Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: To the Azure Dragon Squad
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The night before our departure, Master summoned me to her quarters. Her room, filled with the cool scent of medicinal herbs, was a place I could never quite get used to, no matter how many times I visited. She silently poured the tea. Over the rim of her teacup, her face remained as cold as ice.
"......"
"......"
Silence lingered for a time. She was the first to speak.
"Byeok Cheonwi, the Azure Dragon Squad Leader, has a bold and hearty personality, but he takes great pride in his skills as a martial artist. Avoid doing anything to offend him."
"Yes, Master."
"The patients you'll be treating aren't ordinary folk. They're the elites of the Murim Alliance. Their bodies may be as tough as steel, but their wounds will be just as deep and savage. Always stay on your guard."
Her words were clipped and stern, but beneath them lay genuine concern for me. From within her robe, she drew out a small silk pouch and handed it over.
"This is..."
"It holds essential medicines. That scatterbrained girl Soso won't keep track of them, so you make sure to manage it properly."
As I took the pouch, its substantial weight settled in my palm alongside the sharp, precious aroma of rare herbs. It must have been filled with the Healer Immortal Sect's finest elixirs. To the end, she avoided my gaze, staring only at her teacup.
"Thank you, Master."
I bowed my head with sincere gratitude. She merely gave a small nod in response.
And at last, the morning of departure dawned.
Soso and I stood before the main gate of the Healer Immortal Sect, simple travel bags slung over our shoulders. Beneath the blue sky just beginning to brighten, the once-familiar sect landscape felt strangely alien. Master did not come to see us off. It was exactly like her.
"Senior Brother, are we heading out now?"
Soso gazed up at me, her eyes brimming with eager anticipation. Her face shone only with excitement for the journey ahead.
I glanced back at the Healer Immortal Sect one last time. Was leaving this place truly the right choice? A whirlwind of doubts swirled in my mind. But there was no turning back now.
I turned my head to face the open road ahead.
"Yeah. Let's go."
The moment the heavy gate thudded shut behind us, the reality of leaving the Healer Immortal Sect truly sank in. Amid the daunting emptiness of abandoning all that was familiar for the unknown path ahead, a faint flicker of relief stirred—knowing I'd put a step's distance between myself and the catastrophe named Cheonha Young.
"Senior Brother! Come on, hop in!"
Soso waved from in front of the carriage, urging me on. She had already helped the coachman load the luggage beside his seat and slipped inside. She looked every bit the child off on a picnic.
I climbed aboard, and her body fragrance immediately filled the cramped space as her voluptuous form dominated my view. The interior was so narrow that two grown men sitting side by side would brush shoulders. Facing each other, our knees hovered in that precarious almost-touching distance.
"Here we go!"
With the coachman's booming shout, the whip cracked through the air.
Clunk!
The carriage jolted forward amid a massive shudder. Rattling clamor and creaking wood became our sole companions. I gazed out the window at the sect's scenery swiftly fading into the distance.
"Wow...!"
Soso had her face practically glued to the window, utterly absorbed in the passing sights. She marveled at every roadside wildflower, every glimpse of an unnamed village whizzing by.
"Senior Brother, look! That mountain looks just like a turtle!"
"Whoa, doesn't that cloud look like a rabbit?"
Her innocent exclamations filled the carriage. Listening to her voice somehow lightened the weight of my tangled thoughts about Cheonha Young, Black Elder, and the Azure Dragon Squad.
The road was anything but smooth. Racing over unpaved dirt, the carriage pitched and rocked endlessly—up and down, side to side.
Thump!
The wheel plunged into a deep rut and bounced free, sending the carriage into a wild sway.
"Eek!"
Soso lost her balance and tumbled toward me with a sharp yelp. I caught her on pure reflex.
Something plush and enormous crushed against my chest. A soft, heavy pressure that stole my breath. No need to look—I knew exactly what it was. Her thick, flowing hair tickled my cheek, and a gentle soap scent from her fresh wash drifted over.
"S-Sorry, Senior Brother. It shook so hard..."
Soso scrambled upright, cheeks flaming red. But the tight quarters kept our bodies pressed close. Her hot breath grazed my ear.
"It's fine. You didn't get hurt?"
"No... thanks to you, Senior Brother..."
She ducked her head bashfully. Her flushed earlobes stood out stark white against her skin. The sight left my mouth inexplicably dry.
As time wore on and I grew somewhat accustomed to the jolts, I sank back into contemplation. How was I to survive at the Azure Dragon Squad? It would be a world apart from the Healer Immortal Sect—one ruled by raw power and iron discipline. How best to wield my abilities, this hypnosis technique—and how to keep it concealed?
What if that woman, Cheonha Young, came sniffing around again?
The thoughts knotted tighter, and a dull throb pulsed in my skull.
That was when it happened. Soso, dozing with her body snuggled right against mine, let her head loll onto my shoulder. Her steady breaths tickled my ear. Lost in my reverie, my hand extended almost unconsciously, naturally.
And cupped the familiar softness.
Fullness overflowed in my palm. The yielding yet weighty texture seeped straight through to my skin. Thoughtlessly, I kneaded it with gentle squeezes. Like toying with a talisman in moments of unease, it had become a ritual of sorts for me.
Oddly enough, my cluttered mind began to settle. The pounding headache eased away.
"Mmm..."
Soso murmured a soft, pleased sound in her sleep. She didn't stir awake—instead, she nestled even closer, shifting into a cozy pose. The feel through her clothes wasn't enough. Slyly, I slipped my hand beneath her collar.
Bare skin felt beyond imagining. Silky-smooth flesh with resilient bounce underneath. The slightest finger twitch sent sensual ripples enveloping my entire hand. I caressed her breast in slow, circling strokes. When my fingertip grazed the pert little peak, her body quivered, and a heated sigh slipped from her lips.
"Haa... Senior Brother..."
At last, Soso's eyes fluttered half-open as she peered up at me. Pleasure had glazed her gaze moist and hazy.
"Senior Brother... you like my breasts that much?"
No hint of blame—only delight curved her smile. She overlaid her hand on mine, guiding it to delve even deeper into her breast.
"When you touch them... it seems to cheer you up, Senior Brother... so Soso likes it too."
She giggled brightly and burrowed further into my arms. I couldn't help but chuckle and stroke her hair.
How long had we rumbled along? The world outside began tinting orange. The coachman leaned his head back and hollered.
"Young master! Sun's setting! There's a little village up ahead—shall we rest there for the night?"
I peered out the window. Far off, at the mountain's base, faint lights dotted a small settlement. Night travel was too risky.
"Sounds good."
The carriage soon pulled up at the village entrance, halting before an inn bearing a weathered sign: Drunken Moon Inn.
"We'll overnight here."
Soso and I gathered our things and dismounted. Stepping inside brought a rush of raucous chatter, savory food aromas, and the tang of old ale. Shabby, but bustling with patrons.
The innkeeper, nodding off at the counter, eyed us and yawned with clear annoyance.
"Room?"
"Yeah. One, please."
He sized us up and down, then nodded like it was a given.
"Newlyweds? Rough day traveling. One room works?"
At "newlyweds," Soso's face bloomed crimson as a beet. She fidgeted helplessly, clutching my sleeve. I let it slide. Just one night, after all.
"That'll do."
I flicked him a few silvers. He snatched them midair and lobbed a key from his ring.
"End of the second floor. Dinner in-room?"
"Keep it simple."
We ascended the groaning wooden stairs to the second floor. The door at the hall's end creaked open to a stuffy, modest chamber.
The room was tinier than expected. A single window, a wee table, and... one massive bed claiming half the space. Vast enough for man and woman alike—but unmistakably solitary.
As I set down my bag, my eyes flicked to the bed. Soso's did too; she flushed scarlet and bowed her head. Awkward quiet hung heavy.
"S-Senior Brother... I'll wash up first!"
Soso snatched a towel and fresh clothes in a flurry and bolted from the room. Left alone, I sagged onto the bed.
Shortly after, Soso returned from her bath. Clad in thin nightclothes. Steam curled from her damp hair; her bath-flushed skin gleamed soft pearl in the moonlight. The gauzy fabric traced every curve of her bountiful breasts and hips.
She settled cautiously beside me without a word. Faint floral notes from her wet hair mingled with her sweet scent, teasing my senses.
No words passed between us. Crickets chirped outside, the only sound piercing the hush. Soso shattered the tension. She lifted her gaze to meet mine. Her damp eyes quivered with raw yearning.
"Senior Brother..."
She called my name in a soft whisper.
"Tonight... you'll hold Soso tight, won't you?"