002. You've Got Guts
002. You've Got Guts
"My god...."
Watching Dam Cheon wreak havoc among the Nokrim Bandits of the Black Tiger Stronghold.
Geum Wi-un's jaw naturally dropped open.
He had expected him to be a master, but.
'He's overwhelming. Experts of the Hundred Great Masters level wouldn't even be a snack for him.'
He had realized it when Dam Cheon casually beat Heuk Dang to death, but he never imagined it would be to this extent.
Swish.
As soon as his hand blade seemed to move, someone's head flew off, spraying a crimson mist just like Heuk Dang's.
Crunch.
As soon as his fist seemed to move, someone's skull shattered like a watermelon, and bright red brain matter flowed out.
What was even more absurd was.
'......Not a single drop of blood got on him. He's killing everyone, not missing even those fleeing, yet no blood gets on him. Is that even possible?'
A reclusive master. If they were a master, it wouldn't be entirely impossible for them to single-handedly sweep away the Black Tiger Stronghold. Geum Wi-un knew that the martial prowess of the current Ten Great Masters of the World was more than sufficient for that.
But even for them, was it truly possible to carry out such slaughter without getting a single drop of blood on themselves?
If they were enveloped in protective energy, it might be different, but Dam Cheon was displaying that level of martial prowess using, at the very least, pure physical ability, so there was nothing more to say.
The escorts of the Wicheon Escort Agency also seemed to be in the same state as their agency leader, staring blankly at Dam Cheon's divine display.
Before they knew it, he had finished dealing with the Black Tiger Stronghold and was calmly returning from the mountain of corpses and sea of blood, his form clean without a single drop of blood. His demeanor, mismatched with the situation, was almost jarring.
Returning like that, he crossed his arms and abruptly said to Geum Wi-un.
"Don't forget the reward from the Sama Clan we talked about beforehand."
"Of course, Great Hero."
A statement that seemed to imply he wouldn't let it slide if the reward wasn't properly given.
Rough, a tone that showed not a shred of respect for the other party—it wasn't the dignity of a master.
Words and actions that made it hard to believe he was purely orthodox. Hadn't he said from the first meeting that he wouldn't step forward if there was no reward?
But Geum Wi-un didn't view this entirely negatively.
'Crisis is an opportunity.'
For the Sama Clan, which desperately needed connections with masters, Dam Cheon's identity or the reward to be given weren't of great importance. He believed he could use this opportunity to improve the atmosphere with his wife, the clan leader of the Sama Clan, with whom there had been recent discord.
Becoming a great asset to the clan and restoring his relationship with his wife. For Geum Wi-un, it was killing two birds with one stone.
"This humble person is Geum Wi-un, the son-in-law married into the Sama Clan. May I ask your esteemed name, Benefactor?"
"I am Dam Cheon. I'll be in your care for a while."
"Great Hero Dam. We will escort you comfortably to the Sama Clan. Please accept this humble person's consideration."
Dam Cheon's smile deepened.
"Escort you comfortably" meant they would take care of all miscellaneous tasks until they arrived at the Sama Clan. For Dam Cheon, who disliked doing chores, it was appropriate consideration.
"I'll gratefully accept that consideration."
And so, one more person was added to the convoy heading to the Sama Clan.
A three-day journey.
There was still a little distance left to Mount Mo, where the Sama Clan was located, but as they had entered Jiangsu Province quite some time ago. They were able to arrive inside a city castle thick with the scent of people.
During those three days, since the escorts diligently took care of everything behind the scenes, there was nothing particularly inconvenient.
Dam Cheon could travel comfortably.
'By the way, the escort goods are just a small box...... Since they don't need many people, maybe there's no separate cart?'
He was curious, but since it wasn't his business, he was about to discard the information from his mind when.
"Great Hero Dam."
Geum Wi-un approached.
"It's the exchange voucher from the money house, after exchanging the gold coins you gave me on the battlefield."
"Thanks for taking care of it. I was in a bind since I didn't know any separate money houses."
The currency used in the Tower is gold coins. While they cannot be used in the Central Plains, being pure gold, they naturally hold considerable value in themselves.
So, he had asked Geum Wi-un if he knew of a money house: the martial world's bank) to exchange this foreign (Tower) currency, valuing it as pure gold.
"It wasn't a particularly difficult matter. But are you really sure about this? To exchange it quickly at the money house, you didn't get its proper value, so this is a big loss. These unique gold coins with unusual patterns might even have academic value. If you sell them properly, you might get a high price, so from now on, I recommend not handling it so hastily but taking your time to dispose of it properly."
It was an attitude of truly considering Dam Cheon a benefactor. He only needed to fulfill the request, yet he was worried about him and even gave such broad, meddlesome advice.
For an escort agency leader, he seemed quite sentimental.
"I'll gratefully accept your advice. But you only handled an extremely small part of my assets, so no need to worry too much."
"If you're aware, then it should be fine. More importantly, we will stay here for a day before departing again."
They needed to feed the horses and let the escorts rest a bit. No matter how much martial arts they had learned, they had engaged in battle several times during the escort mission.
Moreover, since their own martial prowess was only average, not particularly high.
Relieving travel fatigue was a natural thing for humans.
"Then let's meet in front of the Songcheong Inn a day later."
"Let's do that."
After setting the appointment, Geum Wi-un quickly turned back, perhaps to rest at the inn.
Seeing him disappear, Dam Cheon also took a step.
The direction his steps headed was the pleasure quarter.
Though the sky was still bright, it was the time when twilight hues would soon cast their glow and dusk would descend.
In a little while, the lanterns with tassels would light up, and those pleasure houses would start operating.
'A pleasure house with tasseled lanterns is a Hong-ru (Red Chamber) where sexual service is possible. A pleasure house with just plain lanterns is a Cheong-ru, mainly enjoyed by scholars who appreciate music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.'
Common sense he had heard from a climber of martial world origin in the Tower.
Dam Cheon didn't know when he was young because he was an orphan, and by the age of 'Jihak,' when one is supposed to start focusing on studies, he was dragged into the Tower.
So, he knew nothing about pleasure houses, women, or intercourse.
Was it a lingering effect? Like a monk who never knew the taste of meat awakening to carnivorous desires, Dam Cheon had awakened to the allure of women (charms).
Until now, it was inside the Tower, so survival was the top priority and he restrained himself, but now that even threatening situations had disappeared to the point where he could endure.
He visited the pleasure house intending to immediately release the essence qi stored in his two testicles.
'I'll just go anywhere.'
The women in pleasure houses are all above average.
If their beauty isn't captivating, they can't attract men, and if that happens, the pleasure house just becomes an expensive tavern and quickly goes bankrupt.
Perhaps as per the advice from his acquaintance in the Tower.
Pleasure houses, especially Hong-ru where women sell their bodies, were places overflowing with flesh.
From the deeply cut front opening enough to show cleavage.
To the skirt split at the side, revealing flesh up to mid-thigh.
Add to that the collar draped over the upper arm, exposing the collarbone and even shoulders, all exuding a uniformly seductive atmosphere.
Sitting beside a man, pouring wine, they burn his heart with nightingale-like voices. Seductive gestures and movements skillfully stir men's excitement and lead them upstairs in a uniformly practiced manner.
Probably the first floor was where they sold food and drink with women by their side, and according to his senses, upstairs was where the courtesans spread their legs, aligned navels, and sold their bodies.
'Should I get food first? I want to thrust right away though.'
From the uniquely fragrant scent of the female body to the lewd giggles reaching his ears.
Everything stimulated his cock, making blood rush downward. He couldn't become a madman getting an erection in the middle of a dining hall, so he blocked it with energy control, but the agony of holding back was the same.
He urgently wanted to grab any appealing courtesan and thrust his cock in first.
"Welcome, honored guest. I am Gi-jeo, the manager of Nakhwaru. Is there anything specific you need?"
A middle-aged manager with a goat mustache approached and asked.
His gaze, looking at someone who came in and was blankly surveying the surroundings, was like looking at a country bumpkin who came up to the city. In short, he was seeing him as an easy mark, so Dam Cheon slightly released his aura.
"Huh?!"
As if struck by lightning, he stiffened and began sweating cold sweat on his cheeks.
Seeming to realize this was not someone to mess with, he froze. Dam Cheon gave a slight smile, extended one of the five exchange vouchers he had obtained, and said in a commanding tone.
"The prettiest, tightest courtesan."
"......Yes. I will have our establishment's finest courtesan attend to you."
"Good. I'll look forward to it."
Though it was a minuscule amount of aura, the killing intent of the Heavenly Killing Star was unchanged.
A pale complexion as if about to faint any moment.
Legs trembling like a newborn deer.
A state anyone could see was abnormal, yet.
'You've got guts for your profession.'
Barely holding on, he somehow performs his duty of hospitality toward the suddenly appeared terrifying master.
"P, please wait... in the room... at the end of the corridor... on the third floor... Our establishment's finest courtesan will... c, come...."
"Good."
Despite trembling from the fear of death, the explanation was without stuttering. Just before he truly fainted, Dam Cheon placed a hand on the manager's shoulder and infused strong Yang energy.
Infusing energy to bolster him, the goat-mustached manager's complexion returned, and a gleam came back to his eyes.
Confirming that Gi-jeo's pupils had become clearer, he handed over one more of the separated vouchers.
"G, Great Hero?"
"This is a bonus for your admirable, gutsy professional spirit. Consider it a reward that fell to you for working diligently."
"...Thank you. I will show you Nakhwaru's finest hospitality."
Seeing his complexion return, the financial treatment was clearly effective.
"Then thanks."
Answering concisely, he headed toward the assigned room.