Chapter 449: A Moment of Pride Rather Than Words of Hardship
Chapter 449: A Moment of Pride Rather Than Words of Hardship
Father began to clean the fish.
Hwi stood a short distance away, watching restlessly as Father skillfully removed the entrails and scraped off the scales with practiced, fluid movements.
“I will do it, Cult Leader.”
“It is fine.”
At this point, I couldn't help but chime in.
“Even Uncle Hwi’s loyalty—trying to stretch the fish to make it look bigger—couldn't overcome my fishing skills.”
I had won the big-fish contest against Father.
“It was a natural result. Just because Father holds a wooden sword doesn't mean he can't kill an opponent with a treasured blade, right?”
Father shot a sidelong glance at Hwi. His expression seemed to say, Can’t you do something about that mouth of his? Hwi could only offer an awkward, helpless smile in response.
Father was truly serious about his cooking. As if to prove it, he reached toward the carriage again.
“What is it this time?”
A leather pouch opened, and several items flew out from within. It was a collection of small bottles. Surprisingly, they were filled with various seasonings.
I was moved once again. Father had actually prepared seasonings in anticipation of cooking during this journey.
The dish Father produced was truly magnificent.
“It’s delicious. Honestly, to my palate, it’s better than anything the professional cooks make.”
A sense of proud satisfaction radiated from Father’s expression. It seemed he was more pleased by a compliment on his cooking than one on his martial arts.
*
We set up camp that night. After building a campfire and laying down to sleep, I couldn't resist playing a little prank. Unlike the first night, I spread my bedding a good distance away from Father.
Father glanced at me. “Didn’t you say you’d endure the fishy smell and sleep anyway?”
“Did I say that?”
“If your nose disappears, I suppose the smell will bother you less.”
Father reached for and picked up the dagger he had used to clean the fish. By the time he actually turned toward me, I had already moved my bedding right next to him and was lying down.
“Aren’t you going to sleep?”
Father let out a faint smile. In that fleeting grin, I could feel that he was genuinely enjoying himself. He lay down beside me, the distance between us much closer than when we had gone out hunting.
“Actually, I don't smell a thing.”
“I know.”
Just as one might dispel the effects of alcohol, Father had already used his qi to blow the fishy scent into the air.
I turned my head while lying down to look at him. He was silently gazing up at the night sky. What was he thinking about?
What else? A rematch.
“Let’s go another round with night fishing,” he said.
I laughed out loud. If it were a defeat in martial arts, Father would never have harbored any lingering regrets. But fishing was different.
“Are you serious?”
“This time, it’s about who catches the most. But we swap rods. That old man, the Old Fisherman of the East Sea... I haven't liked him since back then.”
This was my father. He didn't look for better conditions because he lost; rather, when he asked for a rematch after a defeat, he was more than willing to accept a disadvantage. I loved this side of him.
“Fine by me.”
Father and I stood up and gathered our gear. Father took the rod I had made, and I took the one belonging to the Old Fisherman of the East Sea. It was light yet felt perfect in the hand—a masterpiece was truly a masterpiece.
“Uncle Hwi! I know you might be tired of it, but tomorrow morning’s breakfast will be fish cooked by Father again!”
*
The next morning, Father was cleaning fish.
I had won the night fishing as well. It was as if the fish were jumping onto my hook every time I cast the line. I caught so many that I released most of them, keeping only enough for us to eat.
“The Old Fisherman’s rod in my hand is like the Heavenly Demon Sword in yours, Father.”
I teased him on purpose. If I didn't poke fun at him like this, Father might actually feel his pride was wounded.
“I know you lost on purpose,” Father countered. “Because if you left the cooking to me, you’d have to eat a terrible breakfast. Right?”
The dagger in Father’s hand stopped. In the distance, Hwi shook his head, signaling me to stop. If that dagger flew at me now, it wouldn't just be carrying the scent of fish.
When I shut my mouth, Father’s dagger began to move again.
“Today, we’re grilling them.”
I shouted loudly, “I’ll get the fire going!”
And so, we had grilled fish prepared by Father’s own hands for breakfast. One might think grilled fish is just grilled fish, but if you haven't tasted fish grilled by the Heavenly Demon, don't say a word. Father’s grilling skills were top-tier.
As we were finishing our meal, our eyes turned toward a single spot. We felt someone approaching. Father stopped Hwi as he started to stand up.
“Stay where you are.”
Father had already finished assessing the opponent before they were even in sight. A moment later, a man emerged. He was limping, looking as if he were on the verge of collapse.
“Water... please, give me some water.”
Seeing us, his tension snapped, and he slumped to the ground. He should have been more wary—encountering three martial artists in a remote area—but he was in no state of mind to grasp the situation.
I gave him water first. His clothes were torn and his appearance was a mess, as if he had been wandering the mountains for days. His injured ankle, in particular, was swollen thick.
“How long have you been starving?”
“Three days? Four? I’m not sure.”
I shared some rice and the remaining fish with him. “Chew thoroughly.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Driven by hunger, he ate without hesitation. Once he had eaten, I examined his body while Father watched silently.
“You’ve injured your leg.”
“I tripped and fell while I was in the mountains,” the man replied.
“It looks like it’ll be hard to reach a village with that leg. Let me take a quick look.”
Fortunately, no bones were broken. I treated the sprained ankle and applied a splint using tree branches. His expression relaxed as much as my skill allowed.
“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”
Only then did the man feel relieved. He had finally escaped the fear of dying alone in the wilderness.
“How did you end up getting lost?”
“I was looking for medicinal herbs when it happened.”
No matter how I looked at him, he didn't look like a professional herb gatherer. “Is someone in your family ill?”
“No.”
His circumstances were entirely unexpected. The man’s name was Im Gye. He said he ran a small school in his village, teaching children how to read and write.
“My father worked as a martial artist for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and retired this year.”
This area, not far from the Main Headquarters, was the territory of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. He said his father had never learned proper martial arts, so he had spent his entire life as a low-ranking warrior before retiring. It just so happened that this year was his father’s 60th birthday.
Im Gye wanted to please his father by inviting the Unit Leader of the branch his father had served in to the celebration. He thought his father would be truly happy if a high-ranking officer came to congratulate him.
“But I was told it would cost fifty taels to invite the Branch Leader.”
“Who told you that?”
“There is someone in the village with a connection to the Branch Leader. He told me that even inviting a renowned person to a banquet costs money. The amount varies depending on the name and the time they stay. He said it would cost fifty taels for the Branch Leader to stop by briefly and offer his congratulations.”
I glanced at Father and asked playfully, “How much do you receive, Father?”
A smirk formed on Father’s lips. Would Father move for a hundred thousand taels, or even a million? He was someone who couldn't be summoned even for ten million taels. In that sense, if this trip were calculated in money, the amount would be truly astronomical.
“The Branch Leader probably won't come even if you give him that money,” I said.
Im Gye asked in surprise, “What do you mean by that?”
“If it’s discovered that a high-ranking official of the Cult moved privately for money, they would not only be kicked out of their position but could also be thrown into the dungeon. There’s no way they’d move for a mere fifty taels.”
“Ah, I see. I’ve spent my whole life studying books, so I’m ignorant of the ways of the world.” He bowed his head. Seeing how he believed my words instantly, it certainly seemed so.
“That person would take your fifty taels and later say that the Branch Leader suddenly had an important schedule. What would you do then? Go and argue? Even if you did, would they return the money?”
The world was full of people who would fleece someone so innocent.
“You think that if you have good intentions, others will too. But reality isn't like that, is it?”
Im Gye’s sigh deepened. “My father worked hard his whole life for our family. I wanted to do something for him, but time keeps passing and it’s not as easy as I hoped.”
“But is there a need to go to such lengths to invite the Branch Leader? Even if he came, it wouldn't be a sincere congratulation.”
“You’re right. The Branch Leader probably doesn't even know my father’s name.”
That was the reality. There were hundreds of martial artists in a branch; how could he know a low-ranking warrior at the bottom?
“Then why?”
“Whenever my father had a drink, he would say this out of habit: 'Though I lived as a low-ranking warrior, though I was at the bottom... though my role wasn't great...'”
In those words, one could feel the regret of a man who wanted to boast at least once in front of his children but ultimately failed to do so.
“So, I wanted to give him a chance to boast in front of me by having a high-ranking person visit. I wanted him to be able to speak loudly in front of the family, relatives, and villagers. Rather than telling him he worked hard, I thought that was the best way to honor him.”
How could I not understand his heart? In the sense of wanting to do something for his father, he and I were not so different.
“I heard that if you find a Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng, it’s worth well over a hundred taels. I knew something so precious wouldn't just appear before my eyes, but I couldn't just stay at home.” Tears welled in his eyes. “I must be going now. Today is my father’s 60th birthday celebration; if I hadn't met you kind people, I might not have even been able to attend. You are my life’s saviors. Thank you, truly.”
He bowed several times in gratitude before departing.
*
Fortunately, Im Gye returned home without being late.
“Brother! What on earth happened?” His sister had been worried about his unusual behavior.
“I’m sorry. Things just turned out that way.”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. What about the preparations for the birthday?”
“Our aunts came and helped.”
His father, Im Hak, looked at him and spoke bluntly. “You’re back, so that’s enough.”
He hadn't realized it before, but as he grew older, Im Gye could feel his father’s heart—the worry and the relief. I’m sorry, he thought. He realized that wandering the mountains for days might have been for himself rather than his father. To ease his own mind. To be able to say he had tried.
Family and relatives gathered, and neighbors were invited as well. However, Im Hak had not invited anyone from the branch. He didn't want to be a nuisance to his former colleagues.
Im Gye could sense his father’s concern. Who would care about the 60th birthday of a retired, low-ranking warrior? If he invited them and no one showed up, the humiliation in front of his children would be unbearable.
And whenever people gather, there is always someone looking to cause trouble.
“I guess no one from the Demonic Cult came?”
The speaker was a local martial arts hall master. No matter how low-ranking Im Hak had been, the man hadn't dared to act out while Im Hak was still part of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. But once he left, the man’s attitude had changed.
“I didn't invite them on purpose,” Im Hak replied. “No need to bother people who are busy with work.”
“Are you sure it’s not that you invited them and they didn't come?”
It wasn't that he had malice toward Im Hak; he was just the type of person who naturally spoke with a sting.
“It’s a joke, a joke. Why so serious? You’ve become timid in your old age.”
He remained unpleasant until the very end. It was right then that the door opened, and a group of guests arrived. As a crowd of martial artists with swords at their waists filed in, the room fell silent instantly.
Recognizing them, Im Hak was struck with shock. “Branch Leader!”
To his amazement, the Branch Leader and the colleagues he had served with had come to visit. Not only Im Gye, but all the villagers were stunned.
“Warrior Im, I heard it was your 60th birthday. We came to congratulate you.”
At those words, Im Hak was so flustered he didn't know what to do. The juniors he had worked with came forward to congratulate him. Among them were those he had been close to, but even those he hadn't been particularly friendly with were there.
“Please, sit here.”
“No, you are the guest of honor today. You take the seat of honor.”
The Branch Leader showed him great respect. While wondering how he had found out and why he was showing such courtesy, Im Hak also felt a surge of immense joy. It was in front of his son and daughter. The villagers were watching. The hall master who had been running his mouth was now watching the scene with a completely cowed expression.
“If any problems arise in the future, feel free to contact me anytime.”
“Thank you, Branch Leader.”
Im Hak was overjoyed, but he couldn't understand the situation. Working as a low-ranking warrior, he had served under several Branch Leaders, but he had never once had a private conversation with any of them. This Branch Leader was no different. He was someone who shouldn't have even known his name.
The secret was finally revealed. The Branch Leader spoke cautiously, with a look of wonder. “I don't know how they found out, but they sent this.”
The Branch Leader carefully took a small box from his robes. Seeing his hands tremble, Im Hak became tense as well. What on earth could that be?
“Here, take it and open it.”
Taking it reflexively, Im Hak opened the box. To his shock, inside was a Hundred-Year Snow Ginseng.
“To give me such a precious gift...!” Im Hak’s hands shook. Not only Im Gye, but the villagers also crowded around to catch a glimpse of the legendary herb.
But the real shock for Im Hak was yet to come.
“It is not a gift from me,” the Branch Leader said.
At those words, Im Hak unfolded the piece of paper that had been inside the box. As he confirmed the contents, his eyes widened. Im Gye had never seen his father so shocked. Standing beside him, Im Gye read the note and let out a cry. The villagers were equally aghast.
Im Hak set the box down and performed a deep kowtow. Im Gye joined him in the bow.
Tears fell from Im Hak’s eyes onto the back of his wrinkled hands. He had joined the Cult at seventeen and lived a hard life ever since. To feed his children, he had endured no matter how much he hurt, working himself to the bone. He had truly crossed the threshold of death several times.
And the short message written on the note washed away all the hardships of those past days.
I offer my sincere gratitude to you, who has dedicated your life to the Cult.
—Geom Wu-jin, Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.