Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: The Virtue of Transactions (4)
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The marketplace buzzed with murmurs.
Even though it was morning, there were already quite a few people around.
Not just inns here—plenty of merchants were setting up for early business.
Naturally, some had stopped by eateries for hangover remedies, and many more had stayed overnight at the inns.
All those people were staring at one spot.
"Cold."
Murong Bi, arms crossed and hugging his wooden staff, sniffed.
"Should've worn thicker clothes, maybe?"
Jin Gwang said cautiously.
"Want me to fetch a jacket?"
"Nah, I'm good. Might be sweating it out soon anyway."
"Then how about a chair?"
"A chair? Why?"
Jin Gwang gave an order to Ungpae.
Moments later, Ungpae brought over a sturdy-looking chair.
"Please, have a seat."
"Oh, thanks."
Murong Bi set the chair down a bit off-center in the marketplace and sat, glancing at Murong Suhyang.
"Not cold?"
"The chill feels nice."
"Want the chair?"
"Do I look as frail as you?"
"Always with the barbs."
Murong Bi grumbled, then looked down at the ground to his right.
Lady Hwang Jihwa was glaring daggers. But memories of her harsh defeat lingered, filling her face with unmistakable fear.
"Why stare so desperately? Craving shit?"
"Eek!"
"Before I yank out your front teeth and let you loose in the fields with flowers in your ears like some village lunatic, ease up on those eyes."
At the savage threat of turning her into one of those local crazies every rural town has, Lady Hwang Jihwa involuntarily averted her gaze.
Murong Bi chuckled softly, turned away, then whined about the cold again.
Murong Suhyang watched her brother with uncharacteristic seriousness.
'I just don't get it.'
Could a person's temperament change this drastically?
She recalled the conversation with her sister before coming here.
"He learned the family's true martial arts?!"
"Yeah."
"No way! That secret place was just Father's delirious ramblings during his illness..."
"I thought so too, but it looks like Bi found it for real."
"I won't believe it till I see it myself. He didn't even tell you where it was, right?"
"But his martial arts are genuine. You saw them."
"...!"
"He said he learned alone without a teacher, and that's what wrecked his body."
Her sister had explained how her brother had tested the family's true arts on himself, even experimenting to verify them.
If true, no wonder his body was in such a state. Surviving at all was the real miracle.
'Did this idiot really do that?'
Then why drown in booze and cause trouble?
Was he lamenting his lack of talent and borrowing liquid courage? Or had he deliberately acted out to hide possessing a treasure, fearing exposure?
'Even so.'
No excuse for wreaking havoc at home.
'If he fooled everyone starting with family to keep up the act...'
Was that even possible?
They say honeyed words hide poisoned blades. Plenty of people smile sweetly while harboring knives.
If her sister was right, her brother was cut from the same cloth, just with rougher edges.
'But...'
Hard to picture.
The brother she'd known since childhood never hid his feelings. If anything, he'd keep quiet rather than lie.
As the eldest son and second child, hadn't he quietly endured for his big sister and little sister?
'Even if true, it doesn't excuse worsening sister's illness because of you.'
Did he think mastering the true arts would cure her?
'No chance. And it wouldn't erase past sins anyway.'
Sister aside, how many cruel words had he hurled at her? How many times had he let her down?
It wasn't pride.
The wounds ran too deep to forgive this wastrel.
She'd trusted and followed him more than anyone; he was her only rock in the world. That made forgiveness impossible.
"You'll burn a hole through me."
"Huh?"
"Got something to say? Why stare like that?"
Murong Suhyang let out a hollow laugh.
"Only curses for you, you bastard."
"If I fall, the house falls too. Curse all you want, just drop the 'bastard' bit."
"Fucking bastard."
"..."
"You said curse."
Murong Bi couldn't help but laugh heartily.
Our Suhyang sure has a sharp tongue.
Better than spineless, at least a hundred times over.
"Curious—where'd you pick up cursing like that?"
"None of your business."
Murong Bi grumbled inwardly.
So many people around—save some face...
'No, I get it.'
How much shit had that bastard relative put her through for her to snap like this? My burden to bear.
Murong Suhyang, gazing at the sky, felt an inexplicable gloom.
'Where'd I learn? From you, idiot.'
No telling what scum he hung with in the back alleys, but he'd picked up every creative insult imaginable.
And she'd inherited them.
'Crazy—using "inherit" for curses?'
A sudden thought struck her.
"But what about you? Got confidence?"
"Confidence in what?"
"Lots of eyes, opinion on our side, sure. But what if they go berserk and charge? Can you handle it?"
"If not, run."
"...Run?"
"Stand there like an idiot and fight to the death?"
"Saying shameful stuff so boldly?"
Murong Bi scowled.
"Why's it shameful?"
"Obviously. Fleeing before enemies? Who'd respect us then..."
"Real shame's knowing better but stubbornly dying, dragging your people down too."
"...!"
"Sometimes you stake your life and hold. Not now. Why be stubborn against these parasites sucking commoners dry and calling it 'world'? Torment them plenty instead."
Sounded right, yet slick.
"Don't worry. It'll work out."
Could she trust this...?
'Sigh.'
Time passed.
The marketplace grew crowded.
Rumors from midnight had snowballed. Now one protagonist appeared at dawn.
Rumors bred rumors; people drew crowds.
As morning haze cleared, the buzz tripled.
Then, at the hour of the snake precisely...
Whoosh.
The chill air twisted unnaturally.
Murong Bi, gleefully gnawing a duck leg from the neighboring inn, smacked his lips.
"Here we go for real."
The murmurs died abruptly.
The mood shifted. A chilling tension spread silently, sealing lips without a shout.
Jin Gwang and the five subordinates swallowed hard. Murong Suhyang gritted her teeth, eyes fixed ahead.
Then they appeared.
Behind a middle-aged man in ornate white robes followed a white-haired old swordsman well past fifty.
Trailing them, over a hundred swordsmen marched in perfect ranks.
"White Dragon Squad..."
A trembling voice identified them.
White Dragon Squad.
Hong Sword Clan had Red Sword Squad; Ten Sword Sect had White Dragon Squad.
The sect's elite. Red Sword Squad was elite-er despite fewer numbers, but White Dragon Squad was no slouch.
Leading them: Ten Sword Sect Leader Hwang Gyu himself.
"Father!"
Lady Hwang Jihwa's face lit up.
"Finally!"
She'd worried.
Maybe watching the situation, had plans—but what if he abandoned her?
No. Father hadn't.
He came personally, with the elite no less—for her.
Emboldened, she sneered at Murong Bi.
"Now you'll taste hell. Untie me while you can, for your sake..."
"If hell's coming anyway, why free you?"
"W-what?!"
"Hell-cart rolls up, can't go alone out of spite. Gotta drag you too."
You're still in my grasp.
Terror surged; Lady Hwang Jihwa gulped.
But Father's presence gave courage to conquer it.
"Bluffing. Think your nonsense flies before Ten Sword Sect Leader and White Dragon Squad?"
"Your nonsense doesn't fly before me, so shut it. Before I really pull those teeth."
"Y-you bastard!"
"Huh? Speak of the devil."
Shing.
Murong Bi drew a dagger.
The jeweled one Lady Hwang Jihwa carried in her sleeve.
"Yeonpyeong!"
A booming voice unlike any before.
So commanding, most of the crowd turned to Murong Bi.
"Yes, Young Master."
"Pull this bitch's teeth one by one with this. Carefully."
Crowd, subordinates, even Murong Suhyang gasped in horror.
Yeonpyeong most of all. Such brutality before all these people?
But he caught why Murong Bi chose him.
'No hesitation allowed.'
Yeonpyeong bowed.
"Understood."
"Start with the front ones. Make her look dumb."
Yeonpyeong took the dagger politely, pinned her jaw with his knee.
Terror bloomed on Lady Hwang Jihwa's face.
"Gah! Gack!"
Left hand covered nose and eyes; icy dagger tip touched gums.
'You mad bastards! No!'
Then—
"Stop!"
A thunderous roar laced with potent inner energy.
Unlike Murong Bi's pure presence, Hwang Gyu's carried overwhelming pressure that made the crowd tremble.
"Daring such cruelty before me? Tormenting a daughter before her father!"
Fury genuine, but laced with "father-daughter" to stir the crowd's morals, paint Murong Bi cruel.
But Murong Bi ignored it.
"Your family's family, mine isn't?"
Hummmm.
Air vibrated fiercely.
Hwang Gyu, trying voice dominance, startled. Murong Bi's inner energy spreading was incredible.
'This punk?!'
Not the energy itself, but its control.
It erased White Sword True Energy's traces.
Void filled with Murong Bi's Mixed Origin True Energy will. His rage and calm recaptured all eyes.
"Sending alley trash for collections? Greed, fine. But daughter and elder to slaughter my whole house? You even human?"
"What?!"
"Thought you just backed Black Tiger Gang? In-laws or something? Marrying her to the gang leader?"
"Such a lunatic!"
"Or not?"
Murong Bi pulled a red-bound ledger from his bosom.
"Wanted to steal this, packed with Black Tiger Gang transaction records?"
Murong Suhyang thought:
Better a slap across the face.