Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: The Power Borrowing Sorcerer
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Wang Chil-hyeon was striking at Han Ibi's nape with the divine power left in his remaining hand.
Han Ibi swiftly unleashed Zhongli Swift Leopard Step to shift his body aside.
Wang Chil-hyeon's attack barely missed by a hair's breadth.
But was it a feint?
His fist came barreling straight toward Han Ibi's solar plexus.
This one was impossible to dodge.
Han Ibi squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the horrific pain about to hit.
That was when it happened.
Crack!
A gruesome sound of bones grinding.
Behind Wang Chil-hyeon, who collapsed off-balance, appeared the massive figure of a shirtless man.
"How dare you touch my little sister."
He had somehow finished off the bamboo thugs and closed in to take out Wang Chil-hyeon.
The man approached to check on the girl's condition.
His eyes fell on the bloodied, battered men strewn about like scorch marks on the ground.
That's when it suddenly hit Han Ibi—the quest.
'Booze... I have to sell booze...'
Trying to hawk drinks to the villagers at a time like this would be utterly pathetic.
But... it was a system mission. Shouldn't he do it anyway...?
Then a thought flashed through his mind.
'Right. From everything I've seen so far, this guy's quests only care about the result.'
Han Ibi turned to the burly man crouched beside the girl, checking her breathing.
"Uh, mister."
The big man turned his head.
"Not mister. I'm single."
"Ah. R-right. Is your sister okay?"
"Looks like she'll be fine, luckily. Thank you for the help."
"Glad to hear it. But... this might be out of left field given the situation... how much was that booze again?"
"Booze? You mean our Qi Flame Brew?"
"Yeah. The one that's great for long-term health benefits."
"Oh, that. Ten nyang per bottle. You buying?"
"Whoa. That's steep."
"Like I said, it's top-shelf stuff. We brought it as gifts for important folks. Circumstances forced us to sell it off quick."
"Got it. Got it. Anyway, mind if I borrow one bottle real quick?"
With that, Han Ibi sauntered off.
He grabbed a bottle from the stack of booze he'd set up on the sales platform, then turned back around.
Toward the mustached man, who stood dazed and lost, his thug buddies all gone—what was he to do now?
His boss was dead, his comrades crippled beyond recovery.
He was surrounded in the enemy's lair, alone.
His darting eyes betrayed his panic.
As Han Ibi approached, he flinched into a defensive stance.
Han Ibi spoke.
"Hey."
"W-what?"
Even though Han Ibi looked like a kid brother, the man was wound tight, ending his words politely.
"What do you mean 'what'? When someone's calling you, answer properly, yeah?"
Nice. Check out my people-handling skills. All those movies paid off.
"Wh-what do you want?"
"You got money?"
The mustached man stuttered at the unexpected question.
"M-money?"
"Yeah. How many times I gotta say it? Got some silver on you?"
"Y-yeah. I collected from the next village over this morning."
"Perfect timing."
"Wh-what do you mean?"
Han Ibi flashed a grin so wide it was creepy, then shoved the bottle of Qi Flame Brew right in the man's face.
"You. You're buying this booze."
"W-what?"
"Buy some booze. Didn't you hear? Good for the body. Long-term benefits and all."
"Ah... that..."
The mustached man gawked at Han Ibi in utter bewilderment.
The villagers were just as baffled.
Silence fell over the market clearing for a moment.
Then an old man with a long beard nodded knowingly and burst into hearty laughter.
"Hah hah ha. I get it. I get it."
A nearby woman tilted her head.
"What do you mean you get it, old timer?"
"That's why you're still green. That young hero over there is punishing these thugs and helping out the booze peddlers—no, wait, the liquor sellers. His handling of the matter is righteous and just, clear good triumphing over evil. Despite his youth, he's surely a famed orthodox sect's top disciple in merchant disguise."
The woman nodded in sudden realization and chimed in with a smile.
"Of course! To think we'd witness a famed orthodox sect's top disciple in person—our village's honor. No wonder he's not just handsome, but strikingly so. If a stranger saw him, they'd think he was some pleasure quarter pretty boy..."
Han Ibi's lips twitched up at "handsome."
"Hey now. What're you saying? His skin's so soft and pale, just like a girl's..."
The old man caught his slip and clamped his mouth shut.
Thanks to his sharp hearing, Han Ibi had enjoyed the first half, but the twist at the end made him shoot the old man a glare without thinking.
He turned back to hound the innocent mustached man.
"Come on. We're both busy. No dragging this out. You buying or not?"
"Ah, well..."
"What, no? Fine, can't force you."
Han Ibi stepped back two paces, stretched with a neck-cracking pop, and rested his hand on his sword hilt.
"Whoa, young hero! Haha. Why the attitude?"
"Attitude? Just fought a scrap, body's stiff. Time for some exercise."
"Hahaha. Young hero, I love booze... and this one's healthy too. Sounds perfect."
"Then buy. If you like it that much, ten bottles oughta do."
"Ah, uh... the price..."
"Three hundred nyang."
"What? You said ten nyang a bottle back there..."
"Oh, you were eavesdropping, huh? Right, ten per bottle makes three hundred for ten."
"No... that's not right. Doesn't make sense."
Han Ibi pulled his eye muscles taut into a fierce glare.
"True. It doesn't make sense. But that's how you thugs have always lived—forcing everything to bend to the strong's whims."
Damn, even I wrote it, but it's kinda cool. Gotta jot this down later.
Still, the mustached man hesitated, eyes rolling.
Han Ibi waved dismissively, annoyed.
"Look at this guy scheming. Forget it. Too dirty and cheap. Not selling to you. I'll peddle to those folks instead. See ya later."
Han Ibi turned toward the two thugs groaning on the ground from his hidden weapons.
The mustached man darted in to block him.
"When did I say no? Ten bottles. Hand 'em over. I'll buy."
Only then did Han Ibi grin.
"Smart choice. Drink up till you burst, live long and prosper."
Then he switched faces entirely and added,
"Not that you'll ever recover anyway... If you harass the villagers over this, I won't let it slide. As for my backing... eh..."
Han Ibi shook his head dramatically.
"Don't wanna drag my sect's name through the mud. So, considering the circumstances, I'll keep this quiet in my heart. Got it?"
"Y-yes, young hero. Don't worry."
Han Ibi took the three hundred nyang from the mustached man.
Then came the familiar ding.
Eh? That's it?
Then another ding.
Huh?
That jogged his memory—what 'gambling' was.
This is straight-up gambling!
But... not money, but 'Internal Energy' as the bet?
Twenty Internal Energy... precious Internal Energy... Man, tough call. Not a small stake...
From experience, Internal Energy let him sustain martial arts longer and boosted power and speed massively.
Hmm... wants me to risk it on a round... what to do...
Then a ding.
'Wait! System!'
'Stop, I said! Yes! Yes!'
Suddenly, lights flashed before his eyes like a slot machine spinning.
Then...
Drum roll!
'Oho? Class change? Finally! Finally, a ray of light even in a rat hole? Escape this damn waiter gig for a proper murim job!'
Han Ibi felt his heart quicken just a bit.
Ding.
Pfft! What the—?!
Power Borrowing Sorcerer?
What the hell.
Fancy name for booze peddler—drop the 'booze' and it's still just a quack salesman!
Why does it always change to crap like this~!
'There are so many cool jobs in wuxia novels!'
'Wha—? So basically, it wipes built-up skills on principle, but makes exceptions for evolved ones... No big martial arts loss, but losing my hard-earned cooking skills would be tragic. Whew, lucky anyway!'
The system's message wasn't over.
Han Ibi pondered briefly.
'Honestly... waiter or booze peddler, six of one, half dozen of the other... But Power Borrower might involve smashing bricks with martial arts or something, a smidge better... Nothing left to lose anyway. Can't waste the Internal Energy I spent. Alright! Decided. Yes.'
'Yes!'
Eh? For real? That '借 (cha)' is the 'borrow' like in loan or debit? Not 'scam' or something? Borrow what? [...medicine or divine power to toughen body and qi.] Whoa! Real talk? That's the power borrowing?
Han Ibi waited, but no more details came.
'What... skimpy lore database?'
Then another ding.
Whoa! Charm... I got enough already. Useless stat. Swap for something else!
Sigh. As if the system would listen... What was I hoping for...
"Hey, young man. What're you spacing out for?"
He snapped to—the man in traveler's robes waving a hand in his face.
Han Ibi startled back a step.
The crowd that had gathered was mostly dispersed now that things had settled.
Han Ibi split the three hundred nyang in half and handed a hundred fifty to the man.
No more peddling herbs now.
Such profound meaning... Thanks, system!
The man chuckled as if amused, taking the money.
"Much obliged. Haha."
(To be continued in the next chapter)