Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Meeting Again
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"What do you... mean?"
"Three years ago, a man came to see me and asked if I knew Heuk Do-san, the top disciple of White Deer Academy. It seemed like he knew that you and I had been close once."
"Who was he?"
"I don't know. He was just a fat guy in his mid-thirties with his face completely covered in hair."
The man the beggar at the academy had mentioned. The one who claimed to have informed his master of his death.
"So?"
"As you can see, I have a daughter. He asked whose she was. From the way he eyed me, I could tell he was wondering if she was yours."
"So?"
"Of course, I told him she had nothing to do with you. But then he asked me to spread the rumor that she was your daughter from that point on."
"Why on earth?"
"Around that time, rumors spread in Bongrae Port that you had died. Someone even came to White Deer Academy to deliver the news of your passing. But he said you weren't dead. He said you'd surely come back alive someday, and if you did, to let him know right away. He promised he'd give enough wealth to last a lifetime."
What kind of man could he be?
How did he know he'd come back alive? And if he knew that, why spread the news of his death at White Deer Academy?
"So?"
"I'm really sorry to you, but I couldn't refuse. As you see, I'm not long for this world, so I needed some way for her to survive after I'm gone."
"So she's not my daughter?"
"No."
"How could you tell such a blatant lie..."
Heuk Do-san's insides boiled with rage.
Thinking back to how he'd agonized all afternoon over this sudden daughter, he wanted to rip her mouth off right then and there.
Reading his fury, Seol Mae-ran's face stiffened. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke.
"Just because she was born to a lowly gisaeng like me, Ye-mong has been pointed at and whispered about since she was little. White Deer Academy is respected in Bongrae, so I thought if her father was its top disciple, people might look at her a little kinder..."
"You made me out to be some scoundrel who spreads his seed everywhere instead. Do you know how shocked I was to hear I had a daughter?"
"I'm truly sorry."
"Who's the real father?"
"I can't tell you."
"You're sure she's not mine?"
"If she were, I wouldn't have needed to tell you this story."
Only then did Heuk Do-san let out a sigh of relief. It felt like the lead weight crushing his chest had been lifted. At the same time, there was an odd sense of emptiness, like something had been scooped out.
"What about the girl? She seems to think I'm her real father."
"I'll have to explain it to her bit by bit."
At that moment, a crashing sound came from outside. He flung open the door to find Heuk Ye-mong standing there, pale as a ghost. In front of her lay a broken tray, spilled rice steaming faintly beside miso soup and scattered dishes.
She must have heard everything while bringing the cooked meal from the kitchen.
"Ye-mong..."
Seol Mae-ran called her daughter's name, her own face drained of color. Heuk Ye-mong backed away slowly, then suddenly turned and ran.
"Tsk tsk tsk. What's the kid ever done wrong?"
Heuk Do-san clicked his tongue.
Seol Mae-ran chased after her but couldn't catch her, only shedding tears like chicken droppings.
What she'd done to secure their future after her death had now inflicted another unhealable wound.
"Why'd you end up like this?"
"What can a woman with nothing but her body do once it's ruined?"
"You should've made your fortune while you were young and pretty. I thought you were pretty savvy—what happened?"
"I naively believed in love. I thought he'd someday show up in a fancy carriage and take me away from here."
"The child's father?"
"Yes."
"Did he die, by chance?"
"No."
"He knows about the child?"
"No."
"Why haven't you told him?"
"The moment he learns he has a daughter from a lowly gisaeng, Ye-mong's life would be in danger."
"..."
There must be some complicated circumstances.
Heuk Do-san didn't pry further. He wanted nothing more to do with this mother and daughter.
"I've said too much. Seeing an old friend after so long must've made me chatty without thinking. Wait just a moment. I'll quickly cook more rice."
"Forget it."
"It'll only take a bit."
"I said forget it."
Heuk Do-san pulled out all the money left from selling the horse and held it out to Seol Mae-ran.
"What's... this?"
"For your medicine."
"He promised plenty of money. Take it back. How could I accept your money?"
"It's from an old friend."
With that, Heuk Do-san rose to leave. Seol Mae-ran grabbed him in a panic.
"No. If you go now, I won't get to meet him. Can't you... wait a little until he comes, then go after?"
"He's already here."
Just then, Old Man Pang's voice came from outside.
"Miss, I've brought the gentleman."
Heuk Do-san didn't wait for him to enter and stepped out.
In the dark yard stood three black-clad masked men. Each gripped a long sword in one hand, their eyes gleaming fiercely through the slits.
Heuk Do-san asked.
"Who's the hairy one?"
The masked men's gazes converged on the burliest one. He glared at Heuk Do-san for a long moment before speaking in a low, steady voice.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Who's asking who?"
"I'm waiting for Heuk Do-san, top disciple of White Deer Academy. But you're not him. Last chance—who are you? What's your purpose here?"
Heuk Do-san belatedly realized his face and voice were altered. He didn't know who this masked man was, but he was clearly someone from his past.
'Will I have to go through this every time I meet someone I know? Horrifying just to think about.'
When Heuk Do-san didn't answer, the masked man said.
"I wore a mask just in case, but this was a trap. How did you know? Well, we'll find out when we interrogate you. He's a fake. Get him!"
No sooner had he spoken than two masked men swung their long swords. Their draws targeted vital points with sharp precision.
Heuk Do-san took a couple steps back, then kicked up the tray Heuk Ye-mong had dropped onto his instep.
The tray spun fiercely toward the one approaching from the left, slamming into him with a crack and splintering in two. In that instant, Heuk Do-san's fist plunged into the man's lower abdomen.
"Ghak!"
The man let out a death rattle and collapsed. Heuk Do-san seized his collapsing nape and hurled him at the one attacking from the right.
The startled masked man hastily withdrew his sword. By then, Heuk Do-san's fist had already smashed into his face.
Thwack!
Brushing past the nose-bleeding man as he fell, Heuk Do-san charged the apparent leader.
"Hmph, where do you think you're going!"
The leader drew an iron club and swung it wide. The power and speed were no joke.
Heuk Do-san twisted his left shoulder slightly to dodge the club whistling through the air. He then swung a stone-breaking fist at the man's right temple.
The masked man evaded with Iron Bridge technique, bending effortlessly. Even as he arched backward, he countered with a strike to the ribs.
Unlike the first two, this one possessed tremendous martial skill.
'Too late to dodge.'
Heuk Do-san thrust his left hand down urgently, seizing the iron club. A heavy force traveled through his palm to his wrist.
At least ten years of internal energy.
'What is this guy?'
The man seemed equally shocked. His eyes widened enormously through the mask.
Still gripping the club, Heuk Do-san shot out his left hand to seize the man's collar. He hoisted him up, spun him once in the air, and slammed him down.
The man was nimble. In that split second, he used exquisite footwork to land feet-first.
Heuk Do-san pinned him down with brute force by the collar. No need to swing the club. The immense pressure crushed precisely onto the ribs, overwhelming the masked man. He dropped the club and gripped Heuk Do-san's wrists with both hands.
Desperately, he tried to push upward. But facing this monstrous strength for the first time, he felt his ribs about to shatter.
"Damn it!"
Heuk Do-san held the collar with one hand while yanking off the mask with the other. Revealed was a shiny bald head with a beard covering half his face.
Incredibly, it was someone he knew very well.
"Stone Head?"
"..."
The man was Hyeon-gak.
Flames shot from Heuk Do-san's eyes as he throttled Hyeon-gak's neck.
"I'll kill you!"
"Gack, gack. W-wait. Let's... talk. Talk."
"Shut up, you bastard! Do you know how shriveled my guts got today because of you!"
Suddenly throttled, blood rushed to Hyeon-gak's face, turning it purple. Bloodshot eyes bulged, tongue lolling out.
Heuk Do-san hadn't truly meant to kill him, so he released just before the eyes fully rolled back.
"Cough, cough..."
Hyeon-gak hacked violently, as if about to spew out his organs, before regaining his senses.
With a baffled look, he asked.
"You... know me?"
"You call yourself Stone Head, so you must be Hyeon-gak. What the hell are you doing here?"
Hyeon-gak belatedly spotted the axe at the mountain man's waist and hardened his expression.
That axe was undoubtedly the one Heuk Do-san had found in the cabin when they drifted at sea three years ago.
"No way... the real Heuk Do-san?"
"You hugged Bing-seol and bolted first, so of course you survived. But what the hell have you been up to?"
Hyeon-gak rushed over, grabbed Heuk Do-san's chin, and turned his head this way and that. Suddenly, his eyes widened.
"My god. You really are alive."
What was this now?
When he'd schemed to lure him by pretending the girl was his daughter, assuming he was alive—now this.
"What happened? And how'd your face end up like this? Come to think of it, your voice is completely different too."
"Get your hands off!"
Heuk Do-san slapped Hyeon-gak's hand away.
Then he said.
"This is the third time I'm asking—explain what's going on. You lured me here, right, Stone Head?"
"We can't talk roughly here. Let's move somewhere else and discuss slowly. First, did you meet anyone on the way here?"
"I met a beggar family at the academy, and two Black Snake Sect guys—one called Poison Snake or whatever. And Heuk Ye-mong, the girl you disguised as my daughter."
"Black Snake Sect? Did you tell them who Heuk brother is?"
"No need—they're already dead."
"Dead? Why?"
"That's how it went."
"Anyway, no one else? No one recognized you? Well, who could with that face. Actually, perfect. This is perfect."
Hyeon-gak blabbered incoherently, then came to his senses and said to the rising masked man.
"Tsk tsk tsk. I taught you the sword tip is your second eye—how can you waver like that?"
"S-sorry."
"Forget it. Run to Dang Mountain Academy and relay to Old Hwang the beggar: the real moon has risen, so you can return to the mountain village now. He'll understand."
"Got it."
The masked man vanished like an arrow.
Hyeon-gak then pulled a rolled yellow paper from his bosom and handed it to Seol Mae-ran.
"You've worked hard all this time. I've deposited 100,000 nyang in the name of your daughter at the Myeonggeum Money House. You can open a teahouse somewhere quiet, and it'll be more than enough for you two to live on."
"You're telling me to leave Bongrae?"
"If possible, go far away where no one knows you even by rumor. I'd appreciate it."
"You never said anything like that."
"For your sake. You must guess who we are and what we're doing by now. It's dangerous to stay here."
"I'm sorry. No matter what, I won't leave Bongrae. And I have no idea who you are. I never will. Take this back."
Seol Mae-ran held out the money pouch.
"I figured you'd be sick of Bongrae?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you hate the finger-pointing? Fine for you, but what about your daughter? You really want to raise her here?"
Seol Mae-ran's face flushed red and pale.
Unable to watch, Old Man Pang stepped forward quietly.
"Sir, we don't have time for long talks now. Why not take her along for the moment?"
Hyeon-gak smacked his lips and said.
"Fine, no choice. But where's the kid? She hasn't been around since earlier."
"She stepped out for a bit."
Seol Mae-ran said.
"Why wander off at a time like this. You, go find the child and bring her. Seol laywoman, pack your things as lightly as possible. Old Man Pang, burn down the thatched hut. Everyone, hurry."