Wuhan Within Wuhan (3)
“How about this room?”
“Hmm...”
“The bathroom is over there, and the training room is right here! They must have specially prepared it for meditation and energy circulation. It gets incredibly quiet once you step inside!”
I glanced into the room Hye-ryeong had recommended. It was roughly the size of a comfortable two-room suite, large enough to contain two additional chambers within it.
One was clearly the bathroom. The other looked like a small training cell—probably soundproofed, judging by the thick walls.
...Still, having a bathroom indoors? Wouldn’t the smell linger?
Every lodging we had used on the journey from Hainan Island had facilities built outside the main building, so an indoor toilet felt strangely uncomfortable. The stench would have been unbearable otherwise. Yet the fact that they had deliberately installed one inside meant they had solved that particular problem thoroughly.
I stepped into the room and opened the bathroom door.
“...Oh.”
It was cleaner than I expected.
Compared to modern flush toilets it still looked primitive, but I could hear water flowing. Apparently there was a constant stream beneath the large jar that served as the toilet bowl. In this era, the standard was usually to collect waste in jars and repurpose it as fertilizer, wasn’t it?
Then again, this was a world where civilians casually hurled bombs at each other. A little indoor plumbing wasn’t worth raising an eyebrow over.
I closed the bathroom door and examined the training room next. It was tiny—no more than one or two pyeong. I rapped on the wall; the sound died instantly. Sound-absorbing material. Impressive.
As expected of the heart of the orthodox factions, even the facilities were no joke. The setup was so satisfying that I found myself wondering how luxurious the other old factions’ quarters might be.
“We’ll take this one.”
“Hehe, it’s right across from mine!”
“...Are there no other rooms available?”
Directly opposite felt awkward. If either door happened to be left open, we would be able to see straight into each other’s rooms. I wasn’t a pervert, and while I wasn’t exactly disinterested, there was no need to manufacture situations that would leave both of us blushing.
“Why not? This is nice, isn’t it?”
“Being directly across from each other might feel burdensome.”
“Then I’ll show you another option!”
Hye-ryeong snatched my hand and practically dragged me down the corridor. This time she led me in the opposite direction.
“...Hye-ryeong. Now it’s the room right next door.”
“This one is good too!”
She flung the door open with enthusiasm and flapped her arms like a penguin.
“See? It’s nice, right!”
“...The layout is identical.”
All the rooms seemed to follow the same uniform design. But being directly adjacent made me far more self-conscious. I wasn’t sure whether the main rooms were properly soundproofed like the training cells, and the thought of hearing every little noise next door felt uncomfortable. At the very least, I wanted enough distance that we wouldn’t be constantly aware of each other.
Hye-ryeong might not mind, but I certainly did.
“Right? So why don’t we settle on this one?”
She looked up at me with wide, hopeful eyes. There was genuine desperation in her expression.
Just what was so important that she was this determined to have our rooms side by side?
I let out a long sigh and finally nodded.
The moment I did, her face lit up like a lantern. She flapped her arms again in delight.
“Hehe. Then let’s unpack! I’ll help you!”
“There’s really no need.”
My luggage amounted to nothing more than my sword, a dagger, a few changes of clothes, and some secret manuals. Anything more would have been a hassle to carry. The rest I could simply buy with money along the way.
I sighed again and sorted my belongings into the drawers. For now, carrying only weapons would suffice. There didn’t appear to be any rule against walking around armed inside the building—every Qingcheng and Mount Hua warrior I had passed on the way in had been wearing their swords openly.
“Now that the room is settled, it’s time to eat.”
“Since this is the Wulin Alliance, the food should be delicious, right?”
“There’s no way it wouldn’t be.”
They wouldn’t serve military slop in a place like this. Mass cooking was difficult, but this city was crowded enough to rival any major settlement even in medieval times. With dozens of professional cooks working in shifts, the quality should be reasonably assured.
“The late-stage disciple gathering and the martial tournament are still more than two weeks away, so let’s explore the city until then!”
“Exploration starts tomorrow.”
We had rushed the final leg of the journey from dawn to reach Wuhan quickly, leaving my stomach painfully empty. Filling it came first. Even Diamond Mountain looked better on a full stomach. You needed proper fuel before you could accomplish anything.
I headed toward the dining hall with Hye-ryeong.
The dining hall we reached with the rest of our group was packed. Most of the patrons appeared to be martial artists from the Nine Great Schools, though a few outsiders were scattered among them. We found an empty table and placed our orders.
“Do we pay separately?”
“Indeed.”
Elder Baek-hyeon pulled a money pouch from his sleeve in answer, then added, “It’s far cheaper than eating outside,” as if selling the hall’s merits.
Far cheaper? Then it really was a good place.
“The food here rivals the best inns in the city.”
“Now I’m even more curious.”
If Ha-jin was praising it this highly, the cooking had to be genuinely excellent. I let my gaze drift to the other tables. The one nearest us was clearly occupied by Taoists; their dishes were noticeably dominated by greens and vegetables. As hermits, they probably didn’t indulge much in meat. There were a few pieces, but they looked like reluctant garnishes on a sea of foliage. At that rate, calling them vegetarians wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
Perhaps because of it, the Taoists kept glancing at one another, subtly watching what everyone else was eating.
“Mister?”
“Ah, sorry. I was wondering what kind of dishes they’d serve...”
“This hall mainly prepares simple fare suited to the old factions.”
Simple fare, huh. It made sense when I thought about it. The Nine Great Schools were largely composed of Taoist hermits and Buddhist monks. Greasy, meat-heavy meals would be inappropriate; their diets naturally leaned toward the vegan side. They didn’t avoid meat entirely—martial artists still needed to maintain their bodies—but the monks probably abstained completely.
Then again, with aura acting as an all-purpose remedy, the need to balance nutrients might be meaningless in this world. If someone could survive a battlefield on minimal rations simply by circulating energy properly, then meals and health might not share the tight connection I was used to.
“I’m incredibly excited!”
“Come on, food is food… ah!”
“Ha-kyung. Mind your manners.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
That girl was going to get herself stabbed one day. I had no idea why she enjoyed provoking people so much.
“Elder Baek-hyeon. On another note, did your conversation with the Alliance Leader go well?”
“Conversation? We simply shared tea. A matter this large cannot be discussed between just two people.”
Elder Baek-hyeon’s words were entirely reasonable. The Demonic Cult problem was no longer something the Hainan Sword Sect could handle alone; it concerned the entire murim world. Deciding how to respond would require the full assembly of the Nine Great Schools and the Five Great Families.
“I hope it concludes smoothly.”
“The Nine Great Schools have not forgotten the danger the Demonic Cult represents. The seniors who survived the last war are still alive and well. The moment they hear this news, they will rise to action. With their support, the orthodox factions can unite their strength in no time.”
If they were Elder Baek-hyeon’s seniors, their level was obvious even without seeing them. With luck, I might witness absolute masters with my own eyes. The mere thought of standing before beings who had reached such unfathomable heights stirred genuine anticipation.
“It would be best if it could end without heavy losses…”
“...The fact that the Demonic Cult has returned means they believe they can fight the murim world and win. Which in turn means we will have no choice but to endure great sacrifice.”
Sacrifice. What a filthy word.
"You must live on, maknae."
“Mister? Are you okay?”
“Great Hero Wi, are you all right?”
“It’s nothing. Just some old memories resurfacing. Pay it no mind.”
Tsk.
There was no point in remembering it now, so why did it keep coming back? I clicked my tongue and turned my attention to the cook approaching our table with our food.
He set the dishes down, then looked at Elder Baek-hyeon with a delighted expression.
“Elder Baek-hyeon, is that really you? Have you been well?”
“I’ve lived an ordinary life. It seems you’re still producing excellent dishes.”
“Haha, what else is there for a cook to do?”
“Oh dear, I’ve detained a busy man. We’ll enjoy the meal.”
“Please do!”
Time to eat, then. I picked up my chopsticks and reached for a piece of meat.
At that exact moment, a familiar voice spoke from beside our table.
“You… were you from the Hainan Sword Sect…?”
“Mister? Who is this woman?”
At least let me finish one meal in peace.
I swallowed a sigh at the sight of Seo Ryeon tilting her head curiously while staring straight at me.