Chapter 42. I'm Not a Great Hero
Won Seung whipped his head around in surprise toward the source of the voice. A man stood atop the wall.
“Yong family descendant?”
He nodded as if he'd pieced it together.
“Ah... come for revenge, huh? Knew you'd show up eventually.”
It was he who'd told him before—if he wanted a way to get revenge, come to Baekhwa Pavilion.
The Yong descendant scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes before turning to Won Seung.
“Where's the assassin?”
Jong Bi, the active assassin just emerging from the inner quarters, overheard and slipped back inside quietly.
Won Seung furrowed his brow.
“Man, manners really are something you gotta scour the earth to find.”
The Yong descendant was stunned by Won Seung's retort. He couldn't fathom what this kid had to back up such arrogance.
“You wanna die?”
Killing intent dripped from his icy voice like icicles. Won Seung's expression didn't change a bit.
“Nah! But if a man's too gutless to speak his mind, that's worse than death. You got me dragged to Cheongsu Gate and put through hell because of you. And now you're hopping walls in the dead of night... 'Where's the assassin?'”
Won Seung cut himself off and exploded.
“You think I'm a joke? I was gonna help with your parents' revenge out of respect. But seeing you barge around anywhere you please? Forget it. Offer's off the table!”
“You little shit!”
The Yong descendant's eyes bulged. A chilling aura erupted from him, blanketing the night garden in eerie menace.
“Hmph! Try killing me! Perfect. No son left to avenge me—no loose ends.”
Even with the killing intent pouring out, Won Seung wasn't cowed; he just bellowed louder. The Yong descendant faltered.
He'd tracked bloodstains and the scent of blood all the way to Sangyang.
The assassin must've been running low on energy, leaving more traces upon reaching the city.
Following the blood led to a dead end in an alley by the ditch. Checking if they'd gone into the water, he spotted a house with lights on in the dead of night.
Peering over the wall, he saw a familiar cocky punk pacing inside.
'Why does this guy keep popping up?'
He'd threatened Won Seung but had no intention of killing him. No, he couldn't.
His sect forbade fights without cause, punishing harm to ordinary folk ignorant of martial arts especially harshly. Even without sect rules, as someone who prided himself on righteousness, he wouldn't stoop to it.
No one in Sangyang knew Won Seung practiced martial arts.
Not even Hwa Yeo-wol.
His Ren and Du meridians were clear, making him seem utterly ordinary. Who'd imagine a kid that age had opened them?
Even a high-level martial artist like the Yong descendant couldn't sense Won Seung's inner energy. There was nothing for it.
The Yong descendant hopped down from the wall.
If a night watchman heard Won Seung's yelling, it'd be trouble.
As he crossed into the garden, Won Seung shouted,
“That's trespassing confirmed.”
“Shut it! Keep yapping and I'll rip your mouth off.”
The Yong descendant glared.
Won Seung flinched and clamped his mouth shut.
The Yong descendant approached the steps from the parlor to the garden and spoke soothingly.
“I'm Yong Jo-un. An assassin broke in while I slept. I chased him here—to your house, it seems.”
Won Seung scowled.
“Sounds like you're saying I'm behind the assassin. Accusations now, too?”
“I don't think that. Just figured you might've seen something.”
“Oh, I saw plenty. Guy on my wall threatening to kill me.”
Won Seung jabbed a finger at Yong Jo-un.
“Right here.”
'This punk I oughta tear apart...'
Yong Jo-un swallowed his rage and pressed on.
“If an assassin's hiding here, you're in danger too. He'll try to eliminate you to cut loose ends.”
“Me? I did nothing wrong.”
“You're a witness. Assassins erase witnesses to eliminate threats.”
“Hmm. That's a problem... I ain't ready to die yet.”
Won Seung glanced around worriedly, and Yong Jo-un said with subtle concern,
“For your safety, may I search the house?”
“You'd check for me?”
Won Seung's tone softened.
“In that case... go ahead. I don't wanna get killed by an assassin either.”
The medicine room's entrance had been perfectly disguised since the taesu last visited. Only Won Seung and Jong Bi knew. Even Ogu, who came and went dozens of times a day, thought it was just a wall.
With Won Seung's go-ahead, Yong Jo-un frowned faintly.
'Not here after all?'
Won Seung seemed genuinely clueless... but identifying the assassin was crucial. Proof they'd come from Cheongsu Gate could corner the Hwa family. He had to try his best.
Yong Jo-un searched Baekhwa Pavilion thoroughly.
Opening Jong Bi's room, the stench of booze hit him, wrinkling his nose. One lay sprawled on the bed, another facedown on the table.
Empty bottles littered the table and floor.
Snore~
The one on the bed even snored.
“Hmph...”
Yong Jo-un groaned after scouring everywhere without a trace.
“Sorry. Guess they didn't flee this way.”
“Good to clear the suspicion. Come have some tea. Just brewed it.”
“No, next time.”
As Yong Jo-un turned to vault the wall, Won Seung said,
“Wall-hopping ain't right. I'll get the door.”
Won Seung opened the side door to the back alley.
“Told you—come if you want revenge tips. Since you worried about my safety, I'll un-cancel the offer.”
“Appreciated.”
Yong Jo-un replied offhand. What could Won Seung do without Hwa Cheon-gang stepping in?
Then a thought flickered.
'Wait—no. He's tight with that guy's daughter.'
But he shook his head. He wouldn't drag others into his revenge.
He'd claim it honorably with his own strength. That's why he'd endured bone-grinding training for over a decade.
“I'll take the sentiment. Don't wanna involve innocents in my mess.”
Yong Jo-un refused flat-out.
'Tch! Wrong tree. I'm involved too—gotta kill Hwa Cheon-gang.'
Won Seung inwardly grumbled, then felt a pang of shame.
'He wants righteous revenge on his own, and here I am scheming hits on Jeokhyeolsan's orders.'
Won Seung looked at Yong Jo-un.
His eyes were clear and upright, his voice full of resolve.
Feeling the aura of a true hero, Won Seung realized something.
“Right. Yong family descendant—no, Great Hero Yong Jo-un. Do it your way. A man's gotta handle his own business.”
At being called a great hero, Yong Jo-un stared, then burst out laughing.
“I'm no great hero.”
With that, he vanished into the alley's shadows.
After Yong Jo-un left, Won Seung downed cold tea from the table.
It tasted bitter.
'Ten Perfect Assassins, my ass...'
He vowed to do the opposite of Jeokhyeolsan's bidding, yet here he was, pathetic for plotting to kill his friend's father.
Why target Hwa Cheon-gang?
Sure, he wasn't a good man—ruthless killer for profit.
But was that really it?
Won Seung realized he craved the fame of being a Sipjeon Salsu.
'Brainwashed by that bastard Jang Gyo-du.'
Ever since Jang Gyo-du called him assassin material, he'd acted the part deep down.
'Forgot Master's warning... Master, your disciple's so lacking. A Cheondaemun leader, yet scheming assassinations.'
Dok Sabu had died heroically to stop him becoming a Jeokhyeolsan killer.
The more he thought, the deeper the self-loathing.
'Time for a drink.'
No booze in the kitchen. The storeroom shelves were empty too.
'What the hell?'
Jong Bi lay sprawled on the bed. Ogu was passed out facedown at the table.
Bottles everywhere.
'Crazy bastards...'
To fool Yong Jo-un's eyes, they'd chugged everything in that short time.
Won Seung checked under Jong Bi's bed.
Then his eyes met a woman's—facedown, head turned his way.
'Huh? Paralysis wore off already?'
He was mildly shocked. Figured she'd sleep till morning.
“Awake? Come out.”
She didn't budge, just rolling her eyes over him.
“Ah, the paralysis needle...”
Won Seung reached to remove it, then paused.
—If an assassin's hiding here, you're in danger too. He'll try to eliminate you to cut loose ends.
Yong Jo-un's words echoed. No need to invite trouble.
“Move now and your wounds reopen. Stay put till morning.”
Won Seung jabbed a sleep needle into her blood point. Her eyes slowly closed.
Great Hero Yong Jo-un hadn't left.
He perched on a tall tree by the ditch, overlooking Won Seung's house.
His rigorously trained body and deep inner energy let him pull all-nighters with ease.
Sitting on the branch, he berated his carelessness. Too arrogant.
Should've been warier when sleep hit oddly.
Circulating his qi revealed no poison. Must've been a subtle one undetectable by energy.
A moment's lapse nearly killed him before revenge.
'Who tossed that stone to warn me?'
Probably another watcher.
Recalling their auras, only a master could fling a stone that far. Among them, the strongest was a newcomer from days ago.
'Why stay hidden?'
Another mystery.
Dawn broke with no answers.
In the yard, that annoying kid emerged, glancing around.
Won Seung woke, mulled over last night while tossing, then slipped on shoes and headed to the yard.
Yong Jo-un denying he was a great hero nagged at him.
Felt like an excuse before some shady deed.
And sure enough.
'There he is. Birdbrain. Why's he perched in the tree?'
Stretching in the yard, Won Seung spotted Yong Jo-un hidden high in a tree by the ditch.
When buying Baekhwa Pavilion, he'd checked all vantage points personally.
'From there, he sees the yard, parlor window, Jong Bi's window...'
With warming weather, they usually opened evening-closed windows come morning.
Leaving them shut would look suspicious.
Won Seung roused Jong Bi and Ogu.
“Yong family guy's watching the house from last night. First, move the woman to my room.”
They knew he was a master beyond them—the guy challenging Hwa Cheon-gang of Cheongsu Gate.
Snapping to, they hauled her from under the bed, rolled her in blankets, and carted her to Won Seung's room.
Jong Bi reached for the needle in her blood point, but Won Seung stopped her.
“Gotta feed her breakfast, right? Just asking what she likes.”
“She's a master too. Don't forget she slipped Yong Jo-un despite her injuries.”