Chapter 52
Translator: uly
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: The Return of the Black-Haired Gambler - 5
"What the hell!"
Yun the Hero felt the presence too late. He drew his sword and swung it backward, but it was already over.
Cheonsalseong lightly dodged Yun the Hero's blade, kicked the back of his knee to break his balance, and in an instant, began to 'cook' him.
"Gahk! Keuk! Please!"
The subjugation was instantaneous.
Yun the Hero swung his sword blindly, but Cheonsalseong was not one to be hit by such a blade. Instead, Cheonsalseong grabbed Yun the Hero's wrist, made him drop the sword, and threw it to the far end of the alley.
In a short time, Cheonsalseong neutralized Yun the Hero, pressed down on his staggering shoulder, and forced him to his knees. Cheonsalseong moved behind the dazed Yun the Hero, drew a dagger, and held it to his neck.
'An incredible master!'
No resistance was of any use. Kneeling, Yun the Hero panicked greatly at the blade touching his neck and thought.
'I couldn't sense a single presence in this narrow alley.'
Just when had they been there? He had been mindful of the alley entrance, worried someone might see him threatening the gambler, but he hadn't sensed a thing.
Even though he was caught from behind, he couldn't put up a single move of resistance. A master beyond comparison to himself, both in skill at concealing presence and in close-quarters combat.
They had only drawn the dagger to keep him from moving now, subduing him without even using swordsmanship. Yun the Hero was overwhelmed by the immense gap in skill.
"W-who are you, exalted master?"
For a master of this level to be in Chilgok County. Who on earth could it be?
Could it be a master hired by another faction to target the marketplace? To hire a master of this level, you'd have to pay in gold by weight. Could they have hired someone just to take over one marketplace?
Was it all part of a plan, even that barbarian brat tricking him? Yun the Hero couldn't gauge the situation at all.
"Who do you think I am?"
Kang Yun-ho asked with a leisurely smile.
"W-was it all a trap!"
He had thought the gambler had simply held a grudge and tricked him, luring him into the alley. But for a master of this level to appear...
To Yun the Hero, it felt like all of this was designed by this gambler.
"A trap? I never laid any trap. You walked into this dead end yourself."
"W-what are you planning to do with me?"
"You tried to swing your sword at me because you held the advantage in power. Now the advantage is mine. What do you think I'll do now?"
A moment ago, Yun the Hero could decide Kang Yun-ho's life or death. But now, the opposite was true; it was Kang Yun-ho's turn.
Kang Yun-ho asked him calmly, like a judge.
"Just kill him now."
Cheonsalseong said to Kang Yun-ho, as if asking why he was asking such things to a man about to die.
"I was wrong! Please spare me!"
An immense killing intent poured over Yun the Hero. I'm going to die. If this continues, I'll die. The terror of death assailed Yun the Hero.
To live, he had to beg for his life not from the master behind him, but from the gambler in front.
"You tried to swing your sword at me over money I earned fairly. That created a grudge against me. Do you understand?"
"I'm sorry! I never meant to kill you. I was just so angry I wanted to take the money. I'm a... a righteous sect person! People saw me dragging you away; would I really kill you? Please have mercy!"
It was true.
Although Yun the Hero had lost his mind trying to take a large sum of money, he hadn't planned to kill the barbarian gambler. He was a righteous sect person who at least kept to a minimum level of virtue.
Kang Yun-ho stared at Yun the Hero for a long while. A time that divided life and death. The moment his lips opened, Yun the Hero's life would be decided.
It was a very short time, but Yun the-ho regretted that he was in mortal danger because of a pathetic action he took after losing his mind.
The moment of life and death flowed by,
and Kang Yun-ho delivered his verdict.
"I will spare you."
Kang Yun-ho raised a hand to stop Cheonsalseong.
"Y-you really mean it?!"
Color returned to Yun the Hero's face.
"You tried to swing your sword at me out of a grudge because you were the stronger one. But I will repay my grudge against you with the mercy of the strong. So, let's not have any more red faces over this matter."
"Thank you! I swear I will never harm you because of this again!"
"If you try to seek revenge for this matter..."
Kang Yun-ho picked up a fist-sized stone from the ground, handed it to Cheonsalseong, and nodded. Cheonsalseong understood the meaning in an instant and showed the stone in hand to Yun the Hero.
The stone in their grip crumbled effortlessly and flowed down to the ground.
Gulp. Yun the Hero swallowed dryly.
"I swear on my honor, my name, and the Changgeom Sect! I will absolutely not seek revenge!"
A master of this level was someone a minor sect that just collected protection money in a marketplace could never dream of taking revenge on.
If a master of this caliber were involved, even the entire Changgeom Sect would be no match. Yun the Hero trembled in fear.
"Then go, and don't look back."
Kang Yun-ho gestured toward the end of the alley.
"I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry!"
As Cheonsalseong eased the pressure of the dagger tip, Yun the Hero repeatedly bowed his head. He felt like he had barely escaped the tiger's maw.
For the sake of his own life, Yun the Hero resolved to keep today's events an absolute secret and disappeared down the alley.
*******
'That was almost a disaster.'
Damn, Cheonsalseong. You said you don't kill people, so why did you draw the dagger right away?
'Just kill him now.'
That one sentence made my heart drop.
If you end up killing someone and go crazy, who's going to be responsible? You know it won't be me, it'll be my neck on the line.
"Why did you spare him?"
Cheonsalseong asked me after Yun the Hero disappeared.
If I let you stab him, it's like Russian roulette. Would I really let you stab him then?
Although Yun the Hero acted like a petty person in front of me, he's a man called a 'Hero' in Chilgok County. Once he goes back, he'll realize how shameful today's incident was.
Even if he wants revenge, would he really say, 'I got a little mad because the gambler made me pay a lot of money. I tried to drag him away and swing my sword at him, but I almost died. Help me out'?
Especially since the other side has an incredible master with them.
From Yun the Hero's perspective, this is absolutely not a winnable situation, socially or physically.
"How foolish it is for people to wash blood with blood."
"That guy tried to harm you."
A subtle anger could be felt in the words.
"Sohee. Are you angry because Oppa almost got hit?"
I said to Cheonsalseong with a sly smile. It probably wasn't really that, but I needed to lighten the mood.
"... I only said that because it's the proper way here."
Cheonsalseong momentarily avoided my gaze and said what needed to be said.
"Haha. That's probably why I get treated like a barbarian here."
"..."
Cheonsalseong looked at me again, eyes slightly widened.
"And besides, you don't always have to repay with blood. We got some extra income like this, right?"
I picked up the money pouch that had fallen when Cheonsalseong subdued that petty scoundrel, Yun.
I did want to pick Yun the Hero's pockets, but to get this much... Sweet.
"If you keep trusting only your mouth like today, you'll meet with great misfortune."
Oh. Are you worried about me?
"I didn't trust my mouth. I trusted you, Sohee. I believed that our Sohee would protect me when I was in danger."
I looked at Cheonsalseong with a pleased smile. Honestly, it was really reassuring.
Thanks to that, I could be confident even in that situation. It would've been better if you hadn't drawn the dagger, though.
"You really do talk too much."
Cheonsalseong suddenly bowed her head deeply, hid her face with the bamboo hat, and walked out of the alley.
What's with her?
"Let's go together, Sohee!"
I have to protect her to the end!
"Where did she go?"
Cheonsalseong, who said she was going out for a bit after dinner, hasn't returned.
I hope she's not sulking because she didn't like the food. But I bought something expensive. Of course, it wasn't the food she likes for dinner, so I bought something else.
"When is she coming?"
I can't have her sleep on the floor two days in a row, so I was going to suggest renting a room with four beds or moving to another inn, but...
Sitting on the inn room bed, I waited for Cheonsalseong aimlessly.
"I'm back."
Cheonsalseong opened the inn room door and entered, still wearing her bamboo hat.
"Sohee. You're back. I have something to say about sleeping arrangements..."
"I also have something to say about that."
Cheonsalseong cut me off and spoke.
Of course, you'd prefer a room with separate beds too, right? If Cheonsalseong suggests changing rooms, I'll go down and change them right away.
Cheonsalseong said she had something to say and then said nothing.
What's going on?
Looking closely, Cheonsalseong seemed a bit strange. After entering the room, she kept her head bowed, hiding her gaze with the hat, and her arms were hidden behind her back.
Her shoulders kept twitching, as if she had something to say but was hesitating.
"Sohee?"
Is she embarrassed to suggest changing rooms? When I called her, Cheonsalseong's gaze met mine. Then, as if having made some decision, she gave a small nod.
What's wrong? This is making me uneasy.
Cheonsalseong strode right up to me sitting on the bed and held out what she had been hiding behind her back.
"Why a rope?"
What Cheonsalseong held out was, at a glance, a very sturdy-looking black rope. Leather material? It doesn't seem like an ordinary rope.
As I was thinking about the rope, Cheonsalseong made a request I never expected.
"Tie me up with this."
Oh... SM?