Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: The Meaning of Life 6
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It felt just like gazing at a single framed painting.
The flames that had been devouring the entire village suddenly came alive, converging on one spot to form a perfect sphere. Not a single ember remained on any of the buildings that had been blazing moments before.
And at the center of those flames stood my master, whom I hadn't seen in three whole years.
-Wahk!
"Master..!!"
The longing from seeing her after so long, combined with the dramatic turn of events, brought tears bursting from my eyes before I even realized it.
By then, Master had already scooped up Dang Ayoung with one hand and pulled her out of the burning building.
-Thud
"I've done enough getting you this far. Handle the rest yourself. Surely a martial artist can manage stopping their own bleeding."
"Th-thank you. I don't even know how to express my gratitude..."
"No need."
Master tossed Dang Ayoung unceremoniously to the ground and strode straight toward me without a backward glance.
"Masteeeer..!!!"
I couldn't muster the strength to stand due to utter exhaustion, but if I'd had even a scrap of energy left, I would've thrown myself into her arms right then and there.
My emotions were overflowing that much.
"...What are you?"
But those feelings were doused like ice water by the cold voice from beside me.
Come to think of it, I had no idea just how strong Master really was.
Sure, she occasionally brought back wild mountain beasts, so she was clearly tougher than an ordinary person. But the strongest I'd ever seen her was handling a bit of sorcery.
Yet this woman had backed Dang Ayoung—a peak expert—into a corner where she couldn't even resist, right on the verge of death.
"C-careful! This woman's insanely strong.."
"Out of the way. You're in my way."
-Kwaaang!
"...Ow.."
Master swung her hand, and the flames compressed into a sphere instantly stretched out like a whip, blasting the bloodsucker woman away.
"...Huh?"
"Sprawled on the ground and can't even get up to greet your master after all this time? Your manners are a complete mess."
"N-no, it's not that... My body's just completely out of strength right now.."
"Well, you're the disciple who stole money from my wallet and bolted the moment I went into secluded training. I can guess how ridiculous I must've looked without needing to hear it."
...Ah.
Oh yeah, that happened too.
Before leaving the mountain, I'd dipped into Master's wallet since I couldn't exactly starve out in the world.
-Spurt, spurt
"M-Master, what I mean is.."
"Enough. Even without that, I've got more than enough to interrogate you about. Think up your excuses while I deal with her."
'...I'm screwed.'
Knowing full well how terrifying Master got when angry, I figured I'd better brace myself. I glanced over at the bloodsucker she'd sent flying.
"Why.. why.. why do you keep getting in my way..? And it's always other bitches showing up.."
Even while pinning Dang Ayoung earlier, her body had been trembling noticeably. Now, with her wounds worsened by Master's attack, she was barely propping herself up against her sword and the wall.
-Drip.. plop..
No, it was beyond barely holding on—she looked one step away from death.
Yet the chilling madness in her eyes hadn't faded a bit. That was the scariest part.
"She seems a little off in the head. Looks like she harbors intense affection for you. An ex-girlfriend or something?"
"...Never seen her before in my life."
"Guess the jianghu these days has a culture of obsessing over total strangers. The world's changed a lot."
"There's no such culture..."
"Shut up..! Shut up...! What do you know..! What do you know about Yuseong..?!"
'What's her deal? Does she actually know me?'
Her reaction was so extreme, I started wondering if she really was someone from my past that I just couldn't remember.
And it wasn't like I had zero guesses.
'She said she lost her memories.'
At least since I'd possessed this body, I hadn't lost any memories myself.
But there was one amnesia-like event.
The moment I'd possessed this body.
What if she knew me from before that?
'But that's weird too, isn't it?'
The possession happened when I was around ten. Even if she'd known me before then, the way she acted toward me was practically lover-like.
Unless this woman was some deranged psycho pedophile, it made no rational sense.
'Though with that level of madness, it kinda fits...'
Crazy people always exceeded imagination, so maybe it wasn't impossible.
"What do I know about my disciple, you say? Quite the amusing question. At least more than you, I'd wager."
"...What?"
"I picked up that pathetic stray and raised him all the way to adulthood. You think that's something to ask?"
-Blank
She gaped at Master's words, her face frozen in shock.
"Master didn't... pick him up?"
"I don't even know who my master is."
"Then where's your master now..? Ugh.."
She muttered to herself again, clutching her head as pain hit.
Back and forth like a total nutcase.
"...Doesn't matter. Even if Master didn't pick him up, Yuseong is mine and I'm taking him.."
"You've been yapping nonstop. If you're so interested in my disciple, start by fixing that rotten attitude. He can't stand that kind of personality."
"...What?"
"What do you mean 'what'? No man—my disciple or not—would like a woman who swings violence at anyone she dislikes and tries to kill people on a whim. Not that I'd allow it even if you did change."
Master's words hit her like a direct blow, freezing her solid.
"N-no, that's not it.. If Yuseong hates me.. I'll just force him to love me.. But he hates that kind of personality.. Ah..?"
"...Not just a simple lunatic, then. Now I see your body's far from ordinary human either. Some kind of yokai? In all my years, I've seen every manner of yokai, but nothing like you.."
"Ah, she's a bloodsucker..! Like a jiangshi! She was supposed to be dead originally!"
"Ho. Jiangshi arts have advanced a lot these days. Aside from a slight otherworldliness in her looks, she's indistinguishable from a living human."
"She is a bit different..!"
"So. What should we do? Kill her outright, or just subdue her?"
"...Pardon?"
"I just got here, so I'm fuzzy on the details, but this whole area's been wrecked. If she's a jiangshi, she's probably tied to the ringleader. She's got mental issues, but she's conscious enough. Might have value as a hostage or POW, right?"
"...Ah!"
I hadn't even thought of that.
If she wasn't mindless like a typical bloodsucker, capturing her alive could yield intel.
Saintess had obliterated every enemy that charged during her arrival, leaving no prisoners. If we could...
"...But what about Dang Ayoung?"
"I'm fine, so do what Master says."
"..You sure? She nearly killed you just now.."
"If I survived in the end, that's what counts. Martial artists live with death as routine, don't they? Enemies at each other's throats one moment can ally the next if needs align."
"...If you put it that way.."
I was more worried for Dang Ayoung than myself, but if even she said so, capturing the woman made sense.
Smart as she was, Dang Ayoung probably saw long-term value in a prisoner over simple revenge.
"Speaking of, you're usually so prickly, but that was kinda touching earlier. I really thought you were okay with dying."
"...Don't even joke about that."
"Aw, blushing again. Come on, Master's here—how long you gonna lie there? Time to get up."
Dang Ayoung helped pull me up as she spoke.
"...Were you crying?"
"Th-this is from seeing Master!"
"Now that you mention it, I did see tears around your eyes earlier.."
"Waaah!!"
Bantering with Dang Ayoung again, I finally felt like we'd both survived.
With a moment to breathe, I painfully turned my head to check her wound.
"...Bandages?"
"Oh, my clothes were too burned to rip properly. So I used my usual bandages... as a quick fix.."
-Jiggle
...Ah.
So that's where the bandages came from.
The ones she'd always used to keep things secure were now repurposed. I averted my eyes from the bounce with every breath.
And in the direction I looked...
"...You two seem awfully close, disciple."
"Eek!"
"Ignoring your master's call three times... Three years out in the jianghu with a woman, and now you don't even care about the one who fed and raised you?"
"N-no! Misunderstanding! I was just... feeling the relief of survival..!"
Mentally waving my hands frantically in my immobile body, I shot Master a desperate look.
And it really wasn't an excuse—this time.
Unfortunately, the direction I'd glanced happened to be Master's chest.
A man's primal instincts inevitably compared the two in that instant.
'Sorry, Ayoung.'
I silently apologized to Dang Ayoung in my heart.
There was no contest.
"...Hmph. I'll let it slide this time."
"...??"
For some reason, Master seemed appeased mid-confrontation. She pointed toward the bloodsucker, now bound in golden threads and subdued, muttering to herself while staring into space.
Master's revelation must've hit her hard.
"Ah.. ha.. ha.. ha... Yuseong... me.."
"...Uh, this woman's gone off the deep end, hasn't she?"
"Don't ask me. Never studied psychiatry."
"Mm..."
Somehow, the situation wrapped up okay.
Not perfectly, but Saintess had cleared the village of bloodsuckers, and we'd captured the last weird one alive.
Thanks to Master, the fires were out too..
"...Let's head home and rest."
"...Tired?"
"You must be exhausted, and so am I.. After all this chaos.."
"Hm. 'Home,' huh. Let's see how nice it is."
"...Wonder if it survived the fire.."
Handing this woman to the Murim Alliance seemed best, but they'd be too swamped with their own messes to deal. Bringing her would just complicate things.
With Master here, no risk of her rampaging anyway.
"If it's burned, we'll go to the villa. It's a bit farther out, so probably fine."
"...You have a villa too?"
"Gotta have a backup if a poison experiment blows up the house."
"...I see."
It hit me anew: she really was from a wealthy family.
Owning a house and villa in this pricey area.
"Yeah.. good... thi...nk......"
"...Tired?"
"Dunno if it's side effects, but I got no strength le...ft... Gonna... sleep fi...rst.."
"Sleep's fine, but have those excuses ready by the time you wake."
Zzz...
With my last tension melting away, I passed out in Dang Ayoung's arms.
-Plop
Just before sleep claimed me, I felt a soft, familiar warmth against my face.
Truly, nothing reassured like another person's body heat.