Chapter 35
Chapter 35
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: White Close to Utter Transparency
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"It's admirable that you don't want to eat for free... but you didn't come to our Qingcheng Sect as a chore boy. You're our guest. So asking you to do kitchen work or the like is simply absurd."
'Damn it. That's not what I meant. This sounds like they're teasing me a bit before kicking me out. With even Jong Ri-hyeok offering zero help, I need to cling on somehow.'
"Please reconsider. Cleaning the latrines or anything like that is fine."
He put on the saddest expression he could muster as he spoke.
"Please... don't chase me away. This vast world may be wide, but I... have nowhere else to go with this body of mine."
Hong Gu-geum seemed quite flustered, clearing his throat several times before replying.
"Who said anything about chasing you away? I just meant... you should rest easy."
Han Ibi bowed deeply in gratitude.
"As expected of the gracious Sect Leader I've heard so much about. Thank you. Truly, thank you."
All-out over-the-top acting. This much should keep them from tossing me out carelessly.
In any case, Hong Gu-geum and Elder Yi Sin-song appeared thoroughly thrown off by the unexpected turn.
Hong Gu-geum cleared his throat a few more times before saying,
"Well then... off you go."
"Yes, understood."
Seo Ui-jae led Han Ibi out.
Watching them go, Hong Gu-geum muttered,
"What a... peculiar fellow."
Yi Sin-song replied,
"I looked into him everywhere, and he's a real scoundrel through and through."
Hong Gu-geum frowned.
"So why did the Sichuan Tang Clan advise us to keep a close eye on a punk like that?"
"The 'Tang family member' there said it plainly. He might be the one using deadly poisons."
"Seriously... did the Nine Heavenly Clans really back off because of that fool's poison arts?"
"Who knows. Maybe the Tang Clan is the one stepping back. As you know, using poison isn't exactly honorable."
Hong Gu-geum pondered for a moment before saying,
"In any case, keep a sharp watch on him. Especially make sure he doesn't sneak into the kitchens or near the wells under the pretense of helping with meals."
"Yes, understood."
"By the way... is what the Murim Alliance told us true? We got intel that a bunch of Zhongli Clan folks have gone missing."
"It seems that way."
"Any link to the Zhongli Formless Art?"
"Nothing confirmed yet."
"Did you tell Jong Ri-hyeok?"
"No need to mention unverified rumors prematurely. Even though we've taken him in, getting tangled with the Zhongli Clan does us no favors."
"Right... got it. I just wonder if their troubles have anything to do with that Jong Ri-mae punk."
Yi Sin-song rubbed his chin.
"We'll find out soon enough by watching."
Han Ibi said sheepishly,
"Um... Elder."
Seo Ui-jae turned to him.
"What is it?"
"I have a request."
Seo Ui-jae smiled warmly.
"Speak it."
"My appearance... it's a total mess. I've been bedridden for so long."
Seo Ui-jae smacked his forehead as if just realizing.
"You're right. What was I thinking? I had you meet the Sect Leader looking like that. My oversight."
And indeed, Han Ibi hadn't properly washed during his injury recovery. His state was wretched.
Not just the ragged clothes, but the grime from no baths for ages reeked foully.
"Is there somewhere around here I can bathe?"
They say you don't appreciate something until it's gone. Like air.
Han Ibi missed it terribly right now.
The hot stream from a showerhead.
How had he never noticed its bliss when he had it?
But this wasn't bad either.
Thanks to Seo Ui-jae's arrangements, he filled a bathtub and scrubbed clean.
'Yeah... be grateful for what you have. This is luxury enough.'
But nostalgia didn't stop there.
Shower gel foaming with surfactant, shampoo... even a bar of soap...
He shook his head vigorously.
'No, I just thought to be grateful a minute ago, and here I am with these cheeky thoughts...'
The tub was full of filth.
'Ugh. No doubt about it—I really hadn't bathed properly in ages.'
Han Ibi whistled as he stepped out of the bath chamber.
There were clothes.
Blue Taoist robes. Qingcheng Sect uniform, basically.
All courtesy of Seo Ui-jae.
'Hmm. Not sure if it's okay to wear someone else's robes willy-nilly... but Elder Seo really is a good soul.'
But the moment he slipped into the fresh, fluffy garb, all qualms vanished.
'Whoa! Feels amazing.'
Han Ibi stepped out in high spirits, grinning unwittingly.
'Now... where was my quarters again...'
He looked around, eyes sharp to find the right path.
Who was Han Ibi? The universally acknowledged directionally challenged guy.
He wandered nearly half a shichen trying to find the guest quarters.
'Argh, this is maddening. Better ask someone.'
Just then.
He sensed presences.
Delighted, Han Ibi spun around and called,
"Hey, excuse me!"
"Eek!"
A startled yelp. Two young women stood behind him.
One glared wide-eyed and shouted,
"You scared me!"
She approached suspiciously.
"What's this? Qingcheng Sect robes... but your face doesn't ring a bell. No word of new disciples either."
She looked familiar.
Her face, at least to Han Ibi.
First face he'd locked eyes with after waking from his stupor, wandering lost.
That's right.
She was the girl giggling over a romance novel when he awoke.
"Ah!"
She seemed to remember too.
"You're..."
Han Ibi clasped his hands in salute.
"I've always been grateful. I am..."
"Jong Ri-mae! Right?"
As Han Ibi lit up to reply,
"The Zhongli Ruffian. That's your nickname, yeah?"
Gasp. Is that even worthy of being called a nickname...?
"But you look... different somehow."
She tilted her head, scanning him up and down.
"...Why's your skin so damn glossy? A guy looking like a girl..."
The scent matched too.
That ominous whiff he'd caught first sight of her...
Han Ibi said,
"I... took a bath."
She jumped back in shock.
"Then that means..."
Han Ibi met her gaze, wondering what she meant.
"...it was all just sweat and grime? Ew, gross!"
She waved her hands and grimaced.
But he had no retort.
He'd confirmed it himself.
He felt thoroughly offended. Still, home sweet quarters beckoned.
Han Ibi tamped down his rising ire and asked,
"Well, yeah, too long without washing. Sorry if it bothered you. Anyway... I'm lost trying to find the guest quarters..."
She pointed.
"Right over there."
Indeed. It was there.
He'd circled behind in his wandering and missed it.
Han Ibi scratched his head awkwardly.
"R-right. I was already there and didn't realize..."
"Eek!"
She shrieked.
"Why?"
"Why scratch your head? Dandruff falling out or what?"
"......"
She burst into laughter.
"Why the long face like you ate shit? Kidding. Kidding. Wanted to test the infamous Zhongli Ruffian's rep, but it's all hype, huh?"
What kind of girl is this?
Han Ibi was too flabbergasted to respond.
She said,
"Anyway, you're done here, right?"
"Y-yeah."
"Good. I'm Yeo Nan-ju. This is my junior sister, 'Won Yeong-seon.' If you're sticking around, we'll bump into each other, so here's our names."
Whoa.
Talk about spectacle.
But wait.
'Huh? That name sounds familiar...'
Han Ibi racked his brain.
Then it hit him.
'Aha! Got it. That girl... she's like... a side heroine? Supporting character?'
Yeo Nan-ju was a headache throughout the novel.
She obsessively crushed on protagonist Jong Ri-hyeok, but her tomboyish, bitchy temper led to constant mishaps.
'Right... if Zhongli Clan has Jong Ri-mae, Qingcheng Sect has Yeo Nan-ju... Ugh. Of all the night watch shifts, why hers? What rotten luck.'
She suddenly yelled, startling him.
"What? Standing there zoning out. Answer when someone's talking!"
Han Ibi quickly replied,
"Sorry. Lady Yeo, Lady Won. Pleased to meet you. See you around."
"Great. Off you go then."
"Uh, y-yes..."
What the hell. That bitch.
As the women walked away, one whispered, reaching Han Ibi's sharpened ears.
"What's with you? So rude to a guest."
Yeo Nan-ju looked incredulous.
"Rude? You saying that? Junior sister, you must've never heard of the Zhongli Ruffian."
"Nope... haven't."
"Good. Better keep it that way. Knowing'll just piss you off..."
"Hoho, that bad? His face isn't half bad, though."
Yeo Nan-ju stuck out her tongue.
"Ugh! You've got weird tastes. Half bad? He looks like lumpy rice flour all mashed together..."
'What? R-rice flour...'
Han Ibi nearly choked swallowing.
Han Ibi glared at the mirror by his bed.
Guest quarters came equipped for tidying appearances.
'Hmm... I haven't really turned into rice flour, have I?'
The absorption of that 'Thousand-Leaf Flower' nagged at him.
And after that weird girl's words, unease gnawed deeper.
After agonizing, he slowly approached the mirror.
Thump thump thump.
'Gasp!'
Han Ibi nearly stopped breathing in shock.
The facial contours were definitely Jong Ri-mae's.
But this was too much...
'She was right! Damn it!'
His skin genuinely gleamed.
Snowy white.
No—white bordering on translucent.
'So this is...'
That's right.
In modern terms, prime 'beauty' material.
Han Ibi hastily hiked up his pant leg to check down there.
They were...
Thankfully intact.
Though even 'that' had turned 'pale'...
Just then, Seo Ui-jae entered. His kindly face asked,
"Hey, Jong Ri-mae. Bath go well...? Hmm?"
Seo Ui-jae widened his eyes in surprise.
"You... were you always this..."
Han Ibi cut in quickly,
"Yes. No baths forever, filth overflowing like crazy."
"No, not that—were you always this... pale?"
Han Ibi forced an awkward smile.
"Ahaha. W-well... as a kid, I didn't get much sun..."
(To be continued in the next chapter)