Future Over the Past (1)
The carriage rattled on for a long time, and Jin Yeo-rip spent the entire journey staring out the window. It was an awkward stretch of time; even when their eyes met by chance, there wasn't much to say, so the atmosphere stayed stiff and formal. They were strangers to him, after all.
"Hey."
"Yes!"
"Speak!"
Jin Yeo-rip, who hadn't uttered a word until now, finally opened his mouth, and the two others in the carriage responded instantly, their eyes lighting up before he even finished.
...What a reaction.
They'd clearly been waiting desperately for him to say something. Jin Yeo-rip couldn't help but let out a chuckle. People are such timid go-getters. Well, now that he'd broken the ice, might as well ask about everything. If this was the life he had to live from now on!
He gazed at their expectant faces for a moment, then smiled and asked, "What should I call you all?"
"I'm So Hye!"
"Hwang Ja-su!"
Not to be outdone, they answered in unison. And then,
"Im Pilsaeng!"
The coachman shouted at the top of his lungs, as if worried his voice wouldn't carry into the carriage. What a booming voice. Was it his personality? Jin Yeo-rip got the sense that he hated being left out—he kept drawing attention to himself.
At any rate, now he knew their names.
"I don't know much, so could each of you introduce yourselves one by one?"
At Jin Yeo-rip's request, So Hye and Hwang Ja-su exchanged glances, deciding who would go first. So Hye spoke up.
"I am So Hye of the Yeon family. I served as your mother's handmaid, and now I am your personal maid. I will serve you with all my heart from here on."
"I see. Looking forward to working with you."
"Please don't speak so formally. It's hard to bear."
"...How old are you?"
"Twenty-five."
"At twenty-five, you're my noona, aren't you? I can't drop the formalities."
And on top of that, she's pretty... Ahem!
"Pardon? No, that's too much. How could I accept such an honor? You have the status to do so."
The status to do so. A personal maid and all... Rich kid.
Jin Yeo-rip wore a pleased smile as he inwardly cheered, Yes!
Next, Hwang Ja-su introduced himself. He was a physician and would be his personal doctor from now on.
"I'm the escort!"
Im Pilsaeng, still driving the carriage, jumped in with another shout. A personal maid, a personal physician, and an escort—having all three made him seem even richer than he'd thought, and a smile crept onto his lips unbidden. Ah, this is the life. Buddha, thank you for this gift. I'll be a Buddhist from now on.
But religion was religion. To live here, he needed to know more. Knowledge was power, as someone once said.
"So Hye noona."
"Just So Hye."
"..."
"So Hye. And speak casually."
"We'll get to that later..."
"No!"
Whoa, that startled me. Say no if you don't like it—why get mad? She didn't seem like the type, but she was firm. Well, if she wanted to be called that, fine. Outwardly young or not, he was way older in reality.
"S-So Hye."
"Yes, young master!"
Even though it felt awkward and unfamiliar, she beamed back at him. Did she like hearing her name that much? But she looked comfortable now, so that was good.
"Tell me about myself."
"Ah! Of course."
So Hye slowly recounted the sixteen years of his life since birth.
He had started living at Shaolin around the age of two. That year, his maternal family, the Ak family of Shandong, had been branded traitors, and to make matters worse, rumors swirled that they had colluded with the Demonic Cult. Most of the household was executed, and the survivors scattered, their fates unknown.
In that atmosphere, what choice did Cheongeumbang have? It had been a political marriage between merchants and martial artists from the start. Cheongeumbang publicly severed ties with the Ak family, and his mother, Ak Seoyeonn, fled with her son. In her desperation to protect him, she pinned her last hope on Song Mountain—Shaolin Temple itself.
But as the descendant of the Ak family, tainted by demonic collusion, even Hyecho had hesitated. Shaolin stood in direct opposition to the demonic path, after all. She had collapsed at the temple gate, weeping and begging them to at least protect the innocent child. Hyecho couldn't refuse that, so he took the boy in. Even if the accusations against the Ak family were true, how could a child bear that sin?
"Your mother was grateful to Shaolin for their decision for a long time."
After that, he knew well how he'd lived at Shaolin. The experiences and memories etched in his mind. After Ak Seoyeonn left, Hyecho protected the child as a novice monk, shielding him from worldly troubles. Called a dongja or sami, it referred to a child training for ordination, but since it was just a means to protect him from persecution, his name wasn't entered into the monastic registry.
Later, when the military and murim came demanding the child, Hyecho refused, citing that he was a disciple residing in the temple. Who would dare forcibly take a disciple from Shaolin, the North Star of murim that commanded the respect of the common folk? Amid countless pressures, Hyecho protected the boy—like a Buddhist's compassion in not chasing away a bird that landed.
From then on, as soon as Jin Yeo-rip could toddle around, he lived like any other novice monk. From dawn prayers to bedtime after scripture study. For fourteen years. Even without living it himself, those memories were vivid in his head.
But why had only these three come for him?
"What about my mother?"
So Hye hesitated at his question before answering heavily.
"...She passed away."
His heart sank. He didn't know her face or have any memories, but "mother" hit hard.
"She fell ill after years on the run."
"..."
"The false charges were finally cleared, but she couldn't hold on... I'm sorry."
So Hye bowed her head. Hwang Ja-su beside her looked choked up too.
It wasn't their fault. Fate was heaven's domain, unchangeable by human hands. His original self had gotten a terminal diagnosis at thirty, after all.
"Her grave?"
"We buried her in a sunny spot. But it's too far away..."
"Thank you."
Jin Yeo-rip spoke calmly. His heart had dropped for a moment, but since even the original Jin Yeo-rip had no memories of her, he recovered quickly. But to them, that calm seemed different.
"No, how could we be forgiven for failing our lady? We should have followed her in death, but we live because of her final words."
"Final words?"
"Yes. After entrusting you to Shaolin, she spent sleepless nights in tears. She wished for us to stay by your side."
Perhaps because of their expressions, a pang tugged at Jin Yeo-rip's chest. So Hye paused, then gauged his face before asking,
"Your late mother hoped you wouldn't resent your father. She left on her own and told us to erase our tracks so he couldn't find you."
Final words... They were strangers anyway, a time he didn't know. Even the original memories held only vague longing for parents. This new life was the same. What memories would a two-year-old separated from his parents have? No resentment. The original Jin Yeo-rip's life was pitiful, but now it was his life. No need to cling to past events.
But it felt uncomfortable. Their emotions washed over him fully, yet he seemed unaffected. It made him feel like the bad guy.
"And this is something your mother left for you."
"From Mother?"
"Yes."
What So Hye handed over as a memento was a single book. An old, worn volume that looked ancient at a glance.
"Baji?"
"Everything of the fallen Ak family. She said to leave the decision to you."
Jin Yeo-rip took the book from So Hye and flipped it open. Ak family spear arts, Baji—a manual for spear techniques. The last legacy left by his mother.
Was it bloodline? Or had he inherited the original Jin Yeo-rip's innate talent? Even a brief scan made the contents easy to grasp, imprinting quickly in his mind. He'd felt it briefly at Shaolin too—Jin Yeo-rip really was a genius.
Thank you. Not content with giving him a rich kid's life, she'd passed on genius too. Can't do grand ancestral rites every year... He's mine now.
"Hm."
Closing the manual, Jin Yeo-rip's gaze turned to the window. Over several days, he'd heard everything they knew. Silence settled in the carriage. Nothing but the jolting vibrations and ambient natural sounds.
From Henan of Song Mountain to Shandong, home of the main family, the long road continued. Im Pilsaeng drove slowly out of consideration for the bumps, and they boarded a ship chartered by Cheongeumbang, floating leisurely down the river. Thanks to that, he slept comfortably as seven days and nights passed.
So Hye, Hwang Ja-su, Im Pilsaeng—they chattered and laughed loudly at inns to lift his spirits when he stayed quiet. Their care made the journey pleasant. Good people. He could see why his mother had entrusted him to them.
But Jin Yeo-rip couldn't just smile idly; his mind raced with worries. Yet, as the saying went, su-cheo-jak-ju ip-cheo-gae-jin—wherever you are, make yourself the master, and that place becomes truth. He would become Jin Yeo-rip. He didn't know why he'd been reborn, but...
Once resolved, the question became what to do first. This new life started differently from his previous one. He had wealth, genius, and three people ready to serve him on a single deathbed wish. Of course, parent luck sucked in both lives.
It was a dilemma. He'd decided to live, but how? A matter of choice.
The one from Repentance Cave had left him an unknown martial art. Like a fated encounter, it had taken root perfectly with the Xiaohuan Dan. Alone in his room on the long road, he'd circulated energy as instructed and felt immense power beyond expectation. An astonishing coincidence of two opportunities.
And "he" had said: avenge me. Of course, the grudge-filled request wasn't aimed at Shaolin. Lucky, but how was he supposed to avenge when all he got was a name?
Sigh, I owe him, so I should pay it back somehow...
Another worry was the family legacy. The last remnant of the Ak family, now his: Baji. What to do with it? He should learn it. With his inherited genius, a few reads on the road had already memorized most of it.
But revenge lingered. Those who framed the Ak family, aided its fall, and relentlessly pursued his mother to her death. At least that revenge seemed easier—the three with him remembered the details vividly.
Sigh, why double revenge? This new life was veering this way when he'd wanted to enjoy what his past self couldn't, living leisurely. The tasks were clear, but the dilemmas persisted even as the carriage crossed into Shandong and entered the outskirts of Sishui, where Cheongeumbang lay.
Villages appeared outside the window. Houses packed closely, streets teeming with people. A decent-sized town. Traditional markets and old smithies lined the streets, like a folk village from his past life.
Where was the main house? Passing the dense village, a city gate about ten feet high appeared. The guards bowed politely to the carriage. Cheongeumbang must be the local power in Sishui. Rich folks usually were.
They drove deep inside for a while longer. How far? Taller walls appeared. Inner city?
"Young master."
"Yeah?"
"You have to walk from here."
"Oh, right? Cheongeumbang is in there?"
Jin Yeo-rip asked casually, but So Hye stared at him intently. What?
"Young master."
"Yeah?"
"We've been in Cheongeumbang since earlier."
"..."
He couldn't comprehend. Wasn't it obvious? Since earlier?
"Cheongeumbang starts at the entrance to Sishui."
Jin Yeo-rip blinked in confusion, then stuck his head out the window. The entrance— that hazy distant...
The streets, alleys, walls upon walls they'd passed. Hadn't they traveled at least ten minutes?
"The first area you saw was the Outer Market, then the Inner Market. This is Taewon, where the Bangju resides."
As So Hye explained, Jin Yeo-rip's mouth fell open wider and wider.
All this? The whole town?
The worries plaguing his mind vanished in an instant. This changes everything! Resentment? Revenge? He couldn't waste his new life on that crap!
What did the past matter? The future did.
He'd decided. A heartless father who left his son at Shaolin and never sought him? There must've been unavoidable reasons! Traitor to the state and enemy of murim!
I'll be a filial son from now on.
Right here, right now!
Father! Where are you! Your son has returned!