Chapter 50
Translator: uly
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: The Return of the Black-Haired Storyteller - 3
Great Hero Yun accidentally gave a silver coin, but it wasn't a large enough sum to change one's fortunes.
It was a bit of a waste to give it to a storyteller, but not so much that one would demand it back by threatening him.
Considering how badly I got beaten up that day, this amount is insufficient to heal the wounds in my heart.
I'm still hungry.
"This is the place where my father was attacked by the monster!!"
Young Master Ha Mu-rin, having fended off assassins and bandits sent by his uncle, finally arrived at the site of his father's assassination.
Although I had extorted the money rather ruthlessly, the story itself must have been interesting, as Great Hero Yun continued to focus on my tale.
Now all that's left is to find evidence of his uncle's assassination here and return.
But today is different.
"Aah! The evidence, the evidence is too faint! There must surely be evidence around here, but it's too difficult for a young warrior like me to find!"
I acted out Young Master Ha Mu-rin, looking around, unable to find the evidence properly, pounding his chest and lamenting in frustration.
"Hurry up and find the evidence, there's no time to waste!"
"Just grab any piece of evidence and go!"
Ladies and gentlemen, this is an important buildup section. Please bear with me for a moment.
"Aah! At a time like this!! If only there were a prestigious warrior here!!"
I acted out Ha Mu-rin pacing anxiously, frustrated. I let out a big sigh and began scanning the audience below the stage.
"Noooo!! That person is!!!"
I jumped in surprise and then hopped down from the stage, standing before Great Hero Yun once more.
"I have no more money to give."
As I stood before him, Great Hero Yun spoke with a deeply annoyed expression.
I know. I don't want money.
I want more than that.
"Great Hero!! You are the famous one from the Central Plains! Great Hero Yun of the Changgeom Sect, are you not?!"
"Huh? Yes, that's right."
Great Hero Yun, flustered by Ha Mu-rin suddenly acting as if he knew him, replied.
"I!! am still lacking in accomplishment and my eye for martial arts is insufficient! I beg of you, please help me!!"
Get up on stage, you bastard! I grabbed Great Hero Yun's arm and pulled him toward the stage.
Huh? He's not moving.
No matter how hard I pulled, this Yun guy showed no intention of moving.
Is this the Thousand-Pound Anchor? The technique of increasing one's body weight with internal energy. I've also learned escape techniques and have specs beyond a civilian, but he wouldn't budge no matter how hard I pulled.
Great Hero Yun looked at me with a cold gaze. An expression saying, "Pull me if you can."
This is unexpected. What to do?
That's when it happened.
"Huh?! What the?!"
Suddenly, a person wearing a straw hat appeared behind Great Hero Yun and lightly kicked the back of his knee. With the balance of his Thousand-Pound Anchor broken, Great Hero Yun was easily pulled by my strength.
Thank you. The Heavenly Killing Star!
You have good sense.
"Wh-what kind of killing intent is this...?"
It seems The Heavenly Killing Star didn't just lightly kick his knee. Great Hero Yun looked back with a bewildered face, but The Heavenly Killing Star was already gone.
I took advantage of Great Hero Yun being startled by the killing intent and brought him onto the stage.
"What on earth was that just now......"
What kind of tremendous killing intent did he get hit by to be this disoriented?
See, this is why low-level martial artists are no good. If he had used something like the Hundred-Million-Pound Anchor instead of the Thousand-Pound Anchor, he might have withstood the killing intent. I'm not sure if such a thing exists, though.
I need to quickly proceed with the next line before Great Hero Yun, startled by the killing intent, regains his senses.
"Y-Y-Y-Yun Great Hero!! Come here! Look at this!! Is this scar on the tree consistent with the Ha Family Head's sword technique?"
Pointing at an imaginary tree with my fan, I asked Great Hero Yun.
"No, how would I know a sword technique I've never seen before......"
"Is it consistent or nooooot!"
"It is. It is! I'll be getting down now."
Great Hero Yun acknowledged it half-heartedly as if annoyed and tried to step down from the stage.
I can't let you do that, pal.
"No! This! This isn't a sword mark, it's a claw mark from a bear, isn't it?!"
Pretending to scrutinize the imaginary tree in the air, I spoke to Great Hero Yun, who was stepping down.
"Haha! You can't even tell a bear's claw mark?!"
"Kehehehe. So the renowned Great Hero Yun of the world is nothing special."
"Can't Great Hero Yun distinguish between a claw and a sword mark?"
The people began to mock Great Hero Yun, who had mistaken a bear's claw mark for a sword mark.
"Grrrr!"
Having become the butt of the audience's jokes, Great Hero Yun returned to the stage in an instant.
You bastard. You're already hooked. Where do you think you're running?
Great Hero Yun's temples were trembling furiously like a blazing fire. But he couldn't vent his anger on me or the audience who mocked him.
Because he's already a character in the story now.
If he loses his temper recklessly, it would ruin the atmosphere of the story, and then Great Hero Yun would be gossiped about forever.
This is why being in the spotlight on stage is tough.
Now, to get down safely, Great Hero Yun must restore his honor. Showing signs of suppressing his anger, Great Hero Yun opened his mouth.
"Now that I look, it is indeed a bear's claw mark."
Ooh. Is this a martial artist's emotional control? Great Hero Yun instantly switched to a poker face and stroked his chin, pretending to look at the imaginary tree. Then I should accept it too.
"That's right. I also thought for a moment it was a sword mark. It must have been so shallowly grazed that one couldn't help but mistake it."
Even if he's become a character in the story, if I keep mocking him, he might cause a disturbance. I decided to save his face for now.
"I see. At a glance, one could mistake it."
Great Hero Yun awkwardly parroted my line.
"Ah! Here! There's evidence that clearly shows my uncle used the Ha Family sword technique!"
I raised my folded fan and showed it to the audience as if it were evidence.
"Then I'll be on my way."
As I made the motion of finding evidence, Great Hero Yun tried to get down again.
"Wait, Great Hero Yun! There's a very important issue right now!"
I quickly called Great Hero Yun to a halt.
"What is it now?!"
"To my knowledge, Great Hero Yun is a warrior from the Changgeom Sect in Hubei Province. Is that correct?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"This is not the Central Plains, but Joseon. Why is Great Hero Yun, who should be in the Central Plains, here?"
"Well, it's because you......"
This old man is about to say something that breaks immersion.
"Perhaps! You! Are you not Great Hero Yun of the Changgeom Sect, but Great Hero Yun of the Neungnam Sect?"
I stepped back two paces in feigned shock.
"What's the Neungnam Sect now?"
Great Hero Yun tilted his head and looked at me.
"It's the name of the sect my uncle hired assassins from! I heard there's also a Great Hero Yun there!"
"Wow! Was the warrior from the Changgeom Sect an assassin?"
"How does this story progress? The person who saw it earlier, how does the next part go?"
"Just now you said not to spoil it! There's something I didn't say! This storyteller tells the story a little differently every time he comes! That's why it's fun to listen each time! This time it's different again!"
The audience began to stir in surprise at the sudden twist.
"No, what kind of bullshit is that......"
Great Hero Yun, instantly labeled a villain, made a dumbfounded expression.
"If you're not an assassin, then prove it!"
"Prove what and how?!"
"If you are righteous before Heaven, then show the sword technique of the Changgeom Sect to Heaven!"
It would be too disappointing to just get mocked once and leave.
Yun-what's-his-name.
Show us a little trick.
"The sword technique of the Changgeom Sect is not something to be shown to others like some acrobatic troupe's performance......"
Why is this monologue so long?
"Heaven! If you believe this man's innocence should be proven with the Changgeom Sect's sword technique! Please clap your hands together with us!"
I spread my hands toward the sky and began to clap.
"Waaaaaah."
"Let's see that famous sword technique aaah."
"I'll clap with my belly too! Show us quicklyyyy!"
The audience, excited by the novel spectacle, began to cheer and clap enthusiastically.
"Ugh!"
Great Hero Yun flinched under the overwhelming applause. He's still holding out.
Then I'll make it so he can't leave the stage unless he shows his martial arts.
"Heaven! I will continue to clap until this person proves his innocence!"
"Hurry up!!"
"It's not like your sword technique will wear out from showing it!"
"Stop just flexing your shoulders all the time and show us something now!"
Great Hero Yun tried to lower his head and ignore the applause. But that backfired. Instead, the entire audience began to curse at Great Hero Yun while clapping.
"Alright! Everyone stop! I'll show you, is that enough?!"
Great Hero Yun finally declared his surrender.
"Great Hero Yun! Will you truly show that you are not an assassin of the Neungnam Sect?"
"I said I'll show you!"
"Excellent! Great Hero Yun of the Changgeom Sect will perform a sword dance for us!"
As expected, the best trick is a sword dance.
"No, when did I agree to a sword dance......"
"Waaaah!"
"Wooaaaah!"
"Ha, what on earth is happening."
Great Hero Yun let out a small sigh and finally displayed a sword dance.
Worried he might swing his sword at me, I retreated to the far edge of the stage.
The dance Great Hero Yun performed before the audience wasn't a beautiful sword dance performed by a pretty woman, nor a profound sword dance filled with deep philosophy by someone from a prestigious orthodox sect, but it was certainly a splendid sword dance worthy of feasting the eyes of the people.
It's cooler than I thought.
"I'll stop here!"
Great Hero Yun's splendid sword dance came to an end.
"This is the sword technique of the Changgeom Sect! Ha Mu-rin of Joseon! I feel my horizons have broadened! Isn't that right! Heaven! If it was cool, please give a thunderous round of applause!"
Before Great Hero Yun could say anything, I quickly seized the moment and prompted the audience's reaction.
"Wooowowowow!"
"It was awesome!"
"No wonder we pay tribute to the Changgeom Sect!"
If the people had clapped earlier to mock Great Hero Yun, this time they gave sincere applause of praise.
"No, well, haha."
Great Hero Yun, seeing the people who had been mocking him now exclaiming and applauding in praise, felt embarrassed.
"Great Hero Yun! Thanks to you, I found the evidence and could broaden my horizons with a splendid sword dance! Thank you!"
I bowed respectfully at a 90-degree angle toward Great Hero Yun.
The people's applause. My grateful bow.
How about it? Feeling pretty good, aren't you?
"Ahem. Remember, it was all thanks to me. Then I'll be......"
"Y-Y-Y-Yun Great Hero! Are you abandoning me now?!"
It's not over yet, you bastard.
"Why are you doing this again! Why on earth are you doing this to me?!"
You probably know very well why.
"Great Hero Yun! I! Have! Run out of travel funds now! Won't you share some travel funds with me?!!!"
The thank you was bait.
Give me more money.
"Do you know how much money I gave you today?! I gave you far too much money just for a story!"
Great Hero Yun has no sense. Saying that makes you step out of character.
If I ask for more money here, it will only sour the stage atmosphere, and worse, he might draw his sword on me.
Should I give up?
I can't do that!
"Heaven!!!"
"I'll be getting down now."
Sensing I was about to pull some trick, Great Hero Yun turned to leave the stage.
I can't let you do that!
"Here!! If Great Hero Yun leaves!! I will have to ask Heaven for help again!! If Great Hero Yun helps me!! I will not ask Heaven for help!!"
Ladies and gentlemen! If this bastard gives me money, I won't use the Collection Technique.
Help me!
"If you're going to help, help to the end! How can you not give a single penny for travel funds!"
"People shouldn't be so stingy-hearted!"
"Oooooh. All you know is how to wield the Changgeom Sect's sword! Don't you feel sorry for Young Master Ha Mu-rin?"
The people, hearing that they wouldn't have to pay, began to pressure Great Hero Yun.
It's not like they're the ones paying anyway, so why would they care what they say?
In times like this, you beat them with words.
"No. Today, how much did I give this storyteller?"
"Great Hero Y-Y-Yun of the Changgeom Sect! If you help me today, I, Ha Mu-rin! Will never forget your grace in this lifetime, engraving it in my bones and always honoring Great Hero Yun as I live!"
I prostrated myself flat on the ground before Great Hero Yun and bowed. Yun-what's-his-name. If you want to raise me up, you'll have to scatter some money.
"Uuuugh! Fine! This is really the last time!"
With those words, Great Hero Yun took money from his wallet and threw it in front of me.
I glanced up to check the money thrown before me.
Goodness. This person is really stingy. Why does your face look angry but your hands are so rational?
"Great Hero Yun! To return to the Ha Family Head, I don't neeeeed Great Hero Yun's grace!!!"
Not these dark and dingy ones, but you have the white ones, don't you?
"Really! What on earth! Ugh!"
Great Hero Yun took a deep sigh and finally took a few white ones from his pocket and threw them to me.
Thank you!
"Thank you! Great Hero Yun! I will engrave this grace in my bones and record it in my heart to pass on to future generations!! Heaven! Please send applause to Great Hero Yun of the Changgeom Sect, who is both generous-hearted and excels in sword technique!!!"
"Oooooooh!!"
The people applauded for Great Hero Yun, who was leaving with his soul utterly drained.
Watching Great Hero Yun, his soul drained, trudging down from the stage, I laughed inwardly. I said I would engrave his grace in my bones, but Young Master Ha Mu-rin will never remember Great Hero Yun's grace forever.
But I feel as if the wounds in my heart from that day, which had been engraved in my bones, are disappearing.
The story of Young Master Ha Mu-rin concluded successfully.
"It was fun!"
"There was a reason you were invited to the Gap-su Merchant Group!"
"I'll come again next time!"
As the story was ending and I came down to collect money, Great Hero Yun was on high alert, but I ignored him and collected money from the others.
Perhaps because I mainly fleeced Great Hero Yun during today's performance, the others also willingly threw their money at the end.
If I could earn this much every day, I could live without major money worries.
Confirming that most of the audience had dispersed, I also came down from the stage.
Where might The Heavenly Killing Star be?
Today's story was especially interesting, I should ask for her opinion. I hope the reaction was good.
I was searching for The Heavenly Killing Star among the few remaining audience members when someone grabbed my shoulder from behind.
Is it The Heavenly Killing Star?
"Huh? What is it?"
Turning around, it wasn't The Heavenly Killing Star who was there.
It was Great Hero Yun with a menacing face.
This doesn't feel good.
Great Hero Yun spoke to me in a low but strong tone.
"Follow me quietly. If you scream, you know it won't be fun."