The Guardian Arrives... Too Late
Namgoong Sihoon "Huff... huff... This the place?"
Namgoong Sihoon panted heavily.
And well he might. He'd sprinted 2,000 li in just five days.
That was the equivalent of 1,000 km in modern Korea.
Even for a murim warrior, it was no small feat.
But the journey hadn't been all hardship.
For one thing, he'd confirmed the young lady's safety.
A full month and seven days earlier.
Sihoon had rarely been scolded so harshly by the family head.
"I told you not to take your eyes off her—how could you let Juhee slip away?" He'd endured six full hours of nagging.
Of course, it was unfair.
What was he supposed to do, stand there watching while a girl changed her clothes? He'd look like a pervert.
But middle management had always been a grind, past or present.
Not that he didn't understand the family head's anguish over his missing daughter. Sihoon bore the full brunt of his lord's fury.
Especially since the family head would surely apologize as if nothing had happened once Juhee was found.
That was why Sihoon had cheered so loudly upon hearing she'd been located.
"At least she's doing well. Thank goodness."
Of course, that wasn't the only reason Sihoon had rejoiced.
Over those ten days spent with Namgoong Juhee, he'd grown fond of her.
Not in a romantic way.
It was more like he'd been drawn to the person herself.
In the ten days he'd observed her, Namgoong Juhee clearly had the air of a great hero.
She never ignored others' troubles, and though she seemed rude, she never crossed the line.
Once you got used to that foul mouth of hers, she was just a refreshingly honest young woman. It'd be weirder not to like her.
Moreover, she was the hope of the Namgoong Clan.
Just barely twenty, and she'd already reached the Peak realm.
Even if Peak experts were commonplace these days, a young one was still rare.
Even prestigious clans poured elixirs and manuals into their disciples to produce just one or two per generation.
And she'd achieved it through self-study alone. Namgoong Juhee's talent was truly heaven-sent.
Nor was she wasting it.
On her first foray into the murim world, she'd beheaded a heavyweight called the Whirlwind Ghost.
The Whirlwind Ghost was an elder of the Maegumdan—and though at the bottom of the list, still ranked among the Top 100 Masters.
To fell one of this generation's key players at just twenty? If that wasn't genius, what was?
Thus, Sihoon's face lit up as he arrived at the Eonha Merchant Group's Hefei branch.
He'd confirmed Namgoong Juhee's safety, and after a month of lounging in the secular world, she ought to come home meekly.
Creak. Just then, the Eonha Merchant Group's main gate swung open.
"The Namgoong hero has arrived."
It was a red-haired beauty.
Plain compared to the young lady, Sihoon thought—though he couldn't help feeling a bit smitten despite himself.
"I'm Yi Hayeon. I hold the position of sub-branch head here at Eonha."
"Mugakju Namgoong Sihoon."
Sihoon bowed in return to her cupped-fist salute, inwardly growing a touch uneasy.
What on earth had the young lady done to draw out Yi Hayeon herself—one of this generation's top rising stars?
"The Iron Rule Sword great hero has come in person. It's an honor."
Whether she saw through him or not, Hayeon just smiled sweetly.
With such lavish praise, Sihoon played along.
"When meeting Eonha's sub-branch head, I had to match the occasion."
"Even if it's just words, I'm grateful."
"Ahem... Speaking of which, did the young lady commit any offenses against you, sub-branch head?"
Unable to contain his impatience, Sihoon cautiously gauged Hayeon's expression.
Given the young lady's antics, anything from rudeness to outright mayhem wouldn't surprise him.
"Pfft."
Her response to his question was a light laugh.
Like she'd heard the funniest story. It reminded Sihoon that you had to see people for yourself.
No one who could smile so brightly could be the infamous Ice Flower or whatever they called her.
"Namgung Sojeo is sleeping right now."
"Understood."
"My, you're not surprised."
Sihoon held his tongue.
No need to say she was a chronic sleep-and-food fiend—he'd known she'd crash eventually. But that might offend.
Hayeon would've narrowed her eyes in agreement if he'd said it, probably.
"Come in. Least I can do is offer you some tea."
In any case, Hayeon led Sihoon inside.
Passing a spacious central courtyard and neat corridors, they entered a pavilion with a single room. The reception chamber, no doubt.
"Normally, I'd give you a tour, but since that's not what you want, I brought you straight here."
"Ah... Sorry if I was obvious."
"Not at all. Worrying about family is only natural."
"If you see it that way, I'm grateful."
"Well then... where to start?"
Hayeon took a breath, then slowly recounted the past month's events.
Namgoong Juhee taking the commission and winning over the townsfolk.
The resulting clash with the black tavern.
How she'd cleaved Hyeok and Du—black tavern Peak experts—in a single stroke.
And finally, slaying one of Eonha's Eight Pal Yeonggeol, the strong warrior, to rescue Hayeon.
"What do you think? Quite the accomplishments for Namgung Sojeo in just a month, no?"
Sihoon didn't answer Hayeon's question.
He couldn't.
His jaw had dropped in shock and awe, frozen open.
"Ah... n-no, I don't understand."
"Shall I start from the beginning?"
Sihoon barely snapped his jaw shut.
Then unleashed a barrage of questions.
"The young lady won over all of Hefei's hearts single-handedly?"
"Impressive, right? Something even money couldn't buy, and she did it in one month."
"Then she took down two Peak experts at once?"
"With several First-Rate around them, from what I hear."
"After that, she charged into the black tavern bare-handed...?"
"Yes."
"And finally... one of Eonha's Eight Pal Yeonggeol? Cheolgeumgeom, no less?"
Hayeon nodded, her expression tinged with sorrow.
Sihoon clapped both hands over his mouth.
Just barely stopped himself from whooping in awe before Eonha's sub-branch head.
A once-in-a-generation prodigy. No—heaven has extended a saving hand to the Namgoong Clan.
Winning a town's hearts was no easy task.
Especially in the Central Plains.
If beheading a few villains did it, Sihoon would've done so immediately.
But human hearts are fickle. After the blade felled the wicked, folks feared it might turn on them next, and turned away.
Thus, money was essential to win hearts.
Sprinkle cash, cut down thugs, improve lives—only then did locals slowly open up.
Pouring wealth and force into the common folk was how you barely earned their loyalty.
Yet Namgoong Juhee had seized it in one month flat.
Then killed two Peak experts at once.
Sihoon knew Hyeok and Du—throwing masters, tricky foes.
Even he couldn't take them easily.
But she'd done it in one stroke? The young lady's prowess exceeded imagination.
That alone would've floored him.
But then she took down one of Eonha's Eight Pal Yeonggeol—a strong warrior better known as Cheolgeumgeom.
Evaluations placed her a cut above the Whirlwind Ghost.
Sihoon himself couldn't guarantee victory against Cheolgeumgeom.
Yet Namgoong Juhee had slain her alone.
Her feats already surpassed rising star level—she was a mainstay of this generation.
That was why Sihoon's mouth still gaped like a fish.
"Great hero?"
"Ah... ah... Yes. My apologies. I lost my composure."
"Hehe, it's fine. Namgung Sojeo should be waking up soon. Shall we go see her?"
Sihoon nodded vigorously.
He couldn't wait to lay eyes on this achiever—the future family head.
"This way. Namgung Sojeo is over there."
"Yes."
Sihoon strode forward.
Then bang—he flung the door open, forgetting all decorum as Mugakju.
"Young lady!"
"Oh my."
But Namgoong Juhee wasn't there.
And there was a familiar message in her place.
Take care, everyone! I'm casting off all the shackles and bonds of this world to chase my own happiness! Be happy yourselves too!
Exactly one hour before Sihoon arrived.
Juhee had explained her situation to Hayeon.
If her body were normal, she'd have slipped away alone—but her legs still wouldn't cooperate.
"So, can you help me make a break for it?"
To Hayeon, it might've sounded absurd.
Help her run from her clan? This wasn't some street storyteller's tale.
But Hayeon's face lit up with delight.
Like she was thrilled to be relied on.
"Hehe, Namgung Sojeo? That's quite the circumstance."
"...What's with that look? I'm your benefactor. Aren't you supposed to help?"
"I'm a merchant, you see. I already feel I've repaid saving my life. The meals you ate these past two days, plus those exotic herbs—not cheap."
Damn, stingy.
Namgoong Juhee thought so but held her tongue.
The kindness she'd received lately had oddly become a crutch.
What modern Koreans called gaslighting.
"But... it's not like I can't help."
"...Figured there'd be strings attached."
"Hehe... Don't be like that. Call it a little favor? A tiny one."
Hayeon smiled slyly.
That smile that earned her the moniker Ice Flower.
Namgoong Juhee's body shivered.