Chapter 17. Crescent Moon (2)
At that moment, So Daeseop opened his mouth with great difficulty.
"Young master, but..."
"What is it, So Daeseop?"
"Do we... have to sleep here?"
So Daeseop glanced nervously at the grand hall of Cheonsu Manor.
"Of course. This is our home from now on—where else would we go? Are you scared of ghosts, by any chance?"
"No, sir."
"Right. Ghosts aren't as scary as plague demons, are they?"
"Ah, well, that's true."
So Daeseop gave an awkward smile. When he thought about fighting plague demons alongside his daughter, sleeping in Guigok Manor didn't seem so frightening.
Of course, that was just in theory. In reality, his shoulders trembled slightly.
As the wind howled past the ears of So Daeseop, now left alone after everyone else had departed.
Whoooosh.
Whiiiish.
"Gah!"
So Daeseop drew his sword without thinking.
The wind sounded just like ghostly wails.
As the sun set, the yin energy grew stronger, clashing with the extreme yang energy rising from the earth.
That clash was the true nature of Guigok Manor's ghost cries.
Unaware of this, So Daeseop gripped his sword even tighter.
Imagining So Daeseop shivering in fear, Han Bin suppressed a chuckle.
Sim Miho, who had been trailing behind, caught up and asked urgently,
"Young master, where are you headed now?"
Han Bin stopped in his tracks. Come to think of it, he hadn't told them their destination.
"To the blacksmith, obviously."
"Ah, I must have blanked out."
Sim Miho smiled awkwardly, while Cheolno beside her looked utterly dazed.
The day had been that chaotic.
Sim Miho whispered quietly to Cheolno.
"Cheolno."
"Yes, Deputy Commander?"
"Did you know the young master had this side to him? How did you keep it hidden?"
"What, you think I served him well?"
As the two chattered away, Han Bin was already striding ahead.
Cheolno hurried after him, stepping on the young master's long shadow.
"Young master, wait up! Why are you in such a rush today...?"
He grumbled, but the corners of Cheolno's mouth twitched upward, as if holding back a grin.
Cheolno never imagined the master he served would change like this.
The important thing was that it was a welcome change.
Near Hebei Castle, at the Stone Flower Bridge.
"Give it back!"
A girl with twin pigtails was chasing after someone.
But only for a moment—she stopped, panting heavily.
"Huff... huff!"
The girl's name was Jeong Soyeon. On her way to run an errand for her grandfather, she had her item stolen by a Hebei playboy at the Stone Flower Bridge.
That Hebei playboy was Mu Sowi, the youngest of the Mu Sword Family.
The Mu Sword Family was one of the prestigious clans upholding Hebei's murim alongside the Hebei Paeng Family.
Mu Sowi was a martial arts genius born once every century in the Mu Sword Family.
More precisely, a lazy genius.
Known by the epithet "Mu Family Flying Dragon," his lightness skill was the best in Hebei.
But spoiled by praise as a genius from childhood, Mu Sowi had become utterly arrogant and useless.
Supreme lightness skill.
A modicum of martial prowess.
And the worst personality imaginable.
Those three traits summed him up perfectly.
Mu Sowi held Jeong Soyeon's letter high and shouted,
"If you want it back, pay the toll!"
"Is the Stone Flower Bridge yours? Why should I pay a toll?"
"It is mine. So pay up. Or kiss my cheek and be on your way."
"Give it back right now!"
"Should I toss it?"
Mu Sowi pretended to throw the letter into the river below the bridge.
"No!"
Jeong Soyeon screamed and looked around desperately.
Onlookers had gathered around the Stone Flower Bridge. But no one there would help her.
And understandably so—for a commoner to defy the Mu Sword Family's playboy was as impossible as an egg striking a rock.
It was around then that Han Bin's group headed toward the blacksmith mentioned in the letter.
A crowd was buzzing at the Stone Flower Bridge.
Upon closer look, a man was teasing a small girl.
What was strange was that no one intervened—they just clicked their tongues in pity.
Han Bin didn't spare it a glance.
Then Sim Miho whispered softly,
"Young master, how about we help? Should I step in?"
"Deputy Commander Sim. Got time to spare? If you meddle in every murim incident, ten heads wouldn't be enough."
At Han Bin's cold response, Sim Miho bowed her head.
Sometimes he seemed like a hero, but other times—like now, ignoring justice—he was still closer to a coward.
Sim Miho was confused about which was his true face.
Then Han Bin tilted his head and stared piercingly at Mu Sowi.
Only for a moment—before stepping forward and saying,
"Wait here a bit."
"Young master? What's up?"
As Sim Miho asked, Han Bin grinned.
"Watching a fight is the most fun thing ever, right?"
"What fight?"
"A good show's about to start."
Han Bin smacked his lips in anticipation.
At the same time, Sim Miho and Cheolno's jaws dropped.
They knew what that expression meant.
With eyes gleaming, Han Bin walked toward the man harassing the girl.
A bad feeling rising, Sim Miho narrowed her eyes.
She recalled the man's face.
Rushing forward, she grabbed Han Bin's sleeve.
"Young master, that's Mu Sowi of the Mu Sword Family."
Han Bin paused and eyed the man.
Up close, it did seem that way—but it was irrelevant to him.
With a bored look, Han Bin asked,
"So?"
"He's the one who was supposed to be your brother-in-law..."
"That ain't happening!"
Han Bin declared firmly and marched toward Mu Sowi.
As he walked, he glanced sideways.
There, two elderly men were playing go. Of course, they'd long since abandoned the game to watch Mu Sowi's antics.
Han Bin quietly scooped up a handful of go stones from the board.
The game was already a mess, so the elders didn't notice.
He resumed walking casually.
Swish.
His movements were subtly stealthy.
Even Sim Miho, who had been watching closely, missed it.
Vanishing into the crowd, Han Bin reappeared beside Mu Sowi at the end of the Stone Flower Bridge.
Popping up abruptly, Han Bin beamed innocently.
"Great hero! Having fun?"
"Who the hell are you?"
Mu Sowi yelped in surprise, but Han Bin kept smiling.
"Sorry for popping up like that, great hero."
At the words "great hero," Mu Sowi of the Mu Sword Family reacted.
Relaxing, he sized up Han Bin.
"And who might you be?"
"Just a passerby. Your lightness skill is so impressive, I had to say hello."
As Han Bin smiled brightly, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Is that guy nuts? Calling a playboy 'great hero'?"
"What's the world coming to...?"
"Birds of a feather. Another playboy shows up."
As the murmurs grew, the girl charged again.
Mu Sowi leaped away.
In the blink of an eye, he was across the bridge.
Han Bin shrugged at his footwork.
Mu Sowi, having teased the girl by stepping on the bridge railing, landed back in front of Han Bin.
"Whoever you are, you've got a good eye. Recognizing my Five Elements Steps and all."
Then the girl came running from behind again.
"Give me my stuff!"
Mu Sowi grinned and leaped off once more, resuming his teasing.
Putting some distance between himself and the girl, he returned to Han Bin's side.
Observing this, Han Bin remarked,
"Ah, so your lightness skill is the Five Elements Steps. If it's the Five Elements Steps, are you a lay disciple of Kunlun? As they say, no tiger cub under a tiger father—it's no lie."
"Good eye..."
Mu Sowi started to reply, then tilted his head.
Giggles erupted from the crowd.
Someone shouted,
"Pfft, what kinda talk is that?"
"If not tiger cub, then it's dog pup."
"Thought he was another playboy, but turns out he's just a wandering hero."
At the crowd's reaction, Mu Sowi narrowed his eyes.
"Wait, that sounds kinda off now..."
Before he could finish, Han Bin struck the back of his head.
Whoosh.
But Han Bin's hand sliced through empty air.
Mu Sowi had dodged swiftly.
Putting distance between them, Mu Sowi yelled,
"You sneaky bastard! No confidence in your skills, so you go for cheap shots!"
"Don't you have to test skills to know?"
Han Bin grinned back, and Mu Sowi taunted,
"If you're so sure, catch me!"
Han Bin sprang into motion.
Thud!
But keeping up with Mu Sowi's movements was no easy feat.
His lightness skill was truly unparalleled.
Trailing behind, Han Bin smiled faintly.
Genius types almost always misunderstood themselves.
Thinking their skills were the world's best.
Even the supreme martial arts had weaknesses.
And Mu Sowi's lightness skill had a glaring one.
It was too precise.
Every step he took was uniform, like mass-produced prints from a woodblock.
An precision no one could imitate.
That was his greatest strength—and fatal flaw.
On the Stone Flower Bridge, it was like drawing a go board and repeating the same moves endlessly.
Who could execute footwork with such perfect accuracy?
Probably only Mu Sowi in all of Gangbuk.
Thud.
Returning to his spot, Mu Sowi smirked at Han Bin.
That alone set the crowd buzzing again.
"As expected of the Mu Family Flying Dragon. His lightness skill's like walking on clouds."
"No way to catch that playboy."
"Yeah, unless the King of Hell shows up."
As murmurs swelled, Han Bin swung his fist again.
Mu Sowi vanished from the spot.
Han Bin chased after.
As he ran, he treated the bridge like a go board, placing stones with each step.
His actions were stealthy.
Plink. Plink.
The chase between Han Bin and Mu Sowi continued across the bridge.
To the onlookers, Han Bin looked like a dog chasing a chicken while staring at the roof.
Watching the prolonged pursuit, Cheolno clenched his fists.
"I can't stand this anymore."
Sim Miho grabbed his arm.
"Just wait a moment, Cheolno."
"How can I just watch? Deputy Commander Sim."
Gritting his teeth, Cheolno fumed, but Sim Miho waved him off.
"Hold on. I think the young master has a clever plan."
"He's becoming a laughingstock, and you call that clever?"
"Look over there, Cheolno."
Sim Miho pointed at Mu Sowi.
Then something strange happened.
Mu Sowi suddenly staggered.
The crowd's eyes widened, murmurs exploding.
Mu Sowi himself was the most flustered.
He didn't know what it was, but an odd sensation underfoot made his lightness skill feel heavy.
Looking down, he saw a black stone.
The next spot: a white stone.
'Why are there go stones here?'
Confused, Mu Sowi stepped precisely on one—and slipped.
Then Han Bin's palm struck the back of his head.
Crack!
Mu Sowi's body bent like a sickle from the unexpected blow.
Murmurs erupted around them.
Mu Sowi's movements slowed, and he tumbled across the bridge like a three-legged squirrel.
Han Bin didn't care—he kicked Mu Sowi in the side.
Thud!
True to the murim saying that you must stomp when you stomp, Han Bin showed no mercy.
He mounted Mu Sowi.
Crack!
With a solid impact, the crowd buzzed louder.