Chapter 96
Chapter 96
Translator: Penny
Chapter 96
Beyond the Door (3)
Song Hwarin had seen Gwangdu a few times before. Until now, she had only known him as a servant of Byeok Ridan from the Byeok Clan Sword School.
But the Gwangdu now demonstrating his martial arts before her seemed more like a true martial artist than any she had ever encountered.
Whoosh!
Gwangdu's blade slashed through the air with such force, it seemed to tear the very fabric of space. Having fully mastered the South Sea Seven Forms and practiced diligently every day, his power was now incomparable to when he first learned the technique.
Normally, one should turn away immediately upon witnessing someone else's martial arts practice. But the sheer beauty and power of Gwangdu's blade arts held her gaze captive.
Only belatedly did she turn, her movement betraying her presence.
Gwangdu immediately halted his practice and turned to face her.
"Who's there?"
At his question, she turned away again.
Gwangdu's eyes widened in shock as he recognized Song Hwarin.
"H-huh?!"
His surprise was so intense that it startled Song Hwarin as well.
"Young Lady?"
"Yes, it's me."
"Uwaaaah! How did you end up here, Young Lady?"
Gwangdu rushed over and bowed deeply to her.
His excessively formal greeting prompted Song Hwarin to bow in return.
Gwangdu leaped back in alarm.
"Why would you lower yourself to bow to a lowly servant like me?"
"Lowly? Don't say such things."
She had never once looked down on servants. Besides, the martial arts skills Gwangdu had just displayed were formidable enough to command respect from anyone.
"But what brings you to this place?"
"I came to Wuhan on an errand for my father. I heard you were staying at this inn, so I stopped by. The Innkeeper mentioned you practice martial arts here, so I came to see."
To my surprise, I found Gwangdu, not Byeok Ridan, practicing martial arts.
Gwangdu wore a regretful expression.
"The Young Master isn't here right now."
"Ah, I see. No worries, I just stopped by."
Of course, I was disappointed. I had volunteered for this errand specifically to see Byeok Ridan.
I had considered the possibility of missing him since I hadn't given advance notice, but the reality of not seeing him still stung.
"Please tell him I stopped by."
"Of course."
Gwangdu looked even more regretful. After all, he was Song Hwarin's most ardent supporter.
"Young Lady," he said.
"Yes?"
"Don't let our Young Master slip away!"
Song Hwarin was startled by this sudden remark. She had never expected Gwangdu to say something like that.
Gwangdu was serious. In his earnest gaze, Song Hwarin could see his genuine concern for Byeok Ridan. His words weren't for her own sake, but for Byeok Ridan's. Feeling this sincerity, she found herself feeling grateful and even friendly toward Gwangdu.
Song Hwarin replied with conviction, "Yes."
Even after answering, Song Hwarin was surprised by her own vehemence. She hadn't realized she could respond with such force, especially when she rarely revealed her true feelings even to Suran.
Perhaps it was the supportive energy she felt from Gwangdu. Or perhaps it was her own desperate longing for someone to believe in her.
She smiled and added, "In return, please help me a lot."
Gwangdu grinned brightly and declared loudly, "Don't worry! I'm always on your side, Young Lady!"
The very next day after drinking with Im Yeonjeong, Ma Lingyin came to find me.
"How was yesterday?"
"What do you mean?"
When I feigned ignorance, Ma Lingyin smiled mysteriously.
"It seems you took a liking to her."
"Why do you say that?"
"It's written all over your face. You really enjoyed yourself."
"That's impossible."
I walked over to the mirror and looked at my reflection. The unfamiliar face of The Nameless One stared back at me impassively. Before I could even adjust to Byeok Ridan's face, I was already seeing a new one every day.
But it didn't matter. What my face looked like was irrelevant. I was on a long journey to find the sword of my heart.
"There's nothing written on my face at all."
"Hahaha! How could you possibly see my feelings for a woman in my eyes?"
I sat down across from him again and said, "To be honest, I like her."
"What do you like about her so much?"
"She's beautiful, her figure is stunning, and she's even intelligent. She's truly captivating. I'd risk my life to be with a woman like that."
"But she's dangerous."
"I prefer dangerous women."
I glared at him and asked, "Could it be? Are you jealous?"
"Hahaha! Of course not! I'm not the kind of man who covets his friend's woman."
"Friend?"
I showed a hint of surprise, but he declared confidently, "Yes, friend."
"Very well. Then prove it."
"How?"
"Take me to her right now!"
Ma Lingyin shook his head, a troubled expression on his face.
"I drank last night. It wouldn't be right to disrupt work again today."
I gave him an "I told you so" look.
"Heh heh. Of course."
"It's for your own good, you know."
Ma Lingyin was indeed a master strategist. He knew that making me wait would only intensify my desire to see her, making the eventual meeting even more effective.
If his opponent had been anyone else, they would have fallen completely for his manipulation. Many others likely had in the past, and it was this very skill that had earned him his position. If even his tail was this cunning, how formidable must the true body and head be?
Eulji.
"I'll treat you to a grand drink tonight."
"Hahaha! Excellent!"
Ma Lingyin's direct involvement meant he had a purpose.
That day, I went to a brothel with Ma Lingyin, where we drank and caroused to our hearts' content.
Only when he was thoroughly drunk did he finally reveal his true colors.
He began by sighing deeply.
"You'll make the ground sink. What's troubling you?"
"Nothing."
"Don't lie. Tell me what's bothering you."
He downed several more drinks and dismissed all the courtesans. Only then did he finally reveal his troubled heart.
"When the Golden Grand Banquet is held, my father and brothers will come here."
"That's to be expected."
"Then I'll have to see my brother."
"Your brother?"
"Ma Cheolgun."
"Ah, you mean Great Hero Ma, the most likely successor?"
He scoffed.
"Great Hero Ma? Don't make me laugh. He's the last person who deserves to be called a 'Great Hero.' He's a man whose true nature is the complete opposite of his public image."
"Is that really true?"
"He's been committing all sorts of vile deeds behind the scenes—murder, rape, everything."
I couldn't know what kind of person Ma Cheolgun truly was. But at least I was certain that everything Ma Lingyin was saying now was either a lie or slander.
"There's not a single trustworthy person in this Martial Arts World," he said dismissively, as if none of this concerned him.
Yet Ma Lingyin continued to spew venomous words about Ma Cheolgun, working to paint him as a man who deserved to die.
"To think I'd have to lose the successor position to a man like that!"
He groaned in anguish and downed another shot of liquor.
"Do you know why I'm doing this? To reclaim my rightful place as heir from him."
"But how will you reclaim it?"
Ma Lingyin remained silent.
I spoke his thoughts aloud: "You plan to kill him."
Ma Lingyin lowered his head without answering, then slowly raised it to meet my gaze.
Despair, fueled by alcohol, filled his face. This raw vulnerability, which he had never shown before, made him appear all the more intense and pitiable.
Before I knew it, I blurted out, "I..."
But I swallowed the words "I'll kill him for you." I could feel the urge, but this was not a matter to be decided rashly.
Ma Lingyin raised his glass, and I silently toasted him.
That was the last drink. Our drinking session had reached its end.
For several days, Ma Lingyin didn't come to see me.
Instead, Chu Dochi visited and assigned me another simple task: eliminating a villain worth six thousand taels. Maintaining the Nameless Great Hero's reputation was paramount. Though the hero's fame had waned somewhat in Zhengzhou due to preparations for the Golden Grand Banquet, his popularity continued to soar in other regions.
This latest act of eliminating a villain would undoubtedly reignite public interest in the Nameless Great Hero.
I completed the task as quickly as possible and informed Chu Dochi of my desire to meet with Ma Lingyin.
Two days later, Ma Lingyin himself came to find me. He was operating according to a meticulously planned strategy.
"I drank too much that day," he said.
"I was equally drunk and remember nothing," I replied.
"It's fortunate you've forgotten my drunken antics."
"I remember one thing."
"One thing?"
"The work you wanted to do. The story about your brother."
Ma Lingyin's expression flickered with surprise.
"I've been thinking about it deeply since that day," I said after a pause. "I'll do it for you."
"What?"
"Didn't you say we were destined to meet?"
"You—!"
Ma Lingyin stared at me with intense emotion. He shook his head. "It's impossible. You'll die."
"I'm going to die in a year anyway."
"But aren't you researching the antidote?"
"That's only if it gets developed. Do you think I'm a fool? If an antidote were possible, it would have been discovered by now."
Ma Lingyin opened his mouth to protest, but I raised my hand to stop him.
"Don't try to stop me before my heart changes. This is the first time in my life I'm truly acting for someone else."
"You!"
"Thanks to you, I've become a Great Hero—something I never imagined. I've made money, met beautiful women, and even made friends. Isn't it best to leave when the applause is loudest? But I have one request."
"What is it?"
"I'll kill Ma Cheolgun on the final day of the Golden Grand Banquet. It's the last festival of my life—I deserve to enjoy it to the fullest, don't you think?"
"Friend!"
Tears welled up in Ma Lingyin's eyes as he gripped my hand.
Beneath those tears, he was undoubtedly smiling with glee, reveling in the pleasure of having manipulated a human being so completely.
But you'll never know what I'm truly thinking right now.
Your tears will become real tears.
After that day, I often went to the Estate with Chu Dochi.
Of course, I was still blindfolded. Ma Lingyin excused this as an absolute rule of the organization, one even he couldn't override.
However, Ma Lingyin's treatment of me changed. He became cautious with every word, anxious that I might change my mind. He patiently endured my grumbling and emphasized "us" with carefully chosen words.
As a master of manipulation, he employed the most effective and foolproof method to secure my loyalty.
After hoarding Im Yeonjeong from me for so long, he finally allowed us to meet today.
"Have you heard the news?"
"You've made a foolish decision."
She remained composed. While it was true she had shown me particular interest, it couldn't have been enough to make her want to save my life.
"I was hoping to gain a decent drinking companion. What a pity."
"Is there really no chance of me surviving?"
"None."
Her resolute answer made me sigh.
"How unfortunate."
Her lips twitched slightly, then stilled. She had almost said something, but stopped herself. It seemed she felt it would be a waste to simply kill me.
"Before I die, let's satisfy my curiosity. What exactly does your organization do?"
"I can't tell you."
"I'm about to die anyway. Can't you show me that much mercy?"
This was a crucial moment. Please, just let slip a careless word.
But she was no pushover.
"There's no need to show generosity to someone who's about to die."
"How cold."
"The Martial Arts World is colder than cold—it's ruthless. You have no eye for people, your ears are deaf, and your heart is weak. You deserve to die."
"Is there any need for such harsh words?"
I stared at her in disbelief before sighing.
"What can I do? That's just how I am."
The Golden Grand Banquet was now three days away. Since I had vowed to kill Ma Cheolgun on the final day, I had thirteen days left.
Within that time, I needed to uncover who was backing these people. For now, having become the blade that would kill Ma Cheolgun, I was in a strategically advantageous position.
"Very well. Then answer this."
"What is it?"
"What's in the room across from this one? I sensed a powerful energy."
The energy had been radiating quite openly at the time.
"There's a very frightening person there."
"A frightening person?"
Could that immense energy truly be emanating from a person? To be honest, I had my doubts.
It was far too powerful to be human energy, yet too vibrant to be anything else.
My conclusion had been that, much like her laboratory, some complex combination of factors I couldn't comprehend was generating that energy.
But if it was entirely human energy?
It was comparable to, or perhaps slightly weaker than, the energy I possessed during my time as Alliance Leader.
An overwhelming aura. Of course, the intensity of the aura didn't necessarily reflect the person's actual strength.
However, martial artists in the Martial Arts World typically wield power nearly equivalent to the aura they exude.
Who could this be?
After entering this gate, I encountered the unexpected variable of Im Yeonjeong. Yet beyond the opposite gate, another variable awaited.
Regardless, I must proceed with my plan to uncover the mastermind behind this organization.
"Do you have someone you like?" I asked abruptly.
Im Yeonjeong stared at me, startled by the sudden question.
"Why are you asking?"
"Didn't Young Master Ma tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"So you were jealous after all," I said to her, noticing her confusion.
"I..."
Just then, a presence stirred outside the door.
"It's me," Iho's voice called out. "May I come in for a moment?"
The door swung open, and Iho entered, but he wasn't alone.
I was startled to see who accompanied him, but I couldn't let my surprise show.
Iho addressed Im Yeonjeong. "The organization has sent a new member. I've come to introduce her."
The woman with him bowed politely. "I'm Chilho."