“Call Me Hong Mae.”
The middle-aged woman spoke those words softly. Un-hyeon, still wary, asked her a question.
“That doesn’t sound like your real name.”
It sounded more like an alias a courtesan might use.
“Oh my, you know quite a bit.”
“…”
“And so cautious, too. Well, that’s only natural in a place like this.”
She turned her body this way and that, clearly showing she had no intention of attacking. Even though, in his current state where he could barely use proper martial arts, even a third-rate thug with bare fists would be dangerous to him. Of course, he had no intention of revealing that.
“Since we’re both trapped in a place like this, is there really any need to be so wary of each other?”
“Both…”
Only after hearing her did he realize. The woman might be in a situation similar to his own. It was true that one should be cautious of others, but it was precisely because of that damned prejudice that he had ended up falling into this place. Even if Hong Mae’s words seemed somewhat far-fetched, their underlying meaning was the same. And above all else.
If she had truly wanted to harm him, she could have done so long ago. She could have ambushed him from the darkness at any moment.
“That’s right. Come closer, child.”
Un-hyeon approached Hong Mae. Up close, her appearance was far more wretched than he had imagined. Her originally beautiful features had withered from long years of hardship. Her eyes and the corners of her mouth curved with a seductive allure that could stir any man’s heart.
“Oh dear…”
Hong Mae’s eyes, after examining Un-hyeon’s disheveled state, twisted with sorrow. Un-hyeon tilted his head, not understanding why. Was it because of the blood staining him here and there? But for a martial artist, walking around covered in blood was simply part of daily life.
“Good heavens… You escaped in such a state. It must have been so hard. It’s all right now, child. This place is safe. There will be no more trash to torment you.”
Un-hyeon looked down at himself. His crude clothing, cut roughly from animal hides with sharp stones, was little more than rags. Beneath them, he wore nothing that could be called civilized, so patches of his pale skin showed clearly through the tears.
“…?”
But that was all. Then was she making that face because this place was so bitterly cold? Hong Mae’s own clothes were heavily frayed, yet they clearly looked prepared for winter.
“It must have been difficult… those disgusting bastards.”
“…”
“Men are all like that. Most of them see women as nothing but playthings. Fools whose lives are ruled by what hangs between their legs.”
Sudden curses against men poured out. Then, without warning, she pulled him into her arms. Un-hyeon, caught off guard, widened his eyes. The musty smell of dust filled his nose.
“Still, you must live on… Those worthless creatures can be found again and have their lower parts ripped to shreds. Don’t even think about giving up your life because of scum like them.”
“There are indeed men I want to tear apart and kill.”
“Yes, that’s the spirit. I’m glad. Where I came from, there were many children who ended up in the same situation as you. Abandoned by their parents, abandoned by their husbands, abandoned by their siblings. With no one around them. So, inevitably, forcibly. Children who came to me in that state.”
“Are there more people here?”
“Unfortunately, that story isn’t about this place. Though there are indeed more people here.”
The conversation felt slightly off, but it was news that gave him at least a sliver of hope. Hadn’t he secretly been hoping there were other living souls here? Un-hyeon gently took her trembling hand. It wasn’t time to get excited yet. That would come after he confirmed whether this place was truly somewhere he could rest.
“Don’t tremble… That person is a man too, but he’s a good one. He’s elderly and his body is frail, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
He didn’t say he wasn’t afraid. The things Hong Mae assumed and poured out were worth listening to. He didn’t want her to stop talking just because his attitude toward her changed. Un-hyeon decided for now to show her what she wanted to see.
“This place…?”
“As you must have felt, the cold poison here is much weaker than outside. That’s why something like this is possible.”
He had expected that going deeper into the prison would only reveal darker, gloomier spaces. But following Hong Mae’s guidance inward, an entirely different world unfolded. It wasn’t very wide, but a relatively verdant space appeared. However, Un-hyeon felt a slight dissonance in his body. It was as if breathing itself had become uncomfortable.
“Have you lived here the entire time?”
“There was no choice. If I go outside, I can’t even take a few steps before death claims me.”
“Death?”
“Now that I think about it, you came through the poisonous fog, didn’t you? May I examine your body once?”
“I’m fine. There’s no problem.”
“No, even if you look fine on the outside, you… Hmm, I can’t keep calling you ‘you’ forever. Will you tell me your name?”
“My name…”
Un-hyeon could not reveal his name. Hong Mae continued first.
“I could give you one, if you’d like? I’m quite used to this sort of thing.”
It must be related to those children again. Un-hyeon nodded.
“I see. Is there one you want? No? Then you shall be… Yes, Bing Ok-yeon. How does Bing Ok-yeon sound? That name came to me at once. In the case of this name—”
“It’s good.”
“You don’t look particularly happy about it. Well, it can’t be helped. From now on, I’ll call you Ok-yeon?”
“Yes.”
Once again, Hong Mae’s eyes grew misty. As she had done before, she must be thinking of the children who had come seeking her. If everything she had said so far was not a lie.
“You wanted to see someone other than me first, didn’t you? We’re almost there. He’s here.”
It was little more than a hovel. Could this even be called a house? Considering the wretched environment, this was probably the best one could hope for. The place that must have once been the prison warden’s quarters was built of wood and looked ready to collapse at any moment. Even so, it was far better than the damp prison outside.
“Are you awake, sir?”
“I heard you. It seems a new child has arrived. Cough!”
A frail old voice flowed out. Hong Mae said she would enter and opened the door. Inside, the source of the dusty smell that had clung to Hong Mae became clear. An old man who looked as if he might die at any moment sat wrapped in filthy bedding.
“Hoo… He looks no more than twenty at most…”
“That’s right.”
Even the old man’s eyes, nearly hidden by drooping eyelids, were filled with pity. According to the legends of this place, even the living here would be the worst kind of fugitives or criminals. Yet these two gave off the impression of ordinary villagers. Still, as Un-hyeon examined the old man’s appearance, he noticed something he could not overlook. Half-faded embroidery remained on the old man’s sleeve. Embroidery on a sleeve meant he had once lived quite well. Most people who could afford such things would not dirty their sleeves.
“Your eyes are sharp.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. If you’ve come here, you may forget about the outside world for a while.”
The old man continued speaking between coughs. Hong Mae went outside and returned with a bowl of murky water. Seeing Un-hyeon’s questioning gaze, she smiled bitterly.
“The water is tainted with poison too, but there’s nothing we can do. It was still bearable when he was healthier.”
“I see.”
It must be water that flowed or pooled nearby. Since this was a valley, it was no surprise there was water.
“…Are there only the two of you?”
“Yes. Right now, only us two.”
He had considered asking about his master’s remains outside, but realized there was no need. His master had marked this place on the map as an unknown location. Moreover, his master’s remains must have been there for at least several decades. If they had known, these people—especially Hong Mae—would have had no reason to refuse his master’s teachings. It was safer to assume they simply hadn’t known.
“You said ‘right now.’”
“There were more before.”
She cast her gaze outside. There, several small burial mounds could be seen. Compared to the size of the quarters, there were quite a few mounds. The legend of Yeon-yeon Blood Valley was at least a hundred years old. It meant that many more people had once settled and lived here. And they had all eventually met their end in this place.
“…”
He had no intention of ending his life in such a way. He had to escape this place and achieve his revenge. Un-hyeon felt this was not the time to probe them or engage in a battle of wills. He wasn’t used to such things anyway, so the only thing he could do was keep his mouth shut. In time he might find a better way, but he didn’t want to wait. This was not the moment to gauge their identities through careful probing.
“I would like to hear both of your stories.”
Hong Mae and the old man looked at each other. Then they chuckled and sat Un-hyeon down.
Un-hyeon awkwardly fiddled with the new clothes he now wore. They weren’t Hong Mae’s, but belonged to someone who had died before. They were just as worn, but they were human clothes. Women’s clothes, at that. The sensation felt incredibly foreign.
“They suit you well.”
“…Thank you.”
“Yes… I think I understand why you changed your mind. You must want to leave as quickly as possible.”
Hong Mae’s face darkened. With a sorrowful expression, she continued her story.
“I was once active in the murim. To reach this place alive in the first place, a strong body is essential. Usually, even if one survives… they arrive as little more than a half-corpse.”
As she spoke, Hong Mae’s gaze swept over Un-hyeon. Even while helping him change, she seemed to be examining his body carefully. In her eyes, pity and suspicion coexisted. Just as he had been suspicious of her, she too was wary of him. If anything, being regarded with caution was fortunate. At least it raised the possibility that she wasn’t approaching him with some hidden scheme.
“What is your title?”
“Plum Fragrance Witch.”
“Ah.”
“You seem to know it. Hehe, I suppose I’m not dead yet after all.”
He remembered the unusual title. She was a master of the heterodox path. Because she bore a title that openly defied the Huashan Sect, she had been a minor topic of conversation in the murim. She had disappeared about two years ago, when Un-hyeon was traveling around for sparring matches. Rather than fame for her martial prowess, her reputation came from being one of the most beautiful women in the heterodox sects and for the schemes she carried out using that beauty. Yet the woman before him now looked like nothing more than a kind-hearted aunt.
Anyone who saw her would find it hard to suspect her.
“How did you end up here?”
“I was discarded after I outlived my usefulness.”
“Did the Plum Fragrance Witch give people reason to trust her?”
“Oh my, it’s not as if I lived by deceiving everyone. Twenty years… I had been with them for twenty years. I never imagined they would do such a thing.”
Though her voice was calm, a melancholy tone could be felt. More loneliness than resentment.
“Was it someone you trusted?”
“…I believed our hearts were the same. In my later years, I did something foolish and tried to experience love.”
“I heard Hwahongru is in Hubei. This place is far from Shaanxi. How did you end up drifting all the way here?”
“It wasn’t that I didn’t trust that person, but I couldn’t trust the others. So there was one thing I had to hide even from him. In trying to protect what I held in my hands, I ended up flowing into this place. I had originally planned to flee beyond the borders. After hearing about this place, I thought it would be good for hiding. But I must have been too exhausted. I didn’t even realize pursuers were on my trail. In the end, I lost everything and barely escaped with my life. Not knowing this place was a deathtrap.”
She had lived here for two years like that. When she first arrived, her body had been healthy enough to endure the walk to the prison, but now, with her weakened body, she could not leave. Like the others, she was constantly inhaling the poison of this place, simply counting the days until her death.
“Earlier you were examining me closely. Did you recognize it?”
“I’m not sure.”
The old man lifted his sleeve as he spoke. Un-hyeon thought there was something special about it, but he couldn’t tell what the pattern represented. It probably wasn’t from the murim.
“Yes, you really are a martial artist.”
“…Yes.”
“Have you heard of the Eunpa Merchant Group?”
Un-hyeon nodded. He was well acquainted with the Eunpa Merchant Group. It was a trading company centered in Henan that had stretched its reach to about ten nearby regions. It had also done business with the murim.
“What about Eun Baek-ho, the Silver Tiger Merchant King?”
“I’ve never heard of him. But from the way you speak…”
“Yes. It has already been over ten years. There was a time when I was called the Merchant King and led the Silver Tiger Merchant Group.”
It was a traditional trading company with over a hundred years of history. But that was in the past. It had long since fallen to a medium-sized company that couldn’t even dominate Henan. Even so, the fact that the person before him had once been the owner of what had been a major trading company was quite shocking. Even someone of that stature was living such a wretched life here.
When Un-hyeon told him about the current state of the Eunpa Merchant Group, Eun Baek-ho made a sorrowful face, then nodded as if he had expected it.
“I too trusted people too much. I never imagined my younger brother would stab me in the back.”
“Your younger brother… is he the current head of the group?”
“If he’s still alive, then yes, he would be the head. A bastard with no ability but endless greed.”
Unlike Hong Mae, whose feelings had been close to love and hate, Eun Baek-ho’s voice was filled only with hatred. Seeing his gaze drift toward the burial mounds, it seemed his brother was the reason he had ended up in the same situation as Un-hyeon.
“He knew his own talents were lacking. No, I thought he knew. He followed orders well enough. He couldn’t do anything on his own, though. Cough!”
Perhaps because emotion had entered his voice, his coughing grew worse. Eun Baek-ho took a sip of the poisoned water and continued.
“To think I couldn’t even see through that bastard’s greed! How could I have borne the undeserved title of Merchant King!”
One of the burial mounds belonged to Eun Baek-ho’s son. It seemed his younger brother had lived in constant fear ever since the boy was born. Since the age gap between himself and his older brother was over twenty years, he had assumed he would be the next head. Eun Baek-ho’s son had been less than ten years old, and only a few years after arriving here, the poison had reached his marrow. He had smashed his head against the ground and taken his own life. All because that younger brother had thrown his older brother and nephew into this place.
Even if he had been incompetent, he was the merchant head’s only blood brother. And just as he himself had been mistaken, there had been many who believed the late-born heir would be him until the child was born. Those who thought they had chosen the wrong side had incited the younger brother and ousted Eun Baek-ho. The recuperation the younger brother had arranged out of concern for his older brother’s health had become a shortcut to the afterlife.
When Hong Mae and Eun Baek-ho’s stories came to an end, Un-hyeon finished his brief deliberation. Then he began to tell his own story.