh against his skin. The metallic tang flooded the manager’s nose, making him gag. His feet barely scraped against the floor as he dangled helplessly from Heegon’s grip.

“L-Lord—please! P-please calm yourself—”

“Where is he?”

“I—I truly don’t know! Most who stay here are drifters, passing through—! B-but I’ll search for him at once!”

Desperate, the manager pleaded with all his might.

Heegon studied him for a moment before abruptly letting go.

Thud!

The man collapsed onto the floor, coughing and gasping for air.

Heegon ignored him. His gaze swept over the crowd, noting the way the onlookers avoided his eyes, shrinking into the shadows. He stood still for a moment, as if focusing on something unseen.

Then—his expression shifted.

The overpowering musk that filled the brothel was enough to make one dizzy. But buried beneath it was something else.

Something faint, yet unmistakable.

Seoyul’s scent.

Heegon clenched his jaw, biting down hard as his grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.

Without another word, he strode forward, heading for the stairs.

Upstairs.

That was where he was.

As Heegon ascended, he unsheathed his blade.

⊹₊⟡⋆

Seoyul’s head drooped powerlessly, his body devoid of strength. Although the gag had been removed from his mouth, all that he could muster were hot, labored breaths.

The men had forced something into him the moment the gag was loosened, taking advantage of his vulnerable state to shove their hands into his mouth, which he bit in defense.

This resulted in him being beaten until he nearly lost consciousness. Pain throbbed through his head, accompanied by a high-pitched ringing in his ears.

In the meantime, the men had stripped him of his clothing. Initially, Seoyul had resisted with all his might, but gradually, his strength ebbed away from his fingertips.

It happened in an instant, and soon his body grew hot and his breathing quickened, reminiscent of his heat cycles, but the sensation was terrifyingly different—weighed down by fear and pain.

“Look at this one,” one of the men said as he undressed Seoyul, stopping suddenly when he noticed something. He pointed between Seoyul’s legs. “He’s wet down there. Just like a girl.”

The man who was about to force Seoyul to take him in his mouth pulled back with an elongated stare. “That can’t be.”

But as he shifted to look below, he saw the fluids that had involuntarily leaked out, a result of the drug’s effect. “What the—”

The men murmured among themselves, one of them looking as if he recalled something. “Wait, I think I’ve heard of this. Eumin, was it?”

“Eumin? A fully grown Eumin, here?”

“But isn’t it said that Eumin, despite being male, can get wet down there?”