Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: The Unfinished Knot (1)
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It was a connection formed as the lifesaver of his son and daughter-in-law, so even before heading off for the exam, the innkeeper's hospitality hadn't been lacking.
But I was the top scorer, all my companions had passed, and among them, Jeong-hyeon was a disciple of the Wudang Sect and a third-generation inheritor.
When it came to light that Yin Ha-yeon had taken first place in the liberal arts division and would receive second-place honors at the entrance ceremony, the innkeeper's hospitality became truly lavish.
Hmm. What to say?
It was obvious he was pushing himself too hard.
For example, starting from rescuing Yeo A-hong on the first day, dishes and appetizers made from ingredients renowned for their nourishing properties appeared at every meal, and they were nothing short of splendid.
'Really ate my fill these past few days.'
- Not fill, excess! Stir-fried deer tendons, grilled wild boar neck, mountain pigeon eggs, dried sea cucumber and abalone boiled with pine mushrooms in dried goods soup!
'No way, even Master, who couldn't catch a single one, remembers better than me?'
- Because I couldn't catch them, I remember, you fool! After all that fine food, when I ask how it tasted, you say 'Seems better than Beijing roast duck or palace poached chicken?!' and can't even judge properly. Nearly gave me internal qi deviation because of you.
'Good grief. Once it's in the stomach, it's all the same. And like calling a persimmon taste persimmon-flavored, I honestly thought the palace poached chicken was better, so I said so straight.'
- ...You who knows nothing of fine dining. This is blatant fraud. When we first met, you clearly said you could appreciate gourmet pleasures. Totally different from what you said then!
Eh.
So, you're not keeping the master-disciple relationship?
'Fraud? Still, I sprinkled plenty of Yeo A-hong for you.'
- That makes me even madder! Yeo A-hong went down well, so how could the one who saved it neglect food?! Comparing it to that fried chicken.
That fried chicken.
You're insulting the dignity of chicken.
Well, Master doesn't know the joy of fried chicken with beer, so I'll understand.
Anyway.
The hospitality was so extreme that even Yin Ha-yeon, who hated owing favors, pulled out a gold ingot.
But the innkeeper refused it.
"No need. Put it away. Now our inn finally lives up to its name. Just sign that one document I mentioned before for each of you, and forgive me if I advertise next year that the top and second-place honorees stayed here. Even better if you drop by during academy outings."
Hearing that, Yin Ha-yeon nodded and tucked the gold back into her money pouch.
"You've got good business sense. Doesn't seem like much of a loss for you."
"Yes, yes. Eat comfortably and rest well."
Come to think of it, the inn's weathered signboard read Danjiang First Inn.
And so, we began our spring break at the Danjiang First Inn.
We rose at the rooster's crow for individual training and meditation.
Sometimes we'd spread out the new student lecture schedules and course lists we'd received with our academy passes, discussing which classes to enroll in.
Occasionally, we'd chat about which of the four major dormitories to aim for.
Ah, and I discussed the debt notes from the Huangbo, Danmok, and Hwaegeha young masters with Yin Ha-yeon.
"...And so, I managed to get these documents from Huangbo Jun, Danmok Won, and Ha Yu-kyeong."
"Shameless lot. Hmm. All from renowned families that prize their reputation, so collecting shouldn't be hard. Just leave it to me; I'll handle it."
"Let's do that."
Before we knew it, the sun would be dipping toward the western horizon.
With the evening meal and drinks, Ha-seong would start regaling Yin Ha-yeon with tales of the entrance exam.
It was right around the third day, and his story had reached the pivotal moment of the group assignment.
"To pull little So-ryeong here into passing territory, we absolutely needed those five-point beads. But time was critically short, and that's when Yong-un hyung pierced right to the heart of it."
I, Jeong-hyeon, and U So-ryeong knew the story from experience, but there was a certain amusement in watching Yin Ha-yeon furrow her brow each time, trying to solve it herself before Ha-seong spilled the answer.
"Divide into subgroups?"
"Oh, how'd you guess right away, noona?"
"Considering the last gate's time limit, the checkpoints to pass, and the restrictions, what else could it be?"
"Ho. Back then, no one but Eon young hero grasped it. Yet you nail it immediately. They say there's a young phoenix in the southern merchant world—truly so. Your insight is razor-sharp."
"Overpraise, Jeong-hyeon Taoist. I'm just pondering it leisurely, like a Go life-and-death puzzle, not under exam pressure. It's Eon young master who's impressive. Saying that with him here is embarrassing."
As we chatted away, time slipped by unnoticed, and darkness would settle outside the inn.
"Jeong-hyeon Taoist, noona! My story's not over! This is the important part. Hold back on cutting off this provincial storyteller!"
"Haha. Got it."
"Yeah. I'll be quiet."
"...But where was I?!"
"Eon hyung came up with dividing the group to beat the time limit."
"Ah, right. Thanks, little bro So-ryeong. So our four-man team split into a three-person subgroup and a one-person team. And he entrusted the solo role to me: 'Ha-seong, I believe only in you. No one else can do it. Our futures hang on you. I believe in you, little brother Ha-seong.'"
"...Eon young master said that?"
"Yes."
"...To you?"
"Yes!"
"...Hard to believe. Eon young master, is he telling the truth?"
"...Something similar, but the vibe was different?"
"The vibe was different?!"
"Focus on 'something similar,' noona!"
Once full darkness blanketed the inn, I stood from my seat.
"Keep eating and talking. I'll step out for a bit."
"...About time."
This wasn't about a bodily function.
- Lately, every day around this hour, you slip out alone like clockwork? Even drawing that ritual circle of yours in the backyard.
'Even to you, Master?'
- Yes. Muttering 'about time to head out' today too. Who exactly are you waiting for?
This question was tricky to answer.
What I was waiting for wasn't a person, but an event.
"An unfinished knot."
With that vague reply to Master, I recalled the incident from the original story around this time.
'The top scorer ambush incident.'
In the original, unlike me, Jeong-hyeon barely claimed the top spot through sheer hardship.
'Used pure yin qi to pass the group assignment, dueled Jeon-gal Seol-ji with swords, and snatched it.'
Just as he finally caught a brief moment to rest after that grueling fight for first place, assassins struck.
'Not professionals.'
It couldn't be helped.
The Danjiang area was practically the cradle of the orthodox martial world.
Screw up here?
Individuals became public enemies of murim, organizations vanished from history and maps.
Thus, assassins entering Danjiang fell into exactly three categories.
Those called not mere assassins but top-tier killers, moving for an astronomical fee.
Or demonic cult fiends getting involved.
'Or desperate lowlifes with no tomorrow, crawling in for one big score.'
For instance, wanted criminals for murder, rape, arson, or the like, or underworld gang members who'd botched something and were on the run, banding together to scrape by.
The perpetrators of the top scorer ambush fell into the third category.
'Their clients were exam takers who'd targeted Jeong-hyeon's beads at the final gate and flunked.'
Some were sons of great houses, but not everyone was united in revenge against Jeong-hyeon.
A fair number realized their faults, repented, and headed home. Excluding them, most candidates got cold feet at the escalating mess and bailed.
What remained was a mere handful.
That handful pooling resources couldn't afford a first-rate assassin, let alone put up a bounty worth it.
'Their choice: Haryu Park.'
Not just bottom-feeders, but a underworld faction tossing scraps to outright scum.
Hence, the assassins' skills weren't impressive individually.
But Jeong-hyeon and his teammates were far from peak condition then.
In the ensuing brawl with the killers, they inflicted serious damage on nearby civilians. Coupled with their candidate status lacking identity guarantees, it spiraled into calls to revoke Jeong-hyeon's admission.
'But that happened because the victim was Jeong-hyeon.'
Because he hadn't anticipated it.
And because he needlessly showed mercy to scum who deserved none.
'I'm not that soft-headed.'
I was lying in wait, having dug my own trap to nip the annoying mess in the bud from the start.
'In the original, it'd take about two days to hire killers from Haryu Park and bring them.'
With late advanced examinees who'd made the final gate involved, they'd have scouted for moments I was alone over a few days.
'Right about now?'
That was when it happened.
Sure enough, as I'd predicted, a gang of ragged puppets oozing foul killing intent emerged from the thicket beyond the backyard. Among them, one face I knew for sure.
"Bo-joon, you came? No sign of your left-hand men Danmok Won and Ha Yu-kyeong—looks like they came to their senses and went home... So why're you here? Making people worry."
At my words, Huangbo Jun—eyes bloodshot—ground his teeth and spat.
"Shut your trap! Still the same foul mouth. Tricked by your dirty schemes, I've got nowhere left to go!"
"You shut it! Your own bullshit got you here, and you blame me? And those guys you dragged along? They look like the real ones with nowhere to go. Keep yapping like that in front of them, and you'll get a knife in the back, idiot!"
Huangbo Jun, seething with grievance, ground his molars as if chipping them away, then barked orders at the surrounding thugs.
"Hey, friends. Just gonna stand there listening? Let's go. Rip his mouth off and salvage some of our fallen honor. I'll double the rewards for our Park brothers. Anyone who scars his body gets an extra silver tael on top. Charge!"
That ended the talk.
The gnashing former candidates—now disqualified and suspended.
And the Haryu Park rabble, spitting and wetting their weapon grips before lunging.
I eyed them and triggered the curse circle I'd prepared in advance.
One was the New Moon Curse, blinding the eyes.
The other was the Tongue-Pulling Curse, sealing the mouth.
Since most charging were far removed from Daoist or Buddhist cultivation methods, my curses took hold across the board.
As they suddenly went blind and mute, flailing about, I twisted my lips into a smirk.
"Now, kill each other."