Chapter 61
Translator: uly
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: The Heavenly Slaughter Star in Chilgok County - 4
What food does he like?
‘Unless it’s a capital offense, go forgive him, hold his hand once, and buy him food that men like.’
The words the branch leader of the Salmak had said a moment ago kept swirling in Cheon So-hee’s head.
She didn’t understand why she had to hold his hand, but she wanted to buy him the food he liked at least once.
Looking at the money pouch containing her mission funds, she pondered what food to buy him.
What had Yun-ho usually eaten? Cheon So-hee tried to deduce his taste from the foods he had ordered.
‘He only ate cheap food.’
He usually ordered inexpensive foods for himself. If cheap food wasn’t his preference, she couldn’t deduce his taste from his usual orders.
‘What should I buy him?’
Should she order two portions of the food she liked? It was a very tempting thought, but she soon gave up.
That was what she liked, not what a man liked. Even if he said he liked it, he would probably yield it to her, telling her to eat more.
What food does he like?
While pondering, she suddenly remembered a day when, looking at the food ordered at the inn, the man had muttered something.
—Where have the naengmyeon, dumplings, and Jukyeopcheong gone….
Jukyeopcheong.
Yun-ho had never drunk alcohol in front of her even once. He might dislike alcohol, but if it was a liquor he muttered about liking that much, wasn’t it worth trying to find?
A bite of a dumpling with a crispy outside, moist inside, and full of meat juice, followed by a glass of Jukyeopcheong.
In Cheon So-hee’s mind, an image of the man happily eating well-cooked dumplings and drinking Jukyeopcheong appeared. She didn’t realize it, but the corners of her mouth were subtly rising as she imagined Kang Yun-ho’s happy face.
It would be expensive to obtain Jukyeopcheong, a liquor from Shanxi Province far from Hubei, but let’s buy it.
Cheon So-hee turned her steps heading to the inn and began looking for a tavern that sold Jukyeopcheong.
------
In Cheon So-hee’s hand as she went up to the room were the Jukyeopcheong she had obtained from all over and the dumplings she had ordered downstairs.
When she opened the room door, the man would be there with a sorry face, looking like he was about to cry. Cheon So-hee briefly wondered how to give this to him.
Should she stand bluntly in front of him, tell him to be careful from now on, and hand him the liquor? Yun-ho would surely be pleased.
He might even ask her to drink together. She had no hobby of drinking, but it might be nice to try drinking with him on this occasion.
"I'm back."
Cheon So-hee opened the inn door with a rarely buoyant voice. But inside the room, there was no sign of the man's expression she had expected.
‘He’s not here.’
Kang Yun-ho wasn't there. She hadn't expected him not to be waiting for her.
Where did he go? He might not have wanted to come straight to the inn either, like her. Then where did he go? Did he go to the fabric shop of a man named Wang to exchange money?
If she waited here, would he return?
‘Perhaps the man has grown tired of you?’
For some unknown reason, the words she heard at the Chilgok County branch suddenly came to mind. She then recalled the face of Kang Yun-ho, who had shown a lecherous grin to a married woman.
‘Let’s find him.’
A foreboding feeling arose. She didn’t know if it was the sense of a Heavenly Slaughter Star or the sense of a woman, but she thought she shouldn’t wait in the room.
‘The energy of the Thousand-League Tracking Incense still remains.’
The energy of the Thousand-League Tracking Incense she had sprinkled still remained on Kang Yun-ho’s body. Of course, it had weakened over time, but since she had sprinkled a large amount, finding him within Chilgok County would be easy.
The Heavenly Slaughter Star went outside to find Kang Yun-ho.
----
With one word from the Heavenly Slaughter Star, the entire area froze.
"So, So-hee."
I called her name with difficulty.
"Yun-ho!"
It took less than a breath for her, who had been visible in the far distance, to arrive right in front of me.
She helped sit up my upper body, which had been lying down.
I stared at her blankly.
I thought she would have the expression of a ferocious deity, emitting ominous energy, but the expression she showed while looking at me was like that of a child who would burst into tears at the slightest touch.
So you can make such an expression too.
"So, So-hee."
Should I poke her cheek? I was in so much pain and my mind was hazy, so frivolous thoughts came to me.
"I’m... sorry. I'm sorry."
As if everything was her fault, she kept apologizing to me.
"It's not your fault, So-hee."
It seemed like she would burst into tears if I touched her face, so I placed my hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
How could I have known the Cheongsa Sect, which had disappeared from Chilgok County, would suddenly reappear?
"What the hell?"
"Who is this bitch!"
When the Heavenly Slaughter Star's attention was focused on me, the Cheongsa Sect bastards, who had been momentarily frozen in fear by her killing intent, were able to move again.
One of the Cheongsa Sect bastards who had been beating me tried to grab Cheon So-hee's shoulder.
"Who are you! Are you acquainted with this barbarian bastard? Gyaaaaah!"
The arm of the bastard who tried to grab the Heavenly Slaughter Star's shoulder fell to the ground and rolled.
The arm rolled on the ground so unrealistically that it looked like the arm of a cheap robot toy had fallen off.
"She's no ordinary woman!"
"Draw your swords!"
The bastards around me hastily drew their swords. All the Cheongsa Sect bastards also turned their attention this way and uniformly entered combat readiness.
It's dangerous.
"Gyaaah!"
"My leg!"
"My hand!"
What on earth is happening?
So-hee was still looking at me, but all the bastards around me who had drawn their swords were rolling on the ground with their wrists and ankles severed.
"A, a master?"
"Damn it! She's a master!"
Some among the Cheongsa Sect recognized the Heavenly Slaughter Star's skill and began to hesitate, stepping back.
"D, don't be scared! If we all rush her together, she's nothing special!!"
"That man she's protecting! The barbarian bastard! If we target him first, she won't be able to move recklessly!"
The voice of the Cheongsa Sect leader giving instructions with a relatively cool-headed judgment could be heard.
"Kill the barbarian man first!"
The Cheongsa Sect bastards, drawing their swords, began to slowly surround us.
"Who. Are you going to kill?"
The pupils of the woman who had been staring at me suddenly became terrifying. Without even blinking an eyelid, she turned to look behind her.
"Eeek!"
Perhaps sensing a killing intent like a venomous snake targeting its prey? The man who had said to kill suddenly wet his pants and collapsed on the spot.
"Anyone who points a sword at Yun-ho will die first."
It was her usual voice, but the energy contained within it was as threatening as if it came from the edge of hell.
"Ugh!"
Perhaps realizing her words were not an empty threat? Despite being the majority, all members of the Cheongsa Sect were unable to move from their spots, like ants slowly being crushed under a human palm.
"Yun-ho. Let me check your body for a moment."
So-hee spoke to me in a voice dripping with worry, different from the voice just now.
She touched various parts of my body, examining my condition.
"Fortunately, the bones and tendons aren't injured."
After touching my body a few times, Cheon So-hee smiled with relief.
However, the Heavenly Slaughter Star's eyes were not smiling at all.
It was like the expression my mother had when I was almost hit by a truck as a child, checking my safety before fighting the truck driver as if she would kill him.
"Yun-ho. I'll hold you."
She carefully picked me up in her arms.
A princess carry. I never dreamed I'd be on the receiving end of this, not giving it.
Holding me, she began to slowly walk towards the ring of Cheongsa Sect members with drawn swords.
Is this okay?
When she glanced at a few Cheongsa Sect bastards with a gaze as cold as ice, different from the one she looked at me with, the bastards meekly cleared the way.
The Heavenly Slaughter Star passed by the Cheongsa Sect people who couldn't move recklessly and stood in front of the people of the shantytown who had been having their money extorted.
"Everyone, look at me."
"Yes!"
Perhaps aware the situation had reversed? The people of the shantytown, terrified, hurriedly focused on her.
"Take this man and get out of here."
The Heavenly Slaughter Star held out the man she was carrying in her arms towards them.
"So, So-hee. You mustn't kill people."
I looked up at the Heavenly Slaughter Star with difficulty and spoke.
It wasn't some nonsense about revenge being futile.
I wanted those bastards dead too. I wanted them to die cruelly. The Heavenly Slaughter Star could easily kill them.
But after she kills them, then what?
Even if all my worries until now had been groundless, this time it felt like something really bad would happen.
"I'm going to kill them."
She said decisively.
"So-hee."
"I'm going to kill them."
"So-hee!"
"I'll crush their ankles and cut off their arms. I'll slit their bellies, pull out their entrails, and tear their throats before pulling out their hearts."
Her face was expressionless, but her eyes were burning more than ever. Anger that made my cheeks tingle could be felt in her words.
‘I can’t stop this.’
I realized it instinctively.
This can’t happen.
I can’t stop her.
No matter what I say, she absolutely won’t listen.
"So-hee. Let me down from your arms."
"Okay."
I got down from the Heavenly Slaughter Star's arms and leaned my shoulder on a shantytown resident who tried to support me.
"So-hee."
If I can't stop her with words, there's only one promise I can make.
"Okay."
"I'd like So-hee to be by my side when I'm in pain. So please... come back."
The Heavenly Slaughter Star I remember from the game is a serial killer who enjoys mass slaughter.
But the one I met in this world was not the serial killer Heavenly Slaughter Star, but the assassin Cheon So-hee.
Then, after committing mass slaughter today, will she be Cheon So-hee? Or the Heavenly Slaughter Star?
I couldn't be sure.
If she awakens as the Heavenly Slaughter Star, it won't end with just the Cheongsa Sect.
If I can't stop her, who has already made up her mind, there's only one thing I can say.
Come back as Cheon So-hee, not the Heavenly Slaughter Star.
"Okay."
Did she understand my words? Or did she just take it as a farewell? She gave a slight nod, then turned her body and walked back towards the Cheongsa Sect.
"Thank you! Let's get out of here quickly!"
"I'll help you! Barbarian friend, use my shoulder too!"
Before leaving this place, I turned back to look at her.
She didn't look back.
Please. Let my worry be groundless.
******
A memory she didn't want to recall.
A memory she could never forget.
— The Japanese pirates have invaded! Run!
— Mom! Dad!
— Spare my life! Please spare me!
The memory of the village burning and people being slaughtered. The memory of precious people dying one by one before overwhelming violence.
The overwhelming sense of helplessness a child feels before that.
To escape that helplessness, to escape the Heavenly Punishment, she had trained her whole life.
"If a barbarian bastard crawls into Chilgok County and extorts money from good people, he should pay taxes!"
The end of the Thousand-League Tracking Incense.
She had come to see him again, walking the streets with a sorry face. But there he was, being sacrificed to overwhelming violence.
The memories she wanted to recall wouldn't come no matter how hard she tried, and the memories she wanted to forget came back to find her.
That day's overwhelming sense of helplessness rose within her again.
"It's the first time."
She confessed towards the Cheongsa Sect ruffians who couldn't move.
"I've killed people before. For missions. For killing intent."
She entered the ring originally formed by the Cheongsa Sect warriors and walked around them step by step, smiling.
Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes were not smiling at all. The Cheongsa Sect warriors looking at her face felt as if they were seeing a ghost in broad daylight.
"But you know. Being angry. Killing someone out of anger is a first for me."
It was strange. She was angry, but her blood wasn't boiling. She was so angry that her rage had frozen over.
The Heavenly Slaughter Star was briefly grateful for this feeling.
Thanks to it, she could let him escape.
"What the hell is this bitch saying!"
"Hey! Even if you run, you're dead! Just attack!"
"Master or whatever, if you stab her, it's over!"
"Hey! Let's get her together!"
The Cheongsa Sect warriors uniformly prepared to charge at her with their swords.
But not a single one of their words entered her ears.
She was only thinking of one man.
‘So-hee. If you kill people….’
The man who, despite being more fragile than anyone, worried that her hands would be stained with blood rather than seeking revenge. The man who always tried to protect her.
‘I'd like So-hee to be by my side when I'm in pain. So please... come back.’
The man who worried she might disappear somewhere. The man who would welcome her back to the room with a kind face.
A momentary mistake.
‘So, So-hee.’
Because of a momentary mistake, he was being trampled to a pulp, bleeding, and dying before her eyes.
She had almost lost someone who could become precious—no, perhaps the only being for her in this world.
She said she would protect him.
She couldn't protect him.
She had gained power, but she was still helpless and incompetent.
That was too painful, sad, and infuriating.
"You bitch! What are you all doing! Charge at her quickly!"
Hidden anger boiled through the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow, seeking its targets.
Let's crush their ankles and cut off their arms. Let's slit their bellies, pull out their entrails, and rip out their hearts. Let's tear their throats and burst their heads.
Before expressing her rage, she declared in a cold voice.
"So you can't run away. Let's start. With your feet."
The Heavenly Slaughter Star had appeared in Chilgok County.