Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: I Am Your Father
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West Little Port was exactly what it sounded like—a small harbor on the western side. Nestled in the inner bay like a bird's nest beyond a bend in the mountains, the sea remained calm there year-round.
When fierce storms arose off Bongrae and ships drifted, they were swept away by the ocean's raging currents and eventually washed up at West Little Port. Over time, this turned the place into a graveyard of abandoned wrecks with no people in sight.
West Little Port was a ships' graveyard and, to the people of Bongrae, a site of sorrow and weeping.
"How do we know which of all these wrecks she's hiding in?"
The bald man said.
Unlike his suddenly shaved head, his face looked around twenty-six. His shiny bald pate, pointed jaw, and slanted eyes gave off a chilling vibe that would unnerve most people just from a glance.
His companions looked two or three years younger and weren't quite a full gang, more like a band of harbor thugs who prowled the docks.
"There are a lot of wrecks, but not all of them are good hiding spots. The weather's chilly, so she wouldn't have gone into the water. If we check the larger ones connected by jumping between hulls..."
The man's gaze suddenly froze. Off in the distance, atop some rocks, a small junk had a black head that popped out and vanished.
"Heh heh, no need to search."
"She's no ordinary quick one. She might bolt if she catches on, so approach quietly, everyone. You two, circle around back. I'll block the front."
Whether they'd picked up a bit of martial arts somewhere or just grown tough in the sea breeze, the thugs leaped nimbly from ship to ship.
Heuk Do-san became a gust of wind and boarded a wreck. Silently overtaking them without a sound, he perched like a bird atop the junk's mast.
From that moment, he blended into the darkness. It was a kind of illusion technique, melting into the surrounding terrain.
A petty trick he'd learned from old mercenaries long ago, but after accumulating the timing of the Ten Million Great Heavenly Mirror, his mastery had reached unimaginable heights.
All they'd see was tattered sail scraps fluttering in the wind.
Moments later, as they reached the junk, the harbor thugs thudded onto the deck.
It was a deliberate noise to make hearts skip. The ones who'd come from behind secured the stern deck.
"We know you're hiding here. Better come out nice and easy while I'm asking. You know what happens if you piss off this old man, right?"
The bald man bellowed.
But all that answered was the sound of waves lapping against the hull.
"Tsk tsk tsk. Gotta taste the stick before you learn. What are you waiting for? Get down to the cabin and drag that bitch out."
At his command, the thugs kicked open the cabin door. The first one in screamed and flew back out.
Blood poured from his face—he'd been slashed.
"You damn bitch!"
The second grabbed a club from the deck and charged in.
Heuk Do-san itched to drop down and thrash them right then. But he held back, deciding to watch a bit longer. That way, he could gauge her situation.
Soon, crashing sounds and vile curses unfit for polite ears echoed out. At last, a girl was dragged out by one of the men.
After a fierce close-quarters brawl, her hair was a tangled mess, her bun undone, and her collar torn open down to her chest.
The man hauled her before the bald man and forced her to her knees. In that instant, a glimpse of her undeveloped cleavage showed through the ripped fabric.
A gleam flashed in the bald man's eyes for a split second before vanishing.
The girl hastily clutched her collar shut. Even on her knees, she glared at him with fierce eyes.
The bald man smacked his lips.
"I warned you clear as day. Get caught working my turf again, and I'd chop off your hands."
"Then I starve?"
"Tsk tsk tsk. That's why I told you ages ago to come work under me. Join up now, and I'll wipe the slate clean— even that bastard's face you carved up."
At the end, he pointed at a subordinate off to the side. The man had torn his sleeve to wrap his jaw and head but stared wide-eyed midway through.
The bald man continued.
"I'm giving you a special chance 'cause your skills are too good to waste. So? Wanna eat from the same pot as us?"
"In exchange for handing over nine-tenths of my take like the others?"
"That depends on you."
"......?"
"You're fourteen this year, right? Seems like yesterday you were sniffing around the harbor with snot on your shiny sleeve. Now look at you—a proper young lady."
"......?"
"Honestly, when I came here, I planned to tie rocks to your legs and dump you in the sea. You know how you've wrecked my face? But I just changed my mind. I'll make you a real woman."
"What... are you saying right now?"
"You get it. No need to overthink. Close your eyes once, and you can live fat and easy the rest of your days. I'll even cover your sick mom's medicine."
"Are you telling me to marry you right now?"
"Marry? Well, you could see it that way."
"And if I say no?"
"That wouldn't be smart."
"Who the hell are you to order me around like that? Why do you lose your shit every time you see me? I'm not stealing your money."
"Kid, the rabbit doesn't do wrong by getting eaten by the tiger. You've got two ways to survive this scene: kill me or bow your head."
"You bastard! Pervert! Baldy!"
At "baldy," the bald man's face flushed purple. His eyelids trembled as he spoke.
"Marry? Hah, the daughter of a whore has big dreams. What are you idiots doing? Tie that bitch to the mast right now. Today, I'll shave her head for her."
Realizing his intent, the girl startled and tried to flee. Two men lunged and grabbed her just as she leaped for the sea.
In that instant, a black shadow dropped from the sky. It crushed both men's heads at once.
Crack! With the sound, the two plummeted through the rotten deck into the cabin below, gone in a flash.
The shadow landed lightly between the bald man and the girl. Caught off guard, the bald man turned to stone.
"Wh-who are you?"
Heuk Do-san strode toward the bald man. Flames poured from his eyes.
"D-don't come closer!"
Overwhelmed by the terrifying glare he'd never seen, the bald man flailed his arms and backed away. His waist caught on a horizontal sail rigged between railings.
Sensing no room for talk from the monster, he frantically drew a gaff—a tool sailors used to spear fish.
"Die!"
The bald man swung the gaff with all his might. Heuk Do-san seized the fist gripping it, twisted it inward, then slashed up from the gut. He followed with a diagonal cut from the shoulder. In a blink, the character for "calamity" was carved into the bald man's torso.
Blood sprayed, entrails spilled. It was like a bolt from the blue.
Not yet dead, the bald man rolled his eyes in disbelief.
The gaff plunged into his skull. Heuk Do-san stomped him down and flung the body into the sea.
Splash!
Having dispatched the harbor thugs in seconds, Heuk Do-san slowly turned to the girl.
She backed away, tripped, and fell flat. Her face was ashen, limbs shaking in clear terror.
Even so, she whipped out a dagger from her bosom and shouted.
"D-don't come near!"
But realizing she couldn't fight him, she suddenly turned the blade on her own heart.
"If you come closer, I'll kill myself!"
Heuk Do-san hadn't moved a step from the start. His eyes fixed on the bracelet around the wrist gripping the dagger. It was the very armlet he'd given to Seol Mae-ran, the courtesan of Falling Flower Alley, long ago.
Fifteen years prior, Seol Mae-ran had been Falling Flower Alley's top courtesan. No playboy in Bongrae had escaped her charms.
Heuk Do-san, too, had lusted after her and bought a fake gold armlet with gambling winnings to give her.
Faded from gold to its true copper hue, the armlet clearly bore the characters for "one heart," engraved as a token of eternal love.
No doubt left. He truly had a daughter.
"What's your name?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Surely you can tell me that much?"
"If I tell you, will you let me go?"
"No need to fear. I don't plan to harm you... I mean, what I'm saying is..."
"Heuk Ye-mong."
"Heuk Ye-mong?"
"Heuk from my father's surname, Ye-mong meaning sleep-talking. They named me that 'cause I talk in my sleep a lot."
"Your mother named you?"
"Yes."
"Nice name."
"Mister... who are you?"
He was suddenly at a loss for words. No idea how to answer. His mind blanked.
But on second thought, it wasn't that he couldn't think—it was fear.
Fear of how to make her understand, and fear of the future crashing down the moment they confirmed father and daughter.
No matter how scary, it had to be faced. Heuk Do-san decided on honesty.
"Looks like you're my daughter."
"...."
"......?"
"C-can't you just let me go? Mom'll worry if I'm out late. She's probably freaking out already."
*She doesn't believe me.*
After mustering courage to say it, her treating him like a madman left him deflated.
Still, he tried again.
"My name is Heuk Do-san."
Heuk Ye-mong's eyes went wide, as if wondering how he knew that name.
Then tears welled up, and suddenly she buried her face between her knees and burst into sobs.
"I did wrong. I'll never do bad things again and live good. Please just let me go. Waaah."
Heuk Do-san stamped in panic, clueless what he'd said wrong.
"Don't cry. I'm really not a bad guy. I swear I didn't come to hurt you. If you're that scared, I'll go to another ship. Just stop crying, please."
Seeing him fluster, Heuk Ye-mong peeked up. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and sniffled.
"Wh-what... why are you... doing this to me?"
"Sigh... Not sure where to start so you'll believe me. But I'll do my best."
Heuk Do-san wet his lips and began a long tale.
"Believe it or not, I'm Heuk Do-san, senior disciple of White Deer Academy. Thirteen years ago, I left to avenge my dead master's brother. Near war's end, some incident took me all the way to the steppes. There, I got trapped in a deep cave on a snowy mountain with companions. It collapsed one day—everyone else escaped, but I was stuck. Lived three years eating crickets before getting out, only to find everyone thought I was dead."
"......?"
"But as you see, I'm alive. Met some beggar family at White Deer Academy, heard an amazing story from them. About a girl called Jajo."
Finished, Heuk Do-san gazed at Heuk Ye-mong. She gazed back. Their eyes traced each other's faces for a long while.
"You're really... my father?"
Heuk Do-san's chest tightened unexpectedly. He hadn't known one word—"father"—held such power.
"That's what it seems."
"No way. Everyone said my dad died. Whatever your game, a few words won't convince me."
"Take me to your mother."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"What if you're tricking me to get to Mom?"
"Is your mom some big deal that's hard to find? Worth killing three people and deceiving you to track?"
"Those two who vanished into the cabin—they're dead too?"
"Broke their necks, so yeah."
Heuk Ye-mong swallowed dryly.
"Shocked?"
"First time seeing someone die right in front of me. And so gruesomely..."
"Sorry. Lost my temper. Won't kill in front of you again. Hell, if you hate it, I won't kill at all."
"Again... you say?"
"First, will you take me to your mother?"