Chapter 237
Chapter 237
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 237
Chapter Title: Poisonous Hangover Soup
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Namgung Hyeok smacked his lips and gulped down the liquor.
The Seven-Colored Chaos Brew, reeking of a vicious alcoholic stench, vanished into his mouth in an instant.
Tang Uicheon stared at him with dazed eyes.
'What the hell kind of madman is this?'
He'd munched on poisonous herbs like snacks, and now he'd even dusted that Seven-Colored Chaos Brew with poison powder before downing it.
To think there was a lunatic like this in the world.
Even the Tang Family's poison experts built up their tolerance by consuming poison.
But even they approached new poisons with caution and tension.
There was no tolerance to unfamiliar toxins, after all, so the agony that came with them was excruciating.
Yet here was some guy who'd just set foot in the Sichuan Tang Family, cramming their poisons into his mouth like candy?
'Had he built up a tolerance to alcohol poison?'
...Was that even possible?
If it was, then all the painstaking poison-eating they'd done to build resistance up until now would feel like a massive waste of time and effort.
Hell, they'd just guzzle down tasty booze instead.
"Why? Did I spill something?"
Namgung Hyeok let out a satisfied groan and grinned.
Hee hee.
"...You seem plenty sobered up now, so how about we get down to business?"
"Ah, business. I love business."
Namgung Hyeok waved his hand with a cheerful grin.
He straightened his posture.
In that instant, his bearing shifted along with the clear light in his eyes.
A glint of surprise flashed in Tang Uicheon's bewildered gaze.
Hard to believe this was the same guy who'd been chugging booze and dancing like an idiot moments ago.
"Go ahead."
Tang Uicheon nodded and began his explanation.
"The Five Poisons Sect is currently prowling the borderlands between Sichuan Province and Xijiang Province. We intend to clear a path by taking them out one by one."
"......"
"The Five Poisons Sect's poison users wield their toxins like demons. Even our family's warriors are at extreme risk if they let their guard down—they'd be completely defenseless against those poisons."
"Heh heh."
Huh?
Was that a weird noise?
Tang Uicheon cocked his head and pressed on.
"Our Tang Family's poisons against the Five Poisons Sect's toxins..."
"Heh heh heh."
"Toxins..."
"Heh heh heh."
......What the hell's wrong with this guy?
Tang Uicheon stared him down.
"Why?"
"......Nothing."
"Please, continue."
"Hm."
Tang Uicheon paused briefly before going on.
"It's dangerous even for our main family's forces. And those bastards number a full thousand."
"Wow, that's a lot."
"Exactly. A thousand poison users could wipe out ten thousand ordinary warriors."
Tang Uicheon spoke in a solemn tone.
"That's why you'll be assisting our family's warriors. While you do, our people will prepare against the Five Poisons Sect's toxins by..."
"Heh heh heh."
"Toxins..."
"Heuuuuh!"
This bastard—for real!
Tang Uicheon barely suppressed the urge to unleash a barrage of Myriad Blossoms Gentle Rain on Namgung Hyeok, who'd been reacting strangely to the word "toxins" for a while now.
Namgung Hyeok asked with a straight face.
"So, what's the plan?"
"......We'll handle the training and preparations."
"Ah, preparations. Sounds good."
Namgung Hyeok nodded agreeably.
"Isn't the Tang Family's poison art the best in the world? Just thinking about chowing down on some poison—no, learning it—makes me feel secure already."
Something about his phrasing felt off.
'......At least he's cooperative. That's a relief.'
He'd worried there might be resentment leading to foot-dragging, but it seemed like needless concern.
The fact that he'd even felt anxiety over something this straightforward was probably because the Namgung Clan had spent a full seven days and nights drowning in booze and staggering around like fools, which had eroded their credibility that much.
Still, the fact that they'd charged in with high spirits seemed genuine, Tang Uicheon figured.
Namgung Hyeok stared straight at him, a benevolent, friendly smile curving his lips.
"By the way, Family Head."
"Hm? Ask away if you've got questions."
"The Five Poisons Sect is prowling the border region right now?"
"That's right. No idea what their game is, but..."
Tang Uicheon's explanation continued, but it fell on deaf ears.
Namgung Hyeok's lips quivered.
'These assholes still haven't found them?'
He pictured the Five Poisons Sect combing the sweltering border between Xijiang and Sichuan, then drained his cup in one go.
"Aigoo, no clue what these Five Poisons bastards are scheming. Not even proper scouting."
"Hmm!"
"But hey, when it comes to poison mastery, nobody tops the Sichuan Tang Family! Your poison arts are unrivaled under heaven. How could some unheard-of ragtag poison sect outdo the sovereign?"
Tang Uicheon nodded along to Namgung Hyeok's passionate outburst.
It was rough and crude, but somehow that made it more endearing...
"Then, give it your all."
"Yeah, together we—"
"We'll be praying here for the Sichuan Tang Family's victory."
"......?"
What the hell did this guy just say?
Praying?
Praying for victory?
From here?
Tang Uicheon tilted his head.
The disjointed words finally clicked together in his mind.
"You're saying you'll pray—from here? Right now?!"
"We'll hold down the fort."
"......"
"Don't worry, just go."
You crazy son of a bitch! This is our house!
Tang Uicheon gaped in utter bewilderment.
Namgung Hyeok knocked back his cup and spoke up.
"Kyaa, this booze hits the spot."
"......"
"I'll finish this off and get to prepping. Heh heh."
Namgung Hyeok let out another chuckle and took his leave.
Tang Uicheon's eyelid twitched.
"Th-that..."
This bastard just played the Sichuan Tang Family Head for a fool?!
Tang Uicheon stared blankly at the chuckling Namgung Hyeok.
He could already feel that something had gone terribly wrong.
But he couldn't set it right because the guy was an outsider in someone else's house.
In Tang Uicheon's dazed line of sight, Namgung Hyeok and the Thunder Dragon Squad rampaged wildly.
"Hoiit!"
"Houuuu!"
"Sound the fanfare!"
Pa pa pa pa!
This is fucked. Totally fucked.
* * *
Namgung Hyeok stretched languidly as he stepped outside.
It was a binge that had kicked off in the morning and dragged on until dawn.
"Ah, that went long."
The perfect booze for shaking off a hangover?
Sichuan liquor had a harsh bite, but a profound depth to it.
With a satisfied nod, Namgung Hyeok glanced back.
"Kuh heh heh heh! Brother Paeng!"
"Uheh heh heh heh, Brother Tak!"
"Brother Paeng!"
"Brother Tak!"
He dryly chuckled at the sight of the silk bear and wild bear locked in a drunken bear hug, giggling like idiots.
Shik! Shishik!
Oh?
So Hye-yeon had drawn her sword from behind and was performing a moonlit sword dance.
"Spar with me! Let's spar! Spaaar!"
Ah, the sparring fiend.
Namgung Hyeok shook his head, only to spot Paeng Yeon-hwa giggling beside him as she clung to a pillar.
"Hiii~"
Crack!
Damn, she greeted it by snapping the pillar in half?
Tsuk tsuk. Namgung Hyeok clicked his tongue at the parade of drunken lunatics.
That's when Namgung Ryong approached.
He was the least worse for wear.
A bit flushed, but otherwise normal.
He placed a hand on Namgung Hyeok's shoulder.
"What're you doing?"
"Ha ha."
"Hm?"
"Ha ha ha ha. Ah ha ha ha ha."
"......"
"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha."
Sichuan booze packs a punch.
Namgung Ryong's clear laughter echoed through the guest hall.
'Quit laughing already. It's getting endearing.'
Namgung Hyeok shook his head and surveyed the surroundings.
"Uwoooo!"
"Wheeeee!"
"Kuooo!"
"Spare a coin! Spare a coin!"
The Thunder Dragon Squad vomiting waterfalls and Sogaege belting out his beggar ballad.
With madness in full bloom, Namgung Hyeok smiled faintly.
"Ha ha ha. The kids are wasted. Gotta sober 'em up."
As he casually rolled up his sleeves, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.
* * *
Rub rub.
Tak Hyeok-dong rubbed his bruised eyelids with an egg.
"By any chance... did you fight me yesterday?"
Rub rub.
Across from him, Paeng Jung-hyeok—who was rubbing his own left eyelid with an egg—furrowed his brow.
"You think I'd scrap with you just 'cause I was drunk?"
"Then why's that?"
"......No memory."
"Same here."
The wild bear and silk bear sighed in unison.
"Fuck, who smashed my beggar bowl... Fuck, fuuuck."
Sogaege stared vacantly at his bisected beggar bowl.
He seemed heartbroken over the demise(?) of his lifelong companion.
"How much did we drink yesterday?"
"Never blacked out like this before."
"Maybe we all scrapped and someone clocked our heads."
"But the young masters look fine."
"Bah, you idiot. You think the young masters would brawl with the likes of us?"
"Over there—that young master's got some serious roll marks."
The Thunder Dragon Squad fell silent upon spotting Paeng Jung-hyeok's mottled bruises.
What the hell happened?
So Hye-yeon and Paeng Yeon-hwa's hair was a total bird's nest too...
Just then, Namgung Hyeok arrived hauling a massive cauldron.
Steam rose invitingly from it, prompting puzzled looks all around.
What's that?
"Sobering soup."
"Pardon?"
"It's hangover soup."
"......Heup?!"
This scoundrel of a second young master prepared hangover soup?!
Unbelievable!
Geon Cheon-hwi flinched as he eyed Namgung Hyeok.
"What's with the soup?"
"These bastards bitch even when I look after 'em."
"But doing something out of the blue like this..."
"Sheesh, all this suspicion. When have I ever screwed you over?"
Never.
Not once.
'*We nearly died in agony! Or flat-out died!*'
That's why experience mattered.
All those past ordeals were blaring alarms in their heads right now!
'*Eat that and he'll have us dancing. Guaranteed.*'
Their experience was screaming it.
He'd definitely cook up some scheme using that hangover soup as bait...
Slurp!
Namgung Hyeok ladled a bowlful and chugged it down.
"Kyaha! Killer stuff. You not having any?"
"......"
Everyone hesitated amid the vague unease.
"Fuuuck. Might as well eat and drop dead!"
Sogaege lunged in, slurping it down.
"Ooh! Kinda weird, but damn tasty?"
Everyone gulped.
Hungover guts churning—perfect timing for hangover soup.
Unable to resist, people flocked to the cauldron.
Even the ever-vigilant Geon Cheon-hwi finally scooped a ladleful.
"Oh?"
"Hm?"
"Not bad?"
"Second young master's got real skills?"
Amid the praise, Namgung Hyeok smiled faintly as he ladled some for Namgung Ryong.
"Have some too, brother."
"......"
"Why?"
Shake shake.
Namgung Ryong quietly, solemnly shook his head.
Namgung Hyeok flashed a kindly smile, then grabbed his chin and poured it in.
"I—mmph?! Mmmph! Pff?!"
"Down the hatch, drink up. Good for ya. There we go."
"Uuump!"
Gulp gulp!
Namgung Ryong flailed, but he was no match for Namgung Hyeok's grip.
The cauldron emptied in a flash.
Slurp!
Sogaege scraped his bowl clean and rubbed his belly.
"Kuah! Stomach's settling now. Got more, young master?"
"Plenty left."
"Oh yeah?"
"Stuff like this was everywhere."
"Man, the Tang Family really is loaded... Hm?"
Sogaege trailed off, tilting his head.
Something felt off with his body.
"Eh, ho ha hi? Huh?"
Why was his tongue tangling?
"Drunk... again...?"
"Starting to hit now?"
"......Eh?"
Namgung Hyeok grinned at the Namgung Clan members.
He'd scraped the cauldron bottom clean and slurped it all, then spoke quietly.
"Not drunk. Paralysis kicking in."
What the hell did this bastard just say?
Everyone stared at him in panic.
What is this?
"Why poison us?"
"P-poison?! What?!"
"Cough, l-lie, right? Wh-why would young master poison..."
"F-fuck?"
Namgung Hyeok kindly explained to their ashen faces.
"Might tangle with Five Poisons Sect soon, so gotta build tolerance ahead, you idiots."
Oh. So that's why the poison?
"You crazy motherfuuuucker... Ack? Aaaack? Kyaaaack!"
Sogaege charged with a scream, only to collapse twitching on the spot.
The Namgung Clan folk blankly stared at the giggling Namgung Hyeok.
Wow.
Poisoning them now, too?
Geon Cheon-hwi's pupils trembled.
'*Fuck experience! Screw that!*'
This lunatic wasn't someone you could judge by past experience.
The moment Geon Cheon-hwi thought that, people began screaming and dropping one by one.
Namgung Hyeok giggled as he munched on the poison herbs lining the cauldron's bottom.
"Alright, time to get ready?"
Tolerance didn't build overnight—it'd take time to make it battle-ready.
Gotta hustle! Hustle!