Plunder Fire Lotus: Befriending Wi Ha-young #3
"That bitch has no manners? How dare you badmouth Serin in front of me! No, Serin is the kindest person in this whole damn world!"
I couldn't tolerate anyone insulting Serin right in front of me. Attacking her felt like a direct attack on me. She wasn't just my close friend—she was also my master. She held pretty much the same position as Song-ssi.
"What? Kind?"
"Yeah. She's like a fairy descended from heaven."
"Kyahat, kyahahahaha! Make some sense! How could that rude bitch possibly be kind?!"
Wi Ha-young burst into cackling laughter, wiping away tears like I'd told the funniest joke she'd ever heard.
"Rude my ass! She's been so good to me!"
What the hell would it take for someone to badmouth a sweetheart like Serin? Were you Satan's spawn or something?
"Oh? She was that good to you?"
"Damn right!"
"No, seriously—what the hell does the Jade Flower Sword even see in you to treat you like that? Come on, spill it. What's your relationship?"
Relationship, huh.
"What kind of relationship? Obviously, close friends."
"What, close friends?"
Wi Ha-young tilted her head, puzzled.
"Yeah. I became sworn friends with Serin."
"Heh. Sworn friends, huh? Impressive. Even so, it's not easy for a guy to become sworn brothers with one of the Murim Four Beauties, right? How'd you pull that off?"
Thinking about it, yeah, it was a big deal.
"Logically, it sounds tough. But the trigger? Saving her life, of course."
"Life-saving favor?"
"You haven't heard the rumors? About the peerless great hero called Nachal Sal who appeared in Anhui Province."
I said that while shrugging my shoulders and straightening my posture. I even deepened my voice to sound more heroic.
"Nachal Sal? That sounds like some demonic cult leader from the unorthodox sects, no matter how you slice it. And you're saying a guy like that showed up?"
Oh man. Honestly, I thought the same.
"Demonic leader my ass! That's me!"
"What? You're Nachal Sal?"
"Yeah. I'm the one and only Nachal Sal."
"Lmao! You don't look it at all!"
Wi Ha-young exploded in laughter, cackling wildly.
"Kyahahahat!"
No way—those Open Faction guys recognized me as Nachal Sal right off the bat, but this Murim Taoist doesn't? Guess Taoists just don't get these things. Figures with spell-slingers.
"Stop laughing... I'm being serious here. Anyway, yeah, I guess it needs some backstory. So, last time, a labyrinth popped up outta nowhere."
I explained everything that happened to Wi Ha-young. The sudden emergence of the Demon Nachal. The desperate, life-or-death battle. Our shining tale of ultimate victory.
"That's how I snagged a yodan and all that. Even got a pulse diagnosis from a divine healer. Ate the Demon Nachal's yodan during that check-up."
"Ah! So that's it!"
Wi Ha-young nodded in understanding.
"Totally worthy of sworn friendship!"
"Right? And as thanks, Serin even taught me martial arts. So I paid my respects as her disciple too."
"What? So you're sworn friends and her disciple?"
"Even as sworn friends, if there's something to learn, she can be my master anytime."
"Hmm?"
Wi Ha-young crossed her arms at my words, her expression turning serious.
"You're sharper than you look. That's a solid way of thinking. Yeah, even with friends, if there's wisdom to gain, treating them as a master is the way."
"Does it show I've got some book smarts?"
"Big time. Anyway, so that's how you became sworn friends with that Jade Flower Sword bitch."
That bitch rubbed me the wrong way a bit.
"Awesome! Then let's be sworn friends too!"
Suddenly, Wi Ha-young flashed a bright smile and boldly stuck out her hand.
Boing-boing!
Her intense motion made those Mount Tai breasts jiggle wildly. I nearly lost my gaze there but summoned superhuman willpower to focus on her small, pale hand.
Maybe 'cause she's so petite, but her hands looked dainty and cute.
"Sworn friends?"
"What, you don't wanna? Who knows what I'll do if you say no?"
Quit with the threats already!
"Fine! Let's do it! You're researching my body anyway—sworn friends makes perfect sense!"
"Kyahahahat! Good choice! Now we're sworn friends!"
Squeeze.
Wi Ha-young gripped my hand hard and shook it up and down like crazy.
Nothing bad about gaining a sworn friend. Hell, becoming sworn brothers with two of the Murim Four Beauties? Talk about lucky.
"Seriously, do you have any idea how huge an honor this is? Me, Plunder Fire Lotus Wi Ha-young—the most beautiful of the Murim Four Beauties—reaching out first to become sworn friends. Be grateful, punk."
"I'm so blessed my hands and feet are shaking...!"
I said that while dramatically trembling my limbs for effect.
Though Serin said she was the most beautiful... Guess it's a Murim Flower passive skill or something.
"Kyahahahat! What's with the idiot act! Anyway, now that we're sworn friends, let me reintroduce myself! I'm Plunder Fire Lotus Wi Ha-young, the peerless beauty making a name as a female Taoist of the Maosan Sect. Everyone drops dead at the sight of me. Rumors even say I'm kind, and as a Murim warrior? Peak realm expert—no one dares mess with me!"
How do you boast like that with a straight face? I'd die of embarrassment, but Wi Ha-young said it all with pure pride, like every word was gospel.
"Impressive."
"And for breast size? Heh, I'm the best in the world."
She grabbed the underside of her chest and lifted slightly...!
Her cleavage deepened even more from the emphasis.
"Gasp!"
I couldn't keep my wits about me.
"They even call me Mount Tai Breasts for ogling me, right?"
"You're just gonna say it outright?!"
"Sworn friends can share their flaws openly."
"Fair point, but...!"
I was gonna lose my mind. Wi Ha-young talked about her chest like it was no big deal.
"Now your turn. Tell me about you—I'm dying to know. What's your background?"
Her face lit up with curiosity.
"Eh, nothing special. Just from some rural village. Came to Anhui Province to make money. Ended up becoming a Murim warrior while hunting yokai. Oh, name's Kim Geun-hyeop."
"Kim Geun-hyeop, huh. Got it. But rural kid?"
"Yeah."
"Heh. Your skin's too fair for that."
Wi Ha-young grabbed my hand.
"Ack."
"And your hands are so clean. Wouldn't you fit better as some scholar-official's son?"
"Nah, it's just my constitution. Scholar-official? Please."
"Really?"
She eyed me suspiciously but didn't press further. Good thing—hard to explain. Can't exactly say I'm from another world.
"Yeah. Anyway, Ha-young. Since we're sworn friends now, mind if I ask something?"
"What?"
But I had to ask this.
"Bit awkward, but... your outfit's pretty damn revealing, isn't it? Never seen clothes like that. How do you walk around like this?"
"That was bugging you?"
She fiddled with the hem of her robe.
"Well, it's part of my training, actually."
"Training?"
What kinda training is that?
"Men's gazes are so lecherous. And women's? Full of jealousy."
"Uh... yeah, but why bring that up?"
Seemed off-topic.
"To get more attuned and sensitive to yang and yin energy, it's better to take those gazes head-on with my body. My personal way of honing my Taoist power?"
"No way—such a profound reason?!"
Damn, that actually sounded legit!
"Right? Even you're eyeing my chest like a perv right now."
"I wasn't—!"
"No need to be shy. It's natural. Who wouldn't get excited by these? Hehe. But you're my sworn friend, so I'll let you stare openly! Feel honored!"
"Total honor!"
This was sworn friendship at its finest!
"Ugh, makes sense then. Glad there's a good reason. Whew."
"What, thought I was just some slutty, vulgar girl flaunting her Mount Tai Breasts?"
"N-no way...!"
"Hehe. It's written all over your face."
Busted.
"But despite the look, no woman's as chaste as me. Don't misunderstand—not you, my sworn friend. Got it?"
"Never again."
And so, Ha-young and I bonded over self-introductions. Chatting this deeply felt like we'd been friends forever. She was so sociable, conversation flowed easy.
We kept marching through the mountain path at night like that. Walking in the dark was a bit spooky, but with will-o'-the-wisps lighting the way and a reliable female Taoist by my side, no fear at all.
"So, you and the Jade Flower Sword super close?"
"Thick as thieves. Best of friends."
"Wild. She shuts down any guy who approaches."
She did have that stern vibe.
"Thought you'd be similar, but suddenly you've got a male sworn friend and a disciple? Hmm. Mysterious. Life-saving favor or not, how'd you even talk to a girl like that? She's not exactly sociable."
Man, Wi Ha-young talked a lot. Chatty and brutally honest with her feelings.
"Struck up convo by accident, y'know? And I know some fun stories. Used those to chat her up."
"What? Fun stories?"
Her eyes sparkled as she stopped dead, turning to face me with eager excitement.
"What're they? You got fun stories?"
"Heh heh heh, brace yourself. In Anhui, no one can match my silver tongue."
"For real?!"
"No need to ask twice. I'm a walking story sack. Want one?"
"Tell me tell me! I wanna hear! What's it about?!"
"You sure?"
"Hurry up! I'm dying of curiosity!"
"Alright, alright. But I've got tons. What kinda story you want? Pick a theme, I'll deliver."
"Hmm...! Hmm! What to choose! Ah, too hard!"
She had this innocent side. Wi Ha-young pondering stories looked adorable. Though those Mount Tai Breasts dangling there kept distracting me. She said it's fine, so a little peek couldn't hurt.
"Seriously, can't decide!"
She giggled and beamed, making her chest bounce nonstop...