Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: The Winds of Chaos Blow from the North (1)
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Dam Ho stepped out of the carriage.
Even at this moment, the two women’s conversation continued inside, and there was no place for him to insert himself.
Dam Ho sat on a rock and gazed at the people of the Shin Hwa Merchant Company. Though they had been here for quite some time, they showed no signs of disorder. They possessed a formidable discipline and restraint that was rare among ordinary merchant groups or escort agencies.
At that moment, someone approached Dam Ho. It was Yun Sa-il, the outer division leader of the Shin Hwa Merchant Company.
“The young lady has been weary from the long journey. As you can see, there are only rough men around, so she had no one suitable to talk to. We’re fortunate. Your group provided her some companionship, if only for a short while.”
“Long journey?”
“We’re heading to Shaolin Temple. We still have about five days to go.”
Yun Sa-il’s words sparked interest in Dam Ho’s eyes. The name Shaolin Temple had caught his attention.
The leader among the Nine Great Sects and the eternal spiritual pillar of the martial world.
When speaking of the jianghu, those three words—Shaolin Temple—were indispensable.
A place steeped in legends and myths as ancient as its history.
Any who dwelled in the jianghu yearned for it without exception.
The word Shaolin was more than enough to pique Dam Ho’s interest.
“Why go to Shaolin?”
“Merchants move only when there’s profit. Shaolin requested a transaction. It’s quite large in scale, so the young lady herself had to come. Given the counterpart, we couldn’t afford to be careless.”
Shaolin was the undisputed leader of the jianghu. No matter how vast the Shin Hwa Merchant Company’s wealth, Shaolin was a burdensome trading partner. Thus, they had no choice but to proceed with caution.
That was why Won Seol-hwa had come personally. She wasn’t simply taking on the mission because she was the daughter of the company head.
She possessed intellect matching her stunning beauty and had led numerous major deals, yielding substantial profits. She handled all the large transactions for the Shin Hwa Merchant Company.
“And where are you headed, young hero?”
“Shaanxi Province.”
“With the world in turmoil, it’s a long road. Isn’t it dangerous? Why not travel with us partway?”
Yun Sa-il made an unexpected proposal.
As Dam Ho regarded him suspiciously, Yun Sa-il smiled.
“You get an easy ride partway, and our young lady gains a companion. It benefits us both, doesn’t it?”
“......”
“I’m not asking for an immediate decision. There’s still time, so think it over.”
Yun Sa-il left those words and withdrew.
Dam Ho silently watched him go.
About two hours later, Jong Ri-yeon opened the carriage door and stepped out.
“You’ve been waiting a long time? I’m sorry. I didn’t realize so much time had passed while talking with Miss Won.”
Jong Ri-yeon apologized first.
Won Seol-hwa, seasoned as a merchant, had incredibly broad knowledge. Her stories, backed by vast learning, were captivating.
Dam Ho asked,
“Do you want to go with her?”
“No.”
To his surprise, Jong Ri-yeon shook her head.
As if to resolve his doubts, she continued.
“I’ve already talked with her plenty. Any unfinished conversation can wait until fate brings us together again.”
“......”
“She’s undoubtedly beautiful and wise. Time flies when chatting with her. I nearly forgot my patient was waiting—that was a first for me, and it left me flustered. But I’m a physician. The patient comes before her. I want to think more about the treatment, even on the way to them.”
Jong Ri-yeon’s mind was filled with nothing but medicine and patients, awake or asleep.
Dam Ho and Jong Ri-yeon bid farewell to the Shin Hwa Merchant Company. With no reason to stay, they had no need to linger.
After they departed, Yun Sa-il entered the carriage.
He knelt with utmost reverence.
“Young lady!”
“That man?”
“He left with the Divine Physician.”
“Hmm!”
Won Seol-hwa wrinkled her nose slightly. Even that subtle expression change heated the air with her allure.
“What a pity. He would have been a great asset if he’d joined us.”
“Do you know his identity?”
“He was limping slightly on his left foot.”
“Ah!”
Yun Sa-il let out an involuntary gasp.
Only then did he realize what he had overlooked.
“He is the Fist Demon.”
“Exactly. Countless warriors fill the world, but only he bears such a distinctive trait.”
“But I thought he vanished last autumn.”
“It seems he’s reemerged.”
Won Seol-hwa continued nonchalantly. But unlike her demeanor, her mind raced with complexity.
The weight of the title Fist Demon was no light matter. Wherever he went, blood winds blew, and many died.
The number of warriors who fell by his hand exceeded hundreds, including renowned masters whose names echoed through the jianghu.
“He’s truly a headache. Too burdensome as an ally, too formidable as an enemy.”
“In the end, he’s just one man. He can’t withstand the tempests of the jianghu alone.”
“True. That’s how it should be. But something feels off. It irks me—like a needle in my tongue.”
“Young lady?”
“Focus on the Shaolin deal for now. That’s the priority.”
“Understood.”
“It’s a rare opportunity. Prepare thoroughly before we arrive.”
“Of course.”
“I want to be alone.”
“Understood. Rest well.”
Yun Sa-il exited, leaving Won Seol-hwa alone in the carriage.
“Fist Demon... Is he really as formidable as the rumors say?”
Her voice lingered mysteriously before fading.
***
As they rode, Jong Ri-yeon suddenly spoke.
“Miss Won is impressive too.”
“What about her?”
“The heir to the world’s greatest merchant company personally joining a trade caravan. Sure, she has the ability, but she could enjoy every luxury without lifting a finger.”
“By that logic, you’re the same.”
“Me?”
“You possess the world’s greatest medical arts. Open a clinic, and patients would flock to you. Yet you tread this harsh path.”
“My case is different. I swore to live this way.”
“No difference at all.”
“That makes me happy.”
“What does?”
“Your praise.”
“I wasn’t praising you.”
“Hehe!”
Despite Dam Ho’s curt reply, Jong Ri-yeon giggled. Though her reaction nagged at him slightly, Dam Ho soon sank into other thoughts.
‘Won Seol-hwa.’
The sub-leader of the Shin Hwa Merchant Company, the world’s foremost.
Her business acumen was exceptional, and her command over her subordinates equally so. As Jong Ri-yeon said, a rare heroine. But such external qualities didn’t concern him.
Impressive as Won Seol-hwa was, the world held women who surpassed her.
Jong Ri-yeon right beside him was no less valuable. Her supreme medical arts could wield influence greater than the Shin Hwa Merchant Company, depending on their use.
What truly grated on Dam Ho was Won Seol-hwa’s gaze. Beneath the seductive eyes lurked a serpent’s coldness and vast ambition.
No ordinary woman possessed such a look.
‘She harbors ambitions too.’
It was a chaotic era.
A time when latent dragons writhed, poised to soar. Won Seol-hwa was likely one such dragon.
Dam Ho deemed her someone to watch warily. But there was no need to tell Jong Ri-yeon.
Jong Ri-yeon’s intuition was sharp. Her refusal to travel with Won Seol-hwa probably stemmed from instinctual aversion.
A wry thought struck him.
What he excelled at was killing people.
Conversely, Jong Ri-yeon staked her life on saving them.
Their companionship felt comically ironic.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
Jong Ri-yeon’s voice snapped him from his reverie.
“Nothing......”
“The Ye River isn’t far.”
“Is that so?”
“Half a day more, and we’ll arrive.”
“You said there’s a patient at the Ye River?”
“Yes.”
Jong Ri-yeon nodded.
“What kind of patient?”
“Born with a rare blocked meridian. Too much potent yang energy from birth—if untreated, the heart meridian will burn out before twenty.”
“Such a disease exists?”
“A rare affliction. Appears once every century, if that. The patient is eighteen this year. Left alone, they won’t last two more.”
“Confident in treating it?”
“I’ll do my utmost. Effort should save them. No—must save them. It’s my duty.”
Conviction shone in Jong Ri-yeon’s eyes.
She staked her life on saving lives. Not everyone could hold such belief.
In a way, Jong Ri-yeon was as fanatical as Dam Ho. Before a patient, she never compromised or retreated.
Even now, her mind was wholly on the patient.
They reached the Ye River before sunset.
Jong Ri-yeon led Dam Ho to a modest manor on the outskirts. A typical siheyuan, with the courtyard central and buildings surrounding it on all sides. Ideal for enduring the north’s harsh winters.
Thud thud!
Jong Ri-yeon knocked on the Wu manor’s main gate.
Moments later, the door cracked open, and an elderly man peeked out.
“Who......”
“It’s me.”
“Ah! Isn’t this the Divine Physician’s young lady?”
“I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”
“You’ve finally come.”
Emotion surged across the old man’s face. He flung the door wide and grasped Jong Ri-yeon’s hand.
“The young master has been waiting only for you.”
“Sorry for the delay. How is he?”
“Still holding on.”
“Good.”
Jong Ri-yeon smiled.
The old man eyed Dam Ho beside her.
“And this gentleman?”
“My companion.”
“Ah, I see. No standing out here—come in.”
The old man ushered them inside.
“Sister!”
Entering the courtyard, a youth in his early twenties greeted them.
Jong Ri-yeon beamed.
“You’re still alive.”
“You told me to cling to life viciously, didn’t you?”
“I did.”
“Now you’re confident in treating me?”
“Yes!”
Jong Ri-yeon nodded, and the youth offered a faint smile.
“Good.”
“Didn’t I say to trust this big sister?”
“I did.”
Jong Ri-yeon and the youth bantered like close siblings.
The youth’s gaze turned to Dam Ho beside her.
“And this brother?”
“My companion.”
“Ah! I’m Myeong Cheon. Pleased to meet you.”
The youth who called himself Myeong Cheon regarded Dam Ho with deep eyes.
“I’m Dam Ho.”
“You’re Fist Demon Dam, the great hero.”
Unexpectedly, Myeong Cheon recognized Dam Ho at a glance.