Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Market Street - Anhui (2)
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Several weeks had passed since Mok Ri-won earned the moniker Silent Sword.
The two had finally arrived in Anhui Province.
“Ohhh…!”
Countless people lined the main road, with shops stretching endlessly along both sides.
Mok Ri-won’s expression brightened as the noisy clamor filled the street.
“Little Sister! What’s that?”
The inevitable question upon arriving in such a bustling place.
Dang Hwa-seo let out a soft chuckle and answered Mok Ri-won’s query.
“It’s a street vendor. They mostly sell simple snacks.”
“Smells like chicken.”
“Yes, roast chicken.”
Mok Ri-won’s throat bobbed visibly.
The scent of food seemed to whet his appetite.
Since they were already out, Dang Hwa-seo thought there was no harm in buying some and approached the stall.
At that moment.
-Look at that guy over there!
-Good lord… how can a person look like that…!
-Who’s the one next to him? What’s he doing there?
The voices of young women pierced her ears.
Exclamations she had grown somewhat accustomed to.
They were marveling at Mok Ri-won’s striking appearance, which drew eyes wherever they went.
Normally, she would have let it slide, but the last comment truly irked her.
‘What business is it of his?’
What kind of manners were these, spouting such nonsense at strangers?
Dang Hwa-seo whipped her head toward the source, glaring fiercely.
Intending just to get a look at their faces, she turned to find young women with swords at their waists.
They all wore pristine white uniforms.
Dang Hwa-seo’s brow furrowed deeply.
‘…Emei Sect.’
They were nuns from the Emei Sect, one of the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Schools.
Judging by their hair, they were lay disciples rather than full nuns.
‘Well, we’ve reached a place where we’d start seeing types like them.’
Dang Hwa-seo let out a hollow laugh at the sight of the women flinching and fleeing upon meeting her gaze.
Her fists were clenched tight.
To hold back the rising anger.
‘…The next town is where the tournament is.’
Just one more town until the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament.
If they were Emei Sect nuns, they were surely participating there too, so she could put off dealing with their impudent mouths for now.
Irritated for no good reason, Dang Hwa-seo clicked her tongue and said to Mok Ri-won.
“Young Hero Mok, let’s move on.”
“Mm? Got it!”
Dang Hwa-seo strode ahead, her discomfort plain on her face.
Mok Ri-won, who had been eyeing the chicken the whole time, followed dejectedly with a pout.
*
The inn at the center of town.
Dang Hwa-seo watched Mok Ri-won finish his meal of thin noodles and Bamboo Leaf Liquor, lost in thought.
‘My goal in entering the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament is singular.’
She needed a public venue where the Tang Clan wouldn’t dare target her recklessly.
She already knew hiding and moving in secret was impossible, so instead, she would publicize her movements far and wide to tie their hands.
‘They can’t approach me while the tournament is ongoing.’
No—more precisely, they wouldn’t.
Given the Clan Leader’s personality, she wouldn’t interfere with a clan member gaining fame at an official event.
‘My target is to make contact with Fist Dragon.’
She needed to meet Il-un, the rising star representing Shaolin this generation.
Once she conveyed her desire to meet the Abbot through him, her business in Anhui would be done.
She could head straight to Shaolin Temple with him, and even after the tournament ended, the clan wouldn’t be able to meddle.
‘When that time comes….’
Dang Hwa-seo’s expression darkened.
She might have to part ways with Mok Ri-won once her business in Anhui wrapped up.
No, parting ways was the right call.
They had agreed to travel together only until the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament, and anything after that would be inconvenient with him along.
Suddenly, Dang Hwa-seo felt a tightness in her chest.
‘Have I grown too fond of him?’
The thought that she might miss his constant chatter after they parted brought a bitter smile to her lips.
“Little Sister?”
“Ah, yes.”
“You’re not eating?”
Dang Hwa-seo looked straight at Mok Ri-won.
He had finished his portion and was now staring intently at the fish dish in front of her.
“Want it?”
“Really?!”
“Go ahead. I’m not hungry.”
Mok Ri-won beamed and picked at the fish flesh.
He savored it with blissful expressions, radiating pure joy.
“So delicious…!”
Watching him find such happiness in a simple meal chased away her stray thoughts.
Dang Hwa-seo wondered if this was what they meant by feeling full just from watching someone eat.
After a moment.
“Young Hero, I have somewhere to stop by. Can you stay here alone for a bit?”
“Hm?”
“It’s a place I need to go to by myself.”
Dang Hwa-seo explained to Mok Ri-won.
The reason she needed to go alone was simple.
She had to visit the Beggars’ Sect to retrieve the investigation results she had entrusted to her subordinates before leaving Suyang County.
Since it was a personal matter, she hoped he wouldn’t get too involved and run into trouble. Mok Ri-won nodded vigorously.
“Got it! Then I’ll go wander the streets alone….”
“No. Stay right here.”
Dang Hwa-seo’s expression hardened.
Mok Ri-won flinched and asked cautiously.
“Why…?”
“What if you get lost? Or follow some stranger and get into trouble?”
Mok Ri-won blinked.
Then he burst out laughing and waved it off.
“Come on, Little Sister! Do you think I’m a kid or something? No need to worry like that.”
He was a kid, which was exactly why she worried.
…but her heart was too soft to say it to his face.
“…Anyway, it won’t take long. Just sit here.”
“Wander….”
“Answer me.”
“…Got it.”
Dang Hwa-seo felt a pang of guilt at Mok Ri-won’s crestfallen face, but she had no choice.
She was genuinely worried about him.
Even now, women were stealing glances at him from all around—what might happen if he wandered off into a crowd?
There could even be some temptress luring him with promises of tanghulu.
“You understand, right, Young Hero? Don’t go with anyone who asks you to follow them, no matter what. Especially be wary of anyone offering tanghulu. Oh, and if someone wants to share a drink, make sure they’ve trained in martial arts first….”
Her nagging flowed from mounting concern.
Mok Ri-won desperately held back the urge to say, ‘I’m not a child!’
He didn’t want to prolong the lecture.
*
From his corner seat in the inn after Dang Hwa-seo left, Mok Ri-won sipped his liquor.
He felt a twinge of resentment at being barred from sightseeing, but he stayed put regardless.
Even someone as oblivious to human relations as Mok Ri-won knew how well she treated him.
Why wouldn’t he?
Back in Suyang County when he first entered the jianghu, hadn’t he learned exactly what kind of person she was?
‘Little Sister is….’
Mok Ri-won’s thoughts turned to Dang Hwa-seo.
Just as he’d first thought, an incredible beauty.
From Suyang County to Anhui, he hadn’t seen anyone prettier.
Not only that, he hadn’t met anyone as kind to others.
‘Glad I stuck with Little Sister!’
No matter how he looked at it, following her was the right call for becoming a hero. Amid this rising conviction.
Mok Ri-won felt his heart tickle.
‘I wonder when she’ll be back.’
The sudden wish that Dang Hwa-seo would return soon brought a smile to his face.
Exclamations erupted from those around him.
As someone fell for the sight of Mok Ri-won drinking alone.
“Hey, you!”
Thud-!
Someone sat across from Mok Ri-won.
He looked up.
“Hm?”
Before him was a man about his age.
A weasel-like face, perhaps.
Narrowed eyes, sharp nose, and a sly grin—Mok Ri-won’s first question went to that.
“Who might you be?”
“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself!”
A grinning face.
And a playful air about him.
The man stood, cupped his fists in greeting, and said to Mok Ri-won.
“I’m Wang Mo. I saw you drinking alone and got curious about your story, so I came over.”
Mok Ri-won blinked at the man.
Then he smiled awkwardly and replied.
“I’m waiting for my companion. Thanks for the interest, but you can be on your way.”
“Uh, wait? Come on, don’t be like that….”
“Sorry.”
Mok Ri-won’s smile deepened.
But it wasn’t his usual innocent one.
“My companion warned me to be wary of martial artists who show up out of the blue.”
“What….”
“Especially first-rate or higher.”
The man’s body jerked.
His expression wavered briefly before returning to a smile.
“Come on, brother, what joke is that? Look at me. See this robe? And this brush and book? I’m a scholar studying for the civil exams….”
His words cut off.
In the middle of his speech, Mok Ri-won had flicked a chopstick.
Thwack-!
The man caught the flying chopstick right between his brows with his hand.
Mok Ri-won spoke.
“Scholars don’t catch things infused with qi so neatly, do they?”
Mok Ri-won’s demeanor had turned sharp.
‘Be wary of those hiding their identities,’ she had said.
Even without Dang Hwa-seo’s warning, Mok Seon-o and Ma Il-seok had drilled it into him before he entered the jianghu.
Mok Ri-won dreamed of romance and flair, but he also listened to advice.
His background was too suspicious to welcome as a chance encounter.
The man broke out in cold sweat.
“That’s….”
The mood grew tense.
The man looked troubled by the aura rising from Mok Ri-won, who grew more suspicious at his failure to explain.
Suddenly.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
A clear voice cut between them.
Mok Ri-won turned toward the source.
His face lit up.
“Little Sister!”
There stood Dang Hwa-seo, glaring coldly at the man.
Mok Ri-won jumped up and approached her, beaming.
“You finished your errand? That was quick!”
“Yes, and you stayed put like a good boy. Well done.”
Dang Hwa-seo smiled warmly at Mok Ri-won, then turned back to the man.
He smacked his lips with a deflated look.
“…Sigh, you had to show up so soon.”
Mok Ri-won’s eyes widened.
The man’s words were clearly directed at Dang Hwa-seo.
And his tone suggested familiarity.
What was going on? As Mok Ri-won stared blankly, the man added.
“Long time no see, big sis.”
Dang Hwa-seo sighed deeply.
“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve said this, but I’m not your big sis.”
“L-Little Sister…?”
Dang Hwa-seo ignored Mok Ri-won and addressed the man again.
“I’ll ask once more.”
“Hm?”
“What were you trying with my companion?”
Her tone chilled.
Then she uttered the man’s name.
“Jegal San.”
Mok Ri-won’s jaw dropped.