Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 37
>Chapter Title: Reunion (2)
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Just a short while ago,
Honghye Pavilion, located on the eastern outskirts of the outer fortress.
This place was renowned for its rare premium liquors and exclusively beautiful women skilled in music and arts. Within it, the largest and most lavish VIP room was called Mu-yak.
The VIP room Mu-yak truly catered only to esteemed guests—members of prestigious sects or factions with deep ties to the Heaven-Earth Society, or at least division leaders and above within the Society itself.
That was why every courtesan in Honghye Pavilion yearned to serve in Mu-yak, to build connections with these VIPs.
Even if not as a principal wife, many had entered as concubines through such encounters.
But this time, the competition was particularly fierce.
The rumor was that a division leader from the Heaven-Earth Society—a rare high-ranking guest—had made a reservation.
[Hoo.]
Go Chan, possessing the body of Ha Chae-rin, had somehow managed to squeeze into the serving roster.
He had considered switching tactics amid the cutthroat rivalry among the courtesans.
But after all the time invested, backing out now felt like too much of a waste.
-Swish.
Go Chan quietly waited his turn.
Mu-yak offered a special time even among its exclusives: courtesans taking turns to showcase their musical talents or personal skills before the VIP.
-Ding~! Ding~!
Right now, one courtesan was dancing before the VIP, fluttering her long sleeves to display her artistry.
A ho-gold was in Go Chan's hands.
He had passed the Honghye Pavilion entrance test by playing it, so he planned to do the same again.
The problem was, someone ahead had already played the ho-gold.
'Damn it.'
Honestly speaking, that courtesan's skill was a notch above his own.
He was an assassin by trade, not a musician.
'I can't let this chance slip.'
He knew a division leader held a considerably high position within the Heaven-Earth Society.
Through such a person, he could gain entry into the Society's inner circles.
But Go Chan wasn't alone—every other courtesan was desperate to catch this exalted guest's eye.
'To think my fate involves competing with courtesans like this.'
No, it was hardly fate.
What fate was there for a vengeful spirit bound to a hungry ghost's twisted destiny?
Just then, a gruff voice called from within.
[Next!]
No sooner had the words ended than the dancing courtesan emerged with a disappointed look.
She had clearly put effort into seducing the VIP, but failed, her mood soured.
And this was already the sixth such courtesan.
'Something's off.'
Even for the VIP-exclusive Mu-yak, they supposedly didn't summon extras beyond the standard number.
Yet there were ten courtesans waiting, including himself.
Sixteen in total, all for one VIP.
Thanks to that, he had made the cut without issue, but what rank did this guest hold to warrant such lavish attention?
[My turn, I suppose.]
Then one courtesan stepped forward.
She appeared to be in her mid-twenties—the very one who had picked a fight with Go Chan earlier.
As she moved to enter, the madam whispered something low in her ear.
Go Chan watched closely.
Thanks to Ha Chae-rin's Lip-Reading Technique in this possessed body, he could guess the words from her lip movements alone.
[The Five Kings' disciple. The Five Kings. Miss this chance, and it's over.]
'!?'
Go Chan's eyes widened at the madam's words.
He had known the guest was important, but not just any division leader—this was a disciple of one of the Heaven-Earth Society's Five Kings, upper echelons of leadership?
Go Chan couldn't hide his inner shock.
'The Five Kings...'
The Five Kings of the Heaven-Earth Society were masters renowned across the martial world, beyond mere faction politics.
And one of their disciples was here?
This might not end well.
'Will Ha Chae-rin's secret technique hold up?'
The Shadow Assassins, true to their title as the Four Great Assassins, possessed a secret art to conceal their presence.
Of course, it wasn't perfect.
It involved needling a few acupoints to seal the energy passages.
Right now, Go Chan had lowered his aura to second-rate level with it.
Fully sealing the passages would leave him unable to respond in a crisis.
'Tricky.'
Even a division leader was high up, but tangling with a Five Kings' disciple could cost him this body.
As he pondered,
[Tch!]
The courtesan who had just entered stormed out, cheeks puffed in anger.
She had barely been inside before being dismissed for the next.
[He prefers young girls, huh.]
[......]
It seemed her age had gotten her bounced immediately.
The madam gave her a pitying look, then beckoned to Go Chan.
His turn had come already.
[Don't rile his mood too much. If he seems displeased, come out right away.]
[......Understood.]
Too late to change plans now.
With a somewhat tense expression, Go Chan entered the VIP room, Mu-yak.
Inside, a man in his early thirties with short stubble and a rugged air lounged comfortably, chugging liquor straight from the bottle like a flute.
-Gulp gulp!
The masculine figure set the emptied bottle on the table with a thud and eyed Go Chan.
His gaze swept from head to toe.
In that instant, goosebumps prickled across Go Chan's skin.
The way he appraised her body like livestock nearly made him curse aloud without thinking.
'Damn it. Makes my skin crawl.'
Then, the man's lips twitched slightly upward.
He seemed pleased with the appearance.
The man spoke.
[Pretty face you've got. Now, show me your talents.]
'Ugh.'
Go Chan barely suppressed his disgust and replied calmly.
[Yes, my lord.]
Even speaking the words himself didn't stop the chills.
But he had to endure.
To get close to his target, he needed into the Heaven-Earth Society's inner fortress.
-Ching!
Go Chan sat on a chair and placed the ho-gold strings to his bow.
Before he could even play properly, the man raised one eyebrow and waved him off dismissively.
'What the hell's this guy's problem?'
Unlike his youthful looks, why was he so picky?
His boisterous appearance suggested otherwise, but he had discerning tastes.
Just then, the madam stamped out with her bamboo cane.
[My apologies. We'll prepare the next girl right aw—]
[No. Everyone out.]
[Pardon?]
[I want to see something else from this one.]
[......Understood.]
The puzzled madam retreated back to the waiting room.
He had rejected the performance— what did he want to see that kept her here?
But the man said,
[Girlie. I can tell you've trained in martial arts.]
[......So that's it.]
As expected of a Five Kings' disciple, he spotted the martial arts training immediately.
Go Chan had deliberately limited it to second-rate by sealing passages, expecting a top expert to notice.
But he couldn't gauge this man's exact level.
At least peak realm or higher, he guessed.
[Interesting. A mere courtesan practicing martial arts.]
At those words, Go Chan delivered his prepared line.
[A minor skill learned from my late father. Just enough to protect myself from street thugs—please don't think highly of it.]
[From your deceased father?]
[My father was a low-ranking warrior in the Society.]
[Oh? Is that so?]
The man showed interest at Go Chan's words.
The Heaven-Earth Society overflowed with third- and second-rate warriors, so it wasn't remarkable in itself, but a courtesan training in martial arts felt different.
[Even as Society warrior's spawn, for his daughter to end up a courtesan here—quite the pitiful tale.]
[........]
Tears welling up would have been ideal here, but the situation was too uncomfortable for Go Chan to feign that.
Instead, the man smirked and said,
[......You thought I'd offer some comfort? The world overflows with the suffering. You chose to become a courtesan—expecting pity is laughable, no?]
[You speak wisely.]
No need for acting after all.
But suddenly, the man shrugged and continued.
[Yet they say fortune visits a few times in life.]
[.......]
[Impress me with that paltry martial arts of yours, and I'll take you as one of mine.]
[One of yours?]
[My guards are all dour men—gets lonely. A pretty thing like you would at least be easy on the eyes.]
'Well, now.'
Not even a concubine, but a guard?
Crude speech, no pity, yet generous in his own odd way.
Not as petty as expected.
This might work better, actually.
He had been dreading a concubine role; guard was preferable.
But now he was curious about the man's identity.
[My lord, before I show my skills, may I ask your name?]
[My name?]
[If you're considering taking this lowly girl, how could I not know whom I'm addressing?]
At Go Chan's question, the man chugged another bottle.
[Me? Hahaha!]
-Thud!
The man laughed heartily, then grabbed something from the floor and lifted it effortlessly.
It was none other than,
'An axe?'
Not for chopping wood—this massive axe could cleave a man in two with one swing.
Seeing it, a name from the Five Kings flashed in Go Chan's mind.
'Axebreaker King Ho Tae-gang.'
The supreme master famed for bisecting countless righteous faction experts with a single axe.
One of the Eight Stars, the martial world's pinnacle.
Realizing whose disciple he was, Go Chan swallowed dryly as the man revealed himself.
[I'm Ho Jong-hyeok, Grand Division Leader of the Annihilation Squad.]
* * *
'Damn it.'
Go Chan, possessing Ha Chae-rin's body as her guard.
He was so embarrassed he couldn't lift his head.
He had somehow demonstrated a hidden weapon toss and become the guard for this VIP from Honghye Pavilion—the Annihilation Squad's Grand Division Leader, Ho Jong-hyeok.
But though titled a guard, the man treated him almost like a concubine.
Making him wear revealing clothes.
Strapping him to his side all day to pour drinks.
'I'm gonna lose it.'
He endured, matching the man's whims until he could find his target, Mok Kyung-un—but to be seen like this?
He wanted to shove off Ho Jong-hyeok's arm wrapped around his waist right then.
-Kekekeke. That guy's insides aren't manly anymore. He's turned fully girly.
Cheong-ryeong cackled at Go Chan's plight.
Mok Kyung-un found it somewhat unexpected but felt little else.
His gaze went to the curly-haired, handsome youth and his entourage instead.
Every one of them exuded extraordinary prowess.
Then, the guard assigned by the Poison Clan Leader whispered urgently.
"Young master, we must pay respects quickly. The one at the front is Second Disciple Jang Neung-ak, the Society Leader's second student."
'Jang Neung-ak?'
Ah, the curly-haired one—that was Jang Neung-ak, one of the Society Leader's three disciples?
He had heard from Blood River Gorge Leader Lee Ji-yeom.
[Excluding First Disciple Na Yul-ryang, I haven't seen the second and third, so I can't describe their looks. But rumor has it you'd best be cautious around the second young master if you meet him.]
He recalled the poor reputation.
Voraciously seizing whatever he desired, tyrannical nature.
He didn't seem that way at first glance.
In any case, clashing with him now would do no good, so Mok Kyung-un clasped hands in greeting salute, bowing respectfully.
"I greet Young Master Jang Neung-ak."
But no reply came as he greeted.
Jang Neung-ak showed no interest, trying to pass by Mok Kyung-un and his guard.
'Fortunate, perhaps.'
Better no attention at all.
But it complicated things slightly.
With Go Chan among Jang Neung-ak's group, retrieving him immediately was impossible.
As he prepared to send a transmission asking who the others were,
-Thud!
Jang Neung-ak, who had passed, suddenly stopped.
He turned his head and said,
"You... I don't think I've seen you before. Who are you?"
[........]
He had hoped to be ignored, yet here he was, questioned.
Mok Kyung-un turned, maintaining his greeting salute, and replied.
"I'm Mok Kyung-un, disciple of the Poison Clan Leader."
"Poison Clan Leader?"
"Yes."
"Is there a Mok Kyung-un among the Poison Clan Leader's disciples?"
"I've never heard of him. Under the Poison Clan Leader... Huh? Young master, isn't this that guy?"
'That guy?'
What were they on about?
As he puzzled,
-Swish!
In the bowed Mok Kyung-un's view, two legs approached before him.
"Oh ho. So you're that guy."
The voice belonged to none other than Jang Neung-ak.
He had sensed the vast aura and predicted considerable strength, but the movement was incredibly swift.
He was right in front now.
"You... You're that righteous faction hostage who topped the Blood River Gorge trials, right?"
At the question, Mok Kyung-un's eyes narrowed.
The Blood River Gorge ceremony had ended only recently.
How did this man already know about him?
Then,
-Thud! Swipe!
Jang Neung-ak lifted Mok Kyung-un's chin with the fan in his hand.
Sneering, he said,
"You barely feel peak-entry level. How did a guy like you top the Blood River Gorge trials?"
What should he say here?
As he pondered, Cheong-ryeong's voice whispered in his ear.
-Bow low as possible. Not the time to clash with skill or backing.
The opponent was the Society Leader's second disciple.
Aiming for next Society Leader, he wielded massive influence here.
Irking him could mean getting tripped up before acting.
Mok Kyung-un had that much sense, of course.
"It was just luck. Thank you for the kind words..."
Right at that moment.
Jang Neung-ak's index and middle fingers thrust toward Mok Kyung-un's eyes in a blink.
In that split second, Mok Kyung-un judged.
'A test.'
This was undoubtedly a test.
Jang Neung-ak doubted his peak-entry aura and was probing his true skill.
Mok Kyung-un's choice was simple.
"Eek."
He fluttered his eyes shut and twitched his body slightly.
Dodging would be unnatural, and keeping eyes open suspicious—so he played the weakling to the hilt.
-Pak!
Just before Mok Kyung-un's closed eyes, Jang Neung-ak's fingers halted by a hair.
Halting his fingers, Jang Neung-ak smirked.
One of his entourage, a red-clad woman in her early twenties with thick lips, laughed similarly and said,
"Not as rumored, it seems. Young master."
"Looks that way."
Jang Neung-ak nodded in agreement, withdrawing his hand with a shake of his head.
Seemed he had fooled them successfully.
-Well done. Mortal.
Cheong-ryeong approved of Mok Kyung-un's handling this time.
But then,
"For someone startled into flinching, his heartbeat is remarkably steady. Young master."
"What?"
Jang Neung-ak turned to look at someone.
There stood a middle-aged man with long hair, eyes blindfolded in black cloth, leaning on a bamboo staff.
He possessed the calmest aura among them.
Like a still lake—blind, perhaps?
As he wondered,
"If my ears don't deceive me, that one ahead felt no surprise at all. Young master."
[.......No surprise at all?]
At those words, Jang Neung-ak whipped back, glaring fiercely at Mok Kyung-un.
Mok Kyung-un quietly clicked his tongue.
He had acted faithfully, but things were getting annoying.
End of Chapter 37 Reunion (2)