Chapter 9
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: The Welcoming Party's Long Night
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A deserted training ground in a secluded corner.
The ground was torn up, and all around lay broken swords of every kind.
A man was breathing heavily.
A hawk approached him, landing softly on his thick arm.
A letter was tied to the hawk's leg. As the man unfolded it, a grim smile touched his lips.
"Ho! It's been ten years since we had a new recruit."
* * *
A woman walked down the street.
The eyes of everyone, young and old, male and female, were fixed on her.
Even without doing anything special, she drew people's attention.
The woman, who seemed almost out of place, should have felt burdened by the countless stares, yet she accepted them with practiced ease, extending her hand to a hawk flying toward her.
The hawk landed gently on her snow-white arm. The woman unfolded the letter tied to its leg.
[New Recruit Welcoming Party]
- Attendance is mandatory.
- Miss it and you die.
"A new recruit in the Crouching Dragon Unit?"
A spark of curiosity flickered within her.
And hawks carrying the same letter arrived for the other members of the Crouching Dragon Unit as well.
* * *
Although he had heard the word "pass" from the Unit Leader's lips, he didn't feel as happy or thrilled as he had expected.
Ha Yuseong had no trouble figuring out why.
It was because he had seen and experienced new things in a new environment.
He couldn't forget the moment he had performed the Six Harmonies Footwork.
It was a sense of liberation he had never felt before.
No! Now he understood exactly.
The reason he had so desperately wanted to join the Murim Alliance.
It was to learn proper martial arts.
Ha Yuseong clenched and unclenched his fist.
It was impossible, but he felt a sense of regret, as if he had grasped something only to let it slip away.
‘I want to try it again.’
To exaggerate a little, he wouldn't even mind failing the test now.
Ha Yuseong wanted to know more about the Six Harmonies Footwork.
"Both of you, rest for two hours, then come to the largest inn in front of the Murim Alliance. Be late, and you die."
Right. He had figured out how to resolve this feeling. Wasn't there a first-rate martial artist right in front of him? I'll ask the Unit Leader!
"Excuse me, Unit Leader..."
Ha Yuseong looked forward, but Seo Pung was already gone.
"Brother! I think this is it!"
Instead, Namgung Yuya was looking at him with eyes full of anticipation.
Well, it’s not exactly a bird in the hand, but young brother Namgung isn't a bad alternative!
In fact, since he was the one who taught me the Six Harmonies Footwork, I'll ask him to teach me more!
"It seems they're holding a welcoming party! We might get to see her!"
Right now, Ha Yuseong wanted to know more about the Six Harmonies Footwork than some stupid welcoming party. So, as soon as Namgung Yuya finished talking, he planned to ask for a detailed explanation of what he had shown him earlier.
"If it's a welcoming party, she'll definitely be there! One of the Three Flowers of the Martial World! Jegal Biyeon! I've only heard rumors, but they say she's breathtakingly beautiful! They say no one can keep their wits about them after seeing her even once!"
"But, young brother Namgung. There's something I want to ask..."
"That's not what's important right now! It's the Three Flowers of the Martial World! Brother, don't you know about them?"
He did. He even had a slight connection to the previous generation of the Three Flowers.
"That footwork you performed earlier. A little more detail..."
"That measly footwork isn't what's important! Among the Three Flowers of the Martial World, first, there's Hubei's..."
In the end, Ha Yuseong couldn't bring up the Six Harmonies Footwork. Namgung Yuya's mind was completely filled with thoughts of the welcoming party.
* * *
The Ten Thousand Gold Inn.
He didn't need to search for the inn Seo Pung had mentioned.
He just had to look for the biggest building in the area.
A single structure, towering over everything else.
It looked more like a grand estate than an inn.
"So this is the Ten Thousand Gold Inn."
Ha Yuseong realized the rumors had been an understatement.
Seeing it in person, the Ten Thousand Gold Inn was even larger and more magnificent.
"Anyway, about that footwork from earlier?"
"I'll finally get to see Hubei's First Flower, who I've only heard about in rumors! Brother! Did you know? They also call her the Artificial Flower."
"I see. So, the footwork?"
"This nickname has a double meaning. Some call her the Artificial Flower, since she's untouchable. Others call her the Flower of Calamity, because she's dangerous."
Artificial flower or real flower, beauty or celestial maiden.
"So, I was hoping you could teach me the Six Harmonies Footwork again?"
"And in the Crouching Dragon Unit, there are people called the Four Freaks of the Crouching Dragon!"
He had already heard this story ten times. Any more and his ears would start to bleed.
Ha Yuseong gave up on hearing about the Six Harmonies Footwork and quickly pulled open the door in front of him.
"Let's go in."
"Ah! Yes!"
Only then did Namgung Yuya shut his mouth.
Ha Yuseong opened the door and entered the Ten Thousand Gold Inn.
* * *
The inside, which he expected to be bustling, was surprisingly quiet.
Because there were no customers.
Except for one person.
"You're here. Find an empty seat nearby and sit down."
The Unit Leader was alone in the vast, empty inn.
The table was laden with all sorts of delicacies and bottles of wine, but judging by the amount of food, it didn't seem like many people were coming.
As Ha Yuseong was about to sit at a random empty spot, Namgung Yuya suddenly asked a question.
"Um, excuse me, may I ask a question?"
"What is it?"
Seo Pung, who was pouring wine into his cup, nodded his head in response.
"Is the Ten Thousand Gold Inn closed today?"
"Of course not. Do you know how much money this place makes?"
"Then why are there no customers?"
"I rented it. From this evening until dawn tomorrow."
"You rented it? For half a day?"
"Yes. If your questions are over, sit down. The food's getting cold."
‘I see. He rented it.’
Ha Yuseong took this to mean, ‘The Murim Alliance rented it.’
On the other hand, Namgung Yuya, who knew a fair bit about the ways of the martial world, couldn't comprehend the situation at all.
The Ten Thousand Gold Inn was one of the top businesses owned by the Ten Thousand Gold Conglomerate.
It was likely the finest inn in all the Central Plains.
And a mere Unit Leader had rented it?
‘Does he think he’s the son of the Gold King?’
Otherwise, what was happening was utterly incomprehensible.
But as far as Namgung Yuya knew, the Gold King had no children. Besides, if the Unit Leader were the Gold King's son, he wouldn't be in a place like the Crouching Dragon Unit.
"Lower your eyes. Don't look at me like you're asking for a beating."
"Yes, sir!"
Namgung Yuya immediately lowered his gaze. Having experienced him firsthand, he knew the Unit Leader was a man who would more than follow through on his words.
*Creak.*
Just then, the door opened, and five figures entered the inn.
"Tsk, tsk. I always say to stay away from luxury and pleasure. Where's the beef?"
"I feel this every time, but what's your deal? Every time there's a banquet, you rent out the entire Ten Thousand Gold Inn? Huh? Tell me!"
"Meat."
"Heard we got some new kittens?"
Each person who entered had a strong, distinct personality.
One wore patches over both eyes.
One carried no less than ten swords on his body.
One had a long pair of spears crossed on his back.
One looked like a minor.
And the last person to enter was a woman.
It was only natural that the men's gazes converged on one spot.
She was the sole woman in the Crouching Dragon Unit, the rumored Hubei's First Flower.
The woman scanned her surroundings, then strode over and sat down next to Ha Yuseong.
Instantly, voices erupted from all sides.
"He's screwed!"
"To get picked the moment he walks in!"
"Poor kitten. Today's your last day."
"That lady is scary."
For a moment, Ha Yuseong and Jegal Biyeon's eyes met.
But Ha Yuseong was busy muttering something to himself.
"So, the Yanggu point, the Zusan point... was it the Dawan point? Or was it the Zusan point, the Yanggu point, then the Jiuwan point?"
Jegal Biyeon tilted her head slightly.
This wasn't the reaction she had expected.
* * *
"As the letter said, today is a welcoming party for the new recruits. Let's begin."
The welcoming party began with Seo Pung taking the first drink.
The Four Freaks of the Crouching Dragon Unit took their seats around Namgung Yuya.
A young boy poured wine into Namgung Yuya's cup.
"Let's drink till we drop today, junior!"
Should a kid be drinking?
Still, it was a drink poured by a senior, so Namgung Yuya drank it. The moment he emptied his cup, it was filled with new wine.
"Not all that you see is real."
Coming from a man with patches on both eyes, it wasn't very convincing...
He was too scared to talk back, so he drank again. And again, the cup was filled.
"If you spill even a single drop, this sword will sever your wrist."
He really seemed like he would do it, so he drank again. The man was insane.
An endless cycle.
Wondering if this was some new form of torture, Namgung Yuya glanced sideways with an envious look.
‘Damn it! I’m so jealous of you, Brother!’
He had thought the rumors were exaggerated. But they were actually downplayed.
He couldn't say he had seen countless women in his life, but living in the Namgung Family, he prided himself on having seen quite a few.
But he had never seen a woman like this.
What man could not love her?
That's why Namgung Yuya couldn't help but marvel internally.
And there was the man, silently pouring and drinking his wine.
‘Is he a eunuch?’
Or maybe.
‘What, has he dated one of the other Three Flowers of the Martial World? Who does he think he is?’
He had to admit, the guy was handsome.
But the person sitting next to him was Jegal Biyeon.
The number of men who had become wrecks from lovesickness over her exceeded a hundred.
Namgung Yuya felt that if that woman so much as spoke to him right now, he could devote the rest of his life to her.
"Wake up. That block of wood isn't interested in you."
"I wasn't dreaming."
"Bullshit! Just drink! Let's die today!"
It was then that Brother Ha spoke up.
"Unit Leader. I have a question."
"What?"
"May I step outside for a moment?"
"Do as you please."
"Yes. Thank you."
I'm so jealous. I just want to talk with one of the Three Flowers once.
Forsaking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, his brother stood up and walked outside.
Opportunity belongs to those who seize it.
Jegal Biyeon's seat was now empty.
‘Alright! Now!’
Just as Namgung Yuya was about to get up and go to Jegal Biyeon, she stood up and walked out of the inn.
"Are you trying to run away?"
"No, I'm not."
"Then sit!"
"Yes."
Namgung Yuya sat back down, holding back tears.
* * *
Ha Yuseong had finally bolted from his seat.
He knew it was rude to leave in the middle of a banquet, but he couldn't stay still without confirming something.
Lightly pushing off the ground, he moved his body through the six directions as he remembered.
"This isn't it."
Jegal Biyeon quietly watched what Ha Yuseong was doing.
She had followed him out of simple curiosity.
He was the first man, besides her father and grandfather, who had shown no reaction upon seeing her.
"Oh! Is this it? Something feels like it's working. Hehe."
Ha Yuseong was grinning while performing the mere Six Harmonies Footwork.
She didn't understand.
What was so fun about that?
Jegal Biyeon approached Ha Yuseong and spoke.
"You're not doing it right. Want me to teach you? The Six Harmonies Footwork."
*Stop!*
Ha Yuseong froze and stared intently at Jegal Biyeon.
It was a very familiar gaze.
The look of someone with a strong desire, begging for something.
The same gaze countless men gave her.
So this man was just like all the others...
"Should I kneel? No! Should I perform the nine bows of respect right here?"
"Is that necessary?"
"It is!"
...He's not the same at all?