Chapter 346
Chapter 346
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 346
Chapter Title: A Case of Mistaken Identity
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Yu Cheong-rim blinked his large eyes.
“What do you mean by that?”
“She is…”
*Swish!*
Just then, the Black and White Witch’s hair fanned out into hundreds of strands and shot toward Bu Eun-seol.
*Chwarararak!*
Bu Eun-seol’s Muk-geom spun like a windmill, shredding her cascading hair to pieces.
*Thrum, thrum, thrum!*
The Black and White Witch then extended her long fingers, moving them in the air as if playing an instrument.
Instantly, a powerful force descended not only from the sky but also from the left and right, coiling around Bu Eun-seol as if to tear him apart.
“Hmph.”
Bu Eun-seol scoffed and swung his Muk-geom lightly. With a *shush*, the force vanished without a trace.
This was a subtlety of the Orthodox Faction’s swordsmanship, which dispersed the sharp energy she had unleashed in all directions like steam.
It was the profound principle of the Heavenly Sword’s First Form of a Myriad Images, the Art of a Thousand Deflections.
*Thrum, thrum, thrum!*
As he instantly nullified the force, the Black and White Witch’s fingers danced rapidly in the air.
With every movement of her elegant, butterfly-like fingers, the streams of force multiplied into tens, then hundreds, and began to pour down.
“Not a chance.”
But Bu Eun-seol, mimicking the First Form of a Myriad Images in quick succession, dissipated the force like mist.
*Paat!*
The moment he closed the distance to strike the Black and White Witch’s neck,
*Shwick!*
Her body suddenly faded into an afterimage and reappeared behind Yu Cheong-rim.
Was she planning to take him hostage and escape?
“Move!”
At that moment, a sharp cry echoed from the sky as a mountain-like fist power descended upon the Black and White Witch standing behind Yu Cheong-rim.
*Kwaang!*
The force of the blow was so immense that the ground shook, and dust billowed in all directions.
“She’s not here!” Yu Cheong-rim shouted as the dust settled.
He looked around, but the Black and White Witch had already vanished.
“She deceived my eyes and escaped? How can that be?”
So Ok-rim, who had landed beside Yu Cheong-rim, closed her eyes and perked up her ears.
She was using the Gyeok-gong-do-cheong-sul, a skill to detect distant movements, to locate the Black and White Witch.
“Damn it. She’s already gone.”
So Ok-rim opened her eyes again and shook her head.
“I can’t believe it. Was the Black and White Witch’s power always this great?”
Her extrasensory perception, much like Bu Eun-seol’s, extended nearly a hundred paces.
Could it be that the Black and White Witch’s martial arts had reached the Transcendent Realm, allowing her to move hundreds of paces in an instant?
“It’s not martial arts.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke calmly.
“That witch is using a technique that confuses the senses.”
“Confuses the senses? How do you know?”
“My school’s arts include a secret technique called the Air-Breaking Mind’s Eye, which allows me to sense the flow of air.”
“You can sense the flow of air?”
“Indeed. Even if she had transformed into an insect and vanished, she wouldn’t have been able to deceive my senses.”
Bu Eun-seol spoke with confidence.
“But she disappeared without a trace… She must be using a method to confuse the senses.”
“Hmm.”
Sensing the truth in his words, So Ok-rim’s expression darkened.
“Is she really a descendant of the Blood Emperor?”
She touched her brow and muttered something incomprehensible.
“Come to think of it, when we first started chasing her, there was only one. But later, she split in two. It seems…”
“Why did you suddenly disappear?”
Yu Cheong-rim cried out, his voice filled with indignation.
“You promised to protect me, so why did you both vanish? I was almost killed!”
“Hey, do you think I’d break my promise?”
So Ok-rim sighed.
“While we were secretly watching over you, the Black and White Witch suddenly appeared behind us.”
“What? That’s impossible.”
“It’s true.”
She said with an utterly serious expression.
“We immediately gave chase, but the fleeing witch’s body suddenly split in two. So we each followed one.”
Only then did Yu Cheong-rim recall Bu Eun-seol’s words.
—The Black and White Witch is not one.
That strange statement had been the truth.
“Does that mean there are actually three Black and White Witches?”
“I don’t know about that. But the one I was chasing vanished as if she had evaporated. That’s when I realized it was a trap and came back to you.”
So Ok-rim looked at Bu Eun-seol, who nodded in agreement.
“It was the same for me.”
“No way.”
Yu Cheong-rim clutched his hair.
“There are three of that terrifyingly powerful witch? This is a fight we can’t possibly win, isn't it?”
While he trembled in a daze, Bu Eun-seol bent down and carefully examined the spot where the Black and White Witch had stood.
As he activated his Gong-sim-tong-ryeong, a faint white light began to emanate from his pupils.
Simultaneously, faint traces of movement, invisible to the naked eye, became clear to him.
‘Could it be?’
These traces were the continuous patterns of human movement—the head, shoulders, hips, calves, and knees.
A detailed analysis of these traces could predict not only the stride but also the gait and even the height of a person.
‘I see.’
Bu Eun-seol recalled the movement of the Black and White Witch’s fingers as she unleashed her force upon him.
A flash of insight, like lightning, shot through his mind.
“We might be able to find her easily.”
“How?”
So Ok-rim’s face lit up as Bu Eun-seol stated calmly,
“The Black and White Witch is likely a courtesan.”
“A courtesan?”
“Given her age, she probably doesn’t entertain clients directly anymore. She’s likely the madam of a pleasure house.”
So Ok-rim shook her head with a look of disbelief.
“Someone with martial arts so exquisite she can shake off both you and me in an instant is running a brothel?”
“It’s just a guess, but I’m certain she has a background as a courtesan.”
“How do you know that?”
Bu Eun-seol spoke with a look of conviction.
“Observing her movements when she unleashed her force and when she moved, I saw the habits of a courtesan who has spent a long time in a pleasure house.”
“A courtesan’s habits? What are those?”
“Whatever pose they strike, courtesans habitually try to accentuate their appearance and charm.”
Bu Eun-seol looked toward the spot where the Black and White Witch had disappeared.
“They understand the lines of their own body, memorize the angles and movements that best highlight their beauty, and habitually adopt those postures.”
He then explained in detail the postures and gait the Black and White Witch had adopted to So Ok-rim.
“…In other words, she has lived so long with the traits of her courtesan days ingrained in her body that she is no longer aware of them.”
“A courtesan.”
So Ok-rim smacked her lips as she pondered this.
“Well, the Blood Emperor himself came from a background as a gambling shark, so it’s not entirely impossible.”
Among the masters of the Underworld and Unorthodox Factions, it wasn’t uncommon to find those who had been gamblers, courtesans, or gangsters from the dark alleys.
The Blood Emperor's martial arts could be considered heretical, so it was possible that he had chosen successors from similar walks of life through the generations.
“But you know, looking at her, she doesn't seem like a descendant of the Blood Emperor at all.”
“I agree.”
Bu Eun-seol also looked up at the distant sky with hazy eyes.
“The Blood Emperor’s arts wouldn’t include techniques like these.”
What if the Black and White Witch wasn’t a descendant of the Blood Emperor?
Was there any need to waste precious time chasing her?
The martial world was full of villains.
Besides the Black and White Witch, the number of evil martial artists was countless, and catching them would only serve to increase one’s fame.
In truth, Bu Eun-seol had no interest in the affairs of the martial world or in gaining fame.
—Shouldn’t an old man like me, who has lived at least a day longer, be the one to solve it?
The image of Bukgung Ryeong, ready to go to the Isle of Hell to protect the renowned heroes of the Orthodox Faction, surfaced in Bu Eun-seol’s mind.
He protected the martial world without any expectation of reward and was still in hiding, falsely accused, to prevent the Ten Great Armaments incident.
—If you have even one thing more than others, you must share it.
Then, Bukgung Ryeong’s voice transformed into the warm voice of Bu Jan-yang.
Bu Jan-yang, who couldn’t even afford to eat a bowl of noodles to his heart’s content, had meticulously prepared the dead for burial, dressing them in shrouds at his own expense.
‘Does it matter if they are Orthodox or Unorthodox?’
He had been so focused on revenge that he hadn't paid attention to other matters.
But Bu Eun-seol had inherited Bu Jan-yang’s teachings completely.
Unbeknownst to him, the spirit of a renowned hero of the Orthodox Faction had taken firm root in his heart.
“Still, we have to catch her, don’t we?”
So Ok-rim spoke then, as if reading his mind.
Awakened from his thoughts, Bu Eun-seol said calmly,
“Of course.”
“The Blood Emperor?”
At that moment, Yu Cheong-rim’s face went pale, as if he had seen an ominous cursed doll.
“What’s this about a Blood Emperor?”
So Ok-rim waved her hand dismissively.
“You don’t need to know.”
“No, I’m risking my life too. Shouldn’t I know?”
With a sigh of resignation, So Ok-rim gave Yu Cheong-rim a rough explanation of why they were chasing the Black and White Witch.
“I see.”
Yu Cheong-rim felt a sense of relief.
He had actually thought So Ok-rim was just a bounty hunter after the reward on the Black and White Witch’s head.
But now, it seemed they were doing something quite noble.
“Alright. Let’s say she’s a former courtesan. What else?”
So Ok-rim asked again, and Bu Eun-seol began to speak.
“Her height is roughly five feet eight inches. She has a rather slender build with developed shoulders. Also…”
Based on her stride alone, Bu Eun-seol was estimating the Black and White Witch’s height, body shape, knee thickness, and even the approximate width of her chest, waist, thighs, and hips.
In short, he knew almost everything about her except her face.
“That’s amazing.”
So Ok-rim’s mouth fell open as she pointed at the footprints left by the Black and White Witch.
“You can deduce that much just from her tracks?”
“Sir Seol must have been a constable.”
Yu Cheong-rim, recalling something, said with a smile.
“The constables at the bureau can deduce many things from stride, shoes, and how the shoes are worn.”
Yu Cheong-rim smiled faintly, lost in an old memory.
“When I was young, I didn’t know any better and left my tracks everywhere. I’d often get caught by the constables and beaten half to death. Hahaha.”
“Yeah, something to be proud of. You were stealing things even as a kid?”
“Of course.”
When So Ok-rim chided him, Yu Cheong-rim puffed out his chest and said,
“Do you think I got the name ‘Divine Thief’ for nothing? It was only possible through bone-grinding effort and trial and error since I was young.”
As he snorted and preened, So Ok-rim, who had been looking at him with disdain, remembered something.
“But it’ll be hard to find her based on her body type alone, won’t it?”
She stroked her chin and added.
“Out of a hundred courtesans, seventy or eighty of them probably have a similar build.”
Courtesans were generally around five feet four or five inches tall with slender figures.
“And your predicted body type could have a margin of error, right? Besides, how can you distinguish her figure when she’s wearing clothes?”
Bu Eun-seol answered firmly.
“I can.”
“Sir Seol. Even if that’s true, there’s another problem.”
Yu Cheong-rim interjected with a serious expression.
“The Black and White Witch has evaded countless pursuers until now. There’s a chance she might know that you’ve figured out she’s a courtesan.”
Like a true Divine Thief, he was considering various possibilities.
Especially now that masters like Bu Eun-seol and So Ok-rim were after her, the Black and White Witch was likely to be even more careful about her movements.
“If that’s the case, all the better. We’ll be able to find her that much faster.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, So Ok-rim’s eyes widened.
“How?”
“It’s simple. We disguise someone with her exact body type, cover their face, and have them walk around the red-light district.”
Bu Eun-seol explained slowly.
“If we match the body type and cover the face, someone who knows her is bound to recognize her.”
“I see.”
So Ok-rim exclaimed in admiration.
People seem to identify others by their faces, but they unconsciously store a great deal of other information, such as body lines, gait, and movements.
Bu Eun-seol intended to use this to find someone who knew the disguised Black and White Witch.
“But who’s going to be the disguise?”
Bu Eun-seol looked at Yu Cheong-rim.
His chest and hips weren’t large, but at about five feet five inches, he had a slender frame.
With his face covered, he could easily pass for a thin woman.
“I remember her measurements and gait precisely, so a perfect disguise…”
Before he could finish, Yu Cheong-rim grabbed Bu Eun-seol’s right arm and dropped to his knees.
“Sir Seol. Please, save me.”
“We’re almost there. Just hold on a little longer.”
“I can’t do it anymore. Just kill me instead. *Sob, sob*.”
Yu Cheong-rim clasped his hands together, fat tears rolling down his cheeks.
His pitiful weeping might have inspired sympathy in some, but So Ok-rim’s voice became even more coaxing as she tried to persuade him.
“You’ve already seen the Black and White Witch’s face twice. When things quiet down, she’ll definitely come for you.”
“Lady So.”
“We have to deal with this properly this time. Otherwise, you’ll be her number one target for assassination.”
“I’d rather just be chased and killed. I can’t do this anymore; my nerves are completely shot.”
Tears welled in Yu Cheong-rim’s eyes, but his expression was resolute.
Seeing that persuasion wasn’t working, So Ok-rim sighed and grabbed his shoulder.
“Dying while being chased sounds like your wishful thinking.”
“What do you mean…”
Yu Cheong-rim’s words were cut short.
She had squeezed his Gyeolbun acupoint with a merciless grip.
“Urk.”
“Do you want to die now? Or do you want to die while being chased?”
*Crack.*
The pain in his shoulder was so intense it felt like his arm was about to be torn off.
Yu Cheong-rim wanted to cry.
But the unbearable agony was so great that his tears retreated back inside.
“Ugh…”
Why did he have to steal Gu Yang-chun’s treasured sword when this monstrous So Ok-rim was around? How could it have led to such a catastrophe?
‘Once this is over, I’ll never steal again!’
“Could you… let go and talk?”
As Yu Cheong-rim’s eyes were about to roll back from the pain, So Ok-rim quickly released her grip.
“Oh, and there’s a good side to this.”
She then said with a gentle, comforting expression.
“You get to put someone like me in your debt. Do you know how big of a deal that is?”
She then pointed to Bu Eun-seol.
“And you’ve probably figured it out by now, but he’s a pretty big deal too. This will definitely not be a loss for you.”
Yu Cheong-rim shook his head.
Even if So Ok-rim and Bu Eun-seol were of imperial blood, he would never want this job.
But as she reached for his shoulder again,
“I’ll do it.”
He flinched and answered hastily, the words escaping him before he could think.
Yu Cheong-rim wanted to slap his own mouth, but So Ok-rim smiled brightly and wrapped an arm around his shoulders in a friendly manner.
“There, there. Good thinking.”
Yu Cheong-rim suddenly wondered.
Who was it that said you can’t spit on a smiling face?
If someone told him to spit on So Ok-rim’s brightly smiling face, he felt he could spit until his throat ran dry.
“This time, I’ll make sure to catch her for you. Don’t worry.”
Yu Cheong-rim wanted to punch her in the face, but he forced a smile and nodded.
“Then, I’ll be in your care.”
***
Once again, Yu Cheong-rim set out onto the night streets in disguise.
This time, however, he was not disguised as the Black and White Witch, but as a middle-aged woman wearing a veil and luxurious clothes.
Bu Eun-seol, who knew the Black and White Witch’s physique well, had completely altered his body shape using cotton and rubber.
Dressed in ornate clothing, wearing a hat, and with his face covered by a veil, he looked exactly like the madam of a high-class pleasure house.
—Walk around the taverns in this area like this. Someone who knows her might recognize you.
If the Black and White Witch ran a pleasure house, she would surely be based in a bustling metropolis with a diverse population, not a small village.
Bu Eun-seol had disguised Yu Cheong-rim and instructed him to wander around the most prosperous entertainment district in Pyeongdo.
*Ssssk.*
Suddenly, warriors with swords at their waists poured out from a nearby alley, surrounding Yu Cheong-rim.
‘What is this now?’
As the bewildered Yu Cheong-rim lifted his veil and tilted his head,
“Finally, we’ve caught you.”
A middle-aged man with a dignified build stepped forward from among the surrounding warriors.
His features were handsome, but his gaze was sharp, and his eyes were full of authority.
Furthermore, the emblem of the Murim Alliance, the Yang-bong-yeon-bi—two phoenixes flying in tandem—was embroidered on his sleeve.
He was Baek Un-saeng, the man in charge of the Murim Alliance’s Shandong Branch.
‘What is that fellow doing here?’
As Yu Cheong-rim clutched his chest, a chill running through him,
“I am Baek Un-saeng, leader of the Murim Alliance’s Shandong Branch.”
Baek Un-saeng shouted in a loud voice.
“Kneel at once.”
For a moment, Yu Cheong-rim frowned.
‘Did I get caught for stealing things from the Shandong Branch?’
Three months ago, he had stolen the Jade Joyful Buddha Statue that was kept at the Murim Alliance’s Shandong Branch.
Seeing the branch leader, Baek Un-saeng, in person suggested that they had been investigating the incident tenaciously.
“You’ve finally shown your tail.”
Baek Un-saeng said with a satisfied expression.
“I heard you’d appeared in this area and have been investigating secretly ever since.”
When Yu Cheong-rim took a step back in alarm, Baek Un-saeng smiled, thinking he had gained the upper hand.
“Trying to run, are you? Black and White Witch?”
‘What?’
Finally grasping the situation, Yu Cheong-rim’s eyes widened.
He had been posing as the Black and White Witch in Pyeongdo because of So Ok-rim’s threats.
But Baek Un-saeng had been mistakenly tracking Yu Cheong-rim’s movements all along, thinking he was the Black and White Witch.
“Kneel!”
Baek Un-saeng said solemnly, holding out the phoenix medallion that symbolized the Murim Alliance.
“Otherwise, you will be executed immediately in accordance with the Alliance’s laws!”
*Flap, flap!*
Yu Cheong-rim kept his mouth shut and waved his hands from side to side.
If he opened his mouth and spoke in a man’s voice, all his recent suffering would be for naught.
‘You idiots! It’s not me!’
“Do you intend to resist?”
Baek Un-saeng laughed as if the thought was ridiculous.
After receiving a report confirming the Black and White Witch’s whereabouts, he had brought all one hundred elite warriors from the Shandong Branch.
No matter how formidable her martial arts were, she couldn’t possibly stand against a hundred skilled warriors.
‘Ugh, these stupid Murim Alliance fools!’
Oblivious to Yu Cheong-rim’s frustration, Baek Un-saeng pointed his finger with a triumphant expression.
“Arrest that witch at once!”