Chapter 4: Reading a Book a Hundred Times Reveals Its Meaning (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 4: Reading a Book a Hundred Times Reveals Its Meaning (3)
A world without the internet or electricity was endlessly dull.
That was why the people of the Jianghu sought stimulation whenever they gathered, exchanging every scrap of gossip they had picked up. The market, the inn, the communal laundry, the well—wherever people congregated, stories flourished.
These were tales that had never been fact-checked, embellished to the extreme for the sole purpose of a dopamine rush. By dissecting and relating to such rumors, the common folk endured their tedious lives and wearisome labor.
The discourse of the streets. The tales of the back alleys.
Street rumors.
This was the community, the social media, and the messenger service of the era. And within that space, Yeon So-wol’s name began to circulate.
“Have you heard? They say a young man from Annam named Yeon So-wol begged the Great Hero Lee Yu-baek to take him as a disciple.”
“Pah! Spits. That story’s already cold.”
“No, but have you heard this? When he was rejected, he offered thirty taels of gold!”
“Bullshit. What are you talking about? I heard he was a woodcutter. Where would a woodcutter get thirty taels of gold? I’d be shocked if he even had three.”
“No, think about it. What kind of man is the Great Hero Lee Yu-baek? You think he’d change his mind for a mere three taels of gold?”
“Bullsh— Hmm. Is that so?”
“Of course it is! Three taels of gold might be a fortune to us, but do you really think it’s anything to the Great Hero?”
“Still, isn’t it a lot? Three taels of gold is…”
“No, thirty taels is right. I heard it too. That young man is incredibly handsome, you see? From what I heard, a noble lady in Annam fell for his face and sent him the gold, asking him to marry her. But he just took it, crossed the sea, and offered it all to Lee Yu-baek.”
“Wow. What a man.”
“…How is that being a man? He’s just a lunatic.”
“You don’t get it? Having a little trouble downstairs, are we?”
“What the hell did you just say, you bastard? When have you ever seen me?”
The men, who had been chattering noisily in a corner of the market, suddenly grabbed each other by the collar and started brawling.
In the meantime, the three taels Yeon So-wol had actually offered had somehow transformed into thirty, becoming an established fact. And as it happened, another group of people overheard the story.
They were three men with fierce eyes and sturdy builds.
“Hey. You hear that?”
“Yeah. So Lee Yu-baek took on a disciple?”
“Exactly. The same bastard who wouldn’t take our Gon-cheol and just broke his arms and legs instead.”
Gon-cheol was a man who, just last month, had gone to Lee Yu-baek and cockily declared that if he could defeat the master, Lee Yu-baek would have to accept him. As his close friends, these men held a deep grudge.
“So that bastard has thirty taels of gold now?”
“This pisses me off. Are we just going to sit here and do nothing?”
“It’s been a while. Should we pull a job? Huh?”
In this era, wealth was often stored in the form of rice or textiles. Gold accounted for only a tiny fraction of the economy. No matter how wealthy Lee Yu-baek was, the news that he had acquired thirty taels of gold was a massive deal.
Compared to rice and textiles of the same value, gold was incomparably smaller and lighter. Thirty taels was roughly 1.2 kilograms—perfect for slipping in, grabbing, and getting out. With that much, they could live like kings in a mid-sized city like Xinxing County for ten years without a care in the world.
“Yeah, screw it. No matter how much of an expert that bastard is, what’s he going to do if we sneak in while he’s sleeping and swipe the gold?”
“But do you know where he keeps it?”
“I know a guy who was at the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall until last year. I’ll ask him where he thinks it might be.”
“Oh, nice.”
“Shit. Let’s pull this one big job and get the hell out of this fucking town.”
The men’s eyes gleamed as they looked at one another.
*
Lee Yu-baek, the Hall Master of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall, stated unequivocally, “It is impossible for someone who begins their martial arts journey at eighteen to ever amount to anything.”
He glanced at the students training in the courtyard.
“Those kids started their training at ten, or fifteen at the latest. But even among them, maybe one in ten will make a living with their martial arts. Most will never surpass the level of a third-rate martial artist and will end up doing manual labor. The ill-natured ones sometimes become street hooligans.”
“That’s right. Like that guy last month—Bong-cheol or Dong-cheol, whatever his name was. I was the one who broke his legs. Senior Brother broke his arms.”
“Quiet.”
After flicking the forehead of his cheeky disciple, Lee Yu-baek turned back to Yeon So-wol.
“However, they say that if one’s will is sincere enough, it can move the heavens. And if the heavens are moved, what is there that cannot be achieved? Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, Hall Master.”
Yeon So-wol quickly bowed his head. It seemed appropriate to agree at this point. Given his conditional acceptance, he had to do his best.
Lee Yu-baek smiled with satisfaction. “You truly understand propriety.” Then he waved a hand dismissively. “But, So-wol. From what I can see, your will is not yet sincere enough.”
How would you know that, Master? Yeon So-wol thought, but outwardly, he just bowed lower.
“I apologize. I will work harder.”
“No, there’s no need to apologize. It is difficult for one’s will to become sincere on its own. So, I shall help you.”
Lee Yu-baek stepped forward. His three disciples, standing beside him, were startled and tried to stop him.
“M-Master, are you going to do it yourself?”
“No, Master. I will do it.”
“Won’t it be a bother, Master? Please, rest. We will handle it.”
Lee Yu-baek gently shook his head. “No. He came seeking me, so I should at least teach him myself on the first day.”
The disciples hesitantly stepped back. Yeon So-wol thought to himself that this was a picture-perfect master-disciple relationship. The master was benevolent; the disciples were respectful.
I knew it. This place operates on common sense, he thought.
Until one of the disciples looked at him with genuine pity and muttered, “…May you rest in peace.”
Wait, what?
“So-wol. Come stand here.”
Yeon So-wol did as he was told and stood facing Lee Yu-baek.
“You want to learn martial arts so you can dodge well?”
“Yes.”
“No. You have no desire to dodge.”
“Pardon?”
WHAM!
The moment he asked, Yeon So-wol saw the blue sky.
Huh?
Thud!
He fell backward. The ground his head hit felt like it was rippling. A terrible dizziness washed over him as hot blood trickled from his nose.
Wha—?
Yeon So-wol had never been hit like this in his life. The most he’d ever done was scuffle with other kids. But a single blow that made his nose bleed and rattled his brain so much he couldn’t stand?
While he was still completely dazed, something struck his side.
THWACK!
The pointed toe of a leather shoe slammed into his ribs.
“Gahk!”
The air was knocked out of him. Yeon So-wol rolled on the ground, gasping. Then, a cold voice spoke.
“Get up.”
Yeon So-wol knew instinctively: If I don’t get up, he’ll hit me again!
Still unable to catch his breath, he forced his trembling legs to find purchase and staggered to his feet like a fish out of water. The moment he was standing, a question flew at him.
“Why didn’t you dodge?”
Yeon So-wol was bewildered. The man had attacked him without warning, and now he was asking this? He tried to answer, but he still couldn’t breathe; only a wheezing sound escaped his throat.
“Uh… heok… keh…”
“Questioning me again?”
He wasn’t questioning him! He just couldn’t breathe! But Lee Yu-baek didn’t give him a second chance.
CRACK!
This time, a fist slammed into his lower abdomen. It was so fast that Yeon So-wol couldn’t even see it coming.
“Guh… heuk?”
The world turned yellow. His entire body stiffened like a rock.
Plop.
Yeon So-wol collapsed. And then he saw it: a leather shoe flying toward his face.
A soccer kick is a banned move even in the UFC…
WHAM!
Yeon So-wol saw the blue sky again, along with a spray of red blood across it.
Thump.
As Yeon So-wol writhed on the ground, his face feeling like it had caved in, Lee Yu-baek asked, “Why didn’t you dodge?”
The moment he heard those words, Yeon So-wol wasn’t bewildered anymore. Instead, he endured the pain and rolled across the ground like an earthworm sprinkled with salt.
Whoosh!
A heavy kick swept through the space where he had just been lying.
“Oh?” A soft exclamation escaped Lee Yu-baek. “Have you finally found the will to dodge? Good. The power I’m using now is barely at the level of a third-rate martial artist. If your will is sincere, you can dodge it.”
He closed in on the rolling, fleeing Yeon So-wol.
“Hiiik!” Yeon So-wol shrieked in terror and scrambled away.
Lee Yu-baek laughed. “Yes! That’s it! Run! Dodge! With all your might!”
Tap!
Pushing off the ground with a strange rhythm, Lee Yu-baek glided like a swallow, instantly blocking Yeon So-wol’s path.
“Are you using all your might?”
He made a light motion as if to extend his hand, then suddenly—thuk—shot out his foot. A kick aimed at Yeon So-wol’s shin. It was a vicious technique; a novice would try to dodge the hand feint, only to get their leg swept.
But.
“Ugh!”
Yeon So-wol leaped backward and tumbled to the ground.
“Huh?” Lee Yu-baek tilted his head.
Even though he was holding back his power, that last attack wasn't something a novice like Yeon So-wol should have been able to dodge. He dodged a feint? Was that a coincidence?
Puzzled, Lee Yu-baek lightly pushed off the ground again and caught up. Yeon So-wol caught a faintly sweet, lemony scent. His eyes reflexively snapped to the side, where he saw Lee Yu-baek grinning, his white teeth bared.
Like one of Pavlov’s dogs salivating at the sound of a bell, Yeon So-wol instinctively screamed, pushed off the ground, and twisted his body away.
WHOOSH!
A heavy fist grazed the spot where his head had just been. His body trembled uncontrollably.
“That’s right. Your body is trembling, isn’t it? You feel like you’re going to die of fear, don’t you? That is the attitude of someone who truly wants to dodge. You must always be like this.”
This man is insane. Yeon So-wol screamed a silent scream. He’s a madman! Old Man Jo Man-seok was right!
The old man’s low voice, warning him never to trust the people of the Jianghu, echoed in his ears. In that very instant, Lee Yu-baek’s fist, which he failed to dodge completely, struck Yeon So-wol’s heart.
THWACK!
“Eek?”
He let out a foolish yelp and collapsed. The powerful impact had momentarily stopped his heart. Realizing this, a cold chill ran down Yeon So-wol’s spine. A cold sweat drenched his entire body.
Is this… right? Am I going to die from this?
This was strange. He’d heard that the Great Hero Lee Yu-baek was benevolent and loved to nurture talent. As confusion swamped him, the black toe of a shoe suddenly entered his vision.
No. Wait.
WHAM!
Yeon So-wol fell backward. Looking down at him, Lee Yu-baek clasped his hands behind his back and asked, “Why didn’t you dodge?”
*
I want to dodge.
Yeon So-wol thought.
I want to dodge.
He wished for it desperately.
I really, really want to dodge.
After the first day’s “lesson” ended, he sat in the lodging prepared for him in the backyard of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall, repeating that thought over and over.
I want to dodge. I have to find a way to dodge. No… I must dodge…
The pain was simply too much.
“I have to do this again tomorrow?”
The thought of quitting and running away popped into his head. The brutal violence he had experienced for the first time in his life was terrifying.
But.
No. I can’t run away just because things get hard.
It was one of Yeon So-wol’s core beliefs. It had been the same when he was studying. If he took a break just because it was hard, the next time things got tough, his first thought would be to quit again.
So, Yeon So-wol never stopped when things were difficult. He only stopped after he had finished what he set out to do.
This world can’t be any different. If I run away now because it’s hard, I’ll just end up running away for the rest of my life.
Then his life here would become a complete mess. He would be stuck living in filthy, smelly places.
I can’t let that happen.
Yeon So-wol gritted his teeth. “Ugh…”
A sudden surge of pain made him curl up. It hurt so much he couldn’t sleep.
“But is this really okay? This pain feels… too strange.”
Yeon So-wol frowned and examined his body. It was covered in bruises. But the pain he felt was not the simple ache of a bruise. It felt like something hot was squirming within those marks.
“Agh…”
It was slowly spreading throughout his body. If he had to describe it, it was like hot worms tearing through and swimming in his muscles.
Unable to sleep, Yeon So-wol went outside. He squatted on the wooden porch and curled into a ball.
“Ugh…”
The cool night air seemed to clear his head a little. He was enduring the pain when it happened.
Thump!
Suddenly, something leaped over the wall.
Thump! Thump!
Three of them.
“…Huh?”
All three were wearing pitch-black masks. Their eyes met Yeon So-wol’s. In that instant, without a second thought, Yeon So-wol screamed with all his might.
“THIEVES!”
“Shit!”
His calculation was that by announcing their presence, the thieves would be startled and flee. But their reaction was the opposite of what he expected.
“It’s because of that bastard!”
“Kill him!”
“Kill him and run!”
The three masked men suddenly pulled daggers from their clothes and charged.
“!!!”
Yeon So-wol was terrified. But he didn’t freeze. His body, which had been beaten, rolled, and dodged all day long, reacted almost reflexively.
Clatter! Crash!
“He dodged?”
“Get him!”
“Surround him!”
As Yeon So-wol rolled across the porch to evade them, the three masked men lunged. Yeon So-wol dodged. He rolled. He threw his body aside. Just as he had done all day, he kept dodging desperately.
But his situation was growing more precarious.
Why are they going this far?! He couldn’t understand. Why aren’t the thieves running away?
It didn’t make any sense. Yeon So-wol gritted his teeth. “You crazy bastards…”
A blade glinted under the moonlight. But in Yeon So-wol’s eyes, it no longer looked like a blade. It was just… a thread.
A world made entirely of threads. A sword made of threads. A porch made of threads. A person made of threads. A sky, moon, and stars made of threads…
Yeon So-wol twisted his body. He grabbed the opponent swinging the blade and kicked him away.
And then.
Die.
He severed the threads tangled with his own.
Snap.
Snip, snap.
Thud!
Crash.
Flump.
Heavy bodies collapsed onto the porch.
“…”
Pushing them aside, Yeon So-wol got to his feet. He snatched one of the daggers and stabbed the necks of the already dead bodies.
Killing someone with the power of the Heavenly Killing Star left no external wounds. Someone might find that suspicious.
Squish.
Stab.
Rip.
The sensation of the blade tearing through flesh was far from pleasant. Yeon So-wol trembled.
A moment later, the people of the Pungryu Martial Arts Hall rushed into the backyard. Among them was Lee Yu-baek.
“Did you kill them?”
“…Yes.”
Yeon So-wol lowered his head, his hands stained with blood. He had killed people, after all.
“I’ll have to stand trial, won’t I…?”
He might even go to prison. How did things get so twisted? Yeon So-wol hadn’t cried once since coming here, but this time, he really felt like he might.
What did I do so wrong?
One unfair thing after another. As he stood there, completely dejected, Lee Yu-baek spoke.
“I checked their faces. They’re local hooligans.”
Yeon So-wol stared blankly at Lee Yu-baek’s face. He didn’t understand why he was saying that. Wait. Does being a hooligan mean I don’t have to go to prison?
“They may be hooligans, but they’re martial artists at the third-rate level. How did you manage to take on three of them by yourself?”
Is that so? Yeon So-wol thought that if he hadn’t spent the entire day being chased by Lee Yu-baek, he wouldn’t have survived. …Not that I’m particularly grateful.
And what good was any of it if he was going to prison? Lee Yu-baek spoke to the despondent Yeon So-wol.
“It seems you’re strong in a real fight. I suppose we can increase the intensity of your training starting tomorrow.”
“Pardon?”
Yeon So-wol was stunned. Training? What about the trial? That was his first question. And you can increase the training intensity from here? That was his second.
To that single word, “Pardon?”, which encapsulated all his questions, Lee Yu-baek replied softly,
“Questioning me again?”
!!!
A shiver ran down Yeon So-wol’s spine, and he reflexively bowed his head.
“No, sir. Thank you, Hall Master!”
Above him, Lee Yu-baek let out a low laugh.