Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: penny
Chapter Title: Lost Item (3)
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“I didn’t know you fished even in the middle of the night.”
“Well, I heard you’d gone missing.”
“What on earth does that mean?”
“Since you vanished, you’re surely off to die again. So I figured you’d send the item as promised before that, and I was waiting.”
“You didn’t have to stay up all night for it.”
“Can’t hold back someone who wants to cross the River of Three Roads even a day sooner. Gotta help a filial son eager to meet his ancestors.”
“Hahaha. You’re right when you put it that way.”
Muk Yeon-seong laughed heartily for a good while, then wiped his tears and asked.
“It’s been ages since I laughed like this.”
“Keep laughing. You’ll scare all the fish away.”
“You’ve been at it all night. Any luck?”
Ping!
Chu Un-hwi flicked his wrist to reel in the hook and said regretfully.
“Luck? Damn fish. Keeps eating the bait and bolting.”
“Really no luck at all?”
“Would I be doing this all night if there was?”
“Who knows if you’re hiding it away and scheming to snag more items?”
“Whoa.”
Chu Un-hwi exaggeratedly opened his mouth and gave a thumbs up.
“You’re pretty sharp, huh? I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Don’t. Just let me know the second you spot the item. Like you said, I’m eager to keep my promise and check out the afterlife.”
“Seeing you here means you struck out today. Time to pack up.”
Clack clack.
As he gathered his fishing gear, Chu Un-hwi said.
“Hey. I’m beat. Starving too. Light a fire.”
The brief meal ended.
‘It was pretty good.’
It was the usual fare, so why did it stick in his memory so much?
Was it the last supper?
Last supper, my foot.
Just filling his belly with half-dried fish and crumbly grains.
But with his stomach full, his mood lightened considerably.
Roll.
As he lay on the ground and rolled over, beyond a neatly made bedding mat, a hazy figure flickered in the corner of his eye.
“You sleeping there?”
“I was just drifting off when some kid’s voice woke me.”
Thinking the man was quite accustomed to embarrassing others, Muk Yeon-seong spoke into the air apologetically.
“Tomorrow, I’ll make it work for sure. Something must’ve gone wrong today.”
“...Yeah.”
“Do you really have to watch with your eyes wide open?”
“Got it, so go to sleep, kid.”
Thwack!
Muk Yeon-seong chuckled as a pillow woven from grass hit him.
The next day, Muk Yeon-seong returned.
But the answer was the same.
“Nope. Must’ve floated elsewhere.”
The day after that too.
“For real. It didn’t come this way.”
What do you take me for!
He backed off, half-convinced by the irritation, thinking maybe it was true.
But the next day, not wanting to waste more time, he went in broad daylight with the item.
The reaction was odd.
“What the hell! I said no outside items!”
“Can’t we just pass it off as a lost item that floated in?”
“No way! Lost item’s a lost item! Outside item’s an outside item!”
Lack of finesse.
Can’t violate regulations.
Blatant insult to an instructor’s dignity.
It was the same as turning a blind eye, yet the backlash was unexpectedly fierce.
“Fine. My bad. Let’s drop it.”
“You scared off all the fish. Shut up and thread some worms.”
“Can’t you see I’m busy?”
“The fish only react to the ones you thread.”
Why not set up a bait shop?
Grumbling at the remark, Muk Yeon-seong changed the bait for a good while.
Muk Yeon-seong trudged out of the training ground, feeling downcast.
Wondering if it was another bust today, he gloomily stared at the stagnant puddle.
He was startled.
His reflection in the clear water was clearly smiling.
“Am I... smiling?”
His fingertips touched lips unmistakably curved in a smile.
Only then did Muk Yeon-seong realize.
“Haha. I’ve been looking forward to these meetings without knowing it!”
A surge of emotion brought tears to his eyes as he acknowledged his feelings.
“Heh heh heuk. What an idiot.”
He’d thought his tears had dried up, but now he knew.
It wasn’t the tears that had dried—it was the endless dark days repeating daily.
“Euheuk. Uheheuk.”
Muk Yeon-seong’s suppressed sobs erupted like a beast’s roar.
That night.
Muk Yeon-seong walked through the marsh with light steps.
‘No more dying.’
Instead, keep this strange encounter going.
The excuse of sending off luggage would work. It had failed multiple times, so he’d be fishing glumly today too.
‘And I really didn’t send any luggage today.’
The thought of teasing the instructor on his own terms even brought a flicker of joy.
Giggling with excitement, he reached the riverbank—and froze.
“Heh—hey. Got your lost item safe and sound.”
In the temporary instructor’s hand was a familiar bundle, wrapped in waterproof cloth.
Impossible.
“Must’ve drifted around and finally made it here.”
He didn’t hear the rest.
His eyes were fixed on the token of their promise.
‘Now I don’t even have an excuse to come back.’
Was this what the sky collapsing felt like? His legs buckled, and an annoyingly grating voice reached him.
“Kid. Have some hot rice before you go. The way back’s chilly. Water temp was brutal today.”
Truly an annoying voice.
“Hey. Doesn’t it smell amazing?”
Maybe he should switch to head chef.
A excited voice pierced the haze.
He blankly looked down at what was in his hands. In a crudely carved wooden bowl, savory fish porridge sloshed enticingly.
“Snagged some of that Nangong punk’s secret spices. He’ll nag tomorrow.”
“......”
“Eat up. Best before it cools.”
“...Then I’ll dig in.”
Slurp.
Cautiously lifting the bowl, a fragrant aroma filled his nostrils. Warmth spread through his body.
‘Delicious.’
The heat seemed to loosen his tightly wound heart.
“Perfect for a last supper, right?”
If only he hadn’t said that, he could’ve savored the glow longer.
Instead of replying, he gulped down the warm broth repeatedly, then shoveled the porridge frantically with the spoon.
‘Heavenly taste.’
To leave such deliciousness behind for death—too cruel.
There was so much more tasty, fun stuff in the world, and it felt unfair to go now.
“Eat plenty. They say unfilial kids who die before their parents don’t even get funeral rice. Stock up now.”
“...Urk.”
The spoon stopped.
Staring into the now-empty bowl for a while, Muk Yeon-seong suddenly spoke.
“...Temporary Instructor. Don’t suppose you need a bait specialist?”
“What’s that?”
“Like a worker who threads bait full-time.”
“Who needs that? Just slap it on.”
“Didn’t you say the fish only bite the ones I thread?”
“Turns out it’s my superior skill.”
As if a guy into emperor-style fishing—barely twitching the rod—could say that.
But he was desperate, so Muk Yeon-seong changed tack.
“No other jobs? Marsh life in the lower training ground seems tough.”
“I’ll use other assistants.”
“Don’t you want to live without lifting a finger? I know a reliable hand.”
“Laziness is a warrior’s worst enemy.”
The guy who barely moved more than a fat cat was spouting nonsense, and it burned him up.
With talks going nowhere, Muk Yeon-seong finally laid bare his heart.
“Temporary Instructor.”
“Yeah?”
“...I’ll be honest.”
Gulp.
Swallowing dryly, he squeezed his eyes shut and poured it out.
“I realized I still have places I want to see.”
“Lots I want to eat. Heard there are fish in the sea that live in saltwater.”
“Want to wander far and wide.”
“Asked about opening a bait shop, remember? Maybe there’s tons to do without living in the jianghu.”
“Want to see my parents. They always welcomed me with smiles.”
He spilled all his past grievances too.
“Asked the instructors for help, but they told me to fix my weak heart first.”
“After that, the bullying got worse. Felt like an official plaything.”
“Tagged as a converted demonic clan, perfect excuse to torment me.”
“You know? The real pain was changing myself.”
“Walking the road, I’d flinch, scared someone would jump out from a corner.”
“No one was there. I started fearing nothing at all.”
“Then it repeated. Flinching made me useless at everything, bullying intensified.”
Rambling incoherently, but one point.
“Still, I want to live again.”
He’d sounded so detached from life at first meeting, now begging to live—humiliating beyond words. But he endured.
Eyes shut tight, Muk Yeon-seong awaited the response.
“......”
Silence.
No snide “Wanna live now, huh?” or “Not my problem.”
Waiting long, he peeked.
The instructor’s lips curved unmistakably in a smile.
Shaggy hair hid his expression, but he was clearly smiling.
Then it hit him.
‘He knew all along.’
How?
Staring blankly, the instructor poked the campfire and spoke.
“I knew that much.”
“...Since when?”
A feeling even he hadn’t known.
“From the start.”
“I definitely wanted to die at first.”
“People truly suicidal don’t get attached to chores like cleaning.”
That’s it.
I wanted to live from the beginning.
He’d seen through the unknown heart right away.
“Figured it out when you were nitpicking like some world-weary kid. ‘Ah, modern youths make black history like this.’”
“......”
“How’s it feel? Your hidden emotions embarrassingly exposed?”
“I’d die of shame.”
“Idiot. If you’re ashamed, say you wanna crawl into a hole.”
“...True.”
The instructor barked a laugh.
“Finally got a kid-like face back.”
Touching his lips, it felt true.
His stiff facial muscles moved flexibly.
“If you wanna live, live. Wanna die, die.”
“Not a bit irresponsible for an educator?”
“I’m just temporary, whatever.”
“Got a favor to beg.”
“No.”
First firm refusal.
“...How do you know what I’ll say?”
“Not taking in a brat who can’t fend for himself.”
“......”
He picked up a half-burnt twig from the fire.
As it pointed at his chest, Muk Yeon-seong felt suffocated somehow.
But he desperately pleaded.
“I’ll do anything you ask.”
“Look for other labor.”
“Diligence is my strength. I’ll be more useful than others.”
“Hire several others.”
“Temporary Instructor.”
“No.”
At the firm no, Muk Yeon-seong’s face crumpled.
“If you wanna be a body servant, wrong address. This is Divine Martial Academy. I’m a murim instructor.”
But if asking as instructor for a way to live as a warrior?
“I’ll point out the bare minimum path.”
Muk Yeon-seong’s eyes trembled.