Chapter 130
130
It was Jin-sung who decided Water Dragon King's fate.
Jin-sung, who had been agonizing over the Mystic Tool until the morning star disappeared into the dawn sky, finally made a decision.
"I will take the man named Chi-yong to the Alliance. Because we must resolve the grievances of innocent people."
"So you've decided. Do as you wish. And?"
"I cannot help but hold Water Dragon King accountable as well. Punishment is necessary."
Beopgong nodded as if he understood. He seemed to respect Jin-sung's decision.
"Therefore, there is one thing I would like to ask of you."
"Hmm. Tell me."
"Beopgong Daesa told me to give him a chance, but I cannot simply let him go. I think we need to keep him close and watch him."
"You mean take him to the Alliance?"
"Not exactly, but I want to provide him with an environment where he can live like a human being."
At Jin-sung's words, Beopgong crossed his arms and grinned.
"You rascal. I thought you were rigid, but you have a soft side. Alright. What do you want me to do? How do you want me to help?"
"I plan to have Water Dragon King compensate the innocent people who were sacrificed directly. Money cannot replace human lives, but lifelong atonement will do."
"That guy doesn't have any money, though?"
"So, I plan to have the Alliance pay the compensation first, and then have Water Dragon King gradually pay it back."
"Ah. So, you want me to create an environment where that guy can mingle among the common people and earn money honestly?"
"Yes. I want to show him how ordinary people live and then release him into the world."
"……Yikes. That means you're asking me to find a caretaker to look after him."
Beopgong's expression turned bitter. He sighed, scratched his head, counted his fingers, and then opened his mouth.
"How about Wang Gajeong? It's the closest place from here. If you ask him to find a house nearby and give him some work. That Wang guy has a small trading company and farms quite a bit. He'll only give him small chores, but he'll be able to learn the ways of the world."
"That's enough. Thank you, Beopgong Daesa."
Beopgong, who smiled contentedly at the polite greeting, patted Jin-sung on the back.
"You must have worried a lot last night. Good job."
Then he called Water Dragon King.
"Hey, kid! Come here! ……His leg is lame. Never mind. I'll go."
He strode over and looked down at Water Dragon King and asked.
"Can you write?"
"Yes. I learned from a cripple."
"A cripple?"
"The guy who managed the ledgers. The old man threw him into the river earlier."
Beopgong paused for a moment at the reply. He made a groaning sound and smacked his lips.
"……Is that so. Well, that's good. I'll write you a letter."
"A letter?"
"Yes. If you go to Hwangmae County, there's a man named Wang Giyeol, a lay disciple of the Shaolin. If you ask for Master Wang's house, everyone will understand. I'll get you a few carts, so take your family and go to him."
"Who is he? Is he your friend?"
"A guy I taught. If you show him my letter, he'll find you a place to stay. He'll give you work too. So, don't think about doing anything bad and work hard to make a living."
"……What, what is this."
Water Dragon King's eyes trembled in confusion, but Beopgong continued without concern.
"Instead, send three-tenths of the money you earn each month to the Murim Alliance. It's the price for the lives of the people you killed. I'll let you know how much is left each time you receive the money, so work hard to pay it off."
"……I don't understand what you're saying at all."
"And send me a letter every three months. Write about what you did today, what the weather was like, what happened, how you're doing with your family, anything trivial. If you don't send it, I'll assume you've gone back to piracy and come after you."
"……."
"If you want to trade, learn to trade, if you want to farm, learn to farm. Since there are many women, you can make a living by weaving. Anyway, do whatever you want. Once you decide what to do, Giyeol will help you."
"I, I don't understand what you're saying……."
Water Dragon King, stammering, clutched at his clothes with an anxious expression.
"Help me?"
"Yeah."
"Will you really help us?"
"That's what I'm saying."
He looked at Beopgong, his lips twitching as if he couldn't believe it.
"Why? What's the reason? You don't gain anything from it, do you? What do you want?"
"Hey. Why would I want to take advantage of a kid like you? I don't want anything."
"That's why I don't understand it even more. ……There were many people who wanted to kill me, but no one ever offered to help me."
"That's probably true. Pirates aren't people. But I'm a person. It's natural for people to help each other."
Beopgong, who replied nonchalantly, looked at Chi-yong. His expression turned cold.
"Instead, this guy has to die as Water Dragon King."
"No, no! Not Chi-yong!"
"No. You and this pirate are different. This guy has countless blood on his hands. I'll take this guy."
"No! Don't touch Chi-yong!"
Water Dragon King, pale as a sheet, stood in front of Chi-yong. He bared his teeth fiercely, as if he would attack Beopgong at any moment.
Beopgong clicked his tongue and looked at Chi-yong.
"Goodness. He's like a stray cat. Hey, you know better than anyone what kind of opportunity that kid has. You take care of it."
"……Yes. Thank you for Daesa's mercy."
Chi-yong, who bowed deeply, pushed Water Dragon King back and persuaded him. Water Dragon King, who was shouting something, soon began to sob.
I turned away and moved away from Water Dragon King's group.
As I stared at the Yangtze River, dyed with the dawn light, Yeon-ryang, who had quietly approached, stroked my hair.
"Our sister is too kind-hearted, it's a big problem. She cares so much about other people's affairs."
"What do you think, Brother?"
"Hmm?"
"The decision those two made."
"Does letting him go make you uneasy?"
"A little. I think we should give him a chance? But when I think about the people who died……. I also think the punishment is too light. But I can't tell him to repay a life with a life. It's difficult."
"……When I see you like this, you have a strange side to you. Paying back blood with blood is the law of the Jianghu, but you say that's not allowed. It's like you grew up in a temple instead of being a daughter of a Martial Arts family."
"It's because I stayed in the temple for a long time thanks to someone."
"Oh, it's all my fault then. Anyway, those two have already made a decision, so don't worry about it anymore. There's no perfect answer in the world anyway."
Yeon-ryang, who smiled playfully, patted me as if to comfort me. I wanted to smile too, but I couldn't.
I sighed deeply as I thought of the woman who had lost her husband and handed me the Myeokri.
I know that the world is not a place where you can live virtuously just because you want to.
Because the sword wielded for me stabs innocent others, and revenge begets revenge.
But I didn't want to be swept away by that current.
I want to protect my daily life without wavering. I hope I can remain myself.
……I want to become stronger.
As I stared at the flowing water, I exclaimed at the thought that suddenly flashed through my mind.
"Ah, so that's what that meant."
Yeon-ryang asked back at my muttering.
"Hmm?"
"Someone told me something a long time ago. Brother."
"Yeah."
"The Jianghu is a place where the strong are respected, and no one listens to the words of the weak in a world where the powerful are the law."
"That's right."
"So, if you have something you want to protect, you have to develop your strength. I didn't really understand what that meant back then? I just thought it was a statement of principle."
Yeon-ryang tapped my head with his fingertips as if telling me to continue.
"But I think I understand it now. It meant that you have to develop your strength to protect yourself so that you can look around you. No matter how strong you become, if you lose yourself, if you can't remain yourself……. you can't protect anything."
"Whoever said that gave you good advice."
Yeon-ryang, who replied gently, smoothed my messy hair with his fingers.
"Our sister is growing up so fast every day. It feels like only yesterday that I was wondering how I could leave you alone because you didn't know anything……."
"Of course. Whose sibling am I?"
I replied playfully and smiled at him. Yeon-ryang chuckled and lightly brushed off my clothes.
"You're covered in mud. You should wash it off before it hardens."
"Yeah."
"Aren't you tired? Should I give you a piggyback ride?"
"Brother, really. Am I a child?"
"You are, of course."
He giggled and stretched my cheeks. My heart fluttered at the warmth of his large hand.
How did Yeon-ryang not lose himself in this world?
How could he be the first to offer to help me?
I realize once again what his outstretched hand meant to me.
"You know. I too……."
"Yeah."
"I want to be like you, Brother."
Yeon-ryang was horrified at my whisper.
"What? You're saying something terrible. So-hye, you can't live like me."
"But you're strong. I want to become strong too. I want to become strong and do what I think is right without wavering."
Yeon-ryang opened his mouth for a long time as if he couldn't think of anything to say. Then he smiled bitterly and turned his head.
"……Your brother is not that kind of person."
"You are that kind of person."
"……."
Yeon-ryang's neck tensed as he avoided my gaze. Just as I was about to open my mouth again, Beopgong's shout was heard.
"Hey! You guys, stop slacking off and come help! We need to launch the boat!"
"Yes! We're coming! Let's go, Brother."
I waved to Beopgong and quickly pushed Yeon-ryang's back. His fingertips, which were moving his feet as if he couldn't win, seemed to be trembling slightly.
\ \ *
Jin-sung's plan to take Chi-yong to the Murim Alliance fell through.
This was because the common people, who saw Chi-yong being dragged in bound, cursed and attacked him.
The anger was so fierce that even Beopgong could not stop the crowd and handed Chi-yong over.
He did not last long under the barrage of beatings and died.
It was a miserable death.
"Tch! You're worse than a dog or a pig!"
"Mom……. I'm scared……."
"You shouldn't look at things like that. Let's go quickly."
Chi-yong's head was hung at the pier.
It was a fitting price to pay, but I didn't feel good seeing the corpse being pointed at by everyone.
I was overcome with the anxiety that Yeon-ryang could be like that too, even though the circumstances were different.
No matter what kind of person Yeon-ryang was, he would look like a suspicious Demonic Sect to others.
Will he be able to leave the Murim Alliance without any problems? Will Beopgong's guarantee be enough?
Did Jin-sung sense Yeon-ryang's Demonic Energy?
He must have felt suspicious after seeing Yeon-ryang, who had pretended to be a Wanderer without Internal Energy, matching Beopgong's movements and rampaging.
The fact that he didn't say anything meant that he was holding back in order to get solid evidence.
If Jin-sung…….
"Dang Sojeo."
"……."
"Dang Sojeo. Are you alright?"
"Yes? Ah, yes."
I was startled and raised my head to see Jin-sung looking at me.
He was awkwardly reaching out his hand towards me. He seemed to be wondering whether to touch my body to call me.
He must have been calling me for a while.
"I'm sorry. I was thinking about something else."
"It's alright."
Jin-sung, who bowed his head at my awkward apology, opened his mouth.
"There is something I would like to ask you."
"Yes. Please speak."
Then Jin-sung, who looked around, narrowed the distance between us.
I flinched and twisted my body at the excessively close distance, but Jin-sung instead pressed his shoulder against me.
Jin-sung, who approached me as if to protect me, slowly lowered his head. It was a distance where I could feel his breath.
He whispered.
"By any chance, are you receiving threats to your safety from your family?"
