No! I Want to Stay with Dad!
Do Gwang watched her with a satisfied smile. Munch, munch. Do Hwa was chewing on meat, her cheeks stuffed like a baby squirrel's.
"Is it good?"
"Yeah, it's good!"
At Do Hwa's bright reply, a pleased smile spread across Do Gwang's lips.
"Here, Daddy says ah~"
"Ah~"
Do Gwang opened his mouth wide and accepted the meatball Do Hwa held out for him.
Do Hwa looked up at him with sparkling eyes and asked, "Is it good?"
"Yeah, it's good."
"Kyahahaha~~"
When Do Gwang nodded, Do Hwa laughed as brightly as if she had the whole world.
And so they went, feeding each other and laughing together.
It was truly a heartwarming and peaceful sight.
...If only it weren't for the chunks of meat scattered all around them.
Do Gwang, a veteran of The Chronicles of a Righteous Hero.
Having suddenly become a father, he decided to find the nearest restaurant to feed his adorable daughter(?). That place was Manwolchae.
Look at this lavish table full of all kinds of meat!
"Nom nom, Do Hwa, you can't drink alcohol. Dirty bastards have put their mouths on it, and you're not old enough anyway."
"Okay, Dad! munch munch."
It was a perfectly suitable table for Do Gwang and Do Hwa to eat at right now!
Meanwhile, there were those who watched this heartwarming yet bizarre scene in silence.
"......"
"......"
They were the women.
They couldn't help but think: How could someone who was just gleefully slaughtering bandits now be eating so peacefully and amiably as if nothing had happened!?
Do Gwang felt their gazes.
"What are you noona-deul doing, not leaving?"
He tilted his head slightly. He had told them to take the spoils the bandits had plundered and go on their way. But not a single woman had moved; they were all standing rooted to the spot.
"Ah..."
Do Gwang realized his mistake. He had been so focused on taking care of his daughter that he hadn't paid any attention to the others.
They probably hadn't eaten properly either!
How could he be so thoughtless!
"Would you like to eat with us?"
Belatedly realizing this, Do Gwang held out a piece of meat to the women.
But of course. No normal person would be able to eat in this situation!
"No!"
"Ah, no, sir!"
As if they had promised, they all shook their heads.
Then one of the women spoke up on behalf of the group.
"Um... Great Warrior..."
"Ah, yes, go ahead. And please don't call me Great Warrior. It makes me uncomfortable."
"Th-then... Young Warrior... no, Benefactor."
"Hmm... that's also uncomfortable... well, anyway, what is it?"
From Do Gwang's perspective, 'Young Warrior' or 'Benefactor' was just as burdensome, but he couldn't be bothered to think of what they should call him, so he just let it slide.
Anyway, the woman who had called him by such grand titles carefully asked, "Um, are you sure this is okay?"
"What is?"
"That we don't have to give you anything in return...?"
At this, the other women also nodded in strong agreement.
"Yes, that's right. If there's something you want..."
"Please tell us!"
From their perspective, it was incomprehensible. A martial artist with such immense power had saved them without asking for anything in return.
They were certain of it. Even the martial artists of the orthodox sects in the Murim Alliance would never act like this.
Because even though they constantly prattled on about righteousness and chivalry, very few of them actually practiced it.
They either demanded a greater price or compensation than the unorthodox scum.
Or they were hypocrites like Jeong Jin, who was split in half by the bandit shitting himself in the outhouse.
It was the common people like these women who felt this most keenly.
That's why they couldn't easily trust Do Gwang's goodwill.
Do Gwang looked back at them as if they were talking nonsense.
"What do you mean no return? We're eating right now, aren't we?"
"Uh..."
The woman was struck dumb.
Could it be... really... just to eat that meal... he had stormed this mountain stronghold and slaughtered the bandits?
"U-um... really...?"
"Th-that's insane..."
The other women also couldn't close their mouths in disbelief.
At that reaction, Do Gwang smirked.
"It's true. Besides, I got some money out of it too, didn't I?"
He jingled the pouch lying on the floor beside him.
At this, the woman cried out in exasperation.
"'Some money'!? Benefactor, you only took about a hundred nyang out of the thousands of nyang worth of treasure!"
"That's right! The stuff those bastards hoarded is piled up like a mountain, taking a measly hundred nyang is practically taking nothing at all!"
"The money you gave us as our share is way more!"
The women vented their frustration as if they were about to burst into tears.
Seeing this, Do Gwang clicked his tongue inwardly.
'Martial artists really are fucking idiots...'
How much had they been betrayed or exploited to be filled with such distrust?
But contrary to Do Gwang's thoughts, the women's thoughts were different.
'How can he be so noble!'
'He's a real Great Warrior, on a completely different level from those hypocritical bastards who just died!'
'I was scared because of the blood... but looking closely, he seems really handsome!'
'No, the sight of him covered in blood is even more beautiful...!'
The women were completely smitten with Do Gwang, who had saved them.
So much so that they felt sorry for even momentarily thinking he was scary when he was slaughtering the bandits!
Therefore.
"We absolutely cannot leave shamelessly without giving you anything in return!"
"That's right! Please let us repay you somehow!"
"Yes! Please let us serve you!"
They all clung to him earnestly, one after another.
Do Gwang scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"No, really, I don't need anything or any special treatment..."
Especially, the word 'serve' made him very uncomfortable.
In this era, 'service' from women usually meant that kind of thing, didn't it?
He wasn't like Jang Cheol and those beastly bandit bastards who had already departed for the Yellow Springs, who captured and violated women!
Of course! Do Gwang was a man. He wasn't a eunuch who treated women like stones!
However, even touching a single finger...
'Not unless it's a woman I truly love.'
That's right. Do Gwang had a very conservative and rigid view of romance!
But contrary to Do Gwang's misunderstanding.
"You said you'd sleep here for the night after finishing your meal, right?"
"Uh... that's right..."
"Then you can't just sleep covered in blood!"
"That's right! And that little sister next to you? No, your daughter? Anyway, that pretty child needs to be washed too!"
"Ah..."
Do Gwang felt like he'd been hit on the head with a hammer.
He had forgotten a very important fact. No, he hadn't even thought about it at all.
First of all, he himself was covered in blood from smashing everything right after possessing this body.
And Do Hwa, having been in that horrible underground lab, didn't need to be mentioned.
This father-daughter pair had come to think of being covered in blood as perfectly normal!
But they couldn't just walk around covered in blood!
'Right... wash...'
Do Gwang belatedly realized his own state.
Then.
"We'll attend to you!"
"We'll scrub you clean, every nook and cranny!"
The women approached with eyes full of strange heat and obsession.
Shhhhhh...
'...Huh? That's weird?'
He was sure his traits made him immune to fear or agitation, but Do Gwang felt a chill run down his spine!
So.
"I-I'm fine. Just take care of this child."
Do Gwang hurriedly waved his hands and pushed Do Hwa forward.
"...Dad?"
Do Hwa, who was munching on food, tilted her head and looked at Do Gwang.
"Eat up, then go get cleaned up."
"Cleaned up?"
"Yeah, the noona-deul will wash you."
"Is Dad coming too?"
"Uh...?"
Do Gwang flinched and froze.
Where did she learn to say such dangerous things!
Even though she called him Dad, they weren't actually father and daughter, and she wasn't a four or five-year-old child!
BEE-BOO-BEE-BOO! CLANK-CLANK!
Do Gwang could hear sirens and the sound of handcuffs in his mind!
That's right. As a modern person, this was a moral issue he could not tolerate!
So Do Gwang broke out in a cold sweat and said hurriedly, "Of course not! The noona-deul will just wash Do Hwa prettily."
But.
"Then I don't want to!"
Do Hwa refused flatly!
Until now, always. Well, 'always' wasn't a long time, it was a very short time.
Anyway! Until they were gleefully slaughtering the bandits, she was an obedient child, but now she suddenly started being stubborn!
"I'm going to wash with Dad!"
"No, well... Do Hwa... you see..."
Before Do Gwang could even properly form a sentence to persuade her.
"No!"
Thump!
Do Hwa threw herself on the floor and started throwing a tantrum.
"I want to bathe with Dad!"
It was truly a very difficult and awkward situation!
Just then.
"Oh my, if your daughter wants to!"
The saviors(?) appeared.
"Come on, Benefactor! There's nothing to be shy about!"
The women swarmed towards Do Gwang.
"...Ah, no, wait..."
In the end, Do Gwang could only let out a deep sigh of resignation.
"Haah..."
Afterwards...
"Kyahahaha~~"
"Oh my..."
...The details are omitted! Ahem! Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself!
Do Gwang finished his bath with his vision tightly covered by a blindfold and his mind almost logged out!
This is an all-ages story!
Of course. Know that he was scrubbed very clean everywhere.
The Next Day, Early Dawn.
A mountain path a little ways from Manwolchae.
"Thank you, Benefactors! I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life!"
"Thank you so much!"
The women bowed deeply to Do Gwang and Do Hwa, expressing their gratitude repeatedly.
Do Gwang smiled awkwardly and waved his hand.
"No, we're the ones who should be thanking you."
Not only that, but Do Hwa had become a completely different person from yesterday.
She was washed clean, and she was even wearing fine silk clothes from the bandits' plunder.
She was shining like a young master and young lady from a prestigious noble family!
The women couldn't help but blush at Do Gwang's chiseled features.
"Th-then, Benefactor... if it's alright with you..."
One woman muttered as if possessed.
But before she could even finish her sentence.
Smack!
Another woman urgently slapped her on the back and stopped her.
"Hey! Are you crazy! Know your place!"
"Ah, I know! I don't know why I said that! I must be really crazy!"
Before parting, the woman, sad to leave, unconsciously said nonsense and slapped her own cheek hard.
But the women who wanted to harbor feelings for Do Gwang were not just one or two.
He had saved them from that hell they thought they'd never escape, and generously shared the wealth.
On top of that, he had looks that would make a fairy weep!
Even the married women felt their hearts waver!
But they were just commoners, not martial artists.
And they could instinctively tell that Do Gwang was not just a martial artist, but a much nobler and more untouchable person.
Although he told them not to call him that, he was truly a Great Warrior!
He was not someone that village women like them should covet.
So, leaving behind deep gratitude and a hint of regret.
"Well then, we'll be on our way! May you live long and prosper!"
"Wherever you are, we will pray to Buddha every day for your safety, Benefactor!"
They bowed deeply once more.
"Alright, take care of yourselves from now on."
Do Gwang waved his hand to see them off.
He also gave them some advice.
He told them to head towards Shaanxi if possible.
They had received enough wealth to even hire escorts to bring their families from the village.
'It's the closest, and Huashan and Zhongnan are there...'
If they went there, at least they wouldn't be kidnapped by bandits.
Although the two sects were rivals competing for fame.
They were sects that acted like proper orthodox sects, preventing commoners from being attacked and kidnapped by forest bandits.
'Unlike the completely messed up orthodox sects here in Sichuan.'
For example.
First, Cheongseongpa, as you can easily tell from the tutorial, only occasionally catches small fry bandits for show, takes credit, and doesn't care much about the wronged commoners.
Next, the Sichuan Tang family is busy fighting internal power struggles among themselves, and the Emei Sect avoids the defilement of the mundane world and focuses only on cultivation, paying little attention to the commoners.
Therefore, the security of Sichuan is mostly handled by the Murim Alliance, and due to a lack of manpower, forest bandits like those at Manwolchae can easily run rampant and plunder the commoners.
As he was thinking such thoughts.
The women who had gone their separate ways had already disappeared from sight.
Do Gwang stretched lightly.
"Well then, shall we get going too?"
He asked, stroking Do Hwa's head beside him.
"Yeah!"
Do Hwa nodded with a bright smile.
"Dad, where are we going next?"
"Hmm... I wonder..."
Do Gwang stroked his chin and fell into thought for a moment.
'Where should I go?'
He didn't really have a destination.
Nor did he have some grand dream of keeping the peace in the martial world.
Last night, he just cleaned up some trash while also having a meal.
He was thinking of just wandering this vast martial world wherever his feet took him, wherever his heart desired.
'If I had been alone...'
That's right. He wasn't alone anymore.
Sparkle sparkle
His daughter(?) was with him, looking at him with expectant eyes.
'She was trapped underground, so she probably never got to see the world properly...'
Since that was the case, he decided to go somewhere with lots of delicious food and plenty to see.
The destination Do Gwang decided on was...
"Let's go to Seongdo."
The great city of Sichuan, Seongdo.