Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Found the Hidden Talent
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“Awake now?”
“Ah….”
The first feeling that hit me when I opened my eyes was comfort.
A nice buzz from the hangover, a pleasant languor. A warm floor and a knee pillow at just the right height.
If I slept like this for another hour, it would be perfect… No, fuck, who the hell is this?
Realizing too late that my head was resting on a stranger’s thigh, I shot up. And greeting me was….
“Heh heh, sleep more. Why’re you up so early?”
“Ha… fuck. Uncle Munseok.”
…It was Munseok, the head of the Hao Sect’s Sichuan branch.
Since he wasn’t someone who’d openly antagonize me, I relaxed a bit and looked around. It was neat and tidy—looked like a high-end inn room.
“…Where’s this?”
“This is a room attached to Qingyue House. I personally carried you and that friend of yours here, both stinking drunk.”
“…That friend? …Oh.”
I glanced to the side, and there was the youngest, snoring away with a blissful look on his face.
“Anyway, sleep well? You were out cold—even carrying you on my back didn’t wake you.”
“…….”
“The Hao Sect Leader asked if you’d admit defeat in the bet.”
“…….”
…The bet. Right, fuck, the bet.
In a drinking contest, the one who passes out first loses. I blacked out after downing that rotgut liquor last night, so by the rules, I lost.
But….
“…No way I’m admitting that.”
“What…?”
“Fuck, I’m not admitting shit.”
There was no way I could concede this match.
I doubled down hard, and Munseok wrinkled his nose like he was looking at filth.
“No… are you really that petty…? How can a man not accept defeat….”
“No, I didn’t do anything wrong! That’s cheating—she moved her body during the contest!”
The core rule of any drinking contest.
No physical force, only pure drinking.
But the Hao Sect Leader got up, came over to me, and shoved something in my mouth.
Sure, it was just a tangerine, but it threw off the match big time, so it’s invalid.
No? Invalid my ass. That bitch cheated, so it’s my win, fuck!
Anyone who knows drinking contests would side with me—ten out of ten, a hundred out of a hundred.
But blood’s thicker than water, huh? This Sichuan local was tilting his head, pretending the Hao Sect Leader wasn’t on his side.
“Hmm… yeah, this case is a bit ambiguous.”
“A bit? Fuck that. Shut up, I’m leaving, deal with it. Hey, kid, wake up, let’s go….”
Ignoring Munseok, I started packing to head out when I noticed something off right away.
Specifically, my chest felt awfully light.
“Ah… fuck….”
“…….”
“Uncle Munseok. Fuck, don’t cross the line.”
Gone.
My precious gold notes worth 200 nyang, more valuable than my life.
They’d vanished from my bosom entirely. And the prime suspect was sitting there with a serene expression.
Up until yesterday, my generous heart might’ve let this slide with a laugh.
But stealing my money while I was out cold? That’s different. I strode over, grabbed my sword, and sat down in front of Munseok.
“Hand it over. My money.”
“…We took it as insurance in case you refused to accept the bet.”
“I already said yesterday’s contest was bullshit. You know it was shady too. Don’t bullshit me—give me my money. Then no blood has to spill….”
“Sorry, can’t do that right now.”
BAM-!
“…Gasp! What…!”
I unleashed a burst of killing intent, and the shockwave rattled the room—every door flew open. The youngest jolted awake in surprise, but I ignored him, staring only at Munseok.
Tremble.
Munseok’s body shook finely. Not from fear—probably just a physiological reaction to the overwhelming intent.
He wasn’t a combat specialist despite being a branch head, so the gap in our levels was huge.
Even so, he endured the pressure.
And more than that….
Swoosh-.
“…….”
He went further and knelt before me.
“Ha.”
I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
A branch head’s pretty high up in the Hao Sect. And here Uncle Munseok was, kneeling so easily.
“Could you at least hear me out?”
“…Shoot.”
Sure, there was some bad blood, but seeing someone I’d known for a while on his knees like that tugged at me.
My resolve softened, so I decided to at least hear his side before judging.
“The Hao Sect’s bracing for something soon. That’s why we need someone with your skills.”
“…What’s the thing?”
“Can’t tell you the details—it’s sect business, really sorry. But I can promise this: it won’t take much effort. Just keep showing off your strength like always and hold the fort.”
“…….”
“I get it looks suspicious. But we’ve known each other a while. Trust me. This might resolve without you even drawing your sword. We’re just anxious…. Having a master like you watching our backs would make us feel secure, so we’re pushing like this.”
As he spoke, Munseok pulled something from his bosom and set it before me.
And then….
“Here’s your 200 nyang in gold. And this….”
Thud.
“…!”
He placed another stack of the same thickness beside it.
“Fresh 200 nyang in gold. The Hao Sect Leader’s offering it as payment for this job.”
“…What? 200 nyang in gold?”
My pockets were flush enough that extra cash wasn’t necessary. But 200 nyang in gold? That’s another story.
Add it to the original 200, and I could live twice as cushy as planned.
“…….”
Munseok on his knees begging, 200 nyang in gold, and easy work.
My heart swayed, so I withdrew the intent and sighed.
“So what do I gotta do?”
“What I mentioned earlier—with about seven days left, you just….”
After hearing Munseok out….
“That’s it? Just do that for seven days and you give me 200 nyang in gold?”
“That’s right.”
I was a bit shocked by the job Munseok assigned me.
**
“Big bro.”
“Yeah, kid.”
“The booze yesterday was great. Except for that last rotgut you fed me.”
“That… sorry about it.”
“No, it’s fine. It was fun anyway. But big bro….”
The kid asked in a slightly flustered voice.
“Weren’t we heading home today? What’re we doing here?”
“…Tell me about it. How’d things end up like this?”
We were at Qingyue House, dressed in neat black uniforms with clubs at our waists, guarding the entrance.
The Hao Sect’s offer of 200 nyang in gold came with this job….
‘Escort?’
‘Yeah, escort. Just guard Qingyue House for seven days. Not much to it—manage the entrance, and if any drunks act up, subdue ’em and drag ’em out.’
…Escorting Qingyue House.
Escort my ass—it was more like….
‘Club bouncers in suits at the door…?’
Or nightclub promoters.
That’s exactly the level we were at.
‘They’re paying 200 nyang in gold for just this, one week?’
Something else was definitely up, but I couldn’t turn down the offer.
And the work was easy.
Just chat idly with the kid like this, and if some asshole drunk popped off….
“Hey, you fucking bastards-!! Get the boss—!! Fuck, do you know who I am?! Who I am!! I ain’t paying! Fuck-!!”
“Sir, calm down first. Come with me to the back, yeah?”
“What? Who the fuck are you—! Not you, get the boss, boss—! Huh? You dare touch a customer? You’re fucking dead-!!!”
…Grab ’em, drag to the back, and kindly teach some manners—they turn nice real quick.
“I’m sorry. I drank too much and messed up. I’ll pay for the broken chair and drinks right now. Apologies again to everyone inconvenienced.”
The kid summed up our gig like this.
“This… feels like banditry back on the mountain, right? Threatening, shaking ’em down….”
“Hey now, kid. We’re guards now. How can you compare sacred brothel escorting to bandit shit?”
“Is that so? Heh heh. Anyway, seems easy.”
Seeing the kid relax, I leaned in and whispered.
“Kid, I told you—the Hao Sect guys promised 200 nyang in gold. They’re no suckers. Ain’t paying that much for peanuts.”
“Then….”
“Something’s gonna happen. They said after seven days, so if shit hits the fan then, run. You go first, I’ll follow once I gauge it.”
“…Got it, big bro.”
“We’ve got my original 200 anyway—worst case, we bolt, no sweat.”
After that incident, Munseok returned my 200 nyang. So no need to risk it all for the new haul.
That’s when we were plotting for the next seven days.
“You two-!”
“Hm…?”
In the back, Munseok—the Hao Sect Sichuan branch head moonlighting as Qingyue House’s manager—rushed over to us in the corner, face urgent.
“Uncle Munseok. What’s up?”
“You guys free right now? Mind helping with something?”
“What?”
“The guys we were supposed to host ghosted us! You two look the part—can you fill in?”
“……Host?”
…Hosting? Pour drinks, vibe with ’em, sneak a grope—that kinda thing?
And they want me and the kid to do it…?
…….
Fucking homos or some gay sex shit.
“Fuck… no wonder they offered 200 nyang in gold.”
My temper flared, true qi surging into my fist as I advanced on Munseok.
Seeing it, he freaked and explained fast.
“…N-no-! What’re you thinking? W-women. Women guests! We host ladies too! That’s what I need—entertain the ladies.”
“Entertain women guests? That’s….”
…Not a host club?
Finally getting it, I straightened up and told him.
“Hey-! Uncle Munseok. Even so, me and the kid are martial artists—shoving us between girls to flirt and pour drinks? We’ve got pride.”
“I get that…. But they’re VIPs. Can’t find guys with your looks quick. Please? Just sit there like statues.”
“Hah! Even for 200 nyang in gold, I ain’t selling my pride. Uncle Munseok—you’re a martial artist too, even in the Hao Sect. Pretty disappointed you’d ask this.”
“Sorry…. Any chance? I’m begging….”
My hardline stance kept his pleading going. And soon….
“Young sirs. Wanna cheers with us?”
“G-good…! I’ll pour right aw—.”
“Ah~, not this—something pricier.”
“The most expensive liquor here, 10 bottles! Right now-!”
…I discovered one of my hidden talents.