Chapter 459: You Are a Woman Blessed with Good Food
Chapter 459: You Are a Woman Blessed with Good Food
This was Geum A-rin’s first impression of Geom Mu-geuk:
He’s much younger than I expected.
It was hard to believe. To think that Jeon Nak had been defeated by someone so young—and that the War Ghosts had fallen alongside him?
It wasn't just his age; he was nothing like the man she had envisioned. He was handsome, possessing an indefinable air of elegance. She had expected someone crude, a man overflowing with murderous intent.
Combining his age, her first impression, and the results of his actions, Geum A-rin reached a single conclusion.
He is a master of high-level martial arts!
The way he appeared before her so boldly and alone was proof enough. The question was whether he was stronger or weaker than her. She couldn't tell just by looking.
"I happened to spot Unit Leader Hwang through the window while passing by the inn, so I decided to step in."
Geom Mu-geuk walked toward them, greeting them warmly as if he were merely a passerby who had happened upon an acquaintance.
"I see you have a guest."
As if unaware of her identity, Geom Mu-geuk offered a fist salute to Geum A-rin.
"If such a beautiful lady is present, perhaps I should consider entering the world of commerce myself."
Though he offered a pleasant greeting, Geum A-rin showed no reaction. Sensing the tension, Hwang In stepped forward cautiously.
"Mind your tongue. This lady is not someone whose name you should utter so lightly."
On the surface, it sounded like he was speaking out of respect for Geum A-rin, but it was actually a warning to Geom Mu-geuk.
This is the woman! This is the terrifying person I said was coming! Don't let her beauty distract you and ruin everything!
Hwang In was frantic, terrified that Geom Mu-geuk might be smitten by her looks.
But even without such a warning, how could Geom Mu-geuk not know who she was? He had already sensed that her skills were far from ordinary.
Her achievements are great for her age.
Whether it was through life-threatening effort, raw talent, massive support, or a fated encounter, her strength was not something commonly found. Furthermore, there was one more thing. If a man like Jeon Nak perceived her as terrifying, it meant she was someone who never showed mercy.
Moreover, he could feel a master hiding in the shadows around her.
Her status is no ordinary one.
Masters who have perfected the art of stealth are rare. Such individuals usually serve as bodyguards, and for a person of that caliber to be protecting her?
This woman must be of the Golden Dragon Clan Head's own blood.
Hwang In would never know just how much Geom Mu-geuk had deduced in that brief moment.
Geom Mu-geuk spoke with a look of feigned surprise, as if only just realizing her identity.
"Ah! Is this the person you spoke of?"
Geum A-rin reacted to that. "How did that man introduce me?"
"He said a very terrifying person was coming," Geom Mu-geuk answered.
Hwang In was inwardly trembling. He introduced me like that? He feared a volatile reaction from her. His heart hammered against his ribs harder than usual.
Please, don't let today be the day of my funeral!
He looked at Geom Mu-geuk with eyes full of desperate pleading.
Geom Mu-geuk introduced himself to Geum A-rin.
"I am called Geom Yeon. Not the 'Yeon' for 'fate,' but the 'Yeon' for 'smoke.' After meeting you, I shall vanish like smoke."
"I didn't ask."
Geum A-rin gave a cold response, refusing to reveal her own name.
"I heard you killed my subordinates?"
She asked point-blank, and Geom Mu-geuk didn't bother to hide it.
"There was an unintentional conflict with your people. I apologize for that."
"More than one or two died. This isn't something that can be settled with an apology."
"Is there something else you want?"
She spoke in a tone as frigid as her gaze.
"A life for a life."
Geom Mu-geuk stared at her and replied, "Take it, if you can."
A taut tension filled the air. Geum A-rin suppressed the urge to draw her sword and strike him down. She was no amateur who would draw her blade just because the opponent provoked her. Her sword would be drawn only at the moment of her choosing.
It was Geom Mu-geuk who broke the suffocating silence.
"I cannot give you my life, but I can buy you a drink."
In this volatile situation, he fearlessly turned his head toward the waiter and ordered a fresh bottle of liquor. When Geom Mu-geuk turned back, a sword was already leveled at his throat.
It was a truly swift move, executed without even the sound of a breeze. To Hwang In, who was sitting right there, the situation had unfolded in the blink of an eye.
Geom Mu-geuk looked at her with a completely unfazed expression. His reaction made Geum A-rin’s gaze turn even colder. He could have lost his life to that single strike just now.
If he were a master capable of killing Jeon Nak, he should have reacted somehow. Did he realize the sword was aimed at his throat and choose not to block it because he was certain she wouldn't kill him? Or was he not as skilled as she thought? If so, then he wasn't the one who killed Jeon Nak and the War Ghosts.
She couldn't be certain of either possibility. That uncertainty left a bitter taste in her mouth.
This man is hard to read.
Geom Mu-geuk’s gaze followed the length of the blade back to her.
"I cannot die."
"Why not?"
After a brief pause, Geom Mu-geuk spoke.
"It wasn't the case before, but now... my death would become my father's justification."
The moment he died, his father would sweep through the Murim. Grief over a lost child would become the pretext, and the martial world would turn into a battlefield.
Naturally, Geum A-rin had no way of knowing what he meant.
"Are you saying I should spare you because your father will seek revenge if I kill you?"
"Well, something like that."
"And where is this father of yours?"
"At the manor. He's with my uncle."
She had heard from Hwang In that there were three of them in total. She had a feeling that this man's father and uncle were no ordinary people either.
"I came out to do some grocery shopping. My father said he’d make a special dish today. You’re in luck, lady. You’re a woman blessed with good food. Come with me. My father’s cooking isn't something you can taste just anywhere. It’s something you can brag about for the rest of your life."
Geum A-rin had to admit at least one thing. Whether it was an act or genuine, maintaining such composure at the tip of her sword was no easy feat. With a light flick of her wrist, Geum A-rin sheathed her sword.
"I cannot kill a man who came out to buy groceries."
Geom Mu-geuk stroked his neck and offered his thanks. "Thank you for sparing me."
Seeing this, Hwang In felt a sense of despair. His heart began to race even faster.
What? Why are you acting so weak? Are you serious? Are you actually weaker than this woman?
That couldn't be. He had been there when Jeon Nak and the War Ghosts were slaughtered. No, right? Stop playing around and just cut this woman down and tell me I don't have to worry anymore.
However, the situation went in the exact opposite direction of his hopes.
Swish. Swish.
She fired off Finger Wind, sealing Geom Mu-geuk’s internal energy. Geom Mu-geuk failed to dodge, yet his composure remained.
"It’s fine. I don't need internal energy to buy groceries anyway."
Geum A-rin looked at him as if wondering, What kind of lunatic is this?
Surely, you aren't such a master that you can undo the acupoints I've sealed.
Now that she had suppressed his internal energy, his life was hers. And yet, he still acted this relaxed? It was behavior that defied her common sense.
"Father will be waiting," Geom Mu-geuk said, rising from his seat. "Now, let’s go shopping."
*
A single carriage was racing down the road.
On the outside, it looked like a worn, ordinary carriage, but it was constructed from materials so sturdy that even swords and blades could not break it. It was pulled by magnificent horses that did not tire even after running all day.
Naturally, the person inside was no ordinary man either. Dignified and exuding an air of nobility, he was none other than Yong Ja-myeong, the leader of the Silver River Merchant Group.
Yong Ja-myeong, Master of the Silver River. He could be described in many ways, but the most certain description was this: the man with the most money in the world.
Because of this, not only the coachman but also the people inside the carriage were no ordinary experts. They were the top masters of the Silver River Merchant Group, the ones Yong Ja-myeong trusted most.
This was a secret journey for a man so busy that one had to make an appointment months in advance just to see his face. There were three experts acting as guards, including the coachman—a first for the Silver River Merchant Group since it became the world's greatest merchant group. Even then, Yong Ja-myeong had originally intended to bring only one.
Of course, considering the skill of these three, the journey could be considered safe. They were the people Yong Ja-myeong trusted most, and simultaneously, the three most skilled individuals in the group. In particular, the man sitting across from him, Baek Chong, was someone who had spent his life sharing joys and sorrows with Yong Ja-myeong while building the Silver River Merchant Group.
"It is not too late. Shall we turn the carriage back?"
Yong Ja-myeong smiled and asked him, "Are even you afraid?"
Baek Chong answered honestly. "I am afraid."
"This is the first time I've heard you say that. That you're afraid."
Baek Chong wasn't afraid for his own life. He was afraid that Yong Ja-myeong would be lost during this trip.
"This is a very dangerous choice."
"Is it more dangerous than refusing a request from the Demonic Cult Leader?"
Baek Chong was silenced. He had weathered all sorts of storms while growing the merchant group with Yong Ja-myeong, but among them all, the most dangerous opponent was the Demonic Cult.
"If it were a simple request from the Cult, I would have found an excuse to buy time. But this time, the Demonic Cult Leader sent a secret letter himself."
It was a missive written personally by the Cult Leader. A handwritten letter from the Heavenly Demon. It was truly unprecedented.
"Then I urge you to secretly inform the Murim Alliance and the Unorthodox Path Alliance. If they know, the Cult won't dare to act recklessly."
Yong Ja-myeong knew better than anyone what Baek Chong was worried about. But this matter could not be handled that way.
"The Cult Leader emphasized the word 'secretly.' It means do not contact them."
"That is exactly why we must inform them. The Demonic Cult has never acted like this before."
This decision wasn't based solely on intuition. It was a conclusion reached by combining all his experience and the vast amount of information gathered recently. Yes, how could he not know? How crude and cruel the demonic practitioners were.
"We must hope the information is true."
"Are you referring to the matter of the Young Cult Leader?"
Yong Ja-myeong nodded. There was information that a new wind was blowing within the Demonic Cult. Because of that, even the Three-Party Summit between the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic paths had taken place.
So, he hoped that the reason he was being summoned was because of that Young Cult Leader. It felt safer than being summoned by the Heavenly Demon alone.
"You know how it is, sir. Reality is rarely the same as the rumors."
"Don't worry too much. Everything will be fine."
Yong Ja-myeong was that kind of person—a man who sought to overcome any moment with positive thoughts rather than negative ones. Whether this would be an opportunity for the Silver River Merchant Group or the cause of his death, he would push through as he always had. He believed the Heavenly Demon’s handwritten letter was a call of destiny that could not be refused.
He believed he wasn't being summoned to be killed. Based on the information he had gathered, the current Cult Leader was not that kind of man. He trusted the information network of the Silver River Merchant Group.
He wouldn't return empty-handed. He would give the Cult Leader what he wanted and take what he himself desired. A deal was a matter of give and take.
Whenever such a moment of crisis arrived, he thought back to his youth—to the moment he had survived after coming face-to-face with death. No one else knew how much that experience helped him in life.
Since I'm living on borrowed time anyway, let's live without regrets.
Sometimes bravely, sometimes with even more passion. Perhaps it was thanks to that mindset that he was able to become the master of the world's greatest merchant group.
The carriage sped toward the meeting place.
*
Is he really buying groceries?
Geom Mu-geuk began to buy various ingredients at the market.
"Vegetables and fruits should be chosen for their even and vibrant colors. They must be firm, not soft, and you must avoid those with spots like these."
Geum A-rin watched with a stunned heart as he shopped, even offering explanations. At first, she suspected it was a ruse to buy time. But he was genuinely and carefully selecting ingredients for cooking. He even had a piece of paper with a list of what to buy.
"There, now that we've bought the meat, we're done!"
After finishing the shopping, Geom Mu-geuk prepared to take her back to the manor.
"Did you think I would submissively walk into a trap you've laid?"
"Are you afraid?"
Geum A-rin glared at Geom Mu-geuk. Even with his internal energy sealed, she still couldn't figure him out. What was with this composure? Or was he just insane?
Geom Mu-geuk held up the bags full of ingredients in both hands.
"It will be a very delicious trap."
Geum A-rin spoke to Hwang In, who was with them.
"You go and deliver the message. Tell him if he wants to save his son, he must come alone to the place I designate."
Geom Mu-geuk let out a sigh.
"Father won't come. He isn't the type to show up just because someone tells him to."
"Even if his son will die if he doesn't?"
"He still won't come."
Geom Mu-geuk said to Hwang In, "If you happen to see my father, don't make eye contact. Act respectfully. Tell him exactly what the situation is."
"I will do so."
Hwang In nodded, then flinched. Geum A-rin was looking at him with a displeased gaze that seemed to say, Whose side are you on?
Geom Mu-geuk said to her, "Well, since we've bought all the ingredients, I'll cook dinner tonight. My cooking isn't something easily tasted, so you are still a woman blessed with good food."
Geum A-rin looked at Geom Mu-geuk with an incredulous expression. No one in her life had ever told her she was a woman blessed with good food.
"Just who are you? Who sent you?"
Geom Mu-geuk started walking, a smile on his face that suggested she would find out soon enough.
"I'm hungry, so let's go and eat."
Then he stopped and asked her, "By the way, where should we go? Let's go somewhere we can cook."