Stormy Dawn -1
Ho Cheon-an took Ma-ik and went out to do errands. I had prepared a labor force of reformed laborers to use as slaves, but Ma-ik, who had discovered the convenience of a servant, had run away with them. Ma-ik, who had been awakened by the late wind's threat, was in high spirits to make use of the twelve shifts of Ma-ik.
Is it that when we part later, he won't take me with him? Then I'm in trouble.
That was something to worry about later, so I moved my body a little inside the hut.
“Phew.”
After a day of rest, I had almost recovered to my original state. The injury that had been bleeding profusely from my mouth had healed in a day and a half. Ma-ik must be a real doctor. Tomorrow, he said I could start normal qi circulation, so from tomorrow, I should try to reinforce my body properly.
Moving my body after a long time, the stiff joints loosened and started to scream.
“Senior! Are you feeling better?”
“Uh, I think I'm almost healed.”
“The bandits already brought the luggage cart. How fast.”
I was worried that there might be bandits observing us from afar, so I decided to pretend to be critically ill for three days. Heukmyo, who also found it burdensome to face Ma-ik, only came in secretly when Ma-ik wasn't around to talk to me.
“So, how is your body condition, senior?”
“So... there was a problem in my body that I didn't know about, and Ma-ik solved it for me. For now, the temporary prescription is over, and for a while, I have to research my body with Ma-ik.”
“Hmmm... so incidentally, you decided to help Yeo Il-ye too?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“No, senior, didn't you know that Yeo Il-ye gets angry when she sees a rogue?”
“Even gave her the silver coin? And she helped in front of the Golden Family. She even took off her own shoes. Isn't it okay to help at this level? Besides, if it's a master like Yeo Il-ye, even if we get close, it's not a loss.”
“No... uh... that's true though.”
Heukmyo tapped his broad chest in frustration and continued.
“Senior. Let's look at the problem in front of us first. That bandit stronghold in Hyeongwi Mountain! There are two super-peak realm masters in that bandit stronghold! Although the remaining bandit forces are not great, the headcount is still not to be underestimated.”
This is surprising. What kind of banditry is this? They're doing banditry to get something to eat, and they're a second-in-command in a bandit stronghold with super-peak masters. If they reach super-peak, they should just split up, that's the norm.
“Even if Yeo Il-ye is a disciple of the Jeomchang Sect, she can't handle two super-peak masters and the various bandits.”
“Hmmm, that's indeed unexpected.”
“As long as Ma-ik doesn't help, Yeo Il-ye alone won't be able to deal with the bandit stronghold. This isn't something to be taken lightly.”
I understood Heukmyo's argument. In fact, it was worrying that a bandit stronghold with two super-peak masters and many subordinates would clash with Yeo Il-ye.
“But that's fine.”
“What? Are you saying you can solve it with a plan, senior?”
“No, that's not it. Yeo Il-ye can handle one bandit stronghold alone.”
“What?”
Heukmyo asked in disbelief.
“No, there are many first-rate masters and even peak realm, and a bandit stronghold with two super-peak masters, how can Yeo Il-ye alone handle it? Yeo Il-ye is just at the beginning of super-peak!”
“That is correct, but still, it's possible.”
Yeo Il-ye is not just a super-peak master.
She is a super-peak with the characteristics and abilities of a super-peak transcendence.
“Has your body recovered well, Benefactor?”
“Thanks to your concern, I feel much better.”
Yeo Il-ye and Ho Cheon-an met for the first time after leaving the face-to-face and death pact. Yeo Il-ye thought about Ho Cheon-an as she looked at him. Really, I don't know what kind of person.
An unmeasurable super expert who uses the Bi-ryong Sword Qi, a mysterious person with a story. That was what Yeo Il-ye had thought of Ho Cheon-an until now.
In the Golden Family, he had shown his skill in deceiving Yeo Il-ye, Heukmyo, and Tang Do-gyeong cleanly. When they met at the beginning of Hyeongwi Mountain, he had suppressed a first-rate master without a single wound, saying he was a second-rate warrior.
Until yesterday when he helped Ho Cheon-an's bodyguard, Yeo Il-ye had believed that Ho Cheon-an was an absolute expert hiding his identity.
But the appearance of Ho Cheon-an when taking the medicine yesterday was truly just a second-rate warrior. The reaction according to the level of the medicine taken, and the appearance of injury due to insufficient qi control, etc. There was clear evidence of being a second-rate in front of Yeo Il-ye.
After that, Yeo Il-ye’s mind was filled with doubt about Ho Cheon-an.
Was the Bi-ryong Sword Qi a deception? Even if the Bi-ryong Sword Qi was a deception, how did he transmit the enlightenment?
“I can't know his identity, but he is definitely a benefactor.”
“I have a word I always wanted to say to the benefactor, first, I want to apologize for the point where I aimed for his life, and second, I want to express my gratitude for bestowing enlightenment on this humble servant.”
“Those points have already been replaced with the silver coin.”
“However, I cannot be sure that the silver coin was helpful to the benefactor.”
Yeo Il-ye had publicly presented the silver coin because she judged that it would be most helpful to Ho Cheon-an. Yeo Il-ye, who thought Ho Cheon-an was an absolute expert, judged that what Ho Cheon-an needed most was influence in the right way.
To a master who could throw the principles of martial arts at a glance, what use would the help of a super-peak master be? So, she publicly gave the silver coin so that she could use the reputation and authority of 'Yeo Il-ye, a disciple of the Jeomchang Sect'.
“I wonder if giving the silver coin at the inn made the benefactor uncomfortable.”
“I am worried that you might have suffered some inconvenience because of me.”
“It is fine. It is replaced by helping with the shell game in front of the Golden Family.”
With those words, Yeo Il-ye smiled and put her hand in her bosom. It was a five-tael gold note.
“Speaking of which, how did this come to Hyeongwi Mountain.”
Ho Cheon-an took the note and laughed lightly, and Yeo Il-ye also laughed lightly at the sight. What kind of connection is this. The person I was going to kill in the back alleys after giving him enlightenment, the person I was going to help in front of the Golden Family, pulled into the shell game, took off his shoes. At Hyeongwi Mountain, I was prepared to have my identity revealed by the enemy, but the situation was already over.
And thanks to Ho Cheon-an, I got the chance to probe Ma-ik's intentions, and thanks to Ho Cheon-an's plan, I lured Ma-ik, so it's really an indescribable relationship.
“That’s right. You have put down your hatred for rogues.”
“Yes. In my childhood, the mountain villa burned and the world was hated.”
Yeo Il-ye calmly confessed her feelings at that time. It was just a period of burning.
“Through the teachings of the sect, I learned how to live without hating the world, but the resentment in my heart never disappeared, so I hated rogues. The hwadu you gave me to the servant allowed me to escape the cycle of resentment I held.”
“Only after escaping from the flame of resentment that blinded my eyes did I realize that there is indeed an enemy of the mountain villa. From now on, I must soothe the vengeful spirits of the unjust family members so that I can face them in the afterlife with my head held high.”
Yeo Il-ye said with a bitter smile.
“You asked if the hatred for rogues remains. Honestly, it still does. After all, they must have entered the mountain villa through some disguise, and I understand with my head that the rogue disguise is just a means they chose.”
“However... however. If there were rogues in the world who looked more like chivalrous men, wouldn't they have saved their family members for more realistic disguises? If they had shown good appearances so that people could evaluate rogues more positively... wouldn't they have investigated the Yeoga Sanjang more suspiciously? I can't shake off that thought.”
Yeo Il-ye looked at Ho Cheon-an's hardened expression and bowed deeply.
“I’m sorry, Benefactor. I apologize for speaking ill of the means of livelihood.”
“No. I'm glad you spoke honestly.”
For a moment, the hut was silent.
“Benefactor, do you have any intention of using my silver coin?”
“Up to now, I haven't specifically decided on a use, but.”
“When we catch Ma-ik in Hyeongwi Mountain... my enemy's true identity will be revealed. Even if Ma-ik is not my enemy, I will know how I got the Seven Treasures Jade Belt... I have to go avenge my family members now.”
“At the moment the true identity of my enemy is confirmed, this humble servant will announce revenge to the sect and receive the blood debt. It's just my guess, but the enemies of the mountain villa are difficult opponents. I don't intend to throw away my life easily, but perhaps I might fail in revenge.”
“How can you say such a thing.”
“As long as this humble servant's life is attached, even in the midst of revenge, I will prioritize processing the benefactor's silver coin... please consider this point. If you have decided on the use of the silver coin, please send a letter to Jeomchang. I will rush there immediately upon confirmation.”
Ho Cheon-an nodded his head.
“I understand your meaning, young lady. I will think carefully.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
The first conversation we faced each other.
Yeo Il-ye was able to organize her feelings about Ho Cheon-an, and Ho Cheon-an was able to understand Yeo Il-ye a little.
“Aigoo! Aigoo!”
“Hoho. A first-rate guy makes such a fuss over that little luggage!”
Noisy sounds coming from outside.
“Ma-ik seems to have returned.”
“Hmmm. Let's meet tomorrow.”
Ma-ik brought Ho Cheon-an's things and put them in the hut, and Ho Cheon-an hurriedly prepared to move. Yeo Il-ye pulled out her own sword and sharpened it. Ho Cheon-an thought about his martial arts path that had become first-rate, and Heukmyo was pondering the words Ho Cheon-an had given.
So each spent their own time.
The morning of the day we had to leave Hyeongwi Mountain dawned.