Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Translator: Penny
Chapter 54
Closer (3)
She woke up very early.
She went to bed so late and woke up so early that I wondered if she even slept at all. I suspected she might have spent the short night circulating her Qi and regulating her breathing instead of sleeping.
After waking up early, she went up the mountain behind the residence and came back down. She probably trained there.
Through Jeong Yeo, I asked the subordinates and learned that she hadn't missed a morning training session since arriving here.
From this, I deduced something crucial.
She wasn't here to protect Ma Jeongsu. If she were his bodyguard, she would have been guarding him. But she wasn't guarding him; she was observing him. Just as I was observing her.
As someone determined to eliminate Ma Jeongsu, I couldn't help but feel relieved.
I even considered tailing her to observe her training methods. But I ultimately decided against it. Nothing would be worse than revealing my presence to her, so I avoided pushing my luck.
In the end, I could only roughly guess at her martial prowess.
If I could reveal my aura, I might be able to more accurately assess her level, but for now, I was completely concealing myself. Judging by her lack of military badge, I speculated that she might practice Fist Arts.
However, based on her gait and aura, her skills were clearly formidable.
Her martial skills were likely comparable to Si Gon's, or perhaps slightly inferior. Considering her age, this was an extraordinary level of proficiency.
Her martial prowess and overall aura...
The initial impression that she might be a secret weapon trained by some clandestine organization grew increasingly compelling.
Regardless of her true identity, I needed to use her.
After all, I had to report back that Ma Jeongsu had been eliminated by the Night Merchants. In that regard, her role was crucial.
The next night, I stood by the pond, gazing into its depths.
Fine white lotus blossoms shimmered in the water's light, and the fragrance of lotus blossoms drifted on the autumn wind. A few carps swam in the pond, but their movements were sluggish, perhaps due to the late hour.
Why was she staring at this so intently? Did she want to save the carps? Or did she want to kill them?
Suddenly, I noticed the moon reflected in the water.
It occurred to me that perhaps she wasn't looking at the carps at all, but at the moon.
After watching for a while, I turned around and saw her standing in front of a distant building, gazing in my direction.
Normally, she would have simply turned and gone inside, but instead, she slowly walked toward me.
She approached and stood beside me.
I pretended she wasn't there, not acknowledging her as I stared down into the pond.
"Isn't that strange?" I asked.
She glanced at me.
"I'm asking if it's strange to treat someone as if they're invisible when they're clearly right in front of you."
She turned back to gaze at the pond and murmured:
"Absolutely not."
Her voice was so soft that most people wouldn't have understood her. But I heard her clearly. It was her first word.
This time, I kept my reply curt:
"True."
She turned to look at me, her expression asking why I had said "true."
"After all, whether you live this way or that, it's a lifetime. It might be easier to avoid entanglements with people and live alone."
She turned her head back toward the pond.
"You won't tell me your name?"
After gazing at the lotus for a moment, she suddenly spoke:
"Is a name really that important?"
It sounded like a soliloquy, but it was the first time she had properly spoken.
"People matter more than names, I suppose. But we still need some way to address each other, don't you think? Hey, you there, we can't just call you 'that'."
She remained silent, and I spoke as if I had given up.
"Fine. Since you won't acknowledge me anyway, what does it matter what I call you? Whether I call you Pond, Carp, or anything else, you'll still be you."
She continued to gaze expressionlessly at the pond.
For some reason, her solitude didn't feel unpleasant. Instead, I sensed a kind of kinship. Perhaps it was because I had realized that my own life had also been steeped in profound loneliness.
"I apologize if I said something inappropriate."
At my apology, her lips twitched slightly. She seemed hesitant, as if she wanted to say something.
Just then, someone called out to me from afar.
"Gal Muin!"
Ma Jeongsu was waving at me from in front of the building. His appearance dispelled the hesitation on the woman's face.
"Yes," I replied loudly and ran toward him.
Ma Jeongsu's face was stern as he asked, "What did you discuss with her?"
"Nothing much. I asked for her name, but she didn't answer."
"Didn't I tell you not to pay her any mind?" Frustration seeped into his voice.
"My apologies. We met by chance..."
"Come to my room later."
"Yes."
Ma Jeongsu entered the building.
When I turned back, the woman had vanished without a trace.
When I entered Ma Jeongsu's room, I found him drinking alone.
"Come here and have a drink," he said, his earlier irritable demeanor somewhat subdued.
I accepted the drink he offered.
"Drink it all in one go."
"Yes."
I drank it without hesitation. As I drank, I realized there was another matter I needed to resolve as quickly as possible: a matter related to poison.
In my previous life, I had reached the realm of Invulnerability to All Poisons. This allowed me to eat and drink freely, without restraint.
But Byeok Ridan's body was not the same.
To achieve Invulnerability to All Poisons, one's very constitution must change. Instead of circulating Qi to block the poison, the body must render the poison completely ineffective.
Having experienced Invulnerability to All Poisons myself, I knew the method to achieve it.
First, you need a highly potent poison. Something easily obtained from the market won't do; it must be extremely toxic. Even a strong poison won't work if it's artificially manufactured.
In other words, even the Formless Poison, considered the most lethal in the Martial Arts World, is useless because it's man-made. The poison must be natural, like the inner core of a venomous snake or a toxic herb. Crucially, it must still be alive when ingested.
Of course, that's not enough. At the critical moment, you need an antidote to neutralize it.
You'll be poisoned to the brink of death, and only at the decisive moment will you be saved by the antidote. It's an incredibly difficult process, as even the slightest mistake could lead to death, even after taking the antidote.
Another desperate truth is that surviving in such a manner doesn't automatically grant you Invulnerability to all poisons. It's a complex interplay of multiple factors that results in a very low probability of achieving this state.
It requires bold courage and Heavenly Fortune.
Having experienced Invulnerability to all poisons once before, I would consider attempting it again if I had the necessary preparations in place.
However, obtaining the poison and antidote themselves is so difficult that it can only be described as a stroke of luck.
"Association Leader Jeong spoke highly of you."
"I still have much to learn."
"Here, have another drink."
I drank another cup of wine.
He brought up the woman from earlier.
"I understand your interest in women, given your youth. But find a better woman than that one."
"She must be quite a bad woman," I said with a joking smile.
Ma Jeongsu answered seriously. "Worse than that. She's as dangerous as a snake. As you know, a man can ruin his life by choosing the wrong woman."
"Yes, I understand," I replied.
As he spoke, a flicker of irritation crossed his face. It made their relationship clear.
I didn't mention her again. There was no need to draw attention to the matter.
Soon, Ma Jeongsu brought up the reason he had called me.
"I need some money..."
"I thought the Main Association was providing financial support."
Jeong Yeo had initially given him ten thousand taels. Since she intended to recover it all eventually, she told him not to hold back.
"That's not enough."
"How much do you need?"
"One hundred thousand taels."
I feigned surprise, then asked as if I knew nothing about it, "How long do you need it for?"
"The sooner the better, but I must secure it within five days at the latest."
"One hundred thousand taels in five days?"
I put on a serious, thoughtful expression before cautiously speaking. From now on, every word mattered.
"There is one way."
"What is it?"
"Have you heard of the Night Merchants?"
"Night Merchants? Of course. Aren't they the ones who lend money at exorbitant interest rates? I've heard they're utterly ruthless."
"Exactly. They're best avoided at all costs."
I told him bluntly, even emphasizing my words slightly.
"They're dirty, despicable, and venomous. Once they hold a grudge, they'll stop at nothing to kill their target. They're the kind who freely use hidden weapons banned by the Martial Arts World."
The Martial Arts Alliance had prohibited the use of hidden weapons fired from mechanisms, deeming them dishonorable to martial artists. Poison-tipped hidden weapons were similarly forbidden. Those caught using them would be imprisoned in the Dungeon.
Yet, in the Martial Arts World, there were always those who defied the Alliance Decree. The Night Merchants were among them.
"You're telling me to borrow money from those people?"
"They're the only way to get one hundred thousand taels within five days."
A moment of silence followed.
"Do they really have one hundred thousand taels?"
"As far as I've heard, the Night Merchants have amassed tremendous wealth through secret dealings with regional merchants. They could certainly mobilize one hundred thousand taels."
"Good. Let's assume they have the money, as you say. Would they really lend such a vast sum so easily? I don't have any collateral."
"Why don't you have collateral?"
"What do you mean?"
"You yourself are the greatest collateral, Great Hero Ma."
"Me as collateral?"
"You are the successor to the Heavenly Blade Gate. What could be a more secure guarantee than that?"
A flicker of pride crossed Ma Jeongsu's face. In these desperate times, such flattery must have felt like a refreshing rain to him.
Despite this, Ma Jeongsu hesitated. He seemed to feel a natural aversion to the Night Merchants.
In such situations, pushing too hard is counterproductive. Sometimes, taking a step back is the most effective approach.
"My apologies, I shouldn't have brought it up. Please pretend I said nothing."
"No, it's worth considering."
After all, it was the only way he could raise the money he needed in just a few days.
"Can you contact them?"
"Of course."
Having mulled it over, Ma Jeongsu drained his cup and said:
"Reach out to them."
"Yes."
I finished the remaining liquor in one gulp.
I felt a twinge of guilt; I hadn't yet removed the pellet I'd planted in him.
News flew through the Night Merchants.
"Ma Jeongsu has informed us that he will be visiting."
Gucheol was startled by Yacheon's words.
"Could he have found out about us killing Si Gon?"
"Perhaps."
But even so, they never imagined Ma Jeongsu would come personally.
"First, let's evade him!"
"Eve him?"
"I'll take responsibility and meet with him myself."
"You fool! What do you think you can do?!"
"My apologies."
Yacheon roared, but inwardly, he felt pleased. Gucheol was a hot-tempered and impatient man, but at least he remained loyal to Yacheon.
"Then what should we do?"
Even though he wasn't sure why he had come, Yacheon couldn't afford to flee in fear. He couldn't abandon the foundation he had spent years building, nor could he show such weakness to his subordinates.
The henchmen of the Night Merchants were rough and cruel. To command such men, one had to display venom and backbone—even if it meant risking death.
Yacheon's eyes narrowed as he steeled himself for battle.
"Gather the bravest and most skilled men. Stockpile as many Hidden Weapons as possible. If anyone tries anything funny, we'll have to kill them all. Retreat will be our last resort."
The next day, we boarded a carriage and headed toward the Night Merchants' headquarters.
In the carriage were Ma Jeongsu and myself.
The Mysterious Woman watched us depart but didn't accompany us. I suspected she might follow separately, perhaps having applied a Tracking Scent to Ma Jeongsu.
"Do you really think that bastard will lend us money?"
Ma Jeongsu seemed uneasy. Had Si Gon and Elder Flower Fan been with us, he would have been resolute, but in this situation, he was naturally apprehensive.
"You must be firm with him."
"Firm?"
"The creatures of the shadows are weak against the strong but ruthless to the weak. The Night Merchants may be infamous in the Martial Arts World, but at their core, they're no different from the King of Hell Stronghold or the Wastrels. Moreover, we're heading to a backwater Night Merchant outpost in a remote village in Shandong. There's nothing to fear."
Ma Jeongsu seemed to draw courage from my words.
"With you here, I feel completely secure."
"You flatter me. Leave this matter entirely to me."
I narrowed my eyes, radiating intense ambition.
"As you wish."
Ma Jeongsu would likely feel relieved. After all, if things went wrong, he could simply blame me and make his escape.
And so, the carriage arrived at the Night Merchants' stronghold.