Journey to Chengdu (5) - Martial Arts Masochist

Cheong Wol's body froze and refused to move. Although she thought she should move, her body strangely did not obey. It was only belatedly that she felt the ropes binding her body, the vivid sensation digging into her skin. A powerless and dangerous situation, yet it didn't feel as terrifying as she thought it would. Her heart raced, and her skin tingled, yet within it, she found a strange comfort. ‘So pretty.’ Someone whispered, as if to reassure her. ‘So pretty, Wol Ah.’ “...stop...” Yet for some reason, Cheong Wol was telling him to stop. Was it out of embarrassment, genuine disgust, or perhaps because, despite her refusal, she found his voice praising her beauty somewhat pleasing? ‘Your thighs are beautiful too...’ “Stop...” ‘Your calves are lovely too...’ “Uh...” ‘Why would a nun from the Emei Sect have such an alluring body? You should have been a courtesan, not a nun.’ Did Han Seo Jin say such things? Or was it something she imagined? At that moment, her vision brightened. Han Seo Jin stood before her, having removed the blindfold. The flickering candlelit basement came into view. It felt as if she hadn’t seen his face in ages. Between her rough breaths, an odd sense of relief found Cheong Wol. It was Han Seo Jin. Then he said, ‘Your nipples are cute.’ “What?” Cheong Wol glanced down at her chest. Her body was completely bare, not a single stitch on it. “!!” Startled, Cheong Wol sprang to her feet. She blinked her eyes, but no sound emerged from her open mouth, which seemed ready to scream. “Ah... Ah...” The only sound that escaped her lips was a gasp, akin to a suppressed moan. Shock, confusion, and shame overwhelmed her. The surroundings were dark. Cheong Wol clutched her chest like a shy maiden, catching her breath while observing her surroundings. This was the room of the Emei Sect's second-ranked disciple. She could see the sleeping forms of her fellow disciples scattered about. “Ah...” Cheong Wol felt pathetic and covered her face with her hands. What kind of dream was this? That perverted situation, that humiliating moment... Why dream of it again? Persistent emotions kept arousing her. As a nun, she hated having such dreams, yet oddly, as a nun, she also found it exciting. Cheong Wol had to clutch her shameful bosom for quite a while. She chanted to herself like a prayer, ‘Please calm down... please...’ Only after some time passed could she detach her hand from that which had slightly protruded. She had to endure a long period of self-reproach. A dream like this would follow her to the grave. It's a secret she could never share with anyone. She, a nun of the Emei Sect, who stood out in cultivation, martial arts, and appearance, even among other nuns... dreamt of being humiliated and showing her bare body to a despicable gateguard leader? The thought itself was vulgar to her. Cheong Wol quietly dusted herself off and stood up. She tiptoed outside, careful not to wake her fellow disciples she wasn’t too fond of. She needed some fresh air. Once outside, Cheong Wol let out a long sigh... something felt empty. Ever since she heard the news that Han Seo Jin had left without warning, she had been in this forlorn state. An indefinable frustration lingered in her heart. To leave without a word... Of course, they were not in a relationship obligated to communicate, yet, weren't they friends? Was it only her who thought so? For Cheong Wol, he was such a peculiar and remarkable person. There wasn’t anyone she had opened up to like she did with Han Seo Jin. That’s why she didn’t know how to maintain distance with him. If she were to be honest, she wanted to seek him out. She wanted to ask why he suddenly left, what he intended to do. It was perhaps more anger than longing. But at the same time, she continually questioned herself if they were actually in the sort of relationship where she could ask those things. Cheong Wol, much like Tang So Ran, didn't enjoy having people she wasn't close with clinging to her. “...Oh?” Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and Cheong Wol murmured softly. ...Could it be that Han Seo Jin followed Tang So Ran? Just as he left her in the basement that time, focusing only on Tang So Ran... Could it be the same now? -*creak*- She winced at the heavy sensation in her chest. ...No, he wouldn’t have followed. It made sense; the Tang family had left that morning, and the villagers knew Han Seo Jin had already departed. Plus, thinking again, the workshop had been closed since the day before. He hadn’t followed the Tang family. Cheong Wol decided to put her thoughts to rest. Yes, what’s thirty days? And who is Han Seo Jin anyway? She'd just wait patiently. There was no need to waste thoughts on that pervert. She needed to pull herself together. Why would she even think of going after him after such humiliation? It was for the best. Although it was to resolve the heart demon, at least she wouldn’t have to feel that shame for thirty days. “...” Even so, Cheong Wol pondered over that fact for some reason. At that moment, she heard a faint sound from somewhere—a child crying. A sob echoing through the temple in the dead of night. It felt almost as if a ghost had appeared, but as a nun, it held little meaning for Cheong Wol. She quietly followed the sound. In a corner of the temple, beside a tree, she found Hong Hwa crying. “Hong Hwa.” “Ah!” Hong Hwa hurriedly hid her tears. For some reason, Cheong Wol felt she knew why Hong Hwa was crying. Emei Sect nuns often cried. It was a time Cheong Wol had experienced too. Or perhaps she still was. Having left the embrace of family for the Emei Sect, moments of loneliness and emptiness always lingered. It would be best to freely interact with her fellow disciples and alleviate those feelings, but... Cheong Wol still found it difficult and recently, she hadn’t even wanted to. Thus, she could empathize deeply with Hong Hwa’s tears. “...Why are you crying?” “It’s because of—” As Cheong Wol sat beside Hong Hwa, stroking her head, Hong Hwa sniffled, as if releasing the tears she had been holding back. "Tell me," she said gently. "...It's just..." "Mm-hmm." "...It's that... Uncle..." "Uncle?" Cheong Wol tilted her head in confusion. "...The leather workshop owner has vanished." Cheong Wol's expression slightly furrowed as she watched Hong Hwa lower her head in tears. Was she crying because Han Seo Jin vanished? "Why do you care if the workshop owner disappears?" "..." Hong Hwa’s ears turned red instead of giving an answer. Ah. Understanding finally dawned on Cheong Wol. It was a child’s crush. At her young age, it's a kind of admiration or attachment towards an adult who could serve as a point of guidance. Especially to someone who embodies traits reminiscent of a father figure, particularly in the Emei Sect where there are plenty who can fill a mother's role but not a father's. Several of her fellow disciples also used to have male adults they looked up to with admiration. Cheong Wol grew up only looking up to the sect leader, so she didn't entirely grasp it, but perhaps Hong Hwa felt the same. At roughly twelve years old, Hong Hwa's feelings weren't out of the ordinary. However frequent it might be, Cheong Wol felt uneasy. There were plenty of other men she could admire or respect... yet, why Han Seo Jin, of all people? "I thought you disliked the workshop owner." "...Huh?" "As I recall, you once told me that the owner was creepy. That he always stared at me in a strange way." "...Ugh." Cheong Wol playfully teased, "Were you perhaps just jealous?" “...” But Hong Hwa, feeling as if her secret had been uncovered, couldn't lift her head. Cheong Wol tried to fix the situation, "Hong Hwa. Even I’ve seen that man, and he isn’t the kind of adult worth crying over if he disappears." “...Huh?” "Why him? A pretty girl like you could have a more remarkable person in your heart." "But nuns... can't love men..." "Even so, is having feelings such a sin? A crush is one of the most natural emotions a person can have. It's considered an ascetic act because we have to suppress it." "But... is the uncle really... weird?" Cheong Wol nodded and calmly explained, "He's poor. Friendless. Shy... and yes, as you said, a bit creepy." Hong Hwa covered her mouth in astonishment. "I've never heard you talk about someone like this..." "Even I have opinions. Forget about him, Hong Hwa." "..." "Why, don't all your fellow disciples say the same? That the workshop owner lives a lonely life because he has nothing? He’s probably the least popular man in the village." Hong Hwa's expression dimmed. "Still... still..." Seeing Hong Hwa not ready to give up on Han Seo Jin, Cheong Wol persistently continued. "So, what happened between you two? Why do you feel this way?" "Um... before... when I got lost in the mountains... he helped me." "You got lost on Mt. Emei?" "It was when I was younger. He helped me, and ever since then, he’s always been kind to me..." Cheong Wol paused, a chill creeping into a corner of her heart. ...Han Seo Jin wasn't particularly kind to her. He focused solely on Tang So Ran back then, and now he left without a word. ‘...You're pretty, Wol-ah. It's been hard, hasn't it?’ ...No, that was just part of a game. He isn't genuinely kind. Hong Hwa sighed deeply, "Saikho. What if the uncle doesn't come back? Even if he leaves, I want to thank him for everything... but he might hate me for always teasing him..." Something struck Cheong Wol then. "...Hong Hwa." "..." "Shall I find him for you?" "Huh?" Until now, there was no particular reason to act, but if Hong Hwa wanted him, Cheong Wol could certainly do something. She wasn’t entirely clueless about where Han Seo Jin might have gone. It seemed that one of the beggars who was with Han Seo Jin disappeared too. Perhaps he went to the Sichuan branch of the Beggars' Sect? The only city nearby to head to would be Chengdu, in any case. It might be a wrong guess, but if she were to wager, Han Seo Jin would've gone to Chengdu. Han Seo Jin mentioned he'd be returning in 30 days. Traveling to and from Chengdu fit that time frame perfectly. Besides, Chengdu was where Tang’s patriarch planned to gather promising talents for a meeting. Had not her master suggested she attend as well? The more she thought about it, the more reasons there seemed for her to go. "Really?" "Yes. I was planning to head to Chengdu anyway, so I'll look for him there." "Really, truly?" "Yes, really, truly." "Saikho!!" Hong Hwa threw herself into Cheong Wol’s arms. Cheong Wol patted Hong Hwa's head with a smile. "When you find him, please tell him I'm sorry for teasing him. That I'd bring him more wild berries, if only he'd return.” "Alright." Cheong Wol replied, though her gaze carried emotions quite different from her words. A cold, heavy gaze. From a depth she herself wasn’t conscious of, such feelings had emerged merely from the thought of searching for Han Seo Jin. She whispered softly, "And when I find him... for leaving without a word to Hong Hwa..." Trailing off, Cheong Wol finally muttered in a low voice, "...I'll give him a piece of my mind."