Chapter 436: ...Because I Like You.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 436: ...Because I Like You.
"Cackle... Didn't I tell you? Just because he’s the World’s Greatest Martial Artist doesn't mean his seals are the world's greatest."
The old man burst into a delighted laugh. He seemed to take immense pleasure in the fact that he had broken her seal.
"You... who are you?"
Kang Ha-yoon spoke, her voice laced with suspicion as she stared at the old man. It was only natural to wonder. She was baffled by the identity of this man who could so easily unravel a seal placed by Lee Jae-won himself.
"Heh heh heh... This old man comes from the Blood Sea."
The old man let out a mischievous chuckle as he answered.
".....The Blood Sea."
Upon hearing his words, Kang Ha-yoon’s expression turned grim. She had known they were coming, but she never imagined they would approach her in this manner.
"If you've released the seal... does that mean the 'great undertaking' is at hand?" Kang Ha-yoon continued in a calm tone.
"You're not slow-witted, are you? Heh... Yes. The day of execution has been set."
"When is it?"
"Tomorrow."
The old man replied matter-of-factly.
"Tomorrow!?"
Kang Ha-yoon asked back, startled. She hadn't expected the assassination to take place so soon.
"Why so surprised? Heh heh..."
"........Can the time not be pushed back a little?"
"Why?"
"I want to persuade him......."
"Request denied."
The old man shook his head firmly.
"We are not Tang Jin-seol’s subordinates. We are merely an assassination group. Do not expect things like mercy or compassion from us."
The old man looked at Kang Ha-yoon with cold, piercing eyes.
"The execution is tomorrow. There will be no further discussion. And if you want to back out, do it now. There is nothing more foolish or useless than an ally who hesitates."
He glared at her with eyes full of irritation.
".............."
Kang Ha-yoon fell silent at his harsh words. She realized he wasn't wrong. They weren't Tang Jin-seol’s lackeys; they were professional killers. What right did she have to ask them for favors? It was an absurd request.
".....I'll do it," she finally said, her voice steady.
"Heh heh heh. Good. You made the right choice."
The old man looked satisfied. He fumbled around in his robes for a moment before pulling out a small, neatly folded secret message.
"Take this."
He held out the message.
"Why don't you unblock my acupoints before talking?" Kang Ha-yoon remarked, her brow furrowing deeply.
"Ah, right... I forgot."
With a playful smirk, the old man reached out.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
He struck her pressure points, instantly restoring her mobility.
"There. Now, take it."
Having fully released her acupoints, he offered the message again. Kang Ha-yoon reached out and took it. She slowly unfolded the paper, revealing rows of tiny, densely packed characters. Her eyes moved rhythmically as she began to read the contents.
"Just do exactly as it says in there," the old man added tonelessly. "And remember. If we decide you're getting in the way, we will kill you without hesitation."
".............."
Despite his warning, Kang Ha-yoon didn't offer a reply. It was clear she was focused entirely on the instructions. Seeing this, the old man shrugged and turned around, as if he had no further business with her.
He had broken the seal, delivered the message, and even given a kind warning. There was nothing left to do. He began to walk away slowly.
*
Hwapyung Inn
Thud.
As soon as Sun-woo reached his assigned room, he threw himself onto the bed. The sight of the plush-looking mattress had triggered an irresistible urge to dive right in.
"Haa... this is nice."
He didn't regret it for a second. The satisfaction of indulging his desire was worth it.
Should I just go to sleep? Sun-woo wondered.
He thought about how happy he would be if he just drifted off right then and there. The softness of the bed was providing him with a significant amount of bliss. However, he soon forced himself to sit up. Sleeping was tempting, but he had something much more important to do today.
I need to apologize to Kang Ha-yoon.
He felt that he had been too cold when he rejected the advice she had given him out of genuine concern. Sun-woo wanted to be friends with her—the bold, "alpha-female" version of her. To do that, he needed to fix their current awkward relationship with a sincere apology.
Sun-woo slowly stood up, intending to go find her immediately.
Knock, knock, knock.
Suddenly, there was a knock at his door.
"Who is it?" Sun-woo asked, looking toward the door with curiosity.
"Young Master Jang... it's me...."
A familiar voice drifted in from outside. It was filled with an uncharacteristic awkwardness and shyness, but Sun-woo recognized it instantly.
"Hall Master!?"
Sun-woo’s eyes widened as he called out urgently. He hadn't expected her to come to him.
"Yes... it's the Phoenix Hall Master."
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
Sun-woo felt his heart begin to race. The thought of the woman he admired visiting his room at such a late hour made his pulse skyrocket.
"Pl... please come in. It's open."
Sun-woo tried to calm his unruly heart as he spoke.
Creeeeeak.
With his permission, the door opened, and a beauty with charmingly stubborn eyes appeared. It was indeed the Phoenix Hall Master, Kang Ha-yoon.
Sun-woo stared at her, dazed. She looked breathtaking. It seemed she had just finished washing; her raven-black hair was damp, and her skin looked incredibly soft and fresh. As she stepped inside, a faint, delicate fragrance wafted toward him.
The scent... of a woman...
Sun-woo’s expression grew even more vacant.
"I'm sorry... did I come too late?" Kang Ha-yoon asked, looking apologetic.
"A-ah... no. It's fine. Not at all."
Sun-woo shook his head vigorously. What did the time matter when she was here? She could have come at dawn for all he cared.
"Anyway, what brings you here?" Sun-woo asked, looking at her curiously.
"I just... wanted to talk about a few things," she said with a clear, gentle smile.
"Please, have a seat first."
Sun-woo gestured toward the table.
"Then, if you don't mind..."
Thud.
She sat down at the table as invited, and Sun-woo sat across from her. The two of them faced each other.
"..................."
".................."
An awkward silence began to stretch between them. Neither seemed to know how to start.
This is so awkward! Sun-woo screamed internally.
They had been acting strained for days. Now that she was here but staying silent, he didn't have the slightest clue what to say. After what felt like an eternity of silence...
"Young Master Jang," Kang Ha-yoon finally spoke.
"Yes, please, go ahead."
"I'm sorry." She bowed her head slightly.
"Pardon?"
"I think I was rude to you. Who you choose to support is entirely your business... I think I meddled where I shouldn't have."
"A-ah... no. I'm the one who should apologize. You were clearly speaking out of concern for me, but I think I treated you too harshly. I'm sorry."
"No. You were just expressing your intentions to someone who was being overbearing. You weren't harsh at all."
Kang Ha-yoon shook her head at Sun-woo’s words.
"Actually, I was grateful for your 'meddling.' It made me feel like you truly cared about me. So please, don't think of it as being rude."
"............."
Kang Ha-yoon pressed her lips together. Then, a small smile began to spread across her face. She had come to apologize, but seeing him comfort her instead made a little laugh escape her.
He really is a strange boy, she thought as she looked at him.
Truly, he was an enigma. Although she still held the title of Phoenix Hall Master, she was currently nothing more than a kite with a snapped string. She was not someone who could benefit anyone by being their friend. In fact, being close to her was more likely to be a liability.
Yet, this boy had approached her with friendliness, consideration, and care, as if none of that mattered. She couldn't help but find it strange. And suddenly, she became curious about the motive behind this endless kindness.
She was someone who believed that human relationships were fundamentally transactional—a matter of give and take. One-sided kindness was rare, as people naturally expect something in return for what they give.
So, the question arose: Why was this boy being so good to her? What did he want from her?
"Young Master Jang."
Kang Ha-yoon called his name, her jade-like eyes sparkling.
"Yes?"
"Why are you so good to me?"
"Pardon?"
"I asked why you are being so kind to me."
She looked him straight in the eye.
"Have I been that good to you?" Sun-woo asked, acting as if he didn't know.
"You have. Extremely so."
"I'm not sure. Perhaps because you've been feeling down lately, you're perceiving even small gestures as great kindness?"
"No. I'm certain of it."
She looked at him with a gaze full of conviction.
"I know that you, Young Master Jang, have been showing me a great deal of favor."
"How can you be so sure?"
"When I was asleep, didn't you circulate your qi through me to relieve my fatigue?"
"......You were awake?"
Sun-woo asked back, looking flustered. He thought he had been careful; he never imagined she would notice.
"So it was you."
She wore a mischievous expression.
"............"
Sun-woo realized he'd been played. He had foolishly fallen for her trap.
"And whenever the wind blew, didn't you always stand on the windward side? So that I wouldn't have to face the draft?"
".........That was a coincidence."
"A coincidence? Even when I moved my position, you moved right along with me."
She continued with a soft smile.
"..........."
Sun-woo shut his mouth tight. He was caught red-handed.
Ah, damn my meddling nature, he cursed himself.
He had started looking after her simply because he couldn't bear to see her struggle. How could he not care when the woman he liked was going through a hard time? So, he had offered small comforts to make her journey a bit easier. But those gestures had apparently grown until they were impossible to ignore. He thought he was being subtle, but he had been found out completely.
"I'm curious, Young Master Jang," Kang Ha-yoon said, her eyes shining like stars. "Why are you being so kind to me?"
"..........."
"Especially to someone like me, when things have been so awkward between us."
"There's no big reason. I just... couldn't stop thinking about you."
"Did you pity me?"
"It's not like that."
Sun-woo shook his head. It was different from pity. He wasn't some saint who helped everyone he felt sorry for.
"Then what is it? Exactly... why couldn't you stop thinking about me?"
She pressed him for an answer. The more he hesitated, the more her curiosity grew.
"..........Because I like you."
Sun-woo spoke, his face flushing slightly with embarrassment.
"What?"
Kang Ha-yoon looked at him, her expression one of pure shock.
"Because I like you, I couldn't stop thinking about you. That's why I did it."
Sun-woo looked directly into her eyes as he spoke, his gaze unwavering.
"............"
Upon hearing his confession, Kang Ha-yoon fell into a stunned silence. It was an answer she had never expected.
Wait... what?
She felt a wave of confusion. This was entirely different from any answer she had anticipated. When she first noticed his kindness, she assumed he had some ulterior motive. Why else would he show such excessive favor to a middle-aged woman? She figured he wanted to use her rank or her martial prowess for some goal of his own.
Even though she was a prisoner being exiled to the Sichuan Tang Clan, she was still the Phoenix Hall Master, the second wife of the World's Greatest Martial Artist, and a master who had surpassed the Upper Stage of the Transcendent Realm. She possessed a status and power that anyone would want to exploit.
So, she had been certain he was up to something.
But his answer was the exact opposite. All the kindness he had shown her had come from the bottom of his heart. He wasn't looking at her as a senior martial artist, but as a man looking at a woman.
Her mind began to whirl. She didn't even know what to say. She was a married woman with a husband, an "ajumma" who had lived her life—and he liked her!?
What on earth was she supposed to say to that? Her confusion only continued to grow.