Chapter 28. You're My Life's Benefactor...
Two people sat facing each other, brewing and sipping tea.
Won Seung was curious about what happened after graduating from the assassin training camp.
"Nothing much. You head to headquarters, and missions start pouring in right away."
Jong Bi said with a gloomy expression.
"Half of the guys who graduated with me are already dead. Training in the mountains was better than this."
"Hmm. I thought you'd be shadowing a senior for a year as an apprentice."
"That's how the first year went. But after that, they threw us straight into the field. I had no idea there were so many people in the world who want others dead. Headquarters is practically empty these days."
Won Seung was a bit surprised to hear that Jeokhyeolsan headquarters was that swamped. Jong Bi's sallow face, worn from grueling work, looked pitiful.
So he offered some comfort.
"Hmm. Killing people isn't easy. Your conscience must be eating you up."
Jong Bi shook her head.
"Conscience? Why feel guilty about killing someone who deserves it? The real headache is figuring out how to survive without getting killed yourself—it's enough to make your hair fall out."
Jong Bi showed him the crown of her head. The hair there was thinning badly.
"No guilt even for killing innocents?"
Won Seung said reproachfully, and Jong Bi burst out laughing.
"Nobody dies without reason. They're all scum who had it coming. Don't worry about that."
"Are there really that many bad guys in the world?"
"Listen, you act all high and mighty, but you don't know shit about the real world. Good folks stay at the bottom, scraping by—they never end up on an assassin's list. The ones who get contracts are the ones with power, and they're all rotten."
"Is that how it is?"
Won Seung was a little shocked by Jong Bi's unique worldview.
This one's rationalized her assassin life to cope.
"How many have you killed so far?"
"Not that many. I stopped counting."
Jong Bi shook her head, as if she didn't even want to think about it.
"I just wait for time to pass."
Then she ground her teeth.
"They said ten years and we're free, but pulling this trick..."
"Like I said before, after all the money they invested in us, you think they'd just let us go? They plan to squeeze out several times what they put in. And those kids? Hundreds dead by their hands—ruthless bastards."
Won Seung nodded along, then spoke as if something had just occurred to him.
"Come to think of it, you're pretty unlucky. Seeing how much your hair's fallen out from the stress... Feel bad for you. Let's start by detoxing that Blood Chain Mountain poison. It's a chronic toxin that destroys the bone marrow—better to get it out fast."
"Huh? For real?"
Jong Bi's eyes lit up.
"You know chronic poisons are harder to cure the longer they linger? Costs a fortune in meds too. It's been four years already, so detox alone won't cut it. To fully purge the accumulated toxin after? It'll take a year."
Jong Bi grew furious at Won Seung's detailed explanation.
"Those vicious pricks."
"You're lucky, though. After five years, even the antidote won't save you—the marrow's too far gone. Meeting me? Pure luck."
Won Seung finished explaining, unpacked his bundle, and opened his medicine box. Then he clicked his tongue.
"Damn! No dragon blood tree root or flame stones? Those are the priciest ingredients."
"What?"
Won Seung closed the box.
"Head back to the mountains after your assassin stint. I've got some stashed. I'll make it then."
Jong Bi was itching with impatience. Learning about Blood Chain Mountain made every second count.
"Dragon blood tree root and flame stones, right? I'll get 'em."
Won Seung chuckled as Jong Bi, fired up, volunteered to fetch them herself.
"You even know what they look like?"
Advanced ingredients like dragon blood tree root or flame stones weren't covered in basic poison training—Jong Bi wouldn't know.
"Just ask at a herb shop."
"They're for making deadly poisons. Regular shops don't stock 'em. Even if they do, they won't sell."
"Then what?"
"Money talks, of course. Let's get the silver first... Wonder if there's a rich bastard in Sangyang worth killing..."
Jong Bi thought for a moment, then said,
"Hmm. Actually... I've got some money left."
"What? You said you were broke."
"Gotta keep an emergency stash. You'll learn how vital that is once you're in the game."
"We're dipping into that?"
"What else? When if not now? How much for the herbs?"
Jong Bi was firm. An assassin who ended others valued her own life above all.
The next day, Jong Bi returned from the money lender with a bill of exchange for a hundred silver taels.
"This enough?"
"Whoa. Assassins at headquarters make bank like this?"
"Nah. Call it side income."
She didn't elaborate, but it'd come from a lucrative hit, no doubt.
This one's no saint either...
Won Seung briefly debated detoxing her but figured he'd grab the cash if it were him too.
Besides, scoring a hundred taels on the pretext of missing herbs? His conscience was clear enough.
Jong Bi didn't know, but Won Seung always carried his key—and pricey—herbs.
"Lunch first, then the herb shop."
After eating, Won Seung stepped out of the inn.
A few more common herbs were needed for the Blood Chain Mountain antidote—easy to find at any shop.
But a guard at the inn blocked him.
"Don't you know you're under house arrest?"
"Got business outside. I'll leave my servant here as collateral."
Both Jong Bi and the guard shook their heads. Jong Bi feared Won Seung might bolt; the guard thought it absurd.
Then Hwa Yeo-wol appeared. Curious about what happened after Won Seung was summoned yesterday, she'd come looking.
"Perfect timing. Trying to head out, but these guys are blocking me."
"Why?"
"This man's under house arrest. No leaving."
Won Seung sighed at the guard's firm tone.
"That's my situation."
He explained, and Hwa Yeo-wol fumed.
"Ridiculous. Can't catch the perp, so they lock up the innocent? I'll go sort it out right—"
"No need. Just take me to the market and back."
Soon after, with Hwa Yeo-wol guaranteeing his return, they left Cheongsu Gate together.
Jong Bi, officially a servant, could only watch their retreating backs anxiously.
Won Seung strolled Sangyang's streets with Hwa Yeo-wol, sightseeing and snacking. Only as dusk fell did they hit the herb shop for the rest.
"You know flowers well, and now herbs too?"
"Not an expert. Picked up bits from the family physician."
"What's all this for anyway?"
"My servant's losing hair bad. Making him something."
"You're a good master."
"Yeah."
On the way back, Won Seung asked Hwa Yeo-wol,
"Can we do this again tomorrow?"
The hundred taels from Jong Bi were untouched. Hwa Yeo-wol, ever generous, paid before he could even reach for his pouch—even the herbs.
Such a sucker.
He'd love to tag along daily, but she sighed deeply.
"Morning's academy. Afternoon's training. Free time ends today. So boring."
A seventeen-year-old cooped up training? No wonder she felt trapped. Won Seung, more disappointed, comforted her glumly.
"Rough being from a great family."
Back at the inn, Jong Bi, who'd been waiting on pins and needles, rushed out.
"Got 'em?"
"Took all day scouring shops."
Jong Bi beamed. Shaking off her Blood Chain Mountain fear? Natural.
"Hurry and make it."
"Got it. Wait outside. Can't share trade secrets."
Won Seung locked the door, laid out his herbs—old and new—on the table.
He'd made the antidote before; it'd be quick. But Jong Bi needed more: meds to rebuild her damaged marrow too.
Plus, time to whip up some Monghon Powder. Stockpiling poison was proper for a Cheondaemun sect leader.
He mixed the batches and headed to the inn kitchen.
A furnace was needed to finish. The herbal stench drew curious guards, but Jong Bi blocked them.
"My master's brewing medicine."
About two hours later, Won Seung emerged. Jong Bi, fidgety, perked up.
"Done?"
"Yeah. Chronic stuff like Blood Chain Mountain is a pain to detox."
"Impressive."
Jong Bi praised him, eyes full of hope. Won Seung handed over three packets of powder and ten doses of decoction.
"Powder every evening for three days, then meditate. The decoction rebuilds your wrecked marrow post-detox—one dose boiled over three days. Made a month's worth."
Jong Bi was moved.
"Th-thanks. You're my life's benefactor..."
As she went to hug him, it hit her: this lifesaver had poisoned her to die in a month.
"But that poison you gave me..."
"Told you, antidote in a month."
"No side effects?"
Won Seung looked at her smugly.
"Think I'm some amateur? I poison clean and detox cleaner. None of that messy Blood Chain Mountain crap for me."
Three days of meds later, with Blood Chain Mountain purged, Jong Bi boiled decoction in the kitchen on the fourth.
"What're you doing?"
A guard, drawn by the smell, asked.
"Hair growth tonic. See my hair?"
Jong Bi showed her patchy scalp. She'd blamed assassin stress, but Won Seung said it was the poison—hair would regrow once the marrow cleared.
Her face, once doomed to baldness, brightened.
A few days of decoction, and new fuzz sprouted on her bare crown. The guard mentioned it over drinks; soon a middle-aged warrior showed up, forehead prematurely shiny.
"Make me some too. I'll pay well."
"Causes vary per person. Mind if I check your pulse?"
The man extended his wrist. Won Seung pulsed long, then nodded with a hum.
"Figured it out?"
"Your heart's strong, kidneys weak. Fire energy dominates, water can't keep up. No wonder the hair won't grow."
"So it's fixable?"
"Not easy."
The man grew anxious at Won Seung's reluctance.
"Why not? Know the cause, there's a cure."
"Sure, I can prescribe. But the herbs? They'll cost."