Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Spill Everything You Know (1)
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Peng Yeon-hwa had to admit that not a single word of the documents she was reading actually registered in her mind.
The revelation that the man she had thrown herself at was actually from the unorthodox paths—no, a disciple of the Heavenly Demon, the world's greatest fiend—was utterly shocking to her.
If anything, the way Zhuge Mi-ryeong and Tang Hye-won were subtly taking his side left her even more flustered.
'Am I the weird one here?'
From what she'd heard, even Eon So-young had already known.
Meaning out of the four of them, she was the only one who couldn't come to terms with it...
"Hoo..."
Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, Peng Yeon-hwa grabbed the sword hanging nearby and moved to head down to the training grounds.
If Zhuge Mi-ryeong hadn't come looking for her, she definitely would have.
Hearing the maid's voice, Peng Yeon-hwa hung the sword back up and granted permission to enter. Zhuge Mi-ryeong cautiously pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Sister Hwa... you weren't too busy, were you?"
"If I was, I wouldn't have let you in. Sit."
Zhuge Mi-ryeong shot Peng Yeon-hwa a quick glance before taking a seat across the table.
Peng Yeon-hwa felt a pang of bitterness deep down. They'd been friends for over twenty years, but this kind of awkwardness was a first.
"You look really swamped...?"
"I'm just finally doing the work I should've been handling all along."
Tang Jo-myeong had refused to let her get involved in family matters, so yes, these tasks she'd put off until now had come back into her hands.
But it was also because they'd decided to move forward with supporting the Peng Family.
It wasn't anything worth hiding, yet Peng Yeon-hwa somehow felt herself holding back.
Less a conscious choice to conceal it and more that, just looking at Zhuge Mi-ryeong, the words wouldn't come.
What had changed?
Peng Yeon-hwa suddenly spoke up.
"It's not that I feel like Young Hero Kang tricked me."
"I know."
"It's not that I've come to dislike Young Hero Kang either."
"I know."
To these sudden, excuse-like words without context, Zhuge Mi-ryeong simply nodded and acknowledged them.
'You know? Know what? I don't even know why I'm acting like this!'
Whether she sensed Peng Yeon-hwa's inner turmoil or not, Zhuge Mi-ryeong slowly opened her mouth.
"Yun says he wants to step away from the Tang Family for a bit."
Peng Yeon-hwa's heart plummeted. She immediately fretted that it might be because she was making things hard on him.
Her voice shook despite her desperate effort to steady it.
"Is that right? What about you then...?"
Zhuge Mi-ryeong shook her head, gently caressing her own belly.
Gulp.
Peng Yeon-hwa swallowed hard. Kang Yun had used his internal energy to cast a supreme technique that unconditionally planted a child in a woman's womb.
Following Eon So-young and Tang Hye-won, now Zhuge Mi-ryeong carried his child too. It had to be so small right now that no one could tell.
"Because of this little one, I told him absolutely not. He's too overprotective, isn't he?"
"..."
"He said he'd be back soon, so don't worry too much, Sister."
Peng Yeon-hwa clamped her mouth shut, swallowing the denial that she wasn't worried at all.
Her feelings hadn't changed. Just picturing the man's face warmed her chest in that pathetic way, and she found herself imagining the feel of being held in his arms.
"Sister, it's because you're too upright."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"You're agonizing over whether embracing Yun means you're also embracing the suffering of the Blood Demon's victims."
"...No."
It might be exactly right.
She might just be a fool, clinging to something that didn't even matter.
"Sister, you're fine just as you are. Yun's worried you'll stay stuck like this—he doesn't resent you one bit."
As Zhuge Mi-ryeong gently took her hand, Peng Yeon-hwa startled and yanked it back. But Zhuge Mi-ryeong kept smiling and went on.
"While Yun's away, think it through on your own. Whatever conclusion you reach, he'll accept it."
"...Little sister, you do know I've lived longer than you, right?"
"But I'm smarter than you, Sister."
Zhuge Mi-ryeong burst into giggles. Peng Yeon-hwa felt ashamed for putting words like that in her younger-sister-like friend's mouth, but also grateful.
Her love for the man was undoubtedly still there. Peng Yeon-hwa believed she could find an answer she'd accept herself.
"Young Hero, next time, let's meet again—with our Do-heung."
I'm not that close to your brother...
With those parting words, Gwak Cheong left the Tang Family early that morning.
I had a feeling that if I ran into Gwak Do-heung later, he'd awkwardly try to buddy up with me while keeping an eye on his sister. Was that just me?
But compared to Mong-a—who'd rudely only bothered greeting my mother—Gwak Cheong was practically a saintess.
"Master, I hope we cross paths again."
"...We'll see."
Probably not expecting me to tail her, Mong-a gave a half-hearted reply before departing the Tang Family.
Having memorized her direction, I let Mother know I was leaving too.
I'd already discussed it with her, but seeing me head out right after Mong-a set off, Mother narrowed her eyes.
"Son, just hypothetically... you know Nun Mong-a has severed all worldly ties as a monk, right?"
"Of course."
I didn't have even a shred of personal goodwill toward Mong-a.
The reasons for tailing her were one, to get away from the Tang Family for a bit, and two, her conduct seemed way too reckless.
No matter how little I liked her, I couldn't just let someone charging headlong into danger go off alone and forget about it.
Martial artists might call it excessive meddling, but my baseline was that of a modern person.
"No ulterior motives, so don't worry. Please look after Yeon-hwa, Mother. She seems pretty shaken. And Hye-won if you have time..."
"You rascal... then don't go..."
Mother gave my chest a light poke. She was right—it was ultimately my fault.
Disciple of the Demon Lord, chasing orthodox milfs; failing to sort things out and wandering off instead.
I'm the villain. I'm the bastard.
Pop.
I scanned the surroundings briefly, then gave Mother a quick hug before stepping back.
"What if someone sees...!"
"No one's around."
Then I slyly slid my hand up to stroke her belly.
"You know our baby's in there now, right? No pushing yourself—be careful even of falling leaves until at least four months."
"There aren't even falling leaves this time..."
She's not the type to miss the point. I stared at her with wide eyes and caught the slight upturn of her lips.
I wanted to steal a kiss, but we were outside. The risk was worlds apart from a hug.
I said my goodbyes to Mother like that and set off in the direction Mong-a had gone.
'She didn't bolt out of here in a panic, so I should catch up quick.'
I moved swiftly but cautiously, careful not to reveal my presence.
Inside the fortress, plenty of presences around, so it was fine. But if she sensed a strong aura, Mong-a might get suspicious.
Once outside, I could just tail her at a leisurely distance.
Mong-a's path was dead straight. So obvious you could guess her destination without trying.
Heading this way would take her out of Sichuan Province and into Qinghai...
'Qinghai's got the Kunlun Sect...'
Last time, I recalled her heading toward Hubei, where the Wudang Sect was.
What was this? Visiting other sects one by one?
'Why bother?'
I pondered while observing Mong-a resting by the roadside from behind some bushes. She was in a dangerous state—why wasn't she heading back to the Emei Sect?
"Why...?"
"Why what?"
Hm?
A gravelly voice came from behind me. I turned to see a bandit-looking brute gripping a curved saber, flanked by a gang of similar thugs.
"Don't care who you are—fork over everything you've got and beat it. Hands off that nun; she's ours."
"...Ha."
Come to think of it, I'd gotten complacent in the martial world.
Every woman I met was at least a peak expert—bedding them took luck—and my only chances to overwhelm with raw skill had been the Nine Dragons Contest and...
'Times like this with Mong-a.'
Spotting my hollow laugh, the bandit swung his blade menacingly to intimidate me.
Sloppy form, like he'd never properly trained, but he had a decent amount of internal energy—barely scraping the tail end of second-rate. Banditry, really.
"Hey."
"Hey?"
"Spill everything you know. Why are you after that nun?"
Anyone with half a brain doesn't pull bandit stunts on nuns in Jianghu.
If someone's got valuables, high chance they're a martial expert. If not an expert, high chance they have no valuables.
Which means something's up.
"You crazy fuck, who the hell...!"
Clang.
The bandit's saber, loaded with some power, hurtled toward me—but my instantaneous palm strike smacked the flat of the blade. He could barely hold on.
He should've felt the skill gap from the force transmitted back, but the killing intent didn't leave his eyes.
"Hup...!"
"Talk, asshole."
Rubbing his wrist—which I'd thankfully not snapped—he scowled viciously before letting out a fitting screech.
"Kill this fucker!"
Ugh, what a pain. As the bandits swarmed me swinging wildly, I furrowed my brow—but honestly, I was in a good mood.
I'm no sadist who enjoys beating people, but I'd had precious few chances to flex my strength.
The sabers' paths were glaringly obvious.
Thrusts without proper lower-body power.
A crude axe, probably from peasant days.
No weapon could scratch me, and as I deflected them, their attacks grew timid—worried about hitting their own.
What the hell was Mong-a's deal, hanging with this rabble?
"Ugh! Let... let go!"
I snatched the boss's saber, stabbed it into the ground, sealed his acupoint, and dumped him down.
He barked at his men to help, but they only edged farther back the louder he got.
"I'll kill anyone who runs first."
"Martial artist" sounds cool, but at heart, they're just thugs. Thugs committing illegal murder for profit.
I had zero experience killing and no intention of starting with these clowns—but the bandits didn't know that and froze at my warning.
With the situation calming, I turned to the boss sprawled on the ground.
"Hey, talk now."
"Wh-what...?"
Fear crept into the bandit boss's voice. Perfect for an interrogation.
"Why you're after that nun. I asked already."
The boss played dumb. Still thinks I'm a pushover? No need for torture or beatings.
"Hey, others know the reason too, don't they?"
"N-no."
His eyes flickered. He'd definitely threatened his men to keep quiet.
"Everyone except whoever answers my questions dies. Boss first, then the clueless ones—all of you."
I'm overusing the word "kill," but these types know their own neck's the most precious thing.
They'll get that spilling quick is the path to survival only if you make it clear you'll kill without hesitation.
"Alright, boss. Counting to three. If you don't talk, I'll cut off your air first and think later. Choose wisely."
"Uh, uh, s-so..."
Whatever the info's worth, he kept stammering as he watched my fingers inch toward his death point.
"One, two..."
"Th-that is..."
His eyes trembled violently, but he still wouldn't talk. Have to kill him? Hate that.
"Three..."
"What do you think you're doing!"
Right as I hit three, a voice cut in with perfect timing.
Mong-a, who'd been resting down by the road, had somehow climbed up and was now glaring at me, huffing indignantly.
'I was so careful to hide my presence—how the hell did she notice?'
And to make it worse, she now knew for sure I was tailing her.
What excuse could possibly sell this...