The Coffin Challenge
Why the hell did I do that? Ha-yeon thought. Now I'm really gonna die.
"My lord! I see it! A city! And it looks like a place I know—it's Nam-chang in Gang-seo!"
Was this heaven's mockery, a stroke of luck, or just probability catching up? It seemed like the world wasn't ready to let her die just yet—a city had appeared. Of course, she didn't have the strength left to lift her head or respond, so she just squeezed her eyes shut and thought, Whatever.
"Nam-chang is one of the top cities in Gang-seo, home to righteous elders and prestigious families! You've done it, my lord!"
The slave's voice had never sounded this bright before... Good for you, I'm happy too. Yeah, right. She would've been thrilled even if he'd been crying. Was this nightmare chase finally over? No way that crazy faction lord would charge headfirst into a famous city just to get revenge, right? Or... would he? For his son's death, maybe he'd go berserk and barrel in anyway.
"Hey, hey, slave."
"Yes, my lord! Rejoice—the heavens have aided your righteousness without a doubt..."
"They got any Super Peak experts there? People you know, right? Lots of Peak realm too?"
"Plenty! I know over four personally, and one is my master's sworn brother!"
"Fuck yeah, we're saved!"
If she groveled to that sworn brother guy, he'd step in. Beg the other four she knew him from, and at least one more might help. Then this endless, exhausting chase would finally end.
At that, O-ryeong and Yuk-ryeong—who had an uncanny knack for reading the room—glanced at each other, then...
"H-hic... Yuk-ryeong-ah..."
"Sis! Waaah!"
They threw their arms around each other, eyes brimming—no, gushing with tears. They'd endured two days of catnaps, half-assed meals, and grueling marches without a single whine. For kids, that was heroic. Ha-yeon wanted to cry too, but the slave's beaming face made it impossible. I wanna cry 'cause it hurts so much. Fuck. For real.
Somehow, following the slave's lead, they staggered into Nam-chang.
"W-wait... huff. Just a moment. I'll... huff. Go greet the elder... huff."
Even their slave had suffered immensely. Every time Ha-yeon flew through the air, she'd sucked his inner energy dry to the limit. And after each flight, he'd collapse from exhaustion, forcing her to carry him while running. The kids? What could you do? They'd toughed out the hellish trek with the adults, collapsing in tears, clutching each other's twig-thin hands as they hit the dirt. They'd long passed their physical limits, so Cheong-yong—dragging his battered body—had set off alone to fetch help. Ha-yeon's legs were shattered, the kids passed out; dragging all three to an acquaintance's place might actually kill him from exhaustion.
"I'll give you my emergency funds... huff. Get something at that inn... huff."
"You look like you're gonna drop dead on the way."
"Compared to your efforts, my lord... hack, urk, it's nothing."
"I'm too wrecked to be hungry... but water would be nice. We'll rest at the inn—hurry back."
"Y-yes... guh!"
He's gonna die on the road. Well... the real near-death cases just keeled over quietly without drama, so maybe he'd pull through. Eh, who knows. Let's eat something at the inn first.
Dragging the collapsed kids inside, Ha-yeon parted the curtain, and the moment the errand boy appeared, she half-squeezed out a shout.
"Errand boy! Water first!"
"Right away!"
"And... fuck it, something easy to swallow. Broth dishes."
"Noodles okay?"
"Clear broth. Make it so even a geezer back from the brink can handle it. Mash the noodles into full mush—like porridge."
"Uh... sure."
The boy vanished, eyeing her weird tastes. Ha-yeon stared blankly at the spinning world until food appeared before her. She didn't even remember eating. Face planted in the bowl, and suddenly the noodles were gone. What? Where's my noodles? I was barely picking at them 'cause I had no energy—when did they vanish?
"Errand boy."
"Yes, sir?"
"Another one. No—bring it all."
"Max clear broth, no toppings, noodles mashed to mush?"
"Yeah. Here's prepay."
"...! Coming right up!"
More noodles arrived, and she'd scarfed three bowls when...
"...Ha. That fucking prick."
A fierce, familiar energy pulsed from the west. No need to say who—everyone knew. But it couldn't enter; someone matching the faction lord's aura was blocking it. This isn't my problem, right? The righteous bigshots will handle chasing him off?
Fuck, her skills were shot. In her prime, she'd flick a finger, hurl some aura, and make him dance the Cossack. Staring now, she felt her power's sharp decline viscerally.
"Ugh."
But food in her belly sharpened her senses. Crowds of people. Stimulating, savory food aromas. The familiar chair felt like home's cozy embrace. Right—the name was...
"On-ryang Guest Inn?"
Eh? This place? Where she'd met her drinking buddy first? Talk about fate dragging her full circle—how many loops had she run to end up back here? Was she a migratory bird? Even directionless sprinting shouldn't loop like this. Her homing instinct shocked even her.
Heh, she'd made history here. Met booze bro Heon-u, scrapped with Black Mountain Faction and Yeon Family punks. They'd strutted up all cocky, and she'd coolly set down her cigar, murmuring coldly—or so she remembered.
"Hey, you. Got your affairs in order?"
Wait—why was the memory narrating aloud? Ha-yeon's head snapped around. Behind her stood rough-faced men—rugged if kind, thugish if not.
"Who're you?"
"Hey, is that the bitch?"
"It's her, bro! The one who turned our little brother into a cripple!"
"So you're the one who killed our Yeon Family's youngest too."
Oh shit.You guys are who I think you are?
"Did you think you'd touch our Black Mountain Faction and walk away unscathed?"
"Harming Yeon Family retainers is an unforgivable sin. You know the price, right?"
She calmly tapped her empty chopsticks on the bowl. With Wudang's name carrying weight here, a few words might scatter them—but the real issue was...
"Haaa..."
"Scared now? Dressed like a beggar with wild hair—you must've hidden deep, scavenging."
"It's over. Prepare yourself."
Why wasn't that energy fading? The lord's made sense, but the other Super Peak auras felt half-assed. No attacks, just muttering among themselves... This boded ill. Her instincts blared alarms—beep boop, relax now and you're fucked.
"Haa... I'm going insane."
"That's right! You're insane, you bitch!"
"Chew on your regrets as you die! No—I'll make you wish for death!"
"No! What do you mean, elder... cough!"
"Cheong-yong, calm down. Your condition's dire—stabilize your meridians and rest."
"That's... not the issue! Right now!"
"I know. That pig squealing at Nam-chang's gates is the problem."
Near Nam-chang, righteous elders had rushed to confront the raging Super Peak Black Ink Faction Lord charging like a wild boar. Right in their territory, testing if he'd dare invade while eyeing them.
"That bastard! He tramples innocents for profit, and his son tried raping a girl just thirteen! Is that human?!"
"So you killed the son?"
"..."
"If you did, I'll protect you. Word to Cheong-un Jin-in, and he'll come for his disciple. My face alone keeps him off you. This is Nam-chang, gathering of righteous heroes. A filthy unorthodox bear won't harm a Wudang disciple here."
"Then maybe..."
Pyeong So-geon, head of the Pyeong Family—one of Nam-chang's powers—shook his head. The Thunder Diviner.
"But that bear claims someone else clearly harmed his son. Frothing about 'that bitch'—the real culprit's elsewhere, right?"
"...Yes."
"Then I can't shield that woman too. The kids you brought and your sibling, maybe."
"Why not? As a hero, you uphold justice..."
"Would that excuse fly before a father who lost his son? Crippling his revenge with force—is that your 'justice'? Did Cheong-un teach you that?"
Cheong-yong fell silent. Pyeong So-geon patted his nephew's shoulder.
"Revenge is like that. Outsiders can't meddle."
"..."
"Eh. But my long-lost nephew's doing a good deed for once—I can't sour his face with my worldly wisdom. Cheong-un would claw me if I send you back like this. Helping's no big deal... Hmm, what to do."
Then.
"Uh... family head."
"What? Talking with my nephew after ages."
"Urgent—says she's your nephew's master, causing a scene about someone dying."
"Huh? Chase off that lunatic..."
"No! She's my true master!"
"Cheong-yong?"
Pyeong So-geon eyed his nephew—confused eyes laced with unease.
"Got it? I must slaughter that bitch for my son's vengeance! Even you lot gonna finger-point my righteous revenge as rowdy?!"
"C-calm down, faction lord."
"Calm? Could you in my shoes?!"
"You're right, but killing a Wudang disciple in Nam-chang? Think that'll fly?"
"Skip the Wudang punk—he's just an accomplice. Hand over the woman, I'll retreat quietly for my son's funeral."
The righteous warriors brightened. Family grudges aside, they couldn't let an unorthodox thug kill a Wudang disciple in broad daylight here. But if he skipped Wudang for a nameless, sectless woman? Blocking even that would draw the world's scorn.
"Fine. But no more chaos—we'll tail you. Okay?"
"Do what you want. I just want that bitch."
"What about those kids your son tried harming?"
"Hand 'em over too. Accomplices."
"That's tricky..."
"The ones who aided my son's death, or the young ones—I'll make 'em servants for ten years."
The elders beamed again. Who'd believe "servant duty"? But if he claimed it, fine. If he slaughtered the kids horrifically, condemn him as unorthodox scum. Smart kids could "accidentally" die or fall "ill." Why bother with two rootless brats? Good's good.
The righteous nodded.
"Agreed, then..."
"Starting now!"
Then.
"I, Seol Ha-yeon, challenge the Black Ink Faction Lord to a duel!"
A booming voice rang out as a woman stepped forward. The faction lord bellowed beast-like rage.
"That bitch! There—she killed my son, that chewable cunt!"
"The pedo aiming for a thirteen-year-old? Yeah! I did it! So what?!"
"You bitch! Thought hiding in Nam-chang saves you?!"
"Ha, deaf now? I said duel."
Thud! Ha-yeon slammed down what she'd carried. The massive, creaking lid popped open—a coffin, plain as day.
"Kids."
"...Yes, sis."
"Call me bro. Anyway, stuff it with flowers."
With that, the two kids trailing her dumped mysterious flowers inside—from god-knows-where.
"Slave."
"Yes, my lord."
"Quit gawking. Help."
"...Yes."
Cheong-yong joined. The lord scoffed.
"What, your coffin? Too bad—you won't die easy, die..."
"Spare me the 'worse than death' crap. Cliché."
"..."
"See? If not you, me and the kids get buried alive with it. Enjoy the view. One of us dies today. Nah, bluff—if you die, I live; I die, you follow. I'll kill you somehow. Died twice already—dragging you along or my pride hurts."
"Insane bitch..."
Ignoring him, she checked the kids. "Done decorating?"
"This enough... sis?"
"Nah, skimpy. Might be our tomb—make it pretty. Slave, kids are busting ass—step up."
"My lord, I'm dying here..."
"Might be my coffin. Put heart into it. Chant sutras if needed."
"...Can't argue that."
A flower-stuffed coffin emerged. Ha-yeon, feeling like a ribbon-cutting VIP, took a bloom from O-ryeong and tossed it in.
Thwack! The lord snarled, catching her bouquet with fury.
"Quit staring."
"...What the hell?"
"Throw the last shovelful—or thought it was a confession?"
Clang! Ha-yeon thumped the coffin boredly, thumbing inside.
"Say hi. Your ride to the afterlife."