Chapter 110
Translator: penny
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: A Stubborn Cold
When we arrived in Beijing, the weather had been nice and warm at the time, but it had turned surprisingly chilly before we knew it.
Me, Moyong Hui, and Cheon Woojin weren't the types to fuss over something like the weather, but the eight-year-old kid was another story.
"Eh, achoo!"
Baek Rihyeon, sniffling like he'd caught a cold.
With just a few days left until Jeonam Province, this was a real pain.
Truth be told, I couldn't care less if the kid caught a cold or not, but it brought up one annoying problem.
The kind-hearted Moyong Hui.
"Hyeon-ah, you okay? Want me to carry you on my back?"
The kid, who'd insisted moments ago that he was fine and there was no need to worry, perked up at Moyong Hui's offer, his eyes sparkling.
Instead of inserting myself between them, I shot a glare at Cheon Woojin, who was pretending not to notice from the side.
The guy jolted, instantly reading my pointed look.
He hurriedly wedged himself between the two.
"Miss Moyong, allow me. Hyeon is my junior brother—I can't let him trouble you."
As expected, quick on the uptake.
No need to say a word—he just knew.
"Senior brother, I'm fine. It's just a little uncomfortable, not exhausting or anything."
The kid had clearly hesitated when Moyong Hui suggested it, but now that Cheon Woojin was stepping up, he refused flat-out.
'This brat's already girl-crazy at his age? Tsk.'
Of course, a guy chasing skirts wasn't inherently a problem—but if it was my girl, that changed everything.
Time to give him some proper mental reconditioning one of these days.
'Nah, better grill Cheon Woojin instead.'
If I scolded Baek Rihyeon directly and word got back to Moyong Hui, I'd be in hot water.
Cheon Woojin, on the other hand, had the perfect cover as his senior brother—no issues scolding him outright.
A flawless plan.
Oblivious to my scheming, Baek Rihyeon strode off with his head held high.
Moyong Hui watched his retreating back, let out a soft sigh, and sidled up to me.
"Gaga, when we head to the Murim Alliance from Jeonam Province, couldn't we take a carriage?"
I hated carriages, so we'd been walking all the way from Beijing.
We'd rented one back in Seungdeok thanks to Yanghwa Station, but now there was no station—and what was so special about that kid that we'd bother renting one?
Plus, Baek Rihyeon wasn't just any kid; he was a martial artist in training.
A first-rate one, no less—even hailed as a master among ordinary folk.
'Though his internal energy's pathetically low for first-rate, which is why this mess happened.'
As Cheon Woojin had bragged, the kid had reached first-rate in a mere two months of training.
But that was only on paper—he was barely half-baked right now.
"Hmm, Huiya. We'll figure it out when we get there."
I dodged the question, and Moyong Hui pouted adorably.
But I felt wronged.
'Huiya, you agreed to this too.'
When I'd first suggested walking instead of a carriage, she'd gone along without complaint.
Heck, back when we traveled with Yanghwa Station, she'd taken it for granted that Baek Rihyeon would run alongside for "training" instead of riding.
Her reaction now must be because the kid actually looked pitiful with his cold.
Instead of voicing my grievance, I opted for a different tactic.
"Hey, Baek Rihyeon!"
I called out to the kid marching ahead so confidently.
Feigning ignorance, I asked,
"You that beat? Wanna rent a carriage next time?"
"...Outta nowhere?"
He shot me a suspicious glance.
And rightly so—since leaving Beijing, the number of times I'd even spoken to him could be counted on one hand.
'What the hell's so appealing about this brat.'
There weren't even any decent conversation topics.
Was I gonna chat about brothels or girls with a child?
Martial arts talk might've worked, but I had zero interest wasting time on a half-baked rookie who wasn't even proper first-rate yet.
So when I actually addressed him mid-stride, even Moyong Hui looked puzzled.
I flashed a grin and continued toward Baek Rihyeon.
"Yeah. My bad—I was treating you like a real martial artist, but then I remembered: you're the same kid who bawled his eyes out separating from your mom just the other day."
"Why bring that up now...!"
I dredged up the memory from our departure day in Beijing, and his face flushed beet red.
I didn't let up, poking at him further.
"Forgot you're still a green little rookie. No wonder you caught a cold like this. So? If you want it, I'll rent the carriage."
"No thanks!"
The kid finally snapped, yelling just as I'd planned.
I chuckled, watching him huff and storm off, when a sigh came from beside me.
"Gaga, why're you so mean to him?"
"Mean? What'd I even do? Anyway, Huiya, you saw—he says no carriage."
"That's just 'cause you teased him!"
I shrugged.
"Gotta toughen up if he wants to make it in the murim world. You think taunts like that before a fight are rare? React to every one, and he won't last. I'm doing the kid a favor, toughening him up early..."
"Enough. Even so, do you have to pick on a sick kid?"
She cut me off before my excuse could drag on, grumbling.
Undeterred, I trotted out a similar line.
"In a real fight, you think the enemy goes easy if you're sick? A martial artist's gotta own his condition, pain and all..."
"Gaga!"
Moyong Hui finally glared daggers.
I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Kidding, kidding. Fine, next time we'll get a carriage, like you said."
I had no intention of renting one for him, but this empty promise would soothe her for now.
Who knew what I'd pull by then.
'A little teasing like today, and he'll refuse again.'
Or I could have Cheon Woojin drag him off for lightness skill training.
Wouldn't mind some alone time with just me and Moyong Hui in the carriage, either.
She saw right through me and snorted.
"Hmph. After all that teasing, think Hyeon will even want to ride?"
"That's his call."
A man had to claim his own slice of the pie, after all.
Four days later, we finally reached our destination: Jeonam Province.
But before we could even book an inn, we had to rush to a physician first.
Baek Rihyeon had collapsed on the way, after all.
Thanks to that, despite his earlier vehement refusal, he was now slung over Cheon Woojin's back.
Sweat poured off him despite the biting chill, and his body burned with fever.
We'd asked around and found ourselves at a fairly large clinic.
"The medicine should set him right soon. Still, to be safe, keep him here for four days and monitor his progress."
As expected, Baek Rihyeon's ailment was just a cold.
We could finally relax once the physician assured us there was no cause for major concern.
'Tsk. What kinda martial artist catches a dumb cold like this.'
I didn't like seeing Baek Rihyeon—the same kid who'd once sealed Mok Jimyeong's fate—laid low by something so trivial.
But when I thought about it, it wasn't all that strange.
Just three months ago, he'd been skin and bones, barely eating properly.
He'd put on some weight lately, sure—but that didn't make him healthy overnight.
At least his life wasn't in danger. That was a relief.
"Huiya, wait here. I need to step out for a bit."
"Huh? Gaga, where... Oh!"
Moyong Hui seemed to belatedly recall why we'd come here in the first place.
She must've been too frazzled by the sick kid.
"Be back soon."
"...Okay. Be careful."
She couldn't bring herself to stop me from going to meet the Shadow Gate Sect lord.
Besides, even if I stuck around, there wasn't much I could do.
'What am I gonna do with a kid who's already medicated and out cold?'
Cheon Woojin, clueless about my errand, gave me a puzzled look but didn't pry.
He knew better than to expect a straight answer from me.
Stepping out of the clinic alone felt like a breath of fresh air.
"Huu..."
The herbal stench unique to clinics never got any easier to stomach.
The oppressively heavy atmosphere didn't help.
'Now, where's that post station?'
All Fanseok had told me was to head to the post station in Jeonam Province.
Finding the exact spot was on me.
'Eh, might as well take it slow.'
We were stuck here for four days anyway.
And it wasn't exactly urgent.
That's when a rather pretty woman caught my eye.
About Moyong Hui's age, maybe.
Not quite as stunning, but decent enough.
Her stiff expression made sense, given we were in a clinic.
'...Nah, probably not.'
Even a girl-obsessed maniac like me knew to read the room.
If I got caught flirting while Baek Rihyeon was bedridden, I couldn't even imagine Moyong Hui's reaction.
With a pang of regret, I stole one last glance at her back before heading outside.
'Sigh. Better find that post station.'
Wrap this up quick and go have some fun with Moyong Hui.
Leave the kid in Cheon Woojin's hands.
And so, I set off alone to meet the Shadow Gate Sect lord.