Chapter 295
Chapter 295
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 295
Chapter Title: Sichuan Tang Family (5)
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Regret plunged deep, and a single stream of blood spurted from Dao Wolma's neck.
The moment I was drenched in it.
Chwaaak!!!!!!
The tension and focus in my body, pushed far beyond its limits, suddenly unraveled.
My muscles and joints screamed in protest throughout my body, while the meridians inside churned violently.
Having been through something similar before, it wasn't hard to predict what would happen next.
'...I'll be completely immobilized.'
I had to delegate the aftermath quickly.
I hurriedly turned, found Jeong-hyeon,
and pointed at Dao Wolma's head as it thudded to the ground.
"...Take that to the Holy City!"
Right then, an unprecedented wave of exhaustion swept over me, and my body crumpled like it was falling apart.
"I need to get some sleep..."
"Eon young hero!"
"Hey!!!"
"Brother Yong-un!"
"Eon Yong-un!"
"Brother Eon!"
With the voices of my Eon brothers ringing in my ears, I slipped into a deep slumber.
"!"
When I lifted my eyelids again.
I was greeted by the thick scent of medicinal herbs filling the room and my Eon brothers glaring at me with fierce eyes.
"......"
"......"
A moment passed with their gazes locked on mine.
Then Senior Ye Hae-su turned and headed out.
"I'll go tell the elders that you've come to!"
Even after that, silence hung between me and my Eon brothers.
"......"
"......"
If I left it like this, we'd stay frozen forever,
so I broke the ice first.
"Why are you all glaring at me like that?"
Then Dang Ok-gi exploded in a frenzy.
"Glaring? Glariiing?! Do you have any idea how long you were out?"
"No clue."
"Five days! Five whole days!"
"Guess I slept a bit long."
"A bit long?! Where's my acupuncture needle kit! I'm gonna stick a long one right up your nose today, Eon Yong-un! Kyaaack!!"
U So-reung and Eun Ha-seong held the rampaging Dang Ok-gi back.
"Lady Dang, calm down!"
"Yeah! Cool it, sis! That's just how he is."
I mulled over Ha-seong's words.
"...Just how he is."
Meanwhile, Jeong-hyeon spoke up.
"Honestly, you went too far this time. You told us to trust you, and we said we would."
"......"
"But then you push yourself that hard... Didn't you trust us at all?"
Led by Jeong-hyeon, the Eon brothers' grievances poured out.
Yong-i even hopped onto my head.
Peck!!
"...Even you, Yong-i?"
Namgung Yun crossed his arms and chimed in.
"Yeah. Friends need trust. There's even that saying about faith between sworn brothers, right? We trusted you when you said you'd lure Dao Wolma alone. So why couldn't you trust us, Eon Yong-un?"
"...The guy who whined about not wanting to spread tiger dung is lecturing me on trust between friends. Is this what they call a poignant reminder of the past?"
"Why bring that up again..."
I let out a hollow chuckle at Namgung Yun before speaking again.
"It wasn't because I didn't trust you. I just felt like I had to step up."
At my words, U So-reung tilted her head.
"What's the difference between those two?"
Dang Ok-gi raised her voice again.
"See that?! He needs a taste of the needle! Eun Ha-seong, U So-reung, let go! I'm gonna sew that mouth shut!"
Regardless,
I looked each of my Eon brothers in the eye.
"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have stepped up. I knew So-reung, you'd rush in first if things got dicey."
"...Huh?"
"Jeong-hyeon and Namgung Yun, you two would hold the line in front of her. Ha-seong would back you up from behind. And Ok-gi, along with the Tang Family's loyalty and medical skills—I trusted all that. Because I trusted you, I could decide that finishing Dao Wolma quickly, even if it meant pushing myself, was the better call."
At my explanation, everyone except Dang Ok-gi scratched their heads, averted their eyes, or cleared their throats awkwardly.
"Heh heh."
"Of course. I'm Eun Ha-seong, after all."
"Ahem."
"Hrm."
Watching them, Dang Ok-gi slowly shook her head.
"Fine, whatever."
She narrowed her eyes at me.
"You talk so smoothly, you don't even let me get mad. Makes me even angrier. Should've sewn your mouth shut for real!"
She didn't seem truly upset either.
"Give me your hand! Let me check your pulse!"
I extended my arm toward Dang Ok-gi and said,
"Feels like my body's lighter now? The inner energy coiled in my dantian seems a bit stronger too."
"Father and the elders used every medicine they had— of course it should be!"
In the midst of that, a moment I'd briefly forgotten amid soothing my Eon brothers resurfaced.
"Hearing you call them Father and Gramps means the Family Head and elders are all fine... but what about Elder Poison Freak?"
Just then, footsteps approached outside the hall.
"His color looks good? And Ok-gi had nothing else to say?"
"Yes. That's how it seems to me. Ok-gi didn't mention anything else."
Tang Ho-tae and the Sichuan Twin Freaks entered.
I started to rise from the bed, but Tang Ho-tae waved me off first.
"No need to get up. Why bother with formalities right after waking?"
My body really felt fine, though.
Still, I sat up fully and clasped my hands in salute.
"It's true I just woke, but I feel refreshed, like after a deep sleep. My inner energy even seems to have grown a bit."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Thanks to the Tang Family's care. Ok-gi told me—you used every medicine available to aid my recovery. Glad I became friends with the Tang Family."
At my words, Tang Ho-tae smiled with satisfaction.
But he soon stopped smiling, pressed his sleeves together in a deep bow, and spoke gravely.
"It's great to see you recovered, but 'friends' doesn't do it justice. Yong-un, you are our family's benefactor."
The Freak Physician bowed as well and spoke.
"On behalf of everyone in the Tang Family stronghold, I offer our thanks. The Tang Family will never forget your aid."
Poison Freak, his one sleeve dangling limply, bowed his head too, and Dang Ok-gi scurried to his side, lifting her sleeves in salute.
I clasped my hands again and replied,
"I only did what needed doing."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After the formal exchanges settled,
perhaps unable to bear the awkward atmosphere any longer, the Freak Physician cleared his throat.
"Ahem. You just mentioned we used every medicine we had— that's exactly what happened."
"Really?"
"Indeed. What kind of body is yours, sucking up spirit herbs like a glutton? We scoured Sichuan and Yunnan, using up every last one we'd hoarded!"
I played along with the Freak Physician's grumbling for a moment, then turned to Poison Freak beside him.
"Thank you, Elder. When you stepped in during that moment against Dao Wolma, it saved my life."
"Enough. If anything, you dodged that mad demon's attack on your own."
"No one knows what would've happened if I hadn't driven Regret into Dao Wolma's neck right then."
"I'm the one grateful. Because you stepped up, many Tang lives were spared. Plenty would've died otherwise."
"So your injured arm hasn't worsened?"
The Freak Physician answered my question.
"It's fine! This fool's always wrestling with poison anyway— one hand's enough!"
At that, Poison Freak glared daggers.
"Hey, you punk! Who are you to say it's fine?!"
"I'm the one who treated it! You gonna whine like an old man in front of the kids?!"
"Hah. You were the one saying you'd throw yourself in when answering the Family Head, but I ended up doing it. How are you so shameless?"
"That was because of my position at the..."
"Shut it. Honestly, it's time to drop the 'twin' from Sichuan Twin Freaks. Yong-un, from now on, don't call this guy Freak Physician— just Old Doc."
"...Pardon?"
"No, scrap 'physician' too. What kind of doctor has a temper like that? Call him Gramps or Old Geezer like Ok-gi does!"
Poison Freak had lost his left arm—not his sword arm—but for a martial artist, losing any arm was no small matter.
'But he looks full of vigor.'
He clearly didn't want me or the other Eon brothers worrying over it.
'Then I should respect his choice.'
Worrying more would dismiss the decision he'd made that day.
I grinned at the bickering Sichuan Twin Freaks, then turned to the Tang Family Head.
"So, how did the fight with the Demonic Cult go?"
"You probably guessed from Ok-gi and the others being unharmed, but after you took down Dao Wolma, the rest went smoothly."
"Yes, I figured."
"Now that you're well, go hear the details from the Great Strategist at Jeongbin Pavilion. He was one of those worried about you, but he's holed up there handling the aftermath."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After straightening my robes and retrieving Regret from Jeong-hyeon, I headed straight to Jeongbin Pavilion where the Great Strategist was.
"Hae-su came by earlier saying you'd just woken, and you're already moving?"
"The Tang Family nursed me with utmost care, and I've always been pretty sturdy."
"I see."
I thought it was just polite chit-chat,
but in that instant, a glint flashed in the Great Strategist's eyes as his gaze drifted to the piles of documents in Jeongbin Pavilion.
I quickly spoke up.
"...Ugh, my head suddenly."
"...I didn't say assign him work."
"Your eyes were moving pretty suspiciously for that."
"I was tempted, but the backlash from everyone would outweigh any gain from handing work to you fresh off waking."
"So how did the rest of the battle go?"
At my question, the Great Strategist set down his teasing brush and got serious.
"Remember when the fight started, I said it's a battle won by capturing the king— referring to the Golden Bandit Golden King? That's exactly what happened."
The tale continued up to driving the Demonic Cult out of the Holy City and into the western basin.
"...Rather than annihilation, we focused on preserving our forces while pushing them out."
"Smart, considering ambushes. Wise call. As expected from the Great Strategist."
"Expected? Honestly, I didn't think the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Cult Protector Kings would be that strong."
He sighed while reviewing the battle.
"Even the top experts of Sichuan's Hundred Martial World couldn't guarantee victory against them? They must have their reasons, but moving with lower ranks like the Wayward Demon Army suggests they're at the bottom of the hierarchy..."
"True, but aren't those cooperating with the cult even more dangerous at times? We eliminated a great demon lord like that."
"Yes. We took losses, but we won. Gained some things too. Seeing their strength firsthand is a gain in itself. This should make Sichuan's martial world feel the need for cooperation down to their bones, at least."
With that, the Great Strategist dismissed me to rest and call me later.
I left Jeongbin Pavilion and headed to the guesthouse serving as our lodging.
Senior Ye Hae-su stood alone by the entrance.
She looked like she was waiting for someone, so I asked,
"Senior? Waiting for someone?"
"Ah, I was waiting for you, junior."
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why out here? You could've waited inside with the others."
"It's embarrassing and apologetic to say in front of the other juniors."
"Embarrassing and sorry? What could it be..."
"Truth be told, every time I joined the training you led, I felt like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse."
With that opener, Ye Hae-su smiled awkwardly and continued.
"Deep down, I thought I'd only ever seen Western Mu, and that's all I'd see in the future. Why did I have to do this too?"
"Hm."
"But now I hate my past self for thinking that. I don't want to be dead weight holding you back."
"...Never thought of you that way."
"It's how I feel. Hearing stories from you juniors back from expeditions is different from seeing it myself. I want to get stronger too. I don't want to just worry from a safe place. I know I can't match you, but I want to grow stronger."
At Ye Hae-su's words, I reflected on the fight with Dao Wolma.
'Pure skill-wise, he was way out of my league.'
How the Demonic Cult—now down a Cult Protector King—would respond was truly unpredictable now.
'I need to get stronger, but we all do—together.'
As I reaffirmed that resolve once more,
my master chimed in.
- This Ye Hae-su girl was barely scraping by, and now she's really twisting her fate...