Chapter 46 Journey to Chengdu (4) - Martial Arts Masochist

Cheong Wol pressured the beggars. "What? Where did the master go?" "..." The beggars exchanged glances but remained silent. Usually, they were quick to spread stories about Cheong Wol with their busy tongues, yet in this crucial moment, they chose silence. Could they be any more annoying? They were sprawled in front of the leather shop, awkwardly standing up as one of the older-looking men smacked his lips. "Um... Miss, did perhaps our Seo Jin do something wrong...?" "Pardon?" Cheong Wol glanced between them and replied. "No, he hasn’t done anything wrong. Why do you ask?" "Oh, it’s just your expression seemed rather stern... thought I’d ask." Another beggar hastily chimed in. "Y-yes, Seo Jin, he’s a good fellow! If he did anything wrong, maybe you could let it slide a bit..." It was then Cheong Wol realized the weight of the aura she was exuding. As she relaxed her stance, the two men simultaneously let out deep breaths. "Hah..." "Phew..." Cheong Wol spoke up, slightly embarrassed. "...I'm sorry. Your names are...?" The slightly older man responded. "I'm Gu Yeong, and this here is Ma Childeuk." "...Gu Yeong sir, then...?" "-Please, drop the sir. No need for formalities." "Then... Gu Yeong. Could you perhaps let me know where the master of the leather shop has gone?" "Seo Jin had some business and left for a while. I heard he explained it to the villagers before he went." ...He didn't tell me. A sense of discomfort churned in Cheong Wol's heart. Did he share everything with the villagers, but intentionally omit her? Was he truly that angry with her? Cheong Wol asked again. "Where to...?" "That, I do not know." Cheong Wol immediately recognized it as a lie. His hem and haw, the way he cleared his throat, and his eyes darting were dead giveaways. Ma Childeuk interjected. "If you wait a few days, he’ll be back, so don’t worry too much." "When exactly?" "Well... it might take about thirty nights or so..." Cheong Wol’s brow furrowed deeply. "...Thirty nights?" Where could he have gone to be away that long? What task could the master of the leather shop possibly have outside for thirty days...? Barely able to endure ten days alone, thirty nights felt unbearable. Cheong Wol took a deep breath and spoke calmly. "I have an urgent matter to discuss with the master. If you’d let me know where he’s gone... I would appreciate it." Thirty nights were too long. She would go find him. Gu Yeong shook his head. "I told you I didn’t know." "...Sir." "I told you, no 'Sir'." As frustration crept up on her, Ma Childeuk intervened. "Miss." "..." "We're just beggars with loose tongues and nothing much to our names. Still, we live with a sense of loyalty and camaraderie. You wouldn’t know, but Seo Jin’s like a nephew to us. You haven’t even explained why you’re looking for him, so how can we betray someone we hold dear?" Cheong Wol found no words, only overwhelmed by her frustration. Ma Childeuk spoke once more. "As I said, he will return. Please wait for him." Cheong Wol stood silently before the leather shop, watching the empty store for a moment... and then bowed to the beggars before leaving. "...Excuse me." . . . Gu Yeong and Ma Childeuk watched Cheong Wol’s departing figure. "...What on earth is that Seo Jin up to? Brother, did you see the miss's expression?" Gu Yeong clicked his tongue and replied. "Indeed. I never expected the miss to have such a look on her face..." It was almost as if she could kill someone with that expression. Gu Yeong wiped his sweat-drenched palms on his pants. His heart pounded needlessly, compelling him to lie back down, trying to calm his startled spirit. Ma Childeuk also sprawled comfortably on the ground, then rolled over dusting himself as he looked at Gu Yeong. "Ah, brother. Did you notice something?" A mischievous smile graced his face. "What?" "This." Ma Childeuk wiggled his pinky finger. Gu Yeong looked at the smiling Ma Childeuk, picked up a stone from the ground, and threw it at his forehead. -Thud! "Ouch!" "Idiot, speak sense." "Why, not? Didn’t we find the Emei Sect dress in the basement before?" "So you think they're in some kind of relationship?" "Uh, no... not like that... She's from the Emei Sect, I wasn’t suggesting anything like that..." "Hey, you fool! Even joking about that could get Seo Jin's head chopped off! If the miss heard you, you'd be dead! For a man of your age, quit with the nonsense!" Ma Childeuk groaned, rubbing his forehead, and Gu Yeong clicked his tongue again, contemplating. ...But really, why was Cheong Wol so intent on finding Seo Jin? There seemed to be no direct connection between them. **** “Huff... Huff...” “Seo Jin.” “Huff... Cough! Huff....” “Seo Jin.” “Don’t... talk to me.” His legs wobbled. How far does this uphill go? Feels like climbing a mountain. The journey is long ahead, yet every hill, every ascent, left him breathless. It's already the second day of walking. His legs screamed, and blisters had formed on his feet. Yet, Gwak Du Ahjussi beside him seemed perfectly fine if not actually looking at him with a pitying gaze. No matter how much older he was, he came from a martial background. Moreover, he was a division chief. Despite being a second-rate martial artist, his stamina was incomparable. Second-rate was still impressive. Knowing full well Seo Jin hasn’t learned even a basic formula, the ajusshi refrained from nagging, but his gaze said it all. After glancing at Seo Jin for a moment, Ajusshi shook his head and shifted topics. "Now that I think of it, I heard that the Tang Clan master invited the top juniors to Chengdu this time. Not all of them, but some famous ones will surely come. It'll be quite a spectacle." "Ah." Was it that time already? Right, right after the duel between Cheong Wol and Tang So Ran. The timing was just perfect. I knew about it, but with so much on my mind, I briefly forgot. Still, I couldn’t just not attend. I had no idea what Tang So Ran and Cheong Wol were planning, and escaping wasn’t an option. That gathering would bring together the main protagonist, his allies, and several antagonists, igniting initial encounters among key players. It wasn't something I could miss. Out of breath, I sighed quietly. ...Looks like I’ll have to live quietly and inconspicuously in Chengdu. Not that martial artists would care about a commoner like me. “Huff... Huff...” “Seo Jin.” “Huff... Argh... Really...” “Seo Jin.” "Ajusshi... please... just be quiet until this uphill ends... I beg you..." "So, are you really not gonna tell me?" "Tell you what?" "Why you suddenly decided to come along?" "..." "Kid, you haven't done this in ten years, so of course I'm surprised. You knew this would be tough; why did you come along? We’re not even staying in Chengdu long." I caught my breath and plopped down on the ground. “Hah...” I brushed the dirt off my palms and looked up at the sky. Then, I scanned my surroundings. No Cheong Wol. No Tang family. Of course, they weren’t around. I heaved a deep sigh. It was a conversation I had to have eventually, anyway. “Ajusshi." "Yes?" With the decision set in my mind, I let him in on the long-held secret plans. "...I’m leaving Emei Mountain." For a moment, ajusshi stared at me, speechless. Then, after a brief pause, he opened his mouth with difficulty. "...What?" He was genuinely surprised. He mouthed silently, then finally asked, “Why?” “Hah...” Where do I start? How much should I reveal? I scratched my head. I couldn’t tell him everything. But I had to say enough for him to understand. "...I messed up." "What do you mean, messed up?" "I’ve fallen out of favor with Cheong Wol." Ajusshi tilted his head, puzzled. "...What do you mean?" “I've fallen out with Cheong Wol, and not in a good way!" “What did you do?” I was frustrated myself. I wanted to spill everything, but I just couldn’t. Whatever happened with Cheong Wol, it must remain a secret I take to my grave. If I were to share it, the odds of losing my head would balloon like crazy. Besides, I love Gwak Du Ajusshi, but even he needs to be mindful of his loose lips. “Ah... it’s complicated.” "No, what on earth did you do to make you want to run away? You look terrified." "..." Ajusshi scratched his head, then spoke. "Couldn't you just apologize? I’ll go with you." “What?” "No matter what you did, a Buddhist nun like her, with so much training, would likely forgive you. It doesn't make sense to leave your home because you're afraid of someone as kind as Miss Cheong Wol. There’s another reason you're not sharing, isn’t there?" Ah, ajusshi didn’t know Cheong Wol's true self. Of course, he would say such things. I scraped my ear, then came clean. “Ajusshi, you once made a guess.” “About what?” “The massacre at Emei Mountain. You suspected it was Cheong Wol.” “That was just idle talk..." As he realized what I was implying, ajusshi’s face turned serious. I bit my lip and spoke up. "...I saw it, ajusshi. I witnessed it all with my own eyes." "...Oh my god." "I really thought I was going to die back then." "..." -Thud. The news made ajusshi drop to the ground. “Don’t tell anyone. Not even Lord of the Sichuan Branch. I was the only one who survived that scene. If word spread... Cheong Wol would surely know who leaked it.” “...Then it really was the Extinction Sword.” Shock painted across ajusshi’s face, now more concerned than I was. He merely mouthed inaudibly for a while, then leaned in to a whisper, even though we were alone. "Kid, why are you telling me only now?" "What would have changed if I'd told you earlier?" "...Still..." "Anyway, for now, things seem calm, and she doesn’t appear to be making a move right away, but... it feels like only a matter of time. I can't live with this looming fear." "So, what will you do?" "I need to find a place to settle. Emei Mountain isn’t an option anymore... Starting in Chengdu, I plan to find somewhere to live quietly. I’ll save some money, make preparations... and flee silently in the night.” "Why can’t you just live in Chengdu? I don't want you to go too far..." I didn’t mind his honesty. Truly, this man was the only person I could call family in this world. Sometimes he was annoying, sometimes a bother, sometimes exasperating... but still, a genuine hero in my heart. To me, he was like a father. Ajusshi seemed to regard me as something of a son. "Hmm? Seo Jin. Then live in Chengdu. Even Miss Cheong Wol couldn't find you there." “Ajusshi.” “Hm?” I smiled as I spoke. “...Tang So Ran is also after me.” -Bang! Ajusshi pulled out his baton, swinging it at my head. “Kyaaah!” “You fool! What have you been up to?!”