Mind Reading and Awkward Gatherings

Telepathy. “Young Master Jo. How have you been, Young Master Jo?”

At that, Jo Hak-cheo widened his eyes fiercely. Men, for reasons completely incomprehensible to anyone else, believe that suddenly wiping the smile off their face and glaring makes them look cool. It’s a guess born from pure male instinct, but in reality, it looks anything but cool.

“It’s been a while. Ah. By any chance, are you free this evening? I was planning to go to Jinhaeru with my close brothers. I would be honored if the beautiful Cheonhwa-geom herself would grace us with her presence and light up the occasion.”

His voice was deliberately low and heavy. This too was something men considered cool. Though if one had to nitpick, a lower tone was certainly better than a high one. A thin, high voice would make him sound like a eunuch or a court official.

“Oh, really? You’re treating?”

“Haha, of course! This Jo Hak-cheo will serve you properly today!”

Hmm. What exactly does “serve you properly” mean? Is he in the hospitality business? Or is it the kind of thing guys from his hometown in Busan say when they want to roll out the red carpet for guests?

The members of the Hwaryong-jo began murmuring among themselves.

“Uh, Leader? You said it was going to be a real, deep bromance between us guys.”

“What the hell? So you’re saying we should all stink of sweat and act gross together?”

“No, that’s not—”

The Hwaryong-jo members looked visibly disappointed, their faces gloomy and hesitant. That was when Cheong realized her mistake.

Come to think of it, if I join them it might actually be uncomfortable. A gathering for “deep bromance between men” and one where the Cheonhwa-geom sits down to eat and drink with them are two completely different things.

To the members from smaller and medium-sized factions, the Cheonhwa-geom was a flower blooming on a distant, unreachable cliff. Whether in status or martial prowess, she was far beyond them. And her appearance, which exceeded a certain threshold, inspired only awe—enough to erase any desire to even try getting closer.

“Ah! Aha. So that’s what you meant. Oh dear. It seems I was being completely oblivious. Well then. Since it’s been a while, you should all catch up and unwind. You know, in a manly way?”

They were planning to have some fun ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with courtesans, getting all hot and heavy in a wholesome, manly sort of way, but I barged in without reading the room. Go have fun, kids.

Sometimes, consideration can be more devastating than cruelty. For a woman to hear, those words stung quite a bit.

Instead, Cheong turned her target elsewhere.

“Ah. Changbin, do you want to go too?”

“Ah, well… That’s not… I mean, we were all just going to hang out together, not that I was planning anything weird, absolutely not—”

“Really? Then how about having dinner with me? They say alcohol tastes best when poured by a woman. And I happen to be an expert at pouring drinks. I guarantee your cup won’t stay empty tonight.”

“Uh, just the two of us? That’s a bit…”

“Ugh, Changbin you bastard, I curse you…”

A grinding sound could be heard in the background, but Cheong pretended not to notice. However, Changbin was fidgeting, clearly not enthusiastic about the idea.

“What? Why?”

“Well, just the two of us… it’s, um, men and women should maintain proper boundaries.”

“Come on, what boundaries between friends?”

But Cheong showed no sign of backing down. Changbin felt the world go dark before his eyes! Just the two of them? That can’t happen! It’s going to be so awkward! What should I even say? What topics do I have? I definitely heard some interesting stories before, so why can’t I remember any right now…?

“Besides, it won’t be just the two of us. Earlier while eating tofu from that street stall, I spilled some grape juice and went to clean the stain. Ah, here she comes. Sworn Sister!”

As Cheong waved and called out, every head in the Hwaryong-jo turned at once—then let out a collective gasp, as if they were all singing in chorus.

Was this what the legendary temptress Daji, who once shook the Silver Dynasty of the ancient Shang era, must have looked like? She was the very embodiment of human lust, a genius of seduction capable of driving men mad, the reincarnation of Daji, the ultimate temptress of the world.

The moment this vixen appeared, she seized the entire room. She suddenly parted her red lips, revealing pearly white teeth, and flashed a lewd smile—like a predator that had found its prey, savage in one way and voracious in another.

That was how it looked to everyone else. To Cheong, it was simply the purest expression of maximum joy at seeing her.

“This is my sworn sister, Gyeon Po-hui.”

For reference, the character for “older sister” (姉) isn’t commonly used in the Central Plains. It specifically refers only to a blood-related older sister sharing both parents. In the Central Plains, where men often kept multiple wives and concubines, that character couldn’t be used if they only shared a mother, so people simply used “姐” instead. It’s the same “je” used in terms like saje or samae.

“Now that I think about it, have you two already met?”

“No? This is the first time.”

“Ah, was it Hyeon back then?”

“Hyeon? Who’s that?”

“You know, the really tall one with huge muscles. All bulky and intimidating.”

“Ah. That talkative younger brother.”

“Oh, so it was Hyeon that time. Anyway. This is my friend Changbin. He’s a Plum Blossom Sword disciple from Mount Hua.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Gyeon Po-hui.”

Gyeon Po-hui spoke casually from the very first meeting. There was no special reason—she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just figured since he was her little sister’s friend, it was fine. However, Changbin once again felt the world go dark!

“S-Seomun Soje, you can’t possibly mean… the three of us eating together…”

“Yep. Wow, Changbin, you’re so lucky. A flower in each hand.”

Grind grind. Changbin you bastard, I’ll kill you. I’ll curse you to death…

The background sound came again, but Cheong once more pretended not to hear it.

“Wow, today’s a real jackpot for Changbin. A total windfall.”

The effect was tremendous! Changbin felt his consciousness fading! Even with just Cheong, the thought of drinking alone with her had already made him feel suffocated from the awkwardness. Now another unfamiliar woman was being added to the mix.

Changbin desperately racked his brain.

“Th-that! That!”

“Hm? What?”

“That’s right! Lady Jin! In that case, shouldn’t we invite Lady Jin as well…?”

“Oh! I didn’t even think of that. You’re right. It would feel weird if we went without Lady Jin. Wow, Changbin. Not satisfied with two, now you want three? My my, Flower Blossom Young Master, you truly are a demonic man.”

Even while breaking into a cold sweat, Changbin let out a sigh of relief. At least now it wouldn’t be three women and one man. In that case, he could just quietly drink by himself.

“You bastard… even dragging in Lady Jin. Do you only feel satisfied after taking everything? I cannot forgive you. I will never forgive you.”

Jo Hak-cheo’s figure seemed to radiate pitch-black hatred that spread out like the dense ribs of a fan.

Cheong decided ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she couldn’t ignore him any longer.

“Ah. Young Master Jo, you’re still here. This is my sworn sister, Gyeon Po-hui. Sworn Sister, this is Young Master Jo Hak-cheo. Um… just an acquaintance?”

The words “just an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠acquaintance” stabbed straight into Jo Hak-cheo’s heart.

“Khk.”

“Ah. So he’s just an acquaintance. Hmm, Sworn Sister? What do you say when greeting someone you just know? Is ‘nice to meet you’ enough?”

“Khhk.”

Jo Hak-cheo clutched his chest. Gyeon Po-hui tilted her head.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“That is… because the moment I saw the beautiful Lady Gyeon, my heart began pounding so violently I can barely control it. Do you know what this boiling pulsation is?”

At such a painfully cliché line that couldn’t possibly earn any points, boos and jeers filled the air. Gyeon Po-hui tilted her head again.

“Ah. So you have a weak heart. How unfortunate. A martial artist with a weak heart… what a shame.”

“……? No, that’s not what I meant. I was saying that seeing the beautiful Lady Gyeon makes my heart race—”

“Your heart must be in really bad shape. Hang in there. Um, what did you call her again? Someone you know, Sworn Sister?”

“Kugh, I cannot forgive you, Changbin, you bastard…!”

“Wait, why are you mad at me?”

Changbin felt deeply wronged. Regardless, in the end, the entire Hwaryong-jo decided to go to Jinhaeru together. At this point, trying to book a separate room to play on their own would be incredibly awkward. They couldn’t exactly tell the girls to go play with courtesans by themselves after being caught. If they hadn’t been found out, maybe. But after being caught, actually doing that would destroy any face they had left.

Jinhaeru was a perfectly square five-story pavilion. However, each floor had an exceptionally high ceiling of about one and a half zhang, so in terms of actual height, it rivaled or even surpassed a nine-story skyscraper. Built atop the hill of Wolsusan, once you climbed to the top, there were no obstructions and you could supposedly see a thousand li into the distance.

Of course, you couldn’t actually see a thousand li. That was just how people of the Central Plains exaggerated. In the first place, it had been built as a watchtower and military barracks. But after the military and administration were strictly separated, it became a civilian establishment—a restaurant, and one renowned as the greatest restaurant in Gwangju. And from its very top, it boasted a spectacular view all the way to the South Sea.

In a special room at Jinhaeru enclosed by folding doors, a special banquet for the Hwaryong-jo was held.

For reference, the name Hwaryong-jo came from taking one character each from Leader Jo Hak-cheo’s “Black Dragon” and Vice-leader Changbin’s Mount Hua Sect. The reason it wasn’t called Heuksan-jo but Hwaryong-jo was because the very manly Jo Hak-cheo had graciously yielded the first character. Of course, that same manly Jo Hak-cheo was now regretting it bitterly, having become the world’s greatest petty villain. I should have just stuck with Black Dragon…

“Here, have a drink. Sorry about this. We were originally supposed to be awkwardly hanging out by ourselves, but I barged in without reading the room.”

“No, not at all! It’s an honor!”

So Ho, a disciple of the So Un Mountain Sect, politely raised his cup with perfect manners. The Cheonhwa-geom was already an overwhelming beauty on her own, but she also held the position of a senior elder on par with the sect leader of the Daoist faction. As he respectfully received the cup, the white, slender fingers wrapped around the wine bottle were so elegant that the phrase “delicate jade hands” seemed to shout itself in his mind.

So Ho unconsciously lifted his head and found himself staring directly at Cheong’s devastatingly kind smile (made even more lethal by the food and alcohol in front of her). In that instant, So Ho let go of all lingering attachments. If the greatest beauty under heaven pours you a drink, what do hundreds of courtesans fawning over you even matter? Joining the Hwaryong-jo was the best decision of his life. No—being born at all was the best decision…

“So Ho, you bastard…”

If not for Jo Hak-cheo grinding his teeth in the background, he might have frozen solid like a statue.

Cheong went around the table once, filling everyone’s cups, then took charge of the atmosphere like the hostess of the gathering.

“Alright everyone, let’s have a toast. We should hear a toast from the Hwaryong-jo’s leader. Come on, Young Master Jo, it’s your turn. Everyone, give him a round of applause. Cheer him on! Cheers!”

“Ahem. Thank you all for coming all this way, and especially to Lady Seomun for brightening this occasion with her presence. You are truly beautiful, and with eyes as lovely as a lake, this Jo Hak-cheo has already fallen for you, though it shames me to admit. I am truly and sincerely grateful that you would share this precious gathering with us. And since Lady Jin has also joined us, the two beautiful ladies among the Murim Six Flowers grace us with their presence. Ah, of course Lady Gyeon is equally beautiful, so it’s not a matter of less or more. The Cheonhwa-geom is elegant and beautiful, while Lady Jin is graceful and refined, and also—”

“Aigo, my arm’s about to fall off! Anyway, cheers! Wishing for the eternal prosperity of the Righteous Faction’s Murim!”

“Cheers!”

Even at drinking parties, people’s personalities and tendencies show through in their behavior. For example, Changbin normally never moved much. When no women were around, his courage and voice were like a great tiger. But the moment a woman appeared, he shriveled up like a broom left leaning in the corner.

Of course, this wasn’t because of any other factor. It was simply that drinking gatherings with women present had exceptionally excellent alcohol, so he focused entirely on maintaining his sobriety.

Jin Seol was the type who preferred listening rather than talking. As the one who led fashion trends in the Dragon Phoenix Assembly’s clothing, even when she stayed quiet, the female warriors around her never stopped chattering away, asking for her opinion. But her natural disposition was to listen carefully to others, so she carried a certain weight and dignity.

And Gyeon Po-hui originally had little interest in people outside her fence. During her time in the Huanxi Palace, the palace itself had been her fence. Now, her family and the Seol Clan Merchant Group formed her new fence. So she had simply followed Cheong here. To her, the young men of the Righteous Faction’s Murim were no different from random passersby on the street. This was also why, when traveling with Dang Nan-a and Jegal Ihyeon, she had remained distant and had little interaction with them.

Therefore, she was completely focused on Cheong. She stuck right beside her like a little puppy, busy emptying her cup and then picking up snacks to feed into Cheong’s mouth.

And Cheong, once a drinking party began, turned into a human grasshopper. She never stayed in one place. Moving naturally from table to table with great skill, she poured drinks, drank, rapidly downed four or five cups in a flash, chattered away, then said “I’ll go over there now” and swept through like a locust before vanishing.

That was why Changbin became uncomfortable. He had thought that with Jin Seol, Cheong, and Gyeon Po-hui forming a trio of women, they would have things to talk about among themselves, so he could just quietly drink. But then Cheong suddenly vanished and Gyeon Po-hui followed her sworn sister, leaving only Jin Seol and Changbin at the table. A heavy silence descended.

Jin Seol was the listening type and didn’t open her mouth, so Changbin kept sneaking glances at her, fidgeting anxiously. What if Lady Jin feels uncomfortable? What if she thinks this is boring? I need to say something. Something. Anything. How do I even start?

“Um, Lady Jin? Is the food to your liking?”

“Pardon?”

Jin Seol unconsciously asked in return. Did he just ask a person from Gwangdong if Gwangdong food suited their taste?

But Changbin was feeling a great sense of accomplishment. Good! I started a conversation!

“Southern cuisine must use quite rare ingredients, right? Even this Eight Treasures dish has sea cucumber, squid, shrimp, abalone, and this… um, this is…”

“That’s a red snapper.”

“Ah. You know it well.”

“Well, of course. How could someone from Gwangdong not know Gwangdong cuisine?”

“Ah. Right. That’s true. My mistake.”

And then his mouth clamped shut. His eyes darted around as he wondered when Cheong would return.

Meanwhile, Cheong was having the time of her life.

“Make some room, everyone. Nice to meet you. You know me, right? The Cheonhwa-geom. Come on, one drink each. Wait, what is this? Why is the cup still sloshing? How is there still moisture left in the cup? Wow, you drink with real spirit. Here, have another. Nice to meet you. Ah, Daoist Yu Hyeon, and over here? Young Master Sang? Nice to meet you all. Come on, let’s clink cups?”