Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Fighting Dragon, Jin Mujeon
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#021. Fighting Dragon, Jin Mujeon
“Huh? Fighting Dragon?”
The courtesan beside me quickly answered my question.
“To think I didn't recognize the rising hero of Nine Dragons Fortress, the one who decimated the Gansu branch of the Ten Demon Alliance, rescued the daughter of the Cheong family head, and slew the Earth Demon Lord, the Soul-Stealing Killer, in just ten moves! I am truly sorry.”
“A tale grows in the telling,” as they say. The story had been ridiculously exaggerated.
The Gansu branch was wiped out by Lee Dang-pal’s diarrhea poison, Cheong So-so was rescued through everyone’s combined efforts, and the Soul-Stealing Killer was barely taken down after more than a thousand moves, not ten.
‘Well, still…’
I was at the center of it all, so maybe it was about half-true?
“Hah! Goodness me, I tried to keep it a secret, but in my excitement, I let my identity slip. Come now, let's not make a fuss. Let's all have a drink.”
“Allow me to pour you a drink, sir.”
As I accepted the drink, enduring the heated glares of my squad members, the mood in the room instantly livened up again.
They were paying a hefty price for this entertainment, so there was no time to waste not laughing and chatting.
As the room grew loud again, the courtesan sitting next to me gave me a peculiar look.
Then, she spoke in a small voice that only I could hear.
“Tonight, I wish to attend to you.”
“...!”
“If I may be so bold… would you allow it?”
Even if I was an inexperienced fool who'd never even married, I wasn't so dense that I couldn't understand what she meant.
She wasn’t inviting me to play Monopoly all night, that was for sure.
“Ahem, well, that is…”
“Perhaps… you have no ‘experience’ in matters between men and women?”
Her blunt question was a fastball aimed right at my body, hitting my side and shattering my ribs.
But considering my social standing and reputation, I couldn't admit the truth even if it killed me.
“Hmph, what do you take me for? I mastered the art of romance long ago.”
Well, in my past life, I'd studied it a thousand times through a monitor, so that was practically the same as real experience.
“I see. Then, please grant me the honor of attending to you tonight. I will serve you with all my heart.”
*Whoosh.*
It wasn't a sound I actually heard.
It was the sound of the dark, corrupted version of me, hidden deep in my heart, being moved and purified by the experience of a woman hitting on me for the very first time.
‘Well, it's about time.’
I wasn't the same person who was kicked around like a soccer ball in my past life.
I had a good education, I was capable, and I worked for a major company. On top of that, I even owned a house with a yard.
Wasn't I now a solid, middle-class citizen of the martial world, lacking in nothing?
Deciding it was about time for a little romance, I delivered the line I had practiced and polished.
“Ahem, how could I refuse the request of such a beautiful lady? In truth, from the moment I first saw you, your lovely face has been stuck in my heart, never to leave.”
In modern society, it would be a ridiculous line, but this was the martial world, ruled by the Confucian Taliban.
A line like this should be enough to sway the hearts of many women here.
As proof, she covered her beet-red face with both hands.
“Haha, you are quite shy, my lady.”
The atmosphere made it clear she had completely fallen for it.
‘Finally!’
I thought I was finally going to do the deed, but…
*CRASH!*
The door flew open, and an unexpected guest entered.
“Everyone, get out.”
At that one command, the courtesans scrambled to their feet and left the room.
*Whoosh.*
It was the owner of this establishment and the treasured daughter of the Red Dragon Hall, Jeok Hwa-ran.
*Thud.*
She plopped down next to me and glared around the room.
“Are you warriors of the Outer Hall planning to stay? It looks like you're about finished.”
“Well, we are paying customers—. Hup!”
Yang Gang immediately tried to argue, but Yu So-pyeong, the quickest-witted member of the squad, swiftly clamped a hand over his mouth.
“Please excuse our rudeness. We didn't realize that Lady Jeok had business with our Squad Leader.”
“It's fine, as long as you know now. I won't charge you for the drinks tonight, so please head out. Don't you all have duty tomorrow?”
“You make a very good point. Well then, we'll see you next time.”
With those words, the squad members flowed out like an ebbing tide.
“Hey, you guys, leaving your squad leader behind…”
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, I tried to subtly follow them and stood up, but…
*Shing. Shing.*
The sound of swords being drawn came from all directions.
“Sit down right now if you don't want to be chopped to pieces.”
“Yes.”
I hadn't done anything wrong, but the atmosphere felt like I had committed high treason, so I sat down without thinking.
*Glug.*
Jeok Hwa-ran filled a cup with liquor and said.
“You seem to have had a good time.”
“Huh?”
“I asked if you had fun playing with the girls.”
“No, well, it's not that I had fun, I was just going with the flow. The atmosphere. What do you take me for? Don't you know I'm not that kind of person?”
“For someone who says that, you seemed to be getting along very well with Juryeong.”
So that courtesan's name was Juryeong.
I should remember that.
“Ahem, a fan… no, she said she really wanted to see me, since I'm a rising hero.”
“Hmm, is that so? You didn't hear any other… proposals?”
Why has she been interrogating me like this?
“No. Nothing like that…”
“Really?”
“Anyone would think I live on lies. Don't you know me? I'm Jin Mujeon, the epitome of honesty and sincerity.”
For the record, my childhood nickname in my past life was "Lying Mouth."
“Fine, I'll believe you.”
I almost got caught hitting on one of her courtesans.
“Have a drink.”
“I drank a lot earlier…”
“You seemed to have no problem drinking what Juryeong poured for you.”
“It's not like you were spying on your customers…”
Wait, how does she know what happened in here?
“How do you know that? Don't tell me…?!”
“W-w-what?”
Now I finally understood why she was acting this way.
“You were in the next room because you wanted to hear my heroic tales, weren't you?!”
“What?”
“Aha, I knew it! And you barged in because you wanted to hear the details.”
“…As expected, your perceptiveness is legendary, senior.”
“You punk! If you wanted to hear it, you should have just said so. You could have come during the day.”
“…”
“So, what happened was, I drew out my sword energy with a *shwaaak* and split the main gate, and the Ten Demon Alliance guys were all like, ‘Oh my god!’ and then…”
And so, I recounted my heroic tales all night long.
***
“Ugh… Water…”
When I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar ceiling.
‘Where am I… Who am I…?’
After a brief moment of existential crisis, I roughly recalled the events of last night and immediately got up.
‘I drank all night because of that wench, Jeok Hwa-ran.’
This was all Jeok Hwa-ran's fault for egging me on.
Thanks to her, my head was splitting, but what could I do when I was treated to free drinks?
I'll forgive her just this once.
“Aah! That's refreshing.”
When I came out after washing my face at the well, I saw Myo Hyang glaring at me from under the eaves.
“A man who's supposed to be injured, drinking all night. What on earth are you doing?”
“I wasn't going to drink, but the guys insisted…”
“Even so, you should drink in moderation. How could you come home dead drunk like that!”
“Hey! When a man is out socializing…”
“Quiet! Shut your mouth and eat!”
“Yes, ma'am.”
After the storm of nagging ended, I sat at the table and was eating the spicy stew and rice when…
*Creeak.*
Yong Ma-san entered the house, showing off his shiny head.
“Yo! Long time no see?”
*Nod.*
I greeted him cheerfully, but the guy just gave a slight nod and sat down.
“Please sit here, Warrior Yong. This morning we have a spicy stew and seasoned vegetables. It's my first time making them, so I'm not sure if they're any good.”
“If it is food made by you, my lady, I could eat a ball of mud and find it delicious.”
This son of a bitch.
For a moment, I wanted to unleash the Ultimate Death Force and split Yong Ma-san in two, but I suppressed my murderous intent with all my might.
I couldn't lose a sucker who pays two nyang a month over something like this.
In the middle of the meal, Yong Ma-san spoke up.
“By the way, you've become the talk of the town.”
“Huh?”
“I'm talking about you. A rumor has spread throughout the fortress that you are the ‘Fighting Dragon’.”
So that's what he was talking about. My reputation.
“Ah. It's no big deal. A diamond in the rough, shall we say? My fame was bound to spread eventually.”
“…In the marketplace, they're betting on who will win in a duel between you and the Blue Dragon Sword.”
“Well, obviously I'd… huh? Wait, who's dueling who?”
“You and Brother Dan.”
“Why?”
“Why are you suddenly feigning ignorance? Didn't you drag Brother Dan into the mission on the condition that you would duel him?”
“How do you know that?”
“Brother Dan told me while we were crossing the Kongdong Mountains. He also asked me to spread the rumor far and wide once we reached Nine Dragons Fortress.”
“And so?”
“What do you mean, ‘and so’? I did as a comrade-in-arms requested and had my men spread the rumor. Thanks to me, your reputation has soared, Squad Leader Jin. You can buy me a drink later.”
“You son of a bitch! Who gave you permission to spread rumors?!”
In that instant, without thinking, I hooked him in the jaw.
***
*Murmur, murmur.*
‘I'm not a comedian, why are they whispering so much?’
It was fortress gate guard duty, just like any other day.
The murmuring from the line of people trying to enter Nine Dragons Fortress grew louder.
Of course, I understood it to some extent.
In a martial world severely lacking in content like smartphones, famous martial artists of the righteous factions are treated like heroes. Conversely, those from the unorthodox factions are treated like villains.
‘A first-rate master could probably take on three or four Captain Americas and eat them for breakfast.’
The problem was…
*Chatter, chatter.*
That bald bastard Yong Ma-san had spread rumors of the duel with Dan Un, and now a huge crowd had gathered.
Yu So-pyeong said with a troubled expression.
“What should we do? It seems everyone has gathered to see you, Squad Leader.”
“I know. Let's start work for now, but if it gets to be too much, I might have to head in early.”
Yang Gang, who held the position of the problem child in the Seventeenth Squad, was asking for a beating again today.
“What is all this bullshit because of you, Squad Leader?!”
And so, the work began.
Before long, an even larger crowd started to gather.
However, there was less commotion than I expected.
“Next!”
The crowd simply watched me from a distance without doing anything.
Thanks to that, I could work in an environment almost the same as usual.
“Next! Hmm? Isn't it Merchant Lee? It hasn't been long since you left. Did something happen?”
“Something happen? Not at all. I just heard that ‘our’ Great Hero Jin went through a great ordeal, so I rushed back to see you.”
“Our Squad Leader? He's over there, go ahead.”
A merchant passed Yang Gang, approached me, and handed me a cloth-wrapped bundle the size of a small child's head.
“Hehe, Great Hero Jin. Here, this is…”
“What is this?”
“It's Goryeo ginseng, procured from a thousand li away. I prepared this small token out of my respect for you, Great Hero Jin.”
“Hah! This must have cost a pretty penny…”
“Aigo! It costs nothing at all! Don't you worry and please accept it. If you steep it in liquor and drink it in a year or two, it's said to revive even the dead…”
Just as the merchant was about to hand me the wooden box…
“Trying to bribe a proud warrior of Nine Dragons Fortress. It seems you do not fear the laws of the Fortress.”
An unpleasant voice rang out.
“Isn't that right, Jin Mujeon?”
It was Dan Un.