Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: Departure!
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"Let's see... I've got my bags packed..."
Though I was still anxious about it, I didn't want to risk inviting even greater trouble by staying away, so I'd made up my mind to head to the Demonic Cult.
Now I was just doing a final check on my luggage.
The actual distance from Shaanxi to the Demonic Cult was far too great to cover with something as simple as packing a few bags, but surprisingly, my load was pretty light.
A few changes of clothes, some emergency rations, and pocket money—that was about it. Part of the reason was that I planned to pick up anything else I needed along the way, but there was another motive as well.
I'll get to that in a bit...
"Gotta make sure I pack these carefully, too."
I bundled up the less important stuff and tucked away the items I'd bought from the shop window into my robes where I could grab them at a moment's notice.
Items that could save my life, depending on how I used them.
...Or put it in danger.
The hidden weapons I'd gotten from the shop as a gift for Dang Ayoung? I'd handed them over not long ago, timing it just right.
What I hadn't accounted for was just how thrilled she'd be with her first gift from me.
And the result...
-Shiver-
I'd spent the whole night feeling it through every inch of my body: she loved the gift.
Compared to the shop's arsenal of enchanted weapons loaded with all sorts of magic, these had no special powers. But I figured something this straightforward suited her better.
Hand her a weapon laced with weird sorcery on top of her martial arts? She'd probably just end up worse off.
Besides, I didn't have the points for stuff like that anyway.
It'd be a long wait before I could afford any.
But next time? No gifts.
I wasn't keen on flirting with death every time I tried to be thoughtful.
-Knock knock-
"You all set?"
"Yeah! Coming right out!"
At Dang Ayoung's check-in, I grabbed my bundle and stepped outside.
Waiting by the door were my three reserve(?) wives.
"Ugh, you've got dust all over you. Even on departure day."
-Pat pat-
Dang Ayoung brushed the dust off me in place of a necktie.
"Here, have a safe trip."
-Pat pat-
The Sword Empress followed suit from the side, her voice a touch awkward as she dusted me off.
And then...
"You got all your stuff packed? I told you to travel light, but it took you a while."
"...It didn't take that long."
Where was that gentle personality I'd seen before? Back to needless nagging with Ye Socheon.
(For the record, the Sword Empress was still at Mount Hua. She'd rushed over upon hearing I was leaving today—not crashing at Dang Ayoung's place like Ye Socheon.)
Dang Ayoung had suggested it, but the Sword Empress said she'd think it over.
"Alright, we're heading out soon, so say your goodbyes now if you've got anything left."
Ye Socheon glanced at the sun to gauge the time, then prompted Dang Ayoung and the Sword Empress.
The reason she was the one saying it had to do with how we were getting to the Demonic Cult.
Shaanxi to the Demonic Cult was a round trip that'd take at least a few months minimum—and with everything else we had ahead of us, that kind of delay would hurt.
So the solution I'd come up with? Use Ye Socheon.
Kunlun was pretty close to the Demonic Cult by comparison, and going from there would shave off a ton of time versus starting in Shaanxi.
Plus, at top speed, she said Shaanxi to Kunlun would take half a day. Stick with her, and we'd cut the travel drastically.
Of course, even if she carried me, I couldn't handle that speed for long.
Even if she paced herself, I couldn't stay slung over her back the whole half-day.
Which led to our final plan...
"No objections? Lie down then. I'll knock you out painlessly."
...Wrap me up like a burrito and carry me that way.
I'd be out cold for a bit, and when I woke up, Kunlun.
"Hold on! I've still got stuff to say!"
"Fine. Make it quick."
"Like I said before—if they make you do anything shady over there, just go along with it. Don't refuse out of some noble notion and get yourself killed... Even if women make weird demands, don't think about us—just do whatever they say, okay?"
"...Honey. I'm a guy."
"The women you meet might not care!"
...Sure, I had an unusual number of top female experts around me, but this world's gender roles were straight out of Earth.
Unless it was some martial arts outlier, men were generally stronger than women.
The Murim Alliance Chief we'd seen lately? A guy.
"...Fine. Got it."
"You have to stay alive until we meet again!"
"I'm not heading off to die, you know?!"
She couldn't even cheer me on—instead, half-convinced I'd end up locked away, why say it like that?!
Sure, the Demonic Cult made me uneasy too, but wasn't it better to stay positive?
"...Sigh. Sword Empress, anything from you?"
"M-Me?"
"Yeah. It'll be at least a month before we see each other again."
We'd shortened it a lot, but still probably that much.
The Central Plains were that vast.
Assuming I made it back in one piece, anyway.
"Hmm... Actually, I do have something in mind."
"What is it?"
"If anything happens there, feel free to drop my name."
"...?"
I tilted my head, not getting it at first—then it clicked.
"You mean use the Sword Empress's name?"
"Believe it or not, my name always makes those top ten master lists—maybe undeservedly so. I've got no grudge against the current Demonic Cult, so it should be fine. And even if they do, they'd probably see it as a decent trade: look the other way on you in exchange for a shot at my head."
"...You're talking awfully grim."
In other words...
If trouble came my way, sell her out instead.
"You cool with that?"
"H-Husband and wife are one body, aren't they? Even if we haven't wed yet..."
"..."
"A-Anyway! That's all from me! Come back safe!"
As the Sword Empress blushed and spoke shyly, I froze for a second.
"Looking real smug there. Ears about to touch your grin."
"Ow ow ow."
"Alright, painless knockout incoming—close your eyes. You'll probably wake up in Kunlun."
Ye Socheon placed her hands on either side of my head.
True to her word, right before I shut my eyes, I caught Dang Ayoung and the Sword Empress waving goodbye.
I waved back as I closed them.
And when I opened them again...
"Awake?"
"Ugh... what the hell."
The scenery around me had completely changed.
"Anything hurt? I dialed it back, but just checking."
"Di... did we really get here?"
"Yep. This is Kunlun."
"I closed my eyes back in Shaanxi..."
"Sounds like it worked perfectly then. You don't look hurt."
I was still totally out of it.
Kunlun? For real?
Just from closing my eyes for a bit?
A trip that'd take one or two months by carriage, just like that?
"...You really are fast."
"Still way slower than actual thunder, though."
"...The fact that a human can even compare to lightning is what's messed up."
Lightning speed's close to light speed—that's like lapping Earth seven and a half times a second.
How absurd is it when she casually claims it's "slower than thunder"?
"Anyway, you're oriented and no injuries—follow me. I'll show you the way to the Demonic Cult too."
"Oh. You prepared?"
"Like I'd send you off alone and risk some disaster. Over that distance?"
I'd considered having one of the three escort me near the Demonic Cult, but they were all famous orthodox figures, so that got shot down quick.
Even if the Demonic Cult stayed mum, word getting around would cause headaches later.
No matter how quiet they'd been lately, centuries of public stigma didn't vanish overnight.
Worst case, they could get accused of colluding and chased out.
Me, though?
I just had ties to orthodox folks—didn't make me one of them, or demonic, or anything.
Just a fortune teller and merchant who reads fates and sells goods for pay. What's wrong with visiting a client?
Even the strictest orthodox couldn't gripe about that.
Hell, the Murim Alliance had milked me for martial arts insights not long ago.
Though they were hypocritical enough to nitpick anyway—but my justification held stronger.
And with justification plus two of the orthodox's top experts in my corner?
No issues.
"So, what's the plan?"
"I found a merchant who trades with the Demonic Cult around here. Hitch a ride with him."
"Oh..."
Didn't see that coming.
"You'll have to convince him yourself, though. Would've prepped it if I could, but couldn't delegate, and as you know, I'm too conspicuous."
"Eh, that's easy enough."
"I'll watch from afar and jump in if it gets dicey. Good luck persuading him."
Lately I'd been so buried in sex I'd almost forgotten, but hey—this was my actual job: fortune teller.
Dealing with people? Right up my alley.
So...
-Rustle-
I pulled the rope I'd bought from the shop way back out of my robes.
In the martial world, conversations happened safest when you were secure.
So first, neutralize any threat—then talk.
That was my conclusion.