809 - I Am This Murim’s Crazy B*tch

It was a dramatic agreement. Though the one most involved, the Peaceful One, was left out. Understandably, the Peaceful One felt wronged. "Sir! What are you saying! You promised you'd spare my life somehow!" "Haven't I spared you? Just losing a wrist isn't too bad, is it?" Then, Qing raised her hand energetically. "Ah, Senior. I'm sorry, but it's not just one wrist; both are going to be cut off. Isn't it the law that if you get caught cheating, you lose your wrists?" "Was there such a law? But isn't that too harsh? At least let him be able to hold a spoon with his own hands." "Well then, I'll cut one wrist and one ankle." "Hmm. Fine. With that much, he can eat and move on his own. Let's agree on that." Another dramatic resolution! The Peaceful One jumped and prostrated himself, clinging to the hem of Oh Jeok-hwan's pants. "No, sir! Why are you doing this? Did I do something to offend you?" "No, why are you being so dull? Alright, let's assume we fight to the death, and I lose. Even competing one-on-one with the Heavenly Sword Flower, I can't assure victory, let alone when I'm not alone." "But—" "Even if by some chance I win and evade immediate danger, can you really say you're safe? The Five Great Clans and all righteous Murim will chase you." The Peaceful One's face turned pale. "Even if I fight and win, you'll die. But these juniors are trying to save a face-saving ancestor like me and are willing to spare your life. Isn't that saving your life?" "That, that's...!" "Haven't you heard the saying, 'Be wary of children, women, and the elderly in Murim'? If a sword-wielding woman steps in, you should've been cautious and walked away. Looking at how you handled things, it seemed like you'd soon get stabbed. So, you should've curbed your greed. You have enough ill-gotten wealth to command people now. With money, being without a wrist or ankle won't be too inconvenient." It seemed the Peaceful One wasn't particularly liked. Yet, he took on the escort duty to repay a friend, a commendable act befitting his reputation as a loyal and righteous warrior. But, hmm, is this what loyalty truly means? Or not? "Even so, allow me to give you a piece of advice: Plead with them, not me." "Oh, great warrior! I have committed grave sins! I will hand over all my medicine and live with a repentant heart, attending to the sick for the rest of my life!" Oh Jeok-hwan's advice must have been persuasive, for the Peaceful One immediately bowed his head toward Qing. But, who knows? Qing also had clear beliefs or perhaps standards she had set for herself. Regret is just regret, never an atonement. He only realized his past mistakes when faced with immediate loss, not because he understood his actions as wrongful. "That much is expected. You’ll have to provide prescriptions too, right?" Dealing with the Peaceful One might be amusing, but that would be a personal hobby. The most important thing was the prescription for the remedy. The remedy's efficacy was guaranteed by Chamho-do. With ample funds for materials, knowing how to make it would resolve this chaotic situation in an instant. Of course, they intended to take the wrists and ankles. First, get the prescription and verify its accuracy. Cutting them off beforehand might lead to spiteful manipulations in the prescription. And after he feels reassured that he’s preserved his limbs, suggesting they’ll cut them then could lead to some delightfully contorted expressions. However, the Peaceful One’s answer? "That's, that's not possible..." "What? You can't provide the prescription? It's fine if you have some resolve. Wrist? Ankle? Where shall I start? I can cut them into pretty star shapes—" "That's not it! That's not what I mean." The Peaceful One hesitated, glancing nervously. When Qing took a step forward, he jumped, hastily explaining in a panic. "Th-that prescription, actually, Hua Tuo Gong Jin Dan is not something I formulated..." Qing's brow furrowed again. A sense of foreboding crept in. "Hmm. Are you doing necromancy or something? Why, because it's a concoction made by the ghost of Hua Tuo?" "No, it’s just that I was following orders, delivering the medicine, and in return gathering people..." ---- Inside the storage, the Peaceful One knelt tightly bound, circled by Qing and her group, Lang Zhongdae, and even Chamho-do Oh Jeok-hwan. It seemed one person had slyly joined in, confirming with his own eyes that Oh Jeok-hwan decided to spare his life. "I originally made a living through alchemy, concocting various health tonics and selling them—" "Speak clearly, isn't it? You're a charlatan. Isn’t it just fake medicine you were selling?" "Well, it wasn't exactly fake. If someone truly believes and consumes it, doesn't it become medicine? In that sense, my medicines weren't fakes—" "Click." "It’s true. Even ordinary herbal teas can restore vitality if believed in deeply. From that perspective, we put our utmost effort—" They staged performances guaranteeing miraculous effects should customers consume their potions, manipulated public opinion using planted decoys, and in prearranged cases, healed apparent patients to ensure that all efficacy circled back to belief and conviction... "Who's curious about that? Stop the babble." Honestly, it sounded amusing, but they couldn’t indulge him any longer. The Peaceful One was a wandering charlatan. According to him, he never sold harmful concoctions. Others might mix opium or toxic mushrooms to create an immediate, misleading effect, but he claimed he only used harmless ingredients. Of course, everyone listening thought, "This rascal most likely dealt harmful potions," but nevertheless. One day, while he was wandering, someone approached, asking if he'd like to engage in very lucrative business. "The crucial detail is missing. Who?" "I don't know. The person who approached me mentioned a place called 'Heavenly Bookstore' in Beijing, but it's likely just a fabrication." "So, someone you don't even know talks about a big business, and you accepted it?" "Hehe, who would bother scamming a poor traveling medicine seller like me when there's nothing to gain from us?" Medicine sellers are fundamentally poor. Barely making any money from the outset. City folk have seen enough of them not to be fooled, and those entertained by the acrobatics of a charlatan might buy one out of amusement, but most of that cash goes to the acrobat. The rural folks are easy to fool but too poor to pay. Thus, conmen don’t typically target medicine sellers. If someone proposes a business deal to a medicine seller, it's probably a sign that there's a chance to make a big score, assuming you can use your face to get it done. After all, for a traveling medicine seller, after showing their face and making a big profit, they can just move on. Qing pondered. Hmm. Evil deeds rarely lie, they say. "Hehe, but rest assured, I, the Peaceful One, would have refused if it was something evil. They mentioned having a miracle cure for the currently rampant white-footed smallpox, and asked if I'd sell it on their behalf instead." They needed a lot of people, and in return for the drugs, promised to generously pay and supply more medicine in the future. It was becoming quite lucrative. While traveling through cities and villages, he finally arrived in Kunming. When Qing offered to buy all his medicine, offering a whopping ten taels without batting an eye, the Peaceful One nearly screamed with joy. Inside, he was doing a victory dance, overcoming the urge to yell in celebration, briefly managing his expression. Qing didn't just buy all the current stock but asked him to make more. The Peaceful One was merely selling the medicine at a low cost, not capable of producing more himself. So what now? He had no choice but to give up, regrettable as it was. But Qing wasn't one to give up so easily. Moreover, Qing was someone who wouldn't hesitate to draw a sword when words failed. And so, it came to this. "I've told you everything..." Silence lingered among the group. Because the revelation wasn't just about the subcontracting scam's full scope. Something shady was in the air. The stench of conspiracy. "So, you're saying that some group holds a miracle cure for a plague, using it as bait to gather people?" "Yes!" "Hmm. Alright." "Then..." Hope gleamed in the Peaceful One’s eyes. To which Qing nodded, speaking. "Water or fire? Or both? Which do you prefer? Choose based on your taste." "What do you mean...?" "Choose between drowning or burning. If you choose both, I'll boil you in water." Even in his bound state, the Peaceful One jumped nearly a foot. His terrified eyes bulged to an extent that highly pleased Qing. Oh Jeok-hwan stepped in, shielding the trembling Peaceful One. "Heavenly Sword Flower? Isn’t this against the agreement?" "Sir...!" "Senior. Is there still a reason to defend this scammer? After all, he wasn't even a doctor. You yourself were deceived, so—" "No, that's not it. Whether he's a doctor or a fraud, whether he made the medicine or picked it up somewhere else isn't important. My friend lived thanks to the medicine he provided, so I'm simply repaying my life debt." "Sir...!" The Peaceful One saw a massive mountain behind Oh Jeok-hwan’s back, who stood protectively. But it was only for a moment. "So, as promised, cut off one wrist, one ankle, and let him go. That’s my request." Z3ZuaWdja0dkNXJtU283eC8xWlNuZVZsaGtDUHZPMGIyRHZGN2dhMXZwZnUrR2tMclNTbzdFOFhzN2lTVkdHZw "Sir...?" "Hmm. If we meet later, will killing him then be alright?" "Well, I can’t take responsibility for him all his life." "So, what if I release him and catch him immediately?" "That wouldn’t be right. You have to give him time to leave so that you can say you've spared him." "A day?" "Give him three days. He’ll only have one ankle." "Alright. Three days. Did you hear that?" "Please, spare me...!" Watching the Peaceful One bow his head while still tied, Qing casually dropped a remark. "Well, it depends on you. First off, where did you sell off the people? Even if you have slave documents, they won’t just vanish. There must be someone collecting them." They were people who sold themselves for their father, mother, child, or siblings. Granted, having confirmed the Peaceful One's tactics, it was apparent that it involved no coercion or threats but rather pure individual choice during the process. Yet, such decisions were foolish. Even if the patient is cured, could a life gained by selling one's family truly be happy? But those who selflessly chose to save their family shouldn’t end up miserable. Because, well, does a reason need to be spelled out? There’s a true master here, and three capable individuals besides them. Not only that. If they can obtain the prescription, they can defeat the plague. And while they’re at it, they can take down nefarious individuals, tear out some guts, and splash some blood, since, well, it’s been too long without it. While they did have a run-in at the Forbidden City, that doesn’t count. Qing wasn't looking for life-and-death battles against a strong opponent or an evenly matched duel. Ah, how she longed to utterly tear apart weak villains! To taunt and torment those less powerful than herself! It was Qing's modest wish, voiced dozens of times a day. And now, with this vivid premonition, how could she resist?