Ep489 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

As soon as Elder Tak Il-woo from the Mount Hua Sect proposed a plan, Geum Yeoul stepped forward with confidence. Despite volunteering to be the hostage and potentially being the first to face danger if things went awry, she seemed to fear nothing. Her smile, as she approached the prison bars, was evidence of her unwavering courage. Tak Il-woo's expression turned somewhat uneasy upon seeing her confident demeanor. “…You're the daughter of the Golden Merchant Association.” Bowing respectfully, she introduced herself. “My name is Geum Yeoul. It is an honor to meet the esteemed Baek Yeom-mae, famous throughout the martial world.” Her demeanor and speech were courteous. Tak Il-woo inquired further. “I am pleased to meet the renowned Lady Geum as well. But… are you suggesting you will be the hostage yourself?” “Yes. If I become the hostage, please allow Master Baek and the others to move freely.” “Hmm… I see.” Tak Il-woo stroked his long, flowing beard and murmured to himself. There was little he could do to stop her from volunteering as a hostage before anyone else could be chosen. “Very well. If Master Baek agrees, we will hold Lady Geum as the hostage and release the rest.” “…….” All eyes turned to Baek Woo-jin. It was his choice that mattered now. He was not pleased with the situation. He was not a villain nor inclined to act unwisely, yet he did not wish to leave her in a potentially dangerous position. While he was deep in thought, her gentle voice brought him back to the present. “Master Baek?” Geum Yeoul, having caught his eye, continued. “Don’t worry about me and do everything you wish to do.” “Lady Geum….” “You know, don't you? What kind of person my father is.” The Golden Merchant Association. Known as the leading merchant guild in the central plains, with money flowing through their coffers to such an extent that they controlled the highest level of financial power. Reminding him of her family's name was a deliberate act. It was a warning to anyone who might plot against her; they should be prepared for the consequences. Their financial power sometimes surpassed even martial might. The Mount Hua Sect was, after all, a group of people who still needed essentials like food and clothing. If her family’s financial influence were to spread throughout the entire Hwamyeong region, the disciples of Mount Hua would be left in a dire state, scraping roots to survive. But that wasn’t all. Baek Woo-jin realized that, as she winked at him, signaling reassurance. No matter what happened, he understood that there would be nothing to worry about. Feeling more at ease, he faced Tak Il-woo and spoke. “I will comply with Elder Tak's intentions.” “…Very well.” With a reluctant nod, Tak Il-woo gestured to the disciples lined up behind him. Two of them stepped forward, reluctantly undoing the restraints on Baek Woo-jin. Once his arms and legs were free, he immediately entered the prison to release the bonds on his comrades. Standing before Geum Yeoul, who would remain behind alone, Baek Woo-jin reassured her. “Just wait a little. I’ll catch the real culprit and bring them before you soon enough.” She shook her head and replied. “Worry about yourself. Even though he's an imposter, he had the ability to cut down the Head of the Mount Hua Sect. If you're careless, you might get hurt, too.” With a mixture of concern and jest in her tone, Baek Woo-jin replied with a smile. “That won’t happen, so don’t worry about me.” “Oh, how strong you are.” Her gaze was full of affection. Their deep exchange ended only when one of the disciples of the Mount Hua Sect coughed uncomfortably. Leaving Geum Yeoul behind, Baek Woo-jin and his comrades exited the underground prison. As they emerged, Tak Il-woo addressed him with a seemingly casual demeanor. “If you are not the culprit, please find the true perpetrator and resolve the grievances of our sect. I ask this of you.” There was something unsettling about his tone. It felt like a provocation, as if challenging him to catch the real culprit. Was it possible that he was behind the attempted assassination of the Head of the Mount Hua Sect? Reflecting on this possibility, Baek Woo-jin nodded. “I will certainly do so.” * * * The first place Baek Woo-jin went after regaining his freedom was to the bedchamber where the incapacitated Head of the Sect lay as if lifeless. In the middle of the spacious room lay the middle-aged man known as Seonpoong Dogol. Though he looked to be in his forties, his true age was well over seventy—the Head of the Mount Hua Sect, famously known by his moniker, "Maehwa Sword Immortal,” Ju-un. He was such a master of his craft that there was talk that, should another genius martial artist appear in the mainstream martial world, it would undoubtedly be the "Maehwa Sword Immortal." Baek Woo-jin sat by Ju-un’s side and extended his arm. “Let me take a look at the wound for a moment.” Despite the wary glances from the observing disciples, Baek Woo-jin pulled back the blanket covering Ju-un. As he untied the loosely bound knot, the pungent smell of medicinal ointments wafted out, revealing the wound. From the upper right to the lower left. A deadly diagonal scar marking Ju-un’s chest. He visualized the moment Ju-un was injured in his mind. ‘It was a clean and precise strike.’ A blow from a swordsman with impeccable foundational skills. Yet something felt off. ‘The wound is shallower than expected.’ For a strike intended to kill, the depth seemed insufficient. Had it been even slightly deeper, Ju-un might not have survived until now. It was unlikely that Ju-un had twisted his body to avoid the blow. If he had, the scar would have been messier or the line misaligned. This meant that the attacker intentionally controlled the depth of the strike to prevent an instant kill. ‘But why?’ Why make such a decision? The answer soon became clear. ‘So that I would be accused as the culprit.’ If the assassin’s true goal was to frame him, it made sense. Once Ju-un died, identifying the culprit would become extremely difficult. But, were he to utter Baek Woo-jin’s name and then collapse after being grievously wounded? ‘The Mount Hua Sect’s disciples would be fixated solely on me.’ If that were the case, another question arises. Why did the perpetrator want to frame him? The answer was straightforward. ‘They wanted to instigate conflict between me and the Mount Hua Sect.’ An all-out clash, possibly aimed at claiming lives, would have benefitted only one group. ‘The Demonic Cult.’ Perhaps because the Heavenly Demon was approaching this place. They wanted to sow discord between him and the Mount Hua Sect before he could unite with them to oppose her. This meant... ‘A spy from the Demonic Cult is hiding nearby or within the Mount Hua Sect.’ One person immediately sprang to mind. Elder Tak Il-woo of the Mount Hua Sect, who had earlier provoked him with peculiar words. Could he be the spy from the Demonic Cult hidden within Mount Hua? ‘It doesn’t quite add up...’ He had been taken in by the Mount Hua Sect, trained from the age of five by his then-master, the Maehwa Swordsman. Moreover, he had been a fellow disciple with Ju-un since childhood, sharing a deep brotherhood. What reason could he have to murder Ju-un, with whom he was known to have close ties? ‘None.’ No reason at all—be it betrayal or otherwise. There has to be a clear reason, and Tak Il-woo had none. The idea that it was because he coveted the position of Head was the most plausible reason, yet... That reason seemed weak at best. ‘Sudden greed for a position he had previously passed up would be odd.’ When the previous Head stepped down and the time came to nominate a new one, both Tak Il-woo and Ju-un had been candidates. Back then, Tak Il-woo voluntarily withdrew from the candidacy, choosing instead to remain as an elder. That such a person, in his later years, would suddenly covet the position and attempt to kill his beloved brother? ‘Trying to force it to fit just doesn’t work.’ Logically speaking, Tak Il-woo could almost be dismissed from the suspect list right away. Yet, his earlier words continued to nag at Baek Woo-jin. ‘What was he thinking when he said that?’ Even if, by some slim chance, he were the culprit, his provocative words didn’t make sense. If he were truly guilty, staying hidden would be paramount, not provoking suspicions. “…This is a headache.” Baek Woo-jin grimaced. He never imagined he’d be so tormented by a man rather than a woman. ‘Let’s not get fixated.’ For now, he decided to set aside thoughts about Tak Il-woo. When one gets caught up in a single thought, it narrows their perspective. After reviewing Ju-un’s wound again, he called over Seol Soo-yeon, who had accompanied him to Ju-un’s room. With her divine energy, she could heal this wound without a trace. “Could you take care of the healing?” “Yes, of course.” With confidence, Seol Soo-yeon sat beside Baek Woo-jin and placed her hand on Ju-un’s wound. She summoned her divine energy. A force focusing on healing and regeneration flowed through her meridians and into Ju-un’s wound. A gentle luminescent aura seeped out. After a certain duration, Seol Soo-yeon lifted her hand from the wound and spoke in a startled voice. “The...the wound isn’t healing….” Her words caused Baek Woo-jin’s expression to stiffen. Author's Note (Writer's Commentary) I mentioned in the last chapter that there might be a possibility of a break, but I apologize for not being able to announce it officially. With relatives visiting, I ended up having one drink, then another, and soon lost track of myself due to intoxication. Coming from a family of heavy drinkers, I'm the "normal" one who struggles to handle it during holidays, which is always a challenge for me. During the holidays, the chapter releases will likely continue at late-night hours. I find that writing only seems to flow for me late into the night when I’m at home. I ask for your kind understanding. I’ll see you in the next chapter. Thank you all for reading as always. Have a peaceful night. (_ _)