Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: No, My Head's Gonna Split!
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"Do you perhaps know me?"
Do Cheon approached and asked.
As the unassuming Do Cheon walked up to their table and bluntly posed the question, most of their faces twisted in annoyance. But two or three glanced toward Do Cheon's seat, noticing the extraordinary poise of Byeon Ryeo-gun sitting there veiled in her face cloth, and showed some interest.
"No, I don't."
A young man who had been stealing glances at Byeon Ryeo-gun from earlier replied.
"Ah, is that so? Must've been my mistake. Sorry to bother you."
Do Cheon turned to leave. In that instant, an angry voice called him back.
"Hey!"
Do Cheon turned around.
A girl who looked plenty furious came into view. She seemed about seventeen or eighteen—around Little Sparrow's age.
"What's the matter?"
Do Cheon asked. The girl shot up from her seat, looking ready to unleash a tirade. But right then, an older-looking young man in blue robes quickly intervened.
"If it's alright with you, why don't you join us?"
"Brother!"
The girl cried out sharply. But the blue-robed youth ignored her and smiled.
"We set out to broaden our horizons of the world and make friends who share our ideals, didn't we?"
"So you're saying you'll sit with just anyone?"
"'Just anyone'? That's a bit harsh. You'll hurt his feelings. Apologize."
"They're already hurt."
Do Cheon said.
He spoke curtly, as if truly offended, his face creased in a scowl.
"See? He starts with rudeness and then has the gall to say that!"
The girl pointed accusingly and yelled. In a flash, Do Cheon shot out his hand and seized her pointing finger.
"……!"
The girl's eyes went wide in shock. Her companions leaped to their feet, shouting.
"What do you think you're doing!"
"Let her go, now!"
Every one of them looked ready to draw their weapons. But Do Cheon didn't bat an eye.
"What if your side was rude first?"
Do Cheon's gaze sharpened. The girl snapped to her senses and struggled to pull her finger free, but it only hurt like her bone might snap.
"Let's talk this out after you let go."
The blue-robed youth said. His tone was still mild, but it was clear he was a heartbeat from drawing his sword.
"Speak. What if your side was rude first?"
"You're the rude one! Barging over and asking if we know you…"
"Is that rude?"
"Isn't it?"
"What about mocking someone for wearing a veil because they're too ashamed of their face?"
"……!"
The girl's face stiffened. It was her exact words coming out of Do Cheon's mouth. Her companions stared in surprise and confusion. Even the blue-robed youth looked awkward, dialing back his sword-ready tension.
"I heard someone say the ones who die easiest in the martial world are the talented young juniors. I wondered what that meant, but now I get it. If I were a vicious sort, your thoughtless words would've gotten everyone here killed."
"My apologies."
The blue-robed youth bowed his head.
"Doesn't seem like something your leader needs to apologize for."
Do Cheon said. His eyes remained fixed on the girl.
"I came over specifically to warn you: if you don't know me, lose interest and watch your mouth. But on my way out, you grab me and make a scene, even pointing fingers. I don't know how exalted you are, but everyone only gets one life."
Do Cheon's warning must've stung. The girl bit her lip hard. Figuring she'd gotten the message, Do Cheon released her finger and turned back toward his seat with Byeon Ryeo-gun.
Right then.
The girl's face twisted viciously as she drew her sword. None of her companions saw it coming, so they couldn't stop her. It was sudden enough—and fast enough. But that didn't mean it'd work on Do Cheon.
"……!"
The girl's eyes widened dramatically. So did her companions'. Do Cheon had spun around and caught the blade barehanded—without a drop of blood. It meant he was leagues beyond her.
"You're still too young for this!"
The blue-robed youth shouted urgently. Do Cheon didn't even glance his way as he yanked the blade. The girl refused to let go at first, but Do Cheon's strength dragged her body forward, forcing her to release it.
Her hand trembled—from losing her sword as a swordswoman and from fear of the man before her.
Do Cheon turned his gaze from her to the blue-robed youth, extending the sword toward him. As the youth hesitantly gripped the hilt, Do Cheon let go of the blade.
"I have junior brothers and sisters too. They're all good kids without exception, so as their eldest senior brother, I watch over them strictly. It's probably different from your approach. I don't know who's right, me or you. But one thing's clear: this young lady's on the wrong path."
A deep sigh escaped the blue-robed youth at Do Cheon's words—a mix of relief that no blood had been spilled and frustration at the truth in them.
Seeing the youth understand, Do Cheon returned to his seat. No further trouble arose, and after offering Do Cheon a respectful fist salute, the blue-robed youth led his group out of the inn.
"Were you mad because they insulted me?"
"Yeah."
Do Cheon answered Byeon Ryeo-gun's question.
He'd been irked by the remark about her wearing a veil out of shame over her looks. While pondering how to warn them, he'd noticed the guy keep glancing at her. That's why he'd approached and indirectly asked if they knew him.
"If something like this happens again, you'll keep getting mad?"
"Yeah. Got a problem with that?"
"Who am I to say? It's up to you, big senior brother."
"I'm asking if it bothers you."
"Hmm. A little."
"……!"
"But it feels kinda nice too."
"……?"
"When I first learned the Celestial Insight Bright Eyes, I used to peek into people's hearts. Lots of them smiled to my face but cursed me inside. Plenty harbored lewd thoughts too."
"Why didn't you give them a piece of your mind?"
"I did. Plenty of times. But it never ended. It didn't make me feel better either, so after that, I tried not to look into people's minds anymore. As long as they didn't do it to my face, I pretended not to notice, figuring what wrong could there be."
"Backbiting's the filthier sin."
"Right. It is. But what can you do about whispers among themselves? You have to play deaf."
"You're too kind, junior sister. I'm not, so I won't ignore it. Anyone who badmouths me or you or the juniors gets what's coming—somehow."
"Then do that."
"……?"
"I told you. It feels nice too."
Byeon Ryeo-gun smiled.
Only her eyes showed, but Do Cheon could imagine her face lighting up, and it lifted his spirits immensely.
"Shall we head out?"
"Yeah."
Do Cheon and Byeon Ryeo-gun left the inn too.
Jangsa in Honam was still three days away.
A drizzle was falling. Dusk was about to settle in fast.
Do Cheon, peering out the carriage window, suddenly frowned.
"You see that village up ahead on the right?"
Do Cheon called out to the coachman.
"That's Jin Family Village. Fairly large around here—has an inn, so passing merchants often stay over."
"Head there."
"Got it."
The coachman sped up, scanning ahead. A fork veered right. He turned there, heading straight for Jin Family Village.
"Staying there?"
Byeon Ryeo-gun asked.
Do Cheon answered without smoothing his furrowed brow.
"Smells like blood."
"Here comes another one! Carriage this time, eh?"
"Ho ho! Must have some coin. Get ready to 'welcome' them proper. Heh heh heh!"
A scrawny, ragged-looking middle-aged man cackled wickedly.
Known as the Green Snake Poison Fan, he was the ringleader of the Crimson River Seven Fiends, infamous around the Gui Province-Honam border.
The Crimson River Seven Fiends weren't just seven men. They dragged around nearly a hundred underlings, committing every evil under the sun.
"You all hear the boss? When that carriage rolls in, block the rear and front—no escape! Got it?"
"Yes, sir!"
At the fifth fiend's order, the near-hundred thugs split into two groups and moved swiftly.
"What about those ones?"
The fiend nodded toward a spot after watching his men. A dozen or so youths were bound there, splattered in blood.
"Night's falling quick, so we'll take our time. Deal with the carriage first, kill all the men, and sample the women."
"Boss, how about letting me have that little spitfire over there?"
The one the fiend pointed to was the young girl who'd charged at them yelling the moment she spotted them.
"Gonna rape another one that's half-dead?"
"Heh heh heh, that's my taste—what can I do? Seeing her feisty like that got me all fired up down there."
"You depraved bastard. That kink's gonna get you in deep trouble someday."
"Never happen. Planning to stick by you till I die, boss."
"Fine, then quit grinning like that and hold position. Lose the carriage folks, and we can't stay here."
"You got it! No worries!"
The fiend thumped his chest and yelled. His smirking face oozed lechery.
The carriage entered Jin Family Village.
"Pretty thick blood stench."
Do Cheon said from inside.
Byeon Ryeo-gun hopped out without a word, opening the door first.
Jin Family Village was sizable. Dozens of houses—seventy or eighty—sprawled widely, with a broad, well-packed main street lined by an inn and a general store smack in the center.
The drizzle wetted her hair, but Byeon Ryeo-gun strode unfazed toward the gaunt middle-aged man. Hearing Do Cheon dismount behind her, the Green Snake Poison Fan glanced over, deemed him unremarkable, and refocused on her.
"Well, well, a fine guest."
"How many'd you kill?"
"Sharp one, eh?"
The Green Snake Poison Fan eyed her up and down, then raised his hand. Thugs hiding behind walls surged over like floodwater, sealing off the carriage's rear and front.
But Byeon Ryeo-gun didn't blink. She stood rock-solid. The moment the Green Snake Poison Fan sensed something off—
"Huh? Another inn?"
Do Cheon waved casually and wandered toward one side. The village's lone inn. He'd spotted familiar faces through the window.
Do Cheon headed straight for the entrance and stepped inside without hesitation.
"Off with his head, then."
The Green Snake Poison Fan smirked.
"No, his skull's gonna split."
Byeon Ryeo-gun said. As he frowned—
"You idiot!"
A barrage of curses erupted, and a gleaming axe dropped from beside the inn door, aiming to cleave Do Cheon's head.
Crack!
A skull-crunching sound rang out. The axe-wielder crumpled lifelessly.
"He's no ordinary fool! Gang up on him!"
The second fiend bellowed, lunging at Do Cheon. The other Crimson River Fiends charged too, weapons swinging.
Then a gale-force windstorm hit, slowing their onslaught to a crawl.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Five men flew back spurting blood, and the compressed air normalized.
Do Cheon approached the dozen or so subdued youths in the inn's center.
"Looks like we're not total strangers."
He tapped their sealed acupoints, freeing them.
"The Crimson River Seven Fiends! Their boss, the Green Snake Poison Fan, is a monster even the Twelve Wardens fight over!"
The blue-robed youth warned Do Cheon, peering outside.
"Tougher than he looks?"
"Yes. Your companion's in danger!"
"Then let's go see just how dangerous."
At Do Cheon's unflappable demeanor, the youth's eyes bulged as he looked out. The veiled woman faced off against the Green Snake Poison Fan across four jang.
'Four jang (12 meters)! That's the Green Snake Poison Fan's freest killing ground! She's in peril!'