Training...? (13)
“You already know, so come out quietly.”
Hong Yeonhwa, who had stopped us in our tracks, spoke in a sharp tone.
“Benefactor?”
Paeng Soso was still tilting her head in confusion, not grasping the situation, but I knew better. I was aware of Hong Yeonhwa's true realm.
Is this it? That classic wuxia trope where assassins are lying in ambush?
I quickly drew my sword and headed toward where her finger was pointing.
“Huh? Wha-what…?”
By then, Paeng Soso had unslung the saber from her back and assumed a stance. Her expression was still uncertain, but every movement was flawless, without a single gap. As expected of the Peak realm—maybe that's why she was so baffled right now. With that level of skill, she had confidence in herself, so it was hard for her to believe in an enemy she couldn't sense.
Confirming that Paeng Soso and I had drawn our weapons, Hong Yeonhwa stepped forward and opened her mouth.
“Do you think this lady was merely probing at random?”
Letting out a deep sigh, Hong Yeonhwa casually kicked a pebble at her feet. It was a light motion, like a child playing in the dirt. But the result was anything but light.
Bang!
It wasn't so much kicking a pebble as detonating a small bomb. The stone shot forward in a straight line with ferocious momentum toward a tree by the roadside. Just as I thought it would snap the tree in half—
Kakang!
A grating sound like metal scraping metal rang out, and the pebble halted in midair. Looking closely, a pale hand had burst from the base of the tree, snatching the flying stone and forcibly stopping it.
Was that earlier noise from the friction between the palm and the pebble? It hadn't blocked it perfectly, though—fingers were twisted at odd angles.
“Wh-who's there!”
Witnessing the eerie sight, Paeng Soso flinched and crouched low. Not out of fear, of course. Even from a distance, the ferocious aura made my arm hairs stand on end—it was a charging stance. Like a tiger ready to pounce at any moment.
Is that the Five Tigers Gate Severing Saber Art?
Even Paeng Soso, who had been tilting her head until the end, now adopted a threatening posture. Perhaps realizing they were fully exposed, the owner of the pale hand clenched a fist, crushing the pebble without regard for the twisted fingers.
Crunch.
Then, slowly rising, it revealed itself... and damn, that face looked familiar.
I narrowed my eyes and scanned the face again. Moderately pretty features, expressionless countenance, unfocused eyes, pale skin, and an inexplicable disgust radiating from the moment it appeared.
Isn't this one of those jiangshi from a few days ago?
I might have forgotten the exact facial details, but that unique vibe was unforgettable.
As if confirming my guess, another woman and a boy emerged from the bushes behind it. A young boy smiling creepily while commanding two jiangshi.
Eon Ju-won.
“Huh? How did you notice? I was pretty confident in my Ghost-Feigning Great Method.”
“Hah! You thought this lady—of all people—couldn't distinguish a corpse from something corpse-like?”
“Hmm... Even so, I don't know who you are, so it doesn't really hit home.”
I recalled Master once saying that the Jinju Eon family's jiangshi arts and fist techniques weren't separate. Teaching fist arts to jiangshi, replicating jiangshi's tough skin with living external arts, joints bending at unnatural angles. They'd evolved influencing each other, making it impossible to dismiss either the sorcery or martial arts of that clan.
The Ghost-Feigning Great Method—entering a death-like coma to hide one's presence—was something he was confident in... but apparently not enough to fool Hong Yeonhwa.
“This is troubling. Did you learn some special martial art? Or do you just have good instincts?”
Even with his identity exposed, his voice remained nonchalant. For a moment, I wondered if we were the ones mistaken.
In fact, Paeng Soso—who was close to Eon Ju-won—awkwardly relaxed her stance and asked back.
“J-Ju-won? What are you doing here? Were you waiting to travel with us? If so, you should've said something last time we met.”
“Pardon? Ah? Ahahaha!”
But Eon Ju-won burst into laughter at Paeng Soso's question, as if he'd heard the funniest joke.
“Oh, sis! You're just too cute! That's why I like you so much!”
“Huh? What do you...?”
“Still don't get it?”
Discarding his fake expression, Eon Ju-won curled one corner of his mouth into a sinister smirk.
“I was lying in ambush to kill you, sis.”
“......”
“Well, more precisely, to kill you and turn you into a jiangshi.”
Paeng Soso's face slowly twisted. Betrayed by someone she trusted, who could blame her?
In contrast, Eon Ju-won writhed in ecstasy, lost in some fantasy.
“Ahh... Turning sis—who's always been so kind to me since we were kids—into my jiangshi. No more laughing, no more crying, no worries about being a warrior or the family... just blankly obeying my every command.”
Not satisfied with that, he shoved his hand into the clothing of the nearby jiangshi and roughly groped its breast.
“......”
“......”
“......”
What the hell...?
The unexpected scene left us all speechless. Of course, Eon Ju-won didn't care, yanking and kneading with near-tearing force.
“Last time, the elders found out my tastes, and our engagement got canceled. Isn't that unfair? They always said not to treat jiangshi as mere tools, then freaked out seeing my bedroom.”
Well... I doubt "don't treat jiangshi as tools" meant "fuck the jiangshi."
“But I'm lucky. What a perfect opportunity. Right now, even that mighty Paeng family can't help you, sis. And if you die, no one will suspect me.”
Eon Ju-won alternated glances between the blankly shaking jiangshi and the stunned Paeng Soso. He subtly rubbed his lower body against the jiangshi's thigh, then shuddered moments later.
“Haa... Hngh... Sis will make the perfect cocksleeve.”
This psycho just... came?
I wasn't the only one shaken by the unimaginable sight. Hong Yeonhwa, who had maintained a serious demeanor since lowering her shoulders, had eyes shaking like there was an earthquake.
Noticing, Eon Ju-won flashed a refreshed smile.
“I don't like women shorter than me... but those tits are top-tier, so I'll share.”
“Hah...?”
Hong Yeonhwa let out an incredulous scoff, as if bestowing a favor.
Before she could retort, I grabbed her shoulder, pulled her back, and stepped in front of her, sword pointed straight at him to block his creepy gaze.
“These tits are mine, you fucker.”
“So you two are like that? I was curious, so I'll let the old man live a bit—chop off your limbs and let you die slowly. Instead, imagine your fresh, warm lover getting fucked by her nemesis right after death...”
“Shut it.”
I cut off the bastard—who was already acting like he'd won—and flicked my sword tip.
“Corpse-fucker here's been yapping nonstop. Fight with words? Or did you talk to unresponsive corpses so much your self-talk habit stuck?”
“Hah... Yeah. You'll be speechless soon enough anyway.”
Annoyed at the interruption, he scowled briefly, then pulled a bell from his bosom.
I might not know much about sorcery, but I could guess. Probably controls the jiangshi with that bell.
I circulated my internal energy and steeled myself.
I won't forgive NTR-plotting netorare bastards!
Chanting that resolve in my mind restored my stamina and internal energy depleted from the lightness skill. The tension was thick enough to start fighting any second.
Sensing it, Paeng Soso—who had been dazed—spoke up urgently.
“Wait! Ju-won. Does it have to be this way? I don't want to fight you. There must be some other way...”
“Wow, sis. Still with that? Now I get why Paeng family head kept you away from Murim.”
“I-I...”
While Paeng Soso and Eon Ju-won talked, something poked my back. Turning, I saw Hong Yeonhwa with puffed cheeks, busily munching the remaining dumplings.
Eating dumplings... now?
Ignoring my baffled stare, she swallowed with an audible gulp and finally spoke.
“You there. Perfect timing. Last time with the bandits, we prioritized rescuing the hostage and couldn't fight properly.”
“What?”
“I thought the Ghost-Feigning Great Method indicated a high-realm assassin... but this lady was mistaken.”
Ah. So that's why she was so on-edge at first? Now that she knew otherwise, she had the leisure to eat dumplings.
Anyway, she figured he was just the right level for me now—go fight him. Of course, she wouldn't just spectate... but hearing "Drua!" from the reliable Heavenly Demon felt like a bolt from the blue.
“Don't worry too much. They probably underestimate you as a low-rank. The jiangshi will go for this lady and the Paeng girl, for sure.”
While she and Paeng Soso handled the jiangshi, I'd duel Eon Ju-won one-on-one. From his talk of attending the Yongbong Branch Meet, he was a sorcerer but no slouch in martial arts. But if Hong Yeonhwa said it was doable, it was.
“Fuck it, let's do this.”
As I adjusted my stance with renewed vigor, their conversation wrapped up over there.
“......Don't be too sad. It's dying as the warrior you always wanted to be, right, sis?”
Ting-a-ling.
The bell rang.