Hangzhou's Playboy Lord and Sword Peak's Curiosity
"We need to know what kind of man he is."
"Th-that's the Golden Dragon Battlefield Lord? He was the lord himself?"
"Hmm, I figured he wasn't ordinary with those elite guards, but to think he was Hangzhou's Golden Dragon Lord."
The Haenam Sect junior and senior stared at Bang So-un in shock.
On their way back to the sect after handling affairs in the Central Plains, Hangzhou was their last stop—a glittering metropolis of indulgence that turned heads. Even there, the name of the Golden Dragon Lord was impossible to miss.
The lightning-rise son-in-law. Hangzhou's notorious playboy. Everyone assumed he'd be a puppet lord, But he had seized real power by bedding Jiangnan’s foremost beauty, Hwang Bo-seol. And with such a stunning wife, he brazenly kept Hangzhou's top courtesan, the Red-Eyed Fox, as his official concubine.
Rumors swirled that he was packing something extraordinary and had stamina to match, driving women mad. One thing was certain: he drew the envy, jealousy, and resentment of every man in Hangzhou's underworld.
Even these island-dwelling Haenam Sect disciples felt a surge of those emotions upon first hearing the tales—no further proof needed.
"...Even so, openly drawing steel against the Sea Serpent Gang on the open sea? That's some confidence."
"I heard he's building power through money... Hmm."
"Those female warriors?"
"Yeah, supposedly hired as Hwang Bo's guards, but looks like that was just for show. He plans to use them as the Golden Dragon Battlefield's main fighting force."
"Paying that much silver just to have them guard? Wasteful. But..."
"But?"
"Why only women...?"
"He's obsessed with them. Why else the playboy title?"
"Ah, that makes sense."
The Haenam Sect juniors nodded in instant agreement. Such was the prestige of Hangzhou's certified playboy, Bang So-un.
"Anyway, bold, but a bit reckless. Making enemies of elders like that."
"You saw it right. That's the arrogance of upstarts. Sudden success blinds them."
"Indeed..."
"In my view, the Golden Dragon Battlefield's future is dim. Charging ahead like that, they'll crash hard all at once."
The senior continued gravely.
"Even now, provoking the Sea Serpent Gang like that and leaving his name and title? Why bother..."
"...Senior Brother."
"What is it?"
"But with Sword Peak and the Golden Dragon Lord signing, doesn't it look bad if we're the only ones left out...?"
The junior rolled his eyes cautiously. A valid point. Sword Peak aside, with even the lesser Golden Dragon Battlefield boldly claiming space, skipping Haenam Sect looked poor.
No, Sword Peak was the real issue. They were special guests for the marriage duel involving the senior brother's future wife. Opting out in front of them would shame the sect irreparably.
In short, it'd be mortifying.
The senior, realizing this, cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Ahem. Of course we can't skip."
He flipped his stance faster than a pancake, right after badmouthing Bang So-un. Embarrassed, he coughed repeatedly.
"Ahem. Junior, handle it properly."
"Understood. Then, for Haenam Sect..."
"Hey."
"?"
"Think lowly juniors like us can represent the sect? Just the nickname and name."
The senior played with words cleverly. Not mere wordplay—a loophole to escape.
Haenam Sect was an island faction. Clashing openly with the sea-dominant Sea Serpent Gang brought no gain, only hassle. Naming the sect meant bearing full responsibility—something he lacked the guts for.
So, omit the sect name. Disciples remained disciples; Sword Peak wouldn't complain. If trouble arose later with the Sea Serpent Gang, claim it was personal, not sect-wide.
An escape hatch either way.
'So Sword Peak thought the same, huh?'
He was wrong. Her motives were utterly different.
Yu Seol-young was simple.
-I did it myself. Why drag the sect into it?
Thoughts that would horrify the senior. Not a matter of caliber, but mindset.
Pride in the sect above all—the standard view.
Versus seeing it as mere affiliation, nothing more or less—dry and detached.
"Ah... got it, Senior Brother."
The junior nodded, grasping the intent.
"Oh, and skip the nickname too. No need."
The senior went further. No sense drawing fire into a Sea Serpent Gang spat over someone else's mess. Names alone? Plenty of duplicates.
Better to make the loophole wide for plausible deniability.
"Eh? R-really?"
The junior tilted his head, unconvinced.
"Yes, just write the name and come back."
Urged the senior. The junior trudged forward reluctantly.
"Golden Dragon Lord Bang So-un."
Yu Seol-young murmured the words indifferently.
"That's right. I am Golden Dragon Lord Bang So-un."
"Sounds familiar... or maybe not."
"Compared to Geomgak's fame, I'm a nobody. Not surprising."
"Ah, that guy. Hangzhou's playboy."
Yu Seol-young's eyes lit with recognition.
"Well, yes."
Bang So-un admitted readily. A deliberate public facade. Though he did love women, it served well.
Finger-pointing came, but less suspicion. The playboy mask hid his true face for that reason.
But.
His opponent seemed unbothered.
Rather.
"Hmm, rumors are just rumors, it seems."
She eyed him with faint interest.
"What do you mean?"
"You're worth a look."
Yu Seol-young said it outright.
Bang So-un realized again: she was one unusual woman.
"You do seem to like women a lot."
She glanced at the standing Jeolhwadae, adding.
"No denial here."
Bang So-un replied shamelessly, boldly even.
That attitude piqued her interest further. A spark lit her eyes.
In that odd atmosphere.
Then.
The Haenam Sect junior approached.
"Looks like he needs it."
Yu Seol-young nodded.
Bang So-un understood.
"Ah, this."
He handed the brush to the junior.
"Th-thank you, Golden Dragon Lord."
The junior took it politely, cautious now knowing his identity.
Even famed sect disciples respected such status. No faction ignored the Golden Dragon Battlefield's wealth, martial might aside.
"Then."
The junior approached the signboard, writing carefully.
No "Haenam" character. Not even his nickname—just a brief name.
At that sight...
Yu Seol-young showed zero interest.
"Let's go."
Not even finished, she turned.
Bang So-un was startled. Not going alone—she'd implied together.
Truly unpredictable woman.
"Mm... alright, let's."
He chuckled inwardly, following.
Left behind: the awkward Haenam junior.
And his senior watching, utterly embarrassed.
'Ugh, those bastards...'
'Wh-what if they just leave suddenly!'
As they inwardly cursed.
Jang Il, Jeolhwadae, captain, and crew followed Yu Seol-young and Bang So-un back to the ship as if done.
"......"
"......"
"......"
"......"
Haenam senior and junior froze like statues.
That night, they tossed sleeplessly, kicking blankets repeatedly.
"Jang Il."
"Yes, Young Master?"
"I think I get it now."
"What feeling?"
"How to find an opening with Sword Peak."
"Oh? You figured a way against that monster?"
Jang Il's eyes widened hugely.
"More like a hunch than figured."
"Eh, same difference?"
"No."
"...Yes, yes. So what is it, Young Master?"
"Close the distance."
"Distance?"
"Build rapport."
Bang So-un's eyes gleamed.
"Cross the line of stranger. If we can narrow that, an opportunity might arise."
Scheming was his specialty. He'd lured peak female experts into webs and devoured them repeatedly.
But.
Not now. No confidence.
No scheme would work on her. Impenetrable fortress—no room to even try.
And too dangerous. Images of paralyzed pirate cripples flashed.
Caution was key. Extreme caution.
'I need to know more.'
Not surface info anyone knew. Even Eun Hwa-yeong's intel was insufficient.
He needed what no one knew about Yu Seol-young.
'What kind of person she is.'
Mindset, personality, values, habits—all of it.
He knew nothing now. Why flat of the blade over edge? Why no killing? Why cripple worse than death while sparing lives? Why this incomprehensible marriage duel? Why hate the Sword Peak title? Even her sect, Geomgak, was shrouded in mystery.
Nothing but unknowns.
If he knew...
'A way will emerge.'
Jang Il broke his reverie.
"But how to close it?"
"...Ahem, that's what we'll figure from now on."
The path was long.
Yet.
'At least I piqued her interest a bit.'
Bang So-un was certain it wasn't imagination.
Otherwise.
-Remember that.
She wouldn't have said it.