Chapter 14: Killing a First-Class Demonic Master (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 14: Killing a First-Class Demonic Master (2)
It was when Mok Seon-hwa held out a handkerchief, claiming it was a token of her affection, that I realized just how much she had been influenced by martial arts novels.
"You are the one who stirred my heart, if only for a moment. Please, accept this token."
This brat.
I asked her, "What kind of martial arts novels have you been reading lately?"
Mok Seon-hwa answered absentmindedly.
"Legend of a Master."
Hmph. I knew that one; I was in the middle of reading it myself. The dialogue in this scene was identical. I’d been chipping away at that book for nearly a year. Since I was learning to read as I went, it was taking quite a while.
It was the scene where the heroine gives the departing master a handkerchief as a token of her love while wailing her eyes out.
Wait. Could it be?
A headache began to throb at the base of my skull.
In Legend of a Master, the reason the heroine falls for the protagonist is that he’s the first master to ever successfully withstand her palm technique. Because of that, she decides he’s her destined match.
"Lady Mok, is that really the only reason you followed me?"
"No. I also wanted to share my martial insights with you before you depart."
Good grief. It really was the same. Even this line was identical.
"I am not the kind of master you think I am, Lady. I’m just a wandering, run-of-the-mill warrior. I am not the Invincible Golden Vajra you’re imagining."
The Invincible Golden Vajra was the title of the male lead in that novel.
When Mok Seon-hwa’s face fell into a pout, I added, "And one last request: don't go around using that Seonhwa Palm Technique recklessly. You could actually kill someone if you hit them wrong."
I swallowed the next part of the sentence. If a small fry like me gets hit by that, they’re heading straight to the afterlife. I couldn't bring myself to say that out loud.
"I know. It’s a martial art that serves as a token of our bond. How could I possibly use the Seonhwa Palm Technique on anyone else?"
Argh... this is driving me crazy. What 'token of our bond,' you crazy girl? Get a grip.
"Take your lady home," I said, looking at the guard. He nodded and climbed onto the carriage.
However, Seon-hwa had no intention of getting in.
"It’s dangerous to wander around like this," I said, genuinely worried, but the girl had zero sense of danger.
"Who would dare harm me while the Silent Star Throwing Sword is right here?"
She actually giggled as she said it.
I’m losing my mind. Whatever, I’m leaving.
"Then, have a safe trip back."
I gave a polite cupped-fist salute and prepared to turn away, but Seon-hwa reached out and grabbed me. From her perspective, ending things like this didn't fit the plot of the novel. She was determined to create a "memory."
"Don't be like that. Let’s just have one cup of tea. Once we part ways, who knows when we’ll meet again?"
Then, she added a single sentence that left me with no choice but to follow her to a nearby tavern.
"I’ll give you my silver pouch as a token of my affection!"
Wait, what?
Did this kid figure out my weakness?
Hiding my startled heart, I headed toward the tavern. Who in their right mind would refuse a brief conversation over tea if it meant earning at least ten taels of silver?
If such a person exists, bring them to me.
But who could have known that this would be the first major incident to screw up my life?
Ah, my cursed life.
*
For half a shijin [one hour] after entering the tavern, I remained consistently silent in the face of Mok Seon-hwa’s questions.
But Seon-hwa wasn't talking because she needed answers. If I didn't respond, she just poured out more questions and kept chattering away on her own. There was a high probability her tongue would surpass mine in the future. She was basically holding a conversation with herself, asking and answering her own questions.
The tavern was bustling with all sorts of people who had gathered for the Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress recruitment drive. Most were there to watch the martial arts tournament.
Since I was facing the wall, I couldn't see the faces of the other patrons. I was already disoriented enough just trying to listen to Seon-hwa’s ear-splitting chatter.
Then, I suddenly remembered something I’d wanted to ask.
"Do you remember giving me that celebratory drink a while back?"
"Of course, Brother."
I was getting sick of that "Brother" talk. But since we were about to part ways and never see each other again, I didn't let it bother me too much.
"What else did you put in it besides the sleeping pill?"
Mok Seon-hwa blinked, looking confused.
"Back then, my maid said you seemed anxious because the fatigue from the tournament was piling up. So, I stopped by the Medical Hall and just got some sleeping pills to mix in. Why do you ask?"
She didn't seem to be lying. If someone with a face that innocent told a lie, that lie would probably become the truth.
"No, it’s nothing. I just... did someone give them to you?"
"I went to the Medical Hall and got them myself. They were prepared personally by the Head of the Medical Hall, so I used them with full confidence. She’s the best physician in Sichuan, after all. Is there a problem?"
"No, I was just curious about one thing."
Seon-hwa giggled.
Ugh! Whenever she smiles like that, something’s up.
"If you’re that curious, you could just go to the Medical Hall and ask her yourself."
She was subtly trying to lure me back to the fortress.
Do I look crazy enough to walk back into my own grave?
In the end, I was deeply disappointed that I couldn't get any information about the drug from her. To find out the ingredients, I’d have to return to Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress, and I’d rather die than do that.
Well, it’s not like I’ve ever gotten anything for free in this life.
I never even dreamed of an easy life. I’d done all sorts of things just to ensure I could eat at least one meal of cold rice a day.
Seon-hwa continued to babble incessantly after that. I was genuinely worried her tongue might wear away at that rate. I eventually just closed my eyes, hoping she would tire herself out. If I could just endure a little longer, ten taels of silver would be mine. Listening to some chatter was a small price to pay.
But at some point, Seon-hwa’s voice cut off. I slowly opened my eyes.
Seeing her bolt upright, I expanded the range of my hearing. Her face was flushed red with anger, and I wondered what was going on.
However, I didn't look back.
I didn't look back because there was a group of people nearby spewing profanities in murderous voices.
"So, you little wench! Are you saying you're gonna be our wife?"
"Big Brother, this bitch was shaking her tail in front of us just a second ago, and now she's playing dumb? What's the deal?"
"Second Brother, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Our infamous reputation has spread so far that even Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress treats us like dirt, and now even the waitresses in this tavern think they can look down on us."
All the waitresses in this tavern were young women. A group of thugs had grabbed one of them and was harassing her.
I didn't pay them any mind.
To emphasize once more, I have established and practiced my own "Eight Iron Rules for the Weak." The fifth rule is: 'A weakling never creates trouble.'
And from the sound of their shouting, there were three of them in the pack. Even if I jumped in, it would be useless against those numbers.
Wait, I’ve heard that voice somewhere before.
Despite the thought, I shook my head. When would I have ever associated with such wicked bastards?
But it seemed Mok Seon-hwa had no intention of letting this slide. This was Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress territory, after all; she couldn't just stand by and watch these thugs run wild. Moreover, since she still harbored the delusion of being a protagonist in a novel, she naturally wanted to display her chivalry and act the part of a gallant heroine.
Plus, with a dependable guard behind her, she probably felt like showing off.
"You bastards! How dare you cause trouble here! If you want to live, get out of here right now!"
Did she think that if she shouted like that, the villains would fall to their knees and beg for forgiveness, saying, "Please forgive us! we didn't recognize a great heroine"?
"Well, look at this beauty. Our three brothers are in for a treat today."
When they threw out that lewd comment, Seon-hwa’s fists began to tremble with rage. As the guard prepared to step forward, Seon-hwa secretly waved him off. She was angry, but she seemed to want to enjoy the situation a bit more.
Fearing a fight would break out as long as Seon-hwa was there, I stood up, intending to take her and leave.
But then, Seon-hwa shouted at the other patrons in the tavern.
Ah! This girl, who knows nothing of the world, is really starting a disaster now.
"Why is everyone here just sitting still? If those villains are harassing the waitress, you should scold them and kick them out! Why is no one saying anything? So many of you are carrying weapons, yet you just sit there. It seems chivalry has truly fallen to the ground!"
Sigh... Lady, do you think the world is a storybook? In reality, one sword stroke takes off a head or pierces a heart.
I grabbed Seon-hwa’s arm, intending to drag her out before things got even worse.
"Lady Mok, let’s just leave. Don't deal with them."
There’s a massive difference between fiction and reality, you know. If reality were as full of romance as novels, why would people bother reading them? In the real world, true heroes are few and far between.
I only said it because I didn't want the hassle, but Seon-hwa looked at me with teary eyes.
"Even you, Brother... how could you be so cowardly..."
She couldn't finish her sentence. She stood there with an agitated expression for a moment before suddenly lunging forward.
Dammit!
Seon-hwa had physically thrown herself into the fray to personally punish the villains.
Anyone who has learned even a bit of martial arts or spent any time in the Murim knows the truth: there is a world of difference between training and a real fight.
I really hadn't expected things to escalate to the point where I’d have to intervene. Thugs existed everywhere. If you didn't lock eyes with them, they usually wouldn't go out of their way to pick a fight. That’s why I’d tried to ignore the commotion and leave.
But there were too many eyes watching. I could hear people whispering my name and alias here and there. If I just walked out, there would definitely be rumors, so I decided to at least put on a bit of a show.
Whew.
I took a long breath and calmed my mind. I drew up all the internal energy I possessed, making it look as though my aura was overflowing.
Wait! I’m not doing this to fight.
It was because I couldn't afford to look like a weakling if I wanted to pull Seon-hwa out of there.
Mok Seon-hwa’s guard, who was close to being a first-rate master, was occasionally assisting her from the side, so the thugs hadn't been able to do anything to her yet. I just needed to act a bit cool before the guard finished them off.
The thugs seemed to realize the guard was a master, as they were being cautious and surrounding the two of them without attacking recklessly. It was a defensive posture typically taken by weaklings who had already lost half their will to fight.
I calculated that if I stepped in and told them she was the young lady of Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress, they would reluctantly sheathe their swords, apologize, and that would be the end of it.
But in the brief moment I spent gathering my energy and breathing, the situation in front of me suddenly turned perilous.
"Huh?"
I was so shocked that the aura I’d prepared vanished instantly.
While the guard was busy blocking the swords of two of the thugs, the third one—a rat-faced fellow—was sliding his blade toward Seon-hwa’s abdomen.
It was a surprisingly clean coordinated attack. A formation of that caliber meant they had trained under a proper system. Even the first-rate guard couldn't easily pull away from the two-man pincer attack.
As it turned out, these bastards were no small fries.