Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: The Return
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#090 The Return
The journey back wasn't very difficult.
We rode our horses when the sun was up, and when it set, we stopped at a village to stay in an inn.
Of course, due to the distance, we sometimes had to camp outdoors.
“Alright, the fire is ready. Now, we just need to add the dry rations to the pot and roast the deer we caught.”
Whenever that happened, Lee Jong-san would step up to prepare our sleeping arrangements and whip up a meal in no time.
They say even dog poop has its uses…
After a filling dinner, I lay on a pile of hay, gazing at the starry sky.
“Ah, this is pissing me off.”
My blood boiled as I remembered how the leader of the Righteous Path Alliance had stabbed me in the back.
After all that trouble to win, he should have offered a proper prize. What the hell was I supposed to do with a single long needle?
As I muttered and fumed, Bukgung Baek poured oil on the fire.
“Did you really expect a place as poor as the Righteous Path Alliance to offer something grand?”
Hey, how was I supposed to know the Righteous Path Alliance was poor… I was about to argue when something caught my eye.
It was the sight of Wi Ji-pung, still wearing his torn martial arts uniform because he had no spare clothes.
Seeing that, I understood Bukgung Baek’s words completely.
‘Ah…’
The pathetic sight made me shake my head involuntarily.
In 21st-century South Korea, cults raked in money by the truckload…
It seemed it was too early to expect such professional management from the religious circles of the martial world.
While I was at it, I took out the long needle and examined it from all angles, wondering if it held any hidden secrets. But secrets? My ass.
No matter how I looked at it, it was just a thick, long needle, utterly useless.
Though it was called a needle, one end was quite thick, making it look almost like a nail.
However, it did have one feature that set it apart from ordinary long needles.
“Hnngh!”
No matter how much force I applied, it wouldn’t break.
*Woong.*
And when I infused it with ki, that ki perfectly mirrored its sharp quality.
Seeing this, I understood why weapons made of black iron weren't called divine armaments for nothing.
Still, it was just a long needle.
I was grumbling inwardly and about to put the needle back in its wooden box when someone spoke.
“May I have a look?”
Geum Pil-dae, dressed in a golden robe, approached me.
I had no personal affection for him, but he was a senior from the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion, and we had shared this journey. So, I decided to let him see it for a moment.
I held out the needle to him and said sweetly.
“One silver nyang per quarter-hour.”
“…”
Geum Pil-dae stared at me with an incredulous expression, then tossed me a silver coin and took the needle.
He examined it from one side, then the other, his eyes filled with interest as he poked it here and there.
Then, he suddenly came up to me and said.
“Sell it to me.”
Seriously, does this guy think I’m a beggar?
“How much can you offer?”
Then again, compared to Geum Pil-dae, I suppose I was a beggar.
“The market price for black iron is ten times that of gold, so I’ll give you one hundred silver nyang.”
‘A hu-hundred nyang?!’
The offer was so tempting my ears felt like they were about to fall off.
I was about to nod my head without thinking when someone interjected.
“To think the great Gold Dragon Sword would try to pull a scam. I’m disappointed.”
Jeok Il cut in, spoiling the deal.
I was about to ask Jeok Il what the hell he was doing, ruining my windfall, but then I saw Geum Pil-dae’s reaction.
“Ahem, it was just a joke.”
Seeing Geum Pil-dae deflate so quickly, I changed my mind.
And Jeok Il’s next words made my ears perk up.
“The market price for black iron is indeed ten times that of gold, but this is Ten-Thousand-Year Black Iron, isn’t it? Even fifty times the price would be selling it short.”
“Gasp!”
This thing was that valuable?
I quickly snatched the needle back from Geum Pil-dae and tucked it into my robes.
He looked like he wanted to say something, but he seemed embarrassed and quickly walked away.
“If you want to sell it, take it to the Green Dragon Hall in the fortress. They can process it into a hidden weapon and will give you a good price. Or, you could pay a reasonable fee and have them make something you need.”
“…I will serve you as my elder brother.”
I bowed my head respectfully in gratitude, and Jeok Il’s eyes gleamed.
“Does that mean you’ll become a live-in son-in-law of our Red Dragon Hall?”
“No, that’s not what I…”
What’s with his obsession with sons-in-law?
***
After that, the journey continued peacefully.
It was so peaceful that I was bored the entire way.
Of course, it wasn't completely devoid of events.
“Hahaha! Hand over all your money, and we’ll spare your lives!”
Some bandits with seriously misplaced confidence dared to block the path of the great archdemon, Bukgung Baek.
Of course.
“Eeeek! We-we’re sorry! Please spare our lives!”
Each time, they ended up being robbed of all their money and sent away naked.
The profits from these encounters were quite handsome, allowing us to order fine wine and food at inns every night.
After a fortnight of this, we finally arrived at Nine Dragons Fortress.
The tall pavilions of the inner fortress rose high in the center.
Surrounding it were countless houses.
A sight no different from a city greeted us.
“Home!”
Even a comfortable trip is still exhausting when you’re away from home. Arriving at the fortress, I finally felt my mind relax.
Dan Un and the other aces from each hall bowed to Bukgung Baek and headed towards the inner fortress.
I, too, prepared to go home and bid farewell to Bukgung Baek, but…
“Where are you going?”
“Pardon?”
Bukgung Baek stopped me.
“Shouldn't you report to the Grand Chancellor?”
“…Isn’t that your job, Hall Master?”
“Weren’t you the one who handled the practical affairs?”
“Well, yes, but still…”
*You’re the one in charge, old man.* The words rose to the tip of my tongue.
“What? You have a problem with that?”
But I couldn't help but shrink back under Bukgung Baek's murderous aura.
“No, sir. I’ll go right away.”
Someday, I swear I’ll punch that bastard right in the jaw.
‘I’ll train until I reach the Transcendent Realm just to deal with his sorry ass!’
Until then, I had no choice but to endure.
And so, I was half-forced to head to the inner fortress.
Upon arriving at the Lord’s Hall, I wrote down some personal details and went straight to the Military Affairs Division.
As I entered, the eyes of the scribes lit up.
They must have a general idea of what happened from Yu So-pyeong’s intermittent letters, but they would be curious about the process.
As I expected, a few scribes approached me with gleaming eyes.
“Excuse me, Warrior Jin. After you report to the Grand Chancellor, could we have a word?”
“Cut the bullshit and get lost before I snap your necks.”
I declined as politely as I could.
The nerve of these guys, trying to act friendly now after they were the ones clamoring to have my limbs severed and my dantian destroyed.
*Creak.*
As I stood before the Grand Chancellor’s office, a servant opened the door for me.
“Have a seat.”
The Grand Chancellor spoke without looking up from his documents.
*Clink.*
A servant placed a cup of tea before me with disciplined movements.
*Slurp.*
As expected of the highest quality White Hair Silver Needle, the aroma was exquisite.
‘Still…’
It couldn’t beat a cool Iced Americano.
As I sipped my tea, momentarily reminiscing about modern civilization, the Grand Chancellor finished his work and looked up.
“So, I hear you completed your task successfully?”
“Yes, sir.”
I explained the events that took place at the Righteous Path Alliance to the Grand Chancellor, who was eager to hear the details.
Of course, I omitted my personal connection with their leader.
It wasn't a deep relationship anyway, and if I mentioned it, a cunning man like the Grand Chancellor would surely try to exploit it.
After hearing the whole story, the Grand Chancellor tilted his head.
“Hmm…”
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s just that your abilities are more outstanding than I thought.”
“Oh, I’m just average.”
“Not at all. I don’t think even an Inner Hall Master could have handled things as cleanly as you did. To be honest, we were the ones in a tight spot, so I was prepared to concede quite a bit to the Righteous Path Alliance. I was considering providing funds or military support.”
“But, why didn’t you tell me that beforehand…”
“Because if you knew, you would have used those cards right away. Bargaining chips are best saved for last, are they not?”
As I made a face at his dumbfounding reply, the Grand Chancellor chuckled softly and said.
“So, you defeated the Plum Blossom Sword Saint?”
“Ahem, well, yes, I did.”
“…You seem to have some complaints.”
“Not at all, sir. How could someone like me harbor complaints against the great Grand Chancellor? I’m just tired.”
“Is that so? I was planning to give you a reward to commemorate your successful mission, but I suppose I should do it later. Since you’re tired.”
“This subordinate! For the sake of Nine Dragons Fortress, I can overcome any fatigue!”
“Then tell me about your duel with the Plum Blossom Sword Saint.”
“Yes, sir! So, what happened was… I used my War Dragon Aura… Ah! This War Dragon Aura, you see, is something I achieved upon recently reaching the state of a supreme master… So I used it against the Plum Blossom Sword Saint’s Purple Mist Aura… I dodged his sword aura with my Phantom Steps… and then I drew out my aura…”
After I spent what felt like a whole webnovel chapter’s worth of time explaining the duel, the Grand Chancellor smiled in satisfaction.
“…And so, the duel ended in my victory.”
“Impressive. Usually, unless one comes from a prestigious family, those with strong martial arts tend to have empty heads…”
“Hehe, isn't this aaaaall thanks to the great Grand Chancellor?”
“I don’t need your flattery.”
“What! Flattery? This is from the heart. My sincere heart.”
“That’s enough. In any case, I’m glad my choice to send you was the right one.”
“This is aaaaall thanks to the great…”
*Thud.*
As I rubbed my hands together obsequiously, the Grand Chancellor raised a hand to stop me.
Then, he pulled out a heavy money pouch from under his desk and placed it on top.
“Take it. It’s your reward.”
“Thank you! My overwhelming thanks!”
“…”
Lifting it, I could feel its hefty weight. At least fifty nyang.
In modern value, that was over fifty thousand dollars.
For a couple of months of hardship on the road, it was a pretty decent reward.
“You may leave now.”
“Yes, sir! Have a peaceful night. Nine! Dragons!”
Hell yeah, I got paid.
***
When I returned home, Myo Hyang made a fuss and immediately started cooking.
“You can just whip up something simple, you know.”
“You’ve been gone for two months, how could I?”
I was engaged in a fierce battle with the dinner table, which was laden with enough food to make its legs buckle, when Myo Hyang brought over a wine jug the size of a child’s torso.
“What’s with the alcohol?”
“Huhu, I bought this to drink on a happy day like today.”
A quick glance told me it was Bamboo Leaf Green Liquor from the brewery just down the street.
Sipping it cup by cup with the food Myo Hyang had prepared as side dishes, it felt like paradise on earth.
*Munch, munch.*
As I marveled at the taste of the food, Myo Hyang replied with a smile.
“I decided to show off my skills for the first time in a while.”
It was true. Myo Hyang’s cooking skills had always been exceptional.
“Is Miss Cheong still at the clinic?”
“Yes. She seems so busy she hasn't left the clinic at all.”
Starting with the topic of Cheong So-so, Myo Hyang began sharing all sorts of trivial news.
From things trendy in the market, like clothes and accessories, and news about our neighbors—the kind of talk you'd expect from neighborhood ladies.
“You know, they say a five-story pavilion is going up on the empty lot next to Nine Dragons Lake. If I’d known, I would have bought that land beforehand…”
“The housing prices have been skyrocketing lately. It must be because our squad leader has kept the outer fortress perfectly safe, right? Huhuhu.”
To topics you'd expect from real estate tycoons.
“How do you know all this? You sound like one of those real estate madams.”
“Hmm… I just happened to find out.”
“Really?”
It seemed Myo Hyang had developed an interest in real estate investment.
Come to think of it, in my past life, my mom was more interested in real estate than my dad. Maybe it was a common trait among older women.
“By the way, it’s really nice being here, just the two of us. Huhu.”
Myo Hyang, who had downed several bowls of liquor, said with a flushed face.
Her lips were neatly coated with rouge, applied at some point.
“I like it too. I wish time would just stop like this.”
I genuinely wanted to spend the rest of my life just drinking and lazing around.
“Hmm, is that so?”
Hearing my words, Myo Hyang began to look at me with a meaningful gaze.
Then, she took off her outer garment and draped it over the seat next to her.
*Thud.*
“Ah, it’s. So. Hot.”
What do you mean, hot? It’s a late winter night.
Is she drunk?
However, my question didn’t last long.
‘Th-this is!’
Because a rare voluminousness had caught my eye.
It was a sight I had never seen before, and my gaze was naturally drawn to it.
In this world, a woman’s attire was considered scandalously revealing if even an ankle was shown.
Because of that, unless a woman was as buxom as Steward Yuk or as flat as Jeok Hwa-ran, you couldn’t tell what was underneath their clothes.
The volume I had just confirmed on Myo Hyang was only two sizes smaller than Steward Yuk’s.
Considering the pitiful state of development in this world, it was nothing short of magnificent.
“Huhu, I heard our squad leader likes women with ample chests?”
“H-how did you…”
“There are ways of knowing.”
“Well, I mean…”
“Shh. It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything.”
Myo Hyang raised a finger to my lips.
For a moment, the image of Yong Ma-san’s sun-bright bald head flashed in my mind… just kidding.
My gaze was so fixated on the hills laid out before me that I couldn’t think of anything else.
*Swoosh.*
She rose from her seat, picked up the wine bottle, and approached me.
Bathed in the moonlight, she looked particularly alluring tonight.
“Shall I pour you a drink?”
“Uh, huh? Sure.”
Damn, the words just slipped out.
*Trickle.*
She was pouring something, but I couldn’t tell if it was wine or water. I couldn’t control my eyes at all.
“Huhuhu.”
Myo Hyang let out a soft laugh, pleased about something.
“Um…”
She brought her lips close to my ear and whispered.
“Would you like to… spin the top with me?”
At that moment, I saw a top spinning in a corner of the yard, and I woke up.
“Ah, fuck. A dream.”