Blood is Thicker Than Water (2)
A long sigh escaped from Baek Jang-ro. “Hoo… just what in the world is going on here?”
It was the umpteenth time he had let out that same lament, yet no one could blame him for it. After all, who could have imagined that a once-renowned friend would be living in a crumbling ruin like this?
What on earth had driven him to lie down in such a dilapidated house, gasping for breath as if he might die at any moment?
“Father! I’ve come!”
“You… how did things come to this…”
Baek Jang-ro couldn’t finish his sentence. He simply closed his mouth and stared at his old friend with a piercing gaze. The expression on his face stood in stark contrast to the hopeful look he had worn when he first spoke of his friend.
It seemed he still couldn’t accept the reality that his longtime companion had fallen into such a wretched state.
I would have felt the same.
How could anyone easily accept that a man who had once been a successful innkeeper had, overnight, ended up living in a half-collapsed shack and now lay dying in bed?
So this was what they meant by Sae-ong-ji-ma—the idea that fortune and misfortune are two sides of the same coin.
With that rather unpleasant realization, I quietly leaned against a crumbling wall and watched the reunion of the two old friends.
“Cough… cough… So you’ve come…”
“How did you end up like this? You, who were once called the Iron Blade of the Yangtze! How could a man like you fall so low?!”
A cry mixed with anguish shook the entire ruined house. Of course, a voice alone couldn’t do that, but in his overwhelming agitation, he must have unconsciously infused his words with inner energy.
I let the vibrating resonance of that qi brush past my skin and idly fiddled with the hilt of my sword.
Whatever the details, it was clear I had gotten dragged into something quite troublesome. Still, since I was already involved, I figured I could sort it out somehow—just like I had during the trade negotiations with the famous merchant.
I began listening carefully to their conversation.
“It’s all because of the karma I’ve accumulated…”
“Karma? What are you talking about? You saved dozens of people through your chivalrous deeds! Until you retired, weren’t you praised far and wide as a true hero of the righteous path?”
Baek Jang-ro’s sigh transformed into a rough, beast-like roar, tangled with both rage and sorrow.
Should I calm him down first?
If he kept going like this, he might end up suffering from a qi deviation born of fury.
Harboring a bit of concern, I continued to observe their exchange.
“Even those who… live in the mountains… cough… the Taoist immortals… accumulate… karma… It’s all my… mistake.”
“Father! How can you say the eldest brother’s corruption is your fault?!”
“No… I should have… made it clear… from the beginning…”
…So it was a family matter after all.
“Your eldest… that would be Mun-gyeong, right? I knew the boy had a wild streak, but to think he would commit such a heinous act against his own father? Just what happened between you two?”
“It’s all… my fault…”
“I will explain it, sir.”
Ma-ryang’s story was quite long. That was only natural, coming from a throat choked with resentment. I listened attentively, letting out a quiet sigh.
What a complete mess.
“…So because you refused to teach him martial arts, he ran away from home, learned some techniques elsewhere, then came back and challenged his own father to a duel? And during that duel, he used a killing move?”
“That’s correct…”
Ma-ryang ground his teeth, seemingly unable to contain his own fury. His face suggested that if his older brother were standing in front of him right now, he would kill him without hesitation, blood ties be damned.
“It’s all my failure… my failure… I should have told him the truth… but my damn pride…”
The half-mad old man kept repeating his self-recriminations over and over.
But why hadn’t he taught his son martial arts in the first place? In the modern world, maybe, but in a place like this, unless the boy had a constitution like the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, there was no reason not to pass on the family arts. An inn frequented by martial artists was bound to see its share of trouble, so knowing martial arts would only be beneficial. If anything, producing a skilled expert would have been something to boast about.
And if he was going to have a disciple to inherit his techniques, wouldn’t it be better for that person to be his own son?
“Father, why didn’t you just teach Brother martial arts…”
“…I couldn’t… The Seven Saber Way… I couldn’t…!”
“Father!”
“Get him back to bed first! No, we need to bring a physician immediately! Hurry, carry him!”
“Mister, that’s such a horrible story…”
“As you live in this world, you’ll hear stories like this countless times. Get used to it. It’s a cruel thing to say, but tragedy comes without warning.”
Tragedy never gives advance notice.
Some people can pile up mountains of bad karma and still live out their lives in peace, while others get crushed when a small misdeed snowballs into an avalanche that strikes without mercy. That was simply how reality worked.
Unfortunately, it seemed the old man now being carried on his son’s back had become the victim of just such an unforeseen tragedy.
“Ha-jin, you and the others should secure rooms at the inn and rest. Today, I wish to stay by my friend’s side.”
“…Understood, Elder.”
Ha-jin nodded with a bitter expression, then turned to us.
“Let’s find our seats quickly.”
No one objected to his words.
“Mister… did you sleep well?”
“Well…”
To be honest, after what happened yesterday, sleeping comfortably was impossible. Even Hye-ryeong, who was blinking at me with sleepy eyes, looked exhausted.
I wanted to tell her to sleep more, but it was already quite late. We had woken up at least half a gak later than usual, so it was time to wait for Baek Jang-ro.
Still, I couldn’t stop wondering why the bedridden owner of the Hong Family Inn had refused to teach his son martial arts. Even Ma-ryang seemed frustrated because he didn’t know the reason.
That reason had to be the key to all of this.
What could possibly be so important that he wouldn’t even tell his own son? It wasn’t like the boy was just a disciple—he was his flesh and blood.
Harboring that question, I went down to the first floor of the inn with Hye-ryeong. The others were still doing their breathing exercises, so it would take them some time. That meant only the two of us would be eating first.
We sat in a quiet corner of the sparsely populated inn and stared toward the entrance.
“We told Baek Jang-ro where the inn is, so he should be back soon, right?”
“I’m not so sure. His friend’s condition sounds like it could go either way at any moment. It might be faster if we go to him instead.”
Mu-gwang had visited the physician last night, so we knew the location. Given how serious the situation was, it would be better for most of us to stay at the inn while only two or three went to check on him.
Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if we should be getting involved in this at all.
Inserting ourselves into such a delicate family matter felt incredibly awkward. Maybe it was because I used to be Korean before my possession…
“Mister, let’s stop talking about gloomy things and eat breakfast! Breakfast!”
“Yeah… you’re right.”
What good would it do for us to sit here moping? In the end, we didn’t know anything. We couldn’t make judgments based on the half-story Ma-ryang had told us.
“Waiter! Two bowls of somyeon and two orders of dumplings, please!”
“Coming right up! Two somyeon and two orders of dumplings!”
The waiter’s slightly hoarse voice and the gruff reply from the kitchen. I passed the time spinning my teacup between my fingers, using the clatter of them preparing the food as background noise.
Even Hye-ryeong, who would normally chatter away nonstop, was unusually quiet. It seemed yesterday’s events had really shaken her.
“Your ordered somyeon and dumplings are ready!”
“Thank you.”
“N-no problem!”
The waiter seemed a bit intimidated by the fact that I was a foreigner. He answered stiffly before hurrying back to the kitchen. Was talking to a foreigner really that difficult?
I was speaking perfect Central Plains language, though.
“Let’s eat.”
We both focused solely on devouring our breakfast. There wasn’t really anything else to do.
Before long, the warriors of the Hainan Sword Gate began taking seats at the tables around us one by one. After that long, silent meal, Ha-jin finally broke the silence.
“How about just me and Hero Wi go?”
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
“Eldest Brother, I also—”
“Ha-gyeong, while we’re gone, I need you to look after the junior disciples.”
“Understood.”
Ha-gyeong nodded as if he understood perfectly.
“Hero Wi. Shall we go?”
I hope nothing bad happens.
I nodded in agreement and stood up from my seat.
“Then we’ll be back.”
“Have a safe trip. I’ll be resting in my room.”
Hye-ryeong informed us of her plans in a noticeably subdued tone before standing up.
I guess I don’t need to worry about her for now.
Things just kept happening one after another. With a touch of worry in my heart, I headed toward the physician’s house with Ha-jin.
“Ha-jin. You’re here.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Baek Jang-ro looked noticeably haggard, as if he hadn’t slept at all. Just how much mental anguish had he gone through in a single night?
“How is the old master?”
“They told me to prepare myself.”
The worst possible news. I glanced at Ma-ryang, who sat beside him in a complete daze. He didn’t look much better. At this rate, it seemed like he might follow his father soon after.
“Did you manage to hear anything more?”
“He just kept repeating that everything was his fault.”
Baek Jang-ro answered with a face that looked like he was about to go insane from frustration. His voice was hoarse as he continued.
“I want to stay and handle my friend’s funeral. You all should head back first.”
“No, that won’t be necessary. Since we came with plenty of time to spare, we can help with the funeral rites. Shouldn’t we, as his juniors, send off the Iron Blade Hero who was once famous as a champion of justice?”
I quietly nodded in agreement with his words, lending my support.
After all, it would still take at least a few months before the original story truly began. The timing wasn’t exact, but a slight delay shouldn’t change things too drastically.
“You all go back and rest. I want to stay by my friend’s side a little longer…”
“Understood. Elder, please take care of your health even a little.”
“I’m fine. Go on.”
We turned around and walked out of the physician’s house.
Hoo, this is frustrating.
In times like this… you just have to push forward.
“Young Hero Ha-jin.”
“Yes, Hero Wi.”
“Are there beggars in this area as well?”
“Is there any place in this world without beggars?”
That’s true. The world was overflowing with them.
“Then let’s go take a look at how the beggars here live.”
Ha-jin nodded with a look of firm determination on his face.