The Scoundrel and Sichuan's Finest Fiancée

A month had passed since I possessed Jin Muwon.

To escape the worst ending laid out for me, I had sworn to grow strong, and for that entire month I hurled myself into training like a man possessed. By a stroke of real luck I could peer into Jin Muwon's memories, so I retraced them and kept up the harshest training my body could endure.

One month.

For a human wreck to become a true martial artist, it was nowhere near enough time.

I was on my way home at my father's summons when the usual baseless scorn came spilling over me, even in the middle of the street.

"Look over there. That's Jin Muwon."

"The nobody who swaggers around riding his old man's coattails?"

"How does a son like that come from parents like those...? Tsk!"

I had grown used to it by now, and it stirred nothing in me—but I still couldn't keep from frowning. I had no right to argue with any of it. Go back through Jin Muwon's memories, and he was a man who had earned every word of that contempt.

Still, having to swallow those insults myself leaves a foul taste.

A month of training hadn't made me into a proper martial artist, but it had been more than enough to leave the level of an ordinary man behind. My five senses had grown dozens of times sharper, and my body had reached a point where calling me superhuman would not have been strange at all. Because of that, I caught far more than crude gossip. Every stray sound ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠around me came with it. And thanks to that... there were times I got dragged into matters I wanted nothing to do with.

"Heh heh~ That little wench has one fine face on her."

"I won't say it twice. Get out of my way."

"Ha— I do like them bold. Bitches like you are more fun once they're broken. Boys!"

"Khk—!"

From inside a lonely-looking alley came the sounds of several men trying to force themselves on a woman.

I can't just ignore this... can I?

When I took over Jin Muwon's body, I had meant to live as selfishly as I could, thinking of no one but myself. Injustice of this sort, I simply could not stomach.

I headed toward the voices and found three men surrounding a single woman.

One third-rate. The other two aren't even martial artists.

Having read their strength through inner qi, I climbed onto a roof and waited for an opening. A third-rate was still a martial artist. Winning a head-on fight would not have been all that hard, but if I committed to one, I wouldn't be able to spare a thought for the other two for some time. That left assassination. I didn't need to kill all of them. Cut down the only man who knew how to use martial arts, and the rest would collapse on their own.

Inner energy drawn from the dantian, down into the legs...

The moment the target was set, I moved. I called on the art of the Thunder Power Sect, the modest sect Jin Muwon belonged to, and drove the inner energy hauled up from my dantian straight into my legs.

The Thunder Power Body-Strengthening Art was meant to fortify the body with lightning, and its flaw was a want of strength beside its speed. Even so—

Against a third-rate like him, this is more than enough.

I threaded inner energy into every corner of my forefeet, even between the toes, then kicked off and lunged for the man. A deafening crash tore the air.

"Enough—just give in and come to— What the hell are you?!"

He spun at the roar of my takeoff, but it was already too late to react. Cold flesh parted with a wet shear, and his head tumbled free.

"B-Brother!!"

"Y-You bastard!!"

The two who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had looked like lackeys lost their heads to rage and charged me, but however weak I was, I was hardly going to fall to thugs who hadn't learned a single art. Two strokes of the sword, and their heads came off as well.

I've gone pretty far to ruin myself.

I turned a bitter smile on the self that could kill three people and feel nothing at all, then flicked the blood from my sword. Sheathing the cleaned blade, I spoke to the woman beside me.

"Hoo— Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No. Thanks to you, I escaped harm. Thank you, young hero."

"I'm glad you're safe."

Only once the crisis had settled, and I finally had room to breathe, did the girl herself come into focus.

She really is... beautiful.

She looked about my own age, fifteen, a lovely girl with a mysterious air about her and striking green eyes.

I was staring in silence when she spoke, as if puzzled.

"Young hero...?"

"Ah— forgive my rudeness. You're so beautiful I forgot myself..."

"Oh my... hehe!"

At the charm of her smiling eyes, heat rushed into my cheeks before I knew it.

"Get a grip. She's a child. I am not a lolicon."

If I was honest, it was love at first sight. I was human; I wanted a small happiness like this for myself. And frankly, Tang Soye—Jin Muwon's fiancée in the original story—was a little too much for me to handle.

She was someone ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠who gave even the protagonist of the middle chapters a hard time.

Tang Soye, whom one could fairly call one of the greatest late-blooming masters of all, was far too good for someone like me. If the chance ever came, I meant to break off that engagement. This was only groundwork for that day.

"Hehe... I'm grateful for your feelings, young hero, but my family is rather strict."

"I see..."

"Even so, what you said truly made me happy."

She had turned me down sideways, offering her family as the excuse, so I didn't cling any further. Still, when I asked her to talk a little longer out of sheer regret, she accepted readily. We traded this and that, and by the time we came out onto the main road, the moment to part had arrived.

"If it isn't too forward of me, may I see you the rest of the way?"

"No. I've already received more kindness than I should have, and I have companions waiting. I can go on alone from here."

"I see..."

I wanted to stay with her so badly it ached, but I had no wish to be remembered as some pathetic, clinging creep, so I chose to step back.

"Then please, be careful."

"I should be the one thanking you. Young hero, I will repay this kindness someday. Without fail."

After parting from the girl, I set off for home again.

A middle-aged man was waiting when I arrived.

"Chief Manager!"

"You've returned?"

"Father sent for me?"

"Yes. He is waiting in his room."

I went to my father's room as the Chief Manager said, and a sharp-featured man of middle years was waiting for me. Jin Muwon's father, and master of this Thunder Power Sect—Jin Yeoheun.

"I was told you called for me."

"I did."

He didn't spare me so much as a glance. He was fastening the robes he wore.

"Your fiancée arrives today. You would do well to mind your conduct."

"...Pardon?"

A fiancée? Today? Out of nowhere? My mind couldn't catch up to any of it, and the words tumbled out toward him.

"W-Wait a moment, Father! This is the first I'm hearing that I even have a fiancée, and she's coming today?"

"Enough. The matter is already settled. Withdraw."

"No, Father! I'm not even protesting—!"

His voice, heavy with inner qi, blasted me clean out of the room. Then, as if he had no intention of hearing another word, the door shut hard.

"Fuck! That crazy old bastard!!"

Back in my room, I couldn't swallow the rage. I spent the time taking it out on whatever blameless objects were at hand.

"Haa— Seriously..."

However stifling it was, there was nothing to be done. Throwing a fit wouldn't keep the thing from happening, so I pulled clean clothes from the wardrobe and made myself presentable. Not much time passed before a voice came from outside the door.

"Young Master, it is time."

"Got it."

"Yes, then allow me to help you prepare..."

The maid who opened the door at my answer took one look at me and froze where she stood.

"I... um... you were already getting ready...?"

"...?"

"Isn't that obvious? My fiancée is coming, so— ah!"

Right. The original Jin Muwon wouldn't have cared whether his fiancée showed up or not. He would have been a mess. Seen that way, the maid's reaction made perfect sense.

"I just felt like getting ready early today, that's all..."

"You did, Young Master...?"

"Enough. Let's go."

"Yes... She should be waiting in the inner courtyard."

"Got it."

The air had gone awkward, so I forced the talk aside and headed for the inner courtyard where my fiancée waited. At the entrance, the maid stepped back and spoke.

"She is waiting inside."

"I know."

So Tang Soye is in there.

The woman who had offered even her life for Jin Muwon, an irredeemable piece of trash. Thinking that woman was right in front of me, I went tense without meaning to.

"Hoo— Here goes."

I stepped into the inner courtyard, and someone was seated in the pavilion deeper inside. As I drew closer, she sensed me and turned her head. I came to a stop before her, cupped my fist in a martial salute, and spoke.

"It is an honor to meet you. I am Jin Muwon, young lord of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Thunder Power Sect."

I offered the greeting as politely as I could. What came back was silence. I was puzzling over that unexplained quiet when the girl before me smiled and opened her mouth.

"Well... I'm not so sure this is the first time."

"Pardon...? Oh!?"

I lifted my head at those words, and the girl from earlier was looking straight at me. The one whose smiling eyes I had fallen for at first sight now stood before me as my fiancée.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Tang Soye, of the Sichuan Tang Clan. To my embarrassment, they call me the Number One Beauty of Sichuan."

"Ah... well..."

"Please look after me, Gaga."

That was my first meeting with my fiancée, Tang Soye.