A Man Good for the Body
Murmurs filled the air.
"Hey! Over there! There he is!"
"It's a warrior! The warrior's here!"
"Woooaaah!!"
A crowd had gathered at the village outskirts.
At first, I wondered why they were all standing around like that, but as the commotion reached my ears, I realized they were waiting for me.
"Oh! You've arrived! Warrior!"
The village chief came running up, eyes wide.
I casually dropped the corpse slung over my shoulder onto the ground.
"Eek!"
"Gasp! W-what is that?!"
"A body!"
The villagers recoiled in horror.
Then, one woman staggered toward the corpse.
She was the mother of one of the women victimized by the lecherous demon.
"Warrior... is this the one...?"
Her rough skin was etched with deep wrinkles. Far older-looking than her years, she gazed at me with eyes on the verge of collapse, begging for confirmation.
I nodded simply, my voice firm with certainty.
"Yes."
"Ah!"
The woman collapsed to her knees before the body.
"You bastard! You filth! Bring back my Chohyang! Bring her back, you monster! Waaah! Bring back my Chohyang!!!"
"Aigoo! Jiseon! My Jiseon!!"
"Waaah! Waaah!"
An elderly couple burst out next, rushing to the corpse.
They must have been the parents of another victim.
"You scum of the earth! I'll tear you apart! My Jiseon! My Jiseon!!!"
The father grabbed a heavy rock in both hands and smashed it down on the body again and again.
Blood splattered. The dark-skinned villager's face flushed red. Sticky blood mixed with tears, dripping to the ground.
No one tried to stop him.
No, no one could.
Even I felt the raw grief of parents who'd lost their child, a heaviness settling in my chest.
"Um... warrior."
Someone approached me then.
The face looked familiar.
"I'm the innkeeper."
"Ah."
Right—the guy who'd poked his head out from the inn kitchen briefly.
I spotted the frozen errand boy standing off at a distance.
"I heard you're from the Murim Alliance."
"Something like that."
"On behalf of the village, thank you."
"Don't mention it. Just doing my job."
"Still..."
The innkeeper watched the wailing crowd in silence for a moment.
I had nothing more to say, so I turned to leave.
"Warrior."
The innkeeper stopped me.
Maybe because I'd planned to stay one night but was leaving now.
"I'll pay for the room."
"Aigoo, no! After what you've done for us? Room fees? If anything, we should reward you—but as you can see, we're all just scraping by..."
"No need for rewards."
It wasn't some burning sense of justice or pity for bereaved parents.
I'd already claimed plenty of compensation; nothing else caught my eye.
"Then... at least take this. I don't know if it's useful..."
Not wanting to send me off empty-handed, the innkeeper offered a leather pouch.
I took it and asked,
"What's this?"
"Our inn doesn't get many guests, but sometimes martial artists stay. And when they do, fights often break out."
An inn in the murim world.
Yeah, it'd be a shame to pass through quietly.
"So this is...?"
"It's a relic from a martial artist who died here. When the chief told me your news, I rummaged for anything useful. This was the best condition."
I unfolded the leather.
Well-worn and tamed by use, it had a loop at the end for fastening somewhere. Inside were five well-honed flying needles.
"He wore it on his wrist."
"Hm."
As the owner said, I wrapped it around my wrist.
It clicked snugly into place.
I drew one needle.
Perfect fit for the hand. Well-balanced—not a treasure, but definitely usable.
"Oh! They say a divine item finds its master! It suits you like it was yours all along!"
Divine item, my ass.
Still, the innkeeper's gesture was thoughtful, so I expressed my thanks.
"Appreciate it. But why are you giving me this?"
"Truth is... one of the girls who was attacked was my niece."
"...I see."
"...Yes."
We fell silent again.
Tears seemed contagious; now the whole village crowded around the body, sobbing in unison.
Not the atmosphere for goodbyes, so I turned quietly.
Then the chief spotted me and came stumbling over.
"Aigoo! Warrior! Leaving already?!"
"Job's done. Time to go."
"Stay a few more days! We'll serve you with all our hearts!"
The chief's wrinkled face was a mess of tears and snot.
The other villagers swarmed too, bowing and thanking me profusely.
I hadn't caught that lecher for this; it left a strange feeling.
"No. Got things to do. I'll take your goodwill."
"Thank you! Thank you, warrior!"
"Alright then."
I headed for the inn to grab my stuff.
"If you pass by again, stop in! Please!"
The chief bellowed from behind.
I waved lightly without looking back.
A few days later, at Monghwan Lou.
-Aaah! Ah! Aang! Aaaah! Aaaaang!!
"Whew. Incredible. How many has he gone through overnight?"
"That was Mihyang who just went in, right? The ice queen, they say?"
"Melting even her... Jealous. So jealous."
"Who knew Cheolgeom had skills in that too?"
The night of debauchery had ended, sun high in the sky.
Yet from one room in Monghwan Lou, a woman's moans poured endlessly.
"At this rate, there won't be any girls left."
"Nonsense! The ones who finish with Cheolgeom come out with brighter skin, looking more vibrant."
"Pfft, what exaggeration."
"It's true! Their faces glow after sleeping with him! No wonder the girls are fighting over who goes next!"
"...What in the world."
Over the past few days.
Monghwan Lou's workers hadn't slept a wink because of Cheolgeom, tossing all night.
After finishing his commission, he'd turned into a stud horse, bedding courtesans nonstop.
They'd normally dodge such a marathon, but they were competing for him.
Even lifelong Monghwan Lou veterans had never seen the like.
Slap. Slap. Slap.
"Gasp! L-Lou Owner!"
"Out already?!"
Two workers gossiping in the hall jumped and bowed.
Monghwan Lou Owner lightly acknowledged them and stood before Cheolgeom's door.
-Aaaang! Aang! Aaaah!
"Hoo..."
She sighed deeply, shaking her head.
But the moans showed no sign of stopping.
Monghwan Lou Owner waited patiently outside.
The passing workers fidgeted, stealing glances at her.
"Um... Lou Owner. Should I check inside?"
"No."
"Yes, ma'am..."
Creak!
Only after a long while did the door swing open.
"Oh my!"
The courtesan emerging startled, eyes widening.
Monghwan Lou Owner stared at her face.
As rumored, her skin was fairer, more beautiful than before.
"S-sis..."
"Satisfied?"
"...Yes. If I'd known you were waiting, I'd have finished quicker... Sorry."
Monghwan Lou Owner chuckled softly.
"Go rest. You've got work tonight."
"...Yes."
The courtesan fled down the hall.
Monghwan Lou Owner glanced at her retreating figure, then entered.
"You're here."
Cheolgeom rose from the bed and gulped down tea from the table.
Monghwan Lou Owner eyed his naked form curiously.
Muscles packed tight like sculpture, covered in scars.
The body of a powerful man.
"Take some aphrodisiac?"
"Aphrodisiac? Nah."
"All night that without any?"
"Yeah."
"......"
She suspected something was up, but had no clue what.
As always, he'd completed the mission flawlessly.
Yet something felt off from the usual.
Cheolgeom's eyes gleamed as he met her gaze.
How could they shine so after a night of it? She couldn't fathom.
"What brings you first thing?"
"It's midday."
"Hm. Already? What's up?"
"Something urgent came up."
"Urgent?"
Monghwan Lou Owner pulled out a letter and approached Cheolgeom.
Unfazed by his nudity, her steps were steady.
Cheolgeom took it without a care.
"What's this?"
"Letter from Sichuan. Just arrived."
"Sichuan?"
"Yes."
Cheolgeom tore open the envelope.
"Hm."
A faint crease formed between his relaxed brows.