Chapter 33
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Wager
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Han Seol-hwa descended to the first floor and walked straight to a table situated between the inn’s entrance and the staircase.
Myeonggeom was sitting there alone, drinking tea.
He leaned against the wall, cradling his sword at an angle, appearing off-guard. Yet Han Seol-hwa could clearly sense the subtle net of ki he had spread around him.
“Couldn’t you sleep?”
Myeonggeom straightened his posture upon noticing Han Seol-hwa.
Since she appeared to be around his age, he offered only the appropriate level of courtesy. The two had yet to exchange proper greetings due to the commotion earlier in the day.
Han Seol-hwa gazed at Myeonggeom, a barely perceptible smile gracing her lips.
“Never for a moment does the sword leave your heart.”
A faint look of surprise surfaced in Myeonggeom’s eyes.
The words the woman before him had just uttered were the very essence of the Huashan Sect’s core martial verses.
The most fundamental and crucial teaching in mastering their arts.
How could she possibly know a tenet passed down solely by word of mouth, one that should never have been leaked to an outsider?
‘Is it a coincidence?’
As the bewildered Myeonggeom struggled for words, Han Seol-hwa gave a slight nod.
“Then again, that is the way of the Red Forest.”
“The Red Forest…?”
At Myeonggeom’s questioning look, Han Seol-hwa tilted her head.
“Do you no longer use the name ‘The Red Forest of Plum Shadows’?”
“Ah!”
Myeonggeom let out a small gasp.
“I heard our sect was described that way in the past. But I can’t imagine how long ago that was…”
Myeonggeom trailed off uncertainly.
Though she seemed to be his age, her manner of speaking made him slightly uncomfortable. Just then, Han Seol-hwa’s eyes met his.
“Starting tomorrow, you no longer need to escort us.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m telling you to return. I believe the Huashan Sect has shown enough sincerity.”
Though the words were unexpected, Myeonggeom quickly composed his expression.
“I apologize, but this is not a matter I can decide on my own.”
His demeanor was firm, without a hint of wavering.
“What if it makes us uncomfortable?”
Myeonggeom gave a wry smile.
An escort, by its very nature, was meant to ensure safety, even at the cost of some inconvenience.
“I am simply following my sect’s orders.”
“You’re a stubborn child.”
“I believe I am past the age of being called a… child.”
Visibly offended, Myeonggeom’s brow furrowed slightly.
Nowhere had he ever been treated with such disrespect.
Still, he couldn't openly express his anger.
‘Do I look that young?’
Myeonggeom cupped his fist in a formal gesture and spoke again.
“It seems my introduction is late. I am Myeonggeom, a third-generation disciple of the Huashan Sect, and I have just come of age this year.”
“I heard earlier.”
“If it’s not too rude, may I ask for your name and age, miss?”
“It is rude.”
“Pardon?”
“You shouldn't ask a woman her age.”
Myeonggeom was looking at Han Seol-hwa with a bewildered expression when she lifted the veil covering her face.
The moment her face was fully revealed.
“...!”
Myeonggeom’s breath caught in his throat.
He was utterly captivated by her indescribable beauty. Han Seol-hwa pulled over an empty teacup, filled it, and spoke quietly.
“This escort was unnecessary from the start.”
“…”
“Where in the world does a tiger need an escort of rabbits?”
“…”
“Are you listening?”
“What?”
Belatedly realizing his own unprofessional conduct, Myeonggeom hastily composed himself. But as he recalled her words, he couldn't hide his vexation.
Her informal speech was no longer the issue. The problem was how to explain the standing of the Plum Blossom Swordmasters in the current martial world.
Telling the truth would sound like boasting.
But to remain silent would be a tacit admission, tarnishing the honor of the Huashan Sect.
After a moment of deliberation, Myeonggeom made his decision.
No matter what, he could not accept being reduced to a rabbit.
“That assessment seems too harsh. If one were to name the top one hundred masters in the current martial world, each of the Plum Blossom Swordmasters could easily claim a spot on that list.”
“The Plum Blossom Swordmasters…”
As Han Seol-hwa murmured the words, Myeonggeom’s heart fluttered once more. Her distant gaze kept unsettling his hard-won composure.
“I’ve seen that look in your eyes before.”
“Pardon?”
Staring intently at the puzzled Myeonggeom, Han Seol-hwa spoke again.
“Is the leader of the Plum Blossom Swordmasters called the Plum Blossom Sword Captain?”
“That is correct.”
“The man who held that position long ago once told me that if he could but win my heart, he would cast aside his hollow title and all pretense. He clung to me relentlessly, vowing to renounce his vows and return to a secular life.”
“...!”
“Your eyes now hold the same look as his.”
“That’s absurd!”
For the first time, Myeonggeom showed his anger.
He had endured her behavior out of respect for his sect’s orders, but her last words had crossed a line.
He was the current Plum Blossom Sword Captain, so if her story were true, it must have been the previous one.
‘My master would never do such a thing.’
To think of abandoning the Huashan Sect for a woman.
“Do not tarnish my master’s good name with such slanderous lies!”
“I do not lie.”
“This is your final warning. The Huashan Sect does not tolerate insults!”
“You don’t believe me?”
Han Seol-hwa met Myeonggeom’s blazing eyes with a faint smile.
“What if my words are true? Will you withdraw the escort?”
“Can you take responsibility for those words?”
“How should I take responsibility?”
Myeonggeom’s face flushed as he thought for a moment.
“Grant me one wish.”
“Anything at all?”
A slight chill crept into Han Seol-hwa’s voice.
“Fine. I will.”
Others had made such wagers with her in the past. Most of them were now frozen at the bottom of a pond in the Ice Forest.
A fitting end for those who made shameless demands.
Unaware of this, Myeonggeom innocently stated his wish.
“Please allow us to continue the escort.”
A look of surprise appeared in Han Seol-hwa’s eyes.
“Will that suffice?”
“Of course. A wager should be fair, should it not?”
Han Seol-hwa found herself liking this young man.
“Very well. Then how will you verify the truth of my story?”
“As it happens, my master is currently visiting the Xi’an branch of the Martial Alliance on official business.”
Myeonggeom wrote a brief letter and handed it to one of the Plum Blossom Swordmasters in his party.
“Make sure to relay exactly what you have seen and heard here.”
His voice, regardless of his age, carried the authority of a leader.
The Plum Blossom Swordmaster who received the order also showed disciplined composure.
After the man left with the letter, Han Seol-hwa gestured for Myeonggeom to sit.
“Then let us wait for the results and have some tea.”
“I will wait standing.”
“Your heart seems to be beating rather fast. Shouldn’t you rest a little?”
“I-I’m fine.”
“One should not refuse the kindness of an elder.”
“An elder…”
At that word, Myeonggeom’s mind fell into turmoil.
If she was telling the truth, she was of the same generation as his master. Never since he had taken his vows at the Huashan Sect had his heart been in such disarray.
“I said, sit.”
“Ah!”
A cry of surprise escaped Myeonggeom’s lips.
An irresistible force seemed to wrap around his body, and when he came to his senses, he found himself already seated in the chair opposite Han Seol-hwa.
‘What in the world was that?’
He felt as if he had been bewitched by a fox.
Unable to meet her gaze, Myeonggeom fixed his eyes on the window outside and began to sip his tea.
Fortunately, the woman across from him said no more.
That, at least, was a relief.
Otherwise, calming his pounding heart would have been far more difficult.
* * *
The nights in Xi’an were magnificent.
The red-light district, with its dense cluster of brothels, was truly a city that never slept.
But where light is bright, shadows run deep.
Behind the sweet aroma of wine and flirtatious laughter lay the sighs and tears of countless women. Scuffles over drink tabs were trivial matters; bloody incidents involving loss of life were not uncommon.
That was why people like Wu Yi were necessary.
Wu Yi was a man who lived in the shadows of the red-light district.
He was a bouncer, hired by a brothel.
He was once a renowned guard for a famous security agency, but now he stood watch over this place, the Yihwaru. The pay from the agency alone hadn't been enough to cover his younger sister’s medical expenses.
Wu Yi’s primary duty was to handle drunkards.
Customers who made a fuss about their bills or harassed the courtesans had to have a quiet conversation with Wu Yi.
On those occasions, he resolved the problem using the most primal and effective method of communication.
Violence.
But sometimes, he had to face masters whose skills far surpassed his own. In those cases, there was no other way.
He just had to take the beating.
To get pummeled until the other party’s anger subsided.
The only silver lining was the promise that if he died on the job, a substantial compensation would be paid to his sister.
However, as time went on, Wu Yi felt a darkness growing ever deeper within him.
It was due to the chasm between his ideals and reality.
The money he earned to save his sister.
That money was, in the end, earned from the laughter and tears sold by women of his sister’s age.
The thought tormented him more and more.
‘No customers again today.’
Watching the Yihwaru from the shadows, Wu Yi let out a sigh.
The atmosphere in Xi’an was tense, with members of the Martial Alliance stirring up trouble more than usual lately.
Perhaps because of that, the number of customers had dropped sharply.
Most of the courtesans were sold here because of debt.
If they didn't pay it off daily, the interest would make the debt grow even larger. Thinking of the courtesans who must be sighing over the sudden slump, Wu Yi’s heart was heavy.
At that moment.
*Thud.*
“...!”
Wu Yi’s languid eyes widened in shock.
It was because of a giant of a man who had suddenly dropped from the sky.
‘A master!’
In his nearly fifteen years in the martial world, he had never seen such astonishing lightness skill.
This was a true titan, the kind one might see only once in a lifetime.
Wu Yi immediately approached the huge man.
“Welcome to the Yihwaru.”
Beom Gye-wi turned his head and looked at Wu Yi.
The moment their eyes met, Wu Yi felt his heart plummet.
The piercing gaze that seemed to flow in streams.
He was terrified by the overwhelming presence writhing behind it.
“Is this the place where I’ll be reborn as a real man?”
Hearing the sudden voice of a child, Wu Yi belatedly noticed the boy the giant was holding.
The giant grinned and nodded.
“Of course. The new world for our Physician Dan to experience is right before you.”
Wu Yi was utterly baffled.
The boy was twelve or thirteen at most. Far, far too young to be entering a brothel.
But there was something even more surprising.
The oppressive pressure he had felt from the giant man vanished as if it had never been there.
“Have all the customers inside leave. I'm renting out the entire place for tonight.”
“Understood.”
Wu Yi replied instantly and guided Beom Gye-wi to the grand banquet hall.
It was fortunate that there were no other customers.
For now, he had to do everything he could to please this man. The best course of action was to avoid danger before a trivial complaint could escalate into an uncontrollable disaster.
Leading the way, Wu Yi sent a hand signal to the brothel’s manager. The manager wore a slightly sour expression, but soon, dozens of lavishly dressed courtesans began to bring out wine and dishes.
“Oh! The talent here is top-notch!”
Beom Gye-wi, seated at the head of the table, smiled at Dan Ak-seon.
“Physician Dan, you choose.”
“Choose what?”
“From the women you see there, pick the one that catches your eye.”
Dan Ak-seon carefully observed the courtesans lined up before them.
“Oh?”
Dan Ak-seon raised his hand and pointed to one person.
“That one.”
Beom Gye-wi followed his hand with his gaze and nodded in satisfaction.